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NFL briefs

Compiled from Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times, published December 17, 2000

Steelers crush Redskins hopes

PITTSBURGH -- The Steelers know how to say goodbye, even if the Washington Redskins don't.

The Steelers, playing the final game in the stadium where they dominated pro football in the 1970s, took advantage of numerous Washington breakdowns and five turnovers to usher out Three Rivers Stadium with a 24-3 victory Saturday. The Redskins are eliminated from the playoffs.

The Steelers celebrated as if they had just won a championship. They hugged, snapped locker room pictures of each other, then took a victory lap during an elaborate post-game ceremony.

Fifty former Steelers -- Hall of Famer Franco Harris stood a few yards away from where he made his famed Immaculate Reception in 1972 -- looked on, giving the team an emotional lift in a game that had little significance other than the stadium closing.

"To me, it was like the last playoff game at Three Rivers," linebacker Levon Kirkland said. "This was an opportunity to add to the history of this stadium, and I'm real proud of it."

Rookie Hank Poteat highlighted a 17-point second quarter with a 53-yard punt return touchdown, and Richard Huntley, who had scored only once previously this season, had two touchdowns as the Steelers maintained their faint playoff hopes.

Two months before Three Rivers is imploded, the Redskins lost their sixth in seven games in a dispirited performance that couldn't have helped interim coach Terry Robiskie's chances of returning.

The Redskins have been outscored 56-16 by the Cowboys and Steelers since Robiskie replaced Norv Turner, and had little offense on a rain-soaked field.

Seahawks 27, Raiders 24

SEATTLE -- Everything went wrong for Oakland in the final 21/2 minutes on a miserable day at Husky Stadium.

Jon Kitna threw a 9-yard touchdown to rookie Darrell Jackson, a Tampa native and former Florida Gator, with 28 seconds left.

The loss in cold, wet and windy conditions left Oakland in jeopardy of losing first place in the AFC West. The Raiders are a half-game ahead of Denver, but the Broncos will win the division if they win their final two games because they beat Oakland twice.

Kitna's winning pass followed a safety on a bizarre play with 2:24 to play. The Seahawks' Ricky Watters had a 53-yard run before Pro Bowl cornerback Charles Woodson caught him from behind and knocked the ball free at the 25.

Marquez Pope recovered at the 2, but slid into the end zone, where he was touched down by James Williams for a safety that cut Oakland's lead to 24-21.

One official called it a touchback, but was overruled by another official who cited a little-known rule that momentum can't carry the defender into the end zone unless it's on an interception.

"There should be fines for referees the same way they fine us for dumb stuff," Oakland defensive tackle Roderick Coleman said.

After Oakland's free kick, Seattle went 61 yards in nine plays for the winning score in 1:56. Kitna was 4-for-5 for 50 yards in the march. Willie Williams clinched it by intercepting Rich Gannon with 12 seconds left at the Seattle 28.

Oakland running back Tyrone Wheatley did not return after injuring his left leg, but said "I'm fine."

Around the league

CHARGERS: Mike Riley will be back as coach next season, with a mandate to avoid repeating the worst season in franchise history. President Dean Spanos ended weeks of speculation when he said during a team meeting in Charlotte, N.C., that Riley will be back. Spanos said the Chargers, who are a league-worst 1-13, were "very happy" after he assured them Riley would be back.

CHIEFS: Carl Peterson, who took over Kansas City's sad-sack team in 1989 and turned it into one of the NFL's most successful franchises, agreed on a new five-year contract. The agreement will insure that Peterson will remain as president, general manager and CEO of the Chiefs, one of three teams to win 100 games in the 1990s.

RAMS: Walter Dean, who is in his 40s, impersonated linebacker London Fletcher and racked up more than $30,000 in hospital bills. Dean pleaded guilty Friday to using a false Social Security number, other false identification and claiming to be Fletcher when he checked into St. Luke's Hospital on April 7, officials said. According to court records, Dean asked to be listed in hospital records as Devunte Fletcher to avoid publicity. His medical bills totaled $5,349 and he told hospital officials the Rams or NFL insurance would pay. Dean, who is in his 40s, used the same practice and additional false Social Security numbers at Missouri Baptist and Forest Park hospitals. Bills from his stays there were nearly $26,000.

MARINOVICH CHARGED: Former NFL quarterback Todd Marinovich was charged with felony heroin possession Friday, two days after he was arrested in a traffic stop near downtown Los Angeles. Marinovich, who plays for the Arena Football League's Los Angeles Avengers, also was charged with misdemeanor counts of possession of drug paraphernalia and driving with a suspended or revoked license, said District Attorney's Office spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons. Arraignment is set for Dec. 22. If convicted of the heroin charge, Marinovich could face three years in prison, Gibbons said.

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