The Pythagorean NFL Part 2: The Strike Years

[Garrett Garlits]

Now for Sunday's early games in Week 12:

Vikings 17, Redskins 12

The Vikes are alive in the NFC wild card race after upsetting the Skins. The big play came just over a minute into the final quarter, when quarterback Tommy Kramer hooked up with wide receiver Terry LeCount for a 69-yard touchdown bomb. Kramer also hit Sammy White for a score, and finished his day having completed eleven of seventeen for 157 yards and those two touchdowns. Joe Theismann was fifteen of twenty-nine for 213 yards, but all the Skins could manage were four Mark Moseley field goals. Wiide receiver Charlie Brown caught four passes for seventy-four yards, and Joun Riggins carried seventeen times for seventy-two yards. Ted Brown of the Vikes led all rushers with seventy-nine yards on fifteen carries.

The Vikes are now a game behind the clubhouse-leading Bucs for the second wild card in the NFC. Meanwhile, the Skins fall into sole possession of second place in the NFC East, though they still hold a comfortable two-game lead over the Bucs for the first wild card. Their next test is a rough one, as they invade Riverfront Stadium next Sunday to take on the Bengals.

MIN: 5-6 (at SF)
WSH: 8-3 (at CIN)

Seahawks 13, Cardinals 10

Seahawks quarterback Jim Zorn was held to just eleven completions in twenty-four attempts, but two of them were for fourth-quarter touchdowns as the visitors came back to defeat the homestanding Redbirds. The first one was a 13-yard strike to backup wideout Byron Walker, and the game-winner went for thirty-six yards to veteran Roger Carr. The Cards dominated most of the day on offense, racking up 226 rushing yards, with main man Ottis Anderson gaining a hundred and five on twenty-one carries, and Wayne Morris adding eighty-four yards on thirteen totes. Fellow running back Stump Mitchell scored the only touchdown for St. Louis from four yards out. Quarterback Neil Lomax outcompleted Zorn twelve to eleven, but could only manage 152 yards passing. Kicker Neil O'Donoghue didn't help the cause; he missed three field goals, including two in the fourth quarter that would have tied the game and perhaps forced overtime.

The Hawks are now just a half-game behind the idle Bengals for the second wild card in the AFC. They have a bye next week before going back to Missouri in two weeks, this time to face the Chiefs.

SEA: 7-5 (Bye)
STL: 3-8 (vs. CHI)

Dolphins 13, Browns 6

Despite the South Florida heat and humidity, this was a defensive slugfest from start to finish. The only touchdown was Dolphins quarterback David Woodley's nine-yard pass to wide receiver Jimmy Cefalo midway through the third quarter. Woodley threw only elven passes on the day, completing six for fifty-eight yards and the afprementioned touchdown. The Browns were led on offense by running back Mike Pruitt, who carried eighteen times for 105 yards. Andra Franklin led the Miami ground attack with seventy-five yards on twenty carries, while tight end Qzzie Newsome caught five Brian Sipe passes for eighty-one yards. Sipe was sacked three times and intercepted once, while Woodley avoided being picked off but was dumped on his wallet four times.

The Dolphins keep pace with the Jets, maintaining their tie atop the AFC East. The biggest test of their season so far comes next Monday night, when they host the Chargers in prime time on ABC.

MIA: 8-3 (vs. SD 10/18)
CLE: 3-8 (vs. NYG)

Chiefs 21, Broncos 16

Joe Delaney scored on a ten-yard run with just nine seconds to play, and the Chiefs thus avoided what would have amounted to a season-ending upset against the determined Broncos. Despite Delaney's last-second heroics, the Orange Crush limited him to just thirty-six yards on fifteen carries. Kenney completed thirteen of his twenty-five passes for 195 yards and a touchdown pass to tight end Al Dixon, while wide receiver Henry Marshall caught five passes for ninety-three yards. On defense, the Chiefs war-danced all over Broncos quarterbacks Steve DeBerg and Craig Morton, sacking them a combined six times and intercepting four passes. Linebacker Thomas Howard had two of the interceptions, one of which he returned for a twenty-three yard touchdown in the third quarter. He also had three of the sacks, including the one that knocked DeBerg out of the game with bruised ribs midway through the third quarter. Before that, DeBerg threw a touchdown pass to Steve Watson, who caught four balls for ninety-nine yards to lead all receivers.

The Chiefs are hanging on by a thread in the AFC wild-card race, but they face a monumental task next Sunday when they travel to Los Angeles to take on the AFC West-leading Raiders.

KC: 5-6 (at LA Raiders)
DEN: 3-9 (Bye)

Next: Week 13's broadcast schedule.

Thoughts?

 

[Garrett Garlits]

Here's the broadcast schedule for Week 13 (original Week 9):

Sunday, October 17:

Falcons-Bears, 1, CBS- Tim Ryan, Johnny Morris
Lions-Eagles, 1, CBS- Jim Kelly, John Dockery
Giants-Browns, 1, CBS- Frank Glieber, Joe Greene
Cardinals-Cowboys, 1, CBS- Dick Stockton, Roger Staubach
Packers-Buccaneers, 1, CBS- Jack Buck, Hank Stram
Rams-Saints, 1, CBS- Sam Nover, Calvin Hill
Jets-Bills, 1, NBC- Charlie Jones, Merlin Olsen
Oilers-Steelers, 1, NBC- Don Criqui, John Brodie
Colts-Patriots, 1, NBC- Jay Randolph, Bob Trumpy
Redskins-Bengals, 4, CBS- Pat Summerall, John Madden
Vikings-49ers, 4, CBS- Tom Brookshier, Wayne Walker
Chiefs-Raiders, 4, NBC- Merle Harmon, Len Dawson

Monday, October 18:

Chargers-Dolphins, 9, ABC- Frank Gifford, Don Meredith, Howard Cosell

Byes: Broncos, Seahawks

Note: The NBC announcer crews are a bit different because Dick Enberg and Bob Costas are covering the World Series.

Next: Updated standings as we head into Week 13.

Thoughts?

 

[Garrett Garlits]

Here are the standings after Week 12. We begin in the AFC East:

Jets: 8-3
Dolphins: 8-3
Bills: 6-5
Patriots: 5-6
Colts: 1-10

The Jets hold the expected wins tiebreaker over the Dolphins for first place, 8.4 to 7.5.

Next, the AFC Central:

Steelers: 7-4
Bengals: 7-4
Browns: 3-8
Oilers: 2-9

The Steelers hold the expected wins tiebreaker for first place over the Bengals, 7.2 to 6.9.

Finally, the AFC West:

Raiders: 8-3
Chargers: 7-4
Seahawks: 7-5
Chiefs: 5-6
Broncos: 3-9

Seeds:

1. Jets: 8-3 (AFC East leaders)
2. Raiders: 8-3 (AFC West leaders)
3. Steelers: 7-4 (AFC Central leaders)
4. Dolphins: 8-3 (AFC East second place)
5. Chargers: 7-4 (AFC West second place; won tiebreaker with Bengals)

The Jets hold the expected wins tiebreaker for the top seed over the Raiders, 8.5 to 7.9.

Both the Bengals and Chargers have 6.9 expected wins, but the Chargers hold the head-to-head tiebreaker.

Next: The NFC standings.

Thoughts?

 

[Garrett Garlits]

Here are the NFC standings after Week 12, beginning in the East:

Cowboys: 9-2
Redskins: 8-3
Giants: 5-6
Eagles: 4-7
Cardinals: 3-8

Now, the Central:

Packers: 8-3
Buccaneers: 6-5
Vikings: 5-6
Lions: 5-6
Bears: 3-8

The Vikings hold the expected wins tiebreaker for third place over the Lions, 5.2 to 4.6.

Finally, the West:

49ers: 7-5
Falcons: 6-6
Rams: 5-7
Saints: 4-8

Seeds:

1. Cowboys (NFC East leaders): 9-2
2. Packers (NFC Central leaders): 8-3
3. 49ers (NFC West leaders): 7-5
4. Redskins (NFC East second place): 8-3
5. Buccaneers (NFC Central second place): 6-5

Next: Sunday's early games for Week 13.

Thoughts?

 

[Garrett Garlits]

Here are Sunday's early games from Week 13:

Bills 7, Jets 6

Playing in a mix of heavy rain and wet snow, the Bills nipped the Jets and put themselves in the thick of the AFC wild card race, pending results from the rest of today's action. Frank Lewis caught the winning four-yard touchdown pass from Matt Robinson with 4:33 left in regulation, and Pat Leahy's attempt to win a second straight game with no time left fell short from thirty-seven yards out. Leahy was responsible for all of the Jets' points, but he also missed three makeable field goals that would have allowed the Jets to win. Freeman McNeil led all rushers with twenty-two carries for ninety-one yards in a losing cause, while the Bills got seventy-eight yards on twenty carries out of Joe Cribbs. Robinson, a former Jets' backup, completed all five of his passes after relieving Joe Ferguson early in the fourth quarter. Ferguson completed just seven of twenty-two passes for eighty-five yards, and was sacked four times and picked off twice. Richard Todd was only slightly better for the Jets than he was last week in Pittsburgh, completing nineteen of thirty-six for 190 yards and an interception.

The two teams will meet again in two weeks on Monday Night Football, this time at Shea Stadium. In the meantime, the Bills travel to Denver, while the Jets begin a season-ending four-game homestand by hosting the Patriots.

BUF: 7-5 (at DEN)
NYJ: 8-4 (vs. NE)

Colts 24, Patriots 21

Dan Miller's 25-yard field goal with 2:58 remaining in regulation gave the Colts a major upset victory in the heavy winds of Foxborough. Zack Dixon, one of Baltimore's few bright spots in this awful season, carried nine times for eighty-one yards and a touchdown, Fellow running back Curtis Dickey also found the end zone, and Mike Pagel threw a seven-yard touchdown pass to reserve running back Cleveland Franklin. Pagel completed eleven of his eighteen passes for 140 yards and the touchdown. Meanwhile, Steve Grogan threw a pair of touchdown passes to Stanley Morgan, who finished the day having caught four passes for sixty yards. He threw a third touchdown pass to Preston Brown, and finished his day after going thirteen for twenty-seven for 193 yards with the three touchdowns and a pair of interceptions. As was the case with the Jets, the Pats' loss could be pinned, at least indirectly, on the kicking game, as veteran John Smith missed all four of his field goal attempts, Only one of them could be classified as wind-blown; the other three were simply shanks.

The Pats are now at least two games out of the AFC wild card race with four to play, beginning next week at Shea.

BAL: 2-10 (vs. TB)
NE: 5-7 (at NYJ)

Steelers 31, Oilers 0

A hopeless season got worse for the Oilers, who were destroyed by the angry and razor-sharp Steelers. Terry Bradshaw recovered from last week's slight concussion to complete fourteen of twenty-one passes for 199 yards and a pair of touchdowns, one each to fellow future Hall of Famers Lynn Swann and John Stallworth. Franco Harris led the running attack as usual, gaining seventy-one yards on twenty-one carries and adding a pair of short touchdowns. Frankie Pollard added sixty-seven yards on just nine carries as a change of pace. Meanwhile, the Steel Curtain teed off on Archie Manning and Gifford Nielsen, sacking them a combined six times and picking them off twice. Jack Ham led the sack parade with three, while cornerback Mel Blount and strong safety Ronnie Johnson each had a pick. Earl Campbell had a rough day as well; he was held to fifty-one yards on nineteen carries.

The Steelers' next two games will define their season, and they're both on the road; next week they head to Cincinnati for a showdown with the Bengals, and the week after that they invade the nation's capital for a possible Super Bowl preview against the Redskins.

PIT: 8-4 (at CIN)
HOU: 2-10 (at CLE)

Giants 15, Browns 6

The G-Men defeated the Browns on a bracing day by the shores of Lake Erie. Only one touchdown was scored; a fourth-quarter touchdown pass from Scott Brunner to Johnny Perkins that put the game away for the visitors. The winning points were scored late in the third period, when linebacker Harry Carson tackled Browns running back Charles White in the end zone for a safety that broke a 6-6 tie. This a great day for Browns running back Mike Pruitt was spoiled, as he carried seventeen times for 106 yards. Brunner did just enough to win for the Giants, completing eleven of twenty-one for 154 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Browns quarterback Brian Sipe was sacked four times, three by budding superstar linebacker Lawrence Taylor, and hurried on almost every throw. He managed to complete eighteen passes in thirty-four attempts for 156 yards and an interception.

The Giants are within a half-game of the idle Bucs for the NFC's second wild card berth. They have the biggest test of their season to date next week, though, when the Cowboys invade the Meadowlands.

NYG: 6-6 (vs. DAL)
CLE: 3-9 (vs. HOU)

Falcons 24, Bears 20

Running back Lynn Cain scored on a five-yard run early in the fourth quarter to lift the Falcons over the Bears. However, it was William Andrews who led the Atlanta ground game with seventy-four yards on nineteen carries. Steve Bartkowski was efficient when he needed to be, completing eleven of fifteen passes for 136 yards and a touchdown to wide receiver Alfred Jackson. He was outpassed by Bears rookie quarterback Jim McMahon, who completed twelve of twenty-one passes for 158 yards and a touchdown to wide receiver Emery Moorehead. Both quarterbacks threw an interception. Cain's heroics aside, the difference may have been made late in the second quarter, when Billy "White Shoes" Johnson returned a Bears' punt seventy-eight yards for a touchdown.

The Falcons are in the thick of the NFC wild card race heading into their bye week. Their next stop is the Silverdome for a date with the Lions on Halloween afternoon.

ATL: 7-6 (at DET)
CHI: 3-9 (at GB)

Lions 16, Eagles 9

Gary Danielson's three-yard touchdown pass to David Hill with a little more than five minutes to play broke a 9-9 tie and lifted the Lions to victory. But the day belonged to Billy Sims; he led the Lions' rushing attack with 103 yards on twenty carries and was also their leading receiver with eighty-one yards on four catches. Danielson only completed eleven of hs twenty-six passes, but they went for 234 yards with the touchdown to Hill and two interceptions. The Detroit defense did its job too, holding Wilbert Montgomery to forty-four yards on sixteen carries and intercepting Ron Jaworski twice. Jaworski ended up completing fourteen of his twenty-eight passes for 183 yards. The other bright spot for Philly was defensive end Dennis Harrison, who sacked Danielson three times.

Like the Falcons and Giants, the Lions have won their way back into wild card contention today. But like many other teams, their biggest tests are ahead, starting next Monday night when they travel to the Metrodome to face the Vikings.

DET: 6-6 (at MIN 10/25)
PHI: 4-8 (at STL)

Saints 35, Rams 7

Unlike their shootout in Anaheim two weeks ago, this one belonged entirely to the home squad. Both Wayne Wilson and George Rogers shredded the Rams' defense for more than a hundred yards; Wilson gained 117 yards on seventeen carries, while Rogers carried twenty-two times for 105 yards and three touchdowns, all of which came in the second half. Kenny Stabler had another superb game as well, completing nineteen of twenty-six for 262 yards and the other two Saints touchdowns. One went to wide receiver Jeff Groth, the other to tight end Hoby Brenner. Meanwhile, the defense held the previously hot Vince Ferragamo to six completions in nineteen attempts for only seventy-nine yards and sacked him five times. Mike Guman scored the only Rams touchdown, while running mate Wendell Tyler was held to thirty-eight yards on thirteen carries.

NO: 5-8 (Bye)
LA Rams: 5-8 (at SD)

Cardinals 15, Cowboys 14

Neil O'Donoghue may have been the goat last week, but he was the hero today, as his 33-yard field goal with no time left gave the visitors the biggest upset win of the year to date. Other heroes for the Redbirds included Neil Lomax, who completed thirteen of his twenty-two passes for 287 yards and a touchdown, and Pat Tilley, who caught the touchdown toss from Lomax and five passes for 134 yards on the day. Fellow wide receiver Roy Green added four catches for sixty-six yards, and although Ottis Anderson never truly got untracked, he still managed to rush for sixty-three yards on nineteen carries. For the Cowboys, Danny White was fourteen of twenty-two for 165 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. The touchdowns went to Tony Dorsett, who also led all rushers with sixty-four yards on eighteen carries, and wide receiver Butch Johnson, The Doomsday defense also sacked Lomax four times in a losing effort.

The Boys are still on top of the NFC East for the moment, and they're still the top seed in the NFC. But they'll be facing an opponent who's fighting for their season when they travel to Giants Stadium next Sunday.

STL: 4-8 (vs. PHI)
DAL 9-3 (at NYG)

Packers 10, Buccaneers 6

Lynn Dickey's four-yard touchdown pass to John Jefferson midway through the final quarter turned out to be the difference, as the Pack has tied the Cowboys for the NFC's top seed and just about put the NFC Central division title away. Dickey completed fourteen of twenty-three passes for 196 yards with the touchdown and two interceptions. Despite Jefferson's heroics, it was tight end Paul Coffman who led all receivers with fifty-three yards on three catches. Doug Williams completed fourteen of twenty-two passes for 170 yards and an interception in a losing cause. Neither running game fared well; Eddie Lee Ivery led the visitors with thirty-eight yards on fifteen carries, and James Wilder "led" the Tampa ground forces with thirty-two yards on twelve attempts. Former Pitt Panther standout Hugh Green led the Bucs with seven tackles, which was equaled by the Packers' Mike Douglass. Douglass also sacked Williams twice.

A win against the Bears next Sunday at Lambeau clinches a tie for the Central title for the Pack no matter what anyone else does,, and a win coupled with a Bucs loss in Baltimore and (possibly) a Vikings loss on Monday night against the Lions gives them the crown outright. The Bucs will have to wait for results coming later today to find out just where they stand in the NFC wild card race.

GB: 9-3 (vs. CHI)
TB: 6-6 (at BAL)

Next: The Monday night clash between the Chargers and Dolphins.

Thoughts?

 

[Garrett Garlits]

Here's the action for Monday, October 18:

Chargers 38, Dolphins 23

The Bolts broke open a tight contest with two touchdowns in the final minute. Running back Chuck Muncie was the star of the game, gaining 144 yards on seventeen carries with two long touchdown runs. One was for forty-nine yards in the first quarter; the other was for fifty yards in the third quarter. Quarterback Dan Fouts completed fourteen of nineteen passes for 204 yards and three touchdowns, including both final-minute passes. The first was for nineteen yards to Charlie Joiner and put the Bolts up 31-23. The second came after rookie Fulton Walker fumbled the ensuing kickoff after a long return. The Chargers recovered at their own thirty-six, and Fouts fired the kill shot right away in the form of a long bomb to backup wideout Bobby Duckworth for a 64-yard touchdown. Fouts' other touchdown went to Wes Chandler. Andra Franklin led the Miami rushing attack with ninety-one yards on nineteen carries with two touchdowns, and fellow running back Tony Nathan added sixty-six yards on ten carries. Their performances made up for a pitiful Miami passing game, as David Woodley completed just nine of twenty-six passes for 113 yards with a touchdown and an interception. The touchdown was a short toss to tight end Bruce Hardy. Woodley was also sacked four times by a tenacious Charger defense.

The Chargers have maintained their position in the AFC wild card race, and will tie the Raiders for the lead in the AFC West if the Raiders lost to the Chiefs yesterday, which we'll find out later. As for the Fins, they're still tied with the Jets for the lead in the AFC East, and a win by the Bengals against the Redskins yesterday will mean a three-way tie in the AFC wild card race, with the Chargers having beaten both the Bengals and Dolphins head-to-head and the Dolphins and Bengals scheduled to meet on November 7 at Riverfront Stadium. Before that, though, the Fins have a date next Sunday at the LA Coliseum with the Raiders.

SD: 8-4 (vs. LA Rams)
MIA: 8-4 (at LA Raiders)

Next: It's a tad early, but we'll cover the Week 15 broadcast schedule.

Thoughts?

 

[Garrett Garlits]

Here's the broadcast schedule for Week 14 (original Week 8):

Sunday, October 24:

Bears-Packers, 1, CBS- Tim Ryan, Johnny Morris
Cowboys-Giants, 1, CBS- Jack Buck, Hank Stram
49ers-Redskins, 1, CBS- Pat Summerall, John Madden
Eagles-Cardinals, 1, CBS- Dick Stockton, Roger Staubach
Patriots-Jets, 1, NBC- Charlie Jones, Len Dawson
Seahawks-Chiefs, 1, NBC- Marv Albert, Jim Turner
Steelers-Bengals, 1, NBC- Don Criqui, John Brodie
Buccaneers-Colts, 4, CBS- Jim Kelly, John Dockery
Rams-Chargers, 4, CBS- Tom Brookshier, Wayne Walker
Bills-Broncos, 4, NBC- Bob Costas, Bob Trumpy
Dolphins-Raiders, 4, NBC- Dick Enberg, Merlin Olsen

Monday, October 25:

Lions-Vikings, 9, ABC- Frank Gifford, Don Meredith, Howard Cosell

Byes: Falcons, Saints

Note: In this universe as in real life, there is no CBA between the owners and the players; the players are playing under the terms of their old contract until a new one is signed. As a negotiating tactic, the NFLPA is asking its members not to play in any games that don't involve playoff berths or seeds. Since both the Oilers and Browns have been eliminated from playoff contention, their game scheduled for this week has been canceled. If a CBA is signed, both teams will return to action next week. The Browns are scheduled to host the Colts, while the Oilers are scheduled to host the Broncos.

Next: Week 13's Sunday late games.

Thoughts?

 

[Garrett Garlits]

Here are the Sunday late games for Week 13:

49ers 20, Vikings 17

Joe Montana's eight-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Renaldo Nehemiah with just two seconds to play was the winning score, as the Niners came from behind to stun the Vikes. Montana also threw a touchdown pass with twelve seconds left in the first half to wide receiver Freddie Solomon, which was set up by linebacker Bob Horn's interception. He finished the day seventeen of twenty-eight for 247 yards and the two touchdowns. As usual, Dwight Clark was his favorite target, with eight receptions for 103 yards. The defense held the Vikes to just fifty-three yards rushing for the game, forcing them to rely on Tommy Kramer to lead the offense. He performed admirably, completing eighteen of his thirty-two passes for 206 yards and a pair of touchdowns, one to Sammy White and the other to Ted Brown. Hos touchdown to White put the Vikings ahead 14-13 early in the fourth quarter, and Rick Danmeier's field goal from thirty-six yards stretched the lead to 17-13 with 1:34 remaining. That set the stage for Montana's eight-play, 73-yard game-winning drive.

The Niners thus retain their one-game lead over the Falcons. Thy have a big showdown coming up next Sunday at RFK Stadium against the Redskins, while the Vikes go home to fight for their playoff lives against the Lions on Monday Night Football.

SF: 8-5 (at WSH)
MIN: 5-7 (vs. DET 10/25)

Redskins 24, Bengals 13

With this win, the Skins are once again tied with the Cowboys atop the NFC East. The main reason is Joe Theismann, who completed nineteen of twenty-five for 319 yards and two touchdowns. One was a 21-yarder to wide receiver Virgil Seay, and the other was a brilliant sixty-yarder to running back Joe Washington that featured broken-field running at its best from Little Joe. The diminutive one was the Skins' leading receiver for the day, with three catches for ninety-six yards. John Riggins was shut down for the most part, gaining just thirty[one yards on twenty-five carries, but he scored from a yard out to give the Skins a 7-0 first-quarter lead. For the Bengals, Kenny Anderson completed eleven of his sixteen passes, including a 49-yarder to wide receiver David Verser for a touchdown, but they gained only 132 yards total. Running back Pete Johnson took up the slack by rushing for ninety yards on fifteen carries.

The Skins are in firm control of the NFC's first wild card berth going into next Sunday's home clash with the Niners, while the Bengals are now a game behind both the Steelers in the AFC Central and the Chargers in the race for the AFC's final playoff spot. A win over the Steelers next Sunday at home puts them right back in the thick of things; a loss gives them a tough road to hoe.

WSH: 9-3 (vs. SF)
CIN: 7-5 (vs. PIT)

Raiders 27, Chiefs 6

The Raiders dispatched the Chiefs with ease to hold on to their lead in the AFC West. Jim Plunkett completed thirteen of his nineteen passes for 193 yards and a pair of touchdowns, including a 59-yarder to Malcolm Barnwell. Cliff Branch caught Plunkett's other touchdown toss, and Marcus Allen continued his incredible rookie season, gaining ninety-four yards on twenty carries.

For their part, the Silver and Black's defense smothered the Chiefs from start to finish, terrorizing Bill Kenney and forcing four interceptions, one of which was returned by nickelback James Davis for a thirty-eight yard touchdown as part of a seventeen-point second quarter. Linebacker Matt Millen had one of the best games of his career to date, sacking Kenney three times and picking him off twice. The beleaguered Chiefs quarterback completed just ten of his twenty-five passes for 149 yards and was sacked seven tines. Safety Burges Owens had the other pick. Wide receiver Henry Marshall's twenty-eight yard gain on a fourth-quarter reverse was enough to make him the Chiefs' leading rusher for the day, as Joe Delaney was held to twenty-one yards on thirteen carries.

The Raiders are now the top seed in the AFC thanks to the losses by the Jets and Dolphins this week. Speaking of the Dolphs, they're the Raiders' opponent next Sunday at the Coliseum.

LA Raiders: 9-3 (vs. MIA)
KC: 5-7 (vs. SEA)

Next: Updated standings heading into Week 14.

Thoughts?

 

[Garrett Garlits]

Here are the standings after Week 13, beginning in the AFC East:

Jets: 8-4
Dolphins: 8-4
Bills: 7-5
Patriots: 5-7
Colts: 2-10 (eliminated)

The Jets have the expected wins tiebreaker over the Dolphins for first place, 8.4 to 7.5.

Next, the AFC Central:

Steelers: 8-4
Bengals: 7-5
Browns: 3-9 (eliminated)
Oilers: 2-10 (eliminated)

Finally, the AFC West:

Raiders: 9-3
Chargers: 8-4
Seahawks: 7-5
Chiefs: 5-7
Broncos: 3-9 (eliminated)

Seeds:

1. Raiders: 9-3 (AFC West leaders)
2. Jets: 8-4 (AFC East leaders)
3. Steelers: 8-4 (AFC Central leaders)
4. Chargers: 8-4 (AFC West second place)
5. Dolphins: 8-4 (AFC East second place)

The Jets hold the expected wins tiebreaker for the two seed over the Steelers, 8.4 to 8.2.

The Chargers hold the expected wins tiebreaker over the Dolphins for the first wild card berth, 7.9 to 7.5.

Next: The NFC standings.

Thoughts?

 

[Garrett Garlits]

Now for the NFC standings, beginning in the East:

Cowboys: 9-3
Redskins: 9-3
Giants: 6-6
Eagles: 4-8
Cardinals: 4-8

The Eagles hold the expected wins tiebreaker over the Cardinals for fourth place, 4.4 to 4.3.

The Cowboys hold the expected wins tiebreaker for first place over the Redskins, 8.7 to 8.5.

Now, the Central:

Packers: 9-3
Buccaneers: 6-6
Lions: 6-6
Vikings: 5-7
Bears: 3-9

The Buccaneers hold the expected wins tiebreaker over the Lions for second place, 5.9 to 5.6.

A Packers win and a Bucs loss this week clinches the NFC Central title for the Pack.

Finally, the West:

49ers: 8-5
Falcons: 7-6
Saints: 5-8
Rams: 5-8

The Saints hold the expected wins tiebreaker over the Rams for third place, 5.4 to 5.3.

Seeds:

1. Packers: 9-3 (NFC Central leaders)
2. Cowboys: 9-3 (NFC East leaders)
3. 49ers: 8-5 (NFC West leaders)
4. Redskins: 9-3 (NFC East second place)
5. Falcons: 7-6 (NFC West second place)

The Packers hold the expected wins tiebreaker for the top seed over the Cowboys, 9.0 to 8.7.

Next: Week 14's Sunday early games.

Thoughts?

 

[Garrett Garlits]

Here are the Sunday early games for Week 14:

Seahawks 34, Chiefs 10

The Hawks have moved to within a game and a half of the Raiders in the AFC West after blowing out the Chiefs at Arrowhead. Jim Zorn spent all day picking apart the Kansas City defense, finishing sixteen of twenty-three for 272 yards and a pair of touchdowns. His 54-yard scoring strike to wide receiver Paul Johns a little over two minutes into the game was a sign of things to come, and he later added a short touchdown toss to Byron Walker. Dan Doornink led the rushing attack with sixty-one yards on eight carries, and running back Theotis Brown added touchdowns of one and seven yards, while rookie kicker Norm Johnson made a 57-yard field goal with room to spare on the final play of the first half. The home squad couldn't get out of its own way on offense, as Joe Delaney was held to thirty-eight yards on fourteen carries and Bill Kenney had another wretched day, completing just eight of twenty-five for ninety yards and an interception while the Seattle defense sacked him five times. The only bright spots for the Chiefs were a touchdown run by reserve back Billy Jackson, who led the running game with forty-six yards on seven carries, and a three-sack performance by veteran defensive end Art Still.

The Hawks are just a half-game out of the second wild card in the AFC, and they can move closer in both that race and the AFC West race with a victory over the Raiders next Sunday at the Kingdome. Meanwhile, the Chiefs will try to right themselves as they head to the Murph to take on the Chargers.

SEA: 8-5 (vs. LA Raiders)
KC: 5-8 (at SD)

Jets 25, Patriots 7

The Jets were a completely different team than the one who squeaked out a win last week in Pittsburgh, much to the Pats' chagrin. Freeman McNeil was unstoppable, running wild for 189 yards on twenty-one carries with a touchdown. His sixty-nine yard romp late in the second quarter set up a Richard Todd touchdown pass to Wesley Walker, and Todd himself was rarely off the mark all day, finishing with thirteen completions in sixteen attempts for 174 yards and the touchdown to Walker. Reserve running back Scott Dierking added another touchdown on the ground. The only slightly sour note came from Pat Leahy, who missed two of his three extra points, though heavy winds at Shea Stadium had something to do with it as well.

The Pats grabbed a 7-0 lead in the first quarter on a touchdown run by Tony Collins, but they never seriously threatened to score again. Collins finished with just thirty-four yards on fifteen carries, and Steve Grogan was wretched, completing twelve of twenty-one passes but only managing 147 yards while being intercepted three times and sacked four times. Mark van Eeghen ended up the team's leading rusher with forty-two yards on seven carries, while Stanley Morgan was the game's leading receiver with four catches for fifty-three yards.

The Jets will continue their homestand next Monday night, when they host the Bills in a hotly anticipated rematch, while the Pats head down to Miami to take on the Dolphins.

NYJ: 9-4 (vs. BUF 11/1)
NE: 5-8 (at MIA)

Steelers 20, Bengals 13

Greg Hawthorne's fifty-four yard touchdown run midway through the final quarter was the game-winner, and the Steelers now have a commanding two-game lead in the AFC Central. Franco Harris added yet another hundred-yard game to his resume, gaining 104 yards on eighteen carries. The success of the Pittsburgh ground game took the pressure off of backup quarterback Cliff Stoudt, who replaced Terry Bradshaw in the game's second series after Terry aggravated an elbow injury he suffered in practice on Thursday. Stoudt only needed to throw twelve times all day, completing eight for 130 yards. Frank Pollard added a short touchdown run of his own. Kenny Anderson was eleven of nineteen for 138 yards, but the Bengals put together just one touchdown drive all day, which ended in a three-yard run by Pete Johnson. Johnson was bottled up by the Steel Curtain all day, managing just thirty-seven yards in eighteen carries. Fellow running back Charles Alexander fared slightly better, gaining forty-six yards on ten carries. Defensive end Eddie Edwards sacked Stoudt twice, but the Steeler defense dumped Anderson four times. The Bengals did have a bright spot on special teams, as Jim Breech became the second kicker today to hit a 57-yard field goal on the final play of the first half.

The Steelers can wrap up the AFC Central next week with a win over the Redskins at RFK Stadium and a loss by the Bengals at the Meadowlands against the Giants. Having lost three of their last four, the Bengals are rapidly falling out of wild card contention in the AFC.

PIT: 9-4 (at WSH)
CIN: 7-6 (at NYG)

Packers 34, Bears 3

This edition of the NFL's oldest continuous rivalry was a blowout from start to finish. Eddie Lee Ivery ran for two touchdowns in the game's first seven minutes, including one from thirty-two yards out, and finished with 126 yards on seventeen carries, while surprise starting quarterback David Whitehurst, filling in for an ailing Lynn Dickey, completed twenty-one of thirty two for 203 yards and a pair of touchdowns. One went to running back Gerry Ellis, the other to John Jefferson. Jefferson finished with five catches for seventy-six yards and a touchdown, while on the other side of the field James Lofton caught five more balls for seventy yards. For the Bears, Walter Payton managed fifty-six yards on sixteen carries, but Jim McMahon was harassed and hurried from start to finish; he finished eleven of twenty-four for 174 yards. It took John Roveto's twenty-five yard field goal with thirty seconds left to ruin the Green Bay shutout.

The Pack's three-game, two-city homestand continues next Sunday when they host the Bucs here at Lambeau and concludes on November 7 at Milwaukee's County Stadium when they host the Eagles. In the meantime, if the Colts upset the Bucs later today the Pack will be the first team this year to clinch their division title.

GB: 10-3 (vs. TB)
CHI: 3-10 (at STL)

Eagles 16, Cardinals 10

A pair of Tony Franklin fourth-quarter field goals provided the margin of victory and more than likely eliminated the Cards from playoff contention. Ron Jaworski competed eighteen of his thirty-one passes for exactly two hundred yards and a short touchdown to John Spagnola, while Wilbert Montgomery was more like himself, carrying eighteen times for eighty-two yards. Ron Smith caught five passes for seventy-one yards to lead the receiving corps. Meanwhile, the Philly defense smothered both Ottis Anderson and Neil Lomax, holding the former to thirty-eight yards on fifteen carries and limiting the latter to five completions in twelve attempts for just ninety-six yards, though he managed a short touchdown pass to Pat Tilley. They also sacked him five times with last week's defensive hero Dennis Harrison getting two of them.

The Eagles may have survived today, but they finish their season with the Cowboys at home next week, the Packers in Milwaukee on November 7, and the Steelers in Pittsburgh on November 15, so their playoff hopes are slim indeed.

PHI: 5-8 (vs. DAL)
STL: 4-9 (vs. CHI)

Redskins 24, 49ers 20

The Skins pulled out a wild one at RFK to stay tied with the Cowboys atop the NFC East. The Niners had come back from a 17-7 deficit to take a 20-17 lead with 1:19 remaining on a 28-yard field goal by Ray Wersching, but Joe Theismann took his team sixty yards on six plays in just forty-five seconds to score the winning touchdown, which came on an eighteen-yard pass to Charlie Brown. Brown finished with eighty-seven yards on just three catches, and Theismann finished eleven of eighteen for 174 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. His other touchdown strike came in the final two minutes of the first half on a fourteen-yard pass to Art Monk. John Riggins did his part as well, carrying twenty times for ninety-four yards with a touchdown. Joe Montana had another spectacular day for the Niners, finishing twenty-one of forty-one for 296 yards and two touchdowns. One of the touchdowns went to Dwight Clark, who caught seven passes for 109 yards, and the other to reserve receiver Mike Wilson. The defensive star of the day was Washington defensive tackle Dexter Manley, who sacked Montana three times.

The Niners have a bye next week before heading to Tampa on November 8, while the Skins will host the Steelers next week and the Browns on November 7 before finishing their season in Dallas on November 14.

WSH: 10-3 (vs. PIT)
SF: 8-6 (Bye)

Cowboys 33, Giants 27 (OT)

Ron Springs scored on a ten-yard touchdown run with 9:09 left in overtime to give the Boys a hard fought win and allow them to keep pace with both the Redskins in the NFC East race and the Packers in the battle for the NFC's top seed. Springs carried eleven tomes for seventy-two yards and two touchdowns, but Tony Dorsett was his usual workhorse self, carrying twenty-seven times for 123 yards and turning a short screen pass from Danny White into a fifty-four yard touchdown. White finished twenty of thirty for 311 yards plus the touchdown to Dorsett, while Tony Hill was his leading receiver with six catches for seventy-seven yards. Giants quarterback Scott Brunner didn't throw nearly as often as White did, but he still completed thirteen of his eighteen passes for 154 yards and three touchdowns. Butch Woolfolk, Johnny Perkins, and Floyd Eddings each caught one. Woolfolk also led the Giants' ground attack with ninety-three yards on thirteen carries. The touchdown to Eddings tied the game at twenty-seven with just twenty-seven seconds left in regulation. For the record, the Giants never saw the ball in overtime.

These two teams will meet in a rematch at Texas Stadium on November 7. First, the Giants have to take care of the Bengals next week at home, while the Boys travel to Veterans Stadium to take on the Eagles. The Giants are a game behind the Falcons for the NFC's second wild card spot with three games to play.

DAL: 10-3 (at PHI)
NYG: 6-7 (vs. CIN)

Next: The Monday night game between the Lions and the Vikings.

Thoughts?

 

[Garrett Garlits]

Here's the action for Monday, October 25:

Vikings 24, Lions 6

The Vikes got a dominant win when they needed it most, and suddenly they're back in the thick of the NFC wild card race. Ted Brown led the rushing attack with eighty-one yards on nineteen carries with a touchdown, and rookie Darrin Nelson added another touchdown on the ground. Tommy Kramer was efficient, completing thirteen of his nineteen passes for 150 yards and a touchdown to Sammy White, who finished with four catches for seventy-one yards. But the real story was the Minnesota defense, which sacked Lions quarterbacks Gary Danielson and Eric Hipple seven times and held Billy Sims to twenty-five yards on fifteen carries. The Lions' quarterbacks were also intercepted twice, and defensive end Doug Martin had four of the sacks, while linebacker Scott Studwell had two plus an interception. Wide receiver Leonard Thompson managed four catches for sixty-one yards, mostly in what is now called "garbage time". Two Bob Thomas field goals produced all of the Lions' points.

The Lions, who are facing injuries to both of their quarterbacks (Danielson's knee and Hipple's non-throwing hand) face the rested Falcons at home next Sunday, while the Vikes welcome the Saints to the Metrodome. The Vikings, Lions, and Giants are all one game behind the Falcons for the second NFC wild card spot at the moment.

MIN: 6-7 (vs NO)
DET: 6-7 (vs. ATL)

Next: Sunday's late games.

Thoughts?

 

[Garrett Garlits]

It's a little early, but here's the broadcast schedule for Week 15 (original Week 6):

Sunday, October 31:

Falcons-Lions, 1, CBS- Tom Brookshier, Wayne Walker
Bears-Cardinals, 1, CBS- Tim Ryan, Johnny Morris
Saints-Vikings, 1, CBS- Dick Stockton, Roger Staubach
Cowboys-Eagles, 1, CBS- Jack Buck, Hank Stram
Bengals-Giants, 1, NBC- Charlie Jones, Len Dawson
Patriots-Dolphins, 1, NBC- Bob Costas, Bob Trumpy
Steelers-Redskins, 1, NBC- Don Criqui, John Brodie
Buccaneers-Packers, 4, CBS- Pat Summerall, John Madden
Chiefs-Chargers, 4, NBC- Jay Randolph, Bob Griese
Raiders-Seahawks, 4, NBC- Dick Enberg, Merlin Olsen

Monday, November 1:

Bills-Jets, 9, ABC- Frank Gifford, Don Meredith, Howard Cosell

Byes: 49ers, Rams

Note: Due to the continued lack of a CBA, the Colts-Browns and Broncos-Oilers games have been canceled. All four teams will be back in action next week, as they all play playoff contenders. The Colts travel to Detroit, the Browns visit the Redskins, the Broncos host the Steelers, and the Oilers travel to New York to face the Jets.

Next: Week 14's Sunday late games.

Thoughts?

 

[Garrett Garlits]

Here are the Sunday late games from Week 14:

Buccaneers 31, Colts 7

The Bucs dominated the hapless Colts from beginning to end, and they're now tied with the Falcons for the second wild card in the NFC. Doug Williams completed seventeen of his twenty-eight passes for 242 yards and a touchdown to former Pitt receiver Gordon Jones, and the ground attack added three touchdowns, one each by Williams, James Owens, and reserve running back Mel Carver. Owens was the overall leading rusher for Tampa with fifty-nine yards on twelve carries, while wideout Kevin House was the leading receiver with five catches for eighty yards. Colts quarterbacks Mike Pagel and Art Schlichter were sacked six times, with linebacker Hugh Green and defensive end Dave Stalls each getting a pair. On the bright side for Baltimore, Curtis Dickey led all rushers for the day with sixty-two yards on eleven carries, including a thirty-eight yard touchdown sprint in the fourth quarter. He also caught four passes for fifty-three yards to lead the Colts' receivers. The Baltimore signal callers combined to go thirteen of thirty-five for 169 yards and an interception.

The Bucs head for Green Bay next Sunday to take on the Pack, while the Colts received word before today's game that next Sunday's game against the Browns has been canceled due to the lack of a collective bargaining agreement. They'll reconvene in two weeks at the Silverdome, where they'll take on the Lions.

TB: 7-6 (at GB)
BAL: 2-11 (at DET 11/7)

Rams 42, Chargers 29

The Rams trailed 19-7 at halftime and 29-14 late in the third quarter, but rallied for twenty-eight unanswered points to pull off what might be one of the biggest upsets of the season. Things looked bleak for the Rams when Vince Ferragamo was a game time scratch with broken ribs, but backup Bert Jones stepped in and showed why he was once one of the premier quarterbacks in the game. He completed twenty of his twenty-nine passes for 368 yards and four touchdowns, three of which came in the fourth quarter as the Rams surged ahead for good. George Farmer was the leading receiver with three catches for ninety-three yards. One of them went for a touchdown, while another was a fifty-four yard gainer that set up a touchdown plunge by Wendell Tyler. Other scoring tosses went to Willie Miller, Mike Guman, and wide receiver Billy Waddy, while Preston Dennard caught four passes for eighty-eight yards. Tyler added another touchdown plunge, which added up to a good day's work for him although he only gained thirty-five yards in nineteen carries.

As for the home squad, Dan Fouts had a tremendous day in a losing effort, completing twenty-five of forty for 343 yards and three touchdowns. Wes Chandler led all receivers with eight catches for 121 yards and two scores, and Kellen Winslow added ninety-four yards on eight catches, while Charlie Joiner caught five passes for sixty-five yards and a touchdown. Chuck Muncie not only rushed for ninety-five yards on eighteen carries, but also caught four passes for sixty-three yards. Fouts had his incredible day despite being sacked five times by the Rams; defensive end Mike Fanning had three of them.

The Rams are back on the fringes of the NFC wild card race, at least for the moment. Their bye is next week, and in two weeks they travel to Busch Stadium to meet the Cardinals, another fringe contender. Meanwhile, the Chargers, who are now tied for second in the AFC West with the Seahawks, will try to get back on track when they host the Chiefs.

LA Rams: 6-8 (Bye)
SD: 8-5 (vs. KC)

Raiders 23, Dolphins 17

The Raiders held off a late Miami rally, and their lead over the Chargers and Seahawks in the AFC West is now two games with three to play. Marcus Allen ran wild once more, shredding the Miami defense for 189 yards on twenty-three carries with a touchdown. Jim Plunkett didn't need to do much, but he had a decent day, hitting on sixteen of twenty-five passes for 171 yards. Tight end Todd Christensen led all receivers on the day with fifty-nine yards on seven catches, and the Raider defense sacked David Woodley five times. The Dolphins' signal-caller completed only five passes on the day, and was replaced midway through the fourth quarter by Don Strock, whose short touchdown toss to Joe Rose brought the visitors to within 23-17 with forty-one seconds to play. The Fins attempted an onside kick, but Christensen recovered it for the Raiders, who ran out the clock. Andra Franklin had the other touchdown for the Dolphins, but he was held to thirteen carries for thirty-nine yards.

The Raiders can wrap up the AFC West next Sunday if they beat the Hawks at the Kingdome and the Chiefs upset the Chargers in San Diego. Meanwhile, the Fins, who are now tied with the Hawks for the AFC's second wild card berth, head home to take on the Patriots.

LA Raiders: 10-3 (at SEA)
MIA: 8-5 (vs. NE)

Broncos 13, Bills 7

We have another contender for Upset of the Year, as the Broncos shocked the Bills and put Buffalo's playoff hopes in jeopardy. Gerald Willhite's thirty-three yard run with 3:11 left in regulation provided the winning points, while Steve DeBerg completed thirteen of his twenty-one passes for 181 yards. Steve Watson was his leading receiver with sixty-two yards on five receptions, while Willhite carried ten times for fifty-six yards. Joe Ferguson didn't play badly for the visitors, completing nineteen of thirty-two passes for 199 yards with a touchdown and an interception, but Joe Cribbs was held to just thirty-nine yards on sixteen carries. Frank Lewis was the Bills' leading receiver with five catches for fifty-four yards. Ferguson's only mistake of the day cost the Bills the game, as free safety Mike Harden picked him off with less than a minute to play to seal the Denver victory.

The Bills now trail the Jets by two games in the AFC East with only three left, one of them being next Monday night at Shea Stadium. As for the Broncos, their game next Sunday against the Oilers at the Astrodome was canceled earlier today due to lack of a CBA, but they'll try for another monumental upset in two weeks when the Steelers come to Mile High.

DEN: 4-9 (vs. PIT 11/7)
BUF: 7-6 (at NYJ 11/1)

Next: Updated standings heading into Week 15.

Thoughts?

 

[Garrett Garlits]

We begin our look at the standings with the AFC East:

Jets: 9-4
Dolphins: 8-5
Bills: 7-6
Patriots: 5-8
Colts: 2-11 (eliminated)

Next, the AFC Central:

Steelers: 9-4
Bengals: 7-6
Browns: 3-9 (eliminated)
Oilers: 2-10 (eliminated)

Finally, the AFC West:

Raiders: 10-3
Chargers: 8-5
Seahawks: 8-5
Chiefs: 5-8
Broncos: 4-9 (eliminated)

The Chargers hold the expected wins tiebreaker over the Seahawks for second place, 7.9 to 7.7.


Seeds:

1. Raiders (AFC West leaders): 10-3
2. Jets (AFC East leaders): 9-4
3. Steelers (AFC Central leaders): 9-4
4. Chargers (AFC West second place): 8-5
5. Seahawks (AFC West third place): 8-5

The Seahawks hold the expected wins tiebreaker over the Dolphins for the second wild card, 7.7 to 7.5.

Next: The NFC standings.

Thoughts?

 

[Garrett Garlits]

Now here are the NFC standings, beginning in the East:

Cowboys: 10-3
Redskins: 10-3
Giants: 6-7
Eagles: 5-8
Cardinals: 4-9

The Cowboys hold the expected wins tiebreaker for first place over the Redskins, 9.7 to 9.5.

Next, the Central:

Packers: 10-3
Buccaneers: 7-6
Vikings: 6-7
Lions: 6-7
Bears: 3-10 (eliminated)

The Vikings hold the expected wins tiebreaker over the Lions for second place, 6.2 to 5.6.

Finally, the West:

49ers: 8-6
Falcons: 7-6
Rams: 6-8
Saints: 5-8

Seeds:

1. Packers (NFC Central leaders): 10-3
2. Cowboys (NFC East leaders): 10-3
3. 49ers (NFC West leaders): 8-6
4. Redskins (NFC East second place): 10-3
5. Falcons (NFC West second place): 7-6

The Falcons hold the expected wins tiebreaker over the Bucs for the second wild card, 7.1 to 6.9.

The Packers hold the expected wins tiebreaker over the Cowboys for the top seed, 10.0 to 9.7.

Next: Week 15's Sunday early games.

Thoughts?

 

[Garrett Garlits]

Here are Sunday's early games from Week 15:

Vikings 10, Saints 0

Rick Danmeier's 43-yard field goal with seven seconds left in the first half gave the Vikes the lead, and Ted Brown's touchdown plunge from a yard out with a little more than nine minutes left put the game away. This game was a sterling example of run defense for both teams; Brown was the leading overall rusher with thirty-one yards on fifteen carries, and the Vikings' defense stuffed both George Rogers and Wayne Wilson. Rogers was held to twenty-eight yards on seventeen carries, while Wilson struggled to gain twenty-seven yards on thirteen attempts. The quarterbacks fared slightly better, as Tommy Kramer completed thirteen of twenty for 173 yards, while Kenny Stabler managed twelve of twenty-five for 156 yards with two interceptions. Each quarterback was sacked four times. Saints receiver Lindsay Scott was the leading overall pass catcher, with sixty-one yards on just two catches. The Vikes' Terry LeCount led his team with fifty-six yards, also on just two receptions.

The Vikes are right back in the thick of the NFC wild card race thanks to their wins in the last two weeks; they're now just half a game behind the Bucs and Falcons for the second wild card berth, and they finish their season in Tampa two weeks from today. First, however, they have to go to Soldier Field next week to take on the Bears. Meanwhile, the Saints are all but eliminated, and they face a season-ending two-game road trip that takes them to Los Angeles next week to face the Raiders and Candlestick Park in two weeks to take on the Niners.

MIN: 7-7 (at CHI)
NO: 5-9 (at LA Raiders)

Lions 38, Falcons 10

Stung by last week's embarrassing loss on Monday Night Football, the Lions took out their frustration on the Falcons. Billy Sims led the way as usual, gaining 105 yards on twenty carries with a touchdown, and Gary Danielson battled through the pain in his bruised knee to complete thirteen of sixteen for 163 yards and three touchdowns. The scores went to wide receivers Mark Nichols and Robbie Martin nd running back Dexter Bussey. Martin also took a John James punt back eighty-nine yards for a touchdown late in the second quarter. Nichols led the receiving corps with three catches for forty-three yards, but the wealth was spread around well, as eight different Lions caught passes.

The defense did its part too, limiting William Andrews to just forty-eight yards on sixteen carries, though he did manage the Falcons' only touchdown of the day in the fourth quarter. Steve Bartkowski managed to complete fourteen of twenty-nine for 185 yards with an interception, but he was also sacked five times, with defensive tackle Joe Ehrmann recording two of them. Alfred Jackson was Atlanta's leading receiver with four catches for forty-four yards.

Both the Lions and Falcons are 7-7 and in the midst of a battle royal for the NFC's second wild card berth. The Lions welcome the Colts to the Silverdome next week, while the Falcons go home to host the Chargers. Both teams finish on the road, with the Falcons heading to Anaheim to take on the Rams and the Lions finishing their year at the Orange Bowl against the Dolphins.

DET: 7-7 (vs. BAL)
ATL: 7-7 (vs. SD)

Cardinals 20, Bears 18

For the second time in three weeks, Neil O'Donoghue won a game at the final gun for the Cardinals, hitting from thirty-four yards out to complete a thirteen-point comeback by the Redbirds in the final ten minutes. The Bears led 18-7 after three quarters on the strength of three John Roveto field goals, a safety, and an eleven-yard touchdown pass from Jim McMahon to running back Matt Suhey. Walter Payton was also a big part of things, gaining 118 yards on eighteen carries for the day while catching three passes for forty-nine yards, and Emery Moorehead led the Chicago receivers with four catches for fifty-seven yards. McMahon finished his day thirteen of twenty-five for 199 yards and the touchdown to Suhey, and linebacker Al Harris sacked Neil Lomax three times.

For the Cardinals, Lomax was held to just six completions in fifteen attempts for ninety-two yards, but the running game bailed him out, as Wayne Morris gained sixty-nine yards on eight carries while Ottis Anderson managed fifty-six yards on seventeen carries and added two touchdowns, one of which cut the Chicago lead to 18-17 with 3:13 remaining. The defense got to McMahon four times, with defensive end Curtis Greer notching a pair.

The Cards don't figure to be in the playoffs, but they're mathematically alive for the moment, and they'll welcome the Rams to Busch Stadium next Sunday in an effort to stay alive for another week. They finish their season on November 14 at the Meadowlands against the Giants. As for the Bears, they host the Vikings next week and finish by hosting the Packers. A win in either or both of those games will go a long way in restoring hope for 1983 and beyond.

STL: 5-9 (vs. LA Rams)
CHI: 3-11 (vs. MIN)

Eagles 15, Cowboys 10

Add the Eagles to the list of NFC teams that aren't dead yet. They overcame an early 10-0 deficit to upset the Boys and live to fight another week. There was no standout for the Birds offensively; Wilbert Montgomery managed sixty-three yards on sixteen carries to lead the running game, while Ron Jaworski could only complete eleven of twenty-six for 139 yards with a touchdown while being sacked six times and picked off twice by Doomsday. Ron Smith was the Eagles' leading receiver with sixty-seven yards on four catches, while Harold Carmichael caught the game-winning twenty-one yard touchdown pass from Jaworski with 1:41 to play. Tony Franklin kicked a pair of field goals, and Dennis Harrison continued his fine season by sacking Danny White in the end zone for a safety. That was one of just two sacks on the day for the Philly defense, but they did their job in other ways, primarily by holding Tony Dorsett to just sixty-six yards on twenty-three carries. White completed fifteen of twenty-five for 170 yards and a first-quarter touchdown to Drew Pearson, but was also intercepted twice by linebacker Jerry Robinson. Defensive tackle Randy White had a pair of sacks for Dallas.

The Cowboys will have to wait until later today to find out how this loss has hurt them; they could fall from a tie for the top seed in the NFC to the first wild card, and also fall into sole possession of second place in the NFC East. They go home next Sunday to face the desperate Giants before their head-to-head confrontation with the Redskins at Texas Stadium to close the season. The Eagles, meanwhile, face an uphill climb to a playoff berth, as they head to County Stadium next Sunday to take on the Packers, then finish the season on Monday Night Football at Three Rivers against the Steelers.

PHI: 6-8 (at GB-MIL)
DAL: 10-4 (vs. NYG)

Bengals 23, Giants 10

The Bengals got their season back on track while putting the Giants in deep trouble. Running back Pete Johnson led the way with 113 yards on twenty-three carries, while Kenny Anderson was twenty-three of thirty-two for 238 yards. Cris Collinsworth caught six passes for seventy-nine yards, and Dan Ross caught five more for sixty-five yards. Charles Alexander's three-yard touchdown run at the two-minute warning in the fourth quarter put the game away. Jim Breech added three field goals to complete the Cincy scoring. For the Giants, Scott Brunner completed only twelve of twenty-eight passes for 207 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Johnny Perkins caught the touchdown, and Floyd Eddings was New York's leading receiver with three catches for eighty-eight yards. Unfortunately, the running game never clicked, as leading rusher Butch Woolfolk managed only forty-seven yards on thirteen carries.

The Giants are only a game behind the pack for the NFC's second wild card spot, but they have a tough two-game road trip to finish the season: at Dallas and at St. Louis. For their part, the Bengals welcome the Dolphins to Riverfront next week in what should be a pivotal game for both teams before finishing the season in Foxborough against the Pats.

CIN: 8-6 (at NYG)
NYG: 6-8 (at DAL)

Steelers 24, Redskins 19

The Redskins couldn't take advantage of the Cowboys' misfortune, as the Steelers' running attack paved the way to victory for the Black and Gold. As usual, Franco Harris led the way, gaining 105 yards on just thirteen carries and scoring from eighteen yards out. The biggest play of the day for the Pittsburgh offense came in the second quarter, when John Stallworth took a reverse and raced eighty-five yards for a touchdown. Plays like that took the pressure off of quarterback Cliff Stoudt, who started for the injured Terry Bradshaw. He threw only fifteen times all day, completing nine for eighty-six yards and a short touchdown toss to Harris. The Steel Curtain did its part as well, sacking Joe Theismann five times and limiting John Riggins to seventy-six yards on twenty-five carries. Defensive end Bob Kohrs and defensive tackle Gary Dunn each had a pair of sacks.

Despite this, Theismann completed eighteen of twenty-five passes for 285 yards and a touchdown to Joe Washington, who caught five passes for sixty-six yards and also scored a rushing touchdown. Charlie Brown led all receivers with five receptions for 117 yards.

The Steelers' win clinched the AFC Central for them, as they hold the first tiebreaker (expected wins) over the Bengals. They're still in a dogfight for the top seed, though, and they have what seems to be a not-too-difficult final stretch; they go to Denver next Sunday, then host the Eagles on Monday Night Football to close things out. The Skins will host the Browns, who are coming off of a two-week "strike", next Sunday before going to Dallas to end the year.

PIT: 10-4 (at DEN)
WSH: 10-4 (vs. CLE)

Dolphins 7, Patriots 3

Despite extreme heat in Miami (game time temperature was 83 degrees), points were at a premium. This one ended up a runners' duel between Andra Franklin and Tony Collins, and the day belonged to Franklin, who rushed for 132 yards on twenty-four carries. However, it was reserve running back Tommy Vigorito who scored the winning touchdown for the Fins, going in from a yard out with 4:51 left in regulation. Tony Nathan added seventy-seven more yards on fifteen carries. On the downside, David Woodley was once again ineffective, and was replaced by Don Strock at halftime. The total passing game stats for the Fins were eleven completions in twenty-three attempts for 103 yards and two interceptions. The good news for Miami was that Steve Grogan was even worse, completing just eight of twenty-two for eighty-seven yards. He was also stung plenty by Niami's "Killer Bee" defense, which sacked him six times. Linebacker Larry Gordon tallied three of them. Collins carried seventeen times for 110 yards, but it simply wasn't enough.

A Jets' loss tomorrow night at home against the Bills will put the Fins back into a tie for first in the AFC East. They'll head for Cincinnati next week for a possible Wild Card Game preview against the Bengals before hosting the Lions at the Orange Bowl in their finale. The loss today eliminates the Pats from playoff contention, but they'll go to Buffalo next week in an effort to play spoiler to the Bills, then do the same to the Bengals when they meet on November 14 in Foxborough.

MIA: 9-5 (at CIN)
NE: 5-9 (at BUF)

Next: Sunday's late games.

Thoughts?

 

[Garrett Garlits]

Now here are the Sunday late games from Week 15:

Packers 13, Buccaneers 9

Lynn Dickey could only complete five passes all day, but one of them went to Paul Coffman from twenty-six yards out for the winning touchdown as the Pack wrapped up the NFC Central once and for all. The score came with 4:42 to play in the game and was the only touchdown scored for the entire day. Bill Capece hit from forty-nine, forty-four, and thirty-five yards out for Tampa, while Jan Stenerud was good from thirty-nine and forty-eight. Rookie running back Del "Popcorn" Rodgers led the Green Bay ground game with fifty-eight yards on seven carries, as Eddie Lee Ivery could only manage thirty-three yards on sixteen totes. Coffman ended up the leading receiver for the Pack with three catches or fifty yards. Dickey ended up with five completions in fifteen attempts for eighty-four yards and was picked twice. For the Bucs, James Owens gained ninety yards on twelve carries to lead the running game, and Kevin House was Doug Williams' favorite target, catching five passes for fifty-six yards. Williams didn't fare all that much better than Dickey statistically, hitting on thirteen of his thirty-three attempts for 136 yards while being sacked four times. Defensive end Ezra Johnson led the sack parade with a pair.

The Pack has not only wrapped up the NFC Central, but they've taken a one-game lead over the Cowboys for the top seed in the NFC. A win over the Eagles next Sunday at County Stadium and a Cowboys' loss to the Giants at home means that the NFC's road to Super Bowl XVII will go through the Frozen Tundra. As for the Bucs, they're in the midst of a four-way tie for the NFC's second wild card berth with the Vikings, Lions, and Falcons, all at 7-7. Both of their remaining games are at home: next Monday night against the Niners and two weeks from today when the Vikes come calling.

GB: 11=3 (VS. PHI-MIL)
TB: 7-7 (vs. SF 11/8)

Chiefs 31, Chargers 26

The Chiefs, whose playoff hopes are remote at best, went into Jack Murphy Stadium and shocked (no pun intended) the Chargers, putting them on the outskirts of the AFC Wild Card race in the process. After several off weeks, Joe Delaney displayed the ability that has made him a breakout star, gaining exactly a hundred yards on twenty carries. Billy Jackson backed that up with sixty yards on thirteen carries, and Bill Kenney was serviceable if not spectacular, completing eleven of his eighteen passes for 162 yards with a touchdown and an interception. The touchdown was a ten-yard strike early in the second quarter to Henry Marshall, who caught four passes for fifty-nine yards on the day.

Dan Fouts had another spectacular game in a losing cause for the Bolts, completing eighteen of twenty0-nine for 265 yards and a pair of touchdowns. One of them was an eighty-two yard strike to Wes Chandler that brought the home squad within 31-26 with 4:50 to play in the game. Chandler finished his day with six catches for 143 yards plus that touchdown. Charlie Joiner caught the other Fouts touchdown pass. Chuck Muncie took care of business on the ground, gaining eighty-one yards on twelve carries with a touchdown, and James Brooks also scored a rushing touchdown. If one aspect of the game let the Chargers down, it was the kicking game, as Rolf Benirschke missed a pair of extra points that would have left the Bolts needing only a field goal to tie the game had they been converted.

The Chargers have now lost two games in a row at home that looked to be winnable, and next week they have to go to Atlanta to take on the Falcons, who are in their own playoff dogfight. Meanwhile, the Chiefs will head to the Kingdome to face the Seahawks, either with their own playoff hopes still barely alive or in the role of spoiler, depending on how the standings shake out after this week's games.

KC: 6-8 (at SEA)
SD: 8-6 (at ATL)

Raiders 37, Seahawks 3

The Raiders wrapped up the AFC West in style, kicking the Hawks' tails from one end of the Kingdome to the other. Marcus Allen got the most licks in, carrying twenty times for 202 yards and scoring three touchdowns. Replays showed that he could have scored a fourth had the officials not incorrectly ruled him out of bounds at the Seattle fifteen after a forty-seven yard gain in the third quarter. Cliff Branch was the top assassin through the air with 114 yards in just four catches, and Jim Plunkett only had to be steady, which he was in completing ten of sixteen passes for 170 yards and a short touchdown pass to tight end Todd Christensen. The Raider defense sacked Jim Zorn four times and held the Seattle ground game in check, with Sherman Smith's twenty-seven yards on seven carries "leading" the way. Zorn finished sixteen of thirty-two for 173 yards and two interceptions, and Steve Largent was his leading receiver with four catches for fifty-nine yards.

As of this moment, the Raiders lead the Steelers by a game for the top seed in the AFC with two games to play. Both remaining games for the Raiders are at home; they host the Saints next week and welcome the Browns to end the year. The Seahawks are still fighting for their playoff lives at 8-6 as they go home to face the Chiefs next week, then finish the season in San Diego against the Chargers.

LA Raiders: 11-3 (vs. NO)
SEA: 8-6 (vs. KC)

Next: The Monday night matchup between the Bills and the Jets.

Thoughts?

 

[Garrett Garlits]

Here's the action for Monday, November 1:

Jets 23, Bills 9.

The Jets handled the Bills with ease, thus maintaining their one-game lead in the AFC East. The paly of the game came midway through the second quarter, when running back Bruce Harper dashed seventy-six yards for a Jets touchdown. The Bills never fully recovered, though they managed to hold Freeman McNeil to seventy-seven yards on twenty carries. Richard Todd had another bad game behind center as well, completing just seven of eighteen for 103 yards. McNeil scored a short yardage touchdown, while Wesley Walker strung together a solid performance with four catches for sixty-eight yards. Pat Leahy's three field goals closed out the scoring. The New York Sack Exchange was held off the board, but they pressured Joe Ferguson into just as bad an evening as Todd's. He completed just ten of twenty-two for eighty-seven yards and an interception. This meant that a great game from Joe Cribbs went for naught; he gouged the Jets' defense that was keying on Ferguson for 119 yards on twenty carries. Frank Lewis was the Bills' leading receiver with three catches for forty-six yards.

The Jets host the Oilers next Sunday at Shea, and a win plus a Dolphins' loss in Cincinnati gives them the AFC East title. Gang Green ends its season by hosting the Broncos on November 14. As for the Bills, they host the Pats next week, then finish in Baltimore against the Colts. Another loss would almost surely extinguish their playoff hopes.

NYJ: 10-4 (vs. HOU)
BUF: 7-7 (vs. NE)

Next: The standings heading into Week 16.

Thoughts?

 

[Garrett Garlits]

Here are the standings at the end of Week 15, beginning in the AFC East:

Jets: 10-4
Dolphins: 9-5
Bills: 7-7
Patriots: 5-9 (eliminated)
Colts: 2-11 (eliminated)

Now for the AFC Central:

Steelers: 10-4 (clinched)
Bengals: 8-6
Browns: 3-9 (eliminated)
Oilers: 2-10 (eliminated)

Finally, the AFC West:

Raiders: 11-3 (clinched)
Chargers: 8-6
Seahawks: 8-6
Chiefs: 6-8
Broncos: 4-9 (eliminated)

The Chargers hold the expected wins tiebreaker over the Seahawks for second place, 7.9 to 7.7.

Seeds:

1. Raiders: 11-3 (AFC West champs)
2. Jets: 10-4 (AFC East leaders)
3. Steelers: 10-4 (AFC Central champs)
4. Dolphins: 9-5 (AFC East second place)
5. Chargers: 8-6 (AFC West second place)

The Chargers and Bengals each have 7.9 expected wins, but the Chargers hold the head-to-head tiebreaker since they beat the Bengals earlier this season.

Next: The NFC standings.

Thoughts?