1998 Ad

Sporting News, The, Feb 1, 1999

Although many fans were hoping for Denver-Minnesota, it's not as though they're getting Bengals-Rams instead. These teams are a combined 32-4. Let's face it: If the Falcons were dressed in Packers uniforms, most people would think this was a pretty even matchup. TSN's Chris Jenkins and Kyle Veltrop take you inside the big game with an in-depth look at what to expect when the Broncos and Falcons hit the field in Miami.

SPECIAL TEAMS MATCHUP

The Falcons have the edge here, in kickers and return men. Morten Andersen might not have the range Jason Elam does--some cellular phones don't have Elam's range--but Andersen has made clutch kicks all season. Now in his 17th season, Andersen still has one of the most reliable legs in the league. His 38-yard field goal at 11:52 of overtime made him the hero in the NFC title game win over Minnesota. Teammate Dan Stryzinski is the league's best directional punter, making his league-low 40.0-yard gross average a bit deceptive. Stryzinski's Denver counterpart, Tom Rouen, has been shaky all season. Although Rouen had a league-best 76-yard punt, he put only 14 kicks inside the 20, one of the lowest totals in the league. He also had a punt blocked by the Jets in the AFC championship game. Rookie Tim Dwight has given the Falcons' return game some zest in the playoffs. He had 145 yards on returns against the Vikings and is a threat to take any return the distance. The Falcons even gave him three carries against Minnesota, one that resulted in a 21-yard gain after receiving the ball when he lined up in shotgun formation. Dwight, who finished third in the league in kickoff returns and had a 93-yard touchdown, is a kamikaze-type runner who will take risks. Denver's Darrien Gordon had a down year returning punts, but his standards are pretty high. Instead of being great, he was just good, averaging 11.1 yards per return. Gordon, who has returned six punts for TDS in his career, has been asked to do more and more on defense over the last season and a half, and that has probably zapped some of his explosiveness on returns. Still, Stryzinski would be wise to keep Gordon from catching the ball with plenty of room to operate. Denver's Vaughn Hebron has become a top kick returner. He isn't a blazer but has good elusiveness and vision.

The book on ... Tim Dwight

Falcons, WR/KR 5-8 / 184

Tim Dwight has the two most important qualities of a return man: speed and courage. Add to that his low center of gravity, strong build, elusiveness and polished running and receiving skills, and you have a player who could have an impact in the Super Bowl.

"He reminds me a lot of Desmond Howard," says Falcons safety Eugene Robinson, referring to his former Green Bay teammate and the Super Bowl MVP two years ago. "It's just that feisty attitude of, `I'm better and faster than you, and I can get the job done.'"

A fourth-round pick out of Iowa, where he led the nation in punt returns, Dwight has been a nice find for the 16-2 Falcons. Besides finishing third in the NFL in kickoff returns (27-yard average), he also played at running back and receiver during the regular season.

"He's very versatile," says coach Dan Reeves. "He can run with it, he can throw it, he can catch it, and he's fearless."

Dwight is a daredevil who raced motorcycles and jumped off cliffs and apartment balconies while in college. He won't hesitate to return a kick from deep in his end zone or a punt that backs him up to the 1-yard line.

TSN VERDICT: BRONCOS 28 FALCONS 24

Super Bowls have a way of making Cinderella stories into huge embarrassments, but it's hard to see the Falcons getting blown out. They have been playing too well for too long to come up lame in the biggest game of the season. Atlanta has one of the NFL's best running backs in Jamal Anderson, and Chris Chandler is one of those rare players who seems to get better as he gets older. The Falcons' defense may, in fact, be better than Denver's. But except for a stumble late in the season, the Broncos have been the league's best team from start to finish. They have played as well as any defending Super Bowl champion in history, and Terrell Davis is the league's most unstoppable player. And if this is a true Cinderella story, there is no way John Elway will come up a loser in his final NFL game.

BRONCO X FACTOR

The defensive line. The Broncos dominate against the run, as tackles Trevor Pryce and Keith Traylor are adept at tying up blockers and allowing others to make tackles. But getting pressure on the quarterback without blitzing has been a problem all season. The Broncos had only one sack in their first two playoff games, that by reserve defensive end Marvin Washington. Against the Jets, a great pass-blocking team, they got a decent rush on Vinny Testaverde at times, but it wasn't consistent enough. Testaverde dropped back to pass 52 times without being sacked. The Broncos can't allow Chris Chandler to drop back without fear. Pryce and Maa Tanuvasa, who tied for the team lead in sacks with 8 1/2 each in the regular season, have to step up.