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View Full Version : Greatest Bronco plays of all time: #3 the kicker scores a TD



titan
04-06-2010, 07:58 AM
#3 on my list of Greatest All Time Bronco Plays:

Jim Turner, high tops and all, scores a surprise touchdown against the Oakland Raiders in what I rate as the most important regular season win in Bronco history.

Going into this game the two teams were each 4-0. The Raiders were coming off a Super Bowl Championship and were at their peak. "I don't think anyone can beat the Raiders right now," veteran sportscaster Charlie Jones said before this matchup.

The Raiders scored on their first possession of the game, but Denver battled back to take a 14-7 lead. Just before halftime the Broncos lined up for a long field goal when they pulled off the key play of the miracle 1977 season:

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This play, and this game, changed the Oakland/Denver rivalry forever. The Broncos humiliated the Raiders this day. The Broncos laughed at them. "It's all over fat man!" Tom Jackson taunted Raider Coach John Madden as the Broncos won 30-7.

As a long time Raider hater this play is my favorite in the Denver/Oakland rivalry, and that's why I rate it so high on my list. The headline in the Denver Post tells the story of how big a victory this was for the Broncos:

http://i693.photobucket.com/albums/vv291/titanphotos/raiders77.jpg

Next: The only play on my list from the 1960's, and my 2nd best Bronco play ever at that.

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04-06-2010, 11:39 AM
I was listening to a talk show on KOA radio the week before that game. I don't
remember now who was the host, but he was asked by a caller, "What do you
think the chances are that the Broncos can beat the Raiders?"

I remember the host being somewhat a pessimistic sort, so he surprised me when
he said, "I would say they're pretty good."

Still, I was surprised to see the Broncos go up on the Raiders the way they did on
that day, yet I was shocked when they pulled this play from somewhere out of
the hat. I think ol' Jim Turner must have run a 4.3 40 -- that's 4.3 yards in 40 seconds.

Thanks, Titan, for the memories. http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh256/AZDynamics/Smilies/thdrink.gif

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East Coast Fan
04-06-2010, 02:39 PM
Another great memory from my favorite Bronco season of all-time....:salute:

Dreadnought
04-06-2010, 03:11 PM
Best game ever - even more for me than SB XXXII. It was even a network telecast in Rochester, NY. The hated Ken Stabler threw 7 picks that day too. And I still remember our imbecile local NFL beat writer confidently predicting a Raiders blowout - he had used words like "the Broncos will be exposed as the pretenders they are" or something to that effect. It was his weekly "Best Bet"

e-Lou-sive1
04-06-2010, 04:15 PM
I barely remember that play but I do remember the one where Elway scored a TD and I am not sure If It was against Raiders or not. It was a heck of a trick play but elway did show he could almost do it all including pooch kicks.

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04-06-2010, 04:34 PM
I barely remember that play but I do remember the one where Elway scored a TD and I am not sure If It was against Raiders or not. It was a heck of a trick play but elway did show he could almost do it all including pooch kicks.

Yes, there definitely are a lot of Elway memories.

However, that was Norris Weese throwing the pass on this play . . .

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East Coast Fan
04-06-2010, 07:28 PM
Yes, there definitely are a lot of Elway memories.

However, that was Norris Weese throwing the pass on this play . . .

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Seeing that name got me to thinking of all of the players who have passed from that '77 team: Weese, Paul Smith, Alzado, Bobby Maples, Bernard Jackson...any more that I missed?

horsepig
04-06-2010, 08:04 PM
#2 on my list.
#1 is still TD's 1'st quarter run against the 'Packers that said- #$## you, we're here to win!

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04-06-2010, 08:20 PM
Seeing that name got me to thinking of all of the players who have passed from that '77 team: Weese, Paul Smith, Alzado, Bobby Maples, Bernard Jackson...any more that I missed?

The sadder part of those memories . . . :sad:

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titan
04-06-2010, 11:42 PM
Seeing that name got me to thinking of all of the players who have passed from that '77 team: Weese, Paul Smith, Alzado, Bobby Maples, Bernard Jackson...any more that I missed?

I don't know of any others who have passed away. Steve Ramsey, who was the bronco quarterback the year before and who was traded for Craig Morton, is no longer with us either.