TOP PERFORMANCESPassingQuarterback, Team Att. Cmp. Yds. TD...

L.A. Times Archives

Oct. 16, 1989 12 AM PT

TOP PERFORMANCES

Passing

Quarterback, Team Att. Cmp. Yds. TD WARREN MOON, Oilers 26 16 317 1 JIM McMAHON, Chargers 25 34 286 1 STEVE WALSH, Cowboys 36 25 285 1 BOBBY HEBERT, Saints 29 18 281 3 RODNEY PEETE, Lions 31 17 268 1 DAN MARINO, Dolphins 33 16 266 0

Rushing

Player, Team Car. Yds. TD HERSCHEL WALKER, Vikings 18 148 0 OTTIS ANDERSON, Cardinals 25 101 0

Receiving

Player, Team No. Yds. TD HERMAN HEARD, Chiefs 9 90 0 ERNIE JONES, Cardinals 8 144 0 ANTHONY MILLER, Chargers 7 116 0 WEBSTER SLAUGHTER, Browns 7 106 0 RODNEY HOLMAN, Bengals 7 93 1 VANCE JOHNSON, Broncos 7 80 0 DENNIS GENTRY, Bears 6 110 1 MICHAEL IRVIN, Cowboys 6 60 0 JOHN L. WILLIAMS, Seahawks 6 53 1 NEAL ANDERSON, Bears 6 51 1 ERIC MARTIN, Saints 5 131 2 MARK DUPER, Dolphins 5 129 0 DREW HILL, Oilers 5 128 1

BIG PLAYS

Detroit quarterback Rodney Peete, a rookie from USC, scrambled five yards for a touchdown with 23 seconds remaining to give the Lions a 17-16 win against Tampa Bay.

Atlanta’s Paul McFadden kicked a 22-yard field goal with six seconds remaining to give the Falcons a 16-15 win over the New England Patriots. His winning kick came a little more than three minutes after he missed a 40-yard attempt.

Miami’s Dan Marino completed passes of 41, 34 and 36 yards to Mark Duper on three separate drives in the second half to set up two touchdowns and a field goal in the Dolphins’ 20-13 victory over Cincinnati.

San Francisco’s Steve Wallace blocked a 43-yard field-goal attempt by Dallas and Johnny Jackson grabbed the ball and returned it 62 yards for a touchdown in the 49ers’ 31-14 victory. . . . With the game tied 14-14, the 49ers’ Tom Holmoe intercepted a Steve Walsh pass and returned it 23 yards to the Dallas 20 to set up the go-ahead touchdown.

Jeff Bryant blocked Chris Bahr’s extra-point attempt and Joe Nash blocked Bahr’s 51-yard field-goal attempt as Seattle held off San Diego, 17-16.

The New York Giants converted three fourth-down plays, and Phil Simms turned two of them into fourth-quarter touchdown passes to Mark Bavaro and Odessa Turner as New York beat Washington, 20-17, and maintained sole possession of first place in the NFC East.

Allen Pinkett dashed 60 yards to set up a 12-yard touchdown run by Lorenzo White with 1:46 to play as Houston rallied to defeat Chicago, 33-28.

Herschel Walker, on his first play from scrimmage as a member of the Minnesota Vikings, shed four tackles en route to a 47-yard run that led to the Vikings’ first touchdown in a 26-14 victory over Green Bay.

LOWLIGHTS

Raider quarterbacks Jay Schroeder and Steve Beuerlein combined to complete only six of 21 passes for 102 yards with no touchdowns and threw two interceptions. Schroeder was five of 16 for 87 yards and one interception before being replaced in the fourth quarter by Beuerlein, who was one for five for 17 yards with an interception.

Mike Tomczak threw four interceptions and Chicago committed six turnovers, squandering a 28-19 lead with less than five minutes remaining in a 33-28 loss to the Houston Oilers.

The Philadelphia-Phoenix game, played in 85-degree weather, drew a crowd of 42,620 at 74,724-seat Sun Devil Stadium, the lowest turnout since the Cardinals moved from St. Louis in 1988.

Dallas, without Herschel Walker, gained only 60 yards rushing in a 31-14 loss to San Francisco.

Cleveland quarterback Bernie Kosar was intercepted a career-high four times and the Browns committed seven turnovers--five in the first half--in a 17-7 loss to Pittsburgh.

STREAKS

Cleveland’s Ozzie Newsome caught two passes for 28 yards, extending to 148 games his streak of games with receptions, in the Browns’ 17-7 loss to Pittsburgh.

Miami did not allow a quarterback sack in its 20-13 victory over Cincinnati, extending to 18 games its NFL record. In that span, the Dolphins have attempted 729 passes--including 713 by Dan Marino. . . . The Bengals rushed for 146 yards in 32 carries, an average of 4.6 per rush, extending to 19 games their NFL record for games with a four-yard-plus average per rushing attempt. . . . Miami ended Cincinnati’s home winning streak at 12.

Kansas City allowed the Raiders only 246 net yards and has not surrendered 300 yards to any team this season. . . . Chief kicker Nick Lowery was successful on two extra-point attempts and has converted 183 in a row, the longest active streak in the NFL. . . . Stephone Paige had one reception for eight yards and has caught passes in 54 consecutive games.

Mickey Shuler caught five passes for 54 yards, extending to 83 his streak of games with receptions, in the New York Jets’ 29-14 loss to New Orleans.

Anthony Carter caught one pass for 15 yards, extending to 55 his streak of games with receptions, in Minnesota’s 26-14 victory over Green Bay.

Detroit’s 17-16 win over Tampa Bay snapped a seven-game losing streak dating back to last season and was the first for the Lions (1-5) using the run-and-shoot attack installed by assistant coach Mouse Davis. . . . Detroit’s Eddie Murray made a 28-yard field goal in the first quarter, extending to 18 his team record for consecutive field goals, in the Lions’ 17-16 victory over Tampa Bay.

Mike Quick caught one pass for 24 yards, extending to 61 his streak of games with receptions, in Philadelphia’s 17-5 victory over Phoenix.

MILESTONES

Randall Cunningham of Philadelphia, who threw two third-quarter touchdown passes to Cris Carter, surpassed the 10,000-yard mark for career passing in the Eagles’ 17-5 victory over Phoenix.

Cunningham who completed only four of 11 passes for 33 yards and threw three interceptions in the first half, finished with 16 of 29 for 192 yards and now has 10,111 yards in his five-year NFL career.

In addition to the feat, Cunningham earned the game ball after scrambling out of trouble to loft a 48-yard touchdown pass to Cris Carter, giving the Eagles a 14-5 lead.

“I thought it was a great call and a really great play by Randall,” Eagle Coach Buddy Ryan said. “I gave Randall the game ball because he was our whole offense for the entire game.”

Pittsburgh’s Chuck Noll became the fifth coach in NFL history to coach 300 regular-season games. Noll, in 21st season, is 171-128-1 in the regular season after the Steelers’ 17-7 victory over Sunday. He is 15-7 in post-season play.

Dean Biasucci kicked a career-best 55-yard field goal for Indianapolis in the Colts’ 14-3 loss to Denver. . . . Jeff Jaeger’s 50-yarder for the Raiders also was his longest in the NFL.

IN QUOTES

Green Bay linebacker Tim Harris, on Herschel Walker’s debut with Minnesota: “He did everything he was supposed to do for them. We just tried to contain him. We didn’t do very well, did we?”

Minnesota Coach Jerry Burns, who had said Walker would see only limited action against the Packers: “When I saw him run, I changed my mind. . . . I’m not the smartest guy, but I’m not a complete idiot, either.”

Linebacker Mike Singletary after Chicago squandered a 28-19 lead in the final five minutes of a 33-28 loss to Houston: “We didn’t play good and we didn’t play smart and in the National Football League, that’ll get you killed.”

Detroit linebacker Chris Spielman, after the Lions defeated Tampa Bay, 17-16, for their first victory of the season: “This football team needed a win like a cure for cancer. We almost forgot how to win. Today we proved we have character, poise and don’t quit.”

Atlanta’s Paul McFadden, who earlier missed a 40-yard field goal, after kicking a 22-yarder with six minutes left to give the Falcons a 16-15 victory over New England: “In my younger days I would have overreacted (to the earlier miss), but you’ve got to be a pro and think positive. I knew on the next one the odds were in my favor. I definitely knew the heat was on.” Phoenix quarterback Tom Tupa, after being intercepted six times in a 17-5 loss to Philadelphia, his first NFL start: “It was a hell of an initiation into the NFL. I was excited about starting, but the game was something else.”

INJURIES

Pittsburgh lost wide receiver Louis Lipps (hamstring injury) and running back Tim Worley (bruised elbow) during its 17-7 victory over Cleveland.

Phoenix linebacker Randy Kirk will be sidelined four to six weeks because of a broken right ankle suffered in a 17-5 loss to Philadelphia.

New York Jet quarterback Ken O’Brien, who came on in relief of Kyle Mackey in the third quarter of a 29-14 loss to New Orleans, left because of a sprained thumb. Jet receiver Michael Harper left on a stretcher because of a knee injury.

CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE

Jim Finks, still in the running to become the next National Football League commissioner, said Sunday he might be the centerpiece in a power struggle between two factions of owners.

“I don’t know,” the New Orleans Saints’ president and general manager said. “I’ve done what I’ve been asked to do. I was called. I didn’t apply for the job. I was supported by a lot of people. I was recommended by the first search committee. Then they formed another committee and I was one of the final four they submitted. I interviewed in Dallas and I’m still in the hunt.”

Finks, three votes short of being elected commissioner in June, repeated his intention to leave his name in consideration for the job for the duration of the search, but said he was not interested in the possibility of sharing the post as a deputy or co-commissioner.

At 62, Finks said he does not consider his age a handicap.

“I don’t think it would be 29 years like Rozelle served, but I don’t plan on retiring from a job in the immediate future,” he said. “I think I’m in good health and it shouldn’t be a factor. It isn’t with me.”

DEFENSIVE STANDS

The league’s best defense got the better of the league’s best offense in Minnesota’s 26-14 victory over Green Bay. The Vikings recorded eight sacks--including four by Keith Millard--and limited the Packers, averaging 441 yards a game, to 219. Reggie Rutland had two interceptions for Minnesota.

Denver’s top-ranked rushing defense held Eric Dickerson to only 35 yards in 13 carries and the Colts had only 44 yards rushing and 128 yards in total offense in the Broncos’ 14-3 victory.

Jumpy Geathers recovered two fumbles for New Orleans, one leading to a field goal and the other to a touchdown in the Saints’ 29-14 victory over the New York Jets. . . . The defense provided the Jets’ only points in the game. James Hasty returned an interception 34 yards for one touchdown and Erik McMillan scooped up a fumble by Craig Heyward and returned it 74 yards for another touchdown.

Philadelphia intercepted six Tom Tupa passes and sacked the second-year quarterback six times in a 17-5 victory over Phoenix.