1983 Denver Broncos season

1983 Denver Broncos season
Head coach	Dan Reeves
General manager	Hein Poulus
Owner	Edgar Kaiser
Home field	Mile High Stadium
Results
Record	9–7
Division place	3rd AFC West
Playoff finish	Lost AFC Wild Card (Seahawks) 31–7
← 1982 Broncos seasons 1984 →

1 2 3 4 Total • Broncos 0 7 0 7 14 Steelers 0 7 3 0 10 Date: September 4 Location: Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST Game weather: 73°F, wind 5 mph

Scoring summary 2 DEN Sammy Winder 1 yard run (Rich Karlis kick) Broncos 7–0 2 PIT Franco Harris 4 yard run (Gary Anderson kick) Tie 7–7 3 PIT Gary Anderson 31 yard field goal Steelers 10–7 4 DEN Ron Egloff 2 yard pass from Steve DeBerg (Rich Karlis kick) Broncos 14–10

Scoring summary
2		DEN	Sammy Winder 1 yard run (Rich Karlis kick)	Broncos 7–0
2		PIT	Franco Harris 4 yard run (Gary Anderson kick)	Tie 7–7
3		PIT	Gary Anderson 31 yard field goal	Steelers 10–7
4		DEN	Ron Egloff 2 yard pass from Steve DeBerg (Rich Karlis kick)	Broncos 14–10

Denver Broncos (1–0) at Baltimore Colts (0–1)

1 2 3 4 Total • Broncos 0 3 0 14 17 Colts 3 0 0 7 10 Date: September 11 Location: Memorial Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland Game start: 3:00 p.m. EST Game weather: 84°F, wind 10 mph Source: Pro-Football-Reference.com

Scoring summary 1 Colts Raul Allegre 32-yard field goal Colts 3–0 2 Broncos Rich Karlis 42-yard field goal Tie 3–3 4 Colts Larry Anderson 41-yard fumble return (Raul Allegre kick) Colts 10–3 4 Broncos Steve Watson 24-yard pass from Steve DeBerg (Rich Karlis kick) Tie 10–10 4 Broncos Steve Watson 2-yard run (Rich Karlis kick) Broncos 17–10

Scoring summary
1		Colts	Raul Allegre 32-yard field goal	Colts 3–0
2		Broncos	Rich Karlis 42-yard field goal	Tie 3–3
4		Colts	Larry Anderson 41-yard fumble return (Raul Allegre kick)	Colts 10–3
4		Broncos	Steve Watson 24-yard pass from Steve DeBerg (Rich Karlis kick)	Tie 10–10
4		Broncos	Steve Watson 2-yard run (Rich Karlis kick)	Broncos 17–10

The 1983 Denver Broncos season was its 24th in professional football and 14th in the National Football League (NFL). The team finished the year with nine wins and seven losses, giving them 3rd place in the AFC West and their first playoff berth in four seasons. It was the third season under head coach Dan Reeves.

Before the season, the Broncos traded with the Baltimore Colts for the rights to first overall pick in the 1983 draft, quarterback John Elway. He started ten games for the Broncos as a rookie, and the team won four of them. In his first two starts, both road wins, Elway left the game trailing, relieved by veteran Steve DeBerg.

After three straight losses, Elway was benched by Reeves in early October; and DeBerg led the team to four consecutive victories and a 6–3 record. A shoulder injury in a loss in Seattle sidelined him and Elway again became the starter. In the rematch with Seattle two weeks later in Denver, Elway was out with the flu and third-string rookie Gary Kubiak led the Broncos to a win.

Elway's finest game as a rookie came in Week 15, the Broncos' second game against Baltimore, the team that drafted him. Denver trailed 19–0 at the start of the fourth quarter, until Elway threw for three touchdowns in the final period to win 21–19 and kept their playoff hopes alive. The following week was a lopsided road loss at Kansas City in −30 °F (−34 °C) wind chill, but the Broncos made the playoffs, gaining the final AFC berth over Cleveland, also at 9–7, whom they defeated in Week 14.

DeBerg started the wild card playoff loss in Seattle, and was relieved by Elway in the fourth quarter.

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