Tag Archives: APBA Football Replay

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

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