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1975 Denver Broncos season

{{short description|NFL team season}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2013}}

{{Infobox NFL season

| team = Denver Broncos

| year = 1975

| record = 6–8

| division_place = 2nd AFC West

| coach = John Ralston

| general manager = John Ralston

| owner = Gerald Phipps

| stadium = Mile High Stadium

| playoffs = Did not qualify

| uniform =

| shortnavlink = Broncos seasons

}}

File:Broncos_1968-96_uniforms.png

The 1975 Denver Broncos season was the team's 16th year in professional football and its sixth with the National Football League (NFL). Led by fourth-year head coach and general manager John Ralston, the Broncos were 6–8, second in the AFC West,{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Ya5VAAAAIBAJ&pg=2812%2C6565355 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=(Oregon) |agency=Associated Press |title=Dolphins retain slim playoff hopes |date=December 21, 1975 |page=3B}} but five games behind the Oakland Raiders, who clinched in late November.

Denver opened the season with two wins at home, against the Chiefs and Packers,{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=H9FSAAAAIBAJ&pg=5555%2C7205377 |work=Deseret News |location=(Salt Lake City, Utah) |agency=UPI |title=Broncos' Ramsey steals show |date=September 30, 1975 |page=2C}} but won only four of their last twelve games. In their sixteen years of existence, the Broncos had yet to reach the postseason.

Offseason

=NFL Draft=

{{main article|1975 NFL Draft}}

{{NFL team draft start

| year = 1975

| teamname = Denver Broncos

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 1

| pick = 17

| player = Louis Wright

| position = CB

| college = San Jose State

| notes =

| maderoster = yes

| hof =

| probowl = yes

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 2

| pick = 43

| player = Charles Smith

| position = DE

| college = North Carolina Central

| notes =

| maderoster =

| hof =

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 3

| pick = 54

| player = Mike Franckowiak

| position = FB

| college = Central Michigan

| notes =

| maderoster =

| hof =

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 3

| pick = 69

| player = Drew Mahalic

| position = LB

| college = Notre Dame

| notes =

| maderoster =

| hof =

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 4

| pick = 84

| player = Steve Taylor

| position = DB

| college = Georgia

| notes =

| maderoster =

| hof =

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 4

| pick = 95

| player = Rick Upchurch

| position = WR

| college = Minnesota

| notes =

| maderoster = yes

| hof =

| probowl = yes

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 5

| pick = 107

| player = Stan Rogers

| position = T

| college = Maryland

| notes =

| maderoster =

| hof =

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 5

| pick = 121

| player = Rubin Carter

| position = DT

| college = Miami (FL)

| notes =

| maderoster = yes

| hof =

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 8

| pick = 199

| player = Steve Foley

| position = DB

| college = Tulane

| notes =

| maderoster =

| hof =

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 9

| pick = 225

| player = Rousell Williams

| position = DB

| college = Arizona

| notes =

| maderoster =

| hof =

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 10

| pick = 240

| player = Hank Englehardt

| position = C

| college = Pacific

| notes =

| maderoster =

| hof =

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 10

| pick = 251

| player = Steve Haggerty

| position = WR

| college = UNLV

| notes =

| maderoster =

| hof =

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 12

| pick = 303

| player = Harry Walters

| position = LB

| college = Maryland

| notes =

| maderoster =

| hof =

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 13

| pick = 329

| player = Eric Penick

| position = RB

| college = Notre Dame

| notes =

| maderoster =

| hof =

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 14

| pick = 355

| player = Jerry Arnold

| position = G

| college = Oklahoma

| notes =

| maderoster =

| hof =

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 15

| pick = 381

| player = Ken Shelton

| position = TE

| college = Virginia

| notes =

| maderoster =

| hof =

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 16

| pick = 409

| player = Bubba Bridges

| position = DT

| college = Colorado

| notes =

| maderoster =

| hof =

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 17

| pick = 433

| player = Lester Sherman

| position = RB

| college = Albany State

| notes =

| maderoster =

| hof =

| probowl =

}}

{{NFL team draft end}}

Personnel

=Staff / Coaches=

{{NFL final staff

| year = 1975

| team = Denver Broncos

| front_office =

| head_coach =

  • Vice President/General Manager/Head Coach – John Ralston

| offensive =

| defensive =

| special_teams =

}}

=Roster=

{{NFL season roster

| year = 1975

| team = Denver Broncos

| quarterbacks =

{{NFLplayer|16|John Hufnagel}}

{{NFLplayer|12|Charley Johnson}}

{{NFLplayer|10|Steve Ramsey|d=American football}}

| running_backs =

{{NFLplayer|24|Otis Armstrong}}

{{NFLplayer|31|Mike Franckowiak|rookie=y}}

{{NFLplayer|23|Al Haywood|rookie=y}}

{{NFLplayer|44|Floyd Little}}

{{NFLplayer|22|Fran Lynch}}

{{NFLplayer|30|Oliver Ross|d=running back}}

| wide_receivers =

{{NFLplayer|82|Jack Dolbin|rookie=y}}

{{NFLplayer|22|Steve Haggerty|rookie=y}}

{{NFLplayer|25|Haven Moses}}

{{NFLplayer|80|Rick Upchurch|rookie=y}}

| tight_ends =

{{NFLplayer|81|Bob Adams|d=American football}}

{{NFLplayer|87|Boyd Brown|d=American football}}

{{NFLplayer|88|Riley Odoms}}

| offensive_linemen =

{{NFLplayer|74|Mike Current|T}}

{{NFLplayer|60|Paul Howard|d=American football|G}}

{{NFLplayer|61|Tommy Lyons|d=American football|G}}

{{NFLplayer|50|Bobby Maples|C}}

{{NFLplayer|71|Claudie Minor|T}}

{{NFLplayer|78|Marv Montgomery|T}}

{{NFLplayer|73|Stan Rogers|d=American football|rookie=y|T}}

{{NFLplayer|67|Carl Schaukowitch|rookie=y|G}}

{{NFLplayer|64|Mike Schnitker|G}}

| defensive_linemen =

{{NFLplayer|77|Lyle Alzado|DE}}

{{NFLplayer|68|Rubin Carter|d=American football|rookie=y|DT}}

{{NFLplayer|79|Barney Chavous|DE}}

{{NFLplayer|63|John Grant|d=American football|DT}}

{{NFLplayer|70|Paul Smith|d=defensive end|DE}}

| linebackers =

{{NFLplayer|52|Randy Gradishar}}

{{NFLplayer|58|Tom Graham|d=American football|MLB}}

{{NFLplayer|57|Tom Jackson|d=American football, born 1951|OLB}}

{{NFLplayer|56|Ray May|OLB}}

{{NFLplayer|66|Jim O'Malley}}

{{NFLplayer|59|Joe Rizzo|d=American football}}

| defensive_back =

{{NFLplayer|26|Calvin Jones|d=cornerback|CB}}

{{NFLplayer|48|John Pitts|d=American football|FS}}

{{NFLplayer|21|Randy Poltl|SS}}

{{NFLplayer|46|John Rowser|CB}}

{{NFLplayer|45|Jeff Severson|FS}}

{{NFLplayer|48|Earlie Thomas|CB}}

{{NFLplayer|36|Bill Thompson|d=American football|SS}}

{{NFLplayer|20|Louis Wright|d=American football|rookie=y|CB}}

| special_teams =

{{NFLplayer|15|Jim Turner|d=placekicker|K}}

{{NFLplayer|42|Billy Van Heusen|P}}

| reserve_lists =

{{NFLplayer|—-|Clarence Ellis|FS|IR}}

| practice_squad =

}}

:{{small|Source:}}

Regular season

{{main|1975 NFL season}}

=Schedule=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Denver Broncos|year=1975|border=2}}"| Week

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Denver Broncos|year=1975|border=2}}"| Date

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Denver Broncos|year=1975|border=2}}"| Opponent

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Denver Broncos|year=1975|border=2}}"| Result

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Denver Broncos|year=1975|border=2}}"| Record

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Denver Broncos|year=1975|border=2}}"| Venue

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Denver Broncos|year=1975|border=2}}"| Attendance

style="background:#cfc"

! 1

| September 21

| Kansas City Chiefs

| W 37–33

| 1–0

| Mile High Stadium

| 51,858

style="background:#cfc"

! 2

| {{dow tooltip|September 29, 1975}}

| Green Bay Packers

| W 23–13

| 2–0

| Mile High Stadium

| 52,621

style="background:#fcc"

! 3

| October 5

| at Buffalo Bills

| L 14–38

| 2–1

| Rich Stadium

| 79,864

style="background:#fcc"

! 4

| October 12

| at Pittsburgh Steelers

| L 9–20

| 2–2

| Three Rivers Stadium

| 49,169

style="background:#cfc"

! 5

| October 19

| Cleveland Browns

| W 16–15

| 3–2

| Mile High Stadium

| 52,590

style="background:#fcc"

! 6

| October 26

| at Kansas City Chiefs

| L 13–26

| 3–3

| Arrowhead Stadium

| 70,043

style="background:#fcc"

! 7

| November 2

| Oakland Raiders

| L 17–42

| 3–4

| Mile High Stadium

| 52,505

style="background:#fcc"

! 8

| November 9

| Cincinnati Bengals

| L 16–17

| 3–5

| Mile High Stadium

| 49,919

style="background:#cfc"

! 9

| November 16

| at San Diego Chargers

| W 27–17

| 4–5

| San Diego Stadium

| 26,048

style="background:#fcc"

! 10

| November 23

| at Atlanta Falcons

| L 21–35

| 4–6

| Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium

| 28,686

style="background:#cfc"

! 11

| November 30

| San Diego Chargers

| W 13–10{{nnbsp}}OT

| 5–6

| Mile High Stadium

| 44,982

style="background:#fcc"

! 12

| {{dow tooltip|December 8, 1975}}

| at Oakland Raiders

| L 10–17

| 5–7

| Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum

| 51,075

style="background:#cfc"

! 13

| December 14

| Philadelphia Eagles

| W 25–10

| 6–7

| Mile High Stadium

| 36,860

style="background:#fcc"

! 14

| {{dow tooltip|December 20, 1975}}

| at Miami Dolphins

| L 13–14

| 6–8

| Orange Bowl

| 43,064

style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Denver Broncos|year=1975|border=2}}"

|colspan="8"| Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Va5VAAAAIBAJ&pg=6687%2C2684174 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=(Oregon) |agency=Associated Press |title=Raiders spend all night in Bronco backfield |date=December 9, 1975 |page=3C}}

=Game summaries=

==Week 2==

{{AFB game box start

|Title=

|Visitor=Packers

|V1=0 |V2=0 |V3=0 |V4=13

|Host=Broncos

|H1=0 |H2= 6|H3=7 |H4=10

|Date=September 29

|Location=
Mile High Stadium, Denver, Colorado

|StartTime=
7:00 p.m.

|TimeZone=MDT

|ElapsedTime=

|Attendance=52,621

|Weather={{convert|57|F}}; wind {{convert|11|mph|0|abbr=on}}

|Referee=

|TVAnnouncers=

|TVStation=ABC

}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |FirstEntry=yes |Quarter= 2|Time= |Team= DEN|Event=Jim Turner 35 yard field goal |Score= DEN 3–0}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Quarter=2 |Time= |Team=DEN |Event=Jim Turner 39 yard field goal |Score= DEN 6–0}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Quarter=3 |Time= |Team=DEN |Event=Jack Dolbin 10 yard pass from Steve Ramsey (Jim Turner kick) |Score= DEN 13–0}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Quarter=4 |Time= |Team=GB |Event=Willard Harrell 4 yard pass from John Hadl (kick failed) |Score= DEN 13–6}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Quarter=4 |Time= |Team=DEN |Event=Jim Turner 32 yard field goal |Score= DEN 16–6}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Quarter=4 |Time= |Team=GB |Event= John Brockington 1 yard run (Dave Pureifory kick) |Score= DEN 16–13}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Quarter=4 |Time= |Team=DEN |Event=Randy Gradishar 44 yard interception return (Jim Turner kick) |Score= DEN 23–13|LastEntry=yes}}

{{AFB game box end}}

[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197509290den.htm Pro-Football-Reference.com]. Retrieved 2013-Dec-10.

{{Clear}}

=Standings=

{{1975 AFC West standings}}

References

{{reflist}}

External links

  • [https://media.denverbroncos.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/1975.pdf Denver Broncos] – 1975 media guide
  • [http://www.jt-sw.com/football/pro/results.nsf/Teams/1975-den 1975 Denver Broncos season at jt-sw.com]
  • [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/den/1975.htm 1975 Denver Broncos] at Pro-Football-Reference.com

{{Denver Broncos}}

{{Denver Broncos seasons}}

{{1975 NFL season by team}}

Denver Broncos

Category:Denver Broncos seasons

Denver Broncos season

Category:Long stubs with short prose

{{Americanfootball-season-stub}}