THE NFL: WEEK 15 : MAJOR MATCHUP WITH GREEN BAY NOW `NOTHING' GAME FOR DENVER.Byline: Dave Goldberg Associated Press Associated Press: see news agency. Associated Press (AP) Cooperative news agency, the oldest and largest in the U.S. and long the largest in the world. It was supposed to be a Super Bowl preview, a showdown between Denver and Green Bay at hallowed Lambeau Field • • [ . Instead, if the Broncos choose, today's contest between the NFL's two best teams may be little more than an exhibition. That's because the Broncos clinched home field advantage in the AFC (1) (Application Foundation Classes) A class library from Microsoft that provides an application framework and graphics, graphical user interface (GUI) and multimedia routines for Java programmers. last Sunday by beating Seattle after Pittsburgh and Buffalo unexpectedly lost. So when John Elway John Albert Elway, Jr. (born June 28, 1960) played American football quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Denver Broncos from 1983 through 1998. Elway holds many college and professional records and was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame and is the only , who has a sore hamstring, was asked last week what it would mean if he had to miss the Green Bay game, he replied: ``Nothing.'' The Broncos (12-1) have a dilemma. Their next meaningful game won't be for four weeks. So they can either play regulars today and play hard against a team still seeking to clinch a division title and home field in the NFC NFC abbr. National Football Conference , or take it easy and rest starters. What they'll probably do is a little of both - play hard, but rest people, most notably Elway, who is still troubled by a hamstring he pulled Nov. 4. That means Bill Musgrave Bill Musgrave is the current quarterbacks coach for the NFL's Atlanta Falcons. Musgrave was born November 11, 1967 in Grand Junction, Colorado. He was a standout athlete at Grand Junction High School and was named the Colorado High School Athlete of the Year in 1985. , who's never started in six NFL NFL abbr. National Football League NFL (US) n abbr (= National Football League) → Fußball-Nationalliga seasons, may be the Denver quarterback. But, in theory, Elway prefers going all out. ``Everyone realizes it's a chance to continue to prove ourselves,'' he says. ``Football's not a game to turn on or turn off. It's not time to treat this like preseason.'' Green Bay coach Mike Holmgren Michael George Holmgren (born June 15, 1948 in San Francisco, California) is a National Football League American football coach, and was named as the sixth head coach of the Seattle Seahawks on January 8, 1999. is using reverse logic. He says the biggest mistake the Packers (10-3) could make is taking the Broncos for granted because the game means nothing to them. ``I'm not going to allow that,'' Holmgren says. ``We haven't clinched anything yet.'' But they're close. A win over Denver gives the Packers the NFC Central title. Wins in their last three games guarantees home field in the playoffs; they're at Detroit and at home against Minnesota the final two weeks. A loss could drop them behind San Francisco San Francisco (săn frănsĭs`kō), city (1990 pop. 723,959), coextensive with San Francisco co., W Calif., on the tip of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, which are connected by the strait known as the Golden in the pecking order pecking order Basic pattern of social organization within a flock of poultry in which each bird pecks another lower in the scale without fear of retaliation and submits to pecking by one of higher rank. For groups of mammals (e.g. . So no wonder there's interest in the Bay Area in Denver's motivation. ``From Denver's perspective,'' Carmen Policy Carmen Policy is an attorney and American football executive who is best known for his front office work for the San Francisco 49ers during the 1980s and 1990s. Policy, a native of Youngstown, Ohio, joined the San Francisco 49ers in 1983 as vice president and counsel. , the 49ers' president, says with enthusiasm, ``it would be a motivating thing to beat one of the top teams in the NFC at their home field, where they're thought to be invulnerable in·vul·ner·a·ble adj. 1. Immune to attack; impregnable. 2. Impossible to damage, injure, or wound. [French invulnérable, from Old French, from Latin .'' Six other teams can clinch playoff berths this week: the 49ers, Panthers, Bills, Steelers, Chiefs and Patriots. In other games today, Atlanta is at New Orleans New Orleans (ôr`lēənz –lənz, ôrlēnz`), city (2006 pop. 187,525), coextensive with Orleans parish, SE La., between the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain, 107 mi (172 km) by water from the river mouth; founded ; Baltimore at Cincinnati; Jacksonville at Houston; the New York Giants
Kansas City is at Oakland on Monday night. Carolina (9-4) at San Francisco (10-3): Some scenario: The most successful team of the last decade and a half against a second-year expansion team, with the NFC West title on the line. It's not a joke. Carolina has won two of three against the 49ers, including 13-7 in San Francisco last season and 23-7 at home in September. ``They are the treacherous upstarts,'' says Policy, whose 49ers could clinch their 13th NFC West title in 16 years with a win. ``They view this as an outstanding opportunity to make NFL history. It would be amazing history if they could come in and beat us and win the division.'' Indeed it would be, although the heart of the Panthers is a veteran defense that includes the likes of Sam Mills, Lamar Lathon, Kevin Greene and Eric Davis, the cornerback who signed as a free agent this year after six seasons in San Francisco. Dallas (8-5) at Arizona (6-7): Nothing comes easy Nothing Comes Easy is a box set of four CDs by 1960s British girl singer Sandie Shaw released in 2004. It contains digitally remastered versions of EVERY A and B-side to the singles she released in the UK from 1964 to 1988, plus several rare and unreleased recordings. for the Cowboys, who lost Leon Lett, their best defensive lineman, to a drug suspension this week and have a tough closing schedule - after this they're home for New England and go to Washington. This is no picnic. While the Cowboys entered the week in a three-way tie with the Eagles and Redskins Redskins can refer to:
Esiason is even more dangerous when he has time, which is what he should have against a defensive line minus Lett and the injured Charles Haley. So Barry Switzer is using adversity as a rallying cry. ``We're playing without Charles Haley. We're playing without Jay Novacek. Now we're going to play without Leon,'' Switzer says. ``He's not the only reason we've won on this team.'' Washington (8-5) at Tampa Bay (4-9): The Redskins, whose first half schedule was much easier, have lost four of five since starting 7-1. This looked like the one soft spot in the second half, but the Bucs have come alive, winning three straight before getting blanked 24-0 in Carolina. Washington also has injury problems on offense, its stronger unit. Wide receivers Michael Westbrook and Leslie Shepherd might not play and running back Terry Allen, who leads the NFL in touchdowns with 17, has a sore shoulder. San Diego (7-6) at Pittsburgh (9-4): Despite a flock of injuries, the Steelers can clinch the NFC Central with a win and a Houston loss. The latest casualty is Carnell Lake, the two-time Pro Bowl safety, who has a knee injury. They get no sympathy from the Chargers, who will be without quarterback Stan Humphries, out with a concussion sustained in last week's 45-7 loss to New England. While the Chargers remain alive, they need this game as much for self-respect as for playoff prospects. Jacksonville (6-7) at Houston (7-6): If the Jaguars win their three remaining games, they could make the playoffs, something Carolina is likely to be the first second-year expansion team to do. The Oilers won the first meeting 34-27 in Jacksonville. That's not an unusual pattern in this lame duck An elected official, who is to be followed by another, during the period of time between the election and the date that the successor will fill the post. The term lame duck generally describes one who holds power when that power is certain to end in the near future. season - they're 2-4 at home, 5-2 on the road. Buffalo (9-4) at Seattle (5-8): Jim Kelly, who has a pulled hamstring, will be back, but Thurman Thomas remains a question mark for Buffalo, which can clinch a wild-card berth with a win and a combination of circumstances involving the Colts, Chargers and Oilers. This is almost sure to be Rick Mirer's final home game as a Seahawk before he becomes a free agent. ``There will be no tears,'' says Mirer, who regressed after being the second overall pick in the 1993 draft. Minnesota (7-6) at Detroit (5-8): The Vikings had to win last week at home against the Cardinals and face another must win against perhaps the NFC's most disappointing team. The Vikings remain seventh in the running for six NFC playoff berths. After this, it's Tampa at home and at Green Bay, not the easiest of finales. N.Y. Giants (5-8) at Miami (6-7): Jimmy Johnson first guaranteed a win here, then backed down. But he has to fire up a team that sleepwalked in Oakland and still has a marginal playoff chance. The Giants crashed badly in Philadelphia following their big upset of Dallas and could begin going with youngsters like quarterback Danny Kanell, a south Florida native. N.Y. Jets (1-12) at New England (9-4): The Patriots, who hold the tiebreaker tie·break·er n. An additional contest or period of play designed to establish a winner among tied contestants. Also called tiebreak. tie over the Bills in the AFC East, need only a win here to clinch a wild-card spot against a team that's perceived to have quit. The Jets, who probably will have the first overall pick in the draft for the second straight year, will start Glenn Foley at quarterback. A year ago, he was knocked out for the season with a dislocated shoulder on the final play of the game against New England. Baltimore (4-9) at Cincinnati (5-8): Coach Bruce Coslet is 4-2 for the Bengals, including a 24-21 win over the Ravens in Baltimore. That's an uncharacteristically low score for any game involving the Ravens, who are third in the NFL on offense and 29th on defense. St. Louis (4-9) at Chicago (5-8): In the Rams' nine losses, they've been outscored 278-118, but could finish with six wins - they have Atlanta and New Orleans still to play. Atlanta (2-11) at New Orleans (2-11): As long as the Jets are around, this game may be for the No. 2 draft choice. That could still be Peyton Manning, which means it could be New Orleans again for the Manning family if the Saints get the pick. This is probably close to the end for the run-and-shoot, which will disappear if June Jones departs Atlanta, as expected. The real problem is a personnel department which seems to favor small defensive linemen and slow defensive backs. Kansas City (9-4) at Oakland (6-7), Monday night: Probably more critical for the Raiders than the Chiefs. Oakland must win to keep alive any playoff hopes, while the Chiefs could clinch an AFC wild-card with a win and help today. Kansas City has won seven straight in this series, including a 19-3 decision the second week of the season, when Jeff Hostetler was out. NFL ON TV Denver at Green Bay, 10 a.m., Ch. 4 N.Y. Giants at Miami, 10 a.m., Ch. 11 Carolina at San Francisco, 1 p.m., Ch. 11 Minnesota at Detroit, 5 p.m., ESPN ESPN Entertainment and Sports Programming Network Kansas City at Oakland, 6 p.m., Ch. 7 (Monday night) CAPTION(S): Box Photo: HOLMGREN Box: NFL ON TV (see text) |
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