SPOTLIGHT /A GLANCE AT THIS WEEK IN THE NFL

TOP PERFORMANCES Passing

Quarterback, Team Att. Cmp. Yds. TD JOHN ELWAY, Broncos 35 18 344 2 DAN MARINO, Dolphins 37 24 333 2 VINNY TESTAVERDE, Bucs 38 19 311 3 BOBBY HEBERT, Saints 22 15 276 3 JIM EVERETT, Rams 42 24 263 3

Rushing

Player, Team Car. Yds. TD CHRISTIAN OKOYE, Chiefs 33 170 2 ERIC DICKERSON, Colts 31 152 1

Receiving

Player, Team No. Yds. TD TOM RATHMAN, 49ers 11 103 0 GARY CLARK, Redskins 10 73 2 MARK CARRIER, Bucs 8 106 1 ART MONK, Redskins 8 97 0 KEITH JONES, Falcons 8 57 0 J.T. SMITH, Cardinals 7 96 0 HENRY ELLARD, Rams 7 95 1 MARK CLAYTON, Dolphins 7 89 1 STERLING SHARPE, Packers 7 81 2 MICHAEL YOUNG, Broncos 6 137 0 JERRY RICE, 49ers 6 112 2 ERIC MARTIN, Saints 5 116 1 IRVING FRYAR, Patriots 5 102 0

BIG PLAYS

Miami’s Pete Stoyanovich kicked a 33-yard field goal with six seconds left to give the Dolphins a 23-20 win over the Green Bay Packers. It was his second game-winning field goal in the final seconds in the last three weeks.

Tampa Bay’s Ricky Reynolds blocked a Ralf Mojsiejenko punt and returned it 33 yards for a touchdown in a 32-28 loss to Washington. It was only the second blocked punt in the 13-year history of the franchise and the first touchdown scored by a Bucs’ punt-return unit.

Bobby Hebert threw touchdown passes of 54 yards to Floyd Turner and 37 yards to Eric Martin on consecutive plays early in the third quarter to send the New Orleans to a 40-21 victory over the Rams.

David Treadwell, who missed a 27-yard attempt with 16 seconds left in regulation, converted a 27-yard field goal with 7:14 left in overtime to give the Denver a 24-21 victory at Seattle.

Earl Ferrell scored two of his three touchdowns in the first quarter and Phoenix ended its four-game losing streak with a 34-20 win over Atlanta.

Jack Trudeau threw a three-yard touchdown pass to Albert Bentley and Eric Dickerson dashed 21 yards for another score in the final two minutes as Indianapolis pulled away from Cincinnati for a 23-12 victory.

Warren Moon completed his first eight passes and threw three touchdown passes in the first half, leading Houston to a 27-0 victory over Pittsburgh.

Linebacker Mike Merriweather had one sack, one interception, caused two fumbles and recovered one of them for Minnesota in the Vikings’ 20-7 win over Detroit.

San Diego’s Vencie Glenn scooped up a fumble by Maurice Carthon and returned it 81 yards for a touchdown--the longest fumble return in team history--in the Chargers’ 20-13 loss to the New York Giants. FILLING IN

Steve Young, taking over when Joe Montana suffered a slight knee sprain late in the first half, threw a 50-yard touchdown pass to Jerry Rice in the third quarter to break a 17-17 tie and the San Francisco 49ers went on to defeat New England, 37-20. Young completed 10 of 11 passes for 188 yards and three touchdowns.

Frank Reich, in his second start in place of the injured Jim Kelly, threw three touchdown passes as Buffalo routed the New York Jets, 34-3.

INJURIES

San Francisco safety Jeff Fuller suffered multiple fractures in his neck on the second play of the 49ers’ 37-20 victory over New England, causing nerve-root damage that may cost him full use of his right arm. Team physician Dr. Michael Dillingham said the injury is not life-threatening and that Fuller is in stable condition, alert and able to move his extremities, in the intensive care unit at Stanford University Hospital. Fuller also sustained a concussion. He was injured when he tackled Patriot running back John Stephens. Fuller, was administered oxygen before being taken from the field by ambulance to the hospital.

Later in the game, the 49ers lost two other players to fractures--linebacker Jim Fahnhorst with an apparent stress fracture in his right foot and reserve fullback Harry Sydney with a slight fracture in his left arm.

San Francisco fans got another scare in the closing seconds of the first half when quarterback Joe Montana was carted off the field with an injured left knee. However, Montana jogged back to the sidelines in the fourth quarter and team officials said he could have returned to the game, if needed.

Phoenix, which has had 12 starters go down with injuries since the season started, lost rookie defensive tackle Jim Wahler with a sprained left knee in the third quarter and cornerback Carl Carter with a pulled right hamstring in the first half of the Cardinals’ 34-20 win over Atlanta.

Denver fullback Jeff Alexander was sidelined with a sprained ankle in the first quarter of the Broncos’ 24-21 overtime win over Seattle.

Cornerback Darrell Green of Washington suffered a dislocated left wrist in the third quarter of the Redskins’ 32-28 victory over Tampa Bay. He underwent surgery Sunday night and will be out two to six weeks.

Running back Troy Stradford, who gained 53 yards in 15 carries, suffered a knee injury in the Dolphins’ 23-20 victory over Green Bay. Stradford will be sidelined indefinitely.

THE GREAT OUTDOORS

Houston Oiler Coach Jerry Glanville was bitten by a poisonous water moccasin snake as he walked through high grass near his home Saturday.

He was hospitalized Saturday night and came to the Astrodome on crutches for Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Glanville discarded the crutches, however, and came onto the field with the team without a noticeable limp.

The Oiler coach was bitten on the top of his right foot after he stepped on the large snake near a home under construction in his neighborhood southwest of Houston.

After Houston’s 27-0 victory, Glanville reserved his biting comments for Pittsburgh Coach Chuck Noll, with whom he has openly feuded since 1987.

“I thought Chuck was in my neighborhood yesterday but I guess not. We’ll talk about that later, let’s enjoy the team win,” said Glanville, who was scheduled to be tested by doctors again after the game. LOWLIGHTS

Lars Tate was Tampa Bay’s leading rusher with seven yards in six carries in a 32-28 loss to Washington. The Bucs finished with one yard on the ground in 10 carries.

Atlanta linebacker Aundray Bruce was ejected from the Falcons’ 34-20 win against Atlanta with 10:27 left in the first quarter for leaving the bench to join in a brief on-field fight, which started after a hard sack of Phoenix quarterback Gary Hogeboom by linebacker Marcus Cotton.

Pittsburgh defensive end Keith Willis helped the Oilers to a touchdown with consecutive 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. Willis was flagged 15 yards for bumping an official and another 15 yards for throwing his helmet after the first penalty.

The Phoenix-Atlanta game, played in 78-degree weather, drew just 33,894 at 74,724-seat Sun Devil Stadium, the smallest crowd since the Cardinals moved from St. Louis last year.

MILESTONES

Eric Dickerson, who rushed for a season-high 152 yards in 31 carries in Indianapolis’ 23-13 victory over Cincinnati, established a team record with his 17th 100-yard game, surpassing Lydell Mitchell on the all-time Colt list.

Christian Okoye of Kansas City carried the ball a team-record 33 times, gaining 170 yards and scoring twice in the Chiefs’ 36-28 victory over Dallas.

J.T. Smith had seven receptions for 96 yards in Phoenix’s 34-20 victory over Atlanta, moving him into a tie for fifth place with Mel Gray on the Cardinals’ all-time receiving list. Smith has 351 career receptions.

Roger Craig of the 49ers established a team record for rushing touchdowns with a three-yard scoring run in the fourth quarter of San Francisco’s 37-20 victory over New England. With his 62nd career touchdown, Craig surpassed Ken Willard on the all-time 49er list.

STREAKS

Stephone Paige of Kansas City had two catches for 33 yards, extending to 55 his streak for games with receptions, in the Chiefs’ 36-28 victory over Dallas.

Tight end Mickey Shuler of the New York Jets had three catches for 34 yards, extending to 85 his streak for games with receptions, in the Jets’ 34-3 loss to Buffalo.

Miami extended its NFL record to 19 consecutive games without allowing a sack in a 23-20 win against the Green Bay Packers. Since last allowing a sack, the Dolphins have attempted 766 passes--including 740 by Dan Marino. Tackle Ronnie Lee, center/tackle Jeff Dellenbach, guard Roy Foster and guard Harry Galbreath have started each of the games during the streak.

Anthony Carter of Minnesota had one catch for 16 yards, extending to 56 his streak for games with receptions, in the Vikings’ 20-7 victory over Detroit.

IN QUOTES

New England linebacker Ed Reynolds, on playing in the Bay Area: “I don’t think a lot of us were crazy about coming out here to play. There was a lot of death out here. I thought we came here out of respect for the fans. Any time there is a catastrophe like they had here, your mind is on it, but we were also getting an opportunity to play the champions, and any time you have that, you want to play.”

Patriot fullback Mosi Tatupu: “It was kind of a weird atmosphere around here. It was kind of an awkward feeling having to come here to play a game. We just had to try to remember to win the game.”

San Francisco center Jesse Sapolu: “You do your best to move on, even while you know people are still trapped under that freeway.” Miami kicker Pete Stoyanovich after his 27-yard field goal gave the Dolphins a 23-20 victory over Green Bay: “I remembered one thing--he (holder Scott Secules) said if it ever happens again, turn toward him so he can be in the picture.”

Quarterback Ken O’Brien after the Jets committed three turnovers and were called for nine penalties in a 34-3 loss to Buffalo: “Mistakes, week after week, are killing us. It seems we’re pulling the noose a little tighter on ourselves all the time.”

Bubba McDowell, Houston’s rookie safety, who had two interceptions in the Oilers’ 27-0 win: “Coach (Jerry) Glanville told me on Monday that I couldn’t make any more rookie mistakes.”

Paul Palmer, a former first-round draft choice of Kansas City signed this week by Dallas, on playing against his former team: “I was taunting the (Kansas City) coaching staff a little bit. My fiancee said, ‘Now, they’ll know what it’s like to hold their breath every time you carry the ball.’ I felt like that today. It felt good to get that touchdown against the Chiefs defense because they’re exceptional against the run.”

New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor on quarterback Jim McMahon, who completed only 12 of 27 passes for 133 yards in San Diego’s 20-13: “He’s a gutsy player, but it’s a different type of Jim McMahon now. Maybe they’re asking him to do different things here.”

Seattle kicker Norm Johnson, on missing a 40-yard field-goal attempt in a 24-21 overtime loss to Denver: “I was waiting for that kick all day long. Then when I finally get the opportunity, I miss it. Forty yards is nothing. I can make those in my sleep.”

TONIGHT’S GAME

Chicago at Cleveland, 6 p.m., PDT--Some of the Chicago Bears worry about their health when Coach Mike Ditka periodically gets angry.

Linebacker Mike Singletary worries about Ditka’s health.

“That’s the only thing that scares me when he acts like that,” Singletary said as the Bears (4-2) prepared to meet the Cleveland Browns (3-3).

Ditka talked of mellowing after suffering a heart attack last Nov. 2. Yet he let the health problems sideline him for only one game, and last week he became angry after the Bears dropped their second consecutive game, committing six turnovers in a 33-28 loss to the Houston Oilers.

“I mellowed the week I was in the hospital,” Ditka said. “I got excited last week. Every once in a while, you have to blow off some steam, and I blew off some steam.”

Both teams have been dogged by injuries. Chicago’s defense has been riddled by injuries to Richard Dent, Dan Hampton and Jim Morrissey. In Cleveland, there is concern about quarterback Bernie Kosar’s right elbow, which he sprained last season.

Kosar threw a career-high four interceptions last Sunday in Cleveland’s 17-7 loss to Pittsburgh, but said his elbow is fine. “I don’t think it’s a problem,” Kosar said. “I’ve been throwing the deep ball pretty good--not as good as I’d like, but the distance on my throws hasn’t been a factor.”