Without His Hands Tied, Smith Still Quite a Player

It took until December, but things finally are developing the way Emmitt Smith envisioned.

No, the Dallas Cowboys aren’t going to the playoffs, but Smith’s year has turned around unexpectedly, giving him a solid chance at an NFL record 11th consecutive 1,000-yard season.

“I’m not surprised,” Smith said after the Cowboys’ 27-21 victory against the San Francisco 49ers. “I felt all along if we can be as balanced as we were today, with our defense playing the way it is, we’d probably win a lot of games.”

Smith rushed for 126 yards, two shy of his season high set a week ago, and topped 16,000 yards for his career, joining Walter Payton as the only players to reach the milestone.

Smith has 16,110 yards, trailing Payton’s 16,726. Smith needs 56 yards next week at Detroit to reach 1,000 for the season. The only time he hasn’t had 1,000 in his 12-year career was as a rookie (937) in 1990.

This season, Smith has made no secret of his displeasure on how he has been used--or better put, not been used.

“It ain’t been the best situation,” Smith recently told the Dallas Morning News. “You have to take it and do what you can do to help the team win when your number is called. Hopefully, my number will be called enough where I can produce enough so we can win.

“If that doesn’t happen, my hands are tied.”

For an afternoon, at least, Smith broke free.

Lonesome Losers

Before the Detroit Lions got their first victory, the Carolina Panthers somehow escaped the jokes that come with being one of the worst teams in the NFL.

Now that Detroit has a victory, the floodgates are open in Carolina.

After Sunday’s 30-7 loss to Arizona, the Panthers (1-14) need to win at home Sunday against New England to avoid being the first team in NFL history to lose 15 consecutive in one season.

Coach George Seifert admits the fear of losing 15 in a row is too difficult to put aside.

“You do try to put it out of your mind,” he said. “There’s pressure in each game to try to win, so I think you just want to try to win the game and not get caught up in it. But to say that it doesn’t cross your mind, it certainly does.”

Curse of the Irish?

Notre Dame better hire a coach soon or it could mean a short playoff run for the Oakland Raiders.

Ever since Bob Davie was fired by the Irish and Raider Coach Jon Gruden became the hot candidate, Oakland has gone into a tailspin.

The team’s only victories since Davie was fired Dec. 2 (the Raiders lost that afternoon to Arizona) came against Kansas City on Dec. 9, the day George O’Leary was hired, and against San Diego on Dec. 15, the day after O’Leary resigned for lying on his resume.

Since then--and with the Notre Dame job vacant again--the Raiders are 0-2 with losses to non-playoff teams Tennessee and Denver.

Decisions, Decisions

To play him or not to play him.

That’s the quandary for the Pittsburgh Steelers when it comes to injured running back Jerome Bettis.

Bettis has missed the last four games, including Sunday’s 26-23 overtime loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, because of a groin injury.

Bettis wants to play to get ready for the playoffs. Coach Bill Cowher doesn’t want Bettis to aggravate the injury.

“What I do know is that if I don’t play, there’s going to be a certain amount of rust,” Bettis said. “The key is to minimize the rust. Do I need to play? Need is a strong word. Would I like to play? Yes.”

Actions, Not Words

The New York Jets can dismiss their so-called December curse all they want, but after their critical 14-9 loss to the lowly Buffalo Bills there is sure to be some head scratching.

Leading up to the game, however, players and coaches said all the right things.

“We have to make the best of it and not let it slip through our fingers,” quarterback said Vinny Testaverde. “Seize the moment.”

Even Coach Herman Edwards’ words didn’t make a difference.

“Hopefully our players understand the sense of urgency with two games left,” Edwards said.

Apparently, not enough.

Now, all the Jets have to do is win at Oakland Sunday or hope Seattle loses to Kansas City.

Moss Not Boss

Not even the Green Bay Packers could bring out the best in Randy Moss.

The Minnesota Vikings’ enigmatic wide receiver, who recently said that he sometimes takes plays off and that “I play when I want to play,” has been a Packer killer since coming into the league.

Before Sunday in seven games against Green Bay, Moss had caught 38 passes for 826 yards--an average of 23.6 yards per catch--and seven touchdowns.

In a 24-13 loss to Green Bay, Moss again was a non-factor, catching two passes for 10 yards.

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Compiled by Jim Barrero

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Still Rolling...

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