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                         November 16, 2001

Football is all that is left

Commentary by Jim Fox
Staff Writer

Now that baseball is over professional and collegiate football are all that is left to hold ones sporting attention -- until college basketball season gets going full steam -- unless you like watching former pro basketball greats miss 15-20 shots a game.

And I won’t for a minute believe any of you out there have jumped onto the New York Islanders bandwagon. Even Islanders fans don’t know they’re Islanders’ fans.

Pro football, especially local pro football, again has come through for those of us who need a sporting fix. The New York Jets and Giants are once again both above .500 and within spitting distance of first place in their respective divisions.

Neither may win with the grace and beauty of, say the St. Louis Rams, but they do seem to get the job done.

The Jets, at 6-3, are one-half game behind the front-running Miami Dolphins who they will face Sunday.

The Dolphins are a balanced team and one destined to again disappoint their fans come January.

A solid defense compliments an adequate offense that has overachieved since the emergence of Lamar Smith and his 2.9-yards per carry.

Even the Fish QB Jay Fielder is barely mediocre with 9 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

Miami’s defense is what keeps it in games.

The Jets’ have played better defense of late and have come to rely on the running of league-leading rusher Curtis Martin.

Jets’ wideout Wayne Chrebet suffered a recurrence of the shoulder injury that has already caused him to miss one game already this season.

If QB Vinny Testaverde can keep the Gang Green offense moving, and turnovers down, the defense should take care of the rest.

Martin will be the difference.

In the National Football Conference, the Giants are a half-game behind the Philadelphia Eagles — much to the shear glee of Capt. Pat Murphy.

The G-Men face a disappointing Minnesota Vikings squad Monday night at the MetroDome.

The return of the Giants running game in the form of Tiki Barber brings back the one-two punch of the thunder and lightning attack of last season.

Minnesota is without a defense once again and now has no running game to compliment its once feared passing attack.

The Giants won’t destroy the Vikings as they did in the NFC title game last January, but the result will be the same.

The Giants need to keep pace with the Eagles until Dec. 30 when they travel to Philadelphia for what should prove to be a decisive and possibly division-deciding game.

Both the Jets and Giants are now built around solid defense and an effective running game that is the basis of a ball-control offense.

It may not be the prettiest thing in pro football, but it is effective and produces wins.