George's revenge Web-posted 9/14/97   ATLANTA -- Leave it to Jeff George to help his team win a game with some clutch plays and then make a fool of himself afterward. At least that's how some of his former Atlanta Falcons teammates felt.

Falcons notebook: Rookie Hanspard sets record Web-posted 9/14/97   ATLANTA - Rookie Byron Hanspard set an Atlanta record when he broke loose for a 77-yard run in the third quarter. He eclipsed the 67-yard run by Mike Rozier against Dallas during a Dec. 30, 1990 game at the old Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium.

George gets last laugh on detractors Web-posted 9/14/97   ATLANTA -- Jeff George swears it wasn't planned. The notion just sort of popped into his head as Sunday's Retribution Bowl at the half-empty Georgia Dome ended exactly the way he'd always dreamed it would: Raiders 36, Falcons 31.

Collins ignites Panthers in return Web-posted 9/14/97   SAN DIEGO -- Maybe it was a blessing that the San Diego Chargers' home opener was blacked out. That way, only the regular-season record crowd of 63,149 could witness the 26-7 beating the Carolina Panthers gave the Chargers.

Pewter Power for real as Bucs bash Vikings Web-posted 9/15/97   MINNEAPOLIS - Forget all those jokes about the orange-sherbet uniforms for the losing-all-the-time Tampa Bay Buccaneers.