Beating the Spread ...
The season was 1990, first the AFC, where Derek Landel's Seahawks
defeated the Raiders and Dolphins to play former Paydirt
champ John Ellman's Colts in the AFC Championship game. Coach
Landel kept the Colts defense off balance consistently, and Seattle
advanced to the Super Bowl with a 32-10 thumping of the Colts.
The
NFC saw Bill O'Neal upset the heavily favored NY Giants, ending
Harry Flawd's chance for a third straight and fifth overall title
end at the hands of Mike Cook's Cardinals, 52-27. Other winners
were Devin Flawd's Bears, the Packers, and Lions. Devin's Bears
then defeated Mike's Cardinals and John Ellman's Packers beat
Robert Destro's Lions to set up John with another shot at the
Super Bowl. A fantastic game, with Devin's Bears holding on via
a huge gamble on 4th and 1 from their
own 35, leading 20-15 with 2:20 left, getting the first down
and a berth in the Super Bowl. This also was a tightly fought
battle, tied at 7 until the Bears scored on a 3 yard run with
:30 left in the half to give the Bears a 14-7 lead. Seattle surged
back in the 3rd quarter with a 3 yd run on 4th down and converted
a Chicago fumble into a FG with 1:10 left in the quarter, to
lead 17-14. The Bears tied it with a 50 yard FG with 8:20 left,
before Seattle regained the advantage with an 11 yard run to
lead 24-17 with 6:00 left. But the Bears would not die, and
with 1:20 left in regulation, they scored from five yards out
to knot the game at 24, forcing OT.
Overtime featured missed opportunities on both sides, with
each team missing a FG and 4th down tries. Seattle had the chance
to win again, but on a 3rd and 3 at the Bear 28, they were called
for illegal motion, moving the ball back to the 33. After an
incomplete pass, Seattle lined up for the game winner...only
to see it fall 3 yards short!! Devin then drove to the Seattle
45, where he faced 4th and 2. He went for it, and rushed the
ball for four yards and a first down. The Bears then drove to
the Seahawk 2 yard line, where on 4th down, Skip Butler attempted
the game winner.....it was up and GOOD!!! This was a fantastic
battle, congratulations to Derek on making it to the Super Bowl
and Devin on beginning his own Paydirt tradition
in the family.
|