Denver Broncos

2005 Stats

2005 Season Summary

The Denver Broncos were coming off a 10-6 playoff season in 2004, which for many franchises would be cause for mild celebration at the least. But the Broncos were destroyed, humiliated, and exposed in a horrific 24-49 playoff loss at Indianapolis that was even worse than the score indicated and the demanding Denver fans were starting to question the man that they used to celebrate as the “Master Mind,” head coach Mike Shanahan. All of a sudden, the “Master Mind” was being derided as someone that rode John Elway's coattails to back-to-back Super Bowl titles in 1997-98.

Plummer proved to be no Elway

Quarterback Jake Plummer, acquired from Arizona before the 2004 season, was unable to shake has bad habits from his days as a one-man-team for the Cardinals. Plummer proved to be no Elway in 2004 as he failed to become disciplined under Shanahan and was booed off the field by year's end. Still, Shanahan had belief in Plummer's ability and it was hoped that he would be able to rein the signal caller in for 2005.

Good preseason trends continued

In their previous five preseasons combined, Denver was just under seventy-percent against the spread although they did slip to 2-3 against the number in 2004. Still, with the meticulous perfectionist Shanahan as coach, most savvy pro football bettors have considered the Broncos worthy of a hard look for their preseason games through the years.

The exhibition opener was at Houston , the mirror opposite of Denver when it came to preseason games as the Texans were just 3-10 against the spread in their preseason history. The opposite trends kept form as Denver prevailed 20-14. Denver was next a 7-point chalk at hungry San Francisco , certain to play hard for new coach Mike Nolan. The Broncos won the game 26-21 but the 49ers got the cash. Denver easily won and covered their final two exhibition games as the good preseason trends continued for another year.

Shocked into power

Denver was a solid 6-point chalk at Miami for their season opener against the Dolphins and their rookie head coach Nick Saban. Incredibly, Miami dominated Denver in a 34-10 win that shocked the Broncos into power for their next five games.

Taking form as a contender

If Denver took Miami for granted, they would not make that mistake again for the rest of the season as they began taking form as a contender with focused play the rest of the way in 2005.

Denver pushed in a 20-17 home opener win against defending AFC West champ San Diego , and then blew out visiting Kansas City 30-10 as 3-point chalks. Next was a return trip to Florida , this time against upstart Jacksonville who was installed as a 4-point chalk. This time the Broncos came ready to play, having learned their painful lesson in Miami , scoring a solid 20-7 win.

Unders become overs

The Broncos had been a slightly “under” team against the totals for four consecutive seasons and had posted unders in three of their first four games for 2005.

Denver caught the attention of the masses after that win at Jacksonville and was inflated to a 7-point home chalk against a Washington team that, while winning, was punch less on offense. The Broncos barely escaped with a 21-19 win that easily cleared the small posted total of 34.5 in a classic lesson of contrarian gambling. In fact, unders were about to become overs in a sports betting market correction that was long overdue.

Denver next hosted the two-time-defending world champion New England Patriots, laying 3.5-points. Denver prevailed 28-20 in a game that was to illustrate the changing fortunes of both teams. The game cleared the posted total of 47 by a single point!

Next was road game against the resurgent New York Giants, who were installed as 2.5-point chalks. Denver got the cash but not the game in a 23-24 loss that went over the posted total of 46.5 by ONE-HALF-POINT!

The defending but reeling NFC champ Eagles were next and the 4-point home chalk Broncos blew them out 49-21 to enter the bye week standing at 6-2 straight up, 5-2-1 against the spread, with 5 out of the 8 games having gone over including 4-straight.

Covers and overs continued the next four weeks

The oddsmakers were unable to tame the Denver momentum after the bye as the Broncos' covers and overs continued over the next four weeks. In games at Oakland , home against the Jets, at Dallas , and at Kansas City , Denver went 3-1 straight up and against the spread with 3-1 overs to enter the stretch drive standing at 9-3 straight up, 8-3-1 against the spread, and with 8 of the 12 games having gone over the total.

Covers continued as totals sunk back under

Denver started the season's final quarter at home against Baltimore and was installed as a hefty 15.5-point chalk, which proved to be too much in a meek 12-10 win that was the Broncos' second straight failure against the line, but their last of the regular season. The under was just the second in nine games for Denver . Next was a road trip to Buffalo where the Broncos got the cash in a 28-17 win as 8-point chalks. That was followed by a 22-3 home win over Oakland as 12.5 point chalks.

Public Trapped Again

In the regular season finale, Denver was an odd 11.5-point dog as they had home field clinched for their first playoff game and no reason to risk injury. San Diego coach Marty Schottenheimer was widely quoted as saying he wanted this game badly. Well, you should know what that meant; the masses of asses emptied their wallets on San Diego and Denver scored a contrarian win for the ages 23-7 as the oddsmakers trapped the public again!

Denver couldn't overcome Steelers' defense

After dispatching of New England for a second time in 2005, (27-13 as 3-point chalks), Denver was a 3-point chalk in the AFC title game against Pittsburgh , losing 17-34. Denver and their middle ranked defense couldn't overcome the Steelers' top ranked defense, which proved to be the difference and end the Broncos' title hopes.