DENVER >> Former Hawaii place kicker Jason Elam missed field goal attempts of 48 and 39 yards on Sunday -- the latter ending a streak of 30 consecutive conversions inside 42 yards. Denver’s Elam still
struggling on kickoffs
Star-Bulletin wire services
Elam, who was criticized for his kickoffs the week earlier, kicked off five times, landing on average at the New England 11-yard line.
His shortest kick was fielded at the 14, and his longest at the 8.
Last week against the Chiefs he averaged the 12-yard line, with his longest going to the 5 and the shortest to the 18.
The Broncos held tryouts for a kickoff specialist last Thursday, but decided to save a roster spot and give Elam a chance to redeem himself.
Broncos coach Mike Shanahan blew off the kicking controversy at his news conference yesterday, saying he plans to stick with his kicker.
But the Broncos yesterday freed up a spot on the 53-man roster, waiving guard Mookie Moore, a week after signing him to fill the roster spot left by center Tom Nalen.
Nalen is out for the season with a knee injury.
Bowlen hit by beer bottle: Broncos owner Pat Bowlen was hit in the shoulder with a bottle of beer after former Hawaii standout wide receiver Ashley Lelie made a key 40-yard catch that clinched a 24-16 win over the New England Patriots on Sunday.
"Thank God it was a plastic bottle," Bowlen told the Denver Post.
Bowlen, who also owns Nick's Fishmarket in Waikiki, reported the incident to Gillette Stadium security, and according to the Post, the fan was removed from his seat and arrested.
Lelie's catch was huge: Clinging to its eight-point margin and trying to run out the clock, the Broncos faced a third-and-8 at their own 28 at the 2-minute warning.
Stay conservative?
Trust the defense?
Quarterback Brian Griese instead hit rookie wideout Ashley Lelie on a 40-yard pass to make the Patriots' four-game losing streak all but official.
"We knew what kind of defense we were going to get," Griese told the Rocky Mountain News.
"We knew we were going to have man coverage on the outside with Ashley and that's the kind of killer instinct that good teams have."
National Football League
