If Dennis Green and Wade Phillips are to be believed, in the next few weeks they'll bench Randall Cunningham and Doug Flutie, combined record 8-0, in favor of Brad and Rob Johnson.

Brad and Rob aren't related, but they have at least one thing in common: They're likely to be booed the minute they step back on the field.

No matter that Cunningham has become twice the quarterback as a pocket passer than he was in his salad days in Philadelphia. No matter that Flutie sells tickets and cereal, has won three straight and added off-beat magic to a traditional game.

The standard line from any coach about replacements is this:

"No starter loses his job to injury."

The small print, in these days of the salary cap, reads:

"Especially if he's just signed a $25 million contract (Rob) or a $15 million deal (Brad)."

It was all out there for everyone to see on Sunday.

Cunningham was 17 of 30 for 190 yards with two touchdowns as Minnesota kept pace with Denver at 7-0 by beating Detroit 31-13. Ok, so he threw his first two interceptions of the season, but both were in garbage time and he now has 14 TDs to two interceptions for the season.

So Green is playing coy, with the help of Brad Johnson, who broke his ankle in the second week against the Rams.