Sport: Fall Free-for-AII

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For pro football oddsmakers—and many bettors—this has been a season of cruel and unusual punishment. The pain began in September, when such perennial powers as Miami, Dallas and Washington suffered multiple losses, while New England and St. Louis, those longtime door mats, tripped everyone in sight. Then, midway through the schedule, just as the experts were beginning to believe in the upstarts, the old guard reasserted itself, and a new set of misfits including Houston and Cleveland battered the betting line with upsets. By last week the N.F.L. was a bookie's nightmare; a platoon of likely and unlikely teams battled for play-off berths.

If the confusion has baffled professional bettors, it has been nothing but good news for fans. Pro football in recent seasons had seemed in danger of becoming a Sunday sleeping pill. Methodical defense and field goals in bunches had come to dominate the game. In the offseason, owners tried to increase excitement by moving the goal posts back 10 yds. and making other revisions to rejuvenate the offense. The changes have succeeded to some extent, but what the N.F.L. really needed was some fresh heroes, new contenders and a tight race to the Super Bowl instead of Miami's usual romp. So far, it has all three.

Bouncing Back. In the N.F.C. East, the Cardinals could easily be renamed the Cinderellas. This summer, Second-Year Coach Don Coryell told his players that they would win ten games—a bold prediction considering that the team lost nine last season. Yet the players believed. Following the example of Coryell, who often works so late that he sleeps on the gold couch in his office, veteran Quarterback Jim Hart has put the bomb back in football, throwing seven touchdown passes of 40 yds. or more. Running Back Terry Metcalf has eluded tacklers for scoring sprints of 94 and 75 yds., and the young Cardinal defense has held opponents to an average of 16 points per game. The result: an impressive 7-2 record going into last weekend.

If St. Louis falters, the Washington Redskins are prepared to pounce, led by the aging master of the clutch pass, Sonny Jurgensen, 41. Not far behind are the Dallas Cowboys, who have bounced back from a dismal start with the help of powerful running by Fullback Calvin Hill. Whoever wins in the East will probably have the dubious pleasure of facing the rugged Minnesota Vikings in the playoffs, while the N.F.C.'s wildcard team—probably the runner-up in the East—will play the Los Angeles Rams, directed by gifted black Quarterback Jim Harris.

In the A.F.C., only the Oakland Raiders face an easy path to postseason play. After an opening-game loss to the Buffalo Bills, the Raiders mowed down their next eight opponents with an awesome passing attack led by Quarterback Ken Stabler, and a tough, unyielding defense. Pittsburgh, the Central Division favorites, have been just as stubborn on defense, but the Steelers' offense has sagged, and they now find themselves in a tight battle with the Cincinnati Bengals. Though all but out of the running, the nettlesome Houston Oilers and Cleveland Browns both promise to torment the leaders in future weeks.