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And then there were eight ... Elway-Marino rematch highlights next week's lineup
Posted: Sunday January 03, 1999 09:43 PM
NEW YORK (AP) -- Like twins separated at birth, John Elway and Dan Marino met just once since being drafted in that great quarterback class of 1983. Next week, they meet for the second time in four weeks. Marino at Elway (well, Miami at Denver). That matchup was set up when Jacksonville beat New England 25-10 Sunday, sending the Dolphins, who beat Buffalo 24-17 on Saturday, to Mile High Stadium. "We know it's going to be an uphill battle playing on the road when they have two weeks to prepare and an opportunity to get their team healthy," said Jimmy Johnson, whose Dolphins beat the Broncos 31-21 in Miami on Dec. 21. "That's why teams with a bye playing at home have such a high winning percentage in the playoffs. By the same token, anything can happen, and we like the opportunity to go take a few chances." The Dolphins-Broncos game will be late next Saturday, preceded by San Francisco at Atlanta, a matchup set up by Steve Young's 25-yard touchdown pass to Terrell Owens with three seconds left that beat Green Bay 30-27. The Jaguars will be at the New York Jets on Sunday. Then Minnesota, which finished with the NFL's best record, will host Arizona, which upset Dallas 20-7 for its first playoff victory in 51 years. According to the early odds, only the 49ers-Falcons is expected to be close. Atlanta is favored by 3 points, the margin the oddsmakers generally provide for home field. Minnesota is favored by 14 1/2 over the Cardinals; Denver is an 11 1/2-point favorite over Miami; and the Jets are a 7-point favorite against Jacksonville. Here's a game-by-game preview: Miami (11-6) at Denver (14-2)When these two met last month, the Broncos were at the end of four-game slide that included unimpressive wins over San Diego and Kansas City and a loss to the Giants that ended their hopes for an unbeaten season. They recouped somewhat by winning their final game against Seattle and now have had a week to get ready for the playoffs. Marino easily outplayed Elway in their first meeting, their first since 1985, throwing for 355 yards and four touchdowns, three to Lamar Thomas. Elway had his worst game of the season, throwing for just 151 yards and completing just 13 of 36 pass attempts. But the home field advantage is huge for Denver. The Broncos haven't lost at Mile High in 17 games, or since they were shocked two years ago by the Jaguars. Miami is 8-1 at home, but just 3-5 on the road, and has lost eight straight playoff games away from Miami since Jan. 13, 1974, when the Dolphins beat Minnesota in Houston to win their second Super Bowl. "If I don't win a Super Bowl, I hope John does," Marino said before last season. Elway won his last year. Marino's quest is likely to end in Elway's home. San Francisco (13-4) at Atlanta (14-2)This game might finalize the passing of the torch in the NFC West. The 49ers handed the Falcons one of their two losses, 31-20 at San Francisco, then lost 31-19 at Atlanta in the biggest regular-season victory in the Falcons' 30-year history. The Falcons were doing this weekend what the 49ers have done most seasons since 1981. They rested while San Francisco was using every ounce of its energy to beat the Packers. "I spent a couple of days in bed," said Jamal Anderson, who set an NFL record with 410 carries this year. But Anderson's 49ers counterpart, Garrison Hearst, was being helped off the field at the end of Sunday's game after aggravating a leg injury. Anderson will be healthier next week, the benefit of the bye. So, probably will Atlanta. Jacksonville (12-5) at New York Jets (12-4)"Before you start the Parcells-Coughlin deal, I'll take a few minutes to enjoy this one," Tom Coughlin said after his Jaguars beat the Patriots on Sunday. Yes, it's Tuna vs. Tuna South -- Coughlin, who served on Bill Parcells' staff with the Giants from 1988-90. Another connection: Chris Palmer, the Jaguars' offensive coordinator, was Parcells' quarterback coach in New England. "It's not like we don't have an idea about the head coach and the guy calling plays there," Parcells said. Conventional wisdom says the Jets were the best team in the AFC the last month of the season; they were certainly better than the Broncos in December. They also figure to be better than the Jaguars, particularly with Mark Brunell's mobility limited by his sprained ankle. "I don't enjoy playing against a friend," Parcells said. But he probably won't mind beating him. Arizona (10-7) at Minnesota (15-1)Dennis Green doesn't try to disguise his confidence with coachspeak. When he was asked Sunday what they'd do if Aeneas Williams shut down Randy Moss the way he shut down Michael Irvin, he replied: "We've got a lot of weapons. Just guarding Randy Moss is not what you have to do to stop us." The Cardinals have had a nice run. They made the playoffs for the first time in 16 years and won a playoff game for the first time in 51, just their second postseason win in 79 seasons as a franchise. "Watching the change in this team all season was like watching a flower grow from a seed to a beautiful bloom," said rookie defensive end Andre Wadsworth. A very literate line for a defensive lineman. But after next week, the desert rose will probably have to take up blooming again next year.
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