Pro Football Spotlight

DO AS WE SAY, NOT AS WE DO

The NFL, suing Dallas Cowboy owner Jerry Jones over his deals with Nike and Pepsi, has signed its own five-year licensing deal with Nike, the New York Times reported. The newspaper said the league’s deal, which comes a month after Jones signed Nike as a Texas Stadium sponsor, is worth an estimated $200 million.

“Nike is a fabulous partner and a powerful brand in sports,” NFL Properties president Sara Levinson told the Times. “This is in the best interest of the 30 owners.”

A top Nike executive, who asked not to be identified, confirmed the Times’ story.

Jones, the subject of the NFL’s $300 million federal suit, has an estimated $17.5 million deal with Nike over seven years. Levinson said the NFL’s deal does not change the league’s legal position against Jones, and its lawsuit will proceed.

HERE’S AN UGLY HEADLINE: BUCCANEERS SIMPLY LUCKY

Proving that opportune scheduling can conquer all, temporarily, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Cincinnati Bengals, 19-16, Sunday to take over first place in the NFC Central with a 4-2 record.

Never one to miss an opportunity, Buccaneer Coach Sam Wyche instructed the news media how to present the development.

“As you write your ugly headlines, just don’t misprint it,” said Wyche. “That’s 4-dash-2. I can see the expressions on some of your faces that that was not good enough. There was a time I could remember fans and some of you saying to me: ‘Just win, just do it somehow.’ ”

COUNTING THE DAYS UNTIL PRIME TIME

In case anyone thinks, it’s going to get any quieter soon in Big D, be advised that Deion Sanders’ debut is now tentatively scheduled for Oct. 29 against one of his many former teams, the Falcons.

The Cowboys were hoping that Sanders, who underwent arthroscopic ankle surgery Sept. 25, could play in next week’s game against the Chargers, but he is limping in light workouts. There is now concern that his left calf has atrophied slightly.

“He was half-speed,” said Cowboy Coach Barry Switzer, “but he looked good.”

COUNTING THE DAYS ‘TIL THE OFF-SEASON

At this point, it’s hard to remember that New York Jet owner Leon Hess hired Rich Kotite as coach because he wanted to “win now,” but that was what they were saying, one victory and five losses ago.

Kotite, who started Vance Joseph, a rookie who’d been a reserve quarterback in college and had never played defense, at cornerback against the Raiders’ Tim Brown last week, Sunday started another player at a position he’d never played when Everett McIver, a defensive lineman in college, was converted to offensive tackle and thrown in against the Bills’ Bruce Smith.

“We believe in them,” Kotite said. “The only thing they don’t have is experience.

“We told Everett there were going to be times when he would be one-on-one with Smith,” Jet center Cal Dixon said. “He said, ‘No, no, no! You can’t put me alone with him.’

Seriously. The Bills won, 29-10. Smith had 1 1/2 sacks and knocked Jet quarterback Boomer Esiason out of the game.

IN JACKSONVILLE, PENNANT FEVER

The expansion Cougars have it all now: the winning streak, the frenzied fans. . . the trash talk.

After Sunday’s 20-16 victory over the Steelers, who had come in as heavy favorites, Brian DeMarco, the Jaguars’ rookie right tackle, said the established team had shown them no respect.

“I really feel Pittsburgh came in here with the wrong attitude,” said DeMarco, “like all they had to do is show up and they could roll over us.”

Mark Brunell, who won the quarterback job from Steve Beuerlein by coming off the bench to throw a last-minute touchdown pass to beat the Oilers last week, threw for 189 yards and a touchdown.

“With a win like this comes a lot of confidence,” Brunell said. “I’m gaining confidence in my own ability and with those around me. Everyone is becoming more familiar with each other and that’s helping. I’m excited with the direction we’re going.”

Many in the crowd of 72,042 chanted “Wild card! Wild card!” The Jaguars strutted off the field to the Queen song “We Are The Champions.”

HERE’S SOME FOR YOU AND SOME FOR YOU

Perhaps suffering confused loyalties, the Vikings’ Warren Moon had his best statistical game of the season in his first meeting with his former Oiler teammates, throwing for 289 yards and two touchdowns in Minnesota’s 23-17 overtime victory.

Moon also threw two interceptions, one of which safety Chuck Cecil returned 20 yards for a touchdown. Darryll Lewis’ 78-yard return of a Moon interception was nullified by a roughing penalty against Houston.

Houston, which lost to expansion Jacksonville last week, is now 4-18 since trading Moon for two draft picks in April, 1994.

INJURY REPORT

Jet quarterback Boomer Esiason was knocked out of the game against the Bills because of a concussion sustained on a hard hit from Bruce Smith. Esiason laid on the turf for four minutes and appeared groggy as he walked off the field. He did not return and was still trying to regain his memory two hours after the game. . . . Brown wide receiver Andre Rison, appearing in his 100th NFL game, suffered a bruise to his right knee during the first quarter of Sunday’s game between the Browns and Detroit Lions. Rison was hit by the Lions’ Chris Spielman and was carried off the field. . . . Oiler quarterback Chris Chandler re-injured his sprained right shoulder when hit by Minnesota’s Ed McDaniel with 18 seconds left in regulation. In the overtime, backup Will Furrer’s second pass was intercepted, setting up the Vikings’ game-winning score.

NOTEWORTHY

Dan Marino set an NFL record with his 3,687th pass completion, eclipsing the mark set by Fran Tarkenton during his 18 seasons with the Vikings and Giants. Marino threw to Keith Byars for six yards to set the record. . . . Emmitt Smith scored two touchdowns, tying him with Tony Dorsett for the Cowboy record of 86 touchdowns. Smith has 82 rushing touchdowns in 83 games, making him No. 8 in NFL history. Smith passed Ottis Anderson and is one short of Jim Taylor for seventh. Walter Payton is tops with 110. . . . Reggie White increased his NFL-record career total to 150 with a third-quarter sack of Troy Aikman. White has 5 1/2 sacks in five games. . . . Cowboy receiver Michael Irvin went over 100 yards receiving for the fourth game in a row, a team record. . . . Packer quarterback Brett Favre was 21 for 41 for 295 yards but failed in his quest to set the NFL record of at least two touchdown passes in 13 consecutive games. . . . Bear halfback Rashaan Salaam, the 1994 Heisman Trophy winner, rushed 28 times for 105 yards in his fifth game and second start. By comparison, Payton’s first 100-yard game as a Chicago rookie in 1975 came in Week 9. . . . Richard Dent, the Bears’ career sacks leader, returned to Chicago’s lineup for the first time since leaving as a free agent in 1993. Playing in passing situations, he made no tackles.

QUOTEWORTHY

Cincinnati quarterback Jeff Blake, who turned the ball over five times (three interceptions, two fumbles) in his first game after signing a four-year, $12.4 million contract extension: “Don’t say nothing to me about money . Just ask me about football. Don’t mention money to me. I’m here to play football. That’s all I’m going to say.”

Jet center Cal Dixon on the chilling scene after Esiason was knocked out: “It’s the first time I’ve seen a guy out cold like that, not moving. It’s a sickening feeling.”

Bear backup running back Robert Green, who was nursing an bad ankle, on being called on to score the game-winning touchdown against Carolina: “I was a little surprised they went with me. I didn’t think I was going to be able to play and play well.”

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TOP PERFORMANCES

PASSING

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Player, Team Att. Cmp. Yds. TD JEFF HOSTETLER, Raiders 33 20 333 2 JIM HARBAUGH, Colts 33 25 319 3 TROY AIKMAN, Cowboys 31 24 316 2 DAVE KRIEG, Cardinals 38 23 305 2 BRETT FAVRE, Packers 41 21 295 1 WARREN MOON, Vikings 43 28 289 2 JOHN ELWAY, Broncos 34 21 287 2 SCOTT MITCHELL, Lions 38 24 273 2 ERIK KRAMER, Bears 41 23 259 3 RODNEY PEETE, Eagles 45 30 256 1

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RECEIVING

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Player, Team Rec. Yds. TD YANCEY THIGPEN, Steelers 6 160 0 MICHAEL IRVIN, Cowboys 8 150 1 TIM BROWN, Raiders 5 143 1 HERMAN MOORE, Lions 9 125 0 REGGIE BROOKS, Packers 10 124 0 ALVIN HARPER, Buccaneers 6 117 0 CRIS CARTER, Vikings 12 115 2

*--*

RUSHING

*--*

Player, Team Car. Yds. TD HARVEY WILLIAMS, Raiders 19 160 1 BARRY SANDERS, Lions 18 157 3 RICKY WATTERS, Eagles 25 139 0 THURMAN THOMAS, Bills 27 133 1 CHARLIE GARNER, Eagles 9 120 3 GARRISON HEARST, Cardinals 23 122 0

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--Compiled by Bob Cuomo and Mark Heisler.