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Sunday, October 15, 2000

The Beltway Series takes place today when Baltimore plays at Washington. It's a battle between the NFL's two biggest payrolls, but that's where the comparison stops.

The Ravens' ownership of Art Modell does not like the way young Daniel Snyder has operated, which began when Snyder stole a marketing employee from the Ravens.

This past summer, the Redskins advertised in Baltimore, so the Ravens advertised in Washington.

"I didn't like the Redskins," said Ravens defensive end Michael McCrary, who grew up in D.C. "I never did. Never have. Never will."

But it's not quite like the old Steelers-Browns rivalry that Modell knew so well.

"We're going to be fired up because we've got to play these guys," safety Rod Woodson said, "not for the fact they're the Washington Redskins and they're 40 minutes down the road."

First-round flop

Oakland spent a first-round draft choice on kicker Sebastian Janikowski, the Polish Cannon, proving once again that Al Davis really is not a genius.

The Raiders not only lost a chance at drafting a real player, but they had to pay the kicker a $2 million signing bonus.

He's the only kicker in the NFL to have missed five field-goal tries, including two last week, one from 35 yards and one from 41.

He's been the Polish Flop.

"We expect him to make those kicks," Raiders Coach Jon Gruden said.

Winning ugly

Quarterback Tony Banks is sinking in Baltimore, but has benefited from the Ravens' defensive play, much the way Mike Kruczek did in 1976 with the Steelers.

"There's a lot of quarterbacks who are playing a lot better than Tony," Baltimore tight end Shannon Sharpe said. "But look at their records. I'll take the guy who's playing bad and winning over anybody who's playing great and losing."

Ah, Troy Aikman (2-3) for Banks, even up, Shannon? Maybe make that Brett Favre (2-3)? How about Drew Bledsoe (2-4)?

Rocky relationship

This may be Mark Brunell's last season as quarterback of the Jacksonville Jaguars, unless Coach Tom Coughlin goes first.

The player-coach relationship, on the skids last season, deteriorated more the past week when Coughlin hesitated several hours before announcing that Brunell would remain his starter.

Coughlin benched him last week. Brunell was angry about it, and his teammates rushed to his support.

But even more than that is Brunell's performances this season and his salary next season. His passer rating of 74.3 is one rung above Kent Graham's and his salary cap figure next season is $13.35 million, the final year of his contract.

There's no way they can take that kind of hit, and he can force the issue by not agreeing to a restructure and becoming a free agent.

Quick slants

Wide receiver Peter Warrick experienced four losses in 49 games at Florida State. He's gone through five losses in five games with the Bengals.

Don't be surprised to see the new Houston Texans placed in the AFC Central in 2002 with the Steelers, Cincinnati and Cleveland.

Pitt's Walt Harris has been mentioned among the scores of names bandied about for the Texans' coaching job.

Jacksonville, the NFL's No. 1 rushing team last season, is No. 28 today.

While Peyton Manning has a good 92.6 passer rating for the Colts, those playing against Indianapolis have a combined 90.8 passer rating.