2017 Denver Broncos season
Owner	The Pat Bowlen Trust
General manager	John Elway
Head coach	Vance Joseph
Home stadium	Sports Authority Field at Mile High
Results
Record	5–11
Division place	4thAFC West
Playoffs	Did not qualify
All-Pros	LB Von Miller(2nd team)
Pro Bowlers	OLBVon Miller CBAqib Talib
Uniform
← 2016 Broncos seasons 2018 →

The2017 season was theDenver Broncos' 48thseason in theNational Football League (NFL) and the 58th overall.

The Broncos underwent numerous coaching changes during the offseason, afterVance Joseph was hired as the team's newhead coach. Joseph replacedGary Kubiak, the team's head coach during the previous two seasons, who was forced to retire from coaching due to health concerns.

After a 3–1 start, the Broncos suffered through an 8-game losing streak – the team's longest since1967 where they scored more than 20 points just once. Poor offensive performances, along with a quarterback carousel, contributed to the losing skid. In terms of statistics, the Broncos' defense ranked in the top five in total yards, rushing yards and passing yards, but had the league's second-worst turnover differential (ahead of only the winlessCleveland Browns), surrendered the third-mostsacks and ranked 27th in points per game despite having ranked 17th on total offense. The Broncos also failed to score 20 or more points in 10 of their 16 games, and for a second consecutive season, scored 30 or moreonly once.

The Broncos missed the playoffs for a second consecutive season, clinched a losing record for the first time since2010 and suffered only their fourth losing season sinceJohn Elway's retirement after the1998 season.

On January 2, 2017, one day after the2016 regular season finale,head coachGary Kubiak announced his retirement from coaching due to health concerns. Kubiak suffered a mini-stroke in2013 while coaching theHouston Texans, as well as a migraine condition that forced him to miss one game during the 2016 season. In his two seasons as the Broncos' head coach, Kubiak led the team to a 24–11 record (including the playoffs) – the most victories of any coach in the first two seasons with the team, as well as guiding the Broncos to a victory inSuper Bowl 50.^[1]

Following the hiring ofVance Joseph as the team's new head coach(see below), the Broncos underwent the following departures from their coaching staff:

• January 13: The team mutually parted ways with offensive line coachClancy Barone, tight ends coachBrian Pariani, assistant defensive backs coachSamson Brown, assistant special teams coachTony Coaxum and offensive line assistantJames Cregg,^[2][3] and fired offensive coordinatorRick Dennison and quarterbacks coachGreg Knapp.^[4] Defensive coordinatorWade Phillips was hired to the same position with theLos Angeles Rams.^[5]
• January 14: Special teams coachJoe DeCamillis was hired to the same position with theJacksonville Jaguars.^[6]
• February 2:Marc Lubick, the team's assistant wide receiver's coach since2015, departed to become an offensive quality control/assistant quarterbacks coach with theBuffalo Bills.^[7]

• January 15:Joe Woods was promoted from the defensive backs coach position that he held from 2015 to 2016 to defensive coordinator.^[8]
• January 24:Chris Gould was promoted from the special teams quality control coach position that he held from 2015 to 2016 to assistant special teams coach.^[9]
• January 30:Eric Studesville was promoted to assistant head coach, and would continue to retain the running backs coach position that he has held since2010, a season in which Studesville also served as the team's interim head coach.^[10]

On January 11,Vance Joseph was hired as the Broncos' newhead coach. Joseph, aUniversity of Colorado alum, served as a defensive backs coach with theSan Francisco 49ers from 2005 to 2010, in the same capacity onGary Kubiak's staff with theHouston Texans from 2011 to 2013 and with theCincinnati Bengals from 2014 to 2015. The Broncos previously recruited Joseph for the team's defensive coordinator position in2015, but were denied permission by the Bengals. Joseph was theMiami Dolphins' defensive coordinator in2016.^[11]

Following the hiring of Vance Joseph, the Broncos made the following additions to their coaching staff:

• January 13:Mike McCoy was hired as the offensive coordinator. This was the second stint for McCoy as the Broncos' offensive coordinator – a position he previously held from 2009 to 2012. McCoy served as theSan Diego Chargers' head coach from 2013 to 2016.Bill Musgrave was hired as the quarterbacks coach. Musgrave worked in the same capacity with theOakland Raiders during the previous two seasons, and wasJohn Elway's backup quarterback from 1995 to 1996.^[12]
• January 14:Jeff Davidson was hired as the offensive line coach. Davidson served in the same capacity on Mike McCoy's staff with the San Diego Chargers in 2016, and was a Broncos' offensive lineman from 1990 to 1993.^[6]
• January 15:John Benton was hired as an assistant offensive line coach. Benton had previously worked in the same capacity with theJacksonville Jaguars in2016 as well as on Gary Kubiak's staff with the Houston Texans from 2006 to 2013.^[13] However, on February 20, the Broncos granted Benton permission to interview for the lead offensive line coach position with the San Francisco 49ers, and one day later, Benton was officially hired by the 49ers.^[14]
• January 17:Marcus Robertson was hired as the defensive backs coach. Robertson worked in the same capacity with the Oakland Raiders from 2015 to 2016, as well as an assistant under Joe Woods with the Raiders in 2014.^[8]Brock Olivo was hired as special teams coordinator. Olivo served as a special teams assistant with theKansas City Chiefs from 2014 to 2016.^[15]
• January 19:Johnnie Lynn was hired as the assistant defensive backs coach. Lynn previously worked alongside Vance Joseph with the 49ers from 2006 to 2010, and most recently with the Raiders from 2012 to 2013.^[16]
• January 27:Geep Chryst was hired as tight ends coach. Chryst previously worked in the same capacity with theCarolina Panthers from 2006 to 2010, where he worked alongside former Broncos' offensive coordinator Mike McCoy for three seasons as well as alongside offensive line coach Jeff Davidson for four seasons. Chryst was recently on the San Francisco 49ers' coaching staff, where he served as quarterbacks coach from 2011 to 2014 and offensive coordinator in 2015.^[17]
• February 21:Charles Gordon was hired as a defensive quality control coach. Gordon worked in the same capacity at theUniversity of Northern Colorado during the previous four seasons (2013–2016), and was a defensive back for three seasons with theMinnesota Vikings under the tutelage of Joe Woods, the Broncos' current defensive coordinator.^[14]
• February 25: Chris Strausser was hired as the team's assistant offensive line coach, replacing John Benton. Strausser spent the previous three seasons as the offensive line coach at theUniversity of Washington.^[18]

On November 20, one day after the Broncos' Week 11 loss to theCincinnati Bengals, offensive coordinatorMike McCoy was fired as the result of the team's recurring offensive woes. During the six-game losing streak that resulted in McCoy's firing, the Broncos averaged 14.2 points – second-worst in the NFL, and committed a league-high 17 turnovers.Bill Musgrave was elevated from quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator, whileKlint Kubiak was elevated from an offensive assistant to quarterbacks coach.^[19]

• January 31:Adam Peters, the team's director of college scouting in2016, departed to become theSan Francisco 49ers' vice president of player personnel.^[20]
• May 4: The Broncos made the following changes to their front office:Brian Stark was hired as the team's new director of college scouting, replacing Adam Peters.Tom Heckert was promoted to senior personnel adviser after serving as the team's director of pro personnel the previous four seasons.A. J. Durso, who was the team's pro scouting coordinator from 2013 to 2014, filled Heckert's old position as director of pro personnel.Patrick Walsh was promoted from personnel assistant to player personnel assistant.^[21]
• July 25: Former Broncos'head coachGary Kubiak, who retired from coaching at the end of the2016 season(see above), returned to the Broncos' organization as a senior personnel advisor in the team's front office. Kubiak will be based in his hometown ofHouston, but will make occasional trips to the Broncos'Dove Valley headquarters.^[22]

• July 26: The Broncos acquiredguardAllen Barbre in a trade that sent a2019 seventh-round draft selection to thePhiladelphia Eagles.^[67]
• September 1:Offensive tackleTy Sambrailo was traded to theAtlanta Falcons in exchange for the Falcons'2018 fifth-round selection.^[68]

Note: Prior to the draft, the Broncos received fourcompensatory selections – one in the third round (No. 101), one in the fifth round (No. 177) and two in the seventh round (Nos. 252 and 253). This was the first time in NFL draft history in which teams were allowed to trade compensatory selections,^[74] and the Broncos later traded the No. 177 and No. 252 selections –see table below.

Allundrafted free agents were signed after the2017 NFL draft concluded on April 29,^[79] unless noted otherwise.

• July 28:LinebackerShane Ray suffered a torn ligament in his left wrist at the beginning of training camp, and missed the entire preseason.^[85] On September 3, one day after the Broncos cut the roster to a league-mandated 53 players, Ray was placed on injured reserve,^[86] and missed the first seven weeks of the regular season, before being activated prior to the team's Week 8 loss to theKansas City Chiefs.^[87] Ray re-aggravated the injury later in the season, and was placed oninjured reserve on December 19.^[50]
• August 10:Wide receiverCarlos Henderson, the team's third-rounddraft selection, suffered a thumb injury during the Broncos' first preseason game vs. theChicago Bears. He was placed on injured reserve on September 2.^[88][23] Also on August 10,defensive endBilly Winn suffered a tornACL in his right knee during the Broncos' first preseason game vs. theChicago Bears, and was ruled out for the season after being placed on injured reserve.^[32]
• September 2:Tight endJake Butt andquarterbackChad Kelly, the team's fifth- and seventh-round draft selections, respectively, were placed on thenon-football injury list due to knee injuries that both players sustained prior to being drafted by the Broncos.^[89][23] Butt began practicing on October 18, and the Broncos had a 21-day window to either add him to the active roster or place him on the season-ending injured reserve.^[90] However, Butt and Kelly were both placed on the season-ending injured reserve on November 6, ending their rookie seasons.^[72]
• September 15: Defensive endJared Crick was placed on injured reserve due to a back injury that will require surgery. He missed the Broncos' Week 1 win over theLos Angeles Chargers.^[59]
• October 17:GuardBilly Turner was placed on injured reserve, after suffering a fractured hand during the team's Week 6 loss to theNew York Giants.^[60]
• October 15: Wide receiversEmmanuel Sanders andIsaiah McKenzie each suffered ankle sprains during the Broncos' Week 6 loss to the New York Giants, and missed the team's Week 7 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.^[91] Sanders also missed the team's Week 8 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.^[92]
• November 8:Offensive tackleMenelik Watson ruptured a tendon in his foot during the team's Week 9 loss to thePhiladelphia Eagles, and was placed on injured reserve.^[46]
• Defensive endDerek Wolfe suffered a neck injury during the team's Week 12 loss to theOakland Raiders, and missed the Broncos' following game at theMiami Dolphins. On December 5, Wolfe was placed on the season-ending injured reserve.^[93]
• QuarterbackPaxton Lynch was inactive for the first half of the season due to a sprained shoulder that he suffered during the preseason. After being named the starting quarterback in Week 12, Lynch suffered an ankle injury during the team's Week 12 loss to the Oakland Raiders that will sideline him for two to four weeks.^[94]
• December 13:SafetyJustin Simmons was placed on injured reserve, after suffering a high-ankle sprain during the Broncos' Week 14 win over theNew York Jets.^[83]

During the Broncos' Week 12 loss to theOakland Raiders,cornerbackAqib Talib and Raiders'wide receiverMichael Crabtree engaged in an ugly brawl that initially resulted in both players being suspended for two games, but were reduced to one game following an appeal. The two players had a history of bad blood with one another, following an incident during the teams'2016 regular-season finale in which Talib yanked a gold chain from Crabtree's neck, with Talib repeating the same actions that led to the brawl with Crabtree.^[95]

The Broncos'2017 schedule was announced on April 20.^[96]

Note: Intra-division opponents are inbold text.

For a seventh consecutive year, the Broncos kicked off the season at home, in the second half of the openingMonday night doubleheader against theLos Angeles Chargers. After an exchange of punts, a 5-yard touchdown pass from quarterbackTrevor Siemian to wide receiverBennie Fowler III game the Broncos the early lead. The drive was kept alive as the result of a near-interception by Chargers' cornerbackCasey Hayward. On the first play of the second quarter, the Chargers countered, with quarterbackPhilip Rivers connecting on an 11-yard touchdown pass to running backMelvin Gordon, with Ingram leaping above Broncos' safetyJustin Simmons in order to reach the goal line. The Broncos re-claimed the lead later in the second quarter, with Siemian rushing for a 1-yard touchdown, then added to their lead on their initial possession of the second half, with another touchdown pass from Siemian to Fowler – from 6 yards out. The Broncos reached the Chargers' 3-yard line on a 14-play, 78-yard drive that chewed up the last 8:16 of the third quarter, but had to settle on a 20-yard field goal by placekickerBrandon McManus to increase their lead to 24–7.^[97]

After stopping the Chargers on a 4th-and-1 near midfield, the Broncos' offense committed two turnovers – an interception of Siemian by Chargers' safetyAdrian Phillips and a fumble by running backJamaal Charles. The Chargers took advantage of both turnovers and narrowed the Broncos' lead to 24–21, with a pair of touchdown passes by Rivers – a 5-yarder to wide receiverKeenan Allen followed by a 38-yarder to wide receiverTravis Benjamin – the latter occurring with seven minutes remaining in the game. Following an exchange of punts, the Chargers had one last possession at the two-minute warning and were forced to use their last timeout with 42 seconds remaining. Six plays later, the Chargers were attempting a game-tying field goal to send the game to overtime. PlacekickerYounghoe Koo's initial field goal was good; however, it was nullified as the result of Broncos' head coachVance Joseph calling a timeout in order toice the kicker. Koo's second attempt was blocked by defensive endShelby Harris, sealing the win for the Broncos.^[97]

Notes

Vance Joseph and Chargers' head coachAnthony Lynn became the first two head coaches ofAfrican American descent to make their coaching debuts in the same game.Beth Mowins, who handled theplay-by-play duties for ESPN, became the first woman to call anNFL game since1987.^[98]

QuarterbackTrevor Siemian threw four touchdown passes – two to wide receiverEmmanuel Sanders, and running backC. J. Anderson scored two touchdowns – one rushing and one receiving, in a dominating win over theCowboys. This was the only game during the2017 season in which the Broncos scored 30 or more points. The Broncos' defense limited running backEzekiel Elliott, the league's leading rusher from the2016 season, to just eight yards on nine carries, while cornerbackAqib Talib returned an interception off Cowboys' quarterbackDak Prescott 103 yards for a touchdown. Near the end of the first quarter, the game was delayed by one hour due to lightning in theDenver area.^[99] With the win, the Broncos extended their winning streak against theCowboys to six games, dating back to1998.^[100]

In their first road game of the season, the Broncos traveled toOrchard Park, New York to face theBuffalo Bills. After a 38-yard field goal by Broncos' placekickerBrandon McManus gave the Broncos the lead late in the first quarter, the Bills grabbed the lead, with a 2-yard touchdown from quarterbackTyrod Taylor to wide receiverAndre Holmes on a deflected pass. The Broncos responded, when running backJamaal Charles eluded Bills' defenders for a 12-yard touchdown – Charles' first touchdown as a Bronco. The Broncos were attempting to add to their lead on their next possession, however, a 44-yard pass completion from quarterbackTrevor Siemian to wide receiverEmmanuel Sanders was overturned by a Bills' challenge, as replay indicated that Sanders did not maintain full control of the football at the Bills' 44-yard line as cornerbackTre'Davious White knocked the ball out. McManus and Bills' placekickerSteven Hauschka proceeded to alternate field goals, with a 28-yarder by McManus giving the Broncos a 16–13 lead midway through the third quarter.^[101]

However, the Broncos were held scoreless for the remainder of the game, and the Bills took the lead for good, with Taylor connecting with tight endCharles Clay on a 6-yard touchdown pass. A 53-yard field goal by Hauschka extended the Bills' lead to 23–16 early in the fourth quarter. The Broncos drove to as far as the Bills' 24-yard line on their first possession of the fourth quarter, however, Siemian was intercepted by White. Five plays later, the Broncos' defense forced an incomplete pass off Taylor at the Broncos' 46-yard line, hoping to receive the football back after a punt. However, linebackerVon Miller was flagged for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in which he offered to help Taylor off the turf, then pulled his hand back. After the Bills earned three first downs and forced the Broncos to use all of their team timeouts, Hauschka added a 27-yard field goal with 3:18 remaining in the game. The Broncos had one last offensive possession, but did not advance past the Bills' 42-yard line.^[101]

Notes

Prior to this game, 32 Broncos' players decided to kneel during "The Star-Spangled Banner" afterPresidentDonald Trump made comments about the national anthem protests two days prior.^[102]

On the Broncos' second possession of the game, quarterbackTrevor Siemian connecting on a 22-yard touchdown pass to tight endA. J. Derby. After forcing aRaiders' punt,Isaiah McKenzie returned a punt 64 yards to the Raiders' 15-yard line, but it was nullified by an illegal block penalty onKasim Edebali. The Broncos marched down the field from their own 11-yard line to the Raiders' 6-yard line, but could not take advantage of the red zone opportunity, settling instead for a 28-yard field goal by placekickerBrandon McManus. After each team exchanged punts on their next two possessions, the Raiders got on the scoreboard late in the second quarter, with a 5-play, 99-yard drive, culminating in a 16-yard touchdown pass from quarterbackDerek Carr to wide receiverJohnny Holton. McManus added a pair of field goals – from 36 and 46 yards out – to increase the Broncos' lead to 16–7. Late in the third quarter, Carr left the game due to a back injury, and backup quarterbackEJ Manuel took over. The Broncos failed to take advantage of yet another red zone opportunity early in the fourth quarter, as a 29-yard field goal attempt by McManus hit the left upright. Following another exchange of punts, the Raiders narrowed the Broncos' lead to 16–10, with a 38-yard field goal by placekickerGiorgio Tavecchio with 5:27 left in the game. After the Broncos went three-and-out, the Raiders had one last possession with 4:16 remaining in the game, and reached the Broncos' 36-yard line at the 2-minute warning. After a false start penalty pushed the Raiders back five yards, a long pass attempt from Manuel intended for wide receiverAmari Cooper was intercepted by safetyJustin Simmons, sealing the win for the Broncos. The Broncos' defense limitedMarshawn Lynch to just 20 yards rushing on nine attempts.^[103]

The Broncos' rush defense, which allowed a combined 95 yards in their first four games, surrendered 148 yards in a stunning home loss to theNew York Giants, while the offense rushed for only 46 yards, after averaging 143 yards in the previous four games. QuarterbackTrevor Siemian threw two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown by Giants' cornerbackJanoris Jenkins, while placekickerBrandon McManus missed a 33-yard field goal and had another attempt blocked. The Broncos' offensive woes in the red zone continued, scoring only one touchdown out of four opportunities. Backup quarterbackBrock Osweiler saw brief action late in the first half, after Siemian sprained his shoulder on a diving attempt, as he unsuccessfully tried to prevent Jenkins from reaching the end zone after an interception.^[104]

Notes

This was the first of two games in which the Broncos wore their alternate all-navy blue jerseys^[105] – the other wasWeek 14 vs. the New York Jets.

The Broncos' were once again unable to solve their offensive woes, in a 21–0 loss to theLos Angeles Chargers. It was the Broncos' first shutout loss since1992, snapping a 394-game scoring streak, which was the second-longest inNFL history. Chargers' wide receiverTravis Benjamin scored two touchdowns, one receiving and another on a punt return. Broncos' quarterbackTrevor Siemian was sacked five times and lost two fumbles, while wide receiverDemaryius Thomas had an 81-yard pass play nullified by an offensive pass interference penalty.^[106][107]

The Broncos' defense limited theChiefs to 279 total yards – 133 of which went to tight endTravis Kelce. However, the Broncos were unable to overcome five turnovers, including three interceptions by quarterbackTrevor Siemian, as well as a fumble by running backJamaal Charles that resulted in a Chiefs' touchdown. After trailing 20–3 early in the third quarter, the Broncos narrowed the Chiefs' lead to 20–13, following a 6-yard touchdown by running backDevontae Booker. However, three fourth-quarter field goals by Chiefs' placekickerHarrison Butker – the latter two of which occurred after a Broncos' turnover on downs and Siemian's third interception of the game, increased the Chiefs' lead to 29–13. With 4:41 remaining in the game, the Broncos' attempted a rally, with Siemian connecting on an 11-yard touchdown pass to tight endA. J. Derby at the two-minute warning. However, the two-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful, which would have brought the Broncos' to within a one-score deficit, ending the Broncos' rally attempt.^[108]

Notes:

This was Jamaal Charles' first game against the Chiefs, for whom he played the first nine seasons of his career.^[108]

The Broncos' defense, who were the only defensive unit who had not allowed any rushing touchdowns, surrendered three rushing touchdowns, andEagles' quarterbackCarson Wentz threw four touchdown passes, in a 51–23 rout of the Broncos. The defense surrendered 50+ points for the first time since2010, and backup quarterbackBrock Osweiler, starting in place of an ineffectiveTrevor Siemian, threw two interceptions and nearly threw three more. The Broncos did not reach the end zone until the fourth quarter, when wide receiverDemaryius Thomas scored his first touchdown of the season – on a 1-yard pass from Osweiler, and linebackerBrandon Marshall returned a fumble 19 yards for a touchdown. Both touchdowns occurred when the game had already been decided in the Eagles' favor.^[109]

The Broncos' defense forced a three-and-out on thePatriots' first offensive drive, however, it was all downhill for the Broncos after that. The Patriots capitalized on four blunders by the Broncos' special teams. First,Isaiah McKenzie muffed a punt, giving the Patriots a short field. Then, Patriots' return specialistDion Lewis returned a kickoff 103 yards for a touchdown. The Patriots also blocked a punt, and a defensive penalty on a Patriots' punt resulted in a first down as well as another touchdown. Patriots' quarterbackTom Brady threw for 266 yards and three touchdown passes. Offensively, the Broncos had to settle for threeBrandon McManus field goals and achieved only one touchdown – a 7-yard pass fromBrock Osweiler to wide receiverDemaryius Thomas.^[110]

Two turnovers proved costly for the Broncos, as they suffered their sixth consecutive loss, and their first loss at home to theBengals in more than 40 seasons. After the Broncos blocked a punt on the Bengals' opening possession, quarterbackBrock Osweiler was intercepted by Bengals' cornerbackDre Kirkpatrick, who returned the football 101 yards for a near-touchdown. The Broncos trailed 13–10 early in the fourth quarter, when running backC. J. Anderson was hit by Bengals' linebackerVontaze Burfict, and lost a fumble. The Bengals grabbed a 20–10 lead with nine minutes remaining in the game, with quarterbackAndy Dalton connecting on an 18-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverA. J. Green. The Broncos pulled to within a 20–17 deficit with five minutes remaining, when Osweiler connected on a 17-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverDemaryius Thomas. After being forced to use all of their team timeouts, the Broncos forced a Bengals' punt at the two-minute warning, and had one last offensive possession at their own 20-yard line. However, after four plays, the Broncos turned the football over on downs, sealing the win for the Bengals. Broncos' placekickerBrandon McManus had a 61-yard field goal attempt blocked just before halftime.^[111]

Notes

The Broncos honored former head coachRed Miller and former running backTerrell Davis. Miller, who led the Broncos to their first Super Bowl appearance in1977, was inducted into the Broncos'Ring of Fame. Miller died on September 27, 2017, at the age of 89. Davis, who was inducted into thePro Football Hall of Fame in August, was honored in apre-game ceremony. Davis led the Broncos to back-to-back victories inSuper BowlsXXXII andXXXIII.^[112]

WithPaxton Lynch as the starting quarterback, the Broncos' offense did not advance past their own 37-yard line on eight of their first ten possessions – excluding a fumble recovery inRaiders' territory and a kneel down before halftime. Paxton Lynch was the team's leading rusher, with only 20 yards. On the Raiders' second offensive possession, a brawl erupted between cornerbackAqib Talib and Raiders' wide receiverMichael Crabtree, resulting in both players being ejected from the game. Raiders' guardGabe Jackson was also ejected for making contact with an official during the brawl. After a strip sack and forced fumble off quarterbackDerek Carr deep in Raiders' territory, the Broncos had a first and goal at the 1-yard line, however, Paxton Lynch threw a pass that was deflected and intercepted by linebackerNaVorro Bowman in the end zone. A 9-yard touchdown pass from Carr to wide receiverAmari Cooper, coupled with a 1-yard touchdown run by running backMarshawn Lynch, gave the Raiders a 14–0 lead before halftime. The lead was increased to 21–0 early in the third quarter, with a 6-yard touchdown pass from Carr to running backJalen Richard.^[113]

After Paxton Lynch suffered an ankle injury, he was replaced byTrevor Siemian late in the third quarter, and got the Broncos on the scoreboard at the 10:26 mark of the fourth quarter, with a 25-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverCody Latimer. The Raiders drove to the Broncos' 17-yard line on their next possession, chewing up nearly five minutes off the clock, and were attempting to add to their lead. However, a 35-yard field goal attempt by placekickerGiorgio Tavecchio missed wide left. Siemian engineered a 12-play, 75-yard drive and pulled the Broncos to within a 21–14 deficit with 2:44 remaining in the game, after a 22-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverBennie Fowler III. The Broncos were hoping for a defensive stop just before the two-minute warning, but after using the last two of their three team timeouts, Carr connected on a 31-yard pass to wide receiverCordarrelle Patterson on a 3rd-and-8, sealing the win for the Raiders. With the loss, the Broncos exceeded their loss total from2016.^[113]

A 65-yard interception return byJustin Simmons ofDolphins' quarterbackJay Cutler was the Broncos' only touchdown of the game, as the offense only managed one other scoring play – a 31-yard field goal by placekickerBrandon McManus. The Broncos surrendered two safeties – one off a fumbled snap and the other whenIsaiah McKenzie muffed a punt in the end zone, and also had a punt blocked. QuarterbackTrevor Siemian threw three interceptions – one of which was returned for a touchdown, the offense went 1-for-13 on third down and gained 270 net yards, their lowest output of the season.^[114]

The Broncos' defense allowed theJets' offense to advance past midfield only twice out of 12 opportunities, in a 23–0 win, as the Broncos snapped an 8–game losing streak – the team's longest since1967. It was the Broncos' first shutout win since2005 – also against the Jets. Offensively, the Broncos did not commit any turnovers, and after forcing a Jets' fumble on their first possession, quarterbackTrevor Siemian threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverDemaryius Thomas. FullbackAndy Janovich added another touchdown in the third quarter, and placekickerBrandon McManus added three field goals, though he missed a 29-yard attempt early in the second quarter. The Broncos, however, were officially eliminated from playoff contention as the result of wins by theKansas City Chiefs andLos Angeles Chargers.^[115][116]

Notes

The Broncos wore their alternate navy blue jerseys for this game.^[115]

The Broncos spotted theColts a 10–0 lead, with quarterbackJacoby Brissett rushing for a 7-yard touchdown, followed in the second quarter by a 45-yard field goal by placekickerAdam Vinatieri. The former occurred after an interception of quarterbackTrevor Siemian on the Broncos' initial possession. Siemian was knocked out of the game late in the first quarter due to a shoulder injury, after being sacked by Colts' linebackerBarkevious Mingo.Brock Osweiler took over early in the second quarter, and got the Broncos on the scoreboard just before halftime, with an 18-yard touchdown run. A 39-yard field goal by Vinatieri on the Colts' initial possession of the second half increased the lead to 13–7; however, the Broncos' defense held the Colts scoreless for the remainder of the game. The Broncos claimed the lead for good with a pair of touchdown passes from Osweiler – a 22-yarder to wide receiverCody Latimer, followed by a 54-yarder to tight endJeff Heuerman (with a successful two-point conversion). PlacekickerBrandon McManus added a 40-yard field goal with 5:18 remaining in the game, on a drive that chewed up 9:40 off the clock. It was the Broncos' only road win of the season.^[117]

Notes

The Broncos snapped a 6-game losing streak in Indianapolis, dating back to2003 (including the playoffs).^[118]

A 31-yard field goal by placekickerBrandon McManus gave the Broncos a 3–0 lead late in the first quarter. However, theRedskins reeled off 27 unanswered points, and the same offensive mistakes that plagued the Broncos during their 8-game losing streak resurfaced. The defense allowed Redskins' quarterbackKirk Cousins to pass for 299 yards and three touchdowns. The Broncos' lone touchdown came late in the fourth quarter – a 5-yard run by running backC. J. Anderson, by which time the game had already been decided in the Redskins' favor.^[119]

Notes

This was the Broncos' final game against Washington under the "Redskins" moniker – home or away, as Washington adopted a temporary moniker in2020.^[120]

In their final game of the season, the Broncos took a 10–7 lead over theChiefs, before the Chiefs reeled off 17 unanswered points to take a 24–10 lead, which included a fumble return by Chiefs' linebackerRamik Wilson for a touchdown. The Broncos pulled even with the Chiefs at 24–24 with 2:53 remaining in the game, which included a fumble return by linebackerZaire Anderson for a touchdown. However, Chiefs' quarterbackPatrick Mahomes, playing in place of regular starterAlex Smith, engineered a game-winning drive, culminating in a 30-yard field goal by placekickerHarrison Butker as time expired.Paxton Lynch, in only his second start of the season, threw two touchdown passes – one to running backDe'Angelo Henderson and another to wide receiverDemaryius Thomas, but also threw two interceptions.^[121]

Notes

Running backC. J. Anderson reached the 1,000-yard rushing plateau for the first time in his career, as well as becoming the first Broncos' running back sinceKnowshon Moreno in2013 to do so. Wide receiverDemaryius Thomas fell 51 yards short of reaching 1,000 receiving yards for a sixth consecutive season.^[122] The Broncos lost their fifth consecutive game against the Chiefs – the team's longest losing skid against the Chiefs since a six-game streak from 1970 to 1973.^[123]

Trevor Siemian was named the startingquarterback on August 21, two days after the Broncos' second preseason game vs. theSan Francisco 49ers. It was the second consecutive season that Siemian beat outPaxton Lynch, the team's 2016 first-rounddraft selection, for the starting quarterback position.^[124] However, after a four-touchdown performance against theDallas Cowboys in Week 2, Siemian struggled with turnovers and inconsistent play, and was benched in favor ofBrock Osweiler, who was re-signed by the Broncos just before the start of the season, and designated as Siemian's backup. Osweiler was named the starter on November 1, four days before the team's Week 9 game at thePhiladelphia Eagles.^[125] However, Osweiler suffered through the same struggles as Siemian. Lynch, who had been inactive for the first ten games of the season due to an injury to his throwing shoulder during the preseason, was named the starter on November 22, four days prior to team's Week 12 game at theOakland Raiders. This change occurred immediately afterBill Musgrave was named offensive coordinator, following the firing ofMike McCoy.^[126] After Lynch suffered an ankle injury during the Week 12 loss to the Raiders that sidelined him for three weeks,^[94] Siemian started the next three games (Weeks 13–15), but suffered a partial dislocation of his non-throwing shoulder during the team's Week 15 win over theIndianapolis Colts that ended his season.^[127] Lynch started the regular season finale against theKansas City Chiefs.^[121]

Source for this section: Denver Broncos' official website.^[128]

Source for this section: NFL.com.^[129]

• Von Miller
  • Week 6: Achieved 80.5 careersacks, surpassingKarl Mecklenburg for second place on the Broncos' all-time list for career sacks, behindSimon Fletcher (97.5).^[130] During that same game, Miller (94 games) also became the second-fastest player inNFL history to reach 80 career sacks, behind onlyReggie White (70 games).^[107]
  • Week 14: Became the first player in franchise history to record double-digit sacks in his first six seasons with the Broncos, and joined Reggie White andDeMarcus Ware as the only players to record double-digit sacks in six of their first seven seasons.^[131]
  • Pro Bowl: Became the fourth player in NFL history to winMVP awards for both a Super Bowl and a Pro Bowl, joiningPeyton Manning,Jerry Rice andPhil Simms – Miller was voted as the MVP forSuper Bowl 50.^[132]
• Aqib Talib: During the Broncos' Week 2 win over theDallas Cowboys, Talib returned an interception 103 yards for a touchdown, which set a new record for the longest interception return in Broncos' franchise history, surpassing the record thatChris Harris, Jr. previously set in2012. During that same game, Talib also surpassedDeion Sanders for fourth place on theNFL's all-time list for interception returns for touchdowns.^[133]
• Demaryius Thomas
  • Week 6: Reached 8,000 career receiving yards.^[134]
  • Week 12: Became the third player in Broncos' franchise history to record 600 receptions (Shannon Sharpe^[135] andRod Smith^[136] are the other two), and the fastest to reach that feat, in his 112th game.^[137]
  • Week 14: Surpassed Shannon Sharpe for second on the Broncos all-time franchise lists for touchdowns and receiving yards.^[138]

LinebackerVon Miller andcornerbackAqib Talib were selected to the2018 Pro Bowl, while cornerbackChris Harris, Jr. andnose tackleDomata Peko were named as alternates.^[142] Miller was also voted to the2017All-Pro Team and named to the Second Team.^[143]

On July 24,John Elway, the team's executive vice president/general manager since2011, received a five-year contract extension from the Broncos that will run through the 2021 season. In addition, Elway was promoted from executive vice president to president of football operations.^[144]