Elway Still The Man Who Drives Broncos But Every Once In A While Denver Qb Hits A Rest Stop

Shrewd as he is rich, quarterback John Elway remarked recently that the Denver Broncos have become Terrell Davis’ team.

Don’t believe it. Though it’s true that Davis’ 1,068-yard performance in the first half of the season caused the Broncos to run more than they pass, the Broncos are still Elway’s team. After selling his seven car dealerships to Wayne Huizenga’s Republic Industries Tuesday for $82.5 million, Elway has sold enough Fords to consider buying the Broncos.

“Maybe it’s a natural,” Elway told Denver papers Wednesday.

At least, it’s a little more natural than Elway buying the Florida Marlins. But when you are in partnership with a billionaire such as Huizenga, anything’s possible. Elway stays in pro football for one reason - to return to the Super Bowl for a fourth time and try to get a championship ring.

If the Broncos can ride Davis’ legs to San Diego - site of this year’s Super Bowl - and win the title, Elway’s comfortable with that. He’s 37. He plays with a ripped right biceps muscle, has no anterior cruciate in his left knee and has an elbow that lacks a bursa sac and swells like a mellon sometimes when he’s tackled.

He thinks Warren Moon is crazy for still playing football at the age of 40. Moon said he knows Elway’s competitive nature and knows that Elway would stay in the game in his 40s if he could play at a high level.

Davis may be the future, but Elway is still Mr. Bronco.

“I think what people are saying is that Terrell has been very productive,” Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said. “Any time you have a running back that has 1,000 yards at the midway point, his production speaks for itself. Don’t read anything between the lines. There is no question whose football team this is. It’s John Elway’s.”

The only difference is Elway doesn’t have to carry the team completely like he did for so many years. Shanahan has equipped the quarterback who owns everything with everything a quarterback would want - a top running back, two Pro Bowl-caliber tackles (Gary Zimmerman and Tony Jones), a tight end who can torch zone defenses (Shannon Sharpe) and three big receivers (Rod Smith, Ed McCaffrey and Willie Green).

“The offense has changed a little bit because of the people we have and the people in the backfield,” Elway said. “But we’ve got to get the ball to Terrell. He’s too good of a player not to, so I think the emphasis on the pass is gone. If you have that type of running game, obviously you’re going to go more toward the running side to keep people off balance.”

Elway figures his job is to let Davis handle first downs, and he’ll convert the thirds. It works. The Broncos have the fifth-best percentage of third-down conversions in football (44.9). Elway has completed 35 of 61 passes on third downs for 470 yards and an 84.7 quarterback rating, fourth best in the AFC.

Davis leads the NFL with creating 63 first downs, 58 on the ground. That dual threat has minimized the need for Elway to make those miraculous fourth-quarter comebacks because the Broncos usually have the lead.

“It’s not as hard as it used to be,” Elway said. “The responsibilities are the same, but I’m relied on in different ways. Because of the team we have, I’m not having to do the things in the fourth quarter that I’m used to doing.”

Only once this season has Elway had to bring his team from behind late to win a game.

His body feels fine at midseason. Sure, his deteriorated left knee causes him to walk like an old man. In his eyes, the best thing that happened to him was ripping his biceps during an exhibition game.

“When the thing ruptured, that relieved a lot of pressure up there,” Elway said. “I have no problem with it. There is nothing to tear now because it is already torn. That’s where the tendinitis came from. Now that it’s ruptured, there’s no ‘itis’ because there is no tendon.”

Notes

Unable to do much in practice Friday, left tackle Walter Jones, bothered by two injured ankles, is expected to join right guard Derrick Graham on the sideline for Sunday’s game at Denver. Jones and Graham did little for the third consecutive day of practice because of the injuries, so Seahawks coach Dennis Erickson said Grant Williams will start at left tackle and Frank Beede at right guard.