1991 Denver Broncos season

American football team season December 2013 February 2026 Denver Broncos 1991 12–4 1st AFC West Pat Bowlen John Beake Dan Reeves Mike Shanahan Wade Phillips Mile High Stadium Won Divisional Playoffs(vs. Oilers) 26–24Lost AFC Championship(at Bills) 7–10 QB John ElwayRB Gaston GreenLB Karl MecklenburgS Steve AtwaterS Dennis Smith 250px Broncos seasons The 1991 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 1991 Denver Broncos 1 4 Mike Croel DE Nebraska yes 2 30 Reggie Johnson TE Florida State yes 3 61 Keith Traylor DT 1990 Central State Bronchos Central State (OK) yes 4 89 Derek Russell WR Arkansas yes 5 115 Greg Lewis RB Washington yes 6 142 Nick Subis OT San Diego State yes 8 200 Kenny Walker DE Nebraska yes 9 227 Don Gibson Defensive tackle USC 10 253 Curtis Mayfield Wide receiver Oklahoma State 11 284 Shawn Moore Quarterback Virginia https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/den/1991_draft.htm 1991 Denver Broncos Draftees Pro-Football-Reference.com Undrafted free agents + 1991 undrafted free agents of notePlayerPositionCollegeJohn StoryWide ReceiverIndiana State Personnel Staff 1991 Denver Broncos President and Chief Executive Officer – Pat Bowlen General Manager – John Beake Director of Football Operations – Lide Huggins Director of Player Personnel – Reed Johnson Vice President/Head Coach – Dan Reeves Special Assistant – Marvin Bass Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks – Mike Shanahan Running Backs – Mo Forte Wide Receivers – George Henshaw Offensive Line – Pete Mangurian Defensive Coordinator – Wade Phillips Defensive Line – Ernie Stautner Linebackers – Mike Nolan Defensive Backs – Charlie Waters Defensive Assistant – Barney Chavous Defensive Quality Control – Joe DeCamillis Tight Ends/Special Teams – Harold Richardson Strength/Conditioning – Al Miller 1991 Denver Broncos Media Guide 5–19 2010 Denver Broncos Media Guide 603–606 http://media.denverbroncos.com/media+guide/ March 5, 2011 July 9, 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110709013221/http://media.denverbroncos.com/media+guide/ dead Roster 1991 Denver Broncos  7 John Elway  8 Gary Kubiak 12 Shawn Moore y 28 Gaston Green 26 Bobby Humphrey 41 Greg Lewis running back y 38 Reggie Rivers y 30 Steve Sewell 82 Vance Johnson PR 84 Ricky Nattiel PR 85 Derek Russell y KR 83 Mike Young American football 89 Reggie Johnson American football y 88 Clarence Kay 81 Shannon Sharpe 62 Jeff Davidson T 63 Sean Farrell American football G 72 Keith Kartz C 68 Crawford Ker G 76 Ken Lanier T 74 Harvey Salem T 60 Nick Subis y C/T 79 Dave Widell G/LS 67 Doug Widell G 90 Ron Holmes DE 71 Greg Kragen NT 91 Warren Powers American football DE 70 Brian Sochia DE/NT 96 Kenny Walker American football y DE 56 Michael Brooks linebacker ILB 51 Mike Croel y OLB 73 Simon Fletcher American football OLB 59 Tim Lucas American football OLB 77 Karl Mecklenburg ILB 52 Jeff Mills American football OLB 57 Mark Murray American football y ILB 54 Keith Traylor y ILB 27 Steve Atwater FS 34 Tyrone Braxton CB 29 Charles Dimry CB 24 Wymon Henderson CB 21 Le-Lo Lang CB 22 Alton Montgomery FS/KR 48 Randy Robbins American football SS 49 Dennis Smith American football SS  2 Mike Horan American football P  9 David Treadwell K 93 Ronnie Haliburton LB IR 80 Mark Jackson wide receiver WR IR 66 Jim Juriga G/T IR 33 Bob Perryman FB IR 47 active, 4 inactive, 2 practice squad -- Don Gibson defensive lineman y NT 86 Barry Johnson wide receiver y WR https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/den/1991_roster.htm 1991 Denver Broncos starters and roster Pro-Football-Reference.com November 20, 2014 Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance 1 July 27, 1991 vs. Detroit Lions L 3–14 0–1 Fawcett Stadium 23,815 2 August 2, 1991 Indianapolis Colts W 10–3 1–1 Mile High Stadium 75,375 3 August 7, 1991 at San Francisco 49ers L 6–24 1–2 Candlestick Park 54,170 4 August 19, 1991 Miami Dolphins W 21–13 2–2 Mile High Stadium 54,170 5 August 23, 1991 at Phoenix Cardinals L 10–34 2–3 Sun Devil Stadium 38,372https://www.profootballarchives.com/1991nflden.html 1991 Denver Broncos (NFL) Pro Football Archives November 11, 2023 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 January 4, 1992 F j, Y Houston Oilers (3) W 26–24 1–0 Mile High Stadium Recap Championship January 12, 1992 F j, Y at Buffalo Bills (1) L 7–10 1–1 Rich Stadium Recap Season summary Week 1 vs Bengals October 2022 Week 2 at Raiders Denver Broncos 1991 2; text-align:center collapsed Week Two: Denver Broncos (1–0) at Los Angeles Raiders (0–1) September 8 4:00 p.m. EST Broncos 3 3 0 7 Raiders 0 3 7 6 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California 48,569 65 F C Box Score, Box Score First quarter DEN – David Treadwell 22-yard field goal, 2:29. Broncos 3–0. Second quarter DEN – David Treadwell 47-yard field goal, 13:11. Broncos 6–0. LA – Jeff Jaeger 29-yard field goal, 6:23. Broncos 6–3. Third quarter LA – Willie Gault 16-yard pass from Jay Schroeder (Jeff Jaeger kick), 5:47. Raiders 10–6. Fourth quarter LA – Jeff Jaeger 23-yard field goal, 9:17. Raiders 13–6. LA – Jeff Jaeger 34-yard field goal, 2:48. Raiders 16–6. DEN – Steve Sewell 3-yard pass from John Elway (David Treadwell kick), 0:25. Raiders 16–10. Top passers DEN – John Elway – 15/29, 240 yards, TD LA – Jay Schroeder – 12/19, 168 yards, TD Top rushers DEN – Gaston Green – 11 rushes, 25 yards LA – Roger Craig – 27 rushes, 99 yards Top receivers DEN – Steve Sewell – 3 receptions, 50 yards, TD LA – Willie Gault – 3 receptions, 69 yards, TD Week 10 Steelers 3 7 0 3 Broncos 0 17 3 0 November 3 Mile High Stadium • Denver, Colorado 6:00 p.m. MST 16 F, wind 8 mph on Dick Hantak Mike Patrick & Joe Theismann ESPN yes 1 PIT Gary Anderson 26-yard field goal Steelers 3–0 2 PIT Eric Green 23-yard pass from Neil O'Donnell (Gary Anderson kick) Steelers 10–0 2 DEN Greg Lewis 1-yard run (David Treadwell kick) Steelers 10–7 2 DEN John Elway 4-yard run (David Treadwell kick) Broncos 14–10 2 DEN David Treadwell 28-yard field goal Broncos 17–10 3 DEN David Treadwell 21-yard field goal Broncos 20–10 4 PIT Gary Anderson 39-yard field goal Broncos 20–13 yes Pro-Football-Reference.com Standings Playoffs AFC Divisional Playoff Denver Broncos 26, Houston Oilers 24 Oilers 14 7 0 3 Broncos 6 7 3 10 Mile High Stadium, Denver, Colorado 4:00 p.m. EST/2:00 p.m. MST 30 °F °C, cloudy NBC Charlie Jones and Todd Christensen Johnny Grier 75,301 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 Bills 10, Denver Broncos 7 Broncos 0 0 0 7 Bills 0 0 7 3 Rich Stadium, Orchard Park, New York 12:30 p.m. EST 34 °F °C, clear NBC Dick Enberg and Bill Walsh Dale Hamer 80,272 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 Denver Broncos Category:Denver Broncos seasons Category:AFC West championship seasons Bronco