Mark Curnutte

• In Buffalo, a $50 investment might help Drew Bledsoe improve his internal clock in the pocket. The Bills have been holding a simple alarm clock behind Bledsoe, and at precisely 4 seconds after the snap, the clock goes off. By that point, Bledsoe is supposed to have unloaded the ball, if not to a receiver downfield, then to a running back coming out of the backfield.

Bledsoe was sacked 49 times last season, most in the NFL.

• In Oakland, Rich Gannon is confident he will hold off the challenge of former Giants QB Kerry Collins and keep the job he has held since 1999.

"People have no idea what I bring to this table and what I've done for this organization," Gannon said.

"I've gone to four straight Pro Bowls, been league MVP, and now, all of sudden, people are like, 'Look at this guy. He can't do anything.' It's a joke. An absolute joke."

Gannon, 38, is trying to hold off the strong-armed Collins, 31. The move could take place before the opener.

Gannon reported to camp at 203 pounds, his lightest weight since 1987, when he was a rookie with Minnesota. Gone, too, are the salt-and-pepper-colored edges of his now jet-black hair.

QUICK BET: Former Ohio State cornerback Chris Gamble, Carolina's No.1 draft choice, was supposed to be developed slowly. But he might end up starting right away.

Former Bengals cornerback Artrell Hawkins was picked up to start until Gamble was ready. But Gamble, a former Ohio State star, moved to the first team immediately because Hawkins was troubled by a sore knee from the beginning of camp. Hawkins has returned to practice but is running with the second string. Gamble seems to be settling in as the team's right corner.

ARLINGTON COWBOYS: Voters in Arlington, Texas, will decide Nov. 2 whether to finance a new stadium for the Dallas Cowboys.

The Cowboys and the City of Arlington have agreed upon equally sharing the cost to build a $650 million, 75,000-seat, retractable-roof stadium near the home of baseball's Texas Rangers.

Irving and Dallas are still considered possibilities for the Cowboys if Arlington falls through.

SOUTH OF THE BORDER: The Houston Texans and the Cowboys continue to explore the possibility of the two teams meeting in Mexico.

The Cowboys and the now-defunct Houston Oilers played an exhibition game in Mexico City in 1994 that drew an NFL-record crowd of 112,376.

The Oilers and Cowboys also played at the Tokyo Dome before 51,058 in 1992, and they drew 51,118 in El Paso, Texas, in a 1996 exhibition.

"I think it's going to happen," Texans owner Bob McNair said. "It's just a question of when."

DOWN TO TWO: Indianapolis safety Bob Sanders remains one of the two unsigned players remaining from April's draft. The other is San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers.

THEY'VE GOT SPIRIT: Giants coach Tom Coughlin angrily exhorted his players on a recent morning to show more spirit in practice, screaming that they looked "like crap." Then guard Barry Stokes sarcastically pleaded with fans to show more fire, too, turning to the crowd after one touchdown and yelling, "It's not golf."

BROWNS: The day he was drafted, Kellen Winslow Jr. said he wanted to be a leader on the Browns. In his first full week in camp, Winslow has infected his new team with passion, energy and attitude.

After ending his 12-day holdout, Winslow's first full week in camp saw him exchange punches with Tennessee safety Lamont Thompson, bowl over teammate Roosevelt Williams after a catch in a non-contact drill, and call out his teammates for not playing and practicing hard enough.

STEELERS: Wide receiver Plaxico Burress is trying to make nice with coach Bill Cowher, saying he should have communicated with him his plans to miss the team's minicamp in May.

Burress, who had more than 1,000 receiving yards in two of the past three seasons, said last week that he is determined to have his best season as a pro.

RAVENS: Baltimore officials have started negotiations with left tackle Jonathan Ogden to reduce imposing salary cap figures the next two years and ensure that he finishes his career as a Raven. Ogden is due to make $4.15 million this year, $7.2 million in 2005 and $8.75 million in 2006.

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Written from notes provided by other NFL beat writers.

E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com

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