Tensions Rise For Broncos During Sundays Loss

In a season in which the only thing the Denver Broncos can consistently do, it seems, is raise their own frustration level with one loss after another, a brief sideline blowup between defensive tackle Mike Purcell and quarterback Russell Wilson was caught on camera Sunday.

It came early in the fourth quarter of the Broncos' eighth loss of the season. And while both players were quick to dismiss the incident after the Carolina Panthers' 23-10 victory, it was clear the team's seventh loss in the past eight games had taken a toll.

"Frustration,'' Purcell said of the incident. "We all want to spark on something. We are all in this together, period. That's the quarterback of our offense, they're about to take the field. ... Obviously, [the defense wasn't] doing our job, but got to get a spark somewhere. They're about to take the field, that's all it was.'' Broncos players have been asked many times over the past two months if there is a growing rift in the locker room because of the team's offense. The Broncos are the lowest-scoring team in the league -- 14.3 points per game -- and Sunday's loss was the ninth time this season when they've scored 16 or fewer points, the fourth time they've scored 10 or fewer points.

But having surrendered a 100-yard rushing performance as well as a 100-yard receiving effort in each of the past two games -- losses to the Las Vegas Raiders and the Panthers -- some of the Broncos' defensive leaders were quick to point out there is enough blame to go around.