WEST / Rice Is Easy to Prepare

San Francisco Coach Steve Mariucci made it clear that if Jerry Rice plays Monday night against the Broncos, he will not start. But he didn’t make it clear enough for Denver Coach Mike Shanahan. “He’ll start,” said Shanahan, offensive coordinator with the 49ers from 1992-94. “He’s been practicing the last two weeks. Any time a guy practices for two weeks, going through the normal practice, he’ll be ready to go. I’ve just been around Jerry too long. I know how he reacts. He can’t practice full speed for two weeks and not be ready to play.” . . . If John Elway gets hurt, look for Bubby Brister to replace him, now that he has moved ahead of Jeff Lewis on the Broncos’ depth chart. Denver has made the change because of Brister’s experience, which includes 89 NFL starts, two of them playoff games. Otto Graham was unavailable. . . . The Chiefs do not have a Barry Sanders-like starting running back, do not have a Joe Montana-like quarterback and haven’t been able to find a big-time player to start opposite Andre Rison, but in the last two weeks they have outscored the 49ers and Raiders, 74-9. . . . Raider Coach Joe Bugel said he has talked with wide receiver Tim Brown, now called “Coach Brown” by teammates, about Brown’s pronouncement that he was going to start calling plays, and Bugel didn’t seem concerned. “I wished him good luck calling the plays this week,” Bugel said. . . . Warren Moon threw for 409 yards and five touchdowns in a victory over the Raiders earlier this season, but he has sore ribs, meaning that Jon Kitna, most valuable player in the World League last spring, will make his first NFL start for Seattle.

Think about it: The last three AFC teams that have had the home-field advantage through the playoffs--Pittsburgh in 1994, Kansas City in 1995, Denver in 1996--were upset at home. From this the Broncos take encouragement, having surrendered the Mile High edge to the Chiefs, who will have the AFC championship game in Arrowhead Stadium if they win the rest of their games.

CENTRAL / He’s Stark Raven Mad

Vinny Testaverde is benched. So what took the Ravens so long? A year ago, he enjoyed his best season--and the team won four games. This year both he and the team have floundered and now Eric Zeier is in command and Testaverde isn’t happy. “Sometimes I think there are outside influences,” he said, suggesting that media reports led to the team’s decision. He must not be paying attention during videotape replays of his performance each week. . . . Yancy Thigpen, released by the Chargers, was sitting at home in 1992 when the Steelers offered a workout. He impressed them, hung around all year, caught one pass for two yards and now, five years later, leads the AFC with 1,269 yards receiving. “I wouldn’t trade him for anybody,” said Dave Culley, who coaches the Steelers’ wide receivers. Not even Jerry Rice? “He’s hurt,” Culley said.

Think about it: Dan Wilkinson apparently has no concept of proper timing. Wilkinson, unhappy that difficulties with his ex-girlfriend became public, lashed out at the city of Cincinnati, saying, “I hate Cincinnati. . . . I’ve always hated the city of Cincinnati. The people seem to be prejudiced and uptight and stiff.” Wilkinson and the Bengals play their final two games of the season at home.

EAST / Turning Over a New QB?

The Colts apparently will have their pick of Peyton Manning or Ryan Leaf, assuming that Leaf decides to leave college early, and that’s not great news for Jim Harbaugh in Indianapolis. Harbaugh is the team’s highest-paid player. “I feel like there is a very good possibility I won’t be here,” he said. If only he could read defenses that well. . . . The Patriots, 4-0 to start the season, are on a roll again, but they could be without wide receiver Terry Glenn, who has a pulled hamstring, and running back Curtis Martin, who has a shoulder injury. . . . What do the Jets do with Neil O’Donnell next season, now that Bill Parcells has made it obvious he prefers Glenn Foley at quarterback? O’Donnell will cost $6 million against the salary cap next year, $5.2 million if they release him before June 1. If they cut him after June 1, he costs $2.4 million in ‘98, $2.8 million in ’99.

Think about it: Parcells stood in the spotlight for much of the season for improving the Jets, but Jimmy Johnson has a better chance to return to the Super Bowl, and that’s what Johnson told his team last July. “Do you realize how truly easy it is to get to the Super Bowl?” Johnson asked his players. “All you have to do is win your division and get a first-round bye. Two games and you’re there.” The Dolphins are almost there.