ANALYSIS: The Fan reacts to the Broncos failed comeback bid vs. 49ers

The Denver Broncos drop to 6-7 on the season after they failed to complete a comeback against the San Francisco 49ers in a 20-14 loss on the road Sunday. Here’s how the 104.3 The Fan staff reacted:

DMac (“The Drive”):

A tale of two halves didn’t fall the Denver Broncos way. Although the defense pitched a second-half shutout, they weren’t able to get the ball back to the offense, and San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan wins the battle of the coaches.

Sadly, this ends the Broncos postseason hopes, unless there’s a complete collapse by the Baltimore Ravens and Miami Dolphins and. … you know what, never mind.

You get the picture.

It was ripe for the taking and, ultimately, the inept offense buried the Broncos. Having a mediocre quarterback will result in many mediocre games. This was one of ‘em.

Sure, it wasn’t great giving up 10,000 yards to a guy whose name rhymes with Brittle, but that’s not really the story. At the end of the day, you have to score points.

Without Emmanuel Sanders, there was no potential for explosive plays, and though they did the right thing by trying to throw to Phillip Lindsay more, it just wasn’t enough.

There will be plenty of folks screaming for Vance Joseph’s job this week, but as I’ve said, over and over, don’t scream for V.J.’s head without pointing a finger at general manager John Elway.

I fear over-reaching is in the future in the draft, and, as everyone celebrates the remarkable year of Bradley Chubb, please remember this.

We don’t have a good quarterback.

Orlando Franklin and John Davis:

.@OFranklin74 and @JDavisD12 with their immediate response to the #Broncos 20-14 loss to the #49ers. pic.twitter.com/cpdrRX2DoS

— 104.3 The FAN (@1043TheFan) December 10, 2018

Mike Pritchard (“Pritchard and Cecil”):

Broncos Country watched an offensive genius pick apart a defense that clearly missed Chris Harris Jr. on Sunday.

The Broncos also continue to struggle on offense. The 49ers shut down the running game, and the Broncos lacked explosive plays in the passing game.

Zach Bye (“Stokley and Zach”):

It took three hours of football on Sunday afternoon to give back every ounce of equity the Broncos had accrued over the last month. Losing to a two-win 49ers team will go right up there with the loss to the New York Jets as the most inexcusable of the season.

Only this time the Broncos weren’t giving up a franchise-record in the run game like they did in New York. They were letting San Francisco notch a franchise record through the air, as George Kittle, the only 49ers weapon that strikes fear, go for an unprecedented 210 yards.

This game will go down for me as the worst-coached game this season for the Broncos. I know they’re battling serious injuries, but it felt like they had to overcome their own coaches as well.

In addition to the gaffes defensively covering Kittle, there were poor play calls on late downs, illogical calls on the goal line, and ineptitude on challenges.

Vance Joseph and his staff laid an egg, and it cost the Broncos. It also may cost VJ and his staff their job.

Mike Evans (“Schlereth and Evans”):

This was an organizational failure top to bottom. Vance Joseph and his staff were out coached and out prepared.

The highly-celebrated rookie class delivered a dud.  And the lack of depth that forced such an over-reliance on rookies after the injuries is on John Elway.

Top to bottom, an epic fail.