Broncos a Mile High in What Might Not Be Stadium Finale

If this was goodbye, then the Denver Broncos did it in style.

The Broncos scored on six consecutive possessions in a 38-9 victory over the San Francisco 49ers Saturday in what could have been their final game in Mile High Stadium.

The playoff-bound Broncos (11-5) stayed in contention for the AFC West championship. If Oakland (11-4) loses to Carolina (7-8) today, Denver wins the division title and is assured of a home playoff game. If Oakland wins, Denver is a wild card and plays on the road.

Next season, the Broncos move into a $364-million stadium under construction adjacent to the 52-year-old Mile High, the only home the franchise has ever known.

Gus Frerotte, replacing the injured Brian Griese, passed for one touchdown and ran for another, Mike Anderson ran for two touchdowns, and the Bronco defense stopped the 49er running game cold and harassed quarterback Jeff Garcia the entire game.

“Today’s effort was almost a perfect game,” said Coach Mike Shanahan. “Our defense was fired up from the first play. Gus played well and carried himself with poise.”

Frerotte, who twice had to be helped from the field with minor injuries, said the victory was “what we needed . . . to go into the playoffs with a lot of momentum.”

Said wide receiver Rod Smith: “Hopefully, we can have another little party like this again. This place is always going to be special.”

San Francisco (6-10) had won four of its previous five games but was held to 192 total yards and needed Wade Richey’s 44-yard field goal with 9:04 left in the game to avoid its first shutout since 1977. Garcia, who broke the 49er season passing record of 4,170 yards set by Steve Young in 1998, had an eight-yard touchdown pass to J.J. Stokes in the final minute but finished only 18 for 40 for 188 yards.

Denver linebacker Bill Romanowski was at his intimidating best after the Broncos had taken a 17-0 lead midway through the third quarter. On consecutive plays, Romanowski shoved Stokes after a reception and leveled Garcia just after he released a pass to help stall a San Francisco drive at the Denver 30. Richey was wide right on a 48-yard field goal attempt.

“As a defense, we felt like we had to come out with an attitude,” Romanowski said, “and that’s what we did.”

Romanowski spit in the face of Stokes three years ago, and this week criticized the receiver for not retaliating in the incident.

Meanwhile, several Broncos had notable accomplishments.

Denver wide receivers Ed McCaffrey and Smith finished the regular season with 101 and 100 receptions, respectively, becoming only the second NFL tandem to reach that level. Detroit’s Herman Moore and Brett Perriman accomplished the feat in 1995.

McCaffrey’s 101 catches broke the club record of 100, set by Lionel Taylor in 1961.

Anderson’s two rushing touchdowns gave him 15 for the season, tying Cincinnati’s Ickey Woods (1988) for the second-most by an NFL rookie. Eric Dickerson holds the record with 18.

Mile High also probably was the site of the last game in a San Francisco uniform for record-setting receiver Jerry Rice, who wants to play another season but probably will do it for another team because of 49er salary cap.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Dynamic Duos

Denver’s Ed McCaffrey and Rod Smith both reached 100 receptions for the season Saturday, only the second duo to accomplish the feat in the NFL. The top seven receiving duos for a season:

*--*

Receiving Duo (Individual catches) Team Year Rec. Yards TD Herman Moore (123), Brett Perriman Detroit 1995 231 3,154 23 (108) Cris Carter (122), Jake Reed (85) Minnesota 1994 207 2,431 11 Ed McCaffrey (101), Rod Smith (100) Denver 2000 201 2,919 17 Herman Moore (106), Brett Perriman Detroit 1996 200 2,317 14 (94) Jimmy Smith (116), Keenan McCardell Jacksonville 1999 194 2,527 12 (78) Terance Mathis (111), Andre Rison Atlanta 1994 192 2,397 19 (81) Haywood Jeffires (100), Drew Hill Houston 1991 190 2,289 11 (90)

*--*

NOTABLE

* McCaffrey and Smith became the 27th and 28th NFL players to get 100 receptions in a season.

* McCaffrey broke the Denver season reception record of Lionel Taylor, the first NFL/AFL player to get 100 receptions in a season (1961).