THOUGHTS of a Super Bowl title are beginning to dance in the minds of the Denver Broncos as they shredded the New England Patriots on their way to the best record in the NFL.
The Patriots were on a hot streak until the Broncos rode into Foxboro Stadium to give New England a good thrashing. In crushing the Patriots 34-8, the Broncos have notched up 10 victories to only one loss and are heading for home field advantage in the playoffs. The game was effectively over by half time as the Broncos amassed 24 unanswered points against a team that had won seven of their last eight games.
"They ran over us, passed over us, sacked us, stopped us. They did what they wanted to with us. I didn't play well, we didn't play well. They threw us around. I'm embarrassed by it," said Willie McGinest, defensive end for the Patriots.
The Broncos have become a more balanced team this season thanks to Terrell Davis, who has blossomed into one of the league's best running backs in his second year as a pro. A sixth round draft pick last season, Davis leads the league in rushing with 1,209 yards this year and he has become a formidable addition to an arsenal that relied too heavily on John Elway at quarterback.
Davis was his usual potent self on Sunday, rushing 32 times for 154 yards and catching four passes for 56 yards. He also collected 21 of Denver's points with two rushing touchdowns and one touchdown catch.
Davis got things rolling on Denver's first possession, courtesy of a fumbled fourth down fake punt from the Patriots. Davis ran a crossing route from right to left out of the backfield and scored on a 15 yard pass from Elway.
The Patriots dug themselves into a deeper hole when Drew Bledsoe threw an interception on their next drive. Five plays later, Davis blasted into the end zone from 10 yards out. Davis struck again with just under 11 minutes left in the first half. He took the hand off at the New England two yard line, dropped the ball, but got a lucky bounce and dived in to make it 21-0.
But Davis has the good sense to know his place. "Emmitt Smith, Barry Sanders, Thurman Thomas, Ricky Watters, Terry Allen," Davis recited. "Until I pay my dues and go to a Super Bowl, I consider myself a second class back."
The Broncos have been to the Super Bowl three times in the 1980s, each time to be bludgeoned by National Conference teams. Their chances are much more promising this season, should they make it to New Orleans.
The usual NFC powerhouses, the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers, are looking much frailer this year, although the Green Bay Packers are looking very strong with Brett Favre at quarterback continuing to show the form that won him the Most Valuable Player's award last season. That makes the Broncos' game with the Packers on December 8th at Green Bay all that more intriguing.
