DENVER (AP) -Domonique Foxworth has had enough of the Denver Broncos’ inconsistency.
The Broncos defensive back vented some of his frustration after a 31-13 loss to the Houston Texans on Thursday night, a lethargic defeat that followed an impressive win four days earlier in Kansas City.
“To be flat out honest, some better personnel would help us be more consistent, and some more experience would help us be more consistent,” Foxworth said. “We don’t have what we need right now, and that’s clear. There’s no excuses for this team. There’s no excuses for me. There’s no excuses for anybody right now for what we’ve done. We have talent.”
Although still mathematically in the wild-card race, the Broncos (6-8) aren’t even thinking about the playoffs, where they would need quite a bit of help just to sneak in. They’re more concerned with stringing together two quality games to wrap up the season.
“We need to look at ourselves and get better,” Foxworth said. “If we can manage to win these next couple games and find ourselves in the playoffs, we’re lucky. That’s plain and simple. What’s important is that we right this ship.”
That may prove difficult, considering all the leaks that have sprung up this season. The Broncos’ run defense is among the worst in the league and the special teams play has been erratic.
Denver has also been hit hard by injuries, sustaining two more in Thursday’s loss when tight end Daniel Graham hurt his ankle and linebacker Ian Gold banged up his knee. Broncos general manager Ted Sundquist didn’t return an e-mail on the extent of the injuries to Graham and Gold.
Rookie running back Selvin Young thinks the rash of injuries may turn out to be a blessing in the long run. It has thrust young players into pivotal roles, including himself.
“I’m the type of person that is going to keep on fighting, and there are a lot of guys in the room that will keep on fighting,” said Young, who’s filled in for Travis Henry on numerous occasions this season. “We are going to figure out a way to get this thing going back to the old Broncos days where there (weren’t) many losses, if any at all.”
Young isn’t accustomed to losing. He arrived at Denver from Texas, where he helped the Longhorns to a national title following the 2005 season.
“I am not dealing with (losing) very good at all,” Young said. “I try not to go crazy when I go home at night. The best thing about it is that we have a coach that understands how to get you ready to go and play. You put everything in the past behind you.”
Still, the level of frustration is escalating, especially after the stellar performance against Kansas City, followed by the clunker in Houston.
“We go out and play so well last week,” quarterback Jay Cutler said. “I thought (the Texans) were quicker than us, they were ready to play and they dominated up front. We just weren’t sharp. It just wasn’t there. That level that we had last week wasn’t there.”
Denver coach Mike Shanahan couldn’t put a finger on why his team looked sluggish against the Texans, a team the Broncos know intimately given the fact former assistant coach Gary Kubiak is now Houston’s head coach.
“Maybe I worked the guys too hard,” said Shanahan, who’s only had one non-winning season since taking over the team in 1995. “We didn’t have the energy that we had a week ago. I told them I did a bad job of getting them ready because they didn’t have the energy. But the bottom line is that we didn’t get it done.”
Inconsistency has become the overriding theme of the season. The Broncos haven’t strung together more than two consecutive wins, and they have endured a stretch where they dropped five of six.
“If we’re consistently inconsistent, it speaks for itself,” Foxworth said. “You have to look yourself in the mirror and if you’re that inconsistent, maybe it’s not that you’re inconsistent – maybe you are that person.”
Add A Comment