TALL ORDER: At six feet, eight inches, Carolina Panthers nose tackle MIKE FOX is used to being the tallest player on the team. But this year, he had to relinquish that title to rookie tackle ROB BOHLINGER, who at 6-9 is not only the tallest Panther, but the tallest player in the NFL. Bohlinger was one of only three rookie free agents to make Carolina’s opening-game roster.

There are 38 NFL players this season who are at least 6-7. Arizona, Atlanta, Carolina and Philadelphia all have three players 6 feet, 7 inches tall or taller. According to the 1978 NFL Record & Fact Book, there were 23 players in the league at least 6-7 20 years ago. There are eight players tied for shortest in the league at five feet, seven inches.

MINNESOTA MOUNTAINS: For the second time in three years, the Minnesota Vikings own football’s heaviest player. Right tackle KOREY STRINGER tips the scales at a league-high 359 pounds. The fourth-year tackle was football’s second-heaviest player last year behind Buffalo’s JAMIE NAILS, who is fourth on this year’s list at 354.

Filling out the right side of Minnesota’s offensive line is the league’s 1996 heaviest man and this season’s second-heaviest player, guard DAVID DIXON (357). The third-heaviest player in the NFL is 355-pound tackle ANTHONY CLEMENT of Arizona. Three players help round out the five highest weights, all at 350 pounds: defensive tackle GILBERT BROWN, Green Bay; tackle ORLANDO BROWN, Baltimore; and tackle JEROME DANIELS, Arizona.

There are 250 300-pound players on this year’s opening-game rosters compared to 226 a year ago. There are 131 in the AFC and 119 in the NFC. The Oakland Raiders lead the league with 13 300-pounders, while Green Bay and the New York Giants lead the NFC with 12 each.

According to the 1988 NFL Record & Fact Book, there were 20 300-pounders that year, nine in the AFC and 11 in the NFC.

* First name

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS MIKE WILLIAMS?: The most popular first-last names in the NFL are "Mike/Michael Williams." However, while there are 59 players whose first name is "Mike/Michael" and 33 whose last name is "Williams," there is not a single player named "Mike/Michael Williams." In fact, only six players in NFL history have been named Mike/Michael Williams, with the last two playing in 1995 – CB MICHAEL WILLIAMS with San Francisco and WR MIKE WILLIAMS with Miami.

A DECEMBER TO REMEMBER: December is the time of year when players are selected for the Pro Bowl and teams qualify for the playoffs. It is also the month in which 156 players on ’98 opening-game rosters were born – the leading birth-month in the NFL this season. December is followed by January (148) and October (145) with the most NFL birthdays.

WHO SAID PLAYERS DON’T LIKE TRAINING CAMP?: For NFL players, mid-August is synonymous with training camp. However, it is also a time for celebration. Twelve players share August 15 as their birthdate – the most common birthdate in the league.

EXPERIENCE COUNTS: The league’s only 40-year-old players are quarterbacks WARREN MOON (41) of Seattle and STEVE DE BERG (44) of Atlanta. Moon starts for the Seahawks and passed for 204 yards and three touchdowns in a 38-0 Week 1 win over Philadelphia. DeBerg is a backup for the Falcons

Washington Redskins cornerback DARRELL GREEN is the league’s oldest defensive player at 38. In Week 1, Green tied MONTE COLEMAN and SAMMY BAUGH for most seasons as a Redskin with 16. He also became the oldest cornerback ever to start a game at 38 years and 204 days.

The league’s youngest player on Kickoff Sunday – 21 years, 259 days -- was cornerback R.W. MC QUARTERS of the San Francisco 49ers -- and he is already making an impact. After one NFL game, McQuarters ranks fourth in the NFC with a 12.7-yard punt-return average.

* AFC high; + AFC low