THE NFL: MONDAY REPORT : Cowboys, Bucs Are Surprise Playoff Contenders : Trends: The collapse of preseason favorites, the bye week and extra wild cards should keep many teams in the hunt.

This may be a preview of what to expect under the NFL’s expanded playoff format, but if the regular season ended today:

- The Dallas Cowboys (3-4) would be the third wild-card team in the NFC. The Cowboys tripled their win total of a year ago on Sunday by beating Tampa Bay, 17-13, on Troy Aikman’s 28-yard touchdown pass to Michael Irvin with 23 seconds left.

- And Tampa Bay, which accounted for two of the Cowboys’ victories, would also make it at 4-3.

Call it the NHL factor.

All this is the product of the unexpected collapse of the Rams, Vikings and Eagles, plus a bye week, which makes the schedule uneven. The Eagles, Rams, Packers and Saints, all 2-4, are probably better and may still be there when the schedule evens out.

The added playoff teams figure to keep everyone in contention until the last week--even the 1-5 Vikings can’t be counted out. On the other hand, the 49ers and Giants, both 6-0, are probably only a couple of weeks away from clinching playoff berths, particularly San Francisco, which is already four games ahead in the NFC West.

Anyway, if the playoffs began today, the participants would be:

AFC: Raiders (6-1), Bills and Dolphins (5-1), Bengals (4-2 going into tonight’s game in Cleveland), Oilers and Chiefs (4-3).

NFC: 49ers and Giants (6-0), Bears (5-1), Redskins (4-2), Bucs (4-3) and Cowboys (3-4).

FOR OPENERS: Despite their dominance of the ‘80s, the 49ers haven’t started 6-0 since 1984. Despite their long and sometimes distinguished history, the Giants had never been 6-0 until they rallied to beat Phoenix, 20-19.

And this is the first time since 1984, when San Francisco and Miami each won its first six, that two teams have begun 6-0. The 49ers beat the Dolphins in the Super Bowl that season.

The Giants and 49ers will meet at Candlestick Park on Monday night, Dec. 3. Which means they would both have to go 5-0 to get there unbeaten.

WHAT A DIFFERENT A MONTH MAKES: Thurman Thomas, Game 1 vs. Jets: 18 carries, 214 yards. Bills 30, Jets 7.

Thurman Thomas, Game 2 vs. Jets: two carries, five yards. Bills 30, Jets 27.

ROOKIE MISTAKE(S): Barry Foster, a rookie running back for Pittsburgh, pulled the rock of the year Sunday when he allowed Mike Cofer’s kickoff to drop untouched at the five-yard line late in the third quarter of the Steelers’ 27-7 loss to the 49ers.

It was recovered by San Francisco, which quickly turned a 13-7 game into a 20-7 game.

Foster, a fifth-round draft choice who was one of 18 underclassmen chosen in last year’s NFL draft, readily admitted to his rookie mistake. In fact, he was downright candid and forthcoming, something that a lot of veterans would call a rookie mistake.

“I blacked out,” he said. “It makes me look stupid.”

Maybe if he had spent that extra year at Arkansas. . . .

HOUSE OF PAIN: Houston’s 23-10 victory over New Orleans ended the Saints’ 13-0 run against AFC teams.

BODY PARTS: Pittsburgh’s only touchdown against San Francisco came on a two-yard pass from Bubby Brister to Richard Bell that was originally ruled incomplete. Replays clearly showed Bell’s feet out of bounds but also showed his right knee hit in the end zone before his feet went out.

Replay official Bill Fette overruled the call on the field and later issued an explanation that said: “One knee equals two feet.”

Didn’t John Madden once write a book by that name?

THE CONSPIRACY THEORY: “Every time we go to Washington or New York or Dallas the officiating goes against us. There has to be something to it,” Randall Cunningham of the Eagles said after a touchdown pass to Fred Barnett was called back by a holding penalty, one of seven flags against Philadelphia in its 13-7 loss at Washington.

If it’s any consolation, replays showed Ron Heller, who was called for the penalty, tackling a pass rusher and allowing Cunningham to avoid a sack before he threw the ball.