Nonetheless, McGinnis will continue to rotate Marcel Shipp into the lineup in relief of Jones for the remainder of the season.

Also according to Somers, Jones, who has been bothered by a with a high ankle sprain since the second game of the season, will probably have to deal with the injury for the rest of the year. ...

According to the Sports Xchange, Jake Plummer continues to make decisions with the ball that challenge the rational, but the flip side of his questionable throws is his growing effectiveness scrambling, his trademark in his early seasons but abandoned the past few seasons. He took off and scored from 34 yards, the longest touchdown run of his career. ...

And as reported by Republic writer Don Ketchum, the team's receiving corps took a hit when X-rays revealed that backup Bryan Gilmore has a "torque" fracture of his left leg just below the knee. McGinnis said Gilmore probably is lost for the season.

Gilmore was injured in the second quarter last Sunday, when he became entangled with 49ers safety Tony Parrish in the end zone. Gilmore also suffered a sprained left ankle.

Gilmore was the No. 4 receiver behind David Boston, Frank Sanders and MarTay Jenkins and had one catch for 14 yards. Gilmore's role likely will be filled by rookie Jason McAddley, a fifth-round pick from Alabama. McAddley has been inactive for the first seven games.

Arnold Jackson could figure in the mix at receiver along with his role as punt returner.

By the way. ... Boston dropped a pair of passes Sunday, continuing a team trend, "but we'll still throw to him," McGinnis said.

And finally. ... Arizona goes up against a St. Louis defense that has improved greatly since allowing 25 points a game over the first five weeks of the season. In fact, the Rams have given up an average just 16.2 points per game since defensive coordinator Lovie Smith switched to a 4-1-6 scheme prior to Week 6. In the two games since, St. Louis linemen have recorded seven sacks, contributed five tackles for losses and forced three turnovers.

The left-handed Vick insisted he will practice this week and be in the lineup when the Falcons host Baltimore Sunday.

It's worth noting Vick also had his left shoulder wrapped in ice following the game. He sprained the shoulder mildly when linebacker Darrin Smith sacked him for a five-yard loss early in the third quarter.

Vick hurt his thumb early in the fourth when Smith grabbed his facemask on an incomplete pass to Brian Finneran.

"My thumb is just kind of swollen, nicked up." Vick said. "I sprained it. I fell on my left shoulder and sprained it a little bit. It's not like the last time."

A sprained AC joint in his right shoulder kept Vick from playing at New York three weeks ago. Doug Johnson started in his place and orchestrated a 17-10 victory over the Giants.

As successful as Vick has been in his first season as a starter -- leading the NFL with 9.0 yards per carry and producing a 93.8 quarterback rating that's second-best in the NFC -- the 22-year-old has paid a cost physically.

He removed himself with 31 seconds left against the Saints because his stomach was upset and he thought he would pass out. Vick felt a similar sensation after scoring on 44-yard touchdown run in the team's shutout win over Carolina two weeks ago. He didn't return after that play, which ended the Falcons' scoring in the third quarter.

Vick admitted Monday he could benefit from taking IV fluids at halftime to prevent the chances of dehydration or low blood sugar levels. Included in his 195 yards passing and 91 rushing against the Saints were a 32-yard touchdown run in the fourth and a 27-yard run to start the second.

"That might be an option for me, something I might have to do," Vick said. "I don't know what it was. It's never happened to me before."

Head coach Dan Reeves was delighted with Vick's play under pressure. The offense had a horrendous start in the first two possessions as the line committed three penalties and Vick was sacked three times.

Atlanta's final nine possessions resulted in seven scoring drives, the last ending with Jay Feely's 47-yard field goal with no time remaining.

"Even as the game went on, we had some plays that we didn't execute right that caused us problems, some penalties and so forth, but guys just kept hanging in there," Reeves said. "That starts with the quarterback. It starts with the demeanor that he has -- the ability that he has to keep everybody calm in those kind of situations. I think Mike's done a great job with that. ..."

Also of interest. ...

Willie Jackson, who clearly wasn't satisfied with his role -- or lack thereof -- in recent weeks, was released Monday.

"Willie wasn't satisfied with how many balls he was getting and so forth, and you can't really control that," Reeves said.

Jackson played in all seven games with one start and had 18 catches for 199 yards. He signed with the Falcons in July.

Last year, Jackson set career highs with 81 receptions and 1,046 yards for the New Orleans Saints. He also made 28 catches on third down, second-best in the NFC.

Atlanta signed Quentin McCord from the practice squad to replace Jackson on the 53-man roster.

The timing of Jackson's release surprised some of his former teammates, but others could tell he was unhappy after losing his starting job to Shawn Jefferson before the team's Oct. 13 over the Giants in New York.

"I can understand what Willie was going through being that Willie caught 81 balls last year for more than 1,000 yards," Vick said. "He just felt like he wasn't, you know, given the opportunity to make plays. He just kind of felt like he wasn't getting the ball.

"I don't know, man. I kind of felt his sorrow, but at the same time this is a team game and you've got to let everyone around you work in there," he said.

All of which reminds me. ... One of these days I'll learn to trust myself.

I say that in reference to last Sunday morning, when -- against my better judgement -- I sent out an update advising you that a variety of sources were reporting that Jefferson would replace Finneran in the starting lineup against the Saints.

Unfortunately it never happened.

Finneran not only started as usual -- alongside Jefferson as he has since Oct. 13, he was the only wideout on the field for most of the second half with Falcons running out of a one-receiver, two-tight end, two back formation.

In my defense, I was hesitant to buy into the story, which was initially reported by ESPN.com and then picked up by a variety of sites. It didn't make sense. Jefferson was already the starter. Why wouldn't the team announce that Jackson was replacing Finneran? And why did their official web site -- which was updated about an hour before kickoff -- still show Finneran and Jefferson as the starters?

Also in my defense, that update was sent out with the following caveat: "You can decide for yourself, but I'm going to assume that Jefferson, Finneran and Willie Jackson will all be in the mix today. We'll see how this one shakes out and bring you more in next week's Team Notes."

So. ... Here we are and now we know. In an article published Tuesday, Falcons insider Charles Odum reminded readers that Warrick Dunn says he needs at least 20 touches in a game to make an impact. Given the opportunity, Dunn backed up his words when he rushed for 142 yards on 23 carries in the win over New Orleans. It was his third-highest rushing total.

Dunn showed his quickness on runs both outside and inside as he slipped behind blockers and through holes. The downside of the strong game were his two fumbles. Still, Dunn showed enough that he again should be the feature back. And finally. ... Reeves is optimistic that T.J. Duckett will return to practice this week after missing last Sunday's game with an injured foot. ... Keep an eye on this week's Late-Breaking Updates for more on his status throughout the weekend.

Blake has more agility and experience than Redman. He also puts the long ball back in the offense, something the Ravens lack because of Redman's average arm strength.

Redman is considered the long-term project, but Blake gives the Ravens a better chance of winning now. ...

For the record, team officials expect Redman, who had an MRI Monday, to miss two games while he lets the inflammation in his back subside. If it doesn't, he could have season-ending surgery.

The former Louisville star has already been ruled out of Sunday's game with the Falcons, leaving third-stringer Anthony Wright to back up Blake.

Redman, who had disc problems in college, said he began feeling pain earlier this season and that by last Friday it had become too bad to play.

"We'll just have to see where we are with those guys over the next few weeks," Tessendorf said. "We'll have to see where they are before we do anything."

One last note on this one. ... Asked on Monday if Blake could take over the starting job permanently if he plays well, head coach Brian Billick replied: "We're committed to the development of Chris Redman, but it would be foolish of me to preclude anything. ..."

Also according to Preston, Travis Taylor has been improving since Billick publicly stated the former first-round pick needed to play better. Taylor's downfield blocking has improved tremendously, and he is the possession receiver on third down.

Taylor isn't a big-play threat, but he's good at running intermediate routes and getting first downs. His best routes are comebacks because he is strong enough to push off and gain separation. He must continue impressing the coaches to return next season.

According to Pro Football Weekly, running backs coach Steve Fairchild credits an offseason of diligent work on his pass-catching skills as well as getting in better shape for Henry's emergence as one of the NFL's most productive running backs.

"He dropped a little weight and kind of got his burst back, gained some speed, and at the same time, I don’t think he lost any strength." Fairchild said. "That’s what we liked about him in college, is that he’s always been a big-time tackle breaker and a physical runner. But when he added that step, I think that’s [been] the biggest difference between this year and last year."

Henry has had some trouble holding on to the ball this year, but the coaches don’t seem to be too worried about it, and Henry said he just needs to not try too hard.

"The times I have fumbled, it’s been. … Trying to make something extra happen on the play, and I kind of take my hand off the ball and the defender knocks it out," the former University of Tennessee star told PFW. "So (the coaches) just basically told me. … Just go down if I can’t get any more yards than I already got on the play."

It's worth noting, however, that eight of Henry's nine rushing touchdowns have been from five yards or less, thanks in large part to his knack for breaking tackles. ...

Other notes of interest. ...

In an article published Tuesday, Buffalo News staffer Allen Wilson noted the Bills head into Week 9 after scoring touchdowns on 64.5 percent of its trips (20-of-31) inside the opponent's 20, which helps explain why it is one of the highest-scoring teams in the NFL.

The receivers quickly create space from cornerbacks and -- at 6-5 -- Drew Bledsoe has the height to see the whole field and the arm strength to fire passes into tight areas. Bledsoe has thrown seven touchdowns of nine or fewer yards.

Wilson went on to say Eric Moulds is nearly impossible to cover with one defender and even beats some double coverages. He rarely gets jammed at the line because of his strength and explosive first step.

Moulds runs precise pass routes and is productive after the catch. His hands are strong but soft. He makes tough catches and uses leaping ability and body control to make plays in traffic. He blocks well, too.

"We may have had a drive or two where we generated some kind of offense, but it's kind of tough when you've got a rookie quarterback and an offensive line that's struggling," said receiver Muhsin Muhammad. "It's kind of hard to generate any kind of offense. You're not going to have a great day running the ball or passing the ball."

On nine of 14 possessions, the Panthers failed to get a first down.

Still, it might have been enough to pound running back Lamar Smith at the Buccaneers and spice things up with an occasional short pass, but for the turnovers.

Fasani, who completed 5-of-18 passes for 46 yards, had three interceptions, one of them a late desperation heave.

"I didn't play that well," Fasani said. "Granted it was a tough team to play against in my first start. There were some plays I could have made that I didn't make."

Fasani thought he had a shot at three touchdown passes. He missed open Wesley Walls in the back of the end zone, threw a sideline bomb that Steve Smith almost caught with a diving catch, and overthrew Muhammad in the left corner of the end zone.

Asked about his first-half collision on a running play, Fasani said, "For a second there I was seeing black and sparkles and didn't feel too good. Then I got my sight back and just jumped up. You've got to be tough."

The Panthers finished last Sunday's game with 130 net yards, which wasn't far off the pace of the worst total in franchise history (113 against Buffalo in 1995). They had 20 net passing yards and the only time they've been worse was in that same Buffalo game when they finished with 12 yards.

Carolina has used a ball-control offense all season, but was even more conservative than usual with Fasani playing.

"That kind of is our offense right now," head coach John Fox said. "We've got a rookie quarterback in there. We do run the ball. Occasionally, we get a play-action pass off. But, at this point, were are fairly conservative because that's what we execute best."

Fox said he expects quarterback Chris Weinke, who was out after a concussion, to return after this week's bye and said quarterback Rodney Peete should be close to coming back.

According to the Observer, Peete will regain his starting role as soon as he gets healthy.

In a related item. ... Tim Hasselbeck, signed to provide depth at the position last week, was released Tuesday.

One last item here. ... In an article published last Monday, Pro Football Weekly reported that coaches were thinking about cutting back on some of the responsibilities that have been placed on receiver Steve Smith -- he not only starts at wideout, but also returns punts and plays on the kickoff-return squad -- because he is starting to become fatigued late in games, which is affecting his play.

Coincidentally or not, Smith, an All-Pro kick returner as a rookie last season, coughed up a crucial fumble while returning a punt with three minutes left and the Panthers trying protect a 9-6 lead.

The second opinion on Miller's elbow and shoulder, which could require surgery after the season, means he does not risk additional injury by playing. It then becomes a matter of Miller playing with the sometimes acute pain in his elbow.

"Jim's plan is to go out and play," said agent Joe Linta, who arranged for the examination in Connecticut. "He's going to play until his arm falls off. He really feels like he's letting the team down and he's going to give it whatever he's got."

Miller conceded he didn't throw the ball hard enough last week, fearful of aggravating an injury. Freed from that worry, he intends to test the shoulder and elbow Wednesday and Thursday without holding back.

If the pain is too great, he is expected to have a cortisone injection to reduce the inflammation. That would require him to be inactive for another couple of weeks. If the cortisone doesn't solve the problem, Miller would likely be finished for the season.

Miller's return would be a boost to the offense, which fell to new lows behind Chris Chandler last Sunday. Chandler was sacked five times by the Vikings and has not been able to get into the rhythm with the wide receivers and backs that Miller has developed over recent years.

Miller tends to get rid of the ball faster than Chandler. Miller has been sacked once every 31 pass plays this season; Chandler has been sacked once every seven.

"I don't know that it's a big adjustment [from Miller to Chandler], but there is different timing on certain routes, definitely," head coach Dick Jauron said. "Probably a combination of a number of things. It seems like everybody takes their turn. I wouldn't say it was all one or all the other. All of us have to do better."

Also according to Mullin, the team's inability to run the ball is a big problem. Anthony Thomas is not breaking tackles or slashing through holes as he did last season, and the offensive line is not getting movement against most defensive fronts.

The lack of a running game hurts the credibility of the play-action passes the team relies on, and the offensive line is getting overrun while pass protecting.

In case you missed it. ... Thomas, who ran for a grand total of 18 yards on nine carries against the Vikings, was outrushed by No. 3 quarterback, Henry Burris, who played for five minutes and ran the ball twice. ...

Other notes of interest. ...

Marcus Robinson, expected to see more playing time and more footballs directed to him with David Terrell out for several weeks with a fractured foot, had one catch for 22 yards. In the two weeks since Terrell was hurt, Robinson has a total of two catches for 26 yards. ...

And finally. ... As reported by the Sports Xchange, Jauron was asked if he found it difficult to handle the confrontational calls that have become the norm during his weekly radio show, The Bears Insider, which if broadcast by WSCR (AM-670) in Chicago every Monday night.

"For me? No, it's really not," the coach said. "I mean I'd rather not. You'd rather win all your games. Even then I'm sure you'll have some callers that don't agree with things you do. On that program, we don't have any problem with any questions that people ask. And I don't think we've ever shied away from answering any question on that show.

"Our answers don't please everybody, but that's OK," said Jauron, who is a weekly guest on the show. "I mean that's part of the deal I believe. There are so many shows that people can call into and express their opinions in any fashion they want, and that's good. But I think when you call a show and you're talking to a particular person, then I think there's a sense of decency or common courtesy that's involved."

A caller to last week's show said Jauron was, "coaching like a coward," prompting host Hub Arkush to step in before the coach could answer. Later in the broadcast Jauron said he had "better things to do," than be on the receiving end of such calls.

"The comment that I guess people took offense to was I said, 'I have better things to do,' " Jauron said. "That was directed solely at one caller, solely at that incident. That was it. That was all it was directed at because I enjoy the show. I don't enjoy losing, but we answer all their questions. But again, in the manner in which they're asked, I think that has a lot to do with it.

"There are a lot of other options for the callers that just want to express their displeasure or insult you. And I really don't think anybody, not just a football coach, but anybody, has the time to listen to those kinds of things. That was the point there. I like the show. I wish we were winning all the time, that would make it a lot easier. [It would] make this a lot easier too."

Pitch plays that cause him to run laterally don't often work because defenses string him out. He's at his best when he's churning inside. He blasts through small creases, then uses his cutback ability to grind out more yardage. ...

Also according to Ludwig, rookie tight end Matt Schobel is starting to become a reliable weapon. He is getting clean releases cleanly off the line, shows good speed and hands and has developed into a capable blocker in the running game. If he continues to develop, Jon Kitna will use him more often.

Schobel's emergence is especially good news since Sean Brewer had more knee surgery Monday, the latest setback in his injury-marred NFL career. Brewer tore cartilage in a game against Atlanta on Sept. 23 and had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. He returned to practice last week but tore the cartilage again, trainer Paul Sparling said.

Brewer is expected to be sidelined for a few more weeks.

A third-round draft pick last year, Brewer missed his entire rookie season with a groin injury. He has yet to catch a pass in the NFL. ...

According to the Sports Xchange, Kitna said on Monday, a day after one of his best performances with the Bengals, that he expects to benched if the team continues to lose.

"I will not finish the rest of this year if we're not winning," the former Seahawk said. "There's no question."

Kitna was 17-for-23 passing for 193 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions against the Titans. His single-game passer rating of 127.6 raised his season mark to 66.9 -- 30th of 33 rated NFL passers. The Bengals are expected to use their first-round pick in 1999, Akili Smith, if the team loses a few more games.

Other notes of interest. ...

The Paul Brown Stadium grass field, among the poorest in the league, received mixed reviews this past weekend.

Tennessee quarterback Steve McNair volunteered his thoughts after the Titans' victory. "As we went along, it seemed to get worse ... it was real soft," McNair said. "It kind of messed me up on a couple of throws." Eddie George said, "The footing wasn't very good out there."

But, Eric Brown, managing director of Paul Brown Stadium, said on Monday that an NFL field observer gave the field a positive review. "The comments I got back from them is there was no significant slippage and tear ups," said Brown (no relation to Bengals president Mike Brown). "There was good traction throughout the game. In general, they thought the field played well. Another general comment was the field was as good as any in a northern climate in the NFL."

And finally. ... Head coach Dick LeBeau guaranteed a victory at Houston shortly after watching last Sunday's agonizing loss to Tennessee. And, on Monday, LeBeau didn't back away from his prediction.

"Next week we will win," he said after the 30-24 loss to the Titans.

On Monday, LeBeau said, "I just think our football team is starting to do some things we have to do to win. I think this team's going to start winning. We did as much [as the Titans] did. We just didn't win the game. I think the results will be different in the very near future. I'll make that prediction."

Some of LeBeau's players, when told of his prediction, supported him.

"We're 0-7, but it's different," wide receiver Chad Johnson said. "We're going to come back next week, and I assure you a win. Guarantee we win next week."

Houston is 2-5 after winning for the first time on the road Sunday at Jacksonville, 21-19. Another first, the Texans are coming home and are favored for the first time in their history. The early line is Houston by 3.

"Well, I don't pay attention to that, but it doesn't surprise me," LeBeau said. "They've won two football games. We haven't won any. And they're playing at home. My guess is they won't be favored by much, though."

Morgan has been running poor routes -- for example, not running to the first-down marker on third downs -- and dropping passes. The Browns' coaches are down on him.

Northcutt and Davis are doing a much better job. In the comeback win over the Jets, the duo combined for seven receptions for 105 yards and one touchdown.

Morgan was clearly irritated after getting benched in favor of Northcutt during the third quarter of last Sunday's win over the Jets. "They didn't say anything when they took me out," he told the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "Am I frustrated? Yeah, man. I'm real frustrated. I'm happy that we won -- believe that -- but every time, man, every time."

"Inconsistency is why I replaced Morgan," head coach Butch Davis said Monday.

For what it's worth. ... Morgan, Northcutt, and Johnson have all racked up more than 400 receiving yards and Davis leads the team with five touchdowns. ...

Other notes of interest. ...

Also according to King, rookie tight end Darnell Sanders got behind last spring as he was finishing classes at Ohio State. His progress has really picked up lately, and he could be starting by the end of the year.

Sanders is a big (6-6, 267), strong player who is improving as a blocker and an easy target to find in the passing game. He needs a little more experience. ...

The offensive coaches finally have realized what the team needs to do on offense. The Browns are at their best when they lean heavily on the passing game and spread the ball around to a multitude of receivers.

Tim Couch completed 33-of-49 passes for 307 yards against the Jets, hitting eight different receivers. The team must sustain this mind-set; it can't play power football right now.

And finally. ...

Jamel White once again started at halfback ahead of William Green against the Jets on Sunday. Green finished the game with three carries for eight yards while White was held to 67 yards on 20 touches.

In an article published last week, TSN columnist Dan Pompei offered the following take on the former Boston College star:

"It’s still early, but from the looks of things so far, Cleveland coach Butch Davis made a big mistake in taking Green with the 16th pick in the draft. You can usually tell if a running back is going to succeed quickly, and Green has given little indication he will."

The team has been rotating Bryant and Darnay Scott at flanker in hopes of getting more production from both. The move has not gone over well with Bryant, who has been told he must be more consistent in everything he does -- blocking, route-running and attention to detail -- to earn more playing time.

Bryant has caught 23 passes for 385 yards and is tied for the team lead with three touchdowns, but bad clearing routes and poor route-running continue to result in more problems than his big plays are worth. ...

Veteran tight end Tony McGee, on the other hand, is doing everything team officials expected when the signed him as a free agent this offseason. He has caught 12 passes for 137 yards and a touchdown in an offense that doesn't look to the tight end very often.

McGee is an above-average blocker at the point of attack, and he's a coach on the field for the Cowboys' other tight ends.

Also according to Taylor, Chad Hutchinson struggled as expected in his first NFL start. He missed at least one touchdown pass to wide receiver Joey Galloway because he didn't lead Galloway enough. He didn't throw an interception, but he had a sure interception dropped. ...

And one last item here. ...

As reported by the Sports Xchange, it's over. The NFL's all-time rushing record is his. A long-awaited day has come and gone.

The record raised questions about Emmitt Smith's future. The Cowboys remain interested in seeing more of Troy Hambrick, and Smith is due to cost almost $7 million against the salary cap next season -- perhaps too high a price for what will be a 34-year-old running back with his best years behind him.

With Cowboys owner Jerry Jones seated to his left in a postgame news conference Sunday, Smith said he has no intention of quitting. His accomplishment doesn't mean he'll slow down.

"You play the game to win Super Bowls," said Smith, who now has 16,743 career rushing yards. "Everything else in between that happens is because you've been here a long time. And if you're fortunate to get one of those things, you want it again. And I want to win another one with the team that I'm with right now. That's always been the motivation."

Smith has another impressive active streak. Last year he became the first player in NFL history to rush for 1,000 yards in 11 consecutive seasons and the first to post 11 1,000-yard rushing seasons in a career. He has 556 yards with eight games left.

He also stated in training camp that his goal was to surpass 20,000 rushing yards.

What does a man do when his dream comes true?

"One, he doesn't quit. He creates a new dream," Smith said. "Two, he stays motivated because he loves the game, not because he loves breaking records."

The question is whether he will get that chance with Hambrick waiting in the wings. The Cowboys need to evaluate Hambrick and see if he can be the team's running back of the future. With Smith likely not coming back next season but certainly at a reduce role, they need to know about Hambrick so they can decide if they need to draft a running back.

Hambrick is taking a wait and see approach.

"Now, I'll finally get a chance to see what lies ahead for me," said Hambrick, who carried three times for five yards Sunday. "But Emmitt is still here. I don't think he'll retire overnight. All in all, it's been a great anticipation. I look forward to it, if the challenge will come. They have just told me, 'Be patient, be ready.' It's been that way for two years."

The good news, of course, is that Portis responded with 111 yards and two touchdowns to lead Denver to a 24-16 victory over New England.

"The kid is going to be outstanding in the future. Actually, he's outstanding now," said fullback Reuben Droughns, who provided the lead block on Portis' four-yard touchdown run in the second quarter that gave the Broncos a 14-point lead at the half. "When he grows he's going to be one of the best."

Shanahan knew Portis had the speed to get to the corner in this league, but that isn't how his offense works. Terrell Davis, Mike Anderson and even Gary were 1,000-yard running backs between the tackles.

Against the Patriots, Portis proved he can get the physical work done.

"After a while I would just take my two yards," said Portis, who averaged 4.3 yards on a career-high 26 carries. His long run was 11 yards. "I think I left a lot of yardage on the field. I didn't play my best ball."

Denver finished with 136 net rushing yards compared to 69 for New England. But on third-and-goal at the 1, with a chance to put the Patriots away, it was Anderson's number that was called and linebacker Tedi Bruschi stopped him from scoring.

The Broncos settled for a Jason Elam chipshot that gave them an eight-point lead and provided the home team with hope. Perhaps Shanahan should have given Portis a shot at the hat trick.

"They did a good job of not giving us the big play," Shanahan said. "We had to earn everything we got."

During the first half of the season Portis earned the respect of his teammates. Now all that will be expected of the 20-year-old is to help carry the Broncos down the stretch and into the playoffs.

"I know the offense pretty well, it's just the small things I need to work on," Portis said. "The whole team is waiting for me to have a huge game. But right now I'm just taking what I can get."

Also of interest. ...

According to Denver Post beat writer Patrick Saunders, no receiver in the NFL has better hands than Ed McCaffrey. If the man drops a pass in practice, it's major news. In games, he is money every time the ball comes his way, regardless of how hard he gets hit.

Saunders noted England, McCaffrey made two sideline catches that few other receivers would come down with. At age 34, just a year after he broke his leg, he's playing as well as ever.

And finally. ... The Broncos released wide receiver Kevin Kasper on Tuesday.

A 2001 sixth-round pick, Kasper never was able to break into the Broncos' receiving corps. He played in four games on special teams this season, returning 15 kickoffs for a 26.2-yard average.

One problem is that the receivers aren't getting open often enough for Harrington to get confidence in them. Another is that coach Marty Mornhinweg isn't being aggressive enough with Harrington.

The Sports Xchange, however, contends that Harrington might be hitting the mid-season doldrums that so many rookies go through.

In his fifth game as the Lions starting QB, he hit a season low in effectiveness, completing 20 of 42 passes for 199 yards and a touchdown, with one interception. His passer rating for the game 59.5 and for the fourth consecutive game his second-half performance dropped off.

In the first half he completed 11 of 21 (52.3 percent) for 120 yards, one TD, one interception and a 65.6 passer rating; in the second half he was 9 for 21 passing (42.9 percent) and 79 yards, with a 53.0 passer rating.

Other notes of interest this week. ...

James Stewart is halfway to a 1,000-yard season after the Lions' first seven games of the season. Although the running game has produced in bursts and then dribbles, Stewart has 503 yards on 110 carries, an average of 4.6 yards per rushing attempt. Stewart also has 20 receptions for 148 yards. He leads the Lions with three rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown. ...

Also according to the Sports Xchange, Bill Schroeder eased his way back into the lineup after his third injury of the season with two catches for 26 yards in the Lions' 24-17 loss Sunday to the Buffalo Bills. Schroeder survived the game without suffering a recurrence of the ribs, ankle and hamstring injuries that have cost him playing time in five of the Lions seven games this season.

When he's healthy, he gives the Lions a much-needed speed/size combination that's essential to the passing game.

And just for the record. ... In an article published last Thursday, SportsLine.com insider Pete Prisco suggested the speculation that wide receiver Scotty Anderson was team president and CEO Matt Millen's "devout coward," might have missed the mark.

According to Prisco, the player Millen was actually referring to was defensive tackle Luther Elliss. Millen has groused about Elliss to some around the league, leading to that theory.

It's worth noting that if nothing else, Millen's remarks could help Mornhinweg regain some respect in the locker room.

He quickly defended his players after Millen's words, which could bring him back into their good graces; they have never been fond of their coach.

"He's just one of those really, really tough dudes who would feel like a wuss if he was kept out without a major injury to one of the other ligaments," one front office source told Glazer.

According to Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel staffer Tom Silverstein, Favre's knee was still stiff and swollen last Thursday and it won't be known how effective the veteran signal caller will be until late this week.

Silverstein went on to say Favre will only practice once or twice before the Miami game and then make a decision whether he can play. The brace will slow him down and force him to play a more stationary game. You can expect the game plan to include no rollouts or bootlegs so that Favre doesn't have to run away from anyone.

The bottom line is this: Favre is likely to be a stationary target for a very good Miami defense.

Of course, I'll follow Favre's progress closely throughout the weekend and update you as necessary. ...

Other notes of interest. ...

In an article published last Monday, Pro Football Weekly reminded reader the Packers have never lost a game (13-0) when Ahman Green gains 100 rushing yards. As well as Favre has played this season, head coach Mike Sherman says Green is the key to his team’s success.

Sherman’s play-calling has been indicative of his belief. Green is among the league leaders in carries (143) and has been handed the ball 82 times in the last three games.

"There’s a reason we give it to him as much as we can," Favre told PFW. "He is a difference-maker."

Although Green is on pace to smash his career high of 304 carries set in 2001, Sherman says he has all the confidence that Green will hold up because of the former Cornhusker's rugged fitness regimen. ...

And finally. ... Also according to Silverstein, Terry Glenn impact in Green Bay can't be measured in his number of catches. Teams have been reluctant to play a lot of man-to-man coverage against him, and that has meant a lot of zones for the entire unit to work against. ... Silverstein went on to note that Donald Driver, who has been the most productive of the team's wideouts -- especially on third downs, has the best chemistry with Favre.

Rookie Javon Walker has had flashes of brilliance, but his lapses of concentration have resulted in several drops on third down.

Against Jacksonville, Carr spread the ball around to rookie wide receiver Jabar Gaffney and tight ends Billy Miller and Jabari Holloway. The trio combined for eight catches and 155 yards.

Obviously, the team must find ways to get the ball into Bradford's productive hands, but it's a positive step for this team that other offensive weapons are beginning to emerge. ...

Gaffney's game is picking up steam now that he is learning the team's system and understanding NFL coverages.

Gaffney doesn't have blazing speed or upper-body strength, but he does have a knowledge of the passing game and a knack for getting open. He is more likely to find a soft spot in zone coverage than he is to run by a cornerback in man coverage. ...

Also according to Thompson, veteran halfback James Allen, who lost the starting job to rookie Jonathan Wells, remains an elusive and reliable back. He is effective catching passes out of the backfield, picking up blitzes and gaining tough yards when called upon.

Allen doesn't start because the team wants a bigger, more physical back, but he is an effective change of pace -- something he proved against Jacksonville last Sunday by coming off the bench to ignite the Texans on their final drive. In fact, the former Bear picked up 35 of his 40 yards in the fourth quarter. ...

And finally. ... Carr looks more and more comfortable each week. He recorded his best passer rating of the season (114.1) while suffering fewer sacks than the opposing quarterback for the first time this season.

Of course, that doesn't change the fact that Carr has been sacked a league-high 44 times this year.

"This is still Edgerrin James' offense. ... Him and Peyton [Manning]," Williams said Monday afternoon, less than 24 hours after providing solid relief when a hamstring injury sidelined James during the fourth quarter of a 26-21 loss to the Washington Redskins.

"If he gets healthy, I'm pretty sure they'll stick him back in there."

Perhaps the Colts, leery of putting too much stress on James' hamstring or his reconstructed left knee, will use Williams to give James an occasional breather.

Williams smiled, wishing that was the case.

"Me and Edgerrin have talked about it a couple of times," he said. "I told him, 'Just get tired one time at least to let me get a chance.'

"It doesn't happen. He's one of those guys who can go all day."

That will be up to the Colts' medical staff. An MRI was taken Monday and will be evaluated.

Head coach Tony Dungy said Hunter Smith, the team's head trainer, doesn't believe the injury "is too bad right now." The Colts don't allow the team's medical staff to speak with reporters.

It's possible James will see limited work in practice this week leading up to Sunday's game against the Titans in the RCA Dome.

"We'll try to have him as sharp as we can for the game," Dungy said. "If rest will help, we probably will rest him a little."

James, who missed the final 10 games of the 2001 season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee Oct. 25, pulled himself out of Sunday night's loss to the Redskins with just under nine minutes remaining after experiencing discomfort with his hamstring.

When the offense went onto the field for its 10th possession, Williams, not James, was in the backfield.

"The hamstring might have bothered him earlier in the game," running backs coach Gene Huey said. "He finally came to me (in the fourth quarter) and said, 'My hamstring's really bothering me.'"

Williams capitalized on his first chance to play, rushing three times for 21 yards and catching a 20-yard touchdown pass from Manning that narrowed Washington's lead to 23-21.

That type of success was in stark contrast to James' unproductive evening: a career-low 33 yards on 14 rushes, 14 yards on five receptions.

Williams appeared more decisive behind an offensive line that has had trouble creating seams for James, who generally feels his way before bursting through the line.

Manning attributed Williams' immediate success to the rookie running back hitting the hole hard, and the Colts dialing up running plays against a Washington defense that was vulnerable at the time.

"They were playing true pass coverages, playing man-to-man on the outside with the safeties deep," he said. "Those are good looks to run against."

Before a groundswell develops for the Colts to give Williams a portion of James' workload, Huey insisted observers take a step back and a deep breath.

Yes, he noted, Williams has been attentive in the classroom and diligent on the practice field. And when the opportunity presented itself to step in on the prime-time stage at the Redskins' FedEx Field, Williams stepped up. But that's what he was supposed to do.

"He had success with seven plays [Sunday night]," Huey said. "The statement that made is we have another running back that's capable.

"Ricky Williams went in and did his job. Nothing more and nothing less. He will continue to have to do his job when he's called upon."

The Colts occasionally worked on a two-back formation during camp that featured James and Dominic Rhodes, who stepped in when James suffered his season-ending knee injury and rushed for 1,109 yards and nine touchdowns. But that plan was scuttled when Rhodes suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee Aug. 15.

Neither Dungy nor Huey ruled out the possibility of James and Williams forming a one-two punch at times, but Williams isn't holding his breath.

"There are so many things we can do in this offense," said Williams, who was acquired in a Sept. 1 trade with New Orleans for a seventh-round draft pick. "Maybe one day they'll find a way to use me.

"But for now, we'll do it the way coach likes to do it."

Which is allow James to be the workhorse. Since 1999, when he's been healthy, James has accounted for 1,061 of 1,093 rushing attempts (97 percent) and 4,447 of the 4,654 rushing yards (95.6 percent) by Colts' running backs.

"Edgerrin has done some remarkable things here," said Huey. "He's our running back. ..."

Also of interest this week. ...

Mike Vanderjagt is an .804 field goal kicker from 40 to 49 yards, but the Colts took a delay of game penalty, then punted, when they might instead have attempted a 49-yarder late in the first half. There was a reason.

Vanderjagt suffered a groin injury last week and didn't have his normal strength. Dungy said he considered having punter Hunter Smith kick off against Washington.

"Mike kind of fought his way through it," said Dungy. "It's a little sore and we'll have to take it easy on him this week, but I think he'll be able to kick."

Otherwise on the injury front. ... Chad wide receiver Reggie Wayne suffered a thigh bruise Sunday night and his status will be re-evaluated as the week progresses. ... Dungy hoped tight end Joe Dean Davenport (shoulder) would return to practice this week.

And finally. ... File this one under "How Soon They Forget."

In an article published Monday, Arizona Republic staffer Lee Shappell wrote: "After two failures in the national spotlight within seven days, Colts quarterback Peyton Manning has been exposed as an impatient, shaky decision maker."

Harsh. ...

Brunell threw a season-high three interceptions at Baltimore the week after knocking helmets with Tennessee cornerback Samari Rolle and was anything but sharp in last Sunday's loss to the Texans. He completed 16-of-34 passes against Houston.

Brunell is frequently overthrowing or one-hopping his targets, and he seems to be hearing the footsteps of rushers again. ...

It's also worth noting that the Jags continue to play up -- or, in the case of Houston, down -- to their competition. Losing at home to an expansion team just three weeks after beating Philadelphia, one of the NFC's Super Bowl favorites, makes no sense.

An understandably disgusted coach Tom Coughlin could be on the verge of a major shakeup on offense because the Jaguars' stars aren't producing consistently.

"We've got to find something, whatever it is, to get back on track," running back Fred Taylor said.

It might start with Brunell, who was below average for the second straight week -- perhaps as Hubbuch suggested -- because of the concussion. He threw high and behind open receivers on a semi-regular basis last Sunday.

One of the team's biggest playmakers, Jimmy Smith, dropped an easy catch during Jacksonville's last drive -- this on a week in which he said he wasn't getting the ball enough.

Taylor ran for 84 yards and didn't make any big plays.

Kicker Tim Seder missed from 35 and 50 yards and his average kickoff went only to the 11-yard line -- not what Coughlin expected when he brought Seder in to replace rookie Hayden Epstein.

The coach said he hadn't decided what he would do with Seder. The kicker, meanwhile, wasn't making any long-term plans to stay in Jacksonville.

"I have no idea," he said, when asked if he thought he'd be a Jag next week.

One last item here. ...

According to Hubbuch, neither the Jaguars nor Smith want to admit it, but he is starting to show his age (33). Smith had trouble getting open against the Texans despite the most single coverage he had seen all season.

Smith recently complained about his "very limited role" in the offense, which he attributed to Coughlin's play-calling, frequent double coverage and the departure of wide receiver Keenan McCardell.

But Smith's argument isn't holding up to scrutiny. He is having trouble getting separation from cornerbacks and doesn't appear to be as fast as he was in recent years.

Writing in defense of the veteran wideout last Thursday, SportsLine.com insider Pete Prisco suggested the fact Smith went public with his plea for the ball is a pretty good indication of just how frustrated he has become. According to Prisco, who wrote for the Times-Union before signing on with SportsLine, Smith has always watched what he says out of respect for Coughlin, the coach who picked him off the scrap heap and helped him become a Pro Bowl player.

Bottom line? If Smith's talking, he's steaming.

At midseason, Kennison and Morton now seem almost like afterthoughts in the NFL's highest-scoring offense. They still get plenty of contact with opposing defensive backs -- but they're the ones initiating the hits now, as blockers for running back Priest Holmes. "I don't want to say it's time for us to pick it up," Morton said Tuesday, a day after head coach Dick Vermeil said the wide receivers needed to be more involved in Kansas City's offense. "But it's time for us to do our part, and make the most of our opportunities."

Morton, who had no catches in last Sunday's win over the Denver Broncos, had 1,000-yard receiving yards in four of his last five years with Detroit before coming to Kansas City in the offseason. He hasn't been this marginalized in an offense since his rookie season in 1994, when he backed up Herman Moore and Brett Perriman.

But on Tuesday, after the first practice of Kansas City's bye week, Morton struck a careful balance between welcoming any additional balls thrown his way and accepting the less-than-glamorous job of springing Holmes.

"We'll be blocking for Priest, and he'll get past us because we opened it up, and that's fulfilling," Morton said. "From a receiver's standpoint, that's not the most exciting thing to do, but sometimes that's the way it is."

Holmes, the NFL's leading rusher and touchdown scorer with 857 yards and 15 TDs, also has become the Chiefs' go-to receiver, with more catches (51) than Kennison (22) and Morton (16) combined.

After eight weeks, Holmes has touched the ball on 48 percent -- 241 for 501 -- of Kansas City's rushing attempts and completed passes. Add in All-Pro tight end Tony Gonzalez's 33 catches, and the wide receivers' share of the passing pie shrinks even more.

"They want the ball more. It's no secret," Gonzalez said. "These guys are used to going out there and making big plays. But we're still going out there and putting up points. As long as Priest is playing at that MVP-type level, we can't complain."

Gonzalez, who has faced double coverage all season, has another reason for wanting to see Morton and Kennison get more opportunities."

"Once those guys get the ball, I won't get bracketed as much," he said.

It doesn't matter who's making catches, Kennison said, as long as the Chiefs continue their prolific (34.2 points per game) scoring pace.

"You have so many weapons on this club that you're not going to be able to catch nine or 10 balls a game," Kennison said. "There's no need for it. We've got Priest, Tony Gonzalez, Tony Richardson -- guys all over the place."

Vermeil said Monday -- and repeated Tuesday -- that the Chiefs' coaching staff never set out to turn Morton and Kennison into Holmes' downfield escorts.

"It isn't always the fault of the offensive coordinator or the game plan," Vermeil said. "Sometimes things just don't work out. I would say 75 to 80 percent of Priest Holmes' catches come from trying to go downfield and not being able to and dumping the ball off to him.

Neither Vermeil nor the wide receivers, though, faulted quarterback Trent Green for making quick reads and getting the ball to Holmes in a hurry.

"He's such a great player, and he can do so much once he gets the ball in his hands, that it's a natural tendency to skip over a couple of reads and get the ball to Priest right away," Morton said. "Plus, he's the closest guy right there."

In case you missed it. ... Holmes heads into the bye with 15 touchdowns, putting him on a pace for a league-record 30, which would shatter Marshall Faulk's record of 26 set in 2000. Holmes ranks first in the league with 857 yards rushing and 1,297 yards from scrimmage.

In a semi-related note. ... Kansas City Star beat writer Adam Teicher noted this week that having No. 2 tight end Jason Dunn healthy is key to the running game. Dunn, who missed five games because of a torn pectoral muscle before returning last Sunday, gives the team an imposing look in its "tank" personnel package, which includes two tight ends, two running backs and emerging receiver Marc Boerigter.

The Chiefs believe they can run the ball on any opponent in that formation in part because of Dunn's blocking. They have also had success throwing it with that personnel. ...

Only in this case, it was the students educating the master.

On the same day he signed a one-year contract that brought him out of retirement, Carter began a crash course to learn the offense enough to start a Nov. 4 game at Green Bay. It wasn't coincidence that wide receivers coach Robert Ford assigned his youngest two to help.

"I did that for two reasons," Ford said. "I wanted Cris besides hearing a call to see a guy run it first and then be able to relate the number to [the play]. It would put him on the same page with the visual image and hearing the play. I also did that so the two `C.C.s' could start bonding."

Hey. ... If I thought it might improve Miami's passing attack, I'd advocate marriage for the two.

While ranking fifth in rushing, the Dolphins are No. 21 in passing with a 198.3-yard average and haven't had a reception of more than 38 yards by a wide receiver. But as Marvez noted, those numbers should improve if the 36-year-old Carter can still perform close to the level that established him as a future Hall of Fame selection.

He also should aid in the continuing development of Chambers, who Carter says "can be as good as anybody out there playing." Carter plans to share a wealth of knowledge built through 15 seasons like he did early in the career of Randy Moss in Minnesota.

"He's going to find out I'm a hard worker," said Chambers, the NFL's top rookie receiver in 2001. "That's going to tell him I want to be as good as I can be."

But before worrying about others, Carter must help himself. Not only does he need to shake off rust from retirement and quickly absorb Norv Turner's playbook, Carter also is trying to fit in with a group of receivers understandably stunned at his arrival and the circumstances surrounding it.

Shortly after Oronde Gadsden suffered a torn tendon in his left wrist two weeks ago against Denver, the Dolphins began assembling a list of potential replacements. The top name was Carter, who had decided in May to become an analyst for HBO's Inside the NFL after 2 and a half months of offseason contract negotiations with the Dolphins failed to yield a satisfactory offer.

Nine days ago, Carter decided he would make a comeback. But at the same time, the Dolphins were still trying to negotiate a contact extension for Gadsden that would entice him into trying to play with a brace and keep the team from having to sign Carter.

With both sides far apart on a new deal, Gadsden said he was opting for surgery. The Dolphins then finalized plans to sign Carter for $600,000 for the rest of the season with the chance to earn another $750,000 through incentives.

The timing couldn't have been worse, with the media reporting Carter had agreed to contract terms even as head coach Dave Wannstedt denied any such agreement. Wannstedt was trying to prevent the Carter signing from becoming a distraction on the eve of the team's Oct. 20 loss too Buffalo, but that attempt was foiled by a television set in his wide receivers' meeting room.

"It came across the teletype on ESPN," said Ford, who wasn't informed of the agreement with Carter ahead of time. "Dedric Ward tapped me on the shoulder and asked me if Cris was coming. At the time I didn't know, and I told [the receivers] no, but they looked at me like I was crazy. It hit like that. If there was a sour point about this, that probably was it."

Ford met with the receivers again last Monday when Carter's signing was imminent.

"I went to all the guys and told them we were not signing him to be a backup but to be a starter," Ford said. "One guy frowned and that was it. The only thing they wanted was from us was just to be open with them."

But according to Ford, it didn't take Carter long to start winning over his new teammates.

"A lot of people look at, 'Well, you're not starting,' but we're trying to reach the same goals," said James McKnight, who would have replaced Gadsden had Carter not been signed. "As long as we keep that in mind, we'll be fine. The camaraderie in this locker room is the best I've ever been around. We're keeping that."

Carter also is trying to fit in by offering advice on the things that helped him become the second-leading receiver in NFL history. The main recipient of such wisdom is Chambers, who is still honing his route running and learning how to best oppose defensive backs with more than just speed.

Carter already has given tips to Chambers in film sessions and on the practice field. For example, Ford said Carter told Chambers to expect contact from a cornerback coming off the line of scrimmage after running an imprecise curl route.

"He talks about technique and experiences of what happened to him," Ford said. "He's very complimentary of Chambers, and he's aware he's young. But Chris learns very quickly because he's a very good listener and a good person."

Said Carter: "It's good to work with him because he has all of the talent and the perfect demeanor. He's good, but I don't know if he realizes how good he can be. He can be as good as anybody out there playing."

Ford said he isn't worried about the same kind of rift the eventually developed between Carter and Randy Moss Minnesota also developing between Carter and Chambers.

"[Carter] related that in his first two years with Moss, if he would have told him to make a move and jump over a fence, he would have done it," Ford said. "But after the second year if [Carter] asked the same thing, it was like, 'What are you, crazy? I ain't moving.' Cris said he didn't think that would occur with the younger Chris."

Besides talking, Ford said Carter is trying to become a leader by example and got off to a good start with a one-handed touchdown catch Tuesday in his first practice. The next day Carter had positioned himself in front of the line of receivers to catch passes.

"He has the finest body control I've seen in a long time," said Ford, who became receivers coach in 1998. "Every pass thrown to him looks like it was thrown perfect. A lot of that is because of his body angle and ability to slow down maybe a fraction of a second before the ball gets there so he can get perfect body-hand position and the defender can't stop him."

Ford hopes to limit Carter to roughly 40 plays against Green Bay and not use him for more than four plays in succession. Carter spent the bye weekend cramming to memorize a new offensive system, which he admits isn't easy because of the comfort level he had playing in Minnesota for so long.

"It's just terminology," McKnight said. "Once he gets that down, he'll be Cris Carter."

And that ain't bad.

Other notes of interest. ...

In an article published last Thursday, Palm Beach Post staffer Todd Archer wrote that Sage Rosenfels probably would have been the team's starter if the Dolphins had played last Sunday. Ray Lucas is suffering from a hip pointer suffered against the Bills, and even though he was sacked just once, he took a number of shots.

That absence wasn't helpful in terms of working on timing between Lucas and Carter, but the former Ohio State star worked through 11 different starting quarterbacks in his time in Minnesota and team officials aren't especially worried about it with Lucas slated to resume workouts this week. Given the extra day to prepare afforded by a Monday kickoff, coaches are reportedly confident things will work themselves out.

Archer went on to say that Rosenfels intrigues the coaching staff. He does not possess the athletic ability of Lucas or starter Jay Fiedler, but he has impressed the coaches with his ability to pick up the offense. He has yet to play in a regular-season game, but he has displayed poise and the ability to stay away from mistakes in practice. If Lucas struggles badly for another game or two, the coaches might have to turn to Rosenfels.

Fiedler was flourishing in Turner's system before suffering a broken thumb. He was managing games and making few mistakes.

And finally. ... On the injury front. ...

Fiedler is out for at least another five weeks. The good news is that the ligament damage in his right index finger now has time to heal. ... Halfback Ricky Williams has been bothered by a minor toe injury, but the injury isn't expected to be an issue at this point. ... Rookie TE Randy McMichael used the bye week to recover from a sore left foot -- an injury he's worked through for more than a month. ...

Chambers returned to practice last week and will be ready for the Packers.

However, even more impressive was the fact he hauled the rock no fewer than 29 times. His previous high this season was 16 carries.

"Bennett was determined to run hard," head coach Mike Tice told the St. Paul Pioneer Press. "He got a little tired there toward the end. I felt it was very important that we kept running him. He gave us tough yards, and he gained some confidence running the ball when he was tired."

Of course, Bennett's impressive outing doesn't change the fact that Moe Williams is emerging as a latter day Leroy Hoard after scoring his sixth touchdown of the season last Sunday. ...

Other notes of interest. ...

As reported by Pioneer Press beat writer Bill Williamson, after arriving with much fanfare, Derrick Alexander has added little. He has not been a deep threat and, as has been his reputation, has lacked passion. Still, after being benched, he responded as the coaching staff had hoped. He ran his routes better and blocked well when the play didn't go to him.

Alexander has great speed and once was a premier player. He has the potential to be a fine complement to Randy Moss, but his Minnesota career hasn't started well.

In a related note. ... The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports that D'Wayne Bates is still nursing a fractured transverse process in his lower back and receiving treatment for the injury three or four times a daily. His status for this week's game won't be determined until later in the week. ...

And finally. ...

In an article published last Monday, Pro Football Weekly noted that immediately upon his promotion to head coach back in January, Tice made it clear he wanted two things from his offense: a lot of Moss and more from the running game, specifically Bennett.

But Tice knew Daunte Culpepper would still be his catalyst.

"He’s our MVP," Bates told the publication. "I don’t think there is any doubt."

Although Culpepper has been turnover-prone, he is starting to adjust to a new offense that calls for Moss to be front and center. "With the Randy Ratio going to the public and to the media, teams prepare for that," Bates added.

By tipping their hand on offense, the Vikings put Culpepper in a bind. Not only does he know he must look to Moss first and foremost, each of the Vikings’ opponents is fully aware of the plan of attack.

"I would say sometimes Daunte has held the ball too long making certain reads," Bates said. "Sometimes Randy and Daunte had a problem early being on the same page converting routes. But he doesn’t force the ball. Forty percent of the plays, Randy is the No. 1 read in the offense, so Daunte is going to look there first. When [Culpepper] knows we’re covered, it is our job to get open backside.

"But Daunte is exactly what we need in this offense. He’s quick, smart and he makes very good reads."

Although Hayes (6-4, 208) provides Tom Brady with a big target, he has yet to use that to his advantage. Hayes says he has had a tough time picking up the offense, and it shows.

Hayes does not appear to have great instincts when it comes to making adjustments against blitzes and being where Brady needs him.

Hayes has only average speed and does not separate well from defenders. He has good hands, but he hasn't had very many opportunities to use them. Hayes didn't catch a pass last Sunday and has only 11 for the year.

In fact, rookie David Givens played ahead of the former Panther last Sunday and if he continues his steady improvement, the youngster will see more of the ball. Givens already has made an impact on kickoff coverage, and he has four catches with a touchdown over the past two games. Givens (6-0, 217) runs reasonably well.

Other items of interest this week. ...

Although he got off to a solid start against the Broncos, Antowain Smith finished the game with just 53 yards on 13 carries after bruising his leg late in the first half. The former Bill continued playing in the second half, but simply wasn't the same. ...

In a semi-related note. ... Pro Football Weekly reported last Monday that the team is no longer interested in signing former Falcons running back Jamal Anderson, whom they courted for a time this season to help their early running-game troubles.

And finally. ...

Associated Press NFL writer Dave Goldberg notes that after last season's Super Bowl victory, no one questions Bill Belichick's credentials as a coach. But like many of his brethren, pro and college, he doesn't seem to understand how and when to go for 2-point conversions.

On Sunday -- with the Pats trailing Denver 21-10 -- when they scored a touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter, rather than kicking to make it 21-17, they went for two points and failed, perhaps because some chart somewhere told Belichick or offensive coordinator Charlie Weis you're supposed to do that.

The Broncos subsequently kicked a field goal to go up 24-16, meaning the Patriots would have needed a touchdown AND a 2-point conversion to tie. If they had kicked the earlier extra point, all the would have needed was a TD and a kick.

As it turned out, they didn't score again anyway.

Rule of thumb: Don't try for two until you absolutely need do.

In an article published Tuesday, New Orleans Times-Picayune beat writer Jeff Duncan noted the Saints head into the bye week tied with Tampa Bay for first place in the NFC South. After an open date this weekend, the Saints play their final two division road games, at Carolina on Nov. 10 and at Atlanta on Nov. 17.

"The bye week comes at a perfect time," Haslett said. "We're 6-2, which is a pretty good record, but I think there is room for improvement in all three phases. I think we'll get better on offense. I know we'll get better on defense, and I still think there's room to improve on special teams. This football team will grow and get better in the second half of the season."

The list of factors weighing in their favor includes:

A favorable schedule. ... Of the seven NFC teams with winning records, the Saints face the easiest schedule down the stretch. They play only two teams with winning records -- Tampa Bay (6-2) on Dec. 1, and Atlanta (4-3) on Nov. 17 -- and play four of their final six games in the Superdome. Their final four opponents have a combined record of 8-21, a winning percentage of .276.

The Saints' first eight opponents have a combined record of 32-25, a .561 winning percentage. The record of their final eight opponents is 25-35 (.417).

"I don't think you can look at the schedule and predict success," Haslett said. "You have to look at whether teams are hot or not when you play them. ... (After the open date) We open up with Carolina, and we've got Atlanta on the road. Those are two big games for us. Besides that, I don't know who we've got. ..."

A maturing offense. ... Aside from Joe Horn, the key playmakers on offense are young (Deuce McAllister, Donte' Stallworth and Aaron Brooks) or new to the Saints' system (Jerome Pathon, David Sloan). There's no reason to think the league's No. 9-ranked unit can't improve with more experience. ...

By the way. ... Duncan went on to say Pathon usually gets overlooked when discussing the Saints’ top new additions, but the former Colts speedster has been a steady, reliable option for Brooks opposite Horn. He’s caught 24 passes and scored four touchdowns and is growing more comfortable with the offense and his surgically repaired foot with each passing game. ...

One last item. ... McAllister was arrested on Saturday morning for driving with a suspended license. According to the Times-Picayune, he was caught going 70 mph in a 40 mph zone.

"Obviously you don't condone speeding," Haslett said. "But he was a little bit late for work, so he was trying to get here, which was a good thing. He takes pride in being here on time. What happened was his license was suspended because he didn't pay a ticket a while ago. Somebody else was handling paying for it. It was really a miscommunication, and it never got paid. That will be taken care of this week. He does need to slow down, like all of us when we're on Airline Highway."

The normal rehabilitation period for the surgery Hilliard will undergo is three months.

This is the second season-ending injury for Hilliard, who missed most of his rookie season after suffering a neck injury that required surgery.

Dawkins was assessed a 15-yard penalty for unnecessary roughness for the hit which came seconds after a Kerry Collins pass fell incomplete around the Eagles' 10-yard line.

"It's not for me to determine whether or not it was a dirty hit," Hilliard said. "It was late. Dawkins is a good, aggressive player. I'm not one to shy away from contact, so I'm not going to cry about it. That wouldn't do my shoulder any good."

Hilliard said it would be up to the NFL to say whether the hit was dirty.

Hilliard stretched to reach the pass, and was unable to defend himself against the hit. Dawkins was also dazed on the play and both players were treated by trainers on the field.

Head coach Jim Fassel said he asked referee Bill Carollo whether Dawkins should have been ejected. Carollo told him that the official who made the call didn't believe it warranted a disqualification.

"That type of hit is covered under the rules," Fassel said. "Guys get penalized. Whether the league does anything else or not, I don't know. You hate to see players get hurt, period, especially on a play that could have been avoidable."

The injury might put an end to Hilliard's career with the Giants. The team's No. 1 draft pick in 1997 will be a free agent at the end of the season, and it's debatable whether New York will re-sign him after drafting Tim Carter in the second round this year.

"Ike's been a playmaker for us," Fassel said. "He does an outstanding job on third down. He's been a guy that has been one of our consistent players.

"He has continually played well in all the games. We're going to miss him."

Hilliard had 27 catches for 386 yards and a team-high two TD receptions. Despite missing almost all of his rookie season after undergoing neck surgery, the former Florida product has 259 career catches for 21 touchdowns. The reception total is the ninth most in team history.

"Obviously, it's a big loss for us," quarterback Kerry Collins said. "Ike has been playing extremely well for us. He's one of the better, if not the best, third-down receivers in the league."

Ron Dixon, Carter and fellow rookie Daryl Jones will be used to replace Hilliard.

Hilliard didn't catch a pass on Monday, ending his team-record streak of catching at least one in 68 consecutive games in which he played.

Also of interest. ...

In an article published Tuesday, Associated Press sports writer Tom Canavan reported that Fassel is considering calling his own plays with the Giants mired in a season-long slump that has seen the offense score seven touchdowns in as many games.

Fassel refused to say on Tuesday whether he would take over the play-calling from offensive coordinator Sean Payton for Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

However, his silence following Monday night's loss to the Eagles was a clear indication he was thinking about it.

Payton has called the plays for Fassel since midway through the 1999 season.

"We can't operate like this and expect to be a winning team and move on and compete without putting the ball in the end zone," Fassel said.

The Giants have scored just one touchdown in losing their last two games. Getting only a field goal against the Eagles marked the second time this season New York played a game without scoring a touchdown.

The Giants beat Seattle 9-6 on Sept. 22, getting three field goals from Matt Bryant.

"Things went on in the game that I'm not happy with and I met with some of the staff," Fassel said. "Like I said, there are some things that I'm going to do differently, but right now I haven't had a chance to get through all of them."

The Giants certainly had their chances in Philadelphia.

Trailing 9-3 early in the third quarter, rookie fullback Charles Stackhouse fumbled at the Eagles one-yard line after a 12-yard catch and run. The ball rolled out of the end zone for a touchback.

Stackhouse was carrying the ball in the wrong hand when he was hit.

Down 17-3 in the fourth quarter, the Giants reached the Eagles 13 and faced a third-and-8. A holding penalty, a sack and a delay of game penalty forced them into a fourth-and-29.

Fassel said emphatically he is not going to replace Collins at quarterback.

"We've been competitive in every game," Fassel explained. "It's not like we go out there and it's a high-scoring affair and they blow us out. We're close so many times, that's why it's so frustrating.

"Maybe that's what keeps me going," Fassel added. "I am going to make some changes and I am going to keep fighting and keep pushing and not put my head down and feel worry for myself. I am going to keep banging until I get the lock opened. ..."

And a few final notes. ... Jeremy Shockey, who missed half of practice Thursday and all of practice Friday before he making it through Saturday's session, wore a slightly larger shoe than usual on his left foot to accommodate his turf toe injury Monday night. He did not start but entered the game on the Giants' second play. ...

Backup running back Sean Bennett was scratched, enabling the team to dress both Ron Dayne and Delvin Joyce behind Tiki Barber. The Giants reportedly want to get Joyce more involved on offense.

This time, however, they're working.

Keeping in an extra blocker or two provides more time to throw the ball and enables the receivers to gain a better vertical push. Wide receivers Laveranues Coles and Santana Moss have the speed to stretch secondaries.

In the spread formations, the Jets were getting blitzed, with opponents capitalizing on the open edges. They still use the spread, including an empty backfield, but only as a change of pace. ...

Other notes of interest. ...

As reported by the Sports Xchange, Chad Pennington completed 19-of-26 passes against the Browns and has completed 65 of 84 passes in his first three starts. His 77.4 completion percentage is the highest for a quarterback in his first three starts since 1970. In comparison, Green Bay's Brett Favre completed 70.5 percent of his passes in his first three starts and St. Louis' Kurt Warner 68.9 percent. ...

According to Cimini, Vinny Testaverde continues to drop hints that he may not want to stick around next season as Pennington's backup.

Testaverde, almost 39, still believes he's a starting-caliber quarterback. He could request his release to pursue a starting opportunity elsewhere, but the salary-cap hit would be enormous in 2003 and 2004. ...

And finally. ... Also according to the Sports Xchange, Jets players have been taking the high road when it comes to discussing the field conditions at Giants Stadium but they could claim it cost them a chance at a win or at least a tie last Sunday.

John Hall's 44-yard field-goal attempt in the final seconds could have tied the game at 24 but was blocked instead, possibly because the kick was too low and a result of poor footing. Hall was stamping feverishly around the area where he was about to kick and was asked later if the conditions were bad.

"You know the answer to that. I'm not going to get into that," Hall said. "The snap and hold were just fine. I'll take the blame. [I was stamping] everywhere, but that's not an excuse."

Hall said he had been hitting from the same side of the field from 56 and 57 yards away during pre-game drills.

Each week, the grounds crew has to put in new sections of grass and each week players are slipping all over the place. During a punt return early in the third quarter, Moss -- who returned a punt for a touchdown earlier -- was running toward the sideline when he slipped and went out of bounds. Moss had no defenders around him when he went down and the fall cost him at least 15 to 20 yards on the return, possibly even another touchdown as Moss had really only one defender to beat down the sideline.

Head coach Herman Edwards addressed the situation publicly and said there "was nothing we can do about it." Giants Stadium is in the final year of a three-year contract with their grass management company -- Scott Clark Associates.

As reported by the Sports Xchange, Garner had 110 combined rushes and receptions through seven games last season while this year he has 109.

The difference, though, is that Garner is averaging 7.0 yards a carry this year while he averaged 3.9 a carry last year. He also has six touchdowns this year compared to one a year ago this time.

Given that, detractors ask why Garner isn't running more.

According to head coach Bill Callahan, the Raiders' game plan against Kansas City last Sunday might have included considerably more rushing if Tyrone Wheatley (hamstring) had been healthy. As it was, Wheatley was inactive and the Raiders continue to take a cautious approach with Garner, who is just getting over a hamstring injury of his own. ...

Callahan said that the Jerry Rice-Tim Brown "who's got the ball?" issue was not one with him.

"It's not distracting to me at all, because I'm happy to have them on our team," Callahan said. "They continue to produce plays at a high level. Wow! Over 40 catches apiece and we're not even at the split (halfway mark) yet."

According to Contra Costa Times staffer Steve Corkran, a large part of the Raiders' recent failures on opening drives is the continued erratic play of place-kicker Sebastian Janikowski. He missed a makeable field goal for the second straight game and now has as many misses (five) as he had all last season. Recent misses from 27, 35, 44 and 48 yards no doubt factored into Callahan's decision to pass on a 52-yard attempt last Sunday. ...

And finally. ... Rich Gannon threw for 334 yards last Sunday, his sixth consecutive 300-yard passing game. That tied an NFL record held by Kurt Warner and Steve Young. Gannon's main man on Sunday was Brown, who caught 13 balls for 144 yards. Gannon goes for the record this week against the 49ers.

The result was a remarkable 299 yards on the ground in Monday night's victory over the New York Giants. They had 159 yards in a 20-10 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week.

"We're being very productive in the run game," head coach Andy Reid said Tuesday. "I keep saying that comes back to the offensive line, tight ends, fullback and the running backs. The key to this thing is that you keep a balance, that you do what's working."

Donovan McNabb ran for 111 yards, including a spectacular 40-yard touchdown run, and Duce Staley had 126 yards on 24 carries against New York, which entered the game ranked third against the run in the NFL. It was McNabb's second 100-yard performance in three games and Staley's second in a row.

Reid's willingness to run the ball the last two games is quite a departure from his usual pass-first approach.

In the first five games, the Eagles had 341 offensive plays. They passed 206 times (60.4 percent). Excluding the runs by McNabb, they had 206 passes in 308 plays (66.8 percent).

But in the last two games, the Eagles have run the ball 73 times in 128 plays (57 percent). Excluding McNabb's runs, they still have 60 runs in 115 plays (52 percent). That's a dramatic turnaround.

"Anytime you can establish the run early, Andy is going to stick with it," Staley said. "The guys came out and dominated the line of scrimmage and we got a lot of yards. We were able to use different formations to run the ball down their throat."

Just a few weeks ago, Staley was wishing he'd get more carries. He ran the ball 58 times for 229 yards in the first five games and was mainly being used as a receiver out of the backfield. He got 48 carries the last two weeks and has 278 yards, 5.8 per carry.

"I feel good, but each week I can improve," Staley said.

Even though he prefers to stay in the pocket, McNabb is most dangerous when he's scrambling. His 38-yard scamper on the fourth play of the game set the tone, and kept the Giants' defense off-balance.

On a third-and-10 late in the first half, McNabb escaped a sack, started to run, saw Staley open out of the corner of his eye, stopped and threw a swing pass that went for 23 yards, leading to a field goal by David Akers.

That play was on the mind of Giants linebacker Mike Barrow when McNabb took off on his 40-yard TD run in the fourth quarter. Barrow was being used as a spy on the play, but he went for McNabb's fake to Dorsey Levens, allowing the speedy quarterback to break loose down the left side.

"He played great," guard Jermane Mayberry said of McNabb. "He made a lot of good checks and did a good job of keeping them off-balance, scrambling a little bit and not letting them get a beat on him."

McNabb realizes a solid running game is essential late in the season, when it's more difficult to pass in cold, windy weather conditions.

"Anytime you get in a situation when it gets a little colder and the defense sits in the zone a little more," he said, "you can pick yards rushing."

Also of interest this week. ... Running back/return man Brian Mitchell went over 21,000 combined yards with a 23-yard return on the opening kickoff. He joins Jerry Rice and Walter Payton as the only players in NFL history to reach that mark. ...

Akers' miss on a 50-yarder ended a streak of 18 consecutive field goals, including 12 in a row this season.

The injury leaves the Steelers thin at what usually is their deepest position. Jerome Bettis (knee sprain) sat out a 31-18 victory Sunday at Baltimore and is listed as doubtful for Sunday's game at Cleveland.

Fuamatu-Ma'afala was hurt on the Steelers' final possession when a Ravens defender tried to pull the ball from his hands.

Even with the injuries, head coach Bill Cowher said he is comfortable with Amos Zereoue and rookie Verron Haynes at running back and doesn't anticipate any roster moves.

Haynes will spend the week practicing at tailback rather than at fullback, where tight end Matt Cushing will be Dan Kreider's backup.

With Bettis out, Zereoue carried 13 times for 53 yards and two touchdowns and Fuamatu-Ma'afala gained 21 yards on eight carries in Baltimore. Haynes ran three times for 23 yards, his first carries in the NFL. ...

In case you missed it the first time by, I included the following info in an Oct. 5 Update:

"Haynes, 5-foot-9, 224 pounds, was drafted as a fullback in the fifth round back in April. He insisted then that he was capable of playing fullback or running back, as he had done at Georgia.

The Steelers took him at his word upon releasing running back Antwon McCray from the practice squad Sept. 11.

"When we got rid of Antwon McCray, we had to have a guy run the [scout] team stuff," [RBs coach Dick] Hoak said. "[Haynes] was really impressive when he did that. Now, we have him running our plays." Hoak considers Haynes more of a natural tailback.

Haynes considers himself capable of playing either position.

"I'm willing to do whatever it takes to help win ball games," he said. "I've been preparing at both positions for two-and-a-half or three weeks now, and it's not new to me. I did both in college.

"You just have to stay in your playbooks."

Haynes left Georgia with a career average of 5.15 yards per carry, second only to Herschel Walker's 5.29.

The Steelers asked Haynes to carry the ball just four times in the preseason, when he worked exclusively at fullback. He gained 10 yards on the ground and added 68 through the air on six receptions and never looked out of place with the ball in his hands.

Other items of interest. ...

According to Associated Press sports writer Alan Robinson, Cowher thinks it's perfectly understandable for a player to protect an undefended teammate during a fight. What he won't excuse is an ejection for doing so.

Cowher won't further reprimand wide receiver Plaxico Burress for being tossed from last week's game after the former first-round pick pulled in a pair of touchdown passes. But he said there's a lesson to be learned by Burress in how far he can go in standing up for himself or a teammate.

"He's going to be fined by the league, as he should be," Cowher said Tuesday. "Do I understand what took place? Yes. But I'm not condoning it."

With the Steelers leading 28-3 late in the second quarter, Ravens cornerback James Trapp intercepted Tommy Maddox's pass and returned it 11 yards before being shoved out of bounds by receiver Antwaan Randle El.

As the play ended, Burress saw fellow receiver Hines Ward exchanging words with Ravens cornerback Chris McAllister and began to move in. But as players swarmed the area, Trapp jumped on Burress and pulled off the receiver's helmet.

Burress then got up and charged toward the middle of the field, causing the officials to eject him for being out of control. Trapp also was thrown out, a penalty that carries an automatic fine to be determined by the NFL.

Afterward, Burress apologized to his teammates. Defensive back Lee Flowers said the apology wasn't necessary, saying, "He (Trapp) jumped on him with two feet. There's no place in the league for that."

Cowher said the Steelers sent tape of what happened to the NFL.

"We've addressed it as a team, and we'll address it [Wednesday] when the players come back," Cowher said. "I thought what Plax did was appropriate, but there is a lesson to be learned. As a coach, you like for your players to defend one another and I wouldn't expect it to be any different. At the same time, you've got to use good judgment and be smart about your actions, because there can be an effect that can hinder the team."

The way he is playing now, the Steelers want to keep Burress on the field whenever possible. After making only two catches in two games before Maddox replaced Kordell Stewart, Burress has 30 catches for 426 yards and four touchdowns in five games.

Cowher reminded his players that those who react to skirmishes often get a stiffer penalty than those who provoke it.

"You certainly don't want to leave a guy out there when a situation takes place," Cowher said. "But you have to make sure you don't do anything in the heat of the moment emotionally -- that's spontaneous. If the official doesn't see what happened first ... you get reprimanded and you get thrown out of game. Those are the things you have to avoid."

And finally. ... The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported Maddox will not be listed on the injury report this week. Maddox left last week's game in the third quarter with a sprained ankle but returned early in the fourth quarter and played the rest of the way.

By the way. ... Martin's injured knee continues to improve, but my guess says he'll continue to watch from the sidelines until such time as the ol' wheels come off for Bulger.

Also according to Thomas, Marshall Faulk has dropped more passes than usual as a receiver. But he hasn't been the problem. When Faulk gets the ball, good things usually happen. Witness his 341 yards rushing and five TDs in the past two games. Faulk has been as elusive as ever and has excelled at yards after contact.

Thomas went on to note that newcomers Terrence Wilkins and Troy Edwards are finally starting to get worked into the team's three- and four-wide receiver sets after spending their first five weeks in St. Louis as nothing more than bystanders.

Also of interest this week. ...

The Rams are hoping to have fullback James Hodgins, who hasn't played yet this season because of a broken foot, back on the practice field this week.

Asked how he would have felt if someone told him before the season that former third-stringer Marc Bulger and long snapper-turned-fullback Chris Massey would be part of his starting backfield before the bye week, head coach Mike Martz said, "I might be a little nervous.

"But, they have played so well, both of them. That's the thing about this game. When you get a good player that goes down, it really does create another opportunity for another guy to step in there."

Bulger is now 2-0 as a starting quarterback.

"That was the plan going in, and a lot of times things don't go according to plan," Bulger said. "It's been going pretty good so far."

And finally. ... In case you were wondering, Warner hopes to return sooner, but the official prognosis remains 8-10 weeks for the broken pinkie finger on his throwing hand. Under that timetable, Warner won't return until early-to-mid-December.

Better yet, the team has scored nine touchdowns on 10 goal-to-go situations. Much of the unit's success stems from an ability to keep defenses honest. The Chargers run it in with LaDainian Tomlinson, throw it with Drew Brees and on three occasions reached the end zone on end-arounds.

Trotter went on to note that San Diego leaned heavily on the run early in the season because it had two rookies on the line, a first-year starter at quarterback and a second-year starter at left tackle. But the unit figures to open things up after the open week because the youngsters have shown they can handle greater responsibility.

Brees led game-winning scoring drives on San Diego's final possession in each of its past two games. He was 6-of-7 passing on the winning series against Kansas City, and he converted two third-and-10 situations on the decisive drive against Oakland. He has shown an ability to play up to the moment.

The offensive line has also come together faster than expected. It has allowed just eight sacks, third fewest in the league. San Diego was limited primarily to two-man routes early in the season, but it's sending more receivers into the pattern as the line shows it can keep Brees upright.

Which might explain why -- after spending the first month of the season focusing almost exclusively on Curtis Conway -- Brees has done a better job of involving his other receivers the past two games. The change has resulted in more looks for Tim Dwight and Reche Caldwell, who have responded in a big way.

Dwight and Caldwell combined for just five catches and no touchdowns over the first four and half games this season. But in the two and a half games since offensive coordinator Cam Cameron was given the OK to open up the offense, the pair has totaled 19 receptions and three scores.

Dwight's quickness and cutting ability make him tough to handle if teams don't jam him at the line. The Chargers like to put him in motion to limit the chances of cornerbacks getting their hands on him at the line. ...

The passing game should get an added boost this weekend, when tight ends Stephen Alexander and Josh Norman return from injuries. ...

And finally. ... The Chargers schedule gets considerably tougher over the final nine games with November trips to St. Louis and Miami and December stops at Buffalo and Kansas City. And there is a home game against San Francisco on Nov. 17.

But after beating the Raiders in Oakland, the Chargers feel they can win anywhere. They've pulled out tough wins over the past two games and their ability to run the ball on offense and keep opponents out of the end zone on defense is a recipe for late-season success.

Garrison Hearst averages 5.4 yards per carry, and Kevan Barlow averages 4.9 yards.

Barlow understands that he and Hearst deserve to get the ball. Hearst, who missed the 1999 and 2000 seasons with injuries, shook off a hamstring problem to make his 24th straight start in the team's win over the Cardinals.

And as if motivated by Barlow's emergence, Hearst has been rejuvenated the last three weeks, breaking tackles and making defenders miss with an extra burst out of the hole.

Fullback Fred Beasley is the key to the running attack, which averages the NFL's most yards per carry. He has had to sacrifice his own touches to accommodate the 1-2 punch of Hearst and Barlow, but he makes the highlight reels with vicious blocks that spring both runners. His specialty is big holes. ...

Despite leaving Sunday's game after aggravating his hamstring injury, Hearst is expected to play against the Raider this Sunday. The former first-round draft pick will almost certainly miss some practice time leading up to Sunday. ...

Also according to Triplett, Tai Streets is a better fit in the offense than J.J. Stokes, who is recovering from injury. Streets gets separation in single coverage -- and the receiver opposite Terrell Owens often gets single coverage.

Streets has good speed and better hands than most realize. He has great concentration and excels at catching over-the-shoulder bombs while boxing out cornerbacks. He isn't a game-breaker, but he is a threat who keeps defenses honest.

Stokes won't lose his starting job when he returns in the next week or two, but Streets has earned a lot more playing time, something head coach Steve Mariucci confirmed when he told reporters the team is likely to rely on more three-receiver sets once Stokes returns.

"We've got to decide what's best for us all the way around," Mariucci told the San Jose Mercury News. "J.J. is a fine receiver and he was our starter, but we've got to work all of them."

And finally. ... According to the Mercury News, Eric Johnson, who missed the Arizona game because of a bulging disk in his lower back, received an epidural injection Monday but remains questionable for Sunday's game.

Drs. Ed Khalfayan and Kevin Auld, both Seahawks team physicians, performed surgery on Dilfer's torn right Achilles tendon yesterday at Swedish Medical Center's Providence campus in Seattle. A major tear is often career threatening, but Dilfer's injury appears to be less serious.

"What the doctors are telling me is that it's a tough [rehabilitation]. ... But he will be able to come back and play," Holmgren said. "But you are talking eight or nine months. If you do the math, that is about July, right when we start training camp."

So. ... In obvious need of help at the position, the team signed veteran Jeff George to a one-year contract on Tuesday.

Holmgren emphasized that Matt Hasselbeck will remain the starter and George is coming in to fill a role.

"It's important for our football team that Matt gets another shot at this thing, with the fans," Holmgren said. "It's important for everyone to understand what we are really doing. He's (George) coming in to fill a particular role."

The Seahawks play the visiting Washington Redskins on Sunday.

Hasselbeck struggled and was booed by Seattle fans last season before yielding the job to Dilfer, who started all seven games this fall. Dilfer took an awkward step while dropping back to pass during the second quarter against the Cowboys.

George, who wasn't available for interviews, played with the Washington Redskins last season. He was drafted with the No. 1 overall pick in 1990 by Indianapolis and has spent time with Atlanta, Oakland, Minnesota and Washington.

George has thrown for 25,860 yards, with 147 touchdowns and 102 interceptions in 12 NFL seasons.

The Seahawks also worked out Jeff Brohm, who briefly joined the Cleveland Browns last season after being taken off an XFL roster.

Holmgren said George reported at 210 pounds, about 10-to-15 pounds below where he played previously. He said George threw with velocity and, during an interview, showed a genuine desire to play.

"To really want to do this and get back into the game again, it can't be just for the paycheck," Holmgren said.

George was labeled as a difficult player after cameras caught him squabbling on the sideline with former Falcons coach June Jones in 1994. But Holmgren said he needed a veteran, and George will get a clean slate.

"That other stuff didn't factor into any part of the decision once he had a good workout," he said. "I was convinced he understood what his role would be. With veteran quarterbacks, that type of understanding has to be there."

According to ESPN.com insider Len Pasquarelli, because he has played in some many different systems during his career, and worked for a variety of head coaches and offensive coordinators, George should be able to assimilate the Seattle offense fairly quickly. That said, he is likely to serve as the No. 3 or "emergency" quarterback this week, when the Seahawks host the Redskins.

Other items of interest this week. ...

Wide receiver Darrell Jackson was released from a Texas hospital Monday, one day after sustaining a concussion and having a seizure in the locker room after a game against Dallas. Holmgren said Jackson underwent a CT scan and tests on his head and neck after the game and again Monday morning, and results were negative.

Additional tests were planned this week in Seattle, and Jackson's status for Sunday's Week 9 game was not immediately known. Holmgren said those tests would try to determine why Jackson had the seizure.

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

In an article published Tuesday, Seattle Post-Intelligencer reporter Claire Farnsworth noted that rookie Maurice Morris is slated for more carries in place of Shaun Alexander -- a guy who needs plenty of carries to shine.

Morris has speed and quickness to the outside and lowers his head and shoulders to ram ahead for needed yardage. Alexander continues to frustrate with his running style; he glides along the line and then slides through gaps.

Also according to Farnsworth, Bobby Engram was brought in last year as a stabilizing presence and a sure pair of hands. This season, he has stepped in as one of the league's best punt returners.

As a receiver, he is averaging 14.2 yards on 19 receptions-17 of them have produced first-down yardage. ...

Rookie tight end Jerramy Stevens should return this week, not that such an occurrence is especially exciting at this point. ... Nonetheless, I'll have more on the youngster's status as events warrant. ...

And finally. ... Tight end Ryan Hannam had pneumonia last week, not the flu, as was originally reported. Hannam is on antibiotics and has lost weight, though he should practice this week and be available to play on special teams.

Shaun King, who replaced Rob Johnson for one play and completed a 7-yard pass to set up Martin Gramatica's game-winning 47-yard field goal, will start Sunday if "The Rob" is unable.

Head coach Jon Gruden said receiver Joe Jurevicius (ankle sprain) is questionable this week. Receiver Keyshawn Johnson has a bruised left foot that is not believed to be serious.

I'll keep you posted on the status of all the team's walking (or not as the case might be) wounded throughout the weekend. ...

Also of interest. ...

In an article published last Monday, Pro Football Weekly cited team insiders as saying the distribution of the ball between Mike Alstott and Michael Pittman depends not on the offensive game plan, but rather the circumstances surrounding each game.

There’s only one football," Bucs offensive coordinator/OL coach Bill Muir told PFW. "We have some talented people in the backfield and at the receiver position, and everybody wants their share of the ball. One nice thing about Jon’s offense is that it spreads the ball around, and in my heart of hearts, I don’t think we have a controversy. Maybe from the outside people want to make it controversial."

So the team's so-called controversy is by design?

"Our attitude is that we have different styles of running back," Muir said. "Mike Alstott is a style of running back. Michael Pittman is a style of running back. [Backup] Aaron Stecker is a style of running back. They are all a change of pace when you compare them to each other. We’re not going to be a RB-by-committee team, but as the ebb and flow of the game happens, it is the tempo of the game that will dictate who carries the ball."

But the article went on to suggest that things may not be as rosy as Muir believes.

Sources say that Alstott’s performance hasn’t created any bad blood in the locker room, but the A-Train is getting frustrated that he hasn’t seen the ball consistently from game to game.

And finally. ... The team signed tight end Casey Crawford to the 53-man roster Tuesday and placed linebacker Ryan Nece on injured reserve because of a knee injury. Crawford, a third-year pro out of Virginia, had been on the team's practice roster since Sept. 10.

Fisher believed, as did his players, that the team needed to regain its edge, particularly when it comes to running the ball.

Although the offense's explosiveness can be found in Steve McNair, the attitude still is found in running back Eddie George.

George, who runs better when there is a commitment to him early in the game, has had back-to-back 100-yard games. That bodes well for the next two games, against the Colts and Texans. If the Titans win those games, they will be back in the AFC South race. ...

The team has begun using two deep men on kickoff returns, Eddie Berlin and either John Simon or Justin McCareins. The team likes Berlin's work back there; he has good speed and is aggressive attacking the hole. ...

As reported by the Sports Xchange, Derrick Mason was fantastic in his return to the lineup after a shoulder injury kept him out for two games. The Titans were concerned with how he would react to his first contact.

"We were all kind of waiting for Derrick to get hit," Fisher said. "He got lit up pretty good on his first catch, got up and was fine."

Mason finished with a game-high seven catches for 98 yards including two touchdowns.

Fisher said the receiver's run blocking is the one area that suffered a little, but he expects improvement.

And finally. ... Also according to Legwold, rookie wide receiver Darrell Hill has found a niche on special teams. One of the fastest players in the league, he already commands double teams as a gunner in punt coverage. Once he learns to finish tackles, Hill will be even more difficult to handle. He forced a fumble against the Bengals last Sunday.

Davis is known for having a high threshold for pain, and is normally confident about playing through injuries. But Tuesday, Davis wasn't even sure if he can practice this week.

"It's day-to-day," the former Auburn star told Demasio. "It's still feeling the same as it did yesterday. I don't know. I really don't. I think we'll see how it goes this week and hopefully it will get better every day."

Davis sprained his right knee in the second quarter of Sunday night's win over the Indianapolis Colts at FedEx Field. He originally suffered the injury Oct. 6 against the Tennessee Titans. After leaving that game temporarily, Davis returned to finish with 90 yards on 18 carries. But Tuesday, Davis described the aggravation as more severe than the original injury, leaving him uncertain about playing against the worst run defense in the NFL.

"If I can go play I'm going to play," Davis said. "If I can't then I'm not. It's as simple as that."

If Davis can't play, the Redskins will turn to Kenny Watson, who gained 42 yards on 10 carries during a 10-play, 66-yard drive against the Colts that took six minutes 28 seconds and culminated with a field goal. Watson finished with 67 yards on 15 carries.

Other notes of interest. ...

When Davis recovers, head coach Steve Spurrier hopes he stops fumbling. Davis has fumbled in four games, including three in a row. The Redskins have failed to recover each time and opponents have converted three of the four into touchdowns. Last Sunday, Davis fumbled on the play he aggravated his right knee to set up the Colts' only touchdown of the first half.

"We've had too many fumbles out of Stephen," Spurrier said. "He knows that. We all know it. So we'll work on those things. ..."

The Redskins appeared to be the front-runners yesterday among the handful of teams interested in wide receiver Willie Jackson, who was released by the Atlanta Falcons.

According to NFL sources, Jackson is interested in reuniting with Spurrier, his college coach at Florida. The Redskins tried to sign Jackson during the offseason but offered him only a minimum-salary contract, and he agreed instead to a three-year, $3.4 million deal with Atlanta.

But he apparently was unhappy with his playing time in Atlanta and the Falcons were less than pleased with his work habits. The Falcons informed Jackson, 31, on Monday that he would be released, but did not place him on waivers until yesterday. If he clears waivers, he would become a free agent today.

Jackson's former team, the New Orleans Saints, appears interested in him, along with the New England Patriots and Carolina Panthers, according to sources. Any team claiming Jackson off waivers would inherit the remainder of his contract, which includes salaries of $650,000 for this season, $1.1 million next season and $1.2 million in 2004.

Jackson had 81 catches for the Saints last season but had only 18 receptions in seven games for Atlanta. Jackson is familiar with Spurrier's offense but probably would not be ready to play in Sunday's game at Seattle. The Redskins likely would release one of their six wide receivers if they add Jackson. Wideout Kevin Lockett was on the inactive list last Sunday after having a costly fumble the previous week during a loss at Green Bay.

And finally. ... Spurrier joked early this week that the notion of giving more playing time to wide receiver Darnerien McCants came during a television broadcast. "We had some lady say on the call-in show: 'Why don't you play Darnerien McCants?' "Spurrier said. "And I said, 'Gosh darn it, that's what we need to do.' None of [the media] ever suggested it.

"You watch them and go by what they did in practice. But I think he's ready to go and play now. Maybe he was ready earlier. I don't know. That's sometimes why you play a lot of guys."

McCants caught three passes, including a touchdown, for 49 yards in his NFL debut against the Colts. Spurrier plans on further increasing the playing time for the second-year player.

Lockett, who started as recently as Game 5, was put on the inactive list in place of McCants. After Lockett's costly fumble against the Packers last week, Spurrier decided to give McCants a chance.

Jacquez Green is also expected to lose minutes to McCants, who performed well in exhibition games. Despite McCants having an ideal physique and athletic ability, the coaching staff wasn't sure the 6-foot-3 wideout was fundamentally sound enough to contribute. ...