Bears, Ravens Get Coordinated

Chicago Bear Coach Dick Jauron has hired Indianapolis defensive line coach Greg Blache as his defensive coordinator and Louisiana Tech Coach Gary Crowton as his offensive coordinator.

Blache, who has been in Indianapolis the past five seasons, and Jauron worked together as assistants in Green Bay under Mike Holmgren.

The Baltimore Ravens hired Matt Cavanaugh as their offensive coordinator, a role that was shared by the team’s offensive coaches this season.

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The natural playing surface at San Francisco’s 3Com Park, home of the 49ers, is bad and getting worse, according to a survey released Thursday by the NFL Players Assn. It was the lowest-ranked grass field, slipping to fifth worst overall. The best field was in Tampa Bay’s new Raymond James Stadium. The worst was in Philadelphia’s Veterans Stadium, despite a new carpet that was installed two years ago at a cost of $2 million. The field ranked last all three years the survey has been conducted.

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The NFL’s salary cap is expected to go up about $5 million next season to $57.5 million per team. . . . The Oakland Raiders sued the NFL in the California Court of Appeal, claiming that the club owns a trademark design, and the league should not have approved the skull and crossed swords trademark for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or the black and silver shield of the Carolina Panthers.