PRO FOOTBALL / WEEK 1 : THE OTHER GAMES

GAME OF THE DAY

Houston (11-7) at Minnesota (12-6), 1 p.m.

These might be the two most talent-laden teams in the NFL, but they’re still a bit young and haven’t developed the consistency of championship teams such as San Francisco and Chicago. The Oilers are so loaded at running back with Alonzo Highsmith, Allen Pinkett and Lorenzo White, and in that blue-chip offensive line, that Mike Rozier’s holdout didn’t affect their running game in the exhibition season. With Wade Wilson finally supplanting Tommy Kramer on the field and passing him in salary, Coach Jerry Burns hopes the Vikings will have more stability.

INTERCONFERENCE GAMES

Cincinnati (14-5) at Chicago (13-5), 10 a.m.

Jim McMahon isn’t the only one gone from the Bears, who have 18 players in their first or second seasons. Coach Mike Ditka said last week he’s not sure if he kept the right players, but right or wrong he’s going with Mike Tomczak, 15-3 as a starter, at quarterback, and Brad Muster has moved into the fullback spot. But only five starters remain from the defense that took the Bears to the Super Bowl in 1985. The Bengals came within seconds of winning the Super Bowl last season, but there are some lingering questions after a lackluster exhibition season--how is Boomer Esiason’s throwing arm and will Stanley Wilson’s drug problems have a hangover effect on Sam Wyche’s team?

San Francisco (13-6) at Indianapolis (9-7), 10 a.m.

Almost to a man (Joe Montana has been the most vocal), the 49ers are relieved to have George Seifert replacing taskmaster Bill Walsh, but what happens when they need a push like the one Walsh gave them late last season on the way to another Super Bowl victory? Without an effective quarterback (Chris Chandler is the starter), the Colts have become very predictable. If Dickerson runs well, they win. If he is shut down or makes a critical fumble, they lose.

Seattle (9-8) at Philadelphia (10-7), 1 p.m.

TV: Channel 4.

Whether or not Coach Buddy Ryan lets Randall Cunningham call his own plays, and he said this week he might not make his decision until just before game time, the Eagles have the biggest single threat in the league--a quarterback who ranks among the best passers in the game and ranked 11th in NFL in rushing last season. They also may have the league’s best defensive player, Reggie White. Despite efforts to unseat him, Dave Krieg remains Seattle quarterback. AFC GAMES

Kansas City (4-11-1) at Denver (8-8), 1 p.m.

The Chiefs have a new coach, Marty Schottenheimer, who was let go after taking the Cleveland Browns to the playoffs four straight seasons, but Kansas City has two old quarterbacks--Steve DeBerg, the starter, and Ron Jaworski. Rookie Bobby Humphrey is the Broncos’ latest attempt to get a runner to go with John Elway’s passing. Denver’s defense will be without linebacker Karl Mecklenberg, who has a knee injury.

Buffalo (13-5) at Miami (6-10), 1 p.m.

For years, the Dolphins were Don Shula, who always found a way to win. But the magic is gone and Miami now is definitely Dan Marino--who has a bruised right elbow--but most of the time he isn’t enough by himself. Marv Levy has built a power in the East with a defense led by Cornelius Bennett and Bruce Smith, with a solid offense headed by quarterback Jim Kelly. Bills have beaten Miami four straight games.

Cleveland (10-7) at Pittsburgh (5-11), 1 p.m.

Bud Carson, designer of Pittsburgh’s Steel Curtain defense that carried the Steelers to four Super Bowl titles, returns to Three Rivers Stadium with the Browns for his first game as an NFL head coach. Carson says the Browns are looking for a pass rush despite the presence of a coming star--Michael Dean Perry--in the front four. Chuck Noll’s Steelers, just a shadow of their great teams, have had trouble protecting quarterback Bubby Brister.

New England (9-7) at New York Jets (8-7-1), 1 p.m.

The Patriots may have been knocked out of the race before the season even started when defensive starters Andre Tippett, Garin Veris and Ronnie Lippett went out for the season with injuries last week. The Jets’ best offensive player, wide receiver Al Toon, was back one day after a holdout when he went out with a shoulder injury, and Ken O’Brien is trying to play quarterback with a broken toe.

NFC GAMES

Dallas (3-13) at New Orleans (10-6), 10 a.m.

They say you can’t win in this league with a rookie quarterback, but the Cowboys are going to try it with two--starter Troy Aikman and Steve Walsh--plus a rookie coach, Jimmy Johnson. Johnson will be the first man to coach the Cowboys other than Tom Landry. The Saints, with talented but inconsistent quarterback Bobby Hebert, started 7-1 a year ago, but Coach Jim Mora took some heat after they finished 3-5 and missed the playoffs.

Phoenix (7-9) at Detroit (4-12), 10 a.m.

Bob Gagliano is one of four veterans Rodney Peete beat out at quarterback for the Lions, but he’ll start with the rookie from USC out with a knee injury. Detroit finished 2-3 with Wayne Fontes as interim coach and he was given a five-year contract. He probably won’t have Heisman Trophy winner Barry Sanders, who signed Thursday, for a couple of weeks. Gene Stallings is on shaky ground in Phoenix after the Cardinals lost their last five games, falling out of a first-place tie. With Neil Lomax out for the season, Gary Hogeboom is the starting quarterback.

Tampa Bay (5-11) at Green Bay (4-12), 10 a.m.

The Packers finally signed Tony Mandarich, but it will be a couple of weeks before he gets a chance to help protect Don Majkowski, who beat out old adversary Randy Wright so soundly that Green Bay kept rookie Anthony Dilweg as No. 2 quarterback. Ray Perkins is in trouble at Tampa Bay, where Vinny Testaverde passed for 3,240 yards last season but had a league-leading 35 interceptions and only 13 scoring passes.

MONDAY NIGHT

New York Giants (10-6) at Washington (7-9)

TV: Channel 7, 6 p.m.

A match of two old rivals will celebrate the 20th year of Monday night football, but these recent Super Bowl winners aren’t quite what they were a few seasons ago. The Redskins fell swiftly last year after winning the Super Bowl, and hope young quarterback Mark Rypien can lead them back with Doug Williams injured. The Giants, who have beaten Washington five of their last six meetings, have problems of their own with running back Joe Morris out for the season with a broken toe. Veteran Ottis Anderson replaces him.

NOTE: All times PDT. 1988 Standings, Page 20.