NFL Notebook: Tomlin had big influence on Vikes' defense

■ Steelers: Coach Mike Tomlin spent only one season in Minnesota as defensive coordinator of the Vikings before his surprise hiring to run the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Yet Tomlin still managed to forge some substantial connections in the nine months he was there, and Vikings defenders are looking forward to seeing their former leader when they roll into Pittsburgh on Sunday.

"I know for a lot of guys it's going to be exciting just because he had something to do with bringing some of us in here and he was our defensive coordinator," cornerback Cedric Griffin said. "It's going to be exciting to play against him."

Tomlin was a little-known secondary coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when Vikings coach Brad Childress hired him to run the defense in his first year in Minnesota. The players quickly took to the young, engaging and energetic coach, and the Vikings finished eighth in total defense in 2006.

"The nine months that he was here with us, just the interaction, telling us to play hard and play tough all the time," Griffin said. "He was always in our ear. He definitely had a big influence in some of us."

■ Giants: Lost in the 48-27 loss to the New Orleans Saints was a record-setting performance by Domenik Hixon of the Giants.

Hixon, a receiver-returnman, had 303 total yards in breaking Joe Scott's 61-year-old franchise record by 24 yards.

Hixon had 230 yards on seven kickoff returns, including a 68-yarder and a 45-yarder to set up a touchdown and field goal, respectively. He returned two punts for 27 and 24 yards, with the latter setting up another score. Hixon also caught three passes for 22 yards.

According to the Giants, he was the first player to gain at least 300 yards in a game since Arizona's Steve Breaston had 324 yards on Sept. 28, 2008.

■ Cowboys: By adding returner Allen Rossum, Dallas has five guys whose jobs are strictly as special teamers.

The others are punter Mat McBriar, kicker Nick Folk, kickoff specialist David Buehler and deep snapper L.P. Ladouceur. Each is very good at his job and one of the big reasons the Cowboys have lived up to their offseason goal of getting better on special teams.

But having that many guys who play only in the kicking game means Coach Wade Phillips will have fewer moveable parts when putting together his 45-man roster today against Atlanta. This will be Rossum's first game for Dallas.

"There's obviously some challenges," Phillips said. "But you're talking about (leaving out) a backup player. How many plays would he play as compared to punt and kickoff returns, and how many plays he plays and what a difference he'd make. Right now, I think Rossum will make a difference for us."

■ Jets: The last two times Rex Ryan played against the Oakland Raiders while defensive coordinator in Baltimore, his twin brother Rob had the same role in Oakland.

With Rob now off in Cleveland, Rex Ryan says it will be just another game when his New York Jets visit Oakland today.

The Jets' Ryan said this week he won't be out for revenge even though the Raiders did not bring his brother back for a sixth season as defensive coordinator.

"He loves Al Davis," Rex said of Rob. "I don't think there's any bad blood at all from our family heading to the Raiders, and all that. The Raiders were great to our family and Al Davis was great to my brother. So I don't necessarily feel that. You know, I may come up with something. Nah, not really, though."

■ Redskins: Clinton Portis finds it difficult to mingle among the public these days.

With Washington at 2-4 despite a weak schedule, Portis is sensing the anger and frustration everywhere he goes.

"I don't think this is the time you want to be out in public talking football," Portis said. "Everybody feel like they know what the answer is. ‘Oh, they should bench you.' People have the craziest ideas. They think they're on to something.

"My reply to them: ‘How would they feel if they fired you? If you had a bad day or things weren't going well and you weren't producing, and you were the one that they were going to fire?"‘