European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - December 31, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse Thursday december 31. 1987 the stars and stripes Page 19 new Orleans saints owner Tom Benson Doe the Benson Boogie last weekend. His learn takes on Minne Wila in sunday s playoff. Some wild nil cards by lit1 a Oci med press that this was a year of surprises in the nil is attested to by the quartet of teams playing sunday in the acc and pfc mid card games. The Minnesota Vikings will travel to new Orleans to play the saints. The Seattle so Hawks will he in hous ton is new Orleans finished second in the Etc West Only because the san Francis co 49crs have been awesome in a Eccl weeks finishing Llie regular season at 13 2. The saints won their last nine games finished with a 12-3 record the first winning season in their 21-year history and still came up with Only a wild card and the Home Field in the first round. Jim Mora the saints coach said an emotional game sunday would not sur prise . It s the first playoff game in the tory of this organisation and the first Lime they the Vikings have been in the playoffs since 1982. There Are if teams in the playoffs and i would guess icy la All be he said. The fact Ihal it s a do or die situation if they lose it. Their season is Over May pick things up a Minnesota made the playoffs despite losing its final regular season game in overtime to the Washington redskins and finishing at s-7. Second in inc pfc Central behind inc Chicago bears. 11-4, the Vikings had to has a help from the Dallas cowboys sunday. They Goi it in the form of a 21-Lft Dallas Victory Over St. Louis which knocked the cardinals out of postseason play. Mora flared up when a reporter referred to Minnesota As a Leam that backed into the playoffs. What do Jou mean backed in they Well 8-7 and won inc right to be in the he said. They did t Back into on saturday after losing 27-24 to w Ashin Glun. The Vikings left the held a broken dejected Leam. Quite a few Guys were outspoken about thai we did l deserve to be in the Vikings quarterback Wade Wilson said after watching the cardinals lose to Dallas on television. He Ihal was just some emotions Gomul i m relieved Anil real Vikings coach Jerry Burn shrugged off talk of backing into Post so Ason play saying. Lei s Pul it a i feel Good about in. When we started the sea son our was 10 gel Mlo the playoffs any Way we could. When it s ill said and done they Don t ask How. They ask How the Vikings had one of the league s Best records in non strike games r-4. But its strike replacement Leam went and the regular team lost three of its last four. The Vikings needed the cowboys to pick them up. They did us two said Minne Sota defensive coordinator Floyd Peters. They loss to us 44-38 on thanksgiving and then they beat St. Louis far us. Thanki cowboys. It really is a Cray Houston playing in the Lough acc Central division began the season with few aspirations and. With a boost from a 2-1 replacement team during the Early season strike. Made Illo the playoffs for he first time is Nee i9so. The oilers were 9-6, just behind Divi bion Champion Cleveland. 10-5. Houston coach Jerry i Lanville did t sleep much sunday night after team held off Cincinnati 21-17 to Clinch us playoff Bunh. I was afraid to no to sleep because i might Wake up and find it a on a a the second year coach said. We re going to enjoy the season that just ended and prepare for Llie next one thai begins on sunday the Neit season is four games Long and we want to try logo Ibur for Oiler Light end Jamie Williams said. The general feeling around Houston and the league was thai the. Oilers were loss in some Hlafka Hole in space. We d never be seen again As Seattle also was la and second inc acc West in had Denver 10-4-1. But the sea Hawks. Unlike inc other three wild card teams had every Hope when the season began that they would not Only be involved m Post season play but also would win their division. Houston s Umry and Seattle s 41-20 loss to the Kansas City chiefs sunday Cost the sea Hawls the Home Field in the first round and sent them limping into the playoffs Raiher than strutting. Among the blows suffered by Seville sunday was the los Sofsian running Back Curt Warner with a sprained left ankle. It s a four week injury Seattle coach Chuck kno said. Knox said he had not yet made up mind whether to replace Warner at run Ning Back with regular fullback John l. Williams or Reserve fullback Eric Lane. Rookie Tony Burse or Lane would be used at fullback if Williams is moved to running Back. We re going to miss a great player like Curt Warner no i question about that Knon said. We be got to have other players pick up the Slack. That s what we did in 19s4." Knox said he was disappointed tremendously about inc Way team played in Kansas City where in gave up More than 500 Yards in local offence. But he said he fell Good about getting into the playoffs after the sea Hawks missed them in seasons in a Row. Well find out a Litile bit More about whal we re mite us of this he noted. The division champions san fran Cisco. Chicago Washington in the pfc and Denver. Cleveland and Indianapolis in the acc gel this week off. Penn state s Thomas out for Citrus l hi., of i phial it on flair Thomas Mil nol play Aci Iusi f Leins Cin m the Cirrus bowl of new s Hay Accordini to Clinch Jne i la term i. He has t Cumi begun in run cd. V i Jon i see to hell i i Utor unsaid monday. The coach Thomas Mil probably undergo surgery on Mil right knee he injured during ill work out on dec. I Hill decision will to made a Nur medical Palerno said. Receiver Hay round acc. Who a Arighi 14 passes for an average of 24.k Yards a catch Imd five touchdowns will probably also miss Friday s game Miccu Nimg to the Philadelphia inquirer. Round rec one of Perm slate s mint powerful players is recovering from knee surgery and has yet to begin running in practice he missed the Hist four games Nothe season. Thomas who injured inc cruciate Liga ment in knee led i can state with 1.414 Yards Rushing the third Large so single season local m school history he Hind Lydell Mitchell 1,567 in 7l and Jahn cup Pelletti 1,522 in 1973. Thomas also lopped the learn m receptions with 23 for 300 Yards scoring pm Points and set a school single season Mark with 1.772 All purpose Yards. Before Thomas got Hurt. Palerno hoped a successful Day for the tailback in the nationally televised Citrus howl would give an Edge contending for the a Lisman trophy next season. Asked wha Ellel Thomas s Arisen will have on offence Palerno said. We had planned to put some new wrinkles to our offend even if Hlass could play. Sui we be had Lime m pre pare with soul . We just won t As Good at tailback As we would he with Himin the t Mimi of Thomas injury became Clear last week when he was examined by or. Hay Moyer at Temple in nuer suy s Spons Medicine Center in Phila Delphia. Mover told Thomas he would risk Mure damage if he played Thomas will be replaced h iary Brown and Leroy Thomas a pair of freshmen lir own from w Liliar port. A. Famed 273 Yards averaged aril a Tarn and scored three touchdowns including an so Yard run against Syracuse. Thompson from Knoxville. Tenn. Played in nine games and gained 57 Yards. Me led i can stale in Sickoll re turns Mill a 24.5 average. Ansbach nabs 2 titles in 7th at tournament or Afenko or. Germany ans Hach swept both championships of the 7 h army training come Christmas basketball tournament Here wednesday. As if cougars downed Schweinfurt 107 90 for the men s title and the lady Cou Gars humbled Tirac Wohr is us for inc women s Crown. In the men s final Ansh arh rallied from a precarious 48-47 Hal Timi Kad. Willie Allen sparked the cougars Lmh 19 Points and seven assists and Robert Charles contributed 16 Points ii re hounds and four blocked shots Stanley Ware and Lawrence Farrell paced Schwei fun with 2.1 and 21 Points respectively the lady cougars captured the third 7th at tournament and their second Loumey title of this month by winning All five Tif their tourney games Here. They also won the Lille of their own tournament on dec. 20
