No-Brainer: Flutie Named Starter

It’s official, Doug Flutie is now the Buffalo Bills’ starting quarterback. “I know the question; the answer is Doug Flutie,” Buffalo Coach Wade Phillips said. “To me, it’s an easy decision.”

Phillips said Rob Johnson is now No. 2.

Johnson protested--”I’m not a backup,” he said--but understood, saying, “Doug has his own cereal. He’s on the cover of Sports Illustrated.”

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A federal jury in Baltimore has ruled that the Ravens’ logo was copied from a design submitted by amateur artist Frederick Bouchat, a former security guard who filed a $10-million suit. A separate jury will determine Bouchat’s compensation. Lawyers for the Ravens and the NFL plan to appeal the verdict. . . . The Pittsburgh Steelers’ nearly 20,000 season ticket holders must pay to retain prime seat locations in the team’s planned new $233-million stadium. The most expensive license, for field level seats between the 10-yard lines, will cost $2,160, plus a $52 per-game ticket charge. Upper-level seat licenses will cost $200, $400 or $800. Lower-level end-zone seats will go for $500.

New England Patriot cornerback Chris Canty was arrested in North Attleboro, Mass., on charges of driving with an open container of beer in his car and driving with a suspended license. . . . Oakland Raider quarterback Jeff George practiced for the first time since suffering a groin injury exactly one month ago, but his status remains uncertain. . . . The Raiders put special teams leader John Henry Mills on the injured reserve list because of hamstring and back problems and signed offensive tackle Bruce Wilkerson, who spent the last two seasons in Green Bay.

The New Orleans Saints put quarterback Heath Shuler on injured reserve. Shuler hasn’t played since his left foot was injured Nov. 16 of last year against the Seattle Seahawks. . . . With Rodney Peete sidelined for up to a month with a cut index finger, the Philadelphia Eagles signed Chuck Clements as their No. 3 quarterback. Clements was a sixth-round pick by the New York Jets out of Houston in 1997. Bobby Hoying is now the starter, Koy Detmer the backup. . . . The status of Chicago Bear quarterback Erik Kramer for Sunday’s home game against the St. Louis Rams remains uncertain. Kramer has a strained rotator cuff and some tendinitis in his right shoulder. . . . . New York Giant defensive end Michael Strahan said the bulging disk in his lower back “feels good,” but he did not say for sure he would play Sunday at Dallas. . . . Coming off a loss in which quarterback Steve Young was sacked nine times, the San Francisco 49ers made backup center Steve Gordon a starter, switched Derrick Deese from right tackle to left and returned Kirk Scrafford to his old job at right tackle, one week after he came out of retirement. Benched was left tackle Jamie Brown. Gordan replaced Chris Dalman, who suffered a knee injury.