European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 30, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Broncs fire Reeves Dan Reeves on sidelines. 12 years at Denver by Don Mitchell Denver apr Dan Reeves who led the Denver Broncos to three super bowls was fired monday the Day after the team lost its season finale and missed going to the playoffs. Reeves 48, announced his own firing at a news conference and owner Pat Bowlen met with reporters later. Quot life goes on a said Reeves said who had been Denver a head coach for 12 years. The Broncos who reached the acc title game last season before losing 10-7 in Buffalo ended their season 8-8 after a 42-20 loss at Kansas City that knocked them from the playoffs. They started 7-3 but lost four straight games after quarterback John Elway was injured. Reeves led Denver to five first place finishes and three second place finishes in the acc West division. His Bronco teams also appeared in four acc championship games and three super bowls losing All three times. Reeves said he and Bowlen met monday to discuss Reeves future but Bowlen a had his mind made up what he wanted to do and did not give Reeves any options except to leave Denver. His five year contract would have expired feb. 1. Quot he wanted to run this football team in a different Way. He did no to want to ask me to do it in a different Way. And i respect that a Reeves said. Bowlen said he decided sunday night not to renew Reeves contract. He had struggled for months with the decision but finally decided he could not be More Active in running the Broncos with Reeves As coach. Quot i think when you think about that if i would have agreed to renew Danes contract a year from now we would have both been miserable and at each others throats a he said. A i am very sad to see him go. However i want to take it the club in a Little different  Bowlen said he would begin looking for a new coach when he goes to the nil labor meetings but did not mention the names of any possible successors. Bowlend a decision to fire Reeves did not immediately extend to his assistant coaches. Mondays announcement followed weeks of speculation about Reeves future with the club. At the beginning of this season Reeves the stars and stripes to december 30,1992  9. Page 28 asked Bowlen to forego any contract negotiations after training Camp began so that he could concentrate on his coaching duties. Since then reports of a Reeves Bowlen rift took on a life of their own fueling speculation about a confrontation Between the men at seasons end. Reeves had said he wanted to negotiate one More contract with Denver and then retire at age 55. Reeves earned about $950,000 during the last year of his present contract and with a 110-73-1 regular season record he was the fourth winning est Active coach. Only Don Shula of Miami Chuck Knox of the los Angeles rams and Washington a Joe Gibbs own better  s Bac Kkeys 49er win with 2 to passes by Dennis Georgatos san Francisco apr Joe Montana answered the most important questions. He can still pass. He can still play. He can still take a hit pick himself up and throw some More. And he can still win. Montana returned from a nearly two year injury caused absence to throw two fourth Quarter touchdown passes and the san Francisco 49ers pulled away for a 24-6 win Over the Detroit Lions in monday nights final regular season game. The 49ers 14-2who closed with eight straight wins have a first round Bye in the playoffs and will play Host to a divisional playoff on Jan. 9. Detroit which reached the pfc championship last year finished 5-11 to conclude a disappointing injury wracked season. Montana 36, the oldest player on the 49ers�?T roster was greeted by a standing ovation when he opened the second half in Relief of starter Steve Young. He outscored Young 17-7, directing three scoring drives in the Rainy Windy weather beginning with a Mike Cofer Field goal that gave san Francisco a 10-6 Lead with 13 18 remaining. Cornerback Don Griffin intercepted an Andre Ware pass to give san Francisco Possession at the Detroit 26. Montana scrambled 16 Yards to the 10, amp Lee gained a Yard on a run and after an incompletion Montana hit Brent Jones with a 9-Yard scoring pass. Montana brought the crowd to its feel again when he threw an 8-Yard touchdown pass to Lee with 1 15 remaining. Hie score capped a beautifully executed 76-Yard March in which Montana completed All five of his passes. A that was Vintage Montana a drop Back Boom drop Back Boom a 49er Center Jesse Sapolu said. A everybody wanted to know the answers to a lot of questions. They wanted to know if he could pass if he could scramble. Well Joe answered a lot of those  there was one question Montana  answer and the one who could said he Wasny to ready. San Francisco coach George Seifert said he needed More time before deciding whether Montana would displace Steve Bono As the teams no. 2 quarterback for the playoffs. A i thought Joe handled himself pretty Good a Seifert said. Quot it was As if he Hadnot missed too much playing time. I can to say that Joe is the backup or not at this time. We have to sit Down and evaluate that  Montana a 10-year starter who led the 49ers to four super bowl wins in the 1980s, had been sidelined since the Start of last season because of a torn right Elbow Tendon. Known for his Cool Demeanour Montana said he was surprised he was so nervous when he entered the game. Quot in terms of butterflies this ones near the top a he said. A i could feel my heart beating. But 1 took a couple of big hits which probably settled me  Montana finished with 126 Yards completing 15 of 21 throws. His first completion a four yarder to Marc Logan put him Over 35,000 passing Yards for his career. Montana last played in a game that counted on Jan. 20, 1991, when the 49ers lost to the new York giants in the pfc championship the 49ers Down 6-0 after a pair of Field goals by Jason Hanson took a 7-6 halftime Lead on Logan a 1-Yard touchdown run with 3 14 left in the second Quarter. Ware took Detroit on two Long drives but both ended in Field goals As Hanson kicked a 44-yarder in the first period and a 50-yarder in the second. S Vav / a Joe Montana takes aim during his 2nd-half stint  Buffalo will face Houston without Kelly Orchard Park . A injury free throughout much of the season the Buffalo Bills have suddenly formed a line in front of the Trainer s room. At i he head of the line is Jim Kelly who wont play in sundays acc playoff game against Houston after spraining his right knee in the regular season finale against the oilers. The Bill quarterback went Down in the second Quarter of sundays 27-3 loss when he was sacked by Oiler lineman Ray Childress. Kelly a knee bore much of Childress weight As the Houston defender completed his tackle. Coach Marv Levy said that while test results were encouraging Kelly would be on the sidelines. A test showed a Quot relatively mild sprain in the medial collateral ligament of the right knee Levy said. A a there a no swelling. There a some soreness a Levy said. A a there a no instability in it which is the important thing. There re no torn ligament fibres in it. Those Are All encouraging  Kelly hobbled around Rich stadium on crutches monday. Quot i Hope its Only one week of but its something we have to take week by week and see what happens a Kelly said. A it could be two weeks it could be  Veteran backup Frank Reich will replace Kelly who tops a Bill injury list that got longer against Houston. Pro bowl linebacker Cornelius Bennett sat out sundays game with a hamstring injury As did starting cornerback Kirby Jackson. Pro bowl special teams player Steve Tasker missed the game with a knee injury. Wide receiver Don Beebe was knocked out sunday while attempting to catch a pass. Wide receiver a1 Edwards pulled a leg muscle. Quot Cornelius Bennett is improved a Levy said. Quot he a Day to  improbable preview of 93 Page 25