N.F.L. '86 The Ones to Watch

This is the sound of noses breaking, of cleats digging frozen turf, of taped hands tearing face masks, of shoulder pads battering ribs. It is the sound of Butkus hitting Grabowski, Kramer drilling a hole for Starr, Tatum and Atkinson blind-siding Stall-worth and Swann, Nitschke's teeth gnashing as Sayers disappears; and it echoes when today's greatest players collide. It is the sound of the crowd shrieking hate or approbation. This is another way of looking at the game. This is a look at the matchups that the people who know the game best--the N.F.L.'s players and coaches--will be watching this year, collisions on which games and seasons will hinge. These are the pivotal gridiron battles of 1986.

This is the battle for Dan Marino's hide. Center Stephenson will get help with Klecko from the rest of the Dolphins' offensive line. Klecko will mix finesse and ferocity to get past the league's best center. There may he blood. Klecko lives to read his team's fortunes in the opposition quarterback's entrails; Stephenson is Marino's health insurance. Stephenson and company allowed only 19 sacks last season. Klecko and sackmate Mark Gastineau had more than that all by themselves. He and Stephenson met twice in 1985. Klecko won one and Stephenson won one. The jets won one and the Dolphins won one.

"The game we won, we sacked Marino only once," says Klecko, "but we kept the pressure on him all day. We stayed in his face."

"The first game with them last year, I had a bad game, one of my worst," (concluded on page 172) Ones to Watch (continued from page 139) Klecko/Stephenson (continued from page 139) Stephenson says. "The second game was better. But playing against Joe, I can't say I did great either time."

Klecko plays nose tackle in a cocked position (like a gun). He lines up slightly to one side of the center, which invites double teaming but also creates openings for his fellow entrails reader Gastineau. Last year, the Jets allowed the fewest points in the A.F.C. and Klecko led the Jets' line with 96 tackles. If you're a center, there is only one thing worse than Klecko in your face--Klecko in your quarterback's face.

Stephenson is quick and strong but not as quick and not as strong as Klecko. He uses rock-solid determination, guile and his most prized piece of intelligence--how far he can push the rules--to keep savage sackmen out of his quarterback's den. He is unknown to most fans. He is known among defensive linemen.

Klecko: "Dwight is very strong. And witty--a smart player. You have to change up on a player like him; you have to use strength and finesse. He has quick hands, and quick hands are the way you win on both sides of the line. Sure, he holds. Holding is part of life in the N.F.L."

Stephenson: "Joe Klecko is superstrong. He's very quick. He's very smart--he'll set you up. He'll put himself at a disadvantage just to make you think you've got him. Then, all of a sudden, he recovers and he's by you."

New York Jets at Miami, Monday, November 24.

Duper is compact; his speed comes from mysterious sources. Haynes is lean and looks fast. They match up like the edges of a twin-track razor. When they meet at full speed in the open field, other players step back to watch the show. The last time they matched up was in 1984. Haynes's team won.

"I remember an interception he made in that game," Duper says, laughing. "I cut outside. Marino threw inside. Mike Haynes took the ball and went 90-some yards. I tried to catch his ass, but no way."

Haynes is gracious. "That was a miscommunication between Duper and Marino," he says. "Duper cut away from the ball and I caught it. My concern at that point was not to be caught by him. He's a proven speed burner. But I got away. My adrenaline was so high on that play, it almost ruined me for the rest of the game."

"I beat him for a touchdown at the end of that game," Duper adds, getting even. Duper is the (concluded on page 172) Haynes/Duper (continued from page 140) speed-burning, game-breaking half of the Dolphins' luxury receiving duo (the other half of Mark II is Mark Clayton). He would have been an All-Pro for the third time last year had he not missed seven games with a fractured leg. In his return to the line-up, he caught eight passes for 217 yards and beat the Jets with a 50-yard finger-tip touchdown grab in the last minute. With Marino at the other end of his patterns, Duper is the most dangerous receiver in the game.

Haynes, who teams with Lester Hayes in the game's finest defensive backfield, is football's foremost practitioner of the bump and run.

If he humps Duper hard and runs with him step for step, Haynes may have a game like the one he had against the Dolphins in 1984--two interceptions, one for a Dolphins-sinking touchdown. If Duper has time to maneuver, Haynes will need all his adrenaline.

Duper: "Haynes is a great cornerback. It's his stop and go that makes him great. A lot of guys are fast, but he has catch-up speed--you think you have him beat, and he uses the time the ball is in the air to catch up."

Haynes: "Wide receivers today are so fast. Duper is one of the fastest. It's just me and him out there. I have to lock in on him and concentrate, and I have to assume every play is a pass. With Miami, you know every play probably is a pass."

Duper: "We can move the ball. We can march up and down the field on them."

Haynes: "I focus on his belt buckle. The head and shoulders can move, but that part of the body can't move much. And I look for idiosyncrasies--little things he does that will tip off what he wants to do next. Of course, I won't say what they are, but I've picked up a couple."

Duper: "I like it when cornerbacks bump and run. But if you don't watch Haynes, he'll hump you high--on the head or the shoulder pads. You have to be slippery. You can't let him get his hands on you."

Haynes: [Grins] "He says I hit high? Only by accident."

Los Angeles Raiders at Miami, Sunday, October 19.

Allen and Mecklenburg get along fine off the field. On it, they get along like the gazelle and the lion. "We hung out last year at the Pro Bowl and had a good time," says Allen, who carries no grudge against Mecklenburg for the savage open-field hit he put on Allen two years ago. In that game, Raiders Q.B. Jim Plunkett overthrew Allen, who leaped for the ball. He was stretched out, vulnerable and oblivious to the Broncos' budding monster man. Mecklenburg crushed him. The hit, which soon became known as The Hit, crumpled the N.F.L.'s premier ball carrier and turned out his lights. It also cemented Mecklenburg's reputation as one of the league's hardest hitters.

When Allen's name comes up, Mecklenburg shrugs off The Hit. Off the field, at least, he prefers praising Allen to burying him. "There was a play last year that showed how good Marcus is," he says. "I had a good shot at him, but he put a referee between us; I ran over the referee and Marcus went sixty-one yards." Allen, the elegant running back, is the N.F.L.'s (concluded on page 172) Allen/Mecklenburg (continued from page 141) reigning M.V.P. His 1759 yards' rushing led the league last year. His 2314 total yards--including 67 catches for 555 yards--broke Eric Dickerson's N.F.L. record. He scored 14 touchdowns--and gained 100 or more yards in each of the Raiders' past ten games. He remembers The Hit but considers it part of the game. He is seldom hit hard.

Mecklenburg, a converted defensive end who still lines up opposite the tackle in passing situations, was moved to linebacker two years ago and became an All-Pro the following year. The Broncos used a throwaway draft pick on him in 1983, partly on the strength of his score on the N.F.L.'s intelligence test (yes, it has one). It was the highest recorded that year. Last year, Mecklenburg, the only man in the N.F.L. who has played seven defensive positions, set a team record for sacks, had two four-sack games, forced five fumbles and led the A.F.C. with 11 tackles in the Pro Bowl. He is smart, and he hits hard.

If Meck contains Marcus, the Broncos can knock the Raiders off the top of the A.F.C. West.

Mecklenburg: "What makes Marcus so good is his vision. He sees the entire field. It's hard to get a clean hit on him--you have to try to hem him in. I've been playing linebacker only a couple of years, so guys with Marcus' ability trick me more than they should. He'll act like he's turning in to take a pass, get me looking at the quarterback and then take off."

Allen: "I never think, Hey, that's Ronnie Lott or Karl Mecklenburg over there; I better go the other way. There's no time for that. I have to view the entire field and react. He who hesitates is lost."

Denver at Los Angeles Raiders, Sunday, November 2.

The Other Ones to Watch

Sunday, October 5, Minnesota at Chicago--Tommy Kramer vs. Mike Singletary: Q.B. Kramer calls offensive signals for the Vikings; middle linebacker--deluxe Singletary calls defensive signals for the Super Bowl champs. Will Samurai Mike merely intercept and/or sack Kramer, or will he grind his bones to make his bread?

Sunday, October 12, Washington at Dallas--Curtis Jordan vs. Tony Dorsett: If promising safety Jordan has to make too many tackles on T.D., the Redskins will have to play catch-up. If Jordan is free to roam, upset.

Monday, October 20, Denver at New York Jets--John Elway vs. Mark Gastineau: Two of the A.F.C.'s best teams square off. Q.B. Elway sets up; defensive end Gastineau's eyes light up. Here comes Klecko, too. See John run.

Monday, October 27, Washington at New York Giants--George Rogers vs. Lawrence Taylor: Last year, linebacker Taylor invaded the Skins' backfield and retired Joe Theismann. This year, Washington's Q.B. Jay Schroeder may find discretion the better part of valor and hand off to Rogers. If the Skins are to play Giant killers, ex-Saint Rogers will have to escape the league's most devilish linebacker.

Sunday, November 2, Philadelphia al St. Louis--Buddy Ryan vs. E. J. Junior: Not a physical matchup, just a telling clash between the Eagles' new head coach and the Cards' best defensive linebacker in a decade. Can Buddy devise an offensive plan to match the talents of Junior--a force on the order of Ryan's old student Singletary?

Sunday, November 9, Seattle at Kansas City--Ken Easley vs. Stephone Paige: Strong safety Easley, who is death on the run, will be needed to help cover wide receiver Paige, who gained 309 yards (38.6 per catch)--a league record--in last year's final game.

Monday, November 17, San Francisco at Washington--Ronnie Lott vs. Art Monk: Another fight between a premier receiver and an all-purpose defender. Skins Q.B. Schroeder is in for a Lott of trouble.

Sunday, November 30, Cincinnati at Denver--Anthony Munoz vs. Rulon Jones: If a player as good as Munoz were anything but an offensive lineman, everyone would be able to pronounce his name (Moon-yoz). Defensive end Jones is no weakling; but Munoz should handle him, and Bengals Q.B. Boomer Esiason's rating should rise.

Monday, December 15, Chicago at Detroit--Jay Hilgenberg vs. Eric Williams: In his debut as a nose tackle last year, converted end Williams singlehandedly smoked the Vikings. In the Bears' Super Bowl year, Hilgenberg kept Jim McMahon safe from animals like Williams. Eric is quick; he'll hunt Bear in the backfield with a high-caliber weapon--his body.

Friday, December 19, Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco--Doug Smith vs. Michael Carter: No-names? Rams center Smith made the Pro Bowl last year; Niners nose guard Carter is the next great defensive force in the N.F.L. If the N.F.C. West title hangs on this game, watch Smith's hands and see how many of Carter's jerseys he destroys.

Sunday, September 7, through Sunday, January 25--Jim McMahon vs. Pete Rozelle: Sure, it's a mismatch, but savvy and intelligence don't count for everything in the N.F.L.--McMahon also has style. Will the commish ever understand his league's need for a little outrageousness? Tune in this season for the pageantry, the bellicosity, the headgear of the best rebellion since Cain mouthed off to God.

"If Meck contains Marcus, the Broncos can knock the Raiders off the top of the A.F.C. West."