NFL roundup
New battle of Texas today Hopes were high in Houston after the expansion draft last spring. Hopes were higher in Dallas when the Cowboys signed veteran defenders La’Roi Glover, Bryant Westbrook and Kevin Hardy.
When the Texans play their first regular-season game ever against the Cowboys on Sunday night in the new battle of Texas, Houston’s hopes will be substantially lower than six weeks ago when training camp started.
But the many Dallas fans around the country still think the Cowboys can go from two straight 5-11 seasons to the Super Bowl, despite the unproven Quincy Carter at quarterback – backed up by Chad Hutchinson, who’s spent the last four years as a baseball player.
The Texans’ successful expansion draft has turned sour because of injuries, the most important to three-time All-Pro left tackle Tony Boselli, recovering from the same shoulder injury that sidelined him with Jacksonville. He worked out for the first time this week.
“Obviously there was a lot of rust on the body, but for the first day back, it went good,” said Boselli, who won’t play Sunday night. “It’s still a long way to go, but it was a good step.”
Without Boselli, things will be more difficult for quarterback David Carr, the No. 1 overall draft pick, against a defensive line that includes Glover, who led the NFL in sacks two seasons ago. Carr bruised a knee in the final exhibition game, but will start.
Of note: Emmitt Smith begins his assault on Walter Payton’s career rushing record of 16,726 yards. He’s 540 yards away and could take a big step toward it here.
– n –
The weekend started with the San Francisco 49ers edging the New York Giants 16-13 in a Thursday night opener. Jose Cortez kicked a 36-yard field goal with six seconds left to win it.
In other Sunday games, it’s Detroit at Miami; the New York Jets at Buffalo; Atlanta at Green Bay; Minnesota at Chicago; Arizona at Washington; Baltimore at Carolina; Philadelphia at Tennessee; San Diego at Cincinnati; Indianapolis at Jacksonville; Kansas City at Cleveland; St. Louis at Denver; Seattle at Oakland; and New Orleans at Tampa Bay.
New England opens Gillette Stadium on Monday night, beginning defense of its NFL title against Pittsburgh, which it upset on the road in the AFC title game.
– n –
Arizona at Washington
Arizona isn’t as soft as some opponents Steve Spurrier faced in early-season college games. But a home game against the defensively challenged Cardinals is still one of the best ways to break in a new offensive system. Even if the offense sputters, Marvin Lewis has the defense looking strong.
With safety Adrian Wilson injured and defensive tackle Wendell Bryant unsigned, Cardinals coach Dave McGinnis’ best hope is keeping Jake Plummer and the offense on the field as long as possible.
St. Louis at Denver
The Broncos and rest of the league finally get a chance to see what Mike Martz has cooked up this year. St. Louis has kept its practices closed and its game plan simple during the preseason.
The Broncos should get their first indication if Brian Griese can rebound from a dismal 2001 season. Griese had the second-highest touchdown-to-turnover ratio ever two years ago, but threw 19 interceptions and had the worst fourth-quarter passer rating in the league last year.
Philadelphia at Tennessee
The Eagles feel ready for another shot at a Super Bowl they just missed last season.
Donovan McNabb keeps improving, and they added RB Dorsey Levens and WR Antonio Freeman. Can Barry Gardner and Levon Kirkland tag-team enough so the Eagles don’t miss LB Jeremiah Trotter, their leading tackler who left as a free agent?
Tennessee also has high hopes after injuries dropped it to 7-9 last season. Eddie George has more yards rushing since 1996 than anyone and is healthy again. QB Steve McNair hasn’t felt this well in years. Six new starters must fix the NFL’s worst pass defense.
Minnesota at Chicago
New coach Mike Tice wants to install the “Randy Ratio,” making sure the Vikings throw in WR Randy Moss’ direction 40 percent of the time. They were 4-1 when it happened in 2001, when Minnesota won just five times. Moss will line up everywhere, thoroughly testing Chicago’s secondary.
The Bears begin a season on the road, playing at Memorial Stadium in Champaign while Soldier Field is rebuilt. The Bears swept the Vikings last season, and in the last four meetings they’ve limited Moss to just 17 catches and one touchdown.
San Diego at Cincinnati
The Chargers turn to Drew Brees, who won the QB job over Doug Flutie. The Chargers have had six starters in the last three seasons: Jim Harbaugh, Erik Kramer, Ryan Leaf, Moses Moreno, Flutie and Brees, a second-round pick in 2001. LaDainian Tomlinson (sprained ankle) had only four preseason carries; the Chargers need him to take pressure off Brees. New coach Marty Schottenheimer lost his debuts with Cleveland, Kansas City and Washington.
The Bengals have chosen Gus Frerotte their fifth different starting quarterback in the last five years. He’s their eighth starter overall in the last six years. WR Michael Westbrook, who missed all preseason with a broken bone in his wrist, is expected to play. Linebacker Takeo Spikes also returns from a torn chest muscle.
Pittsburgh at New England
When the Patriots won the Super Bowl as 14-point underdogs, coach Bill Belichick said he didn’t expect the title would change the perception of his team as overachievers.
“I know we’ll probably be underdogs next week,” he said while the confetti was still fresh on the Superdome turf.
He was right: Pittsburgh is a 21/2-point favorite for Monday night’s opener. If a win in a rematch of the AFC title game doesn’t eliminate doubts whether last year was a fluke, expect another season of players complaining about a lack of respect.
The Steelers revamped their special teams, which allowed two touchdowns in the AFC championship game.
New York Jets at Buffalo
The confident Jets come off a 4-0 preseason. QB Vinny Testaverde looks comfortable in an expanded attack with a healthy Santana Moss and a happy, re-signed Wayne Chrebet. The defense has six new starters, including former Bills star LB Sam Cowart.
Drew Bledsoe, acquired from New England in April, will carry much of the offensive load for a team that showed no running attack in an 0-4 preseason. The Bills’ retooled defense faces a stiff challenge against Curtis Martin, who rushed for 258 yards in two games against Buffalo last season.
New Orleans at Tampa Bay
The Bucs make their debut under coach Jon Gruden. The Saints unveil a new-look offense featuring more speed at receiver and versatile Deuce McAllister replacing Ricky Williams in the backfield behind scrambling, strong-armed QB Aaron Brooks.
New Orleans won three of its first four in 2001, then collapsed. Of four consecutive losses to finish 7-9 and miss the playoffs, one was a 48-21 rout at Tampa.
Tampa Bay hired Gruden to build a high-powered offense to complement a championship-caliber defense, making the Bucs the NFC South favorites.
Baltimore at Carolina
The Ravens, torn apart by salary cap problems, start untested QB Chris Redman, who has thrown only three passes in two seasons and struggled in the preseason. Baltimore will bank on RB Jamal Lewis, returning after missing last season with a knee injury. His last game was the 2001 Super Bowl.
The Panthers, losers of their final 15 games last season, have their own offensive problems, panicking earlier this week when new coach John Fox realized Chris Weinke did not have a grasp on the offense. So 14-year veteran QB Rodney Peete will make his first start since 1998, although the Panthers say they haven’t given up on Weinke.
Indianapolis at Jacksonville
The Jaguars fired defensive coordinator Gary Moeller after one unsuccessful season, and replaced him with John Pease, who promises a more aggressive style than last year, when the Jaguars blew a bunch of late leads. Jacksonville has only one holdover (Tony Brackens) from last year’s front seven.
The Colts, meanwhile, went a step further, hiring defensive mastermind Tony Dungy to replace Jim Mora as head coach. Dungy must repair a defense that finished 29th last season and drafted DE Dwight Freeney in the first round.
Detroit at Miami
Miami is the biggest favorite of the first weekend for many reasons.
The Dolphins are the only team to make the playoffs each of the past five seasons, while Detroit was 2-14 last year.
Miami’s defense typically feasts on young quarterbacks, and the Lions will start 23-year-old Mike McMahon, with top draft pick Joey Harrington in the wings.
But the biggest factor may be Miami’s subtropical late-summer weather. The Dolphins have won 15 consecutive home games in August and September, while the Lions have never won in Miami.
Seattle at Oakland
With QB Trent Dilfer slowed by a sprained right knee hurt in the first preseason game Aug. 10, Matt Hasselbeck will start. Shaun Alexander had a record day the last time these teams met, rushing for 266 yards and three touchdowns, including an 88-yard run, as the Seahawks won 34-27.
Bill Callahan, who replaced media darling Gruden, makes his debut and is on a quest to bring a championship to a veteran-laden team before it’s too late. QB Rich Gannon, WR Tim Brown and new LB Bill Romanowski are 36, and WR Jerry Rice turns 40 next month. New safety Rod Woodson is 37.
Kansas City at Cleveland
Kickoff couldn’t come quick enough for both teams.
Chiefs TE Tony Gonzalez finally ended his holdout last week and is expected to play. However, DT Ryan Sims, the first-round draft pick who also held out, will be kept out.
Browns QB Tim Couch has a sore right arm but says he will play. Cleveland’s defense, which lost All-Pro linebacker Jamir Miller (torn Achilles’ tendon) to a season-ending injury, will have to stop Kansas City’s running game featuring Priest Holmes, the league’s leading rusher a year ago.
Atlanta at Green Bay
The Falcons unveil a new 3-4 defense and QB Michael Vick, last year’s top draft pick. Coach Dan Reeves simplified his notoriously complex playbook for the benefit of the 22-year-old Vick, who he is encouraging to run more often. KR Allen Rossum, who played for the Packers last year, was lured to Atlanta by a three-year, $3 million deal, making Darrien Gordon expendable. Gordon signed with Green Bay.
Green Bay went 12-4 last year, but a 23-20 home loss to the Falcons at Lambeau Field kept them from winning the NFC Central.