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Spurned by Penn State, LB has home at Purdue
October 10, 2003
Ron Bracken
rbracken@centredaily.com
Niko Koutouvides isn't sure what the Penn State coaches didn't like about him.
It might have been his speed. It might have been his size. It might have been his last name, which can blow up a spell-checker.
Whatever it was, his affection for Penn State was not reciprocated by the Nittany Lions when it came down to recruiting time.
So the Plainville, Conn., linebacker, by way of Milford Academy, wound up at Purdue, where he played as a true freshman in 2000 and is now one of the leaders of a rugged defense that will tee off on Penn State on Saturday in Ross-Ade Stadium.
"Growing up in Connecticut you're either a Syracuse, Boston College, Penn State or Notre Dame fan," he said. "I grew up being a Nittany Lion fan. After my freshman year in high school I went to their football camp and became a big fan. If one of their games was on television I would watch them. I wouldn't rush out of something to watch them if they were playing but I enjoyed watching them. It was fun."
And it wasn't much of a stretch to envision himself one day playing for Penn State. But the Lions didn't see it that way.
"When I was at Milford they came and checked me out and obviously, they didn't like what they saw," he said. "That's how the recruiting game goes.
"Maybe I was too slow. Maybe I wasn't what they needed. Maybe I wasn't their type of player. And I don't know how many scholarships they had, but now I'm here and things are going well."
So well that the Boilermakers are 4-1, their defense is giving up an average of 51.8 yards per game rushing and their offense is averaging 405.8 yards per game. They're also averaging plus-7 in turnovers while Penn State is averaging minus-9.
Koutouovides, who is one of nine returning starters on defense, is second on the team in tackles with 30, 17 of them solo. He also has two interceptions and has 1 1/2 tackles for loss.
Last year he was named first team All-Big Ten by the media and in the spring he earned the team's Hammer Award as the outstanding hitter.
In other words, he plays as if his hair is on fire, whether it's in the spring game or the regular season.
And while there's that little issue of rejection this Saturday, it really doesn't matter to the 6-foot-3, 237-pound Koutouvides who's on the other side of the neutral zone.
"I'm ready to play every Saturday," he said. "I play my heart out. I'm excited every game. But it will be good to play a team from back home. I have a lot of friends who are Penn State fans and I'm sure I'll get some calls on my cell phone."
The Boilermakers got called out in their season-opener when Bowling Green upset them, 27-26. It put their backs against the wall immediately.
"After that game we could have gone down one road or the other," Koutouvides said. "We could have gone down the pouting road, gone to Wake Forest and taken another loss, or we could have decided to go get a win, on the road. We chose the right road."
On Saturday, Penn State will be the next potential roadblock for the Boilermakers, who are embarking on a three-game stretch that will take them to Wisconsin and Michigan the next two Saturdays. Making Saturday's game a little more significant is that since Penn State has joined the Big Ten, Purdue is one of only two teams which has not beaten Joe Paterno's team.
Koutouvides has never met Paterno. When the recruiting process was going on he dealt with an assistant coach whose name he can't recall.
But he'd like to meet Paterno after the game.
"It would be an honor just to shake his hand," Koutouvides added. "He's a great coach who has had a lot of success there and has had some great teams. I'll wish him good luck the rest of the season."
But until the final whistle blows, Koutouvides won't be spending much time reflecting how things might have gone had Penn State made him an offer he would not have refused.
"I'm more concerned about what we do," he said. "I grew up a Penn State fan but now that I'm at Purdue. I don't like them. That's the way it goes."
Peg, it looks very interesting to say the least. If Alexandra writes as good as she talks it will be hard to put down. I will definitely give my thoughts on it.
Colt
Sportsticker College Football Notebook
By Doug Mittler
SportsTicker College Football Editor
JERSEY CITY, New Jersey (Ticker) - There is some bite in the Auburn Tigers after all.
College football's preseason darlings finally were in sync last week in a convincing 28-21 win over then No. 7 Tennessee. As a result, Auburn remains a viable candidate for the Southeastern Conference title, even if its chances of playing for the national title are long gone.
Tagged as the preseason No. 1 by some media outlets, Auburn fell off the radar screen and out of the rankings with September losses to Southern California and Georgia Tech in which it did not score a touchdown.
At first, the loss to USC was excusable since the Trojans supposedly had the most stubborn defense in America. But California ran wild against the Trojans and put up 34 points in their stunning upset a few weeks ago, so something clearly was wrong with the Tigers.
Somehow, the lost running game has been found. The Tigers have rolled up over 200 yards rushing yards in each of their last three games, and Carnell "Cadillac" Williams exploded for 185 in the victory over Tennessee.
"Obviously, we've improved over the last month," Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville said. "I'm proud of the team. They stayed positive. They stayed focused."
Auburn's strength is a deep running game that also includes Ronnie Brown, Brandon Jacobs and Tre Smith, all of whom made contributions against Tennessee. That took the pressure off erratic quarterback Jason Campbell, who with ample time threw for a pair of touchdowns.
The defense, led by star linebacker Karlos Dansby, has never been a problem. Tennessee had a mere four rushing yards on 16 carries.
Auburn has three games left against top 10 teams - all on the road - beginning with Saturday's clash at No. 9 Arkansas. There also are trips to No. 6 LSU and No. 10 Georgia.
"We have to put together two straight well-played games, which is something we haven't done in a long time," Tuberville said. "This a good time for us to do it. We have some confidence now on both sides of the ball."
It is too late to make Sugar Bowl plans, but Auburn could ruin the national title hopes of some other teams before the season is done.
MINNESOTA AND OHIO STATE WILL NOT MEET: For the second straight year, the most intriguing matchup of the Big Ten Conference season will not take place.
No. 13 Minnesota faces its first major test of the season when it hosts No. 19 Michigan at the Metrodome on Friday night.
Should the Golden Gophers win, they will have cleared a major obstacle en route to the league crown and would have to be considered as a candidate for the national title game.
Obviously, some big tests still remain, including home games with Michigan State and Wisconsin and a road game at Iowa. But Minnesota does not have to play third-ranked defending national champion Ohio State, thanks to the rotating conference schedule.
Last season, Ohio State did not play Iowa, and both teams ended up undefeated in conference play.
The Golden Gophers (6-0) are off to their best start since winning the national championship in 1960. Minnesota has benefited from a favorable schedule, as its opponents have a combined record of 11-23. But coach Glen Mason considers every game important.
"Every game is a big game," Minnesota coach Glen Mason said. "If you win this one, then what's the next one?"
BOWDEN CLOSES IN ON PATERNO: With Florida State off to a fast start and Penn State enduring another tough season, it seems inevitable that Bobby Bowden will past Joe Paterno and become the all-time leader in wins among Division I-A coaches.
Bowden can claim career victory No. 338 in Saturday's showdown with Miami, which would tie him with Paterno, the current leader. In order for Paterno to stay ahead if Bowden wins, the Nittany Lions would have to defeat No. 20 Purdue.
Bowden and Paterno are good friends, so Bowden admits to feeling a bit awkward about approaching the milestone. Bowden recalls attending a coaching convention in Hawaii in which Paterno was honored for breaking Bear Bryant's record.
"Everybody gave him a hand. So when he got through, Joe came up to me and said, 'Bobby, you will be there next year,'" Bowden said. "He is such a good, thoughtful guy."
But Bowden admits he would not mind eventually having the record as his own.
"If I had my way, he would keep winning and I would too and in about six years he hangs it up and then I go one more year," Bowden joked.
Should Bowden defeat Miami this weekend, his chances of adding another national championship to his resume will increase dramatically.
A schedule that looked like a minefield a few weeks ago no longer appears imposing. The Atlantic Coast Conference is not nearly as strong as anticipated, with the toughest remaining league test next week at Virginia, which admittedly is no gimme.
The non-conference games left on the schedule are Notre Dame and Florida, a pair of traditional powers whose combined record this year is 4-6.
THIS AND THAT: Give some credit to Guy Morriss, who has perennial Big 12 Conference doormat Baylor at 3-2. Last week, the Bears stunned Colorado, 42-30, for their first victory over the Buffaloes since 1991 and just their fifth in conference play since 1996. ... Ditto for Paul Johnson at Navy, where the Midshipmen are 3-2 after a dismal 2-10 mark last season. Navy defeated Air Force last week for its first win over a ranked opponent since 1985. Johnson was I-AA Coach of the Year for four straight seasons at Georgia Southern and has the Midshipmen on the right course in his second year at the Academy. ... Northern Illinois (5-0) can cry all it wants about not getting consideration for a BCS bowl, but teams that need overtime to defeat Ohio do not deserve multi-million dollar paydays. ... Rice lost its first four games and entered last week's game against San Jose State ranked dead last nationally in passing. But the Owls completed seven straight passes on their final two scoring drives and managed a 28-24 win.
A FINAL THOUGHT: Maybe Nebraska didn't feed Chad Kelsay enough.
Kelsay, a former rush end for the Cornhuskers who graduated in 1998, was arrested last week for allegedly eating off other customer's plates at a Lincoln, Nebraska restaurant. Police also said Kelsay sat down and began eating directly from the salsa bar. Bon appetit.
Oklahoma, Texas ready to lock horns
By Jenny Dial
Oklahoma Daily
(U-WIRE) NORMAN, Okla. -- The No. 1 Oklahoma football team is about to embark on what most consider its biggest game of the year.
Saturday, the Sooners and the No. 11 Longhorns face off in the annual Red River Shootout at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas at 2:30 p.m. (CDT).
The Sooners are 5-0 going into the game. Texas is 4-1.
With OU entering the game with a No. 1 ranking, this marks the 11th time in the series history that one of the teams has been ranked No. 1.
"We try to not to think about rankings," OU quarterback Jason White said. "We prepare for every team the same way, regardless of our ranking or theirs."
The Sooners have beaten the Longhorns three times in a row.
"Our wins on the past don't do anything for us now, because they are in the past," OU head coach Bob Stoops said. "Our confidence comes from the level we are playing at right now this year."
The Sooners have balanced threats on offense and defense. While the defense has only allowed 75 points in the last five games, the Sooners have scored 221 points.
Texas is relying on its offense with quarterbacks Chance Mock and Vincent Young leading the way.
White has started all five games for the Sooners and has completed 112 of 166 passes for 1,472 yards and 16 touchdowns. White has been dubbed by national media as a strong Hesiman candidate.
"I think Jason will continue to bee looked at in that light if he keeps performing at this level and we keep winning games," Stoops said. "It's too early to say, but he is performing at an exceptional level."
Heisman light has been shed on two Texas players as well. Wide receiver Roy Williams and running back Cedric Benson have both received national hype this season.
"We are going to have to cover (Williams) a little different, because he is so quick," Stoops said.
Stoops also said the Sooners would have to focus on the ground game.
"They use a quarterback rushing game and we will have to prepare for that," Stoops said.
The Longhorns are coming off a 24-20 win over Kansas State last weekend. Because the game was a must-win situation for the 'Horns, the Sooners saw some special tactics.
"We are able to watch film of them in a game they had to win," Stoops said. "That gives us an idea of what they will do in a big game."
© 2002 Oklahoma Daily via U-WIRE
Oklahoma receivers fast, talented and making big plays
By Aaron Francl
Oklahoma Daily
(U-WIRE) NORMAN, Okla. -- Before the 2003 season began, many around the Oklahoma program knew this season's offense would take on a different personality than previous Sooner squads.
After the first five games, it seems clear to anyone who has watched this Sooner team play that the identity of this year's offense is based around the young Sooner wide receivers.
"The wide receivers are playing very well right now," said OU offensive coordinator Chuck Long. "Going into training camp, we knew we had talented guys, but we also knew that we didn't have a lot of starts among them. But in a short amount of time, they've come so far along that we feel they are a veteran group already."
Key returning contributors Mark Clayton and Will Peoples can really be considered the crafty veterans of this group, even though both are only juniors.
"We've been in the system longer and know what to do," Peoples said. "And it is a lot easier for [wide receivers coach Darrell] Wyatt to trust us and the younger guys this year."
Juniors Brandon Jones and Mark Bradley have combined for 444 yards and four touchdowns between them. Both of these guys can stretch the field and make game-breaking plays, which is exactly what a coach hopes for from his wide receivers.
"We want to get the ball down the field," Long said.
Sophomores Travis Wilson and Jejuan Rankins are two major factors in this year's passing game. Wilson has 121 yards receiving with two touchdowns and Rankins has 181 yards receiving with three touchdowns. Many forget these two are only sophomores and this is their first real season to see any significant snaps.
In fact, they are even surprising some of their elders at how fast they are progressing.
"These guys are a lot better than most sophomores you will see," said Peoples.
OU has the luxury of rotating these six receivers into the game at any time, when most teams are happy to have two or three receiving threats.
"This is a group that really explodes off of the line of scrimmage," Long said. "If you were to turn on our tape, you would see them coming off of the ball really hard, and that's exactly what you want."
Long and the Sooner staff like what they've seen so far, especially after last Saturday's performance against Iowa State.
"Last game was indicative of what we want to do," said Long. "We had 12 different guys get their hands on the ball, and that is what we want."
The OU offense, led by Jason White and these receivers, will face its biggest test this week: The Texas Longhorns' top-rated pass defense in the nation.
© 2002 Oklahoma Daily via U-WIRE
Paterno's record on line vs. Purdue
By Rob Riva
Daily Collegian
(U-WIRE) UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Every Penn State football fan remembers where they were on Oct. 27, 2001.
It might as well be a national holiday for the Nittany Lion faithful.
That was the day Joe Paterno passed Alabama's Paul "Bear" Bryant as the winningest coach in Division I-A college football history, and further laid the groundwork for his iconic legacy.
But what many Penn State fans seemed to have forgotten among the frustration and disappointment of the 2003 season from that chilly fall Saturday at Beaver Stadium when the Lions upset rival Ohio State to move Paterno past the Bear, is how fragile the winningest coach status actually is.
Now that record is at stake as Florida State football coach Bobby Bowden lingers dangerously close to tying Paterno for career wins.
Paterno has 338 victories. Bowden trails by one with 337.
A loss for the Lions on Saturday and a win for the Seminoles against Miami would mean the two mainstays of collegiate football coaching are tied, a feat many thought would never happen.
"Is [Bowden] creeping up on me? That sneaky little son of a gun," Paterno joked earlier this season. "He is not supposed to sneak up on me. He is supposed to run right by me. Bobby is a great guy and a good friend. What happens, happens. I can't worry about that. I am not in it for records. If it happens, I am glad it happens to a guy that I like and admire."
Paterno's humility remains outweighed by other external factors.
In a season that hasn't started out the way any Penn State fan wanted, while other non-perennial college football programs bask in the top 25, Paterno's sole possession of the record is a little something for the faithful to hold on to in a time of crisis. It is one of few things to reflect on that doesn't bring about the agonizing thoughts of recent losing seasons and holidays spent at home, not traveling to bowl games.
The players, who are already concerned with somehow staying in the Big Ten race, also have to deal with their own role in Paterno's legacy.
"I think we really don't talk about it that much," quarterback Michael Robinson said. "But in the back of everybody's mind, it is there. It has to be. It's definitely got to be on the back of your mind. Joe is a great coach and he's been here a long time. We want him to be on top and we don't want to take responsibility for him losing the record."
Robinson isn't the only one. Others on the roster feel a burden to garner some wins in order to keep Paterno's name at the top of the wins list preserved.
"[Paterno] has had such great teams. I don't want to be part of the team that puts him down," tight end Matt Kranchick said. "I don't want to be an asterisk next to his record; that would be horrible. We don't have to worry about Paterno though, we just have to worry about winning games for the team."
This is the problem. As the Lions continue to tread through the remaining games of the 2003 season, the various needs of the team become prioritized.
At what point does maintaining Paterno's record become a burden?
While Paterno's record should be in the back of their minds, as Robinson said, it can't be the main focus for the rest of the season.
As long as the team makes its No. 1 priority to just go out and win, the risk of Paterno falling behind Bowden won't be an issue at all. A win is a win, and chalking up the victories will not only keep Penn State in the hunt for a bowl game, but Paterno will remain the record holder.
Senior cornerback Richard Gardner furthered this concept.
According to Gardner, the need to finish off the rest of the season strong supercedes the thought of Bowden passing Paterno. However, the necessity of reestablishing the Nittany Lions as a college football powerhouse is the top priority.
"It's not an issue at all," Gardner said. "We're just trying to get the program back where we can say we were the class of 2003-2004 and we helped Penn State become the team that's always been here. We're just trying to bring the tradition back. Joe Paterno has been there before. He's a little disappointed that we're not winning but then again, he is disappointed that we're not experiencing the tradition that was so familiar at Penn State. We're looking within ourselves and are trying to get the program back to where it once was."
© 2002 Daily Collegian via U-WIRE
Brown says Texas respects Oklahoma
By Jenny Dial
Oklahoma Daily
(U-WIRE) NORMAN, Okla. -- While Oklahoma and Texas fans can't control the trash talking about this weekend's Red River Shootout, the players and coaching staffs have had nothing but praise between them.
In fact, Texas head coach Mack Brown told Austin reporters Tuesday that if he couldn't say anything nice about anyone, he wouldn't say anything at all.
Brown called OU a "challenge" when he addressed the press this week in Austin, Texas.
Brown was exceedingly complimentary of the Sooners this year.
"This is probably the best Oklahoma team I have ever seen during my time here," he said. "They are No. 1 in the country, and it looks like they are the most dominant team in the country. They pose a great challenge for us, but this will be an opportunity for us to play and work to beat the best team in the country."
Texas is preparing for OU after defeating Kansas State 24-20 on Saturday. Brown's biggest concerns lie in facing the OU defense.
"They have no weaknesses on their defense," Brown said. "They are two-deep and play a lot of guys like Lynn McGruder, who is one of the best defensive tackles in the country, and he isn't even a starter."
With the Longhorns' new quarterbacks taking turns on the field, Brown is concerned with the Sooner secondary.
"Brandon Everage is one of the best tacklers we've ever seen, and Derrick Strait is also really good," Brown said. "They produce quite a threat between the two of them."
The OU defense has Brown working his offense hard this week in practice.
"No one has moved the ball consistently against Oklahoma," Brown said. "No one has scored on them when the game mattered. This is the best defense I've seen."
Aside from his concerns with the overpowering OU defense, Brown also gave credit to the Sooner offense.
"[Jason White] deserves a lot of credit because I'm sure not many people thought he would play again," Brown said. "But for him to return and play as well as he has is a tribute to his effort and progress as a quarterback. He's beating people with his [game] and his arm. He's throwing the ball as well as anyone in the country."
While the Longhorns are the underdog in the match, their confidence is abundant among their squad.
"We know that we have to play a perfect game to beat them," Texas wide receiver Roy Williams said. "They are No. 1, but we have a talented group of players. We can win this game, but it won't be easy."
While the Sooners continue to prepare for the Longhorns and the Longhorns get ready for OU, both teams see the weight of the game.
"This is one of the biggest games of the year," White said. "These are two good teams, and it is a big rivalry. These teams respect each other, though. And the game should be a good one."
© 2002 Oklahoma Daily via U-WIRE
Nittany Lion notebook: Lowry still has Paterno's confidence
Heather A. Dinich
hdinich@centredaily.com
UNIVERSITY PARK -- Despite three fumbles this season, Penn State coach Joe Paterno said Tuesday he hasn't lost faith in sophomore punt returner Calvin Lowry.
Blunders on special teams cost the Nittany Lions a 30-23 loss to Wisconsin last Saturday. Lowry fumbled a punt return late in the first half that led to a Wisconsin touchdown and gave the Badgers a 17-9 halftime lead. He also fumbled a kickoff return that put Wisconsin in field goal range.
"Part of his problem is he's trying to make things happen," Paterno said. "I'd hate to discourage him. He's one of the best kids we have on this football team and the way he practices and tries to do things, I'm always challenging the coaches about how many plays he's playing. He's only playing 12-16 plays.
"He'll work his way out of it," Paterno said. "I really am pulling for him."
"Paterno" to air on ESPN
A one-hour documentary, "The Season: Joe Paterno" on the life and career of the Nittany Lions' 76-year-old coach will at 7 p.m. Friday. It will re-air at 4 p.m. Oct. 16.
Paterno, in his 38th season as head coach, owns a 338-103-3 record and a winning percentage of 76.4.
Paterno said he probably won't watch it.
"Geez, I can hardly wait," Paterno said. "Maybe somebody will watch it for me and see if it's worth my watching, whether it's fact or fiction.
"... Now, that doesn't mean if they say a lot of nice things about me and I'm depressed next week I won't look at it to hear I'm better than everybody thinks I am," he joked. "I know they came up here and spent some time with Sue (Paterno). They wanted to spend more time with me than I gave them. Maybe I'll look at it, maybe I won't."
Robinson on Limbaugh
As an African-American, backup sophomore quarterback Michael Robinson said he was taken aback by commentator Rush Limbaugh's comment that the media "has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well," but he wasn't offended by it.
"When I first heard it, it took me by surprise," Robinson said. "When somebody told me, I thought they were lying to be honest with you. But we still have people out there in the world who believe that way. Some people you just can't change."
OU-Texas, Miami-FSU highlight huge college football weekend
October 9, 2003
JERSEY CITY, New Jersey (Ticker) - Bobby Bowden of Florida State finds out just how good his team is this weekend. So will some other coaches.
The fifth-ranked Seminoles (5-0) host No. 2 Miami (5-0) on Saturday in one of several huge college football games on the weekend slate.
Five games are between schools ranked in the latest coaches' poll and a clearer picture will emerge as to who are the contenders and who are the pretenders in the national championship race.
Top-ranked Oklahoma (5-0) meets No. 11 Texas (4-1) in the annual Red River Shootout in Dallas and defending national champion and third-ranked Ohio State (5-0) plays its first road game of the season when it visits No. 22 Wisconsin (5-1).
No. 13 Minnesota tries to show that its 6-0 start is no fluke when it meets No. 19 Michigan (4-2) on Friday night at the Metrodome.
To cap the weekend, No. 10 Georgia (4-1) visits No. 14 Tennessee (4-1) in a pivotal Southeastern Conference game on Saturday night.
Bowden has his test at noon when the Seminoles try to reclaim their place among the college football elite.
After losing to Oklahoma in the 2000 national title game, the Seminoles were a mediocre 17-9 over the next two seasons. They have won their first five games this season, but the teams they defeated are a combined 14-14 and none are nationally ranked.
This week, the Seminoles welcome Miami in the latest edition of one of college football's best rivalries. It is the first time since 1992 that both teams enter the game ranked in the top five.
"There is no doubt about it, this is a measuring ballgame," said Bowden, who could tie Joe Paterno for the most wins among Division I-A coaches this week with his 338th.
Paterno leads the Nittany Lions against No. 21 Purdue (4-1) on Saturday.
Miami has its problems in the backfield after Frank Gore suffered a season-ending knee surgery in last week's 22-20 win over West Virginia.
The bulk of the carries likely will fall to Jarrett Payton, a fifth-year senior who finally has the chance to show he can be a starting tailback. The son of late NFL great Walter Payton averages 41 yards per game and 5.1 per carry.
Miami has won the last three meetings in the series, following five straight wins by the Seminoles.
Close games in the series have gone the Hurricanes' way. Thanks mostly to a series of missed field goals, Miami has won all six meetings decided by three points or fewer since 1983.
In a season that already has seen a bunch of highly rated teams suffer upset defeats, Oklahoma has remained a constant. The Sooners have not been seriously tested in their first five games, rolling to a 53-7 win over Iowa State.
The Sooners have built their reputation under Bob Stoops on defense, but they are scoring at will. Oklahoma is averaging 44.2 points and 453.8 yards and has yet to lose a fumble this season.
Jason White, who missed most of last season with a knee injury, threw for 384 yards and five touchdowns last week and has emerged as a Heisman Trophy candidate.
"I believe we have our overall strongest team coming into this game in five years," Stoops said.
Texas lost at home to Arkansas in mid-September, leaving Mack Brown's squad open to a rash of criticism. Some of that pride was restored with a 24-20 win over Kansas State last week.
"I think this was a big confidence boost, and it brings back our swagger," running back Cedric Benson said. "Now, I think we can get rid of all that talk that we are soft and move on."
Brown still is searching for his first Big 12 Conference title. His inability to defeat upper-echelon opponents, notably Oklahoma, is the major flaw during his tenure in Austin.
Oklahoma has won the last three meetings in the series, including a 35-24 decision last season in which the now-departed Quentin Griffin ran for 248 yards. The Sooners contained Benson, limiting him to 54 yards on 22 carries.
Like Texas, Minnesota also has something to prove.
The Golden Gophers are off to their best start since winning the national championship in 1960, but they have benefited from a favorable schedule. Minnesota is unbeaten against teams that have a combined record of 11-23.
The Gophers are seeking their first 3-0 start in the Big Ten since 1990, but they have not beaten Michigan since 1986.
"Every game is a big game," Minnesota coach Glen Mason said. "If you win this one, then what's the next one?"
The Wolverines rank third in the nation in total defense and have scored at least 27 points in every game, but they have two losses and are out of national championship contention.
Another huge Big Ten Conference game is in Madison, Wisconsin, where Ohio State will have quarterback Craig Krenzel back in the lineup. Krenzel has missed the last two games with an elbow injury.
Ohio State has been living dangerously, with 10 of its last 16 games decided by seven points or fewer.
"If people want to say they're lucky, they're coached that way," Wisconsin coach Barry Alvarez said. "The coaches instill that in them, that they're going to win, and that's the way they play."
Tennessee tries to bounce back from last week's loss to Auburn when it hosts Georgia. The winner of Saturday's game will emerge as the clear favorite in the SEC East and have the inside track to a berth in the conference title game.
Auburn looks to knock off a notable SEC foe on Saturday when it visits No. 9 Arkansas (4-0). In the last two-plus seasons, the Tigers are 4-0 when unranked and facing a top-10 team.
No. 4 Virginia Tech (5-0) has lost its last two games against Syracuse and tries to make amends at home on Saturday.
No. 6 Louisiana State (5-0) hosts Florida, No. 7 Nebraska (5-0) tries to defeat Missouri for a 25th straight time and No. 9 Southern California (4-1) entertains Stanford.
In other games Saturday, No. 16 Pittsburgh (3-1) hosts Notre Dame, No. 18 Northern Illinois (5-0) is at Central Michigan, No. 21 Kansas State (4-2) visits Oklahoma State, No. 23 Michigan State (5-1) travels to Illinois and No. 24 Virginia (4-1) is at Clemson.
No. 17 Texas Christian (5-0) visits South Florida on Friday night.
No. 12 Washington State (5-1), No. 15 Iowa (5-1) and No. 25 Oregon State are off this week.
Poll stays steady heading into big weekend
By JOSH DUBOW
AP Football Writer
October 5, 2003
The top six teams remained the same in the latest Associated Press college football poll heading into a weekend of big showdowns.
Oklahoma extended its season-long run atop the poll following a 53-7 victory over Iowa State and heads into the Red River Shootout against No. 11 Texas ranked No. 1 for the first time since 1987.
Miami was second in the Top 25 released Sunday following a 22-20 escape against West Virginia last Thursday night. Ohio State, Virginia Tech, Florida State and LSU follow the Hurricanes in the poll.
The Sooners received 59 of the 65 first-place votes and 1,617 points in balloting by the panel of sports writers and broadcasters. The Hurricanes got one first and 1,523 points. The Buckeyes got the remaining five first-place votes.
Arkansas, Georgia, Southern California and Nebraska round out the Top 10.
The USA Today/ESPN coaches poll had the same top six teams as the AP.
There should be more movement in the poll next week with five games between ranked opponents upcoming.
The biggest features Miami at Florida State, the first time in 10 years both teams will be in the top 5 for their annual rivalry.
There's also Oklahoma against Texas, Ohio State at No. 23 Wisconsin, Georgia at No. 13 Tennessee and No. 20 Michigan at No. 17 Minnesota.
Following Texas in the second 10 are Washington State, Tennessee, Iowa, Pittsburgh, Northern Illinois and Minnesota. Purdue and TCU are tied for 18th and Michigan is 20th.
Michigan State, Kansas State, Wisconsin, Virginia and Oregon State round out the Top 25.
Florida, Washington and Oregon all dropped out of the poll while Wisconsin, Virginia and Oregon State moved into the rankings.
Michigan had the biggest drop, falling 11 spots from No. 9 after a 30-27 loss to Iowa. The Hawkeyes made the biggest jump, moving up nine places.
The Big Ten leads all conferences with seven teams in the poll, followed by four apiece from the SEC and Big 12. The Big East and Pac-10 each had three teams and the ACC had two.
Mock or Young? Mack Brown won't say
By JIM VERTUNO
AP Sports Writer
October 6, 2003
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- With the biggest game of the season up next, Texas coach Mack Brown faced the biggest question of the week: Who will start at quarterback against No. 1 Oklahoma -- Chance Mock or Vince Young?
``We're not going to discuss the quarterback situation,'' Brown said Monday. ``Both will play.''
Whether it's gamesmanship with Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops or just wanting to avoid another Texas quarterback controversy, Brown wasn't about to budge on this one.
His non-announcement was sure to fan the flames at a place where who starts at quarterback is debated like a do-or-die situation.
``We told both guys, `We're going to continue to play both of you and we're not going to discuss it during the week. So let's talk about OU instead of getting into a discussion of who should start,''' Brown said.
The 11th-ranked Longhorns (4-1, 1-0 Big 12) face the Sooners (5-0, 1-0) Saturday in the annual Red River Shootout. The Texas quarterback situation is the center of attention as Brown tries to snap Oklahoma's three-game winning streak in the series.
Citing federal privacy laws, Texas won't release details of how Young is recovering after twisting his right ankle in last week's 24-20 win over Kansas State and whether it will limit his effectiveness against the Sooners.
In his postgame news conference, Brown said he was told it was a bad sprain. Young shook it off in the fourth quarter to lead Texas to the win, but said afterward his leg was hurting. The freshman also said he expected to play against Oklahoma.
It was up to Mock to shed some light on the situation Monday.
``Vince is healthy,'' Mock said.
Young was unavailable for comment.
Mock, a junior, has been the starter all season in a rotation that had Young coming off the bench. Mock went into the Kansas State game as the nation's No. 2-rated passer and has thrown 11 touchdown passes, including a 51-yarder against the Wildcats.
But Young may have turned the rotation inside out by rallying Texas to the win. A 52-yard pass to Tony Jeffery set up Young's game-winning touchdown on a fourth-down goal-line quarterback sneak.
Mock is considered the better passer and Young the more mobile scrambler. Brown said he wants both quarterbacks to be able to run the entire offensive package.
Young's play of late suggests he's quickly getting comfortable with the whole playbook.
AP - Oct 6, 2:28 pm EDT
More Photos
``Every time he steps up there he seems to make more progress,'' Brown said of Young. ``We're really, really pleased with how he handled the day. He didn't seem to be any different on the last drive than he was on the first drive.''
On Monday, Mock seemed frustrated by the notion that some fans want him coming off the bench.
``It's difficult when your own home crowd doesn't want to see you play,'' Mock said.
Asked who he thinks will start, Mock said: ``We're both going to play. ... Everybody's got an opinion. That's what makes America great.''
Their teammates say it doesn't matter who starts.
``We support whoever is in there,'' offensive tackle Jason Glynn said. ``We just want to win.''
Minnesota, Michigan battle for Jug, Big Ten positioning
By ANDRES YBARRA
Associated Press Writer
October 9, 2003
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Minnesota tight end Ben Utecht was asked about using the oldest rivalry trophy in college football -- the ``Little Brown Jug'' -- as motivation for Friday night's game against Michigan.
``I've never seen it,'' Utecht said, drawing laughter.
None of the current Gophers have seen it. The jug hasn't been in Minnesota's display case since 1986.
That's 14 straight times Michigan has beaten the Gophers.
``I've seen it in pictures,'' Utecht said. ``I've heard about it. I've heard they keep it locked up, keep it real safe.''
With Michigan's traditionally strong program, the jug has indeed been safely locked away in Ann Arbor. But when the 20th-ranked Wolverines travel to the Metrodome for the 100th anniversary of this series, the 17th-ranked Gophers have one of their best chances in years to end the streak.
``This is a big game in the history of this team,'' Utecht said. ``I'm really excited to see what we can do.''
Minnesota (6-0, 2-0 Big Ten) has a lot more riding on this game than the jug and its undefeated record. The Gophers have taken a lot of criticism for their soft non-conference schedule, which included Tulsa, Troy State, Ohio and Louisiana-Lafayette.
Many still doubt them even after conference wins on the road against Penn State and Northwestern.
Even though Michigan (4-2, 1-1) has had its national championship hopes ruined by losses to Oregon and Iowa, a Gophers victory would convince many skeptics and legitimize their national ranking.
``We're playing the Yankees,'' Minnesota coach Glen Mason declared earlier this week. ``You look at the their press guide -- it's history, after history, after history.''
The game was moved to Friday night to avoid a potential conflict with a Minnesota Twins' playoff game. (The Twins were eliminated Sunday by the Yankees.)
Minnesota has its sights set on its first Big Ten title since 1967, and the Wolverines now have the same goal.
``There is still a chance for the Big Ten and hopefully to go to the Rose Bowl,'' Wolverines linebacker Carl Diggs said. ``We can't let up now.''
Said coach Lloyd Carr: ``Those guys have been through the ups and downs and are not going to let anybody give in. You can't give in and feel sorry for yourself.''
The Wolverines still look strong offensively with tailback Chris Perry, the nation's fifth-leading rusher. Most of the questions posed to Mason and his players this week have been about how to slow Perry, who averages 129 yards per game.
``I think it's a big mistake to say, 'Hey we've got to shut down Chris Perry.' Michigan's got a lot of weapons,'' Mason said.
But Minnesota's coach has some weapons of his own. Quarterback Asad Abdul-Khaliq leads the Big Ten in passing efficiency while running back Marion Barber III leads the conference with 13 rushing touchdowns. And receiver Jared Ellerson was named the Big Ten's co-Offensive Player of the Week after catching four balls for 189 yards and two TDs against Northwestern.
Mason refuses to acknowledge that Friday's game is one of Minnesota's most important in recent memory, but the players do.
``This is what you live for, you live to play against teams like Michigan,'' Abdul-Khaliq said. ``It's going to be even bigger to show that Minnesota's for real.''
Top-ranked Oklahoma to host No. 11 Texas
Oklahoma cornerback ready for Texas
By JOEL ANDERSON
Associated Press Writer
October 9, 2003
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) -- Derrick Strait grimaced, then shook his head and started laughing.
The Oklahoma cornerback hasn't provided bulletin board material in four years and wasn't about to start now.
``Man,' he said, furiously rubbing his hand across his brow. ``I don't know why he would say that. I'd rather go out on the field instead of talking.'
Strait was referring to comments made by Texas receiver Roy Williams, who said this summer that Oklahoma's secondary is ``the weakness of their whole defense.'
The answer will come Saturday at the Cotton Bowl, when No. 11 Texas (4-1, 1-0 Big 12) plays No. 1 Oklahoma (5-0, 1-0) in their annual grudge match.
Strait, from Austin, Texas, doesn't really need to say anything. He hasn't lost to the Longhorns since starting as a freshman. He has a national championship ring; Williams doesn't.
And Williams has been virtually shut down by the Sooners in the previous three games -- 11 catches, 148 yards and no touchdowns-- with Strait shadowing him much of the time.
Still, ``we don't have too much to say to each other,' Strait said, still shaking his head at Williams' comments.
In other Top 25 games Saturday, it's No. 2 Miami at No. 5 Florida State, No. 3 Ohio State at No. 23 Wisconsin, Syracuse at No. 4 Virginia Tech, Florida at No. 6 LSU, Auburn at No. 7 Arkansas, No. 8 Georgia at No. 13 Tennessee, Stanford at No. 9 USC, and No. 10 Nebraska at Missouri.
Also, it's Notre Dame at No. 15 Pittsburgh, No. 16 Northern Illinois at Central Michigan, Penn State at No. 18 Purdue, No. 21 Michigan State at Illinois, No. 22 Kansas State at Oklahoma State, and No. 25 Virginia at Clemson.
On Friday, No. 20 Michigan plays at No. 17 Minnesota and No. 18 TCU at South Florida.
Strait spurned hometown Texas, even though his high school was just eight miles from the campus.
``It wasn't tough to get away at all,' Strait said. ``I just felt comfortable at OU. I knew I could play for four years here.'
He did, redshirting his first season and eventually becoming a freshman starter on Oklahoma's national title team in 2000.
Since then, the 5-foot-11, 195-pounder has established himself as one of the nation's top cornerbacks. He was an All-Big 12 pick and Thorpe Award semifinalist last season after intercepting six passes and making 68 tackles.
He's started 44 games at Oklahoma, just four starts shy of breaking the school record for all-time starts set by offensive lineman Anthony Phillips from 1985-88.
One NFL draft analyst lists Strait as the top senior cornerback prospect in next year's draft.
Even on a team full of stars and future pros, Strait stands out without talking much. He's been invited to the team's media luncheon every week and hasn't shown up for one. Despite his reluctance to be a vocal leader, Strait commands plenty of respect among his teammates.
``He's been our backbone for four straight years,' co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach Mike Stoops said. ``He's a great player everytime he steps on the field. The thing you love about him is that you know he's going to be there in the big games.'
Though he says it's no bigger than any other game, Strait has always been at his best against the Longhorns.
He had 10 tackles against Texas as a freshman; eight tackles the next year; and five tackles and an interception in last year's 35-24 win.
``He's had to play against their best receivers,' Stoops said. ``He's been consistently great.'
With a win Saturday, Strait could become one of just 25 Sooners lettermen in the history of the program to go 4-0 against Texas. It's a safe bet he won't brag about that to his family and friends in Austin, let alone anyone in burnt orange.
``It's easy to go home. No one gives me a hard time,' Strait said. ``I don't pay attention to any of that stuff. I hope I've come a long way since my high school days in Austin.'
No. 2 Miami at No. 5 Florida State
A rare underdog, the Hurricanes (5-0) will try to find a way to hold off the Seminoles (5-0) without running back Frank Gore, out for the year with a knee injury. Jarrett Payton, whose fumble late in the game almost coast Miami a win over West Virginia, takes over.
``Normally, I go in the week just trying to figure out if I'm going to go in and get some carries,' said Payton. ``Now, I have to get out here and be the man.'
Brock Berlin better have his arm warmed up. Last week, the Miami quarterback attempted a school-record 54 passes in the win over West Virginia.
Florida State has the nation's top scoring defense (7.4 ppg) and has heldall five opponents under 300 yards total offense.
No. 3 Ohio State at No. 23 Wisconsin
The Buckeyes (5-0, 1-0 Big Ten) hit the road for the first time this season when they visit the Badgers (5-1, 2-0).
Ohio State has a 19-game winning streak, including a narrow 19-14 escape against Wisconsin last year. Buckeyes quarterback Craig Krenzel, who missed the last two games with an elbow injury, is expected to play.
Wisconsin has injury woes to top tailbacks Anthony Davis and Dwayne Smith. Davis, who sprained his ankle three weeks ago, played only the first half in last week's win over Penn State. Ohio State leads the nation against the run, allowing just 217 yards rushing in five games.
Just starting to read Secrets of the Tomb, about Yale's secretive and infamous Skull and Bones (Three of our Presidents along with many Congressmen including John Kerry and GW Bush).
I've heard Alexandra Robbins speak twice and not only is she very cute and very, very smart, but, she really digs deep to get info. I've had a couple friends tell me to get the book and read it. They say you come away not trusting anyone in Washington.
http://www.secretsofthetomb.com/
If anyone has read it already let me know. I am looking forward to it.
Colt
Porcher says Emmitt Smith has ``overstayed his welcome''
By LARRY LAGE
AP Sports Writer
October 9, 2003
ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) -- Detroit defensive end Robert Porcher thinks Emmitt Smith made a mistake by not retiring after last season.
``I think he's overstayed his welcome,'' Porcher said. ``It doesn't make me feel sad. That's the problem most players have. Most players, especially great players, have a hard time saying 'Goodbye.' Most of us have been doing this since we were little kids.''
Smith, the NFL career rushing leader, said earlier Thursday he would be out ``four to five'' weeks after breaking his left shoulder blade in a loss at Dallas last week. Smith lost 1 yard on six carries in his first game against the team he starred for during his first 13 seasons.
He has just 192 yards and one touchdown in five games with the Cardinals. Smith broke Walter Payton's career rushing record last season, and has 17,354 yards rushing in his career.
After the Cardinals practiced Thursday, team spokesman Paul Jensen said Smith was not available to respond to Porcher's comments.
Smith made his debut with the Cardinals in a 42-24 loss in Week 1 at Detroit. Smith gained just 4 yards on his first five runs and finished with 64 yards on 13 carries.
Porcher played with Barry Sanders for seven seasons before the Lions' star running back suddenly retired just before the 1999 season. Sanders ran for 15,269 yards over 10 seasons, then retired with Payton's rushing record only one of his average seasons away.
Sanders, who always said he wasn't motivated to break records, said in a written statement that his desire to retire was stronger than his desire to play, and he hasn't said much since. He was nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Wednesday and is expected to be inducted next summer with John Elway.
``What Barry did just speaks volumes about his character as a man,'' Porcher said. ``To walk away when he was that close to the record and still at the prime of his career, says a lot about him. There have not been many players that have done what he did.''
After criticizing Smith's decision to keep playing, Porcher said he would be fooling himself if he didn't think about the end of his career approaching. The 12-year veteran, who has 91.5 career sacks, has assisted on only one sack through five games this season, after making just 5.5 in 15 games last season.
Porcher said some of the moves he was able to make two years ago in a game against San Francisco, he was not able to repeat Sunday in a loss against the 49ers.
``That's just a part of what we do. You get old,'' Porcher, 34, said.
Porcher said he takes it ``year by year'' when deciding whether to play the following year.
``I'm not going to play just to play,'' he said. ``I'm never going to do that.''
Magical Manning leads Colts into showdown of NFL unbeatens
October 10, 2003
INDIANAPOLIS, United States (AFP) - Peyton Manning sparked record-setting performances the past two weeks, lifting the undefeated Indianapolis Colts to the verge of their best start to an American football season.
But the Carolina Panthers , with the National Football League's top scoring defense, visit here Sunday to test Manning's magic in a showdown of unbeatens.
"Carolina. They are good," Manning said. "But I do feel like I've been in the arena enough and I've faced a lot of different situations. I've sort of been around the block a little bit."
A victory Sunday by the Colts would match the best start in team history from 1958 when the team, then based in Baltimore, won the NFL championship. Panthers owner Jerry Richardson was a rookie receiver on that 1958 Colts team.
Manning, whose father Archie was a gifted NFL passer, threw six touchdown passes in a 55-21 rout of New Orleans two weeks ago and led one of the greatest comeback in NFL history last Monday, rallying the Colts past Tampa Bay 38-35.
Against the reigning Super Bowl champions, Manning completed 34-of-47 passes for 386 yards and two touchdowns and the Colts, who trailed 35-14 with 5:09 to play in regulation time, rose to 5-0 by stunning the Buccaneers.
"They never gave up," Colts coach Tony Dungy said. "That's what I like about us. We have a great team chemistry."
The Colts became the first club in NFL history to rally from 21 points down in the final four minutes, winning on a field goal in over-time.
Manning was 5-of-9 for 48 yards in over-time, converting three times on third downs in the 14th late-game comeback of his career.
The never-say-die lesson was not lost upon the Carolina defense, which has played a major role in the Panthers' first 4-0 start in their nine-year history. Manning's maneuvers will put Carolina's defenders to a difficult test.
"He's smart. You can't just stand up there and show him some base defense and let him tee off on you," Panthers cornerback Terry Cousin said. "We will do some moving around."
Manning's skill at audibles, changing plays as he calls the signals based upon what he sees from opponents, allowed him to pick apart a Tampa Bay defense regarded as among the NFL's elite. That skill makes him a crafty foe.
"You just have to play your game," Cousin said. "You can't worry about what kind of play he's going to check to. We're going to have to do some things defensively not to let him know what we're doing."
Manning's favorite target is Marvin Harrison, who has 33 catches for 468 yards and six touchdowns so far this season. He shredded Tampa Bay's formidable defense for 176 yards and two touchdowns on 11 receptions.
"The guy was electric," Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden said. "He made some exceptional releases and Peyton made some brilliant throws."
Carolina's offense counters with running back Stephen Davis, who ran for 159 yards on 30 carries in a 19-13 triumph over New Orleans last week. Davis ranks second in the NFL with 565 rushing yards on 106 carries.
"I'm having a lot of fun," Davis said. "Guys up front are doing a great job making holes, and we are getting a lot of rushing yards."
The Colts' star rusher, Edgerrin James, has missed the past two games with a sore back and might not play against Carolina. The Colts have a bye next week and James could enjoy extra time to recover if he stays on the sidelines.
The Panthers beat the Colts in 1995 and 1998 in their only prior meetings.
The only other undefeated team in action Sunday is Kansas City. The Chiefs, 5-0 after dumping division rival Denver last week, visit Green Bay.
Sunday's other games include Tampa Bay at Washington, Baltimore at Arizona, Houston at Tennessee, Philadelphia at Dallas, Miami at Jacksonville, Chicago at New Orleans, Oakland at Cleveland, Pittsburgh at Denver, San Francisco at Seattle, the New York Giants at New England and Buffalo at the winless New York Jets while Monday night finds Atlanta at St. Louis.
Unbeaten Minnesota, winless San Diego, Detroit and Cincinnati are idle.
Owens returning to scene of his signature moment
October 10, 2003
Daniel Brown
Mercury News
49ers receiver Terrell Owens returns Sunday to the scene of his infamous Sharpie celebration for the first time since his end-zone autograph angered the Seattle Seahawks. The incident especially enraged Seahawks Coach Mike Holmgren, who fumed last year, "It's shameful. It's a dishonor to everyone who has ever played this game."
On Wednesday, Holmgren sounded ready to forgive Owens for his penmanship -- and his sportsmanship.
"I think it was one of those things where we got beat and I was ticked off that we lost the football game," Holmgren said, looking back on the 49ers' 28-21 victory on Monday Night Football last Oct. 14. "Let's face facts. That kind of thing happened and I'm not a big fan of those types of things, but Terrell Owens is a great football player. Anybody who faces the 49ers knows that you have to start with him."
Owens' signature moment came after he scored on a go-ahead 37-yard catch, his second touchdown of the night, and pulled a Sharpie out of his sock to autograph the ball. He handed the souvenir to Greg Eastman, his friend and financial planner, who was sitting in the field-level luxury suites owned by the Seahawks' Shawn Springs -- the cornerback whom Owens beat for the touchdown. Springs is another of Eastman's clients.
Springs (shoulder) is listed as doubtful, so chances are against a rematch. Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck said the issue is passé anyway.
"If you ask most of the guys in our locker room, we kind of respect what kind of player Terrell Owens is," he said. "If you were to ask any of the quarterbacks here, shoot, we'd throw him the ball all the time. He's a heck of a player. Sometimes T.O. gets a bad rap, but I think we admire him more than anything."
While Owens has faced the Seahawks since that game -- a 49ers victory in December -- this will be his first trip back to Seahawk Stadium. His reception there will be chilly, but at least some people look back fondly at the moment. The folks at Sharpie made a few commercials playing off the incident. Owens wasn't paid for the ads, but the company made a $25,000 donation to the Alzheimer's Association, for which Owens is a celebrity chairman.
For every Owens touchdown this season, Sharpie donates $1,000 to the Northern California Alzheimer's Association.
• Quarterback Jeff Garcia expects the Seahawks to blitz plenty because the 49ers showed a vulnerability to pressure during their victory over the Detroit Lions on Sunday. He said the team needs to be better at protection -- not just the offensive linemen but also the backs and tight ends.
The offensive line might get a boost this week from the return of left guard Eric Heitmann, who has not played since the season opener because of an ankle injury. Heitmann practiced Wednesday and has a chance of starting against Seattle.
"We'll kind of wait and see how it feels after pounding on it," Coach Dennis Erickson said. "But he went the whole time and moved around pretty good."
• Owens got the day off from practice because of a strained Achilles' tendon but will return today. "It's precautionary, really," Erickson said. "It's not something that's been lingering, but it bothered him a little bit today."
• Cornerback Ahmed Plummer was the NFC defensive player of the week for his three tackles, interception and three passes defensed against Detroit. Plummer picked off a pass from Joey Harrington on the Lions' opening drive to set up the 49ers' first touchdown.
Can Carolina hold down Peyton?
By DAVE GOLDBERG
AP Football Writer
October 9, 2003
Now that he's handled Tampa Bay's defense, Peyton Manning takes on another elite unit when he faces Carolina.
The Panthers go to Indianapolis on Sunday for a game between two of the NFL's four remaining unbeaten teams, another classic offense vs. defense confrontation.
Coming off their historic comeback in Tampa on Monday night, the Colts are favored by five points.
That's largely because of Manning, who is playing as well as he ever has in six pro seasons. He threw six TD passes in New Orleans two weeks ago, then brought the Colts back from 21 down with less than four minutes left to beat the Bucs 38-35 in overtime.
The Panthers are upset about last week's game, a 19-13 win over New Orleans, because they allowed the Saints 155 yards on the ground, 124 by Deuce McAllister.
``From my standpoint, in how your team reacts and the pride they build in their unit, I think that's a good thing,'' coach John Fox said. ``We did enough good things to win, that is what you look for. But you strive for perfection and sometimes that is hard to obtain.''
The Colts present a different challenge in Manning, who threw for 386 yards against a banged-up Bucs secondary.
The major question is whether the Colts will let down emotionally (and physically) after all that happened Monday night. The guess here is they won't.
COLTS, 22-12
Kansas City (plus 2) at Green Bay
The Packers already knocked Seattle off the unbeaten list. The Chiefs are due to lose, but Green Bay has to kick away from Dante Hall.
PACKERS, 24-16
Philadelphia (minus 1) at Dallas
The Eagles could have Bobby Taylor and Troy Vincent back at cornerback. Donovan McNabb's still not in form, but ...
EAGLES, 20-16
Tampa Bay (off) at Washington
The Bucs are battered and down after blowing a 21-point lead Monday night, another piece of good luck for the Skins, who keep playing teams with major injuries. The injuries are why this game is off the board.
All five of Washington's games have been decided by three points or fewer.
BUCS, 16-13
Pittsburgh (plus 7) at Denver
Mike Shanahan is so cocky about his Broncos that he shrugged at what might have been a clip on Dante Hall's return that beat Denver last week in Kansas City.
BRONCOS, 30-13
New York Giants (plus 3) at New England
How much will Bill Belichick's blitzes confuse Kerry Collins?
GIANTS, 24-23
San Francisco (plus 3 1/2 ) at Seattle
Mike Holmgren promises the Seahawks will bounce back.
SEAHAWKS, 20-10
Miami (minus 3) at Jacksonville
The AFC East is the Dolphins' for the taking.
DOLPHINS, 20-10
Chicago (plus 5 1/2 ) at New Orleans
Back to normal for the Bears.
SAINTS, 34-16
Atlanta (plus 11) at St. Louis (Monday night)
By the time Vick returns, the Falcons will be dead.
RAMS, 36-19
Houston (plus 10) at Tennessee
Houston at ex-Houston.
EX-HOUSTON, 29-11
Oakland (plus 3) at Cleveland
All Tim Couch needed was a benching.
BROWNS, 27-12
Buffalo (minus 3) at New York Jets
Upset time.
JETS, 16-13
Baltimore (minus 5 1/2 ) at Arizona
Unless it's 106 degrees ...
RAVENS, 20-3
LAST WEEK: 7-6-1 (spread); 5-9 (straight up)
OVERALL: 40-32-2 (spread); 45-29 (straight up)
49ers: Owens resting sore Achilles
by Fanball Staff - Fanball.com
Thursday, October 9, 2003
News
Wide receiver Terrell Owens sat out practice on Wednesday to rest his sore Achilles, but head coach Dennis Erickson said there is not doubt his star would be ready for Sunday, the Sacramento Bee reported. "He hurt it in the [Detroit] game," Erickson said. "It's not something that's been lingering, but it bothered him a little bit [on Wednesday]. According to the trainers, he'll be ready to go [on Thursday]."
Views
Owens would not miss a chance to return to Seattle, where he pulled a Sharpie out of his sock last season. Owens showed up on the injury report last week with a sore Achilles as well, so we're a bit perplexed by Erickson's comments about this not being a lingering issue. Anyway, fantasy owners should have Terrell in their lineup this week, as the Seahawks' secondary is a bit banged up right now.
How do you stop the NFL's best kick returner?
By ARNIE STAPLETON
AP Sports Writer
October 9, 2003
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) -- The new challenge in the NFL is how to keep Dante Hall out of the end zone.
The simple answer is not to kick or punt to him. That's also unrealistic.
Kick off out of bounds and Kansas City's potent offense, spearheaded by Priest Holmes, has only a 60-yard trip to the end zone after the penalty puts the ball on the 40.
Try punting it out of bounds and you risk a block or a shank.
Hall has returned a kick for a touchdown in four consecutive games, an NFL record, and the Green Bay Packers (3-2) are bent on stopping the streak Sunday when the unbeaten Chiefs (5-0) visit Lambeau Field.
Punter Josh Bidwell plans to sacrifice distance on his punts for hang-time, and kicker Ryan Longwell hopes to mix up his kickoffs.
There's the strategy. Out in the open.
But special teams coach John Bonamego said the bottom line is that the Packers -- one of the league's top coverage teams -- will have to make some tackles of Hall somewhere along the way.
Bidwell contends it's nearly impossible to punt out of bounds effectively, even for the NFL's best directional punters, of which he isn't one.
``It's definitely tough in today's day and age with K-balls to try to think you're going to kick a ball out of bounds at 40 or 50 yards every time,'' he said. ``Otherwise, it would be done quite consistently and punters would be making quarterback salaries.''
So, expect plenty of pooch punts Sunday.
``We'll sacrifice yardage for the big play,'' Bidwell said.
Bidwell acknowledged that won't work if the Packers are backed up near their own end zone. But he won't necessarily boom it.
``I definitely don't want to hit a 50-yarder,'' Bidwell said. ``Even if I hit a 50-yarder with 5.0 (seconds of hang-time). That's still a long time for guys to cover and gives him a little bit of room. If you give this guy five yards, that's five yards too much.''
The Packers have the league's top punt coverage return unit, yielding just 4.4 yards on average, and their kickoff coverage team ranks third in the league at 19 yards, behind Miami (18.3) and Atlanta (18.6).
But they haven't faced the likes of Hall, who has had a 100-yard kickoff return against Pittsburgh, a 73-yard punt return against Houston, a 97-yard kickoff return against Baltimore and a 93-yard punt return against Denver. Dating to last season, he has seven TD returns in 10 games.
Hall said the Chiefs' special teams unit is so confident, it's almost a surprise when he doesn't score.
``We feel like, as a unit, if we do the things that we're supposed to do, there's no reason we shouldn't be able to return one,'' he said.
Hall knows teams will scheme to stop him now, but he won't worry about their strategies.
``I think we just need to stay within ourselves and stay within our scheme and do the things we do well,'' he said. ``We just need to stay who we are.''
Nobody in NFL history had ever returned a punt or kickoff for a touchdown in three straight weeks before Hall did it, and his four TDs tied the league mark for an entire season.
``This guy is special and he definitely makes a lot of plays on his own, and that's the scariest thing about him,'' Bidwell said.
He also has great blockers and great chemistry with them.
``At this point there's so much momentum you probably have the quarterback wanting to get out there on punt return,'' Bidwell said. ``So, it's definitely kind of scary. But I think we have a good game plan.''
Longwell pointed to last week's game against Seattle as an example of what to expect from the Packers on Sunday.
``The ball was going right and left and long and short and all over the place -- and that was on purpose,'' he said. ``So, there's a lot we can do. And I think we have a good game plan. But it all comes down to getting the guy on the ground somehow.''
49ers: Garcia misses practice
by Fanball Staff - Fanball.com
Friday, October 10, 2003
News
Quarterback Jeff Garcia was held out of practice on Thursday to undergo an MRI on his swollen right arm, 49ers.com reported. "Jeff has a bruise on his arm that swelled up on him,” head coach Dennis Erickson said. “He had an MRI and it showed just that – a bruise. We’ll take a look and see how he is tomorrow. It was really just precautionary.” Garcia was hit in the arm last Sunday against Detroit. Erickson expects his starting quarterback to play on Sunday night against Seattle.
Views
We'll update Jeff's status when more news is available. Erickson makes the injury sound not very serious at all, but we'll see if Garcia is back at practice on Friday.
Cowboys up: Tuna is all the difference
Friday, Oct 10, 2003
Jennifer Floyd Engel
StarTelegram Staff Writer
IRVING - These are Dave Campo's Cowboys.
Honestly, they are.
There are a few additions. There are a few subtractions. But the meat of the lineup is basically what Campo had at his disposal in 2002.
Which begs the question: Why are they winning now when they could not win then?
"We've always thought we had the talent. Now, we have the coaching to go along with it," quarterback Quincy Carter said.
Bill Parcells is the coach who is coaching Campo's Cowboys, and that has made all the difference.
Not only is the difference in their record (3-1) or their ranking in the NFC East (first), but the difference is in the details.
Parcells' Cowboys do not beat themselves with silly penalties and an inordinate amount of turnovers. Campo's did. Parcells' Cowboys do not hang around the training room nursing sore "thises" and achy "thats." Campo's did. Parcells' Cowboys do not reach for excuses. Campo's did. Parcells' Cowboys have been prepped for almost every game situation. Campo's were not. Parcells' Cowboys win the games they are supposed to win. Campo's did not.
"What does last year mean? It's just history. It doesn't mean anything. Different circumstances, different era, whole different deal," Parcells said. "That's what is great about sports. That's what keeps them interested. Things can change. There is hope everywhere."
Nowhere in the NFL more so than Valley Ranch.
And whether Parcells admits it or not, Tuna and his Tuna helpers are the biggest ingredients in this Tuna surprise.
"I don't think we'd be 3-1 without him," Carter said. "Go back to the Giants game. I don't think we would have had a play with 11 seconds to go."
He insisted he was not bashing anybody in particular, but "there was an instance last year where we didn't have a play." The instance was on Dec. 8, 2002. The situation was fourth-and-1. The Cowboys were leading the 49ers 27-24, and a first down would have likely meant victory. Campo called for a play. Offensive coordinator Bruce Coslet said he did not have one. So they attempted a field goal. They missed. They lost.
Flash forward to Sept. 15, 2003. The Cowboys trail the Giants 32-29. They get the ball on their 40. They have 11 seconds to get into field goal range and kick a field goal. Parcells has a play. They have practiced the play. Parcells calls it. They execute. They have time to kick the game-tying field goal. The Cowboys win in overtime.
It is a tiny difference, having one play ready and rehearsed. It's a tiny difference -- which makes all the difference.
The loss to the 49ers sent the Cowboys spiraling to a four-game, season-ending losing streak. The Giants' victory has the Cowboys riding a three-game winning streak. There is an almost palpable confidence in the locker room. Guys not only believe they can win, but that they will win.
"Once you get that monkey off your back, you get a little bit of confidence," tight end James Whalen said. "You win another one, and it becomes contagious. You win your third, and you are rolling."
They were more trippers than rollers last season. They walked along. They tripped. So on and so forth until another season ended with a 5-11 stamp.
"I'll tell you this. When I came in here, I looked at some of these guys and particularly [the] defense ... and I couldn't believe they didn't do better than they did with the quality guys they had here as far as winning more games," tight end Dan Campbell said. "When you bring a guy like Parcells in, with his philosophies, you ignite a little spark. These guys take hold of it. That is what they needed. And I don't think it took too much to get the attitude right here."
"Attitude" is the quick, one-word answer everybody uses when asked to explain exactly what it is Parcells has done to turn the team around.
The Parcells' attitude adjustment is best summarized by the memos that arrive in the players' lockers every Saturday. "What," the last one read, "will you help us do to win?" Us includes the coaching staff. Parcells focuses every week on what exactly he thinks is going to be a key to whether the Cowboys win. He expects his assistants to practice the things the players need to know. Parcells says a big part of his day is thinking about exactly what and how they are going to practice.
"All I want them to think is, 'Hey, this guy is coaching us. He's trying to prepare us with what he knows. He's trying to give us what he knows about, and his staff is trying to give us what he knows to get us ready to play,'" Parcells said. "If they think that, then I'm happy. There's a sign hanging up that says, 'There is a lot of exit doors in pro football.' One of them is, 'Well, the coach didn't have us prepared.' They aren't using that one around here, if I can help it."
Parcells also is getting the most out of players who had been zeros on the ledger sheet under Campo, guys such as defensive tackles Willie Blade and Daleroy Stewart, linebacker Markus Steele and even Carter. He has turned all of them into productive players and has them playing the best football of their NFL careers.
Parcells is winning with Campo's rejects. Imagine what he can do when he gets his kind of guys. What will his reliance on discipline and unselfishness reap then?
"Me and Joey [Galloway] were joking one day, and I said to him, 'The only thing we did know going in week to week was that Emmitt [Smith] was going to get his carries,'" running back Troy Hambrick said. "But now ... "
Now, everything is different, and coaching is the biggest reason why.
Briefly
• Troy Hambrick is encouraging Cowboys fans to be loud Sunday in an attempt to rattle Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb. But he's also pleading for fans to refrain from doing the wave and making noise when the Cowboys have the ball.
• Eagles cornerback Troy Vincent (hamstring) is expected to be in the starting lineup after missing last week's victory against the Redskins. Cornerback Bobby Taylor (foot strain) remains questionable, and safety Brian Dawkins (foot sprain) is out.
• In their next eight games, the Cowboys might face only one team with a losing record. Following Sunday's matchup with the Eagles (2-2) are the Lions (1-4), Buccaneers (2-2), Redskins (3-2), Bills (3-2), Patriots (3-2), Panthers (4-0) and Dolphins (3-1).
Sad to say, Sara, not many. Too many of them in all pro sports like the flash and pizazz to show off among their leeches (friends). Just look at how Kobe Bryant is throwing millions around. So many of them go from having nothing to being a millionaire to ending up with nothing. But, there are also quite a few that used their head and have made very smart investments.
Colt
LOL, Peg. That does seem to be the problem so far. He'll get it together before long. In the long run these early games may prove to be very good for him. Kind of bring him back down to earth and make him realize he was signed to catch the ball and not spout off. But, if the Giants don't want him, you can ship him down to Dallas. <g>
Colt
Ah, the toys of the rich boys. Pocket change for these guys. Life sometimes just isn't very fair. All of us here should take our pocket change and buy ourselves an Electric Football Set. We'll show the big boys. Ha!
Colt
I hear that Parcells is going to sign up some NBA Centers just for the Giants rematch. <g>
Colt
Yep, Bull and we went to the bank with that squib kick. LOL Actually that was a very good game. Could have gone either way.
Colt
Thanks, Bull. The Jets! Now I remember. I was sure the Raiders were part of it but, couldn't remember the other team.
Colt
Morning, Ruellit. All they need to do is look back at Roger Staubach, Troy Aikman, Steve Young and Joe Montana. Head injuries are nothing to sneeze at. No win is worth a player becoming a vegetable. Look at Muhammad Ali and what all the blows to his head did (at least according to many Doctors). And since it is highly unlikely that anyone will go through the season undefeated, they'd be wise to hold him out just to be safe.
Colt
It already is, Wantoberich. My Cowboys have won 3 straight and are in 1st place (at least till Sunday) so it has been a good year so far. Three straight 5-11 seasons is for the birds.
Colt
Yeah, Sara, but probably not in our lifetime. In fact, I'm afraid it will get worse before it gets better.
Colt
Sara, got to agree with you on Teddy. If we could somehow bring him back from the dead. He was a good one, about the best in fact.
Colt
Yep, Bull...I've trusted the FBI the past 15 years about as far as I can throw an NFL Lineman covered in motor oil. Actually it has been corrupt since its inception. So what else is new in Washington. And now throwing in the Patriot Act, we're in trouble. The BATF & DEA are even more crooked. It's a known fact that both are on the take. Maybe not every agent but, enough to make things bad for us citizens. LOL
Colt
What a weekend!
Oct 8, 2003
Dr. Z, SI.com
Every month or so we get what I'd call a Landmark Game, a contest that's especially significant for some reason ... that's memorable. Last weekend we were lucky enough to get two of them. The first was Denver-Kansas City, which Dante Hall broke up with his punt return. The second was that wild Indianapolis-Tampa Bay Monday nighter.
Hall's TD was a repeat performance, but it was a completely different type of play than the one that turned the lights out for Baltimore the previous week. For one thing, against the Ravens Hall scored on a kick return. The TD in the Broncos game came on a punt runback. Kick returners don't mess around back there. What you want is good take-off speed and a burst that can carry you past the first wave of tacklers. Just about obscured in that Denver-K.C. game was the fine work Broncos' kick-return man, Chris Cole, was doing. There was a guy with a real burst.
Hall's 97-yard kick return against the Ravens had a dramatic effect on the game, but it was basically an unremarkable run. He just took off straight upfield and no one touched him. It was, however, a well-conceived play that featured the end man on the wedge, running back Derrick Blaylock, executing a trap block on the other side and clearing a huge hole for Hall. That's what you can do on kick returns -- run designed plays. Punt returning is more instinctive. You can try to set things up on a particular side, but sometimes a return man's instincts take him elsewhere. There's some dancing around involved, some matador moves. A guy can retreat until he finds a spot he likes.
The kick returner who tries to do the same thing generally gets smeared because there's such a heavy convoy of tacklers heading downfield. Hall is a rare combination of kick returner with a burst and punt runback man with the jukes and fakes. If there was ever any doubt about his magical ability in the open field, go back to the game in Denver last December, the one in which Priest Holmes got hurt. The Chiefs lost, but Hall kept them in it with 75- and 49-yard TDs off pass receptions -- wild, crazy-legged runs with tacklers flopping all over themselves.
And that's what his 93-yard punt return against the Broncos was. I read a quote from Hall afterward in which he said, in a kind of off-hand way, that he messed around back there, "until I had 'em set up all to one side." Then he jumped out of trouble and into calm waters. He baited a trap and then sprung it. The only other punt returner I've seen who was as effective at this, at least in modern times, was Deion Sanders, but all that goofing around he did back there, waiting for the ball, was so distracting that you lost sight of what a brilliant return man he was. And so is Hall, a 5-foot-8 master of the chessboard who can move the knights and rooks and bishops around until he gets the alignment he wants, and then it's checkmate.
Now let's talk about classic No. 2. When all the analysts were previewing the Bucs-Colts contest one thing kept coming to mind. It was exactly the same type of situation as the Super Bowl. Jon Gruden, who'd coached the Raiders, knew their offense, so he could feed all the information to his defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin. Tony Dungy's a defensive coach. He knew all about a Bucs defense that he had personally built, so he could feed everything to offensive coach Tom Moore. And at the end it was Peyton Manning picking the Tampa Bay double zone to pieces. It wasn't that simple, of course. Fatigue was really the deciding factor in this game -- that and the weird penalty against Tampa Bay on Mike Vanderjagt's missed field goal in overtime that gave him another shot another shot at kicking the game-winner. But in all honesty, when's the last time you saw anyone come down the field so consistently against the Bucs?
The Colts' victory was even more remarkable because Edgerrin James didn't play, and one thing you need against Tampa Bay is the semblance of a running game. The Colts didn't have it, but that didn't discourage them to in their attempts to pound the ball. And by the end of the game, there was no oomph left in the Bucs' pass rush, either, because the D-line had been pounded, or because they didn't have enough people to use for a decent rotation.
Bill Walsh once said that a late pass rush was the key to NFL football. The Colts, who worked a full rotation of seven linemen, got their late rush, which kept the Bucs offense off the field and gave Peyton more of a chance to work his magic. Their defensive line wore the Bucs out up front, and a big play that helped kill Tampa Bay's opening possession in overtime was a forced incomplete caused by Josh Williams, a reserve tackle, who ran his man back into Brad Johnson's lap.
But where was the Bucs' D-line? The guys who had destroyed Oakland in the Super Bowl were practically invisible Monday night. Warren Sapp got plenty of attention, as he usually does, but by the end of the game it wasn't necessary anymore. He was just putting on a straight line charge, with no ball awareness. Tarik Glenn, the Colts' left tackle, had a terrific night on Simeon Rice. Glenn drew flags for setting up early on occasion, but this was in an enemy park, with lots of noise, and he couldn't let a speedy guy like Rice get the jump on him. It was the best game I've ever seen him have. Made me re-think my checklist for All-Pro, an honor I've never awarded to Glenn.
But on the other side Adam Meadows, an old warhorse, and certainly no superstar, was putting the clamps on Greg Spires, one of the Super Bowl heroes who had feasted on the Raiders' Lincoln Kennedy. The Bucs basically rotated five D-linemen , with a sixth, tackle Chartric Darby, putting in an infrequent appearance. And it wasn't enough.
"The year we beat Miami in the Super Bowl," Walsh says, "do you know how many defensive linemen were in our rotation? Nine, and we used them all quite a bit. We just wore the Dolphins out."
Another part of the game I particularly liked ... Keyshawn Johnson, who was miked for TV, getting off his sneering little diatribe about Marvin Harrison fattening up his totals on little dinky stuff. This was early in the game, of course. When the final tally was in, and Harrison's 11 catches for 176 yards and two TDs had done as much as anything to finish off the Bucs, we never got a reading from Keyshawn on the subject.
I was only sad about one thing. My favorite referee, Johnny Grier, had a rough night. Unfortunately the game ended on a controversial call that nullified Vanderjagt's field goal. Grier's umpire, Ed Coukart, called leaping on Rice -- a rare infraction at best, and one that didn't interfere with the play.
Then there was the Jumbotron incident. Grier waved off a 15-yard face-mask penalty on Rice after the replay had showed that it was an erroneous call. And it looked as if Grier had looked up at the screen before the officials went into their huddle. Personally, I think it's a great thing to do, but the league doesn't like an official acting like a mere mortal.
And Grier is not really in favor with the NFL's officiating department. Last year I couldn't understand why he didn't get to work any playoff games. As I said, he's my favorite ref. I've always liked the positive, logical way he has worked his games. But I was told that on performance, he didn't grade out as high as the ones who worked the postseason. This contest won't help him, either.
I've never really gotten a handle on what kind of a game-day coach Steve Spurrier is, but last Sunday I realized he's as capable of butchering the clock as most of them are. The end of the half is when you can tell if a guy understands clock management.
The Eagles were just thrown for a loss on third down, back to the Redskins' 18-yard line. There was 1:50 left in the half and the Skins had two time outs left. You have to call one in this situation to give your offense more time to put seven points on the board.But instead, Spurrier let the clock run, and when the Eagles kicked their field goal, 43 seconds had run off. With under a minute left, Washington still moved downfield and kicked a field goal, but with those extra 43 seconds, they might have scored seven points. Textbook football, but unfortunately it was a textbook Spurrier forgot to read. ...
Want to know what ESPN's Tommy Jackson was like a linebacker for the Broncos? Check out the 49ers' Jamie Winborn. He and Jackson are clones. Explosive little guys who run all over the field making plays. ... Here's an underrated player for you -- Redskins reserve fullback Rock Cartwright. He makes things happen on almost every play in which he's involved. So why is he a backup? Beats me. ...
I can't agree with the way Denver coach Mike Shanahan managed the end of the Broncos-Chiefs game. At the end of the third quarter, beginning of the fourth, Denver had just put together a 14-play drive that kept the K.C. defense on the field for 7:41. The Chiefs D was showing signs of exhaustion. After the Broncos' field goal, the Chiefs ran three plays and punted. Denver kept the ball for another four minutes, punted and Hall ran it back for his score. Now the Broncos were down by a point, but the punt return TD meant that the K.C. defense had to get back on the field again. The Broncos reached the Chiefs' 43. Two runs by Clinton Portis gained eight yards. Pounding a weary defense made sense for two reasons: It would move Denver closer to a score, and it would eat more clock, assuming they scored and K.C. got the ball again. Instead, on third-and-2 Plummer passed. It was incomplete. On fourth down they tried a 53-yard field goal, which hooked wide. Game's over. Sorry, but! I don't buy the logic. ...
I hate to see Emmitt Smith going out like this. I remember Walsh agonizing about how he would script O.J. Simpson's last few games after the Bills' great halfback came to San Francisco at the end of his career.
"The thing you don't want to do is use him too much against some sturdy run defense," Walsh said. "What you'll do is create one of those scenes where everyone's flying over the pile to get a hit on him, and all you see are arms and legs." Yep, that was Dallas-Arizona Sunday.
Parcells dismisses notion of big game for Cowboys
By STEPHEN HAWKINS
AP Sports Writer
October 8, 2003
IRVING, Texas (AP) -- A chance to remain in sole possession of first place in the NFC East. An opportunity to beat division rival Philadelphia for the first time in four years. It's a BIG game for the Dallas Cowboys, right?
``No, absolutely not. It's just game No. five,'' coach Bill Parcells said Wednesday. ``It's a divisional opponent and that puts a little more emphasis on it. By the same token, it's really not relevant right now, I don't think.''
Parcells doesn't want the Cowboys (3-1) to get too excited about a three-game winning streak. And he's not worried about a six-game losing streak against Philadelphia (2-2), which has won those games by an average margin of 23 points.
``History doesn't mean anything in football, but the lesson does,'' he said. ``I'm big on what causes you to lose in football. Take that and look at it ... you can find the answer. You can learn if you use it to your advantage.''
If the Cowboys lose Sunday, it won't break their season. They're guaranteed another week with at least a share of the division lead, which they have outright for the first time since 1999. They started 3-0 that season before losing to Philadelphia.
But winning against the Eagles would have positive ramifications, and more than just in the standings after three straight 5-11 seasons.
``If we want to get where we expect to get, we have to beat them. We know what Philly has done to us,'' said receiver Joey Galloway.
``It's another step to building more confidence,'' said tight end Dan Campbell. ``And that's an extra game up on a division opponent, which makes it that much more special.''
Dallas hasn't been in position to pick up its fourth win this early in the season since 1999.
Last year, the Cowboys didn't have their first chance at win No. 4 until the seventh week of the season, then lost four games in a row. Dallas didn't win its fourth game in 2001 until week 12, and until week 10 in 2000.
The Cowboys have won three straight games since starting the season with a 27-13 loss to Atlanta. That streak started with wins in New York against the Giants and Jets, both teams Parcells previously coached.
Campbell believes the Cowboys have already played a BIG game: the 35-32 overtime win at the Giants after losing the opener to the Michael Vick-less Falcons.
``You kind of almost feel like it was one of those things where it was going to be make-or-break, whatever we did with the Giants, to an extent,'' Campbell said. ``I'm sure a lot of people were a little scared of what they thought might happen when we played the Giants. But we made up our minds after that loss, it doesn't have to be that way anymore, it's up to us what happens.
``Everybody bought into that, and they've bought into it since. And that'swhy we're winning right now.''
Chiefs KR Hall among NFL Players of the Week
October 8, 2003
NEW YORK (Ticker) - After helping the Indianapolis Colts to one of the greatest comebacks in NFL history, wide receiver Marvin Harrison was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week on Wednesday.
Harrison caught 11 passes for 176 yards and two touchdowns as the Colts rallied from a 21-point fourth-quarter deficit in a 38-35 overtime victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Colts scored three times with less than four minutes to go in regulation with Harrison catching a 28-yard TD pass on 4th-and-6 with 2:38 left.
Harrison has 9,268 career receiving yards, which is seven from tying Hall of Famer Raymond for the most in franchise history. It is his fourth career Player of the Week Award. Last week, Colts quarterback Peyton Manning received the award after throwing six touchdown passes, one short of the NFL record.
Kansas City Chiefs returner Dante Hall was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for the fourth straight week. Hall, who was the first individual to win three straight Player of the Week awards since the NFL instituted the honor in 1984, scored on an electrifying 93-yard punt return with 8:20 left in the fourth quarter to lead the Chiefs to a thrilling 24-23 victory over the Denver Broncos in a battle of unbeaten AFC West rivals.
Hall is the first player to score on a punt or kickoff return in four straight weeks and the Chiefs are 5-0 for the first time in franchise history.
"It's no fluke what he does. It's not by accident," Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil said.
Cleveland Browns defensive end Courtney Brown was the AFC Defensive Player of the Week. Brown had two sacks and forced and recovered a fumble in a 33-13 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Carolina Panthers running back Stephen Davis, San Francisco 49ers cornerback Ahmed Plummer and Chicago Bears kicker Paul Edinger were honored in the NFC.
Davis was named Offensive Player of the Week for the third time in his career after gaining 109 of his 159 rushing yards in the second half as the Panthers wore down the New Orleans Saints in a 16-13 victory.
Plummer received the honor on defense after he had three tackles, three passes defensed and a key interception in San Francisco's 24-17 victory over the Detroit Lions.
Edinger received his second career Specials Teams Player of the Week award after kicking a 48-yard field goal as time expired to give the Bears a 24-21 win over the Oakland Raiders. Edinger also connected on field goals from 35 and 50 yards.
Chiefs wary of Lambeau
10/08/03
IVAN CARTER
The Kansas City Star
Dick Vermeil remembers his first trip to Green Bay's venerable Lambeau Field. The year was 1976, and Vermeil was a relatively anonymous rookie head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Vermeil took the field long before kickoff that morning, wanting to get a feel for the place where the great Vince Lombardi once coached.
“I come walking out there and all these fans start applauding and waving and I'm like ‘Hey, they know who I am,' so I waved back,” Vermeil said.
One problem. The early arriving fans were waving at Hall of Famer Chuck Bednarik, whose Eagles defeated the Packers in the 1960 NFL championship game.
“They were so excited to see Chuck because they had those same seats when Chuck played,” Vermeil said. “That's the kind of stadium, the kind of atmosphere... it's rich, rich in tradition. It is fun to go into Green Bay, it really is.”
But not so fun when quarterback Brett Favre starts ripping off big gainers through the air while running back Ahman Green bursts through open holes on the ground. That's what happened to the previously high-flying Seattle Seahawks last Sunday.
Mike Holmgren and the 3-0 Seahawks went into Lambeau hoping to create more early-season momentum but left on the wrong end of a 35-13 score.
The Seahawks were done in by Favre's hot right arm (he completed 19 of 25 passes for 185 yards and two touchdowns), Green's legs (118 yards and two touchdowns in 27 carries), and two Seattle turnovers.
In picking up their second straight blowout victory, the Packers racked up 336 yards of offense, converted six of nine third downs and scored on five straight possessions against a Seattle team that had played excellent football through the first three games.
The main lesson Vermeil took from Seattle's rough visit to Lambeau on Sunday?
Take care of the football.
“Don't turn the ball over on the road,” Vermeil said. “Since 2000, Mike Sherman-coached football teams are 24-1 when they are positive in turnovers in Green Bay. Most of us wouldn't bet our paychecks on those kinds of odds. You don't go in there, turn the ball over and win.”
Under Sherman, who took over in 2000, the Packers have an NFL-best 23-4 regular-season record at Lambeau, a place where every Packers Sunday is celebrated like Christmas.
The Chiefs haven't visited Green Bay since 1990 and haven't played the Packers since 1996 when they got a 27-20 victory at Arrowhead Stadium.
Green Bay opened the season with an ugly home loss to NFC North rival Minnesota and looked awful in a 20-13 loss at Arizona in week three but have rebounded to play playoff-quality football in the last two weeks.
“They played the best game they've played to date against an undefeated football team,” Vermeil said. “We've played Seattle and know Seattle from the preseason, and we have tremendous respect for them. They were 3-0, and it took a good football team to knock them from the undefeated ranks.”
“They took it away twice and produced 14 points from those takeaways. They had four fewer penalties, and the other thing Green Bay did was go four for four in the red zone. When you play that well and have a quarterback like Brett Favre... they are tough to beat.”
Containing Favre will be crucial for the Chiefs. In recent weeks, Sherman and offensive coordinator Tom Rossley have made changes to the offense, allowing Favre more freedom to use his rare improvisational skills.
“That's what I'm capable of doing, making something out of nothing,” said Favre, who has posted a triple-digit quarterback rating in consecutive games.
Combined with the dangerous running of Green, who is the NFL's third-leading rusher with 560 yards and seven touchdowns, the improved passing game has made Green Bay a dangerous destination for any undefeated team.
Just ask the Seahawks.
Colts Edgerrin James may not play Sunday against Carolina
October 7, 2003
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Colts running back Edgerrin James might not play against Carolina on Sunday because of a sore back.
Coach Tony Dungy said Tuesday that the Colts might hold James out if his back is still sore. The Colts have a bye Oct. 19, and if James does not play, it would give him two more weeks to get healthy.
He has missed two straight games.
The most serious injury in the Colts' 38-35 overtime win over Tampa Bay on Monday night was to backup linebacker Jim Nelson, who broke his left collarbone. Dungy said Nelson will be out eight to 12 weeks, although it was uncertain whether he would need surgery.
Starting left tackle Tarik Glenn also was injured Monday. He finished the game, but the Colts were awaiting results of an MRI exam on a strained medial collateral ligament in his left knee. Glenn has started 101 straight games.
Dungy said he expected starting linebacker David Thornton to play Sunday despite a strained quadriceps. Dungy said Thornton probably would be limited in practice this week.
Oh, what a relief
Tuesday, Oct 7, 2003
B. Duane Cross, SI.com
The hunt for big game was on Monday night -- and Peyton Manning bagged a trophy.
No, it wasn't a Vince Lombardi, or even a Lamar Hunt for that matter, but Manning can hang the Colts' 38-35 OT win against Tampa Bay above his mantle. Finally, the perception that No. 18 cannot win the big game has been dealt the death knell.
In three playoff appearances in five seasons with the Colts, Indianapolis was 0-3 and Manning was tabbed as a player who couldn't win the big game. Actually, that label was placed on him almost a decade ago, when his University of Tennessee team was outscored 41-7 in the second half of a 62-37 loss to Florida in 1995.
The next year Manning's Vols again lost to Florida. And again in 1997. And then there was the final game of his college career, a 42-17 shellacking administered by Nebraska in the national championship game.
He even lost the Heisman. All Manning had to show for his four years in Obnoxville were a bunch of records, a street sign, a nursery full of babies named in his honor (including my daughter) -- and now a horse, of course, if you believe the DirecTV commercial.
Through it all, however, Manning remained steadfast. Through the losses. Through the untimely INTs. Even through Mike Vanderjagt, the "idiot kicker."
"The same thing was said about a lot of people in the Hall of Fame or who will be in the Hall of Fame," Tony Dungy said after Indy's 41-d'oh playoff loss to the Jets. "People said that about John Elway until he won a Super Bowl.
"Until we win a playoff game, people are going to say that."
Monday night wasn't a playoff game, but it's as close to one as Indianapolis will play until January. With Dungy now riding herd over the Colts and returning to his Tampa haunt, Indy was unbeaten and looking to garner some respect at the expense of the defending Super Bowl champion Buccaneers.
Facing Jon Gruden, whose offensive mind was a better fit for Tampa Bay after Dungy's defensive philosphy could not break the glass ceiling of the NFC Championship Game, Dungy knew this game would be a measuring stick for his ongoing reclamation project. And Manning knew that his second primetime game in as many weeks was even bigger than his triumphant 55-point return to hometown New Orleans eight days earlier.
With the game plan squarely on Manning's shoulders -- running back Edgerrin James was out with a bad back -- Indy went to the air on two of its first three plays before punting. One play later, the Colts were in a 7-0 hole. Two Tampa Bay possessions later, Indianapolis was down 14-0. Then 21-0 after the Bucs' next series.
And you could hear it, from Gainesville to Miami: Peyton cannot win the big game.
But a funny thing happened on the way to Indy's first loss. Someone forgot to tell the Colts. "You've got to seal the envelope and put it in the mail," Tampa Bay's Keenan McCardell said. "And we didn't seal the envelope."
Instead, Indy delivered the Bucs' second loss in five games. The Colts scored five second-half touchdowns -- two apiece from Marvin Harrison and Ricky Williams -- to force overtime.
"I remember telling the guys on the sideline, 'Hey, guess what? We only have to get a field goal,'" Manning said. "For the first time all game, that's all we needed. It was kind of like a relief. Before, we had to get touchdowns every time we were out there."
Eleven minutes and 13 seconds later, with 3:47 remaining in OT, the Colts got their field goal. Vanderjagt's 29-yarder was the difference.
"What a win. ... What a game," Manning said, clearly past his team's previous shortcomings. "It was awesome."
For five days, at least, all Manning will hear about is how the Colts won this game -- this big game.
Chiefs: Green's head hurts
by Fanball Staff - Fanball.com
Tuesday, October 7, 2003
News
According to the KC Star, Dick Vermeil said Trent Green was experiencing problems with headaches and may be listed on the injury report as either questionable or probable for the Packers game.
Views
This does not sound serious, but we'll keep our eye on Green, who has been a major disappointment this year. His matchup against the Packers is not a good one, so you may want to find another QB this week.