Sports (washingtonpost.com)

Two-Minute Drill
Bears Fans Experience New Cold Front

The Washington Post
Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2004, Page D8

Hasselbeck Injures His Elbow | Star of the Day
By the Numbers | Quotable | Sunday's Best | Looking Ahead

On a frigid day at Soldier Field in Chicago, four football fans had a front-row view of the action.

With the temperature at 9 degrees and the wind chill at 10 below zero, four fans occupied special on-field seats. They sat 10 yards off the 15-yard line in the southeast corner of the stadium yesterday and watched the Bears lose to the Houston Texans, 24-5.

The seats are part of an NFL pilot program to test the possibility of adding these seats permanently across the league.

The four fans were military personnel, chosen at random at a USO Appreciation Banquet last week.

Maj. Mike Bollwitt of the Air Force National Guard was bundled in his heavy field uniform before the game. Bollwitt, who lives in Bourbonnais, Ill., the training camp home of the Bears, returned from Uzbekistan in October after a 20-month call-up to active duty.

"This is for the motivated fan, no doubt," said Bollwitt, 40, a pilot for American Airlines. "Just like in baseball, you can't take your eye off the ball. If you don't pay attention here, I feel like you might end up with a player in your lap."

The seats were enclosed in a cubicle and included a pair of TVs and blankets. Three of the seats were heated.

This is the third game of a four-game test by Seating Solutions, a Long Island-based company which created the package.

"To be on the field and have people that close, I think it's something most people never get to see," said Scott Suprina, vice president of sales and marketing for the company. "The feedback's been really, really good."

-- From News Services

Hasselbeck Injures His Elbow
Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck injured his right elbow in a 37-14 loss to the New York Jets yesterday, but the extent of the injury was unknown.

Hasselbeck was hurt in the fourth quarter while he was throwing, and Trent Dilfer replaced him for the rest of the game.

"I have a little nerve thing going down to my arm. It started to go away a little bit, but I still couldn't throw, so if you can't throw you can't play," he said.

Hasselbeck said he had X-rays and added that the doctors would know more today. He finished 22 of 30 for 201 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.

Linebacker Chad Brown hurt his foot, but Coach Mike Holmgren did not know how badly. Brown made his return against the Jets after missing the last three games following arthroscopic surgery on his left knee.

-- From News Services

Star of the Day
Quarterback Kerry Collins threw for five touchdowns and 371 yards on 21-for-37 passing to lead the Oakland Raiders to a 40-35 victory over the Tennessee Titans. Three of those touchdowns went to wide receiver Jerry Porter.

By the Numbers
3 Chiefs running backs who have rushed for 150 yards in a game this season, a first in NFL history. Larry Johnson rushed for 151 yards yesterday, and Priest Holmes and Derrick Blaylock also have run for at least 150 yards in a game this season.
6 Passes thrown by Chargers quarterback Drew Brees in a 21-0 victory at snowy Cleveland Browns Stadium. Brees completed four for 85 yards, including a 72-yard touchdown.
14 Consecutive seasons in which the Bengals have not had a winning record, the second-longest such streak in NFL history. Cincinnati was assured of that after a 33-17 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

Quotable
"The Giants are not on our schedule next year. Thank God."
Lions long snapper Don Muhlbach after a poor snap prevented the Lions from tying the game in a 28-27 loss to the Minnesota Vikings

Sunday's Best
Top Rushers (by yards)
165: Fred Taylor, Jaguars, 22 carries, 1 TD
151: Larry Johnson, Chiefs, 30 carries, 2 TDs
134: Curtis Martin, Jets, 24 carries, 2 TDs
131: Michael Pittman, Bucs, 24 carries, 1 fumble
130: Rudi Johnson, Bengals, 23 carries, 1 TD, 1 fumble
111: LaDainian Tomlinson, Chargers, 26 carries, 2 TDs
105: Lee Suggs, Browns, 21 carries

Top Passers (by yards)
492: Billy Volek, Titans, 40 of 60, 4 TDs, 1 INT
404: Daunte Culpepper, Vikings, 25 of 35, 3 TDs, 1 INT
371: Kerry Collins, Raiders, 21 of 37, 5 TDs, 1 INT
367: Brett Favre, Packers, 30 of 44, 2 TDs, 2 INTs
361: Joey Harrington, Lions, 25 0f 44, 2 TDs, 2 INTs
292: Jake Plummer, Broncos, 23 of 41, 1 TD, 2 INTs
287: Josh McCown, Cardinals, 22 of 34, 2 TDs

Top Receivers (by yards)
160: Drew Bennett, Titans, 13 catches, 2 TDs
152: Javon Walker, Packers, 11 catches
148: Jerry Porter, Raiders, 8 catches, 3 TDs
134: Nate Burleson, Vikings, 5 catches, 2 TDs
121: Derrick Mason, Titans, 9 catches, 1 TD
109: Jabar Gaffney, Texans, 4 catches
108: Az-Zahir Hakim, Lions, 4 catches
104: Roy Williams, Lions, 7 catches, 2 TDs

Looking Ahead
Green Bay at Minnesota. The winner of this game will take control of the NFC North. A Packers victory means a sweep of the season series against one of their biggest rivals. Green Bay won a thriller, 34-31, on Nov. 14 with a 33-yard field goal as time expired.

Baltimore at Pittsburgh. Playoff scenarios for both teams may be at stake in one of the most intense rivalries in the NFL. The Steelers will continue their quest for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, and the Ravens need a victory to remain a top playoff contender.

New England at New York Jets. The defending Super Bowl champions will try to stay with Pittsburgh in the battle for home-field advantage. Quarterback Chad Pennington and the Jets have won four of five and will be looking to solidify their playoff standing.