The Denver Post
Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) changing up on on the line of scrimmage against the Houston Texans during the third quarter on Dec. 22, 2013 at Reliant Stadium. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)
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Bill Cody and the "congress of rugged, rough riders" thrilled and captivated audiences in New England, New Jersey, Indianapolis, Houston, Dallas, Kansas City, San Diego, Oakland and Denver and throughout the world.
A hundred years later, a similar frenzied fascination has followed Peyton Manning's Wild West Aerial show.
Manning and the Rocky Mountain High Flying Broncos conclude their record breaking 2013 regular season summer, fall and winter tour Sunday www.49ersofficialnflauthentic.com/authentic-jimmie-ward-jersey.html afternoon before an SRO crowd in Oakland.
The awesome aerial act will have drawn 581,000 people, and 103 percent stadium capacity, in eight road games. Both figures rank No. 1 in the NFL.
Who's America's Team now, Buffalo Bill?
Adding the eight home games, the Broncos will play in front of more than 1.1 million football fanatics and luxury suite lizards this season.
On offense, like the original astronauts, the Broncos have the right stuff Peyton and his prolific passing performances (seven touchdowns in one game, 5,211 yards and 51 touchdowns overall), the Four Horsemen (Demaryius and Julius Thomas, Eric Decker and Wes Welker, each with at least 10 touchdowns and all combined for 302 receptions), Knowshon Moreno's first 1,000 yard rushing season and 12 touchdowns running and receiving, and the Great Wall of Colorado (which has been penetrated for only 17 sacks).
The Broncos' offense could have nine Pro Bowlers (even with all pro tackle Ryan Clady missing from action), but none wants to participate in the exhibition the Sunday before the Super Bowl.
Stuck with a No Fame Defense, the Broncos must depend on an offense poised to become the most pre eminent in pro football history.
There always will be debate, but lists of the leading include the Rams of 1950 and 1999 2001, the Colts of 2004 and 2005, Authentic Jimmie Ward Jersey the 1984 Dolphins, the 1981 Chargers, the 1982 and 1996 Packers, the Saints of 2011, the 1941 Bears, the Broncos and the Vikings of 1998 and the Patriots of 2007.
The 2013 Broncos likely will out pass, and surpass the stupendous Sunday.
To truly be the greatest, the Broncos must win the Super Bowl. Records will fade; numbers will lie. Until this year, the Air Coryell offense of San Diego was the most proficient I ever saw. But I also was in the press box in Cincinnati Carlos Hyde Youth Jersey for the coldest playoff game, when the Bengals drubbed the Chargers. The 2007 Patriots had won 18 straight . when they lost the Super Bowl.
The 1950 Los Angeles Rams scored 40 plus three times, 51, 65 and 70, but they fell to the Browns in www.49ersofficialnflauthentic.com/authentic-carlos-hyde-jersey.html the NFL title game.
The Rams averaged 38.83 points in 12 regular season games.
Although the Broncos, who have scored 572 points, will set a league record with 18 more, in order to top the Rams, they must score 50 to finish with a 38.87 average. The Broncos did score 51 twice and 52 once this season, so the feat is possible.
Would they go for that record? Well, the opponents are the ogres of Oakland; Manning doesn't like to come out, and the Broncos don't want to be the only team in league history to score 600 and give up 400.
All that is important is that the Broncos win. The glorious team and individual achievements will be meaningless if the Broncos lose the home field advantage for the conference championship game.
Since John Fox took over as coach, the Broncos are undefeated in division games on the road (8 0).
And unnoticed by everybody is a victory Sunday will be Denver's 450th overall (regular season and postseason) since the opening AFL season in 1960. For a franchise with such an atrocious beginning (13 seasons without a record above .500), the Broncos have recovered extraordinarily well since the 1970 merger (the NFL's fourth best record and six Super Bowls).
Buffalo Bill, whose eternal resting place on Lookout Mountain towers over Denver, had his troupe on the road in 1913. He would identify with Peyton Manning's adventures in 2013. Both are legendary Wild West showmen.