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1979 Denver Broncos

Franchise Index: Previous Season / Next Season

Record: 10-6-0, Finished 2nd in AFC West Division
NFL Season Summary

Scored 289 points (18.1/g), 20th of 28 in the NFL.
 Allowed 262 points (16.4/g), 5th.
 Differential of 27 points (1.7/g), 12th.
 Expected W-L: 8.9-7.1.

 Takeaway/Giveaway Differential -3 (-0.2/g), 16th.

Simple Rating System: Total 4.1, Offense: -1.6, Defense: 5.7, SoS: 2.4, versus averages of 0.0.

Coached by Red Miller

 Defensive Coordinator: Joe Collier

Training Camp: Colorado State (Fort Collins, Colorado)

Team Stats and Rankings

Tot Yds & TO Passing Rushing
Pts Yds Ply Y/P 1stD Cmp Att Yds TD Int NY/A 1stD Att Yds TD Y/A 1stD TO FL 1stPy
Team Offense 289 5142 1044 4.9 306 260 476 3106 18 23 6.0 149 525 2036 13 3.9 130 40 17 27
Team Defense 262 4852 1033 4.7 273 296 512 3159 11 19 5.9 146 502 1693 16 3.4 100 37 18 27
Lg Rank Offense 20 12 11 12 13 15 16 11 16 18 21 18 17 13
Lg Rank Defense 5 10 9 26 23 1 19 18 5 1 12 1 17 10

Team Games & Schedule

Score Offense Defense
Week Day Date OT Rec Opp Tm Opp 1stD TotYd PassY RushY TO 1stD TotYd PassY RushY TO
1 Sun September 2 boxscore W 1-0 Cincinnati Bengals 10 0 22 399 200 199 16 232 137 95
2 Thu September 6 boxscore L 1-1 Los Angeles Rams 9 13 12 179 106 73 2 15 277 181 96
3 Sun September 16 boxscore W OT 2-1 @ Atlanta Falcons 20 17 18 369 201 168 2 19 382 326 56
4 Sun September 23 boxscore W 3-1 Seattle Seahawks 37 34 23 344 254 90 3 22 350 197 153 4
5 Sun September 30 boxscore L 3-2 @ Oakland Raiders 3 27 21 291 210 81 3 16 277 187 90
6 Sun October 7 boxscore W 4-2 San Diego Chargers 7 0 11 193 33 160 1 19 374 305 69 4
7 Sun October 14 boxscore W 5-2 @ Kansas City Chiefs 24 10 21 344 207 137 1 16 166 68 98 2
8 Mon October 22 boxscore L 5-3 @ Pittsburgh Steelers 7 42 16 329 276 53 3 27 530 294 236 3
9 Sun October 28 boxscore W 6-3 Kansas City Chiefs 20 3 20 381 269 112 2 12 210 108 102 3
10 Sun November 4 boxscore W 7-3 New Orleans Saints 10 3 19 349 201 148 3 13 239 117 122 1
11 Sun November 11 boxscore W 8-3 New England Patriots 45 10 21 289 182 107 3 8 92 34 58 3
12 Sun November 18 boxscore W 9-3 @ San Francisco 49ers 38 28 22 369 225 144 2 18 240 166 74 2
13 Sun November 25 boxscore L 9-4 Oakland Raiders 10 14 22 382 167 215 3 15 376 203 173 2
14 Sun December 2 boxscore W 10-4 @ Buffalo Bills 19 16 11 226 129 97 4 19 398 298 100 7
15 Sat December 8 boxscore L 10-5 @ Seattle Seahawks 23 28 27 363 222 141 3 21 382 308 74 2
16 Mon December 17 boxscore L 10-6 @ San Diego Chargers 7 17 20 335 224 111 5 17 327 230 97 4
Playoffs
WildCard Sun December 23 boxscore L 10-7 @ Houston Oilers 7 13 17 216 104 112 1 15 282 147 135 2

Passing

ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+),
No. Age Pos G GS QBrec Cmp Att Cmp% Yds TD TD% Int Int% Lng Y/A AY/A Y/C Y/G Rate QBR Sk Yds NY/A ANY/A Sk% 4QC GWD
7 Craig Morton 36 QB 14 10 6-4-0 204 370 55.1 2626 16 4.3 19 5.1 64 7.1 5.7 12.9 187.6 70.6 30 241 5.96 4.63 7.5 1 3
14 Norris Weese 28 qb 16 6 4-2-0 53 97 54.6 731 1 1.0 3 3.1 50 7.5 6.4 13.8 45.7 69.6 13 86 5.86 4.82 11.8 0 1
12 Craig Penrose 26 2 0 2 5 40.0 44 0 0.0 1 20.0 29 8.8 -0.2 22.0 22.0 32.5 0 0 8.80 -0.20 0.0
32 Jon Keyworth 29 FB 16 9 1 1 100.0 32 1 100.0 0 0.0 32 32.0 52.0 32.0 2.0 158.3 0 0 32.00 52.00 0.0
46 Dave Preston 24 rb 10 3 0 1 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 39.6 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.0
11 Luke Prestridge 23 P 16 0 0 1 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 39.6 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.0
80 Rick Upchurch* 27 PR/WR 16 16 0 1 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 39.6 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.0
Team Total 27.0 16 10-6-0 260 476 54.6 3433 18 3.8 23 4.8 64 7.2 5.8 13.2 214.6 70.1 43 327 5.98 4.68 8.3 1 4
Opp Total 16 296 512 57.8 3321 11 2.1 19 3.7 6.5 5.25 11.2 207.6 69.0 19 162 5.9 4.8 3.6

Rushing & Receiving

ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+),
Rushing Receiving
No. Age Pos G GS Att Yds TD Lng Y/A Y/G A/G Rec Yds Y/R TD Lng R/G Y/G YScm RRTD Fmb
24 Otis Armstrong 29 rb 15 1 108 453 2 26 4.2 30.2 7.2 14 138 9.9 1 17 0.9 9.2 591 3 2
30 Jim D. Jensen 26 fb 16 7 106 400 1 30 3.8 25.0 6.6 19 144 7.6 1 25 1.2 9.0 544 2 2
41 Rob Lytle 25 RB 15 12 102 371 4 19 3.6 24.7 6.8 13 93 7.2 0 12 0.9 6.2 464 4 1
32 Jon Keyworth 29 FB 16 9 81 323 1 17 4.0 20.2 5.1 18 132 7.3 0 18 1.1 8.3 455 1 4
46 Dave Preston 24 rb 10 3 43 169 1 18 3.9 16.9 4.3 19 137 7.2 1 19 1.9 13.7 306 2 1
35 Larry Canada 25 16 0 36 143 0 17 4.0 8.9 2.3 3 36 12.0 0 15 0.2 2.3 179 0 2
7 Craig Morton 36 QB 14 10 23 13 1 7 0.6 0.9 1.6 13 1 9
14 Norris Weese 28 qb 16 6 18 116 3 20 6.4 7.3 1.1 116 3 4
80 Rick Upchurch* 27 PR/WR 16 16 3 17 0 18 5.7 1.1 0.2 64 937 14.6 7 47 4.0 58.6 954 7 5
31 Zachary Dixon 23 5 0 3 9 0 7 3.0 1.8 0.6 9 0 1
88 Riley Odoms 29 TE 13 12 1 -7 0 -7 -7.0 -0.5 0.1 40 638 16.0 1 45 3.1 49.1 631 1 0
11 Luke Prestridge 23 P 16 0 1 29 0 29 29.0 1.8 0.1 29 0 0
25 Haven Moses 33 WR 16 16 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 54 943 17.5 6 64 3.4 58.9 943 6 0
81 Steve Watson 22 16 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 6 83 13.8 0 22 0.4 5.2 83 0 0
85 Ron Egloff 24 te 15 4 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 5 70 14.0 0 22 0.3 4.7 70 0 0
82 Jack Dolbin 31 4 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 3 74 24.7 0 45 0.8 18.5 74 0 0
70 Dave Studdard 24 RT 16 16 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 1 2 2.0 1 2 0.1 0.1 2 1 0
15 Jim Turner 38 K 16 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 1 6 6.0 0 6 0.1 0.4 6 0 0
Team Total 27.0 16 525 2036 13 30 3.9 127.3 32.8 260 3433 13.2 18 64 16.3 214.6 5469 31 34
Opp Total 16 502 1693 16 3.4 105.8 31.4 296 3159 10.7 11 18.5 197.4 4852 27 30

Kick & Punt Returns

ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+),
Punt Returns Kick Returns
No. Age Pos G GS Ret Yds TD Lng Y/R Rt Yds TD Lng Y/Rt APYd
80 Rick Upchurch* 27 PR/WR 16 16 30 304 0 44 10.1 5 79 0 26 15.8 1337
23 Chris Pane 26 KR 16 0 5 20 0 10 4.0 18 354 0 30 19.7 374
46 Dave Preston 24 rb 10 3 7 78 0 22 11.1 13 336 0 37 25.8 720
29 Bernard Jackson 29 FS 12 9 4 53 0 21 13.3 53
35 Larry Canada 25 16 0 3 31 0 18 10.3 210
31 Zachary Dixon 23 5 0 3 53 0 24 17.7 62
24 Otis Armstrong 29 rb 15 1 1 21 0 21 21.0 612
85 Ron Egloff 24 te 15 4 1 0 0 0 0.0 70
63 John Grant 29 16 0 1 25 0 25 25.0 25
84 Vince Kinney 23 15 0 1 14 0 14 14.0 14
40 Charlie West 33 fs 16 7 1 -1 0 -1 -1.0 -1
Team Total 27.0 16 43 401 0 44 9.3 50 966 0 37 19.3 6836
Opp Total 16 52 0 57 1173 1 20.6

Kicking & Punting

ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+),
0-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50+ Tot PAT Punting
No. Age Pos G GS FGA FGM FGA FGM FGA FGM FGA FGM FGA FGM FGA FGM FG% XPA XPM XP% Pnt Yds Lng Blck Y/P
11 Luke Prestridge 23 P 16 0 89 3555 63 0 39.9
15 Jim Turner 38 K 16 0 1 1 9 7 8 4 3 1 21 13 61.9% 34 32 94.1%
Team Total 27.0 16 1 1 9 7 8 4 3 1 21 13 61.9% 34 32 94.1% 89 3555 63 0 39.9
Opp Total 16 26 15 57.7% 31 31 100.0% 88 3705 42.1

Defense & Fumbles

ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+),
Def Interceptions Fumbles Tackles
No. Age Pos G GS Sk Int Yds TD Lng PD FF Fmb FR Yds TD Tkl Ast Sfty
7 Craig Morton 36 QB 14 10 0 9 2 -11 0
51 Bob Swenson 26 LOLB 16 16 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 93 1
43 Steve Foley 26 RCB 16 16 6 14 0 7 0 0 1 0 0 0
36 Bill Thompson 33 SS 16 16 4 57 0 28 0 0 0 2 28 1
80 Rick Upchurch* 27 PR/WR 16 16 0 5 1 0 0
32 Jon Keyworth 29 FB 16 9 0 4 1 0 0
35 Larry Canada 25 16 0 0 2 2 -5 0
41 Rob Lytle 25 RB 15 12 0 1 3 0 0
14 Norris Weese 28 qb 16 6 0 4 0 0 0
24 Otis Armstrong 29 rb 15 1 0 2 1 0 0
57 Tom Jackson* 28 ROLB 13 13 1 34 0 34 0 0 0 2 70 0
59 Joe Rizzo 29 LILB 13 12 2 25 0 25 0 0 0 1 0 0
20 Louis Wright*+ 26 LCB 16 16 2 20 0 15 0 0 0 1 82 1
64 Bill Bryan 24 C 16 16 0 0 2 0 0
68 Rubin Carter 27 NT 15 15 0 0 2 2 1
30 Jim D. Jensen 26 fb 16 7 0 2 0 0 0
40 Charlie West 33 fs 16 7 1 26 0 26 0 0 0 1 0 0
55 Ken E. Brown 25 16 0 0 0 1 0 0
31 Zachary Dixon 23 5 0 0 1 0 0 0
62 Tom Glassic 25 LG 16 16 0 0 1 0 0
53 Randy Gradishar* 27 RILB 16 15 0 0 1 8 0
63 John Grant 29 16 0 0 0 1 0 0
72 Don Latimer 24 nt 15 1 0 0 1 4 0
66 Brison Manor 27 RDE 16 16 0 0 1 0 0
23 Chris Pane 26 KR 16 0 0 1 0 0 0
46 Dave Preston 24 rb 10 3 0 1 0 0 0
78 Bruce Radford 24 16 0 0 0 1 0 0
50 Jim Ryan 22 16 0 0 0 1 0 0
Team Total 27.0 16 19 189 0 34 0 0 34 33 271 4
Opp Total 16 43 30 12

Scoring Summary

ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+),
No. Age Pos G GS RshTD RecTD PR TD KR TD FblTD IntTD OthTD AllTD 2PM XPM FGM Sfty Pts
15 Jim Turner 38 K 16 0 32 13 71
80 Rick Upchurch* 27 PR/WR 16 16 7 7 42
25 Haven Moses 33 WR 16 16 6 6 36
41 Rob Lytle 25 RB 15 12 4 4 24
24 Otis Armstrong 29 rb 15 1 2 1 3 18
14 Norris Weese 28 qb 16 6 3 3 18
30 Jim D. Jensen 26 fb 16 7 1 1 2 12
46 Dave Preston 24 rb 10 3 1 1 2 12
68 Rubin Carter 27 NT 15 15 1 1 6
32 Jon Keyworth 29 FB 16 9 1 1 6
7 Craig Morton 36 QB 14 10 1 1 6
58 Rob Nairne 25 lb 10 4 1 1 6
88 Riley Odoms 29 TE 13 12 1 1 6
70 Dave Studdard 24 RT 16 16 1 1 6
51 Bob Swenson 26 LOLB 16 16 1 1 6
36 Bill Thompson 33 SS 16 16 1 1 6
20 Louis Wright*+ 26 LCB 16 16 1 1 6
Team Total 27.0 16 13 18 4 1 36 32 13 287
Opp Total 16 16 11 1 31 15 262