Healthier Moon To Start In Finale Against Niners
The NFL insists on keeping score on Sundays. So Seattle Seahawks coach Dennis Erickson will insist on starting Warren Moon against San Francisco on Sunday.
Erickson’s fall-back plan, though, does include Jon Kitna, who guided Seattle’s comeback win over Oakland last Sunday.
“The bottom line as far as I’m concerned is to win and (Warren) gives us the best opportunity to win,” Erickson said.
“We will start Warren with the ability to play Jon. If we decide for that to happen, it will depend on the game and the game situation.”
Moon took over the starting job when John Friesz broke his thumb in the season opener.
The 41-year-old Moon responded with a sterling statistical season before bruising his ribs during a loss to Baltimore on Dec. 7.
Enter Kitna, 25, the Central Washington graduate who completed 23 of 37 passes for 283 yards in his first start.
“Last week Warren couldn’t perform up to his potential,” Erickson said. “That’s why Jon got the opportunity.”
Moon’s task is substantial. San Francisco has allowed 3,606 yards this season, nearly 2,100 yards less than Oakland. Only Kansas City has allowed fewer points than the 49ers.
Fewer bandages
Erickson said several key players might return from injuries for Sunday’s season finale.
Among those are offensive lineman Howard Ballard (broken forearm), cornerbacks Jeremy Lincoln (ankle) and Shawn Springs (thumb), and linebackers Chad Brown (concussion) and Joe Cain (ankle).
Safety Darryl Williams (knee) and tight end Carlester Crumpler (eye) also are likely to play.
Moss honored
Linebacker Winston Moss, whose season - and potentially his career - ended two weeks ago when he suffered a neck fracture, is the recipient of the 1997 Steve Largent Award.
The award, named after the Hall of Fame receiver, is given to the player who best exemplifies the spirit, dedication and integrity of the Seahawks.
Grbac to start
Quarterback Elvis Grbac, out since Nov. 3 with a broken collarbone, apparently will start against New Orleans in the regular season finale Sunday and take over for Kansas City in the playoffs.
Rich Gannon, who in Grbac’s absence guided the Chiefs (12-3) to a 5-1 record, enabling them to secure home-field advantage, said he understood “that was the plan.”
Spit costs Romanowski $7,500
Denver Broncos linebacker Bill Romanowski was fined $7,500 by the NFL, two days after spitting in the face of San Francisco wide receiver J.J. Stokes.
“What I did was totally inexcusable and I’m sorry,” Romanowski said. “I was wrong in what I did. When emotion is high, logic is low.”
Around the league
A decision on the availability of Denver Broncos running back Terrell Davis for Sunday’s game against San Diego probably won’t be made until just before game time. Davis, who suffered a slightly separated right shoulder in Monday night’s loss to San Francisco, was listed as questionable on the injury report… . The St. Louis Rams released center Bern Brostek, who was limited to one game this year by a back injury. Brostek, a first-round draft pick in 1990 out of Washington, had made 35 consecutive starts entering this season. He hurt his back in training camp. Brostek, 31, is healthy now but is expected to retire. … The Cincinnati Bengals have signed former Boise State University nose tackle Kimo von Oelhoffen to a two-year contract extension reportedly worth about $2.5 million.
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The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Jim Meehan Staff writer AP contributed to this report