The Good Times - The Orange Mane

dragondawg · 06-02-2007, 01:30 AM

Elway, AFC Finally Have Super Moment

By Richard Justice
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, January 26, 1998; Page D1

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 25 — John Elway led the biggest drive of his marvelous career, and the Denver Broncos erased two decades of frustration with a 31-24 upset of the Green Bay Packers tonight in Super Bowl XXXII.

If if wasn't the most dramatic or unexpected Super Bowl upset in history, it was one that brought together a swirl of emotions. The Broncos had been 0-4 in the Super Bowl. Elway had been 0-3 in the Super Bowl. And the AFC entered the game with 13 consecutive Super Bowl losses.

"We shocked the world," Broncos tight end Shannon Sharpe said. "But we didn't shock the Denver Broncos. We knew."

In the end, none of those things mattered. Denver running back Terrell Davis rushed for 157 yards against one of the NFL's best defenses, and the Denver defense forced three turnovers and used an array of blitzes to throw Packers quarterback Brett Favre off his stride.

Davis won the game's MVP trophy and became the first player in Super Bowl history to run for three touchdowns. His performance was even more impressive because he missed the entire second quarter with a migraine.

"Maybe they watched too much television," Davis said of the Packers. "Maybe they believed we were a weaker AFC team. I think we enjoyed our role."

His one-yard touchdown run with 1 minute 45 seconds remaining broke a 24-24 tie. Moments later, Favre's final pass hit the ground, and Elway and the Broncos began a celebration of laughter and tears.

"We played our hearts out," Broncos linebacker Bill Romanowski said. "We had an awesome game plan. They have a real good football team, but we did it."

The Broncos entered the game as 11½-point underdogs, and in the days leading up to Super Bowl XXXII, Elway and other Broncos had been forced to answer question after question about the possibility of another loss.

He doesn't have to answer anymore. Green Bay's three turnovers were as many as NFC teams had in the three previous Super Bowls combined.

Packers quarterback Brett Favre (pictured), the league's most valuable player, threw three touchdown passes, but he was not his usual self, completing just 25 of 42 passes as the Broncos put intense pressure on him from the start.

He threw just one interception, but the Broncos dropped at least three other potential interceptions.

"As Brett goes, we go," Packers Coach Mike Holmgren said. "It's unfortunate to have the world on his shoulder. But when you play quarterback for us, that's the way it goes. It's football. The ball bounces funny sometimes, and you don't always win."

In previous years, the Broncos were only going to go as far as Elway could take them. Tonight, he was only a bit player, completing just 12 of 22 passes for 123 yards and no touchdowns. He completed just two passes to wide receivers — both to Ed McCaffrey.

The statistics notwithstanding, this victory was for Elway, who has said this might be his final season. For 15 seasons, he has put together a Hall of Fame resume that had just one negative — zero championships.

After accepting the Lombardi Trophy, Broncos owner Pat Bowlen held it aloft and yelled: "This one's for John."

"I can't believe it," Elway said. "I'm so proud that this team came together. We did it the hard way. For all those Bronco fans that never had this feeling, we finally got it done."

The Broncos did it the hardest way possible, making the playoffs as a wild-card entrant. They became only the second wild-card team to win a Super Bowl.

After defeating Jacksonville at home in the first round of the playoffs, the Broncos went on the road to beat Kansas City and Pittsburgh to get here.

The Broncos absorbed Green Bay's best punches all evening. But again and again, they counter-punched. They forced two early turnovers to take a 17-7 lead. The Packers eventually tied it 17-17 early in the second half.

The Broncos got the lead back, 24-17, on another Davis touchdown run, but the Packers answered with Favre throwing a 13-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Freeman early in the fourth quarter.

Finally, with the game tied at 24-24, Elway led a 49-yard drive for the game-winning touchdown. He completed a 23-yard pass to fullback Howard Griffith, and the Packers were called for a pair of costly penalties for 25 yards.

Davis did the rest, picking up gains of 19 yards on three carries.

Green Bay got a final opportunity, with Favre leading the Packers from their 30 to the Denver 31.

But his fourth-down pass was knocked down by linebacker John Mobley, and the Rocky Mountain celebration began.

"When that last ball hit the ground," Elway said, "it was unbelievable."

Green Bay sprinted out of the starting blocks, going 76 yards on eight plays for a 7-0 lead, with Favre throwing 13 yards to Freeman for the touchdown.

It was the kind of start the Broncos feared, but they responded beautifully, going 58 yards on 10 plays to tie it 7-7. Davis scored on the first of three one-yard runs for the tie.

Then the Broncos got their first turnover when Favre overthrew Robert Brooks moments later. He didn't find Brooks, and safety Tyrone Braxton made a nice diving interception, giving the Broncos the ball at the Green Bay 45-yard line.

The Broncos took advantage of the mistake, going the 45 yards on eight plays for a 14-7 lead. Elway scored the touchdown on a one-yard run on the first play of the second quarter.

The Broncos then forced a turnover that pushed the Packers to the edge. On third and five from the Green Bay 34, safety Steve Atwater came free on a blitz and smashed into Favre.

The ball popped free, and defensive end Neil Smith recovered for the Broncos at the Green Bay 33-yard line. Jason Elam kicked a 51-yard field goal to give the Broncos a 17-7 lead with 12:21 left in the second quarter.

The Packers finally came alive just before halftime, grinding out a 17-play, 95-yard drive that ended with tight end Mark Chmura's six-yard touchdown catch with 12 seconds left.

Green Bay got a turnover of its own on the first play of the second half when Davis fumbled at the Denver 26-yard line.

Seven plays later, Ryan Longwell's 27-yard field goal tied it 17-17 with 11:59 remaining in the third quarter.

But the Broncos hung in and finally mustered another touchdown drive at the end of the third quarter for a 24-17 lead. Denver went 92 yards on 13 plays, with Davis scoring again.

Favre's 13-yard touchdown pass to Freeman tied it at 24 with 13:32 left in the game. But the Broncos had one final drive with them.

"It's not even real yet," Davis said. "It hasn't registered."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv...ories/sb32.htm

DeusExManning · 06-02-2007, 01:35 AM

Nice to go back in time, good find.

holygreen · 06-02-2007, 02:21 AM

Grr Shutup

freak6 · 06-02-2007, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dragondawg

The Broncos got the lead back, 24-17, on another Davis touchdown run, but the Packers answered with Favre throwing a 13-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Freeman early in the fourth quarter.

Green Bay sprinted out of the starting blocks, going 76 yards on eight plays for a 7-0 lead, with Favre throwing 13 yards to Freeman for the touchdown.

Because I am a crappy writer, I won't mention the best play of the game, Elway converting a 3rd down by running for a first down getting helicoptered in the air by two Packers who sandwiched the greatest football player of all-time.

Here are the highlights. That was a terrible recap, but oh well.

http://play.rbn.com/?url=nfl/nfl/ope...ntextwidth=500

SureShot · 06-02-2007, 03:20 PM

The best game ever played at the safety position.

dragondawg · 06-02-2007, 08:22 PM

yup, atwater knocked out himself, his teammate and a packer, also sacked farve and forced a fumble

Jana® · 06-02-2007, 08:30 PM

Atwater was the man.. I miss that dude.

epicSocialism4tw · 06-02-2007, 08:58 PM

Quote:

"I can't believe it," Elway said. "I'm so proud that this team came together. We did it the hard way. For all those Bronco fans that never had this feeling, we finally got it done."

That wasnt that long ago, folks. It's good to remember how consistently we Broncos fans were humbled by brutal losses in the playoffs.

gunns · 06-02-2007, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SureShot7

The best game ever played at the safety position.

Yes it was. I believe it was a tie between Atwater and Davis as to the MVP. He was all over the field that day, I just wish he had gotten that interception, for him mostly.

Atwater His Ass · 06-03-2007, 07:17 AM

davis was indeed the mvp of that game in my mind. we don't win it without him and the fact he put up those numbers in only 3 qtrs of play is amazing.

however, i agree atwater was amazing and i wouldn't have balked at him being named mvp. he had so many big hits that game. freaking awesome, i loved the guy.

i remember going into that one, i was just praying we wouldn't get embarrased again. GB scored first on the opening drive i was like "****, here we go again". greatest game ever for me, nothing will ever replace it for everything that lead up to it in previous seasons and for what it meant to the fans and the orginization.

good stuff.

dragondawg · 06-03-2007, 09:02 AM

can't believe its been 10 years

Atwater His Ass · 06-03-2007, 09:26 AM

time flies

Gcver2ver3 · 06-03-2007, 01:37 PM

06-02-2007, 01:30 AM	#1
dragondawg All Pro Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 2,009	The Good Times Elway, AFC Finally Have Super Moment By Richard Justice Washington Post Staff Writer Monday, January 26, 1998; Page D1 SAN DIEGO, Jan. 25 — John Elway led the biggest drive of his marvelous career, and the Denver Broncos erased two decades of frustration with a 31-24 upset of the Green Bay Packers tonight in Super Bowl XXXII. If if wasn't the most dramatic or unexpected Super Bowl upset in history, it was one that brought together a swirl of emotions. The Broncos had been 0-4 in the Super Bowl. Elway had been 0-3 in the Super Bowl. And the AFC entered the game with 13 consecutive Super Bowl losses. "We shocked the world," Broncos tight end Shannon Sharpe said. "But we didn't shock the Denver Broncos. We knew." In the end, none of those things mattered. Denver running back Terrell Davis rushed for 157 yards against one of the NFL's best defenses, and the Denver defense forced three turnovers and used an array of blitzes to throw Packers quarterback Brett Favre off his stride. Davis won the game's MVP trophy and became the first player in Super Bowl history to run for three touchdowns. His performance was even more impressive because he missed the entire second quarter with a migraine. "Maybe they watched too much television," Davis said of the Packers. "Maybe they believed we were a weaker AFC team. I think we enjoyed our role." His one-yard touchdown run with 1 minute 45 seconds remaining broke a 24-24 tie. Moments later, Favre's final pass hit the ground, and Elway and the Broncos began a celebration of laughter and tears. "We played our hearts out," Broncos linebacker Bill Romanowski said. "We had an awesome game plan. They have a real good football team, but we did it." The Broncos entered the game as 11½-point underdogs, and in the days leading up to Super Bowl XXXII, Elway and other Broncos had been forced to answer question after question about the possibility of another loss. He doesn't have to answer anymore. Green Bay's three turnovers were as many as NFC teams had in the three previous Super Bowls combined. Packers quarterback Brett Favre (pictured), the league's most valuable player, threw three touchdown passes, but he was not his usual self, completing just 25 of 42 passes as the Broncos put intense pressure on him from the start. He threw just one interception, but the Broncos dropped at least three other potential interceptions. "As Brett goes, we go," Packers Coach Mike Holmgren said. "It's unfortunate to have the world on his shoulder. But when you play quarterback for us, that's the way it goes. It's football. The ball bounces funny sometimes, and you don't always win." In previous years, the Broncos were only going to go as far as Elway could take them. Tonight, he was only a bit player, completing just 12 of 22 passes for 123 yards and no touchdowns. He completed just two passes to wide receivers — both to Ed McCaffrey. The statistics notwithstanding, this victory was for Elway, who has said this might be his final season. For 15 seasons, he has put together a Hall of Fame resume that had just one negative — zero championships. After accepting the Lombardi Trophy, Broncos owner Pat Bowlen held it aloft and yelled: "This one's for John." "I can't believe it," Elway said. "I'm so proud that this team came together. We did it the hard way. For all those Bronco fans that never had this feeling, we finally got it done." The Broncos did it the hardest way possible, making the playoffs as a wild-card entrant. They became only the second wild-card team to win a Super Bowl. After defeating Jacksonville at home in the first round of the playoffs, the Broncos went on the road to beat Kansas City and Pittsburgh to get here. The Broncos absorbed Green Bay's best punches all evening. But again and again, they counter-punched. They forced two early turnovers to take a 17-7 lead. The Packers eventually tied it 17-17 early in the second half. The Broncos got the lead back, 24-17, on another Davis touchdown run, but the Packers answered with Favre throwing a 13-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Freeman early in the fourth quarter. Finally, with the game tied at 24-24, Elway led a 49-yard drive for the game-winning touchdown. He completed a 23-yard pass to fullback Howard Griffith, and the Packers were called for a pair of costly penalties for 25 yards. Davis did the rest, picking up gains of 19 yards on three carries. Green Bay got a final opportunity, with Favre leading the Packers from their 30 to the Denver 31. But his fourth-down pass was knocked down by linebacker John Mobley, and the Rocky Mountain celebration began. "When that last ball hit the ground," Elway said, "it was unbelievable." Green Bay sprinted out of the starting blocks, going 76 yards on eight plays for a 7-0 lead, with Favre throwing 13 yards to Freeman for the touchdown. It was the kind of start the Broncos feared, but they responded beautifully, going 58 yards on 10 plays to tie it 7-7. Davis scored on the first of three one-yard runs for the tie. Then the Broncos got their first turnover when Favre overthrew Robert Brooks moments later. He didn't find Brooks, and safety Tyrone Braxton made a nice diving interception, giving the Broncos the ball at the Green Bay 45-yard line. The Broncos took advantage of the mistake, going the 45 yards on eight plays for a 14-7 lead. Elway scored the touchdown on a one-yard run on the first play of the second quarter. The Broncos then forced a turnover that pushed the Packers to the edge. On third and five from the Green Bay 34, safety Steve Atwater came free on a blitz and smashed into Favre. The ball popped free, and defensive end Neil Smith recovered for the Broncos at the Green Bay 33-yard line. Jason Elam kicked a 51-yard field goal to give the Broncos a 17-7 lead with 12:21 left in the second quarter. The Packers finally came alive just before halftime, grinding out a 17-play, 95-yard drive that ended with tight end Mark Chmura's six-yard touchdown catch with 12 seconds left. Green Bay got a turnover of its own on the first play of the second half when Davis fumbled at the Denver 26-yard line. Seven plays later, Ryan Longwell's 27-yard field goal tied it 17-17 with 11:59 remaining in the third quarter. But the Broncos hung in and finally mustered another touchdown drive at the end of the third quarter for a 24-17 lead. Denver went 92 yards on 13 plays, with Davis scoring again. Favre's 13-yard touchdown pass to Freeman tied it at 24 with 13:32 left in the game. But the Broncos had one final drive with them. "It's not even real yet," Davis said. "It hasn't registered." http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv...ories/sb32.htm

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06-02-2007, 01:35 AM	#2
DeusExManning Ring of Famer Join Date: May 2006 Location: Orange County Posts: 1,336	Nice to go back in time, good find.

06-02-2007, 02:21 AM	#3
holygreen i am back New to the Forum Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 29 Adopt-a-Bronco: None	Grr Shutup

06-02-2007, 03:20 PM	#5
SureShot Te-believer Join Date: May 2006 Location: Paradise Divide Posts: 5,996 Adopt-a-Bronco: Matt Russell	The best game ever played at the safety position.

06-02-2007, 08:22 PM	#6
dragondawg All Pro Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 2,009	yup, atwater knocked out himself, his teammate and a packer, also sacked farve and forced a fumble

06-02-2007, 08:30 PM	#7
Jana® World's cutest Bronco Fan Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Anywhere but here! Posts: 1,399 Adopt-a-Bronco: Ed McCaffrey ;)	Atwater was the man.. I miss that dude.

06-03-2007, 07:17 AM	#10
Atwater His Ass Ring of Famer Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 5,362 Adopt-a-Bronco: None	davis was indeed the mvp of that game in my mind. we don't win it without him and the fact he put up those numbers in only 3 qtrs of play is amazing. however, i agree atwater was amazing and i wouldn't have balked at him being named mvp. he had so many big hits that game. freaking awesome, i loved the guy. i remember going into that one, i was just praying we wouldn't get embarrased again. GB scored first on the opening drive i was like "****, here we go again". greatest game ever for me, nothing will ever replace it for everything that lead up to it in previous seasons and for what it meant to the fans and the orginization. good stuff.

06-03-2007, 09:02 AM	#11
dragondawg All Pro Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 2,009	can't believe its been 10 years

06-03-2007, 09:26 AM	#12
Atwater His Ass Ring of Famer Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 5,362 Adopt-a-Bronco: None	time flies

06-03-2007, 01:37 PM	#13
Gcver2ver3 Ring of Famer Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Tampa Bay, FL Posts: 6,629 Adopt-a-Bronco: not Lance Ball