European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 27, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday december 27, 1989 the stars and stripes Page 23 49ers favored As playoff Field fills by Dave Goldbe Gap football writer the confusion and contingencies Are Over and the of playoff lineup is set with san Francisco the favorite to win yet another super bowl. The pfc is looking As Domi Nant As Ever and teams like the saints Lions and chiefs Are poised for a Rush into the 1990s. It was a year in which everything was the same an everything was different. The playoff favourites Are familiar the 49ers, giants Browns Broncos rams Bills and eagles have All been there  in a sense the season belonged to teams like the saints who missed the playoffs but spoiled two other teams parties and coming teams like the packers Lions and chiefs All of whom can build on late season Momen Tum. At the other extreme Are the Falcons jets and perhaps even the bears who have to Start from scratch. So do the cowboys who look like something worse than an expansion team after going i-1s. No question about it we have Laid the foundation forthe future said coach Marty sch Ottenheimer of Kansas City after turning a 4-11 team to 8-7-1. The Lions use Barry Sanders dazzling legs to win their final five games and new Orleans unearthed Little known quarterback John Fourcade to win its final  for the playoffs starting sunday with the wild card games two 11-5 teams will meet in the pfc game when i nil trend the los Angeles rams visit Philadelphia. The acc game will involve two teams from the Centra division. Pittsburgh 9-7 will be at Houston also 9-7with the oilers facing Chuck Noll another coach who has no love for Jerry Glanville. The divisional playoffs will take place the following week. The 49ers 14-2 will be Host to either the eagles or the Vikings 1cw. The new York giants 12-4 will be at Home to either the rams or Minnesota. In she aft Denver 11-5, will play Host to the wild card Winner and Buffalo 9-7 will be at Cleveland which beat Houston 24-20 saturday night to finish 9-6-1 and win the Central for the fourth time in five years. The 49ers will be the favourites to become the first Tea since Pittsburgh a decade ago to win two straight super bowls although their path won t be easy. They went 3-1 against the rams giants and eagles this year splitting with los Angeles and beating the giants and eagles. But none of those games was easy the trailed the eagles by 11 Points in the fourth Quarter and needed a fortuitous offside penalty to beat new York. On the other hand it would tic hard to argue against any team from the pfc. Which already has a Streak of five straight super bowl victories and has won seven of nine inthe 1980s. The 49ers, rams giants and eagles were 14-2 i games against acc teams and the eagles and giants both beat the arcs Best Denver at Denver. And the packers and Lions made dramatic improvement in the pfc Central. Sanders last year s Heisman trophy Winner rushed for a team record 1,470 Yards just 10 Short of the league leading total of 1.480 by Christian Okoye of the chiefs. Even More he gave the Lions a visibility they Haven Thad for a decade. And their 7-9 record forged on five closing wins gives them Hope for the future particularly since they have Strong Young defensive players like Jerry Ball cons spic Man and Bennie  packers went from 4-12 to 10-6 As quarterback Don Majkowski emerged As a two minute quarterback to rival Joe Montana Tim Harris became the Northland s version of Lawrence Taylor and Sterling Sharp looked like the next Jerry  defy anyone to Tell us that they thought this is where we d be said coach Lindy Infante not withstanding his team s soft schedule and four one Point wins. Then there arc Schotten Cimer s chiefs led by Rookie linebacker Derrick Thomas. They would have made the playoffs had they not Bee upset at Home in week 15 by san Diego which won its last two to finish 6-10. The chargers also could be Well Ging particularly if Bobby Beathard replaces the fired Steve Ortmayer at general manager and makes the Quick fixes he s known for. Nil from Page 21 turnaround from an 0-2 Start in which it wasoutscored92-Io. In the pfc Victory was the Only Way for the Vikings to make the playoffs a loss would have eliminated Minnesota since Philadelphia and the los Angeles rams nailed Down the pfc wild car spots with sunday victories. The saints improved to 9-7, but finished out of the playoffs. The loss dropped the Colts to 8-8. The key to the Victory was John four Cade who has played in the nil Usel Cal and Arena football. Fourcade has thrown for six touchdowns in three games since replacing a struggling Bobby Fourcade ran for one touchdown an threw for two others and the saints scored 31 unanswered Points in the Sec Ond half for the Victory. Fourcade completed 21 of 28 passe for 291 Yards and with 30 Yards Rushing on five carries. New Orleans took a 10-6 Lead int halftime before destroying Indianapolis defensively in the second half. Indiana Polis got its initial second half first Down with 2 ii remaining. After cornerback Robert mass sprinted 54 Yards to the Colts 12 Early in the third Quarter Dalton Milliar scooted in from 7 Yards out for a 17-6 Lead. Early in the fourth Quarter four Cadran and passed new Orleans to the Indi Anapolis 30. On fourth-arid-1 from the 30, Fourcade faked a Handoff scrambled and found Hoby Brenner at the 10. The tight end walked into the end zone for the 24-6 Lead. New Orleans again shut Down the Colts and took Over at the Indianapolis 47 after a punt. Eight plays later four Cade sprinted right for a 2-Yard touch Down and the 31-6 Lead. Colts quarterback Jack Trudeau was injured late in the game and was re placed by Tom Ramsey. Ramsey threw an interception to Toi Cook who ran 63yards for a touchdown. Morten Andersen added a fourth Quarter Field goal. In other games sunday giants 34, riders 17east Rutherford . The giants clinched the pfc East and eliminated the los Angeles raiders when Oltis Anderson ran for two touchdowns and went past 1,000 Yards for the season. The giants 12-4, will Host a division playoff. The raiders 8-8, missed the playoffs for the fourth straight year. Detroit s Barry Sanders. 158 Yards 3 ads Anderson scored on two 1-Yard run Sand new York added Rookie Dave mag sctt s 76-Yard punt return a 3-Yard Rugby quarterback Phil Simms and two Bjorn Pittmo Field goals. The raiders scored on Steve Blu Calcin passes of 1 Yard to Ethan Horton and 30 Yards to Mervyn Fernandez and Jeff Jaeger s 42 Yard Field goal. Lions 31, Falcons 24 Atlanta Rookie Barry Sanders rushed for 158 Yards including touch Down runs of 25, 17 and 18 Yards to break Detroit s single season records for Rushing and ads. Sanders finished with1,470 Yards and 14 ads. The Lions closed the season with five straight wins to wind up 7-9. Eddie Mur Ray finished with 20 Field goals in 21attempts and tied the nil record for accuracy which he already shared with Mark Mosc Lcy. Packers 20, cowboys 10 Irving Texas Don Majkowski threw two touchdown passes and Green Bay forced five turnovers. Green Bay completed its Best regular season in 17 years with a 10-6 record and the 1-15cowboys equated an nil record for most losses in a season. Chris Jack added Field goals of 28 Yards on Green Bay s first Possession and 24 Yards with3 24 to play. Chiefs 27, dolphins 24 Miami Nick Lowery kicked a 41-Yard Field Goat with 1 41 left to win it for Kansas City. The chiefs 8-7-drove 44yards to the Miami 23, from where Low cry hit the Winner. Miami 8-8, had tie the score 24-24 on a 12-Yard pass from Dan Marino to Mark Clayton with 4 24left. Rams 24, patriots 20 Foxboro mass. Greg Bel capped a 210-Yard Rushing performance with a 3-Yard run with 1 55 remaining leading los Angeles to its wild card berth. The rams 11-5, will meet the eagles at Philadelphia sunday in the pfc wild card game. The patriots 5-11, completed their worst season since going 2 14 in 1985. Eagles 31, cardinals 14philadelphia Randall Cunningham ran for one touchdown an threw for another to Nail Down an pfc wild card berth for the eagles. Cunning Ham scored on a 14-Yard run and threw a 4-Yard touchdown pass to Robert drum mond As the eagles handed Phoenix 5 ii its sixth straight loss. Philadelphia ended the regular season 11-5. Steeles 31, buccaneers 22tampa, Fla. The Pittsburgh Elcel cars reached the Brink of their first playoff berth since 1984 behind two touchdowns from wide receiver Louis Lipps an Rookie running Back Tim Worley. Pitts Burgh 9-7, won five of its last six Deal ing Tampa Bay 5-11, its fourth straight loss. 49ers 26, bears 0san Francisco Joe Montana completed 10 of 21 passes for 106 Yard Sand one touchdown shattering the nil s single season quarterback rating Mark. Montana finished with a final rat ing of 112.41, breaking the Mark set by Milt Plum in 1960 of 110.4. The Victory gave the 49crs an nil Best 14-2 regular season record As Chicago finished the year by losing six in a Row and suffered its first shutout since dec. 14, 1987. The bears closed out at 6-10. Chargers 19, Broncos 16san Diego Chris Bahr s 45-Yard Field goal As time expired did it for the chargers. Bahr lofted Bis kick after the chargers had stormed Back from a stun Ning Denver touchdown that tied and nearly won the game with 35 seconds to play. The Broncos 11-5, went Back to Colorado to await the playoffs with Thebes record in the acc. Finishing 6-10, san Diego was stuck with its second consecutive losing season. Vikes from Page 21 Lions All year for 10 Yards made ii diving catch in the Corner Over Leon Barker. The win gave Minnesota its first Divi Sion title since 1980 and dropped the bengals to 8-8 and into last place in the acc Central a division that produced three of the acc s five playoff teams. The title was forged in a manner that made the Vikings a pre season Favori teas their league leading defense got three sacks  Dolman and 21-2 by Henry Thomas intercepted Esiason three Tim Sand forced three fumbles. The defense came through most importantly on a sequence Midway through the third Quarter after the bengals had Cut the deficit to 22-14 and were at the Minnesota ii. On the first play Dolman who finished with a league leading 201-2 sacks dropped Esiason for a 13-Yard loss. The Thomas broke through and stripped the Ball ending the threat. The Vikings moved easily from the Start. They scored first on Karlis 31-yardcr5 30 into the game As the Vikings Start ing Wilh a 26-Yard screen to Fenne reached the Cincinnati 14 before stalling Karlis made it 6-0 with a 37-yarder six minutes later after a drive marked by a 32-Yard pass to Steve Jordan. Okoye claims Rushing Crown Kansas City to. A Kansa City s Christian Okoye thundered for 1,480 this season holding off a final Day charge by Detroit Rookie Barry Sanders and lock up the nil Rushing title. The 260-Pound nigerian took a 70-Yard Lead Over Sanders into the final weekend but Sanders devoured that Cushion sunday with a 158-Yard Day against the Atlanta Falcons. That gave him 1,470 Yards. Okoye ran for 98 Yards in a 27-24 Vic tory in Miami sunday against the dolphins for his 10-Yard Edge Over Sanders. Officially though Okoye was crowned Champion until after monday s nil regular season finale Between Cincinnati and Minnesota. If Cincinnati s James Brooks had gained 334 Yard against the nil s top rated defense he would have tied Okoye