denver broncos 2011 YEAR IN REVIEW Media Relations Staff Patrick Smyth, Executive Director of Media Relations • (303-264-5536) • [email protected] Rebecca Villanueva, Media Services Manager • (303-264-5598) • [email protected] Erich Schubert, Media Relations Coordinator • (303-264-5503) • [email protected] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2012 BRONCOS CAPTURE AFC WEST TITLE & POSTSEASON BERTH IN FIRST YEAR OF JOHN FOX ERA A comprehensive statistical recap of the 2011 season 2011 SEASON AT A GLANCE BRONCOS 2011 SCHEDULE/RESULTS TEAM PRESEASON * - The Broncos won the AFC West division for the 11th time in franchise Wk.Day Date Opponent Site Result Rec. history, including the ninth time in Owner Pat Bowlen’s 28 seasons with 1 Thu. Aug. 11 at Dallas Cowboys Stadium L, 24-23 0-1 2 Sat. Aug. 20 BUFFALO Sports Authority Field at Mile High W, 24-10 1-1 the club. See Page 2 3 Sat. Aug. 27 SEATTLE Sports Authority Field at Mile High W, 23-20 2-1 * - John Fox became just the third head coach since the 1970 NFL merger 4 Thu. Sept. 1 at Arizona University of Phoenix Stadium L, 26-7 2-2 to take over a team with four or fewer victories the season before and lead it REGULAR SEASON to a division title and at least one playoff win in his first season. See Page 21 Wk.Day Date Opponent Site Result Rec. * - Denver became the fifth team in NFL history to make the postseason 1 Mon. Sept. 12 OAKLAND Sports Authority Field at Mile High L, 23-20 0-1 and just the third to win its division after starting 2-5 or worse. See Page 2 2 Sun. Sept. 18 CINCINNATI Sports Authority Field at Mile High W, 24-22 1-1 3 Sun. Sept. 25 at Tennessee LP Field L, 17-14 1-2 * - The Broncos tied an NFL record with six wins when trailing (4) or tied 4 Sun. Oct. 2 at Green Bay Lambeau Field L, 49-23 1-3 (2) entering the fourth quarter. See Page 4 5 Sun. Oct. 9 SAN DIEGO Sports Authority Field at Mile High L, 29-24 1-4 * - Denver’s rookie class featured nine players who saw playing time, 6 BYE including a combined 56 starts that ranked second in the NFL. See Page 5 7 Sun. Oct. 23 at Miami Sun Life Stadium W, 18-15 (OT) 2-4 OFFENSE 8 Sun. Oct. 30 DETROIT Sports Authority Field at Mile High L, 45-10 2-5 9 Sun. Nov. 6 at Oakland O.co Coliseum W, 38-24 3-5 * - Denver led the NFL and set a team record with 2,632 rushing yards in 10 Sun. Nov. 13 at Kansas City Arrowhead Stadium W, 17-10 4-5 2011 (164.5 ypg.). See Page 7 11 Thu. Nov. 17 N.Y. JETS Sports Authority Field at Mile High W, 17-13 5-5 * - The Broncos’ offensive line was the only such unit in the NFL to start 12 Sun. Nov. 27 at San Diego Qualcomm Stadium W, 16-13 (OT) 6-5 the same five players for all 16 regular-season games. See Page 11 13 Sun. Dec. 4 at Minnesota Mall of America Field (Metrodome) W, 35-32 7-5 14 Sun. Dec. 11 CHICAGO Sports Authority Field at Mile High W, 13-10 (OT) 8-5 * - QB Tim Tebow finished 8-5 as a starter, including postseason play, and 15 Sun. Dec. 18 NEW ENGLAND Sports Authority Field at Mile High L, 41-23 8-6 tied for the most fourth-quarter comebacks (5) in the league. See Page 8 16 Sat. Dec. 24 at Buffalo Ralph Wilson Stadium L, 40-14 8-7 * - RB Willis McGahee recorded his fourth career 1,000-yard rushing 17 Sun. Jan. 1 KANSAS CITY Sports Authority Field at Mile High L, 7-3 8-8 season and tied for the NFL lead with seven individual 100-yard rushing POSTSEASON games. See Page 7 Wk.Day Date Opponent Site Result Rec. * - WR Demaryius Thomas set a franchise record by leading the team in 1 Sun. Jan. 8 PITTSBURGH Sports Authority Field at Mile High W, 29-23 (OT) 1-0 receiving yards during the Broncos’ final seven games. See Page 10 2 Sat. Jan. 14 at New England Gillette Stadium L, 45-10 1-1 DEFENSE * - Denver’s 41 sacks represented an improvement of 18 from the 2010 sea- FINAL 2011 AFC WEST STANDINGS son and marked the most by the club since totaling 44 in 2000. See Page 15 Team W L T PF PA Home Road AFC NFC DIV Streak * - CB Champ Bailey was named to his 11th Pro Bowl to tie for the third- y-Denver 8 8 0 309 390 3-5 5-3 6-6 2-2 3-3 Lost 3 most selections in NFL history. See Page 12 San Diego 8 8 0 406 377 5-3 3-5 7-5 1-3 3-3 Won 1 * - LB Von Miller became just the second player in Broncos history to make a Pro Bowl during his rookie season and tied Rulon Jones (1980) for Oakland 8 8 0 359 433 3-5 5-3 6-6 2-2 3-3 Lost 1 the team’s rookie sack record (11.5). See Page 15 Kansas City 7 9 0 212 338 3-5 4-4 4-8 3-1 3-3 Won 1 * - DE Elvis Dumervil recorded 9.5 sacks and was named to the Pro Bowl y - clinched division title after missing the 2010 season due to injury. See Page 14 SPECIAL TEAMS BRONCOS MEDIA WEBSITE * - P Britton Colquitt set single-season franchise punting marks in gross The Denver Broncos have a media-only website, which was created to (47.4) and net (40.2) average. See Page 17 assist accredited media in their coverage of the Broncos. By going to * - K Matt Prater kicked four walk-off field goals, including three overtime http://media.denverbroncos.com, members of the press will find weekly winners. See Page 16 releases, press releases, rosters, depth charts, updated bios, transcripts, * - LB Wesley Woodyard led the team in special-teams tackles (10) for injury reports, game recaps, news clippings, photos, credential applica- the second consecutive season and the third time in his first four NFL sea- tions and much more. sons. See Page 18 DENVER BRONCOS — 1 — 2011 YEAR IN REVIEW denver broncos 2011 YEAR IN REVIEW TEAM STATISTICS / NOTES BRONCOS 2011 REGULAR-SEASON STATISTICS AFC WEST CHAMPS The Broncos, who won the AFC West for the 11th time in their history, Record . .8-8 have captured the second-most titles among division members since the Division Standing . .1st (AFCW) 1970 NFL merger. Turnover Margin (NFL Rank) . .-12 (T-26th) DENVER BRONCOS’ AFC WEST TITLE SEASONS Year W L T Coach Postseason (Rec.) 1977 12 2 0 Red Miller Super Bowl (2-1) OFFENSE 1978 10 6 0 Red Miller Playoffs (0-1) 1984 13 3 0 Dan Reeves Playoffs (0-1) Net Yards Per Game (NFL Rank) . .316.6 (23rd) 1986 11 5 0 Dan Reeves Super Bowl (2-1) Yards Per Play (NFL Rank) . .5.0 (25th) 1987 10 4 1 Dan Reeves Super Bowl (2-1) Points Per Game (NFL Rank) . .19.3 (25th) 1989 11 5 0 Dan Reeves Super Bowl (2-1) 1991 12 4 0 Dan Reeves AFC Champ. (1-1) Possession Average . .28:51 1996 13 3 0 Mike Shanahan Playoffs (0-1) Net Rushing Yards Per Game (NFL Rank) . .164.5 (1st) 1998 14 2 0 Mike Shanahan S.B. Champs (3-0) 2005 13 3 0 Mike Shanahan AFC Champ. (1-1) Net Passing Yards Per Game (NFL Rank) . .152.1 (31st) 2011 8 8 0 John Fox Playoffs (1-1) Had Intercepted/Yards . .13/276 MOST AFC WEST DIVISION TITLES, NFL HISTORY Sacks Allowed/Yards . .42/274 Team No. 1. Oakland 12 Fumbles/Lost . .30/17 2. Denver 11 Third Down Pct. (NFL Rank) . .30.8% (30th) 3. San Diego 10 4. Kansas City 6 Red Zone TD Pct. (NFL Rank) . .47.2% (23rd) 5. Seattle 2 Giveaways (NFL Rank) . .30 (T-25th) OVERCOMING A SLOW START DEFENSE The Broncos became just the fifth team in NFL history to reach the post- Net Yards Per Game (NFL Rank) . .357.8 (20th) season after starting a season 2-5 or worse after seven games. Yards Per Play (NFL Rank) . .5.4 (16th) Denver was also just the third team to start a season 2-5 or worse after Points Per Game (NFL Rank) . .24.4 (24th) seven games and reach the divisional round of the playoffs. Net Rushing Yards Per Game (NFL Rank) . .126.3 (22nd) TEAMS TO REACH THE POSTSEASON AFTER Net Passing Yards Per Game (NFL Rank) . .231.5 (18th) STARTING 2-5 OR WORSE, NFL HISTORY Team Year Start Final Rec. Result Intercepted by/Yards . .9/152 Cincinnati 1970 1-6 8-6 Divisional Playoffs Sacks For/Yards . .41/283 New Orleans 1990 2-5 8-8 Wild Card Playoffs Detroit 1995 2-5 10-6 Wild Card Playoffs Opponent Fumbles/Lost . .19/9 N.Y. Jets 2002 2-5 9-7 Divisional Playoffs Third Down Pct. (NFL Rank) . .33.5% (6th) Denver 2011 2-5 8-8 Divisional Playoffs Red Zone TD Pct. (NFL Rank) . .51.9% (15th) ROUND-BY-ROUND PLAYOFF RECORD Takeaways (NFL Rank) . .18 (T-28th) SPECIAL TEAMS The Broncos finished 1-1 in postseason play, bringing the Broncos’ all- time postseason record to 18-16 (.529).