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Asbury Park Press from Asbury Park, New Jersey • Page 17

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Asbury Park Pressi
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Asbury Park, New Jersey
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17
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I Asbury Park Evening Press Sporti News 17-21 SECTION TWO Classified 23-30 Financial 22 Crossword Puzzle 30 Lost and Found 30 ASBURY PARK, N.J., MONDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1972 Giant s'M istakes Make Dolphins' 13th Victory Easier Morris bursting 28 yards over right tackle, but time ran out. "I had good protection," said Snead. "We threw a lot of short rhythm passes with quick releases. Miami plays that three-man front, so we figured we didn't have to throw. We felt we could run and we were successful to a point.

But there were too many turnovers." Snead hit 15 of 25 for 231 yards. Morall was 9-for-17 for 171. By JOE LEE Press Sports Editor NEW YORK The New York Giants tried to put a little something extra on their offensive weapons yesterday and wound up dropping a 23-13 decision to the unbeaten Miami Dolphins, giving the victors their 13th consecutive victory of the 1972 National Football League season. Only the Baltimore Colts, last team to beat the Dolphins in regular-season competition, stand in the way of-' the first perfect NFL season since the 1942 Chicago Beara went 11-0. The Giants did a great job against the No.

1 offensive and defensive team in the American Conference when they stuck' to their basic game plan without the frills. But every time they tried to spice up the attack, the. Dolphins wound up with more points on the scoreboard, or at least back in the control of the football. THE GIANTS, assured of at least a 7-7 season even if they lose to Dallas in Texas this one from the 16 sealed the Giants' doom. HERE AltE the key mistakes that the Dolphins, with the running of Mercury Morris and Jim Kiick and Earl Morrall's passes to I'aul Warfield and Kiick, converted to win No.

13. The clubs swapped early touchdowns the Giants shocking even their own fans among the 62,728 in Yankee Stadium's gloom with a 38-yard return of the opening kickoff by Joe Orduna to Then they drove the 50 ya-c'3 in five plays, Ron Johnson smashing 11 over right tackle the first crack, and Snead hitting Don Herrmann for a 34-yard gain to the one on a post pattern. Johnson dove over for the score, and although PeteGo-golak's PAT was blocked, the Giants' fans were ecstatic. But Morrall drove the Dolphins 82 yards in 10 plays, Morris skirting left end from the 12 for the score and makint it 7-C. MISTAKE 1 Rocky Thompson returned the Doi- MISTAKE 7 The Giants made first downs three times on the next drive, reaching the Dolphin 28.

But Tucker fumbled on an end-around (the play he had scored with against Denver) and Bob Heinz recovered for Miami at the 33. "I looked up and (defensive end Dick) Stanfill was staring me right in the eye," said Tucker of the play. He caught four passes for 89 yards, but also dropped a couple. MISTAKE 8 Mendenhall forgot to look for the ball on the punt and the Dolphins tacked on the final three-pointer. MISTAKE 9 Thompson tried to reverse the kickoff to Eldridge Small but they were too close and they wound up losing four more yards.

MISTAKE 10 Snead tried to go deep to Tucker again and Buoniconti intercepted in the final two minutes. The Dolphins reached the two in the final seconds, chard, the punter who holds for Gogolak on field goals, rolled out trying to throw deep to his left to tight end Dick Kotite on a fake field goal when the Giants stalled at the Dolphin 16. Needing four yards for the first down, he admitted he could have made it running at first, but decided to throw, then just unloaded the ball toward Tucker, who made a diving try for it at the seven but couldn't hold it as he went down. "The footing was bad and I couldn't set up to throw back to the left," said Blan-chard. "so I just threw to who I could see." Coach Matt Hazeltine and Kotite had called the play from the sidelines, with Kotite blocking for a 10 count at the right side before breaking deep left.

"We just never jot a chance to practice it," said Hazeltine. MISTAKE 6 Later in the period, the Giants tried to go deep to Tucker but Curt Johnson picked it off and the Dolphins drove to the 23 from where Yeprernian converted a 31-yarder. STATISTICS OF THE CAME Dolphins Giants First downs 16 21 Rushes yards 41-204 35-121 Passing yards 163 222 Return yards 79 125 Passes 9-171 15-26-2 Punts 3 37 2-43 Fumbles lost 1-0 4 4 Penalties-yards 2-27 4-40 phin kickoff 18 yards to the 20 and fumbled and Charlie Leigh recovered on the Giants' 28. A sack of Morrall Larry Jacobson, a defensive gem all day for the set up Yepremian's 37-yard field goal for a 10-6 cushion. A penalty against ..12 Giants when Pete Athas tried to rush the kicker brought the kick from the 37 instead of the 42.

"Three guys caught, me in the hole at the same time," explained Thompson, "and they hooked the ball as I spun around. It should have been recovered by us, but one of men tried to pick it up instead of falling on it." MISTAKE 2 Fullback Vince Clements, starting his rr.i mo and collecting 63 yards in 11 carries, gained i 1 Jn. jw-iimmi, ammmimtmmmmmmiimmliitmm mrnrn, mmmm, vmm immmmm i niuim mum I three yards to the It and fumbled and Doug Swift fell on it for Miami. Passes to Clements for 15, Johnson for 13 and Hob Tucker for 35 spiced the drive from the Giants 20. MISTAKE 3 Veteran safety Spider Lockhart, still hampered by a shoulder separation two weeks ago, had man-to-man coverage on the fleet Warfield, who ran a zig-in and dove into the end zone for a 34-yard strike and The Giants drove 81 yards 12 nlays to score on Johnson's one-yard smash to cut the gat) to 17-13, only 26 seconds before the half.

They tned 2:16 minutes, helped by an' interference call on Anderson against Tucker in the end zone, and passes to Tucker for 17, and Rich Houston for 24. MISTAKE- 4 (almost) -The secondary let Warfield grab a pass away from two of them on the final play of the half, a bomb covering 28 to the 15. MISTAKE 5 Tom Blan- SKI WINNER ARRIVES LATE VAL D'ISEPiE, France Reinhard Tritscher of Austria flashed to an upset victory in a World Cup ski race yesterday after another competitor already had accepted the winner's bouquet. Marcello Varallo of Italy was holding the flowers and being interviewed when Tritscher, who wears a special boot because one leg is shorter than the other, made his winning run from the 45th starting position. Not only did Tritscher better Varallo's mark while the Italian was being interviewed, but so did David Zwilling of Austria.

meu 5 Sunday in the finale, gave up the ball twice in the shadow (hardly an apt description for the murk through which rain fell heavily at times for three periods) of the goalposts on fumbles, and once when a pass from a fake field goal misfired. Those three errors alone cost them at least nine points, and coupled with the effort the defensive unit put out, It could- have been enough for the upset of the day if not the season. Coach Ales Webster said he didn't think tha Cowboys' victory the Redskins Saturday that eliminated the Giants from playoff contention was a big factor or the cause of a letdown. "THESE KIDS were tip for this game," he pointed out. "They gave us a hell of an afternoon when they could have quit after losing the ball like that.

But they came back every time. "Heck, we had the ball the whole second half (two drives that ate up 6:06 and 5:47 minutes), but we just had too many turnovers." Two other Giants' drives LI STATISTICS. OF THE Bears First downs, 13 Rushes-yards" 47-214 GAME Eagles 18 25-83 147 100 16-40-3 5- 41 2-1 6- 27 Passing yards 36 118 19-1 5- 45 6- 3 Return yards Passes Punts Fumbles-lost Penalties-yards 7-81 the third period. Coach Ed Khayat said, "Reaves had an off day so we decided to try Liske in the second half." When Liske was hit from behind after the whistle had blown, he was forced to leave the game doubled up. This set the stage for Arrington.

Arrington, who admitted he blew a -chance for the go-ahead touchdown or' at least a field goal, explained his crucial fumble. "The play was sent in from the bench. It was supposed to be a pass over the middle to (Harold) Carmi-chacl. I thought he would be open as they were leaving the middle clear. "He was running what we call a four pattern which is a curl over the middle.

The flankers take an out pattern and as it was, they were open and I should have thrown to them. "CARMICHAEL was held up at the line by a linebacker and couldn't spin clear. By the time he broke loose, I was hit and fumbled. Khayat admitted, "The offensive protection just broke down on that play." The newly activated Arrington had even more trouble ns he threw an interception later in the game to set tin the Bears' insurance touchdown. All told, he completed live of 13 passes with one interception while being sacked four times while attempting to pass.

The Bears drove 52 yards were choked off by Interceptions, mainly because quarterback Norm Snead, who had un impressive day statistically, had to throw deeper than the game plan called for. "You can't go deep on them," admitted Webster. "Their linebackers, and especially that (Nick) Buoniconti get back there pretty good and deep. You have to throw underneath them." ADD TO THE mistakes the 20-yard Dick Anderson punt that hit Giants defensive tackle John Mendenhall on the head as he dropped back to block for the runback. That was a costly error.

First thing most linemen are taught while covering a punt is to look for the ball when you hear the kicker hit it with his foot. That came with the Giants trailing, 20-13, with about five minutes left in the game. They had stopped a Dolphin drive at midficld. but the kick was recovered by a host of Dolphins at the Giants' 16, and although the defense again stopped the drive, Garo Yepremian's third field goal of the day for a touchdown the first time they had the ball. Douglas carried three times for 34 yards including a 19-yard scoring run.

BUT THEN the Bears began to make errors and the Eagles capitalized on three of them for scores. Douglas fumbled on his own 16 with John Bunting making the recovery for the Eagles. Reaves then threw a 16-yard scoring pass to Kent Kramer to tie the score. It was Kramer's first touchdown as an Eagle. Linebacker Dick Abshcr intercepted a Douglas pass which was turned into a 33-yard field goal by Tom Dempsey.

With time running out in the first half, the Eagles raised their lead to 12-7 as they turned another Bear error into a safety. Bobby Joe Green went back to punt and when he fumbled the low snap from center was hit in the end zone by Bunting for the safety. CHICAGO WENT 79 yards following the second-half kickoff to take a lead held until the end. The big play on the march was a 44-yard nass from Douglas to Earl Thomas, which put the ball on the Eagles' one. It was Douglas's only completion of the afternoon.

Robert Lawson slammed over from the one for tho touchdown and Mac Percival kicked the second extra point. ran 32 yards late In the game for the final and then added a little spice on the try for the extra nnint. After fumbling the hold oil the placement. Douglas picked up the loose ball and passed to Dick liut-kus, who was nil alone In the end zone. "I DON'T know who we See EAGLES rage 18 kickoff 39 yards for Giants Giants fullback Vince Clements (29) looks for running room behind block by Greg tar-son on Dolphins linebacker Nick Buomiconti (85).

Joe Orduna returns opening against Dolphins in 23-13 battles Dolphin safety Dick Anderson for pass. Tucker stay near lop in NFC receiving. loss. Defender closing in is Hubert Gmn (Kress rnorosj Arrington Turns Goat Johnson gained f.1 yards to up his team rer-ord total for a season to 1,129, and his 23 carries made him the rush-ingest back in Giants history with 276. Eddie Price carried 271 times in 1951.

For the Dolphins, Morris gained 98 yards on 19 carries and needs 95 against Baltimore to achieve 1,000. Kiick was a workhorse with 69 yards in 10 carries and four receptions for another 28. The Giants' front four forced Morrall out of the nocket three times in addition to the one sack, as Hen-See GIANTS Page 20 who went on to score first Terry Bradshaw was knocked out of the game in the sec ond period with a dislocated finger, leaving it to rookie Joe Gilliam to guide Pittsburgh within Gerela's range. Gerela, who was once released by the Oilers, broke a 33 tie with a 39 yard field goal, then added a 13-yarder later in the third period. The 49ers, moving a half game ahead of the Falcons, made a pair of first half Bruce Gossett field goals stand up before Ken Willard blasted over twice from one yard out to seal the San Francisco victory.

0. J. Simpson rushed for 116 yards, raising his season total to 1,150 for a Buffalo record, but Greg Landry's third touchdown pass of the day, a 37-yarder to Ron Jessie in the final quarter, enabled the Lions to avoid defeat. The Rams, falling a gamo behind San Francisco, got two Roman Gabriel touchdown passes but fell victim to Jim Hart's quarter-backing. He returned to a starting role for the Cardinals, passed 30 yards to Walker Gillette for one touchdown and combined with Bobby Moore on an NFL record 98-vard pass play to set up another score.

Len Dawson passed for two touchdowns and Wendell Hayes, who caught one of them, rushed for 104 yards to lend the Chiefs past the Colts. The Patriots ended their nine-game losing spin as Jim Plunkett connected with Reggie Mucker on scoring passes of 31 and 25 yards against the favored Sainta, Charley Johnson and Haven Moses combined on touchdown strikes of 11 and seven yards hs the Broneoj turned three San Diego turn-overs Into 17 third period points and for their runaway. Packers Clinch Crown; Steelers Reopen Lead As Eagles Lose 10th Giants end Bob Tucker (38) caught four for 89 yards to Pro Foolball By The Assncloltd Press NFL Ainericon Cnntprence fosl Ptt. Pis .141 171 319 .3 14 "13 Np York Jets I.OiJU HuitMiiore Bul'nl'i 1 I Nf A nqlunci In Control IMKhiirgh lu OCVPlCMU! 4 Innoti 7 6 11 Houilon 1 12 West Ooklonrt a 3 i 7ud KniiMis Lily 7 6 Sr" DiCyJO 4 8 I Denver 4 9 0 .3118 Notional Conference East 1 .9 Til 370 36 Pet. x-Wnshlnolon ...11 2 0 V-Dallos 10 3 0 New York Giants ..7 6 0 St.

mm .1 9 1 Philadelphia 2 10 I Central X-Greni Bav 9 4 0 .697 Dr-lroit 5 i Mlnnrsota 7 A 0 .538 Chicago i 8 1 .344 West Snn I 5 I .577 Allrjnta 0 I. OS AnflPles 1 New rinn, 1 jy? l' I. 'li lirrl rh 1 C-iiiiciicd phnoti i.r ih soruroov's' oame Cleveland 1 mnnnali :4 Colla. ..4. 4 bunriov's Games Kansas CiW .4, Briltunoie 10 Denver 38, Sun Dieqn 13 San Hranciscrt 20.

Atlanta Pts 3)9 3 If, 308 I f.v l.V 30S M4 OP 194 232 247 195 at a Glance uur.ngn 21, Philadelphia 17 Gieen Rav 53, Minnesota 7 St. I.nnis 24, Los Anaeies 14 Potiott Buffalo 21, tie iVirnni 2 1, Now York Giants Now 1 nciiand 17, Ne Orleans 10 IMi'-bui gh 9, Houston 3 Mondny's Games ,11 Oakland, 9 10 (I'll i.nn Salurrfay's Game All Times fcSI M'llhinofp at Virion. 1 i i.nnnesota nt San F'rai 4 Sunday Games 1 1 innnti at Hoavlnn. 7 in. R'ltfnlo at Washinaton, 1 m.

I Imago at uaklnnd. 4 0 1 tevelanrt at New Y.nk Jets. 1 p.m. Polioif at Los Angeles, 4 p.m. Green Bay at New Orleans, I m.

Kansas lily at Atlanta, I p.m. Nea 11 aland at Denver, ni. Now York Giants at Dallas, 1 in. I'tiiUideinhici at St. Louis, 2 111.

Piltshuigh at San Diego, 4 p.m. ABA East 19 16 13 12 15 15 Pet. .613 .571 .545 .144 CB Carolina Kentucky ainia New Y01 Memphis Indiana IH.h leaver Snn Piego Dallas IS 17 Id West 18 1 14 17 1 1 Sunday's Gnme Memphis 111. New Yolk V6 Only game si hednled cago upended 21-12. Philadelphia In Saturday's two games, Cleveland nipped Cincinnati 27-24 and Dallas downed Washington 34-24.

Tonight the New York Jets face the Raiders in Oakland. Brockington rumbled for 114 yards and Lane added 99, three of them on a second half touchdown. Chester Marcol kicked in with three field goals and rookie defensive back Willie Buchanon intercepted a pair of passes, setting up a touchdown and a field goal as the Packers shut down Minnesota, limiting the Vikings to just five offensive plays in the entire second half. It was an expensive victory that put the Steelers into the playoffs for the first time in their history. Quarterback may he ended DALLAS Lf) The defending Super Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys are in the National Football League playoffs, but they've got to hack it without All-Pro linebacker Chuck Howley, who may never play another down.

Howley, a 14-year veteran who always was at his best in the clutch, underwent surgery for torn ligaments in his left knee Saturday night after the Cowboys assured themselves a wild card berth with a hard-earned 34-24 victory over Washington. Howie v. the Most Vidua- b' Player in Suner Bowl V. is 3'i vears old and Tex Schramm, general manager of the Cowboys, Is grim about Howley's chances of returning to Dallas next year. "I'm afraid this is it for Chuck," Schramm said after the injury.

By BILL KING Press Staff Writer PHILADELPHIA The diehard Philadelphia Eagle football fans got what they wanted yesterday and when they did they wished- they hadn't in a 21-12 loss to the Chicago Bears. Sitting in the fog and mist oi Veterans Stadium they chanted "We. Want Rick, We Want Rick." The call was for Rick Arrington, who had just been activated at quarterback after serving on the taxi squad all season long. Arrington finally got his chance in the final quarter against the Bears. Instead of lrading the Birds to an upset victory, he became an instant goat.

WITH CHICAGO leading 14-12, the Eagles found themselves on the Bear nine-yard line. Quarterback Pete Liske was forced out of the game with a rib injury and Arrington trotted on to the cheers ol the crowd. On his first play from scrimmage, he fumbled the ball away with the Bears making the recovery. Instead of taking at least a 15-14 lead on a field goal, the Birds were headed for another defeat. Chicago went on to score another touchdown in the 21-12 triumph.

This was the first time since 1912 the Eagles failed to win a game at home. They did manage a 6-fi tie in Philadelphia against St. Louis. Bobby Douglas engineered the Bears' victory as he ran for two touchdowns and set up a third with his only pass completion of the (lay. Chicago chipped In with enough turnovers In the second quarter to keep the game close.

JOHN HEAVES started at quarterback for the Eagles nd Llske look over early in By The Associated Press The Green Bay Packers won their first National Football League championship since the Vince Lombar-di glory days, Pittsburgh moved within one victory of the first title in their 40 years and Miami took the next to last step toward perfection yesterday. The Pack, out of postseason play since 19G7, used the bruising running of MacArthur Lane and John Brockington and a fired up defense to rally from a one touchdown halftime deficit to clobber Minnesota 2.17 and lock up the National Conference Central Divi sion crown. The Steelers, reopening their one game lead over Cleveland in the American Conference Central Division, got three field goals from Gerela to slip past Rov Houston 9-3. It assured Pittsburgh of a playoff berth but whether tne beat out the Browns divisional title de- Steelers for the pends games ou next's week's final ie Dolphins, becoming only the fifth club in NFL history to win 13 games in a season, got a 12 yard toucn-down sweep from Mercury Morris and a 34 yard Earl Morrall to-Paul Warfield scoring pass that paved the way to 2313 triumph over the It New York Giants, moved Miami within a victory season of the first nerfe-t sure the I hicago Bear In San went 11 0 in yesterday's other games, Francisco regained first place in the NFC West by smothcrini! Atlanta 20-0, De troit salvaged a 21 21 tie with Los City New Buffalo, St. Louis upset Angeles 24-14, Kansas beat Baltimore 24-10, England tripped New Orleans 17-10, Denver routed San Diego 38-13 and Chi- ft fj Jh4 i lit re- 1 vlv hi) It Miko Garrett of the San Diego Charger goes for gain up the middle before Bron- went ovor 1,000 yards for the season and cos' Paul Smith (70) and Pete Duranko (55) 5,000 yards in his career yesterday in game get to ihim.

Garrett gained 59 yards in the against the Denver Broncos. Here Garrett game won by Broncos 38-13. (AP).

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