When 8 Is Greater Than 606
by Tuesday Morning Tailback
Before this new NFL season begins, I feel the need to try to clear the air on the massacre that happened in New Jersey last February. As the writer of this NFL column for the past four years, I try to look at things as coldly and impartially as possible. However, as a lifelong Denver Broncos fan I must say that this past Super Bowl was the lowest point in the team’s existence (and I’ve been there for the three in the late 1980s).
This low point followed an incredible season where the Bronco offense was the best ever. Quarterback Peyton Manning broke both the passing yards and passing touchdowns records. He threw 55 TD passes, significantly breaking Tom Brady’s 6-year-old record of 50 TDs and broke Drew Bree’s seasonal passing yards record by a single yard with 5,477. As a team, the Broncos scored a record-shattering 606 points in the regular season, averaging close to 38 points per game.
But when people look back at 2013, the number 8 looms much larger than that 606. That was all the points they could muster in the 43-8 blowout loss to Seattle in the Super Bowl, and when you think of it, the Broncos offense gave up a safety and a pick-six in that, negating even those paltry eight points.
Still, looking at many preseason predictions, the Broncos seem to be the clear favorite to win it all this season. With this, the Denver Broncos enter the 2014 season in probably, the most unenviable position ever. Nothing but winning it all will be considered a success and, even if they reach that pinnacle, this may only be considered reparation for the bitter disappointment of the past two seasons. But history may not be on their side. Although there are many examples of teams losing badly in the playoffs one year and coming back to win the Super Bowl the next, a team losing a Super Bowl and coming back to win it the next season has happened only twice – in 1971 and 1972. So it has been over four decades since the Super Bowl loser became the Super Bowl winner the following season.
The Broncos have won 13 regular season games the past two seasons, a feat which they have accomplished five times in their history. However, in each of those seasons the team has lost a post-season game where they were favored. Perhaps the Broncos should limit their wins to 12 in 2014 in order to have a chance.
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Tuesday Morning Tailback is a weekly article during football season which take a critical look at the NFL. We do this from the base belief that NFL football is the greatest game in the history of mankind, but some recent policies and the overall direction of the league has chipped away at this greatness. Our primary goal is to spark debate on these subjects, so please leave your own opinion on this article in the comment box below.