The Makings of a Cat Fight

There will be no TV commercial rebates, no ticket discounts, no apologies from the NFL.

The Super Bowl steamboat races pitting the Natchez against the American Queen will still be waged, and the NFL commissioner’s party will still take place Friday night before the game at the Convention Center.

The Jacksonville Jaguars will be staying at the Marriott Hotel on Canal, practicing at Tulane University and their fans will be given the opportunity to buy 15,000 tickets. The Carolina Panthers will be at the Fairmont New Orleans, prepping at the Saints’ complex and receiving the same amount of tickets.

It is still possible: The impossible--The Super Bowl of all Super Bowls, an exhibition featuring two second-year expansion teams, and there’s one thing for sure, program sales will be booming.

When the season began, Carolina was listed at 75-1 to win the Super Bowl, Jacksonville 150-1, and here they are, two of the final eight in position to become one of sports’ all-time novelty acts.

“Carolina would be a seven-point favorite,” said Bob Scucci, sports manager at the Stardust Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. “But betting would be down; we get a lot of action on proposition bets like John Elway throwing for 300 yards or Michael Irvin making 10 catches, but it’s kind of tough when you don’t know who even plays for these teams.

“Carolina was bet down to 7-1 to win the Super Bowl after the playoff teams were set, but Jacksonville was still at 150-1. If there’s someone out there who put money down on both teams before the season began, I want his lottery numbers and I’m standing right behind him in line.”

Jim Steeg, the NFL’s executive director of special events, laughed when presented with the prospect of a Carolina-Jacksonville Super Bowl. “Time to look for more recreation vehicle pads,” he said. “It would be crazy; both cities are within driving distance, and I think you would have one of the biggest demands ever for Super Bowl tickets.”

Greg Bensel, media director for the New Orleans Super Bowl host committee, said a “Denver-Green Bay or Denver-Dallas Super Bowl would probably be better economically” for the area. He said they estimate those teams will bring an additional 80,000 to 100,000 fans to New Orleans, although only an estimated 7,000 will have tickets for the game.

“But what an interesting prospect: Carolina versus Jacksonville,” Bensel said. “New Orleans has been known historically for its blow-out Super Bowls, but with Carolina and Jacksonville playing each other, it probably wouldn’t be a typical 35-10 Super Bowl. Who knows who would win?”

To rock the world, Jacksonville will have to defeat the Denver Broncos in Mile High Stadium on Saturday and then polish off the winner of the Pittsburgh-New England tussle on the road in the AFC championship game. A ridiculous scenario, but then the Jaguars have won six in a row, including a 30-27 triumph in Buffalo to run their franchise playoff record to 1-0.

The Panthers, while undefeated in their new Ericsson Stadium, opened as four-point underdogs at home against the Cowboys. If successful in dethroning Dallas on Sunday, the Panthers will either get San Francisco at home or a sled ride to Green Bay.

Green Bay and Denver, of course, are the favorites to play in Super Bowl XXXI because of their tremendous home-field advantages, but is there really a chance for a surprise?

The last three NFC championship games have been won by the team with the home-field advantage, seven of the last nine in the AFC. Just as remarkably, 17 of the last 20 AFC divisional playoff games have been won by the home team, 13 of the last 16 in the NFC.

That’s what Jacksonville, San Francisco, Pittsburgh and Dallas are up against this weekend:

Jacksonville: To quiet the crowd, stay in the game and have the opportunity to upset Denver, the Jaguars will need Natrone Means to hog the ball and keep John Elway pacing the sideline. Quarterback Mark Brunell is capable of throwing for 400 yards, but an aerial attack risks turnovers and more opportunities for Elway to dictate Jacksonville’s terms of surrender.

Do they have a chance? They will need to buy tickets to get into Super Bowl XXXI.

San Francisco: That uneasy feeling in the pit of all Cheeseheads is not last night’s brat, but rather the 49ers’ offensive resurgence at season’s end, coinciding with the return to form of quarterback Steve Young. Young’s sore ribs, however, present serious problems for the 49ers, who have no running game to save the day. San Francisco’s defense shut out the Eagles, but that was Ty Detmer at quarterback and any resemblance to Brett Favre suggests an immediate eye exam is in order.

Do they have a chance? Only if Favre agrees not to exploit cornerbacks Tyronne Drakeford and Marquez Pope.

Pittsburgh: The team with the two-headed quarterback has the road-grader in running back Jerome Bettis to punish the Patriots. However, New England’s glaring weakness on defense has been against the pass, and if Mike Tomczak is behind center, the Patriots will be screaming “pass” en masse. Pittsburgh’s 3-4 defense and solid secondary present the first big challenge for New England quarterback Drew Bledsoe, who has the chance to graduate to another level.

Do the Steelers have a chance? If Tomczak misses the team plane.

Dallas: The Cowboys scored 40 points, but it was a deceiving 40 points for a team still looking for confidence on offense. Kicker Chris Boniol delivered four field goals, the defense scored on an interception and quarterback Troy Aikman now has two touchdown passes in his last nine games. Seventeen of the Cowboys’ last 23 scores have been field goals, and the Panthers’ strength is in keeping the other team from scoring. Carolina’s weakness has been its own offense, and the Cowboys, despite losing safety Brock Marion, defensive end Charles Haley and defensive tackle Leon Lett, have been most impressive on defense.

Do they have a chance? The Cowboys played against this kind of 3-4 blitzing defense in last year’s Super Bowl and won, but they were unimpressive with Aikman completing 15 of 23 passes for 239 yards and a three-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jay Novacek. Now if Carolina quarterback Kerry Collins makes like Pittsburgh’s Neil O’Donnell in the big game, Dallas advances.