1966 Denver Broncos season

The 1966 Denver Broncos season was the seventh season for the team in the American Football League (AFL). For the second straight season the Broncos posted a record of four wins, and ten losses, last again in the AFL's Western Division. Following the second game of the season, head coach Mac Speedie abruptly resigned,[1] and offensive line coach Ray Malavasi was the interim head coach for the remaining twelve games.[2]

1966 Denver Broncos season
OwnerGerald Phipps
Head coachMac Speedie (0–2)
Ray Malavasi (4–8)
General managerJames Burris
Home fieldBears Stadium
Results
Record4–10
Division place4th AFL Western
Playoff finishDid not qualify

Denver's offense set a dubious all-time AFL record in 1966 with the fewest total points scored in a season, with 196, or 14 per game.[3] The Broncos are the last team in major professional football (AFL or NFL) to go an entire game without picking up a first down,[4] which they did in Week One at Houston.[5]

Personnel

Staff
1966 Denver Broncos staff
Front office
  • Chairman of the Board – Gerald Phipps
  • President – Allan R Phipps
  • Executive Vice President/General Manager – James H Burris
  • Director of Player Personnel – Fred Gehrke

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

 Defensive coaches

Regular season
Main article: 1966 American Football League season

Schedule
Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap
1 September 3 at Houston Oilers L 7–45 0–1 Rice Stadium 30,156 Recap
2 Bye
3 September 18 Boston Patriots L 10–24 0–2 Bears Stadium 25,337 Recap
4 September 25 New York Jets L 7–16 0–3 Bears Stadium 29,878 Recap
5 October 2 Houston Oilers W 40–38 1–3 Bears Stadium 27,203 Recap
6 October 8 at Kansas City Chiefs L 10–37 1–4 Municipal Stadium 33,929 Recap
7 October 16 at Miami Dolphins L 7–24 1–5 Miami Orange Bowl 23,393 Recap
8 October 23 Kansas City Chiefs L 10–56 1–6 Bears Stadium 26,196 Recap
9 October 30 at San Diego Chargers L 17–24 1–7 Balboa Stadium 25,819 Recap
10 November 6 at Boston Patriots W 17–10 2–7 Fenway Park 18,154 Recap
11 Bye
12 November 20 Oakland Raiders L 3–17 2–8 Bears Stadium 26,703 Recap
13 November 27 San Diego Chargers W 20–17 3–8 Bears Stadium 24,860 Recap
14 December 4 Miami Dolphins W 17–7 4–8 Bears Stadium 32,592 Recap
15 December 11 at Oakland Raiders L 10–28 4–9 Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum 31,765 Recap
16 December 18 at Buffalo Bills L 21–38 4–10 War Memorial Stadium 40,538 Recap

Notes:

  • Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
  • Saturday night (September 3, October 8)[5][6]
  • With the expansion Miami Dolphins joining the AFL in 1966, there were an odd-number (9)
    of teams for two seasons, resulting in multiple bye weeks for each team.

Standings
AFL Western Division
W L T PCT DIV PF PA STK
Kansas City Chiefs 1121.8465–1448276W3
Oakland Raiders 851.6154–2315288W1
San Diego Chargers 761.5382–4335284L1
Denver Broncos 4100.2861–5196381L2

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

References
  1. "Speedie quits AFL's Denver". Deseret News. (Salt Lake City, Utah). UPI. September 19, 1966. p. 4C.
  2. "Denver: Malavasi gets job". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). wire reports. September 20, 1966. p. 3B.
  3. Pro Football Reference; Pro-Football-Reference.com: In a single season, from 1960 to 1969, in the AFL, in the regular season, sorted by ascending Points For
  4. Pro Football Reference; In a single game, from 1961 to 2018, requiring 1st Downs ≤1, sorted by ascending Date
  5. "Oilers bomb Denver, 45-7". Victoria Advocate. (Texas). Associated Press. September 4, 1966. p. 12A.
  6. "Chiefs crush Broncs". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. October 9, 1966. p. 4B.
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