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Sunday, October 22, 2000

A little premature, but they're comparing Brian Griese to Joe Montana in Denver, and Broncos Coach Mike Shanahan is behind it.

"Mike brought up the [Montana comparisons] to us," said CBS broadcaster Brent Jones, a former 49ers tight end and teammate of Montana's. "He said they have the same vision, that they never lock in one receiver. And I see exactly what he's talking about."

In some ways, Griese has surpassed Montana and is on pace to even surpass that Rocky Mountain hero himself, John Elway.

He's thrown 14 touchdown passes this season and only one interception. That pace would set a NFL record for touchdown-to-interception ratio. Steve DeBerg holds the record with a 5.75-to-1 ratio.

Griese leads the AFC with a 107.3 passer rating and has thrown for 1,720 yards, on pace to break Elway's team record of 4,030 yards in 1993.

Griese has thrown for more than 300 yards five times in 19 starts. It took Elway until his 40th start before he did that five times.

Unhappy campers

Rumors abound that the Jacksonville Jaguars are coming apart at the seams, not only on the field but off of it.

Those who keep in touch with Jaguars players say their locker room is divided and cliques have formed that take sides on all kinds of issues, including the quarterback.

The Jaguars have lost four in a row, and Coach Tom Coughlin nearly benched Mark Brunell last week.

"I don't know where they're getting their information," Jaguars wide receiver Keenan McCardell said. "There's no division in this locker room."

Rapid recovery

Oakland fullback Jon Ritchie played two weeks after having an appendectomy and led the Raiders with seven receptions for 48 yards in a victory at Kansas City last week.

"I was worried a couple of times it was going to be like Roy Hobbs in 'The Natural' ... but the doctors did a great job," Ritchie said. "They fixed me up better than I was before. I think they may have installed a bionic stomach or intestines or something."

Catch of the day

Seattle rookie wide receiver Darrell Jackson, a third-round pick, was taken after Peter Warrick, Plaxico Burress, Ron Dugans, Travis Taylor, Sylvester Morris, JaJuan Dawson, Todd Pinkston, R. Jay Soward, Ron Dixon, Dez White and Jerry Porter.

But Jackson has 26 catches for 346 yards, more than any of them.

Stop it if you can

Tennessee Coach Jeff Fisher and Bill Cowher are not of the same mind.

Cowher said the Steelers passed more often in the third quarter against the Bengals because Cincinnati knew they were going to try to run.

Not so for Fisher and the Titans against the Jaguars.

"One thing that I can say is when the world knew we were going to run the football, we ran it," Fisher said.

Eddie George has run 35, 36 and 30 times in his past three games for 125, 181 and 165 yards.

Today, he goes against Baltimore, the team with the No. 1 defense against the run in the NFL.

Quick slants

When Edgerrin James rushed for 219 yards and Marshall Faulk 208 on Sunday, it was the first time the NFL had dual 200-yard rushers on the same day since 1985.

The Chiefs have had a 100-yard receiver in four consecutive games for the first time in 35 years.

Chargers Coach Mike Riley on taking an 0-7 team into an off week: "Boy, I'm glad it's here."