Not Every Thought Is Supposed to Count

Sometimes conventional wisdom is in need of a good head butt.

We all thought the Redskins had pulled their season together after winning five in a row ... but then they lost to the Cowboys for the ninth consecutive time. Dallas used five starting quarterbacks over that span: Troy Aikman, Jason Garrett, Randall Cunningham, Anthony Wright and Quincy Carter.

We all thought Doug Flutie still had some magic left ... but then we watched him over the past five games--all San Diego losses--when he threw eight interceptions and three touchdown passes.

We all thought this would be the last season for Dennis Miller ... but word is he’ll be back on “Monday Night Football” next fall.

We all thought Bill Walsh’s expertise was limited to quarterbacks ... but he drafted cornerbacks Ronnie Lott and Eric Wright in 1981, Tim McKyer and Don Griffin in 1986, and Ahmed Plummer and Jason Webster in 2000. All became starting tandems.

We all thought Denver would open its new stadium with a splash ... but we didn’t expect a belly-flop. The Broncos need to win their last four games to have a prayer of making the playoffs.

We all thought the tundra freezes in December ... but the temperature hovered around 60 degrees this week in Green Bay. Packer quarterback Brett Favre, who faces the Bears on Sunday, is 27-0 at Lambeau Field when the temperature dips to 34 degrees or lower.

We all thought Matt Millen was making a good career move taking the Detroit general manager job ... but the 0-11 Lions have matched the worst start by any NFL team in the last 20 years. It also matches the worst start in franchise history.

We all thought the Tampa Bay tandem of Mike Alstott and Warrick Dunn was top-notch ... but the Bucs have a horrible rushing attack. They gained 65 yards in 30 carries last week and were tackled behind the line of scrimmage 10 times.

We all thought Jake Plummer was at his best when trailing ... but this is more than we expected. The Cardinals have won their last three games with either fourth-quarter comebacks or overtime heroics.

We all thought Kordell Stewart had no control over his passes ... but he didn’t throw his first interception at Heinz Field until last week.

We all thought the turnover ratio really meant something ... but Baltimore has the same 8-4 record it had last year, even though the Ravens are minus-11 vs. last season’s plus-23.

We all thought Dick Vermeil should have stayed retired ... but, well, we were right.

*

No team is undefeated at home, but three are unbeaten on the road: St. Louis (6-0), Philadelphia (5-0) and the New York Jets (5-0). Buffalo and Carolina have yet to win at home; Jacksonville and Minnesota haven’t won on the road. And, of course, 0-11 Detroit has yet to win anywhere.

*

It’s hard to imagine Raider Coach Jon Gruden was ever really serious about taking the Notre Dame job. But the opportunity only provides him with more leverage when it comes time to strike a new deal with Al Davis.

Gruden, who has a season left on his contract, is represented by Bob LaMonte, a former high school history teacher whose clients include coaches Mike Holmgren, Andy Reid, Mike Sherman and Marty Mornhinweg. LaMonte is a no-nonsense negotiator. Once, while he was in the middle of teaching a class at San Jose’s Santa Teresa High, LaMonte got a call from Davis.

“I’m sorry,” LaMonte told the wide-eyed student messenger. “He’s going to have to call me back during my break period.”

Unlike every other Raider coach, Gruden doesn’t break out in a cold sweat when Davis growls his name. That’s one reason Gruden has been so successful.

“I’d say it’s a good relationship,” LaMonte said. “[Davis] is the owner and Jon is the coach.

“I don’t believe that they run around throwing rose petals through the office, but they do have a working relationship based far more on respect than friendship.”

*

In their last five games, the Raiders have given up 888 yards rushing at 5.7 yards a pop.

“It’s wearing on all of us,” Gruden told Oakland reporters.

“We’re not going to sit here and take Hallmark sympathy cards from anybody. We’ve got to go out there, get 11 guys in the huddle and get it going again.”

Sunday, the Raiders face Kansas City running back Priest Holmes, who averages 5.0 yards a carry and is 22 yards shy of 1,000.

In lieu of cards, send flowers.