Chiefs Go Without Grbac

By T.J. SIMERS

Nov. 7, 1997 12 AM PT

The Chiefs are one game away from their showdown with the Denver Broncos in Arrowhead Stadium, but must hang on now with Rich Gannon as their starting quarterback. Elvis Grbac, who had been the focus of Coach Marty Schottenheimer’s discovery of the forward pass, broke his collarbone against the Steelers.

The Jaguars, who had their own troubles at quarterback after early injuries to Mark Brunell and Rob Johnson, appear to have righted themselves, although they will be without tackle Tony Boselli. Jacksonville has won 10 games in a row at home but is still searching for a more consistent running game and continues to be pestered by its own inability to shut down the run.

Both teams figure to be wild-card playoff teams, although the Jaguars remain in position to win the Central Division title. The winner gains tie-breaking consideration.

The line: Jacksonville by 5.

5 THINGS TO LOOK FOR

1. The Giants to continue paying off the schedule maker. They have won five consecutive games against teams with a combined record of 14-31. The only winning team they have played is Jacksonville, which beat them, 40-13.

2. The Rams to get clobbered. Even though they are the last team to have won at Lambeau Field, they are surrendering 33.5 points a game on the road, while limiting opponents to 17.4 at home.

3. Runs and more runs. After the first 10 weeks of the season last year, there had been 61 games with a 100-yard rusher. This year there have been 77. The NFL record for 100-yard games in a season since the 1970 merger is 120 in 1985. The NFL is on pace to hit 131 this year.

4. Bryan Cox’s final seven games as a Bear. Cox, the team’s controversial linebacker, made a big mistake this week. He criticized the charity supported by Nancy McCaskey, the wife of team owner Michael McCaskey. The Bears fined Cox and Curtis Conway $10,000 each for throwing their helmets this season and then donated the money to “Bears Care,” which supports cancer research and other areas of education designed to benefit minorities.

“You’re giving money to some charity you don’t even like,” he said. “When I get fined, I want my money to go where I want my money to go. What is Bear Care? It don’t go to no minorities. When I get fined, I want my money to go to a minority organization, period.”

5. The streak to live on. The Lions lost all 18 games they ever played in Washington, and although they play the Redskins again, it will be in the team’s new stadium--in Maryland.

Overall, including games played in Detroit or environs, the Lions have lost 17 consecutive times to the Redskins.

ON TV

* New York Jets (6-3) at Miami (5-4), 10 a.m., Channel 4: The Glenn Foley era begins, and while it might not last much longer than a game, who is going to stop these Jets from being the story of the year? Dan Marino has been resting a sore ankle, and Jimmy Johnson has been looking for an excuse to play Craig Erickson.

The line: Miami by 3

* Carolina (5-4) at Denver (8-1), 1 p.m., Channel 11: This has the look of a mismatch, but then the Panthers are playing their best and the Broncos have stumbled recently.

The line: Denver by 7

* New England (5-4) at Buffalo (5-4), 1 p.m., Channel 4: The Patriots have collapsed since a 4-0 start and the Bills have defied the experts by hanging in there, despite an inability to score touchdowns.

The line: New England by 3

* Baltimore (4-5) at Pittsburgh (6-3), 5 p.m., ESPN: How did Baltimore ever win four games? The Steelers should be all fired up after losing to the Chiefs and should be able to run over the Ravens with running back Jerome Bettis.

The line: Pittsburgh by 6 1/2

SUNDAY’S OTHER GAMES

* St. Louis at Green Bay, 10 a.m.

The line: Green Bay by 14 1/2

* Arizona at Dallas, 10 a.m.

The line: Dallas by 9

* Chicago at Minnesota, 10 a.m.

The line: Minnesota by 9

* Detroit at Washington, 10 a.m.

The line: Washington by 3 1/2

* Cincinnati at Indianapolis, 10 a.m.

The line: Cincinnati by 3