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5 Lessons the San Francisco 49ers Can Learn from the Super Bowl Champion Denver Broncos

By Peter Panacy

Oct 19, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; San Francisco 49ers center Daniel Kilgore (67) prepares to hike the ball in the first quarter against the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 19, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; San Francisco 49ers center Daniel Kilgore (67) prepares to hike the ball in the first quarter against the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports /
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January 3, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers kicker Phil Dawson (9) kicks the game-winning field goal during overtime against the St. Louis Rams at Levi’s Stadium. The 49ers defeated the Rams 19-16. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
January 3, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers kicker Phil Dawson (9) kicks the game-winning field goal during overtime against the St. Louis Rams at Levi’s Stadium. The 49ers defeated the Rams 19-16. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

The Importance of Home-Field Advantage

Two of the four Broncos losses in the 2015 regular season came at home at Sports Authority Field in Denver.

And, of course, the Broncos won their two playoff games at home in the same manner.

Denver’s 12-4 regular-season record split right down the middle in terms of wins and losses at home and on the road. There doesn’t seem to be much of a difference there. But being dominant at home is something inherently necessary for a championship run.

Take this statistic for an example: Denver ran 725 offensive plays at Sports Authority compared to just 524 on the road. And the Broncos running game was the primary beneficiary. Denver gained 1,276 home yards on the ground and 12 rushing touchdowns compared to a stat line of 740 yards and two TDs on the road, respectively.

In comparison, the 49ers never really established any sort of home prowess. Well, they never had much of a prowess anywhere. True, four of the five San Francisco wins on the season were at Levi’s Stadium. But the Niners actually scored fewer touchdowns at home (10) than away from home (13).

Levi’s Stadium has yet to live up to its mark of being a tremendous place for home-field advantage.

But it worked for Denver last season. It will need to be for the 49ers if they want to return to playoff-caliber form.

Next: Running the Ball Needs to Be Good, not Great