Elway and Co. Take Day Off at Green Bay

If there is a rematch of this yawner in Super Bowl XXXI next month in New Orleans--at $275 a ticket--and if John Elway doesn’t play for the Broncos against the Packers, the NFL should be indicted for grand larceny.

A refund still might be in order with Elway on the field based on the Broncos’ previous performances in the Super Bowl, but without him, Denver is merely a bunch of Bill Musgraves waiting to be pummeled.

Green Bay (11-3) obliged on Sunday, 41-6, clinching the NFC Central Division championship. The Packers also took the lead for the Lambeau Field edge throughout the playoffs after blasting the hamstrung Broncos before 60,712--the second-largest crowd for a game here.

This was nothing more than an exhibition game for the Broncos (12-2), who let Elway rest his sore hamstring after having already claimed the AFC West Division title and the Mile High Stadium advantage throughout the playoffs. Denver worked up a sweat for a half, kept it close in the early minutes of the third quarter at 13-6, and then bagged it, gaining 69 yards in the second half and giving up 28 unanswered points.

“It’s an unfortunate thing for Denver to accomplish so much so quickly,” said Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre, who threw four touchdown passes to Antonio Freeman. “They would probably say right now we can coast in, but I wouldn’t want to be in that situation. You don’t want to relax.”

In taking the day off, Denver’s best performance was by its anemic attack, supporting Elway’s candidacy as the league’s most valuable player. Running back Terrell Davis, who became the Broncos’ all-time single-season rushing leader, passing Otis Armstrong, gained only 54 yards in 14 carries without Elway to occupy the Packers’ defense.

The Broncos are Elway, and this season with the AFC maintaining a 30-22 edge on the NFC in head-to-head confrontations, he has the best opportunity to stop the NFC’s 12-year grip on the Lombardi Trophy.

“You got to look at it this way, John Elway is a franchise quarterback and he’s not the all-time winningest quarterback in the NFL for nothing,” said Denver tight end Shannon Sharpe. “There is a reason for that.”

The very reason the Broncos never had a chance against the Packers. The Broncos, while saying most of the right things, were not all that disturbed about being Green Bay’s 25th victim in the last 26 regular-season games at Lambeau Field. As Denver owner Pat Bowlen said afterward, “It’s hard for an owner to get motivated for a game like this much less the football team.”

As for a rematch with the Packers in the Super Bowl, Denver cornerback Tyrone Braxton said it won’t happen.

And why not? “One word,” Braxton said. “Dallas.”

No, the Broncos did not leave Lambeau Field impressed with the Packers. They watched Favre perform erratically, which included a pair of interceptions, and stopped running back Edgar Bennett for five yards in nine carries. For much of the game they were able to protect Musgrave, who was making his first NFL start, despite playing without their starting left tackle, Gary Zimmerman, who is recovering from shoulder surgery.

“No, I don’t think this game was a true indication of the strength of each team,” said Elway, who pronounced himself only healthy enough to jog.

Musgrave, who has fewer career pass completions (32) than Elway has fourth-quarter comebacks (36), completed two of six passes for 15 yards with the game on the line in the second half. Jeff Lewis, another NFL nobody who relieved Musgrave in the fourth quarter, was one for three for five yards.

“This victory isn’t tarnished,” said Freeman, who caught nine passes for 175 yards. “Because John Elway doesn’t play defense.”

Favre, however, knew better. “Before the game I told John, ‘I love you to death, but I’m glad you’re not playing.’ ”

Favre, who has 35 touchdown passes--tied for the sixth best single-season total in NFL history, completed 20 of 38 passes for 280 yards. After a woeful start, which included getting knocked woozy by defensive end Alfred Williams’ on the team’s first offensive play, Favre flashed his brilliance.

With 23 seconds remaining in the first half and the Packers flopping around with a 6-3 lead, Favre stiff-armed a hard-charging Michael Dean Perry to avoid a sack and then shot a dart to Freeman in the rear of the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown and a 13-3 halftime lead.

“He’s meant a lot,” Favre said of Freeman, who returned a week ago with a cast after fracturing his arm earlier this season. “I think we can all see that it has enhanced our offense again.”

Without Favre, however, what would the Packers be?