Reeves Unfazed by Owner’s Optimism

The Dawgs are dead, long live the underdogs.

Those are the Broncos, favored to lose to the San Francisco 49ers by 11 1/2 points, with the spread still climbing. It’s already the biggest since 1970, when the Minnesota Vikings were 12-point picks over Kansas City--and lost.

Of course, after the Broncos’ 37-21 victory over the Cleveland Browns, there was a different perspective.

“I think we’re going to win it,” Bronco owner Pat Bowlen said Monday.

“Why do I think that? Maybe I’m the eternal optimist.

“I don’t know, those guys have a great owner (Eddie DeBartolo Jr.). They’ve got God for a quarterback (Joe Montana).

“We’re just a bunch of palookas from the mountains. With funny orange jerseys. So maybe we’ve got a chance. We’re going to sneak up on them.”

So if the Broncos won, it wouldn’t be an upset?

“In my opinion, no,” Bowlen said. “I think it’d be an upset if we lost.”

Bowlen, an avid bicyclist who goes at it hard enough to have broken his collarbone in a fall, also said he expects to win the Super Bowl every year.

“You’re not from around here, you don’t know me,” Bowlen said.

“Did you hurt your head when you fell off the bike?” asked a Colorado newsman.

Exuberance, however, waned at Coach Dan Reeves’ news conference.

Reeves painted a fearsome picture of the 49ers, which seemed wholely justified by their recent performances.

Did Reeves have any brash Joe Namath-types, who might predict victory?

“If we do, they better do it silently,” Reeves said.

“Actually, your owner just did,” someone said.

“Like I said, he can say anything he wants to,” Reeves said without missing a beat, drawing laughter.

“He didn’t guarantee it, did he?” Reeves asked

No, Bowlen hadn’t.

“What time was this last night?” Reeves asked.

He was told it had been at 11 a.m. Monday.

“He’s still celebrating,” said Reeves, laughing. “He and Eddie (DeBartolo) don’t play. They can say anything they like.”

Reeves said the Broncos must keep the ball away from the 49er offense and keep the game from becoming a shootout.

But rookie halfback Bobby Humphrey, who embodies the Bronco running attack, has two “cracked” ribs, the result of being hit in the chest slightly above his flak jacket by Brown cornerback Frank Minnifield’s helmet.

Reeves said that Humphrey’s availability won’t be known until the Broncos start practice in New Orleans on Jan. 24.

Cracked in this case is a euphemism for fractured.

“Fractured means it’s cracked through,” Reeves said, smiling wryly. “Cracked means it’s just partially . . . fractured.”

Humphrey didn’t play in Sunday’s second half. Sammy Winder scored two touchdowns in his place but his rushing totals were 21 carries, 38 yards.

Bronco tight end Pat Kelly underwent knee surgery Monday and will not play. Kelly started Sunday in place of Clarence Kay, who had a groin pull.

Kay was in for two plays Sunday and expects to be ready.

Bronco safety Dennis Smith calls his old USC teammate, 49er safety Ronnie Lott, frequently.

“I talked to him Saturday night,” Smith said. “It was something we always talked about, playing against each other in the Super Bowl.

“We wanted them, now we got them. Now what are we going to do?”

Here’s a statistic you’re sure to see every hour on the hour:

The Broncos have won their last four regular-season meetings with the 49ers--38-28 in 1979, 24-21 in ‘82, 17-16 in ‘85, 16-13 in ’88.

They haven’t lost to the 49ers since 1973.

Counting exhibition meetings, the Broncos are 9-1 against the 49ers since 1979, suffering the lone loss before this season. In that exhibition, John Elway was held out because he left his knee brace at home.

Reeves, who has been a player, assistant or head coach in seven previous Super Bowls, brought his seven rings in Saturday to show his players. Monday, Reeves brought the rings to his news conference too.

Later, John Elway was asked if the rings had motivated the players.

“He might have gotten the young players,” Elway said, smiling. “But this is the third time I’ve seen them, so . . . “