THE NFL / BILL PLASCHKE : Hindsight and ‘Foursight’ After Week 4

The NFL after Week 4, by fours:

FOUR BEST TEAMS

1. Dallas Cowboys. Unless Deion Sanders doesn’t show up.

2. Miami Dolphins. An NFC-style team with a tan.

3. San Francisco 49ers. Defensive backfield can’t stop Troy Aikman or Dan Marino.

4. The rest of the league.

FOUR BEST REMAINING GAMES

1. San Francisco at Dallas, Nov. 12. Can’t wait for Jerry Rice vs. Deion Sanders.

2. San Francisco at Miami, Nov. 20. Who says Don Shula doesn’t have the schedule maker’s ear?

3. Oakland at San Diego, Nov. 27. Could be the wildest Monday night in San Diego sports history.

4. Dallas at Oakland, Nov. 19. If the Cowboys survive this with their limbs intact, they will skate through their final five games into the playoffs.

FOUR EARLY DRAFT STEALS

1. Terrell Davis, running back, Denver Broncos. Sixth round, 182nd overall. Like Thurman Thomas, only wider.

2. Chris Sanders, wide receiver, Houston Oilers. Third round, 67th overall. More impressive than his two touchdowns against Cincinnati Sunday were his 90 yards against Cleveland two weeks ago.

3. Terrance Shaw, cornerback, San Diego Chargers. Second round, 34th overall. A big-time player whose presence changes the complexion of the defense. Where does Bobby Beathard keep finding these guys?

4. Darius Holland, defensive tackle, Green Bay Packers. Third round, 65th overall. Already one of the hardest hitters for the league’s top defense.

FOUR EARLY BUSTS

1. Mike Mamula, defensive end, Philadelphia Eagles. First round, seventh overall. Plays just as small as scouts had feared.

2. Billy Milner, tackle, Miami Dolphins. First round, 25th overall. If anybody in the offensive line is hurt and this guy is summoned, Marino is dead.

3. Ty Law, cornerback, New England Patriots. First round, 23rd overall. Has contributed little to a team badly in need of pass defense.

4. Rashaan Salaam, running back, Chicago Bears. First round, 21st overall. Can’t hold onto the ball and flunked his first major test as a starter Sunday in St. Louis.

FOUR SIGNS THAT THIS IS THE YEAR OF THE TOUGH QUARTERBACK

1. Dave Brown of the New York Giants rode New Orleans defensive end Wayne Martin to the ground after Martin had intercepted Brown’s pass Sunday. Martin outweighs Brown by more than 50 pounds.

2. The Chargers’ Stan Humphries knocked Denver cornerback Ray Crockett back three yards while blocking on a sweep Sunday.

3. When Pittsburgh’s Greg Lloyd sacked Marino last week, the only Dolphin with enough vigor to grab Lloyd’s jersey and cuss him out was Marino.

4. Dave Krieg can still throw for 300 yards.

FOUR MOST AMAZING STATISTICS

1. By not committing a turnover in four games, the St. Louis Rams have tied a 76-year-old NFL record.

2. The AFC’s top three passers are not Marino, Jim Kelly and John Elway, but Jim Harbaugh, Chris Chandler and Vinnie Testaverde.

3. The Arizona Cardinals, who gave up only 97.5 yards rushing a game last year, have given up 194 a game, worst in the league. So much for Buddy Ryan’s famed 4-6 defense.

4. In less than one half Sunday, Pat Swilling had three sacks against the Philadelphia Eagles. Credit Al Davis not only for signing Swilling, but for realizing this former linebacker belonged at defensive end.

FOUR MOST DISTURBING TRENDS

The Jacksonville fans peppering the field with bottles late Sunday in the final moments of the Jaguars’ loss to the Green Bay Packers. Even Bear fans don’t throw bottles at the Packers. Somebody should tell those yahoos that this is the NFL, not Florida-Georgia.

2. Steeler Coach Bill Cowher stuffing a photograph in the pocket of referee Gordon McCarter on the same day Tampa Bay’s Alvin Harper bumps an official. If Cowher is not suspended, and Harper is not heavily fined, then it is only a matter of weeks before an official is punched.

3. At least a dozen bad calls Sunday that could have been corrected with some form of instant replay.

4. Expansion teams on nationally televised prime-time games. It was a nice idea last summer but now that we have to actually watch the Jaguars or Carolina Panthers, yuk.

FOUR REASONS OFFICIALS INCORRECTLY COUNTED TO 12, INSTEAD OF 11, ON CONTROVERSIAL PLAY IN PITTSBURGH SUNDAY

1. They counted Bill Cowher’s jaw as an entire person.

2. They took one look at Brentson Buckner’s rear end and counted him twice.

3. They thought their instructions were to count the number of sober people in the stands.

4. It was that darn Jerry Jones’ fault.