Denver Broncos: Top 5 Broncos Seasons Since John Elway Retired

Since John Elway retired, the Denver Broncos have been a rather stable franchise with a .536 winning percentage, finishing the 2000s decade as the fourth-winningest AFC team and suffering through only three losing seasons since 1999.

On the other side of the road, however, Denver has hosted and won only one playoff game, recently suffered through the second-worst season in franchise history (4-12 in 2010) and, after experiencing five Super Bowl appearances in a 13-year span during the Elway era, have yet to reach even one in the 12 seasons since Elway's farewell.

So without further ado, here are the top five Broncos seasons in the post-Elway era.

5. 2006 Denver Broncos

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DENVER - DECEMBER 31: Champ Bailey #24 of the Denver Broncos celebrates an interception for a 70-yard touchdown against the San Francisco 49s in the second quarter at Invesco Field at Mile High December 31, 2006 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Brian Bahr

Expectations were pretty high for this team entering the season.

Coming off their first AFC West title (and only one to date) since the retirement of Elway and an AFC title game appearance vs. Pittsburgh, the Broncos were expected to be an AFC contender yet again.

Instead, the bottom fell out. With the drafting of Jay Cutler in the first round, there were already discussions of when Cutler would take over, creating a little bit of a QB controversy not expected of a team coming off a 13-3 season.

Other than an early season-opening blemish in an 18-10 loss to the Rams, Denver started off hot with a 5-1 record before a midseason showdown with Peyton Manning and the undefeated Colts.

Denver's defense was absolutely dominant up to this point, only allowing two TDs in their first six games. After the Indy game in which Denver lost a 34-31 heartbreaker on a 37-yard field goal by Adam Vinatieri with two seconds left, Denver would never quite be the same again.

Denver went on to finish the season 4-5, and after a Week 12 Thanksgiving loss that marked Jake Plummer's last start for the Broncos, Cutler took over the reins as Denver's franchise QB the following week against Seattle.

Denver would end the season with a loss to the lowly Niners as 11-point favorites in the season finale, needing a win or tie to clinch a playoff spot.

Denver has not been back to the playoffs since.

4. 2004 Denver Broncos

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NASHVILLE, TN - DECEMBER 25: Jake Plummer #16 of the Denver Broncos scrambles during the game against the Tennessee Titans on December 25, 2004 at The Coliseum in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

It's hard to think back to a time when Denver entered a season as Super Bowl favorites, but 2004 was one of those years.

Entering 2004, Denver was a coming off a 10-6 season, their first playoff appearance in three years and a 9-2 record with Jake Plummer as their starting QB. Believe it or not, some people actually had Plummer as a dark horse MVP candidate entering the season.

I know, right?

Denver had also made a blockbuster trade in March of '04 acquiring the league's top CB in Champ Bailey while trading the league's top young RB in Clinton Portis.

Denver didn't quite live up to those expectations, but they had a fine season nonetheless. Going 10-6 and making the playoffs as a Wild Card to match the previous year's Broncos, they were yet again a well-balanced team, ranking ninth in points scored and seventh in points allowed.

Plummer set or tied franchise records in 2004.

"The Snake" set a single-season record for passing yardage with 4,089 yards, eclipsing the previous mark of 4,030 yards set by Elway in '93 (since broken by Cutler). He also tied the TD mark with 27, a mark he shares with Elway.

Reuben Droughns, a no-name RB who stepped up after the failed Quentin Griffin experiment, gained over 1,200 yards rushing to carry on Denver's rushing attack legacy.

Denver's season yet again ended in a Wild Card playoff thrashing at the hands of the Indianapolis Colts, 49-24.

3. 2000 Denver Broncos

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10 Dec 2000: Running back Mike Anderson #38 of the Denver Broncos pulls for extra yardage against the Seattle Seahawks in the first quarter at Mile High Stadium in Denver, Colorado. DIGITAL IMAGE> Mandatory Credit: Brian Bahr/ALLSPORT

This team isn't remembered very often because they were overshadowed by the NFL powerhouses at the time (Ravens and Rams, most notably), but this was a very good team.

Finishing 11-5 while ranking second (only to the Greatest Show on Turf]) in points scored, fifth in points allowed, a 116-point differential and breakout seasons by Brian Griese (102.9 QB rating, best in 2000), Mike Anderson (1,487 yards, fourth in NFL, OROY) and Rod Smith (1,602 yards, third in NFL), the 2000 Broncos might have very well been the most balanced Broncos team in the post-Elway era.

The season ended in a 21-3 New Years Eve Wild Card beating at the hands of the eventual Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens. This game was notable because it got so bad that Jarious Jackson made an appearance at QB.

2. 2003 Denver Broncos

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DENVER - DECEMBER 7: Running back Clinton Portis #26 of the Denver Broncos scores a touchdown despite a hit by cornerback Eric Warfield #44 of the Kansas City Chiefs in the fourth quarter December 7, 2003 at Invesco Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado

Entering the season, there was a lot of uncertainty for the Broncos, mainly due to the signing of Plummer.

Griese had worn out his welcome as Denver's franchise QB, including gaffes such as the "tripping over the dog incident" in the summer of 2002 after being handed a huge contract in reward for his Pro Bowl season of 2000.

Nobody knew what to expect out of Plummer, who had a very up-and-down six seasons with Arizona, having such great moments like leading Arizona to their first playoff appearance and victory in 50 years in 1998 after a Wild Card upset of the Dallas Cowboys.

He also had such low moments, such as the the infamous '99 season in which threw nine TDs and 24 INTs while amassing a 3-8 record for one of the worst seasons by a QB in history.

So just how would he perform in his first season in the blue and orange?

Better than expected. After a horrid debut in Week 1 at the Bengals, tossing three INTs for a 21.7 QB rating, Plummer led Denver to their first playoff appearance in three years, amassing a 9-2 record as a starter, throwing 15 TDs and only seven INTs while largely leaning on Clinton Portis' Pro Bowl season of 1,591 yards, 5.5 YPC and 14 TDs.

Denver entered their Wild Card date as dark-horse favorites against the Colts, but this was not to be as Denver fell 41-10 in the first of two playoff demolitions at the hands of the Colts.

1. 2005 Denver Broncos

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SAN DIEGO - DECEMBER 31: Quarterback Jake Plummer #16 of the Denver Broncos throws the ball against the San Diego Chargers during the first half of their NFL Game on December 31, 2005 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. (Photo by Donald Miralle

What's not to like about this season?

Denver went 13-3, 8-1 in their last nine games, hosted a playoff game for the first time in seven years and in Invesco Field's history, ended New England's dynasty in the divisional playoffs, won an AFC West title and Jake Plummer was legitimately considered an MVP candidate during the season.

No, you heard that right. Plummer and MVP in the same sentence.

Denver was dominant in 2005. Plummer became the caretaker Shanahan envisioned when he brought Plummer over from the desert as he threw 18 TDs and seven INTs while completing 61 percent of his passes while Denver relied mainly upon their two-headed rushing attack, Mike Anderson (1,014 yards, 12 TDs) and Tatum Bell (921 yards and eight TDs) and third-ranked defense.

Denver was third in point differential with 137 points and second in turnover differential at plus-20, due in large part to Plummer's seven thrown INTs and Bailey's eight INTs.

The season ended at the hands of a 34-17 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers at Invesco in the AFC Title game. You know what happened next.

The playoff drought continues...