Teams are not obligated to pay players who are sidelined by non-football injuries. Cardinals director of public relations Paul Jensen confirmed the roster move, but it was not immediately known whether Jones will be paid.

Jones reportedly suffered a fractured right hand Friday night while attempting to answer his telephone at home. He had season-ending surgery Monday.

Jones is in the third year of a four-year contract that is worth $7.39 million. Of that, $5.7 million was a signing bonus. His salary for this season is $459,000. The pro-rated remainder that Jones could lose if the Cardinals choose to not pay it is $143,438.

With Jones' injury the Cardinals are in the market for a running back, but head coach Dave McGinnis said the team hasn't decided whom they will to sign as a backup to Marcel Shipp and Damien Anderson.

"There are some names," McGinnis said, adding that the Cardinals have not had a running back in for a workout. ...

The good news of course, lies in the fact that Shipp comes off an outstanding performance in his first appearance as an NFL starter.

Not that he wasn't already performing beyond expectations.

Shipp went into Sunday's game averaging 5.2 yards a carry, fifth in the NFL. He improved with his 8.4-yard average on 16 carries against the Raiders including a 39-yard burst.

"It was very exciting to me the way our offense started off," Shipp said.

For the second week, the Cardinals moved the ball early, a change of course. They could stay with a running game that was slicing through the Oakland defense until the Raiders scored twice in the third quarter during the 41-20 mauling.

In the first half, Shipp rushed for 122 yards on 12 carries. In the second, he had four carries for 13 yards.

Jones clearly was frustrated the week before when coaches began to cut into his workload by alternating him with Shipp.

"First, I feel for Thomas," said left guard Pete Kendall, behind whom Shipp gained considerable yardage. "That is the very definition of snakebit. He had the best game of his career at Seattle (career-high 173 rushing yards in Week 2) and on the very last play he gets an ankle injury that has stuck with him."

Shipp, undrafted as a rookie last season, isn't as talented, perhaps, as Jones, a high first-round pick two years ago. Shipp has meshed more effectively with the Cardinals line, though.

"When you look at it, Jason [Starkey, backup center who is starting], Mike [Gruttadauria, injured starting center] and I aren't necessarily the quickest," Kendall said.

"This isn't a knock on him, but Marcel probably isn't the quickest, either. But he has good patience, good vision, and he seems to fit what we are doing."

Several times Shipp waited for Kendall to throw his block, then burst through the hole.

"I just wanted to step in and not have us lose a beat," Shipp said.

"I'm not really looking at it like that (as a six-game audition)," Shipp said. "I just want to contribute and help us get wins."

"We'll see what the future brings, but Marcel ran well again today," McGinnis said after the game. Also of interest. ... As reported by Shappell and fellow Republic staffer Kent Somers, despite his struggles this season, Jake Plummer believes he still has the support and trust of his teammates.

Plummer played poorly against Oakland. He completed 16-of-34 passes for 145 yards. He had two touchdown passes, but he also had two interceptions, one of which led to a Raiders touchdown. He also lost a fumble that the Raiders converted into a score.

"You just look in the huddle - no one's giving up," Plummer said. "You don't see guys quitting."

Plummer doesn't think he's in danger of losing his teammates' faith.

"If it happens, that's the worst thing possible," he said. "But I don't think guys have lost confidence in me. They know I'm going to rally hard and keep playing hard. There's no reason for them to lose confidence. I hope they don't, and I don't see that. I don't feel that."

While not condoning Plummer's decision-making, coach Dave McGinnis suggested the greater problem was the inability of the defense to get a stop in the third quarter.

Asked if it was time to bench Plummer, McGinnis snapped, "The quarterback is not playing defense."

Even when rushing for a modest total of 52 yards with a touchdown in last week's shutout of Carolina, Dunn enjoyed what head coach Dan Reeves said might have been his best all-around game. Dunn also has posted rushing totals of 142 yards at New Orleans and 129 yards at Pittsburgh in the past five weeks, but against Carolina he added five catches for 53 yards and a touchdown and also graded well as a blocker.

The team's dominance of the Panthers led to such lopsided time-of-possession numbers that rookie T.J. Duckett looked like a lead rusher in the box score with his 22 carries for 66 yards. But the bulk of Duckett's carries came after Dunn had set the early pace, and it is clear Dunn will have every opportunity to continue as the starter the rest of the season.

Each of Dunn's past five rushing efforts is better than all but one of his first six games. ...

Other items of interest. ...

As reported by the Sports Xchange, the Falcons have scored 21 touchdowns and 13 field goals in 39 red-zone possessions this season for a scoring percentage of 87.2 and a touchdown percentage of 53.8.

Last season, they scored 21 touchdowns and 21 field goals in 52 red-zone possessions, a scoring percentage of 80.8, and a touchdown percentage of 40.4.

"We're able to run the football, and get it in the end zone," Reeves said. "And that makes a lot of difference compared to what it has been in the past, where when we got down there we had to throw." Atlanta is No. 4 in the NFL in rushing, averaging 147.9 yards per game. On the injury front. ... Alge Crumpler suffered a sprained neck and receiver Brian Finneran was bothered by some soreness in his right knee against the Panthers, but neither injury is considered serious and both men should play as usual in Minnesota this Sunday.

Linebacker Ray Lewis and wide receiver Brandon Stokley both need year-ending surgery and each will be placed on injured reserve, the team announced Tuesday.

Lewis, a five-time Pro Bowler, suffered a partial subluxation of his left shoulder during a game in early October. After missing five straight games, he returned to action in the Ravens’ 26-7 loss to Miami on Nov. 17, but the team made the determination this week that he cannot continue to play without surgery.

While the possibility of shutting Lewis down for the year has been the topic of debate for the last seven weeks, moving Stokley to IR has been more of a surprise.

The fourth-year wide receiver has been out since offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden accidentally rolled on his foot in a game against the Bengals back on Nov. 10.

Originally diagnosed as a standard sprain, further tests revealed that he suffered a Lisfranc sprain, which results in the dislocation of two bones in his foot.

"It needs to be fixed," said head trainer Bill Tessendorf, who added that Stokley will see an outside foot specialist before having the surgery. "It’s not emergency, but probably the sooner, the better, because my understanding is that they put a screw in there to return the joint to normal and let the ligaments and all that heal. After three months, they back the screw out and start to work on the rehab."

Despite playing in just eight of the Ravens’ 11 games this season, Stokley ranks third on the team in receiving yards (357) and fourth in receptions (24). Tuesday, the Ravens tried to fill the void he leaves by signing wide receiver Milton Wynn off the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ practice squad.

But it is impossible to fill the leadership vacuum that Lewis and Stokley hand down. On a team with 16 rookies and first-year players, they have been two of the few carry-overs from the 2000 Super Bowl team.

Rookies Ron Johnson and Javin Hunter will split time at Stokley's position. Hunter has had problems fumbling, and Johnson has had problems catching the ball. Put them together, though, and you have the prototype receiver with Johnson's size and Hunter's speed.

The Ravens have signed Milton Wynn from Tampa Bay's practice squad to replace Stokley on the roster. ...

Quarterback Chris Redman has been feeling stronger but won't be able to work as the backup until he fully recovers from a back injury. The first-year starter has been working with the scout team the past two weeks.

Jeff Blake continues to work as the starter in Redman's absence and according to Baltimore Sun staffer Mike Preston, when the veteran signal caller was playing well, he was throwing to a number of different targets.

In the past two weeks, however, most of his passes have gone to Travis Taylor, who has betrayed him with a number of drops. Blake might be able to heat up this week against the Bengals' weak secondary.

For awhile there, it seemed almost too easy. For the first eight weeks of the season, Bledsoe took the town on a wild, exhilarating ride. He played like an MVP. He had the Bills ahead of schedule. They were 5-3, and people wondered if they had a playoff team on their hands, maybe even a Super Bowl contender.

Then, in the last three games, the whole thing came crashing to Earth. It started with the Bledsoe Bowl, which turned into the Bledsoe Blowout. Then came the excruciating one-point loss to the Chiefs a week ago. Finally, on Sunday, they lost their third in a row, falling by 31-13 to the Jets and dropping into sole possession of last place in the AFC East.

It's been quite a comedown for the Bills and their star quarterback. For the third consecutive game, the offense managed just one touchdown. A team that set the NFL on fire in the first six weeks, averaging 32.3 points a game, has averaged only 16.6 points since.

For three weeks, Bledsoe has been downright ordinary. And according to Sullivan, we've seen evidence, however faint, of the flaws that kept so many NFL teams from pursuing him as a free agent. Teams have begun to figure him out. They're playing conservative zone defenses, taking away his down-field options, daring him to force the ball into tight spaces.

For the first eight games, Bledsoe was consistently terrific. In the Patriots and Chiefs games, he was less than average. On Sunday, he played his worst game as a Bill, completing 21 of 33 passes for a season-low 181 yards. He threw two interceptions, nearly had a third picked off and lost a fumble.

Sullivan isn't laying the entire blame for the three losses at the former Wazzu star's feet. There's plenty to go around. But Bledsoe is human, after all. The team is reeling and he's struggling. The pressure of having to put up 30 points to compensate for a sorry defense finally seems to be getting to him.

Bledsoe is invariably polite and cooperative after games. He doesn't duck questions or blame. But after Sunday's debacle, he refused to talk about his interceptions.

"I don't want to get into specific plays," Bledsoe said. "Let's keep it general. We just have to execute better. We have to be on the same page more consistently."

Why the reluctance to discuss the interceptions? Tight end Jay Riemersma, who was involved in the first one, didn't have a problem with it. During the week, he and Bledsoe worked on throws where Riemersma would make his break based on the linebacker's drop into coverage.

Late in the first quarter, Riemersma read the linebacker and broke in. Bledsoe expected him to cut outside. He threw behind Riemersma, who reached out and deflected the ball. Jets safety Sam Garnes intercepted it.

"I saw one thing, Drew saw another," Riemersma said. "We weren't on the same page. You just can't do those kind of things."

Maybe Bledsoe was trying to protect his tight end by keeping quiet. Or maybe he was seething over Riemersma's read on the play. But remember, we have to keep it general.

Generally, quarterbacks are asking for trouble when they lock in on a receiver and try to force the throw. That's what Bledsoe did on his second pickoff, when cornerback Aaron Beasley jumped Peerless Price's short route and made the interception.

"We knew in that situation Drew might like to make a quick throw," Jets defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell said. "So we used a coverage that would hopefully take care of it. We played the odds and they ran a couple of things we were ready for."

Those things have been happening a lot more often lately. That could be the source of Bledsoe's frustration, the reason he didn't want to get into specifics. But the bloom is off the rose with this Buffalo offense. Defensive coordinators have the game films and they're figuring out ways to solve it.

It might help if Kevin Gilbride simplified things, if he made a greater commitment to power football. He's too infatuated with his passing attack. Schemes that tore though defenses in September aren't fooling people now. Teams are taking away Eric Moulds and Price. They're forcing Bledsoe to be more conservative, more patient.

"I think so," Larry Centers said. "I think teams have started to try to take away certain things from us. We have the confidence in certain areas that we can get it done no matter what. Perhaps we're not utilizing everything that's out there for us.

"In professional football, a lot of your success has to do with team confidence. You come together as a team and you believe you can win. We tasted that earlier in the season. We got on a roll where we felt we could do no wrong. We had a good feeling going in that we were going to win. I think that feeling is starting to fade now."

Early in the year, the Bills fed off Bledsoe. He raised everyone's confidence. Now that he's struggling, it's no wonder that confidence is fading. It's a team game, but if the quarterback gets the credit for victory, he has to accept his share of blame in defeat.

Other notes of interest. ...

According to News beat writer Allen Wilson, Travis Henry played with a heavy heart last Sunday due to the death of his grandmother last week. She was 87 years old.

Henry flew to Alabama after practice Friday and attended the funeral Saturday afternoon. He arrived in New York late Saturday evening.

You would never know Henry was mourning the way he played. He rushed for 83 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries and added 43 yards on seven receptions.

"It was tough emotionally," said Henry, who is 43 yards shy of 1,000. "I was real close to her. But she lived a good life, and I know she would want me to move forward. I just had to get refocused and try to help the team out as much as I could."

Henry paid the price for his efforts as he got his bell rung on a jarring hit by Jets linebacker Sam Cowart in the second quarter. Henry had to be helped off the field, but was able to return and finish the game.

"I got a head-knocker and I blocked out for a minute," he said. "I was fortunate enough to come back. I feel OK now. It was tough at the time, but you shake it off. ..."

One last item, courtesy of Denver Post sports writer Adam Schefter, who offered readers the following tidbit last Friday: "Buffalo's wide receivers haven't impressed everybody. After the Bills lost at Kansas City last Sunday, Chiefs cornerback Eric Warfield told reporters: 'I thought these guys would be a lot better. You see their stats and their numbers and watch them on film, and you think they're a lot better than they are.'"

The 36-year-old Peete, benched for the second-half of last Sunday's loss to Atlanta, will start against the Cleveland Browns this weekend. Whether or not Weinke or rookie Randy Fasani will be the backup will be a game-time decision, head coach John Fox said.

Weinke started as a rookie last year, but has been Peete's backup all season because Fox has maintained that Peete gives the Panthers a better chance to win.

But now that Carolina is stuck in an eight-game losing streak, critics have said the Panthers should take a long look at Weinke if he truly is in their long-term plans.

Fox said Wednesday that the 30-year-old former Heisman Trophy winner is still in the mix, but Peete is just better right now.

"He gives us the best opportunity to win. We've been competitive in nine of 11 games, and I think he's been a big part of that," Fox said. "We're attacking these five games to win, not anything about getting anyone ready for the future. We think our future is to win."

Still, the Panthers haven't given Weinke much time to showcase anything this season. He started one game as an injury replacement for Peete, but was knocked out in the first half with a concussion.

The Panthers then went to him Sunday against Atlanta when he played the third quarter, but Fasani replaced him in the fourth.

Fox said after the game there was no plan to give both Weinke and Fasani a quarter to play, an indication that Weinke was taken out based on his 3-for-8 performance for 26 yards and two interceptions.

But Fasani wasn't much better: He went 4-of-7 for 25 yards and was sacked three times.

"I think Randy and Chris are the quarterback of the future. ... When they've had the opportunity, we've gotten them development," Fox said. "But the biggest time of the year to do that stuff is in the offseason and the preseason."

Peete said he had always planned to start Sunday against the Browns -- even though Fox refused until Wednesday to name the No. 1 quarterback.

Asked if he was surprised Fox was sticking with him, Peete simply answered "No," then smiled during a long, awkward pause.

"Why should I be? I've said this before -- until somebody tells me otherwise, you don't get into anything other than what I am supposed to do and right now I am supposed to play," he said. "That's what I am going to do."

Peete will try to end Carolina's woes in Cleveland, where he'll try to overcome cold conditions that will certainly bother the torn tendon in the middle finger of his throwing hand.

"Yeah, it does bother me, but it's at the point where I have to tape it up and go with it," Peete said. "I'll have hand warmers and other things to keep my hands warm, and I've played in the cold before, so I can handle it."

Also of interest. ...

Steve Smith returned to the troubled Panthers on Monday apologetic for beating up a teammate but unsure if he has been forgiven.

Smith, Carolina's leading receiver and an All-Pro kick returner, was suspended for Sunday's game against Atlanta for beating up receiver Anthony Bright in a team meeting last week.

Bright, a practice squad player, spent two nights in a hospital and filed assault charges against Smith.

Smith punctuated his return by addressing the entire team, although it was unclear how his message was received.

"What I said was from the heart and it's how I felt and the way I am going to handle things from now on," Smith said. "I didn't really ask if I was accepted or not. I said I was just going to come to work and handle myself in a professional manner."

Smith, in his second season, has started counseling with a sports psychologist, but declined to specify what he was being treated for. He said he volunteered to seek help and was paying for the treatment himself.

"I'm working on the things I need to do to help myself perform better on the field and to deal with being a pro athlete," he said. "Everybody needs counseling, it's just what area is needed. ... If I need help, I'm not ashamed to say I need help."

His teammates, though, were still trying to decide how they felt about Smith.

"Steve did offer an apology, I think it's amongst each player to kind of take it the way they want to take it," fellow wideout Muhsin Muhammad said. "I believe the way he's going to act once he returns to the team is going to display a lot more than words."

Fullback Brad Hoover said he respected Smith for standing up in front of the team.

"It takes a lot of guts to get up and say you're sorry," Hoover said. "Different guys will take it differently. For me personally, I think Steve was true and sincere and I will just wait and see what his actions are.

"If he goes back to being the same guy, that just proves that I'm wrong on his judge of character."

Because of the legal dispute -- Smith turned himself into police last Friday and was charged with misdemeanor assault -- the second-year player could not discuss the incident with Bright.

But the fight apparently started after Bright had asked for another review of a play the squad had already watched several times. Smith allegedly complained that practice squad players didn't need to review plays and the fight broke out seconds later.

Smith hinted he was provoked.

"I can say that it wasn't Steve going off on a tantrum, that wasn't the case," Smith said. "Things were handled in a way that they shouldn't have been handled, by both parties."

Now that Smith is back, Fox wants the issue put to rest.

"Steve apologized, he made a mistake. What he did was wrong, wrong to his teammates, wrong to the organization," Fox said. "But we ask that his teammates forgive him."

In a related note. ... The Panthers touted Smith, citing his exciting playmaking skills, in a television commercial meant to attract fans to last Sunday's game. And according to ESPN.com insider Len Pasquarelli, after Smith was suspended, Fox alluded to having "inherited" the wideout.

Pasquarelli opined, however, that Fox can't have it both ways.

Either you embrace Smith, as the Panthers did in the commercial, or you don't. After he got into trouble, you don't pass him off as a problem someone else invited into the house. ...

One last item here. ... Although the Falcons managed to sack Peete, Weinke and Fasani a combined eight times, it wasn't because of a lack of bodies up front.

The Panthers went to a "max protect" set most of the game, meaning they kept seven and sometimes eight men back to protect the passer and sent only two or three players into passing routes.

"We had a situation where we’re holding back guys to protect the quarterback and he’s still getting sacked," tight end Wesley Walls said. "And they hardly ever blitzed more than a couple of guys at a time. That means we had enough guys to do the job, we just didn’t get it done. We got beat man-to-man. They were just more physical."

"We all underestimate my athletic ability," Miller said with a smile after leading the Bears to their come-from-behind overtime victory Sunday against Detroit.

In fact, no one underestimates Miller's resiliency, coming back for the second week in a row after Chris Chandler was injured, this time battling through the soreness in his right arm to fire a game-saving 33-yard pass to Dez White on fourth-and-20 from the Lions' 45. It set up the game-tying field goal by Paul Edinger.

Miller made several more critical completions in the game-winning drive in overtime: a 14-yarder to Marty Booker on third-and-11 from the Bears' 49 , a 15-yarder to Booker on third-and-18 from the Lions' 45 and finally a 5-yarder to White on fourth-and-3 to get Edinger into field-goal range.

"What can you say about the guy?" asked head coach Dick Jauron. "He has not thrown a ball now for two weeks in practice. The only time I have seen him throw is in a warmup. To do what he did today is really a strong statement about Jim and the guys playing around him."

Miller, who completed 21-of-35 passes for 250 yards, entered the game at 4 minutes 58 seconds of the third quarter after Chandler sustained a high ankle sprain when he was hit following an incompletion.

"It doesn't feel the best," Miller said of his sore shoulder. "It's not right; that's all I can say. I'll probably have to rest it a lot this week and line up and play and I'll just do the best I can. You just put it in your mind-set that you have to. You're capable of a lot of things when you challenge yourself."

Miller struggled at first, throwing his first pass at Booker's feet, and tripped three times upon the snap from center. But he eventually found his rhythm and was accurate enough to bring the Bears back from a 17-7 fourth-quarter deficit.

"It didn't look good on that first one, I know that," said Miller. "You tell yourself you have to compose yourself and say hey, there's a lot of guys counting on you. Not just you, there's a lot of fans, there's everybody that expects a lot out of this football team and you just kind of compose yourself a little bit and say we've got to play through this.

"I thought I did that today and my arm doesn't feel any better, [but] if that's the way it's got to be, that's the way it's got to be."

"I know he was in pain," said Bears offensive coordinator John Shoop. "I know it took him a while to get warmed up and I mean, every single pass he took, we were talking about whether Henry [Burris] should go in or not. But Jim is a real fighter and my hat's off to him."

Despite the pain from shoulder and elbow tendinitis that knocked him out of the starting lineup, Miller threw passes on the Bears' last 20 snaps during regulation save for a fumble.

"I had to compose myself," Miller said. "I know my first throw wasn't pretty. The arm gets worse as the game goes along. [My arm] is not right, I can say that much. But if I had to, I think I would play 60 minutes."

Miller couldn't throw during practice Wednesday, but insists he'll be ready Sunday at Green Bay.

In fact, Miller, who hasn't thrown in practice for two weeks, might even skip pregame warmups at Lambeau Field, hoping not to overextend his arm.

"I'll just go out there and play," he said.

"If he has to take the whole week off and then come out on Sunday, nobody has a problem with that," receiver Marcus Robinson said.

Chandler, who had started five games in place of Miller, was hobbling around the locker room on a sore ankle Wednesday and is not expected to be ready. So Miller's backup will be former Packers' understudy Henry Burris, who has limited experience.

Burris got into his first NFL game when Chandler was shaken up against Minnesota on Oct. 27 and struggled, completing just 1-of-6 passes. He spent 11 weeks as the Packers' third quarterback last season and was on Green Bay's practice squad.

Also of interest. ...

Amid the changes on offense necessitated by injury to the line and at quarterback was a further shift away from No. 1 tailback Anthony Thomas and toward Leon Johnson.

Johnson had nine carries, the most in his two seasons as a Bear, and replaced Thomas on the Bears' three final possessions, all scoring drives with the game on the line. Thomas carried 14 times and caught one pass to Johnson's three for 27 yards.

Johnson's role has been quietly expanding at Thomas' expense over the last few weeks.

"We had determined this week that we would play Leon more in passing situations," Jauron said. "It isn't a complete change. You will still see [Thomas] out there some in passing situations. We have just decided to use Leon predominantly. ..."

According to Tribune staffer Fred Mitchell, White is not the type of receiver to demand the ball.

Unlike Tampa Bay's vociferous Keyshawn Johnson, the soft-spoken White is more likely to walk back to the Bears' huddle and whisper, "Just get me the darn football. ... Please."

White's career-best performance Sunday included eight catches for 106 yards including the above-mentioned acrobatic touchdown reception.

"It has been a long time coming," said White, whose three-year NFL career has been marked by inconsistency and unrequited potential.

"I guess [White] raised his stock," cornerback R.W. McQuarters said.

Added Thomas: "Dez is one of those quiet guys who kind of does his own thing. But we have a lot of confidence in that guy, and we know what he can do."

White's touchdown grab was his second of the season and third of his career.

"Some of what you saw is what our team has seen for a number of years [in practice]," Shoop said. "What you saw on that touchdown catch was on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday a semi-routine catch for Dez."

Booker caught 10 passes for 157 yards, giving the Bears two 100-yard receivers in the same game for the first time this season. "He proved a lot of doubters wrong," Booker said.

And finally. ... Robinson's 3-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter was his second of the season and in three weeks from quarterback Chandler. Having missed most of last season with a knee injury, he is still getting back up to speed, literally and figuratively, in the NFL game.

"I was like, 'Man, I got a touchdown, now what do I do?'" Robinson said, laughing. "'Oh, yeah, throw it to the ref.'"

Westbrook, 30, was one of the Bengals' top offseason acquisitions, along with former Washington Redskins teammate Gus Frerotte. The two hoped that by reuniting in Cincinnati, they could end the Bengals' run of bad seasons.

Instead, Frerotte lost the starting quarterback job after only three games and Westbrook never made much of an impact on an offense that has gone through three starting quarterbacks.

Westbrook broke his wrist in training camp and was still bothered by the injury when the season began. He started only four games and had eight catches for 94 yards. He didn't have a catch in last Sunday's loss to Pittsburgh -- a defeat that left the Bengals 1-10.

The move was announced several hours after the Bengals completed practice Wednesday. They filled Westbrook's spot by reactivating offensive tackle Reggie Coleman, who was suspended for the Pittsburgh game because he hit a teammate during practice last week.

Westbrook agreed to a three-year, $4.5 million contract that included a $350,000 signing bonus. He was supposed to replace Darnay Scott, released in the offseason, but became disgruntled when the Bengals reduced his playing time early in the season.

"It was a combination that they gave up on me and my heart wasn't in it," Westbrook said, in comments posted on the team's Web site. "I don't know if I'll play again. For now, I'm just going to go home and laugh at the whole nightmare. ..."

Also of interest. ...

According to Cincinnati Enquirer staff writer Paul Daugherty, the good news is this: For five weeks, Jon Kitna has played as well as any quarterback in the NFL. The bad news: That's still not good enough to translate into Bengals wins.

They're 1-4 in that stretch, beating only the expansion Houston Texans. Kitna has completed 66 percent of his throws in that time and is averaging 257 passing yards per game. He has 10 touchdown passes in the five games and just three picks.

Last Sunday was typical. Kitna was 22-of-39 passing for 298 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions.

And the Bengals lost.

With a last-gasp chance to score and possibly tie the game, Kitna missed four consecutive passes from the Pittsburgh 5-yard line. The last throw, to Chad Johnson in the right corner of the Steelers' end zone, was knocked away by Chad Scott, just as Johnson appeared to have made the catch.

"[We] find ways to lose," Kitna said. "The good teams expect to make plays in the fourth quarter. We're just not doing that."

Yet if anything good has come from this season, it has been Kitna's play. He says he's comfortable now, and knows the offense as well as anyone can.

"The guys around me are playing well," he said. "I've had a chance to grow together with some guys. The important thing is to maintain the continuity."

By the way. ... Johnson is an emerging star thanks, in large part, to Kitna. The second-year receiver caught seven balls Sunday for 152 yards. Since making a crucial drop against the Indianapolis Colts, Johnson has 34 catches for 563 yards and three TDs in six games. He has more than 100 receiving yards in his last three games.

After the Indy game, Kitna told Johnson, "It's not what you do wrong, it's how you bounce back." Johnson has played well ever since.

One last note here this week. ... After reports last week hinted that Kitna might be benched at some point in order keep him from cashing in on a contract incentive based on his playing time, owner Mike Brown responded by saying: "Jon has played effective, well enough for us to win. As long as he plays at that level, I think he should be our quarterback, but that's not my decision."

So, realizing he couldn't elude reporters any longer, Cleveland's rookie running back relented, agreeing to an interview he avoided for weeks.

At least he finally had something positive to talk about.

"I'm just happy I'm able to go out there and do my part for the team," Green said.

Green, who broke out for a season-high 114 rushing yards and a touchdown in last week's upset win against the New Orleans Saints, broke his two-month silence with the media Wednesday to discuss his inconsistent season.

And at times, Green's smile was almost as wide as the holes he's been running through lately.

Until the past two weeks, Green's first pro season had been marred by a training camp contract holdout, nagging injuries, 2-yard runs and a queasy stomach that caused him to throw up several times on the field two weeks ago at Cincinnati.

Browns fans were beginning to wonder if Cleveland had made a huge mistake with the No. 16 overall pick, who left Boston College a year early for the NFL.

But instead of being a bust, Green, who has averaged 110 yards in his last two games, is suddenly busting out. He credits his turnaround to some extra work in the weight and film rooms.

"I just didn't know what to expect," said Green, benched earlier this season. "There's no substitute for experience. Now I realize I need to work a lot harder off the field. It's not about just getting out there and running, it's about studying and knowing your opponent and knowing the job you've got to do."

Through nine games, Green was averaging a measly 2.1 yards per carry and his longest run was a 14-yarder.

But the 6-foot-1, 221-pounder has been a different back the past two weeks, and his emergence has given Cleveland's offense more balance than it has had in four years.

He's running with the same tenacity as he did in college, and he has shown amazing power with a pair of stiff arms and a few punishing blocks.

After he flattened Bengals cornerback Kevin Kaesviharn with a stiff arm, Cleveland's offensive line gave Green the "Big Bone" award, an honor until then only bestowed on linemen.

"William is the real deal," tackle Ross Verba said. "I knew he was the real deal when I first saw him in training camp."

Verba's support was typical among Green's teammates while he was struggling. Head coach Butch Davis never left Green's corner, either, claiming during the team's bye week that his rookie would start for Cleveland in the playoffs.

The encouragement helped Green.

"It felt good," he said. "You ask yourself a lot of questions especially being a rookie and not having success. A million questions ran through my mind, so any positive output anybody could have given me was good."

Green said he never lost faith that he'd be able to have a good first season.

"The whole time my mindset was always to try and get better in spite of what was going on, and in spite of what you guys were writing about me," he said. "I was just trying to get better because I had no one to answer to but myself."

Also of interest this week. ...

In an article published Monday, Akron Beacon Journal staff writer Patrick McManamon noted that Dennis Northcutt figured he was just doing his part. But Northcutt's parts seem to grow more important each and every game.

Against the Saints last Sunday, Northcutt led the Browns with three receptions for 68 yards and added a 36-yard touchdown run on a play that coaches installed Thursday.

It called for Northcutt to line up at receiver in a five-wide receiver set, shift into the backfield just before the snap and take a handoff. The Browns started using five wide receivers against Cincinnati in Week 11, but had only passed out of the formation.

"We wanted to put some runs in there to kind of catch the defense off guard," quarterback Tim Couch said.

So the Browns practiced the play Thursday. "Sometimes when you run a play in practice, you're kind of scratching your head, like, 'How are we going to block this play again?'" guard Shaun O'Hara said.

The answer: Give Northcutt an inch and let him run. That's what happened. Northcutt blew through a hole on the left side of the line and was never touched as he raced to the end zone.

"I was barely into my guy and he was 20 yards upfield," O'Hara said. "I looked up and he was past the safeties."

The Browns seemed to set the play up by calling passes on the previous five offensive plays.

"I don't even remember the plays before that," Northcutt said. "I just know that we spread them out with the receivers and had them off-balance."

The touchdown was Northcutt's eighth this season.

"I'm just doing my part to help the team win," Northcutt said. "The thing I like is everybody is doing something to help the team win. Quincy Morgan had a couple huge plays. [Kevin Johnson] had a couple catches. William Green did a great job running the ball.

"When I come in, it's like, 'OK, cool, let me do my part to help.'"

Also according to McManamon, it didn't look like it was going to be Johnson's day early on.

He had two catches for seven yards in the first half and drew the ire of his quarterback for missing a blitz breakoff in the second period. A few plays later, Johnson drew a flag for holding.

But in the third period Johnson ran a crossing pattern, caught a third-down pass from Couch and shed the tackle of Sammy Knight en route to a 24-yard touchdown -- his first since the season's second game.

"I was so happy for KJ to get in the end zone," Couch said. "Running down there to congratulate him, I could see in his eyes how happy he was. I think to get him in there could really help his confidence."

Johnson also took some ribbing from Couch when he tried but failed to throw away a reverse pass; linebacker Darrin Smith almost intercepted it.

"When we came to the sideline, I was kidding him, 'Nice ball right there; you threw it right to the guy.'" Couch said. "He said, 'I was trying to throw it away.' I was like, 'It's a little different with people chasing you.'"

In an article published Tuesday, Medina County Gazette beat writer Steve King stated that Jamel White could suit up Sunday, but he probably would not play unless there's an extreme emergency. The Browns would like to give him another week to heal and have him ready for the stretch drive.

Look for James Jackson, who contributed for the first time this season in the Saints game, to play in nickel situations.

The Browns released fullback R.J. Bowers, who had been brought up from the practice squad last week after tight end Aaron Shea was lost for the season with an ankle injury, on Tuesday. Bowers played in Sunday's 24-15 win over the New Orleans Saints. And finally. ... Place-kicker Phil Dawson hauls in $10,000 every time he hits a fourth quarter field goal of at least 40 yards.

It just took 11 games.

With five drives of at least 65 yards -- including a 99-yarder on which they also overcame 11 yards in penalties -- the Cowboys moved the ball effectively against Jacksonville.

They finished with a season-high 405 yards and scored three offensive touchdowns in the same game for the first time in a 21-19 victory over the Jaguars.

Rookie quarterback Chad Hutchinson had 301 yards and completed 16 of 24 passes to seven different receivers, including three completions that went for at least 43 yards. Emmitt Smith carried 20 times for 73 yards and a 1-yard TD.

"That is the way we saw the system at the beginning of the season," Smith said Monday. "That is what we thought we'd do to start, and then get better as the season went on."

Instead, the Cowboys' offense sputtered and struggled through the first 10 games as the NFL's lowest-scoring team.

Smith said there never was anything wrong with Coslet's West Coast-style offense. The Cowboys just finally did what Coslet had been trying to get them to do all season.

"We know it works. You go and hit your head against the wall so many times you start to feel like, 'Man, when is this going to work,'" said Joey Galloway, who had seven catches for 144 yards and two touchdowns. "It finally worked. Now people can sit back and say, 'OK, it does work.' Now we can say it does work, let's get real good at it."

Head coach Dave Campo had been repeatedly asked about when the Cowboys would show some progress offensively.

"The answer was we won't see any progress until we start to get some consistency and continuity in the offensive line," Campo said Monday, repeating what became his constant answer. "Once we do that, we'll show progress."

Against the Jaguars, the Cowboys starting offensive line was unchanged from the previous game. The bye week before that loss at Indianapolis gave the five blockers extra time to work together.

While encouraged, Campo isn't getting overly excited about the offense as a whole or Hutchinson, who won his first game in four starts since replacing Quincy Carter.

Hutchinson's 301 yards were the most by a Dallas rookie since Troy Aikman set the club record with 379 in 1989, but it's too early to know if that was a breakthrough game or an aberration.

The Cowboys have been through that feel-good stage with Carter only to be disappointed.

Carter appeared to have his breakout day in the 15th game last season, throwing for 241 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Cowboys to a 27-21 win over San Francisco. He struggled in the season finale and Dallas lost at one-win Detroit 15-10.

As the Cowboys alternated losses and wins while starting 3-4 this season, Carter was equally inconsistent. A week after he threw two TD passes in the final 4 minutes to beat Carolina, he had a career-worst four interceptions in a 9-6 overtime loss at Arizona the last game he played.

"That's why I'm tempering my enthusiasm from game to game," Campo said. "We still have to continue to progress. Next week is another game. We have to base it on what we see from a progress standpoint."

Also of interest. ...

As reported by Fort Worth Star-Telegram staffer Jennifer Floyd, Troy Hambrick admits he feared a backlash from his "tarnishing his image" comments about Smith last week.

"I overheard a conversation that was why I wasn't special-teams captain of the week because of my comments," Hambrick said. "But they gave me a chance."

Hambrick finished with only seven touches for 71 yards compared to 21 touchess for Smith against Jacksonville. Hambrick seemed happy that he had been given a chance to show what he was capable of, a chance he feels he hasn't been given for most of this season.

"During training camp, we knew we had a nice backup to Emmitt Smith, but the backup wasn't getting that many reps," Hambrick said, using the ubiquitous third person. "Today was a nice one-two punch."

Hambrick rushed four times for 38 yards and caught three passes for 33 yards. He also lost a fumble in the first quarter.

We were really impressed with what Troy did with the times that he touched the football," Campo said. "But he did put the ball on the ground twice. So when the game was in crunch time, Emmitt Smith was in the football game. When it's in crunch time, he can help us win."

Smith, who was agitated after the duo split carries a week ago in Indianapolis, was also happy with the scenario. He said the 5-to-1 rushing ratio was what he had expected when the Cowboys said they were going to start splitting carries.

"I thought the rotation was fine," said Smith, whose longest run was 11 yards. "He got into a nice rhythm early, and I was able to get into a nice groove myself later on. Today was an ideal way of how it should work."

So does Hambrick regret what he said? Not really.

"The truth hurts," Hambrick said. "I didn't say anything false."

I'll go way out on a limb here and state that as long as Smith thinks the rotation is fine Hambrick won't; and Smith is going to think it's just dandy until Campo believes Hambrick won't lay the ball on the carpet. ...

Griese, who sprained his left knee against Seattle Nov. 17, dropped back for a few passes and seemed to have little trouble moving around outside the pocket.

"He looked pretty good. I didn't talk to him afterward, but he did throw the ball well," head coach Mike Shanahan said. "I'm not sure if there's any setback with the knee, but he looked pretty impressive."

Sharpe was expected to be out up to a month after partially dislocating his right elbow against Oakland on Nov. 11, but he was catching passes in practice on Wednesday.

"I did a lot better than I thought I would, which really surprised me because I came out here [Tuesday] and didn't feel as comfortable as I would have liked," Sharpe said. "We'll see at the end of the week. I'm very optimistic, I really am. I'm a lot further ahead than I thought I would be at this time."

Griese worked out on a treadmill Monday without any problems, then did some lateral movements Tuesday without any swelling afterward. He said he probably won't know whether he can play until just before Sunday's game.

"It's been getting better every day," Griese said before Wednesday's practice. "I've been doing a little bit more every day with the strengthening exercises and stuff like that. I haven't had any setbacks, so it's a good sign."

Sharpe didn't have any problems while testing a brace over the weekend, but had some pain during a workout Tuesday. Shanahan said his playing status also will be a game-time decision.

"We'll get an idea over the next couple days," Shanahan said. "We'll check it out tomorrow, see if there is any setback -- hopefully there's not -- and if there's not, he should be ready to go. ..."

Also of interest. ...

Ed McCaffrey received a steroid injection Monday to relieve pressure in his neck caused by a pinched nerve.

Shanahan said McCaffrey has been bothered by the injury for several weeks and aggravated it in Sunday night's overtime loss to Indianapolis on Sunday night.

He said McCaffrey will continue to get treatment this week and should be ready to play against San Diego on Sunday.

"They're going to give him a shot in the neck to take a little pressure off one of those nerves," Shanahan said. "Hopefully that helps. He's had a stinger back there and it keeps on flaring up. The doctors feel the steroid can help and alleviate some of the inflammation."

McCaffrey missed most of last season after breaking his leg in the season opener but has played well this season. He is second on the Broncos with 47 catches for 599 yards and two touchdowns.

And finally. ... Jason Elam hit the left upright with an extra-point attempt Sunday night, ending his NFL-record streak at 371. It was only the second missed extra point of his career and the first since Nov. 14, 1993. Elam's streak came to an end after Steve Beuerlein passed 12 yards to Rod Smith for a touchdown, putting Denver ahead of Indianapolis 6-3 in the second quarter. Elam's kick hit the upright and caromed left.

After falling behind 7-0 in the first half, Harrington and the Lions offense scored 17 unanswered points and held a 17-7 lead with 6:19 left in regulation. The Bears, though, stormed back and won 20-17 in overtime.

Harrington, who attempted just one pass in the final 11 minutes of the fourth quarter, never got a chance in overtime because the Lions elected to kick off instead of receive.

Remember, folks. ... We're talking overtime.

Or as it's also known: Sudden death overtime.

Not that Harrington was complaining. ...

"I understand the decision. You back every decision all day, 100 percent," Harrington said. "The offense has to cover the defense and the defense has to cover the offense, it's the same thing. It's blind loyalty in this game."

Harrington completed 21-of-40 passes for 213 yards, one touchdown and one interception. The turnover resulted from one of five passes he had tipped at the line of scrimmage.

Harrington, who was 25-3 as a starter at the University of Oregon, said he refuses to become negative during the Lions' miserable 3-8 season.

"I'm not going to let it happen," he said, adding that even Sunday's embarrassing loss won't crush him. "It happens. We've learned, we've been through it. I'm never going to be "devastated" personally because we can learn from this."

And in an article published Tuesday, Kowalski reminded readers that the recent coaching blunders by Mornhinweg mask the real problems going on with the team.

Three factors usually point to a losing team: making turnovers, allowing sacks and taking penalties. The Lions are doing surprisingly well in all three areas but are still getting blown out. That just points out the huge deficiency in talent throughout the team's roster.

This isn't a good team -- or even an average team -- losing because of a few bad breaks. The team just doesn't have enough talent to make plays, and it is compounded by the inconsistency of a rookie quarterback . ...

Harrington makes the short throws necessary for a West Coast offense, but he appears more comfortable winging the ball downfield. He seems to get into a rhythm much quicker when firing passes 12 to 22 yards downfield.

Harrington gets restless when he's just dumping screens and passes into the flat.

Other notes of interest this week. ...

With receiver Az-Zahir Hakim out for the season with a dislocated left hip, Germane Crowell and Scotty Anderson each stepped up against the Bears.

Crowell had four catches for 38 yards, including a 1-yard touchdown catch, and Anderson caught five passes for 70 yards. Crowell's touchdown was the first for him in over a year; he caught a touchdown against the Tennessee Titans last October in the game in which he suffered a season-ending knee injury.

Anderson's 34-yard reception in the third quarter was the longest of the season for him and set up Crowell's touchdown. ...

James Stewart, who rushed for 172 yards in the first meeting with the Bears this season, was held to 85 yards on 22 carries on Sunday. Stewart, who led the team in receptions with six for 38 yards, scored Detroit's second touchdown on a tough 23-yard run.

Most of Stewart's runs were cleared by fullback Cory Schlesinger, who was in constant battle with middle linebacker Brian Urlacher, who only had eight tackles.

"We did a better job against them from the last time we played them," Urlacher said. "Cory Schlesinger is good, though. He's low to the ground and I can't seem to get under him no matter what I do."

The team doesn't have an overpowering offensive line, but Stewart has a bruising running style and can hammer through small gaps. He isn't fast or elusive, but he must be tackled low and wrapped up because he isn't easily knocked off his feet.

Stewart doesn't have breakaway speed, but he is valuable in chewing up chunks. He has good hands and is an effective receiver. ...

Getting back to last Sunday's OT faux pas. ... The good news is that Mornhinweg that giving the ball away in overtime was a mistake.

"I made the decision, and it didn't work, so it was a mistake," the coach said Monday. "Put that one on me, I'll take it. When those things work, then it's pretty good."

Before Sunday, only eight times has a team deferred after winning the coin toss in overtime. Of those, the team that deferred has won four times.

Mornhinweg, who is 5-22 as Detroit's head coach, does not think his questionable decisions will ultimately cost him his job.

"Oh, no," he said. "There's a lot of people who would've done it just like I did it. Sometimes when this happens, it pulls everybody closer, a little tighter. ... I'm not going to let you guys see me sweat. I won't do that."

Place-kicker Jason Hanson defended Mornhinweg's move.

"I don't think it was a dumb decision," Hanson said. "I don't see how anybody could spin it like that. You can question it, but once again, you can't say it was a mistake."

It wasn't the only questionable decision. The Lions accepted a 10-yard penalty on Chicago's game-winning drive instead of forcing the Bears to either go for it on fourth-and-8 from the Detroit 35 or kick a 52-yard field goal into a stiff wind.

"Different guys do that differently, but that was an aggressive type of call," Mornhinweg said. "At fourth-and-8, they could've done one of about four or five things and I could have let [Chicago coach Dick Jauron] make those decisions, but instead I put it back at third-and-18 and we need to make a play. If we make a play, they're punting.

"But listen, I made those two decisions. I'm fully responsible for those decisions when they backfire on you, and they backfired. There's no question about it."

And a few final notes of interest this week. ... The Lions started last Sunday's game by using an assortment of formations and didn't duplicate one until the ninth play of the game. ... The Lions went 92 straight passing plays without a sack, a streak that was snapped in the first quarter when Harrington tripped over the leg of left guard Tony Semple. ...

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Driver, who turned down a three-year, $3 million offer from Kansas City to stay in Green Bay for $563,000, was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after the season.

"I have worked hard. I came in here as a seventh-round pick and never thought I would get the opportunity to be able to take care of my family. I have the opportunity to do it now," Driver said.

"When I talked to my grandmother today, it was just so surprising that I could tell her that she don't have to work no more. That was my goal for years and years."

Driver, a seventh-round pick out of Alcorn State in 1999, entered the season as the team's No. 4 receiver even though he was the only wideout on the roster to ever catch a pass from Brett Favre in a regular-season game.

The 27-year-old Driver beat out Robert Ferguson for the starting split end job opposite Terry Glenn and has emerged as Favre's favorite target.

Through 11 games this season, Driver leads the Packers with 53 receptions for 870 yards and seven touchdowns. In his first three seasons, Driver had 37 receptions for 520 yards and three TDs.

Driver grew up in Houston in a family with four siblings. For a time in his early teens, he lived out of a U-Haul truck after a collection agency confiscated his family's belongings. Driver moved in with his grandmother when he was 14.

"This guy brings an awful lot to our football team in more ways than you could ever imagine," coach Mike Sherman said. "What a great guy. I am proud to say he is going to be with us for five years and hopefully retire as a Green Bay Packer."

In a semi-related note, Houston Chronicle columnist John McClain noted last Sunday that Driver is called "Quickie" in his hometown.

The nickname was given to him when he was 3 because he was a quick learner who moved around the house so fast.

In Green Bay, he's called "Halfa." The nickname was given to him by former Packer wideout Antonio Freeman, who claimed Driver's head is too small for his body.

"He's got half a head," Freeman said. "If he has a headache, you give him half an aspirin."

Driver, Green Bay's leading receiver this season, isn't insulted by the nickname.

"The back of my head is flat," Driver said. "Everyone in the locker room calls me 'Halfa.' It's fun. I love the name. I think it'll stick with me for a long time."

Maybe it's just me, but realizing the importance of making a good first impression, I'd probably still introduce myself as Donald. I certainly wouldn't be introducing myself to the ladies as "Quickie" or "Halfa. ..."

Other items of interest this week. ...

In an article published Monday, ESPN.com insider Len Pasquarelli offered readers the following take on Green Bay's offense:

"Forget the four interceptions that Brett Favre threw Sunday afternoon. Never mind that the Green Bay offense scored but one touchdown and had its usual problems against the Bucs defense. So what if the Packers, seemingly impervious just two weeks ago, have now dropped consecutive games.

"If the Packers continue to slump, even against a pretty benign schedule (Green Bay plays three of its final five games against teams with losing records), it will likely be because injuries have caught up to this depleted roster. ...

"The Packers have played much of the season without either of their starting defensive ends. But it's the offensive line, and thus the ability to protect Favre, that ought to concern the Green Bay coaches.

Starting right tackle Mark Tauscher already is out for the year with a knee injury. Left tackle Chad Clifton, hit unnecessarily by Warren Sapp on Sunday, already has missed time this season and, if the hip injury sustained versus the Bucs is serious, will sit out a few more games. When Clifton goes out, that means center Mike Flanagan has to move to left tackle, and Frank Winters, only about 100 years old now, is the center. Right guard Marco Rivera played Sunday with a torn knee ligament so some poor, unsuspecting kid didn't have to risk getting torn up by Sapp.

"Plus there is this: The Packers receivers, frankly, aren't very good. [Sherman] spent most of the offseason revamping his wideout corps and it turns out the best player, Donald Driver, was right under his nose. Terry Glenn? Uh-uh, folks, the guy runs very lazy routes and, for all the attempts by teammates and coaches to pump him up, doesn't play with confidence. ..."

For the record, Clifton, who was flown back to Green Bay Wednesday, is likely to miss the rest of the season. ...

And finally. ... Also according to McClain, Rams general manager Charley Armey recently offered the following assessment of Favre:

"Favre's the Muhammad Ali of football. He has his own unique style that probably wouldn't work for anyone else. He's the best quarterback in the game today, right up there with the best who ever played."

Carr, the No. 1 overall draft pick, slightly sprained his left ankle in Houston's 16-14 victory over the New York Giants last weekend.

Head coach Dom Capers, who also expects Carr to be ready for the Colts, said the quarterback would be limited in practice this week.

According to Houston Chronicle columnist John McClain, Giants middle linebacker Michael Barrow liked what he'd seen of Carr heading into last week's game.

"It's pretty obvious from watching them that Carr has the support of his teammates, and that shows a lot," Barrow said. "Sometimes at that position, coaches try to make leaders. They say because you're the quarterback, you're the leader.

"It seems like Carr's establishing himself as the team leader. He's going through a lot of ups and downs, and he's handling it well. Veterans look at how a rookie quarterback handles himself. I think they like what they see. Other players respect him.

"They're coaching Carr like a soldier. It's like he's trained so much he can put the rifle together in the dark. He can do it while he's sleeping. He can make all the right moves with his eyes closed. It's not a Ryan Leaf situation. Carr's earning his stripes."

Falcons quarterback Mike Vick offered the following assessment:

"One of the best quarterbacks in this league next year is going to be David Carr because of the experience that he's gained this year and he's learning so much," Vick said. "I can only imagine what he's going through. For him to come in and play as a rookie, and start, has got to be tough.

"He's had his ups and downs, but throughout it all, he's maintained a positive state of mind, and he's still going out trying to help his team win regardless of the record or regardless of the situation. I've got a lot of respect for that young kid."

By the way. ... Carr is 23, one year older than Vick.

Also of interest. ... In an article published Tuesday, Chronicle beat writer Carlton Thompson noted that Corey Bradford, the Texans' leading receiver with 35 catches for 608 yards and six touchdowns, has caught only nine passes over the past two weeks and is showing signs of slowing down.

The reason could be a sore foot, which will limit his practice time for the remainder of the season. The tentative plan is for Bradford to practice at full speed once a week. Offseason surgery to remove a possible spur is a consideration.

The injury won't keep Bradford from playing and it doesn't seem to have had much of a negative impact on his biggest strength: speed. Three weeks ago, Bradford caught a 52-yard touchdown pass against Jacksonville, but it will be interesting to see how he fares the longer he plays on the bad foot. ...

Also according to Thompson, rookie receiver Atnaf Harris, who spent the first 11 games on the practice squad was signed to the 53-man roster Tuesday after tight end Rod Rutledge was placed on injured reserve.

Harris was impressive during training camp, showing good hands and speed, but inexperience work against him when it came time to picking the final roster.

Harris has spent the season imitating the best receiver of the upcoming opponent, and although it's unlikely he'll be much of a factor this week at Indianapolis, he's certainly a player the Texans would like to evaluate over the final five weeks of the season.

Harris, who needs to add strength, already has a rapport with Carr. The two spent a season together at Fresno State. ...

Rutledge, a punishing blocker, was signed as a free agent to help the running game, but Billy Miller had taken over as the starter in his absence. The former Patriot re-injured his foot against the Giants. Jabari Holloway replaced Rutledge as the blocking tight end. And finally. ... The Texans are perfect 2-of-2 on two-point conversions this season. Carr completed a pass to James Allen following a third-quarter touchdown by Jonathan Wells. The Texans also converted a two-point attempt Oct. 27 against Jacksonville. ... Carr had a career-best 20-yard run in the first quarter. ... Miller's 42-yard reception in the first quarter was the longest of his career. ...

He caught seven of Peyton Manning's third-down passes for first downs during the Colts' 23-20 overtime victory over Denver. He caught 11 passes in all, for 107 yards and another piece of history.

Harrison's big night gave him 100 receptions for 1,227 yards for the season. He is the first player in NFL history to catch 100 or more passes in four consecutive seasons. He had 115, 102 and 109 catches the past three years.

"I know it means something. I just don't know what it means right now," said Harrison, who always is more concerned about the next pass than the last. "Right now, I can't think about it."

Harrison contributed a cool head and two catches for 16 yards to the tense drives that tied the score with three seconds to play and won it 9:22 into overtime.

"I can't really say if the whole team was calm. I know I was," he said. "It's a situation we practice week in and week out. We have a lot of confidence in each other and in Mike [Vanderjagt."

Speaking of Vanderjagt. ... After hitting 3-of-8 field-goal attempts in five games before Sunday night's trip to Denver, the former CFL star went 3-for-3 against the Broncos -- no mean feat considering it was bitter cold and snow fell throughout the game. And considering he had to hit a 54-yarder with 3 seconds to play to send the game into overtime -- a kick he followed up with the 51-yard game-winner in OT.

Slump officially over. ...

Other notes of interest. ...

Manning fumbled three times Sunday night but didn't blame the cold or snow.

"The ball was slippery," he said. "I know [Steve] Beuerlein was using the same ball, but, dang, it was slippery."

Manning lost one fumble when he lost control of the football while carrying out a play-fake to Edgerrin James.

And speaking of James. ... The star halfback's reconstructed left knee is fine. But his sprained right ankle bears watching. He tweaked the ankle in last Sunday's win at Denver, forcing him to miss the overtime session.

Although the team needs James on the field -- and there's no reason to believe the former first-round draft pick won't play this Sunday, it can draw comfort from the presence of rookie James Mungro. He has stepped in when James has been out and provided a strong presence to the running game.

As Chappell noted Tuesday, Mungro entered the season as an unheralded rookie, a player Detroit deemed unworthy of keeping on its roster. But he has emerged as a capable backup to James.

Mungro certainly lacks James' versatility and big-play capabilities, but he's a tough, powerful runner between the tackles. He also has displayed a pretty good burst through the line of scrimmage.

In his only start, Mungro rushed for 114 yards and two touchdowns at Philadelphia.

Once a source of stability for Jacksonville, the field-goal and kickoff duties have turned into a revolving door this season. Former Cowboy Richie Cunningham became the third person to handle those chores for the Jaguars in seven weeks when he was signed to replace Tim Seder.

Cunningham hasn't kicked in an NFL game in more than two years, but the Jaguars figure he can't be any worse than Seder or rookie Hayden Epstein, who lasted just six games before getting the boot on Oct. 22.

Seder was cut after missing what head coach Tom Coughlin said were make-able field-goal attempts in recent two-point losses to Houston and Dallas. Coughlin also was furious with Seder for repeatedly botching onside kick attempts and for poor distance on nearly all of his kickoffs.

Mike Hollis was the Jaguars' kicker for the first seven years of the team's existence but departed for Buffalo in the offseason after feuding with Coughlin. ...

Also according to Hubbuch, gamesmanship between Coughlin and Bill Cowher has been a hallmark of the Jaguars-Steelers rivalry, which doesn't seem to be fading even though the teams are in different divisions.

Cowher got the ball rolling this week by refusing to announce his starting quarterback until kickoff and by signing center Jeff Smith, who started 16 games for the Jaguars last season.

Coughlin said he is preparing as if Tommy Maddox will start and professes to be unconcerned by Smith's knowledge of Jacksonville's offensive tendencies and play calls. ...

And finally. ... Owner Wayne Weaver didn't get his wish last Sunday.

After Weaver said last week that he hoped to see running back Stacey Mack get more carries, Mack ran only four times for 15 yards against Dallas.

He did have a 3-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, but Fred Taylor carried 20 times for 100 yards. Coughlin, who calls all the plays, used Taylor and Mack in the same backfield only twice. "It just didn't work out that way [to balance the carries between Taylor and Mack]," Coughlin said. "I'd always like to, but it didn't work out that way. Fred's done a very good job with the style at running back we went to in the second half, especially protection-wise and running out of [three-receiver sets]."

"I hurt for Priest Holmes," Kansas City coach Dick Vermeil said Monday, a grim look on his face.

Holmes was in no mood to talk about his extraordinary day in Seattle, where he had 307 yards of total offense -- only to see his defense collapse and waste it all in a 39-32 loss.

The NFL rushing champion, who often tries to sidestep the spotlight in both good times and bad, politely declined to speak with a reporter as he left Arrowhead Stadium on Monday.

Vermeil said he'd had a heart-to-heart talk with his star running back, who would have traded all his yardage "for a 7-0 victory."

"He's a special human being. I felt very bad for him," Vermeil said.

The Chiefs dropped to the edge of elimination from playoff contention. But Holmes vaulted back ahead of San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson in the NFL rushing race -- 1,209 yards to 1,098 -- with a game that came close to erasing three team records.

Holmes' 197 yards rushing were 3 short of Barry Word's record set in 1990. His 307 rushing and receiving yards were 2 short of Stephone Paige's club standard set in 1985.

His three touchdowns, including one on a 64-yard screen pass, gave him 20 for the year and toppled the mark of 19 set by Abner Haynes in 1962, when the franchise still played in Dallas.

"Every time he does something, it's better than it's ever been done in the history of this franchise," Vermeil said.

His teammates obviously were disappointed not only with the loss, but over the wasting of such a wonderful effort.

"You feel like you want to reward a guy like that with a victory," fullback Tony Richardson said.

Holmes, who won the NFL rushing title last year with 1,555 yards, said after the game he was not thinking of personal goals.

"Individual [accomplishments] count at the end of the year. Right now, it's a team game," he said.

Many Chiefs fans, however, were buzzing not over a play Holmes made but over a play he was not even asked to make.

In the final minute of the first half when they led 17-14 and had a first and goal from the Seattle 1, the Chiefs called a pass play to backup tight end Jason Dunn.

The ball was batted around in the end zone and intercepted on an athletic play by linebacker Orlando Huff. It turned out to be a 14-point swing because the Seahawks immediately marched down the field for a touchdown.

But just one yard away from the end zone, why not give the ball to Holmes? The leading rusher in the league who was having a great day against a lousy rushing defense?

For one thing, the Chiefs were out of timeouts, Vermeil said. And for another, they were spooked by a defensive stand the Seahawks had made the week before against Denver in almost the same spot.

"We had watched Denver, who we respect very much, go down there first and goal and go four plays in a row and not make an inch," Vermeil said. "Maybe we gave them too much credit. I don't know. So we elected the first two plays to throw it and the third we would run it."

The problem with that strategy was that the clock would probably have run out before the Chiefs could get their field goal unit set up after a failed running play.

"As I talked to [offensive coordinator] Al Saunders about it, we were forsaking the field goal," Vermeil said. "But we might have gone for a field goal on the third one because then I step in and call it."

Adding to the Chiefs' frustration was the fact that tight end Tony Gonzalez, who was supposed to be a decoy on the play, was all by himself in one corner of the end zone because the Seahawks forgot to cover him. But quarterback Trent Green never even looked his way.

In other words, the Seahawks blundered but got lucky.

"If they cover [Gonzalez] like they're supposed to, then Tony Richardson is open for the touchdown pass," Vermeil said. ...

According to Pro Football Weekly, no one can criticize the Chiefs for not doing enough to get Gonzalez in favorable situations to catch the football.

Saunders told PFW it’s estimated that 70 percent of the time Gonzalez is lined up somewhere other than the tight end position.

They line him up as a wide receiver, put him in the backfield and then move him out and constantly put him in motion not only to create some mismatches but specifically to get him off the line of scrimmage to avoid having defenders bump him and grab him right away.

That’s a problem Gonzalez complained about after being held to just one catch against linebacker Julian Peterson and the 49ers in Week 10.

Saunders said that even if Gonzalez happens to get off the line of scrimmage free, he still often has to face bracket coverage, in which several defenders are waiting for him wherever he goes.

"He needs to get better at getting off the press and be able to utilize his techniques at a higher level of efficiency when he’s in the line-of-scrimmage area," Saunders said.

Gonzalez stated last week that he doesn’t mind having teams concentrate on him, but he wants them to do it legally, without the repeated contact beyond the five-yard bump zone. "Maybe I can hide some Mace in my sock like Terrell Owens did [with a Sharpie]," Gonzalez joked.

The Dolphins acquired Williams last March partly to make them better late in the season, when games played in the land of the wind-chill factor hinge on which team runs the ball best.

"You think of cold-weather games and sloppy fields, with the power running game being the most effective thing, and that's Ricky's game," Dolphins fullback Rob Konrad said Wednesday.

Miami's tradition of late-season collapses stems in part from an inability to run the ball in such situations. This year, the Dolphins expect December to be different.

Their running game ranks sixth in the NFL, a big improvement for a team that hasn't finished in the top 12 in rushing yardage since 1982. Williams ranks third with 1,056, including 143 in Sunday's 30-3 rout of San Diego, and he was honored Wednesday as AFC offensive player of the week.

The next milestone for Williams is the Dolphins' season rushing record of 1,258 yards. He's well aware that Delvin Williams set the mark 24 years ago.

"Was it '78? I was 1," Williams said. "When I first came here, I was looking at the media guide and talking about the rushing record. ... I looked at it and thought about it a little bit."

But he's reluctant to dwell on such subjects and shrugs off his honors and statistical achievements, reciting a weekly mantra that only victories matter.

"If we win the Super Bowl, then I can get excited about everything," he said. "If we don't make the playoffs, then I won't be excited about anything."

Williams expects Miami to keep winning, recent history notwithstanding. Since 1993, the Dolphins are 18-22 (.450) in December and 80-47 (.630) in other months.

But as winter approaches, Miami appears to be getting hot. Despite the absence of quarterback Jay Fiedler, the Dolphins have shaken a midseason slump with two consecutive victories and hold a one-game lead in the AFC East.

"If we run the ball and play defense the way we have, we'll be tough to beat," Williams said.

In the past two victories the Dolphins have allowed just 301 yards, the team's lowest two-game since 1973. They've rushed for 338 yards in the two games and have enjoyed a 20-minute advantage in time of possession.

Defensive anchors Jason Taylor and Zach Thomas say the addition of Williams has improved the defense.

"With him being on the field all day long running the ball, it makes our job easier," Taylor said. "We sit on the sideline for 40 minutes of the game. It makes a tough day for him, but we certainly appreciate it."

Williams has 252 carries and is on pace to finish with 367, which would be a personal high and a team record. Despite shoulder, toe, ankle and rib injuries this season, he has yet to miss a practice, much less a game.

"I feel pretty good, actually," he said. "The thing about the NFL is that can change in a week."

Or in one play. But Williams heads into December healthy, ready for the heavy workload that's sure to come. ...

Also according to Wine, Fiedler returned to practice Wednesday after sitting out six weeks with a broken thumb, but Ray Lucas will start Sunday's game at Buffalo.

Barring a setback in workouts, Fiedler will dress for the game as the No. 2 or No. 3 quarterback, head coach Dave Wannstedt said.

Receiver Cris Carter, who has missed three games because of a kidney problem, also returned to practice. Like Fiedler, Carter is expected to rejoin the lineup for the game against Chicago on Dec. 9.

Fiedler sat out team drills but took part in one-on-one and seven-on-seven work and threw every kind of pass. He estimated the strength of his throws at 85 to 90 percent, with a couple of deep balls falling short.

"I was making a lot more throws than I have been over the last few days," Fiedler said. "We're progressing. Each day is getting better. I'm making a few more throws, and it felt pretty good."

Fiedler said there's still some soreness in his thumb, and his hand was wrapped in ice after practice as a precaution.

Wannstedt said he was surprised by how well Fiedler threw.

"Jay was good," Wannstedt said, "a lot better than I thought."

The Dolphins are 2-3 with Lucas as the starter but the wins have come in the last two games.

In a series of individual meetings, receiver Randy Moss apologized for giving up on the final offensive play of the Vikings' 24-17 loss Sunday to New England. Upbraided by head coach Mike Tice, offensive coordinator Scott Linehan and several teammates, Moss was repentant, according to people familiar with the situation.

Moss spoke for nearly an hour with quarterback Daunte Culpepper, seeking to clear the air with a player he hinted Sunday was partially responsible for the Vikings' 3-8 record -- and to restore the chemistry the two shared from 2000-01.

People attending the Vikings' 45-minute practice Monday said Culpepper and Moss had resolved their differences and were joking with one another. Moss refused comment and Culpepper was not available, but Tice said, "I think we became a better football team today."

Moss caught eight passes for 92 yards against the Patriots, but he took himself out of a fourth-down play with 3 minutes, 25 seconds remaining, saying afterward that the Vikings' no-huddle offense had exhausted him. What had teammates and coaches upset, however, was his lack of effort when the Vikings faced fourth-and-10 at their 44-yard line with 17 seconds left.

The play was designed for Moss to run a deep decoy route, clearing a cornerback from the area and allowing the Vikings to complete a pass to their slot receiver. But Moss took a few steps and pulled up his route, and Culpepper's pass to tight end Jim Kleinsasser was incomplete.

Said Tice: "I didn't like the fact that at the end of the game, the last play we didn't get a full route by the player. That could have been a little bit better. We discussed that this morning, and I think we're on the same page with that."

Linehan said Moss should have either run the route in its entirety or taken himself out of the game.

"Everybody's tired," Linehan said. "That's not an excuse. He knows that. ... Even if he isn't going to get the football, it's either that or come out. Because some guys stand in there thinking that it's going to be a sign of weakness if you come out. But if you're so tired that you can't go, you've got to come out. That was more the error than anything. Because I don't think he had anything left.

"But you can't give an excuse. You've got to play every down. He knows that. He said to me, 'I made a mistake.' To me, that's a good sign."

The Vikings went to a no-huddle offense after falling behind 21-0, and Linehan compared Moss' assignment on most of the plays to "basically running a 60-yard dash, and having to run back as fast as he can to get on the line. It's like windsprints."

The Vikings were essentially using three wide receivers -- Moss, D'Wayne Bates and Kelly Campbell -- throughout the game, and after Campbell sprained an ankle in the second half, Tice said the team was unable to utilize a substitution pattern to help Moss catch his breath.

"We'd like to have him come out after he runs consecutive deep routes," Tice said. "We'd like to have him come out for a play, get another receiver in there and then be able to have him go back in there fresh. Then we don't have the situation of people saying he took a play off, when sometimes he literally has to take a play off if he's out there after running 40 or 50 yards down the field and then coming all the way back."

Moss, meanwhile, was vague Sunday when asked to discuss the Vikings' penchant for starting games slow, saying, "There's a lot going through my mind that I want to blow out and say what it is and who it is." He also refused to answer a question about his chemistry with Culpepper, causing some to speculate about their relationship.

Strained or otherwise, the two could be seen speaking at length in a room adjacent to the Vikings locker room Monday afternoon.

"The thing I think we're getting to," Linehan said, "is that from my vantage point, there's a lot more accountability here if you make a mistake -- coaches or players. ... It's very constructive, very accountable."

Also of interest. ... Michael Bennett practiced fully on Wednesday and barring a setback will play on Sunday against the Falcons. Bennett suffered an ankle injury in Sunday's loss to New England. He is listed as probable.

The 31-year-old tight end caught the Patriots' first two touchdown passes in Sunday's win over Minnesota.

Now, with a season-high six TDs to his credit and five games left, Fauria finds himself knocking on wood and feeling extremely fortunate for his success in recent weeks.

"I haven't caught this many touchdowns in like five years," said Fauria, who scored seven touchdowns combined in his first seven seasons in Seattle before signing with New England on March 22.

"I never looked at my stats anyway because it was never a big deal. ... Maybe because they were so low. I was with Seattle for seven years, and I went years where I didn't catch anything. It was something I knew I could do and knew I could be productive in, and I'm just happy they're giving me an opportunity. Really. Because any of these guys could do the same thing."

But right now, it's Fauria who is getting the job done.

The 6-foot-4, 250-pounder from Northridge, Calif. is responsible for all five of New England's first-quarter TDs this season.

The fifth came with 3:24 remaining in the first quarter yesterday, when quarterback Tom Brady found Fauria wide open in the corner of the end zone and sent him a 9-yard toss to give New England the lead.

"The first one was a crossing pattern where I was actually picked for Dan [Graham] to have him come open on the other side," said Fauria. "It really was a broken play. Nobody was open, Tom ran around and I was just kind of sitting there, like I always am."

Then in the second quarter, Fauria caught a one-yarder from Brady to become the first Patriots tight end since Ben Coates (on Sept. 19, 1999 vs. Indianapolis) to record two touchdown receptions in one game.

"That was a play we've been working on for a long time and finally had an opportunity to run it," said Fauria. "The wide receiver ran a corner route, but they jumped him, and the safety who was covering me probably got caught up in the funk right there in the middle because I ran across the line.

"I don't know what to say. I was very fortunate today. They called my number and they threw it to me. There's not too much to say about it. It wasn't like anything spectacular, but it doesn't really matter, it's still six points any way you count it up."

Fauria has a knack for being in the right place at the right time, said Brady.

"Christian's a great player," he said. "He's a lot like certain guys like Kevin Faulk and Troy Brown, not that everyone's not like that, but he's just exceptional at it. Christian's another one of those guys [who] really finds holes and really understands when the ball's coming to him, just based on the coverage and the different alignments and the plays that are in for him. He made a good play on that first one, staying alive, and the second one was kind of designed for him. It was a good day for him."

As pleased as Fauria is with his early success, he knows he needs to keep things in perspective and is ultimately more concerned with how his touchdowns fit into the bigger picture. "When things are working and we're running the ball, things open up. It's not like I'm breaking guys' legs, you know, to get open," he said. "A lot of them are play action and guys are dropping me or coming up for the run. Or [Brady is] running around making things happen. Everything's been going pretty well, I just don't want to get too happy about it because we've got five games left, and I'd like to add some more to that just to help the wins category out. The main thing is hopefully we can just keep winning and all those catches are going to mean something in the end."

Other notes of interest. ...

In an article published Monday, Sports Illustrated insider Peter King wrote: "I think, after taking in Pats-Vikes, that the most telling stat of the New England season is this one: Tom Brady hasn't had a 40-yard completion since Sept. 15. He's had two of them all year, one in the first game and one in the second.

"Why do I mention this?

"Because the Vikings became the second straight team to so obviously overplay the screens and short timing routes that Brady, for about the last 35 minutes of the game, could get nothing of substance going.

"'Today,' offensive coordinator Charlie Weis told me, 'not throwing it downfield was wind-related.'

"Maybe. But the problem's still there. Until Brady hits one or two of the deep posts to Deion Branch or a go to David Patten, Brady will have his field of vision mangled in front of him. He must make defenses respect his ability to throw it 30 yards downfield, and right now they don't. ..."

Not that Brady can't dink and dunk his way respectable totals against Detroit Thursday. ...

And finally. ... In an article published Tuesday, Boston Herald beat writer Michael Felger suggested that Faulk has become an impact player over the past month by making plays in the open field. The coaches should be committed to getting him the ball on a regular basis. The Lions' front seven holds up decently against the run, so there may not be much room for straight-ahead runner Antowain Smith.

McAllister, who has a high sprain of his right ankle, was cleared to play after going through various agility drills before the game.

But Haslett instead played reserve running backs James Fenderson and Curtis Keaton, who combined for 54 yards on 17 carries and one touchdown in a 24-15 loss to the Cleveland Browns at the Superdome.

McAllister was leading the NFC in rushing (950 yards), total yards from scrimmage (1,248) and touchdowns (11).

"Deuce wanted to play," Haslett said. "He looked OK in warm-ups this morning. We said we'd use him as an emergency back if we needed him. We thought James and Curtis could handle it. Deuce was there on a need basis."

No one was more surprised by McAllister's absence than Browns head coach Butch Davis. "I actually thought they would start him when they made the decision not to put him down," Davis said. "You just assume that he might show up and if he doesn't, then that's their decision."

Haslett said he considered using McAllister in the second half but stayed with Fenderson and Keaton.

"Not having Deuce affected us a lot," wide receiver Joe Horn said. "Deuce is a big part of our offense, don't get me wrong, but we still moved the football and should have beat that team."

The Saints are 5-1 this season in games that McAllister rushes for at least 100 yards.

"You want to make plays," McAllister said. "That's my job, to go out there and help my team. It's hard to sit on the sideline and not be able to participate.

"If we had continued to be stagnant on offense and we weren't moving the ball, obviously my not playing would have been a greater issue. Our problem wasn't moving the ball; our problem was turning the ball over."

McAllister said he hopes to be ready for Sunday night's showdown on ESPN against the NFC South-leading Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

"The decision was based on my overall health," McAllister said. "We still have (five) games to go, so the biggest concern was would I be 100 percent for those games."

So. ... We all know I -- and hence many of you -- got burned on this one Sunday morning. In my defense, I wasn't alone -- just about every media outlet on earth reported that McAllister was set to start (at least one report indicated he was actually introduced as the starter during pregame introductions). Besides it's a good learning experience.

Kind of a "fool me once shame on you; fool me twice shame on me" situation.

You see, I've long believed Haslett to be a duplicitous, disingenuous, lying S.O.B. at heart; and now that he's confirmed my worst suspicions, I'll certainly treat him as such from here on out. ...

On a personal note, I'm hoping Haslett learns something from this tawdry episode. Perhaps the fact that he lied and still got his tail whipped will teach the coach something most of us learned long ago: Cheaters never prosper.

Moving right along. ...

According to Allee-Walsh, Browns linebacker Brant Boyer led with his helmet when he smashed into intended receiver Jerome Pathon early in the first quarter. Typically, those plays come under review by the league office. Pathon was sidelined briefly following the hit, but returned in the third quarter. With Pathon on the sideline, the Saints were left with three active wide receivers -- Donte' Stallworth, Michael Lewis and Horn. Jake Reed was inactive.

Lewis and quarterback Aaron Brooks collaborated on a 41-yard completion to the Browns' 14 in the second quarter. The Saints caught the Browns in a zone blitz, leaving plodding defensive end Mark Word in man-to-man coverage against Lewis.

Collins, on the verge of making his 50th consecutive regular-season start for the Giants, downplayed the problem, saying he intended to be back at work Thursday.

"It was something from the game the other day," Collins said in the locker room after practice. "It was just a little thing."

Collins informed trainers of the problem Sunday's shocking loss to the Houston Texans. He said his back didn't bother him either on the plane ride back to New Jersey or on Monday or Tuesday.

"Toward the end of practice I just kind of tweaked it a little bit," said Collins, who walked to the sidelines after the flare-up and took his red quarterback jersey. "It was a little bit of a spasm. It's not a big deal at all."

X-rays after practice showed no problem, Collins said. He was not listed on the Giants' injury report for Sunday's game against Tennessee.

The last Giants quarterback to start 50 straight regular-season games was Phil Simms from 1984-87. The streak was snapped by a player strike.

Both Collins and head coach Jim Fassel were hoping for the best when asked about the streak.

"It means people kept me on my feet and I have been lucky," Collins said. "You never know what play it will be and I've been lucky."

Collins joked about Sunday's game against the Titans.

"The other day I was handing the ball off and something hit me. I couldn't brace myself and I went down on my mask full force and hit the ground," Collins said. "It was stupid. It was a running play."

When asked if that's how he got a cut on his check, Collins chuckled.

It was the same one he said he got on Monday walking into a branch.

Besides being big and tough, Fassel said Collins benefits playing in an offense that stresses quick decisions.

"Our priority has always been to protect the quarterback and it remains the same way," Fassel said.

Collins has thrown 1,758 consecutive regular-season passes for the Giants, the NFL's longest current streak. He has thrown every regular-season pass for the team since Nov. 21, 1999, when he took over in the second quarter against Washington after Kent Graham sustained a concussion.

"I think my size helps," Collins said. "I'm 240 pounds. I don't get big hits a lot of times because of my size."

Halfback Tiki Barber even joked that Collins didn't hurt throwing a block for him last week.

"He's a big guy, strong and smart," Barber said. "It's pretty amazing he has thrown every pass the last three years."

Also of interest. ...

Receiver Ron Dixon announced on Monday that his sprained knee is "95 percent" healed and he hopes to play on Sunday. Dixon has missed the last two games after injuring his knee during the team's Nov. 10 win over Minnesota.

However, SportsLine.com insider Jay Glazer reported on Sunday that Dixon's knee isn't actually sprained.

According to team sources, the speedy wideout actually has a torn posterior cruciate ligament. In fact, when Glazer called for confirmation of the injury, Giants' vice president of public relations Pat Hanlon confirmed Dixon was suffering from such a problem.

If there is one ligament a player would hope to tear it's the PCL. A player can actually play all season with a torn PCL.

Barber was pressed by the Giants during his rookie year to have the surgery. After doing his own extensive research on the matter, he decided against it after learning the success rate for surgery is approximately five percent.

Barber says while he was able to finish out the year, he did not recover from the problems he had with the knee until the following training camp.

In other words, don't be surprised if Dixon isn't as quick and agile as usual when he returns to action.

Now that Curtis Martin is almost completely over a severe ankle sprain, his team has ridden him back into playoff contention -- something that appeared out of reach just a month ago.

"We were at a breaking point and we stayed focused, and it has taken us to another level of perseverance and fight," said Martin, who ran for 120 yards and a touchdown in a 31-13 victory over Buffalo on Sunday. New York's fourth straight win lifted it to 6-5, one game behind Miami in the AFC East.

"After going through as hard a time as we did, you learn appreciation for how to build step by step, and when you get better, you don't take it for granted."

Martin isn't one to take anything for granted. His work ethic is impeccable. His pain threshold is immeasurable. That's why he was able to rush for at least 1,150 yards in each of his seven previous NFL seasons, a pace that would carry him close to the career rushing mark Emmitt Smith established earlier this year.

But this has not been a typical season for Martin, who signed an eight-year, $46 million contract extension during the summer. He was hurt near the end of the first half of the opener at Buffalo and it hampered him for the next three weeks, although he appeared in each game -- all losses.

By Week 5, Martin had only 98 yards rushing and the Jets were 1-3.

While he broke loose for 119 yards against Kansas City, Martin did not really hit his stride until the last two weeks. He ran for 112 yards in Detroit before his strong effort against the Bills.

"I've been avoiding questions of health, just for my own reasons, but I feel better," he said after Sunday's game. "For me, once I get on the field the whole mentality changes. I try to tell myself, 'No pain, no gain.'"

Head coach Herman Edwards hopes the best is yet to come from Martin, mainly because the star runner still is not completely healed.

"He is 90 percent, not 100 percent, probably won't be 100 percent all year," Edwards said. "You play running back, they are grabbing your ankle and knee, and he is fighting through that. You see a little of that the way he is cutting.

"We also are blocking a lot better, staying on the field a lot longer."

When Martin is operating at peak efficiency, he bursts through holes, then dekes defenders into submission. Early this season, he limped toward a scrimmage line at which there were no holes, because the offensive line was struggling.

Lately, Martin has looked like a Pro Bowl runner and the blockers have given him room to be a difference-maker.

"In my opinion, Curtis Martin is the heart and soul of the offensive team," said quarterback Chad Pennington, who is 5-2 since taking over as the starter. "The example he sets on and off the field is very important.

"When he is 100 percent, he makes us much more dangerous. Even when a team puts an extra guy down to stop him, he's dangerous. Some other backs aren't like that. He gives us extra firepower that we'll need down the stretch and into the playoffs."

Martin needs 305 yards for 1,000, an average of 61 per game. He needs 91 a game to reach 1,150, which has been his personal benchmark.

Personal matters are secondary, Martin claims.

"It feels like we are continuing to build," Martin said. "The more we keep the mentality of being at the bottom ... and we have to fight our way out, the better we'll be."

Other notes of interest. ...

According to the New York Post, Wayne Chrebet's complaints about the lack of passes coming his way in recent weeks aren't going over especially well at team headquarters. This after the veteran wideout last Saturday publicly vented his frustration over the lack of passes thrown his way, poor communication between him and offensive coordinator Paul Hackett, and the team not believing in him.

Asked about Chrebet's beef, Edwards said: "It's not even worth talking about. The football team is the most important thing, always has been and always will be with me. Guys function inside the system. That's where it's at. Wayne is fine. When we throw him the ball, he'll catch it. ... I feel it a little odd any time a person speaks up against the team. I just think you dig your own holes in life. When you do that, you've got to remember who the offensive coordinator is. Do what you want. Say what you want, but you reap what you sow. Our offense is built around the quarterback. That's how the offense works. That's how it's going to work. Wayne understands his role. His role is to catch the ball when we throw it to him. When we don't, he needs to block."

One last note here. ... Fullback Richie Anderson, who suffered a sprained ankle last Sunday, is listed as questionable for Monday night's game against the Raiders. ... I'll keep an eye on his progress throughout the weekend and update as necessary.

And that was certainly the case last Sunday. ... Appearing at Sun Devil Stadium, in a special engagement: Charlie Garner and Tyrone Wheatley.

"The playoffs is the payoff, and you have to run the football," Garner said. "Run-and-shoot is not going to win."

The Raiders always say that, and then they throw all day anyway. Sunday, though, was different. And the most noticeable difference in Sunday's win over the Arizona Cardinals was Wheatley, who had 13 carries for 82 yards and a touchdown. The yardage was a season high, and the touchdown was a season first.

"I've been there before," he said. "I can go from here on out, not scoring the rest of my career. I've been there. If it was all about statistical numbers, I'd play basketball or run track."

Garner had 100 yards in 16 carries for his second 100-yard game of the season. This game looked similar to that first effort. In the opener against Seattle, Garner ran 15 times for 127 yards. Wheatley added 65 yards in 18 carries, and it appeared the Raiders would make good on their training-camp vow to get back to power ball.

A week later in Pittsburgh, the Raiders went airborne, and they have yet to land. They built the NFL's top-ranked offense, averaging 401.9 yards heading into Sunday, but ranked 24th with a 93.8-yard rushing average.

"Charlie Garner and Tyrone Wheatley can run with the best of them," receiver Tim Brown said. "We just happen to be a passing offense."

One that didn't involve Wheatley. After that heavy workload against Seattle, he had only 11 carries in the next four weeks, then missed two games because of a hamstring injury. The Raiders have rebuilt his role gradually -- he had three carries against the 49ers, four against Denver and five against New England.

The numbers were a little padded Sunday: eight carries for 56 yards in the fourth quarter, with the game well out of reach. But he made the most of his three first-half carries, getting 19 yards. His fourth run gave the Raiders a 28-14 lead to open the second half. He also had his seventh reception in the past three games.

He was running hard. He was breaking tackles. He looked like the 1,000-yard rusher of 2000.

"I like playing football," Wheatley said. "If I get two or three carries and that's it and I don't play the rest of the game, I'm cool with it."

So. ... With all this talk about running the ball, where do we really stand here?

Well. ... In his first 10 games, Rich Gannon has thrown for 3,195 yards -- more than any quarterback in history through 10 games. The previous best was 3,152 by the Oilers' Warren Moon in 1990. ...

But now, with Koy Detmer expected to miss two-to-five weeks because of a dislocated left elbow, Feeley isn't just preparing to make his first NFL start against the St. Louis Rams in a rematch of last season's NFC championship game this Sunday, he's preparing to guide the team down the stretch run into the playoffs.

"I think A.J. is comfortable with all the things we've done. You want to let the guy execute the plays he's familiar with," head coach Andy Reid said Tuesday.

Detmer, starting for the injured Donovan McNabb, played magnificently in Monday night's 38-17 victory over the San Francisco 49ers. In his first start in three years, Detmer completed 18 of 26 passes for 227 yards and two touchdowns and also ran for a 1-yard score.

After Detmer went down with 3:32 left in the third quarter, Feeley completed all three of his passes for 17 yards, with a 1-yard TD pass to Chad Lewis.

"It's too bad things happened the way they did for Koy," Reid said. "He took command of the huddle and made some plays. Koy came in and did what we thought Koy could do. He just took and executed the offense to a 'T'.

"Obviously, I'd be very foolish to say we don't miss a Donovan McNabb. Anytime you take a guy like that out, you're going to miss something. Koy stepped up to the plate and did a nice job. A.J. will step in there, play within himself and do a nice job."

The Eagles lead the NFC East by two games over the New York Giants, but have their sights on securing a bye in the first round of the playoffs. They're tied with the Green Bay Packers for the No. 2 spot in the conference, but hold the tiebreaker because they are 7-0 in conference games.

Without McNabb and Detmer, the Eagles turn their playoff hopes over to Feeley, who wasn't even a starter as a senior in college. Feeley started eight games as a junior and backed up Joey Harrington his final season.

"A.J. didn't play much, but he played enough to where you could get a feel for this guy," Reid said. "You're looking at a big, strong kid that had good mobility and had a strong arm. He's a great competitor and a smart kid. As long as he goes out and plays within himself, he'll be fine."

Tim Hasselbeck, who lost out for the No. 3 spot to Feeley in training camp, now becomes the backup. Hasselbeck hasn't played in an NFL game. Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Tee Martin took Hasselbeck's spot on the practice squad.

Feeley, a fifth-round pick last year, got his only action as a rookie during the fourth quarter of a meaningless regular-season finale against Tampa Bay. He completed 10 of 14 passes for 143 yards, two touchdowns and one interception to lead the Eagles to a comeback victory.

"A.J. has had stiff competition coming in to make this team as the third quarterback and also in competition with Koy for that second spot," Reid said. "Guys have seen him under the gun and they've seen A.J. having to battle for a position and a job, so they have confidence in him with that."

One last note here. ... Correll Buckhalter (knee) will not return this season. The Eagles have decided to keep the second-year running back on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list for the remainder of the 2002 season.

Steelers head coach Bill Cowher apparently has a different idea.

Despite Coughlin's comments, Kordell Stewart took most of the snaps during the Steelers' practice Wednesday -- almost always a sign that a player will start.

Maddox's job probably was as secure as that of any NFL starting quarterback until a scary injury Nov. 17 in Tennessee left him briefly paralyzed. But Stewart, the Steelers' MVP last season until becoming their forgotten man much of this year, played well enough during Maddox's short layoff to put himself back into the picture.

Stewart completed 35 of 43 passes for three touchdowns and, just as importantly to Cowher, no interceptions the last two weeks. He was 22-of-26 in the Steelers' 29-21 decision Sunday over Cincinnati.

Still, Stewart isn't ready to read anything into what happened at practice.

"The only indication that is going to allow me to know if I'm starting on Sunday is if Coach Cowher says it," Stewart said. "That's the only way we'll really know for sure."

Asked if he will be disappointed if Stewart starts, Maddox said, "I think there's always a level of disappointment. You know, I feel good. I'm ready to get back out there, but that time will come. I don't know when it will be, but that time will come."

Cowher might only be trying to complicate Jacksonville's preparation by making the Jaguars guess. He also might prefer to give Maddox another week off, something the quarterback's doctor suggested wouldn't be a bad idea, even though Maddox said he feels better than he did before getting hurt.

Maddox doesn't want this to become a weekly routine, if only because it hurts from the quarterback's preparation and can cause a loss of valuable practice time.

"It just doesn't work," he said. "If it worked, every team in the NFL would do it. The quarterback position is one where the guys need to know who the quarterback is. They need to get confidence playing with that guy. Receivers have to get used to the quarterback they're playing with.

"If you look back over the years, teams have tried to do it, and I just don't think it's a good thing."

Running back Jerome Bettis agreed, saying, "Ultimately, you're going to have (to choose) to have some consistency."

Maddox has been the more productive of the two quarterbacks. In his last full game before being injured, Maddox passed for a club-record 473 yards -- the most by an NFL quarterback this season -- in a 34-34 tie with Atlanta on Nov. 10.

Maddox doesn't remember the seemingly routine hit by Tennessee's Keith Bulluck that put him in the hospital, so he's not worried that being hit again will bring back a flood of bad memories or make him tentative.

"I always told people it's nice to get the first hit out of the way early because then you don't think about it," Maddox said. "If and when I do get in there, I hope I get hit early and get it over with.

"I'm not cautious about it. If I was cautious or worried about it, I wouldn't be excited about getting out there. That's part of the game. If you're worried about that part of the game, you shouldn't be playing."

Also of interest. ...

In an article published Monday, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review staffers Jerry DiPaola and Sam Ross Jr. noted the Steelers won and Jerome Bettis moved into 11th place on the NFL's all-time rushing list.

If you think Bettis was beaming, you are wrong.

The running back was upset at criticism he has heard speculating that he no longer can be effective.

"You look at it on a national level, national media, they're saying that Bettis is done, he has to move on," said Bettis, who started Sunday for the first time since Oct. 21. "And then you get it on a local level, 'He's done. He's washed-up.' Just because I'm not playing? I'm hurt."

Bettis meant physically hurt, although it's obvious there has been an emotional toll, too. He played yesterday with a brace on his injured knee and likely will do so the remainder of the season.v Despite that, he rushed for 79 yards on 22 carries and scored two touchdowns.

"I felt like Jerome got stronger as the game went on," Cowher said. "You could watch Jerome and see that he was running stronger in the fourth quarter. It just seemed the more he got into the game, the more he got a feel for it, a feel for the cuts, a feel for the speed. I thought he ran really well."

Bettis carried the ball just four times two weeks ago.

"When you're out a couple of weeks and you don't get opportunities to run, it takes you a couple of carries to start feeling it," Bettis said. "And then when they feed you , it makes it a lot easier to go out there and get it done."

Bettis finished the game with 11,287 career rushing yards, passing O.J. Simpson at 11,236 and is 66 yards short of passing John Riggins (11,352) for 10th place.

"I've been doing this a decade and I've put up some really good numbers," Bettis said. "I should not have to justify my ability every week that I go out here. Just look at my track record. ..."

Hines Ward surpassed 1,000 yards for the second consecutive season, becoming the first Steelers player to put such seasons back to back since Roy Jefferson in 1968 and 1969. Ward has 1,039 after getting 1,003 last year.

He also has three consecutive 100-yard games this season, including five receptions for 125 yesterday. That's the first time a Steelers player has accomplished that feat since 1970.

In an article published Monday, ESPN.com senior writer Len Pasquarelli quoted an unnamed NFC personnel director as saying: "Speaking of wide receivers, I'd give up all four of mine to get a guy like Ward of Pittsburgh. Man, what a player, huh? The guy has 1,000 yards. He has great competitive speed. He's one of the best blockers of all the backs in the league. He's pushed that knucklehead [Plaxico] Burress to be a better player. Ward isn't flashy but give me players like him any time and I'll be a happy [guy]."

And finally. ... Todd Peterson, who is on the season-ending injured reserve list, said his cracked ribs will take 6-7 weeks to heal. "It doesn't happen very often, but it happens," he said.

Peterson said newcomer Jeff Reed "did a great job," hitting 3-of-4 field-goal attempts.

"We needed a win," Peterson said. "You want a guy to come in and do his job and he did a great job. There's a lot of pressure in this business."

Holder Josh Miller retrieved the ball for Reed after his first extra point.

"There are only 32 jobs [for kickers in the NFL]," Miller said. "If you do get here and you do wear a helmet and you do play the game, you deserve that ball. He's a good kid."

Warner missed nearly two months with a broken right pinkie, but started Sunday's loss to the Redskins. He said the finger didn't bother him, but the hand was sore most of the game.

"It got pretty sore and I don't really know what it was," Warner said. "It was tight. I was trying to just work it and keep it loose throughout the game."

Warner practiced Wednesday, but didn't take any snaps from center.

Rams backup quarterback Marc Bulger, who missed last week's game with a sprained right index finger, still is unable to throw. The other quarterback on the roster is Jamie Martin.

And in an article published Monday, AP sports writer R.B. Fallstrom reported that Marshall Faulk could miss his third straight game when the St. Louis Rams play at Philadelphia on Sunday.

Faulk sat out Sunday's loss with a high sprain on his right ankle after not practicing all week and also was out for a victory over the Bears Nov. 18. He's missed only nine games in eight-plus seasons, but head coach Mike Martz said the ankle hasn't improved with rest.

"It does not look like it's progressed much in the last few days or the last week," Martz said Monday. "To say he would be ready this week would be a stretch.

"Who knows when we'll have him?"

Martz said last week that team doctors had isolated a "hot spot" on the ankle that was bothering him the most.

"But there's really nothing you can do about it," Martz said. "You can't treat it with cortisone or anything like that because it's a membrane."

Martz said Monday that every game is a one-game season for the Rams. But that won't factor into any urgency to get Faulk, the NFL's MVP in 2000, back in the lineup because it would risk injury elsewhere if he tried to come back too soon.

"I talked to him at length about it last night," Martz said. "I said, 'I know you're frustrated, but you cannot come back until you can play like Marshall on that foot."

Faulk's backup, rookie Lamar Gordon, had 108 yards rushing and receiving against the Redskins. Gordon sustained a concussion late in the game but is expected to get clearance to play this week.

Results of a CAT scan taken after the game were negative. Gordon had more tests Monday, including an MRI.

"They feel confident he'll be all right," Martz told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "But we'll just have to wait for the results of the tests." The Rams trainer said Gordon was experiencing dizziness Monday morning.

All of which makes the fact the team brought running back Justin Watson, who returns to St. Louis after being let go during the offseason, back on board this week so interesting.

The Rams also signed tackle Jerry Wisne and promoted offensive lineman Andy King from the practice squad; released backup quarterback Scott Covington and wide receiver Yo Murphy; and placed guard Tom Nutten on the injured reserve list, meaning he will miss the rest of the season.

Watson's best year was 2000 when he gained 249 yards on 54 carries and scored four touchdowns.

The Rams signed Covington as their No. 3 quarterback after Kurt Warner was injured in a game against Dallas Sept. 29. Warner returned Nov. 18.

Murphy played in all 11 games this season, catching five passes for 47 yards. He signed as a free agent in 2001.

One last item here. ...

According to ESPN insider Chris Mortensen, Warner’s future as a Ram might be on the line over the next six weeks.

Mortensen added that after pressing them on the issue, two Rams sources didn’t dismiss the notion that Warner’s various injuries, less-than-stellar performance this year and Bulger's emergence as an effective replacement could force the team to think about trading Warner before they're forced to pick up an option on his contract next March.

Trotter went on to suggest the team must address its deficiencies at wide receiver in the offseason. Curtis Conway has been Drew Brees' security blanket all season, and when Conway was sidelined for nearly all of last week's loss at Miami with a stinger in his shoulder, Brees had nowhere to go on the outside. He completed only four passes to the wideouts.

Conway is a tremendous talent who was having a season worthy of Pro Bowl consideration before the stinger. He has displayed the speed to get deep and the toughness to run the intermediate and crossing routes. But he also is in the 10th year of a career that has had more injuries than defining moments, so the Chargers must find a complement who can carry the load if Conway goes down. At this point, they don't have such a player.

According to the North County Times, Conway and Tim Dwight (ribs) should practice this week and play Sunday against the Broncos.

Barlow, who shares rushing duties with Garrison Hearst, left Monday night's 38-17 loss to Philadelphia midway through the third quarter. "We'll have Garrison carry the load," Mariucci said. "He's very capable of doing that, and has before."

Barlow has rushed for 514 yards and four touchdowns in his second season with the Niners. He also has caught 14 passes for 136 yards and a score.

Paul Smith will be Hearst's backup on Sunday and NFL Europe rushing champion Jamal Robertson is expected to be activated.

Other notes of interest. ...

The Niners waived punter Jason Baker and kicker Jose Cortez on Tuesday in a shakeup of their underperforming special teams.

Baker, a second-year pro from Iowa, struggled all season. His net punting average of 32 yards was the lowest in the NFL, and Philadelphia's Brian Mitchell returned one of his short, low kicks for a 76-yard touchdown Monday night.

Cortez lost his starting job to rookie Jeff Chandler last week after missing a potential game-winning field goal for the second time in three weeks. Chandler kicked a 35-yard field goal in his only attempt against the Eagles.

The 49ers planned to keep Cortez on their active roster as insurance in case Chandler struggled, but an injury to safety Ronnie Heard required the team to sign a backup safety before Sunday's game against Seattle.

Cortez, a former XFL kicker, made 13 straight field goals earlier this season, but he missed a 27-yarder on the final play of regulation in San Francisco's overtime victory over Oakland earlier this month.

On Nov. 17, Cortez missed a 41-yard attempt in overtime during the 49ers' loss to San Diego.

The 49ers didn't immediately sign a punter to replace Baker, who joined them along with Cortez shortly before last season. Rookie punter Craig Jarrett was on San Francisco's practice squad earlier this month, but he was released.

San Francisco also waived receiver Scott Cloman from the practice squad and signed tight end Mark Anelli and receiver Aaron Lockett to the practice squad.

In a related note. ... Denver Post staff writer Adam Schefter noted last Friday that since the start of the 1995 season, the 49ers have gone through seven kickers -- an average of just less than one per season. Which raises this question: How much do you think the 49ers would be willing to pay for a top free-agent kicker, somebody they could rely on for three points every time? Somebody like free agent-to-be Jason Elam?

Hmmmmm. ...

And finally. ... A little dissent among the ranks of NFL insiders!

In an article published by The Sporting News last Monday, columnist Dan Pompei reported that team officials were beginning preliminary talks to extend Mariucci's contract. There was some uncertainty heading into the year about whether the 49ers would extend the deal, which expires at the end of next season. Team owner John York had said he wanted to wait until after this season to begin talks.

Pompei went on to suggest some strain had been evident in Mariucci's relationship with the front office, in part because of his apparent interest in other jobs. But there is no evidence of strain now; winning is a wonderful elixir. In fact, the 49ers' front office appreciates the job Mariucci has done, and Mariucci appreciates that he has a plum job in a top organization.

However, ESPN.com insider Len Pasquarelli advised readers of his weekly Monday "Morning After" column to "ignore any talk that San Francisco officials have begun extension discussions with head coach Steve Mariucci, whose current deal runs through 2003. Two sources close to 'Mooch' insist there have been no talks yet between Mariucci's new agent and owner John York"

Finally, the Seahawks got the breaks and bounces to go their way on offense. At last, Shaun Alexander broke out of a five-game rushing slump, gaining 145 yards on 23 carries and scoring two touchdowns. After seven weeks since the Seahawks' last home win, there was something to celebrate and reason to cheer.

"They needed it for their confidence," head coach Mike Holmgren said of what winning meant to his players. "It's just one game and one win, but it was very important for us. I think it is a mark of the character on the football team that they battled [in] this game."

The Seahawks got momentum-shifting plays from linebacker Orlando Huff and tight end Jerramy Stevens, took advantage of career days for quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and wide receiver Koren Robinson and reveled in the return of receiver Darrell Jackson.

In his first game back since suffering a concussion four weeks ago in Dallas, Jackson had a huge impact on the coverage -- or lack of it -- in the Chiefs' defense, catching six passes for 92 yards, for a 15.3-yard average.

"It was really good to see Darrell Jackson back. That was really special for all of us," Alexander. "It kind of got everyone started early."

It's worth noting that in his third year out of Florida, Jackson entered Sunday's game with more receptions (153), yards (2,171) and touchdowns (14) than any of the other 14 receivers taken in the 2000 draft -- that's despite missing the past three games recovering from the concussion. He has better numbers than the Steelers' Plaxico Burress, the Jets' Laveranues Coles, the Bengals' Peter Warrick and the Ravens' Travis Taylor, among others.

The Seahawks' leading receiver last year, Jackson -- before and after the victory -- just took things in stride and enjoyed the offensive explosion around him.

"First time in a long time everything clicked at home," he said. "It was nice watching everybody make plays and seeing the team and fans having fun out there today."

He had no qualms about taking a few hits in his first contact since the concussion and postgame seizure that kept him out of full-contact practice for nearly four weeks.

"I didn't have any thoughts," Jackson said of his first catch, a 19-yard reception midway through the second quarter. "I just went back to the huddle and had another play to play." That was a 20-yard Jackson catch on the other side of the field, part of an eight-play, 79-yard touchdown drive.

"It was huge. D-Jack is our guy, he is our playmaker," Hasselbeck said of having Jackson back in the lineup. "We didn't know what his role would be today. I think we are just bringing him along slowly and he had a bigger game than anybody thought."

Stevens, who had to use every inch of his Albatross-like wingspan to make a fingertip catch while falling forward just inside the end zone, was happy to finally make a significant contribution.

"I was happy to spark something to help us get going," Stevens said. "We were on the sidelines [during that drive] deciding whether we wanted to kick or go for the score and I heard Matt saying, 'I think I've got Jerramy,' so I got excited and was hoping coach Holmgren would give it the go.

"My man was playing me inside, and I found him siding off a bit, so I knew if it (ball) came to me I could make the catch."

Stevens ended the game with two receptions for 13 yards. Hasselbeck said he felt Stevens was ready for a big catch, just three games back since he missed four games with an ankle injury.

"It was big," Hasselbeck said. "Huge. We'd worked on that after practices, throwing deep to him down the sideline, and he was making plays. This time I just tried to give him a jump ball against a shorter cornerback and he went after it.

"It was a big catch."

One last note here. ... Early reports indicate Maurice Morris could miss a second-straight game with a sore hamstring.

Both Pittmans.

"I couldn't see who I was pitching it to," said Johnson, suffering from double vision. "I saw two of those guys running, but I got it to the right one."

Johnson was poked in the right eye on the previous play by defensive end Vonnie Holliday, who tried to deflect a Johnson pass but inadvertently caught the quarterback in the eyes.

Johnson left the game after the pitch play. But, showing the toughness he has displayed throughout the season, he returned after missing about a quarter to lead the Bucs to their 21-7 victory.

Johnson, who completed his first two passes before the injury, finished 15-for-25 for 134 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions -- an efficient if not spectacular performance.

"I can't say enough about Brad Johnson," head coach Jon Gruden said of his starting quarterback, who played with sore ribs the past two games against Minnesota and Carolina. "He still had some irritation in the eye and some vision problems, but what he's done for this team. ... I don't care what anyone says. He's in uncharted waters with the cracked ribs and the blurred vision and coming out and playing like he's playing."

After the Holliday hit, Johnson alertly motioned to backup Rob Johnson to get ready to replace him after the next play, the pitch to Pittman.

Johnson was treated on the sideline with eye drops. When that didn't work, he went to the locker room, where trainers checked his vision repeatedly.

"I couldn't see at the beginning. Everything was double," Johnson said. "My left eye was clear. My right eye was seeing everything double."

Johnson returned to the sideline but couldn't see clearly. The team summoned an eye specialist, sending Johnson back to the locker room. Johnson said he was told his vision likely would clear up in time and he returned to the sideline to test it against the lights and backdrop of the stadium, but he still was seeing double.

"It didn't come around as quickly as I had hoped," Gruden said. "I kept saying, "Come on. You're ready. You've got to get ready.' But fortunately for us he was able to come back and play a big, big role in this win."

Gruden wasn't the only one anxious for Johnson to return.

"You want your guy out there," safety John Lynch said. "We've got great belief in Rob and [third-stringer] Shaun [King]. But you want your guy out there. Brad's the guy this team rallies around, so yeah, we were looking around for No. 14."

Johnson said he didn't feel he could see well enough to play until early in the second quarter.

Even then his vision wasn't perfect. He returned with 10:04 left in the second quarter.

"I was kind of worried about taking a hit and kind of the same thing happening," Johnson said. "I wasn't sure if anything was torn in there, either."

On his second play back, Johnson completed his first pass, a 5-yarder to receiver Keenan McCardell. His next one was well-thrown, but careened off Keyshawn Johnson's hands. He completed four of his next six passes before halftime, when he was re-examined by an eye specialist, who confirmed that his right eye was fine.

In the second half, Johnson was 8-for-15 for 60 yards, including the two touchdown passes and the two-point conversion pass that brought Tampa Bay back from a 7-6 deficit.

"(The injured right eye) had no effect the rest of the night, once I was back in there," Johnson said.

Also of interest. ...

Keyshawn Johnson is listed as questionable for this week's game in New Orleans because of sore ribs. But as Tampa Tribune staff writer Roy Cummings noted on Tuesday, the injury may be one reason the former USC star dropped two very catchable balls last week.

Cummings went on to suggest that Johnson is a gamer, who will suck it up and play. If he struggles, however, the Bucs won't hesitate to lean more on Joe Jurevicius.

By the way. ... Pro Football Weekly recently noted that one reason Johnson is finally getting comfortable in Gruden’s offense is because Keyshawn has identified which plays he is most comfortable running and Gruden has gotten familiar with the things that his cocky wideout excels at.

And finally. ... Gruden on trying to finish strong: "Hell, we're not counting on anyone disappearing, crumbling up and blowing away. There's been some talk that I'm a crumbler, that I fade down the stretch, but that's just idle chatter."

The feeling among the team's brass is that Holcombe is simply quicker to the hole right now and when a team runs between the guards as much as the Titans do, getting to the hole is priority No. 1.

George's dropped passes (he had three against Baltimore) are an additional concern. At his best he is an every-down back, but if he can't catch the ball with more consistency, then Holcombe will get most of his work on third down.

It is also a clear message from head coach Jeff Fisher to the rest of the team that if he will pull George off the field, no one else should feel immune. ...

Also according to Legwold, the Titans are suddenly horribly thin at wide receiver.

Kevin Dyson suffered a severely pulled hamstring in Baltimore and may miss the remainder of the season. Eddie Berlin (ankle) and Justin McCareins (knee) also suffered injuries in the game and they might miss practice time this week. That leaves Derrick Mason and Drew Bennett as the only healthy receivers.

Berlin and McCareins may play Sunday against the Giants, but cornerback Willie Ford, who is on the practice squad, and rookie cornerback Tony Beckham will likely spend much of their time running routes for the scout team offense to spare Mason and Bennett.

It's also worth noting that Steve McNair is battered. He has a severe case of turf toe to go with a rib strain and a sore right shin. The toe is clearly affecting his throwing motion. It's on his right foot, which is his back foot in his dropback. When he doesn't plant that foot correctly, the ball sails.

The catcalls, which came despite Wuerffel having completed 7 of 10 passes, stemmed from the offense having shown all the spark of a wet napkin this season. But to a lesser extent, the spectators seemed to display their impatience -- and disapproval -- toward Wuerffel, who head coach Steve Spurrier named the latest starter at quarterback.

"I really didn't pay any attention to it," Wuerffel said of the boos.

When Sonny Jurgensen recently told Spurrier that he was the only NFL coach to display faith in Wuerffel, the former Redskins great appeared to echo fans and the media. But Spurrier -- whose memory of Wuerffel is of the quarterback's glory days at the University of Florida -- ignored the criticism. And in his second NFL start since 1998, Wuerffel ignored the boos before igniting the Redskins' offense in a stirring 20-17 victory.

"I'm just very thankful for this opportunity to be here," said Wuerffel, whose ability to audible led to the Redskins employing 39 running plays versus. 24 passes. "I've been around a lot [and] haven't gotten a lot of chances to play. This was just a phenomenal week. It was exciting; it was fun."

Wuerffel had the best performance of his six-year career, completing 16-of-23 passes for 235 yards. Wuerffel didn't throw for a touchdown but with no interceptions or sacks, he finished with a rating of 102.6. Only Spurrier could have envisioned Wuerffel outdueling two-time NFL MVP Kurt Warner, who completed his first 15 passes in returning from an injury to his right pinkie.

"I've seen him play just like he played today," said Spurrier, who coached Wuerffel when he won the Heisman trophy and Spurrier's only national championship at Florida.

Wuerffel was remarkably sharp despite missing five consecutive games after spraining his right (throwing) shoulder in his only start on Oct. 6 against the Tennessee Titans. But Spurrier's expectations of Wuerffel are so high that the coach quibbled with two long incompletions, including one that could have been a touchdown.

Spurrier's belief in Wuerffel had become the butt of jokes in the media and across the NFL. The player and coach claimed to be almost oblivious to the ridicule. Wuerffel's teammates vouched for the quarterback, describing his outlook as the same -- quiet confidence -- even when it appeared he might not play again this season.

"His demeanor has been the same since preseason," said wide receiver Derrius Thompson. "He's a pretty calm guy. He didn't get worked up by the criticism. He just kept going out there and working, waiting for his opportunity."

Wide receiver Chris Doering said, "Staying positive is the biggest compliment I can give him."

Wuerffel hadn't received much of a chance to play in the NFL after being selected by the New Orleans Saints in the fourth round of the 1997 draft. He had started only seven times in his peripatetic NFL career, in which the Redskins are his fourth team.

Wuerffel flourished for most of preseason, evoking memories of his heyday at Florida. But after Wuerffel's three fumbles and five sacks in the exhibition finale against the New England Patriots on Aug. 29, Spurrier named Shane Matthews his starter.

"This was really about his first opportunity," Spurrier said, "other than the Tennessee Titan game."

Against the Titans, Wuerffel lasted six plays, spraining his right shoulder on a three-yard scramble and not getting the chance to dispel the popular notion that he's a journeyman quarterback whose arm is too weak for the NFL. Wuerffel entered the game with quarterback rating of 34.5.

When Wuerffel was asked what Spurrier did leading to the career game yesterday, the 28-year-old replied, only half-jokingly, "Well, he played me today."

Wuerffel was acquired in an offseason trade with the Houston Texans for defensive tackle Jerry DeLoach because of his familiarity with Spurrier's offense. "He's had every scenario for every play in his head," Doering said.

Yesterday, Wuerffel called plenty of audibles, changing pass plays to runs to keep the Rams off-balance as Stephen Davis carried 31 times for 88 yards (an average of 2.8). Wuerffel's grasp of the offense should help make up for whatever physical talent he lacks. But Wuerffel actually has the most mobility among the Redskins' three quarterbacks.

All of which is well and good. But I'll remind you that one game does not a permanent starter make. At least not in Washington. ... Just ask Patrick Ramsey. ...

Also of interest. ...

In an article published Thursday, Richmond Times-Dispatch beat writer Paul Woody reminded readers that accuracy always has been the question regarding the kicking of James Tuthill.

After a strong start for the team, Tuthill has entered a mild slump. His kicks are hooking to the left, and he has to do a better job of compensating for that. Tuthill has the leg to make a field goal from 65 to 70 yards. But he's also erratic enough that he'll miss from 30 yards.

Spurrier has a different idea of what he wants from a kicker, though. "Ballcoach" is just as interested in depth on kickoffs so his club can win the field-position battle as he is with field goals. Which explains the remarkable patience Spurrier has demonstrated in dealing with Tuthill.

In fact, Woody went on to point out that If Spurrier had the same type of patience with quarterbacks, Matthews never would have lost the starting job.

Also according to Woody, Leonard Stephens might be the hybrid tight end the team is looking for. Stephens has good speed, decent hands and improves each week as a blocker. What he lacks is experience. He has gotten some this season, but his opportunities have been limited because he is behind Walter Rasby and Zeron Flemister.

But Stephens has the eye of Spurrier because he has the potential to be a playmaker. Stephens needs to have a good offseason, then make an impressive effort in training camp.

And finally. ... Receiver Rod Gardner dislocated his left middle finger in Sunday's win over the Rams. The second-year man played through the injury on Sunday and it shouldn't be a factor on Thursday.