9502110515
DETROIT FREE PRESS
951230
Saturday, December 30, 1995
METRO FINAL
4B
MITCH ALBOM; PERRY A. FARRELL;
Copyright (c) 1995, Detroit Free Press
THE INSIDE DOPE
Lions vs. Eagles
* MATCHUP: Detroit (10-6) vs. Philadelphia (10-6) in an NFC first-round
playoff game.
* WHEN: 4 p.m. today.
* WHERE: Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia.
* TV/RADIO: ABC (Channel 7 in Detroit); WWJ-AM (950), WAAM-AM (1600).
* LINE: Lions by 3.
* INJURIES: Detroit -- OT Jeff Jones (Achilles), OG Doug Widell (ankle)
doubtful; DT Robert Porcher (ankle) probable. Philadelphia -- WR Art Monk
(arm) out; DT Rhett Hall (knee) doubtful; DT Mike Chalenski (thigh)
questionable; DT Kevin Johnson (spine), WR Calvin Williams (ankle) probable.
* WEATHER: Mostly sunny with highs in the middle 30s to lower 40s, dropping
to freezing by game's end. No chance of rain or snow.
* FREE PRESS PICKS: Mitch Albom -- Detroit. Perry A. Farrell -- Detroit.
Charlie Vincent -- Philadelphia. Curt Sylvester -- Detroit.
What out-of-towners say
* MIKE FISHER, Ft. Worth Star-Telegram: "Finally, the Lions have found a way
to balance the running of Barry Sanders with an explosive three-WR passing
game. If Mitchell is on, the Lions have too many tools to be contained."
* IRA MILLER, San Francisco Chronicle: "Look for Detroit to beat Dallas in the
conference semifinals. Detroit is the hottest team in the league because its
players did what Dallas' players should have done. Bogged down by bad
coaching, the Lions' offensive players took over the team. They went to
coordinator Tom Moore and got him to simplify the offense, making the
three-wideout formation their staple."
* KEVIN MULLIGAN, Philadelphia Daily News: "Whatever opponents have tried,
Detroit has had a response for most of the season. This offense is like a
science experiment. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
Often it leads to big plays and touchdowns in your face. Indoors, outdoors,
bitter weather, sunny weather, this game still comes up Lions every which way
you look at it."
* TIMOTHY W. SMITH, New York Times: "Detroit simply has too many weapons for
the Eagles to stop."
* DON PIERSON, Chicago Tribune: "Of the 40 teams that have played wild-card
games in the '90s, only two have advanced even to the conference championship
games -- the 1993 Chiefs and 1992 Bills. That means this weekend's games are
mere postseason window-dressing, undercard matches for the real heavyweights."
* JERRY GREENE, Orlando Sentinel: "Scott Mitchell and the Lions' attack
against Rodney Peete and Eagles' lack of an attack? Get real. Lions by 7."
Bills vs. Dolphins
* MATCHUP: Buffalo (10-6) vs. Miami (9-7) in an AFC first-round playoff game.
* WHEN: 12:30 p.m. today.
* WHERE: Rich Stadium, Orchard Park, N.Y.
* TV/RADIO: ABC (Channel 7 in Detroit); WTKA-AM (1050).
* LINE: Bills by 3 1/2.
* INJURIES: Buffalo -- S Henry Jones (knee), WR Damon Thomas (leg) out; CB
Marlon Kerner (leg), S Kurt Schulz (ankle) questionable; TE Tony Cline (hip),
S Chris Green (shoulder), LB Sam Rogers (ankle) probable. Miami -- LB Dewayne
Dotson (knee), T Tom McHale (groin) out; CB Frankie Smith (wrist) doubtful; S
Louis Oliver (ankle), G Bert Weidner (hip), WR Mike Williams (ankle)
questionable.
* OVERVIEW: The Bills are 8-0 at Rich Stadium during the playoffs. Miami has
the AFC's top-ranked passing attack (263.1 yards a game), and quarterback Dan
Marino has thrown 14 touchdown passes in his last six playoff games. After the
Bills beat the Dolphins, 23-20, two weeks ago, both sides said they wanted to
meet the other in the playoffs. The Dolphins had a tough time stopping
Thurman Thomas, who rushed for 148 yards.
* FREE PRESS PICKS: Albom -- Buffalo. Farrell -- Buffalo. Vincent -- Miami.
Sylvester -- Buffalo.
Packers vs. Falcons
* MATCHUP: Green Bay (11-5) vs. Atlanta (9-7) in an NFC first- round playoff
game.
* WHEN: 12:30 p.m. Sunday.
* WHERE: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wis.
* TV/RADIO: Fox (Channel 2 in Detroit); WWJ-AM (950), WTKA-AM (1050).
* LINE: Packers by 9.
* FREE PRESS PICKS: Albom -- Green Bay. Farrell -- Atlanta. Vincent --
Atlanta. Sylvester -- Atlanta.
Chargers vs. Colts
* MATCHUP: San Diego (9-7) vs. Indianapolis (9-7) in an AFC first-round
playoff game.
* WHEN: 4 p.m. Sunday.
* WHERE: Jack Murphy Stadium, San Diego.
* TV/RADIO: NBC (Channel 4 in Detroit); WWJ-AM (950), WTKA-AM (1050).
* LINE: Chargers by 5 1/2.
* FREE PRESS PICKS: Albom -- Indianapolis. Farrell -- Indianapolis. Vincent --
Indianapolis. Sylvester -- San Diego.
Picks parade
Farrell finished first this season picking games against the spread, edging
Vincent, 131-103-6 to 126-108-6. Sylvester was 112-122-6, but won head-to-head
against Albom, 94-97-4 to 82-109-4, earning first crack at predicting a winner
in the Freep's annual Great Super Bowl Debate.
THIS ELECTRONIC VERSION MAY DIFFER SLIGHTLY FROM THE PRINTED ARTICLE.
PICKS