Daily Record from Morristown, New Jersey • Page 36

...04 Daily Record, Morris County, isf.J. Sunday, December 26, 1993 PRO FOOTBALL Dallas9 ride to playoffs won't include Price Can 'Skins spoil Cowboys' party? Washington win could deny Dallas homefield advantage in playoffs By JON LESNIK Daily Record 'It's always a special game for us when we play Washington. We're not going to let them come In here and beat us on our Russell Maryland but after two weeks on the inactive list, he was traded to the Cowboys for a conditional draft choice. Coming to Dallas was a golden opportunity for Price. The Cowboys like to employ a two tight end offense, and backup tight end Alfredo Roberts had been injured in preseason and lost for the year.

The Cowboys had been unable to find a replacement that suited coach Jimmy Johnson until Price became available. In the time that Price has been in Dallas, he has noticed many differences between the Cowboys and Rams organizations. Better in Dallas 'There is a much better approach and outlook down here," said Price. "I don't know if winning breads a better atmosphere, but the players all look forward to coming to practice and working hard. There is much better preparation here." Price did not need much time to pick up the Cowboys offense.

Cowboys' offensive coordinator Norv Turner had previously been an assistant on the Rams from 1985-1990, and had imported to Dallas the same system as the one currently used in Los Angeles. "There is no difference between Super Bowl. A player will do anything he can to get into a situation like this, and it hurts when you start thinking about what could have been." In November 1991 while a member of the Los Angeles Rams, Price suffered a fractured right fibula against San Francisco in the 12th game of the season. "I don't consider myself to be jinxed, but it has been unfortunate that I have had two injuries that have both required surgery and put me out for the remainder of a season." Two solid seasons Price, who was an undrafted free agent out of Stanford University, had made the Rams developmental squad in 1990, and then played his way onto the active roster where he spent the next two seasons catching 69 passes for 734 yards and four touchdowns. During the time, the Rams compiled a record of 9-23.

This past summer, Price and the Rams were unable to agree on a contract. The fact that the Rams drafted Penn State tight end Troy Drayton in the second round made Price expendable. Price missed all of preseason as well as the Rams first game of the 1993 season. He eventually signed a one-year contract for $165,000, Next Sunday's game between Giants and the Dallas Cow-boys is the kind of game Montville native Jim Price has always to play in. But when the Giants and the Cowboys take the field with a di-V, vision championship possibly on line, the closest that Price will 7 1 come to being part of the action on field is the sidelines.

For tne 8econd time three Price, a Cowboys' tight end, seen his season ended by an injury. On Oct. 31 in a game against Philadelphia, Price suffered a torn peroneal tendon. Surgery was subsequently performed Dallas team surgeon Dr. Rob- ert Vandermeer, and Price was JpIaced on the injured reserve list.

season was over, with only three games played and one catch and four yards to show for it. The fact that the Cowboys are headed for the playoffs has made injury more frustrating for Price. "Since I have been playing or-' jjanized sports, this is the most untimely injury that I have ever had," said Price, who lettered in baseball, football and basketball while at Montville. "It is every player's dream to be on a team has the chance to win the Jim Price ends season the two systems," Price said. "Norv came over from the Rams and he brought (Rams offensive coordinator) Ernie Zampese's system with him.

But here there are better players. The system is good, but you need players who can perform. The Cowboys are strong at all the positions. The Rams are not and that is why they have struggled." As Price has watched the Cowboys play this season, he has found himself imagining what his contribution would have been and how he and Cowboys starting tight end Jay Novacek would have teamed up. "Jay has been mainly used on the inside this year to block," said Price.

"He has also been getting held a lot at the line of scrimmage. It would help him if I was in there because I would be doing the blocking and he could be used more on the outside. He would be matched up against defensive backs where he would have a field day." By Denne H. Freeman Associated Press IRVING, Texas The Washington Redskins love to give the Dallas Cowboys grief. And they can dish out a plateful today if they upset the defending Super Bowl champions.

The Skins have had a miserable season, but at the top of their highlights reel is a 35-16 opening day victory over the Cowboys. Of course, Dallas hadn't signed Em-mitt Smith to a new contract, so he didn't play that day. The Cowboys are vowing not to let the Redskins spoil their season. "If anyone thinks well overlook the Redskins because of their record, they are wrong," quarterback Troy Aikman said. "This is Washington and we know how tough the series has been with the Redskins.

We would never overlook them. "I think the most important thing is to get a bye and the home-field advantage in the playoffs. We know what trouble Washington can cause. We realize what we have to do, since this is Washington we are playing." The Cowboys (10-4) were 16-point favorites over the Redskins (4-10), but Smith said he isn't fooled. "Washington is still a great team and I've got a lot of respect for them," Smith said.

"If we're not 100 percent ready they can beat us." Defensive tackle Russell Maryland said a game against Washington takes on an extra meaning. "The Skins are our big rivalry game and they beat us up in September," Maryland said. "They'd love to come in here and trip us up. We won't overlook them. We know they can beat us.

It's always a special game for us when we play Washington. We're not going to let them come in here and beat us on our turf." On Sept. 6, Mark Rypien threw three touchdown passes and Brian Mitchell rushed 21 times for 116 yards in the victory over the Cowboys. "That was probably their best game of the season and our worst game," said Dallas coach Jimmy Johnson. Dallas, which has clinched a playoff spot, needs to beat Washington to keep pace with the New York Giants for the NFC East championship.

The Giants and Cowboys meet in the regular season finale in New York on Jan. 2. Smith goes into the game 62 yards behind Jerome Bettis of the Los Angeles Rams in the chase for the NFL rushing title. The Redskins have had trouble stopping the run. Washington coach Richie Petit-bon said "our defense has been struggling against the run, but turnovers and sacks can make up for a multitude of sins.

Dallas is the defending Super Bowl champion and they need to finish strong. We can play a spoiler, just like we did against Atlanta." No team has swept the Washington-Dallas series since Washington did it in 1987. Falcons team has won six of nine games. He'll be the first to admit, however, that the return of cornerback Deion Sanders from the baseball diamond which also took place against the Rams had a greater correlation with the turnaround. "I'd heard a lot about him at Green Bay and in college," Archambeau said of Sanders.

"Despite the flash, he's really down to earth and has his priorities straight. He's a phenomenal athlete, but he's also a really neat person and a good role model for the kids." ask for much more than that." Archambeau had a fine preseason and was disappointed to find himself in a backup role when the season started. After the Falcons struggled to an 0-5 start, he got his big opportunity in Week 6 against the Los Angeles Rams. Archambeau got the starting nod at right defensive end, a job he's held ever since. He has recorded 50 tackles, 15 quarterback pressures and a forced fumble but is still looking for his first sack.

Since Archambeau was inserted in the starting lineup, his new '''Continued fromD1 known as much for his outrageous as his coaching. "He's very intense and serious, not quite the image of Jerry Glan-ville I expected Elvis and all that," Archambeau said. "It was a "tough training camp and there weren't many days off. has a personality, that's for aUre. But if you work hard for t'iiim, he treats you well.

You can't Les Archambeau defensive end 4 yr-mnwrn 5 Giants Sandoz Pharmaceuticals invites you to enjoy get anything done there, so we need to change up some things. If we could get a little bit more inside rush, I think our outside guys could be effective," Shurmur said, pondering the last meeting. The Cardinals showed last week they're finding out what it takes to win close ones. Greg Davis kicked a 55-yard field goal at the end of regulation to tie Seattle in the Kingdome, then hit a 41-yarder to win it in overtime. And Steve Beuerlein threw for three touchdowns and a career-high 431 yards.

The next step for Phoenix seems to be gaining the consistency Reeves has instilled in the Giants. Left tackle Luis Sharpe said he thought the Cardinals would play at least as well this time. "There's no reason not to," Sharpe said. "They have the best record in the NFL, yards rushing. But Simms took charge in the fourth quarter, including a 23-yard completion to Mark Jackson on third-and-18 in New York's final possession.

Simms, 38, who is one of just eight quarterbacks to start every game this year, finished with 337 yards passing. "What he's done with this team probably puts him ahead of some of the other guys," Jackson said. "You look at Troy Aikman from Dallas. They're coming off a world championship. You look at (Steve) Young.

The 49ers have tradition; they've got a lot of talent. You've got a lot of tools there. Here, we were coming off a 6-10 season. He's done a spectacular job." Phoenix defensive coordinator Fritz Shurmur said Simms' lack of mobility outside the pocket was a weakness only if the opponent could get an inside rush. "Our outside guys were forcing the quarterback up, and we didn't --Xahtmued from D1 ai i Jtig coaches nervous.

The Cardinals haven't beaten a CSihning team or won games all season, but the closest to a loss the Giants have ycome in their six-game winning streak was Nov. 28, when it took Brad Daluiso's 54-yard field goal with 32 seconds left to defeat Phoenix 19-17. If that isn't warning enough, the Cardinals blanked New York I 19-0 last December. 'I "They've got great talent, they're extremely well-coached, they're very physical offensively and defensively. If we go in there thinking about playing any less than as hard as we can, there's no way we'll win," Reeves said.

rm i i i i j.ne varamais piayeu ruggeu 3 defense, holding the Giants to 46 ft Jets Solid Brass and Opera at Florham at First Night Morris record. Jets coach Bruce Coslet knows the odds are against his team and he prefers not to think about it. "History is history," Coslet said. "I can't think or worry about that stuff. What I think about is getting the Jets into the playoffs, not who our opponents are." Coslet said his biggest concern is the Jets' offense.

Other than a late score during last week 28-7 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, the Jets haven't scored a touchdown in 17 quarters. The sluggish offense caused quarterback Boomer Esiason to call for a "shootout" with the Bills. "We can't be conservative any longer," Esiason said. "We have to go out and play like we want to win and not like we don't want to lose. You open it up.

What the hell?" Upon hearing that his quarter back was calling for an air attack against the Bills, Coslet laughed, saying: "We're going to throw every down. Go tell Marv (Levy) that." Coslet did say Esiason's comments were the product of some soul-searching and frustration. Coslet said an injury to Johnny Mitchell, the Jets' big-play tight end, was one of the key reasons for the problems. But he wasn't sure why the Jets are having so much trouble. "Every idea I've had would be considered an excuse," Coslet said.

"Ultimately, I have to say we're just not getting the job done." Still, statistically, the Jets are a better team than the Bills. New York is third in the AFC in offense, first in total possession time and plus-7 in turnover ratio. Continued fromD1 SFX aid. "And those games always come down to a couple of big plays." TThe big plays, however, mostly go against the Jets. In 11 of the past 12 meetings, the Jets have walked away losers.

Despite the lopsided record, the Jets (8-6) and Buffalo (10-4) make an explosive mix. This year at the Meadowlands, the Jets led into the third quarter, when Darryl talley ran an interception for a 61-yard touchdown to help secure a 19-10 win. The Jets aren't concentrating on the past, though. Nor are they particularly looking forward to the future, when they play Houston, another team with a better Oilers performing some of the most demanding and popular arias in the repertory. Your First Night button is your ticket to Sandoz's gala evening as well as to 160 other performances in scores of locations around Morristown's Green.

First Night buttons are available at King Supermarkets and many other locations in the Morris County area. We strongly suggest planning your evening in advance using the schedule that cornea with your button Arriving well before a performance begina is the best way to make sure you get a seat at the events you most want to attend! Sandoz Pharmaceutical is pleased to bring you special concert by Morris County renowned Solid Bras ensemble and Opera at Florham on New Year Eve. In the anctuary of Morrii town' United Methodist Church (eaat aide of the Green), Solid Brass will play works of composers ranging from Pachelbel to Duke Ellington. Performances atart at 6:30 p.m. with an introduction to brass instruments aimed especially at children.

Concerta follow at 7:15 and 8:15 p.m. Then at 10:15 and 11:15 p.m., Opera at Florham presents a battle between "Dueling Divas and Brawling Baritones" as four singers vie in Del Greco added a 24-yard field goal. Rookie Blaine Bishop, starting in place of injured safety Bubba McDowell, sacked Young on a blitz and forced the fumble, recovering at the San Francisco 18. Three plays later, Moon found Givins for the score. Cornerback Don Griffin thwarted a Houston march when he stepped in front of Haywood Jeffiries to intercept Moon's pass and give San Francico possession at the 49ers 29 with 1:56 left in the second quarter.

ception 15 yards and San Francisco took over at its 30. After a 5-yard scramble by Young, he completed a 22-yard pass to Amp Lee and a 32-yard throw to Jerry Rice to the Houston 11. The drive stalled, however, and Mike Cofer's 24-yard field goal was blocked by Eddie Robinson. Houston twice blunted San Francisco drives with end-zone interceptions and led 10-0 at half-time, cashing in Young's fumble for a 7-yard touchdown pass from Warren Moon to Ernest Givins. Al Continued from D1 Moon had a touchdown pass but was off target much of the day, completing ll-of-26 for 158 yards.

He was also intercepted three times, twice by cornerback Michael McGruder, whose second interception came with Houston on the move again midway through the third quarter and looking to control of the game. McGruder returned the inter-.