9. Will Rex Grossman quarterback Chicago again?
Yes, but this time there are no guarantees. Lovie Smith never wavered in his support of Grossman last year because the Bears kept winning. But last season is over -- which means Grossman must prove all over again that he can be trusted. Grossman has the edge because he started every game in the Bears' Super Bowl run. But he flies this season without a safety net. Smith has the security of a new contract and the luxury of playing in a division the Bears are all but a lock to win. So Smith can be flexible and try something different -- something like Brian Griese -- if he thinks it makes the Bears a better club in the long run. I expect Grossman to open the season, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Smith go to the hook if Rex flounders.
8. What happens to Pittsburgh without Bill Cowher?
I think the Steelers play for third in the AFC North. That's no knock on Mike Tomlin. He might be a terrific head coach, but he's a first-year head coach. It can take someone trying head coaching for the first time a while to get his act together. Lovie Smith? He was 5-11 his first season. Andy Reid? Another 5-11. Brad Childress was 6-10. And Jack Del Rio was 5-11. OK, you get the idea. It's tough to win in your first crack at the job. There was continuity with Cowher, but a lot of that continuity -- including the losses of offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt and assistant head coach Russ Grimm -- is gone. Say what you want about Cowher, but he did more with less than almost anyone out there -- including his first year on the job when he was 11-5. The team reflected his personality, and that made the Steelers tough and resilient. Year after year they lost free agents and sacrificed salary cap casualties, yet they almost always contended for the playoffs. I say it takes this team and Tomlin at least one season to get used to each other.
7. Is New Orleans a one-year wonder?
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| Reggie Bush is way better than 3.6 per carry. (US Presswire) |
6. How much will the Giants miss Tiki Barber?
A lot. When Barber retired he took 41 percent of last year's offense with him. But that's not all. Barber was a team leader. Look, I don't care if you agreed with him when he called out someone on the coaching staff, but you had to pay attention. Why? Because he was the team's best player -- by a long shot. Plus, he was dependable. When the Giants absolutely, positively had to win last year's season finale to reach the playoffs they relied on Barber, and he responded with a franchise-record 234 yards rushing and three touchdowns. Now he's gone, and the heat just went up on Brandon Jacobs. Yeah, he's tough to tackle, but how can someone that tall, who runs that upright, withstand the punishment of 16 starts? I don't know that he can, which is where Reuben Droughns comes in. The Giants were smart to pick him up. First of all, to obtain him they sacrificed a player who didn't fit in their plans. Second, Droughns can give Jacobs the rest he needs from 60 minutes of hammering. That's the good. The bad? Neither Jacobs or Droughns is Tiki, and the Giants will be worse for it.
5. Any chance the Chiefs try to deal Larry Johnson?
Nope. Not now. I don't care if he holds out until next year. He's not going anywhere. He's the team's top playmaker and someone the Chiefs aren't interested in peddling. So he's threatening not to show up for the opening of training camp. Let the waiting begin. And if the two sides can't reach an agreement this season? Well, there's always a franchise tag waiting to be used.
4. Should the Cowboys lock down Tony Romo to a long-term contract?
No, and here's why: I just don't know if he's the Cowboys quarterback the next 10 years, and I think the Cowboys don't, either. Yeah, he played well last season ... for his first five starts. But look what happened when the race got tight. So did Romo and the Cowboys. He was 2-3 in December, with six touchdowns and eight interceptions. Throw in the playoffs, and he lost four of his last five starts. Dallas has the hammer here, which means the Cowboys are in no rush to sign Romo to a long-term deal. It's Romo who must show the Cowboys they can't live happily ever after without him. If he flops, they can let him walk after this season. If he succeeds, they can sign him to a lucrative deal or make him their franchise player. Either way the leverage is with the Cowboys.
3. Is there a quarterback controversy in Philadelphia?
No. At least there isn't now. But stay tuned. Let's see what happens next season because that's the absolute earliest you can talk about Donovan McNabb looking over his shoulder. I always found it interesting that people in Philadelphia wondered if McNabb would be this year's starter after he was lights-out the first half of last season, gaining early MVP consideration before blowing out his knee. It wasn't McNabb who hurt the Eagles the first half of 2006; it was an underachieving defense. OK, so you don't spend your first draft pick on a quarterback unless you envision him becoming a starter. And the Eagles do. Only it's not this year. And it may not be next year, either. But the guessing doesn't start until 2008 or the next McNabb injury, whichever comes first. Remember, if McNabb is hurt again, it's not Kevin Kolb who comes to the rescue; it's A.J. Feeley. Kolb is insurance for the immediate future, and maybe, just maybe, a participant in a quarterback competition a year from now.
2. What happens to Michael Vick?
That depends on what the courts turn up. Vick has been indicted, and that's not exactly a good sign. That doesn't mean he's guilty of anything, but it does mean a grand jury found enough evidence to charge him with criminal activities. So let's see what turns up. All I know is that this is a sticky one because Vick maintains his innocence and because he has no criminal history. But it also involves a heinous business that has everyone from the SPCA to dog-loving NFL fans on his case, and for good reason: It's so hard to believe that anyone can be so vicious, insensitive, heartless, half-witted, you name it, to be mixed up in animal cruelty. The NFL will tiptoe through this one, waiting to see what is uncovered. And it could take time. A lot of time. As I said, the signs aren't good: Vick is staring at two felonies. And you better believe that if the courts prove he was directly involved he's a dead man -- with an NFL suspension the least of his worries. All I know is there are a lot of people in Atlanta suddenly asking why the Falcons peddled away Matt Schaub.
1. How soon before we get a read on a Super Bowl favorite?
The second week of the season. Mark it down: Sept. 16. That's when San Diego plays at New England. The NFL must think it's a big game, too. It scheduled it for Sunday night.
