Marshall Faulk

1 -- interception return for a touchdown Ravens' Rod Woodson needs to become the all-time leader. 2 -- number of new stadiums opening this season, in Pittsburgh and Denver. 7 -- rushing touchdowns by Vikings' Daunte Culpepper, a league high for QBs. 8 -- 300-yard passing games by Rams' Kurt Warner, a league high. 9 -- 100-yard rushing games by Colts' Edgerrin James to lead league. 17 -- sacks by Saints' La'Roi Glover, most in league. 17.5 -- number of sacks Redskins' Bruce Smith needs to pass Reggie White for the all-time record.

The loss of inside linebacker Ray Lewis to a torn right triceps suffered in the fourth quarter of Sunday's 31-29 win against the Dallas Cowboys saps the Ravens of their leading tackler and emotional sparkplug. But according to a pair of NFL Network analysts, the defense should fare fine even without the 13-time Pro Bowler. Speaking on “Thursday Night Kickoff,” former St. Louis Rams running back Marshall Faulk pointed out that the unit hasn't been exactly suffocating through the first six games of the season and that was with Lewis in the starting lineup.

Coming in handy The Chargers' LaDainian Tomlinson became the first halfback in NFL history to catch 100 passes. And he broke his own club record for combined yards with 2,370. He has four 200-yard rushing games, tying him for second place on the career list with Jim Brown, Earl Campbell and Barry Sanders. The record is six, by O.J. Simpson. Five-digit man The Titans' Eddie George is the 17th NFL player with 10,000 career rushing yards. The other active running backs over 10,000 yards rushing are Emmitt Smith, Jerome Bettis, Curtis Martin and Marshall Faulk.

DALLAS — All Shannon Sharpe thought about Saturday was whether his 88-year-old grandmother, Mary Porter , ever would see him get elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. "I thought if it doesn't happen today…," Sharpe began, his voice trailing. "The only thing I've ever wanted was to make my grandmother proud and I said if I don't get in, she's not going to hear me thank her and be able to give a speech. Granny, thanks for everything you did. I'm the man I am today because of you. " Sharpe was one of seven men elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame by a 44-member panel that met for 71/2 hours to pare down a list of 15 finalists.

Watch for:Barry Sanders, Lions: The Lions have scored at least 20 points in 13 straight regular-season games; Sanders is the catalyst.Steve Young, 49ers: In San Francisco's past three season openers, Young has passed for 808 yards and nine touchdowns for a QB rating of 107.7.Yancey Thigpen, Steelers: Thigpen, who caught a club-record 85 passes for 1,307 yards last season, had a career-best 160 receiving yards against Jacksonville last year.Marshall Faulk, Colts: Look for a big day from Faulk, who is going against the worst defense against the rush last year.

The formation: One-back set with two tight ends.The action: At the snap, the receivers and one tight end run off their opposing defensive backs. The offensive line uses a zone-blocking scheme, the objective of the play being to stretch out the defense and get a five-on-five matchup inside the box or near the line of scrimmage. Left guard Steve McKinney and left tackle Tarik Glenn double-team the tackle and seal off the back ** side. Center Jay Leeuwenburg steps play-side and reaches on the defensive tackle.

Overview of 58th annual presentationWhen: Today, 3:30 p.m.Where: Downtown Athletic Club, New YorkTV: NBC, 3:30 p.m. (or after conclusion of Buffalo-Denver NFL game, also on NBC)Hosts: Jim Lampley, O. J. SimpsonVoters: 918 total, including 870 media members (145 in each of six geographic sections) and 48 former Heisman winnersLast year's winner: Michigan flanker Desmond Howard, by the second-largest margin in history, over quarterback Casey Weldon of Florida StateLeading candidatesGino Torretta, Sr., QB, Miami: Most valuable player for the No. 1-ranked team in the country.

EXTRA POINTS GOING LONG Rich Gannon's pump fake helped spring Doug Gabriel (58 yards) and Alvis Whitted (38) for long TD passes in a losing cause. After playing in the short passing game of the West Coast offense, Gannon showed he has enough arm strength to go vertical. HELD IN CHECK The Seahawks' much-maligned defense held up in the Superdome, limiting Saints RB Deuce McAllister to 57 yards on 16 carries. TOOTHLESS Cincinnati's run defense is still atrocious. The Bengals were shredded for 196 yards by the Jets' 31-year-old Curtis Martin.

An update on the front-runners for the Heisman Trophy:MARVIN GRAVES, SYRACUSE, QBLast week: Eclipsed the school's total offense record by accounting for 351 yards in the Orangemen's 24-21 victory over Cincinnati. He completed 29 of 44 passes and has 7,256 career yards.Season totals: 75 completions, 114 attempts, 1,095 yards, 6 TDs.TYRONE WHEATLEY, MICHIGAN, RBLast week: Amassed his third 100-yard game of the season with 171 in a 42-21 victory over Houston. He also scored three touchdowns.

Washington (6-4) at St. Louis (8-2) Time: 9 tonight, chs. 2, 7. Line: Rams by 6. Vs. spread: Redskins 4-5; Rams 4-5. Series: Redskins lead 17-6-1. Last meeting: Rams won, 23-20, on Nov. 30, 1997, at Washington. Outlook: QB Trent Green used to work for the Redskins. Coach Mike Martz, too. Now both are flourishing with the Rams. Green is remarkable: Stale off the bench in place of Kurt Warner, he has produced a 2-1 record and 12 TD passes. He is showing his mobility, too, scrambling for first downs and big plays.

Wrapping up some sports media notes while reminding you it's not the size of the present that matters, it's how much it costs: * Not only has the NFL bestowed the honor upon the Ravens to play in what is most likely the Dallas Cowboys' final game at Texas Stadium, but the league also made tomorrow night's game an NFL Network telecast (carried locally on WBAL/Channel 11). And, as if that weren't enough, the analyst pair for the game will include Deion Sanders. Regular NFL Network game analyst Cris Collinsworth can't call the game because he needs to be in New York for his NBC duties Sunday, so Sanders and Marshall Faulk - the regular studio analysts - join play-by-play man Bob Papa.

Even before it was mercifully put to rest in 2004, I never believed, not for a minute, in the Curse of the Bambino. It was, in my opinion, a lame excuse that people trotted out when they attempted to rationalize or ignore the bad decisions made by countless Boston Red Sox teams. That's true for the Chicago Cubs, as well. Curses, whether they're named after a billy goat or a man wearing headphones and a hoodie named Bartman, are a cop-out. In sports, people choose their own destiny. Nothing is predetermined.

Today's games BROWNS@VIKINGS BROWNS -- Doubtful: G Joe Andruzzi (knee/calf); S Brodney Pool (ankle). Questionable: WR Joshua Cribbs (neck); RB William Green (ankle). Probable: G Cosey Coleman (knee). VIKINGS -- Out: CB Fred Smoot (shoulder). Doubtful: G Toniu Fonoti (groin). Questionable: DT Spencer Johnson (knee). Probable: RB Mewelde Moore (ankle); WR Troy Williamson (shoulder). PATRIOTS@CHIEFS PATRIOTS -- Doubtful: T Matt Light (ankle). Questionable: T Tom Ashworth (knee); LB Monty Beisel (back)

EXTRA POINTS GOING LONG Rich Gannon's pump fake helped spring Doug Gabriel (58 yards) and Alvis Whitted (38) for long TD passes in a losing cause. After playing in the short passing game of the West Coast offense, Gannon showed he has enough arm strength to go vertical. HELD IN CHECK The Seahawks' much-maligned defense held up in the Superdome, limiting Saints RB Deuce McAllister to 57 yards on 16 carries. TOOTHLESS Cincinnati's run defense is still atrocious. The Bengals were shredded for 196 yards by the Jets' 31-year-old Curtis Martin.

Coming in handy The Chargers' LaDainian Tomlinson became the first halfback in NFL history to catch 100 passes. And he broke his own club record for combined yards with 2,370. He has four 200-yard rushing games, tying him for second place on the career list with Jim Brown, Earl Campbell and Barry Sanders. The record is six, by O.J. Simpson. Five-digit man The Titans' Eddie George is the 17th NFL player with 10,000 career rushing yards. The other active running backs over 10,000 yards rushing are Emmitt Smith, Jerome Bettis, Curtis Martin and Marshall Faulk.

Arizona (1-2) at St. Louis (1-2) Time: 1 p.m. Line: Rams by 10 1/2 Key stat: Rams haven't held an opponent to fewer than 23 points. Players to watch: Rams RB Lamar Gordon, averaging 5.1 yards per carry in limited action, takes over from the injured Marshall Faulk. RB Emmitt Smith is averaging only 3.6 yards a carry for the Cardinals. The buzz: No Kurt Warner. No Marshall Faulk. These are not the Rams you have known. Despite last week's upset of the Packers, these are pretty much the Cardinals you have known, although Jeff Blake-to-Anquan Boldin is a solid passing combination.

NFC divisional gameEagles (11-6) at Cowboys (12-4)Site: Texas Stadium, Irving, TexasTime: 12:30 p.m.TV/Radio: Chs. 45, 5/WBAL (1090 AM)Line: Cowboys by 13 1/2Injuries: Eagles -- DT Rhett Hall (knee), and LB James Willis (hamstring) are doubtful; G Harry Boatswain (knee), DT Mike Chalenski (knee), T Antone Davis (concussion), DE Andy Harmon (shoulder), DE Mike Mamula (shoulder), QB Rodney Peete (flu), LB William Thomas (shoulder), and RB Derrick Witherspoon (knee) are questionable; WR Calvin Williams (ankle)

SAN DIEGO -- It was Mark Moody, not Marshall Faulk, who struck a familiar pose here Saturday night. In fact, he did it twice in the fourth quarter of Air Force's 20-17 victory over San Diego State at Jack Murphy Stadium. Not that Moody has a chance to win college football's most famous trophy. That didn't deter Moody from mugging it up after helping stop Heisman Trophy front-runner Marshall Faulk on a crucial fourth-and-one with less than two minutes left in the game."It just got into my mind," said Moody, a 6-foot-3, 236-pound junior linebacker from San Antonio.

NEW ORLEANS - Ten years ago, Mike Martz was out of a job but not ambition. He had been fired as offensive coordinator at Arizona State, along with the rest of the staff. All his job leads dried up. He had nowhere to go. And the more he thought about it, the more he figured it was time to test the waters of the NFL. Why not? He had watched - and fallen in love with - the San Diego Chargers' powerhouse offensive teams of the early 1980s. He was infatuated with the scheming of Chargers coach Don Coryell.