 
|
|||||||||
              
|
Friday, September 03, 1999 By Bill Barnard, Associated Press
The best payback game of the season comes in Week 1. Minnesota lost to Atlanta in the NFC title game after Gary Anderson, the first kicker to go through a season without a miss, shanked a field goal attempt that would have put the Vikings into the Super Bowl.
On Sept. 12, the Vikings get another chance against the Falcons, a game that could start Minnesota on the way to another brilliant season, even if it doesn't duplicate the 15-1 record.
Twice last year, by a combined 65-38 score, the Vikings dismantled Green Bay, which was coming off two Super Bowl appearances. Their only regular-season loss was by three points at Tampa Bay after defeating the Buccaneers, 31-7, earlier.
Once again, the Vikings have the most-feared passing attack in the league, led by Randall Cunningham, who threw 34 touchdown passes, and receivers Randy Moss and Cris Carter, who combined for 29 touchdown receptions. Running backs Robert Smith and Leroy Hoard combined for 18 more scores.
The defense is less flashy, and the line is being reworked around All-Pro John Randle, who is moving from back to tackle full time. Ed McDaniel and Dwayne Rudd, who combined for 221 tackles, lead the linebackers.
The Packers promise the Vikings won't find the deep passing game so open this year as teams adjust to what worked for Minnesota.
Green Bay, which allowed more than 700 yards passing in the two losses to the Vikings, starts a new era with the departure of Coach Mike Holmgren and the arrival of Ray Rhodes, who escaped from Philadelphia.
Brett Favre, whose 31 touchdown passes were almost offset by 23 interceptions, should get more help in the running game with a healthy Dorsey Levens, who held out for six weeks last year and then missed nine games with a broken leg.
But with the retirement of Robert Brooks and with Mark Chmura injured, the receiver group is thin behind the spectacular Antonio Freeman. The Packers, 25th in rushing and third in passing last year, will have to be more balanced.
NFL career sacks leader Reggie White retired, but the defense seems capable after ranking fourth in the NFL. Rhodes promised blitz-happy safety LeRoy Butler more chances to rush the passer this year.
Tampa Bay, a disappointing 8-8 in 1998 after surprisingly making the playoffs the year before, needs a strong start to get into the postseason.
After starting at home against the New York Giants and on the road at Philadelphia, the Buccaneers have a three-week stretch at home against Denver and on the road at Minnesota and Green Bay. The Buccaneers' schedule is ranked as the toughest in the NFC.
After five mediocre years in the league, Trent Dilfer must finally live up to being the sixth pick in the first round of the 1994 draft. Having the 27th-ranked passing offense probably won't cut it again, and if the Buccaneers have a similar ranking at midseason or earlier, Eric Zeier is waiting for a chance.
No longer can there be the excuse that Dilfer's receivers and backs aren't skilled enough -- he has Reidel Anthony, Bert Emanuel and Jacquez Green as wideouts, Warrick Dunn and Mike Alstott in the backfield.
The defense is plenty talented, too, especially at tackle with Warren Sapp and Brad Culpepper, and with linebackers Hardy Nickerson and Derrick Brooks.
Expectations weren't high for the Detroit Lions even before Barry Sanders retired less than 1,500 yards away from the NFL career rushing record.
With Ron Rivers and rookie Sedrick Irvin taking Sanders' spot, any hope for improvement in Detroit's 5-11 record lies with second-year quarterback Charlie Batch. In 12 starts as a rookie, Batch passed for 2,178 yards with 11 touchdowns and just six interceptions.
Batch has a terrific receiver in Herman Moore and an emerging one in Johnnie Morton.
The Lions had a solid draft with the selections of Southern Cal linebacker Chris Claiborne, an immediate starter, and Jared DeVries, a defensive tackle who fell to the third round after an injury-plagued senior year at Iowa. But road-grader offensive lineman Aaron Gibson from Wisconsin, who weighs nearly 400 pounds, is out for the season.
Claiborne will play outside after a college career in the middle, while Stephen Boyd, who has led the team in tackles in 24 of the past 29 games, will stay inside.
In Chicago, Cade McNown could become the fourth rookie quarterback in NFL history to start for a first-year coach.
Bad news for the Bears if that happens: The other three, Troy Aikman, Bert Jones and Mike Pagel, were 1-23-1 as starters.
Possibly a bigger question mark than McNown in the Bears' backfield is Curtis Enis, who returns after missing most of 1998 with a torn knee ligament.
Chicago has good receivers in Curtis Conway and Bobby Engram, and it's presumed they gave the pass defenders a lot of work in practice.
A solid secondary led by Walt Harris will be needed in this pass-happy division.
|
||||||||
