Frerotte's Strikes Zap Bolts

With Brian Griese and Terrell Davis both on the sideline, the Denver Broncos hopped on the Gus Bus and rode it to a wild victory.

Griese, the AFC passing leader, was sidelined by a separated throwing shoulder, and Davis was out with a leg injury, but Gus Frerotte showed that the Broncos still have plenty of horsepower.

Frerotte, in his second start of the season, threw five touchdown passes in a 38-37 triumph over the winless San Diego Chargers on Sunday.

In a rally that would have done John Elway proud, Frerotte brought the Broncos (7-4) back from a 34-17 deficit late in the third quarter and a 37-24 deficit with seven minutes left.

He threw touchdown passes to Rod Smith, Desmond Clark and Ed McCaffrey all in the fourth quarter the final one a 5-yarder to McCaffrey with 1:33 left.

Frerotte completed 36 of 58 passes for 462 yards. The latter established a Denver record, and his five TD passes and 36 completions tied team records.

"Obviously," McCaffrey said, "Gus has a ton of talent and a great arm and can really make things happen."

"These games are going to kill me," said Broncos coach Mike Shanahan, whose team beat Oakland on the last play of the game Monday night. "There were a lot of moments when anyone who watche the game realistically would have said the game was over. But we never gave up."

Earlier, Frerotte was his own worst enemy by throwing four interceptions, one of which was returned 75 yards for a touchdown by cornerback Scott Turner.

"It was amazing to be down 17 points twice and find a way to win," Smith said. "That's what you've got to do if you're going to stay in the playoff hunt."

"We thought we had the win for sure," Chargers running back Jermaine Fazande said.

Ryan Leaf, in by far his best performance as a pro, completed 13 of 27 passes for 311 yards and three touchdowns with one interception, but it wasn't enough.

Leaf's 83-yard touchdown pass to Jeff Graham late in the third quarter made it 34-17.

"We had a chance and it looked good," Chargers coach Mike Riley said. "But we were still playing a good team that kept making plays."

Frerotte capped a 65-yard drive with a 26-yard pass to Smith with 13 minutes left.

The Chargers converted Frerotte's fourth interception into a 33-yard field goal by John Carney with 7:13 remaining, making it 37-24.

Frerotte promptly took the Broncos 66 yards for another score, completing all four passes, including a 10-yarder to Clark for the TD with 4:59 to go.

San Diego went three-and-out, and the Broncos came back again. Deltha O'Neal's 25-yard punt return gave Denver possession at the Chargers 45. Six plays later, McCaffrey leaped over cornerback Fakhir Brown in the end zone for the clinching score.

The Chargers (0-11), on the verge of snapping their long losing streak, converted five Denver turnovers into 27 points to build their lead.

Three big touchdown plays in the second quarter gave the Chargers a 24-10 halftime lead. Leaf was 4-of-5 for 143 yards and two touchdowns in the quarter.

Early in the period, Leaf hit Curtis Conway, who weaved his way through five defenders for a 68-yard scoring play.

Leaf later hit Graham on a 45-yard TD pass.

Frerotte, who had driven the Broncos to the San Diego 29 moments earlier, only to be intercepted by Rogers Beckett, was intercepted again, this time with damaging consequences.

Frerotte's pass to the right side was picked off by Turner, who returned it 75 yards for a 24-7 lead late in the half.

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