thedenverpost--2020-12-19--With U.S. politics deeply divided, Utah shows “there’s a better way”

SALT LAKE CITY — In one of the most corrosive presidential campaigns in recent American history , amid the political denunciations and slanders of an excruciating year , Utah ’ s top candidates for governor made a television commercial together .
It was not your typical political ad .
On the left side of the screen was Chris Peterson , the Democratic candidate , an affable man in a nondescript suit looking earnestly into the camera .
On the right was Spencer Cox , his Republican opponent , with a similar suit and expression .
They cheerfully acknowledged that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ something unusual for American politics in 2020 .
“ Win or lose , in Utah we work together , ” said Peterson , who would be crushed in the November elections , a few weeks after the ad was released .
“ Let ’ s show the country there ’ s a better way , ” said Cox , who , a week after his victory , criticized fellow Republicans for attacks on the legitimacy of the elections .
When it comes to politics , Utah has long claimed things are different here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , many politicians will tell you .
Legislators are more polite , more willing to compromise .
The deep conservativism , the folklore says , includes a powerful strain of compassion .
It might make you wonder : With U.S. politics so divided that millions of voters are lost in a maze of conspiracy theories and outright lies , could a TV advertisement signal a place where they ’ ve figured things out ?
Could this idiosyncratic state in the heart of the Rockies show America a better way ?
Salt Lake City @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the AP ’ s road trip , which took us across the country over the course of the summer and fall .
Three of us have been trying to make sense of a year wracked by coronavirus , economic devastation , sometimes-violent protests for racial justice and an election campaign that ended with President Donald Trump , the clear loser , insisting that he ’ d been cheated out of victory .
A couple weeks earlier we ’ d been covering the presidential election from Wisconsin , bringing along gas masks and protective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There were widespread fears the state could be a flashpoint for political violence .
Just looking at the gear in my suitcase disoriented me .
I ’ ve covered plenty of political violence : Crimea , Congo , India , Liberia , Nepal , Thailand .
But now tactical vests were standard reporting tools for Wisconsin , the state where I ’ d gone to summer camp as a homesick kid ?
It didn ’ t seem possible .
We never needed the protective gear .
There were a handful of scuffles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. elections and the days that followed were largely peaceful .
Still , it made me want to find some good news .
The year had offered so little .
So we came to Utah .
It didn ’ t take much poking around to realize that the state ’ s longtime reputation — overwhelmingly white , overwhelmingly Republican , dominated by a cultural conservatism inherited from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — was only part of the story .
The other part is a surprising political complexity and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turns out , is a place where right-wing Republicans have fought for the rights of undocumented immigrants and deeply religious legislators have enacted some of the nation ’ s strongest protections for gays and lesbians .
It is one of America ’ s most conservative states , both culturally and politically , but has one of its most liberal cities : Salt Lake City , with its throngs of Democrats , array of hipsters and , until she decided not to run again , an openly lesbian mayor .
It ’ s a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alcohol that there are dozens of soda shops — Swig , Sodalicious , FiiZ , Quench It — to satisfy the relentless demand for carbonation and sugar ( except on Sundays , when many are closed ) .
But two years ago , Utah also voted to legalize medical marijuana , and today you can pick up an Orange Creamsicle vape cartridge at a cannabis dispensary just a five-minute drive from Temple Square , the geographic heart of Utah ’ s Mormon culture .
What is going on ?
“ I really do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said state Rep. Robert Spendlove , a Republican economist and proud policy wonk who spent years working in Washington and left unimpressed .
“ In Utah we really do have a sense of wanting to work together , to try to focus on shared interests and our policy objectives.
” “ There ’ s some sense of working together and cohesiveness that I don ’ t think you find in other places , ” said state Sen. Luz Escamilla , a Democrat who was raised in Mexico and is one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Latinas .
“ There are levels of civility , of decorum , that are unique to the culture of the state .
It can be helpful in terms of running a whole legislative session.
” But Utah culture also includes a powerful streak of conformist perfectionism , and generations here have faced the pressure of living up to the state ’ s mythological ideal : the relentlessly happy family with a string of polite , hard-working children .
As a result , at least some of the outward political civility is what people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ viciousness can be hidden behind a fake smile and a batch of fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies .
Picture one of those 1950s TV housewives , but with a bloody dagger beneath her apron .
Jim Dabakis , a former Democratic state senator , said he never faced a harsh word from a Republican during his years in office — but he said they still worked to quash pretty much every progressive bill he backed .
“ This is a society of very passively aggressive people , ” he said .
“ The levels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respect is just as much in Utah as it is in New York.
” The legislative civility “ is nothing to brag about , ” said Dabakis .
He argues that the immense power of the Republican party has warped the state ’ s political culture .
The party has crushing majorities in both the state House and Senate and has controlled the governor ’ s office for more than 30 years .
“ It is simply one party that is in total , complete , absolute control and then saying , ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ” Dabakis said .
Many politicians acknowledge that Republican control sometimes fosters a phony politeness , but they ’ ll defend it too .
“ To me it ’ s still better to have the facade , ” said Republican Ray Ward .
“ If you keep the facade long enough then sometimes you can ’ t tell if that ’ s the real thing.
” Brian King , the Democratic House minority leader , added , “ The Utah Nice thing , it can be superficial , but there can also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a method of getting from A to Z.
” King notes that Mormons are raised to see themselves as “ peculiar people , ” with a deep commitment to principled living .
“ The downside is you can very easily and quickly fool yourself and rationalize poor behavior , ” said King , who is a member of the faith .
“ I think that happens quite a lot here honestly.
” Off the record , some politicians acknowledge that politeness can mask political bullying .
They ’ ll talk about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a colleague after a vaguely critical comment , and how the legislature took control of about 16,000 acres on the outer edges of Salt Lake City to create a trade zone .
They ’ ll talk about how aggressive Republican gerrymandering has sliced and diced the state so that Democrats have no chance for victory in many legislative districts .
In many ways , the state legislature , which remains overwhelmingly white , male and Mormon , doesn ’ t reflect the changing state it represents .
Beyond the capital building , Utah @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It has an increasingly large Latino population and growing numbers of other racial minorities , as well as ever more non-church members who come for Salt Lake City ’ s liberal vibe or , in a mountain-filled state , a flourishing outdoor culture .
Utah is no multi-ethnic , multi-religious melting pot — the state is still roughly 81 % white and 62 % Latter-day Saints — but those numbers are down considerably from a couple decades ago .
Often , though , that ’ s not how it feels .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re an ounce of different — at all — whether it ’ s racially , politically , maybe you are a progressive feminist , whatever it is , you feel SO different , ” said Sheryl Ellsworth , a Black woman who said people are regularly surprised to discover that she ’ s a Mormon .
Utah has become harder to pigeonhole , a state known both for its vegan restaurants and its hardline anti-government activists .
While Utah is more conservative than much of the U.S. on social issues like pre-marital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a surprising defender of LGBTQ rights , with worker and housing protections , trans protections and a ban on so-called conversion therapy , discredited programs that claim to change sexual orientation .
Polls show that Utah has some of the highest public support for LGBTQ-protection laws in the country — including among Mormons .
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , which did much to mold the state ’ s ethos , also has become harder to pigeonhole .
While the church has traditionally been overwhelmingly conservative and Republican , today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strain of liberal members .
The church has also begun to directly address its history of racism , including a ban on Black priests that it lifted four decades ago .
The church ’ s history as a persecuted minority — believers arrived here in the 1800s fleeing bloody religious persecution from Ohio to Illinois to Missouri — also helps explain why many conservative Utahns are staunch defenders of immigrants and refugee rights .
This year , as the political atmosphere around the presidential elections grew ever more virulent , the church also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and to accept the results no matter who won .
“ We live in a time of anger and hatred in political relationships and policies , ” President Dallin Oaks , one of the church ’ s most powerful leaders , said in an October speech .
“ As followers of Christ , we must forgo the anger and hatred.
” Rancor was what we expected to see when we set out across America , and there was no lack of it .
We found abiding racial tensions in an Illinois “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people were welcome only by daylight , and in rural Mississippi , where they still face obstacles to voting ; we found distrust and discontent in Appalachian Ohio .
We also found Americans who struggled valiantly — two women building a family amid poverty ; a Black man willing his wife from her COVID-induced coma ; an immigrant who lost her job at a Las Vegas hotel due to the pandemic .
In Utah , we found something else : A place that seems to work — but maybe only because it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what was then a small , fringe religion , Utah was then lost in the desolation of mountains and deserts , and viewed with suspicion by much of America .
The insularity that resulted has been fading over the past few decades , but it ’ s still a place marked by its distinctiveness .
Sometimes that distinctiveness means politicians more willing to get along .
And sometimes it means the platitudes of Utah Nice .
So King , the House minority leader , can celebrate legislators finding common ground even as he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Utah , he said : “ It ’ s not black and white.
” This story was produced with the support of the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting .

SALT LAKE CITY — In one of the most corrosive presidential campaigns in recent American history, amid the political denunciations and slanders of an excruciating year, Utah’s top candidates for governor made a television commercial together.
It was not your typical political ad.
On the left side of the screen was Chris Peterson, the Democratic candidate, an affable man in a nondescript suit looking earnestly into the camera. On the right was Spencer Cox, his Republican opponent, with a similar suit and expression.
They cheerfully acknowledged that they disagreed on many things, but added something unusual for American politics in 2020.
“Win or lose, in Utah we work together,” said Peterson, who would be crushed in the November elections, a few weeks after the ad was released.
“Let’s show the country there’s a better way,” said Cox, who, a week after his victory, criticized fellow Republicans for attacks on the legitimacy of the elections.
When it comes to politics, Utah has long claimed things are different here.
Political viciousness is for other places, many politicians will tell you. Legislators are more polite, more willing to compromise. The deep conservativism, the folklore says, includes a powerful strain of compassion.
It might make you wonder: With U.S. politics so divided that millions of voters are lost in a maze of conspiracy theories and outright lies, could a TV advertisement signal a place where they’ve figured things out?
Could this idiosyncratic state in the heart of the Rockies show America a better way?
Ehhhhhhh. Sort of.
___
Salt Lake City turned out to be the end of the AP’s road trip, which took us across the country over the course of the summer and fall. Three of us have been trying to make sense of a year wracked by coronavirus, economic devastation, sometimes-violent protests for racial justice and an election campaign that ended with President Donald Trump, the clear loser, insisting that he’d been cheated out of victory.
A couple weeks earlier we’d been covering the presidential election from Wisconsin, bringing along gas masks and protective vests capable of resisting high-caliber handgun fire. There were widespread fears the state could be a flashpoint for political violence.
Just looking at the gear in my suitcase disoriented me. I’ve covered plenty of political violence: Crimea, Congo, India, Liberia, Nepal, Thailand.
But now tactical vests were standard reporting tools for Wisconsin, the state where I’d gone to summer camp as a homesick kid? It didn’t seem possible.
We never needed the protective gear. There were a handful of scuffles in a handful of places, but the U.S. elections and the days that followed were largely peaceful.
Still, it made me want to find some good news. The year had offered so little.
So we came to Utah.
It didn’t take much poking around to realize that the state’s longtime reputation — overwhelmingly white, overwhelmingly Republican, dominated by a cultural conservatism inherited from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — was only part of the story.
The other part is a surprising political complexity and slowly changing demographics. Utah, it turns out, is a place where right-wing Republicans have fought for the rights of undocumented immigrants and deeply religious legislators have enacted some of the nation’s strongest protections for gays and lesbians.
It is one of America’s most conservative states, both culturally and politically, but has one of its most liberal cities: Salt Lake City, with its throngs of Democrats, array of hipsters and, until she decided not to run again, an openly lesbian mayor.
It’s a state where so many people frown on alcohol that there are dozens of soda shops — Swig, Sodalicious, FiiZ, Quench It — to satisfy the relentless demand for carbonation and sugar (except on Sundays, when many are closed).
But two years ago, Utah also voted to legalize medical marijuana, and today you can pick up an Orange Creamsicle vape cartridge at a cannabis dispensary just a five-minute drive from Temple Square, the geographic heart of Utah’s Mormon culture.
What is going on?
“I really do think it’s different in Utah,” said state Rep. Robert Spendlove, a Republican economist and proud policy wonk who spent years working in Washington and left unimpressed. “In Utah we really do have a sense of wanting to work together, to try to focus on shared interests and our policy objectives.”
“There’s some sense of working together and cohesiveness that I don’t think you find in other places,” said state Sen. Luz Escamilla, a Democrat who was raised in Mexico and is one of the state’s handful of elected Latinas. “There are levels of civility, of decorum, that are unique to the culture of the state. It can be helpful in terms of running a whole legislative session.”
But Utah culture also includes a powerful streak of conformist perfectionism, and generations here have faced the pressure of living up to the state’s mythological ideal: the relentlessly happy family with a string of polite, hard-working children.
As a result, at least some of the outward political civility is what people around here call Utah Nice, where viciousness can be hidden behind a fake smile and a batch of fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies. Picture one of those 1950s TV housewives, but with a bloody dagger beneath her apron.
Jim Dabakis, a former Democratic state senator, said he never faced a harsh word from a Republican during his years in office — but he said they still worked to quash pretty much every progressive bill he backed.
“This is a society of very passively aggressive people,” he said. “The levels of hostility and distrust and lack of respect is just as much in Utah as it is in New York.”
The legislative civility “is nothing to brag about,” said Dabakis.
He argues that the immense power of the Republican party has warped the state’s political culture. The party has crushing majorities in both the state House and Senate and has controlled the governor’s office for more than 30 years.
“It is simply one party that is in total, complete, absolute control and then saying, ‘We all get along so well,’” Dabakis said.
Many politicians acknowledge that Republican control sometimes fosters a phony politeness, but they’ll defend it too.
“To me it’s still better to have the facade,” said Republican Ray Ward. “If you keep the facade long enough then sometimes you can’t tell if that’s the real thing.”
Brian King, the Democratic House minority leader, added, “The Utah Nice thing, it can be superficial, but there can also be substance to it: It’s a method of getting from A to Z.”
King notes that Mormons are raised to see themselves as “peculiar people,” with a deep commitment to principled living.
“The downside is you can very easily and quickly fool yourself and rationalize poor behavior,” said King, who is a member of the faith. “I think that happens quite a lot here honestly.”
Off the record, some politicians acknowledge that politeness can mask political bullying. They’ll talk about the powerful legislative leader who stopped speaking to a colleague after a vaguely critical comment, and how the legislature took control of about 16,000 acres on the outer edges of Salt Lake City to create a trade zone. They’ll talk about how aggressive Republican gerrymandering has sliced and diced the state so that Democrats have no chance for victory in many legislative districts.
In many ways, the state legislature, which remains overwhelmingly white, male and Mormon, doesn’t reflect the changing state it represents. Beyond the capital building, Utah is no longer a cliché of homogeneity. It has an increasingly large Latino population and growing numbers of other racial minorities, as well as ever more non-church members who come for Salt Lake City’s liberal vibe or, in a mountain-filled state, a flourishing outdoor culture.
Utah is no multi-ethnic, multi-religious melting pot — the state is still roughly 81% white and 62% Latter-day Saints — but those numbers are down considerably from a couple decades ago.
Often, though, that’s not how it feels.
“Utah feels so homogenous that if you’re an ounce of different — at all — whether it’s racially, politically, maybe you are a progressive feminist, whatever it is, you feel SO different,” said Sheryl Ellsworth, a Black woman who said people are regularly surprised to discover that she’s a Mormon.
Utah has become harder to pigeonhole, a state known both for its vegan restaurants and its hardline anti-government activists.
While Utah is more conservative than much of the U.S. on social issues like pre-marital sex and abortion, it has become a surprising defender of LGBTQ rights, with worker and housing protections, trans protections and a ban on so-called conversion therapy, discredited programs that claim to change sexual orientation. Polls show that Utah has some of the highest public support for LGBTQ-protection laws in the country — including among Mormons.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which did much to mold the state’s ethos, also has become harder to pigeonhole.
While the church has traditionally been overwhelmingly conservative and Republican, today there’s also an increasingly large strain of liberal members. The church has also begun to directly address its history of racism, including a ban on Black priests that it lifted four decades ago.
The church’s history as a persecuted minority — believers arrived here in the 1800s fleeing bloody religious persecution from Ohio to Illinois to Missouri — also helps explain why many conservative Utahns are staunch defenders of immigrants and refugee rights.
This year, as the political atmosphere around the presidential elections grew ever more virulent, the church also urged its followers to avoid partisan rancor, and to accept the results no matter who won.
“We live in a time of anger and hatred in political relationships and policies,” President Dallin Oaks, one of the church’s most powerful leaders, said in an October speech. “As followers of Christ, we must forgo the anger and hatred.”
___
Rancor was what we expected to see when we set out across America, and there was no lack of it. We found abiding racial tensions in an Illinois “sundown town” where for years Black people were welcome only by daylight, and in rural Mississippi, where they still face obstacles to voting; we found distrust and discontent in Appalachian Ohio.
We also found Americans who struggled valiantly — two women building a family amid poverty; a Black man willing his wife from her COVID-induced coma; an immigrant who lost her job at a Las Vegas hotel due to the pandemic.
In Utah, we found something else: A place that seems to work — but maybe only because it’s Utah.
Founded by believers in what was then a small, fringe religion, Utah was then lost in the desolation of mountains and deserts, and viewed with suspicion by much of America.
The insularity that resulted has been fading over the past few decades, but it’s still a place marked by its distinctiveness.
Sometimes that distinctiveness means politicians more willing to get along. And sometimes it means the platitudes of Utah Nice.
So King, the House minority leader, can celebrate legislators finding common ground even as he grumbles about political superficiality.
That’s Utah, he said: “It’s not black and white.”
___
This story was produced with the support of the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting.


thedenverpost--2020-12-19--Retirement savings mostly left untouched during pandemic

Congress made it much easier for people to tap their retirement savings during the pandemic to cope with financial hardships .
But rather than rush to take up a limited time offer , most consumers have avoided turning to that safety valve to get by .
“ People really do want to preserve those funds for retirement .
Very few people have taken a withdrawal , ” said Sarah Holden , senior director of retirement and investor research at the Investment Company Institute in Washington , D.C .
Pulling money early out of a retirement plan is a costly proposition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the opportunity cost from lost compounding .
But Congress in late March softened the tax hit on plan withdrawals of up to $ 100,000 , provided they were made this year to deal with impacts from the novel coronavirus .
The CARES Act waived the 10 % penalty tax normally charged on withdrawals from 401 ( k ) and related plans made before the age of 59½ .
Taxes on distributions , normally paid in one year , can be spread out over three years .
And if the money is repaid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be returned .
So how many people took advantage of coronavirus-related distributions as they are officially called ?
Not that many , at least compared to those who collected extra unemployment insurance benefits , took out Paycheck Protection Program loans or sought relief from making payments on their mortgages .
Greenwood Village-based Empower Retirement estimates that of the 6.4 million plans it administers that were eligible for a coronavirus-related distribution , 3.8 % recorded one through Nov. 20 .
About a fifth of those who took money out did so more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The average amount taken out was $ 17,000 , with plan participants in their 50s having the highest average withdrawals at $ 24,495 and those in their 40s making the most withdrawals .
Only 3 % of those who made a coronavirus-related distribution took the maximum $ 100,000 allowed .
“ Overall , while this is a small percentage of the Americans we serve , these numbers have been fairly steady since the CARES Act was enacted earlier this year , ” said Empower Retirement President and CEO Edmund F. Murphy III @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there will continue to be more people seeking emergency access to their retirement funds until the pandemic subsides and economic conditions improve.
” Counts from the Investment Company Institute based on 30 million employer-based defined contribution plans found 4.4 % of participants took a coronavirus-related distribution through Sept. 30 .
Other withdrawals , which lack the more favorable terms provided under the CARES Act , ran at 3.4 % in the third quarter , close to the 3.3 % rate seen a year earlier .
Holden said there could be some overlap between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also allowed participants who had previously borrowed from their plans to defer payments and Empower Retirement received 33,000 deferral requests as of Nov. 20 .
About four in 10 of those making a coronavirus-related distribution had taken loans from their plans in the past , indicating they may have viewed a withdrawal as a better alternative .
New loan requests from plan assets are down by a third this year compared to last year , Empower Retirement said .
Aside from pulling money out of a retirement plan or borrowing against it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stop making contributions .
In the third quarter of 2009 , while the country was dealing with the impacts of the Great Recession , 5 % of participants stopped contributing , according to the Investment Company Institute .
But in the third quarter of this year , only 2.2 % of participants had stopped , not much higher than the 1.9 % rate seen last year in the third quarter .
“ The thing that always surprises me about retirement savers is their remarkable resilience and their remarkable commitment , ” Holden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mean households aren ’ t under financial stress .
The weekly Household Pulse survey from the U.S. Census Bureau found that a third of Colorado households have suffered a loss of income and nearly as many , 31.5 % , are struggling to pay the usual household expenses .
Fidelity Investments , in a survey released earlier this month , found that two out of three respondents had suffered a financial setback of some type this year and nearly three in 10 said they were worse off financially than they were a year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of income or unexpected expenses , 45 % said they cut back on spending , 37 % dipped into emergency savings , 23 % took on additional personal loans or turned to credit cards and 20 % borrowed from friends or family .
Another explanation for the low withdrawal rates is that workers in low-wage services jobs , the kind hardest hit by closures during the pandemic , were less likely to have a retirement plan in the first place , at least compared to the white-collar professionals who could work at home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a quarter of the workforce , but represented a third of the gain in unemployment between February and April of this year , according to a blog post from Brookings .
Even if they had a retirement plan , someone in their 20s likely hasn ’ t accumulated as much in assets to tap .
Bob Murphy , AARP state director in Colorado , said nearly half of Colorado workers lack access to a retirement plan at work , something the legislature tried to address by passing the Colorado Secure Savings Program @ @ @ @ @ @ @ access to a state-supervised IRA account that can be funded through payroll deductions .
Compared to the last recession , the federal government cast a much wider safety net of social assistance , and it did so quickly .
Unemployed workers received an extra $ 600 a week in federal unemployment benefits through the end of July .
And those eligible to receive assistance was broadened for the first time to include the self-employed .
In another unprecedented move , the CARES Act provides up to a year in relief from mortgage payments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .
Although that number has come down as people returned to work , Black Knight estimates that 4.76 million home loans were under active forbearance plans by late May , equivalent to 9 % of the mortgages out there .
In early September , the Center for Disease Control issued a nationwide eviction moratorium through the end of this year , and Gov .
Jared Polis reinstated one for Colorado in October .
Given that housing represents the biggest expense item for most people , that relief could have reduced the need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bartick , manager of Charles Schwab ’ s Denver branch , said there are several questions that someone looking at a withdrawal needs to ask , including are there other sources of support they can draw on , can they pay the withdrawal back in time to avoid taxes , can they cover any additional taxes and will they be able to meet important long-term financial goals .
“ Although the CARES Act provides relief from the penalties of taking early withdrawals from retirement vehicles , early withdrawals should generally be considered a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A key motivation to stay the course is that many people realize they are behind in accumulating the savings they will need to retire , and that the pandemic will pass in the coming months .
An AARP survey of Coloradans age 25 to 64 last year found that two out of three were anxious about having enough saved for retirement and 54 % described themselves as behind schedule .
“ Generally , people realize the need to hang onto the ( retirement ) money .
People have adjusted their spending .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .

Congress made it much easier for people to tap their retirement savings during the pandemic to cope with financial hardships. But rather than rush to take up a limited time offer, most consumers have avoided turning to that safety valve to get by.
“People really do want to preserve those funds for retirement. Very few people have taken a withdrawal,” said Sarah Holden, senior director of retirement and investor research at the Investment Company Institute in Washington, D.C.
Pulling money early out of a retirement plan is a costly proposition in terms of the tax obligations triggered and the opportunity cost from lost compounding. But Congress in late March softened the tax hit on plan withdrawals of up to $100,000, provided they were made this year to deal with impacts from the novel coronavirus.
The CARES Act waived the 10% penalty tax normally charged on withdrawals from 401(k) and related plans made before the age of 59½. Taxes on distributions, normally paid in one year, can be spread out over three years. And if the money is repaid within three years, the taxes paid will be returned.
So how many people took advantage of coronavirus-related distributions as they are officially called? Not that many, at least compared to those who collected extra unemployment insurance benefits, took out Paycheck Protection Program loans or sought relief from making payments on their mortgages.
Greenwood Village-based Empower Retirement estimates that of the 6.4 million plans it administers that were eligible for a coronavirus-related distribution, 3.8% recorded one through Nov. 20. About a fifth of those who took money out did so more than once, resulting in about 390,000 withdrawals.
The average amount taken out was $17,000, with plan participants in their 50s having the highest average withdrawals at $24,495 and those in their 40s making the most withdrawals. Only 3% of those who made a coronavirus-related distribution took the maximum $100,000 allowed.
“Overall, while this is a small percentage of the Americans we serve, these numbers have been fairly steady since the CARES Act was enacted earlier this year,” said Empower Retirement President and CEO Edmund F. Murphy III. “ In addition, we believe there will continue to be more people seeking emergency access to their retirement funds until the pandemic subsides and economic conditions improve.”
Counts from the Investment Company Institute based on 30 million employer-based defined contribution plans found 4.4% of participants took a coronavirus-related distribution through Sept. 30. Other withdrawals, which lack the more favorable terms provided under the CARES Act, ran at 3.4% in the third quarter, close to the 3.3% rate seen a year earlier. Holden said there could be some overlap between the two categories.
The CARES Act also allowed participants who had previously borrowed from their plans to defer payments and Empower Retirement received 33,000 deferral requests as of Nov. 20. About four in 10 of those making a coronavirus-related distribution had taken loans from their plans in the past, indicating they may have viewed a withdrawal as a better alternative. New loan requests from plan assets are down by a third this year compared to last year, Empower Retirement said.
Aside from pulling money out of a retirement plan or borrowing against it, another way to free up cash is to stop making contributions. In the third quarter of 2009, while the country was dealing with the impacts of the Great Recession, 5% of participants stopped contributing, according to the Investment Company Institute. But in the third quarter of this year, only 2.2% of participants had stopped, not much higher than the 1.9% rate seen last year in the third quarter.
“The thing that always surprises me about retirement savers is their remarkable resilience and their remarkable commitment,” Holden said.
But that doesn’t mean households aren’t under financial stress. The weekly Household Pulse survey from the U.S. Census Bureau found that a third of Colorado households have suffered a loss of income and nearly as many, 31.5%, are struggling to pay the usual household expenses.
Fidelity Investments, in a survey released earlier this month, found that two out of three respondents had suffered a financial setback of some type this year and nearly three in 10 said they were worse off financially than they were a year earlier. To cope with a loss of income or unexpected expenses, 45% said they cut back on spending, 37% dipped into emergency savings, 23% took on additional personal loans or turned to credit cards and 20% borrowed from friends or family.
Another explanation for the low withdrawal rates is that workers in low-wage services jobs, the kind hardest hit by closures during the pandemic, were less likely to have a retirement plan in the first place, at least compared to the white-collar professionals who could work at home.
Workers age 16 to 29 account for a quarter of the workforce, but represented a third of the gain in unemployment between February and April of this year, according to a blog post from Brookings. Even if they had a retirement plan, someone in their 20s likely hasn’t accumulated as much in assets to tap.
Bob Murphy, AARP state director in Colorado, said nearly half of Colorado workers lack access to a retirement plan at work, something the legislature tried to address by passing the Colorado Secure Savings Program. The new program will provide workers access to a state-supervised IRA account that can be funded through payroll deductions.
Compared to the last recession, the federal government cast a much wider safety net of social assistance, and it did so quickly. Unemployed workers received an extra $600 a week in federal unemployment benefits through the end of July. And those eligible to receive assistance was broadened for the first time to include the self-employed.
In another unprecedented move, the CARES Act provides up to a year in relief from mortgage payments for those impacted financially because of the pandemic. Although that number has come down as people returned to work, Black Knight estimates that 4.76 million home loans were under active forbearance plans by late May, equivalent to 9% of the mortgages out there.
In early September, the Center for Disease Control issued a nationwide eviction moratorium through the end of this year, and Gov. Jared Polis reinstated one for Colorado in October. Given that housing represents the biggest expense item for most people, that relief could have reduced the need to dip into retirement savings.
Brad Bartick, manager of Charles Schwab’s Denver branch, said there are several questions that someone looking at a withdrawal needs to ask, including are there other sources of support they can draw on, can they pay the withdrawal back in time to avoid taxes, can they cover any additional taxes and will they be able to meet important long-term financial goals.
“Although the CARES Act provides relief from the penalties of taking early withdrawals from retirement vehicles, early withdrawals should generally be considered a last resort option,” Bartick said.
A key motivation to stay the course is that many people realize they are behind in accumulating the savings they will need to retire, and that the pandemic will pass in the coming months. An AARP survey of Coloradans age 25 to 64 last year found that two out of three were anxious about having enough saved for retirement and 54% described themselves as behind schedule.
“Generally, people realize the need to hang onto the (retirement) money. People have adjusted their spending. They have hunkered down,” Murphy said.


thedenverpost--2020-12-19--Week 15 NFL Picks: Potential Super Bowl preview as Kansas City visits New Orleans

A potential Super Bowl preview .
The Chiefs ( a three-point favorite ) are the AFC ’ s best and the Saints are tied with Green Bay atop the NFC .
Patrick Mahomes threw three interceptions in last week ’ s win at Miami .
Don ’ t expect a repeat .
Do expect him going over 350 yards passing for the seventh time in 2020 .
The Jets handled the adversity of blowing the Las Vegas game in Week 13 as expected — they lost 40-3 at Seattle .
Now it ’ s back to the West Coast as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who need to win to set up next week ’ s division showdown against the Seahawks .
The Jets won ’ t gain 200 yards offense .
How bad are the Cowboys ?
Not even NBC wanted to keep them in the Sunday night spot , choosing to flex Cleveland-Giants .
The 49ers , for some reason , are a three-point favorite .
San Francisco ’ s offseason strategy will be intriguing because it has a ton of talent , but issues at quarterback and the offensive line .
Around the NFC : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington defense shining .
Seattle and its sixth-ranked offense visits surging Washington and its fourth-ranked defense .
The Seahawks rebounded from an upset home loss to the New York Giants and pummeled the Jets ; Washington has won four consecutive games .
During the streak , WFT ranks first in the league in rush defense ( 64.8 ) , second in fewest points allowed ( 14.3 ) and tied for third in takeaways ( eight ) .
Washington ’ s commitment to defense in the first round is paying off — it added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Payne , Montez Sweat and Chase Young in the last four years .
They all played at least 56 snaps in last week ’ s win over San Francisco .
Reddick ’ s breakout .
In his first 60 games , Arizona ’ s Haason Reddick had 12 1/2 sacks and three forced fumbles , average production for a former first round pick .
But then last Sunday against the New York Giants happened and Reddick had five sacks and three forced fumbles in the Cardinals ’ 26-7 win .
He was the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fumbles in a game since Green Bay ’ s Vonnie Holliday in 2002 , the first player with at least five sacks since Atlanta ’ s Adrian Clayborn ( six ) in 2017 and the most in Cardinals history .
Arizona ( 7-6 ) enters Sunday ’ s game against Philadelphia holding the NFC ’ s final playoff spot .
McCarthy safe in Dallas .
Fourteen games into a five-year contract , it ’ s been a horrid debut season for coach Mike McCarthy .
But Cowboys owner/general manager/grand poo-bah Jerry Jones told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ridiculous , ” to have a conversation about McCarthy ’ s status .
Keeping McCarthy , who lost quarterback Dak Prescott in Week 5 , is the right move , but that doesn ’ t mean there won ’ t be changes .
The Cowboys defense under coordinator Mike Nolan ranks last in points allowed ( 30.7 ) and stopping the run ( 162.7 yards per game , 15.4 yards worse than next-worst Houston ) .
Around the AFC : Tennessee ’ s Derrick Henry close to joining small group of back-to-back rushing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Derrick Henry has a 180-yard lead over Minnesota ’ s Dalvin Cook ( 1,532-1,352 ) to be in prime position to be the first player to win back-to-back NFL rushing titles since the Chargers ’ LaDainian Tomlinson in 2006-07 .
Henry has rushed for 103 , 133 , 178 , 60 and 215 yards in the last five games , helping the Titans to first place in the AFC South .
In the last 30 years , the only repeat rushing champs were Dallas ’ Emmitt Smith ( 1991-93 ) , Detroit ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Indianapolis ’ Edgerrin James ( 1999-2000 ) and Tomlinson .
All are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame .
AFC North intrigue .
Pittsburgh has a two-game lead in the division but is reeling .
But the real drama is for second place and a wild card spot .
Cleveland is 9-4 , a game ahead of Baltimore ( 8-5 ) .
The Ravens , though , hold the tiebreaker via their season sweep .
Baltimore hosts Jacksonville Sunday afternoon and Cleveland visits the New York Giants Sunday night .
Cleveland ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Year conversation with Miami ’ s Brian Flores , Buffalo ’ s Sean McDermott and Washington ’ s Ron Rivera .
Kelce nearing history .
Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce leads the league with 1,250 receiving yards and is basically a lock to set the NFL single-season record for tight end yards ( San Francisco ’ s George Kittle had 1,377 in 2018 ) .
If Kelce can outlast Seattle ’ s D.K .
Metcalf ( 1,180 ) and Buffalo ’ s Stefon Diggs ( 1,167 entering Saturday ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be the first tight end to win the receiving title .
The closest near-miss was the Chargers ’ Kellen Winslow , who finished second in 1980 , 50 yards behind teammate John Jefferson .
Kelce has at least eight catches in six consecutive games and at least 109 yards in five of the last six games .

Game of the week
Kansas City at New Orleans
A potential Super Bowl preview. The Chiefs (a three-point favorite) are the AFC’s best and the Saints are tied with Green Bay atop the NFC. Patrick Mahomes threw three interceptions in last week’s win at Miami. Don’t expect a repeat. Do expect him going over 350 yards passing for the seventh time in 2020.
Chiefs 41, Saints 33
Lock of the week
N.Y. Jets at L.A. Rams
The Jets handled the adversity of blowing the Las Vegas game in Week 13 as expected — they lost 40-3 at Seattle. Now it’s back to the West Coast as a 17-point underdog against the Rams, who need to win to set up next week’s division showdown against the Seahawks. The Jets won’t gain 200 yards offense.
Rams 38, Jets 7
Upset of the week
San Francisco at Dallas
How bad are the Cowboys? Not even NBC wanted to keep them in the Sunday night spot, choosing to flex Cleveland-Giants. The 49ers, for some reason, are a three-point favorite. San Francisco’s offseason strategy will be intriguing because it has a ton of talent, but issues at quarterback and the offensive line.
Cowboys 27, 49ers 23
Around the NFC: Surging Washington being led by its defense
Washington defense shining. Seattle and its sixth-ranked offense visits surging Washington and its fourth-ranked defense. The Seahawks rebounded from an upset home loss to the New York Giants and pummeled the Jets; Washington has won four consecutive games. During the streak, WFT ranks first in the league in rush defense (64.8), second in fewest points allowed (14.3) and tied for third in takeaways (eight). Washington’s commitment to defense in the first round is paying off — it added linemen Jonathan Allen, Da’Ron Payne, Montez Sweat and Chase Young in the last four years. They all played at least 56 snaps in last week’s win over San Francisco.
Reddick’s breakout. In his first 60 games, Arizona’s Haason Reddick had 12 1/2 sacks and three forced fumbles, average production for a former first round pick. But then last Sunday against the New York Giants happened and Reddick had five sacks and three forced fumbles in the Cardinals’ 26-7 win. He was the first player to reach five sacks/three forced fumbles in a game since Green Bay’s Vonnie Holliday in 2002, the first player with at least five sacks since Atlanta’s Adrian Clayborn (six) in 2017 and the most in Cardinals history. Arizona (7-6) enters Sunday’s game against Philadelphia holding the NFC’s final playoff spot.
McCarthy safe in Dallas. Fourteen games into a five-year contract, it’s been a horrid debut season for coach Mike McCarthy. But Cowboys owner/general manager/grand poo-bah Jerry Jones told a Dallas radio station it is “ridiculous,” to have a conversation about McCarthy’s status. Keeping McCarthy, who lost quarterback Dak Prescott in Week 5, is the right move, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be changes. The Cowboys defense under coordinator Mike Nolan ranks last in points allowed (30.7) and stopping the run (162.7 yards per game, 15.4 yards worse than next-worst Houston).
Around the AFC: Tennessee’s Derrick Henry close to joining small group of back-to-back rushing champion
Henry rolling. Tennessee running back Derrick Henry has a 180-yard lead over Minnesota’s Dalvin Cook (1,532-1,352) to be in prime position to be the first player to win back-to-back NFL rushing titles since the Chargers’ LaDainian Tomlinson in 2006-07. Henry has rushed for 103, 133, 178, 60 and 215 yards in the last five games, helping the Titans to first place in the AFC South. In the last 30 years, the only repeat rushing champs were Dallas’ Emmitt Smith (1991-93), Detroit’s Barry Sanders (1996-97), Indianapolis’ Edgerrin James (1999-2000) and Tomlinson. All are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
AFC North intrigue. Pittsburgh has a two-game lead in the division but is reeling. But the real drama is for second place and a wild card spot. Cleveland is 9-4, a game ahead of Baltimore (8-5). The Ravens, though, hold the tiebreaker via their season sweep. Baltimore hosts Jacksonville Sunday afternoon and Cleveland visits the New York Giants Sunday night. Cleveland’s Kevin Stefanski belongs in the Coach of the Year conversation with Miami’s Brian Flores, Buffalo’s Sean McDermott and Washington’s Ron Rivera.
Kelce nearing history. Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce leads the league with 1,250 receiving yards and is basically a lock to set the NFL single-season record for tight end yards (San Francisco’s George Kittle had 1,377 in 2018). If Kelce can outlast Seattle’s D.K. Metcalf (1,180) and Buffalo’s Stefon Diggs (1,167 entering Saturday’s game against the Broncos), he will be the first tight end to win the receiving title. The closest near-miss was the Chargers’ Kellen Winslow, who finished second in 1980, 50 yards behind teammate John Jefferson. Kelce has at least eight catches in six consecutive games and at least 109 yards in five of the last six games.


thedenverpost--2020-12-20--AP Exclusive: MLB payrolls drop nearly $2.5 billion in pandemic

NEW YORK — Major League Baseball payrolls plunged to $ 1.75 billion during the pandemic-shortened season from $ 4.22 billion , and the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers led with $ 98.6 million — the smallest for the top spender in 20 years .
Base wages for 40-man rosters tumbled to $ 1.54 billion , according to information sent from Major League Baseball to teams on Friday night and obtained by The Associated Press .
That was down from $ 3.99 billion in 2019 .
Prorated portions of signing bonuses totaled $ 120.6 million , down slightly from $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 25 million from $ 26.9 million .
Buyouts of unexercised 2021 options came to $ 58.2 million , more than double the $ 26.9 million for buyouts of unexercised 2020 options , a sign of expense-cutting amid the revenue loss .
Los Angeles won its first title since 1988 as it topped spending for the first time since 2017 , when the Dodgers led for the fourth year in a row .
The total had not been that low of the top spender since the New York Yankees in 2000 at $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 83.6 million , were No .
2 for the second straight season .
The New York Mets were third at $ 83.4 million in their final season of ownership by the Wilpon and Katz families , up from 12th and their highest since they were second in 2009 .
The Mets were purchased last month by hedge fund manager Steven Cohen , who is boosting payroll higher for next year .
Houston was fourth at $ 81.4 million , up from eighth , followed by the Chicago Cubs at $ 80.6 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was sixth at $ 76.3 million , followed by Washington ( $ 76.2 million ) , Texas ( $ 75.2 million ) and the Los Angeles Angels ( $ 69.9 million ) , Boston , two years removed from a World Series title , dropped from first to 13th at $ 63.3 million after trading stars Mookie Betts and David Price to the Dodgers .
AL champion Tampa Bay was 28th at $ 29.4 million , ahead of only Pittsburgh ( $ 24.1 million ) and Baltimore ( $ 23.5 million ) .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the shortened schedule as part of an agreement between MLB and the players ’ association following the interruption of spring training by the novel coronavirus .
The season ’ s start was delayed from March 26 to July 23 , and each team ’ s schedule cut from 162 games to 60 .
If full salaries had been paid and a complete schedule played with the usual average of callups from the minors , payrolls likely would have increased by 4 % from 2019 .
While the luxury tax was suspended , three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 208 million tax threshold , based on full payrolls by average annual value and including benefits and a COVID credit of at least $ 1.5 million per club : the Yankees ( $ 239.8 million ) , Houston ( $ 224.3 million ) and the Chicago Cubs ( $ 216.3 million ) .
New York and Chicago , both over for the second straight year , would have paid at 30 % of the amount above $ 208 million up until $ 228 million , and the Yankees would have paid 42 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Houston would have paid at a 20 % amount on its overage .
The Yankees avoided what would have been a full tax bill of $ 10,965,773 according to AP ’ s calculation , the Astros $ 3,263,801 and the Cubs $ 2,480,775 .
If they had paid on a prorated 60/162 share , the Yankees would have owed $ 4,061,397 , the Astros $ 1,208,815 and the Cubs $ 918,805 .
Still , each of those teams will have the compensation rate of a luxury tax-paying club if it signs a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offer from another team : Each would forfeit its second- and fifth-highest picks in the 2021 amateur draft and lose $ 1 million of international amateur signing bonus pool allotment .
Philadelphia was just under the tax threshold at $ 207.3 million and the Dodgers at $ 204.6 million .
Boston dropped to $ 184.9 million after paying a Red Sox record $ 13.4 million luxury tax in 2019 , when the team failed make the playoffs .

NEW YORK — Major League Baseball payrolls plunged to $1.75 billion during the pandemic-shortened season from $4.22 billion, and the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers led with $98.6 million — the smallest for the top spender in 20 years.
Base wages for 40-man rosters tumbled to $1.54 billion, according to information sent from Major League Baseball to teams on Friday night and obtained by The Associated Press. That was down from $3.99 billion in 2019.
Prorated portions of signing bonuses totaled $120.6 million, down slightly from $122.8 million. Earned bonuses fell to $25 million from $26.9 million.
Buyouts of unexercised 2021 options came to $58.2 million, more than double the $26.9 million for buyouts of unexercised 2020 options, a sign of expense-cutting amid the revenue loss.
Los Angeles won its first title since 1988 as it topped spending for the first time since 2017, when the Dodgers led for the fourth year in a row. The total had not been that low of the top spender since the New York Yankees in 2000 at $95.3 million.
The Yankees, at $83.6 million, were No. 2 for the second straight season. The New York Mets were third at $83.4 million in their final season of ownership by the Wilpon and Katz families, up from 12th and their highest since they were second in 2009. The Mets were purchased last month by hedge fund manager Steven Cohen, who is boosting payroll higher for next year.
Houston was fourth at $81.4 million, up from eighth, followed by the Chicago Cubs at $80.6 million, down from third.
San Diego was sixth at $76.3 million, followed by Washington ($76.2 million), Texas ($75.2 million) and the Los Angeles Angels ($69.9 million),
Boston, two years removed from a World Series title, dropped from first to 13th at $63.3 million after trading stars Mookie Betts and David Price to the Dodgers.
AL champion Tampa Bay was 28th at $29.4 million, ahead of only Pittsburgh ($24.1 million) and Baltimore ($23.5 million).
Base salaries were reduced by 60/162 due the shortened schedule as part of an agreement between MLB and the players’ association following the interruption of spring training by the novel coronavirus. The season’s start was delayed from March 26 to July 23, and each team’s schedule cut from 162 games to 60.
If full salaries had been paid and a complete schedule played with the usual average of callups from the minors, payrolls likely would have increased by 4% from 2019.
While the luxury tax was suspended, three teams projected to finish over the $208 million tax threshold, based on full payrolls by average annual value and including benefits and a COVID credit of at least $1.5 million per club: the Yankees ($239.8 million), Houston ($224.3 million) and the Chicago Cubs ($216.3 million).
New York and Chicago, both over for the second straight year, would have paid at 30% of the amount above $208 million up until $228 million, and the Yankees would have paid 42% in the amount over $228 million. Houston would have paid at a 20% amount on its overage.
The Yankees avoided what would have been a full tax bill of $10,965,773 according to AP’s calculation, the Astros $3,263,801 and the Cubs $2,480,775. If they had paid on a prorated 60/162 share, the Yankees would have owed $4,061,397, the Astros $1,208,815 and the Cubs $918,805.
Still, each of those teams will have the compensation rate of a luxury tax-paying club if it signs a free agent who turned down a qualifying offer from another team: Each would forfeit its second- and fifth-highest picks in the 2021 amateur draft and lose $1 million of international amateur signing bonus pool allotment.
Philadelphia was just under the tax threshold at $207.3 million and the Dodgers at $204.6 million.
Boston dropped to $184.9 million after paying a Red Sox record $13.4 million luxury tax in 2019, when the team failed make the playoffs.


thedenverpost--2020-12-20--Kiszla: If Broncos can’t find way to get Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence, it’s time for John Elway to tak

Kiszla: If Broncos can’t find way to get Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence, it’s time for John Elway to take his ball and go home

Hey , John Elway : The Broncos stink , stank , stunk .
You need a Hail Mary to save a team without a prayer or a franchise quarterback .
Bring Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence to the Rocky Mountains .
Don ’ t tell us it ’ s impossible .
With Elway , there ’ s No Plan B .
Right ?
And what the Broncos need to do now is whatever ’ s required to acquire the No .
1 pick in the NFL draft .
Will it cost a king ’ s ransom to trade up ?
Of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is that good .
( Ask Notre Dame . )
Please don ’ t lecture me about the hazards of mortgaging the future to pry the No .
1 pick from the Jets or Jaguars .
Why ?
The Broncos have no future .
Team ownership is a mess .
An injury-depleted team has fallen off the NFL map , irrelevant in the championship conversation .
The Broncos have been big , fat zeroes since Peyton Manning left the building after Super Bowl 50 nearly five years ago .
That ’ s sad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and dies with its football team .
“ There ’ s no asterisk next to our record saying injuries and COVID-19 .
It just says wins or losses , and that ’ s all anybody cares about , ” safety Justin Simmons said on a sad Saturday when the Broncos fell to 5-9 after being crushed by Buffalo .
While Simmons tried to stay positive , this is how he described the chronic losing : The stench of this 48-19 defeat was unmistakable .
It smelled like vengeance .
From my set in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if Bills quarterback and Wyoming alum Josh Allen enjoyed sticking it to Elway for not picking him fifth overall in the 2018 NFL draft .
When asked by the NFL Network if returning to Denver was a homecoming of sorts , Allen duly noted the Broncos passed on drafting him .
• Kickin ’ It with Kiz : Does starting Will Barton over Michael Porter Jr. make any basketball sense ?
• Kiszla : Adieu , Pierre .
Behind-the-scenes stories of how Lacroix was godfather of Avalanche ’ s championship empire .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Broncos trade LB Bradley Chubb for Bills QB Josh Allen ?
• Lunch Special : The CU Buffs have no opponent this weekend .
Should they look north for a dance partner ?
• Kiszla : How mad-bomber Drew Lock learned to love the checkdown and made art ( instead of a mess ) for the Broncos OK , if confession is good for the soul , here ’ s mine : I happily and humbly admit to underestimating Allen as a prospect .
Nearly three years ago , the player I loved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Quenton Nelson .
Prior to the 2018 draft , I repeatedly pestered anyone who would listen to a word I wrote or uttered that Nelson was bound for the Pro Football Hall of Fame .
And know what ?
I was 110 % correct in my evaluation of Nelson .
But he ’ s a Hall of Fame offensive lineman .
A boss hog might open holes , but even Nelson can ’ t lead a team to the Super Bowl .
In Year 3 , Allen has developed into not only a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that has led the Bills to their first division championship in 25 years .
He passed a depleted Denver secondary dizzy , throwing for 359 yards and producing four touchdowns , two each with his arm and feet .
His fastball , the width of his shoulders and the swagger when Allen runs ?
All very Elway-esque .
Sitting down for a postgame interview , Broncos coach Vic Fangio ran exasperated fingers through his thinning hair .
“ Josh Allen is a great quarterback , ” Fangio said .
“ He ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the league.
” Maybe this league is just too hard for Denver .
The Broncos are going to miss the postseason for the fifth consecutive season .
Perhaps the Broncos should petition the college football playoff for the fourth seed , behind Alabama , Clemson and Ohio State .
( Just kidding . )
But I ’ m dead serious about this : Are the Broncos certain Drew Lock is a better quarterback than Lawrence , Justin Fields of Ohio State or Mac Jones of Alabama ?
Lock ain ’ t bad .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ He doesn ’ t have the physical gifts .
Lock dropped back to pass 35 times , netting a mere 132 yards .
He might have taken the Checkdown Drew thing too far , especially when you consider one of his three sacks resulted in a fumble while Denver was imploding in the second half .
“ Everybody was trying to do too much , ” said Denver linebacker Josey Jewel , uttering the lament of an undermanned NFL team .
At this point , if the Broncos don ’ t lose their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they ’ re doing it wrong .
While players are competitive by nature , it ’ s only foolish pride for a Broncos organization that tried to stop Allen without quality NFL cornerbacks and were forced by the league earlier this season to take the field without a professional quarterback .
Finishing with a 5-11 record won ’ t put Denver in position to draft Lawrence , but it would give Elway a more appealing draft pick to start building a trade package .
Unless Lawrence is out of his mind , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the hapless Jets or Jags , much as Elway hated the idea of joining the Colts back in 1983 .
While remembrances of Pat Bowlen read like a hagiography of a football saint , we should also recall the franchise owner that traded for Elway was Edgar Kaiser , a businessman that firmly believed anything in America can be bought for the right price .
Lawrence is a generational talent , a priceless asset for a Broncos franchise that has lost its way .
If Elway can not find a way to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time to take his ball and go home , leaving a languishing rebuilding project to a new architect .

Hey, John Elway: The Broncos stink, stank, stunk. You need a Hail Mary to save a team without a prayer or a franchise quarterback.
Bring Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence to the Rocky Mountains. Don’t tell us it’s impossible. With Elway, there’s No Plan B. Right?
And what the Broncos need to do now is whatever’s required to acquire the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft. Will it cost a king’s ransom to trade up? Of course. It should. Lawrence really is that good. (Ask Notre Dame.)
Please don’t lecture me about the hazards of mortgaging the future to pry the No. 1 pick from the Jets or Jaguars. Why?
The Broncos have no future. Team ownership is a mess. An injury-depleted team has fallen off the NFL map, irrelevant in the championship conversation.
The Broncos have been big, fat zeroes since Peyton Manning left the building after Super Bowl 50 nearly five years ago. That’s sad, unacceptable in a city that lives and dies with its football team.
“There’s no asterisk next to our record saying injuries and COVID-19. It just says wins or losses, and that’s all anybody cares about,” safety Justin Simmons said on a sad Saturday when the Broncos fell to 5-9 after being crushed by Buffalo.
While Simmons tried to stay positive, this is how he described the chronic losing:
“It just stinks.”
The stench of this 48-19 defeat was unmistakable. It smelled like vengeance. From my set in the press box, it seemed as if Bills quarterback and Wyoming alum Josh Allen enjoyed sticking it to Elway for not picking him fifth overall in the 2018 NFL draft.
When asked by the NFL Network if returning to Denver was a homecoming of sorts, Allen duly noted the Broncos passed on drafting him.
Shame, shame, shame.
OK, if confession is good for the soul, here’s mine: I happily and humbly admit to underestimating Allen as a prospect.
Nearly three years ago, the player I loved for the Broncos was Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson. Prior to the 2018 draft, I repeatedly pestered anyone who would listen to a word I wrote or uttered that Nelson was bound for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
And know what? I was 110% correct in my evaluation of Nelson. But he’s a Hall of Fame offensive lineman. A boss hog might open holes, but even Nelson can’t lead a team to the Super Bowl.
In Year 3, Allen has developed into not only a franchise quarterback but a legit MVP candidate who has led the Bills to their first division championship in 25 years. He passed a depleted Denver secondary dizzy, throwing for 359 yards and producing four touchdowns, two each with his arm and feet.
His fastball, the width of his shoulders and the swagger when Allen runs? All very Elway-esque.
Sitting down for a postgame interview, Broncos coach Vic Fangio ran exasperated fingers through his thinning hair. “Josh Allen is a great quarterback,” Fangio said. “He’s right up there with the best in the league.”
Maybe this league is just too hard for Denver. The Broncos are going to miss the postseason for the fifth consecutive season. Perhaps the Broncos should petition the College Football Playoff for the fourth seed, behind Alabama, Clemson and Ohio State. (Just kidding.)
But I’m dead serious about this: Are the Broncos certain Drew Lock is a better quarterback than Lawrence, Justin Fields of Ohio State or Mac Jones of Alabama?
“It was definitely a bad day,” Lock said.
Lock ain’t bad. But he’s not Allen. He doesn’t have the physical gifts.
Lock dropped back to pass 35 times, netting a mere 132 yards. He might have taken the Checkdown Drew thing too far, especially when you consider one of his three sacks resulted in a fumble while Denver was imploding in the second half.
“Everybody was trying to do too much,” said Denver linebacker Josey Jewel, uttering the lament of an undermanned NFL team.
At this point, if the Broncos don’t lose their final two games of the regular season, they’re doing it wrong.
Tank for Trevor.
While players are competitive by nature, it’s only foolish pride for a Broncos organization that tried to stop Allen without quality NFL cornerbacks and were forced by the league earlier this season to take the field without a professional quarterback.
Finishing with a 5-11 record won’t put Denver in position to draft Lawrence, but it would give Elway a more appealing draft pick to start building a trade package. Unless Lawrence is out of his mind, he doesn’t want to play for the hapless Jets or Jags, much as Elway hated the idea of joining the Colts back in 1983.
While remembrances of Pat Bowlen read like a hagiography of a football saint, we should also recall the franchise owner who traded for Elway was Edgar Kaiser, a businessman who firmly believed anything in America can be bought for the right price.
Lawrence is a generational talent, a priceless asset for a Broncos franchise that has lost its way.
If Elway cannot find a way to get Lawrence, maybe it’s time to take his ball and go home, leaving a languishing rebuilding project to a new architect.


thedenverpost--2020-12-20--DU Pioneers hockey ties Western Michigan, earns extra point in shootout

The Denver Pioneers hockey team and Western Michigan skated to a 3-3 tie , but DU picked up the extra @ @ @ @ @ to McKade Webster ’ s shootout goal Saturday at Baxter Arena in Omaha , Neb @ @ @ @ @ three saves in the shootout as the Pioneers ( 3-5-1-1 ) stayed in fifth place @ @ @ @ @ 12 points .
Brett Edwards , Cole Guttman and Webster each scored a goal in @ @ @ @ @ 2-0 early in the second period before Edwards scored at the 5:50 mark to cut @ @ @ @ @ The Pioneers added another one at 9:20 when Webster scored a wraparound power play goal @ @ @ @ @ .
The Broncos scored their own power-play goal later in the period to retake the @ @ @ @ @ game in the third period when Guttman scored on the Pioneers ’ one-man advantage .
@ @ @ @ @ Cloud State at 3:05 p.m. Sunday in its final game in the “ Pod.
” @ @ @ @ @ the Pioneers will play an away-home series against Colorado College on Jan. 1-2 .

The Denver Pioneers hockey team and Western Michigan skated to a 3-3 tie, but DU picked up the extra point in the standings thanks to McKade Webster’s shootout goal Saturday at Baxter Arena in Omaha, Neb.
Goaltender Corbin Kaczperski made three saves in the shootout as the Pioneers (3-5-1-1) stayed in fifth place in the NCHC standings with 12 points. Brett Edwards, Cole Guttman and Webster each scored a goal in regulation.
DU fell behind 2-0 early in the second period before Edwards scored at the 5:50 mark to cut the deficit to one. The Pioneers added another one at 9:20 when Webster scored a wraparound power play goal to tie it at 2-apiece.
The Broncos scored their own power-play goal later in the period to retake the lead. DU tied the game in the third period when Guttman scored on the Pioneers’ one-man advantage.
DU will play St. Cloud State at 3:05 p.m. Sunday in its final game in the “Pod.” After an 11-day break, the Pioneers will play an away-home series against Colorado College on Jan. 1-2.


thedenverpost--2020-12-20--In a clear mismatch, Stefon Diggs torches De’Vante Bausby in Bills’ blowout win over Broncos

The Broncos ’ hopes that an unproven cornerback could keep one of the NFL ’ s best receivers in check turned out to be pure delusion .
In the Bills ’ 48-19 obliteration of the Broncos on Saturday at Empower Field , Buffalo ’ s Stefon Diggs racked up 11 catches for 147 yards , the most the Broncos have allowed to a wideout this season .
Of that output , seven catches for 111 yards came against De ’ Vante Bausby , who is only in the starting lineup due to the Broncos ’ depth crisis at cornerback .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ any answers for how to cover the explosive 27-year-old who has dominated in his first season in Buffalo after coming off over via an offseason trade from Minnesota .
“ Diggs is hard to cover , ” Broncos coach Vic Fangio said .
“ He caught 100 balls already coming into this game , and he ’ s a tough assignment .
I thought ( Bausby ) , at times , competed well .
But obviously he ’ s a tough cover guy ( one-on-one ) and the quarterback sometimes had too much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bad combination.
” That quarterback , Josh Allen , threw for 359 yards , the most allowed by the Broncos this season , while using Diggs as his primary option .
Diggs ’ sixth 100-yard game this season was buoyed by a 55-yard catch over Bausby in the third quarter , and the wideout finished with his second-best yardage output of 2020 behind the 153-yard performance he had in a Week 2 win over Miami .
Broncos inside linebacker Josey Jewell said some of Diggs receptions came as a result of Allen ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( Diggs ) pretty well , and especially with Allen being able to run around back there , we need to be able to plaster better sometimes , ” Jewell said .
“ We need to keep on our man when Allen starts running around , and we have to expect that , especially with a running quarterback like that .
You have to expect covering for the first couple seconds , and then if our D-line is making him run around , we need to lock onto our guys for just a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surrendered three catches to Diggs in zone coverage and one to him while rookie cornerback Michael Ojemudia was in coverage .
“ Allen and Diggs , they have a pretty good connection in year one , which is special because of the lack of OTAs and training camp and ( Diggs ) being a new addition to the offense , ” safety Justin Simmons said .
“ Obviously that ’ s been something they ’ ve gone to a lot this year… It ’ s tough for every team that ’ s played @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a way to get something going on that end ( in containing Diggs ) , and on defense it never just falls on one guy.
” There ’ s no denying , however , Bausby ’ s culpability in the defeat — and his failure to come close to passing a litmus test as he ’ s still trying to prove himself as a bona fide NFL corner .
After his 2019 season ended with a neck injury after five games and two starts , Bausby ( who was not made available to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ roller-coaster this year .
The 27-year-old was released Sept. 5 after not doing enough to earn a roster spot in training camp .
He was then signed to the practice squad Sept. 16 before getting released Oct. 24 , signed by the Cardinals , waived by Arizona and then re-signed by Denver on Nov. 10 .
Bausby got thrust into a starting role last week against Carolina after the Broncos lost five cornerbacks in a matter of a couple weeks .

The Broncos’ hopes that an unproven cornerback could keep one of the NFL’s best receivers in check turned out to be pure delusion.
In the Bills’ 48-19 obliteration of the Broncos on Saturday at Empower Field, Buffalo’s Stefon Diggs racked up 11 catches for 147 yards, the most the Broncos have allowed to a wideout this season. Of that output, seven catches for 111 yards came against De’Vante Bausby, who is only in the starting lineup due to the Broncos’ depth crisis at cornerback.
Neither Bausby nor the Broncos overall had any answers for how to cover the explosive 27-year-old who has dominated in his first season in Buffalo after coming over via an offseason trade from Minnesota.
“Diggs is hard to cover,” Broncos coach Vic Fangio said. “He caught 100 balls already coming into this game, and he’s a tough assignment. I thought (Bausby), at times, competed well. But obviously he’s a tough cover guy (one-on-one) and the quarterback sometimes had too much time to pass. It was a bad combination.”
That quarterback, Josh Allen, threw for 359 yards, the most allowed by the Broncos this season, while using Diggs as his primary option. Diggs’ sixth 100-yard game this season was buoyed by a 55-yard catch over Bausby in the third quarter, and the wideout finished with his second-best yardage output of 2020 behind the 153-yard performance he had in a Week 2 win over Miami.
Broncos inside linebacker Josey Jewell said some of Diggs receptions came as a result of Allen’s scrambling ability.
“They use (Diggs) pretty well, and especially with Allen being able to run around back there, we need to be able to plaster better sometimes,” Jewell said. “We need to keep on our man when Allen starts running around, and we have to expect that, especially with a running quarterback like that. You have to expect covering for the first couple seconds, and then if our D-line is making him run around, we need to lock onto our guys for just a little bit longer.”
The Broncos also surrendered three catches to Diggs in zone coverage and one to him while rookie cornerback Michael Ojemudia was in coverage.
“Allen and Diggs, they have a pretty good connection in year one, which is special because of the lack of OTAs and training camp and (Diggs) being a new addition to the offense,” safety Justin Simmons said. “Obviously that’s been something they’ve gone to a lot this year… It’s tough for every team that’s played against him. We needed to find a way to get something going on that end (in containing Diggs), and on defense it never just falls on one guy.”
There’s no denying, however, Bausby’s culpability in the defeat — and his failure to come close to passing a litmus test as he’s still trying to prove himself as a bona fide NFL corner. After his 2019 season ended with a neck injury after five games and two starts, Bausby (who was not made available to the media postgame) has ridden a roller-coaster this year.
The 27-year-old was released Sept. 5 after not doing enough to earn a roster spot in training camp. He was then signed to the practice squad Sept. 16 before getting released Oct. 24, signed by the Cardinals, waived by Arizona and then re-signed by Denver on Nov. 10.
Bausby got thrust into a starting role last week against Carolina after the Broncos lost five cornerbacks in a matter of a couple weeks.


thedenverpost--2020-12-20--Bills QB Josh Allen on John Elway, Broncos draft snub: “I’m where I’m supposed to be”

If Josh Allen wanted to send a message to John Elway , the scoreboard said it all .
“ Yeah , I ’ m where I ’ m supposed to be , ” the Buffalo Bills/former Wyoming Cowboys quarterback said of not playing for the Broncos after throwing for 359 yards and accounting for four touchdowns in a 48-19 shellacking of those same Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High on Saturday .
In his first Denver appearance as a pro , the 24-year-old Allen was the best player on Bryant Street by about 5,280 feet .
Which proved especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefit of hindsight .
The Broncos , who ’ d seen and heard plenty of Allen while he played in Laramie , had pick No .
5 in the 2018 NFL draft with the ex-Pokes signal-caller on the board .
They selected outside linebacker Bradley Chubb out of North Carolina State .
Buffalo traded up and nabbed the 6-foot-5 Allen with the seventh pick .
The rest is history .
The rest is also agony for Broncos faithful , many of whom admired Allen from afar , only to watch him decimate a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , early in the third quarter , Allen ’ s mojo was rolling to the point where all Broncos coach Vic Fangio could do was throw up his hands .
The Broncos had pulled themselves to within shouting distance of the Bills at the end of the first half , trailing 21-13 .
Buffalo drove to the Denver 1 on seven plays to open the third quarter , but the eighth play was the dagger .
Allen dropped back and rolled right , scanning for a receiver in the end zone .
With @ @ @ @ @ @ @ linebacker Malik Reed closing along the right boundary .
Allen backpedaled to the 10 , pump faked at the 9 , and then just outran the Broncos defender past the pylon to put the visitors up 27-13 .
NFL Network cameras captured Fangio throwing up his arms in exasperation as Allen scored .
If the game was put away on Allen ’ s legs early in the third quarter , his pass late in the second quarter was even more impressive .
Faced with first-and-goal from the 30 , Allen got the visitors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passes .
The first , an 8-yard toss , brought up second-and-goal at the Denver 22 .
He then threw a laser to tight end Jake Kumerow that threaded neatly between two Broncos defenders , giving Buffalo a 20-7 cushion .
“ To see your quarterback play with swag , ” Bills running back Devin Singletary said afterward , “ That ’ s going to rub off on everybody else.
” A dual pass-run threat who shook off several Broncos sack attempts , Allen also showed top-shelf , almost telepathic chemistry that Denver @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Peyton Manning having with their top targets during their respective salad days .
Bills slot receiver Cole Beasley ( eight catches , 112 receiving yards ) appeared to be a blonde Wes Welker clone .
Allen ’ s No .
1 outside target , Stefon Diggs ( 11 catches , 147 receiving yards ) came off like the kind of technician that Broncos faithful hope Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy become .
With 1:36 left in the third quarter , the NFL Network microphones caught Allen proclaiming after penalties wiped out two successful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many times do we have to score ?
” The Bills would end up settling for a 27-yard field goal and a 38-13 cushion .
Since the fall of 2018 , Allen has been allowed to grow into the starting role via on-the-job training , and the Bills have seen their season winning percentages ( .375 in ’ 18 , .625 in ’ 19 , .786 in 2020 after Saturday ) improve accordingly .
Allen ’ s now 26-15 as an NFL starter .

If Josh Allen wanted to send a message to John Elway, the scoreboard said it all.
Loudly. Painfully.
“Yeah, I’m where I’m supposed to be,” the Buffalo Bills/former Wyoming Cowboys quarterback said of not playing for the Broncos after throwing for 359 yards and accounting for four touchdowns in a 48-19 shellacking of those same Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High.
In his first Denver appearance as a pro, the 24-year-old Allen was the best player on Bryant Street by about 5,280 feet. Which proved especially galling for Broncos fans, given the benefit of hindsight.
The Broncos, who’d seen and heard plenty of Allen while he played in Laramie, had pick No. 5 in the 2018 NFL draft with the ex-Pokes signal-caller on the board. They selected outside linebacker Bradley Chubb out of North Carolina State.
Buffalo traded up and nabbed the 6-foot-5 Allen with the seventh pick. The rest is history. It’s also agony for Broncos faithful, many of whom admired Allen from afar, only to watch him decimate a beat-up Denver defense.
At one point, early in the third quarter, Allen’s mojo was rolling to the point where all Broncos coach Vic Fangio could do was throw up his hands.
The Broncos had pulled themselves to within shouting distance of the Bills at the end of the first half, trailing 21-13. Buffalo drove to the Denver 1 on seven plays to open the third quarter, but the eighth play was the dagger.
Allen dropped back and rolled right, scanning for a receiver in the end zone. With all options blanketed, he noticed outside linebacker Malik Reed closing along the right boundary. Allen backpedaled to the 10, pump faked at the 9, and then just outran the Broncos defender past the pylon to put the visitors up 27-13.
NFL Network cameras captured Fangio throwing up his arms in exasperation as Allen scored.
If the game was put away on Allen’s legs early in the third quarter, his pass late in the second quarter was even more impressive.
Faced with first-and-goal from the 30, Allen got the visitors into the end zone on just two throws. The first, an 8-yard toss, brought up second-and-goal at the Denver 22. He then fired a laser to wideout Jake Kumerow that threaded neatly between two Broncos defenders, giving Buffalo a 20-7 cushion.
“To see your quarterback play with swag,” Bills running back Devin Singletary said afterward, “That’s going to rub off on everybody else.”
A dual pass-run threat who shook off several Broncos sack attempts, Allen also showed top-shelf, almost telepathic chemistry that Denver fans remember Elway, Jake Plummer and Peyton Manning having with their top targets during their respective salad days.
Bills slot receiver Cole Beasley (eight catches, 112 receiving yards) appeared to be a blonde Wes Welker clone. Allen’s No. 1 outside target, Stefon Diggs (11 catches, 147 receiving yards) came off like the kind of technician that Broncos faithful hope Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy become.
With 1:36 left in the third quarter, the NFL Network microphones caught Allen proclaiming after penalties wiped out two successful Buffalo touchdowns, shouting, “How many times do we have to score?”
The Bills would end up settling for a 27-yard field goal and a 38-13 cushion.
Since the fall of 2018, Allen has been allowed to grow into the starting role via on-the-job training, and the Bills have seen their season winning percentages (.375 in ’18, .625 in ’19, .786 in 2020 after Saturday) improve accordingly.
Allen’s now 26-15 as an NFL starter. And the first starting quarterback to lead Buffalo to an AFC East title since Jim Kelly in 1995.


thedenverpost--2020-12-20--Broncos no match for playoff-ready Buffalo Bills in 48-19 debacle-of-a-defeat

It should have been the kind of drive that kept the Broncos competitive Saturday against the Buffalo Bills .
Quarterback Drew Lock completed seven of his eight pass attempts for 56 yards in the hurry-up situation , capped by his touchdown throw to tight end Noah Fant .
Undermanned and not as good as the Bills , the Broncos trailed by only eight points heading into halftime .
“ Going into halftime , we definitely felt good with the position we were at , ” Fant said .
But then the third quarter happened and the Bills showed why they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a 48-19 win over the Broncos that was just as gory as the score suggests .
The Bills ( 11-3 ) are elite and will be a tough out in the playoffs because of quarterback Josh Allen and receivers Stefon Diggs and Cole Beasley .
The Broncos ( 5-9 ) aren ’ t elite — not even close .
“ It was a total team failure in the second half , ” Broncos coach Vic Fangio said .
Special teams : The Bills returned the second-half opening kickoff 53 yards to set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Broncos ’ three third-quarter drives ended in fumble ( returned for a 21-yard Bills touchdown by Jerry Hughes ) , punt and punt for a total of minus-5 yards .
Defense : The Broncos allowed Allen completions of 22 , 55 and 20 yards and the Bills scored on a 1-yard Allen run and a 27-yard Tyler Bass field goal .
• Bills QB Josh Allen on John Elway , Broncos draft snub : “ I ’ m where I ’ m supposed to be ” • Broncos game balls and gassers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Drew Lock comes back down to earth • Broncos blasted by Josh Allen and Bills , 48-19 , to cement Denver ’ s fifth consecutive postseason miss , fourth straight losing season • Broncos up-down drill : Highs and lows for Denver against the Bills The Broncos should feel fortunate no fans were invited to attend .
They would have booed … and booed … and booed … and then left early to go watch Alabama vs. Florida in the SEC championship .
“ There ’ s probably been a game in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when you ’ ve had a quarter like that , ” Lock said .
The Broncos are having a half-decade like that third quarter .
Simply put , they are in the midst of one of the worse stretches in franchise history .
Check it out : • They clinched a fifth consecutive non-playoff year , tied with 2006-10 for the second-longest skid behind 1960-76 ( the first 17 years of Broncos football ) .
• They clinched a fourth consecutive losing season , the second-longest streak in team history behind 1963-72 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ year by at least 25 points — 27 to Kansas City , 25 to Las Vegas and 28 to New Orleans before the Bills ’ romp .
The Broncos should be better than getting blown out by a lot , right ?
• And they fell to 2-5 at Mile High — a loss to Las Vegas in two weeks would be the worst home season since 2007 .
The Broncos ’ chief flaw was on full display against Buffalo .
They don ’ t know how to build on a good sequence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after a poor one .
In a blink , one good thing becomes three bad things .
In the first quarter , Buffalo had third-and-9 from the Broncos ’ 30 , but outside linebacker Jeremiah Attoachu jumped offsides .
The Bills converted third-and-4 and took a 7-0 lead on tight end Dawson Knox ’ s nine-yard touchdown catch .
In the second quarter ( part 1 ) , the Broncos crossed midfield on Lock completions of 16 and 11 yards to Fant .
But running back Melvin Gordon lost two yards and Lock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the second quarter ( part 2 ) , three consecutive penalties totaling 25 yards moved Buffalo to first-and-goal from the 30 .
No matter .
On second-and-goal , Allen delivered a laser between safeties Kareem Jackson and Justin Simmons for a 22-yard touchdown to tight end Jake Kumerow .
And , in the third quarter , the Bills parlayed the long kick return into Allen ’ s second touchdown run .
It was the Broncos ’ turn to answer .
Lock worked up the pocket , but was sacked from behind by cornerback @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Hughes finally corralled the football and went on a 10.03-second expedition to the end zone .
“ Obviously very upset with myself after that one , ” Lock said .
“ I stepped up , kept my eyes downfield and didn ’ t necessarily feel it from behind .
I should have .
Should have got out of the pocket and run.
” Overcoming an eight-point halftime lead was going to be a tough ask for the Broncos ’ offense if their defense was making stops .
But Allen and Co. , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowed in the Vic Era .
This was an across-the-board failure .
The Bills had nine plays of at least 20 yards and punted only once .
“ They ’ re a really good football team , ” Fangio said .
“ They a have a great quarterback .
They have a great group of receivers .
And they play good defense .
That ’ s why they ’ re 11-3.
” And the Broncos aren ’ t because they haven ’ t built an all-systems-go roster .
Don ’ t look now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lose to the Chargers ( 5-9 ) and Raiders ( 7-7 ) , could finish last in the division for the second time in four years .
From 1991-2016 , they finished last only twice .
“ We all know the winning tradition this organization has , ” Simmons said .
“ To be here my whole career and not be a part of the playoffs is tough .
It ’ s a tough pill to swallow .
It stinks to know it ’ s another year with a losing season .
”

It should have been the kind of drive that kept the Broncos competitive Saturday against the Buffalo Bills. Quarterback Drew Lock completed seven of his eight pass attempts for 56 yards in the hurry-up situation, capped by his touchdown throw to tight end Noah Fant.
Undermanned and not as good as the Bills, the Broncos trailed by only eight points heading into halftime.
“Going into halftime, we definitely felt good with the position we were at,” Fant said.
But then the third quarter happened and the Bills showed why they are the AFC East champions, rolling to a 48-19 win over the Broncos that was just as gory as the score suggests.
The Bills (11-3) are elite and will be a tough out in the playoffs because of quarterback Josh Allen and receivers Stefon Diggs and Cole Beasley.
The Broncos (5-9) aren’t elite — not even close.
“It was a total team failure in the second half,” Broncos coach Vic Fangio said.
Vic is 100% correct.
Special teams: The Bills returned the second-half opening kickoff 53 yards to set up a touchdown drive.
Offense: The Broncos’ three third-quarter drives ended in fumble (returned for a 21-yard Bills touchdown by Jerry Hughes), punt and punt for a total of minus-5 yards.
Defense: The Broncos allowed Allen completions of 22, 55 and 20 yards and the Bills scored on a 1-yard Allen run and a 27-yard Tyler Bass field goal.
A 21-13 Bills lead at halftime was suddenly 38-13.
The Broncos should feel fortunate no fans were invited to attend. They would have booed … and booed … and booed … and then left early to go watch Alabama vs. Florida in the SEC championship.
“There’s probably been a game in (a player’s career) when you’ve had a quarter like that,” Lock said.
The Broncos are having a half-decade like that third quarter. Simply put, they are in the midst of one of the worse stretches in franchise history. Check it out:
They clinched a fifth consecutive non-playoff year, tied with 2006-10 for the second-longest skid behind 1960-76 (the first 17 years of Broncos football).
They clinched a fourth consecutive losing season, the second-longest streak in team history behind 1963-72.
They have lost four games this year by at least 25 points — 27 to Kansas City, 25 to Las Vegas and 28 to New Orleans before the Bills’ romp. The Broncos should be better than getting blown out by a lot, right?
And they fell to 2-5 at Mile High — a loss to Las Vegas in two weeks would be the worst home season since 2007.
The Broncos’ chief flaw was on full display against Buffalo. They don’t know how to build on a good sequence and are incapable of stemming the tide after a poor one. In a blink, one good thing becomes three bad things.
In the first quarter, Buffalo had third-and-9 from the Broncos’ 30, but outside linebacker Jeremiah Attoachu jumped offsides. The Bills converted third-and-4 and took a 7-0 lead on tight end Dawson Knox’s nine-yard touchdown catch.
In the second quarter (part 1), the Broncos crossed midfield on Lock completions of 16 and 11 yards to Fant. But running back Melvin Gordon lost two yards and Lock was sacked. They punted.
In the second quarter (part 2), three consecutive penalties totaling 25 yards moved Buffalo to first-and-goal from the 30. No matter. On second-and-goal, Allen delivered a laser between safeties Kareem Jackson and Justin Simmons for a 22-yard touchdown to tight end Jake Kumerow.
And, in the third quarter, the Bills parlayed the long kick return into Allen’s second touchdown run. It was the Broncos’ turn to answer.
Lock worked up the pocket, but was sacked from behind by cornerback Tre’Davious White in 4.21 seconds. Hughes finally corralled the football and went on a 10.03-second expedition to the end zone.
Game over (35-13).
“Obviously very upset with myself after that one,” Lock said. “I stepped up, kept my eyes downfield and didn’t necessarily feel it from behind. I should have. Should have got out of the pocket and run.”
Overcoming an eight-point halftime lead was going to be a tough ask for the Broncos’ offense if their defense was making stops. But Allen and Co., rolled up 534 yards, the most allowed in the Vic Era. This was an across-the-board failure.
The Bills had nine plays of at least 20 yards and punted only once.
“They’re a really good football team,” Fangio said. “They a have a great quarterback. They have a great group of receivers. And they play good defense. That’s why they’re 11-3.”
And the Broncos aren’t because they haven’t built an all-systems-go roster.
Don’t look now, but the Broncos, if they lose to the Chargers (5-9) and Raiders (7-7), could finish last in the division for the second time in four years. From 1991-2016, they finished last only twice.
“We all know the winning tradition this organization has,” Simmons said. “To be here my whole career and not be a part of the playoffs is tough. It’s a tough pill to swallow. It stinks to know it’s another year with a losing season.”