DENVER — John Elway the executive is about to find out if he’s as good at bouncing back as John Elway the quarterback was.

Elway compares the heartbreak of Denver’s loss to Baltimore in the playoffs last January to Jacksonville’s upset of the well-rested Broncos 17 years earlier when they also were 13-3 and the AFC’s prohibitive Super Bowl favorite.

The Broncos bounced back to win the next two Super Bowls.

“And believe me, that’s what I’m praying that we’re going to do these next two, three, four years is to use last year and be able to get over the hump and get to the Super Bowl and be able to win it,” said Elway, now the Broncos executive vice president.

The Broncos kick off the new season against the Super Bowl champion Ravens on Thursday night at Sports Authority Field, site of Joe Flacco’s 70-yard touchdown toss to Jacoby Jones that tied the game at 35 with a-half minute left.

Peyton Manning said Elway created an “uncomfortable atmosphere” at team headquarters to keep everyone motivated this offseason.

“We still kind of have a scar from losing that playoff game and I think players need to kind of be reminded of that daily,” Manning said.