Home >  Sports >  Notebooks

Sunday, October 01, 2000

Next neck on the chopping block: Arizona's Vince Tobin. After Bruce Coslet resigned before Mike Brown could fire him in Cincinnati, Tobin is likely to be the second NFL coach to go. And it could happen as early as this week.

The Cardinals are 1-2 after getting rubbed out at home by Green Bay, 29-3. Another loss like that to the 49ers in San Francisco today may put Tobin out of work.

He's in the final year of a five-year deal and he's had just one winning record, 9-7 in 1998.

The weight around Tobin's neck is the offense. Quarterback Jake Plummer ranks last in the league in passer ratings among starters after finishing last season on the bottom. The Cardinals' rushing game ranks next to last.

Unbearable boos

Quarterback Cade McNown, who has not played with renown, ripped Bears fans this week after he was booed in Chicago for throwing three interceptions in their fourth consecutive loss.

Three Rivers Stadium isn't the only venue where the fans are restless.

"I feel like I've played four road games," McNown said. "I think everybody knows we're not a team motivated by fans who come to games and yell and boo at us. If they're really hurt by us not playing well, they should not come to games and save all the boos for their TVs."

Owners love players like McNown, who tell fans not to show up. They especially love them in Chicago, where the Bears will soon ask their fans to pony up to pay for personal seat licenses to renovate Soldier Field.

In the meantime, some Chicago players have been lobbying for Jim Miller to replace McNown.

Never at a loss for words

Keyshawn Johnson just doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut.

"I'm like the alcoholic," Johnson said, "who's got to put the drink down and can't put it down because he's so used to drinking.

"That's just like me, I'm used to doing certain things a certain way. That's the stand that I take. I've got to be myself."

Cue Sammy Davis Jr.

Home groan

The Steelers aren't the only former dynasty -- which is 21 years old, by the way -- that can't win at home anymore. The Dallas Cowboys always won at home, but now they're 1-3 with two home losses to mediocre Philadelphia and San Francisco.

It hasn't stopped Jerry Jones from talking about his team's Super Bowl prospects.

Quick slants

Kurt Warner's 10 touchdown passes for St. Louis this season have averaged 51.1 yards.

After four games, Tiki Barber leads the Giants with 391 yards rushing. Joe Montgomery led them all of last season with 348.

Joe Horn of New Orleans leads the NFL with 28 receptions, bidding to become the first Saints receiver to lead the league since Danny Abramowicz in 1969.

The bad news Bears at least do something right: They've blocked seven of the past 29 field-goal attempts against them, including three in their past two games.

The Lions signed defensive end Robert Porcher to a four-year, $25 million contract after he had 15 sacks last season. He has none in four games.

Deion Sanders' days as a great punt returner are over. Not only does he average 3.4 yards on punt returns this season, but against the Giants last week he let three punts drop in front of him rather than return them.