PANTHER PROPS? By creeping into the playoff picture, the Panthers have turned heads. But six of Carolina's first seven losses were to teams that have winning records, and the combined record of the teams they have lost to is 59-32. Their current five-game win streak comes against teams that are a combined 22-43.
GIVE HIM THE BALL: 49ers fans can look forward to seeing running back Maurice Hicks next season. In his first start the 5-10, 200-pound second-year pro had 139 yards on 34 carries with a TD. Hicks, 26, also had five catches for 29 yards, tying him with former 49er Charlie Garner for a team-record 39 touches in a game.
HIGH EXPECTATIONS: Asked about the pressure on quarterbacks such as Drew Henson, Bears QB Chad Hutchinson was a little defensive. "Yeah, it's unfair," he said in Chicago. "It's unfair for a guy just coming straight out of college who has been playing football continuously. You look at the struggles Eli Manning has had this year. It's unfair for them to place (high) expectations upon him right now. You take a guy like Drew, (who) has been out four years; it's going to take time." Here's a question: Is it fair when rookies like Manning get paid more than the gross national debt of a Third World country.
Compiled by Times staff writer Roger Mills using information from other news organizations.
