OAKLAND, Calif. — John Elway once had a rocket arm, lately has displayed a magic touch, and is now showing potential as a motivational speaker.
The Broncos’ general manager and former quarterback addressed his Broncos in a full team meeting Wednesday. The gist of his message: You guys are 6-2, but you’re coasting. Elway spoke about how the room was bursting with talent. But more accountability and discipline would be needed if that talent is to be nourished into a championship.
Boss Elway had spoken. Although the offense played so poorly early, the hapless, winless Oakland Raiders held a lead late in the first half, the Broncos eventually rallied behind quarterback Peyton Manning and some young, unexpected contributors to win, 41-17 on a spectacularly warm and sunny Sunday afternoon in November at O.co Coliseum, which is code for The Black Hole.
“Not everybody is happy when the boss says something,”said Broncos cornerback Chris Harris, who was obviously not distracted by his ongoing contract negotiations with the team. “But there’s never supposed to be a blowout against us. I thought it was a good time to come challenge the coaches and us. We tried to respond and we did today.”
Elway felt a need to speak out after the Broncos were clobbered last week by the New England Patriots, 43-21. The Broncos have lost three years in a row at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. and they might have to return there in January for an AFC playoff game.
Broncos coach John Fox normally leads the room, and his three division titles in three years and 41-16 mark suggests he does it well. But nothing gets a room to listen like a voice from on high.
“I liked it,” Broncos receiver Emmanuel Sanders, who caught two touchdown passes,said of Elway’s talk. “I think there should be a world-championship attitude around here. It shouldn’t take him to say that, but I think we set the re-set button last week. We’re in the second half of the season, it’s time to start thinking with a championship attitude.”
Elway wouldn’t comment about what he said in the meeting. Early on, as Manning threw two interceptions and the Broncos were behind 10-6 with less than 4 minutes remaining in the first half, Elway’s talk wasn’t exactly threatening Churchill, Lincoln, Roosevelt, King or Rockne for greatest speech of all-time.
“But you know what, when our offense struggled early, that’s a prime example of when we really need our defense,” Elway said. “I thought our defense really played well. We didn’t start that well, but it was the best finish we had all year.”
In truth, most credit going Elway’s way should be for his role as football operations executive, not orator. The game changed when Bradley Roby, the Broncos’ rookie cornerback whom Elway selected with his first-round draft pick, stepped in front of a pass thrown by Raiders rookie quarterback Derek Carr with 3 minutes, 37 seconds left in the half.
Turning point No. 2 came three plays later. The Broncos were facing third-and-8 when an under-siege Manning dumped the ball off to C.J. Anderson, a seldom-used running back whom the Broncos signed as an undrafted rookie out of the University of California-Berkeley.
Anderson was hit behind the line by Oakland linebacker Miles Burris. Anderson spun out of Burris’ grasp, then broke tackles by rookie Khalil Mack, the league’s No. 5 draft pick, and future Hall of Fame defensive back Charles Woodson. Anderson maneuvered his way down the left sideline for a first down, then cut and ran all the way across the field until he reached the right side of the end zone for a 51-yard touchdown catch-and-run, and run and run.
Anderson’s remarkable play gave the Broncos a 13-10 lead and they never trailed again. The Raiders continued on with their 0-9 comedy show while Manning settled down to lead the rout everyone had expected.
With 1:40 left in the half, Anderson burst through nice holes formed by a revised line that included new starting center Will Montgomery, and a shift in positions by Manny Ramirez (from center to right guard) and Louis Vasquez (from right guard to right tackle).
Anderson gained 17 and 12 yards on his two runs and Manning took it from there. With 28 seconds left in the half, Manning threw one of his perfect-touch beauties to Sanders for a 32-yard touchdown play.
PHOTOS: Denver Broncos vs. Oakland Raiders
Then to start the second half, Carr panicked and dumped a pass to, of all people, right tackle Khalif Barnes. Reacting as only an offensive lineman can, Barnes started running with the ball. When he was whacked by Broncos defensive lineman Malik Jackson, Barnes fumbled and Harris recovered.
It didn’t take long for Manning to throw a well-designed 10-yard slant-and-pick touchdown pass to tight end Julius Thomas. The Broncos were up 27-10.
The Broncos’ next drive finished with another touchdown. This time the Broncos lured the Oakland defense in by going for it on fourth-and-1 from the Raiders’ 32. A play-action left Thomas wide open in the flat to take the pass and ramble in for his second touchdown in two drives, and NFL-best 12th touchdown of the season.
Next, Manning threw his fifth touchdown pass of the game, second to Sanders, with 1:01 left in the third quarter
In the span of 16 minutes, 43 seconds of game clock, the Broncos outscored the Raiders, 35-0. That’s not coasting. That’s pouring it on.
Expect Elway to stay upstairs this week and continue his work as the team’s GM. He can save his motivational speaking for another time.
“We definitely got the message,” said Broncos’ linebacker Brandon Marshall.
