European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 9, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 26 c the stars and stripes monday december 9,1991 sunday in the nil sore armed Elway defense Send Broncos into playoffs Cleveland a John Elway sore shoulder and All passed the Denver Broncos Back into the playoffs sunday. Elway threw for 221 Yards and two touchdowns As the Broncos beat the Cleveland Browns 17-7. It was the 13th time in 14 games the Broncos defense has held the opposition under 21 Points. Denver 10-4which has completely turned around last years 3-11 season assured itself of at least a wild card berth and kept itself in position to win the acc West. The Browns 6-8 seriously damaged any remaining playoff Hopes. Elway threw a first Quarter interception that set up Cleveland a Only score but he rebounded to throw touchdown passes of 30 Yards to Michael Young in the second Quarter and 6 Yards to Vance Johnson in the fourth. Elway did Only limited throwing this week because of a Bone Spur and tendinitis in his shoulder. Johnson a reception with 8 54 to play put Denver ahead for Good and capped a 16-play, 54-Yard drive that consumed More than 8 minutes. The Broncos converted four third Down plays on the drive the most critical when Cleveland a Frank Minnifield was penalized for illegal Contact on a third-and-16 play. Denver a defense sacked Bernie Kosar five times intercepted him once and did not allow the Browns past Midfield in the second half. Kosar completed 12 of 24 passes for 110 Yards Elway was 16 of 29 and was sacked four times. Cleveland led Early when Kevin Mack ran 3 Yards for a score in the first Quarter. It came four plays after Cedric Figaro stepped in front of Johnson and intercepted Elway returning the Ball 9 Yards to the Denver 37. But the Broncos came Back immediately going 71 Yards in seven plays on their next Possession. Elway a 21-Yard pass to Shannon Sharpe set up Johnson a diving to reception in the end zone. Denver had another touchdown called Back when Clarence Kay who had caught an apparent 17-Yard to pass was whistled for offensive pass interference. The setback was Only temporary because Minnifield a penalty came two plays later. Any doubts about Elway sarm strength were erased when he unloaded a 60-Yard pass to Steve Sewell late in the game. It put David Treadwell in position for a clinching 37-Yard Field goal with 3 29 left. Cleveland Sclay Matthews forces an incompletion from Denver a John Elway. Dallas does in saints Irving Texas a hurry Back Troy Aikman. Steve Beuer Lein May take the Dallas cowboys to the nil playoffs without you. Beuerlein threw two touchdown passes sunday and directed four other scoring drives to lift the cowboys to a 23-14 Victory Over the fast sinking new Orleans saints. The cowboys who can control their wild card destiny by winning out increased their record to 9-5 in the pfc East. New Orleans losing its fourth consecutive game after building up fourth Quarter leads dropped to 9-5 in the pfc West. Once again the saints who once were 9-1, had a faint hearted fourth Quarter. They seized a 14-13 Lead with 2 30 to play in the third period when Steve Walsh completed four of five passes on an 80-Yard drive including a 4-Yard scoring toss to Gill Fenerty. But Dallas and Beuerlein winning his third game since Aikman sustained a knee injury took charge in the fatal fourth which featured questionable tactics by saints coach Jim Mora. Aikman suited up for the first time since the injury and available for emergency duty watched Beuerlein a flawless performance from the sidelines. Ken Willis kicked his third Field goal of the game from 4qyards to give Dallas a 16-14 Lead. A 29-Yard pass to Michael Irvin set up the Field goal. The saints marched right Back to the Dallas 37, where on fourth and eight Mora opted to go for a first Down instead of allowing Morten Andersen to attempt a 54-Yard Field goal. Walsh a pass was broken up by Bill Bates. Dallas then came right Back to Clinch the game on a 63-Yard drive with Tommie Agee scoring from 4 Yards with two minutes to play. Oilers get around to winning title Houston a the Houston oilers found some third time Charm sunday. After failing two weeks in a Row to wrap up their first acc Central title the oilers grabbed the Crown with a 31-6 Victory Over the Pittsburgh Steeles. Losses to Pittsburgh 26-14 and Philadelphia 13-6 the past two weeks kept the oilers from clinching the title. The oilers 10-4 tied for the Best re Cord in the acc Central in 1980 and 1990, but lost in the tie breaking process. The oilers won division titles in the american football league in 1960, 1961, 1962 and 1967. Alien Pinkett breathed life into the running game with touchdown runs of 7 and 11 Yards and gained 98 Yards on 16 carries. Linebacker a1 Smith provided late game excitement with a 70-Yard Fum ble return for a touchdown in the fourth Quarter. Lamar Lathon forced Pittsburgh quarterback Neil of Donnell a Fumble setting up the return. Houston carved out a 10-3 halftime Lead on a 7-Yard run by Pinkett in the first Quarter and a1 Del Greco a 24-Yard Field goal in the second Quarter. Pinketts first Quarter to marked the first time the oilers had scored in the opening period since they beat Cincinnati 35-3 of oct. 27. Andersons second Field goal a 36-yarder in the third Quarter gave the kicker 1,000 career Points. After a slow Start Moon finished strongly completing 23 of 36 passes for 254 Yards. Jeffires the a Fly a leading receiver caught six for 77 Yards and Drew Hill caught eight for 97 , Muster drive bears Over packers Chicago apr Jim Harbaugh threw two touchdown passes to Wendell Davis and Brad Muster ran for two touchdowns sunday leading the Chicago bears to a 27-13 Victory Over the Green Bay packers. The win halted a two game losing Streak by the bears 10-4 and moved them closer to their seventh Central division title in eight years. The packers 311 lost their fifth in the last six games. Harbaugh completed 16 of 25 passes for 209 Yards and his 35-Yard touchdown to Davis late in the third Quarter clinched it. Chicago a defense blanked the packers Quarter backed by former teammate Mike Tomczak in the second half. Midway in the fourth Quarter and Down by two touchdowns the packers gambled on a fourth and three and failed when Tomczak fumbled the snap. On Green Bay a next Possession Tomczak fumbled. _ the bears had a pair of 73-Yard drives in the first half capped by touchdown runs by Muster. Muster scored on an 8-Yard run in the first period. The packers came Back with two scores following turnovers to take a 10-7 Lead. Johnny Bailey a fumbled punt was recovered by Blair Bush on the Chicago 14 before Chris Jacke kicked a 25-Yard Field goal. Vinnie Clark then intercepted a pass and returned it 20 Yards to the Chicago 30. Eight plays later Tomczak flipped a 1-Yard touchdown pass to Jackie Harris. Musters 6-Yard run capped another 73-Yard drive to give the bears a 14-10 Lead. On the next play from scrimmage Jim Morrissey intercepted a pass and Harbaugh followed with a 20-Yard to to Davis