Good friends Curtis Martin and Jerome Bettis have the opportunity to go over 13,000 career yards rushing in the same game when the New York Jets meet the Pittsburgh Steelers in a big NFL matchup on Sunday.
For Martin, it hardly matters if they reach the milestone together or that he will be playing in his hometown. But he would love to take Bettis on in the tenpin bowling lanes for the first time.
PHOTO: AP
Bettis is an avid bowler, with a lifetime average of better than 200. He has a perfect game under his belt, too. Martin, whose hobbies include chess, says about his bowling prowess: "I'm all right, too."
Is there anything these men do badly?
Both have continued their climb up the NFL rushing charts this year. Bettis is fifth all-time with 12,980 yards, just six ahead of Martin's 12,974. Only four other players have topped 13,000: Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton, Barry Sanders and Eric Dickerson; the last three are in the Hall of Fame.
Bettis, a 12-year veteran, has seen his playing time diminish while taking a back seat to Duce Staley, but his contributions are far from over. While Staley was out with a hamstring injury, Bettis racked up four straight 100-yard games for Pittsburgh.
Meanwhile, Martin keeps rolling. The 10-year veteran has 1,305 yards so far, joining Sanders as the only players to start their careers with 10 straight 1,000 yard seasons. Martin is on pace to break his career high of 1,513 yards set in 2001, and his 12 touchdowns are his most since 1996, when he had 17 (14 rushing, three receiving).
Because Bettis is back to his reserve role and Martin gets more carries, it seems inevitable Martin will pass his friend for good on the career list, maybe this weekend.
"It looks like it, unless my defense can do an outstanding job," Bettis said with a chuckle. "Hopefully, I can get those guys to step up and shut him down."
Both backs admire what the other has accomplished. The 115kg Bettis knocks people over with his brute strength, earning his nickname of the Bus. The 94.5kg Martin is smaller and faster, but just as physical.
Bettis sees similarities between the two, calling Martin a 'gladiator' because he has taken so much punishment throughout the years. So whether they're bowling over linebackers or rolling some rocks, count on Curtis and Jerome to find the lane.
"In the sense he's physical and runs in between the tackles well, I think is very similar," Bettis said. "He's a durable, dependable and reliable running back, and that's what you want -- and, unfortunately, you don't find too many of them around."
Martin also heaped praise on Bettis, whom rookie Jets linebacker Jonathan Vilma called "just one of those freaks of nature, a real gifted athlete to be able to move like that at such a big width."
"What I like about him is he's a big guy, but he's light on his feet," said Martin, whose mother and about 40 friends will be at the game. "You usually don't see that combination. That's what I appreciate about his running style more so than anything else."
Jets coach Herman Edwards appreciates how Bettis handled the situation this season when Staley became the starter.
"He wasn't griping about it. He was a pro," Edwards said. "That's what you like about guys like that. When you're a guy with his status, and all of a sudden you bring another guy in, you could make some waves if you like. But he understands what's important. It's about winning."
For Martin, too. Martin always has brushed off his accolades, preferring to reflect on them when his career ends. Because this game is so important for the Jets and their hunt for a playoff spot, going against Bettis and playing in Pittsburgh also are secondary.
Martin knows he has a few years left in his career. So the pursuit of a Super Bowl ring is what he concerns himself with the most.
"It's a reminder of something that I don't want to leave the NFL without," Martin said. "You always hear a lot of the older guys talk about it's getting late for me, I don't have too much time."
At least in football. Bowling? That's another story.
crunch time
Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, Atlanta and defending champion New England can clinch NFL division titles on Sunday and join Philadelphia in the playoffs.
The Indianapolis Colts can win the AFC South with a victory over the Houston Texans, but the division title could be a sidelight if Peyton Manning throws five touchdown passes, as he did in the first meeting, a 49-14 Indianapolis victory. That would give him 49 touchdown passes for the season, breaking Dan Marino's 20-year-old record of 48.
The Texans weren't happy after that loss in Indy, suggesting Manning was throwing late just to run up numbers. But they are less concerned now about revenge than winning one after four losses in five games.
The Atlanta Falcons fell flat in Tampa Bay last week with their first shot at clinching the NFC South, but they should do it at home against the Oakland Raiders.
The New England Patriots will claim the AFC East if they beat the Cincinnati Bengals and the Jets lose. The Patriots have played extremely well since their sole loss in Pittsburgh, even with injuries that have forced them to use receiver Troy Brown as a defensive back.
They had only one win by more than 14 points during their 21-game winning streak; they have four such victories during their five-game streak since the loss.
Cincinnati's win in Baltimore last week after trailing 20-3 in the fourth quarter might have been its best in more than a decade. This week, the Bengals go against Corey Dillon, their franchise running back for seven years who was traded to the Patriots after falling out of favor.
The Philadelphia Eagles, who already have won the NFC East, can clinch a first-round bye with a win in Washington.
In other games on Sunday, Seattle is at Minnesota; New Orleans at Dallas; Cleveland at Buffalo; the New York Giants at Baltimore; Chicago at Jacksonville; Miami at Denver; Detroit at Green Bay; St. Louis at Carolina; San Francisco at Arizona; and Tampa Bay at San Diego.
Kansas City is at Tennessee on Monday.
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