AROUND THE AFC

CENTRAL / Finally, Ravens Deliver The Baltimore Ravens had 29 sacks in 16 games last year, so this year Pizza Hut combined with the team for a promotion, Pizza Hut deducting $1 off the price of a pizza for each sack every game. Last week the Ravens sacked Eagle quarterback Bobby Hoying nine times, which meant the 52 Pizza Huts in the Baltimore area sold large pizzas for $1.69. The stores were mobbed and ran out of boxes. And this weekend the Arizona Cardinals come to town. They have given up 17 sacks over the last two weeks. . . . The Bengals have lost it, turning the ball over to 36-year-old Boomer Esiason and benching Jeff Blake, their only hope for future success.

Sidelights: Baltimore wide receiver Derrick Alexander was benched for reporting late to two meetings. While explaining this to reporters, teammate Michael Jackson stepped in and stopped the interview. “Stop asking questions about that,” he said. “That’s over. Stop writing that down.”

Surprise: On the same day, the Oilers cut two of their bigger-named players, Ronnie Harmon and Mel Gray. “It has nothing to do with a youth movement,” Coach Jeff Fisher said. “It has to do with getting better this year.”

EAST / Bills Need a Hot Toddy Locker room observers noted that Buffalo quarterback Todd Collins was near tears after playing so poorly against the Dolphins in a 30-13 Monday night defeat. During the game, TV cameras caught defensive end Bruce Smith berating Collins for his shaky play. Collins was later consoled by former quarterback Jim Kelly. “I told him to take [the tough night] for what it’s worth,” Kelly said. “I talked to him about some other things, but that was between Todd and me.” Collins did not punch Kelly in the face. . . . After the Colts beat the Packers, quarterback Jim Harbaugh said of starter Paul Justin, “My feeling on the sideline was Paul played the perfect game.” . . . The Dolphins will have to wait until next year for wide receiver Yatil Green to come back from knee surgery, but they have been getting major contributions from rookies on defense, linebacker Derrick Rodgers, end Jason Taylor and cornerback Sam Madison. Said Coach Jimmy Johnson, “As outstanding as the draft was last year, and they [the Class of 1996] probably don’t like hearing this, I don’t think they can compare to this [1997] draft. There are some special players.”

Sidelights: Indianapolis’ offense rolled up 467 yards against the vaunted Packer defense, its biggest offensive output in 149 games.

Surprise: For the first time since his rookie season in 1994, Marshall Faulk has put together consecutive 100-yard games. He has averaged 6.5 yards a carry the last two games, after averaging 3.2 yards in the first nine.

WEST / Touched by a Surgeon Denver guard Mark Schlereth was scheduled to undergo surgery on a herniated disk in his back--his 20th operation since December 1983. Schlereth injured his back against Kansas City but continued playing, even though he was unable to feel his left foot. He has had 11 surgeries on his left knee, five on his right knee, one on his right elbow, one on his left elbow. one for kidney stones and now his back. “Am I happy about this?” Schlereth said. “No. Am I upset? Yeah. This definitely stinks. But on the bright side, my knees haven’t felt better in six years, so what are you going to do?” . . . Raider running back Harvey Williams, who scored four touchdowns against the Chargers, said what many people around the league have been whispering for some time. Charger linebacker Junior Seau “is a good player, but he ain’t all that,” Williams said. “Nip [Kaufman] had one run for about 10 yards, Junior tackled him and jumped up like he had sacked the quarterback three times in a row. We got 10 yards. Why is he jumping up and down and doing this little Indian dance? It kills me.”

Sidelights: Chief center Tim Grunhard went on his radio show and said Coach Marty Schottenheimer had told the team he hated the Broncos and would pay any fines incurred for hitting the Broncos in the mouth. Schottenheimer denied saying that, but former Chief Neil Smith, who plays for the Broncos now, doubts that. “Marty speaks out loud and sometimes he gets carried away and gets caught up in the emotion,” Smith said. “He probably said it. I’m sure he said it.”

Surprise: The Broncos are tied for the NFL lead in yards per game, but they have scored only five touchdowns in the last four games.