Pro Football SPOTLIGHT : COMEBACK KID

On his team’s third defensive play, Indianapolis Colt defensive lineman Steve Emtman tackled Seattle’s Chris Warren for a five-yard loss.

So what?

Well, it might have been the play of the year to date. For Emtman, the first pick in the 1992 draft, it capped a remarkable comeback from career-threatening knee injuries.

Since joining the Colts, the former University of Washington star has suffered torn anterior cruciate ligaments in both knees. Last Oct. 10, against Dallas, Emtman tore two ligaments and the patella tendon in his right knee. After extensive off-season rehabilitation, Emtman returned to practice Aug. 29 and was activated this week.

Doctors say Emtman is the first player to play after tearing a patella.

“I was nervous until the first play was over,” Emtman said afterward. “As soon as that first play was over, I was just playing football again like I was back in high school or junior high or whatever. Football is football at any level, that’s the way I look at it.”

Playing mostly on third downs, Emtman finished with three tackles and one sack in the Colts’ 17-15 victory.

Emtman was not motivated by greed. He is due to make $3 million in salary this season, but took out an insurance policy with Lloyds of London that would have paid him nearly as much had he retired.

JOURNALIST JIMMY

Shame on those of us who thought Jimmy Johnson might use his position as a Fox television analyst to wage a personal war against Dallas owner Jerry Jones and Coach Barry Switzer.

Johnson, who coached the Cowboys to consecutive Super Bowl titles, said on Fox’s Sunday morning pregame show he is only doing his job when he offers constructive criticisms.

Johnson was among many who were critical of Switzer, who left town the night before a recent Cowboys’ game to watch his son play football.

“My job is to talk about 28 teams, not 27 teams and avoid Dallas,” Johnson said. “I’m going to give my opinion, that’s what I’m paid to do.”

Johnson has apparently so bonded with the First Amendment he is willing to risk future employment as an NFL coach to bring you the story.

“I’m not concerned with hiring down the road,” Johnson said. “I’m concerned about doing the best job I can do right here at Fox with my television work.”

NBC’s Mike Ditka, another coach-turned-analyst, is another free press patriot who puts journalism before personal agendas.

Call it a coincidence that Ditka, in his quarterly report on the NFL, listed nemesis Buddy Ryan and his Arizona Cardinals as the season’s biggest disappointments.

“The most ballyhooed team of the year has been Arizona,” Ditka said. “They’re going to do this, they’re going to do that. And they haven’t done a thing.”

Au contrair e. Sunday, Buddyball got off the snide and beat Minnesota, 17-7.

BUDDY, CAN YOU SPARE A DIME?

Who says Ryan is heartless? The Arizona coach did not fine starting safety Lorenzo Lynch this week for missing two days of practice.

“How can he get here when he’s locked up?” Ryan said.

True enough. Lynch, an eight-year veteran, was placed on a work-furlough program this week when he violated terms of a 1992 misdemeanor assault charges. For 30 days beginning last week, Lynch is to be locked up from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. on weekdays.

To get Lynch ready for Sunday’s game against Minnesota, Cardinal secondary coach Rob Ryan, the coach’s son, delivered the playbook to Lynch in prison.

Buddy Ryan was unaware of his player’s criminal problems.

Ryan, obviously, was too busy tinkering with the Arizona offense.

NOTEWORTHY

Chicago’s Kevin Butler kicked the first 50-yard field goal of the season. Going into the day, the league’s kickers had been 0 for 18 from 50 and beyond. . . . Barry Sanders’ 85-yard run in the second quarter was the longest of his career and the longest against the Buccaneers. Sanders’ previous long was a 69-yard run against Tampa Bay in 1991. His 85-yarder matches the second-longest in Detroit history. Bob Hoernschmeyer had an 85-yard run for the Lions in 1951. He also had a team-record run of 96 yards in 1950. Sanders climbed to No. 20 on the NFL’s career rushing list with 7,416, passing Cleveland’s Mike Pruitt (7,278) and Leroy Kelly (7,274). He has gained 1,188 in 10 games against Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay not only returned a punt for a touchdown for the first time in team history, but Rogerick Green came up with the club’s first blocked punt in five years. . . . The Browns had three rushing touchdowns against the Jets, the first three by Cleveland running backs this year. The only previous rushing touchdown for Cleveland this year came on a sneak by Vinny Testaverde. . . . The Dallas Cowboys’ 34-7 victory over the Washington Redskins was their sixth consecutive on the road (including playoffs). Dallas is 20-5 in its last 25 games away from Texas Stadium. . . . Washington linebacker Monte Coleman was the lone representative for his team at the pregame coin flip. Coleman was playing his 205th game as a Redskin, tying Art Monk for first place on the team’s career list. After the flip, his teammates saluted him by holding their helmets aloft, a Coleman trademark throughout his 16 seasons with the club. . . . Seattle was trying to open the season 4-1 for the first time since 1986. . . . Drew Bledsoe moved into sixth place in career passing yards for the Patriots. His 334 yards Sunday gave him 4,245 for his two seasons. He passed Mike Taliaferro, who passed for 3,920 yards from 1968 through 1970. . . . Chris Jacke’s four points left him with 541, six short of becoming Green Bay’s third-highest career scorer. Jim Taylor holds that spot with 546. . . . Green Bay and New England combined for 100 passes, the third-most in NFL history. Miami and the New York Jets had 104 in 1987 and San Francisco and Atlanta had 102 in 1985. . . . Reggie White, the NFL’s career sack leader, got his 140th in the first half, making Bledsoe the 52nd quarterback he has victimized. . . . Buffalo, 0-4 against NFC teams in the Super Bowl in the 1990s, lost for only the third time in 17 regular-season interconference games this decade. . . . Morten Andersen’s 29-yard field goal for the Saints in the first quarter extended his scoring streak to 163 games, second-longest in history. It also was his 39th consecutive field goal from less than 30 yards. Andersen’s field goal also extended the Saints’ scoring streak to 166 games since a 7-0 loss to the Patriots on Dec. 4, 1983. . . . Saint quarterback Jim Everett entered the game needing 141 passing yards to reach 25,000 for his career. He got 249 to move ahead of Ken O’Brien into 33rd among the all-time passing leaders.

BACK TO YOU IN THE BOOTH

Reporting live from the huddle, this is Marcus Allen .

In this age of radio transmitters in helmets, the day is fast approaching when NFL players will do color commentary during games in which they participate.

Allen might have taken the first step Sunday. The Kansas City tailback teamed with Mike Breen on Fox to broadcast the Detroit-Tampa Bay game.

Allen, still an active player, took advantage of his team’s bye week to brush up on his broadcasting skills. Next week, Allen returns to his day job when Kansas City travels to Seattle.

Aside to Fox: Any chance Marcus could work a Raider game?

COACH, CAN WE TRY THIS AGAIN?

Washington quarterback Heath Shuler took solace in his woeful debut as an NFL starting quarterback by seeking out another quarterback who got off to a rough start: Troy Aikman.

After the Dallas Cowboys put the big hurt on the Redskins, 34-7, Aikman told Shuler to keep his chinstrap up.

In Aikman’s debut for the Cowboys, Sept. 10, 1989, he completed 17 of 35 passes for 180 yards, with no touchdowns and two interceptions.

Aikman’s Cowboys’ finished 1-15 that season, but both quarterback and team eventually worked out the kinks. Shuler’s first start was abysmal. The Tennessee rookie completed 11 of 30 passes for 96 yards, with one touchdown and one interception.

How does Shuler’s debut stack up against the greats?

In his first start in 1979, San Francisco’s Joe Montana completed five of 12 passes for 36 yards in a loss to St. Louis.

On the flip side, Dan Marino came out firing in his first start in 1983, an overtime loss to Buffalo. Marino completed 19 of 29 passes for 322 yards and three touchdowns.

RUSH TO JUDGMENT

No one at Scottsdale Community College in Arizona was surprised that Philadelphia’s Charlie Garner rushed for 111 yards in his NFL debut against San Francisco.

In Garner’s first start for the school on Sept. 29, 1990, he ran for 394 yards against Arizona Western College. Two weeks later, Garner set the collegiate rushing record for all levels with 430 yards against Snow College of Utah.

By comparison, the 49ers pretty much held Garner in check.

INJURIES

Dallas tailback Emmitt Smith left the game at the end of the first half with a strained hamstring and did not return. Team trainer Kevin O’Neill said it would be a few days before he could gauge the seriousness of the injury. The Cowboys also lost tackle Mark Tuinei (back injury) and safety Joe Fishback (strained hamstring) in the first half. Tampa Bay tight end Jackie Harris sat out the second half with soreness in his left knee. . . . Cleveland fullback Tommy Vardell was sent to the Cleveland Clinic for further examination after he sprained his knee in the first quarter.

QUOTEWORTHY

“Nobody runs on us, no matter where we are. The ’85 Bears, the Eagles, the Oilers, nowhere--not even Dallas next week.”

--Buddy Ryan, Arizona Cardinal coach, after his team’s 17-7 victory over Minnesota.

“I’m shocked that this happened . I’m shocked that this is what we look like today. All I can tell you is, we’re still standing. We will not accept it. The players will not accept it. I can’t. The coaches can’t.”

--Pete Carroll, New York Jets coach, after his team’s 27-7 loss to Cleveland.

“It was definitely tougher the second time, especially with all the critics and, by the way, all the critics can kiss my . . . I’m back on the field and it feels great. “

--Steve Emtman, Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle who returned from career-threatening knee injuries.

TONIGHT’S GAME

Houston at Pittsburgh; 6 p.m., Channel 7

The offenses are betraying these teams.

Pittsburgh (2-2) had 452 yards of offense against the Seahawks last week, but Neil O’Donnell threw four interceptions. The Oiler offense has not been so stark, but it left the defense in bad field position enough times that defensive coordinator Jeff Fischer discussed the problem with offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride.

Houston (1-3) has held opposing quarterbacks to an AFC-best completion percentage of 54.2 and an average of only 147 yards per game. That has helped the Oiler defense become the fourth-best in the NFL. The Steeler defense is No. 7.

The Oilers miss Warren Moon. Replacement Cody Carlson can’t seem to stay healthy and Bucky Richardson has been inconsistent. The Oiler line has given up 17 sacks.

Lorenzo White will start at running back for Gary Brown, who sprained an ankle last week.

“We’re going to try to do what we did last year, and hope history does repeat itself,” Houston cornerback Chris Dishman said.

The Oilers are trying to repeat last year’s turnaround, when they started off 1-3 but went on to win their next 11 games and the division title.

Monday night brings out the best in the Steelers: They were 3-0 on Monday last season and they’ve won all four Monday games under Coach Bill Cowher, including two shutouts.