Vikings Owner Endorses Tice for Now

Minnesota Vikings owner Red McCombs endorsed Coach Mike Tice on Monday -- sort of.

On the day after the trick play gone awry that contributed heavily to a potentially season-wrecking loss to the Seattle Seahawks, McCombs expressed support for Tice but again said that he won't make a decision until after the season about whether to exercise the team's $1 million option for next season in the coach's contract.

"That comes up at the end of the season,'' McCombs said, participating in a news briefing at the club's training facility in Eden Prairie, Minn., because he was in town for the team's Christmas party, "and we'll be addressing it then.''

McCombs said his support for Tice is "as strong as it can be.'' He said that Tice "has not disappointed me at all'' and has "done a very good job here.'' But he's not addressing the issue of the option year now, he said, because it would be "too distracting.''

The owner said he was not bothered by Tice publicly expressing interest last week in the University of Washington's head-coaching job that went to Tyrone Willingham, and added: "Mike is not in limbo. Mike has a contract until the end of the season, and then we have an option to extend it a year. That's not in limbo at all.''

The problem is that the language in Tice's contract reportedly calls for McCombs to make a decision about next season's option by Jan. 1, and the Vikings' regular season finale is Jan. 2 against the Washington Redskins. Tice -- the lowest-paid coach in the league, by a wide margin, with a $750,000 salary this season -- said Monday that he deserves to be fired if the Vikings lose their remaining three games.

McCombs said he is a Vikings fan as well as their owner, and he knew what the team's followers were talking about Monday -- the decision to have wide receiver Randy Moss throw a first-down pass from the Seattle 20-yard line that was intercepted in the end zone with just more than two minutes to play in the Seahawks' 27-23 triumph.

"I suspect that in the state of Minnesota, the conversation in every science laboratory, every working crew out building a highway, the guys out at the airport getting ready to fly planes, is going to be the Vikings and why did they have that stupid play there at the end of the game?'' McCombs said.

He declined to reveal what was said in the owner's suite immediately after the play, saying: "I don't believe we'd want to repeat all that. But obviously we were very disappointed.''

McCombs said he does have some understanding of what goes into the play-calling process -- as when his coaches, he said, discard the suggestions that he makes to them. "To the best of my knowledge,'' he said, "they've never used any of them.''

Many of McCombs's comments Monday were lighthearted, but his team's season is on the verge of unraveling again and that apparently has put Tice's job in jeopardy. The Vikings have lost five of seven games since a 5-1 beginning to the season. Last season, they lost seven of their final 10 games after a 6-0 start to miss the playoffs.

"I think we all want to jump on the second-guess bandwagon,'' Tice said during his news conference Monday. "But I'm not going to allow myself to do that because I need my coordinator to be confident.''

Vikings offensive coordinator Scott Linehan made the ill-fated play call, which Tice opted not to overrule. . . .

McCombs talked at length Monday about his passion for being an NFL owner. But little has changed, it appears, in his ongoing efforts to sell the franchise.

"I've not been able to accomplish what has to happen here, and that's to get a [new] stadium,'' McCombs said. "If we find someone that I feel comfortable with that can do that, then we'll pass the baton to them. If we can't, then I'll keep moving with it to see if I can get it done.''

McCombs volunteered a story about a conversation he had with his grandson while flying home to San Antonio after the last-second loss at Arizona that knocked the Vikings out of the playoffs last season.

"As we were making our approach to land, I mentioned, 'Joseph, tomorrow's a school day. Will the guys at school be teasing you about the game?' 'Yes, sir, they will.' And I said, 'Well, how do you react to that?' And he said, 'Well, it's not the first time.' He said, 'I kind of had a little trouble with it for a while, but I kind of have a pretty good answer now that works for me.' I said, 'What is that?' He said, 'Well, I would rather lose and be the owner of the Vikings than to not be the owner of the Vikings.' I said, 'Well, that's pretty good for a 13-year-old, pretty good logic.' So that's kind of the way I'm feeling [Monday].'' . . .

Moss hadn't returned a punt since 1999, but tried to make up for his passing gaffe by filling in for regular return man Nate Burleson -- who'd broken his nose -- on the Seahawks' last-minute punt Sunday. Moss only got to make a fair catch, however.

"He wanted to make a play,'' Tice said.

Childress, Nolan Among Candidates

Among the NFL assistant coaches who could be strongly considered for head-coaching jobs in the offseason are Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Brad Childress and Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Nolan. Childress could have a good shot at getting the Miami job, especially if the Dolphins stick with A.J. Feeley -- obtained in a trade with Philadelphia last offseason -- as their starting quarterback. Nolan could receive strong consideration in both Miami and Cleveland and is compared in some circles to Jim Mora Jr., the former defensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers who has led the Atlanta Falcons to the NFC South title this season as a first-year head coach.

The Dolphins' candidates apparently include Childress, Nolan, former New York Giants coach Jim Fassel (now a consultant to the Ravens) and LSU coach Nick Saban. The team reportedly could interview Saban this week.

One NFL source with a good feel for coaching situations around the league said Monday night that he expects there to be at least four more head-coaching vacancies after the season with the dismissals of Tice, the New Orleans Saints' Jim Haslett, the Oakland Raiders' Norv Turner and San Francisco's Dennis Erickson.

Erickson said after meeting with 49ers co-owner John York on Monday that he would coach San Francisco's remaining three games, then meet with York and General Manager Terry Donahue after the season to discuss his future with the organization.

Garcia a Bust in Cleveland

The Browns had high hopes for their offense when they outbid the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to sign free agent quarterback Jeff Garcia, a three-time Pro Bowler in San Francisco, in the offseason. Cleveland signed Garcia to a four-year, $25 million contract and handed him the starting-quarterback job that was shared last season by Tim Couch and Kelly Holcomb.

But Garcia's first season in Cleveland has been one to forget, and his future with the organization could depend upon the selection of a new coach. Garcia's frustrating season ended Monday when he was placed on the injured reserve list because of a torn medial collateral ligament in his left knee suffered during his brief appearance in last Sunday's loss to the Buffalo Bills. Garcia lasted only three plays in relief of rookie starter Luke McCown on Sunday, that after missing the previous two games because of a rotator-cuff injury.

Garcia frequently criticized the Browns' offense this season. When interim coach Terry Robiskie asked players who considered themselves team leaders to stand during his initial address to the club, Garcia remained seated, while McCown and Holcomb were among the 22 players who stood. Garcia also miffed the coaching staff by failing to show up on a Tuesday day off to receive treatment on his shoulder. He finishes the season with 10 touchdown passes, nine interceptions and a passer rating of 76.7, 25th-best in the league. . . .

Injured St. Louis Rams quarterback Marc Bulger began a throwing program Monday, but probably is another week away from returning from a shoulder injury. "We may have him [this week], but I'm not going to count on it,'' Coach Mike Martz said during his news conference Monday.

If Bulger doesn't return this week, the Rams probably must endure another start by Chris Chandler, who threw six interceptions in Sunday's loss to Carolina.

Manning vs. Roethlisberger

The first career meeting between Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger comes Saturday at Giants Stadium when Manning's Giants host Roethlisberger's Pittsburgh Steelers.

The two prized rookie quarterbacks couldn't be having more different rookie seasons. While Roethlisberger, drafted 10 spots beneath Manning in April, laps the field in the rookie-of-the-year race with 11 straight victories and a 97.6 passer rating, Manning has struggled mightily since taking over as the starter when Giants Coach Tom Coughlin benched Kurt Warner four games ago. The Giants are winless in Manning's four starts, extending their losing streak to six games. They've lost each of their last three games by at least 21 points. Manning has thrown one touchdown pass and six interceptions and has a passer rating of 33.8. He had a zero rating in Sunday's loss at Baltimore, in which he was intercepted twice and completed only four of 18 passes for 27 yards.

Coughlin sent in Warner in relief in that game, but has made it clear that Manning remains his starter. There apparently is no going back now.

"It is a priceless experience that does not come without pain,'' Coughlin said during a conference call with reporters Monday. . . .

Detroit Lions Coach Steve Mariucci is leaving open the possibility of making a starting-quarterback switch, from Joey Harrington to Mike McMahon, later in the week. Mariucci has mentioned the move as an option in recent weeks but so far has resisted making it. Harrington completed only five of 22 passes for 47 yards in Sunday's defeat at Green Bay. He has thrown five touchdown passes and five interceptions in Detroit's last seven games. . . .

Turner indicated Monday that he is sticking with veteran Kerry Collins as the Raiders' starting quarterback even with Oakland officially eliminated from playoff contention. . . .

The five-year contract extension to which the Raiders and kicker Sebastian Janikowski agreed Monday is worth about $10.5 million, including nearly $3 million in guaranteed money. The deal keeps Janikowski from being eligible for free agency in March.

Urlacher Hurting Again

The status of Chicago middle linebacker Brian Urlacher for the Bears' final three games of the season is unclear because of an ailing left hamstring. He's scheduled to undergo an MRI exam. The Bears are winless in the four games that Urlacher has missed this season, two because of an injured right hamstring and two after he underwent surgery to relieve pressure from internal bleeding in his left calf muscle. . . .

Bears tailback Anthony Thomas, unhappy about being stuck in a reserve role behind starter Thomas Jones, is eligible for free agency after the season and is making his intentions to leave clear. He's putting his house in the Chicago area up for sale next week. . . .

The Seahawks hope to have back linebacker Chad Brown this week after he missed three games following arthroscopic knee surgery, but again will be without defensive end Grant Wistrom. He has ligament damage in his left knee and will have his status re-evaluated in two weeks. He could be sidelined as long as six weeks. Wistrom missed four games earlier in the season because of a broken bone in his left knee and has only 3 1/2 sacks after being signed to a six-year, $33 million contract in free agency last offseason that included a $14 million signing bonus. . . .

The Falcons have lost fullback Justin Griffith for the remainder of the season because of a broken ankle. . . . The Falcons also will be without tailback T.J. Duckett for one to three weeks. He's scheduled to undergo arthroscopic knee surgery today. Duckett scored four touchdowns in Sunday's win over the Raiders and team officials decided that, with the NFC South title clinched, it was time to get the procedure done

Miami fullback Rob Konrad will miss the rest of the season because of a disk problem in his back. . . .

Denver rookie tailback Tatum Bell might be available to play this week even after suffering a separated shoulder during Sunday's triumph over Miami. Bell ran for 123 yards and two touchdowns after taking over for Reuben Droughns, who had two fumbles early in the game. . . . The Broncos could get defensive end Trevor Pryce back this week or next week. He has not played since the season-opening game and underwent back surgery in September to have a herniated disk repaired.

Fox Not Savoring Anything Yet

Carolina, amazingly, has moved into the sixth and final spot in the NFC playoff race with five consecutive wins after a 1-7 start to the season, but Panthers Coach John Fox isn't about to let his team rest easy. None of the Panthers' victories during their streak has come against a club with a winning record, and now they're readying to face the Falcons.

"Unfortunately the season didn't end today and we've got three games left, including a very tough game Saturday night at Atlanta,'' Fox said during his news conference Monday. . . .

New England Patriots Coach Bill Belichick indicated Monday that he'll probably rearrange the responsibilities of some members of his coaching staff, with offensive coordinator Charlie Weis juggling dual responsibilities for the remainder of the season after being named coach at Notre Dame, but declined to be more specific.