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1979 Denver Broncos
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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.
Coached by Red Miller (10-6-0)
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1979 Statistics / Starters & Roster / Games & Schedule / Team Draftees
Starters
Glossary · ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+), · CSV · PRE · Hide Non-primary Starters| Pos | Age | Yrs | GS | Summary of Player Stats | Drafted (tm/rnd/yr) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offensive Starters | Complete Team Stats | |||||
| QB | Craig Morton | 36 | 14 | 10 | 204 for 370, 2,626 yards, 16 td, 19 int, & 23 rushes for 13 yards and 1 td | Dallas Cowboys / 1st / 5th pick / 1965 |
| QB | Norris Weese | 28 | 3 | 6 | 53 for 97, 731 yards, 1 td, 3 int, & 18 rushes for 116 yards and 3 td | Los Angeles Rams / 4th / 99th pick / 1974 |
| RB | Rob Lytle | 25 | 2 | 12 | 102 rushes for 371 yards, 4 td, & 13 catches for 93 yards and 0 td | Denver Broncos / 2nd / 45th pick / 1977 |
| FB | Jon Keyworth | 29 | 5 | 9 | 81 rushes for 323 yards, 1 td, & 18 catches for 132 yards and 0 td | Washington Redskins / 6th / 144th pick / 1974 |
| FB | Jim D. Jensen | 26 | 3 | 7 | 106 rushes for 400 yards, 1 td, & 19 catches for 144 yards and 1 td | Dallas Cowboys / 2nd / 40th pick / 1976 |
| WR | Haven Moses | 33 | 11 | 16 | 54 catches for 943 yards, 6 td | Buffalo Bills / 1st / 9th pick / 1968 |
| WR | Rick Upchurch* | 27 | 4 | 16 | 64 catches for 937 yards, 7 td, & 3 rushes for 17 yards and 0 td | Denver Broncos / 4th / 95th pick / 1975 |
| TE | Riley Odoms | 29 | 7 | 12 | 40 catches for 638 yards, 1 td, & 1 rush for -7 yards and 0 td | Denver Broncos / 1st / 5th pick / 1972 |
| LT | Claudie Minor | 28 | 5 | 16 | Denver Broncos / 3rd / 68th pick / 1974 |
|
| LG | Tom Glassic | 25 | 3 | 16 | 1 fumble recovered | Denver Broncos / 1st / 15th pick / 1976 |
| C | Bill Bryan | 24 | 2 | 16 | 2 fumbles recovered | Denver Broncos / 4th / 101st pick / 1977 |
| RG | Paul Howard | 29 | 6 | 16 | Denver Broncos / 3rd / 54th pick / 1973 |
|
| RT | Dave Studdard | 24 | Rook | 16 | Baltimore Colts / 9th / 245th pick / 1978 |
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| Defensive Starters | ||||||
| LDE | Barney Chavous | 28 | 6 | 16 | Denver Broncos / 2nd / 36th pick / 1973 |
|
| NT | Rubin Carter | 27 | 4 | 15 | 0 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered | Denver Broncos / 5th / 121st pick / 1975 |
| RDE | Brison Manor | 27 | 2 | 16 | 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | New York Jets / 15th / 380th pick / 1975 |
| LOLB | Bob Swenson | 26 | 4 | 16 | 3 interceptions, 4 fumbles recovered | |
| LILB | Joe Rizzo | 29 | 5 | 12 | 2 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Buffalo Bills / 15th / 369th pick / 1973 |
| RILB | Randy Gradishar* | 27 | 5 | 15 | 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Denver Broncos / 1st / 14th pick / 1974 |
| ROLB | Tom Jackson* | 28 | 6 | 13 | 1 interception, 2 fumbles recovered | Denver Broncos / 4th / 88th pick / 1973 |
| LCB | Louis Wright*+ | 26 | 4 | 16 | 2 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Denver Broncos / 1st / 17th pick / 1975 |
| RCB | Steve Foley | 26 | 3 | 16 | 6 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | Denver Broncos / 8th / 199th pick / 1975 |
| SS | Bill Thompson | 33 | 10 | 16 | 4 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered | Denver Broncos / 3rd / 61st pick / 1969 |
| FS | Bernard Jackson | 29 | 7 | 9 | Cincinnati Bengals / 4th / 81st pick / 1972 |
|
| FS | Charlie West | 33 | 11 | 7 | 1 interception, 1 fumble recovered | Minnesota Vikings / 2nd / 33rd pick / 1968 |
| Special Teams Starters | ||||||
| K | Jim Turner | 38 | 15 | 0 | 13 of 21 field goals & 32 of 34 extra points | Washington Redskins / 19th / 259th pick / 1963 |
| P | Luke Prestridge | 23 | Rook | 0 | 89 punts for a 39.9 average, 0 blocked | Denver Broncos / 7th / 188th pick / 1979 |
| PR | Rick Upchurch* | 27 | 4 | 16 | 30 punt returns for a 10.1 average and 0 td | Denver Broncos / 4th / 95th pick / 1975 |
| KR | Chris Pane | 26 | 3 | 0 | 18 kick returns for a 19.7 average and 0 td |
| Age | Pos | G | GS | Wt | Ht | College/Univ | BirthDate | Yrs | Drafted (tm/rnd/yr) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Otis Armstrong | 29 | RB | 15 | 1 | 196 | 5-10 | Purdue | 11/15/1950 | 6 | Denver Broncos / 1st / 9th pick / 1973 |
| George Atkinson | 32 | DB | 6 | 0 | 180 | 6-0 | Morris Brown | 1/4/1947 | 11 | Oakland Raiders / 7th / 190th pick / 1968 |
| Ken E. Brown | 25 | C | 16 | 0 | 245 | 6-1 | New Mexico | 4/19/1954 | Rook | |
| Bill Bryan | 24 | C-G | 16 | 16 | 251 | 6-2 | Duke | 6/21/1955 | 2 | Denver Broncos / 4th / 101st pick / 1977 |
| Larry Canada | 25 | RB | 16 | 0 | 233 | 6-2 | Wisconsin | 12/16/1954 | 1 | |
| Rubin Carter | 27 | NT-DT | 15 | 15 | 256 | 6-0 | Miami (FL) | 12/12/1952 | 4 | Denver Broncos / 5th / 121st pick / 1975 |
| Barney Chavous | 28 | DE-DT | 16 | 16 | 252 | 6-3 | South Carolina State | 3/22/1951 | 6 | Denver Broncos / 2nd / 36th pick / 1973 |
| Kelvin Clark | 23 | T-G | 15 | 0 | 260 | 6-3 | Nebraska | 1/30/1956 | Rook | Denver Broncos / 1st / 22nd pick / 1979 |
| Zachary Dixon | 23 | RB | 5 | 0 | 203 | 6-0 | Temple | 3/5/1956 | Rook | Denver Broncos / 11th / 297th pick / 1979 |
| Jack Dolbin | 31 | WR | 4 | 0 | 180 | 5-10 | Wake Forest | 10/12/1948 | 4 | |
| Ron Egloff | 24 | TE | 15 | 4 | 230 | 6-5 | Wisconsin | 10/3/1955 | 2 | |
| Larry Evans | 26 | LB | 16 | 4 | 216 | 6-2 | Mississippi College | 7/11/1953 | 3 | Denver Broncos / 14th / 390th pick / 1976 |
| Steve Foley | 26 | DB | 16 | 16 | 189 | 6-2 | Tulane | 11/11/1953 | 3 | Denver Broncos / 8th / 199th pick / 1975 |
| Tom Glassic | 25 | G | 16 | 16 | 254 | 6-3 | Virginia | 4/17/1954 | 3 | Denver Broncos / 1st / 15th pick / 1976 |
| Randy Gradishar* | 27 | LB | 16 | 15 | 233 | 6-3 | Ohio State | 3/3/1952 | 5 | Denver Broncos / 1st / 14th pick / 1974 |
| John Grant | 29 | DT-DE-NT | 16 | 0 | 241 | 6-3 | USC | 6/28/1950 | 6 | Denver Broncos / 7th / 166th pick / 1973 |
| Paul Howard | 29 | G | 16 | 16 | 260 | 6-3 | BYU | 9/12/1950 | 6 | Denver Broncos / 3rd / 54th pick / 1973 |
| Glenn Hyde | 28 | T-G-C | 16 | 0 | 253 | 6-3 | Pittsburgh | 3/14/1951 | 3 | |
| Bernard Jackson | 29 | DB | 12 | 9 | 178 | 6-0 | Washington State | 8/24/1950 | 7 | Cincinnati Bengals / 4th / 81st pick / 1972 |
| Tom Jackson* | 28 | LB | 13 | 13 | 220 | 5-11 | Louisville | 4/4/1951 | 6 | Denver Broncos / 4th / 88th pick / 1973 |
| Jim D. Jensen | 26 | RB-TE | 16 | 7 | 230 | 6-3 | Iowa | 11/28/1953 | 3 | Dallas Cowboys / 2nd / 40th pick / 1976 |
| Jon Keyworth | 29 | RB | 16 | 9 | 230 | 6-3 | Colorado | 12/15/1950 | 5 | Washington Redskins / 6th / 144th pick / 1974 |
| Vince Kinney | 23 | WR | 15 | 0 | 190 | 6-2 | Maryland | 3/17/1956 | 1 | Denver Broncos / 10th / 277th pick / 1978 |
| Kit Lathrop | 23 | DE-NT | 9 | 0 | 255 | 6-5 | Arizona State | 5/10/1956 | Rook | |
| Don Latimer | 24 | NT | 15 | 1 | 259 | 6-3 | Miami (FL) | 3/1/1955 | 1 | Denver Broncos / 1st / 27th pick / 1978 |
| Rob Lytle | 25 | RB | 15 | 12 | 198 | 6-1 | Michigan | 11/12/1954 | 2 | Denver Broncos / 2nd / 45th pick / 1977 |
| Brison Manor | 27 | DE | 16 | 16 | 247 | 6-4 | Arkansas | 8/10/1952 | 2 | New York Jets / 15th / 380th pick / 1975 |
| Claudie Minor | 28 | T | 16 | 16 | 280 | 6-4 | San Diego State | 4/21/1951 | 5 | Denver Broncos / 3rd / 68th pick / 1974 |
| Craig Morton | 36 | QB | 14 | 10 | 214 | 6-4 | California | 2/5/1943 | 14 | Dallas Cowboys / 1st / 5th pick / 1965 |
| Haven Moses | 33 | WR-SE | 16 | 16 | 208 | 6-2 | San Diego State | 7/27/1946 | 11 | Buffalo Bills / 1st / 9th pick / 1968 |
| Rob Nairne | 25 | LB | 10 | 4 | 223 | 6-4 | Oregon State | 3/24/1954 | 2 | |
| Riley Odoms | 29 | TE | 13 | 12 | 230 | 6-4 | Houston | 3/1/1950 | 7 | Denver Broncos / 1st / 5th pick / 1972 |
| Chris Pane | 26 | DB | 16 | 0 | 184 | 5-11 | Cal State-Chico,New Mexico | 5/19/1953 | 3 | |
| Craig Penrose | 26 | QB | 2 | 0 | 211 | 6-3 | Colorado,San Diego State | 7/25/1953 | 3 | Denver Broncos / 4th / 107th pick / 1976 |
| Dave Preston | 24 | RB | 10 | 3 | 195 | 5-10 | Bowling Green | 5/29/1955 | 1 | New England Patriots / 12th / 333rd pick / 1977 |
| Luke Prestridge | 23 | P | 16 | 0 | 235 | 6-4 | Baylor | 9/17/1956 | Rook | Denver Broncos / 7th / 188th pick / 1979 |
| Bruce Radford | 24 | NT-DE | 16 | 0 | 257 | 6-5 | Grambling State | 10/5/1955 | Rook | Denver Broncos / 3rd / 77th pick / 1979 |
| Joe Rizzo | 29 | LB | 13 | 12 | 220 | 6-1 | Kings Point | 12/17/1950 | 5 | Buffalo Bills / 15th / 369th pick / 1973 |
| Jim Ryan | 22 | LB | 16 | 0 | 217 | 6-1 | William & Mary | 5/18/1957 | Rook | |
| Fred Steinfort | 27 | K | 1 | 0 | 180 | 5-11 | Boston College | 11/3/1952 | 3 | Oakland Raiders / 5th / 146th pick / 1976 |
| Dave Studdard | 24 | T-G-TE | 16 | 16 | 260 | 6-4 | Texas | 11/22/1955 | Rook | Baltimore Colts / 9th / 245th pick / 1978 |
| Bob Swenson | 26 | LB | 16 | 16 | 225 | 6-3 | California | 7/1/1953 | 4 | |
| Bill Thompson | 33 | DB | 16 | 16 | 201 | 6-1 | Md-Eastern Shore | 10/10/1946 | 10 | Denver Broncos / 3rd / 61st pick / 1969 |
| Jim Turner | 38 | K | 16 | 0 | 205 | 6-2 | Utah State | 3/28/1941 | 15 | Washington Redskins / 19th / 259th pick / 1963 |
| Rick Upchurch* | 27 | WR | 16 | 16 | 175 | 5-10 | Minnesota | 5/20/1952 | 4 | Denver Broncos / 4th / 95th pick / 1975 |
| Steve Watson | 22 | WR | 16 | 0 | 195 | 6-4 | Temple | 5/28/1957 | Rook | |
| Norris Weese | 28 | QB-P | 16 | 6 | 195 | 6-1 | Mississippi | 8/12/1951 | 3 | Los Angeles Rams / 4th / 99th pick / 1974 |
| Charlie West | 33 | DB | 16 | 7 | 197 | 6-1 | Angelo State (TX),Texas-El Paso | 8/31/1946 | 11 | Minnesota Vikings / 2nd / 33rd pick / 1968 |
| Louis Wright*+ | 26 | DB | 16 | 16 | 200 | 6-2 | Arizona State,San Jose State | 1/31/1953 | 4 | Denver Broncos / 1st / 17th pick / 1975 |
| Team Total | 27.0 | 16 | 221.3 | 6-1.9 | 4.0 |