Broncos scrambling to keep up in AFC.(The Gazette)

DENVER _ It was the last day of August, and Mike Shanahan, the Denver Broncos coach, was being asked about expectations for the season.

"(The players) have a mindset that they're going to go out there and improve, and I think that's what we've done," Shanahan said as the Broncos prepared to play the St. Louis Rams in the season opener. "And when you do that then you have a chance for good things to happen."

The good things came to an end Sunday on the wind-whipped field in Baltimore after a humiliating 21-3 loss to the Ravens. Now step back. Think of August. Think of the expectations. No team surprised fewer people in 2000 than the Broncos.

They could have been better. But the Broncos needed several things to go just right. And those things didn't.

Free agent help: While ardent fans passed the 1999 season off as a fluke, the Broncos knew they had some leaks to plug. They did it by signing more than 50 players to free-agent contracts. A few were expected to be difference-makers. They weren't.

Defensive end Lester Archambeau (seven years, $17.5 million, including a $1.4 million signing bonus) played in three games, and will be cut. Defensive end Kavika Pittman received a bigger deal ($28 million, $3.15 million bonus), but went eight weeks in a row without a sack, finishing with six.

Big dollars were also handed to safety Billy Jenkins (seven years, $18 million, $2.8 million bonus). Cornerback Darryl Pounds and punter Tom Rouen received long-term deals worth $1 million per year. Pounds spent most of the season on injured reserve, Rouen had his worst season.