European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 11, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Nil playoff bracket american football conference a Mimi Tom Luumi conference championship super bowl National football conference 3u2e" first round la raiders 6 Houston 24 sunday Jan. 12 12 30 . Of mind amp  sunday Jan. 12 4 . At Kansas City 10 at Denver 26 Denver a pc i ? \ a a Detroit sunday dec. 29 ouf Ludy j3n, d. At Buffalo a t % a a a. At Washington new York jets 10 Kansas City 14 saturday Jan. 4 Atlanta 7 saturday dec. 28 Atlanta 27 at Washington 24 at new Orleans 20 sunday Jan. 5 sunday dec. 29 Dallas 6 Dallas 17 Al Houston 17 Al bu"ak>37 the two division winners in each conference with the Best records get a first round Bye at Detroit 38 at Chicago 13 Alt times est a the stars and stripes january 11,1992 c Page 28bills, skins expected to Romp on sunday Sanders Fontes Nab top honors Philadelphia a Detroit Lions running Back Barry Sanders and coach Wayne Fontes won the Maxwell football clubs nil player and coach of the year honors thursday. Sanders gained 1,548 Yards and scored 16 touchdowns this season his third in the nil after playing for Oklahoma state. Sanders will receive the Bert Bell award. Fontes will be presented with the Earle a Greasy Quot Neale award. Don Janies of Washington was named Winner of the Munger award As top College coach. Receiver Desmond Howard of Michigan earlier was named Winner of the Maxwell award As lop College player. Fontes speaking by Telephone from Detroit said his Success was due to the a never say die Altitude of his coaching staff and players. By Dave Goldberg a football writer have there Ever been division title games that looked so one sided that a the Way it shapes up sunday when Denver plays Buffalo for the acc championship and Detroit plays Washington for the pfc title. The Bills and redskins figured to be in title games while the Broncos and Lions Are the surprises. That explains Why the Bills Are favored by iiv2 Points and the redskins by Iva Points. Even the vegas Odd makers have made it prohibitive to even think of anything else a they re laying 3-5 that the super bowl will be Bills is. Redskins. If you think it will be the Broncos is. Lions you be got a bargain at 22-1. In any Case Denver plus 11 at Buffalo at least the Broncos arc used to the weather a there was 18 inches of Snow in Denver this week which is 18 inches More than Buffalo expects. However the game is at rocking Rich stadium. Lets go Back to last year when the Broncos led the Bills 21-9 in the fourth Quarter and were lining up for a Short Field goal that would make it 24-9. The kick was blocked Cornelius Bennett returned it 80 Yards for a touchdown and 77 seconds later the Bills led 29-21. There a one major mismatch in this game the Bills receivers a Andre Reed James Lofton and Don Beebe not to mention Keith Mckellar and Thurman Thomas a against Denver cornerback to radio coverage the nil conference championship games will be carried live on an and seb television and radio sunday. The acc game from Buffalo Between the Bills and the Denver Broncos begins at 6 30 . Get followed by the pfc showdown from Washington Between the redskins and Detroit Lions. Wymon Henderson Tyrone Braxton and Charles Dimry. Yes the deficiencies of the Denver Corners Are mitigated somewhat by Denver a zone a playing Man to Man Dimry was burned by Jerry Rice for five touchdowns last year in Atlanta. But a zone does no to cover everything. In fact the Broncos Best Hope is to get the Ball with the deficit within a touchdown in the final couple of minutes for John Elway time. The Only problem is that they re not Likely to be within a touchdown. The Bills press release says a next week a Bye week then super bowl xxvi at the Hubert h. Humphrey metro Doc Minneapolis Minnesota a who a to argue Bills 35-17. Detroit plus 13v2 at Washington some people might give 45 Points on this one for the 45-0 opening Day game at Frk stadium where the Lions have never won. In fact they be never won in Washington in 15 games there dating Back to 1934 and coach George a spot syn Clark. Barry Sanders sat out that devastating defeat in Washington with a hip injury which is Good for maybe a touchdown or so. Erik Kramer the Miracle quarterback against Dallas was on the Bench for that one but the redskins Corners Are unlikely to give Willie Green and Herman Moore the room they had last week. The Lions Are so delighted that they be come this far they May still be celebrating while Earnest byner and Ricky Ervins Are Waltzing through a defensive line without injured Jerry Ball. And the hogs Are giving Mark Rypien All the time he needs to find Gary Clark Art Monk and Ricky Sanders. So give Wayne Fontes and his Lions All the credit they re due and let them savor what they be already done. Then let the redskins get on to what they be earned although their Public relations staff Isnit As confident As Buffalo s a there a no line about Minneapolis in it. But otherwise its the same Story. Redskins 35-17. Last week 2-2 spread 2-2 straight up playoffs 4-4 spread 5-3 straight up regular season 106-114-4 spread 131-87 straight up Yankees Trade sax to White sox new York a the new York Yankees made their third major player transaction in a week trading five time . Major league baseball All Star second baseman Steve sax to the Chicago White sox Friday for right hander Meli do Perez and two minor Teague pitchers. The Trade follows the free agent acquisitions earlier in the week of outfielder Danny Tartabull and infielder Mike Gal Lego. After shoring up their offence the Yankees were looking to bolster their pitching staff. General manager Gene Michael Hopes Perez will fill part of the void in what has been a major weakness in the club. A we need pitching and Melido will help us a Michael said. The Trade unites Perez 26 next month with his 34-year brother Pascual. The Deal almost identical to one they backed out of a week ago will ease the teams financial Burden. New York which signed Tartabull to a five year $25.5 million contract needed to unload sax s contract. Steve sax a four year $12.4 million contract sex. Agrees to Deal tension begins this season for sax. The Yankees already have Given him a $1.5 million signing Bonus and will pay $1.6 million of the remainder of the contract leaving the White sox responsible for $9.3 million Over the next four years. Sax the Yankees Only .300 hitter lust season could have blocked the Deal. But he consented on thursday. The Yankees also got right handers Robert Wickmon and Domingo Jean. Sax who will be 32 on Jan. 29, was the 1982 National league Rookie of the year for the los Angeles dodgers. Sax was called a one of the finest offensive second basemen in the games by White sox general manager Ron Schueler. A a it is not very often that you can pick up an All Star so we re very pleased with the acquisition of Steve sax a Schueler said. A the Chicago fans will appreciate his fire determination and style of  sax signed by the Yankees As a free agent nov. 23, 1988, is a .286 career hitter in More than 10 years As a major leaguer. Wickman 22, was 5-1 with a 2.05 earned run average at class a minor league Sarasota fla., and 6-10 with a 3,56 Era at a level minor league Birmingham last year. He was Chicago a second round selection in the june 1990 draft. Jean 23, was 12-8 with a 3.30 Era at class a South Bend in 1991. He allowed 121 hits and 66 walks while striking out 141 in 158  sports Kramer one of Lions intangibles a Page 22 Mcaa wants higher standards a Page 25 Cavaliers up Streak to 10 games a Page 26 tar heels Roll Over Clemson a Page 26