Vikings’ Player Has the Line on Problems That Beset Raiders

Generally, the Minnesota Vikings were effusive in their praise of Raider running back Bo Jackson, but nose tackle Henry Thomas wasn’t that impressed.

“He was no different from any other back, except that his clothes were tight,” Thomas said. “I couldn’t get my hands on him.”

Add Vikings: Defensive end Doug Martin said one of the Raiders’ problems was the play of rookie tackle John Clay, the No. 1 draft choice.

“He’s definitely one of the weak links in the offensive line, along with a few others,” Martin said.

Trivia Time: Since the National Football League started keeping official statistics on sacks in 1982, who accumulated the most before this season. (Answer below.)

Dept. of Coincidence?: Chicago Bears linebacker Otis Wilson, out with a knee injury, claims he was leg-whipped by Green Bay tackle Tom Neville Sunday.

“I don’t know if he was trying to purposely injure me, but he was trying to leg whip me,” Wilson said.

Last year, Wilson claimed he wasn’t doing anything illegal when he knocked Pittsburgh receiver Louis Lipps out of the game, but he was suspended for a game by Pete Rozelle “for a flagrant forearm to the jaw.”

Would-you-believe-it dept.: The Kansas City Chiefs (1-7), already have lost more regular-season games than all last year when John Mackovic took them to their first playoff appearance in 15 years with a 10-6 record and was rewarded by being fired and replaced by Frank Gansz.

Add Chiefs: They haven’t won a playoff game since the days of Hank Stram, who said when he was finally fired: “I gave Lamar Hunt the best 15 years of my life. Then I gave him my two worst and he fired me.”

Lawrence Taylor, whose last-minute interception preserved the New York Giants’ 17-10 win over the New England Patriots Sunday night, spent the day playing his favorite sport, golf.

“I played 27 holes,” he said. “I shot 77 and then 41. Of course I used a cart. I always use a cart before a game.”

Add Giants: Jeff Rutledge, who took over at quarterback for the injured Phil Simms, said of his shaky start that saw him throw two interceptions in the first quarter: “My poor wife, I nearly gave her a heart attack in the stands. She said, ‘If you were going to throw one more interception, I was going to the car.’ ”

Nothing against Dennis Johnson, but National Basketball Assn. fans can only hope he doesn’t last as long as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Reason: Every year in the league, Johnson has added one bounce to his ritual before taking a free throw. He’s now up to 12 bounces.

He admits to having second thoughts, though.

“The other night, I was bouncing it six times,” he said. “You do get pretty tired doing it 12 times.”

Oregon State defensive end Tom Vettrus, on UCLA: “They have an excellent offense, a mixed attack. They can either throw or run. They’ll make a very good Rose Bowl team.”

Well, that cares of USC.

Trivia Answer: Dexter Manley of the Washington Redskins with 64.5.

Quotebook

Philadelphia Coach Buddy Ryan, on Randall Cunningham after the quarterback rallied the Eagles to a 31-27 win over the Washington Redskins: “How come nobody tells me to switch him to wide receiver anymore?”