Close win provides sigh of relief for maligned Broncos
By Associated Press
Published September 19, 2005
DENVER - The debate around Denver will be sweet, mainly because the Broncos won.
Was Ron Dayne the biggest star of Denver's come-from-behind victory? Or does Champ Bailey deserve the credit for salvaging Denver from a debacle of a first half that had Broncos fans booing?
Dayne came off the bench and ran six times for 38 yards in the drive that set up Jason Elam's winning 41-yard field goal with five seconds left.
Bailey, who dislocated his left shoulder Sept.11 against Miami, opened the third quarter with a 25-yard interception return for a score that started the rally. That cut Denver's 11-point halftime deficit to 14-10.
"Champ Bailey won the game. Let's call it like it is," defensive end Trevor Pryce said. "It shows how one play can make such a big difference."
Sparked by that play, the Broncos allowed only 41 yards in the second half, thus avoiding an 0-2 start that would have put them, as Pryce put it, "so far behind the 8-ball, we would've been behind the pool table."
Dayne, meanwhile, was a surprise star - coming off the bench after spending the first game on the inactive list and most of this one watching Mike Anderson run.
On the winning drive, Dayne ran for 13, 8, 3, 3 and 1 yards. Then, on fourth and 1 from the San Diego 33, he took a pitch around left end for 10 to set up Elam's kick.
"It was a no-brainer to me, and our confidence level was there," coach Mike Shanahan said of the fourth-down gamble. "There was no doubt in my mind that we were going to go for it."
Asked how many times he was given the chance to come through big in his five disappointing seasons with the Giants, the 1999 Heisman Trophy winner paused for a moment.
"Probably never," Dayne said.
The Chargers lost for the 10th time in their past 11 in Denver, spoiling a record-setting day for LaDainian Tomlinson, who ran for both San Diego scores in the second quarter.
The first gave Tomlinson the league record with a rushing touchdown in 14 straight games. The second gave the Chargers a 14-3 lead and a few minutes later, the Broncos headed into halftime being showered by boos.
Tomlinson had shared the record with John Riggins (1982-83) and George Rogers (1985-86), both of the Redskins.
