Quick Kicks

Moss has a touching story

Randy Moss was ejected in the closing minutes of the Minnesota Vikings’ 41-13 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for making contact with an official after an incompletion in the end zone.

Moss took the arm of field judge Lloyd McPeters to get the attention of the official because he believed Tampa Bay’s Brian Kelly interfered with him on third-and-goal from the 5 with 1:52 remaining.

Moss was penalized 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct and escorted off the field as Daunte Culpepper threw another incompletion on fourth down to end Minnesota’s last scoring threat.

Moss said, “I don’t think I did anything wrong. I touched his arm with my hand. He turned around and said, `Hey!’ He was just waiting to blow up on somebody… It was like two friends touching each other, like a handshake or something.”

Aikman is aching man

Dallas quarterback Troy Aikman’s back is hurting again.

Aikman’s back was feeling better than it had in years after a series of injections just a week ago. Then he was knocked out of Sunday’s overtime loss to Jacksonville after taking a much harder and more physical shot from Tony Brackens.

Aikman didn’t immediately leave the game, but soon after the hit in the first quarter from the defensive end, he began having back spasms that made it painful to take snaps.

Brackens leveled Aikman just after he released a pass on the fourth play of Dallas’ opening drive. The quarterback stayed in, and six plays later hit Jackie Harris for a 13-yard touchdown.

Aikman started the second drive, but walked to the sideline after handing the ball off three times in a row.

Setting the tone

In every game this season, the Tennessee Titans have forced the opposing offense to go three-and-out on its first series.

The Washington Redskins pride themselves on coming out in fifth gear. No use saving any of the tricks. Coach Norv Turner will start games with a reverse or a long fly pattern.

The Redskins have punted after three downs only once to start a game this season, and three times they’ve marched to a touchdown.

So when these two teams meet tonight look for a tone to be set early. Tennessee has won six in a row, Washington has won five straight.

Bye week costly for Griese

Denver Broncos quarterback Brian Griese was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, the Colorado State Patrol said Sunday.

Griese was stopped by a trooper for speeding while driving on Interstate 25 in south Denver at about 7:30 p.m. Saturday. The Broncos had a bye week.

The quarterback was arrested after failing a breathalyzer test.

A trooper stopped Griese for driving 80 mph in a 65 mph zone, a Patrol spokesperson said, adding that Griese was not weaving. Griese’s blood-alcohol content was above the 0.10 legal limit, the spokesperson said.

They said it …

“When you play in the trenches, there’s not an awful lot you can cry about. I can’t remember the last time I was 100 percent. I felt like if I could continue to be productive, I was going to play.”

Rams running back Marshall Faulk after scoring four TDs, despite an injured shoulder, in a win over the 49ers.