ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Drew Lock swept the Mile High City up in hope in December. Up until late Sunday morning, the holiday season was nothing but cheerful and jolly at the prospect surrounding the future of the Denver Broncos.

But a freezing snowstorm on Sunday changed that for some as a harsh reality, courtesy of their division-rival Chiefs, punched them in the face.

“Tough loss. It’s hard. I don’t really even know what to say,” Von Miller said after the Chiefs beat the Broncos 23-3 in Kansas City. “I don’t know how we got to this point. I don’t know why it went like this. I don’t know what to say. It’s tough.”

Sunday wasn’t just another loss to the Chiefs. It was Denver’s ninth-straight loss to Kansas City. Their ninth. Additionally, Denver lost both games in 2019 to the Chiefs by a combined score of 53-9. That means Denver lost to their division rival by an average score of 26.5 to 4.5.

“I just want to be competitive in one game. I don’t even want to think about playoffs or divisional games,” Miller said with disgust and disbelief in his voice. “I just want to be competitive in this game, the game that we’ve got coming up. The game that we’re playing right now. This play. This half. This quarter. I just want to be competitive in what we’re doing right now. I don’t want to think about down the road. Let’s just get one—one play, one win. It’s just been slipping away from us for way too long.”

But Denver’s face of the franchise couldn’t hold back from looking at the big picture. The questions swirling in Von’s mind could almost be read by the lost expressions on his face.

How did Denver get here? How have they got so removed from their winning ways in the Peyton Manning era? When will they get out of their losing ways?

“It’s tough being where we’re at,” Miller said, defeated. “It’s tough being 30 years old and going out there with whatever issues I’m dealing with and coming up so short… It’s tough dealing with these last couple of ones, especially with the type of standard that we have whenever we came into the league. We went into the playoffs five years straight. I know I’m getting ahead of myself and I’m talking about more than just the game, but it’s just tough. I’m really lost for words.”

It’s no question why Von is lost. This is nearly foreign to this proud organization.

The Broncos franchise hasn’t seen this consistently-poor football in decades. Not only has Denver not made the playoffs in nearly half a decade, on Sunday they cemented their first back-to-back-to-back losing seasons since 1970-72—Denver’s first three years in the National Football League.

“We’ve tried everything. We’ve tried everything on and off the football field,” Von said, lost for answers. “We’ve tried all different coaches. All different players. We’ve tried everything. I really don’t know what’s going on. If I did, I would be the first to execute whatever plan it is to get everything better. I’m lost for words.”

“I don’t know. I’m here. I’m here. I don’t really have answers,” Miller continued, searching for something to cling to. “I’ve tried—we have tried everything from team bonding, coming in early, working hard in practice, film. I really don’t know. Emotions still high after the game, but I’m just lost right now.”

Von, however, did have one solution. And, fortunately for the Broncos, it lies with the most important position in sports.

“Drew’s definitely the future,” Von said without a doubt about Denver’s rookie quarterback Drew Lock. “Drew is doing what he needs to do… We found a quarterback. We’ve got a great quarterback, but everybody else has to come along.”

Von deemed Lock and Courtland Sutton “stars.” And thanks in large part to that, there was a glimmer of hope from the otherwise down Miller.

“I’m not losing hope. I still got the vision,” Miller stated. “I’m just telling you how I feel after this game. It just doesn’t feel good to go out there and play like that.”

Drew Lock has made football fun again in Denver. He, along with the young rising core of players, have brought hope back to Broncos Country.

But on Sunday, the Broncos were brought back to reality. And Von Miller wasn’t afraid to vocalize just how tough of a spot the organization has been in.