NOT FOR LONGLion Coach Wayne Fontes, often...

NOT FOR LONG

Lion Coach Wayne Fontes, often the subject of rumors of impending unemployment, is third among all active professional sports coaches in tenure with the same team. Minnesota Twin Manager Tom Kelly and Buffalo Bill Coach Marv Levy have been with their teams for 10 seasons. This is Fontes’ eighth season with Detroit. He is 67-67 overall.

AND HI TO THE LITTLE

BIRDS CIRCLING MY HEAD

Minnesota’s Orlando Thomas made one of the season’s most spectacular plays on a second-quarter interception. The safety plowed through Denver’s Shannon Sharpe and grabbed the ball while toppling to the ground. Sharpe remained prone for several minutes, while Thomas ran 34 yards to set up Brad Johnson’s seven-yard touchdown pass to Chris Walsh.

After the game, a still-woozy Sharpe said it was easily the hardest he ever has been hit.

MARK SPITZ TAUGHT

HIM ALL HE KNOWS

Denver’s Alfred Williams took over the NFL sack lead, dropping Minnesota quarterback Brad Johnson twice. Williams, who came in tied with Derrick Thomas with 11, never has had more than 10 sacks in a season.

“Those are defensive line sacks, not Alfred Williams sacks,” Williams said of Sunday’s performance. “I’m not going to say I overpowered a guy or put on some nice swim moves to get two sacks.”

MORE KICKERS THAN

RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL

The Kansas City Chiefs used both kickers--Louis Aguiar and Pete Stoyanovich--on an attempted on-side kick in the second half against San Diego. Aguiar faked a kick in one direction, while Stoyanovich kicked it the other way.

The attempt was unsuccessful.

MR. MARINO? ALLOW ME

TO INTRODUCE MYSELF

If Dan Marino looks frail tonight against Pittsburgh, it’s because he recently lost 605 pounds.

Keith Sims weighs 309 and Chris Gray 296. Both Miami guards will sit out the game due to injuries, leaving Marino vulnerable when he faces the defense known as Blitzburgh.

“Any time you don’t have your starters in there, it’s a concern,” he said.

They’ll be replaced by Everett McIver and rookie Jeff Buckey. When asked what he knew about them, Pittsburgh linebacker Chad Brown erupted in laughter.

“Not too much,” Brown said. “I know they’re both young players. That’s about all I know.”

McIver isn’t included in the Dolphins’ player biographies. One team official admitted he didn’t know what McIver looked like.

Further investigation identified him as a 26-year-old lineman who played at Elizabeth City State and has started four NFL games. In his first career start last season with the New York Jets, McIver taunted Buffalo defensive end Bruce Smith, who responded with three sacks and sent Boomer Esiason to the sideline because of a concussion.

“I feel very confident in myself,” McIver said.

OK, Everett, but no taunting the opponents.

I HEAR A TRAIN COMIN’

DOWN THE TRACKS

The Buffalo Bills found a new way to put fans in the seats at Rich Stadium.

The team chartered a train that ran 290 miles from Albany to Buffalo on Sunday, bringing fans across the state to the Bills’ game against the New York Jets.

980 people snapped up all the tickets for this first-ever tailgate party on rails. 1,500 put their names on a waiting list.

The team livened up the five-hour trip with trivia contests.

The first to get a question right won two tickets to a future Buffalo game. Those who missed got two tickets to a New York Jet game.

SORRY, FRANK BURNS

WILL BE YOUR DOCTOR

Indianapolis quarterback Jim Harbaugh will sit out two to three weeks because of a strained medial collateral ligament in his left knee suffered during the loss to New England. . . . The Minnesota Vikings lost leading tackler Dixon Edwards to a strained hamstring against Denver. . . . Houston quarterback Chris Chandler suffered a badly sprained ankle in the fourth quarter against Carolina. . . . Buffalo quarterback Jim Kelly left the game against the Jets after re-injuring his right hamstring. Running back Thurman Thomas bruised his lower left leg and needed help leaving the locker room after the game.