Building around struggling quarterbacks

Sporting News, The, July 30, 2001 by Gary Horton

Ever since quarterback Rob Johnson was acquired from Jacksonville in 1998, expectations have been high in Buffalo (see story). But Johnson has yet to reach his full potential with the Bills. Under former coordinator Joe Pendry, who was enamored with the quarterback's arm strength, Johnson was forced to take seven-step drops and throw down the field far too often. Now, Pendry is gone and Johnson will have the luxury of working from new coordinator Mike Sheppard's Three-step-drop attack.

In this West Coast system, Johnson will have a chance to become a rhythmic passer and take full advantage of his ability. The precision passing attack, predicated on quick decisions and timing, also should keep Johnson healthy (last season, he attempted 306 passes and was sacked 49 times).

This will be the first time that Johnson enters a season in Buffalo without all of the quarterback controversy that came with the presence of Doug Flutie, now in San Diego. Also, Johnson will be aided by the arrival of fullback Larry Centers, who has a knack of getting open and bailing out quarterbacks when they're in trouble. Centers, who led the Redskins in receptions last season, knows how to find the soft spots underneath coverage.

Here are four other high-profile quarterbacks who are trying to recapture productive play or find it for the first time, and reasons their teams are building their offenses around them:

Jake Plummer, Cardinals. Plummer is getting a new coordinator this season in Rich Olson. More important, he's getting back Geep Chryst as quarterbacks coach. Chryst was Plummer's position coach in '98, when Plummer experienced his best season. While Chryst was running the Chargers' offense the last two years, Plummer was intercepted 45 times. Under Olson, the Cardinals will run a simpler offense, much different than the West Coast system used by former coordinator Marc Trestman.

Plummer will have solid backs in Michael Pittman and Thomas Jones. Wide receiver David Boston reportedly has worked extremely hard in the offseason and is primed to make the move to elite status after a solid performance in 2000. And wideout Rob Moore is returning from a knee injury that caused him to miss last season.

The Cardinals are doing everything they can to ensure Plummer's success. They opted to put an emphasis on improving the offensive line, even though they had glaring problems on defense last year.

Kordell Stewart, Steelers. Out is former coordinator Kevin Gilbride, whose complicated offense forced Stewart to make far too many checkdowns and rarely took advantage of his ability to run. In is Mike Mularkey, the team's former tight ends coach who has simplified the attack while installing several packages that will take advantage of Stewart's mobility. Mularkey is on record as saying that he will work to build the offense around Stewart.

For the first time in several years, Stewart will have a full-time quarterbacks coach (Tom Clements). Stewart's last few position coaches also have been coordinators.

Stewart would get a big boost if young wide receivers Plaxico Burress and Troy Edwards emerge. That would give Stewart four solid wide receivers to work with, as Hines Ward and Bobby Shaw were models of consistency in 2000.

Charlie Batch, Lions. Batch did little to earn his lucrative contract and has done even less to prove the Lions were right in offering it to him. With former coach Bobby Ross' grind-it-out attack out of the picture, Batch will have the chance to work in the West Coast offense under new coach Marty Mornhinweg, who is credited with developing 49ers quarterback Jeff Garcia, a Pro Bowl pick last season.

Mornhinweg's offense is simple but caters to the quarterback. Last season, Batch was dependent on the run setting up the pass, but it will be much different in 2001. Batch also will be able to lean on Jim Harbaugh, an experienced veteran backup who was acquired in the offseason.

Cade McNown, Bears. There is plenty of speculation about whether McNown will start the season as the No. 1 man. A source close to the team says there are some in the organization who hope McNown can beat out Shane Matthews and Jim Miller--who is out for now with a hamstring injury--in camp and emerge as the starter. After McNown's dismal 2000 season, many think he is unworthy of the job, but his production could skyrocket under new coordinator John Shoop.

McNown was too slow to pick up former coordinator Gary Crowton's offense, which consisted of complicated sight adjustments. Shoop's offense is a West Coast system that features simple routes and fewer reads. McNown is a naturally gifted passer who lacks the mental strength to be successful in a complicated system, so perhaps an easier scheme will improve his performance.

Gary Horton is head of The War Room, which scouts NFL personnel and college prospects.

GARY HORTON

warroom@sportingnews.com