European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 15, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse Saturday december 15,1990 the stars and stripes Page 23 National football a league Knox out coaches them All by Dave Goldberg a football writer three weeks to go and 18 teams Are still alive for the last seven playoff spots. What could be better than All that Competition in the nil maybe some of the individual Competition. Herewith one View of those races. Coach of the year a when the votes Are in it will probably go to Mike Ditka on the theory that he brought his bears Back from 6-10 last year to 10-3 so far this season. But almost everyone picked Seattle for last in the acc West a suspicion confirmed when the sea Hawks started 0-3. Now they re 7-6, their defense is revived and Chuck Knox had the Good sense to scrap the run and shoot and go Back to ground Chuck. You can also make a Good Case for Don Shula who has revived the dolphins Jimmy Johnson who already has sex Tuple his victories in Dallas Art Shell of the raiders and Bill Parcells who has probably done his Best coaching Job Ever with the giants. And the Winner is Chuck Knox most valuable player everyone always thinks first of writing in the name of a quarterback who plays in san Francisco and whose last name is the same As a state in the Rocky mountains. Joe Montana and the 49ers Are synonymous. They would probably be about 8-5 without him. If they go to the super bowl again he a the reason. A. But. A. A. A a a a there a a Guy running for the Job who is probably the main reason Buffalo is u-2. A a it a up to you Guys now a Bruce Smith Goldberg a a awards Philadelphia Brandall Cunningham. Top offensive player who has 19 sacks and needs four in the next three games to set an nil record told reporters this week. A a you be seen 13 games. You know what they say a there a the Eye in the sky and it sees it the Eye also sees Randall Cunningham but the eagles Are Only 7-6. It sees Neal Anderson who has been the entire offence for the bears and it sees a dark dark horse Steve Deburg of the chiefs. The envelope please sorry Joe Montana san Francisco. Offensive player a the same candidates As above except for Smith who can to run for something he does no to do. Plus add Jerry Rice w to makes Matila a what he is and Andre Rison of the Falcons who might be As Good As Rice if he had a Montana throwing to him and Marion Butts who is to san Diego what John Riggins was to Washington. The envelope save Randall Cunningham Philadelphia. Defensive player a of Bruce this is where you fit. But there Are other candidates like a Charles Haley of the 49ers, an Unsung Guy in an Unsung defense. A Pepper Johnson of the giants overlooked because his initials Aren t a Mark Carrier the Rookie safety the bears drafted because he came cheap Only to find out he could Lead the league in interceptions. A Derrick Thomas of the chiefs who has 17 sacks eight in one game. Thomas has been inconsistent. Make Seth Joyner of the eagles the other finalist. The Winner Bruce Smith Buffalo. Offensive Rookie there arc All those first round draft choices and there is Johnnie Johnson of Phoenix. He lasted until the seventh round because he got kicked off the team at san Jose state for going to the world series instead of practice. A a a a a a there is also Richmond Webb of Miami who deserves it even if tackles get overlooked in All these polls. Add Emmitt Smith the reason for the Dallas transformation and Eric Green the Mammoth Pittsburgh tight end who May redefine his position. Of and Jeff George of Indianapolis who has been less inconsistent than most Rookie quarterbacks behind one of the week 15 on afro television Buffalo at new York giants 6 30 . Saturday Washington at new England 10 . Saturday Houston at Kansas City 7 . Sunday Cincinnati at Ixos Angeles raiders. 10 . Sunday Chicago at Detroit 2 . Monday san Francisco at is Angeles a nuns 3 . Buffalo at giants 6 30 . Saturday Washington at new England 10 . Saturday Pittsburgh at new Orleans 7 . Sunday Green Bay at Philadelphia 10 . Sunday Chicago at Detroit 2 . Monday san Francisco us rams 3 tuesday. A Fly a less distinguished offensive lines. The numbers say. Johnnie Johnson Phoenix. Defensive Rookie a a Nice lot. There is Carrier who has proved he deserved to be the sixth Overall pick when everyone thought he should have been 36th. There is linebacker James Francis who May be the Best player of Cincinnati defense. There is Cortez Kennedy who signed late and has been spotty. But the Bottom line is that the sea Hawks Are 7-3 since he moved in at defensive tackle. There is Percy Snow who has Given the chiefs another building Block at linebacker. And there is Aaron Wallace a second round pick who has added another element to the raiders pass Rush. Overall there is Only., Mark Carrier Chicago. Giants will beat Bills by Dave Goldberg a football writer somebody somewhere probably at Abc is bound to portray saturdays game Between the Bills and giants As a super bowl preview maybe maybe not but it is still one of the years most interesting matchup a even if each team has two losses. A a a a. /. A. So what do we have a rejuvenated Lawrence Taylor is. A Bruce Smith predictions who is playing As Well As Ever and is at his Best on National to. Its also a matchup of the Best of the acc is. The acknowledged second Best in the pfc and the nil. The giants Are favored by 3vi Points. Lets go to incentive. The Bills 11-2with a killer dosing schedule that also includes the dolphins and redskins need this game to keep their tenuous hold on the acc East going into next weeks game with the giants u-2 need this game Only if they still think they can catch the 49ers for Home Field in the playoffs. Even if the giants lose they can still get a first round Bye by Belling Phoenix and new England in their final two games. But the giants supposedly done to look ahead. Plus they Haven to lost at Home this season giants 17-13. Houston plus 3 i at Kansas City a two factors a this game Isnit in the Astrodome. A the chiefs Arentt Cleveland even though Marty sch Ottenheimer is their coach. Chiefs 24-17. Green Bay plus 10 at Philadelphia somehow the the giants whose Lawrence Taylor pressures Minnesota a Rich Gannon will defeat Buffalo 1713 saturday idea of Anthony Dilweg or Blair Kiel facing buddy a boys off two straight losses is Well. Eagles 31 to. A. A Cincinnati plus 5vi at raiders a Isnit this the begat so week to win if the 49ers can shred their run defense what will to do raiders 27-20. San Francisco minus 6 at rams monday night a the oddity of this series is that the rams have won four of six regular season games at candlestick including this year and lost nine of Anaheim. 49ers 27-14. Minnesota minus 6 at Tampa Bay 7 Minnesota has lost eight straight outdoors and 12 of its last 13, guess where the one win was Vikings 24-13,. Chicago minus 3 at Detroit a another of those Quick turnarounds. The bears won in overtime two weeks ago in Chicago because the wind turned aside Eddie Murray a Field goal try. If the bears intercepted Mark Rypien five times what will they do to Rodney Peete bears 20-10. Washington minus 13 at new England whatever the vegas Guys give the patriots Isnit enough redskins 41-3,. Atlanta plus 1 at Cleveland a the Falcons have lost 16 straight on the Road and they re favored. See above. Falcons 41-3, Seattle minus 5vi at Miami yes the sea Hawks Are coming on. But they re also Road weary. Dgl-p11ins 20-13. Pittsburgh plus 2 at new Orleans a Bubby goes Home but this could be one of those touchdown less weeks. Saints 176. Phoenix minus 5vi at Dallas a it s the cowboys playoff drive cowboys 17-10. A san Diego pick Mem at Denver a its this kind of year for the Broncos. Chargers 13-10 overtime. Indianapolis plus 3vi at new York jets a for what its Worth this is for third place in the acc East. The coins won the first time 17-14. Jets 17-14. Last week 5-7 spread9-3 straight 86-93-1 spread113-68 straight up
