Posted by ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson
Denver fans came out with their thoughts on where Brandon Stokley’s miracle catch Sunday at Cincinnati ranks in the team’s lore in response to our sound-off question this week.
Stokley stunned the Bengals with an 87-yard touchdown play with 11 seconds to play after catching a tipped ball. Denver won 12-7.
Many Denver fans said the play was right up there with the best plays of all-time in team history.
I think it was one of the most thrilling plays in regular-season history. To start a new season and a new coaching era this way will forever be remembered in Denver.
The following are some of your responses. Thanks to everyone who participated:
Olaus Linn from Fort Collins, Co.: Hey Bill- I have to say I shouted myself hoarse on Sunday when that happened, and there is no doubt that it was one of the most amazing football plays I've ever witnessed, from any team. However, it gets slightly depreciated from a historical standpoint in that it came in the FIRST game of the season and against a somewhat-mediocre opponent. Certainly, the Drive, Elway going airborne against Green Bay, and the Champ Baily interception of Tom Brady that all but sent us to our last AFC Title Game are more important pieces of Broncos lore- but then again, this play may turn out to be too. It did give Josh McDaniels his first career head-coaching win and if Denver surprises this year, or does decently and McDaniels goes on to make sweet magic in Bronco Land for a long time to come- this play could be remembered for more than just being miraculous. It could be what turns it all around.
Scott from Charlotte, NC: Only being 26, I haven't watched all the great plays for the franchise. But after The Drive (forever #1), The Elway Helicopter, and The Fumble---all were in the playoffs---that has to be it. So much fun and exciting! GO Broncos!
Peter from Evanston, IL: The Stokley play rating is completely dependent upon the rest of Denver's season. If somehow Denver makes the playoffs after nearly everyone wrote them off in the preseason, it goes just below 1)Elway's helicopter dive2) TD playing while blinded by a migraine3) The Elway Smith bomb in SB 33If Denver doesn't make the playoffs then it just becomes a random anomaly such as Elam's 63 yarder. Part of Broncos lore but of no real significance.
Rick from Springfield: It may be one of the most memorable but not the biggest. Denver has played in enough big post season games that in the big picture this should rate pretty low.
Averell Luedecker from Darien, Connecticut: I realize that the Stokley play was incredibly lucky for the Broncos. But it was the ineptitude of the Bengals that allowed the play to occur. As the ball was tipped, clearly Dhani Jones lost the ball in the air and slowed up when he could have easily kept guarding Stokley. Broncos only luck was the that the they were playing the Bungals.
Eric from Pine, Colorado: Two plays rank higher:John Elway's death leap during the Super Bowl. John Elway's touchdown laser (the Drive) in the Dog Pound.
Drew from Ames, IA: One fluke play against the Bengals in week 1 was important to this season, but hardly of historical significance. It doesn't compare, for example, to "the Drive" or to great, intentional plays from other franchises like "the Music City Miracle." It didn't even come at the end of a great game. Exciting - Yes. All-time great - probably not.
Mike from Virginia Beach, VA: BW, it is hard to rank that play against all the great plays the Broncos have done in past years, but it has to be somewhere at the top. Not only did it give us the win and start the season 1-0, but it also starts off the new era Denver Broncos under Josh McDaniels. All the things that Denver went through this off season, and not a single so called expert wants to give Denver a chance, What a great way to start off the season. With the (going to be) play of the year! But we all know the better team won that game. I mean come on, we held them scoreless until the last 40 seconds! GO BRONCOS!!!
Pat from Dallas, TX: Bill,I think that the Brandon Stokley's catch is potentially one of the worst things that could have happened to the franchise in its history. Masked by the euphoria of the win (which frankly reminds me of the euphoria of two or three years ago when Jason Elam kicked the miracle FG at the last second in Buffalo) is the fact that the offense, and especially Kyle Orton, was absolute dreadful. I believe that without that 87 yard pass, Orton would have had about 140 yards passing, with no reception above about 10 yards. And the running game really was anemic and non-existent with the exception of the first (non-scoring, of course) drive. This is not the offense anyone could have expected from McDaniels. Why was he hired again? This catch does not make me optimistic about this season. It just makes me jealous of the fans who think this could lead to something good for the Broncos. (All that being said, I was impressed by the defensive performance.
Ken Hodges from Denver: Most fans I am talking to in the mile high city, agree that Stokleys catch as ubeleivable as it was ,was incredibly lucky. I didn't see the play live, maybee that is why it doesn't get into my list of top broncos plays. (I thought the game was over and we lost)Or it could be because it happened so early in the season. Either way an accidental or lucky play to begin the 50th season gets # 50. out of 50.
William Surridge from Taylor, PA: To me, one of the most incredible endings to a game ever was Nov. 17, 1985. Broncos vs Chargers. In overtime, SD attempted a game winning field goal, and it was blocked by Rulon Jones. Louie Wright picked it up and went 60 yards for a touchdown. Officials ruled that Denver had called time out before the ball was snapped, and SD got to attempt it again. This time Dennis Smith blocked it and Louie Wright AGAIN picked it up and went 60 yards for the game winning touchdown. I've always felt this game has been short-changed whenever there are discussions of bizarre endings to NFL games.
Brendan from Connecticut: Stokely's TD was an incredible play, and it was extremely exciting to watch it happen - as I thought they had blown the game for sure. However, I'd still rank it pretty far down n terms of all-time plays, simply because it's the first game of the season against the Bengals. Denver has far more important plays in major games that have defined the history of this franchise for this play (as exciting as it was) to rank anywhere near the top.
Denver fans came out with their thoughts on where Brandon Stokley’s miracle catch Sunday at Cincinnati ranks in the team’s lore in response to our sound-off question this week.
Stokley stunned the Bengals with an 87-yard touchdown play with 11 seconds to play after catching a tipped ball. Denver won 12-7.
Many Denver fans said the play was right up there with the best plays of all-time in team history.
I think it was one of the most thrilling plays in regular-season history. To start a new season and a new coaching era this way will forever be remembered in Denver.
The following are some of your responses. Thanks to everyone who participated:
Olaus Linn from Fort Collins, Co.: Hey Bill- I have to say I shouted myself hoarse on Sunday when that happened, and there is no doubt that it was one of the most amazing football plays I've ever witnessed, from any team. However, it gets slightly depreciated from a historical standpoint in that it came in the FIRST game of the season and against a somewhat-mediocre opponent. Certainly, the Drive, Elway going airborne against Green Bay, and the Champ Baily interception of Tom Brady that all but sent us to our last AFC Title Game are more important pieces of Broncos lore- but then again, this play may turn out to be too. It did give Josh McDaniels his first career head-coaching win and if Denver surprises this year, or does decently and McDaniels goes on to make sweet magic in Bronco Land for a long time to come- this play could be remembered for more than just being miraculous. It could be what turns it all around.
Scott from Charlotte, NC: Only being 26, I haven't watched all the great plays for the franchise. But after The Drive (forever #1), The Elway Helicopter, and The Fumble---all were in the playoffs---that has to be it. So much fun and exciting! GO Broncos!
Peter from Evanston, IL: The Stokley play rating is completely dependent upon the rest of Denver's season. If somehow Denver makes the playoffs after nearly everyone wrote them off in the preseason, it goes just below 1)Elway's helicopter dive2) TD playing while blinded by a migraine3) The Elway Smith bomb in SB 33If Denver doesn't make the playoffs then it just becomes a random anomaly such as Elam's 63 yarder. Part of Broncos lore but of no real significance.
Rick from Springfield: It may be one of the most memorable but not the biggest. Denver has played in enough big post season games that in the big picture this should rate pretty low.
Averell Luedecker from Darien, Connecticut: I realize that the Stokley play was incredibly lucky for the Broncos. But it was the ineptitude of the Bengals that allowed the play to occur. As the ball was tipped, clearly Dhani Jones lost the ball in the air and slowed up when he could have easily kept guarding Stokley. Broncos only luck was the that the they were playing the Bungals.
Eric from Pine, Colorado: Two plays rank higher:John Elway's death leap during the Super Bowl. John Elway's touchdown laser (the Drive) in the Dog Pound.
Drew from Ames, IA: One fluke play against the Bengals in week 1 was important to this season, but hardly of historical significance. It doesn't compare, for example, to "the Drive" or to great, intentional plays from other franchises like "the Music City Miracle." It didn't even come at the end of a great game. Exciting - Yes. All-time great - probably not.
Mike from Virginia Beach, VA: BW, it is hard to rank that play against all the great plays the Broncos have done in past years, but it has to be somewhere at the top. Not only did it give us the win and start the season 1-0, but it also starts off the new era Denver Broncos under Josh McDaniels. All the things that Denver went through this off season, and not a single so called expert wants to give Denver a chance, What a great way to start off the season. With the (going to be) play of the year! But we all know the better team won that game. I mean come on, we held them scoreless until the last 40 seconds! GO BRONCOS!!!
Pat from Dallas, TX: Bill,I think that the Brandon Stokley's catch is potentially one of the worst things that could have happened to the franchise in its history. Masked by the euphoria of the win (which frankly reminds me of the euphoria of two or three years ago when Jason Elam kicked the miracle FG at the last second in Buffalo) is the fact that the offense, and especially Kyle Orton, was absolute dreadful. I believe that without that 87 yard pass, Orton would have had about 140 yards passing, with no reception above about 10 yards. And the running game really was anemic and non-existent with the exception of the first (non-scoring, of course) drive. This is not the offense anyone could have expected from McDaniels. Why was he hired again? This catch does not make me optimistic about this season. It just makes me jealous of the fans who think this could lead to something good for the Broncos. (All that being said, I was impressed by the defensive performance.
Ken Hodges from Denver: Most fans I am talking to in the mile high city, agree that Stokleys catch as ubeleivable as it was ,was incredibly lucky. I didn't see the play live, maybee that is why it doesn't get into my list of top broncos plays. (I thought the game was over and we lost)Or it could be because it happened so early in the season. Either way an accidental or lucky play to begin the 50th season gets # 50. out of 50.
William Surridge from Taylor, PA: To me, one of the most incredible endings to a game ever was Nov. 17, 1985. Broncos vs Chargers. In overtime, SD attempted a game winning field goal, and it was blocked by Rulon Jones. Louie Wright picked it up and went 60 yards for a touchdown. Officials ruled that Denver had called time out before the ball was snapped, and SD got to attempt it again. This time Dennis Smith blocked it and Louie Wright AGAIN picked it up and went 60 yards for the game winning touchdown. I've always felt this game has been short-changed whenever there are discussions of bizarre endings to NFL games.
Brendan from Connecticut: Stokely's TD was an incredible play, and it was extremely exciting to watch it happen - as I thought they had blown the game for sure. However, I'd still rank it pretty far down n terms of all-time plays, simply because it's the first game of the season against the Bengals. Denver has far more important plays in major games that have defined the history of this franchise for this play (as exciting as it was) to rank anywhere near the top.
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ABOUT THIS BLOG
Bill Williamson
Williamson joined ESPN.com in 2008 after four seasons covering the Denver Broncos for the Denver Post. He previously covered the Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks.
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