Quick Kicks

Another one bites the dust

The Pittsburgh Steelers suffered another devastating blow on defense Sunday when they lost Greg Lloyd for the season with a torn tendon in his left patella.

Lloyd’s left knee buckled when Rod Woodson bumped into him on a blitz in the third quarter.

The injuries compound problems on the defense. The Steelers said last week that defensive end Ray Seals will be lost for the season with a torn rotator cuff.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Warren Moon injured both ankles during the first half of a victory over the Detroit Lions.

X-rays on Moon’s ankles were negative, but his status for next weekend’s game at Atlanta wasn’t immediately known.

Rantin’ and Raven

In the north end zone, there was The Bird Cage. Across the way, the Raven Maniacs set up a nest of their own.

In the middle, the Baltimore Ravens officially took flight in the first regular-season football game in Baltimore since the Colts beat the Houston Oilers 20-10 on Dec. 18, 1983.

While the day marked the beginning of a new era of pro football in Baltimore, it was not without nostalgia. Dozens of members of the old Baltimore Colts, including Hall of Fame members Johnny Unitas and Art Donovan, helped celebrate the occasion by walking onto the field 15 minutes before kickoff.

Gone, but not forgotten

They piled out of their Dawg Pound bus, scurrying to set up the barbecue grills and ice the beer. Some tossed footballs around the parking lot while NFL pregame shows blared on the radio. It was just like always.

So what if Cleveland fans had no team and no game on Sunday? Tailgating is one tradition that refused to die.

It was the first NFL opener in 46 years without the Cleveland Browns.

Fans didn’t miss the irony that the first two touchdowns against the Ravens were scored by - who else? - Tim Brown.

Not gone, but forgotten

With the Oilers heading for Nashville, Tenn., as early as next year, but for certain in 1998, Houstonians who used to flock to the dome voted with their feet at the Oilers’ home opener.

A lot of them stayed home.

After two preseason games last month each drew less than 13,000, yesterday’s gathering was better, with 27,725. Last year’s home attendance averaged 36,108.

It was not the smallest crowd ever to see the Oilers. In 1973, 21,955 showed up at the Astrodome to see the Oilers play the New York Jets.

Research department

Baltimore owner Art Modell must not have done much research when choosing the name Ravens for the team. According to the Audobon Society, ravens are one of the few birds that keep the same mate for life, and they annually return to the same nest every year.

Monday night matchup

Dallas running back Emmitt Smith, fresh off a league-leading 1,773-yard season, tests a sore knee before a national television audience. The Bears counter with QB Erik Kramer, who had an impressive 29-10 TD-INT ratio a year ago.