Pro Football Spotlight

ODE TO A MOUSE

It was fun while it lasted. Loads of points. It gave the Raiders fits. But it’s going, going, almost gone.

The run-and-shoot offense has all but been bullied out of the league by old liners, led by pulpit-pounders Buddy Ryan of Arizona and his defensive protege, new Houston Oiler Coach Jeff Fisher.

The run-and-shoot’s death has been slow but sure. It first expired in Detroit and most recently in Houston. Atlanta is holding firm, but for how long?

Granted, the four-receiver offense is flawed. The lack of a tight end leaves the quarterback vulnerable. With no fullback, run-and-shooters have trouble scoring inside the 20.

Yes, the offense has never won a Super Bowl.

Yes, opposing defenses have at last figured it out.

But what have Ryan and Fisher offered us as an alternative? Ryan’s 28th-ranked offense is one of the most primitive in modern times.

Sunday, the Cardinals (5-7) did not score an offensive touchdown in a 19-16 overtime loss to Chicago.

Fisher, who junked the Oilers’ run-and-shoot seconds after being named head coach, has lost two in a row with his “new” offense.

The Oilers (1-11) have scored 20 points in two losses under Fisher. Sunday, Cleveland walloped Houston, 34-10.

Meanwhile, in Atlanta, the Falcons’ “Red Gun” took care of the Philadelphia Eagles, 28-21.

The Falcons’ quarterbacks coach?

Darrel (Mouse) Davis, chief architect of the run-and-shoot.

Watch your back, Mouse.

STREAKING BUCCANEERS

Once, UCLA’s basketball team won 88 consecutive games. The 1971-72 Lakers strung 33 victories together. Notre Dame had defeated USC 11 years in a row until Saturday.

But how ‘bout those Buccaneers?

Tampa Bay, playing the Minnesota Vikings, had a chance to extend a legendary streak of its own.

Yet, a funny thing happened on the way to the record book.

Tampa Bay won.

Michael Husted’s 22-yard field goal at 12:52 of overtime snapped a six-game losing streak and made the Buccaneers winners, 20-17.

In victory, Tampa Bay improved to 3-9 and staved off its 12th consecutive season of 10 losses or more.

The Buccaneers have a decent shot of finishing without another loss. By some quirk of schedule, they close against Washington twice, the Rams and Green Bay.

DECEMBER MOURN

The Miami Dolphins and New York Jets, teams that have tip-toed into December of late, met at the Meadowlands. Something had to give.

The Dolphins were 9-12 in December games since 1989, the Jets 6-14.

First place in the AFC East was at stake.

The Jets (6-6) blew a 24-6 lead and stood around on defense as Miami quarterback Dan Marino faked a spike to kill the clock and tossed the game-winning pass, an eight-yard throw to Mark Ingram with 22 seconds to play.

The Jets had history on their side. They have not won a divisional title since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970. In 1986, the Jets started 10-1 and finished 10-6. New York’s last title was 1969, when it captured the AFL’s Eastern Division championship.

TURKEY LEFTOVERS

In case you missed it, the Buffalo Bills, losers of four consecutive Super Bowls, took it on the chin with a Thanksgiving Day loss to the Detroit Lions.

For many, it was another reason to give thanks.

There’s a good chance the Bills won’t repeat as AFC champions. At 6-6, in fact, making the playoffs will be a chore.

“Six losses. We haven’t had a six-loss season since I got here, and this is my fifth season,” said defensive end Phil Hansen. “All we can do now is win these last four games, and hope some other teams lose.”

NOTEWORTHY

John Elway reached 3,000 yards passing for the ninth time in his career. Only Miami’s Dan Marino has more 3,000-yard seasons; Marino did it for the 10th time this year. . . . Herschel Walker’s 91-yard run for a touchdown for the Eagles was the longest in the three-year history of the Georgia Dome and the longest in the NFL since the Raiders’ Bo Jackson ran 92 yards for one against Cincinnati on Nov. 5, 1989. . . . Norm Johnson’s four extra points gave him 135 in a row, one more than the Falcon record previously held by Mick Luckhurst. . . . The Eagles have lost three in a row for the first time since September, 1988. . . . Atlanta tackle Mike Kenn played in his 247th career game, moving out of a tie with former Falcon center Jeff Van Note for the most in club history. He ranks seventh on the NFL list of games played. . . . Eric Allen’s interception was the 34th of his career, tying him with Bill Bradley for the Eagles’ team record. . . . Art Monk of the Jets is now within one game and one catch of a prestigious record. Monk needs one reception next week at New England to tie Steve Largent’s mark of 177 consecutive games with a catch. . . . Deep Fryar: Miami’s Irving Fryar, one of four receivers with more than 100 yards receiving Sunday, surpassed 1,000 for the season for the third time. He now has 1,059. . . . Miami’s Mark Ingram caught four touchdown passes, tying Paul Warfield’s club record. . . . Dan Marino has guided 26 fourth-quarter comebacks, including five against the Jets. . . . Cris Carter’s first catch of the game broke the Vikings’ season record of 88 catches set by Rickey Young in 1978. Carter finished with five catches to push his NFL-leading total to 93. He needs 20 more in four games to break Sterling Sharpe’s all-time record. . . . That’s incredible: Terry Allen ran 16 times for 54 yards to pass Fran Tarkenton and move into seventh place on the Vikings’ all-time rushing list. Tarkenton, the scrambling quarterback who led Minnesota to three of its four Super Bowls, had 2,543 rushing yards. Allen has 2,575. . . . The defense doesn’t rest: The Cleveland Browns have yielded only five touchdowns in six home games this year. The Brown defense has not allowed a 100-yard rusher or receiver this season. . . . Careful, hot Stover: Matt Stover has made 14 consecutive field goals for Cleveland, tying Matt Bahr for the second-best streak in team history. Don Cockroft set the team record by making 16 in a row from 1974-75. . . . Steve Walsh improved to 7-0 as a starter for the Bears this season. . . . Tampa Bay continued its masterful punt coverage, allowing Minnesota no yards on two returns. The Buccaneers came into the game allowing only 34 punt-return yards all season, more than 100 yards better than the second-best team, the New York Giants. . . . Drew Bledsoe became New England’s all-time single-season passing yardage leader with 3,526, topping Babe Parilli’s record of 3,465 set in 1964.

TONIGHT’S GAME: San Francisco at New Orleans

6 p.m., Channel 7

Steve Young has led San Francisco to two difficult victories in the last two weeks, and that seems to have taken the 49ers to a higher level of play.

Young completed 30 of 44 passes for 325 yards and four touchdowns without an interception against the Rams.

Jerry Rice caught a team-record 16 of those passes for 165 yards and three touchdowns. Rice has set an NFL-record with nine consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, breaking a tie with Steve Largent.

The 49ers (9-2) have won six consecutive games since being embarrassed, 40-8, by Philadelphia. San Francisco’s average margin of victory since then is 16 points. The 49ers are second in the league in scoring with 326 points, nine points behind the Dallas Cowboys, but the Cowboys have played one more game.

If the 49ers win, they will clinch their 11th NFC West title in 14 years. They also would clinch their 12th consecutive season with at least 10 victories.

You never know what you’re going to get with the Saints (4-7).

For example, Mario Bates rushed for 153 yards two weeks ago, but the Saints as team gained only 16 in 11 carries against the Raiders last week.

Jim Everett is piling up passing yards playing catch-up each week, but he has also gained significant yardage in the Saint victories.

AND THE WINNER IS. . .

With four weeks left, here’s the inside track for coach-of-the-year honors:

1). Dave Wannstedt, Chicago. The Bears are 8-4 and in sole possession of first place in the NFC Central. They’re doing it without a household name on offense or defense. It took guts for Wannstedt to sit down Erik Kramer, the team’s high-priced millionaire, and play backup Steve Walsh, who is 7-0 as a starter.

2). Bill Belichick, Cleveland. The Browns (9-3) are flip-flopping quarterbacks and getting away with it. Sunday, Vinny Testaverde got the start over Mark Rypien and led his team to a 24-point victory over Houston.

3). Bill Cowher, Pittsburgh. Came into Los Angeles with his backup quarterback, Mike Tomczak, and left with a 21-3 victory against the Raiders. Steelers (9-3) win to keep pace with the Browns.

4). George Seifert, San Francisco. Almost run out of town two months ago, Seifert’s 49ers have won seven in a row and can clinch the NFC West tonight with a victory against New Orleans in the Superdome.

5). Wade Phillips, Denver. Can you believe it? After a horrible start, the Broncos have won five of six games to get back to .500.

6). Mike Ditka, NBC. From the studio, he’s made quick, decisive decisions for all 28 coaches in the league. Lacks only a team to coach.

BACK IN SADDLE AGAINST BRONCOS

It didn’t look like much in the Cincinnati Bengals’ game statistics: eight carries for 52 yards. But running back Steve Broussard’s performance against Denver ranks as one of the day’s highlights.

Broussard was back in the lineup only two weeks after suffering temporary paralysis in both legs Nov. 13 when he took a hit in the neck by Houston’s Al Smith.

Broussard lay on the turf with what doctors described as “two dead legs.”

After conferring with medical experts and doing some soul searching, Broussard decided to resume his career.

Although the Bengals suffered a tough 15-13 loss to the Broncos, it wouldn’t have been the same without Broussard.

JUST ANOTHER GAME

Remember when the New York Giants versus the Washington Redskins used to be a big enough game for John Madden to cover?

Now, of course, it’s a battle of also-rans. For what it’s worth, in a cold, driving rain at RFK Stadium, the Giants defeated the Redskins, 21-19.

The Giants improved to 5-7. The Redskins fell to 2-10.

The Giants started Dave Brown at quarterback, the Redskins opted for Heath Shuler.

Not exactly Phil Simms versus Joe Theismann.

Madden? He took the motor coach south to Atlanta to chronicle a Fox telecast between Atlanta and Philadelphia.

QUOTEWORTHY

“If we want to get anywhere, we better bounce back . If we want to feel sorry for ourselves, the Bears will have a feast.”

--Minnesota receiver Qadry Ismail after his team’s 20-17 overtime loss to Tampa Bay.

“I hope I won’t be around much longer. The way they’ve treated me, I can’t see putting out much effort for these people . “

--Houston receiver Webster Slaughter, continuing to complain about his team’s decision to abandon the run-and-shoot offense.

‘Our defense can win games for us. I talked to them about having to step up and play. They did it today, and this is the kind of effort we’re looking for over the next four games.”

--Denver Coach Wade Phillips, speaking about his much-maligned defense following the Broncos’ 15-13 victory over Cincinnati.