Times-Advocate from Escondido, California • 40

02 TIMES-ADVOCATE, Escondido, Wednesday, Dec. 19, 1384 Bespiitie Dosses, Seatitille ffawoFedl agaairos Kaodleirs sure we play well again. The Seahawks, losers of their final two regular-season games, host the defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Raiders in the Kingdome Saturday at 1 p.m, in the AFC wild-card game. Its a matchup of two AFC West teams. With two games to go, Seattle had a one-game division lead over Denver.

But they lost in Kansas City 34-7 and then bowed to the Broncos 31-14 in the Kingdome last weekend. The Denver defeat cost the Seahawks their first division title ever. It would have given them a bye in the first week of the Nation al Football League playoffs. Despite the the Seahawks quick decline, they have been made 2-point favorites over the Raiders. The Raiders were 13-7 losers to Pittsburgh in Los Angeles in their final regular-season game.

The defeat cost them the home-field advantage against the Seahawks. Harris, a seven-year NFL veteran from Arizona State, says that while others may have lost faith in the Seahawks, the Seattle players still believe strongly in themselves. Our pride very definitely has been hurt, he said, but not our confidence. Theres really no rea son why we shouldnt go out and play well against the Raiders. In their two consecutive losses, the Seahawks dont have a single quarterback sack.

That was the No. 1 reason for the Seahawks 12-4 regular-season record, best in the franchises nine-year history, Harris contends. Weve got to get pressure on the quarterback, he said. Its just got to happen for us. When you put pressure on him, it makes him make a decision that much faster.

We didnt do that against Denver and I think that was the key for them. Denver quarterback John Elway did throw four first-half interceptions, one of them picked off by Harris, but he also scrambled nine times for 43 crucial yards. I feel our winning starts on defense, Harris said. If we do that, we can take control of the game. Harris made a salient point.

Despite Elways errant first-half aerials, the Seahawks were forced to play catchup the entire game. They trailed 10-0 after the first quarter and 10-7 at halftime. Dave Krieg, the Seahawks 26-year-old Pro Bowl quarterback, attempted 50 passes, completing 30 of them for 334 yards and two touchdowns. He was intercepted twice. I dont think, we want to throw the ball 50 times, Harris said.

But when you get behind like we did, thats what you have to do. Harris watched the Raiders against Pittsburgh on television and came away with another important goal for the Seahawks. Pittsburgh, he said, did a good job controlling the line of scrimmage. I think were going to have to do the same thing this week. The Raiders are big but theyre not as quick as we are.

Weve go! to take advantage of that. SEATTLE (AP) Throw out those lopsided defeats the Seattle Seahawks suffered In their final two regular-season games, claims veteran free safety John Harris. The losses simply dont mean anything now, he Insists. We know we havent played particularly well the past two admitted Harris, but we know we have the capacity to go out and play better. All we have to do is dig deeper and get it done.

It's not that we have to pull out mirrors and try to do some things we havent done before. iWeve played well for most of the entire year. Now, we have to make Dolphins' rifle-armed Dan Marino is named AP Player of the Year I I 9 jKemp was the Rams' savior this season ANAHEIM (AP) On a rainy, i gloomy morning that nevertheless found him in good spirits, John 'Robinson recalled a different sort of gloomy day three months ago. I think a lot of us came back 'from Pittsburgh thinking this was going to be a long, dark season, the Los Angeles Rams coach said Tuesday. A lot of people didnt think Jeff Kemp was an adequate quarter-; back.

But Kemps play is probably the most positive thing thats hap-; pened to us this season. The return from Pittsburgh came after a 24-14 loss to the Steelers in a game that put the Rams at 1-2. And they lost starting quarterback Vince Ferragamo to a broken hand in the process. Kemp, who came into his fourth season with the Rams with virtual-: ly no game experience, proved to at least adequate as the went on to forge a 10-6 record and earn a National Football Conference wild card berth in the playoffs. NEW YORK (AP) Dan Marino of the Miami Dolphins, who set a new standard for quarterbacks in only his second year in the National Football League, was named Tuesday as The Associated Press Offensive Player of the Year.

In a season-long progression of brilliance, Marino not only broke a series of long-standing records he shattered them, averaging three touchdown passes per game and became the first NFL quarterback to throw for 5,000 yards in a season. His 48 touchdown passes in 16 games was 33 percent better than the previous record, 36 in 14 games by Y.A. Tittle of the New York Giants in 1963 and George Blanda of the Houston Oilers in 1961. There was no asterisk involved there Marino had 40 after 14 games. He also threw for 5,084 yards (almost 318 yards per game), breaking Dan Fouts 1981 record of 4,802.

He also set records with 362 completions and nine 300-yard passing games; helped one of his receivers, Mark Clayton, establish a season record for touchdown receptions with 18, and led Miami to the American Conference East title with a 14-2 record, the second best in the NFL. All this by a player who was passed over by 26 teams in the 1983 draft and was the sixth quarterback taken after a troubled senior year at Pittsburgh in which he threw 22 interceptions. Dan was amazing for a young quarterback," said Miami Coach Don Simla, who made Marino his starter in the sixth game of the 1983 season. He never seemed awed. He stepped right into the lineup and did the job.

Marino went on to throw for 2,210 yards and 20 touchdown passes with only six interceptions and became the first rookie quarterback voted to the Pro Bowl game. This year, he began with five touchdown passes in an opening-game 35-17 victory over defending National Conference champion Washington and had fewer than two TD passes only once he threw just one in a 24-23 triumph over Philadelphia. He also had help from an offensive line that allowed him to be sacked only 13 times in 16 games and from two game-breaking wide receivers, Clayton and Mark Duper. "I think Im fortunate because Ive been able to play with great players to help, me accomplish a lot of good things, said Marino. Any award I get makes me feel good because it shows the guys were able to help me out.

But Shula said theres more to it than that. He deserves all the recognition that he can get, said Shula. Hes done things that nobody else has done. But whats so great about him is the way that he does it in a way that you dont even notice it while he does. And the way he handles it is so great.

Marino won the honor over Eric Dickerson of the Los Angeles Rams, who set a new NFL singleseason rushing record. He had 52 votes to 18 for Dickerson with a scattering of votes to Chicago's Walter Payton, San Franciscos Joe Montana and the Raiders' Marcus Allen. Kemp's play is probably the most positive thing that's happened to us this John Robinson Associated Press Photo In only his second year, Miami QB Dan Marino threw for 48 touchdowns and 5,084 yards. Dolphins shattered 19 NFL records during 1984 season one more than the previous mark of 17 set by Don Hutson in 1942 and equaled by Elroy Hirsch in 1951 and Bill roman in 1961. Clayton and teammate Mark Duper also topped the receiving plateau, becoming the first tandem in NFL history to do so.

Clayton finished with 1,389 yards, while Duper had 1,306. Placekicker Uwe von Schamann closed out the individual records with 70 point-after-touchdowns attempted and 66 successful conversions. Blanda kicked 64 of 65 in 1961. Dan Fouts of the San Diego Chargers held the previous record for completions (360 in 1981) and passing yardage (4,802 in 1981), while George Blanda and Y.A. Tittle threw 36 TD passes in 1961 and 1963, respectively.

Marino also had nine 300-yard passing games, breaking Fouts four-year-old record of eight, and topped the 400-yard mark a record four times. Clayton, who caught three touchdown passes in the Dolphins 28-21 victory over the Dallas Cowboys Monday night, finished the season with 18 TD receptions MIAMI (AP) The Miami Dolphins, led by All-Pro quarterback Dan Marino, shattered 19 individual and team National Football League records during the 1984 season. Marino paced the clubs nine individual records by breaking five passing marks, while Mark Clayton eclipsed a 42-year-old standard for touchdown receptions in a season. Marino, the driving force behinds Miami 14-2 record, finished the regular season with 362 completions; 5,084 yards passing and 48 touchdown passes. The Dolphins set 10 team records, including: Most touchowns (70); most PATs (66); most first downs (387) most yards gained most yards passing touchdowns passing (49); most seasons leading league, fewest penalties (10); most consecutive seasons leading league, fewest penalties (9) most seasons leading league, fewest yards penalized (11) most consecutive seasons leading league, fewest yards penalized (8).

Miami held all of the previous marks in the penalties category. Simms resents insinuation Giants backed into plavoffs Iff AST PTTTHTPRirnPn WT I ADS 1 at EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. 'I think it's a bad term. It kind of downplays us. We get into the playoffs and people downplay it and say we don't deserve to be Going 9-4 in his starts, Kemp has completed 143 of 284 passes for 2,021 yards and 13 touchdowns and has thrown only seven intercep-; tions.

I Los Angeles, which clinched the wild card berth last Sunday when Washington beat St. Louis, will open the playoffs against the 9-7 New York Giants on Sunday at An-! aheim Stadium getting the I homefield advantage courtesy of the Miami Dolphins victory over Dallas Monday night that sent the I Cowboys home for the holidays. I Robinson, talking about the long I string of injuries that have struck the club, said, "I think the person-tality of this club is that it has fought through the injuries well. 9 One player who has stayed healthy has been Eric Dickerson, I who became the NFLs top all-time 'single-season rusher with 2,105 yards this year. The Rams appear to have gotten the luck of the draw when their playoff opponent turned out to be the Giants, whom they whipped 33-12 earlier this season.

If the Cowboys had beaten the Dolphins I to earn the other NFC wild card spot, the Rams would have had to play in Dallas against the club that beat them 20-13 in the regular season. I Robinson said he didnt expect the earlier victory over the Giants I to have any bearing on Sundays meeting, saying that if his club was overconfident That would certainly be a tragedy. "That game was a long time ago, he said. It feels like it was six years ago." He said The Giants over the course of the season have beaten some of the leagues elite teams and, judging from what they did against their peers, theyre better than Dallas. Robinson, who said he was excit-ed while watching both the Cardi-nals-Redskins and the Cowboys- Dolphins, also seemed excited about the upcoming playoffs.

We have the sense of being in the biggest game in the country Sunday, he said, smiling and add-fing that it also happens to be the only football game being played that day. I "Im think, boy, weve got a shot at the Super Bowl. we beat these guys, then these guys." Although the Rams will be fa-! vored against the Giants, theyre a longshot to make it to the Super Bowl, but Robinson said thats fine with him. 1 "A year ago, they were laugh-I ing, saying, Dallas will kill these guys, he recalled, looking back ion the Rams 24-17 upset of the Cowboys in the 1983 playoff (AP) The New York Giants extended their season thanks to the outcome of two games they didnt play, but quarterback Phil Simms said Tuesday he resents the insinuation that the team backed into the National Football League playoffs. The Giants qualified for a wild-card playoff contest with the Los Angeles Rams when Miami Dolphins edged the Dallas Cowboys 28-21 Monday night.

The 9-7 Giants are in the playoffs for only the third time in two decades. The Dolphins victory capped a hectic final weekend of the regular season that saw the Giants drop a 10-3 decision to the New Orleans Saints, and then sit back and watch Washington defeat St. Louis and Miami edge Dallas. Coach Bill Parcells said he went to bed with the Dolphins leading 14-7 and learned Simms said thats not true. We won nine games and beat some good teams, thats why we are in the playoffs, he added.

We are one of the best 10 teams in the NFL. The meeting with the Rams will be the Giants second of the season. Los Angeles beat New York 33-12 on Sept. 30, holding the Giants to just 8 yards rushing and recording a league-record three safeties in one quarter. The game was so one-sided the goalposts in the Giants end zone fell down during the second quarter.

I think we just had a bad day, said Simms. Some things went against us, a lot of penalties, a lot of everything that day. Simms said that if the Giants cut down on mistakes, they can compete with the Rams. We were a good team when we played them that day, he said. "But things went wrong and they took advantage of it.

Parcells said he feels the Rams are better now than when the teams played earlier this year. Well have our hands full with them, no doubt about it, he said. They have a great running game and a lot of firepower on the outside. They are even more dominant now on the run and the guy (running back Eric Dickerson) is playing superhuman football. 4 Dickerson broke the NFL record for most yards gained in a season this year, rushing for 2,105 yards to break the old mark of 2,003 set by O.J.

Simpson. Rams Coach John Robinson said he is not expecting another easy game against the Giants. "That was a long time ago, it feels like six years, said Robinson. he made the playoffs about 12:15 a.m. I heard my wife screaming and cheering, so I figured we were in, he said.

Although happy with the playoff trip, Simms disagreed with those who said the Giants backed into Sundays game with the Rams, 10-6. I think its a bad term, said Simms. It kind of downplays us. We get into the playoffs and people downplay it and say we dont deserve to be in. Anderson not ready to retire 1985 MERCURY TOPAZ GS CINCINNATI (AP) Veteran Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Ken Anderson isnt talking like he plans to retire after 14 seasons but concedes hell know when its time.

As long as the game is still fun and Im physically able to play and play well, Ill continue to play. I always feel better when the warm weather comes, so I dont want to make that decision now, he told reporters after the Bengals closed out their season by defeating the Buffalo Bills, 52-21, Sunday. He turns 36 on Feb. 15. "When the time comes, Ill wake up in the morning and itll be like somebody hit me over the head with a brick, Anderson said.

Ill know it. It wont be a hard decision to make. Anderson, a five-time Pro Bowl performer who led Cincinnati to a 1981 Super Bowl berth, has heard retirement talk before. In 1983, Anderson was sidelined for four games when his neck was wrenched by Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Keith Gary in the seasons sixth game. Anderson has a license to practice law and owns a beverage distributorship in northern Kentucky and in Dayton, Ohio.

Bengals Coach Sam Wyche, a former Bengals quarterback who was traded from the team in 1971 to make way for the rookie Anderson, is an admirer of the veteran quarterback. Wyche, hired from Indiana University in December 1983 to make his debut in 1984 as a National Football League head coach, quickly designated Anderson as his opening-day starting quarterback. Topaz has 87 standard tach and temperature gauge dual remote-control mirrors. See Topaz at your Lincoln-Mercury Dealer. features including power steering power brakes tinted glass polycast wheels five-speed manual overdrive transaxle AMFM stereo MEfiCOfiZ THATS ALL THIS FRONT-WHEEL DRIVE VALUE RUNS.

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