Rodney Peete

Barely a month ago, quarterback Rodney Peete was yanked out of a game against the Washington Redskins for six plays in the second half.Just a week ago, coach Ray Rhodes was talking about pulling him if he didn't start out well in the Philadelphia Eagles' first playoff game against the Detroit Lions.Complicating the situation was that his backup, Randall Cunningham, said he would skip the game if his wife, who was nine months pregnant, went into labor.As it turned out, Cunningham stayed and played and was saluted by the crowd in what was probably his last home game for the Eagles.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Nineteen months after hoisting the Super Bowl trophy, it's time to pick up the pieces. Having seen their championship team leveled by the salary-cap wrecking ball, the Ravens kick off the season and their monumental rebuilding project today against the Carolina Panthers, a team that set an NFL record for bottoming out. For the Ravens, this new era starts with different faces and different expectations. It's the first chance for 12 new starters to form an identity. It's the best chance for the remaining 10 Super Bowl starters to lay down a new foundation.

Broncos (3-7) at Lions (3-7)Time: 12:30 p.m., chs. 2, 4.Line: Lions by 1.Key injuries: Broncos: LB Scott Curtis (knee) is out; WR Vance Johnson (foot), TE Orson Mobley (ankle) are doubtful; WR Richey Nattiel (shoulder), RB Alton Montgomery (flu/back) are questionable. Lions: QB Rodney Peete (hamstring) is doubtful; DE Dan Owens (ankle) is questionable.Outlook: The Broncos totalled 330 yards and 21 first downs in a 16-13 overtime loss to the Bears Sunday, but allowed six sacks for minus-40 yards.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - And now, starting at quarterback for the Carolina Panthers, Rodney Peete. ... At first, it seemed like a joke. Or maybe new Panthers coach John Fox was trying to confuse the Ravens last week when he made the announcement. But it's true. Out with old Chris Weinke, 30, in with the older Peete, 36 going on 55. That in itself, tells you about the state of the Panthers: losers and heading further south. Marvin Lewis must be chuckling these days about the Panthers rejecting him in their search for a head coach last offseason.

St Louis (3-9) at Philadelphia (2-10)Time: 8: 20, ESPN.Line: Eagles by 1.Vs. spread: Rams 4-8; Eagles 5-6.Outlook: Talk about teams not ready for prime time. For the Eagles, little is at stake besides draft position and a respectable farewell for their coach, Ray Rhodes, who's almost certain to be fired at season's end. The Rams are hurtling toward a second straight losing season under Dick Vermeil, who's 8-20 in St. Louis. The only compelling thing about this game is that it marks Vermeil's return to Philadelphia, where he coached the Eagles to the Super Bowl in 1980 before burning out two years later.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Nineteen months after hoisting the Super Bowl trophy, it's time to pick up the pieces. Having seen their championship team leveled by the salary-cap wrecking ball, the Ravens kick off the season and their monumental rebuilding project today against the Carolina Panthers, a team that set an NFL record for bottoming out. For the Ravens, this new era starts with different faces and different expectations. It's the first chance for 12 new starters to form an identity. It's the best chance for the remaining 10 Super Bowl starters to lay down a new foundation.

Site: Veterans Stadium, PhiladelphiaTime: 1 p.m.TV/Radio: Chs. 45, 5/WLIF (101.9 FM)Line: Eagles by 3Last week: The Redskins beat the Dallas Cowboys, 27-23, and the Eagles beat the New Orleans Saints, 15-10.The series: The Redskins lead the series, 67-48-5, including the lone playoff game between the two teams, but have lost the past five games, all decided in the final 46 seconds.On the sidelines: Norv Turner of the Redskins is 5-16 (3-7 on the road) in his second season. Ray Rhodes is 2-3 in his first season as the Eagles' coach.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - And now, starting at quarterback for the Carolina Panthers, Rodney Peete. ... At first, it seemed like a joke. Or maybe new Panthers coach John Fox was trying to confuse the Ravens last week when he made the announcement. But it's true. Out with old Chris Weinke, 30, in with the older Peete, 36 going on 55. That in itself, tells you about the state of the Panthers: losers and heading further south. Marvin Lewis must be chuckling these days about the Panthers rejecting him in their search for a head coach last offseason.

To scout Rodney Peete, it sounds like the Ravens will be calling ESPN Classic for some film. In what will be a battle of youth against wisdom, the Ravens will open the season Sunday against the Carolina Panthers and Peete, their new yet old quarterback. The Panthers officially benched a struggling Chris Weinke yesterday and named Peete as their starter just six days before the opener. While Peete, 36, is a 14-year veteran, few Ravens even knew he was still an NFL quarterback. It's a natural assumption since none of the Ravens' starters on defense were in the NFL in 1995, the last time Peete was a full-time starter.

Coach Mike Ditka apparently was so pleased with the play of the Chicago Bears in their 17-0 victory over the Seattle Seahawks that he refused yesterday to be drawn into any controversy involving former San Francisco 49ers coach Bill Walsh.Walsh, a color commentator for NBC Sports, said during Sunday's game that defensive tackle Dan Hampton, playing again after his 10th knee operation, should not be playing, declaring: "Every bit of cartilage is gone. He has arthritis. What will he be doing in 20 years?

Rodney Peete isn't the Carolina Panthers' quarterback of the future. He's the quarterback of the here and now. Peete, who hasn't thrown a pass in a regular-season game in two years, was named the starter for tomorrow's season opener against the Ravens after Carolina coach John Fox demoted Chris Weinke after two subpar preseason outings. The timing was awkward, to say the least. "I did not anticipate this happening, especially with Chris going all the way through training camp and four preseason games as the starting quarterback," Peete said.

To scout Rodney Peete, it sounds like the Ravens will be calling ESPN Classic for some film. In what will be a battle of youth against wisdom, the Ravens will open the season Sunday against the Carolina Panthers and Peete, their new yet old quarterback. The Panthers officially benched a struggling Chris Weinke yesterday and named Peete as their starter just six days before the opener. While Peete, 36, is a 14-year veteran, few Ravens even knew he was still an NFL quarterback. It's a natural assumption since none of the Ravens' starters on defense were in the NFL in 1995, the last time Peete was a full-time starter.

St Louis (3-9) at Philadelphia (2-10)Time: 8: 20, ESPN.Line: Eagles by 1.Vs. spread: Rams 4-8; Eagles 5-6.Outlook: Talk about teams not ready for prime time. For the Eagles, little is at stake besides draft position and a respectable farewell for their coach, Ray Rhodes, who's almost certain to be fired at season's end. The Rams are hurtling toward a second straight losing season under Dick Vermeil, who's 8-20 in St. Louis. The only compelling thing about this game is that it marks Vermeil's return to Philadelphia, where he coached the Eagles to the Super Bowl in 1980 before burning out two years later.

The NFL, which starts giving the teams byes next week, has a bye week for the fans this weekend.Since only three of the 15 games match teams that won their openers, it's not a weekend filled with memorable attractions.The teams matched on Monday night -- Kansas City and Oakland -- both lost their openers. The Sunday night game shapes up as a mismatch with Dallas going to Arizona.The feature game on Sunday -- being shown to 79 percent of the country by Fox TV with John Madden in the booth -- pits Green Bay at Philadelphia.

Barely a month ago, quarterback Rodney Peete was yanked out of a game against the Washington Redskins for six plays in the second half.Just a week ago, coach Ray Rhodes was talking about pulling him if he didn't start out well in the Philadelphia Eagles' first playoff game against the Detroit Lions.Complicating the situation was that his backup, Randall Cunningham, said he would skip the game if his wife, who was nine months pregnant, went into labor.As it turned out, Cunningham stayed and played and was saluted by the crowd in what was probably his last home game for the Eagles.

Site: Veterans Stadium, PhiladelphiaTime: 1 p.m.TV/Radio: Chs. 45, 5/WLIF (101.9 FM)Line: Eagles by 3Last week: The Redskins beat the Dallas Cowboys, 27-23, and the Eagles beat the New Orleans Saints, 15-10.The series: The Redskins lead the series, 67-48-5, including the lone playoff game between the two teams, but have lost the past five games, all decided in the final 46 seconds.On the sidelines: Norv Turner of the Redskins is 5-16 (3-7 on the road) in his second season. Ray Rhodes is 2-3 in his first season as the Eagles' coach.

PONTIAC, Mich. -- They don't resent each other, and they don't resent the media. They resent the coach. Let's get that straight. Andre Ware, Rodney Peete and Erik Kramer, the three quarterbacks on this odd little merry-go-round in silver and blue stretch uniforms. Point the finger at one man: Detroit Lions coach Wayne Fontes.In this way, they are no different than most American workers. They blame the boss.And, like most workers, they have to bite their tongue and keep it to themselves.Andre Ware played all day Sunday in the win over Phoenix at the Silverdome.

Rodney Peete isn't the Carolina Panthers' quarterback of the future. He's the quarterback of the here and now. Peete, who hasn't thrown a pass in a regular-season game in two years, was named the starter for tomorrow's season opener against the Ravens after Carolina coach John Fox demoted Chris Weinke after two subpar preseason outings. The timing was awkward, to say the least. "I did not anticipate this happening, especially with Chris going all the way through training camp and four preseason games as the starting quarterback," Peete said.

PONTIAC, Mich. -- They don't resent each other, and they don't resent the media. They resent the coach. Let's get that straight. Andre Ware, Rodney Peete and Erik Kramer, the three quarterbacks on this odd little merry-go-round in silver and blue stretch uniforms. Point the finger at one man: Detroit Lions coach Wayne Fontes.In this way, they are no different than most American workers. They blame the boss.And, like most workers, they have to bite their tongue and keep it to themselves.Andre Ware played all day Sunday in the win over Phoenix at the Silverdome.

PONTIAC, Mich. -- Of all the quarterbacks who worked in the NFL this season -- with the possible exception of Pat Ryan -- no one seemed less likely to take his team to a landmark playoff victory than Erik Kramer of the Detroit Lions.A playoff victory marked by three touchdown passes, a 76.3-percent completion rate and the team's highest point total of the season -- those numbers would have befitted Dan Marino or Joe Montana more than they did the 26-year-old Kramer.But that was Kramer engineering the Lions' 38-6 conquest of the Dallas Cowboys at the Pontiac Silverdome yesterday.