Who's NFL's Top Gun? -- Montana's Poise Over Elway's Pop, These Experts Say

Lester Hayes is reminded of John Elway every time Hayes takes a look at his thumb. It's a Fred Flintstone thumb.

``After all these years, the same size as Mike Scioscia's catcher's mitt - from the time a few years ago I tried to step in front of Steve Watson when Elway was throwing him a 17-yard stop route. He threw the darn thing so hard, the thumb bent back about 4 inches,'' Hayes says.

The former Los Angeles Raider cornerback's memories of playing against Joe Montana are just as vivid, if less painful.

``He's grace, he's elegance, like Cary Grant,'' Hayes says. ``Patient, poised in the pocket with chaos going on all around him. He outthinks you. It's all touch. He kills you softly. I've never seen a passer read defenses as fast as Joe Montana.

``Elway wants to take it even if it isn't there. It's like Humphrey Bogart: `I'm taking it even if it's not open.' Elway relies, more than Montana, on his arm. He takes the Dave Stewart approach: `I'm throwing it by you or through you. Here it is, nothing but smoke.' That's how I got this thumb.''

Montana, who has led his San Francisco 49ers to three Super Bowl victories in the 1980s, and Elway, who has led his Denver Broncos to three Super Bowl appearances the past four years, are the focal points of Super Bowl XXIV, which will be played Sunday in New Orleans.

Montana is finishing what many consider his best season and has forced the game's closest observers to consider him the greatest quarterback in history. Elway, now approaching grizzled-veteran status himself as he nears 30, was a one-man show his first two trips to the Super Bowl, and will have to have one of his greater games to win his first championship ring.

It would be difficult to find two quarterbacks who have been so successful, yet so dissimilar.

Terry Bradshaw, the Hall of Fame quarterback who now watches Montana and Elway as a CBS-TV analyst, compared the two in every significant area of which he could think.

Strength of arm? Elway. Fastest release? Elway. Best runner? Elway. Best scrambler? Montana. Yes, Bradshaw differentiates between running and scrambling. ``Elway is more likely to run down the field, while Montana is more likely to scramble'' to find passing room, he said.

Philosophy of passing? ``Elway will look deep first and throw short second. Montana is looking short to medium first,'' Bradshaw said. ``The strong-arm guys will never say it, but we pass up the 5-yard pass to throw the 15-yarder. Elway can't be as accurate as Montana because he's taking more chances, looking to throw deep.''

The statistics support Bradshaw on the last point. Montana, in the 10 seasons he has been a full-time starter, never has completed fewer than than 59.9 percent of his passes. Five times he has completed 64 percent or better, including this season when he connected on 70.2 percent.

Elway's best percentage completion mark is 56.3. His 18 interceptions this season are the same number Montana has totaled the past two seasons. Elway never has thrown for more than 22 touchdowns; Montana has thrown for more than that five times.

Montana has thrown more touchdown passes than interceptions in nine of his 10 seasons as a starter and five of those times has had a touchdown-to-interception differential of 2 to 1 or better. Elway never has had a 2-to-1 ratio. Four times in his seven years, Elway has failed to throw more TD passes than interceptions.

Bradshaw moved to intangibles, and he puts the checkmark in Montana's box every time.

``Poise, that wins championships,'' Bradshaw said. ``How the feet move and the mind works,'' when the game is on the line, ``I'd have to give that to Montana. . . . John has been average to good, and then great in the playoffs.

``The two-minute drill? Montana. Running the team? That's about even, but Elway will get more frustrated quicker than Montana. Elway (against certain coverages) will lose patience quicker.''

In most analyses of the two, Elway (6 feet 3, 220 pounds) is considered the better athlete. He was a two-sport star in college who threatened to play for baseball the New York Yankees if the NFL's Baltimore Colts drafted him. Baltimore's Bob Irsay took the threat seriously enough to trade his rights to Denver after drafting him.

Elway's talents are more obvious to the untrained eye: bigger, faster on the dead run, stronger arm. Seven years in the league, Elway still calls quarterback draws. Elway also is slightly rambunctious. Whereas Montana has perfected the feet-first slide to duck wild-eyed linebackers, Elway occasionally lowers his shoulder and winds up being tackled on his head, as was the case two weeks ago against Pittsburgh.

But Montana (6-2, 195 pounds) isn't without prowess. He was a good enough high-school guard to be offered a scholarship to play basketball at North Carolina State the year after David Thompson led the Wolfpack to the NCAA title.

Matt Millen, former Raider linebacker who now is a teammate of Montana's in San Francisco, said recently: ``We'd always look over at Montana from our huddle and think: `We're going to break that little, brittle so-and-so in half. But more often than not, you couldn't even catch the guy.''

Given all the factors, Hayes was asked which man he'd rather defend against. It didn't take long for him to make up his mind. ``I don't fear a player,'' he said. ``I fear anything that's a product of Don Coryell or Bill Walsh.''

Hayes wouldn't get a big argument from George Young, general manager of the New York Giants and one of the league's best at evaluating talent. ``Elway is one of the greatest talents,'' Young said. ``The difference between the two is that one (Montana) operates in a truly disciplined system and gets the most out of every bit of ability he has.

``Elway is more of a freelancer. He has great talent. He has everything you'd want in a quarterback. Montana just plays a little more cerebrally. And Denver, they do with Elway what he can do. One is an artillery guy; one is a pinpoint guy.''

Hayes figured that when he was playing cornerback he was trying to solve the system more than the quarterback. ``Let me say that I think Joe Montana is the best,'' Hayes said. ``The best. But I think if he was in Tampa Bay, he wouldn't have the same accolades, not the same results. He owes a lot to the Bill Walsh passing system.''

Bradshaw also said the Walsh system, which was turned over to George Seifert after the 49ers won Super Bowl XXIII last January in Miami, figured in Montana's success. ``The system fits not only Joe's mental demeanor, but his physical demeanor,'' he said. ``The rhythm (and quick dropback) protects the quarterback. Joe should be thankful to Walsh.''

Bradshaw said he has followed Elway ``since high school. He reminds me of myself. He's exciting to watch. Big arm. Big kid.''

But he saves his real praise for Montana. Should the 49ers beat Denver, it will give San Francisco its fourth Super Bowl title, a mark only Bradshaw's Steelers have reached.

``Who's the best of all time? There are two of them,'' Bradshaw said. ``One is Otto Graham. He was the Joe Montana of the '50s and '60s. He might be the guy who's kind of hard to replace (as the all-time best). One is playing next Sunday. He's part of the fraternity, but he's separated himself from the rest of us. I don't care if he throws 5-yard passes'' that receivers turn into long touchdowns.

John Elway / Bio

- Age: 29. Position: Quarterback.

- Ht.: 6 feet 3. -- Wt.: 220 pounds.

- NFL team: Denver Broncos. -- Experience: Seven NFL seasons.

- College highlights: Set five NCAA records at Stanford.

- Hometown: Born in Port Angeles, Wash. -- Resides: Aurora, Colo.

- Personal: Elway and wife Janet have two children. Father Jack is former Stanford and San Jose State football coach. John nearly signed a baseball contract with the Yankees to avoid being drafted by Colts.

- 1989 highlights: Passed for 3,051 yards, but statistically had one of his worst seasons. Completed 53.6 percent of his passes, with 18 TD and 18 interceptions. Passing rating of 73.7 ranked only ninth in AFC.

- Career highlights: AP's NFL player of the year in '87, when he led Broncos to consecutive AFC titles. Led Denver to four AFC West titles, three Super Bowls and has passed for 21,195 yards in 7 seasons.

Joe Montana / Bio

-- Age: 33. Position: Quarterback.

-- Ht.: 6 feet 2. -- Wt.: 195 pounds.

-- NFL team: San Francisco 49ers. -- Experience: 11 NFL seasons.

-- College highlights: Led Notre Dame to national title in '77.

-- Hometown: Monongahela, Pa. -- Resides: Redwood City, Calif.

-- Personal: Overcame career-threatening back surgery during 1986 season. Wife Jennifer is co-host of San Francisco talk show. Montanas have two daughters.

-- 1989 highlights: His passing rating of 112.4 is highest in NFL history. Had best season of career, completing 70.2 percent of his passes, with 26 TDs and eight interceptions during regular season.

-- Career highlights: Two-time Super Bowl MVP (1985 and '82) who led 49ers to three Super Bowl victories in the 1980s. His career-passing rating of 93.9 ranks No. 1 all-time.