Johnson Goes From Toast to Nothing to Boast About

He dominated Jacksonville a week ago, and was the toast of New York, winning praise from Bronco Coach Mike Shanahan, who likened him to Jerry Rice.

But in Sunday’s AFC championship game, Jet wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson was nothing special.

Johnson, who called this game the Jets’ Super Bowl, caught seven passes for 73 yards with a long reception of 25 yards, but it looked as if a pesky Denver defense and an irritating Bill Romanowski got to him.

Johnson was at one point so upset with a trash-talking Romanowski that he slapped him, which only fired up the linebacker. Romanowski went on to lead all Bronco defenders with 11 tackles to go with one forced fumble and one fumble recovery despite suffering a concussion.

“They are the defending Super Bowl champions and you’ve got to give them credit,” Johnson said. “But any time you give up a bunch of big plays it’s like giving someone a .45 and a bunch of bullets to blow your head off.

“I’m very disappointed, we’re all very disappointed. We’re not going to smile and say, ‘We got to the AFC championship’ and just enjoy it.”

*

Denver running back Terrell Davis had 167 rushing yards, and in seven postseason games, is the NFL’s all-time leader, averaging 148.3 yards a game.

John Riggins averaged 110.7 yards a game--second best in NFL history.

*

Jet Coach Bill Parcells reminded his team all week that mistakes, and only mistakes--such as turnovers--would keep them from beating Denver.

So the Jets went out and made lots of mistakes--six turnovers.

Before the game Parcells predicted his team would not fumble twice as it did last week against Jacksonville. The man knows what he is talking about. The Jets fumbled four times.

*

The Broncos contend they get no respect, although they are defending Super Bowl champions and were favored by almost 10 points over the Jets.

“All week we just kept hearing about the Jets, Jets, Jets,” Denver tight end Shannon Sharpe said.

“We were 14-2 and it seemed that no one gave us the respect we deserved.

“They talk about the emergence of their quarterback and their head coach, but our quarterback and our coach aren’t too shabby.”

*

A year ago Bronco owner Pat Bowlen announced, “This one’s for John,” after Denver defeated Green Bay in the Super Bowl. After beating the Jets, Bowlen told the Mile High crowd that this year’s Super Bowl win will be for them.

Obviously he’s still giddy about winning a referendum for a new stadium scheduled to open in 2001.

*

Parcells blamed safety Victor Green for not covering Ed McCaffrey on a 47-yard pass play which allowed Denver to climb back into the game and gain momentum.

Green disagreed. “I don’t think it was a turning point. The real turning point was when they got up by 10 points.”