Kerry Collins

The team with the fewest turnovers probably will win this game. That comes down to the quarterbacks -- Kerry Collins of the Giants and Trent Dilfer of the Ravens -- throwing against two pressure defenses. Give the Ravens 10 points off those turnovers and call it a 16-6 Baltimore victory. The Ravens have only one touchdown drive of more than four plays in the postseason, and only one scoring possession of more than five minutes. The Ravens have allowed just one rushing touchdown in the past 27 quarters.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - There was little reason to believe Kerry Collins wasn't going to be successful in the NFL. He had the pedigree, having led Penn State to a perfect record as a senior. He had the size and skills to be the first pick of the expansion Carolina Panthers in 1995. There was little reason to believe his performance over the first two seasons in Charlotte wasn't foretelling the future. He was the first rookie to have a winning record as a starter since Dan Marino. He brought the Panthers to the brink of the Super Bowl in 1996, and played in the Pro Bowl.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Some vicarious experiences are better than others. Just ask Kerry Collins. "I watched Tony Siragusa land on Rich Gannon and I felt a twinge," the Giants' quarterback said yesterday at the team's final media session before it leaves for Tampa. "They get after the quarterback in a big way." Collins said he could only imagine what it would feel like to have the Ravens' 340-pound defensive tackle land on him, legally or otherwise. Siragusa was fined $10,000 by the NFL for the hit on Gannon, though he was not penalized.

OAKLAND, Calif. - In a year when defense dominated the postseason, it's only fitting that two of the NFL's best defensive teams advance to Super Bowl XXXV. The Ravens and New York Giants are similar on offense, too. They've both got recycled quarterbacks (Trent Dilfer and Kerry Collins) and a predilection for the ball-control running game. But it's defense that sets these two teams apart from the pack. The Ravens ran first in rush defense, the Giants second. The Ravens were second in total defense, the Giants fifth.

In any tiebreaking scenario the Dallas Cowboys face next week, this list ought to be incorporated into the equation: Doug Pederson, Kent Graham, Dave Brown, Ray Lucas, Jake Delhomme.That modest collection of journeyman/backup quarterbacks accounted for five of Dallas' eight losses this season. Hard as the Cowboys have tried, they're not able to shake the 1999 playoffs.Coming off a frightful 31-24 loss to Delhomme's New Orleans Saints and despite a 7-8 record, the Cowboys remain the front-runner for the NFC's final playoff berth into Week 17.Also contending are the New York Giants, Green Bay Packers and Carolina Panthers, all 7-8.To advance, the Cowboys have only to beat the Giants -- and erratic quarterback Kerry Collins -- at Texas Stadium, where they're 6-1 this year.

The franchise quarterback is under siege, the run defense is wretched, and now, after 39 games, the expansion magic of the Carolina Panthers has seemingly vanished.Almost overnight, last season's shocking success story -- Carolina advanced to the NFC championship game in its second year -- has turned into a bad soap opera.The defensive star, linebacker Kevin Greene, quit the team when it refused to renegotiate his contract, and ultimately signed with the Panthers' biggest rivals, the San Francisco 49ers.

NFL quarterbacks are proving once again how difficult it is to stay in the lineup.As the season reaches the one-quarter pole, 11 of the league's 30 starting quarterbacks have suffered setbacks of one form or another.Boomer Esiason and Steve Walsh have been benched; Dan Marino, Jim Kelly and Kerry Collins have been knocked out with injuries; Steve Young may be forced to the sideline, Troy Aikman and John Elway are playing hurt; Jeff Hostetler and Warren Moon have come back from injuries and Jeff George has been suspended.

ASHBURN, Va. -- The Cincinnati Bengals, the second-worst team, and the San Francisco 49ers, the best team, made the two most dramatic moves in the NFL's collegiate draft yesterday, adding offensive firepower with blue-chip picks.The Bengals, whose 3-13 record tied the Washington Redskins for the second-worst mark in the league last year, traded up from fifth to the top spot with the Carolina Panthers to take the most heralded player in this year's draft -- running back Ki-Jana Carter of Penn State.

Sports of All Sorts:Mock drafts staged prior to this weekend's real thing by the 30 NFL teams have Penn State's Ki-Jana Carter topping just about all lists with Heisman Trophy winner Rashaan Salaam of Colorado consistently tabbed for the late teens. What makes this a history-making draft is, for once, expansion teams are given every chance to score big in the collegiate grab bag.Time was when a new franchise had to buy a ticket to the draft, much less be treated to the first two and last two picks of every round as is the case with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Charlotte Panthers.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- If Penn State failed to maintain its No. 1 ranking yesterday, at least the Nittany Lions affirmed their place as a national championship contender and established themselves as the undisputed kings of the Big Ten.Penn State also left an indelible bruise on an Ohio State team that thought it could disrupt the Lions' homecoming party. The Lions, who have made a habit of abusing opponents with the nation's best offense, produced their most jaw-dropping exhibition of the season against the 21st-ranked Buckeyes.