Why Denver lost... again

As per TMQ:

"[O]ver [the last] three seasons Denver is 33-15 in the regular season and 1-3 in the postseason. In [my season] preview, I hung recent Denver disappointment on postseason evaporation of the Broncs' running game and defense -- exactly what happened Sunday. Why does the Denver running attack shine in the regular season then wheeze out in the playoffs? Incredibly scientifically advanced answer: I don't know. Regarding the defense, answers seem clear: excessive blitzing that invites big plays, an overrated defensive backfield, predictable defensive game plans, and defensive coaches who act surprised when the opponent is prepared for the predictable defensive game plan. This season Denver was second against the rush but 29th against the pass. If you're 29th against the pass, you better not act surprised when your championship-game opponent opens by passing a lot.

At this point in his career, John Lynch is a linebacker, not a defensive back. This season Lynch made the Pro Bowl on rep, since he's not even the best safety on the Denver team. (That's Nick Ferguson.) Denver got its great rush-defense stats partly because Lynch excels at run defense and played up in the line much of the time: but that meant when opponents passed, often Lynch was unable to help. Lynch has been up in the line so much lately, including on Sunday, the Broncos have been playing what amounts to a 4-4-3, which is a high-school look! A 4-4-3 stops the run but gets shredded by the pass. On Sunday, Lynch had just three tackles despite spending much of the game at the line, while making no big play. Megabucks corner Champ Bailey also made no big play, and for the second consecutive year was unimpressive in the Broncos' crunch game. As noted by reader Emanuele Fadini of Turin, Italy, on Roethlisberger's 12-yard touchdown pass to Cedric Wilson, which put the Steelers ahead 10-0, Bailey was making the high-school mistake of "looking into the backfield" trying to guess what Big Ben would do: Champ lost track of Wilson, who ended up unguarded. Bailey too made the Pro Bowl largely on rep: what sense does it make for a team that's 29th against the pass to have two defensive backs bound for Hawaii? "A lot of teams throw the ball against us, they just don't normally succeed," Denver corner Domonique Foxworth said after the game. Actually, practically everybody who throws the ball against Denver succeeds. Sunday, the Broncos' pass defense paid the piper. "