Watch: Broncos defensive lineman shouts at Russell Wilson in 23-10 loss against Panthers

During the fourth quarter, Purcell suddenly turned toward Wilson and shouted at him while walking off the field. Head coach Nathaniel Hackett did not intervene. 

It's hard to tell if Wilson said something to irritate Purcell or if he was letting his frustration out on the struggling quarterback. 

Regardless, the small argument shows the team's tears drive it apart. 

The frustration is understandable because the Broncos (3-8) are last in the AFC West, falling short of sky-high preseason expectations and have less than a one percent chance to make the playoffs, per FiveThirtyEight. 

Denver, who suffered a 23-10 defeat, had an opportunity to get a victory over a struggling Carolina (4-8) team, but they fell flat.

Wilson's struggles explain the embarrassing loss. He posted a 73.8 passer rating, went 19-for-35 and lost a fumble. A repeat of a troubling trend throughout the season. Wilson posted a career-low in completion percentage (59.5 percent) and passer rating (83.3) in 10 starts.

Purcell getting in Wilson's face serves as the season's microcosm. The Broncos are 1-7 in their last eight games.