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THE SIMPLE TRUTH
 by Jason Smith, Fox Sports Radio
POSTED AUGUST 17, 2002
It Happens Every Summer
(or, “Who’s going to start NOW?”)
[Editor Note: This is the
last column by Jason Smith. Due to his increased workload at Fox Sports Radio
(hey, his co-host Jack Daniels has a lot of laundry to be picked up), Jason's
free time has become more scarce and he has decided that he rather chase chicks
than write for Profootballtalk.com. All of us at Profootballtalk want to
express our gratitude for Jason devoting his time and expertise in writing
The Simple Truth . . . and hope he remembers us when he takes over the job of
that slapola Jim Rome].
Training
camp is a blissful beginning for everyone. All your teams still have a chance,
you’re high on your draft choices (but then again, I’ve never heard anyone say
they’ve had a bad draft), and hope springs eternal. The only thing that can
possibly rain on your parade is the dreaded injury demon straight from
the gates of hell. And he’s already claimed more than a few victims,
some of which include:
TRENT DILFER. I can’t believe I’m going to say
this, but this is a huge blow to the Seahawks. I’ve never been a Dilfer guy,
but hey, he’s won and Seattle rallied around him last season to almost make the
playoffs. I don’t know if it was confidence in Trent, or the lack of it in Matt
Hasselbeck, who was not what Mike Holmgren thought he’d be. So for better or
worse, its Hasselbeck’s show, especially considering Dilfer could likely miss
the first month of the season and possibly more. The onus is now squarely on
Shaun Alexander’s shoulders to produce, because who knows how good Hasselbeck is
going to be. Seattle could wind up being out of the playoff race before they
really get started.
JAMIR MILLER. A torn right Achilles means he’s
done for the season. A freak injury, he’ll need 5 to 6 months to make a total
recovery. It’s the latest in a long line of health problems that have plagued
the Browns over the past year plus. He was the leader of the Cleveland defense,
with 13 sacks last season and became a Pro-Bowler. All of a sudden the Browns
will have to do without the best player on that side of the ball. The only
bright side for the Browns is they put 16 players on I.R. last year and still
did pretty well, which is the spin Butch Davis is putting on it, which he has to
do. I don’t care how you cut it up, when you take away the best defensive
player from a team, they’re going to suffer. [Editor Note: What about the
other 23 stiffs they play, Jas?]. I’m even thinking about amending my pick
of the Browns as AFC North champions as a result.
TAKEO SPIKES. The lynchpin and leader of the
Bengals surprisingly tough defense, he’s out with a chest injury for the rest of
the pre-season and possibly the first two regular season games. I know many
people think Cincinnati is ready to take a big step forward this season, and the
early part of their schedule is crucial. They open at home against San Diego
and at Cleveland, two games the Bengals can win if they’re at their best.
Without Spikes, the Bengals won’t be and it will be that much more difficult. Dick
“Don’t Call Me Louie” LeBeau doesn’t want to start 0-2 with games against Tampa
Bay, Indianapolis and Pittsburgh to follow.
QUICK HITS
Early
exhibition takes from around the NFL . . .
Drew
Bledsoe looked good in extensive duty for the Bills in their first
pre-season game, but I still can’t buy into the Bills as being that improved
until they establish a running game (and a defense). Sure Bledsoe will be a
great fantasy pick, but they’ll be on the wrong side of plenty of 35-27 games .
. .
Michael
Vick was throwing lasers in the Falcons opener, and will soon be the most
exciting player in all of football. T. J. "Am I cut, Am I cut?" Duckett ran
well for only being in camp for about an hour and a half (what did we pay
Warrick Dunn all that money for?) . . .
44 yards
of total offense for the Bears in their first game against the Broncos? I
know it’s only the pre-season but come on . . .
The Jets
first-string defense looked light years ahead of last season, really only
giving up one play to the Steelers (a bomb to Plaxico Burress, mismatched
against the shorter Ray Mickens) in week 1. The Jets then made up for it by
stuffing Jerome Bettis three straight times from the one yard line. Bill Cowher
was not pleased and lip-reading him on the sideline told me so . . .
Air
Spurrier is doing well after their 2nd straight 35+ point game of
the exhibition season. I know it was against the Panthers, but I wonder if we
could wind up being wrong about the lack of QB talent in Washington when all is
said and done (and when I mean said and done I mean after Week 1 of the
regular season) . . .
A draw for
Doug Flutie and Drew Brees after their loss to Arizona. This will
go all the way down to the end of the exhibition season [Editor Note: with
the guy who sucks the least getting the starting nod] . . .
Jason Smith can be heard on Fox Sports Radio as the co-host of "The Jim Daniels Show" from
11pm-2am PST Monday through Friday. |
