6B
Friday, August 30, 1996
NFL
NFL UPDATE
NFL season openers prove anything goes
By Dave Goldberg AP Football writer
The last official NFL game in Baltimore was Dec. 18, 1983, when the Baltimore Colts defeated the Houston Oilers 20-10 before 18,000 fans at Memorial Stadium. A couple months later, Bob Irsay lined up the Mayflower moving vans and took the Colts to Indianapolis.
There will be 47,000 more people in attendance Sunday, when Art Modell's transplanted Cleveland Browns make their debut as the Baltimore Ravens. The opponent is appropriate — the Raiders, sometimes Oakland, sometimes Los Angeles, now back on the east side of San Francisco Bay.
This is the Mayflower FFA Bowl (for franchise free agency), the perfect way to start the 1996 NFL season.
It is a vastly different league than it was two years ago. There are two expansion teams, three clubs that have relocated (the Ravens, Rams and Raiders), and the Houston Oilers are beginning a lame-duck season before moving to Tennessee.
Modell, who plays host to 500 of Maryland's elite at a black-tie function tomorrow night, finally is beginning to leave behind the bitterness that surrounded his move.
"It's past, it's history," the 71-year-old Modell said. "I'm in Baltimore now. I know it's hard for me to say this at my age, but I feel really invigorated by being here."
However, the team is the same one that finished 5-11 last season, with no significant free-agent additions and only offensive lineman Jonathan Ogden, the first-round draft choice, to make an immediate impact.
Vinny Testaverde is inconsistent at quarterback, and 34-year-old Earnest Byner is starting at running back.
The Raiders, as usual, are surrounded by turmoil.
A week ago, John Fox quit as the team's defensive coordinator. More likely, there was a shove from Al Davis.
More significant, quarterback Jeff Hostetler is hurt again, and Billy Joe Hobert will replace him — a backbeat to last season when Hostetler went down and the Raiders lost their last six to finish 8-8. Vince Evans isn't available this week, having finally retired at 41.
But if Hostetler stays down, stranger things have happened than an Evans re-sighting — like the Cleveland Brown's moving to Baltimore.
Sunday's other opening games are Arizona at Indianapolis; Atlanta at Carolina; Cincinnati at St. Louis; Detroit at Minnesota; Kansas City at Houston; Philadelphia at Washington; Pittsburgh at Jacksonville; Green Bay at Tampa Bay; New England at Miami; New Orleans at San Francisco; the New York Jets at Denver; Seattle at San Diego; and Buffalo at the New York Giants. Dallas begins its quest for a fourth Super Bowl title in five years at Chicago on Monday night.
Dallas [12-4] at Chicago (9-7)
The state of the Cowboys as defined by 330-pound philosopher Nate Newton:
"We've got to quit whining. It's time to start playing football and quit worrying about who is here.It's time to rock and get nasty and mean."
A lot of the whining comes from Barry Switzer, who calls Dallas the thinest team in the league because of the money it has spent to sign stars Emmitt Smith, Deion Sanders, Troy Aikman and Michael Irvin, who begins his five-game suspension.
Irvin is not the only one missing. Injuries have claimed the top three tight ends, Jay Novacek, Kendall Watkins and Eric Bjornson, and Smith has a sprained knee.
Smith seems ready, although maybe not at full speed, as does left tackle Mark Tuinei, who has a sprained knee. Defensive ends Tony Tolbert, Charles Haley and Sanders will play hurt.
But Dave Wannstedt, who was Jimmy Johnson's defensive coordinator in Dallas, has no sympathy. He lost defensive tackle Chris Zorich, the emotional heart of his defense, from a unit that wasn't much at the beginning.
New England (6-10)
at Miami (9-7)
Drew Bledsoe vs. Dan Marino isn't a bad show, but this one is about coaches — Jimmy Johnson, making his regular-season debut in Miami, and Bill Parcels, one of the few to whom Johnson gives his due.
Both Parcells and Johnson, of course, invented football, and Jimmy is reinventing the Dolphins. He has 24 new faces on the 53-man roster he inherited from Don Shula, and five rookies could start.
Remember this: Johnson was 1-15 his first year in Dallas.
Remember also that he didn't have Marino.
"Because of all the new players, we're going to have some bumps in the road early," he said. "The last half of the schedule we'll be playing outstanding football."
Parcells, meanwhile, has had his personnel responsibilities taken away, and he is not on the best of terms with owner Bob Kraft, who berated him this week for calling first-round pick Terry Glenn "she."
But if Bledsoe comes back from an injury-plagued 1995 ... one never knows.
The Steelers break in quarterback Jim Miller now that Neil O'Donnell has run to the Jets for $25 million, so look for the Jaguars to throw a lot of blitzes at him; they came out blitzing even in their exhibition opener.
Pittsburgh (11-5) at Jacksonville (4-12)
Under Bill Cowher, the Steelers have survived change well at running back, from Tim Worley to Barry Foster to Bam Morris and now to Jerome Bettis and Erric Pegram. Playing Miller keeps Mike Tomczak in his career slot as a backup and allows Kordell Stewart to play his multiple "Slash" roles.
They also have managed to fill holes caused by injury, the latest a torn rotator cuff that will sideline defensive end Ray Seals all season. Brentson Buckner, the other end, also will be out on Sunday.
The Jaguars have upgraded their offense with tackle Leon Searcy from the Steelers, wide receivers Andre Rison and Keenan McCardell and running back Natrone Means, although Means won't play because of a torn thumb ligament.
Kansas City (13-3)
at Houston (7-9)
This is the first of 16 road games for the Oilers, who will be playing before 30,000 or more empty seats.
That is a shame because Jeff Fisher has the makings of a good, young team, led by quarterback Steve McNair and running back Eddie George. Chris Chandler and Rodney Thomas may be the nominal starters, but not for long.
The Chiefs? Same old team, a rarity these days, except for the guy they could have used in last season's playoffs -- kicker Pete Stoyanovich, obtained last week in a trade with Miami. Look for Tamarick Vanover, primarily a kick returner last year, as a receiver.
Green Bay (11-5) at Tampa Bay (7-9)
A new coach for the Bucs, Tony Dungy, and a lot of new players. But Trent Dilfer remains the quarterback
The referendum to provide money for a new stadium for Tampa will be on Tuesday. A win or good showing might produce a few more yes votes, a loss, the opposite.
in an offense that still is without holdout running back Erict Rhett.
This is the first regular-season game for Brett Favre since the
Green Bay quarterback spent 46 days in rehab overcoming a pankiller addiction. The Pack carries a heavy load as the preseason Super Bowl favorite of many, but it has the tools, including pass-rushing defensive tackle Santana Dotson, a former Buc.
New Orleans (7-9)
at San Francisco (11-5)
A tradition continues. This is the fourth time in nine years that these two have opened against each other, although the previous three times it was in New Orleans. The Niners won those by a total of four points.
The San Francisco offensive line is hurting. So is the New Orleans defensive line — so much so that Brady Smith, a third-round rookie pass rusher, may play full time at end.
Buffalo (10-6)
at New York Giants (5-11)
Just when everything seemed fine in Buffalo, Bruce Smith began to yell about not getting a contract extension. But that is just a blip on what could be a fifth trip to the Super Bowl in seven years — and perhaps the last shot for Smith, Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, Andre Reed, Steve Tasker and Kent Hull.
The Giants don't look as if they are going anywhere. They have 10 rookies on the roster, no starter older than 29, and coach Dan Reeves may be on his way out.
They started last year in prime time being blown out 35-0 by Dallas, and this Sunday night game could send them downhill quickly.
Seattle (8-8)
at San Diego (9-7)
Well, at least the Seahawks are still in Seattle and will remain so if Paul Allen can find a place bigger than a microchip to build a stadium. A good team would help, and this could be one if quarterback Rick Mirer reverses last year's slide. He has Joey Galloway and Brian Blades to throw to and Chris Warren to run.
The Chargers are the tortoise in the tortoise-hare race. They won their last five to make the playoffs last year and, like most Bobby Beathard teams, remain largely anonymous, except for Stan Humphries and Junior Seau.
But Beathard's teams are pretty good. Who else would keep trading first-round picks for second-rounders and let go of Natrone Means to keep Aaron Hayden and Terrell Fletcher?
New York Jets (3-13) at Denver (8-8)
Both teams have high expectations that may be a bit unjustified — the Jets because of the spending spree that got them Neil O'Donnell, Jumbo Elliott and some lesser-priced free agents, the Broncos because they think six new starters finally mean a defense that can stop somebody.
John Mobley, the first-round draft choice, will start at outside linebacker and could be Denver's first defensive impact player in almost a decade. O'Donnell has some targets, notably Keyshawn Johnson, the first overall pick in the draft, but there is still a long way to go.
Atlanta (9-7)
at Carolina (7-9)
The Panthers open their new building. Their team, best in expansion history, is not bad, either. Carolina
almost opened with a win last year,
losing 23-20 in overtime in Atlanta.
The offense has improved. Tshimanga Biakabutuka looks like the running back Carolina needs, and Kerry Collins keeps learning at quarterback. But the Panthers live or die on defense, where only one starter, cornerback Tyrone Poole, is younger than 28.
Adanta is 38-42 since 1991 and gim-micky, with the last of the run-and-shoot offensives and an undersized defense that gambles a lot. The Falcons added Cornelius Bennett to the defense but had Chris Doleman and Darryl Talley before him, and they weren't the answer.
Arizona (4-12) at Indianapolis (9-7)
Vince Tobin makes his head coaching debut against an Indianapolis team whose defense he molded. He does it with a team that is either:
—Desperate, because it is starting rookies Simeon Rice at defensive end and Leeland McElroy at running back barely a week after they signed.
— So laden with talented rookies that Rice and McElroy are good enough to start barely a week after they signed.
The Colts have high expectations after almost getting to the Super
Bowl last year. Lindy Infante is the new coach and needs quarterback Jim Harbaugh to have another season like 1995.
Detroit (10-6)
at Minnesota (8-8)
The Lions won seven consecutive games last year, making the playoffs and saving Wayne Fontes' job. But the operative numbers are 58-37, the score of the wild-card game in which they lost to Philadelphia. They also beat Minnesota 44-38 last year, an indication of what these two teams are about.
Both teams are hurting at linebacker. Pepper Johnson was brought in to spell the injured Michael Brooks in the middle after Detroit let Chris Spielman leave as a free agent. The Vikings lost outside linebacker Ed McDaniel with a knee injury early in camp and brought in Dalrymple, who also is hurt.
Philadelphia [10-6]
at Washington (6-10)
Both have designs on playoff spots and could raise their sights if the Cowboys continue to fall.
The Eagles will have Rodney Petee at quarterback, bruised knee and all, and the Redskins will play Gus Frerote, leaving Heath Shuler on the bench with bruised feelings.
This begins a big season for Washington coach Norv Turner. He doubled the Redskins' wins from three to six last season but needs more progress to please the impatient Jack Kent Cooke. Ray Rhodes, on the other hand, was coach of the year last season just for getting the Eagles back above 500.
Cincinnati (7-9)
at St. Louis (7-9)
Two teams that hope they are on the way up. The Bengals have to be save Dave Shula's job.
This is the regular-season unveiling for the Bengals' Ki-Jana Carter, who missed all of last season with a knee injury. But more important to Cincinnati may be another No. 1 overall draft pick, defensive tackle Dan Wilkinson, who needs to play up to his potential.
The Rams started 4-0 last year, then fell apart, largely because of turnovers.
NATURALWAY • NATURAL FIBER CLOTHING
829 232 3245 481 0109
*820-822 MASS. * 841-0100*
NATURAL BODYCARE
Shark's Surf Shop
813 Massachusetts
Lawrence,KS 66044
(913) 841-8289
NATURAL WAY
•820-822 MASS. •841-0100·