Through the Years: Broncos vs. Falcons

Rookie RB Sammy Winder rushed for 27 yards and one touchdown.

QB John Elway threw for 291 yards and three touchdowns as the Broncos routed Atlanta.

RB Tony Dorsett rushed for 86 yards on 17 carries in the Broncos' win.

Karl Mecklenburg had one of the Broncos' three sacks on Falcons QB Steve Dils.

Broncos cornerback Jeremiah Castille (28) intercepts a pass intended for Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Stacey Bailey (82). (AP Photo/Damian Strohmeyer)

The Broncos fell behind by 11 points in the fourth quarter, but John Elway led a thrilling comeback victory beginning with a 32-yard touchdown pass to WR Anthony Miller. Elway would give the Broncos the lead on a 4-yard touchdown run, and the defense would close out the win.

RB Terrell Davis, who rushed for 79 yards on the day, added a touchdown and gave his customary Mile High Salute afterward.

WR Rod Smith caught three passes for 28 yards, including this reception where he got past linebacker Henri Crockett.

Before the game against the Falcons in the Georgia Dome, Broncos Owner Pat Bowlen met professional golfer John Daly, who had won the British Open in 1995 and the PGA Championship in 1991.

A year after winning the franchise's first Super Bowl, the Broncos faced the Falcons and former Broncos head coach Dan Reeves in an attempt to win back-to-back championships.

The Broncos broke the game open when QB John Elway found WR Rod Smith on an 80-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Smith finished the game with 152 receiving yards and one touchdown.

Elway, the Super Bowl MVP, threw for 336 yards and a touchdown, and he rushed for a score, as well.

The Broncos celebrate the defense holding on fourth down to shut down the Falcons. Denver's defense was dominant, holding QB Chris Chandler to 219 passing yards, one touchdowns and three interceptions. The Broncos also forced a fumble and sacked Chandler twice.

QB John Elway finished his career on top with back-to-back Super Bowl victories and a Super Bowl MVP.

WR Rod Smith had a dominant day with 117 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

Rookie RB Mike Anderson, who would break out with 1,487 rushing yards in his first season, burned the Falcons for 131 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.

Falcons QB Michael Vick brought a high-powered offense to Invesco Field at Mile High and carved up Denver's defense for 252 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, zero interceptions and 115 rushing yards.

In an offensive shootout, the Broncos put up big numbers but could not stop the Falcons on defense. Still, WR Rod Smith had a career-high 208 receiving yards and a touchdown. QB Jake Plummer threw for 499 yards and four touchdowns, but his three interceptions led to 17 points for Atlanta, including a pick-six.

Falcons RB Michael Turner made things difficult for the Broncos' defense, rushing for 81 yards and two touchdowns.

Tight end Daniel Graham, who caught the go-ahead touchdown from QB Jay Cutler with 5:42 left in the game, celebrated his score by dunking on the goalpost, a move since outlawed by the NFL in 2014.

In Peyton Manning's second game as a Bronco, the team struggled on the road against Atlanta. Falcons QB Matt Ryan completed 24 of 36 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. WR Roddy White had 102 receiving yards and one touchdown.

The Broncos nearly mounted a comeback late in the game on the back of RB Willis McGahee's two rushing scores, but the team could not hold Atlanta to a three-and-out to give them the ball back for a potential game-winning drive.