Can Broncos get to Miami?

Think about the benefits of a history with great players and great seasons. We just enjoyed another at the Hall Of Fame game! The Broncos came back to win in exciting fashion, but after the longest drought of winning seasons since the end of the ’72 campaign we just want wins — no added thrills needed.

We were able to enjoy this extra Bronco game because Pat Bowlen made a commitment from Day 1 to make the Broncos winners. He entered the Hall Of Fame last week along with one of many players (Champ Bailey) he helped go out and get, and one result was the invite to play. His efforts made up the winningest team in the regular season from his first season in 1984 up until Coach Vance (Joseph) failed to keep up the tradition from 2017 to 2018.

Thanks to the Raiders’ continued ineptitude we did not finish in last place both years, but we did lose 10 or more games both seasons for the first time since 1967. This win over the Atlanta Falcons starts season No. 50 in Denver for a team in the NFL and it also starts season No. 100 for the USA to cheer for the NFL.

As a numbers guy some readers may know about my “NFL Since 1970” publication in which I add up every game played by all teams since the AFL became the AFC and the NFL the NFC under the NFL shield. What I find really cool is the fact this first pre-season win happened on Colorado Day as the state celebrated its admission into the Union the year the country turned 100 years old (hence the Centennial State nickname). I think that’s a really fun fact.

Can the Broncos get to the Super Bowl? I can’t answer that. My publication is the result of some serious passion and that passion keeps me from any answer besides “Broncos will win” when asked about a future football outcome.

This all started for me after the

1985 world record of frustration by a fan. I just wanted to prove to myself I was rooting for a good team that was just not able to get a playoff win since I started closely watching the team in 1980. Now we’re looking at 2019-20, the 50th anniversary of getting into the NFL for the worst team in pro football from 1960 to 1969. Denver was the only original AFL club to not play in the AFL title game and could not even average four wins a season in 10 14-game AFL seasons.

In 2016, with 48 games to play until 50 complete merged seasons are in the books, the Broncos were just 17 games out of first place and that title of best regular-season team in that span. I know it is just a regular season stat, but I had hoped we could add another title to our already respectable three. The result would have moved us closer to the Steelers and Patriots in accolades as we celebrated the big 5-0. They each sport six titles since merger.

We could still get that fourth ring (two from Baltimore when they could not keep Elway and one when the Colts didn’t want Manning to stay — so our new QB from Baltimore might not be a streak breaker), but the best we can hope for is second place overall and that will require about five more wins than the Dallas Cowboys at the end of this season. (OK, OK, I’ll give them same props as the two teams above.) These past two years have been brutal, to say the least (especially after getting to 6-6 last year and thinking we had a shot at 10-6 but ending up 6-10).

I have high hopes for 2019 to be a positive year for the guys in predominately orange. I’d like to continue having a Top 3 team in Colorado.

Go Broncos! Get that 13th win! I’d like to hear your thoughts. Add them online or send me an email. And let me know if you want to see more Broncos history in YourHub and at yourhub.denverpost.com.