If there is one worry the successful team has heading into a week off, it’s of the loss of momentum that occasionally accompanies the disruption of a successful rhythm. The Broncos had found just that in the last two weeks, turning a frustrating 0-1 start into a 2-1 record with a pair of wins over teams that were a combined 20-12 a season ago. Each game saw improvement; the Broncos went from losing by eight at St. Louis to winning by three over the Kansas City Chiefs and then by 10 at New England, which came into Sunday having won 27 of its previous 30 home games.

But the Broncos have sustained or regained momentum far more often than not coming out of the bye. The team’s post-bye week record of 13-4 is the best in the AFC, and tied for the best in the league with the Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings. The closest AFC teams to the Broncos are the Chiefs and Buffalo Bills, both of whom are 11-6 after byes.

Over the bye weekend, we’ll look back at the Broncos’ bye-week history. Today, we’ll start with the years before Mike Shanahan became the team’s head coach: 1990-94.

1990:

• Bye Week: 8
• Record Going In: 3-4
• Immediately After Bye: L, 27-22 to Minnesota.
• Notes: Broncos had won just before the bye after dropping three straight (including two one-point defeats) but lost momentum after the bye, dropping six straight.