PLAYOFF NOTES : Bengals’ Brooks Is ‘Questionable’

The Cincinnati Bengals may have had an easy time of it Sunday in their 41-14 victory over the Houston Oilers, but they did not emerge unscathed.

James Brooks, a 1,000-yard rusher, went down in the first quarter after suffering a dislocation of his left thumb, and was taken to a hospital for surgery during the game. Coach Sam Wyche said Brooks was “questionable at best” for next Sunday’s second-round playoff game at the Coliseum against the Raiders.

In addition, left guard Bruce Reimers suffered a severely sprained ankle and is also questionable.

Anthony Munoz, a 10-time Pro Bowl left tackle, aggravated a shoulder injury, and was taken out in the second half as a precaution. Munoz indicated he should be able to play against the Raiders.

Rookie tailback Harold Green, who replaced Brooks and rushed for 55 yards on 11 carries, and left with a sore ankle, and center Bruce Kozerski suffered an elbow injury, but their injuries are not believed to be serious.

Wyche tried to convince reporters--and, by extension, the Houston Oilers--that he had a lot of surprises installed in the game plan. Wyche closed practices last week and told reporters he had to put in some new tricks because of the Oilers’ familiarity with the Bengals. So what were the tricks?

“Basically, I may have been lying to you all week,” Wyche said.

Twenty-four hours after the fact, Philadelphia quarterback Randall Cunningham still couldn’t understand why he was benched for an offensive series in the Eagles’ 20-6 wild-card loss to the Washington Redskins. The quarterback, cleaning out his locker Sunday at Veterans Stadium, said he hasn’t changed his feeling about Buddy Ryan’s controversial decision.

“Insulting,” Cunningham said on Saturday. But he wasn’t moaning or criticizing his coach, and Sunday he said: “I could be a very negative person and act like a baby. But I’m handling it as professionally as I can.”

But owner Norman Braman didn’t react as calmly.

Braman reportedly objected to Ryan’s strategic ploy, which backfired miserably. With the Eagles trailing by only seven points late in the third quarter, Ryan inserted a rusty Jim McMahon, who didn’t have time to warm up on the sideline. McMahon, who attempted nine passes all season, threw three more--all incompletions.

“Seven points behind and he embarrasses Randall before a national television audience,” Braman told the Philadelphia Inquirer after the game.

On Sunday, Ryan said: “That’s his opinion. I don’t think I embarrassed anybody. You make changes in the offensive line, changes at running back. I had to try and win the football game. It sure wasn’t the idea of changing quarterbacks to embarrass anybody.” Ryan said he made the change hoping to generate some offense.

“I’d rather be here today having you second-guess me for putting McMahon in, then to be sitting in that office second-guessing myself for not having tried something,” he said. “You’ve got to try and win the game while it’s going on.”

Ryan’s five-year contract with the Eagles expires Jan. 30, and the latest incident probably didn’t help tip the scales in favor of Ryan getting a new one.

Braman, giving Ryan no vote of confidence, said has “no specific timetable” in determining the coach’s status.

Quarterback Jim Kelly of the Buffalo Bills may be ready to play against Miami in an AFC divisional playoff Saturday. Kelly, the NFL’s top-rated passer this year, suffered ligament and cartilage damage to his left knee Dec. 15 against the New York Giants.

“During last week, we began Jim on workouts,” Coach Marv Levy said. “They became gradually more strenuous. He worked out very well. He got to lift a considerable amount with his knee.”

Injuries cost the Chicago Bears three offensive linemen Sunday--tackles Jim Covert and Keith Van Horne and guard Mark Bortz--but Coach Mike Ditka said all will return against the New York Giants next week.

The Bears will spend the work week at the new indoor facility near their Lake Forest, Ill., headquarters. In other playoff seasons, they have usually left town to practice in warmer weather.

Times staff writer Bob Oates and the Associated Press contributed to this story.