Orange Crush gets some love

[Dean]

They are the number 2 ranked LB group by the NFL network.


NFL Team Sites

Top 10 linebacking corps in NFL history
NFL Network



2000 Ravens
Led by Ray Lewis, and complemented by Peter Boulware and Jamie Sharper, the Ravens defense dominated opponents en route to a title.
Watch clip | Video: Lewis on 'America's Game' | Relive Super Bowl XXXV

Orange Crush
Randy Gradishar, Bob Swenson, Joe Rizzo and Tom Jackson teamed up to lead the Broncos to their first Super Bowl appearance.
Watch clip | Broncos history | Relive Super Bowl XII

1980s Raiders
Hall of Famer Ted Hendricks, as well as Matt Millen and Rod Martin, were major contributors on the last Raiders team to win a Super Bowl.
Watch clip | Hendricks' road to the Hall | Relive Super Bowl XVIII

Steelers of the mid-1990s
The foursome of Levon Kirkland, Kevin Greene, Greg Lloyd and Chad Brown weren't the "Steel Curtain" revisited, but weren't too far off.
Watch clip | Steelers history | Relive Super Bowl XXX

Vince Lombardi's Packers
Led by Ray Nitschke, and also featuring Dave Robinson and Lee Roy Caffey, this group was key to one of the NFL's greatest dynasties.
Watch clip | Video: Nitschke retrospective | Video: Nitschke remembered

1985 Chicago Bears
Otis Wilson, Mike Singletary and Wilbur Marshall ran Buddy Ryan's 46 defense to perfection as the Bears dominated the NFL.
Watch clip | Video: Singletary retrospective | Relive Super Bowl XX

Hank Stram's Chiefs
Hall of Famers Bobby Bell and Willie Lanier, along with the unheralded Jim Lynch, dismantled the favored Vikings in Super Bowl IV.
Watch clip | Relive Super Bowl IV | Bobby Bell: Gladiator

Bill Parcells' Giants
Lawrence Taylor grabbed the headlines, but Harry Carson, Gary Reasons and Carl Banks were key contributors on two Super Bowl-winning teams.
Watch clip | Video: Carson retrospective | Video: Taylor retrospective

1970s Steelers
Hall of Famers Jack Ham and Jack Lambert were integral parts of Pittsburgh's famed "Steel Curtain," the catalyst for four Super Bowl wins.
Watch clip | Steelers history | Video: "Steel Curtain" No. 2 nickname

Jim Mora's Saints
Rickey Jackson, Sam Mills, Vaughan Johnson and Pat Swilling combined for 13 trips to the Pro Bowl and helped the Saints earn respectabilityWatch clip | Player pages: Jackson | Johnson | Mills | Swilling

Sorry but the URL is larger than I want to type.;)

IMHO Randy Gradishar was the best sort yardage linebackers of all time and definitely top five overall. Yet, he is still not in the Hall of Fame.

None of the four could be considered by an offensive coordinator to be a weak link. I guess they would just have to pick their poison.

[topscribe]

http://www.nfl.com/nflnetwork/story?id=09000d5d808a901f&template=with-video-with-comments&confirm=true

Just copy and paste it, Dean. :)


Good find. Thanks.

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[GEM]

How Randy Gradishar is not in the HOF is an absolute travesty. :yardog:

[GEM]

HX7EersPkyQ


:heh:

[GEM]

How Randy Gradishar is not in the HOF is an absolute travesty. :yardog:

Mp_FcUiqAEY

YEA!!!

[Lonestar]

http://www.nfl.com/nflnetwork/story?id=09000d5d808a901f&template=with-video-with-comments&confirm=true

Just copy and paste it, Dean. :)


Good find. Thanks.

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added to the video library..

[Superchop 7]

Why can't they ever put a short yardage video together ?

Then the young guys could truly understand what these guys were all about.

When the other team was in the red zone.

They took it personal.......real personal........no **editted Circumventing Language Filter** way your getting in here personal.

[Dean]

Gradishar in goal line situations seemed to have a sixth sense as to where the ball carrier was going to go and then beat him there. Where ever the ball was Gradishar was there too with a nasty attitude. He would fill often times taking on a lead blocker in the process and put them both down for no gain. When there was no hole and the RB attempted to dive over the line, Randy appeared to be reading the RB's mind and would go airborne as well and often make a tackle for loss.

In contrast to today's players he form tackled. When he takled the ball carrier they stayed tackled. His game was not a big hit and fall to the ground hoping the RB would too, that is so popular today. He was something to watch!

[East Coast Fan]

Those guys were fantastic, and very much underated as far as I'm concerned-how none of them are in the Hall of Fame is a travesty. Gradishar and Rizzo were tough as nails, and Swenson and Jackson had the speed to cover anybody. I used to get so tired of always hearing about the Steeler's linebackers back then when Denver was just as good to my mind. It's just a shame that they had to play 75% of that Dallas Super Bowl and they still held out fairly well.

THAT was a GREAT DEFENSE-THE ORIGINAL ORANGE CRUSH :defense::salute:

[gobroncsnv]

Those guys were fantastic, and very much underated as far as I'm concerned-how none of them are in the Hall of Fame is a travesty. Gradishar and Rizzo were tough as nails, and Swenson and Jackson had the speed to cover anybody. I used to get so tired of always hearing about the Steeler's linebackers back then when Denver was just as good to my mind. It's just a shame that they had to play 75% of that Dallas Super Bowl and they still held out fairly well.

THAT was a GREAT DEFENSE-THE ORIGINAL ORANGE CRUSH :defense::salute:


Don't disagree with what you're saying about the Steelers, but I darn sure wouldn't put them 10th on this list... they were really, really good too.

[Magnificent Seven]

HX7EersPkyQ


:heh:

Good Footage...however, don't ever forget about STEVE ATWATER!!!!!

[MOtorboat]

I hate bias journalists.

[Dean]

As the NFL network posted, the Broncos have had one of the best groups of 3-4 linebackers of all time.

:confused: This comming season a host of questions surrounds our LB core. What are they going to be able to achieve this year? Who will we even have starting the season? Will the front four keep offensive linemen off of them so they can reach their potential?

:questionmark:

[Lonestar]

As the NFL network posted, the Broncos have had one of the best groups of 3-4 linebackers of all time.

:confused: This comming season a host of questions surrounds our LB core. What are they going to be able to achieve this year? Who will we even have starting the season? Will the front four keep offensive linemen off of them so they can reach their potential?

:questionmark:

good question, that would have been the question last year as well..

the LOS has and always will be the key to success.. if you win there most of the time you win lots of games..

[Asian Sushi 7]

His grill on helmet looks like overbite.

[East Coast Fan]

The great thing about that defense was that EVERY TIME they went on the field you had CONFIDENCE that they would stop the other team either with a turnover or make them punt.


Oh, those were the days....:defense:

[Dean]

The great thing about that defense was that EVERY TIME they went on the field you had CONFIDENCE that they would stop the other team either with a turnover or make them punt.


Oh, those were the days....:defense:

Football is a physical game. Many don't have the contact courage to play it full bore.

With the Orange Crush, every yard gained came with a price. By the end of the game it was obvious to the viewer who was a player and who was just along for the ride. There was definitely no quarter asked and none was given.

[East Coast Fan]

Football is a physical game. Many don't have the contact courage to play it full bore.

With the Orange Crush, every yard gained came with a price. By the end of the game it was obvious to the viewer who was a player and who was just along for the ride. There was definitely no quarter asked and none was given.


Remember how they used to "rotate" the front three lineman-Chavous, Carter and Alzado would be "spelled" by Smith, Grant and Manor to keep them all fresh. I remember in Alzado's book he was mad that they did this in the Dallas Super Bowl because the 2nd unit did give up more yards in that game. He said "they say that there is no drop off in talent, but that's not true." Smith wasn't like he used to be after his Achille's problem but he still was darn good, as was Grant in the middle, and Manor wasn't bad on the right side. But Alzado, Carter and Chavous were the guys that made that d-line click.

They were awesome; still my favorite Broncos team of all-time because I was 17 at the time so we both were "coming of age" so to speak...

[Dean]

Here is an interesting article that some of you might enjoy reading.

http://denver.yourhub.com/Montbello/Stories/Sports/Broncos/Story~315349.aspx




The 1977 Denver Broncos: The Real Orange Crush

They made a lot of miracles happen that year.
Provided by: Stan Dyer

Contributed by: Stan Dyer on 5/30/2007


The 1977 Denver Broncos:

The Real Orange Crush


By Stan Dyer





Recently, there was a show on cable recounting the top Colorado sports stories. It was an enjoyable program, and an excellent list, but there are many in Denver who would put a different story in the number one position. If you were a Bronco fan in the 60's and 70's, few experiences will ever rival the "Orange Crush" season of fall 1977, 30 years ago. Despite lacking the perfect ending, the season was so special because it was 16 years in the making, lasted over four months, and filled the city with magic and excitement.


January 1, 1978 was sunny, but cold. Thanks to my Uncle Al Strong, my Aunt Helen Strong, (now Helen Anderson of Westminster), and their unbelievable generosity, I stood at the 35 yard line just 15 yards behind the Oakland Raider bench and "The Snake", Ken Stabler. I could see the faces of the opposition. My toes were cold as I ate spoonful after spoonful of black-eyed peas, (a family, and New Year's Day tradition). I watched as the teams warmed up down on the field and I gazed at the wild crowd around me. This was something special. It was difficult to believe the Broncos were in their first ever AFC Championship game, it was at Mile High Stadium, and I was a witness. It was Denver's wildest New Year's party ever.


In their first ten years, the Broncos won just 39 games while losing 100 and tying three. The AFL had some good teams and three of them were in the Western Division with the Broncos. San Diego had Jack Kemp, Lance Alworth and John Hadl. Kansas City, (Dallas Texans), had Otis Taylor, Len Dawson, Willie Lanier and a cast of many. Oakland had Tom Flores, Daryle Lamonica and Clem Daniels, to name a few. The Broncos had some very good players too, the most notable of whom were perennial Pro-Bowl selections Floyd Little and Rich Jackson. The Broncos just didn't have the "magic", and they didn't have a consistent quarterback. Do you remember the "Quarterback Carousel" in Denver? They were always looking for that elusive talent. Things got a little better in the 70's.


By 1972, John Ralston was the coach and, although many people don't remember it, he actually posted a winning record in his five years as coach. The Ralston led Broncos posted 34 wins, 33 losses and 3 ties in 70 games. He even posted a number of second place finishes within the division, but never a playoff berth. Fans just could not forgive the "hand-holding" defensive huddles we all found offensive, and "the half-loaf" games. Yet, the team that took the field in the fall of 1977 was due largely to the work of John Ralston, and what a team it was.


With Ralston gone and new coach "Red" Miller at the helm, most experts expected only mild success again for the Broncos and their new quarterback project, Craig Morton. Morton became expendable when Roger Stauback joined Dallas, and the Broncos worked the deal that sent Steve Ramsey to the Giants and Morton to the thin air of Mile High. One of the best trades that year involved sending Bobby Howfield to the New York Jets for aging veteran, Jim Turner and his black, high-topped football cleats. I guess fans half-expected things to work, but their enthusiasm was tainted by 16 years of disappointment. Who knew? In the end, who cared? The Broncos started winning and the fans loved it.


People talk about the great "Orange Crush" defense that year, and they were worthy of all accolades, but it surprises me how many people forget the many nay-sayers who cried "foul" at every victory and called the Broncos the "luckiest team in football". Few people remember all the magic, all the miracles, and all the "unusual" events that went into the miracle season. Those Broncos could have just as easily finished seven up and seven down, if not for the hand of fate.


Call it luck if you choose, but how many times did they call just the right play at just the right time to win a game? How many times did Randy Gradishar jump at just the right place in the line to stuff a leaping fullback for no gain? How many times did that team produce an interception, a fumble recovery or a return for a touchdown when they needed it? Rick Upchurch set a league record for returning four punts for touchdowns in a single season. Jim Turner laced his high-tops just tight enough to catch a touchdown pass on a fake field goal attempt in a victory over the Oakland Raiders. The "coup de grace" was Rob Lytle's fumble, (or not, depending on when you think the play ended), at just the right time to set up the winning touchdown in the AFC Championship game and send the Broncos to New Orleans to face the Cowboys. The only teams to defeat the Broncos that year were the Oakland Raiders, who did it one time, and the Dallas Cowboys, who, unfortunately, did it twice. The second loss hurt the most.


Sure, the Broncos lost in Super Bowl XII, and every Bronco fan was disappointed. They were used to disappointment. They had 16 years of specialized training. All good things must end, and even a Super Bowl victory would have ended that season. What fans really wanted then was the season to last forever, and, in a way, it did. Many still smile when driving by the parking lot that used to be Mile High Stadium. They think to themselves, "That's where I was standing when Rob Lytle "didn't fumble", and Jon Keyworth took it in on the next play right over there". It was a different age, a different time and a different team, but all Bronco fans remember the magic of that special season.


The game ended and my black-eyed peas were gone. I watched fans tear up pieces of turf for souvenirs and then bring the goal posts down. In my short life, I never before witnessed such a scene of pandemonium. In the time since, few things have even come close. At the time, no one knew the Broncos' season would have a "less-than-happy" ending. All they knew was that 16 years of frustration ended with four months of magic and excitement. To many, the ride was worth the pain. I put my ticket stub in my pocket and walked my cold feet toward the exit knowing there is no better way to learn about history than to live it. Those of us who lived the Orange Crush season of 1977 know it remains Colorado's number one sports story since 1960.

Stan Dyer
Arvada , CO

[East Coast Fan]

Here is an interesting article that some of you might enjoy reading.

http://denver.yourhub.com/Montbello/Stories/Sports/Broncos/Story~315349.aspx

Thanks Dean for that great read-it sure brought back the "feeling" that I had and still have for that team and season. People always used to ask me (and sometimes still do) "why are you a Broncos fan?" I just liked something about them and their uniforms when I started to watch them on NBC back in the early 70's, and it really took off in '77. Growing up here in Pennsylvania as a Broncos fan was tough because you couldn't hardly get ANYTHING that was Broncos; now, just order on-line and you have anything you want. But that was a much different era, and things were scarce to say the least. 77-78' was my senior year in high school, and I still have the notebook that I decorated with Bronco stickers-one that actually came from John Ralston in 1975; I wrote to him 3 times as a youngster growing up and he sent me a letter EVERYTIME and one had that "GO BRONCOS GO" sticker that you guys probably remember. It also was decorated with the little local newspaper "summaries" of their wins; the one where they beat the Steelers in Denver said "that Denver only allowed Pittsburgh over midfield 3 times-3 TIMES-once in the second half"!!! WHAT A DEFENSE-and that was when the Steelers had all their big guns!! Each week at school I'd hear "they're gonna lose to Oakland" and we pounded 'em 30-7 and Stabler threw 7 INTERCEPTIONS-can you imagine what would happen to a QB today if he threw 7 picks!! "They're gonna lose to the Steelers"-nope. "They're gonna lose to the Colts"-nope. "They're gonna lose to the Steelers in the playoffs"-nope-"they're gonna lose to the Raiders"-nope. And to make a long story unbearable, by the time the Super Bowl came around, most people and even one teacher were rooting for us to win...

And like that documentary program said "one disappointing evening in New Orleans couldn't tarnish what the Broncos had done. Thank you, Denver Broncos for a Championship season". :salute:

Believe me, I jumped up and down in '98 when Mobley knocked that Farve pass to the ground-but even that can't take the place of that '77 "Miracle season" in my heart-I love those guys. Jack Dolbin is a chiropractor not too far away from me in Pottsville, PA. I'm gonna have to take a drive some night after work and take his football card along and see if he has a few minutes to "relive" some of those great memories-especially his great TD catch in the left side of the endzone that knocked the Steelers out of the playoffs...:D

[Lonestar]

I was in a bar in DEN watching that game still taking bets in the forth quarter because I knew they always came back to win..