NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Traffic in Los Angeles can be unbearable, even for those who carpool.

It helps if there's someone to talk to.

As a young coach at USC, Raiders head coach Lane Kiffin's carpool buddy was the man he eventually succeeded as the director of the Trojans' offense.

Norm Chow, regarded as one of the greatest offensive coordinators in college history, left USC in 2005 to become the Tennessee Titans' offensive coordinator.

Chow's move to the NFL allowed Kiffin to become co-offensive coordinator — along with Steve Sarkisian — and take over playcalling and that eventually led to him landing the Raiders' job.

"You could see the potential for him to be a head coach then," Chow said in a phone interview.

Chow, a Punahou alum and former Waialua High head football coach, said he had a good working relationship with Kiffin, aided by sitting in Southern California traffic together.

Kiffin noted Chow's good relationship with players and how he called a game while working under him from 2001-04.

"I thought he handled gameday really well, and he really had a killer instinct when games were going our direction and really keeping (opponents) down," Kiffin said.

Kiffin has had to adjust his play-calling in the NFL. He no longer has a roster of All-Americans at his disposal.

Meanwhile, one of Chow's biggest adjustment was how quickly defensive coordinators adjust to offenses after a play works.

"I'd save a play and try it again in the third quarter and it would get smashed," said Chow, who admits he also had to learn to call plays much faster. "In college the clock stops and the big fat guys have to move the chains down field. In the NFL after a 40-yard play, the clock is moving and I've got to get the next play in fast."

Patriots: Five-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Richard Seymour was activated yesterday in time for today's game against the Washington Redskins. Seymour spent the first seven games of the season on the physically unable to perform list because of a knee injury.

Jets: Linebacker Jonathan Vilma was placed on injured reserve yesterday with a knee injury, ending the one-time Pro Bowler's season after seven games. Vilma was hurt in New York's loss at Cincinnati last Sunday.