Football Digest articles from November 2003

Football Digest archives from November 2003

Catch these guys.(Kickoff)
November 1, 2003... IF YOU HAVE DOUBT THAT the pass dominates the NFL simply take a gander at the wide receiver position. There isn't another spot on the field that has as many quality players. You'll find the biggest names in the game lining up at wide receiver,...

A rebuttal on Ray.(The Fans Speak Out)
November 1, 2003... Few can dispute that Ray Lewis is a very talented linebacker ["Interview," October 2003]. In light of his various off-the-field personal problems and controversy, however, his reputation is so permanently tainted that he will never be "the...

Favre power.(The Fans Speak Out)
November 1, 2003... In reading your article rating the best and worst of the NFL ["You Name It, We've Got It," October 2003], I would like to comment. If you believe that David Carr of the Houston Texans is the toughest player in the NFL, you are truly dead from...

Dobler speaks.(The Fans Speak Out)
November 1, 2003... I think your "Game I'll Never Forget" on Conrad Dobler was one of your best ever [October 2003]. He still is exactly the same kind of guy--he never holds anything back. The comments he made about his rivalry with Merlin Olsen were priceless....

Philly's leader.(The Fans Speak Out)
November 1, 2003... Great article on Donovan McNabb in your October 2003 issue ["Stepping Up"]. I've been following the Philadelphia Eagles my whole life, and it is so exciting to have a player like McNabb. With McNabb at quarterback, it's only a matter of time...

The Seahawks?(The Fans Speak Out)
November 1, 2003... Wow, you really went out on a limb by putting the Seattle Seahawks on the cover of your 2003 NFL preview issue [September 2003]. That was a very bold statement to predict that the Seahawks would finish in front of the San Francisco 49ers and...

Of Marty and Dick.(The Fans Speak Out)
November 1, 2003... In reference to your head coach rankings ["From the Top Dogs to the Real Dogs," August 2003], first let me say that whenever one attempts such a task, it's always going to be left open for criticism. People are going to be unhappy no matter how...

Giants banter.(The Fans Speak Out)
November 1, 2003... I am a huge New York Giants fan and am fed up with how they always are overshadowed in the media by the New York Jets. Even in one of your recent issues, a fan wrote in about your article on Jeremy Shockey and Chad Pennington ["New York...

The stat sheet: rookie quarterbacks.
November 1, 2003... 1 The number of rookie quarterbacks to start in the Pro Bowl, the Miami Dolphins' Dan Marino in 1983. 96.0 The passer rating compiled by Marino in '83, the highest ever for a rookie. 388 The number of passing yards by...

An original bad boy.(Uncovering the Past)
November 1, 2003... THERE IS A CERTAIN TRADITION a player must live up to if he lines up on defense for the Pittsburgh Steelers, particularly at linebacker. It began in the 1970s, and its essence was captured on the cover of our September 1976 issue. Steelers...

A super start.(Rising Star: Napoleon Harris)
November 1, 2003... IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST FEROcious hits of last season, delivered in the AFC Championship Game by a rookie named Napoleon Harris. The Oakland Raiders' man in the middle flew into Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair with his helmet as the QB...

The Miami sack machine: the Dolphins defensive end sounds off on how he became one of the NFL's most feared pass-rushers.(Interview: Jason Taylor)
November 1, 2003... FIRST IMPRESSIONS CAN MEAN everything--and at first glance, Miami Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor is quite a specimen. The 6'6", 260-pounder looks like he is built to menace quarterbacks. Last season, Taylor had an NFL-best 18.5 sacks,...

Dividing the divisions: we rate the NFL's eight divisions in a number of categories.
November 1, 2003... THE AFC EAST ROCKS, FROM TOP to bottom. The NFC North might just rot, from top to bottom. The NFC West has the highest excitement quotient. The NFC South has the most dynamic offensive player (Michael Vick) and the most dynamic...

Bad boys: we've pinpointed the seven nastiest defensive players in the game--starting with the incomparable Warren Sapp.
November 1, 2003... NFL FOOTBALL IS A SOPHISTIcated game of speed, strategy, and skill. But don't think for a minute that the NFL is solely the domain of the deep thinker. It certainly is good to be able to outsmart an opponent, but it's a whole lot better to...

Football's forgotten position: fullback once was the backbone of the running game--but not anymore. What's happened to one of sports' most treasured blue-collar occupations?
November 1, 2003... LORENZO NEAL IS ONE OF THE best fullbacks in the NFL. Wherever he goes, 1,000-yard rushers follow. Literally. While on the Tennessee Titans, Neal paved the way for Eddige George's 1,304-yard, nine-touchdown campaign in 1999 and his...

The last pass: as Art Modell works his way through his final NFL season, we reflect on his controversial career.
November 1, 2003... ART MODELL SITS AND PONders the question for what seems like an eternity. The man with a quick wit and expansive knowledge of many subjects can't quite figure out how to answer this one. The question centers on his NFL legacy. In Cleveland,...

The next big thing: Pittsburgh's Plaxico Burress is on the verge of becoming one of the most explosive wideouts in the game.
November 1, 2003... CHARLIE BATCH THREW PASSES to record-breaker Herman Moore on the Detroit Lions, but he's never seen a wide receiver quite like Plaxico Burress. "You look at Herman and Plaxico," says Batch, now the Pittsburgh Steelers' backup quarterback,...

All those years ago: we tell you why franchises like the Jets have been unable to rekindle their Super Bowl glory.
November 1, 2003... REMEMBER WHEN THE MIAMI Dolphins were an AFC powerhouse? If you do, you have a long memory because it's been nearly two decades since they reached the Super Bowl. Or when the Kansas City Chiefs were championship contenders? You have to go...

Eugene Robinson: on a classic muddy and blustery day at Lambeau in the 1996 divisional playoffs, the safety's Packers outlasted the 49ers.(The Game I'll Never Forget)
November 1, 2003... OUR GREEN BAY PACKERS WERE en route to beating the San Francisco 49ers in the 1996 divisional playoffs when I picked off a pass along our sideline to pretty much clinch the game for us. Our other safety, LeRoy Buffer, came over to me and was...

Sure-win Williams: it's too early to tell who the best receiver in college football will be in 2003--but it's a safe bet his last name is Williams.
November 1, 2003... ITS THE SMITH OR JONES OF THE sports world. Williams. A solid, all-American name. Every sports team has a Williams. Or has recently graduated a Williams. Or is recruiting a Williams. There are Hispanic Williamses, such as the New York...

Year-by-year NFL leaders.(Names and Numbers)
November 1, 2003... Year-by-Year NFL Leaders PASSING LEADERS (based on efficiency rating) Year Player, team Rating 1932 Arnie Herber, Green Bay 51.5 1933 Harry Newman, N.Y. Giants...

Remaining 2003 NFL schedule.(Names and Numbers)
November 1, 2003... Remaining 2003 NFL Schedule YOUR FINAL GAME TIME GUESS SCORE WEEK 3 Open dates: Carolina, Chicago, Dallas, and Philadelphia ...

Quick quiz.
November 1, 2003... 1. Which one of these men has logged the most seasons as an NFL head coach: Bill Cowher, Bill Parcells, Dick Vermeil, or Mike Holmgren? 2. True or false: Paul Brown Stadium, home of the Cincinnati Bengals, has an artificial surface. 3....