Pro Football / Bob Oates : Raiders and Rams Have Brought Glory Days Back to L.A.

The Rams and Raiders are alone at the top of the NFL’s two western divisions for this first time in December since the Raiders moved to Los Angeles.

During the next to last week of the schedule, the Raiders and Rams, both 10-4, will go for division titles in home games Sunday against Seattle and St. Louis, respectively.

If needed, both will get another chance in the Ram-Raider game at Anaheim Stadium on Dec. 23.

Not since the days when USC and UCLA were on top together have L.A. football fans had so much to live for.

Saturday: As the NFL’s attention shifts from West to East this weekend, the Bears will meet the New York Jets at the Meadowlands. The game should help unscramble the AFC’s Eastern Division.

The Jets, New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins are all 10-4.

The Bears have struggled in their last two starts, most recently against the 3-11 Indianapolis Colts, who were tied, 3-3, at the half Sunday and lost, 17-10.

“We aren’t as good as we were last year,” Chicago defensive coach Buddy Ryan said the other day, indicating that he still misses holdout safety Todd Bell, his favorite player.

“We have the best quarterback in the league,” Ryan said, meaning Jim McMahon, “but defensively, we aren’t quite where we want to be.”

The Jets may have a chance.

Sunday: The championship of the NFC East will belong to the Dallas Cowboys (9-5) if they beat the New York Giants (9-5) at Texas Stadium.

The Giants need a parlay to win it this week: a Dallas defeat and a Redskin defeat against Cincinnati at Washington.

It’s a commentary on 1985 parity in pro football that the Cowboys are this close to a title after losing to Cincinnati, 50-24, and to Chicago, 44-0.

“As soon as we get to thinking we’re pretty good, we ease up,” said John Dutton, Dallas defensive tackle.

Dallas Coach Tom Landry thinks the problem runs deeper.

“We don’t have as strong a team as we had (in the 1970s) when people couldn’t blow us out,” he said. “We’ve got to hit on all cylinders to beat anybody.”

Landry wants to settle matters Sunday. The Cowboys will be at San Francisco next week, when the Pittsburgh Steelers come into Giants Stadium.

Monday: The Dolphins have the quarterbacking to break the AFC East’s first-place tie in their favor at the Orange Bowl against the Patriots.

Dan Marino, who threw five touchdown passes last week, keeps getting closer to last season’s form.

But, once more, Miami is the NFL’s only weak defensive team in the playoff race.

“Defensively, I think Indianapolis is better than Miami,” Chicago Coach Mike Ditka said Tuesday.

With Tony Eason back playing well at quarterback, the Patriots have been the league’s surprise this season.

But the Dolphins usually win at home, which gives them the edge in Week 15. Week 16 may be anticlimactic: Buffalo at Miami, Cleveland at the Jets and Cincinnati at New England.

The Minnesota Vikings (7-7) can’t match the Bears in their division this season, but they may match The Refrigerator.

Minnesota’s 300-pound defensive lineman is known as The Icebox. He is rookie Tim Newton, who is leading Chicago’s William Perry in tackles, interceptions, fumble recoveries and forced fumbles.

In fact, Newton holds the Viking record for single-season interceptions by a defensive lineman (2).

He set it last week against Tampa Bay when he intercepted Steve Young.

“The Icebox just happened to be there,” Minnesota Coach Bud Grant said. “Maybe we should have him play safety.”

The Philadelphia Eagles were trailing Washington by five points, 17-12, with four minutes left Sunday when Ron Jaworski drove them to the Redskin five-yard line, first and goal.

There, the Eagles were the victims of a successful four-play defensive stand as linebacker Rich Milot stopped the third-down run and deflected the fourth-down pass.

“On the pass (to Mike Quick) I didn’t hit the ball, it hit me,” Milot said.

Asked why Philadelphia’s leading rusher, Earnest Jackson, wasn’t on the field for the last series, Philadelphia Coach Marion Campbell said: “I don’t know. I can’t answer that.”

The Eagle offensive coordinator is Ted Marchibroda.

Kosar Update: When Cleveland quarterback Gary Danielson missed the Seattle game Sunday with a shoulder injury, Bernie Kosar went the distance at quarterback, fumbling twice when sacked in a 31-13 defeat.

“He did a much better job of hanging in the pocket and stepping up when he got some pressure,” Cleveland Coach Marty Schottenheimer said. “(But) he’s got to protect the ball when he gets hit.”

Cleveland and Cincinnati are 7-7, with Pittsburgh next at 6-8 in the AFC Central race. Cleveland will play host to Houston and then play the Jets in the Meadowlands. Cincinnati will be at Washington and New England. Pittsburgh will play host to Buffalo and then play the Giants at the Meadowlands.

The Bengals have rounded up the finest talent in their division, as they demonstrated while smashing Dallas, 50-24.

Their stars include Boomer Esiason, possibly the NFL’s best young quarterback; Larry Kinnebrew, a refrigerator-type fullback; James Brooks, a good little halfback, and a packet of superb receivers led by rookie Eddie Brown.

Why are they only 7-7? They’re more erratic than Dallas.