Raiders Pull Out Overtime Win Over Broncos : Elway Fumble Sets Up Bahr Field Goal

DENVER —  Howie Long, the Raiders’ All-Pro defensive end, had chased in vain after elusive Denver quarterback John Elway all afternoon.

“I must have come within two or three inches of him eight or nine times,” said an exhausted Long. “He kept getting away. That’s the sign of a great athlete.”

Finally, in overtime Sunday at snowy Mile High Stadium, Long sacked Elway. Teammate Greg Townsend arrived a split second later, knocking the ball loose, and Townsend fell on the fumble at the Denver 8-yard line.

On the next play, Chris Bahr drilled a 26-yard field goal 4:55 into overtime, lifting the Raiders to a 17-14 victory which boosted the Raiders’ playoff hopes and severely damaged Denver’s.

“I wasn’t trying to knock the ball out, I was just trying to sack him and give our offense good field position,” said Townsend. “The ball squirted on the ground. I fell down, hoping I could get it.”

Of the ill-fated fumble, Elway said, “I don’t know what happened. I saw everyone coming at me. The ball was slippery from the snow and the wind was blowing, and I was just trying to get a grip on it as I got hit.”

Bahr’s field goal capped a gutty Raider comeback from a 14-0 halftime deficit in a bitterly fought game that featured nine turnovers, five by Los Angeles, and 18 penalties, nine by each team.

“That’s what football is all about,” said Raider Coach Tom Flores. “It’s amazing to play the same team in three weeks and get two overtimes (Los Angeles won the previous meeting 31-28 in OT). It wasn’t something we had planned on. But we have a tradition for getting up for big games, especially overtime games.”

Marcus Allen led the Raider offense, rushing for 135 yards--his seventh straight 100-yard performance--and the tying touchdown in the third quarter.

Denver Coach Dan Reeves admitted to a miscommunication at the start of overtime. Light snow was falling as the Broncos won the toss, and captain Barney Chavous elected to receive.

“We wanted to defend the south goal,” said Reeves. “We thought with the wind and snow blowing right in their face, we could pin them down and make it difficult for them to move the football. I’ll take the blame for the misunderstanding.”

Denver never was able to move past its own 20-yard line in overtime.

“Congratulations to the Raiders,” said Reeves. “They played well and deserved the victory. We said all week long that we’d have to be able to run the ball to win, and we did not.”

The Broncos managed only 87 yards rushing on 29 carries.

With the victory, the Raiders raised their record to 10-4, gained sole possession of first place in the AFC West, and claimed the tie-breaker advantage in case of a deadlock for the division title. The Broncos fell to 9-5 and, with two games remaining, face an uphill battle to make the playoffs.

Los Angeles rallied from a 14-0 halftime deficit with a pair of third-period scores. Marc Wilson passed three yards to tight end Todd Christensen for the first Raider score with 8:31 left in the period. Less than four minutes later, following a Mark Haynes interception, Marcus Allen dashed 15 yards for the tying TD. Both scoring drives were aided by personal foul penalties against Denver.

The third quarter continued to be costly to the Broncos, who have been outscored, 102-39, in that period this season.

The Raiders threatened three more times in the fourth quarter, but a pair of Dennis Smith interceptions ended the first two scoring chances and Christensen dropped a third-down pass at the Bronco 25 to thwart the final threat in regulation.

Denver put together two long scoring drives for its two first-half touchdowns. Elway capped a 77-yard, 16-play drive in the first period with a 5-yard scoring toss to tight end James Wright.

After an exchange of interceptions, the Broncos marched 71 yards in nine plays for their other score. A pass-interference penalty against Raider cornerback James Davis, which amounted to 26 yards, was the key play on the drive, and Sammy Winder plunged one yard for the score.

Denver had a chance to make it 17-0 just before the half ended. Wilson fumbled a snap and the Broncos recovered at the Raider 13-yard line, but Rich Karlis was wide on a 35-yard field goal try.

Both quarterbacks suffered turnovers at the hands of aggressive defenses. Wilson was picked off four times--three times by Smith--and also had the fumbled snap late in the first half. Elway was intercepted three times and had the one crucial fumble.

Smith’s first interception, midway through the second period, came after the Raiders had driven to the Bronco eight. Wilson overthrew Allen in the end zone, and Smith returned the theft 39 yards to the Bronco 38.

Cornerback Louis Wright intercepted moments later at the Bronco 29, setting up Denver’s long TD drive for a 14-0 edge.

In the third period, two plays after Christensen’s score, Haynes intercepted near midfield on an underthrown pass by Elway. The Raiders went 46 yards in six plays for the tying touchdown.

Denver won the coin toss at the start of overtime, but was unable to move the ball. In their first two possessions, the Broncos had minus-2 yards in total offense. On the third possession, Elway fumbled.