Anderson Helps Raiders Hang On : Defense: After letting chances get away, he gets an interception and fumble recovery in victory over Broncos.

Raider safety Eddie Anderson saw Jim Everett’s pass coming straight for him. He imagined returning the interception for a touchdown, but reality intervened when Anderson dropped the ball.

After dropping another potential interception in the Raiders’ 20-17 victory over the Rams last month, Anderson began coming out early before practice to work on catching the ball.

His work paid off when he intercepted John Elway’s pass and recovered a fumble to set up Jeff Jaeger’s field goal that was the difference in a 17-16 victory over the Denver Broncos Sunday at Mile High Stadium.

“I was glad to see Eddie catch one for a change,” Raider Coach Art Shell quipped. “Normally he drops those.”

Anderson stepped in front of Bronco wide receiver Mark Jackson and picked off an Elway pass with 3:23 left in the third quarter to give the Raiders a first down at their own 40.

“I dropped a couple chances early in the season, and Coach Shell told me that big-play players come up with big plays,” Anderson said. “Elway tried to squeeze the ball (between defenders), and usually he gets away with it. But this time I went up and got to it first and just pulled it down.

“It really felt good because after the interception Coach Shell pointed at me and told me, ‘You’re a big-play guy just like Ronnie Lott.’ ”

Anderson credited Lott for setting up his interception because Lott warned Anderson.

“(Elway) wasn’t using a full rollout, he was using a half roll, trying to get Eddie to move out of the middle of the field,” Lott said. “So I just told him to hang there, and Eddie made a hell of a play.”

The AFC’s fourth-ranked quarterback, Elway had thrown only three interceptions in nine games. However, the Raiders intercepted two of Elway’s passes, Lott picking off one at the Raiders’ six-yard line in the final minute of the first half to thwart a Bronco drive.

After the Raider offense stalled following Anderson’s interception, Anderson came up with another turnover on the Broncos’ next offensive play when he recovered a fumble by running back Robert Perryman at the Denver three.

“When I saw the ball squirt out, I was going to get up and run it, but Greg Townsend ended up kicking his (fumble recovery away for a safety) in the Kansas City game, so I thought I’d better just fall down and let the offense take it in,” Anderson said.

Jaeger gave the Raiders a 17-10 lead four plays later when he hit a 20-yard field goal with 47 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

Although Anderson’s teammates appreciate him, he hasn’t received much recognition from his peers in the NFL.

“Hopefully, pretty soon the guys around the league will start noticing me,” Anderson said. “I know that I’m a good player, and my teammates know it and hopefully I’ll get my recognition.”

Anderson, who led the Raiders in tackles and interceptions last season, is receiving recognition from his teammates.

“Eddie wants to be considered one of the elite safeties in the league, and I think he’s right on the fringe of doing that,” Raider defensive end Howie Long said.

Lott agreed.

“I don’t think he’s on the verge of becoming a great player, I think he already is,” Lott said of Anderson. “He’s really making plays and he’s taking his game to another level.

“He made two great plays on the interception and the fumble recovery. Great players, the ball starts coming to them. He’s getting around the ball more and making more and more big plays.”

One of the Raiders’ most aggressive hitters, the Broncos thought Anderson was too aggressive when he smashed Elway as he crossed the goal line on a seven-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.

The Broncos cornered Anderson in the back of the end zone and pummeled him. By the time officials broke things up, Anderson’s helmet was completely turned around.

“I just tried to hit (Elway) as hard as I could because I thought he couldn’t hold onto the ball, but two of their linemen hit me and told me to get off him,” Anderson said. “The next thing I knew they were grabbing me from behind.”

But Anderson got even with the Broncos in the second half.