1997 Denver Broncos season

The 1997 season was the Denver Broncos' 28th season in the National Football League (NFL) and their 38th overall. The Broncos finished the season with a record of 12–4, finishing second in the AFC West, and winning Super Bowl XXXII. The Broncos were the second wild card team since the 1970 merger to win a Super Bowl, joining the 1980 Oakland Raiders.

The 1997 season saw the addition of the Denver Broncos' newest wordmark and logo. Their new logo featured a newer, dynamic Bronco, which has been the team's logo since the 1997 season. The new default team colors unveiled prior to the 1997 season were navy blue jerseys with orange and white pants with orange. This would continue until 2012, when they assigned the all navy blue uniforms as the "Main alternate" slot, making the primary uniforms have orange tops, white bottoms and orange/white shoes.

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 in the first game between the last two unbeaten NFL teams since 1973. 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 Game. They then won Super Bowl XXXII against the Packers 31–24, only the second team since the NFL/AFL merger in 1970 to ever win a Super Bowl as a wildcard, and the first AFC team to win the title since the Los Angeles Raiders in Super Bowl XVIII following the 1983 season. 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.

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 their fifth-best 16-game season in franchise history.

During the season John Elway threw for 3635 yards and Terrell Davis rushed for 1750 yards. Rod Smith had 70 receptions for 1180 yards and Ed McCaffrey had 45 receptions for 590 yards. Tight end Shannon Sharpe has 72 receptions for 1107 yards. Kicker Jason Elam kicked 26 field goals out of 36 attempted. Davis, Elway, Tom Nalen, Sharpe, and Neil Smith made the Pro Bowl.

Preseason

style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| Week	style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| Date	style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| Opponent	style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| Result	style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| Record	style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| Venue	style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| Attendance	style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| Recap
1	Template:Dow tooltip	Buffalo Bills	W 31–10	1–0	Mile High Stadium	69,739	Recap
2	Template:Dow tooltip	vs. Miami Dolphins	L 19–38	1–1	Estadio Guillermo Cañedo (Mexico City)	104,629	Recap
3	Template:Dow tooltip	at Carolina Panthers	W 23–13	2–1	Ericsson Stadium	68,296	Recap
4	August 17	at New England Patriots	L 21–31	2–2	Foxboro Stadium	55,354	Recap
5	Template:Dow tooltip	San Francisco 49ers	W 31–17	3–2	Mile High Stadium	69,847	Recap

Regular season

Schedule

style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| Week	style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| Date	style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| Opponent	style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| Result	style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| Record	style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| Venue	style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| Recap
style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| 1	August 31	Kansas City Chiefs	W 19–3	1–0	Mile High Stadium	Recap
2	September 7	at Seattle Seahawks	W 35–14	2–0	Kingdome	Recap
style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| 3	September 14	St. Louis Rams	W 35–14	3–0	Mile High Stadium	Recap
style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| 4	September 21	Cincinnati Bengals	W 38–20	4–0	Mile High Stadium	Recap
style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| 5	September 28	at Atlanta Falcons	W 29–21	5–0	Georgia Dome	Recap
style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| 6	Template:Dow tooltip	New England Patriots	W 34–13	6–0	Mile High Stadium	Recap
7	Bye
8	October 19	at Oakland Raiders	L 25–28	6–1	Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum	Recap
9	October 26	at Buffalo Bills	W 23–20 (OT)	7–1	Rich Stadium	Recap
style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| 10	November 2	Seattle Seahawks	W 30–27	8–1	Mile High Stadium	Recap
style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| 11	November 9	Carolina Panthers	W 34–0	9–1	Mile High Stadium	Recap
12	November 16	at Kansas City Chiefs	L 22–24	9–2	Arrowhead Stadium	Recap
style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| 13	Template:Dow tooltip	Oakland Raiders	W 31–3	10–2	Mile High Stadium	Recap
14	November 30	at San Diego Chargers	W 38–28	11–2	Qualcomm Stadium	Recap
15	December 7	at Pittsburgh Steelers	L 24–35	11–3	Three Rivers Stadium	Recap
16	Template:Dow tooltip	at San Francisco 49ers	L 17–34	11–4	3Com Park	Recap
style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle"| 17	December 21	San Diego Chargers	W 38–3	12–4	Mile High Stadium	Recap

Game summaries

Week 1

1 2 3 4 Total Chiefs 0 0 3 0 3 • Broncos 3 6 0 10 19 Date: August 31 Location: Mile High Stadium Game start: 2:00 pm MDT Referee: Ed Hochuli TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg, Paul Maguire, and Phil Simms

Week 2

1 2 3 4 Total • Broncos 10 3 15 7 35 Seahawks 0 14 0 0 14 Date: September 7 Location: Kingdome Game start: 2:00 pm MDT Referee: Phil Luckett TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg, Paul Maguire, and Phil Simms

Week 3

1 2 3 4 Total Rams 7 0 0 7 14 • Broncos 7 7 7 14 35 Date: September 14 Location: Mile High Stadium Game start: 2:00 pm MDT TV announcers (FOX): Sam Rosen and Bill Maas

Week 4

1 2 3 4 Total Bengals 7 0 10 3 20 • Broncos 0 14 7 17 38 Date: September 21 Location: Mile High Stadium Game start: 2:00 pm MDT Referee: Mike Carey TV announcers (NBC): Charlie Jones and Randy Cross

Week 5

1 2 3 4 Total • Broncos 15 8 6 0 29 Falcons 0 7 7 7 21 Date: September 28 Location: Georgia Dome Game start: 11:00 am MDT Referee: Dick Hantak TV announcers (NBC): Charlie Jones and Bob Trumpy

Week 6

1 2 3 4 Total Patriots 0 13 0 0 13 • Broncos 14 0 17 3 34 Date: October 6 Location: Mile High Stadium Game start: 7:00 pm MDT Referee: Jerry Markbreit TV announcers (ABC): Al Michaels, Frank Gifford and Dan Dierdorf

Week 8

1 2 3 4 Total Broncos 7 3 7 8 25 • Raiders 7 7 7 7 28 Date: October 19 Location: Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Game start: 2:00 pm MDT Referee: Bernie Kukar TV announcers (NBC): Tom Hammond and Randy Cross

Week 9

1 2 3 4 OT Total • Broncos 0 10 10 0 3 23 Bills 0 0 20 0 0 20 Date: October 26 Location: Rich Stadium Game start: 11:00 am MDT Referee: Ron Blum TV announcers (NBC): Tom Hammond and Randy Cross

Week 10

1 2 3 4 Total Seahawks 3 7 10 7 27 • Broncos 3 10 14 3 30 Date: November 2 Location: Mile High Stadium Game start: 2:00 pm MST Referee: Tom White TV announcers (NBC): Tom Hammond and Randy Cross

Week 11

1 2 3 4 Total Panthers 0 0 0 0 0 • Broncos 14 3 10 7 34 Date: November 9 Location: Mile High Stadium Game start: 2:00 pm MST Referee: Johnny Grier TV announcers (Fox): Pat Summerall and John Madden

Week 12

1 2 3 4 Total Broncos 3 10 3 6 22 • Chiefs 0 14 7 3 24 Date: November 16 Location: Arrowhead Stadium Game start: 11:00 am MST Referee: Bill Carollo TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg, Paul Maguire and Phil Simms

Week 13

1 2 3 4 Total Raiders 0 3 0 0 3 • Broncos 0 14 17 0 31 Date: November 24 Location: Mile High Stadium Game start: 7:00 pm MST Referee: Mike Carey TV announcers (ABC): Al Michaels, Frank Gifford and Dan Dierdorf

Week 14

1 2 3 4 Total • Broncos 7 21 7 3 38 Chargers 0 7 7 14 28 Date: November 30 Location: Qualcomm Stadium Game start: 6:00 pm MST Referee: Gerald Austin TV announcers (ESPN): Mike Patrick and Joe Theismann

Week 15

1 2 3 4 Total Broncos 14 7 3 0 24 • Steelers 7 14 7 7 35 Date: December 7 Location: Three Rivers Stadium Game start: 11:00 am MST Referee: Walt Coleman TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg, Paul Maguire and Phil Simms

Week 16

1 2 3 4 Total Broncos 10 0 7 0 17 • 49ers 0 14 10 10 34 Date: December 15 Location: Candlestick Park Game start: 7:00 pm MST Referee: Phil Luckett TV announcers (ABC): Al Michaels, Frank Gifford and Dan Dierdorf

Week 17

1 2 3 4 Total Chargers 3 0 0 0 3 • Broncos 0 24 7 7 38 Date: December 21 Location: Mile High Stadium Game start: 2:00 pm MST Referee: Jerry Markbreit TV announcers (NBC): Mike Breen and James Lofton

Playoffs

Round	Date	Opponent	Result	TV Time (MT)	TV Announcers	Game site	Attendance
Wild Card Playoffs	December 27, 1997	Jacksonville Jaguars	W 42–17	ABC 2:00pm	Al Michaels, Frank Gifford & Dan Dierdorf	Mile High Stadium	74,481
Divisional Playoffs	January 4, 1998	at Kansas City Chiefs	W 14–10	NBC 2:00pm	Dick Enberg, Paul Maguire & Phil Simms	Arrowhead Stadium	76,695
AFC Championship	January 11, 1998	at Pittsburgh Steelers	W 24–21	NBC 10:30am	Dick Enberg, Paul Maguire & Phil Simms	Three Rivers Stadium	61,382
Super Bowl XXXII	January 25, 1998	Green Bay Packers	W 31–24	NBC 4:30pm	Dick Enberg, Paul Maguire & Phil Simms	Qualcomm Stadium	68,912

Wild Card

1 2 3 4 Total Jaguars 0 7 10 0 17 • Broncos 14 7 0 21 42 Date: December 27 Location: Mile High Stadium Referee: Bernie Kukar TV announcers (ABC): Al Michaels, Frank Gifford, and Dan Dierdorf

In the 1997 AFC Wildcard Playoff weekend, the Broncos were paired against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Broncos viewed this game as a chance to avenge the previous season's Divisional Playoff loss of 30–27 to the Jaguars, an early exit in a year the Broncos were favored to win the Super Bowl. Ultimately, 21 unanswered 4th quarter points saw the Broncos seize the win and a playoff berth against the Division Champion Kansas City Chiefs. Broncos go to the Divisional Round and win to the Chiefs 14–10. Win in the AFC Championship Game to the Steelers 24–21. And in Super Bowl XXXII Win to the Green Bay Packers 31–24.

Divisional

1 2 3 4 Total • Broncos 0 7 0 7 14 Chiefs 0 0 10 0 10 Date: January 4 Location: Arrowhead Stadium Referee: Jerry Markbreit TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg, Paul Maguire, and Phil Simms

Broncos go to the AFC Championship Game and win to the Steelers 24–21. And win Super Bowl XXXII to the Packers 31–24.

AFC Championship Game

1 2 3 4 Total • Broncos 7 17 0 0 24 Steelers 7 7 0 7 21 Date: January 11 Location: Three Rivers Stadium Referee: Ron Blum TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg, Paul Maguire, and Phil Simms

Broncos go to Super Bowl XXXII to the Packers and

win 31–24.

Super Bowl

1 2 3 4 Total Packers 7 7 3 7 24 • Broncos 7 10 7 7 31 Date: January 25 Location: Qualcomm Stadium Game start: 4:30 pm MST Referee: Ed Hochuli TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg, Phil Simms and Paul Maguire

Broncos win and in 1998 finished 14–2 to win Super Bowl XXXIII to the Falcons 34–19.

Awards and records

• Terrell Davis, Super Bowl MVP
• John Elway, Franchise Record, Most Touchdowns in One Season, 27 Touchdown Passes

External links

• [1] at Pro-Football-Reference.com