Some Broncos Notes

The Saturday, late afternoon slot 1 tilt matching original AFL’ers, Buffalo (Bills) at Denver, vs the Broncos will mark the first time Denver has hosted a slot 1 game. (i.e. the first of the four divisional round games).

Six times before Denver was the scene for the later Saturday “slots” game, only once at night, that in ’05, when they eliminated a Patriots’ team that had won the Super Bowl in 3 of the last 4 seasons. One late afternoon (Eastern Time) tilt resulted in a win vs the Pittsburgh Steelers, in their first ever ‘offs game, which did not occur until ’77, Denver’s 18th, the first 10 in the A.F.L.

In slots and title tilts, Denver has a stellar (18-8) record. (10-6 in div rd games and a mighty impressive (8-2) in title games, one of the losses, at Buffalo in ’91.

The record is not so good in Supes and wild card round games, their most recent of the latter, a rout, more or less expected, loss, at Buffalo, last season, (2-7 in w/cd/rd and (3-5) in Supes, that after losing more than decisively in their first four).

Denver has never hosted a slot 3 (earlier Sunday game) but 7 times has been at home for a slot 4 (later Sunday) game, posting a (5-2) record in such games.

That is the late Denver offensive lineman, Paul Howard pictured above.

A tale of two Joe Greenes/Joe Green’s as “Mean Joe” Greene did punch Howard in the stomach during the ’77 ‘offs tilts.

My friend the late Joe Green ?’d and minimum discredited (Franco Harris and Rock Bleier did not play) the ’76 Oak win and gave “reason?” to Greene’s frustration in the ’77 loss in slot 1.

Sadly Paul died at age 70 and below another side of “Mean Joe” in a classic, great commercial.