All this excellence can get repetitive after a while, even for those in the Broncos’ video board operating room.
It was the fourth quarter and the Broncos had their usual two touchdown lead when the stadium staff started livening up the soldout joint by showing San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers, who respectfully is the most detested athlete in Denver, on the Jumbo screen.
A flash of Rivers and the crowd would jeer. Then the big screen showed Peyton Manning and the crowd would cheer.
This went on for a while until a Bronco from on high relayed the video controllers to knock it off.
All in all, it was a game of cheer as Manning threw three more touchdown passes to lead the Broncos to a decisive, 35-21 victory against Rivers and the San Diego Chargers on a warm, late-October Thursday night at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.
Rivers saw the hijinks, and himself, on the video board and laughed along at his portrayal as public enemy No. 1.
“I really don’t know how to respond to that other than if you had told me when I was 10 years old they would show me in front of 75,000 and get booed,” Rivers said, “and Peyton Manning in the same clip and get cheered, I’d say that’s pretty awesome.”
Manning saw the same thing and was disappointed and embarrassed.
“I’ve got to have a talk with our scoreboard operator,” Manning said. “He’s playing music and showing players dancing and getting the crowd fired up when we have the ball. I don’t think he should be doing that.
“And I don’t think he should be showing their quarterback on the sideline. I thought that was kind of disrespectful. Our fans are great, our fans are loud, but our scoreboard operator, it wasn’t his best night.”
Laughs aside, this is getting serious. In the span of five nights, the Broncos showed two primetime audiences, not to mention two playoff-caliber opponents, this may be their best team yet.
It is only late October, not late January, so the Broncos’ impressive win Thursday night — they were up 28-7 midway through the third quarter before coasting in — should be absorbed with caution.
WATCH: Peyton Manning fumes over scoreboard operator at Mile High
Then again, why? The 49th Super Bowl — or XLIX as it looks on the logo — will be played Feb. 1 at temperature controlled University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
“They’re better than us right now,” said Chargers safety Eric Weddle.
Both explosive and methodical on offense, suffocating and ballhawking on defense, the Broncos have allayed fears of a Super Bowl hangover and renewed hope that a second consecutive appearance in the Big Game would bring a far more favorable result.
The Broncos have quarterback Manning again operating the offense at remarkable efficiency and Von Miller returning as a healthy, pass-rushing force on defense.
The offense, for the first time in a while, has a speed receiver in Emmanuel Sanders, and a running back with a second gear in Ronnie Hillman.
“I think they’re as good with game-changing players as they’ve ever had,” Rivers said. “From their quarterback to receivers to their pass rusher to their corners, I think it’s a unique group.”
Sanders caught three touchdown passes against the Chargers. Overall, the elusive Sanders had seven catches for 97 yards through the third quarter. The physical, fast and large Demaryius Thomas also had seven catches for 97 yards though the third quarter.
WATCH:Chargers shaking heads after latest loss to Broncos
Sanders finished with nine catches for 120 yards; Thomas eight for 105. Double trouble. Dynamic duo. Something,
Hillman rushed for his second consecutive 100-yard game and added another 29 yards receiving off three catches. His more powerful tailback partner, rookie Juwan Thompson, had two touchdown rushes.
It’s not just Seattle that the Broncos needed to show they are a much improved team from the one that went 15-3 last season before getting destroyed in the Super Bowl. The NFC West is supposed to be a rough, tough, physical division, yet the Broncos have whipped the Arizona Cardinals, 41-20, and the San Francisco 49ers, 42-17.
The onslaught against the 49ers was on Sunday night. If the Chargers had thoughts of closing the gap on the Broncos this year, they discovered instead Thursday night the distanced between the AFC West rivals has widened.
The Broncos are 6-1 as they embark on a three-game road trip, starting next Sunday at New England. Their only loss was in overtime at Seattle, where the Seahawks had been close to unbeatable.
The Chargers are 5-3 and seemingly resigned to trying for another playoff berth by way of the wild card.
It is the final week of October yet it was 68 degrees at kickoff. Super Bowl in Arizona weather.
