NFL Insider: The secret to dealing with diva receivers

George Stewart is a pretty good resource if you're wondering why so many receivers act like, well, you know, receivers.

"I think what lends their personality to being high-maintenance is they have to depend on someone else to be successful," said the Vikings receivers coach. "They're the only ones who can't do it by themselves.

"The running back, he's guaranteed to get the ball. The offensive lineman is going to block somebody. The defensive linemen can beat somebody to make the tackle. The receivers, they have to depend on somebody else every time the ball is snapped. I think that's why you see the high maintenance from those guys."

If you're looking for Stewart's credentials, he can flash a 25-year NFL résumé that includes names such as Terrell Owens, Randy Moss and Percy Harvin. It looks like a Who's Who of "He's a Pain in the Backside" to the rest of us, but not to Stewart, who survived the Vikings' most recent coaching purge in part because of his knack for handling even the most challenging of personalities at the position that no doubt leads the league in outbursts, tantrums and all-around moodiness.

There have been multiple situations involving unhappy receivers again this season. But it's a good bet the Harvin trade eight days ago won't be topped.

After giving the Vikings first- and third-round picks for Harvin before last season, the Seahawks cut their losses, taking a conditional pick from the Jets that reportedly will be a second-rounder at best. Reports of fighting with teammates, complaining about his role and refusing to enter a game followed Harvin out of town.

"I don't know what's gone on with Percy this year," Stewart said. "All I know is when I had Percy, Percy was fine with me.

Would he be harder to deal with as a head coach, George?

"I've never sat in that seat, so I don't know," Stewart said. "All I know is he wasn't a problem for me."

Leslie Frazier was the head coach when the Vikings traded Harvin, who was disgruntled with his role, the quarterback situation and his contract at the time.

"Tremendous player, tremendous playmaker," said Frazier, now Tampa Bay's defensive coordinator. "We didn't always see eye to eye on some things, but at the end of the day, we both wanted the same thing for our team, and that was to win."

As for Moss, Stewart's eyes light up when he talks about his brief time with Moss during the SuperFreak's second stint in Minnesota in 2010.

So what's the key to handling the high-maintenance NFL receiver?

"You have to do is be honest with them," Stewart said. "You let them know that you're there for them. Everybody needs help.

"We all lose our patience sometimes. But you have to have a 'coming home' factor. Like when you get in trouble and you know Mom's going to take care of you. I'm not saying I'm their mom, but you have to have somebody they can go to and talk through things."

NFL Chatter

Fran Tarkenton held the NFL record for passing touchdowns for a league-record 24 years before Dan Marino threw his 343rd in 1995.

Favre held it for seven years until Peyton Manning threw his 509th on Sunday.

Naturally, the discussion now has moved to whether anyone will ever break Manning's record. At 38, he also shows no signs of decline.

For gosh sakes, the guy just threw six TDs in five days and sits at 513.

Manning losing that record might not seem possible at the moment, although Drew Brees is three years younger and on a similar pace with 374.

But the way the NFL is going, don't bet against that record falling.

Most consecutive starts for a quarterback: 297 by Favre. It is the record for all positions as well. Certainly no quarterback will ever get close. Even when Peyton Manning's streak ended in 2011, it still was 89 short.

Most consecutive games without a win: 26 by the expansion Buccaneers from 1976-77. Next in line? The Chicago Cardinals (1942-43, 1945) at 19.

Most wins by a head coach: 347, Don Shula. For perspective, Bill Belichick is the active leader at 204. Even at 10 wins a season, he'd need to go about 15 more years.

• Four of Baltimore's five wins have been by 20 points or more. The Ravens are a league-high plus-89 in point differential.

• There are 13 teams with a losing record. The Raiders (0-6) have only one game remaining against a team that currently has a losing record.

• The Packers, a league-best plus-10 in turnover differential, will lose to the Saints, who are 29th at minus-8.

• DeMarco Murray will exit Week 8 with 217 carries after a 30-carry effort against Washington. The single-season record is 416 by Larry Johnson in 2006.

1 Monday night drama Washington at Dallas

Robert Griffin III may or may not return as the Redskins quarterback. If he can't play, and Colt McCoy (right) starts, well … that'd be welcomed by the 6-1 Cowboys.

2 Oh, brother Chicago at New England

3 Super no more Seattle at Carolina

There's little doubt Seattle has the talent to repeat as Super Bowl champion, but are things coming a bit unraveled in the wake of the Percy Harvin trade and an odd loss to the Rams? We'll soon find out.

4 Flying below the radar Philadelphia at Arizona

Don't sleep on these teams. There's no reason to think the early season success won't continue for both. This game shapes up to be a big test.

5 Saints go marching out Green Bay at New Orleans

Week 8 NFL picks

The Rams beat the Seahawks, the Chargers lost to the Chiefs and for some reason the Browns now dream that they're made of tin and have no heart.

The Lions kept winning, the Saints kept losing and Percy keeps packing.

The Bengals were awful for 60 minutes, and Kyle Orton was great for three.

Yeah, we know. It's a crazy league. But you can trust us. We got this whole crazy-league stuff figured out. See:

Vikings 28, Bucs 21

Instead of a coin toss, captains will play Rock, Paper, Scissors. The loser has to pay Josh Freeman $3 million and let him start.

ATL +4 vs. DET

(at London)

Lions by 10

CHI +6 at NE

Patriots by 7

Brandon Marshall will apologize for acting like a self-centered jerk receiver.

STL +6½ at KC

Rams by 3

SEA -4 ½ at CAR

Panthers by 6

To make sure that absolutely everyone accepts the Percy Harvin trade, the Seahawks will leak information that he kicked a puppy, a child and Betty White.

BUF +3 at NYJ

Jets by 6

MIA -5½ at JAX

Dolphins by 10

The Jaguars will lose but remain undefeated against cities that haven't won squat since gas cost 30 cents a gallon.

HOU -1 at TEN

Texans by 7

BAL +1½ at CIN

Bengals by 3

The slumping Bengals will ask a veteran Minneapolis columnist to write, "Listen, sir. You can't lose A.J. Green, Vontaze Burfict, …"

PHI +2½ at ARI

Cardinals by 7

OAK +7 at CLE

Browns by 3

Unable to wait any longer for Johnny Manziel's first career start, ESPN will fire Browns coach Mike Pettine and have 252 analysts talk about it all at the same time.

GB +1½ at NO

Saints by 3

WAS +9½ at DAL

Cowboys by 3

The NFL will keep calling this a must-see rivalry even though 71.2 percent of Twitter users weren't alive when it really was a must-see rivalry.

IND -3 at PIT

Steelers by 7

Record

Last week/overall: 10-4/ 59-39-1

Vs. spread: 8-6/ 48-51

Vikings picks: 4-3