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Mark Duncan/AP |
For NFL, this season promises riveting plotlines
The Michael Vick scandal likely won't overshadow the prospect of evenly matched franchises going head to head.
from the August 31, 2007 edition
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Still, a few league doormats may be poised to make some noise. The Arizona Cardinals enlisted two highly respected Pittsburgh Steelers assistants, Ken Whisenhunt and Russ Grimm, to lead them out of the desert. Whisenhunt takes over as head coach with Grimm presiding over the offensive line, a porous unit in recent years. Armed with rising quarterback Matt Leinart and a talented young receiving corps, the Cardinals should fly higher this season.
Lion Eyes
Also worth watching are the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions. Yes, the Lions. Despite a lengthy history of mediocrity – including just 24 wins since Matt Millen assumed control of the franchise six years ago – observers see glimmers of hope. Start with second-year coach Rod Marinelli, who, despite a 3-13 debut season, won kudos around the league for instilling discipline in Detroit. Quarterback Jon Kitna quietly led the league in pass completions while racking up 4,208 passing yards. Now Kitna adds a new target with highly touted first-round draft pick Calvin Johnson, judged a can't-miss prospect by many experts. "I like Detroit as a turnaround team," says Fox's Long.
Buffalo went 7-9 last season, including five losses by a field goal or less. While many experts see the Bills and quarterback J.P. Losman on the rise, others aren't convinced. "They're in neutral a little bit," says Charley Casserly, former general manager of the Houston Texans and now a part of CBS's NFL Today lineup. "They're doing good things, but right now they've got more questions than answers."
Jawboning 'Jaws'
No need to adjust your set: There is yet another booth shake-up on "Monday Night Football." ESPN cut Joe Theismann from the sportscaster's booth last spring. Enter Ron Jaworski, like Theismann a retired NFL QB. Known as "Jaws," MNF's newest analyst earned a reputation for relentless X-and-O film study at ESPN as a studio analyst. Now America will decide whether Jaws proves more compatible with nebbish sportswriter Tony Kornheiser's quips on Monday nights.
Dog Daze
The biggest story of the off season has been the federal investigation of Atlanta Falcons star Michael Vick for his involvement in dogfighting. His departure followed a strong of high-profile player arrests and incidents – episodes that have been met with swift punishments by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell as part of a tightened conduct code.
But few observers expect the NFL's embarrassments to slow fans' appetites for America's most popular spectator sport. "I'll tell you why: Because for every bad story, there's 40 good stories," Long says. "Roger Goodell is the right commissioner at the right time. He has cast himself in the role of Wyatt Earp and he's put a line in the sand: 'Look, this is what we expect.' That message is being sent loud and clear."
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