Just this once, the nice guy did not finish last.
Just this once, John Elway was not the best player on the field. Not even close. That distinction went to MVP Terrell Davis, who lined up behind him. He was not among the five or six next best guys playing Sunday, either. Those were the men who lined up in front of him.
But they were all clear about this much: They owed him. They owed John Elway the same way a franchise and a city and maybe even an entire league owed him. Because for 15 years, through three stinging Super Bowl losses and a dozen more that would have broken plenty of other stars, he never gave up.
He never ducked responsibility, never blamed anyone else. He was always the best player and the bravest because he did everything the way a winner was supposed to–except win.
And when he finally did that, too, when the rest of the Denver Broncos put him over the top and outlasted Green Bay 31-24, Elway breathed deep enough to reflect for a moment, then showed the same grace that had always marked him so memorably in losing. He gave the credit to everybody else.
To the Denver organization. To a running back that lasted six rounds into the draft because everybody else thought he was too small to waste a pick on. To an offensive line that was supposed to be too small.
— Jim Litke, Associated Press
This is not a typo
Well, if the pope can visit Cuba, the Unabomber can confess, and the president can be accused of making whoopee with an intern, I guess the AFC can win a Super Bowl.
Debunked. Dethroned. Demystified. No more NFC domination. No more annual blowouts.
The following is not a typo: Denver 31, Green Bay 24.
Truth be told, Elway’s shining moment came not on a pass, but on a run. In the third quarter, with the score tied, Elway took a third-down snap, found no one open, faked, then scrambled, then committed. He is 37 years old, and the legs aren’t supposed to work the way they used to, but in moments of victory, all athletes are young again. Elway chugged towards the first-down marker, then did the only thing he could do to get it. He leapt into the air, and got smacked by three Green Bay defenders.
But when he landed, he had a first-and-goal, and if you ask me, that was the play that shut the door on the Green Bay dominance.
— Mitch Albom, Detroit Free Press
Not a 1-man show
To say that John Elway won it or lost it is not really fair, of course. No quarterback wins or loses a game, especially a Super Bowl game. His team wins or loses, not him. But that’s the perception of the position, especially when Elway is involved.
If Shakespeare had ever written a Super Bowl play, Elway would have been his tragic hero.
People think of Terry Bradshaw or Joe Montana having won the Super Bowl four times. Or of Jim Kelly having lost it four times. Or of Fran Tarkenton having lost it three times. Or of Joe Namath or Phil Simms having won it once.
That’s how important the quarterback is.
— Dave Anderson, New York Times
Broncos wore ’em down
It was obvious that the Packers front line got worn down late in the game. The Denver offensive line pounded on them and they began to sag.
It was very important that Denver entered the fourth quarter with a (24-17) lead. If the Broncos got behind and had to rely on their passing, they would have been in trouble. But as long as they had the lead, they could stay on the ground.
In the end, it was Green Bay that had to resort to desperate measures on that final drive.
Another key was Denver’s blitz. They decided to bring the heat on (Brett) Favre all day, and it paid off. When you bring that many people, Favre can burn you. He did throw three touchdown passes, but Denver’s defensive backs rose to the occasion. A lot of people thought their cornerbacks would be overmatched by Green Bay’s receivers, but they held their own and made some nice plays.
Another factor was that, overall, Denver won the kicking game. A year ago, Desmond Howard made that big play (a 99-yard kickoff return) for Green Bay. But this time, the Packers didn’t come up with any plays like that.
— Former Bills coach Marv Levy, writing for The Associated Press
