Super Bowl: 5 key plays that led to Broncos’ first championship

John Elway to Howard Griffith

A play that easily gets lost in the shuffle of this game was a play, well really a pair of plays, made by Denver fullback Howard Griffith.

Fullbacks have always been the guys that do the dirty work and rarely get recognized for those efforts. Griffith knew his role in Denver well.  He was the lead blocker for Davis and he was a guy who wouldn’t get his number called on offense all that often.

But on this play he did.

With just over two minutes remaining in the game, and the score tied at 24, the Broncos were down to the Green Bay 31-yard line and were facing a 2nd-and-9.

Elway dropped back and faked the handoff to Davis before firing a short path to Griffith who moved toward the sideline. He received a fantastic block from wide receiver Ed McCaffrey before heading down the field for a gain of 23 yards.

This also took time off the clock and ran it down to the two-minute warning.

After a penalty against the Broncos, Davis would gain 17 yards and nearly score on the next play. Griffith made a terrific block to spring him down the field on that one.

On the very next play, Davis scored on a 1-yard run, his third touchdown of the game. Denver went up 31-24 with just 1:47 remaining in the game.