SPOTLIHT / A GLANCE AT THIS WEEK IN THE NFL : WELL RECEIVED

Mark Rypien, 24-4 in his last 28 games as a starting quarterback for the Washington Redskins, is finally starting to get some recognition.

He passed for 442 yards last week in a 56-17 rout of Atlanta and 325 yards Sunday in a 41-14 victory over Pittsburgh.

Much of Rypien’s success is because of an offensive line that has only allowed him to be sacked only four times this season.

But Rypien’s numbers are also a reflection of receivers Art Monk, Gary Clark and Ricky Sanders, who provide him with talent usually reserved for an All-Star game.

“There is no jealousy here,” said Clark, who had three receptions for 95 yards Sunday. “What we do have is people competing against each other. We all want to push each other to be the best.”

Who is the best?

“Art Monk,” Clark said. “Every day I strive to come up to his level.”

Monk, 34, is in his 12th NFL season. Sunday, he caught eight passes for 130 yards. His 63-yard catch on the third play of the game set up Washington’s first touchdown as the Redskins built a 27-0 lead.

“He plays like he’s 22,” Clark said. “He’s the best receiver in the game.”

Monk caught an 11-yard touchdown pass and Clark grabbed a 49-yard scoring pass, the eighth of the season for each. Sanders had four receptions for 67 yards, including a 40-yard scoring pass from backup quarterback Jeff Rutledge in the final minutes. It was Sanders’ second touchdown this season.

LEFT OUT

Redskin receivers might not be complaining about a lack of work, but San Francisco 49er wideout Jerry Rice is. Again.

Rice, a perennial Pro Bowl selection, repeatedly has criticized Coach George Seifert and 49ers staff for being overly conservative.

After Sunday’s 14-10 victory over Phoenix, Rice said he felt left out of the 49er offense.

“I’m not being involved,” Rice said after catching three passes for 30 yards to extend his reception-streak to 90 regular-season games. “I feel like I have worked hard enough to at least be involved in a game. I have been here seven years, and I think I have been very productive, so not to involve me, I think, is an insult to me.”

Rice--who last week disclosed he had been playing with a partial ligament tear in his right knee since the second game of the season--has not had a touchdown reception in four games, during which he has 15 receptions for 102 yards. Overall, he has 49 receptions in 10 games, well off the pace he set last year, when he had 100.

ANOTHER WORLD

It wasn’t exactly an all-world performance, but Stan Gelbaugh played well for the Phoenix Cardinals in his first NFL start.

Gelbaugh, the most valuable player in the World League of American Football, completed 14 of 26 passes for 156 yards Sunday and almost rallied the Cardinals to victory over San Francisco.

“We went out there in the second half, and I told them (Cardinal players) to wake up and start making plays and I’ll do my part,” Gelbaugh said.”

In the final minute, the Cardinals were inside the 49ers’ 20-yard line. Gelbaugh attempted three consecutive passes into the end zone. Two were overthrown and the final one, a fourth-down pass intended for Ricky Proehl, was tipped by safety Todd Bowles and glanced off Proehl’s helmet.

“We just tried to find an open spot in their zone,” Gelbaugh said. “Nobody was open early, so I tried to buy some time by rolling out. Then I threw it but it didn’t work.”

WHITHER HERSCHEL?

Herschel Walker, who earlier this week was quoted as saying he is unhappy and won’t return to the Minnesota Vikings next season, let his play do the talking on Sunday. He gained 95 yards in 20 carries and scored the go-ahead touchdown on a five-yard run in the fourth quarter of a 35-21 victory over Green Bay.

“We did what it took to win,” Walker said as he left the locker room, refusing to answer questions on his future.

In response to Walker’s earlier comments, team president Roger Headrick said: “There have been no discussions with anybody in management . . . regarding Walker’s future. It’s obvious he’s unhappy, but we intend to negotiate a new contract for him after the season.”

Last week, Walker had only 14 yards in four carries in a loss to Chicago.

Walker, who signed a contract in June worth $1.75 million, becomes a free agent at the end of the season.

During a halftime interview on ABC-TV last Monday night, Walker admitted his performance has been subpar over the past two seasons.

“I’ve been here almost three years and I haven’t done anything,” Walker said. “I want to play, but I’m not the one controlling why I’m not playing.”

NAMES AND NUMBERS

The Rams’ five-game losing streak is their longest since 1981. The Rams haven’t lost six in a row since 1965, when they lost eight in a row.

An interesting tribute to Eagles’ quarterback Jim McMahon was a sign hanging from the stands at Veterans’ Stadium that read, “Jimmy wobbles but he don’t fall down.”

Washington is the ninth NFL team to start 11-0 and the first since Chicago went 12-0 in 1985. The others were 1984 Dolphins (11-0), 1972 Dolphins (14-0), 1969 Rams (11-0), 1961 Chargers (11-0), 1953 Browns (11-0), 1942 Bears (11-0) and 1934 Bears (13-0). Pittsburgh Coach Chuck Noll, whose Steelers lost to the Redskins Sunday, was affiliated with two of those teams. He played for the ’53 Browns and was an assistant coach with the ’61 Chargers.

WHAT’S HE WORTH?

When the Rams traded Eric Dickerson on Halloween Night in 1987, they got three first-round draft picks, three seconds and running back Greg Bell.

If the Indianapolis Colts trade Dickerson--and surely they will--what will they get?

According to a report on CBS’ “NFL Today” Sunday, the Colts probably would get a second-round pick.

CBS says three teams are interested in Dickerson: the Raiders, the Atlanta Falcons and--you are ready for this?--the Rams.

The Colts fined and suspended Dickerson after he walked out on a practice.

THRILL SEEKERS

The New England Patriots are nothing if not consistent.

Six of their 11 games have been decided in the final minute, the latest a 28-21 loss to the New York Jets when Jon Vaughn was stopped from the one-yard line on the last play.

Earlier, the Patriots defeated Minnesota on a field goal with no time left in overtime. More recently, they lost to Denver, 9-6, as time expired when quarterback Hugh Millen ran to the Broncos’ six but didn’t get out of bounds to stop the clock.

Problem is, the exciting finishes aren’t getting the Patriots anywhere. They are 3-8, having lost their last four games, all with the outcome determined in the final minute.

IN QUOTES

Nose tackle Gerald Williams after Pittsburgh lost to the Washington: “They’re not that much better than us, not at all. But they’re 11-0 and we’re 4-7.”

Add Williams: “They don’t do anything tricky at all. They’re very basic; they just line up and dare you to stop them. It’s 11 weeks now and they’ve stared down every dare.”

Redskin Coach Joe Gibbs on being 11-0: “It’s kind of like a dream, and it’s the players who deserve the credit. I just told them that I appreciated them taking the coaches along for the ride.” Dallas Coach Jimmy Johnson directed his ire at the officiating after the Cowboys were defeated by the New York Giants, 22-9: “Call after call after call, including replays. Unbelievable, and it wasn’t just judgment calls . I’m not making excuses. The Cowboys lost. We got beat. The Giants won. Understand that. I’m not crying about the loss. I’m just saying if that was a coaching staff out there, I guarantee, I know what would happen. They’d get fired.”

Johnson was aware of the consequences of his outburst: “And I know I’ll probably get fined but there’s no way in the world I could live without saying what I feel about four or five of the worst calls I have ever seen in my life.”

New England Coach Dick MacPherson after the Patriots lost their fourth game in a row, all of which have been decided in the final minute: “Our team just needs to get some breaks now. I’m tired of walking off the field and losing these type of games.”

Rookie running back Leroy Hoard of the Cleveland Browns after he caught 10 passes for 107 yards and a touchdown in a 28-24 loss to the Houston: “I look at the scoreboard to see how well I did. I don’t feel like I did so well.”

TONIGHT’S GAME

MIAMI DOLPHINS vs. BUFFALO BILLS

Site: Joe Robbie Stadium, Miami

Time: 6 p.m.

TV: Channel 7

The Miami Dolphins have given up 103 points in their past three games against the Buffalo Bills, all in Buffalo.

Late in the 1990 regular season, the Dolphins lost, 24-14, then came a 44-34 loss in the playoff and, in the season opener this season, they lost, 35-31.

But the last time the teams played in Miami, on Sept. 16, 1990, the Dolphins won, 30-7.

The Bills (9-1) and Dolphins (5-5) are back at Miami’s Joe Robbie Stadium tonight.

“It all comes down to the basics--tackling and making plays,” Miami linebacker E.J. Junior said. “If we tackle well and keep them from making big plays, we’ll win it.”

In the season opener, the Bills repeatedly slipped free from would-be tacklers to roll up 582 yards, which broke their 27-year-old team record. The Bills’ Thurman Thomas rushed for 165 yards and caught passes for 103 more.

In last season’s games at Buffalo, the Bills gained 429 yards in the regular-season meeting and then 493 in the playoff game.

“They keep coming at you,” Dolphin Coach Don Shula said. “They put a lot of pressure on a defense.”

Miami will be looking to run against the Bills, who 26th in the NFL in run defense. Miami running back Sammie Smith is looking for a big game. “I’m due to have one,” he said.