2013 Broncos Season, Week 17


The journey of the regular season is complete. Three more wins to achieve the ultimate goal.

Week 17: Broncos 34, Raiders 14
Season Record: 13-3 (7-1 Home)
Key Play: Up 17-0 in the second quarter, Peyton Manning connected with Demaryius Thomas on a 63-yard touchdown strike to put the team up 24-0. The play made the Broncos the highest scoring offense in NFL history. A later TD strike to Thomas gave Manning the single season record for yardage.

Recap: The Broncos only needed a half to get done what they needed to accomplish. The team set a record as the highest scoring offense in NFL history, and Manning added the single-season yardage mark to go with his touchdown mark. The team posted 31 points, scoring on all five first half possessions, to take a commanding lead. The Broncos needed to win the game to lock up the top seed in the AFC, and they did just that. Then the Broncos got a good look at Brock Osweiler, who wasn't half bad in the second half as the Broncos closed out the regular season. But forget all the records. They are nice, but not the point. The Broncos are in the exact same spot this season as last season. They are 13-3 and the top seed in the AFC. It was a great regular season, but none of that matters if the team falters in the playoffs again. Manning would be the first to note that. So the Broncos have a week off, then the real work begins.

Game Balls:
* Peyton Manning. Two years ago some wondered if he'd ever be able to play again. And it was a fair question. He was good last year and returned this year to offer the greatest single season performance by a quarterback in NFL history. That's worthy of a game ball.

* Demaryius Thomas. Thomas is a weapon, and one of the best receivers in the league. Josh McDaniels wasn't great as the Broncos' coach, but he nailed that pick.

* Knowshon Moreno. This was Moreno's best season, and it came at a great time. He's stayed healthy and put up great numbers in this offense, giving the Broncos balance.

Lingering Questions:
* Special Teams. Out special teams aren't special. The Broncos had a punt blocked yesterday and nearly gave up an onside kick. This unit has really struggled and needs to get it together for the playoffs.

* Health and depth. The Broncos wisely rested players on Sunday, but the team needs to get healthy. Several key players, including Wes Welker and Derek Wolfe, could be ready to go for the playoffs, and that's a good thing. The Broncos need all the healthy players they can get.

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