Despite the giddiness, there are still plenty of questions that start with "What's wrong with. ...?"

But according to Somers, the answer to the biggest fill-in-the-blank question is "David Boston."

Following a breakout season in which he set a Cardinals record with 1,598 receiving yards and made his first Pro Bowl, Boston is off to a slow start and his production is down dramatically so far this year.

He has 305 yards on 19 catches, but in the past three games he has had just eight receptions for 118 yards. That's his worst three-game stretch since the end of the 2000 season.

It's easy to speculate about the problems.

Boston's worried about playing well in the final year of his contract. Legal problems stemming from two misdemeanor DUI charges are hanging over his head, affecting his play. His right foot's hurt worse than he's admitting.

Boston finds all of this a bit amusing.

"I'm doing OK," he said with a slight smile. "I've got 300 yards in five games, it's not like I have 100 yards."

No, but it's not like he has 481, either, which he had after the first five games of last season.

Boston's not himself, which he admitted for the first time this week. The injury to his right foot, suffered in Week 3 against San Diego, has bothered him more than he has let on.

He has had to leave a couple of games in key situations. He's lining up on the right side in most formations, because that allows him to cut off his left foot.

Boston has also missed considerable practice time, which has affected his timing with quarterback Jake Plummer.

"You can see the guys who have been out there constantly practicing," head coach Dave McGinnis said. "You can see that transferring to Sunday. It's so critical for people to be able to practice to maintain their craft. We saw when he was healthy and practicing constantly last year what the results are. I think we'll see that again once we reach that stage."

The decline in Boston's production would be easier for the Cardinals to endure if there weren't other issues swirling around him.

The legal problems are the most disconcerting. After a traffic incident last spring, Boston tested positive for marijuana and cocaine, according to Phoenix police. Boston has yet to appear in court on the charges and probably won't until after the season.

The Cardinals would like to re-sign a few of their core players during the season, but they'll likely wait on Boston until his legal situation is determined. It's possible they could place the franchise tag on him, guaranteeing their right to match any offer, or receive two first-round picks as compensation if they don't.

Boston insists the outside issues haven't affected his play.

"The legal issues I knew were going to be pushed to after the season," he said. "That's not even an issue with me during the season.

"Everybody wants to go out and have a great year during their contract year. If the team goes 10-6 or. ... 11-5, I'll trade 500 yards off my deal, easy. I don't have to go out and have 1,500 yards every year."

Receivers coach Jerry Sullivan was given considerable credit for Boston's development last season. Together, they worked diligently to improve Boston's route running. Sullivan also worked on Boston's mental approach, encouraging him to cut down on showboating, emphasizing to him that great receivers produce year after year.

Sullivan can see that Boston's sprained foot is affecting his performance. But he has no way of knowing if the off-field issues are also contributing.

"I tell guys that contracts have a way of working themselves out over time," Sullivan said, "the more you concern yourself with them, the more pressure you put on yourself that you don't need."

Sullivan hasn't broached the subject of Boston's legal problems with him.

"I've never walked up to him and said, 'Hey, is that hanging over your head, making you feel uncomfortable?' " Sullivan said. "I think that's a personal thing with him. I'm his coach, I'm not his parent, and sometimes there's a boundary on what I ask, just out of respect."

There's also a boundary on what Boston would say, anyway. Boston is quiet, often aloof, and it's not his style to let many people in on what he's thinking.

Of course, Boston is coming off one of his worst days in the NFL. He dropped two passes and missed two others that would have been great catches against the Panthers in Week 5.

But Sullivan saw some positive signs in that game, including two catches during one fourth-quarter drive.

"I thought there were shades of his old self," Sullivan said.

Boston doesn't seem worried about his performance, and it's encouraging, he said, that he hasn't had to post big numbers for the team to win.

Fellow receivers Frank Sanders and MarTay Jenkins have made clutch plays, as has tight end Freddie Jones. Running backs Thomas Jones and Marcel Shipp have had good games, and the offensive line is playing well.

"If we get other guys involved in the offense. ... I don't need to go out and have 1,500 yards," Boston said. "Everyone will be happy if I have 1,100 yards."

Ummm. ... Not everyone David. Especially those looking from a Fantasy perspective.

"I guess I'm not playing up to everybody's expectations," Boston admitted, "but I know for myself that I haven't played up to what I can play. I have 11 games. I have to get healthy, and in those 11 games, hopefully I can put up the numbers everybody expects."

I'm with the big fella on that one. ...

Other notes of interest. ...

Several injured players should return to health after the open week, including running backs Thomas Jones and Marcel Shipp.

According to Somers, Jones (ankle) hasn't practiced in almost three weeks, so the rest and last week's bye should help him greatly. Coaches fully expect the former first-round draft pick to start against the Cowboys this Sunday. ... Shipp (knee) hasn't practiced in two weeks, and it's doubtful he'll be 100 percent against Dallas. He should be well enough to play, though.

Fullback Joel Makovicka used the off week to rest a sore hamstring, but McGinnis told reporters there were no off-week miracles.

"Just because they have had time, it doesn't mean their injury is going to [heal]," McGinnis said, "but I'm optimistic unless something else hits during the week. ..."

Reserve halfback Damien Anderson did well in his first NFL game two weeks ago, but Jones is more of a threat for a big play and Shipp has great instincts. Anderson should stay on the 53-man roster.

And finally. ... As reported by Baton Rouge Advocate columnist Sheldon Mickles, place-kicker Bill Gramatica nearly gave McGinnis a heart attack against the Panthers two weeks ago.

After booting what turned out to be the game-winning field goal with 16 seconds left, Gramatica kicked off out of bounds. That gave the Panthers the ball at their 40-yard line and a little hope.

"[After the field goal] I wanted to kiss the kid and adopt him," McGinnis said. "When he kicked it out of bounds, I was ready to divorce him and behead him."

The third-year pro completed 19-of-25 passes for 257 yards and a touchdown. He ran in for another score. Johnson also completed 8-of-10 passes on third downs, and was 6-for-6 on third downs on Atlanta's two touchdown drives.

Johnson has faced a few NFL crossroads in his short career.

First, he was undrafted out of the University of Florida in 2000, and had to choose among Atlanta, Dallas and Green Bay before signing as a free agent.

Then, before his second season, the Falcons drafted Mike Vick No. 1 overall just a few weeks after acquiring Eric Zeier in a trade with Tampa Bay. Johnson beat out Zeier that summer for the No. 3 quarterback spot.

And after the Falcons released quarterback Chris Chandler last offseason, there was speculation the team might use a high draft pick or sign a veteran to be the backup.

But head coach Dan Reeves told the personnel department he was comfortable with Johnson. Sunday, it looked like the Falcons made all the right moves.

"He handles our offense really well," said Reeves said of Johnson. "So he really didn't surprise me in anything he did."

Nonetheless, Johnson is likely to return to a backup role when the Falcons take on the Panthers this Sunday. Vick's sprained right (non-throwing) shoulder is expected to be improved enough for him to play, although Reeves said Vick's status won't be clear until Wednesday.

Keep an eye on this week's Late-Breaking Updates for more on Vick's status throughout the weekend. ...

Other notes of interest. ...

As noted by Falcons' insider Charles Odum, veteran receiver Shawn Jefferson surprisingly returned to the starting lineup Sunday. The former Charger and Patriot, who re-took the spot lost to Willie Jackson last month, finished the game with three catches for 84 yards, including a 63-yarder on the game-winning drive.

However, Jefferson was caught from behind on one occasion -- an indication that lacks the speed he had earlier in his career.

Jefferson, 33, still runs disciplined patterns and has the quickness to get open, but according to Odum, he's probably still best suited to serving as the team's third receiver.

With the Ravens at their own 27, Chris Redman was intercepted with 33 seconds left in the first half, leading to a Colts field goal that extended their lead to seven. Redman also was sacked with two-and a half minutes left in the game, knocking the Ravens, who led by a point, out of field-goal range to their 40.

End Chad Bratzke beat Ethan Brooks for the seven-yard sack.

"Like most things, it's a cascading effect," head coach Brian Billick said. "The receiver maybe went a little long. He was about to come open, and Chris had made the right read based on the rotation of the secondary. It would have given us a nice first down inside the 20-yard line. The receiver took it a little deep, not egregiously so, but then the tackle made a mistake, took a wrong step. You take the two together and it compounds into what happened.

"If the tackle sets properly, holds out long enough, and the receiver doesn't take it deeper than he should, then now it's a great play. That's the margin of error in the NFL."

Billick did, however, fault Redman for the interception late in the first half.

Redman lofted a ball intended for Travis Taylor down the middle, where it was intercepted by linebacker Mike Peterson with 22 seconds left.

The play was for Redman to dump the ball underneath the coverage to Jamal Lewis.

"That was probably the only bad decision of the day for him because that was a clear-cut, let's run everybody off, sneak Jamal out of the backfield and dump it off, get a first down and let the clock run down," Billick said.

"He knew that was a critical judgment error. Chris has been pretty good at logging mistakes, and I don't think he'll forget that one for a while."

That doesn't change the fact that Sunday's game against the Colts wasn't one of Redman's better outings. The former Louisville star completed 15-of-28 passes for 163 yards, but was inaccurate, especially on short routs. He still holds the ball too long, and tries to make plays instead of throwing it away when he is out of the pocket.

Other notes of interest. ...

In an article published Tuesday, Sun beat writer Mike Preston noted that third-year tight end John Jones has the physical attributes but has yet to show an ability to catch the ball consistently. He works hard in the weight room and is a good run blocker.

At 6-4, 255, Jones is a decent complement to pass-catching tight end Todd Heap, but the team wants Jones to be more of a pass-catching weapon, too.

TSN columnist Dan Pompei reminded readers that "Taylor remains an enigma. The tenth pick of the 2000 draft has all the skills scouts look for. He’s a tremendous athlete, he runs great routes, and he has size, speed and hands. He’s even well-liked by just about everyone in the Baltimore organization. What he has yet to show, however, is killer instinct. For Taylor to get the most out of his body, he’ll have to play with more desire and passion. ..."

Matt Stover's two field goals last Sunday included a 51-yarder that matched his career long.

According to the Sun, Javin Hunter might start for the second consecutive game in Week 7. Brandon Stokley might sit out again with an ankle injury. ...

And finally ... Return specialist Lamont Brightful received his first action of the season, returning two kickoffs for a 25-yard average.

Brightful was the team's punt and kickoff returner before losing both jobs in the preseason.

"It was good to get my feet wet and get a taste of that first regular-season action," said Brightful, who returned one of the kickoffs 38 yards. "I always feel like I'm part of the team, but you feel like it a little more when you go out and contribute."

The club turned to smash-mouth football during the win over the Texans. As the weather turns bad, a steady running game will be even more important. ...

Travis Henry had a dominant performance against Houston. As described by Wilson, "he broke tackles with his powerful legs and made extra yards when no hole was there. Henry ran for 159 yards on 28 carries. He also scored two touchdowns. His fifth fumble in six games marred an otherwise flawless performance.

Or as Rochester Democrat & Chronicle staffer Sal Maiorana put it: "One play [Henry] commits a silly leg-whip penalty that could have cost the Bills a scoring opportunity. Of course it wasn’t costly because on the next play he broke two tackles en route to a 23-yard touchdown run.

"At times he looked like Emmitt Smith in his prime, gashing through a pretty good Houston defense for a career-high 159 yards. But then he put the ball on the carpet early in the fourth quarter to set up a go-ahead Houston touchdown."

None of which changes the fact that Henry has clearly emerged as a top Fantasy back early this season.

Other notes of interest. ...

Peerless Price pulled in eight catches for 121 yards. It was the former University of Tennessee star's third 100-yard receiving game. He had only four coming into this season. ... Eric Moulds didn't catch a pass until the third quarter and finished with four for 56 yards. He caught at least eight passes in each of Buffalo's first five games. ...

And finally. ... No. 2 halfback Shawn Bryson will be sidelined indefinitely after having surgery to repair torn cartilage in his left knee Wednesday.

Bryson, who missed his rookie season in 1999 with torn ligaments in the same knee, was injured in Sunday's 31-24 win at Houston.

Head coach Gregg Williams said tests revealed no ligament damage, and he didn't expect Bryson to miss a significant amount of time.

Weinke will replace 14-year veteran Rodney Peete, who underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee. The knee has been bothering Peete since training camp and the team decided now was the best time to make the move with the bye week three weeks away.

Head coach John Fox said Peete will be out 3-4 weeks.

The move was probably coming anyway. Peete left Sunday's game against the Dallas Cowboys in the first half with a concussion and was replaced by Weinke, who led the team to 10 first downs in the second half. The Panthers had just four first downs under Peete in the first half. Fox said he was pleased with Weinke's play against Dallas.

"I thought for coming off the bench his performance was good enough to win," Fox said. "It is very seldom a guy is 100 percent. But I think Chris made the statement the last couple of weeks that he has had his best couple of weeks of practice. He's prepared hard and I think that was evident Sunday."

Rookie Randy Fasani will be the team's backup quarterback.

At this point, the Panthers do not have any plans to sign a third quarterback while Peete is out.

"It's been getting worse each week and it's taking longer to recover from," Peete said. "It had to happen at some point. In my mind I was trying to wait until after the season. But it's only going to get worse, not better. The hard part was figuring out the right timing to do it. Do you do it bye week and risk not being back after the bye week or do it before hand and assure yourself being back after the bye week? We decided to do it now."

Fox said he has no policy about whether Peete will start when he returns to the lineup.

Other notes of interest. ...

According to Charlotte Observer staffer Stan Olson, the team's receiving corps is battered. Steve Smith suffered a rib contusion late in Sunday's game and is listed as questionable for Sunday's game at Atlanta. "There is no rib break," Fox said. "So a lot is going to be the player's ability to deal with that."

Smith said, "They hurt. I'll just take it day-to-day with light practices, see how it goes and go from there."

Fellow receiver Isaac Byrd is recovering from a pulled abdominal muscle that kept him out against Dallas. He is improving and could play Sunday. ...

Also according to Olson, Wesley Walls was unhappy after failing to catch a pass for the second time in three games and only the third time in his Panthers career.

"I'm disappointed; I wouldn't say surprised," he said. "Nothing surprises me around here anymore. That's how I feel about it."

Walls is playing with a broken right ring finger that bothered him mentally a week ago, but said that wasn't a problem against Dallas.

"I don't feel much like a target," he said. "I can't control a lot of things. I just didn't get many looks."

Walls was asked if he had talked to the coaches about his concerns.

"I'm not going to do that," he said. "I did that last year. I'm not going to get into that stuff. I can't control it; all it does is create frustration, and I'm about as frustrated as I can be right now."

And finally. ... Rookie running back DeShaun Foster, yet to play this season after knee surgery, is expected to return to practice Wednesday. Foster and the staff have targeted the Tampa Bay game Oct. 27 for his return.

On 110 carries so far this season, Anthony "A-Train" Thomas has just 330 yards and an average of exactly 3.0 yards per attempt.

On his first 105 carries last season, Thomas rushed for 535 yards, 5.1 yards per carry. While winning the NFL's offensive rookie of the year award in 2001, Thomas had 8 carries for 20 yards or longer. This year he's got just one carry of more than 11 yards.

Of Thomas' 110 carries this season, 56 have been for two yards or less, while just 16 have been for more than five yards. Big plays in the running game have been almost nonexistent this season, and with an injury-ravaged defense needing all the rest it can get, the lack of a ground attack isn't allowing the Bears' offense to control the clock, stay on the field and give the defense a breather.

"It's something that we've talked about often in the first five weeks of the season," head coach Dick Jauron said. "The opportunities do present themselves, and it doesn't appear to be the same thing (going wrong) for us. [Sometimes] it's blocked well and somebody downfield misses a block. Or it's blocked well, and we don't break a tackle. Or it's blocked well [downfield] but it's not blocked well [at the line of scrimmage]; somebody up front doesn't make the block. In order to get the chunks, you have to have the whole thing fall together."

It's worth noting that Thomas had a more eventful bye weekend than most players -- he pulled a man from a burning car before it burst into flames.

Sunday night, as Thomas and his wife Hayley Thomas were on their way to visit injured teammate David Terrell, they passed a smoking vehicle on the side of the road.

Terrell who was also teammates with Thomas for four years at Michigan, is out for at least six more weeks following surgery for a stress fracture in his right foot. But on Monday the wide receiver interrupted questions about his own rehab to trumpet the exploits of his soft-spoken friend, who said nothing to reporters during interviews earlier Monday morning.

"Train saved somebody's life last night," Terrell exclaimed.

Thomas' account of the incident is about as matter-of-fact as a police report -- which is reportedly typical of the former second-round draft pick, who was the NFL's offensive rookie of the year last season but has never been one to embellish his own accomplishments.

He practically had to be dragged back into the locker room to offer his version, and even then he initially said he only wanted to talk about football. Finally he relented.

"I passed by first," Thomas said. "But then me and my wife said, 'We better turn around and see what happened,' because it was real smoky. At first it wasn't really on fire, but after I pulled over, BOOM the tire popped. I didn't even know anybody was in the car at the time.

"(By then), the car was on fire. We stopped, and a couple other guys stopped. The guy was still in the car, so we got out and called the fire department. I think he was kind of dazed, he (had) hit the curb and the car was on fire when I got there. We helped him out, me and my wife and another guy. That was it."

Also of interest. ...

According to Chicago Tribune staffer John Mullin, Terrell's injury means Marcus Robinson will get more playing time. Robinson has a reliable set of hands and the potential to get deep, but he doesn't work the middle as well as Terrell.

The team lacks heart and handles adversity poorly. The talent level isn't the league's worst; it's just that very few players are measuring up to their potential. They've clearly quit playing hard for head coach Dick LeBeau.

The poor start has caused players to press, especially Jon Kitna, who is struggling with a 7-to-1 interception-to-touchdown ratio.

Despite solid leadership skills, Kitna has small hands and lacks ideal arm strength. He continues to force too many passes into heavy coverage and is prone to fumbling when he gets flushed out of the pocket or sacked.

Considering the offense's woes and the failure of quarterbacks Gus Frerotte and Akili Smith to produce when given the opportunity, all indications are the team will be forced to spend another high draft pick on a quarterback.

In a related note. ... LeBeau kept his job Monday as coach of the Cincinnati Bengals, a sign that the NFL's only winless team is content to stay the course.

The Bengals have had four head coaches but no winning records since 1990, the last season Paul Brown ran the team.

LeBeau's future was clouded after the Bengals fell to 0-6 with a 34-7 loss Sunday to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Cincinnati has a bye this weekend.

General manager Mike Brown held his customary Monday morning meeting with the coaching staff and never raised the subject of changes, LeBeau said.

"I've always been very proud to be a Cincinnati Bengal," LeBeau said. "I sought this job, and I think it was a very good thing in the life of Dick LeBeau that I got this job. And I'm going to work my tail off to get this job done."

One last note here. ... On Monday, three-time Pro Bowl running back Corey Dillon hinted that he might retire at the end of the season if major changes aren't made.

"They better get it right, or, at the end of the season, I've got a surprise for them," Dillon said in an interview posted on the team's official web site.

After Tuesday's practice, Dillon refused to elaborate on his comments when approached by members of the local media.

Jamel White's receiving numbers tell the story of Cleveland's offense against the Buccaneers. He had 10 catches, which is good, but they went for 34 yards. It could have been the most unproductive 10-catch day in team history. It wasn't White's fault though. Most of the catches came on checkdowns when he was the last option and had nowhere to run.

All of their playmakers are in the passing game. The team has four good wide receivers in Kevin Johnson, Dennis Northcutt, Andre' Davis and Quincy Morgan, but they are not being utilized.

In fact, the Sports Xchange noted this week that Morgan and Johnson have dropped off the map.

The pair caught four passes for 27 yards in last Sunday's loss, numbers that will not win many games. Both were frustrated and disappointed after the game. Johnson said Warren Sapp complimented the Browns receivers during the game, but the receivers could do little to make something happen given the opportunities given them.

Northcutt was the only Browns wideout to be productive. His four catches for 74 yards led the team. The receivers carried the Browns to a 2-1 start (that could have been 3-0 had Dwayne Rudd not tossed his helmet), but the past three games Northcutt is the only one of the four wideouts to have more than 10 catches.

Why?

According to King, it's because coaches insist on trying to jam the ball down people's throats with the running game, and the players are not capable of doing it-at least at this time. ...

In a related item. ... Rookie William Green had his best game as a Brown -- though the numbers won't show it. Green's 22 yards on eight carries were unimpressive, but were hard-earned. Tampa Bay gave him little room to run, and for the first time this season Green got everything out of what he was given.

Smith's numbers have been remarkably consistent this season.

He's had between 52 and 70 yards in every game. He's had no fewer than 11 carries and no more than 18 in a game.

Smith is on course to break the record in Detroit on Nov. 3. The Cowboys are at Arizona next week, then host Seattle. At the pace he's going, Smith would need a breakout game (100-plus yards) to get the record before the trip to Michigan.

In an article published Tuesday, Dallas Morning News reporter Jean-Jacques Taylor offered readers the following opinion:

"Smith remains a good running back, but he's no longer great. He still has the vision that separated him from others when he was a premier runner, but he no longer has the speed to consistently get outside and make defenders miss.

"Smith still has strong thighs and hamstrings that make him a good short-yardage option, but without the speed he has become one-dimensional. ..."

Also of interest. ...

In an article published last Thursday, SportsLine.com insider Pete Prisco asked if Dave Campo is in trouble in Dallas?

The answer, according to Prisco, is probably not yet -- but he's on his way.

Campo and his staff coached a poor game in their Week 5 loss to the Giants, making several questionable tactical errors. In addition to punting with two minutes, three seconds left and two timeouts -- he never got the ball back -- the Cowboys also faked a field goal and went for it on fourth-and-2, two moves that backfired.

Prisco went on to say the Cowboys are playing lazy football, which is certainly indicative of the way their offensive line is playing. That might be carrying over to the entire team. If Dallas doesn't get it turned around, there will be a change.

As for possible replacements, don't look to the Dallas staff. Offensive coordinator Bruce Coslet hasn't exactly endeared himself so far. Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer will be a head coach someday, but he might be a year or two away.

Two possibilities: Miami offensive coordinator Norv Turner, who worked for the Cowboys before his failed head-coaching stint in Washington, and Tennessee's Jeff Fisher.

Now the Broncos are thinking about making Reuben Droughns the fullback and having Anderson share tailback duties with rookie Clinton Portis. ...

The Broncos averaged 4.3 yards a carry against a tough Miami defense, with Portis carrying the load with 75 yards on 18 carries. But back-to-back fumbles, one by Portis that he recovered at the Dolphin one-yard line, and the second by Anderson at the goal line, proved devastating. ...

Rod Smith and Ed McCaffrey both reached milestones Sunday, recording career catches No. 500. Smith would finish with nine catches for 88 yards and McCaffrey five for 61. McCaffrey also extended his streak to 60 consecutive games having caught a pass.

In an article published last Tuesday, Saunders noted the great hands, toughness and intelligence that made McCaffrey one of the club's best weapons during its Super Bowl seasons, were not lost when he broke his leg last year.

Has McCaffrey lost a step? Perhaps. He doesn't get open downfield as easily. Yet he ran away from the crowd for a 69-yard touchdown against San Diego.

Even if McCaffrey weren't deceptively fast, he would be a perfect fit for head coach Mike Shanahan's offense. He runs precise routes, blocks like a demon and knows the offense inside and out. He already has 21 receptions for 299 yards.

No one has better hands than McCaffrey. And no one is more courageous in traffic. ...

And in an article published last Monday, Pro Football Weekly stated that he'll never be mistaken for one of the league's more outspoken veterans, but Smith took definitely exception to the team’s pathetic first-half showing against the Ravens in Week Four and chewed out his teammates at halftime.

This type of vocal outburst isn’t necessarily considered out of character for Smith, as he addressed the club in a team meeting when things started going badly last year. "I can swallow this one, but I guarantee you next week, I'm putting it on me [not to happen again]," Smith said after the embarrassing loss to the Ravens. "I'm going to be on someone's ass next week to make sure we get it done."

Both Smith and Shanahan told the team they believed it was the worst special-teams performance they had seen (the Broncos’ miscues directly led to 17 Ravens points), but there was no finger-pointing last week, and everyone seemed to accept their own share of the blame for what went wrong -- a good sign from a veteran team.

Other notes of interest. ...

As reported by the Sports Xchange, a 52-yard field goal by Jason Elam snapped an 0-for-4 streak on attempts beyond 42 yards during the previous three games. He also added what he thought would be a game-winning 55-yarder, only to see Miami counterpart Olindo Mare top it 39 seconds later to win it for the Dolphins.

"When I hit the kick, I thought it was going to hit the right upright. The next thing I know I look up and I was on the Miami bench," Elam said, noting the power of body language to move the ball left.

He also had a 49-yarder nullified at the end of the first half because of an offensive holding penalty.

"I've never been in a situation like that. I still don't understand the rule," Elam said.

And finally. ... Brian Griese surpassed 300 yards passing three consecutive games, the second time in his career that he has done that. He also became the third Bronco player to eclipse thee 10,000-yard passing mark, joining John Elway (51,475) and Craig Morton (1,895).

In both of the losses, Harrington has been one throw away from salvaging a win or a tie. In the 37-31 loss to Green Bay, he had a pass slide off the fingertips of tight end Mikhael Ricks in the end zone and in the 31-24 loss at Minnesota, he was intercepted on an eight-yard throw to Az-Zahir Hakim into the end zone.

The question is how long the faint-hearted Lions will continue to be competitive if they don't start getting some returns on their efforts in close games they have a chance at winning.

In their 2-14 season a year ago, they had a frustrating run of near misses early in the season. And if they start losing in similar fashion again this year, it could be demoralizing.

The Chicago Bears, the defending division champions who have won just two of their first five games, are next on the Lions schedule. The teams meet Sunday at Ford Field in Detroit.

The Lions have shown they can play close games. If they can somehow dig up a consistent pass rush and find a way to give Harrington some help with a running game, they might be able to convert some of the close games into victories. ...

Other items of interest. ...

On the injury front. ... Ricks has a pulled groin and is questionable for this weekend's game. Bill Schroeder underwent an MRI exam Monday on his injured knee and results were not available. Both were injured during last Sunday's loss to the Vikings.

Neither player practiced Monday, but Germane Crowell hit the practice field for the first time in ages.

According to the Detroit Free Press, Crowell ran a few routes Monday and will give his knees a more strenuous test on Wednesday. Team officials placed Crowell on the Reserved/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list prior to Week 1.

The former University of Virginia star is attempting to make it all the way back after tearing the patellar tendon in his knee against the Titans last October 21. Crowell later had another procedure, this time on his other knee, to repair a problem that was causing the joint to swell. ...

By the way. ... Keep an eye on this week's Late-Breaking Updates for more on Schroeder and Ricks.

"For bringing an undermanned team missing its four best defensive starters to New England and winning 28-10. For converting a sick fourth-down pass in the second half that led to this win. For moving past John Elway into third place on the all-time passing touchdowns list; now only Dan Marino (420) and Fran Tarkenton (342) have more than Favre's 301. For moving past John Unitas into seventh place on the all-time passing yardage list; Joe Montana (40,551) is next, and he'll be overtaken in the next couple of weeks.

"Favre just turned 33. I don't know if he'll be playing at 36. I do know we should enjoy him for as many Sundays as he has left, because there haven't been many like him. Ever. .."

In an article published last Monday, Pro Football Weekly reminded readers that not even the Packers had predicted the success Donald Driver has found in his fourth NFL season.

Driver, a seventh-round pick in 1999, made the team as the Packers’ fifth receiver as a rookie. The Packers had no long-term plans for Driver with what they thought to be a franchise receiver in Antonio Freeman and other young receivers producing.

Even in 2002, Driver entered training camp fourth on the team’s depth chart behind starters Terry Glenn and Robert Ferguson and rookie backup Javon Walker.

It was hard to argue with the Packers’ lack of appreciation, but Driver has gone out of his way to erase a troubled past and has worked overtime to finally reach a level where he could excel on the field. Driver had a total of 37 catches his first three years and battled drops at times.

But his consistency -- in workouts and in learning the offense -- and top level of conditioning have paid off.

When Freeman departed in the offseason, he said he was certain Driver would benefit the most. Off the field is where Driver first endeared himself to Favre and the Packers’ coaches by being modest to a fault, a philanthropist to local charities and a dedicated team guy. Then Driver received extra work with Favre this summer and proved to be a big-play weapon in preseason games.

Now Driver, 27, is the team’s top receiver and he heads into Week 7 ranked fourth among all NFL receivers in this week's Player Performance Rankings. ...

In an article published last Thursday, SportsLine.com insider Pete Prisco noted that you have to give Mike Sherman credit for retooling his receiving corps. Right now, he has one of the best units in the league. Driver and Glenn have emerged as one of the more dangerous duos. Gone are the days when teams could play the Green Bay receivers tight because they didn't go deep as much. These two, as well as rookie Javon Walker, can fly. That makes Favre that much better, which is downright criminal. ...

Ahman Green, Packers, rushed for 136 yards and scored his first two touchdowns of the season on an 8-yard reception and a 1-yard run, in a 28-10 victory at New England. ... No. 2 halfback Najeh Davenport was held out of Sunday's win at New England because of a pulled hamstring. The Green Bay Press Gazette reports Davenport will probably be listed as questionable for this week's game against the Redskins.

Carr had his best game against the Bills, completing 12 of 23 passes for 218 yards and a touchdown. Carr also continues to make a mockery of pre-draft rumblings that he lacked mobility.

Also according to Thompson, wide receiver Avion Black has the tools to be a capable No. 3 receiver, but he lacks polish, and nagging injuries have kept him from realizing his potential.

Black lacks ideal size, but at 5-11, 185, he's more physical than his stature indicates. He has above-average speed, and he's athletic enough to make adjustments on the ball. He also has good skills after he makes a catch. Black's contributions on special teams are a bonus. ...

As reported by the Sports Xchange, the Texans went to their bag of tricks to produce a touchdown against the Bills. Running back James Allen completed a 5-yard touchdown pass to tight end Billy Miller during the fourth quarter. It was the first pass thrown by anyone other than Carr this season and Allen's first career attempt.

"That was a good call," Allen said. "They really bit the run fake because they really had to respect that down there. It's actually a lot harder in practice to do because our defense knows the play. That was easy for me to toss him the ball."

As for the team's rushing attack, Allen and rookie Jonathan Wells offer contrasting running styles, so head coach Dom Capers is inclined to stay with a platoon system at halfback -- at least for the time being. From a yardage standpoint, Wells has clearly been the better back through five games. But until he consistently picks up the blitz and not be a liability in the backfield Allen will get his share of work.

And finally. ... Jabar Gaffney, a rookie from Florida, has taken criticism for dropping several passes this season. He caught his first NFL touchdown Sunday against the Bills and afterwards walked over to Carr and said, "I owed you one."

Pollard has been thrown to only 17 times in the first five games. He's an athletic 6-3, 247-pounder who presents matchup problems for defenses, especially in the red zone.

Wayne, a 2001 first-round draft pick, has been thrown to only 18 times. The absence of No. 2 tight end Joe Dean Davenport to a shoulder injury should result in an expanded role for Wayne, who primarily is getting work as the No. 3 receiver in three-receiver sets. That likely will be the formation of choice while Davenport recovers.

Pro Football Weekly backed Chappell's contention in an article published last Monday, by noting that offensive coordinator Tom Moore admitted the loss of Ken Dilger and the lack of a solid No. 2 tight end behind Pollard has made it more appealing to use three-WR sets and spread the offense to maximize their personnel.

Wayne is too good of an offensive threat to be used so infrequently. He proved it Sunday with two third-quarter catches. ...

As for the team's top Fantasy threats. ... Peyton Manning passed for 284 yards and a touchdown, going 30-for-40 against Baltimore. ... The Ravens held Edgerrin James to a career-low 43 yards rushing on 17 carries, the second straight week he failed to crack 100 at home after doing it in 10 straight games. ... Marvin Harrison caught 12 passes for 150 yards. ...

And finally, as reported by Associated Press staff writer Michael Marot, Mike Vanderjagt didn't think he had been kicking properly all season.

Last Sunday, he got it right. Five times.

Vanderjagt's career high was capped by a 38-yard game-winner that completed Indianapolis' last-minute comeback against the Ravens.

"I haven't been real confident all year, but on Wednesday I kicked some field goals and kind of realized what I was doing wrong," Vanderjagt said. "To learn on Wednesday is a good time, because today I had a lot more confidence."

There were no signs of Vanderjagt's concern entering Sunday.

He still carried the title of the NFL's most accurate kicker despite going 5-of-7 in the Colts' first four games.

While the Ravens defense forced him to nearly match those numbers in four quarters, Indianapolis never doubted Vanderjagt would come through.

"He tells me all the time that he's the most accurate kicker in the history of the league, so just get him close and he'll put it through," head coach Tony Dungy said.

Head coach Tom Coughlin said that the Jaguars' doctors classified Brunell's second concussion in the last 12 and a half months as "moderate" and added, "the doctor's pretty confident that Mark will be ready to go" Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens.

Coughlin, who said Brunell's headache Monday wasn't as severe as it was Sunday, said he'll check Brunell's condition Wednesday before making any decisions on the veteran signal caller's status.

Brunell, who said Sunday he'll play in Baltimore, said he'll wait until tomorrow to talk to the media about his condition, but indicated he didn't care whether or not it was an illegal hit.

"It's not going to change the outcome of the game," he said.

Pereira said when the videotape is shown in slow motion, it's obvious that Rolle's hit was an illegal helmet-to-helmet hit on the quarterback.

"We want the defender to wrap and tackle without trying to punish the quarterback," he said.

Another league official, Gene Washington, with the approval of commissioner Paul Tagliabue, will decide if Rolle will be fined.

Gerard Warren of the Cleveland Browns was fined $35,000 for the helmet hit that gave Brunell a concussion in the third game last year.

Although Brunell came back to play the next week, the Jaguars lost their next four games.

Brunell said last year the concussion didn't affect his play in those four losses, but he didn't seem sharp at times. Although he had some good numbers, he didn't come up with many big plays.

The Jaguars got only 80 yards of offense and four first downs in the second half of a 24-15 loss to Seattle. Brunell was intercepted with 44 seconds left in a 13-10 loss to Buffalo and failed to get past the Baltimore 44 in the last two possessions of an 18-17 loss to the Ravens. The Jaguars had just 22 plays in the second half of a 28-24 loss to the Titans.

Brunell said this year's concussion is worse than last year's and the Jaguars also have to worry about the cumulative effect of concussions because quarterbacks Steve Young and Troy Aikman were eventually driven out of the game by several concussions. But Coughlin said the fact Brunell hasn't had one in a year should make him less vulnerable.

"I think you're concerned anytime there's a concussion. But then there's also a certain time scale. That's where the real concern is," Coughlin said. "It's more serious when a player get a series of concussions."

Coughlin said Brunell was monitored closely by the doctors Sunday and will be in the future.

"I'm very confident the player's best interest is being taken care of," he said.

Coughlin was upset the flag wasn't thrown.

"The quarterback can't be hit on the helmet. I don't know what game they [officials] were watching," he said.

"I have a problem with it. All you have to do is hit the quarterback on the helmet, knock them out of the game and pay the $5,000 fine," he said.

He added he'd be shocked if Rolle isn't fined.

Also of interest. ...

In an article published last Monday, Pro Football Weekly stated that despite seeing little action in the backfield after carrying the brunt of the workload last season, backup halfback Stacey Mack has not complained about his reduced role backing up a healthy Fred Taylor. Mack knows Coughlin tends to pass until he establishes a comfortable lead.

"He likes to open it up a little bit first and spread the field," Mack told PFW. "Once we spread the field, that’s when we hit [opponents] running the ball. It’s a great idea to me. It’s been working. We’re winning, so we just have to keep it rolling. Coach said, ‘We’re going to get you the ball; don’t worry.’ I got patience. I’m a team guy, so I’m not sitting there thinking about myself. I’m thinking about what’s best at that time for the team, and Freddie on the field is what is best."

With the Chargers successful in shutting down starting Eddie Kennison and Johnnie Morton as well as tight end Tony Gonzalez, Boerigter emerged as a viable option with four catches for 85 yards and two TDs.

Boerigter's size (6-3, 223) makes him a difficult matchup for many cornerbacks. ...

Also according to Teicher, fullback Tony Richardson's role often is overlooked, but it's an important one. Richardson is a powerful and occasionally devastating lead blocker for running back Priest Holmes.

Richardson is a good short-yardage and goal-line runner, probably better than Holmes. But the Chiefs seldom use him in that role because they have nobody as strong as a lead blocker.

Richardson isn't used much as a runner, but he provides a nice change of pace from the quick Holmes. Richardson adds a physical presence but also has good speed for a big man in the open field. ...

Morten Andersen (hamstring) might not be 100 percent healthy by Sunday and Michael Husted might handle kickoffs for the second consecutive week. ... Also according to the Star, Green (ankle) might be limited in practice on Wednesday -- and might remain that way through Thursday. His current status is day to day.

And finally. ... After spending the first six weeks on the PUP, Marvin Minnis will return to Chiefs' practice this week. The Chiefs have three weeks to evaluate Minnis and see if he can help them down the stretch. If the sessions do not go well, he will be placed on IR, ending his season. Minnis is recovering from a broken foot suffered in May.

Fiedler had surgery to repair the joint Monday afternoon, team trainer Kevin O'Neill said. His throwing hand will be placed in a cast for several weeks before beginning rehabilitation.

It could be a significant loss for a team that is 5-1, has a two-game lead in the AFC East and high hopes of reaching the Super Bowl for the first time since 1985.

"We just need to piece this thing together and figure out what we need to do as a staff and a team to win this football game," said head coach Dave Wannstedt of Miami's showdown with Buffalo this weekend.

Fiedler sustained the injury late in Sunday night's 24-22 victory over the Denver Broncos. He was hurt with 3:30 remaining in the game, hitting his throwing hand on a helmet while completing a 5-yard pass to Ricky Williams. But Fiedler remained in the game and played the final series, setting up Olindo Mare's 53-yard winning field goal with two critical completions totaling 39 yards in the final seconds.

"If anybody needed additional information to reaffirm the type of winner Jay Fiedler is and what he's willing to sacrifice and do to give this team a chance to win, it's just another example of that," Wannstedt said. "He didn't want to come out. He wanted to see this thing through."

X-rays after the game revealed a broken bone.

Fiedler is 26-11 as a starter for the Dolphins and has missed just one start since signing with the team in 2000.

"It will be somewhat frustrating just because I'm a competitor and want to be out on the field and helping the team," Fiedler said. "But I'll help in the best way that I know how right now. I plan on being a coach for however many weeks this keeps me out."

Wannstedt said nothing will change with Lucas under center.

Lucas posted a 6-3 record as a starter with the New York Jets in 1999, when he filled in for an injured Vinny Testaverde.

He completed 59 percent of his passes and threw 14 touchdowns and six interceptions that season. He has played sparingly since but looked sharp this preseason, getting the majority of the work while Fiedler recovered from hip surgery.

Not only are the coaches confident in Ray, Ray is very confident in himself as he always is and probably the most important thing is that our football team is confident with Ray Lucas," Wannstedt said.

Sage Rosenfels will move into the backup spot, and the team signed former Canadian Football League most valuable player Dave Dickenson on Tuesday to improve their depth at the position.

Dickenson, who was released by San Diego and Seattle earlier this year, will serve as the Dolphins' third quarterback Sunday against Buffalo. ...

Also of interest. ...

Chris Chambers had headaches Monday, still feeling the effects of a "significant" concussion.

Chambers had to be helped from the field Sunday night after taking a vicious shot from Denver Broncos safety Kenoy Kennedy in the second quarter -- a helmet-to-helmet hit that resulted in a one-game suspension for Kennedy.

Chambers, who leads the team with 23 catches, went up for a high pass from Fiedler and was hit in mid-air by Kennedy, and the ball came free. Kennedy was flagged for a personal-foul penalty for the hit.

The injury leaves Chambers' availability for Sunday's game in serious doubt. Making matters worse is the fact that Oronde Gadsden, who sprained his right wrist last Sunday, is also "very doubtful" for this week's game.

According to the Miami Herald, Gadsden was in Dallas Wednesday to get a second opinion on his swollen wrist and to see if he can play with the injury for the remainder of the season. He is not expected to practice this week.

If Gadsden and Chambers can't go, Dedric Ward and James McKnight will start in their place with Robert Baker possibly being pressed into service as the No. 3 man.

Moss might be wise to show whomever the new owners of the Vikings will be that he will be the most loyal of soldiers.

Moss would be wisest if he does whatever it takes to ensure that his Vikings tenure does not end prematurely because his value around the league has plummeted like the Dow.

Glazer polled 12 NFL head coaches, general managers and team vice presidents last week, posing the following question: If Moss were to get released by the Vikings following the year, would your team pursue him as a free agent and for what kind of money?

The results were surprisingly lopsided. However, before revealing the tally count and explanations, there is some 'splainin' to do.

For those who believe the Vikings would be unable to viably release Moss under salary-cap rules, the team has options. The Vikings have $31 million in salary cap room for next season with 36 players under contract. Thus, by releasing Moss following the season's final game, the Vikings would swallow a massing salary cap hit with the acceleration of several years of his $18 million signing bonus. However, they have the necessary room to absorb this hit (while saving on his $5 million salary for next year) and then move on to the post-Moss/Cris Carter Era.

So how would Moss fare on the open market based upon a 12-man measuring stick? He might be wise to wise up as his market is quickly shrinking.

Of the 12 teams polled, 11 said they would not pursue the NFL's most talented offensive weapon.

"We're a big believer in chemistry and he's not the type of guy who we think would be conducive to that," one AFC boss told Glazer. "There's no doubt he's incredibly talented, but he would not be the type of guy we would really go after."

Said another AFC GM: "We don't have the cap room next year to do anything with someone like him. Do I think he'll get some offers? Absolutely, but nowhere near the double-digit signing bonus he's gotten. I can see him getting around $6 million in bonus money, but not much more.

"We wouldn't do anything with him even if we structured it to pay out the bonus in a few years down the road because that's not the type of guy we want to lock up our future into."

As reported in this space last week, Moss has already been hit with a four game-check fine for violating the league's Drug and Alcohol program. Thus, any additional positive test would lead to an automatic suspension (barring an appeal). The commissioner might also decide to levy a suspension if Moss is convicted of drug charges and the misdemeanors he was hit with in his traffic incident a few weeks ago.

According to the terms of his contract and a special "Default" clause in his deal, the Vikings could recoup much of the signing bonus:

"In the event player fails or refuses to report to Club or fails or refuses to practice or play with Club at any time for any reason including player suspension by the NFL or Club for Conduct Detrimental or suspension for violating the NFL Policy and Program for Drugs of Abuse and Alcohol or leaves Club without its consent during the duration of the above league years, or if player is otherwise in breach of his contract, then player shall be in default ("Default").

"If player is in default, then following notice by club and demand by club, player shall: immediately return and refund to club any bonus previously paid by club. Player shall relinquish the right to receive any unpaid bonus so that total bonus amount relinquished shall be said amount (future years)."

In essence, the team has the right to claim back about $15.5 million in bonus money if he gets suspended. He was paid $10 million upon signing the deal and then this offseason the team picked up his $8 million option payment, which is to be paid to him March 1 of next year (2003). Since the option was picked up, it means it already counts against the cap.

While the contract language clearly states the team has the right to take back a portion of the bonus money, this is not the way the league works. The process is for a team to demand the money, the player to then file a grievance, followed by the ruling of a special master to take it over and decide whether or not the penalty was excessive.

"We'd have no interest in him, none," one NFC head coach said. "Now, would we give him a shot with a league-minimum type of deal with incentives? Sure, but so would just about everyone else you asked. But if you are going to pay somebody big dollars, it better be for a guy like Brett Favre, or Michael Strahan, guys who you know will be automatic on and off the field."

The one team that claimed it would absolutely pursue Moss, laid out the terms of the deal they would offer in detail.

"I'd do something that would probably be in the range of $2 million per year but everything else on the upside based upon incentives," said one team's executive VP and chief negotiator. "We wouldn't be willing to give a huge bonus. We wouldn't be willing to give even $5 million up front, but if he played and was the Randy Moss he should be, then he deserves to get paid. But that's why it would be all incentive-laden."

Every team that issued a "nay" proxy claimed he would not be viable due to chemistry reasons. They each claim their owners would not invest the necessary time into his public relations problems and the problems he can bring to a locker room.

"The problem is when you bring in a guy like this, your team becomes identified with him," one coach said. "Do you want him to be your franchise guy?"

One other team claimed they would not reveal their intentions in case the new Vikings owner actually pulls the trigger and sends his superstar sailing.

"I think there will be teams who will want him," this NFC GM said. "I just think with that kind of talent, people will take a run at him. You can go back to the Chuck Muncie's and Joe Don Looney's, guys like Lawrence Phillips, and you can see that teams will always give talented guys another shot. In my opinion, if they got rid of him, he'd still have a place to go. Teams would go after him."

Whichever team that might be, it would not be one of the remaining squads in this survey.

"No, we wouldn't," another NFC GM said. "He wouldn't be the type of guy we want on our team because our coach is big on team chemistry."

Despite the fact 11 of 12 said they'd pass, it only takes one team to open up their checkbook. Terry Glenn found the Packers. Dale Carter found team after team after team. A team such as the Raiders or Cowboys, hardly scared off by off-field problems, would certainly be viable options. But the fact 11 of the NFL's 32 teams would take a pass is staggering, considering the talent level.

"We wouldn't take him because of all the baggage he brings," another NFC leading man said. "It's not the drugs but the fact that the whole team revolves around him. That would be our problem."

"I probably wouldn't, we've already passed on him once," an AFC GM said. "This guy has to be in exactly the right spot with the right people surrounding him, that's as important as anything else. You can see how tough it is with Cris Carter and Denny [Green]. That should be as strong a factor as anything else in the equation."

Also of interest. ... Citing inconsistent production out of their second starting wide receiver position, head coach Mike Tice has decided to let Derrick Alexander and D'Wayne Bates compete for the starting job opposite Moss this week. Bates started the first three games of the season, but gave way to Alexander the last two. However, Alexander has dropped many catchable passes and has only caught six passes for 55 yards in his two starts.

Brown played last Sunday but was not 100 percent after missing the previous two weeks with a knee injury. Not coincidentally, the team is 0-3 in that stretch.

Though rookie receiver Deion Branch has made plenty of plays, he doesn't provide Tom Brady the safety net Brown does. Brown is one of the best at finding openings in zone coverage, and his hands are outstanding. Those two skills make him an invaluable threat in the short passing game.

Brown also is capable of defeating double-teams, something Branch has yet to learn. ...

Brady is in the worst slump of his short career. He has thrown seven interceptions in the past three games. The team isn't equipped to survive those mistakes.

Brady carried the offense in the early going, but he must learn it isn't all on his shoulders every week. ...

And finally. ... Also according to Felger, David Patten (5-10, 195) doesn't have ideal size for an outside receiver, but he makes up for it with good speed and excellent hands. He also has improved immeasurably as a route runner. Best of all, he makes plays.

Patten was expected to face a stiff challenge for his starting job from free-agent wide receiver Donald Hayes and Branch, but the former Giant and Brown seems to have benefited from the competition.

Though Patten is an active blocker, he is sometimes too active. He has been flagged for three holding penalties this year.

Two new weapons, wide receiver Jerome Pathon and running back Deuce McAllister, and the improved red-zone efficiency of Aaron Brooks are the primary reasons behind the fast start.

Pathon has emerged as a solid big-play threat opposite wide receiver Joe Horn.

A free-agent acquisition from the Colts, the speedy Pathon runs precise routes and can beat most second corners in man-to-man coverage. His frail 182-pound frame makes it difficult for him to beat the league's more physical corners off the line. Despite his size, he's not afraid to go over the middle and is a threat on crossing routes with his above-average speed.

Pathon should continue to get better as he becomes more familiar with the offensive system.

The Saints coveted Donte' Stallworth in the draft, and the first-round pick has done nothing to disappoint them so far. He is explosive and strong -- in the mold of Horn -- and has big-play ability after the catch. He was on the verge of moving into the starting lineup before being sidelined by a hamstring injury two weeks ago.

Stallworth remains questionable for this week's game. Head coach Jim Haslett said he would know more about the rookie's status after Wednesday's practice.

As noted by Pro Football Weekly, the fact that Pathon, Jake Reed, David Sloan and McAllister are talented pass catchers has allowed the team to continue playing their regular offense with Stallworth sidelined and Horn, who has been playing through a sprained knee, slowed to varying degrees. ...

Also according to PFW, the Saints are starting to experience some of the same problems that plagued last season’s squad. The team seems to be playing up or down to its level of competition, spotting both the Bears and the Lions 20-0 leads before mounting comebacks. In both games -- a win over Chicago and a stunning loss to Detroit -- the offense didn’t play with any fire in the first quarter, and some observers are starting to question the way Brooks is getting his team ready to play.

The Saints haven’t played with a sense of urgency early in games this season, and in the loss to Detroit, some of the players seemed to be looking ahead to the Week 5 matchup with Pittsburgh.

PFW went on to state that Haslett is working with Brooks to get the players on both sides of the ball ready to play from the opening kickoff because they realize that the Saints aren’t good enough to mount comebacks every week.

The search starts with consistency and extends to filling the hole in the middle of the defensive line created when veteran defensive tackle Keith Hamilton tore his Achilles' tendon on Sunday.

Unless Fassel can come up with some quick solutions with 10 games left in the regular season, the Giants face the prospect of missing the playoffs for the second straight year.

Fassel wasn't ready to talk about that on Monday, saying there is still a long way to go in a season that has been marked by alternating good games and bad ones.

"The only thing that is consistent about this league is the inconsistency," Fassel said a day after a couple of blown defensive assignments and two fourth-quarter turnovers handed the Atlanta Falcons a 17-10 win.

"If you polled every guy, that's what every coach would say," Fassel said. "We played well this week. We didn't play well this week. As a coach, I don't like it. I'm battling it. I'm doing everything I can to get us at a certain level of play and stay there."

Fassel needs to focus his attention for now on the offense. New York has scored seven offensive touchdowns and turned the ball over 11 times in six games, including two inside the Falcons' 20-yard line late Sunday.

"I don't think anyone has given up on this offense," tight end Dan Campbell said. "We still believe we can be something special. We just can't continue making mistakes like that. Everybody knows we have the talent."

In case you missed it last Sunday, SportsLine.com senior writer Jay Glazer reported the injury to Jeremy Shockey is much worse than the team is letting on. The team has called his toe injury turf toe, an injury they are claiming he has already recovering from.

Not so, say Giants sources.

Shockey has ligament damage in his big toe and could require surgery following the season, sources said. The team's No. 1 draft pick could miss a minimum of three weeks with the injury and likely won't be fully healthy for the remainder of the season. ...

Just for the record. ... Shockey told the New Jersey Star-Ledger on Monday that he is "hoping" to play when the team returns to action in Week 8.

While Randy Moss has been an All-Pro on the field and given the Minnesota Vikings all kinds of headaches off it, Santana Moss has done little in his short pro career. The Jets' top draft pick of 2001 missed most of that season with injuries, and he was a non-factor in the first month of 2002.

But Moss had a nice game in the Jets' Week 5 loss to Kansas City. Coming off a bye week, Moss is eager to build on his four-reception day in which he scored his first professional touchdown and gained 57 yards. He gets the opportunity on Sunday against Minnesota.

"It was a big confidence booster for the offense and for myself," said Moss, who still has only eight receptions in his short career. "After what I have gone through, with the knee and all the injuries, it has to be a boost for me.

"It was great and it will boost me up to do something else."

That something else could include more deep balls like the 27-yarder he caught when Chad Pennington sniffed out a Chiefs blitz and found Moss, the hot read, in the corner of the end zone. Moss and Pennington, who just became the starting quarterback in his third NFL season, seem to have more of an affinity for each other than veteran Vinny Testaverde and Moss.

"I felt comfortable with both, even if I've worked a little more with [Pennington]," Moss said. "If the opportunities are there, we have to take advantage of them no matter who is the quarterback."

Of course, Moss will have to become more dependable for the Jets to build on his recent effort. He'll have to stay healthy so he is on the field more, bringing the explosive deep threat to an offense that too often stagnated before Pennington's promotion gave it a charge.

"Santana has been injured, but this thing should have helped him, he caught five balls," head coach Herman Edwards said. "He probably thinks he is going to the Hempstead Hall of Fame. It is good for him and good for us."

It will be especially good if Moss complements the team's top two receivers, Wayne Chrebet and Laveranues Coles.

"We can do things," Moss said. "We'll get back on that path and you can expect big plays like that. You've got guys here who can do that on a regular basis.

"You expect to do what you wanted to do when you came into the league or you come into a game."

The expectations were very high for Moss, who was supposed to provide a breakaway threat at wideout and returning kicks with his speed. He has hardly ever been healthy enough to display his talents.

As the Jets fell into their current four-game slide, suggestions surfaced that Moss was a bust, that he would never amount to what the Jets -- and many other teams -- projected when he came out of the University of Miami. That he would be another Johnny "Lam" Jones or Blair Thomas, Jets' first-round failures.

"I laugh at those," Moss said. "It makes me more eager to prove them wrong.

"There are always whispers and they can't hurt me. ..."

Also of interest this week. ...

Chrebet is hopeful for his return this Sunday against the Vikings, the New York Post reported. Chrebet, who missed the Jets' last game on October 6 with a micro-fracture in his right leg and bruised knee, performed some running drills in practice Monday and was hoping to get in a full workout on Wednesday.

"He wants to play very, very badly," Edwards told the New York Post. "Half of it is mindset."

And in a couple of roster moves. ... Released by the New York Giants last Tuesday, it took wide receiver Jonathan Carter just one day to land a job, and the good news is that he won't have to move his equipment very far. A second-year veteran, the speedy Carter was claimed by the Jets a day later. The former Troy State standout has appeared in just three games, only one in 2001, and has no receptions. He returned nine kickoffs for 169 yards. ... And the Jets moved quarterback Todd Husak up from the practice squad to the active roster Wednesday. The Jets made the move in order to prevent the rival Miami Dolphins from attempting to acquire the quarterback. Husak will be third on the depth chart behind Pennington and Testaverde.

And finally. ... Also according to Glazer. ... Several Jets players and coaches say Edwards' staff called every single player on the team roster into private meetings this week -- 53 meetings in total. Aside from safety Damian Robinson's meeting with Herm and Ted Cottrell, most of the meetings were held with position coaches and/or coordinators, not Edwards.

In the meetings, the players were evaluated for their performances to date -- what they did well, where they are struggling, where they contributed to this lousy start and what the staff is requiring of them if they are to turn the ship around.

Numerous starters and key reserves are banged up and missing practice time or games. That hasn't manifested itself in any obvious form during games, but it doesn't bode well for a team that already had its open week and is in the midst of 14 straight games. ...

Another problem is penalties. The team has totaled 34 for 344 yards in the last three games.

Impressive performances by the offense in the first four games overshadowed the problem, but now it needs to be addressed before it becomes a season-long issue that drags the team down.

The Raiders were flagged 14 times for 107 yards in last Sunday's loss to the Rams, and now have 46 for 458 yards this season compared to 48 for 364 yards by their opponents.

Thirteen of those infractions were mental mistakes according to head coach Bill Callahan, and he's fed up. He said Oakland has no choice but to cut down on the penalties when the Raiders start their AFC West schedule this weekend at home against the San Diego Chargers.

"That's important to me because that's a reflection of me, and I'm accountable for that area," said Callahan, formerly Oakland's offensive coordinator. "It's reflective of the discipline on our team, and it's been addressed. Even as we've won, we've addressed it, and we continue to address it. ..."

On a more positive note. ... After racking up 96 total yards against the Rams, team officials were anxious to see how Charlie Garner's tender hamstring would feel the morning after.

And the news was good.

"Charlie ran (Monday) morning and has come back strong," Callahan told the San Francisco Chronicle. "We are glad there was no real soreness in the hamstring area and he played very well indeed."

And finally. ... In an article published Monday, Sports Illustrated insider Peter King wrote: "I think we should all take a moment and appreciate the continuing greatness of Jerry Rice.

"Let's go back 20 months. The 49ers were trying oh-so-delicately to convince Rice to take a $1 million golden parachute out of football. You could hear it in Bill Walsh's voice. After a 2000 season during which Rice averaged an almost fullback-like 10.7 yards per catch, he was being urged to take the gold watch. Walsh -- who thought Rice was becoming very slow moving in and out of his cuts -- wanted him to get out of the game before he really embarrassed himself. So Rice signed with the Raiders, and he has been the 29-year-old Rice, almost, ever since.

"The across-the-Bay toteboard: 21 games, 114 yards, 13.9 yards per catch.

"'I can't say that I could project this happening,' Walsh said last week. 'He has exceeded even my expectations of him.'

"I appreciate Walsh not re-writing history and saying he knew Rice would be this good. He's right. He never thought Rice would cut it in Oakland the way he has. ..."

Just for the record. ... Playing on his 40th birthday last Sunday, Rice caught seven passes for 133 yards, including a 53-yard gain on the game's first play.

"You never want your quarterback getting hit," said center Hank Fraley. "It seems there have been a lot more blitzes than I thought we'd see. I don't think any team sees as many blitzes as we do. They're bringing seven and we've got six to block. But that's no excuse."

The Eagles' pass protection should be helped this week by the probable return of left guard John Welbourn, who has been out since Week 1 with a fracture fibula. Welbourn is the line's best pass-blocker.

One other item of interest this week. ...

In an article published Tuesday, Trenton Times staffer Mark Eckel noted that Duce Staley's role has evolved from feature to all-purpose back, and he has adapted well over the last three seasons. Staley, who battled back from a career-threatening foot injury in 2000 and shoulder problems in 2001, has excellent vision, is a good cutback runner and rarely goes down on the first hit.

Staley's strength, however, has become his receiving ability. Staley, a wide receiver in junior college, has very good hands, runs precise routes and knows how to get open. He sometimes lines up in the slot or out wide to take advantage of certain matchups.

Maybe not.

For all of his previous failings, and his inability to win an NFL starting job until 11 seasons after being drafted, statistical comparisons don't explain Maddox's effect on the Pittsburgh Steelers' offense.

After three erratic performances by Kordell Stewart largely contributed to the Steelers' 0-2 start, Maddox has raised not only the level of play at quarterback, but that of the other offensive starters.

In less than nine quarters, Maddox has completed 49 of 76 passes for 606 yards and five touchdowns as the Steelers have scored 73 points, more than twice as many as the 36 points Stewart generated in 11-plus quarters.

Maddox's ability to locate the open receiver and get the ball to him before the pass rush arrives also has opened up a once-stalled running game. Jerome Bettis has rushed for 193 yards and three touchdowns in two games after being limited to 100 yards in his first three.

"You just can't look at numbers with a quarterback," head coach Bill Cowher said. "How does the team respond to you in critical situations? That can't be measured by a quarterback rating."

Maddox's play has had such an immediate effect on the Steelers that Cowher hasn't been asked once if he was thinking of going back to Stewart, a Pro Bowl quarterback last year.

"Tommy's got a good perspective of things, he doesn't get caught up in things," Cowher said. "He plays with a lot of confidence and he feels good about what he's doing. And the players feel good about what he's doing."

Especially Plaxico Burress, who has caught 15 passes for 251 yards and two touchdowns from Maddox after catching only six passes for 62 yards from Stewart.

"Tommy's got everybody on the same page," Burress said. "When you get going like that, you just move the ball down the field. That's what we've been doing the last three weeks he's been in there, just moving the ball down the field."

Also of interest. ... Bettis won't be charged following a sexual assault complaint because the uncle of the woman who accused him may have talked about extorting money from "The Bus."

Westmoreland County District Attorney John Peck said Tuesday that several people told investigators the woman's uncle had talked of various schemes to entrap a Steelers player in order to reach a financial settlement. Some of the people said the man mentioned Bettis specifically, Peck said.

A 22-year-old woman, whom authorities have not identified, accused Bettis of assaulting her on Aug. 21. Bettis denied the assault took place.

So on Monday, head coach Mike Martz affirmed his faith in the sixth-round draft choice from West Virginia, appointing him the starter for Sunday's home game against Seattle.

"He's such an unusual talent throwing the ball," Martz said of Bulger, who had never taken an NFL regular-season snap before guiding the Rams to their first victory of the season last Sunday. "He's matured a great deal to match his talent. He's got a way to go, but he's on his way."

Bulger was pressed into action against Oakland as the replacement for Jamie Martin, Kurt Warner's backup who has been nursing a bruised knee. Warner, the two-time NFL MVP, has been on the mend with a broken finger.

With Warner as his biggest cheerleader Sunday, Bulger showed Warner-like precision and presence, completing eight of his first nine passes -- two for touchdowns -- and finished 14-of-21 for 186 yards with three TDs by air and another on an improvised goal-line sneak.

Martin could have played against Oakland, Martz said, though his injured knee may have limited his effectiveness. So Bulger got the call and didn't disappoint, showing off what Martz called his "unbelievably strong arm," accuracy on deep throws, quick release and huddle leadership.

"When a guy's playing as well as he did, I think you almost have to [start him again]," Martz said of the 25-year-old Bulger, whose passer rating Sunday was 134.1. "You have to let him go."

I couldn't agree more. Martin didn't come anywhere near providing the kind of spark Bulger did. The coach is right to go with the "hot hand."

Martz said Martin likely would be well enough to play against Seattle, if needed, though he didn't specify whether Martin would return as the starter once his knee heals.

Regardless, Martz on Monday still reveled in Bulger's stepping up against Oakland and doing something Warner and Martin hadn't done this season -- get a win for a team that was off to its worst start in nearly four decades.

Against Oakland, the Rams sprinkled Bulger's passes around the ground game of Marshall Faulk, who ran for a season-high 158 yards and scored on a 10-yard pass from Bulger.

Never mind that Bulger's first NFL snap came after the Rams' stuffed Oakland on a fourth-and-1 at the St. Louis 3, setting up what would be Bulger's orchestrating a nine-play TD drive that covered 97 yards. The drive was the Rams' longest of the season and included the team's longest completion -- Bulger's pinpoint 50-yard strike to Torry Holt that set up the score.

"You can't say enough about a guy who comes in such a big game and plays with such poise," Warner said. "It was a great statement for him -- a big confidence boost for him and the team."

Said Bulger, humbly: "I want to still keep things in perspective -- we are still 1-5."

The victory proved costly when the Rams' offensive line, already thinned by the loss of tackle Orlando Pace, was further weakened when left tackle Grant Williams broke his lower right leg and dislocated his right ankle.

On Monday, Martz said, Williams had a plate surgically implanted in the broken leg and "ended up having quite a bit of work on it." The 6-foot-7, 328-pound Williams, acquired by the Rams in August in a trade with New England, will be out four months -- effectively the rest of the season.

Williams was making his third start of the season at left tackle in place of Pace, who Martz said worked out Monday but hasn't fully recovered from a torn calf.

"I'm not real optimistic" about Pace's return against Seattle, Martz said.

After Williams went down, the Rams shifted left guard Tom Nutten to right tackle, right tackle John St. Clair to left tackle, and reserve Heath Irwin to left guard -- a lineup Martz expects to keep against the Seahawks.

Also of interest. ... In an article published last Monday, Pro Football Weekly noted that Jeff Wilkins clearly had some troubles in the first four weeks of the season, missing on 3-of-7 field-goal attempts, including one that could have tied the game vs. the Cowboys in Week 4.

But don’t blame the problems on his new barefoot kicking style.

For the first time in his professional career, Wilkins has kicked sans shoe, in part because he had noticed the bottom of his cleats dragging against the turf.

Special-teams coach Bobby April suggested Wilkins’ troubles can be attributed to having a new long-snapper. Rookie Chris Massey puts a different rotation on the ball than Wilkins is used to, which has caused holder Ricky Proehl to spin the ball to get the laces lined up properly, distracting the veteran place-kicker.

Then again, they've got a calm, cool quarterback in Drew Brees, which is the main reason why they're atop the AFC West and sharing the NFL's best record with four other teams.

The Chargers were alternately shaking their heads and smiling Monday, a day after they survived five turnovers and a blocked punt to beat division rival Kansas City 35-34.

The victory makes Sunday's road game against the hated Raiders even bigger than normal, because Oakland is one-half game behind San Diego after losing for the first time Sunday, to the previously winless St. Louis Rams.

The Chargers beat the Chiefs because Brees, with no timeouts left, led them 71 yards for the winning score, a 2-yard pass to rookie Reche Caldwell with 14 seconds left.

"When you look at Drew, there are certain qualities about him that really don't have anything to do with even playing football," head coach Marty Schottenheimer said Monday. "There's this kind of demeanor he has. At the half I walked up to him before we got ready to go and I said, `You OK?' And he looked at me and he said, `I'm fine.' and then he smiles at me.

"You've heard me reference some of these young players, you look them in the eyes and you see the back of their head. Did you see him in the fourth quarter as we're driving? I mean, that's a quality that no coach coaches him to be that way. It's just the way he is."

Brees was intercepted once in the first half and again early in the third quarter. Even with the miscues, the Chargers never got further than 10 points behind. Once they held onto the ball, they scored touchdowns on their last four possessions, three in the fourth quarter.

The Chargers' winning drive started with 2:24 to play.

"I like those situations because I feel like I can get in a rhythm, get in a groove and you're just so focused on the moment and what's going on, what you need to do," said Brees, who finished with 319 yards and two touchdown passes.

"Plus, I was just glad I had a chance to redeem myself after I felt like I didn't play such a great second and third quarter. It was good to be able to have a chance to win the game."

Schottenheimer said the Chargers will enjoy this win a little longer than normal.

"I told the players, I've never been a mountain climber, but it has to be like climbing the Himalayas in the middle of winter. You just keep wondering, `When is this going to stop?'

"You have to be very, very fortunate to win a game when you turn it over that many times, plus the blocked punt," Schottenheimer said. "But, nobody said it could not be done, and those young men decided it could be done. That speaks volumes about the quality of the people we've got in here."

Other notes of interest. ...

Curtis Conway, currently the No. 1 receiver in the FlashUpdate Player Performance Rankings, continued to put up numbers at a torrid pace by pulling in eight catches for 129 yards and scoring a touchdown on an 11-yard run against the Chiefs. ...

In an article published last Monday, Pro Football Weekly noted that Tomlinson’s improving recognition of what defenses are trying to do has been a big factor in his big numbers this season. Tomlinson did a lot of stutter-stepping in the backfield last season because he didn’t know what to anticipate from the front seven defensively, but his patience and understanding of where the defensive pressure is coming from and how his line will attack it has been a big factor in the Chargers’ success on the ground this season.

He relied heavily on instincts and athletic ability as a rookie, and while he knew the offense and where he was supposed to go, he didn’t grasp how he could take advantage of what he saw from a defense. Tomlinson credits his quicker decision-making as his biggest improvement, and it’s obvious to teammates that he is more confident and trusting of his offensive line and his own reactions than he was last year. ...

And finally. ... The Chargers aren't sure yet whether tight end Stephen Alexander (sprained foot) will play. Alexander missed the Chiefs game. Making matters worse, backup Josh Norman was listed as out on Wednesday's initial injury report.

Mariucci has clashed with the San Francisco 49ers' All-Pro receiver countless times, but the coach didn't have anything negative to say Tuesday. Owens caught a fourth-quarter touchdown pass against in a 28-21 victory Monday night over Seattle, then autographed the ball with a pen he stored in his sock before presenting it to his financial adviser in the front row.

"He was cordial enough to give someone a ball," Mariucci said. "It happens all the time where a guy will score a touchdown and go give it to his mom or his girlfriend. That happens all the time. There weren't any obscene gestures, there was no taunting toward the bench or the crowd.

"It was a friendly gesture to some mutual friend. The only unusual thing was the Sharpie out of the sock."

Owens, who never shies away from big plays or dramatic gestures, got in trouble two years ago with two outlandish touchdown celebrations on the Dallas Cowboys' star logo on the middle of their home field. For that, Mariucci suspended Owens for one game.

No such punishment will be forthcoming this time from Mariucci, who thought Owens' gesture was a bit of fun -- and something that wouldn't have received nearly as much attention in a Sunday afternoon game -- or the league office.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello, however, made it very clear that Owens was receiving a one-time dispensation only.

"Such acts will not be tolerated going forward,'' Aiello said Wednesday.

Mariucci was pleased with everything else Owens did against the Seahawks as San Francisco improved to 4-1 to maintain its lead in the NFC West. After four difficult weeks to open the season, Owens had six catches for 84 yards and two TDs while J.J. Stokes, the 49ers' No. 2 receiver watched from the sidelines.

The 49ers' offense hasn't really put on an overwhelming performance yet, but both offense and defense have been tough in late-game situations. San Francisco rallied from a fourth-quarter deficit to beat Seattle.

"Our performance level has been such that it doesn't deviate too much from game to game," Mariucci said, "I think that's because we have some levelheaded guys that come to work very blue collar-like and work hard every day and just get it up every week.

"It's not easy to keep brainwashing your team that this game is bigger than the last one. It's a long season. To get that high every time is not easy, but this young football team is finding a way to do that."

Injuries might be the only thing that could slow down the 49ers' improvements. This after team officials placed fullback Terry Jackson on injured reserve Wednesday after he tore a ligament in his knee.

Jackson, a backup to Fred Beasley and a key special-teams performer, was hurt in San Francisco's 28-21 victory at Seattle on Monday night. Jackson will have surgery Thursday.

To replace Jackson on the active roster, the 49ers promoted defensive lineman Ross Kolodziej from the practice squad. Jasen Isom, a fullback waived by the 49ers in the preseason, was signed to the practice squad. The 49ers might activate Jamal Robertson, the NFL Europe offensive MVP who made the team during training camp, to replace Jackson.

Also of interest. ...

Stokes is questionable for Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints after missing his first game since the 1996 season with a slight tear of the medial collateral ligament in his right knee. Stokes sustained the injury the previous week against the St. Louis Rams. ... Receiver James Jordan was activated from the practice squad for Monday night's because of Stokes' injury.

And finally. ... The Sports Xchange noted that Kevan Barlow is making a case for himself as the team's primary running back. Barlow, who has not started a game in his two-year career, carried 12 times for 68 yards and a touchdown against the Seahawks.

"We don't seem to be learning any lessons early on as far as the little mistakes," he said, "and I've about had it with some of these guys."

Holmgren did not name names, of course, but he didn't have to.

Starting receiver Darrell Jackson was flagged for a pair of false starts while place-kicker Rian Lindell missed a 36-yard field-goal try.

"We're young, but so what?" Holmgren said. "This is a man's game, played by men. It's tough. They're getting paid a lot of money. Do your job.

"You don't have to win the battle every time because you're going against other good players. But let's not be stupid. Do your job. Enough of the excuses."

Also of interest. ...

When the Seahawks failed to lure 49ers receiver Jerry Rice to Seattle in free agency two years ago, they "settled" for Bobby Engram, late of the Chicago Bears.

Engram distinguished himself as a clutch third-down receiver in 2001, but he managed only six catches in four games before Monday night.

"Coach dialed my number a few more times," Engram said. "I do this every week -- try to come out and make plays. Sometimes, my number is called more than others."

Engram caught passes for gains of 11 and 19 yards on third-and-9 plays during the Seahawks' second drive, which ended in a touchdown that pulled Seattle within a field goal, 10-7. Then came a 61-yard punt return for a touchdown -- the Seahawks' first punt return for a score since Charlie Rogers returned one at Pittsburgh in 1999.

Engram became the full-time punt returner this season after Rogers was claimed in the expansion draft by Houston. Rogers was subsequently traded to Buffalo.

Engram added a 15-yard reception on third-and-14 and a 17-yarder that led to a go-ahead touchdown late in the third quarter.

His 12-yard reception on third-and-8 kept alive a drive in the fourth quarter.

On the injury front. ... Itula Mili is dealing with a thigh injury. It is not considered serious, however, and shouldn't keep Mili from starting this weekend. ... The same goes for Shaun Alexander, who is nursing a sore knee, and Jackson, who has a sore quad.

All three are listed as questionable on Wednesday's initial injury report.

That's not the case with rookie tight end Jerramy Stevens, who is expected to miss at least one more game with a sprained ankle.

And according to Seattle Post-Intelligencer staffer Clare Farnsworth, until Stevens returns, there will be a void in the offense. The passing game needs his size, speed and soft hands to help create openings for the other receivers.

"Mike is our starting fullback and Mike Pittman is our starting tailback but there are some sets where Alstott becomes our tailback," head coach Jon Gruden said on Monday. "But I'm not going to outline a specific plan at this time. We're going to try and be as creative as we can and utilize both of these backs.

"We'd like to see Mike Alstott carry the ball, particularly if he's running like he did yesterday. But I'm not going to start a running back controversy. Mike Pittman also had 150 or 160 all-purpose yards [Sunday]. We're going to use both the backs the best way we can."

Other notes of interest. ...

In an article published last Monday, Pro Football Weekly noted that it's safe to forget about the "quarterback controversy" between Brad Johnson and Rob Johnson many observers expected to erupt throughout the preseason. ... According to PFW, Gruden is thrilled with "The Brad's" so far this season and nothing short of an injury convince Gruden to turn to "The Rob."

And finally. ... According to Tampa Tribune beat writer Roy Cummings, fullback Jameel Cook is an excellent blocker who has the footwork and soft hands necessary to be a factor in the passing game. He's not a threat after the catch, nor does he have experience carrying the ball.

Because he gets down low and has good leg drive, Cook could be a competent lead blocker for running back Pittman.

Thanks to Eddie George's first 100-yard rushing performance of the season on Sunday, the Titans jumped from 32nd to 27th in the league in rushing. George is also averaging 3.0 yards per carry, up from his career-low 2.7 yard-average that had critics thinking he was worn out.

The Titans head into their bye week able to bask briefly in their best rushing performance this season -- an accomplishment achieved in last Sunday's victory over Jacksonville. They rushed a season-high 40 times for 152 yards after averaging 69.4 yards per game previously.

"Sometimes you have to crawl before you walk, and that is what we are doing in the run game," head coach Jeff Fisher said.

Credit for the success can be split between better play from the offensive line, George and improved play-calling. Right tackle Fred Miller said the linemen were all business against the Jaguars.

"We knew we had to give a lot more effort. Not that we haven't been trying hard, but you really have to push it to that next level," he said.

George noticed the improvement, and said the offensive line finally is starting to gel with new center Gennaro DiNapoli. George said DiNapoli made several great calls that put the Titans in position to run well.

"We were just aggressive at the point of attack, and that's the difference in any run game," George said.

With the improved blocking, George rushed 31 times for 113 yards, the first time he had topped 100 yards since Dec. 30, 2001, when he got 130 yards against Cleveland. That was his only such game in 2001 as he tried to recover from surgery on his right foot, and his second since Dec. 17, 2000.

George carried the ball only three times in the second half of last week's loss to Washington, and lost a yard on his final two carries. That prompted fans to boo heavily and critics wanted the Titans to bring back Skip Hicks, who was released in the final roster cuts, or turn to rookie John Simon.

"I had to learn to shut it out and to really look in to myself and know what I'm about and say, 'Hey man, you've come a long way, and I refuse to go out like this.' I just kept pressing. I didn't do anything fancy. I didn't do any crazy routine," he said.

Fisher did. He put the Titans into pads last Wednesday for practice, a rare move for him at midseason. Several Titans said this helped them get their minds back to being more physical while running the ball.

It worked so well that Fisher plans to continue using pads in practice as long as he needs.

But he will take it easy this week, putting his Titans through three practices Tuesday through Thursday before giving them a three-day weekend off. They will return to practice Monday in preparation for visiting Cincinnati.

George said the next two weeks are important for a team that just ended a four-game losing skid and cannot lose the intensity they showed against Jacksonville.

"We're going to do our best to get out of this hole and build some wins," he said.

Other notes of interest. ... Joe Nedney, who hadn't had a field goal in the past three games, roared back to life, nailing attempts from 40, 26 and 33 yards against the Jags. ...

On the injury front. ... Fisher would be happy to get running back Robert Holcombe back by Nov. 10, but he said it may take longer. Holcombe cracked his left hip at the lining of the joint in the opener and is not off crutches yet.

The Titans may get receiver Derrick Mason back following the bye. He separated his shoulder late in a loss to Oakland on Sept. 29 and has missed the last two games.

Simon may not practice this week because of turf toe. ... And on a semi-positive note, fullback Greg Comella, who separated his shoulder in Sunday's win over Jacksonville, learned from MRI results that he has no major structural damage. Comella was initially expected to miss up to four weeks, but now he may be available for Tennessee's post-bye game against the Bengals.

"We're going to stick with him," head coach Steve Spurrier said. "Patrick got off to a very rough start but after that he hung in there and did the best he could. He played like a rookie quarterback, I guess."

Although he finished 21-for-43 with 320 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions, Ramsey was surprisingly composed at Redskin Park on Monday and seemed to be doing a good job of treating the highs -- like his impressive debut a week earlier -- just like the lows.

"You keep it all in perspective," Ramsey said. "You keep the success from last week in perspective and you keep this in perspective. You learn from both situations. I said it all last week--it's one game. Unfortunately we weren't able to repeat that this week."

According to the Sports Xchange, teammates were impressed with how Ramsey orchestrated several touchdown drives after throwing three interceptions in the first quarter and how he kept getting up after myriad hits by the Saints defensive linemen. He was sacked seven times but that didn't tell the whole story of how badly he was beaten up.

Ramsey's ability to regroup this week will be crucial as the Redskins prepare to play at Green Bay.

Other notes of interest. ...

Stephen Davis didn't get enough carries (14) against the Saints to really show what he can do. The problem was four turnovers in the first quarter and a 20-0 deficit. Davis had a fumble for one of those turnovers and continues to be somewhat sketchy protecting the ball. The former Auburn star's 51 yards did include a touchdown, his third of the season.

The War Room reminded readers this week that the Packers are undermanned up front defensively and are allowing 121.3 yards a game on the ground, so Davis could have a productive game this week -- if he gets 20-25 carries.

In the meantime, Kenny Watson and Ladell Betts are having a solid battle for the right to work behind Davis and it remains unclear which has the edge. Watson had a 62-yard screen pass for a touchdown against New Orleans, but earlier in the game Betts had a 40-yard screen pass that set up a score. They are similarly styled--sturdy between the tackles without necessarily being bulls.

The two also are competing for kickoff return duties. Betts' solid effort against New Orleans (seven returns for a 22.9 average) probably gives him the edge there. ...

According to Richmond Times beat writer Paul Woody, Zeron Flemister injured his knee Sunday against the Saints and was scheduled for an MRI on Monday. If he is out for any length of time, the offense will feel it. He has become a dependable safety-valve receiver, and the team missed him against the Saints. Walter Rasby is back from his knee injury, but he’s not as fast as Flemister. Leonard Stephens has speed, but lacks experience.

Also according to Woody, Kevin Lockett does not scare defenses with blazing speed, but he is so versatile as a receiver, runner and even a passer that opponents have to be aware of where he is every moment he's on the field.

Lockett is bright and runs good routes but needs to look every pass into his hands before he starts running.

Lockett has gone from being a player the team left exposed in last spring's expansion draft to its No. 2 receiver. Still, he must show he can put up the numbers of a second receiver after spending his entire career as the No. 3 man.