Football Digest articles from October 2005

Football Digest archives from October 2005

Are you ready for some football?(Kickoff)
October 1, 2005... AFTER MONTHS OF ANXIOUS waiting, football season finally is here. And we have the perfect issue to kick things off. Fittingly, the cover story focuses on the New England Patriots, who are going after an unprecedented third straight Super...

Here comes Dallas.(The Fans Speak Out)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2005... Watch out for the Dallas Cowboys. It's not like coach Bill Parcells to have two straight losing seasons, so I think he will turn the team around and take it to the playoffs. Quarterback Drew Bledsoe played well for Parcells when they were on...

On the cover.(The Fans Speak Out)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2005... I'm glad you guys put Michael Vick on the cover of your season-preview issue [September 2005]. Not only is he the most exciting player in football, but he's made the Atlanta Falcons into a legitimate Super Bowl contender. And the most amazing...

An inspiration.(The Fans Speak Out)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2005... My favorite player is Priest Holmes of the Kansas City Chiefs. Nobody even drafted him--he signed as an undrafted free agent with the Baltimore Ravens. Every step of the way he had to prove himself, and now he is one of the best running backs...

All grown up.(Rising Star: Drew Bennett)
October 1, 2005... DREW BENNETT BARELY COULD take off his uniform, and when he spoke after the biggest night of his NFL career, his head almost drooped. Bennett had just blitzed the Kansas City Chiefs for 233 receiving yards and three touchdown receptions,...

Uncharted territory: can Tom Brady and the Patriots do what no other team has done and win three straight Super Bowls?(Cover Story)
October 1, 2005... MANY HAVE TRIED, ALL HAVE failed. Now it is New England's turn. The Patriots hardly are the first team in position to capture three straight Super Bowl titles. Since the Green Bay Packers beat the Kansas City Chiefs in the first AFL-NFL...

Calling new plays: the offseason featured a number of moves at the NFL's most important assistant-coaching position: offensive coordinator.
October 1, 2005... JIM FASSEL COACHED THE NEW York Giants to a Super Bowl. Norm Chow helped Southern California win two national championships. Both bring superb credentials to their new jobs as offensive coordinators. Fassel with the Baltimore...

Is the "D" back in Dallas? After an offseason overhaul--particularly on defense--Bill Parcells' Cowboys are poised for a comeback.
October 1, 2005... JERRY JONES FELT THE FRUStration rising. He had felt this way before, of course. He had watched the Dallas Cowboys' dynasty of the 1990s crumble. He had seen the misery of three consecutive 5-11 seasons under coach Dave Campo, a stretch that...

Bargain shopping: punters such as Craig Hentrich can be a great investment at a relatively cheap price.
October 1, 2005... HE'S THE BUTT OF LOCKER-room jokes, and fans rarely recognize the name on the back of his uniform. Come contract time, he lives at the lowest point on the pay scale. In the NFL, there is little love given to the punter. But for the...

Extreme makeover: Dennis Green has the ultimate challenge--to turn the Cardinals into something that's a little easier on the eyes--but he just might succeed.
October 1, 2005... FOR YEARS, THE ARIZONA CARDinals have been the NFUs ugliest duckling, a bumbling franchise whose frequent pratfalls have inspired scorn, bad jokes, and, mostly, indifference. Suddenly, though, the ugly duckling is beginning to turn heads....

Following his heart: the quarterback hits on a wide range of topics, from his decision to return to USC to his goals after this season.(Interview: Matt Leinart)(Interview)
October 1, 2005... TALK ABOUT HAVING A TARGET on your back. Apart from being the reigning Heisman Trophy winner and a two-time national champion at USC, quarterback Matt Leinart has college fans' eyes on him for another small matter. He temporarily passed up the...

The team to beat ... again: Pete Carroll aims to take the Trojans to a third consecutive national championship.
October 1, 2005... IT WOULD BE THE EASIEST THING in the world to put Southern California atop FOOTBALL DIGEST'S 2005 preseason rankings. Well, guess what? We're taking the easy way out. The Trojans will go after their third straight Associated Press national...

2005 division I-A college schedules.(Names and Numbers)
October 1, 2005... AIR FORCE Sept. 3 Washington (at Seattle's OWEST Field) Sept. 10 San Diego State Sept. 17 Wyoming Sept. 22 vs. Utah (at Salt Lake City) Oct. 1 ...

2005 NFL team-by-team schedules.(Names and Numbers)
October 1, 2005... ARIZONA CARDINALS Date Opponent Time Sept. 11 at New York Giants 4:15 p.m. Sept. 18 ST. LOUIS 4:05 p.m. Sept. 25 at Seattle 4:05 p.m....

2005 NFL schedule.(Names and Numbers)
October 1, 2005... YOUR FINAL GAME TIME GUESS SCORE WEEK 1 Thursday, Sept. 8 Oakland at New England, 9:00 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 11 Chicago at...

NFL directory.(Names and Numbers)(Directory)
October 1, 2005... NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 280 Park Avenue New York NY 10017 (212) 450-2000 ARIZONA CARDINALS PO Box 888 Phoenix, AZ 85001 (602) 379-0101 Coach: Dennis Green Sun Devil Stadium 72,273 capacity, grass ...

Quick quiz.
October 1, 2005... 1. Jeff Fisher has been the coach of the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans since midseason in 1994. Who preceded Fisher has the team's coach? 2. Two players rushed for 200 yards in a game in 2004. Who were they: LaDainian Tomlinson, Ahman...