European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 22, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday december 22, 1985 the stars and stripes Page 21 sports giants rip Steeles for playoff spot East Rutherford. . A the new York giants clinched a National football league playoff spot and propelled Cleveland into the playoffs saturday crushing the Pittsburgh steel cars 28-10 As Joe Morris led a dominating ground game with 202 Yards and three Lou Chowns. The Victory gave the giants a final regular season record of 10-6, their Best Mark since 1963, and guaranteed them the Home Field in next week s pfc wild card game again t i ther san Francisco or Washington. It also gave Cleveland the american conference Central title the Only Way the Browns could have lost was via wins by Pittsburgh and Cincinnati to create a three Way tie. It left Pittsburgh at 7-9, the steel cars first losing season since 1971. Sticking almost entirely on the ground on a frigid blustery Day the giants took control with a 71-Yard touchdown drive off the open ing Kickoff then blew open he game with a 21-Point second Quarter that featured a 65 Yard on shoes touchdown ramble by Morris. Morris finished the season with 1.336 Yards breaking Ron Johnson s single sea son giants Rushing record. The Day belonged to the 5-foot-7. 195 Pound Morris who has been named to the pfc pro bowl squad. Mis Only failure came Midway through the fourth Quarter when he was thwarted in an attempt for a fourth score  i. Constantly slashing inside and breaking out he registered his sixth 100-Yard game of the season and had his fourth three touchdown contest with scoring runs of 9, 65 and i Yards. In the first half alone he ran for 153 Yards As new York went off at intermission with a 28-3 Lead and 218 Rush ing Yards. Morris 202 Yards in 36 carries was the second Best Ever by a giants player behind the team record of 218 Yards by Gene Roberts in 1950. He also became the first running Back to go Over 200 Yards in a game against Pittsburgh since . Simpson did it in 1975. That left new York quarterback Phil Simonis who entered the game needing 277 Yards for a second straight 4,000-Yard sea son with an easy task. Simms threw Only six passes in the first half one a 23-Yard touchdown pass to Bobby Johnson. He finished with Loof 16 for 106 Yards. The giants took the opening Kickoff and went 71 Yards in ii plays with Morris going 9 Yards behind a Block from Rob Carpenter and Billy Ard for his 19th touch Down of the season. All but 20 of the Yards came on the ground. But the a Peclers defense got sacks from Gregg Carr Robin Cole and Mark Catano on the next two new York series and were helped by a favouring wind in inc first Quarter. That finally gave them the Ball at their 44 with 1 34 left in the first Quarter. From there they moved to the new York 9, and Gary Anderson kicked a 26-Yard Field goal 11 seconds into the second period cutting the giants Lead to 7-3. A minute and a half later it  m-.1 after a pass interference Call against Pitts Burgh s Donnie Shell on a third and 16  new York the Ball on its 35, Morris look a Handoff from Simms. Started right then Cut Back left and sped 65 Yards Down inc left sideline for a touchdown. The last ?0 Yards were navigated with just one shoe Morns right shoe was knocked off As he broke the  attempted tackle by Rick Woods. The cat Lime the giants got the Ball they went 57 Yards in six plays to make it 21-3. Morris got his third to from a Yard out after Carpenter s 46-Yard run his Long est in five years As a giant. Simms made it 28-3 with the touchdown pass to Johnson with 4 06 left in the half after Andy Headen picked off a Scott Campbell pass at the St clerk 36. The a Peclers made it 28-10 on the first series of the second half on Campbell s 34 Yard touchdown pass to John  nip Seattle i on Karlis late Fig file photo Denver placekicker fcb Karlis. 43-Yard Field goal beats so Hawks so attle a Rich Karlis who missed a 34-Yard Field goal attempt earlier in the fourth Quarter booted a 43-yarder with 55 seconds left Friday night to give Denver a come from behind 27-24 Victor Over the Seattle sea Hawks and keep the Broncos National a ool Ball league playoff Hopes alive. Seattle just missed tying the game As Lime expired when Norm Johnson s 52-Yard Field goal attempt hit the right upright. In order for Denver 11-5, to gel an acc wild card berth either the new York jets or the new England patriots must lose sunday. The Broncos who trailed 17-0 in the first half were behind 24-17 with 5 20 to go in the game after Seattle s Curt Warner leaped into inc end  from one Yard out. But John , Denver s Brilliant quarterback who completed 24 of 42 passes for 432 Yards drove the Broncos 80 Yards in eight plays for the game tying touchdown with 2 35 left. The key play was a 60-Yard strike to Sieve Watson to the Seattle 6. Steve Sewell s one Yard run and Karlis extra Point kick tied inc score at 24-24, Selling the slag for Karlis winning Field goal. Elway was almost sacked on the Long pass play. But he scrambled free then fired the 60-Yard bomb to Waison. Sewell scored four plays later to knot the score. The so Hawks then gave up the Ball after three Dae Kney passes were incomplete and Denver Louk Over on its own 3k with 1 55 remaining the Broncos went 34 my in five plays to position Karlis for his jianu1 winning kick.  had a 27-Yard pass completion to Sewell to Start out the drive but  to leave the game with an ankle Majur alter being hit by defensive end Jeff Bryant on the pass to Sewell. Iary Kubiak came in and ran six Yards on a quarterback keeper to get Denver to the scuttle 25 before Kar Lis came onto the Field. Karlis who beat the so Hawks in Denver earlier in the season with an overtime Field goal was wide to the left with his 34-Yard us with 10 02 logo with he score tied it 17-1? the so Hawks he were eliminated from playoff Contention last Sunda with .1 loss to the raiders in Fos Angeles. The jumped out to a 17-0 Lead in the opening half As Krieg passed 41 Yards to Daryl Turner for a touchdown Johnson booted a 29-Yard Field goal and Terry Tay Lor ran a blocked Chris Norman pull into the end one from 15 Yards Oul. But the Broncos fought Back and made it 17-10 at halftime on a 17-Yard touchdown pass from Elway to Watson and a 25-Yard Karlis Field goal. Gerald Willhite scored on a one Yard run with 1 40 gone in the fourth Quarter to tic the score at 17. Lakers trim cars to avenge Only Home loss from press dispatches Richfield Ohio Kareem Abdul Jabbar scored 13 of his 29 Points in the third Quarter As the los Angeles lakers Defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 128-116 Friday night. Los Angeles 23-3, won its fourth straight game and avenged its Only Home defeat of the season. Cleveland beat the lakers 129-111 in their Home opener nov. 5. The lakers have won ii consecutive Home games since that defeat which snapped a 17-game regular season Home winning Streak. Los Angeles led 63-59 at halftime and still had Only a four Point advantage 71 67, with 9 27 remaining in the third Quarter. But the lakers got consecutive baskets Aba Roundup from Kurt Rambis Byron Scott James worthy and Earvin magic Johnson to take a 79-67 Lead. Scott scored 21 Points for the lakers and worthy and Johnson had 19 Points each. Abdul Jabbar made 12 of his 16 Field goal tries. In other Aba games 76ers 112, jazz 105 Philadelphia Moses Malone scored a season High 37 Points including 19 free throws As Philadelphia Defeated Utah. Malone connected for 19 of 22 free throws High Marks in the Aba this season for attempts and free throws As the mixers won their third straight. Nets 122, rockets 112 East Rutherford . Buck Williams scored 11 of his 26 Points in the third Quarter As new Jersey extended a four Point half time Lead to is in route to Victory Over Houston. Williams who also had 20 rebounds got plenty of help from centers Mike Gminski and Darryl Dawkins who added 22 and 21 Points respectively to outscore Houston 7-footers Ralph Sampson and Akem Oto Juwon. Olajuwon had 20 Points and Sampson 18 for the rockets. Pacers 114, Bucks 102 Indianapolis Steve Stipano Vich scored 14 of his 16 Points in the fourth Quarter and Indiana held Milwaukee scoreless for vat minutes late in the game As the pacers rolled to Victory. Stipanovich scored nine of the pacers first 13 Points in the final Quarter boost ing Indiana from an 87-80 deficit at the i and of three periods to a 93-93 tie. He later scored five Points in a 12-0 pacers rally that lifted Indiana from a 101-100 Lead to a 113-100 advantage wih 54 seconds left. Spurs 119. Clippers 104 los Angeles Alvin Robertson scored 23 of his career High 32 Points in the first half to Lead san Antonio Over los Angeles. The spurs who led throughout the game opened a 10-Poinl advantage in the fourth Quarter before the clippers mar ques Johnson scored seven Slraight Points to Cul inc margin to 97-94 with 8 52 remaining. The spurs regained control with cig i unanswered Points to take a 104-95 Lead