Without a doubt there has been no more resilient a team this NFL season than the AFC Champion Denver Broncos. Their season was fraught with narrow wins, serious injuries to key players and recurring doubt as to whether or not they could ever beat the “better” teams in their way. Yet here the Broncos find themselves, the last team standing in the AFC, ready to face the Carolina Panthers in the Super Bowl 50.
A menacing defense, an offense full of grinders, a special teams unit that has raised its game and a coaching staff that has this team codified and ready for one last battle with a team that the so-called experts believe they can’t beat.
Here’s a look back at the 2015 season and the big moments that have the Broncos one win away from another world title.
Week 1 – Stewart steals a win from Baltimore
Safety Darian Stewart, signed as a free agent in the offseason to complement the hard-hitting T.J. Ward and veteran David Bruton, paid an immediate return on investment with this game-sealing interception in the end zone with just 36 seconds remaining. The icing on the cake? It came against Stewart’s former team, Baltimore. Final Score: Ravens 13, Broncos 19.
Week 2 – Defense rips the game away from Jamaal Charles
Despite a short turnaround for a Thursday Night Football game in Kansas City, the defense was a force to be reckoned with against the Chiefs. The Denver D forced five turnovers including two fumbles by Jamaal Charles on KC’s first and last drive. David Bruton (above) kept the Chiefs out of the end zone on their opening drive and Bradley Roby had a scoop and score that broke a tie game late in the fourth quarter. Final Score: Broncos 31, Chiefs 24.
Week 3 – Peyton lets it fly vs. Lions
Through Weeks 1 and 2, the Denver offense had showed signs of productivity, but never really broke a game open. In their second consecutive primetime game, this one on Sunday Night Football, Peyton Manning let fly for 324 yards and two touchdowns, including a 45-yard TD pass to Demaryius Thomas. Final Score: Broncos 24, Lions 12.
Week 4 – Ronnie breaks a big one vs. Vikings
The game was ultimately decided by a Brandon McManus field goal inside of two minutes, but the Broncos wouldn’t have been in the position to win if it weren’t for Ronnie Hillman’s 72-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. Hillman bested the 2015 rushing champ, Adrian Peterson, going for 103 yards while the Denver defense held Peterson to 81. Final Score: Vikings 20, Broncos 23.
Week 5 – Harris and the defense outduel Oakland
Defense ruled the day in Oakland, as the Broncos and Raiders combined for five turnovers and neither offense eclipsed 300 total yards. Denver trailed 7-3 at halftime and Peyton Manning threw two interceptions to Charles Woodson, including one in the end zone. It was Chris Harris’ fourth-quarter pick of Derek Carr that proved to be the difference in the game, though. Harris went 74 yards for a touchdown that was ultimately the game-winner. Final Score: Broncos 16, Raiders 10.
Week 6 – Broncos need extra time in Cleveland
Peyton Manning struggled against the Browns in Cleveland, throwing just one touchdown – a 75-yarder to Emmanuel Sanders (above) – and three interceptions. Fortunately, Browns QB Josh McCown threw two picks of his own, including a 63-yard pick-six to Aqib Talib. Cleveland tied the game late in the fourth and the Denver D survived an OT interception by Manning before Brandon McManus kicked game-winning 34-yard field goal. Final Score: Broncos 26, Browns 23 (OT).
Week 8 – Broncos dominate Packers on Mr. B’s night
DeMarcus Ware stuffed Eddie Lacy (above) and the rest of the Packers offense in a dominating performance that saw Aaron Rodgers have the worst performance of his career. Ware had a sack and forced one of Green Bay’s three fumbles. Peyton Manning, meanwhile, passed for a season-high 340 yards. Denver knocked Green Bay from the ranks of the unbeaten and stayed perfect themselves on the night owner Pat Bowlen was inducted into the team’s Ring of Fame. Final Score: Packers 10, Broncos 29.
Week 9 – History won’t be made in Indianapolis
Peyton Manning returned to Indianapolis with a chance to break both the all-time quarterback wins record and the all-time passing yards mark. Trailing by three with 6:06 on the clock in the fourth quarter, Manning needed only four yards to break the passing record; a go-ahead drive could secure the record-setting win. Instead, he was intercepted on the first play of the drive and Denver would never touch the ball again. Final Score: Broncos 24, Colts 27.
Week 10 – History, intercepted
Needing just four yards to break Brett Favre’s all-time passing mark, Peyton Manning was intercepted on his first pass attempt of the day. He would eventually break the record, but finish the game on the bench after throwing three more interceptions. He had only one more completion than interception and was sacked twice. It was an unceremonious way to make history as Denver suffered its second consecutive loss. Final Score: Chiefs 29, Broncos 13.
Week 11 – Brock takes the reins
With Peyton Manning officially sidelined with a torn plantar fascia, backup Brock Osweiler made his first NFL start against the Chicago Bears and former Broncos head coach John Fox at Soldier Field. Osweiler threw two touchdowns (and no interceptions) and the defense stopped a two-point conversion try with less than 30 seconds remaining in the game to get Denver back into the win column. Final Score: Broncos 17, Bears 15.
Week 12 – C.J. Anderson walks off the undefeated Patriots
With a backup at quarterback and facing the defending world champion and 10-0 New England Patriots, the Denver Broncos were home underdogs on a snowy Sunday night in Denver. The two juggernauts of the AFC traded haymakers and went to overtime where the defense forced a three-and-out C.J. Anderson took the fourth play of the ensuing possession 48 yards for a touchdown and a walk-off win. The victory would eventually secure the No. 1 seed for Denver. Final Score: Patriots 24, Broncos 30.
Week 13 – Defense dominates in San Diego
Chargers quarter back Philip Rivers was sacked four times and intercepted once while the rest of the San Diego offense fumbled four times (two lost). Von Miller had two sacks and a fumble recovery. The Chargers had more fumbles than points and Danny Trevathan’s pick-six punctuated another outstanding defensive effort. Final Score: Broncos 17, Chargers 3.
Week 14 – O-line can’t stop Mack attack
The Broncos had 12 points at halftime; the Raiders had -12 total yards. But the Denver offense stalled out in the second half and Denver eventually succumbed to a relentless pass rush from Khalil Mack who had five sacks on the day, including one for a safety. That, plus a pair of touchdowns was enough to hand Denver its third loss of the season. Final Score: Raiders 15, Broncos 12.
Week 15 – 17-point lead evaporates in Pittsburgh
For the third time in as many games, Denver could not score any points in the second half. The Broncos watched a 17-point halftime lead evaporate as Ben Roethlisberger became the first quarterback of the season to pass for more than 300 yards against Denver. Chris Harris, who had not surrendered a touchdown in over two years, allowed two to Antonio Brown. Final Score: Broncos 27, Steelers 34.
Week 16 – McManus gets redemption in OT
After badly missing on a field goal that would have won the game at the end of regulation, Brandon McManus nailed the eventual game-winner in overtime and the Broncos took control of the second seed in the AFC with a Monday Night Football victory over Cincinnati. DeMarcus Ware recovered an A.J. McCarron fumble on the Bengals’ second play of overtime to seal the win. Final Score: Bengals 17, Broncos 20
Week 17 – The Sheriff returns, guides Broncos to No. 1 seed
With a No. 1 seed in the AFC on the line, Gary Kubiak turned to his veteran quarterback after the Broncos fell behind 13-7 after committing five turnovers through two and a half quarters. Manning led four scoring drives, including two for touchdowns. Ronnie Hillman and C.J. Anderson each found the end zone and the duo combined for over 200 yards on the ground. Final Score: Chargers 20, Broncos 27.
Divisional Playoff – Defense cuts down high-flying Steelers
Pittsburgh entered the Divisional Playoff as the AFC’s top passing offense, having already beaten the Denver Broncos in Week 15. Ben Roethlisberger was without his top target, Antonio Brown (out with a concussion), but still passed for over 300 yards. The Denver defense punished receivers like Martavis Bryant all night, though, and kept the Pittsburgh wideouts out of the end zone. Five Brandon McManus field goals and C.J. Anderson touchdown were enough to seal a win for the Broncos. Final Score: Steelers 16, Broncos 23.
AFC Championship – Broncos punish Brady en route to Super Bowl
Wade Phillips cooked up a defensive scheme that led to 23 total hits on Tom Brady, including four sacks – 2.5 by Von Miller. The defense made several heroic second-half stops, including two on fourth downs inside the Denver 20-yard line. Brady finally found Rob Gronkowski for a late touchdown, but Aqib Talib batted away a potential game-tying two-point conversion to preserve the win. Final Score: Patriots 18, Broncos 20.