Can Mirer Pilot Jets?

An encouraging thought for New York Jets fans who think the season is over because Vinny Testaverde is gone with a torn Achilles’ tendon: Maybe Rick Mirer is this year’s Vinny.

Yes, losing Testaverde may have dropped the Jets from the top of the AFC to the middle, left Keyshawn Johnson distraught and Bill Parcells hiding his face from cameras as he exited the field.

But remember that Testaverde, the No. 1 pick in 1987, was viewed a failure until last season, just as Mirer, No. 2 overall in 1993, is viewed now.

“There are lot of similarities if you look at the beginning of our careers,” Mirer said Monday. “Vinny showed me last year that good things can happen.”

Parcells has been through this before. In 1990, the Giants lost Phil Simms but won the Super Bowl with untested Jeff Hostetler.

“That was 11 games into the season, a big difference,” Parcells said. “It was quite an urgent situation then, a lot was on the line when it happened. We knew the playoffs were coming up and we would certainly be involved in them. Now, we just have to try to win a game.”

With Parcells’ help, Mirer could quarterback the Jets to the playoffs, even with an offense that’s also lost starting wide receiver Wayne Chrebet for six weeks and third-down back Leon Johnson for the season.

Mirer had a good rookie year in Seattle and has never been the same. He bombed in Chicago, which surrendered a first-round pick to get him from the Seahawks. Then he was third string behind Brett Favre and Doug Pederson in Green Bay last season before being acquired by the Jets last month.

Mirer sounded optimistic Monday.

“Here the quarterback doesn’t need to make tons of decisions at the line, just execute plays,” he said. “I just need to get up to speed.”

He’s got a coach who can help, and he has Parcells-type players whose can be as strong as their boss.

“They ain’t going to cancel the schedule,” linebacker Bryan Cox said. “We lost one of our leaders. We lost a great player. But we’re going to continue to play football the rest of the season.”

A bust?

Last season, Kevin Dyson was considered a bust after being taken as the 16th pick overall by the then Tennessee Oilers. That was largely because the 21st pick was another wide receiver, a guy named Randy Moss.

Sunday, Dyson had nine catches for 162 yards and two touchdowns for the renamed Tennessee Titans. He also was outspoken enough to question the fans for booing Steve McNair for a fumble in a game in which McNair went 21 of 32 passing for 341 yards and three touchdowns.

“We should boo our fans for booing him,” Dyson said.

Note: Moss had three catches for 24 yards Sunday for Minnesota.

Down and out

Steve Young was just 9 of 26 for 96 yards in San Francisco’s 41-3 loss in Jacksonville, the 49ers’ worst defeat in 13 years.

Is this the beginning of the end for Young and the 49ers, or just a bad day on the road against a very good team?

Remember, the Niners were upset on opening day in Tampa two years ago, lost Jerry Rice to a knee injury and Young to a concussion and were written off, only to end up at home for the NFC title game.

“I’ve seen him play better,” coach Steve Mariucci said of Young. “Like the rest of us, he was lost out there.”

Best buddies

Two years ago, Stephen Davis and Michael Westbrook kicked off the Redskins’ season with a practice field fight that left Davis battered and Westbrook bitter.

Sunday, after Davis (24 carries, 109 yards) scored the touchdown that put Washington up 35-14 on Dallas, Westbrook (five catches, 159 yards) raced over. The two slapped hands for a high 10.

How did they feel about each other after the Cowboys came back to win 41-35 in overtime?

Nobody asked.

Rookie QBs

Cade McNown, the last of five quarterbacks taken in the first round of last April’s draft, was by far the best of the three who played Sunday.

He was in for one series in the Bears’ 20-17 win over the Chiefs and went 6 of 9 for 77 yards.

Tim Couch, the No. 1 overall pick, had his first pass intercepted and was 0 for 3 in a mop-up role for Cleveland in its first game, a 43-0 loss to Pittsburgh.

Akili Smith, No. 3 overall from Oregon, threw two passes for Cincinnati when Jeff Blake was injured briefly. He completed one for 11 yards.

Hicks, McNown charged

Former UCLA quarterback Cade McNown is among four former and one current Bruins football players charged with illegally possessing handicapped parking permits, the Los Angeles city attorney’s office said.

The charge brings the number of current and former UCLA players accused of having the permits and lying to get them to 19, authorities said.

Along with McNown, the 12th overall selection in this year’s NFL draft by the Chicago Bears, former Bruins players Skip Hicks, Larry Atkins and Oladele Ayanbadejo and senior defensive back Eric Whitfield were charged.

Hicks plays for the Washington Redskins and Atkins the Kansas City Chiefs.

The five, who also were charged with giving false information on the state Department of Motor Vehicles application for the permits, will be arraigned today in Los Angeles Municipal Court.

If convicted on both misdemeanor charges, the players could receive a maximum of 18 months in prison and $1,500 in fines.

Moore awaits test results

Detroit wide receiver Herman Moore could miss at least four weeks after injuring his knee in the season-opening win at Seattle, coach Bobby Ross said.

Moore, in his ninth NFL season, underwent an MRI on Monday at Henry Ford Hospital. Lions officials did not immediately reveal the findings of the MRI or how soon they might be announced.

“I’m figuring four weeks, maybe five,” Ross said as the Lions prepared to host Green Bay on Sunday. “He’s certainly not going to start next week, I know that.”

Thomas out six weeks

Buffalo running back Thurman Thomas probably will miss six weeks after suffering a bruised kidney during the Bills loss to the Indianapolis Colts.

Thomas, the Bills’ all-time leading rusher, was injured on the first play from scrimmage when he jumped to catch a pass and was hit in the ribs by the Colts’ Tyrone Poole.