Lelie still waiting for breakthrough

By Ryan Thorburn
Special to The Advertiser

DENVER — If there were 53 Rod Smiths on the Denver Broncos active roster, Mike Shanahan wouldn't even have to show up for practice. Smith's work ethic has transformed him from undrafted free agent to unstoppable Pro Bowl wide receiver.

After dropping a pass, Denver's Ashley Lelie was given this advice from fellow receiver Rod Smith: "Dude, you have to make those." Advertiser library photo • May 3, 2002

The words were spoken moments after the rookie from Hawai'i had slipped behind his defender only to let a perfectly thrown pass slip threw his fingers in Kansas City.

"That was real frustrating because I had it right in the breadbasket and just couldn't bring it in," Lelie said. "It hit me right in the chest. It's going to be counted as a drop."

Dropping deep passes was becoming a trend for Lelie during the first half of his first NFL season. But because Smith, Ed McCaffrey and Shannon Sharpe are still around, and productive, Lelie has the luxury of easing into the spotlight.

Shanahan, however, isn't exactly known for his patience. Results are required by every player on the team. Go ahead and ask second-year speedster Kevin Kasper, who was released during the bye week after failing to make an impact as a receiving option or special teams standout.

After the play Griese took a knee, and Lelie finally took a bow.

"They had a timeout left and there was plenty of time for them to move the ball down the field," Shanahan said when asked why he took the risk of an incompletion instead of running more time off the clock. "They were in position to blitz us and we thought we might as well take a chance. It was a great throw and a great catch by Ashley."

Despite the earlier error at Arrowhead Stadium, Lelie was not dropped from the game plan. He played in half of Denver's 78 plays, finishing with three catches for 31 yards and one carry (on a reverse) for 24 yards.

On the Broncos' final drive of the fourth quarter, Lelie made two catches after the two-minute warning as the offense closed in on Mike Anderson's game-tying touchdown.

"It just shows they have confidence in every player on this team," said Lelie, who has a modest 13 catches for 198 yards this season. "They believe that if you're on this team and you're out there you should be able to make plays. Just because I'm a rookie doesn't mean they're not going to go to me."

If Lelie, as the 19th overall pick in last April's draft and the University of Hawai'i's first NFL first-round draft pick, were on almost any other team he would be counted on to make the plays Smith and McCaffrey do for Denver. Shanahan can develop the gifted receiver as a role player this year before asking him to be the star.

"He's going to get better and better. He's going to be a great player for us," Shanahan said. "He's a very heady type player, very competitive, tough."

The Broncos' immediate future is facing the rival Oakland Raiders tonight on the 500th episode of Monday Night Football.

It would be the ultimate stage for Lelie to perform his first end zone celebration.

"I still like to think of myself as a secret weapon," Lelie said. "You know defenses are going to have all their focus on the other guys, and if I'm lucky I'll probably get a nickel back."

As Smith would bluntly say: First-round picks are supposed to be able to beat backup cornerbacks, dude.

BRONCOS-RAIDERS

The Denver Broncos will have their towels ready for Bill Romanowski's return tonight.

After watching Romanowski taunt, poke, spear and even spit at opponents during his six years in Denver, the Broncos know better than any other team what to expect when they face him and his new team, the Oakland Raiders.

"If you expect that from Romo, then I don't know the Romo you know," Denver linebacker Ian Gold said when asked whether Romanowski would be well-behaved. "Let's just hope he doesn't spit on anybody."

The reputation Romanowski built over 15 years in the league — the first six with San Francisco and two with Philadelphia before he came to Denver — is one of a nasty player, the type who will say or do just about anything to break opponents' concentration. He has been known to rattle younger players with venomous insults and irritate veterans with late hits or by pulling on their jerseys and face masks.

He even spat in the face of 49ers receiver J.J. Stokes during a game in 1998.

Romanowski's tactics are appreciated by teammates but despised by opponents. For that reason, he isn't likely to get a real warm welcome from the Broncos or their fans when he plays at Mile High for the first time as a Raider.