The Record from Hackensack, New Jersey • 37

s7 pi MONDAY, JANUARY 2, 1383 FOOTDALL THE RECORD D-3 Fog furor just a lot of hot air Smccess wasn't easy for Bears I game would have been equally impossible. Teams playing late-season games know that their offensive weapons might be lost to the elements. That's why strong running games and stout defenses usually win in late-season, open-air games. Had any of the usual winter hazards replaced the fog, there would have been little questioning the decision to continue the game. "Football is a game of elements.

That's what football in December and January is all about. They were playing on the same field as we did," said Eagles wide receiver Cris Carter, who saw no reason for discontinuing the game. If it's baseball, let the players head to the locker room before they melt. If it's flying, keep those pilots on the ground until they can see. But it's the NFL, where the elements can be as much a part of the game as the blocking and tackling.

Referee Jim Tunney and league officials did the right thing in letting the game continue. And anyone who says otherwise probably has been watching too much baseball or too many "Airport" By Vinny DiTranl Record Staff Writer Had it been a baseball game, it would have been halted. Had it been an airline Might, it would have been canceled. But Saturday's "Soup Bowl" at Soldier Field was a National Football League game, which means it would have been played in heavy rain, snow, cold winds; or thick fog. The fog caused the furor during the Bears' 20-12 National Football Conference playoff victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.

The "Soup Bowl" forever will be remembered as the game with the "guesstimate" second half. No one knew for sure what was going on after the pea soup rolled in off Lake Michigan. And there were uproars not so much from the players and coaches but from the media over why the game was not suspended when the visibility fell to 50 yards and less. The answer is simple. The NFL does not suspend or cancel games because of weather.

About the only exception would be a vicious lightning storm where lives would be endan- gered. The television people were upset Saturday because many of their cameras became useless in the fog. Other members of the media, who could not see a single second-half play from the press box, argued that fans who paid $40 for a ticket were being deprived of a suitable view, and that the Eagles' ability to launch a second-half comeback was hampered by their inability to throw the ball through the soup. But what if a snowstorm had roared in instead? Certainly television coverage would have been curtailed. But everyone would have accepted it as a fact of Chicago football in late December.

And what if ah icy rainstorm had blown in from the lake? Fans who paid their good money might not have shown up for fear of icy roadways and pneumonia. In fact, there were 1,412 no-shows for what started out to be a gorgeous New Year's eve in Chicago. And what if an icy, gale-force wind had blown in off Lake Michigan? The passing By Vinny DiTrani Record Staff Writer When the Chicago Bears dismantled the National Football League in 1985, their talent and intense level of play made them the class of the league. The current Bears are among the NFL's better teams, but they lack the can't-miss attitude of the Super Bowl XX champions. "We've gone through a lot as a football team," middle linebacker Mike Singletary said Saturday following the Bears' 20-12 "Soup Bowl" playoff victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.

The victory advanced Chicago to Sunday's National Football Conference championship game with the San Francisco 49ers at Soldier Field (4 p.m., Channel 2). The Bears, who defeated the 49ers in October, will try to become the ninth consecutive NFC team to win the conference title on its home field. "We've come out and been successful, and that's very, very special," said Singletary. "The true meaning of teamwork is so many elements working together and wanting it. It's a matter of making up your mind and working together to see what you can achieve.

And that's basically what's happened here." The Chicago organization was first maligned for allowing All-Pro linebacker Wilber Marshall to sign with Washington. That was compounded when Otis Wilson, the other starting outside linebacker, was lost for the season during the preseason. Then came the departure of pass-rush specialist Richard Dent late in the year. Then there was the retirement of running back Walter Payton and the trade of wide receiver Willie Gault to the And there was the continuance of quarterback Jim McMahon's injury jinx and coach Mike Ditka's heart attack. It has hardly been a romp through the roses for the Bears, who nevertheless will be host, for the NFC title game.

Chicago defeated the 49ers, 10-9, Oct. 21at Soldier Field. San Francisco" Betted only 213 yards that Monday night, with Kevin Butler's field goal on the final play of the first half the decisive factor.1;- That was one of 12 regular-season victories for the allowed a league-low 215 points despite working with a revamped defensive unit "We took a lot of criticism early in the year, but we stuck together," said wide receiver DeiCnis McKinnon, who caught the 64-yard touchdown pass that gave the Bears an early 7-0 lead over, the Eagles. "Hey, we're all we've got "If we're playing well, everyone loves us," McKinnon said. "If we're not, no one loves us.

But all that has made us a lot closer than were were in 1985. We've done a lot more with a lot less this year." Both the Bears and 49ers will have to do with a little less in preparing for their first postseason meeting since the 49ers blanked Chicago, 23-0, in the 1984 NFC championship game at Candlestick Park. Since the second-half coaching films of the Bears-Eagles game were rendered useless by the thick fog, San Francisco will have to send only the first-half film of Sunday's 34-9 win over Minnesota to the Bears in the film exchange. Bills' special teams ride herd over Oilers By John Rowe Record Staff Writer ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -The Buffalo Bills' approach to special teams is different than that of many National Football League teams.

The Bills don't sentence players to special teams, they assign them. Not all the assignees are fringe players. The Bills sprinkle enough starters on their special teams to give their units a different look. 'That look was special Sunday when the Bills defeated the Houston Oilers, 17-10, to advance to Sunday's American Football Conference championship game against the Cincinnati Bengals. The special teams contributed a blocked punt, a blocked field goal, a fumble recovery, and favorable field position.

The blocked punt by starting safety Leonard Smith set up Buffalo's first touchdown. The blocked field goal by starting defensive end Bruce Smith preserved the Bills' 7-3 halftime lead. The fumble recovery by starting linebacker Ray Bentley ended Houston's last scoring chance before it could get started. "I have found that three or four regulars on the special teams really help," said Buffalo coach Marv Levy. They more than helped against the Oilers.

Buffalo was saved by its special teams and its defense. The Bills' average possession began at the Buffalo 44. Houston's average possession began at its 21. Leonard Smith blocked Greg Montgomery's punt after Buffalo had wasted two scoring opportuni ties. One the first, a bad snap took the Bills out of field-goal range, and on the second, they failed to score on a fourth-and-goal at the Houston 1.

On the change of possession, the Oilers advanced to the Buffalo 34, but a sack by Bruce Smith forced the punt that was blocked by Leonard Smith. The Bills then marched 46 yards for a touchdown. "I think they thought we were going to set up a return. We set them up for it," said Leonard Smith. "I was one of our two designated rushers and the guy reached for me, but couldn't knock me off my lane." Bentley said the Bills realized that Montgomery had been slowed by a pulled groin in recent weeks.

"We knew he was hurting," said the Buffalo linebacker. "In the past they had a punt blocked because of confusion and we jumped around a lot." That's not a new tactic for the Bills. They've blocked three punts and four kicks this season. Even prize linebacker Cornelius Bennett plays on special teams. "Marv Levy's pet is special teams," said Bentley.

"We realize that to be successful we have to be successful on special teams." The presence of the starters was a deciding factor against the Oilers, who don't assign as many starters to special teams. "The special teams set the tone," said Leonard Smith. "When it came time to do the right things, we did them." IS duofokJ DLLS: Reach AFC title game against Cincinnati UNDERWEAR EXPERTS S-t-r-e-t-c-h Comfort CAMPMOR I THERMAX and Lycra STRETCH UNDERWEAR UGHtMEDIUM WEIGHT They responded with an 80-yard touchdown drive, with a 1-yard run by Rozier cutting Buffalo's lead to 17-10 with 5:12 remaining. "We knew it would be very difficult for them to repeat that," said Smerlas. Still, it was nail-biting time for the Bills.

Kelly (19-of-33 for 244 yards), who did more throwing than the run-conscious Oilers expected, passed for two first downs, but Buffalo had to punt from the Houston 45 on the first play after the two-minute warning. Duncan caught John Kidd's kick at the Houston 15, but a tackle by special teams specialist Steve Tasker forced the fumble that was recovered by linebacker Ray Bentley at the Oilers 18. All that was left for the Bills was to run out the clock. ik seeineu line up until the ble we had dominated everywhere except on the scoreboard," said Bentley. "The last thing we wanted was a blocked punt.

I didn't anticipate him trying to return the kick. I was pleasantly surprised. Thank goodness for Clyde Duncan." The Bills have a lot to be thank-tul lor. ineir leuutiumg ytau a ahead of schedule, thanks in part to Kelly and more to a defense that revolves around Smith (the best defensive end north of Philadelphia), Reggie White, and Bennett, a second-year linebacker who plays like a proven veteran. An out-of-town reporter asked Smerlas if Bennett always played the way he did against the Oilers.

"Where have you been, a cave?" said Smerlas. "He's everything they say he is." From Page D-l 31-yard try to the left. The block by Bruce Smith came in the final minute of the first half and the Bills were happy to take a 7-3 lead into the second half. The Jim Kelly-led offense was moving the ball but sputtering near the goal line, with its only touchdown set up by a blocked punt by Leon- ard Smith. offense started slow and knew we had to pick up the said Smith.

"The pressure was on the defense and we responded." Especially in the third quarter, when Houston quarterback Warren Moon didn't complete a pass and the Oilers came away with no points after an interception of a Kelly pass. The play that will haunt the Oilers in the off-season was a third flown at the Buffalo 2. Moon rolled right but threw an option pitchout over Mike Rozier's head, forcing Rozier to step out of bounds at the 14. un lourui aown, eiiuejas missed the 31-yard field goal. "It was a matter of me taking it into the end zone or pitching the ball to Rozier," aid Moon, "I'm really not sure, but the people upstairs assistant coaches tell me I maybe could have made it in myself.

I didn't feel that I could." The Oilers felt a lot worse after the Bills drove 59 yards, capped by an 11-yard run by Thurman Thomas, to take a 14-3 lead with 2:58 to go in the third period. Houston was still clinging to hope after the Bills added only three more points following an interception of Moon and a fumble recovery forced by Cornelius Bennett gave Buffalo two scoring opportunities inside the Houston 25. The Oilers drew encouragement from Scott Norwood's 36-yard missed field goal with 9:34 to go. (FOR MEN AND WOMEN) A .99 ea. TOPS BOTTOMS $15, jy si 1 1 Thermax DUOFOLD EXECUTIVE UNDERWEAR (FOR THE PERSON WHO COMMUTES) TOPS AND BOTTOMS $7.99 ea.

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