1995 - Week 1 - Buffalo Bills at Denver Broncos

hello they've dominated the AFC in the 90s but never won the big one only one if any of these legendary quarterbacks can represent the ASP in Super Bowl 30 and each is determined to be the first of the trio to bring home the Lombardi Trophy kelly-ann Elway began their battle tonight [Applause] on this first Sunday in September we come to you from the Mile High City Denver Colorado and just on the western edge of Interstate 25 mile high stadium itself Phil tonight for the 197 consecutive non strike home game and tonight the Buffalo Bills make their first visit to Mile High since 1977 to take on the Denver Broncos and good evening everybody I'm Burt Lundqvist along with Pat Haden welcome to our coverage of the NFL on TNT in an attractive game it strikes me Pat is so ironic that with the great quarterbacks who came out of that 83 draft not a one of them has walked away with a Super Bowl ring and time is running short oh and nine for that class of 1983 and John Elway the boy of autumn who came here from Stanford University in 1983 it's hard to believe that he is now 35 years old in the oldest Bronco but Verne in spite of his age and in spite of the fact that he has not won a championship he is still one of the premier players in the National Football League a dominating player as well now he's gonna be running a new offense tonight that West Coast offense that Mike Shanahan brought over to him and and they want to have a lot of quick wear of them type of the type of passes and he says this opening game the home opener is a very very important one his counterpart Jim Kelly coming off a very serious knee injury a year ago had his left knee operated on he says he feels very very healthy and he is also operating a new offense kind of a more to back offense they want to use Thurman Thomas Borbon visit as a receiver yes sorts of great players on offense Andre Reed Thurman Thomas but it still starts with Jim Kelly well you know Pat we've learned that poor results in this league dictate change these two teams had poor results last year seven and nine missed the playoffs where do the changes come well for this team like like most NFL teams wholesale changes in lotta areas unless you win a Super Bowl we could start with coaches you know Wade Phillips leaves here is now the defensive coordinator Buffalo Mike shanty is the new head coach here at Denver but for players they really focused on defense I think they feel they have enough offensive firepower to make the playoffs but the Buffalo Bills will have five new defensive players who will start tonight it didn't start opening last year and Denver will have six doers so they filled enough in the office they're not great teams but they had some major questions on defense and we talked a lot every sunny has seen before a game about intriguing matchups to look for but tonight I think we've got a couple of matchups that are worthy of the attention you know I actually love the game within the game on these NFL games that we have some two very good ones tonight the first one want to watch is Bruce Smith against Gary Zimmerman the left tackle for the Broncos Bruce Smith is the most dominating pass rusher the NFL still has been for the last five years Gary zeroes has not missed the start in his career at left tackle for Denver the other matchup we want to watch is an intriguing one as well reuben brown the rookie number one draft pick out of pittsburgh at a Michael Dean Perry a new addition to this Denver defense he is an explosive player a gap player and I think how those two matchups go will really have a large say and how the this game turns out this games significant for so many people in this Stadium and among them obviously Mike Shanahan his first game as the head coach of the Denver Broncos at a head coaching stint that lasted one season in five games in Oakland formerly Los Angeles there's the first reference to the Raiders in which I cut both up done well and he was John Elway's quarterback coach here before going to the 49ers Marv levy now 67 years of age and he's in his ninth season as the head coach of the Buffalo Bills Wade Phillips of course making a return to this stadium as the defensive coordinator at Buffalo relieved of his responsibilities at the head coach at the end of last year Jason Elam will kick-off for the Broncos Buffalo has won the toss and they'll have rookie Derrick Holmes deep to return the kick along with number 30 Yael Jourdain first time the Buffalo Bills have played 1877 [Applause] taken by Jourdain special teams play inside the 15 nice start for the Denver Broncos that's Ronnie Bradford number 23 who made the tackle Jim Kelly off the knee surgery last season led the league in percentage passing 64% he said the key to this game is make sure we get Steve Atwater blocked if we can block him we have a chance of running the football backs in the eye Thurman Thomas the deep back Wagner is the fullback and Andre Reed is in motion they'll toss it to Thurman Thomas he gets a little bit at the brush block from Gardner then good defensive pursuit stops him at the 16 yard line Buffalo opens with Reed and Copeland at the wide receivers a lot of pressure on Lonnie Johnson at tight end Thomas and Gardner in the backfield and the offensive line we will be watching number 79 the rookie Brown all night Corbin Lucena number 68 and John FINA are the tackles second down seven the ball of center left flat behind intended receiver Thurman Thomas it was tipped defensively for denver this was a team that was dead last against the pass in the NFL last year they have made a ton of changes Williams the new guys are James Jones and Michael Dean Perry Simon Fletcher returns at end Elijah Alexander returns as a starting linebacker Donte Jones and Britt Hager are new and in the secondary which was porous raycrockett Lionel Washington Tyrone Braxton and Steve Atwater Bill Brooks comes in as a third wide receiver and there's some confusion over the spot of the ball so they'll start the game clock again 25 seconds after the administrative stoppage 37 Williams getting a little pressure the pass across the middle is incomplete Dan Williams let the pressure it was intended for Carville Gartner and Brett Hager and Elijah Alexander well the first part of the test has been answered for this Denver defense I mean they were just awful on defense a year ago as you mentioned 28th in the league and they do their job and the key thing is they got some pressure on Jim Kelly got the hands up and deflected a ball as well Chris Moore is on the punt on fourth down Glen Milburn is back to return it he's one of the better ones that's nice and high by Moore Milburn no fair catch he did call fair catch and he gets the ball at the 45 yard line [Music] so the Denver Broncos take over after the 37-yard punt John Elway starting his 13th season his 13th opener he is eight and four in season opening games and that has significance yeah they actually get to the playoffs seven of those eight years when they won that opening day game Vern but the thing about him he has 15 scripted plays and he was saying to us this week I get really good it allows me get in the flow of the game it's 15 scripted plays not to carry over from the old 49er days and Gore's with Wahls Elway under a center Tom Malin the rookie Terrell Davis starts at the tailback spot they'll way to throw on first down Bernstein good block they go deep for shark Shannon Sharpe beat the blind backer and it's a huge gain to the six they picked on Marlow Perry who's getting his first start tonight number 58 and Shannon Sharpe at the receiving end of a 49 yard gain this is the matchup that they like they like Shannon Sharpe to tight in against the linebacker and you're gonna see this a lot tonight the Broncos are gonna work the tight end and they're gonna work their backs downfield because of man-for-man defense that is a mismatch and Denver will kill him if they continue to do that it was it was perry against shannon sharpe 49 yard gain first and goal at the six inside handoff to the rookie Terrell Davis a sixth round draft choice out of Georgia Terrell Davis tonight becomes the first rookie running back to start for the Denver Broncos an opening day since Floyd little in 1967 and even though who flew a little was but this is hey this your opening drive on the first game of the season this is exactly how you want it to go I mean you defense did their job you had a big fight of you're tight in now you're right down there inside the 10 second down and goal from before opening drive for the Broncos Richard in motion Elway flips it out for Terrell Davis good coverage and that was Jeff Burroughs number 22 the defensive back who was right there pass was also a footpad I think a little behind Davis it was and he ran a third a third down situation Verne again I think this is where Shannon Sharpe becomes a very particularly good and effective receiver now Elway does like to use his cadence to draw guys off on third downs and get a free play so McCaffrey is one big tall receiver and then you got Shannon Sharpe [Applause] three step drop bill way pressure goes right in the sack fifty five times last year fires it incomplete in the end zone it was intended for Bernstein fourth down he was looking for Ed McCaffrey a good coverage by the bills you know the bills have come out and played a lot of man-for-man in this opening season you're gonna see is he look he first looks left to McCaffrey he has taken away an Elway can always buy a second chance he's been doing this for 13 years now a guy comes open quickly and too many guys they were actually in the in the same area otherwise that may have been a touchdown Jason Elam on to try the extra point Tom Rouen will hold here's Elam and a field goal rather than the extra point I got a little bit myself so the first points of 1995 on the board for John Elam but John Elway a little disappointed they didn't get seven instead of three the NFL on TNT is brought to you by Coors Light in about three months 90 degrees today had kickoff very warm Shannon Sharpe a hot receiver on that opening drive you know Mike Shanahan was saying right before the game is that I like the matchups on the inside receivers talking about his backs against their linebackers and tight ends against linebackers and strong safeties and we saw no evidence of that in the first series with the big play to Sharpe Jason Elam will kick off of the second this one is going to be taken by Derrick Holmes at the goal line and the lucky running back gets it out to the 20 and is knocked down at the 23 so a little better field position for Jim Kelly in the bills Derrick Holmes number 44 and here comes Jim Kelly second offensive set now for the Buffalo Bills in Vernon over the last four or five years when the Buffalo Bills have really been good on offense is when they've got Thurman Thomas going early in the rain game if he sets up everything else in there often but when they struggle with him early on the run they seem to struggle offensively good doc the eye on first down in town read in coconut the wide receivers Andre Reed and lotion defense rotates and water goes over here's the clip into the back and Thurman Thomas scoots around the left side and is knocked out of bounds Britt Hagar doing a defensive job number 54 they're gonna use him more as a receiver this year Marv levy was saying to us yesterday they thought he's take too much punishment as a as a runner he's averaged over 300 carries a season I think over the last four years so they want to spread him out use him as a wide receiver some throw more balls to him and maybe not handing the ball as much this year his yardage each season has decreased in the last three years from the high of 14 87 to 92 [Applause] last year second down [Music] no blitz but they did not block Atwater [Applause] and there and there's Steve Atwater remember we said Jim Kelly felt that they had to block Steve Atwater Steve at waters of free safety but he plays that position much like a linebacker now as he's up there at the line of scrimmage did tackling Thurman Thomas that close to the line of scrimmage you have to get him out of there you have to throw something behind him Verne to allow Thurman Thomas to run inside Broncos have made a defensive change now James Jones is out on third down shame draw at number 99 a former starter comes in cornerbacks played loose the shotgun Kelly across the middle they get by Atwater but the catch by Copeland dandy grabbed by a guy who's really on the spun to the spotlight tonight yeah Russell Copeland I think it's one of the keys to this Buffalo season and you know when you play against Denver you're gonna be trespassing in Steve Atwater's territory from time to time and he takes it seriously when you do he punished a running back to play earlier this time he punishes Russell Copeland 13 yard game at the big play for Copeland odd first down they hand it to Thomas and he squirts right up the middle got some great blocks in the middle led by Kent Howe and that's a gain of nine yards out to the 48 yard line but Bernie you see just what the pass completion of Russell Copeland does that gets Atwater added there a little bit and allows Thurman Thomas to be used as patient running style [Music] 10:22 go in the Oklahoma border three nothing in the bills near midfield [Applause] that was a 10-yard game his first content [Applause] and they handed left side Thurman Thomas this time knocked down by James Jones who's back in the lineup on the first down ploy number 93 Jones one of the two early acquisitions in the free agent market he came here with Michael Dean berry from Cleveland it was almost like a recruiting visit from college through Michael Shanahan took the two of them to a basketball game and said look it's a nice lifestyle we got other sports they signed and they're doing a pretty good job so far and James Jones is one of those guys that just kind of anchors the bible' he's a big old nose tackle at 2:19 his sucks up a lot of locks both played with Cleveland last few years it comes to corner blitz at water coming Thomas with the block the pass complete good for the first down second catch for Russell Copeland and what did Lion L Washington the corner for Denver say to us yesterday said we don't water I don't want Russell Copeland to get off to a good start we've seen that water close to the line of scrimmage playing linebacker we've seen him in the passing game he comes off the corner he doesn't get there in the time looks whooping local picks him up Thurman Thomas but Russell Copeland is off to the kind of start that Lyon L Washington didn't want he didn't wanted to have a as this is his persona Russell Colburn is nobody invasively departed play-action kelly looking left goes deep for every touchdown Buffalo I want to beautifully conceived play he he had him both open you're right it was beautifully conceived he and Andre read open and he had Russell Copeland open for both of them for touchdowns and that takes the crowd out of it very early took him two drives to do it but this can be an explosive offensive team one of the question marks was Russell Copeland but he has done it on this Drive Andre Reed got a big smile out of Marv levy read fresh from his best year ever and he's had a ton of them seven straight Pro Bowls 90 catches a year ago his first 295 goes for a touchdown now Steve Christie out of Chris Moore's hold will try the extra point it's up and it's good and congratulations from the two because Moore is holding in a spot that Steve Tasker normally does Andre Reed on the receiving end of the touchdown toss of 34 yards 7 3 Buffalo a little better than others some are really mile high and those seats are filled with quiet folks right now because the Broncos have fallen behind 7 2 3 Steve Christie is on to kickoff and the rookie Terrell Davis from San Diego California Long Beach State and Georgia we will return it davus touchback comes out to the 20 and let's go back and take a look at that Jim Kelly Andre Reed touchdown well burned so often in what happened to the NFL but the big play is set up by something that goes on on the other side of the field what I want you to watch here is Russell Copeland he attracts writer Steve Atwater over here and that allows Andre Reed to come here with no safety there it's to play away from the action that really sets up the touchdown he runs the post at water byte bytes on Russell Copeland so that was big series for Russell Copeland as a receiver and on that play as a decoy and sucking up Steve Atwater all of which leads to a 7 3 buffalo lead John Elway back rhod Bernstein falls on it let's check the men behind it John Elway we mentioned the rookie Terrell Davis Edie McCaffrey we'll start tonight for Anthony Miller the fleet wide receiver who's out with an injured hamstring Mike Pritchard on the other side Shannon Sharpe and Bernstein and the offensive line they they went heavy in the free agent market this year sloth came in bob dick Thompson a right tackle but the real matchup that we want to see is Gary Zimmerman against Bruce Smith Brian Habib also gets a start they load up the wide receivers to the right side three of them out there second down and 12 draw play Bernstein and rod Bernstein charts back for a couple to the 20-yard line that will make it third and 10 today one thing about this Buffalo defense they sure look a lot quicker than they did a year ago they looked like there was going to be a natural hole there because Bruce Smith kind of rushed upfield it looked like it was going to be theirs Wade Phillips new defensive coordinator formerly of Denver but I'd say there's some speed on this defense and they can get after the passer 25 sacks in preseason which is remarkable and about that many last year here's out of the shotgun Elway almost safety off or rather into the arms of Bryce pop number 95 and we said we want to follow the matchup with Bruce Smith and Gary Zimmerman that that round goes to Bruce Smith he caused John Elway to step up into the pocket now he's got an explosive first couple of steps and you see a Zimmerman you talk about defensive backs being on an island he's on an island there he forces Elway to step up that disrupted the rhythm of a pass and caused the incompletion near the interception here's the punt from Tom Rouen Jeff Perez waits for it has it at the 23 and a modest return out to the 29 a football loose ball recovered by a lot of Broncos appointee no officials are yes it always seems to happen real yeah and it becomes a rugby scrum they're still unraveling the bodies and there seems to be no joy among the Broncos red Cashen is our referee tonight he's called time with Buffalo leading seven three more midway through the first quarter a little warm here when I'm in my Jimmy knockos came here from the Jets and came here because there were some serious defensive problems with this team last year pack yeah it was incredible they gave up 67 plays of 20 yards or greater I find that phenomenal number and 17 of those were turned into touchdowns and he has got an aggressive style he's going to come after people he's always been known for turnovers his team's at the Jets and other places have always forced a lot of turnovers well his team has given up a 34 yard pass for a touchdown early on here [Applause] and can you believe this in 1995 they've actually tried to start the wave here I thought that's passe isn't it well things are laid back in my home state now but huh somebody hadn't gotten the word first out of town Thomas and they went for the ball didn't get the ball but got him at the 30-yard line Marv Levy said he's gonna go to the two back offense because he feels Thurman Thomas has just been carrying the ball too much too much of the workflow and it that'll I think you said awhile ago Pat make him much more active in the in the passing yeah absolutely the accumulative effect of all they hit she take over a seven-year career this is now his eighth season I mean can have an effect it can slow you down it does slow you down second down in 873 Pablo leads back to split Kelly back good protection goes deep Tim health number 37 Ian as a nickel came flying Tim Haku is another free agent acquisition he came over from Green Bay well we said we were gonna watch Ruben Brown and Michael Dean Perry as well the rookie against a veteran 95 was Michael team Perry he's going to get some help there with Kent Hall and that's the thing you have to do generally you're going to have to double-team Michael Dean Perry and a beneficiary of that for the Bronco defense will be signed in Fletcher is a great caster for a long time her dead shotgun bill Brooks in as a bird white out his legs are down this may be whoops aw boy they went now it's always frightening is this it is and Dan Williams actually got blocked into Jim Kelly and that wasn't a cheap shot Dan Williams who has been offed injured here Dan Williams one time number one he's had a star-crossed career here six surgeries and one and a half sacks yeah number one draft pick in 93 and you know Greg Robinson the defense of quarters that we think this has to be a good year friend we have to find out if he could really get it done they believe he could be a powerful player and these the kind of downs any Powell four players put pressure on the quarterback third and 13 let's our dances across and gets back Kelly pumps and goes Dean Washington now in his 13th year he came here as an unrestricted free agent from the Raiders [Music] Lyon L Washington can still he is still fast enough in his 13th year to play but you see how smart nice even looking in he's reading the pattern and reading the quarterback as soon as he sees a quarterback step up to throw his a little jersey tug and then gets in position to make perfect but because that was a great drug and a good defensive play here's the high punt from Chris Moore and the fair catch called by Clint Milburn at the 26 yard line we have 5 minutes and 58 seconds remaining in the opening stanza for Mile High Stadium in Denver the Buffalo Bills lead by they're two second two seconds under six minutes I was a math major Texas 5:58 to go in the first quarter and it's seven three Buffalo John Elway and the Broncos get it back their points set up by a 49 yard pass in their first offensive play led to a 22 yard field goal [Applause] Reggie Macklemore has come on the vana offensive guard now number 68 Davis comes to the left side McIlroy leading the way you know we were talking to John Elway about number thirty Tyrell Davis and he said you know that this guy is a mature player he doesn't act like a rookies not awestruck he says he's smart and everything we have asked of him he's been able to do it he blocks he catches he's a good runner and mike shanin said he said chin Ian says he plays special teams like a defensive player I'm he makes powerful tackles second down and seven back split [Music] Richard goes in motion draw play to Davis bangs it over right guard and that's going to be closed for a first down at the 37 mark Maddox number 55 made the tackle well he he had a tough senior season at Georgia bothered by hamstring he get gone there after Long Beach State gave up the sport five games into his first year and told us he wasn't really disappointed with the sixth round draft pick his agent had told him he'd be a second round pick he thought he might not get drafted at all he certainly has made the most of his opportunity Glenn Milburn is in as a wide receiver now Bernstein stays in and gets the handoff in a first down one over left to guard moves him out to the 43 yard line there with John Elway is always lacked in his career here in Denver is kind of a runner that he can depend upon and now they're hoping Terrell Davis can be that guy and and you got to mix in some rod burns damn you mentioned Glenn Milburn's gonna he will be a featured guy a bit more receiver but they can get that running game going with Terrell Davis in rod Bernstein I mean they have a lot of weapons on offense when they get Anthony Miller back from his own injury my Pritchard Shannon Sharpe it they could be as explosive as any team in the AFC second down and six shannon sharpe in motion followed by henry jones they slipped the ball to Terrell Davis and he in turn is knocked backwards after a modern game here's one of those third down situations there where Elway likes to use his count try to get a free down and of course Bruce Smith was talking to us about it yesterday he's very aware of him you changing up his account using his hard count but but this is all there's Gary Kubiak the offensive for dinner but here's where you like the one-on-one matchups again with sharp and your backs may be rod Bernstein in in sharp they hit to the big play with sharp earlier let's see if Elway goes to the heart cap now third and three holding call and it'll be the option of the Buffalo Bills because John is sacked at the 40-yard line first sack tonight well that is good coverage that without that was a coverage sack because he had a lot of time to get rid of that ball is the holding call to decline it Punnett yeah one of the veterans acquired by this team for just that sort of pass rush gets his first second Buffalo Jim Jeff go number one draft pick of the Dallas Cowboys in 1983 hey everybody everybody was covered downfield but number 77 right there amilia screen he blows right by get some healthful camellias bennett and jeff coat and a pop gets a piece of him as well but but that was good coverage by smith and burst in the backfield and henry jones [Music] Tom Rowan is on to punt on fourth down 3:25 to go in the first quarter of play 73 Buffalo they're about to get it back here's Jeff Burroughs he comes up and grabs it up to 19 good block to free him for a moment and he counter punches out to the 29 yard line Burris a number one draft pick who's a starter in the defensive secondary for the Buffalo Bills well first Sunday of the season Oakland wins in their first home game in 13 years Kansas City won big New England at the end of the game Chris Martin the rookie ran for over 100 yards and Miami rolled over the Jets 5214 now marbly he's upset about something there's a flag that was dropped in the far side well they certainly know red Cash's name don't they that's a first down yeah that one I enjoyed Charles Stewart now somehow I don't think Mars gonna win this conversation and win this argument come on right here we go new jang-ho they're going back a long way [Applause] personal foul unnecessary roughness on the receivers the block was outbound be a 15-yard penalty first down and ten it the key thing there though it's a first and ten out of first for 25 now let's go back and take a look at that block that was judged to be out of bounds rod Smith is the recipient of the block he gets pushed out there he's played his way back in there's no illegal block there that I've seen so far I don't know I made it here's Kelly - Thomas hi steps and gets a couple Thurman Thomas already with his six carry seven three buffalo leads it the touchdown came on a 34 yard pass from Jim Kelly to Andre Reed think about this Buffalo team what they have gone through you know for Super Bowl losses then they followed up with a 7 to 9 season a year ago they've lost 19 free agents over the past two years this other than the key stars and his so so great was this is really a new team particularly defensively secondly Jenny got a rush got rid of it Thurman Thomas and he spilled at the 20-yard line good job by Kelly Michael Dean Perry was right there number 95 working against the rookie Brown got Michael Dean Perry number 95 on the rookie reuben brown number 95 this is kind of a power rush but he's a gap player he's not gonna run through guys but he's gonna run through your gaps and if you don't get your hands on him quickly he's gonna hit your quarterback like that a lot I mean he's hard to miss he's 285 pounds you think you can't put can't have a no-hitter you got to get your hands on Matador offense yeah Mel Brooks is the third white out Thomas goes in motion nearside no words incomplete pass Buffalo punts or did raycrockett number 39 to a great job I was on Bill Brooks I mean he was looking for Bill Brooks Jim Kelly was in raycrockett now playing left corner you can see it started with pretty good protection they take care of Michael Dean Perry that time reuben brown does a good job and raycrockett just jammed him and would not let him inside it's a heck of a point by procter here's the putt by Chris Moore nice and high boy that one rides the sky Millburn backed at the 24 has a chance to return it has a chance for a big return cut down 447 tony klein number 88 rookie tight-end made the tackle seven three our score with 128 to go opening quarter next Sunday we begin at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time with the Coors Light and we saw a Philadelphian thought they'd do well here's Elway Shannon Sharpe big play it away this West Coast offense it Mike Shanahan uses the tight end position is really something fun to watch I think you know the first player early in that first series they just they line them up as the tight end this time you've seen a Burnett 84 in motion is the man in motion right here and then Elway it looks like it's a kind of a middle screen but there's no real screen blockers of course a little delay pass and the 49ers ran these kind of subtle little plays with great success a year ago and are using Shannon Sharpe here in this game that the same way that's a first down in ten right now after that gain of 15 Elway blitz coming he goes across together Shannon Sharpe can't hang on it's an incomplete pass no he had a knee no sir I mean when Denver's had success of this game mill it has been Shannon Sharpe working the middle of the field and working against linebackers anyway what does Shannon say to us a couple of days ago in this offense he said I catch 100 passes or more yeah he was almost salivating and smiling at the same time which is a weird juxtaposition he thinks one does anatomically there you go but he was talking about his health he's got bad ankles and said if he could stay healthy there's no way he doesn't catch a hundred which would equal his brother Sterling's annual output in Green Bay used to be second down in 10 Elway surely no flag Mike Pritchard wanted to flag on Maddox like I really thought he should have gotten one I want to tell you though there was a late flag there I think they're gonna call something on Mike richer it started though with Bruce Smith again against Gary Zimmerman a play earlier he came up field on Zimmerman outside this time he comes inside with a little swim bull he said that that move up with an outside rush a couple of plays earlier and then he lets John Elway have it now Prichard was coming across the middle Maddox pumped him there was no flag and then obviously Mike Richard got a little argumentative unsportsmanlike conduct [Music] third down it's a loss of down yeah you know the penalty was not on the play itself he was grabbed you're right Maddox grabbed it should have been passed interference there but the compounds a mistake he gets up and screams at the official who knows what he said but they then did they call it on Mike Pritchard but he had a right to be angry thirty twenty five seven three score last forty seconds first quarter drills it Richard but that's short of the first down at the 34 yard line yeah they should be in field goal range though didn't get the first down but they have an opportunity put three on the board mike shanahan even though as the head coach he is still calling the place john elway looking over at the nearside mike shanahan responds not much of a breeze really no he's gonna let it run out anyway so they'd rather kick to the south end we've reached the end of one Buffalo on a 34-yard touchdown toss Kelly to read as opposed to the 7/3 lead a 52-yard field goal for Jason Elam from Hawaii by way of Snellville Georgia that's a long trip big trip the NFL on TNT is brought to you by Pennzoil the motor oil that works like liquid ball bearing and by Rolling Rock beer from the mountains the 2 yard field goal has decreased the lead to 1 in the first play of the second quarter and time now for the GMC truck leaderboard here the GMC truck leaders the best performance is an opening-day oj 250 yards for buffalo in 73 Van Brocklin 554 passing and my old buddy Frank Clark for the Dallas Cowboys in 1962 241 yards look what happened today well Terry Allen 131 that's a long story business all right yeah Frank Reich had a big night a big day today although in a losing cause Michael Jackson 157 yards in a losing effort somebody could pass one of those marks tonight I suppose I doubt it but it's still available open it's impossible we got three quarters to play genell's your day [Applause] Alan Alda reads part of the special teams coverage so as Reggie rivers number 38 who made this team by the whiskers on his chin and is he's a really likable young man who's a multi-faceted media giant he writes a column for a local paper he has a radio show he co-authored Vance Johnson's biography he's working on a novel hey he's got a publicist too and when he found out that he had made the roster this year the first call came from his publicist did we all need those who've had the time my kiss style first and ten Bax in the eye yelling incomplete intended for his tight end Lonnie Johnson there's a there's a a story there they're gonna miss Pete metzelaars I believe Pete metzelaars you know caught 49 balls for the bills of last year but they're really gonna miss my think of the running game if you're gonna run outside the NFL you have to have a dominating tight end they can block and Pete metzelaars was that guy and that's an unsettled position for Marv levy at tight at Lonnie Johnson has talent but he's not a proven player that's large by the way caught the first touchdown in Carolina history today from Frank Reich another former bill little buck to buff uh-huh second and 10 thanks plip that's Thurman Thomas again even though Buffalo was leading this game seven to six they still have not gotten a way to get Thurman Thomas really involved certainly in the running game and we said they're their most difficult to stop when they get him going in that running game he is a great stop and start and go sideways and backwards and never stopping kind of runner enough commas in that description John FINA is the injured player the left tackle number 70 remember we talked about how Buffalo is a different team there's they're starting tackles they've lost will wolf Wolford a couple of years ago a house ballard so they you know they've kind of reconfigured this team Marv levy has you know look at him he always he looks like he actually understands the Federal Reserve System yeah okay I don't but I was like he does and can explain it yeah which is really frightening yeah it is you know I don't know that he likes that saying that about it here's FINA from Arizona Cory and Lucci is going to take his place number 72 you gonna watch his right arm number 70 Piper stand it up all right in the back of Thurman Thomas episode of point oh he's linemen no I tell you these guys are tough guys they kind of patch him up they turned him up put tape and aspirin on it they sent him back in 39 for the shotgun flags are down so is Kelly Elijah Alexander he is not one of those new starters Elijah Alexander but playing a new position they're playing on the strong side he is number 58 you're gonna see him right here and he's gonna come off the corner doesn't Jam too tight and they got him and raycrockett come and clean leave that's a well-designed up in the Blitz on number 95 sir man Michael Dean Perry he will jump offsides sometimes you'll line up in the neutral zone it's feast or famine you have to live with those kind of things with Michael Dean Perry as well as the good place but they you know they had a big sack there that was oh that was look at a most penalized offsides guys last year Bruce Smith and Michael Dean Perrin yes because they're so quick and sometimes they guess on the snap count well that cost him the sack and it gars Buffalo a third and Kelly got him again threw it away Cashin no indication of intentional grounding they're going to say his knee was down Kelly's knee he was on the ground when he threw the ball yeah Michael Dean Perry goes the long way this time he can be a gap player and this time he goes all the way on a stunt around Trinette day he's got an explosive burst a different type of player than Bruce Smith but equally quick and when he gets there he always seems to make the play guys don't bounce off him there's the putt for Chris Moore shanked it will shaky very much I love saving shortly surely it was short there you go FBI nice adverb athira good news for the Denver defense they had only 23 sacks a year ago they just got a big one from that man in Newton's first law of inertia states that an object in motion will stay ours away from the Buffalo end zone and this still is a game of field position that this is a situation that Denver has to take advantage of the good field position particularly when here at home Navis and bernstein behind Elway on first down see if John might want to try and go for it all nope now give it to the rookie running back Terrell Davis number 30 this is a town pat I know you know this that that absolutely adores its Broncos and here's Terrell Davis who made the team as a sixth round draft choice already he has been signed to write a weekly column for one of the papers and he turned down the chance to host a Sunday night television you know that's what we've month my advice for rookie why don't write don't talk don't do those shows just play the game do it prove yourself first before you start writing columns second and seven Elway across the middle drop by Davis Maddox was right behind him but it was a catchable ball again those are the kind of matchups that Mike Shanahan said he wanted to have by a Terrell Davis against a linebacker like Maddox sharp against a strong safety or linebacker and now we have Glen Milburn in the game who is who can be an instant mismatch a know kind of runs like a hummingbird he just is all over the place Broncos haven't converted yet Milburn and expect him to be the feature back here and they use the West go top Coast offense but they do employ the shotgun with it Don Nehlen let's snap it back blitz is coming Denver picks it up and here's the pass in the line Mike Pritchard first down hard Shannon Sharpe in 84 instead of 81 you think alike about Shannon Sharpe Verne he is a strong strong guy and real strong hands he's number 84 again and you get the ball around him and this wasn't a terribly well thrown pass but he has such strong hands he's gonna be able to go down together they tried to double-team him just kid anywhere in his in his area good good coverage there by Schultz but the strong hand just sucks the ball up don't know bobbled passes by Shannon Sharpe that's Milburn and McCaffrey wide to the left Pritchard bottom of your screen Bernstein the running back first and ten rod Bernstein gets it long time running back out of Texas A&M at San Diego came over here a couple of years ago he's just trying to stay healthy for a full season he went out at the third game last year ACL anterior cruciate ligament health has always been a problem for him I've always been one of those guys who's had great potential but as you see he's never been able to play a full 16 game season but he's had flashes he always wonder if he could have stayed healthy what could a player he would have been what kind of player would have been you're doing a good job of catching your English mistakes tonight all right I use a lot of proper adverbs you're in midseason form second down eight good job on Bushman event it rather coming from the outside I think that was Zimmerman and schlurf who went out to help on Bennett he was coming around the end with speed Edie McCaffrey is going to be one of those kind of dependable receivers that that Denver needs and that John Elway is going to look for on these kind of third down situations but say there was a heck of a tackle by Monty Brown the linebacker who took down Ed McAfee it had to match if they wanted but a good play by Monty Brown Elway [Applause] Denver Mike pritchards year ago was wiped out when he hurt his kidney and laceration on the kidney but this is a guide that can have a hundred catch season also I think for the Broncos if he stays healthy and he is particularly good after the catch another one of those strong guys you can throw them a little three or four yard pass you make a guy miss you break a couple of tackles and you have a first down inside the tent again I saw Jerry Rice do it again for San Francisco caught a ball for your pass it turned into a long touchdown back yards one after the camp Pritchard gets a rest Clyde Smith is in famous bounces off one into another and he moves it down to the 4 yard line in the NFL today today's game here's where you'd love to be able to run the football with some power and that's still a big question mark for this Denver Bronco team Enver Terrell Davis they did in the preseason but now it really counts after a one-play rest Bruce Smith comes back in Ian pop will line up on the right side second down and goal from the four Elway in the pocket [Music] play-action fast drills it oh boy just after we were extolling him how the ball doesn't bounce out bobble passes that one I think he was expecting the ball a little bit earlier in the play but he stole should have caught that ball again sometimes the velocity and the speed of his passes shock you on the run when lots of guys can throw it hard but not like that on the road but that's a perfectly thrown ball in the numbers should have been a touchdown and would have a different game and he was wide open on a play-action fake head McCaffrey on one side and sharp underneath the goal for back to split on third and goal from the poor sharp and motional markzware has moved and left guard Roger Thompson did too got a double dip as schloredt who came over here from the Redskins first native-born Alaskan to ever play in the National Football League tidbits tonight hey you're away from the league for a year you store this stuff up I kind of went in hibernation all-stars number 76 on the offense five-yard still third down come on red 69 move - they got Broderick though I want to tell you though that even though Shannon Sharpe dropped that last pass to him this would be still an opportunity where he can use his size and his strength in a matchup his size and hit McCaffrey goes at 6'5 - like those sized matchups see if member comes they are way back here comes Smith there's the pass caught by Davis dropped at two-two nice tackle in the open field by Marvin Turner who is one of the work he's one of eight rookie draft choices who made this club a new head coaches have sometimes have to make unpopular decisions but that's the one kick the field goal and you're right this was a good tackle by Koerner they had the kind of play they wanted they had a guy Terrell Davis who's a tough and a strong player but a perfect tackle by Koerner to keep Matt the end zone but up again I was just mentioned about my shanty and this is the right decision for him to kick the field goal down seven to six still very early in this ball game Jeff Robinson will snap it Tom Rouen will hold it Jason Elam for his third field goal in the first half [Applause] and the Denver Broncos who had a lead of three nothing on their opening drive of the game have reclaimed the lead they're up nine seven now a 2.97 on Jason Adams third field goal of the first half Where's Waldo [Music] I don't have children okay you gotta find him in the crowd I study the federal reserved in there you go down balaam will kick off Jourdain and Holmes wait to return it this would be your nails Jourdain at the 2-yard line Ronnie Bradford makes the first contact number 23 Reggie Rivers was also there now let's take a look at the leesport scoreboard on this opening Sunday of the 1995 NFL season San Diego loses to the Raiders and Kansas City wins big emerald boy was a great day for Road teams today except for Cleveland I didn't know that was the next one this could pop up or for the Jets as far as that goes watch out for Miami though they have a lot of weapons public-health read five field goals he also punted in that game as well for Cincinnati that's the first Cincinnati win in September is 92 [Music] over Jacksonville [Applause] handed off to Thomas and sports for the couple that is the eighth carry for Thurman Thomas but he has had only modest success 24 yards 3 yard yeah you know when you watch Thurman Thomas you know Evy his moves are nifty but they're not brilliant he doesn't overwhelm you with power and speed he's always done it with creativity with patience and using his his teammates his blocks it's enough people I don't think there's anybody in the league that sets up blocks better than Thurman Thomas got a couple lambs second down [Music] 9:7 general agent midway through the second quarter Mike Louis might have gotten a hand up or Dan Williams number 90 it was Williams [Applause] if you can't get there and you push the pile back then that's the next best thing is to get your hands up you know you go six four like Dan Williams does at the bottom of the screen number 90 he gets right into FINA battle on a bad angle and a perfectly timed perfectly timed jump I win badly that bad elbow those the kind of power plays they expected from Dan waves with the first ticket 93 [Applause] the play clock was down to one so the bills burn one at 7:31 remaining in the first half of play and the Denver Broncos lead it by a couple [Music] there's a picture that doesn't need a caption there you go third down another one of those third down situations where Greg Roberts is a defendant defensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos is hoping to be able to get some inside puts with Michael Dean Perry and change the net and allow Simon Fletcher to come off the corner when he has been awfully good for Denver over last ten years Burton eight Broncos have the Nick : here's Kelly across the middle taught by Reid open field tackle and that tackle is made by raycrockett that is short of rays let him know that bringing the PUD team races and that was a good tackle because Andre Reed receiver you love to see guys get excited it is an exciting time on opening day you're playing at home well the Bills have been stymied offensively here the last quarter or so they have a 34 yard touchdown Kelly to read here's Chris Moore this more to his liking no at the 15 [Applause] white shake the tackle from Tom Tyndale number 33 well they are missing Steve Tasker on special team tonight out because of a pulled hamstring he did make the trip but he's not suited and Damon Thomas number 82 was taken his place and they must stink tasks are still there because they still have two guys bullying them but you're a ridah then they got him down the pass for Denver stayed down I promise you either we're going Richard Smith his special teams coach to the Denver Broncos was saying hey we we had to set up a whole plan special teams plan for Steve Tasker and he was delighted that he was talking to be playing tonight nine seven definitely emulated 6:46 to go that collection Shannon Sharpe [Applause] a nine-yard gain after the 30 for the tackle made by Mark Maddux number 55 and when Shannon Sharpe has been open he has been wide open I mean I don't really haven't seen close coverage on him yet tonight I never understand why you don't Jam him a little bit more at the line of scrimmage but he gets off the line of scrimmage and there isn't anyone anyone nearing that's a gain of nine and its second down and one Terrell Davis joins rod Bernstein in the backfield Mike Pritchard his motion [Applause] [Music] Bernstein and he picks up a couple that may be good enough yeah you know we think of the West Coast offense the 49er offense that's been exported I love that you know the offense du jour it even cuts those office in Philadelphia yeah exactly west of Maine right West Coast offense but how do you equate the role that shannon drum plays with Brent Jones of the 49ers I think Shannon Sharpe is probably a little bit more athletic a guy a guy they could use more downfield in the longer pass place we saw that early in this football game and do a bit I think they're both very effective inside the 15 first rush coming from Bryce pop Elway throws it my goodness Mike Pritchard couldn't get it because Jeff Burroughs was there to break up the play there what Wade Phillips has a new defense of philosophy here in Buffalo that is play man for man it's to blitz people and number 22 Burris it gets it this is his first year as a start and gets his hands up right in time and you know that's perfect time as soon as you see the receivers hands go up your hands go up and you knock the ball away as well as you can play it by for us Wade Phillips of course coming back where he coached six years [Music] yeah that's a heck of a puck the block fly marks left on Greg gamers areas big old 69 you can't miss him no Alex Gibbs the offensive line coach says hey this guy is an accountable guy and he get a guard out there doing his thing perfectly time to didn't rush it Bernstein didn't rush it waited for the block by Clara gets right in the shoulder pads of Greg Evans he follows the block and you have a nice first down Bernstein with a gain of 18 yards off the slur o'clock one of the Hogs sign is an unrestricted free agent this year first and ten beylin snaps it back draw play Terrell Davis [Applause] they've been looking for that running back that you can count on count on in the first quarter and in the fourth fourth quarter they have not had that for years here but Terrell Davis they believe can become that guy you run an outside play with rod Bernstein and then you come right back inside with Terrell Davis picked up a very nice block inside that's a gain of 17 yards for Terrell Davis Carl Wilson and injured Buffalo Bill on the ground one of the things I noticed today in in the offensive side of the football opening day what seems like more teams are running outside place you know I saw rod Bernstein running outside play there a moment ago the 49ers did it there's Alex Gib the offensive line coach assistant head coach as well here for here for Denver and he's got some guys they could really block I mean it Habib schloredt we've seen watch one of his guys number 75 hubby again he just kicks out Bryce pop burns team gets a nice block as well and Davis follows that block well brian habib is gonna pay dearly for that he told us during our chat with him two days ago every time an offensive lineman aid gets on television or gets his name mentioned in the paper or agrees to even meet with the television commentators that's a fine you got fine big time I mean they want to be as anonymous as telephone operators and he he'll have a big big fun well the reason the to carry Zimmerman wouldn't meet with us because he they can find too cheap to pay to be said about Alex Gibbs his head hey I've been in this league a while now I have never been around an offensive line coach who knew more about coaching offensive lineman and Alex Gill under Alex Gibbs a year ago this Denver bunch gave up 55 [Music] surgeons over to the 23 yard line Terrell Davis keeps this up yeah he is a demonstrative guy he goes out with his all offensive lineman he'll chew him out but then he'll pat him on the back it was almost looks like a special team study he said one of the things he's got to do is convince the wide receivers they are responsible for sex he's got to convince the route runners that they're not embarking on 9 gauge or [Music] wedding latest in the middle and these are the tough yards the Terrell Davis is giving the Broncos right now the way he hugged at blocking the block [Music] it just just finals it hugs the block up Gary Zimmerman the left tackle number 265 again again a couple years schref has a stalemate on his guy which is good enough Zimmerman stands up the linebacker and he is smart enough not to try to do it all on his own but he follows in a disciplined run there by Terrell Davis [Music] two of seven on third down conversions Davis now with 46 yards but the Broncos we'll burn time out of their own they call time with 306 remaining in the first half but we've got a good one tonight we thought we might have two undefeated teams next week we're going to run with some power here in this thrive with Terrell Davis and with rod Bernstein so if you can believe that this is kind of a run ole passed down for Denver right now 31 they what play-action get his man Bernstein now Bryce pop oh boy ice pop was the guy that is gonna force the field goal attempt [Music] you can watch number 95 in that the free agent the Green Bay is on the near side right there comes cleanly now he was supposed to get fooled but that was a disciplined play by Bryce pop this is a consistent relentless guy and he is going to make a difference in the pass rush to the bills this year coming off a great season for Green Bay a year ago maybe and here's Elam and is no good [Music] so Elam comes up why didn't come up short yep but neither one of these offenses really seemed to be in sync tonight burns I mean we have a 9 7 ballgame and it is the opening game Mike Shanahan said one of his concerns about this particular game was if my offensive team has not played together this preseason ever he's been hurt of it Anthony Miller was hurt for a while at McAfee was hurt for a while haven't had my whole office together and they're kind of playing like that but to think about both these quarterbacks is they do not get discouraged they can be ugly for three quarters and play great the fourth quarter out of the shotgun here's Kelly the bills down [Music] he catches as tight an Lonnie Johnson but there are two flags in the offensive backfield so we'll see if Johnson's catch will stand up I don't think so [Music] [Applause] there's the possession shark for the bills in the first half Chris Moore will earn a letter leaving and the tag into this seven yard run 79 on the offense big yard feel first down that's reuben brown that's the rookie out that's the matchup he had a good hold on Michael Dean Perry and then attack him yeah Perry tries to get to that gap in brown gets his hands out of early but he has can't stop the power he is so quick and explosive on those first two steps it is blue eye fire [Applause] how's that for a quick 21-yard yeah you see who Andre Reed kind of knocked backward it was Steve Atwater you talk about a tough physical guy who will catch the ball over the middle Andre Reed has done this for 11 years now first of all it was a frozen rope I mean that ball got there quickly the perfectly thrown ball right in the numbers and then he runs through Atwater for the extra couple of yards to pick up the first yep Rick Crockett intended for Bill Brooks in the lake Crockett was right there he's having a nitrate Crockett it knee and we seem to make a couple of tackles and critical situations knocked the ball away we had a one tackle she the two yards short of a first down now he's back playing left corner of her last year he played right corner after coming from Detroit as a free agent and you get the feeling he just feels a lot more comfortable over there on the left side even comfortable you're confident made you play better and they [Music] [Applause] [Music] Jonah's have drifted back in past coverage that time that's a huge load to move north you know Greg Robinson did that a lot last year with the Jets I mean he would bring outside guys and then drop off defensive linemen in short zones [Music] the pass incomplete makes it third and ten Buffalo is one of six on third downs Kelly is seven [Applause] Damon Thomas scan is an extra wide receiver yeah [Music] that's us and here comes a flag yep I don't know the 25-yard line of the hefty throw by the field judges Paulie cow bill Smith's [Music] uh-huh [Applause] I mean that was way downfield and the past will be the a penalty will be declined passing offense number 84 on the offense that penalty is declined it will be fourth down and that's the two-minute warning so we have reached the two-minute warning we cheated you by a second we'll be right back this this is Ruben Brown that we talked about this is Michael Dean Perry and I'll watch again how quickly he gets off jumps through the gap again he's not gonna go through players and then gets to Jim Kelly knocks him down I mean you have got to have some help on Michael Dean Perry you've got to be able to double-team him otherwise he's gonna be knocking your quarterback down every day every play he's been there tonight content Dilbert back to return he's returned the last two four twenty four and ten yards respectively nice and high by Chris Moore and Milford with a fair catch 25 yard line coming up at half-time on the fruit alone halftime which will be a little later than we thought because of this minor skirmish you go but we're still gonna have time yep we're gonna have a no-huddle highlights you go Vince Giulini we'll take you around the league with barely a whisper of breath they have a Steve Young injury update and Ricky Watters who is we are told mad already hate to hear that 15 games left to get over it Jim Kelly is team trails by two everybody coming [Music] to catch in traffic Shannon Sharpe dropped one in the end zone and a frozen rope for mr. Elway John Elway could throw a greasy pork chop past the hungry wolf this thing gets there there's no open guy I mean there is a crease about that big animal fingers at each apart and he gets the ball out the play they opened the game with earlier [Music] that was excellent on both sides pull Elway and sharp you know you're gonna get smacked you know you're gonna get hit but you have the concentration in traffic and I want to tell you there's nothing for the confidence of a quarterback that you know you have a receiver that'll catch the ball and traffic like that and 30 snaps it back you Jeff Burroughs one of the three number-one draft choices who occupies starting spots at his Buffalo secondary underthrew had him for a touch under through Mike Pritchard there but you know that's the thing about both these quarterbacks we talk about playing ugly for a while neither one I'm really playing great the next thing you know he throws to the rope to Shannon Sharpe and he comes back to Mike Richard and he had him just kind of under throw don't catchable though though catchable second and ten this time for ma'am [Applause] but then is caught and dropped by me Cornelius Bennett at the 43 yard line and the Broncos are going to use one of their two remaining timeouts [Music] and the time is called with 59 seconds to go we're gonna watch Bruce Smith on an inside boob we see an outside move then a quick bulletin this time of stunts he fakes out outside and then comes inside the the rush of Phil Hansen to give a John Elway a shot so we've seen three different past rushes in the first half by Bruce Smith this guy is still a dominant pass rusher in the National Football League Alex Gibbs said to us he is without question the best defensive player in the league right now he said over the last five years yeah interesting listening to him talk to about the acquisition of Jeffcoat and Bryce pop didn't help him with the additional sack that's up-to-date Reggie White had two and a half today you see where Bruce Smith is and he is an absolute force and he is a change of pace and and as Alice Gibbs was saying hey five years ago he took someplace off he doesn't do that here every down they bring and the ball is going to be down at the 30-yard line ball shorts [Applause] they may be 35 years old and he may not be as fast as he once was but he's still fast enough clock plumbing was 34 seconds to go and now stopped at the 34 second mark burn I've always thought John Elway is the best scrambler ever in the National Football League not necessarily the best runner I mean maybe Roger Staubach was Steve Young and some guys like that Randall Cunningham that the best scrambling cuz he has always told looking downfield for a big play they never eat he had he felt Curt Schultz behind him Curt Schultz does a nice job of stripping the ball but there's old Shannon Sharpe to lend a hand to his quarterback mmm-hmm second down [Music] you second good defense this has been a first half on good defensive place it starts with Gary Zimmerman doing his job first you have to start by blocking Bruce Smith Zimmerman does that Elway is allowed to step up he's got an open Pritchard the recovery speed there by Carter and they're testing the rookie and that good recovery speed by Colonel Marlon Turner the third round pick out of Iowa State [Music] reported [Applause] [Music] the Broncos have some good that's strong inside receivers they're gonna use their last timeout you see what Reggie Rivers he came in from the sidelines he came running in to call the timeout and then ran out sure you can do that but that's what he did Broncos are out of timeouts now with 17 seconds to go how do you differentiate Scrambler runner what are you talking about Elway it's a good point well I think what Elway is scrambling he is always looking for the past first he couldn't that time but generally his big plays go back over his career they come on the scramble when he's trying to set something up downfield then I'll throw down 60 yards you look at Randall Cunningham Steve Young Roger Staubach those guys where they were scram they were look at the run and I think that's a big big difference in no one has been able to have the velocity and the strength to finish a scramble by John Elway to be able to run one way throw the ball crossbody 40 yards you know Wade Phillips is talking with us by phone this week concerning lways high number of sacks that that's one of the risks you take yeah because you want them out there scrambling around you already gonna take some sense first Richard went one way John went the other there's still 12 seconds remaining here this F they do have no timeouts and you have to be careful to get a call the kind of routes that either you can get out of bounds or you can quickly line up and then down the ball give you a kick or a chance I still not have they had been able to get the ball to Shannon Sharpe all night [Music] let's it go deeper and him again just how to lead him more for the middle of the field burn again a good rush by by Smith I think pop was in there well as well but he thinks actually actually was going to run a little narrow or skinnier post pattern and if he throws this away from the fender I think it's a touch he Adam beat well soccer fans must love this one here Jason even 50 then the World Cup game it somewhere Pele is smiling he or Alexi Lalas I'll bring myself over there you go I got to get current now Ralph Tam he's played for a few teams in this league you know you mentioned John Elway and his statistics in the first ten well he did have the touchdown dropped and now one was off the fingertips there Mike Pritchard he said a couple balls dropped but again knee is I mentioned earlier they they play ugly or he can play ugly so same with Kelly and then just when you count them out they can beat you with one pass the fourth quarter so I've seen this a lot of ly he takes a while to get rhythm he can play ugly then boom boom next thing you know the game's over Bruce Smith who believe it or not is playing at Mile High Stadium for the first time ever first time the buffalo has been here since 1977 but one of those little facts that people tend to overlook I certainly did he signed with Denver in 1989 and to his surprise and the Broncos surprise buffalo matched the five-year multi-million dollar offer and he stayed in Buffalo there's a there's a lot of guy Gary Zimmerman with you wishes he would have been a Bronco but I would say Jim Kelly and other guys are delighted to have him on his side a and he's had his usual very strong first half he's been a disrupter much like Michael Dean Perry has the Bronco script kick to the 42 on the last play of the first half so mike shanahan is called on Jason Elam to author five first-half field goals he converted four of them Marv levy spuntz trails at the half and christy rides the mile high air and puts it 5 yards into the end zone that's back who worries about that kicking off in the 30 yard line no not here you don't know John Elway's and the Broncos really an average first half for John 11:25 for 174 yay and we've talked about that though but you know one throw away from a win with it with him anytime you have in the game he did have Shannon Sharpe who dropped a pass he missed a touchdown pass probably to Mike Pritchard but it was an uneven first half for John Ella first and ten back sweat [Music] they hand it off Terrell Davis gets a couple it actually doesn't get back to the line of scrimmage they're just talking about Terrell Davis and Brian heavy the offensive guard was telling us that hey this guy is a hungry hard-working rookie and you know when you come in as a sixth round draft pick that's what you should be and you know you had a nice nice total first down here and for 46 yards and no showing some flashes here it's a tough yard do the end of the tackle yeah [Music] stand strong [Applause] he got bumped downfield Richard got dumped up downfield that should be the five yard yard [Music] Mike Prichard uh we talked about him earlier I think he has a chance of having a very very good season for these Broncos because he is so good after the catch never after five yards you can't bump him looks like he gets jammed right there wasn't significant but they'll call it and they did on Jeff Burroughs Mike Richard played to complete collegiately at Boulder here's read cashing oh it's gonna be the big kind the adult version yeah I guess they've deemed the ball catch up I thought was an illegal contact for the five-yard verge to go to if they keep passing number 22 as it comes down there we go yeah I got it I've been waiting for that all night Jim Kelly checking his his options a lot of times run the same plays just a different formation so he's going to the game with probably 40 or 50 different place maybe off of eight formations now way back on first down McCaffrey and Ed McCaffrey who starts tonight in the place of Anthony Miller makes the grab McCaffrey six foot five inch receiver from Stanford who was a draft choice that the New York Giants played there three years then to San Francisco and signed here is an unrestricted free agent now once against Bruce Smith was made his presence known as he popped from one side bruce smith from the other and then you get the tackle there by perry but i think pop is going to help this year the long run as a passer 7:4 to demotion Andy Phil Hansen who's really the unsung member of that front line yeah it talks much about Bryce pop and you always talked about Bruce Smith and Cornelius Bennett this is one of those solid guide you see what he did there good point of attack type of guy who come in from the right part of the screen number 90 she's kind of a blows through Brian of beep throws him away makes the stop but you need guys like till he hands the kid Washington if everybody's rushed in the pass he need some guys to stay at home and stuff the runners go hand third and ten shotgun five-man four-man rush steps up this is pit car Henry Jones has it number 20 goes to his left grabs the defective deflected pass and you told me this afternoon every time you see him he plays well yeah Henry Jones always plays well on TNT but again it's the rush that forces him to step up hey this time is Jeffcoat number 77 Smith 78 now tell Vinnie take me took a shot by Schultz talking about Terrell Davis but a heads-up play and a catch by Henry Jones he this guy as a strong safety plays the position a lot like cornered yet he is strong enough at 200 pounds to come up with stuff he on the run he is a very versatile strong statement [Applause] he works white tackle runs into Elijah Alexander and Dante Jones numbers 58 at 53 there's Henry Jones he has done in Evin he is the ability to cover you know guys one on Hwanhee can cover wide receivers they hadn't really put him on shannon sharpe I think maybe they should but but Verne I think if the Buffalo Bills are going to win his football game to [Music] [Applause] and Steve Atwater is there to make an arm tackle that water got his left arm up you know one of the things that has troubled this Denver franchise pad has been a series of really bad drafts in last seven or eight years you look back in Atwater is really the only number one pick in the last I say eight years has made many yeah in my Shanahan's well aware of they say we have blown the franchise have blown a lot of hydrogen the defensive line where's the play further outside Alexander makes the tackle but Fletcher's set it up he got some help for Michael Dean Mary I mean what you're seeing as the different Denver defense some guys that have some muscle their physical their toughs they can stuff the inside you right Simon Fletcher's forces it outside and he gets pummeled there by Elijah Alexander and Michael Dean Perry just kind of works off the rookie Reuben Davis he's kind of strange it out [Applause] did not finish that block Morphin for Buffalo quick setup [Applause] that is a beautifully time playing Vern to Russell Copeland I mean it was a press one-on-one coverage Russell Copeland on Randy Hilliard they didn't waste any time that happened very very quickly and I think Hillier thought Russell Copeland was going to go long to go too where's seem to know huddled [Applause] [Music] the flag is down that time they take the same plane instead of Copelan - I'm greedy and if they were gonna send him deep burn the problem was wasn't the same defensive back that they were working on this one I think is gonna go against the Broncos and this may be the juvenile version the illegal block downfield Mark Kelly and cash and talk it over illegal contact number 48 only defense five yards her staff yes let's go back to the prior flight of one before the on the fourth day fi this is Russell Copeland and number 21 Randi Helia here's the first down marker he's gonna fake deep and then just kind of stop a perfectly timed pass and throw there by Kelly and you get the first down and a first down after the penalty now general agent breaks a tackle and there's his best run of the night first and goal buffalo at the 9 yard line of the broncos some runners get extra yards by breaking tackles some by moving the pile but Thurman Thomas sees where those extra yards are and somehow Vern gets his body there one of the very disciplined patient runner and he sets up the blocks and now he's got something gone this is a good driver [Applause] a hard-earned yard this time [Music] and it'll be second down 12:7 Denver Marv ladies Bunch yeah you have to think George ooh Kelly I think Andre Reed is the guy over the last 10 years [Music] [Applause] to the right side [Applause] Thomas he gets to the five report from the Buffalo bench John FINA who had that hyper-extended elbow is out for the remainder of the game and Gauri Lucci has taken his place number 72 that's that left tackle spot will be blind up against sign inflection [Applause] they're gonna they're gonna double Andre these to the right go play Thomas stuffed at the one-yard line now Jim Kelly looks back at Marv levy and Jim Shanker the quarterback goes what are we gonna do go for it you know this is coming new - they are gonna go for it in years past their short yardage runner was Kenneth Davis he is no longer here with the pills they got big old Tim tons of Tyndale in there as an extra blocker and Thurman Thomas will be the short yardage play well they said they'd look at their glass every short line playing Thomas at the highest dosage of success and he did not get in I do not believe [Applause] Elijah Alexander and this really is a new Denver defense break from the old tradition of kind of a soft d fancy inside that wouldn't make play but tonight his Denver defense has done it again that time on fourth down and they take the ball he was cool and uncanny but with one tick left on the clock Joe Montana was the net water made the play first down ten from the one [Applause] let's go back and take a look at that fourth and one this is a real big play it Steve Atwater is involved in it again here he is he's playing like a linebacker he is going to fill this hole and Carlo garner comes right here a surprising thing to me though is Atwater doesn't really hit him cleanly I think Carlos should have scored here because he didn't really get his helmet in front of him he trips and falls and did not get in the end zone but was that water making the planet what was it Jim Kelly said to us on second down to bounce it to the outside he gets just about to the bottom but again you know we've looked at that that play a couple times I'm really am surprised carwell Gardner did not get in because it was really not a square hit by Steve Atwater third down the play fullback you'd be Rod Bernstein this time burn you get the ball we wouldn't give it to you this situation but just in case we did this is what it would look like well with my elusive moves might have bounced it to the outside that cat Bernstein couldn't get outside on the but he gets outside of the pass and the Broncos moved the change and that is a very important first down you know your defense does a great job they stuff the bills on fourth down they give you the ball in an awful field position you're happy to have it but grinding out that first first down out of the out of the end zone is awfully important and they just put it away though 1st down and 10 Bax foot behind Elway Davis steps it up the middle moves it to the 19 yard line young man who grew up in San Diego as we said he went to Lincoln High School which is where Marcus Allen played his high school ball then went to Long Beach State program was suspended five games into his first year played for George Allen who went to his aunt's right and then wound up at Georgia and had a couple of pretty good years and then his senior year he was dams thrown by him through I did the same to say I did on a hinge I did not attend say just second in short that should be enough for the first down Jeff Burris makes the tackle now let's take a look just in the nick of time to the Coors Light scoreboard kokin wins as does Kansas City New England at the end of the game wins that one has put his mark of respect on Miami for this year yeah I like my okay they've got some offensive weapons I think the foe better defense first and 10 Denver they moved it out that way who is out there leading the way around the lefthand but good defensive work this is one of the things I've noticed in week one though are our teams running more outside place and I think you find so many strong defensive tackles in the NFL today they're given up on long thumbs of the inside run and running more to the outside how do you like the tactic now that Buffalo is employing with venom Smith on the same side well I think that's really gonna help one pass dude pass downs a particular burden I say early in the year Bryce PAUP is going to get most of the sacks Bruce Smith will get his share of sex Erin Craver and Milburn in the lineup now here's the pass in the and Craver who came over from miami makes the grab on that chip game this is so far been a matchup game for the Denver offense Shannon Sharpe on linebackers in that time Craver on number 95 Bryce pop it's a scheme it's the way you draw it up during the course of the week they're getting those kind of one-on-one man-for-man matchups and you should win those and they are right down office' is a relentless pass rusher but this is not his his fort his covering backs one on one of the f and in a downfield first and 10 Denver they moved it from their own one to the 34 was involved in a bit of a battle with Thomas Smith another of those number one draft choices in the secondary but I think this is gonna come back with a holding call against Denver yeah we have not heard much from Cornelius Bennett you know you're talking about Bennett and Smith Dean on the same side okay one thing is that Wade Phillips put up is putting a lot of pressure on his young corners Thomas Smith and Jeff verse tonight and they all responded they are doing a pretty good job lot of blitzes a lot of man for me in coverage and they're doing a good job Wade did not want to talk to the Denver media this week I think with some degree of understanding he wanted the lochia stern number seven he sits on the offense Broderick Thompson is guilty of the holding call Wade said that it was an emotional return this has been his home for six years his daughter graduated from high school here his wife Laurie did not make the trip because their son Wesley had a high school game back in Buffalo last night but utilized welcome when he came in he should about your hands and fans hands as he walked into the stadium team Vance Johnson the vans yeah he bet the Vance is in oh I know after a year away wearing number 82 good protection brother hang some laundry on that one did you know first in 25 is an intimidating down for most quarterbacks to the National Football League but when you have some weapons like this and you have a guy who can throw it like this on a line this far downfield you run unusual routes I don't think defensive backs see those kind of routes on that down and that was a marvelous throw and well-timed pattern by Mike Pritchard gain of 21 second and four Bernstein Jarell Davis Aram Baksh quit Richard emotion play action prashant hit from schultz knocks it away double coverage on sharp an excellent double coverage by Buffalo yeah what changeup - they put Henry Jones on Shannon Sharpe member Shannon Sharpe in the first half was blowing by linebackers this time they put Henry Jones their all-pro strong safety on him and then they give him some help with the free safety Schultz man that's what you have to have the edge one of the adjustments Wade Phillips is made here in this second half was going to be caught until Scholes got there now I'm third down in the advanced Johnson was sharp and went over these receivers also McCaffrey to the other side la [Applause] a peaceable that's the second sack for Buffalo tonight Genco and Bruce Smith combining there's Jeff go Jeff go you mention him it's a guy is this smart a pass rusher as you can get Gober number 22 slips he's the bug guys gonna get the ball the jet code number 77 makes the play get some help from pop in Smith everybody got a piece of the motor the third Wade Phillips talking about Jim Jeffcoat and the fact that he still keeps a book yeah on every offensive lineman with who he contends we asked Bruce bet that he kept a book he said just of my hair just walked out [Applause] to return me but but there's no return to this one we made this team as a special team performer is down there to deny Buffalo the returns but they do have the ball [Music] every year the people of North Africa bear witness to the groose to my homeland steamboat without mentioning they anticipated snow that we're going to get it looks like it's just about to start I think so it's actually 90 degrees here in general those misters they have to keep their team for huh it is muggy Kelly drills [Applause] no cats Andre Reed was out of bounds [Applause] in the first half the bills had some success getting the ball to Russell Copeland and we saw it once enough on a fourth down but we have not seen him much here this second half he had the left foots on the line it's a good call by the official John Sarah seen Jim Saracino the back judge made the call well we have asked the weather bureau to give us the current temperature and they tell us is 72 comfortable sup with you boy [Applause] but Kelly lets it go left side incomplete he's having a rather average night yeah you know I think the defense is never the very beginning of his broadcast we said all the changes on defense Buffalo started five new defensive starters tonight in Denver Broncos started six that some of the questions about their defense have been answered or being answered because they're both teams are putting pressure on the quarterback and the defensive back to do a very good job particularly the corners they're down [Music] [Applause] wait very cocky that ball should have been caught so Verne I think that hit got there late I think that ball should have been caught by Bill Brooks bill Brooks is the man in the slot he is number 80 right here and he's getting the trail technique by Crockett can't get there in the make up speed hits him wait though Franck it did hit him it's still super caught by Brooks so Kelly comes to the bench 8 of 21 for the game is this Moore's putt nice high and Millburn Bearcats five yard line 1:41 remaining in the third quarter is still 12 seven Broncos Kelly cast in the role of observer now while the Broncos are back on the field of his team trails 12 7 Shannon Sharpe has had a big night - yeah he's been observing Shannon Sharpe but he has done a little bit of everything for the Denver Broncos he is we seen him catch passes in traffic there was that frozen rope the one-on-one against Marlowe parent perfect throw great catch in traffic then we seen it on a finesse play the little inside screen on in motion blocks the guy takes the ball a little picks up another first down and then early in the game he went deep I mean this said everything else up that was one of the early in the first quarter so Shannon Sharpe who suffered from leg cramps right now has done a little bit of everything - the Denver Broncos - five for 117 pretty nifty start to the 95 season in the meantime after the punt of Chris Moore there was a penalty tackle against the Broncos who the ball moved from the 35 back to the 22 yard line and it is from that spot that Denver will put it in play first down and ten well of 1:41 remaining the third quarter the Broncos up 12 to 7 this is where you'd love to be able to control the game a little to burn run the football and be thinking about getting another score and it's been an uneven offensive night - both teams went over at hand as a wide receiver wide to the left Bennett comes defensively Bernstein to the outside and across the 25 to 27 yard line Bernsen went out with that knee injury in the third year third game last year and haddock had a terrific catch and run after the catch for a touchdown in the last preseason game in Jacksonville he said that's when he felt like he was really back Tom Malin second year as a starter in a center and second down [Applause] find sharp [Applause] they don't catch you know incomplete Wachtler F did a nice job therefore when we see marks Loretta pulling around on some of the outside plays there he is number 69 but he kind of first of all GM Bruce Smith inside and then he picked up another deliver well you have a guy who was as Alex Gibbs calls my as accountable as his he is your quarterbacks gonna get a lot of second chances known us useful wrapped on with his family / there there you go I do I would do it I hear it [Music] I'm here [Applause] there's going to be a penalty against the Broncos red dashing through the flag and somebody had hold on Jim Jeffcoat I think here he is and talk to God Jeffcoat he actually does have a binder and that's the binder of all the offensive tackles in the league knows how to play them he's gonna be isolated on Habib number 75 69 on the offense 10-yard first down that's a pretty good pretty good block there by Brian Aviv balding up the middle on now Hansen there's Clara now it's Gibb said you know that's the guy we've been trying to get on my team for two or three years down he's bombing better chance to get him here in Denver Aaron Craver back in the lineup third down 15 it can't take the sack and you certainly can't turn the ball over here protected a five-point lead he slips away flag is gone the printer just about a foot too far and I will check the infraction well he's had a couple of those just a foot too far yeah but that's the difference sheet of scrambler and a good runner when he gets out of the pocket he's looking downfield he's not looking to run and he's rather upset with himself because she can't three or four plays like that again he's missed a couple of tonight oh yeah anything against the bills yeah that could have been a touch but he is unique you know what he hard to get into it down yeah he's losing his laconic well you know he's been kind of in pre-season the pride of Brian Texas red cash and he is one of the real good guys and a terrific official to boot first down in 10 at the 21 flavor and Terrell Davis in the backfield behind John Elway 12 7 Denver well Davis number 30 when Ava sets his 13th Gary 58 yards so kind of a standoff between the unknown rookie Davis and the much accomplished Thurman Thomas was carried 50 times for 50 yards or the Buffalo Bills as we said this has been a pretty good defensive game no real flashes offense but in the fourth quarter both these quarterbacks have made a career and we've reached the fourth quarter was the right time but this guy's around here in December he is missing his local Menza Club the meeting tonight he's been doing this for years yeah when he's not recording every town has yeah yeah a guy right and we got a birthday we just got all kind of stuff happening heroes don't happen yeah we got snow in September we got a barrel man that shuttle riding the 28-yard line henry jones is shadowing him now yeah well he was a little closer Henry Jones was the Shannon start sharp edge is still not gonna stop Henry Jones is as good a cover strong safety as you're gonna find if they obviously changed it they realized the linebackers what you're gonna want gonna be able to cover him and now Jones is trying but that time Shannon Sharpe was too much for Jones as well [Music] or field goals for the Broncos the 34-yard touchdown for buffalo the key play however was a fourth and goal stop Steve and McCaffrey first down Denver at the 39 [Applause] 12:7 lead Denver on top a physical defensive game offensive it's tough being a sinner to watch right here you're gonna see Nalin number 66 he gets his hand and Bruce Smith's face whose fist gets bumped by three or four different guys the thing is when Bruce Smith lines up every offensive lineman knows where he is that time Tom Nealon said oh my god [Music] first out [Music] [Applause] sharp first down as he rolls to a stop at the 45 again Elway not scrambling to it early not running we talked about Thurman Thomas being a patient runner Elway is a patient scrambler if his eyes are always downfield no matter where the rush is feels people around it feels the rush stays underneath it and again we're wide open Shannon sure I you know if I Buffalo I'm saying hey I don't know what's gonna have the rest is to a quarter but Shannon Sharpe is not going to be to take away Jamie back the lion screwed he's caught seven for one gets a couple to the 41-yard line toward the wait Philips about playing against John Elway this week and he said you know for the last six years I've been a dented Enver I've never been frightened of John Elway but I was scared as heck preparing for him tonight because of the unusual things that he could do as a quarter and John was telling us that his enthusiasm for the game you know like his physical skills have eroded to play for a few more years at Mike Shanahan [Music] forstuff deal late flag Monty Brown number 96 is a flag down at the 34 yard line look at John Elway you know you have a five-point lead 1214 to me in the game you're thinking he might get myself a field goal I got an eight point game in they need about where the penalties gonna end up but about eight more yards nine more yards get themselves a decent field goal attempt so that's what's going through Elwes mind right now Mike Pritchard limped off there is no crack that no foul on the play because the block was here in five y'all correcting the goal but again as I said there at the what 43 yard line now you right down to about the 35 to 35 to the 30 to give yourself a good shot at a field goal [Music] but now they're at the 43 Rod Smith has come on now replacing Mike Richard he goes wide to the left side Vance Johnson and [Music] emotion deadly combination this is proving to be tonight even when you know he's gonna get the ball and throw them you can't stop you know it's the same thing when you think about guys like Michael Irvin and Jerry Rice that's what makes these guys special players you can't stop them even when you know what you're gonna get the ball and the patience of Elway and in the arm of Elway he cuts down any reaction time because of the velocity of his throne I mean you think you have a chance to get after him and knock the ball away but the ball gets there too fast well we mentioned a moment ago that he he thinks he might equal or surpass some of the accomplishments of his terrific brother sterling sharp a hundred and sixty-two yards tonight I'm sure sterling is watching this back east and he's rather pleased with the effort of his brother tonight it's been the Elway Sharp show so far 1114 remaining time has been called by the Broncos and will return the mile high in a moment water first game of the year first visit by Buffalo to Mile High Stadium in 17 years 18 years we are a mile high and it is hot and it can tell in the fourth quarter and some guys are sucking some wind you're right there's a lot of guys shannon sharks been cramping up michael pritchards been cramping up and this is a really key drive for both ball clubs now coming is 1114 remaining point margin Denver's on top play-action 'we had Sam Rogers right in his face number 59 coming from the outside that's a heads up play by Elway right there just avoiding the sack I mean a year ago he was sacked at gazillion times has been sacked 447 times in his entire career he's been you know kind of a throw rug for a long year a lot of years but that time he got rid of the ball so quickly and saved himself about seven eight yards as well as again 12 second down in 10 Jerry Evans backs off the line now goes in motion wearing the radiator slip it inside to Terrell Davis and Maddox the linebacker does a good job with an arm tackle Marc Maddox the five-year man from northern Michigan it would be third down again this is an important down the Denver Broncos you can't do silly things on this down in Elway with 13 years of experience he doesn't do too many but he realizes that defense is playing well Bernie he realizes he has a five point lead and he's in field goal range just can't turn the ball over he can even take a sack but you can't turn the ball over shannon sharpe lines up tight to the left you want to think about him it's third and eight the Caffery too long a foot too far yet again yeah there's a reason that one was a foot too far over because there are a couple of defenders right in front of McCaffrey was hoping maybe to get a jump ball because McCaffrey six five and Marlin Turner's played pretty well tonight he's got trail technique because he's got some inside help and as another defender of Greg Evans number 41 coming over so Elway was just avoiding the turnover so Jason Elam on to try and extend the lead to eight Rouen will hold Elam is four or five tonight [Music] is perfect [Applause] it's been a Jason Elam highlight show tonight he's kicked five that ties his career high and that also totals all the Denver points do your children know where you are boy the party is going to continue and low though here's Jason Elam third round draft choice 93 from Hawaii we asked why he wore number one he said well when he got here he asked for his college number yeah number seven he said anybody using that one around there it was taken get taken at the nine barista and then makes it to the 27 yard line now john elway is warned number seven for a couple of years and i guess they'll let him keep it even though Edom would disagree only one has the moves of Barry Sanders [Music] only one has his acceleration [Music] as his control only one has such breathtakingly perfect balance Seville STS with the Northstar system a great performer creates a higher standard hey mom do you ever wonder why we're here where you know here why we exist know how I got better things to think about I'd give anything to be big huge Mile High Stadium with the Broncos leading Buffalo 15 to 7 the 30 teams in the NFL of course do they begin their quest for the Vince Lombardi Trophy that goes to the winner of the Super Bowl and it was 25 years ago today that Vince Lombardi the former Packer great died yeah you know he coached in one first Super Bowl won in Super Bowl - I was there in the Coliseum for Super Bowl 1 so it chase begins today and for two of these quarterbacks John Elway Jim Kelly a quest to win their first Super Bowl ever and older guys have one yeah you see four guys aged 35 or old or have one at both these quarterbacks aged 35 as they play tonight I was there when her immoral wanted is that right a blunder that were you I was not yet thirty but boy is coming going [Applause] first and ten [Applause] Danny bass he finds Copeland Russell Copeland that's his fourth catch tonight and they go with a no-huddle ten minutes to go first game of the season Jim Kelly [Music] Kelly [Applause] [Music] Terry 7-3 lead first point Thomas shan-dro net number 99 while your gift really comes into into play your depth on defense if you can play a lot of defensive lineman Trinette comes in for Michael Dean Perry aroldo Hasselbeck comes in for Dan Williams Mike Louis feeds in there for 10 or 15 plays did need that kind of depth in the fourth quarter Greg Robinson new defensive coordinator looking on and second down 11 [Applause] [Music] blanka's down they've been movement in the offensive line when Parker number 74 had said to crowd it's a crowd coming before the ball was snapped called start from the 74 [Applause] that'll make it second down and 16 Glen Parker he was the last offensive line rookie to start for Buffalo Reuben Brown gets now in his sixth year [Applause] second and 16 [Applause] [Music] lori's the former [Applause] personnel Alexander hadn't dropped it and he may have been distracted distracted by Britt hey Gert yeah I'm Britt Hagar you're right but hey go and it was making a play on the ball as well and that's okay when have you had two of your linebackers die of it after the ball you know you playing some pretty good defense had a chance he did he may have gotten a hand on it good he'll Hager got a hand on Alexander could get it Hager the former University of Texas all-american here as an unrestricted free agent from Philadelphia [Applause] ever let's go yes the catch is made and then we'll get the first stone Russell Copeland again it'll be fourth down I'd say one of the things Denver has done and give Greg Robinson to thread up there third down defense has been sensational tonight only one of 11 conversions by Buffalo the great third down defense [Applause] Greg Robinson dog you with Simon Fletcher and here's Chris Borg back at the 10 waits for [Music] the Bearcats Milberg 58 minutes and nine seconds remaining in regulation way 15 to seven five field goals of given Denver and eight-point lead I am 10 with 809 to go fourth quarter they [Applause] ngo5 Jeff Burroughs I really don't you know at some point you have to say make for someone else to beat him right I don't even think they're there Jamie and Shannon Sharpe bunch of honest oh she's getting a free release and he's been virtually wide open remember that graphic we had in the first half of a grape opening day performing yes Frank Clark yep 33 years ago 241 yards well Shannon Sharpe has 175 yards of receptions but good defensive play okay if the Broncos are going to be a quality team this year they're going to have to run the football at times like this because if you can't run it when you have to in the end of NFL you have to depend upon the past too much you don't win a lot of games in the fourth quarter you have to win to run the ball well to overcome deficits and then to protect a league like they're trying to do tonight well they've got a hundred and fourteen yards rushing tonight Terrell Davis the rookie sixth round pick out of Georgia Gary's of four yards that's to the 35-yard line and shannon sharpe now is in double digits for receptions for the night around 18 or 20 whatever it is Gary Zimmerman against Bruce Smith Zimmerman number 65 wins this one it is a great job of just pushing him around John Elway and that has been a battle the game within the game Bruce Smith has had his share of wins but that one going to Gary Zimmerman garden three nearside [Applause] [Music] way back [Applause] thirty-five-year-old wigs I'm sorry [Music] great feel or a rush even all the sacks that he's taken we talked about the reason he takes so many is because he has a big place in the scrambles Ordinaries looking down fields to throw it twice tonight he has scrambled to run four first downs Rocco is trying to erase the memories of last year 79 but really a dismal start they lost their [Music] inside buffalo territory now at the 49 yard line Terrell Davis gets the carry this is a grinded out physical Denver offense right now and I take a couple of big questions that have certainly been answered tonight if they're going to play much more physical defense and right now they played some physical offense and being able to pound the ball inside this is a stronger Denver team than they had a year ago Mike Prichard may have had a reoccurrence of light cramps he's come to the near side see how when did Bruce Smith is it's late and it's high yeah he's had a battle with Gary Zimmerman it has been a good match Janan sharp he is slowly going onto the field Rod Smith has already gone on now a red Cashman is telling sharp you can't come on the field Shannon says you don't understand I've got 10 catches already Frank Clark I'm chasing it yeah 180 yards his brother sterling did catch a pass today Joe Theismann throwing one the studio I did you see that I missed them he got laid so you got one for the day but his brothers beaten did sterling say anything yeah you sure did he put again that was when an anomaly in Green Bay when Sterling Sharpe wouldn't talk about comedian because he is one of the most refreshing guy is that I've encountered in the NF [Applause] no way [Applause] if McCaffrey makes the graph of the flag is down the quarterback just when you think Denver's good they pull one out of the Hat and throw the ball deep with one throw this arm he can change the complexion of the game there's only a few guys the NFL can do that in he's wonderful everything's about McCaffrey being a possession receiver he had beat one Jeff Burroughs fully in that route [Music] there's Thomas Smith has sounded like he was number 20 Henry Jones but they have moved the ball inside the 10 to the 6 and the Broncos have a first and goal protecting an eight-point lead with 505 to go though as well as their defense is playing a touchdown here would be a knockout punch as well as their defensive playing tonight pass and a penalty set up then go to the person goal that's McCaffrey emotion back at the middle number 66 riding the way Brian Habib and Mark sweareth helping out remember the Denver defense had their goal line stand now it's time for Buffalo's defense to do the same and return the favor the 4:30 remaining this ballgame and when you're down by eight points your defense has to really get stout maybe create eternal second and goal from the for only one turnover in the ball game so far that was a pass interception on a deflected pass picked off by Henry Jones of Buffalo davus down to the to Phil Hansen is up high to help with the tackle number 90 and the clock shows four minutes and unraveling this is not the explosive West Coast offense that Mike Shanahan had last year in San Francisco but I want to tell you is a an efficient office has been efficient tonight but the defense he has to be happy with that he went there were question marks about his defense coming into game but they play very well ten seconds they're gonna let the clock run down and then call time out if you're a lip reader you heard Shanahan say let it run down then call time so they have done that the game clock comes down to one three minutes and 26 seconds remaining Mike Shanahan seems quite composed in his first game as the head coach at Denver they lead it by eight with 326 to go for an in-depth look at all the opening day NFL actions stay with us following the game for the steel pro football tonight postgame report Vince Cellini mark May and Warren Moon have stories covered and Ernie Johnson will have tonight stars here in Denver well they haven't found a way to stop shannon sharpe yet have they he lines up tight to the right Gilbert is flipped wide left McCaffrey and Pritchard wide right zip it inside and Terrell Davis [Applause] [Applause] [Music] that was a good short yard in front he really hugged his offensive lineman flock and he wasn't trying to make a 14 or 25 yard run he was just gonna hug his block and get the ball into the end zone they would Broderick Thompson for 76 the right tackle led the way that that was a that wasn't right the kick goes up and through my goodness a flurry of hanky action in the end zone [Applause] skirmish and punctuate the unpleasantness now it's Gibbs has done a nice job this offensive line for general [Music] Oh [Music] because they offensive line have done a very nice job particularly in critical situations and this time it was Brodrick Thompson number 76 who leads the way for the rookie Terrell Davis who follows that offensive lineman he gets his first NFL touchdown but you see his touchdown run on the third and goal is given the broncos a 15-point lead let's go back and watch both offensive tackle that's Carey Zimmer Zimmerman this is Roger Thompson Simmons gonna seal off here this tackle Thompson eats in here and Davis just hugs those blocks Zimmern just destroys Maddox Thompson leads the way and then a good tough inside run by Terrell Davis and he has proved his point that he earned he starting tailback or halfback job for Debra preseason and he's played well tonight here's Jason Elam [Applause] get out to the 18 yard line [Applause] Shannon Sharpe has reason for the oxygen she had some busy night the altitude has affected a lot of these players and we're talking with Terrell Davis the rookie in Georgia actually grew up in Southern California he said the altitude he had a tough time adjusting to it actually got very sick a future John Elway this games about you know the game [Applause] past website to our Dre [Applause] and let's see if Buffalo goes with a no-huddle well Terrell Davis has had a memorable first game with 67 yards on 18 carries and a touchdown Lincoln hired San Diego to the NFL [Applause] that one's incomplete Terrell Davis will remember his first game where was yours plate is rookie I remember my very my rookie games in second the team quarterback we were playing the Atlanta Falcons in Atlanta and Rogers kid got first Chuck Knox the folks sent me with the lead said don't you dare throw the ball the ball dogle football touchdown he said don't ever well it is a special night flag is down on this play on 3rd down [Music] the quarterback for the defense five yards that's first down hey Ruben Brown number 79 never I did sometimes sometimes you block Michael Dean Perry sometimes you don't block anybody I mean you get the arms out there yeah it spread the wings and maybe somebody runs into you Dan Williams that might be the 15-yard variety - Verne and down by what 15 points went to 37 remain the game's not over that one will hurt on the plane ride home - that'll be a sore neck for Thurman Thomas 16 carries for 49 yards this is the full face mark Friday that that's got to be 250 unintentional of course but man and personal foul face number 90 on the defense 15 yards first down and we said it a couple times but but the bills just have not been able to establish a running game and they were really good those Super Bowl years they got Thurman Thomas going and then Andre Reed participated and then Dom Dede like here the wide receivers but they never got Thurman Thomas going there's Kelly back the line of scrimmage shan-dro net may have got that if not it was Dan Williams I'm not sure these Denver Broncos defense unlike past Denver Broncos defense have seven guys that defensive line that they can rotate in a today and that makes a difference in games like this [Applause] [Music] urging the crowd [Applause] Kelly's down and two flags go with him dan Williams number 90 ouch Jim Kelly the tick's table of quarterbacks he took he's shot to the chin there pinburrough Tex right I do remember old Tex he took some blows and Jim Kelly takes some blows but you know what he always seemed to get himself back up [Music] well Simon Fletcher says we're gonna turn this one down Michael Dean Paris here we go Griffin Brown Elway looks on [Applause] [Music] season that extended the losing streak over the year here's Kelly [Applause] [Music] Harold Hasselbeck who spent four years in the Canadian Football League interesting guy he's spent these speaks seven languages can you name four of them no never men Oh but again that just goes to show you the depth they have with Hasselbeck in in these kind of games when you got a rush the passer late in the game to preserve our lead you need fresh legs Hasselbeck gives that to the Broncos he's gonna speak an Indonesian and get us to the two-minute warning yeah that's one of them oh and this one Denver leading by 15 22 7 next Sunday Pat and I will be down in Phoenix for the Arizona Cardinals at home against the Philadelphia Eagles at Sunday night at 8 o'clock Eastern Time Ernie Johnson will also be with us he'll be along in just a few minutes as part of a steel play out on the board fourth and 13 the Buffalo receivers have to make sure will faster [Music] there's you know you'll go deep into six your past jerilyn Kelly moved early don't eat quarterbacks forget the snap count I have many times you ever lined up under a guard oh yeah absolutely my actually my mother thought it was a trick play I kind of moved one over [Music] she thought you suddenly transferred to Nebraska you were running to feel yeah absolutely has a favorite play they all fumblerooski [Applause] Shannon just got off the phone with sterling I said [Music] 45 short [Applause] Kelly there Wow Phil Brooks catches it just a yard shy [Applause] let's have another look check in on our matchup Reuben Brown and Michael Dean pairing one of those game with in the games we talked about tonight now he gets his hands out there it gets it quick hands-on Michael D Perry that one goes to rule Dan Brown that's pretty good offensive guard play by reuben brown that um one draft pick they could build on that and think of that building on something these broncos go into Dallas next week and play the Cowboys and I think they have a very positive thing to do to build on here they played great defense tonight certain symmetry here the Buffalo Bills are making their first visit to Denver since 77 and next week Denver makes its first visit to Dallas since 1977 that was also not so coincidentally the year the two have been played it is so sort of all that's right in New Orleans quarterback favorite formation in flight first down 10 and it to your back and let him run it out that that Super Bowl encounter between Dallas and Denver was memorable for many reasons Roger Staubach is Jordan Craig Morton was the starting quarterback of course he had played at Dallas for many many years that was the year that Craig Morton became a born-again Christian right and the leading receiver for the Broncos was Haven Moses and in the aftermath rather disastrous appearance by Morton and the Broncos woody page in the Denver paper said in a year when Morton's found Jesus he could not find motive possible there they are side by side Greg in Haven well let's let's go back to talk about what we will open this broadcast with and the question marks we mentioned were on defense for both these teams certainly Denver's defense has accounted the cutter for themselves particularly well done I think Buffalo's defense is an improved one as well the matchups I mean oh those will kind of pushes in Bruce Smith won some of his and certainly Gary Zimmerman did a fine job too I'd have to say Michael Dean Perry got a little better of the rookie reuben brown but i think both those have to beat the [Music] 96 seconds remaining in this one a 15-point kemberly and it'll be third down timeout call by Buffalo they've got one left now you know it's a long season but Buffalo you get the impression watching them and game plan week one here they're going to have to find some real dynamic plays or players to get over the hump here and certainly they're gonna have to get Thurman Thomas going a Cadillac player of the game no surprise here the Broncos Shannon Sharpe 10 catches a hundred and eighty yards that's a career-high and an NFL best today [Music] you may get a hundred yeah by next week get out five my midterm yeah by the time we're finished but we have Denver again yes we're there in October against New England it'll be a wiggle with a big win today over Cleveland quiet come-from-behind win it was a great day for road teams the air wasn't it not so for the Buffalo Bills but gee whiz Tampa at Philadelphia huge win Cincinnati wins and overtime here's Aaron Craver number 29 and it'll be fourth down with 123 to go in this one the bills we'll use and burn a timeout and that leaves them with nada Darrell Davis first game 71 yards they were tough yards in the touchdown run I thought was an exceptionally good play I mean when you need those three yards don't be bounced in and outside for him to get the ball inside he followed the great block by Gary Zimmerman and Broderick Thompson it was a patient run to the right out of the book from Thurman Thomas nice young man kg got very confident not cocky feels like you belongs here Thurman Thomas modest start 17 carries for 46 yards on the ground tonight Buffalo with only 53 nine first downs it's been a pretty common [Music] Branko defense nice catch that's it why Rocksmith yeah he is a very good special teams why richard smith the special teams coach was saying hey we got a we got a pretty good player here rod Smith he can he's a wide receiver but he plays very physically it's you like a linebacker 115 remaining Denver up by 15 now the the Bills have to make the cross-country Trek they've got what amounts to a red eye now yep all the way back to Buffalo but they do get their next two games at home and Bruce Smith's first game at Mile High is going to come to an unpleasant start here's Todd Collins the number 2 draft pick and the backup quarterback for the Buffalo Bill and he'll finish out the night [Applause] Oh Beth bill Brooks you know I'm surprised a team that has a potential of being a playoff team has a rookie backup quarterback Marv Levy has done this once before in Kansas City at four well I think it's just too important season have a Wookiee backing up for Chip Kelly here's Colin's daughter down 21 yard line and he may well turn out to be a good player but I think if Jim Kelly goes down the bill season is open now they've got Collins and Alex man milk Kelly of course played 14 games last year and he's been durable but for risky [Music] behind bill Brooks Clark stop we mentioned durable you know and we let the the broadcast with those in the class of 83 quarterbacks the guys that are still around Marino and Elway and Kelly these guys have not missed many games I'll take a look well 30 games they've missed in those those years I didn't know that those are remarkable numbers the durability able to be there every day every Sunday and play I think is good morning there's Commons back looks left fires it and it is caught at the answer smoke on a David Thomas Boyd shirt it [Music] sex Davina final play of the ball game and copla makes the catch collins has some pretty good numbers in mike shanahan is a victor in his first game as the head coach of the Denver Broncos [Applause]

Channel: Jean-Paul Müller

Views: 13,344

Rating: 4.927928 out of 5

Keywords: Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos

Id: W6mYBknMkBo

Length: 145min 36sec (8736 seconds)

Published: Wed Dec 27 2017