It was a classic example of what it takes for Plummer to succeed: defense smothering a foe, and strong support from a running game.

"This win was for the defense," Plummer said. "They were awesome. They've played so good."

Unfortunately, the Cardinals have problems as they prepare for Sunday's game against the Panthers. Starting running back Thomas Jones, who led the NFC in rushing before last week, has been hobbled for two weeks because of a sore ankle.

His backup, Marcel Shipp, has a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee and is doubtful for Sunday's game. He gained 92 yards rushing and 39 receiving against the Giants, most coming in the second half in relief of Jones.

Shipp will try to wear a brace this week in practice. If he can't play, it's likely the Cardinals will sign Damien Anderson from the practice squad later in the week. ...

Also according to the Sports Xchange, the team's speed at wide receiver is beginning to show up beyond David Boston, who was throttled by the Giants, and MarTay Jenkins, who didn't have the long touchdown play he had in the previous two games. But this time, Bryan Gilmore made his first pro catch in the fourth quarter that kept alive the drive for the game-winning touchdown. Gilmore caught a hitch pattern and ran for a first down.

"We've got something there," head coach Dave McGinnis said of Gilmore. "There's an example of a player who has worked his butt off and benefited from some pretty good coaching."

Much like Boston did two years ago -- and Jenkins last year -- Gilmore has become the pet project of receivers coach Jerry Sullivan this year.

Dunn, the only running back to hit paydirt (three TDs), needs to be used more in open space, on sweeps, screen passes and play-action passes against blitzes.

Duckett should be used more in short-yardage situations, even if Reeves says that Dunn is the back in two-minute situations.

According to the Sports Xchange, Vick's passer rating of 101.1 is a little misleading. The Falcons have attempted just 77 passes, and they're averaging just 164 passing yards per game. But Vick hasn't been intercepted yet, and he has thrown four touchdowns while completing a sterling 62.3 percent of his throws.

He has also been sacked nine times, however, and receivers have dropped at least nine passes. Brian Finneran (16 catches, 173 yards, two touchdowns) and Willie Jackson (10, 132) are the top receivers, but Atlanta has no consistent deep threat.

Shawn Jefferson -- with two catches in three games -- seems bound for a quiet year as the No. 3 receiver. ... Darrin Chiaverini, the team's fourth receiver and a valued special teams player, did not practice Monday. He has not practiced since suffering a bruised thigh Sept. 22 in the first half against the Bengals.

Heap caught a pair of touchdown passes from Chris Redman in the second-quarter explosion, which was capped by cornerback Chris McAlister's NFL-record 108-yard return of a missed field goal.

The 6-5 Heap got the Ravens going when he reached back over Denver safety Kenoy Kennedy and grabbed a 23-yard TD pass from Redman on the second play of the second quarter.

"The pass was just how I like it -- high and soft -- and I just outjumped the defender," Heap said. "It was a perfect pass. ..."

In an article published Tuesday, Baltimore Sun staffer Mike Preston noted that Redman wasn't spectacular against the Broncos, but he was effective. The former Louisville standout had two touchdown passes and finished with a quarterback rating of 101.4. He still held onto the ball too long at times, but at least head coach Brian Billick showed some confidence in him by taking chances down the field.

It's also worth noting that Jamal Lewis pounded the ball 25 times for 78 yards, the most carries he has had in a year. Lewis started to dominate in the second quarter. He seems to get stronger as the game goes on.

"Drew Bledsoe, who is not only my offensive player of the week but the player of the month. What he means to Buffalo can be summed up in one drive. Fourth quarter, first and 10 on his own 22, 12 minutes left, 20-20 tie with Chicago, five total yards for the Bills in the second half. Bing, bang, zoom. Four passes, four completions, 52 yards, the last of which was a 1-yard, perfectly executed play-action strike to tight end Dave Moore for a touchdown against a supremely fooled Chicago defense.

"Then, in overtime, with the crowd chanting 'Drewwwwwwwwww,' he threw two passes in a two-play, 56-yard drive to win it. What a performance (28-36, 328 yards, four touchdown passes, no picks). Through four games, he has completed 70.3 percent of his throws for 1,345 yards -- and is on pace for a 5,380-yard season. The record, by the way, is 5,084.

"The man is reborn."

So, by the way, are Eric Moulds and Peerless Price. ... Other notes of interest. ...

Running back Travis Henry bruised his knee in the first quarter of Sunday's game, and while he came back to play, he lost a fumble shortly thereafter that Chicago returned for a touchdown. Head coach Gregg Williams decided to sit him down for a spell, but with the game on the line in the fourth quarter Henry returned, and had a few huge plays, none bigger than his game-winning TD reception.

"Travis is doing a really good job," Williams said. "We felt good about giving him the opportunity at the end of the ballgame. There wasn't a lack of confidence on our part. [The benching] was really to give him time to settle down. He performed well when he got back in."

None of which changes the fact Henry needs to focus his attention on securing the oblong spheroid if he'd like to continue getting similar opportunities. ...

Tight end Jay Riemersma suffered a sprained ankle early in the game, and after going into the locker room briefly, he returned to the field, finished the game and contributed a couple of key receptions on a fourth-quarter TD march.

And finally. ... In an article published Tuesday, Rochester Democrat & Chronicle reporter Leo Roth wrote that Moore has no illusions about putting up Pro Bowl numbers in Buffalo.

Not when Riemersma is already the second-best receiver at the position in club history.

But that won't keep Moore from trying.

“The reason you play is to help your team win,” the veteran free agent said. “I want the ball when the game’s on the line, Jay wants the ball when the game’s on the line. [Moulds] does, [Price] does. Unfortunately, I haven’t been here very long so I’m further down in the pecking order, but the bottom line is that when your number is called, you have to make the plays to help your team win. When that happens, there’s a sense of accomplishment because that’s why you’re here.”

In Sunday’s win over Chicago, the reason Moore was signed off the Tampa Bay Buccaneers roster last winter came into focus.

The 11-year pro helped spark Buffalo’s best rushing effort in three weeks (103 yards) and also caught his first passes as a Bill, three for 38 yards and a touchdown.

Buffalo’s tight ends had played bit parts in an offense averaging 33 points and 388 yards.

But against Chicago, Moore and Riemersma combined to catch four passes for 42 yards and Moore’s one-yard touchdown came on the go-ahead drive in the fourth quarter.

It was a classic 6-play, 78-yard drive that was complemented by runs of 12 and 14 yards by Henry.

With the benefit of play-action fakes, Bledsoe tore through the Bears’ defense after three consecutive three-and-out series.

“They had stopped us on the run the time before in that personnel grouping, and that gave me a sense that if we threw the ball out of it, the way they had committed to the run, that we’d have a chance for some big plays,” offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride explained. “It just opened up.”

Without a commitment to the run, that play doesn’t work, Moore said.

“Coach Gilbride took advantage of some play-action where the tight ends in general are more involved,” he said. “I know that’s where my plays came from. The fact we were pounding and pounding the ball -- and then you block a guy like you’re going to run block him and then you run by him.

“That’s where play action and mixing it up [is so valuable]. Coach Gilbride does a great job of mixing plays up and he has a great feel for how a defense is trying to attack you.”

Smith's success also has helped the passing game. Rodney Peete has open receivers most of the time because defenses have to be prepared for the run.

It's worth noting that the former Seahawk, Saint and Dolphin pulled himself out of last weeks game midway through the fourth quarter because of cramps.

"I started cramping, so I did the best thing by coming out of the game," Smith said. "I didn't want to hurt the team if I would have stayed in. The best thing for the team was for me to come out of the game, and we had a shot at the end."

When asked specifically what went wrong, Smith said, "It was just my hamstrings, my legs and my arms and hands. When I would go to make a cut, I would cramp."

Smith became the first Panthers running back to run for two touchdowns in three straight games. He now has six rushing touchdowns for the season, one shy of the franchise record set by Fred Lane in 1997.

In related note. ... DeShaun Foster's return from a knee injury remains unclear.

"He's getting close, but I don't foresee him playing this week," head coach John Fox told the Observer. We don't want to rush him back from this injury because it could have some repercussions later."

Also of interest. ...

Muhsin Muhammad's status for Sunday's game against the Cardinals remains uncertain. "Muhsin will be day to day," Fox said on Monday. "There are a couple nicks, but I don't think anybody is going to miss [Sunday's] game. Moose would be the guy."

Muhammad sat out last week's game with a hamstring injury suffered in Minnesota two weeks ago.

And finally. ... The team will stick with Shayne Graham, who missed a game-tying, 24-yard field goal in last week's game at Green Bay. Former Cowboy Tim Seder worked out on Tuesday for the Panthers, but he wasn't signed.

For what it's worth, Fox defended his decision to release Jon Hilbert, who struggled in practice most of last week, and go with Graham on such short notice.

"To me that was a no-brainer," he said. "It was something I won't ever look back on."

Still, the coach admitted their overall inability to make field goals this year goes well beyond the Green Bay game.

"It's hard from our standpoint to pick a kicker and not know how they were going to do on game day, it's something we need to look at," he said. "It has been a concern of ours since week one. With the injury situation with our first kicker, we brought in another kicker who was 0-for-2 and now we're where we are now.

"But it is something that will work itself out either through personnel or technique. But we need to start making field goals and that is the bottom line."

Jim Miller has been virtually sack-proof because of quick releases, and if the deep game has been inconsistent, it is more the result of personnel limitations than the scheme.

failure of Dez White and David Terrell to play up to expectations has been chief among those limiting factors. White had an outstanding camp and has big-play potential. But he dropped a wide-open touchdown pass against Atlanta and ran a wrong route at a crucial point in the loss to the Saints. Terrell is catching passes for touchdowns but is inconsistent.

Also according to Mullin, John Davis is emerging as the go-to tight end the Bears have lacked in recent seasons. Davis is a big target, has good hands and has the confidence of Miller after a lot of offseason work together.

Davis is not as good of a blocker as starter Fred Baxter, who is a good receiver in the red zone, but Davis works the seams better and uses his size (6-4, 264) to screen off defenders. ...

And finally. ...

As reported by Tribune reporter Melissa Isaacson, we can add another routine to Terrell's repertoire of strange and unexplainable touchdown celebrations. Terrell's five-yard touchdown catch late in the second-quarter of Sunday's loss was a patented Terrell red-zone grab -- his third touchdown inside the 20-yard line this season—only with a twist as he caught the ball at the goal line and leaned over.

"It's just a smash route," said Terrell, who did not stick around long enough to explain his turning-the-ignition-and-rolling-down-the-windows routine in the end zone. "I told [Miller] that if I'm there, just throw it. He had confidence in me, threw it and we got a touchdown."

Terrell appeared to get his second touchdown in the first drive of the fourth quarter on a six-yard lob from Miller into the left corner of the end zone. But the Bills challenged the call and officials agreed that Terrell got only one foot down inbounds.

While Bears offensive coordinator John Shoop pointedly avoided criticizing the call, Dick Jauron said he thought Terrell was forced out and Terrell naturally agreed.

"It's clear that he was falling down. I was trying to drag my leg, he pushed me and kicked my leg out of bounds," Terrell said of Bills free safety Pierson Prioleau before teammate Olin Kreutz urged him to reconsider complaining about the officiating. With 3:37 remaining in regulation, Bills cornerback Nate Clements was called for interference for screening out Terrell, a flag television commentators and Bills fans alike were grumbling should not have been dropped because the pass was uncatchable.

The 31-yard gain gave the Bears the ball on the Bills' 4-yard line, and two plays later Miller hit Davis for a TD to tie the score at 27.

Normally, Terrell might have something to say about finishing with just three catches. But considering that Marty Booker, the team's leading receiver, only had four for 82 yards and considering the circumstances of an overtime defeat, Terrell's thoughts were elsewhere.

"I don't care how they use me as long as they use me and as long as we're winning," he said. "But we're losing. We should be 4-0. We have to go out and get the ball rolling on the winning wide."

"That's what he told us, so I think so," receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh said. "But you never know. I don't know."

Given what's happened, the doubt is understandable.

Gus Frerotte started a 30-3 loss in Atlanta and Akili Smith went the distance in a 35-7 loss to Tampa Bay last Sunday. Kitna will make his first start of the season Sunday in Indianapolis.

Regardless of what they say, the Bengals (0-4) never stick with a quarterback for long.

"Coach LeBeau stood in front of the team today and said this is the guy he's going with and we're going to sink or swim," Kitna said.

"I think that's what the team needed more than anything. Now, it doesn't matter if you like me or not, I'm going to be in there, so we might as well get along."

Kitna started 15 games last season, when he finished as the NFL's lowest-rated passer. He lost the job to Frerotte in training camp and relieved him in Atlanta, when the NFL's worst team of the past 12 years unraveled during a Sunday night game.

Kitna had lobbied for Smith to keep the job the rest of the season, giving him a chance to grow into the job. Instead, LeBeau went with the passer who has the most experience in the system and the best chance to look good in the next two games.

If the Bengals go into their bye week at 0-6, there will be pressure for a coaching change.

"This is a business," Smith said angrily. "They don't care about being fair around here. There's guys on this team that are fighting for jobs, there's coaches on this team that are fighting for jobs. So it's not about being fair."

Smith was the third overall choice in 1999, but the Bengals gave up on him after less than one full season as a starter. Elevated from third string last week to face one of the NFL's toughest defenses, he was under constant pressure as he went 12-of-33 for 117 yards.

LeBeau took Smith aside Wednesday to explain his quick demotion. Smith was back to third string in practice, sitting on a water cooler while Kitna and Frerotte worked with the offense.

"I told Akili that I didn't think he did that bad of a job at all in the game last week," LeBeau said. "I'm not really taking Akili out because of his performance, and I wanted him to understand that."

Smith didn't understand at all. The latest hook convinced him he has no future in Cincinnati. He plans to talk to his agent about getting the Bengals to release or trade him in the offseason.

"I just need an opportunity," Smith said. "I need to get myself in a situation where I can start in camp somewhere and get comfortable and get going. The only time I had the opportunity here was my second year, and I didn't perform well and the rest is history."

Kitna's job is to revive an offense that has scored only one touchdown in four games. He told his receivers Wednesday to run full-speed in practice; Frerotte also was unhappy with the pace of practice when he ran the offense.

Some receivers ran harder, while others merely jogged through plays. Kitna stayed 15 minutes after practice to work out with his receivers; all stayed except Peter Warrick and Ron Dugans.

Colts head coach Tony Dungy understands why the Bengals are having such a tough time.

"Anytime you have a set quarterback, you pretty much know what you're going to do and the offense is built around that guy," Dungy told writers in Indianapolis. "You keep building and building.

"When you're changing quarterbacks, you have to tailor it to whoever is in there, so you can't really grow as a unit. That's what we went through in Tampa, and it sure looks like Cincinnati is going through that, too."

Or as Kitna said of team officials on Monday: "They've created a monster."

Part of the problem is injuries have caused the team to use younger backup linemen such as center Shaun O'Hara and tackles Paul Zukauskas and Roger Chanoine. Part of it is that running back William Green, the team's top draft pick, has been slow to develop. The few times holes have been there, he hasn't hit them.

Green also is running more tentatively and appears confused on every play. Great backs rely on instincts, and he's far from being able to do that.

According to King, it's hard to determine if Jamel White is more effective as a receiver or a runner, but he needs to be on the field more. At the same time, there is no reason for White, the team's best offensive playmaker, to be covering kicks.

If the Browns bench Green for a while to let him get his head together, they could play James Jackson, last year's starter, on first and second downs. That would allow White to be fresh for passing situations.

Also according to King, no one expected so much success this soon from the receivers. The Browns have struggled to run, so they've turned to the passing game. The short, quick passing scheme, in which a receiver is asked to run after the catch, fits this bunch well. With the addition of Andre' Davis and the experience of the returning players, No. 1 target Kevin Johnson now has several complementary receivers.

"It was tough," Whalen said, "but you've got to go out there and block and do the stuff that they ask you, and when your time comes just be ready."

Last Monday's Rams-Buccaneers game suggested the tight end could be key against St. Louis. The Buccaneers completed 15 passes to running backs and tight ends.

Other notes of interest. ...

Darnay Scott scored his first touchdown as a Cowboy on a perfectly executed play.

The play was designed for Scott to attempt a block at the line of scrimmage and then fall down. After losing the defense's attention, he slowly drifted into the flat, and found himself wide open for a 17-yard pass from Quincy Carter in the first quarter. Scott finished with two catches for 23 yards.

"The play has been in the game plan for a couple of weeks," Scott said. "The block was nothing but a little dive at the ground, because I didn't want to cut [block] anybody for real. Then I jumped up, then ran and caught the ball."

Scott, a St. Louis native, played in front of a host of friends at Edward Jones Dome. "Everybody was here except my mom," Scott said. ...

Emmitt Smith moved closer to Walter Payton's all-time career rushing mark. Smith rushed for 58 yards in 13 carries, including a 30-yard run. He is now 303 yards shy of Payton's 16,726.

Smith had help this week, as Troy Hambrick rushed for 40 yards on six carries. Hambrick had 19 rushing yards on the drive for a game-tying field goal. ...

And finally. ... Joey Galloway said he is going to play Sunday and is going to catch passes.

Just not like he's used to doing it.

Because of a sprained thumb that prevented him from catching passes in practice Wednesday, the Cowboys receiver said he will likely tape his thumb to his four fingers and will use the four fingers to do the brunt of the catching.

With a very tough stretch in their schedule coming up -- San Diego, Miami, Kansas City and New England -- the Broncos will need some quick starts. The offense is not explosive enough to come from behind too often.

Also according to Saunders, Brian Griese has been solid this season, avoiding the huge mistakes that plagued him last year. Still, his inability to convert big plays downfield is a concern. His longest completion is only 27 yards. At some point, the team's passing game needs to be more than dink-and-dunk.

Other notes of interest. ...

With fullback Mike Anderson (ankle) hurting, rookie Clinton Portis will be the go-to guy this weekend. It won't be an easy day. The Chargers have the NFL's third-ranked run defense and are excellent at pursuing the ball. Portis' biggest test will be how me picks up blitzes. ...

Saunders believes rookie Ashley Lelie is close, very close, to being a big-play receiver. Four times this season he has missed catching a long passes by inches. Lelie has proved that he can get open deep. Sooner or later, Griese will manage to hit Lelie in stride.

And finally. ... Veteran Ed McCaffrey, with eight receptions against Baltimore, has proved to be the Eddie Mac of old. He is getting open and making tough catches in traffic.

But for a few minutes Wednesday -- with his teammates cheering boisterously -- Detmer, the Lions' No. 3 quarterback, gave the defensive backs a taste of his receiving skills.

Lining up on the right side of the offensive formation, Detmer found a hole in the coverage, made a one-handed stab of a pass from backup quarterback Mike McMahon and swaggered -- wide receiver-style -- into the end zone.

"It's the gloves," Detmer said afterward, laughing. "Feel those things. I spread 'em down with stickum before I came out here."

With wide receivers Az-Zahir Hakim, Bill Schroeder, Larry Foster and Eddie Drummond using the bye week to recover from injuries, Detmer and McMahon have been pressed into duty running pass routes against the defense.

Detmer, who finds a way to have fun regardless of what his duties are, said he hasn't been on the receiving end of a pass since his days in Pop Warner football. But he knows the game and the coverages well enough to keep the secondary on its toes.

"They sleep on me every now and then, so I sneak-jam 'em," he said. "About once a day I'll lull 'em to sleep and then catch one."

Detmer was asked jokingly if he's considering a move from quarterback to wide receiver in his 11th NFL season.

"I can't get off the jams," he said, laughing. "So if anybody comes and plays me press, I'm in trouble."

Head coach Marty Mornhinweg had nothing but good things to say about his pass-catching quarterbacks.

"Ty and Mike have taken, geez, about half the snaps at receiver this bye week and, you know what?" he said. "They're pretty good. Quarterbacks, typically, are pretty good athletes, so at least they can get out there and function."

McMahon actually lined up at receiver for several plays in the game at Arizona a year ago when injuries left the Lions without enough receivers at the end of it.

Other notes of interest. ...

Mornhinweg has some specific goals -- in addition to getting over injuries -- during the three days of work before the bye Sunday.

"We've got to get better, every meeting and every practice," he said. "Raising our skill level, raising our understanding of the scheme.

"Our assistant coaches are grinding it for about four days here on how we're using our personnel, the scheme. ... Even down to the philosophy situationally, because your philosophy may very well change, depending on who you have available. And it may change as you learn more about your players.

"And, situationally, we're going through and getting a self-scout on everything we've done up to this point. We will put up some of our conclusions, along with film. It's a whole process and it's an important time of the year. There's a whole lot that can be accomplished in this week."

Head coach Mike Sherman said Wednesday he suspects a severe hit to the head on Glenn's first reception of the season caused the initial trauma.

Glenn, obtained by the Packers from the New England Patriots in the off-season, apparently will try a different type of medicine for the headaches that limited him to the first half of Sunday's 17-14 victory over the Carolina Panthers.

He underwent the exam in New York on Tuesday, when the players had a day off, and then returned to practice Wednesday.

Glenn has been listed on this week's injury report as questionable, which means he has a 50 percent chance of playing.

"He can play with these, as long as he can manage the headaches," Sherman said. "It's hard to function on daily activities, let alone a football player on game day.

"I'm not going to say he's back. It's going to take some time for the headaches to dissipate."

Sherman said he and Glenn were pleased the visit didn't turn up anything new, and that the team's medical staff was accurate with its diagnosis.

Sherman said Glenn didn't mention the headaches until last week, but that he had them for a longer period of time.

"It put him at ease and me at ease," Sherman said of the visit. "He said to me on Monday, 'I just want to practice and put it behind me.' We sat down as a staff and decided that's not the best thing. Let's get some finality to it."

Robert Ferguson will work as the starter opposite Donald Driver if Glenn can't go Monday night. ... Javon Walker (quadriceps) is listed as questionable this week. However, it is more likely that he will be available for Monday's game at Chicago.

At times, the offense has been unimaginative because coordinator Chris Palmer is trying to keep things simple. When the play-calling has been more aggressive, the offense has benefited.

As David Carr and Co. continue to gain experience, Palmer should continue to show more of the playbook.

Other notes of interest. ...

Also according to Thompson, the Texans have allowed 26 sacks in four games, but help is on the way.

Starting tackles Tony Boselli and Ryan Young are expected to join the team next week, and at least one of them could be ready for the Oct. 13 game against the Bills.

Getting Boselli and Young into the lineup won't help immediately because the line needs time playing together.

Rookie left tackle Chester Pitts will move to left guard to make room for Boselli. Left guard DeMingo Graham will go to the bench. Young will replace right tackle Jimmy Herndon. ...

James is on pace to rush for 1,739 yards and gain 2,384 total yards from scrimmage. Both would be career highs. ...

Also according to Chappell, receiver/return man Troy Walters, an offseason addition who has replaced Terrence Wilkins, has been a steady force on returns and an occasional contributor on offense.

What is most impressive is how quickly Walters picked up coordinator Tom Moore's complex offense. Wilkins never was able to quite grasp it in his three seasons with the Colts. ...

The acquisition of fullback Detron Smith was significant. His value is greater on special teams, where he has brought a much-needed attitude, than on offense.

Smith is quick and has a knack for eluding blockers, finding the ball carrier and blowing up returns before they develop.

Taylor's cutback ability and breakaway speed complement Mack's bullish, straight-ahead power.

The Jaguars never have been a running team because that's not Coughlin's style. But the effectiveness of the Taylor-Mack duo might force Coughlin to change his philosophy.

It's also worth noting that with Coughlin calling the plays, the Jaguars are relying heavily on two-tight end formations. It's a conservative but productive approach. Coughlin also is more willing this season to commit to the run, although that's no surprise with Taylor back at full strength.

The passing game looks a lot like the one the team featured in its late 1990s heyday. It has gone vertical, thanks to the speed of Patrick Johnson, the savvy of Jimmy Smith and the time the offensive line is giving Mark Brunell.

Green shares the honor with San Diego running back LaDainian Tomlinson, who rushed for 217 yards and two touchdowns in the Chargers' 21-14 win over New England.

Green is the first Kansas City player to earn the award since Priest Holmes won it twice in wins over Washington and Oakland last season. ...

In an article published Tuesday, Kansas City Star staffer Adam Teicher, it might be tempting to give up on throwing the deep ball in light of Green's problems. Four of Green's five interceptions have come on underthrown long balls.

The Chiefs can't give in to that temptation because stretching the field is a significant part of their offense.

Receiver Eddie Kennison is a starter because of his speed and big-play ability, and he loses much of his role if the team quits trying to get him the ball deep.

Green needs to stand in against pressure and step into his long throws to have more games as he did against the Dolphins: five touchdowns and 328 yards passing. ...

Also according to Teicher, Dante Hall has proved to be an effective weapon when used as a slot receiver. His speed and quickness are trouble for opposing defenses. The Chiefs occasionally line up Hall in the backfield and hand him the ball.

In camp, he had problems catching the ball because he tended to use his body and not his hands. That hasn't been a problem.

Then Fiedler reverted to his tendency for turnovers. And the Dolphins lost.

Four interceptions at Kansas City raised doubts anew about Fiedler, whose risky throws and bad decisions marred Miami's transition from the Dan Marino era in 2000-01. On Sunday the Dolphins play host to defending Super Bowl champion New England (3-1) with the AFC East lead at stake, and Fiedler expects to bounce back with a strong performance.

"Every mistake I've made in my career, I've learned from," he said Wednesday.

With 38 interceptions in 35 career starts, Fiedler has had plenty of lessons.

He appeared to turn a corner the second half of last season, throwing 11 touchdown passes and just five interceptions in the final eight games. And he thrived at the start of this year, directing an upgraded offense that includes new weapons in running back Ricky Williams and tight end Randy McMichael.

A week ago Fiedler ranked third in the NFL in passing, throwing five touchdown passes with just one interception. But the 48-30 loss at Kansas City sank his ranking to 15th.

Worse, the re-emergence of Fiedler's bad habits upset head coach Dave Wannstedt.

"There were times Jay forced some things," Wannstedt said. "Everything is not going to be open every time, and when it's not and there's some pressure, Jay is trying to make some plays, and we can't do that."

One interception came on a deflection and another on a busted route, and Williams' first lost fumble this year didn't help.

"We had five turnovers, no matter whose fault," Fiedler said. "We can't have that."

The defeat underscored the danger of getting away from a run-first approach.

In each of the first three games, Miami took an early lead, Williams rushed for more than 100 yards and Fiedler played a supplementary role. But the Dolphins trailed Kansas City for the final 46 minutes, Williams carried just three times in the second half and the burden fell on Fiedler to lead a comeback that never happened.

"We're going to be in a lot of games like that," Wannstedt said. "We're going to be behind, and we're going to have to find a way to keep our composure and get back on top."

If the Dolphins can hold onto the ball, they're hard to stop. They rank fourth in the NFL with 130 points, even though they have yet to take advantage of Chris Chambers' potential as a deep threat.

"It's something we feel can have a lot of success at," Fiedler said. "Last week we felt we had some chances and just missed out on them."

Chambers has just one touchdown and a long gain of 36 yards. Fiedler's longest completion this season came on a screen pass that Williams turned into a 52-yard gain.

"Ricky has taken a lot of pressure off Jay," defensive end Jason Taylor said. "Jay doesn't feel like he has to make a great play for us to be successful."

At least the Dolphins hope that's the case.

Also of interest. ...

With Albert Johnson's season over because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, the kick return game has taken a hit. Johnson was coming into his own, regaining the confidence he had in the preseason.

Travis Minor gets the first chance, and has the speed to make plays but not necessarily the same speed as Johnson. Minor's ability to hold on to the ball makes him even more appealing.

Dedric Ward will handle the punt return duties. Ward is more sure-handed than Johnson and can make people miss.

The new petty misdemeanor count carries a fine of up to $200, but it could also lead to a suspension or fine from the NFL.

Police said they found a marijuana cigarette in Moss' car after he was arrested on Sept. 24. Moss was driving in downtown Minneapolis when the traffic officer stepped in front of his car to stop him from making an illegal turn. She was slightly injured when she fell off the car.

Moss spent the night in jail and was charged the next day with careless driving and with failure to obey a traffic officer, both misdemeanors.

The complaint said the marijuana amounted to just under a gram. Moss has said the marijuana did not belong to him and that he had allowed other people to use his car recently.

ESPN reported Sunday that Moss was already in the league's substance abuse program for testing positive for marijuana last year, and underwent another test by the NFL after his arrest last week.

League spokesman Greg Aiello said the NFL would review the case.

"Under the policy, a drug-related violation of the law is grounds for disciplinary action," Aiello said.

If Moss tests positive for a banned or illegal substance or is convicted on the possession charge, he could be subjected to fines and suspensions by the league. He was allowed to play in last Sunday's 48-23 loss at Seattle.

Moss' agent, Dante DiTrapano, said Tuesday he had no immediate comment because he hadn't seen the new charges. A spokeswoman said the Vikings had no comment. His defense attorney, Joe Friedberg, did not immediately return a phone call.

The 25-year-old Moss was scheduled to be arraigned on the original two counts Wednesday. City prosecutors on Tuesday also added two new traffic counts to the charges: making an improper turn at an intersection in a hazardous manner, a misdemeanor, and obstructing traffic with a vehicle, a petty misdemeanor.

Each misdemeanor count carries a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail and up to a $1,000 fine. The maximum fine on the obstructing traffic count is $300. Neither petty misdemeanor count carries jail time.

In a related note. ... In a column published by CNNSI.com on Monday, Sports Illustrated insider Peter King offered the following take on Moss:

"Re: Moss' someone-left-it-in-my-car-and-it-wasn't-me reefer excuse: Has anyone in the history of man ever been caught with pot, then said: 'Yeah, that's mine, officer.'?"

Other notes of interest heading into the Vikings' off week. ...

It might not have translated into a victory, but head coach Mike Tice and offensive coordinator Scott Linehan said that last Sunday's game was quarterback Daunte Culpepper's best this season. Coming on the heels of his difficult outing against Carolina, it was reason for optimism.

"He battled out there," Tice said. "He competed, he did a lot of things with his legs, moved around the pocket well."

Culpepper matched his career high with 53 passes. And while he didn't throw a touchdown, several potential touchdown passes were dropped. Linehan said it was the best job Culpepper has done of working the game plan.

"I though it was his best game so far," Linehan said. "I thought he played pretty well against Buffalo; you just had the turnovers, the fumbles. But in terms of executing what we were asking him to do, running the offense? It was his best game as far as I'm concerned."

Culpepper's second-quarter interception that was returned for a touchdown was the result of miscommunication with Moss. A similar occurrence led to an incompletion late in the Carolina game.

"It's two weeks in a row we've made that mistake," Linehan said. "Each time the play has been there, we just haven't executed it."

Linehan, meanwhile, said the move to the press box from the sidelines was a welcome one, for several reasons. First, it's where he had always been before this year. Second, it enables him to make decisions away from the hectic sideline. Third, it lets him spread his play sheet out and make adjustments on it during the game.

"It's much more my comfort zone," he said. "And I thought the sideline communication was good with Alex [Wood, the quarterbacks coach who left the press box for the sidelines]. He did a good job moving back down there and relaying the plays in."

Said Tice: "Scott wanted to be in the box, from day one. I kind of fought it a little bit, because I felt he had good communication with the quarterback."

It was after talking to former Vikings coach Bud Grant that Tice decided to allow Linehan to move upstairs. Linehan will stay in the press box.

And finally. ... There is a chance injured tight end Jimmy Kleinsasser could be back after the bye week.

The status of both players remains unclear.

Asked earlier this week how close Brown came to playing against the Chargers, head coach Bill Belichick said: "Troy came real close. We took him out there. He got treatment on the plane, he got treatment at San Diego. It was a game-time decision and in the end he just wasn't quite ready to go. ... And we'll start the process again this week."

Brown had a team-record 16 catches for 176 yards before limping off the field in the fourth quarter of New England's overtime victory over Kansas City last weekend. Brown was hit in the knee by a helmet while making his club-record 16th catch. He was helped off the field, but came back for a few plays before leaving for good and sitting out the end of the fourth quarter and overtime.

Rookie Deion Branch, substituting for Brown, had 12catches for 121 yards against the Chargers. ...

Also according to Felger, even though running back Antowain Smith (296 yards in four games) is on pace to have a better season than he did last year, there is a sense that he's not getting the ball enough. Smith said he will continue to be patient.

"All I know is that I'm going to be ready when I get my opportunity," said Smith, who has averaged 16 carries a game. "If you're a player you always want the ball. Mentally I just can't get frustrated. I know it's going to roll back around towards me. ..."

And finally. ... Adam Vinatieri was wide right on a 41-yard field goal attempt at San Diego, his first miss in nine tries this year and snapping a streak of 11 straight, including his 48-yarder that beat St. Louis in the Super Bowl.

Head coach Jim Haslett said the rookie's hamstring wasn't torn, but he didn't expect Stallworth to play.

Stallworth said he hurt himself while stretching before the second half of the Saints' 26-21 loss at Detroit.

"I was stretching, and I stretched a little too far," Stallworth said.

Stallworth also missed 2 1/2 weeks of training camp with a pulled right hamstring.

Saints defensive end Willie Whitehead fractured his left fibula and will miss a couple of weeks.

Receiver Joe Horn has a sore left knee, and receiver Jake Reed dislocated his right ring finger. Both are expected to play this weekend.

Haslett said he did not anticipate bringing anyone in because of the injuries.

"Everybody has injuries," Haslett said. "We need to get some of these guys back, but you can't do anything about it. You just have to adjust what you're doing on offense and defense to take advantage of the guys you have."

The reduction will leave offensive coordinator Sean Payton with 120 to 140 plays on his card Sunday when the Giants visit Dallas.

During a normal week, Payton would have 180 to 200 plays.

However, the Giants are trying to simplify things after seeing their offense limited to one touchdown the past two weeks and three for the season.

"It's like choosing between cable TV and water," Payton said on picking his plays this week. "What do you want to give up? We like all these plays, but you have to prioritize what you really like, and you get good at those."

Limiting the game plan will give the Giants a chance to practice each play more.

"This has worked for us in the past," receiver Amani Toomer said. "We cut down the plays and had success. It's just tinkering with stuff. If something is not going exactly the way you want it, you make a little change here and there, change this or that and maybe this is the first move."

What the Giants also have to do is execute better and avoid mistakes. They had 10 penalties for 110 yards last week and quarterback Kerry Collins had a pass intercepted and returned for a touchdown in the closing seconds of the first half.

Instead of going to the locker room with a seven-point lead against Arizona, the Giants went in tied and frustrated.

"Regardless of how many plays we have or what we are doing, it comes down to execution," Collins said. "We didn't execute well on Sunday. We had turnovers and penalties, so I don't know how much that was a result of the plays we had. What it came down to was execution and we didn't do that well enough."

The one area New York needs to improve is the running game. It is averaging a league-worst 2.7 yards per carry. Its 13 rushing first downs are tied for second worst behind the Jets. The Giants' 76.8 yard average per game is the third lowest in the NFC, trailing only the Lions (1-3) and Rams (0-4).

"The minute you get in trouble is when you are only doing one thing well," Payton said. "So we certainly need to improve our running game because there are going to be teams that take away some of your throws."

To that end, Payton plans to give running backs Tiki Barber and Ron Dayne every chance to get untracked, although he is not going to force it.

"It comes down to us," said Barber, who said this week's game plan doesn't have as much variety. "It all comes down to us. We're the ones on the field. It doesn't matter what he calls. We have to execute it, that's it."

This is a team that came into the season with hopes of becoming one of the more explosive offenses in the league. The addition of tight end Jeremy Shockey was supposed to open things up for Toomer and fellow receiver Ike Hilliard, and even get the running game going.

While the Giants moved the ball well in the first two games, they scored only one touchdown on their first 10 chances inside their opponent's 20.

"We've looked good at times this year," guard Jason Whittle said. "But if you move the ball up and down the field and don't get into the end zone, it doesn't matter. That's the offense's job to score points, and we are not doing that."

With the Giants already a game behind Philadelphia in the NFC East, Toomer said things have to change soon.

"That's the problem," Toomer said. "We should have had a breakout game two or three weeks ago. It's going to happen. Our job is to come out everyday in practice and push the envelope and try to make it come as quick as possible."

In the midst of their worst slump in 40 seasons, the Jets got a harsh message from their coach Monday in the form of a quarterback change. Chad Pennington is in, Testaverde is out. Others will follow Testaverde to the sideline, head coach Herman Edwards vowed after New York's third straight loss, defeats in which the Jets have been outscored 102-13.

"He knows he's the quarterback and he's going to take the hit if you don't score any points," Edwards said. "You change the guard, you change a linebacker or you change a DB, you change a defensive lineman, whatever, it is, `OK, big deal.' When you change a quarterback, it's a big change.

"He's a man. He says business is business. He's accountable. We need more guys to be like him, to be accountable for their actions."

Testaverde has been through this before, in Cleveland in 1995. In September, he was the AFC player of the month. By late November, he was watching Eric Zeier quarterback the Browns.

"I remember asking Bill Belichick in Cleveland, `Why are you making me a scapegoat in all this?' And in his words, he said, `I can't change the left guard and get a spark. I've got to change the quarterback,"' Testaverde said.

"It's not 'you,' it's 'we,"' Testaverde added. "That's what all the players have to realize."

Testaverde, 38 and in his 16th pro season, is extremely popular in the Jets' locker room. Pennington barely has played in his two-plus seasons in New York, and his work in Jacksonville -- 21-for-34 for 281 yards after Testaverde hurt his shoulder -- was the longest regular-season stint of his career. He moved the team, but didn't get the Jets into the end zone in a 28-3 loss.

Still, it is Testaverde, who signed a restructured five-year contract in April to help relieve some of the team's salary cap woes, who has been demoted.

"I'm not going to sit here and tell you I am getting a raw deal," said Testaverde, who met for a half-hour with Edwards on Monday. "But I think anybody in my position isn't happy about it.

"But I understand and I don't want to be a distraction to this team. ... I understand how the process works."

The process has elevated Pennington, one of four first-round draftees in 2000, but it did not catch him by surprise.

"It wasn't mind-boggling, but I was unsure, I had no idea what would happen," Pennington said, "and that is the best way to approach it. I don't think you can pinpoint it ... on Vinny. Sometimes you don't get it done as a team and right now it's a team effort, from the quarterback down to the other positions."

Also of interest. ...

Wayne Chrebet is doubtful for this week's game because of a bum knee, according to the New York Daily News. Thankfully, Santana Moss (hamstring) returned to practice on Wednesday and is expected to play against the Chiefs.

"I think we're a long ways yet [from perfection]," Callahan said Monday, a day after the Raiders routed the Tennessee Titans 52-25. "There are areas we need to shore up, the penalty situation for one."

The Raiders had four major penalties Sunday.

Longtime center Barret Robbins was called for two personal fouls, including one in the second quarter in which he appeared to be poked in the eye, then reacted by throwing a punch at Titans defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth.

The drive resulted in a field goal, not a touchdown.

Then, in the third quarter, Robbins was whistled for unnecessary roughness, and offensive tackle Lincoln Kennedy picked up a personal foul. By then with such a lead, the drives were meaningless, but the mental mistakes still have Callahan fuming.

"It was completely and totally uncalled for, for us to lose our poise and discipline," Callahan said. "It's intolerable to put us behind as a team when we have an opportunity to score. It was aggravating. That was addressed and will be addressed."

Speaking of Robbins' reaction to Haynesworth, Callahan added, "The retaliation foul is totally uncalled for."

Robbins, an eight-year NFL veteran, claims Haynesworth had his hand in Robbins' face mask and scratched his lip and hit him in the nose. Robbins hopes he won't be fined for throwing the punch.

"After the whistle blew, he kept doing it and I just reacted," Robbins said. "Unfortunately the game got a little out of hand at one point. There's no excuse for (what I did) though, but I can't condone someone having their hand in my face."

The Raiders head into Sunday's game against the Bills with 22 penalties for 231 yards in three games.

Other notes of interest. ...

Jerry Rice became the NFL's career leader in yards from scrimmage with 21,281, 17 better than Walter Payton's previous record. ... And finally. ... The Raiders placed but reserve tight end Mondriel Fulcher on the injured reserve after he blew out his knee during practice last Wednesday.

Those are just some results of the trick plays the Philadelphia Eagles have used this season as head coach Andy Reid opens up his playbook.

In just the last two games, Reid has called a halfback option, a double reverse, a fake field goal, a wide receiver option and a fake punt. His multiple formations often include no one in the backfield and he's had a wide receiver line up behind the quarterback at least once.

"We do them to try to get a positive play," Reid said of the gadget plays. "I don't know what the other team is going to think. I don't know that side of it. We would like to get a big play out of those if we can, that's the No. 1 reason we do it."

Reid often has gotten a positive result.

James Thrash ran 32 yards on a double reverse in the first quarter of Philadelphia's 44-13 victory over Dallas two weeks ago. Later in the quarter, Akers ran 10 yards on a fourth-and-4. Westbrook then threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Todd Pinkston on a halfback option to put the game away in the third quarter.

"I think the guys have fun with them," offensive coordinator Brad Childress said. "You can't just run them just to run them. You have to have a chance to have success with them. It's something that we looked at in the offseason. There's a lot of research that we did and liked things and found things that worked for us, things that we could do. We can't do them all. Then you have to have the right time to call them and the right defense to call them against."

In Sunday's 35-17 victory over the expansion Texans, wide receiver Freddie Mitchell threw an incomplete pass in the second quarter after an interception gave the Eagles the ball at Houston's 30.

With a 20-7 lead early in the third quarter, the Eagles faked a punt on fourth-and-7 from their 43. Mitchell took the snap directly, ran to his left and shoveled a pass to Dawkins, an All-Pro safety, that turned into a 57-yard touchdown.

"Hopefully we'll continue to put ourselves in a position to run plays like that," quarterback Donovan McNabb said.

Reid's knack for calling trick plays puts defenses on guard. Opponents already have plenty to worry about when they play the Eagles because the offense has averaged 35 points a game this season. Now, teams have to be concerned about defending gadget plays, too.

League sources, and those close to Maddox, said the veteran was apprised by coach Bill Cowher on Tuesday night he would replace Kordell Stewart in the lineup. Stewart, who has thrown 15 interceptions in the last seven games, was also summoned to Cowher's office on the team's day off and told of the decision to go with Maddox against the Saints.

"I just feel it's the right thing to do at this time, and now let's move on," Cowher said.

This will mark Maddox's first NFL start since his 1992 rookie season with the Denver Broncos.

The Pittsburgh running game has stalled in its first three outings, and there is a feeling the Steelers may have to throw more to get untracked offensively. Working exclusively from a "spread" formation against Cleveland last week, Maddox completed 11 of 13 passes for 122 yards.

Cowher's surprising decision, announced Wednesday at a team meeting, sends 2001 team MVP Stewart to the bench for the third time in four seasons. It also signals that Cowher is running out of patience with an underachieving team that was favored to win the AFC title but is only 1-2.

"He came up in his little crystal ball that he wanted to start Tommy," said Stewart, clearly upset by the decision. "It's not the end of the world for me, and I'm going to have an opportunity to start again. I just don't know when."

Maddox didn't get a long-term commitment from Cowher, and he wasn't expecting one.

"At quarterback, you've got to go out and play and put your team in a position to win," Maddox said. "If you don't, there's going to be somebody else that's going to get a shot."

Stewart could tell him that.

"This is three times," he said. "At some point it gets old, but I'm not going on a spiel about how I feel or what I think. ... After you've gotten accomplished what you've gotten accomplished, you kind of wish you would keep playing and the confidence of everybody around you was still as strong but, right now, it's not about how I think or how I feel.

"It's his (Cowher's) team, and he's got to make the move he thinks is in the best interest of his team -- and he's got to live with it. ..."

According to the Sports Xchange, by benching Kordell Stewart, the Steelers are acknowledging they no longer can win purely by running the ball.

In fact, the Steelers haven't been able to run the ball at all and that is one reason they will switch to Maddox. They will have to rely more on the passing game and Maddox does that better than Stewart. With Jerome Bettis and Amos Zereoue playing like poor imitations of themselves and their offensive line showing up only on occasion, Pittsburgh no longer is the power running team of old. Last year, they led the NFL with 173.4 yards rushing a game. They're nearly 100 yards a game under that this year. Making matters worse, Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala is back on the bench with torn cartilage in his ribs. This came after Cowher replaced Bettis and inserted "Fu" in the second half of last Sunday's game. It was Fu's big chance and he came up injured again. Cowher has no choice now. He has Bettis and he has Zereoue, who just isn't the same since he lost more than a dozen pounds this spring after a cyst was discovered on his liver. That did not stop the Steelers from giving him a new $8.8 million contract that looks foolish now. Zereoue does not have the zip he once had and also does not look as big as he did last season. There is always rookie Verron Haynes, who had a good senior season at Georgia. The Steelers liked how he ran so much that they drafted him and made him a fullback. That could change, though, because he took reps at halfback this week. But Bettis still has it in him, if they are willing to commit to that.

During the 55-minute operation, surgeons inserted four pins to stabilize the finger, injured in the first quarter of Sunday's 13-10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

The pins will be removed in about six weeks and Warner will wear a splint on his right hand for most of that time.

"We anticipate that with rehabilitation he will recover function over eight to 10 weeks," said Dr. Matthew Matava, the Rams' head team physician who assisted in the surgery.

The injury to the two-time league MVP was the latest blow for the defending NFC champions, who are 0-4, their worst start since 1963.

Also Tuesday, the Rams signed Scott Covington as the team's No. 3 quarterback, backing up Warner replacement Jamie Martin and reserve Marc Bulger.

Covington, a former Miami Hurricanes quarterback drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in 1999, will remain with the team until Warner returns.

I tend to agree with Sports Illustrated insider Peter King on this one after he wrote on Monday:

"I think you can stick a fork in the Rams. They can't go 10-2 down the stretch and make the playoffs. Not with the 49ers on the road next week, not with Jamie Martin playing quarterback, not with a sieve of an offensive line, not with Marshall Faulk running as productively as Ron Dayne. That offensive line looks like the big problem to me, folks. Well, no Kurt Warner looks like more of a problem this morning, really."

The run-loving coach and his star ballcarrier proved to be quite the potent combination last Sunday, when Tomlinson zigzagged through the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots and led the unbeaten Chargers to a surprising 21-14 victory.

When he was finished, Tomlinson had tied Gary Anderson's 1988 club record with 217 yards on 27 carries and had highlight-reel touchdown runs of 58 and 37 yards. His 217 yards are the best in the NFL this season.

Schottenheimer joked that he was going to "send the NFL back to the Neanderthal age."

If that's the case, it'll at least be an interesting march back in time.

Even quarterback Drew Brees, who set all sorts of passing records at Purdue, was still enjoying it on Monday after watching the game film.

"It's fun to watch L.T. run," Brees said. "You could just sit back and watch that tape and not pay attention to who's blocking who and just watch L.T.

"If we're going to be able to run like this every weekend, we'll be the greatest rushing offense of all time," Brees joked. "Obviously I don't think that would happen. But we're very excited."

Seriously, Brees might have to throw 50 passes sometime, and he said he was prepared to on Sunday. But he only threw 18, completing 10 for 104 yards, including a 52-yard touchdown to Curtis Conway.

It was clearly L.T.'s day.

"I don't know if we need to throw it 50 times a game like some people," Schottenheimer said. "I wouldn't be a very smart coach throwing it 50 times if we've got LaDainian Tomlinson standing back there."

Said Tomlinson: "I don't think I want to be anywhere where they're chucking the ball 50 some times a game."

Tomlinson said watching the game film reminded him of his days at TCU, when he was a two-time NCAA rushing champion.

"I've been waiting on long runs and having a big day and it finally happened," he said.

"The kind of defense they played enabled us to get the cutback lanes and have the long runs," Tomlinson said. "And then it came down to the receivers blocking the cornerbacks and the safeties. That's how we got the long runs."

Tomlinson scored the game-winning touchdown on a 58-yard run two plays into the second half, with receiver Tim Dwight clearing the final 10 yards when he raced from way behind the play to take out cornerback Otis Smith.

Brees said Tomlinson does things he's never seen before.

"Honestly -- the way he cuts, the holes he sees before they open, the cutback lanes, the ability to make people miss in the hole, his downfield running and breaking tackles," Brees said. "He catches the ball incredibly well, too. To have a guy who can do both, he's a huge threat."

Schottenheimer has always favored big, pounding backs like Christian Okoye, Earnest Byner and Kevin Mack -- and he also coached Marcus Allen, who had remarkable cutting ability.

"But his ability to explode when he changes direction is unique to what I've been around," Schottenheimer said about Tomlinson.

Schottenheimer pointed to the winning TD run.

"In a couple of situations when we didn't block it clean, he did his magic. There were two guys standing in the hole but he jumped sideways and took off running down the backside," he said.

Tomlinson leads the NFL with 506 yards and San Diego (4-0) has the NFL's top rushing offense. Conversely, the Chargers' passing game is second-to-last, ahead of only the expansion Houston Texans.

The Chargers say they expect more out of Tomlinson, and he thinks he knows what they mean.

"I can take it to the house every play. You never know," he said.

Garcia ranks 29th in the league in yards per passing attempt, and has thrown three interceptions and just two touchdown passes.

Still, Garcia does not want to think that he is in a slump. After all, he has only played two-and-a-half games after taking himself out of the 49ers' game Sept. 22 against Washington with flu-like symptoms.

"It's something I know is going to turn around. Hopefully it'll happen this weekend," Garcia said. "I can't afford to sit here and put pressure on myself to go out there and have a 300-yard passing game and have a four-touchdown passing game. It's something that's just going to come. I'm going to go out there and do whatever it takes to help this team win a football game and everything else will take care of itself."

Also of interest. ...

According to Sacramento Bee staff Mike Triplett, the Rams like to play two-deep against the Niners and force them to run, but this week St. Louis must expect the 49ers will try to run, so it might be ready for that. Tailbacks Kevan Barlow and Garrison Hearst both look to be on top of their game.

Also according to Triplett, Rams cornerback Aeneas Williams got the better of Terrell Owens last year. St. Louis might single-cover Owens more than most teams have because of that. That might free Owens more, or it might just make it easier for the Rams' secondary to stop the deep pass. ... J.J. Stokes has only been making an impact as a short-yardage receiver.

Alexander scored on runs of 2, 20, 3 and 14 yards and also went for an 80-yard scoring play on a screen pass from Trent Dilfer. Alexander had 11 carries for 111 yards as the Seahawks led 45-10 at halftime.

Six touchdowns in a game is the league mark.

The five touchdowns were a team record for a full game. The previous team record of four TDs was shared by Darryl Turner against San Diego on Sept. 15, 1984, and Curt Warner against Denver on Dec. 11, 1988.

The Seahawks' 45 points in the first two quarters also established a team record for points in a half.

Seattle's previous record of 42 points in a half was set against Buffalo on Oct. 30, 1977. The Seahawks' 31 points in the second quarter also set a team record for most points in a quarter, breaking the mark of 28 set four times.

The NFL record for points in a half is 49.

On a less positive note. ... In addition to losing guard Steve Hutchinson, who underwent surgery after breaking a bone in his right leg last Sunday, tight end Jerramy Stevens, Seattle's first-round draft pick this year, sustained a high ankle sprain in the second quarter and didn't return. He was making his first start against the Vikings.

"In all likelihood, he'll miss three weeks," head coach Mike Holmgren said of Stevens. "But those are funny injuries, in that they are hard to predict."

Why?

Because the former Bill signed a one-year deal with the Buccaneers prior to the 2002 season, and he's hoping to get a chance somewhere else to play -- and get paid accordingly -- in 2003.

Possible destinations for Johnson include the Bengals, who always are in the market for a new quarterback to ultimately bench. Other places where he could have a chance to play next year include the Jets, Ravens, Broncos, Chiefs, Cowboys, Cardinals, Bears, Panthers, and Seahawks. ...

Other notes of interest. ...

The Buccaneers signed receiver Charles Lee, offensive lineman Tutan Reyes and long snapper Morris Unutoa to one-year contracts on Tuesday.

The team also placed long snapper Mike Solwold (foot) and rookie receiver Marquise Walker (thumb) on injured reserve.

Lee was a seventh-round draft pick of the Green Bay Packers in 2000. He appeared in 22 games with one start for the Packers, catching 13 passes for 166 yards and one touchdown.

Walker, a third-round draft pick, was inactive for Tampa Bay's first four games.

The Titans have to legitimate options from which to choose: Justin McCareins and Drew Bennett.

“We haven't decided which one will start, but I'm anxious to see Justin,” Jeff Fisher told the Nashville Tennessean on Monday. “He's been making some plays for us and he's ready for his opportunity.”

Both are second-year players and both are large, with McCareins going 6-2, 218 and Bennett running 6-5 203 pounds. Bennett has more catches than McCareins (nine to five), but the latter has more touchdowns (two to one). Bennett got more experience last season, catching 24 balls for 329 yards and a score in 14 games, including one start, but McCareins has been too impressive to overlook.

And don't forget about Frank Wycheck, who was Steve McNair’s favorite target for several years until Mason became the go-to guy last year. The veteran tight end could easily emerge as a more dangerous threat with Mason sidelined.

Also of interest. ...

In an article published Tuesday, Tennessean staffer Jeff Legwold pointed out that team's rushing attack continues to be a mystery. The running game has started slowly before, but this has a troublesome look to it.

The team hasn't gotten all of the pieces in sync. When the offensive line makes a hole, Eddie George doesn't make the right read. When George slams himself into the designed hole, the line hasn't won the battle up front. All together, the poor results are a big part of the team's 1-3 start.

His experience is a factor, but the overriding factor is that Steve Spurrier wants indisputable evidence that Wuerffel can't play in the NFL. Spurrier and Wuerffel have a successful history together, and Spurrier is convinced Wuerffel can regain the form he showed in the preseason. Spurrier will not be convinced that Wuerffel is not an NFL caliber starter until he sees that with his own eyes.

Spurrier's decision to wait until Saturday to announce his decision is rare in the league. There's a reason for that. It's a bad idea. It doesn't cut down on the media crunch, as Spurrier says. Instead, it increases the scrutiny on both quarterbacks.

The best way to get a quarterback ready for a game is to install him as the starter at the beginning of the week and give him 90 percent of the work during the week.

Despite what they say, players like to know who is starting.

The quarterback who gives the team the best chance to win this game is Shane Matthews. Matthews has taken a pounding this season, but he's healthy enough to play. The problems with the offense, for the most part, have not been Matthews' fault.

Patrick Ramsey is destined to play soon, perhaps as soon as Sunday. His physical tools are too impressive to overlook any longer, especially if Wuerffel has a poor outing again. ...

Also according to Woody, Kevin Lockett will get his first start of the season at wide receiver, replacing Derrius Thompson. Thompson was ineffective against the Eagles and 49ers, and Spurrier is never afraid to change players at any position. Whether Lockett will provide any type of spark is the question. He has been the No. 3 receiver with few distinguishing results for the past two seasons.

The problem at receiver is that the team lacks a deep threat that every opponent must respect. There also is a consistency problem with every receiver on the team, and until that is corrected, the team is likely to struggle in the passing game.

Walter Rasby has a chance to play this week after missing the first three games because of a knee injury. If he's active, his role will be limited to blocking from his tight end position. Rasby is valuable in that role. He's an excellent blocker who rarely misses an assignment. The team needs all the help it can get in its run blocking, and Rasby might be one of the missing pieces in the success of the running game.