European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 03, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday. December 3, 1985 the stars and stripes Page 23 missed Field goal of Sempf gives commentary the Job of an airline Pilot was once described As hours of tedium moments of terror or words to that effect. The triumvirate that performs a crucial Field Boa attempt in football could certainly apply to the same Union As the cockpit Crew on an air plane. There were the new York giants trying to land sunday afternoon in the december gloom of giants stadium. The runway was in sight the Cleveland Browns were shouting false cadences and All the giants needed was to propel a football through the crossbars from the 24-Yard line. There were 4 seconds left and the Browns led 35 the Crew consisted of flight Engineer Bart dates in charge of putting his head Between his legs and snapping the Ball backward co Pilot Jeff Rulec dec in charge of catching the Ball and placing it on the Green artificial surf and capt. Eric Schubert i charge of kicking the Ball up Over and through. It is pronounced Rutledge speaking for his intricate Little task but also speaking for the entire Crew a lot harder than it  it was so hard the giants botched it up. Splat. Low snap. Improvised hold. Kiel vide to the left. The next sound in the joint was the thunderous Clatter of the giants falling out of first place in their division. There were a million other reasons Why the giants were two Point behind with 4 seconds remaining All of which can be boiled Down into the observation that they didst play Well. But quarterback Phil Simms Shook off the Boos and brought the giants to the Edge of the runway so the three Man Field goal Crew could get All the love adoration and attention if the giants won or the reverse if the giants lost. In the absence of voice recorders the three Mem Hen of the giant cockpit Crew were sought for their expertise in reconstructing the failed snap. Dates is a 26-year-old Rookie according to nation Al football league standards but in fact he spent his first three years out of Brigham Young University playing Center for the Philadelphia Baltimore Stan of the Usel a league that changes seasons the Way coca cola changes formulae. Dates was a Center for the stars but he was not a snapper on punts and Field goals. When the giants sought his services they asked him if he could per form these chores in moments of terror. I m not that Good at it dates said sunday after the fact. I m human. I doubt if i Ever give Jeff two snaps in a Row the same Way. I told coach Bill Parcells the truth when they contacted me. I said i m pretty Good at punt snaps but i m not As experienced at Field goal snaps since i came to the giants i be practice it a couple of Hundred times a  most of the time he practices with Rutledge a seven year quarterback who has not thrown a Ball this season. In addition to catching the Ball. Ruthc dec has to customize the placement for each individual giant kicker of which there have been three this year. Or dare one say. So far. That s a no win Job believe me Rutledge said again speaking for himself and also for the entire Crew. Rutledge noted that the original kicker the injured a 41aji-sheikh, and his first replacement Jess Atkinson liked the Ball one Way but that the third kicker Schubert likes it another Way. Erie likes the laces facing him but he also likes the Ball leaning a Little More toward him and that s a Little different Rutledge noted. Schubert is a substitute teacher from new Jersey who had held off that s36-a-Day lion taming occupation by kicking 11 of ii extra Points and eight of nine Field goals going into sunday s game. But a kicking penalty against Lawrence Taylor put the giants 10 Yards Back and Schubert missed an extra Point in the second period sunday. He also made three extra Points and Field goals of 35 and 40 Yards. The orders came from the giants control Tower to attempt the ultimate Field goal with 4 seconds left and the three Man Crew prepared for action during a timeout. Schubert took a few practice kicks and dates and Rutledge waited in the huddle. You be got 1.2 seconds Dales said later. Every thing has to work exactly the  there is no such thing As automatic Pilot for a kicker. But for the snapper and the or Der there can be such a thing As the perfect snap and the perfect hold. There can also be failures. Sunday dates tucked his head Down flicked his arms and Felt the Ball get away from him. Felt it right away. I know i had released too  he said later. I knew i did t follow  the Ball came in too Low for Rulec dec. Who could not Field it cleanly and place it Down. Instead rut ledge said i had to react to what 1 saw. 1 sort of trapped it knocked it Down but i put it Light up just the Way Eric likes it. If that put him off. I guess  the 1.2-Sccond timing is so important for the kicker who is leaning Forward ready to go. As soon As the Ball is snapped. Both dates and Rulec dec assumed Schubert had to hesitate however slightly before leaning into the Ball. The kick went wide and the giants ran off the Field. Schubert ran faster than anybody. Carl Lewis him self could not have caught the Tittle kicker sunday As he hurried into his clothes saving the Mara family a few Pence in hot water and soap and towels and headed off into the dark new Jersey night. One giant who had a Brief conversation with Schu Bert was Harry Carson the Captain and the heart and soul of the team. I told him Don t worry about it " Carson said. We still have Confidence in him. He could crawl into Hole if he did t have guts but i Don t think hell do that i told him he s made some Good plays and he Lamake some  dates stood by his locker and told reporters that the loss was not the single must disappointing moment of his season we be had four other Digap  a Law student at Brigham Young Dales showed he had taken an English course or two As an undergrad uate it s frustrating but Lei me look for inc roses in the midst of the thorns. We re in every game. We feel we should have won every  he might have added that the giants have been near the runway in All 13 games this year but any More botched landings and Mara aviation just might be Back in inc hangar Al playoff Lime. The new part Tinoi. Browns come from behind win Over giants East Rutherford . Up Earnest byner s 9-Yard touchdown run with 1 52 left sunday completed a Cleve land rally from a 12-Ppim deficit and gave the Browns a 35-33 Victory Over the new York  giants drove from their 10 to Cleveland s 18 with 4 seconds remaining but Eric Schubert s 34-Yard Field goal try was wide left after a bad  Browns trailed 33-21 with 11 43 remaining before quarterback Gary Dan Ielson led them to 14 straight Points. Danielson who did not Start because of a shoulder injury replaced Rookie Crnic Kosar Early in the second half and hit Clairnce Weathers on a 25 Yard scoring toss to make it 33-28 with 8 52  second to capped an 80-Yard drive and moved the Browns into sole pos session of first place in the acc Central with a 7-6 record. The giants fell to 8-5, one game behind first place Dallas in the pfc East. The Browns also scored on runs of 42 Yards by Kevin Mack and 2 Yards by byner and Ai Gross 37-Yard interception  Morris gained 131 Yards and scored on runs of 58, 5 and 3 Yards to raise his giants single season to record to 14. New York also scored on a 29-Yara pass from Phil  to Bobby Johnson and on Schubert Field goals of 35 and 40 , who carried 22 times had the biggest Rushing game this Seamn against  of Cleveland s fourth Quarter touchdowns were aided by fourth Down conversions. Mack rushed for 3 Yards on fourth and two from the giants 28 prior to weather to. Byner caught a 26-Yard pass from Danielson on fourth and two Tonew York s 20 to set up his game win Ning  runs of 7 Yards by Mack and 4 by byner that brought Cleveland to the 9, Danielson left the game As the result of a rib Hij Ury suffered when he was hit by linebacker Andy he Adan on the third play of the drive. Kosar came in and handed off to byner who broke to the right Side for the score. New York which trailed 21-7 in the second Quarter and 21-20 at halftime took the Lead on Schubert s 35-Yard Field goal with 7 04 left in the third Quarter. After Terry Kinard s 22-Yard interception return to the Browns 15, Morris scored from the 5 on the first play of the fourth Quarter for a 30-21 Lead. Schu Bert s 40-Yard Field goal came after Byron Hunt recovered Danielson s Fumble on Cleveland s 35. Simms completed 23 of 37 passes for 284 Yards and was intercepted twice. Danielson completed 8 of 17 for 135 Yards. Kosar was Good on 6 of 16 for 86yards. "1 just Don t want to hear Aboul us choking Down at the end said Browns safety Al Gross who returned interception 37 Yards for a second Quarter touchdown. It Jusi Sec cd like for once inc Field goal kicker just happened to miss it in the last few seconds. That s some thing we Haven t  that was a Lough one for  said giants coach Bill Parcells after watching his team fall to 8-5, one game behind Dallas in he National football Confer ence East. I think As so often happens you expect both defences to be dominant factors and both offences kind of Rose to the  Cleveland entered the game with the league s fourth Best offence and was Sec Ond Only to Clit dug in uni info surrendered at 172. If someone had told me before the game we would give up 33 Points i would have said no Way said Browns coach Marty Scholton Heimur. My hats off to coach Parcells and his staff. That s the Best offence we have faced All  Broncos whip Steeles maintain division tie with raiders Pittsburgh a Steve Sewell ran 2 Yards with 1 45 remaining for his second fourth Quarter touchdown and Mike Harden followed with a 42-Yard interception return score As the Denver Broncos rallied to beat the Pittsburgh Steeles 31-23 sunday. The National football league teams combined for five touchdowns in the final 9 02 As the Broncos 9-4, retained a share of the acc West Lead. The Steeler 6-7, suffered their second Home Field loss in As Many weeks despite a touchdown on Mike Merriweather s 35 Yard interception return that gave them a 23-17 Lead with 5 02 to play. John Elway who earlier threw a 24 Yard scoring shot to Clint Sampson set up Sewell s deciding touchdown run with a 27-Yard completion to Clarence key to the Steeles 5-Yard line. Sewell s 12-Yard to run earlier in the Quarter had Given the Broncos a 17-9lead. Harden s touchdown return was the Denver defense s fourth interception of a David Woodley pass. The Broncos turned three of the turn overs into scores. The Broncos also sacked Woodley five times including four sacks by defensive end Karl Mecklenburg. Woodley s 34-Yard touchdown pass to Louis Lipps with 6 32 to play just 1 30 before Crri Walher s touchdown ral lied the Steeles to within 17-16. Pittsburgh had managed Only three Gary Anderson Field goals in the first 3vi quarters of play. Denver avenging a 23-17 playoff loss to the Steeles last season also got a 42 Yard second Quarter Field goal by Rich Karlis