THERE’S A CATCH TO IT : Townsend Goes on Offensive as Interception Return Takes Wind Out of Elway’s Sails

To predict that Sunday’s Coliseum showdown between the Raiders and the Denver Broncos might hinge on defensive lineman Greg Townsend’s ability to catch quarterback John Elway wouldn’t take any great stretch of the imagination.

But to predict that the key would be Elway’s ability to catch Townsend?

Now that would be difficult to imagine.

Yet that indeed turned out to be a crucial moment in Sunday’s 21-20 Raider victory.

It was early in the third quarter. The Broncos, trailing 14-0, were on the verge of breaking through with a second and 7 at the Raider 8-yard line. Elway faded back, spotted back Steve Sewell open in the right flat and threw.

Elway didn’t figure Townsend would be there.

Neither did Townsend’s coach, Mike Shanahan.

“Denver will run that little flare but normally, the defensive lineman doesn’t pick that up,” Shanahan said. “But I’m sure glad Greg was where he was at.”

Townsend’s first option was to pressure the quarterback.

“I was supposed to be rushing Elway,” Townsend said. “But I saw Sewell give that little waggle, the same one I saw when I was watching the film of their team this week. They do that with the whole formation going one way, to bring all the tension over there, and the back drifting over the other way. So I drifted over with him.

“If anything else had happened where I was supposed to be, I would have been in trouble. At least now I’m not going to get yelled at.”

Not hardly.

Townsend kept drifting until he saw the football heading his way. It was a lineman’s dream--alone with the ball on an open field.

And Elway.

Only the quarterback had a shot as Townsend grabbed the quarterback’s throw and began his 86-yard return to the end zone. The 6-foot 3-inch, 215-pound Denver quarterback had an angle on the 6-3, 250-pound defensive lineman. But not the speed.

With about 20 yards to go, Elway pulled in the reins.

“I thought I might have a shot at him but I just couldn’t keep up,” Elway said.

“I saw him (Townsend) lining up over the guard. When the middle linebacker came up the middle, he (Townsend) was the guy who was free.”

By the time Townsend reached the end zone, he was tired. Dead tired. Too worn out, in fact, even to keep his promise to teammate Stefon Adams.

The two had, coincidentally, been discussing a dance known as The Troop that they’d learned in area clubs.

If I ever get into the end zone, Townsend had told Adams, I’ll do it for you.

So what happened?

“I tried but I was just too tired,” Townsend said.

The pro football world may yet see The Troop unveiled before it’s collective eyes. After all, Townsend has now scored two touchdowns in as many weeks. On the Raiders this season, that makes him an offensive force.

Last Monday in Seattle, he accounted for the first touchdown against the Seahawks after fellow defensive lineman Bill Pickel hit Seahawk quarterback Dave Krieg at the goal line, jarring loose the ball. It was Townsend who picked it up for six points.

But he only laughed Sunday when asked if he would consider switching units.

“I played some fullback in high school,” he said, referring to his days at Dominguez High in Compton, “and it was not good.”

Townsend was also on the track and field team, competing in the quarter mile. Although he says he never won a race, he might have trouble convincing Elway of that.

Elway had plenty of opportunity to check out Townsend’s speed Sunday and he didn’t need a stop watch.

Besides hurting Elway with the interception, Townsend also sacked him him twice. The first time ended Denver’s first drive of the game and set the tone for the first half when the Raiders moved into a lead that proved insurmountable despite a Bronco rally.

On a third and 5 at the Denver 27, Townsend broke through, chased Elway to the sideline and then hit him, creating a fumble that rolled out of bounds. That forced a Bronco punt that led to the first Raider score.

“I think we had rattled him in the first half,” Townsend said. “But he regrouped in the second half. We all know Elway’s capabilities. The guy can do that.”

But despite racking up the third-highest yardage figure for any interception in team history (only Mike Haynes 97-yard return in 1984 and Fred Williamson’s 91-yard return in ’62 are better), Townsend wasn’t ready to sit around and bask in the glow.

“Once you guys leave here,” he told reporters, “my mind is going to start going on Buffalo (next week’s opponent). You can’t live in the past.”

No sir, there is still a division title to win. And then, if that works out, the playoffs.

No time or energy to celebrate.