Elway finally can boast victory over Marino

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Posted: Sunday January 10, 1999 01:51 PM

The only NFL team Elway has not beaten? The Denver Broncos AP

DENVER (AP) -- John Elway's "Things to do before I retire" list got a little bit shorter Saturday.

After finally winning the Super Bowl last year, Elway got his first victory over Dan Marino in what is likely the last on-field meeting between the future Hall of Fame quarterbacks.

Elway, expected to retire following the season, had lost two regular season games to Marino before Denver's 38-3 rout of Miami in the AFC divisional playoffs.

"It had nothing to do with me beating Dan," Elway said. "There's always a rivalry built up around the two quarterbacks. I think the key thing about it is it's a playoff game. This is what we've worked for all year, so it was nice to go out and play like we did."

The Elway-Marino duel seemed anticlimactic as Broncos running back Terrell Davis stole the spotlight with 199 yards rushing and Denver ran away from the Dolphins in the second half.

Though Davis, voted the NFL's Most Valuable Player, has taken the lead role in the Denver offense, he still takes his cue from the 16-year veteran Elway.

"I think No. 7, he's probably the biggest person I can look at," Davis said. "I can touch him and every day I ask him questions. I just try to follow the things he does. It's been working so far."

Elway finished the game 14-of-23 for 182 yards and a touchdown. Marino was 26-of-37 for 243 yards and two interceptions, including one at the Denver 21-yard line to end a Dolphins drive in the third quarter.

As much as it dogs them, Elway and Marino will be forever linked. They came into the league together in 1983 and they are the only two players to throw for more than 50,000 career yards.

Neither had won a Super Bowl in four tries -- Marino's only appearance came in January 1985 -- before Elway helped Denver to a 31-24 victory over Green Bay last year.

With home-field advantage, the Broncos could be on their way to a second straight title-game appearance, which would land them in Miami -- site of the Super Bowl on Jan. 31.

"I told [the Dolphins], 'How does it feel to have the Super Bowl at your house, and you're not invited?,'" Broncos tight end Shannon Sharpe said.

"The bottom line is if you want to go to Miami in late January, you've got to have a five-hour layover in Denver. I don't care if it's mechanical problems or you missed your flight, you've got to stop off in Denver. They don't have to stop anymore. They can leave."

 

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