It's tough for any NFL team fan to see their team losing. This is the time when the fair weather fans seem to have the better idea, because they don't share your pain when the team drops 3 painful games in a row. Still, I am a Broncos fan. I am a deeply worried, horrified, pained Broncos fan... but I am giving up another title. That of a blind Shanahan follower. Why you ask?

After a bad loss, or even a close game, it's natural to go over the pros and cons of the games, see where the team is standing, where they can improve... it give you something to think about and hope for, to somehow justify the week of ribbings you'll get for being a tried and true fan.

So what's up with the Broncs?

At the beginning of the season, many popular analysts suggested that the Broncos main shortcomings were at wide reciever and defensive line. Well, Javon Walker has been good (when healthy), Brandon Marshall has been a force to watch, and Brandon Stokely is probably one of the best thirds a team could ask for. Martinez isn't bad, and Rod Smith hasn't been ruled out yet, so, all clear there. As for the defensive front, Elvis Dumerville is one of the AFC leaders in sacks. QBs are under more presure, and there are more backfield tackles... but then what's wrong with the team?

Special teams - There was a thought that Domink Hixon was to blame for bad special team performaces, and so today he was replaced by Brian Clark... who fumbled and had about as many yards as Hixon. The problem is, when another team kicks, everyone arrives in front of the carrier about the same time the ball arrives. There doesn't seem to be much blocking. This is a vast difference from when the Broncos kick away, and teams are able to establish running lanes and block patterns... and then go out for coffee, write a birthday card to their grandmother, get it in the post office box to make Monday morning pick up, get back to the field, re-establish the block system just in time to greet the Broncos special teams unit. I seriously thought that special teams coach Scott O'Brien was supposed to fix the problems we had out there... and why, exactly, is Champ Bailey out there? Running 85 yards downfield to try and make a tackle is tiring work... for a good handful of players, it is there only purpose in the NFL. They live for it, and we don't obviously have enough because our defensive cornerstone probowl corner is out there.

Injuries - OK, you can never fully account for these, but some of our biggest names on both sides of the ball have missed time, and it's hurt in key situations. Which brings us to the next point.

Deapth - As I mentioned earlier, WR might be OK here, but between the defensive secondary, the linebacking corp and the o-linemen, I don't know if the team has that much blood to bleed, and the drop off in talent between starters and second string players is obvious. Huge holes develop on the field, and without announcement, you know exactly what player went out.

Linebackers - Last year, Ian Gold went to great efforts to prove he had not lost a step. Now constantly caught in offensive mismatches, it appears he's lost two. D.J. Williams has proven himseld a phenominal athlete by appearing to be adequate at this position. Like most of the defense, it's unclear if he knows where to be most of the time, he's not reading well or adjusting, but his physical ability lets him make up the difference. Webster has flashes of brilliance, but they are few and far between and he is not the caliber of starter we are used to seeing in Denver. So... how is Al Wilson these days? Because now, more than ever, I miss him.

General defense - We give up the run. Our two outstanding corners get beat with some consistency. Our safties are covering like corners. What our defense lacks is any sense of a consistent personality. We're not hard hitting. We're not smart. We're not fast. We're not shutdown. We have individual players who may hold one or more of those titles, but the defense as a whole has no single focus, and as such, we look lost. Instead of forcing teams to beat us in one particular fashion, we try to cover for all of it, which lets a team beat us every which way.

Jay Cutler - I will be forgiving. You are making errors that anyone new to the position is prone to make, and you are showing some amazing capabilties that let us dream of what could be. But still, take up meditation or something to calm the heck down.

Runningbacks - I think they're good... but...

O-Line - As first shown with the Raiders to some degree, and then heavily with the Jags, the Colts, and again, some today with the Chargers, you're job is to force the defender where you want him to go, not the other way. The vaunted Denver o-line zone running system looks like it should have retired years ago.

And finally, offensive play calling -  Seriously?! You think because they stopped you on down 1 and 2 when running up the middle that you may surprise them by doing it again on 3? You think that you can "trick" another team on 3rd (or all too often 4th) and long by going underneath, when you've never really proven you can go long?  And stop designing QB sneaks for 4th and 4. It doesn't work. Jay is one big tough guy, but it simply doesn't work. My football experience may be limited, but even I know better than that.

And the combination has led me for the first time to judge my coach as inept. The season is long, there are many chances to get a team in order, but I was really under the impression that this would be a strong year for the Broncs.

Instead, I am left trying to rationalize into a bye. Maybe we all need a break.

Oh, and before I get all the "Broncos s.u.c.k" comments, realize a few things.

Raiders fans - Chances are, we'll still get more than the 2 wins we have already
KC fans - The future of your team is Brodie Croyle and Dwayne Bowe. The glass may be half full, but it's still half-glass-ed.
Charger fans - One week ago, you didn't sound so different.
Everyone else - You've all had your ups and downs. You didn't like it when someone else rubbed it in. Wasn't needed. Your love for the team meant you criticized harder than anyone, right? Right.