The Denver Broncos clinched the number one seed in the AFC with their 11th consecutive win, and all 11 wins have been by at least seven points.

The 2012 Broncos thus joined the 2005 Indianapolis Colts (13 straight) and the 1942 Chicago Bears (also 11) as the only teams to win at least 11 games in a row by a margin of seven points or more in a single season.

It has been and remains a remarkable, special season for the Broncos and our legions of fans.

I would say magical, but that was last year. When a team is playing like the Broncos, there is no magic involved, just focus, preparation, talent and real hard work.

And, of course, Peyton Manning.

But he is not the whole story here.

This being Christmas week, a very Merry Christmas to all fans of the Denver Broncos.

And what a Merry Christmas it is!!!

This week’s Monday Morning Manning stats show that Sunday against Cleveland Peyton Manning became the first quarterback in National Football League history to post nine 12-win seasons—and he is the only quarterback with more than six, the figure that Tom Brady and Brett Favre each have.

And Manning joins “The Mad Bomber,” Daryle Lamonica, in posting a 10-win season the year after joining a new team—Lamonica, by the way, was a 25th round draft choice before achieving his great success with the Oakland Raiders. Manning was the first player selected in the draft and if it is possible to say, he has had an even better career than was anticipated. The only four-time most valuable player in NFL history, he certainly is a viable candidate for that award again this year.

This is a tremendous run on which the Denver Broncos have embarked, at once worthy of praise and perspective.

The perspective is important. This is no time to tell ourselves how special we are, because, as I have pointed out many times, when you allow circumstances to sweep you off your feet, where your wind is flat on your back, and in danger of getting trampled.

As Kenny Rogers sings in the country-western song, there’s time enough to count the winnings where the dealin’s done, and the dealin’ is not yet done in the National Football League.

So, caution and perspective.

Now to the praise.