1982 Denver Broncos season

Last updated

1982 Denver Broncos season
Owner Edgar Kaiser
General manager Grady Alderman
Head coach Dan Reeves
Home stadium Mile High Stadium
Results
Record2–7
Division place12th AFC
PlayoffsDid not qualify

The 1982 Denver Broncos season was the team's 23rd year in professional football and its 13th with the National Football League (NFL). The Broncos played only nine games this season, owing to the strike imposed by the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA). The Broncos were looking to improve on their 10–6 record from 1981. But due to many injuries plus the strike, the Broncos only won two games and lost seven. This was their worst record since 1971, their first losing season since 1975, and their first with fewer than three wins since 1964. Both of the Broncos’ wins came against interconference teams, and the team only won one home game the entire season, against the reigning Super Bowl champion San Francisco 49ers. Their only other win was against the Los Angeles Rams. The Broncos went winless against AFC foes in 1982, although all their non-division AFC games [i] were cancelled by the strike.

Contents

NFL Draft

1982 Denver Broncos draft
RoundPickPlayerPositionCollegeNotes
121 Gerald Willhite   RB San Jose State
250 Orlando McDaniel   WR LSU
4106Dan Plater  WR BYU
5131 Sammy Winder *  RB Southern Mississippi
7189Alvin Ruben  DE Houston
9243 Keith Uecker   OT Auburn
10274 Ken Woodard   LB Tuskegee
11300Stuart Yatsko  G Oregon
12327 Brian Clark   G Clemson
      Made roster        Pro Football Hall of Fame     *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Personnel

Staff

1982 Denver Broncos staff

Front office

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches


[2]

Roster

1982 Denver Broncos roster
Quarterbacks (QB)

Running backs (RB)

Wide receivers (WR)

Tight ends (TE)

Offensive linemen (OL)

Defensive linemen (DL)

Linebackers (LB)

Defensive backs (DB)

Special teams (ST)

Reserve


Rookies in italics

Preseason

Schedule

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueAttendance
1August 14at Los Angeles Rams W 33–201–0 Anaheim Stadium 57,482
2August 21 Miami Dolphins W 17–142–0 Mile High Stadium 77,465
3August 28 Minnesota Vikings W 27–173–0 Mile High Stadium 73,371
4September 4at New York Jets W 20–134–0 Giants Stadium 43,820

Regular season

Schedule

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueAttendance
1 September 12 San Diego Chargers L 3–230–1 Mile High Stadium 73,564
2 September 19 San Francisco 49ers W 24–211–1 Mile High Stadium 73,899
September 26at New Orleans Saints Cancelled due to the NFLPA Players' strike †
October 3 Pittsburgh Steelers
October 10at New York Jets
October 17at Houston Oilers
October 24 Los Angeles Raiders
October 31 Buffalo Bills
November 7at Seattle Seahawks Postponed until January 2, 1983 due to the NFLPA Players' strike
November 14at Kansas City Chiefs Cancelled due to the NFLPA Players' strike †
10 November 21 Seattle Seahawks L 10–171–2 Mile High Stadium 73,996
11 November 28at San Diego Chargers L 20–301–3 Jack Murphy Stadium 47,629
12 December 5 Atlanta Falcons L 27–341–4 Mile High Stadium 73,984
13 December 12at Los Angeles Rams W 27–242–4 Anaheim Stadium 48,112
14 December 19 Kansas City Chiefs L 16–372–5 Mile High Stadium 74,192
15 December 26at Los Angeles Raiders L 10–272–6 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 44,160
16 January 2, 1983at Seattle Seahawks L 11–132–7 Kingdome 43,145
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1 (Sunday, September 12, 1982): vs. San Diego Chargers

Week 1: San Diego Chargers at Denver Broncos – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Chargers3310723
Broncos03003

at Mile High StadiumDenver, Colorado

TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
SDPassing
Rushing
Receiving
DENPassing
Rushing
Receiving
ChargersGame StatisticsBroncos
First downs
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passes
Sacked–yards
Net passing yards
Total yards
Return yards
Punts
Fumbles–lost
Penalties–yards
Time of possession

Individual stats

Week 2 (Sunday, September 19, 1982): vs. San Francisco 49ers

Week 2: San Francisco 49ers at Denver Broncos – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
49ers1470021
Broncos7701024

at Mile High StadiumDenver, Colorado

TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
SFPassing
Rushing
Receiving
DENPassing
Rushing
Receiving
49ersGame StatisticsBroncos
First downs
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passes
Sacked–yards
Net passing yards
Total yards
Return yards
Punts
Fumbles–lost
Penalties–yards
Time of possession

Individual stats

Week 10 (Sunday, November 21, 1982): vs. Seattle Seahawks

Week 10: Seattle Seahawks at Denver Broncos – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Seahawks0071017
Broncos073010

at Mile High StadiumDenver, Colorado

TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
SEAPassing
Rushing
Receiving
DENPassing
Rushing
Receiving
SeahawksGame StatisticsBroncos
First downs
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passes
Sacked–yards
Net passing yards
Total yards
Return yards
Punts
Fumbles–lost
Penalties–yards
Time of possession

Individual stats

Week 11 (Sunday, November 28, 1982): at San Diego Chargers

Week 11: Denver Broncos at San Diego Chargers – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Broncos377320
Chargers01731030

at Jack Murphy StadiumSan Diego, California

TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
DENPassing
Rushing
Receiving
SDPassing
Rushing
Receiving
BroncosGame StatisticsChargers
First downs
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passes
Sacked–yards
Net passing yards
Total yards
Return yards
Punts
Fumbles–lost
Penalties–yards
Time of possession

Individual stats

Week 12 (Sunday, December 5, 1982): vs. Atlanta Falcons

Week 12: Atlanta Falcons at Denver Broncos – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Falcons (3–2)77101034
Broncos (1–4)1433727

at Mile High StadiumDenver, Colorado

TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
ATLPassing
Rushing
Receiving
DENPassing
Rushing
Receiving
FalconsGame StatisticsBroncos
First downs
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passes
Sacked–yards
Net passing yards
Total yards
Return yards
Punts
Fumbles–lost
Penalties–yards
Time of possession

Individual stats

Week 13 (Sunday, December 12, 1982): at Los Angeles Rams

Week 13: Denver Broncos at Los Angeles Rams – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Broncos01431027
Rams7140324

at Anaheim StadiumAnaheim, California

TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
DENPassing
Rushing
Receiving
RAMPassing
Rushing
Receiving
BroncosGame StatisticsRams
First downs
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passes
Sacked–yards
Net passing yards
Total yards
Return yards
Punts
Fumbles–lost
Penalties–yards
Time of possession

Individual stats

Week 14 (Sunday, December 19, 1982): vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Week 14: Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Chiefs37101737
Broncos0133016

at Mile High StadiumDenver, Colorado

TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
KCPassing
Rushing
Receiving
DENPassing
Rushing
Receiving
ChiefsGame StatisticsBroncos
First downs
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passes
Sacked–yards
Net passing yards
Total yards
Return yards
Punts
Fumbles–lost
Penalties–yards
Time of possession

Individual stats

Week 15 (Sunday, December 26, 1982): at Los Angeles Raiders

Week 15: Denver Broncos at Los Angeles Raiders – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Broncos0001010
Raiders3240027

at Los Angeles Memorial ColiseumLos Angeles, California

TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
DENPassing
Rushing
Receiving
RAIPassing
Rushing
Receiving
BroncosGame StatisticsRaiders
First downs
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passes
Sacked–yards
Net passing yards
Total yards
Return yards
Punts
Fumbles–lost
Penalties–yards
Time of possession

Individual stats

Week 16 (Sunday, January 2, 1983): at Seattle Seahawks

Week 16: Denver Broncos at Seattle Seahawks – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Broncos207211
Seahawks3001013

at KingdomeSeattle, Washington

TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
DENPassing
Rushing
Receiving
SEAPassing
Rushing
Receiving
BroncosGame StatisticsSeahawks
First downs
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passes
Sacked–yards
Net passing yards
Total yards
Return yards
Punts
Fumbles–lost
Penalties–yards
Time of possession

Individual stats

Standings

AFC West
WLTPCTDIVCONFPFPASTK
Los Angeles Raiders (1)810.8895–05–1260200W5
San Diego Chargers (5)630.6672–35–3288221L1
Seattle Seahawks 450.4442–13–5127147W1
Kansas City Chiefs 360.3332–13–3176184W1
Denver Broncos 270.2220–60–6148226L3
#TeamWLTPCTPFPASTK
Seeded postseason qualifiers
1 Los Angeles Raiders 810.889260200W5
2 [a] Miami Dolphins 720.778198131W3
3 [a] Cincinnati Bengals 720.778232177W2
4 [b] [c] Pittsburgh Steelers 630.667204146W2
5 [b] [c] San Diego Chargers 630.667288221L1
6 [c] New York Jets 630.667245166L1
7 New England Patriots 540.556143157W1
8 [d] Cleveland Browns 450.444140182L1
Did not qualify for the postseason
9 [d] Buffalo Bills 450.444150154L3
10 [d] Seattle Seahawks 450.444127147W1
11 Kansas City Chiefs 360.333176184W1
12 Denver Broncos 270.222148226L3
13 Houston Oilers 180.111136245L7
14 Baltimore Colts 081.056113236L2
Tiebreakers
  1. 1 2 Miami finished ahead of Cincinnati based on better conference record (6–1 to Cincinnati’s 6–2).
  2. 1 2 Pittsburgh finished ahead of San Diego based on better record against common opponents (3–1 to Chargers' 2–1). Conference tiebreak was initially used to eliminate New York Jets.
  3. 1 2 3 Pittsburgh and San Diego finished ahead of New York Jets based on conference record (Pittsburgh and San Diego 5–3 against Jets’ 2–3)
  4. 1 2 3 Cleveland finished ahead of Buffalo and Buffalo ahead of Seattle based on conference record (4–3 to Buffalo’s 3–3 to Seattle’s 3–5).

Notes

  1. The Broncos were scheduled to play the Steelers and Bills at home and the Jets and Oilers — who finished 1–8 — away. [1]

References

  1. Urena, Ivan (2014). Pro Football Schedules: A Complete Guide from 1933 to the Presen. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company. pp. 98–103. ISBN   9780786473519.
  2. 2010 Denver Broncos Media Guide. p. 363. Retrieved March 6, 2011.
  3. Pro Football Reference ; San Diego Chargers at Denver Broncos – September 12, 1982
  4. The Football Database; San Diego Chargers at Denver Broncos – September 12, 1982
  5. Pro Football Reference ; San Francisco 49ers at Denver Broncos – September 19, 1982
  6. The Football Database; San Francisco 49ers at Denver Broncos – September 19, 1982
  7. Pro Football Reference ; Seattle Seahawks at Denver Broncos – November 21, 1982
  8. The Football Database; Seattle Seahawks at Denver Broncos – November 21, 1982
  9. Pro Football Reference ; Denver Broncos at San Diego Chargers – November 28, 1982
  10. The Football Database; Denver Broncos at San Diego Chargers – November 28, 1982
  11. Pro Football Reference ; Atlanta Falcons at Denver Broncos – December 5, 1982
  12. The Football Database; Atlanta Falcons at Denver Broncos – December 5, 1982
  13. Pro Football Reference ; Denver Broncos at Los Angeles Rams – December 12, 1982
  14. The Football Database; Denver Broncos at Los Angeles Rams – December 12, 1982
  15. Pro Football Reference ; Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos – December 19, 1982
  16. The Football Database; Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos – December 19, 1982
  17. Pro Football Reference ; Denver Broncos at Los Angeles Raiders – December 26, 1982
  18. The Football Database; Denver Broncos at Los Angeles Raiders – December 26, 1982
  19. Pro Football Reference ; Denver Broncos at Seattle Seahawks – January 2, 1983
  20. The Football Database; Denver Broncos at Seattle Seahawks – January 2, 1983