SPOTLIGHT / A GLANCE AT THE WEEK IN THE NFL : DOWN THE STRETCH

With two weeks left in the regular season, it’s time to take a look at who’s hot, who’s not, who’s in, who’s out, who still has a realistic chance for the playoffs and who is begging (attention, El Segundo). Ratings are on a five-star scale:

THE CREAM

San Francisco 49ers (12-2)--They have to be the favorites to reach Pasadena on Jan. 31. The explosive Steve Young, Jerry Rice, Ricky Watters and/or Amp Lee spark an offense that can’t be shut down for long. Plus a defense that still makes the big plays. Remaining games: breathers at home against Tampa Bay and Detroit.

Dallas Cowboys (11-3)--Yes, they lost to the Redskins on Sunday, but Jimmy Johnson could take this team from 1-15 to the Super Bowl in four years. Troy Aikman has played as the Cowboys expected him to when they picked him No. 1 in 1989. Charles Haley and Thomas Everett turned a good defense into a dominating one. Remaining games: at Atlanta, home against Chicago. 1/2.

New Orleans Saints (11-3)--How do they do it? Great coach, tremendous defense. If Bobby Hebert comes around, anything can happen. If Saints were in the AFC, they would have home-field advantage in the playoffs. Remaining games: at Buffalo, home against New York Jets. .

THE CROP

Buffalo Bills (10-4)--This team has struggled recently, losing to the Jets, Colts and almost blowing a 24-0 lead against Denver on Saturday. Still, there is too much talent to imagine Bills losing before AFC championship game, at the least. Remaining games: at New Orleans, at Houston. 1/2

Pittsburgh Steelers (10-4)--Bill Cowher? Barry Foster? Who are these guys? The Bears may have given them a dose of reality Sunday. Lack of experience could be key down the stretch. Bubby Brister is so shaky, they desperately need Neil O’Donnell to get healthy. And if you need Neil O’Donnell, how good can you be? Remaining games: at home against Minnesota and Cleveland.

Washington Redskins (9-5)--Defending Super Bowl champions have turned things around, including an unlikely victory over Cowboys on Sunday. Mark Rypien has been taking more heat than Dan Quayle this year in Washington. Remaining games: at Philadelphia and home against Raiders.

Philadelphia Eagles (9-5)--Rich Kotite turned Randall Cunningham loose against Minnesota last week, but the Eagles struggled against lowly Seattle on Sunday. Defense still hasn’t gotten over loss of Jerome Brown. Remaining games: at home against Washington and the Giants.

San Diego Chargers (9-5)--After an 0-4 start, a remarkable charge. This is a team similar to the Saints, with an overpowering defense and questionable offense. Bobby Hebert, meet Stan Humphries. Bobby Ross for coach of the year. Remaining games: at the Raiders and Seattle.

Minnesota Vikings (9-5 and fading)--Well, Sean Salisbury was the answer against the Rams last month, but Vikings have given the ball back to Rich Gannon, who has not done much with it. Think they would like to have Wade Wilson back? Defense scored its eighth touchdown of the season on Sunday, but it wasn’t enough against 49ers. Remaining games--at Pittsburgh and at home against Green Bay.

Kansas City Chiefs (9-5)--Where have you heard this before? Defense makes up for inconsistent offense. Can Marty Schottenheimer ever get to a Super Bowl? Dave Krieg gives him a chance. Remaining games: at Giants, home against Raiders.

Houston Oilers (8-6)--Cody Carlson is a good guy to have around in an emergency, but the Oilers must have Warren Moon at quarterback to pose a serious threat in the playoffs. Remaining games: at Cleveland, home against Buffalo. 1/2

Miami Dolphins (8-5)--If we took the Dolphins’ 6-0 start, combined that with the Chargers’ recent 5-0 burst (and gave Dan Marino a defense like San Diego’s), we’d really have something. Tonight’s game against the Raiders is huge for Don Shula’s bunch. Remaining games: home against Jets, at New England. 1/2.

BARELY BREATHING

Green Bay Packers (8-6)--Rookie Coach Mike Holmgren deserves a lot of credit. Brett Favre-to-Sterling Sharpe may one one day rival Montana-to-Rice. In the oh-so-deep deep NFC, they still need a lot of help to make the playoffs. Remaining games: home against Rams, at Minnesota.

Cleveland Browns (7-7)--Lose to Detroit? Oooh, that had to hurt. This is a very inconsistent team. Remaining games: home against Houston, at Pittsburgh. 1/2

Indianapolis Colts (7-7)--Where did they come from? Nice season has a soft finish, so the Colts are definitely not out of it. Remaining games: home against Phoenix, at Cincinnati. 1/2

Denver Broncos (7-7)--No Elway, no way. Sorry, Dan Reeves, but tag-team game belongs in the WWF, not the NFL. Remaining games: home against Seattle, at Kansas City.

Raiders (6-7)--Win the last three, against probable playoff teams, then we’ll talk. Remaining games: at Miami tonight, home against San Diego, at Washington.

SEASON OF GOOD CHEER

Every player from the New York Jets and Indianapolis Colts, plus most of the coaches and team officials, led a cheer for paralyzed Jet defensive end Dennis Byrd on Sunday.

Just before the coin flip at Giants Stadium, the 90 players and staff members gathered at midfield. Marvin Washington, Byrd’s best friend on the team, asked the fans to join the players in “the world’s largest get-well cheer.”

They chanted “Get well Dennis” three times and many of the Jets raised their helmets in the air.

“Let’s get ready to rumble,” Washington said as the players headed to the sidelines.

The stadium also waived its no-banners policy, allowing fans to display banners of best wishes for Byrd. Among the banners: “THIS BYRD WILL FLY AGAIN.”

NAMES AND NUMBERS

Before Sunday, the Cowboys were 25-0 when Emmitt Smith carried 20 or more times. He had 25 carries for 99 yards against Washington, also ending a streak of four consecutive 100-yard games against the Redskins.

San Francisco’s Jerry Rice caught five passes for 56 yards, putting him over the 1,000-yard mark for the seventh year in a row, tying Lance Alworth’s pro record. . . . Terry Allen became only the fourth Viking to rush for at least 900 yards in a season. Chuck Foreman had three such seasons, Ted Brown two and Dave Osborn one.

Tampa Bay offensive lineman Paul Gruber has played in 78 consecutive games. He has been on the field for every offensive play in that five-year span, a string of 4,725 consecutive plays.

Kansas City’s Nick Lowery kicked two field goals, putting him in third place on the NFL all-time list with 306. He trails Hall of Famers Jan Stenerud (373) and George Blanda (335). Lowery has 1,358 points, passing Lou Groza for eighth place. . . . Kent Sullivan, a free agent from Cal Lutheran, did the punting for the Chiefs in place of injured Bryan Barker and kicked six times for a 41.2-yard average.

Detroit rookie Jason Hanson had a 57-yard field-goal attempt blocked in the first half, snapping his streak at 12 without a miss.

FEUD? NO, FAMILY

Sam Wyche and Jerry Glanville had a running feud when both were in the AFC Central--Glanville with the Houston Oilers and Wyche with the Cincinnati Bengals--but they claim the rivalry is all but dead.

Glanville’s Atlanta Falcons got the better of Wyche’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, 35-7, but there was revenge involved.

The game marked the first time that former Tampa Bay linebacker Jesse Solomon, now with Atlanta, faced his former teammates since Wyche released him during training camp. Solomon had eight tackles and one sack, and also made his debut on offense--rushing for 12 yards in two carries with the Falcons leading by 28 points.

“This one was a long time coming,” Solomon said. “I’ll leave it to Sam Wyche to decide what he has now and what he let get away.”

Glanville said he wasn’t trying to show up Wyche.

“Solomon came up to me and told me he’d told his family he was offensive captain and defensive captain. Then he told me he’d told them he was going to carry the ball. So I had to let him do it, since he’d told his family.”

THE LAST WORD

Washington cornerback Danny Copeland, who recovered a fumble for a wild, winning touchdown against Dallas: “I ran right past the official. I thought he saw me. That’s the case for instant replay, I guess.”

Minnesota cornerback Audray McMillian on San Francisco quarterback Steve Young: “When you look at the scoreboard and see that he is 18 for 22, you can’t say we were proud of our defense.”

Viking quarterback Rich Gannon, who was booed by the Metrodome crowd: “On the sideline, 10 people came up to me and said, ‘It’s all right, hang in there.’ I knew it was all right, but it makes you think when people keep coming up to you and saying it’s all right.”

New York Jet Coach Bruce Coslet, on 10-6 loss to Indianapolis: “We played crummy. I take nothing good out of this game.”

Cleveland Coach Bill Belichick, asked about the Browns’ playoff prospects after 24-14 loss to Detroit: “Next question.”