Pro Football Spotlight

KICKERS AND SNICKERS

A handy guide to Sunday’s kicking cavalcade:

--Doug Brien, a second-year kicker, had a chance to salvage a victory for the 49ers against the Colts but missed a 46-yarder wide right, and the 49ers lost.

Brien missed a 40-yard attempt that would have sent the game into overtime in the 49ers’ Sept. 25 loss to the Detroit Lions. Brien survived that by out-kicking several others brought in to try out, including . . .

--Cary Blanchard, who kicked four field goals Sunday for the Colts, including a 41-yarder with 2:36 left to put Indianapolis ahead to stay.

It was the second game-winner in two weeks for Blanchard, who kicked an overtime field goal to beat Miami in his first game with Indianapolis.

Before trying out with the 49ers, Blanchard had a perfect preseason with the Saints, but was inexplicably released in favor of . . .

--Chip Lohmiller, who missed his third extra point attempt of the season Sunday, and missed field goal tries of 47, 52 and 29 yards, in the Saints’ 33-30 defeat against the Miami Dolphins.

TEMPORARILY IN TAMPA?

Are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have registered double-digit losses for 12 consecutive seasons, putting together their best run in team history just in time to move? Sunday’s 20-17 overtime victory over the Minnesota Vikings gave Tampa Bay a 5-2 record and its fourth consecutive victory. Adding in last year’s strong finish, Tampa Bay has won nine of its last 12.

New owner Malcolm Glazer says he’ll lose $15 million this year, wants a new stadium, and is involved in a plan called the Charter Seat Deposit Program, which is a variation on the seat licensing system recently used by Carolina, St. Louis and Oakland.

If the licensing scheme fails, Glazer hasn’t ruled out moving in 1996. But the Buccaneers’ upswing may be generating momentum to keep the club in Tampa. After drawing only 41,732 two weeks ago against the Cincinnati Bengals, 55,703 turned up for the Viking game.

A WIN IS A WIN, EVEN IF IT’S AGAINST THE JETS

OK, so it was only against the New York Jets, who have been outscored, 51-3, in the fourth quarter this year, and who have a coach, Rich Kotite, who is 1-13 dating back to the seven losses in a row he guided the Eagles to at the end of last year. But for Carolina Panther fans, Sunday’s 26-15 victory was a thrill, even if Jet quarterback Bubby Brister wasn’t impressed. “This is about as low as you can go,” he said.

INJURY REPORT

San Francisco quarterback Steve Young, who finished the game after suffering the injury, will undergo a magnetic resonance imaging exam on his back today. . . . Eagle quarterback Rodney Peete didn’t play in the second half after suffering a concussion. . . . Miami quarterback Bernie Kosar banged his right thumb on a helmet in the first quarter and missed a series in the third before returning.

Rookie New York Jet tight end Kyle Brady sat out most of the second half because of a concussion. . . . Rookie Washington wide receiver Michael Westbrook sprained his left knee and will have an MRI today. . . . The Cardinals lost offensive right tackle Joe Wolf because of a broken left ankle.

NOTEWORTHY

Rick Tuten of the Seattle Seahawks punted six times for an average of 53 yards at Buffalo as winds gusted to 30 m.p.h. At the end of the first half, Tuten booted one 73 yards to set a personal and team record. . . . The Bears, a charter member of the NFL, became the first team to win 600 games when they beat Jacksonville. . . . Buffalo’s Jim Kelly moved ahead of John Brodie into 14th place on the career completions list. He now has 2,589 completions in his 10-year career. . . . Emmitt Smith set the Dallas record for career touchdowns with 88, passing Tony Dorsett. . . . Arizona quarterback Dave Krieg’s 207 yards passing gave him 33,562 in his career and moved him past Phil Simms (33,462) and John Hadl (33,503) into 10th place among NFL quarterbacks.

NOT-SO-SCARY BARRY

For the Green Bay Packers, one of the best parts of jumping out to a 20-0 lead over the Detroit Lions was that it all but took Barry Sanders out of the game.

Sanders gained 124 yards in 18 carries, but scored no touchdowns, and wasn’t a big factor in the game once the Lions began throwing the ball to get back into it.

“I just told Reggie White, ‘Every time they motioned Barry out of the backfield, I knew they were going to throw,’ ” Packer Coach Mike Holmgren said.

QUOTEWORTHY

Carolina Panther Coach Dom Capers, explaining what he said to 36-year-old Panther linebacker Sam Mills after Mills intercepted a pass and ran it back for a touchdown: “I told him he looked like he was 25 again.”

Detroit Coach Wayne Fontes, on what he told his team at halftime after falling well behind the Green Bay Packers: “I told them there’d be a lot of guys walking home if we don’t play better. We just flat-tailed got beat.”