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Only a few weeks ago, they seemed on the fast track. But now two highly regarded defensive coordinators with the surname Lewis have been derailed in the first couple games of this season.
Marvin Lewis of the Washington Redskins and Tim Lewis of the Pittsburgh Steelers aren't related, but they've experienced similar drillings with their units in the early going. The dismantling of the Pittsburgh defense by the New England Patriots and Oakland Raiders has been stunning, given that the Steelers had the top-rated unit in the NFL in 2001. The poor play of the Redskins is less surprising since many of the offseason moves made to stock the lineup were dubious. But when one looks at how confused Washington has appeared so far, it is a reflection of the coaches as much as the players.
In the Monday night shellacking by the Philadelphia Eagles, the Redskins too many times appeared addled by Marvin Lewis' calls. Particularly in the first half, there were players incessantly signaling to each other, apparently unsure of alignments and assignments. And from an execution standpoint, the Redskins were found wanting as well.
Jessie Armstead looked as used up as Giants coaches suggested he was when the weakside linebacker left New York as a free agent. Free safety David Terrell clearly is overmatched, and the team might be better served finding a veteran capable of getting people lined up in the right place. Tackle Daryl Gardener, whose back problems could linger much of the year, didn't even dress. Cornerback Fred Smoot allowed the Eagles to take advantage of his aggressiveness. Strongside linebacker LaVar Arrington, who is supposed to have a breakout season in 2002, did next to nothing. Ditto middle linebacker Jeremiah Trotter, the former Eagles star with revenge on his agenda.
When a team looks so thoroughly discombobulated, the typical reaction is to scale back, to simplify the scheme. But there is no hint of retrenching by the Washington staff, which includes top-flight position aides such as secondary assistant George Catavolos and linebackers coach George Edwards. This is not the time, however, to allow pride to precipitate a slide.
Marvin Lewis contended this week that "LaVar has got to fix LaVar." And Arrington termed his performance as "solid" to this point. Both men might want to revisit those assessments. Even playing in space, his supposed forte, Arrington looks stiff right now and is missing too many tackles. And Lewis might think twice about the decision to try to turn Arrington into a rusher from a three-point stance. Coming at the quarterback with his hand on the ground, Arrington was completely stymied Monday night by Eagles right tackle Jon Runyan.
Let's face it, Arrington is not Peter Boulware, the strongside linebacker that Marvin Lewis had in his Baltimore Ravens tenure. Boulware played most of his college career at Florida State in a three-point stance. He is, essentially, a defensive end posing as a linebacker on first and sometimes second down. But he is also accomplished at rushing from the line of scrimmage, not from a standup position. Arrington isn't accustomed to playing in a three-point stance and he looks awkward. In that regard, it is incumbent on Marvin Lewis, Arrington, to make an alteration.
Owner Dan Snyder on Friday politely rejected the assessment that he has "panicked" over his defense's performance. But people in Washington must be wondering when the unit is going to begin playing up to expectations and when Marvin Lewis will start earning the salary that makes him the top-paid assistant coach in the league.
Tim Lewis emphasized, and rightly so, that his unit's biggest problem in playing the spread offenses used by the Patriots and Raiders is getting off the field on third down. The secondary has missed too many tackles in third-and-long situations and there has been little pressure on the quarterback. Lewis noted that the Steelers will use their bye week to implement countermeasures to what he termed "the new-age war being waged on our defense." But schemes aren't always the answer. In the case of the Steelers, some big-money players need to step up soon.
Defensive end Aaron Smith and strongside linebacker Jason Gildon, two of the defenders who got lucrative contract extensions last spring, have done very little to earn their keep. It hasn't helped the Pittsburgh defense that the Steelers' offense can't sustain drives and has already turned the ball over 10 times. Never one to dodge culpability, Tim Lewis has promised improved results, and he typically delivers.
Time will tell if Marvin Lewis and Tim Lewis, two of the most respected defensive coordinators in the NFL, get things reversed. For now, though, they might consider changing their last names.
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Side Lines
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On-Line
While defensive end Courtney Brown continues to be an enigma for the Cleveland Browns, left tackle Gerard Warren is developing into a viable Pro Bowl-caliber player. The team's 2001 first-round choice displays signs nearly every week of becoming truly dominant inside. Warren possesses great natural strength and flashes of quickness, and he'll need both Sunday against Tennessee Titans offensive right guard Benji Olson. A fifth-year veteran, Olson has quietly become one of the NFL's premier in-line run blockers. The former fifth-round pick from the University of Washington has the ability to deliver a jarring first blow and sustain his block. Olson is tenacious and powerful, particularly in the lower body, and his showdown with Warren should be one of the hidden highlights of the weekend. |
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The List
On his way to the NFL career rushing record, Dallas Cowboys tailback Emmitt Smith has gained 2,384 yards against the Philadelphia Eagles, the most he has registered against any opponent. Smith averaged 59.8 yards in his first five outings against Philadelphia but has posted 13 games of more than 100 yards since then, including one in the playoffs. With the teams set to meet at Veterans Stadium on Sunday afternoon, here's a look at those 100-yard performances: |
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Date
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Attempts
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Yards
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Nov. 1, 1992
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30
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163
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Jan. 10, 1993(a)
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25
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114
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Oct. 31, 1993
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30
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237
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Dec. 16, 1993
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23
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172
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Oct. 16, 1994
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26
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106
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Nov. 16, 1995
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27
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158
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Dec. 10, 1995
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27
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108
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Nov. 3, 1996
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24
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113
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Oct. 26, 1997
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25
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126
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Nov. 2, 1998
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23
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101
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Dec. 20, 1998
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25
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110
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Oct. 10, 1999
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30
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114
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Nov. 5, 2000
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26
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134
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Note: (a) playoff game.
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Stat of the Week
When first-round choice Joey Harrington takes the Detroit Lions' first snap on Sunday against Green Bay, he will become the fourth different starting quarterback used by head coach Marty Mornhinweg in his first 19 games. He will join Charlie Batch, Ty Detmer and Mike McMahon in that dubious litany of signal-callers. The four starters used by Mornhinweg double the number of victories Detroit has posted under his stewardship. |
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Stat of the Weak
Even though Houston offensive coordinator Chris Palmer has attempted to limit the exposure to which he submits David Carr, the Texans quarterback and first overall choice in the draft has been sacked a remarkable 15 times in just two games. Carr has had just 62 dropbacks (pass attempts plus sacks), meaning he has been sacked once every 4.13 times he has dropped to pass. And we thought Michael Vick had it tough in 2001, when he was sacked once every 5.9 dropbacks, despite limited playing time. At the current pace, Carr would be sacked 120 times in 2002, assuming he survived to play in every game. The record is 72 sacks, sustained by Randall Cunningham of the Eagles, in 1986. Philadelphia surrendered 104 sacks that year, with Ron Jaworski (22 sacks), Matt Cavanaugh (nine) and Keith Byers (one) filling out the list. The Texans have a big financial stake in Carr and they desperately need to start protecting their investment. |
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The Last Word
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| Barber |
Philadelphia weakside 'backer Shawn Barber, a onetime Washington starter, after the Eagles destroyed the Redskins 37-7 last Monday night: "Let's just say that offense looked a whole lot better on tape than it did in person, OK? I didn't see a whole lot of fun or gun in their offense."
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Around the league
While on the subject of the Redskins, bet the house that first-round quarterback Patrick Ramsey gets a start sometime around midseason, and maybe even before that. The Washington wide receivers simply are not quick enough to get any separation from cornerbacks. That was obvious even in the team's season-opening victory over Arizona, and even more painfully explicit in Monday night's loss to the Eagles. When wide receivers can't separate, a team better have a quarterback capable of putting the ball in small spaces, and that description hardly fits starter Shane Matthews or backup Danny Wuerffel, does it? But former Tulane standout Ramsey has a bazooka compared to the other quarterbacks on the roster, and he is suddenly getting much more meaningful snaps in practice. Ramsey got work with the No. 1 offense this week. Tellingly, Wuerffel worked primarily with the scout team. While the depth chart lists Wuerffel as the No. 2 quarterback, Ramsey has been elevated unofficially to that role. Coach Steve Spurrier has acknowledged to confidants that he will probably play Ramsey sooner than he had thought. In hindsight, we're betting Washington officials now regret having played such hardball in contract negotiations with Ramsey, which precipitated a holdout of two weeks in training camp. The good news is that Ramsey, one of the brightest kids you'll ever meet, has really improved his grasp of the offense. Recall, Spurrier made Ramsey take a quiz on the offense before agreeing to trade backup quarterback Sage Rosenfels to the Miami Dolphins last month. Ramsey passed with flying colors and continues to assimilate the scheme.
When he was writing that check for $545 million in February, you've got to wonder if Atlanta Falcons rookie owner Arthur Blank ever suspected that there might be weeks like this one. Blank is a man who is PR savvy, and he has resuscitated an ailing franchise, but he can't be too pleased that his star quarterback and marketing centerpiece came off sounding like a whiner this week. In insisting that Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Greg Blache ordered his players to "take out" Michael Vick's knees, the quarterback displayed again his glaring lack of maturity. Granted, Blache is a colorful guy who uses colorful language and some off-the-wall motivation techniques with his charges. Remember, a few years ago, Blache, a gun collector, handed out bullets to his defenders for big plays. But no one, until Vick and wideout Willie Jackson, has ever accused Blache of promoting cheap shots. Fact is, it was the Falcons who delivered a cheap shot by permitting Vick to accuse Blache of such dastardly deeds. Last week, when Vick suggested he was going to stand on the Bears' Brian Urlacher, it was the Chicago middle linebacker who responded with two sacks. That's how Vick needs to come back, by making some plays, not making excuses. Almost wackier than the Vick whining, though, was the affair surrounding Atlanta's tailbacks. In his typically candid fashion, coach Dan Reeves conceded that he erred in not using T.J. Duckett in the second half of Sunday's loss to the Bears, this after the first-round pick rushed for 32 yards on just five carries in the first half. The bulldozing Duckett would have been a better option than Warrick Dunn on two straight short-yardage plays on the Falcons' last drive of the contest. But just when we were ready to commend Reeves, it is reported that Dunn actually made the call about who would be in the game. Apparently, the Falcons coaches permit Dunn and Duckett to decide for themselves how to divide the playing time. "Usually me and T.J. just work it out," said Dunn. Say what? Seems like the inmates are running the asylum. Even Blank, who does not involve himself with football decisions, seemed flummoxed Duckett logged zero carries the second half. The Falcons vowed to get Dunn 20-25 touches per game, and with 38 touches in two contests, they are trying hard to hold to that. Problem is, they might be trying a little too hard. Look for Duckett to get extended playing time now.
The Oakland Raiders are privately saying that first-round pick Phillip Buchanon and journeyman Terrance Shaw will compete for the starting spot created by the fractured shoulder Charles Woodson suffered in last week's victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. But league and team sources tell us that it almost certainly will be Buchanon who will get the nod. The former University of Miami star was told by coaches, in fact, to be prepared to take over the starting spot when the Raiders get back to work next week after a bye this weekend. Those same sources tell ESPN.com that the injury to the electrifying Woodson might sideline him the rest of the season and not just the 4-6 weeks originally reported.
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| Brown |
Given that Cleveland Browns defensive end Courtney Brown already has suffered one injury that cost him last week's game, and that he posted just three tackles in the season opener, there are rumors the team is shopping the first overall pick in the 2000 draft around the league. Don't believe any of it, though, because such a trade is almost impossible. To deal off Brown, who should play on Sunday after three specialists found there was no reason for the numbness he experienced in his arms last week, the franchise would have to absorb a salary cap hit of $7 million-$7.5 million. According to NFL Players Association documents, the Browns were about $2.9 million under the cap on Friday morning and couldn't create the kind of room it would take to accommodate trading the defensive end. While it's true that coach Butch Davis wants to see more passion and fewer injuries from Brown, and that replacement Mark Word played well last week while posting three sacks in his first-ever NFL start, Cleveland isn't prepared yet to give up on the first-rounder. The former Penn State standout plays too much "by the numbers," will probably never fulfill projections that he would be the best end to enter the league since Bruce Smith, but is still too young and talented to simply abandon. One source close to Brown acknowledged a change of scenery might not be an altogether bad thing, but quickly added that the player's goal is to succeed in Cleveland. Meanwhile, in case no one saw it, Word yanked off his helmet in celebration late in last Sunday's win over Cincinnati after sacking Bengals quarterback Gus Frerotte. The move occurred close to the sideline and game officials probably didn't see it. But Davis did, and he lambasted Word on the bench, then again after the game.
In the wake of the absurd attack on Kansas City Royals first-base coach Tom Gamboa Thursday night in Chicago, by fan William Ligue Jr. and his 15-year-old son, NFL officials reminded teams by phone Friday morning that they must be increasingly diligent for such events. Security at stadiums is already ramped up, of course, but league officials stressed to teams that they can take nothing for granted. The attack on Gamboa, which resulted in facial lacerations, was both frightening and inexplicable. "Watch something like that and, no matter how much you think we've done to protect players and coaches on the field and the sideline, you know something simply can't be stopped," said one league official. "There are a lot of crazies out there and you can't account for all of them. And let's face it, our game creates a lot more passion than baseball does, right?"
Still hopeful that they can get NFL officials to buy into the concept of a renovated Los Angeles Coliseum, some city officials quietly traveled to Chicago this week to see first-hand the work being done on Soldier Field. The only problem: The NFL has all but washed its hands of the Coliseum and wants a new facility and not one with a facelift. Word is that behind the scenes, Phillip Anschutz, who allegedly bowed out of a Los Angeles bid, is still interested in resurrecting his involvement. Anschutz is the man the league prefers, because he would produce a new facility, just as he did with the Staples Center. If the Los Angeles politicians want to spend money in pushing the Coliseum idea, it's going to be a bad investment.
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| Washington |
The loss of mammoth defensive tackle Ted Washington is a big one (then again, everything that includes Washington carries a "big" label) for the Bears defense. The unit already was missing two starters, defensive right end Phillip Daniels, and cornerback R.W. McQuarters, and coaches are scrambling to keep ambulatory players on the field. The replacement for Big Ted is inexperienced tackle Alfonso Boone, who isn't the same kind of huge space-eater Washington is, and who has zero starts on his résumé. Even the most positive reports have Washington sidelined for 10-12 weeks. That might be overly optimistic. Washington suffered a so-called "Lis Franc" injury -- a difficult injury from which even smaller guys struggle to rehabilitate -- and a dicey surgery. At his age (34) and weight (probably the 350-pound range), Washington faces a grueling road back. It might be hyperbole to attach the term "career threatening" at this point, but Washington is going to have to beat the odds to get back at all in 2002, or maybe ever.
There is still some work to be done but, in the next week or two, look for the Houston Texans and cornerback Aaron Glenn to reach agreement on a contract extension, probably of five years. The on-and-off negotiations intensified this week and the two sides are now at least in shouting distance of a deal that would include a signing bonus of $6 million or more. Texans officials still have some hang-ups about the fact Glenn is 31 years old and doesn't have the kind of physical dimension teams are seeking now at the position. But the veteran cover man and two-time Pro Bowl performer has been terrific in Houston's first two outings and seemingly has turned back the clock a few years. Glenn, who is scheduled to earn about $4.3 million in base salary, roster bonus and workout bonus, has a 2002 salary cap value of $8.013 million, highest on the team. This is the final year of his contract, inherited from the New York Jets when the Texans selected Glenn in the expansion stocking draft, and he would become an unrestricted free agent without an extension. While his age would be a factor, Glenn would get pretty good interest in the open market. That point, however, figures to become moot in the not-too-distant future.
Hats off to Cleveland management for demonstrating foresight this spring in the handling of backup quarterback Kelly Holcomb. Very quietly, and prodded by offensive coordinator Bruce Arians, the Browns extended Holcomb's contract by two years, through the 2004 season. It cost the team a signing bonus of just $375,000 and only $2 million in "new money" to finish the deal. Holcomb has played well in place of injured starter Tim Couch, throwing for 524 yards, five touchdowns, no interceptions and a gaudy passer rating of 111.0 in two games. Not bad for a guy who had just one career start entering the season. The Browns now know they have a dependable backup, a player who can produce if Couch goes down. Without the extension, Holcomb would have been an unrestricted free agent next spring and, given his performance to this point, certainly would have generated high interest on the open market. In paying out the $375,000 signing bonus, the team reduced Holcomb's base salary for '02 from $750,000 to $525,000. He will earn salaries of $825,000 in 2003 and $975,000 in 2004, along with workout bonuses of $25,000 each season. Small price to pay, it seems, for such an insurance policy.
Here's the skinny on the long-term contract officially signed by Kansas City tight end Tony Gonzalez on Monday morning: He receives a signing bonus of $6 million now and then the team must exercise an option bonus next March of $4 million for the 2008 season. The base salaries in the deal are $525,000 (2002), $650,000 (2003), $2 million (2004), $3 million (2005), $3.6 million (2006), $4.4 million (2007) and $4.4 million (2008). There are roster bonuses of $200,000 for 2003, of $300,000 each for 2004-2006 and of $400,000 each for 2007-2008. There are workout bonuses of $100,000 each for 2003-2006 and of $200,000 each for 2007-2008. The final two seasons of the contract are voided if Gonzalez reaches minimum playing time benchmarks in any of the first five years, which means they will probably disappear based on this season alone. As reported last week, the contract is worth $21.5 million over the first five years. The cap charge for this year is a very palatable $1.414 million.
There's an old baseball adage that the best trades are the ones that benefit both teams. That seems to be the case with the springtime swap that sent tailback Ricky Williams to the Miami Dolphins. The Dredlocked One leads the league in rushing through two games and is on pace for a 1,944-yard season. His departure allowed New Orleans to promote Deuce McAllister to the starting lineup, and the Saints' first-round pick in the 2001 draft is the fourth-leading rusher in the league. No one is watching Williams' numbers harder than the Saints, who will get a first-round choice from the Dolphins in 2003 if he goes over the 1,500-yard mark.
Although all their tailbacks have performed well in the first two games of the season, the New England Patriots continue to monitor the rehabilitation of Jamal Anderson. The former Falcons star is telling friends he thinks he can be ready to get back on the field in about two weeks. Meanwhile, he canceled a visit with Green Bay officials scheduled for this week. The Pack then signed another former Atlanta tailback, Maurice Smith, to bolster its backfield. ESPN.com has learned the Packers checked in again with Ricky Watters, but the veteran runner told team officials he is still retired until someone offers him more than the minimum base salary. Although they have not made any substantive inquiries yet about offensive linemen, some Packers officials privately feel they will have to eventually add a tackle. With starter Mark Tauscher out for the season, the fear is that oft-injured Earl Dotson, who has battled back from knee injuries the last couple years and nearly retired in the offseason, will break down. There is some talk of moving center Mike Flanagan to right tackle when he returns from a broken thumb. But even Flanagan has told some people he isn't sure he can move out to tackle and be effective.
The sand is quickly eroding under the feet of team president Matt Millen and coach Marty Mornhinweg in Detroit. While the duo might make it through the season, it's likely the two will be gone at year's end. One name sure to be mentioned as a candidate to run the Lions football operation is Bill Parcells. But the Lions are a bad team, an old team, and a team with salary-cap problems. Sound familiar? Those are some of the reasons that Parcells, who will be a finalist again this year for Hall of Fame induction, backed out of the Tampa Bay deal this past spring. He's not apt, if asked, to jump into one of the league's worst situations.
Punts: Lost in the carnage of Pittsburgh's 0-2 start is that weakside linebacker Joey Porter last Sunday became the first player in NFL history to record three sacks and two interceptions in the same game. ... The Falcons this week rewarded personnel director Ron Hill with a well-deserved two-year extension, through the '04 season. But the extension raises as many questions as it does answers, since owner Arthur Blank still wants to hire a general manager after this year. You would think any new general manager would want to select his personnel chief, right? "Where he'll end up eventually, I'm not sure," Blank allowed of Hill's situation. "I don't think he's ready for the general manager role (yet)." ... New Orleans officials hope to hear next week about the status of corner Dale Carter, still under league suspension. Carter last week filed for his reinstatement and a decision is pending. ... Word is that the Seahawks are having problems selling luxury suites in their new stadium. Fact is, that's a concern leaguewide, given the current corporate economics. There are companies that simply can't afford the suites any more, and some who feel it looks bad to stockholders to spend money on such perks. ... Bengals top pick Levi Jones is going to get extended playing time in the next few weeks at left tackle, spelling starter Richmond Webb for some stretches. ... Bills coaches are urging quarterback Drew Bledsoe to dump the ball more to his backs and tight ends rather than hang in the pocket, waiting for his wideouts to break loose and taking a lot of hits. ... The contract finally signed by Cards first-round defensive tackle Wendell Bryant included a signing bonus of $5.522 million and annual base salaries of $225,000 (2002), $300,000 (2003), $380,000 (2004), $455,000 (2005) and $545,000 (2006).
Len Pasquarelli is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.
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