| | DENVER -- While the football world was saying goodbye to John Elway and
hello to Brian Griese on Monday night on a national television stage, the last remaining member of the quarterback Class of '83 reminded them he still has a heartbeat.
Here in a Mile High City preoccupied with its revolving door of
quarterbacks these past few weeks, the old guy from Miami slipped in the side
entrance and slid out of town with the family jewels and a 38-21 victory. Never mind Elway
or Bubby Brister or even Griese.
|  | | Dan Marino's mastery of the Broncos reminded Denver fans of their own, now-retired Class of '83 QB. |
The night may have belonged to Elway, but the game belonged to Dan Marino.
Not to dismiss the genius of Miami coach Jimmy Johnson, who clearly out-schemed the
two-time defending Super Bowl champions. Nor to slight his teammates, who out-executed the Broncos. But Marino played quarterback like Jimmy Cagney played gangsters -- he owned the role.
The passing stats for Marino don't overwhelm you. His 15-for-23 for 215 yards and two touchdowns weren't as good as the new kid, Griese (24-for-50, 270 yards, three touchdowns).
You could argue that the Dolphins' running game and defense were as much
responsible for Miami's opening-game rout of Denver as anything Monday. In fact,
Marino said Miami's ability to "run the ball well on the road" was a
welcome sight, something he hasn't seen in several years.
The fact that the Dolphins defense held Terrell Davis to 61 yards rushing didn't hurt Miami's chances, either.
But Marino was the main catalyst for Miami's triumph, with excellent audibles and crisp, accurate passes that were damaging to Denver when it counted. And his presence was magnificent, something Broncos fans remember well from their recently departed QB.
You aren't supposed to blow the Broncos out of their own house, a house
built primarily by the incomparable Elway. In fact, you seldom beat them in Denver,
this being the end of a 24-game home streak in the regular season. But Marino
deftly carved up Greg Robinson's new-and-(supposedly)-improved defense like it
was a leftover Thanksgiving turkey as Miami rolled 38-21.
Griese may or may not ever play well enough to someday warrant
comparison to his Hall of Fame father, Bob. But never let it be said that
Brian didn't start out on a good note. He even drew praise from the opposing coach.
"He's got a lot of poise, and he's an excellent football player," Johnson said.
"If everybody played tonight the way Brian Griese did," said a scowling
Broncos coach Mike Shanahan, "then we'd have won the football game. I was pleased with the way
he played."
Griese began impressively, at least equal to the manner of his father about 32 years ago. Completing his first pass as a starter at approximately 7:11 MT, a 5-yarder to Shannon Sharpe, Griese very calmly marched his teammates 80 yards downfield for a touchdown, highlighted
by a 61-scoring strike to Ed McCaffrey.
Asked about his first play, Griese responded: "I don't remember it. What happened?"
Let it be said that the 7-0 lead by Denver made Shanahan's decision
to start Griese look Solomon-like following a storm of controversy. Maybe
Griese didn't exactly clinch the job as a permanent starter on that first
series, but he certainly sent a message to the Dolphins: There will be
no intimidating this young quarterback here tonight.
Griese stared down the bright lights of Monday Night Football at a time when Mile High Stadium
was knee-deep in quarterback legends. While the second-year Michigan grad was
entering stage left, Elway was exiting stage right.
"It was my first game," Griese said. "At least I got out there and got in
the fire. Nobody can say I don't have at least one game experience."
Officially, Elway's No. 7 jersey was put to rest during a Steven
Spielberg-like halftime ceremony. With more than 1,000 on-field participants,
including 600 young cheerleaders and 300 midget football players all wearing
No. 7 jerseys, Broncos owner Pat Bowlen did the honors.
"There will never be another No. 7 for the Broncos," Bowlen promised,
with a huge pop-up of Elway springing up on cue. "John will always have that."
With misty eyes, Elway thanked the fans, whom he called the driving
force behind the Broncos' dominant home record.
"I'll give the world a clue about Mile High Magic," Elway said. "They
talk about the altitude, about the field ... the key to Mile High Magic was
YOU!"
Not so fast, John.
By halftime it was 17-7, Miami. And on their first drive of the second
half, Marino blended passing and running to perfection, taking the Dolphins
on a 65-yard drive. J.J. Johnson's 1-yard run and Olindo Mare's PAT made it
24-7 and put a huge dent in the Broncos' plans for a fast
start and dreams of a threepeat.
Right about now, Broncos fans were hoping Elway would slip out of his
business suit, into a phone booth and return to the stadium wearing an
unretired No. 7.
As it turned out, however, Elway's bouquet to the fans was just that, a
bouquet. For as well as the young Griese played in his debut, he was no
match for the master, Marino. Nor were his
teammates. Legends don't go quietly.
And what we already knew to be true was reaffirmed: The true catalyst of
Mile High Magic really isn't the fans.
That reality rests uneasy these days among Rocky Mountain football fans,
many of whom began filing out with more than nine minutes left -- a scene about as rare around these parts as an August snowstorm. It's clear John Elway doesn't play here anymore.
Buddy Martin is a regular contributor to ESPN.com. | |
ALSO SEE
Griese, Broncos no match for Marino, Dolphins
Broncos retire Elway's No. 7
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