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Wednesday, January 21, 1987 / University Daily Kansan
Teams gear up as Super Bowl approaches
Relaxation doesn't come easy for Giants
United Press International
COSTA MESA, Calif. — The New York Giants are having a tough time heeding Coach Bill Parceells' advice to enjoy themselves during Super Bowl week.
Since arriving in California for Sunday's game against the Denver Broncos, the Giants have been occupied by two evils necessary during Super Bowl week: practice and meeting with the media.
Parcels put the team through a rugged two-hour practice Monday. The Giants did not practice yesterday, but attended an hour-long photo and interview session before they played. The Giants will resume their wind spirit-filled workouts today.
Parecels wants to make sure his players do not believe the oddsmakers who make them 10-point favorites.
"If you think the New York Giants are going to be overconfident, you're crazy." Parecells said.
"There's not as much free time as I thought," Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor said. "We thought it would be a little vacation out here. The coaches are working us pretty good, I think they're shocking us."
"The Super Bowl is nice but they can get rid of some of these people.*
The Super Bowl hoopla already is showing on the
Giants, Taylor said he would grant no more interviews before the game "unless the NFL makes me."
Giants running back Joe Morris refused to answer football questions yesterday and tightend Mark Bavaro walked off the field into the locker room when approached by reporters. Parcells told his players that yesterday was a photo day and that they were not obligated to speak to the press.
After the session, offensive lineman Bart Atesch, Chris Godfrey and Brad Benson went deep-sea fishing. Another group, including Taylor and back-up quarterback Jeff Rutledge, played golf.
Goddrey said the Giants could take a serious approach to the game and still have fun.
"Maybe we're not partying, but we're loose," Godfrey said of the Giants. "When I was at Michigan we'd come out here and have to always practice when USC was going to the Johnny Carson show in blue shorts."
"We're having fun. It's not our nature to be running around screaming and yelling."
"If anything, this team is on a mission," Morris said Monday night before he stopped talking football. "Every season every NFL team has a mission to get to the Super Bowl. We've accomplished our mission, now we have another mission to win it."
United Press International
Varied offense key for Denver, coach says
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. — Denver coach Dan Reeves thinks the more John Elway uses his gifted right arm Sunday, the less chance the Broncos have of winning the Super Bowl.
But Reeves said the Broncos couldn't afford a one-dimensional offense against the aggressive Giants defense.
"There's no way we will have a chance to win the football game if we have to throw the ball 50 times." Reeves said.
Elway's passing is one reason the Broncos are in the National Football League championship game, which they will play Sunday in Pasadena against the New York Giants. The Denver quarterback engineered a 98-yard drive in the closing minutes of the AFC championship game against Cleveland to help Denver pull out a 23-20 overtime victory.
"If we have to throw the ball 50 or 60 times against this defense, we open ourselves up to a lot of problems." Reeves said. "We have to try to keep them off balance with the running game and give John time to throw the football. If we don't do those things, it's going to be a long Sunday afternoon."
Giants linebacker Harry Carson said too much attention was being focused on Elway.
"John Elway is an intricate part of their offense, but he's not the whole offense," Carson said. "He has a whole lot of weapons: (Sammy) Winder, (Gerald) Willhite and all those receivers."
"He's got four big tightends and a very good offensive line. They've got a whole lot of other supporting cast members to make that offense go."
Reeves said he was especially worried about the Giants' ability to throttle offenses. New York has allowed only a field goal in its two playoff games. He viewing a match, the games was almost like watching a nightmare.
"They kept the 49ers and the Redskins out of the end zone," Reeves said. "Those are two very good offensive football teams. It's scary to look at."
Reeves said New York's confidence on defense had grown considerably since the Giants defeated the Broncos 19-16 during the regular season.
Giants' back wants to improve statistics on Super Bowl field
"They're doing primarily the same things they were before," he said. "They're just doing them extremely well with an awful lot of confidence. Confidence is the biggest thing they have going for them now, as compared to when they played us earlier."
COSTA MESA, Calif. — Joe Morris heard he was too small to play in the National Football League. So Morris, the Giants' pint-sized power back, went out and gained 3.271 yards during the last two seasons.
Now, as Morris prepares for Sunday's Super Bowl XX against the Denver Broncos, he is being told he is not as effective on grass as he is on artificial turf.
The statistics bear that out.
Morris has played 14 games on artificial turf this season, and he has been a key contributor.
That's an average of 4.6 yards per carry.
The game at the Rose bowl will be just his fourth on grass, where he gained 186 yards on 53 attempts, an average of 3.7 yards per attempt, one of his 17 touchdowns was on grass.
"It doesn't matter what people say about me, I've got to prepare for this game anyway," Morris said. "You people are going to say that I cann't run on grass; I'm gonna have to show you."
At just 5-foot-7, he's often difficult for defenders to find as he bursts through the line. Then, when he is located, the power locked in that
compact frame is unleashed.
"He finds the hole really backer." said Denver linebacker Tom Jackson. "He has a low center of gravity and great leg strength. More than being hard to find, he's hard to catch.
"He gained his 100 yards, but he got it a little at a time," said Jackson. "If we can do that, we will be OK. We've got to try and not let him break the 50 and 60 yard run. That would be a crushing blow in the Super Bowl."
"If you try to arm tackle, you're not going to have much success."
Tavlor named NFL player of year
United Press International
ST. LOUIS - Linebacker
Lawrence Taylor, the defensive
stalwart of the New York Giants.
was named National Football
League player of the year yesterday
by The Sporting News.
Running back Rueben Mayes of the New Orleans Saints was chosen rookie of the year, and Bill Parceells, who will lead the Giants against Denver in Sunday's Super Bowl, was selected NFC coach of
the year.
The players were chosen by The Sporting News editors, while Parecells was selected in voting.
The all-pc offensive backfield consists of Miami quarterback Dan Marino and running joes Joe Morris of the Giants and Eric Dickerson of the Los Angeles Rams.
The wide receivers are Jerry Rice of San Francisco and Stanley Morgan of the New England, and the Island is the Giants' Mark Bavaro.
Bill Fraile of Atlanta at guard, and Dwight Stephenson of Miami at center.
The offensive line has Cincinnati's Anthony Munoz and Chicago's Jim Covert at tackle, Dennis Harrah of the Rams and
The defensive backs are corner-backs Hanford Dixon of Cleveland and LeRoy Irvin of the Rams, strong safety Dave Duerson of Chicago and free safety Deron Cherry of Kansas City.
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