Playboy's Pro Football Preview

an early line on the teams and players in both conferences of the n.f.l.

The Lethargic days of mid-July arrive, and while many citizens are sipping gin and tonics on shady lawns or driving air-conditioned campers into the hills, some 2000 muscular young men are traveling to such exciting places as Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and Hiram, Ohio, to sweat and grunt and batter one another in professional football training camps. By mid-September, about half of them will have been sent home.

The start of the season, once an emotional high point for fervid football fans, has been drained of much excitement by a half-dozen pre-season games played in packed stadiums before full TV coverage. The climax of the season, the Super Bowl, has in recent years suffered from such dull play that it has become anticlimactic, leaving one yearly event that fans still seem to get increasingly excited about--the college draft. Interest in the draft is such that we anticipate the N.F.L. will soon hold the annual choosing rites in the Astrodome and sell tickets.

A major reason for the intense fascination with the draft is that many football enthusiasts have only in the past few years become aware of the enormously sophisticated and exhaustive research with which teams (with the possible exception of the Washington Redskins) prepare for the big day. As a result of all this, much of the guesswork has been taken out of the player selection, especially in the later rounds. Years ago, a large proportion of players selected on the first two rounds were glamor players from large colleges. "In those days," says Dallas Cowboy chief scout Dick Mansperger, "any knowledgeable fan with an idea of his team's needs could have conducted a pretty good draft, at least through the first few rounds." But no more. The beginning rounds of the draft are now likely to have a heavy population of unknown names from obscure schools and the first player chosen in each of the last two drafts was neither an All-American passer nor a flashy runner. In both years, he was a defensive lineman, and that pattern will likely continue next year with the selection of Ed Jones from Tennessee State.

The Cowboys, of course, are the consummate practitioners of the science. Last season 45 athletes originally signed by Dallas were playing with other teams. Two players who started in the Pro Bowl (defensive end Coy Bacon and safety Cornell Green) were originally signed by Dallas as free agents. Twelve of last year's rookies drafted by the Cowboys made other N.F.L. rosters. The frustration in Dallas is that, given a 40-man limit, the Cowboys are sometimes beaten by teams filled with talent they have drafted and been forced to trade away.

Last year, however, there was more than enough talent to go around, so let's look at the teams and see how this year's unprecedented number of quality draftees will affect prospects for the 1973-1974 season.

It is foolish to tinker with a machine that is running faultlessly, especially when none of the parts show much sign of wear. That is why neither the Miami Dolphins' approach to the game nor the team roster is likely to change perceptibly this year. Despite the enthusiasm of player-personnel director Bobby Beathard after the draft last winter, the only rookies who have much hope of making the final 40-member squad are utility offensive lineman Chuck Bradley and quarterback Don Strock. Wide receiver Bo Rather, who reminded scouts of Paul Warfield, may have a chance. So the only eventualities that could keep the Dolphins from retaining their division championship are a high number of injuries and player complacency, and the latter isn't likely on a squad with such emotional leaders as Larry Csonka and Nick Buoniconti.

The New. York Jets' fortunes seem hinged to four gimpy knees and two head coaches. The first set of problems is medical, the second is psychological. When Weeb Ewbank announced that this would be his last season, the New York press anointed defensive coordinator Walt Michaels as heir apparent. But Michaels, despite his popularity with the players and the press corps, never had the inside track and it came as a surprise to no one within the Jets' organization when Charley Winner, the late and largely unlamented head coach in St. Louis, was named to succeed his father-in-law in '74. Michaels then departed for a job with the Eagles. What effect, if any, all this will have on the always elusive attitudinal factor is anyone's guess.

The four fragile knees belong to linebacker Paul Crane (one), runner John Riggins (one) and, of course, Joe Namath (two). Doctors insist that Namath's are (continued on page 128) Pro Football Preview (continued from page 116) healthier than they have been in years, which isn't saying much. Riggins' knee is on the mend also, but the best news is the return of Crane, who, when he was injured last season, was playing at the peak of his ability.

The Jets' prime need is a strengthened defensive line and Richard Neal, a lineman with awesome potential obtained in a trade with New Orleans, could provide a one-man solution. Neal and rookie defensive back Burgess Owens, who looks nearly as good as Willie Buchanon, will likely be the only new defensive starters. The Jets' offense, as always, is sound, the only probable new starter being wide receiver Jerome Barkum. This could be the year when the Jets once again put it all together.

The completion of two important construction jobs will help lift the gloom in Buffalo. The first is a gleaming 80,000-seat stadium in suburban Orchard Park, which will open August 17 with a pre-season game against the Redskins. A second, and far more impressive, development will be the unveiling of an adequate offensive line. Buffalo fans are a loyal and long-suffering group (last year they thrilled with a 4-9-1 season that included close losses to Miami and Oakland), but only the hardiest among them can remember when the Bills last had an offensive line that was good enough to be called mediocre. Coach Lou Saban had assembled an adequate one before last season opened, but six knee injuries wiped it out. All the crippled now seem healthy and Saban's first draft pick, Paul Seymour, will add depth. Center Irv Goode, obtained during the off season from St. Louis, will also help make life more pleasant for the Bills' heavily talented but shell-shocked offensive backfield. So look for more Bills' scoring.

Saban probably won't be able to mend the defensive line, last season's second most acute weakness, unless defensive end Walt Patulski, top draft pick in '72, begins to fulfill his potential. The early blooming of rookie John LeHeup could give the defenders a big lift. LeHeup, a big, tough South Carolinian, looked great in spring rookie camp. He was drafted as a middle linebacker but, at 6'1" and 240 pounds, may develop into a premier defensive lineman.

The New England Patriots' new head coach, Chuck Fairbanks, arrived in Fox-boro from Norman, Oklahoma, last winter and gave a superb impersonation of Patton taking command of the Third Army. "We're going to build a winner, and I'm the architect," he announced. "I am unaccustomed to losing. Anyone who doesn't fit my standards will be axed," he told his players at spring orientation camp. Some of the Patriots, obviously, are in for some interesting new experiences, because they are as accustomed to losing as Walter Mitty. They have fielded one championship team in 13 years, and that was in 1963.

Fairbanks inherits a superb quarterback in Jim Plunkett, a group of good receivers and not much else. As a result, as many as nine draft choices have a good chance to become first-string players by the middle of the season. The first three, offensive lineman John Hannah, runner Sam Cunningham and wide receiver Darryl Stingley, are certain starters even before the season opens. If Fairbanks has some luck, the Patriots will be a little stronger this year.

Rarely, if ever, has a pro football team changed so radically from one season to the next as have the Baltimore Colts. General manager Joe Thomas evaluated the veteran squad he took over last season and decided to clean house; since then, the off-season exodus has become a stampede. When this season opens, Colt fans may have to search for familiar names on the roster. Much of the discarded manpower brought high draft picks in return, a fortuitous noncoincidence in a year when the college draft was rich. The Colts' selection, therefore, was of bonanza proportions. At least five rookies could be starters: defensive linemen Joe Ehrmann and Mike Barnes, offensive tackle Gray Palmer, linebacker Jamie Rotella and running back Bill Olds. Baltimore's first pick, quarterback Bert Jones, needs only a little experience to be a top professional quarterback and could take over before the season is out. But all this talent is raw and the '73 Baltimore team will be a shadow of its former self. Thomas apparently wants the Colts to be known as "the team that Thomas built." If many of the new pieces fail to fall into place, it may be known as the team that Thomas destroyed.

Like Miami, the Pittsburgh Steelers will be a nearly identical version of last season's team, and for similar reasons. Only retired tackles Ben McGee and John Brown will be missing, but good replacements are available. Since the Steelers have no real weaknesses, the only rookie who has a chance to break into the starting line-up is cornerback James Thomas.

The most significant fact about the Steelers is that last year's emergence was performed by a squad with 28 players who were 25 years old or younger. This season, a large number of first-stringers will be third-year starters. Only three will be over 30 years of age. So the Steelers will be even stronger this year than last, if for no reason other than accrued maturity.

Cincinnati is a stable squad. Its looming question, as it begins pre-season drills, is whether or not quarterback Greg Cook, who led the A.F.L. in passing in 1969 as a rookie, and hasn't played since, will finally have recovered from his shoulder injury. If he should find his old form, the Bengals' passing attack will be dazzling, because their first three college picks are fine pass catchers who will join an already talented receiving corps. Top draft choice Isaac Curtis is probably the fastest man in football, and Al Chandler has the makings of a premier tight end. Another rookie who could help immediately is guard John Dampeer. The Bengal defense is solid. If they can avoid the avalanche of bad breaks that has buried them the past two seasons (bones in '71, baroque ball bounces in '72), the Bengals will fight Cleveland and Pittsburgh for the division title.

For Cleveland Browns fans, last winter's draft was the most exciting in memory. The Browns' perennial success on the field has, over the years, left them with poor draft position. Moreover, the past two years their first choices were defensive backs. They were needed, and they were good, but fans don't get ecstatic over new cornerbacks. This year, however, coach Nick Skorich had two first-round and two second-round choices, thanks to some perspicacious trading, and he went looking for some prime offensive talent to pump vigor into a unit that was sadly inept most of last season. He got Steve Holden, a wide receiver with blazing speed, who was rated by the Central Eastern Personnel Organization, a scouting combine, as the finest all-round athlete among college seniors. He also got offensive lineman Pete Adams and meteoric outside runner Greg Pruitt. All three should be starters. Holden and veteran Frank Pitts will give Cleveland the spectacular wide-receiving threat it's been missing since Paul War-field was traded away. The Browns also have Mike Phipps at quarterback, who at last gives them a passer who can throw 60 yards. Another new offensive threat could be fullback Hugh McKinnis, who has spent the past three years playing in Canada.

Don't look for much improvement in the Houston Oilers. A rebuilding job of the dimensions required in this case will take at least three years. They may have just the man for it, though. New general manager Sid Gillman, at 61, is a maelstrom of enthusiasm, working 18 hours a day, even during the off season. "He's the fiercest competitor and the most dedicated football man I ever knew," said an amazed Oiler executive. How Gillman will get along with owner Bud Adams is a matter of fascinating speculation. Adams (continued on page 202) Pro Football Preview (continued from page 128) is the embodiment of the big, blustery Texas oil millionaire. "We're all waiting to see what happens when the irresistible force tangles with the immovable object," said one of the assistant coaches.

Gillman is exactly the person coach Bill Peterson needs to back him up, and the first fruits of their alliance are already evident. Having finished dead last in 1972, the Oilers had first choice in the draft, and they picked monstrous defensive lineman John Matuszak, who is being billed as "the guy Jack found when he got to the top of the beanstalk." The offensive line, a serious weakness last fall, will be strengthened with the return of two injured starting tackles and the arrival from Baltimore of center Bill Curry. The running attack will be helped by the acquisition of Fred Willis and Paul Robinson from Cincinnati and by rookie George Amundson. Two recruits who are likely to see much action their first season are linebacker Greg Bingham and wide receiver Edesel Garrison. The latter will compete with newly arrived Dave Parks, who grumbled before being traded away by New Orleans that he wanted to play with a winner. He and Gillman should love each other.

The Oakland Raiders' only weakness last year was punting. But that was a problem; their punting was the poorest in the N. F. L. It may be the best in the league this season, however, because rookie Ray Guy is the most talented punter ever to play college football. Now that he has arrived, the Raiders appear to have everything. Their main strength is a superbly balanced offense: Last year, 49.93 percent of the plays were passes and their rushing outgained passing by a mere seven yards. Ergo, opposing defenses have to play close to the vest against the Raiders. One defensive lapse and Lamonica & Co. strike like 11 coordinated rattle-snakes.

Since the Raiders are a young squad, few rookies except Guy have a chance to make the final squad. Tight end Steve Sweeney has a chance, but he will be trying to crash an already excellent group. One reason the Raiders will enjoy more success in '73 is that the defenders won't have to spend so much time with their backs to spend so much time with their backs to the wall because of a poor kicking game. Another is head coach John Madden, who is just reaching the peak of his ability as a motivator. Madden, 37, the youngest head coach in the N.F.L., is a big redheaded Irishman with an appropriately redheaded disposition when plans go awry. He feels that this is the season the Raiders should go to the Super Bowl and he intends to get them there.

The Kansas City Chiefs entered the 1972 season confident they would reach the Super Bowl, but along the way their offense--especially the line--was decimated by injuries. None were serious; they were the sort of nagging hurts that often beset aging players. All are now fully recovered. Says caustic coach Hank Stram, "If you have an old offensive line that plays badly, the critics blame it on age. If they play well, the critics say it's because of their experience."

The Chiefs finished strong last year, winning their last three games, and they enter this season determined to extend the winning streak. The only newcomers with much chance to play are rookie tight end Gary Butler, offensive tackle Francis Peay, obtained from Green Bay, and big runner Willie Ellison, who came from Los Angeles. Defensive end Fred Grambau and safety Doug Jones are other draftees who should make the squad. The Chiefs are a veteran team with good reserve talent, so there should be a lot of competition in summer drills for starting berths.

The San Diego Chargers always seem to be a much better team than their record indicates. Last year was no exception; they were probably the best team ever to have won only four games. The reasons for their poor record were obvious: Their schedule was the toughest in the league; a talented offense sometimes played like the Keystone Cops (it led the league in turnovers); and their punt and kickoff returns were dismal. A healthy Jerry LeVias should fix the latter problem. Unfortunately for the Chargers, Johnny Rodgers opted for Canadian football. But the running skills of Mike Garrett, Bob Thomas and--perhaps--Duane Thomas, will give the Chargers an awesome running game. The fact that Miami and Washington were two of the strongest running teams in football last season has not been lost on coach Harland Svare. Other reasons for emphasizing the rush are the presence of a superb offensive line and an unstable quarterback situation. Svare feels that Johnny Unitas should be at least a temporary solution until either Wayne Clark or rookie Don Fouts matures. Svare says both have great promise. Tight end John Mackey, who preceded Unitas out of Baltimore, told Johnny last winter, "You'll be playing behind the best offensive line in your life." That must have been music to an aging passer's ears.

Svare's goal in '72 was to rebuild the Charger defense. He succeeded in making the defenders merely respectable, which was a tremendous improvement. The arrival of Coy Bacon from the Rams, and the recovery of Tim Rossovich from injuries, should make the defense stronger this season. In short, the Chargers should be one of the most improved teams in the league.

It will be the same old story in Denver: improved prospects, high squad morale, enthusiastic fans and a finish on the bottom. For the first time since Frank Tripucka played in 1963, the Denver team enters a season knowing who its starting quarterback will be. Charley Johnson, a 13-year veteran, will give the Broncos the sagacious leadership they have long needed. An indication of the stability of the Denver organization is the fact that there are no changes in the coaching staff since last season, a rarity in pro teams. This has been provided by head coach John Ralston, a bubbling enthusiast (he's a certified Dale Carnegie instructor) who's been winning friends and influencing players in Denver for two years now; his work is beginning to pay off. The squad morale is high, partly because Denver won its last two games of the season for the first time in history. The fans' enthusiasm, which has always bordered on fanaticism, is greater, too.

Fabulous runner Otis Armstrong, the brightest new face on the Bronco squad, will start out playing behind Floyd Little--a seemingly hopeless situation for any rookie. But Armstrong is so good Ralston will undoubtedly get both runners into the same backfield before the season is over. Rookie linebacker Tom Jackson will find a way into the starting line-up, as will guard Paul Howard. New passer John Hufnagel impressed the coaches very much during rookie camp, throwing long, hard and well. He could take over from Johnson in a couple of years.

The Washington Redskins aren't nearly as old as their colorful appellation, "Over the Hill Gang," suggests; their average age is about 28--hardly menopausal--and behind every older player is a strong young replacement. So don't wait for the long-chronicled collapse of the Redskins because of the lack of new blood. The material on hand is good enough--and young enough--to get coach George Allen past the draft choices he has traded away. He still has most of the 1975 draft intact. There is a rumor in Washington that Allen is haggling to trade his entire '75 draft for the Russian Olympic wrestling team.

The only imponderables to whet the interest of Washington fans are whether quarterback Sonny Jurgensen will be able to return from an Achilles'-tendon injury and whether Richard Nixon will switch his loyalty to the Miami Dolphins. Meanwhile, look for the Redskins to wind up in the Super Bowl again. Aside from their combined abilities, the Redskins are probably the most "together" squad in the N. F. L. Not only are there close emotional ties among the players but they all share an admiration for George Allen.

The Dallas Cowboys' fall from the summit last season was a traumatic experience for all. Coach Tom Landry blames it partly on subconscious complacency, especially among some of his jaded veterans. A more immediate cause was their freakish injury pattern. The Cowboys suffered no more of them than most teams, but the damage was almost totally concentrated in the defensive line. All four regulars and all three reserves were lost for part of the season. The complacency, a historic affliction of Super Bowl winners, will be whipped out of the squad by Landry; so if all the Cowboys survive pre-season drills, the squad roster will be much the same as last year, except that tight end Mike Ditka has retired to coach the receivers. Linebacker Chuck Howley has made some off-season public ruminations about retiring, but if he does, D. D. Lewis will be a more-than-capable replacement. Best of the rookies are wide receiver Golden Richards, tight end Billy Joe DuPree and Rodrigo Barnes, a linebacker with the appropriately belligerent temperament to become a star.

The New York Giants' reversal of form was one of last season's most intriguing developments. Going into summer camp, the outlook was dismal. The turnabout was largely the result of two factors: quarterback Fran Tarkenton's departure for Minnesota, which improved squad morale considerably, and Alex Webster's radically changed coaching methods. Until last year, the Giants' summer training camp had been an essentially relaxed affair because the team had been filled with unmotivated veterans. Last July, with one of the youngest squads in the pros, Webster became a disciplinarian and his team emerged from summer camp tough and hungry. Squad morale rose after Namath announced early in the season that if any team represented New York in the playoff's it would be the Jets, because the Giants were so obviously inept. The Giant defense, though much better last season, is still a concern. How much the draft will improve this season's team is not known, though top pick Brad Van Pelt will help the secondary right away. Middle guard Rich Glover, ignored by other teams because of his size, may fit splendidly into the Giant "odd man" defense, which calls for a lineman to play over the center, a position at which Glover set the all-time standard for excellence at Nebraska. The sleeper in the Giant draft could be 11th-round choice William Wideman, a defensive tackle from North Carolina A&T.

The Philadelphia Eagles had two necessary commodities to secure during the off season: a top-flight head coach and an offensive line. They made out like bandits on both counts. New mentor Mike McCormick, the proverbial nice guy off the field and a consummate teacher on, served long apprenticeships under Paul Brown, Vince Lombardi and George Allen. Better credentials are unimaginable. The Eagles went into the draft with six players heading their "most wanted" list, and they got three of them on their first three picks: tackle Jerry Sisemore, tight end Charles Young and guard Guy Morriss. With a little experience, all three will be all-pro caliber. They'll get a chance quickly, because the Eagle offensive line last season was porous in its good moments. The blocking will be further abetted by fullback Norm Bulaich, one of the flood of refugees driven out of Baltimore by Attila the Thomas.

Eagle fans did much unjustified grousing about quarterback John Reaves's performance in his first season. Be that as it may, the acquisition of Roman Gabriel from the Rams should help placate the frustrated fans. Also, Reaves will be wiser and far more effective in his sophomore year, and with added running help from Bulaich, the Eagle offense will improve. Rookies Randy Logan and Frank Dowsing could help the defensive backfield. A winning season, though, seems too much to hope for.

Despite a dearth of on-field talent, the St. Louis Cardinals decided what they really needed was a good front-office manager and an effective head coach. They got both. New director of operations Joe Sullivan and energetic new head coach Don Coryell have done an inspired job of filling some of the holes created by the unfortunate trades of former head coach Bob Hollway. The draft brought spectacular runner Terry Metcalf to help a ground game that was dreadful last year, massive lineman Dave Butz to bolster an insipid pass rush and three members of Oklahoma's starting offensive line (center Tom Brahaney and tackles Ken Jones and Dean Unruh). Passer Gary Keithley is another talented draftee, whose presence will further complicate an already confusing quarterback situation. The two incumbents, Jim Hart and Tim Van Galder, played musical quarterbacks with the now-retired Gary Cuozzo most of last fall. Hart wound up at the throttle at season's end and will probably retain his job this year.

Buried in the later rounds of the St. Louis draft were a couple of players who could be very pleasant surprises. Ken Garrett runs like a stallion and Bonnie Sloan has the physical qualities of a top defensive lineman. After two straight 4-9-1 seasons, the Cardinals could improve, but they will still be one of the weakest teams in the league.

• • •

The Minnesota Vikings built a football empire with a cohesive defense and a devastating running game and it seemed all that was keeping them from being invincible in recent seasons was the lack of a truly great quarterback. Thus, when Fran Tarkenton returned to the north country last fall, the welcoming hosannas sounded as if he had walked barefoot up the Mississippi. But it didn't quite work out. Tarkenton did, indeed, have a superb season; in some games he was brilliant, often looking as great in defeat as in victory. But the Vikes' past strengths became weaknesses. Linemen Carl Eller and Alan Page, fulcrums of the defense, played below par most of the season, their fabled quickness canceled by minor recurring injuries. The running game evaporated because Clint Jones, at the peak of his career, missed seven games with a broken arm, Dave Osborn wasn't what he had been and Ed Marinaro wasn't what he will be. For the Vikings, '73 could be the year that '72 wasn't. If the mathematics of probability hold true, Eller and Page will not suffer more misfortune and the draft produced a potential instant star in runner Chuck Foreman. With Marinaro and Oscar Reed (who looks better than his press clippings), the Vikings should field a rejuvenated running game to remove some of the pressure from Tarkenton. Other draftees with potential are Brent McClanahan and Josh Brown, both strong inside runners, and defensive back Jackie Wallace--a real burner when he gets his hands on the ball--who can make kickoff returns a lethal offensive weapon.

New head coach Don McCafferty appears to have the perfect qualifications for the job of converting the Detroit Lions into a major power. He is a towering, self-possessed figure who rarely raises his voice, but when he speaks, you can hear a pin drop. Besides providing inspiration, the only thing McCafferty needs to do is fix the defensive unit, especially the line. For the third year in a row, the Lions' first-round draft choice was a defensive lineman, huge Ernest Price. If McCafferty can motivate veterans Herb Orvis, Jim Mitchell and Bob Bell to play well, the Lions will have their first decent pass rush since the days of Alex Karras. If so, with an already excellent offense, they could be the best team in the toughest division of the N. F. L.

The Green Bay Packers seem on the verge of re-establishing their dynasty. It is a young, extremely talented club, with much enthusiasm and morale. Older Packers used to sit around and compare head coaches Phil Bengtson and Dan Devine with Vince Lombardi, but to the new players, Lombardi is ancient history. The team roster is stable for the first time since its last trip to the Super Bowl, in '68, so the only rookie with a possibility of starting is Barry Smith, who fills a need at wide receiver. The only other noticeable need is for a consistent quarterback, and Scott Hunter and Jerry Tagge will contest for that job. Both have excellent physical tools and leadership ability. Tagge is stronger, bigger and a better long thrower. Hunter has more experience.

What makes the Green Bay situation so enviable is that all these good young players will mature together. They are shrewdly coached by Devine, a quiet man who does the thinking while leaving most on-the-field supervision to his assistants.

John Mackey of San Diego, president of the N. F. L. Players Association, once remarked that games were not won or lost in the front line but in the front office. And that's an incisive description of the Chicago Bears' problems over the past few years. While owner George Halas is frequently castigated in the press for his disinclination to part with cash, parsimony is a lesser problem than nepotism in the Bears' organization. The team's major officers are president--general manager George Halas, Jr. (son of the owner), and vice-president Ed McCaskey (son-in-law of the owner). Inquiries among front-office personnel of other N. F. L. teams reveal that McCaskey is a nice guy. Now that coach Abe Gibron has been allowed some off-the-field authority, the Bears' chances for fielding a competitive team are greatly enhanced. Given this freedom, Gibron's handling of the draft last January was a work of genius. Due partly to past misfortunes (injuries to Joe Moore and Lionel Antoine) and Gibron's shrewdness, the Bears will enter this season with full use, for the first time, of three first draft choices (Moore, Antoine and defensive lineman Wally Chambers), one of the most talented passers to come out of college ranks in years (Gary Huff), a new tight end with all-pro potential (Craig Cotton) and Carl Garrett, who has sometimes looked like the best runner in football. We can't remember a team having such an abundant infusion of talent in a single year and Gibron has the moxie to make it work. "A lot of players mouth off about how they want to play with a winner, but not all players have the guts to help build a winner," he says. "But we have the men we need now. When a team wins, the players deserve the credit. When it loses, it's the coach's fault."

With a little luck, the Bears could be the N. F. L.'s most improved team in '73. That would still leave them the weakling of their division.

Don't look for any big changes in San Francisco. Its draft was very nearly a dry run and coach Dick Nolan has a notorious prejudice against player trades. The 49ers' only critical problem last year was injured running backs. All have healed and will be joined in summer camp by nine newcomers, none of whom look like future greats. The only blue-chip draftee is Willie Harper, who will help solve a possible linebacker shortage if Ed Beard's knee, injured in the last game of '72, isn't fully recovered. One big plus for the 49ers is that they now have a good, game-tested backup quarterback, a nice thing to have when your starter is 38 years old. Steve Spurrier finally got a chance last season after John Brodie was injured and played well. Spurrier and wide receiver Terry Beasley could become one of the hottest passing tandems in professional football. The principal question, as the season opens, is whether or not the 49ers can overcome their mass compulsion to lapse into a coma every time they get on the field with the Los Angeles Rams. They haven't beaten the Rams since the first game in 1970.

The Atlanta Falcons could be the league's surprise team in 1973 if they can avoid last year's crippling injuries and a ridiculous total of 42 fumbles. All those fumbles must have had coach Norm Van Brocklin, who's infuriated by anything short of perfection, crawling on the ceiling. He certainly has the necessary material on hand and the Falcons seem to be in the position Pittsburgh was at this time last year. They have the makings of one of the best defensive lines in the league, now that tackle Mike Tilleman has been acquired from Houston and tackle Greg Marx arrived in the draft. The runners--except for their tendency to lose the ball--are excellent, as is the offensive line, with rookie tackle Nick Bebout. The passing game is the only unsettled area and that could be decided by the emergence of Pat Sullivan, last year's heralded rookie. Quarterback John Madeya could be the surprise in this year's draft and field-goal kicker Nick Mike-Meyer should strengthen another weakness. The only thing the Falcons lack to make a serious run for the division championship is another fast wide receiver.

Three things kept the Rams out of the play-offs last season: (1) Roman Gabriel's gimpy arm, (2) a weak pass defense that allowed 20 touchdowns (while the ground defense yielded only nine) and (3) coach Tommy Prothro's relaxed attitude toward his players, a deficiency that he himself has acknowledged and vowed to correct.

It is regrettable that Prothro will not get a chance to prove, at least with the Rams, that he could be one of the very best coaches in professional football, for new owner Carroll Rosenbloom lost patience with him and brought in Chuck Knox, a stern offensive specialist whose personality and approach make him a younger version of Tom Landry. But the Rams need much more than discipline, so don't look for much improvement this year.

Some of the Rams' problems were partially solved by the draft and the acquisition of quarterback John Hadl from the Chargers. He should more than make up for the recently departed Gabriel, who got his wish to be traded. Rookie passer Ron Jaworski could be a future great. He looks uncannily like Namath in his ability to get back, set up and unload the ball.

Another rookie, defensive back Cullen Bryant, who chief scout Norm Pollom says is "a big Jack Tatum," could be a starter.

The New Orleans Saints need a pass rush, a few runners and a crash course in what physiologists call digital dexterity. Last season, the whole team played like everybody had ten thumbs, turning over the ball to the opposition so often that it seldom had a chance to win. The jitters may have been a result of coach J. D. Roberts' drill-sergeant concept of player motivation. But Roberts now seems to realize that he overdid his role and has eased up a bit. This is his third year in command, nearly all his troops are players he either drafted or traded for and he feels the team is his own. All of which means that victories will still be scarce.

Roberts strengthened his defensive line by acquiring tackle Billy Newsome, another victim of the Baltimore pogrom. Two rookie defensive ends, Derland Moore and Steve Baumgartner, could be starters by midseason. Rookie running back Pete Van Valkenburg will play due to sheer lack of competition. Other helpful draft selections are Jeff Horsley, a runner with breath-taking speed, and 165-pound Howard Stevens from Louisville, who also will add much zip to the Saints' running game.

That's our overview of the teams, and the new recruits who will help them, in 1973-1974. As in every season, there'll be can't-miss rookies who disappoint and nameless free agents who win starting jobs. There will, of course, also be hundreds of athletes who won't survive final player cuts but who'll at least know that they had a chance to show what they could do. And whether or not that's of any comfort, it's more than some athletes get each year. These are the college prospects weeded out before the draft by scouts with an insatiable curiosity about the smallest details of a player's mental and physical make-up. One apparently promising linebacker was scratched from a draft list this year because it was discovered he had a sky-high I.Q. Inordinate intelligence in a linebacker is a distinct disadvantage, it seems, because he tends to stand around and think instead of reacting instinctively. Another player was passed over because a pro scout learned he wouldn't date a girl until his mother had met and approved of her. It takes all kinds, they say--but not in professional football.

This Season's Winners

AFC Eastern Division: Miami Dolphins

AFC Central Division: Pittsburgh Steelers

AFC Western Division: Oakland Raiders

AFC Play-offs: Pittsburgh Steelers

NFC Eastern Division: Washington Redskins

NFC Central Division: Minnesota Vikings

NFC Western Division: San Francisco 49ers

NFC Play-offs: Washington Redskins

Super Bowl: Washington Redskins

Eastern Division

American Football Conference

Miami Dolphins..........11-3

New York Jets..........8-6

Buffalo Bills..........7-7

New England Patriots.........5-9

Baltimore Colts..........3-11

Central Division

American Football Conference

Pittsburgh Steelers .............. 9-5

Cincinnati Bengals ............... 7-7

Cleveland Browns ................ 6-8

Houston Oilers ................ 4-10

Western Division

American Football Conference

Oakland Raiders .................. 9-5

Kansas City Chiefs ............... 8-6

San Diego Chargers ............... 7-7

Denver Broncos ................... 6-8

Eastern Division

National Football Conference

Washington Redskins ............... 9-5

Dallas Cowboys ............... 9-5

New York Giants ............... 7-7

Philadelphia Eagles ........... 5-9

St. Louis Cardinals ............. 4-10

Central Division

National Football Conference

Minnesota Vikings ........... 9-5

Detroit Lions ............... 8-6

Green Bay Packers ........... 7-7

Chicago Bears ............... 6-8

Western Division

National Football Conference

San Francisco 49ers ............ 9-5

Atlanta Falcons ................ 8-6

Los Angeles Rams ............... 6-8

New Orleans Saints ............. 5-9