In last Sunday's overtime win over Dallas, Olson's offense ran 85 plays (13 in overtime), controlled the ball for nearly 10 minutes more than Dallas and had four drives of eight plays or more, including one of 16.

This season, while getting off to their fastest start since 1991, the Cardinals own an edge in possession time against the opposition, are averaging 126.8 yards rushing vs. 90.8 last year, and own a respectable 42.9 conversion rate on third down.

But -- as Tyers so astutely asked -- where are the points?

The Cardinals offense has scored just nine touchdowns -- six passing, three running -- and has relied too much on place-kicker Bill Gramatica's 10 field goals. Despite statistics that would indicate otherwise, the team is averaging just 18 points per game.

Head coach Dave McGinnis knows that the Cardinals need to score more, especially this Sunday, when they take on high-scoring San Francisco for sole possession of first place in the NFC West.

"We're playing a team averaging 24 points a game, that can put up a lot more than that," he said. "We have the capability of scoring more points. We possessed and moved the ball [against Dallas], but we need to come away with touchdowns. As the games get larger, we're going to have to put more points on the board. That's just the way it's going to be."

Fantasy owners can only hope that's the case.

After all, Arizona has only exceeded 16 points once in the last four games.

Much of the failure can be attributed to an inordinate number of dropped passes, including six against Dallas.

"Those things are going to happen, but fortunately we were able to overcome them and still win the football game," Olson said. "We had a number of long drives, and you have to look at the positive side of that.

"We had some assignment errors on plays. I think the big thing is we're not being able to get some of the big plays that we got last year. They all know who [David Boston] is, and they're not cutting him loose as much."

Boston, who had eight touchdowns among his 98 receptions for 1,598 yards last year, has been slowed by a foot injury that he exacerbated in Sunday's game. He has one touchdown, 415 yards and 25 catches in six games.

Backup running back Marcel Shipp leads the team with two touchdown catches; wideouts MarTay Jenkins and Frank Sanders and tight end Freddie Jones have one each.

One theory is that the limited number of big plays is a product of the "cover two" defense being played.

"It's part of it," Olson said. "If you don't give up big plays on defense and make a team drive the ball, just like the [Quincy Carter] did, sooner or later you're going to make bad decisions and throw interceptions. That's kind of what has happened.

"They're trying to make us drive the ball and not give up the big play and hope we screw it up. Fortunately, we haven't done that much. But we have to generate touchdowns. For me to give you one reason why we're not, I can't."

Another factor is that quarterback Jake Plummer got off to a slow start. But he came up with some big plays late in the victory at Carolina and turned in a solid performance on Sunday, keeping the ball from harm's way against blitz-happy Dallas.

"He was pressing earlier because he wants to win, be successful and make big plays," Olson said. "He was very patient [Sunday] and took what was given him.

"I'm not frustrated at all. There have been a lot of games in this league that have been won 12-9, 6-3. A win is a win. Savor it and go back to the drawing board and try to figure out a way to get big plays. ..."

Olson might not be frustrated yet, but that doesn't mean turning things around isn't a pressing need -- a notion best expressed by Sports Illustrated insider Peter King, who wrote on Monday: "I thought the Giants won ugly until I watched the last 30 minutes of Cowboys-Cards. I think very highly of Dave McGinnis, but his lads are setting back offensive football to the Nagurski Era. ..."

One last item of interest. ... According to Republic beat writer Kent Somers, Jones and Shipp continue to play through injuries that clearly leave them at less than 100 percent. Jones dropped a pass against Dallas; Shipp did a decent job while seeing limited action.

Which isn't a far cry from my favorite Vick analogy -- Edgerrin James with Peyton Manning's arm.

But the truth is, nobody has ever seen anything quite like Vick.

"When he's running, it looks like he has no upper torso," Falcons cornerback Ray Buchanan said. "He's all legs, running right past guys."

And to think Vick is in his first season as a starting quarterback, just his second year in the NFL. Imagine how good he's going to be when he really knows what he's doing.

"Let's say he's 50 percent of what he's going to be," head coach Dan Reeves said. "When he starts keying in on things, gets himself up to 90 percent, he's going to be incredible. He's already pretty phenomenal."

This after Vick, in just his seventh pro start, unleashed a one-man assault on the Panthers that ultimately resulted in what Newberry called his own personal highlight film.

How about that play when he took a lateral from an offensive lineman deep in the Falcons backfield and ran for 28 yards?

Or the play when he was almost sacked in the end zone, got away and completed a 21-yard pass to Shawn Jefferson?

Or the play when he cruised outside the pocket, lost one defender with a feigned pass, bounced off another like a pinball and tiptoed down the sideline for a 44-yard touchdown run?

"I was hollering, 'Get out of bounds! Get out of bounds!"' Reeves said. "All of a sudden, he's scored a touchdown. It's amazing how fast it happens."

And those big plays tend to add up quickly. After all, Vick currently leads the Falcons in rushing with 276 yards, even though he missed one game with a shoulder injury. He is averaging 8.9 yards a carry.

I"ll also remind you that Vick hasn't thrown an interception this season. His streak of 139 passes without getting picked, dating to last season, is the longest active string in the league. And the former first-round draft completed 16-of-22 passes against the Panthers, spreading the ball around to nine receivers and attempting to hook up with two others.

"I thought I did pretty well," Vick said, calling from his car as he raced to the airport, trying to catch a flight to Virginia. "I did enough in the passing game, enough in the running game, enough for us to win. That's what is important. I would probably give myself a B-plus."

As Newberry noted, opposing defensive coordinators must be shuddering to think what Vick would have to do to earn an A.

"There's not many quarterbacks in the league that can outrun an entire defense," Carolina linebacker Will Witherspoon said. "He's pretty close to a cheetah."

Granted, the Panthers were missing two of their best defensive players, linebackers Dan Morgan and Mark Fields, both sidelined with groin injuries. Still, Carolina came into the game as the second-rated unit in the NFL.

Not anymore. Not after getting shredded by Vick.

"He's unbelievable," said Falcons owner Arthur Blank, who couldn't stop smiling as he cruised through the locker room Monday. "One of my friends in New York sent me an e-mail. He told me he had watched the game and just seen the new version of Superman."

Superman is close, but of all the descriptions I've seen the last three days, I like teammate Patrick Kerney's the best.

"A human can't do what he's doing," Kerney said of Vick. "He's a genetic step above the rest of the NFL. We better be careful. The Army is going to kidnap him, brainwash us all so we don't know where he went and create an army of Michael Vick clones."

Other notes of interest. ...

Rookie running back running back T.J. Duckett, who scored two touchdowns against Carolina last Sunday, heads into this week's game against the Saints listed as doubtful with an injured right foot. The first-round draft pick was wearing a temporary cast to immobilize the foot Monday.

"It's up in the air as to what the injury is, but I think I'll play [Sunday at New Orleans]," Duckett said.

Also on Monday, fullback Bob Christian said he was getting ready to be tested, "To make sure I don't have any brain damage, or my memory hasn't been hampered" by a concussion that knocked him out Sunday.

Reserve running back Travis Jervey, the team's top special-teams player, was on crutches. His season is over after he tore a ligament in his left knee.

All of which left the team with a struggling Warrick Dunn as the only healthy back on the roster. As a result, team officials called Maurice Smith, who was cut eight weeks ago after spending two seasons with the Falcons. If he passes a physical today, he'll rejoin the team he led in rushing in 2001 with 760 yards.

Duckett and Christian sound like they'll be ready Sunday.

Reeves said doctors told him Christian "would be fine if he doesn't have any headaches, and he doesn't."

Christian said his only memory loss was of the moments around the play on which he was hurt. "If everything goes well this week, I think I can play,'" he said.

Duckett, who may have torn or irritated a tendon in the arch of his right foot, said the foot was aching before Sunday's game. But, sensing an increase in playing time, the rookie kept his mouth shut. "He hadn't said anything about it," Reeves said.

And finally. ... According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, some fans have apparently been confused recently by the fact that offensive line coach Pete Mangurian is serving as a de facto offensive coordinator when it comes to assembling game plans.

Quarterbacks coach Jack Burns is still calling plays from the coaches' box above the field. He radios the calls to the sideline to Reeves, who radios plays into the quarterback's headset, only occasionally changing them.

Of course, he might not be as frustrated if the problem was limited to rookies or first-year starters. But when Jamal Lewis and Brandon Stokley are the guys struggling to secure the ol' oblong spheroid.

Lewis and Stokley both lost fumbles during the Ravens' 17-10 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, and Billick made a point after the game to say the fumbles have to stop.

The Ravens have fumbled 10 times in the past three games and have lost five -- a disturbing mark in an otherwise pleasantly surprising season for Billick. Sunday's turnovers came on back-to-back possessions in the second quarter, and both gave Jacksonville the ball in Ravens territory.

Lewis' came first, two plays after the Jaguars turned the ball over on downs at the Ravens' 12-yard line.

"The frustration is because you're talking about two veterans," Billick said. "The frustration came out from me and from them. It's not like you had to remind them what they had done to the defense.

"We had a good opening run. We had two good runs, then Jamal after getting a good gain puts the ball on the ground. What that does to a defense emotionally, that's where my frustration was so high."

Jacksonville scored on Fred Taylor's nine-yard run after Lewis' fumble but failed to score any points on Stokley's turnover, which came after the receiver fell down on an end around, got up, then fumbled before he was hit.

"I don't know what you can do," Billick said of the turnovers. "If you've got a player that doesn't feel bad for it, doesn't realize how he left his team vulnerable, then you have a bigger problem. Then there is nothing you are going to do to correct that except get rid of that guy. Both of those guys were heartsick for doing that. ..."

Other notes of interest. ...

Also according to Preston, despite a rather pedestrian effort as a receiver last Sunday (four catches for 42 yards), Travis Taylor was commended for his work as a downfield blocker.

"Travis Taylor had a particularly good game blocking," Billick said. "Travis continually tries to raise his level of play in everything he does. Obviously, the real focus for someone like Travis is what does he do on the outside, how many catches does he have? But. ... there are usually some things going on outside as well. And Travis particularly did an outstanding job. ..."

Now, if Taylor can figure out how to put the same effort he did blocking last Sunday into running his routes and catching the ball and we'll all be as happy as Billick, won't we?

As reported by the Sports Xchange, Todd Heap has already surpassed the mark of his mentor.

Last season, Heap learned under Shannon Sharpe, who scored two touchdowns. Six games into this season, Heap leads the Ravens with four touchdowns, all of which have been highlight reel material.

"Those are plays that I want to make, I'm used to making and that I should make," Heap said. "I just hope that we keep putting it up there, and I'm going to put the pressure on myself to make those plays. ..."

And a few final items. ...

Fullback Alan Ricard has quietly impressed the coaching staff with his lead blocking in front of Lewis. The first-year starter is a contact freak and has given the team no reason to put veteran All-Pro Sam Gash back into the lineup. ...

Those who follow the team closely seem to be warming up to Chris Redman, who has emerged as a solid compliment to Lewis. According to the Sports Xchange, the former Louisville star excels at play-action fakes and protects the ball. In all three wins this season, Redman has yet to throw an interception.

During a stretch of four games where Drew Bledsoe rocketed to the top of the NFL’s passing charts, Buffalo’s run-to-pass ratio was a lopsided 18 to 45.

But in wins over the Houston Texans and Miami Dolphins the past two weeks, the Bills’ offense has run the ball an average of 30 times and passed it 32.

Why the about-face?

As Roth noted, the answer is obvious. Buffalo's defense, which had been blitzed for 39 points a game in gruesome showings against Minnesota, Denver, and Oakland, cut that in half against the Texans and Dolphins.

The Bills allowed season lows in six statistical categories in Sunday’s victory over Miami, including pass completions (13) and touchdowns allowed (one). A season-best six takeaways after going four games with none fueled Buffalo’s first win over the Dolphins in five tries.

With no need to get into a scoring duel, offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride was able to turn to running back Travis Henry.

Henry, who seems to be getting stronger with more work, followed a career-best 28-carry, 159-yard effort against Houston with 132 yards on 22 carries against Miami (a whopping 6.0 average).

Ahead by seven points at halftime, the Bills rushed the ball 18 times for 90 yards in the second half and passed it 14 times for 43 yards. Bledsoe completed just five of those second-half passes and on the day, his No. 2-ranked offense hit or tied 13 season statistical lows.

Other than a 70-yard touchdown pass to Eric Moulds, Bledsoe’s greatest contribution was not turning the football over -- something Buffalo quarterbacks haven't necessarily been known for in recent season.

In Buffalo’s last seven trips to Pro Player Stadium before Sunday, six of them losses, the Bills committed 16 turnovers. This time, Buffalo reversed the trend with tidal-wave force.

"It was a situation where our defense was doing such a great job, the only thing that was really going to get the Dolphins back in the game was if I turned the ball over," Bledsoe explained. "Had they scored a couple of touchdowns, then we would have come back and put the pedal down again. But I was being careful, maybe too careful in some situations with the ball, but I just really wanted to be sure that we didn’t turn the ball over."

The plus-6 day moved the Bills from a minus-5 to a plus-1 in the critical turnover ratio department.

Had Buffalo’s defense collapsed again and had the running game been stuffed, things might have been much different. Instead, the Bills showed their growth as a team that is striving for balance on offense and big-play capability on defense.

The only glitch was one three-and-out series with less than seven minutes to play when Bledsoe threw three straight incomplete passes.

"They did a good job of snuffing us in the second half and made us have longer third downs," coach Gregg Williams said. "We had to get the running game cranked at the end. To win this kind of ballgame, that’s what you have to do. They knew we were going to run and we still ran it."

Miami had been allowing just 87 yards rushing per game (No. 7 in the NFL), but Henry ran hard between the tackles and also beat the Dolphins on the perimeter for some big gains. This was accomplished with Marcus Price subbing for injured star rookie Mike Williams (hamstring) at right tackle.

"They caught us in the wrong defense a couple times," Miami defensive tackle Jermaine Haley said. "We were looking a little bit more for the pass and they hit us with the run. You have to give them credit. They were determined to establish the run and they did."

Henry became just the second back to gain 100 yards on the Dolphins this season and with 631 yards is on pace for a 1,400-yard season.

Sunday was the first real example of the running game and the defense taking the weight off Bledsoe’s shoulders. It also demonstrated the overwhelming power of the takeaway.

It’s a formula the team wants to keep going back to as the weather turns.

"We came out in the second half and everyone knows we’re going to run it and the offensive line still did a good job against one of the top defenses in the league," Bledsoe said. "It’s a nice feeling. ... And it all starts up front. It’s a young group that keeps getting better every week."

Other items of interest. ...

According to Buffalo News staffer Allen Wilson, Henry is working hard on his ball-handling in an effort to correct the fumbling problems that have plagued him this season.

The former University of Tennessee star is focusing more on carrying the ball in front of his body, with his index finger on the point of the ball. This might seem like a minor thing, but Henry previously carried the ball by his side and away from his body, which allowed defenders to come from behind and knock the ball out. The team thinks the new technique will help him protect the ball better.

Also according to Wilson, Shawn Bryson's second left ACL injury in four years leaves his future with the team in doubt. He is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, and his value is now seriously diminished.

Bryson, the subject of trade talks before the season, probably won't be fully healthy until at least June or July.

At least on paper, the Tampa Bay defense against a rookie quarterback in his first start seems to be about as big a mismatch as possible. The Bucs have been one of the league's top defenses for several years and Sapp, Lynch and Brooks are consistent Pro Bowlers.

Fasani didn't even get into his first NFL game until last Sunday. A fifth-round draft choice from Stanford, he was Carolina's third quarterback until starter Rodney Peete had knee surgery last week. That pushed Chris Weinke into the starting role. Fasani took over when Weinke suffered a concussion in the second quarter of Sunday's loss to the Falcons.

Weinke suffered some memory loss and spent Sunday night in a Charlotte hospital. He was released Monday, but his status for Sunday is uncertain. Head coach John Fox said it's unlikely Weinke will be able to practice and the Panthers have no choice other than to prepare as if Fasani will be the starter.

With Tampa Bay ranking first in overall defense, second against the pass and fifth against the run, he isn't in an enviable position. But Fasani, who completed 6-of-18 passes for 100 yards with one interception against the Falcons, said he'll be ready to start.

"If you don't feel good, then you shouldn't be out there," he said Monday. "You have to be confident in yourself and your ability."

Fox said he saw bright spots in Fasani's performance against Atlanta, even though the Panthers were shut out for the first time since Nov. 9, 1997. As he did in an impressive preseason, Fasani showed some running ability against Atlanta. With the Falcons putting lots of pressure on both Carolina quarterbacks, Fasani spent much of the day scrambling. He gained 58 yards on eight carries.

"As far as the quarterbacks go, they're usually going to go about how your offensive line goes," Fox said. "I thought Randy stepped in a tough situation and did a good job. His mobility was very evident. He did muster about as much offense as we had."

Fasani, who started 15 games in his final two seasons at Stanford, was drafted as a project. The Panthers liked his potential and planned to let him learn behind Peete and Weinke. He might be the only option this weekend. That's not an ideal situation, especially against Tampa Bay's defense, but Fox has high hopes for Fasani.

"Obviously, he's a rookie," Fox said. "But he's smart. He's got a lot of intangibles. He does have the mobility that is helpful. With time, he'll be a fine young player."

The team signed Tim Hasselbeck to the practice squad Tuesday, and the newcomer could be activated before Sunday's game against Tampa Bay if Weinke doesn't receive medical clearance to return to action this week.

Hasselbeck, who played under offensive coordinator Dan Henning when he was head coach at Boston College, was with the Philadelphia Eagles in camp but was released Sept. 1. He also played in the spring for the Berlin Thunder.

Other notes of interest. ...

Fox also said on Monday that he expects to have wide receiver Isaac Byrd return from an abdominal strain and that rookie running back DeShaun Foster, who has yet to play this season after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery during the preseason, also might play against the Bucs.

Fox said he believes that the returning players will help try to halt a four-game losing streak after the Panthers opened the season with three consecutive wins.

"I think anytime you have four losses in a row it takes its toll. I think it will say a lot about the type of players we have and the type of team we are to see how we respond," Fox said. "I really don't expect us to be any different than we were after three wins. We've obviously slipped. We need to improve -- and that's my job as head coach. I think we'll do the things necessary for us to improve, and getting healthy is one of them."

I'll have further details on Foster's possible role in this week's Late-Breaking Updates.

It remains to be seen, however, if that will be actually happen this week or not.

Miller, who denied a report that he had rotator cuff damage in his throwing shoulder, did not throw Monday and said that the plan was for him to rest until Wednesday, when he will test his throwing ability and resume the day-to-day playing status approaching Sunday's game at Minnesota.

The goal is to bring down the inflammation of the tendons, after which Miller could go the rest of the season without a problem.

"I feel pretty decent [Monday]," Miller said. "Obviously it's not full strength, there's a little pain there, but if I had had to play on Sunday, I would have played."

Other items of interest. ...

It looked for a moment Sunday that Miller would be needed after replacement Chris Chandler was driven backward into the ground by Detroit defensive tackle Kelvin Pritchett, and the veteran signal caller's left wrist and thumb bent awkwardly under the blow.

In case you didn't see the game, Chandler didn't do anything to make Jauron's decision to go back to Miller difficult. Although he ran an impressive two-minute drill at the end of the first half, the well-traveled veteran threw a costly interception that gave the Lions the ball 16 yards from their second touchdown. He was also sacked three times. ...

Jauron said that coaches had talked with running back Anthony Thomas, who fumbled three times Sunday, losing two, conjuring up images of the highly fumble-prone Rashaan Salaam, circa 1995.

"We definitely talk to him about technique. We definitely talk to him about protecting the ball," Jauron said. "On the one hand, it happens. But you can't condone it and we can't have it happen.

"Generally when that occurs in a game, you lose. That's what happened yesterday, [and] we lost. Is that the only reason why? No, but 22 yards [in Detroit scoring drives after turnovers] and 14 points are a big reason why we end up losing a football game.

"Then we turn the ball over on the plus-20 [Detroit end] going in, so that's a big factor. The [Lions'] defense did a good job; they got the ball out. You have to give them credit, but you never can condone it. ..."

On the injury front. ... Starting tight end John Davis, who left the game after catching a 10-yard pass on the first play and didn't return, has bruised ribs but nothing more serious. The former Buccaneer and Viking said expects to play Sunday. ... Which might be a good thing.

According to Mullin, Davis is clearly emerging as a go-to part of the offense. The former Buccaneer and Viking worked a lot with Miller in the offseason, and that built Miller's confidence in Davis and making use of a position that had been little used.

The Bears have discussed a contract extension with Davis, who plays with a tough-guy attitude that the Bears like and have in all three of their tight ends. ...

No 2 tight end Fred Baxter remained in Detroit overnight Sunday to have his kidney checked at a local hospital after taking a shot in the side. He was allowed to leave the hospital but is questionable for this week.

Of course, the answers are nothing and they can't, respectively.

Consider this: Jon Kitna (54.5) and Gus Frerotte (46.1) are the NFL's lowest-rated quarterbacks. Their passer ratings are worse than rookies David Carr, Joey Harrington and Patrick Ramsey.

Unfortunately, that's the best the Bengals have.

And if you ask me, Akili Smith is no more the answer than Joe Germaine, the former Ohio State signal caller signed to the practice squad last Thursday.

In fact, the move has added considerable confusion to an already puzzling situation.

So much so that Smith told Cincinnati Enquirer staffer Mark Curnutte that he asked his agent to call the Bengals to see how the move affects him. Frerotte is confused, too.

"I don't understand it, either," Frerotte told Curnutte over the weekend from his family's home in western Pennsylvania, where they spent the bye weekend. "There are things that need to be addressed other than the quarterback situation. To bring in another quarterback is baffling."

Baffling describes the quarterback situation since the start of training camp. Frerotte won the job despite getting the fewest snaps in preseason games.

During the team's Week 3 loss to the Falcons in Atlanta, last year's starter, Kitna, replaced Frerotte. Smith started the next game, then was returned to third string. Kitna has started the last two games.

Together, Bengals quarterbacks have thrown just two touchdown passes and 13 interceptions. They've been sacked 20 times. The composite passer rating is 48.5, and that's a big reason the Bengals are 0-6 and the NFL's lowest-scoring team.

Frerotte, who has one TD pass and five interceptions, says the experience has been frustrating, but he hasn't lost his confidence.

"I know myself. And I know I'm a good quarterback. I know I can play," Frerotte said. "It seems like here, circumstances are a lot bigger than I am. It shows. It doesn't matter who we have in there."

Kitna will start Sunday's game against the Titans.

"Hopefully, they can keep Jon in there," Frerotte said. "It's hard on the team when you switch guys up. It has been difficult, and we try to stay as positive as we can."

I'll go ahead and throw in Dayton Daily News beat writer Chick Ludwig's two-cents' worth here:

"Kitna is the team's best on-field offensive leader since Boomer Esiason in 1997. There's just one problem: He doesn't have the gun -- the right arm -- to carry the club the way Esiason did with his left arm for so many years. Kitna gets into trouble by forcing too many passes into heavy coverage."

I couldn't agree more. ...

In case you missed it the Sunday before last, Michael Westbrook left Paul Brown Stadium when he found out he was inactive for the Steelers-Bengals game. The Bengals don't require inactive players to stay for the game, but Westbrook's decision to leave the stadium reportedly didn't sit well with the team.

The bottom line is this: The Bengals seem to be quite satisfied going with a five-man rotation that has Chad Johnson, Peter Warrick, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Ron Dugans and Danny Farmer getting the bulk of the playing time -- and which leaves Westbrook pretty much on the outside looking in.

Couch wants the football in his hands so he can attack defenses. He said one reason the Browns beat Houston, 34-17, was the offense dictated the pace of the game in the second half instead of responding to the Texans' defense. According to Schudel, the "namby-pamby" 3-yard dumpoffs to Jamel White are starting to bug Couch as much as they bug fans frustrated with watching them.

So are the safe running plays that will prevent a sack, but have almost no chance of producing a first down.

"It seemed like the last few weeks we didn't have a rhythm offensively," Couch said. "We weren't in sync with what we were trying to do. (Sunday), especially in the second half, we were determined to be more aggressive.

"I think this team is most effective when we're aggressive. When we start throwing the ball, we begin to run the ball better. It opens up some things. Everything moves more smoothly."

Then Couch added, with renewed confidence in his voice:

"We have a (nine)-game season left. We're going to run the table.

Usually teams use the run to set up the pass, not the other way around. Neither facet of the offense set the Texans on their heels Sunday.

The Browns' possession after William Green scored his first touchdown began with 11:49 left in the second quarter. They faced third down and almost three yards to go for first down on their own 38. Instead of passing the ball, Couch handed it to Green, who tried to run up the middle and was stopped for no gain.

Fans in Cleveland Browns Stadium booed that play louder than any other Sunday. Couch had to know they were booing the play selection sent in from the sideline, not booing him.

Three minutes, 19 seconds remained in the second quarter when the Browns got the ball at their 40 with the score still 7-7. Couch threw three straight passes. The drive died partly because Ryan Tucker was flagged for another false start. He has at least one false start in each of the five games he has played.

Couch threw passes on six straight plays and did not hand off once on the drive that ended with Phil Dawson kicking a 35-yard field goal to give the Browns a 10-7 lead in the third quarter.

The only touchdown drive longer than 13 yards was a six-play, 60-yard drive in the third quarter. Couch threw five passes, once hitting Dennis Northcutt for seven yards on fourth-and-4 and following that with a 25-yard touchdown pass to Quincy Morgan.

"I want to be a team that is aggressive," Davis said. "Last year's offense pretty much centered around Kevin Johnson. Kevin did an excellent job. He had 84 catches and nine touchdowns.

"The whole idea going into this season was to create other weapons around the quarterback. Only one other team in the league (Buffalo) has five receivers with 20 or more catches. That's the kind of versatility we're trying to get.

"You have to be able to run the ball. We had 89 yards rushing and we probably left 60 yards on the field. We're getting close to being able to run the ball consistently 100, 125 yards. It's one guy - a guard missing an angle. It just takes a little better recognition. Two-yard runs become six-yard runs. Because you stay with it, when Tim makes the play-action fake, it sucks guys in and you throw a 25-yard touchdown pass. It gives validity to what you're trying to do."

Couch's numbers were far from spectacular. He completed 21 of 31 passes for 148 yards and the touchdown to Morgan. But it was the first time in 13 games he did not throw an interception, and his passer rating, 89.2, was more than 20 points higher than in any of his three previous games - 40.0 in the 16-13 loss to Pittsburgh, 68.8 in the 26-21 loss to Baltimore and 49.1 in the 17-3 loss to Tampa Bay.

Couch completed 20 of 40 passes in the Tampa Bay game, but 10 of those completions were to White for a total of 34 yards, and one of those gained 13 yards. That means nine passes gained an average of 2.3 yards.

Davis last week denied the game plan against Tampa Bay was to keep Couch from being injured, saying the dinky passes to White were the result of primary receivers being covered.

Other notes of interest. ...

In an article published last Monday, Pro Football Weekly offered readers the following assessment of Green, courtesy of an unnamed NFL scout: "The guy’s trying to make a great run every time he touches the ball. … You can’t fault a guy for wanting to do that."

No. But it's mighty hard to overlook the fact that Green is averaging a just over two yards per carry while the less-heralded White continues to pick up five yards per.

According to Medina County Gazette staffer Steve Medina, White, who makes defenses wary of the run and pass because he is so effective in both aspects of the game, he needs to be on the field as much as possible in order for Cleveland's offense to play up to his potential. this point.

White is only 5-9, but his quickness makes him dangerous on dump-off passes, and he makes the whole offense quicker.

The team needs to get Green going but not at the expense of White and the offense. ...

And for those of you wondering what's going on with Johnson, Medina reports that opposing defenses are being physical with him and taking him out of his routes. In turn, he needs to get more physical against defensive backs and linebackers. ... Which at least in part explains why Morgan served as Couch's primary target last Sunday, pulling in seven passes for 81 yards (including the above-mentioned touchdown grab).

Despite Morgan's success last week, Medina believes Johnson needs to be more productive for the offense to work on a consistent basis. ...

The Cowboys, desperate to improve offensively and find their quarterback of the future, are about to find out if Hutchinson is it.

Hutchinson, the 25-year-old rookie whose last regular-season game was as a college sophomore five years ago, gets his first NFL chance Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks when he replaces two-year starter Quincy Carter.

"I've prepared myself all season to step in there. I wouldn't say I expected this," Hutchinson said Tuesday. "I was here to support Quincy and be the best backup that I could be, but it's a coaches' decision."

Hutchinson, who spent four seasons in professional baseball before signing with the Cowboys last winter, learned about his surprise promotion in a "pretty brief and pretty matter-of-fact" meeting with offensive coordinator Bruce Coslet on Monday.

"I hope to go out there and execute the offense," Hutchinson said. "The last three to five weeks, I've really felt good with all of the reads and with the reps I've been getting. I feel very comfortable with it."

Head coach Dave Campo said Tuesday he hopes Hutchinson will be a better fit in Coslet's quarterback-friendly offense. Carter has been inconsistent.

The Cowboys rank 21st on offense and are next to last among the 32 teams with 13.4 points per game. They have scored just eight offensive touchdowns, with a one-game high of 21 points.

"We are hoping that Chad will consistently let the scheme take its course and let it do the work," Campo said. "We feel like we can move the ball better."

Carter, 6-9 as the Cowboys' starter, threw a career-high four interceptions in Sunday's overtime loss at Arizona. Three interceptions came while he was scrambling out of the pocket, and two were near the end zone.

"I've shown the things that needed to be shown to be an NFL quarterback," Carter said Tuesday. "I've needed to take all of the positives, and also the negatives, to make sure the next time I'm in the open field that I'm making better decisions."

Carter admitted he was disappointed and hadn't expected to lose the job after one bad outing.

"Besides Sunday, there were a lot of positives I can take out of the last year and a half," Carter said. "I have to keep my head up and be a positive person like I have been."

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and Campo said the decision was made based on Carter's 15 starts over the past two seasons, not just one game.

The Cowboys have also made it clear they have no intention of shuffling between Hutchinson and Carter. The job is Hutchinson's, and he will be given an extended opportunity to prove himself.

"I think I will always have something to prove, but it's nice to know that it's not just one start," Hutchinson said.

Hutchinson's only game action for the Cowboys was in three preseason games, when he was 16-of-27 for 154 yards with an interception and no touchdowns. He has spent most of his practice time going against the Cowboys' first-team defense.

"For me, it was kind of a good situation to feel things out and get more confidence for myself," he said.

Hutchinson played in a similar offensive system for 23 games at Stanford before going to play in the St. Louis Cardinals' organization.

Carter, the second-round pick in 2001, was 215-of-397 (54 percent) for 2,537 yards with 12 TDs and 15 interceptions in his 15 starts. He was 125-of-221 (57 percent) for 1,465 yards with seven TDs and eight interceptions this season.

Also of according to Hawkins, Emmitt Smith wants his pursuit of Walter Payton's career rushing record to end at home.

Smith would like to break the record at Texas Stadium, and his last chance is Sunday when the Dallas Cowboys host Seattle before playing their next two games on the road. He needs a season-best 93 yards against the Seahawks.

"I'm very excited about the opportunity," Smith said Monday. "I want to do it at home very bad, very bad."

After a season-high 82 yards on 22 carries in Sunday's 9-6 overtime loss at Arizona, Smith finally moved within 100 yards of Payton's record 16,726 yards set in 190 games over 13 seasons.

"I'll be glad whenever it's down to single digits," said Smith, who has played 192 games in his 13-season career. "Seattle has a lot to say about it."

Smith insists he's not preparing any differently this week, even with the record in reach against the NFL's worst rushing defense. The Seahawks have allowed 190 yards rushing per game, including 183 yards and three touchdowns by St. Louis' Marshall Faulk in a 37-20 loss Sunday.

"This week, I'm approaching it just like last week and the week before and the week before that," Smith said. "I'll take advantage of what the defense gives me and just try to make as many plays happen as I can."

If Smith doesn't break the record Sunday, it's almost certain that he would be the NFL's career rushing leader by the time the Cowboys return home on Nov. 24.

Only twice in his career has he had fewer than 93 yards in a three-game stretch -- as a rookie in 1990 when he was held to just 76 yards his first three games, and then a 1998 stretch against Minnesota (44 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries), New Orleans (6 yards on 15 carries) and Kansas City (42 yards on 14 carries).

The Cowboys are expected to get Smith plenty of carries Sunday, especially after making the decision to go with Hutchinson.

Smith, however, had no plans to ask Campo or Coslet about getting extra carries.

"Trust me, these individuals know what's going down. They know what's happening," Smith said. "They are going to do, first and foremost what's important to help this team win the game, then they are going to do whatever they can within their power to do what they need to help."

Also of interest. ... According to Dallas Morning News beat writer Jean-Jacques Taylor, the Cowboys' have been abysmal in the red zone this season. The offense has made only eight trips inside the 20 and has produced three touchdowns, including only one TD in its past five possessions.

Smith has only one carry in the red zone this season and the offense has run 22 plays inside opponents' 20 all season. ...

"He wants me to address him as Brian and not Griese anymore," Sharpe said Monday. "So from this point on, he is now Brian."

The former University of Michigan star earned the right to be on a full-time, first-name basis with the Hall of Fame-bound tight end during last Sunday's overtime win against the Chiefs. During the course of the contest, Griese brought his team back from a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit, completed 30-of-50 passes, threw for a personal-best 376 yards and set a franchise record with his fourth consecutive 300-yard game.

Not even John did the latter.

"John" being John Elway, another first-name acquaintance of Sharpe's.

In fact, Griese is matching Elway's pace for 300-yard games. Almost midway through his fifth NFL season, Griese has 12 300-yard games, including four this season.

Elway had 13 by the end of his fifth season (including one in Super Bowl XXI). By the end of his 16-year career, Elway had 40, including four in the postseason.

Sharpe is going so far as to begin making comparisons of John and Brian. Asked if he has the confidence in Griese as he used to have in Elway, Sharpe said: "Yeah. The thing is you have to. You have to believe that this guy can get the job done. ... I believe he's the leader, no question, of this offense, and as he goes, we go. When you play flawless, look at what our offense did. We put up 37 points."

After Sunday's game, Kansas City head coach Dick Vermeil said the Chiefs' porous defense, which gave up 507 total yards, made Griese look brilliant.

"We put him in the Pro Bowl today," Vermeil said.

But the way wide receiver Rod Smith views things, Griese's development is not a one-game phenomenon. Rather, Griese's performance against the Chiefs was an Elway-like game that has been in the works for a while.

"I think that every day he is gaining more and more respect from guys on this team," Smith said. "I'm not saying that they didn't have respect for him before. But he and I hang together off the field and we hang together in the offseason. So I know what his passion is, and I saw every facet of it this weekend. If you couldn't see that, I don't know what you have been watching. Because he shows every characteristic of one of the great quarterbacks. I saw Elway do it, and he used the same exact characteristics that Brian used this weekend."

Head coach Mike Shanahan, who saw Elway lead the Broncos to five AFC titles and win two Super Bowls, isn't ready to anoint Griese the next No. 7. Nonetheless, he was thrilled with Griese's performance and his ability to lead the Broncos from behind in a hostile environment.

"Everyone talks about leadership, but I think you said it best looking at what Brian did in (Sunday's) game, that speaks volumes," Shanahan said. "What you say, what you do, it doesn't compare with how you perform.

"Brian played a great game."

Sharpe said he wasn't surprised.

"We knew all along the type of guy that he was," Sharpe said. "The guy never quit. He hung in there, made some great throws. The offensive line did a great job of protecting, and Brian did a good job of getting away and getting rid of the football.

"That's what it takes. He played flawless. ..."

In a related item, Saunders noted that Griese has never been a shotgun quarterback, but he's learning to like the versatility it gives him. When he's in the shotgun, the team often employs a lot of four- and five-wide receiver sets. The shotgun allows Griese to scan the field more quickly, a necessity when he has so many options.

With the team running so many quick slants across the middle, Griese already is loaded and ready to fire as Smith and Ed McCaffrey make their moves. It also allows him to view, and escape, blitzes better. ...

In yet another related items. ... Pro Football Weekly noted last week that receivers coach Karl Dorrell believes McCaffrey’s 69-yard TD catch in Week 5 did more than put six points on the board.

"I think it showed tremendous confidence for himself," Dorrell told PFW. "Because being put in that situation in a game against an opponent and him being able to outrun some guys, in his mind, he should know that he’s back [from last season’s leg injury]."

A few other items of interest. ... Halfback Olandis Gary was on the active roster for last week's game, but he never set foot on the field, let alone touched the football. ...

In an article published Monday, Sports Illustrated insider Peter King took issue with the team's handling of its situation at place-kicker, stating: "I think Denver is nuts for not signing Jason Elam for a long time. You know what this is? It's the classic case of a story that, in March, will sound just fine. Denver will say it's saving vital cap money by not paying Elam $1.5 million a year, or whatever he'd get, and paying some rookie kicker the minimum. Then, the first time the rookie misses a game-winner, everyone in the organization will be frothing for Elam. And he'll be someone else's kicker. Hey, kickers are worth a lot of money today. Real money. The Broncos should pay up. ..."

And finally. ... In an article published last Sunday, SportsLine.com senior writer Jay Glazer reported that league officials are looking into Shanahan's stunt with the media last week in which he showed game film of Kenoy Kennedy's hits to question the league's punishment. While the NFL office refused to comment on the matter, they could decide to punish the coach for violating league bylaws.

According to Article IX of the league's bylaws under the Prohibitive Conduct section, the use of video or game film to criticize officiating or to publicly question the legality of a play or quality of officiating is not permitted. In addition, public criticism of the league's officiating is also prohibited.

"No, I wouldn't say so," owner William Clay Ford said. "Let's wait and see how it plays out but, as of this point in time, no."

Millen stirred a controversy when he called an unidentified Lions player a "devout coward" and questioned his manhood in an interview with former Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka on Ditka's weekly radio show.

"I have talked to him, obviously," Ford said. "But I really want to sit down and go in depth, how he feels about everything."

Although Millen has declined to identify the player he was referring to, speculation among sources close to the team has focused on second-year receiver Scotty Anderson.

Anderson said during training camp that he had talked with Millen and head coach Marty Mornhinweg regarding a need for him to improve his downfield blocking and make the difficult catches over the middle.

Anderson said he concentrated on that area of his game during training camp and was complimented by Mornhinweg at least once for playing better and tougher, but Anderson has been used sparingly.

Millen said he regretted making his comments in a public forum.

"Let me make it clear, I said it and I was wrong," Millen said. "There's no excuse or alibi or anything like that. The reasons why it happened don't matter -- all that matters is what you are going to do about it now. That's what I'm concerned with. That was wrong and the forum was wrong. Deal with it and move on."

But Millen, who prided himself on a rough-and-tumble approach to football from his days as a high school player through his NFL career, also defended the fact that he made the remarks.

"You have to remember what I come out of, I got called out a lot," Millen said. "Maybe not by the [general manager], and maybe that's the difference and another lesson.

"Where I came from, we fought on the sidelines, in the locker room. We called each other out, you made each other accountable and in the end you play, and that's it."

Millen said he has not talked to the player he alluded to on the radio show.

"Previously, yes," he said, "but not yet."

Ford, who has owned the Lions since 1963 and is no stranger to locker-room conversation, seemed to understand the context in which Millen made his remarks.

"It sounded like it was just jock talk," Ford said. "It was a linebacker talking to the tough Ditka guy, making jokes. It was kind of locker room talk, and I don't think there was anybody in particular singled out. I don't think there was any malice in it, maybe."

When asked whether Millen's comments would undermine his relationship with the players and his position with the team, Ford said: "Only time will tell that, I couldn't guess at that. I hope not, but I don't know."

Other notes of interest. ...

In an article published Tuesday, Booth Newspapers beat writer Tom Kowalski suggested that Germane Crowell's return last week after missing almost an entire year was a giant leap for the offense. Crowell, coming off surgery on both knees, cleared the all-important mental hurdle and should become much more productive very quickly.

Crowell is smooth in and out of cuts, runs sharp routes and has deceptive speed. With wide receiver Bill Schroeder (hamstring) also coming back, the Lions will finally have their full corps of receivers.

Not only will rookie quarterback Joey Harrington have better targets, but Mornhinweg can finally do the creative things he wants with wide receiver Az-Zahir Hakim in the slot. ...

Also according to Kowalski, fullback Cory Schlesinger has become a triple threat with his running, receiving and blocking ability.

A devastating blocker in the running game, Schlesinger is a much better receiver than runner. As a runner, he has a tendency to put his head down and ram through holes, especially in short-yardage situations. Keeping his head down makes it hard for him to see other openings. He's very effective as a receiver if he has time to get his body turned downfield after the catch.

If a defender can get to him before he gets his shoulders squared, he's much easier to bring down. Last Sunday against the Bears, his work as a blocker was a sight to behold. He was a one-man wrecking ball and did an excellent job of neutralizing linebacker Brian Urlacher.

The Green Bay Packers quarterback spent most of the first day of the team's bye week in the training room at Lambeau Field.

The three-time NFL MVP was injured in the third quarter of Sunday's 30-9 victory over Washington.

He isn't expected to miss the Packers' next game, Nov. 4 against Miami, so the NFL's all-time leader for consecutive starts by a quarterback can go for No. 165.

Favre has left four games with a serious injury in the past nine years. He was able to shake off the first three setbacks and start the following week.

This time, Favre and the Packers caught a break because of the bye week, giving his sprained lateral collateral ligament an extra week to heal.

Although I won't follow this one closely during the off week, I will keep an eye out for any developments regarding Favre's status as the week progresses and update you as necessary. ...

In a semi-related note. ... According to Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel staffer Tom Silverstein, Favre purposely bailed out of certain passing plays and scrambled to find out how his new receivers would react during training camp this summer. It was his own idea and he didn't tell anyone he was going to do it. As a result, he has had success with his receivers in scramble situations.

Favre has been outstanding on third down and has spread the ball evenly to wide receivers Terry Glenn and Donald Driver and tight end Bubba Franks. The receivers have a better idea what Favre might do if he gets outside the pocket.

Carr, who has been sacked an NFL-high 40 times so far this year, had his best game statistically in last Sunday's loss to the Browns, completing 22-of-36 passes for 267 yards and a touchdown. The first three categories were career highs, and Carr did not throw an interception for the second consecutive game.

In his last two games -- losses to Buffalo and Cleveland that the Texans were within fourth-quarter striking distance -- Carr has completed 34 of 59 passes for 485 yards. He has been sacked league-high 40 times this season, including nine Sunday against Cleveland.

"Yes, we improved. We make improvements every week and this was no different," Carr said. "But we are now at the point where we have to make football plays. There were opportunities to score points, and we didn't capitalize."

The two most obvious were would-be touchdown passes to Corey Bradford. Carr overthrew a pass to Bradford down the right side that would have been a 70-yard TD pass in the second quarter. In the third quarter, Carr found Bradford open across the middle for what would have been a 76-yard TD. But Bradford juggled the ball ad lost possession as he hit the ground.

Normally I'd take the former Packer to task for blowing a pair of scoring opportunities like that, but to be honest with you, but I'm going to back off a little bit in this case because it doesn't change the fact that Bradford is the Texans' only true scoring threat.

And as Houston Chronicle staffer Carlton Thompson noted earlier this week, Bradford has done such a good job as a pass catcher, his blocking been has gone almost unnoticed. The Texans don't have big, physical receivers, so downfield blocking is somewhat of a weakness, but Bradford does the job.

Pound for pound, Bradford's one of the team's strongest players, and he does a good job of using his hands to get leverage on defensive backs. Among his best attributes are his ability to hit a moving target and willingness to be physical.

It's also worth noting that Carr did a better job with distribution against the Browns, completing passes to seven receivers. More important, the Texans finally got tight end Billy Miller involved in the offense. The Texans need to continue to use Miller, a former wideout who has great hands, and runs well enough to create matchup problems.

With the emergence of Bradford as a legitimate deep threat and the continuing development of rookie Jabar Gaffney, the team feels good about its wideout situation. And Miller could become a viable third option. ...

Also according to Thompson, Jonathan Wells became the sixth rookie starter on offense, replacing veteran James Allen last week at Cleveland. Wells continues to be the most effective of the two runners, although Allen gets plenty of playing time because he's a better receiver and is better at picking up the blitz.

Head coach Dom Capers prefers a big, physical running back, and Wells (6-1, 243) fits the mold, but until he improves his blocking techniques, the two players will share the position.

Wells is quick to holes, has good cutback ability and finishes runs strong. He also has good speed for a 240-pound back. ...

A little running room.

He ran 20 times for 62 yards, a 3.1-yard average. The Colts lost 28-10 to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

"We certainly tried to establish the run," said quarterback Peyton Manning. "They just played better than we did. When you have to throw and defenses know you have to throw, it plays into their hands a little bit."

Manning threw 48 passes. The Colts ran 21 times. The passing game totaled 304 yards. The running game accounted for 72.

That lack of production in the running game has made it difficult to sustain drives.

James is coming off reconstructive surgery on his left knee last November. He appears to have most of his old burst and lateral movement, but he has rushed for 99, 138, 88, 60, 43 and 62 yards this season. That's the worst six-game stretch of his four-year career.

The line has had a hard time making holes.

"There's no one answer," said right tackle Adam Meadows. "It's execution. We've got players good enough to play winning football. We just have to execute, every last one of us, every play. We've got to have a balanced attack."

Other notes of interest. ...

According to the Sports Xchange, mental and physical mistakes have cost Indianapolis in key situations this season and that fact was never more in evidence than against Pittsburgh Monday night.

"We just didn't play well. You just can't make that many mistakes against a team like Pittsburgh. I'd like to have a few of those throws back, and I would have liked to have made a few more plays, " Manning said of his three interceptions against the Steelers.

Manning's 304 yard passing performance against Pittsburgh Monday night was his first 300-yard game this season. It was the 26th 300-yard plus passing game of his career.

Despite a 4-2 record and remaining in first place in the AFC South, the Colts are aware that they are a football team struggling to find themselves.

"You recognize that there are 16 games in the season and each game is going to present challenges," WR Qadry Ismail said. "You can't get too high on the wins and you can't get too low on the losses. We don't feel good right now, but we are going to have to put this aside because come next week, we know that nobody is going to feel sorry for us."

Marvin Harrison had his string of four straight 100-yard receiving games snapped against the Steelers. Harrison was held to eight catches for 76 yards.

Marcus Pollard is a big-play option who has not been used enough. The team is relying more on Pollard as a blocker, but it must increase his involvement in the passing game.

Running back Ricky Williams got his first playing time with the Colts Monday night. Williams, who was picked up in a trade with the New Orleans Saints at the end of training camp, had one kickoff return for 14 yards. ...Tight end Mike Roberg's 15-yard reception against the Steelers was the first of his career.

Seder was teaching and coaching in Ashland, Ohio in 2000, when the Cowboys discovered him. He played for Dallas the last two seasons and made 36 of 50 field-goal attempts. He missed the end of last season with a sprained right ankle.

He lost his job to Billy Cundiff this preseason.

Epstein missed a 39-yard field goal in the second quarter of a 17-10 loss to the Ravens on Sunday, and after that, Coughlin passed on kicks of 42, 48 and 53 yards.

The coach said he knew before the game that he couldn't count on Epstein from longer than 40 yards. In 2001, NFL kickers made 59 percent of field goal attempts between 40 and 49 yards, and 52 percent of kicks of 50 yards or more.

"We don't have him kick a 50-something kick, we're not going to put him in that situation," Coughlin said Monday. "But you'd like to think points will come when you're put in good-to-decent field position."

Epstein couldn't do it. He was 0-for-4 this season on kicks of 39 yards or more and Coughlin is taking the heat for heading into the season without a dependable kicker.

Had the Jaguars made field goals on two of the drives where they passed up kicks, they would have needed only one more field goal to win at the end. Mark Brunell wouldn't have been forced to throw an interception in the end zone on the desperate final drive, and the Jaguars might be 4-2 instead of 3-3 with a two-game losing streak.

Coughlin's repeated fourth-down calls raised some eyebrows in the locker room.

"If the coach says, `It's fourth down, we're going for it,' whether you agree or disagree, you go out and run the play," Brunell said. "You execute. Sometimes it works out, sometimes not. We don't make those decisions. We just go play."

After Coughlin re-evaluated the decisions Monday, he said he'd do it all again -- except for the "aggressive" fourth-and-2 call that netted zero yards on a pass to Jimmy Smith.

"Would I change?" Coughlin asked. "Yeah, I'd change that one, but that's the only one."

Of all Coughlin's decisions, however, maybe the most confusing was the choice to keep Epstein on the roster in the first place.

When he drafted Epstein out of Michigan in the seventh round, Coughlin said he was more impressed with his ability to kick in bad weather and in pressure situations than he was worried about Epstein's rather ordinary 26-for-42 field-goal conversion rate in college.

Epstein struggled through training camp and went 3-for-6 in the preseason. He is 0-for-4 this season from 39 yards and farther. He was pretty good with kickoffs -- he has seven touchbacks -- but his two kickoffs against Baltimore were poor.

Coughlin hung with Epstein in large part because he's so sure about his alternatives.

You can't just "reach right out of the sky and just grab one," he said. "We kept him based on my belief that he can be a good kicker in this league."

Also of interest. ...

According to Florida Times-Union staffer Bart Hubbuch, upset by another quiet weekend, veteran receiver Smith questioned the team's play-calling strategy yesterday.

Smith had seven catches Sunday in the Jaguars' 17-10 loss to Baltimore but totaled just 63 yards. The five-time Pro Bowl pick has just 16 catches combined in the past four games.

"It's frustrating for me because I like to be able to carry the load and be a performer out there, and my role is very limited," said Smith, who missed all of training camp in a contract dispute.

Smith feels that not enough long passes are being called this season, even though Smith's per-catch average (13.8 yards) would be his highest since 1999 if it holds up.

Smith has 29 catches for 400 yards this year, but he has just one touchdown. His longest reception is 47 yards, much of which came after the catch.

"Why not go for it? What's going to happen?" Smith said. "I can count on one hand the number of times we've gone deep the last two games. It's frustrating to me, because I like to be able to carry the load. My load has been very limited."

Coughlin, who calls all the team's plays, said constant double coverage on Smith is the biggest factor keeping the Jaguars from throwing deep to him. Smith also can't benefit from the presence of veteran receiver Keenan McCardell, who was cut in the offseason.

McCardell's replacement, Patrick Johnson, has just nine catches.

"We don't get a lot of single-high coverage [on Smith]," Coughlin said yesterday. "If we did, you might get more deep balls."

Smith is 33 but said he doesn't feel he has lost a step in his 10th NFL season.

"I don't think my skills are diminishing," he said. "I wish I were super-human, but hey, it's going to happen one day. All I can tell you is, I know it's not happening now. I'm still making plays."

Whatever happens, Smith said he won't allow his feelings to become a distraction for the 3-3 Jaguars.

"I'm not going to be a Keyshawn Johnson," Smith said, referring to the Tampa Bay receiver and notorious complainer. "I'm going to go out, have a good attitude and try to be a leader. This is about winning a ballgame."

And finally. ...

This week's edition of "Strange But True Football Stories" come from the editors of Pro Football Weekly, who informed readers last Monday that Coughlin firmly believes in the power of motivation, using team highlights set to music and spliced with clips from movies such as "Gladiator," "Blackhawk Down," "Braveheart" and "Pearl Harbor" to motivate his squad.

The Chiefs have had situations in three games this season where converting one play of three yards or less with their high-scoring offense would have resulted in a victory. Each time, they elected to punt and rely on their defense to make a stop. It failed in each situation and the Chiefs lost all three times.

Vermeil's calls have all been correct by the book, but he must start making unconventional decisions because the defense can't be counted on. The offense is the strength of the Chiefs. They need to win or lose with their strength. ...

As noted by the Sports Xchange, in scoring three touchdowns Sunday, Priest Holmes ran his season TD total to 14 (12 rushing, 2 receiving). It is the highest TD total after seven games by any NFL player since 1970. Dallas' Emmitt Smith owned the previous high with 13 TDs after seven games in 1995.

Also according to the Sports Xchange, Eddie Kennison developed a case of the "dropsies" in the past two Chiefs losses. Against Denver he dropped three very catchable balls, the key one coming in overtime on a third-down play when he was well beyond the marker. The heat is on the Chiefs to give first-year player Marc Boerigter more playing time at Kennison's expense, but don't look for Vermeil to go in that direction just yet, even given Kennison's history of going cold on teams.

The former quarterback persuaded HBO colleague Carter to put his TV career on hold and join the Dolphins to bolster their injury-plagued receiving corps.

Carter, who ranks second to Jerry Rice in career receptions and touchdown catches, signed a one-year contract Monday that will pay him $550,000, with another $700,000 possible through incentives.

When the Dolphins first contacted Carter last Wednesday, he was reluctant to return. Marino swayed him.

"Marino's crazy," said Carter, who turns 37 next month. "I had squashed the whole idea -- 'I'm not going to do it.' Danny and I were getting ready to go into the studio, and I tell him, and he just goes ballistic -- 'You've got to do it. You can still play. It's a great situation for you."'

By Saturday, Carter had a tentative deal with the Dolphins, and the team's loss to Buffalo last Sunday underscored the need to upgrade the passing game. Ray Lucas threw four interceptions in his first start since 1999, and Dedric Ward and James McKnight -- pressed into starting roles because of injuries -- combined for just four catches.

The Dolphins still lead the AFC East, and Carter believes they can help him win a Super Bowl ring, one of the few accomplishments to elude him during a 15-year NFL career.

"Besides championships, there's nothing I could do that would quench my thirst," Carter said. "This is not an individual thing. It's more about the opportunity with this team. ... If they were 3-4, I wouldn't be here."

Following a news conference to announce the signing, Carter reported for his first team meeting. With two weeks to prepare for Miami's next game at Green Bay on Nov. 4, Carter said he's in good shape and expects to learn the offense quickly.

"In a pinch just tell me, 'Cris -- down and in,"' he said. "It's the same as Little League football."

With the Minnesota Vikings, the outspoken Carter developed a reputation for being charming before a camera but selfish on the field and divisive in the locker room. But head coach Dave Wannstedt and his players said they'll welcome Carter's input and experience.

"Even if he's just on the sideline hanging out, he'll be a big plus," linebacker Zach Thomas said. "He'll bring some leadership and teach our guys some things."

A bye this week gives the Dolphins extra time to tweak their offense, which was sent into a downward spiral by injuries to quarterback Jay Fiedler and receivers Chris Chambers and Oronde Gadsden. Chambers is expected to return from a concussion for Green Bay, but Gadsden will miss the rest of the season because of a torn ligament in his left wrist.

Gadsden decided to have surgery rather than play with the injury when the Dolphins rejected the terms he sought in a contract extension.

"We were worlds and miles and miles apart," Dolphins senior vice president Rick Spielman said.

Gadsden was placed on injured reserve Monday and becomes a free agent this winter, meaning he has likely played his final game for Miami. But he expressed no bitterness about being replaced by Carter.

"Statistically, he's the best receiver ever to play the game," Gadsden said. "I can't be upset. I'm happy he's here. It's an honor that he replaced me. I hope everything works out and he takes us to the Super Bowl."

The Dolphins tried to reach a deal with Carter when he was a free agent last spring. Negotiations stalled, so he retired and went to work for HBO's "Inside the NFL."

Vikings receiver Randy Moss applauded his ex-teammate's return to the league.

"I love it!" Moss said. "And I think a lot of football teams he's been making comments about will love it, too."

Carter said he'll still do some work for HBO, but mostly he'll work on improving his impressive career statistics: 1,093 catches for 13,833 yards and 129 touchdowns. He had 73 catches for 871 yards and six touchdowns last season with Minnesota.

"I think it's going to be a great addition to our team," Wannstedt said. "It's probably going to take him a couple of weeks to learn the offense and get in playing shape. How quick all that happens will determine how much he plays."

The Dolphins are apparently done raiding the broadcast booth. Fiedler will likely be sidelined until at least Dec. 1, and Lucas' poor performance Sunday inspired a fresh round of speculation that Miami might try to coax Troy Aikman out of retirement.

"That," Wannstedt said, "is not a consideration."

A Marino comeback is also unlikely, which Carter considers unfortunate.

"The only thing that would make this deal sweeter," he said, "was if Dan was with me."

For the record. ... Wannstedt was happy with Carter on his first day of practice. The coach told the team's official Web site: "He is in a little better shape than I thought. Today was the first day so the learning curve was something. He did make one one-handed catch in the end zone. So he can still catch the football. He jumped right in and mixed with the guys."

Also of interest. ...

Lucas missed practice Tuesday with a sore left hip, but the former Jet is is expected to return to practice early next week.

"If we were playing a game this week, Ray probably would not be able to play," Wannstedt said. "He is beat up that bad and limping around."

With Lucas and Fiedler out, Carter's first practice Tuesday was with quarterbacks Sage Rosenfels and Dave Dickenson. Neither has played in an NFL game. ...

And one final item the team needs to hash out over the bye week concerns Gadsden -- or more specifically, some locker room unrest regarding the former Arena League star's treatment during the above-mentioned contract negotiations.

Pro Bowl cornerback Sam Madison became the Dolphin to complain about the Gadsden's treatment, saying the veteran receiver should have been offered more money to keep playing this year.

Gadsden will miss the rest of the season because of a torn ligament in his left wrist. He decided to undergo surgery rather than risk playing with the injury when the Dolphins rejected terms he sought in a contract extension. His current deal expires after this season.

"You have a guy who you say is one of your veteran leaders," Madison said Tuesday. "For something like this to happen is rough."

Safety Brock Marion and McKnight earlier complained about the way the organization handled Gadsden's situation. But several prominent Dolphins, including Thomas, defensive end Jason Taylor, Fiedler and running back Ricky Williams, said they were enthusiastic about the acquisition of Carter.

Wannstedt said he didn't plan to address the matter with his players.

"They are going to support each other, and I would be disappointed if they didn't," Wannstedt said. "My whole thing is that a guy is hurt; what do I need to do to try to get another player in here to help this team win?

"Our guys know that we have taken care of our guys. I feel great about the last four years, because we haven't brought in any $10 million guys from other teams. We have given the money to our guys and taken care of our guys. We will continue to do that."

The Vikings lost their fifth game Sunday, a 20-7 defeat to the New York Jets, and Tice is fed up with everything.

"Every time you lose, it takes a hunk out of your gut," he said. "I don't handle it very well and I've been trying to be very patient with losing. But I'm about fed up with it."

A week after picking up their first win and confidence, the Vikings reverted back to the team which closed out last season with four straight losses and opened this season with four straight.

"For whatever reason, we're 1-5 and we've got to figure out why," center Matt Birk said.

It's actually not that hard to figure out.

Daunte Culpepper forced passes and threw interceptions again. Randy Moss barely got his hands on the ball. The running game was stagnant. And another inexperienced quarterback burned Minnesota's secondary, which ranks next-to-last in the league.

Minnesota's offense stalled with four turnovers and couldn't recover.

"It's frustrating, there's nothing you can do to alleviate the frustration than just to go out there and not turn the ball over," offensive coordinator Scott Linehan said.

Fans watching the game could sense things would go badly for the Vikings on their first offensive play, when Culpepper's pass intended for Moss sailed into the hands of Donnie Abraham.

Culpepper's next interception came as the Vikings, trailing 3-0 in the second quarter, were driving for a touchdown. A pass intended for Chris Walsh in the end zone was picked off at the goal line by Mo Lewis.

In the third quarter, Lewis forced a fumble by Michael Bennett at New York's 18-yard line with Minnesota trailing 17-0.

"We're ranked the No. 4 offense in the National Football League, but we're not scoring points relative to that. ... Because we turn the football over. Certainly you can't turn over the football in the red zone," Tice said.

As he has declared before, Tice said his players aren't carrying their intensity from practice into the games.

"At a certain point, players need to relax, go out there and perform," Tice said. "I think there's a group of players that I have in my mind that I don't think when I look in their eyes they have faith in their abilities."

The Vikings just have to hold onto the ball. Linehan said the players can't be too paranoid about creating turnovers.

"If we worry about turnovers, you create all kinds of energy leaks for your team," he said. "They're going to be worried more about the security of the ball than the read on the run.

"You don't want to be conservative, you just want to be smart."

In an article published last Monday, Pro Football Weekly reported that QBs coach Alex Wood put Culpepper through an interesting drill in an attempt to cure the signal caller's fumbling woes last week. Wood, armed with blocking pads, chopped Culpepper on the back and shoulders during passing drills to simulate the hits Culpepper takes from defenders. ...

For those of you wondering how the mercurial Moss is handling the team's current situation, I'll offer the statement, made by the former Marshall star following last week's game: "We have 11 players on offense. Somebody needs to take the pressure off of me. Our offense is better than what we've been showing the last few weeks. It's just a trickle effect. Everybody has to make the plays, not just me. Not just Daunte. ..."

As reported by Minneapolis Star Tribune staffer Kent Youngblood, running back Doug Chapman continued to rest comfortably Tuesday at Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina. But his bout with abdominal bleeding resulting from a hit in Sunday's game against the Jets has landed him on injured reserve, putting him out for the season.

"He's out of intensive care and doing okay," Tice said. "But we'll put him on injured reserve. It's going to be awhile before he's able to do anything."

Chapman was admitted to the hospital Monday after waking up with extreme abdominal pain. It was determined he had internal bleeding, but that bleeding stopped of its own accord. Further tests Tuesday confirmed no additional bleeding. Chapman will be kept in the hospital for observation for at least a couple more days.

And finally. ... Wide receiver D'Wayne Bates continues to be listed as doubtful for Sunday, because of a strain of a transverse process in his lower back.

"It will all come down to how he can handle the pain," Tice said. "We'll know more about him as the week progresses."

If Bates cannot play, Derrick Alexander will return to the starting lineup and Chris Walsh would see extensive action in three-receiver sets. In that case, the Vikings would keep receiver Cedric James active and pair him with Nick Davis on kickoff returns.

Life in NFL coaching circles may not be quite as regimented as the military, but it's close.

But as Mannix reminded readers, these are not ordinary times for Weis, the Patriots offensive coordinator, and the rest of the Pats, not with the three-game losing streak and the self-destructive tendencies that have surfaced.

There's so much work to be done that Weis said he actually found the past week "refreshing." No working on an upcoming opponent. No studying films of the Denver defense to establish a game plan for next week's game. Like the rest of the coaching staff, Weis was studying himself and his players, trying to find ways to correct the problems that have unexpectedly struck the team.

"Ordinarily I hate weeks after a loss," Weis said. "Not this time. We needed this time off for some self-scouting. That's what [head coach] Bill [Belichick] had all the coaches do during the last week: Look at what we're doing and come up with ideas to make things better.

Weis wasn't willing to talk about specific strategies to make the team better. He did, however, point to a specific area where the offense needs to get better - a lot better.

"We're not finishing drives like we need to," he said. "We're moving the ball for the most part. We're just not finishing, not getting into the end zone. Whether we're throwing the ball or handing it off to [Antowain Smith], we've got to get back to scoring touchdowns."

Like Belichick, Weis disagreed with the critics who say the team is struggling because quarterback Tom Brady is being asked to do too many things.

"Obviously we have to do things better than we have," Weis said. "When you're struggling like we are to score points (averaging 12 points during the current three-game losing skid), you're going to be criticized. We didn't get the job done against the Packers. We'll take the criticism.

"I don't think this is a Tom Brady problem. This is an overall team problem. We're making too many mistakes -- too many turnovers, too many penalties. It's not like we're doing nothing out there now. We're not scoring the way we'd like and that's what counts. But we are moving the ball."

One area where Brady does need to improve is his performance in the red zone.

According to numbers compiled by Stats Inc., Brady handles the blitz well, completing 44-of-60 passes (73 percent) when defenses try to rattle him with extra pressure. He's also moderately effective in third-down situations, completing 39-of-62 passes (63 percent). He's 28-of-43 (65 percent) when he needs less than 10 yards for a first down.

Inside the opponents' 20, the numbers are considerably less impressive. In the red zone, he's completed 11-of-23 passes for 59 yards. Given the smaller field, it's obviously harder to find open receivers down that close to the goal line. But that's where a quarterback earns his money -- by making plays that result in touchdowns.

Like every offensive coordinator, Weis would like to see "balance" in the offense, where equal doses of run and pass cause defenses problems. But he pointed out why the Patriots did what they did last week.

"We're a 'game plan' team," he said. "We look at the opponent and we put together a game plan we think will work best against that particular defense. Last week, Green Bay had both starting defensive ends out, as well as three of the four starting defensive backs. They had guys on the field who had just come in off the street.

"We felt we could exploit that with the passing game. For a while we did, but we kept stopping ourselves through our own mistakes. That's been the case for most of the last three games. When we get close to the goal line, we've got to come up with the plays we need."

That "game plan" philosophy is also why Brady will again be "The Man" when the Patriots have the ball against Denver this Sunday.

Before giving up 113 yards to Priest Holmes last Sunday, the Broncos had the NFL's best run defense, limiting opponents to 62 rushing yards per game. That came against runners such as San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson and Miami's Ricky Williams, who did nothing against the Broncos in their games.

Denver's pass defense is ranked 17th in the league, allowing 218 yards per game. ...

One last note here. ... After missing the last two game with an injured shoulder, rookie tight end Daniel Graham should return to action this week. Which isn't necessarily a good thing.

Sure, Patriot tight ends -- Christian Fauria, Cam Cleeland and Graham -- have combined for 26 catches and four touchdowns so far this season, but figuring out with one three-dimensional calculus.

"I think everything starts with the running game," Haslett said. "We're never going to change that way because I think it opens up avenues in the play-action pass and the passing game. And really, the only game we didn't run the ball well enough was the Detroit game, the game we lost."

Replacing Ricky Williams with Deuce McAllister has helped, Haslett said. So has the experience quarterback Aaron Brooks has gained in his second year as the starter. So has the house cleaning the Saints did and the additions they've made since.

The main thing, Haslett said, was for the players to stay focused. He doesn't want his team looking toward the playoffs or distracted by the increased attention.

"We just have to be smart," Haslett said. "We know who we are and why we got here. We have to continue to work hard, prepare well and practice well and everything will be fine."

Haslett's biggest worry now is the Atlanta Falcons, next week's opponent.

"I'm not worried about down the road," he said. "Right now the worst we can be is 6-10. I think that's how you have to look at it."

Other notes of interest this week. ...

Rookie receiver Donte' Stallworth (hamstring) was close to playing against the 49ers, but the Saints still aren't saying he'll be in the lineup for sure against the Falcons this week. ...

And finally. ... As reported by The Sporting News, David Sloan was a borderline starter and a good sleeper heading into the season. Now, he seems to be in a career coma. The Saints want to stretch the field, and on the occasions they throw short, it has been to McAllister and No. 2 tight end Boo Williams.

Nonetheless, with Collins going up against a Philadelphia defense that ranks third in the league against the pass, you might want to consider your options very carefully before chiseling the former Penn State star's name as your starter.

Also according to Best, the team's rushing attack has improved the past two games, but overall it has not been up to par. Tiki Barber remains the workhorse and also leads the team in receptions, but he was slowed early by injuries and has not made huge, game-breaking plays. Ron Dayne continues to be an enigma, with only 45 carries for 134 yards. Sean Bennett has played a surprisingly small role. Rookie fullback Charles Stackhouse has shown improvement in recent weeks, but he's an unfinished product.

As for the team's receivers, Best noted last Sunday that Amani Toomer and Ike Hilliard have benefited from Jeremy Shockey's presence and have made many big plays, especially on third-and-long. Toomer has improved his burst off the line, and Hilliard has had no trouble carrying the extra weight he added to protect his body. Ron Dixon remains on the bubble of Jim Fassel's doghouse as the third receiver, and he could be replaced by impressive rookie Tim Carter.

Also of interest this week. ...

Shockey (toe) was held out of Monday's practice, but he did run wind sprints with teammates after the session was over. Fassel believes Shockey will be able to practice by Wednesday or Thursday and play on Monday night.

I'll go ahead and remind you, however, that turf toe is a painful injury that could bother him for the rest of the season and might require offseason surgery.

Whatever the case might be, keep an eye on this week's Late-Breaking Updates for more on the former Hurricane standout.

"I am not backing off that at all," Pennington said of his stated goal of leading the Jets into the playoffs. "I understand we have to take this one step at a time. We can't look past a team, we can't afford that. We have 10 one-game seasons, basically, and every one is important and counts.

"My focus as far as our team making the playoffs and getting those 10 wins stays the same. "I've been told I can't do a lot of things throughout my whole life. So people saying we can't make the playoffs doesn't faze me. They don't understand the type of people we have in the locker room."

Pennington not only has displayed sharp passing skills and an ability to manage a game, but strong leadership. He sat behind Vinny Testaverde for two seasons and the first four starts this year, but since relieving an injured Testaverde in Game 4 against Jacksonville, Pennington has been productive.

And he tore apart the Vikings on Sunday, completing 24 of 29 passes for 324 yards and a touchdown. He continually found wideouts Laveranues Coles, Santana Moss and Wayne Chrebet for huge gains.

"I think he is comfortable," head coach Herman Edwards said. "He is a guy who prepared himself for this opportunity and done all that he is capable of doing.

"He comes from a football background, his dad's a coach and he has been a quarterback and a football player his whole life. He understands his role. When he was behind Vinny, he was always asking questions, a student of the game."

The student is learning well. But that doesn't mean he is in for nothing but positive results with a team that has looked so fragile on offense and defense for most of the season.

Pennington does have the weapons in support -- running back Curtis Martin, receivers Coles, Moss and Chrebet -- and has used them well.

"The challenge as a football player is, if you trust your preparation, things will be simple," he said. "They won't be easy; you still have to make the throw or the tackle.

"But the reason I say it may be simple at times is the guys around me: Curtis Martin and three great receivers out there. Also, because my job is simple: Get my playmakers the ball. They can take care of the rest."

The rest of the schedule can be daunting. After the upcoming game with Cleveland, the Jets have the likes of San Diego, Miami, Buffalo, Oakland, Denver and Green Bay, all of whom have winning records. Super Bowl champion New England also is ahead, as well as trips to Detroit and Chicago.

That doesn't even make Pennington flinch.

"I look at the progress we made and the improvement as a positive, but I am not satisfied," he said. "I know things may not be as open as what they were yesterday and I might have to make better throws.

"At the same time, we can't get down if adversity strikes during a game. It's how we react. There is always a big play where you are faced with obstacles and it is how you respond to that."

So far, Pennington has responded well.

In a related item. ... The AP reported Sunday that Martin hopes Chad Pennington's performance against the Vikings changes the way opposing teams look at the New York Jets.

"Some of my friends would say to me, 'Curtis, we're coming in there to shut you down,"' Martin said. "That's not the case anymore. Now when teams look at us, they know they can't put the eight-man front in there."

Kirby was returning a kickoff when he carried the ball into a group of tacklers in the third quarter. He landed awkwardly, and a pile of Chargers rolled over him.

Even before Kirby's injury, Oakland was thin at running back with Randy Jordan (groin) and Tyrone Wheatley (hamstring) sidelined. Zack Crockett and practice squad running back Madre Hill will fill the void.

According to the Sports Xchange, Hill is a tough, powerful back who shined in exhibition games. He also is a capable kick returner. ...

Also according to the Sports Xchange, Sebastian Janikowski's two missed field goals (27 and 48 yards) were critical in the loss to San Diego but head coach Bill Callahan predicted he would bounce back.

"I think he has the confidence of the team," Callahan said. "I think we are all behind him. We're going to need him."

Those were the approximate words Callahan spoke to Janikowski after his second miss from 48 yards Sunday.

"I told him to hang in there, that he would have the opportunity to kick that game-winning kick, if it came down to that, in overtime."

It didn't. San Diego won the coin toss, received the kick and went down and scored.

In six games, McNabb has been sacked 21 times, but only twice Sunday against Tampa Bay. Last season McNabb was sacked 39 times.

The offensive line is not solely to blame for the high number of sacks this season, although the return left guard John Welbourn (broken leg) will help. Part of the problem is McNabb holding the ball too long, and part of it is his receivers not getting open fast enough.

Sack record holder Michael Strahan is next up on the schedule followed by the current leader, the Bears' Rosevelt Colvin. ...

Also according to Eckel, the Eagles can run the ball. Always a pass-first team under coach Andy Reid, the team went to the run against Tampa Bay and Duce Staley responded with 152 yards. The Eagles controlled the game and the clock.

Reid played it safe and conservative against what he felt was a quick but undersize Bucs defense and wanted to wear it down. It worked perfectly.

For only the ninth time in the last 43 games, the Eagles ran the ball more than they threw it Sunday. They had a season-high 34 rushing attempts. In the first half, the Eagles ran the ball on 66 percent of their first-down plays.

"That's a heavy number," Reid said.

According to the Sports Xchange, it's also a number you're not likely to see very often again this season. Despite their rushing success against the Bucs, the Eagles are, and will always be, a pass-first offense as long as Reid is in charge.

"When we need [the run], we'll use it," Reid said. "When you can mix (the run and pass) and be effective mixing, it puts pressure on the defense."

Through six games, the Eagles have thrown the ball 230 times and run it just 169 times.

We run the ball very effectively," Reid said. "Any questions about whether Duce is back or not were answered [Sunday]. We've felt comfortable there. But some others had questions about him. He showed it to everybody Sunday."

In a semi-related item. ... According to Pro Football Weekly, despite all the hard work and effort he's put into his rehab in order to return to action before the end of the season, Correll Buckhalter's chances of suiting up again this year are slim.

The former Cornhusker can be activated only between now and Week 9. If Buckhalter isn’t on the roster by Week 9, he must miss the rest of the year. Because the team is happy with the production of its running backs, Buckhalter is likely done until 2003.

The Steelers got better-than-expected news Tuesday when they learned neither Bettis nor center Jeff Hartings needs knee surgery. Both were hurt in the second half of the team's victory Monday night over Indianapolis, and Hartings' injury was initially thought more serious.

Tests showed Bettis sprained his left medial collateral ligament and Hartings injured left knee cartilage, but did not tear any ligaments. They will likely be listed as doubtful in the Steelers' medical report Wednesday.

"The news on those players is good, relative to what the alternative could have been," head coach Bill Cowher said Tuesday.

Namely, season-ending surgery that could have disrupted the Steelers just when they are playing well.

The short turnaround following Pittsburgh's third victory in four games could make it difficult for Bettis and Hartings to play Sunday at Baltimore. The game will at least temporarily decide first place in the AFC North.

The Steelers also were without Bettis (groin injury) at Baltimore last season, but backup Amos Zereoue filled in by gaining 73 yards in a 26-21 victory. Zereoue also replaced Bettis on Monday and ran for a career-high 87 yards against the Colts.

"Most definitely, I think I'm ready," Zereoue said. "I have a lot of confidence in my ability."

Bettis ran for two touchdowns Monday before getting hurt and is 35 yards from moving past O.J. Simpson into 11th place in NFL career rushing.

Also of interest. ...

Down to just one healthy tight end for Monday night's game against the Colts, the Steelers re-signed Matt Cushing Tuesday. This is the third time in four years Cushing has signed with the Steelers during the season. He spent the 2001 season with them, but was cut last month after being one of four tight ends to make the season-opening 53-man roster.

With John Allred (calf) and Jerame Tuman (quadriceps) out Monday, the Steelers used long snapper Dan O'Leary as a backup tight end. O'Leary played tight end at Notre Dame.

With third-stringer Marc Bulger at quarterback for the injured Kurt Warner the last two weeks, head coach Mike Martz has been leaning on his All-Pro running back.

Faulk tied his career highs with 32 carries and 39 touches in Sunday's victory over the Seattle Seahawks after 30 touches the previous week as the Rams upset Oakland for their first victory of the season.

"He's awesome," Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander said. "I was joking around with him and I said, 'You did good today.' He said, 'I did good for an old man.' So I said, 'You did good for any man."'

The 29-year-old Faulk has amassed 415 yards in total offense the last two weeks and scored five touchdowns, including his fifth career four-TD game against the Seahawks. He leads the NFC with nine touchdowns, is No. 1 with 49 catches and is back on top in yards from scrimmage with 934 through seven games.

"You can give him the ball and they know it's coming, and they still can't stop it," Bulger said.

Before the last two weeks, Faulk's season high had been 26 touches against the Cowboys. But so far, his new do-it-all role doesn't seem to be wearing him down.

"He's a remarkable individual, he's so resilient," coach Mike Martz said. "He hasn't been in the training room. If there's something bothering him, he'll mention it."

Faulk said he's just trying to help the Rams win after their 0-5 start.

"If that's what my job description calls for, if that's what I have to do for us to win, then that's what I'm going to do," he said. "It's about going out there and doing it."

Having the bye week to rest had nothing to do with Faulk's increased work load against the Seahawks. Martz said it was a combination of sticking with something that was effective, and keeping the pressure off Bulger.

"I didn't think about the bye week, he was just going so good," Martz said. "Just like in the passing game when Kurt gets on fire and you throw 17 in a row, you just kind of go with it.

On Sunday, Faulk became the 15th player with 10,000 yards rushing. He passed John Riggins for seventh on the career touchdown list with 119.

"Right about now it doesn't matter much," Faulk said. "It's just nice when you look back on your career and you think of the numbers, if you want to, it's nice to have them."

One other item of interest here. ... In an article published last Monday, Pro Football Weekly advised readers not to believe the recent reports hinting Rams backup Trung Canidate was back in Martz’s good graces after landing in the doghouse earlier this season. PFW went on to claim the relationship between Martz and Canidate remains a bit rocky.

The key is keeping the opposing defenses honest not only with an ability to run or pass but also with the threat of a trick play. This team has three touchdowns on end-around plays run within the red zone.

Also according to Trotter, offensive line coach Hudson Houck should get the team MVP award for the first seven weeks. He has taken a group that uses two rookie starters on the interior -- including undrafted center Jason Ball -- plus second-year starter Damion McIntosh at left tackle and molded this group into a unit that has created enough holes for running back LaDainian Tomlinson to gain 785 yards.

Houck often adjusts his schemes to exploit the weaknesses of a defensive line. He uses traps and pulls against heavier defensive tackles, then power blocks against smaller linemen. His attention to detail in terms of steps and hand placement has the players raving. ...

Tomlinson had 12 rushes for negative yards against the Raiders but still finished with 153 yards in 39 carries. His ability to remain focused even when things weren't going well is a sign of maturity.

Last year, he might have become flustered. This year, he keeps hammering until the cracks become holes. He gained 88 yards in the fourth quarter and overtime against Oakland.

"We're going to aggressively rest him," Mariucci said, "put him in a boot, immobilize it and freshen that thing up."

Mariucci also decided to freshen up the entire team and called off practice. Players attended team meetings instead at the Santa Clara training facility.

When asked if he would be ready to play against the Cardinals, Owens said: "I ain't talking to nobody, dude."

Also according to Bergman, J.J. Stokes will resume catching passes this week, but if he's not 100 percent, Tai Streets will remain the team's No. 2 receiver, Mariucci said.

"Our policy has been if a person has lost his starting job because of an injury, when he comes back full speed ahead, then he would get his starting job back," Mariucci said. "But we might make Stokes active before he's 100 percent.

"At that point, we would have to determine what his role would be. Is it in his best interest to ease back in and play a handful of snaps, or be an emergency-type receiver? If he's 100 percent healthy, he'd get his job back."

Streets led the 49ers with six catches for 80 yards in a 35-27 loss at New Orleans on Sunday. "Tai has done a very nice job of pinch hitting for J.J," Mariucci said, "and he deserves to play."

Stokes has missed the past two games because of a partially torn ligament in his right knee, and he's approaching his return with caution.

"I haven't run in two weeks, so I won't have my wind right away," he said. "I'm more worried about making cuts and running routes than my wind."

One final item. ... Running back Garrison Hearst (strained right hamstring) moved from questionable to probable for Sunday because, as Mariucci put it, "we're optimistic. We know he's tough, and he always plays hurt."

Holmgren tried to identify the problems again Monday, defending his team's talent and blaming himself.

"There's not much that happens around here that I don't feel responsible for," said Holmgren, in his fourth season as Seattle's coach and general manager. "That's what makes it hard."

He hasn't given up, though. Looking to this week's game at Dallas, Holmgren spoke optimistically about working harder in practice to get a much-needed victory.

"It's a huge hole we're in," he said. "We're going to see what we're made of."

There are plenty of problems right now, including a punchless running attack averaging 82.7 yards, ranking 16th in the NFL.

Even worse, the Seahawks have been outscored 37-7 in the third quarter and 85-29 in the second half this season. And this was supposed to be the year they came together under Holmgren's experience and leadership.

"Have I done some soul-searching? It's pretty much on a daily basis," Holmgren said. "I'm disappointed and frustrated and angry. I feel bad about where we are and what our record is. I had much higher expectations."

Quarterback Trent Dilfer went 4-0 as the starter late last season. Like everyone else, he can't explain what went wrong.

"It's hard to believe," Dilfer said. "I don't know the answer. We've just got to continue to work hard, try to improve and stay focused on getting a win. That's the only way I know how to improve."

Mistakes seem to drag the Seahawks down every week. They gave up big plays in losses to Oakland, Arizona and San Francisco. The offense was ineffective in a loss to the New York Giants.

Even when Seattle beat Minnesota, it was on the strength of Shaun Alexander's NFL-record five first-half touchdowns. Bolstered by a 45-10 halftime lead, the Seahawks were outscored 13-3 in the second half.

"There's no other way to say it. We haven't been playing well," Holmgren said.

Also of interest. ...

As noted by The Sporting News, Alexander is going to have a hard time getting his game untracked against Dallas this week. The Cowboys have allowed just one rushing touchdown in seven games. ...

According to Seattle Post-Intelligencer beat writer Clare Farnsworth, receiver Darrell Jackson has quietly been putting together a solid season, although he did not catch a pass against the Rams. Jackson runs precise routes with explosiveness and quickness. But he still drops too many balls. ...

And finally. ... According to the Sports Xchange, rookie tight end Jerramy Stevens will probably return this week after missing two games while recovering from a sprained ankle. Stevens needs playing time to develop his skills. The Seahawks need him on the field because veteran Itula Mili plays better when he's being pushed for playing time.

Johnson was hurt during the opening quarter of Sunday's 20-10 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, but he didn't leave the game until midway through the fourth quarter.

If he's not ready to play against Carolina on Sunday, he'll be replaced by backup Rob Johnson, the former Buffalo Bills starter.

"I don't want to say he's out, but it does look like he's doubtful for this game," head coach Jon Gruden said Monday. "It could be anywhere from one-to-two weeks. It's going to be a pain threshold-type thing. How much can he take -- and he can take a lot. So I'm not going to paint a real bleak picture until I see Brad Johnson on the practice field Wednesday, Thursday and Friday."

Receiver Keenan McCardell also is doubtful with a slight crack in his left shoulder blade.

Brad Johnson has started every game since signing with the Bucs as a free agent before last season. In addition to being sacked five times Sunday, he was knocked down 10 times and hit on nine other occasions before throwing a fourth-quarter interception that led to the Eagles' clinching touchdown.

Rob Johnson was 4-of-7 for 31 yards, and he led a drive that stalled deep in Eagles territory before Martin Gramatica missed a 29-yard field goal that would have trimmed the Bucs' deficit to seven points in the closing minutes.

"He doesn't get a whole lot of work on the practice field. ... But he's a guy I think moved the club well yesterday when he had his opportunity," Gruden said of Rob Johnson. "He's an athletic guy that's played in this league. He has a good feel for our system, and hopefully if he's asked to play, will play well."

According to "The Rob," he'll approach the week as if he's going to start.

"I'm very excited," he said. "We're coming off a tough loss, and you're sad about that, but then you're fired up to get your opportunity. It's too bad that Brad's got to be out, but it's an opportunity for me.

"I hate being a backup. It's not fun. Any backup will tell you that because you never know when you're going to play. The quarterbacks usually get hit a lot. ... So you're always wondering when your chance is and you don't get any work during the week. It's just an uncomfortable feeling. I'm a pacer and I probably walk five miles during the game up and down the sideline when I'm backing up. I'm much more comfortable starting."

The Bucs failed to score an offensive touchdown for the second time this season. The unit is ranked 24th in the NFL, though Gruden said that's not because of poor play at quarterback.

"Brad Johnson is a fine football player and has played well for us," Gruden said. "We're a 5-2 team, and a lot of that is because of Brad Johnson. ..."

Other notes of interest. ...

In an article published last Monday, Pro Football Weekly noted that Keyshawn Johnson was frustrated because he wasn’t getting the ball more in head coach Jon Gruden’s new offense. Then he was seen on the sideline yelling at Gruden during a Monday night game.

However, things seem to have been patched up between the two now that Keyshawn has finally started to see the ball more often and for bigger yardage. But insiders say the Keyshawn-Gruden lovefest actually hinges on another Johnson altogether -- "The Brad."

According to PFW, Brad Johnson has become more comfortable in the offense and has learned to trust Keyshawn to be where he is supposed to be the ball is thrown.

Despite Keyshawn's apparent happiness with the role he's playing, the former USC star still realizes he needs to put the ball in the end zone more often. Asked whether he was considering carrying a Sharpie in his sock to autograph a ball after scoring a touchdown, Johnson replied: "Even if I put two pens in my sock, I'm not going to be able to use them around here, because they'll dry out."

In a semi-related note. ... According to Tampa Tribune staffer Roy Cummings, the team's practice field has two thick red lines that run the length of the field and are situated five yards inside each sideline. The lines are used primarily to give receivers a guide for where they need to be when running fade or go routes.

The receivers' objective is to stay on that line. By doing that, the quarterback always has a five-yard target area in which he can drop the ball and complete the pass.

Also according to Cummings, the recent problems with the field-goal unit can't be blamed solely on poor snaps and inadequate blocking. Gramatica must regain his Pro Bowl form. The team relies on Gramatica to bail out the offense when it fails. If the team is going to continue to win, Gramatica must be on top of his game.

Simon, who according to general manager Floyd Reese, has been the team’s most productive player, went largely unnoticed in the 2002 NFL draft because he was playing out of position in college. He was switched from running back to wide receiver during his senior season at Louisiana Tech, but Floyd knew Simon was a running back at heart.

"If you start with a list of traits for a running back, you would like them to be fast, you would like them to be able to catch the ball very well, you would like them to adapt to the passing game and be able to run the ball. Well, he had done all of those things, but it had been such a long time since people had seen him run it. He’s not your prototypical receiver. So we said, fine, let’s bring him in and give him a shot. Luckily for us, he fit right in and he has been a very pleasant surprise."

Also of interest this week. ... With the Titans coming off the bye, Nashville Tennessean staff writer Jeff Legwold offered the following position-by-position assessment of the team's offensive skills players.

Quarterback: "Without the benefit of a consistent running game or pass protection, Steve McNair has been one of the offense's most consistent pieces. Still, at times, he has tried to do too much."

Running back: "Eddie George has shown flashes of his top form, but he often runs as if he doesn't trust the hole to be there. That has caused him to be hesitant at times. ... Simon was the surprise of camp and is a third-down option, while Mike Green has played at both halfback and fullback. The Titans need more than they're getting from this unit."

Receivers: "Derrick Mason has been, by far, the most consistent overall. Kevin Dyson didn't make the most of his opportunities when Mason was out with a shoulder injury. Frank Wycheck has been in the right spots, as usual, but he has turned the ball over more than he has in the past."

According to The Sporting News, Tennessee's effort to return to the style of play that made them successful in the past -- run the ball like crazy and be conservative in the passing game -- should mean lots of short throws.

But that doesn't necessarily mean Frank Wycheck benefits.

With George healthy -- and No. 2 tight end Erron Kinney (four catches, 44 yards two weeks ago) is back in the game plan -- Wycheck might have a hard time racking up his usual totals. Considering he's never has been one to score many TDs, the veteran tight end might have a hard time putting up the numbers most of us expected heading into the season.

A few final notes here. ... Mason hoped to return to action this Sunday; keep an eye on this week's Late-Breaking Updates for more. ... The same goes for fullback Greg Comella, who suffered a dislocated right shoulder in Week 6.

The Washington Redskins coach announced Monday that Shane Matthews had regained the starting job, then conceded that whoever holds the position is "going to get hit" playing behind an offensive line that allowed six more sacks in Sunday's loss at Green Bay.

"The protection was not super, but it's not going to be super," Spurrier said. "So we don't need to come in here every week and say the quarterback got hit. He's going to get hit."

Spurrier's third starting quarterback change of the season came after rookie Patrick Ramsey struggled for the second straight week, fumbling five times and overthrowing several open receivers against the Packers.

"Patrick had three games, playing very well the first game, and since then it hasn't worked out," Spurrier said. "He's obviously not as prepared as he should be."

Spurrier said he expects Matthews to finish the season, although he said the same thing about Ramsey two weeks ago.

"Overall, we believe Shane Matthews gives our team the best chance to win games," Spurrier said. "Nobody's mad at anybody. We just feel that's the best direction to go right now.

"He's our quarterback. He's the guy that takes us however far we go this year."

The new starter went to extreme measures to avoid discussing his promotion. Matthews had his SUV brought to the back door of Redskins Park and drove it around the building, speeding past reporters without stopping.

Matthews will need to be equally evasive when he lines up against the Colts. The Redskins have allowed 22 sacks, third most in the league, including 13 in the past two weeks. Matthews, who has a wiry frame, was battered when he started the first three games of the season and sprained his non-throwing shoulder against Philadelphia.

"We're not real mobile at the quarterback position, so we're not going to sprint out and go all over the place," Spurrier said. "We've got to do what we can do best."

Spurrier actually toned down the game plan against the Packers, running more and looking less like the innovator of the Fun 'n' Gun. It didn't matter because the Redskins -- from quarterback to receiver to offensive line -- have yet to show they have the talent to score regularly no matter what the scheme.

To that end, Spurrier is making another change, re-promoting Rod Gardner back to the starting lineup at receiver in place of Chris Doering. Derrius Thompson remains the other starter.

"When you have star players that play well every week, then obviously you don't have any shuffling to do," Spurrier said. "But when you're trying to find out who your best players are, to me you've got to give them all an opportunity."

Also of interest. ... In an article published last Monday, Pro Football Weekly noted it's never too early to look ahead to the offseason, when a number of notable players are expected to be available to the highest bidder as unrestricted free agents.

And while he’s still under contract for next season and beyond, we hear the odds are strong that Stephen Davis could arguably be the best back available on the market because the Skins might not be able to afford him.

Davis restructured his contract on July 31 to create some cap room for the Redskins and now has a five-year deal worth $31.5 million. But considering the escalator clauses in the contracts of OLT Chris Samuels and OLB LaVar Arrington (both will be entering their fourth years in the league next season) the Skins might need to restructure Davis’ contract again -- or be forced to release him and risk losing him on the open market.

"We still expect the Redskins to honor Stephen’s contract," Davis’ agent, Steve Weinberg, told PFW. "But it is pretty clear that [the Redskins] are going to be way over the salary cap."

The cap situation was created a couple of years ago when owner Daniel Snyder went on a spending spree, which included signing CB Deion Sanders and DE Bruce Smith. Smith has done next to nothing this season, and Sanders retired one year after signing a seven-year deal that included an $8 million signing bonus.

There has been talk that Davis is not a perfect fit in head coach Spurrier’s offense because he does not catch the ball out of the backfield as well as some backs, but Davis is by far the best running threat the Redskins have.

Snyder has gone on record to say the Redskins will do everything in their power to re-sign Jansen, who will be one of the hottest commodities on the market next year. But Snyder has remained mum about whether Davis remains in the team’s future plans.