What’s My Line? Missed PAT can be a kick in the pants

Friday, Oct. 2, 1998 | 11:32 a.m.

SAL DEFILIPPO, news editor of the Las Vegas SUN, frequently deposits funds into the accounts of sports books throughout Southern Nevada. His column appears Fridays throughout football season. He can be reached on the Internet at sal@lasvegassun.com

EXTRA POINTS are supposed to be easy.

That's why they're called extra points, or more formally, the point after touchdown. It's because you're supposed to make it.

It's so automatic, that the NFL got bored with it several years ago and added the two-point option after touchdowns. It's more difficult and more exciting -- not the yawner of watching a professional kicker make a 20-yarder from the center of the field.

Anyone can do that. Anyone, except perhaps Morten Andersen, specifically when I need him to make one.

After watching the 49ers crush Andersen's Falcons for most of the game Sunday, Atlanta put together a couple of late touchdowns and it appeared my top pick of the week, the Falcons plus 10 1/2 points, would cover.

But following Atlanta's final score, San Francisco's Brentson Buckner blocked Andersen's PAT attempt, preserving an 11-point victory.

It was Andersen's first missed extra point since 1995. It could easily be his last in this millennium.

Talk about getting kicked where it hurts.

Last week

Here's how you go 3-9-1: You start with the missed extra point (Atlanta), add a half-point loss where your team failed in the red zone on the final play (Carolina), two games where your team is covering in the fourth quarter, but allows a weaker team a late backdoor touchdown (Kansas City and Minnesota), and an overtime loss where your team (Indianapolis) allows a fourth-and-17 conversion on the game-tying drive. If those games go the other way, I'm 8-4-1 and starting a 900 service.

For the season

Top of the line: 2-2

Against the spread: 21-34-1, 38.4 percent

Over/unders: 29-27, 51.8 percent

Straight-up: 37-19, 66.0 percent

Top of the line

The Vikings get beaten up by the better of these unbeatens. Green Bay 27, Minnesota 6.

The 49ers could become the first team in history to record 500 yards of offense in four consecutive games. The Bills fold early. San Francisco 29, Buffalo 16.

A lot was said about Jimmy Johnson's commitment to running the ball, but the Dolphins have done an even better job of stopping it. Marshall Faulk, Antowain Smith and Jerome Bettis each were neutralized by Miami -- expect more of the same for Curtis Martin. Miami 24, New York Jets 14.

The Cowboys aren't always the ones disappearing into the sunset. Washington fans likely won't tolerate Norv Turner much longer. Dallas 18, Washington 16.

The Bears' coaching staff should make the whole team sit and watch a few episodes of "60 minutes." Once they learn how to play an entire game, there could be some "Chicago Hope" after all. Chicago 20, Detroit 10.

With my luck, Andersen will kick a 68-yard field goal to give Atlanta a four-point win. Carolina 20, Atlanta 17.

Mike Ditka probably has his Coach of the Year speech written -- in three games, New Orleans has 2 turnovers. The Saints had 17 in their first three games of 1997. Reality sets in, but New Orleans entertains thoughts of 4-0 long enough to cover. New England 20, New Orleans 15.

The long-awaited Ryan Leaf-Peyton Manning matchup should produce a great deal of excitement -- some of those interception returns are really flashy. San Diego 16, Indianapolis 13.

If Sun Devil stadium were a casino, Jeff George would be booted for counting Cards around him all day. Arizona 26, Oakland 23.

Mismatch? Of course. But laying 15 1/2 points in any NFL game is a bigger mismatch. Denver 30, Philadelphia 16.

The past two teams humiliated on Monday Night hook up in one of the week's better defensive matchups. I'll take the Buccaneers in their new ship. Tampa Bay 22, New York Giants 10.

QB Elvis Grbac -- the Q in this case stands for Questionable -- is actually entertaining thoughts of playing this week. Regardless, I'll list the Chiefs as probable. Kansas City 21, Seattle 14.