Red alert
NFC West
As published in print Dec. 6, 1999
Atlanta Falcons|Carolina Panthers|New Orleans
Saints
St. Louis Rams|San
Francisco 49ers
AFC East | AFC Central | AFC West
NFC East | NFC Central | NFC West
|
| Atlanta
Falcons |
| Atlanta has not done a bad job of scoring touchdowns in the red zone this
year, but the Falcons have struggled to reach it and then punch the ball in on the ground.
Prior to Week 13, the Falcons had scored only four rushing touchdowns compared to 13 over
the same span last season. Without the injured Jamal Anderson, Atlanta has struggled in
its search for a power running game with RBs Ken Oxendine and Byron Hanspard and an
offensive line that isn’t blowing people off the ball. The Falcons do spread the
field more than most teams, as well as using a lot of two- and three-TE sets. TE Brian
Kozlowski, who is one of the team’s best route runners, and WR Terance Mathis are QB
Chris Chandler’s favorite targets near the goal line. |
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| Carolina
Panthers |
| The Panthers have done a nice job inside the 20 this season except in
their Week Seven loss vs. Detroit, when they drove inside the five-yard line five times
but failed to score a touchdown. QB Steve Beuerlein locks on to TE Wesley Walls early and
often in the red zone, and for good reason. Walls’ size, soft hands and ability to
get open in tight spaces allow him to average roughly one touchdown for every five
receptions. Carolina has not settled on a go-to running back, however, and usually elects
to use FB William Floyd rather than explosive RB Tshimanga Biakabutuka near the goal line. |
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| New
Orleans Saints |
| The closer the Saints get to the endzone this season, the more problems
they’ve had. The offense tends to get more bogged down with less room to maneuver,
and frustration has set in with the team’s inability to make the most of its
opportunities. Head coach Mike Ditka craves a power running game, but he has yet to see
one in the red zone. QB Billy Joe Tolliver has three rushing TDs, while prized rookie RB
Ricky Williams has just two. Much of the lack of success can be attributed to poor
blocking up front. The Saints have used three-WR formations of late in an attempt to
spread the field and keep defenders out of the box. The lack of a prime-time quarterback
does not help, either. |
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| St.
Louis Rams |
| The Rams have been spectacular inside the red zone, and the main reason
is that they spread the ball around so well and keep defenses guessing. QB Kurt Warner has
thrown TD passes to eight different players this year, including one to OT Ryan Tucker.
The knock on RB Marshall Faulk prior to this season was that he wasn’t great near the
goal line, but the Rams have shown they’re not afraid to go to the ground game. Faulk
and FB Robert Holcombe have combined for nine rushing TDs. While the Rams own one of the
most creative and diverse offensive game plans in the NFL, they typically don’t get
too fancy inside the 20-yard line. |
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| San
Francisco 49ers |
| The quick timing passes of the West Coast offense have long been the
fundamental weapon for the 49ers in the red zone. This season, however, that weapon has
mostly fired blanks. Neither Jeff Garcia nor Steve Stenstrom has been able to deliver the
ball to the WR corps with anything close to the consistency of Steve Young in years past,
and the 49ers have gotten little productivity out of their tight ends. RB Charlie Garner
has 925 yards and a 5.3-yard average on the ground but just two rushing TDs to show for
it, as San Francisco tends to shy away from him inside the red zone because of his lack of
size and strength. The 49ers had struggled mightily to score touchdowns inside the red
zone this season before turning the trick three times last week vs. the Bengals. |
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|
 |
The Archives
1999 - 2000 Season |
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| Ron Pollack — articles and
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| Season in review —
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| XFL — a new football league begins |
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