1:00 Games
Dallas (3-2) * Kansas City (1-5)
It appears we're getting the wasted win out of the way early with the occurrence of this big upset. The Cowboys, a Tecmo Bowl favorite, leave this game with a large Derrick Thomas-shaped footprint on their behinds. Thomas intercepted Troy Aikman twice and helped hold him to just 84 yards passing, giving his Chiefs some measure of revenge for getting kicked out of Dallas at the beginning of their AFL days. The Cowboys take a huge blow here, and must know it'll take some time to wash out the taste of a Dave Krieg victory from their mouths.
Final Score: Chiefs 24, Cowboys 17
L.A. Rams (2-4) * New York Giants (2-3)
It was an encounter between two playoff teams that should have no business contending at year's end; however, the two squads put on a great barn-burner worthy of a Week 7 early-game contest on Fox Sports. Jim Everett finally came alive from the slumber he succumbed to after getting knocked out last year, throwing a 77% completion rating with 331 yards on the day. Flipper hauled in 201 of those yards, including the game-winner in overtime, putting the Rams back in the hunt in their division. The Giants, now at 2-4, are still poised to be in second place within theirs.
Final Score: Rams 30, Giants 24 (OT)
Washington (2-4) * Philadelphia (3-2)
After the first two NFC East massacres, Philadelphia wins this incestuous affair to become the only victors in their division after the obvious Phoenix defeat later on. Earnest Byner fought valiantly for his Redskins, running 105 yards to Herschel Walker's middling 50, while Mark Rypien was quite a bit more efficient than his more mobile counterpart in Cunningham, with 0 interceptions to the Phenom's 2. The Eagles scored 7 points in the 4th quarter to steal the win from the Redskins, moving them forward in their campaign to win what has become a very winnable division.
Final Score: Eagles 21, Redskins 17
San Diego (4-1) * Indianapolis (2-3)
The Chargers don't miss a beat after their bye week, doing away with a sorry Colts team to reach their fifth win in six games. Stan Humphries played the cool, calm and collected role with his 224 yards and a few touchdowns with no picks, while Anthony Miller took over one of San Diego's weaknesses, its run game, and used his stealth as a wide receiver to pick up 76 yards on just 4 touches. Jeff George and Jessie Hester appeared to be back in sync, connecting on 117 of Georges 144 yards, but the Chargers' defense proved too overwhelming by picking him twice and just generally being present on the field.
Final Score: Chargers 30, Colts 13
Miami (3-2) * New England (1-4)
The Dolphins take advantage of a week off in Buffalo and New York, and the fact that they play the Patriots of New England to move into a first-place tie in the East. Mark Higgs kept Bobby Humphrey on the bench for one more week with his 94 yards on 9 rushes performance. And though Dan Marino was slightly less Marino-esque with just 115 yards and a pick, he had the advantage of facing off against Hugh Millen's catatonic body, which still surprisingly threw for 43 yards.
Final Score: Dolphins 21, Patriots 7
L.A. Raiders (4-2) * Seattle (1-5)
It's these types of games that keep the Tecmo Raiders out of the playoffs each year. We can blame Jay Schroeder's 92 yards passing, though it may be hard when he connects 80% of the time with no interceptions. We can blame Eric Dickerson's sharp and sudden dropoff, though he still led the team in receptions. I think the only person left to blame is Stan Gelbaugh, who threw his best game of the year with 217 yards and no interceptions to give his Seahawks their second win in a row. The Raiders go back to the drawing board after another surprising start piddles away to mediocrity.
Final Score: Seahawks 28, Raiders 17
Pittsburgh (1-4) * Cincinnati (3-2)
The Steelers keep Cincinnati in their slump for another week, while also gaining their first win since Week One with a thrilling overtime win. After keeping games close over the last few weeks, Pittsburgh finally pulled it off behind Barry Foster's 260 all-purpose yards. Cincinnati fought hard with the resurgence of Derrick Fenner and his 86 rushing yards with a few scores, along with rookie Carl Pickens' strong performance of 2 big receptions for 75 yards. Unfortunately, the Bengals continue to bungle and will draw a very hot Oilers team, one that's poised to push the Cincinnati under .500 after starting the season 3-0.
Final Score: Steelers 31, Bengals 28 (OT)
Cleveland (2-3) * Green Bay (2-3)
Sterling Sharpe returns to the Green Bay receiving corps, but Brett Favre struggles once again with two big interceptions, including a pick-six on the behalf of Clay Matthews, the junior. Eric Metcalf and Kevin Mack found their groove, running over the 20th-ranked Packers' rush defense for 121 yards, and the Browns quietly nab their third win in a row to reach .500. Green Bay's struggles continue in their year of rebuilding, leading most to believe this is the first of many death knells in their season. Despite their win streak, those knells rang out for Cleveland long ago when the Oilers were announced as still participating in the AFC Central.
Final Score: Browns 35, Packers 28
4:00 Games
Denver (2-4) * Houston (3-2)
Denver's luck would not strike thrice in their meeting with the rising powerhouse in Houston. Tommy Maddox threw for over 200 yards in his debut for the injured John Elway, but they learned, just like many other teams before them, that you can't beat the Oilers by playing a flat game. And one can't get flatter than Denver's 6 rushing attempts for a total of 1 yard on the day, padding a normally mediocre rush defense's stats. Houston pulls into sole possession of first place after losing their first two games, making it more obvious than ever that we've entered the second half snooze in the AFC Central.
Final Score: Oilers 26, Broncos 15
New Orleans (5-1) * Phoenix (0-5)
Despite Phoenix's winless woes, one thing they've always carried with them is their ability to play close. And even in the face of Hebert's Holocaust, they still stood toe to toe with the Saints. The Cardinals' pass defense, one of the best in the game, held Hebert to just 172 yards, while even their terrible run defense kept Ironhead Heyward in check with 69 yards leading the day. Unfortunately for Phoenix, Chris Chandler still can't find anyone to connect with, despite Ricky Proehl returning from injury, and the Cardinals may finally be bothered to draft a quarterback without a a concrete block for an arm and a billboard for a forehead.
Final Score: Saints 27, Cardinals 21
Minnesota (5-0) * Detroit (1-4)
The Vikings' get the parade floats gassed up with another win to put them in nearly unreachable territory inside the NFC Central. Though the score may look ugly on paper, Minnesota won in all facets of the game to prove they are the class of the worst division in the NFL. Terry Allen was formidable with his 101 yards on 9 carries, far out-shadowing the dwindling Barry Sanders and his 13 carries for just 58 yards. Cris Carter continued to impress in his new home, pulling in 4 of Rich Gannon's passes for 84 yards, once again proving that the only team that can now beat Minnesota, is Minnesota.
Final Score: Vikings 20, Lions 14
San Francisco (6-0) * Atlanta (5-1)
In the de facto game of the week, the Falcons continue to rise from the ashes and deliver to the 49ers their first loss of the season. Atlanta scored 13 unanswered points in the 4th quarter to pull off the unlikely win, set up by Chris Miller's uncanny 248 passing yards and the defense's ability to hold early-season MVP Steve Young to just 122 yards, despite his ability to still connect on nearly every throw. The win creates a 3-way stalemate in the NFC West, making for an interesting second half even with the NFL considering San Francisco's request to play the Rams in the last 9 games.
Final Score: Falcons 20, 49ers 10
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Put on your deep-sea diving gear as we travel into the abyss that is the Chicago-Tampa Bay rivalry for Monday Night Football. It's a rivalry that's given us such great moments as Doug Williams choking on a Chicago dog and Richard Dent getting arrested outside Busch Gardens for disorderly conduct. While we mostly kid, we do have to unveil our honesty and discuss what little interest this game draws at this point in the season. The Bears are victims of the blowout in about half their games this season, while the Buccaneers are in the midst of one of their famous mid-season optical illusions by looking like a playoff contender. With a Bears win, they can pick up some pieces of their dignity and move into a second-place tie in the division. Should Tampa Bay win, perhaps the discussion of their playoff hopes can move from 'doubtful' to 'slightly less doubtful'. All we know is that this storied rivalry is ready to enter another chapter, and if it doesn't involve another Lamuel Stinson sexual harrassment claim, we should all feel lucky.
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