Replacements Benefit League

After several uneventful exhibition games with replacement officials, the NFL is gaining confidence that it has the upper hand in negotiations with the regulars.

The Baltimore Ravens’ 38-9 victory over the New York Giants on Friday afternoon did not have any major officiating problems--a blown call here and there, but nothing that might not occur with regular officials in the regular season.

There were six games Thursday night without any gaffes that might have put pressure on the league to soften its negotiating stance with the regular season little more than a week away.

There are few signs of that.

In fact, it’s the opposite, even though league officials concede that things will probably get more difficult when the results count and the speed of the game picks up.

But the pressure seems to be on the locked-out members of the NFL Referees Association.

The NFL has doubled its guarantee to each of the replacement officials from two games to four at $2,000 a game--if the dispute is settled or not.

And a top NFL official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that, after talks broke off last week, the league committed itself to going deep into the season with replacements if the union doesn’t substantially reduce its contract demands--about 50% to 75% higher than the NFL’s current offer, which doubles salaries by 2003.

Tom Condon, the chief negotiator for the officials, said Friday he had been in contact with Jeff Pash, his NFL counterpart, and hoped to negotiate in person soon. League officials said the pair talked by telephone for an hour Thursday night with little progress.

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Former UCLA quarterback Tommy Maddox apparently has won a roster spot with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Coach Bill Cowher said quarterback Kent Graham would be cut or traded by Sunday to make room for Maddox, the MVP of the defunct XFL. Maddox hasn’t played in the NFL since 1995, when he was a backup for the New York Giants.

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Defensive end Tony Brackens of the Jacksonville Jaguars will miss four to six weeks because of sprained ligament in his right knee.

Brackens hurt the knee early in a 27-17 exhibition loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday when Mark Stepnoski and Flozell Adams combined to chop block him--Stepnoski hitting him high, while Adams rolled into his lower legs.

No flag was thrown on the play. Jaguar Coach Tom Coughlin said Friday he would file a report with the NFL, although he didn’t blame replacement officials for missing the call.

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Asked if the block was a cheap shot, Coughlin said, “I don’t know how to classify that.”

Brackens’ teammate, defensive tackle Gary Walker, was less diplomatic.

“They did that a couple of times to a lot of players,” Walker said. “I think they were just doing it because they were too lazy to move their feet. You’ve got players diving at people’s legs because they’re too feminine to block people in the chest.”

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Terrell Davis, battling Olandis Gary and Mike Anderson for the starting job, ran for 42 yards on eight carries and scored on a 20-yard run as the Denver Broncos beat the San Francisco 49ers, 35-7, in an exhibition game at Denver.

Davis, who has missed 24 games because of injury since his 1998 MVP season, did not return after being treated for a cut on his arm late in the second quarter. The injury was not serious, and he declined comment when asked if he should be the opening-night starter.

Anderson, last year’s NFL offensive rookie of the year, ran for 61 yards on 15 carries but fumbled at the 49er two-yard line in the second quarter. He also had a fumble that led to a touchdown two weeks ago.

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In other exhibitions games: Tyrone Wheatley had a 49-yard touchdown run in the first quarter as the Oakland Raiders beat the Green Bay Packers, 24-13, at Oakland .... Daunte Culpepper had 151 total yards in the first half, and Randy Moss and Cris Carter gave Miami’s depleted defense problems as the Minnesota Vikings won, 20-7, at Miami .... Matt Lytle was the most impressive of Carolina’s three quarterbacks, throwing a 51-yard touchdown pass to Dialleo Burks to give the Panthers a 23-20 victory over the Cleveland Browns at Charlotte, N.C.... Third-string Marc Bulger played the last three quarters after Joe Germaine struggled again, and the defense scored two second-half touchdowns on miscues by Bubby Brister as the St. Louis Rams beat the Kansas City Chiefs, 21-17, at St. Louis ....Maurice Smith rushed for 89 yards and scored two touchdowns, perhaps solidifying his role as Jamal Anderson’s top backup, and the Atlanta Falcons beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 36-7, at Atlanta

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Sedrick Irvin, the Detroit Lions’ third-year running back from Michigan State, tore a ligament in his right knee in Thursday’s 28-25 exhibition loss to the Tennessee Titans at Pontiac, Mich.

He is expected to have season-ending surgery.

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All-Pro cornerback Samari Rolle returned to the Tennessee Titans, confident he let team officials know just how much wants a long-term contract.

“I just wanted to make a statement,” Rolle said after a 50-minute workout Friday afternoon.

It was his first practice since leaving the Titans on Monday night.

Rolle arrived in time for a team meeting Friday afternoon, and the Titans welcomed him back with open arms.

Reserve quarterback Ron Powlus was among eight players who were cut by the Philadelphia Eagles on Friday.