Are the Broncos Better Than Their 3-7 Record Suggests?

When a team is 3-7, typically that means its a really bad team. But that isn’t entirely true for the Denver Broncos, though, they aren’t a good team by any means. The Broncos are still a bad team, but not your typical 3-7 bad.

There are plenty of issues with the Broncos, but despite them, this team has had chances at garnering four more wins than they have. If Denver managed to win those four games, they'd be sitting at 7-3 and first place in the AFC West. But they didn’t, which is why they aren’t a good team. Good teams win small, and Denver just isn’t there yet.

This was supposed to be a transition season. With an inexperienced coaching staff, things were going to take time. It took a few weeks before Vic Fangio was really able to unleash his scheme, and part of that is due to some injuries and players learning their roles.

Kareem Jackson, for one, had a whole new role to learn, and he missed some time early in the season with an injury. The game he missed was one of the games that Denver nearly won, and maybe having him could have been the difference.

On offense, the Broncos have dealt with inefficient play and issues from their play-caller. Rich Scangarello is a first-time offensive coordinator, and this is only his fifth year of NFL coaching experience, but there are basic tenets offensive coordinators execute that he wasn’t doing early in the season.

It caused a lot of problems for the Broncos. Scangarello seems to be growing, but still has a long ways to go.

There are also the injuries Denver has faced, and to some key spots on the team. Jackson missed a game, but there are multiple others that have really affected the team. FB Andy Janovich has been a big part of the running game, so not having him healthy to start the season was a setback.

Ja’Wuan James has played only 32 snaps, and Elijah Wilkinson is stuck at right tackle which isn’t his natural position. That is still better than the zero snaps the Broncos have gotten out of Bryce Callahan, who was tapped to be their No.2 corner entering the season.

After benching their No. 3 cornerback, the fourth guy on their depth chart got hurt in De’Vante Bausby. That has led to the Broncos having to rely on two additions that were picked up right before the regular season started.

Bradley Chubb got hurt during the fourth game of the season, and the Broncos' pass rush would likely look a lot different with him out there. RB Theo Riddick was brought in to be a big part of the offense, but he got hurt before it ever got going with him. Lastly, there was the injury to Tim Patrick in Week 1. While he is limited, not having Patrick out there hurt a Broncos offense that is lacking receiver weapons.

Those are all big factors as to why the team has really struggled this season. Yet despite all of those, they've still been in position win four additional games.

In their second game of the year against the Chicago Bears, the Broncos offense drove down the field and scored some points. This put the Broncos up two points with only 31 seconds left in the game, and it was a game where Denver's defense was really good and the Bears offense was bad.

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Even so, the Bears were able to drive the ball and get into field goal range, where they kicked and made the game-winning field goal. A potential win that ended in a loss because the Broncos couldn’t close it out.

A couple of weeks later, a very similar circumstance unfolded. The Broncos drove down the field, put points on the board to take a one-point lead. This time there was 1:32 left in the game. Denver had a chance but blew it as the Jaguars offense moved the ball, got into range and kicked another the game-winning field goal. This was potential win No. 2 that turned into a loss because the Broncos couldn’t close it out.

A few weeks after that, on the road against a tough Colts team, the Broncos were up 13-12 for a good portion of the game. Then with 1:48 left, what do the Colts do? Drive down and kick the game-winning field goal. Potential win No. 3 that turned into a loss.

The last game was the collapse in Minnesota just this past Sunday. Up 20-0 at halftime, and the Broncos blew the lead. That wasn’t the only issue with this game, though.

This time, it was the Broncos offense that received the final drive. Denver moved the ball and got into the red zone with 1:05 left in the game. That should be plenty of time for at least eight plays, or two full sets of downs. However, poor clock management led to only six plays unfolding in that time frame.

Of course, had Brandon McManus not missed a field goal in the fourth quarter that would have allowed the Broncos to kick a field goal for the win, the would have needed just a field goal late in the game to win, as opposed to the touchdown. Still, Denver had the ball in good position to get the game-winning touchdown and failed. Poor play-calling, poor clock management, and even poor execution are to blame for this one.

Four games. Four potential wins. Four games in which the Broncos walked away with a loss.

It is hard to see how Denver is better than their record says, but they are. The Broncos are taking proper steps forward in turning this team around.

Denver is right on the cusp and adding some extra talent at a few positions, like left tackle, wide receiver and cornerback, could really help this team out. Having stability at quarterback wouldn't hurt either.

Maybe next year the Broncos will take the next step, having learned the hard way how to close out games and walk away with ugly wins instead of devastating losses like those four games.

Follow Erick on Twitter @ErickTrickel and @MileHighHuddle.

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