Monday Night Football

by broncfanstuckinsd on Oct 19, 2008 5:13 PM MDT Comment 22 comments

MNF is upon tonight and its the Broncos against an old AFL rival the New England Patriots. It got me thinking of some of the best MNF games the Broncos have ever played in. Now I will only mention the wins. Because I feel only wins are a good game. They have been in some memorable losses but I will leave that for another day. The Broncos first ever MNF game was October 22, 1973 against the hated Oakland Raiders. Yes it will be almost 35 years to the day. The NFL was going into the 4th season of the merger, and the Broncos had yet to be on MNF. Well when the schedule came out it was going to be an electric night for the Bronco faithful. The mayor of Denver Bill McNichol deemed to be Orange Monday. It was loud and exciting.The Broncos were out for respect. They were coming in a game behind Oakland at 2-3. Things started out good for the Broncos, as the Raiders marched down the field there was a fumble and Billy Thompson returned one of his record 4 career fumbles for an 80 yard TD! Just like that the Broncos are up 7-0. In the 2nd qurater Blanda had kicked a 35 yard FG and then on the next Raider possesion Ken Stabler hits Mike Siani for a 80 yard TD bomb. The Raiders were dominating the Broncos but Denver held firm. Oakland kicked a 13 yard FG to lead a the half 13-7. But the Broncos were not done, in the 3rd qurater the faithfull were given something to cheer about as long time running back icon Floyd Little scores on a 1 yard TD run then Jim Turner kicks a 43 yd FG to give Denver a 17-13 lead. Oakland then comes back and take the lead on a Cliff branch TD catch to overtake Denver 20-17. Well later in the 4th Jim Turner ties it with a 37 yarder. But with time running down Blanda kicks a 49 yard FG to give what looks like a Raider win 23-20. But longtime NFL QB, new Bronco leader Charley Johnson isnt done, as he leads Denver to the Raider 35. With a few ticks left on the clock, here comes ol reliable Jim Turner. A straight on kicker. WHo boots a 35 yard FG as time expires. To give Denver a 23-23 tie. It may seem like a loss, but for Denver it put them on the map. Denver would end that season 7-5-2. First winning season in team history. They would be in the running for the Division title until the end of the season when a narrow 21-17 loss at Oakland would finish the season. There has been other great MNF games fore the Broncos. Like the streak from 1998-2001 opening the season on MNF. The famous snowball game in 1985 against the 49ers. Or even the blizzrd game against the Packers in 1984. To me this one stands out because Denver graduated onto the national scene. Denver would start to be on MNF regularly. Denver has been on MNF every season since 1984.

Poll

What is the Best Denver Bronco Monday Night Football game?

10/22/73 Denver 23 Raiders 23

2 votes

11/16/98 Denver 30 KC Chiefs 7

1 votes

11/4/96 Denver 22 Raiders 21

4 votes

10/16/95 Denver 27 Raiders 0

9 votes

Other (list below)

1 votes

17 votes | Poll has closed

This is a Fan-Created Comment on MileHighReport.com. The opinion here is not necessarily shared by the editorial staff of MHR

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Just a side note to that game in 1973

At the beginning of the game when the announcer will have their lead in, Don Meredith said We’re a Mile High, and so am I. Well in 1973 that lead to a controversy. As it was implied he was stoned. Ahhh the good ol days

somethings wrong, Trying to conquer these fears i thought were gone. And it's been so long, I'm dying to live in a world i don't belong

by broncfanstuckinsd on Oct 19, 2008 5:20 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

hahahah

That gets my vote then. Did sunshine on his shoulders make him happy too?

I still can’t believe there wasn’t more of an uproar last year when the Falcon’s manager (I believe…maybe owner even) mentioned that they wouldn’t want Michael Vick back if he was filling up on fried chicken in prison.

Jason
The Hanging Curve

by poorboywilly on Oct 19, 2008 6:42 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I know it ended badly for us...

but the best MNF game with the Broncos playing—for me—was Oct. 17, 1994. It pit Joe Montana and the Chiefs against John Elway and the Broncos. Sadly Montana rallied the Chiefs to be us 31-28, but I was hesitant to blink during the game for fear of missing something great happen when those two QBs were on the field.

I wish Woody Paige was our coach!

by bcfunk on Oct 19, 2008 6:55 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

I didnt pick a loss

But yes that was a great game. But too me a great MNF game for Denver is a win only. Another great MNF football game was the opener in 2000 when Denver lost in a shootout to the Rams 41-36.

somethings wrong, Trying to conquer these fears i thought were gone. And it's been so long, I'm dying to live in a world i don't belong

by broncfanstuckinsd on Oct 20, 2008 11:53 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

First game for Brad's NFL Picks

That game at St. Louis (the Rams had won the SB) was what prompted me to start doing Brad’s NFL Picks. I predicted a shootout, and also predicted the team with the ball at the end would win. Unfortunately, the Rams had it at the end.

We admire in the sea’s rages the total lack of reason and justice, the blindness to all but the laws of it’s own nature;
And quite naturally, since similar feelings and desires lurk deep inside our own minds. A wrecking sea is part of what we all dream ourselves to be every night.
John Fowles

by bradley on Oct 20, 2008 1:31 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I have to agree

I can still remember where I was for that game, at a dive bar getting hammered with my friends in Albuquerque, it was so crazy and everyone was giving me no end of grief for Montana beating Elway.

"Me fail english, that unpossible" - Ralph Wiggum

by Broncoman on Oct 20, 2008 3:59 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Elway over Ditka's Big Bad Bears,

was my favorite MNF Broncos game. I don’t remember the date. Maybe 85 or 86? I just remember Elway escaping numerous sacks and improvising with many 30-40 yard ropes down the field. I also remember Ditka fuming after the game, and claiming that Elway had his vaunted defense flopping around like a bunch of fish.

by The Gun Young on Oct 19, 2008 8:43 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

I was at that game

Around the 20 yd line in the Northwest corner so the only scoring I saw was a field goal (all the other scores were at the South end!

It was also the last time that the Fridge ran the ball (fumbled it into the end-zone and recovered by the Broncos).

"It's all over Fat Man" - Tom Jackson to John Madden 1977 AFC Championship Game

"I love your analysis of our team. Its kinda like watching a spider monkey trying to figure out a jar of peanuts.. you know whats going on.. you know whats in there, but to actually figure it out, is just a bit beyond your mental skills..."
- Bronco Dano

by DesertBroncoFan on Oct 20, 2008 11:31 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I remember that game

I was at A-school for the USN. I remember denver falling down 14-0 then took the lead 21-14. The after a Fg and TD’s by Chicago (sho missed both Xp’s) it came down to another Elway comeback. Plus this was the only game in Jim Mc Mahon career he threew for over 300 yards (320). Plus it was one of the few games that all of the 3 Amigos (worst nickname EVER) all scored a TD pass in the same game

somethings wrong, Trying to conquer these fears i thought were gone. And it's been so long, I'm dying to live in a world i don't belong

by broncfanstuckinsd on Oct 20, 2008 11:51 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

MNF wouldn't put the Broncos on for many years - even during half time show

There was a bar downtown (Duffy’s Tavern maybe?) that had a cheap TV and would then raffle off a brick for someone to throw through the TV when Howard Cossell would not even mention Denver during the halftime show.

That’s ok with me. We’re playing for wins, not media publicity....HT 9/11/08

by firstfan on Oct 19, 2008 9:21 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

I remember that

There was a lot of ticked off Bronco Fans back then. We never got our due during the halftime show. In the early 70’s, many of the Broncos games weren’t televised. Many times, MNF was the only chance to see the hilights of the Broncos. Even the local TV news stations didn’t have film.

Oh, I voted for the shutout against Oakland as the best. Any win against Oakland on MNF is awsome! But a shutout is even better. I kind of liked the last win on MNF against the Raiders come to think of it….hahaha

"If Denver beats us, I'll walk back to Detroit" - Alex Karras

by Denver Diehard on Oct 20, 2008 1:13 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Especially

Since it was Mike Shanahans first MNF game and it was againt the Raiders

somethings wrong, Trying to conquer these fears i thought were gone. And it's been so long, I'm dying to live in a world i don't belong

by broncfanstuckinsd on Oct 20, 2008 11:20 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Those were the days!

That’s ok with me. We’re playing for wins, not media publicity....HT 9/11/08

by firstfan on Oct 20, 2008 12:21 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Then came the Bronco Brick

made of foam so that people at home could get the same feeling throwing the brick at their own TV.

"It's all over Fat Man" - Tom Jackson to John Madden 1977 AFC Championship Game

by DesertBroncoFan on Oct 20, 2008 11:32 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

My dad has one of those

somethings wrong, Trying to conquer these fears i thought were gone. And it's been so long, I'm dying to live in a world i don't belong

by broncfanstuckinsd on Oct 20, 2008 11:48 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I still have my "Sackit"

A “Sackit” was something that football fans could hit. It was like an old blow up bozo punching bag, only smaller. The bottom has sand in it the the top is filled with air. When you hit it, it’s supposed to bounce back and then you can hit it again. The sackit came with NFL Logo stickers. Each logo had a red circle around it with a slash running throught it. You put the sticker on of the team you want to lose, and then hit and punch the sackit to take out frustrations. The stickers were removable so you could use the same sticker over and over.

I also have a Bronco brick, but I like the sackit. After a while I just kept the Raider sticker on it, and every team Denver played got the same treatment. I would hit the sackit when something ticked me off, no matter what team we played, and the punch usually carried “I hate the Raiders” slogans.

After a while, my kids thought it was pretty funny, but knew it was dangerous to walk between my sackit and the TV. Everytime they crossed in front of the sackit with me sitting behind it, they pass the TV real fast. It became a game with the whole family: They never knew when Dad would get ticked and hit the sackit during Broonco games, so they made me a target to shoot at.

They painted a Raiders helmet on a piece of cardboard about 12" square. (A pretty good job too) The target had the helmet in a circle with a slash. Then they bought me a pair of cheap dart guns with plenty of darts. Finally I retired the sackit and started to shoot the Raider helmet for my Broncos stress relief. This was about 20 years ago, but I still have the sackit and raider helmet target!

FF is right……….Ah, the good old days

"If Denver beats us, I'll walk back to Detroit" - Alex Karras

by Denver Diehard on Oct 20, 2008 12:47 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

What about the snowball game against the Niners

That was in the 80’s and I remember because I was out in California in the northbay at the time going to Jr. High and laughing at all the niner fans the next day, man did they complain. The funny thing is, if you really go back and look at the tape, I swear that the snowball game from a D linemane right after they snap it, there is no way that someone from the south stands would be able to throw a snowball over 100 feet an have a flat trajectory, but that game was fun.

"Me fail english, that unpossible" - Ralph Wiggum

by Broncoman on Oct 20, 2008 4:02 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

it happened

at the closed end of the stadium. I remember it. It overshawdowed Elway beating the defending champs

somethings wrong, Trying to conquer these fears i thought were gone. And it's been so long, I'm dying to live in a world i don't belong

by broncfanstuckinsd on Oct 20, 2008 4:05 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

One other game I would of put up there was the snow game against Green Bay

Watchning our defense destroy them in that snowstorm was great, TJ was at his best, and that is always a highlight for Monday night football. I still love playing football in a snowstorm, something magical about it.

"Me fail english, that unpossible" - Ralph Wiggum

by Broncoman on Oct 20, 2008 4:05 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

The only downer in that game was

that the two touchdowns returned on consecutive series were pretty much all the scoring we had that game and we only got a field goal otherwise.

"It's all over Fat Man" - Tom Jackson to John Madden 1977 AFC Championship Game

by DesertBroncoFan on Oct 20, 2008 5:21 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

The first two minutes were exciting

Then it was boring after that. The next week all we heard about on the radio and TV was what good PR it was for the ski resorts. They didnt care about the game, just the damn snow for skiing!

"If Denver beats us, I'll walk back to Detroit" - Alex Karras

by Denver Diehard on Oct 24, 2008 11:43 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs