QUICK SNAPS

No doubting Thomas

Cleveland tackle Joe Thomas, the third player selected in last spring’s draft, was named the NFL’s rookie of the month for November.

That’s a rare honor for an offensive lineman, but it’s hard to ignore how well Thomas is playing.

Not only did Jamal Lewis have a terrific month running the ball, much of the time to Thomas’ side, but Browns quarterback Derek Anderson has been sacked only 11 times in 12 games. Thomas, a former Wisconsin star, protects his blind side.

“Different guys rush off that edge, and he’s been able to adapt to everybody -- the power rush guys, the speed guys -- and has been able to hold his own,” Browns Coach Romeo Crennel told reporters of Thomas.

“Generally it takes three years for a rookie to become a really good player,” Crennel said. “He’s still got a lot to learn, but he’s a willing worker. He has a chance to be a good left tackle in this league for a long time.”

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American idol

Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre was named Sports Illustrated’s Sportsman of the Year.

It was his second-most impressive award of the week.

On Thursday, Favre received the Make-A-Wish Foundation’s Celebrity Award for entertainers who go above and beyond to grant the wishes of kids with life-threatening illnesses.

Of the 90 wishes the Packers have granted over the years, more than two-thirds were granted by Favre.

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Mercury falling

Buffalo quarterback Trent Edwards, who attended Stanford and was raised in nearby Los Gatos, has never played in bitter-cold weather.

In fact, his coldest game was last Sunday at Washington, when the temperature at kickoff was 40 degrees. The forecast in Buffalo today is 30 degrees with snow.

“I’m hoping I can adjust when the time comes,” Edwards told the Buffalo News. “It’s not something you have to get overly concerned with and stressed out about.

“There wasn’t any particular problem with the weather in Washington, so if it’s not anything too worse than the Washington weather I’m hoping then we’ll be OK.”

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Give them a hand

Don’t expect the football to touch the turf much when San Diego plays at Tennessee today. According to Stats LLC, the Chargers are tied with Houston for the fewest dropped passes this season with 10.

The Titans and Green Bay are tied for fifth on that list with 14.

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Father Time

Vinny Testaverde, Carolina’s 44-year-old quarterback, said last week he’s considering coming back to play next season, assuming he makes a roster.

If he did return in 2008 and start a game at some point, he would become the oldest quarterback to do so in the NFL, surpassing Steve DeBerg, who played at 44 years 279 days in 1998.

“I’d have to look at that,” said Testaverde, who will start today at Jacksonville. “It depends on when and for how long, that kind of thing. But I’m always open to entertain those kind of thoughts.”

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On the run

Oakland’s Justin Fargas had his second consecutive 100-yard rushing game last Sunday, pushing his season total to four.

A lot of people expected LaMont Jordan and Dominic Rhodes to overshadow Fargas this season, but the former USC player has broken away from the pack.

Fargas doesn’t mind having to prove himself.

“I didn’t expect anything to be handed to me,” he told the San Francisco Chronicle. “Since I’ve been here, they’ve brought in guys every year. I just looked at it as another challenge. Coach [Lane] Kiffin told me it would be open competition. It might not have seemed that way on paper, but if it’s open competition, I’m all for it.”

-- Sam Farmer