As the Denver Broncos look toward the Minnesota Vikings this week seeking their 5th consecutive win, the next media guide updates have been released by the team. I've gathered a few numbers and fast facts for your perusal that should be sufficient to feed your Bronco fix for at least one afternoon. Some of this may look familiar from last week. I omitted the repetitions, though some are simply upgraded. This series was well received, so it will continue for at least another week. Read on Broncos fans.
BRASS TACKS AND BULLET POINTS
- The Broncos have the number one Rushing Offense (159.7 yards per game) in the league after racking up 1,410 rushing yards (201.4 yards per game) over the last seven games. This ranks as the best seven-game rushing stretch in Broncos history. They lead the league with 18 individual 100-yard rushers since 1995, totaling an NFL-best 135.3 rushing yards per game during that stretch.
- Kicker Matt Prater produced his 2nd game-winning Overtime Field Goal of the season with a 37-yard kick against the Chargers. Prater, who made all 3 of his Field Goal Attempts on the day, joined Rich Karlis (1985) and Jason Elam (2007) as the only players in team history to kick two Overtime Field Goals in one season. Matt is now 24-of-25 (.960) in Field Goal Attempts in the 4th Quarter or Overtime for his career.
- Punter Britton Colquitt is 4th in the NFL with a Net Punting Average of 40.9 and is on pace to set the team single-season mark in that category, currently held by Mike Horan (38.9; 1990).
- Defensive End Elvis Dumervil and Linebacker Von Miller each registered Sacks on Chargers Quarterback Philip Rivers on Sunday. This extends a personal Sack streak to four games for each. They are two of three NFL players, the other being St. Louis DE Chris Long, to record a Sack in four straight games in November 2011. The Broncos pass rushing tandem has combined for 10 sacks during Denver's four game win streak.
- Against the Chargers, running back Willis McGahee topped the 100-yard rushing mark for the fifth time in 2011. He finished with 117 yards on 23 carries (5.1 avg.), including a 24-yard run in overtime to the Chargers 17-yard line that set up Prater’s game-winning field goal. He is the first Broncos player since Tatum Bell (2006) to produce at least five 100-yard rushing games in a season.
- McGahee leads the Broncos with 775 rushing yards and is tied for 2nd in the NFL with five 100-yard rushing games this year.
- Quarterback Tim Tebow leads all NFL players who have rushed at least 75 times with a 5.8 yard average. He has carried the ball 78 times for 455 yards this season, which is a Broncos record for the most rushing yards by a Quarterback in a season.
- Tebow’s 22 rushing attempts against San Diego was the most in a game by a Quarterback since at least 1950. He had 67 yards on the ground, boosting the teams rushing total past the 200-yard mark for the game.
- Wide Receiver Eric Decker registered his team-leading 8th Touchdown catch of the season with an 18-yard catch in the 2nd quarter on Sunday. This touchdown mark is the 2nd most by a first or second-year player in team history, held by Lionel Taylor who had 12 in 1960. Decker led the team with three catches for 65 yards against the Chargers. Decker's 8 receiving touchdowns this season tie him for 4th in the NFL through 11 games.
- Eric Decker had 5 Receptions for 113 yards and 2 Touchdowns in his first NFL start against Cincinnati in Week 2, becoming the first player in Franchise history and only the 5th player in the NFL since 1987 to post 100+ receiving yards and 2+ receiving touchdowns in his first Pro start.
- The Broncos have won four consecutive contests after entering the 4th quarter of each game within three points of the opponent. The only other time in the history of the franchise where that has happened was in 1977, in Games 10-13.
- Tim Tebow has accounted for 6 Touchdowns (4 passing, 2 rushing) and Zero turnovers in 122 total offensive touches during the Broncos four game win streak.
The Broncos Offensive Line is the NFL’s 2nd-youngest group of starters this season (as of Week 1).
- Seattle - 24.5
- Denver - 24.8
- Cleveland - 25.5
- Dallas - 25.9
- Atlanta - 26.2
| Pos. | Player | Exp. | GP | Starts | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LT | Ryan Clady | 4 | 59 | 59 | 25 |
| LG | Zane Beadles | 2 | 27 | 25 | 25 |
| C | J.D. Walton | 2 | 27 | 27 | 24 |
| RG | Chris Kuper | 6 | 74 | 68 | 28 |
| RT | Orlando Franklin | R | 11 | 11 | 23 |
SACK ATTACK FACTS
- Elvis Dumervil ranks 4th in the NFL in Sacks per game (.69) and has posted the third-most 2+sack games (14) in the league since his rookie season in 2006.
- Rookie Von Miller is leading the AFC and is tied for 3rd in the NFL with 10.5 sacks (69 yds.) through 11 games this season. He is closing in on Rulon Jones' rookie record of 11.5 in 1980. Miller had a Sack in five straight games (Weeks 2-6), the first time since Mike Croel (1991) that a Bronco rookie accomplished that. He is also tied with Minnesota’s Jared Allen for the most games (9) with at least a half sack in 2011.
- Von's 10.5 Sacks is also the most by a Rookie in 2011. San Francisco's Aldon Smith has 7.5 and two others have 6 Sacks through this week.
- The Broncos Rookie record for Sacks in a game is 3, accomplished by Elvis Dumervil in 2006 vs. Cleveland and Rulon Jones in 1980 vs. Oakland.
- The Broncos team record for consecutive games with a Sack is 10, held by Simon Fletcher.
- The mark for Most Multi-Sack games in a career is 20, also held by Simon Fletcher. Elvis Dumervil is 4th with 14.
Special Teams Tackles through Week 12
- Dante Rosario - 9 Tackles and 1 Downed punt
- Chris Harris - 5.5 Tackles and 1 Downed punt
- David Bruton - 5.5 Tackles and 1 Downed punt
- Wesley Woodyard - 4.5 Tackles and 1 Forced Fumble
- Quinton Carter - 4.5 Tackles
- Nate Irving - 3.5 Tackles
- Matthew Willis - 2 Tackles and 1 Downed punt
- Lance Ball - 3 Tackles
- Virgil Green - 2 Tackles
- Spencer Larsen - 2.5 Tackles
- Jason Hunter - 1 Tackle
- Joe Mays - 1 Tackle
- Lonie Paxton -1 Tackle and 1 Downed punt
- Cassius Vaughn - 1 Tackle and 1 Fumble Recovery
- Rafael Bush - 1 Tackle
It's nice to see some results out of the rookies and as the Special Teams Units are often ignored, many of their efforts go unnoticed. I believe this Unit's improvements have a lot to do with this years' draft acquisitions. The Broncos had a priority to emphasize an increase in overall team speed and the proof ids in the pudding. Denver's ST's rankings in 2010 hovered around 18th in the league. This season, through week 12, they sit at number 6.
Go Broncos!
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