Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 26

MONDAY, JANUARY 4, 1993 DETROIT FREE PRESS 5D In biggest comeback, a little overkill doesn't hurt In case you missed it, although NBC told us Sunday at least 11 times in 45 minutes with only slight modifications, Buffalo's 41-38 overtime breaking STEVE CROWE TVradio I. K. it of Houston's heart was or about to be: "THE GREATEST COMEBACK IN THE HISTORY OF PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL!" NBC's execution, coupled with Buffalo's resurrection from a 32-point mass playoff grave, was a rare exception to the rule about when TV overkill is acceptable. "Man, I tell you," analyst Todd Christen- talk Of the tube WHAT ABOUT BENCHING BOB? Cincinnati quarterback Boomer Eslason, a guest analyst Sunday on NBC's "NFL Live," was asked whether rumors of his throwing arm's demise should be given any weight "Well, I offered to bench-press Bob (Costas) here on the set," he said, "but they wouldn't let me" Costas: "What would a bench press of 145 SHADY CHARACTER: With Philadelphia trailing New Orleans, 17-7, during the Eagles' 36-20 victory Sunday, CBS showed reserve Eagles quarterback Jim McMahon with an arm around coach Rich Kotlte. "Any time a guy with sunglasses on in a football game puts his arm around you, he's trying to calm you," CBS analyst John Madden said.

Pat Summerall: "Especially indoors." POST-POINTEM DEPRESSION: With Saturday's Kansas City-San Diego game on the verge of becoming only the seventh In NFL postseason history to be scoreless at haiftime, ABCs Brent Musburger longed for the good old days. Such as Friday, when 69 points were scored in Michigan's Rose Bowl victory over Washingtoa "About now, I sure wish someone would hand the ball to Tyrone Wheatley," he said. NTTTANY HOOSIERS? During ESPN's "Sports Reporters," Philadelphia Daily News columnist Bill Conlln explained that the Penn State team that took a 24-3 Blockbuster Bowl beating from Stanford "rented Indiana's roster so they could uphold the Big Ten tradition of playing very poorly in a lower-level bowl." ments despite using such too-cool icebreakers as: "Hey, Andre, tell me about it." Bills receiver Andre Reed: "We've been in games like this before. Well, not like this." Linebacker Darryl Talley: "Hey, we've been to deficit hell, and we got out." RUMBLE VICTIM: Sunday's CBS playoff encore, Philadelphia's 36-20 comeback victory at New Orleans, will live longer in the face of referee Dale Hamer than in NFL annals. But the sandwiching of Hamer's head during an end zone scuffle was right up the back alley of CBS analyst John Madden.

"Let's rumble!" Madden declared. "You wanna rumble? Let's rumble. Look at those officials in there! Uh-oh." As announcer Pat Summerall interjected, "The referees don't wanna rumble," Hamer was shown bleeding from his forehead and temple. "The referee took one there," Madden said. "No, he took two there!" This drew consideration of Hamer for membership on the prestigious All-Madden Team.

"We don't have any officials on there, Pat," Madden said. "But this Hamer guy, I don't know. You gotta love that look. "He needs Ferdie Pacheco," NBC's Fight Doctor. "I'm reminded, Charlie, of the philosopher who said that the purpose of life was to maximize your emotional income Otherwise, NBC maximized the moment, revealing early in Houston's retreat that the Lions held the NFL postseason comeback record: a 20-point erasure en route to a 31-27 victory Dec.

22, 1957, at San Francisco. Early in the fourth quarter, NBC had dusted off video of Bills quarterback Frank Reich turning a 31-0 Maryland deficit into a 42-40 victory over Miami in 1984, an NCAA Division I comeback best. As NBC's luck had it, its "NFL Live" studio guest was Bengals quarterback Boomer Esiason, a Maryland alum. "I learned that day to never turn the TV set off at haiftime when Frank Reich is playing," said Esiason, who said he left home to go house-hunting that day. lUIGAL LINE DANCE: NBC made up for returning one play late from a third-quarter break with a telling isolated replay of a 38-yard touchdown catch by Buffalo's Don Beebe.

He clearly stepped out of bounds before returning and making the catch. LATER, WITH 0 NBCs O.J. Simpson managed to elicit way-cool post-comeback com PATHETIC IN PRINT: Things they might not have said had they known someone was writing them down: ABC's Dan Dierdorf, with Washington leading at haiftime, 17-7, during Saturday's victory at Minnesota: "It takes a special kind of man to wear these (Super Bowl) rings, and this team's full of 'em." Tampa Bay coach Sam Wyche, as ABC studio analyst, speaking of Washington-San Francisco: "Let's hope the best team wins." SOUND BITES: Michigan State radio announcer Terry Braverman, near the end of Saturday's 80-69 victory at East Tennessee State, whose Buccaneers received a six-rifle pregame salute: "The Spartans may have dodged the musket shot here." NBC's Bob Costas, with the Oilers drilling the Bills, 28-3, at haiftime: "Well, let's find out if J. Simpson has a different way of expressing the obvious: Houston is kicking Buffalo's booty." Costas, post-comeback: "Go figure." UNSOUND BITE: Jim Durham, lead ESPN voice for MSU-East Tennessee, on the play of Shawn Respert: "So there is no respite for Respert." Easily impressed partner Larry Conley: "Ooooh, I like that!" sen marveled just before Oiler Al Del Greco's 26-yard field goal forced overtime. "If it was 20-below, I wouldn't care.

This is some kind of game. This is great. This is great. "Forget it; I don't care if I'm a hype monster." Partner Charlie Jones: "Oh, no, no." But then Christensen, as he does a tad too often, muddied the big moment: SUMMARIES Eagles 36, Saints 20 Choker label tightens around Oilers, Saints ...7 0 3J6- Ptiiadetphia .7 10 3 0- New Orleans Free Press Wire Reports Most Houston Oilers tiptoed around it. Leave it to ever-outspoken cornerback Cris Dishman to get to the heart of the matter.

"How can you describe something like that?" he said. "There's no other way you can put it. What else can you write about it or say about it but choke. It's as simple as that." yp First quarter New Orleans: Hevward 1 run (Andersen kick), 5:40. Drive: 73 yards, 8 mays.

Key plays: Heberl 25 pass to Hevward; Hebert 19 pass 10 E.Martin. New Orleans 7, PhladetpNa 0. Philadelphia: Barren 57 pass from Cunningham (Ruzek kick), 11:38. Drive: 80 yards, 4 plavs. Key play: Cunningham 15 run.

New Orleans 7, Philadelphia 7. Second quarter New Orleans: FG Andersen 35, 6:42. Drive: 71 yards, 13 plays. Key plays: Heberl 16 pass to Heyward; Hebert 10 run. New (Means 10, Phiadetonia 7.

New Orleans: Early 7 pass from Hebert (Andersen kick), 10:46. Drive: 53 yards, 4 plavs. Key plays: Heberl 20 pass to Early; Dunbar 24 run. New Oiteans 17, Phiadelphia 7. Third quarter New Orleans: FG Andersen 42, 8:32.

Drive: 44 yards, 5 plays. Key plays: Martin recovered Cunningham fumble; Hebert 35 pass lo Dunbar. New Orleans 20, Phiadelphia 7. Philadelphia: FG Ruzek 40, 13:59. Drive: 39 yards, 9 plays.

Key play: Allen 4 interception return lo Saints' 30. New Orleans 20, Phiadelphia 10. Fourth quarter Philadelphia: Barrett 35 pass from Cunningham (Ruzek kick), 4:23. Drive: 64 yards, 9 plays. Key plavs: Cunningham 8 pass to Williams; Cunningham 7 pass to Bvars.

New Orleans 20, Phiadelphia 17. Philadelphia: Sherman 6 run (Ruzek kick), 8:12. Drive: 26 vards, 5 plays. Key play: Joyner 14 interception return. Phiadelphia 24, New Orleans 20.

Philadelphia: Safely, While tackled Hebert in end zone, 9:24. Phiadelphia 26, New Orleans 20. Philadelphia: FG Ruzek 39, 12:24. Drive: 40 vards, 11 plavs. Key plavs: Sherman 16 and II runs.

Philadelphia 29, New Orleans 20. Philadelphia: Allen IB interception return (Ruzek kick), 12:43. Phiadelphia 36, New Orleans 20. Eagles overcome deficit, past Free Press Wire Reports New Orleans It was a game that history said no one could win, matching teams with a combined 0-7 playoff record the last dozen years. So naturally, the losers were the New Orleans Saints, who have never won a playoff game.

The Philadelphia Eagles scored 26 points in eight minutes, 20 seconds of the fourth quarter Sunday, overcoming a 20-7 deficit to win, 36-20. For the Eagles, who were 0-4 in the playoffs since 1980 and 0-3 in 1988-90, it was redemption. "We had a reputation of being chokers," said receiver Fred Barnett, one of a half-dozen heroes. "We had a monkey on our back. And now it's off." "It was like dying by inches," Saints defensive lineman Frank Warren said.

The dying began with 10:35 left: Barnett made a leaping catch in the end zone of a 35-yard pass from Randall Cunningham. 20-17. Seth Joyner picked off Bobby He-bert's pass to set up a six-yard TD run by Heath Sherman. 24-20, Eagles. Reggie White sacked Hebert in the end zone for a safety.

26-20. Sherman, who got 69 of his 105 yards in the fourth quarter, sparked a 40-yard drive that led to a 39-yard field goal by Roger Ruzek. 29-20. And Eric Allen, whose third-quarter interception set up Ruzek's 40-yard field goal, picked off Hebert and ran 18 yards with 2:15 left. 36-20.

"It just kind of snowballed," Saints coach Jim Mora said. "That's what Associated Press Heath Sherman runs six yards for the go-ahead touchdown in the Eagles' victory. Sherman gained 105 yards on 21 carries. Phi NO 19 20 6 14 5-11 O-O 349 360 64 60 5.5 6.0 136 76 28 20 4 9 38 ,...213 284 23-39 59 7.1 1 6 1-7 0 3 5-51 3-45 ,...100 95 3-36 0-0 4-35 1 I 1-1 ,.31:25 28:35 FIRST DOWNS THIRD DOWN EFF FOURTH DOWN EFF TOTAL NET YARDS Total Plays Avg Gain NET YARDS RUSHING Rushes Avg per rush NET YARDS PASSING Completed-Att Yards-Pass Play Sacked-Yds lost Had Intercepted PUNTS-Avg TOTAL RETURN YARDAGE Interceptions PENALTIES Yds FUMBLES-Losl TIME OF POSSESSION happens in games like this. It was a lot closer than the score indicated." "We zeroed in on what they were doing," Joyner said.

"They showed us a few new wrinkles in the first half and it took us awhile to adjust." Allen's first interception might have been the play that turned the game. Until then with 5:06 left in the third quarter the Saints had been totally dominant, with a 57-yard, Cun-ningham-to-Barnett hookup the Eagles' only score. And the defense still was giving up yardage. White and Clyde Simmons were nowhere to be seen as Hebert threw for 228 yards and wasn't sacked once by a defense that had 56 during the regular season. "Bobby was playing super football," Mora said.

The Saints, one of the NFL's most conservative teams, might have been done in by getting too fancy. With that 20-7 lead and the ball at their 25, Hebert, cheered earlier for two long incomplete passes on first down, tried to go deep over the middle. But Allen grabbed the ball, and the comeback was under way. Reich recalled his old college try The greatest comeback in NFL history stirred memories of the greatest comeback in major-college football history. The quarterback in both was a backup named Frank Reich.

On Nov. 10, 1984, the Maryland Terrapins trailed the Miami Hurricanes, 31-0, at haiftime in the Orange Bowl stadium. The Terps junked their conservative offense, brought in Reich, and he directed touchdowns on six consecutive possessions as Maryland rallied for a 42-40 victory. Sunday's deficit to Houston was 32 points 35-3 and Reich was playing for Jim Kelly, who suffered a knee injury the Sunday before. Did Reich think back to that college game as the Bills rallied for a 41-38 overtime victory? "Many times.

Gale Gilbert reminded me of it," Reich said of the Bills' No. 3 quarterback. "He said, 'Hey, you did it in college. There's no reason we can't do it again "There's no doubt that gives you a little bit of hope, to know that something like that can be done." So was Sunday an omen? Well, later in 1984, Reich led Maryland from a 21-0 haiftime deficit as it beat Tennessee, 28-27, in the Sun Bowl. Remember 1957? The Lions trailed, 27-7, 2:22 into the third quarter of an NFL playoff game on Dec.

22, 1957, in San Francisco. But they had a 28-27 lead by the time 14 minutes remained and won, 31-27. They then beat Cleveland for their last NFL championship. That stood as the greatest comeback to victory in NFL postseason history until Sunday. The Lions scored three quick touchdowns in San Francisco.

The first two came on runs 61 seconds apart by backup running back Tom (the Bomb) Tracy. Gene Gedman ran for the go-ahead touchdown. Almost the greatest Miami overcame a 24-0 first-quarter deficit to San Diego on Jan. 2, 1982, in an AFC divisional playoff in the Orange Bowl. But the Dolphins lost by the same score as Sunday's 41-38 in overtime.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS Rushing Philadelphia: Sherman 21-105, Cunningham 2-19, Walker 5-12. New Orleans: Dunbar 4-28, Hevward 10-23, Heberl 3-' 18, Milliard 3-7. Passing Philadelphia: Cunningham 19-35-0-219. New Orleans: Heberl 23-39-3-291. Receiving Philadelphia: Bvars 6-37, Barnell 4-102, Williams 4-36, Sherman 3-29, Green 1-24, Walker 1-1.

New Orleans: Early 7-93, E.Martin 5-64, Dunbar 4-49, Hevward 3-45, Brenner 2-24, Hilliard 1-10, Small 1-6. Interceptions Philadelphia: Allen 2, Jovner. Bills 41, Oilers 38 3 0-7 3- 21 7 0 28 Houston Buffalo Down 35-3, Bills stun Oilers, 41-38 The Oilers and New Orleans Saints are very familiar with the subject. The Oilers added a most improbable chapter by blowing a 35-3 lead in a 41-38 overtime loss Sunday at Buffalo. The Saints are the only existing NFL team never to win a playoff game (0-4), losing wild-card games four times including three on their home field in the last six seasons.

Sunday's 36-20 loss to Philadelphia in the Superdome was most galling because they blew a 20-7 lead. "Right now you can't say what it is. Is it a Louisiana voodoo curse?" corner-back Vince Buck said. "To come down to a game like this and have the lead like we did, and then lose, there are no words for it." Cornerback Toi Cook said the 12-4 regular season didn't mean much: "Next year we can be 12-0, 14-0, 15-0 and people will still say, 'When are the Saints going to win the big It hurts a lot, definitely, when you think you are better than the other team." Houston has made the playoffs six straight seasons the longest current streak in the NFL and has not advanced past the second round. The Oilers are the only NFL team ever to experience such a streak.

They came close last year, taking a 24-16 lead into the fourth quarter in the second round at Denver, only to lose, 26-24, on a field goal with 16 seconds left. "I thought Denver last year was the low point. Hell, this is real low," defensive end William Fuller said. "I don't see how I could get much lower." "All I've been doing is just sitting there trying to figure the whole thing out," quarterback Warren Moon said. "I just don't believe it happened, but I guess it did." Moon said he warned his teammates at haiftime.

"I came in and the first thing I said was, 'Remember Denver last year. We can't relax. We can't he said. "We came out in the third quarter and got the interception and got ahead, 35-3, and maybe there was some relaxing that happened after that." Fuller expects the worst from the fans: "There will be character assassinations. If we thought it was hell living with the Denver situation last year, it's going to be even tougher." It had already started Sunday after the Oilers blew a fourth-quarter lead for the fifth time this season.

"The Oilers will be identified as the biggest chokes in football," said one caller to a Houston radio talk show. Murphy Stallings, who watched the FilOON ECUPSED AGAiii Houston has been ousted from the playoffs in the second round or earlier the last six seasons despite quarterback Warren Moon's heroics. In Sunday's first half, he was 19-of-22 for 218 yards and four touchdowns. From then on he was 17-of-28 for 153 yards and two Interceptions. His 36 completions broke the postseason record of 33.

First quarter Houston: Jefflres 3 pass from Moon (Del Greco kick), 9:09. Drive: 80 yards, 14 plavs. Key Plavs: Moon 32 pass lo Jeffires on 3rd and White 2 run on 4th and While 13 run. Houston 7, Buffalo 0. Buffalo: FG Christie 36, 13:36.

Drive: 38 yards, 10 plavs. Key plays: Davis 33 kickoff return; Reich 11 pass to Metzelaars on 3rd and Reich 17 pass to Reed on 3rd and 5. Houston 7, Buffalo 1 Second quarter Houston: Slaughter 7 pass from Moon (Del Greco kick), 6:01. Drive: 80 yards, 12 plays. Key plavs: While 5 run on 3rd and Moon 23 pass lo Givins; Moon 7 pass lo Givins on 3rd and 3.

Houston 14, Buffalo 3. Houston: Duncan 26 pass from Moon (Del Greco kick), 10:51. Drive: 67 vards, 5 plays. Key play: Moon 24 pass to Givins. Houston 21, Buffalo 3.

Houston: Jeffires 27 pass from Moon (Del Greco kick), 14:46. Drive: 67 yards, 8 plays. Key Plays: Reich incomplete on 4lh and 4 from Oilers 32, Buffalo turns ball over on downs; 5-vard offside penally on Wright on 4th and Moon 14 pass to Jeffires. Houston 28, Buffalo 1 Third quarter Houston: McDowell 58 interception return (Del Greco kick), 1:41. Houston 35, Buffalo 3.

Buffalo: Davis I run (Christie kick), 6:08. Drive: 50 yards, 10 plays. Key Plays: Reich 24 pass to Metzelaars; Reich 16 pass lo Reed on 3rd and 15; Davis 5run on 4lh and 2. Houston 35, Buffalo 10. Buffalo: Beebe 38 pass from Reich (Christie kick), 7:04.

Drive: 52 yards, 4 plays, Key plays: Christie recovery of onside kick; Gardner 5 run on 3rd and 1. Houston 35, Buffalo Buffalo: Reed 26 pass from Reich (Christie kick) 10:39. Drive: 59 yards, 4 plays. Key Plays: Montgomery 24-yard punt; Reich 19 pass lo Davis. Houston 35, Buffalo 24.

Buffalo: Reed 18 pass from Reich (Christie kick), 13:00. Drive: 23 vards, 4 plays. Kev Play: Jones interception and 15 return. Houston 35, Buffalo 31. Fourth quarter Buffalo: Reed 17 pass from Reich (Christie kick), 11:52.

Drive: 74 yards, 7 plavs. Key plays: Oilers lose 12 on Montgomery's fumbled field goal snap; Davis 35 run on 3rd and Reich 9 pass to Reed on 3rd and 3. Buffalo 38, Houston 35. Houston: FG Del Greco 26, 14:48. Drive: 63 yards, 12 Plays.

Key plays: Moon 11 pass lo Givins; Moon 18 pass lo Slaughter on 4th and 4. Buffalo 38, Houston 38. Overtime Buffalo: FG Christie 32, 3:06. Drive: 6 yards, 3 Plays. Key plays: Odomes interception and 2 return plus 15-yard YEAR PASS YDS TD INT OUTCOME 1987 24-43 264 1 2 34-10Penver 1988 17-33 240 0 1 17-10 Buffalo 1989 29-48 315 2 0 26-23 Pittsburgh 1990 Hurt, did not play 1991 '27-36 p.

325 3 1 26-24 Denver" 1992 36-50 371 4 2 41-38 (OT) Buffalo BILLS, from Page ID ter. The Bills also played without quarterback Jim Kelly (knee) and linebacker Cornelius Bennett (ribs). Christie, who made a 36-yard field goal in the first quarter, then recovered his onside kick at the Buffalo 48. An offside penalty on third down gave the Bills a first down at the Houston 38. Reich found Don Beebe free down the left sideline for a touchdown, making it 35-17.

Beebe had stepped out of bounds as he began his route, but the officials didn't notice. "We're on the sidelines and said obviously we're going to need big plays," Beebe said. "But we just got to make them one at a time and stay with it." The defense, now manned by its regulars as coordinator Walt Corey scrapped a six-back scheme that had yielded four touchdown passes to Warren Moon in four Houston possessions, forced a punt. Greg Montgomeiy, the NFL's leading punter, shanked it, setting up the Bills at the Buffalo 41. Reich hit James Lofton for 18 yards and Davis for 19.

Andre Reed then slipped down the left sideline, much as Beebe had, for a 26-yard TD, making it 35-24 with 4:21 left in the quarter. "That's when I thought it was within reach," Reich said. "If the defense kept playing the way it was playing, and we kept executing on offense, there was plenty of time to come back and win the football game." You bet. Two plays later, all-pro safety Henry Jones intercepted Moon's high pass that was deflected by Oilers receiver Webster Slaughter. Buffalo had the ball at the Houston 23.

The Oilers held for three plays, setting up a fourth-and-five at the 18. "I came over to the sideline and Marv said we were going to go for it," Reich said. "A couple of other coaches were telking, 'Do we want to kick the field "I felt real good about the play, so he said, 'OK, go ahead and go for The play was a seam pass over the middle to Reed, who sprawled to catch it in the end zone. It was 35-31. Houston finally moved the ball early in the fourth quarter, but Montgomery fumbled the snap on Del Greco's 31-yard field-goal attempt.

The Bills used 3:45 to go 74 yards, including Davis' 35-yard run on third down. Reed got free on a pattern similar to his last for the 17-yard score that put Buffalo on top. After Del Greco forced overtime with a 26-yard field goal with 12 seconds left, Moon's poor pass was intercepted by Nate Odomes at the Houston 35. A 15-yard face mask penalty on Haywood Jeffires put the ball at the 20. On third down, Christie kicked the winner.

"A kicker dreams of an opportunity to win a game like that," he said. Nobody dreams of winning games the way the Bills did. Do they? face mask penalty on jettires. outlaw nouiran jo game at a Houston bar, called for the job of defensive coordinator Jim Eddy. "The defense let us down," Stallings said.

"Jim Eddy needs to go to town and grow flowers because he's no longer appreciated in Houston." Hou Buf 27 19 8-15 2 I 2-3 ....429 366 76 63 5.6 5.8 82 98 22 26 37 3.8 ....347 268 21-34 64 7.2 3-21 2 1 2-35 92 72 1-58 2-17 4-30 4-30 0-0 ..37:39 25:27 FIRST DOWNS THIRD DOWN EFF FOURTH DOWN EFF TOTAL NET YARDS Total Plays Avg Gain NET YARDS RUSHING Rushes Avg per rush NET YARDS PASSING Compleled-Att Yards-Pass Play Sacked-Yds lost Had Intercepted PUNTS-Avg TOTAL RETURN YARDAGE Interceptions PENALTIES-Yds FUMBLES-Losl TIME OF POSSESSION COMING JAN. 11 CANADA'S BANANA QUEEN KATARiniA aa nut PLUS OUR INTERNATIONAL FEATURE DANCERS IP 111 "'I PRESENTS 4 STACI STAXX exotic entertainer of the year I "iS GOLDEN G-STRING AWARD 1992 ft. -f BEST CHEST 1992 f( JAN. 4 THRU JAN. 9 Iso unique and so energetic I SH0WTIMES: 1:00 6:00 9:00 MIDNIGHT i a uWLTT SEE' CHATHAW ST' D0WNT0WN WINDSOR PLUS WET WILD DUOS in a INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS Rushing Houslon: White 19-75, Moon 2-7, Montgomery 1-0.

Buffalo: Davis 13-68, Thomas 11-26, Gardner 1-5, Reich Wmlnus 1). Passing Houslon: Moon 36-50-2-371. Buffalo: Reich 21-34-1-289. Receiving Houston: Givins 9-117, Jeffires 8-98, Slaughter 8-73, Duncan 8-57, Harris 2-15, White 1-11. Buffalo: Reed 6-136, Beebe 4-64, Mefzefaors 3-43, Davis 2-25, Lofton 2-24, Thomas 2-(minus 3).

Tuesday Oil Jello Wrestlina Sunday No Cover 4 PM-1 AM Houston: McDowell. Buffalo: Jones,.