Here's an encouraging thought for 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.

	Rick Mirer is in the spotlight for Jets.

Yes, losing Testaverde might 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 (broken foot) for six weeks and third-down back Leon Johnson (knee) 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."

Dyson has his say
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.

On 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-for-32 for 341 yards and three touchdowns.

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

One note: Moss had three catches for 24 yards Sunday.

Not so Young anymore
Steve Young, was just 9-for-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 Niners 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 see him play better," coach Steve Mariucci said of Young. "Like the rest of us, he was lost out there."

Mending the fences?
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.

On 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.

Taking baby steps
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 during the Bears' 20-17 victory over the Chiefs and went 6-for-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, the No. 3 overall, threw two passes for Cincinnati when Jeff Blake was injured briefly. He completed one for 11 yards.

Bad offense, good D
The Giants and Bucs, two of the NFL's top defensive teams, combined for just 361 yards in their game, won 17-13 by New York on two defensive touchdowns, a fumble return by Christian Peter and an interception return by rookie Andre Weathers. Seventeen teams had more yards individually Sunday than the Giants (107) and the Bucs (254) had combined.

The game might also have cost Trent Dilfer his job as the Bucs' starting quarterback. He threw three interceptions, including Weathers' TD, and also lost the fumble on Peter's score. Eric Zeier, who replaced Dilfer, was 3-for-11 for 14 yards and an interception, leading Tony Dungy to say he hasn't decided on next week's starter in Philadelphia. Second-round draft choice Shaun King?

The Giants, meanwhile, had a very cautious game plan.

"A lot of teams that play the Bucs get impatient," quarterback Kent Graham (12-of-23 for 91 yards) said. "They want to go deep and they throw interceptions."

Graham didn't. Dilfer did.

That's the story of his life.