2014 Denver Broncos season explained

Team:Denver Broncos
Year:2014
Record:12–4
Division Place:1st AFC West
Coach:John Fox
Owner:The Pat Bowlen Trust
General Manager:John Elway
President:Joe Ellis
Stadium:Sports Authority Field at Mile High
Playoffs:Lost Divisional Playoffs
(vs. Colts) 13–24
Uniform:File:Broncos uniforms.png
Shortnavlink:Broncos seasons

The 2014 season was the Denver Broncos' 45th in the National Football League (NFL) and their 55th overall. It also marked the third season with Peyton Manning as the team's starting quarterback.

The Broncos entered the 2014 season as the defending AFC champions, hoping to compete for another Super Bowl run, following a 43–8 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLVIII. The offseason was dominated by numerous roster changes, including the retirement of longtime cornerback Champ Bailey.[1] [2] One day before the start of the team's training camp, the Broncos announced that owner Pat Bowlen relinquished control of the team due to his battle with Alzheimer's disease.[3]

Like the previous two seasons, the Broncos set numerous individual, league and franchise records, including wide receiver Demaryius Thomas setting a new franchise record for receiving yards in a single season, despite the team's offensive philosophy changing toward a run-oriented offense in the second half of the season. Manning threw a total of 40 touchdown passes, but only four came in the last four games of the regular season and the playoffs. In addition, Manning achieved only one 300-yard passing game within the team's last seven games (including the playoffs), courtesy of the emergence of running back C. J. Anderson, who achieved 1,282 all-purpose yards, the majority of which came in the second half of the regular season and the playoffs. One day after the Broncos' 24–13 playoff loss to the Indianapolis Colts in the Divisional round of the playoffs, media reports indicated that Manning had been playing with a strained quadriceps since a Week 15 game against the San Diego Chargers.[4]

The Broncos swept their division, went undefeated at home, clinched their fourth consecutive AFC West division title, secured a first-round bye and the AFC's No. 2 seed, but lost in the Divisional round of the playoffs for the third time in four seasons.

This was also John Fox's final year as the Broncos' head coach after four seasons, as he mutually agreed to part ways with the team on January 12, 2015, due to poor playoff performances during his tenure, including no playoff wins in 2012 and 2014, as well as suffering a blowout loss in Super Bowl XLVIII, as general manager John Elway felt the Broncos hadn't shown enough fight at critical times in the postseason.[5]

Coaching and front office changes

Owner Pat Bowlen steps down

On July 23, one day before the start of the Broncos' training camp, owner Pat Bowlen relinquished control of the team due to his battle with Alzheimer's disease. Bowlen, who has served as the team's owner since 1984, had been privately battling the disease since 2009 after experiencing short-term memory loss, and had since taken a reduced role with the team, resulting in team president Joe Ellis and executive vice president/general manager John Elway making team decisions. Ellis and Elway assumed full control of the team, though Bowlen's long term plan is for one of his seven children to run the team in the future, preventing a sale of the team.[3] [8]

Roster changes

Free agents

Position Player Tag 2014 Team Notes
signed with the Colts on June 14[9]
UFA signed with the Giants on April 2[10]
UFA signed with the Jaguars on March 11[11]
UFA None
UFA Denver Broncos re-signed March 11[12]
Denver Broncos assigned tender on March 7,[13] re-signed April 21[14]
CB UFA None
WR UFA signed with the Jets on March 12[15]
CB Denver Broncos assigned tender on March 7, re-signed April 1[16]
UFA New York Giants signed with the Giants on March 7[17]
S UFA None
S ERFA assigned tender on March 7, re-signed April 21,
waived August 30,[18] claimed by the Redskins on August 31[19]
CB UFA None
UFA None re-signed March 28,[20] released August 24[21]
UFA None
LB UFA None
LB ERFA Denver Broncos assigned tender on March 7, re-signed April 21
DE UFA signed with the Cowboys on March 12[22]
UFA signed with the Dolphins on March 27[23]
DE UFA signed with the Titans on March 27[24]
CB UFA New York Giants signed with the Giants on March 17[25]
RFA Denver Broncos assigned tender on March 7, re-signed April 21
C UFA None
LB UFA Tennessee Titans signed with the Titans on March 14[26]

Signings

Position Player 2013 Team(s) Notes
signed May 5,[27] on final roster
None signed November 25,[28] on final roster
promoted from the Broncos' practice squad on December 18,[29] on final roster
signed November 13,[30] on final roster
Practice squad promoted from the practice squad on December 13,[31] waived December 16,[32]
re-signed December 18,[33] on final roster
S None signed May 19,[34] waived August 24
DT signed July 30,[35] waived August 25[36]
signed April 1,[37] on final roster
Practice squad signed September 3,[38] waived September 9,[39]
assigned to the practice squad on September 11[40]
signed July 30, waived August 24
WR signed March 16,[41] on final roster
DE signed August 5,[42] released August 30
promoted from the Broncos' practice squad on November 22,[43] on final roster
signed March 11,[44] on final roster
S Cleveland Browns signed March 11, on final roster
LB Spokane Shock (AFL) signed May 19, waived August 24
DE Dallas Cowboys signed March 12, on final roster
Indicates that the player was a free agent at the end of his respective team's season.

Departures

Position Player Notes
released March 6
released July 22, following a failed physical exam[45]
released August 30, assigned to the practice squad on August 31
retired on March 10[46]
waived August 30, assigned to the practice squad on August 31,
signed by the Cleveland Browns on September 2[47]
released October 3[48]
released August 30
John Youbotydesignated as waived/injured on May 19

Trades

On August 26, the Broncos acquired placekicker Brandon McManus in a trade that sent a conditional 2015 seventh-round draft selection to the New York Giants;[49] the trade became official on October 3 when original placekicker Matt Prater was released three days before his four-game suspension for violating the league's substance-abuse policy would have ended.[48] However, McManus was waived on November 25 due to his inconsistency (9-of-13 on field goal attempts), and replaced by former Tampa Bay Buccaneers' placekicker Connor Barth.[28] McManus was later re-signed to the Broncos' practice squad on December 4 due to concerns regarding Barth's kickoff lengths.[50] Two days later (December 6), McManus was promoted to the active roster.[51]

Draft

See main article: 2014 NFL draft.

2014 Denver Broncos Draft
Round Selection Player Position College Notes
31signed June 10[52]
2 56signed June 2[53]
3 95signed June 3[54]
4None – see draft trades below
5 156signed June 3
6 207signed June 2, waived August 30,
assigned to the practice squad on August 31
7 242LB signed June 2
Draft trades
Trade partner Broncos give Broncos receive Source
2014 fourth-round selection (No. 131)
original 2014 seventh-round selection (No. 246) 		2014 fifth-round selection (No. 156)
2015 fifth-round selection 		[55]
original 2014 second-round selection (No. 63)
original 2014 fifth-round selection (No. 171)
2015 fourth-round selection 		2014 second-round selection (No. 56)
2014 seventh-round selection (No. 242) 		[56]

Undrafted free agents

All undrafted free agents were signed after the 2014 NFL draft concluded on May 10,[57] unless noted otherwise.

2014 Denver Broncos Undrafted Free Agents
Player Position College Notes
placed on injured reserve August 30
waived August 30, assigned to the practice squad on August 31,
promoted to the active roster on October 15,[58] waived October 20,[59]
assigned to the practice squad on October 22,[60]
promoted to the active roster on January 10, 2015,[61] on final roster
Colorado State waived August 30, assigned to the practice squad on August 31,
promoted to the active roster on October 20, waived November 22,
assigned to the practice squad on November 25[62]
made the 53-man roster, waived December 6,
assigned to the practice squad on December 8[63]
Steven Clarkwaived May 19
RB Brennan Claywaived August 24
Mister Cobblewaived May 19
Mitch Ewaldsigned July 23,[64] waived August 26
WR waived August 30, assigned to the practice squad on August 31
WR Greg Hardinsigned May 19, waived August 24
DE Greg Lattawaived August 20[65]
waived August 24
Aslam Sterlingwaived July 28[66]
Jordan Sullenwaived August 30
RB Duke on final roster
LB signed May 19,
designated as waived/injured on August 24
CB waived August 30

Suspensions

Matt Prater

On August 23, placekicker Matt Prater was suspended for the first four games of the season for violating the league's substance-abuse policy. Prater had been charged with drunk driving on two previous occasions – January 2008 in Orlando, Florida, and August 2011 in Denver, Colorado. Following the latter transgression, Prater was placed in the league's alcohol program, and Prater acknowledged that he consumed three beers while on vacation during the off-season – a violation of the league's alcohol program. The NFL initially threatened a one-year suspension, but with the aid of Prater's attorney, Harvey Steinberg, his suspension was negotiated to four games. Undrafted rookie Mitch Ewald was expected to fill in placekicker duties while Prater served his suspension,[67] however, on August 26, Ewald was waived and the Broncos acquired Brandon McManus in a trade that sent a 2015 seventh-round draft selection to the New York Giants. The trade was contingent upon McManus remaining on the Broncos' active roster after the end of Prater's suspension.[49] On October 3, the Broncos decided to stick with McManus and released Prater three days before his suspension would have ended.[48] On October 7, Prater signed with the Detroit Lions.[68]

Wes Welker

On September 2, wide receiver Wes Welker was initially suspended for the first four games of the season for testing positive for the amphetamine Adderall, a violation of the league's substance-abuse policy. Welker denied reports that he took MDMA (also known as "Molly") that had been laced with amphetamines, while attending a Kentucky Derby race during the off-season.[69] However, on September 17, after missing the first two games of the season, Welker's suspension was overturned after the NFL and the NFL Player's Association came to an agreement on a new drug policy. Under the revised policy, Welker's violation places him on a probationary period for first-time violators.[70]

Injuries

Montee BallRunning back Montee Ball was twice sidelined with a groin injury. On October 5, Ball suffered a strained groin during the team's Week 5 win over the Arizona Cardinals, and missed the team's next five games.[81] On November 16, during the Broncos' Week 11 loss to the St. Louis Rams, Ball re-aggravated the injury,[82] and was placed on injured reserve on December 13.[31]
Danny TrevathanLinebacker Danny Trevathan was sidelined with injuries to his left kneecap on three different occasions. On August 12, prior to the Broncos' second preseason game, Trevathan suffered a fractured left kneecap during practice,[83] and missed the first three games of the regular season. On October 12, during the Broncos' Week 6 win over the New York Jets, Trevathan suffered the same injury to his left knee. Two days later (October 14), Trevathan was placed on the injured reserve list with a designation to return, in which he missed eight weeks,[84] and was moved to the active roster on December 13, one day before the team's Week 15 game against the San Diego Chargers.[31] However, Trevathan suffered a dislocation of his kneecap during the team's Week 15 win over the Chargers,[85] and was placed on the season-ending injured reserve on December 16.[32]

Preseason

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueRecap
1Seattle SeahawksW 21–161–0Sports Authority Field at Mile HighRecap
2August 17at San Francisco 49ersW 34–02–0Levi's StadiumRecap
3Houston TexansL 17–182–1Sports Authority Field at Mile HighRecap
4at Dallas CowboysW 27–33–1AT&T StadiumRecap

Regular season

Schedule

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueRecap
1September 7Indianapolis ColtsW 31–241–0Sports Authority Field at Mile HighRecap
2September 14Kansas City ChiefsW 24–172–0Sports Authority Field at Mile HighRecap
3September 21at Seattle SeahawksL 20–26 2–1CenturyLink FieldRecap
4Bye
5October 5Arizona CardinalsW 41–203–1Sports Authority Field at Mile HighRecap
6October 12at New York JetsW 31–174–1MetLife StadiumRecap
7October 19San Francisco 49ersW 42–175–1Sports Authority Field at Mile HighRecap
8San Diego ChargersW 35–216–1Sports Authority Field at Mile HighRecap
9November 2at New England PatriotsL 21–436–2Gillette StadiumRecap
10November 9at Oakland RaidersW 41–177–2O.co ColiseumRecap
11November 16at St. Louis RamsL 7–227–3Edward Jones DomeRecap
12November 23Miami DolphinsW 39–368–3Sports Authority Field at Mile HighRecap
13November 30at Kansas City ChiefsW 29–169–3Arrowhead StadiumRecap
14December 7Buffalo BillsW 24–1710–3Sports Authority Field at Mile HighRecap
15December 14at San Diego ChargersW 22–1011–3Qualcomm StadiumRecap
16at Cincinnati BengalsL 28–3711–4Paul Brown StadiumRecap
17December 28Oakland RaidersW 47–1412–4Sports Authority Field at Mile HighRecap
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1: vs. Indianapolis Colts

The Broncos kicked off their season against the Indianapolis Colts on NBC's Sunday Night Football. A 21-yard field goal by Broncos' placekicker Brandon McManus was the only scoring play of the first quarter. In the second quarter, the Broncos increased their lead to 24–0, with quarterback Peyton Manning throwing three touchdown passes to tight end Julius Thomas – a 3-yarder, a 35-yarder and a 5-yarder. The Colts got on the scoreboard just before halftime, with quarterback Andrew Luck rushing for a 9-yard touchdown. On the Colts' first offensive possession of the second half, the Broncos' defense made a goal-line stand, as linebacker Brandon Marshall snuffed out Luck's attempt of a quarterback sneak on 4th-and-goal. Colts' placekicker Adam Vinatieri added a 25-yard field goal later in the third quarter. The Broncos increased their lead to 31–10 with 9:54 remaining in the fourth quarter, with running back Montee Ball rushing for a 3-yard touchdown. The Colts responded on their next possession, with Luck connecting on a 41-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Dwayne Allen to pull within 31–17 midway through the fourth quarter. The Colts subsequently recovered an onside kick, however, eight plays later, Luck was intercepted by Broncos' safety Rahim Moore deep in Broncos' territory. The Broncos' offense forced the Colts to burn two of their three team timeouts on their next possession, but went three-and-out. The Colts pulled to within 31–24 with 3:32 remaining in the game, with Luck throwing a 9-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Hakeem Nicks. The Broncos' offense subsequently went three-and-out on their next possession, and were forced to punt with three minutes left in the game. The Colts attempted a rally, however, Broncos' cornerback Bradley Roby broke up a 4th-down pass from Luck that was intended for wide receiver Reggie Wayne on the first play after the two-minute warning. The Broncos' offense subsequently ran out the clock.[86]

Week 2: vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Coming off their season-opening win over the Colts, the Broncos remained on home ground for an AFC West duel against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Broncos grabbed the lead on the game's opening drive, with quarterback Peyton Manning throwing a 4-yard touchdown pass to tight end Julius Thomas. The Chiefs got on the scoreboard later in the first quarter, with a 45-yard field goal by placekicker Cairo Santos, then took the lead early in the second quarter, with a 2-yard touchdown run by running back Knile Davis. The Broncos re-claimed the lead on their next offensive possession, with Manning connecting on a 4-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jacob Tamme, then added to their lead just before halftime, with a 12-yard touchdown pass from Manning to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas.[87]

The Chiefs got the opening possession of the second half, with a time-consuming drive that took them to as far as the Broncos' 4-yard line, but were backed up 10 yards by an offensive holding penalty and a 5-yard sack of quarterback Alex Smith by Broncos' linebacker Brandon Marshall. Santos subsequently missed a 37-yard field goal to end a drive that chewed up the first 10 minutes of the third quarter. The Broncos were forced to punt on their next possession, and the Chiefs narrowed the Broncos' lead to 21–17 midway through the fourth quarter with another time-consuming drive, culminating with a 4-yard touchdown run by Davis. The Broncos drove down the field on their next possession, but had to settle on a 20-yard field by placekicker Brandon McManus to extend their lead to 24–17 with 3:30 remaining in the fourth quarter.[87]

Three plays into the Chiefs' next possession, Smith was intercepted by Broncos' cornerback Aqib Talib, who returned the football 41 yards for a touchdown; however, the interception return was nullified by an offside penalty on defensive end Quanterus Smith. The Chiefs' earned one first down prior to the two-minute warning. On the second play after the two-minute warning, Broncos' defensive end DeMarcus Ware forced a fumble off Smith; however, it was ruled an incomplete pass following a replay review. On the next play, Smith connected on a 21-yard pass to wide receiver Dwayne Bowe, and was pushed out of bounds at the Broncos' 9-yard line by cornerback Chris Harris, Jr. with 1:51 remaining in the game. Three plays later, after burning their last timeout, the Chiefs were facing a 3rd-and-goal at the Broncos' 4-yard line; however, an offside call against Ware moved the ball half the distance to the goal line, with 1:04 remaining in the game. Davis subsequently attempted a run up the middle, but was tackled for no gain at the 2-yard line by Ware and linebacker Nate Irving. On the Chiefs' final offensive play, Smith's pass intended for Bowe on 4th-and-goal was broken up by Broncos' defensive tackle Terrance Knighton. Manning subsequently kneeled down to run out the clock.[88]

Notes

During halftime, the Broncos made three additions to their Ring of Fame: Gene Mingo, who played multiple positions with the Broncos from 1960 to 1964; Dan Reeves, who coached the Broncos from 1981 to 1992 and led the team to three Super Bowl appearances in 1986, 1987 and 1989; wide receiver Rick Upchurch, who played with the Broncos from 1975 to 1983.[89]

Week 3: at Seattle Seahawks

Coming off back-to-back home wins to start the season, the Broncos traveled to CenturyLink Field for an interconference duel against the Seattle Seahawks, hoping to avenge their 43–8 blowout loss to the Seahawks in Super Bowl XLVIII. On the Broncos' first possession, Seahawks' safety Kam Chancellor forced a fumble off running back Montee Ball deep in Broncos' territory. The ensuing Seahawks' drive culminated in placekicker Steven Hauschka settling for a 20-yard field goal. The Broncos drove down the field on their next possession, but had to settle for a 24-yard field goal by placekicker Brandon McManus. Both teams traded punts on their next two possessions, until the Seahawks re-claimed the lead late in the second quarter, with a 39-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Russell Wilson to wide receiver Ricardo Lockette, then added to their lead with a 5-yard touchdown pass from Wilson to running back Marshawn Lynch just before halftime.[90]

After a scoreless third quarter, which included Broncos' defensive tackle Terrance Knighton blocking a 46-yard field goal attempt by Hauschka, Britton Colquitt sent a punt that backed up the Seahawks to their own 8-yard line to begin the fourth quarter. Three plays later, Lynch was tackled in the end zone by linebacker Nate Irving and cornerback Aqib Talib for a Broncos' safety to narrow the Seahawks' lead to 17–5. The Broncos were forced to punt on their first possession of the fourth quarter, and on the Seahawks' next possession, Wilson was intercepted by cornerback Chris Harris, Jr., who advanced the football to the Seahawks' 19-yard line. Five plays later, the Broncos' offense finally got into the end zone, with quarterback Peyton Manning connecting on a 3-yard touchdown pass to tight end Julius Thomas. The Seahawks were forced to punt on their next possession, and the Broncos' offense got the football with 6:07 remaining in the fourth quarter. On the ninth play of the drive, the Broncos were facing a 3rd-and-11 at the Seahawks' 24-yard line, however, a Manning pass intended for wide receiver Wes Welker was intercepted by Chancellor, who advance all the way to the Broncos' 35-yard line. Five plays later, Hauschka made a 28-yard field goal to increase the Seahawks' lead to 20–12, with 1:04 remaining in the fourth quarter.[90]

With no timeouts remaining, Manning engineered an 80-yard drive in only 35 seconds, which included two key pass completions – a 42-yarder to wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders and a 12-yarder to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas. On the sixth play of the drive, Manning completed a 26-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jacob Tamme, coupled with a two-point conversion pass from Manning to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas to send the game into overtime, tied at 20–20. However, the Seahawks won the overtime coin toss, and methodically marched down the field with a 13-play, 80-yard drive, culminating in a game-winning 6-yard touchdown run by Lynch to end the game.[90]

Week 5: vs. Arizona Cardinals

Coming off their loss to the Seahawks and subsequent bye week, the Broncos returned home for an interconference duel against the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals grabbed the early lead, with a 33-yard field goal by placekicker Chandler Catanzaro. The Broncos then claimed the lead, with quarterback Peyton Manning throwing his 500th career touchdown pass – a 7-yarder to tight end Julius Thomas. Another field goal by Catanzaro – from 48 yards out, narrowed the Broncos' lead to 7–6. The Broncos expanded their lead midway through the second quarter, with Manning connecting on a 31-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas. On the Broncos' next possession, Manning was intercepted by Cardinals' defensive end Calais Campbell deep in Broncos' territory. The Cardinals' offense capitalized on the next play, with a 5-yard touchdown run by running back Andre Ellington. After the two teams traded punts, Manning threw another touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas – an 86-yarder just after the two-minute warning. The Broncos added to their lead in the third quarter, with a 44-yard field goal by placekicker Brandon McManus. Cardinals' quarterback Drew Stanton, playing in place of an injured Carson Palmer, was knocked out of the game with a concussion by Broncos' linebacker Von Miller. Later in the third quarter, third-string quarterback Logan Thomas threw an 81-yard touchdown pass to Ellington to narrow the Broncos' lead to 24–20. However, in the fourth quarter, the Broncos pulled away from the Cardinals and scored the final 17 points of the game, with a 41-yard field goal by McManus, a 12-yard touchdown pass from Manning to Julius Thomas and an 8-yard touchdown run by running back Juwan Thompson.[91]

Notes

The Broncos improved their all-time series record against the Cardinals to 8–1–1, and remained unbeaten in home games against the Cardinals (5–0).[92] [93]

Week 6: at New York Jets

Coming off their win over the Cardinals, the Broncos flew to East Rutherford, New Jersey, for an AFC match against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. A 37-yard field goal by placekicker Brandon McManus gave the Broncos the lead on the game's opening possession. The Jets grabbed the lead on their second possession, with a 2-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Geno Smith to tight end Jace Amaro. The Broncos were forced to punt on their next four offensive possessions, but re-claimed the lead in the second quarter, with quarterback Peyton Manning throwing a pair of touchdown passes – a 1-yarder to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, followed by a 22-yarder to tight end Julius Thomas just before halftime. The Broncos added to their lead on their first possession of the third quarter, with Manning connecting on another touchdown pass to Julius Thomas – from 4 yards out. However, the Jets later cut into the Broncos' lead, with a 30-yard field goal by placekicker Nick Folk, followed in the fourth quarter by a 2-yard touchdown pass from Smith to wide receiver Eric Decker, to narrow the Broncos' lead to 24–17 with eight minutes remaining in the game. Both teams went three-and-out on their next offensive possessions. The Broncos' offense got the football with 5:05 remaining in the game, and forced the Jets to burn all of their team timeouts just after the two-minute warning, but failed to convert on a critical third-down pass with 1:07 remaining in the game, forcing a punt. The Jets had one last possession deep in their own territory, however, on the third play, Smith was intercepted by Broncos' cornerback Aqib Talib, who ran 22 yards into the end zone for the game-clinching touchdown.[94]

Week 7: vs. San Francisco 49ers

Coming off their win over the Jets, the Broncos returned home for an interconference duel against the San Francisco 49ers. The Broncos jumped out to a 14–0 lead in the first quarter, with quarterback Peyton Manning throwing a pair of touchdown passes – a 3-yarder to wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders and a 39-yarder to wide receiver Wes Welker. The 49ers got on the scoreboard midway through the second quarter, with a 22-yard field goal by placekicker Phil Dawson. On the Broncos' next possession, Manning became the NFL's all-time leader in career touchdown passes, with an 8-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas. The 49ers responded just before halftime, with a 4-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Colin Kaepernick to wide receiver Stevie Johnson, which narrowed the Broncos' lead to 21–10. On the 49ers' first offensive possession of the second half, Kaepernick was intercepted by Broncos' cornerback Aqib Talib. The Broncos subsequently took control of the game with 21 unanswered points, consisting of a 40-yard touchdown pass from Manning to Demaryius Thomas, followed by a pair of rushing touchdown by running back Ronnie Hillman – a 37-yarder and a 1-yarder. With the Broncos comfortably ahead, Manning sat out the entire fourth quarter, and backup quarterback Brock Osweiler took his place. The 49ers added a late score, with quarterback Blaine Gabbert, playing in place of Kaepernick, throwing a 20-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Bruce Ellington.[95]

Notes

This was the only game during the 2014 season in which the Broncos wore their alternate navy blue uniforms.[96]

Week 8: vs. San Diego Chargers

Coming off their dominant win over the 49ers, the Broncos remained on home ground for an AFC West duel against the San Diego Chargers on Thursday Night Football. After a scoreless first quarter, a 2-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Peyton Manning to wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders gave the Broncos the lead early in the second quarter. After the two teams traded punts on their next possessions, the Chargers tied the game with a time-consuming drive, culminating with 2-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Philip Rivers to wide receiver Keenan Allen. On the ensuing kickoff, Chargers' linebacker Kavell Conner forced a fumble off Broncos' return specialist Andre Caldwell, and it was recovered by Chargers' tight end Ladarius Green deep in Broncos' territory. However, it was overturned after an instant replay review. The Broncos then re-claimed the lead just before halftime, with another touchdown pass from Manning to Sanders – from 31 yards out.[97]

On the Chargers' opening possession of the second half, Rivers was intercepted by Broncos' cornerback Chris Harris, Jr., and six plays later, the Broncos added to their lead, with Manning throwing his third touchdown pass to Sanders – from 3 yards out. After the Broncos' defense forced a Chargers' punt, the Broncos increased their lead to 28–7 midway through the third quarter, with running back Juwan Thompson rushing for a 2-yard touchdown. The Chargers responded on their next possession, with a 4-yard touchdown pass from Rivers to tight end Antonio Gates on 4th-and-goal. The Broncos countered early in the fourth quarter, with Thompson rushing for a 1-yard touchdown. The drive was kept alive by a defensive holding penalty on Chargers' safety Marcus Gilchrist that negated an Eric Weddle interception of Manning near the goal line. The Chargers once again had a response, with another touchdown pass from Rivers to Gates – from 10 yards out. The Broncos tried to add to their lead on their next possession, however, placekicker Brandon McManus missed on a 53-yard field goal attempt. The Chargers attempted a rally, but Rivers was intercepted by Broncos' safety Rahim Moore near the goal line with five minutes remaining in the game. The Broncos' offense then ran out most of the clock, aided by a crucial 5-yard pass completion from Manning to wide receiver Wes Welker on 3rd-and-4 from their own 10-yard line that forced the Chargers to burn the last two of their three team timeouts, sealing the win for the Broncos.[97]

Week 9: at New England Patriots

Coming off their win over the Chargers, the Broncos traveled to Foxborough, Massachusetts to face the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. The Patriots got on the scoreboard first, with a 49-yard field goal by placekicker Stephen Gostkowski. The Broncos grabbed the lead later in the first quarter, with running back Ronnie Hillman rushing for a 1-yard touchdown. However, the Patriots then reeled off 24 unanswered points. First came a 29-yard field goal by Gostkowski early in the second quarter. Then, on the second play of the Broncos' next possession, Patriots' defensive end Rob Ninkovich intercepted Broncos' quarterback Peyton Manning, and the Patriots capitalized five plays later, with a 5-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Tom Brady to wide receiver Julian Edelman. This was followed by Edelman returning a punt 84 yards for a touchdown and a 5-yard touchdown pass from Brady to running back Shane Vereen just before halftime. On the Patriots' first possession of the second half, Brady was intercepted by Broncos' cornerback Bradley Roby, and six plays later, Manning connected on an 18-yard touchdown pass to tight end Julius Thomas to narrow the gap to 27–14. However, the Patriots added to their lead, with a 45-yard field goal by Gostkowski, followed by a 10-yard touchdown pass from Brady to wide receiver Brandon LaFell. The latter score came after a Manning pass intended for wide receiver Wes Welker bounced off Welker and was intercepted by cornerback Brandon Browner. The Broncos attempted a rally, with Manning connecting on a 15-yard touchdown pass to Hillman. However, the Patriots put the game out of reach early in the fourth quarter, with a 1-yard touchdown pass from Brady to tight end Rob Gronkowski. The Broncos' offense drove deep into Patriots' territory on two of their next three possessions, but turned the football over on downs each time.[98]

Notes

Tom Brady improved his head-to-head record against Peyton Manning to 11–5. This was the final regular season meeting between the two legendary quarterbacks; a foot injury kept Manning out of the teams' 2015 meeting, and the two quarterbacks met for the final time in the 2015 AFC Championship.[98]

Week 10: at Oakland Raiders

Hoping to rebound from their loss to the Patriots, the Broncos flew to the O.co Coliseum for an AFC West duel with the Oakland Raiders. Each team traded field goals in the first quarter, with a 41-yard field goal by Raiders' placekicker Sebastian Janikowski and a 20-yarder by Broncos' placekicker Brandon McManus, the latter of whom added a 28-yard field goal early in the second quarter. The Raiders re-claimed the lead, with quarterback Derek Carr connecting on a 5-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Brice Butler. However, the Broncos took control of the game with 35 unanswered points. Quarterback Peyton Manning shook off two early interceptions and connected on a pair of touchdown passes within the last three minutes of the first half – 51-yarder to running back C. J. Anderson and a 32-yarder to wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders. Manning added three more touchdown passes in the third quarter – a 10- and 12-yarder to tight end Julius Thomas, followed by a 15-yarder to Sanders. Two of the three third-quarter scoring plays came off Raiders' turnovers. Manning sat out the entire fourth quarter, and backup quarterback Brock Osweiler took his place. The Raiders added a late score, with Carr connecting on an 18-yard touchdown pass to tight end Mychal Rivera.[99]

Week 11: at St. Louis Rams

Coming off their win over the Raiders, the Broncos traveled to the Edward Jones Dome for an interconference match against the St. Louis Rams. The Rams grabbed the early lead on their first possession, with a 29-yard field goal by placekicker Greg Zuerlein. The Broncos were forced to punt on their first offensive possession. On the Broncos' next possession, tight end Julius Thomas suffered an ankle injury and did not return to the game. On the tenth play of the drive, the Broncos opted to go for a first-down on a 4th-and-5 from the Rams' 37-yard line rather than attempt a long field goal, however, a pass from quarterback Peyton Manning to wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders fell incomplete. On the very next play, the Rams extended to a 10–0 lead, with quarterback Shaun Hill connecting on a 63-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Kenny Britt, with Britt evading a tackle by Broncos' cornerback Bradley Roby. The Rams' defense held the Broncos' offense in check on their next two possessions, and with four minutes remaining in the second quarter, Zuerlein added a 29-yard field goal to give the Rams a 13–0 lead. The Broncos subsequently got on the scoreboard on their next possession, with a 42-yard touchdown pass from Manning to Sanders just before the two-minute warning.[76]

On the fourth play of the Broncos' first possession of the second half, Sanders suffered a concussion after absorbing a helmet-to-helmet hit from Rams' safety Rodney McLeod, and did not return. However, after the 15-yard penalty, the Broncos could not advance the football from the Rams' 38-yard line, and were forced to punt. The Rams increased their lead to 16–7 later in their third quarter, with a 22-yard field goal by Zuerlein. On the Broncos' next possession, Manning was intercepted by Rams' linebacker Alec Ogletree, and seven plays later, a 55-yard field goal by Zuerlein increased the Rams' lead to 19–7 early in the fourth quarter. The Broncos advanced to as far as the Rams' 28-yard line on their next possession, and faced a 4th-and-4, however, Manning was sacked by Rams' defensive tackle Aaron Donald. The Broncos' defense subsequently forced a Rams' punt, however, Manning was intercepted by cornerback Trumaine Johnson on the Broncos' next possession. Four plays later, Zuerlein added a 53-yard field goal with 4:48 remaining in the game. With no timeouts remaining, the Broncos attempted a rally, but the Rams' defense stood their ground, and subsequently ran out most of the clock on offense.[76]

Notes

The Broncos accumulated only 28 rushing yards. The Rams' defense held the Broncos to 4-of-12 on third down and 0-of-3 on fourth down. This was the Broncos' lowest point total since Peyton Manning became the teams' starting quarterback in 2012.[100] With his 389-yard performance, Manning now has at least one 300-yard passing game against every NFL team. However, his streak of 15 consecutive games with multiple touchdown passes came to an end. This was the Broncos' final game against the St. Louis Rams—home or away—prior to the Rams' relocation to Los Angeles in .[101]

Week 12: vs. Miami Dolphins

Hoping to rebound from their loss to the Rams, the Broncos returned home for an AFC duel against the Miami Dolphins – the Broncos' first home game in exactly one month. The Dolphins grabbed the early lead, with running back Daniel Thomas rushing for a 3-yard touchdown. The Broncos subsequently got on the scoreboard, with a 38-yard field goal by placekicker Brandon McManus. The Dolphins added to their lead early in the second quarter, with quarterback Ryan Tannehill rushing for a 1-yard touchdown. The Broncos cut into the Dolphins' lead, with quarterback Peyton Manning connecting on a 5-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, however, the Dolphins responded, with Tannehill throwing a 10-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Mike Wallace. Another touchdown pass from Manning to Demaryius Thomas – from 14 yards out – narrowed the Dolphins' lead to 21–17 just before halftime.[102]

The Broncos drove to as far as the Dolphins' 7-yard line on the initial possession of the second half, but after Manning was sacked by Dolphins' linebacker Jelani Jenkins for an 8-yard loss, McManus missed on a 33-yard field goal attempt. After the Broncos' defense forced a Dolphins' punt, return specialist Isaiah Burse fumbled deep in Broncos' territory, giving the football back to the Dolphins. Four plays later, Tannehill connected with wide receiver Jarvis Landry on a 5-yard touchdown pass to give the Dolphins a 28–17 lead at the 2:15 mark of the third quarter. The Broncos then reeled off 22 unanswered points. Early in the fourth quarter, Manning threw his third touchdown pass of the game to Demaryius Thomas – from 5 yards out – coupled with a two-point conversion pass to wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders. After forcing a Dolphins' punt, the Broncos grabbed their first lead of the game at the 5:05 mark of the fourth quarter, with running back C. J. Anderson rushing for a 10-yard touchdown. On the third play of the Dolphins' next possession, Tannehill was intercepted by Broncos' safety T. J. Ward, who advanced the football all the way to the Dolphins' 8-yard line. Two plays later, Manning threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Wes Welker to increase the Broncos' lead to 39–28 with 3:17 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Dolphins attempted a rally, with Tannehill connecting on a 1-yard touchdown pass to Landry, coupled with running back Lamar Miller rushing for a two-point conversion, with 1:37 remaining in the game. However, the Dolphins' onside kick attempt was unsuccessful, and the Broncos subsequently ran out the clock.[102]

Notes

Demaryius Thomas' streak of 100-yard receiving games ended at seven games, one shy of the NFL record that was set by Detroit Lions' wide receiver Calvin Johnson in .[102]

Week 13: at Kansas City Chiefs

Coming off their come-from-behind win over the Dolphins, the Broncos traveled to Arrowhead Stadium for an AFC West rematch with the Kansas City Chiefs. The Broncos jumped out to a 14–0 lead on their first two possessions in the first quarter, with quarterback Peyton Manning throwing a pair of touchdown passes – a 23-yarder to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas and a 15-yarder to running back C. J. Anderson. A 22-yard field goal by placekicker Connor Barth increased the Broncos' lead to 17–0 early in the second quarter. The scoring play occurred after the Broncos' special teams fooled the Chiefs with a fake punt run by safety David Bruton and a fourth-down conversion by Anderson. The Chiefs got on the scoreboard later in the second quarter, with quarterback Alex Smith connecting on a 20-yard touchdown pass to tight end Anthony Fasano. The Broncos' offense subsequently marched down the field, but had to settle on a 24-yard field goal by Barth just before halftime. The Chiefs' defense forced a fumble off Manning deep in Broncos' territory on the Broncos' first possession of the second half, but had to settle on a 39-yard field goal by placekicker Cairo Santos. Barth added two more field goals – a 30-yarder midway through the third quarter and a 33-yarder early in the fourth quarter – to increase the Broncos' lead to 26–10. The first field goal came after a DeMarcus Ware interception of Smith on a deflected pass, while the second field goal came after Chiefs' cornerback Marcus Cooper muffed a punt. The Chiefs narrowed the Broncos' lead, with Smith throwing a 12-yard touchdown pass to running back Jamaal Charles. However, Broncos' safety T. J. Ward knocked away a two-point conversion pass from Smith intended for Fasano that would have brought the Chiefs to within a one-score deficit. Barth added one more field goal – a 37-yarder midway through the fourth quarter. The Broncos' defense subdued the Chiefs for the remainder of the game.[103]

Notes

With the win, the Broncos swept the Chiefs for a third consecutive season. Peyton Manning improved his personal record to 11–1 all-time in games against the Chiefs.[103]

Week 14: vs. Buffalo Bills

Coming off their win over the Chiefs, the Broncos returned home for an AFC match against the Buffalo Bills. A 6-yard touchdown run by Broncos' running back C. J. Anderson was the only scoring play of the first quarter. The Bills got on the scoreboard early in the second quarter, with a 44-yard field goal by placekicker Dan Carpenter. The Broncos later added to their lead, with Anderson rushing for two more touchdowns – a 1-yarder later in the second quarter, followed by a 3-yarder on the initial possession of the second half. On the Bills' first possession of the third quarter, quarterback Kyle Orton was intercepted by Broncos' linebacker Brandon Marshall at the Bills' 33-yard line. However, three plays later, Broncos' quarterback Peyton Manning was intercepted by Bills' cornerback Stephon Gilmore. The Bills subsequently marched to the Broncos' 19-yard line in eight plays, however, Orton was intercepted by Broncos' cornerback Chris Harris, Jr. near the goal line. Eight plays later, the Broncos extended their lead to 24–3 late in the third quarter, with a 50-yard field goal by placekicker Connor Barth. The Bills then narrowed the Broncos' lead, with a 13-play, 80-yard drive, culminating in a 14-yard touchdown pass from Orton to wide receiver Chris Hogan at the 10:52 mark of the fourth quarter. The Bills' defense forced the Broncos to punt on their next two possessions. Trailing 24–10 with 4:20 remaining in the game and no timeouts, the Bills attempted a rally, with Orton rushing for a 1-yard touchdown with 55 seconds remaining. However, the Bills' onside kick attempt was unsuccessful, and the Broncos subsequently ran out the clock.[104]

Notes

Peyton Manning's streak of 51 consecutive games with at least one touchdown pass came to an end. Manning's streak is the third-longest in NFL history, behind Tom Brady (52) and Drew Brees (54).[105]

Week 15: at San Diego Chargers

Coming off their win over the Bills, the Broncos traveled to Qualcomm Stadium for an AFC West rematch with the San Diego Chargers. On the Broncos' second offensive possession, the Broncos advanced to the Chargers' 1-yard line, but were forced to settle for a 19-yard field goal by placekicker Connor Barth. On the Chargers' next possession, defensive end Malik Jackson forced a fumble off Chargers' quarterback Philip Rivers, which was recovered by Broncos' linebacker Von Miller deep in Chargers' territory. However, the Broncos were forced to settle for another Barth field goal early in the second quarter – from 26 yards out. The Chargers then drove to the Broncos' 28-yard line in 14 plays, however, placekicker Nick Novak's 46-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Broncos' defensive tackle Derek Wolfe. The Broncos subsequently marched all the way to the Chargers' 1-yard line, but were once again forced to settle for another 19-yard field goal by Barth, after a 1-yard touchdown run by C. J. Anderson was overturned by an instant replay review just after the two-minute warning. Broncos' quarterback Peyton Manning, battling through flu-like symptoms, suffered a thigh injury while attempting to throw a block on the overturned touchdown run. Backup quarterback Brock Osweiler took over for Manning on the Broncos' next possession. Both teams were forced to punt on their next possessions, and following the Broncos' punt, Chargers' return specialist Eddie Royal ran to the Broncos' 17-yard line with 50 seconds left before halftime. However, the Chargers were forced to settle for a 30-yard field goal by Novak to pull to within 9–3 at halftime.[106]

Both teams were forced to punt on their initial possessions of the second half, and on the Chargers' second possession, Novak missed on a 37-yard field goal attempt that hit the left upright. The Broncos added to their lead near the end of the third quarter, with Manning connecting on a 28-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas – the Broncos' only touchdown of the game. However, the Chargers responded, with an 11-play, 80-yard drive, culminating in a 5-yard touchdown pass from Rivers to tight end Antonio Gates. The Broncos subsequently increased their lead to 19–10 with five minutes remaining in the game, with a 49-yard field goal by Barth. The Chargers attempted a rally, but Rivers was intercepted by Broncos' cornerback Aqib Talib at the Chargers' 34-yard line. Three plays later, after the Chargers had exhausted all three of their team timeouts, Barth kicked his fifth field goal of the game – from 44 yards out. The Chargers had one last offensive possession, however, Rivers was intercepted by Broncos' safety Rahim Moore near the goal line just before the two-minute warning to seal the victory for the Broncos.[106]

Notes

With the win, the Broncos clinched their fourth consecutive AFC West division title, and swept their division rivals on the road for the fifth time in six seasons.

Week 16: at Cincinnati Bengals

Coming off their AFC West division-clinching win over the Chargers, the Broncos traveled to Paul Brown Stadium for an AFC duel against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football. The Broncos grabbed the early lead, with cornerback Aqib Talib returning an interception off Bengals' quarterback Andy Dalton 33 yards for a touchdown. However, on the first play of the Bengals' third possession, running back Jeremy Hill reeled off an 85-yard touchdown run to tie the score. The Bengals claimed the lead in the second quarter, with a 37-yard field goal by placekicker Mike Nugent. On the Broncos' next possession, quarterback Peyton Manning was intercepted by Bengals' safety Reggie Nelson, and the Bengals capitalized, with Dalton connecting on a 2-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jermaine Gresham. A 49-yard field goal by Nugent with one minute remaining in the first half increased the Bengals' lead to 20–7. The Broncos had one last possession before halftime, however, placekicker Connor Barth missed on a 49-yard field goal attempt.[107]

On the Broncos' initial possession of the second half, return specialist Omar Bolden returned the opening kickoff to the Bengals' 21-yard line. Four plays later, running back C. J. Anderson scored on a 1-yard touchdown run. However, the Bengals had a response, as Adam Jones advanced the ensuing kickoff to the Broncos' 27-yard line. Three plays later, Dalton threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Giovani Bernard. The Broncos then scored 14 unanswered points, with Manning throwing a pair of touchdown passes to wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders – from 4 and 5 yards out – to give the Broncos a 28–27 lead. The second scoring play came after Broncos' linebacker Von Miller forced a fumble off Hill just as the Bengals were attempting to add to their lead. Rain started to fall in the fourth quarter, and on the Broncos' first fourth quarter possession, Manning was intercepted by Jones deep in Broncos' territory, however, a 15-yard taunting penalty on Nelson pushed the Bengals out of field goal range. The Broncos were forced to punt on their next possession, and return specialist Brandon Tate advanced all the way to the Broncos' 9-yard line. The Broncos defense forced the Bengals to settle for a 23-yard field goal by Nugent to give the Bengals a 30–28 lead with 7:53 remaining in the game. The two teams traded punts on their next possessions, and the Broncos attempted a rally, however, Bengals' cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick returned an interception off Manning 30 yards for a touchdown. With the rain intensifying, the Broncos had one last possession, but Manning threw another interception to Kirkpatrick, this one deep in Bengals' territory – Manning's fourth interception of the game – to seal the victory for the Bengals.[107]

Notes

This was Peyton Manning's first loss to the Bengals in nine career games.[108]

Week 17: vs. Oakland Raiders

Hoping to rebound from their Monday night loss to the Bengals, the Broncos returned home for an AFC West rematch with the Oakland Raiders. A 49-yard field goal by placekicker Connor Barth and an 11-yard touchdown run by running back C. J. Anderson gave the Broncos a 10–0 lead in the first quarter. The Raiders got on the scoreboard, when defensive end Justin Tuck deflected a lateral by quarterback Peyton Manning that was intended for wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, and cornerback Keith McGill recovered and ran 18 yards for a touchdown. The Broncos subsequently added to their lead, with a 1-yard touchdown run by Anderson early in the second quarter, followed by a 36-yard field goal by Barth just before halftime and Anderson scoring his third rushing touchdown of the game – a 25 yarder on the opening possession of the second half. A 1-yard touchdown pass from Raiders' quarterback Derek Carr to running back Jamize Olawale narrowed the Broncos' lead to 27–14 midway through the third quarter. However, the Broncos pulled away with 20 unanswered points. Barth added two more field goals – a 35-yarder followed in the fourth quarter by a 21-yarder. Later in the fourth quarter, linebacker Lerentee McCray forced a fumble off Carr, and cornerback Tony Carter recovered and ran 20 yards for a touchdown. With the Broncos comfortably ahead, Manning was replaced by backup quarterback Brock Osweiler, and Osweiler connected with tight end Virgil Green on a 1-yard touchdown pass to complete the scoring.[109]

Notes

With the win, the Broncos finished the regular season at 12–4, tied with the New England Patriots for the AFC's best record. However, the Patriots earned the No. 1 seed based on their head-to-head win over the Broncos in Week 9. The Broncos went 8–0 at home for the first time since 2005,[110] and for the sixth time in franchise history.[111] The Broncos won their seventh consecutive game against the Raiders, tying their longest winning streak against the Raiders since 1997–2000.[112]

Standings

Conference

Postseason

See also: 2014–15 NFL playoffs.

Schedule

RoundDateOpponent (seed)ResultRecordVenueRecap
Wild CardFirst-round bye
DivisionalJanuary 11, 2015Indianapolis Colts (4)L 13–240–1Sports Authority Field at Mile HighRecap

Game summaries

AFC Divisional Playoffs: vs. (4) Indianapolis Colts

Following a first-round bye, the Broncos began their run in the 2014–15 NFL playoffs at home by welcoming the Indianapolis Colts, in a re-match of their Week 1 meeting. Coming into the game, the Broncos were a perfect 8–0 at home during the regular season. The Broncos grabbed the early lead, with a 1-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Peyton Manning to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, which was the only scoring play of the first quarter. After the two teams exchange punts, the Colts tied the game at the beginning of the second quarter, with running back Dan Herron rushing for a 6-yard touchdown. The Colts' defense forced a fumble off Manning on the Broncos' first possession of the second quarter, and the Colts capitalized, with quarterback Andrew Luck connecting on a 3-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Dwayne Allen. Just after the two-minute warning, Luck was intercepted by Broncos' cornerback Bradley Roby, and a 45-yard field goal by placekicker Connor Barth pulled the Broncos to within a 14–10 deficit at halftime.[113]

The Broncos' offense went three-and-out on the opening possession of the second half, and the Colts subsequently added to their lead, with an 11-play, 72-yard drive that chewed up over eight minutes, culminating in a 15-yard touchdown pass from Luck to wide receiver Hakeem Nicks. The Broncos were forced to punt on their next possession, and after Luck was intercepted by Broncos' safety Rahim Moore, the Broncos marched down the field, but were forced to settle on a 41-yard field goal by Barth early in the fourth quarter. The drive was kept alive by a critical fourth-down conversion by running back C. J. Anderson. Both teams went three-and-out on their next possessions, and the Colts added to their lead, with another time-consuming drive that chewed up eight minutes off the clock, culminating in a 30-yard field goal by placekicker Adam Vinatieri with 4:11 remaining in the game. On the sixth play of the Broncos' next drive, the Broncos faced a 4th-and-8 at their own 46-yard line, however, a pass completion from Manning to Anderson fell one yard short of a first down, turning the football over on downs with 3:04 remaining in the game. The Broncos challenged the play, thinking that Anderson had achieved the necessary yardage needed for a first down before his knee went down, however, the ruling was upheld. The Colts' offense forced the Broncos to burn the remaining two of their three team timeouts before the two-minute warning. The Broncos had one final possession, and advanced to as far as the Colts' 23-yard line with nine seconds remaining in the game, but without any timeouts, the game ended.[113]

Statistics

Team leaders

CategoryPlayer(s)Value
Passing yards 4,727
Passing touchdowns Peyton Manning 39
Rushing yards 849
Rushing touchdowns C. J. Anderson 8
Receptions 111
Receiving yards Demaryius Thomas 1,619 *
Receiving touchdowns 12
Points Julius Thomas 72
Kickoff return yards 429
Punt return yards 211
Tackles 113
Sacks 14
Forced fumbles 2
Interceptions Aqib Talib
Rahim Moore 		4
Indicates a new single-season franchise record.[114]

League rankings

Offense
CategoryValue NFL rank
Total yards402.9 4th
Rushing yards111.6 YPG15th
Yards per rush421st
Passing yards291.3 YPG4th
Yards per pass7.95th
Yards per play63rd
Scoring30.1 2nd
Pass completions399/607 (.657)8th
Third downs94/213 (.441)8th
Possession average12th
Fewest sacks allowed171st
Turnover differential+511th
Defense
CategoryValue NFL rank
Total yards305.2 YPG3rd
Rushing yards79.8 YPG2nd
Yards per rush3.74th
Passing yards225.4 YPG9th
Yards per pass61st
Yards per play4.72nd
Scoring22.1 PPGT–16th
Pass completions399/642 (.621)14th
Third downs81/222 (.365)5th
Sacks41T–9th
Forced fumbles15T–12th
Fumble recoveries7T–22nd
Interceptions18T–7th
Special teams
CategoryValue NFL rank
Kickoff returns25.1 8th
Punt returns7.2 YPR20th
Gross punting44.2 22nd
Net punting37.6 YPP28th
25.9 YPR24th
11.2 YPR29th

Records and milestones

Numerous individual, franchise and league records and milestones were either tied, reached or broken during the season:

Team

Peyton Manning

Other players

Awards and honors

RecipientAward(s)
C. J. AndersonWeek 13: FedEx Ground Player of the Week[137]
Week 17: AFC Offensive Player of the Week[138]
Connor BarthDecember: AFC Special Teams Player of the Month[139]
Ben GarlandNamed as the team's Walter Payton Man of the Year[140]
Chris Harris, Jr. season: Named to the Pro Football Writers of America's All-AFC team[141]
Peyton ManningWeek 5: FedEx Air Player of the Week[142]
Week 7: American Football Conference		AFC Offensive Player of the Week[143]
Named to the USA Football All Fundamentals Team[144]
2014 season: Best Record-Breaking Performance at 2015 ESPY Awards (NFL record-breaking 509th career touchdown pass)[145]
Von MillerOctober: AFC Defensive Player of the Month[146]
2014 season: Named to the Pro Football Writers of America's All-NFL team
Aqib TalibWeek 15: AFC Defensive Player of the Week[147]
Demaryius ThomasWeek 5: AFC Offensive Player of the Week[148]
2014 season: Named to the Pro Football Writers of America's All-AFC team
Julius ThomasWeek 1: AFC Offensive Player of the Week[149]

Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections

On December 23, 2014, an NFL-high nine Broncos were selected to the 2015 Pro Bowl: Offensive tackle Ryan Clady, cornerbacks Chris Harris, Jr. and Aqib Talib, quarterback Peyton Manning, linebacker Von Miller, wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, tight end Julius Thomas, safety T. J. Ward and defensive end DeMarcus Ware.[150] Wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders and running back C. J. Anderson were later added to the Pro Bowl roster as injury replacements – Sanders on January 15, 2015[151] and Anderson on January 19, 2015.[118] Manning withdrew from the Pro Bowl due to the quad injury that he suffered during a Week 15 game vs. the San Diego Chargers and played through during the playoff loss to the Indianapolis Colts.[152] Harris, Miller and Demaryius Thomas were also voted to the All-Pro Second Team.[153]

Other news and notes

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Caldwell, Gray . Broncos Release Champ Bailey . Denver Broncos . March 6, 2014 . March 6, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140306222917/http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Broncos-Release-Champ-Bailey/2ecad6ab-9acd-4a03-9d4e-c4e1f45021cc . March 6, 2014 . dead .
  2. News: Champ Bailey, former Broncos cornerback, to retire from NFL . The Denver Post . October 28, 2014 . October 28, 2014.
  3. News: Klis, Mike . Pat Bowlen resigns control of Denver Broncos, acknowledges he is dealing with Alzheimer's disease . . July 23, 2014 . July 23, 2014.
  4. Web site: Schefter, Adam . Peyton was injured for past month . . January 12, 2015 . January 12, 2015.
  5. Legwold, Jeff. Lackluster finishes rankled Elway. ESPN, January 14, 2015.
  6. News: Klis, Mike . Broncos hire James Cregg to coach offensive line, Alex Gibbs out . The Denver Post . March 11, 2014 . March 11, 2014.
  7. News: Klis, Mike . Prominent Bronco players may start training camp on physically unable to perform list . The Denver Post . July 21, 2014 . July 21, 2014.
  8. Web site: Wesseling, Chris . Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen stepping back . https://web.archive.org/web/20140725200759/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000367473/article/denver-broncos-owner-pat-bowlen-steps-down . dead . July 25, 2014 . . July 23, 2014 . July 23, 2014.
  9. Web site: Hanzus, Mike . Veteran Mike Adams signs deal with Indianapolis Colts . . June 14, 2014 . June 14, 2014.
  10. News: Robert Ayers, former Broncos defensive end, signed by New York Giants . . April 2, 2014 . April 2, 2014.
  11. News: Klis, Mike . DeMarcus Ware signs with Broncos as John Elway quick-fixes Denver defense . The Denver Post . March 12, 2014 . March 12, 2014.
  12. News: Klis, Mike . Andre Caldwell, Broncos agree on two-year contract . The Denver Post . March 11, 2014 . March 11, 2014.
  13. News: Jones, Lindsay . Pelissero, Tom . Teams unlikely to go after restricted free agent Chris Harris . . March 7, 2014 . March 7, 2014.
  14. Web site: Zaas, Stuart . Broncos Announce Four Signings . Denver Broncos . April 21, 2014 . April 21, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140424095638/http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Broncos-Announce-Four-Signings/6ee7b89d-43a2-4cba-af3b-623b1aa25b19 . April 24, 2014 . dead .
  15. Web site: Specialist Trindon Holliday to Giants . ESPN New York . March 17, 2014 . March 17, 2014.
  16. Web site: Zaas, Stuart . Harris Jr. Signs RFA Tender . Denver Broncos . April 1, 2014 . April 1, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140404043612/http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Harris-Jr-Signs-RFA-Tender/314acee5-9752-4a06-bab7-3de36e63db81 . April 4, 2014 . dead .
  17. News: Klis, Mike . Eric Decker leaves Broncos, signs with New York Jets . The Denver Post . March 12, 2014 . March 12, 2014.
  18. News: Broncos announce 22 roster moves . Denver Broncos . August 30, 2014 . August 30, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140901115706/http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Broncos-announce-22-roster-moves/71786f59-f281-4510-81d8-168450f84aa7 . September 1, 2014 . dead .
  19. News: Renck, Troy . Kapri Bibbs, Shaquil Barrett among 9 signed to Broncos' practice squad . The Denver Post . August 31, 2014 . August 31, 2014.
  20. News: Klis, Mike . Winston Justice re-signed by Broncos to one-year deal . The Denver Post . March 28, 2014 . March 28, 2014.
  21. News: Klis, Mike . Broncos make first cuts, release 11 players . The Denver Post . August 24, 2014 . August 24, 2014.
  22. Web site: Watkins, Calvin . Cowboys add another defensive lineman . ESPN Dallas . March 12, 2014 . March 12, 2014.
  23. Web site: Wilkening, Mike . Dolphins land Knowshon Moreno . . March 27, 2014 . March 27, 2014.
  24. News: Shaun Phillips, ex-Broncos DE, agrees to multiyear deal with Titans . The Denver Post . March 27, 2014 . March 27, 2014.
  25. News: Klis, Mike . Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie leaves Broncos, signs with N.Y. Giants . The Denver Post . March 17, 2014 . March 17, 2014.
  26. News: Klis, Mike . Wesley Woodyard agrees to terms with Tennessee Titans for four years, $16 million . The Denver Post . March 14, 2014 . March 14, 2014.
  27. News: Klis, Mike . Marvin Austin signed by Broncos as free agent to bolster D-line . The Denver Post . May 5, 2014 . May 5, 2014.
  28. News: Klis, Mike . Broncos waive kicker Brandon McManus, agree to terms with Connor Barth . The Denver Post . November 25, 2014 . November 25, 2014.
  29. News: Klis, Mike . Broncos promote safety Josh Bush to 53-man roster, sign OL Jon Halapio to practice squad . The Denver Post . December 17, 2014 . December 17, 2014.
  30. News: Klis, Mike . Nate Irving placed on season-ending injured reserve by Broncos . The Denver Post . November 13, 2014 . November 13, 2014.
  31. News: Klis, Mike . Broncos place Montee Ball, Quinton Carter on season-ending injured reserve . The Denver Post . December 13, 2014 . December 13, 2014.
  32. News: Broncos move Danny Trevathan to injured reserve; Dominique Jones waived . The Denver Post . December 16, 2014 . December 16, 2014.
  33. News: Klis, Mike . Broncos re-sign Dominique Jones to roster, add blocker to practice squad . The Denver Post . December 18, 2014 . December 18, 2014.
  34. Web site: Caldwell, Gray . Six Transactions Bring Roster to 90 . Denver Broncos . May 19, 2014 . May 19, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140520220435/http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Six-Transactions-Bring-Roster-to-90/187c6b05-8f92-4d85-910a-12a041614b24 . May 20, 2014 . dead .
  35. News: Broncos sign defensive linemen Cody Larsen, Will Pericak . The Denver Post . July 30, 2014 . July 30, 2014.
  36. Web site: Broncos make two more roster moves . Denver Broncos . August 25, 2014 . August 25, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140826114800/http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Broncos-make-two-more-roster-moves/ef4e7003-acf2-4213-96bf-ddb6db7c0e84 . August 26, 2014 . dead .
  37. News: Klis, Mike . Broncos reach agreement with veteran center Will Montgomery . The Denver Post . April 1, 2014 . April 1, 2014.
  38. Web site: Nathan Palmer signed to active roster, Ryan Miller to practice squad . Denver Broncos . September 3, 2014 . September 3, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140904034446/http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Nathan-Palmer-signed-to-active-roster-Ryan-Miller-to-practice-squad/062b9813-ed46-4e72-8f97-0df790884526 . September 4, 2014 . dead .
  39. Web site: Broncos make three roster moves, Browns sign Robinson . Denver Broncos . September 9, 2014 . September 9, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140911124950/http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Broncos-make-three-roster-moves-Browns-sign-Robinson/fb88a4e0-ce57-4944-be36-67b91a0f7ead . September 11, 2014 . dead .
  40. News: Broncos re-sign WR Nathan Palmer to practice squad . The Denver Post . September 11, 2014 . September 11, 2014.
  41. News: Klis, Mike . Emmanuel Sanders signs 3-year deal as Broncos' new WR . The Denver Post . March 16, 2014 . March 16, 2014.
  42. News: Klis, Mike . Brian Sanford, former Cleveland defensive end, signed by Broncos . The Denver Post . August 5, 2014 . August 5, 2014.
  43. News: Klis, Mike . Broncos promote Jeremy Stewart to No. 3 running back, waive Kapri Bibbs . The Denver Post . November 22, 2014 . November 22, 2014.
  44. Web site: Caldwell, Gray . Zaas, Stuart . Broncos Agree to Terms with Talib . Denver Broncos . March 11, 2014 . March 11, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140312212411/http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Broncos-Agree-to-Terms-with-Talib/57aa9af3-9d70-4270-848e-75862ae61280 . March 12, 2014 . dead . mdy-all .
  45. News: Renck, Troy . Joel Dreessen released by Denver Broncos after failed physical . The Denver Post . July 22, 2014 . July 22, 2014.
  46. News: Klis, Mike . Chris Kuper retiring after eight seasons as Broncos offensive lineman . The Denver Post . March 10, 2014 . March 10, 2014.
  47. News: Klis, Mike . Broncos sign long snapper Kevin McDermott; Browns sign Vinston Painter . The Denver Post . September 2, 2014 . September 2, 2014.
  48. News: Klis, Mike . Matt Prater released by Broncos; Brandon McManus wins kicking job . The Denver Post . October 3, 2014 . October 3, 2014.
  49. News: Klis, Mike . Renck, Troy . Broncos acquire kicker Brandon McManus from New York Giants . The Denver Post . August 26, 2014 . August 26, 2014.
  50. News: Klis, Mike . Broncos re-sign K Brandon McManus to practice squad . The Denver Post . December 4, 2014 . December 4, 2014.
  51. News: Klis, Mike . Broncos promote kicker Brandon McManus to 53-man roster, waive punt returner Isaiah Burse . The Denver Post . December 6, 2014 . December 6, 2014.
  52. News: Bradley Roby, Broncos' first-round pick, signs four-year deal . The Denver Post . June 10, 2014 . June 10, 2014.
  53. News: Klis, Mike . Broncos sign draft picks Cody Latimer, Matt Paradis, Corey Nelson . The Denver Post . June 2, 2014 . June 2, 2014.
  54. Web site: Broncos sign third-round tackle Michael Schofield, fifth-round linebacker Lamin Barrow . The Denver Post . June 3, 2014 . June 3, 2014.
  55. Web site: Caldwell, Gray . Broncos Trade Out of Fourth Round . Denver Broncos . May 10, 2014 . May 10, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140512215223/http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Broncos-Trade-Out-of-Fourth-Round/7d6919d8-7a07-42be-8b7c-c9993aa83b47 . May 12, 2014 . dead .
  56. Web site: Caldwell, Gray . Denver Broncos Trade for Latimer in Draft's Second Round . Denver Broncos . May 9, 2014 . May 9, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140513010725/http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Denver-Broncos-Trade-for-Latimer-in-Drafts-Second-Round/de0db221-2f37-480c-98ce-2f7b9b85206f . May 13, 2014 . dead .
  57. Web site: Caldwell, Gray . Denver Broncos Add CFAs After 2014 NFL Draft . Denver Broncos . May 10, 2014 . May 10, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140512220125/http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Denver-Broncos-Add-CFAs-After-2014-NFL-Draft/aa6a299a-8b5c-406a-8d0f-dc1e667b8383 . May 12, 2014 . dead .
  58. News: Broncos add Shaquil Barrett to roster, Gerald Rivers to practice squad . The Denver Post . October 15, 2014 . October 15, 2014.
  59. News: Renck, Troy . Kapri Bibbs signed by Broncos to active roster; Shaquil Barrett waived . The Denver Post . October 20, 2014 . October 20, 2014.
  60. News: Nguyen, Joe . LB Shaquil Barrett re-signed to Broncos practice squad . The Denver Post . October 22, 2014 . October 22, 2014.
  61. News: Klis, Mike . Broncos promote LB Shaq Barrett, Quanterus Smith placed on season-ending injured reserve . The Denver Post . January 10, 2015 . January 10, 2015.
  62. News: Renck, Troy . Briefs: Kapri Bibbs returns to Broncos after tryout with Cardinals . The Denver Post . November 25, 2014 . November 25, 2014.
  63. News: Renck, Troy . Broncos sign Isaiah Burse to practice squad, waive Mark Asper . The Denver Post . December 8, 2014 . December 8, 2014.
  64. Web site: Giudice, Lauren . Ewald Signs with the Broncos . Denver Broncos . July 23, 2014 . July 23, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140726010140/http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Ewald-Signs-with-the-Broncos/34e2e107-b754-4abe-919b-ec9eca1dd5b9 . July 26, 2014 . dead .
  65. News: Klis, Mike . Broncos waive rookie DE Greg Latta . The Denver Post . August 20, 2014 . August 20, 2014.
  66. Web site: Twitter / @JeffLegwold . . July 28, 2014 . July 28, 2014.
  67. News: Broncos K Matt Prater suspended for 4 games . . August 24, 2014 . August 24, 2014.
  68. News: Klis, Mike . Former Broncos kicker Matt Prater agrees to Lions' deal . The Denver Post . October 7, 2014 . October 7, 2014.
  69. News: Klis, Mike . Wes Welker: "I'm as shocked as everyone" by four-game suspension . The Denver Post . September 2, 2014 . September 2, 2014.
  70. News: Klis, Mike . Wes Welker eligible to play Sunday after NFL, union reach agreement . The Denver Post . September 17, 2014 . September 17, 2014.
  71. Web site: Legwold, Jeff . Broncos still have at least 13 moves to go . . August 29, 2014 . August 29, 2014.
  72. News: Klis, Mike . Lerentee McCray expected to miss two weeks with sprained knee . The Denver Post . September 17, 2014 . September 17, 2014.
  73. News: Klis, Mike . Early tests show Nate Irving suffered ligament injury in knee . The Denver Post . November 3, 2014 . November 3, 2014.
  74. News: Klis, Mike . Broncos RB Ronnie Hillman out at least 2 weeks with foot sprain . The Denver Post . November 10, 2014 . November 10, 2014.
  75. News: Klis, Mike . Briefs: Broncos RB Ronnie Hillman back at practice as full participant . The Denver Post . December 25, 2014 . December 25, 2014.
  76. News: Renck, Troy . Rams crush Broncos, leave injuries in wake . The Denver Post . November 16, 2014 . November 16, 2014.
  77. News: Renck, Troy . Julius Thomas to play, Jacob Tamme among inactives for Broncos vs. Chargers . The Denver Post . December 14, 2014 . December 14, 2014.
  78. News: Klis, Mike . Aqib Talib, Julius Thomas not playing against Kansas City Chiefs . The Denver Post . November 30, 2014 . November 30, 2014.
  79. News: Saunders, Patrick . Brandon Marshall plans to play for Broncos vs. Colts; Quanterus Smith out . The Denver Post . January 9, 2015 . January 9, 2015.
  80. News: Klis, Mike . T.J. Ward to sit vs. Raiders, David Bruton expected to start . The Denver Post . December 28, 2014 . December 28, 2014.
  81. News: Klis, Mike . Broncos' Montee Ball to miss several weeks with groin injury . The Denver Post . October 6, 2014 . October 6, 2014.
  82. News: Klis, Mike . Montee Ball again to miss time with strained groin; Julius Thomas not ruled out vs. Dolphins . The Denver Post . November 17, 2014 . November 17, 2014.
  83. Web site: Mason, Andrew . Danny Trevathan Out 6-8 Weeks . Denver Broncos . August 12, 2014 . August 12, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140813054606/http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Danny-Trevathan-Out-6-8-Weeks/6b9d1c3e-7853-4c0b-b4c7-4710c1270ddb . August 13, 2014 . dead .
  84. News: Klis, Mike . Danny Trevathan placed by Broncos on IR with designation to return . The Denver Post . October 14, 2014 . October 14, 2014.
  85. News: Klis, Mike . Broncos' Danny Trevathan done for season; Brandon Marshall likely out 1-2 weeks . The Denver Post . December 15, 2014 . December 15, 2014.
  86. News: Klis, Mike . Broncos pass first test with opening win vs. Colts . The Denver Post . September 7, 2014 . September 7, 2014.
  87. News: Renck, Troy . Peyton Manning nearly perfect in Broncos' 24-17 win over Chiefs . The Denver Post . September 14, 2014 . September 14, 2014.
  88. News: Moss, Irv . Chiefs lament missing opportunities to upset the Broncos . The Denver Post . September 14, 2014 . September 14, 2014.
  89. News: Chambers, Mike . Rick Upchurch, Gene Mingo, Dan Reeves join Broncos' Ring of Fame . The Denver Post . September 14, 2014 . September 14, 2014.
  90. News: Klis, Mike . After late rally, Broncos fall to Seahawks in OT . The Denver Post . September 21, 2014 . September 21, 2014.
  91. News: Renck, Troy . Peyton Manning joins elite club as Broncos prey on Cardinals . The Denver Post . October 5, 2014 . October 5, 2014.
  92. News: Boxscore finder: Boxscore finder: Denver Broncos vs Chicago/St. Louis/Arizona Cardinals . pro-football-reference.com . October 5, 2014 . October 5, 2014.
  93. Web site: Moser, Josh . Record day for Manning and Broncos in win over Arizona . https://archive.today/20141006031648/http://www.9news.com/story/sports/nfl/denver-broncos/2014/10/05/cardinals-vs-broncos-live-blog/16771361/ . dead . October 6, 2014 . . October 5, 2014 . October 5, 2014 .
  94. News: Klis, Mike . Peyton Manning inches closer to history as Broncos stumble to win vs. Jets . The Denver Post . October 12, 2014 . October 12, 2014.
  95. News: Renck, Troy . Peyton Manning makes history as Broncos rout 49ers . The Denver Post . October 19, 2014 . October 19, 2014.
  96. News: Klis, Mike . Broncos to wear alternate blue uniforms in Week 7 at night vs. 49ers . The Denver Post . July 15, 2014 . July 15, 2014.
  97. News: Klis, Mike . Peyton Manning hardly thrilled after Broncos' win over Chargers . The Denver Post . October 23, 2014 . October 23, 2014.
  98. News: Renck, Troy . Super Bowl memories return as Broncos fall apart vs. Patriots . The Denver Post . November 2, 2014 . November 2, 2014.
  99. News: Klis, Mike . Broncos turn slow start into blowout win vs. Raiders . The Denver Post . November 9, 2014 . November 9, 2014.
  100. Web site: Wagoner, Nick . With defense rolling, Rams can beat anyone . . November 16, 2014 . November 16, 2014.
  101. Web site: Rams beat up Broncos to notch surprise victory . . November 16, 2014 . November 16, 2014.
  102. News: Klis, Mike . Broncos find running game, balance in win over Dolphins . The Denver Post . November 23, 2014 . November 23, 2014.
  103. News: Renck, Troy . Broncos dominate Chiefs behind big game from C. J. Anderson, defense . The Denver Post . November 30, 2014 . November 30, 2014.
  104. News: Klis, Mike . Broncos' defense, run game beat Bills as Peyton Manning has off-day . The Denver Post . December 7, 2014 . December 7, 2014.
  105. News: Klis, Mike . Renck, Troy . Briefs: Peyton Manning not worried about seeing his TD pass streak end . The Denver Post . December 7, 2014 . December 7, 2014.
  106. News: Klis, Mike . Broncos sack Chargers to win fourth consecutive AFC West title . The Denver Post . December 14, 2014 . December 14, 2014.
  107. News: Klis, Mike . Peyton Manning throws four picks as Broncos fall to Bengals . The Denver Post . December 22, 2014 . December 22, 2014.
  108. Web site: Dre Kirkpatrick's INT for TD vs. Broncos helps put Bengals in playoffs . . December 22, 2014 . December 22, 2014.
  109. News: Klis, Mike . C.J. Anderson, Broncos run over Raiders to secure first-round bye . The Denver Post . December 28, 2014 . December 28, 2014.
  110. Web site: Legwold, Jeff . W2W4: Broncos vs. Raiders . . December 27, 2014 . December 27, 2014.
  111. News: Broncos clinch No. 2 seed with win over Raiders . . December 28, 2014 . December 28, 2014.
  112. News: Raiders-Broncos Capsule . . December 24, 2014 . December 24, 2014.
  113. Web site: Andrew Luck leads Colts to upset of Peyton Manning, Broncos . . January 11, 2015 . January 11, 2015.
  114. News: Klis, Mike . Demaryius Thomas sets Broncos' receiving record, passing Rod Smith . The Denver Post . December 28, 2014 . December 28, 2014.
  115. Web site: The Week That Was – Week 9 . NFL Communications . November 4, 2014 . November 4, 2014.
  116. News: Ravens set NFL record for 20-point games with win in Indy . . November 8, 2020 . November 8, 2020.
  117. News: Peyton Manning, Broncos seal AFC West vs. Chargers . . December 14, 2014 . December 14, 2014.
  118. Web site: Anderson named to 2015 Pro Bowl . Denver Broncos . January 19, 2015 . January 19, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171107063602/http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Anderson-named-to-2015-Pro-Bowl/6e5d563a-d6f1-427b-bf21-240e73d80b7e . November 7, 2017 . dead . mdy-all .
  119. Web site: Peyton Manning keys Broncos' first-half romp before Colts' rally falters . . September 7, 2014 . September 7, 2014.
  120. News: Jhabvala, Nicki . By the Numbers: Broncos' Week 3 loss to the Seahawks . The Denver Post . September 21, 2014 . September 21, 2014.
  121. Web site: Breech, John . Peyton Manning is 2nd leading passer in Broncos history after only 38 games . . October 21, 2014 . October 21, 2014.
  122. Web site: Bergman, Jeremy . Drew Brees passes Peyton for most career TD passes . NFL . December 17, 2019 . December 17, 2019.
  123. Web site: Manning has 14th straight multi-TD pass game . . November 2, 2014 . November 2, 2014 . November 3, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141103094341/http://sports.yahoo.com/news/manning-14th-straight-multi-td-000910567--nfl.html . dead .
  124. Web site: Legwold, Jeff . Peyton Manning: Loss 'starts with me' . . November 2, 2014 . November 2, 2014.
  125. Web site: Drew Brees sets NFL record with 15th 400-yard passing game . ESPN . October 16, 2016 . October 16, 2016.
  126. Web site: Peyton Manning tosses 5 TDs as Broncos rebound to rout Raiders . . November 9, 2014 . November 9, 2014.
  127. Web site: Dubin, Jared . Drew Brees ties NFL record with seven TD passes against Giants . . November 1, 2015 . November 1, 2015.
  128. Web site: Broncos lead with 9 Pro Bowlers . . December 24, 2014 . December 24, 2014.
  129. News: Renck, Troy . Connor Barth calls first game 'awesome' experience after tying Broncos record . The Denver Post . November 30, 2014 . November 30, 2014.
  130. News: Fredrickson . Kyle . Brandon McManus sets Broncos' franchise record with six field goals in win against Patriots . The Denver Post . October 18, 2020 . October 18, 2020.
  131. News: Klis, Mike . Demaryius Thomas sets Broncos' record in win over Cardinals . The Denver Post . October 5, 2014 . October 5, 2014.
  132. News: Renck, Troy . Broncos vs. Patriots: Highs, lows of Denver's Week 9 loss . The Denver Post . November 2, 2014 . November 2, 2014.
  133. News: Klis, Mike . Demaryius Thomas snaps production slump with 123-yard outing . The Denver Post . December 14, 2014 . December 14, 2014.
  134. Web site: Hartstein, Larry . Broncos WR Demaryius Thomas joins exclusive club . . December 22, 2014 . December 22, 2014.
  135. News: Buettner, Matthew J. . Demaryius Thomas Proves Why He's One of the Elite . . December 28, 2014 . December 28, 2014 . December 29, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141229160205/http://denver.cbslocal.com/2014/12/28/demaryius-thomas-proves-why-hes-one-of-the-elite/ . dead .
  136. Web site: Swanson, Ben . Welker sets record with most career receptions as an undrafted player . Denver Broncos . October 5, 2014 . October 5, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141006103251/http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Welker-sets-record-with-most-career-receptions-as-an-undrafted-player/40065ead-9175-46cc-9a96-f810ba04cc80 . October 6, 2014 . dead . mdy-all .
  137. Web site: Giudice, Lauren . Anderson named FedEx Ground Player of the Week . Denver Broncos . December 4, 2014 . December 4, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141213220922/http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Anderson-named-FedEx-Ground-Player-of-the-Week/7f677a9a-03fa-446b-89c6-4cb6359bb9d1 . December 13, 2014 . dead .
  138. Web site: Swanson, Ben . C.J. Anderson named AFC Offensive Player of the Week . Denver Broncos . December 31, 2014 . December 31, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141231203107/http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/CJ-Anderson-named-AFC-Offensive-Player-of-the-Week/077fe95b-85de-45f7-87ce-a793472858a5 . December 31, 2014 . dead .
  139. Web site: Barth named AFC Special Teams Player of the Month . Denver Broncos . December 31, 2014 . December 31, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141231211909/http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Barth-named-AFC-Special-Teams-Player-of-the-Month/309bc556-b454-43cf-a700-3d0b6d9c6da3 . December 31, 2014 . dead .
  140. Web site: Garland named Broncos 2014 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year . Denver Broncos . December 4, 2014 . December 4, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141209224803/http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Garland-named-Broncos-2014-Walter-Payton-NFL-Man-of-the-Year/3b47e6db-9cd9-4390-bc5d-430b0582c3d7 . December 9, 2014 . dead .
  141. Web site: Giudice, Lauren . Miller named to PFWA All-NFL team . Denver Broncos . January 12, 2015 . January 12, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150115094036/http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Miller-named-to-PFWA-All-NFL-team/97736306-6425-4b70-9f6d-3bcdbf9f6d88 . January 15, 2015 . dead .
  142. Web site: Swanson, Ben . Manning wins Week 5 FedEx Air Player of the Week . Denver Broncos . October 10, 2014 . October 10, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141011085542/http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Manning-wins-Week-5-FedEx-Air-Player-of-the-Week/8d7a63d5-c4c4-4e6f-a360-57e622fabfbe . October 11, 2014 . dead .
  143. Web site: Manning named AFC Offensive Player of the Week . Denver Broncos . October 22, 2014 . October 22, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141023042953/http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Manning-named-AFC-Offensive-Player-of-the-Week/04564020-c538-4e77-a32c-a8e2723419ac . October 23, 2014 . dead .
  144. Web site: DeChant, David . Manning named to USA Football's All-Fundamentals team . Denver Broncos . December 10, 2014 . December 10, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141215043337/http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Manning-named-to-USA-Footballs-All-Fundamentals-team/d24866af-b124-4b12-9426-9d858b802f4c . December 15, 2014 . dead .
  145. News: Jhabvala, Nicki . Peyton Manning wins ESPY for record touchdown No. 509 . The Denver Post . July 15, 2015 . July 15, 2015.
  146. Web site: DeChant, David . Von Miller named AFC Defensive Player of the Month . Denver Broncos . October 30, 2014 . October 30, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141030203356/http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Von-Miller-named-AFC-Defensive-Player-of-the-Month/8b5fbee3-c2b6-4a07-8bfd-0a76b2f3b074 . October 30, 2014 . dead .
  147. Web site: Swanson, Ben . Talib named AFC Defensive Player of the Week . Denver Broncos . December 17, 2014 . December 17, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141217205627/http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Talib-named-AFC-Defensive-Player-of-the-Week/b90c7ac0-75d0-437a-8a79-2210909e7906 . December 17, 2014 . dead .
  148. Web site: Giudice, Lauren . D. Thomas named AFC Offensive Player of the Week . Denver Broncos . October 8, 2014 . October 8, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141010204305/http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/D-Thomas-named-AFC-Offensive-Player-of-the-Week/a2a44bf3-8d28-4b76-b636-b036d46f209f . October 10, 2014 . dead .
  149. Web site: Swanson, Ben . Julius Thomas named AFC Offensive Player of the Week . Denver Broncos . September 10, 2014 . September 10, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140910195357/http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Julius-Thomas-named-AFC-Offensive-Player-of-the-Week/b4e78ca8-7cb9-4405-9fcb-c7f86e65da04 . September 10, 2014 . dead .
  150. Web site: Giudice, Lauren . Nine Broncos named to Pro Bowl . Denver Broncos . December 23, 2014 . December 23, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141224221747/http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Nine-Broncos-named-to-Pro-Bowl/44af5287-108b-4147-85bc-351ab1d18427 . December 24, 2014 . dead .
  151. Web site: Sanders selected for Pro Bowl . Denver Broncos . January 15, 2015 . January 15, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150116120309/http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Sanders-selected-for-Pro-Bowl/5923cf2a-9da8-42ed-b5f3-df36a550b3da . January 16, 2015 . dead .
  152. Web site: Mason, Andrew . Peyton Manning will not participate in Pro Bowl . Denver Broncos . January 18, 2015 . January 18, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150118204418/http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Peyton-Manning-will-not-participate-in-Pro-Bowl/56798d94-7d58-4073-9cb9-4d74ab417087 . January 18, 2015 . dead .
  153. Web site: Swanson, Ben . Three Broncos named to All-Pro Teams . Denver Broncos . January 2, 2015 . January 2, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150103080050/http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Three-Broncos-named-to-All-Pro-Teams/1b7a9718-1911-4aba-9776-a5abd124a52e . January 3, 2015 . dead .
  154. News: Klis, Mike . John Elway's contract extended by Broncos; team adds GM to his title . The Denver Post . February 12, 2014 . February 12, 2014.
  155. Web site: Hanzus, Mike . Denver Broncos pick up Von Miller's fifth-year option . NFL.com . May 1, 2014 . May 1, 2014.
  156. News: Klis, Mike . Broncos executive Matt Russell sentenced to seven months in jail . The Denver Post . May 24, 2014 . May 24, 2014.
  157. News: Klis, Mike . Matt Russell begins his work release detention at Arapahoe County Jail . The Denver Post . July 21, 2014 . July 21, 2014.
  158. News: Klis, Mike . Champ Bailey draws big crowd of former Broncos for ceremony . The Denver Post . November 18, 2014 . November 18, 2014.
  159. News: Klis, Mike . Chris Harris agrees to 5-year, $42.5M contract extension with Broncos . The Denver Post . December 12, 2014 . December 12, 2014.
  160. Web site: DeChant, David . Broncos set record for home attendance . Denver Broncos . January 22, 2015 . January 22, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150124035435/http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Broncos-set-record-for-home-attendance/da26512d-9c3e-4995-97c2-51785faaedc2 . January 24, 2015 . dead .

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