SPOTLIGHT

TOP PERFORMANCES Passing CHRIS MILLER (Falcons) 23 of 37 for 299 yards TONY EASON (Patriots) 15 of 23 for 273 yards JIM KELLY (Bills) 25 of 40 for 265 yards GARY HOGEBOOM (Cardinals) 21 of 35 for 264 yards KEN O’BRIEN (Jets) 18 of 31 for 261 yards Rushing NEAL ANDERSON (Bears) 146 yards in 21 carries ROGER CRAIG (49ers) 131 yards in 24 carries GREG BELL (Rams) 128 yards in 26 carries ERIC DICKERSON (Colts) 106 yards in 19 carries Receiving J.T. SMITH (Cardinals) 10 catches for 121 yards THURMAN THOMAS (Bills) 8 catches for 65 yards CEDRIC JONES (Patriots) 8 catches for 148 yards ANTHONY CARTER (Vikings) 7 catches for 123 yards JERRY RICE (49ers) 6 catches for 163 yards MIKE QUICK (Eagles) 6 catches for140 yards WORST PERFORMANCES Rushing HERSCHEL WALKER 8 carries for 10 yards FREEMAN McNEIL (Jets) 9 carries for 17 yards DALLAS COWBOYS 10 carries for 20 yards PITTSBURGH STEELERS 17 carries for 36 yards ATLANTA FACLONS 15 carries for 43 yards MIAMI DOLPHINS 23 carries for 68 yards Passing WARREN MOON (Oilers) 8 of 20 for 69 yards BUBBY BRISTER (Steelers) 10 of 22 for 84 yards DEFENSE The Minnesota Vikings sacked Houston quarterback Warren Moon seven times for minus-44 yards and limited the Oilers to 114 net yards in total offense in a 38-7 victory. Linebacker David Grayson scored on an 28-yard fumble return and 14-yard interception return as the Cleveland Browns’ defense forced eight turnovers and scored three times in a 51-0 rout of Pittsburgh. Cleveland limited the Steelers to five first downs and 53 net yards. The Philadelphia Eagles’ defense scored one touchdown and set up another as it had four interceptions, three sacks, a blocked a punt and held Seattle’s running game, led by Curt Warner and John L. Williams, to 77 yards. NEW FACES How the top rookie’s fared in their debuts: Troy Aikman of Dallas, the first pick in the NFL draft, completed 18 of 35 passes for 180 yards and was intercepted twice in the Cowboys’ 28-0 loss to New Orleans. Aikman has a 22-yard touchdown pass to Michael Irvin nullified by a penalty. Heisman Trophy winner Barry Sanders of Detroit entered the game late in the third quarter and finished with 71 yards in nine carries and scored on an three-yard run in the Lions’ 16-13 loss to Phoenix. Deion Sanders of Atlanta, who was playing baseball for the New York Yankees last Wednesday and signed a contract Thursday, returned the second putn of his career 68 yards for a touchdown against the Rams. Andre Rison of Indianapolis has three receptions for 62 yards in the Colts’ 30-24 loss to the defending Super Bowl champion San Francisco 49ers. Paul Frazier, a free agent out of Northwestern Louisiana, an NCAA Division 1-AA school, rushed for 74 yards and a touchdown in 12 carries in New Orleans’ victory over Dallas. Tim Worley of Pittsburgh lost three fumbles and managed only 36 yards in 10 carries as Pitssburgh suffered the worst lost in the history over its rivalry with Cleveland, 51-0. Shawn Collins of Atlanta, the 27th selection in the draft out of Northern Arizona, had six receptions for 76 yards in the Falcons’ 31-21 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. NEW PLACES Some familiar faces who made their debuts in new surroundings Sunday: Charger quarterback Jim McMahon, acquired from the Chicago Bears on Aug. 18, had a 35-3 record as a starter in regular-season games since 1984. But he completed only 7 of 18 passes for 91 yards without an interception against the Raiders and was replaced by David Archer midway through the third quarter. Dan Henning’s debut as Charger coach was equally inauspicius. The Raiders scored first and trampled the San Diego defense for 418 yards in total offense in a 40-14 win. Jimmy Johnson downplayed the significance of his regular-season debut after Dallas’ 28-0 loss. “I didn’t think of it as a first game,” said Johnson, who replaced the fired Tom Landry. George Seifert guided the defending Super Bowl champion San Francisco 49ers to a 30-24 victory over Indianapolis, then confessed: “There’s a lot more pressure on that sideline than I realized.” Bud Carson fielded a revamped Cleveland defense that forced eight turnovers and produced the most one-sided game in the history of the Browns’ rivalry with Pittsburgh. Denver converted four Kansas City turnovers into 24 points to continue overcome the Chiefs and new Coach Marty Schotenheimer, the former Cleveland coach who is now 0-5 against the Broncos. BIG PLAYS Jim Kelly scored on a two-yard run with no time remaining to lift Buffalo to a 27-24 victory at Miami. It was Kelly’s first NFL rushing touchdown. Kelly set up the score by completing five of six passes on the game-winning drive. Al Del Greco converted a 33-yard field goal with 13 seconds remaining to list Phoenix to a 16-13 victory over Detroit. Reggie Dupard scored on a four-yard run with 1:55 remaining as New England held on to defeat the Ney York Jets, 27-24, after blowing a 21-point halftime lead. Mike Tomczak threw a 20-yard scoring pass to James Thornton in the fourth quarter to lift Chicago past Cincinnati. Derrick Shepard scored on a 56-yuard point return to highlight New Orleans’ shutout victory over Dallas. STREAKS Buffalo won its fifth consectuive game against Miami. . . . The Dolphins have lost 10 consecutive games to AFC East Division teams. . . . The Bills snapped Miami’s 13-game winning streak in home openers, longest in the NFL. . . . New Orleans posted its first shutout in an opener with a 28-0 win over Dallas. . . . The Cowboys were shut out for the first time in the regular season since 1985. INJURIES Seattle receiver Steve Largent sustained a small fracture of his right elbow and did not return after intermission in the Seahawks’ 31-7 loss to Philadelphia. Before leaving, Largent caught his 98th career touchdown, one shy of the NFL record held by Green Bay’s Don Hutson. Seattle Coach Chuck Knox said Largent would be sidelined for six weeks. Raider quarterback Jay Schroeder separated his left 6ollarbone on the Raiders’ first possession and was replaced by Steve Beuerlein. Later, the Raiders said Schroeder could have returned to the game if needed. Houston guard Mike Munchak played only the first half because of an Achilles tendon injury. IN QUOTES Detroit Coach Wayne Fontes on rookie Barry Sanders: “This young man will restore the roar. He’s everything we thought he was . . . . Hopefully, he’ll make me a great coach.” Buffalo quarterback Jim Kelly: “I don’t think anyone in this (interview) room could have said the Buffalo Bills were going to come back in the last few minutes. The only person who knew that was me.” Pittsburgh offensive guard Tom Ricketts after the Steelers’ 51-0 loss to Cleveland: “I’ve never been in a mess like this in my life.”