Broncos Mailbag Part 2-The Regular Season

I continue with my look back at the 2013 Broncos season with a review of the regular season.  I have already covered the postseason in part 1, so the focus here will strictly be on the 13-3 regular season.

Where would you rank the 2013 Broncos as far as regular seasons go?
This is up there as the third best Broncos team next to the 1997 and '98 teams. This team was better than the 13-3 team from 2012, and it was better than the 1996 team, and it was certainly better than the Super Bowl teams from '86,'87, and '89. This team scored 606 points, won 13 games, another AFC West title, and homefield advantage in the AFC. It scored over 30 points in 13 of their 16 games. They scored at least 50 points three different times. It routed opponents on a weekly basis, and went 5-1 in a division that sent two other teams to the playoffs. This is hands down one of the best regular seasons a team has had in recent memory (The 2007 Pats and their 16-0 record might be the only one with an argument there.) To make it even more special, they did it fighting through constant adversity. They lost Von Miller to suspension for the first six games. Then, they lost him in Week 16 to an ACL injury. They lost 6 starters on defense. They lost Ryan Clady for the year in Week 2. They lost John Fox to heart surgery for a month in November. Despite all this, they still finished 13-3 and #1 seed in the AFC.

How fun was it to watch this team all year long?
It was amazing to watch Peyton Manning and this team every week. I can't remember a year in which I wasn't mad or upset with the Broncos as the year went on. Even when they lost, it wasn't the end of the world. When they lost to the Colts, they fell to 6-1. When they lost to the Pats, they were 9-2, and still in control of the AFC West, and when they lost to the Chargers, they were still 11-3 and in control of the top spot in the AFC. It was an absolute pleasure to watch this team week-to-week. It was a dream season, that unfortunately didn't pan out with a Super Bowl, but it was a great year from Week 1 all the way to Week 17. It was a joyride from start to finish for me.

Did this team live up to expectations in the regular season for you?
It definitely did. They started the season as the odds-on favorite to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl, and they followed throw on it. They were the consensus pick to win the AFC, and they backed it up with a 13-3 record. I was a little skeptical going in because of the injuries and the suspension to Miller, so I had them going in as a wild card, but I knew that deep down they could be the kings of the AFC, and they were. To back up all those expectations coming off a 13-3 year in 2012 is pretty amazing in today's NFL.

How good was this offense led by Manning?
It is the best offense the Broncos have ever fielded in my lifetime. This team and the 2007 Patriots are the two best offenses I have ever watched. They scored over 600 points. They scored 76 touchdowns. They averaged 37.8 points per game. They scored at least 30 points in 13 games. They scored 40 or more 6 times, and they scored at least 50 points 3 times. In their 13 wins, only 3 games were decided by 8 points or less. Manning was just incredible with this group. He finished with 450 completions in 659 attempts with a percentage of 68.3. He threw for a NFL record 5,477 yards with a record 55 touchdowns and only 10 interceptions and a passer rating of 115.1. He deserved his record 5th NFL MVP. His receivers were just as accomplished. Demaryius Thomas had 93 receptions for 1,430 yards and 14 touchdowns. Eric Decker had 87 receptions for 1,288 yards and 11 touchdowns. Wes Welker had 73 receptions for 778 yards and 12 touchdowns. Julius Thomas had 65 receptions for 788 yards and 10 touchdowns. Four receivers added at least 10 touchdown catches. That is just remarkable. Their ground game wasn't too shabby either. Knowshon Moreno finished with 1,038 yards rushing and had 10 rushing touchdowns. To have five players get at least 10 touchdowns on an offense is amazing and it is something that we probably won't ever see again. It was just beautiful to watch on a weekly basis.

Why was this defense so inconsistent?
The Broncos defense was just never healthy all year long. It started with losing Champ Bailey in the preseason. That injury sidelined him for most of the regular season. Von Miller missed the first six games due to a suspension. When he came back, they lost Rahim Moore, Kevin Vickerson, and Derek Wolfe. The defense was never together as a unit, and it just never seemed to get into a consistent rhythm like they did in 2012. They would put together a few good weeks, and they put together some bad weeks. They would look great for a quarter, and they get torched for two quarters. It just never seemed like they could get going the whole year.

What is the one game that stands out in 2013?
There are so many to choose from. It started with the 49-27 thrashing of Baltimore on opening night when Manning threw 7 touchdowns. It continued with the 41-23 blowout of the Giants in the Manning Bowl in Week 2. There were so many other great games throughout the year, but the three others that will stand out are the two wins over KC and the 51-48 win over Dallas. The Dallas game was in Week 5 and the Broncos were 4-0 heading in. It was the late game on CBS, and the rating was a huge one. the 51-48 shootout was probably one of the signature games of the entire year. The first KC game was a SNF game in Denver, in which the Broncos at 8-1 knocked off the 9-0 Chiefs in what was the game of the year in the AFC at the time. Two weeks later, Denver traveled to Arrowhead with both teams at 9-2 and the AFC West lead at stake. Denver rallied from a 21-7 hole to win the game 35-28 on the heels of 5 Manning touchdown passes. Those three games will resonate from the 2013 season.

*Next up-Part 3: The offseason