Denver Broncos: 16 Memorable Season Openers

September 9, 2012; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) throws the ball during the fourth quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The Broncos won 31-19. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

SEPTEMBER 9^th, 2012

I got three words for ya…PEYTON “FREAKIN” MANNING! After outbidding and out-convincing the rest of the league for the services of the greatest QB to ever play the game, 2012 saw the return of Manning after missing the entire 2011 season due to neck surgery. As kickoff of the eventual 31-19 victory over the Steelers approached, there were many more questions than answers about Peyton’s ability to come back from such an injury. By the time the final gun sounded, some of the more important questions were answered. PFM quieted his doubters with a 19-25/253 yard/2 TD performance. Manning was vindicated in selecting the Broncos with whom to finish out his career. Most of the supporting cast that helped Tim Tebow lead the Broncos to one of the most memorable playoff wins, against those same Steelers 8 months earlier, was the right choice after his March 2012 courtship.