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NFL briefs

Compiled from Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times, published February 10, 2001

Warner’s headaches ended only recently

ST. LOUIS -- Kurt Warner, who skipped the Pro Bowl because of lingering effects from a concussion, met with Rams coach Mike Martz on Friday and said he has been headache-free "within the last week or two."

"He feels normal again," Martz said at a luncheon to introduce new assistant coaches. "I would worry about Kurt if the doctors weren't so insistent that he's fine."

Martz also said there'd be more concern if there was a game next week. But Warner, who was hurt in the Rams' last regular-season game, will be able to avoid contact at least until late July in training camp.

"If you can give him six full months off, he'll be like he was before the injury," Martz said. "That's why we didn't want him to play in the Pro Bowl, because he was still having some of these symptoms.

"But when you test him, he's fine."

Martz said it's feasible within the salary cap to keep Warner and Trent Green. But he indicated the team would trade Green, who doesn't want to be a backup again, if it can get a pick in the middle or better of the first round of April's draft.

"If the value is there, if they're willing to give up what we think is just compensation for him, then that's something we'll consider," Martz said. "But we're not married to that."

Martz was glad Green was around last season, with Warner missing 5 1/2 games with a broken little finger on his throwing hand and then suffering the concussion.

But he also said that third-stringer Joe Germaine, who'll be entering his third season, is ready to be the backup.

Friday was Martz's first media session since the Rams' wild-card playoff loss at New Orleans.

He said he has been too busy hiring staff, adding defensive coordinator Lovie Smith, defensive line coach Bill Kollar, secondary coach Ron Meeks, special-teams coach Bobby April, wide receivers coach Ken Zampese and offensive assistant Henry Ellard.

Moss criticized

MINNEAPOLIS -- Vikings tackle Todd Steussie says he loves receiver Randy Moss' talent, but not his admitted reluctance to play hard on every play if he's not going to get the ball.

"Absolutely, I have a problem with him on that," Steussie told the Star Tribune.

"Randy has pretty much admitted that he takes some plays off," Steussie said in an interview published Thursday. "And it's true that nothing negative may happen on some of those plays."

Steussie said Moss does a disservice to the players who can't afford to take off a play or two.

"I know Randy is his own man, and he's a great player, but he's going to have to start figuring this stuff out," he said.

In an interview published in ESPN Magazine last month, Moss admitted he doesn't always give 100 percent.

"It doesn't really bother me when people talk about me taking plays off," Moss said. "It only bothers me when I'm on the field and I take a play off, and the ball's thrown and I'm not where I should be. Or if (running back) Robert (Smith) comes through there and I'm taking that play off. Only when something bad happens on the field."

Steussie did not limit his criticism to Moss. Nearly one month after the NFC title game, Steussie is still at a loss to explain the 41-0 pounding the Giants inflicted on the Vikings.

"People still see me and ask, "What happened?' And I don't know. No one thing can explain a game like that. But we obviously did not put our best effort.

"I think that game was over far sooner than it should have been," he said. "And I do think there were some guys who gave up in that game too soon, definitely sooner than they should have."

CHIEFS: Coach Dick Vermeil acknowledged the club is about $31-million over a 2001 salary cap that should be about $68-million.

LIONS: Glenn Pires, who has coached linebackers for the Cardinals since 1996, was hired to do the same job in Detroit. Pires was reunited with Vince Tobin, who hired him in 1996 with the Cardinals. Tobin was named Lions defensive coordinator last week.

XFL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: Orlando Rage linebacker Shawn Banks and Chicago Enforcers running back John Avery were named the top players from the XFL's inaugural week. Avery, a former first-round draft pick of the Dolphins, gained 250 total yards and scored tow touchdowns. Banks had five tackles, a fumble recovery and an interception.

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