European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 14, 1995, Darmstadt, Hesse The stars and strip sports january 14,1995 Page 32yes, the hamstring is better Irving Texas a running Back Emmitt Smith showed continued improvement from his putted hamstring on thursday As he bounced around the Dallas cowboys Locke room at Valley ranch. Smith has vowed to play in sunday s pfc championship game against the san Francisco 49crs even if the playing Field is a swamp. A a in a a pretty Good mudder a Smith said a but i la be out Reggie Roberts of the nil office said a the Field is still a Little wet right now but we think it could be Fine on sunday Quot linebacker Ken Norton leads a warm up session Tor the 49ers, who arc 7 /2-Poinl favourites against the cowboys sunday. 49ers, Steeles picked to win How they match up fug 2ft san Diego All pro linebacker Junior seau arrives at practice knowing his 7-Point underdog chargers will need an outstanding game sunday to get by the Pittsburgh St Celers. By Dave Goldberg a football writer moving from their artificial surface to the slow grass the Speed Orion cd Dallas cowboys figured to be at a disadvantage to begin with when they play the san Francisco 49crs for the pfc championship f 10 . Get sunday on an television. Then to make matters worse for the two time defending super bowl champions it began raining on the West coast a and forgot to Stop but nobody had any reason to expect a perfect Field Given the time of year a a a a a a a a and encirclement of candlestick Park by san Francisco Bay. To nil map Steve Young its business As usual a a it a always wet anyway a the san Francisco quarterback said. A something to do with the maybe that had something to do with the 49ers being Lvi pox favourites almost the same margin by which a they beat the cowboys in the same stadium two months ago More Likely its Emmitt Smiths hamstring the most scrutinized muscle in the past decade in the nil a aggravated last week against Green Bay. The 21-14 Victory by the 49crs on nov. 13 was the Only time in their last 11 victories that they scored fewer than 30 Points a a tribute to the Dallas defense. But the san Francisco defense which had Given up 38 and 30 Points to the cowboys in the last two pfc title games also passed its test. The cowboys maintain those victories mean Little now but the 49crs wanted to prove their defense had improved this season. They seemed to establish just that. My the cowboys Michael Irvin in particular Are Crow that win. The liners William Floyd in particular arc Sug nil playoff predictions Gesting that All that crowing reflects insecurity. More relevant is Smiths health. R ,&Quot?1ri.n8afc- strange thing particularly on wet so Lonias has shown More in two weeks in Dallas than he did in four years in new York but he a no Smith a even though he was drafted 16 picks higher in 1990.� a Quot. Without Smith the cow tvs Are no liners. 49i�rs, 27-17. V Sah Diego plus in at Pittsburgh 6 30 . Get sunday on an television even some chargers Leslie of Neal View this As the unde Reard. Tyen some chargers Leslie o Neal wonder if they re a True championship team. I he St Celers think know they Are. Sometime in. Early december those Pitt Burgher who have spent 15 years revering the memory of Terry Franco and mean Joe woke up and realized that Rod Woodson Greg Lloyd and Barry Foster might be worthy of a Little reverence too. This one is simple. _ it goes to the Leam that runs the Ball belter Barry Foster John l. Williams and Bam Morris and their offensive line is. Natron Means Ronnie Harmon Eric Binemy and their protectors the quarterbacks Neil p Donnell and Sian Humphries become the supporting cast. St Celers can probably stuff the run better than the chargers and have the weather and fans on their Side Itiat s important a Home teams have won sc1rflfvr� cd pea it off games this season. H o Donnell does no to make any serious mistakes. St Celers 19-10,. Last Votek 3-1 spread 3-1 straight up playoffs 4-3-1 spread 5-3 straight up football Hall of Fame finalists Page 31 0 2a685c
