Monday, November 29, 1999

‘Fu’ finally
gets a carry

By Pat Bigold
Star-Bulletin

Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala (St. Louis) got to carry the ball for the first time this regular season in a 27-20 loss yesterday to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Fuamatu-Ma'afala rushed 4 yards up the middle on 1st-and-10 to the Bengals' 43 just before the two-minute warning.

The former Crusaders and Utah running back has been relegated mostly to blocking duties and special teams since recovering from a high ankle injury he sustained in training camp. Last season, as a rookie, he scored two rushing touchdowns and one receiving for the Steelers to tie Jerome Bettis in scoring production.

Fuamatu-Ma'afala also stop-ped Damon Griffin for 4 yards on the game's opening kickoff return, his fifth special teams tackle of the season.

Kimo von Oelhoffen (Molokai) started at left tackle (his first start of the season) for the Bengals and made two solo tackles.

Von Oelhoffen (who normally plays nose tackle) hit Steelers quarterback Mike Tomczak up the middle for a 7-yard loss on 2nd-and-10 at the Pittsburgh 13 with five minutes left in the game. It brought up 3rd-and-17 and Tomczak was sacked on the next play.

In the Arizona Cardinals' 34-24 victory over the New York Giants, Adrian Murrell (Leilehua) started and rushed 15 times for 28 yards (including four first downs) and caught five passes for 50 yards (one first down).

Murrell now has 390 rushing yards on 142 carries. He has 160 receiving yards on 29 catches.