34 NFL AUGUST 28, 2003 Last year’s form might carry over Only three teams have won back-to- back titles since ’79

BY DAVE GOLDBERG AP FOOTBALL WRITER Since 1999, one sure develop- ment in the NFL has been a dramatic move from bottom to top and top to bottom. Last sea- son, the Falcons and Browns were up, the Bears and Rams down. In 2003, the trend might end, simply because there were few teams bad enough in 2002 to The Associated Press make a shocking upward move. Brad Johnson of Tampa Bay, left, and Rich Gannon of Oakland, will try to lead their teams back to the Super Bowl. Twenty-four of the 32 were 7-9 always dreamed of. Last sea- Marvin Lewis (for Dick LeBeau) an exhibition game. Vick, who team in 1999, signed wide or better and the eight that son, a quarter of the 256 regu- in Cincinnati; Jack Del Rio (for was expected to carry the receiver Laveranues Coles, weren’t don’t seem equipped to lar-season games were decided Tom Coughlin) in Jacksonville; Falcons with his mobility and guard Randy Thomas, return win now — not even Dallas or by three points or fewer, and and Dennis Erickson in San arm, will miss at least the first man Chad Morton and kicker Detroit, where new coaches there were a record 25 over- Francisco. Only Erickson, who four regular-season games. John Hall from New York. The Bill Parcells and Steve time games. had a 31-33 record with Seattle The injury is similar to the Jets could have retained Mariucci are proven winners. Even the teams that have lit- from 1995-98 has a real chance one last year to Philadelphia’s Morton and Coles, their leading Since the Pittsburgh Steelers’ tle chance to win are worth to win now after he took over Donovan McNabb. McNabb receiver last year, but didn’t run of four titles in six years watching. Mariucci’s playoff team. missed six weeks and returned match the offers. ended with a Super Bowl victo- Dallas, 5-11 the last three sea- This also marks the final sea- for the playoffs, but his lack of Other free agents of note to ry after the 1979 season, only sons, is back in the spotlight. son for Art Modell after 42 mobility contributed to a home move were defensive end Hugh three teams have won back-to- First the Cowboys hired the years as owner of the Cleveland loss to Tampa Bay in the NFC Douglas from Philadelphia to back titles: San Francisco in 62-year-old Parcells after Browns/Baltimore Ravens. title game. Jacksonville; quarterback Jake 1988-89; Dallas in 1992-93; and owner Jerry Jones finally con- Modell, who bought the Browns “There’s really nothing that Plummer from Arizona to Denver in 1997-98, John Elway’s ceded his way wasn’t working. in 1961 and moved them to anybody can do,” said Vick, Denver; wide receivers David last two seasons. Then they divested themselves Baltimore after the 1995 sea- whose presence was responsi- Boston and Frank Sanders to The primary reason? Salary- of Emmitt Smith, who broke the son, will turn the team over to ble for selling out the Georgia the Chargers and Ravens, cap engendered parity that NFL’s career rushing record Steve Bisciotti, who will Dome, previously one of the respectively, and veteran ensures that only teams with last season — he landed in become the majority owner. league’s least-frequented are- return man Brian Mitchell from weak or meddling owners have Arizona and will return to Lewis, one of the league’s top nas. “The only thing I can do is the Eagles to the Giants. no chance — Arizona, Texas Stadium wearing red on defensive coordinators for the wait and let it heal on its own The Packers are one of those Cincinnati, and, more recently, Oct. 5, perhaps in a game fea- past half-decade, is in an inter- and hopefully things will work teams that prove the impor- Dallas and Washington. turing two winless teams. esting spot. out for the best.” tance of scheduling in the sec- In the past five years, nine Don’t look for much from After intense offseason pres- The Eagles are the only team ond season of the new format of different teams have made the Dallas this season; Parcells sure for more minorities in with a new stadium. They move eight four-team divisions. They Super Bowl. The Rams were hasn’t made the playoffs in his coaching positions, he becomes into Lincoln Financial Field, were an overinflated 12-4 in an the only repeaters, winning the first season with a new team. the third current black coach — across the street from the Vet, NFC North where the other title after the ‘99 season and But he won two Super Bowls there never have been more unanimously conceded as the three teams, Detroit, Chicago losing in 2001 to New England. with the Giants, went to a than three at one time. NFL’s worst for more than a and Minnesota, combined to Despite a 7-9 season last year, Super Bowl with the Patriots He also has more control than decade. win just 13 of their 48 games. they’re one of the favorites and an AFC title game with the any Bengals coach other than Green Bay is opening a totally Conversely, a strong division again with two-time MVP Kurt Jets. Paul Brown or Forrest Gregg. redone in Lambeau Field, but can be trouble for anyone who Warner recovered from his “I’m not under any illusion He will build around a core of it’s still Lambeau (for now) and wants a wild-card berth — injuries. about this team at all,” Parcells young players that includes still at the same spot. And there are just two in each con- “I don’t see any reason why said after a month of training quarterback Carson Palmer, Chicago, which played last sea- ference. we won’t get right back to camp. “We have a very difficult the Heisman Trophy winner son in downstate Champaign, Last year, for example, all where we belong,” coach Mike schedule, the hardest in the and first overall pick in the will open the renovated Soldier four AFC East teams were .500 Martz says. “Kurt’s healthy and league. We’ve got some hard draft, although Jon Kitna will Field on Monday night, Sept. 29 or better and so was the entire I think we’ve readjusted the decisions to make ...” start the season. — against the Packers. AFC West. offensive line to make sure he Mariucci, fired by San For the contenders, a lot As for new players, the In the West, Oakland finished stays that way.” Francisco despite four playoff depends on the breaks of the biggest offseason flurry was 11-5 and made it all the way to Still, a lot depends on the appearances in six seasons game — literally. Washington’s raid on the New the Super Bowl, where it lost injury gods and the bounces in there, takes over a Detroit team Atlanta, 9-6-1 last year, suf- York Jets. 48-21 to the Bucs. Denver was 9- a league that every year that was 5-27 in two years under fered a major setback early The Redskins, who have spent 7 and Kansas City and San approaches the sort of parity Marty Mornhinweg. when third-year quarterback freely with little to show for it Diego were 8-8 and none made late commissioner Pete Rozelle The other new coaches are Michael Vick broke his leg in since Daniel Snyder bought the the postseason.