SEATTLE — In a tale of contrasting Broncos, it was the worst of times, the best of times and, finally, the worst of times. It was a day of despair, a day of optimism.
It was the Broncos falling on their faces in the first half. It was Denver tying the score with a touchdown and a two-point conversion in the final seconds of regulation. It was the Seattle Seahawks winning on the first drive of the overtime, 26-20.
“What I saw in the second half gave me a lot of hope for our team,” Broncos coach John Fox told me far from the madding crowd of 68,447 at CenturyLink Field. That was not Fox coachspeak. He was sincere.
“For anyone who loves football, this was a game for the ages,” Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson said.
“That was a championship game,” said Seahawks coach Pete Carroll.
“We want to see them again,” Broncos cornerback Chris Harris said emphatically.
The only way the Broncos can play the Seahawks again this season is at the Super Bowl in Glendale, Ariz.
Bring it on. Super Bowl Redux. The Broncos are getting closer to the Seahawks, at least.
“It was a prize fight kind of environment,” Fox said.
Later, in a corner of the subdued locker room, he said: “I’m proud of how our team responded in the second half. This was our first road game and this is no cupcake place to play.”
In the first half the Broncos were ghastly on offense, scoring only three points — lowest in the Peyton Manning era — but the defense played superbly. Seattle’s 17 points were somewhat misleading.
In the second half, Denver’s defense was even more brilliant, allowing only one field goal, intercepting a Wilson pass and causing a safety. Manning took the Broncos 80 yards in 52 seconds to send the game into overtime.
Seattle got the one possession in the extra period, and Wilson was unstoppable, running and throwing and willing his team to victory.
“Wilson kept running and kept throwing passes in the overtime, and had us off-balance. We’re just so unsatisfied,” Harris said.
After Marshawn Lynch burst over left guard for the winning touchdown, the players from both teams and the throng just stood — either not knowing the game was over, or not wanting it to be over.
The Super Bowl involving these two was over before it was over. This one needed extra time.
“We have to find a way to take some positives from this,” Manning said. A few minutes later the man in the blue blazer and orange tie was in a back hallway, collecting his gear and his thoughts. He made a cell phone call to his family.
On his next-to-last drive, when the Broncos were threatening to score, Manning was intercepted when he forced a pass to Wes Welker. “I threw a bad pass,” he said.
PHOTOS: Broncos lost to the Seahawks in overtime, 26-20 for their first regular season loss
On his last drive of the fourth quarter he found backup tight end Jacob Tamme wide open for a score with 18 seconds left. Manning finished 31-of-49, but the Broncos had searched too long in vain to find a running game. They tried 14 running plays for a total of 15 yards in the first half.
Yet, the ultra-conservative offense had Seattle tied at 3-3 after one. Two touchdowns later, the Broncos were reeling.
“We stumbled offensively in the first half, but our defense kept us in the game,” Fox said.
If the second half had been a repeat of the first half, the Broncos and their followers would be orange-crushed. As it is, there is hope.
“The game is about wins and losses. We can go into the bye week, relax our minds and know that we can get back on track and where we want to go,” defensive tackle Terrance Knighton said.
The Broncos’ defense looked tired in overtime. And the Broncos’ offense didn’t get a look.
“It definitely was not the outcome we wanted, but I think we learned a little bit and are still growing as a team,” said tight end Julius Thomas.
While the Denver players walked quietly toward the team buses, several of the Seattle players returned to the field and celebrated as free safety DeShawn Shead asked his girlfriend to marry him.
It was the best of times, the worst of times and a dickens of a time in Seattle Sunday.
Woody Paige: woody@woodypaige.com or twitter.com/woodypaige
