European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 16, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse Wednesday december 16, 1992 i sports the stars and stripes b Page 25 acc takes another sunday punch analysis by Dave Goldberg a football writer it looks like another bad year for the people who Hope the acc losers of the last eight super bowls will finally win an nil title. For if parity in the acc jumbled the playoff race even More on sunday the Days games also demonstrated the disparity Between the conferences with just two weeks left in the regular season. There was for example a 4-9 pfc team on a six game losing Streak Chicago trampling Pittsburgh 30-6 after the Steeles entered the game with the of cd a Best record at 10-4. There was a marginal pfc contender Green Bay staying alive with a win at Houston which entered the season As one of the acc favourites. And there was a marginal acc contender Cleveland getting beaten soundly by Detroit which entered the week 3-10. All of that left us with three interesting developments going into the final week of the season 1. At least four a maybe five a pfc teams san Francisco Dallas new Orleans Washington and maybe Philadelphia Are better than any acc team. 2. The possibility that a team that finished 4-12 last season and started 0-4 this year san Diego is the Best team in the acc. 3. Three acc teams at .500 a the Broncos Colts Browns a and the raiders at 6-8 following monday nights loss at Miami Are still alive. A next question a Cleveland coach Bill Belichick snapped when asked about the Browns playoff prospects after the loss to the Lions in Pontiac. The next question How does the playoff picture shape up for various teams in various ways a san Francisco Dallas san Diego Kansas City Washington and Minnesota a the magic number is one with two weeks to go. Pittsburgh clinched the acc Central despite its loss and four other teams have clinched wild cards a the 49ers, cowboys and saints in the pfc and the Bills in the acc. Here a the rundown pfc one. That a the number that gives the 49ers 12-2 the Home Field throughout the playoffs Over Dallas 11-3 Ana the pfc West title Over new Orleans 11-3. Another boost for the pfc Chicago a Donnell Woolford can to make the interception of a pass intended for Pittsburgh a Cit Graham on sunday despite getting a lift from teammate David Tate 49. The 4-9 bears of the National football conference ended their six game losing Streak with a that is if san Francisco beats either 30-9 rout of the Steeles holders of the american football conferences Best record 10-4. Tampa Bay or Detroit at Home they wrap up both. They get Home Field if the cowboys lose to either Atlanta or Chicago and the division if the saints lose to either Buffalo or the jets. To break things Down to the simplest elements there Are four teams fighting for the final three playoff spots with the 49ers, cowboys and saints already in a Washington Minnesota and Philadelphia All 9-5 and Green Bay 8-6. The magic number also is one in their Case. The cowboys need one win at Falcons bears to wrap up the East or one Philadelphia loss redskins giants both at Home. The redskins can twin the division but need one More win at Philadelphia raiders to make it Back to the playoffs to defend their nil title. The eagles need one win and a Green Bay loss. The Central is intriguing. Minnesota 9-5 has yet to beat a Good team but needs just one win or a Green Bay loss to Clinch the Central. But. If the Vikings lose at Pittsburgh 10-4 sunday and the packers beat the warm weather rams 5-9 on the Frozen Tundra at Lambeau Field. Then the packers go to Minnesota the final week with a Chance to win the division and Knock the Vikings out of the playoffs. There Are two things to note about this 1. The Vikings Are just 4-3 indoors at the dome and 5-2 on the Road including a 23-20 overtime win opening Day in Green Bay. 2. The win Over the packers is the Vikings Only one Over a team with a winning record. Their losses meanwhile Are to Detroit 4-10 and four contenders a Houston Washington Philadelphia and san Francisco. Other than that Green Bay a Best Chance is to win its final two and Hope that Philadelphia loses one. That would give the packers their first non strike playoff berth since 1972 because they beat the eagles and thus hold the tiebreaker advantage. Acc How do you make this simple make the number �?o10.�?� As in the number of wins that ensure a playoff spot. That is Buffalo and Pittsburgh each 10-4, Are in a the Steeles with a division title the Bills on the verge. Three More teams can get to 10 wins this week a san Diego and Kansas City and Miami All 9-5. The chiefs play the giants on saturday the chargers play the raiders and the dolphins play the jets on sunday. That leaves Houston 86 with the sixth spot but a questionable schedule a at Cleveland and Buffalo at Home. Denver Indianapolis Cleveland and the raiders Are still alive. Any one could make it at 8-8 if Houston should stumble twice. The Broncos 0-4 since John Elway went out with a bruised shoulder should get Elway Back this week leaving a Glimmer of Hope a they get Seattle at Home then go to Kansas City and could win a four Way tie in the acc West. The most interesting scenario a Kansas City loses once and san Diego beats the sea Hawks and raiders. That would Ive the chargers an 11-1 finish after an -4 Start and give them the acc West title for the first time since Dan fouls and the Guys did it in 1981. A a a ample supplied with runners next to the debate Over activating Joe Montana maybe this week the big Issue in the Bay area has been Ricky Watters. Eligibility for offensive Rookie of the year. Watters who would win easily if eligible Isnit because he spent last season on injured Reserve. Well maybe people could vote in his backup amp Lee the second round pick from Florida state. With Watters still sidelined with a bruised shoulder Lee demonstrated his credentials sunday. He ran for 134 Yards in 23 carries against Minnesota a Tough defense in the 49ers�?T 20-17 win and scored twice once on a 2-Yard run the other on a 3-Yard catch. His previous Rushing output was 159 Yards on 48 carries. Showing his wares the last three Heisman winners Haven to exactly torn up the nil Are you listening Gino Desmond Howard is on the Washington Bench to Detmor is the no. 3 quarterback in Green Bay and Andre Ware has done Little in Detroit. Until sunday. Ware either being showcased for Houston or tried out was 10 of 14 for 138 Yards and ran for 68 Yards in five carries As the Lions upset the Browns 24-14. Ware will Start this week against Chicago but Wayne Fontes Isnit saying whether he a no. 1 ahead of Rodney Peetz and Erik Kramer to whom he a played no. 3 All year. In other words a tryout or a showcase. All pros Montana Elway get ready to return by the associated press the a Fly a quarterback wizards of the two minute Drill Are on the verge of returning injury. In Santa Clara calif., Joe Montana sidelined for nearly two years by a bad Elbow is ready to come off injured Reserve while on the other Side of the Continental Divide the chances that John Elway will return to the Denver Broncos lineup sunday improved after he threw More than 100 times without pain during a monday practice. A the did real Well a Trainer Steve Anto Nopulos said after working with Elvay on monday. However Antonopulos predict whether Elway will play sunday against Seattle in the regular season Home finale. Elway has said he expects to be ready but Antonopulos said a a we re going Day to Day with this although Elway is Uncertain of a Start Montana a no lock for even making sundays Active roster. The san Francisco 49�-rs say they re ready to Welcome him Back this week provided they can resolve roster questions caused by a series of injuries in the offensive line. A a we re going to try to bring Joe up a coach George Seifert said monday. A but i want to first make sure that we re settled As far As the offensive line is there is no guarantee Montana would see any action saturday Seifert said but added that Montana Quot looks a a he a throwing the Ball Well in practice. He looks
