European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 29, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 22the stars and stripes sunday december 29,1991today�?Ts pro football Jones predicted jets oilers rematch by Rich Cimini new Day Hempstead . A Dennis Byrd wished for it. Sean Jones predicted it. And 11 weeks later Here it is new York jets is. Houston oilers. In a playoff game. Its a match that was made in october. After the oilers 23-20 Victory Over the jets oct. 13, Jones stated Point Blank that the teams would meet again. A the jets Are a playoff team. Well have to face them again but hopefully it will be in the Astrodome a a the oilers defensive end said then. Driving Home from giants stadium that night Byrd fantasized about another shot at the oilers. A i was Dallas 11-5 at Chicago 11-5 6 30 . On seb to and an to a . Jets 8-8 at Houston 11-5 immediately following on seb to and an to thinking to myself a gosh what team would i like to have a second shot against in the playoffs would it be Chicago or Houston a a the defensive tackle said this week. After weighing the two defeats Byrd decided that if he could have his Choice of opponents head want the oilers. His reason losing to Houston caused More Hurt than the Chicago heartbreaker. A and Here we Are a a he said a a dream come they meet sunday at the Astrodome the jets 8-8 against the heavily favored oilers 11-5 in the opening round. Here Are some of the subplots the oilers Are a different team in their a House of we re talking Jekyll and Hyde different. They have won 26 of their last 32 games at the Astrodome where they re 7-1 this season. The oilers explosive run and shoot offence nothing extraordinary on the Road is a killer indoors. The difference is an average of 29 Points a game at Home 19 on the Road. Ask the jets about Houston a Home Field dominance and they say a big they won at the Astrodome last season a Victory that has fuelled their Confidence. A a we re going Down there knowing we can win a defensive end Marvin Washington said. A a we be done it football adage Good teams Are supposed to be peaking As they go into the playoffs. If that a True what docs that say about these two the jets came within a last second Field goal of ending the season with four straight losses. The oilers after a 7-1 Start went 4-4 in the second half. In fact they be dropped three of their last five losing last week to the giants. It Cost them a Bye. Obviously the oilers drop off has been More dramatic. Folks in Houston arc wondering about the offence which has produced Only nine touchdowns in the last five games. Despite the late season slip Warren the jets mob Raul Allegre in Miami last sunday after he kicked them to their first playoff berth since 1986, Moon and his pass catching buddies enjoyed one of the most prolific seasons in history. Moon led the league in passing yardage 4,690. Haywood Jeffires led in receptions 100and Drew Hill was close behind 90. In fact Jeffires and Hill made More catches than any other duo in history surpassing the 171 set by John Jefferson and Kellen Winslow of the san Diego chargers in 1980. The jets done to have to read the Houston press release to learn about the accomplishments of Moon amp co. In the last meeting Moon and Jeffires had a game of throw and catch constantly ripping the jets secondary with backside Post patterns. Moon threw for 423 Yards and Jeffires caught 13 balls for 186 Yards. Cowboys glad they re not Home for holidays by Arnie Stapleton Irving Texas a the Dallas cowboys did something wednesday that they Hadnot done in six years spent Christmas preparing for the playoffs. But unlike the Chicago bears their opponent in the pfc wild card playoff game sunday the cowboys did no to seem to mind. A a in be been spending the last five years at Home on Christmas Quot said defensive tackle Tony Casillas acquired from the Atlanta Falcons in july. A so this is kind of a Good situation. A and in a sure a lot of other people throughout the league would want to feel the same Dallas is making its first playoff appearance since 1985, and the Only players still on the team from that squad a Tom Landry a last winning team a Are Jim Jeffcoat Bill Bates Mike Saxon and Mark Tuinei. Thirty five cowboys have no playoff experience at All. A so i think everybody a that a involved in this thinks its Well Worth it a Casillas said of the Christmas workout. The cowboys Are 11-5, same As Chicago and had their Best season since the 1983 team went 12-4. Coming into this week the bears had hoped for a division title a first round Bye and a Holiday at Home. But a 52-14 demolition at the hands of the san Francisco 49crs monday night destroyed All those goals As the 49ers denied the bears their Chance for an eighth pfc Central division championship in nine years. The 49ers, who won their last six games but wont be going to the playoffs handed Detroit the pfc Central Divi Sion title leaving Chicago to play Dallas. The bears losers of three of their last five were left with a Long ride Home a Short practice week and a Christmas workout to prepare for a team that finished the season with five straight victories. Still Odd makers made the bears a 4-Point favorite at Soldier Field. And the bears have a major Edge in playoff experience. A a that a a Little bit of a concern a Dallas coach Jimmy Johnson said. A a there a a Little mystique there. But i done to want them to be in Awe of the bears. I think the Quality of our schedule will help us prepare for Johnson said the bears the cowboys saw on television monday Arentt the bears see sunday. A that game will have a sobering effect on their team a Johnson said of the debacle at san Francisco. A it will make them More focused for the playoffs. No doubt by having a game like that it wont make for a merry Christmas. It gives them a rallying cry a Johnson said quarterback Steve Beuer Lein will Start sunday and Troy Aikman will be the backup. It will be the fifth consecutive Start for Beuerlein who took Over As quarterback when Aikman suffered a sprained knee nov. 24 against Washington. The cowboys won that game and have gone 4-0 with Beuerlein As their starter. Johnson said Aikman Isnit at full health and Beuerlein is too hot to Bench. A if Steve Hadnot been playing As Well As he has then we would be going with Troy at less than 100 percent Johnson said. A and if Troy were 100 percent then it would be a different Story but he a
