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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
DENVER (AP) -- A year ago, after a preseason game against the
Dallas Cowboys, the Denver Broncos underwent an unexpected and
divisive quarterback change that contributed to their 6-10 regular
season.
That won't happen this year.
Brian Griese, who displaced Bubby Brister last year at this
time, solidified his role as the Broncos' starter, throwing two
touchdown passes barely two minutes apart in the second quarter in
a 36-23 preseason victory over the Cowboys on Saturday night.
Griese, playing only the first half, completed 12 of 18 passes
for 153 yards. In three preseason games, he is an impressive
27-for-42 for 370 yards, three TDs and no interceptions.
"Brian looked pretty good," coach Mike Shanahan said. "It did
not surprise me. The opportunity was there for some big plays. He
was reading the defensive sets well."
Griese, criticized by some observers for refusing to throw long,
opened it up against the Cowboys.
"We wanted to explore throwing the ball down the field and
making some big plays," he said. "When you have a limited number
of plays, you try to go out and make things happen a little bit
more than if you were playing the entire game. You get a sense of
urgency, which I think is good for us."
Griese's scoring passes helped give Denver a 24-6 halftime lead.
The Broncos (3-0) expanded the lead to 31-6 on Olandis Gary's
4-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter.
Clint Stoerner, Dallas' fourth-string quarterback, rallied the
Cowboys (0-4) to 17 second-half points.
Dallas' Troy Aikman, playing the first half, was 7-of-20 for 95
yards.
Terrell Davis, continuing his steady progress from
reconstructive knee surgery last October, ran for 31 yards on six
carries in the first quarter, including a 5-yard touchdown. Davis
ran for an 11-yard gain on the final play of the quarter and did
not return as a precaution because of a sore left hamstring.
The Cowboys, who have lost 13 of their last 14 preseason games,
remained winless under first-year coach Dave Campo.
"I think we shot ourselves in the foot too many times," Campo
said. "Starting with two fumbles on the first two kickoffs is not
a real good start. They had a short field all night.
"If we had scored on the one they called back on (Joey)
Galloway, I would have felt pretty good."
The Cowboys lost two challenges on touchdown passes.
Galloway's apparent 14-yard TD catch early in the second quarter
was challenged by the Broncos and reversed by referee Dick Hantak
when replays showed Galloway's second foot landed out of bounds.
Later in the period, the Cowboys challenged Byron Chamberlain's
21-yard scoring reception, but the score was upheld.
Two fumbles on kickoff returns by Dallas' Darran Hall helped the
Broncos take a 10-0 lead before the Cowboys' offense ever got on
the field.
Hall's first fumble was recovered at the Dallas 23, and Davis
scored five plays later on a darting run up the middle.
After Hall's second fumble at the Dallas 34, Jason Elam kicked a
35-yard field goal.
Aikman was 4-of-8 for 46 yards on Dallas' first series, which
lasted 14 plays but stalled at the 7-yard line and resulted in Tim
Seder's 25-yard field goal.
Early in the second quarter, Aikman passed 24 yards to Wane
McGarity, but Galloway's TD catch was nullified and Seder kicked a
20-yard field goal.
On the ensuing series, Griese passed 20 yards to Ed McCaffrey
and then hit Rod Smith on a 36-yard TD throw with 6:09 left in the
half.
After Dallas went three-and-out, Griese passed 20 yards to Smith
and 11 to Ed McCaffrey. Gary ran for 20 yards, and Griese hit
Chamberlain for a touchdown at 3:42 for a 24-6 lead.
The Broncos made it 31-6 early in the third quarter. Rookie
Deltha O'Neal returned a punt 20 yards to the Dallas 38, and Gary
ran 4 yards for a touchdown.
Stoerner then drove the Cowboys 75 yards in eight plays for
their first touchdown, a 21-yard pass to Chris Brazzell.
After a turnover by Denver, Seder kicked a 36-yard field goal.
O'Neal's 58-yard kickoff return set up Elam's 45-yard field goal
early in the final period.
Midway through the period, Stoerner fumbled the snap but picked
up the loose ball and ran through a hole on the right side 50 yards
for another score.
The Broncos honored long-time safety Steve Atwater before the
game. Atwater signed a ceremonial one-year contract on Friday and
then retired as a Bronco.
Denver linebacker Bill Romanowski, who faces four felony counts
for fraudulently obtaining a diet drug and was accused this week in
a magazine article of uttering a racial slur which he angrily
denied, was cheered lustily in pregame warmups and whenever he made
a tackle.
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ALSO SEE
NFL Scoreboard
Dallas Clubhouse
Denver Clubhouse
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