Friday, July 9, 1999

Strongest units

Editor-in-chief Ron Pollack names the strongest unit on every team

Part 6 of 6: NFC West

By RON POLLACK, Editor-in-chief

AFC East|AFC Central|AFC West
NFC East|NFC Central|NFC West

Part 1||2|3|4|5|6

Atlanta Falcons|Carolina Panthers|New Orleans Saints
St. Louis Rams|San Francisco 49ers

Atlanta Falcons: Defensive linemen.

Running back almost got the nod with Jamal Anderson, Bob Christian and Byron Hanspard, but I don’t think the Falcons’ defensive line got enough credit last season for the team’s success, so I’ll give them a little publicity. No one talks about the guy, but DT Travis Hall played at an all-star level last season. DE Lester Archambeau has really come on as a pass rusher. DE Chuck Smith has great pass-rush skills. Shane Dronett was very productive last season. This quartet lacks big names but was an incredibly productive unit last season. In addition, the team used its first-round pick this year on Patrick Kerney, a defensive end. Kerney signed before the start of training camp, thereby improving his chances of contributing this season.

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Carolina Panthers: Receivers.

It’s a bit difficult to find a standout unit on this team, but I’ll go with the receivers over the defensive backs. Rocket Ismail has left via free agency, but Muhsin Muhammad showed last season that he can be a very good NFL receiver. Rae Carruth is coming of a season in which he played in only two games because of injury, but he has plenty of talent. Wesley Walls is among the top half-dozen tight ends in the game. If he played on a team that showcased him more, he’d be more of a marquee player.

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New Orleans Saints: Offensive linemen.

William Roaf is one of the three best offensive tackles in football. OT Kyle Turley has a big upside. C Jerry Fontenot and OG’s Wally Williams and Chris Naeole do not rate as highly as the tackles, but they could be nice cogs on an offensive line that will be asked to block for franchise RB Ricky Williams.

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St. Louis Rams: Defensive linemen.

Kevin Carter has become one of the better defensive ends in the NFL. He is one rung short of joining the top handful of players in the league at the position. At the other DE spot, Grant Wistrom has a high-revving motor and a very nice upside. D’Marco Farr and Ray Agnew don’t provide star quality, but they are nice pieces to the puzzle.

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San Francisco 49ers: Receivers.

All-time great Jerry Rice isn’t what he once was, but he is still one of the top dozen or so receivers in the game. Don’t be shocked if he is slightly improved over last season. You know this is a great unit when a guy like Rice isn’t even the best wideout on the team. That honor goes to Terrell Owens, who really stepped up his level of play last season. He’s still not as consistent as you’d like, but he rates a slight edge over the present-day Rice. An Owens-Rice duo alone would make this a terrific unit, but when you throw in J.J. Stokes, you are talking about a devastating trio. Stokes has not quite lived up to the expectations he had coming out of college, but he has developed into a very fine receiver.

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