Bears May Have Founda No. 1 Guy in Thomas

Two games do not a career make, but the Chicago Bears are quickly finding out that the future of their success might be found in the legs of their latest rookie running back.

One week after setting a Bear rookie record in his starting debut with 188 yards rushing, Anthony Thomas put together another impressive performance, although his 127-yard effort Sunday was lost in the overall excitement of a 37-31 overtime victory against San Francisco.

Still, Thomas may finally be the answer in the backfield for fans who grew up spoiled on Walter Payton, but have been disappointed with subsequent imitators such as first-round picks Rashaan Salaam and Curtis Enis.

Thomas, on the other hand, doesn’t even boast first-round credentials. The second-round pick from Michigan may have been a victim of oversight in that regard.

“He’s a great back,” Bear receiver and former Michigan teammate David Terrell said. “The Bears got a steal. He should have been one of the first backs taken.”

That’s exactly when the Bears have had trouble--with first-round picks at running back.

Salaam and Enis, both of whom had been looked on as franchise-types, didn’t exactly work out.

Salaam, picked No. 21 out of Colorado in 1995, spent three seasons in Chicago and gained 1,682 yards. Enis, picked No. 5 out of Penn State in 1998, also was a Bear for three seasons and gained 1,497 yards. Salaam was last seen in the XFL and Enis is out of football.

Neal Anderson was the Bears’ previous running back picked in the first round in 1986. Although his 6,166 career yards rank second all-time for Chicago behind Payton (16,726), it didn’t exactly translate into titles. Then again, neither did Payton, except for the defense-oriented 1986 Super Bowl champions.

Thomas isn’t about to get caught up in comparisons with Payton or Gale Sayers, for that matter.

“I can’t put my name in the same sentence with those guys right now,” he said. “They’re legends here; I haven’t done anything. I just want to go in and earn my keep. I can’t live up to what those guys did. I’m trying to live up to what I can do myself.”

Michigan Roots

Speaking of Michigan guys, Tom Brady knows better than to underestimate Brian Griese.

Brady was a sophomore at Michigan when a determined Griese beat him out for the backup quarterback job that ultimately led to a starting--and starring--role on the 1997 national championship team.

Four years after helping the Wolverines go undefeated, Griese is the quarterback for the Denver Broncos. Brady is a backup turned started for the New England Patriots, who went to Denver and lost, 31-20, on Sunday.

Griese had been a convenient target for critics during Denver’s 3-3 start before Sunday, during which the quarterback threw eight interceptions.

Don’t count Brady among those discounting Griese.

“Brian is a fighter, and any time the situation gets tough Brian is a guy who wants to fight his way out of it,” he said. “I have never known him to give up or give in to anyone in his life. I’m sure with Brian leading that team, they will be ready to play. If there is one guy you want in a tough situation, it’s him.”

Griese has been just as impressed with Brady.

“I think that he’s been playing smarter football than Drew was,” Griese said before Brady’s four-interception performance Sunday. “That’s why they’re winning. I was surprised to see they won three out of four games with him in there, but now that I’ve seen them on film it hasn’t surprised me as much.”

Eric the Redskin

Eric Metcalf had been one of the most intriguing players with the Raiders during training camp this season.

But Oakland made Metcalf, 33, one of its final cuts after the veteran had sat out the 2000 season.

At the time, Metcalf expected his release and questioned whether he would continue his comeback.

“That’s what I don’t know,” he said. “The only reason I really wanted to sign here was because I felt like it was the right situation, an opportunity to come in here and make some plays as well as being on a team that could possibly go to the Super Bowl.”

Metcalf changed his tune this week when the hapless Washington Redskins signed him.

But his impact was immediate, scoring on an 89-yard punt return to set an NFL record for touchdowns on kick or punt returns at 12, one ahead of the Philadelphia Eagles’ Brian Mitchell.

Sack Master

Michael Strahan continued his pass rushing dominance in the New York Giants’ loss to the Redskins. His two sacks gave him an NFL record 12 over a five-game span. Just don’t ask Strahan to explain why he’s so successful.

“You know, I always thought I could be a coach, but to be honest with you, sometimes I don’t know what I would tell the kids. How could I tell them anything, when I don’t even know how I do it?” he told Newsday recently. “There’s no way to explain it as far as any definite moves. I don’t know. I guess it just happens. I guess some people are born with that. I guess it’s just instinct. Either that, or else it’s growing up with five brothers and sisters at home getting beat up all the time.”

Seeds of Coaching

Andy Reid and Jon Gruden coached together under Mike Holmgren in Green Bay, but Sunday the two upstarts met as Gruden’s Oakland Raiders handled Reid’s Philadelphia Eagles, 20-10.

Reid and Gruden were two of the youngest coaches on Holmgren’s staff, so they easily formed a friendship and are now making an impact in their own ways after paying their dues together.

“I don’t think either one of us was trying to impress anybody,” Reid said. “We’d both come in early and we’d both leave late, but we basically wanted to spend the time alone studying the other opponent.”

Compiled by Jim Barrero

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