FOR USE AS DESIRED
NFL-PRE-5 8/19/97

TWO NATIONAL TV GAMES HIGHLIGHT FINAL PRESEASON WEEK;
DITKA RETURNS TO CHICAGO; PACKERS AIM FOR HOME ATTENDANCE RECORD

The final week of the 1997 NFL preseason features a first meeting of two former coaching comrades...the return of a coaching legend...and a possible attendance record.

When the Washington Redskins visit the Miami Dolphins on Thursday night on ESPN (8:00 PM ET), it will mark the first meeting as head coaches of two men who played a big role in the success of the Dallas Cowboys in the early 1990s.

Miami head coach JIMMY JOHNSON was the head coach of the Cowboys from 1989-93 and led them to two Super Bowl titles, the team’s first in 15 years. One of his trusted aides was NORV TURNER, who left the role of offensive coordinator of the team in 1994 to become head coach of the Redskins.

In the Cowboys’ two Super Bowl championship seasons (1992-93), Turner’s offense ranked second in the league in points scored.

On Friday night, the city of Chicago sees "da return" of "Iron Mike" -- MIKE DITKA. Now the new head coach of the New Orleans Saints, Ditka remains a popular figure in Chicago.

Like Johnson and Turner, Ditka brought a city a Super Bowl title (Super Bowl XX after the 1985 season). He is the only member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame to be active in 1997 as a head coach. It will be Ditka’s first game at Soldier Field since December 13, 1992 (a 30-6 Bears’ win over the Pittsburgh Steelers).

Another place that will be ready for football this week is Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin, home field of the University of Wisconsin Badgers and host this Friday to the Super Bowl XXXI Champion Green Bay Packers when they play the New York Giants. Camp Randall seats 77,129, and the game is a sellout -- which would make it the largest "home" crowd ever to see a Packers game in Wisconsin, topping the club record set at Camp Randall. On August 9, 1986, 73,959 fans turned out at Camp Randall to see the Packers defeat the New York Jets 38-14.

That attendance stands as the largest home crowd in Packers’ history, comprising games at Green Bay’s Hagemeister Park (1919-22), Bellevue Park (1923-24), City Stadium (1925-56) and Lambeau Field (1957-present); Milwaukee’s Borchert Field (1933), State Fair Park (1934-51), Marquette Stadium (1952), and Milwaukee County Stadium (1953-94); and Camp Randall.

Speaking of stadiums, the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando will host an NFL game on Friday -- the Jets against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It will be the second preseason game for the Bucs in Orlando in three years. Orlando is less than 1 1/2 hours from Tampa, and the club is anxious to add the city to its fan base. "We want to make Orlando and its fans ‘Orlando Buccaneers’ fans," says team executive vice president JOEL GLAZER.

The final game of the preseason comes on Saturday on national television -- the San Francisco 49ers at the Denver Broncos on FOX-TV at 8:00 PM ET.

The game will feature two of the NFL’s top quarterbacks and some of its best receivers. Quarterback STEVE YOUNG and wide receiver JERRY RICE of the 49ers can become the top NFL career touchdown receiving duo this year with six TD connections, surpassing the Miami Dolphins’ combination of DAN MARINO and MARK CLAYTON (79).

Broncos quarterback JOHN ELWAY can move into second place all-time behind Marino in ’97 in attempts, completions and yardage. He teams with SHANNON SHARPE, who this year could become only the third tight end in history with three 1,000-yard receiving seasons.

THIS WEEK'S NFL PRESEASON SCHEDULE (August 21-23)
(All times local PM)

Thursday, August 21
Detroit (NFC) at Indianapolis (AFC), 7:30
New England (AFC) at Philadelphia (NFC), 8:00
Washington (NFC) at Miami (AFC), 8:00 (ESPN)

Friday, August 22
Atlanta (NFC) at Jacksonville (AFC), 7:30
Buffalo (AFC) at Baltimore (AFC), 7:30
Kansas City (AFC) at St. Louis (NFC), 7:00
New Orleans (NFC) at Chicago (NFC), 7:30
New York Giants (NFC) vs. Green Bay (NFC) at Madison, Wisc., 7:00
New York Jets (AFC) vs. Tampa Bay (NFC) at Orlando, Fla., 7:30
Oakland (AFC) at Arizona (NFC), 7:00
Pittsburgh (AFC) at Carolina (NFC), 8:00
San Diego (AFC) at Minnesota (NFC), 7:00
Seattle (AFC) at Cincinnati (AFC), 7:30
Tennessee (AFC) at Dallas (NFC), 7:00

Saturday, August 23
San Francisco (NFC) at Denver (AFC), 6:00 (FOX)

AMERICAN FOOTBALL CONFERENCE NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE
Eastern Division Eastern Division
  W L T Pct. Pts. OP   W L T Pct. Pts. OP
N.Y. Jets 3 0 0 1.000 97 63 Washington 3 0 0 1.000 73 51
New England 2 1 0 .667 50 38 Dallas 1 2 0 .333 71 81
Miami 2 2 0 .500 69 77 N.Y. Giants 1 2 0 .333 54 85
Indianapolis 1 2 0 .333 40 84 Philadelphia 1 2 0 .333 67 86
Buffalo 1 3 0 .250 49 89 Arizona 0 3 0 .000 16 68
Central Division Central Division
  W L T Pct. Pts. OP   W L T Pct. Pts. OP
Pittsburgh 4 0 0 1.000 128 77 Green Bay 4 0 0 1.000 99 30
Jacksonville 3 0 0 1.000 89 45 Chicago 2 2 0 500 73 78
Cincinnati 2 1 0 .667 80 56 Minnesota 2 2 0 .500 68 88
Baltimore 0 3 0 .000 62 84 Detroit 1 2 0 .333 63 72
Tennessee 0 3 0 .000 31 60 Tampa Bay 1 2 0 .000 44 47
Western Division Western Division
  W L T Pct. Pts. OP   W L T Pct. Pts. OP
San Diego 3 0 0 1.000 64 37 New Orleans 2 1 0 .667 63 37
Oakland 2 1 0 .667 76 80 Atlanta 1 2 0 .333 65 67
Denver 2 2 0 .500 94 92 St. Louis 1 2 0 .333 49 58
Seattle 2 2 0 .500 122 58 San Francisco 1 2 0 .333 54 65
Kansas City 1 2 0 .333 51 64 Carolina 0 3 0 .000 32 76

LAST WEEK'S RESULTS
(Announced attendance in parentheses. Home team in capitals)

AMERICAN FOOTBALL CONFERENCE NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE
SEATTLE 45, Indianapolis 3 (52,844) DALLAS 34, St. Louis 31 (60,402)
SAN DIEGO 21, Tennessee 7 (21,407) * CHICAGO 22, Arizona 10 (22,331)
NEW ENGLAND 31, Denver 21 (55,354) Washington 35, ATLANTA 31 (37,984)
INTERCONFERENCE
KANSAS CITY 30, Carolina 10 (76,972)
GREEN BAY 35, Buffalo 3 (53,896) **
PHILADELPHIA 24, Baltimore 13 (60,939)
TAMPA BAY 24, Miami 10 (35,024)
CINCINNATI 37, Minnesota 13 (44,316)
OAKLAND 18, New Orleans 16 (36,771)
N.Y. Jets 27, N.Y. GIANTS 17 (57,432)
PITTSBURGH 28, Detroit 20 (49,260)
Jacksonville 28, SAN FRANCISCO 20 (50,346)

* At Nashville, Tenn.
** American Bowl at Toronto, Canada

[http://10.90.100.2/main/footer.htm]