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Sunday, September 24, 2000

There's another bust in the making among running backs, but this one won't end up in Canton.

Curtis Enis follows a long line of Penn State running backs who were drafted in the first round and went belly-up.

The Chicago Bears have virtually given up on Enis, the fifth overall pick in the 1998 draft. They moved him to fullback the past week.

Enis has a lot of company with former Nittany Lions. Ki-Jana Carter, the draft's first overall pick of the Bengals in 1995, is out of football. He never rushed for more than 464 yards in one season. Blair Thomas, the draft's second overall pick in 1990 by the Jets, played for four teams in six seasons. He ran for 2,236 yards.

Then there was D.J. Dozier, the draft's 14th overall pick in 1987 by Minnesota. He ran for 691 yards in five seasons.

In a role basically created for him, Enis will block for former practice squader James Allen.

"Allen is quicker," Coach Dick Jauron said.

Making headlines

It may be an election year, but inside the beltway, the Redskins are stealing the spotlight from Gore and Bush.

And not because they're landslide winners.

Wednesday's edition of the Washington Post included a story on the top of the front page covering four of the newspaper's six columns on Brad Johnson remaining the starter a quarterback.

The Post also includes a NasDan Index about how boy owner Dan Snyder's $100 million investment in the Redskins is doing.

Listen to Sonny

Fox sportscaster Terry Bradshaw thinks a former Redskins quarterback-turned-broadcaster has too much input into things.

"Sonny Jurgensen gained Snyder's ear and told him how great Jeff George was and then Snyder ran out and signed him," Bradshaw said. "Why? I don't know. Sonny played 18 years and only made four playoff appearances.

"Both Jurgensen and George have one thing in common -- they've never won anything."

Unhappy Packer

Packers wide receiver Antonio Freeman is not happy with teammate Bill Schroeder.

Schroeder has started the first three games at the other wideout spot and has caught just six passes, including only one last week against the Eagles.

With Schroeder struggling, opposing defenses are focusing even more on Freeman, who has just 13 catches for 174 yards.

Freeman has made it clear that he can't wait until receiver Corey Bradford returns from a broken leg he sustained in August.

"Corey is one of the most underrated components of this offense," Freeman said. "He's going to run by whoever you put out there."

Quick hits

The Detroit Lions signed RB James Stewart to a five-year, $25-million deal as a free agent. After three games, Stewart has 156 yards on 54 carries. ... The St. Louis Rams have yielded 94 points in three games. It took them nearly 71/2 games to give up as many last season. ... Tit for tat: Green Bay will play a 1 p.m. game today in Arizona, where the forecast is calling for 100 degrees or so. Last season, the NFL scheduled the Cardinals in Green Bay on Jan. 2. ... As of mid-week, there were still 18,200 good seats available in the Georgia Dome for today's game between the defending Super Bowl champion Cardinals and the 1998 NFC champion Falcons. The game is for first place in the NFC West. Go Braves.