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1983 Denver Broncos

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Record: 9-7-0, Finished 2nd in AFC West Division
NFL Season Summary

Scored 302 points (18.9/g), 21st of 28 in the NFL.
 Allowed 327 points (20.4/g), 9th.
 Differential of -25 points (-1.6/g), 19th.
 Expected W-L: 7.2-8.8.

 Takeaway/Giveaway Differential +6 (0.4/g), 8th.

Simple Rating System: Total -2.8, Offense: -4.1, Defense: 1.3, SoS: -1.2, versus averages of 0.0.

Coached by Dan Reeves (9-7-0)
 Defensive Coordinator: Joe Collier

Training Camp: University of Northern Colorado (Greeley, Colorado)

Starters

ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+),Hide Non-primary Starters
Pos Age Yrs GS Summary of Player Stats Drafted (tm/rnd/yr)
 Offensive Starters
QB John Elway 23 Rook 10 123 for 259, 1,663 yards, 7 td, 14 int, & 28 rushes for 146 yards and 1 td Baltimore Colts / 1st / 1st pick / 1983
QB Steve DeBerg 29 5 5 119 for 215, 1,617 yards, 9 td, 7 int, & 13 rushes for 28 yards and 1 td Dallas Cowboys / 10th / 275th pick / 1977
RB Sammy Winder 24 1 13 196 rushes for 757 yards, 3 td, & 23 catches for 150 yards and 0 td Denver Broncos / 5th / 131st pick / 1982
FB Nathan Poole 27 4 10 81 rushes for 246 yards, 4 td, & 20 catches for 184 yards and 0 td Cincinnati Bengals / 10th / 250th pick / 1979
FB Rick Parros 25 2 5 30 rushes for 96 yards, 1 td, & 12 catches for 126 yards and 2 td Denver Broncos / 4th / 107th pick / 1980
WR Rick Upchurch 31 8 11 40 catches for 639 yards, 2 td, & 6 rushes for 19 yards and 0 td Denver Broncos / 4th / 95th pick / 1975
WR Steve Watson 26 4 16 59 catches for 1,133 yards, 5 td, & 3 rushes for 17 yards and 0 td
TE Ron Egloff 28 6 10 20 catches for 205 yards, 2 td
TE James Wright 27 5 6 13 catches for 134 yards, 0 td, & 1 rush for -11 yards and 0 td Atlanta Falcons / 7th / 179th pick / 1978
LT Dave Studdard 28 4 16 1 fumble recovered Baltimore Colts / 9th / 245th pick / 1978
LG Keith Bishop 26 3 16 1 fumble recovered Denver Broncos / 6th / 157th pick / 1980
C Bill Bryan 28 6 16 Denver Broncos / 4th / 101st pick / 1977
RG Paul Howard 33 10 14 Denver Broncos / 3rd / 54th pick / 1973
RT Ken Lanier 24 2 16 Denver Broncos / 5th / 125th pick / 1981
 Defensive Starters
LDE Barney Chavous 32 10 13 4.5 sacks, 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered Denver Broncos / 2nd / 36th pick / 1973
NT Rubin Carter 31 8 15 1.0 sacks, 0 interceptions, 3 fumbles recovered Denver Broncos / 5th / 121st pick / 1975
RDE Rulon Jones 25 3 12 4.0 sacks, 0 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered Denver Broncos / 2nd / 42nd pick / 1980
LOLB Jim Ryan 26 4 12 0.0 sacks, 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered
LILB Randy Gradishar* 31 9 16 2.5 sacks, 1 interception, 3 fumbles recovered Denver Broncos / 1st / 14th pick / 1974
RILB Steve Busick 25 2 15 2.0 sacks, 0 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered Denver Broncos / 7th / 181st pick / 1981
ROLB Tom Jackson 32 10 15 5.5 sacks, 1 interception, 2 fumbles recovered Denver Broncos / 4th / 88th pick / 1973
LCB Louis Wright* 30 8 16 1.0 sacks, 6 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered Denver Broncos / 1st / 17th pick / 1975
RCB Mike Harden 25 3 15 0.0 sacks, 4 interceptions, 3 fumbles recovered Denver Broncos / 5th / 131st pick / 1980
SS Dennis Smith 24 2 13 5.0 sacks, 4 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered Denver Broncos / 1st / 15th pick / 1981
FS Steve Foley 30 7 13 0.0 sacks, 5 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered Denver Broncos / 8th / 199th pick / 1975
 Special Teams Starters
K Rich Karlis 24 1 0 21 of 25 field goals & 33 of 34 extra points
P Luke Prestridge 27 4 0 87 punts for a 41.6 average, 0 blocked Denver Broncos / 7th / 188th pick / 1979
PR Zach Thomas 23 Rook 0 33 punt returns for a 11.2 average and 1 td
KR Zach Thomas 23 Rook 0 28 kick returns for a 20.5 average and 0 td

Roster

ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+),
No. Age Pos G GS Wt Ht College/Univ BirthDate Yrs Drafted (tm/rnd/yr)
74 Jerry Baker 23 NT 5 0 297 6-2 Tulane 3/6/1960 Rook
86 Dean Barnett 26 TE 8 0 225 6-2 UNLV 6/6/1957 Rook
54 Keith Bishop 26 G-C 16 16 260 6-3 Nebraska,Baylor 3/10/1957 3 Denver Broncos / 6th / 157th pick / 1980
65 Walt Bowyer 23 DE 14 3 254 6-4 Arizona St. 9/8/1960 Rook Denver Broncos / 10th / 254th pick / 1983
89 Clay Brown 25 TE 3 0 223 6-3 BYU 9/20/1958 1 Denver Broncos / 2nd / 42nd pick / 1981
64 Bill Bryan 28 C-G 16 16 251 6-2 Duke 6/21/1955 6 Denver Broncos / 4th / 101st pick / 1977
58 Steve Busick 25 LB 16 15 227 6-4 USC 12/10/1958 2 Denver Broncos / 7th / 181st pick / 1981
68 Rubin Carter 31 NT-DT 16 15 256 6-0 Miami (FL) 12/12/1952 8 Denver Broncos / 5th / 121st pick / 1975
79 Barney Chavous 32 DE-DT 15 13 252 6-3 South Carolina St. 3/22/1951 10 Denver Broncos / 2nd / 36th pick / 1973
59 Darren Comeaux 23 LB 14 0 227 6-1 Arizona St. 4/15/1960 1
63 Mark Cooper 23 G-T 10 2 270 6-5 Miami (FL) 2/14/1960 Rook Denver Broncos / 2nd / 31st pick / 1983
17 Steve DeBerg 29 QB 10 5 210 6-3 San Jose St. 1/19/1954 5 Dallas Cowboys / 10th / 275th pick / 1977
55 Rick Dennison 25 LB 16 1 220 6-3 Colorado St. 6/22/1958 1
21 Myron Dupree 22 DB 16 0 180 5-11 North Carolina Central 10/15/1961 Rook Denver Broncos / 7th / 172nd pick / 1983
85 Ron Egloff 28 TE 16 10 230 6-5 Wisconsin 10/3/1955 6
7 John Elway 23 QB 11 10 215 6-3 Stanford 6/28/1960 Rook Baltimore Colts / 1st / 1st pick / 1983
43 Steve Foley 30 DB 14 13 189 6-2 Tulane 11/11/1953 7 Denver Broncos / 8th / 199th pick / 1975
62 Tom Glassic 29 G 12 0 254 6-3 Virginia 4/17/1954 7 Denver Broncos / 1st / 15th pick / 1976
53 Randy Gradishar* 31 LB 16 16 233 6-3 Ohio St. 3/3/1952 9 Denver Broncos / 1st / 14th pick / 1974
31 Mike Harden 25 DB 15 15 192 6-1 Michigan 2/16/1958 3 Denver Broncos / 5th / 131st pick / 1980
73 Shawn Hollingsworth 22 T 5 0 260 6-2 New Mexico,Angelo State (TX) 12/4/1961 Rook
60 Paul Howard 33 G 16 14 260 6-3 BYU 9/12/1950 10 Denver Broncos / 3rd / 54th pick / 1973
28 Roger Jackson 24 DB 16 3 186 6-0 Bethune-Cookman 2/28/1959 1
57 Tom Jackson 32 LB 15 15 220 5-11 Louisville 4/4/1951 10 Denver Broncos / 4th / 88th pick / 1973
75 Rulon Jones 25 DE 12 12 260 6-6 Utah St. 3/25/1958 3 Denver Broncos / 2nd / 42nd pick / 1980
3 Rich Karlis 24 K 16 0 180 6-0 Cincinnati 5/23/1959 1
8 Gary Kubiak 22 QB 4 1 192 6-0 Texas A&M 8/15/1961 Rook Denver Broncos / 8th / 197th pick / 1983
76 Ken Lanier 24 T 16 16 281 6-3 Florida St. 7/8/1959 2 Denver Broncos / 5th / 125th pick / 1981
72 Don Latimer 28 NT 12 3 259 6-3 Miami (FL) 3/1/1955 5 Denver Broncos / 1st / 27th pick / 1978
41 Rob Lytle 29 RB 4 0 198 6-1 Michigan 11/12/1954 6 Denver Broncos / 2nd / 45th pick / 1977
66 Brison Manor 31 DE 16 4 247 6-4 Arkansas 8/10/1952 6 New York Jets / 15th / 380th pick / 1975
77 Karl Mecklenburg 23 LB-DE 16 0 240 6-3 Augustana (SD),Minnesota 9/1/1960 Rook Denver Broncos / 12th / 310th pick / 1983
29 Wilbur Myers 22 DB 16 0 195 5-11 Delta St. 8/17/1961 Rook
39 Jesse Myles 23 RB 16 0 210 5-10 LSU 9/28/1960 Rook
88 Riley Odoms 33 TE 2 0 230 6-4 Houston 3/1/1950 11 Denver Broncos / 1st / 5th pick / 1972
24 Rick Parros 25 RB 6 5 200 5-11 Utah St. 6/14/1958 2 Denver Broncos / 4th / 107th pick / 1980
34 Nathan Poole 27 RB 16 10 210 5-9 Louisville 12/17/1956 4 Cincinnati Bengals / 10th / 250th pick / 1979
46 Dave Preston 28 RB 14 3 195 5-10 Bowling Green 5/29/1955 5 New England Patriots / 12th / 333rd pick / 1977
11 Luke Prestridge 27 P 16 0 235 6-4 Baylor 9/17/1956 4 Denver Broncos / 7th / 188th pick / 1979
50 Jim Ryan 26 LB 15 12 217 6-1 William & Mary 5/18/1957 4
84 Clint Sampson 22 WR 16 2 183 5-11 San Diego St. 1/4/1961 Rook Denver Broncos / 3rd / 60th pick / 1983
83 John Sawyer 30 TE 7 4 230 6-2 Southern Miss 7/26/1953 8 Houston Oilers / 11th / 271st pick / 1975
49 Dennis Smith 24 DB 14 13 200 6-3 USC 2/3/1959 2 Denver Broncos / 1st / 15th pick / 1981
78 Rich Stachowski 22 NT 14 0 245 6-4 California 3/29/1961 Rook
70 Dave Studdard 28 T-G-TE 16 16 260 6-4 Texas 11/22/1955 4 Baltimore Colts / 9th / 245th pick / 1978
51 Bob Swenson 30 LB 2 2 225 6-3 California 7/1/1953 8
82 Zach Thomas 23 WR 16 0 182 6-0 South Carolina St. 9/8/1960 Rook
37 Steve Trimble 25 DB 5 1 181 5-10 Maryland 5/11/1958 2
67 Keith Uecker 23 T-G 16 0 278 6-5 Auburn 6/20/1960 1 Denver Broncos / 9th / 243rd pick / 1982
80 Rick Upchurch 31 WR 12 11 175 5-10 Minnesota 5/20/1952 8 Denver Broncos / 4th / 95th pick / 1975
81 Steve Watson 26 WR 16 16 195 6-4 Temple 5/28/1957 4
47 Gerald Willhite 24 RB 8 0 200 5-10 San Jose St. 5/30/1959 1 Denver Broncos / 1st / 21st pick / 1982
45 Steve Wilson 26 DB-WR 16 3 195 5-10 Howard 8/24/1957 4
23 Sammy Winder 24 RB 14 13 203 5-11 Southern Miss 7/15/1959 1 Denver Broncos / 5th / 131st pick / 1982
52 Ken Woodard 23 LB 16 1 218 6-1 Tuskegee 1/22/1960 1 Denver Broncos / 10th / 274th pick / 1982
87 James Wright 27 TE 6 6 240 6-3 TCU 9/1/1956 5 Atlanta Falcons / 7th / 179th pick / 1978
20 Louis Wright* 30 DB 16 16 200 6-2 Arizona St.,San Jose St. 1/31/1953 8 Denver Broncos / 1st / 17th pick / 1975
Team Total 26.2 16 223.7 6-1.7 3.5