Extra Points: Week 6

"Hey, I'm Vinny." And with those words, Vinny Testaverde was the Panthers' new quarterback. That is literally what he said when he jogged onto the field and into a huddle of an in-progress practice last Wednesday.

Since he didn't know any of his teammates, and vice versa, the statement seemed an appropriate ice-breaker. Testaverde then calmly called a play.

"Surreal," reflected tackle Jordan Gross.

More surreal was that 96 hours later he was the oldest starting quarterback ever to win an NFL game. How old is V.T.? So old that he made his NFL debut the same weekend Brett Favre made his college debut.

So old that Jay Leno noted, "When Vinny first came into the league, the New England Patriots were stealing signals from the British."

ZEROES AND WONS

The only thing the Rams have going for them these days is the knowledge that no team has ever gone 0-16. Well, the Raiders kinda have. The last time they won an AFC West game was in 2004, when they nipped the Broncos, 25-24.

So with their loss to the Chargers on Sunday, that's 16 straight defeats - an NFL record for divisional futility. At home against the Chiefs this week, they have a better chance to break their fall than St. Louis, which visits Seattle.
    
Incidentally, Oakland's quarterback in their most recent AFC West victory was Kerry Collins, who threw for 339 yards and four TDs, including two in the final seven minutes to pull it out. Last Sunday, Collins came off Tennessee's bench - with notable ineffectiveness - against Tampa Bay.

BUMP AND RUN

Extra Points' recurring installment of slapdash observation and imprudent opinion:

Props to Plaxico Burress for being one guy who's gotten the message. Once the embodiment of every cliché of the prima donna NFL athlete, he's matured into a stand-up guy - a tough, clutch, well-spoken, studious, accountable Giants leader.

Tony Romo's passer rating on Monday nights is 51.4 - about half of what it is on other days.

So the 2007 Atlanta Falcons have as many wins (one) as the 2006 Louisville Cardinals had losses. Worse yet, many of the players can't stand their new coach. The theory that a great college coach can translate his success to the NFL takes another body blow. But it's merely coincidental that Petrino rhymes with Pitino.

In her new book, Don't Bet Against Me: Beating the Odds Against Breast Cancer and in Life, Deana Favre reveals that the last time Brett took a drink was the day in 1999 she told him she'd call 911 if he didn't leave the house immediately. He did - to fly to a rehab center.

Passing yards per game are up 23 from last year. That's a lot.

What's lamer, "excessive celebrations" or the "Shanahan Gambit?" Which of those two lame things potentially has more of an effect on a game outcome? Which of those two lame things is legal?

QUOTABLE

"I think Joey Porter needs a hug." - Kellen Winslow Jr., informed that the Dolphins linebacker questioned his manhood during the week before the game.

"I went into this game with a lot of confidence and I came out of it with more confidence. I'm a confident guy... I thought I came out and did a great job." -Texans rookie CB Fred Bennett after his Sept. 7 game against Miami.

"Fred's always very high on himself." - Jon Hoke, Texans secondary coach