March 20 2012; Englewood, CO, USA; Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen (left) and quarterback Peyton Manning (center) and executive vice president of football operations John Elway during a press conference at Broncos headquarters. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

If you ask any Bronco fan to name,
What the two most heartbreaking losses were.
They’d say this past years Raven game,
And the ’96 Jagsfor sure.

We all know what happened after.
Two years and two Lombardies.
Well in this new Bronco chapter,
There’ll be two more Super Bowl parties.

The ’96 and 2012 seasons,
Feel a lot like déjà vu.
There are plenty of interesting reasons.
In the coming stanzas, I’ll share a few!

In both years our Denver Broncos,
Were top four in O and D.
Also, as the story goes,
Both teams were 13-3.

In the years that had preceded,
Neither team was all that great.
In fact they barely succeeded.
Both teams finished 8-8.

Last season they had a second year coach.
John Fox was their head man.
In ’96 they had a similar approach.
Second year coach Shanahan.

Both QB’s were 36,
And nearing the end of their careers.
Both teams had some things to fix,
To make the most of their next two years.

In ’97 they added Neil Smith,
And John Mobley was officially a beast.
This year there’s new toys to play with,
And the Von Miller quarterback feast.

I know what some of you are saying.
There’s no MVP runner like Terrell.
But with the emphasis now on passing,
I’m sure Montee Ball will do quite well.

So, if you believe then you just might,
Stock up on your favorite champagne.
Book your February New York flight,
And get ready for a Super campaign!

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Jacoby Jones (12) celebrates with teammates after returning a kick for a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers in the third quarter in Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. (Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports)

The Baltimore Ravens hung on for deer dear life and beat the San Francisco 49ers 34-31 in Super Bowl XLVII.

The Ravens beat the Indianapolis Colts in the wildcard round, the Denver Broncos in the divisional round, and then the New England Patriots in the conference championship to make it to the big game.

They ran the post season table after a 10-6 season. They finished 12-4 in 2011, but lost in the conference championship to the Patriots. It goes to show that catching fire at the right time is the most key element in winning the Super Bowl.

With constant thoughts of how the Broncos were up 35-28 with less than a minute to go in the divisional round, one can’t help but think.

Jacoby Jones not only torched the Broncos with that 70-yard touchdown reception with 31 seconds remaining to tie the game, but he also added a 56-yard touchdown reception and a 108-yard kick return for a touchdown in the Super Bowl.

The Broncos were so close to beating Jones, Joe Flacco, Ray Lewis, and the rest of the Ravens to the top spot in the NFL. We can’t say that the Broncos would have definitely taken out the Patriots or the 49ers, but it’s a question to ponder.

So as a Broncos fan, how do you feel about the Ravens winning the whole thing?

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Recording artist Jennifer Hudson performs with members of the Sandy Hook Elementary School choir before Super Bowl XLVII between the San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens. (Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports)

In one of the darkest days in our country’s history, 20 children and six staff members of Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT were shot and killed by a gunman.

The unimaginable sucker punch brought the nation to its knees. In the days following the tragedy, the NFL joined in mourning by honoring the victims with a moment of silence before every game that week. Players wore “S.H.E.S.” stickers on helmets, and wrote personal messages  on shoes to show support.

Over a month later, the NFL continues to honor the Newton community. The league flew 26 Sandy Hook students and their families to New Orleans to perform “America the Beautiful” with Jennifer Hudson before the Baltimore Ravens v. San Francisco 49ers Super Bowl.

The performance is definitely worth another watch.

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