POSTGAME Notes
2 World Championships • 6 Super Bowls • 8 AFC Title Games • 10 AFC West Titles • 17 Playoff Berths • 24 Winning Seasons
vs. San Diego • Sunday, Jan. 2, 2010 • 2:15 p.m. MST • INVESCO Field at Mile High • Denver, Colo. FINAL SCORE: CHARGERS 33, BRONCOS 28
LLOYD CLAIMS NFL RECEIVING TITLE
Broncos WR Brandon Lloyd finished with five receptions for 73 yards (14.6 avg.) with one touchdown against San Diego to bring his season totals to 77 receptions for an NFL‐high 1,448 yards (18.8 avg.) with 11 touchdowns. All totals represent career highs for the eighth‐year pro, who became the first player in team history to lead the NFL in receiving yards. Lloyd’s receiving yardage total ranks second in team history (Rod Smith, 2001), and his percentage of receptions resulting in first downs (93.5% / 72‐of‐77) rank third in the NFL in a single season since at least 1991 (Henry Ellard, Was., 1994, ’96).
MOST RECEIVING YARDS, NFL, 2010 MOST RECEIVING YARDS, SINGLE SEASON, TEAM HISTORY Player Rec. Yds. Avg. TD Player Year Rec. Yds. Avg. TD 1. Brandon Lloyd, Den. 77 1,448 18.8 11 1. Rod Smith 2000 100 1,602 16.0 8 2. Roddy White, Atl. 115 1,389 12.1 10 2. Brandon Lloyd 2010 77 1,448 18.8 11 3. Reggie Wayne, Ind. 111 1,355 12.2 6 3. Rod Smith 2001 113 1,343 11.9 11 4. Greg Jennings, G.B. 76 1,265 17.6 12 4. Brandon Marshall 2007 102 1,325 13.0 7 5. Mike Wallace, Pit. 60 1,257 21.0 10 5. Ed McCaffrey 2000 101 1,317 13.0 9
TEBOW NETS ANOTHER IMPRESSIVE GROUND GAME
Broncos QB Tim Tebow totaled 13 carries for 94 yards (7.2 avg.) with one touchdown against the Chargers to record the second‐most rushing yards by a quarterback in team history. After rushing eight times for 78 yards (9.8 avg.) with one touchdown in his starting debut against Oakland two weeks ago, he now holds two of the top three single‐game rushing marks by a quarterback in club annals. Tebow, who is the reigning Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week after his performance in Denver’s come‐from‐behind win against Houston, completed 16‐of‐36 passes (44.4%) for 205 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions against San Diego.
MOST RUSHING YARDS BY A QUARTERBACK, SINGLE GAME, BRONCOS HISTORY Player Opponent Att. Yds. Avg. TD 1. Norris Weese at Chi., 12/12/1976 12 120 10.0 0 2. Tim Tebow vs. S.D., 1/2/2011 13 94 7.2 1 3. Tim Tebow at Oak., 12/19/2010 8 78 9.8 1 4. John Elway at Oak., 11/4/1996 9 70 7.8 0 5. John Elway vs. K.C., 10/27/1996 8 62 7.8 0
UNDRAFTED ROOKIE VAUGHN RECORDS 97‐YARD KICKOFF RETURN TD
Rookie CB Cassius Vaughn, who went undrafted and signed with the Broncos as a college free agent last May, had a 97‐ yard kickoff return for a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter to pull the Broncos within 12 points of the Chargers (33‐ 21). It marked the third‐longest kickoff return in team history and the second‐longest kickoff return by an undrafted rookie in NFL history (Tony Horne, Stl., 103 yds., TD, 1998).
LONGEST KICKOFF RETURN, BRONCOS HISTORY Player Opp. (Date) Ret. 1. Nemiah Wilson at K.C., 10/8/66 100t Goldie Sellers vs. Hou., 10/2/66 100t 3. Cassius Vaughn vs. S,D., 1/2/11 97t 4. Eddie Royal, vs. Mia., 11/2/08 95 Vaughn Hebron at Mia., 12/21/98 95t
DAWKINS NOTCHES ANOTHER SACK
Broncos S Brian Dawkins recorded his second sack of the season and the 23rd of his career on third down during San Diego’s opening drive. His 23 career sacks rank fourth in NFL history among defensive backs.
MOST SACKS BY A DEFENSIVE BACK, NFL HISTORY Player Pos. Sacks Years 1. Rodney Harrison, N.E./S.D. S 30.5 1994‐2008 2. Ronde Barber, T.B. CB 26.0 1997‐Pres. 3. Carnell Lake, Bal./Jac./Pit. S 25.0 1989‐2001 4. Brian Dawkins, Den./Phi. S 23.0 1996‐Pres. 5. Adrian Wilson, Ari. S 22.5 2001‐Pres.
MISCELLANEOUS GAME NOTES
Rookie WR Eric Decker totaled two receptions for 22 yards (11.0 avg.), including a 6‐yard touchdown reception in the third quarter that marked the first score of his career… Rookie CB Perrish Cox started in place of CB Champ Bailey and totaled seven tackles (all solo), two passes defensed and a forced fumble—all in the first half… LB Mario Haggan led the team with nine tackles (all solo)… P Britton Colquitt punted five times for a 51.4 average against San Diego and finished the year tied for the NFL lead with six games with a gross average of 50.0 or higher (Mat McBriar, Dal., Mike Scifres, S.D.)… Broncos DL Justin Bannan recorded his fourth pass defense of the season in the second quarter, bringing his season total to four (most by a Broncos defensive lineman since John Engelberger, 4, 2006).