Gibbs to Coach Falcons, Report Says

Former Washington Redskin coach Joe Gibbs will take over as general manager and coach of the Atlanta Falcons next season, according to WJLA-TV in Washington.

The station said the Falcons will name him their head coach after the season. Gibbs would replace June Jones, whose team is 3-12. Atlanta has no general manager.

Gibbs, who led the Redskins to three Super Bowls in 12 years as coach, retired after the 1992 season.

Billy Joe Hobert will start at quarterback when the Oakland Raiders play their season finale against the Seattle Seahawks. Hobert will replace Jeff Hostetler, who is still feeling the effects of a concussion suffered in the Raiders’ 24-19 loss to Denver last weekend. . . . The San Diego Chargers’ starting defensive linemen, Chris Mims and Reuben Davis, underwent arthroscopic knee surgery and will sit out Sunday night’s home season finale against the Denver Broncos.

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The New England Patriots have home-field advantage in their first playoff game. Now they need a home field. Workmen began installing the team’s third new surface of the season at Foxboro Stadium, where the Patriots may have to play in nine days. Truckloads of turf were brought up from a Delaware sod farm.

The Patriots get a first-round playoff bye if they beat the New York Giants on Saturday or Pittsburgh loses to Carolina on Sunday. If they are a wild-card team they will play at home Dec. 28 or 29.