A mountain of questions stand in the 'Boys way

Sporting News, The, Sept 1, 1997 by T.J. Simers

Can Smith still take over a game? Can Aikman carry a team despite no solid No. 2 receiver and a poor man's Jay Novacek in tight end Eric Bjornson? Can Irvin, who had a brilliant training camp, stay trouble-free and remain the playmaker?

* Jones has poured himself into cleaning up the Cowboys' image and placing an emphasis on preparation without distraction. He already has made an example of two backup players by releasing them for violating team rules.

Jones has even taken a lower profile in NFL circles to spend more time on team matters, and to avoid any hint of national controversy.

Switzer's blunder in packing a gun in his bags and being caught at the airport probably placed him in the position of having to win the Super Bowl to keep his job.

While Switzer seeks redemption, Irvin probably is looking for the same kind of national stage to clean up his reputation. Everybody, after all, loves a winner.

But what happens if scandal rocks the Cowboys again? How does Jones react to trouble if it affects one of his key performers? Are the Cowboys good enough to overcome such distractions?

"I know this, I feel real good about what we accomplished in the offseason and in " camp this year," Jones says. "We set out to have a real offseason, to hunker down and get back to football, and now I see no reason why we shouldn't be right there when it's all over."

Troubled Bears

It was not a good week for Bears coach Dave Wannstedt. First, he had to contend with the hype surrounding the return to Chicago of Mike Ditka now the Saints' head coach. Then he wakes up and reads in the morning newspapers Da Coach's proclamation that Erik Kramer will be named the Bears' starting quarterback.

"It'll be Kramer," Ditka, said after being asked who he thought the Bears would name as the starter.

Two days later it was Kramer. Wannstedt's naming of Kramer, however, opened him up to more criticism, even though Da Coach had already endorsed his choice.

The feeling is that Wannstedt named Kramer as starting quarterback primary to avoid a slaughter in Green Bay on Monday Night Football to open the season. Kramer has command of the Bears' offense and Rick Mirer has obviously struggled.

But the Bears traded a No. 1 pick to the Seabawks to acquire Mirer as their future franchise leader. As an organization, the Bears agreed Mirer was worth the high price tag because he would play for them for many years to come. They do not look at Kramer as a long-range answer, but now they have toyed with Mirer's confidence much the way Seattle did.

The Bears are going to be one of the worst teams in the league this year, so why not allow Mirer to establish himself? When Jimmy Johnson -- Wannstedt's old mentor -- took command of the Cowboys, he threw Aikman on the field and Dallas went 1-15. The only win came with Steve Walsh at quarterback in place of an injured Aikman. As soon as Aikman recovered, he was back on the field.

Kramer is not going to lead the Bears to the Super Bowl

Tidbits

The Falcons' slogan for the 1997 season is: "Now we're doing business." What did the Falcons do, raise ticket prices? The Falcons recovered two onside kicks in the preseason, thereby giving the ball to Chandler and Billy Joe Tolliver. Question: Why bother? ... Stat to watch going into the regular season: The Panthers have been penalized fewer times than their opponent in 20 consecutive games. ... Stats to ponder: Bengals quarterback Boomer Esiason is playing for his seventh coach in seven seasons (Sam Wyche, David Shula, Bruce Coslet, Pete Carroll, Rich Kotite, Vince Tobin and Coslet again).