Quick Kicks
Take that, buddy
The Miami Dolphins-New York Jets game marked the first professional matchup between rookies Keyshawn Johnson and Karim Abdul-Jabbar, who played together in high school and roomed together while Miami’s Abdul-Jabbar was at UCLA and Johnson was in junior college. The winner? Abdul-Jabbar.
Johnson finished with six receptions for 59 yards and a touchdown. Abdul-Jabbar scored two touchdowns and ran for 124 yards, the second time in three games that he exceeded the 100-yard mark.
More importantly, his team won the game.
Stats are for losers
When Troy Aikman went 17 for 27 for Dallas, he hit the 1,761 mark for career completions, equaling Danny White’s team record.
Teammate Chris Boniol tied Lin Elliott’s team record of 11 consecutive games with a field goal, and Emmitt Smith scored his 102nd career touchdown with a 2-yard score in the second quarter. It moved him into eighth place on the NFL all-time list.
Hey, go away, Macarena
Oakland Raiders fans, not known for their trendiness, manners, etiquette, fashion sense or hygiene, booed loudly when everyone’s favorite dance craze, the Macarena, was played over the public address system during halftime.
Apparently, in Oakland, Macarena is Spanish for “Man, what we’re we thinking when we wanted this team to come back?”
Higher and higher
Marcus Allen of the Chiefs scored his 126th and 127th career touchdowns, passing Jim Brown (126) for second on the career list. He trails only San Francisco’s Jerry Rice (139).
Chiefs quarterback Steve Bono is 23-7 in games he’s started (.766), the highest winning percentage among active quarterbacks.
Miami coach Jimmy Johnson has won 32 consecutive games in Florida. His last loss came in 1985 when the University of Florida handed Johnson’s University of Miami team a 35-23 setback.
On and off target
Miami quarterback Dan Marino has thrown at least one touchdown pass in all but one of his 23 career outings against the Jets, including 20 in his last eight and three on Sunday.
However, he didn’t connect Sunday with teammate Keith Byars, whose streak of 130 consecutive games with at least one catch ended. The streak is the fifth longest in NFL history.
“I really feel terrible about it,” said Marino.”Keith has been a great competitor and a great player for so many years.”
Buffalo at Pittsburgh
Line: Steelers by 3.
Last meeting: Steelers won 23-10 at Pittsburgh on Nov. 14, 1994.
Key stats: Steelers have won last two meetings with Bills.
Worth watching: Ex-Bear Mike Tomczak has taken over as Pittsburgh’s starting QB after 21-of-29 performance in victory over Ravens. Bills getting yardage out of key free agent acquisition Quinn Early (9 catches, 186 yards).
Outlook: Buffalo DE Bruce Smith is the early favorite for defensive MVP, with five sacks in two games. If Bills can mount a pass rush, Tomczak will throw the ball where he shouldn’t.