1977 Denver Broncos season
The Broncos playing against the Cowboys in Super Bowl XII.
The 1977 Denver Broncos season was the team's 18th year in professional football and its eighth with the National Football League (NFL).
The team had by far its best season to date, finishing first in the AFC West and making the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. The Broncos won the first two playoff games in franchise history (over perennial AFC powerhouses Pittsburgh and Oakland) and won their first AFC Championship, earning a berth in Super Bowl XII, where they fell to the NFC champion Dallas Cowboys, 27–10.
Still, 1977 was a major leap for the Broncos, who had never won more than nine games in a season. Coach Red Miller — in his first season as the Broncos' head coach — was named NFL Coach of the Year, and quarterback Craig Morton was named NFL Comeback Player of the Year.
Denver's 1977 season is chronicled in Terry Frei's 2008 book, '77: Denver, the Broncos and a Coming of Age.
Personnel
Staff
1977 Denver Broncos staff |
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Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
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Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
- Special Teams – Marv Braden
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Schedule
Week |
Date |
Opponent |
Result |
Game site |
Record |
Attendance |
1 |
September 18 |
St. Louis Cardinals |
W 7–0 |
Mile High Stadium |
1–0 |
75,002 |
2 |
September 25 |
Buffalo Bills |
W 26–6 |
Mile High Stadium |
2–0 |
74,897 |
3 |
October 2 |
at Seattle Seahawks |
W 24–13 |
Kingdome |
3–0 |
53,108 |
4 |
October 9 |
Kansas City Chiefs |
W 23–7 |
Mile High Stadium |
4–0 |
74,878 |
5 |
October 16 |
at Oakland Raiders |
W 30–7 |
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum |
5–0 |
53,616 |
6 |
October 23 |
at Cincinnati Bengals |
W 24 – 13 |
Riverfront Stadium |
6–0 |
54,395 |
7 |
October 30 |
Oakland Raiders |
L 14–24 |
Mile High Stadium |
6–1 |
75,007 |
8 |
November 6 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
W 21–7 |
Mile High Stadium |
7–1 |
74,967 |
9 |
November 13 |
at San Diego Chargers |
W 17–14 |
San Diego Stadium |
8–1 |
45,211 |
10 |
November 20 |
at Kansas City Chiefs |
W 14–7 |
Arrowhead Stadium |
9–1 |
54,050 |
11 |
November 27 |
Baltimore Colts |
W 27–13 |
Mile High Stadium |
10–1 |
74,939 |
12 |
December 4 |
at Houston Oilers |
W 24–14 |
Astrodome |
11–1 |
46,875 |
13 |
December 11 |
San Diego Chargers |
W 17–9 |
Mile High Stadium |
12–1 |
74,905 |
14 |
December 18 |
at Dallas Cowboys |
L 6–14 |
Texas Stadium |
12–2 |
63,752 |
Season summary
Week 1
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1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Cardinals |
0 |
0 | 0 | 0 |
0 |
• Broncos |
0 |
0 | 7 | 0 |
7 |
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[1]
Week 2
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1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Bills |
0 |
6 | 0 | 0 |
6 |
• Broncos |
3 |
7 | 13 | 3 |
26 |
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Scoring summary |
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Q1 |
| DEN | Turner 48 yard field goal | DEN 3–0 |
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Q2 |
| BUF | Cornell 22 yard fumble return (kick failed) | BUF 6–3 |
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Q2 |
| DEN | Morton 5 yard run (Turner kick) | DEN 10–6 |
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Q3 |
| DEN | Armstrong 1 yard run (kick failed) | DEN 16–6 |
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Q3 |
| DEN | Odoms 1 yard pass from Morton (Turner kick) | DEN 23–6 |
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Q4 |
| DEN | Turner 26 yard field goal | DEN 26–6 |
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[2]
Week 12
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1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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• Broncos |
0 |
14 | 3 | 7 |
24 |
Oilers |
0 |
7 | 7 | 0 |
14 |
- Date: December 4
- Location: Houston Astrodome
- Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST
- Game attendance: 46,875
- Game weather: Indoors (dome)
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Scoring summary |
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Q2 |
| HOU | Coleman 2 yard run (Fritsch kick) | HOU 7–0 |
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Q2 |
| DEN | Odoms 13 yard pass from Morton (Turner kick) | Tie 7–7 |
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Q2 |
| DEN | Upchurch 13 yard pass from Morton (Turner kick) | DEN 14–7 |
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Q3 |
| DEN | Turner 42 yard field goal | DEN 17–7 |
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Q3 |
| HOU | Burrough 29 yard pass from Pastorini (Fritsch kick) | DEN 17–14 |
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Q4 |
| DEN | Weese 5 yard run (Turner kick) | DEN 24–14 |
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[3]
Week 14
Game information |
- First Quarter
- DAL – Preston Pearson 22-yard pass from Roger Staubach (Efren Herrera kick)
- Third Quarter
- DAL – Robert Newhouse 7-yard pass from Roger Staubach (Efren Herrera kick)
- DEN – Jim Turner 22-yard field goal
- Fourth Quarter
- DEN – Jim Turner 37-yard field goal
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- Passing
- DEN – Norris Weese 10/19, 94 yards
- DAL – Roger Staubach 15/20, 160 yards, 2 TD, INT
- Rushing
- DEN – Norris Weese 6 att, 33 yards
- DAL – Tony Dorsett 17 att, 50 yards
- Receiving
- DEN – Jack Dolbin 5 rec, 85 yards
- DAL – Preston Pearson 6 rec, 48 yards, TD
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Playoffs
AFC Championship
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1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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Raiders |
3 |
0 | 0 | 14 |
17 |
• Broncos |
7 |
0 | 7 | 6 |
20 |
- Date: January 1
- Location: Mile High Stadium • Denver, Colorado
- Game start: 12:00 p.m. MST
- Game attendance: 74,982
- Game weather: 13°F • Wind 6
- TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg and Len Dawson
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Scoring summary |
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1 |
| OAK | Errol Mann 20 yard field goal | Raiders 3–0 |
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1 |
| DEN | Haven Moses 74 yard pass from Craig Morton (Jim Turner kick) | Broncos 7–3 |
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3 |
| DEN | Jon Keyworth 1 yard run (Jim Turner kick) | Broncos 14–3 |
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4 |
| OAK | Dave Casper 7 yard pass from Ken Stabler (Errol Mann kick) | Broncos 14–10 |
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4 |
| DEN | Haven Moses 12 yard pass from Craig Morton (kick failed) | Broncos 20–10 |
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4 |
| OAK | Dave Casper 17 yard pass from Ken Stabler (Errol Mann kick) | Broncos 20–17 |
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[4]
Super Bowl XII: Dallas Cowboys 27, Denver Broncos 10
Standings
Roster
References
External links
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Franchise | |
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Stadiums | |
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Key personnel | |
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Culture | |
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Lore | |
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Rivalries | |
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Retired numbers | |
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Ring of Fame | |
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Division titles | |
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Conference titles | |
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League titles | |
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Media | |
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Current league affiliations | |
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Former league affiliation | |
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Seasons (56) | |
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Championship seasons in bold |