Official Post Season 2003 Game Day thread: Broncos vs Colts

[JohnnyBGood]

So! You think that Shannahan was correct in resting his starters, that the loss in the last game of the regular season against the Packers didn't matter? You say having the starters rested was more important than the momentum of continued winning? Then, take a look at what has happened in the years that Denver lost its last regular season game before proceeding into the playoffs:

1977: Denver went 12-2 and earned its first playoff birth in its then 18 year history (1960-1977). Denver lost its last regular season game, having previously clenched a spot in the playoffs, by losing to the Dallas Cowboys, 6-14, on Dec. 18. Denver won the Divisional Playoff Game against Pittsburg Steelers 34-21 and the AFC Championship Game against Oakland Raiders, 20-17, before losing, again, to the Dallas Cowboys, 10-27, in Super Bowl XII.

1978: Denver went 10-6 over the regular season, losing the last regular season game, at Denver, against the Pittsburg Steelers, 17-21. Denver then lost its AFC Divisional Playoff game against Pittsburg, 10-33.

1979: Again, Denver, won 10 games while losing 5, before losing their 6th and the final game of the regular season losing to Chargers in San Diego 7-17. Denver lost their AFC Wild Card game against the Houston Oilers, 7-13.

1983: Losing to the Kansas City Chiefs, 17-48, in the final regular season game in KC while finishing 9-7, Denver lost its Wild Card game to the Seahawks in Seattle, 7-31.

1986: Denver compiled an 11-5 record, losing the final regular season game to the Seahawks in Seattle, 16-41. Denver won its AFC Divisional Playoff versus the New England Patriots in Denver, 22-17, before going into overtime to beat the Cleveland Browns (Remember "The Drive"?) 23-20. Denver lost its second Super Bowl 29-30 to the New York Giants.

1989: Denver went 11-5 again, losing 16-19 to the Chargers in San Diego in the regular season finale, before defeating the Steelers 24-23 in their Divisional game and before defeating the Cleveland Browns, again, in the AFC title game 37-21. However, Denver lost their 4th Super Bowl, the 3rd Super Bowl loss in 4 years, to the San Francisco 49ers, 10-55.

1993: Another 9-7 record got Denver into the playoffs, where they lost their Wild Card game to the Raiders, 42-24, after losing 33-30 in overtime to end the regular season against the Raiders the prior week.

1996: Denver compiled a 13-3 record, losing its final regular season game to the Chargers in San Diego, 10-16, before losing their AFC Divisional Playoff game, in Denver, to the Jacksonville Jaguars, 30-27.

Now, winning the final game of the regular season is no guarantee.

1984: Denver compiled a then team best 13-3 regular season record, beating the Seahawks 31-14 before losing their AFC Divisional Playoff to the Steelers, 17-24.

1987: Denver defeated the Chargers, 24-0, in the regular season finale, going 10-4-1 over the regular season (15-games; Player Strike Year!) before losing its third Super Bowl, to the Washington Redskins, 10-42, in 1988, even though they defeated Houston, 34-10, and Cleveland, 38-33, to get there.

1991: The Broncos beat the Chargers in the regular season final game, 17-10, in San Diego, before losing the AFC Championship in Buffalo, to the Bills, 7-10, after a 12-4 regular season.

2000: Denver, 11-5 over the regular season, beat the 49ers in the final, regular season game, 38-9, before losing their Wild Card game against the Ravens, 3-21.

However, winning the regular season finale has twice helped Denver win Super Bowls.

1997, Denver beat the Chargers 38-3 in the regular season finale, going 12-4 for the regular season, before defeating the Jaguars 42-17 in their Wild Card game, defeating the Chiefs, 14-10, to win the AFC Divisional game, and defeating the Steelers, 24-21, to win the AFC Championship. Denver beat Green Bay, 31-24, to win the team's first Super Bowl, XXXII.

In 1998, Denver repeated as Super Bowl Champions by beating Seattle, 28-21, after setting a team record, 14-2, with a final regular season victory over Seattle, 28-21. In the playoffs, Denver defeated the Miami Dolphins, 38-3, and the New York Jets, 23-10, before beating the Atlanta Falcons, 34-19, in Super Bowl XXXIII.

So, while 10-6 will get you into the playoffs as Shannahan has said, Denver has shown that they do better in the playoffs when they win their final season game. 8 out of 14 trips to the playoffs, Denver lost its final regular season game. All 8 times, Denver failed to either get to the Super Bowl or to win it when they did get there. 6 out of 14 trips to the playoffs, Denver won its regular season finale. Twice, it won Super Bowls. The other 4 times, the Broncos lost either a Wild Card game, a Divisional game, or the Conference Championship.

Let's hope that the Denver Broncos can "buck" their own statistics.

A final note: being realistic about your team's chances, as you see them is not being disloyal. If loyalty meant blindly believing in your team and coach, no matter what, then Pat Bowlen might never have gotten rid of Dan Reeves, John Elway might have retired after a record fifth Denver Bronco Super Bowl loss--under Reeves coaching, and Denver might never have taken home the Lombardi Trophy!

[Gradishar4HOF]

Yes you did show the history of the Broncos ................of the past. Every year is different. Our job is to sit back and enjoy! L Everyone is 0-0 right now. It is what is great about the game.
Is Jake another Elway? Is Portis another T.D. I'm betting yes but we will find out.

[Elway]

There is a variable in the pattern thoug becuase you have to look at the reasoning behind the final loss or win in the regular season. This year we rested our starters, 96 we rested them becuase homefield was locked up and that made us rusty against the Jags. Also figurung into the equation is the home and away games we were playing when we won/lost. Being that Denver has a distinct edge in home games, Sometimes the numbers don't neccessarily add up.

[Return of Lava]

Look Johnny, have you ever flipped a coin? say you flip it and it lands on heads 5 times in a row. does momentum carry it to head for the sixth time? C'mon man, every game is separate. what you are trying to do is unneccessary. the game will be played THIS week nothing matters what happened last week or 2 weeks ago. momentum is overrated and a non factor in an outcome of ANY game. Beating the packers doesnt guarantee a damn thing for next week. Losing doesnt either, understand that and you'll go far like oompa loompas

[Return of Lava]

Originally posted by JohnnyBGood
But, if I'm right about the regular season finale, then Denver will have a very difficult time defeating the Colts again tomorrow. I'm not saying it can't happen. I'm not saying it won't happen! I am saying this game is going to be vastly different than the last one; it will be a lot closer; it will be a lot tougher.

Time will tell, just as time has told the story of what happened, over the Broncos prior history, when they lost their final regular season game before going into the playoffs. It will be interesting to see if history repeats itself this year. If it does, if Denver loses any of three playoff games or loses in the Super Bowl, then I may appear prophetic. If not, if Denver wins the Super Bowl, then who cares! Either way, this is one fan who simply understands how very difficult it is for them to win one Super Bowl! The game, the re-match, against the Colts will be no exception; it will be a difficult game!!

LOL you're really stretching things here. First of all, you wont be right, because IF the game is closer than the first game, it will have nothing and i mean ABSOLUTELY NOTHING on whatever you said in your post. It'll be because the Colts ARE a good team and because they want to win too. I want you to understand that it has nothing and i mean NOTHING to do with the packer game. This is Broncs vs. Colts. not broncos coming off loss in season finale vs colts. do you get what im sayin. i want you to stop this madness. there are no strings of good or bad attached between games, they are all separated by weeks. If the Brocns fail to make the super bowl, it will have NOTHING and i mean NOTHING to do with the packer game. It would be because the coin flipped tails instead of heads. Its all about chance, if we can get 3 heads in a row, then another heads, we will win, but none of the flips base themselves on the previous flip ya know?

[AsianOrange]

Broncos/Colts Game Talk

Well...it's almost game time...like they said...it's time to get GEEKED UP!

[dbroncos]

Official Game Thread?

This could be it! Go broncos!

[Phantom13]

I hope they win...I have a weird feeling though

[dbroncos]

no weird feelings! We will do the same thing again and dominate!

[dbroncos]

Howd he get through there argh!

[Phantom13]

the reason we did so good last time was because we had the ball for awhile. Hopefully we can do that, or else it's trouble

[orang/blu in LA]

GO BRONCOS!!! we can do this!

[sexyumbro]

Step it up Defence!!!!!

[PatsR]

looks like the Colts are making short work of the Denver defense

[dbroncos]

Just need to keep pressure on manning is all. And a good game from CP.