Are the Broncos ‘running out of excuses’ for starting Siemian?

Oct 31, 2017, 1:54 AM

Quarterback Trevor Siemian #13 of the Denver Broncos walks off the field after throwing an interception during the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on October 30, 2017 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)

(Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)

Chris Harris Jr is tired of losing. The Denver Broncos cornerback is tired of “losing the same way every game,” and he’s tired of the team not giving itself a chance to win.

“There’s high tension. We’re not winning,” Harris said after the Broncos 29-19 loss on the road to the Kansas City Chiefs.

“We’re not taking care of the football. We’re giving the games away.”

Linebacker Brandon Marshall called the Broncos loss — which saw five total turnovers from Denver — “extremely frustrating.”

“We should win these games. We keep shooting ourselves in the foot over and over again the past three weeks. We can’t play like that,” Marshall said after the game. “We can’t expect to make the playoffs and turn the ball over. We gave the ball away five times. That’s not winning football.”

Monday night’s loss was Denver’s third straight coming off a bye in Week 5. Before the break, the Broncos held a 3-1 record with the top of the AFC West in sight.

But just a week after being shut out by the Los Angeles Chargers, arguably the lowest point for the club offensively in a quarter century, Denver dropped another division game in an “ugly” fashion.

“… Tonight, our defense played winning football in my opinion. Our offensive line blocked. We ran the ball for 177 and the pass throw was better, but it all falls back to turning the ball over five times,” head coach Vance Joseph said after the game. “That’s insane.

“You can’t win turning the ball over five times. Guys work too hard along with coaches and players to have a big game and give it away five times. It is mind-boggling.”

During the Fan Football Postgame on Monday, “Pritchard & Cecil” co-host Mike Pritchard said the Broncos offense is “failing,” and the team is running out of excuses for “make up for a guy they need to overcompensate for” in quarterback Trevor Siemian.

“You wonder what the Broncos are thinking right now. You wonder what the players are thinking because they have a quarterback that just can’t function,” Pritchard said. “He is playing poor football. I don’t know how they go forward.

“I don’t know how they get all the guys on that roster to believe in Trevor Siemian still, even though there were a lot of errors, a lot of mistakes, from all around — defense, special teams, and offense. But, when that guy is the most important player on your team and he can’t even function, I don’t know what you’re thinking about right there as an organization right now.”

Of Denver’s five turnovers, Siemian earned three, throwing three interceptions. And while the Broncos offense rushed for 177 yards on 5.7 yards per carry, Siemian mustered just 187 yards on 19-of-36 passing for a quarterback rating of 43.5.

“This week (our) defense played well enough to win. Our offensive line played well enough to win and just the mistakes; you hate beating yourself. For me, that’s the most frustrating part,” Siemian said after the game.

After the game, when asked why he didn’t opt insert veteran backup Brock Osweiler at halftime, Joseph said he stayed with Siemian because “he’s our guy.”

However, after being asked if there could be a change under center after watching the film, Joseph said, “I am not sure, but losing three games in a row and having five turnovers tonight, anything is possible.”

Said Pritchard: “I mean, you’re just running out of excuses for him to start for this team this year.”

Follow digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @johnnyhart7.