Vikings’ George Is a Legend in His Own Mind

Times NFL writer T.J. Simers poses--and answers--the burning questions for this week’s games:

1. Question: What quarterback has lost his mind?

Answer: According to a recent report in the San Jose Mercury News, Minnesota quarterback Jeff George.

“In my mind, I’m one of the top five quarterbacks in the league,” George said. “I’m not ashamed to tell anybody that.”

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2. Q: He’s kidding, isn’t he?

A: “I’m just able to do a lot of things that a lot of other quarterbacks aren’t able to do,” said George, who is so good, he’s sitting on the bench in Minnesota. “I’d say with the exception of [Brett] Favre and now that [John] Elway retired, those two are the only quarterbacks that can do the things that I can do.”

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3. Q: How much hype will there be surrounding the Randy Moss-Charles Woodson matchup today in Minnesota’s game with Oakland?

A: A ton, because Moss needs stimulation to get himself all fired up. Last year he was spurred on by doubts about his character. This year, after a sluggish start in Atlanta, it’s Raider cornerback Woodson.

“He won the Heisman; I should have won the Heisman,” Moss said. “People wanted to see me and him [facing each other] coming out of college, and now you get your chance.”

Of course, Woodson will line up on one side of the field and Eric Allen on the other. Moss will flip-flop, and for much of the game be matched against Allen.

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4. Q: Does Moss seriously think he should have gotten the Heisman over Woodson?

A: “Right now,” said Moss, by all accounts with a smile, “I’m trying to forget about anything Heisman and work on the MVP.”

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5. Q: If someone had told you the Barry Sanders-less Lions would not have a pass caught by either Herman Moore or Johnnie Morton in their first game, how many points do you think they would have lost by?

A: They won. They beat Seattle. Moore left because of a knee injury, and his 107-game streak with a catch ended, as did Morton’s 50-game streak. Incredible.

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6. Q: What was the significance of Philadelphia’s scoring 24 points last week?

A: As a rule, Philadelphia’s hockey team scores more than its football team. The last time the Eagles scored that many points was in the season finale against Washington in 1997.