News & Blogs

QUICK HITS:

• The Denver Broncos enter their sixth decade of professional football with a 411-367-10 (.528) combined record. They have the eighth-most wins among AFL/NFL franchises since 1960.
• Denver finished with a 93-67 (.581) regular-season record during the 2000s to mark its third consecutive decade with 90 or more victories—the only team in the NFL to accomplish that feat during the last three decades.
• With wins in each of their last three regular-season openers, the Broncos stand at 32-17-1 (.650) all-time in openers. That mark represents the second-best record in NFL history.
• Head Coach Josh McDaniels begins his second season leading the club after totaling the third-most wins (8) by a rookie head coach in Broncos annals.
• McDaniels and General Manager Brian Xanders made several key acquisitions during the offseason, including the signing of three-time Pro Bowler DL Jamal Williams, hometown product DL Justin Bannan (University of Colorado) and secondary specialist CB Nate Jones.

OFFENSE:
Kyle Orton finished the preseason in impressive fashion, ranking first in the NFL in third-down passing (139.3 rtg. / 13-of-16, 127 yds., 2 TDs, 0 INTs) and leading the Broncos to six touchdowns and one field goal
in 14 offensive drives.

DEFENSE:
Following up a No. 7 ranking in total defense during the regular season in 2009, Denver’s first-teamers allowed just one opponent touchdown during the 2010 preseason.

SPECIAL TEAMS:
Matt Prater led the AFC and placed second in the NFL in touchbacks on kickoffs (10) during the preseason, while Britton Colquitt finished second in the league with a 50.9 gross punting average.

BROADCAST INFORMATION:
TELEVISION: KCNC-TV (CBS 4): Kevin Harlan (play-by-play) and Solomon Wilcots (color commentary) will call the game.
LOCAL RADIO: KOA Radio (850 AM): Dave Logan (play-by-play) and Brian Griese (color commentary) will call the game with Alan Roach
reporting from the sidelines.
LOCAL SPANISH RADIO: KBNO Radio (1280 AM): Fernando Sergio (play-by-play) and Yuri Vasquez (color commentary) will call the game.

BRONCOS at JAGUARS — POINTS OF INTEREST
The Broncos will open their season on the road for the sixth consecutive season when they travel to Jacksonville to play the Jaguars in the eighth meeting between the clubs in the regular season (Jacksonville leads 4-3)... The teams have also split two postseason meetings, with the Jaguars winning 30-27 in a 1997 AFC Wild Card Game and the Broncos posting a 42-17 victory the following season in an AFC Divisional Playoff Game... Denver, which has won its last three regular-season openers, has compiled a 32-17-1 (.650) all-time opening record that is the best among AFC clubs and ranks second in NFL history... The Broncos also look to  improve upon their opening-month record, which at 38-14 (.731) since 1996 ranks first in the league... Head Coach Josh McDaniels guided Denver to a 6-0 record to begin the 2009 season, a start that tied for the third best by a rookie NFL head coach since 1930... As they begin their sixth decade of professional football in 2010, the Broncos are one of just four teams to record three 90 win decades since 1960 and the only organization to do so in each of the last three decades... During the Pat Bowlen era (1984-Pres.), the Broncos have won more regular-season games (251) and overall games (266) than any AFC team (second most in NFL)... Denver had five players selected to the 2010 Pro Bowl with that total tying for its most since 2001 (T-7th overall in club annals)... Returning starter QB Kyle Orton tied John Elway (1997) for the most games with a 90 passer rating (10) in a season in franchise history in 2009, with that total tying for fifth in the league... Orton’s 3,802 passing yards tied for sixth in club annals and rank 12th in NFL history among players with a new team... Orton ranks third among starting quarterbacks in the NFL with a 136.9 passer rating on third down this preseason... WR Jabar Gaffney recorded the second-most receiving yards (213) in a single game in franchise history (most by a WR) in the season finale vs. Kansas City and finished the year with a career-high 732 receiving yards... Rookie WR Eric Decker recorded the most receptions (16) in the NFL during the preseason despite playing in just three games... WR Matthew Willis (13-263) and Decker (16-183) finished first and second, respectively in the AFC in receiving yards this preseason... RB Knowshon Moreno became the 14th player in the NFL since 1970 to lead league rookies in rushing yards (947), yards from scrimmage (1,160) and total touchdowns (9)... Moreno, who led league rookies with six 80-yard rushing games, is the fifth Bronco to lead NFL rookies in rushing... RB Correll Buckhalter ranked sixth in the NFL in yards per rush (5.4) and set career highs in rushing yards (642) and receptions (31)... OL Ryan Clady, named to the Pro Bowl (starter) for the first time, became the 11th tackle in league annals to earn a Pro Bowl selection by his second professional season... Clady was named to the inaugural USA Football/NFLPA “All-Fundamentals” Team as the youngest member (23) to receive the honor... LB D.J. Williams, a Pro Bowl alternate, led Denver with 122 tackles (100 solo) that ranked 11th in the NFL... Since 2007, Williams is sixth in the league in tackles per game (8.3)... Six Broncos posted at least 50 defensive tackles... CB Champ Bailey was named to his ninth Pro Bowl to tie Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Haynes for the most Pro Bowls at cornerback in NFL history... Bailey has totaled the most interceptions (46) in the NFL among cornerbacks since entering the league in 1999 and has the seventh-most interceptions (28) by a Bronco in team annals... S Brian Dawkins was named a Pro Bowl starter in his first season with Denver and tied former Broncos S Steve Atwater for the third-most Pro Bowl selections (8) by a safety in NFL history... Royal is one of two players in the NFL (Chargers RB Darren Sproles) to total at least 1,400 yards from scrimmage (1,435) and 1,400 kick return yards (1,696) since 2008... K Matt Prater ended the 2009 season with a field goal in nine consecutive games to set a career high and made 19 of his final 20 attempts... P Britton Colquitt finished second in the NFL with a 50.9 punting average during the preseason... S Darcel McBath led the club with 11 special-teams tackles in 2009 as one of just four rookies to lead their team in that category.\

BRONCOS IN SEASON OPENERS
The Broncos have compiled a 32-17-1 (.650) all-time opening-game record that is the best among AFC clubs and ranks second in the NFL.
Denver is 7-2 in its last nine season openers (since 2001) and is 14-5 in season openers since 1991.
Denver owns a 23-6-1 record in home openers and is 9-11 in road openers.
The Broncos will open the season on the road for the sixth consecutive year Sunday (extending a club record—previous longest such streak was three years, 1964-66).
The Broncos have never played a season opener against the Jaguars, who despite losing their last three openers, own the NFL’s third-best opening-game record at 9-6 (.600).

ORTON ENJOYS CAEREER YEAR
Quarterback Kyle Orton, in his first year with the Broncos, set career highs for pass attempts (541), completions (336), passing yards (3,802), touchdown passes (21) and passer rating (86.8) in 2009.
His 12 interceptions tied for his career low while his 2.2 interception percentage represented a personal best.

BAILEY IN DENVER'S RECORD BOOK
Cornerback Champ Bailey is seventh in club history with 28 career interceptions.
He also recorded the second-most interceptions (10) for a season in club annals in 2006, and his eight interceptions in 2005 ranked sixth for a year in franchise history.
Bailey’s 10 interceptions in 2006 helped him finish second in voting for Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year with 16 votes. Miami defensive end Jason Taylor won the award that year with 22 votes.