DETMER MAKES MOST OF CHANCE.

Byline: Josie Karp Fort Worth Star-Telegram 

Ray Rhodes loves his quarterback because Ty Detmer is a student of the game. Of course, love is not the word Rhodes uses. That would be too much praise for the tight-lipped coach to lavish on one of his players.

But Rhodes does admit that the diminutive former Heisman Trophy winner ``has done OK'' since taking over for Rodney Peete after the Dallas Cowboys ended Peete's season a month ago.

It was Rhodes, the Eagles' coach, who maneuvered to bring Detmer to Philadelphia when he became a free agent last off-season after four years of backup work in Green Bay.

Detmer and Brett Favre arrived in Wisconsin at the same time, Detmer as a ninth-round draft pick and Favre as a savior. Rhodes was the defensive coordinator there. His first-team defense spent a lot of time playing against the scout-team offense that Detmer ran.

Rhodes liked what he saw then, and, in his own understated way, Rhodes has said that he loves what he has seen so far from the tiny-by-quarterback-standards 6-foot, 190-pound Detmer.

``He's a guy that understands the game extremely well,'' Rhodes said. ``That's the thing that people didn't look at with a Ty Detmer. They've seen a little guy that resembles the paper boy at times. They don't see the things that a coach that has worked against him has an opportunity to see. You see the ability to read defenses. You see the ability to spit the ball out and give it to the right receiver and also the ability to manage an offensive team.''

This is what Rhodes saw when he looked at the short backup quarterback. It is what the Cowboys see this week on film as they prepare to play host to the Eagles on Sunday at Texas Stadium.

There are certain things, says Cowboys coach Barry Switzer, that Detmer might do even better than his predecessor, Peete.

For example, says defensive coordinator Dave Campo, Detmer has shown an ability to throw the ball in tight spaces. And he can get the ball downfield even though his arm strength is average for an NFL quarterback.

Most importantly to Rhodes, he has led his team to victory.

The Eagles are 3-0 with Detmer starting, which doesn't surprise Cowboys middle linebacker Fred Strickland, a teammate of Detmer's in Green Bay last season. Strickland was more surprised by Detmer's erratic performance immediately after taking over when Peete was injured in the game against the Cowboys than he is with his stellar play of late.

``In practice, he would have us going one way and throw back the other way,'' Strickland said. ``He was real good at looking off receivers. And he's mobile. He's not going to just sit back in the pocket.''

Switzer says Detmer's height is not a big disadvantage in the short passing game. Short passing game. Short quarterback. Perfect.

Practically perfect is what Detmer has been since taking over for Peete. The only blemish on his record is that loss the team suffered to the Cowboys. In his first three career starts, Detmer is perfect. In Sunday's game, he passed for 342 yards against Carolina. The outing before that, Detmer threw four touchdown passes against Miami.

In addition to his accuracy, Detmer has shown a fiery attitude that belies his size. He can be firm, loose or demanding in the huddle - whatever the situation requires. And he is tough. When the Carolina Panthers unleashed their blitzing attack against Detmer, he took every hit and got up every time.

``Nobody's really seen me play since college,'' said Detmer, who played in only seven games in four years with the Packers, throwing only 21 passes. ``I haven't had many opportunities to get out there and run the offense and run the team out there. I think it kind of surprised people a little bit.''

Detmer says he likes the Eagles' offense because it forces him to read a defense on every play. ``It gives you a chance to use your brain a little,'' Detmer said.

While his mastery of the Eagles' offense might be unquestioned, Detmer's league history sounded a bit off Wednesday when he was asked about his lack of height for what must have seemed the millionth time.

``Steve Young is only 6-foot and he was MVP of the league a couple of years ago,'' Detmer said.

Actually, Steve Young is 6-2. It's the former quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers, Joe Montana, who stands only 6 feet. Please excuse Detmer.

He's still learning.