Some days, the analysis needs to cut deep, to get to the bottom of why a team lost.
Some days, it’s not that hard.
Broncos running back C.J. Anderson offered a simple explanation of their 23-10 loss to the Giants, and if you believe in Occam’s razor, you figure it’s true.
“They kicked our [butt] tonight, plain and simple,’' Anderson said. “Bad execution, bad football. We played terrible. We played terrible in all phases of the offense. I played terrible personally. You can’t expect to walk on the field and think you’re going to win a football game.’'
Anderson was held to 17 yards on nine carries, but was stood up on fourth-and-goal at the 1 in the fourth quarter, which was effectively the Broncos last stand.
Whether it was overconfidence, or their own problems, they have to figure it out before next week when they play the Chargers (who didn’t have a win before playing the Giants, and now have two in a row).
“We just can’t have this lackluster performance again,’' Broncos inside linebacker Brandon Marshall said. “I know everybody is going to be ready for next week in L.A., but we came out flat and couldn’t stop the run and couldn’t run the ball.’'
After the Chargers game, it gets even tougher, as they visit the 5-1 Chiefs and 5-1 Eagles, followed by a visit from the Patriots.
Presumably they won’t overlook those opponents, because it certainly looked like that’s what happened against the Giants.