In Favor Of Favre

Best and Worst

Offense. Arizona finished only 7-9, but two Cardinals had the league's best single-game rushing and passing performances of the year: On Sept. 22, Leshon Johnson ran for 214 yards against the Saints; on Nov. 10, Boomer Esiason threw for 522 yards in an overtime win against the Redskins....

Panthers running back Anthony Johnson, who hadn't had a 100-yard rushing day since his senior year in high school, in 1985, had five such games in '96....

High-priced wideout Alvin Harper, who came to the Buccaneers as a free agent in 1995, lost his job to Robb Thomas. Thomas had been waived by two NFL teams before joining Tampa Bay....

Colts third-year running back Marshall Faulk, who rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each of his first two years in the league, averaged an NFL-low 3.0 yards per attempt.

Defense. The Panthers allowed five second-half touchdowns all season....

Jaguars rookie defensive end Tony Brackens had the year's best individual game: nine tackles, four passes deflected, one sack and an interception in a 20-13 defeat of the Seahawks on Dec. 15....

Redskins defensive coordinator Ron Lynn coached a unit that on successive Sundays surrendered 266 rushing yards to the Bills and 615 total yards to the Cardinals.

Worth Repeating

•Broncos tight end Shannon Sharpe, as caught by NFL Films, speaking into a sideline phone during the Broncos' 34-8 rout of the Patriots on Nov. 17: "Mr. President, call in the National Guard! Send as many men as you can spare! Because we are killing the Patriots! They need emergency help!"