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Show THE DAILY HEARLD, Sports Extra, Provo, Utah, Friday, January 26, 1996 Page 2 1 for 49ers 20, Bengals 16 in Super Bowl XXIII and Giants 20, Bills 19 in Super Bowl XXV, no game has been closer than 13 points. The cumulative score is an incomprehensible 428-18which averages out to 38.9-- 1 6.5. The most points the AFC has scored in the 1 games was San Diego's 26 last year and the Chargers still lost by 23 to San Francisco. 2. What can the AFC do about it? The AFC tried to combat it by bringing over some NFC stars with Super Bowl success. But Joe Montana was getting the Chiefs to the Super Bowl, Bill By GARY MYERS New York Daily News . Oh, No, It's another Super Bowl. And that has come to mean one thing: the NFC dominates, the AFC hyperventilates. No drama. Just for fun, it would be nice if this 1, 1 . year were different, if the Steelers are at least competitive in Super Bowl XXX at Sun Devil Stadium on - Sunday. The Steeiers have Super Bowl tradition: They are 4-including victories over tlie Cowboys in two of the best Super Bowls played. The problem is those all came in the '70s before the AFC became, inflicted with Super Bowl-iti- s and the Steelers Went on Super Bowl hiatus. Pittsburgh is making its first appearance since 1979. Dallas, meanwhile, is returning for the third time in the last four years and the Boys are the 0, best team Jerry Jones' money can buy. "We're going to the Super Bowl," Dallas' Michael Irvin said. "We let someone else borrow our house last year. We're going home. That's where we belong." Pittsburgh, the team of the '70s, vs. Dallas, the team of the '90s. "We've got one more game to go," Steelers coach Bill Cowher said, "and we're not going to be satisfied until we fin- ish this thing off the right way." Here are some Super Bowl ques-- , tioas: 1. f Mswer 5 Su per qyestioiis, but only How bad has it been for the AFC? Why even ask? The last time the junior circuit won the Super Bowl was the '83 season, when the Raiders crushed the Redskins, 38-Since then, it's been all NFC. And except 9. efjcpfiiftj Herat 1555 North Freedom Boulevard P.O. Box 717. Provo, Utah 84603-071- 7 Special Sections are published by The Daily Herald. Advertising: To place a display ad contact Doug Chrlstensen at 344-295- 4. To place news items contact Kevin Nie.idorf, editor ..344-256- Parcells is 0-- 3 getting the Pats to the Super Bowl. Maybe it changes with Jimmy Johnson in Miami. Maybe they need to move the Boys and Niners to the AFC. 3. But the Steelers have a history of winning this game, right? The Steelers are one of only two AFC teams undefeated in the Super Bowl. That may be a good sign. The other team? The Jets, who don't play in this game anymore. 4. Really, can this be a good game? Just for a little while, perhaps. The Boys and Steelers last met in the season opener in 1994 at Three Rivers. It was Barry Switzer's first game as the Dallas coach. The game had Super Bowl-typ- e buildup and, naturally, Pittsburgh played like it was the Super Bowl. The Cowboys domi- -. Charles Haley had four nated, 26-sacks, Emmitt Smith rushed for 171 yards and Irvin caught eight passes 9. Pittsburgh changed its offense to Air Erhardt after it started off 34 this year. The Steelers, who often spread it out with multiple receivers, can cause problems for the Cowboys, who were vulnerable in finding the right matchups against the 49ers and Packers, resulting in a alarming number of big plays. But after the way the Big Three of Bowl Super champions r Mv Bowl I Green Bay Packers (NFL) II Green Bay Packers (WFZJ III New York Jets (Aajv (Afl) IV Kansas City Chiefs V Baflmore Colts HFC) :Vi VII Dallas Cowteya (MFC) Miami Dolphins Vlil Miami Dolphins (AFC) X Pittsburgh Steelers (AFC) Pittsburgh Steeters (AFC) XI Oakland Raiders (AFC) XII Dallas Cowboys (NFC) XIII Pittsburgh Steelers (AFC) XIV Pittsburgh SSeeters IX er big-gam- 9-- J back-to-bac- 9. , AP Phoio Pittsburgh Steelers' Yancey Thigpen pushes past Indianapolis Colts' Ray Buchanan during the second quarter of the AFC Championship game. He'll be a key receiver to the Pittsburgh defense. play against Green Bay. situSwitzer stepped into a ation taking over for Jimmy Johnson. Has there ev er been a first-yecoach whose success is judged only by getting to the Super Bowl? Hey, he's not no-w- in week at the Cardinals' facility in Tempe. The Steelers must hope the Cardinals, and whatever is left from the Buddy Ryan days, rub off on the Cowboys. 8. Can a d quarterback win a Super Bowl? That's where Bill Walsh found Joe Montana in 1979. And that's where the Steelers found O'Donnell in 1990. 9. What about 95 common opponents? Any hope for the Steelers there? No. The 'Boys were 0 and the Steelers were 2 against teams in common: The Cowboys beat the Chargers, rt Oakland Raiders (AFC) XVI San Francisco 49er(WFQ Washington Redskins (NFC) XVII XIX Los Angeles Raiders (AFC) San Francisco Vten(NFC) XX Chicago Bears XXI New York Giants (NFC) XXI! Washington Redskins (NFC) San Francisco 49ers (NFC? XVIII XXIII 5-- 2-- iniwm Hotting ii San Francisco 49ets (NFC) XXV New York Giants (NFC? XXVI Washington Redskins (NFC) XXVII Dallas Cowboys (NFC) XXVIII Dallas Cowboys (NFC) The Steelers beat the Chargers, 23-- 9. 31-1- 6. The Cowboys beat the Vikings in OT. The Steelers lost to tlie the week after tlie Vikings, 44-2beat them. Cowboys The Cowboys beat the Raiders, 34-2The Steelers beat the Raiders, 23-1- 7, 4, 1. 29-1- 0. The Cowboys beat the Packers, The Steelers lost to and 38-2the Packers, 24-110. How do the Steelers and Cowboys differ off the field? Pittsburgh owner Dan Rooney is establishment part of the 34-2-4 7. -- 9. iiimnty If old-gua- (See QUESTIONS, Page 3) you're looking for a powerful good '96 the out time, chai Indy 500 EFI. ft Air Conditioning Da-to- hd bijated M IV (ED) iSScc i firm. Ihpd-au- XTRrA-1- 2 front and rear hvhioii. NB'"Utfitnmfira&. NBV more Rising To New Heights! I San Francisco 4Sers (NFC) AP 75S-9G3- 3 w it ? 'ower Play (NFC) XXIV Jouice: NFL third-roun- fcUNEERS) (AFC) XV jf big-tim- laid-bac- Winner s ft- a great coach and his k approach differs with Aikman and that has caused friction. But he lets his coaches coach and he really hasn't messed this thing up. And Aikman did give him the game ball following the Packers game. "Everyone gets on him, but all he has done is get to an NFC Championship Game and a Super Bowl," Jones said. "I am proud of him." Still, he must win this game to shut people up. 7. Is there an intangible at work here? Dallas will practice Super Bowl Super zH&A r, Troy Aikman, Smith and Irvin played against Green Bay, it's hard to imagine the Steelers shutting them down or having enough firepower to score with them. Neil O'Donnell had a terrific season, Yancey Thigpen and e Ernie Mills are players, Bam Morris and Erric Pegram are productive backs, but they have to match talTDs against Hall of Fame-calibent. 5. What did championship weekend prove? e Aikman is the best quarterback in the NFL He's 1 in playoff games, with 20 TDs and only nine INTs. Brett Favre threw 38 TDs and won the MVP, but Aikman totally outplayed him. There will be huge pressure on O'Donnell. 6. Isn't it time Barry Switzer started getting some credit? 12-- 4 k He's put together seasons and overall is 27-- That's 75 percent. He gets ripped when the Cowboys lose, so why not acknowledge that he had his team ready to ar XXIX 5 for 139 yards. pmrfidakmjfwh. mimmt m accamiat RI5 I - B-- e I i e v e iWAiN'S !HC. LENNDX I (801)966-423- 1 (801) 439-316- 7 it. , |