November 11, 2011 - Broncos at Raiders, Week 9

Eight months earlier, Bailey signed a contract extension with the Broncos, tying his hopes of achieving his team-related goals to a club that had gone four years without a winning record and five years without a playoff appearances. When the Broncos flew to the San Francisco Bay Area at midseason of the 2011 campaign, success still seemed far away. They carried a 2-5 record into the game against the division-leading Raiders and had lost 45-10 at home to Detroit a week earlier.

Bailey started his big day by forcing a Jacoby Ford fumble on Oakland's second possession. The Raiders recovered and scored five plays on a Sebastian Janikowski field goal, but his presence was announced.

One quarter later, Palmer fired for Denarius Moore deep down the right sideline, but Bailey responded with his first interception of the season, snaring the pass at Denver's 15-yard line and preventing Oakland from extending its 10-7 lead. Bailey's work kept the Broncos in the game until their running game could take control with a dominant second half that featured nine runs of at least 12 yards.

Finally, with 1:04 remaining in the game, Bailey delivered the final haymaker, picking off Palmer again at Denver's 9-yard line, sealing the 38-24 win.

Much of what happened over the next six weeks was credited to Tim Tebow and his unorthodox equation for success. But Bailey and an emerging defense featuring then-rookie Von Miller played a more significant role, as they held opponents to 13 or fewer points four times, allowing the Broncos to win despite failing to surpass 17 points in each of those four games.

January 19, 2014 - Broncos vs. Patriots, AFC Championship

In what turned out to be his last home game as a Bronco, Bailey delivered his most courageous effort.

With every step, his foot throbbed from the pain of a Lisfranc injury that had affected him since the preseason. But with Chris Harris Jr. watching on crutches after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament seven days earlier, Bailey would not miss this game. Not when his team needed him more now than ever. Not when the Super Bowl, the one game that had eluded him, sat just 60 minutes away.

He made sure the Broncos got there with a determined performance that saw him allow just one catch for four yards. He helped stymie New England's offense, providing Peyton Manning and the offense enough time to build a three-score lead in the third quarter en route to a 26-16 win that sent the Broncos to their first Super Bowl in 15 years and Bailey to his first Super Bowl, period.

Super Bowl XLVIII was a day he and everyone associated with the Broncos would rather forget, but the sweetness of the game that got them there will linger for as long as people recall Bailey's accomplishments.