Sunday, December 31, 2000
NFL insider
Shanahan chasing Lombardi's legacy
By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Broncos coach Mike Shanahan, whose team is a three-point underdog today in Baltimore, is chasing the man for whom the Super Bowl trophy is named.
Should Denver win its next two playoff games, Shanahan would tie Vince Lombardi for winingest all-time playoff percentage. Lombardi's playoff record is 9-1 (.900), Shanahan's is 7-1 (.875), including seven straight postseason wins.
GIANT KILLERS: The Packers finished 9-7 but failed to make the playoffs, even though they won six games — more than any team in the league — against teams with winning records. Green Bay was 6-4 in games against teams that finished with winning records.
Teams with the second-most victories against clubs with winning records were the Titans (5-1), Bucs (5-4), Jets (5-6) and Lions (5-7). The Saints (one) and Eagles (two) had the fewest victories over teams with winning records.
WINNER: Of the quarterbacks who qualified for the playoffs, Tennessee's Steve McNair has the most postseason experience. He was 3-1 as a starter in last season's playoffs. No other quarterback has started four playoff games.
SHAMPOO: The city of Philadelphia had to bring in a local carpet-cleaning company Wednesday to clean up the Veterans Stadium artificial turf for today's first-round playoff game against Tampa Bay.
Last week, with temperatures in the teens, the turf froze. A thin layer of ice formed on top of it. The stadium operations people had calcium chloride put down to de-ice the turf. It did that, but also left film on the field that made the balls a greasy mess in the Eagles' 16-7 win against Cincinnati. There were six fumbles in the game, including two by the Eagles, and two interceptions.
City officials denied using calcium chloride on the carpet. Then they confessed and brought in the company to steam clean the turf, which is the only way to get the film off the rug.
TATTOO MAN: Earlier in the season, coach Jon Gruden agreed to get a tattoo with receiver Andre Rison if the Raiders won the AFC West.
Gruden plans to honor the deal, and Rison said Gruden might get a tattoo that says “Deuce,” the name of Gruden's 6-year-old son — Jon II, aka Deuce. And Rison'll get one to match it.
TURNOVER TALK: The Raiders, who won their first AFC West title in 10 years, were on the minus side in turnover ratio just four times all season. In those games, they were 0-4.
Oakland was on the plus side in nine games and even in three others. In those games, it was 12-0.
APPRECIATION: The Ravens gave Ozzie Newsome a three-year contract extension during the season, owner Art Modell said this past week.
“He's a Hall of Famer on the field and off the field,” Modell told writers who cover the team. “He's like a son to me, and I love him dearly. I've seen what he can do for a franchise.”
MR. STEELER: Sign Jerome Bettis. That was the plea from linebacker Levon Kirkland, the captain of the defense, and cornerback Dewayne Washington.
Bettis rushed for 1,352 yards, the fourth-most in team history. He was voted MVP by his teammates for the third time in five seasons.
“He's the epitome of the Pittsburgh Steelers, our identity. To lose him would really be a big blow,” Washington told Pittsburgh reporters.
Bettis wants to return and is positive a deal can be worked out.
HORSESHOE HAPPENINGS: That Colts quarterback Peyton Manning led the league in passing (4,413 yards) while running back Edgerrin James led in rushing (1,709 yards) is more than impressive. It's historic.
It has happened only once in the NFL and not since 1937, when Washington's Sammy Baugh passed for 1,127 yards and Cliff Battles ran for 874 yards.
NO WONDER: Before the season, the Bears said their success depended Cade McNown and Curtis Enis, their No.1 draft choices in 1999 and 1998. After going 0-for-2, their 5-11 record should be no surprise. And the future for both McNown and Enis does not look good.
Coach Dick Jauron took the blame at his postseason press conference and admitted the obvious; he won't be around long if his third season at the helm looks anything like the first two 6-10 and 5-11.
McNown finished the season 1-8 as a starter and ranked 29th among in NFL passer rating. Enis lost his job to undrafted free agent James Allen.
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