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Sunday, December 16, 2001

Compiled by Ed Bouchette

Three times the number of security personnel, about 1,100, guarded Qualcomm Stadium yesterday. The added security was not so much to guard against terrorist attacks as it was Raiders fans.

Oakland played at San Diego and that often meant violence -- and sometimes death. Last year, a Chargers fan was stabbed to death by a Raiders fan. Two years ago, dozens of fights erupted in the stands and police helicopters circled the parking lots after the game.

Alcohol sales will ended at halftime yesterday but the threat of violence prompted some players' family members to stay home.

"I can't get enough seats to guard them from the mess that goes on in the stands," Raiders wide receiver Tim Brown said after telling his family to stay away.

"People just think if you're a Raiders fan, you have to be mean and nasty and that's what it's all about. You have that attitude with a little juice and it's not a good mixture."

Archie on Peyton

Archie Manning hasn't given up on son Peyton, even though he leads the league with 20 interceptions as his Colts have slipped to 4-8: "He's aggressive and like I said, maybe some of that is working against him in this situation he's in. But I still think -- and I'm not defending him -- to me, it's the American way. He will prevail, I promise you. He will prevail."

Chargers can't kick problem

Changing kickers isn't always the solution, as the San Diego Chargers have discovered. Unhappy that Wade Richey missed eight field goals from 43 yards and in, they signed Steve Christie. He missed his only try in his first game, from 26 yards, then missed from 34 and 37 last week.

Clueless in Seattle?

Has Mike Holmgren lost it in Seattle? There already are rumors that he will lose much of his power next season because the Seahawks might hire a general manager, but maybe they should go further.

His decision to start Ricky Watters ahead of Shaun Alexander, the league's sixth-leading rusher with 1,009 yards, has people across the league wondering why. Watters had been out with an injury.

"That's not enough, I guess," Alexander said of his yardage and league-leading 12 touchdown runs.

"We've won six games and I've been a part of five of them. The rest of it is coach's decision. ... He's got a different idea of what it takes to win, and we just go by it."

Quick slants

•Tennessee had the league's No. 1 defense in yards allowed and No. 1 in pass defense last season. Today, they rank 25th overall and are last in pass defense.

•On the other hand, the Patriots rank 21st on offense, 24th on defense and they are 8-5. "We're not at the bottom of the league in points scored or points given up," Coach Bill Belichick said. "Those are yardage numbers. The bottom line is scoring."

•The Browns lead the league with 13 players on injured reserve. The Patriots are next with 10, followed by Dallas with nine, the Colts with eight and Carolina and Miami with seven each. The average team has 4.3 players on injured reserve. The Steelers have two.

•Last season there were 11 200-yard rushing games in the NFL. This season there has been one -- Shaun Alexander's 266 yards Nov. 11.

•The Ravens have told tackle Leon Searcy he remains in their plans for next season. Searcy, 32 next month, has not played in the past two years because of injuries.

•Perhaps getting arrested in the Strip District last month was a good thing for Cleveland's Gerard Warren. Since Coach Butch Davis suspended his rookie defensive lineman for one game for his arrest on an unlicensed firearms charge, Warren had two of his best games: career-high eight tackles in each to go with eight quarterback pressures and a sack. "I'm not going to say he has exceeded my expectations because I had high expectations, but I think he is absolutely on track," Davis said.