Flashback: Re-visiting the Broncos last two AFC Championships

Although the Broncos are not competing to represent the AFC this year in the Super Bowl, it’s great to look back at the times the team won the AFC Championship. Denver has a great tradition of winning and the resume speaks for itself. The Broncos have won three Super Bowls (two of them being back-to-back in ’97 and ’98) and have the record of 8-2 in Conference Championship games.

Two of the most recent wins in the AFC Championship games for the Broncos were against the New England Patriots in the 2013-14 season and 2015-16 season. Both Conference games were hosted in Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

Not only did these two games give us great individual performances, but some of the most memorable wins in this franchise’s history also come from these two games vs the Patriots, as the Broncos advance to the Super Bowl.

Broncos nearly blow out the Patriots

On January 19, 2014, Peyton Manning duels Tom Brady for a chance to advance to the Super Bowl. This was not the first meeting during the 2013-14 season.

They battled it out in Week 12 at New England for a classic game. The Broncos jumped out to a 24-0 lead, with the very first score of the game being a 60-yard fumble recovery by Von Miller. The Patriots end up mounting a comeback and defeat the Broncos on Sunday Night Football, 31-34 in OT.

Denver finished the season 13-3, winning the AFC West, and gained home-field advantage for the rest of the postseason. Manning goes on and leads the Broncos to a win over the Chargers in the Divisional Round, earning the opportunity to have a rematch with the Patriots.

All 77,110 of Broncos Country were in attendance for this game and saw one of the best team performances ever.

The start of the game was dominated by the Broncos defense, paired with the balanced attack of the offense led by Manning. Brady and the offense could not get anything going on Denver’s defense, as they were held to three points at the half.

It wasn’t until the fourth quarter when Edelman caught a 7-yard pass from Brady to have their first touchdown of the game. New England cuts the lead to 13 with nine minutes left in the game.

Manning leads the Broncos to a field goal the very next drive, making it a two-possession game.

The Patriots march down the field and Brady runs it in for a touchdown but failed to get the two-point conversion, which ultimately ended the game.

The individual performances were nothing but spectacular.

Manning went 32-43 for 400 yards and threw two touchdowns. One of those touchdowns was caught by Demaryius Thomas who had seven receptions for 134 yards.