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Sunday, November 19, 2000

If it weren't for Akili Smith, Charlie Batch would have the worst passer rating in the league at 65.0.

Maybe the Lions' quarterback should not have rushed back after missing training camp with a broken bone in his right leg.

"Of course when I was sitting there hurting, I'm like, 'Ain't nothing wrong with missing a little training camp,' " Batch said, laughing. "But now it's like, 'I really wish I would have had that.' "

Batch, a Steel Valley High School graduate, has eight touchdown passes and 10 interceptions.

His new coach, Gary Moeller, said he's not thinking of switching quarterbacks, although he would bring Stoney Case off the bench if Batch has a poor game.

"I think we're going to get a lot better at that position," Moeller said. "I think you'll see that within the next few weeks, that we're going to improve there."

An eye on the future

Tampa Bay officials know a good thing. With the signing of defensive end Marcus Jones this week, the Buccaneers have locked up most of their key players on a defense that has been one of the NFL's best the past two seasons.

Among those on board through at least the 2003 season are Jones, defensive tackles Warren Sapp and Anthony McFarland, defensive end Chidi Ahanotu, safety John Lynch, cornerback Donnie Abraham and linebacker Shelton Quarles. Linebacker Derrick Brooks is signed through 2002.

Only cornerback Ronde Barber and free safety Damien Robinson will be unrestricted free agents after this season.

League getting its kicks

The Philadelphia Eagles were given a second chance for an onside kick last week because the league thinks onside kicks are exciting.

The Eagles were penalized 5 yards because they touched the ball before it traveled 10 yards. But even if the kick had gone out of bounds, they would have gotten a second chance. If regular kickoffs travel out of bounds, the receiving team gets the ball on its 40. As long as onside kicks don't go farther than 20 yards before going out of bounds, the kicking team gets another shot.

"The competition committee discusses it every year," said NFL director of officiating Jerry Seeman. "They weigh it. This is probably the only place in the game where a team may foul and they more or less get an advantage because they get another shot at it.

"But the competition committee feels it's an exciting play and it adds to the excitement of the game."

The league rule-makers feel that if the receiving team got the ball in those circumstances, it would discourage onside kicks.

Quick slants

The Cardinals will name the press box in their new stadium after Steve Schoenfeld, who covered them for 12 years for the Arizona Republic. Schoenfeld was killed by a hit-and-run driver in Tempe three weeks ago.

The record of 29 consecutive games with 300 yards on offense was set by the 1949-51 Los Angeles Rams. The Vikings have a streak of 25, and the Rams are at 21.

Carolina's Steve Beuerlein is on pace to become the second-most sacked quarterback in league history. It's happened 40 times, a pace of 64. The Eagles' Randall Cunningham was sacked 72 times in 1986.

49ers kicker Wade Richey was 21 of 23 on field goals last season to set a team record of 92.3 percent. He was 5 of 5 this season before his potential winning 29-yarder was blocked by Oakland's Anthony Dorsett, sending him into a tailspin of 2 of 7. "It's just me," Richey said. "I'm sick and tired of the shanks."

The Bears have not done better than .500 over their final six games since 1988.