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Oakland, Calif. – With cupped and steady palm, the Broncos are holding the padlock to the AFC West Division title.
They have deftly slipped it through the notch, combination dial in front, U-shaped steel stem clicked shut.
All the Broncos have to do is twist it a couple of times, just to be safe, and they’ll be ready to move on to even bigger challenges.
Anybody know who the Indianapolis Colts play next week?
By thumping the Oakland Raiders 31-17 on Sunday at McAfee Coliseum before a sold-out contradiction of face paint and depression, the Broncos not only flattened their arch enemies into patsies, but took a commanding two- game lead in the AFC West with just seven games remaining.
“That’s where you want to be, because if you’re behind in this division, good luck to you,” Broncos defensive end Trevor Pryce said. “You can get behind in the AFC South or anywhere in the NFC, but the AFC West? You get behind and you’re done.”
Pryce later made sure he was properly understood, that he was speaking of how his own Broncos would have been in trouble had they fallen behind. He was not saying the Kansas Chiefs and San Diego Chargers are done because their 5-4 records leave them well behind the 7-2 Broncos.
But with the lowly New York Jets up next on Denver’s schedule, and two more losing teams, Baltimore and the Raiders, left to play at Invesco Field at Mile High, no one can blame the Broncos if they spend an extra hour a week watching film of the Colts.
By the way, the 9-0 Colts have Cincinnati and Pittsburgh up next on their schedule.
“We’re too smart to start thinking like that,” Broncos safety John Lynch said. “We like where we’re at, but we understand we’re nowhere near where we want to be. … I liked the way we responded (after the bye week).”
The Broncos needed a quarter Sunday to find their rhythm. But from the first play of the second quarter, when quarterback Jake Plummer continued his remarkable run of efficiency by hitting Rod Smith for the receiver’s team-record 66th career touchdown, until their final possession of the third quarter, when Jason Elam kicked his third field goal, Denver could not have played much better.
Plummer was virtually perfect in the second quarter, leading the offense to scores on every drive. The lead was 23-0 heading into the fourth quarter.
“I don’t think I’m on top of my game,” Plummer said. “I’ve had better years and played better. I’m just taking what they give me and getting a couple lucky breaks and having all these guys around me play at a high level. I’m not going to analyze my game. We’ve got a lot of games left, and I’m going to just keep playing.”
The only problem the Broncos had Sunday was the same problem they seem to have every week – offering their opponent hope when they should be ending their misery. The Raiders scored 10 quick points in the fourth quarter and were inside the Broncos’ 20 with half the quarter remaining when rookie cornerback Darrent Williams recognized the formation.
Two Oakland receivers were bunched together, split wide to the left.
“It was a play they ran last week against Kansas City like four times in the red zone,” Williams said. “I knew that was really the only play they ran out of that formation. I was like, ‘Please, throw it, please!”‘
The formation is designed to lure the secondary to play the inside. The routes then split, and Raiders quarterback Kerry Collins tries to hit the receiver running outside. Give Williams an A-plus for the week on game- film study. He stepped in front of veteran receiver Jerry Porter and returned the interception 80 yards for his first NFL touchdown.
“I’m really disappointed in the way that I played,” said Collins, home-crowd boos pounding his brain.
As for the Broncos, at last, a connection between their current team and their final Super Bowl season of 1998. With a 7-2 record, these Broncos are off to their best nine-game start since the 1998 team that was 9-0, on its way to 13-0 and its second consecutive Super Bowl title.
Is it fair to start comparing?
“Not yet,” Pryce said. “I wouldn’t say we’re special, yet. You start saying that stuff, you start believing it. That’s where you get killed. Special is the end of the season, whoever won the Super Bowl.”
Pryce is one of the few players remaining from that 1998 team. Elam is another.
“I don’t think you can start making those comparisons until January,” Elam said.
Nearly 45 minutes after the game, most of the Broncos had hurriedly showered, dressed and left the cramped, steamy, visiting locker room when team owner Pat Bowlen strode through. With the AFC West in good shape, isn’t it fair to begin wondering if the 2005 Broncos can duplicate what the 1998 Broncos did?
“And you’re going to compare Jake to John Elway, right?” Bowlen said.
Hey, even Elway must genuflect to Plummer’s streak of seven games and 193 passes without a turnover. Elway held the previous record without an interception of 190 passes.
“Jake is playing extremely well,” Bowlen said. “But I don’t think it would be fair to compare. Now, if they won out or something …”
If it isn’t time already, it’s at least getting close for the Broncos to start thinking big – bigger than the AFC West title.
Like, playing in a certain carpeted, Midwestern dome.
Extra points
TURNING POINT – Daring Darrent
Oakland was making noise after recovering a second Broncos fumble in the fourth quarter, and was driving toward making it a one-touchdown game. That’s when Denver rookie Darrent Williams stepped in front of a pass by Kerry Collins and returned it 80 yards to give the Broncos a three-touchdown lead with 7:02 remaining. “The rookie closed it out,” Denver cornerback Champ Bailey said.
HIT OF THE DAY – Quick lineman
In the second quarter, Denver defensive tackle Michael Myers crunched Collins into the turf. The speed Myers used to smoke Collins was awesome. Collins had no chance.
“Our defensive line took ownership,” Denver defensive coordinator Larry Coyer said.
CRAZY PLAY OF THE DAY – Tumble, fumble
In the fourth quarter, usually reliable receiver Rod Smith slipped on a Denver pass play that probably would have gone for a first down, hit the turf hard and fumbled. Oakland recovered, setting up a field goal to cut Denver’s lead to 23-10. The fumble was Denver’s first offensive turnover in 28 quarters, dating to the third quarter against San Diego on Sept. 18.
BESTS – Let’s play two
Weather: It was 70-plus degrees and sunny all game, a great mid- November day.
Arrival: Oakland defensive lineman Warren Sapp drove through the packed parking lot in a vintage black convertible, waving to adoring fans.
Return: Denver rookie Darrent Williams went 52 yards on a punt return down the sideline to the Broncos’ 30 near the end of the first quarter. It set up the game’s first touchdown.
Catch: Denver receiver Ashley Lelie made a great leaping catch for a 37-yard gain to set up a field goal by Jason Elam that made it 10-0 in the second quarter.
Start: Tailback Mike Anderson got the Broncos off to a good start with a 23-yard run on the opening play from scrimmage.
WORSTS – Empty feeling
Sold out?: This was called a sellout, but plenty of empty seats remained, and many fans in attendance started booing the Raiders early in the second quarter.
Drop: The Raiders could have taken an early lead when Jerry Porter got behind Champ Bailey, but the receiver dropped what could have been an easy touchdown.
Non-call: Denver punter Todd Sauerbrun was creamed in the first quarter after a punt, but officials did not call a penalty. Denver coach Mike Shanahan argued the decision on the sideline.
Report card
Offense: B
The efficient Broncos may stall here and there but will get their points. Denver started out running the ball with some success, then pulled away as Jake Plummer passed well. Ashley Lelie had perhaps his best game of the season. If not for two fourth-quarter turnovers – Denver’s first on offense since Sept. 18 – this would have been an “A” effort.
Defense: B
Rookie cornerback Darrent Williams iced the game with a key interception. He took a Kerry Collins pass 80 yards for a touchdown to give Denver a 31-10 lead with 7:02 to play. The Broncos made three interceptions and shut out the Raiders’ offense until the fourth quarter.
Special teams: A
Williams busted a 52-yard punt return late in the first quarter to set up Denver’s first touchdown. It was the first big play of the game and set the tone.
Coaching: A
Denver built a 23-0 lead and worked the game plan well on both sides. Offensively, the run set up the pass. Defensively, the front four set the tone to force Kerry Collins into mistakes.
Overall: A
Say what you will about letting a 23-point lead dwindle to 13, but this game was never really in jeopardy. The Raiders aren’t a great team, but any win in Oakland is a good one. The Broncos made a nice statement coming out of the bye into the second half of the season. A two-game lead and a 3-0 record in the AFC West with seven games to go is a nice place to be.
Staff writer Mike Klis can be reached at 303-820-5440 or mklis@denverpost.com.
