SPOTLIGHT : A GLANCE AT THIS WEEK IN THE NFL : ‘PHIN-TASTIC DEBUT

The sign at Rich Stadium said “Six Million Dollars and He Can’t Even Block.” Keith Jackson laughed when he heard about it.

“I didn’t see that sign but I did a great job blocking today, I’ll tell you that,” Jackson said.

Blocking. Getting open. Receiving. Jackson did it all in giving Miami fans a taste of the talents that prompted the Dolphins to sign him to a $6-million, four-year contract last week after the former Philadelphia Eagle was declared a free agent by federal judge David Doty.

“It’s great to make an impact,” said Jackson, whose 24-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter gave the Dolphins a lead they never gave up on their way to a 37-10 victory over the Buffalo Bills.

“I think people were asking themselves, is he worth what they had given him?” he said. “I think the people are really happy with me now that I’ve caught a touchdown.”

Coach Don Shula said Jackson’s performance was impressive, considering the circumstances.

“Keith Jackson, in a limited amount of time, went in and did a heck of a job and came up with some key plays for us,” Shula said. “He was outstanding for a guy that didn’t play in preseason or training camp.”

The touchdown came on a pass that Dan Marino seemed to throw for Mark Clayton, who was behind Jackson.

“Danny stared at me and he threw the ball to me, that’s all I know,” he said. “When you get eye contact with the quarterback, you figure he’s throwing the ball to you. I don’t know if he was looking behind me or not, but he was glancing at me.”

Marino said Jackson was his intended target, then paused and said, “And if he wasn’t, I wouldn’t tell you.”

Jackson said he can’t wait to go over the game tape with Shula on Monday.

“I’m going to tell Coach Shula, ‘See, I could block,’ ” he said.

OUT LIKE A LION?

The 1991 Detroit Lions were a team on the rise. They were unbeatable in their Silverdome, won the NFC’s Central Division with a 12-4 record and advanced to the conference championship game.

This season’s Lions are a team in a free fall.

With Sunday’s 13-7 loss to New Orleans, the Lions’ second in a row in the Silverdome, Detroit dropped to 1-4, in last place in the division.

Defenses have been stacked against Barry Sanders, and Rodney Peete has been unable to move the Lions’ offense. Sanders gained only 36 yards in nine carries against the Saints.

“They were playing a 4-1 (defense), and you should be able to run against that,” Peete said. “We’ve got the best back in the league, and we can’t spring him.

“All day it was second-and-long, third-and-long. That makes a long day with a front like New Orleans has.”

“We always talk about needing someone to step up and make a big play,” Detroit Coach Wayne Fontes said. “Last year, that happened. But this year, we aren’t doing it. Someone has to step up in these games.”

Peete, who didn’t practice all week because of a sore right ankle, completed 15 of 30 passes for 173 yards. His botched handoff to Sanders led to a fumble and the Saints’ go-ahead touchdown.

“They put a lot of heat on me,” Peete said.

The heat’s on the Lions now.

BROTHER ACT

Quarterbacks were looking sharp if they looked at Sharpe on Sunday.

Sterling Sharpe of Green Bay caught nine passes for 107 yards and a touchdown in the Packers’ loss to Atlanta.

Younger brother Shannon Sharpe caught nine passes for 118 yards in Denver’s victory over Kansas City.

NAMES AND NUMBERS

The Buffalo Bills dropped into second place in the AFC East for the first time in 36 weeks. The last time the Bills were not in first place was the second week of the 1990 season. . . . Miami wide receiver Mark Clayton became the team’s all-time receptions leader in the third quarter. He passed Nat Moore, who had 510 catches in his career. Clayton now has 511. . . . Buffalo receiver Andre Reed made his 500th career reception in the first half. He’s already the Bills’ career receiving leader. . . . Quarterback Jim Kelly ruptured a bursar sac in his throwing elbow, but he said it wasn’t serious.

The Vikings’ rally from a 20-0 fourth-quarter deficit in their 21-20 victory against Chicago ranks as the fourth-biggest comeback from zero points in team history. They trailed San Francisco by 21 before winning, 42-21, in 1965, trailed Philadelphia by 23 before winning, 28-23, in 1985, and trailed San Francisco by 24 before winning, 28-27, in 1977. The comeback against Philadelphia also came entirely in the fourth quarter. . . . With two field goals and two extra points, Kevin Butler passed Walter Payton (750) for first place on Chicago’s all-time scoring list with 758 points. That reduces to two--Green Bay (Don Hutson) and Baltimore/Indianapolis (Lenny Moore)--the number of teams on which a non-kicker is the career scoring leader. Kicker/receiver Gino Cappelletti) is New England’s all-time scorer. . . . Hassan Jones threw an 18-yard fourth-quarter pass to Cris Carter to become the first Minnesota wide receiver ever to complete a pass.

Deion Sanders’ 48-yard kickoff return to start the second half for Atlanta was his fourth over 40 yards this season. He leads the NFL with a 38.3-yard average on eight kickoff returns. . . . James Brooks, a 12-year veteran released by Cleveland last week and signed by Tampa Bay on Friday, made an unimpressive debut for the Buccaneers. He rushed for six yards in five carries, dropped one pass and had a costly fumble to set up the last touchdown for Indianapolis. . . . New Orleans entered Sunday’s game with the lowest time of possession average (25:44) in the NFL. The Saints held the ball for 40:43 against Detroit. . . . Saint guard Steve Trapilo sprained a foot in the second quarter and did not return. . . . Seattle lost quarterback Kelly Stouffer because of a dislocated left shoulder and center Joe Tofflemire because of a left shoulder injury in the first half.

THE LAST WORDS

New York Giant linebacker Pepper Johnson, on the Raiders: “I don’t think they played too hard. Their offensive line isn’t that good, they just play patsy. Tim Brown makes a catch and Jaeger hits his longest field goal, then everybody’s on the bandwagon. We lost to a bunch of ducks.”

Chicago Coach Mike Ditka, after quarterback Jim Harbaugh’s audible led to an interception that helped Minnesota rally for a 21-20 victory: “I’ll just say this: ‘If it happens again, there will be changes made and they will be definite and they will be permanent.’ I’m not going to put 47 players’ futures in the hands of one player who thinks he knows more than I do.”

Roger Craig, who scored the winning touchdown for Minnesota: “We showed what Viking football is all about.”

Miami safety Louis Oliver, who intercepted three passes in the the Dolphins’ 37-10 victory over Buffalo: “I’ve seen their routes for three years and it was about time I started breaking on them.”

Tampa Bay Coach Sam Wyche, on Buccaneers’ 24-14 loss to Indianapolis: “Coaches usually have inklings about how teams are going to play and I didn’t have a good one about this one.”

TONIGHT’S GAME

DALLAS (3-0) AT PHILADELPHIA (3-0)

Time: 6 p.m. TV: Channel 7

For pregame analysis on this battle of unbeatens, let’s go to Herschel Walker.

Walker, whose trade from Dallas three years ago helped the Cowboys rebuild, has revitalized the Eagles’ running game in his first season in Philadelphia. He says he’s looking forward to going against the new-look Cowboys.

“Dallas is a different team,” Walker said. “Coach (Jimmy) Johnson came in and I know a little bit of his philosophy and a couple of the players on the team.

“But it’s a totally different team. Their scheme and their style is different from when I was there with Coach (Tom) Landry.”

Walker, who spent the past three seasons with Minnesota, remembers well the intensity this rivalry has built up.

“I reckon it started years ago,” he said. “You can see on last year’s films the guys hitting each other hard. That’s what football is all about.”

Undefeated records and the early advantage in the NFC East race is what this game is all about.

The Cowboys are off to their best start since they won their first seven in 1983. Philadelphia is 3-0 for the first time since they winning six in a row in 1981.

Dallas’ answer to Walker is Emmitt Smith, the NFL’s leading rusher with 341 yards in 76 carries. Walker is fourth in the NFC with 280 yards.

No runner has gained 100 yards against the Eagles since Washington’s Gerald Riggs had 221 in 29 carries on Sept. 17, 1989.

The quarterbacks have been sharp. Randall Cunningham, the league’s leading passer with a 74% completion average, is 53 of 72 for 704 yards with eight touchdowns and no interceptions. He also has a 7-0 record against Dallas.

Troy Aikman will have to overcome his memory of being sacked 11 times in the first of two meetings with the Eagles last year. So far this season, Aikman has been sacked only twice. He is fifth in the quarterback ratings with five touchdown passes in his last two games.