These were the four losses that hurt the Denver Broncos most in 2021

The Denver Broncos are searching for a new head coach, largely due to the fact that they missed the playoffs for the sixth year in a row.

The Broncos finished the season 7-10, losing four games in a row to close out another losing campaign. That ended up costing head coach Vic Fangio his job after three seasons.

The Broncos, who started the season 3-0, lost several games that they could have won and if they did, we might be having a different conversation right now. The Broncos might be preparing for a playoff game this weekend and Fangio might be returning for a fourth year with the team.

But for a variety of reasons, that is not the case.

The Broncos lost 10 games this season, but it was these four losses that hurt the team most and buried any chances of reaching the postseason.

Week 7 at Cleveland

It’s still incredibly frustrating that the Broncos lost this game.

It was on the road on a short week for Thursday Night Football, but the Browns had the equivalent of a preseason roster out on the field as so many stars were missing including Baker Mayfield, Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt.

The Browns said, no matter, we’ll just use D’Ernest Johnson, a third-string running back, to run all over you.

Johnson ran for 146 yards in this game but the Broncos still were within striking distance throughout as the Browns, with their depleted roster, were unable to pull away.

This was also the game where Teddy Bridgewater was far from 100 percent after getting banged up a little earlier in the year, but Fangio chose not to bench him in favor of Lock when that seemed to be the obvious call at halftime.

I am convinced that had Fangio made that move, the Broncos win this game.

Instead, it led to a fourth straight loss following the team’s 3-0 start.