Despite Denver Broncos fans being some of the most loyal fans in the NFL, quite a few of them were missing from Invesco Field at Mile High near the end of Sunday's game against the San Diego Chargers.

By the time the clock hit zero, the stadium was almost empty.

Perhaps it was the fact that their beloved Broncos were well on their way to losing 41-3. Or maybe it was the realization they were watching the Broncos get trounced while sitting in the pouring rain that made them want to leave and maybe not go home, but certainly get the hell out of Mile High.

And did I mention, the Broncos were getting beaten, killed, maimed and savaged in every way by the Chargers ... in the rain?

I think I did, but I needed to emphasize that point before I told you that receiver Brandon Marshall (who's making millions of dollars to play a game) felt the need to check the Broncos not-so-faithful (who aren't earning as much but came to see him play) on their fan behavior:

"If you're going to be a Broncos fan, be a Broncos fan. Don't boo us when we're down. That's bandwagon," said Marshall, who caught seven passes for 72 yards. "When we start winning, then what?"

Marshall, who has already earned a reputation for his lively personality, didn't stop there. He poked again at Denver fans, known widely as some of the most faithful in the NFL, by pointing out their response to the surprising Colorado Rockies, who turned a mediocre season into a berth in the NLCS in less than a month.

"At the beginning of the (baseball) season, were you filling the stands? Now you all want to fill the stands," Marshall said. "Do the same thing for us, but 100 percent all the time. When we're losing, you all stay in those seats.

"I love you all to death, but at the same time, that's not first class."

Oh, my bad, when did the NFL start paying fans to sit through all four quarters of a game? Last time I checked, attendance wasn't required while your team is getting assaulted by the Chargers.

It's highly doubtful the Broncos organization is paying their fans mortgages, covering their gas expenses, or shelling out cash for little Johnny's braces.

And I'm pretty sure Marshall didn't reimburse fans for their tickets (average ticket price: $75) after he fumbled in the first quarter while the Broncos were already down 14-0.

No, let me help clear up the confusion: fans can leave when they want to leave. This isn't 'Misery.'

Marshall should be grateful that Broncos fans stuck around for as long as they did. This girl can honestly say that at the first sign of rain, she would've been looking for the nearest exit out of Mile High. I'm certainly not going to throw away a day at the salon or wear one of those cheesy plastic bag coats to watch the Broncos struggle to remember how to play something resembling the game of football.

Thankfully, Broncos receiver Brandon Stokely has a more realistic view of fan behavior: "I don't blame them at all. I wouldn't have stayed around to watch that. There was nothing good about that game."

Touché.