It’s been a rough couple of years for the Mile High faithful.
Since 2015, seven different quarterbacks have started for the Broncos. Three different head coaches have taken the reins. The team suffered through the second longest playoff drought since 1976, missing the playoffs for four consecutive seasons.
Some have called for the unthinkable, the removal of John Elway — the man who once never had to buy a drink within city limits.
His only (main) sin?
Falling too hard for mediocre system quarterbacks who are better at blocking people’s views at concerts than playing throwing touchdown passes.
The most tragic moment came in June when beloved owner Pat Bowlen died from Alzheimers. It was followed by an ongoing, bitter legal battle amongst his children for control of the franchise. It’s safe to say the Superbowl hangover has taken its toll.
However, I believe in looking at the positives in life. As we come to the end of the decade we should reminisce on all of the good times before ‘Locking in’ (subtle pun) some New Year’s resolutions.
So here it is. The greatest Denver Broncos moments of the decade.
A Bright Future
2019 has been a collective failure for both the Broncos and Chargers. It may seem unreasonable to include a play from a Week 12 matchup that had no playoff implications. However, I see it as foreshadowing for a duo that will torment secondaries for years to come.
Hot take — Courtland Sutton will be the best receiver in the division by next year. Sutton was snubbed a pro bowl appearance in a year in which he accumulated 72 receptions for 1,112 yards and six touchdowns in just his second NFL season. Compared to 2020 pro bowlers and division rivals Keenan Allen and Tyreek Hill, he fares well.
Sutton and Lock are both young and eager to take control of an offense that has been the Achilles heel of the team since 2015. Expect to see this versions of this play many more times in the future.
Most importantly, the team is winning with Lock. Denver has it’s next quarterback.
Peyton Manning Touchdown Record
It’s debatable whether Peyton Manning will enter Canton as a Colt or a Bronco, but as the stages of horse puberty suggest, Peyton lived out his final and most matured seasons in Denver.
In this mic’d up clip from the NFL we get to see the drive in which Peyton Manning was able to top Brett Favre as the all-time touchdown pass leader. In the clip you see Peyton miss a pass, stumble and fall at the line, before hitting number 509 to Demaryius Thomas on a third down play.
Frankly, the clip sums of most of Peyton’s career in Denver. Clumsy at moments, but defined by moments like this — and the greatest individual season by a quarterback in NFL history, of course.
While manning no longer holds the record, it was a monumental achievement in Bronco history.
Are you there God? It’s me, Tim.
2011 will go down as the most improbable, divine, and chest-tightening seasons in Broncos history. Personally, I remember 2011 as a career attendance year at Sunday mass for the Halbert Family. That year my father also had a stress induced Ulcer.
The connection between the two?
The prodigal son, Tim Tebow.
The 25th pick in the 2010 NFL draft was labeled a bust from the beginning.
“A running back playing quarterback.”
“He can only win in college.”
“He’s a virgin.”
The critics never gave him a chance.
Kyle Orton started the year going 1-4 after coming off an abysmal 4-12 record the previous season.
Orton may have been a lame duck quarterback, but he is in the Hall of Fame when it comes to Google image search results.
Tebow’s number was finally called during a 23-10 deficit against the Chargers in the third quarter. He lead the team to within a failed two-point conversion, and from there on out, Tebow was the new starter in Denver.
He went on to accumulate five wins in the fourth quarter while trailing, and an impressive 6 straight wins, leading the Broncos to a wildcard spot. Tebow may have been the worst quarterback in franchise history for the first three quarters, but found a way to do the impossible in the fourth.
This video does the 2011 Tebow season justice better than I ever could:
The season finally came to a climax in the AFC Wildcard game against the Steelers with an 80-yard touchdown to Demariuys Thomas. Mile High has not roared like that since.
Von Miller strip sack
So many emotions come to mind when thinking about Super Bowl 50.
Elway, with the Lombardi in hand announcing, “this one’s for Pat.”
The Broncos avenging their embarrassing performance in Super Bowl 48 against the Seattle Seahawks.
Many people forget the struggles at quarterback that season. The offense was propped up by an unstoppable pass rush and the aptly named ‘no-fly-zone.’ It was a defense which was able to win five games with Brock Osweiler as a starter to the injured Manning. Easily one of the top-3 NFL defenses of the decade.
We still love you, Brock.
However, what sums up the entire experience is Von Miller’s strip sack of Cam Newton to bring Denver it’s third championship in team history.
Von Miller’s play helped him earn Super Bowl 50 MVP honors, and forever cemented him as a Broncos legend, the best pass rusher the franchise has ever seen, and a likely first-ballot Hall of Famer.
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