2015 Denver Broncos season

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NFL team season

2015 Denver Broncos season
Owner	The Pat Bowlen Trust
General manager	John Elway
Head coach	Gary Kubiak
Offensive coordinator	Rick Dennison
Defensive coordinator	Wade Phillips
Home field	Sports Authority Field at Mile High
Results
Record	12–4
Division place	1st AFC West
Playoff finish	Won Divisional Playoffs (vs. Steelers) 23–16 Won AFC Championship (vs. Patriots) 20–18 Won Super Bowl 50 (vs. Panthers) 24–10
Pro Bowlers	4 Selected but did not participate due to participation in Super Bowl 50: LB Von Miller LB DeMarcus Ware CB Chris Harris Jr. CB Aqib Talib
AP All-Pros	2 LB Von Miller CB Chris Harris Jr.
Uniform
← 2014 Broncos seasons 2016 →

The 2015 Denver Broncos season was the franchise's 46th season in the National Football League (NFL) and the 56th overall. It was also the fourth season with Peyton Manning as the team's starting quarterback, as well as the final season of Manning's 18-year NFL career.

After losing in the divisional round of the playoffs during three of the previous four seasons, the

zone blocking to blend in with Manning's shotgun passing style,^[1]

but struggled with numerous changes and injuries to the offensive line.

Manning missed six games due to a partial tear of the plantar fascia in his left foot and had his worst statistical season since his rookie year with the Indianapolis Colts in 1998.^[2] Backup quarterback Brock Osweiler filled in for Manning during the second half of the regular season, before Manning re-claimed the starting quarterback position prior to the team's postseason run. Under defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, the Broncos' defense ranked No. 1 in total yards, passing yards, average yards per rush and sacks, and like the previous three seasons, the team continued to set numerous individual, league and franchise records. The team's defense is widely considered to be among the greatest of all time, particularly due to the fact that it was pressured to aid a lackluster offense for most of the season.^[3] The team's defensive backfield, arguably the most dominant part of the defense, gave itself the nickname "No Fly Zone".^[4][5][6]

The Broncos clinched their fifth-consecutive

AFC Championship game. The Broncos then defeated the Carolina Panthers 24–10 in Super Bowl 50 to earn the franchise's third Super Bowl championship, and the first since winning back-to-back Super Bowls in 1997 and 1998.^[7]

As of 2024, this represents the most recent playoff appearance and AFC West title for the Broncos.

Coaching changes

Departures

On January 12, 2015, one day after the Broncos' 24–13 loss to the Indianapolis Colts in the divisional round of the 2014 playoffs, the Broncos and head coach John Fox decided to mutually part ways. Fox compiled a 49–22 record in four seasons (including the playoffs), led the Broncos to four consecutive AFC West division titles, a first-round bye in three consecutive seasons as well as a berth in Super Bowl XLVIII, but lost in the divisional round of the playoffs in three of his four seasons as head coach.^[8] Fox departed with a .719 winning percentage in his four seasons as head coach – the highest in franchise history.^[9] Four days later (January 16), Fox was hired as the new head coach of the Chicago Bears.^[10]

The following former Broncos' coaching assistants from 2014 were reunited with John Fox in Chicago: Defensive backs coach Sam Garnes, special teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers,^[11] defensive line coach Jay Rodgers,^[12] offensive coordinator Adam Gase,^[13] offensive line coach Dave Magazu, assistant special teams coordinator Derius Swinton II,^[14] assistant strength & conditioning coach Jason George^[15] and offensive quality control coach Bo Hardegree.^[16]

Defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio was hired as the new head coach of the Oakland Raiders,^[17] defensive backs coach Cory Undlin was hired to the same position with the Philadelphia Eagles^[18] and linebackers coach Richard Smith was hired to a senior defensive position with the Atlanta Falcons.^[19]

Additions

On January 18, 2015, the Broncos finalized a deal that made Kubiak the team's new head coach, and he was formally introduced at a press conference at the team's Dove Valley headquarters on January 20. Kubiak served as a backup quarterback to Broncos' executive vice president/general manager John Elway from 1983 to 1991, and also served as the Broncos' offensive coordinator from 1995 to 2005, before serving as the Houston Texans' head coach from 2006 to 2013. Kubiak served as the Baltimore Ravens' offensive coordinator in 2014.^[20]

The following eight coaching assistants were reunited with Kubiak:

Name	Position	Previous association with Gary Kubiak	Source
Tony Coaxum	Assistant special teams coordinator	Ravens' special teams intern, 2014	[21]
Joe DeCamillis	Special teams coordinator	Broncos' special teams coordinator, 1988–92	[22]
Rick Dennison	Offensive coordinator	Broncos' linebacker, 1982–90 Broncos' coaching assistant, 1995–2009 Texans' offensive coordinator, 2010–13 Ravens' quarterbacks coach, 2014	[11]
Reggie Herring	Linebackers coach	Texans' linebackers coach, 2011–13	[19]
Bill Kollar	Defensive line coach	Texans' defensive line coach, 2009–14	[23]
Marc Lubick	Assistant wide receivers coach	Texans' offensive coaching assistant, 2010–13	[24]
Brian Pariani	Tight ends coach	Broncos' tight ends coach, 1995–2004 Texans' tight ends coach, 2006–13 Ravens' tight ends coach, 2014	[11]
Wade Phillips	Defensive coordinator	Broncos' defensive coordinator, 1989–92 Texans' defensive coordinator, 2011–13	[25]

Other additions

Clancy Barone, who had served as the Broncos' tight ends coach since 2011, was moved to the offensive line coach position that he held in 2010.^[22] Joe Woods was hired as the defensive backs coach. Woods served in the same capacity with the Oakland Raiders in 2014.^[25] Fred Pagac was hired as the team's outside linebackers coach. He served as the Buffalo Bills' linebackers coach in 2014.^[21] Samson Brown was hired as the team's assistant defensive backs coach. Like Pagac, Brown also served on the Bills' staff in 2014.^[24]

Front office changes

• February 27: Jerry Butler, who served as the team's director of player development since 2011, was hired to the same position with the Chicago Bears. The Broncos declined to renew his contract following the 2014 season.^[26]
• May 14: Anthony Kelly was hired by the Chicago Bears to become their new director of pro personnel. Kelly was promoted to the Broncos' assistant director of pro personnel position in 2010. He would now head that department for the Bears, along with nine coaches who were with the Broncos in 2014.^[27]

Roster changes

Free agents

Position	Player	Tag	2015 Team	Notes
LS	Aaron Brewer	RFA	Denver Broncos	re-signed March 5[28]
S	Quinton Carter	UFA	None
CB	Tony Carter	RFA	None	assigned tender on March 9,[29] re-signed April 27,[30] released September 5[31]
OT	Paul Cornick	ERFA	None	assigned tender on March 6,[32] waived May 4[33]
G	Orlando Franklin	UFA	San Diego Chargers	signed with the Chargers on March 10[34]
G	Ben Garland	ERFA	Atlanta Falcons	assigned tender on March 6,[32] re-signed April 10,[35] waived September 5,[31] promoted from the Falcons' practice squad on December 15[36]
TE	Virgil Green	UFA	Denver Broncos	re-signed March 10[37]
LB	Nate Irving	UFA	Indianapolis Colts	signed with the Colts on March 20[38]
LB	Steven Johnson	UFA	Tennessee Titans	originally an RFA, re-signed March 10,[39] waived September 5,[31] claimed by the Titans on September 6[40]
DT	Terrance Knighton	UFA	Washington Redskins	signed with the Redskins on March 12[41]
LB	Brandon Marshall	ERFA	Denver Broncos	assigned tender on March 6,[32] re-signed April 13[42]
C	Will Montgomery	UFA	Chicago Bears	signed with the Bears on April 2[43]
S	Rahim Moore	UFA	Houston Texans	signed with the Texans on March 12[44]
TE	Jacob Tamme	UFA	Atlanta Falcons	signed with the Falcons on March 19[45]
WR	Demaryius Thomas	FT	Denver Broncos	assigned franchise tag on March 2,[46] re-signed July 15[47]
DT	Mitch Unrein	UFA	San Diego Chargers	signed with the Chargers on March 18[48]
WR/RS	Wes Welker	UFA	St. Louis Rams	signed with the Rams on November 9[49]

Signings

Position	Player	2014 Team	Notes
RB	Kapri Bibbs	Practice squad	promoted to the active roster on October 17,[50] waived October 19,[51] assigned to the practice squad on October 21[52]
C	Sam Brenner	Miami Dolphins	signed November 18[53]
S	Josh Bush	New York Jets/Denver Broncos	signed December 1[54]
FB	James Casey	Philadelphia Eagles	signed April 11,[55] released October 9[56]
TE	Owen Daniels	Baltimore Ravens	signed March 10[57]
TE/FB	Joe Don Duncan	None	signed March 10,[58] waived August 31[59]
C	James Ferentz	Houston Texans	signed September 6[40]
DE	Sione Fua	Cleveland Browns	signed August 6,[60] released September 5[31]
TE	Richard Gordon	Tennessee Titans Kansas City Chiefs	signed October 14,[61] released October 17,[50] re-signed October 19,[51] waived December 1[54]
OT	Matt Hall	Indianapolis Colts	signed August 10,[62] retired August 11[63]
OT	Ryan Harris	Kansas City Chiefs	signed May 28[64]
TE	Mitchell Henry	Green Bay Packers	signed September 6,[40] waived October 14[61]
TE	Marcel Jensen	Jacksonville Jaguars	signed May 12,[65] waived September 5[31]
S	Shiloh Keo	Houston Texans	signed December 9[66]
P	Spencer Lanning	Cleveland Browns	signed August 14,[67] waived August 31[59]
WR	Corbin Louks	None	signed August 3,[68] waived September 5[31]
G	Evan Mathis	Philadelphia Eagles	signed August 25[69]
TE	Jake Murphy	None	signed August 20,[70] waived August 31[59]
G	Robert Myers	Baltimore Ravens	signed off the Ravens' practice squad on December 30[71]
WR	Solomon Patton	Tampa Bay Buccaneers Arizona Cardinals	signed May 12,[65] waived August 28[72]
OT	Tyler Polumbus	Washington Redskins	signed October 1[73]
QB	Christian Ponder	Minnesota Vikings	signed November 25,[74] waived December 8[66]
S	Shaun Prater	Minnesota Vikings	signed December 22,[75] released December 29[76]
P	Karl Schmitz	None	signed March 12,[41] waived August 6[60]
DE	Antonio Smith	Oakland Raiders	signed April 2[77]
G	Shelley Smith	Miami Dolphins	signed March 13,[78] waived November 18[53]
S	Darian Stewart	Baltimore Ravens	signed March 13[79]
LB	Reggie Walker	San Diego Chargers	signed March 19,[80] released August 31[59]
DE	Vance Walker	Kansas City Chiefs	signed March 12[81]

Indicates that the player was a free agent at the end of his respective team's 2014 season.

Departures

Position	Player	Notes
RB	Montee Ball	released September 6[40]
PK	Connor Barth	released August 26[82]
RB	Jeremy Stewart	waived August 31[59]
DE	Quanterus Smith	waived April 28[83]

Trades

• April 1: The Broncos acquired center/guard Gino Gradkowski in a trade with the Baltimore Ravens that involved 2016 draft-pick considerations.^[84] Gradkowski was later released on September 6.^[40]
• August 31:
  Offensive tackle Chris Clark was traded to the Houston Texans in exchange for a 2016 seventh-round selection.^[85]
• November 2: The Broncos acquired tight end Vernon Davis in a trade with the San Francisco 49ers that involved 2016 and 2017 draft-pick considerations.^[86]

Draft

Main article: 2015 NFL draft

2015 Denver Broncos Draft

Round	Selection	Player	Position	College	Notes
1	23	Shane Ray	LB	Missouri	signed June 1[87]
2	59	Ty Sambrailo	OT	Colorado State	signed May 15,[88] placed on injured reserve November 2[89]
3	92	Jeff Heuerman	TE	Ohio State	injured during rookie minicamp,[90] signed June 4,[91] placed on injured reserve August 31[59]
4	133 *	Max Garcia	C	Florida	signed May 13[92]
5	164	Lorenzo Doss	CB	Tulane	signed May 14[93]
6	203	Darius Kilgo	NT	Maryland	signed May 13[92]
7	250 *	Trevor Siemian	QB	Northwestern	signed May 15[88]
	251 *	Taurean Nixon	CB	Tulane	signed May 15,[88] waived September 5,[31] assigned to the practice squad on September 6,[94] promoted to the active roster on January 19, 2016[95]
	252 *	Josh Furman	S	Oklahoma State	signed May 15,[88] waived September 5[31]

*	Compensatory selection[96]

Draft trades

Trade partner	Broncos give	Broncos receive	Source
Chicago Bears	2014 fourth- and seventh-round selections	2014 fifth-round selection 2015 fifth-round selection (No. 143 – later traded to the Detroit Lions)	[97]
Detroit Lions	Original 2015 first-round selection (No. 28) 2015 fifth-round selection (No. 143) 2016 fifth-round selection Guard/Center Manny Ramirez	2015 first-round selection (No. 23)	[98]
New York Giants	Original 2015 seventh-round selection (No. 245)	Placekicker Brandon McManus	[99]
San Francisco 49ers	Original 2015 fourth-round selection (No. 126) 2014 second- and fifth-round selections	2014 second- and seventh-round selections	[100]

Undrafted free agents

All

undrafted free agents were signed after the 2015 NFL draft concluded on May 2,^[101] unless noted otherwise. For the first time since 2003, the Broncos did not have at least one rookie free agent that made the Week 1 regular season roster.^[102]

2015 Denver Broncos undrafted free agents

Player	Position	College	Notes
LB	Zaire Anderson	Nebraska	waived September 5,[31] assigned to the practice squad on September 6[94]
G	Andre Davis	Buffalo	signed May 12,[65] waived August 31[59]
C	Dillon Day	Mississippi State	waived September 5,[31] assigned to the practice squad on September 6[94]
TE	Dan Light	Fordham	signed August 28,[72] waived September 1,[59] assigned to the practice squad on December 2[103]
WR	Matt Miller	Boise State	waived May 11[104]
NT	Chuka Ndulue	Oklahoma	waived September 5,[31] assigned to the practice squad on September 6[94]
WR	David Porter	Texas Christian	signed May 12,[65] waived August 10[62]
OT	Connor Rains	Wyoming	waived August 2[105]
OT	Kyle Roberts	Nevada	waived September 5,[31] assigned to the practice squad on September 7[106]
OT	Charles Sweeton	Tennessee-Martin	signed August 2,[105] waived September 5[31]
WR	Jordan Taylor	Rice	waived September 5,[31] assigned to the practice squad on September 6[94]
DE	Josh Watson	Clemson	waived September 5[31]

Suspensions

• July 24:
  performance-enhancing substances.^[107]
• September 3:
  league's personal conduct policy. The suspension was the result of a May 2014 incident in which Ward threw a mug at a female bartender inside a Denver strip club.^[108]
• November 9: Cornerback Aqib Talib was suspended for one game for an eye-gouging incident with Indianapolis Colts' tight end Dwayne Allen, during the Broncos' Week 9 loss to the Colts. Talib unsuccessfully appealed his suspension, and missed the team's Week 10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.^[109]

Injuries

• May 9: Tight end Jeff Heuerman, the team's third-round draft selection, suffered a ruptured ACL in his left knee during rookie minicamp. Though he signed his rookie contract on June 4,^[91] he was placed on the season-ending injured reserve on August 31.^[59]
• May 27:
  Offensive tackle Ryan Clady suffered a ruptured ACL in his left knee, during the Broncos' organized team activities (OTAs), and was placed on injured reserve two days later (May 29).^[64]
• August 1: Wide receiver Kyle Williams suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon during the second day of training camp,^[110] and was placed on injured reserve two days later (August 3).^[68]
• August 20: Defensive tackle Marvin Austin was placed on injured reserve due to a groin injury.^[70] He was later released from the injured reserve on October 27.^[111]
• October 18: Linebacker Shane Ray, the team's first-round draft selection, suffered a sprained MCL in his right knee, during the Broncos' Week 6 win over the Cleveland Browns,^[112] and missed the team's next two games.
• November 2: Offensive tackle Ty Sambrailo, the team's second-round draft selection, was placed on injured reserve on November 2, due to a shoulder injury that he sustained during the team's Week 3 win over the Detroit Lions.^[89]
• November 16: Wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders suffered a finger injury, as well as an ankle injury during the Broncos' Week 9 loss to the Indianapolis Colts,^[113] and missed the Broncos' Week 11 win over the Chicago Bears.
• November 25: Defensive end Kenny Anunike was placed on injured reserve, after undergoing knee surgery during the preseason. He was active for only three games during the season.^[74]
• November 29:
  Safety T. J. Ward suffered an ankle sprain during the Broncos' Week 12 win over the New England Patriots,^[114]
  and missed the team's next two games.
• December 6: Linebacker Danny Trevathan suffered a concussion during the Broncos' Week 13 win over the San Diego Chargers, and missed the Broncos' Week 14 loss to the Oakland Raiders.^[115][116]

Omar Bolden

Safety/return specialist Omar Bolden missed the last four games of the regular season due to a hamstring injury. He returned for the team's Divisional playoff win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on January 17, 2016, only to suffer a torn knee ligament on a non-contact play during the first quarter. Bolden was placed on injured reserve one day later (January 18), and missed the remainder of the Broncos' postseason run.^[95]

David Bruton

Safety David Bruton suffered a concussion during the Broncos' Week 13 win over the San Diego Chargers, and missed the Broncos' Week 14 loss to the Oakland Raiders.^[115][116] Bruton returned to action the following week, and initially thought he suffered a bruised fibula, after he collided with teammate T. J. Ward, during the Broncos' Week 15 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, it was later revealed that Bruton played the remainder of the game with his fibula fractured, and the team placed him on the season-ending injured reserve two days later (December 22).^[75]

DeMarcus Ware

Linebacker DeMarcus Ware was twice sidelined with back injuries. Ware initially suffered a back injury during the team's Week 5 win over the Oakland Raiders on October 11, and missed the team's next game at the Cleveland Browns.^[117] Ware re-aggravated the same back injury during the Broncos' Week 9 loss to the Indianapolis Colts,^[109] and missed the team's next five games.

Absence of Peyton Manning

On November 16, one day after quarterback Peyton Manning had one of the worst games of his career, media reports indicated that Manning had a partial tear of the plantar fascia in his left foot. The Denver Post indicated that Manning initially suffered the injury during the Broncos' Week 9 loss to the Indianapolis Colts during the previous week, though another report indicated that Manning had been dealing with the injury since training camp.^[118] Backup quarterback Brock Osweiler replaced Manning in the third quarter of the Broncos' Week 10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, and was announced as the starting quarterback, beginning with the Broncos' Week 11 game at the Chicago Bears.^[119] Following an ineffective performance by Osweiler during the first half of the team's Week 17 win over the San Diego Chargers, Manning made his return during the third quarter of that same game, and re-claimed the starting quarterback position for the playoffs.^[120]

Staff

2015 Denver Broncos staff

Front office Owner – The Pat Bowlen Trust President/chairman/CEO – Joe Ellis Executive vice president of football operations/general manager – John Elway Director of football administration – Mike Sullivan Director of player personnel – Matt Russell Director of pro personnel – Tom Heckert Jr. Assistant director of college scouting – Adam Peters Assistant director of pro personnel – A. J. Durso Head coaches Head coach – Gary Kubiak Offensive coaches Offensive coordinator – Rick Dennison Quarterbacks/passing game coordinator – Greg Knapp Running backs – Eric Studesville Wide receivers – Tyke Tolbert Assistant wide receivers – Marc Lubick Tight ends – Brian Pariani Offensive line – Clancy Barone Assistant offensive line – James Cregg Offensive assistant/quarterbacks – Brian Callahan

Defensive coaches Defensive coordinator – Wade Phillips Defensive line – Bill Kollar Linebackers – Reggie Herring Outside linebackers – Fred Pagac Defensive backs – Joe Woods Assistant defensive backs – Samson Brown Defensive assistant – Chris Beake Special teams coaches Special teams coordinator – Joe DeCamillis Assistant special teams – Tony Coaxum Strength and conditioning Strength and conditioning – Luke Richesson Assistant strength and conditioning – Mike Eubanks Assistant strength and conditioning – Anthony Lomando Assistant strength and conditioning – Dennis Love

Final roster

2015 Denver Broncos final roster

	Quarterbacks 18 Peyton Manning 17 Brock Osweiler 13 Trevor Siemian Running backs 22 C. J. Anderson 23 Ronnie Hillman 40 Juwan Thompson Wide receivers 12 Andre Caldwell 16 Bennie Fowler 14 Cody Latimer 11 Jordan Norwood 10 Emmanuel Sanders 88 Demaryius Thomas Tight ends 81 Owen Daniels 80 Vernon Davis 85 Virgil Green		Offensive linemen 67 Sam Brenner C 53 James Ferentz C 73 Max Garcia G 68 Ryan Harris T 69 Evan Mathis G 70 Robert Myers G 61 Matt Paradis C 76 Tyler Polumbus T 79 Michael Schofield T 65 Louis Vasquez G Defensive linemen 97 Malik Jackson DE 98 Darius Kilgo NT 90 Antonio Smith DE 96 Vance Walker DE 92 Sylvester Williams NT 95 Derek Wolfe DE		Linebackers 48 Shaquil Barrett OLB 51 Todd Davis ILB 54 Brandon Marshall ILB 55 Lerentee McCray OLB 58 Von Miller OLB 52 Corey Nelson ILB 56 Shane Ray OLB 59 Danny Trevathan ILB 94 DeMarcus Ware OLB Defensive backs 31 Omar Bolden CB 20 Josh Bush FS 37 Lorenzo Doss CB 25 Chris Harris Jr. CB 33 Shiloh Keo SS 29 Bradley Roby CB 26 Darian Stewart FS 21 Aqib Talib CB 43 T. J. Ward SS 36 Kayvon Webster CB Special teams 46 Aaron Brewer LS  4 Britton Colquitt P  8 Brandon McManus K		Reserve lists 91 IRTooltip Injured reserve) 30 IRTooltip Injured reserve) 78 IRTooltip Injured reserve) 82 IRTooltip Injured reserve) 74 IRTooltip Injured reserve) 15 IRTooltip Injured reserve) Practice squad 50 Zaire Anderson ILB 35 Kapri Bibbs RB 62 Dillon Day C 75 Cameron Jefferson T 84 Dan Light TE 32 Ryan Murphy SS 39 Taurean Nixon CB 66 Kyle Roberts T 87 Jordan Taylor WR 99 George Uko DE Rookies in italics 53 active, 6 inactive, 10 practice squad

Preseason

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Recap
1	August 14	at Seattle Seahawks	W 22–20	1–0	CenturyLink Field	Recap
2	August 22	at Houston Texans	W 14–10	2–0	NRG Stadium	Recap
3	August 29	San Francisco 49ers	W 19–12	3–0	Sports Authority Field at Mile High	Recap
4	September 3	Arizona Cardinals	L 20–22	3–1	Sports Authority Field at Mile High	Recap

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Recap
1	September 13	Baltimore Ravens	W 19–13	1–0	Sports Authority Field at Mile High	Recap
2	September 17	at Kansas City Chiefs	W 31–24	2–0	Arrowhead Stadium	Recap
3	September 27	at Detroit Lions	W 24–12	3–0	Ford Field	Recap
4	October 4	Minnesota Vikings	W 23–20	4–0	Sports Authority Field at Mile High	Recap
5	October 11	at Oakland Raiders	W 16–10	5–0	O.co Coliseum	Recap
6	October 18	at Cleveland Browns	W 26–23 (OT)	6–0	FirstEnergy Stadium	Recap
7	Bye
8	November 1	Green Bay Packers	W 29–10	7–0	Sports Authority Field at Mile High	Recap
9	November 8	at Indianapolis Colts	L 24–27	7–1	Lucas Oil Stadium	Recap
10	November 15	Kansas City Chiefs	L 13–29	7–2	Sports Authority Field at Mile High	Recap
11	November 22	at Chicago Bears	W 17–15	8–2	Soldier Field	Recap
12	November 29	New England Patriots	W 30–24 (OT)	9–2	Sports Authority Field at Mile High	Recap
13	December 6	at San Diego Chargers	W 17–3	10–2	Qualcomm Stadium	Recap
14	December 13	Oakland Raiders	L 12–15	10–3	Sports Authority Field at Mile High	Recap
15	December 20	at Pittsburgh Steelers	L 27–34	10–4	Heinz Field	Recap
16	December 28	Cincinnati Bengals	W 20–17 (OT)	11–4	Sports Authority Field at Mile High	Recap
17	January 3	San Diego Chargers	W 27–20	12–4	Sports Authority Field at Mile High	Recap

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1: vs. Baltimore Ravens

Week One: Baltimore Ravens at Denver Broncos – Game summary

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Ravens	0	3	10	0	13
Broncos	6	3	7	3	19

at

Denver, Colorado

• Date: September 13
• Game time: 2:25 p.m. MDT
• Game weather: 88 °F (31 °C), partly sunny
• Game attendance: 76,798
• Referee: Gene Steratore
• TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz, Phil Simms and Tracy Wolfson
• Recap, Gamebook

Game information

First quarter DEN – 5:16 Brandon McManus 57-yard FG. Drive: 15 plays, 48 yards, 6:17. (DEN 3–0) DEN – 1:26 Brandon McManus 56-yard FG. Drive: 6 plays, 15 yards, 2:09. (DEN 6–0) Second quarter BAL – 6:42 Justin Tucker 52-yard FG. Drive: 8 plays, 31 yards, 4:14. (DEN 6–3) DEN – 0:09 Brandon McManus 43-yard FG. Drive: 7 plays, 30 yards, 1:04. (DEN 9–3) Third quarter BAL – 14:04 Jimmy Smith 24-yard interception return for a TD, Justin Tucker kick. (BAL 10–9) BAL – 9:33 Justin Tucker 44-yard FG. Drive: 8 plays, 35 yards, 2:51. (BAL 13–9) DEN – 0:10 Aqib Talib 51-yard interception return for a TD, Brandon McManus kick. (DEN 16–13) Fourth quarter DEN – 2:55 Brandon McManus 33-yard FG. Drive: 17 plays, 81 yards, 10:56. (DEN 19–13) Top passers BAL – Joe Flacco: 18/32, 117 yards, 2 INT DEN – Peyton Manning: 24/40, 175 yards, 1 INT Top rushers BAL – Justin Forsett: 14 rushes, 43 yards DEN – Ronnie Hillman: 12 rushes, 41 yards Top receivers BAL – Marlon Brown: 2 receptions, 25 yards DEN – Emmanuel Sanders: 8 receptions, 65 yards Top tacklers BAL – Jimmy Smith: 8 tackles, 1 interception DEN – Danny Trevathan and Brandon Marshall: 6 tackles each (3 assists by Trevathan, 1 assist by Marshall)

The Broncos kicked off the

Crockett Gilmore was intercepted by safety Darian Stewart in the end zone, sealing the Broncos' fourth consecutive Week 1 victory.^[121]

Notes

This marked the first time since September 17, 2006, that the Broncos won a game without scoring an offensive touchdown. Peyton Manning failed to throw a touchdown pass in a season opener for the first time since 2003.^[121]

Week 2: at Kansas City Chiefs

Week Two: Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Broncos	0	14	3	14	31
Chiefs	0	14	3	7	24

at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

• Date: September 17
• Game time: 7:25 p.m.
  CDT/6:25 pm. MDT
• Game weather: 87 °F (31 °C), cloudy
• Game attendance: 76,404
• Referee: Walt Anderson
• TV announcers (CBS/NFLN): Jim Nantz, Phil Simms and Tracy Wolfson
• Recap, Gamebook

Game information

First quarter No scoring plays Second quarter KC – 9:11 Jamaal Charles 34-yard TD run, Cairo Santos kick. Drive: 6 plays, 78 yards, 3:23. (KC 7–0) KC – 6:27 Marcus Peters 55-yard interception return for a TD, Cairo Santos kick. (KC 14–0) DEN – 2:31 Emmanuel Sanders 16-yard TD pass from Peyton Manning, Brandon McManus kick. Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 3:56. (KC 14–7) DEN – 0:48 Virgil Green 1-yard TD pass from Peyton Manning, Brandon McManus kick. Drive: 4 plays, 15 yards, 1:33. (tied 14–14) Third quarter KC – 9:47 Cairo Santos 35-yard FG. Drive: 10 plays, 63 yards, 5:13. (KC 17–14) DEN – 3:18 Brandon McManus 54-yard FG. Drive: 5 plays, 22 yards, 1:42. (tied 17–17) Fourth quarter KC – 2:27 Knile Davis 8-yard TD run, Cairo Santos kick. Drive: 6 plays, 61 yards, 2:15. (KC 24–17) DEN – 0:36 Emmanuel Sanders 19-yard TD pass from Peyton Manning, Brandon McManus kick. Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 1:51. (tied 24–24) DEN – 0:27 Bradley Roby 21-yard fumble return for a TD, Brandon McManus kick. (DEN 31–24) Top passers DEN – Peyton Manning: 26/45, 256 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT KC – Alex Smith: 16/25, 191 yards, 2 INT Top rushers DEN – Ronnie Hillman: 9 rushes, 34 yards KC – Jamaal Charles: 21 rushes, 125 yards, 1 TD Top receivers DEN – Demaryius Thomas: 8 receptions, 116 yards KC – Travis Kelce: 4 receptions, 58 yards Top tacklers DEN – Danny Trevathan: 7 tackles KC – Jaye Howard: 7 tackles

Coming off their hard-fought win over the Ravens, the Broncos traveled to Arrowhead Stadium for an AFC West duel with the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday Night Football. There was no scoring in the first quarter, which included cornerback David Bruton forcing a fumble off Chiefs' running back Jamaal Charles at the Broncos' 6-yard line. The Chiefs grabbed the lead early in the second quarter, with Charles rushing for a 34-yard touchdown, then added to their lead, when cornerback Marcus Peters returned an interception off Broncos' quarterback Peyton Manning 55 yards for a touchdown. The Broncos responded with two touchdown passes by Manning – a 16-yarder to wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders followed by a 1-yard juggling touchdown catch by tight end Virgil Green just before halftime. The latter scoring play came after Chiefs' quarterback Alex Smith was intercepted by cornerback Aqib Talib deep in Chiefs' territory. That was Talib's 2nd pick in as many weeks.^[122]

The two teams exchanged field goals in the third quarter – a 35-yarder by Chiefs' placekicker

Chris Harris, Jr. at the Broncos' 10-yard line with 6:40 remaining. However, the Broncos went three-and-out, and were forced to punt. The Chiefs took a 24–17 lead six plays later, with running back Knile Davis rushing for an 8-yard touchdown with 2:27 left in the game. Manning then engineered a 10-play, 80-yard drive, culminating in a 19-yard touchdown pass to Sanders with 36 seconds left. The game appeared to be headed to overtime, however, on the initial play of the Chiefs' ensuing possession, Broncos' linebacker Brandon Marshall forced a fumble off Charles deep in Chiefs' territory, and cornerback Bradley Roby returned the fumble 21 yards for a touchdown with 27 seconds in the game. The Broncos' defense subdued the Chiefs' last drive.^[122]

This was the last time the Broncos beat the Chiefs until Week 8 of the 2023 season.

Week 3: at Detroit Lions

Week Three: Denver Broncos at Detroit Lions – Game summary

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Broncos	0	14	0	10	24
Lions	0	6	6	0	12

at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan

• Date: September 27
• Game time: 8:30 p.m.
  EDT/6:30 pm. MDT
• Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
• Game attendance: 62,920
• Referee: Jeff Triplette
• TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Michele Tafoya
• Recap, Gamebook

Game information

First quarter No scoring plays Second quarter DEN – 4:54 Ronnie Hillman 1-yard TD run, Brandon McManus kick. Drive: 12 plays, 80 yards, 6:25. (DEN 7–0) DET – 1:03 Joique Bell 1-yard TD run, extra point blocked. Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 3:51. (DEN 7–6) DEN – 0:05 Demaryius Thomas 45-yard TD pass from Peyton Manning, Brandon McManus kick. Drive: 7 plays, 80 yards, 0:58. (DEN 14–6) Third quarter DET – 10:51 Ameer Abdullah 16-yard TD pass from Matthew Stafford, two-point run failed. Drive: 4 plays, 29 yards, 2:09. (DEN 14–12) Fourth quarter DEN – 7:50 Brandon McManus 48-yard FG. Drive: 5 plays, 19 yards, 2:22. (DEN 17–12) DEN – 2:28 Owen Daniels 11-yard TD pass from Peyton Manning, Brandon McManus kick. Drive: 5 plays, 51 yards, 1:09. (DEN 24–12) Top passers DEN – Peyton Manning: 31/42, 324 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT DET – Matthew Stafford: 31/45, 282 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT Top rushers DEN – C. J. Anderson: 8 rushes, 18 yards DET – Ameer Abdullah: 8 rushes, 23 yards, 1 receiving TD Top receivers DEN – Demaryius Thomas: 9 receptions, 92 yards, 1 TD DET – Calvin Johnson: 8 receptions, 77 yards Top tacklers DEN – Brandon Marshall: 10 tackles, 2 assists DET – Stephen Tulloch: 7 tackles, 4 assists

Coming off their comeback win over the Chiefs, the undefeated Broncos traveled to Ford Field to face the winless Detroit Lions on Sunday Night Football. After a scoreless first quarter, the Broncos grabbed the lead late in the second quarter, with running back Ronnie Hillman rushing for a 1-yard touchdown. With 1:07 remaining before halftime, the Lions countered, with a 1-yard touchdown run by running back Joique Bell. It was initially ruled as a fumble, but after review, it was reversed to a touchdown as a result of Bell breaking the plane of the goal line. However, Broncos' cornerback Aqib Talib blocked the extra point attempt by placekicker Matt Prater, leaving the score at 7–6. In the closing seconds of the first half, the Broncos responded, with quarterback Peyton Manning connecting on a 45-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas on a 4th-and-1.^[123]

Following a questionable fumble by Thomas on the Broncos' opening possession of the second half, Lions' quarterback Matthew Stafford threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to running back Ameer Abdullah. However, the Broncos' defense denied a two-point conversion attempt by Bell that would have tied the game. Each team alternated punts through the next five possessions, until Broncos' linebacker Shaquil Barrett forced a fumble off Stafford near midfield. However, the Broncos had to settle for a 48-yard field goal by placekicker Brandon McManus at the 7:55 mark of the fourth quarter. The Lions were attempting to grab their first lead of the game, however, on the eighth play of the drive, Stafford was intercepted by Broncos' safety David Bruton. Five plays later, the Broncos expanded their lead, with Manning throwing an 11-yard touchdown pass to tight end Owen Daniels just before the two-minute warning to put the game out of reach. That was Daniels' first touchdown as a Bronco. Without any timeouts, the Lions advanced to as far as the Broncos' 15-yard line with 34 seconds remaining, but turned the football over on downs.^[123]

Week 4: vs. Minnesota Vikings

Week Four: Minnesota Vikings at Denver Broncos – Game summary

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Vikings	0	10	0	10	20
Broncos	3	10	7	3	23

at Sports Authority Field at Mile High, Denver, Colorado

• Date: October 4
• Game time: 2:25 pm. MDT
• Game weather: 60 °F (16 °C), cloudy
• Game attendance: 77,029
• Referee: Walt Coleman
• TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Burkhardt, John Lynch and Pam Oliver
• Recap, Gamebook

Game information

First quarter DEN – 8:16 Brandon McManus 33-yard FG. Drive: 7 plays, 48 yards, 3:05. (DEN 3–0) Second quarter DEN – 11:24 Ronnie Hillman 72-yard TD run, Brandon McManus kick. Drive: 1 play, 72 yards, 0:11. (DEN 10–0) DEN – 5:57 Brandon McManus 47-yard FG. Drive: 6 plays, 28 yards, 3:47. (DEN 13–0) MIN – 1:39 Blair Walsh 38-yard FG. Drive: 13 plays, 60 yards, 4:18. (DEN 13–3) MIN – 0:12 Mike Wallace 4-yard TD pass from Teddy Bridgewater, Blair Walsh kick. Drive: 2 plays, 27 yards, 0:11. (DEN 13–10) Third quarter DEN – 11:10 Owen Daniels 1-yard TD pass from Peyton Manning, Brandon McManus kick. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 3:50. (DEN 20–10) Fourth quarter MIN – 10:01 Adrian Peterson 48-yard TD run, Blair Walsh kick. Drive: 9 plays, 97 yards, 4:48. (DEN 20–17) MIN – 5:11 Blair Walsh 33-yard FG. Drive: 7 plays, 38 yards, 3:56. (tied 20–20) DEN – 1:51 Brandon McManus 39-yard FG. Drive: 9 plays, 55 yards, 3:20. (DEN 23–20) Top passers MIN – Teddy Bridgewater: 27/41, 269 yards, 1 TD DEN – Peyton Manning: 17/27, 213 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT Top rushers MIN – Adrian Peterson: 16 rushes, 81 yards, 1 TD DEN – Ronnie Hillman: 11 rushes, 103 yards, 1 TD Top receivers MIN – Stefon Diggs: 6 receptions, 87 yards DEN – Demaryius Thomas: 9 receptions, 93 yards Top tacklers MIN – Anthony Barr: 5 tackles, 1 assist, 1 interception DEN – Chris Harris, Jr. and T. J. Ward : 6 tackles each (3 assists by Marshall, 2 assists by Harris, 1 forced fumble by Ward)

Coming off their Sunday Night win over the Lions, the Broncos returned home for an interconference game vs. the Minnesota Vikings, the Broncos' only home game within a six-week span. The Broncos jumped out to a 13–0 lead, consisting of a 33-yard field goal by place kicker Brandon McManus, followed in the second quarter by a 72-yard touchdown run by running back Ronnie Hillman and another field goal by McManus – from 47 yards out. The Vikings got on the scoreboard just after the two-minute warning, with a 38-yard field goal by placekicker Blair Walsh. The Broncos were attempting to add to their lead on the Vikings' side of the field, however, quarterback Peyton Manning was intercepted by Vikings' linebacker Anthony Barr, who returned the football to the Broncos' 27-yard line. Two plays later, the Vikings narrowed the Broncos' lead, with quarterback Teddy Bridgewater finding wide receiver Mike Wallace alone in the end zone for a 4-yard touchdown just before halftime.^[124]

The Broncos took the opening possession of the second half, and added to their lead, with a 1-yard touchdown pass from Manning to tight end Owen Daniels on a 4th-and-goal. Each team alternated punts on the next four possessions, until Vikings' running back Adrian Peterson went untouched for a 48-yard touchdown on a 4th-and-1, with 10:09 remaining in the fourth quarter. Two plays into the Broncos' next possession, Manning was intercepted by safety Harrison Smith, and nine plays later, the Vikings pulled even at 20–20, with a 33-yard field goal by Walsh. The Broncos took a 23–20 lead two plays after the two-minute warning, with a 39-yard field goal by McManus. The Vikings had one last possession with 1:51 remaining in the game, however, on the sixth play of their final drive, Broncos' safety T. J. Ward forced a fumble off Bridgewater at the Vikings' 42-yard line, and linebacker Von Miller recovered the game-clinching fumble.^[124]

Week 5: at Oakland Raiders

Week Five: Denver Broncos at Oakland Raiders – Game summary

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Broncos	0	3	6	7	16
Raiders	0	7	0	3	10

at

O.co Coliseum, Oakland, California

• Date: October 11
• Game time: 2:25 pm. MDT/1:25 p.m.
  PDT
• Game weather: 72 °F (22 °C), sunny
• Game attendance: 54,500
• Referee: John Hussey
• TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel, Trent Green and Jamie Erdahl
• Recap, Gamebook

Game information

First quarter No scoring plays Second quarter DEN – 14:19 Brandon McManus 25-yard FG. Drive: 8 plays, 65 yards, 3:24. (DEN 3–0) OAK – 9:37 Derek Carr, Sebastian Janikowski kick. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 4:42. (OAK 7–3) Third quarter DEN – 11:25 Brandon McManus 20-yard FG. Drive: 5 plays, 14 yards, 1:56. (OAK 7–6) DEN – 6:29 Brandon McManus 52-yard FG. Drive: 6 plays, 43 yards, 3:20. (DEN 9–7) Fourth quarter DEN – 6:53 Chris Harris, Jr. 74-yard interception return for a TD, Brandon McManus kick. (DEN 16–7) OAK – 1:40 Sebastian Janikowski 50-yard FG. Drive: 1 play, 48 yards, 0:12. (DEN 16–10) Top passers DEN – Peyton Manning: 22/35, 266 yards, 2 INT OAK – Derek Carr: 26/39, 249 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Top rushers DEN – C. J. Anderson: 11 rushes, 22 yards OAK – Latavius Murray: 13 rushes, 39 yards Top receivers DEN – Emmanuel Sanders: 9 receptions, 111 yards OAK – Michael Crabtree: 4 receptions, 54 yards Top tacklers DEN – Danny Trevathan and Brandon Marshall: 7 tackles each (3 assists by Trevathan, 1 assist by Marshall) OAK – D. J. Hayden and Neiko Thorpe: 5 tackles each

With 2:38 remaining in the game, the Broncos' defense denied a 4th-and-long pass completion from Carr to Reece near midfield. However, the Broncos were unable to earn a game-clinching first down just before the two-minute warning, which forced the Raiders to burn two of their three team timeouts. On the very next play, a defensive pass interference penalty on Broncos' cornerback Bradley Roby while defending a pass from Carr to wide receiver Amari Cooper moved the football to the Broncos' 32-yard line. With only one timeout remaining, the Raiders decided to send Janikowski onto the field for a 50-yard field goal to pull the Raiders to within 16–10 with 1:45 remaining in the game. The Raiders' onside kick attempt was unsuccessful, and were forced to use their last timeout on the Broncos' first play from scrimmage. Running back C. J. Anderson gained only two yards on three running plays. With eight seconds remaining, Cooper received a punt near the goal line, but the Broncos' defensive special teams subdued the Raiders' last desperation play of the game.^[125]

Notes

The Broncos earned their eighth consecutive win over the Raiders, the Broncos' longest winning streak over the Raiders in franchise history,^[126] a streak that the Raiders would snap later in the season, during the teams' Week 14 rematch in Denver.

Week 6: at Cleveland Browns

Coming off five hard-fought victories, the Broncos traveled to

An 11-yard touchdown pass from McCown to tight end Gary Barnidge got the Browns on the scoreboard on the initial possession of the second half. Later in the third quarter, Broncos' linebacker Shaquil Barrett forced a sack and fumble recovery off McCown on the Browns' side of the field, however, the Broncos had to settle on a 25-yard field goal by McManus. Another field goal by McManus – a 39-yarder early in the fourth quarter, increased the Broncos' lead to 16–7. The Browns responded, with another touchdown pass from McCown to Barnidge – from 14 yards out. On the third play of the Broncos' next drive, a short pass from quarterback Peyton Manning intended for running back Ronnie Hillman was bobbled by Hillman and Browns' linebacker Karlos Dansby intercepted the pass and scampered down the sideline 35 yards for a touchdown. The Broncos' defense denied a two-point conversion pass from McCown to wide receiver Travis Benjamin – even after an offsides penalty on Talib that moved the conversion attempt to the 1-yard line, leaving the Browns with a 20–16 lead.^[127]

On the very first play of the Broncos' next drive, Manning threw a 75-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders to give the Broncos a 23–20 lead with 8:02 remaining in the game. Both teams were forced to punt on their next offensive possessions. With 4:51 remaining, the Browns took possession at their own 40-yard line and were hoping for a go-ahead touchdown after forcing the Broncos to use all three of their team timeouts, but were forced to settle on a game-tying 26-yard field goal by placekicker Travis Coons with 1:41 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Broncos then went three-and-out, and punted the football back to the Browns to their own 40-yard line. The Browns reached the Broncos' 46-yard line in two plays. On the third play, McCown was intercepted by Broncos' safety David Bruton at the Broncos' 30-yard line, giving the Broncos one last possession before the end of regulation. However, they were only able to advance 13 yards, sending the game to overtime.^[127]

The Broncos' won the overtime coin toss, but on the fourth play of the initial possession, Manning threw his third interception of the game – this one to Browns' linebacker Barkevious Mingo, who advanced to the Broncos' 39 yards, giving the Browns a chance of a winning field goal. However, the Broncos' defense pushed the Browns' offense back 13 yards in three plays and out of field goal range. After return specialist Jordan Norwood nearly muffed a punt at the Broncos' 12-yard line at the 11:38 mark of overtime, the Broncos assembled a 13-play, 72-yard drive, and with 4:56 left, McManus kicked the game-winning 34-yard field goal.^[127]

Notes

The Broncos won their 11th consecutive game against the Browns, dating back to the 1991 season – a streak in which the Browns snapped during the 2018 season. The Broncos improved their all-time series record against the Browns to 23–5 (including the playoffs).^[128]

Week 8: vs. Green Bay Packers

Coming off their bye week, the Broncos played host to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday Night Football, with both teams entering the game with 6–0 records. The Broncos jumped out to a 17–0 lead, consisting of a pair of touchdown runs by running back Ronnie Hillman – a 1-yarder in the first quarter and a 15-yarder in the second quarter, followed by a 50-yard field goal by placekicker Brandon McManus. The Packers got on the scoreboard late in the second quarter, with running back Eddie Lacy rushing for a 2-yard touchdown. The Packers narrowed the Broncos' lead to 17–10 on the initial possession of the second half, with a 56-yard field goal by placekicker Mason Crosby. The Broncos' defense then held the Packers scoreless for the remainder of the game, and their offense added to their lead, with running back C. J. Anderson rushing for a 28-yard touchdown, followed in the fourth quarter by a 24-yard field goal by McManus. Later, linebacker DeMarcus Ware forced a sack and fumble off Packers' quarterback Aaron Rodgers, resulting in a safety that put the game out of reach.^[129]

Notes

Owner Pat Bowlen was inducted into the Broncos' Ring of Fame during halftime.^[129] Due to his battle with Alzheimer's disease, Bowlen relinquished control of the team to team president Joe Ellis and executive vice president/general manager John Elway prior to the start of the 2014 season.^[130] The Broncos' defense limited Aaron Rodgers to just 77 yards passing – the lowest of Rodgers' career in a game where he wasn't knocked out by injury.^[131] The Broncos started 7–0 for only the second time in franchise history, the other time was in 1998, when they started 13–0 and won Super Bowl XXXIII.^[129] This was the first of two games in which the Broncos wore their alternate navy blue jerseys – the other game was Week 14 vs. the Oakland Raiders.^[132]

Week 9: at Indianapolis Colts

Coming off their dominating win over the previously unbeaten Packers, the Broncos traveled to Lucas Oil Stadium to face the Indianapolis Colts. A 7-yard touchdown run by running back Frank Gore in the first quarter, followed in the second quarter by a 43-yard field goal by placekicker Adam Vinatieri and a 3-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Andrew Luck to tight end Jack Doyle gave the Colts a 17–0 lead. The latter scoring play occurred after Broncos' quarterback Peyton Manning was intercepted by Colts' safety Mike Adams. The Broncos got on the scoreboard in the closing seconds of the first half, with return specialist Omar Bolden returning a punt 83 yards for a touchdown. The Broncos narrowed the gap on their initial possession of the second half, with Manning throwing a 64-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, then tied the game, with a 29-yard field goal by placekicker Brandon McManus. The Colts re-claimed the lead early in the fourth quarter, with an 8-yard touchdown pass from Luck to running back Ahmad Bradshaw. The Broncos responded, with a 1-yard touchdown pass from Manning to tight end Owen Daniels, in what was the final regular-season touchdown pass of Manning's career. Another field goal by Vinatieri – from 55 yards out, gave the Colts a 27–24 lead with 6:18 remaining in the game. On the Broncos' first play of their next possession, Manning was intercepted by Colts' cornerback Darius Butler. The Colts' offense forced the Broncos to use all of their timeouts, and with 28 seconds remaining, Vinatieri kicked a 23-yard field goal. However, the Colts decided not to take the points due to a defensive holding penalty on Broncos' linebacker Danny Trevathan, which enabled Luck to end the game on a quarterback kneel.^[133]

Week 10: vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Hoping to rebound from their first loss of the season, the Broncos returned home for an

Hoping to rebound from back-to-back losses, the Broncos traveled to Soldier Field to face the Chicago Bears. It was the first start for quarterback Brock Osweiler, substituting for the injured Peyton Manning. The Broncos grabbed the lead on their initial possession, when Osweiler, playing on his 25th birthday, connected with wide receiver Demaryius Thomas on a 48-yard touchdown pass. The Bears got on the scoreboard in the second quarter, with two field goals by placekicker Robbie Gould – from 46 and 37 yards out. The Broncos increased their lead to 10–6, with a 24-yard field goal by placekicker Brandon McManus as time expired in the second half. Midway through the third quarter, Broncos' linebacker Danny Trevathan intercepted a pass by Bears' quarterback Jay Cutler deep in Bears' territory. Six plays later, the Broncos were attempting to add to their lead on a 4th-and-goal, however, the Bears' defense prevailed after running back Ronnie Hillman was inadvertently tripped by Owseiler on the hand off at the 2-yard line. The Bears then marched down the field, and another 37-yard field goal by Gould narrowed the Broncos' lead to 10–9 near the end of the third quarter.^[135]

The Broncos then increased their lead to 17–9 early in the fourth quarter, when Osweiler fired a 10-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver

This was the first game this season in which the Broncos' offense did not commit any turnovers.[135] This was Bears' head coach John Fox's first game against the Broncos since mutually parting ways with the Broncos following the end of the 2014 season. It also marked Jay Cutler's first game against the Broncos, who drafted Cutler in the first round of the 2006 draft before he was traded to the Bears prior to the 2009 season. Cutler did not play when the Broncos and Bears last faced each in other in 2011 due to a thumb injury.^[136]

Week 12: vs. New England Patriots

Coming off their win over the Bears, the Broncos returned home for an AFC duel with the New England Patriots on NBC's Sunday Night Football, on a snowy night in Denver. The Patriots, who entered the game with a 10–0 record, jumped out to a 14–0 lead, with quarterback Tom Brady tossing two touchdown passes – a 23-yarder to tight end Rob Gronkowski, followed in the second quarter by a 10-yarder to tight end Scott Chandler. The latter score occurred after Broncos' quarterback Brock Osweiler had a pass deflected and intercepted deep in Broncos' territory. The Broncos got on the scoreboard just before the two-minute warning, with running back Ronnie Hillman rushing for a 19-yard touchdown.^[137]

The Broncos had a chance to cut into the Patriots' lead on their first possession of the second half, however, placekicker Brandon McManus missed wide-right on a 47-yard field goal attempt. Each team proceeded to trade punts on their next two offensive possessions, until Brady connected with wide receiver Brandon Bolden on a 63-yard touchdown pass at the beginning of the fourth quarter to give the Patriots a 21–7 lead. The Broncos' offense went three-and-out, and were forced to punt. However, Patriots' return specialist Chris Harper muffed the punt, which was recovered by Shaquil Barrett at the Patriots' 36-yard line, giving the Broncos new life. Four plays later, the Broncos pulled to within a one-touchdown deficit, with a 15-yard touchdown run by running back C. J. Anderson. The Broncos' defense forced a punt on the Patriots' next possession, which was aided by an offensive holding penalty on guard Tre' Jackson that nullified a 51-yard pass completion from Brady to wide receiver Keshawn Martin on a third-and-long play. The Broncos then marched down the field, but had to settle for a 21-yard field goal by McManus to pull to within 21–17 with 6:12 remaining in the fourth quarter. The two teams traded punts on their next possessions, and with 2:39 remaining and no timeouts, the Broncos forced a Patriots' punt. The Broncos marched down the field and were facing a 2nd-and-goal from the Patriots' 7-yard line, when Osweiler was sacked for an eight-yard loss. However, the sack was nullified by a defensive holding penalty on Patriots' safety Patrick Chung. On the very next play, the Broncos grabbed their first lead of the game, when Osweiler connected with wide receiver Andre Caldwell on a 4-yard touchdown with 1:15 remaining in the fourth quarter.^[137]

The Patriots were not done yet, as Brady engineered a 5-play, 51-yard drive, which culminated with placekicker Stephen Gostkowski kicking a game-tying 47-yard field goal as time expired, sending the game to overtime. The Patriots won the overtime coin toss, but their offense went three-and-out. Following a Patriots' punt, the Broncos started their first overtime drive at their own 43-yard line, and three plays later, Anderson scampered down the sideline for a game-winning 48-yard touchdown run.^[137]

Week 13: at San Diego Chargers

Coming off their overtime win over the Patriots, the Broncos traveled to

Coming off their win over the Chargers, the Broncos returned home for an AFC West rematch against the Oakland Raiders. In the first half, the Broncos' defense held the Raiders' offense to –12 net yards of offense, and the Broncos' offense dominated the time of possession by a nearly 3–1 margin, but had to settle for four field goals by placekicker Brandon McManus – from 41 and 35 yards in the first quarter, and 29 and 20 yards in the second quarter. The latter field goal occurred after wide receiver Demaryius Thomas dropped a crucial pass in the end zone from quarterback Brock Osweiler with only four seconds before halftime.^[139]

The Raiders got on the scoreboard on the initial possession of the second half, with quarterback

The Broncos wore their alternate navy blue jerseys for this game.[132]

Week 15: at Pittsburgh Steelers

Hoping to rebound from their loss to the Raiders, the Broncos traveled to

Midway through the third quarter, Roethlisberger connected with wide receiver Antonio Brown on a 9-yard touchdown. Later in the third quarter, Broncos' return specialist Jordan Norwood returned a punt 71 yards for a touchdown; however, the touchdown was nullified by an illegal substitution penalty. Following a Broncos' three-and-out, the Steelers tied the game early in the fourth quarter, with Roethlisberger throwing a 9-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Markus Wheaton. Each team proceeded to trade punt on their next two possessions, and with just over five minutes remaining, Osweiler was intercepted by Steelers' linebacker Ryan Shazier at the Broncos' 37-yard line, and three plays later, the Steelers re-claimed the lead, with a 23-yard touchdown pass from Roethlisberger to Brown. The Broncos then marched down to the Steelers' 36-yard line with 2:17 remaining, but turned the football over on downs. Just before the two-minute warning, the Steelers were attempting to run out the clock, however, Roethlisberger chose to pass the football, and was intercepted by linebacker Brandon Marshall just before the two-minute warning, giving the Broncos one last possession. However, Osweiler threw four straight incompletions, and the Steelers ran out the clock.^[140]

Week 16: vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Hoping to avoid their first three-game losing streak since 2011, the Broncos played host to the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football. The Bengals dominated the first half time of possession by more than a 2–1 margin. The Bengals took the opening possession of the game and marched down the field, with quarterback A. J. McCarron, playing in place of the injured Andy Dalton, throwing a 5-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver A. J. Green in the corner of the end zone. The Bengals later added to their lead in the second quarter, with wide receiver Mohamed Sanu rushing for a 6-yard touchdown, in a "wildcat" formation. The Bengals were threatening to add to their lead just before the two-minute warning, but placekicker Mike Nugent missed wide right on a 45-yard field goal attempt. The Broncos then marched down the field, but had to settle for a 23-yard field goal by placekicker Brandon McManus just before halftime.^[141]

The Broncos took the initial possession of the second half, and pulled to within 14–10, with quarterback Brock Osweiler connecting with wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders on an 8-yard touchdown pass, which was the only scoring play of the third quarter. After having trouble stopping the Bengals' offense in the first half, the Broncos' defense forced the Bengals to punt on their first four possessions of the second half. The Broncos grabbed a 17–14 lead early in the fourth quarter, with running back C. J. Anderson scampering down the sideline for a 39-yard touchdown. A 52-yard field goal by Nugent helped the Bengals tie the game at 17–17 with 6:51 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Broncos had reached the Bengals' 27-yard line on the next possession, and were attempting a game-winning drive, but Bengals' defensive end Michael Johnson forced a fumble off Anderson, which was recovered by safety Reggie Nelson. However, the Broncos' defense forced a Bengals' punt, and the Broncos' offense began their next drive at their own 20-yard line with 1:40 remaining. However, McManus badly missed wide left on a potential game-winning 45-yard field goal attempt as time expired, sending the game to overtime.^[141]

The Broncos won the overtime coin toss, and took a 20–17 lead on their initial possession, with a 37-yard field goal by McManus. The drive was aided by a 15-yard personal foul penalty on Bengals' linebacker Vontaze Burfict for a late hit out-of-bounds. The Bengals started their first offensive possession of overtime at their own 33-yard line, and on their first play, McCarron attempted a pass that was incomplete, as his arm was hit by Broncos' linebacker Von Miller. Broncos' head coach Gary Kubiak called a timeout, thinking the play should have been ruled as a game-ending fumble, however, the initial ruling was upheld by instant replay. On the very next play, McCarron fumbled the snap, which was recovered by Broncos' linebacker DeMarcus Ware to end the game and send the Broncos to the postseason for the fifth consecutive season.^[141]

Notes

This was the third game of the season that the Broncos won after trailing 14–0 – the other two were Week 2 at the Kansas City Chiefs and Week 12 vs. the New England Patriots.

Week 17: vs. San Diego Chargers