I get the Denver newspapers and tune in to the Channel 7 and Channel 9 stations from Denver....they were shocked yesterday., here is another story about the defeat from my hometown paper in Colorado Springs:
September 12, 2005
Hot and bothered
Sunday was a day of dejection for Denver and running back Tatum Bell, who was stopped on fourth down at the 1-yard line during a 34-10 thrashing by Miami.
By FRANK SCHWAB - THE GAZETTE
MIAMI - From the inept first drive to the fumble returned for a touchdown by the Miami Dolphins on the final play, the Denver Broncos did almost nothing right in their worst opening-day defeat in 39 years.
With the offense providing no relief from the heat, humidity or the Dolphins, the exhausted Denver defense allowed 426 yards, and the Broncos were embarrassed 34-10 in front of 72,324 fans at Dolphins Stadium.
The 24-point losing margin was the largest in a Broncos opener since 1966, when the then-Houston Oilers beat Denver 45-7.
“When you get beat like that, I’m not sure there’s one turning point,†said coach Mike Shanahan, whose teams won eight of the previous 10 openers.
The Dolphins were 4-12 last season but outplayed the Broncos in every way Sunday.
“Give me something positive,†defensive end Trevor Pryce said, finding only blank stares in return.
The Broncos lost running back Mike Anderson on the second series with a rib injury  a sign of the miserable afternoon to come.
Quarterback Jake Plummer’s first six passes were incomplete, and his first completion didn’t come until nearly six minutes into the second quarter. Plummer finished 22-of-48 for 251 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions.
Denver converted 1-of-12 thirddown situations and scored once in four trips inside Miami’s 20-yard line  a 2-yard pass on fourth down from Plummer to fullback Kyle Johnson in the fourth quarter. The Broncos worked on their efficiency in the red zone  inside the opponent’s 20-yard line  all offseason but saw little progress.
“On third down we did nothing. In the red zone we did nothing,†Plummer said.
Denver cornerback Champ Bailey left the game early in the third quarter with a separated left shoulder that could keep him out a few weeks. Cornerbacks Lenny Walls and Darrent Williams missed most of the third quarter with cramps, brought on by the 89-degree heat with heavy humidity, and safety Sam Brandon had to be used at cornerback.
Still, the Broncos allowed only a pair of field goals until Dolphins tight end Randy McMichael caught a 2-yard touchdown with 4:47 left in the third quarter to give Miami a 13-3 lead.
Miami held the ball for 27 of the first 45 minutes and the Denver defense cracked in the fourth quarter. Miami’s Sammy Morris scored on a 9-yard run early in the quarter to increase the lead to 20-3.
After Johnson’s touchdown cut Miami’s lead to 20-10, Paul Ernster shanked the ensuing kickoff out of bounds. In a questionable move, the rookie kickoff specialist was left on the Broncos active roster instead of another cornerback or running back.
“You don’t second-guess yourself,†Shanahan said. “If you could have told me Mike Anderson would go down on the second (series), would I rather have a third running back up? Sure you would. That’s why you have 45 guys and you have to make a decision what’s best for your team.â€Â
The Dolphins started from the 40-yard line after the shanked kickoff and Marty Booker beat Walls on the first play of the drive for a 60-yard touchdown catch.
“I think that was really probably the turning point of the game, that we could recapture the momentum and come right back and make a big play,†said Dolphins coach Nick Saban, who was making his NFL head-coaching debut.
Miami defensive end Jason Taylor scooped up a Plummer fumble on the game’s final play from scrimmage and returned it 85 yards for a touchdown to make the final score look even worse for Denver.
Dolphins quarterback Gus Frerotte completed 24-of-36 passes for 275 yards. Denver’s offense accepted a lot of the blame for that because it couldn’t sustain a drive to give the defense a rest.
When the offense moved the ball, it failed to score. Tatum Bell, who replaced Anderson, was stuffed on fourth and goal at the 1-yard line in the second quarter, wasting a chance to take the lead.
“In a game like this, with the atmosphere, with the heat, with the humidity,we just can’t keep our guys on the field for that long,†said receiver Rod Smith, who had seven catches for 90 yards.
The Broncos host defending AFC West champion San Diego on Sunday. Fans might wonder if the Broncos can bounce back.
