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Instant classic A Sunday night game of the year, and one for the agesPosted: Monday October 14, 2002 10:58 AM
NASHVILLE -- Ten reasons why Miami’s 24-22 Sunday night win over Denver was an instant classic, and why it should go down as one of the best games ever played: 1. Because of valor. Playing with a broken thumb he suffered 20 minutes earlier, Jay Fiedler was huge in driving Miami 39 yards in 29 seconds to set up the game-winning field goal with six seconds left. The Miami quarterback will now be Ray Lucas, for how long I have no idea. But boo Fiedler no more, Dolfans. He earned his NFL merit badge Sunday night.
2. Because of great players playing great in the clutch. Can Jason Taylor play any better? Or Ricky Williams? Or Rod Smith? And can two quarterbacks rebound from adversity to lead as well as Fiedler and Brian Griese did late in a game? Can two defensive lines perform better? God, were they hard to handle. Can Sam Madison be around the ball more than he was? 3. Because even the field goals made you yelp. Sorry if you were in Room 151 of the Nashville Airport Marriott last night when Jason Elam snaked his 55-yarder eight inches inside the right upright with 45 seconds left. The loud idiot in 153? That was me. Thirty-nine seconds later, it happened again, Olindo Mare’s 53-yarder hitting high up on the net. You know it’s a great game when even the field goals are exciting. 4. Because of the collisions. Kenoy Kennedy, you’re going down for that hit on Chris Chambers. Maybe you missed the rules meeting this year. Can’t launch yourself at a ballcarrier and drive your helmet with unmitigated force into the jaw of a receiver. That was an Andre Waters hit. I’d be shocked if Kennedy wasn’t suspended for the game at Kansas City this week. 5. Because of the Al Wilson de-cleater on Ricky Williams in the fourth quarter. Williams ran right, trying to get outside, and Wilson, running at him, separated Williams’ feet from the earth as if he’d been swept away by a tidal wave. Amazing. 6. Because Williams got up from the hit like nothing had happened. If you watched the game and didn’t come away with a ton of respect for Williams’ toughness on a night when he rushed for only 49 yards, you weren’t watching the same game I was. 7. Because the Broncos got what the football gods thought they deserved. Broncos tackle Blake Brockermeyer was flagged for holding on the final play of the first half, wiping out a 49-yard Elam field goal. Had it stood, that would have given them enough point to win the game. Fullback Mike Anderson lost a fumble on the Miami 1-yard line. Those points would have won the game. And in the cruelest twist of all, Fiedler’s crucial throw, made with the broken thumb and with the clock ticking down into the teens, was into coverage that he had no right to be throwing into. Four Broncos were within a few yards of Dedric Ward. But Fiedler let fly a jet, and it went through the hands of linebacker John Mobley, who almost imperceptibly changed the ball’s course. Just not enough. Ward changed the position of his hands and cradled the ball. Another game-changing play, just missed. Either team would be dying this morning had it lost. Denver has more reasons to be blue. 8. Because of ESPN's slow-motion replay of Mobley’s missed pick. Mobley played so well he doesn’t deserve to see that replay 100 times this week. But that’s life in the NFL. Sometimes you make the play. Sometimes the play makes you. 9. Because the game was spellbinding. The baseball fan in me wanted to watch some of the Cards-Giants last night, but there was no way anyone who likes both games could watch baseball over football. I saw three lousy at-bats of what I bet was a terrific baseball game, and I didn’t even know how it ended until the crawl told me Benito Santiago jacked one in the eighth to win it for the Giants. 10. Because of the non-stop action during the last 10 minutes. Denver led 12-7 with 10 minutes to play. Then Miami led 14-12. Then Miami led 21-12. Then Miami led 21-19. Then Denver, on the Elam snaker, led 22-21. Then Miami, on the Mare kick that looked like Tiger Woods hit it with a 3-wood, led 24-22. Great defenses, but 27 points in 10 minutes. Amazing. Before last night, I thought New England’s 41-38 overtime win over the Chiefs Sept. 22 would be the best game I saw this year. As good as that one was, it was really a succession of one great offensive play after another against suspect defenses. This was a couple of stingy defenses making a few plays, then yielding, then making some more plays, then yielding. I have no idea what this league can do for an encore.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK Green Bay QB Brett Favre. For many things. For bringing an undermanned team missing its four best defensive starters to New England and winning 28-10. For converting a sick fourth-down pass in the second half that led to this win. For moving past John Elway into third place on the all-time passing touchdowns list; now only Dan Marino (420) and Fran Tarkenton (342) have more than Favre's 301. For moving past John Unitas into seventh place on the all-time passing yardage list; Joe Montana (40,551) is next, and he'll be overtaken in the next couple of weeks. Favre just turned 33. I don't know if he'll be playing at 36. I do know we should enjoy him for as many Sundays as he has left, because there haven't been many like him. Ever. DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK New Orleans defensive end Darren Howard. Poor Patrick Ramsey. In the Saints' 43-27 win over the Redskins Sunday at FedEx, Howard led a relentless charge of Louisianans with three sacks, four quarterback pressures and four tackles. I watched this game. Twice Howard beat one of the best left tackles in the game, Chris Samuels, and he didn't let Ramsey breathe. SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK New Orleans PR, KR, WR Michael Lewis. A ridiculous day. Washington had cut the lead to 20-14 when Lewis took a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown. His 58-yard catch-and-run led to a field goal to give the Saints a 29-21 lead. His 83-yard punt return for touchdown iced it in the third quarter. You can't impact a game much more than Lewis did in Washington. COACH(es) OF THE WEEK Mike Martz, head coach, and John Ramsdell, quarterbacks coach, St. Louis Rams. I'm not exactly sure just how a coaching staff, with the team absolutely reeling at 0-5 and with the backup surprisingly down because of a swollen knee, got a third-stringer ready to beat the best team in football. But I do know this: He was ready to play already. Martz and his teaching lieutenant, the professorial Ramsdell, are superb quarterback teachers, and it showed in Marc Bulger's state of readiness in the rout of the Raiders. GOAT OF THE WEEK Referee Jeff Triplette in the Jacksonville-Tennessee game, for botching -- in my opinion -- a potentially vital call with 53 seconds left in the third quarter of the Titans' 23-14 win. Jaguars quarterback David Garrard ran 40 yards before being pushed out of bounds at the Titans' 1-yard line while stretching his arm out in an effort to break the plane of the goal line with the football. Jacksonville coach Tom Coughlin asked for a replay review. Three replays were shown. The NFL mandates that in order for a call to be overturned there must INDISPUTABLE VISUAL EVIDENCE showing that the call on the field was incorrect. Now, three replays were available to Triplette when he went over to review the play. All three were shown in the press box. Although you could logically infer that there was a good chance the ball broke the plane before Garrard went out of bounds, and you could probably say there was an 80 percent chance the ball broke the plane, THERE IS NO WAY YOU COULD SAY THERE WAS INDISPUTABLE EVIDENCE. This is what's wrong with the replay system. Too many refs play God. They make calls based on what they THINK happened, or what they're PRETTY SURE happened, not what they actually saw. The NFL has to fix this part of replay or the system should go down in flames. QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"I'm not going to comment on the penalty situation. I'm not going to get fined on it. I'm not going to comment on it and that's it. I'm not commenting on it. I'm not commenting on the officiating."
He wasn't done. Asked again about one of the controversial calls, Belichick commented that he wouldn't comment. "Was it called? Yeah, it was called. And I'm not commenting on the call. You want to ask the guy who made the call what he saw, then go ask him. I'm not commenting on the officiating." Now for The Belichick Commenting on the Word 'Comment' in Two Media Questions Scoreboard: Use of the word "comment:" 2. Use of the word "commenting:" 4. Total uses of "comment"-like words: 6.
Steelers radio colorman Myron Cope, famous for bestowing colorful nicknames on Pittsburgh players, has come up with this one for Antwaan Randle El, the explosive rookie wideout: El Yeah.
Four Continental segments in one week. Round trip to Detroit for some Sports Illustrated promotional work. Round trip to Nashville for Jags-Fishermen. That makes eight Continental segments in a month, which is par for the course, living close to Newark. And I must say the music is killing me. You know the music played pre-taxi and post-flight? Monday, Monday, by the Mamas and The Papas is now burned into my brain. I can't stop singing it. I would happily trade it for Brandy (You're a Fine Girl), or Abraham, Martin and John, or Disco Duck. Please. Anything to get that song out my head.
1. I think we should all take a moment and appreciate the continuing greatness of Jerry Rice. Let's go back 20 months. The 49ers were trying oh-so-delicately to convince Rice to take a $1 million golden parachute out of football. You could hear it in Bill Walsh's voice. After a 2000 season during which Rice averaged an almost fullback-like 10.7 yards per catch, he was being urged to take the gold watch. Walsh -- who thought Rice was becoming very slow moving in and out of his cuts -- wanted him to get out of the game before he really embarrassed himself. So Rice signed with the Raiders, and he has been the 29-year-old Rice, almost, ever since. The across-the-Bay toteboard: 21 games, 114 yards, 13.9 yards per catch. "I can't say that I could project this happening," Walsh said last week. "He has exceeded even my expectations of him." I appreciate Walsh not re-writing history and saying he knew Rice would be this good. He's right. He never thought Rice would cut it in Oakland the way he has. 2. I think these are my quick-hit football thoughts of the weekend: a. I really wanted to see Strahan-Vick. So did Strahan. So did Vick. What a shame we had to settle for Strahan-Doug Johnson. b. And Doug Johnson made enough plays to win. Dan Reeves coached a good game. His message: Don't lose it, because the Giants will. c. I see where Elvis Grbac wants to come back to the NFL, but only if he could play with his hometown Browns. Great idea! About as great as Joe Theismann returning to play for Steve Spurrier. And about as possible. d. I appreciate ESPN's journalism with the Bam Morris story -- I really do -- but I don't give a darn about Bam Morris. e. Are there three teams in the NFL that Dallas actually beat? I mean, do the Cowboys get credit for a win on Sunday? f. The Indy offensive line looks anemic to me. g. Does Kansas City really field 11 men on defense? Or is it eight? i. Tim Couch really made the boo-birds disappear in Tampa, didn't he? j. Eddie George can very definitely still play. 3. I think the University of Miami set back its greatest-team-in-college-football-history pursuit a few notches Saturday with an extremely fortunate 28-27 win over Florida State, coming from 13 down to do it. I talked to a few people around the league in the past few days about the top barstool question in the land: Could the best college team in a given year beat the worst pro team? In other words, could the Hurricanes beat the Bengals? No pro guy said yes, even before the shaky game Saturday. The general consensus was that Dick LeBeau would run Corey Dillon 45 times for about 270 yards against Miami, control the clock about 43 minutes to 17, and overcome the badness of Jon Kitna to win. I talked to former Bengals offensive line coach Jim McNally, now coaching the line with the Giants, during the FSU-Miami game. "No way would Miami win. No way," he said. "That question is so far-fetched it's stupid. That's like asking if you could take the best little league football team in the country and beat a high school team. Or asking if the USC baseball team, with four All-Americans, could beat a major-league team in a series. Picking up the blitzes would be overwhelming for the Miami linemen." 4. I think the Patriots are in real trouble. 5. I think these are my personal thoughts of the week: a. Saw two periods of Oilers-Predators Saturday night. Preds' home lid-lifter. Bought a single ticket and sat right behind the Pred bench. Two observations: I am a casual hockey fan, but I have never heard of a single Predators player or the coach, Barry Trotz. (So I guess I'm less than a casual fan.) And there is an Oilers defenseman with the name "Niinimaa." Nice building. By the way, you know you're in the south when there's an ad for the new Travis Tritt CD above the urinal. b. I like how the New York Post never takes sides. Just sort of stays on the sidelines and observes, leaving you to draw your own conclusions about the news of the day. Their front-page headline about the new Madonna movie that came out the other day: "Madonna Stinks." c. Coffeenerdness: Titans PR maven Robbie Bohren was worried I'd be ripping the coffee in the press box in this this column today. I can't rip it if I haven't tasted it, though, and I can't taste it if the only cream is the fake powdered stuff. I'd rather face a Kenoy Kennedy helmet hit than use that crap. d. So much for the East Coast drought. e. Montclair (N.J.) High Field Hockey Note of the Week: Two more wins, 4-0 over Dwight Englewood and 2-0 at Westwood, raising the MHS record to 11-0-0. A slight rise in the (Newark) Star-Ledger state field hockey poll, from 16 to 15. The 100th career win for our fine coach, Mary Pat Mercuro. A gorgeous line-shot goal from an impossible angle to the right of the cage to cap the Westwood win by very lanky, very blonde and very precocious sophomore Adair Landy. A bout of upset stomach for your favorite field hockey player, junior link Mary Beth King, causing her to miss the last 20 minutes of the Westwood game. But the big event of the week? Easy. The Friday night pasta party at the King house. Nineteen girls, a tray of penne with vodka sauce, a tray of baked ziti, two long loaves of Italian bread, salad, the best darn Toll House cookies on the planet from the lady of the house, with Rocky on the big screen in the family room. The noise from the family room, though, drowned out the movie. "It's hard to watch a movie in a gigantic group of girls," Mary Beth reported. "When you get together with 15 other girls, you don't want to sit there and watch a movie. You want to gossip, and such." She actually said "and such." Her review of the night? "Fun times. Lots of bonding." The bad news of the week: Laura King, college sophomore sister of Mary, drove home Friday night from Tufts to see her play Saturday afternoon in the first round of the Montclair Invitational Field Hockey Tournament. But because it rained for 48 hours in a row, the tournament got pushed back a weekend. So the girls went to the mall instead. Sisterhood is so wonderful these days. f. Montclair High Field Hockey Player of the Week: Normally I like to praise the unsung. But this week I must sing the praises of the already sung, soph right wing Adair Landy, whose two goals beat Westwood. The exclusive MMQB interview: MMQB: There must have been a lot of pressure on you at the beginning of the season, a sophomore starting on varsity. Landy: A LOT of pressure. The first few games I was really nervous all the time. But then I just started going with the flow. I started playing. And I got to know the team really well. Everybody was really nice to me. I've played on a lot of teams. Sometimes when you take people's spots, stuff happens. Not there. The girls have been great to me. Lyndsay's helped a lot. I had lacrosse with her last year. She's been great. Margot's been great. I always thought I would feel bad when I took someone's position, but everyone's been so mature about it. MMQB: You played soccer until high school. Why did you switch sports? Landy: I got bored. And all my friends were playing field hockey. MMQB: What an amazing goal you scored at Westwood. Can you describe it? Landy: Well, on right wing, usually I just dribble downfield and cross it to Margot or Lex or Jess, whatever. But this time, Margot passed it to me, and I got to a certain spot on the right side, and I just took a shot. Really, it was more luck than anything. When it went in, I was like, WHAT?! I got chills. MMQB: I suppose you know that you're very tall. Landy: I'm 5-foot-11. I hear stuff about that a lot. Last game, the ref asked me if I was in basketball. MMQB: What are your three favorite TV shows? Landy: The Sopranos, Friends, The Real World. MMQB: Favorite music? Landy: Counting Crows, Jack Johnson ... MMQB: Who's he? Landy: He's a singer my friend Emily introduced me to. John Mayer. And I listen to the Field Hockey Mix that Mary Beth made us. It's great. Kelly Clarkson, R. Kelly, and the first song. I can't remember ... (Mary Beth King: "It's First Time, by Bad Ronald.") (Peter King: "Why would a group have the name, 'Bad Ronald?'" Eye-rolling Mary Beth King: "Maybe it's his name, Dad." Peter King: I see. Bad Ronald Smith. Bad Ronald Schwartz. Or something.) MMQB: Have you been following the story of the sniper in Washington? Landy: Yes! We talked about it today in history. The fact that it's so random and we can't pinpoint any pattern scares me the most. But if I lived there, if you think about it, you're one person out of the whole Washington area, there's such a small chance it would happen to you. I would not live scared. MMQB: What do you want to be when you grow up? Landy: I want to be a lawyer. Actually, I might want to take that back. I want to do a cool job. Something unique. Something different. The kind of job when you tell people about it, they say: That's so cool! Maybe something with the media. MMQB: You want my job, don't you? Landy: A reporter would be cool. You better watch out for me. MMQB: Thanks, Adair. Landy: Thank you for this award. It's so cool. g. "You realize," said CBS play-by-play man Ian Eagle in the Adelphia press box on Sunday, "that you're making me look for the Montclair field hockey results every day in the Star-Ledger." That makes me proud, spreading the Mountie gospel. 6. I think, when he's 48 and in a rocking chair in the sticks of Kentucky, Tim Couch will look back on this past week and be grateful. Adversity is good for athletes. Good and needed. "I talked to Tim for a long time Monday," Butch Davis told me the other day about the booing, then cheering when Couch got hurt eight days ago. "I told him all the great quarterbacks had gone through something like this. I saw Troy Aikman, who was supposed to be Roger Staubach, get booed off the field in Dallas in 1989. The fans all wanted Steve Walsh to play in 1990. Tim, to some degree, has been in a wonderland all his life. All-State high school player. Brought in as a savior at Kentucky. First pick in the draft here. I hope this'll toughen him up a little bit." 7. I think it's pretty neat that the stereo Jerrys -- Rice and Jones -- were born exactly 20 years apart. Jones' 60th birthday was yesterday. His wife, Jean, threw a surprise party for him Thursday in Dallas, and commandeered Jones' plane to pick up this eclectic group of party guests in Los Angeles: Mr. and Mrs. Al Michaels, Michael Irvin, Mr. and Mrs. Larry Hagman. The old J.R. Ewing and the current one. How nice. 8. I think I was stunned to hear how intense the Titans fans were on Sunday. Amazing, really. The team's 1-4 entering the game, and the fans opened the game like it was the playoffs, making it impossible for Mark Brunell to be heard clearly behind the center. Jeff Fisher did a good job crediting the crowd in his post-game remarks, because his praise was well-earned. 9. I think Minnesota and Kansas City have all-time bad defenses. 10. I think if Adam Kennedy hits three home runs in a playoff game, MMQB can win a Pulitzer.
A month ago, Mike Holmgren considered his fifth-year roster in Seattle and said: "I think this is the best team I've had here." Well, as we sit here winding down Week 6, Seattle's 1-3 and in need of a win tonight against the best team in its division, San Francisco, to have any real shot at getting into the NFC West race. (Jeez, Arizona's 3-2. Even against a weak schedule so far, and even knowing the Cardinals are barely north of pretender status, it's hard to rank Seattle ahead of Arizona right now.) How lucky are the Seahawks that St. Louis declared 2002 a mulligan? And how lucky are the Seahawks that preseason playoff contenders like St. Louis, Chicago and Minnesota are, at least for now, dead in the water? I say Holmgren's got to win eight games, minimum, and maybe a playoff berth to stave off the heat of club president Bob Whitsitt. In any case, he'll need a couple of unexpected wins this year to do that. Like this one. Coming off a bye, I'd love to pick Seattle, if only to show my support for the fine press box lattes at Seahawks Stadium. However, I have not lost my senses. Not yet ... even though I did spend a good portion of Saturday night at a Nashville Predators hockey game. Niners, 33-16. Sports Illustrated senior writer Peter King covers the NFL beat for the magazine and is a regular contributor to CNNSI.com. Monday Morning Quarterback appears in this space -- no kidding -- on Monday mornings.
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