TheOrange Crush Defense was the3–4 defense of theDenver Broncos during the late 1970s and early 1980s. TheNational Football League (NFL) team adopted the 3–4 defense during the1976 season, and the nickname "Orange Crush" for the team's defense was popularized early in the1977 season bysportswriter/broadcasterWoody Paige.[1][2]
It was one of the top defenses of its time withlinebackersTom Jackson andHall of FamerRandy Gradishar.[3] Other key players weredefensive linemenPaul Smith (a two-timePro Bowl selection),Barney Chavous,Lyle Alzado, andRubin Carter, linebackersBob Swenson andJoe Rizzo, anddefensive backsBilly Thompson,Louis Wright,Steve Foley, andBernard Jackson.
In early1977,head coachJohn Ralston stepped down after his best season andNew Englandoffensive line coachRed Miller was brought in to guide an already talented team to their firstplayoff berth.[4][5][6] Now led by Miller,coordinatorJoe Collier, and eventualHall of Fame-inducted defensive line coachStan Jones, the defense quickly became dominant in the1977 season by starting 6-0 and allowing 46 total points in those games, popularizing their nickname. The Broncos finished the season 12–2 and made their firstpost-season appearance,[7] where they advanced toSuper Bowl XII after home playoff wins overPittsburgh andOakland, winners of the previous threeSuper Bowls.[7][8] The 1977 Broncos had theNFL's number-one defense against the rush and were 11th (of 28 teams) against the pass using theNFL Passer Rating. The third fewest in the league, they only let up 10.6 points per game.
The team's defensive unit derived theirnickname from theirorangehome jerseys and a popularsoft drink,Orange Crush.[9] This delighted the makers of the soft drink, based inIllinois nearChicago.[10] They were also known for their casual attitude toward the NFL rulebook, particularly making use of illegal-but-rarely-called chop blocks.
The use of the term has resurfaced in more recent years, most notably in reference to the Broncos'2015 season.[11]
Throughout that season Rocky Mountain News sportswriter Woody Paige had helped popularize a nickname for the Broncos' defense: Orange Crush.