Broncos Roll Early, Halt Bills Late : Denver Takes 21-0 Lead, Then Holds On for 28-14 Victory

Denver’s big-play defense, sparked by interceptions from Wymon Henderson and Tyrone Braxton, helped the Broncos build a 21-0 lead and they held on for a 28-14 victory over the Buffalo Bills on Monday night.

Denver (2-0), which lost 10 of its last 11 Monday night road games and its last eight games on artificial turf, forced turnovers and converted them into points, as it did in an opening victory over Kansas City.

The defense, which ranked 22nd in the NFL last year, contributed two points on a first-quarter safety and set up 13 more points. Those points came on Vance Johnson’s nine-yard scoring pass from John Elway and field goals of 46 and 24 yards by David Treadwell.

The rookie also hit from 33 and 22 yards.

That same defense began to wilt, though, when Buffalo (1-1) went to a hurry-up offense--the same ploy Bills’ Coach Marv Levy criticized as unethical when Cincinnati used it last year. Jim Kelly led the Bills on drives of 77 and 66 yards against a suddenly confused Denver defense.

But the Broncos again came up with crucial plays after Elway’s pass was intercepted early in the fourth quarter by Mark Kelso at the Buffalo 31.

Kelly got the Bills to the Denver 41, but Simon Fletcher sacked Kelly, Braxton broke up a pass to Ronnie Harmon in the end zone with a diving swipe and rookie Warren Powers sacked Kelly again.

Denver regained control when Elway hit Johnson for 25 yards on third-and-12 and scrambled for 31 yards to the Buffalo five. Rookie Bobby Humphrey scored from the five to silence the crowd of 78,176.

Buffalo self-destructed under pressure from Denver’s revitalized defense. The Broncos play more aggressively without the ball under defensive coordinator Wade Phillips then they did with Joe Collier in charge. Phillips replaced the fired Collier this season.

A Denver turnover actually helped the Broncos to a 2-0 lead. Nate Odomes made a spectacular over-the-shoulder interception and ran into his own end zone, but officials placed the ball on the one.

On the first play, Michael Brooks was not blocked and brought down Jamie Mueller in the end zone for the safety.

Denver took the free kick and marched 34 yards before Treadwell made a 22-yard field goal.

Another mistake hurt the Bills midway through the second period. After Larry Kinnebrew gained 14 yards with a screen pass and Thurman Thomas got 16 with another, Kelly’s pass for Andre Reed was tipped high by the receiver. Henderson grabbed it and, though he fumbled when tackled, Denver recovered at its 36.

Humphrey ran for six yards, then burst through the left side of the line behind Melvin Bratton’s block for a 33-yard gain.

An illegal contact penalty on Leonard Smith and a 10-yard pass to Mark Jackson set up Johnson’s touchdown. Johnson went in motion to the left, hesitated, then continued left. He wasn’t covered, and Elway hit him for the score.

The Bills didn’t quit making mistakes there. Scott Norwood, who had hit nine straight field goals, missed from 43 yards and Reed fumbled after a 17-yard gain later in the second period.

With 1:06 to go, Elway hit Johnson with a 12-yard sideline pass and Derrick Burroughs was whistled for a late hit. That led to Treadwell’s third field goal, from 47 yards to make it 18-0 at the half.

Even on Buffalo’s 77-yard drive to Kinnebrew’s touchdown, the Bills committed a major blunder. Thomas had a 41-yard run negated by a holding call on center Kent Hull.

But Kelly shook that off and flawlessly ran the hurry-up attack. He hit Harmon for 23 yards and scrambled for 19 in setting up the short score.

Harmon beat Randy Robbins over the middle for a 20-yard scoring pass 37 seconds into the final quarter. But that was all the Bills managed, and Henderson got another interception in the final moments.