As we trudge through the depths of the NFL offseason, take heart; Denver Broncos training camp begins in less than two weeks, with the rookies reporting on July 16. The veterans will follow on July 22.
Down times such as these offer up the opportunity to reflect on the current roster and the historical achievements and distinctions of a storied NFL franchise like the Broncos that has been in eight Super Bowls and won three World Championships. When it comes to those Super Bowl appearances, Peyton Manning's fingerprints are on two of them: Super Bowl XLVIII and Super Bowl 50.
The 2013 Broncos were a force to be reckoned with, thanks to the all-time highest-scoring offense in NFL history quarterbacked by the league's MVP. That 2013 squad dealt with an insane number of injuries, the impact of which reared its ugly head in the penultimate worst moment at MetLife Stadium, as the Seattle Seahawks trounced the Broncos in the Super Bowl 43-8.
The Broncos failed to bring home the Lombardi Trophy that year, but the consolation prize that fans and the team will always have is that record-breaking offense. And yet, Pro Football Network's Brandon Austin barely ranks the 2013 Broncos in the top-10 of all NFL offenses since 2000, ranking them 10th, tied with the — wait for it — 2020 Tennessee Titans.
"The 2013 Denver Broncos and 2020 Tennessee Titans each posted a 94.0 Offense+ score. The Broncos’ offense was elite, leading the NFL in points scored (37.9 points per game) and total yards (457.3). They were led by Peyton Manning, who produced one of the most dominant quarterback seasons in league history," Austin wrote. "At 37 years old, Manning won his fifth MVP award after leading the NFL in completions (450), passing attempts (659), passing yards (5,477), and touchdowns (55). The offense featured two 1,200+ yard receivers (Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker) and a 1,000-yard rusher (Knowshon Moreno). Denver posted a 48.1% conversion rate on third and fourth downs and scored a touchdown on an outstanding 76.1% of its red-zone trips."
Austin leaned heavily on PFSN’s Offense+ metrics, which were "weighted accordingly" to produce these rankings. For posterity, here's Austin's full list of top-10 offenses since 2000.
- 2020 Green Bay Packers
- 2007 New England Patriots
- 2004 Indianapolis Colts
- 2019 Baltimore Ravens
- 2011 New Orleans Saints
- 2018 Kansas City Chiefs
- 2024 Detroit Lions
- 2006 Indianapolis Colts
- 2011 New England Patriots
- 2020 Tennessee Titans/2013 Denver Broncos
Why PFN is Woefully, Comically Wrong
Where to begin? In his analysis, Austin fails to mention that the 2013 Broncos scored 606 points, breaking the previous all-time record that had been established by the 2007 New England Patriots squad that went 18-1. Austin ranked that '07 Patriots offense No. 2 overall since 2000.
That 606-point mark alone vaults the Broncos to the No. 1 status in any objective setting. But let's throw in a few other points.
Austin mentions that Manning set new NFL records, which still stand, passing for 5,477 yards and 55 touchdowns. Manning turned in the best quarterback season in NFL history and there was a reason he took home his fifth NFL MVP award, the most in league history.
When an individual quarterback produces at such a ridiculously high level, it's not only emblematic of his quality, but also of the talent around him. The Broncos had a whopping five players with double-digit touchdowns that year. Has that ever happened before?
Thomas led the team with 14 touchdowns, followed by tight end Julius Thomas' 12, Decker's 11, slot receiver Wes Welker's 10, and Moreno's 13 (10 rushing, three receiving). The Broncos were a juggernaut, the likes of which the NFL has never seen.
To review, there are three reasons why Austin is ridiculously wrong and why the 2013 Broncos should be the No. 1 NFL offense of all time, let alone since 2000.
- 606 points | the most all time
- Manning’s tour-de-force season
- 5 skill-position players with 10-plus touchdowns
I rest my case, Your Honor.
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