Instead of drowning everybody in speculation for the next two weeks while the Broncos wait to kick off their postseason, I want to spend the first part of this bye week looking back at the regular season.
And let me tell you … what a regular season it was.
This was not some 16-game preseason. This was a test of endurance, both mental and physical, and, man, was it something to watch.
For four months, every week in Broncos Country was either the end of the world or the greatest moment of our lives. Yeah, the team was 7-0, but the fans couldn’t even enjoy that because Peyton Manning was playing like the worst quarterback in the league. And when he finally put it all together in an emotional victory over the Packers, the team quickly followed it up with two demoralizing losses, including the infamous four-interception game against the Chiefs.
From that point on, Colorado turned their attention towards Brock Osweiler; we spent hours coming up with nicknames like the Brockweiler and Brocket Launcher, and he rewarded us with three straight victories. And still, nobody could enjoy the 10-2 record because every time we closed our eyes, No. 18 floated through our imagination.
And when Denver collapsed in the second half against the Raiders and Steelers, so did our expectations; in the span of three weeks, the Broncos went from the ecstasy of beating the New England Patriots and putting the No. 1 seed in their control to being on the verge of missing the playoffs entirely. As late as the third quarter of the Bengals game, the announcers were actually detailing how dramatic of a tumble the Broncos were currently having.
But then, everything changed. The Broncos reversed course and took down the Bengals in overtime, securing themselves a playoff spot. Everything seemed to be coming together.
Until … Denver’s offense turned it over five times in the first three quarters of their Week 17 matchup against the Chargers, putting a first-round bye and the division championship in jeopardy. I shouldn’t have to tell you what happened next, but I will say that it perfectly encapsulated the emotions of this season.
I don’t know what’s going to happen in the next month, but I can tell you that whether the Broncos win or lose, we will all remember the 2015 regular season for what it was: Exciting.
So let’s look back a little more closely at the Denver Broncos five most exciting regular season games of the year:
5. Week 17: Broncos vs. Chargers, 27-20
The fact that the miraculous, drama-filled, Hollywood-like return of Peyton Manning last weekend can only qualify as the fifth most-exciting game of the season just goes to show how exciting this season really was.
Obviously, Manning’s appearance was awesome, and the crowd’s response sent chills down everyone’s spine, but it would have helped if he had done a little more than go five of nine for 69 yards and no touchdowns; not that he needed to, but a touchdown or two definitely would have added to the script.
And the five turnovers didn’t help, either. Actually, they were infuriating. In reality, the Brock Osweiler-led offense was dominant on Sunday, driving up and down the field in huge chunks; if it hadn’t been for a couple tipped passes or fumbled balls, Denver would have been up by 20-plus points heading into halftime.
Unfortunately, that’s not how things work in the NFL, and maybe it was for the best.
I’m not sure whether Manning is the best man for the job — I don’t think anybody can be positive, either way — but there’s no question that he brings the highest upside, and we never would have been given the chance to find out if the Broncos didn’t shoot themselves in the foot over and over again to start the game.
4. Week 16: Denver Broncos vs. Cincinnati Bengals, 20-17 OT
Will this end up being the last significant moment of Brock Osweiler’s season? Quite possibly, but at least it was a good one.
What’s so interesting about this game, specifically the second half, was that it looked to be the defining moment of Osweiler’s young career; it looked as if they naysayers finally had come around. But then, just a week later, he’s pulled from the game following a C.J. Anderson fumble, and he may not see a significant snap the rest of the way.
If that really is how things play out, and Manning does lead this team throughout the playoffs, then the second half of the Bengals game will end up being the performance we point to all offseason as we prepare for the the 2016, Osweiler-led Broncos.
He really was great — not perfect, but clutch. For all intents and purposes, he drove Denver down the field on four scoring drives against a defense that was leading the league in points allowed; they wouldn’t have needed that final one if Brandon McManus hadn’t shanked the game-winning field goal at the end of the fourth quarter.
And the Bengals didn’t gift anything to him, either; Osweiler had to make some big-time throws in some big-time moments. Without him, they don’t win that game.
3. Week 8: Denver Broncos vs. Green Bay Packers, 29-10
If you want to know what this Denver Broncos team is capable of, just pop in the tape from this game, and you’ll see exactly what we’ve all been waiting for: An otherworldly defensive performance, complemented by efficient passing and a powerful running attack.
I don’t care who’s at quarterback. Whether it’s Peyton Manning, Brock Osweiler or Trevor Siemian, none of those guys are going to lead the Broncos to 42 points through the air, and they don’t need to. All the Broncos need to do is score one more point than their opponent, and that’s not that hard when you have the No. 1 defense in the NFL.
The issue all season has been that the Broncos offense has seemingly gone out of their way to gift points and possessions to the other team; whether that was through Manning’s turnovers or Osweiler’s ineptitude in second halves, it all amounted to the same thing.
But against the Packers, for one week, everything came together. More importantly, especially now, it came together under Peyton Manning’s guidance.
Despite everything he’s been through, Manning showed us that he’s capable of reigniting the flame, and if he could do it then, why can’t he do it now?
2. Week 2: Denver Broncos @ Kansas City Chiefs, 31-24
This game will be remembered for the Broncos’ defensive performance, where they forced five turnovers including the game-winning fumble return, but what people have forgotten is that this was likely Peyton Manning’s best game of the season.
Take away the pick-six he threw midway through the second quarter, and Manning actually put up some Manning-like numbers: 256 yards and three touchdowns.
The game wasn’t pretty — Manning only completed 58 percent of his passes — but when it mattered, he got it done, which he continued to do through the first seven weeks of the season.
But when we talk about why this game was so exciting, it starts and stops with the defense. Against a quarterback who only threw seven interceptions all season, the Broncos took two away from Alex Smith, and they added three more takeaways on the ground, too.
And when Knile Davis rushed into the end zone for a touchdown with just over 2:32 remaining on the clock, it seemed all but over. But after Manning and Demaryius Thomas drove Denver down the field to tie the game up, Bradley Roby put the game away with a 21-yard fumble return into the end zone.
In retrospect, that game was more important than we ever could have known at the time; if the Chiefs had pulled out the victory, they would be the AFC West champions today.
This piece is brought to you in part by …
[adrotate banner=”16″]1. Week 12: Denver Broncos vs. New England Patriots, 30-24 OT
There are a lot of things that make Denver Broncos fans happy, but taking down Tom Brady and the New England Patriots is just about as good as it gets; when it comes at the backend of multiple 14-point comebacks, even better.
This, in all reality, was Brock Osweiler’s first test, and I think you have to say that he passed it with flying colors. Despite the snow, the moment, the setbacks and the fact that he was going up against Tom Brady, Osweiler rose to the occasion.
With just 2:39 left on the clock, Osweiler drove Denver down the field to take the lead on a beautiful pass to Andre Caldwell. After Stephen Gostkowski tied the game as time expired, C.J. Anderson made sure that all the Broncos fans packed inside of Sports Authority Field left happy.
I love me some C.J. Anderson. A hoops head and a game winner here vs Patriots. #Broncos pic.twitter.com/XQfaTYeLVc
— Timmons (@NateTimmonsCSG) November 30, 2015
If you don’t still get chills when you watch that play, then you’re just not a Broncos fan.