PRO FOOTBALL : SPOTLIGHT / A GLANCE AT THIS WEEK IN THE NFL : STILL KICKING

It was fitting that the battle for the NFL’s final playoff spot would come down to an 8-7 team battling a 7-8 team into overtime.

It was also fitting that the 8-7 team would have to use its kicker as its punter and the 7-8 team would use a journeyman kicker, acquired during the week, for the tying field goal as time ran out in regulation and the winning field goal in overtime.

Here was the situation: Miami quarterback Dan Marino had driven the Dolphins to the go-ahead touchdown against the New York Jets with less than a minute left. The Miami defense, which had been weak against the run most of the afternoon, went into the NFL’s infamous prevent alignment, giving up acres of passing area to New York’s Ken O’Brien, who was only too happy to oblige.

O’Brien drove the Jets effortlessly down field, until Freeman McNeil ran out of bounds on a draw play to position them at the Dolphin 27 with two seconds left. Raul Allegre, who was signed Tuesday to replace injured Pat Leahy, drilled a 44-yard field goal to send the game into overtime, 20-20.

The Dolphins needed only a tie to clinch the bid, but it was not to be.

In the extra period, Miami had the ball first, but couldn’t get across midfield, and O’Brien got the Jets moving again. He found Rob Moore for a 29-yard reception to the Dolphin eight, Allegre made a 30-yard kick, and it was sudden death for Miami.

What did the losers think of the Jets?

“I think they’re going to lose their first game,” Dolphin receiver Jim Jensen said. “They’re not that good.”

“I felt we had it won,” Marino said. “The way we played, we don’t deserve to be in the playoffs.”

A fitting ending.

RUSHING ROULETTE

Who is the best running back in the NFL, Buffalo’s Thurman Thomas or Detroit’s Barry Sanders?

They were supposed to go head to head Sunday. Unfortunately, the Bills wouldn’t play along.

Buffalo had already clinched home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs, so Thomas and quarterback Jim Kelly were given the day off as Detroit kept its NFC Central hopes alive with a 17-14 overtime victory.

Thomas, who sprained his ankle last week, entered the game only 33 yards behind Sanders for the rushing title.

Sanders rushed 26 times for 108 yards and a touchdown. He finished with 1,548 yards rushing to 1,407 for Thomas.

So, with no answer to the original question, how about this one: Who is the leading rusher in the NFL?

Try Emmitt Smith.

The second-year Dallas tailback blew past Sanders and Thomas with 160 yards in 32 carries as the Cowboys defeated Atlanta, 31-27. Smith finished with 1,563 yards.

“Some people didn’t believe in me,” Smith said. “They said I was too small and not fast. This is a great feeling. I’m just trying to become a total package player like Thurman Thomas and Sanders. I idolized those guys coming out of college and I still do.”

BOTTOMS UP

Indianapolis vs. Tampa Bay: It doesn’t get any worse than this.

The Buccaneers (3-13) easily handled the Colts (1-15), 17-3, combining for seven turnovers and numerous other bad plays before 28,043 in Tampa Stadium.

There were 9,091 no-shows, perhaps the most intelligent 9,091 in Florida.

Indianapolis already was assured of the top selection in next year’s draft, but a victory Sunday would have given them the top two picks.

The Colts have the Buccaneers’ No. 1 in 1992 because of last year’s Chris Chandler trade. Now, the extra pick will be as low as No. 3.

And, of course, Indianapolis still has Eric Dickerson (11 carries for 19 yards) to build on.

NAMES & NUMBERS

Gaston Green rushed for 90 yards in 25 carries, giving the former Ram 1,037 yards in his first season with the Denver Broncos.

Marcus Allen had a 26-yard run in the first quarter at the Coliseum, the longest of the season for the Raiders.

The Washington Redskins failed in their effort to become only the third team to go 15-1 since the 16-game format started in 1978. The Redskins also missed out on breaking the league sacks-allowed record when the Eagles recorded three sacks.

Buffalo Coach Marv Levy joined the Bills’ injury list. Levy pulled a calf muscle as he was “just running along the sidelines, expressing my opinion to one of the officials on something.” . . . Bill tight end Butch Rolle’s touchdown streak came to an end with a five-yard reception in the fourth quarter. Before that, Rolle’s previous 10 catches had gone for touchdowns.

Cleveland linebacker Clay Matthews played in his 200th NFL game. . . . Seven of the Browns’ nine losses were by a combined 24 points.

Tampa Bay offensive tackle Paul Gruber completed his fourth season in which he has played every offensive play. That’s 3,855 snaps--every one Tampa Bay has had since he entered the league. . . . Indianapolis set a NFL record for fewest points scored in a 16-game season, 143. The New England Patriots set the previous mark of 181 in 1990.

The New York Jets’ Freeman McNeil set an NFL record by completing his 11th season with an average gain per rush of more than 4.0 yards, breaking a tie with Joe Perry. McNeil ended the year with 300 yards in 51 carries, an average of 5.8 yards per carry. . . . Miami linebacker Cliff Odom, an 11-year veteran, had the first interception of his career.

Cincinnati’s James Brooks rushed for 18 yards and caught two passes for 45 yards. The 63 yards of combined offense moved him ahead of Franco Harris into fourth-place on the NFL’s all-time combined yardage list with 14,628. . . . Bengal kicker Jim Breech extended his NFL scoring record to 181 consecutive games.

JUMPING THE GUN?

This item from the Dec. 23 issue of Sports Illustrated, headlined “A Clear Conscience”:

“One can’t help but admire the principles of Los Angeles Ram head coach John Robinson. Even though the Rams are now 3-13 and his job is in obvious jeopardy, Robinson has refused the request of team owner Georgia Frontiere to put ‘magic crystals’ around the necks of his players.”

Of course, the Rams were 3-12 when this was written and 3-12 when it hit the newsstands, but it was merely another example of the Rams’ swan song under Robinson. Still, not a bad prediction.

HERE THEY COME AGAIN

It looks like another year of NFC domination, so which team would that conference champion most like to meet in the Super Bowl?

Would you believe those four-time losers, the Denver Broncos?

While most of the AFC talk this season has concerned the defending champion Buffalo Bills and the run-and-shooting Houston Oilers, the Broncos quietly finished a 12-4 season Sunday with a 17-14 victory over the San Diego Chargers. That gave them eight victories in 10 games.

John Elway has had shoulder problems, but he has never had any problem getting to the biggest game--only winning it.

IN QUOTES

Buffalo safety Mark Kelso, on Detroit’s Barry Sanders: “I’m glad we have to play him only once.”

Buffalo tackle Will Wolford, on the 17-14 loss to Detroit: “You don’t like to lose, but this is a game we’ll definitely be able to shrug off pretty easily. I’ve just about shrugged it off right now.”

Tampa Bay quarterback Vinny Testaverde: “As far as I know now, I’ll back next year. But anything can happen in the next six months. I’d like to see this team stick together. What’s hurt us in the last five years is tearing the team apart and putting it back together.”

Tampa Bay linebacker Broderick Thomas, who made 11 tackles against Indianapolis: “They might not have voted me to the Pro Bowl, but I’m still the best in the business. Nobody does it better.”

New York Jet running back Johnny Hector, who had 98 of his 132 rushing yards against Miami after the third quarter: “I told Brad Braxter on Wednesday that I was going to have a big game and it happened just like I dreamed it.”

Jet linebacker Joe Kelly, on making the playoffs: “It’s just like the lottery. You have to be in it to win it.”

Cleveland cornerback Stephen Braggs, after 17-10 loss to Pittsburgh: “It’s going to be a damn long bus ride home.”

New Orleans quarterback Bobby Hebert, on the Saints’ first division title: “We just have to keep this in the right perspective going into the playoffs. Being raised in New Orleans and being part of this championship is an incredible feeling. You almost want to cry--it’s that good of a feeling.”

TONIGHT’S GAME

CHICAGO BEARS (11-4)

at SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (9-6)

Time: 6 p.m.

TV: Channel 7

A few weeks ago, it looked as if this would be a big game. Last week, when the 49ers were eliminated from playoff contention, it appeared it might mean nothing.

Now, it’s a big game again--for the the Bears.

When Detroit defeated Buffalo, 17-14, in overtime Sunday, it meant that the Bears must win to gain their seventh Central Division title in eight years, along with a first-round bye in the playoffs.

If the Bears lose, they will be a wild-card team.

“In some respects, this is our playoff game,” said San Francisco Coach George Seifert, whose club missed the playoffs for the first time in nine years.

“That’s just how I expect them to play,” Chicago quarterback Jim Harbaugh said. “I can’t imagine them going in any other way. That’s the way you always play and we definitely want to go in on a high note.”

The 49ers will start Steve Young at quarterback, although he has lingering soreness from torn left knee ligaments suffered Nov. 3 at Atlanta.

Young saw his first action since the injury when he relieved Steve Bono, who suffered a sprained knee in the third quarter of a 28-14 victory over Kansas City Dec. 14.

Leave it to the 49ers to lose Joe Montana, then find a quarterback controversy. Young and Bono (5-1 as a starter) have combined to pass for 3,796 yards. That was more than any quarterback other than Warren Moon and Jim Kelly going into the final weekend.