After getting over the Super Bowl hump in January, Elway has chosen to return for what is widely assumed to be his farewell tour. His decision came after an offseason rife with uncertainty over his future. With Elway, the Broncos are a real threat to repeat as Super Bowl champions. Without him, Denver would have entered the Bubby Brister era. Nothing against Brister, but Bronco fans are awfully glad to have Elway back.

Speaking of humps, the Patriots would like to get over the roadblock that is the Broncos. Denver has beaten New England six times in a row, the last three by scores of 37-3, 34-8 and 34-13.

As if the prospect of playing the Broncos weren’t daunting enough, the Patriots also will put their new Ernie Zampese-led offense to the test in one of the most difficult venues in the NFL. The new offense is built around the timing between QB Drew Bledsoe and his receivers. It won’t be easy to establish in what figures to be a noisy and emotional setting.

WHEN THE PATRIOTS HAVE THE BALL:

No matter how much Zampese, head coach Pete Carroll and the rest of the Patriots want a balanced offense, New England will go as Bledsoe goes. The quarterback enters the season as the impetus for whatever offense the Patriots will generate.

One reason the Patriots will be so dependent on Bledsoe is their lack of a proven running back after losing Curtis Martin to free-agency. First-round draft pick Robert Edwards was selected to replace Martin, but the rookie from Georgia has been plagued by a groin problem throughout the preseason (check status) and has not gotten enough work to satisfy coaches. Instead, second-year RB Sedrick Shaw will likely get the starting nod.

Whoever does the running will go against a Denver defense that was a bit vulnerable to the long run last year. This season, second-year DT Trevor Pryce moves into the starting lineup. The Broncos hope his quickness and athleticism will aid them vs. the run. However, the Broncos lost MLB Allen Aldridge to free-agency. His replacement, likely Glenn Cadrez, will have to provide support vs. the run.

Meanwhile, Bledsoe will be throwing against one of the more experienced secondaries in the league. Still, Bledsoe has some weapons to look for. Speedy Patriot WR Terry Glenn looks to rebound from a disappointing ’97 campaign, but he will have a tough task vs. Denver’s cornerbacks. Ray Crockett is a solid veteran, and Darrien Gordon is coming off of a year of big plays. TE Ben Coates will take on wily SS Tyrone Braxton. Bledsoe will have to keep his eyes out for WLB John Mobley, who is developing into one of the finer players in the league. Mobley is a factor both on the blitz and in coverage.

The Patriot offensive line depends on OLT Bruce Armstrong, who has played and practiced throughout the preseason despite suffering from lower-leg soreness (check status). The Broncos’ best pass rusher, DLE Neil Smith, lines up on the other side vs. mammoth ORT Zefross Moss.

WHEN THE BRONCOS HAVE THE BALL:

While Elway will be the center of the celebration before the game, chances are that RB Terrell Davis will be the focus of the game plan. Davis has dominated the Patriots in the last three meetings in the series, running for a total of 422 yards and five touchdowns in those meetings. But the going may not be so easy this time, because the Bronco offensive line has had its share of changes. Tony Jones replaces stalwart Gary Zimmerman at left tackle, while Harry Swayne moves into Jones’ old ORT spot. The line took another blow when David Diaz-Infante injured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee; he will definitely miss the opener and his long-term status is in doubt. Dan Neil takes his place in the lineup.

Look for Carroll and the Patriots to put together a scheme to try to exploit Neil and Swayne by moving around top pass-rush threats Chris Slade and Willie McGinest.

Elway and his receivers could have an advantage in the passing game, as the Patriots seek to find a cornerback to complement Ty Law. Second-year man Chris Canty should be that man, but he is a bit undersized and could struggle against sizable WR’s Ed McCaffrey and Rod Smith. Rookie Tebucky Jones could see time in nickel situations, but he was limited in the preseason by injuries (check status). TE Shannon Sharpe would seem to present a matchup problem for the Patriots, although New England has done a good job against Sharpe in recent meetings. SLB Todd Collins and SS Lawyer Milloy will try to contain Sharp

Game preview and depth charts were compiled as of Aug. 23.

Date

Opponent

Time

Sept. 7

At Denver

8:20 p.m.

Sept. 13

Indianapolis

8:20 p.m.

Sept. 20

Tennessee

1 p.m.

Sept. 27

Open

Oct. 4

At New Orleans

1 p.m.

Oct. 11

Kansas City

1 p.m.

Oct. 19

N.Y. Jets

8:20 p.m.

Oct. 25

At Miami

1 p.m.

Nov. 1

At Indianapolis

1 p.m.

Nov. 8

Atlanta

1 p.m.

Nov. 15

At Buffalo

1 p.m.

Nov. 23

Miami

8:20 p.m.

Nov. 29

Buffalo

4:05 p.m.

Dec. 6

At Pittsburgh

1 p.m.

Dec. 13

At St. Louis

1 p.m.

Dec. 20

San Francisco

1 p.m.

Dec. 27

At N.Y. Jets

1 p.m.

Bronco schedule

Time

Sept. 7

New England

8:20 p.m.

Sept. 13

Dallas

4:15 p.m.

Sept. 20

At Oakland

4:15 p.m.

Sept. 27

At Washington

1 p.m.

Oct. 4

Philadelphia

4:15 p.m.

Oct. 11

At Seattle

4:15 p.m.

Oct. 18

Open

Oct. 25

Jacksonville

4:15 p.m.

Nov. 1

At Cincinnati

1 p.m.

Nov. 8

San Diego

4:15 p.m.

Nov. 16

At Kansas City

8:20 p.m.

Nov. 22

Oakland

4:15 p.m.

Nov. 29

At San Diego

8:20 p.m.

Dec. 6

Kansas City

4:15 p.m.

Dec. 13

At N.Y. Giants

1 p.m.

Dec. 21

At Miami

8:20 p.m.

Dec. 27

Seattle

4:15 p.m.

Patriot depth chart

Offense

Defense

Specialists

Bronco depth chart

Offense

Defense

Specialists