Pro Football Spotlight

NOTEWORTHY

Some numbers for Miami fans to chew on: In two victories over the Dolphins this season, Indianapolis Colt quarterback Jim Harbaugh has completed 37 of 51 passes for 499 yards and six touchdowns. . . . Tony Bennett’s third-quarter sack of the Dolphins’ Dan Marino resulted in the first safety by Indianapolis since Oct. 4, 1987, ending the longest streak in the league. . . . The New York Giants’ 27-24 loss to the Chicago Bears assured Giant Coach Dan Reeves of only his third losing season in 15 years as an NFL head coach. . . . Brett Favre became the first quarterback in the Packers’ 77-year history to surpass 3,000 yards in four seasons. . . . The Bengals were the only AFC Central team to sweep Jacksonville. . . . Giants’ running back Rodney Hampton needs only 186 yards to go over the 1,000-yard mark for a fifth consecutive season, and his 46 career rushing touchdowns are only two short of the Giant record of 48 held by Joe Morris. . . . Washington is guaranteed its third consecutive losing season for the first time since the nine losing years from 1957-65. . . . Redskin kicker Eddie Murray kept his extra point streak alive. He has made 217 in a row, 17 short of the NFL record held by Tommy Davis. . . . Buffalo running back Thurman Thomas scored his 71st career touchdown, breaking the team record of 70 held by O.J. Simpson.

IT WAS ONLY A REST, FOR PEETE’S SAKE

The Eagles have won seven of their last eight games since Rodney Peete replaced Randall Cunningham at quarterback, but Peete was less than thrilled at being temporarily benched Sunday against the Redskins.

“I wasn’t happy about it,” Peete said. “That’s the bottom line.”

Well, not quite. Peete, who was taken out for two series, then returned to lead the Eagles to a come-from-behind victory, had more to say on the subject. Much more.

“I started seven games for us and played three-quarters of the Arizona game,” he said. “I should be allowed to struggle in the first half and come back and play. Especially when we’re winning the game.”

And he didn’t stop there, either.

“We’ve been successful when I’ve played,” Peete said. “We’ve won football games. I’m disappointed in the decision that was made. I’ll be the first to admit that I wasn’t playing well, but we were still up, 6-0. It would be different if we were behind or we were an 3-8 team, but we’re making a playoff run.”

Philadelphia Coach Ray Rhodes dismissed Peete’s comments as little more than bruised ego, saying: “It helped. It helped a lot. He was able to come back in there and settle down and move the football team. . . . He’s the guy we came to the dance with and we were going to stay with him.”

TWO TO TIE AND THREE TO WIN

A 52-year-old record is in jeopardy in Chicago.

Bear quarterback Erik Kramer’s two touchdown passes against the Giants moved him to within two of tying the team record of 28 touchdown passes in a season set by Sid Luckman in 1943.

Kramer has thrown for touchdowns in 11 of 12 games this year and has two or more touchdown throws in nine games.

He passed for 268 yards against New York and now needs only 95 yards to become the Bears’ all-time, single-season passing leader.

But teammate Curtis Conway robbed him of another mark Sunday.

Until Conway’s unsuccessful third-quarter option attempt, Kramer had thrown every pass the Bears had attempted this season.

WHO WANTS THEM?

NBC’s Will McDonough reported on “NFL Live” that the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks were talking to the Hollywood Park officials about relocating there.

That brought this response from Mike Ditka: “You have to think long and hard about both franchises. They have not expressed the fact that they are trying to win a championship.”

QUOTEWORTHY

New York Coach Dan Reeves, responding to fans who serenaded him with chants of “Reeves Must Go” as he walked off the field at Giants Stadium:

“I’m dumb, but I’m not deaf. I can’t control what they do.”

San Francisco quarterback Steve Young before the 49ers’ 41-13 demolition of the St. Louis Rams:

“Two weeks ago, we were 5-4 and looking dead. Now, I’ve got to come back and pick up the pace that Elvis [Grbac] set.”

Indianapolis defensive lineman Tony Siragusa, commenting on Dan Marino breaking Fran Tarkenton’s NFL record for career touchdown passes:

“It seems like every week he’s setting some kind of record, so what difference does it make to us? He’s going to get his records, whether it’s against us or some other team. He’s a great player.”