Broncos loss to Colts comes down to a few critical moments

Prior to Sunday's game against Indianapolis, Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels said that beating the undefeated Colts would require more-or-less a perfect game. What the Broncos delivered at Lucas Oil Stadium was far from it, but even so, when the conclusion of the game drew near, Denver was still in a position to leave Indy with a "W."

The Broncos defense, which struggled through the game's first quarter-and-a-half, proved both stout (they surrendered just 22 second half yards prior to the Colts game-clinching touchdown drive late in the 4th quarter) and opportunistic (they forced Peyton Manning into three interceptions-one near the end of the first half and another two in the second) as the game progressed.

There was, of course, the horrendous start. When questioned about things such as previous struggles at Arrowhead in December and 2008's late season collapse, the '09 Broncos claimed (and justifiably so) that this is a different group. However, through the first 20 minutes of Sunday's game, Peyton Manning appeared to have pressed "replay" on his 2003 and 2004 playoff footage against the Broncos D. It took the Colts 22 minutes to score 21 points.

Despite what was roughly the worst start Denver could have imagined, down 21-0 they clawed and scraped their way back into the game. As is often the case in the NFL, had things gone differently at a few critical points this one may have concluded differently for the Broncos. Among the potential game-shifters:

Failure on 4th and short

At two different times in the first half the Broncos were faced with a 4th-and-1 just inside Indy territory. In both instances the Broncos opted to go for the first down. Strategically, it's the right call-neither a 60-yard field goal attempt, nor giving the ball back to "Machine Manning" via punt was a good idea. And normally the tactic of running between the tackles is also hard to argue. However, the Broncos have struggled all season in short yardage situations. McDaniels seems hell-bent on (unsuccessfully) proving the adage that if an NFL offense can't surge forward for one yard it shouldn't be on the field.

Given the Broncos previous short yardage struggles this season, why not pull something different out of the offensive playbook? Or, if running between the tackles is the only option McDaniels feels is appropriate for the situation, why not insert Peyton Hillis, a bigger, more physical back who has proven he can get the tough yard(s) (for example, converting a 4th and short with a strong second effort in the closing minutes of a 4-point win last year against Cleveland)?

Kyle Orton's Red Zone INT

Overall, Orton had a solid game. He completed over 70% of his passes, threw for 277 yards, a pair of touchdowns, and connected with Brandon Marshall an NFL record-setting 21 times. But the interception Orton tossed at the goal line in the third quarter was a killer. Orton lofted a ball for Marshall from the Colts twenty toward the end zone. Marshall slipped and the ball was intercepted. The ball was likely underthrown on purpose and with Marshall falling to the turf while the ball was in the air, placing the blame on Orton probably isn't entirely fair. But had Orton kept good care of the ball in the red zone (as he has this season and throughout his career), Denver likely would have produced three points, which even with Indy's 4th quarter touchdown would have kept them within one score going into the final Broncos drive of the game.

Mario Haggan's missed tackle

The Colts faced a 3rd and short from the Denver 5-yard line with 2:43 left to play in the game. Running back Mike Hart got the call over the left side and was met behind the line of scrimmage by Broncos linebacker Mario Haggan. However, Haggan couldn't close the deal. Hart broke the tackle and surged forward for a first down, eventually leading to an Indy touchdown that sealed Indy's 22nd straight regular season win. Had Haggan made the tackle, the Colts would have settled for a field goal, the Broncos would have kept their timeouts in tact (instead they were forced to use them over the next three defensive downs), and the game would have remained a one-score contest as Denver took the ball with two-and-a-half minutes left to play.

Losing what ultimately became a tight game to the Colts (who have long been a storm the Broncos have trouble weathering) is a difficult pill for Denver fans to swallow. While there is hardly a moral victory in the NFL in December, the Broncos ability to come back and make a game of what was originally a 21-point deficit on the road to arguably the league's best team is cause for encouragement.