THE DELEGATION from Jaguar could scarcely believe their luck. The race after being accepted into the Formula One fold, and putting their revered name to Stewart-Ford, the team walk away with first and third places. This maiden victory, secured in a rain-invigorated Grand Prix of Europe, has been coming all season. Pittsburgh’s quarter-back, Kordell Stewart allowed three interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown by Merton Hanks.The Jacksonville Jaguars lost for the first time when they were beaten 20-19 by the Tennessee Titans.. This is the first time in many years I have had to bite my lip over what went on.”In contrast, the New England Patriots continue to confound expectation. Their hard-earned 16-14 triumph over the New York Giants was their third in a row, and once again their kicker, Adam Vinatieri, was the difference, converting a 41-yard field goal with three minutes remaining. It is becoming a habit, Vinatieri having previously converted late efforts to beat the Jets and the Indianapolis Colts.Elsewhere, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ aura of invincibility was eradicated by the Seattle Seahawks.

Their third defeat so far was by 13-10 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.The future looks similarly bleak in New York, where the Jets continue to toil. The 27-20 loss against the Washington Redskins was largely self- inflicted, the Jets making many unforced errors which will doubtless leave them under the withering glare of their coach, Bill Parcells this week.”I’m biting my lip right now,” said Parcells, who has won two Super Bowls with New York’s other team, The Giants. He threw three touchdown passes in the second quarter and finishing the rout with a five-yard touchdown run.The Denver Broncos, who defeated Atlanta in last season’s Super Bowl, are in similar disarray. “I didn’t think we were going to be 0-3, but there is nothing in this league that can shock you.”
The Rams owe much to their quarter-back Kurt Warner, who had only previously played with the Amsterdam Admirals in the NFL Europe League. AS THE pre-season favourites continue to struggle the Atlanta Falcons, last season’s beaten Super Bowl team, have yet to record a win with the latest reverse a 35-7 humbling by St Louis Rams on Sunday. “They beat us in every way you can get beaten,” admitted the Falcons coach, Dan Reeves. After that, anything can happen.n Suggested bets: pounds 1 on Chelsea to draw with Galatasaray at 3-1 (Stanley); pounds 1 on Marseilles to beat Manchester United at 5-1 (Ladbrokes and the Tote); pounds 1 on Arsenal to beat Barcelona at 7-2 (Coral, William Hill and the Tote); and pounds 1 on NK Osijek to draw with West Ham at 12-5 (Stanley) France to win the Rugby Union World Cup at 25-1 (Coral and William Hill) (pounds 5 staked)..

On Thursday, West Ham, 3-0 up from the first leg, should have little trouble in holding NK Osijeck, third in their league after beating Hrv Dragovoljac 2-1 at the weekend, to a draw in Croatia.
France are the value in the Rugby Union World Cup They have a clear run through to the semi-finals. Barcelona are another side who look great going forward, but remain vulnerable at the back and Arsenal could surprise them at the Nou Camp, while Chelsea should beat Galatasaray tonight, but the Turkish outfit, top of their league, are no pushovers and the draw is the value. MARSEILLES, 2-1 winners at Rennes on Sunday, can shock Manchester United in their Champions’ League encounter at Old Trafford tomorrow night. Fabrizio Ravanelli, Marseilles’ Italian international striker, posed a goal threat whenever he set foot on the pitch in his season with Middlesbrough, and remains a terrifying prospect for any defence, especially one which leaked three goals to Southampton.

Genuine as their feeling may be, they will be in need of some improved PR by the time the Turkish media have gone to town with Terim’s revised opinions of the “English gentleman”.Chelsea (probable): De Goey; Ferrer, Leboeuf, Desailly, Le Saux; Petrescu, Wise, Deschamps, Babayaro; Sutton (or Flo), Zola.Galatasaray (probable): Taffarel; Fatih, Popescu, Capone, Hakan Unsal; Umit, Tugay, Suat (or Emre); Hargi; Hakan Sukur, Arif.. “From what I hear from my friends in Turkey, it’s like football is keeping the country together. It’s the same as in the old Yugoslavia – they use football to bring the country together again and really play with their heart”.Chelsea’s players are planning a contribution to the earthquake relief fund, probably to be made before the match in Istanbul next month. “If they feel they have the game in their hand, they can play the most beautiful football in the world. But if they feel the game is slipping away, they are just an ordinary team We have to put them under pressure. An early goal would be fantastic but if they score it would be a disaster.”Not a disaster in the proper sense of the word, of course; the Turks experienced that with the recent earthquake in their homeland, which Hogh suggested has given Galatasaray a special bond in the Champions’ League.