Xf
-? ? Alamo Heritage Bowl
Defensive line play is critical for A&T
By Chronide Staff
The Alamo Heritage Bowl will
feature its share of top-flight stars
when North Carolina A&T squares
off against Alabama State two Satur
days from now at Joe Robbie Stadi
um in Miami.
But in spite of the stars pres
ence, this game will come down to
how well the Aggies defensive line
performs against the Hornets offen
sive line.
Center Patrick Johnson, guard
William Kyle and tackle Roman
Nelson are the primary bulldozers
that enabled Alabama State's
offense to average 41.2 ppg and
427.6 total ypg.
When you consider that those
three have an average weight of
almost 282 pounds per man, you
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By MICHAEL A. LUTZ
Associated Press Sports Writer
HOUSTON ? The Houston
Oilers did the same things they
did two weeks ago in a loss to the
Pittsburgh Steelers.
Sunday, they just did it bet*
ter.
Houston rallied behind a
rejuvenated running game and
two touchdowns by Allen Pinkett
for a satisfying 31-6 victory over
the Steelers that gave the Oilers
their first AFC Central Division
championship, *
"It's been a long time com
ing,*' Oilers center Bruce
Matthews said. "I think about the
guys who have come and gone
and helped make this team what it
is. I feel for those guys. It's hard
to imagine we got to this point."
The Oilers (10-4) had failed
two straight weeks to wrap up the
title in losses to the Steelers <26
14) and Philadelphia (13-6).
They weren't going to be
denied a third time Sunday.
Pinkett rushed 98 yards on
16 carries and had touchdown
runs of seven and 11 yards. The
improved running, opened the
Oilers passing lanes and allowed
Warren Moon to complete 23 of
36 passes for 254 yards and a 16
yard touchdown pass to Haywood
Jeffires.
"All the maybes and what ifs
are behind us now, it's here-,"
Matthews said. "And it's very
gratifying."
The Oilers defense contribut
ed to the victory with seven sacks
and a 70-yard fumble return by
linebacker A1 Smith for a touch
down.
"I played half-mad,** said
Ray Childress, who had two
sacks. "I*ve been here for 10
years and this is my happiest
moment. I felt we had to play half
mad, violent. We*ve been too gen
^tie " ? v''"? v~*" '** - *
Moon threw a career high
five interceptions in the 26-14
loss to the Steelers but he had
only one on Sunday.
"We didn't do a whole lot
difference and they didn*t do a lot
different,** Moon said, comparing
the two games. "We just didn*t
turn the ball over and we ran the
. ball better because we ran it more
today.
"We played a cat and mouse
game with their defense because
they were really coming at us.**
The Oilers manhandled the
Steelers from the start, taking a
10-3 half time lead on Pinkett*s
seven-yard run and a 24-yard field
goal by A1 Del Greco.
Pittsburgh (5-9) got its only
points on a 54-yard field goal by
eGary Anderson as the half time
buzzer sounded and a 36-yard
Anderson kick with 13 minutes
expired in the third quarter.
The Oilers went up 17-3 with
6:21 expired in the third quarter
jpn Moon's pass to Jeffires, who
leaped high in the end zone for
the score. Pinkett scored on an 11
yard run 35 seconds into the
fourth quarter.
The Steelers drove to the
Houston eight yard line where
Lamar Lathon forced quarterback
Nell O'Don^lft'ftimbl*. Smith
scooped it up and ran 70 Viitls for
the final Oiler touchdown.
The celebration started
before the end of the game with
Houston Coach Jack Pardee being
doused twice with kegs of water.
Ernest Givins did an end zone
dance and defensive end Sean
Jones remained on the field long
after his teammates had gone into
the locker room.
"We've been so close for so
many years and this is such a spe
cial moment,** Pardee said. "I've
been here 10 years and five of
those were littered with coaching
changes. This is a relief as much
as anything*"
Pittsburgh coach Chuck Noll
saw little difference in the two
games except the outcome.
Irving sets Cowboys' all-time receiving record
IRVING, Texas (AP) ? Wide receiver
Michael Irvin set an all-time Dallas record Sunday
for catches in a season, grabbing 5 for 101 in the
Cowboys* 23-14 victory over New Orleans. IrvnTs
78 receptions this year erased Herschel Walker's
team record of 76 in 1986.
With 1,262 receiving yards; Irvin also surpassed
the team season record of 1,232 yards set by Bob
Hayes in 1966. He also tied Hayes* record of six
100-yard receiving games in a single season. And he
tied Lance Rentzers team record of three 100-plus
games in a row.
... Eric Martin, the Saints* all-time leading
receiver, extended to 71 the number of straight
games in which he has caught a pass. He caught 6
for 66 yards and a touchdown against the Cowboys.
... Saints cornerback Toi Cook was sidelined
Sunday with a fractured left forearm. The extent of
the injury was not immediately known.
... Ken Wilis, with a 50-yarder, became the only
Cowboy ever to kick three field goals of 50 or more
yards in one season. His three Sunday hiked his total
for the year to 23, tying him for second most field
goals in a season. Rafael Septien set the record of 27
in 1981
... New Orleans remains one of 10 NFL teams
still looking to win a game at Texas Stadium. Sun
day's loss was the Saints* seventh straight in Texas
Stadium and ninth in a row in Dallas. Overall, Dallas
holds a 13-3 edge in the series.
May the meaning of the holiday
be deeper, its friendship stronger,
its hope brighter as it comes
to you during the new year.
understand why ASU gets things
done on the line of scrimmage.
The key barometer for A&T in
this game is the defensive line.
When the Aggies have lost, it's
because the front line didn't win the
battle. That was the case vs. Win
ston-Salem State (a 13-10 loss) and
vs. Delaware State (31-26 loss).
Down linemen Kevin Little,
Knox Thompson and Reggie White
form the core of a defense that
topped the MEAC charts in quarter
back sacks (47) and interceptions
(22) during the regular season.
A&T's bruising trio accounted
for 70 percent of the team's sack
total. Quickness is a forte for the
guys up front But they have suffi
cient size to battle against other -
bulksters, averaging roughly 272
pounds per man.
When those three are in their
collective groove, few teams can
keep them from being disruptive
forces.
If A&T is to reign as the first
ever Alamo Heritage Bowl champi
on, it will be because its defensive
line won the war in the trenches.
Photo by Chronido Staff
Knox Thompson (99 at far
left) and his A&T Una mates
will be very busy In Miami.
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