'84 Broncos discussion
Posted: Mon Jun 24, 2024 1:03 pm
Elway's second season. 13-3 finish. The first division-winner in the Dan Reeves era. Had Dallas, who had to win to get in at all, beat Miami at the Orange Bowl in the finale on MNF, the Broncos instead would have been top-seed in the AFC; but still would have had to play Pittsburgh in the divisional anyway.
Members here have opined previously that they weren't really that great a team despite their record. Though points-wise they were both 11th and 2nd in offense and defense respectively, they were just a respective 22nd and 25th yardage-wise! Not just that, but they allowed more yardage than they gained by more than 700 (gaining 4.8 Y/P while allowing 5.1)!
And its also been discussed here previously if that loss to the 9-7 Steelers was really even an upset? Upon further inspection, the 'Burgh was actually a pretty good team in what would be Noll's last playoff berth until five years later. Points-wise they were 8th and 11th in offense and defense. They were also 8th in offense yardage-wise but even better in defense at 5th! Positive point and positive yardage differential; gaining 500+ more yards (at 5.2 Y/P) than they allowed (4.8).
In addition to seriously lacking now at the QB position, the Steelers' issue in '84, obviously, was consistency! They beat the Rams, San Fran on the road, and at LA in the finale against the defending-World Champs who they had to beat in order to get in; and who they didn't beat in their last 6 tries going in! However, they lost to some bad teams which made that division race vs Cincy much more suspenseful than it needed to be at all. Yes, if only just one more year of (a healthy, of course; healthy all season long) Terry Bradshaw in '84...
Just the same, they beating Denver perhaps shouldn't be seen as an upset. In addition to what's already been written, Reeves/Elway were still new to the playoffs while Chuck Noll entered his 11th post-season in the last 13. Also, look at the stats and you'll see the 'Burgh beat Denver there as well. More first downs, more rushing yards, more passing yards, more time of possession....Vegas must have known something going in. They installed 13-3 Denver, at Mile High, at 'just' a 4.5 favorite against that very 9-7 team.
That said, its pretty pointless to ever entertain a 'what-if' Steelers play San Fran in a rematch, SBXIX. They simply couldn't match-up with Miami who beat them in even-more lopsided fashion during the regular season, 31-7, at Three Rivers.
But had Denver turned that close loss to Pittsburgh into a win, nice-enough chance they at least give Miami a good game in the Orange Bowl if not win which others, including myself, have opined over the years. Reeves winning on the road against a flashier, seemingly noticeably better (despite the just one-win difference) aerial powerhouse would have, basically, been the same kind of feat he'd actually achieve 15 years later at Minny in the NFCCG. Lets include winning at Cleveland in '86 as well. Say what you may about his HOF case, but Reeves did have his overachieving moments in big conference playoff games. Maybe winning at Miami in '84 would have been another.
What are your takes on this installment? Could they have beaten Miami? How do you compare them to the actual SB-teams of the Reeves era? My guess is that most of you, 7Dn included, will say they weren't ready just yet and not up to snuff with them. I recall '91 getting some gruff as well. I don't disagree. Maybe place both in the same boat. Despite me not thinking of the '84 Broncos as anything too special thus not up there with the SB-qualifiers, I think balance most-likely prevails in a hypo-Den@Mia AFCCG, but I never imagined Denver giving San Fran a game either in what would, of course, have been seen as a sort-of (Stanford) homecoming for John (Broncos get trounced as well, IMO, had they played Washington in '91).
13-3 still is 13-3 at the end of the day and they did sweep the Raiders albeit both games being real close, one of them going into OT.
Members here have opined previously that they weren't really that great a team despite their record. Though points-wise they were both 11th and 2nd in offense and defense respectively, they were just a respective 22nd and 25th yardage-wise! Not just that, but they allowed more yardage than they gained by more than 700 (gaining 4.8 Y/P while allowing 5.1)!
And its also been discussed here previously if that loss to the 9-7 Steelers was really even an upset? Upon further inspection, the 'Burgh was actually a pretty good team in what would be Noll's last playoff berth until five years later. Points-wise they were 8th and 11th in offense and defense. They were also 8th in offense yardage-wise but even better in defense at 5th! Positive point and positive yardage differential; gaining 500+ more yards (at 5.2 Y/P) than they allowed (4.8).
In addition to seriously lacking now at the QB position, the Steelers' issue in '84, obviously, was consistency! They beat the Rams, San Fran on the road, and at LA in the finale against the defending-World Champs who they had to beat in order to get in; and who they didn't beat in their last 6 tries going in! However, they lost to some bad teams which made that division race vs Cincy much more suspenseful than it needed to be at all. Yes, if only just one more year of (a healthy, of course; healthy all season long) Terry Bradshaw in '84...
Just the same, they beating Denver perhaps shouldn't be seen as an upset. In addition to what's already been written, Reeves/Elway were still new to the playoffs while Chuck Noll entered his 11th post-season in the last 13. Also, look at the stats and you'll see the 'Burgh beat Denver there as well. More first downs, more rushing yards, more passing yards, more time of possession....Vegas must have known something going in. They installed 13-3 Denver, at Mile High, at 'just' a 4.5 favorite against that very 9-7 team.
That said, its pretty pointless to ever entertain a 'what-if' Steelers play San Fran in a rematch, SBXIX. They simply couldn't match-up with Miami who beat them in even-more lopsided fashion during the regular season, 31-7, at Three Rivers.
But had Denver turned that close loss to Pittsburgh into a win, nice-enough chance they at least give Miami a good game in the Orange Bowl if not win which others, including myself, have opined over the years. Reeves winning on the road against a flashier, seemingly noticeably better (despite the just one-win difference) aerial powerhouse would have, basically, been the same kind of feat he'd actually achieve 15 years later at Minny in the NFCCG. Lets include winning at Cleveland in '86 as well. Say what you may about his HOF case, but Reeves did have his overachieving moments in big conference playoff games. Maybe winning at Miami in '84 would have been another.
What are your takes on this installment? Could they have beaten Miami? How do you compare them to the actual SB-teams of the Reeves era? My guess is that most of you, 7Dn included, will say they weren't ready just yet and not up to snuff with them. I recall '91 getting some gruff as well. I don't disagree. Maybe place both in the same boat. Despite me not thinking of the '84 Broncos as anything too special thus not up there with the SB-qualifiers, I think balance most-likely prevails in a hypo-Den@Mia AFCCG, but I never imagined Denver giving San Fran a game either in what would, of course, have been seen as a sort-of (Stanford) homecoming for John (Broncos get trounced as well, IMO, had they played Washington in '91).
13-3 still is 13-3 at the end of the day and they did sweep the Raiders albeit both games being real close, one of them going into OT.