Bud Carson Makes Some Noise About the NFL’s Noise Rule

Bud Carson, coach of the Cleveland Browns, says NFL officials need to enforce a rule that allows the home team to be penalized if crowd noise interferes with the visiting team’s signal-calling.

Carson said the crowd noise at Mile High Stadium Sunday resulted in a Pittsburgh fumble that helped the Denver Broncos to a 24-23 playoff victory over the Steelers. The Browns will play at Denver for the AFC title Sunday.

“It’s unbelievable what they’ve done with that rule,” Carson said Monday. “They’ve twisted it around 180 degrees. Instead of controlling the home crowd now, there is absolutely no rule.

“At Cincinnati, it was unbelievable. In Houston, it was unbelievable. It certainly hurt Pittsburgh yesterday. I think there was (a need for) some modification of the original interpretation of the rule, but not to the point that it’s gone now.”

The noise at Mile High is far more disruptive than the fan rowdiness during the Browns’ 16-13 victory over the Broncos at Cleveland Stadium Oct. 1, Carson said.

“It certainly hurt Pittsburgh as much as our crowd ever hurt Denver when they were here--a hell of a lot more, in my opinion,” Carson said.

After fans in Cleveland’s Dawg Pound section threw dog biscuits, eggs and other objects at Bronco players, the officials had the teams switch direction so the Broncos would be farther from the stands. But the move let Cleveland’s Matt Bahr kick with the wind at his back on a last-second, 48-yard field goal that won the game.

Carson said that incident might inspire an even higher decibel level in Denver, but added that he isn’t worried about Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar.

“We operated well in the noise at Houston,” he said. “It can’t get much louder than that. Bernie handles that as well as anybody.”

Add Mile High: Steeler cornerback Rod Woodson on Sunday’s game: “I tried to get myself going, to get used to the altitude, but I felt I was just a step late to everything, and it showed on the final route I covered. And it showed on the final score.”

Trivia time: Name the three American League pitchers who won 20 games at least eight times.

Incentive plan: Offensive tackles Steve Wallace and Bubba Paris of the San Francisco 49ers will receive $900 apiece for preventing Minnesota Viking defensive end Chris Doleman from sacking Joe Montana.

The money was put up by Montana, wide receiver Jerry Rice, team adviser Harry Edwards, free safety Ronnie Lott and defensive lineman Larry Roberts.

Wallace said: “Tell you what, I’ll give $100 of mine back to Roberts if he sacks (Ram quarterback) Jim Everett” in the NFC title game Sunday.

Add Rams: Quarterback Phil Simms and the rest of the New York Giants cleaned out their lockers Monday, the day after their 19-13 overtime loss to the Rams.

Simms said: “I really don’t have anything to say. It’s been a tough year. There is just nothing to say. . . . It was a bad way to end it. I’m sorry.”

Just asking: So which is it? Does Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda want us to go on diets or partake of his line of pasta sauces?

And how is Bo Schembechler, new president of the Detroit Tigers, going to react to his team’s first 10-game losing streak?

Trivia answer: Jim Palmer and Lefty Grove, eight times each, and Walter Johnson, 12 times.

Quotebook: Steve Jordan of the Minnesota Vikings, preseason favorites to win the Super Bowl, on the club’s 10-6 season: “The only thing consistent about us was our inconsistency.”