The Capital from Annapolis, Maryland • Page 48

C8 THE SUNDAY CAPITAL, December 14 1997 NFL Oilers help close out another Baltimore era DAVID G1NSBURG AP Sports Writer BALTIMORE IAP) This time, Bruce Matthews knows he's going to be a part of history Matthews was a rookie offensive tackle when the Houston Oilers finished up the 1983 season on the road against Baltimore It turned out to be the finaj game in the history of the Baltimore Colts and the last regular-season NFL game for 13 years. lost and it was muddy. To tell you the truth. I haven't given it much thought." Matthews said this week Matthews and the Oilers will shut the place down again today, only this time the occasion will be accompanied by fanfare befitting the closure of a grand old stadium Johnny Unitas and several former Colts will be on hand as the Baltimore Ravens (5-S-lf face Tennessee in the final NFL game at Memorial Stadium The Ravens will open next season in a new stadium near Camden Yards, leaving behind their temporary home of two years and the place made famous by the Colts. "When 1 go into the locker room.

I think about all the players who were there before me." thews said "I get a feeling of nostalgia, thinking about Unitas and Alan Ameche I enjoyed it RAVENS TODAY Whan: Today 1 fUKxmts: Ravens 5-8-1 Oiiers 7 7 TV: 11. Radte 101 -FM here last year, and the fact we played well and won made it even The cover" of Sunday's game program features Baltimore quar- terbacks young and old, Unitas and Vinny Testaverde There's one problem: Testaverde was benched this week by Baltimore coach Ted Marchibroda, who called upon Eric Zeier for a second straight start a i i Testaverde, Zeier completed 17 of 28 passes for 302 yards last week as the Ravens snapped an 0-4-1 streak with a 31 24 win. over Seattle Testaverde is healthy now. but Zeier will have the honor being the final Baltimore quarterback to start in Memorial Stadium The third year pro follows an impressive list that includes Unitas, Earl Morrall and Bert Jones "There so much tradition involved." Zeier said "It's such a proud city and has so much his tory behind it. It's going to be a big day, an exciting day for every one involved." After the game begins, Zeier won't be thinking about the past Instead, he'll be trying to get the Ravens a second straight win for the first time since September and prove he's worthy of being considered as the team's quarterback of the future "Most of all.

you want to be part of a team that is successful," he said. "That's what you'll think about first when you look back on your career." When the Oilers look back on this season, they'll wonder what in 1 4 Tennessee was in excellent playoff position after successive lopsided wins over Buffalo ana Dallas, but the Oilers came up flat last week in a 41 14 loss in Cincinnati. "We just didn't get it done stunk it up," Matthews said. "We have a chance to finish up with a winning record. That's our priority now," coach Jeff Fisher said.

"Our club has something to prove. We want people to knov. we're the team that beat Dallas not the one that got beat by Cincinnati." SKINS (Continued from Page Cl) "He made some throws," Turner said. "He had some tough plays." Hosteller was blunter. "We killed ourselves." The Redskins threatened for a time in the third quarter.

Hostetler's 41-yard scoring pass to Albert Connell cut the lead in half, 20-10. On the Giants' next possession, Kannell's pass was picked off by Stanley Richard. But. on the next play. Hosteller had one of his own intercepted by Corey Widmer.

The lackluster game turned even uglier when the Giants of the greatest return men of all time, Brian Mitchell muffed a punt. "I haven't done that in three years," said an embarrassed Mitchell. "The defense played -the offense and special teams screwed up the game," Mitchell said. Early in the fourth quarter, Daluiso hit on a 28 yarder to pad the Giant lead to 23-10. Two plays later, Hostetler's pass, intended for Michael Westbrook, was intercepted by Jason Sehorn.

Westbrook slipped, Sehorn returned it 35 yards for a touchdown, and the 30-10 humiliation was complete. "What can I do? Once the ball leaves my hand, I don't have any control," Hosteller explained. The Redskins couldn't run the ball yesterday. Trailing early, the Redskins ran just three times in they had only 15 carriers for 45 yards. "I don't know how to evaluate the running game, we got taken out of it early," Turner said.

Besides not being able to run, Hosteller failed to complete a pass all day to Westbrook. "We got the ball to other guys." Turner said. "They doubled him a great deal early, and we knew that was going to happen. Where the ball goes isn't the issue. We thought we could eventually get him the ball, and we thought we -couM-spreaxLthe.

balLaraunxU' Turner has an extra day this week to convince his team that they can beat Philadelphia, and with a little help from their qualify for the playoffs. "I'm going to forget this and get ready to play the next football a I a a Philadelphia," he said, "and see what happens next. Everyone gets caught up with the scenarios. We needed to play our best, and we were far from it." PtAYOFF BOUND: While the Redskins seek to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 1992, the Giants, with their win made the postseason for the first time in three years. Jim Fassel, in his initial year as Giants' head coach, said of the victory: "I don't know if I've ever felt this good about anything involved with football The Giants will host a first round playoff game on either Dec.

27 or 28. Should the Redskins qualify for the playoffs, they likely would face the Giants for the third time this season. The Giants became the 15th team in NFL history to finish in rally to top Patriots AP OTKHO Giants fullback Charles Way runs over Redskin defender Derek Smith into the end zone for New York's first touchdown. first place a year after finishing last. They were 6-10 last year.

DAY Brian Mitchell isn't eager to watch football today, a rare Sunday off. "I don't want to watch football. I watch film too much to watch football," he says. The Giants had 130 yards on the ground, the Redskins just Davis, playing for an "injured Terry Allen" i times for 41 yards. Charles Way carried 11 times for 49 yards, and Rodney Hampton, making his first appearance of the year, had 43 yards.

With Westbrook locked out, Hostetler's leading receiver was Albert Connell. Before yesterday's game, Connell had just three catches this season. He had five for 89 yards against New York, including a 41 yarder for the Skins' only touchdown. Washington 0 3 7 0 Quarter NYG-- FG.Da'uiso 41 1244 HYG- -Way 15 run 10 03 NYG--Canoway 7 from -Danj'! 1 14 NFL STANDINGS AM CmCAN CONFERENCE East New Eig-ar-o Jets Pet. ft PA 9 5 0 6 4 3 3 2 7 2 7 2 9 6 6OO 355 2 7 8 6 S71 307 274 2 12 FOXBORO.

Mass. A -Kordell Stewart needs a new nickname now that he's no longer "Slash." How about "Comeback Kid?" For the second consecutive game, Pittsburgh's multi-talented leader brought his Steelers back from a 14-point deficit as they virtually clinched the AFC Central title Saturday. Only a loss by game can stop them. "I don't know if I could say anything that would do justification to that football game," Pittsburgh coach Bill Cowher said after Saturday's stunning 24-21 -overtime-win over "Do your best to flush it down the drain when you take a shower," Patriots linebacker Todd Collins said. "We let one slip out of our hands Norin Johnson's third field goal, a 31-yarder at 4:43 of overtime, kept the Patriots, whored 21-13 in the final minute of the fourth quarter, from clinching a playoff berth, although they're still in good shape.

And it allowed Stewart, who accounted for all five touchdowns in last Sunday's 35-24 win over Denver, to share the spotlight with his teainmates. 143 244 362 Central P'-nsburgr. Tennessee C-ncinnaf 11 9 7 5 3 7 8 9 0 0 0 1 0 .733 366 291 543 354 295 5OO 298 283 393 291 310 357 308 367 Kansas Denver Seanie OaKand San Dtego 11 116 4 4 3 3 8 10 10 0 0 0 0 0 786 786 429 286 286 321 417 305 294 255 212 25O 332 177 358 NATIONAL CONFERENCE Was--FG Bianton 33, 10 11 NYG FG Dalu.so 28. 26 TtUrt Quarter Was Conne" 43 oass trom Hostel er 'B'anmn Fourth Quartar NrG FG Da-j'SO 28. 14 24 NYG-Serom, 35 -ntercecil'Oi-, 'elur- k'CH 14 03 A 7 7 5 7 1 Oowns 14 Rusnes yards 145 Passing 275 Punt RelufTs 2 5 K.ct"off Returns 6127 interceptions Ret 2 5 CpmoAtttnt 2 3 4 2 4 Sacked Yaros Lost 3-13 Punts 3 4 1 0 Fumbles Lost 4 2 Perrait.es Yards 440 T.me of Possess-on 25 15 NY 18 37 130 110 2 5 3 5 7 4 53 1 3 2 5 2 215 640 2 10 5-46 34 45 East i G'anls Washington a Dai.

as Arjona 9 7 6 3 5 7 7 8 11 1 -1 1 0 0 Pet. 633 6OO- 464 429 214 ff J87 268 244 PA 258 326 Central Greei- Bay Tampa Bay nnesora Detro-t cago 11 9 a 7 3 5 7 11 0 0 0 0 0 643 571 5OQ 214 3fV 268 352 235 ,1 217 31 7 38O Wait ar F-anc SCO Card- na anta Sew Onea SI Lou-s wo" dry or Me 12 7 6 4 in 2 8 9 10 0 0 0 0 85" 5OO 357 286 332 23? 4 259 J51 115 328 Yaatarday. INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING- Wash.ngton Davis 1041 Conne" 1 3 Hosteller 2 1 Bove 1 0 Turv 1 0 New Yo-v Way 1149. Hampton 1143. Barber 1332.

14. Patten 1 2 PASSING Washington Hosteller 23424288 New Yon. 1 3 2 5 2 125 RECEIVING- Wash.ngtoi-- Conne! 589 Mrtcne- 570. Asher 448. Davs 3 2 3 Thomas 321 Trvasn 2 2 4 Eliaro 1 13 New Yon- Cross 552 Calioway 217 Way 217.

Toomer 114 Patter 19 P-erce 1 9 Barber 1 7 MISSED FIELD GOALS- None New Yorv G-ams 3O Washington 10 Pittsburgh 24 New England 21 OT Da- as rx nnat Detro Minnesota. 1 Tennessee at Bat'more 1 Jaosonv" at 1 M-am: at ind-anaooi'S 1 ade pr-'a at Afanta 1 Tampa Say at New Yon Jets 1 Ar 7Ona at New Orleans 4 Green Bay at Carolina 4 Kansas C-ty at San D-ego 4 Searve Oak and 4 Crrcago at St LOU-S 8 fomorrofer's "We've got a group of guys that never say wide receiver Yancey Thigpen said. "Take away any of those plays down the" stretch and we don't get it done." There was defensive end Kevin Henry, whose interception late in the fourth quarter started the Patriots, with a seemingly safe eight-point lead, toward a heartbreaking loss. There was Thigpen, whose diving, fourth-down catch on the ensuing possession gave the Steelers a first down at the New "England "4-yard -lihe'-with Teft in regulation. There was Mark Bruener who caught a l-yard scoring pass with 38 seconds left and Thigpen again on the tying two-point conversion completion.

There was Courtney Hawkins, who caught a screen pass and broke tackles as he raced up the left sideline for a 41-yard gain that set up the winning kick on the only possession of overtime. It was the Steelers' sixth come- from-behind win of the season and ended the Patriots three-game winning streak. "We've experienced a lot of dramatics this year," Henry said, "but I don't think anything was like that." And there was Stewart, playing far better than he did in last season's 28-3 playoff loss to New England in which he went 0-for- 10. "He showed a lot of poise," Patriots linebacker Ted Johnson said. "He's a lot better than they AP Pficso.

Pittsburgh kicker Norm Johnson ebrates his game-winning kick with holder Mike Tomczak. guy who played here a year ago." a a i a "Slash" two years ago for his ability to play quarterback, running back and receiver. Now strictly a quarterback, he completed 26-pf-48 passes for .266 yards. Now all the Steelers need is a loss or tie by Jacksonville to clinch their fifth AFC Central championship six years The Steelers (11-4) can earn "a first- round bye if Miami also loses or ties Indianapolis on Sunday. The Patriots (9-6) still have a good shot at the playoffs, needing either a win at Miami in the Monday night regular-season finale or a loss by the New York Jets in either of their two games.

"The long week, nine days until ffie' gamei us' a little more time to think about the "ifs." said Drew Bledsoe, who had gone 14 quarters without an interception oefore throwing one in the third and another in- the fourth. The Patriots had taken a 21-13 lead on his 49-yard touchdown connection with Dave Meggett with 10:31 left in the fourth quarter. And they had the ball again as the clock was winding down. Then Bledsoe committed a disastrous mistake, throwing the ball to his left toward Meggett. But it went right into Henry's hands.

"I just knew he was going to do that once the back flared out," said Henry, who had just one other interception in his five pro seasons. "I didn't think he was going to throw it." "I didn't see him until right before he caught it," Bledsoe said. "I was hoping he'd drop the thing." As BlecTsoe struggled to haul him down, Henry flipped the ball to teammate Orpheus Roye at Patriots 18. Roye ran into the end zone, but the officials ruled it was a forward lateral and gave Pittsburgh the ball at the 18 with two minutes to go. Thigpen made a diving fourth down catch just inside the right sideline, moving the ball from the 15 to the 4.

Stewart ran 3 yards Jerome-Settis-was-held- to no gain, Stewart hooked up with Bruener and then Thigpen to tie it. The Patriots, playing without injured Curtis Martin and Terry Glenn, seemed headed for an easy Just as they naid beaten the Steelers last January to advance to the AFC title game. Stewart threw two intercep tions Saturday, both in.the first half and both leading to touch jlown passes of 18 yards to Ben Coates and i yard to Sam Gash that gave the Patriots a 14-0 lead Then Stewart launched his comeback and kept the Steelers unbeaten in three overtime games this season. Stewart's 1-yard run made it 14-7 at halftime and Johnson hit field goals of 36 and 34 yards that made it 14:13 The Steelers took the overtime kickoff and started poorly with an incompletion and a 5-yard loss by Bettis that pushed the ball Jjack to their own 20. Then Hawkins made his 41-yard gain and, after three Bettis runs and a 16-yard pass to Bruener, Johnson made his win ning kick.

Pittsburgh New England 0 7 3 11 3 0 14 0 7 0 Second Quarter NE-- Coates 18 oass from Bledsoe fVinat.en 12 26 NEr-Gasti Bieflsoe. 6 02 P't Stewart 1 run Johnson 31 Third Quarter FG Johnson 36 8 57 Fourth Quarter FG jonpson 34. 12 55 NE --Meggett 49 oass from Bieosoe iVinat-e' k.ck,. 10 31 Pt--B'uener 1 Bass from Stewart iThigpe" Stewart 38 Overtime H-- FG Jor-son 31 10 IT a -60 013 F-rst downs Rushes yards Pass ng Punt Kickoff Returrs 'ntenreoT ons Re' Cornp-AK int Sacked Yards Lost Fumbies-Lost Pena't-es Yards me Possess or- Ptt 22 266 4 2 7 5-102 254 26-48-2 O-OO 5-43 0 1-0 10-72 41 O4 NE 1'. 18-4; 2 1 1 2 I 1 4 109 215 5-44 S-3E 23 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS R'JS" NG Prtsburgr-.

Bet1s 2880 Stewa- 10-57. Jones 21 New England Cuiiors 51S 1 4 Meggen48 Gasn i 2 B'edsoe 2 rmr. 1 PASSING-- P-ttsOurgn Stewart 26-48-2266 England B'eOsoe 21 362 21 1 RECEIVING-- P-ttSburfh Johnson 6-87 Hawk's 5-77 Th.goen 545. Bruener Bert's 412 Jones 1 2 Mew England 557. Coa'es S39.

Meggett 466. Brown Bnsby 19. Byers 1 5 Cul'ors 1 2. Gash 1 1 MISSED FIELD GOALS-- None Derjver at Franc sco 9 NFL PLAYOFF POSSIBILITIES STADIUM (Continued from Page Cl) 1976. The Steelers had just finished defeating the Colts 40-14 in the playoffs when a pilot crashed Ms plane upper deck.

The fans had left early because of the blowout and no one was injured. Ted Marchibroda was coach of the Colts that day and holds the same position with the Ravens. "This stadium has been good to me. I have great memories here," he said. "It will be tough to leave, it really will-" Marchibroda isn't the only leftover.

Punter Rohn Stark was with the Colts during their final game at the stadium, a 20-10 victory over the Oilers before 27,934 in December 1983. A few months later, owner Robert Irsay ordered the team equipment packed in the a i Indianapolis Stark returned last Sunday as a member of the Seattle Seahawks. "It's ainazing. I never thought I'd play here again," he said, "When we played our last game in '83, it wasn't a pretty picture. Now.

there's a new enthusiasm here." The departure of the Ravens eliminates any reason for Memorial Stadium to exist "It's Usefulness as a pro fessional facility is clearly over." said John Moag. chairman of the Maryland Stadium Authority. Mayor Kurt Schmoke will decide what will take the stadium's place. "There is currently a consensus of what they don't want (a shopping center or scattered hous ing)," Schmoke said. "However, there is no consensus on what they do want.

All options are open." The Week 16 National Football League playoff possibilities as released by the league. AFC EAST NEW ENGLAND: Can clinch playoff berth with a N.Y. Jets loss. MIAMI; Can clinch playoff berth with a win OR a N.Y. Jets loss.

AFC CENTRAL PITTSBURGH: Has clinched a playoff berth. Can clinch division title with a Jacksonville loss or tie. Can clinch a first-round bye with a Jacksonville loss or tie AND a Miami loss or tie. JACKSONVILLE; Can clinch a playoff berth with a win OR a N.Y. Jets loss.

other teams. AFC WEST NFC CENTRAL KANSAS CITY: Has clinched a playoff berth. Can clinch division title. a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with a win AND a Denver loss. DENVER: Has clinched a playoff berth.

NFC EAST N.Y. GIANTS: Have clinched division title and will be the host for a first- round game. REDSKINS: Still have a shot at a wild card with a win next week at Philadelphia and some help from GREEN BAY: Has clinched division title and a first-round bye. TAMPA BAY: Can cMnch a playoff berth with a win OR one of the a. Carolina loss or tie.

MINNESOTA: Can clinch a playoff berth with a win. NFC WEST SAN FRANCISCO: Has clinched division title and first-round playoff bye. Can clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with a win OR a Green Bay loss..