Thursday, April 3
Best games of 2003 start opening weekend
By John Clayton
ESPN.com
Apparently, the victor doesn't always win the spoils. That's the humbling part of this year's NFL schedule, which was released Thursday afternoon.
The Bucs won the NFC by beating the Eagles in the championship game. The Raiders beat the Titans in the AFC championship game. But Tampa Bay and Oakland each open the season at Philadelphia and Tennessee respectively in nationally televised night games in the first week of the season.
Certainly, putting the championship foes in primetime on the opening week means huge ratings. Championship rematches create potential rivalries, so ABC and ESPN are the clear winners. But even though they beat the Eagles for the NFC title, the Bucs feel as though they are the big losers entering the 2003 season.
Bucs coach Jon Gruden was complaining about the idea of playing in Philadelphia at last week's owners meetings in Phoenix. Since 1999, the Bucs have played five games in Philadelphia.
Three of those meetings have been in critical playoff games, and the Eagles earned home-field advantage because of better regular-season records or tiebreakers. What baffled Gruden is last year's regular-season game against the Eagles was on the road and now they have to open this season in Philly. It concerns Gruden that the only way to get a home game against the Eagles is by having a better record at the end of the season.
That will be much tougher for both the Raiders and Bucs. Road losses would give them 0-1 starts and a tiebreaker disadvantage against conference foes.
A year ago, the NFL drastically realigned the league in eight divisions of four teams. The beauty of the realignment is that it set a balanced schedule, allowing every team to play the 31 other teams over a four-year basis. The extra beauty of the schedule is that it creates a better balance of home-and-away rotations with non-division teams.
But enough of that, here are 10 games that highlight the 2003:
1. Monday, Sept. 8 (Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Philadelphia Eagles)
The subplot: What makes this the featured game of the season is that the Bucs hate playing in Philadelphia. Though the 27-10 victory in last year's NFC championship was a huge lift for the Bucs, players will be grumbling all summer about being opening-night fodder for the Eagles in their new stadium. New stadiums create a buzz and provide a significant home-field advantage. The Eagles always have had a significant home-field advantage; they were 7-1 at the Vet last season. To win, the Eagles will be debating whether or not to play the physical type of running offense that was so successful during their regular-season victory over the Bucs. The Bucs-Eagles series is becoming a classic. The Eagles have been to the last two NFC championship games, but haven't been able to reach the Super Bowl level that Tampa Bay attained last season.
2. Monday, Sept. 22 (Oakland Raiders at Denver Broncos)
The subplot: Suddenly, the pressure of one of the league's best rivalries has shifted to the Broncos. Entering last season, the Broncos won eight of the previous 10 games against the Raiders, including seven consecutive Denver wins at one point. The Raiders swept the Broncos last year, and coach Mike Shanahan made major changes. He let defensive coordinator Ray Rhodes go to Seattle, replaced quarterback Brian Griese with Jake Plummer and released three starters on defense. If the Raiders can win the road part of this home-and-home series, they will have a major edge over the Broncos. The Raiders have a murderous start to their season -- road games in Tennessee and Denver and a home opener against the improving Chargers. Coach Bill Callahan doesn't want to create an early-season panic with a 1-2 start or worse. This is a vital game from both franchises.
3. Sunday, Nov. 16 (Dallas Cowboys at New England Patriots)
The subplot: Of the games Bill Parcells will coach against his former teams, this is the most interesting because he left the Patriots on bad terms when he went to the Jets. Some of that anger may have vanished over time, but it's still going to be strange seeing Parcells and owner Jerry Jones together along the opposing sidelines in Foxboro. By November, the Cowboys will know whether or not they will be a playoff contender or an also-ran. Parcells is too good a coach to have the young Cowboys team an also-ran. The Patriots brought playmakers to their defense with the signings of linebacker Rosevelt Colvin and safety Rodney Harrison for games such as this. Colvin will pressure the Cowboys offensive line. Harrison will play near the line of scrimmage to slow down the Cowboys running game. Parcells has two games against the Giants -- in New York on Monday, Sept. 15, and in Dallas on Sunday, Dec. 21 -- and one against the Jets in New York on Sunday, Sept. 28.
4. Sunday, Sept. 7 (Oakland Raiders at Tennessee Titans)
The subplot: The Raiders have the edge in this series. They won the regular-season game in Oakland, 52-25. They won the playoff game, 41-24. But the Raiders can't enter the season overconfident. Being $50 million over the salary cap forced the Raiders to cut six players, but the Raiders come back with their core group even though the roster is loaded with 30-plus-year-old starters. Surprisingly, though, the Titans have had more cap problems than the Raiders. They currently have only 47 players on the roster and are pretty much cap-strapped until the draft when they will have to restructure contracts to free up room to sign more players. That gives the Raiders the offseason edge in building their roster deeper than the Titans. Still, the Titans will be home with a championship-caliber starting lineup in front of an energized crowd. The Titans were 6-2 at home last year and have some of the best fans in the league.
5. Sunday, Sept. 21 (Tampa Bay at Atlanta)
The subplot: The Falcons shocked the world by winning a playoff game in Green Bay last season, but this game will be the test of how far the Falcons have come in closing the gap against the NFC South champions. Arguably, the Falcons and Bills have had the best offseasons in free agency. Quarterback Michael Vick now has wide receiver Peerless Price as a deep threat, and coach Dan Reeves addressed concerns in his secondary by bringing in three new starters. Owner Arthur Blank excited fans by lowering ticket prices last year and raising expectations about his team. A home game against a division rival will determine how far Blanks' checks have succeeded.
6. Thursday, Sept. 4 (New York Jets at Washington Redskins)
The subplot: What a great start to the season. The Redskins treated the Jets like a Triple-A farm team by stealing wide receiver Laveranues Coles, guard Randy Thomas and kicker John Hall. The two sides are still fighting over returner Chad Morton, who signed an offer sheet with the Redskins that was matched by the Jets but challenged by the NFLPA. The success of Coles, Thomas and Hall will determine whether the Redskins will be a playoff team for owner Dan Snyder. A Jets victory on the road would be revenge. For Redskins coach Steve Spurrier, though, this game will be the barometer that the Redskins are making progress. Scoring more points is critical, and the Jets could frustrate impatient Redskins fans if the offense is below 20 points. But, even with all the quarterback shuffling of last year, the Redskins scored at least 20 points in their final six games.
7. Monday, Nov. 10 (Philadelphia Eagles at Green Bay Packers)
The subplot: Andy Reid of the Eagles and Mike Sherman of the Packers are friends and gentlemen. But there has been a little back-and-forth on the personnel side that raises interest for this Monday night game. The Packers cut linebacker Nate Wayne in a dispute over his salary, and he quickly signed with the Eagles for more than he was making in Green Bay. The Eagles took a run at restricted free-agent defensive end Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, but he re-signed with the Packers on a seven-year, $37 million deal. KGB was supposed to be the replacement for departed defensive end Hugh Douglas, who went to Jacksonville. Both teams are the favorites in their division and potential opponents in the playoffs.
8. Sunday, Nov. 9 (New York Jets at Oakland Raiders)
The subplot: It seems as though the Jets have made a one-sided move to the AFC West. The only problem is that they don't get the home games. From the final week of the 2001 regular season, the Jets have made four trips to Oakland. They won a regular-season finale in 2001 only to be beaten in the playoffs by the Raiders the next week. The Raiders whipped the Jets twice in Oakland last year. Well, guess what -- this Jet-setting season continues in Oakland one more time. Who needs scouting reports? These teams have played each other enough times of late that they don't need scouting reports. Chad Pennington's development as a quarterback gives hope that the Jets can challenge the Raiders, but the Raiders have kept their team together while personnel losses to the Jets have caused some questions.
9. Sunday, Oct. 12 (San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks)
The subplot: Dennis Erickson felt he had turned around a struggling Seahawks franchise, but new ownership at the time fired him when the team was on the verge of the playoffs. The chance to get back in the NFL has been burning inside Erickson for the past several years, so this game is personal. Erickson versus his replacement, Mike Holmgren. Interesting. Erickson enters with a team that won the NFC West by three games, while Holmgren faces job insecurity if he doesn't get the Seahawks closer to the playoffs.
10. Sunday, Oct. 5 (Arizona Cardinals at Dallas Cowboys)
The subplot: Jerry Jones said he is troubled by seeing halfback Emmitt Smith with a Cardinal on the side of his helmet. Smith says he's moving to a better team. The good thing about this game is that it's early enough in the season where the Cardinals won't be out of the playoff picture. Smith said that the Cardinals have a better offensive line and a more experienced quarterback (Jeff Blake) than he had in his final two years with the Cowboys. Still, it won't be easy seeing Smith playing for the Cardinals against the Cowboys. It's Week 5. Will Troy Hambrick have more rushing yards than Smith? Will new Cowboys coach Bill Parcells still start quarterback Chad Hutchinson after three games. The Cowboys have a bye three weeks into the season.
John Clayton is a senior writer at ESPN.com.
http://espn.go.com/nfl/columns/clayton_john/1533495.html
Best games of 2003 start opening weekend
By John Clayton
ESPN.com
Apparently, the victor doesn't always win the spoils. That's the humbling part of this year's NFL schedule, which was released Thursday afternoon.
The Bucs won the NFC by beating the Eagles in the championship game. The Raiders beat the Titans in the AFC championship game. But Tampa Bay and Oakland each open the season at Philadelphia and Tennessee respectively in nationally televised night games in the first week of the season.
Certainly, putting the championship foes in primetime on the opening week means huge ratings. Championship rematches create potential rivalries, so ABC and ESPN are the clear winners. But even though they beat the Eagles for the NFC title, the Bucs feel as though they are the big losers entering the 2003 season.
Bucs coach Jon Gruden was complaining about the idea of playing in Philadelphia at last week's owners meetings in Phoenix. Since 1999, the Bucs have played five games in Philadelphia.
Three of those meetings have been in critical playoff games, and the Eagles earned home-field advantage because of better regular-season records or tiebreakers. What baffled Gruden is last year's regular-season game against the Eagles was on the road and now they have to open this season in Philly. It concerns Gruden that the only way to get a home game against the Eagles is by having a better record at the end of the season.
That will be much tougher for both the Raiders and Bucs. Road losses would give them 0-1 starts and a tiebreaker disadvantage against conference foes.
A year ago, the NFL drastically realigned the league in eight divisions of four teams. The beauty of the realignment is that it set a balanced schedule, allowing every team to play the 31 other teams over a four-year basis. The extra beauty of the schedule is that it creates a better balance of home-and-away rotations with non-division teams.
But enough of that, here are 10 games that highlight the 2003:
1. Monday, Sept. 8 (Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Philadelphia Eagles)
The subplot: What makes this the featured game of the season is that the Bucs hate playing in Philadelphia. Though the 27-10 victory in last year's NFC championship was a huge lift for the Bucs, players will be grumbling all summer about being opening-night fodder for the Eagles in their new stadium. New stadiums create a buzz and provide a significant home-field advantage. The Eagles always have had a significant home-field advantage; they were 7-1 at the Vet last season. To win, the Eagles will be debating whether or not to play the physical type of running offense that was so successful during their regular-season victory over the Bucs. The Bucs-Eagles series is becoming a classic. The Eagles have been to the last two NFC championship games, but haven't been able to reach the Super Bowl level that Tampa Bay attained last season.
2. Monday, Sept. 22 (Oakland Raiders at Denver Broncos)
The subplot: Suddenly, the pressure of one of the league's best rivalries has shifted to the Broncos. Entering last season, the Broncos won eight of the previous 10 games against the Raiders, including seven consecutive Denver wins at one point. The Raiders swept the Broncos last year, and coach Mike Shanahan made major changes. He let defensive coordinator Ray Rhodes go to Seattle, replaced quarterback Brian Griese with Jake Plummer and released three starters on defense. If the Raiders can win the road part of this home-and-home series, they will have a major edge over the Broncos. The Raiders have a murderous start to their season -- road games in Tennessee and Denver and a home opener against the improving Chargers. Coach Bill Callahan doesn't want to create an early-season panic with a 1-2 start or worse. This is a vital game from both franchises.
3. Sunday, Nov. 16 (Dallas Cowboys at New England Patriots)
The subplot: Of the games Bill Parcells will coach against his former teams, this is the most interesting because he left the Patriots on bad terms when he went to the Jets. Some of that anger may have vanished over time, but it's still going to be strange seeing Parcells and owner Jerry Jones together along the opposing sidelines in Foxboro. By November, the Cowboys will know whether or not they will be a playoff contender or an also-ran. Parcells is too good a coach to have the young Cowboys team an also-ran. The Patriots brought playmakers to their defense with the signings of linebacker Rosevelt Colvin and safety Rodney Harrison for games such as this. Colvin will pressure the Cowboys offensive line. Harrison will play near the line of scrimmage to slow down the Cowboys running game. Parcells has two games against the Giants -- in New York on Monday, Sept. 15, and in Dallas on Sunday, Dec. 21 -- and one against the Jets in New York on Sunday, Sept. 28.
4. Sunday, Sept. 7 (Oakland Raiders at Tennessee Titans)
The subplot: The Raiders have the edge in this series. They won the regular-season game in Oakland, 52-25. They won the playoff game, 41-24. But the Raiders can't enter the season overconfident. Being $50 million over the salary cap forced the Raiders to cut six players, but the Raiders come back with their core group even though the roster is loaded with 30-plus-year-old starters. Surprisingly, though, the Titans have had more cap problems than the Raiders. They currently have only 47 players on the roster and are pretty much cap-strapped until the draft when they will have to restructure contracts to free up room to sign more players. That gives the Raiders the offseason edge in building their roster deeper than the Titans. Still, the Titans will be home with a championship-caliber starting lineup in front of an energized crowd. The Titans were 6-2 at home last year and have some of the best fans in the league.
5. Sunday, Sept. 21 (Tampa Bay at Atlanta)
The subplot: The Falcons shocked the world by winning a playoff game in Green Bay last season, but this game will be the test of how far the Falcons have come in closing the gap against the NFC South champions. Arguably, the Falcons and Bills have had the best offseasons in free agency. Quarterback Michael Vick now has wide receiver Peerless Price as a deep threat, and coach Dan Reeves addressed concerns in his secondary by bringing in three new starters. Owner Arthur Blank excited fans by lowering ticket prices last year and raising expectations about his team. A home game against a division rival will determine how far Blanks' checks have succeeded.
6. Thursday, Sept. 4 (New York Jets at Washington Redskins)
The subplot: What a great start to the season. The Redskins treated the Jets like a Triple-A farm team by stealing wide receiver Laveranues Coles, guard Randy Thomas and kicker John Hall. The two sides are still fighting over returner Chad Morton, who signed an offer sheet with the Redskins that was matched by the Jets but challenged by the NFLPA. The success of Coles, Thomas and Hall will determine whether the Redskins will be a playoff team for owner Dan Snyder. A Jets victory on the road would be revenge. For Redskins coach Steve Spurrier, though, this game will be the barometer that the Redskins are making progress. Scoring more points is critical, and the Jets could frustrate impatient Redskins fans if the offense is below 20 points. But, even with all the quarterback shuffling of last year, the Redskins scored at least 20 points in their final six games.
7. Monday, Nov. 10 (Philadelphia Eagles at Green Bay Packers)
The subplot: Andy Reid of the Eagles and Mike Sherman of the Packers are friends and gentlemen. But there has been a little back-and-forth on the personnel side that raises interest for this Monday night game. The Packers cut linebacker Nate Wayne in a dispute over his salary, and he quickly signed with the Eagles for more than he was making in Green Bay. The Eagles took a run at restricted free-agent defensive end Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, but he re-signed with the Packers on a seven-year, $37 million deal. KGB was supposed to be the replacement for departed defensive end Hugh Douglas, who went to Jacksonville. Both teams are the favorites in their division and potential opponents in the playoffs.
8. Sunday, Nov. 9 (New York Jets at Oakland Raiders)
The subplot: It seems as though the Jets have made a one-sided move to the AFC West. The only problem is that they don't get the home games. From the final week of the 2001 regular season, the Jets have made four trips to Oakland. They won a regular-season finale in 2001 only to be beaten in the playoffs by the Raiders the next week. The Raiders whipped the Jets twice in Oakland last year. Well, guess what -- this Jet-setting season continues in Oakland one more time. Who needs scouting reports? These teams have played each other enough times of late that they don't need scouting reports. Chad Pennington's development as a quarterback gives hope that the Jets can challenge the Raiders, but the Raiders have kept their team together while personnel losses to the Jets have caused some questions.
9. Sunday, Oct. 12 (San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks)
The subplot: Dennis Erickson felt he had turned around a struggling Seahawks franchise, but new ownership at the time fired him when the team was on the verge of the playoffs. The chance to get back in the NFL has been burning inside Erickson for the past several years, so this game is personal. Erickson versus his replacement, Mike Holmgren. Interesting. Erickson enters with a team that won the NFC West by three games, while Holmgren faces job insecurity if he doesn't get the Seahawks closer to the playoffs.
10. Sunday, Oct. 5 (Arizona Cardinals at Dallas Cowboys)
The subplot: Jerry Jones said he is troubled by seeing halfback Emmitt Smith with a Cardinal on the side of his helmet. Smith says he's moving to a better team. The good thing about this game is that it's early enough in the season where the Cardinals won't be out of the playoff picture. Smith said that the Cardinals have a better offensive line and a more experienced quarterback (Jeff Blake) than he had in his final two years with the Cowboys. Still, it won't be easy seeing Smith playing for the Cardinals against the Cowboys. It's Week 5. Will Troy Hambrick have more rushing yards than Smith? Will new Cowboys coach Bill Parcells still start quarterback Chad Hutchinson after three games. The Cowboys have a bye three weeks into the season.
John Clayton is a senior writer at ESPN.com.
http://espn.go.com/nfl/columns/clayton_john/1533495.html
