Better start eating right, Broncoland. Get plenty of exercise. And remember, despite the dramatic habits of the local football team, it’s best to drink in moderation.
The Broncos are winning in ways that are otherwise dangerous to the health of their followers.
Last week, victory came on a 22-man fire-drill that produced a field goal as time expired. This week, the Broncos defeated the Raiders, 23-20, thanks to a timeout that turned a game-losing field goal into a failed do-over.
Breathe, people, breathe. The Broncos are 2-0 on two, heart-stopping, final-play victories. The teams they beat were the 0-2 Buffalo Bills and 0-2 Raiders.
If anybody sees Oakland owner Al Davis, tell him this: Just win, baby.
The latest Bronco win came after Sebastian Janikowski appeared to pelt a 52-yard field goal in overtime to complete the Raiders’ stunning comeback from a 17-3 deficit. However, moments before the kick, Broncos coach Mike Shanahan called for, and received, a timeout. Janikowski’s next kick from 52 yards hit the top of the left upright and bounced away.
Using excellent field position from the missed kick, the Broncos used a mix of Jay Cutler passes and Travis Henry runs to drive deep into Oakland territory. Jason Elam kicked a 23-yard field goal for his second game-winning kick in as many weeks.
At various points in the game, it appeared the Broncos were in complete command, on the verge of building a huge lead. Instead, something would happen to halt the Broncos’ momentum, whether a strike from Mother Nature or a major mistake, and the Raiders put a little fright into the overcast atmosphere.
Early in the second quarter, the Broncos were up 7-0 on a touchdown pass from Jay Cutler to Brandon Stokley and rookie defensive tackle Marcus Thomas showed his remarkable athleticism by leaping to catch a rebound off safety John Lynch’s pads for an interception.
This gave the Broncos’ offense great field position, but before Cutler could break the huddle, lightning strikes near the stadium sent both teams hovering for cover in their locker rooms.
Two plays after the 25-minute delay, Cutler was intercepted by Raiders middle linebacker Kirk Morrison. The Raiders would convert their good starting field position into a field goal.
Midway through the third quarter, the Broncos were again seemingly dominating the game, up 17-3 and on the Raiders’ 24-yard line. At that point, the Broncos had outgained the Raiders in total yards, 264 to 85.
But Broncos receiver Brandon Marshall was flagged for pushing off a cornerback, wiping out his 24-yard touchdown reception. Besides losing the touchdown, the penalty knocked the Broncos back 10 yards and Jason Elam missed a 45-yard field goal to the right.
Instead of 24-3, or 20-3, the scoreboard was stuck at 17-3 and the missed field goal gave the Raiders another series with good field position.
A few plays later, Raiders quarterback Josh McCown, a surprise starter given reports of his injuries, combined with receiver Jerry Porter to burn Broncos cornerback Dre’ Bly. A stop-and-go route left Bly stopped too far upfield while McCown lofted a pass to a wide-open Porter for a 46-yard touchdown.
It was 17-10 and the comeback was on. Gerard Warren, the Broncos’ top defensive lineman the previous two years, but traded to Oakland during the preseason, made the next huge play by the Raiders defense by sacking Cutler at the goal line.
The safety made it 17-12, but the Raiders’ defense wasn’t through scoring yet. Early in the fourth quarter, the Broncos started a series at their own 6, but Cutler got them out of the hole with first-down completions to Javon Walker and Marshall.
The Broncos had the ball up to their 45 when Cutler attempted a pass in the left flat to running back Travis Henry. However, the ball was tipped at the line and floated beyond Henry’s reach and into the hands of Raiders linebacker Thomas Howard.
After an easy, 44-yard jaunt through the wide open Invesco Field for a touchdown, Howard had given the Raiders their first lead. A successful two-point conversion pass from McCown to Rod Curry put the Raiders up 20-17.
The early report on Cutler is this is when he works best. As he did in his fifth and final game of 2006, and first game of 2006, Cutler led his team on a game-saving, final-minute drive.
The key plays in leading the Broncos from their own 20 to the Raiders’ 2, was a third-and-11 completion from Cutler to Brandon Stokley for 23 yards with 7:30 remaining, and an 11-yard pass to Javon Walker.
With fourth down at the 2, Elam tied the game with a short field goal.
Staff writer Mike Klis can be reached at 303-954-1055 or mklis@denverpost.com.
