NCF East

Sporting News, The, Dec 3, 2001

Arizona Cardinals www.sportingnews.com/nfl/teams/cardinals

ROCK BOTTOM: The defensive line situation has never been worse; no team in the league is playing with less talent. Schemes and trickery helped cover the problem through the first half of the season, but those days appear to be over. Injuries are taking a major toll. Rookie DT Mario Fatafehi was moved to right end against San Diego because of a neck injury to starter Thomas Burke. Fatafehi hadn't played end since high school. Now it appears he will be out for a week or two with a broken hand. Jabari Issa, who was buried on the depth chart since starting the first month, will take over. The left end, rookie Fred Wakefield, has improved through the season, but he should be a backup. The tackles, Barron Tanner and Russell Davis, are castoffs from other clubs. They are decent players but not difference makers.... On the other side, the passing game is one of the most dangerous in the league. While the running game has floundered, the club is living through the air. WR David Boston has scored four TDs in the past three weeks and is more than making up for the absence of injured Rob Moore (knee). The club is showing some creativity in freeing Boston from doubleteams. It moved him around in formations in the second half against San Diego, which helped avoid double-coverage.... There is speculation the team will make QB Jake Plummer available in the expansion draft with the hope he'll be drafted by the Houston Texans. Don't count on it. Owner Bill Bidwill likes Plummer, who has shown improvement this season. And it's doubtful the team could find a free-agent quarterback better than Plummer.

SCOUTING REPORT: FS Kwamie Lassiter has become the team's most valuable defensive player. Always a tough player, Lassiter has become a playmaker. He has seven interceptions, and most of them have come at key times. Just as important, Lassiter is a sure tackler. He doesn't have great size or speed, but he's smart and relentless. Lassiter will be a free agent, and if he goes his loss would be huge for a defense that has few anchor points.

SEE A DIFFERENT GAME: The team continues to get big yardage from a play that looks as if it were drawn up in the backyard. Boston runs what looks like a hook or an out. Plummer pumps, and Boston sprints down the field. The play works because Boston's success this season forces defenders to respect his first move. Boston also is a much better route runner, thanks to his offseason work with receivers coach Jerry Sullivan. --Kent Somers

ON THE SPOT LT L.J. Shelton has to start playing better, or he'll be assured of playing a different position next season. Shelton has the size (6-6, 360) and athleticism, but his performances have been uneven. More often than not, it has appeared as if Shelton's head is elsewhere. He has a tendency to get overpowered by smaller players.

PASSING   Att.   Comp.   Pct.   Yds.   Long

Plummer    329     195   59.3   2473    68t

PASSING   TD   Int.   Rating   Sacked

Plummer   13     12     80.8       21

RUSHING     Att.   Yds.   Avg.   TD

Pittman      163    532    3.3    3
Jones         59    192    3.3    3
Plummer       18    100    5.6    0

RECEIVING    No.   Yds.   Avg.   TD

Boston        66   1065   16.1    5
Sanders       33    468   14.2    2
Pittman       28    171    6.1    0

SCORING     XPM   XPA   FGM   FGA   Pts.

Gramatica    21    21     9    11     48

PUNTING        No.   Yds.   Avg.   Blk.

Player          37   1558   42.1      0

KO RETURNS     No.   Yds.   Avg.     TD

Jenkins         40    981   24.5      0

PUNT RETURNS   No.   Yds.   Avg.     TD

Jackson         23    246   10.7      0

SACKS: Fredrickson 3.0, Wakefield
2.5, Burke 2.0.

INTERCEPTIONS: Lassiter 7, Chavous
1, Barret 1, Wilson 1, Wakefield 1.

Dallas Cowboys www.sportingnews.com/nfl/teams/cowboys

HANGING AROUND: QB Quincy Carter, who has played five quarters because of injuries, is expected to start the last six games. But Ryan Leaf, who went 0-3 as a starter and showed little consistency, continues to intrigue the team. He's often one of the first to arrive at the training facility and one of the last to leave. The club wants him to lose weight this offseason--he's 6-5, 255--which should improve his quickness. The extra time it takes him to drop into the pocket affects his ability to avoid the rush and read defenses.... The Cowboys have allowed 100-yard rushing performances in their last three games. But that is less the fault of the run defense than it is poor play by the offense and special teams. The Eagles and Broncos took big first-half leads, which meant RBs Duce Staley and Mike Anderson could pound out yardage. The run defense is allowing just 3.6 yards per carry, and the club continues to have success with its scheme, in which S Darren Wondson attacks the line of scrimmage in running situations. The passing game is struggling, and the punt coverage unit often puts the defense, which makes few mental mistakes, in poor field position.