It seems funny that an offseason removed, the Denver Broncos 2012 season is defined by the only game that occurred in the 2013 calendar year. The divisional round loss at home to the Baltimore Ravens is a wound that will not go away.
Right now, there are only two games that matter to the fans in the Rocky Mountains for the upcoming season. Opening night redemption against the Super Bowl Champion Ravens and Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014. Slow down, Broncos fans – the bandwagon must pick up a few more passengers.
The 2012 Denver Broncos
The defining game of the 2013 Broncos season has yet to be determined, but much like the 2012 team, the defining moment should not simply be a defensive mistake. The game that truly captured Peyton Manning’s first Broncos season took place on Monday October 15th in San Diego. It was a game in which the Chargers held a 24-0 lead after the second quarter.
The Broncos hit the locker room with the prospect of a 2-4 record heading into the bye week and the daunting prospect of a huge turn around. The Associated Press story from that night began, “it took a quarterback of Peyton Manning’s caliber to pull off that kind of comeback.”
Yes, the Broncos won that game 35-24. Peyton threw three touchdown passes and the defense added two turnover conversions of their own to vault the Broncos to prominence. It was the beginning of an 11-game winning streak that would carry the team through to the playoffs and to the Ravens….
The Broncos Main Event
Hold back the feelings Broncos fans, last season was about more than just a playoff loss and a comeback victory. Peyton Manning re-emerged on top as the best quarterback and was considered for MVP. Von Miller had the best defensive season in a decade for Denver and created a new precedence for Rocky Mountain Thunder. The Broncos played offense operated on an artful level rather than a mechanical one with spectacular drives on their way to victory.
In sports, the great moments pass by. The Colorado Rockies cling to 2007. The Colorado Avalanche point to 2001. The Colorado Buffaloes long for 1990 and the Denver Nuggets grasp at straws from several campaigns. For the Denver Broncos, the good times are back.
Even as Vegas favorites, the deck is stacked against the Broncos this season. A Super Bowl for any team in the parity filled NFL is still very unlikely. However, watching something special is a gift for sports fans. The latter years of Peyton Manning dressed in Orange are bold new endeavors. Each week is something different. Each week is a building block to the story that will end in a championship or squandered opportunities.
Denver Fans, don’t wait for the ending because 17 weeks stand between the Broncos and the post season. Enjoy the Orange and Blue season while it lasts. There’s no guarantee that we all won’t wake up one day in Cleveland.
Derek in Denver Sports 