Playboy's Pro Football Preview

Each season is the beginning of a new world in the National Football League. Hope is both sustenance and narcotic for the entrepreneurs of the football business. Optimism is their religion. In mid-July, every owner, general manager and tub thumper in the league has a detailed list of logical reasons why his team will be much improved. Bold steps have been taken in the off season to seal leaky defenses; healed injuries and added skills will give new zip to bumbling attacks. Even the proprietors of last fall's 4--10 outfits speak guardedly of plans to take part in this December's play-offs.

Never have the tides of change in the N.F.L. been more volatile than this year. Six teams have new head coaches, five have new general managers and hordes of assistant coaches have arrived and departed. In Houston, the Oilers' offices buzz with quiet but purposeful activity in the wake of cyclonic Sid Gillman's departure. In Green Bay, the veterinarian across Lombardi Avenue from the stadium tells friends about feverish midnight activity in the coaches' offices during the depths of the off season.

Significantly, the biggest upheaval of all is proceeding apace in the den of the Chicago Bears, the league's traditional bastion of 19th Century immutability. Visitors to the Bears' offices rub their eyes in disbelief. The green eyeshades and sleeve garters are missing, hardly a familiar face can be found among the office, coaching or scouting staffs. Files are being packed for removal to more contemporary offices. Most astonishing of all, sportswriters are greeted with open friendliness and the coffee is free. New general manager Jim Finks, the spark plug of all this volatility, admits that much of the change is purely cosmetic. "In an organization where losing has become such an ingrained way of life, everything must appear to be different. For sound psychological reasons, all reminders of the past must be purged. The ambience, the attitudes, even the operating efficiency of the front offices is somehow reflected in the team's performance on the field."

Professional football teams do, indeed, tend to reflect the class and quality of their front-office management. This explains the persistent failure of those franchises owned by previously anonymous multimillionaires who buy teams so they can see their names in print and be recognized by headwaiters. Their egos having been poorly served by 2--12 records, most such owners have ceased interfering in front-office affairs. Thus, the turbulent changes in the league this year are all constructive and we should enjoy a more competitive and--we would hope--more exciting season than the last.

The topic of winter conversation in Miami was the fate of the Dolphins without Larry Csonka, Jim Kiick and Paul Warfield. Few fans seemed to realize that their team would need a lot of luck this season even with their services. Chinks began to appear in the Dolphins' (continued on page 152)Pro Football Preview(continued from page 112) armor last fall. Also, in only two years, the A.F.C. East has changed from Goliath and the Four Patsies to the strongest division in the league.

The only indispensable man in the Miami franchise is coach Don Shula. He has an uncanny ability to make his players perform beyond their apparent capabilities. He will need that ability more than ever this year. The offensive line, though still one of the best, isn't what it used to be. The pass rush lost steam toward the end of last season and the linebacker corps needs reinforcements. That problem may be solved by the presence of three rookies, Bruce Elia, Gerald Hill and Steve Towle. Another newcomer, Darryl Carlton, will help juice up the offensive line.

Shula has quietly vowed never again to become so dependent on one phase of the offense. The running game won't be neglected, but quarterback Bob Griese will probably throw more passes this season than ever before. Rookie Fred Solomon, who can play every skilled position with almost equal cunning, will probably combine with Nat Moore to give Griese the most elusive pair of outside receivers in the league. If the Miami machine breaks down this season, the problem will probably be in the defensive line.

The New York Jets could be the most improved team in the country--whoever is the quarterback. The defensive line, last year's major weakness, will be enormously improved with the arrival via trades of end Billy Newsome and tackle Jim Bailey. The defense should be further helped by new linebacker Richard Wood, who could be one of this fall's superrookies.

Most of the credit for the Jets' resurrection goes to coach Charley Winner, who did a laudable job of keeping the squad together during the lean months of the '74 season. His handling of player morale was largely responsible for the sudden turnaround at midseason. After winning their last six games, the Jets go into training camp sky-high. "Charley's enthusiasm is so contagious he's got these guys bouncing off the ceiling," one of Winner's assistants said.

The main blot on the Jets' horizon is an unusually tough schedule that features interdivision games with Dallas, Minnesota, Pittsburgh and St. Louis.

Every year, it seems, injuries cripple a couple of teams that otherwise would be in the thick of the race to the Super Bowl--last year, New England and Cincinnati. The Patriots' experience was especially frustrating. After years of cellar dwelling, they became a power in the A.F.C. East through the early weeks of the '74 season. But their play-off chances were scuttled by a blight of injuries. The likelihood of being snakebit two years in a row is remote, however, and the Pats have all the tools to realize last year's shattered dreams. Coach Chuck Fairbanks surrounds himself with competent assistants who do the work while he stands around and takes the bows.

The Pats' only major weakness was the punting game, but that should be cured by the return to form of Dave Chapple. The Pats' first two draft choices, tight end Russ Francis and linebacker Rod Shoate, could be instant starters, but the happy surprise among the rookie crop will likely be running back Allen Carter from Southern California, where he played in the shadow of Anthony Davis. Carter will probably become a better pro runner than Davis.

One of the major reasons for Buffalo's emergence over the past two seasons is coach Lou Saban's skill as a trader. Other coaches around the league call him "the pickpocket." Defensive tackle Mike Kadish, obtained from Miami on the cheap, anchored the Bills' defensive line, which, because of injuries, had only three members the last half of the '74 season. The need for line reinforcements will be alleviated by the return to health of Jeff Winans and more consistent play by Walt Patulski. To solve his most urgent problem, Saban used his first two draft choices to get a couple of hot-shot linebackers from Nebraska, Tom Ruud and Bob Nelson. They'll compete with starters Doug Allen and John Skorupan, who played college ball together at Penn State. Another rookie, Gil Chapman, will help the special teams as a punt and kickoff returner. Chapman is one of five squadmen from the University of Michigan, known among their peers as "The Michigan Mafia."

Buffalo's major hopes for success, this year and in the foreseeable future, rest on two superstar performers, runner O. J. Simpson and quarterback Joe Ferguson. After a phenomenal first eight games last fall, Ferguson threw six interceptions against Houston and was never the same. Undoubtedly, he will regain his confidence and become one of the giants among pro quarterbacks--perhaps this year. O. J., however, may not be around much longer. A man of uncommon maturity, intelligence and charisma, Simpson is destined for political office via show business. This could be his last year in pads.

The situation new Baltimore coach Ted Marchibroda inherits is not as bleak as press reports indicate. Despite last season's dismal performance, the players kicked their fatalistic attitude after Joe Thomas took over the coaching duties in midseason. They finished looking like a team of the future, with a squad consisting of 15 rookies, 13 second-year men and only three players over 30. The most obvious weakness was the offensive line, but Thomas, now returned to his general-manager duties, solved that problem by pulling off one of the brilliant horse trades in the history of the draft. He wound up with veteran George Kunz, one of the premier offensive tackles in the country, and Ken Huff, the best offensive lineman in this year's draft. As a result, quarterback Bert Jones will enjoy unaccustomed protection and could become the most improved passer in the league. Jones will also benefit from the tutoring of Marchibroda, who coached quarterbacks for George Allen the past several years. Rookie runners Marshall Johnson and Roosevelt Leaks could both be sleepers. All this adds up to a rejuvenated offense to go with a young defensive crew that will have an added year's experience. Problem is, with the resurgence of power in their division, the Colts could be much improved and still not have an impressive won-lost record.

Fans will notice fewer changes at Pittsburgh this year than on any other team in the country. The reason is obvious: The Steelers are so deep in first-rate talent that there isn't a rookie in camp who has a chance of seeing much action. A possible exception is cornerback Dave Brown, who would be an instant starter on most squads. Most of the starters are in their mid-20s and only linebacker Andy Russell, center Ray Mansfield and guard Sam Davis are past 30. All of which diminishes the prospects of the Steelers' divisional opponents.

It is hard to imagine how the Steeler defense could be improved (its performances in the '74 play-offs were mind-boggling). The offense, however, should have added punch. Quarterback Terry Bradshaw bloomed to full potential midway through last season, and talent throughout the offensive platoon is such that coach Chuck Noll could win most of his games this season with second-string players.

The Steelers' major hazard in '75 will be an emotional letdown. Last season's Super Bowlers were only the third Steeler team in 42 seasons to get as far as the play-offs. If the emotional pitch is maintained, owner Art Rooney will deserve much of the credit. Rooney, unlike the majority of owners, has won the love and respect of his players. He never misses a practice, walks around the dressing room after each game passing out cigars and spends a large part of his time talking to players about their personal problems.

Assuming that Cincinnati's injured warriors are recovered by season's opening, the Bengals will be the only threat to Pittsburgh's dominance of the A.F.C. Central. As usual, the Bengals were among the craftiest franchises in the draft, filling their only personnel needs (a linebacker and an offensive lineman) in the first two rounds (with Glenn Cameron and Al Krevis). Both are talented enough to be rookie starters at positions that usually require much maturity. Cincinnati, year after year, has more "Who's he?" draft choices who become superstars than any team in the league--except Dallas. The Bengals' talent sleuths do it on their own; they are one of only two teams in the N.F.L. (the other is Oakland) that don't belong to a scouting combine. This year there are at least three unknowns among the Cincinnati draftees who could be very pleasant surprises: runner Stan Fritts, wide receiver Pat McInally and punter Jeff West.

One thing is certain: Coach Paul Brown will make sure his players don't show up for summer camp fat and short-winded, a situation that may have been indirectly responsible for last season's injury blight. "Pro football," Brown told us, "has developed to the point where off-season conditioning, mental and physical, has become a necessity. It's impossible to forget about football in off season and think you can perform against an opponent who has been working year round to keep fit."

The turbulence and upheaval that have characterized the Houston organization for several years finally may have come to an end. Owner Bud Adams, admitting that much of the fault has been his own, has promised to shut up and pay the bills. Ex-honcho Sid Gillman, who was to Houston what a typhoon is to troubled waters, has been replaced by Bum Phillips, a steady countryfolk type. The divisive player bitterness, resulting from Gillman's unyielding and vindictive approach to the players who went on strike last summer, has disappeared. Coming off a fast '74 finish, the Oilers enter summer camp with soaring morale. Best of all, their major personnel needs appear to have been solved by the draft. Don Hardeman is the bruising runner needed to give heft to the running corps; linebacker Robert Brazile and end Jesse O'Neal will provide defensive depth. All of them, plus wide receiver Emmett Edwards, could be rookie starters. Look for the Oilers to retain the three-man defensive line that they were forced to adopt last year because of injuries. Curley Culp's sensational play at middle guard makes him almost as effective as two men.

Last year was the worst season in the history of the Cleveland Browns. Their only other losing season was in 1956. Thus, new coach Forrest Gregg takes over a club in the throes of reorganization. Called by Vince Lombardi "the greatest player I ever coached," Gregg was asked if he intended to coach like Lombardi. "No," he said, "I'll coach like Forrest Gregg." Whatever that means, his chances of turning the Browns around his first year at the helm are very slim, indeed. But he will be greatly aided by former Browns head coach Blanton Collier. As quarterback coach, Collier will work to make Mike Phipps more effective. Two new receivers, rookie Oscar Roan and veteran Reggie Rucker (obtained from New England), provide better targets than Phipps has enjoyed recently. Both will be starters, as will Mack Mitchell, who brings sorely needed muscle to last year's disgraceful pass rush. The Browns also badly need a good big runner but will have to make do for another year. The only area that seems in reasonably good shape is the offensive line.

The Oakland Raiders entered the draft needing nothing except a reserve defensive back in case injured Willie Brown should not return. They got Neal Colzie and Charles Phillips, both of whom would be rookie starters on most clubs. Thus, the Raiders enjoy depth unmatched by any club except Pittsburgh. Ken Stabler seems set as the starting quarterback. The Raiders' only visible need as training camp opens is a good kickoff specialist, and punter Ray Guy will probably add that chore to his punting duties. Extra-point virtuoso (and sometime quarterback, to the Oakland fans' hysterical delight) George Blanda has declined other siren calls ("I'm too old to coach," he said) to return for another year. The Raiders' prime incentive this fall will be the accusation that they always lose the big games. To reach the Super Bowl, all the big ones must be won. The Raiders haven't done that since 1968, but, barring a deluge of injuries, this should be their year.

Denver coach John Ralston, the most ardent pop psychologist in pro football, has convinced himself that squad morale is poisoned when veterans who are used to losing sit on the bench backing up gung-ho youngsters. Ergo, Ralston is sweeping his squad clean of nonstarting oldsters. As many as nine rookies are likely to make the squad. The best bets to be freshman starters are cornerback Louis Wright and safety Steve Taylor, thus shoring up last year's flimsy defensive backfield. Another probable rookie starter is defensive end Charlie Smith, who will join Paul Smith and Ed Smith in the three-man defensive line. Inevitably, they will be called "The Cough Drops." Yet another Denver draftee, quarterback Mike Franckowiak, has all the equipment to be this year's super-sleeper. He's 6'3", weighs 220 pounds, has a cannon arm, runs well enough to be a pro fullback, catches and blocks well enough to be a tight end, is a good punter and an excellent place kicker. He should find a niche somewhere.

If the youngsters come through, and if the players are less cocky than they were at the beginning of last season, Denver could give Oakland a stiff fight for the division championship. The Bronco offense, with the passing of Charley Johnson and the running of Otis Armstrong, Jon Keyworth and Floyd Little, will again be one of the most potent in the country.

When Tommy Prothro took over the sad-sack San Diego team last summer, he found a superb offensive line, one quality wide receiver (Gary Garrison) and a few dozen warm bodies. The entire defensive corps gained national attention--for ineptitude. So while other coaches were Super Bowling, Prothro and his staff scoured the country for college beef. Having stockpiled early draft choices, Prothro made one of the biggest hauls of defensive talent in the history of the draft. At least six rookies (defensive linemen Gary Johnson and Louie Kelcher, defensive backs Mike Williams and Mike Fuller, linebackers Ken Bernich and Fred Dean) should become starters by midseason. Another pair of rookies, defensive tackle Kevin Nosbusch and linebacker Jerry Dahl, could also join what will surely be the greenest but most promising defensive unit in the N.F.L. Prothro's offensive crews always play better than the available talent would seem to allow--and that will probably be the case again. With a year's experience for the young backfield (three rookies were starters in '74), they'll keep game scores respectable while the ingénue defenders get their bearings. By season's end, the Chargers should be the most improved team in the country. The schedule, however, is a scorcher.

The entire Kansas City team has fallen on such evil times that it is unlikely that new coach Paul Wiggin can do much patchwork his first season. Wiggin's biggest asset could be the contrast between his style and that of his imperious predecessor. Wiggin looks as if he could still play defensive end and is open and warm. Kansas City fans can comfort themselves through the coming cold season with the knowledge that owner Lamar Hunt is an impeccable judge of coaching talent. There won't be much else to be happy about. Perhaps the most crippling of the Chiefs' many problems has been a poor-to-disastrous performance in the past several drafts. It wasn't much better this time but did produce the filler for one gap in the person of tight end Elmore Stephens. The Chiefs' biggest onfield problem is the defensive line, the result of perhaps the dumbest trade in the annals of Shylockery: the exchange of Curley Culp with Houston for superflop John Matuszak. Matuszak, picked this time two years ago as the hottest prospect since Goliath, may have acquired some maturity in the off season. If so, he and rookie tackle Cornelius Walker could beef up a line that has been woefully vulnerable to running attacks.

The Dallas team unfailingly plays out the same scenario each fall: It starts slowly, dropping a game here and there, gathers momentum in midseason and finishes at its peak. Last year the start was too slow; three early games were lost in the final moments on fluke plays or bad calls. And the Cowboys never could catch the fast-starting St. Louis Cardinals. The frustration was doubly annoying to the Cowboys, who were obviously stronger than the '73 team that won the division championship. This year's squad will be even stronger, deeper, more mature and talented--and there's little likelihood that coach Tom Landry will tolerate any more early-season blunders. The Cowboys' only need as summer camp opens is linebacker depth, and three prospects (Randy White, Bob Breunig and Thomas Henderson) were taken in the draft. White, the most coveted player of last year's college crop, won't see much action for the next couple of years if Leroy Jordan stays healthy.

The omniscience of the Dallas talent-research department continues to dumfound opponents. Amazingly, not a single player on the 1974 Cowboy roster had ever played a down for any other N.F.L. team. But perhaps the best proof of the expertise of the Dallas bird dogs is backup quarterback Clint Longley. His heroics in the Cowboys' November 1974 come-from-behind victory over the Redskins left 8,000,000 fans limp in front of their television sets. Longley, a quiet and unaffected kid who hunts rattlesnakes as a hobby and grew up across the street from the Dallas practice fields, was drafted as an afterthought by the Cincinnati Bengals. Not knowing that Longley was slowed by a sore toe, the Bengal coaches watched him practice for about 30 minutes, then swapped him to Dallas for a bag of peanuts. Longley, a Bob Griese--type quarterback, is now regarded as one of the future greats at his position.

The therapeutic effects of winning have seldom been more vividly demonstrated than by the turnaround of the St. Louis team. Players who only a year ago were playing out their options and asking to be traded now can hardly wait for the new season to begin. The new attitude results not only from last year's reversal of form on the field (the Cardinals, to their own and everyone else's astonishment, won their first seven games and their first division championship since 1948) but also from the new organizational warmth supplied by coach Don Coryell and director of operations Joe Sullivan. Sullivan, a skilled trader, is also responsible for overcoming the lack of depth that resulted from a series of disastrous trades in 71 and '72. The ranks are still precariously thin, however, especially among running backs and defensive linemen. New runner Jim Germany and defensive tackle Dave Butz's healed knee will provide partial solutions to these problems. Additional help will come from veteran runner Ken Willard, who in his 11th year looks as good as ever, and from new defensive tackle John Adams, who may turn out to be the best eighth-round draft choice in memory. Still, a few injuries in vulnerable areas could scuttle the Cards' hopes of another glory year.

Washington coach George Allen, who trades in futures like a commodities broker, conducted his usual draft. He swapped several future choices for two veterans, offensive guard Glenn Ressler and wide receiver Cotton Speyrer. Ressler will challenge Walt Sweeney at right guard. The only other remotely possible change in the Washington line-up is at quarterback, where Joe Theismann has vowed to displace Billy Kilmer. In either case, fans will notice little or no difference in the Redskins. Continuity and single-mindedness are Allen's personal trade secrets. There are no malcontents on his squad, because he is a genius at promoting togetherness. In team meetings, he says, "Screw the front office, the owner, the press, the league. We take care of one another." The fact that the Redskins are also the highest-paid squad in the N.F.L. probably has something to do with the good morale.

The immediate future holds as much hope for the New York Giants as for the Jets. The Giants' problems of a year ago have been solved. The main turning point was the arrival of quarterback Craig Morton from Dallas in midseason. Morton immediately took over leadership of the club, morale zoomed and the offense solidified. Except for the four late-season games that were last-minute losses, the Giants would have finished the year as spectacularly as the Jets. Entering the new season, the Giants need reinforcements in the offensive line and a speed burner at wide receiver. The draft produced probable answers to both problems. Offensive tackle Allen Simpson, a superb pass blocker, will combine with second-year linemen John Hicks and Tom Mullen to give the Giants one of the ablest and youngest offensive lines in the country. Two other rookies, tight end Jim Obradovich and wide receiver Danny Buggs, will give Morton better targets. Buggs has the ability to become the premier receiver in the country in a couple of years. Another recruit certain to win a starting berth is defensive back Robert Giblin.

Last January's draft was a fabulously productive nonevent for Philadelphia long before the event itself. The Eagles traded their first six choices plus a few futures for quarterback Roman Gabriel, linebacker Bill Bergey, defensive tackle Jerry Patton, runner John Tarver and backup quarterback Mike Boryla. Some teams don't get that much high-voltage talent from the draft in five years. As a result, the team bore no resemblance to the flaccid Eagle squads of previous years. Coaches attribute their midseason collapse (six losses in a row after getting off to a fast 4--1 start) to a lack of maturity. Translated, that means they panicked when the breaks started going against them. If that, indeed, was the case, a year's experience could make a difference. The Eagles' prime asset is the quarterbacking corps. Roman Gabriel is backed up by John Reaves and Boryla, either of whom could be a starter on many clubs. Running back Tarver, the only tradee who arrived after the season ended, will be the only noticeable new face. Unfortunately, the offensive line is still so weak that the Eagles aren't likely to have a winning season.

Year after year, Minnesota remains the most stable and unchanged team in the league. The Vikings rarely indulge in major trades and coach Bud Grant can afford to draft for future rather than present needs. In the past eight years, only Alan Page, Jeff Siemon and Chuck Foreman have been rookie starters. Grant has a phobia about putting a player into the line-up before he is thoroughly prepared. Therefore, this year's starting Viking line-up will be hardly distinguishable from the '74 crew. If there are changes, it will be because some aging veterans suddenly decide to retire. The defensive line, for years considered the best in the land, now averages 32 and is as awesome as ever. "Big men mature later than small men," explains Grant. Nevertheless, acting on the assumption that one or more of these graybeards will retire in the next couple of years, Grant's first two draft choices last winter were defensive tackles Mark Mullaney and Art Riley. They're the only rookies who have much of a chance to even earn a seat on the bench this fall. It all adds up to another year when the Vikings will dominate their division.

Except for San Diego, no team is likely to have as many raw recruits in the starting line-up as Detroit. The offensive line and running backs are the principal disaster areas, a situation made evident by last season's inept running attack. New offensive linemen Lynn Boden and Craig Hertwig should become instant starters, along with rookie runner Horace King and any garden-variety runner the Lions can get during the summer via waivers or trades. Another problem is the defensive line, which, though spirited enough, is scrawny by N.F.L. standards. But rookie defensive tackle Doug English will add needed heft to the pass rushers. The Lions' strongest suit will again be the passing game. Already good receivers will be helped by new catchers Dennis Franklin and Mike Murphy. Best omen for an improvement is the fact that coach Rick Forzano, one of the class mentors in the league, is now in his second season and the entire Lion organization is more together than it's been in two decades.

The Chicago team may not win any more games this year than last, but thanks to the efforts of new general manager Jim Finks, the Bears will at least look different. Bear fans will be grateful for any change. New coach Jack Pardee, who was a starting linebacker for the Redskins only three years ago, gained fame last season as a W.F.L. head coach who could motivate an underpaid team. This may be his prime qualification for the Bear job. His best hope lies in the possibility that some prime recruits of recent years (tackle Lionel Antoine, linebacker Waymond Bryant and defensive end Dave Gallagher, for example) will at last play up to their potential. With runners Cid Edwards and Walter Payton (the most coveted runner of last year's college crop) joining Carl Garrett, the Bears will have a high-velocity ground attack. Newcomers Noah Jackson and Roger Stillwell (a former defensive lineman) will bring needed muscle to the offensive line. The sleeper among the Bear rookies could be linebacker Joe Harris.

Whatever miracles the new coaching staff can work, though, the ranks are still too thin to produce a winning record. The Bears are the only team in the country with two second-string and two third-string quarterbacks but nobody who's good enough to be a starter.

During his first year as head coach at Green Bay, Bart Starr's major task will be to heal the wounds left in the wake of departed coach Dan Devine. Starr will have the toughest coaching job in the league this fall. Fortunately, he has the personal equipment for the task: the grace and cordiality of a Southerner combined with the tough-as-nails character of a north woodsman. He will probably be the first superstar quarterback ever to succeed as a head coach: all the others (Van Brocklin, Baugh, Waterfield, Graham) have flunked out.

Starr will be trying to fashion a winning team from a woefully thin squad that received little help from the draft. A fascinating subject of conversation in the Packer camp last winter was Devine's midseason trade for quarterback John Hadl. The Dallas cowboys, it seems, offered to trade sterling quarterback Craig Morton to the Packers for a number-one draft choice. Devine turned the offer down but shortly thereafter traded two number-one draft choices, two number twos and a number three to Los Angeles for much-less-talented Hadl. As a result, the draft will be a nearly dry run for the Packers for at least another year. Furthermore, Starr has no expendable talent to use as trade bait. In short, it will be another grim winter in Green Bay. Fortunately, the populace seems inclined to be patient as long as it sees that Starr is doing a good job and making progress.

The extraordinary rise of the Los Angeles Rams since owner Carroll Rosenbloom took over in 1972 demonstrates graphically the virtues of enlightened management. Rosenbloom, his son Steve, general manager Don Klosterman and coach Chuck Knox have created an organizational efficiency and an esprit de corps unmatched in any professional sports franchise in the country. During last summer's player strike, there was less friction between the players and the front office in Los Angeles than anywhere else except Pittsburgh. Another--and more obvious--reason for the Rams' growth is their uncanny skill (or luck) at the trading table. During the past two years, two high-caliber quarterbacks (Roman Gabriel and John Hadl) were traded for an amazing collection of skilled veterans and high draft choices, yet the Rams still have James Harris and Ron Jaworski to handle the controls. The only possible cloud on the horizon is an aging offensive line, two of whose members are 15-year veterans. On the off-chance that they should succumb to instant senility, the Rams spent two early draft choices for Dennis Harrah and Doug France. They and rookie center Geoff Reece will likely form the bulk of the Rams' offensive line in future years. The only other possible need is for another high-grade wide receiver. Whether or not Knox finds him, his team will have an inside track in the Super Bowl race.

San Francisco is in a perfect position to be the surprise team of the league. Last year's excruciating quarterback problems (Steve Spurrier was lost in the last exhibition game and four different passers started the first nine games) have been solved with the emergence of Tom Owen. His coaches feel he is the greatest find since the Baltimore Colts got Johnny Unitas for the price of a phone call. As a college freshman, Owen became a starter after the Wichita squad was nearly wiped out in a plane crash. He would have been a consensus all-American with a good team around him. Green and young, Owen will be helped along by old campaigner Norm Snead, who will be a coach on the field and a father figure as well as a backup quarterback.

Complementing Owen will be one of the better collections of runners and receivers in the N.F.L. New tackle Jeff Hart will add needed depth to the offensive line and rookie defensive tackles Jimmy Webb and Wayne Baker will strengthen the inside pass rush. All three are good enough to earn starting assignments this year. As in Los Angeles, the major threat to a successful season is an aging offensive line.

Like Green Bay, the Atlanta Falcons replaced an unpopular coach with an extremely popular one. There wasn't a dry eye in the dressing room after the first game under Marion Campbell, a loss to the Rams. "Campbell doesn't demand respect, he commands it," a squad member told us.

Campbell must solve two serious problems in summer camp if he is to bring the Falcons back to respectability this fall: (1) a turbulent quarterback situation and (2) a limp offensive line that allowed 50 quarterback sacks last season. In the first instance, at least, there is plenty of raw material on hand. Unfortunately, the best material is very raw, indeed. Rookie quarterbacks Steve Bartkowski and Mitch Anderson have more natural talent than either veteran, Pat Sullivan (who has never been given a fair chance to reach his potential) or Kim McQuilken (who was the starter at the end of last season).

The offensive line will not be so easy to heal. Two veterans obtained via trades, Larron Jackson and Steve Smith, and draftee John Nessel will provide some help but probably not enough to keep the young passers upright. If the blocking does prove adequate, either of two rookie runners, Woody Thompson or Mike Esposito, could steal the offensive show.

The scene is brighter on the other side of the scrimmage line. The Falcon front four has the potential to match the Pittsburgh and Dallas lines. New linebackers Ralph Ortega and Fulton Kuykendall provide superb depth.

Some wag has suggested that if the New Orleans Saints could be turned over to a consortium of local restaurant owners, they would build a four-star team overnight. The Saints are as short on talent as ever, though under John North, the coaching is finally expert. The team's most urgent needs, swift runners and receivers, were at least partly met in the draft. Wide receiver Larry Burton, said to be the fastest player in the country, is a certain rookie starter. Six runners were drafted and at least one of them (probably Andrew Jones) should turn out to have the goods. If not, the Saints are again in offensive trouble.

Draftee Elois Grooms should fill the defensive-line vacancy left by Billy Newsome, who was traded to the Jets.

Best news is that quarterback Archie Manning's February knee surgery was pronounced a success. If a garden-variety running back isn't located somewhere. Manning will once more be the Saints' one-man attack.

Even for those teams where change is minimal, the coming season seems new and bright. Gone is last summer's expensive and disruptive strike threat. The annoying player raids from the World Football League have ceased. A depressed economy has had no discernible effect on advance season-ticket sales, and even Howie Cohen, known professionally as Howard Cosell, has promised to be less logorrheic and more informative on Monday nights.

It should be an exciting and surprising season, with Oakland and Los Angeles squaring off in the Super Bowl in Miami this January. If such should be the case, never will two teams have traveled so far from their homes to decide a national championship.

Eastern Division

American Football Conference

Miami Dolphins ....................... 9--5

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

New England Patriots ................. 8--6

Buffalo Bills ........................... 8--6

Baltimore Colts ........................ 4--10

This Season's Winners

AFC Eastern Division: Miami Dolphins

AFC Central Division: Pittsburgh Steelers

AFC Western Division: Oakland Raiders

AFC Play-offs: Oakland Raiders

NFC Eastern Division: Dallas Cowboys

NFC Central Division: Minnesota Vikings

NFC Western Division: Los Angeles Rams

NFC Play-offs: Los Angeles Rams

Super Bowl: Los Angeles Rams

Central Division

American Football Conference

Pittsburgh Steelers .................... 10--4

Cincinnati Bengals .................... 9--5

Houston Oilers ........................ 7--7

Cleveland Browns ..................... 10

Western Division

American Football Conference

Oakland Raiders ....................... 10--4

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

San Diego Chargers ................... 8--6

Kansas City Chiefs .................... 3--11

Eastern Division

National Football Conference

Dallas Cowboys ........................ 10--4

St. Louis Cardinals ..................... 9--5

Washington Redskins .................. 8--6

New York Giants ...................... 6--8

Philadelphia Eagles ................... 6--8

Central Division

National Football Conference

Minnesota Vikings .................... 10--4

Detroit Lions ........................... 4--10

Chicago Bears ......................... 3--11

Green Bay Packers .................... 3--11

Western Division

National Football Conference

Los Angeles Rams ................... 11--3

San Francisco 49ers .................. 7--7

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

New Orleans Saints .................. 3--11