| Team: | Denver Broncos |
| Year: | 1983 |
| Record: | 9–7 |
| Division Place: | 3rd AFC West |
| Coach: | Dan Reeves |
| General Manager: | Hein Poulus |
| Owner: | Edgar Kaiser |
| Stadium: | Mile High Stadium |
| Playoffs: | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Seahawks) 7–31 |
| Uniform: | Broncos 1968-96 uniforms.png |
| Shortnavlink: | Broncos seasons |
The 1983 Denver Broncos season was its 24th in professional football and 14th in the National Football League (NFL). Led by third-year head coach Dan Reeves, the Broncos were 9–7, third in the AFC West, and made their first playoff appearance in four seasons.
Before the season, the Broncos traded with the Baltimore Colts for the rights to first overall pick in the 1983 draft, quarterback John Elway. He started ten games for the Broncos as a rookie, and the team won four of them.[1] In his first two starts, both road wins, Elway left the game trailing, relieved by veteran Steve DeBerg.[2] [3]
After three straight losses, Elway was benched by Reeves in early October;[4] and DeBerg led the team to four consecutive victories and a 6–3 record. A shoulder injury in a loss in Seattle sidelined him and Elway again became the starter.[5] [6] In the rematch with Seattle two weeks later in Denver, Elway was out with the flu and third-string rookie Gary Kubiak led the Broncos to a win.[7] [8]
Elway's finest game as a rookie came in week 15, the Broncos' second game against Baltimore, the team that drafted him. Denver trailed 19–0 at the start of the fourth quarter, until Elway threw for three touchdowns in the final period to win 21–19 and kept their playoff hopes alive.[9] [10] The following week was a lopsided road loss at Kansas City in wind chill, but the Broncos made the playoffs, gaining the final AFC berth over Cleveland, also at 9–7, whom they defeated in week 14.[11]
DeBerg started the wild card playoff loss in Seattle,[8] [12] and was relieved by Elway in the fourth quarter.[13]
The Broncos' wild-card playoff loss to the Seahawks marked their only playoff appearance during the three-year ownership of Edgar Kaiser Jr.; Pat Bowlen bought the team the following spring.
See main article: article and 1983 NFL Draft. [14]
Source:[15]
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle Seahawks | W 10–7 | 1–0 | Mile High Stadium | 53,887 | ||
| 2 | Atlanta Falcons | W 21–10 | 2–0 | Mile High Stadium | 73,199 | ||
| 3 | Cleveland Browns | W 19–10 | 3–0 | Mile High Stadium | 73,244 | ||
| 4 | at Minnesota Vikings | L 3–34 | 3–1 | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome | 59,435 |
See main article: 1983 NFL season.
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 4 | at Pittsburgh Steelers | W 14–10 | 1–0 | Three Rivers Stadium | 58,233 | ||
| 2 | September 11 | at Baltimore Colts | W 17–10 | 2–0 | Memorial Stadium | 52,613 | ||
| 3 | September 18 | Philadelphia Eagles | L 10–13 | 2–1 | Mile High Stadium | 74,202 | ||
| 4 | September 25 | Los Angeles Raiders | L 7–22 | 2–2 | Mile High Stadium | 74,289 | ||
| 5 | October 2 | at Chicago Bears | L 14–31 | 2–3 | Soldier Field | 58,210 | ||
| 6 | October 9 | at Houston Oilers | W 26–14 | 3–3 | Astrodome | 44,209 | ||
| 7 | October 16 | Cincinnati Bengals | W 24–17 | 4–3 | Mile High Stadium | 74,305 | ||
| 8 | October 23 | San Diego Chargers | W 14–6 | 5–3 | Mile High Stadium | 74,581 | ||
| 9 | October 30 | Kansas City Chiefs | W 27–24 | 6–3 | Mile High Stadium | 74,640 | ||
| 10 | November 6 | at Seattle Seahawks | L 19–27 | 6–4 | Kingdome | 61,189 | ||
| 11 | November 13 | at Los Angeles Raiders | L 20–22 | 6–5 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 51,945 | ||
| 12 | November 20 | Seattle Seahawks | W 38–27 | 7–5 | Mile High Stadium | 74,710 | ||
| 13 | November 27 | at San Diego Chargers | L 7–31 | 7–6 | Jack Murphy Stadium | 43,650 | ||
| 14 | December 4 | Cleveland Browns | W 27–6 | 8–6 | Mile High Stadium | 70,912 | ||
| 15 | December 11 | Baltimore Colts | W 21–19 | 9–6 | Mile High Stadium | 74,864 | ||
| 16 | December 18 | at Kansas City Chiefs | L 17–48 | 9–7 | Arrowhead Stadium | 11,377 | ||
| Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. | ||||||||
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Broncos +3½
| Raiders | Game Statistics | Broncos | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | First downs | 16 | |
| 37–82 | Rushes–yards | 30–130 | |
| 154 | Passing yards | 188 | |
| 13–24–1 | 14–33–2 | ||
| 3–22 | Sacked–yards | 5–50 | |
| 132 | Net passing yards | 138 | |
| 214 | Total yards | 268 | |
| 113 | Return yards | 122 | |
| 9–46.1 | 8–42.6 | ||
| 3–0 | Fumbles–lost | 4–2 | |
| 4–22 | Penalties–yards | 9–78 | |
| 29:29 | Time of possession | 30:31 |
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Broncos +7
| Broncos | Game Statistics | Raiders | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | First downs | 23 | |
| 25–63 | Rushes–yards | 29–140 | |
| 190 | Passing yards | 252 | |
| 11–31–1 | 26–43–0 | ||
| 2–21 | Sacked–yards | 5–52 | |
| 169 | Net passing yards | 200 | |
| 232 | Total yards | 340 | |
| 91 | Return yards | 147 | |
| 7–36.4 | 5–44.8 | ||
| 2–1 | Fumbles–lost | 3–3 | |
| 5–29 | Penalties–yards | 7–57 | |
| 26:30 | Time of possession | 33:30 |
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See main article: 1983–84 NFL playoffs.
| Broncos | Game Statistics | Seahawks | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | First downs | 17 | |
| 33–125 | Rushes–yards | 38–145 | |
| 254 | Passing yards | 200 | |
| 24–34–2 | 12–13–0 | ||
| 2–19 | Sacked–yards | 2–21 | |
| 233 | Net passing yards | 179 | |
| 360 | Total yards | 324 | |
| 128 | Return yards | 146 | |
| 4–47.8 | 3–41.7 | ||
| 1–1 | Fumbles–lost | 1–0 | |
| 5–35 | Penalties–yards | 3–34 | |
| 30:57 | Time of possession | 29:03 |
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Playoff Game Officials