Quick Kicks
Mirer flys high in Denver
The NFL season has gotten so out of kilter for the Denver Broncos that Rick Mirer comes into Mile High Stadium and posts a win as a starting quarterback.
Mirer was 20-36 as a starter in his seventh pro season. Bump that to 21-36.
The often-maligned quarterback injected enough of a boost Sunday afternoon into his New York Jets teammates that they landed their first win of the season, 21-13 over the two-time defending Super Bowl champions.
“I never said I was a pure pocket guy. Stand in the pocket and just throw the ball,” Mirer said. “I like to throw the ball on the move. For some reason when I throw the ball moving to the left, good things happen more times than not.”
When the boos reverberated around the stadium late in the fourth quarter, they weren’t directed at boo-overloaded Mirer. No, the fans were protesting the latest loss for the winless Broncos. And Mirer directed that outcome.
“I feel better and better each game. Not every play is better than the one previous, but every day I think I’m getting better.”
Bone-head play of day
Jason Sehorn intercepted his first pass of the season Sunday. In the process, he also made his first bone-head play.
After picking off a Doug Pederson pass at his own 4-yard line in the first quarter, the Giants cornerback tried lateraling the ball to teammate Percy Ellsworth - only to watch it roll into the end zone. The Giants recovered, but were charged with a safety. Fortunately for Sehorn, the safety didn’t cost the Giants the game as they overcame the Eagles, 16-15.
Giants coach Jim Fassel, though, was hardly pleased after the game.
“Jason has missed some time but I had said to the defensive guys that I don’t want the ball lateraled,” Fassel said. “I told them all, I never want to see the ball lateraled ever again. Ever. Ever. It makes me mad because I coached them not to do that.”
Sehorn, who played in only his second game of the season because of a hamstring injury, claimed he did not know of Fassel’s no-lateral policy. That is, until Sunday.
“I’ve been out a while, I didn’t see that or hear that. I heard it today, though. I guess we won’t be doing that anymore. Lived it, learned about it, I bet you I won’t repeat it.”
Offensive Redskins
As bad as their defense is, the Washington Redskins may need the highest-scoring offense in NFL history to make the playoffs, pacify intolerant owner Daniel Snyder and save coach Norv Turner’s hide.
Well guess what?
Through one quarter of the season, the Redskins are 3-1 and on pace to become the most productive team in pro football history.
Sunday’s 38-36 win over the Carolina Panthers illustrated perfectly Washington’s predicament. The Redskins yielded 21 points and 177 yards in a horrid first quarter. They scored a franchise regular-season record 28 points in a perfect second quarter.
“You really have to give Norv and that offense a lot of credit,” said Carolina defensive tackle Sean Gilbert, a former Redskin.
The last word …
“It felt like half the stadium quit on us at the end. I don’t blame them, though.”
- Bears offensive tackle Blake Brockermeyer.