Falcons Continue June Swoon With Hebert at Quarterback

Week eight and the questions:

1. What about June Jones’ move to fire Atlanta quarterback Jeff George now, and play Bobby Hebert?

2. What’s the significance of today’s meeting between Baltimore and Denver quarterback John Elway?

3. What is the biggest misconception in the NFL these days?

4. Who is Mr. Touchdown this year?

5. What’s this week’s upset possibility?

And the answers:

1. Stupid. Big-time stupid, and the guy is paid to do only one thing: Make proper decisions. Hebert has now thrown an interception every 6.4 passes. It’s the worst ratio in the league. In Hebert’s last six starts with the team, dating to 1994, he personally has accounted for nine turnovers--eight interceptions and a fumble. And call it a stunning coincidence, but the Falcons are 0-6.

2. Elway, who said he would never play for Baltimore, prompting his trade to Denver after he was the first player selected in the 1983 draft by Baltimore--follow?--started the second game of his career against the Colts and was benched for poor play.

“I have nothing against the city [of Baltimore],” Elway said last week. “I said it 800 times. I’m at the point where I’m kind of tired of saying it because it was never anything about the city. It was [Coach Frank] Kush and [owner Robert] Irsay. That’s the whole deal.”

The Broncos got Elway from Baltimore for quarterback Mark Herrmann and first-round pick Chris Hinton, an offensive lineman.

Elway came back later during his freshman year in the NFL and recorded his very first fourth-quarterback comeback. He fired three fourth-quarter touchdown passes and beat Baltimore, 21-19, on Dec. 11, 1983. A week later, the Colts played their final game for the city of Baltimore before moving to Indianapolis.

3. That young quarterbacks can’t win and it takes an Elway, Marino or Kelly to win a football game. Elway didn’t play last week, Marino was hurt and Kelly was a flop, but last week eight of the 13 games won were by quarterbacks under 30. They threw 11 touchdown passes with four interceptions.

4. Green Bay tight end Keith Jackson. Jackson has caught 14 passes this season--six for touchdowns. Frank Liebel of the New York Giants--everybody remembers Frank--has the best percentage of touchdowns per reception--for a player with at least 10 touchdown catches in a season--in NFL history. In 1945, 10 of his 22 catches were for touchdowns.

5. Tough to win in RFK Stadium, but the Giants, the lowly Giants, can run on the Redskins, and that means quarterback Dave Brown won’t throw the game away.

THE TV GAMES

* BACKUP QUARTERBACK DUEL

Miami (4-2) at Philadelphia (4-2), 10 a.m., Channel 4: The Dolphins will try to squeeze another week out of Craig Erickson at quarterback, while the Eagles put it all on tiny Ty Detmer’s shoulders. Beware: Marino’s ankle has improved, and he might be called on to save the day.

--Say what: Dolphin Coach Jimmy Johnson, considered the best in the game, had only a 5-6 mark against the Eagles while with the Cowboys.

--Player to watch: Eagle running back Ricky Watters. Philadelphia is 27-0-1 in its last 28 games when a running back rushes for 100 or more yards.

--Finally: Before Miami’s victory over Buffalo--thanks to Jim Kelly’s poor play--the Dolphins had been 0-8 without Marino.

* ARE THEY FOR REAL?

New York Giants (2-4) at Washington (5-1), 10 a.m., Channel 11: The Redskins have already clobbered the Giants in Giants Stadium, 31-10, and now they get a chance to stay out in front in the NFC East with a home game against the New York pushovers.

--Say what: The Giants’ offense has mustered an average of only 210 yards a game. How about that Dave Brown!

--Player to watch: Washington has running back Terry Allen and the Giants’ defense ranks 25th against the run.

--Finally: Washington, which is expected to have speedy wide receiver Michael Westbrook back, has won five consecutive games.

* COACHING MISMATCH

Cincinnati (1-5) at San Francisco (4-2), 1 p.m., Channel 4: George Seifert is on the threshold of his 100th victory with the 49ers in the NFL; David Shula is on the brink of getting fired. Seifert has lost 32 games in eight years; Shula has a 19-51 record. And now Seifert has announced Steve Young will start at quarterback.

--Say what: Talk about going in different directions--the 49ers beat the Bengals in Super Bowls XVI and XXIII. Since Super Bowl XXIII, the Bengals have gone 39-79, the 49ers 90-28.

--Player to watch: Bengal running back Garrison Hearst. The Bengals haven’t had a 100-yard rusher in 55 games. Make that 56 games, after today.

--Finally: San Francisco has an NFC-best 27-9 record against AFC opponents since 1987. Make that 28-9.

DIVISION SHOWDOWN

Pittsburgh (5-1) at Houston (4-2): The Steelers thrashed the Oilers a few weeks ago, 30-16, and now Houston will line up with an injured Chris Chandler or an unproven Steve McNair at quarterback. The last game featured two fights, trash-talking and charges of dirty play.

--Say what: The Steelers are 28-2 under Coach Bill Cowher when they have a 100-yard rusher (see: Finally).

--Player to watch: Pittsburgh quarterback Mike Tomczak has won 10 of 12 games, including four this season.

--Finally: Jerome Bettis, who has rushed for more than 100 yards in five consecutive games for the Steelers--all wins--can match Franco Harris’ team mark of six in a row.

New England (3-3) at Indianapolis (5-1): The Colts continue to defy logic, while the Patriots continue to confound. Indianapolis gets back linebacker Trev Alberts but remains all beaten up. New England is still trying to figure out if it’s a contender or a dud once again.

--Say what: Thirteen of the Colts’ last 22 games have been decided by five or fewer points.

--Player to watch: New England running back Curtis Martin had his 10th 100-yard game in last week’s loss to the Redskins, but it was his first this season.

--Finally: The Patriots are averaging 31.8 points over their last four games.

THE JUNK PILE

Jacksonville (3-4) at St. Louis (1-5): Ram fans have known a lot of worsts, but this team is off to the worst start since 1987. The Jaguars are one victory shy of last year’s inaugural four victories--and who better to play than this hapless group in St. Louis.

--Say what: St. Louis wide receiver Isaac Bruce has a 33-game streak of having caught at least one pass. So what.

--Player to watch: Jaguar quarterback Mark Brunell has thrown seven touchdown passes in the last four games. The Ram defense ranks No. 25 against the pass.

--Finally: So who does Georgia Frontiere hire next year to coach her team?

New Orleans (2-5) at Carolina (4-2): The Panthers knocked off the Saints in the Superdome last month by two points, and will be trying to keep their NFC West division record perfect at 5-0.

--Say what: The Saints have scored in 200 consecutive games. A victory here or there would have been nice too.

--Player to watch: Fluke or hero? Saint running back Ray Zellars rushed for 174 yards last week.

--Finally: Carolina has won four consecutive home games and eight of the last nine.

Atlanta (0-6) at Dallas (3-3): Opponents are averaging 29 points a game against the Falcons, while the Falcons are scoring fewer than 16. The Cowboys simply have to roll their helmets on the field.

--Say what: Cowboy running back Herschel Walker needs one touchdown catch to become the fourth player with 60 touchdowns rushing and 20 receiving.

--Player to watch: Running back Emmitt Smith needs three more touchdowns rushing to tie John Riggins for fourth on the all-time list.

--Finally: Atlanta running back Craig Heyward is 36 yards short of 4,000, and will probably still be there after this game.

Tampa Bay (1-5) at Arizona (2-4): A pathetic matchup of two of the worst teams in pro football. Trent Dilfer versus Kent Graham. Might be a good day to take in a matinee.

--Say what: Graham has thrown five touchdown passes with only one interception in his three starts.

--Player to watch: Arizona rookie defensive end Simeon Rice has four sacks in the last five games. Cardinal fans want to name a highway after him.

--Finally: Arizona running back Larry Centers is on pace for an NFL-record 115 receptions. Cardinal fans want to give him the key to the city.

ON THE REBOUND

Buffalo (4-2) at New York Jets (0-7): The Jets, trying to rebound from last year’s disaster, have now lost 11 consecutive games. The Bills hit rock bottom against the Dolphins at home, and quarterback Kelly is in desperate need of some confidence. Bring on the Jets: Kelly has 4,363 yards passing and 30 touchdowns in 19 games against the Jets.

--Say what: Rich Kotite, Jets’ coach, has lost 27 of the last 30 games he has coached. And people think David Shula is in over his head.

--Player to watch: The Bills are 7-1 against the Jets when Thurman Thomas rushes for 100 or more yards.

--Finally: Frank Reich, duck. Bills’ defensive end Bruce Smith has 25 sacks against the Jets.

UPSET SHOT? NO

Baltimore (2-4) at Denver (5-1): The Ravens remain inept, but the Broncos have to be considered the surprise team of the year. The Broncos have won four consecutive games against the Browns-Ravens and are 6-1 after byes.

--Say what: Bam Morris made his debut for the Ravens last week, but was never given the ball.

--Player to watch: Denver quarterback John Elway has been complaining about a sore shoulder, but his two consecutive 300-yards-passing games were the first since 1994.

--Finally: The Broncos are 3-0 at home this season and play three of their next four in Denver. How about an AFC championship game in Mile High?