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Two of the surprise teams this season, the Rams and Seahawks, are both 8-2 and lead their divisions by at least three games. They are cinches to claim division titles even if they suddenly turn into the old Rams and old Seahawks, even if their hot quarterbacks start imitating Tony Banks and Rick Mirer. There's even a decent chance that the Rams and Seahawks will meet in the Super Bowl, a scenario that would be as bizarre as Jimmy Johnson forgetting to wear hairspray. The major turnaround for these franchises should give hope to the Bengals and their long-suffering fans. Who knows, maybe the Bengals will be hot next year and fans will be able to recycle their garbage, instead of throwing it at the head coach.

HOT COLTS: Another surprise team, Indianapolis, is in a dogfight in the AFC East, tied with the Dolphins and not far ahead of the Patriots and Bills. All four teams have winning records, partly because they've had the pleasure of playing the NFC Least. Colts fans should be thrilled with a young team that's turning into a powerhouse and could be contenders for a decade. Colts GM Bill Pollian looks like a genius for drafting Peyton Manning and Edgerrin James in consecutive years. Hey Bill, have you been getting advice from Mel Kiper Jr. or something?

WEAK NFC: In 2002, when the NFL expands to Houston, the league will be realigned and one AFC team will move to the NFC. With weaker competition in the NFC, a few teams are eager to move now. Al Davis, always ready to move the Raiders and hungry for a playoff berth, is so keen on playing in the NFC East that he's willing to relocate his team to Gettysburg, Pa. "So what if their stadium seats only 1,000 people," Davis said. "At least the Raiders will be back in the playoffs before I die." The Raiders, Chiefs and Steelers are unlikely to win wildcard spots in the AFC, but in the NFC they'd be contending for division titles. The top teams in the NFC East and Central are 6-4 and, if they sneak into the playoffs, could give the Rams as much opposition as a bale of hay.

NO MORE THROAT-SLASHING: The NFL has banned the increasingly popular throat-slash gesture, so Keyshawn Johnson, Ricky Watters, Brett Favre and others will have to think of another way to insult fans. The NFL Players Association is accepting suggestions for other distasteful gestures. A few sports figures have already offered their assistance: Saints coach Mike Ditka: "Just grab your crotch. If the commissioner tries to fine you, tell him you had a big itch. Hey, it works for all those baseball players." Jets linebacker Bryan Cox: "Just wave your middle finger at the fans. But wear a ring on that finger so you can tell the commish you were just showing it off." Broncos tight end Shannon Sharpe: "Just flex your biceps at the fans. Show them you're strong enough to pound them to bits." Rockets forward Charles Barkley: "Just spit toward the fans. You can tell the commish you were spitting out your chewing gum." Colts tailback Edgerrin James: "Just take your helmet off and smile at the fans. That should really scare them." Seahawks defensive tackle Sam Adams: "Just wiggle your butt at the fans. If that doesn't scare them, nothing will."

RAIDER REVENGE: For a couple of Raiders, the throat-slash gesture wasn't enough to show their anger Monday night. After Broncos fans pelted them with snowballs, cornerback Charles Woodson and offensive tackle Lincoln Kennedy decided to retaliate. Woodson allegedly hit a woman in the face with a snowball, while Kennedy allegedly punched a fan. The alleged fights took place after the game, which the Broncos allegedly won in overtime. The NFL is reviewing tapes of the game. A tape has also been submitted to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in an effort to make Broncos wide receiver Ed McCaffrey the first athlete to win the Best Supporting Actor award. McCaffrey took a dive that resulted in a big pass interference penalty against the Raiders, though the ball seemed uncatchable. The sideline official has allegedly read the rulebook.

TAMPA BAY'S AUTOMATICA: It's important to have a good field goal kicker when you don't visit the end zone often. Rookie Martin Gramatica is certainly paying dividends for the Bucs, who drafted him in the third round. Gramatica kicked two long field in the fourth quarter, helping the Bucs beat the Falcons 19-10. The 5-foot-8 kicker, who grew up in Argentina, has yet to commit a "Gramatical" error. "It's easy to kick field goals," he said. "After all, the uprights are much wider than Warren Sapp's behind."

ANYONE NEED A RUNNING BACK?: Troubled running back Lawrence Phillips is once again looking for a job after the Niners showed him the door. In his short NFL career, Phillips has been cut by three teams. The former Nebraska star has a history of legal and disciplinary problems, which means he still has a good chance to sign with the Raiders. Al Davis is always looking for rejects to transform into stars, but he isn't desperate for a running back. Phillips could be a better fit in the backfield of the Browns, whose leading rusher, Terry Kirby, is averaging 35 yards a game, reminding fans of the running skills of Bernie Kosar.