Here’s One Hall of Fame Vote for Bubby

A review of Week 3 in the NFL, and although folks in Indianapolis, San Diego and Detroit were excited to strike it rich in the draft after grabbing the top three quarterbacks--

Peyton Manning, Ryan Leaf and Charlie Batch--the fans in Denver knew better.

They had Bubby.

Canton Push

Now that it looks as if John Elway might limp his way through his farewell season with a pulled hamstring, Bubby Brister can wage his campaign for Hall of Fame consideration. Brister, out of football two years ago after stints with Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and the Jets, went one for one a week ago in relief of Elway and 10 for 17 for 140 yards against the Raiders with an interception and two touchdowns.

“I’m going to play until I’m 50,” said Brister, 36. That would make him eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2017--about the time L.A. gets a football team.

As for those Johnnies-come-lately, Manning, Leaf and Batch were a combined 41 for 99 Sunday, for 357 yards, no touchdowns, six interceptions, eight sacks and four fumbles--each of their teams losing and scoring no more than seven points.

Eighth Wonder of World

In three games, Tampa Bay quarterback Trent Dilfer has not thrown an interception.

There’s Always One Idiot

You know how it is, it’s one or two crazies and everyone gets blamed, but if it’s 50,000? Of course, you know who Denver defender Neil Smith is talking about when he says, “Those were the lowest-class people I have ever seen in my life.”

Raider fans. The Broncos complained that they were being pelted with obscenities and well-aimed objects--Jeff George obviously wasn’t throwing them--among them golf balls, while playing in Oakland.

That won’t happen in L.A. next year.

Piece of Cake

The Vikings were pretty proud of themselves after holding Barry Sanders to 12 yards in 13 carries in the second half. Come on, the Lions limited Sanders to no gain in the final 11 plays of the first half--by having Batch, their rookie quarterback, throw the ball instead.

Congrats

* Jet running back Curtis Martin, shut down the first two weeks, fumbled two of the first three times he touched the ball against the Colts but picked himself up to run for 144 yards. “It’s either overcome or be overcome and I made up my mind that we weren’t going to be overcome,” Martin said.

It’s also wise not to tick off Coach Bill Parcells.

“If you go into a bye week on an 0-3 start, it’s five times more miserable with Parcells,” Martin said. “You would rather be anywhere else in the world.”

* Jacksonville rookie running back Fred Taylor told teammate Jimmy Smith he didn’t expect to play against the Ravens, but this was no Billy Joe Hobert failing to prepare himself. After James Stewart suffered a knee injury, Taylor exploded on the scene with 128 yards rushing, 85 yards in receptions and a touchdown.

* St. Louis quarterback Tony Banks, stopped at the one-yard line on the final play a week ago in a loss to Minnesota, showed no hesitation in scrambling again with 11 seconds to play to score the winning touchdown against Buffalo.

This keeps up and Georgia Frontiere will be back on the sideline hugging the players. You don’t think that’s why the Rams keep losing . . . nah.

Broadway Vinny

OK, so it doesn’t quite have that Broadway Joe ring to it, but Vinny Testaverde grew up on Long Island idolizing Joe Namath, decorating his room with posters of the Jets’ famous quarterback, and suddenly Sunday he’s starting for the Jets, throwing four touchdown passes and guaranteeing a Super Bowl victory.

OK, so maybe he didn’t say anything about the Super Bowl. And as impressive as Testaverde was, Parcells didn’t wait for him to get his uniform off before saying that if Glenn Foley is ready to play again after the open date, he’s the starter again.

It’s a nice story anyway. One newspaper called Testaverde’s dad, who had a heart attack in Tampa Stadium in 1988 watching his kid. Doctors have told him to no longer watch his son, but Al Testaverde couldn’t contain himself, his wife said, and watched anyway against the Colts. She reported that she could hear him screaming all through the house in Long Island.

Don’t worry, he’s fine. Watching Vinny play just makes people scream.

Bible Update III

This week’s verse: It is better to give than receive, and since Philadelphia offensive coordinator Dana Bible has no one on his team who can catch, give it up. The Eagles, after three regular-season and four exhibition games, have scored two touchdowns.

Stats to Ponder

The teams Ricky Watters has played for have gone 21-2 when he tops the 100-yard mark. Both San Francisco and Philadelphia let him go and Seattle has him now and is 3-0 for the first time in franchise history. . . . The Steelers passed on hometown hero Dan Marino in 1983 to take defensive tackle Gabe Rivera, who was injured and lost to the team in an auto accident his first season. Marino, meanwhile, beat the Steelers for the seventh time in 11 meetings Sunday. . . . Leaf began his day against the Chiefs by completing a pass. He misfired on his next 14, finishing one for 15.

And Finally

Manning’s lost weekend: Tennessee, unable to beat Florida with Manning, beat the Gators on Saturday without Manning. The Colts, having beaten the Jets in eight of their last nine meetings in Giants Stadium without Manning, lost with Manning.