Saturday, August 31, 1996

Road to Super Bowl might be under repair, but it still goes through Dallas

(KRT) -- The road to the Super Bowl might be under repair, but it still goes through Dallas. Don't be fooled by the potholes. Until Troy Aikman's golden arm falls off, the Cowboys have the ability to withstand all manner of injury, illness, suspension and free-agent attrition.

The Philadelphia Eagles can't wait to get another shot at them after coach Ray Rhodes took comments by Dallas coach Barry Switzer as an insult following last year's playoff loss. The Washington Redskins beat the Cowboys twice last season, but had trouble beating everybody else.
The New York Giants and Arizona Cardinals both appear more intent on self-destruction.

All this and more causes Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to look at the considerable talent left on his team and predict: "We will never, ever have a better chance to compete for another Super Bowl as we do in '96."

Switzer is an impressive 2 for 2 in road starts - bad news for the Bears, who hope to catch the Cowboys napping in the opener at Soldier Field. Sometimes adversity only serves to wake them up.
Aikman is always best under pressure. Without suspended wide receiver Michael Irvin for five games, without injured tight end Jay Novacek for an undetermined time, and with running back Emmitt Smith nursing a twisted knee, more responsibility than ever rests with Aikman and his new wide receiver, Deion Sanders.

"We've won three (Super Bowls) and the motivation is to go out and win a fourth and I'm as excited about trying to win as I was the first one," Aikman said.

Changes: They lost four defensive starters - linebackers Robert Jones and Dixon Edwards, cornerback Larry Brown and defensive tackle Russell Maryland. It only makes them thinner, not necessarily worse. Linebackers Fred Strickland and Broderick Thomas were hired from the NFC Central Division, and don't forget linebacker Darrin Smith is around from the start. CB Kevin Smith is back from injury, too.

Hopes: News can only get better as the season progresses. If they can keep their heads above water until Irvin returns and Smith and Novacek and offensive tackle Erik Williams and others get healthy and stay healthy, watch out.

Doubts: They finally self-destruct, falling under the weight of too many injuries, too little depth and too much pressure of lofty expectations.

Rhodes took offense to Switzer's line about kicking tail in the playoffs. He put it on his bulletin board and spliced it into game-preparation tape. But the Eagles have to do more than get mad at the Cowboys to get even. Getting consistency from quarterback Rodney Peete is one thing. Getting stability from an offensive line would be Peete's first suggestion.

The Eagles probably had no business going 10-6 last year, but the additions Rhodes made this year show they mean business.

Changes: Cornerback Troy Vincent teams with Bobby Taylor to give Rhodes all kinds of flexibility in attacking. But they lost linebackers Bill Romanowski and Kurt Gouveia, safety Greg Jackson and defensive guard Daniel Stubbs, plus wide receiver Fred Barnett. Wide receivers Irving Fryar and Mark Ingram hope to have enough left. Ex-Packers quarterback Ty Detmer might push Peete. Ex-Saints offensive tackle Richard Cooper and rookie tight end Jason Dunn should contribute.

Hopes: Young wide receiver Chris T. Jones, returning fullback Kevin Turner and second-year defensive end Mike Mamula all blossom and veterans like Fryar and Vincent come through as advertised, turning Eagles into solid contenders.

Doubts: Unsettled offensive line and no linebacker help for all-star William Thomas exposes weaknesses that Peete can't overcome.

After two years, coach Norv Turner has accomplished what he was hired to do - beat his old team, the Cowboys. Now for the other part of the mission - beat someone else. To do it, Turner has surprisingly turned to quarterback Gus Frerotte instead of high-priced Heath Shuler, at least for the beginning of the season.

Changes: Defensive tackle Sean Gilbert was acquired in a trade from the Rams to play a more important role than the quarterbacks. He must awaken from inconsistency and take the Redskins' defense to another level. It was 29th against the run.

Hopes: Either Frerotte or Shuler emerges as the man everybody in Washington likes. Shuler lost the job because of mistakes. Frerotte has good targets in wide receivers Michael Westbrook and Henry Ellard. Linebacker Ken Harvey maintains Pro Bowl play.

Doubts: Gilbert can't make a difference by himself. Running back Terry Allen finally runs out of gas. The quarterbacks need more time and patience than fans are willing to give.

Coach Dan Reeves sort of likes the lowered expectations surrounding his team. After plummeting to 5-11 and being engulfed by internal bickering fueled by intense media and fan scrutiny, the Giants are seen as hopeless losers, mired in a rebuilding mode without yet acknowledging it.

"It gets you riled up a little bit," Reeves said.

If it gets quarterback Dave Brown up a little bit from the 30th-ranked passing offense, the Giants might have a chance to fool the predictors.

Changes: They lost both offensive tackles, Jumbo Elliott and Doug Riesenberg. Ex-Cowboys reserve Ron Stone is the new right guard. Ex-Bucs wide receiver Lawrence Dawsey replaces Mike Sherrard. Linebacker Corey Widmer replaces Michael Brooks.

Hopes: Last year's Michigan draft choice, running back Tyrone Wheatley, and this year's Michigan draft choice, wide receiver Amani Toomer, give Brown and running back Rodney Hampton offensive help.

Doubts: Not enough playmakers anywhere you look. Too many young question marks at receiver, linebacker. Little help from No. 1 pick, defensive lineman Cedric Jones.

Owner Bill Bidwill hired Vince Tobin to coach and immediately left him to sway gently in the breeze, without a general manager and without a plan to get top draft choices signed. Once defensive end Simeon Rice came aboard and veteran defensive tackle Eric Swann was signed, the Cards had to cut popular running back Garrison Hearst and veteran defensive end Clyde Simmons to make room.

"That's just ill," Rice said, describing a situation all too familiar to Arizonans.

"We just have to clean up the mess the last guy left," new quarterback Boomer Esiason said, referring to Buddy Ryan.

Tobin has followed Ryan before, as defensive coordinator of the Bears in 1986.

Changes: Esiason replaces David Krieg. No. 2 draft choice Leeland McElroy replaces Hearst. Ex-Lions offensive tackle Lomas Brown stabilizes shaky line.

Hopes: Wide receivers Frank Sanders and Rob Moore give Esiason much more than he had with Jets last year. Fullback Larry Centers is appreciated and Tobin puts together a solid defense around Swann, linebacker Eric Hill and cornerback Aeneas Williams.

Doubts: The first year is too early to ask for miracles. The Cards couldn't even get their third-round draft choice, tight end Johnny McWilliams, signed for training camp.

(c) 1996, Chicago Tribune. Distributed by Knight-Ridder/Tribune Information Services.

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