AFC East

The book on ... Sam Madison

Dolphins CB 5-11/185 2nd year

When Miami's defensive coaches came to the cornerbacks last January and told them that the team's defensive philosophy would call for in-the-receiver's-face, bump-and-run coverage almost exclusively, Sam Madison didn't flinch. He stood and cheered.

"I'd rather have that, where you're responsible for covering your man all over the field, than playing off the way we did last season," says Madison, who has become a key performer on the NFL's stingiest defense. "The way it was, we were letting guys catch it easy and then trying to drop them. It was frustrating."

The coaches thought a change was necessary after the Dolphins allowed opponents to complete more than 62 percent of their passes in 1996 and '97. So far, the improvement has been extraordinary. Opponents are completing 51.3 percent this year and the Dolphins have picked off 15 passes, five more than in all of '97.

Madison has intercepted three passes, but that's not surprising for someone who intercepted a school-record 16 passes at Louisville before being nabbed by the Dolphins in the second round of the 1997 draft. He fell on draft day because he ran a 4.5 40, and six corners (presumably all faster) were taken in the first round.

Madison is a physical cornerback who loves to get into opponents' heads. At Louisville, he was known for talking. He prides himself on having baited former Michigan State and current Rams QB Tony Banks into a pick.

"He's pretty good at practice," Dolphins wide receiver O.J. McDuffie says of Madison's verbal skills. "But he picks it up a notch in the game."

Buffalo

6-4: T 2nd

Riemersma deserves to start instead of Johnson

Starting TE Lonnie Johnson continues to make major mistakes, whether he is playing on offense or special teams. Meanwhile, backup TE Jay Riemersma caught his team-leading fifth touchdown pass in the 13-10 victory over the Patriots last week. In all, Riemersma caught four passes for 51 yards. For three years, Johnson has been the starting tight end, and he has regressed every year from 49 catches in 1995 to 46 in '96 to 41 in '97. Johnson has only eight catches for 87 yards this season, and his TD total remains stuck on three--for his career. The coaching staff points to Johnson's above-average blocking as the reason why he remains the starter. However, Riemersma's blocking certainly isn't much worse than Johnson's, and his pass-catching ability is dearly superior. Also, Doug Flutie goes to Riemersma in clutch situations but rarely looks Johnson's way. Riemersma plays a lot as it is, as many as 30 or 40 plays a game. So why not put Johnson in that role, and let Riemersma play every down? ... Against the Colts, the Bills might have to play more 4-3 defense than they have all season because MLB John Holecek will be out 2-4 weeks with a knee injury. Holecek has been outstanding, leading the team in tackles, and rookie Sam Cowart has been a pleasant surprise. But the only other inside linebackers on the roster are Marlo Perry and Joe Cummings. Perry is the dime linebacker and is not an every-down player, and Cummings had played in just four NFL games, with all of his action coming on special teams, before replacing Holecek midway through the Patriots game. Cowart should start at middle linebacker against the Colts.

DOSE OF REALITY: For the second week in a row, Flutie had a rather ordinary day, and his two end-zone interceptions could have been disastrous. However, the defense bailed him out with a sterling performance. Another key to victory was the running game, which piled up 213 yards against the league's third-ranked run defense. Down the stretch this season, running the ball and playing strong defense will be more important to the Bills' success than Flutie having huge days.

GOAL-LINE STAND: The victory over New England proved one thing: The Bills can beat any opponent on their home turf. However, after this week's breather against the Colts at home, the Bills will face a huge test at New England, which will be their final road division game. If they win, they could make a real run at the division title.--Sal Mariorana

GRADING OUT vs. New England

OFFENSE B

Running game outstanding,
but red-zone turnovers could have been very costly.

DEFENSE A

Holding the Patriots to 10
points, 11 first downs and
206 yards was impressive.

SPECIAL TEAMS B

Lonnie Johnson's fumbled
kickoff and holding penalty
offset otherwise decent day.

STRATEGY B

Team regrouped after
debacle vs. Jets, but some
play-calling was suspect.
BILLS

PASSING            Att.     Comp.    Pct.     Yds.     Long

Flutie             193      112     58.0     1419      82t
R. Johnson          87       55     63.2      694       50

PASSING            TD      Int.     Rate     Sacks

Flutie             11        7      85.0       6
R. Johnson          5        3      92.8      24

RUSHING           Att.     Yds.     Avg.      TD

A. Smith           184      681      3.7       3
Thomas              67      288      4.3       2
Flutie              30      140      4.7       1

RECEIVING          No.     Yds.     Avg.      TD

Reed               37       454     12.3       3
Moulds             36       687     19.1       5
Thomas             19       180      9.5       0

SCORING            XPM      XPA      FGM      FGA     Pts.

Christie           22       22       19       25       79

PUNTING            No.     Yds.     Avg.     Blk.

Mohr               47      1972     42.0       0

KO RETURNS         No.     Yds.     Avg.      TD

K. Williams        30       681     22.7       0

PUNT RETURNS       No.     Yds.     Avg.      TD

K. Williams        22      176       8.0       0

SACKS:  B. Smith 7.0,  Hansen 6.5,
Rogers 2.5

INTERCEPTIONS: Jones 3, Schulz 3,
Jackson 2

Indianapolis

2-8: 5th

Manning must turn into a road warrior in Buffalo

Much had been made about the offense's penchant for scoring meaningless touchdowns. During a 1-8 start, seven of the team's 14 touchdowns had been scored in the final eight minutes of the fourth quarter of games that had been long before decided. But that persistence finally paid off in a stunning victory over the Jets. Peyton Manning directed the team on a clutch 15-play, 80-yard touchdown drive in the closing minutes. Manning was poise personified during the hectic drive, completing 8-of-13 passes for 93 yards with two rushes for seven yards.... Now that Manning has registered his first NFL fourth-quarter comeback, he must solidify his game away from home. That begins Sunday in Buffalo. He had his best game of the season at San Francisco (231 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions), but he struggled in his three other road games. In lopsided losses at New England, Miami and the Jets, he completed just 52.9 percent of his passes, averaged 173.7 yards with two touchdowns and seven interceptions.

WORKHORSE: The Colts continue to test the durability of RB Marshall Faulk. Who can blame them? Faulk is 10 games into what could be the most productive season of his five-year career. He is among the league leaders in total yards (1,369) and has accounted for a league-best 44.3 percent of his team's total offense. Although the team has had trouble establishing him as a consistent threat on the ground (3.6 yards per carry), Faulk has done serious damage to defenses as a receiver out of the backfield. He has 54 catches--two shy of matching his career high, and could conceivably lead the NFL in receptions.

GOAL-LINE STAND: It will be interesting to see whether SS Robert Blackmon figures into the team's long-term plans. In Sunday's victory over the Jets, FS Jason Belser moved to strong safety, journeyman Tim Hauck moved to free safety and Blackmon moved to the bench. Before being demoted, Blackmon had started 23 of a possible 25 games since joining the team in '97. The team said the safety shuffle was made to bolster run support. But Blackmon wondered if it was because he dropped several potential interceptions early in the season. Blackmon got ample time against the Jets in passing situations, but once again a possible pick squirted through his hands. If the team is convinced an upgrade is needed at strong safety, Blackmon could be history. --Mike Chappell

GRADING OUT vs. N.Y. Jets

OFFENSE B+

Manning came through with
his first John Elway-like win
in fourth quarter.

DEFENSE B

Shrugged off poor first half
to shut down Vinny and the
Jets.

SPECIAL TEAMS D

Return on missed FG was a
fluke, but kick coverage was
shaky throughout.

STRATEGY B

Jim Mora kept team focused
after 104-yard return at end
of first half.
COLTS

PASSING            Att.    Comp.    Pct.      Yds.

Manning             378     209     55.3      2289

PASSING            Long      TD     Int.      Rate     Sacks

Manning             78t      15       20      64.6      13

RUSHING            Att.    Yds.     Avg.        TD

Faulk               213     760      3.6         2
Manning              10      54      5.4         0
Warren               10      37      3.7         0

RECEIVING           No.    Yds.     Avg.        TD

Faulk                54     609     11.3         2
Harrison             53     692     13.1         6
Pathon               29     317     10.9         0

SCORING             XPM     XPA      FGM       FGA    Pts.

Vanderjagt            9       9       17         20    60

PUNTING             No.    Yds.     Avg.       Blk.

Gardocki             52    2289     44.0          0

KO RETURNS          No.    Yds.     Avg.         TD

Elias                14     317     22.6          0

PUNT RETURNS        No.    Yds.     Avg.         TD

Poole                12     107      8.9          0

SACKS: McCoy 4.0, E. Johnson 3.0.
Berry 3.0,

INTERCEPTIONS: Blackmon 1,
Belser 1, Alexander 1, Burris 1, Poole 1

Miami

7-3: 1st

There's no let-up when preventing letdowns

One good sign heading into the final, challenging stretch: The team appears to have solved a problem it has had in past seasons--losing to teams it should beat. In each of the three previous seasons, the team has had huge letdowns, losing at least two games (seven overall) to teams with records that were at least three games under .500 at the time. But consecutive victories over Carolina and Indianapolis area a positive sign. None of the final six opponents was under .500 entering the week, and their combined record is 40-19. The final six games are against New England, New Orleans, Denver, the Jets, Oakland and Atlanta ... The team has gotten excellent production from RT James Brown, a guy it wasn't even interested in keeping after last season. Brown signed a five-year, $10 million contract in the offseason after the team failed to get Carolina OL Matt Campbell. Brown also continues to be the cleanest lineman on the team. He had one 10-yard penalty last season and is the only lineman without one this season.

BUCKLING UNDER PRESSURE: The team ran for a season-high 184 yards against Carolina, but it had zero yards rushing on 11 carries in the fourth quarter and converted only three-of-10 situations when it needed three yards or less on third down, fourth down or at the goal line. In essence, it is having big problems at crucial times. The game against the Panthers was much closer than it needed to be because the team had to settle for two field goals when twice getting to or inside the Carolina 5-yard line.... The coaching staff was very impressed with the first week of work by WR Iheanyi Uwaezuoke, who was claimed after he was let go by San Francisco. Uwaezuoke was the third receiver to play in the game against Carolina and was very good in practice, quickly picking up the system. This is further proof that the switch to the new offensive system is beneficial. In the past, receivers had a very hard time picking up the language of the old offense. Now the routes are numbered so that they can be easily understood. The team is hoping Uwaezuoke can be a deep threat.

GOAL-LINE STAND: The team has two crucial problems that must be corrected over the final six games or it will have no chance to progress in the playoffs. The running game must get to the point at which it can sustain some long drives in the fourth quarter, and the offense must convert more often on short-yardage situations.--Jason Cole

GRADING OUT vs. Carolina

OFFENSE B

There was a nice running
game--except when it
really counted.

DEFENSE A

The fifth game this season
holding opponent under
10 points.

SPECIAL TEAMS B-

Too many penalties and
coverage mistakes for a unit
this good.

STRATEGY A

J.J's message to concentrate
got through; execution
must improve.
DOLPHINS

PASSING            Att.    Comp.    Pct.    Yds.

Marino              295      168    56.9    1787
Huard                 3        2    66.7      21

PASSING            Long       TD    Int.    Rate     Sacks

Marino              61t       11       9     74.5       16
Huard                15        0       1     47.2        0

RUSHING             Att.     Yds.   Avg.      TD

Abdul-Jabbar        198      737     3.7      5
Avery                84      369     4.4      2
Parmalee              7       15     2.1      0

RECEIVING

McDuffie             46      573    12.5       2
Gadsden              26      383    14.7       3
L. Thomas            23      284    12.3       2

SCORING             XPM      XPA     FGM     FGA    Pts.

Mare                 19       19      13      15     58

PUNTING             No.      Yds.    Avg.    Blk.

Wilmsmeyer          60       2586    43.1      0

KO RETURNS          No.      Yds.    Avg.     TD

Avery               27       673     24.9      0

PUNT RETURNS        No.     Yds.     Avg.     TD

Buckley             18      212     11.8      0

SACKS: Armstrong 7.0, Taylor 6.0, Bromell 4.0

INTERCEPTIONS: Buckley 5, Walker 3, Madison 3

New England

5-5: 4th

Pats face Dolphins with severely depleted roster

Though the Patriots might get WR Terry Glenn and FB Tony Carter back for Monday night's game against Miami after four-week absences, their run of defensive injuries could be too much to overcome. The Patriots are expected to be without DE Willie McGinest, LBs Todd Collins and Chris Slade and DTs Chad Eaton and Mark Wheeler. McGinest tried to come back against Buffalo but reaggravated his groin injury and is expected to be out another three weeks. The others did not play and without them, the Patriots were unable to stop the Buffalo running game, which gained 213 yards on 46 attempts. In the first meeting with Miami this season (a 12-9 Dolphin overtime win), the Pats held Karim Abdul-Jabbar and John Avery to 73 yards on 27 carries. But the development of Avery and the resurgence of Abdul-Jabbar, combined with New England's injury problems, should make for a long Monday night.

OFFENSE SHORT-CIRCUITED: WR Vincent Brisby returned to the lineup against Buffalo but was just another question, not an answer. Playing with a splint on the broken finger that kept him out of action for the previous month, Brisby had two critical drops. He needs to re-establish himself as a go-to receiver for Drew Bledsoe.... Rookie RB Robert Edwards must improve if the Pats are to make a run at the playoffs. He had 14 carries for 50 yards against the Bills--and that was his most productive game in a month.... If the injured players can't play, the Pats are left with five healthy defensive linemen, including rookies Greg Spires and Leonta Rheams and veteran Henry Thomas, who played the entire game against Buffalo despite missing practice the last two weeks with a sprained ankle. Ferric Collons and Spires are the ends with Chris Sullivan and Thomas in the middle, leaving only the undersized Rheams, who was cut after training camp, as a reserve.

GOAL-LINE STAND: The Patriots continue to emphasize the need for offensive balance, but the diversity isn't working. The team must determine whether it's a passing team or a running team and make an attempt to establish that as its regular offense. The line has had trouble getting much push, but it has been able to protect Bledsoe pretty well. With Glenn due back this week and Shawn Jefferson and Brisby healthy again, the passing game should be more of a factor. Bledsoe is The Franchise. It's time to put the ball in his hands, as the 49ers do with Steve Young.--Kevin Mannix

GRADING OUT vs. Buffalo

OFFENSE D

Six drops by wideouts and
backs. Running game
remained stagnant.


DEFENSE C

With so many injured
regulars, the Pats couldn't
stop the run.

SPECIAL TEAMS C-

Adam Vinatieri missed two
39-yard FG attempts and
the return game did nothing.

STRATEGY D

The running game looked
promising, but the coaches
abandoned it too early.
PATRIOTS

PASSING            Att.    Comp.    Pct.     Yds.

Bledsoe             315     175     55.6     2461
Zolak                12       4     33.3       39

PASSING            Long      TD     Int.     Rate     Sacks

Bledsoe             63t      13       7      85.4       25
Zolak                20       0       1       8.7        1

RUSHING            Att.    Yds.     Avg.       TD

Edwards            176     641      3.6        7
S. Shaw             38     154      4.1        0
Cullors             11      39      3.5        0

RECEIVING           No.     Yds.    Avg.       TD

Coates              37     392     10.6        4
Glenn               25     415     16.6        2
Edwards             23     213      9.3        1

SCORING            XPM    XPA       FGM      FGA      Pts.

Vinatieri           22     22        17       23      73

PUNTING             No.    Yds.      Avg.     Blk.

Tupa                49     2209      45.1       0

KO RETURNS          No.     Yds.      Avg.      TD

Cullors             28      688      24.6       0

PUNT RETURNS        No.     Yds.      Avg.      TD

Brown               13      183      14.1       0

SACKS: Slade 3.0, McGinest 3.0, Eaton 3.0

INTERCEPTIONS: Law 7, Milloy 5, Clay 2

New York

6-4: T 2nd

Testaverde must show he can recover quickly

The spotlight will be on QB Vinny Testaverde, whose joyride ended last week with a loss to the lowly Colts. After six straight sterling performances--all wins--Testaverde imploded in an embarrassing loss. Every player is entitled to a bad game. The question is, how will he respond? A younger Testaverde would get rattled by the adversity and carry it into the next game. Now, at 35, he appears more poised and mature, and he should be able to respond favorably to his first taste of trouble. But he needs to sharpen a few areas. His decisionmaking against the Colts was shaky at best. Specifically, he must do a better job of unloading the ball to avoid sacks and protecting the ball. He fumbled three times against the Colts, losing one. The Jets need a good rebound from Testaverde because they face another tough road game against the red-hot Oilers, who have won three in a row and five of their last six.

DON'T BE FOOLED: Curtis Martin's 134-yard rushing performance last week shouldn't be viewed as a cure-all for the team's ills on the ground. The Jets still aren't a consistent running team. Yes, Martin has 806 yards, but 278 came in two games against the Colts, noted for their pillow-soft run defense. In the other eight games, he has 528 yards.... Coach Bill Parcells is concerned about a few areas, particularly both guard spots. LG Todd Burger and RG Matt O'Dwyer have been told to shape up or be prepared to sit down. The thing is, Parcells doesn't have any appealing options. The backups are rookie Doug Karczewski and Alex Bernstein, neither of whom has NFL game experience.... After surrendering their first- and third-round draft picks to sign free-agent Martin, the Jets knew they weren't going to receive much immediate help from the 1998 draft. But this is ridiculous. Of their league-high 12 draft picks, only one is a major contributor--RT Jason Fabini, a starter since Day One. The club is exasperated by what it perceives as a lack of dedication on the part of several rookies.

GOAL-LINE STAND: Parcells has done a marvelous job of rebuilding the Jets, but there's one character flaw from the previous regimes: The team still can't handle prosperity, especially when it faces an inferior opponent. Witness last week's loss to the Colts, who had dropped 21 of their previous 25 games. That was pathetic, and it proved the Jets still lack the maturity of a championship-caliber team. Ultimately, a loss that bad could cost them a playoff spot.--Rich Cimini

GRADING OUT vs. Indianapolis

OFFENSE F

Shut out in the second half
by a marshmallow defense.
Shame, shame.

DEFENSE D

Made Manning look like his
old man on the game-winning drive.

SPECIAL TEAMS A

Aaron Glenn's 104-yard
return of a missed field-goal
try--longest in NFL history.

STRATEGY F

The Colts responded to
everything the Jets threw at
them.
JETS

PASSING            Att.    Comp.     Pct.     Yds.

Testaverde         225      132     58.7     1751
Foley              105       57     54.3      738

PASSING           Long       TD      Int.    Rate    Sacks

Testaverde         82t       16        4     99.7      17
Foley               48        4        6     65.5       5

RUSHING            Att.     Yds.     Avg.      TD

Martin             236      806      3.4        3
L. Johnson          30      146      4.9        2
Sowell              24      131      5.5        0

RECEIVING           No.     Yds.     Avg.      TD

Chrebet             45      685     15.2        4
K. Johnson          43      643     15.0        7
Martin              28      225      8.0        0

SCORING            XPM      XPA      FGM      FGA     Pts.

Hall                27       28       16       23      75

PUNTING             No.     Yds.     Avg.     Blk.

Kidd                 6      256     42.7        0

KO RETURNS          No.     Yds.     Avg.      TD

Glenn               21      520     24.8        0

PUNT RETURNS        No.     Yds.     Avg.      TD

L. Johnson          16      124      7.8        0

SACKS: Lewis 6.0, B. Cox 4.0, Pleasant 3.0

INTERCEPTIONS: Glenn 4, Mickens 3, Smith 2, Green 2

COPYRIGHT 1998 Sporting News Publishing Co.
COPYRIGHT 2000 Gale Group