Raiders Seem Committed to Quitting

A review of Week 10 in the NFL, and after hearing Raider quarterback Jeff George say, “I still feel this team can go somewhere,” let’s clarify one thing: Not back to L.A.

Waving the White Flag

The Raiders are 3-6, and after Carolina had beaten them, Panther center Frank Garcia said, “They had guys out there who weren’t playing hard at all.”

By way of confirmation, Oakland Coach Joe Bugel said, “All we ask them to do is play three hours of football a week. That’s all we ask.”

Seems a bit much, but did they against Carolina?

“No,” said Bugel,

and if anyone is looking

for Bugel to fire up the

troops, consider his record

as an NFL head coach: 23-50.

A Candid Explanation

The Cowboys have dropped to 4-5, but why?

“They don’t have very good people up front, that’s why,” said San Francisco offensive line coach Bobb McKittrick. “They’re a shadow of the teams that had Leon Lett, Chad Hennings, ‘Too Tall’ Jones and Randy White. I suspect they have never had a group that’s less dominating than the group they have now.”

Three Teams to Watch Closer

1. New England--The Patriots’ offer to trade Drew Bledsoe to the Jets straight up for Bill Parcells has been rejected.

2. San Francisco--The 49ers still haven’t played anyone worth a darn, having won eight games over teams with a combined record of 15-30.

3. Jacksonville--The locals were down on quarterback Mark Brunell, demonstrating that you can bring major league football to a city, but that doesn’t make the city major league.

Statistics to Ponder

Philadelphia had 15 penalties, a lost fumble and three interceptions, and statisticians are still trying to calculate the number of times Ricky Watters made a face because he didn’t get the ball. . . . Buffalo fumbled the ball six times, but recovered five of the bobbles and won. . . . San Francisco running back Garrison Hearst now has as many touchdowns this season, five, as he had in the first four years of his career. . . . Buffalo Coach Marv Levy has six victories in which his team has not scored a touchdown--the most in NFL history dating back to 1933.

Favorite Son?

When he showed up for his first practice as a starter for the Cardinals two weeks ago it was raining, prompting one observer to note, “This gives us a chance to see if Jake Plummer can walk on water.”

In two starts, Plummer has drowned.

He has completed 28 of 58 passes for 327 yards and two touchdowns, has thrown five interceptions and fumbled once. Against the Eagles, he was yanked in favor of Kent Graham.

Say What?

The NFL is investigating a report that Bill Belichick, former coach of the Cleveland Browns and now an assistant with the Jets, called a pair of Raven--nee Brown--linebackers last week before the game with Baltimore.

In defense of Belichick, Parcells said, “This is America, isn’t it?”

That’s funny, coming from a guy who doesn’t let his assistant coaches talk to reporters.

Coaches Who Have Disappointed

1. Pete Carroll--His Mister Rogers’ routine has flattened the Patriots. 2. Dick Vermeil--The Rams haven’t changed, but maybe the game has. 3. (tie) Jimmy Johnson--He loses it against Bears, Bills; Kevin Gilbride--Working hard to turn off the Chargers’ electricity.

Coaches Who Have Impressed

1. Steve Mariucci--Never a doubt he’d have the 49ers standing 8-1. 2. Parcells--His team isn’t that good, but he is. 3. Dennis Green--A flake, who has fielded a solid team.

Make a Play

Shawn Lee is pursuing possible legal action against San Diego-area policemen who detained him in a case of mistaken identity after a car similar to his was stolen nearby.

Having never seen him make a tackle, how were they supposed to know he was a defensive lineman for the San Diego Chargers.

Officials, in Cincinnati meanwhile, insisted they got their man Sunday when they flagged Lee for jumping offside.

If the Planets Are Aligned

The 10-2 Green Bay Packers will be in Minnesota for a Monday night game Dec. 1 against the 10-2 Vikings. The Packers have lost five straight in Minnesota.

Defenseless

Ten teams scored 30 or more points over the weekend, including two losers. One team scored fewer than 10 points--Buffalo--and won.

Love Cures All

After 49er cornerback Darnell Walker was burned for a 54-yard reception by Dallas’ Anthony Miller, Walker looked up into the stands and spotted his wife.

“I saw her mouth the words, ‘Get over it.’ Instead of clapping her hands and saying it’s all right, she’s telling me to get over it. My wife is so awesome.”

So was Walker, who went on to shut out Miller the rest of the way.

This Week’s MVP

Bill Parcells. The New York Jets, 1-15 a year ago, are in sole possession of first place in the AFC East for the first time since the 12th week of the 1986 season with Parcells juggling quarterbacks and riding the rookie leg of kicker John Hall.

The National Football League?

Kelly Holcomb, David Klingler, Craig Whelihan, Craig Erickson, Jake Plummer, Alex Van Pelt and Steve Stenstrom all took a turn playing quarterback Sunday.

This Week’s Kevin Butler Goof Award

Indianapolis center Jay Leeuwenburg, a veteran, reached out to block Tampa Bay nose tackle Brad Culpepper and found his hands covered with something slippery. Then trying to snap to quarterback Paul Justin, who was in a shotgun formation, the ball slipped, bounced back to Justin and was recovered by Tampa Bay’s Regan Upshaw. Five plays later the Buccaneers scored.

“We gave up seven points because their nose tackle has some kind of foreign substance on his jersey,” cried Indianapolis Coach Lindy Infante after his team lost. “You got an illegal substance out there and it cost us a ballgame.”

Ah, Leeuwenburg could have called timeout, could have stopped play and asked for a towel, could have complained to the official before snapping the ball. Instead, he complained after snapping the ball, and although officials ordered Culpepper to change his jersey, by then the game had slipped away.

And Even More Statistics

In the first eight games of the season, Rocket Ismail had 16 catches, but against the Raiders, his former team he had five, three on third down resulting in first downs. . . . Fred Lane, who scored three touchdowns for the Panthers, received a $5,000 bonus to sign out of college with Carolina. He took hand-offs from Kerry Collins, who got $7 million to sign with Carolina.