The Ultimate NFL Game

If there were to be an all-time dream AFC/NFC matchup, the rosters would include (clockwise from top left) Dan Marino, Marshall Faulk, Joe Montana and Jim Brown.

Kenneth Shouler
From the Print Edition:
The Best Places to Gamble, Sep/Oct 02

(continued from page 3)

The air went out of the crowd, composed mostly of AFC partisans. Following a punt, the AFC All-Stars, now with Warren Moon at the helm, began a drive on their own 13. After key passes to Alworth and Shannon Sharpe, and a 22-yard scamper by Franco Harris, Moon was at his opponent's 12-yard line. With his receivers blanketed on second-and-10, Moon took off for the end zone for a touchdown. The extra point closed the gap to seven points with 3:28 left. If only its weary defense could hold, the AFC could get the ball back in time for a score.

Sayers bravely took the kickoff four yards deep in the end zone and slithered 31 yards to his 27. Now Roger Staubach was in no hurry. Eric Dickerson slid off right tackle for eight and the Dallas signal caller shocked everyone with a two-yard toss to Michael Irvin on second-and-2, coming up inches short of a first down. After the two-minute warning, Emmitt Smith threw cold water on the AFC's hopes by gaining seven on a trap. Just 1:46 remained. Dickerson ran for only two and Smith was stopped for no gain, but Staubach scrambled for 17 and a first down at the AFC's 37. After the AFC spent its final time-out with 37 seconds left, Brown rushed for two yards and the NFC ran out the clock for a 38-31 victory.

Though the AFC lost, its offensive output was in ways even greater than the NFC's. The AFC All-Stars amassed 528 yards to their opponent's 468. Marino threw for 184 yards in half a game, while Montana was the NFC's top yard producer at 136. If not for three AFC turnovers compared to the NFC's one, the outcome most likely would have been different.

Also in this issue: