Hard to overlook Giants now
Posted: Tuesday December 15, 1998 03:18 PM
One key to the Giants' upset of the Broncos on Sunday was how New York's
defensive front controlled the line of scrimmage. That group was led by
linebacker Corey
Widmer, who had several big hits on running back Terrell Davis early in the
game. Widmer said that the media's focus on the Broncos' run at history
flipped a switch in the Giants.
"That made me mad, them thinking they were going to use the Giants as a
stepladder to history," Widmer said. "Now we'll have to tell everyone,
'Excuse us, they're not undefeated anymore.'"
Despite the loss, Terrell Davis continued his campaign for league MVP, even
though a stomach virus left him weakened and sleepless the night before the
game. It took two bags of intravenous fluids before the game just to get
Davis on the field.
"I was drained," he told me. "It's the kind of feeling like you just want
to go home." Panthers de-clawed
How far have the Carolina
Panthers fallen since their victory over the Cowboys in the NFC
divisional playoff two years ago? They have exactly one victory over a team
with a winning record since. Perennial dropoff In his first eight
games this season, Oilers running back Eddie George averaged 4.18
yards per carry. But in the second half of the season he has picked up just
3.56 yards per rush. In fact, in each of his three seasons in the NFL,
George's yards per carry have fallen off by at least half a yard in the
second half of the season. And that's one reason the Oilers annually
struggle to mount a late run at the playoffs. Why he's a Saint
Finally, there's a side of Saints coach Mike Ditka you probably don't hear
much about. During training camp Ditka got to know Katie O'Reilly, a
10-year-old cancer patient from La Crescent, Minnesota. On Sunday, he paid
for Katie and seven members of her family to come to New Orleans for the
Falcons game. The Saints have also purchased a home computer for Katie, who
cannot attend school because of her treatments. The Saints might not make
the playoffs, but they certainly lead the league in holiday cheer.
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