The Denver Broncos season was the team's 32nd year in professional football and its 22nd as a member club in the National Football League (NFL). The team improved on its 5–11 from 1990, winning their third AFC West title in five years, and advanced to the AFC Championship Game, where they fell to the Buffalo Bills 10–7. Overall, the Denver Broncos had five players who were selected to participate in the Pro Bowl. This season also brought The Drive II. In the divisional round of the playoffs, versus the Houston Oilers, the Broncos started the game-winning drive at their own 2-yard line and ended with a game-winning field goal for a 26–24 victory.
Offseason
NFL draft
Undrafted free agents
+ 1991 undrafted free agents of notePlayerPositionCollegeJohn StoryWide ReceiverIndiana State
Personnel
Staff
Roster
Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance 1 vs. Detroit Lions L 3–14 0–1 Fawcett Stadium 23,815 2 Indianapolis Colts W 10–3 1–1 Mile High Stadium 75,375 3 at San Francisco 49ers L 6–24 1–2 Candlestick Park 54,170 4 Miami Dolphins W 21–13 2–2 Mile High Stadium 54,170 5 at Phoenix Cardinals L 10–34 2–3 Sun Devil Stadium 38,372
Regular season
Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap 1 September 1 Cincinnati Bengals W 45–14 1–0 Mile High Stadium 72,855 Recap 2 September 8 at Los Angeles Raiders L 13–16 1–1 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 48,569 Recap 3 September 15 Seattle Seahawks W 16–10 2–1 Mile High Stadium 74,152 Recap 4 September 22 San Diego Chargers W 27–19 3–1 Mile High Stadium 73,258 Recap 5 September 29 at Minnesota Vikings W 13–6 4–1 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 55,031 Recap 6 October 6 at Houston Oilers L 14–42 4–2 Houston Astrodome 59,145 Recap 7 Bye 8 October 20 Kansas City Chiefs W 19–16 5–2 Mile High Stadium 75,866 Recap 9 October 27 at New England Patriots W 9–6 6–2 Foxboro Stadium 43,994 Recap 10 November 3 Pittsburgh Steelers W 20–13 7–2 Mile High Stadium 70,973 Recap 11 November 10 Los Angeles Raiders L 16–17 7–3 Mile High Stadium 75,896 Recap 12 November 17 at Kansas City Chiefs W 24–20 8–3 Arrowhead Stadium 74,661 Recap 13 November 24 at Seattle Seahawks L 10–13 8–4 Kingdome 60,430 Recap 14 December 1 New England Patriots W 20–3 9–4 Mile High Stadium 67,116 Recap 15 December 8 at Cleveland Browns W 17–7 10–4 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 73,539 Recap 16 December 15 Phoenix Cardinals W 24–19 11–4 Mile High Stadium 74,098 Recap 17 December 22 at San Diego Chargers W 17–14 12–4 Jack Murphy Stadium 51,449 Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Postseason Round Date Opponent (seed) Result Record Venue Recap Wild Card First-round bye Divisional Houston Oilers (3) W 26–24 1–0 Mile High Stadium Recap Championship at Buffalo Bills (1) L 7–10 1–1 Rich Stadium Recap
Season summary Week 1 vs Bengals
Week 2 at Raiders
Week 10
Pro-Football-Reference.com
Standings
Playoffs
AFC Divisional Playoff
Trailing 24–23 with 2:07 left in the game, quarterback John Elway led the Broncos from their own 2-yard line to the winning 28-yard field goal with 16 seconds remaining. On the drive, he converted on two fourth downs. On fourth down and 6 from the Denver 28, he rushed for 7 yards. Then on fourth down and 10, he completed a 44-yard pass to wide receiver Vance Johnson.
The Oilers jumped to a 14–0 lead with quarterback Warren Moon's two touchdown passes to wide receivers Haywood Jeffires and Drew Hill for 15 and 9 yards, respectively. Elway then completed a 10-yard touchdown to Johnson, but kicker David Treadwell missed the extra point. Moon responded by throwing a 6-yard touchdown to wide receiver Curtis Duncan to give Houston a 21–6 lead, but Denver running back Greg Lewis scored a 1-yard touchdown before halftime. In the second half, the Oilers were limited to only a 25-yard field goal by kicker Al Del Greco, which gave Houston a 24–16 lead in the fourth quarter. The Broncos then marched 80 yards to score on Lewis' 1-yard touchdown run to cut the deficit to 24–23.
Elway's comeback is now known solely as The Drive II. Broncos go to the AFC Championship Game but lost to the Bills 10-7.
AFC Championship Game
Buffalo relied on missed field goals by Denver and some key plays from their defense to narrowly defeat the Broncos in a tough defensive struggle. Although the first half was scoreless, the Broncos advanced into Buffalo territory on all five of their possessions in the first half. However, Denver kicker David Treadwell missed 3 field goals, hitting the goal posts twice and driving the other attempt wide right.
Late in the third quarter, the Broncos faced second down and 10 at their own 19-yard line. Quarterback John Elway threw a middle screen pass intended for running back Steve Sewell, but it was tipped by Bills defensive lineman Jeff Wright into the arms of linebacker Carlton Bailey, who returned the ball 11 yards for Buffalo's only touchdown of the game. Elway was then knocked out of the game after suffering a deep thigh bruise, and was replaced by backup Gary Kubiak. With 4:18 left in the game, Buffalo kicker Scott Norwood made a 44-yard field goal to increase the lead, 10–0. Kubiak, who was playing in his last NFL game before retiring, led the Broncos 85 yards in eight plays and scored a 3-yard touchdown run with 1:43 left. Denver then recovered the ensuing onside kick, but the Bills clinched the victory after defensive back Kirby Jackson forced and recovered a fumble from running back Steve Sewell.
Broncos receiver Vance Johnson finished the game with 8 receptions for 104 yards. Kubiak completed 11 of 12 passes for 136 yards and rushed for 22.
Scoring BUF – Bailey 11 interception return (Norwood kick) BUF 7–0 BUF – field goal Norwood 44 BUF 10–0 DEN – Kubiak 3 run (Treadwell kick) BUF 10–7 Broncos lost and in 1992 missed the playoffs 8-8.
References
External links Denver Broncos – 1991 media guide 1991 Denver Broncos season at jt-sw.com 1991 Denver Broncos at Pro-Football-Reference.com