Quick Kicks
NFL courting ritual …
When the Rams moved from Anaheim, Calif., to St. Louis in 1995, the NFL hit them with a $29 million relocation fee.
When the Raiders moved from Los Angeles back to Oakland that same year, they got a free ride.
That’s the basis of a civil suit filed against the NFL by the city of St. Louis, which paid the fee in an agreement with the Rams. The city is seeking about $125 million in damages.
Jury selection begins today in the trial, which has a celebrity witness list that includes NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue, Rams owner Georgia Frontiere and several other NFL owners either in person or on videotape.
Talk of a settlement that included cash and a Super Bowl for the city had been rumored but at this point, at least publicly, neither side counts on an easy way out.
Hats off to Benny
Think Ravens special teams specialist Benny Thompson doesn’t take his job seriously?
On a second-quarter kickoff, Thompson’s helmet was jarred off his head by a hard hit and he still managed to make the tackle on Pittsburgh’s Mike Adams.
Getting their kicks
Philadelphia’s Chris Boniol kicked a 34-yard field goal, extending his streak to 49 straight from 39 yards or less… . Jacksonville punter Bryan Barker averaged 50.6 yards on five punts with a long of 58… . Pittsburgh kicker Norm Johnson was a perfect 6 for 6 in extra-point attempts, giving him 568, fifth in NFL history.
By the numbers
Eagles coach Ray Rhodes is 8-0 in October, but 15-17 in other months… . Mark Bruener’s 4-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter for the Steelers was his fourth score of the season in just seven catches… . Sunday’s game marked the 13th time Detroit’s Barry Sanders and Herman Moore surpassed 100 yards rushing and receiving, respectively, in the same game… . With seven rushing attempts, Kansas City’s Marcus Allen increased his career total to 2,940 and moved past Tony Dorsett (2,936) into fourth place on the all-time list… . Miami’s Dan Marino, second to John Elway, collected his 126th career victory as a starting quarterback and took over second place from Fran Tarkenton… . Baltimore cornerback Eugene Daniel had two interceptions for a career total of 38 in 200 games.
Noteworthy
Green Bay extended its home winning streak to 22 games, including playoffs, but the Packers have failed to cover the point spread for the sixth straight weeks… . Buffalo defensive lineman Jim Jeffcoat, who has an injured knee, missed the first game of his NFL career after playing in 224 consecutive regular-season contests in 12 years with the Bills and the Dallas Cowboys… . Tampa Bay punter Tommy Barnhardt saved a third-quarter TD with an open-field tackle, but fractured his collarbone doing it… . The Dolphins did not turn the ball over, keeping their league-best season total at three… . The Eagles and Redskins met for the 125th time in a series that dates back to 1934. Washington leads 68-52-5, but the Eagles have won 10 of the last 12 meetings.
The final thought
“It’s time that our team stopped talking about it and just did it.”
- Oilers coach Jeff Fisher, whose team is 1-4 after losing to the Seahawks in Seattle
, DataTimes