Football Digest articles from February 2002

Football Digest archives from February 2002

Handicapping the Super Bowl race. (Kickoff).
February 1, 2002... IF YOU LOVE SUSPENSE, then you must be having a blast right about now. Even though the regular season is nearing its end, there is much to be settled--the playoff picture has yet to come into focus. Still, there are a handful of teams that...

True grit. (The Fans Speak Out).
February 1, 2002... I just wanted to thank you for the article you wrote about Bill Bates of the Dallas Cowboys ["True Blue," December 2001]. He truly was one of my favorite players, and now he is one of my favorite coaches. He is a guy who kids today should look...

When things fall apart. (The Fans Speak Out).
February 1, 2002... Everyone always says what a great leader Cris Carter is, but I don't see it. Is a great leader someone who allows his team to argue on the sideline, which the Minnesota Vikings always seem to be doing? I've never seen a team with so many...

Not such a secret. (The Fans Speak Out).
February 1, 2002... I think it's true what you said about Ray Buchanan on the cover of your December 2001 issue: He is a do-it-all cornerback. I definitely agree with putting him on your cover. Although he is not the best cornerback, he is one of the best. And...

Sharp(e) tongue. (The Fans Speak Out).
February 1, 2002... Say what you will about Shannon Sharpe, but he is by far the most entertaining player in the NFL. Some people think he's arrogant, but I take him for what he is. He's just a funny guy who enjoys the game. The NFL needs more bigger-than-life...

Plumbing the depths. (The Fans Speak Out).
February 1, 2002... What's up with Jake Plummer? I can't believe this guy is still a starting quarterback in the NFL. After one so-so season in 1997, everyone was saying that he would be the next great quarterback. Well, if greatness is measured by the number of...

The Manning men. (The Fans Speak Out).
February 1, 2002... I really liked your article on the Mannings ["The Manning Dynasty," December 2001]. Football has never seen--and may never see again--anything quite like this family. What are the odds that three members of the same family would become such...

He can't forget it. (The Fans Speak Out).
February 1, 2002... As a longtime fan of the Cleveland Browns, it pained me to read Karl Mecklenburg's account of "The Drive" in the December 2001 issue ["The Game I'll Never Forget"]. It's been 15 years, and that game just won't go away. In fact, it seems to get...

Patriots power. (The Fans Speak Out).
February 1, 2002... I think you guys need to write a story on the New England Patriots. They may not make the playoffs this year, but they still have to be considered one of the league's most surprising teams. Before the season, most people, including you, picked...

Meet Urlacher's trusty sidekick. (Rising Star: Rosevelt Colvin).
February 1, 2002... LINEBACKER ROSEVELT COLVIN started his career in 1999 as an anonymous fourth-round pick of the Chicago Bears. The next season, he was overshadowed by rookie sensation Brian Urlacher. This year, however, he's starting to make a name for...

The stat sheet: the NFL postseason.
February 1, 2002... 67,428 The average attendance at a postseason game last season. The regular-season average was 66,078. $34,500 The winners' and losers' shares for the teams in last season's AFC and NFC title games. 1,586 The record...

When defense still mattered. (Uncovering the Past).
February 1, 2002... WITH PLAYERS LIKE KURT Warner, Marshall Faulk, Isaac Bruce, and Torry Holt scoring points in bunches these days, we sometimes forget about the storied defensive tradition of the Rams. The "Fearsome Foursome" of the 1960s, led by...

Initiation by fire: the former Heisman winner has had a harsh welcome to the NFL, but he's certain his struggles will make him better in the long run. (Interview: Chris Weinke).
February 1, 2002... WHEN THE 2001 SEASON began, the Carolina Panthers entrusted their starting quarterback job to a 29-year-old. There's nothing unusual about that. What was odd, however, was the fact that he was a rookie. Chris Weinke, the 2000 season's...

Building a winner: the expansion Texans don't take the field until next season, but they already are making all the right moves.
February 1, 2002... THE HOUSTON TEXANS HAVE yet to play their first game, but they already are scoring. Fans. Profits. Respect. The Texans have sold 80% of the seats to their new 69,500-seat, retractable-roof stadium. Naming rights to the...

Under the big top: we take a look inside the circus act that is the Rams.
February 1, 2002... IN ST. LOUIS, THEY CALL THE Rams "America's Team" and "The Greatest Show on Earth." And why not? The Rams' offense is in a league of its own, ready to take its place among the greatest of all time. In both 1999 and 2000, the Rams ranked...

Their cups runneth over: from Marshall Faulk to Jerome Bettis, we're witnessing a golden era at running back. (Cover Story).
February 1, 2002... IF ANYONE IS GETTING EXCITED about all the 1,000-yard rushers in the NFL, our advice is to calm down. Gaining 1,000 yards means averaging only 62 yards a game. That's not exactly a measuring stick for greatness. So let's alter the analysis...

Powerhouses or punch lines? The debate still rages over whether the Super Bowl futility of the Vikings and the Bills should prevent them from being mentioned with the greatest teams of all time.
February 1, 2002... BY GOING TO THE SUPER Bowl four straight times in the early 1990s, the Buffalo Bills established a record that may stand for decades. And what did they get for that achievement? A Bruce Smith-sized serving of public humiliation. David...

Lamar Hunt a gentle giant: Lamar Hunt is a towering figure in the history of pro football, but he remains remarkably humble and grounded.
February 1, 2002... THE GUY WAS ALL OF 27 AT THE time. He probably had more dollars than sense. He originally had this good idea about securing an NFL expansion franchise for Dallas. But when George Halas nixed that, favoring Clint Murchison instead, he...

The bite is back: after spending the better part of a decade in hibernation, the Bears have roared to life and are one of the season's most surprising teams.
February 1, 2002... FOOTBALL IS OFTEN COMPARED to religion because of the devotion of the sport's followers. String a couple of wins together and the believers will come together and shout praises from their rooftops. Fans don't even need to have a...

When owners get in the way: Jerry Jones isn't the first--and he won't be the last--head of a team to venture into areas where he simply doesn't belong.
February 1, 2002... IS THERE DISSENSION AMONG the ranks of NFL owners? You bet. Speaking off the record, one longtime NFL owner had this to say about the new breed of men running pro football teams these days: "They are asses. They have no idea how to run a...

Jim Langer: the Hall of Fame offensive lineman bitterly remembers the day in 1974 when the Raiders ended an era for his Dolphins. (The Game I'll Never Forget).
February 1, 2002... THERE WERE TWO MINUTES separating us from a victory over the Oakland Raiders in the divisional playoffs in 1974. We had just pulled ahead of them, and I remember coming off the field, wiping some sweat off of my Miami Dolphins jersey, and...

NFL Directory. (Names and Numbers).
February 1, 2002... NFL Directory NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 410 Park Avenue New York, NY 10022 (212) 450-2000 ARIZONA CARDINALS PO Box 888 Phoenix, AZ 85001 (602) 379-0101 Dave McGinnis, head coach Sun Devil Stadium 72,273 capacity, grass...

All-time Super Bowl records. (Names and Numbers).
February 1, 2002... All-Time Super Bowl Records INDIVIDUAL RECORDS SERVICE Most games played, career 6 Mike Lodish, Buffalo, 1991-94; Denver, 1998-99 5 Marv Fleming, Green Bay, 1967-68; Miami, 1972-74 5 Larry Cole, Dallas, 1971-72,...

Quick quiz.
February 1, 2002... 1. Super Bowl 25--in which the New York Giants defeated the Buffalo Bills 20-19 when Scott Norwood missed a last-second field goal attempt--is regarded as one of the greatest NFL title games ever. Who was the most valuable player of that game?...