Raiders Should Just Kick Themselves for This Pick

Sebastian Janikowski, on whom the Raiders wasted a first-round pick, made only two of four field-goal attempts in Oakland’s 34-28 victory over San Francisco on Sunday, making him six of 11 this season.

Janikowski missed a potential go-ahead field goal with 4:41 remaining in regulation and watched his potential winning kick sail wide right early in overtime. Janikowski is 0 for 5 on field-goal attempts longer than 40 yards.

All-in-all, it looks like the Raiders would have been better off drafting Sebastian Cabot.

A week-by-week recap:

* WEEK 1: Janikowski misses his only attempt, a 41-yarder in 9-6 win over San Diego.

* WEEK 2: Janikowski goes one for two in 38-31 win at Indianapolis, connecting from 24 yards, missing from 50.

* WEEK 3: In a 33-24 loss to Denver, Janikowski makes a 19-yard attempt, but misses a 49-yarder. Meanwhile, Joe Nedney, cut by the Raiders to make room for Janikowski, kicks four field goals for the Broncos.

* WEEK 4: In a 36-10 win over Cleveland, Janikowski actually made both his attempts, one from 37 yards, one from 31.

* WEEK 6: After an open date, Janikowski has bad game against 49ers.

Nedney, who is now kicking for Carolina, has converted 12 of his 14 attempts this season, including four field goals for the Panthers in their 26-3 win over Seattle on Sunday.

THERE HE GOES AGAIN

The NFL referee whose flag hit Cleveland’s Orlando Brown in the eye last season threw a flag that accidentally struck a Jacksonville player in the helmet, a CBS tape shows.

The network, which broadcast the tape Sunday, showed Jeff Triplette throwing the flag, weighted with sand.

It hit Jaguar cornerback Aaron Beasley from about 15 yards away during a game against Pittsburgh a week ago.

Last year, a flag thrown by Triplette hit Brown, an offensive lineman, in the eye. Brown subsequently pushed Triplette and was suspended.

However, the suspension was lifted after Brown’s eye injury did not heal. He was released by the Browns this year after being put on the physically unable to perform list.

During the off-season, the NFL cautioned officials to be careful when throwing flags.

THAT’S JUST OUR OPINION

Confused by some of the references tossed out by Dennis Miller on “Monday Night Football?” Now there is help for you. Every Tuesday, the official Web site of the Encyclopedia Brittanica, www.brittanica.com, digs deep into its vast bins of knowledge and tries to explain as many of Miller’s references as possible in a feature they call “The Annotated Dennis Miller.”

For example, last Monday, after Seahawk running back Ricky Watters ran a reverse, crossing the width of the field twice, Miller said, “I’m shocked there’s no flag on that play--usually when they pivot and go around the Pillars of Hercules, invariably there’s a block on somebody’s back.”

Going to the Web site, you find the following:

“The reference: The physical markers of the western edge of the classical world, located at the Strait of Gibraltar--the Rock of Gibraltar to the north of the strait and Mount Hacho in Morocco to the south. The landmark derives its name from the 10th Labor of the legendary hero Hercules. The son of Zeus, doing penance for having accidentally killed his wife and children in a fit of madness, was sent by his half-brother King Eurystheus to steal the cattle of the three-headed giant Geryon on the far western island of Erytheia. Upon his arrival at the western end of the world, Hercules commemorated his journey by erecting two mountains, which became known as his Pillars.”

So, as you can see, if you don’t understand the reference, you’re not missing much. Obscure and not funny, just what you look for in a football commentator.

Nice hire, ABC.

STREAK THREATENED

Bruce Matthews’ endurance streak is endangered by a knee injury.

The offensive lineman sprained a ligament in his right knee during the second quarter of Tennessee’s 23-14 victory over Cincinnati.

He left the field and didn’t return--only the second time in his 18-year career that he’s had to watch from the sideline because of an injury.

He has never missed a game because of injury.

Matthews, 39, has started 202 consecutive games since Nov. 29, 1987, the longest active streak in the NFL. He has played in 264 games, the most ever by an offensive lineman.

He’s not sure whether he’ll be able to keep the streak going next Monday night against Jacksonville.

“I expect to, but if I don’t that’s no big deal,” he said in an upbeat tone. “I think having played as many games in a row as I have, I feel a responsibility to be out there if I’m able to go.

“By the same token, if I go out there and can’t play at full speed, that’s not fair to the team. Some insignificant streak that somebody else is going to break--it’s no big deal.”

Matthews, who has played every line position during his career, hadn’t come out of game since Sept. 28, 1997. He also sprained his knee during a 37-24 loss to Pittsburgh that day, but managed to start the next game.

“It feels better than the one I had a few years ago,” he said. “The good Lord willing, I’ll be back at it next week.

“I think I’m a little more confident this time than the first time I hurt my knee. It was a new experience for me the last time.”

THEY MISSED OUT

There were 12,467 no-shows at Chicago’s Soldier Field, where the Bears lost to the Saints, 31-10. On the bright side for all you Cade McNown fans, that’s 12,467 who missed a chance to boo McNown after another inept performance.

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--Compiled by HOUSTON MITCHELL