Unsung Heroes

Several teams out of contention came to play spoiler

Every Tuesday during the NFL season, CNNSI.com's Pat Kirwan will recognize the players and coaches who don't see much of the spotlight but get the job done. At the end of the season Pat will present his Unsung Coach of the Year award in the memory of former NFL player and coach Chip Myers. In January 1999, after having served as an NFL assistant for 15 years, Myers was named Vikings offensive coordinator. Just a month later Myers suffered a fatal heart attack.

Believe me, when your team is out of the playoff hunt it is difficult to get them to play well enough to win, especially against a good football team. When a basement dweller beats a playoff-bound team this late in the season it says a lot about how much the players respect the head coach -- and how much professional pride they still have which is an outgrowth of how the head coach handles his players.

None of the following coaches "packed it in", and because of that they need to be recognized. The Cowboys, Bengals and Bills came into the weekend with 10 wins between them. Their opponents -- the 49ers, Steelers and Jets, respectively -- had 32 wins between them and all had something regarding the playoffs at stake in the game.

Dave Campo of the Cowboys, Dick LeBeau of the Bengals, and Gregg Williams of the Bills persuaded their respective teams to have pride, play hard and take satisfaction from an NFL win. They all succeeded, and they did it by all winning the battle of third down conversions, time of possession, rushing first downs and most importantly rushing yardage.

Wins like this are building blocks for the 2002 season. The front office people at all three clubs are surely disappointed with the 2001 season but they have to feel they have the right coach trying to right the ship.

A few players who rose to the occasion in Week 16 and gave excellent efforts deserve to be recognized. Eagle defensive lineman Paul Grasmanis is not fully recovered from his own injuries, but when Hollis Thomas went down prior to the Giants game, Paul had to go. The play-by-play says he had one tackle, but after watching the game tape, he pressured the QB on a number of occasions and was disruptive all over the defensive front in the Eagles' division-clinching win.

Phil Hansen has played along the defensive front for the Bills for 11 years. He has experienced the best and worst pro football has to offer during his career. In Buffalo's third win of a very long season, Hansen intercepted a Vinny Testaverde pass to end the game. It was the first interception of his career and it's a play he'll never forget in a season he doesn't want to remember.

The Bengals got nine receptions for 98 yards from rookie seventh-round WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh in their 26-23 overtime victory.

Finally, all Trent Dilfer does is win football games when he gets the opportunity to play. In the victory against the Chargers, he completed 14 of 23 passes for 267 yards and three touchdowns. If the Seahawks make the playoffs, it will be because of Dilfer. And if they don't, it will be because he didn't play every week. He's a free agent again next season, and the Houston Texans should take a long look at a guy who's still young, healthy and has a Super Bowl ring on his finger.

Pat Kirwan, who spent 12 years as a pro football coach, scout and personnel administrator, is an NFL analyst for CNN/Sports Illustrated. Unsung Heroes appears every Tuesday at CNNSI.com.

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