New Orleans running back Ricky Williams leads all NFL players with 245 “touches” this season, and his health is a concern as the upstart Saints open the second half of the season.

        He has 205 rushing attempts and 40 receptions, and the Saints' reliance on Williams has increased during their four-game win streak.

        He averaged 26.7 touches in the 1-3 start but 34.5 in the 4-0 streak.

        Williams already has missed practice time with a banged-up knee and has also played through a painful bruise and chipped bone on the top of his foot. In last week's win against Arizona, Williams injured his right shoulder on a carry in the final minutes while trying to run out the clock. He is listed on this week's injury report with a bruised shoulder.

        Williams, as usual, is not talking to the New Orleans reporters, local guys. But in a conference call with San Francisco media admitted the workload is taking its toll.

        “I'm pretty banged up; I'm very banged up,” he said. “If I can get through the next couple weeks and get healthy for the last stretch, I should be all right.”

        The 5-3 Saints entertain the 2-7 49ers today.

        MR. PRESIDENT: In case you missed it on Monday Night Football, the Redskins loss to the Titans means George W. Bush will be elected president Tuesday.

        At least that's the trend of the last 15 elections. When the Redskins lost their last home game before the vote, the incumbent party lost the presidential election. Whenever they won, the current party retained control of the White House.

        Washington is at Arizona today.

        FULLER'S DILEMMA: The Browns are 4-21 in two years. The 25 players who have been with them through all those losses are frustrated and discouraged and need some wins.

        Playing all these young guys might be counterproductive. Of course, there isn't much on the bench, which is a direct reflect of the personnel department. Cornerback Corey Fuller gave this assessment of the young players to reporters who cover the Browns:

        “Young players want answers. And the only way you get answers is by winning. You can't figure it out by losing.

        “I feel bad for the young players. I can see it in their eyes, I can hear it in their voices. I try to be positive. I get mad on Sundays, but I can't be mad here all the time. I'm trying to be a leader. This is the situation we're in.”

        ONE PRIORITY: Oakland halfback Randy Jordan said he and teammate Zack Crockett were shaking their heads after the Raiders' 15-13 death struggle against winless San Diego until they reminded themselves about what was important.

        “We have one of the best records in the league, and at the end of the season, they're not going to ask you, "How much did you beat San Diego by?”' Jordan told Bay Area reporters. “They're going to ask you, "How many games did you win?' It's not like the (Bowl Championship Series), where you have to beat someone by 40 points to go to a bowl.”

        Coach Jon Gruden echoed the college theme.

        “Everybody expects you to go out and dominate and all that, but this is the National Football League, not the ACC or the Big-8 Conference.”

        The 7-1 Raiders play host today to rival Kansas City.

        SUBWAY SUPER BOWL? Giants general manager Ernie Accorsi called Jets head coach Al Groh the other day to congratulate him on last week's dramatic 40-37 overtime victory against the Dolphins.

        During the course of the conversation, Accorsi allowed himself to wonder what if the Giants and Jets staged the football version of the all-New York World Series.

        The Jets and Giants are 6-2, and they woke up Monday morning with a piece of first place in their respective divisions.

        “My favorite sport outside of football is baseball, and I saw what Mets-Yankees did for this area,” Accorsi told New York football writers. “It was tremendous, and it created a tremendous amount of excitement. I want football to be big in New York, and I would be happy if we could both get down the stretch winning.”

        Groh's reaction: “I think we'd be well served just to deal with winning all the games presented to us, rather than creating any grand scenario for ourselves.”

        REPEAT PERFORMANCE: Titans general manager Floyd Reese has been watching video tapes of the Steelers' defense this week and two things keep sticking out: Greg Lloyd and Kevin Greene.

        The Quiver and Quake are back, disguised as Jason Gildon and Joey Porter. “They're impressive,” Reese said on a conference call. “They are in the image of Kevin Greene and Greg Lloyd. The same mold, same cut.”

        And they're on pace for the same statistics. At the midway point of the season, Porter has seven sacks from his post at right outside linebacker and Gildon has five at left outside linebacker. That's a pace of 14 and 10.

        In 1994, Greene finished with 14 sacks and Lloyd 10, the only time in Steelers' recorded sack history that two players hit double figures in the same season.

        FLYING FISH: When the Dolphins signed Lamar Smith to a two-year deal in March, they thought they were getting a back who would push starter J.J. Johnson.

        Instead they have found a running back that is on pace to establish a team record for rushing. Smith is on track to break Delvin Williams's team mark of 1,258 yards set in 1978.

        If Smith were to remain at his current average of 78.9 yards a game, he would finish with 1,262 yards. He already owns two of the top 13 rushing games in team history.

        Top rushers in Miami history: Williams, 1,258 yards, 1978; Larry Csonka, 1,117 yards, 1972; Karim Abdul-Jabbar, 1,116 yards, 1996; Csonka, 1,051 yards, 1971; Csonka, 1,003 yards, 1973; and Mercury Morris, 1,000 yards, 1972.

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