Joel Buchsbaum's notepad

Brackens, Brister, Collins, McDonald could be hidden keys to ’99 season

By JOEL BUCHSBAUM, Contributing editor
As published in print Aug. 23, 1999

Broncos QB Bubby Brister

Cecil Collins was a fifth-round pick in April’s draft. Ramos McDonald was a 1998 third-round pick who did not stand out as a rookie. Tony Brackens was the Jaguars’ second-round pick in ’96 and has been a tease ever since. Bubby Brister is a 37-year-old journeyman quarterback whom the Broncos salvaged after a year out of football and who has not started more than eight games in any season since 1990.

On the surface, they are just four ho-hum players. But in reality they could hold the key to who goes to and wins the Super Bowl this year. Here’s why:

DE Tony Brackens / Jaguars — The one thing the Jaguars lack on defense is a big-time pass rusher the offense must account for on every play. Brackens can be that type of player and often has been in September and early October. But almost every year he gets hurt and then disappears late in the season. If he can stay healthy and/or learn to play through pain effectively, he can be the big-time, double-digit sacker the Jaguars have never had and probably must find to win. Note that the 49ers won their first Super Bowl after they acquired pass rusher Fred Dean, while trading for Charles Haley put the Cowboys over the top when they won their first Super Bowl this decade. Brackens has the ability to make a similar impact.

QB Bubby Brister / Broncos — Brister must replace John Elway, but he is going to be at the helm of a two-time defending Super Bowl champion that will be driven by the desire to show it did not win solely because of Elway. Brister has always had the tools to be a big-time quarterback, but he was a tease who could be either terrific or awful. Brister has never really shown that he can control his emotions and temper or that he can handle big-time pressure. Now he has a chance to pull a Doug Williams and change his entire image and place in history in one season.

RB Cecil Collins / Dolphins — The Dolphins have the deepest, fastest and most talented defense in football. On offense, they now have a solid run-blocking line, and they have given Dan Marino better targets to throw to. But they still do not have a runner whom opposing teams fear. From an ability standpoint Collins is in the same league as Ricky Williams and Edgerrin James. Collins has great vision and feet, rare balance and rare power. If he can stay out of trouble, keep his conditioning up and play the way he is capable of playing, nobody will stop the Dolphins this year.

CB Ramos McDonald / Vikings — The Vikings have far and away the best offense in football. Defensively, Minnesota’s ends are good enough to get by with, but unless the Vikings come up with a cornerback to team with the overrated Jimmy Hitchcock, they are in huge trouble. Head coach Dennis Green has already penciled McDonald into that CB spot. If McDonald performs well, the sky is the limit for the most explosive offensive team in football.

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