When the Broncos arrived in Miami to prepare to play the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl XXXIII, they would find that they were in for a much different experience than in any of their previous five journeys.
They were defending NFL champions for the first time because of a 31-24 victory over Green Bay the year before. And, for the first time, they were favored to win a Super Bowl.
Center Tom Nalen remembers the cutting-edge focus wasn't quite there as it had been the year before when the Broncos beat the heavily favored Packers. Denver came through the playoffs that year as a wild-card entry.