clarinews@clarinet.com (MIKE RABUN, UPI Sports Writer) (01/17/90)
DENVER (UPI) -- Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway knows the formula as well as anybody. Lots of Denver points will equal a victory in Super Bowl XXIV -- maybe. And he is the one responsible for obtaining those points. ``The way we look at it,'' says Elway, ``we know we will have to put points on the board. I've got great respect for our defense, but San Francisco hasn't been slowed down the last few weeks. ``I would anticipate a higher scoring game just because of the way the 49ers have been playing offensively. ``So we had better move the ball and we had better score.'' Elway and the rest of the Broncos took Tuesday off while the Denver coaches began the task of formulating a game plan for their Jan. 28 Super Bowl meeting with the 49ers. Although Denver has had about as much success against San Francisco as anybody over the last decade -- having won their last four meetings including an overtime victory last season -- the 49ers are an 11-point favorite. ``All I know,'' said Broncos Coach Dan Reeves, ``is that when we start, the score will be 0-0. If they want to give me 11 points, I'll take them. But I don't think that will happen.'' Although San Francisco quarterback Joe Montana will clearly receive a huge amount of attention in the days leading up to the Super Bowl, the 49ers have other such star attractions as receivers Jerry Rice and John Taylor, running back Roger Craig and defensive back Ronnie Lott. For Denver, however, the spotlight will be almost totally on Elway. ``I can't worry about all that,'' Elway said. ``I think I'm going to keep the same attitude that I've had the other times we've been to the Super Bowl. ``And that is that as a kid football player, this is the game you dream of playing in. I don't want to make it a miserable experience and get worried about this or that. ``I'm not going to think about the negatives. I'm just going to go in and play and have some fun.'' The last two Super Bowl experiences have not been much fun for Elway or anyone associated with the Broncos since they lost to the New York Giants and Washington Redskins by the combined score of 81-30. ``I guess those games make the chip on our shoulder a little larger,'' Elway said. ``But the bottom line is that we will have to go out and do our best to get the job done. I know the AFC as a whole hasn't gotten a whole lot of respect, but I don't think it is anything the players dwell on. I know I don't.'' The encouraging thing, as far as Elway is concerned, is the manner in which the Broncos disposed of the Cleveland Browns in the AFC title game. Elway threw for a playoff high 385 yards and played his best game in two years. ``We're going to have to play our best game of the year, no question,'' he said. ``But we are peaking at just the right time. We didn't play too well against Pittsburgh (in a narrow divisional round victory), but I think when you look at evey phase of the game against Cleveland, it was our best game of the year. ``I think we are better defensively and I think we have come a long way offensively this year. I was a little concerned earlier in the year because we were struggling on offense. But the defense kept us in every game and we were able to come through a couple of times. Offensively, we have come on and I think we are a lot more balanced than we were in the first two Super Bowls. ``Plus I think we are a heck of a lot better defensively, which is encouraging.'' Not encouraging enough, however, to think that Denver can win the Super Bowl with only two or three touchdowns. And getting four, five or more touchdowns will be the responsibility of the Broncos' No. 1 asset.