Run-and-sit offense
Houston was ill-prepared to come from behind, having scrapped the run-and-shoot when Jeff Fisher took over two weeks ago.
The new run-oriented offense is far from popular with the Oilers' receivers. Webster Slaughter, who asked to be released earlier in the week, was even angrier after he played very little in the fourth quarter yesterday.
"I hope I won't be around much longer. The way they've treated me, I can't see putting out much effort for these people," Slaughter said.
"It's difficult," Haywood Jeffires said. "It's something to adjust to as receivers, because we were so used to getting the ball."
Numbers
Dan Marino of the Miami Dolphins has guided 26 fourth-quarter comebacks, including five against the New York Jets. . . . The Jets have forced 24 turnovers in the past seven games, including four yesterday. . . . Herschel Walker's 91-yard run for a touchdown was the longest in the three-year history of the Georgia Dome and the longest in the NFL since the Raiders' Bo Jackson ran 92 yards for one against Cincinnati on Nov. 5, 1989. . . . The third loss in a row for the Philadelphia Eagles was the first since September 1988 with Randall Cunningham at quarterback. . . . Eric Allen's interception was the 34th of his career, tying him with Bill Bradley for the Philadelphia team record. . . . Tampa Bay's Michael Husted had missed four straight field goal attempts against Minnesota until connecting on a pair of 22-yarders yesterday. . . . Tampa Bay continued its masterful punt coverage, allowing Minnesota no yards on two returns. The Bucs came into the game allowing only 34 punt-return yards all season, more than 100 yards better than the second-best team, the New York Giants. . . . Chicago improved to 7-0 in games started by Steve Walsh with its 19-16 overtime victory at Arizona. The Bears are 1-4 in games Walsh doesn't start. . . . The Jets recovered four fumbles -- three of them their own -- on four consecutive plays in the fourth quarter. . . . Minnesota had no sacks for the third game in a row and allowed Warren Moon to get sacked five times by Tampa Bay. . . . Chicago's victory was its 10th in 19 overtime games, first this season. The Cardinals had been in two previous overtime games, beating the Washington Redskins, 19-16, on Oct. 16 and the Pittsburgh Steelers, 20-17, on Oct. 30. The Metrodome offered respite from a Midwestern storm to 63,519 fans, but 16,260 who had tickets never made it. . . . No snow, but 11,820 stayed away from the Kingdome in Seattle. . . . The crowd of 75,606 was the largest for a Jets home game. . . . The crowd of 65,922 was the eighth-largest in Cardinals franchise history, and they have won just one of them -- beating the Vikings, 17-7, before 67,950 on Oct. 2. The Bears drew the third-largest crowd (71,233) the last time they played in Sun Devil Stadium, a 31-21 victory over the Cardinals on Oct. 28, 1990.
Running past Tarkenton
Terry Allen ran 16 times for 54 yards to pass Fran Tarkenton and move into seventh place on the Vikings' all-time rushing list. Tarkenton, the scrambling quarterback who led Minnesota to three of its four Super Bowls, had 2,543 rushing yards. Allen has 2,575.
Art Monk update
New York Jets wide receiver Art Monk, within one game and one catch of an NFL record, had his longest reception in eight seasons. Monk caught a short pass from Boomer Esiason after it deflected off cornerback Troy Vincent and turned it into a 69-yard gain. Monk needs one reception next week at New England to tie Steve Largent's mark of 177 consecutive games with a catch.