Notes on a Scorecard - Sept. 7, 1992

The Raiders had the edge over the Broncos Sunday night in Denver at about every position except the most important one. . . .

The difference was John Elway over Jay Schroeder. . . .

Elway was ordinary most of the game against a ferocious Raider defense, but brilliant when it mattered the most. . . .

Funny, but a quarterback sitting on the Raider bench, Todd Mariniovich, used to do his best work at USC during crunch time. . . .

On opening day of the 1992 season, the Rams turned the clock back to 1991. . . .

Jim Everett is even ahead of his interception rate of last season. . . .

But to pin the blame on Everett for what happened in Buffalo on Sunday would be foolhardy. This was a team defeat. The Rams simply were overmatched. . . .

The Rams might continue to average a touchdown a game unless they trade for a running back. . . .

At least, this game was closer than the last one a Los Angeles team played at Rich Stadium. The Bills defeated the Raiders, 51-3, in the 1990 AFC championship game. . . .

James Lofton, the Buffalo wide receiver who set an NFL record for all-time reception yardage, one day might be part of a three-member contingent from Washington High of Los Angeles in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Running back Hugh McElhenny already has been inducted and Coach Bill Walsh, who attended Washington his sophomore year, is a cinch. . . .

I hope Ram rookie defensive lineman Sean Gilbert studied Bruce Smith’s moves. . . .

Ray Handley’s New York Giants seem intent on proving that last season was no fluke. . . .

Maybe bobsledding isn’t Herschel Walker’s specialty, after all. . . .

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Don Shula of the Miami Dolphins and David Shula of the Cincinnati Bengals, the only father and son ever to be head coaches in the NFL, have won a total of 307 games. . . .

The Toronto Argonauts, owned by Bruce McNall and featuring Rocket Ismail, are in last place of the Eastern Division of the Canadian Football League with a 3-5 record. . . .

How strange that CBS gave frequent U.S. Open tennis updates during its NFL coverage and NBC didn’t give any. . . .

The good news for USC is that the Trojans should score a lot of points this season. The bad news is that they might give up a lot. . . .

The passing of Rob Johnson, the catching of an elite group of wide receivers and the running of three solid tailbacks make USC uncommonly versatile, but this doesn’t appear to be a physically superior team capable of wearing down opponents during the second half. . . .

San Diego State sophomore running back Marshall Faulk could have fit well into most NFL backfields Sunday. He’s quick, smart, turns the corner like no one else in college football, and fights for an extra couple of yards nearly every time he carries the ball. . . .

However, Faulk’s hopes of winning the Heisman Trophy did not improve when he refused to talk to the media after the 31-31 tie with USC. . . .

By the way, what were the chances that San Diego State would be the team with the Heisman candidate at tailback when it played USC the first time? . . .

Junior Seau, the San Diego Charger who wore No. 55 as an All-American linebacker at USC in 1988, spoke with the Trojan linebacker now wearing that number, Willie McGinest, at the team hotel Friday night. McGinest did No. 55 proud Saturday, particularly during the first half--when he batted down two passes and had two sacks, once blowing past 6-3, 340-pound blocker Carlson Leomiti to get to quarterback David Lowery. . . .

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You don’t mind a game lasting 3 hours 29 minutes when it as action filled as the one at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium. . . .

Defending national co-champion Washington was a comfortable winner over Arizona State at Tempe, but might be beatable this season. The Husky defense, which gave up 275 yards rushing to a team that didn’t have a passing threat, isn’t nearly so awesome without Steve Emtman. . . .

East Carolina passed for 521 yards against Syracuse and, naturally, lost, 42-21. . . .

Al Davis once was an assistant coach at the Citadel, the NCAA Division 1-AA school that upset Arkansas on Saturday in Fayetteville and caused Coach Jack Crowe to resign. . . .

Don’t expect New Mexico State and New Mexico to win on the same day again this season. . . .

Brett Butler gets kidded about “Gone With the Wind” more, but it is a Georgia native, Chicago Bear kicker Kevin Butler, whose daughter is named Katie Scarlett. . . .

If Cincinnati improves another 77 points the next time against Penn State, it will win.