The 1987 Denver Broncos season was the team's 28th year in professional football and its 18th with the National Football League (NFL). Games scheduled during the third week of the season were cancelled, and games played from weeks 4 to 6 were played with replacement teams. The Broncos finished first in the AFC West , and were AFC Champions for the second straight year. Quarterback John Elway was voted league MVP for 1987. The Broncos reached the Super Bowl for the second consecutive season, but lost for the second straight time, 42–10 to the Washington Redskins.
A ticket for the AFC Championship Game between the Browns and the Broncos.
1987 Denver Broncos staff
Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
[ 1]
1987 Denver Broncos final roster
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams
Reserve lists
Rookies in italics
NFL replacement players
edit
After the league decided to use replacement players during the NFLPA strike, the following team was assembled:
1987 Denver Broncos replacement roster
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams
Week
Date
Opponent
Result
Record
Venue
Attendance
1
September 13
Seattle Seahawks
W 40–17
1–0
Mile High Stadium
75,999
2
September 20
at Green Bay Packers
T 17–17 (OT)
1–0–1
Milwaukee County Stadium
50,624
3
September 28
at Cleveland Browns
canceled
1–0–1
Cleveland Stadium
4
October 4
Houston Oilers
L 10–40
1–1–1
Mile High Stadium
38,494
5
October 12
Los Angeles Raiders
W 30–14
2–1–1
Mile High Stadium
61,230
6
October 18
at Kansas City Chiefs
W 26–17
3–1–1
Arrowhead Stadium
20,296
7
October 26
at Minnesota Vikings
L 27–34
3–2–1
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
51,011
8
November 1
Detroit Lions
W 34–0
4–2–1
Mile High Stadium
75,172
9
November 8
at Buffalo Bills
L 14–21
4–3–1
Rich Stadium
63,698
10
November 16
Chicago Bears
W 31–29
5–3–1
Mile High Stadium
75,783
11
November 22
at Los Angeles Raiders
W 23–17
6–3–1
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
61,318
12
November 29
at San Diego Chargers
W 31–17
7–3–1
Jack Murphy Stadium
61,880
13
December 6
New England Patriots
W 31–20
8–3–1
Mile High Stadium
75,795
14
December 13
at Seattle Seahawks
L 21–28
8–4–1
Kingdome
61,759
15
December 19
Kansas City Chiefs
W 20–17
9–4–1
Mile High Stadium
75,053
16
December 27
San Diego Chargers
W 24–0
10–4–1
Mile High Stadium
21,189
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
1
2 3 4 Total
Seahawks
14
3 0 0
17
• Broncos
7
13 14 6
40
Date: September 17Location: Mile High Stadium Game start: 2:00 p.m. MST Game attendance: 75,999Referee: Red CashionTV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen
Scoring summary Q1 SEA Turner 20 yard pass from Krieg (Johnson kick)SEA 7–0
Q1 DEN Sewell 72 yard pass from Elway (Karlis kick)Tie 7–7
Q1 SEA Warner 10 yard pass from Krieg (Johnson kick)SEA 14–7
Q2 SEA Johnson 25 yard field goal SEA 17–7
Q2 DEN Karlis 37 yard field goal SEA 17–10
Q2 DEN Karlis 42 yard field goal SEA 17–13
Q2 DEN Watson 4 yard pass from Elway (Karlis kick)DEN 20–17
Q3 DEN Mobley 5 yard pass from Elway (Karlis kick)DEN 27–17
Q3 DEN Johnson 59 yard pass from Elway (Karlis kick)DEN 34–17
Q4 DEN Karlis 25 yard field goal DEN 37–17
Q4 DEN Karlis 29 yard field goal DEN 40–17
[ 2]
1
2 3 4 OT Total
Broncos
0
3 7 7 0
17
Packers
7
7 0 3 0
17
1
2 3 4 Total
• Oilers
7
10 10 13
40
Broncos
0
10 0 0
10
Date: October 4Location: Mile High StadiumReferee: Jim TunneyTelevision network: NBC
1
2 3 4 Total
Raiders
0
14 0 0
14
• Broncos
14
3 6 7
30
Date: October 12Location: Mile High Stadium Game start: 7:00 p.m. MST Game attendance: 61,230Game weather: 53 °F (12 °C); wind 7 mph (11 km/h)Referee: Fred SilvaTV announcers (ABC): Al Michaels, Frank Gifford, and Dan Dierdorf
Scoring summary Q1 DEN Dudek 7 yard run (Clendenen kick)DEN 7–0
Q1 DEN Dudek 3 yard run (Clendenen kick) DEN 14–0
Q2 LA Perry 3 yard pass from Evans (Hardy kick) DEN 14–7
Q2 LA Calhoun 55 yard interception return (Hardy kick) Tie 14–14
Q2 DEN Clendenen 31 yard field goal DEN 17–14
Q3 DEN Massie 10 yard pass from Karcher (kick failed) DEN 23–14
Q4 DEN Poole 1 yard run (Clendenen kick)DEN 30–14
[ 3]
1
2 3 4 Total
• Broncos
9
10 0 7
26
Chiefs
7
7 3 0
17
Date: October 18Location: Arrowhead Stadium Referee: Jerry MarkbreitTV announcers (NBC): Don Criqui and Bob Trumpy
1
2 3 4 Total
Broncos
7
10 0 10
27
• Vikings
7
7 13 7
34
1
2 3 4 Total
Lions
0
0 0 0
0
• Broncos
17
7 0 10
34
Date: November 1Location: Mile High StadiumReferee: Jerry SeemanTelevision network: CBS
1
2 3 4 Total
Broncos
0
0 7 7
14
• Bills
0
18 3 0
21
Date: November 8Location: Rich Stadium Referee: Dick JorgensenTelevision network: NBC
1
2 3 4 Total
Bears
14
0 15 0
29
• Broncos
0
21 0 10
31
Date: November 16Location: Mile High StadiumReferee: Red CashionTV announcers (ABC): Al Michaels, Frank Gifford, Dan Dierdorf
1
2 3 4 Total
• Broncos
10
10 0 3
23
Raiders
0
14 3 0
17
Scoring summary Q1 DEN Karlis 49 yard field goalDEN 3–0
Q1 DEN Johnson 24 yard pass from Elway (Karlis kick)DEN 10–0
Q2 DEN Karlis 31 yard field goal DEN 13–0
Q2 LA Jackson 35 yard run (Bahr kick)DEN 13–7
Q2 DEN Elway 1 yard run (Karlis kick) DEN 20–7
Q2 LA Jackson 1 yard run (Bahr kick) DEN 20–14
Q3 LA Bahr 34 yard field goal pass DEN 20–17
Q4 DEN Karlis 20 yard field goal DEN 23–17
1
2 3 4 Total
• Broncos
7
10 14 0
31
Chargers
7
3 0 7
17
Date: November 29Location: Jack Murphy Stadium Referee: Gene BarthTV announcers (NBC): Charlie Jones and Jimmy Cefalo
1
2 3 4 Total
Patriots
7
10 3 0
20
• Broncos
0
3 14 14
31
Date: December 6Location: Mile High StadiumReferee: Fred SilvaTV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen
Scoring summary Q1 NE Dupard 10 yard run (Franklin kick)NE 7–0
Q2 DEN Karlis 24 yard field goalNE 7–3
Q2 NE Collins 4 yard pass from Ramsey (Franklin kick)NE 14–3
Q2 NE Franklin 36 yard field goal NE 17–3
Q3 DEN Boddie 1 yard run (Karlis kick)NE 17–10
Q3 DEN Massie 7 yard pass from Elway (Karlis kick)Tied 17–17
Q3 NE Franklin 27 yard field goal NE 20–17
Q4 DEN Jackson 2 yard pass from Elway (Karlis kick)DEN 24–20
Q4 DEN Haynes 14 yard interception return (Karlis kick)DEN 31–20
1
2 3 4 Total
Broncos
0
0 14 7
21
• Seahawks
0
14 7 7
28
Date: December 13Location: Kingdome Game weather: Indoors (dome)Referee: Bob McElweeTelevision network: ESPN
Scoring summary Q2 5:50 SEA Warner 3 yard run (Johnson kick)SEA 7–0
Q2 0:22 SEA Butler 35 yard pass from Krieg (Johnson kick)SEA 14–0
Q3 12:28 DEN Winder 11 yard run (Karlis kick)SEA 14–7
Q3 10:36 DEN Massie 39 yard pass from Elway (Karlis kick)Tied 14–14
Q3 9:30 SEA Butler 40 yard pass from Krieg (Johnson kick) SEA 21–14
Q4 12:39 SEA Williams 7 yard pass from Krieg (Johnson kick)SEA 28–14
Q4 0:25 DEN Winder 1 yard run (Karlis kick) SEA 28–21
1
2 3 4 Total
Chiefs
0
3 7 7
17
• Broncos
7
10 3 0
20
Date: Location: Mile High Stadium
1
2 3 4 Total
Chargers
0
0 0 0
0
• Broncos
14
0 0 10
24
Date: December 27Location: Mile High StadiumReferee: Fred SilvaTV announcers (NBC): Charlie Jones and Jimmy Cefalo
Scoring summary Q1 DEN Clark 71 yard punt returnDEN 7–0
Q1 DEN Winder 1 yard rush (Karlis kick)DEN 14–0
Q4 DEN Karlis 26 yard field goal DEN 17–0
Q4 DEN Hunley 52 yard interception return (Karlis kick)DEN 24–0
1
2 3 4 Total
Oilers
0
3 0 7
10
• Broncos
14
10 3 7
34
Conference Championship
edit
1
2 3 4 Total
Browns
0
3 21 9
33
• Broncos
14
7 10 7
38
Date: January 17Location: Mile High Stadium
1
2 3 4 Total
• Redskins
0
35 0 7
42
Broncos
10
0 0 0
10
Ricky Nattiel, All-Rookie selection