Perhaps the 2014 Broncos will rebound from
Perhaps the offensive line will get its act together, the running game will emerge from hibernation and the coaches will starting winning the chess game again.
Perhaps they’ll show us that they can win a gritty, bloody-nose football game in which Peyton Manning doesn’t have to throw for 425 yards and four touchdowns.
Perhaps.
But based on in last February’s Super Bowl and their tepid performance against the St. Louis Rams on Sunday, a third Super Bowl title is not coming to Denver any time soon.
My gloomy conclusion got me thinking. What did the champions of Super Bowls XXXII and XXXIII possess that this team lacks?
We can begin with the obvious cast of characters.
Start with running back Terrell Davis, who should be in the Hall of Fame. Add a fine-tuned offensive line that featured Hall of Famer Gary Zimmerman (for the 1997 team), Tom Nalen and Mark Schlereth, et el. Nalen, by the way, is a Hall of Fame center in my book.
Big-play tight end Shannon Sharpe is already enshrined in Canton.
The defense — good, not great — featured a should-be Hall of Fame safety in Steve Atwater, and a cast of characters that came up big in big moments. Consider defensive back Tyrone Braxton. He was never a star, but he came up with a huge interception against the Packers’ Brett Favre in Super Bowl XXXII.
That’s the thing that made the 1997-98 Broncos special — role players making big plays in big moments. It wasn’t all about John Elway or Rod Smith or T.D.
When the Broncos beat the Steelers 24-21 in Pittsburgh to win the the 1997 AFC championship game, linebacker Allen Aldridge (remember him?) picked off Steelers quarterback Kordell Stewart in the end zone. It was an enormous play.
In the Broncos’ 31-24 victory over the heavily favored Packers in Super Bowl XXXII, one play, perhaps long forgotten by some, still resonates with me. On the Broncos’ game-winning drive late in the fourth quarter, Elway threw a pass to fullback Howard Griffith in the left flat. Griffith was sprung free for a long gain when wide receiver Ed McCaffrey threw a devastating downfield block on Packers DB Brian Williams. McCaffrey, the Broncos’ tough-as-nails, soft-spoken gentleman, pointed an “I-told-you-so” finger at Williams after the block.
Those Broncos were champions because they had attitude, confidence and were all about self-sacrifice. Coach Mike Shanahan made sure of that. They knew they could beat the Packers, and it was a lock they would beat the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl XXXIII.
Perhaps Elway, now the Broncos’ GM, should hold a special Dove Valley screening of Super Bowl XXXII. Show the current players his own “Helicopter.” Revel in Atwater’s sack and forced fumble of Favre. Be inspired by T.D.’s running to daylight with a migraine headache. Exalt at John Mobley batting down Favre’s pass to clinch the victory.
Perhaps the current team will realize what it takes to turn talent into a championship.
Perhaps.
Chew on this
• As I wrote the other day, a contract worth almost one-third of a billion dollars. Remember, this is coming from a franchise that has ranked last or next-to-last in the NL in attendance in 14 of the past 16 seasons. It’s a stupid move. For the record, the final contract was 13 years for $325 million.
• One victory does not a comeback make, but it was nice to and deck the Cavs in Cleveland.
And I liked what coach Brian Shaw said after the game regarding all of the speculation swirling around his tenure and his team.
“A lot of times, people feed information or give statements, and they remain anonymous,” he told The Denver Post’s Chris Dempsey. “I don’t like to give any credibility to anything like that. If you’re not man enough, if you’re going to say something, then say it and put your name behind it. But we are, for the most part, a young organization that is trying to lay a foundation and put some things together. And it doesn’t happen overnight.”
• ICYMI: The Toronto Blue Jays won the Russell Martin sweepstakes, landing the catcher with a five-year, $82 million deal. There were hopes early that the Rockies would make a play for Martin, but when the cost started rising the Rockies were quickly non-players.
Now must decide if he’s going to make another move or stick with Wilin Rosario and Mike McKenry. Judging by my conversations with him during last week’s GM meetings, I’m not sure if he knows what direction he’ll go behind the plate.
• Happy birthday to Warren Moon, who was born on this date in 1956. The NFL and CFL quarterback threw the most beautiful pass of any quarterback I ever saw — a tight, true spiral that landed like cotton candy in his receivers hands. Simply a joy to watch.
Patrick Saunders: psaunders@denverpost.com or twitter.com/psaundersdp
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