NFL Recap (San Diego-Denver)
Posted: Sun November 8, 1998 at 10:03 p.m. EST
DENVER 27, SAN DIEGO 10
DENVER (Ticker) -- With John Elway out nursing
strained rib muscles, Bubby
Brister stepped in and threw a pair of touchdown passes as the Denver Broncos remained
the NFL's lone unbeaten team with a 27-10 victory over the San Diego Chargers.
Elway, who was looking to join Dan Marino as the only
passers in NFL history with 50,000 yards, apparently suffered the injury in
pregame warmups. While Brister started for Denver, Elway continued to warm
up on the sideline and entered on the Broncos' following possession. But
after completing 1-of-3 passes for 12 yards, Elway was sacked by San Diego
linebacker Junior Seau
and coach Mike Shanahan opted to keep him out for the rest of the game.
"He wanted to attempt to go," said Broncos coach Mike Shanahan of his
All-Pro quarterback. "He tried to give it his best, but he just couldn't do
it. In fact, he went home early.
"I don't know how long he'll be out, we'll just keep our fingers
crossed."
Brister completed 20-of-33 passes for 229 yards, with 181 yards coming
in the first half when Denver (9-0) built a 20-0 lead. The nine wins to
open the season is the most by a defending Super Bowl champion since the San Francisco 49ers started
the 1990 season 10-0.
"I was really pleased with the effort of our football team," added
Shanahan. "We did everything we needed to do in the first half and took
control of the game. Any time you're able to keep the opposition under 50
yards it speaks a lot for the team effort."
"I would have liked to have finished better than we did today," said
Brister. "We have the best running back ever and great receivers. I like
to go out and have fun."
Terrell Davis was
held in check with a season-low 69 yards on 20 carries, but scored twice to
increase his NFL-leading point total to 96. Ed McCaffrey continued his
breakout season with nine catches for 133 yards and a touchdown, his third
straight week surpassing the 100-yard plateau.
Chargers rookie Ryan
Leaf had another rough start, completing just 4-of-15 passes for 26
yards before getting pulled early in the third quarter.
"We stalled early and didn't get the running game going," said Leaf.
"I felt real comfortable for the first time today. I felt like I saw the
rush coming better than I have all year. I really didn't get into a
rhythm. I have to give credit to the Denver defense, they played great
today."
San Diego fell to 3-6 and has dropped 11 of the last 12 games against
Denver at Mile High Stadium.
The Broncos opened the scoring with 64 seconds left in the first
quarter when Brister found Davis with a four-yard scoring toss. That
touchdown was set up by a 24-yard punt by Darren Bennett, who had an
awful game for San Diego. Punting out of his end zone, Bennett got off a
17-yard kick that set the Broncos up at the Chargers 25.
Denver extended its lead to 10-0 just over six minutes into the second
period on a 31-yard field goal by Jason Elam. The field
goal capped a 10-play drive that included a pair of clutch passes from
Brister to tight end Shannon
Sharpe.
Brister and Sharpe hooked up again with under five minutes left in the
half. After a pair of completions, Davis broke off a 24-yard run with 2:49
left in the half to extend the Broncos advantage to 17-0.
Brister then capped a huge first half by executing the two-minute
offense to perfection. He nearly got the Broncos into the end zone
following a 32-yard pass to McCaffrey to the 3, but Denver settled for a
26-yard field goal by Elam and 20-0 halftime lead.
After Darrien
Gordon picked off a pass near midfield and returned it 36 yards to the
San Diego 7 early in the third quarter, Brister needed just one play to
find McCaffrey in the end zone for a 27-0 advantage.
The Chargers finally broke through for a touchdown just over six
minutes into the fourth quarter. Craig Whelihan, who
relieved Leaf, found tight end Freddie Jones in the end
zone with a 14-yard scoring strike. Whelihan then ran for the two-point
conversion.
A late safety, on which Brister fumbled the ball just over the back
line, capped the scoring.
The game between the longtime AFC Western Division rivals got
contentious at times. In the first half, San Diego running back Natrone Means fired his
helmet at Broncos linebacker Bill Romanowski.
"It was a great defensive effort," said Romanowski. "If they were
going to beat us, it would be with Means. He looked pretty frustrated to
me. When he threw his helmet, I thought I made him look bad."
"If I had a helmet, I'd have thrown it too," said Chargers coach June
Jones.
© 1998 Sportsticker Enterprises, LP
|
