Author Archives: bboyd31573

About bboyd31573

I'm a resident of Mission, SD, which is in the south-central part of the state along the Nebraska border. I am a literature teacher at my hometown high school. I just retired from 25 years a very successful coaching career - basketball and football. I have two children. My daughter is a physical therapist living in Phoenix, AZ, and my son recently graduated from Notre Dame and is working in Wisconsin in the political arena. I am an owner of the Green Bay Packers, and I am a huge LA Lakers fan. I have a beautiful husky dog named Oakley. I have been playing APBA football since I was 13 and my first set was the 1985 NFL season.

1997 Game 167 (Week 13) Buffalo at Tennessee

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Bills make a comeback; Bruce Smith saves the day!

                Long gone are the days of the Bills’ four-time Super Bowl appearance and dominance in the AFC. They came into Sunday’s matchup in the Liberty Bowl against the Tennessee Oilers with a 3-8 record and out of the AFC playoff race. Gone is Jim Kelly and the K-Gun offense, Cornelius Bennett and Daryl Talley. However, the Bills still have three future Hall of Famers on their team and the three of them showed out Sunday in the Bills’ come-from-behind victory over the Oilers, 17-13.

With 6:15 left in the 4th quarter, the Oilers took the lead, 13-10, on an Al Del Greco 50-yard field goal. The Oilers’ fans were hyped up, but the Bills still have Thurman Thomas and Andre Reed. The two future Hall of Famers were instrumental on a long Bills’ drive. Thomas caught a 13-yard pass on third down to keep the drive alive, and then Andre Reed caught a 29-yard strike from Todd Collins to set the Bills up inside the Oiler 5-yard line. A play later and RB Antwane Smith plunged into the end zone from 3-yards out and the Bills took a 17-13 lead.

The Oilers got the ball back with 1:45 on the clock and Steve McNair immediately moved the ball. He hit WR Willie Davis for 27 yards and the Oilers were driving until…Bruce Smith shut the door. On a 2nd and 10 from the Bills’ 42-yard line, Smith went around tackle Brad Hopkins and drilled QB Collins, who fumbled the football. Ted Washington hopped on the ball and Bruce Smith, the third future Hall of Famer, shut the door on the Oilers.

Next week the Bills (4-8) will host the New York Jets, while the Oilers (5-7) take on the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving day.

1997 Game 167 Stats

1997 Game 166 (Week 13) Arizona at Baltimore

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Cardinals take down the Ravens

Cardinal rookie QB Jake “The Snake” Plummer shined in Arizona’s 30-12 rout of the Baltimore Ravens. Plummer, with the help of a running game, threw for 202 yards on 20 of 28 passing with 3 TDs as the Cardinals won their second game of the season.

The Cardinals had their best rushing output in the game of the season on Sunday. The Cardinals rushed for 180 total yards and got 107 from newly acquired running back Ron Moore. They also got 44 yards from fullback Larry Centers.

WR Rob Moore continued to have his best season of his career. He caught four passes for only 38 yards but caught 2 TD passes. On the season, Moore has 84 receptions for 1,220 yards and ten TDs.

The Ravens couldn’t get anything done offensively on Sunday. They managed a mere 129 total yards. Vinny Testaverde was atrocious. He threw for 122 yards on 14 of 29 passing with 2 interceptions.

The only Raven touchdown came on a punt return from Jermaine Lewis. Lewis is one of the top returners in the game. He has now returned two punts for TDs.

The Cardinals (2-10) have a stiff test at home next Sunday when they take on the Pittsburgh Steelers, while the 4-8 Ravens travel to Jacksonville to take on the Jaguars.

1997 Game 166 Stats

1997 Game 165 (Week 12) Buffalo at Miami

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Dolphins blank the Bills on Monday Night Football

The Miami Dolphins’ defense showed up big on Monday Night Football as they shut out the Buffalo Bills, 35-0. The Dolphins’ defense was dominant as they pummeled Bills’ QB Todd Collins for seven sacks, intercepted him twice and forced a fumble, which they recovered for a touchdown.

The Bills were limited to 244 total yards on the game and only 85 on the ground. DE’s Trace Armstrong and Jason Taylor harassed Collins all night as they both registered two sacks. CB Terrell Buckley returned a Collins’ fumble caused by LB Derrick Rodgers 28-yards for a touchdown.

As for Dolphins’ QB Dan Marino, he had a sensational night. He threw for only 162 yards on 15 of 24 passing but tossed three touchdowns with no interceptions. Marino found a new target in WR Bret Perriman, who came over from the Kansas City Chiefs. Perriman caught six passes for 78 yards and had all three TD passes.

The Dolphins (5-6) have now won five of their last six games and are in the thick of the AFC Wild Card race. Next week, they have a huge matchup as they travel to Boston to play the Patriots. As for the Bills, they are now 3-8 and will play on the road next week against the Tennessee Oilers.

1997 Game 165 Stats

1997 Game 164 (Week 12) Oakland at San Diego

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Raiders roll past the Chargers on Sunday Night

Jeff George has had an All-Pro type of season. He is currently the top rated passer in the AFC with a 101.9 quarterback rating and now has led the Raiders to two consecutive wins as the Oakland Raiders defeated the San Diego Chargers on Sunday Night, 24-10.

George threw for 275 yards on the night on 16 of 31 passing. He threw two more bomb touchdown passes and threw an interception, which is only the second IN he’s thrown all season. In fact, he has thrown 23 TD passes compared to the two INTs.

George threw a 59-yard catch and run with WR Tim Brown to set up a TD, and then he threw a 62-yard bomb to Ricky Dudley that went for a touchdown. George fits the bill for Al Davis’s philosophy of a big arm quarterback to throw the bomb. On the season, George has a 14.6 yards per catch, which is tops for all qualifying QBs.

As for the Chargers, their offensive woes continue. They could only muster up 261 yards against a defense that was averaging near 400 yards per game in the Raiders’ defense. The only touchdown on the night was a 73-yard punt return by Eric Metcalf. This is Metcalf’s fourth punt return TD of the season, which ties an NFL record set by Jack Christiansen of the Lions in 1951 and Rick Upchurch of the Broncos in 1976.

The Raiders, now 3-8, will try to run their current winning streak to three when they travel to Denver next week to take on their hated rivals, the Broncos, on Monday Night. As for the Chargers (1-10), they will travel to San Francisco.

1997 Game 164 Stats

1997 Game 163 (Week 12) NY Jets at Chicago

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Adrian Murrell & the Jets blowout the Bears

Football teams usually take on the disposition of their head coach. Last year, the New York Jets were the laughing stock of the NFL finishing with a league-worst 1-15 record. This year, under the helm of Bill Parcells, the Jets are starting to mold into what Bill Parcells wants from his football team…run the ball and play tough defense.

On Sunday, Parcells’ team played to the image of their tough coach as they blew out the Chicago Bears, 27-7, at Soldier Field behind a strong defense and a physical running game to run their record to 7-4, already five games better than last year.

Adrian Murrell is a quintessential Bill Parcells running back…tough and physical. Murrell powered through the Bears’ defense for 134 yards on 29 carries on the day. He scored two touchdowns also from a yard and 37 yards out.

On defense, the Jets held the Bears to only 192 yards of total offense. Gang Green built a wall in the running game giving up 79 yards on the ground. Through the air, the Jets were relentless pressuring QB Eric Kramer. They sacked him three times and picked him off.

The only blemish on the Jets’ day was that QB Glenn Foley went down in the first half. Before he left, he was 9 of 13 for 59 yards. Fortunately, Neil O’Donnell was ready to go and he sprang into action. He was 11 of 18 with 132 yards and a TD in relief.

The Jets are just a game back of the AFC East leading New England Patriots and are right in the thick of the Wild Card race in the AFC. Next week, the Jets host the Minnesota Vikings, while the Bears (1-10) play on Thanksgiving against Detroit.

1997 Game 163 Stats

1997 Game 162 (Week 12) Carolina at San Francisco

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49ers continue to roll; shut down Panthers

The San Francisco 49er defense could be the most dominant group in the NFL today, on either side of the ball. They dominated the Carolina Panthers, 19-10, on Sunday at 3-COM Park at Candlestick Sunday afternoon.

The Niners defense held the Panthers to just 222 total yards on the day, with 80 of it coming in their 3rd quarter touchdown drive. They forced the Panthers to turn the ball over and harassed Panther QB Kerry Collins all day long, even though, they didn’t record a sack.

On the season, the Niners defense is only giving up 11.5 points per game, which is best in the NFL. They yield just 69.3 yards on the ground and only 122.6 yards in the air. Offenses only average 191.9 yards per game against the Niners, which is a league best. They are also among the league leaders in sacks and forcing turnovers.

The Niners 9 game winning streak is also because they have changed the way they attack teams offensively. Instead of relying solely on the pass game, they have beefed up their running game and average 140 yards on the ground for the season. In Sunday’s game, Garrison Hearst rushed for 60 yards on 20 carries.

Without All-Pro Jerry Rice, the Niners passing attack has relied on youngsters Terrell Owens and JJ Stokes. QB Steve Young is still the top passer in the NFL and today against the Panthers he threw for 231 yards on 16 of 28 passing with a TD and no interceptions.

With this win, the Niners are now 9-2 on the season and will host the San Diego Chargers next week. In 2 weeks, San Francisco will have a huge showdown with the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs. As for the Panthers, they are now 2-9 on a disappointing season and will travel next week to take on the St. Louis Rams.

1997 Game 162 Stats

1997 Game 161 (Week 12) Washington at Dallas

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Cowboys save their season

The Dallas Cowboys finally looked like the team that has won three of the last five Super Bowls Sunday afternoon as they defeated the Washington Redskins at Texas Stadium, 28-11.

Cowboy QB Troy Aikman had a huge day as he led the Cowboys to back-to-back wins. Aikman threw for just 201 yards but threw 4 touchdowns in the victory. It was clearly the best day of a tough season for Aikman.

The Cowboy defense zeroed their game plan in stopping Redskin RB Terry Allen. They held the All-Pro running back to just 18 yards on 12 carries.

Cowboy CB Kevin Smith had a big day for the Boys. He intercepted Gus Frerotte twice and recovered a Frerotte fumble.

The Cowboys have won two and a row and are back in the Wild Card hunt in the NFC; however, they travel to Lambeau Field next Sunday to take on the Packers, who have circled this game on the calendar. The Cowboys have owned the Packers the last few years, but the Packers are looking to avenge those losses next Sunday.

The Redskins are now tied with the Giants for the NFC East lead at 7-4. The two teams will clash next Monday Night in a battle for the NFC East lead. The game will be at Jack Kent Cooke Stadium.

1997 Game 161 Stats

1997 Game 160 (Week 12) Seattle at New Orleans

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Moon’s acquisition paying dividends

Seattle Seahawks’ QB Warren Moon was one of the big free agent moves in the offseason and it’s starting to pay off. The Seahawks went into the Louisianna Superdome Sunday and thumped the New Orleans Saints, 34-16. The victory has propelled the Seahawks into a legitimate Wild Card spot in the AFC now that they are 7-4.

Moon struggled to start the season. At one time, he held the distinct honor of throwing the most interceptions on the season. Over the past six weeks, the Seahawks have won 5 of their last six games and you can’t point to Moon’s play as the cause of it.

On Sunday, Moon came out slinging the football. In the second quarter, he zipped two touchdown passes to give the Seahawks a 17-0 lead. The first TD was a 49-yard catch and run from WR Mike Pritchard and the other was a 61-yard bomb to Joey Galloway. Later in the 4th quarter, Moon hooked up with WR James McKnight on another bomb from 68 yards out.

On the day, Moon threw for 316 yards on 18 of 28 passing with 3 TDs and 0 interceptions. He had a 138.4 quarterback rating.

The Seahawks defense has been up to the challenge also. They knocked Saints’ starting QB Heath Shuler out of the game and then harassed Billy Joe Hobert the rest of the game. The two quarterbacks were sacked and intercepted three times. DB Willie Williams had two of the Seahawks’ interceptions.

Seattle (7-4) will have a huge showdown on Sunday as they face the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs in the Kingdome. After starting the season 6-2, the Saints have now dropped three consecutive games and will travel to Atlanta next Sunday.

1997 Game 160 Stats

1997 Game 159 (Week 12) Philadelphia at Baltimore

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Eagles hold on to defeat the Ravens

The Philadelphia Eagles and the Baltimore Ravens faced each other at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore on Sunday where the Eagles came up with a huge defensive stand to hold off the Ravens, 13-6.

The Eagles had a 7-point lead going into the final drive the game. The Ravens offense was putrid all day long. They kicked two field goals, missed a field goal, turned the ball over 3 times and punted six times; however, they were still in the game in the final seconds.

QB Vinny Testaverde led the Ravens down the field on the final drive and hooked up with WR Michael Jackson to get the ball inside the Eagles’ 10-yard line with three plays remaining. Then the Eagles’ defense rose to the occasion. LB Mike Mamula and DT Rhett Hall sacked Testaverde on back-to-back plays giving the Ravens one more opportunity at the Eagles’ 18-yard line. Testaverde tried to force the ball into Jackson again, but the pass fell incomplete giving the Eagles the victory.

On the day, Eagles’ backup QB Bobby Hoying wasn’t spectacular, but he didn’t make too many crucial mistakes. He threw for 130 yards on 13 of 27 passing with an interception; however, he allowed the Eagles’ running game to take the spotlight.

The Eagles rushed for 119 yards with RB Ricky Watters getting 74 of them. Charlie Garner rushed for 16 yards and had the game’s only touchdown.

As for the Eagles’ defense, they dominated the day. They sacked Testaverde six times and picked him off twice. They held the Ravens to 232 total yards with 54 of them coming on the final drive.

The Eagles are now 5-6 and have climbed into the hunt for an NFC Wild Cars spot. They have won 3 of their last four games and will host the reeling Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. As for the Ravens at 5-6, they will host the Arizona Cardinals.

1997 Game 159 Stats