Sports: Around the NFC

Around the NFC

By Compiled from Times wires

BEARS: Their supposedly high-powered attack has produced seven points in the past two games against the Bucs and the Giants. ... Top draft pick Brian Urlacher made his first NFL start and had 13 tackles.

CARDINALS: Sunday's game against Green Bay has been declared a sellout and will be televised in the Phoenix market, the Arizona Republic reported. The sellout is the 16th since the team moved to Arizona and the first since the Cowboys' visit Nov. 21. ... Receiver Rob Moore told the Arizona Republic that he's optimistic he'll be back next season. Moore said he had the meniscus cartilage in his left knee repaired, and he expects to have the torn ACL repaired in about four weeks. The injury, he said, is not a career-ender.

COWBOYS: They had the worst run defense in the NFL entering Monday night's game against the Redskins. They gave up a franchise-high 306 yards in a 41-14 season-opening loss to the Eagles.

EAGLES: Defensive end Hugh Douglas had 21/2 sacks, giving him 51/2 in three games. ... Cornerback Troy Vincent had his 30th career interception. ... Philadelphia hadn't held a team to six points and lost since a 6-3 defeat at Pittsburgh in 1968.

FALCONS: Receiver Terance Mathis had five catches for 42 yards to become the team's career leader with 6,262 yards receiving. Alfred Jenkins had 6,257. ... Defensive end Chuck Wiley, who had no sacks last season in 16 games as a starter for Carolina, had two against the Panthers. He also was flagged for a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for hitting quarterback Steve Beuerlein in the helmet.

49ERS: There were bright spots in the loss to the Rams, and one was the play of quarterback Jeff Garcia. Garcia threw for a season-high 290 yards one week after being benched in favor of Rick Mirer, and he completed 13 of 17 passes for two touchdowns in the first half. But Garcia was not satisfied: "I want to win games, and I'm not really going to feel great until I help this team win," he said. ... Receiver Jerry Rice caught three passes for 44 yards, extending his NFL record to 212 straight games with a reception.

GIANTS: Running back Tiki Barber is proving to be more than a flash in the pan. After running for an NFL-high 240 yards in the first two weeks, he had another 86 against the Bears. Thunder and Lightning (Ron Dayne and Barber) are getting more respect. "Tiki is the flash guy, he can cut across the field. I'm the guy that's going upfield in the middle. I get to go in and pound on guys and Tiki goes out and they have to chase him around," Dayne said. ... Defensive back Ralph Brown has a bruised kidney and remained in Chicago for observation.

LIONS: Before missing a 34-yarder in the second quarter against the Bucs, Jason Hanson hadn't missed a field goal of fewer than 40 yards since late in the 1997 season. He is 133-for-138 in his career from inside 40 yards, but four misses have come against the Bucs.

PACKERS: Green Bay, a 6-3 winner over the Eagles, hadn't won with so few points since 6-3 over the Rams in 1965. The Packers were held to 236 total yards and a pair of field goals. "We're not going to win games by this score very often," coach Mike Sherman said. ... One of the few brights spots was running back Dorsey Levens, who totaled 89 yards in his debut this season.

PANTHERS: They are 1-5 in home openers, including 1-2 vs. Atlanta. ... Defensive end Reggie White, the NFL's career sacks leader, had one to increase his total to 194.

RAMS: Kick returner Tony Horne, subbing for injured Ricky Proehl, caught an 18-yard touchdown for his first career reception. ... Running back Trung Canidate, the team's first-round pick, was inactive. He missed most of training camp and the season opener because of a sprained right ankle. He has an injured arch on his left foot.

REDSKINS: Strong safety Sam Shade was surprised to be fined $7,500 for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Lions quarterback Charlie Batch, and he implied NFL officials used a double standard when judging questionable hits. "I've seen hits that haven't been called that made my play look like I hugged the guy," he said.

SAINTS: New Orleans went in as the NFL's top defensive team but gave up 295 yards to the Seahawks after allowing 188 to San Diego and 187 to Detroit.

VIKINGS: They are 3-0 for the third time in five years, but their wins have been by a combined margin of 17 points.