Jerry Rice grabbed a share of another receiving record Sunday.
Rice, running a trademark slant across the middle, caught a 10-yard pass from Steve Young during San Francisco's opening series against the Indianapolis Colts. It was his 183rd straight game with at least one reception.
That tied Art Monk's NFL record set from 1983-1995 while with Washington, the New York Jets and Philadelphia. He retired in 1995.
Rice has been held without a reception only twice during his career, both times during his rookie season in 1985-- by New Orleans and Washington.
Rice already holds league records for touchdowns (169), receptions (1,085) and receiving yards (16,918).
Ask Rice to list the five toughest cornerbacks he has faced and he says there is no contest. The five:
1. Darrell Green (Washington, 1983-present)--"He's got great speed and hasn't lost a step."
2. Lester Hayes (Oakland/L.A. Raiders, 1977-86)--"I faced him early in my career. He was always on top of you."
3. Issiac Holt (Minnesota/Dallas, 1985-92)--"He always played me tough in college, too. He studied me and read me as well as anyone."
4. Deion Sanders (Atlanta/San Francisco/Dallas, 1989-present)--"He can run stride for stride with anyone."
5. Rod Woodson (Pittsburgh/San Francisco/Baltimore, 1987-present)--"He has speed and he's physical."
FROM THE PENTHOUSE TO THE OUTHOUSE
Playing for the San Francisco 49ers, Dana Stubblefield and Rod Milstead used to laugh at teams that were habitual losers. Now they are part of one, the winless Washington Redskins, and after Sunday's 41-7 loss to Minnesota, it is worse than they ever imagined.
"We're so used to winning, so used to being on top," Milstead said. "And this is the other side, the side that we always used to joke about. If we lost a game, we'd say 'At least we're not 0-and-such-and-such.' It's tough."
With the Redskins at 0-7, fans have been laying it on thick to both Stubblefield and Milstead--for different reasons.
Stubblefield came in with much fanfare with a $36-million contract as the reigning NFL defensive player of the year and a savior for a team that has had trouble stopping the run. But opponents are rushing for 163 yards per game, and Stubblefield said he's getting hate mail for the first time in his career.
"It is frustrating," Stubblefield said. "It is hard coming in every day, the past six weeks. You haven't won a game. You've got to go back in, playing against another powerhouse. Going there, playing on turf."
