PRO FOOTBALL SPOTLIGHT : WITHOUT INSTANT REPLAY COACH USES INSTANT CAMERA

Is a picture worth a thousand words? Not for Pittsburgh Coach Bill Cowher.

Cowher, armed with an instant photo taken in the press box, ran onto the field to show a call against the Steelers for too many men on the field was wrong.

But referee Gordon McCarter wouldn’t even look at the photo, even with Cowher waving it in his face. McCarter said line judge Ben Montgomery counted twice and got 12 both times, even though two other officials had only 11. A television replay showed only 11 defenders.

The call gave Minnesota kicker Fuad Reveiz a second chance after he missed a 48-yard field-goal attempt on the final play of the first half. He then hit from 43 yards, giving the Vikings a 13-6 lead on its way to a 44-24 victory.

“You have a potentially lost game because somebody counted wrong, and that’s wrong,” Cowher said. “I’ve sat here for 3 1/2 years and I’ve defended the officiating, but today was a debacle.”

WATTERS’ LOOSE HANDS MAKE FOR UNHAPPY RETURN

Although he wasn’t playing against his former team, Ricky Watters return to the Bay Area this weekend drew plenty of attention.

The former San Francisco star running back, who bolted for Philadelphia in the off-season, was back in town as the Eagles took on the Raiders at the Oakland Coliseum.

The local press did stories on Watters’ return all week, and he was greeted with boos and catcalls by Raider fans.

The attention did not help his game as Watters fumbled for the third time this season and his second-quarter bobble proved costly. It was returned by defensive tackle Austin Robbins for a six-yard touchdown, tying the game at 17 after the Philadelphia had led 17-0.

“I kind of thought that broke their back,” said safety Eddie Anderson, who recalled seeing Eagles players pointing fingers and bickering among themselves after Robbins’ score. “After that it was all downhill for them.”

“They have a pretty good ballclub but they’re also under a lot of pressure,” he said. “It’s the second week in a row something like this has happened to them.”

Watters, who still resides in San Francisco, finished with 75 yards in 15 carries.

HE PLAYS, SHOVES AN OFFICAL AND LEAVES

So much for the long-awaited debut of Alvin Harper.

The Tampa Bay receiver, who signed a four-year, $10-million contract with the Buccaneers in March, was ejected in the fourth quarter of a 14-6 victory over Washington.

Harper, who sat out the first three games because of a sprained right ankle, was upset after officials initially ruled a seven-yard catch he made in the left corner of the end zone was not a touchdown because he didn’t get both feet inbounds.

While disputing the call, Harper touched an official.

“Mr. Harper came up behind me and said, ‘I was in bounds. I caught the ball in the end zone.’ And he grabbed me by the shoulder and jerked me around. That’s a foul in the NFL,” head linesman Earnie Frantz said.

The call was eventually reversed when referee Mike Carey ruled Harper had been forced out by Washington’s Darrell Green.

FOR RAMS, ST. LOUIS IS HOME SWEET HOME

The St. Louis Rams are a far cry better than the Los Angeles Rams and their numbers this season back up that claim.

Consider, their four victories ties the amount of total wins they had last season. They also have not given up a turnover this year.

Even Chris Miller, who is not know for producing All-Pro numbers, has thrown 143 passes without an interception.

And when is the last time the Rams played two homes games in a row before sellout crowds?

HAMPTON RUNS UP BIG NUMBERS FOR 1-3 GIANTS

Rodney Hampton continues to write himself into the Giants record book. In his team’s 45-29 rout of New Orleans, the running back set all kinds of marks:

--His four rushing touchdowns tops the previous mark of three set by seven different players, including Hampton.

--His 33 carries for 149 yards gives him 1,330 career carries, topping Joe Morris’ record of 1,318.

--He also tied the team record for most touchdowns (four) in a game and most points (24) in game.

Hampton needs 128 rushing yards to top Morris’ record of 5,296.

INJURY REPORT

Running back Marcus Allen sat out most of the game against Cleveland after getting cut above the eye on the Chiefs’ first offensive play. Allen was staggered when he was hit hard at the end of a three-yard run. He went to the locker room for treatment and returned to the field in uniform but did not get back in the game, his left eye badly swollen. . . . After being knocked unconscious and leaving the field on a cart, Tampa Bay cornerback Charles Dimry later said he suffered from a stiff neck. X-rays were negative. . . . Washington lost safety James Washington in the third quarter with a groin pull. . . . Steelers left tackle John Jackson’s 97 consecutive games-played streak ended due to a hyper-extended right knee. . . .

Chris Miller sustained yet another concussion in the fourth quarter against Chicago and did not return. . . . Erik Kramer’s left forearm was cut when he was hit while throwing a second-quarter touchdown pass to Keith Jennings for Chicago. The cut was stitched in the locker room and Kramer did not miss a play. . . . The Cardinals lost Pro Bowl cornerback Aeneas Williams to a left knee injury. . . . Emmitt Smith fell hard on his left elbow late in the Cowboys game against Arizona. He has a bruised elbow and will be examined again today. . . . Falcons running back Craig Heyward sprained his right knee in the second half and left after gaining 120 yards. . . Bronco defensive end Dan Williams and defensive back Ronnie Bradford sustained knee injuries and their status is uncertain.

NOTEWORTHY

This is the first 0-4 start in Saints’ coach Jim Mora’s career, and it is the worst start for New Orleans since 1980 when it lost its first 14 en route to a 1-15 season. . . . In contrast, Dallas’ 4-0 record is its best start since 1983 when it went 7-0. . . . Warren Moon passed for 213 yards against the Steelers to go over the 60,000-yard mark for passing yards with 60,055. He had 21,228 in six seasons in the Canadian Football League and now has 38,827 in 12 seasons in the NFL, ranking sixth all-time. . . . Michael Irvin of Dallas has at least one catch in 69 consecutive games. . . . Cleveland’s Vinny Testaverde became one of 10 active passers to surpass 20,000 career yards passing, completing 21 of 36 for 204 yards. He has thrown eight touchdowns this season with one interception.

Otis Smith of the Jets kept alive his streak of intercepting a pass in each game this year with his fourth of the season. . . . Atlanta linebacker Clay Matthews played in his 251st NFL game, tying former Falcon tackle Mike Kenn for sixth place on the NFL list of games played. . . .The Steelers, who committed 17 turnovers last season, turned the ball over five times in a 7 1/2-minute span of the third quarter against the Vikings. Pittsburgh has 17 turnovers in four games.

QUOTEWORTHY

Minnesota’s Robert Smith, who covered the final 40 yards of a 58-yard touchdown run with only one shoe: “I’ve lost my shoe three times this season. Maybe I’ll get a sock contract.”

Cleveland’s Earnest Byner on his team’s 35-17 victory over the Marty Schottenheimer-coached Chiefs. “Feels good to see him again. Feels better to beat him.”

Pittsburgh’s Kevin Greene after his team suffered a 44-24 loss to Minnesota at home.: “We pretty much disintegrated. I don’t know if we were into it mentally. We like to hammer people, and it’s pretty hard for the Pittsburgh Steelers to accept somebody else came in here and hammered us.”

--Compiled by Bob Cuomo, Eric Shepard and Larry Stewart.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

TOP PERFORMANCES

PASSING

*--*

Player, Team Att. Cmp. Yds. TD CHRIS CHANDLER, Oilers 26 23 356 4 JEFF BLAKE, Bengals 46 24 356 3 DAVE KRIEG, Cardinals 33 24 324 2 ERIK KRAMER, Bears 38 27 317 4 JEFF HOSTETLER, Raiders 32 22 272 1 STEVE BONO, Chiefs 49 29 272 2 DAVE BROWN, Giants 27 19 258 1 JIM EVERETT, Saints 32 19 256 3 TROY AIKMAN, Cowboys 30 19 251 1 CHRIS MILLER, Rams 31 21 231 3 GUS FREROTTE, Redskins 40 21 230 0

*--*

RECEIVING

*--*

Player, Team Rec. Yds. TD ROB MOORE, Cardinals 9 154 1 JEFF GRAHAM, Bears 6 145 1 YANCEY THIGPEN, Steelers 10 141 1 DARYL HOBBS, Raiders 7 135 1 KEITH CASH, Chiefs 8 111 1 TONY McGEE, Bengals 8 109 1 TROY DRAYTON, Rams 8 106 1

*--*

RUSHING

*--*

Player, Team Car. Yds. TD RODNEY HAMPTON, Giants 33 149 4 CRAIG HEYWARD, Falcons 19 120 0 EMMITT SMITH, Cowboys 21 116 2 ROBERT SMITH, Vikings 15 115 1 NATRONE MEANS, Chargers 27 115 2

*--*

--Compiled by Bob Cuomo, Eric Shepard and Larry Stewart