Week 10 NFL Top Performers
Posted: Tuesday November 10, 1998 12:22 AM
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Smith is on pace to rush for 1,259 yards this season, a far cry from the 1,604 yards he averaged from 1991-95 AP |
It's retro week here at Top Performances -- our three old-school award
winners are, on average, 32 (gasp) years old.
Many of the NFL stars you all but expect to see here every week are notably
absent -- a certain Broncos tailback isn't even mentioned, one 49ers
quarterback didn't so much as play a down this week, and Brett Favre, well, he
didn't have enough to pass muster.
It's not that our three honorees look old out there -- Emmitt Smith is only 29, Vinny Testaverde is having
perhaps his best season with his 35th birthday this week, and before you
call Barry Sanders old,
just try to catch him ... Top Ground Gainer
Just when everyone had written off Emmitt Smith has past his prime and on
the decline, here he is again. On a day where Smith would become the Dallas Cowboys' all-time
leading rusher, passing the 12,000-yard mark and Hall of Famer Tony
Dorsett, he also came with his best performance in more than three years --
163 yards on 29 carries.
After six total 100-yard games in 1996-97, Smith already has five this
season. He's on pace to rush for 1,259 yards this season, a far cry from
the 1,604 yards he averaged from 1991-95. Yes, he's not completely back in
"The Emmitt Zone" -- the guy only has five rushing touchdowns, down
slightly from 25 three years ago. Still, that's already up from four last
year, and he has the Cowboys winning again. Offensive Outburst
Award
In a battle of former Heisman Trophy winners, Jets quarterback Vinny
Testaverde outdueled Doug
Flutie -- something nobody else has been able to do this season.
Testaverde threw for three touchdown passes -- his third game with three or
more this season -- and threw for 268 yards. The Jets have won four
straight and are 6-0 when Testaverde starts -- New York shares the AFC East
lead with Miami right now, but the Jets' 5-0 record in the division gives
them the edge down the road. Flutie's 1998 numbers -- 1,502 yards, 15
touchdowns, three interceptions -- compared to last year's numbers -- 18
touchdowns, 15 interceptions --make you wonder if it's possible for someone
to win the Comeback Player of the Year award two times in three years. OK,
maybe Flutie beats him there. Losing Effort Award
When you combine perhaps the greatest running backs in NFL history with a
1-8 team and a rookie quarterback, you have a favorite for this award every
week. Barry Sanders rushed for 140 yards in Detroit's 10-9 loss to
Philadelphia on Sunday, giving him 1,012 rushing yards this season. The
140-yard performance brings his average up to 5.009 yards per carry -- he's
finished above 5.0 in three of the last four seasons. What's really scary
is that Sanders is still 14 yards ahead of where he was last year when he
rushed for 2,053 yards. Top Rushing Performances Emmitt Smith,
Cowboys, 29 carries, 163 yards
Barry Sanders, Lions, 20 carries, 140
yards
Robert Smith,
Vikings, 20 carries, 137 yards
Eddie George, Oilers, 27
carries, 134 yards
Charlie Garner, Eagles, 16
carries, 129 yards
Gary
Brown, Giants, 15 carries, 119 yards
Fred Taylor, Jaguars, 27
carries, 118 yards
Adrian Murrell, Cardinals,
23 carries, 107 yards
Ricky Watters, Seahawks,
24 carries, 105 yards
Jamal Anderson, Falcons,
32 carries, 104 yards
Top Passing Performers Brad Johnson, Vikings,
28-38, 2 INT, 1 TD, 316 yards
Trent Dilfer, Buccaneers,
20-38, 1 INT, 2 TD, 294 yards
Ty Detmer, 49ers, 21-35, 3
INT, 3 TD, 268 yards
Steve Beuerlein, Panthers,
25-41, 0 INT, 1 TD, 265 yards
Vinny Testaverde, Jets, 22-31, 1 INT, 3
TD, 258 yards
Donald
Hollas, Raiders, 17-26, 2 INT, 1 TD, 249 yards
Chris Chandler, Falcons,
15-22, 2 INT, 2 TD, 240 yards
Brett Favre, Packers, 22-39, 1 INT, 0 TD,
234 yards
Kordell
Stewart, Steelers, 15-22, 0 INT, 1 TD, 231 yards
Bubby Brister, Broncos,
20-33, 1 INT, 2 TD, 229 yards
Drew Bledsoe, Patriots,
19-34, 1 INT, 1 TD, 229 yards
Top Receiving Performances Ed McCaffrey, Broncos, 9
receptions, 133 yards
O.J. McDuffie, Dolphins, 9
receptions, 132 yards
Terance Mathis, Falcons, 8
receptions, 117 yards
Bert Emanuel, Buccaneers,
5 receptions, 106 yards
Rickey Dudley, Raiders, 6
receptions, 105 yards
Ricky Proehl, Rams, 8
receptions, 99 yards
Tony Simmons, Patriots, 4
receptions, 95 yards
Keyshawn Johnson, Jets, 7
receptions, 95 yards
Andrew Glover, Vikings, 9
receptions, 93 yards
Derrick Alexander, Chiefs,
7 receptions, 91 yards
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