My Two Cents
Panthers quarterback Steve Beuerlein made a star of wideout
Patrick Jeffers last season, and he's on his way to doing the
same for third-year veteran Donald Hayes (10 catches for 186
yards and a touchdown in his first two games).... My MVP of the
first two weeks: Giants running back Tiki Barber (10.0 yards per
carry), who runs like Ron Dayne is chasing him. Which he is....
Steelers starting quarterback in 2001: Trent Green, now the Rams
backup. It makes too much sense for a trade not to happen....
Darrell Green, the Redskins' corner who turns 41 in February,
looked marvelous in breaking up three passes against the Lions.
In fact he's the greatest over-40 player ever--in any sport.
The Book
A scout sizes up Browns quarterback Tim Couch (above), who threw
for 259 yards and two touchdowns in a 24-7 win over the Bengals
on Sunday
"He's better than I thought he was coming out [of Kentucky]. He's
wearing a sleeve on his elbow, and I read that tendinitis is
bothering him. But he's made all the throws you need to make
three or four times a game, except for the 25-yard out. He's a
little short with that one, and it will rise up to bite him.
Still, he's accurate, tough, very analytical and quick with his
reads. He's also playing with absolutely no weapons. Why hasn't
this team gotten him a big receiver? If the Browns don't go after
the best receiver in the first round of the next draft, they're
crazy."
The Buzz
Mike Who? In the tradition of productive Denver backs picked up
late in the draft, rookie sixth-rounder Mike Anderson, playing in
place of the injured Terrell Davis, galloped for 131 yards
against the Falcons. Afterward Davis's 31-year-old brother,
Reggie Webb, a former Long Beach State running back, wanted a
contract. "I guess any back can do that in this offense," he
said.
Brad, Beware. The Redskins' Brad Johnson seems to have lost
something off his fastball; he threw three fourth-quarter
interceptions in a 15-10 loss to the Lions. Jeff George waits in
the wings.
Burnout? After a Week 1 loss to the Colts, Chiefs players say
coach Gunther Cunningham told them he was going to resign but his
wife talked him out of it. An overtime loss to the Titans
couldn't have done much for his psyche.
Match Game
Inside the locker of which NFL player?
A photo of his children; a quote from Teddy Roosevelt, which
reads, in part, "It is not the critic who counts; not the man who
points out how the strong man stumbles. The credit belongs to the
man who is actually in the arena who strives valiantly"; an
American League baseball; Aerosmith, Bon Jovi and Goo Goo Dolls
CDs; a bottle of Aleve and a package of Sudafed; a Grey Cup
championship cap; a playbook; 10 pairs of football shoes; a few
dozen pieces of fan mail; a mesh laundry bag; two sets of
shoulder pads; three practice jerseys; six short-sleeve T-shirts;
a book titled Kiss of God: The Wisdom of a Silent Child.
a. Cowboys wideout Rocket Ismail
b. Bills quarterback Doug Flutie
c. Colts kicker Mike Vanderjagt
answer below
Answer: Flutie
COLOR PHOTO: TOM LYNN
The Last Word
"I think [cheating on the cap] is worse than drugs or gambling. It
creates an imbalance on the field."
--Ravens owner Art Modell, who proposes that the NFL hire a
special counsel to police the salary cap
