"I was hoping we'd see him by now," McGinnis told reporters early this week. "That's why we both handled it like we did in training camp and we paced him. We were planning to have him from the start. I can't tell you when he'll be back. Until he can practice for a couple of weeks, we won't have him. ..."

MarTay Jenkins will continue to come of the bench as the team's No. 3 receiver in Moore's absence. ...

Arizona Republic reporter Kent Somers wrote this week, "Jake Plummer might be the team's quarterback of the future after all. Entering the season, there were serious questions about Plummer, who had passed for 22 touchdowns and been intercepted 45 times the previous two years. He has six TD passes and five interceptions and hasn't thrown an interception in the past two games. He has been smart and efficient and is making big throws when the club needs it. ..."

Other notes of interest this week. ...

David Boston, who pulled in seven receptions for 131 yards and a score against the Chiefs last Sunday, is clearly emerging as one of the best receivers in the league. ... Starting halfback Michael Pittman also had a great outing against Kansas City, posting 137 yards of total offense and a touchdown.

RB: Michael Pittman, Thomas Jones, Marcel Shipp

FB: Joel Makovicka, Dennis McKinley (Q)

WR: David Boston, Frank Sanders, MarTay Jenkins, Arnold Jackson, Rob Moore (D)

TE: Terry Hardy, Tywan Mitchell

PK: Bill Gramatica

The 36-year-old Chandler played so well the last two weeks that backup Michael Vick, the NFL's No. 1 draft pick, did not get in the games.

In the Falcons' 20-13 victory at New Orleans on Sunday, Chandler completed 14 of 20 passes for 187 yards and two touchdowns. His one interception led to the Saints' making it 10-10 in the second quarter.

Otherwise, Chandler, whose 97.8 quarterback rating is No. 4 in the NFL, flashed the form of the player who was a two-time Pro Bowl selection in 1997-98.

"Chris really gave us a chance to win the game," coach Dan Reeves said Monday. "He put us in great position, and then he threw the ball really well."

Chandler's ability to deceive a defense, recognize blitzes and change formations at the line of scrimmage are assets earned through years of experience and success. He was almost flawless in executing a silent snap count despite a boisterous, sold-out crowd at the Louisiana Superdome.

On the winning touchdown early in the fourth quarter, Chandler had receivers Shawn Jefferson and Terance Mathis lined up wide left, but he signaled for Jefferson to move into the slot. Chandler faked a handoff to running back Maurice Smith as Jefferson ran an underneath route toward the right side.

Jefferson, wide open at the 13, caught the pass and ran untouched for a 39-yard touchdown and a 17-10 lead.

"Any time you can keep them off guard a little bit and do something maybe they don't expect -- but that's the same thing they do on defense, too," Chandler said. "They line up in certain things and come out of it and go into something else right before the ball snaps. They're going to put a lot of pressure on everybody with what they do. Every time they're doing some great stuff, you've got to try to hit 'em with a big play of your own."

Vick, a 21-year-old rookie who played only two years at Virginia Tech, doesn't mind playing the understudy.

"I know my time will come," Vick said. "Right now, Chris is the starter and he's doing a great job. I've learned a lot from him."

When Chandler was sidelined with a mild concussion in Week 4, Vick played the entire second half of a 31-3 loss to Chicago. He completed 12 of 18 passes for 186 yards, but lost two fumbles in the red zone.

Worse yet, he miscalled a handful of plays -- some to the wrong side, others in the wrong formation or with the wrong protection.

Reeves wants to get Vick back on the field, though the timing has to be right. Two weeks ago, he planned for the rookie to play the first series of the second half, but the Falcons' 20-7 lead evaporated in a 37-31 overtime loss.

A lopsided score was the only means by which Vick would have played at New Orleans. Reeves knew Chandler's ability to make adjustments against a Saints defense ranked No. 4 in the NFL gave the Falcons a better chance to win.

"Mike did a better job each day in practice last week, but he needs some time to go into a noisy situation like that and feel comfortable with what we're trying to do," Reeves said. "You can become so one-dimensional if you just sit there with no movement whatsoever. To move people, you have to really know what you're doing in a silent count. I knew (Vick's) chances were slim, but he prepared himself well."

Other notes of interest this week. ...

Alge Crumpler was a "big guy that blocked" in college, according to Coach Reeves; now he's "extremely dangerous once he catches the ball". Crumpler has been improving rapidly and caught a 57 yard TD pass from Chandler in the first quarter. The rookie finished the game with five catches for 78 yards. ...

The Falcons came out of last week's game with a number of injuries. ... Starting halfback Maurice Smith suffered a sprained right knee, but with a week off, he should be ready for Atlanta's next game. ... Jefferson suffered multiple injuries last Sunday, re-injuring his sprained back, left ankle and big toe and bursting the bursa sac in his right elbow. He too, will benefit from the off week afforded by the bye. ... Fullback Bob Christian suffered a sprained neck in Sunday's game and will be evaluated on a daily basis. ...

And finally. ... Veteran wide out Tony Martin is improving and is scheduled to have an X-ray on his broken right collarbone this week. Team officials are confident that Martin will be available for their Nov. 11 game against Dallas. ...

"Backup Randall Cunningham ran the first-team offense Wednesday and could get his first start with Baltimore against Jacksonville on Sunday.

"Grbac did not practice and is listed as questionable, meaning there's a 50 percent chance he will play.

"'Tell you what, it will all depend on how I feel today, tomorrow and Friday,' said Grbac, who expected the final decision to come shortly before game time Sunday.

"Coach Brian Billick said he will make the call 'probably about 30 seconds before we come out of the tunnel.'

"Grbac and the Ravens are coming off a rough couple of weeks. The quarterback received a concussion on Oct. 14 in a 31-23 loss to Green Bay, then damaged his ribs Sunday in Cleveland after falling on the ball after one of the Browns' seven sacks, a key facet in the Ravens' 24-14 defeat.

"Grbac got over the concussion quickly enough, but the rib injury could have long-term repercussions.

"'This is one of the injuries you've got to be smart with because it really involves a lot of the things I do throwing the ball,' he said. 'Going in there and getting it re-injured takes a lot longer to come back from.'

"Playing in his first season with Baltimore after signing as a free agent in March, Grbac played well in the Ravens' three wins. But has 10 turnovers in the three losses.

"Worse, he's taken a severe beating.

"'It's part of the job that I've taken. Being an NFL quarterback, it just comes with the territory and you understand that,' Grbac said. 'It's six to eight months out of the year that you're ready to get banged up every Sunday. Everyone gets bumps and bruises, but mine are a little different because it hinders my ability to throw a little bit.'

"Cunningham performed well in mop-up roles against Green Bay and Cleveland. Now in his 16th season, the 38-year-old veteran was hardly overwhelmed about the possibility of making his 134th NFL start.

"'I'm always prepared to do whatever it takes. You can't be caught by surprise,' he said. 'I just really believe that any point in time that I can be in the lineup. It's tough being a backup because you never know, so I prepare my mind for the unexpected.'

"Cunningham is 17-for-36 for 193 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. His quarterback rating is 73, compared to Grbac's 73.6, and he's probably more familiar with the offense after working under Billick in 1997 and 1998 when both were with the Minnesota Vikings.

"'Randall has been an MVP in this league and he knows this offense very well,' Ravens tight end Shannon Sharpe said. 'We feel very comfortable with Randall going out there orchestrating this offense. It's really not going to change anything because we've worked so much with him in training camp and in practice. ...'"

The Ravens also listed tight end Todd Heap (ankle) and running back Terry Allen (ankle) as questionable this week, but both men practiced Wednesday and should play against the Jaguars. ... You might want to make a mental note of the fact that Jason Brookins will start at running back on the off chance Allen can't go. ...

One last note out of Baltimore this week. ... According to Sports Illustrated insider Don Banks, the Ravens nearly landed Denver's Olandis Gary and a draft pick Monday in exchange for reserve defensive tackle Lionel Dalton and a draft pick, but the deal fell through at the 11th hour.

The Ravens senior vice president of football operations Ozzie Newsome and Broncos general manager Neal Dahlen spoke several times Monday and had in place the framework of a trade that would have sent Gary and a fourth-round pick in 2002 to the Ravens for reserve defensive tackle Lional Dalton and Baltimore's second-round selection next year.

But the deal-breaker, according to Ravens sources, was the ever-confusing issue of Terrell Davis' health. Ravens officials believe their deal with Denver was alive until late in the afternoon, when Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan became convinced that he could not count on Davis to return to health this year, even as a backup to starter Mike Anderson.

RB: Terry Allen (Q), Jason Brookins (P), Moe Williams

FB: Sam Gash, Obafemi Ayanbadejo

WR: Qadry Ismail, Travis Taylor, Brandon Stokely, Jermaine Lewis, Patrick Johnson (O)

TE: Shannon Sharpe (P), Todd Heap (Q), John Jones

PK: Matt Stover (P)

"The team achieved its goal of getting tight end Jay Riemersma more involved in the offense against the Jaguars. He caught five passes for 52 yards after averaging only three catches in the first four games. At 6-5, 252, Riemersma is an imposing presence in the secondary. He runs precise routes and has a knack for getting separation from opponents.

"The team hasn't utilized his skills to the fullest because they have needed him to provide extra protection against blitzing teams. The team wants to continue to feature him more because his work underneath should give wide receivers Eric Moulds and Peerless Price more room to operate. ..."

Among the many positives coming out of last week's win over the Jags was the work of rookie halfback Travis Henry and veteran fullback Larry Centers. ... Henry didn't get many yards, but he ran with power and purpose and Jacksonville found out how difficult he is to bring down. The former University of Tennessee star got many of his yards after the first hit. ... Centers did what he always does: He caught the ball and moved the chains.

And rookie kicker Jake Arians showed he could produce in the clutch as his game-winning 46-yard field goal came after missing a pair earlier in the game.

One last note out of Buffalo tonight. ... Jeremy McDaniel, who suffered a high ankle sprain during the team's Sept. 30 loss to the Steelers, is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Chargers. ... Keep an eye on this week's Late-Breaking Updates for progress reports. ...

RB: Travis Henry, Sammy Morris, Shawn Bryson

FB: Larry Centers, Phillip Crosby

WR: Eric Moulds, Peerless Price, Jeremy McDaniel (Q), Avion Black, Reggie Germany

TE: Jay Riemersma, Sheldon Jackson, Dan O'Leary

PK: Jake Arians

"It's likely the team will pursue a running back in free agency or early in the draft. Running backs Richard Huntley and Nick Goings now will share duties, and that's not an encouraging situation for one of the league's worst running teams.

"Huntley was brought in to compete with Biakabutuka for the starting job, but he was slow in learning the offense and hasn't been a factor. Goings works hard and is tough, but he's nothing more than a backup player. Biakabutuka was inconsistent, but without him, the running game is in deep trouble. ..."

Other items of interest. ...

Head coach George Seifert told reporters this week that rookie QB Chris Weinke isn't in danger of losing his job despite an awful four-interception performance last Sunday. ...

Brad Hoover left Sunday's loss to the Redskins with a concussion, but the injury isn't expected to keep him out for an extended period of time. ... With Biakabutuka out for the year, Hoover might be included in the mix at halfback at some point this season. ... Rookie WR/KR Stevonne Smith left Sunday's game with a strained MCL, but all indications are the injury isn't serious.

Muhsin Muhammad was somewhat limited during Sunday's loss due to a nagging rib injury and caught only two passes for 27 yards. ... Look for Muhammad to pick it up a notch this week.

And finally. ... With the Panthers off to a 1-5 start, there has been talk that Seifert will retire after the season. The former 49er head coach hasn't gotten the job done with the Panthers, either as a coach or a decision-maker as a general manager.

If Seifert goes, the likely candidate to take over running the team is Tom Modrak, who is now working for the Buffalo Bills after being pushed out in Philadelphia. If Modrak was hired, the plan is for him to hire Baltimore Ravens scout Terry McDonough, the son of longtime Boston Globe NFL writer Will McDonough, as his director of college scouting.

If the Panthers don't land Modrak, another possibility is Cleveland Browns vice president of football operations Dwight Clark. He is a friend of Panthers president Mark Richardson, dating back to their days when they both played football at Clemson. Clark's power with the Browns has been minimized since coach Butch Davis is now in charge of personnel decisions. Clark, usually very quotable and out front, has been relatively quiet this season.

RB: Richard Huntley, Nick Goings, Tshimanga Biakabutuka (O)

FB: Chris Hetherington, Brad Hoover (P)

WR: Muhsin Muhammad, Donald Hayes, Isaac Byrd, Patrick Jeffers, Karl Hankton, Steve Smith (Q)

TE: Wesley Walls, Kris Mangum, Luther Broughton, Casey Crawford

PK: John Kasay

Robinson, Chicago's leading receiver the past two seasons, will have surgery within two weeks to repair two torn ligaments. His recovery is expected to take up to a year.

Robinson was injured during the second quarter of Sunday's 24-0 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. He had just caught a pass and was turning upfield when he was tackled hard on the sideline by linebacker Brian Simmons and safety Darryl Williams. Robinson tried to get up but couldn't put any weight on his left leg.

The leg was put in a brace, and he was taken off the field on a cart. Originally diagnosed as a sprained knee, tests in Chicago showed the more serious damage.

Robinson had 738 yards receiving last season despite missing the final four games with a back injury. He was a Pro Bowl alternate in 1999, when he set a Bears record with 1,400 yards receiving.

Robinson got off to a slow start this year after recovering from surgery at the start of training camp to repair a herniated disc. He didn't start the first game but still is the team's second-leading receiver with 269 yards and two touchdowns.

According to reports out of Chicago this week, second-year man Dez White -- and not rookie David Terrell -- will take over as the starter opposite Marty Booker in Robinson's absence.

This despite the fact that Terrell led the team in receiving with seven receptions for 91 yards after Robinson went down.

"I know it's difficult for a lot of people to understand, but that's not the position [Terrell] plays," head coach Dick Jauron told reporters early this week. "He didn't play Marcus' position on Sunday and caught seven balls. David will be a big part of our offense. He'll get a lot of opportunities."

For the record, Terrell doesn't care where he lines up; he just wants to play. "Somebody has to step up," the confident youngster told the Chicago Sun-Times. "It might as well be me. You know I can fill the void."

Robinson's injury means D'Wayne Bates is likely to be activated from here on out and Ahmad Merritt will probably be moved from the practice squad to the regular roster. ...

Despite an outstanding 22-carry, 188-yard, one-TD performance by rookie running back Anthony Thomas last Sunday; the Chicago Tribune reports that the Bears will continue to use an alternating system with him and James Allen. "We will continue to use them both," offensive coordinator John Shoop explained. "Anthony did a great job today, though. ..."

If you ask me, it's only a matter of time before Thomas is the man in Chicago. ...

And finally. ... After missing two games with back trouble, veteran tight end Fred Baxter returned to action against the Bengals last Sunday. Although he finished the game with a one-yard TD catch, don't look for the ex-Jet to make that a weekly occurrence. ...

RB: James Allen, Anthony Thomas (P), Autry Denson, Leon Johnson

FB: Daimon Shelton, Scott Dragos, Stanley Pritchard

WR: Marty Booker, Dez White, David Terrell, D'Wayne Bates, Marcus Robinson (O), E, Fred Baxter, John Davis, Dustin Lyman

PK: Paul Edinger

"It's a disturbing trend for a team that worked hard to develop some balance in the offseason. The Bengals (3-3) overhauled their offense, brought in a new quarterback and aimed to become much more than a one-man show.

"Six games into the season, it's back to Dillon or nothing.

"'We've got to start beating people with more than just Corey,' offensive tackle Willie Anderson said. 'On paper, you say we should be putting up 280 yards in the air every week. We should be.'

"They're not even close. And until they figure out how to balance the offense, they can expect more of what they've gotten in the first six weeks. They look good when Dillon has a big game, bad when a team figures out how to stop him.

"Dillon ran for 104 yards against New England and 140 against Cleveland, and the Bengals won both games. He managed only 57 yards against Baltimore, but the Ravens had six turnovers.

"The Bengals lost their other three games as Dillon was held to 46, 64 and 30 yards.

"It's the same problem the Bengals had last season. When Dillon gets bottled up, the passing game can't carry the load. The Bengals have thrown for more than 200 yards only twice all season.

"Every opponent takes the same approach: concentrate on Dillon, force Jon Kitna to throw and then pressure him into mistakes.

"'We don't have a 500-yard passing attack,' Anderson said. 'We're a running football team. If the running game's not going, people are going to blitz us and create havoc. If you have Corey Dillon on your team, you have to realize what they're going to do to you.'

"Opponents didn't give it much of a thought last season. The Bengals' passing game was so inept that Dillon was the only concern.

"Cincinnati finished second in the NFL in rushing and last in passing, finishing 29th overall. They threw for an average of 122 yards per game and had only six touchdown passes all season, one of the most inept performances in franchise history.

"Through six games this season, they're 27th in offense -- a move up of only two places. They're throwing for an average of 173 yards each game, but the running game has dropped off dramatically -- only 106 yards per game.

"There's also a little tug of war going on. Dillon and Kitna have had some spirited discussions about the direction of the offense.

"'There's just times when we're going to agree to disagree,' Kitna said. 'That's how competitive spirits do it. He wants to run the ball all the time, and I wouldn't mind throwing it all the time. We understand how to work in concert to make this thing work together.'

"The offensive line has done a better job of protecting the quarterback this season, but is having trouble making openings for Dillon. The running back got frustrated near the end of a 24-0 shutout by the Chicago Bears, who limited him to 30 yards on 26 carries on Sunday.

"Coach Dick LeBeau wasn't bothered by a spirited discussion between Kitna and Dillon on the sideline.

"'One of the true strengths of Corey Dillon is his competitiveness,' LeBeau said. 'He wants to run the football. We didn't give him the opportunity to run.

"'He also has to realize he is a part of this and he has to function within the team. I think he does. I'll take the way those two guys compete everyday. ...'"

Also of interest. ...

Kay wrote on Wednesday that the Bengals invited three place-kickers -- Jaret Holmes, Vitaly Pisetsky and Jon Hilbert -- in for tryouts Tuesday, but none of the three was offered contracts.

Which doesn't necessarily mean Neil Rackers is safe. After a game next Sunday in Detroit, the Bengals have their bye week -- usually the time that a team changes quarterbacks or kickers, if it's so inclined.

Rackers, a sixth-round draft pick last year, wasn't surprised that the team brought in other kickers for a look. He doesn't know how much time he has left to get himself straightened out.

"It depends on how things go," he said. "I don't know. I don't have an answer for that. If I go out and do my job, I'm here. If I don't, probably not. The way I look at it is it's in my hands."

That's the way LeBeau sees it, too.

Although Rackers has missed six of his last nine field goal attempts, he has done a good job getting his kickoffs deep. Six of his 20 kickoffs have gone for touchbacks, and the Bengals are third-best in the AFC at bottling up opponents on kickoffs.

"He's going to have to fight his way through it," LeBeau said. "We'll do everything we can to help him. That is the ideal solution for us. But at the same time, we will look around for other options."

Rackers replaced Doug Pelfrey last season, but made only 12 of 21 field-goal attempts. In two seasons, Rackers is 18-of-33 overall. From 30 yards and beyond, he's 11-of-25.

Several factors figure into those numbers. The chewed-up grass at Paul Brown Stadium made it tough for any kicker to make a field goal last season. This year, the Bengals changed holders at the end of training camp, replacing punter Daniel Pope with Nick Harris.

Some of Brad St. Louis' snaps have been off-target, and it's been difficult for Harris to get the ball down quickly and cleanly. Rackers has taken the brunt of it, getting booed loudly in his home stadium.

Harris is trying to help Rackers relax.

"There's a lot of pressure on him now," Harris said. "You try to just get him not to worry about it. We go golfing, hang out and talk a little bit here and there."

Rackers is fine in practice. He made 18 of 20 field goal attempts Wednesday, kicking one ball after another to the same spot.

He's frustrated that he can't carry that success over to games. It bothers him that his wife has to hear the criticism when they go out. Otherwise, Rackers thinks he's handling things just fine.

"I don't know if I'm too stupid and just don't think about it," he said. "I just go back to work. I'm thickheaded -- in one ear, out the other. ..."

Wide receiver Peter Warrick pulled in eight passes for 84 yards against Chicago last Sunday. However, the explosive second-year wide out continues to hurt Fantasy owners with his inability to put the ball in the end zone. ...

And finally. ... Darnay Scott left Sunday's loss to the Bears in the third quarter with bruised ribs, but X-rays were negative and Scott is expected to start and play as usual this Sunday.

RB: Corey Dillon, Brandon Bennett, Curtis Keaton, Rudi Johnson

FB: Lorenzo Neal

WR: Darnay Scott, Peter Warrick, Ron Dugans, Danny Farmer, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Chad Johnson (O)

TE: Tony McGee, Marco Battaglia (P), Brad St. Louis

PK: Neil Rackers

After spending most of the game watching from the sidelines, Morgan hit the field and pulled in a huge touchdown catch after Northcutt was hurt.

Nonetheless, look for Northcutt to return to the starting lineup following the bye week. Coaches believe opposing defenses will no longer will be able to double-cover Johnson because in Northcutt, QB Tim Couch has a legitimate target in which he believes.

Bottom line? Defenses have to respect Northcutt and account for him in their scheme.

One other note of interest out of Cleveland this week. ... James Jackson had a surprisingly productive game against Baltimore, rushing for 77 yards and a score. The rookie seems to be all the way back from a nagging rib injury, and he continues to show signs of emerging as a solid Fantasy prospect every time he hits the field.

"Wright expected to have results of an MRI exam Thursday, and Campo said he wouldn't make a final decision on the quarterback's playing status for the Arizona game until after that. Wright has started three of five games in place of injured rookie Quincy Carter.

"Campo said Clint Stoerner would start ahead of Ryan Leaf, the former No. 2 overall pick the Cowboys signed Oct. 12, if Wright isn't ready to play Sunday.

"'Clint understands the offense, and knows what we are trying to get accomplished,' Campo said. 'At this point if Anthony can't go, I don't see that changing before the end of the week.'

"Stoerner, a second-year player from Arkansas, has never started in the NFL. He has played in only three games, completing four of 7 passes for 44 yards and two touchdowns in his two appearances this season.

"Leaf made 18 starts during his three seasons in San Diego after he was drafted, but the Chargers gave up on him after last season. Leaf then failed to make Tampa Bay's roster during training camp.

"Dallas was prepared to sign Leaf then, but he failed a physical because of a wrist problem. His second chance with the Cowboys came after Carter tore his left hamstring at Oakland on Oct. 7.

"Campo said there was a good chance that Leaf could play for the Cowboys on Sunday.

"'I feel comfortable that Ryan can do everything we're asking him to do,' Campo said. 'The wrist isn't a factor now. But we haven't gone through a crises, he hasn't been on the field yet.'

"Cowboys trainer Jim Maurer said that Wright has a chronic ACL sprain related to tearing the ligament in college. Wright missed the last two games of his junior season at South Carolina in 1997 after surgery, but came back and threw for 1,899 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior.

"After the Cowboys' 9-7 win over Washington on Oct. 15, Wright had some swelling in the knee and didn't take part in the team's only two practices before having last weekend off.

"Wright practiced Monday and the coach initially indicated that the quarterback was OK. But Wright told Campo of soreness on Tuesday, and said the pain was even worse Wednesday.

"Leaf got most of the snaps in Wright's absence last week, but split time with Stoerner on Wednesday. ..."

Other items of interest. ...

Joey Galloway is listed as questionable for this week's game against the Cardinals, but the Cowboys are optimistic about his chances of playing. He is recovering from a sprained foot. "We're expecting some limited practice [this week], so I would say he is questionable from the standpoint that it will depend on how he improves the next two or three days," Campo told reporters. ... Raghib "Rocket" Ismail, recovering from a sprained knee, practiced Monday without any problems and is expected to start and play as usual. ...

No. 3 receiver Reggie Swinton (hamstring) is questionable for Sunday's game against Arizona. "He [Swinton] worked with the trainers on Monday and did some things, but he didn't do enough to say for sure he will be available," Campo told reporters, but look for Darrin Chiaverini to get more playing time this week while Swinton watches this one from the sidelines. ...

Chiaverini practiced Monday and is listed as probable for Sunday's game against the Cardinals. He is recovering from a left knee injury.

It's probably worth noting that with fullback Robert Thomas done for the season (he was placed on IR early this week), the team will use a lot of formations with two receivers and two tight ends. You'll also see one tight end -- either Jackie Harris or J.J. Huggins -- line up as an H-back at times.

RB: Emmitt Smith, Troy Hambrick, Michael Wiley

FB: Troy Hambrick

WR: Joey Galloway (Q), Raghib Ismail (P), Reginald Swinton (Q), Darrin Chiaverini (P), Ken-Yon Rambo

TE: Jackie Harris, Mike Lucky

PK: Tim Seder

But according to the Associated Press, five weeks removed from arthroscopic knee surgery, the Denver Broncos running back was taken by surprise Wednesday when told of news reports saying he may have a stress fracture in his leg and could be lost for the season.

"At this point in time, I'm on schedule to play this Sunday," Davis said.

Davis, who has missed five games this year and 29 since 1999, admitted that his right knee remains sore, but he has been well enough to play on the scout team the past two weeks.

He remained on the scout team Wednesday as the Broncos (3-3) prepared for this week's game against the New England Patriots (3-3). Davis was listed as questionable on the weekly injury report

"Some days he feels good, other days he feels bad," coach Mike Shanahan said. "Is he going to be back this week? Until he actually says, `Hey I'm ready to go and I'm close to 100 percent,' it's all speculation."

The speculation was rampant Wednesday when Sports Illustrated insider Don Banks and the Baltimore Sun reported that a potential trade between Denver and the Baltimore Ravens fell through because of uncertainty about Davis' health.

Both stories, citing unidentified NFL and Ravens officials, said the Broncos were reluctant to trade backup running back Olandis Gary because they were worried Davis may not return this season.

The Internet report said Davis may have personally quashed the deal by telling Shanahan he was unsure about his status for the rest of the season. Davis denied speaking with Shanahan about the trade.

"It's difficult because my knee is sore. Can I say my knee will never be sore again? I can't comment on things I have no control over," Davis said. "As far as it being a stress fracture, at this point, no it's not. Does it get sore at times? Yes it does, but I don't know what that means."

Over the last three years, speculating on Davis' future has become as common as discussing the weather in Denver.

He tore a ligament in his right knee four games into the 1999 season and missed another 12 games last year because of a sprained ankle and the onset of a stress fracture in his left leg.

A groin strain and swelling in his right knee slowed Davis during training camp this year, and tests showed degenerative effects associated with reconstructive knee surgery.

Finally thought to be healthy, Davis ran for 101 yards in Denver's season-opener but needed surgery 10 days later to remove debris from his knee. Tests since Sept. 20 have shown Davis' legs to be structurally sound.

"We check everything out," Shanahan said. "Every X-ray or MRI we've given him has been negative, but we'll keep on looking at it, and hopefully he'll be back some time this season. But I can't give you a time frame because I don't know."

In the meantime, the Broncos will continue to use Gary and Mike Anderson in the backfield. Both have maintained that they are merely keeping Davis' spot warm until he returns to health.

"He's really frustrated. Everyone would be," Gary said. "He's got a thing where he wants to get back on the field and show his critics and the guys who have supported him alike that he's back, and he's 100 percent."

Other items of interest. ...

ESPN.com NFL insider John Clayton speculated Wednesday that Gary will line up as the team's starting halfback -- replacing Mike Anderson -- when the Broncos take on the Patriots this Sunday.

Anderson was benched during the second half of last week's game after a costly fumble and Gary replaced him.

According to Clayton, the only thing standing between Gary and the starting lineup is Davis, who thinks he can return from knee surgery in time for this week's game. ...

As noted by Denver Post beat writer Patrick Saunders, after throwing only four interceptions all last season, Brian Griese has thrown five in the past two games. The problem is a combination of poor decisions on his part, a running game that is going nowhere and the fact Denver has been forced to play from behind and pass too often.

The early deficits have opened the floodgates for blitzers and defensive ends, and Griese doesn't have the physical skills to improvise. Until Griese can beat teams deep without injured WR Ed McCaffrey, teams will continue to blitz and load up on the pass rush. ...

And finally. ... The Broncos waived wide receiver Travis McGriff on Tuesday and promoted wide receiver Scottie Montgomery from the practice squad to take McGriff's spot on the regular roster. ... Montgomery played in four games last year and made one catch for 10 yards. ... Tight end Scot Osborne, a rookie from William and Mary, was signed to the practice squad.

RB: Mike Anderson, Olandis Gary, Terrell Davis (Q)

FB: Patrick Hape, Tony Carter, Detron Smith (P)

WR: Rod Smith (P), Eddie Kennison, Kevin Kasper (Q), Keith Poole, Chris Cole, Scottie Montgomery

TE: Dwayne Carswell, Desmond Clark, Matt Dominguez

PK: Jason Elam

Crowell was expected to undergo surgery as early as Tuesday to repair the torn patella tendon in his left knee that he suffered Sunday against the Titans. In a few weeks, he will also have arthroscopic surgery to alleviate the swelling stemming from an old bone bruise in his right knee that has plagued him since training camp.

Crowell tore the patella tendon in his left knee while jumping for a pass in the end zone in Sunday's 27-24 home loss to Tennessee. He caught four passes for 65 yards, including a 46-yard touchdown catch that gave Detroit (0-5) a 14-6 lead in the second quarter.

His injury came just days after receiver Herman Moore was lost for the season with a torn hip muscle.

Crowell caught a career-high nine passes for 125 yards in last week's loss at Minnesota. The fourth-year receiver made 22 receptions for 289 yards and three touchdowns this season.

Crowell, sidelined with a broken left foot for seven games last year, has 166 career catches for 2,521 yards and 13 touchdowns. He is eligible for free agency after the season.

The Lions will look to replace Crowell with receivers Larry Foster, Scotty Anderson and kick-return specialist Desmond Howard, who caught a touchdown pass Sunday for the first time since 1995.

Howard and Larry Foster have a combined 11 catches for 125 yards and one touchdown through five games this season. Anderson, a rookie, has yet to play this season.

"We're struggling as a team, so it's real important for the three of us to come in and do well," said Foster, who has six catches for 58 yards. "I'm going to have to replace Germane -- if I can replace Germane -- and be productive."

Foster is expected to start Sunday, and he has the speed to give the Lions a deep-ball threat. However, Batch will need to spread the ball around early so Morton can find openings in the secondary.

"Larry has the most experience at receiver," Morton said. "Desmond has a lot of charisma, and he's a veteran that will help in a different way. But I think the X-factor is Scotty, because he is the unknown."

Between them, Howard and Foster have caught eight touchdown passes in the NFL. Foster, a second-year player, has one. Howard has played in the league more years (10) than he has TD receptions (seven), including a 36-yarder late in the Lions' 27-24 loss to Tennessee last Sunday. He mostly has been a kick returner in the NFL.

Despite their limited roles in the past, Howard and Foster are capable receivers. But Anderson has not had a chance to demonstrate his talents.

"He told me he knows the plays," Morton said. "I told him, 'Take your playbook home, anyway. Study the hell out of it.' "

Though Anderson is expected to make his NFL debut Sunday, the Lions muddied the water somewhat on Wednesday by signing free agent Bert Emanuel to a contract..

Emanuel was released by the New England Patriots on October 9. Signed as a free agent in March, he had four catches for 25 yards in the season opener before being listed as inactive the next two games.

In eight seasons, Emanuel has recorded 334 receptions for 4,631 yards and 28 touchdowns in a career that includes stops in Atlanta, Tampa Bay and Miami.

Head coach Marty Mornhinweg is also considering the idea of promoting Andre Rone from the practice squad.

"One of the keys is that somebody else must produce," Mornhinweg said. "We have Larry and Desmond and then we have a couple of young men who are on our roster that are ready to go. I know who I am more comfortable with, but both are fine players."

Also of interest. ...

According to the Detroit Free Press, running back James Stewart, who sprained his ankle in the fourth quarter of Sunday's loss to the Titans, is being evaluated on a day-to-day basis and has not been ruled out for this week's game against Cincinnati. ...

Keep an eye on this week's Late-Breaking Updates to stay on top of Stewart's progress. ...

RB: James Stewart (Q), Lamont Warren, De'Mond Parker

FB: Cory Schlesinger, Brock Olivo, Stephen Trejo

WR: Johnnie Morton, Larry Foster, Scotty Anderson, Desmond Howard, Bert Emanuel, Germane Crowell (O-IR)

TE: David Sloan, Pete Mitchell, Brad Banta

PK: Jason Hanson

And he'd like frustrated fans to lay off Green Bay Packers coach Mike Sherman for keeping him in the game for a final meaningless drive Sunday in Minnesota.

Favre was driven hard into the artificial turf by defensive end Talance Sawyer on a failed 2-point pass with 48 seconds left in Green Bay's 35-13 loss.

He got up slowly, holding his right elbow, leaving fans to question what Sherman was thinking by leaving the franchise in harm's way.

Sherman said he just couldn't bring himself to replace Favre because that would be conceding defeat.

However, Favre told The Associated Press on Tuesday that Sherman approached him after the game and apologized for not sending in backup Doug Pederson.

Nonsense, Favre replied.

"He felt bad afterward, saying, 'I shouldn't have put you in that situation,"' Favre recounted. "But I said, `Mike, it would have been like pulling teeth to get me out of there.'

"I think that made him feel a little better, but he knows that's the way I am. So, we live for another day. No, I don't blame him. Hell no."

It's not very often that the Packers have found themselves facing a blowout and the coaches decide to sit Favre late in the game.

"I figured they wanted to take me out but I wasn't going to let them," Favre said. "Every team at some point gets embarrassed a little bit. Baltimore did two weeks ago (in a loss to Green Bay). I'm sure they walked away kind of feeling like we did Sunday. When it rains, it kind of pours on teams. Is Minnesota 20-some points better than us? No. Will it be different the next time we play them? More than likely.

"But it just started snowballing and that's the way it was. I'm sure most people were saying, 'Why leave him in there?' But, same as the rest of this team, I'm a competitor and I wanted to just go down and score. I wasn't going to give in at all."

And Favre wasn't about to curtail his play just because the game was a lost cause, either.

"I'm going to play the game the same way regardless of whether we're up 40 or we're down 40," Favre said. "I'm going to compete until the end and that may scare some people because they say, hey he might get hurt. Shoot, that's part of the game.

"Were we going to win the game on that last drive? No. But did I have something to prove? I felt like I did. Or I wouldn't have been out there. I would have told Mike, `Hey, I'm just going to shut it down.' I'm not going to do that."

Favre was among 10 ailing Packers who missed practice Tuesday. He had dressings covering turf burns and was still sore from the beating he took.

"I'm up moving around. I think at the end of the game, frustration was probably the biggest ailment I had," Favre said. "I don't think I've ever left Minnesota and not been beat up. It's nothing I can't handle.

"If I had to play this week, I could play."

The Packers (4-2) are off this weekend, leaving Favre extra time to heal but also to ponder what all went wrong Sunday at the Metrodome.

"My pride was hurt, I was frustrated," Favre said. "And to add insult to injury, you get hit in awkward positions that you normally don't get hit. But I'm fine."

Other notes of interest. ...

Second-year tight end Bubba Franks only caught two passes for nine yards last Sunday, but one of his receptions was good for a two-yard TD. ... Which means Franks has caught at least one touchdown pass in five of six games this year. ...

And finally. ... Corey Bradford lined up as the starting wide out opposite Antonio Freeman with last minute scratch Bill Schroeder watching from the sidelines. Unfortunately, Bradford was unable to cash in on the opportunity, catching only four passes for 32 yards. ...

"Insley likely will see extensive work on offense as the slot receiver. He runs good routes and catches everything. Wilkins' absence will result in Insley returning punts. He was a non-factor last Sunday against the Patriots (one return for 2 yards, two fair catches), but displayed his potential by leading NFL Europe in punt returns. ..."

It's also worth noting that rookie Reggie Wayne will have to be a major contributor working as the start opposite Marvin Harrison in Pathon's absence. The first-round draft pick continues to make progress and is coming off his best game -- three catches for 33 yards.

The same offense that scored nine touchdowns in the first six quarters of the season has managed only six TDs in the last 14 periods. Which means Peyton Manning needs to find the formula that worked so well for the offense early in the season. ... Manning is still one of the league's most accurate passers (66.5 completion rate), but he needs to start finding the end zone with more regularity than he has been in recent outings. ...

On a more positive note. ... The Colts made a concerted effort to run the ball against New England and it worked. Edgerrin James picked up 143 yards on 30 carries. A similar mindset might lead to similar results against the Chiefs. Kansas City's run defense ranks No. 29 in yards per game and No. 23 in yards per attempt. ... Harrison is also coming off a huge performance after pulling in eight catches for 157 yards and a touchdown against New England. ...

RB: Edgerrin James, Dominic Rhodes

FB: Jim Finn

WR: Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Trevor Insley, Tony Simmons, Jerome Pathon (O), Terrence Wilkins (O)

TE: Ken Dilger, Marcus Pollard, Joe Dean Davenport, Justin Snow

PK: Mike Vanderjagt

Noting that autocratic coaches can't survive unless they win big, King wrote, "But if a team wins some then starts losing regularly -- and when the salary cap, in this case, begins to be a sworn enemy -- there's no way out. I keep hearing the players want Coughlin out. Now that Jacksonville's not even selling its stadium out, it'll be interesting to see how long owner Wayne Weaver sticks with a head coach who has begun to hear boos of a once-loyal throng."

That kind of talk is to be expected when a coach loses 13 of 22 games these days.

In fact, the Florida Times-Union noted on Wednesday that Coughlin's star has fallen so far that he's not even being mentioned in the rumor mill for the Notre Dame job now that Bob Davie may be on his way out. Jon Gruden of Oakland, whose father was an assistant coach at Notre Dame, and Bob Stoops of Oklahoma are being touted as the top candidates.

Other notes of interest. ...

Fred Taylor has been ruled out of Sunday's game against Baltimore and his status for next week's game remains uncertain. "All I know is that, from week to week, they increase his exercises and change of direction," Coughlin told reporters. "It remains to be seen when Fred will be able to play. Progress is slow. I'm hoping he responds well this week, then we can make some kind of legitimate guess [about a return date] next week."

Taylor has been inactive since severely injuring his groin on Sept 23.

No. 2 tight end Damon Jones was expected to resume practicing after an MRI showed that his injured shoulder would not require surgery. ... Starting tight end Kyle Brady required several stitches in his chin after a fierce hit from Buffalo's Kenyatta Wright last Thursday, but the injury isn't anything that might keep Brady from starting and playing as usual against Baltimore this Sunday. ...

RB: Stacey Mack, Elvis Joseph, Frank Moreau, Fred Taylor (O)

FB: Patrick Washington

WR: Jimmy Smith, Keenan McCardell, Sean Dawkins, Alvis Whitted, Damon Gibson, Randal Williams

TE: Kyle Brady, Damon Jones (Q)

PK: Mike Hollis, Jim Tarle

Thomas injured his neck in Sunday's game, but is listed as probable on the injury report.

Minnis, who made some assignment mistakes the previous week against Pittsburgh, came off the bench Sunday and caught four passes for 54 yards last Sunday while Thomas caught two passes for 24 yards.

Other notes of interest. ...

Despite coming close, the Chiefs are having a hard time coming up with the kind of big plays that make the difference between winning and losing.

Against Arizona, for instance, Trent Green saw passes sail just past the fingertips of Derrick Alexander and tight end Tony Gonzalez as they ran in open space at full speed. A touchdown on either could have made the difference between feeling upbeat instead of beaten heading into the team's Thursday night showdown with the Colts.

"If we can throw it two inches shorter or he's two inches taller, it's a touchdown," Vermeil noted. "Just a couple of inches off the tip of the fingers. When you win (close) games, those balls are thrown a little lower or the receivers find a way to catch it. Right now, that's the difference between winning and losing: making that kind of play."

But right now the Chiefs aren't making the close plays. Not until it's too late, that is.

As they did the week before against Pittsburgh when they scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns after being down 20-2, the Chiefs fought back from a 24-9 fourth-quarter deficit in Arizona. One quick-strike touchdown -- a 41-yard run by Priest Holmes, a 34-yard touchdown pass to Alexander -- got them to 24-16 with 3:57 left. But their last-ditch drive that began at their 1 with 1:06 and no time outs remaining fell two yards short when Holmes couldn't get a short pass into the end zone and Green was intercepted on fourth down.

"We have (developed) a profile where we make plays at the end to make it interesting," Vermeil noted. "If we could make those plays earlier, it wouldn't be nearly as trying.

"We're so close, we're right there," insisted kicker Todd Peterson, who kicked three field goals when Kansas City had prime red zone scoring opportunities. "It's like getting one leg over the hurdle, but not the other."

And like a hurdler with only one leg clearing the sticks, the Chiefs are falling flat on their faces right now.

"We feel like we're so close," Green said. "I know everyone says that after a loss, and it gets old saying it. Somehow, we have to find a way to step up and win these (close games). There's no time to feel sorry for ourselves in this short week."

Alexander finally had a big game, posting 99 yards receiving and a touchdown against Arizona. Although he's been less-than-reliable this season, his potential makes it hard for Fantasy owners to bench the former Raven. ...

Tony Richardson, who returned to the lineup last Sunday after missing two games with an injured shoulder, was used in goal-line packages and had one carry and one reception for 24 total yards. ... Look for the veteran fullback to play a more prominent role in the offense over the next few weeks.

And finally. ... Kick returner Dante Hall is questionable (shoulder), and his status is more uncertain because the Chiefs like what they're getting from WR Larry Parker in the punt return game. RB Mike Cloud will continue to return kickoffs if Hall misses a third straight game.

RB: Priest Holmes, Mike Cloud, Derrick Blaylock

FB: Tony Richardson (P), Jermaine Williams

WR: Derrick Alexander, Chris Thomas (P), Marvin Minnis, Larry Parker, Dante Hall (Q), Aveion Cason

TE: Tony Gonzalez, Mikhael Ricks, Jason Dunn

PK: Todd Peterson

"'I'd like to be involved more in the offense, but I'm happy with the results,' the Dolphins' wide receiver said politely Monday. 'I'm thankful we're winning games. It doesn't matter who helps us in ballgames as long as we're winning. I'm not a selfish person. It doesn't bother me, but I do want to be more involved in the offense.'

"Through five games, McKnight has 13 catches for 176 yards and a touchdown. He's on pace for 42 catches, 563 yards and three touchdowns. Nice numbers, but not necessarily what he wanted when he signed with the Dolphins.

"Having spent a year with offensive coordinator Chan Gailey in Dallas, McKnight knew he wouldn't see his name among the conference leaders.

"'In our offense, I'm not going to get 12, 13 balls thrown at me (a game), so I'm not going to get the opportunities to put up numbers like (Denver's) Rod Smith or (Indianapolis') Marvin Harrison,' McKnight said. 'I've got to be a little more patient and just make due with the opportunities I do get within the framework of this offense.'

"McKnight is averaging 13.5 yards per catch this season, 17.8 for his career.

"'It's not like we're not trying to go downtown. It's just not materialized yet,' wide receivers coach Robert Ford said. 'It might materialize this week. Who knows? We would like to get him downfield, and we'd like to get the ball in his hands.'

"McKnight spent the first five years of his career in Seattle (1994-98), where he met his wife, Mikki. He caught 63 passes with the Seahawks, just eight in his first three years, and earned his keep largely on special teams.

"'I thought I'd be the next Steve Tasker at that time,' McKnight said of the former Buffalo standout. 'I couldn't see myself as the starting receiver I am today.'

"In 1999, Mike Holmgren took over as head coach and general manager of the Seahawks. He quickly traded McKnight to Dallas -- and Gailey -- in exchange for a third-round pick.

"Three years later, McKnight holds no grudge, though that first season was difficult because he did not play because of a torn ACL.

"'Right now, my team is on top of the division, so I have nothing to look back on and feel sorry about,' McKnight said. 'I'm at a better place right now.'

"Now, he's just looking for the football more, which is every wide receiver's request. McKnight is the fastest player on the team - he was timed at 4.3 seconds in the 40-yard dash - but his longest catch this season is a 26-yard touchdown against St. Louis.

"'Sometimes a guy can make a 5-yard catch and go 50,' Ford said. 'If that happens, we're still accomplishing our objectives. He's one of the best guys running after the catch in the league. He does a lot of things that go unnoticed.'

"Ford raves about McKnight's downfield blocking on running plays. McKnight credits his special teams background.

"'I don't know what the scouting report talks about, but it would behoove them to know my background, that you're not just going to hit me and get me on the ground,' he said. 'I look forward to contact.'

"McKnight will get the chance to see friends and family this weekend, but he'd also like to see the ball, too. Not that he's complaining.

"'You want to win,' McKnight said. 'I've played in Seattle. I've been 8-8, sitting there the last couple of games, hoping this team or that team loses. I had a great year in Dallas, but we were 5-11. There's more to football than just personal stats. ...'"

Also of interest. ...

Running back Lamar Smith, who suffered a sprained ankle against the Jets two weeks ago, skipped Monday's practice, but is still expected to start and play as usual against the Seahawks this Sunday. ... The same can't be said of wide receiver Dedric Ward, who will miss this week's game due to a foot injury. ...

And one last note out of Miami tonight. ...

According to South Florida Sun-Sentinel reporter Alex Marvez, the fact he is now officially eligible to practice again with the Dolphins doesn't mean much to wide receiver O.J. McDuffie.

According to NFL rules, the Dolphins have 19 more days to decide whether to activate McDuffie from the PUP list and another three weeks after that to reinstate him to the 53-man roster. Otherwise, one of the most storied receivers in franchise history will have to spend the rest of the season on injured reserve.

"Everything is the same as it's been," said McDuffie, who has experienced problems with his left big toe since getting injured in November 1999. "It's not going to get any better. It's just a matter of being able to deal with it now.

"It hasn't gotten better in two years. What's going to make me think it's going to get any better in (40) days?"

McDuffie was optimistic in early August that he might be able to begin practicing again in training camp, but he experienced swelling in his toe when running. "This isn't even with cutting or taking a hit or having somebody come down on it," he said.

The Dolphins placed McDuffie and tight end Alonzo Mayes (shoulder) on the PUP list at the end of the preseason, rendering them ineligible to play or practice with the team for the first six weeks of the regular season.

McDuffie and Mayes could have returned to practice this week, but the Dolphins are waiting to give both players additional time to heal.

"I don't feel it's ready," said McDuffie, who was on PUP last season before returning to catch 14 passes for 143 yards in a reserve role. "And there's no real need right now for me to rush out there and hurt it some more ... You've always got to be optimistic about it, but we all know my foot is what it is."

McDuffie has undergone two surgeries on his toe without experiencing much improvement. McDuffie said he has even tried an electromagnetic bed and different massage techniques to fix the problem, but "I have bone-on-bone activities in my toes. There's nothing you can really do unless you put a joint in (the foot). For what we do (as receivers), you can't really put an artificial joint.

"It's a severe pain issue. Am I willing to take (pain-killing) shots again, which they don't ask me to do, or anything like that? Internal medicine is brutal on the body as well. It's just figuring out a way to deal with all the pain."

Said Dolphins coach Dave Wannstedt: "The bottom line is can he do it or not? If he felt like he could do it, then we would have to make a determination as far as moving him up or not."

McDuffie isn't willing to say this is his final NFL season even though it's highly doubtful he will back with the Dolphins next season under terms of his contract, which runs through 2004. McDuffie, 31, said he will explore the options of having another surgery in the offseason if it means having the chance to play even if another extensive rehabilitation stint is necessary.

RB: Lamar Smith (P), Travis Minor, J.J. Johnson

FB: Rob Konrad, Deon Dyer

WR: Oronde Gadsden, James McKnight, Chris Chambers, Jeff Ogden, Dedric Ward (O)

TE: Hunter Goodwin, Jed Weaver, Ed Perry

PK: Olindo Mare

Talking to reporters after Wednesday's practice, head coach Denny Green said, "Injury-wise, we have basically the same guys. I don't think we have anything real serious that we added to it. Randy [Moss] is still on the probable category. We'll leave Bennett on the questionable category even though his ankle is better, but it is very difficult to be 100 percent in a one-week period of time."

Asked if Bennett's injury is the kind that he could play at less than 100 percent with, Green stated: "We're not going to play players who are less than 100 percent anymore. I think we've tried that in the past. We're 3-3 right now. I don't think we can afford to do that. We will work hard to get every guy that goes on the field as close as we can to 100 percent. We think we have good depth on our football team so that's going to be our approach."

After pointing out that Cris Carter has caught a few more deep balls than usual and Moss has caught more underneath, a reporter ask Green if that was by coincidence or design?

"I think that people are playing Randy awfully deep," the coach explained. "He's going to have to be getting shorter passes, there's no doubt about it. Daunte got a lot of interceptions early in the season trying to get the ball to Randy deep. The way people are playing him, he's not going to be able to do that. I think he's going to make some big plays off the catch and run and every now and then we'll catch somebody playing man coverage and get deep. Cris gets more single coverage, even though he gets doubled a lot too, but Cris is very savvy at setting guys up. He had double coverage, two-deep last week, but he set the safety up and broke by him. I think people also underestimate his speed and his initial quickness. That also gives him a chance to get deep. He's been getting deep since training camp. He was doing it in training camp and he's been doing it during the season."

Asked if Carter is a faster guy now, Green replied: "He says he is. He's got a FAST Camp down there (in Florida). He made everybody else faster and he thinks he's made himself faster too."

Asked if Moss always been the type of receiver who can go over the middle if necessary, Green said: "He's a complete receiver. We're more of a vertical team, but I think we've had to adapt a little bit. We like the fact that we're a vertical team and we're one of the best in the business. I think that until we continue to make improvement in our running game, it's going to be harder to get that kind of coverage. So we have to just get the complete package going as far as running, passing, and covering the whole field and underneath zones until we can get more deep stuff. Everybody loves the bomb but you just don't get it very often."

Other items of interest. ... As noted by Minneapolis Star-Tribune reporter Kent Youngblood, when Jake Reed came back to the Vikings this year after a season in New Orleans, he knew he would be the No. 3 wide receiver behind Cris Carter and Randy Moss. He knew he wouldn't get as many opportunities as he had in years past, so he would have to make the most of the ones he got.

So far, he has. Reed has made 11 receptions for 128 yards through six games. Not huge numbers, but his catches have been important. Two weeks ago in a victory over Detroit, both of Reed's catches came on third down and resulted in first downs, including an 18-yarder on third-and-16. Sunday against the Packers, Reed made a 14-yard catch on third-and-9 and also made a catch for a two-point conversion.

"I'm playing, but not as much as the other guys," he said. "So I have to make the best of my opportunities."

RB: Doug Chapman, Travis Prentice, Michael Bennett (Q)

FB: Jimmy Kleinsasser, Harold Morrow, Matt Snider

WR: Randy Moss (P), Cris Carter, Jake Reed, Chris Walsh, Troy Walters (P)

TE: Byron Chamberlain, Andrew Jordan, Matt Cercone

PK: Gary Anderson

Patten became the first player since Walter Payton in 1979 to run, catch and pass for touchdowns in the same game, helping the Patriots beat the Indianapolis Colts 38-17 Sunday.

Quarterback Tom Brady, filling in for the injured Drew Bledsoe, won for the third time in four starts and the New England defense stopped Indianapolis' high-powered offense when it mattered.

Still, the day belonged to Patten.

"Every time I touched the ball, I was able to make something happen," said Patten, who accounted for four of the Patriots' five touchdowns. "That's what I pride myself on. I think I'm able to do that every time I go on the field and today I made that happen."

He seemed the unlikeliest of heroes after playing little more than his role as part of the Patriots' supporting cast in the first five weeks.

On Sunday, he played more because receiver Terry Glenn was out with a hamstring injury, and he was better than anyone could have imagined.

He ran 29 yards for a touchdown on the Patriots' first offensive play, threw a 60-yard TD pass to Troy Brown and caught two touchdown passes himself, including a 91-yarder -- the longest play from scrimmage in team history. The Patriots (3-3) won their third consecutive game and swept the Colts for the season.

Patten finished with four receptions for 117 yards and the two TDs. In addition to his TD grab, Brown finished the game with eight catches for 120 yards.

Payton, the Chicago Bears' Hall of Famer, scored touchdowns by running, passing and throwing Oct. 21, 1979, against the Minnesota Vikings.

Brady, who replaced Bledsoe four weeks ago, was almost as impressive as Patten. He was 16-of-20 for 202 yards with three touchdowns.

Bledsoe hasn't played since a hard hit by Mo Lewis of the New York Jets on Sept. 23 caused bleeding in his chest, but the Patriots have lost just once in his absence. It's unclear when Bledsoe will return.

The Patriots had 385 yards in total offense and at one juncture, had 31 points while running just 29 offensive plays.

"It's about going out and executing our plays," Brady said. "We executed them today."

Other notes of interest out of Foxboro this week. ...

According to the Boston Globe, Glenn's agent claims that the Patriots are to blame for the hamstring injury his client suffered last week. Apparently, Glenn was asked to run several ''go'' patterns even after he said his legs were hurting in a workout Thursday.

As a result, Glenn's agent, Jim Gould, is threatening another grievance. ''The gloves are off,'' said Gould. ''If they want to ruin Terry Glenn's career, they're going to have to go through me. I'm sick of it.''

For the record, head coach Bill Belichick denies that he has any rift with Glenn.

"I'm not sure that I'm up on everything, but I have talked to Terry, and I don't think there's any problem with Terry, and I don't feel like I have any problems with Terry," Belichick told the Globe Tuesday. "The quote from his agent is just ridiculous."

Belichick said he spoke at length Sunday night with Glenn, who was on the sideline in street clothes for the game at the RCA Dome. While he admits the two might not enjoy a father-son relationship, Belichick insists that their working relationship is free of friction. ...

It's worth noting that Bledsoe resumed throwing on Wednesday, the next step in the veteran signal caller's recovery from a chest injury that has kept him out since Week 2.

"I'm excited I get to throw again," he said. "Being away from it for a while, it's amazing how much you miss just playing catch."

Bledsoe sheared a blood vessel and lost half the blood in his body when he was hit by New York Jets linebacker Mo Lewis on Sept. 23.

For the record, ESPN.com insider Chris Mortensen said on Monday that there's a 90 percent certainty Bledsoe won't return to action this season. ...

Second-year running back J.R. Redmond made his return from an ankle injury on Sunday and had one carry for no yards. Look for Redmond to continue producing at that pace for the foreseeable future.

And finally. ... The team released veteran wide receiver Torrance Small last Sunday and filled the roster spot left open by the move with Curtis Jackson. ...

RB: Antowain Smith, Kevin Faulk, J.R. Redmond

FB: Marc Edwards, Patrick Pass

WR: David Patten, Troy Brown, Terry Glenn (Q), Charles Johnson, Curtis Jackson

TE: Rod Rutledge (Q), Jermaine Wiggins

PK: Adam Vinatieri

Head coach Jim Haslett said McGarity, a third-year veteran out of Texas who spent most of the last three years with the Dallas Cowboys, has a wealth of speed. "We worked him out and he ran a 4.45-second time in the 40-yard dash on grass," said Haslett. "He's a tough guy and he's smart."

Zeller went on to note that the team's quarterbacks tried to throw 50-yard passes into rubber garbage cans set up in the end zone while their teammates went through special teams drills Wednesday afternoon.

It's a drill that the QBs do at least once a week. No one made it Wednesday, though Aaron Brooks had one pass bounce off the rim of the can. ...

The word out of team headquarters this week indicates rookie running back Deuce McAllister could finally start getting some playing time. In an effort to get Deuce on the field more, the club has sent him out to return punts and kickoffs. He has also seen more action with the first-team offense. "We'd like to get him more involved, because he is a playmaker," Haslett told the New Orleans Times-Picayune. "We're trying to get him in the game more and get him the ball. It's just hard when you have a good running back in front of him."

However, McAlister isn't likely to cut into Ricky Williams' carries anytime soon, even though Williams, who was averaging 4.5 yards a carry, gained just 51 yards on 21 carries last Sunday.

Williams, who had eight carries for 5 yards in the second half, said later, "We couldn't do anything in the second half. We didn't block right a few times, other times they filled holes and made plays."

No. 4 receiver Robert Wilson suffered a neck injury in Sunday's game and was held to a 24-yard reception. Wilson, who is also recovering from a broken thumb, isn't listed on this week's injury report, but coaches say he'll be evaluated on a daily basis throughout the week. ... Tight end Cam Cleeland suffered a minor knee injury last week, but the injury didn't keep him from pulling in a 19-yard touchdown catch and wasn't serious enough to earn him a spot on this week's injury report. ...

The Saints need Willie Jackson and Albert Connell to pick it up a notch or two this week. ... Connell caught only one pass for five yards against Atlanta while Jackson finished the game with five catches for 46 yards -- mediocre numbers against a less-than-imposing Atlanta defense.

RB: Ricky Williams, Deuce McAllister, Fred McAfee

FB: Terrelle Smith, Moran Norris, Kevin Houser

WR: Joe Horn, Willie Jackson, Albert Connell, Robert Wilson, Onomo Ojo, Wane McGarity, Michael Lewis

TE: Cam Cleeland, Lamont Hall

PK: John Carney

According to Canavan, "With just a little more offense, the Giants might have a 5-1 record and a 1 and a half-game lead in the NFC East. Instead, they are a half-game behind the Eagles in the division.

"What makes that so disappointing is the Giants dominated [their last two opponents -- the Rams and Eagles] and gave up late touchdowns in losing.

"Against the Eagles, New York controlled the ball for 25 minutes in the opening half but only built a 9-0 lead.

"'Certainly we were frustrated,' offensive coordinator Sean Payton said Wednesday at an impromptu news conference after practice. 'I know the players were, and I think the coaches felt the same way with us not being able to punch it in.'

"The Giants had three long drives against Philadelphia, but the marches faltered after New York got first downs at the Eagles 12, 6 and 5 yard lines. If there was a common factor, the team either had a bad play on first down, took a sack or had a play that lost yards, and then settled for a field goal.

"'I wish I knew why,' center Dusty Zeigler said. 'Tell me what to do right! I want to score points just as bad as anybody else. But I do know three points at a time is not going to win ballgames.'

"To a man, the players insisted Payton's play calling wasn't the problem in the red zone.

"Receiver Amani Toomer said the Giants did almost anything they wanted against the Eagles in the first half.

"'We were running the ball well and felt we could continue to run it well,' Toomer said. 'If something is working, you keep going to it.'

"The Giants did, and the Eagles found a way stop it when it counted.

"'You can't come in with trick plays against a team like that, they know us so well,' tackle Lomas Brown added. 'You have to come off and hit them in the mouth, hit them in the mouth for four quarters. That's how we beat them the last three times. We didn't do that this time.'

"Payton has ideas how to change things. It starts with giving the ball more to halfback Tiki Barber in close.

"'He's healthy now and he had a good game last week coming back in and getting into the flow of things,' Payton said. 'Looking back at last year's tapes, when we needed big plays, 21 came up time and time again. Good things seem to happen when the ball is in his hands.'

"Barber, who returned to the lineup after missing two games with a hamstring injury, wants the ball.

"While he ran for 55 yards and caught five passes for another 25 on Sunday, Barber had his number called only twice in the red zone, and didn't gain any yards.

"'I think I have to be the playmaker they need me to be,' said Barber, who set a team record with 2,089 all-purpose yards last year. 'I haven't been out there. I haven't gotten into the flow like last year. That's a challenge to me and that's why I play the game.'

"The Giants are tied for 23rd in the NFL with 100 points, an average of 16.6.

"'We're not panicking because we are moving the ball well,' guard Glenn Parker said. 'If we weren't moving the ball and we were getting crushed, then you have to worry. We're putting ourselves in position, but we're not finishing the job. There is concern, not panic. ...'"

Fassel gave QB Kerry Collins, who clearly struggled against the Eagles Monday night, a vote of confidence Wednesday.

"I don't think you put it on one person," Fassel said. "But when you get in the red area, you can't go backwards. You can't take sacks. We're not running the ball real effectively. The sack backs you up and then a fumbled snap and we're out of field goal range. I'm going to tighten things up.

"I believe in Kerry. It's my job and [Payton's] job to get him to play better. He was good enough to get us to win and get us to the Super Bowl like he did last year. We'll simplify things and get back to basics. We've got to get back in a rhythm. I hold everyone accountable."

Also of interest. ...

Ike Hilliard regained his starting position Monday, returning Jurevicius to the role of a reserve. Jurevicius was productive as a starter in Hilliard's absence. However, there is a chance that he could return to starting lineup and replace Amani Toomer, who has been inconsistent this season.

Toomer caught only three passes Monday night against the Eagles and did not have a reception for more than 10 yards. I'll go ahead and remind you that in an effort to motivate him, Fassel demoted Toomer last season. ...

And finally. ... After missing Monday night's game with a sore ankle, WR/KR Ron Dixon returned to practice Wednesday and Fassel told reporters the second-year man was at about 75 percent.

RB: Ron Dayne, Tiki Barber, Damon Washington

FB: Greg Comella, Anthony Green

WR: Amani Toomer, Ike Hilliard, Joe Jurevicius, Ron Dixon (Q), Thabiti Davis, Pat Woodcock

TE: Dan Campbell, Howard Cross, Marcellus Rivers

PK: Morten Andersen, Owen Pochman

Chrebet was hit in the helmet by St. Louis Rams' defensive tackle Brian Young on Sunday in the Rams' 34-14 win over the Jets and left the game complaining of dizziness.

It was the second consecutive week that a head injury knocked Chrebet out of the game. He left the Jets' win over Miami in the second half on Oct. 14.

Coach Herman Edwards described Chrebet's ailment as "post-trauma migraines" and said he wanted to be extra cautious with the injury.

Edwards said Chrebet passed the various tests and scans he was given.

"He's fine," Edwards said. "It's just the back-to-back that worries me. You can't keep doing that.

"It's different from a concussion, I know he's a tough kind of guy. He really wants to play, but he understands. Two weeks in row you don't want to get involved in this deal. He has another one and he's gone for a month. Nothing is worth that."

Chrebet will be replaced by Kevin Swayne, a 26-year-old rookie who played in both the Arena League and the XFL during the past year. He has now been playing football for 40 straight weeks and has one catch for 19 yards in the NFL.

"I stopped counting," Swayne said of his long season. "I'm trying to approach this as a fresh season."

Chrebet, whose wife, Amy, is expecting the couple's first child on Dec. 26, conceded that it's easier to sit out knowing he has a family to think about.

"A year ago when I was single, football was all that was on my mind on and off the field," Chrebet said. "Now I go home and see what I have -- a wife and a baby on the way. I'll never lose that edge, but I've got to be cautious. Anything else and I'm out there, but you don't want to mess with your brain."

Chrebet, said he also respected Dr. Elliot Pellman, chairman of the Jets' medical department and also the chairman of the NFL subcommittee on mild traumatic brain injury.

"He knows more than I do," Chrebet said. "To miss a game I know I can play is going to be tough, but this is something you don't mess with."

Other notes of interest. ...

Vinny Testaverde was replaced by Chad Pennington in the second half of Sunday's game against St. Louis. The move wasn't injury related, it was simply a case of Edwards giving Pennington some playing time in a blowout. ... Testaverde finished the afternoon 9-of-13 for 74 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

On a more positive note. ... Second-year tight end Anthony Becht had a huge game against St. Louis, posting five catches for 35 yards and two scores. Becht has been inconsistent this season, but he's worth starting based on potential alone. ...

And finally. ... The New York Daily News says there is still a noticeable hitch in rookie Santa Moss' stride as he recovers from knee surgery. The earliest the Jets expect him to return is Dec. 2.

RB: Curtis Martin, Lamont Jordan, Chad Morton (Q)

FB: Richie Anderson, Jerald Sowell

WR: Laveranues Coles, Kevin Swayne, Matthew Hatchette, Windrell Hayes, Craig Yeast, Wayne Chrebet (O), Santana Moss (O)

TE: Anthony Becht, James Dearth, Jake Moreland

PK: John Hall

Meaning, he would err on the side of caution in order to give Wheatley extra time to recover.

Which in turn means Charlie Garner is likely to start at halfback against the Eagles this Sunday. ...

As for the team's passing attack. ... With the exception of the Miami game, the Raiders have largely had their way through the air. They have had so little resistance against Tim Brown, Jerry Rice and Garner that they haven't even yet begun to explore other options such as tight end Roland Williams, fullback Jon Ritchie and the promising Jerry Porter and Marcus Knight -- let alone James Jett on deep routes.

QB Rich Gannon has thrown but one interception and has been sacked eight times. ...

Bottom line?

The Raiders have gone from a ball-control running team to a ball-control passing team in fairly short order this season.

RB: Charlie Garner, Tyrone Wheatley (Q), Randy Jordan, Terry Kirby

FB: Jon Ritchie, Zack Crockett

WR: Tim Brown, Jerry Rice, Jerry Porter, David Dunn, Marcus Knight, James Jett

TE: Roland Williams, Mondriel Fulcher, Jeremy Brigham

PK: Sebastian Janikowski

But head coach Andy Reid indicated it was a good kind of sore for the Eagles' running back, who had missed the previous two games with a separated shoulder.

Staley rushed three times for 22 yards in the Eagles' 10-9 win over the New York Giants, including a 17-yarder. He also caught four passes for 29 yards and buckled a blitzing cornerback with a devastating block.

"It was good to see Duce get a few carries in there and to do the things he did," Reid said. "And it's important that (Correll Buckhalter) keeps on maturing."

While Staley started the game, Buckhalter got most of the carries down the homestretch, finishing with 11 rushes for 34 yards.

"I guess I was being a little cautious with Duce," Reid said. "I worked him slow. I put him in with different personnel groups. The personnel groups that were in at the end were the ones that Buckhalter had during the week, so I left him in there."

Keep an eye on this week's Late-Breaking Updates for more on Staley, but don't be surprised if he winds up playing second fiddle to Buckhalter for another week or two. ...

Other notes of interest. ...

Todd Pinkston has a strained wrist but is expected to play in Sunday's game. Reid told reporters that the second-year man would be on the practice field Wednesday, although he might be somewhat limited. ... Interestingly enough, nobody asked Reid who would start opposite James Thrash this Sunday if Pinkston can't. ...

By the way. ... Thrash is on pace to catch 70 passes this season making Reid's decision to jettison veteran's Torrance Small and Charles Johnson and turn the team's receiving duties over to the unproven Thrash and Pinkston -- a move that many questioned -- look pretty darned smart.

RB: Duce Staley (P), Correll Buckhalter, Brian Mitchell

FB: Cecil Martin, Jamie Reader

WR: James Thrash, Todd Pinkston (Q), Na Brown, Freddie Mitchell, Gari Scott (P), Dameane Douglas

TE: Chad Lewis, Jeff Thomason, Tony Stewart, Mike Bartrum

PK: David Akers

"The Steelers can only hope his throwing will come back soon, too.

"Pittsburgh (4-1) has unexpectedly moved atop the AFC Central by winning four in a row despite a persistent inability to establish what, by NFL standards, is even a modest passing attack.

"Stewart passed for 100 yards in Sunday's 17-10 victory at Tampa Bay and has only one 200-yard game in two seasons, that in a loss to the Giants last year in which he was forced to throw after the Steelers fell way behind.

"The Steelers are getting by with a Jerome Bettis-led running game that averages nearly 200 yards per game, or nearly 40 yards more than any team in the league. Part of that success is due to offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey's decision to allow Stewart to take off more often, rather than forcing passes that probably wouldn't be completed.

"But in a league where defenses traditionally catch up very quickly to teams that become overly reliant on a single element for success, coach Bill Cowher understands the Steelers can't expect to keep winning by relying on the run alone.

"The Steelers begin an important five-week stretch of games against AFC Central teams Monday night when they face Tennessee (2-3).

"'We missed a couple of big plays the other day,' Cowher said. 'We are going to have to be able to throw the ball. We have to be more efficient.'

"There is certainly room for improvement. The Steelers are first in the NFL in rushing by a wide margin, but are 30th in passing, leading only Dallas. And while many NFL teams average 100 or more yards passing than rushing, the Steelers gain more than 50 yards more per game on the ground than through the air.

"And with only one touchdown pass in five games, Stewart is tied for the team lead with Bettis, who passed for a touchdown on his only throw of the season Sunday.

"Of course, Stewart is only part of the problem. Neither of the Steelers' two first-round receivers, Plaxico Burress nor Troy Edwards, has made much of an impact despite the millions of dollars invested in them. Edwards doesn't even start, and Burress still doesn't have an NFL touchdown catch.

"Cowher faulted Burress for not coming back to the ball on a pass that Stewart underthrew Sunday, resulting in an interception.

"Still, Stewart said his modest statistics so far -- 76-of-124 for 680 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions -- aren't a worry because of a more important number: his record.

"The Steelers have won eight of the last 10 games he has started and, over the last two seasons, they are 11-5 when he starts.

"'I'm working within the scheme of things, trying to get my groove back after not having much success in the past,' Stewart said Wednesday. 'I'm just enjoying this right now and trying to ride this horse the best way I possibly can.'

"The Steelers hired a quarterbacks coach this season for the first time in more than 30 years, and Stewart credits Tom Clements with being a calming influence even though the passing game has yet to develop.

"'He's keeping me relaxed,' Stewart said. 'With the coordinators in the past, it was always trying to understand what we were doing as a whole rather than your individual position.

"'He can pinpoint those little things that affect a quarterback and keep me focused, keep me within the framework of how I need to approach it. ...'"

Also of interest. ...

Hines Ward sprained his left ankle against the Bucs last Sunday, but the veteran wide out is listed as probable on this week's injury report and coaches expect him to start and play as usual against the Titans Monday night.

RB: Jerome Bettis, Amos Zereoue, Chris Fuamatu Ma'afala

FB: Jon Witman, Dan Kreider

WR: Hines Ward (P), Plaxico Burress, Bobby Shaw, Troy Edwards, Tim Baker

TE: Mark Bruener, Jerame Tuman, Matt Cushing

PK: Kris Brown

Canidate had 195 yards rushing and 37 yards receiving in a 34-14 victory over the New York Jets on Sunday. He missed most of his rookie season with injuries.

"I feel relieved, but it doesn't change whether or not Marshall would be up," Martz said. "You just can't do that.

"If Marshall's not fully ready to go, we've got so much of the season left we've got to do the right thing."

Like he was last week, Faulk is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints. Martz said a decision would be made later in the week, but he doesn't expect Faulk, the NFL's MVP last year, to be ready.

"I wouldn't expect Marshall to be up for this game," he said.

Martz somewhat humorously accused the Jets of over-watering the field at the Meadowlands to slow down Canidate, who is faster than Faulk.

"It was awful wet and soggy and the footing was awful slippery and it was real muddy out there, so they probably got a downpour the day before or something," Martz said. "It might have been just a cloudburst ... right over the Meadowlands."

Other notes of interest. ...

Martz said he expects fullback James Hodgins, who has a turf toe, to start and play as usual, but on the off chance he isn't ready to go, Robert Holcombe and tight end Jeff Robinson will share lead blocking duties.

And finally. ... Az-Zahir Hakim, is expected to come off the bench as the team's third-receiver as usual despite the strained calf he suffered last Sunday.

RB: Trung Canidate, Marshall Faulk (Q), Robert Holcombe

FB: James Hodgins (Q), Justin Watson

WR: Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce, Az-Zahir Hakim, Ricky Proehl, Yo Murphy

TE: Ernie Conwell, Jeff Robinson, Brandon Manumaleuna

PK: Jeff Wilkins

While in Denver last Sunday's game between the Broncos and Chargers for CBS Sports, Allen, a Lincoln High alum, said he believes Tomlinson could go down as one of the all-time greats.

"I look at him and, barring injury, I see a guy who could break all the records for rushing yards and touchdowns," Allen said. "He has that kind of skill."

Tomlinson ranks second in the league in rushing with 486 yards and is tied for first with seven touchdowns. He said Allen's remarks surprised and humbled him.

"For someone like Marcus Allen, who was one of the greatest running backs ever, to say that about me is an awesome feeling," Tomlinson said. "When he was in the league, he studied a lot and studied a lot of people. That's what made him so good; not only his natural ability, but the mind to study and know what's happening. So for him to say that, it means a lot. That's an honor."

Other notes of interest. ...

Veteran wide out Jeff Graham came up huge for San Diego on Sunday, catching seven passes for 107 yards and two scores against Denver. ... Tomlinson, on the other hand, was held in check for the first time this season by Denver, who limited the rookie to just 58 yards on the day. ...

According to the North County Times, head coach Mike Riley told reporters on Monday that the sprained ankle tight end Freddie Jones suffered against the Broncos, shouldn't keep him from starting and playing as usual against the Bills this Sunday.

RB: LaDainian Tomlinson, Terrell Fletcher, Ronney Jenkins

FB: Fred McCrary, Derrick Harris (Q)

WR: Curtis Conway, Jeff Graham, Tim Dwight, Reggie Jones, Trevor Gaylor

TE: Freddie Jones (Q), Steve Heiden

PK: Wade Richey

"While his teammates jetted across the nation during the San Francisco 49ers' bye weekend, Stokes stayed in town to make daily trips to the 49ers' practice facility for rehabilitation of several leg injuries.

"Stokes was expected to help pick up the slack in the 49ers' offense when Jerry Rice left in the off-season. Instead, injuries have left him feeling useless even as San Francisco streaked to an excellent start with four victories in five games.

"'My speed just hasn't been there,' Stokes said. 'It's one thing when your mind is completely on the game. It's another thing when you're taking every step, and you're thinking, `How is my leg going to handle this?''

"With 10 catches for 134 yards and one TD, Stokes' impact has been negligible. He has been a target less frequently than No. 3 receiver Tai Streets, who has 11 catches, or even rookie tight end Eric Johnson, who has 12.

"Stokes had hamstring problems that caused him to miss most of training camp. Soon afterward, he bruised muscles in his leg and strained a ligament in his knee. All the minor problems have combined to keep Stokes at less than full speed all season.

"Stokes says a lack of communication with quarterback Jeff Garcia -- which can be traced to the hours of practice Stokes missed during training camp -- also contributes to his meager statistics.

"'I've been open,' Stokes said. 'I still feel like I'm able to get something if the ball comes my way. (The coaches) see I'm open, just like everybody else sees it. It's just a matter of me and Jeff getting together.'

"Coach Steve Mariucci admits Stokes may be underused, but thinks the pass distribution will even out during the season. He noted two instances during San Francisco's victory over Atlanta last week when Stokes and Terrell Owens both were open, but Garcia chose Owens as his target.

"'Receivers and quarterbacks need to play together to get a certain sense of timing,' Mariucci said.

"Stokes participated in the 49ers' light practice Monday. He expects to be close to full speed by Sunday, when San Francisco visits the equally surprising Chicago Bears. ..."

Other notes of interest. ...

According to Mariucci, tight end Greg Clark, who is recovering from multiple surgeries to both hamstrings, doesn't appear to be any closer to returning to action. ...

And finally. ... Running back/special teams standout Jonas Lewis suffered a setback on his return attempt from a severe groin injury. Lewis re-tore the groin last week in practice and has been told he will be out for at least eight weeks.

"I had just gotten to the point where I felt comfortable enough to run again," Lewis said. "I was able to cut, I had some range of motion back...this is just a huge setback for me right now."

With little room under the salary cap, it is unlikely that the 49ers will place Lewis on the injured reserve list, meaning the team could have just 52 healthy players on the roster for the remainder of the season.

RB: Garrison Hearst, Kevan Barlow, Paul Smith, Jonas Lewis (O)

FB: Fred Beasley, Terry Jackson

WR: Terrell Owens, J.J. Stokes, Tai Streets, Vinny Sutherland, Cedrick Wilson

TE: Eric Johnson, Justin Swift, Brian Jennings, Greg Clark (O)

PK: Jose Cortez

"'You guys have to trust me,' third-year Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said Wednesday during his weekly news conference. 'I will know. If he's doing the job, he plays. If it's not working out the way I want it to, then we have a guy who can step in there and play.'

"With Hasselbeck hampered by a groin injury, Trent Dilfer started at quarterback and the Seahawks beat Jacksonville and Denver on consecutive weeks.

"After a bye week, the Seahawks (3-2) face the Miami Dolphins on Sunday at Husky Stadium. Dilfer was replaced by Hasselbeck in the final quarter of the Denver game after Dilfer suffered a groin injury.

"Both quarterbacks practiced Wednesday, with Hasselbeck taking most of the snaps.

"Acquired by Holmgren in March in a trade with Green Bay, Hasselbeck struggled in the Seahawks' first three games. He had a 48.9 percent quarterback rating, didn't throw a touchdown pass, was intercepted three times and sacked 17 times.

"Signed as a free agent in August to give the Seahawks a veteran backup quarterback, Dilfer has compiled a 93 percent quarterback rating, with one touchdown pass and one interception. He's been sacked four times.

"Dilfer has 86 career starts to Hasselbeck's three.

"During Seattle's 27-3 loss to Philadelphia in its home opener Sept. 23, frustrated Seahawks fans chanted 'Dilfer! Dilfer!' in an attempt to get Holmgren to replace Hasselbeck.

"Even after Seattle's victories over Jacksonville and Denver, Holmgren said Hasselbeck would be his starting quarterback again once he was healthy.

"Hasselbeck is back as No. 1 this week, but the pressure is on to play better than he did in the Seahawks' season opener in Cleveland and the losses to Philadelphia and Oakland.

"'I still do believe in Matt and I think he can come back in now after kind of seeing what's happened,' Holmgren said. 'Having said that, he has to play well. I'm not going to sacrifice the season because I want to say I was right. I'm way, way beyond that in my life. I expect a lot out of that position.'

"Holmgren gave Hasselbeck a $24 million, five-year contract before the season began.

"Hasselbeck acknowledged after Wednesday's practice that he's feeling the pressure.

"'But there is a lot of pressure to play in this business because of the position that I play,' he said. 'Really, that is nothing new.'

"Hasselbeck would like to extend Seattle's winning streak to three games.

"'We've got a little bit of momentum on our side right now,' he said. 'We don't want to lose it.'

"Dilfer was the starting quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens last season, when they won the Super Bowl. He's won his last 13 starting assignments. ..."

Other items of interest in Seattle this week. ...

According to the Tacoma News Tribune, Holmgren says that Watters will return to the starting lineup as soon as he's healthy, which could be another month or longer.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Holmgren said. "I would be surprised if I didn't insert Ricky back into the lineup. He was our best player when he got hurt. Shaun (Alexander) has come in and played well. But I would suspect that when Ricky can play, he'll play again."

I don't know. ... I have a hard time believing Holmgren will yank Alexander if he continues to rack up totals at the same torrid pace he has in his first two appearances as a starter, but I suppose anything is possible.

Meaning, Alexander owners might want to see if they can't get acquire rights to Watters (if they don't already have him on their roster), just in case.

RB: Shaun Alexander, Jay Graham, Charlie Rogers (Q), Ricky Watters (O)

FB: Mack Strong, Heath Evans

WR: Darrell Jackson, Koren Robinson, Bobby Engram, James Williams, Alex Bannister, Fabian Bownes

TE: Christian Fauria, Itula Mili, Russell Stewart

PK: Rian Lindell

However, there is reason to believe all three will make it back for Friday's practice before starting and playing as usual against the Vikings this Sunday.

Head coach Tony Dungy told reporters after Wednesday's workout, "Warrick and Keyshawn did some light running. Jacquez Green did not run but said he felt better."

The word out of the team's training room seemed to indicate that Johnson has an excellent chance to practice on Friday, with Dunn just behind the rapidly improving receiver. Green is a longer shot to suit up at the end of the week.

"I doubt that any of those three guys will practice [Thursday] but I think there's a chance they could practice Friday," summarized Dungy.

For what it's worth, Dunn told reporters Tuesday that he expects to play this Sunday: "Right now, I'm probably 90, almost 95 percent," he said. "My foot is starting to feel better, now I have to worry about the hamstring."

Dunn suffered a mild strain of his hamstring during Sunday's loss to Pittsburgh when he took some steps while the muscle was cramping; the former Florida State star was already playing with the foot injury suffered during the team's Sept. 30 game against the Vikings.

I'll remind you that Dunn has scored and racked up over 100 yards from scrimmage in each of his last two games against the Vikings. ...

Riedel Anthony will pick up any slack created by Green's injury while Frank Murphy will take Johnson's place on the off chance the former Jet isn't ready to go Sunday. ... It's worth noting, however, that Johnson hasn't missed a game since his rookie season.

And finally. ... Although he doesn't appear on this week's injury report, the St. Petersburg Times reported early this week that backup running back Aaron Stecker, who was scratched last Sunday due to a knee injury, is considered doubtful for the Sunday's game against Minnesota.

Keep an eye on this week's Late-Breaking Updates for more, but if Stecker and Dunn are both limited, the Bucs will be very thin at running back this Sunday.

RB: Warrick Dunn (Q), Aaron Stecker, Rabih Abdullah

FB: Mike Alstott, Rabih Abdullah, Jameel Cook

WR: Keyshawn Johnson (Q), Jacquez Green (Q), Reidel Anthony, Frank Murphy, Karl Williams, Milton Wynn

TE: Dave Moore, Todd Yoder, Sean McDermott

PK: Martin Gramatica

A combination of injuries and Bennett's improbable rise have pushed him into significant playing time. He adjusts to the ball, presents a good target and gets to the spots where he is supposed to be. He is adept at working the middle of the field and finding a seam.

QB Steve McNair has noticed already. Bennett has been McNair's choice on several key plays in the last two games and was the third wide receiver used in Detroit. That would have been the case even if Chris Sanders hadn't missed the game with back spasms. ...

A visit to a specialist this week revealed that Sanders has a disc problem in his back, but the veteran wide out shouldn't have to undergo surgery to correct the problem. ... According to team officials, treatment options include rest or an injection. Whatever, the case, don't look for the former Ohio State star to return to the lineup anytime soon. ...

Bennett will continue to come off the bench as the team's third-receiver in Sanders' absence. ...

The Titans held a light practice on Wednesday to help some players heal for the big divisional game against Pittsburgh Monday night.

According to head coach Jeff Fisher, "Steve McNair's ankle is a little sore but he's expected to practice Thursday. His shoulder feels as good as it's felt in a number of weeks."

McNair isn't the only player beginning to feel better after a tough first five games. Running back Eddie George is also somewhat worse for the wear and like McNair, is listed as questionable for Monday night's game.

"Eddie was a little sore with the ankle and didn't do much on Wednesday," Fisher explained.

Those who follow the team closely, however, fully expect both McNair and George to start and play as usual Monday night. ...

Other items of interest. ...

Frank Wycheck, who had been surprisingly quiet so far this season, came up big against the Lions, pulling in seven passes for a career-best 100 yards and a touchdown. ...

Tight end Erron Kinney is currently bothered by a sore calf, but the second-year man wasn't included on this week's injury report. ... PK Joe Nedney suffered a neck injury in last week's game, but is expected to play without difficulty Monday night. ... And finally. ... Kevin Dyson is recovering from a thumb injury but is expected to participate in practice this week before starting and playing as usual against the Steelers.

RB: Eddie George (Q), Mike Green, Skip Hicks, HB, Wes Ours, Mike Leach

WR: Derrick Mason, Kevin Dyson, Drew Bennett, Eddie Berlin (Q), Chris Coleman, Chris Sanders (Q), Justin McCareins (O)

TE: Frank Wycheck, Erron Kinney, Shad Meier

PK: Joe Nedney

Metcalf, 33, hasn't played since 1999. He sat out last year and was cut by Oakland after this year's training camp.

Metcalf was a first-round draft pick of Cleveland in 1989 and has played with the Browns, Atlanta (1995-96), San Diego (1997), Arizona (1998) and Carolina (1999). He holds the NFL record with nine punt returns for touchdowns.

The Redskins have used both Kevin Lockett and Michael Bates to return punts, but neither has much inexperience and both have made poor decisions when fielding punts inside the 20. The team has eight returns for 19 yards, a 2.4-yard average that ranks next-to-last in the league. ...

Also of interest. ...

Tony Banks finally came up with a semi-productive outing, throwing for 346 yards and a score against Carolina. ...

Rookie wide out Rod Gardner has clearly overtaken Michael Westbrook as the No. 1 receiving target in Washington. The youngster pulled in six catches for 208 yards -- including an 85-yard touchdown -- while serving as Banks' primary target against the Panthers.

Westbrook, on the other hand, was held to just one catch for 19 yards. ...

It's worth noting that Stephen Davis had 29 carries for 99 yards against Carolina. ... The former Auburn star hasn't found the end zone this season but if the Redskins can keep the score close Davis will continue to see around 30 carries a game. ...

RB: Stephen Davis, Ki-Jana Carter

FB: Donnell Bennett, Bryan Johnson

WR: Rod Gardner, Michael Westbrook, Kevin Lockett, Derrius Thompson, Darnerian McCants, Michael Bates

TE: Walter Rasby, Zeron Flemister, Stephen Alexander (D)

PK: Brett Conway