The son rose in the AFC East last year when Peyton Manning outdid father Archie in the finest season a rookie quarterback has ever had. But Manning’s Indianapolis Colts won only three games, an ominous lesson for the “High Five” rookie quarterbacks drafted this season plus a warning for everybody competing in or against the AFC East.
“Our division is so good,” Manning said. “Whoever wins our division is the favorite to win the whole thing.”
Indeed, despite Manning’s impressive debut, he was the lowest-rated passer in his division. Miami’s Dan Marino was second lowest, finishing behind two reclamation projects–the New York Jets’ Vinny Testaverde and Buffalo’s Doug Flutie–and New England’s Drew Bledsoe.
Testaverde was the surprise of the year, leading the AFC in passing for coach Bill Parcells, a resuscitation specialist who hopes to take his third team to a Super Bowl in the 1990s. Chicagoans will be shocked to learn Bryan Cox remains an integral part of the plan.
Whether Testaverde or Flutie can repeat his breakthrough season is the question of this season, along with the wonder over whether Marino is finally finished as he approaches 38.
The trouble with Manning’s prediction is the division is so well-balanced it will be difficult for any team to come out with a home-field advantage in the playoffs.
New York Jets
After losing the AFC title game in Denver, the Jets plan to take the next step, but they must guard against a letdown. Literally. Parcells left himself with no experienced guards when he let go of ex-Bear Todd Burger and free agent Matt O’Dwyer. He’s counting on rookies Randy Thomas and David Loverne plus ex-Bears practice-squad tackle Kerry Jenkins to help protect Testaverde from the inside rushes that usually give him happy feet. Guards also are important in paving the way for running back Curtis Martin.
– Changes: Ex-Denver safety Steve Atwater, ex-St. Louis linebacker Roman Phifer and injured linebacker Marvin Jones join Bill Belichick’s seventh-ranked defense. Rick Mirer is Testaverde’s new backup and oversized tight end Eric Green replaces Kyle Brady.
– Hopes: Parcells has big-play receivers in Keyshawn Johnson, Wayne Chrebet and Dedric Ward. Testaverde threw more touchdown passes than anybody else in the AFC and needs to do it again.
– Doubts: The sum of the defense is more than its parts. Parcells may have outsmarted himself with his shaky offensive line. Team is ripe for the postplayoff slide syndrome.
Miami Dolphins
Coach Jimmy Johnson is all for second chances, which is what he would love to give himself with his second team in a Super Bowl. It’s what he gave buddy Dave Wannstedt. It’s also what he gave ex-cons Cecil Collins and Robert Baker, and Minnesota’s No. 1 draft choice, Dimitrious Underwood, who stiffed the Vikings. Two other receivers, Lamar Thomas and Tony Martin, have shady pasts.
“Sleep with enough dogs and you wake up with fleas,” one wary player said.
Johnson is going all out to get a Super Bowl out of Marino. Stockpiled with running backs, Johnson and Wannstedt claim they only need a handful of Marino-like 300-yard games to get the job done.
– Changes: Martin escaped Atlanta and was acquitted of a drug-money-laundering charge. He gives Marino needed speed. Guard Kevin Gogan and defensive end Rich Owens add depth.
– Hopes: The defense allowed the fewest points in the league. The front seven is stellar and deep. Rookie runners Collins, Rob Konrad and J.J. Johnson join Karim Abdul-Jabbar, Stanley Pritchett and John Avery on a squad that is looking a lot like Jimmy’s kind of team.
– Doubts: Except for O.J. McDuffie and Martin when healthy, Marino’s receivers are inconsistent. Marino’s immobility make him an increasingly inviting target of zone blitzing.
Buffalo Bills
Wade Phillips might be the only NFL coach who really and truly means it when he says he has two No. 1 quarterbacks. Certainly Flutie (four years, $22 million) and Rob Johnson (five years, $26 million) have the contracts to prove it. Phillips really believes Johnson could step in if Flutie can’t duplicate last year’s surprise.
Defenses vow to keep Flutie in the pocket, which must come as a shock to the 36-year-old quarterback who is getting smarter even as he refuses to get taller. Flutie sold breakfast flakes and was accused of being a fluke and all he wants to do is go to a Super Bowl.
– Changes: Paying two quarterbacks so much limits General Manager John Butler from wheeling and dealing, but he prefers to nurture his own. Huge Robert Hicks will play right tackle and enable Jerry Ostroski to move to guard. If rookie Peerless Price lives up to his name at wide receiver, forget Randy Moss.
– Hopes: Receiver Eric Moulds, the guy Wannstedt rejected at a Senior Bowl, led the AFC and averaged an eye-popping 48.9 yards on his nine touchdown catches. Bruce Smith, 36, still leads a solid defense.
– Doubts: Antowain Smith has yet to show he’s the kind of runner defenses fear, the way they used to respect Thurman Thomas, who is still around. The Bills lost twice to the Jets and twice to the Dolphins including playoffs last year. They must do better within the division.
New England Patriots
The crutch is the real logo of the Patriots, also pronounced Patients. Everybody always seems hurt. If they aren’t hurt, they’re either coming off injury or about to get hurt.
Fittingly, they just signed running back Terry Allen, one of the league’s great warriors and the first to successfully rebound from anterior-cruciate-ligament surgery on both knees. Still reeling from the knee injury to rookie runner Robert Edwards at a Pro Bowl flag-football game, coach Pete Carroll holds his breath as he awaits a return to health for pass rushers Willie McGinest, Chris Slade and Henry Thomas. Carroll also crosses his fingers for fragile wide receiver Terry Glenn.
– Changes: Middle linebacker Ted Johnson tore a bicep, forcing rookie Andy Katzenmoyer to switch from outside. Rookie Kevin Faulk is the starting running back. Rookie Damien Woody replaces center Dave Wohlabaugh.
– Hopes: Quarterback Drew Bledsoe proved he’s the guy when he beat the Dolphins and Bills on long touchdown passes–with a broken finger, of course. Healthy, the Pats still have talent, although running back is a problem. Defensive backs Ty Law and Lawyer Milloy are Pro Bowlers.
– Doubts: The AFC East is a marathon and the Patriots don’t appear to have the endurance.
Indianapolis Colts
The improvement of the Colts rests with another rookie, running back Edgerrin James, who will help what coach Jim Mora called a horrible defense. The Colts need to give Manning a break from those interceptions and let him hand off once in a while.
– Changes: James replaces traded Marshall Faulk, who accounted for 43 percent of the team’s yardage. Top free agent Chad Bratzke and ex-Panther Shawn King should help the pass rush. Linebackers Cornelius Bennett, Jeff Brady and rookie Mike Peterson are an upgrade.
– Hopes: Manning was the only quarterback who took every snap last year. He seemed to improve with each one, too. Mora thinks he’ll be even better.
– Doubts: This is a team on the way up from quite a way down. They beat only one division rival, the Jets, last year. Their best chance is as spoiler.
