All-Time Denver Broncos

[epicSocialism4tw]

Here are the no brainers, but who would you choose?

Shoo-ins:
QB - Elway
RB - Terrell Davis
TE - Shannon Sharpe
WR - Rod Smith
C - Tom Nalen
LT - Zimmerman
FB - Howard Griffith
CB - Champ
CB - Louis Wright
FS - Steve Atwater
SS - Dennis Smith
LB - Meck
LB - Gradishar
PK - Elam

[Hawaii_Guy]

Rick Upchurch Best returner all time!!

[Los Broncos]

Floyd Little.

[Bronco LB 59]

FIRST TEAM

QB: John Elway
HB: Terrell Davis
FB: Jon Keyworth
SE: Rod Smith
FL: Lionel Taylor
TE: Shannon Sharpe
LT: Gary Zimmerman
LG: Keith Bishop
C: Tom Nalen
RG: Paul Howard
RT: Claudie Minor

Give you the option of a 4-3 or 3-4

DE: Rich "Tombstone" Jackson
DT: Paul Smith
DT: Trevor Pryce
DE: Lyle Alzado
WLB: Tom Jackson
MLB: Randy Gradishar
MLB: Karl Mecklenburg
SLB: Simon Fletcher
CB: Louis Wright
S: Steve Atwater
S: Dennis Smith
CB: Billy Thompson

K: Jason Elam
RS: Rick Upchurch
P: Tom Rouen

[Bronco LB 59]

SECOND TEAM

QB: Craig Morton
HB: Floyd Little
FB: Howard Griffith
SE: Steve Watson
FL: Haven Moses
TE: Riley Odoms
LT: Ken Lanier
LG: Mark Schlereth
C: Billy Bryan
RG: Tom Glassic
RT: Matt Lepsis

DE: Rulon Jones
DT: Rubin Carter
DT: Don Latimer
DE: Barney Chavous
WLB: John Mobley
MLB: Al Wilson
MLB: Joe Rizzo
SLB: Bob Swenson
CB: Champ Bailey
S: Goose Gonsoulin
S: Tyrone Braxton
CB: Ray Crockett

K: Jim Turner
RS: Abner Haynes
P: Billy Van Heusen

[JCMElway]

We unearth this topic every so often, but I'm happy to throw my team in.

Offense (* indicates bringing the players in on split backfield, 3 WR, or 2 TE formations.)
QB -- Elway
QB -- Craig Morton (Backup)
RB -- Little
RB -- Davis*
FB -- Griffin
WR -- R Smith
WR -- Lionel Taylor
WR -- Haven Moses* (Seeing Haven play in a West coast system with Elway at the helm would have been great.)
TE -- Sharpe
TE -- Riley Odoms*
LT -- Zimmerman
LG -- Mark Schlereth
C -- Tom Nalen
RG -- Kieth Bishop
LT -- Dave Studdard

Defense (I'll include 4 DL and 4 LB as we played different systems over the years.

DE -- Rich "Tombstone" Jackson
DT -- Rubin Carter
DT -- Paul Smith
DE -- Simon Fletcher
OLB -- Karl Mecklenburg
ILB -- Al Wilson
MLB -- Randy Gradishar
OLB -- Tom Jackson
CB -- Champ Bailey
FS -- Billy Thompson
SS -- Steve Atwater
CB -- Louie Wright

K -- Jason Elam
P -- Tom Rouen
KR -- Vaughn Hebron
PR -- Rick Upchurch

Damn it was hard leaving Dennis Smith off this list. But what a secondary! Others I couldn't believe I had to leave off:

Lyle Alzado, Trevor Pryce
Tom Glassic, Billy Bryan
Sammy Winder (all heart)
Ed McCaffery, Steve Watson
Bob Swenson

And I know Fletcher is listed as a LB, but he spent more than half his snaps lined up in a DE position. So there you are. Fire away.

[WoodMan]

Damn it was hard leaving Dennis Smith off this list. But what a secondary!

I agree with you on Free safety. Dennis Smith was a huge hitter but not the best in coverage. Billy Thompson was a great safety. Very sure tackler, always in position, and excellent in coverage having moved to safety from corner. He had the speed and hands to return punts for the Broncos also.

[B-Love]

I agree with you on Free safety. Dennis Smith was a huge hitter but not the best in coverage.

Dennis Smith was MUCH BETTER in coverage than Steve Atwater was. No debate there.

They played side by side from 1989-1993, and in those 5 seasons, DS got his hands on alot more balls downfield than Atwater did.

[JCMElway]

Dennis Smith was MUCH BETTER in coverage than Steve Atwater was. No debate there.

They played side by side from 1989-1993, and in those 5 seasons, DS got his hands on alot more balls downfield than Atwater did.

But we weren't comparing Smith to Atwater, we were comparing Smith to Billy Thompson. Thompson was much better in coverage than DS. Thompson even played CB for a good portion of his career.

So that left me a choice between Atwater and Smith for SS. Tough decision, but I went with Steve.

[Hogan11]

Rick Upchurch Best returner all time!!

He was good.....very good.....but I'd take Little over him in that dept.

[epicSocialism4tw]

But we weren't comparing Smith to Atwater, we were comparing Smith to Billy Thompson. Thompson was much better in coverage than DS. Thompson even played CB for a good portion of his career.

So that left me a choice between Atwater and Smith for SS. Tough decision, but I went with Steve.

I would still take Dennis Smith. That guy could really bring the pain. He was a terrific player.

[JCMElway]

Have to disagree there A.L. Smith was a hitter, but was not as fast or athletic as Steve. And Smith was prone to getting caught out of position trying to level someone.

I still say that if Atwater catches that sure interception instead of dropping it in SB 32, then Atwater would have gotten the MVP trophy.

[epicSocialism4tw]

Have to disagree there A.L. Smith was a hitter, but was not as fast or athletic as Steve. And Smith was prone to getting caught out of position trying to level someone.

I still say that if Atwater catches that sure interception instead of dropping it in SB 32, then Atwater would have gotten the MVP trophy.


Oh, I still take Steve as well. Just like the duo we had when Steve was young. Dennis at SS and Steve at FS.

[BroncoBuff]

Just in case anybody needs a refresher, here's a handy pictorial guide to the greatest players and coaches in Broncos History ....



http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/9151/broncopix1qi8.jpg

PART I

[JCMElway]

Oh, I still take Steve as well. Just like the duo we had when Steve was young. Dennis at SS and Steve at FS.

Oh no, you can't have the all time team without Billy Thompson. That guy was a shutdown corner for years. Thompson was a better player that Smith. Period. I'll thank Atwater to lay the wood in my version of the all time roster while B.T. plays center field.

[BroncoBuff]

http://img243.imageshack.us/img243/1559/broncopix2ie2.jpg

[BroncoBuff]

http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/5959/broncopix3um8.jpg

[epicSocialism4tw]

Oh no, you can't have the all time team without Billy Thompson. That guy was a shutdown corner for years. Thompson was a better player that Smith. Period. I'll thank Atwater to lay the wood in my version of the all time roster while B.T. plays center field.


Wasnt Thompson a CB?

[BroncoBuff]

Started as KR - even led the AFC his rookie year.

Then CB .... then the first in a long line of powerful Bronco SS: Thompson/DS49/Atwater/?

[epicSocialism4tw]

Started as KR - even led the AFC his rookie year.

Then CB .... then the first in a long line of powerful Bronco SS: Thompson/DS49/Atwater/?

Atwater played FS.

[B-Love]

Have to disagree there A.L. Smith was a hitter, but was not as fast or athletic as Steve.

Now you're just silly.

Dennis Smith, in his prime, was faster and more athletic than Atwater. I don't know one Bronco historian who calls Atwater more athletic or faster than Dennis Smith.

Dennis Smith was a world class track star at USC and was recruited to be a US Olympic High Jump candidate, but declined it to pursue football.

Apparently you remember Dennis Smith from 1994, and not the athletic freak in the mid 80's.

John Elways was asked who the greatest Defensive player he ever played with was, and he said "Easy, Dennis Smith. I think Dennis Smith is one of the 5 greatest Safeties to ever play in the NFL". This interview took place n 2004.

If you want to say that Steve Atwater was stronger than DS, that is fine. If you want to say he was a slightly better tackler, that may be OK too. But to say he was faster and more athletic, .... silly.

[BroncoBuff]

Let the graybeards - me and B-Love - school you youngsters a bit.

Dennis Smith came in as a rookie, and after an injury, Dan Reeves started him at cornerback for a few weeks. He forced two ffumbles, and did not allow a TD. I think he was the fastest guy on the roster then.

And I suppose Atwater might've been listed at FS, llama, but he was the guy butting heads with TEs on the LOS, not Tyrone Braxton.


BTW, B-Love ... it's a crime the photo arrays above omit Bob Swenson, Mike Current and Riley Odoms. And they actually include Ashley Lelie, Jeb Putzier and Ebenezer Ekuban?!

[epicSocialism4tw]

Atwater was a FS. I watched him from his rookie year on.

[epicSocialism4tw]

I may have missed Billy Thompson, but I sure as heck didnt miss anything past 1984.

[JCMElway]

Wasnt Thompson a CB?

Thompson played CB and S at different times throughout his career.

And Blove, I will concede your point as far as speed goes Atwater v Smith (I was in grade school during the early part of Smith's career,) but if I have to choose the 8th guy in the box/sure tackling/hard hitting type safety for the roster, I'm taking Atwater over Smith.

[B-Love]

Buff, good work brother. Love em both, but I do resent the "Atwater is to Defense as Elway was to Offense" sentiment that rules so many people's mind here. It's just silly.

His last name sounds so 'football cool' and he rocked several RB's in the Defensive Running game, but Steve Atwater still remains to be one of the most overrated players in team history. He was great, but he was 8.0 out of 10 great, not 10 out of 10 great.

Steve Atwater ranks as the 6th or 7th greatest defensive player in team history for me, maybe even 9th or 10th.

Does everyone understand that he was a DEFENSIVE BACK, who was regarded by many scouts as having below average Pass Defense skills?? Everyone is enamored that he rocked the occasional Running Back, but his primary responsiblity was the Defensive passing game, in which he was pretty ordinary.

[Atlas]

Oh, I still take Steve as well. Just like the duo we had when Steve was young. Dennis at SS and Steve at FS.

I might take Billy Thompson over both Smith and Atwater because he was great in coverage.

Steve Foley is underrated, he still leads the team in career INTs.

[B-Love]

Billy Thompson played CB for only 3 seasons. He was All Rookie in 1969, and played great in 1970 as well. For those that have the 1973 MNF game, they can hear Howard Cosell discuss how George Sauer Jr. of the Jets said how he was as good a CB he'd ever seen.

But BT had a real bad 1971 season at CB. Despite the fact that Denver led the NFL in Sacks with guys like Alzado (rookie), Paul Smith, Pete Duranko, and Tombstone Jackson, our Pass Secondary was destroyed. Billy Thompson, who had played so great at CB in prior seasons, was picked on for numerous Passing TD's allowed, which was hard to do then.

Billy was moved to Safety in 1972, so calling him a great shutdown corner in team history just isn't right.

But those that refer to Billy as a great Defensive Back in team history are correct. He was a great Safety!!!!! And he hit like DS and Atwater did too.

[JCMElway]

I may have missed Billy Thompson, but I sure as heck didnt miss anything past 1984.

I missed Billy Thompson myself (Born in '71) but all of the accounts I've read said he was just phenomenal. B-Love, BB, care to weigh in on Billy Thompson's performance?

edit -- You got it Blove, thanks.

[JCMElway]

Does everyone understand that he was a DEFENSIVE BACK, who was regarded by many scouts as having below average Pass Defense skills?? Everyone is enamored that he rocked the occasional Running Back, but his primary responsiblity was the Defensive passing game, in which he was pretty ordinary.

I am enamored that he rocked RBs, but Smith did that as well. What I'm more enamored of is his size (20 lbs heavier than Smith) and his eight pro bowl selections (two more than Smith.) He also had only 6 fewer interceptions than Smith, even though he played three fewer seasons.

Did I see Smith as much as I saw Atwater? No. Is it completely absurd to think that Atwater might be a better strong safety than Smith by just a smidge? Absolutely not. Arguments can be made either way without looking "silly."

[DBroncos4life]

I wonder what Bobby could have done if he stayed here longer.