FOR USE AS DESIRED
NFL-PRE-3 8/10/98

This week, the NFL will add a 10th American Bowl city and return to the site of its all-time biggest crowd.

Both scenarios take place in nationally televised American Bowl games as the NFL enters its third week of preseason action.

The week kicks off on Thursday night with the first of four nationally televised games in five days. Florida rivals -- the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Miami Dolphins – will meet in Miami with the game to be televised on ESPN at 8:20 PM ET.

On Saturday, the Seattle Seahawks -- the NFL’s Pacific Northwest representative -- venture further north when they meet the San Francisco 49ers in Vancouver, British Columbia, the 10th city to host the NFL’s international American Bowl series since it began in 1986.

Vancouver joins Barcelona, Berlin, Dublin, London, Mexico City, Monterrey, Montreal, Tokyo and Toronto as American Bowl cities.

The game will be played at B.C. Place, home of the British Columbia Lions, who are in their 45th season as members of the Canadian Football League.

The NFL has forged an alliance with its CFL brethren to the north, and the leagues now work together in youth football development as well as marketing and sponsorship initiatives.

The Seahawks-49ers American Bowl will be televised by CBS-TV (8:00 PM ET), the first NFL game for the network since 1993. In 1962, CBS became the first network to televise all NFL games in a season.

On Sunday afternoon, FOX-TV will make its 1998 debut when the Oakland Raiders travel to Green Bay to play the Packers at 4:00 PM ET.

On Monday night (ABC-TV, 8:00 PM ET) in the third and final American Bowl of ’98, the Dallas Cowboys return to Azteca Stadium in Mexico City to play the New England Patriots.

On August 15, 1994, that stadium was the site of the largest crowd in NFL history -- 112,376 fans -- who watched the Cowboys -- in Spanish, called "Los Vaqueros" -- play the Houston Oilers. Last year, Azteca hosted the third-largest NFL crowd ever when 104,629 fans attended an American Bowl on August 4 between the Denver Broncos and Miami Dolphins. The second-largest NFL single-game attendance total was at the 1947 College All-Star Game when 105,840 fans saw the Chicago Bears play the College All-Stars.

"Last year, Denver played in Mexico City and they won a Super Bowl," says Cowboys Owner JERRY JONES. "Without a doubt, it’s a sign."

A number of Mexican-born players have played in the NFL, including former Pro Bowl tackle ANTHONY MUNOZ (his maternal grandparents came from Chihuahua, Mexico). Munoz became the first Hispanic-American to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on August 1.

Football has been played in Mexico since the late 1800s when American oil workers, Christian clubs and other groups from the United States played games against each other. Organized college football began in Mexico in the 1920s. It is estimated that more than 2.5 million Mexicans between the ages of five and 14 play football throughout the country. For teens and adults, there are 24 football associations, consisting of 150,000 players on 4,200 teams.

There are currently 13 veteran Hispanic players and coaches in the NFL. There are also three Hispanic rookie quarterbacks, one of whom, DANIEL GONZALEZ of the Cowboys, could see action in the Mexico City American Bowl. The other rookie Hispanic quarterbacks are PETE GONZALEZ of Pittsburgh and MOSES MORENO of Chicago. The veteran NFL Hispanics:

HISPANICS IN THE NFL

STARTERS ’97 STATISTICS

49ERS: Compete in seventh American Bowl, tying Dallas for most ever……Club made seventh NFC Championship Game appearance in last 10 years in ’97……QB STEVE YOUNG led NFL in passing for sixth time in ’97 with 104.7 rating, his fifth season with 100+ mark, most ever. Seeks to lead league in passing for seventh time in ’98, breaking tie with SAMMY BAUGH for most ever……RB GARRISON HEARST became first 49er to rush for 1,000 yards since RICKY WATTERS (1,013) in ’92……WR TERRELL OWENS (60) became first 49er other than WR JERRY RICE to lead team in receptions since RB ROGER CRAIG’s 76 in ’88……Defense No. 1 in NFC in ’97 against run (85.4) & No. 2 in conference vs. pass (165.4). Tied with Rams for No. 2 in NFL with 25 INTs, & for second in NFC with Giants with 265 points allowed, extending NFL record to 16 straight seasons of not allowing 300 points……SEAHAWKS: Had NFL’s top passing offense (247.4) last season……UFA RB RICKY WATTERS joins club after 3 straight 1,000s for Eagles. Watters rushed for 2,840 yards in 3 seasons for 49ers (1992-94)……WR JOEY GALLOWAY set career highs with 72 catches for 1,049 yards last season……’97 AFC Offensive Rookie of Month for October T WALTER JONES joined by Pro Bowl C KEVIN GLOVER (Lions) & G BRIAN HABIB (Broncos), who blocked for NFL’s top 2 rushers of ’97 – Detroit’s BARRY SANDERS (2,053 yards) & Denver’s TERRELL DAVIS (1,750)……S DARRYL WILLIAMS tied for 3rd in NFL with 13 INTs over past two seasons.

STARTERS ’97 STATISTICS

MEXICO CITY hosts its third American Bowl. NFL all-time attendance record set on 8/15/94 when 112,376 saw Cowboys-Oilers at Azteca Stadium……COWBOYS: Play in seventh American Bowl, tying San Francisco for most by any team…...QB TROY AIKMAN is league’s third most accurate passer all-time (62.01 comp. pct.)……RB EMMITT SMITH became fourth player (ERIC DICKERSON, BARRY SANDERS, THURMAN THOMAS) in league history with 7 straight 1,000-yard seasons (1,074) in ’97. He needs 3 yards to pass O.J. SIMPSON (11,236) for 10th all-time. Needs 12 rushing TDs to pass MARCUS ALLEN (123) for first all-time……WR MICHAEL IRVIN’s 9 receiving TDs in ’97 tied for third in NFC. His 1,180 yards ranked fifth in conference. WR MARCO MARTOS had 1 catch for 15 yards & 3 KORs for 78 yards for Broncos in ’97 American Bowl in his native Mexico City……Cowboys pass defense (157.6) ranked No. 1 in NFL in ’97 & No. 2 in total defense (282.3)……K RICHIE CUNNINGHAM led NFC with 126 points as rookie in ’97. His 34 field goals topped league & set all-time Cowboys record……PATRIOTS: Aim for 3rd straight AFC East crown……Club’s 787 points 3rd most in NFL over past 2 seasons……QB DREW BLEDSOE’s 7,792 passing yards tops in NFL & 55 TD passes second in league since ’96. His 28 TD passes last season rank second in club history. Bledsoe had AFC-best 60.0 completion pct. & NFL-best 1,242 passing yards on third down last season……TE BEN COATES has earned 4 straight Pro Bowl trips……Club had six of first 83 picks in ’98 Draft, including first rounders RB ROBERT EDWARDS (Georgia) & S TEBUCKY JONES (Syracuse) ……Pats ranked third in AFC in ’97 with 19 INTs……Rookie DE GREG SPIRES (3rd round, Florida State) leads NFL with 3 sacks this preseason. 

FOR USE AS DESIRED
NFL-PRE-3 8/10/98

THIS WEEK'S NFL SCHEDULE (AUGUST 13-17)
(All times local, except American Bowls, which are ET)

Baltimore (AFC) at N.Y. Jets (AFC), 5:00

Kansas City (AFC) at Minnesota (NFC), 7:00

St. Louis (NFC) at San Diego (AFC), 8:00

Washington (NFC) at Tennessee (AFC), 1:00

Sunday, August 16

Oakland (AFC) at Green Bay (NFC), 3:00 (FOX)

Monday, August 17

Dallas (NFC) vs. New England (AFC) in American Bowl at Mexico City, Mexico, 8:00 (ABC)

Indianapolis (AFC) at Cincinnati (AFC), 7:30

(Home team in capitals)