The News Journal from Wilmington, Delaware • Page 35

THE NFWS JOURNAL C3 EH5 THURSDAY. DFC 1, 1994 Bavaro uncertain for Dallas .3 Thomas may also sit out game with sprained right only reserve on offense with much L-H1 ITS. fa By KEVIN NOONAN Staff reporter PHILADELPHIA Eagles Coach Rich Kotite hintyd he may make a change in his lineup for Sunday's game against Dallas, but said he wouldn't decide for sure or at least announce it until later in the week. Injuries may force his hand. Tight end Mark Bavaro missed the Atlanta game with a sprained toe, and he's still not 100 percent.

And linebacker William Thomas sat out Wednesday's practice because of a sprained right knee. Regarding Bavaro, Kotite said, "I don't know. We'll have to see. It's improved to a certain degree, but we won't know until the swelling goes down. So I'm not sure at this point." If Bavaro can't play, Maurice Johnson will start his second straight game.

And if Thomas can't go, veteran Ken Rose will start in his place. As for making a change for reasons other than injury, Kotite wouldn't commit himself. "I'm not going to lay any bombshells on you," he said. "I mean, right now we just want to see how everybody is and where we're at at the end of the week." And there really aren't too many changes the coach could make. One possibility is Tom McHale for Broderick Thompson Emmltt Smith (right) trails Barry Sanders (left) by 199 yards in his quest for a fourth straight rushing title.

Mfliininiiini out of time Smith may lose rushing title to Sanders ByDENNEH. FREEMAN Associated Press IRVING, Texas He's 199 yards behind with four games to go. Emmitt Smith needs a 50-yard difference per game to win his fourth consecutive NFL rushing title. "If it's meant to be, fine," Smith said. "If not, I'll take another Super Bowl ring." Smith is chasing the one runner he might not be able to catch, Barry Sanders of the Detroit Lions.

"My job is to try to win games right now, not another rushing title," said Smith, who has been bothered this year by pulled hamstrings and sore shoulders. But he adds that, "I'd be lying if I said I'm not looking at what Sanders does. Sure I look at the man. He's the only one ahead of me. But I'm really not worrying about it.

What could hurt Smith's bid to join Jim Brown as the only rusher Eagles: Kotite' status a distraction experience. Rookie Charlie Oar ner has been in a funk lately, but Kotite alternates his running backs anyhow. On defense, end Burt Grossman is already part of a rotation that is unlikely to change. The only other defender with true NFL experience is free safety Rich Miano, and he backs up Greg Jackson, who may be the Eagles defensive MVP. So even if Kotite wants io shake up his team, his options are limited.

"If it was one person all the time it's not, it's really not," said Kotite. "I don't want to make change for the sake of making -af change, say, 'Oh, this is the guy who's been screwing up all the whole because that's not true. "I'm not going to rule out any thing, but I don't think that's thep answer." EAGLE EYES: The Birds' injury? report has Bavaro and Thomas as questionable. Also in that category are DE Burt Grossman (knee), John Hudson (knee), DT Tommy Jeter (arm) and DT Wil- Ham Perry (elbow). DE Greg Townsend (knee) is probable Kotite said LB Vaughan Johnson, a four-time Pro Bowl selection with New Orleans, may be activated for Dallas.

v. We have to make sure we do the things we need to do to get the job done. "At the end of the season the' decision will be made, and we can't do anything about it." What bothers Alexander is how quickly Eagles fans have jumped off the bandwagon, that the same fans who were planning trips 'to the Super Bowl when the Birds were 7-2 have now abandoned them. "What's really unbelievable iis the reaction of the public," -ho. said.

"It's like they've forgotten what we've already done, what we accomplished here it's the same players and coaches we had when we were 7-2. We're obvi' ously not playing well, but we've always battled. We still have four weeks left, we still have a chanc'e to finish strong. But it seems like everybody's shoveling dirt on And with the defending Super Bowl champions coming to town, those shovels are poised, ready to dump some more. "You know, you can't blame the fans too much," said defensivo end William Fuller.

"They want their team to play well, and we haven't been doing that lately. So they're going to pick on the east: est targets, and in football that's always been the head coach and the quarterback. That's just the nature of the beast." (I'M 'Iff TONIGHTS SELECTION ON TAPS -900-407-3033 820 rn wiik or collici hoom f-Ktt iCUKtS 1 HUU Jli.fJ67 fVlt SCUHfS I AP rushed for 1,486 yards and averaged 5.3 yards per carry, his best season average in his five-year career. "It's been a tough physical year," Smith said. "It seems like something is always hurting." Newton said some teams have been out to hurt Smith.

"He's been taking some shots, some of them a little on the late side," Newton said. "I see some of these guys jump up and down like Butkus after they make a tackle. They're trying to hurt Emmitt. Smith always likes to see the Eagles, Sunday's opponent, on the schedule. In the last five games, he's rushed 134 times for 792 yards against Philadelphia for a 5.9 average.

His biggest game against them was for 237 yards last year on Halloween. "Philly will be pumped up and play hard against us," Smith said. "Their fans make it a very difficult place to play. They'll be all riled up." And so will be Smith. ELSEWHERE: Los Angeles Raiders quarterback Jeff Hostetler, knocked silly by the Pittsburgh Steelers last weekend, didn't practice and was listed as questionable for Monday night's game at San Diego.

Washington has signed free agent linebacker Er-ick Anderson. Anderson, a seventh-round draft choice by the Kansas City Chiefs in 1992 out of Michigan, spent his rookie season on injured reserve with an ankle injury. Jason Garrett, the Dallas Cowboys' third-string quarterback, and Mark Ingram, a Miami Dolphins' wide receiver, are the NFC and AFC Offensive Players of the Week. Other NFC Players of the Week are Tampa Bay linebacker Hardy Nickerson and Chicago kicker Kevin Butler for special teams. Also chosen as AFC Players of the Week were Seattle safety Robert Blackmon and San Diego punt returner Darrien Gordon for special teams.

Peete may be ready to face Eagles ivbbri Drec IMMMMBMB pjn Jjjs hand. Associated Press ping his hand. Eagles notes at right tackle Thompson has struggled recently, and he gave up three sacks to the Falcons' Chuck Smith last week. Of course, the most newsworthy change would be at quarterback, where Randall Cunningham has been in a slump for more than a month. But don't expect to see backup Bubby Brister taking on the Cowboys.

"I'm not contemplating that, no," said Kotite. "Let's not put the blame on any one person. I think this thing has happened to the football team. It's happened to a number of players, a number of players that we feel are fine players. So I wouldn't read any more into that than that." "If that were to happen, it would be like he was saying that Randall Cunningham lost these last three games, and that's just not the way it is," said center Dave Alexander.

"Look back at all three games and you'll see they were all definitely team losses. Nobody, by himself, is responsible. We all are." Which makes it harder for Kotite to shuffle his deck. Where would he start? McHale is the "I can only speak for myself and for me, no, not at all," said cornerback Eric Allen. "Actually, the only time I ever think about it is when the media say it, then after you guys are gone, I'm in my playbook again.

So, no, I don't think it bothers me at all." "We don't pay attention to all that goes on on the outside," said defensive tackle Andy Harmon. "We're here to win games, and that's our only concern. I mean, it's not like they ask us for our input on things like that anyhow, so it doesn't make any difference. They pay us to play football, and that's all we can do." "It's not a coach's problem, it's a players' problem," said running back Herschel Walker, "and the players have to correct it, because we're out there on the field and they're not. "The players don't worry about anything like that," added Walker of the rumors swirling around Kotite.

"The one thing these guys here can't worry about is anything that goes on in the front office, because we're not paid to do that. So all the guys can do is go out there and play." Of course, if the guys had gone out there and played well the last three weeks, Kotite's future wouldn't be such a hot topic. But his team has foundered after a 7-2 start, and that has fueled the Rich-must-go talk. "Every day it seems like it gets bigger," said center Dave Alexander. "It's time to move on.

It's become a nuisance. It's already grown exponentially. But we don't worry about coaches you can only worry about yourself. ST FROM PAGE C1 the Eagles, but people are pointing the finger at him and firing him. "And people are pointing the finger at me, but me, I'm not really concerned about it.

But with Richie, it's his job, and we just hope it doesn't affect him, how he coaches this team or how he coaches during the game." When asked if the uncertainty has affected Kotite's coaching during the game, Cunningham paused before answering. "You know, it's really hard to say. I think only Richie can answer that question, because he knows how his mind is," he said. "But it doesn't seem like it has." Kotite said the rumors haven't affected him at all, although he does concede that his players have lost a little focus lately. He knows his players have been bombarded with questions about his future, and that the three-game losing streak has added to that.

That's why Kotite addressed his team on Monday, instead of having the normal film study of the previous day's game. "We've got to regain that focus," said Kotite Wednesday. "I think they realize that we have to refocus, all of us, and if today was any indication, they were very focused at practice. I think they're well aware of that, and the most important thing now is to get back to the way we were focusing when we were 7-2, and I think they will. I like the way they're reacting." Other players say the rumors and reports haven't affected them in the slightest.

to win four consecutive titles is the Lions playoff chances. The Dallas Cowboys suspect that if Detroit gets bounced out of the playoffs, the Lions will feed the ball to Sanders on an above normal basis. "Barry may get the ball 50 times a game if they lose another game or two," offensive tackle Nate Newton said. "If they've got no playoff goals then they'll go with their star looking for individual goals." Newton said Smith's primary concern is getting his team in position for another Super Bowl run. "Barry could go down as the greatest of all time but he'll have no Super Bowl rings," Newton said.

"Emmitt may get me into the Hall of Fame with all the rings he's helped this franchise win." Smith is still going strong, but not as strong as last year. He has 1,207 yards but is averaging only 4.1 yards per carry. Last year he NFL IN notes Eagleton, who is leading the effort by FANS Inc. Eagleton had hoped to conclude talks by today, but he said that was not to be, "despite the best efforts of all concerned." "Some vital issues remain which will take additional time to resolve," he said. CHIEFS: Kansas City backup Steve Bono took virtually all the snaps in practice and said he's "assuming" he'll be the starter on Sunday.

Denver coach Wade Phillips isn't so sure Bono is right. "We're planning for Montana," Phillips said. Montana is trying to recover from a foot injury suffered last week in Seattle. Chiefs coach Marty Schottenheimer wasn't tip si -frit IRVING, Texas Rodney Peete's sprained thumb is working so good that he could be the starting quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday in Philadelphia. Peete, signed as the primary backup to Troy Aikman, watched from the sidelines on Thanksgiving Day as third-stringer Jason Garrett led the Cowboys to a 42-31 victory over the Green Bay Packers.

Aikman didn't play because of a sprained knee and wasn't expected to play against the Eagles. Meanwhile, the Cowboys have signed free agent running back Blair Thomas and defensive back Darren Studstill and cut special teams player Joe Fishback. RAMS: Negotiations between the Los Angeles Rams and the St. Louis group trying to bring them here will continue past a target date set for their conclusion, according to Missouri Sen. Thomas Bears (8-4) at Vikings (7-5) WHEN: 8 p.m.

tonight, ESPN LINE: Vikings by 5 GAME PLAN: Bears' Steve Walsh will use Raymont Harris and Lewis Tillman out of the backfield more and will give TE Marv Cook more work. Chicago linebackers will go after QB Warren Moon, while the secondary will try to shut down WR Cris Carter and bottle up RB Terry Allen. Moon will try to get linebackers in more one-on-one situations, using Carter on decoy routes. Minnesota tackles John Randle and Henry Thomas will try to get pressure on Walsh, taking away his quick flat passes. KEY MATCHUPS: Bears: LG Todd Perry and LT Andy Heck vs.

RT John Randle and RE Robert Harris. Vikings: CB Anthony Parker and Vencie Glenn vs. QB Steve Walsh. OFFDEF RANKINGS: Bears: offense 17th (13th rush, 17th pass); defense 5th (23rd rush, 1st pass). Vikings: offense 2nd (19th rush, 2nd pass); defense 7th (1st rush, 24th pass).

FAST FACTS: Bears: Dave Wannstedt is 6-8 vs. Central Division opponents, 0-3 vs. Minnesota. Vikings: Minnesota is 2-4 in Thursday games; Chicago Is 2-0. TODAY'S WINNERS Is your license plate shown here? Check daily for your chance to win $100 in LICNZ 2 WN! If it is, call The News Journal within 2 days at (302) 324-2558 or (800) 235-9100 X2558.

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