The NFL play that won't go away this week is the fumble by Miami's Sammie Smith at the goal line, the second straight week he's done that, in the final minutes of a 17-13 loss to Houston.
Smith, greeted by a booing mob as he left the field, has been so upset he didn't show up for work Monday and has indicated he might ask for a trade at the end of the season.Ex-Utah State linebacker Al Smith, now with the Oilers, was involved in that critical play that sent the Oilers to 6-1 while the Dolphins dropped to 3-5.
It was a planned defensive play.
Playing one inside linebacker position, Al Smith absorbed the fullback's block and forced Sammie Smith to run to the other side. That's where the other inside linebacker, Lamar Lathon, lurked with the specific assignment to meet Sammie Smith in the air because of his history of fumbles.
"It worked just the way we game-planned it," Lathon told USA Today. His helmet hit Sammie Smith in the chin, and his right arm forced the fumble for Cris Dishman to recover.
For the second game in a row, Al Smith led Houston tacklers. He had six tackles and an assist.
While ash from the Oakland fires fell on Candlestick Park Sunday, where Steve Young (BYU) was quarterbacking a 35-3 49er win over Detroit, Young's agent, Leigh Steinberg, spent halftime in the pressbox watching televised reports of the fire.
Steinberg told USA Today, "I'm watching my house burn. The only material thing in this world I care about is that house. Every record, every file is in that office."
Steinberg said his family was among those evacuated.
Craig McEwen (Utah), H-back for the Chargers, only caught two passes Sunday from former Idaho whiz John Friesz, but one was a 14-yarder that helped set up a Marion Butts touchdown that put San Diego up 17-3. The Chargers lost to Cleveland 30-24 on an interception return in overtime. McEwen's other reception was good for 15 yards.
If you get a chance to watch the Jets on TV, look closely at all the offensive line positions. Trevor Matich (BYU) could pop up anywhere. The starting long snapper for New York, he also has backup jobs everywhere in the line.
He's even been playing tight end lately, since Mark Boyer sprained a knee. He's mainly a blocker, but he likes the extra chances to play. "Whatever they say, I'm going out there to do," Matich told Associated Press's Barry Wilner.
"He's a real valuable guy," coach Bruce Coslet says. "We call him, `The Tool.' We kind of take him for granted.
"I'm sure he can catch the ball," Coslet added, just sort of throwing out an extra wrinkle to confuse opponents, "but I don't think we'll send him down the middle."