scskinsfan Posted August 1, 2004 Share Posted August 1, 2004 http://www.fresnobee.com/24hour/sports/football/nfl/story/1533954p-9072750c.html CAULTON TUDOR: Are Redskins, Panthers for real? The (Raleigh) News & Observer (Updated Sunday, August 1, 2004, 11:17 AM) Gibbs opens first camp in a dozen years (SH) - The last time an NFL season looked more intriguing than this one was in 1970, the year of the league's merger with the American Football League. So plentiful are the 2004 storylines that even a few exhibition games could come across as compelling. There's the arrival of the high-profile quarterback class - Eli Manning (New York Giants), Philip Rivers (San Diego Chargers), Ben Roethlisberger (Pittsburgh Steelers) and J.P. Losman (Buffalo Bills). There's the quest by the New England Patriots to establish themselves as an exceptional team. There's the high expectation level for Bill Parcells' second season with the Dallas Cowboys. There's the underlying frustration factor for the Philadelphia Eagles. There's the Miami Dolphins' sudden loss of Ricky Williams. There's an urgent issue almost anywhere you turn. But as most of the training camps begin this weekend, no two will be watched more carefully than those of the Carolina Panthers and the Washington Redskins - and with good reason. In each case, one pressing question frames the season ahead. Can Joe Gibbs still win? Is Jake Delhomme really a big-time quarterback? In Washington, Gibbs returns to coaching after having spent much of the past 11 years watching racecars run in circles. At age 63, Gibbs will come back to a different game than the one he left after winning Super Bowls and 140 games in 12 seasons with the Redskins. But more important than the change in the game will be the change in the player attitudes. That will be Gibbs' biggest and most critical adjustment test. A hallmark of his heyday was the unity of his teams. The Redskins of the Gibbs era largely were a collection of relentless overachievers - Russ Grimm, Joe Jacoby, Mark Rypien, Earnest Byner, Jeff Bostic, Gary Clark and Brad Edwards, just to list a few. That same sense of dedication extended to the players who clearly had extraordinary talent - Darrell Green, Art Monk, Dave Butz, Joe Theismann, Raleigh McKenzie and Wilber Marshall among others. "Those teams," Theismann said at the last Super Bowl, "had great coaching but just as much self-motivation. Those players weren't just willing to go the extra yard, they wanted to and were eager to." Player personalities and priorities have changed since those days. The team concept is much harder to establish. Already there are signals that No. 1 draft pick Sean Taylor, a safety with exceptional skill, will be a coaching challenge. There could be some friction at quarterback, where veteran Mark Brunell is expected to take over for youngster Patrick Ramsey. Hoping to link the past to the future, Gibbs has brought back Byner, the former East Carolina star, to coach the running backs. The No. 1 assistant is Joe Bugel, a fixture on the Gibbs' staff of old. But this will not be an easy transition. Washington's fans remember and still adore Gibbs. Most of the players aren't old enough to remember those days. They'll have to be won over the hard way. With the Panthers, there is no hindsight, nor any real need for it. The focus of the organization is on the future and much of that future is invested in Delhomme. In less time than it takes some players to get their living quarters suitably arranged, Delhomme went from being a career backup to a Super Bowl quarterback to a long-term contract. "It's all happened so fast that it really does seem too good to be true," Delhomme said a few days before the Panthers' memorable championship loss to New England in Houston. The question now is, was it too good to be true? More accurately, was Delhomme too good to be true? As exciting as the Panthers' 2003 season became, Delhomme operated beneath the radar much of the way. His statistics were solid - 3,219 passing yards and 19 touchdown throws. But he also threw 16 interceptions and rarely had to assume the bulk of the pressure. Stephen Davis ran, the defense was among the league's best and the NFC South was weaker than anticipated. Delhomme blended into the background noise. In many ways, the Panthers became the perfect storm that no one saw brewing. But in 2004, they will be a marked team from the start. Delhomme won't find it as easy to pick his times to attack. He'll draw the same constant attention from opposing defenses as Davis. The true measure of great pro quarterbacks is success over several years. The Panthers thought they had found one in Kerry Collins, but he didn't pan out. Delhomme, 28, with his even temperament and obvious knack for leadership, is a better prospect. Overnight, he has become one of the most popular players in the franchise's short history. But is he for real? He probably is, but there's a fine line where quarterbacks are concerned. Contact The News & Observer's Caulton Tudor at ctudor@newsobserver.com . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hitman56 Posted August 1, 2004 Share Posted August 1, 2004 I never knew Raleigh McKenzie had extrordinary talent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeSkins Posted August 1, 2004 Share Posted August 1, 2004 Originally posted by Hitman56 I never knew Raleigh McKenzie had extrordinary talent. Ditto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
w33dh0l3 Posted August 1, 2004 Share Posted August 1, 2004 I dunno about the Panthers being so intriguing, I think theres more interesting storylines than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba9497 Posted August 1, 2004 Share Posted August 1, 2004 Originally posted by Hitman56 I never knew Raleigh McKenzie had extrordinary talent. he did:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AzSkinsFan63 Posted August 1, 2004 Share Posted August 1, 2004 He acts like there was no such thing as a QB controversy when Gibbs was here before???? WTF? Gibbs had to deal with players also..anyone remember Gary Clarke getting pissed during a game on the sideline? Manley?? Come on nice try but I'm not buying it... Sean Taylor is going to be difficult?? He's signed and in camp.. If Vermiel can come back and do it Gibbs sure as hell can..these guys are clueless.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FuriousD Posted August 1, 2004 Share Posted August 1, 2004 McKenzie's talant could be considered extraordinary when you remember he was extraordinarily versatile. He was equally adept at guard and center and could be counted on for solid play at the tackle spot when needed. :logo: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSurina Posted August 1, 2004 Share Posted August 1, 2004 How did Sean Taylor all of a sudden become a coaches challenge? The press and their spins, unbelievable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimster Posted August 1, 2004 Share Posted August 1, 2004 Originally posted by BSurina How did Sean Taylor all of a sudden become a coaches challenge? The press and their spins, unbelievable. that's what I didn't understand - are we the only team to ever have a rookie? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. S Posted August 2, 2004 Share Posted August 2, 2004 they are still riding on the shaky offseason with Sean Taylor I guess. Ever since he got an agent and signed though, all Ive heard is good things out of him, and good news, lets hope he means it. I think the Panthers may still have a good season, though not a great one. They still got much of their defense intact, same coaching, and Steve Smith is only on the rise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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