Elway Comes Back, and So Do Broncos : AFC: Denver overcomes five first-half turnovers, rallies to beat Seattle, 10-6, and keep playoff hopes alive.

Without John Elway, the Denver Broncos were nowhere. With him back in the lineup, they could be somewhere special--the NFL playoffs.

Casting off a four-game losing streak that coincided with Elway’s absence because of a bruised shoulder, the Broncos overcame five turnovers and beat the Seattle Seahawks, 10-6, Sunday.

The Broncos abandoned the shuttle system of alternating young quarterbacks Tommy Maddox and Shawn Moore and turned to Elway, who completed 19 of 28 passes for 213 yards, becoming the 15th player in NFL history to pass for 30,000 yards.

“It was tremendous to see John surpass the 30,000-yard mark,” Denver Coach Dan Reeves said. “It’s evidence that he is a great player, and I was pleased to see that milestone for him.

“He threw the ball well today. I just don’t think our guys are used to his fastball after four weeks of not seeing it. We didn’t catch the ball very well today.”

In particular, Reeves was upset by an apparent touchdown pass from Elway to Mark Jackson at the end of the first half. With the Broncos on the five-yard line, Elway threw a perfect pass to Jackson in the rear of the end zone, but the ball hit Jackson in the chest and bounced off into the hands of diving Seattle defender Brian Davis for a touchback.

“We had six possessions in the first half and turned it over five times,” Reeves said. “That was frustrating. To be down only 3-0 at the halftime meant our defense did a good job.

“In the second half, our defense did a great job of getting us field position with the early turnover. Then Keith Traylor made a big play, knocking the ball out on their drive late in the game.

“This puts us in a position where at least we’re playing for something in our last game of the season.”

Denver (8-7), winning at home for the 10th time in the last 11 games, can clinch a wild-card spot by winning at Kansas City next Sunday.

Asked about reaching the 30,000-yard plateau, Elway said, “Up to this point, my career has been measured by (three) Super Bowl losses. I’m happy to have been able to stay around long enough to get 30,000.”

Elway joins such NFL luminaries as Fran Tarkenton (first with 47,003), Dan Fouts, Johnny Unitas and Joe Montana. Prior to Elway, the most recent player to throw for 30,000 yards was Houston’s Warren Moon. Elway now has 30,008.

After having five turnovers in the first half, Denver finally got a takeaway on the first play of the second half and converted it into the game’s lone touchdown. Seattle’s John L. Williams fumbled when hit by linebacker Michael Brooks, and Kenny Walker recovered at the Seahawk 24.

Gaston Green, who had missed the last two games because of a knee injury, promptly scampered 23 yards down the left sideline, and two plays later Green plunged over from the one for a 7-3 lead.

Later in the quarter, Seattle drove 81 yards for another field goal. Alton Montgomery returned the ensuing kickoff 64 yards to the Seattle 26, and David Treadwell kicked a 30-yard field goal to account for the final margin.