How long had it been since the Broncos beat the defending Super Bowl champions?
It had been 2,964 days between Broncos wins against the Kansas City Chiefs, but the team was finally able to vanquish that 16-game losing streak this past Sunday. In the process, the Broncos defeated the defending Super Bowl champions.
That was something the Broncos hadn't accomplished since that same 2015 season when they knocked off the New England Patriots. Remember that night, when the Broncos beat the Patriots on Sunday Night Football, in overtime, in the snow? If not, this is how it ended.
The date was November 29, 2015
That was a massive win in that season for the Broncos as Brock Osweiler, filling in for an injured Peyton Manning, helped lead the Broncos to the No. 1 overall seed and home-field advantage in the playoffs. Without this win, the Patriots likely would have been the top seed and the Broncos would have had to go to Gillette Stadium to get to the Super Bowl.
That probably would not have happened that season and the Super Bowl 50 win would have never been a thing. Of course, the Broncos defeated the Patriots again in the AFC Championship Game that season, so that 20-18 victory would technically be the most recent, but the snow game would be the last time it happened in the regular season.
The Broncos have had other opportunities
Since that win over the Patriots in 2015 and before the win this past Sunday over Kansas City, the Broncos have faced other defending champs.
December 25, 2022- Los Angeles Rams 51, Denver Broncos 14: The Rams had one of the worst seasons ever for a team coming off of a Super Bowl win, but it didn't look like it on this day. Baker Mayfield threw two touchdowns and Cam Akers ran for three more while the Rams sacked Russell Wilson six times and forced him to throw three interceptions. It was a bad Christmas for Broncos fans.
October 25, 2020 and December 6, 2020 vs. Kansas City: These losses were obviously still part of that losing streak and the Chiefs were still rolling following their win over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV. The Chiefs won the first game 43-16, in a game played in the snow, and then beat the Broncos 22-16 in a close contest later that season.
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November 12, 2017: New England Patriots 41, Denver Broncos 16: This was after the Patriots won Super Bowl LI with their furious comeback from being down 28-3 to the Atlanta Falcons. The Broncos didn't stand much of a chance in this game, which was played in Denver. The Broncos were down 27-9 at halftime and Tom Brady threw three touchdowns on the day.