The Raiders ended the 2002 season by walking out of the Super Bowl spotlight after a huge defeat by the Buccaneers. The team had won three straight AFC West titles and the city of Denver had a legitimate concern the Black and Silver was back.
I go back to about 1980 as a die-hard, commit-all-team-facts-to-memory Bronco fan. So, like all Bronco history buffs, I know what a bad memory the term "Pride and Poise" brings.

Since 2002 a lot has changed -- every other AFC West team has claimed a division title and the Raiders have won exactly one of every four games. That's a fantasy collapse Bronco fans would have never thought possible. Denver could have gone 0-16 last year and still have a seven game lead over them since '02.

For some strange some reason I have become somewhat obsessed with the Broncos ranking in the NFL since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. Keeping up on that stat for a long time (It of course ranks second to World Championships) it's been most interesting to see what it would take Denver to reach the top and, having been so far behind in the past, what it would take to pass Oakland.

Well,that happened last season when the Broncos passed not only the hated Raiders but the Cowboys and 49ers also. They sit pretty right now in the third of 32 spots and if anyone cares to learn more about their chances of being number one please email me.

I'll write more about the teams 38 years since the dark AFL days if it garners any interest. Scottywrites@aol.com
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Scott Perry enjoys writing about auto racing and Bronco football.