- 1997 Denver Broncos season
Infobox NFL_season
team = Denver Broncos
year = 1997
record = 12-4
division_place = 2ndAFC West
coach =Mike Shanahan
stadium =Mile High Stadium
playoffs = WSuper Bowl XXXII 31-24 vs. Green BayThe
Denver Broncos finished the 1997 season by winningSuper Bowl XXXII . They went 12-4 during the regular season. The Broncos were the third team in NFL history to win a Super Bowl but not win the Division Title. [ NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York,NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2, p. 256]Season Summary
Having lost a disappointing playoff game to Jacksonville the year before, many thought this might be John Elway's last chance to win a Super Bowl. They started off the season by winning their first six games, beating the Chiefs, Seahawks, Rams, Bengals, Falcons and Patriots. They then lost to the Raiders, then defeated the Bills, Seahawks, and Panthers. They then lost to the Chiefs, beat the Raiders and the Chargers, lost to the Steelers and the 49ers, but finished the season with a win against the Chargers.
They made the playoffs as a wildcard and advanced against the Jaguars and Chiefs and defeated the Steelers in the 1997
AFC Championship . They then won Super Bowl XXXII against the Packers 31-24, only the third team to ever win a Super Bowl as a wildcard. The win was a big morale boost to Denver and the Broncos, who had suffered through four previous Super Bowl losses, and especially Elway, who had led three of those defeats.Team Stats
The 1997 Broncos were tenth in the league in total passing yards with 3704 and fourth in the league in total rushing yards with 2378. They finished with 6082 total yards, first in the NFL. They were fourth in total yards given up with 4969. They were also first in total points scored with 472. They were seventh in total points allowed with 287.
The team's 12-4 record is currently their fifth-best 16-game season in franchise history.
Player Stats
During the season
John Elway threw for 3635yards andTerrell Davis rushed for 1750 yards. Rod Smith had 70 receptions for 1180 yards andEd McCaffrey had 45 receptions for 590 yards.Tight end Shannon Sharpe has 72 receptions for 1107 yards. KickerJason Elam kicked 26 field goals out of 36 attempted. Davis, Elway,Tom Nalen , Sharpe, and Neil Smith made thePro Bowl .Regular Season Schedule
Post Season
Awards and records
* Terrell Davis, Super Bowl MVP
*John Elway , Franchise Record, Most Touchdowns in One Season, 27 Touchdown Passes [ NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York,NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2, p. 44 ]References
[http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/den1997.htm Pro Football Reference.com 1997 Denver Broncos] Accessed
15 November 2005
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