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 177 (Week 13) Kansas City at Seattle

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The Chiefs finally go down!

The 1972 Dolphins can finally smoke their undefeated cigars as the Kansas City Chiefs fell Sunday afternoon in the Kingdome, 17-15, to the Seattle Seahawks ruining their undefeated season. The Chiefs were the last of the undefeated in 1997. On the flip side, the Seattle Seahawks are proving that they can compete with the elite in the NFL.

The Chiefs’ Pete Stoyanovich kicked a 22-yd field goal with 4:45 left in the 4th quarter to give the Chiefs a 15-14 lead; however, that was more than enough time for the Seahawks and QB Warren Moon to counter. Moon drove the Seahawks down, converting on two huge third-down plays, inside the Chiefs’ territory. Moon connected with WR Joey Galloway twice and then once with WR Mike Pritchard to set the Seahawks up at the 20-yard line.

The Seahawks ran the ball once and then brought in kicker Todd Peterson and he drilled a 37-yard kick with no time left to win the game 17-15 giving the Chiefs their first loss of the season.

The Chiefs racked up 383 total yards with 143 of it on the ground, but they killed themselves with penalties. They were flagged 12 times for 123 yards with many of them coming at crucial moments knocking them out of scoring position.

As for the Seahawks, they just chipped away at one of the league’s top defenses. They only managed 209 yards of total offense but took advantage of great field position and timely throws from Moon, who finished with 174 yards on 22 of 42 passing with a TD and 2 INTs.

The Seahawk defense also took away the Chiefs’ top offensive passing target in WR Andre Rison. They held Rison to just 3 catches on the day for just 15 yards. Rison came into the game near the top of the league in catches and receiving yards.

The Seahawks are in the mix for a Wildcard position as they are now 8-4. They will host Atlanta in the Kingdome next Sunday, while the Chiefs’ try to bounce back from their firs loss with a huge task at Arrowhead when they take on one of the league’s best in the San Francisco 49ers.

1997 Game 177 Stats

1997 Game 176 (Week 13) Jacksonville at Cincinnati

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Bengals take down Jaguars in a shoot out

The Cincinnati Bengals kept control of the AFC North with a 41-33 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday at Cinergy Field. QBs Mark Brunell and Boomer Esiason combined for 707 yards passing and 6 TDs in the wild west shootout.

Boomer is back under center in Cincinnati after QB Jeff Blake was benched and he didn’t disappoint. Esiason was on fire in this game completing 21 of 26 passes for 312 yards and 4 TDs. He hit WR Carl Pickens for an 86 yard TD and later in the game a 76-yard TD to Darnay Scott for the game-winner.

Brunell was on fire too. He was 35 of 51 passing for 395 yards and 2 TDs. WR Jimmy Smith caught 10 passes for 156 yards, while Keenan McCardell caught 9 passes for 94 yards. RB James Stewart caught 3 passes for 21 yards and 2 TDs.

The Bengals are now 8-4 and are atop of the AFC Central standings. They are tied with the Steelers in the standings but have swept the Steelers in the head-to-head matchup. The Bengals will try to keep that lead next Sunday when they travel to Philadelphia. As for the Jaguars, they have dropped three straight games and are now 4-8. They will host the Ravens next Sunday.

1997 Game 176 Stats

1997 Game 175 (Week 13) Carolina at St. Louis

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Panthers take a bite out of the Rams

The Carolina Panthers took down the St. Louis Rams, 29-13, at the TWA Dome on Sunday.  For the first time this year, the Panthers finally looked like the team that played in the NFC Championship game from a year ago. Carolina pounded the rock with 182 yards rushing and QB Kerry Collins had an efficient day going 18 of 29 for 215 yards and 2 TDs.

Rookie RB Fred Lane rushed for 119 yards on 20 carries, while RB Anthony Johnson rushed for 35 yards on 10 carries with a TD.

As for the Rams, their offensive production was putrid. QB Tony Banks started the game 0-13 in passing and was knocked out of the game. Former Redskin QB Mark Rypien replaced him and went 11 of 28 passing for 127 yards with a TD and a pick. The Rams mustered up 195 total yards.

The Panthers (3-9) will host the New Orleans Saints next Sunday, while the Rams (2-10) will take on the Redskins in Washington.

1997 Game 175 Stats

1997 Game 174 (Week 13) Tampa Bay at Chicago

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Tampa Bay shuts down the Bears

The defense of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is starting to become one of the elite defenses in the NFL. On Sunday, the Bucs’ defense shut down the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field in a 9-3 defensive battle.

The Bucs harassed Bears’ QB Erik Kramer all day long. They sacked him five times and forced him into a crucial interception. They held the Bears to 171 total yards and only 61 yards on the ground.

As for the Buccaneer offense, they struggled too. They racked up 237 yards total offense and 105 on the ground. QB Trent Dilfer was 17 of 29 passing for 146 yards.

The Buccaneers are now 8-4 on the season and currently holds one of the NFC Wildcard positions. Next week, the Bucs have a big matchup as they travel to play the Giants. Both teams are vying for those Wildcard positions. As for the Bears, they are on one of the worst stretches in their franchise history. They are now 1-11 and have lost 10 in a row. They will take on Detroit on Thanksgiving Day.

1997 Game 174 Stats

1997 Game 173 (Week 13) Pittsburgh at Philadelphia

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Steelers snap a 3-game losing streak in Philly

The game wasn’t pretty, but the Pittsburgh Steelers snapped their 3-game losing streak in a 17-10 win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday at Veteran’s Stadium.

The story of this game was the unrelenting pressure from the Steeler defense. They harassed and sacked Eagles’ QB Bobby Hoying all day long. The Steelers sacked Hoying six times, one which caused Hoying to lose a fumble. The Steeler defense also picked Hoying off once because of a big pass rush.

On the offensive side, the Steelers pounded the rock. RB Jerome Bettis rushed for 108 yards on 29 carries. Conversely, the Eagles rushed for 91 yards with Ricky Watters rushing for 42 on 18 carries and a TD.

QB Kordell Stewart had a so-so game. He only threw for 44 yards but tossed two TD passes to WR Yancy Thigpen. On the season, Thigpen has caught 76 passes for 1,397 yards and 11 TDs.

The Steelers, now 8-4, are trying to catch the Bengals for the division lead, but currently have an AFC Wildcard position. Next Sunday, the Steelers travel to Phoenix to take on the Cardinals at Sun Devil Stadium. As for the Eagles, they are now 5-7 and will host the Bengals at Veteran’s Stadium.

1997 Game 173 Stats

1997 Game 172 (Week 13) New Orleans at Atlanta

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Saints win a tale of two halves

In the first half of a game against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, New Orleans Saints’ QB Billy Jo Hobert was atrocious. He was 5 of 12 for 92 yards with 3 INTs and the Saints trailed 17-0 at halftime. In the second half, Hobert flipped the switch, and he got hot in the second. He was 13 of 18 passing for 259 yards and 3 TDs and led the Saints to a 31-24 come-from-behind win over the Falcons.

The Falcons took a 17-0 lead at halftime due to their explosive offense. QB Chris Chandler and the Falcons racked up 236 yards by halftime and were rolling. Chandler hit RB Jamal Anderson on a 23-yard touchdown pass and then Anderson snaked his way through the Saints defense for another first half touchdown.

Then the Saints started rolling in the third quarter as they scored 24 answered points. RB Ray Zellars scored on a TD run of 3 yards, and then Hobert connected on TD pass of 5 and 59 yards to WR Andre Hastings.

The Falcons tied the game with 4 minutes to play in the game when Chandler tossed a TD strike to WR Terrence Mathis for 43 yards; however, a minute later, Hobert connected with WR Randal Hill on an 83-yard game-winning bomb. The Saints held on to win 31-24.

The Saints are now 7-5 and are in the thick of the NFC Wildcard race. They snapped a three-game losing streak with this win and will travel to Charlotte next Sunday to take on the Carolina Panthers. The Falcons are now 5-7 and are on the outside looking in of the NFC Wildcard race. They will travel next Sunday to take on the red-hot Seattle Seahawks.

1997 Game 172 Stats

1997 Game 171 (Week 13) Minnesota at NY Jets

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Vikings get to .500 with win over Jets

The Minnesota Vikings went into Giants’ Stadium Sunday with a dim chance of making the playoffs as a Wildcard team this season. They have won five of their last seven games and are the outside looking into the playoff picture with a 5-6 record. Sunday’s game against the New York Jets was a must win and the Vikings delivered with a 17-10 victory.

The Vikings’ defense has been underperforming this season. They are usually among the league’s best, but this year they have failed in crucial moments in a game. Today, they delivered. Led by DT John Randle, the Vikings’ defense pummeled Jets’ QB Neil O’Donnell. They sacked him six times and held the Jets to just 281 total yards. Randle had 2.5 sacks himself.

On the offensive side, the Vikings barometer player had a good game…running back Robert Smith. When Smith has a good game, the Vikings usually win, and he had 109 yards on 18 carries in this game.

Vikings’ QB Brad Johnson threw for 206 yards on 19 of 37 passing with 2 TDs and no INTs. WR Chris Carter had five catches for 51 yards and Jake Reed had four catches for 49 yards. TE Andrew Glover and WR David Palmer had the TD receptions.

As for the Jets, they want to rely on their defense and running game. The defense didn’t get any sacks and didn’t get any turnovers, while the offensive running game mustered only 75 yards of rushing. QB Neil O’Donnell struggled with 248 yards on 19 of 38 passing. RB Adrian Murrell was held to just 69 yards.

The Vikings have a huge game next Monday Night as they host the World Champion Packers. The Vikings need this victory to have any chance at a playoff berth. The Jets, now 7-5, need a victory in Buffalo next Sunday to stay in the AFC Wildcard race.

1997 Game 171 Stats

1997 Game 170 (Week 13) Miami at New England

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Patriots cement AFC East lead with win over Dolphins

The New England Patriots are in prime position to make another run at the Super Bowl. On Sunday, they scored two touchdowns in the 4th quarter to separate themselves from the Miami Dolphins to win 27-12 in the AFC East showdown at Foxboro. With the win, the Patriots are now 9-3 and have a two-game lead in the AFC East with only 4 games remaining.

The Patriots went into the 4th quarter with a scant one-point lead, 13-12; however, QB Drew Bledose gave the Patriots some space as he hit Keith Byars on a screen pass and the FB raced to the end zone for a touchdown giving the Patriots a 20-12 lead.

The Patriots put the game away when Ty Law intercepted Dan Marino late in the quarter and the cornerback returned the INT 34 yards to the Dolphins’ 6-yard line. It was just Marino’s second INT of the season. On the next play, RB Curtis Martin scampered through the Dolphins’ defense for a touchdown to give the Patriots a 27-12 lead ending the game.

Bledsoe had another superb day. He threw for 257 yards on 16 of 34 passing with 2 TDs. His first touchdown was a 62-yard bomb to WR Troy Brown. Curtis Martin rushed for 109 yards on 23 carries with a TD.

As for the Dolphins, head coach Jimmy Johnson wants his team to be built around a running game. It didn’t deliver once again on their dismal 5-7 season. The Dolphins rushed 22 times for just 83 yards. Marino led the Dolphins in scoring position on numerous occasions, but they settled for four Orlindo Mare field goals.

Next Sunday, the Patriots (9-3) will host the Indianapolis Colts at Foxboro, while the Dolphins (5-7) travel to Oakland to take on the Raiders.

1997 Game 170 Stats

1997 Game 169 (Week 13) Indianapolis at Detroit

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The Lions roll the Colts

Barry Sanders and the Detroit Lions are among the league’s elite in 1997. Sanders is on pace to shatter the single season rushing record, and quietly, Scott Mitchell is having the best season of his career. As a result, the Lions are now 9-3 with a 29-6 thumping of the Indianapolis Colts in the Silverdome on Sunday.

Barry Sanders has eclipsed the 100-yard mark in 11 of the 12 games this season, but he needed his last carry of the day to reach that mark on Sunday. Sanders finished with 104 yards on 20 carries in the game. On the season, Sanders has rushed for 1,677 yards in 12 games, which equates to 139.8 yards per game. If he stays on this pace, he will rush for over 2,236 yards and crush the single season rushing record that Eric Dickerson of the Rams set in 1984 with 2,105.

QB Scott Mitchell, directing the #1 offense in the NFL, threw for 268 yards in this game on 17 of 33 passing with 2 TD passes and no interceptions. On the season, Mitchell has his career-high in passer rating with 98.3, which is better than reigning MVP Brett Favre. Mitchell also has 21 TD passes with only 4 interceptions on the season.

Mitchell has had two great targets to throw the football to. Beings most teams load up against Barry and the run, Mitchell has virtually had one-on-one coverage against WRs Herman Moore and Johnny Morton. On Sunday, Moore caught six passes for 116 yards and a TD, while Morton caught six passes for 131 yards and a TD. On the season, both receivers have 79 catches and 8 TDs on the season. Morton has 1,219 yards and Moore has 1,001 yards.

As for the Lions defense, they pummeled Colt QBs all day long. They knocked Paul Justin out of the game and then sacked Jim Harbaugh 6 times. Cornerback Kevin Abrams had a career-day as he picked up two Paul Justin passes and returned one of them 12 yards for a TD.

Next week, the Lions will host the lowly Bears on their annual Thanksgiving Day game, while the Colts, now 4-8, will travel to Boston to take on the New England Patriots.

1997 Game 169 Stats

1997 Game 168 (Week 13) Dallas at Green Bay

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Packers finally beat the Cowboys in a defensive battle

Since 1993, the Dallas Cowboys have dominated the Green Bay Packers in the regular season and in the playoffs. In that span, the Cowboys were 7-0 against the Packers including three playoff victories to end the Packers’ season.

Last year, the Packers won the Super Bowl; however, they did not go through the Cowboys to do it. The Cowboys lost in the Divisional round of the playoffs to the Carolina Panthers. Many Packer fans wanted that 1996 NFC Championship game victory over the Cowboys but didn’t get it. Many Packer detractors believe that the Packers’ Super Bowl victory last year was tainted because they didn’t beat the Cowboys to do it.

With that being said, the Packers circled this Sunday on the calendar as the Packers took on the Cowboys. In all those losses mentioned before, the Cowboys won at home in Texas Stadium. Now the Packers had the ‘Boys at Lambeau and revenge was on their minds.

Unlike the past seven games which featured high-scoring offenses, this game came down to the two defenses and the Packer defense was just a little better.

With 2 and half minutes on the clock and the Cowboys’ leading 10-9, QB Troy Aikman was driving the Cowboys down in Packer territory to seal the game. The Cowboys were forced into a third down situation at the Packer 28-yard line and that’s when Packers’ defensive coordinator Fritz Shermur called a blitz, and it paid off. Cornerback Doug Evans blitzed off Michael Irvin and came scot-free. Evans drilled Aikman causing Aikman to fumble the football. There was a wild scramble for the ball, and Reggie White came up with it at the Packers’ 42-yard line!

On the Packers’ first offensive play of the series, QB Brett Favre rifled a short pass to Robert Brooks, who broke free in the Cowboys’ secondary and raced 45 yards down to the Cowboys’ 13-yard line. A 12-yard run from RB Dorsey Levens put the ball at the ‘Boys 1-yard line, but that’s when the defense stiffened. A few negative plays forced the Packers to try a 22-yard field goal by Ryan Longwell, who kicked three field goals early in the game. With anxious fans in the stands, Longwell booted his fourth of the day to give the Packers a 12-10 lead with 1:15 to play.

Aikman had a few shots to put the Cowboys into field goal range, but on a third down play he was intercepted by linebacker Brian Williams to end the Cowboys’ opportunity to win the game. The Packers ran out the clock to secure the 12-10 victory.

The Packers got the vindication they were looking for and are now 11-1 on the season. They will be on the road the next three weeks as they start the road trip at Minnesota on Monday Night next week. The Cowboys are now 5-7 and are on the outside looking in at the playoff picture. They will host the Oilers on Thanksgiving Day.

1997 Game 168 Stats