PDA

View Full Version : Not Counting Superbowls, Best Broncos Win and Worst Loss



MasterShake
11-03-2010, 11:32 AM
The BYE week sucks, so I'd thought I'd reflect on the best of times and the worst of times. Things aren't looking good now, but who knows. In the mean time, what in your opinion (NOT COUNTING SUPER BOWLS) was the Best Win and Worst Loss in Broncos History?

Heres Mine:

Best Win- It would be easy to pick The Drive or the Fumble, but I'm going with the AFC Championship Game against Pittsburgh in 1997. Not only did it propel us to our first Super Bowl, it was great to knock the Steelers out and really establish our attitude that allowed us to beat Green Bay. A close second was the Divisional win against a great Patriots team in 2005.

Worst Loss- 1996 Playoff Loss to Jacksonville. Hands down. Forget the mood in the stadiuim against the Raiders a few weeks ago. That stung and lasted all the way until the next year when we kicked their ass in the playoffs for revenge. I'll never forget that game. I was 8 rows back in the North Stands, and on the way out it was just quiet.

slim
11-03-2010, 11:36 AM
Best Win- 1977 AFC Championship Game. The game that lead us to our other "first superbowl". :wave: Plus, we beat the Raiders in the process. A great win all around.

Worst Loss- I agree with you here. 1996 Playoff Loss to Jacksonville. I can't remember a worse feeling than that one.

Northman
11-03-2010, 11:37 AM
For me,

Best Broncos Win: Denver over KC (1992) after being down 19-6 late in the game.

Worst Bronco Loss: This year vs Oakland at home.

Ravage!!!
11-03-2010, 11:48 AM
The best win, to me, would be the one that put John Elway and the Broncos on the Map...... the 1986 (actually played in '87) AFC Championship game against the Cleveland Browns that elevated Elways status to immortal history with "the Drive."

Worst lost was the 1996 playoff loss to the Jacksonville Jags.

MasterShake
11-03-2010, 11:57 AM
The best win, to me, would be the one that put John Elway and the Broncos on the Map...... the 1986 (actually played in '87) AFC Championship game against the Cleveland Browns that elevated Elways status to immortal history with "the Drive."

Worst lost was the 1996 playoff loss to the Jacksonville Jags.

I think A LOT of people will have the Jags on their list. The Raiders loss sucked, but it did not knock a great team out of the playoffs.

Northman
11-03-2010, 12:12 PM
I think A LOT of people will have the Jags on their list. The Raiders loss sucked, but it did not knock a great team out of the playoffs.

The Jags loss was tough but it was the playoffs so it wasnt like the Jags were scrubs. I mean really, that was a close game all the way to the end. Getting embarrassed at home is far worse to me as it showed no pride whatsoever.

Thnikkaman
11-03-2010, 12:13 PM
I agree that the greatest game is the AFC Championship game against the Steelers.

My worst is the 59-21 loss against San Diego in 08. It was the game that proved the writing on the wall for me that Shanahan was not capable of rebuilding this team again, and that my Dad was right about Cutler. However, that game has given me strength to endure our current situation.

TXBRONC
11-03-2010, 12:16 PM
Since Slim said the '77 AFCC game I'll go with The Drive because anytime you can win a Championship game on the by first driving your team 98 yards to tie the and then win in overtime in another team's house you can't get much more than that.

Worst loss Jags game.
Mobile Post via Mobile.BroncosForums.com/forums

NightTrainLayne
11-03-2010, 12:28 PM
Best win: A couple already mentioned but I always go back to the 1992 playoffs, and our epic Elway-led comeback against the Houston Oilers. That was one heck of a game, and included everything great about the Broncos "Mile High" magic.

Also, the 1997 win in Arrowhead Stadium. I was stuck travelling and had to listen to it on the radio, having to find new stations 3-4 times during the game to keep up. That win, in that environment, with the weather and everything pointing to a Chiefs win, and we eeked one out by playing better "Marty-ball" than Marty himself. . .Loved it.

Worst loss: The '96 loss to Jax (I was physically ill after that one), and the 2008 San Diego fiasco at home. The Raiders loss a few weeks ago was terrible, but something about that Chargers loss was even more dominating. We didn't turn the ball over quite as badly against them, and they just thoroughly dominated us. . .i.e. we couldn't even really pretend that we beat ourselves.

Dreadnought
11-03-2010, 01:00 PM
Best? there's been some great ones, but I throw in the first 1977 Raiders game. It served notice to the World that we were a real live elite team for the first time when we massacred the reigning World Champs. We picked off seven (?!) Ken Stabler passes and Craig Morton completed a long TD pass to ancient FG kicker Jim Turner for a TD on one of the best fakes ever. Seeing that fat slob Madden all pissed off on the sidelines was wonderful as well.



Honorable mention to eliminating the Raiders from the playoffs on Christmas eve in 95 as we completed Shanahan's first season sweep of Oakland.



The worst was pretty much any loss to the Raiders. Two weeks ago was especially painful, ditto the game where friggin Gannon roasted us with 35 straight completions or something like that, ditto Kerry Collins playing his greatest game as a Raider in a blizzard in 04. Do I obsess with Raider games? Yes. Yes I do.

Italianmobstr7
11-03-2010, 01:03 PM
Best Win: 97 vs the Steelers or 2006 vs Patriots in the playoffs

Worst Loss: Jags in 96 or Chargers in 08.
I was at the Raiders game, and it sucked but at least it was because of turnovers mainly. Vs the Chargers, they just dominated us in every facet.

The Glue Factory
11-03-2010, 01:05 PM
Best win? Hmmm... Gotta go with the '77 AFC Championship but the 97 playoffs (all three) were great as well!

Worst loss? Bills in 1990ish, i think. We were up (something like 17 points) and in control of the game until mid way through the third quarter. Buffalo rifles off 21 points in <70 seconds to take the lead. For some reason we just couldn't score another point despite being able to do so in the first half. Talk about a momentum shift! Only salve for that wound was those Bills went on to get trounced in one of their 4 consecutive SB appearances.

MasterShake
11-03-2010, 01:08 PM
I agree that the greatest game is the AFC Championship game against the Steelers.

My worst is the 59-21 loss against San Diego in 08. It was the game that proved the writing on the wall for me that Shanahan was not capable of rebuilding this team again, and that my Dad was right about Cutler. However, that game has given me strength to endure our current situation.

Great points about the 59-21 loss to the Chargers. You just knew going in we were going to lose, something about it. And like you, I look at our current situation and find some comfort that we did not break up a championship caliber team exactly. :lol: Little did I know that would be the last time I wore my Cutler jersey.

girler
11-03-2010, 01:13 PM
http://www.hulu.com/watch/123942/greatest-games-1986-the-drive?team=denver-broncos#s-p8-so-i0

I miss the orange uni's.

Shazam!
11-03-2010, 03:13 PM
Playoff wins are obvious... so I'll go regular season over last 20 years that were special to me.

1990 - After a disappointing season following back to back AFC Championships, Denver reaches 3-0 after a win at Mile High vs. the LA Raiders, 30-20 as Denver returns to contender status.

1992 - Badly beating NYJ and NYG by double digits in back to back games in Mile High. Was looking like a playoff season before Elway got hurt at end of NYG game and that ended the Season and the Dan Reeves era.

1995 - A glimpse of what was to come under Mike Shanahan as Denver stomped Oakland on MNF 27-0

1996 - Elway leads Denver down the field w/50 yard td pass to Rod Smith in the 4th to come from behind and beat former Broncos killer Jeff Hostetler and the Oakland Raiders on the road 22-21 on MNF. Was officially the coming out party of Denver under Shanahan as Denver was finally 'for real' and legitimately crowned the best team in the AFC.

1997 - After a disappointing loss to Jax in the playoffs (that began my 6 month depression), Denver returns in 1997 looking even stronger, clobbering then-AFC Champion NE on MNF 35-14. It gave me some sense of revenge, beating the team that was in the Super Bowl that the Broncos were clearly better than, even blowing them out in their own building the year before as well.

silkamilkamonico
11-03-2010, 05:59 PM
Wins I don't know.

The worst loss easily for me was the 96' Jax loss. Great team, playoffs at home and we blow it against basically an expansion team.

The 08' division clinching debacle against SD on prime time TV will surely stick out in my mind as long as I'm alive. That game was just f'n brutal.

slim
11-03-2010, 06:05 PM
I think most people agree the Jax loss was one of the worst.

That game cost us a three-peat, IMO.

Ravage!!!
11-03-2010, 06:06 PM
The 08' division clinching debacle against SD on prime time TV will surely stick out in my mind as long as I'm alive. That game was just f'n brutal.

Nah... getting beat by Jamarcuss Russell last year was MUCH worse than that

silkamilkamonico
11-03-2010, 06:17 PM
Nah... getting beat by Jamarcuss Russell last year was MUCH worse than that

Not for me. We were supposed to have a good team in 08'. We had 1 chance to make the playoffs after a turbulent season, and we took a shit in what was supposed to be a prime time divisional matchup on Sunday night.

I defended Cutler relentlessly and Shanahan up until that game, but because of it I just couldn't do it anymore. That game changed my perception of Culter and Shanahan 180 degress.

Will never forget it.

Ravage!!!
11-03-2010, 06:24 PM
Not for me. We were supposed to have a good team in 08'. We had 1 chance to make the playoffs after a turbulent season, and we took a shit in what was supposed to be a prime time divisional matchup on Sunday night.

I defended Cutler relentlessly and Shanahan up until that game, but because of it I just couldn't do it anymore. That game changed my perception of Culter and Shanahan 180 degress.

Will never forget it.

we started 7 different RBs after putting 6 on IR. We started some games withut a single starting LB in the game. To me, winning 8 games that year was a tribute to both and losing to a team that was as talented as the chargers wasn't NEARLY as bad as losing on your home field with playoff implications on the line to... Jamarcuss Russell and the TERRIBLE Raiders.

But hey...:beer: Neither one was something to be proud of by any respect of the word.

Northman
11-03-2010, 06:26 PM
Not for me. We were supposed to have a good team in 08'.

LMAO

How do you gather that? We had the worst defense in Denver history that year.

silkamilkamonico
11-03-2010, 06:30 PM
We still finished 3rd in the NFL in ypc, and like this year, injuries are never an excuse.

That was supposed to be Denver's breakout year offensively with Shanahan having his QB, in his system for the 3rd year, and we averaged a meager 23 ppg. Considering we basically went from having the division wrapped up after week 13 to getting completely blown out in what was billed as the game of the week in week 17 for the division, it was a fitting end to an utterly disappointing season.

That was the first time I looked at this organization realistically and wondered wtf was happening. With the benefit of hindsight i feel like I was blind for not seeing it coming earlier in the decade.

silkamilkamonico
11-03-2010, 06:30 PM
LMAO

How do you gather that? We had the worst defense in Denver history that year.

LMAO

How do you NOT gather that?

Ravage!!!
11-03-2010, 06:32 PM
LMAO

How do you gather that? We had the worst defense in Denver history that year.

Not only that.. but we had the worst starting field position in the NFL, a rookie left tackle, a first-year starting RT, and a kicker that couldn't hit 40 yrd FGs. I'm not sure anyone ever really expected to win that game.

silkamilkamonico
11-03-2010, 06:34 PM
Not only that.. but we had the worst starting field position in the NFL, a rookie left tackle, a first-year starting RT, and a kicker that couldn't hit 40 yrd FGs. I'm not sure anyone ever really expected to win that game.

If you and Northman are insinuating that going into 2008 you knew we would have the worst defense ever, I'm going to go ahead and call BS right now.

Besides. You guys are getting completely off topic. This is merely an opinionated response to what our best wins, and worst losses were as fans.

Northman
11-03-2010, 06:35 PM
LMAO

How do you NOT gather that?


It was pretty evident after the 3rd game that our offense was going to have to carry the load. We were not "contenders" that year no matter what your expectations might have been. The fact we lost every RB under the sun didnt help matters. The fact we even did as well as we did is a testament to Shanahan's coaching.

Northman
11-03-2010, 06:36 PM
If you and Northman are insinuating that going into 2008 you knew we would have the worst defense ever, I'm going to go ahead and call BS right now.



Im not saying i knew it was going to be that bad going in. But if you just realized by the last game of the year how bad it was i call BS as well. It was evident how bad it was early and often that year.

silkamilkamonico
11-03-2010, 06:42 PM
Im not saying i knew it was going to be that bad going in. But if you just realized by the last game of the year how bad it was i call BS as well. It was evident how bad it was early and often that year.

Who said anything about realizing it during the last game?

We went into that season with the legacy of Shanahan QB's having their breakout season in their third year, and coming off a 7-9 record with arguably the worst defense ever in the organization.

"Surely we couldn't have a worse defense than 07'" (according to these boards), AND we had a young potent offense that was going to be lethal.

That year had playoff expectations written all over it. And after a turbulent season, we still had a chance to win the division in week 17, and we got blown the **** out.

Disappointing, disappointing loss in the way that season ended. I'll never forget it.

Northman
11-03-2010, 06:58 PM
Who said anything about realizing it during the last game?

We went into that season with the legacy of Shanahan QB's having their breakout season in their third year, and coming off a 7-9 record with arguably the worst defense ever in the organization.

"Surely we couldn't have a worse defense than 07'" (according to these boards), AND we had a young potent offense that was going to be lethal.

That year had playoff expectations written all over it. And after a turbulent season, we still had a chance to win the division in week 17, and we got blown the **** out.

Disappointing, disappointing loss in the way that season ended. I'll never forget it.


I didnt go into 08' expecting anything. Pretty much how i face every year since the days of Elway. I dont know how anyone could assume we would be contenders at that point when the defense still hadnt been addressed properly. Let alone DC troubles.

silkamilkamonico
11-03-2010, 07:07 PM
I didnt go into 08' expecting anything. Pretty much how i face every year since the days of Elway. I dont know how anyone could assume we would be contenders at that point when the defense still hadnt been addressed properly. Let alone DC troubles.

The offense alone was good for 7 wins the year before, and should only have been significantly better considering. The defense could not have been much worse than 07', but in some uncanny way it wasn't any better. I think a good majority of the fanbase expected at least a season of a couple games improvement, if not more.

Northman
11-03-2010, 07:09 PM
The offense alone was good for 7 wins the year before, and should only have been significantly better considering. The defense could not have been much worse than 07', but in some uncanny way it wasn't any better. I think a good majority of the fanbase expected at least a season of a couple games improvement, if not more.

Be that as it may it wasnt like it didnt become clear after the 3rd game. I surely wasnt surprised by our collapse down the stretch so i dont know how anyone else would of been.

silkamilkamonico
11-03-2010, 07:12 PM
Be that as it may it wasnt like it didnt become clear after the 3rd game. I surely wasnt surprised by our collapse down the stretch so i dont know how anyone else would of been.

The collapse wasn't surprising. The fact that the team just flat out quit was. That's the disheartening thing.

Northman
11-03-2010, 07:18 PM
The collapse wasn't surprising. The fact that the team just flat out quit was. That's the disheartening thing.

Agreed.

And seeing that against the Raiders this year pisses me off even more.

Lancane
11-03-2010, 07:33 PM
I will use two games that both happened in the same season and both in the playoffs, the 1995 Playoff games against the New England Patriots followed by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship Game.

These two games are the pinnacles to the fall of our team, while many argued that season that Plummer (Like Orton Now) is not as good as his numbers show and the production on the field, the majority supported him, and his supporters had to watch him have a meltdown in the playoffs. But, we were excited as a fanbase, let's be honest...it had been awhile since we been there. So we beet the playoff dominating Patsies only to completely get our asses handed to us by the Steelers who went on to have a ugly Super Bowl win. That off-season we have one of our best drafts, only to be hear four years later with our best picks gone, a new head coach and are considered one of the worst teams in the NFL. Hmmm... That is why those two games will be forever infamous in my mind.

MasterShake
11-03-2010, 07:36 PM
I will use two games that both happened in the same season and both in the playoffs, the 1995 Playoff games against the New England Patriots followed by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship Game.

These two games are the pinnacles to the fall of our team, while many argued that season that Plummer (Like Orton Now) is not as good as his numbers show and the production on the field, the majority supported him, and his supporters had to watch him have a meltdown in the playoffs. But, we were excited as a fanbase, let's be honest...it had been awhile since we been there. So we beet the playoff dominating Patsies only to completely get our asses handed to us by the Steelers who went on to have a ugly Super Bowl win. That off-season we have one of our best drafts, only to be hear four years later with our best picks gone, a new head coach and are considered one of the worst teams in the NFL. Hmmm... That is why those two games will be forever infamous in my mind.

You mean the 2005 playoffs?

Yeah, its hard to believe and probably the pinpoint of when the wheels started falling off.

EMB6903
11-03-2010, 07:59 PM
good story by SI done right after the 1991 divisonal playoff match up against Houston Oilers when Denver converted 2 4th down conversions on the last drive to win it.....

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1003326/1/index.htm

Lancane
11-03-2010, 08:58 PM
You mean the 2005 playoffs?

Yeah, its hard to believe and probably the pinpoint of when the wheels started falling off.

Hahaha... Yeah, I did mean the 2005 playoffs.

Canmore
11-04-2010, 01:43 AM
The BYE week sucks, so I'd thought I'd reflect on the best of times and the worst of times. Things aren't looking good now, but who knows. In the mean time, what in your opinion (NOT COUNTING SUPER BOWLS) was the Best Win and Worst Loss in Broncos History?

Heres Mine:

Best Win- It would be easy to pick The Drive or the Fumble, but I'm going with the AFC Championship Game against Pittsburgh in 1997. Not only did it propel us to our first Super Bowl, it was great to knock the Steelers out and really establish our attitude that allowed us to beat Green Bay. A close second was the Divisional win against a great Patriots team in 2005.

Worst Loss- 1996 Playoff Loss to Jacksonville. Hands down. Forget the mood in the stadiuim against the Raiders a few weeks ago. That stung and lasted all the way until the next year when we kicked their ass in the playoffs for revenge. I'll never forget that game. I was 8 rows back in the North Stands, and on the way out it was just quiet.

You make this too easy! The best was the Drive and the worst was Jacksonville.

MasterShake
11-04-2010, 07:39 AM
You make this too easy! The best was the Drive and the worst was Jacksonville.

Yeah, most of us long time fans would cite that, but even some of them point to the '77 AFC Championship game. I think its interesting to see peoples personal take. For instance, my cousin is 15 and does not remember the Super Bowls, but he sure as hell remembers beating the Patriots in 2005! I took him to that game and its still one of his favorite memories. We tried really hard to go to the AFC Championship game that year, but couldn't find affordable tickets (thank god).

horsepig
11-04-2010, 10:10 AM
Best? there's been some great ones, but I throw in the first 1977 Raiders game. It served notice to the World that we were a real live elite team for the first time when we massacred the reigning World Champs. We picked off seven (?!) Ken Stabler passes and Craig Morton completed a long TD pass to ancient FG kicker Jim Turner for a TD on one of the best fakes ever. Seeing that fat slob Madden all pissed off on the sidelines was wonderful as well.



Honorable mention to eliminating the Raiders from the playoffs on Christmas eve in 95 as we completed Shanahan's first season sweep of Oakland.



The worst was pretty much any loss to the Raiders. Two weeks ago was especially painful, ditto the game where friggin Gannon roasted us with 35 straight completions or something like that, ditto Kerry Collins playing his greatest game as a Raider in a blizzard in 04. Do I obsess with Raider games? Yes. Yes I do.

I couldn't agree more. Some really great wins along the way, but that win in Oakland sent the Broncos off on a 30 year tear in which they had the best overall record in the NFL. It was actually backup QB/holder Norris Weese that threw that beautiful floater to Turner.

It's almost a consensus, that damned Jax game.

horsepig
11-04-2010, 10:15 AM
BTW, no problem with obsessing on frikkin Raider games.

horsepig
11-05-2010, 08:51 PM
For me,

Best Broncos Win: Denver over KC (1992) after being down 19-6 late in the game.

Worst Bronco Loss: This year vs Oakland at home.

I meant to address this post earlier North, but I had to go to work RIGHT AWAY.

This is my favorite Elway comeback. Just classic Elway. He looked soooo bad for 55 minutes and then, KABOOM! And it was against the Chefs. I was so fired up I about had a stroke!

Northman
11-05-2010, 08:54 PM
I meant to address this post earlier North, but I had to go to work RIGHT AWAY.

This is my favorite Elway comeback. Just classic Elway. He looked soooo bad for 55 minutes and then, KABOOM! And it was against the Chefs. I was so fired up I about had a stroke!


Yea, im still amazed how that game turned out. I thought for sure it was over (even after watching him do it before) but the man just never ceased to amaze me.