Ugh. Did that really happen? You know it's a nightmare when losing the game almost feels irrelevant.
Micah Parsons' season-ending injury changes the calculus on the Green Bay Packers' championship hopes. It will take a monumental effort from the entire team to remain competitive against the NFC's top teams, beginning on a short week against the division-leading Chicago Bears.
Although injuries to Parsons, Christian Watson, Zach Tom, and Evan Williams proved too much for the Packers to overcome, they still had opportunities to win this game. They led by nine points early in the third quarter before facing a disaster that drew parallels to the 2014 NFC Championship Game. The Packers needed more from these four players on Sunday.
4 Packers who deserve most of the blame after season-altering loss to Broncos
Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine
Keisean Nixon made the game-saving interception last week, while Carrington Valentine has stepped up admirably this season, but Bo Nix bullied both cornerbacks on Sunday.
According to Nick Whalen of Rotowire, Nix completed 11 of 13 passes for 183 yards and three touchdowns when targeting Nixon and Valentine. Not ideal, to say the least.
Nixon got burned on several occasions, mostly by Courtland Sutton. PFF had Sutton at three catches on four targets for 61 yards against Nixon.
Valentine had opportunities to make some big-time plays. On one, he smartly tried to jump a route on a screen pass for Troy Franklin. It looked like a potential pick-six opportunity, but at the very least, Valentine needed to make a tackle for loss. Instead, Franklin dodged Valentine and picked up 10 yards and a first down on a touchdown drive late in the second quarter.
READ MORE: Micah Parsons just circled a surprising return date after heartbreaking injury
It only got worse, though. Valentine dropped an interception that would've given the Packers decent field position with 5:41 left in the fourth quarter, with Green Bay down by just eight points.
Jeff Hafley
Jeff Hafley is having an outstanding season as the Packers' defensive leader, and it will almost certainly land him a head coaching job in the offseason, but this was a game to forget.
It became frustrating watching Broncos receivers find soft spots in his zone coverages. It made it far too easy for Bo Nix. According to Next Gen Stats (h/t Parker Gabriel of The Denver Post), the Packers played zone on 89.2 percent of Nix's dropbacks, and it didn't work. Nix completed 23 of 34 passes for 302 yards and four touchdowns against zone.
Hafley will have to completely revamp his game plan with Parsons out. Expectations lower, but he'll need a creative plan to slow down the Bears' offense on Saturday.
Rasheed Walker
Rasheed Walker's inconsistent season continued in Denver. To his credit, he provided some solid pass protection in a brutal matchup with the league's premier pass rush, but penalties crushed the Packers.
Walker had four.
It started with a false start on a 3rd-and-1 from the Broncos' 42-yard line. Green Bay ended up settling for a field goal. He was later called for being illegally downfield on a 7-yard completion to Romeo Doubs, although that's somewhat understandable, as it was a run-pass option.
Walker later drew a holding penalty on 2nd-and-goal from the 14-yard line. Fortunately, the Broncos declined it, and Jordan Love found Josh Jacobs for a stunning 14-yard score. Finally, Walker was called for another false start, this time on a 2nd-and-13 in the third quarter while the Packers led by two points.
Will the Packers consider giving Jordan Morgan an opportunity at left tackle?