GAME OF THE WEEK
GAME OF THE WEEK
San Francisco (3-1) at St. Louis (3-0): It’s a bull check. The 49ers have pushed the Rams around since 1990--winning 17 times in a row. They have won with Jim Druckenmiller at quarterback, with Elvis Grbac and will get the chance to do so now with Jeff Garcia. The Rams counter with Kurt Warner, football’s version of Roy Hobbs. No line.
Denver (0-4) over Oakland (2-2). Denver Coach Mike Shanahan is 7-1 against his former boss, Al Davis, and will unleash Bubby Brister, as the Broncos begin the greatest comeback in NFL history. Yeah, Brister handing off to Derek Loville, that has a Super Bowl ring to it. Record: 0-4. Line: Oakland by 7.
Baltimore running back Errict Rhett. Digging deep here to single someone out playing for the Ravens, but Tennessee is so bad defending against the run, and if you’re Baltimore, do you want Stoney Case throwing the ball? Record: 2-2. Cincinnati’s Corey Dillon got stuffed. What’s this world coming to when you can’t pick someone playing the Rams at the time?
Miami’s defense. The Dolphins looked good against Denver’s Brian Griese, Arizona’s Jake Plummer and lost to Doug Flutie. Now they get a major league test against the NFL’s No. 1 passing attack in Peyton Manning & Co. Record: 3-1. The Jets’ defense looks good because Terrell Davis gets hurt.
THIS WEEK’S TREND
Look for a lot of receiving yards. Through the first four weeks of the season, there have been 43 100-yard receiving games, tying 1989 for the highest total for a season’s first four weeks. But don’t look for a 100-yard receiving game from Cleveland. The Browns will be happy just to get 100 total yards.
NO DOUBT ABOUT IT
The game between Cincinnati, with Akili Smith at quarterback, and Cleveland, with Tim Couch, will be decided by seven points or fewer. Why? The last three games that featured a matchup of rookie quarterbacks drafted in the first round were that close: 1971--New England (Jim Plunkett) 28, Houston (Dan Pastorini) 21; 1993--Seattle (Rick Mirer) 17, New England (Drew Bledsoe) 14; 1998--Indianapolis (Peyton Manning) 17, San Diego (Ryan Leaf) 12.
AND FINALLY
Donovan McNabb, the second quarterback taken in the draft (between Couch and Smith), has dropped back to pass 29 times for the Eagles. He’s been sacked 11 of those times.
ON TV
* New England at Kansas City, 10 a.m., Ch. 2
Biggest winning margin this year by Patriots was 12 points last week against Cleveland.
Line: Kansas City by 2 1/2.
* San Francisco at St. Louis, 10 a.m., Ch. 11
Is this the week Kurt Warner finally comes back to earth?
Line: No line.
* Denver at Oakland, 1:15 p.m., Ch. 2
Broncos need to borrow Raiders’ motto and just win, baby.
Line: Oakland by 7.
* Tampa Bay at Green Bay, 5:15 p.m., ESPN
Favre was able to rest over bye week, so look out Tampa Bay.
Line: Green Bay by 6.
* Jacksonville at N.Y. Jets, Monday, 6 p.m., Ch. 7
Jaguars are undefeated on Monday Night Football. Of course, the new Browns are too.
Line: Jacksonville by 3.
THE REST
* Pittsburgh at Buffalo, 10 a.m.
Line: Buffalo by 6.
* Cincinnati at Cleveland, 10 a.m.
Line: Cincinnati by 3.
* San Diego at Detroit, 10 a.m.
Line: Detroit by 3 1/2.
* Chicago at Minnesota, 10 a.m.
Line: Minnesota by 12 1/2.
* Atlanta at New Orleans, 10 a.m.
Line: New Orleans by 4.
* Dallas at Philadelphia, 10 a.m.
Line: Dallas by 9 1/2.
* New York Giants at Arizona, 1 p.m.
Line: Arizona by 3.
* Miami at Indianapolis, 1:15 p.m.
Line: Miami by 1 1/2.
* Baltimore at Tennessee, 1:15 p.m.
Line: Tennessee by 7.
TV game comments from Times staff
