2017 Denver Broncos season
The 2017 Denver Broncos season was the franchise's 48th season in the National Football League and the 58th overall. The Broncos underwent numerous coaching changes during the offseason, after Vance Joseph was hired as the team's new head coach. Joseph replaced Gary Kubiak, the team's head coach during the previous two seasons, who was forced to retire from coaching due to health concerns. After a 3–1 start, the Broncos suffered through an 8-game losing streak – the team's longest since 1967. Poor offensive performances, along with a quarterback carousel, contributed to the  losing skid. In terms of statistics, the Broncos' defense ranked in the top five in total yards, rushing yards and passing yards, but had the league's second-worst turnover differential (ahead of only the winless Cleveland Browns), surrendered the third-most sacks and ranked 27th in points per game. The Broncos also failed to score 20 or more points in 10 of their 16 games, and for a second consecutive season, scored 30 or more . The Broncos missed the playoffs for a second consecutive season, clinched a losing record for the first time since 2010 and suffered only their  fourth losing season since John Elway's retirement after the 1998 season. Coaching changes. Departures. On January 2, 2017, one day after the 2016 regular season finale, head coach Gary Kubiak announced his retirement from coaching due to health concerns. Kubiak suffered a mini-stroke in while coaching the Houston Texans, as well as a migraine condition that forced him to miss one game during the 2016 season. In his two seasons as the Broncos' head coach, Kubiak led the team to a 24–11 record (including the playoffs) – the most victories of any coach in the first two seasons with  the team, as well as guiding the Broncos to a victory in Super Bowl 50. Following the hiring of Vance Joseph as the team's new head coach "(see below)", the Broncos underwent the following departures from their coaching staff: Additions. On January 11, Vance Joseph was hired as the Broncos' new head coach. Joseph, a University of Colorado alum, served as a defensive backs coach with the San Francisco 49ers from 2005 to 2010, in the same capacity on Gary Kubiak's staff with the Houston Texans from 2011 to 2013 and with the Cincinnati Bengals from 2014 to  2015. The Broncos previously recruited Joseph for the team's defensive coordinator position in 2015, but were denied permission by the Bengals. Joseph was the Miami Dolphins' defensive coordinator in . Following the hiring of Vance Joseph, the Broncos made the following additions to their coaching staff: In-season. On November 20, one day after the Broncos' Week 11 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, offensive coordinator Mike McCoy was fired as the result of the team's recurring offensive woes. During the six-game losing streak that resulted in McCoy's firing, the Broncos averaged 14.2 points – second-worst in the  NFL, and committed a league-high 17 turnovers. Bill Musgrave was elevated from quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator, while Klint Kubiak was elevated from an offensive assistant to quarterbacks coach. Roster changes. Draft. Note: Prior to the draft, the Broncos received four compensatory selections – one in the third round (No. 101), one in the fifth round (No. 177) and two in the seventh round (Nos. 252 and 253). This was the first time in NFL draft history in which teams were allowed to trade compensatory selections, and the Broncos later traded the No. 177 and No. 252 selections – "see table  below". Undrafted free agents. All undrafted free agents were signed after the 2017 NFL Draft concluded on April 29, unless noted otherwise. Suspensions. During the Broncos' Week 12 loss to the Oakland Raiders, cornerback Aqib Talib and Raiders' wide receiver Michael Crabtree engaged in an ugly brawl that initially resulted in both players being suspended for two games, but were reduced to one game following an appeal. The two players had a history of bad blood with one another, following an incident during the teams' regular-season finale in which Talib yanked a gold chain from Crabtree's neck, with  Talib repeating the same actions that led to the brawl with Crabtree. Regular season. Schedule. The Broncos' schedule was announced on April 20. Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. Game summaries. Week 1: vs. Los Angeles Chargers. For a seventh consecutive year, the Broncos kicked off the season at home, in the second half of the opening Monday night doubleheader against the Los Angeles Chargers. After an exchange of punts, a 5-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Trevor Siemian to wide receiver Bennie Fowler III game the Broncos the early lead. The drive was kept alive as the  result of a near-interception by Chargers' cornerback Casey Hayward. On the first play of the second quarter, the Chargers countered, with quarterback Philip Rivers connecting on an 11-yard touchdown pass to running back Melvin Gordon, with Ingram leaping above Broncos' safety Justin Simmons in order to reach the goal line. The Broncos re-claimed the lead later in the second quarter, with Siemian rushing for a 1-yard touchdown, then added to their lead on their initial possession of the second half, with another touchdown pass from Siemian to Fowler – from 6 yards out. The Broncos reached the  Chargers' 3-yard line on a 14-play, 78-yard drive that chewed up the last 8:16 of the third quarter, but had to settle on a 20-yard field goal by placekicker Brandon McManus to increase their lead to 24–7. After stopping the Chargers on a 4th-and-1 near midfield, the Broncos' offense committed two turnovers – an interception of Siemian by Chargers' safety Adrian Phillips and a fumble by running back Jamaal Charles. The Chargers took advantage of both turnovers and narrowed the Broncos' lead to 24–21, with a pair of touchdown passes by Rivers – a 5-yarder to  wide receiver Keenan Allen followed by a 38-yarder to wide receiver Travis Benjamin – the latter occurring with seven minutes remaining in the game. Following an exchange of punts, the Chargers had one last possession at the two-minute warning and were forced to use their last timeout with 42 seconds remaining. Six plays later, the Chargers were attempting a game-tying field goal to send the game to overtime. Placekicker Younghoe Koo's initial field goal was good; however, it was nullified as the result of Broncos' head coach Vance Joseph calling a timeout in order to ice the  kicker. Koo's second attempt was blocked by defensive end Shelby Harris, sealing the win for the Broncos. Notes Vance Joseph and Chargers' head coach Anthony Lynn became the first two head coaches of African American descent to make their coaching debuts in the same game. Beth Mowins, who handled the play-by-play duties for ESPN, became the first woman to call an NFL game since . Week 2: vs. Dallas Cowboys. Quarterback Trevor Siemian threw four touchdown passes – two to wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, and running back C. J. Anderson scored two touchdowns – one rushing and one receiving, in  a dominating win over the Cowboys. This was the only game during the season in which the Broncos scored 30 or more points. The Broncos' defense limited running back Ezekiel Elliott, the league's leading rusher from the season, to just eight yards on nine carries, while cornerback Aqib Talib returned an interception off Cowboys' quarterback Dak Prescott 103 yards for a touchdown. Near the end of the first quarter, the game was delayed by one hour due to lightning in the Denver area. With the win, the Broncos extended their winning streak against the Cowboys to six games, dating  back to 1998. Week 3: at Buffalo Bills. In their first road game of the season, the Broncos traveled to Orchard Park, New York to face the Buffalo Bills. After a 38-yard field goal by Broncos' placekicker Brandon McManus gave the Broncos the lead late in the first quarter, the Bills grabbed the lead, with a 2-yard touchdown from quarterback Tyrod Taylor to wide receiver Andre Holmes on a deflected pass. The Broncos responded, when running back Jamaal Charles eluded Bills' defenders for a 12-yard touchdown – Charles' first touchdown as a Bronco. The Broncos were attempting to  add to their lead on their next possession, however, a 44-yard pass completion from quarterback Trevor Siemian to wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders was overturned by a Bills' challenge, as replay indicated that Sanders did not maintain full control of the football at the Bills' 44-yard line as cornerback Tre'Davious White knocked the ball out. McManus and Bills' placekicker Steven Hauschka proceeded to alternate field goals, with a 28-yarder by McManus giving the Broncos a 16–13 lead midway through the third quarter. However, the Broncos were held scoreless for the remainder of the game, and the Bills took  the lead for good, with Taylor connecting with tight end Charles Clay on a 6-yard touchdown pass. A 53-yard field goal by Hauschka extended the Bills' lead to 23–16 early in the fourth quarter. The Broncos drove to as far as the Bills' 24-yard line on their first possession of the fourth quarter, however, Siemian was intercepted by White. Five plays later, the Broncos' defense forced an incomplete pass off Taylor at the Broncos' 46-yard line, hoping to receive the football back after a punt. However, linebacker Von Miller was flagged for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty  in which he offered to help Taylor off the turf, then pulled his hand back. After the Bills earned three first downs and forced the Broncos to use all of their team timeouts, Hauschka added a 27-yard field goal with 3:18 remaining in the game. The Broncos had one last offensive possession, but did not advance past the Bills' 42-yard line. Notes Prior to this game, 32 Broncos' players decided to kneel during "The Star-Spangled Banner" after President Donald Trump made comments about the national anthem protests two days prior. Week 4: vs. Oakland Raiders. On the  Broncos' second possession of the game, quarterback Trevor Siemian connecting on a 22-yard touchdown pass to tight end A. J. Derby. After forcing a Raiders' punt, Isaiah McKenzie returned a punt 64 yards to the Raiders' 15-yard line, but it was nullified by an illegal block penalty on Kasim Edebali. The Broncos marched down the field from their own 11-yard line to the Raiders' 6-yard line, but could not take advantage of the red zone opportunity, settling instead for a 28-yard field goal by placekicker Brandon McManus. After each team exchanged punts on their next  two possessions, the Raiders got on the scoreboard late in the second quarter, with a 5-play, 99-yard drive, culminating in a 16-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Derek Carr to wide receiver Johnny Holton. McManus added a pair of field goals – from 36 and 46 yards out – to increase the Broncos' lead to 16–7. Late in the third quarter, Carr left the game due to a back injury, and backup quarterback EJ Manuel took over. The Broncos failed to take advantage of yet another red zone opportunity early in the fourth quarter, as a 29-yard field goal  attempt by McManus hit the left upright. Following another exchange of punts, the Raiders narrowed the Broncos' lead to 16–10, with a 38-yard field goal by placekicker Giorgio Tavecchio with 5:27 left in the game. After the Broncos went three-and-out, the Raiders had one last possession with 4:16 remaining in the game, and reached the Broncos' 36-yard line at the 2-minute warning. After a false start penalty pushed the Raiders back five yards, a long pass attempt from Manuel intended for wide receiver Amari Cooper was intercepted by safety Justin Simmons, sealing the win for  the Broncos. The Broncos' defense limited Marshawn Lynch to just 20 yards rushing on nine attempts. Week 6: vs. New York Giants. The Broncos' rush defense, which allowed a combined 95 yards in their first four games, surrendered 148 yards in a stunning home loss to the New York Giants, while the offense rushed for only 46 yards, after averaging 143 yards in the previous four games. Quarterback Trevor Siemian threw two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown by Giants' cornerback Janoris Jenkins, while placekicker Brandon McManus missed a 33-yard field goal and had another attempt  blocked. The Broncos' offensive woes in the red zone continued, scoring only one touchdown out of four opportunities. Backup quarterback Brock Osweiler saw brief action late in the first half, after Siemian sprained his shoulder on a diving attempt, as he unsuccessfully tried to prevent Jenkins from reaching the end zone after an interception. Notes This was the first of two games in which the Broncos wore their alternate all-navy blue jerseys – the other was . Week 7: at Los Angeles Chargers. The Broncos' were once again unable to solve their offensive woes, in a 21–0 loss to the Los  Angeles Chargers. It was the Broncos' first shutout loss since 1992, snapping a 394-game scoring streak, which was the second-longest in NFL history. Chargers' wide receiver Travis Benjamin scored two touchdowns, one receiving and another on a punt return. Broncos' quarterback Trevor Siemian was sacked five times and lost two fumbles, while wide receiver Demaryius Thomas had an 81-yard pass play nullified by an offensive pass interference penalty. Week 8: at Kansas City Chiefs. The Broncos' defense limited the Chiefs to 279 total yards – 133 of which went to tight end Travis Kelce. However, the Broncos were  unable to overcome five turnovers, including three interceptions by quarterback Trevor Siemian, as well as a fumble by running back Jamaal Charles that resulted in a Chiefs' touchdown. After trailing 20–3 early in the third quarter, the Broncos narrowed the Chiefs' lead to 20–13, following a 6-yard touchdown by running back Devontae Booker. However, three fourth-quarter field goals by Chiefs' placekicker Harrison Butker – the latter two of which occurred after a Broncos' turnover on downs and Siemian's third interception of the game, increased the Chiefs' lead to 29–13. With 4:41 remaining in the game, the Broncos' attempted  a rally, with Siemian connecting on an 11-yard touchdown pass to tight end A. J. Derby at the two-minute warning. However, the two-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful, which would have brought the Broncos' to within a one-score deficit, ending the Broncos' rally attempt. Notes: This was Jamaal Charles' first game against the Chiefs, for whom he played the first nine seasons of his career. Week 9: at Philadelphia Eagles. The Broncos' defense, who were the only defensive unit who had not allowed any rushing touchdowns, surrendered three rushing touchdowns, and Eagles' quarterback Carson Wentz threw four  touchdown passes, in a 51–23 rout of the Broncos. The defense surrendered 50+ points for the first time since 2010, and backup quarterback Brock Osweiler, starting in place of an ineffective Trevor Siemian, threw two interceptions and nearly threw three more. The Broncos did not reach the end zone until the fourth quarter, when wide receiver Demaryius Thomas scored his first touchdown of the season – on a 1-yard pass from Osweiler, and linebacker Brandon Marshall returned a fumble 19 yards for a touchdown. Both touchdowns occurred when the game had already been decided in the Eagles' favor. Week  10: vs. New England Patriots. The Broncos' defense forced a three-and-out on the Patriots' first offensive drive, however, it was all downhill for the Broncos after that. The Patriots capitalized on four blunders by the Broncos' special teams. First, Isaiah McKenzie muffed a punt, giving the Patriots a short field. Then, Patriots' return specialist Dion Lewis returned a kickoff 103 yards for a touchdown. The Patriots also blocked a punt, and a defensive penalty on a Patriots' punt resulted in a first down as well as another touchdown. Patriots' quarterback Tom Brady threw for 266 yards and three  touchdown passes. Offensively, the Broncos had to settle for three Brandon McManus field goals and achieved only one touchdown – a 7-yard pass from Brock Osweiler to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas. Week 11: vs. Cincinnati Bengals. Two turnovers proved costly for the Broncos, as they suffered their sixth consecutive loss, and their first loss at home to the Bengals in more than 40 seasons. After the Broncos blocked a punt on the Bengals' opening possession, quarterback Brock Osweiler was intercepted by Bengals' cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick, who returned the football 101 yards for a near-touchdown. The Broncos trailed 13–10 early  in the fourth quarter, when running back C. J. Anderson was hit by Bengals' linebacker Vontaze Burfict, and lost a fumble. The Bengals grabbed a 20–10 lead with nine minutes remaining in the game, with quarterback Andy Dalton connecting on an 18-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver A. J. Green. The Broncos pulled to within a 20–17 deficit with five minutes remaining, when Osweiler connected on a 17-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas. After being forced to use all of their team timeouts, the Broncos forced a Bengals' punt at the two-minute warning, and had  one last offensive possession at their own 20-yard line. However, after four plays, the Broncos turned the football over on downs, sealing the win for the Bengals. Broncos' placekicker Brandon McManus had a 61-yard field goal attempt blocked just before halftime. Notes The Broncos honored former head coach Red Miller and former running back Terrell Davis. Miller, who led the Broncos to their first Super Bowl appearance in 1977, was inducted into the Broncos' Ring of Fame. Miller died on September 27, 2017, at the age of 89. Davis, who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of  Fame in August, was honored in a pre-game ceremony. Davis led the Broncos to back-to-back victories in Super Bowls XXXII and XXXIII. Week 12: at Oakland Raiders. With Paxton Lynch as the starting quarterback, the Broncos' offense did not advance past their own 37-yard line on eight of their first ten possessions – excluding a fumble recovery in Raiders' territory and a kneel down before halftime. Paxton Lynch was the team's leading rusher, with only 20 yards. On the Raiders' second offensive possession, a brawl erupted between cornerback Aqib Talib and Raiders' wide receiver Michael Crabtree , resulting in both players being ejected from the game. Raiders' guard Gabe Jackson was also ejected for making contact with an official during the brawl. After a strip sack and forced fumble off quarterback Derek Carr deep in Raiders' territory, the Broncos had a first and goal at the 1-yard line, however, Paxton Lynch threw a pass that was deflected and intercepted by linebacker NaVorro Bowman in the end zone. A 9-yard touchdown pass from Carr to wide receiver Amari Cooper, coupled with a 1-yard touchdown run by running back Marshawn Lynch, gave the Raiders a 14–0  lead before halftime. The lead was increased to 21–0 early in the third quarter, with a 6-yard touchdown pass from Carr to running back Jalen Richard. After Paxton Lynch suffered an ankle injury, he was replaced by Trevor Siemian late in the third quarter, and got the Broncos on the scoreboard at the 10:26 mark of the fourth quarter, with a 25-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Cody Latimer. The Raiders drove to the Broncos' 17-yard line on their next possession, chewing up nearly five minutes off the clock, and were attempting to add to their lead . However, a 35-yard field goal attempt by placekicker Giorgio Tavecchio missed wide left. Siemian engineered a 12-play, 75-yard drive and pulled the Broncos to within a 21–14 deficit with 2:44 remaining in the game, after a 22-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Bennie Fowler III. The Broncos were hoping for a defensive stop just before the two-minute warning, but after using the last two of their three team timeouts, Carr connected on a 31-yard pass to wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson on a 3rd-and-8, sealing the win for the Raiders. With the loss, the  Broncos exceeded their loss total from 2016. Week 13: at Miami Dolphins. A 65-yard interception return by Justin Simmons of Dolphins' quarterback Jay Cutler was the Broncos' only touchdown of the game, as the offense only managed one other scoring play – a 31-yard field goal by placekicker Brandon McManus. The Broncos surrendered two safeties – one off a fumbled snap and the other when Isaiah McKenzie muffed a punt in the end zone, and also had a punt blocked. Quarterback Trevor Siemian threw three interceptions – one of which was returned for a touchdown, the offense went 1-for-13 on  third down and gained 270 net yards, their lowest output of the season. Week 14: vs. New York Jets. The Broncos' defense allowed the Jets' offense to advance past midfield only twice out of 12 opportunities, in a 23–0 win, as the Broncos snapped an 8–game losing streak – the team's longest since 1967. It was the Broncos' first shutout win since 2005 – also against the Jets. Offensively, the Broncos did not commit any turnovers, and after forcing a Jets' fumble on their first possession, quarterback Trevor Siemian threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas . Fullback Andy Janovich added another touchdown in the third quarter, and placekicker Brandon McManus added three field goals, though he missed a 29-yard attempt early in the second quarter. The Broncos, however, were officially eliminated from playoff contention as the result of wins by the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers. Notes The Broncos wore their alternate navy blue jerseys for this game. Week 15: at Indianapolis Colts. The Broncos spotted the Colts a 10–0 lead, with quarterback Jacoby Brissett rushing for a 7-yard touchdown, followed in the second quarter by a 45-yard field goal by  placekicker Adam Vinatieri. The former occurred after an interception of quarterback Trevor Siemian on the Broncos' initial possession. Siemian was knocked out of the game late in the first quarter due to a shoulder injury, after being sacked by Colts' linebacker Barkevious Mingo. Brock Osweiler took over early in the second quarter, and got the Broncos on the scoreboard just before halftime, with an 18-yard touchdown run. A 39-yard field goal by Vinatieri on the Colts' initial possession of the second half increased the lead to 13–7; however, the Broncos' defense held the Colts scoreless for the remainder  of the game. The Broncos claimed the lead for good with a pair of touchdown passes from Osweiler – a 22-yarder to wide receiver Cody Latimer, followed by a 54-yarder to tight end Jeff Heuerman (with a successful two-point conversion). Placekicker Brandon McManus added a 40-yard field goal with 5:18 remaining in the game, on a drive that chewed up 9:40 off the clock. It was the Broncos' only road win of the season. Notes The Broncos snapped a 6-game losing streak in Indianapolis, dating back to 2003 (including the playoffs). Week 16: at Washington Redskins . A 31-yard field goal by placekicker Brandon McManus gave the Broncos a 3–0 lead late in the first quarter. However, the Redskins reeled off 27 unanswered points, and the same offensive mistakes that plagued the Broncos during their 8-game losing streak resurfaced. The defense allowed Redskins' quarterback Kirk Cousins to pass for 299 yards and three touchdowns. The Broncos' lone touchdown came late in the fourth quarter – a 5-yard run by running back C. J. Anderson, by which time the game had already been decided in the Redskins' favor. Notes This was the Broncos' final game against  Washington under the "Redskins" moniker – home or away, as Washington adopted a temporary moniker in 2020. Week 17: vs. Kansas City Chiefs. In their final game of the season, the Broncos took a 10–7 lead over the Chiefs, before the Chiefs reeled off 17 unanswered points to take a 24–10 lead, which included a fumble return by Chiefs' linebacker Ramik Wilson for a touchdown. The Broncos pulled even with the Chiefs at 24–24 with 2:53 remaining in the game, which included a fumble return by linebacker Zaire Anderson for a touchdown. However, Chiefs' quarterback Patrick Mahomes, playing in place of  regular starter Alex Smith, engineered a game-winning drive, culminating in a 30-yard field goal by placekicker Harrison Butker as time expired. Paxton Lynch, in only his second start of the season, threw two touchdown passes – one to running back De'Angelo Henderson and another to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, but also threw two interceptions. Notes Running back C. J. Anderson reached the 1,000-yard rushing plateau for the first time in his career, as well as becoming the first Broncos' running back since Knowshon Moreno in 2013 to do so. Wide receiver Demaryius Thomas fell 51 yards short of  reaching 1,000 receiving yards for a sixth consecutive season. The Broncos lost their fifth consecutive game against the Chiefs – the team's longest losing skid against the Chiefs since a six-game streak from 1970 to 1973. Quarterback carousel. Trevor Siemian was named the starting quarterback on August 21, two days after the Broncos' second preseason game vs. the San Francisco 49ers. It was the second consecutive season that Siemian beat out Paxton Lynch, the team's 2016 first-round draft selection, for the starting quarterback position. However, after a four-touchdown performance against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2 , Siemian struggled with turnovers and inconsistent play, and was benched in favor of Brock Osweiler, who was re-signed by the Broncos just before the start of the season, and designated as Siemian's backup. Osweiler was named the starter on November 1, four days before the team's Week 9 game at the Philadelphia Eagles. However, Osweiler suffered through the same struggles as Siemian. Lynch, who had been inactive for the first ten games of the season due to an injury to his throwing shoulder during the preseason, was named the starter on November 22, four days prior to  team's Week 12 game at the Oakland Raiders. This change occurred immediately after Bill Musgrave was named offensive coordinator, following the firing of Mike McCoy. After Lynch suffered an ankle injury during the Week 12 loss to the Raiders that sidelined him for three weeks, Siemian started the next three games (Weeks 13–15), but suffered a partial dislocation of his non-throwing shoulder during the team's Week 15 win over the Indianapolis Colts that ended his season. Lynch started the regular season finale against the Kansas City Chiefs. Awards and honors. Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections. Linebacker  Von Miller and cornerback Aqib Talib were selected to the 2018 Pro Bowl, while cornerback Chris Harris, Jr. and nose tackle Domata Peko were named as alternates. Miller was also voted to the All-Pro Team and named to the Second Team. Other news and notes. On July 24, John Elway, the team's executive vice president/general manager since 2011, received a five-year contract extension from the Broncos that will run through the 2021 season. In addition, Elway was promoted from executive vice president to president of football operations.