Chicago Tribune from Chicago, Illinois • 49

Chicago Tribune, Sunday, September 13, 1992 Section 3 11 PRO FOOTBALL 7 4 It's just not fair, yet they compare Neal Anderson broke Gale Savers' rushing record last week. "What record?" Sayers asked. Oh, it wasn't really a record. It was for third-place on the all-time Bears' rushing list behind Walter Payton and Rick Casares. But it was Sayers, so it was something.

Up in Green Bay on the same afternoon, Minnesota running back Terry Allen gained 140 yards On the NFL By Don Pierson rtv i i. mm 'I 4'L. v. -J vealing statistic of average per carry. At five yards a crack, he is third behind Jim Brown's 5.22 and Mercury Morris's 5.14.

Walter Payton, O.J. Simpson, Tony Dorsett, Earl Campbell, Eric Dickerson, Franco Harris, Terry Metcalf, Greg Pruitt, Ottis Anderson, Chuck Foreman, Curt Warner, Marcus Allen, Floyd Little, Billy Sims. A lot of great running backs have come and gone since Sayers. Yet he remains the standard for style because so many of his 4,956 yards and 991 carries were so memorable. So is his No.

40, not currently in use by the Bears but not retired. "When they retire your number, how soon people forget," Sayers said, rationalizing. "But maybe when somebody sees that No. 40 again, they will say, remember 30 years ago when Gale Sayers Count on it. Sayers, president of Cress Computer in Chicago, calls Sanders the most exciting runner today.

"Thurman Thomas is great, Emmitt Smith is great, but I would go pay to see Barry Sanders play. He turns me on," Sayers said. Get OUtta here! In Detroit, the Lions are getting heat for playing their "prevent" defense during the Bears' winning drive. Defensive coordinator Woody Widenhofer agreed he couldn't figure out why his safeties were back 15 yards instead of the usual 12 on one play. Check this explanation from Widenhofer.

"Somebody on the sidelines was yelling, 'Get back! Get to the people on the sidelines to get behind the yellow line. Safety Benniel Blades interpreted it to mean for him to get back. I was really mad about it." Miscommunication: San Diego Chargers' defensive tackle Joe Phillips was given a signing deadline Wednesday night that he missed. General Manager Bobby Beathard took the offer off the table, promising never to reissue it. But Phillips was trying to call.

He was giving a birthday party for daughter Ashley, 6, who was tying up the phone with a call to her grandmother. Later, Phillips tried to call Beathard on his radio show to accept the offer on the air and Don Pierson's analysis The Buffalo Bills get another chance to see if they can compete in the NFC this week when they travel to San Francisco to take on the 49ers. The Bills stomped the lowly Los Angeles Rams 40-7 last week to become the first AFC winner of the season against the NFC. It hardly erased the memory of consecutive Super Bowl losses, however. The 49ers showed they are among the league's elite in beating the New York Giants 31-14.

The pressure is on defending division champions who lost openers. Washington, New Orleans, Detroit and Houston cannot afford 0-2 if they hope to repeat. Games of the week Bills (1-0) at 49er(1-0) Is this the Super Bowl preview? Already? Is there any reason to wait until Jan. 31? Why not move the game to Pasadena right now? These two clubs have met only four times, most recently in 1989 when the 49ers won 21-10 on their way to a 14-2 season. A California victory by the Bills on Candlestick's grass and against the Raiders Oct.

1 1 on the LA. Coliseum grass will convince them they are bound for the Rose Bowl grass and Super Bowl XXVII. 3 p.m. Ch. 5.

Vikings (1-0) at Lions (0-1) The Lions open at home where they were undefeated last season including a comeback from a 20-3 deficit in the last 6:50 against the Vikings. The Vikings didn't allow a touchdown in the preseason but had problems with Green Bay's Vince Workman last week, good news for Barry Sanders. Noon. Falcons (1-0) at Redskins (0-1) Losers twice in RFK by 56-17 and 24-7 last year, the Falcons' run-and-shoot offense becomes deaf and mute against the Redskins. Also, what are the chances of the world champions starting out 0-2? For halftime entertainment, why not let Joe Gibbs and Jerry Glanville race cars? Noon.

Cowboys (1-0) at Giants (0-1) For five years, the Cowboys have lost their second game. Coach Jimmy Johnson was so aware of that he barely acknowledged his team's impressive thumping of the Redskins last Monday night, preferring to concentrate on the Giants. Phil Simms will start again. That makes Jeff Hostetter agry with coach Ray Handley, who can't win after promising Hostetler the job upon his recovery. It also makes Hostetler a bit of an Ingrate.

Noon. Bears (1-0) at Saints (0-1) The Bears ended the Saints' perfect start last season at 7-0 and right in their own Superdome in the rudest manner on the final drive. It was not the best impression to leave on a team that is already in the hole. There are noisy Saints' fans who remember not only that visit but their own trip to Chicago for the 1990 wild-card playoff game at which they were pelted with snowballs and otherwise treated like dirt. Noon.

Ch. 2. Games of the peek Seahawks (0-1) at Chiefs (1-0 Quarterback David Krieg gets a chance to show Seattle was premature in giving up on him. The Chiefs must win division games like this at home to make a run for a home playoff game. Noon.

Oilers (0-1) at Cotts (1-0) The two surprises of opening day win find out If they are real or unreal. The Colts' rejuvenated defense gets a shot at the run-and-shoot. Warren Moon must redeem himself after throwing five interceptions in embarrassing loss to Pittsburgh. The Colts will try to endure without the winningest quarterback they have had in two seasons Mark Herrmann cut after beating Cleveland. 3 p.m.

Dolphins (0-0) at Browns (0-1) Monday Night Football wanted to catch Cleveland early in the season. Apparently, it wasn't early enough. The Browns were embarrassed by Indianapolis. Miami is making its season debut after Hurricane Andrew wiped out last week's opener in Joe Robbie Fiw photo Former Bear Gale Sayers (40) gained onlv five vards Der carrv. rankina him third behind and teammate Roger Craig said: "I compare him to a smaller version of Gale Sayers." In Detroit a couple weeks ago, tackle Lomas Brown contrasted the moves of Barry Sanders with those of Sayers, saying Sanders bounces into cuts while Sayers stepped into them.

Anderson said: "I didn't see some of the runs Gale Sayers made. But Barry's the best in the business." Gale Sayers hasn't played football for 21 years, yet his name came up with such regularity last week he was flattered. Again. "It makes me feel good," Sayers said. "Just about every year, people talk about running backs.

I only played 68 ballgames. I didn't play 10 years. But my name is always there." He played only Vh healthy seasons from 1965 until he blew out a knee in 1968. The players who talk about him today never saw him in person. Last year, for the first time, there were four players in the league bom in the 1970s.

Savers' last big season was 1969 after knee surgery. "I didn't gain that many yards when I was playing, but I must have done something good. They remember me as a guy who gave them some excitement. I think they remember Gale Sayers as someone who, when he touched the football, was going to do something exciting," Sayers said. "Many running backs don't do that.

On third down now, they bring in somebody else to catch the football. I was on the field more back then, running pass patterns, running back kicks." He gained only 4,956 yards from scrimmage, not enough for him to show up anywhere in the record books except for the re 4,956 yards from scrimmage, but he averaged Jim Brown's 5.22 and Mercury Morris's 5.14. Beathard wouldn't let him through. Replay it again? The absence of instant replay was noted duly around the league last week amid speculation the great experiment will be revived next year. But Dallas owner Jerry Jones, his team a victim of a questionable call, said he remains against the aid to officiating.

After an iffy interception by Washington's Martin Mayhew led to the Redskins' only touchdown last Monday night, Jones said: "I would have liked for the call to have been made accurately on the field, but I was happy to let the game go on for the fans." Jones, one of the owners who helped kill replay, said: "We have eight or nine solid against it I sweetheart Linda Kay: "There are a lot of social functions to deal with in being a college coach and I don't have them anymore. It was good I was married then." Still upset: Dedicating a season and wearing a patch in memory of deceased teammate Jerome Brown is not enough for the Philadelphia Eagles. Some players wanted to blacken the silver wings on their helmets with magic markers as a further sign of mourning, but the league nixed the idea after approving the patch. Cover what's his name: San Francisco fullback Tom Rath-man, after catching three touchdown passes against the Giants: "They found me. Take my picture off the milk carton." don't buy that one play makes a game." It only takes eight owners to kill anything in the NFL.

No argument here: Cowboys' quarterback Troy Aikman denied a television report that new teammate Charles Haley greeted him upon his arrival from San Francisco with these words: "You can't carry Joe Montana's jock." "There's no truth to any of it. Nothing was ever said," Aikman said. "Even if he had said it, I probably wouldn't be too upset. I mean Joe has done a little more than I have." Football family values: Dallas coach Jimmy Johnson, on his divorce from high school Dears notes would have wrapped up the NFC championship for us earlier. And the playoff game with Atlanta.

"And I'm referring to a game in 1989 when we were playing the Rams on a Sunday night in a big game and they beat us at the end. We had a game with the Giants In 1988 when they beat us 13-12 at the end." Bears defensive end Richard Dent was Super Bowl MVP in 1986. But he figures the Bears should have made a couple of encore appearances. "I think this team should have at least three Super Bowl rings," said Dent. "A lot of things happtned.

The last time I was in a championship game was in '88, and I was hurt then. I feel NEW ORLEANS Receiver Tom Waddle signed a contract extension Saturday that will keep him with the Bears through the 1994 season. He had been in the final year ot a two-year agreement. Waddle, whose last-secoind catch beat Detroit in the season opener, finished second to Wendell Davit last season with 55 receptions for 599 yards. Despite all the pregame noise in Chicago about the noise in the Superdome, it should be noted the Saints have not enjoyed an overwhelming tangible advantage In home games under coach Jim Mora.

The Saints are 31-16 in their own arena since 1986. "I think we should probably be better at home than we have been," said Mora, en tering his 100th game as Saints coach Sunday against the Bears. "We lost some big games and close games at home. You would think playing thes kinds of games at home you would find a way to win it. And we haven't." Mora, the Saints' 10th head coach, has compiled a 57-42 overall record, and is 0-3 in the playoffs.

"As I look back over the last six years, there have been some games where we didn't take advantage of the fact we were home, for crying out loud," said Mora. "I'm referring to last year's Chicago game won by the Bears 20-17 for one. I'm referring to two games here last year with Atlanta one in the regular season when winning have beaten us In two very significant and important games the last two years," said Mora. One of the more interesting Individual matchups Sunday will pit Bears rookie left tackle Troy Auzenne against Saints All-Pro linebacker Pat Swilling, who led the league with 17 sacks last season. He added a pair last Sunday against the Eagles.

The Bears did not allow a sack of Jim Harbaugh last Sunday against the Lions. "I have been impressed with Auzenne," said Mora. "He doesn't look like a rookie to me. Fred Mitchell that If I can get to that point, then I can get to the Super Bowl." The Saints, who lost to the Eagles 15-13 last week, have a tough early schedule. After facing the Bears, they travel to Atlanta next Sunday before playing host to San Francisco on Sept.

27 and traveling to Detroit Oct. 4. "I'm worried," Mora said. "I think the Bears are as good if not better than the Eagles." The Bears beat the Saints 16-6 in a 1990 playoff game at Soldier Field before ending New Orleans' season-opening seven-game winning streak last year. "I think every time you play somebody It is an entirely different situation.

They 60 Derek Kennard 6-3 300 Saints roster Bears roster 61 Joel Hilgenberg CG 6-2 252 No. Name Po Ht Wt 65 Steve TrapHo 6-5 300 No. Name Pot Ht Wt QB 6-4 215 3 Bobby Hebert 67 Stan Brock 6-6 285 2 WillFurrer QB 6-3 208 4 Steve Walsh QB 6-3 210 69 Les Miller DE 6-7 285 QB 6-3 215 4 Jim Harbaugh 6 Tommy Bamhardt 6-2 207 70 Chris Port GT 6-5 290 6 Kevin Butter 6-1 190 7 Morten Anderson 6-2 221 71 Richard Cooper 6-5 290 10 Peter Tom Willis OB 6-2 200 16 Mike Buck QB 6-3 227 72 Jim Dombrowski GT 6-5 298 17 Chris Gardocki PK 6-1 196 21 Datton Hilliard RB 5-8 204 73 Frank Warren DE 6-4 290 20 Mark Carrier 6-1 192 25 Fred McAfee RB 5-10195 76 Gene McGuire 6-2 284 21 Donnell Wootford CB 5-9 194 27 Reginald Jones CB 6-1 202 80 Wesley Carroll WR 60 183 24 Richard Fain CB 5-10180 Stadium against New England. Dan Marino and Bernie Kosar are usually fun to watch. 8 p.m.

Monday, Ch. 7. Raiders (0-1) at Bengals (1-0) Cincinnati's 28th-rated defense of last season yielded only a field goal against Seattle. If Jay Schroeder can't dent the Bengals, Al Davis may decide it's time to go with Todd was 7 of 24, two interceptions, two lost fumbles last week. Noon.

Ch. 5. Jets (0-1) at Steelers (1-0) Browning Nagle passed for 366 yards in his Jets' debut last week in a losing cause in Atlanta. The only quarterback to pass for more in a debut since the NFL started keeping records in 1975 was Tampa Bay's Vinny Testaverde, who threw for 369 against the Saints in a loss. This opens the Bill Cowher era in Pittsburgh.

3 p.m. Games of the weak Packers (0-1) at Buccaneers (1-0) The two "Byes" of the NFC Central Division both were impressive last week. Green Bay thought it should have beaten Minnesota. Tampa Bay was better than Phoenix. Hey, at this end of the standings, you take whatever you can get.

Noon. Patriots (0-0) at Rams (0-1) The Rams got killed by Buffalo last week and still are favored to beat New England, which is opening its season. The Rams had one No. 1 draft choice from the 80s, Cleveland Gary, start last week. 3 p.m.

Chargers (0-1) at Broncos (1-0) Stan Humphries becomes the 10th different quarterback to start for the Chargers over the last 68 games. Since Dan Fouts in 1987, this sorry franchise has made 14 QB changes and is 1-12 so far. 3 p.m. Eagles (1-0) at Cardinals (0-1) Poor Timm Rosenbach got knocked out by the Buccaneers last week in his first game since spending 1991 on injured reserve. Of his stay in the hospital for tests he said, "They were trucking me around like I was a relish tray." Congratulations, Timm, you are still in a pickle against the the Eagles.

7 p.m. ESPN. By Keith Glantz and Russell Culver 28 Gene Atkins FS 6-1 200 82 JohnTice TE 6-5 249 FB 6-3 235 25 Brad Muster 5-11 206 83 Torrance Small 29 Keith Taylor WR 6-3 201 CB 5-10178 26 John Mangum RB 5-10 204 84 Eric Martin 32 Vaughn Dunbar WR 6-1 207 WR 5-8 180 29 Dennis Gentry 34 Craig Heyward TE 6-5 245 FB 5-11 260 85 Hoby Brenner RB 5-11 195 31 Mark Green CB 5-9 180 86 Patrick Newman WR 5-11 189 37 Jimmy Spencer 32 Lemuel Stinson CB 5-9 170 39 Brent Maxie SS 6-2 194 87 Frank Wainright TE 6-3 236 RB 5-10 225 33 Darren Lewis 41 Toi Cook WR 5-11 188 CB 5-11 188 88 Floyd Turner RB 5-11 218 35 Neal Anderson WR 60 190 43 Tyrone Legette CB 5-9 177 89 Qutn Early 6-2 205 36 Markus Paul 46 Sean Lumpkin 6-0 206 go James Williams LB 6-0 230 37 Maurice Douglass CB 5-11 200 49 Tommie Stowers TE 6-3 240 91 Robert Goff NT 6-3 270 60 200 49 David Tate 51 Sam Mills LB 5-9 225 92 DeMond Winston LB 6-2 239 LB 6-0 240 50 Mike Singletary DE 6-5 275 53 Vaughn Johnson LB 6-3 235 93 Wayne Martin LB 6-3 227 51 Jim Morrissey LB 6-3 242 97 Renakto Tumbull LB 64 255 56 Pat Swilling 52 Mark Rodenhauser LS 6-5 280 LB 6-5 255 57 Rickey Jackson LB 6-2 243 99 Joel Smeenge LB 6-1 240 53 Dante Jones LB 6-2 242 54 Ron Cox LB 6-1 240 55 John Roper tlFL standings National Conference 6-4 280 57 Tom Thayer 58 Jay Leeuwenburg 6-2 290 Dears vs. New Orleans Saints At the Superdome Noon, WBBM-Ch. 2 Tickets: Sold out.

Capacity 69,065. TV: CBS will televise the game regionally. Jim Nantz calls play-by-play and Dan Fouts adds analysis. Radio: WGN-AM 720 in Chicago anchors the Bears Radio Network. Wayne Larrivee handles the play-by-play, with color commentary from former Bears safety Gary Fencik, Pro Football Weekly's Hub Arkush and Hall of Fame linebacker Dick Butkus.

Season series: Since New Orleans joined the NFL in 1967, the Bears and Saints have played 14 times, including once in the postseason. The Bears hold a 9-5 edge In the overall series, winning the last regular-season meeting 20-17 in the Superdome last Oct. 27. The Bears have a 4-2 mark in New Orleans, winning the two games of the series played at Tulane Stadium (1968 and 1970) and splitting the four contests in the Superdome. What to watch: The Saints, 15-13 losers to the Philadelphia Eagles week, are hungry for their first victory of the season.

The Bears, dramatic 27-24 winners over the Lions, have vaulted out of the gates 2-0 for nine straight seasons, a feat accomplished only by the Dallas Cowboys from 1965-1973. The Bears are 24-3 in September over the last seven seasons for a .885 winning percentage. Key matchups: Rookie left tackle Troy Auzenne will be pitted against Saints Pro Bowl linebpeker Pat Swilling, who registered an NFL-leading 17 sacks last season. Injuries: Bears: Tackle Keith Van Home (toe, probable); guard Mark Bortz (groin, out); linebacker Jim Morrlssey (leg, probable); kicker Kevin Butler (back, probable); tight end Kelly Blackwell (shoulder, questionable). Saints; Tight end Frank Wainright (knee, doubtful); tight end Hoby Brenner (shoulder, probable); running back Vaughan Dunbar (shoulder, probable).

Game 2: Fred Mitchell's analysis The Saints have more on the line here than the Bears, knowing an 0-2 start could bury them in the NFC West. The home-field advantage has not been that significant (31-16) for New Orleans since Jim Mora took over as coach. The Bears, In contrast, are 58-18 at home under Mike Ditka. The Bears atoned for some of their dim dome showings last season by going 3-1 in Indoor arenas. But the Superdome is the noisiest hall.

Look for the Bears to hang tough but come up short this time, 23-17, In another entertaining contest. Central Dtv Pet Hon LB 6-3 230 59 Ron Rivera 6-5 290 60 Stan Thomas BEARS Minnesota Tampa Bay Detroit Green Bay rMK) 1-00 00 0-1-0 (KH? 1000 1 000 1000 .000 .000 77 23 23 24 20 1-M OOO 0-1-0 24 20 7 27 23 6-6 280 62 Mark Bortz GC 6-3 280 67 Jerry Fontenot East Pet 1992 sports Features syndicate T. 6-7 282 70 Troy Auzenne "3 10 10 00 0-1 0-1 Djy 10 00 00 00 0-1 DJv 00 00 00 00 DT 6-7 305 71 James Williams Dallas Phuadelpha N.Y. Giants Phoenix Washmqtn 1 000 1 000 .000 .000 .000 23 15 14 7 10 10 13 31 23 23 00 00 00 0-1 0-1 1-0-0 1-Ofl 0-1O 00 00 DT 6-2 320 72 William Peny West Pet PA Horn Away 73 John Wojciechowski 6-4 280 DT 6-2 270 76 Steve McMichael Atlanta San Francisco LA. Rams New Orleans 0 1000 0 1000 0 .000 0 .000 20 31 7 13 17 10 14 00 40 00 15 00 00 10 0-1 0-1 6290 78 Keith Van Home 6-7 350 79 Louis Age American Conference WR 5-11 194 82 Wendell Davis East Pel PA Horn Away 83 Eric Wright WR 6-0196 64 Ron Morris WR 6-1 200 Favorite Line Underdog NEW ORLEANS 4 Bears WASHINGTON 10 Atlanta Dallas 3Va N.Y.

GIANTS LA. Raiders 3 CINCINNATI DETROIT 3Vi Minnesota KANSAS CITY 10 Seattle TAMPA BAY 2 Green Bay SAN FRANCISCO 3V; Buffalo DENVER 6J2 San Diego Houston 9 INDIANAPOLIS N.Y. Jets V2 PITTSBURGH L.A. RAMS 4 New England Philadelphia 7 PHOENIX Favorite line Monday Miami 2V2 CLEVELAND (Horn team In CAPS) ON. 00 00 00 00 00 Dtv 00 00 00 00 0-1 40 14 00 00 17 Buffalo IndianapoRs Miami New England N.Y.

Jets 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1000 0 10O0 0 .000 0 .000 0 .000 7 10 3 10 00 00 00 00 20 00 TE 6-4 265 85 Keith Jennings 87 Tom Waddle WR 60185 PA Central Pet Away TE 6-1 255 89 Kelly Blackwell 10 10 0-1 00 24 00 3 00 14 00 29 0-1 0 1000 0 1000 0 .000 0 .000 29 21 3 24 10 00 00 0-1 Dtv Pittsburgh Oonnatl Cleveland Houston Wait 90 Atonzo Spellman DE 6-4 280 93 Trace Armstrong DE 6-4 275 Pel PA Home DE 6-5 265 95 Richard Dent Away 00 10 0-1 00 00 DT 6-1 280 97 Chris Zorich 10 10 0-1 0-1 00 13 10 10 00 17 00 24 0-1 21 0-1 0 1000 0 10O0 0 .000 0 .000 0 .000 17 24 13 10 3 Denver kansas Qfy A Raiders San Diego SeettJ. DT 64 270 99 Tim Ryan.