1. Cincinnati (1-9) -- DE Courtney Brown, Penn State. Good two-way player at a position that has cursed the Bengals over the years.

2. Cleveland (2-8) -- WR Peter Warrick, Florida State. The Browns actually don't mind that Warrick has had some off-field problems, because they'd be able to structure his bonus to the team's advantage, and because they might be able to trade down and still get him.

3. Washington (from New Orleans, 2-7) -- LB LaVar Arrington, Penn State. The only thing standing between the Redskins and a division title is Jevon Kearse. And Arrington is this draft's version of the Titans' ace pass-rusher.

4. Baltimore (from Atlanta, 2-7) -- QB Chris Redman, Louisville. Brian Billick looks at this kid and thinks: He's got Brad Johnson's head and a better arm. And isn't it nice that the Baltimore franchise will get Louisville's best quarterback since John Unitas?

5. Somebody trades up with Philadelphia, 3-7 -- QB Chad Pennington, Marshall. Could be the 49ers, unless Steve Mariucci is running the draft. Then I look for the Niners to trade for a quarterback or sign a free agent at that position.

Is there any real danger of Modell being forced to liquidate? He wasn't talking last week, and his son David, the club president, would only say he is "extremely optimistic'' that a minority partner will be found who would "participate with regularity'' in club business. But any investor would have to want to sit in Modell's owners' box very badly, because the current owner has no desire for anyone outside the family to own the team, and no desire to share decision-making authority. The Ravens, who currently carry $185 million in debt because of years of Modell's buy-now, pay-later practices, are asking for a minimum investment of $150 million for a minimum of 25% of the team, which would retire most of the debt.

David Modell's confidence is based on the meteoric rise of the economy, but it seems far-fetched that an investor would throw $150 million at the Ravens, then defer to Art Modell in all ways of how the team is run. David Modell disagrees. "An opportunity like this represents the beauty of America,'' he said. "We live in the land of opportunity, and I view investing in us as one of those great opportunities.'' For the Modells, maybe. But Modell's reputation as a bad businessman hasn't exactly enticed big-money guys from joining the management team.

Week 10 Awards  

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Chicago QB Jim Miller, who threw for 188 yards and two touchdowns into a stiff wind on Sunday -- in the first quarter alone. He finished with the highest passing yardage total by a Bears QB in 37 years (34-48, a 1999-NFL-high 422 yards, three touchdowns, one pick), but was down afterward because of the awful overtime loss to the Vikings. "Pretty empty feeling,'' Miller said. "I threw for 400 yards, but it still goes down as a loss.''

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: The Buffalo defense. I can't pick one player in the incredible drubbing the Bills handed Miami on Sunday, 23-3. In today's game, allowing a team 101 total yards is like a pitcher throwing a one-hitter with 12 strikeouts.

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Minnesota P Mitch Berger, for having punts downed twice at the Bears' 4-yard-line, another at the 13, and for a touchback while kicking off in the swirling and often fierce winds of Soldier Field.

COACH OF THE WEEK: Cleveland's Chris Palmer. I will just say this: Anyone who wins with that Browns team should win a lot more than coach of the week. I will also say I am laughing now at the guy who asked me last week, stridently, in an e-mail why I wasn't giving the Steelers more credit. Cleveland 16, Pittsburgh 15 is why, pal.

GOAT OF THE WEEK: San Francisco RB/baby Lawrence Phillips. Is this guy serious? With his resume he's insubordinate to Mariucci -- one of the nicest coaches who ever lived? The 49ers are forced to suspend him for Sunday's game at New Orleans? You really know how to get the world on your side, Larry.

The Top 10  

(Before I begin, one question: Has there ever been a week in your memory when the top six teams in football are from the AFC?)

1. Jacksonville (8-1). No style points for a 6-3 win over lame Ravens. My question is this: Will the cake schedule hurt come January because they haven't played enough tough games?

2. Buffalo (7-3). Two games against the Dolphins this year: Buffalo 46, Miami 21.

3. Miami (7-2). Not the first team to go south in Buffalo, but a 2-2 division record doesn't bode well for January tiebreakers.

4. Indianapolis (7-2). The Colts are a questionable replay call and a bad second half from 9-0.

5. Seattle (7-2). Joey Who?

6. Tennessee (7-2). But when you win against the Bengals, does that count in the NFL standings -- or the NFL Europe standings?

7. St. Louis (7-2). NFL rule: Rams either win by 30 or lose by a field goal.

8. New England (6-2). Those pesky Jets loom Monday night.

9. (tie) ALMOST THE ENTIRE NFC CENTRAL

Detroit (6-3). I'm serious. Did Bobby Ross take a fourth-quarter nap yesterday in the desert? Down 23-13, the Lions scored a touchdown with about five minutes to play -- and went for two! Why?

Minnesota (6-4). "I don't think anyone's going to want to play us that first playoff weekend,'' says GM Tim Connelly. I absolutely agree.

Tampa Bay (5-4). I still think they're big trouble for any playoff foe.

The 10 Things I Think I Think This Week  

1. I think that Cardinals staff did a fine job hiding running back Michael Pittman for two months. Wow. He looks like he has a chance, if durable, to be one of the league's great backs.

2. I think Randy Moss is going to have to go a ways to convince me he's not a selfish player. Moss and Cris Carter entered Sunday's game at Chicago tied with six touchdown catches. In the fourth quarter Moss tried to turn a reception near the goal line into a lunging touchdown (his knee was clearly down far shy of the line). On the next play, Jeff George threw a touchdown pass to Carter. Moss went right to the official who said he hadn't made it in the previous play, and the official threw a flag for unsportsmanlike conduct. (He also gave me an earful about it later.) At the bench, Carter told Moss in no uncertain terms it was a good thing he didn't screw up his touchdown with his selfish bitching. Team game, Randy. You had 12 for 204. That's not good enough for you?

3a. I think I count myself as a fairly tolerant kind of sports follower, one who listens to a sports talk show until I can stand it no more. But what I heard Saturday morning on WFAN in New York on my way to the airport is why more and more of the people say they can no longer tolerate the mindless prattle that goes out over the air. Caller No. 1, on the Nets, to host Chris Russo: "After this West Coast trip they've got coming up, they'll be pretty much out of it, unless they turn it around.''

Six games into an 82-game season, the Nets' fan wrote his team off. That would be precisely like an NFL team that entered the season with some promise -- say Buffalo this year, losing at Indianapolis -- stubbing its toe in Week 1 and listening to its fans say the season's over. And I like the ending caveat: They'll be pretty much out of it, unless they turn it around. That's like me saying: I'll pretty much die in a bad car accident, unless I survive.

But wait! Another caller! The caller rips Russo for talking about the Mets' plans if, as expected, first baseman John Olerud goes to Seattle as a free agent. "Don't start talking about things before they happen!'' the caller chides Russo.

Memo to my bosses at SI: Cease all preview issues immediately. This fan isn't interested in the future.

3b. I think if I was King of Talk Shows For a Day, I'd have a lot of guests.

4. I think "Dogma'' sounds like a pretty good movie. I'm going.

5. I think -- and I apologize for basking in the glow of a fine Montclair (N.J.) High field hockey season -- that field hockey is America's most underrated game. Especially when your kid's playing.

6. I think that Emmitt Smith plays next Sunday at Arizona with his broken right hand heavily casted and wrapped. Having spoken to the man recently, I know he's dying to win one last rushing title, and he entered the weekend in the scrum atop the NFL in rushing. Give him seven weeks and I think he makes up the lost day he had yesterday. Is it wise to be playing him with a broken hand? He carries 90% of the time lefthanded anyway. I think it's worth a try, especially with all other injuries on the Dallas offense.

7. I think success and anger are turning the tide on the Lions against Barry Sanders, even among players who were his friends. "He abandoned us,'' said wideout Johnnie Morton. It is truly amazing how ineptly Sanders handled his departure from the game. I bet if he walked into the Silverdome on Thanksgiving, he'd get booed by 60% of a crowd that had revered him like no other loved a player in the NFL.

8. I think anyone who watches all the games and doesn't think Jon Kitna is Mike Holmgren's answer at quarterback is smoking something.

9. I think Holmgren got out of Green Bay at exactly the right time.

10. I think I would like to thank the Bears for sitting me next to Bill Gleason, the Chicago sportswriting legend, yesterday. I couldn't stop talking to him. He has endless stories. He told me stories about the times the team played at Wrigley Field, and guys like Sid Luckman, George Halas, Gale Sayers and Brian Piccolo . "Did you ever see DiMaggio play?'' I asked him. He smiled.

"Yes,'' he said. "I saw Babe Ruth play here [in Chicago] too. My dad took me on the streetcar. It was a doubleheader in 1927 or 1928, and I was just a kid. I'll never forget. It was raining, and I kept asking: 'Daddy, are they going to play the game?' And when we got to the game, we walked into the park and the infield was on fire! I thought they did it for me! But they were just drying off the infield. They spread hay on the infield, then poured some gasoline on it, and the flames dried it off.

"The Babe put on some show. He hit a home run in the first game, and he started the second game. He got up once in the first inning, then went out to right field in the bottom of the first. His caddy, Dixie Walker, went running out to the field before the bottom of the inning began and Ruth ran in on those little spindly legs. When he got near the infield, he took off his cap and waved to the whole park.''

Then Gleason took out the corned beef sandwich and Killian's he'd brought from home. "I'm not much for press box fare,'' he said.

What a treat. And happy 77th on Tuesday, Bill.

 

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