1987 Denver Broncos season

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

1987 Denver Broncos season
OwnerPat Bowlen
General managerJohn Beake
Head coachDan Reeves
Home stadiumMile High Stadium
Results
Record10–4–1
Division place1st AFC West
PlayoffsWon Divisional Playoffs
(vs. Oilers) 34–10
Won AFC Championship
(vs. Browns) 38–33
Lost Super Bowl XXII
(vs. Redskins) 10–42
Pro BowlersQB John Elway
G Keith Bishop
LB Karl Mecklenburg
Uniform
A ticket for the AFC Championship Game between the Browns and the Broncos.

The 1987 Denver Broncos season was the team's 28th year in professional football and its 18th with the

league MVP for 1987. The Broncos reached the Super Bowl
for the second consecutive season, but lost for the second straight time, 42–10 to the Washington Redskins.

Offseason

NFL Draft

Main article: 1987 NFL draft
1987 Denver Broncos draft
Round Pick Player Position College Notes
1 27 Ricky Nattiel  Wide receiver Florida
3 84 Michael Brooks *  Linebacker
Louisiana State
4 111 Marc Munford  Linebacker
Nebraska
6 167 Warren Marshall  Running back James Madison
7 194 Wilbur Strozier  Tight end Georgia
8 222 Dan Morgan  Guard
Penn State
9 250 Bruce Plummer  Center
Mississippi State
10 278 Rafe Wilkinson  Linebacker Richmond
11 299 Steve Roberts  Defensive end Washington
11 306 Tommy Neal  Running back
Maryland
12 334 Tyrone Braxton *  Safety
North Dakota State
      Made roster    †   Pro Football Hall of Fame    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Personnel

Staff

1987 Denver Broncos staff

Front office

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches

Strength and conditioning

  • Strength/conditioning –
    Al Miller

[1]

Roster

1987 Denver Broncos roster
Quarterbacks (QB)

Running backs (RB)

Wide receivers (WR)

Tight ends (TE)

Offensive linemen
(OL)

Defensive linemen
(DL)

Linebackers (LB)

Defensive backs (DB)

Special teams
(ST)

Reserve

  • 53
    IR
    )
  • 64
    IR
    )
  • 69
    IR
    )
  • 78
    IR
    )
  • -- Paul Howard G (PUP)
  • 20
    IR
    )
  • 66
    IR
    )
  • 85
    IR
    )
  • 93
    IR
    )
  • 48
    IR
    )
  • 30
    IR
    )
  • 49
    IR
    )
  • --
    IR
    )
  • 47
    IR
    )
Rookies in italics

NFL replacement players

After the league decided to use replacement players during the

NFLPA
strike, the following team was assembled:

1987 Denver Broncos replacement roster

Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

Regular season

Schedule

Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance
1 September 13 Seattle Seahawks W 40–17 1–0 Mile High Stadium 75,999
2 September 20 at Green Bay Packers T 17–17 (OT) 1–0–1 Milwaukee County Stadium 50,624
3 September 28 at Cleveland Browns canceled 1–0–1 Cleveland Stadium
4 October 4 Houston Oilers L 10–40 1–1–1 Mile High Stadium 38,494
5 October 12 Los Angeles Raiders W 30–14 2–1–1 Mile High Stadium 61,230
6 October 18 at Kansas City Chiefs W 26–17 3–1–1 Arrowhead Stadium 20,296
7 October 26 at Minnesota Vikings L 27–34 3–2–1 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 51,011
8 November 1 Detroit Lions W 34–0 4–2–1 Mile High Stadium 75,172
9 November 8 at Buffalo Bills L 14–21 4–3–1
Rich Stadium
 63,698
10 November 16 Chicago Bears W 31–29 5–3–1 Mile High Stadium 75,783
11 November 22 at Los Angeles Raiders W 23–17 6–3–1 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 61,318
12 November 29 at San Diego Chargers W 31–17 7–3–1
Jack Murphy Stadium
 61,880
13 December 6 New England Patriots W 31–20 8–3–1 Mile High Stadium 75,795
14 December 13 at Seattle Seahawks L 21–28 8–4–1 Kingdome 61,759
15 December 19 Kansas City Chiefs W 20–17 9–4–1 Mile High Stadium 75,053
16 December 27 San Diego Chargers W 24–0 10–4–1 Mile High Stadium 21,189
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1

1 234Total
Seahawks 14 300 17
• Broncos 7 13146 40
  • Date: September 17
  • Location:
    MST
  • Game attendance: 75,999
  • Referee: Red Cashion
  • TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen
Scoring summary
Q1SEATurner 20 yard pass from Krieg (Johnson kick)SEA 7–0
Q1DENSewell 72 yard pass from Elway (Karlis kick)Tie 7–7
Q1SEAWarner 10 yard pass from Krieg (Johnson kick)SEA 14–7
Q2SEAJohnson 25 yard field goalSEA 17–7
Q2DENKarlis 37 yard field goalSEA 17–10
Q2DENKarlis 42 yard field goalSEA 17–13
Q2DENWatson 4 yard pass from Elway (Karlis kick)DEN 20–17
Q3DENMobley 5 yard pass from Elway (Karlis kick)DEN 27–17
Q3DENJohnson 59 yard pass from Elway (Karlis kick)DEN 34–17
Q4DENKarlis 25 yard field goalDEN 37–17
Q4DENKarlis 29 yard field goalDEN 40–17

[2]

Week 2

1 234OTTotal
Broncos 0 3770 17
Packers 7 7030 17

Week 4

1 234Total
• Oilers 7 101013 40
Broncos 0 1000 10
  • Date: October 4
  • Location: Mile High Stadium
  • Referee: Jim Tunney
  • Television network: NBC

Week 5

1 234Total
Raiders 0 1400 14
• Broncos 14 367 30
  • Date: October 12
  • Location:
    MST
  • Game attendance: 61,230
  • Game weather: 53 °F (12 °C); wind 7 mph (11 km/h)
  • Referee: Fred Silva
  • TV announcers (ABC): Al Michaels, Frank Gifford, and Dan Dierdorf
Scoring summary
Q1DENDudek 7 yard run (Clendenen kick)DEN 7–0
Q1DENDudek 3 yard run (Clendenen kick)DEN 14–0
Q2LAPerry 3 yard pass from Evans (Hardy kick)DEN 14–7
Q2LACalhoun 55 yard interception return (Hardy kick)Tie 14–14
Q2DENClendenen 31 yard field goalDEN 17–14
Q3DENMassie 10 yard pass from Karcher (kick failed)DEN 23–14
Q4DENPoole 1 yard run (Clendenen kick)DEN 30–14

[3]

Week 6

1 234Total
• Broncos 9 1007 26
Chiefs 7 730 17
  • Date: October 18
  • Location: Arrowhead Stadium
  • Referee: Jerry Markbreit
  • TV announcers (NBC): Don Criqui and Bob Trumpy

Week 7

1 234Total
Broncos 7 10010 27
• Vikings 7 7137 34

Week 8

1 234Total
Lions 0 000 0
• Broncos 17 7010 34
  • Date: November 1
  • Location: Mile High Stadium
  • Referee: Jerry Seeman
  • Television network: CBS

Week 9

1 234Total
Broncos 0 077 14
• Bills 0 1830 21
  • Date: November 8
  • Location:
    Rich Stadium
  • Referee: Dick Jorgensen
  • Television network: NBC

Week 10

1 234Total
Bears 14 0150 29
• Broncos 0 21010 31
  • Date: November 16
  • Location: Mile High Stadium
  • Referee: Red Cashion
  • TV announcers (ABC): Al Michaels, Frank Gifford, Dan Dierdorf

Week 11

1 234Total
• Broncos 10 1003 23
Raiders 0 1430 17
Scoring summary
Q1DENKarlis 49 yard field goalDEN 3–0
Q1DENJohnson 24 yard pass from Elway (Karlis kick)DEN 10–0
Q2DENKarlis 31 yard field goalDEN 13–0
Q2LAJackson 35 yard run (Bahr kick)DEN 13–7
Q2DENElway 1 yard run (Karlis kick)DEN 20–7
Q2LAJackson 1 yard run (Bahr kick)DEN 20–14
Q3LABahr 34 yard field goal passDEN 20–17
Q4DENKarlis 20 yard field goalDEN 23–17

Week 12

1 234Total
• Broncos 7 10140 31
Chargers 7 307 17
  • Date: November 29
  • Location:
    Jack Murphy Stadium
  • Referee: Gene Barth
  • TV announcers (NBC): Charlie Jones and Jimmy Cefalo

Week 13

1 234Total
Patriots 7 1030 20
• Broncos 0 31414 31
  • Date: December 6
  • Location: Mile High Stadium
  • Referee: Fred Silva
  • TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen
Scoring summary
Q1NEDupard 10 yard run (Franklin kick)NE 7–0
Q2DENKarlis 24 yard field goalNE 7–3
Q2NECollins 4 yard pass from Ramsey (Franklin kick)NE 14–3
Q2NEFranklin 36 yard field goalNE 17–3
Q3DENBoddie 1 yard run (Karlis kick)NE 17–10
Q3DENMassie 7 yard pass from Elway (Karlis kick)Tied 17–17
Q3NEFranklin 27 yard field goalNE 20–17
Q4DENJackson 2 yard pass from Elway (Karlis kick)DEN 24–20
Q4DENHaynes 14 yard interception return (Karlis kick)DEN 31–20

Week 14

1 234Total
Broncos 0 0147 21
• Seahawks 0 1477 28
  • Date: December 13
  • Location: Kingdome
  • Game weather: Indoors (dome)
  • Referee: Bob McElwee
  • Television network: ESPN
Scoring summary
Q25:50SEAWarner 3 yard run (Johnson kick)SEA 7–0
Q20:22SEAButler 35 yard pass from Krieg (Johnson kick)SEA 14–0
Q312:28DENWinder 11 yard run (Karlis kick)SEA 14–7
Q310:36DENMassie 39 yard pass from Elway (Karlis kick)Tied 14–14
Q39:30SEAButler 40 yard pass from Krieg (Johnson kick)SEA 21–14
Q412:39SEAWilliams 7 yard pass from Krieg (Johnson kick)SEA 28–14
Q40:25DENWinder 1 yard run (Karlis kick)SEA 28–21

Week 15

1 234Total
Chiefs 0 377 17
• Broncos 7 1030 20
  • Date: December 19
  • Location: Mile High Stadium

Week 16

1 234Total
Chargers 0 000 0
• Broncos 14 0010 24
  • Date: December 27
  • Location: Mile High Stadium
  • Referee: Fred Silva
  • TV announcers (NBC): Charlie Jones and Jimmy Cefalo
Scoring summary
Q1DENClark 71 yard punt returnDEN 7–0
Q1DENWinder 1 yard rush (Karlis kick)DEN 14–0
Q4DENKarlis 26 yard field goalDEN 17–0
Q4DENHunley 52 yard interception return (Karlis kick)DEN 24–0

Standings

AFC West
W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
Denver Broncos(1) 10 4 1 .700 7–1 8–3 379 288 W2
Seattle Seahawks(5) 9 6 0 .600 4–3 5–6 371 314 L1
San Diego Chargers 8 7 0 .533 3–4 6–7 253 317 L6
Los Angeles Raiders 5 10 0 .333 2–6 3–8 301 289 L3
Kansas City Chiefs 4 11 0 .267 3–5 3–9 273 388 W1

Playoffs

Main article: 1987–88 NFL playoffs
Round Date Opponent (seed) Result Record Venue Attendance
Divisional January 10, 1988 Houston Oilers (4) W 34–10 1–0 Mile High Stadium 75,968
AFC Championship January 17, 1988 Cleveland Browns (2) W 38–33 2–0 Mile High Stadium 75,993
Super Bowl XXII January 31, 1988 Washington Redskins (N3) L 10–42 2–1
Jack Murphy Stadium
 73,302

Divisional

1 234Total
Oilers 0 307 10
• Broncos 14 1037 34

Conference Championship

1 234Total
Browns 0 3219 33
• Broncos 14 7107 38
  • Date: January 17
  • Location: Mile High Stadium

Super Bowl

1 234Total
• Redskins 0 3507 42
Broncos 10 000 10
  • Date: January 31
  • Location:
    Jack Murphy Stadium

Awards and records

  • Ricky Nattiel, All-Rookie selection

References

  1. ^ Broncos Directory (PDF). NFL Enterprises, LLC. September 26, 2019. Retrieved March 29, 2021. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  2. ^ Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2014-Feb-02.
  3. ^ Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2014-Aug-25.
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