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iknowftbll
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Our beloved Broncos have three epic Super Bowl wins, but have been on the wrong side of five pretty epic Super Bowl losses. Let's take a not-so-pleasant stroll down that lane, shall we?
Cowboys 27, Broncos 10
Giants 39, Broncos 20
Redskins 42, Broncos 10
49ers 55, Broncos 10
Seahawks 43, Broncos 8
We are post-draft and pre-camp. While we're still excited about the potential from this draft class, let's face it: in football terms this is still a slow news time of year. So let's consider these five epic Super Bowl losses and my question is simple: if you could change one which one would it be?
I've thought about this off and on for years, but it wasn't until the Broncos utterly dismantled the Panthers that my answer went solid and stayed that way.
The outcome I'd change if I could is the Broncos very first Super Bowl. Ironically enough this is the only one that happened before I was even born. The reason I'd pick this one is I think of all the Super Bowls this one changes the ensuing arc of the team the least. I wouldn't want to undo either of Elway's wins by changing any of his losses. If anything those 3 losses make the wins that much more special.
To a lesser extent the same can be said about Manning. While he played more time with another franchise, Manning's stint with the Broncos was so meaningful it made him pound for pound as much Broncos as he was Colt. Losing a Super Bowl in epic fashion before redeeming oneself seems to be a Broncos QB rite of passage.
But then we have that very first Broncos Super Bowl team. There was no redemption for poor old Craig Morton. The way the Broncos allowed Elway and Manning, two of the games most prolific QBs ever, to retire on the heels of a Lombardi (or two) is truly epic. I wouldn't want to undo that by tinkering with history. I wouldn't hesitate to tinker with history in the late 70s though. I can almost hear Foreigner's "Feels Like the First Time" blaring though Mile High Stadium on Christmas Eve of 1977: The Broncos first ever playoff game. (For those who don't trust me check your Billboard history: Feels Like the First Time peaked at #4 earlier in 1977!)
Of course we all know what happened. The Broncos first ever playoff game was against the Pittsburg Steelers, a team with whom the Broncos have a very under-rated rivalry and have played in the post-season more than any other. Then there was that AFCCG against the hated Raiders.
And of course, the Super Bowl loss to the Cowboys.
In 1978 the NFL went from 14 games to 16 in the regular season. The Broncos managed 10-6 in both 1978 and 1979, losing to the Steelers and Oilers respectively in the first round before missing the playoffs outright in 1980, 1981, and 1982. And we all know what happened after 1982.
I can't prove this. You can't prove a counter-factual. All one can do is speculate. But I have a hunch with the change in schedule in 1978, the outcomes to the Broncos season in the final years of the 1970s and first years of the 1980s would not have changed a whole lot had the Broncos pulled the upset over the Cowboys. And that John Elway would have inherited a team that had one "cinderella story" Super Bowl win, but was otherwise just a small town fly-over football operation. And from there let the Broncos history in the Elway era, and everything that follows, the good, the bad, and the downright ugly (XXIV) remain unchanged.
So that's my revisionist history. Before you share yours, pour yourself a bourbon or whatever it is you like. It might help with your answer!
Cowboys 27, Broncos 10
Giants 39, Broncos 20
Redskins 42, Broncos 10
49ers 55, Broncos 10
Seahawks 43, Broncos 8
We are post-draft and pre-camp. While we're still excited about the potential from this draft class, let's face it: in football terms this is still a slow news time of year. So let's consider these five epic Super Bowl losses and my question is simple: if you could change one which one would it be?
I've thought about this off and on for years, but it wasn't until the Broncos utterly dismantled the Panthers that my answer went solid and stayed that way.
The outcome I'd change if I could is the Broncos very first Super Bowl. Ironically enough this is the only one that happened before I was even born. The reason I'd pick this one is I think of all the Super Bowls this one changes the ensuing arc of the team the least. I wouldn't want to undo either of Elway's wins by changing any of his losses. If anything those 3 losses make the wins that much more special.
To a lesser extent the same can be said about Manning. While he played more time with another franchise, Manning's stint with the Broncos was so meaningful it made him pound for pound as much Broncos as he was Colt. Losing a Super Bowl in epic fashion before redeeming oneself seems to be a Broncos QB rite of passage.
But then we have that very first Broncos Super Bowl team. There was no redemption for poor old Craig Morton. The way the Broncos allowed Elway and Manning, two of the games most prolific QBs ever, to retire on the heels of a Lombardi (or two) is truly epic. I wouldn't want to undo that by tinkering with history. I wouldn't hesitate to tinker with history in the late 70s though. I can almost hear Foreigner's "Feels Like the First Time" blaring though Mile High Stadium on Christmas Eve of 1977: The Broncos first ever playoff game. (For those who don't trust me check your Billboard history: Feels Like the First Time peaked at #4 earlier in 1977!)
Of course we all know what happened. The Broncos first ever playoff game was against the Pittsburg Steelers, a team with whom the Broncos have a very under-rated rivalry and have played in the post-season more than any other. Then there was that AFCCG against the hated Raiders.
And of course, the Super Bowl loss to the Cowboys.
In 1978 the NFL went from 14 games to 16 in the regular season. The Broncos managed 10-6 in both 1978 and 1979, losing to the Steelers and Oilers respectively in the first round before missing the playoffs outright in 1980, 1981, and 1982. And we all know what happened after 1982.
I can't prove this. You can't prove a counter-factual. All one can do is speculate. But I have a hunch with the change in schedule in 1978, the outcomes to the Broncos season in the final years of the 1970s and first years of the 1980s would not have changed a whole lot had the Broncos pulled the upset over the Cowboys. And that John Elway would have inherited a team that had one "cinderella story" Super Bowl win, but was otherwise just a small town fly-over football operation. And from there let the Broncos history in the Elway era, and everything that follows, the good, the bad, and the downright ugly (XXIV) remain unchanged.
So that's my revisionist history. Before you share yours, pour yourself a bourbon or whatever it is you like. It might help with your answer!
