| Scour the roster of all 31 teams
and you can find at least one player who missed significant time or didn’t perform up
to par in 2001. His team counted on him before, and now they are doing it again, hoping
that a returning player, or perhaps a newcomer, will be the spark that lights the way to
the postseason. What follows is a list of 10 players whose teams need them to come back
strong:
Colts RB Edgerrin James
James tore his anterior cruciate ligament in the sixth game of the year at Kansas
City. In his first two seasons, James went to the Pro Bowl, averaged 100 yards rushing per
game and caught at least 60 passes. In his absence, undrafted free agent RB Dominic Rhodes
rushed for 1,104 yards and nine scores but wasn’t the all-around back James is and QB
Peyton Manning faced too much pressure to make things happen. The Colts, now under the
direction of defensive-minded head coach Tony Dungy, are confident they are going places
with or without a healthy James. The road would be easier traveled if James can return to
his past form.
Titans RB Eddie George
The Ravens were hoisting the Lombardi Trophy at the end of the 1999 season, and headlines
boasted that Baltimore’s defense may have been the best ever. Well, don’t tell
that to the Titans, who had the No. 1 defense in the NFL that season. While the Titans
were disappointing (9-7 after consecutive 13-win regular seasons) defensively, ranking 25th
overall and last vs. the pass, many of the team’s struggles were a result of a rare
down year from RB Eddie George. Head coach Jeff Fisher might tell you his 46 defense needs
more from DE Kevin Carter (two sacks in 2001), but the Titans need a healthy George to
return to the upper echelon in the NFL. George was nagged by a toe injury when the season
began and endured ankle and foot problems during the year, the first sub-1,000-yard (939)
rushing performance in his first five seasons. George was able to go through his typical
offseason workout in Columbus, Ohio, and must return to being the Titans’ workhorse
if they want to emerge from the AFC South in the postseason.
Packers WR Terry Glenn
He played four games last season and has widely been considered an underachiever since his
90-catch rookie season. Glenn was a walking attitude problem for most of his time in New
England, especially during Bill Belichick’s reign. Glenn, who turns 28 at the start
of Packers’ training camp, has twice been to the Pro Bowl and is packed with
potential — or at least that is what head coach/general manager Mike Sherman is
banking on. If Sherman and QB Brett Favre can unravel the mystery that is Terry Glenn, it
could be a fruitful season in Green Bay. If not, the misguided one could take the
Packers’ ship down with him.
Cowboys DT La’Roi Glover
After leading the league in sacks (17) in 2000, Glover had only eight with the Saints last
season. That didn’t sway the Cowboys, who felt Glover was the impact defender they
needed to continue the progression that began last season, when the club jumped from one
of the worst — 31st vs. the run at 165 yards allowed per game — to
fourth overall. Glover won’t have to do it alone given the Cowboys’ signings of
LB Kevin Hardy, CB Bryant Westbrook and the addition of first-round draft pick FS Roy
Williams. It is Glover, however, who defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer says will be the
most instrumental to the Cowboys’ success on the field, where they must improve from
last year’s totals of 24 sacks and nine interceptions to compete.
Cardinals RB Thomas Jones
Michael Pittman bolted for Tampa Bay and is no longer a windfall should Jones again fail
to live up to the meteoric expectations established when the Cardinals used the seventh
overall pick to take him in the 2000 draft. Jones has the size after adding about 15
pounds with an intense offseason training regimen and skills to make things happen but has
been hesitant and thus failed to rediscover the success he had at Virginia. A steady
running game would benefit QB Jake Plummer and rest of the offense greatly. Plummer had
his best statistical season as a pro in 2001, but has not lived up to his pre-draft hype
of yet either. Head coach Dave McGinnis said the Cardinals need everything Jones has to up
their win total and start sniffing the playoffs. Jones worked feverishly in the offseason,
but is it enough to get Arizona to the postseason?
Vikings WR Derrick Alexander, RB Michael Bennett
The Vikings might need one more than the other, but Bennett and Alexander can both be
influential in putting fear back in opposing defenses. WR Randy Moss had a down year (10
TDs, 15.0 yards per reception) by his standards after a slow start and had a lackluster
running game and lack of a supporting cast to blame. (C’mon, Randy blame Randy?) QB
Daunte Culpepper will be fully recovered from a knee injury that caused him problems in
the second half of the regular season. The offensive line has been reconstructed from the
inside out, highlighted by the addition of OLT Bryant McKinnie. Now, head coach Mike Tice
needs a Bennett to give him a presence on the ground to open things up for Culpepper to
throw downfield to Moss and Alexander. Bennett has sprinter speed but didn’t develop
the patience necessary to be effective behind FB Jim Kleinsasser and an unstable offensive
line. A year of experience and an offseason spent under the watchful eye of RB coach Dean
Dalton won’t hurt. Alexander, who became expendable in Kansas City after career-lows
in receptions (27) and yards (470), will stretch the field and make big plays if he can
stay healthy. The injury risk is ever-present with Alexander, but he and Moss could be
dominant if the tandem can pair up for the full 16-game schedule.
Saints QB Aaron Brooks
He looked like a phenom in 2000 when he took the starting job following an injury to Jeff
Blake. Brooks then won the job outright in training camp prior to last season, but he
skidded down the stretch, tossing 13 of his 22 interceptions in the Saints’ final
four games. The Saints are taking the blame for Brooks’ burnout, saying they wore him
out in the offseason with preparation. Brooks lost some weight during the season and
seemed to lose focus as well. Prior to the start of this season, Brooks has added more
muscle and tweaked his release to deter batted balls and cut down on his interception
total. The Saints, and Brooks, are confident he will rebound with a great season (Brooks
did throw 26 TDs in ’01) with WRs Joe Horn, Jerome Pathon and Donte Stallworth
running under his deep ball. If the offensive line — which has two new offensive
tackles with Kyle Turley on the left side rather than the right, where Victor Riley takes
over — can jell, Brooks and the Saints could be right about that great season.
Broncos QB Brian Griese, WR Ed McCaffrey
Griese backed up a breakout 2000 campaign (19 TDs, 4 INTs) with an abysmal 2001. Griese
did throw 23 TDs (19 INTs) but dropped in completion percentage, QB rating and 300-yard
games (five in 2000, one in ’01). He has a new protector in OLT Blake Brockermeyer,
who anchored the Bears’ offensive line in leading the NFL in fewest sacks allowed
last season. Griese says he is over his shoulder problems and is looking forward to
getting results with the best stock of receivers Denver has ever had with Rod Smith,
McCaffrey, Rob Moore and rookie Ashley Lelie.
McCaffrey broke his leg in the first game of the season and seemingly shattered the
hopes of the Broncos returning to the Super Bowl at the same time. With the running game
in shambles (Terrell Davis had two surgeries and didn’t score a touchdown, Olandis
Gary broke his leg and Mike Anderson dropped off significantly after a 1,487-yard rookie
season), the Broncos WR corps lagged behind. Smith had an MVP-caliber season (113
receptions, 11 TDs), but defenses didn’t have to cover the likes of Kevin Kasper as
they would have McCaffrey. Now, the Broncos need McCaffrey to return to the form he had in
2000, his best statistical season ever, when he had 101 catches, 1,317 yards and six
scores. |
