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Sunday, December 23, 2001

Compiled by Ed Bouchette

Jim Miller has earned a financial windfall for helping lead the surprising Chicago Bears to a playoff berth, but it's nothing compared to what he might earn after the season.

Miller, whose base salary is $700,000, is on schedule to make another $1 million in bonuses based on playing time and making the playoffs. He's in the final year of his contract and will become the most attractive quarterback in free agency next year.

He must be hoping for what would be a dream matchup for him with the Bears facing the Steelers in the Super Bowl. Miller was named the Steelers starting quarterback in 1996, but he was yanked out of his first game in Jacksonville in the second half by Coach Bill Cowher in favor of Mike Tomczak. Miller never started another game for the Steelers and was cut in 1997.

Miller isn't the only potential free agent in Chicago. Dick Jauron, a strong candidate for coach of the year, is signed only through next season and the Bears seem in no hurry to lengthen his stay.

Jerry Angelo is in his first year as the Bears' general manager and reportedly wanted to bring in his man to coach the Bears next season. That will be difficult after the season Jauron's Bears have had.

No contract talks have taken place.

"He has another year on his contract," Angelo said. "It wasn't really an issue of making a decision during the year. With the team having success, I understand where the media is coming from. But it's never been an in-house problem ... Leave well enough alone and we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

Old kickers don't die, they fade with the Vikings. Minnesota signed punter Lee Johnson to replace injured Mitch Berger, giving the Vikings two over-40 kickers. Gary Anderson played with Terry Bradshaw and Franco Harris; Johnson with Warren Moon and Billy "White Shoes" Johnson. Anderson is the NFL's all-time leading scorer, Johnson has kicked the second-most punts in history, 1,193, five fewer than Sean Landetta.

Kicking up his heels after a first-quarter field goal of 42 yards turned dangerous and embarrassing for Arizona rookie Bill Gramatica. He tore up his right, plant knee after leaping in celebration and may not be ready for the start of the 2002 season. Cardinals Coach Dave McGinnis had one piece of advice for new kicker Cedric Oglesby: "If you make one, don't jump."

Tampa Bay might be taking on water with a 7-6 record but Coach Tony Dungy hasn't given up on the Buccaneers' Super Bowl ship. He believes they are contenders. "I think we are, if St. Louis is capable of winning. On a one-day situation, we beat them."

Warren Sapp of the Buccaneers discovered how the other half lives when he joined with 'N Sync's Chris Kirkpatrick to give out free sneakers to needy children. Sapp arrived at the event in a limo as a mob of squealing teenage girls gathered around.

The young fans took one look at Sapp as he emerged from the limo and quickly grew quiet. They were waiting for the rock star.

Said Sapp: "That's the first time I've walked by a group of people and they didn't say 'That's Warren Sapp.'" Not that he would want to change places with Kirkpatrick. "No, I don't want to be a rock star ... I don't like that many people around me."

The Cowboys and Cardinals have played every season since Dallas entered the NFL in 1960, twice a season since 1961. They play in Arizona today for the final time in the same NFC East Division. The Cardinals move to the NFC West in 2002.

"I think we're going to miss playing there," Dallas Coach Dave Campo said. No kidding. Dallas has won 19 of the past 22 meetings in the regular season against the Cardinals and is 52-26-1 overall.

With the NFL considering Giants Stadium and Washington's FedEx Field as sites for the 2007 Super Bowl, why not Heinz Field? It gets just as cold here early in February.

Five teams have been undefeated on the road during the regular season since 1970 and all won the Super Bowl: Miami (1972), Washington (1982), and San Francisco (1984, 1988, 1989).