Joe Bugel

2/3 TC For the San Francisco 49ers, there's no quarterback question about it -- it's Steve Bono.With a three-game winning streak to his credit and the other Steve still slowed by a bum knee, Bono remains the 49ers' starting quarterback -- at least for another week -- as San Francisco suddenly finds postseason play no longer out of the question."

Jets coach Rex Ryan sent a game ball to former coach Marty Schottenheimer after last weekend's playoff upset of the San Diego Chargers, the team that fired the father of New York's offensive coordinator following a 14-2 regular season. Brian Schottenheimer said he was touched when he learned of his boss' gesture Tuesday - and joked that it didn't even occur to him to do it. Marty Schottenheimer was fired in February 2007 after the Chargers lost their first playoff game despite having the NFL's best record that season.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Joe Bugel blames himself.He also blames his former Phoenix Cardinals assistants, or anybody else who ever told him that Ivory Lee Brown wasn't ready to carry the ball in the NFL.Since watching Brown throw his 245 pounds around for the San Antonio Riders this spring, Bugel has been kicking himself up and down the NFC East cellar."

ASHBURN, Va. - Washington is long accustomed to a two-party political system. But when it comes to the Redskins' quarterback competition, Tim Hasselbeck is making it a three-way race. At least if assistant head coach Joe Bugel has a vote. "Them other two better be careful," Bugel says of Mark Brunell and Patrick Ramsey, who will start tonight when the Redskins play the Carolina Panthers in preseason game No. 2. "It's not a twosome right now, it's a threesome." Hasselbeck has elbowed his way into the mix by demonstrating a knack for staying in the pocket and in the good graces of teammates and coaches.

In the wake of their season-long defensive stupor, the Oakland Raiders last week denied a report that defensive coordinator Fred Whittingham was about to be fired.This week, it could be offensive coordinator Ray Perkins' turn on the hot seat.That's because, on losing teams, there's always a lot of blame to go around. And because, in so many words, Oakland quarterback Jeff George said the Raiders were out-coached in an abysmal, 13-10 loss to the near-destitute New Orleans Saints."We didn't have a clue how to attack their defense," George told reporters after the biggest upset of Week 11. "In the huddle, I was asking Timmy [Brown]

HERNDON, Va. -- Coach Joe Bugel will do just about anything to attract Phoenix Cardinals fans to home games, short of driving them to the stadium himself.On second thought, if some fans don't have a way to get to Sun Devil Stadium, Bugel might be available."I'm going to do that [drive fans to the stadium] Sunday," he said jokingly. "I've got my little black hat and bus out front. There's nothing wrong with that. We need that 12th man out there cheering."The problem is that, at times, the Cardinals seem to have only about 12 fans.

It's tough enough to handicap the games.Now you even have to handicap the errors by the instant-replay officials. The Raiders beat the Seahawks last week, mainly because of a goof by the communicator in the instant-replay booth.Somehow, he didn't get hold of the referee, Jerry Markbreit, on the field to nullify a 45-yard catch by Mervyn Fernandez -- who didn't get both feet in bounds -- late in the third period that led to a Raiders touchdown. A play was run before the call could be overturned.

Commissioner Paul Tagliabue told Dexter Manley during a one-hour meeting yesterday that the Washington Redskins defensive lineman will find out Monday whether his drug suspension is going to be lifted.After Tagliabue met in his office with Manley and his agent, Bob Woolf, he issued a statement saying that he will review a report from National Football League drug adviser Dr. Lawrence S. Brown and "other pertinent records" before making his decision.He added that Monday he will inform Manley first of his decision and then a public announcement will be made "shortly after he [Manley]

Site: Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, Ariz., 4 p.m.TV: Channels 11, 9Radio: WTEM (570 AM), WBAL (1090 AM)Line: Redskins by 10Last week: Both teams had a bye. The previous week, the Redskins beat the Detroit Lions, 13-10, and the Cardinals lost to the Dallas Cowboys, 31-20.The series: The Redskins have a 60-33-2 edge in a series that dates to 1932, when the Redskins were in Boston and the Cardinals in Chicago. The Redskins have won seven straight, 14 of 15 and 19 of the past 21 in the series.Last meeting: The Redskins rallied from a 14-0 halftime deficit to edge the Cardinals, 20-14, last December.

Baltimore owner Art Modell said yesterday that he expects to determine the status of five-year head coach Bill Belichick soon, a development that could take place as early as today and would result in a new coach for the Baltimore franchise.Modell was urged by his players on Monday to make a decision on Belichick, or bring in a new coach so they can begin off-season workouts and implement a new system.Belichick has two years left on a contract worth nearly $1.3 million, but has not received a commitment from Modell that he will coach in Baltimore.