Scouts views: observations and opinions from a pro scout

The Steelers are going to have to establish a running game in the AFC championship game. Ben Roethlisberger hasn't played as well down the stretch, and 1 think they're going to have to rely on Jerome Bettis, Duce Staley and that running game to beat the Patriots. ... I think Michael Vick will be the impact player in the NFC game.

Everything Atlanta does offensively revolves around him, with his arm and his legs. If Vick doesn't play well, Atlanta has no chance to beat Philadelphia. ... It's the same problem year after year for the Colts in terms of advancing through the AFC playoffs. That team is built for a dome. They're not a very physical team. They've got a soft front seven defensively, and that really shows up when you need to go on the road and win a game in bad weather conditions. ... The Seahawks need to determine whether they want to franchise Waiter Jones or Shaun Alexander. The franchise number for running backs is going to be lower, so it makes sense to make Alexander their franchise player. Then they need to work on signing Jones to a long-term deal. The last priority should be Matt Hasselbeck. He's a good starting quarterback, but I don't think he's a great player, and they shouldn't break the bank to keep him. ... Samie Parker is ready to step up and play for the Chiefs. He's a young receiver with excellent speed and big-play capabilities. In that high-scoring offense and with him getting a year of maturity under his belt, I think he could be in line for a big season in 2005. ... Joey Harrington has really started to regress, and I don't believe the Lions can win with him as the starting quarterback. But they don't have anybody on their roster who can replace him. The pressure will be on Steve Mariucci to win next season, and I think their best chance is to restructure Harrington's contract, make him the backup and bring in a veteran who won't make mistakes that cost them games.

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