European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 24, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday december 24, 1991 the stars and stripes b Page 25 sunday in the Lions halt Bills Home win Streaky John f. Bonfatti Orchard Park n y. A the Bills were without marquee players Jim Kelly Thurman Thomas and James Lofton. They found no sympathy from Detroit coach Wayne Fontes. A that does no to minimize this  Fontes said after the Lions snapped the Bills Home win Streak at 17 games with a 17-14 overtime win sunday. A we also had five Guys who did not play this afternoon and then we lost Dennis Gibson we lost Bennie Blades and Willie Green a he said. A we were playing without eight players and to do what we did today. I m Verv very proud of this football  backups moved to the forefront for both teams in an exciting game that ended when Eddie Murray who d missed two Field goals in the fourth Quarter s final 35 seconds hit from 21 Yards to give Detroit a franchise record 12 wins this season. Kelly Thomas and Lofton three key members of the Bills High octane offence were held out after they sustained injuries the previous week. Lofton who has a sprained foot May not make it Back for Buffalo s first play off game in two weeks. But Kelly who has a sore knee and Thomas sore ankle should he read Tor postseason play. The game originally was billed As a Battle for the nil Rushing title Between Thomas and Detroit s Barry Sanders who entered the game 33 Yards ahead of Thomas. But Thomas stayed on the sideline and Sanders put on a show a Only to fall 15 Yards Short of Emmitt Smith s 1,563 Rushing Yards. Sanders finished with 108 Yards and a touchdown on 26 carries. The fact that the Bills stacked the line of scrimmage to cowboys topple Falcons 31-27bydenneh. Freeman Irving Texas apr it was redemption sunday for the Dallas cowboys. Knocked out of the playoffs by Atlanta in the final game of the 1990 regular season the cowboys damaged the Falcons division title chances with a 31-27 Victory fashioned by nil Rushing Leader Emmitt Smith and a Brilliant defensive stand. In a later game new Orleans whipped Phoenix 27-3 to Clinch the pfc Western division title. That Means the Falcons have to travel to new Orleans As a wild card next week in the first round of the playoffs. Dallas 11-5clinching its Best record since the 1983 team went 12-4, will play at Detroit if Chicago beat san Francisco on monday night. The cowboys would be at Chicago if the bears lost to san Francisco. A we done to care where we go a said Dallas coach Jimmy Johnson. A fall i know is that a couple of years ago everybody was laughing at us. To reach this Point after where we started 1-15 a couple of years ago is  Johnson said the cowboys Effort ended speculation Dallas might not give Atlanta its Best shot. A i was amused that while we were watching films and studying our game plans last night Atlanta was listening to country and Western music a he said. "1 guess we took it  Smith who gained 160 Yards on 32 car Ries to Edge Barry Sanders for the Rushing Crown scored the go ahead touchdown on a 6-Yard run with 14 10 left. But his Fumble with 1 54 to go also gave Atlanta 10-6 a last ditch Chance. Smith won the nil Rushing title with 1,563 Yards to 1,548 for Detroit a Sanders a some people did no to believe in me Quot Smith said. A they said i was too Small and not fast. This is a great feeling. In a just trying to become a total package player like Thurman Thomas Buffalo and Sanders. I idolized those Guys coming out of College and i still  Dallas had to sweat it to the end. Scott Case recovered Smiths Fumble at the Atlanta 18 and Chris Miller took the Falcons to the Dallas 16, where he threw four consecutive incompletion. Cor Norback Larry Brown made two key plays on pass defense to stifle the Atlanta comeback. A a in a disappointed we did t get the win at the end a said a subdued Atlanta coach Jerry Glanville. Quot there might have been some interference Down there. That a the Way 1 saw  cowboys defensive tackle Tony Casillas traded to Dallas after a much publicized feud with Glanville said a we did no to want them bringing out the Champagne and popping corks in Texas  on the final play of the game. Brown tipped away a pass intended for Deion Sanders a defensive Back who had been Dallas running Back Emmitt Smith. Wins nil Rushing title inserted into the offence. Two plays earlier Brown Rode Sanders out of Bounds and Glanville thought it should have drawn a penalty. A i just had Good position both limes Quot Brown said. Miller threw three touchdown passes and had 316 Yards passing. Dali As Michael Irvin caught it passes for 169 Yards to win the receiving yardage title with 1,523 cards. Esiason bengals blast patriots Cincinnati a the Cincinnati bengals ended their worst season with their Best performance. That just made it All the More depressing. Boomer Esiason threw a season High three touchdown passes and the worst defense in the nil allowed a season Low seven Points sunday in a 29-7 Victory Over new England. A what today does is make you angry Quot Esiason said. A you go away thinking of what might have been. Its a sad ending  Quot it also adds to the intrigue Over whether coach Sam Wyche will keep his Job. I he bengals 3-13 record is the worst in the franchise s 24-year history but Wyche has two years left on his contract valued at $1 million. He a expected to meet with general manager Mike Brown later in the week. Wyche dropped no hints sunday about whether he expects to return or when he expects a decision. Wyche said he had no plans to meet / Brown on monday. A there Are no deadlines Here a Wyche said. Quot that s one of the things that s comforting about the end of the season. You done to have to have a game plan ready by 9 o clock wednesday morning. We re celebrating this game. We re going to enjoy this one right  Brown said sunday night he has no timetable in mind. A a we re going to talk some time this week then we re going to go from there Quot Brown said. The loss did t Drain the patriots enjoyment of an otherwise splendid season. First year coach Dick Macpherson led new England 6-10 to the second Best turnaround in the american conference resurrecting a team that won just one game last year. A i was hoping this game could give us three in a Row and a tremendous amount of credibility. I done to think that happened Quot Macpherson said. A we lost a Little bit of Luster at the end of the season. It s a sad Way to end the season but there Are so Many Good memories from the season. Esiason gave his of fens something to remember a its Best showing in a mediocre year. Esiason the conferences lowest ranked passer with 16 interceptions and just 10 touchdowns coming in threw for three first halt scores to put Cincinnati in control. His touchdown passes of 21 Yards to Rodney Holman 12 to Tim Mcgee and 36 to James Brooks gave the bengals a 21-7 halftime Lead. Jim Breech kicked yield goals of 49 and 25 Yards in the fourth Quarter and Hugh Millen was sacked for a safety to give the bengals a season High Point total. Esiason completed 20 of a season High 40 passes for 333 Yards without an interception against the league s second worst pass defense. Only Cincinnati has allowed More passing Yards. Stop him made his performance that much More impressive. A i m glad we have to Plav him Only once Quot Bills safety Mark Kelso said adding Sanders is More difficult to tackle than water. Quot you can at least get in water s Way. You know what direction its  Kelso said. A a it a maybe like a Chicken. I Felt like Rocky going out there chasing chickens to improve his  Sanders said he was t disappointed he did t get the title and offered his Quot congratulations to Emmitt and his linemen for doing a Good  top Browns for second place Pittsburgh a if it was c Huck Noll s last game As the Pittsburgh so Celers coach hell remember he won an otherwise forgettable game. Bubby Blister shrugged off one of the worst games of his career to find Dwight Stone with a 65-Yard loue Down pass late in the third Quarter sunday As the Steeles won a Battle of awful offences by beating the Cleveland Browns 17-1 1. In a game marked by a succession of botched scoring opportunities poor Field goal kicking and a Pittsburgh goal line stand the Steeles 7-9 assured themselves of second place in the acc Central and sealed a 6-1 1 record for Browns coach Bill Belichick in his Rookie season. Richard Shelton s 57-Yard interception return for a touchdown with 9 28 remaining a the second of his three interceptions a iced the Browns 18th loss in 22 seasons in three rivets stadium. Browns quarterback Crnic Kosar had thrown Only five interceptions All season before Shelton picked him off three times. I Hal score proved important when Crnic Kosar who was 28 of 49 for 335 Yards connected with Michael Jackson on a 27-Yard touchdown pass with 6 56 remaining that closed Cleveland to 17-10, the third interception proved nearly As costly As Kosar drove the Browns to a first Down at Pittsburgh s 26 with 2 06 left before Shelton stopped the drive with an interception in the end zone. The Browns then drove to the 13 with six seconds left but Greg Lloyd sacked Kosar. Browns turnovers Sci up two of Pittsburgh a three scores. Keith Willis a first Quarter Fumble recovery at the Browns 26 preceded Anderson s 34-Yard Field goal with 59 seconds remaining in the first Quarter. Noll has hinted he might step Down alter 23 seasons As Steeles coach but gave no signs during the game it was anything other than the wrap up of Pittsburgh s fourth losing season in seven years. Instead both of lenses appeared to retire for the season prematurely until Brister. Who Hud completed just 6 of 24 passes found Stone in a seam Between two Browns defenders on a third-and-6 play Lor the go ahead score on the final play of the third Quarter. Brister finished 7 of 26 Lor 113 Yards and no interceptions. Stone the steel Erst fastest receiver caught the Ball near Midfield then Oul raced the Cleveland secondary to the end zone Tor his tilth touchdown reception this season. Pittsburgh  convert two other opportunities to Lake i lie Lead earlier in the period As the usually reliable Gary Anderson missed Field goals attempts of 51 and 25 Yards. Anderson the third most accurate kicker in in l history slipped on the 51-yarder and hooked the 25-Yanler Olf the left upright