2012 Denver Broncos season The Denver Broncos season was the franchise ' s 43rd season in the National Football League , the 53rd overall and the second under head coach John Fox . The offseason was dominated by the signing of former Indianapolis Colts ' quarterback Peyton Manning on March 20 , leading to the team trading incumbent quarterback Tim Tebow and a seventh - round selection to the New York Jets in exchange for two draft selections . While the Broncos did not have a first - round selection in the 2012 NFL Draft , the team selected Derek Wolfe as the team ' s first pick in the second round of the draft . Throughout the season , Peyton Manning set numerous individual , team and league records , including 300 - yard passing games , game - winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime and new Broncos ' single - season franchise records for passing yardage , pass completions and touchdown passes . Another team record that was set during the season was linebacker Von Miller ' s 18 . 5 quarterback sack s . After a 2 – 3 start to the season , the Broncos finished the regular season on an eleven - game winning streak , and with a record of 13 – 3 , the team exceeded their win total from the previous two seasons combined . The Broncos won their second consecutive AFC West division title , as well as earning a first - round bye and homefield advantage throughout the 2012 – 13 NFL playoffs , but were narrowly defeated by the eventual Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens in the Divisional round by a double - overtime score of 38 – 35 . Roster changes . Signing of Peyton Manning . On March 20 , 2012 , the Broncos reached an agreement with former Indianapolis Colts ' quarterback Peyton Manning on a five - year , $ 96 million contract . Manning missed the entire season following multiple neck surgeries , and was released by the Colts two weeks earlier on March 7 , one day before the Colts were due to pay him a $ 28 million roster bonus . The Arizona Cardinals , Miami Dolphins , San Francisco 49ers and Tennessee Titans were also in pursuit of the former Colts ' quarterback ; however , Manning informed Broncos ' personnel to begin contract negotiations with the team on March 19 , and he was introduced as the Broncos ' new quarterback in a press conference at the team ' s headquarters in Dove Valley the following day . The language of the contract contains the following conditions : Manning did not suffer a setback in his recovery from neck surgery prior to the end of the season ; therefore , the Broncos owed Manning $ 18 million for the 2012 season . Manning passed a physical exam at the beginning of the league year , but if he suffers an injury to any part of his body other than his neck during the 2013 season , the Broncos will owe Manning $ 40 million through the 2014 season . The remaining years of the contract ( $ 19 million apiece for 2015 and 2016 ) are dependent on Manning passing a physical exam prior to each season . Undrafted free agents . All undrafted free agent s were signed just after the 2012 NFL Draft concluded on April 28 , unless noted otherwise . Schedule . Preseason . The Broncos ' preliminary preseason schedule was announced on April 4 , 2012 . Exact dates and times for all games were finalized on April 17 , when the regular season schedule was announced . Regular season . The Broncos ' regular season schedule was announced on April 17 , 2012 . Game summaries . Regular season . Week 1 : vs . Pittsburgh Steelers . The Broncos kicked off their season at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football , in a rematch of their . After a scoreless first quarter , the Steelers grabbed the lead , with a 21 - yard field goal by placekicker Shaun Suisham . The Broncos responded , with running back Knowshon Moreno rushing for a 7 - yard touchdown , but the Steelers countered , with a 4 - yard touchdown pass from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to tight end Heath Miller just before halftime . In the third quarter , the Steelers added to their lead , with a 35 - yard field goal by Suisham . The Broncos grabbed the lead , when quarterback Peyton Manning threw his 400th career touchdown pass — a 71 - yarder to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas , but the Steelers responded early in the fourth quarter , when Roethlisberger threw a 3 - yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Mike Wallace ( with a failed two - point conversion attempt ) . With 9 : 23 remaining in the fourth quarter , the Broncos claimed the lead for good , when Manning threw a 1 - yard touchdown pass to tight end Jacob Tamme ( coupled with running back Willis McGahee receiving a pass from Manning for a two - point conversion ) , then added to their lead with a 26 - yard field goal by placekicker Matt Prater , followed by cornerback Tracy Porter returning an interception off Roethlisberger 43 yards for a touchdown ( with a failed two - point conversion attempt ) . With the win , the Broncos began the season at 1 – 0 . Week 2 : at Atlanta Falcons . Following their season - opening win over the Steelers , the Broncos traveled to the Georgia Dome to face the Atlanta Falcons on Monday Night Football . The Falcons converted three Broncos ' turnovers into a 20 – 0 lead , with a 1 - yard touchdown run by running back Michael Turner , followed by field goals of 37 and 42 yards by placekicker Matt Bryant — the latter in the second quarter — and a 1 - yard touchdown pass from quarterback Matt Ryan to tight end Tony Gonzalez . The Broncos got on the scoreboard just before halftime , with quarterback Peyton Manning throwing a 17 - yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas . The Falcons responded in the third quarter , with a 4 - yard touchdown pass from Ryan to wide receiver Roddy White . The Broncos tried to rally in the fourth quarter , with running back Willis McGahee rushing for a pair of 2 - yard touchdowns . However , the Falcons would run out the clock . With the loss , the Broncos dropped to 1 – 1 . Week 3 : vs . Houston Texans . Hoping to rebound from their Monday Night loss in Atlanta , the Broncos returned home for an AFC duel with the Houston Texans . The Broncos jumped out to a 5 – 0 lead in the first quarter , with defensive end Elvis Dumervil sacking Texans ' quarterback Matt Schaub in the end zone for a safety , followed by a 32 - yard field goal placekicker Matt Prater . However , the Texans would reel off 21 unanswered points , with Schaub throwing three touchdown passes — a 60 - yarder to wide receiver Andre Johnson , followed in the second quarter by a 3 - yarder to running back Arian Foster and a 52 - yarder to wide receiver Kevin Walter . The Broncos narrowed the Texans ' lead to 21 – 11 at halftime , with a pair of field goals by Prater — from 23 and 53 yards . The Texans increased their lead in the third quarter , with a 41 - yard field goal by placekicker Shayne Graham , followed by a 14 - yard touchdown pass from Schaub to tight end Owen Daniels . Trailing 31 – 11 with 10 : 20 remaining in the fourth quarter , the Broncos tried to rally , with quarterback Peyton Manning throwing a pair of touchdown passes — a 38 - yarder to wide receiver Brandon Stokley and a 6 - yarder to tight end Joel Dreessen to narrow Houston ' s lead to 31 – 25 with three minutes remaining . After forcing a Texans ' punt , the Broncos got the football back with 20 seconds remaining , but the Texans ' defense stood their ground . With the loss , the Broncos fell to 1 – 2 . Footnote . Former wide receiver Rod Smith , who played with the Broncos from 1994 – 2007 , was inducted into the Broncos Ring of Fame during halftime . Smith is the Broncos ' franchise leader in receptions , receiving yards and touchdowns . Week 4 : vs . Oakland Raiders . Hoping to snap a two - game losing streak , the Broncos remained on home ground for an AFC West duel against the Oakland Raiders . The Broncos grabbed the early lead , with quarterback Peyton Manning throwing a 22 - yard touchdown pass to tight end Joel Dreessen . The Raiders responded , with a 38 - yard field goal by placekicker Sebastian Janikowski , but the Broncos countered , with a 21 - yard field goal by placekicker Matt Prater at the end of the first quarter . A 24 - yard field goal by Janikowski just before halftime was the only scoring play of the second quarter . The Broncos ' offense exploded in the third quarter , with Manning connecting on a 17 - yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Eric Decker , followed by a 2 - yard touchdown run by running back Willis McGahee and a 14 - yard touchdown pass from Manning to running back Lance Ball . Prater added field goals of 43 and 53 yards in the fourth quarter . With the win , the Broncos not only improved to 2 – 2 , but also snapped a four - game home losing streak against the Raiders . Footnote . Linebacker Joe Mays was suspended for this game and fined $ 50 , 000 by the NFL for a helmet - to - helmet hit on Houston Texans ' quarterback Matt Schaub , during the Broncos ' loss to the Texans in Week 3 . Injuries . Center J . D . Walton suffered a dislocated ankle late in the second quarter , and was placed on the season - ending injured reserve the following day ( October 1 ) . Week 5 : at New England Patriots . Coming off their dominating win over the Raiders , the Broncos traveled to Foxborough , Massachusetts to face the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium . This was the 13th meeting between quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Tom Brady since . The Patriots grabbed the early lead , with Brady connecting on an 8 - yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Wes Welker . The Broncos responded early in the second quarter , with Manning tossing a 1 - yard touchdown pass to tight end Joel Dreessen . However , the Patriots reeled off 24 unanswered points , with running back Shane Vereen rushing for a 1 - yard touchdown , a 23 - yard field goal by placekicker Stephen Gostkowski just before halftime , followed in the third quarter by Brady scoring a 1 - yard touchdown on a quarterback sneak and running back Stevan Ridley rushing for an 8 - yard touchdown . The latter touchdown occurred after a Manning fumble deep in Broncos ' territory . The Broncos responded , with Manning throwing a pair of touchdown passes — a 2 - yarder to wide receiver Eric Decker , followed in the fourth quarter by a 5 - yarder to wide receiver Brandon Stokley to close the gap to 31 – 21 with 6 : 43 remaining . Following a Patriots ' fumble , the Broncos were attempting to rally , however , running back Willis McGahee fumbled the football at the Patriots ' 14 - yard line with 3 : 48 remaining , halting the Broncos ' rally attempt . The Patriots subsequently ran out the clock . Tom Brady improved his head - to - head record against Peyton Manning to 9 – 4 . With the loss , the Broncos dropped to 2 – 3 . Week 6 : at San Diego Chargers . Hoping to rebound from their loss at New England , the Broncos traveled to Qualcomm Stadium for an AFC West duel with the San Diego Chargers on Monday Night Football . The Chargers jumped out to a 10 – 0 lead in the first quarter , with a 32 - yard field goal by placekicker Nick Novak , followed by a 15 - yard touchdown pass from quarterback Philip Rivers to tight end Antonio Gates . Both scores came off Broncos ' miscues on special teams — the former occurred after Trindon Holliday muffed a punt return , while the latter occurred after Omar Bolden coughed up the football on a kickoff return . The Broncos were attempting to narrow the Chargers ' lead midway through the second quarter , but wide receiver Eric Decker stumbled near the Chargers ' 30 - yard line when it appeared that he was headed to the end zone for an easy touchdown , after receiving a 55 - yard pass from quarterback Peyton Manning . Three plays later , Manning threw an interception that was returned by Chargers ' cornerback Quentin Jammer 80 yards for a touchdown . The Chargers increased their lead to 24 – 0 just before halftime , with Rivers connecting on an 11 - yard touchdown pass to Gates . The Broncos then staged one of the most memorable comebacks in Monday Night Football history . On the opening drive of the second half , Manning led the Broncos on an 8 - play , 85 - yard drive , culminating with a 29 - yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas . On the Chargers ' next possession , Broncos ' defensive end Elvis Dumervil forced a fumble off Rivers , and cornerback Tony Carter scooped up the football and returned it 65 yards for a touchdown . After the Broncos ' defense forced a three - and - out , Manning hooked up with Decker on a 7 - yard touchdown pass to pull the Broncos within 24 – 21 early in the fourth quarter . On the Chargers ' next possession , Carter picked off Rivers , and four plays later , Manning tossed a 21 - yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Brandon Stokley to give the Broncos a 28 – 24 lead with 9 : 09 remaining in the fourth quarter . The Chargers were attempting to rally , but Rivers was intercepted by cornerback Chris Harris with 6 : 54 remaining . However , the Broncos were forced to punt seven plays later , giving the Chargers ' offense the football with four minutes remaining . The Chargers once again tried to rally , but six plays later , Harris stepped in front of another Rivers ' pass , returning an interception 46 yards for a touchdown , sealing the win for the Broncos . With the win , the Broncos improved to 3 – 3 entering their bye week . Week 8 : vs . New Orleans Saints . Coming off their miraculous comeback in San Diego and subsequent bye week , the Broncos returned home for an interconference duel against the New Orleans Saints . The Broncos grabbed the lead in the first quarter , with running back Willis McGahee rushing for a 1 - yard touchdown . On the Broncos ' next possession , McGahee committed a fumble , and the Saints responded early in the second quarter , with quarterback Drew Brees throwing his 300th career touchdown pass — a 29 - yarder to running back Darren Sproles . On the Saints ' next possession , Brees was intercepted by linebacker Wesley Woodyard , and the Broncos dominated the remainder of the game . Quarterback Peyton Manning tossed a 13 - yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Eric Decker and placekicker Matt Prater nailed a 33 - yard field goal to close out the first half . The Broncos increased their lead in the third quarter , with Manning connecting on a 1 - yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas , then pulled away in the fourth quarter , with a 2 - yard touchdown pass from Manning to Decker and another 33 - yard field goal by Prater . The Saints scored a late touchdown , with Brees connecting on an 18 - yard pass to wide receiver Jimmy Graham , but the game had already been decided in the Broncos ' favor . Drew Brees surpassed John Elway for sixth on the NFL ' s all - time list for touchdown passes . However , Brees ' personal record dropped to 0 – 7 in games played at Denver . With the win , the Broncos improved to 4 – 3 . Injuries . Linebacker Joe Mays suffered a fractured fibula on a kickoff return during the fourth quarter , and was placed on the season - ending injured reserve the following day ( October 29 ) . Week 9 : at Cincinnati Bengals . Coming off their dominating win over the Saints , the Broncos traveled to Paul Brown Stadium for an AFC duel with the Cincinnati Bengals . A 43 - yard field goal by placekicker Matt Prater gave the Broncos an early lead , but the Bengals countered in the second quarter , with a 28 - yard field goal by placekicker Mike Nugent . The Broncos responded , with a 13 - yard touchdown pass from quarterback Peyton Manning to wide receiver Eric Decker . The Broncos added to their lead , when return specialist Trindon Holliday took the opening kickoff of the second half 105 yards for a touchdown . However , the Bengals would reel off 17 unanswered points , consisting of a 10 - yard touchdown pass from quarterback Andy Dalton to wide receiver A . J . Green , a 49 - field goal by Nugent followed in the fourth quarter by running back BenJarvus Green - Ellis rushing for a 2 - yard touchdown , with the latter two scores coming off Manning interceptions . This gave Cincinnati a 20 – 17 lead early in the fourth quarter . The Broncos re - claimed the lead on their next possession , with Manning connecting on a 1 - yard touchdown pass to tight end Joel Dreessen . Ten plays into the Bengals ' next possession , Dalton was intercepted by cornerback Champ Bailey at the Bengals ' 46 - yard line , and the Broncos subsequently added to their lead eight plays later , with a 4 - yard touchdown pass from Manning to Decker . Trailing 31 – 20 with 3 : 36 remaining in the fourth quarter , the Bengals tried to rally , with Nugent nailing a 41 - yard field goal with 52 seconds remaining , but the Broncos recovered the onside kick in the game ' s final minute and subsequently ran out the clock . Peyton Manning improved his personal record to 8 – 0 all - time in games against the Bengals . With the win , the Broncos improved to 5 – 3 . Week 10 : at Carolina Panthers . Hoping to add to a three - game winning streak , the Broncos traveled to Charlotte , North Carolina for an interconference match - up with the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium . This was Broncos ' head coach John Fox ' s first visit to Carolina , where he served as head coach of the Panthers from 2002 – 2010 . In the first quarter , the Panthers struck first , with quarterback Cam Newton connecting on a 4 - yard touchdown pass to tight end Greg Olsen . However , the Broncos would reel off 29 unanswered points and dominate the remainder of the game . Quarterback Peyton Manning threw a 10 - yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Brandon Stokley . The Broncos grabbed the lead in the second quarter , with return specialist Trindon Holliday returning a punt 76 yards for a touchdown , followed by a 53 - yard field goal by placekicker Matt Prater , then in the third quarter , cornerback Tony Carter returned an interception off Newton 40 yards for a touchdown . Prater added a 27 - yard field goal in the fourth quarter , followed by safety Mike Adams sacking Newton in the end zone for a safety . The Panthers responded in the fourth quarter , with a 5 - yard touchdown pass from Newton to Olsen , but the Broncos put the game out of reach , with running back Ronnie Hillman rushing for a 5 - yard touchdown . The Broncos ' defense harassed Cam Newton throughout the game , sacking Newton seven times . With the win , the Broncos improved to 6 – 3 . Week 11 : vs . San Diego Chargers . Hoping to add to a four - game winning streak , the Broncos returned home for an AFC West rematch with the San Diego Chargers . The Broncos wore their alternate navy blue jerseys in honor of the NFL ' s Salute to Service campaign . The Chargers grabbed the lead in the first quarter , with safety Eric Weddle returning an interception off Broncos ' quarterback Peyton Manning 23 yards for a touchdown . The Broncos responded early in the second quarter , with Manning connecting on a 13 - yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas . On the Chargers ' next possession , quarterback Philip Rivers was intercepted by Broncos ' safety Jim Leonhard deep in Chargers ' territory . However , the Broncos had to settle for a 19 - yard field goal by placekicker Matt Prater . On the first play after the two - minute warning , Broncos ' linebacker Nate Irving blocked Mike Scifres ' punt , and on the next play , Manning threw a 31 - yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Brandon Stokley , giving the Broncos a 17 – 7 lead . The first points of the third quarter came from the Chargers , with linebacker Shaun Phillips sacking Manning in the end zone for a safety . After linebacker Wesley Woodyard recovered a Rivers ' fumble deep in Chargers ' territory , the Broncos increased their lead , with Manning throwing a 20 - yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Eric Decker . However , the Chargers responded late in the third quarter , with Rivers connecting on an 8 - yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Danario Alexander . A pair of field goals by Prater in the fourth quarter — from 30 and 32 yards — gave the Broncos a 30 – 16 lead with 4 : 14 remaining in the game . The Chargers tried to rally , with a 21 - yard touchdown pass from Rivers to Alexander with 1 : 24 remaining . However , the Broncos ' recovered the onside kick , and subsequently ran out the clock . Nate Irving ' s block of a Mike Scifres ' punt marked the first time since 2007 that the Broncos ' special teams blocked a punt . With the win , the Broncos not only improved to 7 – 3 , but also earned their first season sweep of the Chargers since 2005 , and snapped the Chargers ' three - game winning streak in Denver . Injuries . Running back Willis McGahee suffered a ruptured MCL and compression fracture in his right knee during the second quarter , when his knee was hit by the helmet of Chargers ' cornerback Quentin Jammer . On November 21 , McGahee was placed on the injured reserve / designated for return list , but missed the remainder of the season . Week 12 : at Kansas City Chiefs . Hoping to add to a five - game winning streak , the Broncos traveled to Arrowhead Stadium for an AFC West duel with the Kansas City Chiefs . Two field goals by Chiefs ' placekicker Ryan Succop — from 34 and 22 yards — game Kansas City a 6 – 0 lead in the first quarter . The Broncos grabbed the lead just before halftime , with quarterback Peyton Manning throwing a 7 - yard touchdown pass to tight end Jacob Tamme . The Chiefs re - claimed the lead in the third quarter , with a 49 - yard field goal by Succop , however , the Broncos responded , with Manning connecting on a 30 - yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas . For the last 4 : 41 of the third quarter and the first 8 : 36 of the fourth quarter , each team proceeded to trade punts , until the Broncos ' offense got the football with 6 : 24 remaining in the game . The Broncos drove 68 yards in 12 plays , eating up 6 : 10 off the clock , culminating with placekicker Matt Prater nailing a 34 - yard field goal with only 14 seconds remaining to give the Broncos some breathing room . The Broncos ' defense thwarted the Chiefs ' last desperation drive . With the hard - fought win , the Broncos improved to 8 – 3 , matching their win total from 2011 . Week 13 : vs . Tampa Bay Buccaneers . Hoping to add to a six - game winning streak , the Broncos returned home for an interconference duel with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers . The Broncos grabbed the early lead , when defensive tackle Mitch Unrein , lining up as a fullback , caught a 1 – yard touchdown pass from quarterback Peyton Manning . The Buccaneers responded , with a 31 - yard field goal by placekicker Connor Barth , then grabbed the lead at the end of the first quarter , with quarterback Josh Freeman connecting on an 11 - yard touchdown pass to tight end Dallas Clark . After a scoreless second quarter , the Broncos re - claimed the lead for good with 21 unanswered points , consisting of two Manning touchdown passes to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas — from 8 and 10 yards , followed by linebacker Von Miller returning an interception off Freeman 26 yards for a touchdown . After a Manning interception late in the third quarter , a 50 - yard field goal by Barth to begin the fourth quarter narrowed the gap to 28 – 13 , but the Broncos countered with a 31 - yard field goal by placekicker Matt Prater . With 4 : 37 remaining in the game , the Buccaneers tried to rally , with a 55 - yard field goal by Barth , followed by a 5 - yard touchdown pass from Freeman to wide receiver Mike Williams with 2 : 39 remaining . However , the Buccaneers ' onside kick attempt was unsuccessful , and the Broncos subsequently ran out the clock . With the win , the Broncos improved to 9 – 3 , not only exceeding their win total from 2011 , but also clinching their second consecutive AFC West division title . This was the 12th division title in the Broncos ' franchise history , tying the Oakland Raiders for the all - time lead in AFC West championships since the 1970 AFL – NFL merger . The Broncos also clinched consecutive division titles for the first time since 1986 – 87 . Week 14 : at Oakland Raiders . Hoping to add to a seven - game winning streak , the Broncos traveled to the O . co Coliseum for an AFC West rematch with the Oakland Raiders . The Broncos jumped out to a 13 – 0 lead , with quarterback Peyton Manning throwing a 6 - yard touchdown pass to tight end Joel Dreessen , followed by field goals of 43 and 34 from placekicker Matt Prater , with the latter field goal occurring early in the second quarter . The Raiders got on the scoreboard late in the first half , with quarterback Carson Palmer throwing a 6 - yard touchdown pass to running back Darren McFadden . The Broncos added to their lead in the third quarter , with a 20 - yard field goal by Prater , a 1 - yard touchdown run by running back Knowshon Moreno and a 33 - yard field goal by Prater . A 56 - yard touchdown pass from Palmer to wide receiver Darrius Heyward - Bey ( with a failed two - point conversion attempt ) was the only scoring play of the fourth quarter , and the Broncos ran out the final 5 : 36 of the game . With the win , the Broncos improved to 10 – 3 , not only earning their first season sweep of the Raiders since 2006 , but also sweeping their division rivals on the road for the third time in four seasons . Week 15 : at Baltimore Ravens . Hoping to add to an eight - game winning streak , the Broncos traveled to M & T Bank Stadium for an AFC duel with the Baltimore Ravens , where the Broncos had never won in four previous regular - season meetings . A 27 - yard field goal by Broncos ' placekicker Matt Prater was the only scoring play of the first quarter . The Broncos increased their lead in the second quarter , with fullback Jacob Hester rushing for a 1 - yard touchdown . The Ravens were threatening to narrow the Broncos ' lead just before halftime ; however , Broncos ' cornerback Chris Harris stepped in front of a pass from Ravens ' quarterback Joe Flacco , returning an interception 98 yards for a touchdown . The Ravens finally got on the scoreboard in the third quarter , with a 45 - yard field goal by placekicker Justin Tucker . However , the Broncos added to their lead , with quarterback Peyton Manning throwing a 51 - yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Eric Decker , followed by a 6 - yard touchdown run from running back Knowshon Moreno to give the Broncos a commanding 31 – 3 lead . The Ravens finally got into the end zone early in the fourth quarter , with Flacco connecting on a 31 - yard touchdown pass to tight end Dennis Pitta , but the Broncos responded with a 36 - yard field goal from Prater . The Ravens added one more score , with a 61 - yard touchdown pass from Flacco to Pitta , but the Broncos ' lead was too much for the Ravens to overcome . With the win , the Broncos improved to 11 – 3 , not only winning their ninth - consecutive game , but also earning their first - ever regular - season win in Baltimore in five tries . Week 16 : vs . Cleveland Browns . Hoping to add to a nine - game winning streak , the Broncos returned home for an AFC match - up with the Cleveland Browns . On the game ' s opening drive , quarterback Peyton Manning threw a 22 - yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas . The Browns got on the scoreboard , with a 27 - yard field goal by placekicker Phil Dawson . A 10 - yard touchdown pass from Manning to wide receiver Eric Decker was the only scoring play of the second quarter . The Browns narrowed the Broncos ' lead early in the third quarter , with a 53 - yard field goal by Dawson , but the Broncos would add 17 unanswered points to their lead , with an 8 - yard touchdown pass from Manning to Decker , followed in the fourth quarter by a 27 - yard field goal by placekicker Matt Prater and a 1 - yard touchdown run by fullback Jacob Hester . The Browns finally scored a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter , with quarterback Colt McCoy connecting on a 6 - yard pass to wide receiver Greg Little ( with an unsuccessful two - point conversion attempt ) , but the Broncos ' lead was too much for the Browns to overcome . Prater added a 41 - yard field goal to close out the scoring . The Broncos won their 10th consecutive game against the Browns , dating back to the 1991 season , and improved their all - time series record against the Browns to 22 – 5 ( including the playoffs ) . With the win , the Broncos improved to 12 – 3 , not only matching their win total from the two previous seasons combined , but also sweeping the AFC North division . Week 17 : vs . Kansas City Chiefs . Hoping to add to a ten - game winning streak and gain momentum into the playoffs , the Broncos remained at home for an AFC West divisional rematch with the Kansas City Chiefs , in the regular season finale . The Broncos grabbed the early lead in the first quarter , with running back Knowshon Moreno rushing for a 3 - yard touchdown . The Chiefs got on the scoreboard early in the second quarter , with a 23 - yard field goal by placekicker Ryan Succop , in what would be the Chiefs ' only scoring play of the game . The Broncos later added to their lead , with quarterback Peyton Manning throwing three touchdown passes — two to wide receiver Eric Decker — from 11 and 16 yards , followed in the third quarter by a 13 - yarder to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas . The Broncos added another touchdown late in the third quarter , with running back Lance Ball rushing for a 1 - yard touchdown . A 42 - yard field goal by Broncos ' placekicker Matt Prater in the fourth quarter was the last scoring play of the game . With the win , the Broncos not only finished the regular season with a 13 – 3 record , exceeding their win total from the two previous seasons combined , but also swept their AFC West division rivals for only the second time in franchise history , as well as earning their first season sweep of the Chiefs since 2007 . The win was also the 100th in John Fox ' s coaching career ( including postseason games ) . By virtue of the Houston Texans ' 28 – 16 loss to the Indianapolis Colts earlier in the day , the Broncos clinched a first - round bye and homefield advantage throughout the AFC playoffs . Postseason . AFC Divisional Playoffs : vs . # 4 Baltimore Ravens . Following a first - round bye , the Broncos kicked off the divisional round of the 2012 – 13 NFL playoffs at home by welcoming the Baltimore Ravens , whom the Broncos defeated in Baltimore four weeks earlier . A 90 - yard punt return for a touchdown by return specialist Trindon Holliday gave the Broncos the early lead . However , the Ravens quickly responded , with quarterback Joe Flacco connecting on a 59 - yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Torrey Smith , followed by cornerback Corey Graham returning an interception off Broncos ' quarterback Peyton Manning 39 yards for a touchdown . The Broncos tied the game , with Manning throwing a 15 - yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Brandon Stokley , then re - claimed the lead midway through the second quarter , with Manning connecting on a 14 - yard touchdown pass to running back Knowshon Moreno . The Broncos had an opportunity to add to their lead just after the two - minute warning , but placekicker Matt Prater missed a 52 - yard field goal , giving the Ravens excellent field goal position with 1 : 16 remaining until halftime . Three plays later , Flacco connected on another touchdown pass to Smith — this one from 32 yards . Holliday took the opening kickoff of the second half 104 yards for a touchdown , but after a Manning fumble , the Ravens tied the game late in the third quarter , with running back Ray Rice rushing for a 1 - yard touchdown . After each team ' s offense subsequently went three - and - out , the Broncos marched down the field on a 10 - play , 88 - yard drive , culminating with Manning throwing a 17 - yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas midway through the fourth quarter . The Ravens , on their next possession , marched 44 yards in eight plays , but turned the ball over on downs with 3 : 12 remaining in regulation . The Broncos achieved one first - down with 2 : 23 remaining , which forced the Ravens to start using the last two of their three remaining timeouts on defense . After the two - minute warning , the Ravens had exhausted all of their team timeouts , however , the Broncos failed to convert a critical third - down run , and were forced to punt , giving the Ravens the football with 1 : 15 remaining in regulation . Three plays later , and with no timeouts , Flacco launched a 70 - yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jacoby Jones to tie the game at 35 with 31 seconds remaining to force overtime . The Ravens won the overtime coin toss . Both teams were forced to punt on their first possessions . The Ravens once again were forced to punt on their next possession , and the Broncos ' offense got the football with 3 : 37 remaining in the first overtime . However , seven plays into the Broncos ' second overtime possession , Manning was intercepted again by Graham in Broncos ' territory , giving the Ravens the football at the Broncos ' 45 - yard line with 1 : 01 remaining in the first overtime . Six plays later , Ravens ' placekicker Justin Tucker nailed a game - winning 47 - yard field early in the second overtime . With the heart - wrenching loss , the Broncos ' season ended with an overall record of 13 – 4 . Statistics . Indicates a new single - season franchise record for said statistic . < br > Full statistics are available at NFL . com . Records . Numerous individual , franchise and league records were either tied or broken during the season : Awards and honors . Pro Bowl and All - Pro selections . Seven Broncos were elected to the 2013 Pro Bowl . Cornerback Champ Bailey , quarterback Peyton Manning and linebacker Von Miller were named as starters , while offensive tackle Ryan Clady and defensive end Elvis Dumervil were named as reserves . Guard Zane Beadles and wide receiver Demaryius Thomas were later added to the game as injury replacements . Clady and Miller , however , each withdrew from the game due to injuries . Clady , Manning and Miller were also voted to the All - Pro First Team , while Bailey was named to the Second Team .