A Fluid Correction
Referee Jerry Markbreit issued a rare “correction” in Sunday’s San Diego-Denver game, waving off a safety about two minutes after the ruling had been made.
Barely five minutes into the game, the Chargers were awarded a safety when Denver’s John Elway was whistled for intentional grounding in the end zone.
Scoreboard replays, however, clearly showed Elway released the pass from the 2-yard line instead of the end zone, and fans booed lustily every time it was shown.
About two minutes later - as Denver was about to execute a free kick - Markbreit stopped play. He huddled with other officials and issued a correction, saying there was no safety.
“My head lineman and line judge conferred after the play was over,” Markbreit said, “and came to me and said, ‘We don’t feel that the ball was thrown from the end zone. We feel it was in the field, at about the 2-yard line.’ So I made the correction.”
Get me outta here
Steve Tasker might have had the right idea.
The Buffalo Bills special teams star found a quick way to end the season Saturday when he bumped an official and was ejected from a 31-21 loss to Green Bay.
It wasn’t the ideal sendoff for Tasker, whose 13-year career includes four Super Bowls and seven Pro Bowls.
“It was very sad that I had to leave the game, but on the other hand I was kind of laughing,” he said. “Hey, see ya. Let me be the first to say goodbye.”
This job’s a snap
The Minnesota Vikings were down to their fourth-string center by the end of their playoffclinching victory over the Indianapolis Colts.
LeShun Daniels, an undrafted rookie who never had taken a snap in a game at any level, finished the game at center after third-stringer Everett Lindsay went out in the third quarter with what is believed to be strained muscles in the lower part of his left leg.
By the numbers
Cris Carter’s three TD catches for Minnesota gave him 89 for his career, moving him past Don Maynard (88) into fourth place on the league’s all-time list… . Emmitt Smith of the Cowboys pushed his career rushing total to 11,234 - just two yards behind O.J. Simpson for 10th place… . Kicker Jason Hanson, the ex-Mead High and WSU star, took second in career scoring for the Lions… . Veteran receiver Irving Fryar of the Eagles caught four passes for 65 yards, giving him a career-best 1,316 for the season… . Tim Brown set three Raiders records with 14 catches that boosted his career total to 599, his season mark to 105 and his season yardage to 1,390… . Eddie Murray’s string of consecutive extra points ended at 250.
Noteworthy
Indianapolis quarterback Jim Harbaugh left the field twice with numbness in his left side and is believed to have a disk injury in his neck. He will be examined today… . At the end of his fourth season, Redskins quarterback Trent Green finally played a down, taking one snap and throwing incomplete… . The Lions honored Pete Metzelaars, who will retire after playing more games than another tight end in history.
The final thought
“I told Jerry after the game he ought to get rid of the whole damn bunch of us.”
- Cowboys coach Barry Switzer, reporting on a conversation with owner Jerry Jones.