Broncos land on SI cover, doomed for epic collapse

The 2009 Denver Broncos land on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

The last time the Denver Broncos were undefeated through four weeks of the season – 2003 – Sports Illustrated decided to honor their success by placing then-quarterback Jake Plummer on the October 6th edition’s cover.

Those Broncos lost the next week in Kansas City and finished 6-6 down the stretch for a 10-6 record, Wild Card berth and hasty exit out of the playoffs.

So what does SI do when these 2009 Broncos start 4-0? They throw them on the cover again, this time featuring a leaping Daniel Graham and the headline “Getting Real.”

Thanks, SI. Thanks. With the Cover Jinx in full effect, the Broncos will surely crumble to an epic 2-10 collapse that rivals the win-one-game-with-three-to-go debacle they surrendered last year. Hey, can you manage to put Elvis Dumervil and Ryan Clady on the 2011 Madden cover simultaneously while you’re at it?!

Are we serious? No. It’s quite an honor, and we’re proud of our Broncos. Tongue firmly placed in cheek… we think.

• Jinx or honor: Broncos land on Sports Illustrated cover [Colorado Springs Gazette]
• Digging into the SI vault [All Things Broncos] (Some reverse cover-jinxing here)