NFC Central

Sporting News, The, Sept 1, 1997 by Tom Silverstein, Steve Kornacki, Pat Yasinskas, Don Banks, John Mullin

1GREEN BAY

'96 record: 13-3, 7-1 in division. Good news: It appears the Packers have made it through the offseason without suffering any dropoff from their Super Bowl season. In fact, with the return of Robert Brooks and the emergence of some younger players, the team has a chance to be more dominant. The biggest improvement is at wide receiver where Brooks appears to be near full strength, and Derrick Mayes, who had 12 receptions in one preseason game, and Bill Schroeder added to the depth with strong training camps. Injuries will not deplete this unit as they did in '96. Unlike last year, there is considerable depth on the offensive line with John Michels entrenched at left tackle and first-round pick Ross Verba ready to back up at tackle and guard. On defense, George Koonce (knee) will be missed the first six or seven weeks, but the combination of Bernardo Harris and Seth Joyner lessens the blow. On special teams, rookie Darren Sharper has the ability to be among the league leaders on punt returns. Bad news: The kicking situation was a mess until rookie free agent Ryan Longwell stepped in and took over for rookie Brett Conway, whose leg hurts and whose confidence is shot. The team may have to carry two kickers on the roster. What's more, both are untested in pressure NFL situations. Somewhere down the road they are going to be in a position where they'll need a game-winning kick, and who knows what will happen? 16 games from now: There's no reason the team can't duplicate its'96 achievement, given its depth at every position. Some of the players have mentioned an undefeated season, but that seems unlikely given the difficulty of their schedule. But make no mistake, the Packers are the dominant team in the NFC and should win another Super Bowl.

2DETROIT

'96 record: 5-11, 3-5 in division. Good news: The defensive front seven has developed well and been effective pass rushing and in run defense. End Robert Porcher and tackle Luther Elliss are adjusted to new positions after switching spots last year, and both are in their prime. Outside linebacker Reggie Brown covers sideline to sideline and has a nose for the ball. Middle linebacker Stephen Boyd is smart and motivated and provides the glue for the unit. With three Pro Bowl players on offense, the lions, as always, have good potential. Center Kevin Glover, receiver Herman Moore and tailback Barry Sanders are among the elite at their positions and can take over games. Bad news: The defensive backfield has two new parts, one malfunctioning part and one fairly dependable cog. That adds up to early-season confusion, but the talent is there to provide a potentially solid secondary. The new faces are first-round pick Bryant Westbrook at left cornerback and Mark Carrier at free safety. Westbrook has been brilliant at times and out of place on other occasions. Carrier has been solid but nothing more. Coach Bobby Ross appears to be losing patience with right cornerback Corey Raymond, who struggled in one-on-one coverage in preseason games. Strong safety Van Malone has moved over from free safety, and the heavy hitter who made 79 tackles last year says he is ready to go. 16 games from now: This has the making of an inconsistent team, but Ross never has had a losing season in the NFL. It looks like an 8-8 year while he builds a program. This team will go as far as quarterback Scott Mitchell can take it. As great as Sanders and Moore are, they need a big year from Mitchell to keep defenses honest. The development of Westbrook is a key because pass coverage is such a concern.

3TAMPA BAY

'96 record: 6-10, 2-6 in division. Good news: The foundation already is in place and what was a good defense should only get better. The unit is small but exceptionally quick, a Tony Dungy trademark. Former first-round picks Warren Sapp and Regan Upshaw should combine with outside linebackers Derrick Brooks and Rufus Porter for a very quick pass rush. The team finished strongly last season (5-2 in the last seven games) and the defense was the major reason. Pro Bowler Hardy Nickerson returns at middle linebacker and he and Porter are the only two defensive players over 30. That speaks well for the future. Bad news: The bottom line is the performance of quarterback Trent Dilfer. His fourth season will be a make-or-break year and history isn't on his side. Dilfer threw 16 touchdown passes and a 37 interceptions in two full seasons as the starter and the team went 13-19. The addition of Warrick Dunn and Reidel Anthony and the return of Horace Copeland mean there can be no more excuses. Dilfer has to show he's the player the team thought it was getting when he was drafted with the sixth overall pick in 1994. For that to happen, Dilfer needs a healthy offensive line. That's not a given because the five projected starters were together for one game in '96. Rookie linemen Jerry Wunsch and Frank Middleton may get a lot of action and have to come through. 16 games from now: Dilfer will own Tampa or he'll be the next in a long line of quarterbacks (see Doug Williams, Steve Young and Vinny Testaverde) to leave for greener pastures. Much depends on offensive coordinator Mike Shula, who must open up his system to accommodate Dilfer's downfield passing ability. The weapons are in place for Dilfer to end the team's streak of 14 losing seasons. If they aren't utilized properly, Dilfer and the offense will backfire.