Friday, Sept. 17, 1999

Q&A with Joel Buchsbaum

Analyst discusses Week One standouts, plus Jets, Browns and Broncos

By Joel Buchsbaum, Contributing editor

Q: Which players most impressed you in Week One?

Buchsbaum: I was really impressed with Brian Griese’s poise and accuracy. For his first game out, I thought he played very well for a young quarterback. He may never be a great one, but he played well. I was also impressed with how low Miami’s Rob Konrad ran. One of his problems in college was that he was running too upright and taking too many shots. Another running back who has lowered his running style and really helped himself is the Redskins’ Stephen Davis. But far and away the most impressive player I saw in Week One was the Bucs’ Warren Sapp. He was just incredible; he was all over the field. Giants DT Keith Hamilton got no publicity for the job he did against the Bucs, but he was the unsung hero of that game. He was very disruptive in the middle and created a lot of havoc. For New England, having Terry Glenn at wide receiver makes a tremendous difference.

Q: Who are some of the quarterbacks you could see losing their jobs this season?

Buchsbaum: You’ve already seen a change in Cleveland (from Ty Detmer to Tim Couch). In New Orleans, it’s still open. In Chicago, you could see a changeover (from Shane Matthews to Cade McNown). In Cincinnati, if the season goes long enough, then there’s a possibility Akili Smith could take over if he learns the system. In Philadelphia, you have the possibility for a change, but I don’t think they want to throw Donovan McNabb into the mix too quickly. In Tampa, if Trent Dilfer has a couple of more games like the opening week, it’ll be tough for him to keep the job. With the Giants, Kent Graham could always lose the job to Kerry Collins. If the Bills feel the defenses have caught up with Doug Flutie, there could be a change if the Bills are out of the playoff race, especially considering his age (he’ll be 37 in October). If Rick Mirer doesn’t get the job done with the Jets and falls on his face, it wouldn’t be shocking if you see a change there. In Baltimore, I don’t know whom the Ravens would change to, but I’ve never been a big Scott Mitchell fan. And he’s the type of player who can turn off an audience. He’s not generally well-received. In Carolina, Steve Beuerlein is on the edge.

Q: Looking into your crystal ball, how many games do you see the Jets winning this season in light of all the injuries they’ve suffered already?

Buchsbaum: I think 8-8 would have to be considered a heck of a coaching job. It’s very rare that you see a club get hit this hard with injuries this early in the season.

Q: Will the Browns continue to look as bad as they did in Week One?

Buchsbaum: Definitely not. It wouldn’t surprise me if they come back and have a very good showing against Tennessee this week.

Q: Is there a scenario in which you can see the Broncos bouncing back from their Monday-night loss to the Dolphins and still go on to win a third straight Super Bowl?

Buchsbaum: It’s possible, but it’s a different ballgame without John Elway, because Elway changes the whole psyche of the team. If you have Elway there, you feel like you’re never out of a game, and John can do it for you. I think people overrated Terrell Davis and underrated Elway the last few years. Don’t get me wrong, Davis is a great, great runner, but Elway was always the key.

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1999 - 2000 Season