SPOTLIGHT / A GLANCE AT THIS WEEK IN THE NFL : BOO-WHO?

Members of the Phoenix Cardinals threatened a media boycott this week after the Arizona Republic published an actual-sized picture of Coach Joe Bugel’s head, designed to be cut out and used as a Halloween mask.

In previous years, the Republic has run Halloween masks of Charles Barkley, Saddam Hussein, Zsa Zsa Gabor and Elizabeth Taylor.

Some players weren’t amused.

“What was done in the paper was absolutely tasteless,” guard Mark May said.

Players might be better off putting down the paper and putting up a fight.

Sunday, the Cardinals watched their record fall to 2-6 after a 20-17 loss to New Orleans.

Read all about it.

JUST WONDERING

Nothing against Miami Coach Don Shula, who tied George Halas on the all-time victory list with his 324th win Sunday, but why do they count his 18 playoff wins on the official list?

Quarterback Fran Tarkenton’s playoff totals are not included in his all-time passing yardage record. Nor are Hank Aaron’s playoff home runs included in his record.

Why NFL coaches?

It should be noted that Halas’ six playoff victories are included among his 324 wins, but fewer teams qualified for the playoffs during his 40-year career as coach of the Chicago Bears. Meaning, of course, fewer opportunities for playoff wins.

With his team’s victory over Kansas City, Shula improved his record to 324-152-6 (.678) in 31 seasons with the Dolphins and Baltimore Colts. Halas was 324-151-31 (.671) with the Bears.

Shula tied the mark on the 10-year anniversary of Halas’ death.

BABY TALK, PART DEUX

Deja vu all over again. Two weeks ago, David Williams of the Houston Oilers was docked a week’s pay, $111,000, for missing a game in order to be with his expectant wife.

Another week, another offensive lineman, another baby.

Ah, but a different ending.

John Wojciechowski, a Chicago Bears’ tackle, stayed behind to be with his wife while his teammates flew ahead to Green Bay for Sunday’s game against the Packers.

After Wojciechowski’s wife gave birth on Saturday, the lineman caught a late flight to Green Bay and arrived in time for the game.

In other baby news, Ram Coach Chuck Knox allowed defensive end Fred Stokes to miss Sunday’s game against the 49ers to be with his wife, who is expecting.

HAMSTRUNG CHIEFS

Weekly injury update on Joe Montana, Kansas City Chief quarterback:

Sunday, against the Dolphins in Miami, the 37-year-old Montana aggravated his left hamstring in the first half as he scrambled out of the pocket and completed an eight-yard pass to Keith Cash.

Montana was not hit on the play. He first injured the hamstring Oct. 3 against the Raiders. Montana sat out the next week against Cincinnati, played the following week against San Diego, then had two weeks to rest the muscle because of a bye.

Montana has played in only 14 of his team’s 28 quarters this season.

He sat out an earlier game against Houston with a sore wrist.

THREE QUICK HITS ON THE REMOTE

NBC--The first temptation was to call a television repairman, or an optometrist. Then it was realized that the strobing from the tube was the result of another wardrobe decision by coach-turned-

analyst Mike Ditka. This week it was some sort of checkerboard jacket ensemble. As if Ditka’s constant gum-smacking isn’t bad enough . . .

CBS--Thomas (Hollywood) Henderson once said quarterback Terry Bradshaw was so dumb he couldn’t spell cat if you spotted him the “c” and the “t.” Bradshaw is much brighter as an in-studio analyst. Sunday morning, he insisted the Rams should start Jim Everett against the 49ers and use T.J. Rubley off the bench.

ESPN--Was it a dream, or was that really Chris Berman and the boys singing a football takeoff on the “Monster Mash” on the morning edition of “GameDay?”

AND THE WINNER IS . . .

Seeking an answer to the question, “Who is the NFL’s best receiver?” CBS surveyed all 28 of the league’s general managers or player personnel directors.

The winner was Dallas’ Michael Irvin, not one to argue. “For the record, I am good and I know I’m good,” Irvin says.

In the survey, Green Bay’s Sterling Sharpe finished second, followed by Jerry Rice of San Francisco, Atlanta’s Andre Rison and San Diego’s Anthony Miller.

QB, CAN YOU SPARE A DIME?

Memo to Dallas Cowboy quarterback Troy Aikman: Take a deep breath. Do some knee bends. Loosen up a bit.

Now, lighten up.

You won the war, remember?

Aikman, obviously frustrated with ongoing contract negotiations, lashed out this week against the NFL’s bye system, which has added two extra weeks to the season in order for television networks to generate more revenue.

“It’s a matter of dollars and trying to extend the season to make more money for them,” Aikman said. “The longer you’re in the league the more you realize that we as players are prostitutes to the NFL and the owners and we do what we can in order to make them as much money as we possibly can.”

Hey, no one likes the current bye system, but really . . .

Comment: Has Aikman been living in a cave? Troy, remember that messy free-agency squabble your players’ association settled last year? The one that guarantees that a certain percentage of team revenue must go toward player salaries? Revenues that are generated in large part by television money?

Doesn’t it figure, Troy, that some of that television money is headed for your pocket?

Bye the way: The Cowboys’ last offer to Aikman was a reported $5 million per season for five years.

NOTEWORTHY

Joe Montana completed his 3,000th career pass Sunday, a 20-yard pass to J.J. Birden, becoming the fourth player in NFL history to break that mark. The others are Fran Tarkenton, Dan Fouts and Dan Marino. . . . Miami Coach Don Shula is now 27-7 while playing backup quarterbacks filling in for an injured starter.

New York Jet safety Ronnie Lott’s 62nd interception of his 13-year career moved him into a tie for fifth place on the NFL career list . . . Dolphin quarterback Scott Mitchell became the first Dolphins quarterback to throw for three touchdowns and pass for 300 yards in one game other than Marino since David Woodley did it Oct. 25, 1981 against Dallas.

Andre Rison’s two scoring catches gave him 42 in his career, breaking a tie for the Atlanta Falcons record he shared with Alfred Jenkins. . . . Green Bay wide receiver Sterling Sharpe has caught passes in 78 straight games and has caught at least 50 passes in all six of his NFL seasons . . . The Bears and Packers, the NFL’s oldest rivals, met for the 145th in the regular season. Despite losing Sunday, Chicago still leads the series 80-59-6. . . . With two sacks Sunday, Green Bay’s Reggie White became the all-time sacks leader with 130 1/2, moving one sack ahead of Lawrence Taylor.

Attention, sensitive Phoenix Cardinals players: The Broncos handed out 76,000 masks of Denver Coach Wade Phillips at the gate. “This is not a mask,” Phillips said at his postgame press conference. “I wouldn’t wear a mask that looked like this.”

INJURY REPORT

Kansas City running back Harvey Williams received quite a scare in the first half when he struck Miami linebacker Bryan Cox’s shoulder and appeared to injure his neck. Play was stopped for 15 minutes as doctors attended to Williams, who was fitted with a neck brace. Williams’ injury was later diagnosed as only a concussion. “Neurologically, everything appears to be fine,” Chief Coach Marty Schottenheimer said.

Williams was expected to to stay overnight in the hospital for observation.

In two other scary scenes, Tampa Bay tailback Reggie Cobb and Detroit defensive back Tim McKyer were carried off the field on stretchers. Cobb strained his left knee and will be evaluated more extensively today. McKyer was taken to a Minneapolis hospital with a back injury. A team spokesman said he was “doing OK” but would be kept overnight for observation.

Minnesota quarterback Jim McMahon suffered a shoulder injury in the first quarter of the Vikings’ game against the Lions, and he was replaced by Sean Salisbury. . . . Phoenix quarterback Steve Beuerlein injured a knee and was replaced by Chris Chandler in the second quarter. . . . Chicago quarterback Jim Harbaugh suffered an ankle injury late in the game against the Packers, and Chicago wide receiver Curtis Conway hurt his shoulder.

QUOTEWORTHY

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman, on Emmitt Smith’s 237-yard rushing performance against Philadelphia: “I don’t know if this was his best performance since I’ve seen him have so many great games . But I don’t know if I’ve seen him run any harder than he did today. He was phenomenal.”

Miami Dolphin quarterback Scott Mitchell, on how his 344-yard passing day would have gone over in his pass-happy collegiate days at the University of Utah: “They would have booed me out of the stadium with 344 yards.”

--Compiled by Chris Dufresne