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 CBS/PFL
Coaches
Poll
1. Green
Bay -
67 pts. (5)
2. Dallas
- 60 pts.
3. Philadelphia
- 49 pts. (2)
4. Pittsburgh
- 45 pts.
4. San
Francisco - 45 pts.
6. Miami
- 25 pts.
7. Jacksonville
- 22 pts.
8. New
England - 20 pts.
9. Oakland
- 14 pts.
10. Kansas
City - 12 pts.
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Swammi's Preview '98
This year
the PFL promises to offer an exciting season of fierce leveled competition.
Nearly every team in the league has stepped up its game to a whole new
level. The expansion franchises based on scouting reports, will be competitive
as well. However, questions still remain as to how well the Raiders and
Lions will do this season. After getting off to a blazing 5-2 start last
season, the Raiders crumbled losing 8 of its final 9 games. The Raiders
need to have a solid training camp and exhibition season to avoid having
the disaster from last year reoccur this year. The Lions on the other
hand have been struggling as well. They have the talent in Sanders, Moore
and Morton to match up with any one in THE LEAGUE. Rubio has to find the
innovative ways and creative game plans to get his offense to get more
points on the board and take the pressure of his defense. The Lions defensively,
are average at best. The defensive line provides a modest pass rush and
is at times vulnerable to the run. The linebacker corps is the weakest
area defensively for Detroit. They must improve here drastically especially
since so many teams are using slot receivers and running backs as receivers
out of the backfield. The secondary is the strongest area for the Lions.
Anchored by second year player Michael Westbrook, they provide good pass
coverage and solid safeties to assist against the run. However, it is
the lack of point production from the offense that keeps constant pressure
on the defense to keep the games close and that is pressure that this
defense can't afford to have.
Eagles
Will Turn Some Heads
The
surprise team of the year will be the Eagles. Although byng day
it will not be a surprise, look for the Eagles to have a much better season
than that of last years fiasco. Philadelphia will not start the season
0-8 this is for sure. What is not certain is how they will stack up against
the marquee teams of THE LEAGUE. During several scrimmages, the Eagles
have dominated the likes of Denver, Pittsburgh, Oakland and Miami. But
they have also struggled with Green Bay and Dallas. Look for Philadelphia
to adjust quickly to what Fox and Charles is doing for Hilton has become
a true student of the game.
What Will
KC Do?
Expansion
team Kansas City, according to scouting reports, will not be a team to
take lightly either. Ed Hayward is known to be a student of the game and
brings a diversified game plan to each game. Although he has struggled
with San Francisco at times during off-season scrimmages, he has played
a tough New England team to some close games. Wayne Allen has stated that
the Chiefs will be a formidable opponent for anyone that lines up against
them this season.
Dallas
& Pittsburgh Still Teams To Beat
If
you continue to look at the NFC, Dallas and Pittsburgh seem to still be
the teams to beat. Teddy Brown, coming over to the Steelers from the Bengals,
has assemble an arsenal of weapons that will be hard to defend. Yancy
Thigpen, Kordell Stewart and the bus, Jerome Bettis will be a challenge
for most teams. Dallas, back again with their troika of Smith, Irvin and
Aikman should challenge for the conference championship. But don't go
and wager the farm on the Cowboys. Remember they were 3:1 odds to win
it all last season and got ousted in the Championship game by Brown and
the Bengals. Charles has yet to prove he can win the championship game
going 0-3 since THE LEAGUE began in 1992. And one thing all must keep
in mind about Brown is that he is a true student of the game. He finds
innovative ways to get the most out of the weakest areas of his teams
and then exploits his strong areas as well. This is a true sign of excellent
coaching.
Will Pats
Challenge Pitt & Dall?
Our
scouting reports also tell us, don't go giving Pittsburgh or Dallas the
conference title just yet. Those pesky Patriots, Eagle and Jaguars just
might have some say into this matter. The Patriots, coming off a disappointing
6-10 season could have easily been 10-6. The Pats dropped several close
games by a touchdown or less in the closing moments of several games.
This year with a stronger defense and a few new wrinkles offensively,
the Pats plan to come back strong and challenge for the conference title.
With Bledsoe at the helm throwing to Martin out of the backfield and hitting
Brisbie in the slot, look for New England to be more offensive minded.
The defense returns all of its starters from last year. The secondary
anchored by Law and Milloy are one of the strongest in THE LEAGUE. The
linebacker corps led by Bruschi and company are just as solid. The defense
line is vulnerable at times but McGinnest coming off the end will put
pressure on opposing quarterbacks if he is not adequately double teamed.
Are The
Jags That Good?
The
biggest question mark of the NFC is the Jacksonville Jaguars. Not much
is known about this new franchise but according to scouting reports, the
Jags will be tough this year. The
Jags have already won scrimmages against Denver, Oakland and Carolina.
Fox has also proclaimed that the Jags are one of the toughest teams he
faced during the off season. That's high praise from the defending champs.
Franklin seems to be an excellent scout and game technician. His skills
to analyze his opponents will come in handy for we all know the PFL is
a league of adjustments. Though this team is still a mystery and has yet
to stand the test of the PFL, teams should be prepared not to take the
Jags lightly.
Can The
Pack Win It All?
In
the AFC, the Packers are clearly the front runners and the team to beat.
The Pack, snatched that title from the once seemingly invincible Forty
Niners in the AFC Championship game last year. However the Niners did
defeat the Fox and his Seahawks twice last year in two fierce controversial
games. Don't look for San Fran to just roll over and concede anything
to Fox and the Packers. According to Allen, the Niners are the TRUE PFL
champs since 1997 season was dubbed as an "exhibition season."
A Rivalry
Heats Up
Nevertheless,
a championship was scheduled for bragging rights and Fox clearly dominated
Allen and went on to win it all last year. With Denver struggling in the
off-season and Miami and Oakland posing no true threat, this seems to
be a two team race for home field advantage and a two round bye. Look
for Allen to come back stronger than ever this season. The Niners along
with the Cowboys, are still licking their wounds from last season championship
game flops. After both were picked to represent their conferences in the
Super Bowl, Allen and Charles merely represented their conferences as
coaches in the Pro Bowl as they both were given early vacation tickets
to Hawaii. But don't look for that to happen this season. Although Allen
has struggled somewhat in the off-season with Dallas and one scrimmage
loss to Pittsburgh, he has had impressive victories over Miami, New England
and conference foe Kansas City. And now that basketball season is over
for the FAU Owls, you can count on Allen making regaining his title as
top dog in the AFC a priority.
Dolphins
Always A ?
The
Dolphins are clearly the definition for inconsistency in the PFL. After
upsetting the Cowboys in the off-season and holding the Packers to only
7 points in a two quarter scrimmage, the Fins turned right around and
were blown out by Dallas 28-3 and 35-7 by the Packers within days. The
Dolphins are a mystery. Womack can't decide who his quarterback will be
and he continues to juggle the line up in other areas offensively. These
are areas he must have in concrete byng day. The Dolphin running
game has clearly struggled as well. After a dismal season last year, the
Fins have not found the productivity in this off-season either. The biggest
problem last year seemed to be playing solid first half defense and not
being able to keep the game close in the second half. This has alot to
do with the productivity of the offense especially in the red zone. The
Dolphins, similar to the Lions, can't seem to put enough points on the
board to keep the pressure of it's mediocre defense.
As you can
see, this promises to be another exciting PFL season. Are You Ready For
Some FOOTBALL?
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