9. 1975 LOS ANGELES RAMS at 8. 2014 DENVER BRONCOS
8. 2014 DENVER BRONCOS
Record: 12-4
Pythag: 11-5
Off: 2nd
Def: 16th
Lost Div Rnd Colts 24-13
HC: John Fox, OC Adam Gase, DC Jack del Rio
Sports Authority Field: 60 degrees
Dave Logan/Ed McCaffrey
Offense
QB Peyton Manning (38 Tennessee)
RB CJ Anderson (23 Cal)
WR Demaryius Thomas (27 G Tech)
WR Emmanuel Sanders (27 SMU)
WR Wes Welker (33 TTech)
TE Julius Thomas (26 Port St)
LT Ryan Clady (28 Boise)
LG Orlando Franklin (27 Miami)
C Manuel Ramirez (31 T Tech)
RG Louis Vasquez (27 T Tech)
RT Chris Clark (29 So Miss)
Defense
DE Malik Jackson (24 Tenn)
NT Terrance Knighton (28 Temple)
DE Derek Wolfe (24 Cincinnati)
LB Von Miller (25 Tex A&M)
LB Brandon Marshall (25 Nevada)
LB DeMarcus Ware (32 Troy)
CB Chris Harris (25 Kansas)
CB Aqib Talib (28 Kansas)
CB Brandon Roby (22 Ohio St)
SS TJ Ward (28 Oregon)
FS Rahim Moore (24 UCLA)
K Brandon McManus (23 Temple)
P Britton Colquitt (29 Tenn)
KR Omar Bolden (26 Ariz St)
PR Isaiah Burse (23 Fresno St)
The 2015 Broncos advanced in Region 4 - back up a year and here's the 8th seed in Region 5. It's the inverse of next year's team, with the second best offense in football, it's 38 year old Peyton Manning's last year being Peyton Manning. 39 scores. 15 picks. Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas are both 27, both with over a hundred catches. Mediocre defense. Von Miller's 25, DeMarcus Ware is 32 and they combined for 26 sacks.
9. 1975 LOS ANGELES RAMS
Record: 12-2
Pythag: 12-2
Off: 11th
Def: 1st
d. Cards Div Rnd 35-23
lost Cowboys NFC Title 37-7
HC: Chuck Knox, OC Ken Meyer DC Ray Malavasi
Offense
QB James Harris (28 Grambling)
RB Jim Bertelsen (25 Texas)
RB Lawrence McCutcheon (25 Col St)
WR Harold Jackson (29 Jack St)
WR Ron Jessie (27 Kansas)
TE Bob Klein (28 USC)
LT Charlie Cowan (37 Highlands)
LG Tom Mack (32 Michigan)
C Rich Saul (27 Mich St)
RG Joe Scibelli (36 AIU)
RT John Williams (30 Minn)
Defense
LDE Jack Youngblood (25 Florida) All Pro
LDT Larry Brooks (25 Virginia St)
RDT Merlin Olsen (35 Utah St)
RDE Fred Dryer (29 S Diego St)
LLB Ken Geddes (29 Nebraska)
MLB Hacksaw Reynolds (28 Tenn)
RLB Isiah Robertson (26 Southern)
LCB Eddie McMillan (24 Florida St)
RCB Monte Jackson (22-R S Diego St)
SS Dave Elmendorf (26 Tex A&M)
FS Bill Simpson (24 Mich St)
K Tom Dempsey (28 Palomar)
P Duane Carrell (26 Florida St)
KR Willie McGee (25 Alcorn St)
PR Rob Scribner (24 UCLA)
It's the Denver offense against the top defense in 1975. The '77 Rams have already been eliminated; this team really needs a huge defensive effort to avoid that fate. 25 year old Jack Youngblood is the only All Pro. 35 year old Merlin Olsen and 28 year old Hacksaw Reynolds are among the other 4 Pro Bowlers on defense. The Rams are unlikely to get a ton of offense, James Harris is 28, 15 total scores, 15 total picks. 3 Pro Bowlers on offense including the future Hall of Famer, 32 year old Tom Mack
Rams defense v. Broncos offense - 1975 vs 2014 - let's go to Denver for the kick.
1st Qtr
Denver starts at the 25.
1/10 - CJ Anderson gets the first carry, 1 yard.
1/9 - Anderson for 2
3/7 - Peyton Mannings first pass is caught - Emmanuel Sanders - Sanders runs for 17 and the first.
1/10 - Manning to Wes Welker over the middle, Welker catches the ball in space and picks up 27 all the way to the Rams 28.
1/10 - Ronnie Hillman stopped at the line.
2/10 - Manning to Anderson out of the backfield, Anderson rumbling for 16.
1/10 - Manning laces a ball in traffic to Sanders - TOUCHDOWN BRONCOS - and that was easy money - 75 yards in just a little over 4 minutes - the Rams defense just no match at all for the modern Broncos passing attack.
Rams at the 21.
1/10 - It's Lawrence McCutcheon, he gets 5
2/5 - McCutcheon again, a yard.
3/4 - Jim Burtelsen carries - he gets 11 - the Rams run the ball, that's what they do - even against a quick strike Broncos offense.
The next 3 plays net 4 yards. Denver regains at the 30.
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - Anderson gets 3
3/7 - Manning finds Montee Ball - Ball makes his way for 13.
1/5 - After a penalty, CJ Anderson runs for a dozen, Broncos at the Rams 37.
But that's it - 3 plays net a yard - John Fox decides to play it very safe and punt - Rams at the 17. Fox maybe did them a favor there.
1/10 - McCutcheon gets 1
2/9 - McCutcheon is stopped at the line
3/9 - James Harris completes his first pass of the game, 24 yards downfield to Ron Jessie.
1/15 - After a penalty, Bertelsen gets 8.
2/7 - Cullen Bryant gets 6 - third and 1 for LA at the Denver 49.
3/1 - McCutcheon is met in the backfield and loses a yard - big stop for the Denver defense as the quarter ends.
2nd Qtr
Denver took the opening drive right down the field against the best defense from '75, that's where we stand now - Rams have 4th and 2 at midfield - Chuck Knox maybe does Denver a favor - plays it conservative and punts. Broncos at the 19.
They get a first down on an Anderson 12 yard run - but Jack Youngblood sacks Manning and Denver's punting. Rams at their own 28.
They get a first down on a James Harris 17 yard scramble - but that's as far as it goes, the punt is to the Denver 16.
They get a first down, Manning to Demaryius Thomas for 23, but a Fred Dryer sack ends the drive, another punt. Rams start at their own 28, 4:34 left in the half, still 7-0 Denver.
3 and out. Denver at their own 39. 2:23.
1/10 - Hillman gets 3
2/7 - Manning goes downfield - it's Thomas - 33 yards, Denver stops the clock at 1:50 at the Rams 25.
1/10 - Anderson is stuffed
2/10 - Incomplete
3/10 - Manning hits Thomas again - 18 yards and it's a first and goal.
1/goal - Hillman scoots into the endzone -- TOUCHDOWN BRONCOS - 61 yards in 1:16, Denver goes up 14 nothing.
The Rams get a first down on a Cullen Bryant 20 yard run, but wind up punting - Denver gets a 43 yard Manning to Thomas pass that ends the half.
Third Qtr
The half started as it began, with an easy Broncos TD drive - the Rams offense just hasn't been able to muster anything today and given Denver's ability to put points on the board, this game looked like it might be a tough sled for LA - and here we are.
Rams start at the 37. Down 14-0.
1/10 - McCutcheon loses 2.
2/12 - Bertelsen goes for a dozen. First down.
1/10 - Bertelsen gets 4.
2/6 - McCutcheon gers 1.
3/5 - Harris's first pass of the quarter to Ron Jessie - its 6 yards and the first down, Rams in Broncos territory at the 42.
The next 3 plays net 8 yards - decision time for Knox on 4th and short - down 2 scores - he decides a long Tom Dempsey FG...51 yards....it is good and the Rams are on the board.
Denver starts at the 38, they get a first down on a Manning to Thomas 14 yard gain - but thats all and they punt. Great punt, altitude helps, Rams take over at their own 9 - can they put a drive together.
On 2nd and 9 - Cullen Bryant runs for 15 yards.
On 2nd and 7 - a strip sack from DeMarcus Ware -- Ware recovers at the Rams 25 - and thats the big blow - Ware sacks Harris, forces a fumble, recovers it - and now the Broncos have a first down at the LA 25.
On 3rd and 7 - Manning strikes - hitting Sanders over the middle - he runs untouched into the endzone -- TOUCHDOWN BRONCOS - that feels like the dagger - Manning 22 yard pass to Sanders, it's 21-3, LA will get the ball back at the 19, 3:23 left in the third.
1/10 - Bertelsen for 7
2/3 - McCutcheon stopped.
3/3 - Harris just doesn't have the ability to bring this team back through the air at 21-3, he finds Bob Klein for 6 and the first down.
1/10 - McCutcheon gets 4
2/6 - Harold Jackson gets his first catch of the day - 14 yards and the first, Rams at midfield as the quarter ends.
4th Qtr
The Ware strip sack of Harris looks like the dagger, 3 plays later Manning hit Sanders for the score, it's 21-3 Broncos. Rams have first down at midfield.
And that's as far as it goes.
Broncos take over at the 11 after what looks like a white flag punt.
They get to the middle of the field - three Manning passes - 16 to Sanders, 16 to Thomas, 13 to Anderson - on 3 straight plays get 3 first downs - but the drive ends around midfield and the Rams regain at their own 8, 7:42 left.
The first 3 plays of the drive lose 6 yards, Von Miller getting a sack.
On 4th and 16 from their own 2, Harris hits McCutcheon for 18 and the first down.
Von Miller gets another sack - but it's followed by Harris finding Jackson for 35 to get to the middle of the field.
3 first downs are coming - Harris to Jessie for 10, Harris to Klein for 10, Harris to Jessie for 15, to get the Rams down to the Bronco 16 with 4:30 left in the game. Two plays later Harris hits Bertelsen in the endzone - TOUCHDOWN RAMS - it's a hollow victory, but the Rams cut the deficit to 21-10.
The Rams try the onside kick. The Broncos recover. 3 run plays lead to a 3 and out.
Rams get the ball back at the 2 minute warning at their own 16.
2 plays later Chris Harris picks off James Harris - nearly takes it to the house - Denver runs the ball 3 times, LA using all their timeouts - Denver kicks the FG with 19 seconds left and that's the final score.
Final: Broncos 24 Rams 10
This one never really in doubt - the Broncos moved the ball when they needed to and stopped the Rams when they needed to - Denver moves to round two to face the top seeded '62 Packers.
Manning: 16 for 24, 312 yds, 2 TD
Harris: 13 for 29, 169 yds 1 TD/1 INT
Hillman: 14 carries, 30 yds, 1 TD
Bryant: 8 carries, 48 yds
Sanders: 5 catches, 96 yds, 2 TD
Thomas: 4 catches, 110 yds
Jessie: 4 catches, 55 yds
Miller: 2 sacks
Player of the Game: Peyton Manning
