DENVER -- The Denver Broncos have taken plenty of pride in the idea that they don’t get caught up in what people say or how much credit people give them. They’ve consistently said they handle their business because they know what it takes.
And then a performance like the one in Sunday night’s game gets dropped into the mix.
The Broncos were soundly defeated 23-10, on their home field, by the previously winless New York Giants. But in reality the Broncos simply had their maturity tested in front of a national audience and they didn’t pass.
"We got our ass kicked, we got hit in the mouth," said running back C.J. Anderson. " ... And if we play that way when we go to L.A. [to face the Chargers Sunday], we'll get our ass kicked again.''
Coach Vance Joseph and the Broncos promised all week that it would not matter to them how many Giants starters were going to be out. The Broncos said they knew what it would take to avoid a letdown against an 0-5, injury-ravaged opponent.
They should know. The locker room is filled with players who won a Super Bowl ring two seasons ago because the team almost always played its best in the biggest moments.
But it was clear from the start Sunday night the Broncos were missing plenty of their mojo. In the first quarter alone they allowed the Giants to take their first possession 13 plays and 69 yards for a field goal. They followed that with several miscues, including a missed field goal, two near fumbles and a Trevor Siemian interception.
"We had a great week of preparation," Joseph said. " ... Obviously the start isn't what we wanted on both sides of the ball, really ... . Absolutely our start was not what we thought it was going to be.''
It was easily Siemian's most disjointed, mistake-filled night of his career. His night almost ended early after he landed on his surgically repaired left shoulder trying to do what quarterbacks do on tough nights -- make a tackle on an interception that was returned for a touchdown. Siemian missed the last seven plays of the first half as he was checked by the team’s medical staff, but returned in the second half.
The game was a mess across the board before his injury and largely remained one after.
"Turnovers, that's the story of the game, at least for us," Siemian said. " ... We hurt ourselves, we didn't score in the red zone, I turned it over and it's tough to win that. You're already playing a good team, you can't play against yourself as well."
To let Sunday’s game get away on a day when both the Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders lost could be critical later in the season.
The Broncos' run defense came into the night No. 1 in the league, allowing just 50.8 yards rushing per game to opponents. The Giants topped 100 yards rushing before the end of the third quarter, including Orleans Darkwa's 47-yard run. Darkwa became the first 100-yard rusher of the season against the Broncos.
All of New York's injuries at wide receiver meant tight end Evan Engram was the one impact player on the field. The Giants consistently found ways to get him the ball anyway. Engram finished with five catches for 82 yards and a touchdown.
The Broncos lost wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders to a right ankle injury late in the third quarter. Kicker Brandon McManus missed a field goal attempt and had another blocked while wide receiver Demaryius Thomas fumbled to open the fourth quarter.
What should have been a showcase game was instead a crushing defeat right before the Broncos play seven of their next 10 games on the road.