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NFC West again San Francisco's treat
By Mark Soltau
Can anyone dethrone perennial champ San Francisco in the NFC West? Not unless Steve Young sees stars. If the 36-year-old Young stays healthy, the 49ers should have no trouble winning their 11th title in the past 13 years. Unlike last season, when they clinched in late November and finished six games ahead of second-place Carolina, the 49ers might have to sweat into December. No matter. Even though they appear more vulnerable, they remain the class of football's weakest division. The 49ers sustained several major hits during the off-season, losing nose tackle Dana Stubblefield, the NFL Defensive player of the year, cornerbacks Rod Woodson and Tyronne Drakeford, and fullback William Floyd to free agency, while tight end Brent Jones and linebacker Gary Plummer traded in their cleats for microphones. As usual, San Francisco didn't sit still, signing free agents Winfred Tubbs, Antonio Langham, Irv Smith and Gabe Wilkins, and traded a second-round draft choice in 1999 to Denver for offensive tackle Jamie Brown. Though some scoffed, first-round draft pick R.W. McQuarters of Oklahoma State has been impressive at cornerback and returning punts. Of the free agents, only Tubbs, Langham and Smith have made good impressions. Wilkins missed all of training camp after undergoing knee surgery and will not be available until Oct. 18. The injury-plagued Brown has been a bust and was suspended earlier this week by coach Steve Mariucci for arriving late to last week's game. Brown, a projected starter at left guard, has been replaced by unheralded third-year free agent Dave Fiore of Hofstra, who was released by the New York Jets last year. The hard-working Fiore has been a pleasant surprise in training camp, and a good thing, too. The makeshift offensive line is thin and has opened few holes for 49ers running backs.
As usual, San Francisco will depend on its passing game to score points. Garrison Hearst, a 1,000-yard rusher last season, returns, as does second-year fullback Marc Edwards, Floyd's heir apparent, who has been slowed by a back injury. Look for Mariucci to open up the offense and use more one-back sets, trying to get the ball into the hands of wide receivers Jerry Rice, Terrell Owens and J.J. Stokes. Rice, 35, generally regarded as the finest receiver in league history, missed all but two games last season with knee injuries, undergoing two surgeries. Although he insists he is ready to play, Mariucci is saving him for the regular-season opener against the New York Jets. As a result, no one is sure how the knee will hold up. Still, the prospect of Rice, Owens and Stokes on the field together cannot be comforting for opposing defenses. San Francisco is already feeling the absence of Stubblefield. His departure will make things harder on fifth-year tackle Bryant Young, who has quickly become one of the most dominating players at his position. Veterans Merton Hanks, Tim McDonald, Ken Norton Jr., Lee Woodall and Marquez Pope assure the 49ers of another stout defense, but line depth is a major concern. When Young suffered his third concussion in 10 months in last year's opener at Tampa Bay, some speculated his career was in jeopardy. Young sat out the next week, then led San Francisco to 11 consecutive wins and won his sixth passing title in seven years. As he goes, so goes San Francisco.
Should the 49ers slip, look for Carolina to contend. In 1996, the upstart Panthers dethroned San Francisco and finished 12-4, reaching the NFC Championship Game. Last year, they regressed, falling to 7-9. There were several reasons for the decline, notably quarterback Kerry Collins, the defense and poor home-field performances. Collins sustained a broken jaw during the preseason on a cheap-shot hit by Denver linebacker Bill Romanowksi and was never the same. Although Collins proved his toughness by playing five weeks later, he struggled the rest of the season and threw an NFL-high 21 interceptions. After a productive off-season, Collins broke his nose during an exhibition game against Buffalo, but seems to have regained his confidence. To add insult to injury, the team chose not to extend his contract, which means Collins is playing for his job. Running back Fred Lane, a big surprise last year with 809 yards and seven touchdowns, is back, along with tight end Wesley Walls, Collins' favorite target. The moody Floyd is a solid blocker and should give the team an emotional lift. Coach Dom Capers hired Gil Haskell from Green Bay as his new offensive coordinator. Haskell has installed his version of the West Coast offense, and Collins has made a smooth transition. The latter must learn to spread the ball around for the system to work. Defensively, Carolina lost its aggressiveness when linebacker Kevin Greene bolted to the 49ers. In 1996, the Panthers had 60 sacks; last year, they had 36. Greene is back, and the team also added free agent end Sean Gilbert from Washington and cornerback Doug Evans from Green Bay. If and when Carolina comes to terms with No. 1 draft pick Jason Peter of Nebraska, who has threatened to sit out the season if his contract demands aren't met, the defense could return to prominence.
In 1996, the Panthers were 9-0 at Ericsson Stadium. Last year, they were 2-6. Quietly, Atlanta made big strides last season, winning six of its last eight games under Dan Reeves. The key for the Falcons is simple: protect quarterback Chris Chandler. When healthy, Chandler is capable of picking apart secondaries and is especially proficient with deep throws. He was knocked out of four games last year and missed two others with injuries. With Chandler in the lineup, Atlanta was 7-3; without him, it was 0-6. Now the really scary part: His backup is 44-year-old Steve DeBerg. Chandler lost talented young receiver Bert Emanuel to Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency, but the Falcons signed former Pro Bowler Tony Martin from San Diego. Running back Jamal Anderson (1,002 yards/7 TDs) should also help. Led by end Chuck Smith, who recorded a franchise-record 12 sacks last season, the defense should be improved. Safety Eugene Robinson from Green Bay will provide big plays and veteran leadership in the secondary, while first-round draft choice Keith Brooking has impressed at outside linebacker. Dont' expect St. Louis to put any heat on the 49ers: Tthey are winless in 15 consecutive games against San Francisco. Still, the Rams should be better, if for no other reason than head coach Dick Vermeil doesn't have to deal with running Lawrence Phillips. Vermeil brought in longtime friend and offensive guru Mike White to tutor talented but erratic young quarterback Tony Banks. If Banks pays attention, he should make great strides. Wide receivers Isaac Bruce and Eddie Kennison provide excellent targets for Banks, but Vermeil loves to run and acquired Greg Hill from Kansas City to keep defenses honest. Second-year tackle Orlando Pace has slimmed down and figures to have a big season. Vermeil also acquired veteran quarterback Steve Bono in case Banks stumbles. Defensively, the Rams must get tougher against the run. Vermeil replaced coordinator Bud Carson with just that in mind. Of course, St. Louis could help its cause with better starts. Under Vermeil, the Rams haven't scored in the first quarter in 15 of 22 games and seven consecutive exhibition contests. Mike Ditka has banned swearing and insists he's a kinder, gentler coach. Big deal. New Orleans still sucks. For starters, the Saints lack an NFL quarterback. With injured Heath Shuler gone for the season, Billy Joe Hobert inherits the job by default. Buffalo didn't cut him for nothing last year. Hobert might get some help from free-agent running back Lamar Smith of Seattle and wide receiver Sean Dawkins of Indianapolis, but not enough. Top draft pick Kyle Turley has been moved from backup right tackle to starting left guard, which means Hobert better stay loose. Once again, it will be up to the defense to keep the Saints competitive. Losing Tubbs to San Francisco didn't help, especially since his replacement, Brian Jones, missed the 1997 season with a knee injury. But tackle Wayne Martin (10 1/2 sacks) and end Joe Johnson (8 1/2 sacks) are back, and safety Chad Cota of Carolina will bolster the secondary. Ditka recently signed a five-year contract extension, which means one of two things: (1) He has serious dirt on owner Tom Benson; or (2) Benson is a glutton for punishment. During the last two years, the Saints are 1-15 against NFC West. Enough said. |
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