— Broncos` passing vs. Giants` pass defense: Who can throw a football any faster, harder or more accurately than Denver quarterback John Elway? Not Bob Waterfield in his prime, or Norm Van Brocklin, or John Unitas, or Terry Bradshaw. Not even Bobby Douglass.
But there`s more to pass offense than quarterbacking, passing and scrambling. Can the Giants` defense contain Elway? Can they keep him in the pocket? If he scrambles out of the pocket, will they break his legs?
These are the questions the entire game may shift on. The Broncos appear to be decidedly superior in this matchup against a Giant defensive unit which boasts a fine pass rush and the greatest linebackers in football, but probably doesn`t have the defensive backs to stunt the Bronco receivers if Elway gets the ball to them.
The Broncos probably can`t beat the Giants unless Elway has a superb game. Elway was superb down the stretch. His 98-yard drive in the overtime victory over Cleveland for the AFC title will be long remembered. He completed passes to 10 different receivers vs. Cleveland. Eight Broncos had more than 20 catches apiece during the regular season.
Elway is partial to wide receiver Steve Watson, who isn`t fast but is a big, smart veteran. WR Vance Johnson isn`t all the way back from knee surgery he had earlier in the year. Little Mark Jackson makes big plays.
Elway and friends have the edge over Giant cornerbacks Elvis Patterson and Perry Williams, who both appear confused on coverage at times and need the help of outside linebackers Lawrence Taylor and Carl Banks and defensive end Leonard Marshall. The Broncos will try to neutralize Taylor and Banks by using two tight ends. Left defensive tackle Dave Studdard, who plays opposite Taylor, will get help from Orson Mobley.
— Broncos` rushing vs. Giants rushing defense: This matchup isn`t as puzzling as the first because the result seems obvious. Score a bonus point for the Giants` rushing defense in an apparent mismatch.
The Broncos are not a great running team, although they rush the ball better than is commonly assumed and sometimes make the big play when it counts. In this instance, ”big play” means ”critical play,” not necessarily ”long play.”
”We can get a few 4- or 5-yard pops, and that may be all we`ll need if Elway has the passing game going,” says running back Sammy Winder, who rushed for 789 yards on 240 carries and scored nine touchdowns during the regular season. Winder teams up with Gerald Willhite, who is a fairly explosive runner and also is used extensively as a pass catcher. Winder carried 45 times for 185 yards in two playoff games.
But the Giant rush defense was the best in the NFL this season and has become even more tenacious in the playoffs. In two playoff games, the Giants have permitted San Francisco and Washington just 69 yards rushing on 36 carries, thanks to the tremendous New York linebacking crew led by Taylor. Left linebacker Banks has come on during the playoffs. Inside LB Harry Carson, though a step slower, destroys opposing infantry assaults and calls defensive signals.
— Giants` passing vs. Broncos` pass defense: Phil Simms, with or without a great day, isn`t the key to this game unless he turns over the ball repeatedly or at critical times. Barring untimely interceptions or fumbles by Simms, the Giants probably can get the job done with the running game and their superb defense.
Simms doesn`t have impressive numbers, but he may be the most unappreciated quarterback in pro football. He`s tough mentally and physically and his coach, Bill Parcells, swears by him (and seldom at him). After the Giants had beaten the Broncos in November 19-16, Parcells threw his arms around Simms and shouted, ”You can be my quarterback anytime!”
Simms` favorite receiver is silent Mark Bavaro, the NFL`s best tight end this season (with apologies to Todd Christensen of the Raiders). Bavaro, who doesn`t like to talk to reporters, caught 66 catches during the regular season for 1,001 yards and is a fine blocker. Wide receiver Bobby Johnson sometimes has trouble with the bump-and-run because of his small size. Stacy Robinson is faster but not as consistent as Johnson, and the third wideout, Phil McConkey, lacks speed.
The Giants` passing attack will be tested by a Bronco defense tutored by one of the best defensive coordinators in the business, Joe Collier, one of only four original AFL coaches still active in the NFL. He has served the Broncos since 1969.
Collier`s secondary of Louis Wright, Mike Harden, Dennis Smith and Steve Foley is a crack crew, and Collier makes good use of eight players, rotating the second unit into the game about every third series. He gives similar relief to his nose tackles. The Broncos often go into a four-man defensive line on second down as well as third.
Elway has the edge over Simms in the passing department, and not just because of his arm. The Broncos` receivers and defensive cornermen are a little faster than the Giants` receivers and cornermen.
— Giants` rushing vs. Broncos` rushing defense: After you get beyond Joe Morris in a discussion of this year`s Super Bowl running backs, there is a noticeable dropoff in quality. Morris is not Walter Payton or Eric Dickerson. But he`s a fine running back who represents the Giants` only real rushing threat. He can pick up the short yardage inside or he can sweep to the outside with equal productivity. And he`s explosive, a constant game-breaking threat. Maurice Carthon blocks for Morris but doesn`t get called on often to carry the ball. Ottis Anderson is little more than insurance, and Tony Galbreath is a third-down receiver.
The Broncos will key on Morris, who rushed for 1,762 yards and 17 touchdowns in 18 games. Denver was the AFC`s best team at stopping the run, but that doesn`t mean the Broncos can bury Morris, especially if Simms can soften the defense with passes. It would seem that the Giants` best game plan would be to establish Simms` passing to set up Morris` rushing and keep the Bronco cornermen honest.
Broncos` inside linebacker Ricky Hunley, who intercepted a pass in the AFC title game, is a main man against the run and is Denver`s best tackler. Karl Mecklenburg, at the other ILB spot, is more of a pass rusher, but is also the team`s No. 2 tackler and No. 2 sack man.
— Special teams: The Giants` Sean Landeta, the ”goat” of last season`s playoffs when he muffed the punt that Shaun Gayle ran into the end zone to ignite the Bears` 21-0 victory in the divisional playoff, is the NFC`s best punter.
In the regular-season game between the Giants and Denver in November, Landeta gave the Giants repeated 10- to 15-yard advantages by outkicking Chris Norman, then the Broncos` punter. Mike Horan, the Broncos` third punter this season, has been a dramatic improvement.
Giants` placekicker Raul Allegre, a free-agent acquisition after the third game of the year, converted 24 of 32 field goals and all 33 extra points. Denver placekicker Rich Karlis is on a hot streak. He`s hit his last nine field-goal attempts, including five of five in the playoffs.
— Outlook: As long as Elway is in the game, there is no such thing as a lock for the Giants. But the Giants appear to be stronger in too many departments for the Broncos to have a realistic chance of winning.
