European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - September 1, 1978, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Raiders look Tough cowed is should Wake continued from Page 13 place Joe Greene . Greenwood or Dwight White All plagued by  there will be new faces in the secondary re placing . Thomas out with a rare blood disease Mike Wagner recovering from surgery and Glen Edwards traded to san Diego. The Steeler defense has done Well in the exhibitions de spite Many newcomers but the 16-game schedule will be a different test. Offensively Terry Bradshaw the quarterback is fully recovered from the broken wrist that handicapped him last season and partly recovered from a recent nose Frac Ture As Long As Franco Harris can move his 230 pounds on the end sweeps nothing will be wrong with the Pitts Burgh attack. No one has better receivers than Lynn Swann John Stallworth and Bennie Cunningham. New on the line is John Hicks from the giants a product of the Steeles first player for player Trade in six years. Jon Kolb the left tackle remains the Best performer. The bengals missed the playoffs by one game the last two seasons and the won lost record since 1975 has gone from 11-3 to 8-6 under will Johnson the coach Paul Brown appointed As his successor. The team supposedly plays without emotion and does not Rise to the occasion but there is plenty of Talent beginning with Ken Ander son the quarterback and Isaac Curtis the wide receiver Anderson wears a special pad to protect a thigh con Taining a big Calcium Deposit while the mercurial Curtis recovers carefully from knee surgery. Andersons re placement John Reaves is below average As a passer. Ron Hunt and Greg Fairchild Are new at left tackle and guard while Archie Griffin Lenvil Elliott and Pete John son Are the leading running backs. The defense has switched to a 3-4 formation but it lost a starting end notre Dame s Ross Browner the no. 1 draft Choice with a torn bicep muscle. The linebackers led by Jim St. Clair Are reliable while Ken Riley is the seasoned old pro in a Young secondary Hurt by the Depar Tures of Lemar Parrish to Washington and Tommy Casa Nova to medical school. If Brian Sipe the Cleveland quarterback and Greg Pruitt the team s Star running Back can per form for 16 games and if Mickey Sims can replace wounded Jerry Sherk the All pro tackle the Browns will cause trouble. The wiggly Pruitt is set up by a Fine offensive line and a blocking fullback in Cleo Miller. The receivers Are Dave Logan Reggie Rucker Oscar Roan and Gary Parris giants easy to find for Sipe who is 6 feet tall Sipe is proven but his replacement is a raw Rookie Mark Miller of Bowling Green. Western division the Denver Broncos finally knocked off the Oakland raiders in this division last season and the san Diego chargers this time Are capable of producing a three team but the raiders inspire Confidence. Oakland which last year lost its ninth acc championship game of 11 since 1966 to Denver by Only 3 Points has changed its tuneup unjust two places. Lester Hayes will play Corner Back and Charles Phillips Strong safety. Phillips was a backup for three years to George Atkin son who has departed. So has skip Thomas the seasoned cornerback. But Willie Brown a 37-year-old cornerback a Ted Hendricks and Phil Villapiano the outside line backers have switched sides with Villapiano injured last year pleased at playing on the weak Side without tight ends confronting  most picked upon Raider is Hayes a nervous Rookie a year ago. A u no one stops the Oakland offence which has that huge Mobile line Speed burners such As Cliff Branch and Clar ence Davis and the big Man Ken Stabler to throw the bombs. Stabler s wobbly knee can go at any time but Mike Rae and David Humm his replacements Are ready. Denver generated tremendous enthusiasm in beating Oakland twice to reach the super bowl and coach red Miller appreciates How difficult it can be to stay on top. The Broncos admit they must generate More offence from the same players minus Jim Jensen a spare full Back sidelined by a knee injury. The draft brought Noth ing because top choices had been traded to Complete a starting cast that won 14 of 17 games including four of five against Oakland and Pittsburgh. Craig Morton now 35, will be the quarterback. If he falters Miller is ready to shift to Norris Weese who has greater mobility and unlike Morton can operate a wide open offence. The defense one of the league s Best is intact and deep enough to survive an injury or two. Lyle Alzado Randy Gradishar Bill Thompson and Louie Wright its Best players were on the Al pro bowl  chargers could be the Broncos of this season if a few changes work Well. The offence has gained by the addition of de White an All Star guard from the Vikings and John Jefferson a Rookie wide receiver from Arizona state who has been outstanding in preseason games. Dan Fouts will be the quarterback with James Harris in Reserve Don Woods to Matthews and Lydell Mitchell the runners Jefferson and Charlie Joiner the wide receivers. The chargers have built a sound defense from scratch reducing the average of Points allowed per game to 15 from 25 in two seasons. Louie Kelcher the 285-Pound tackle is the catalyst and caused panic when he left Camp for four Days because of a contract squabble still unresolved. The others in this five team division Are Seattle and Kansas City. The Seattle sea Hawks an expansion team beginning a third season have been constructed with patience and intelligence with five victories last season As  have a respectable offence featuring a durable left handed quarterback Jim Zorn who scrambles effectively three big sluggers for running backs in Sherman Smith Don Testerman and David Sims plus an elusive Little wide receiver Steve Largent whose average per reception 19.5 Yards was in the top 10 of the league. Seattle s defense gave up 373 Points the most in the nil but Down from 429 the year before. Further improvement is up to Steve Niehaus and Bill Sandifer two linemen injured a year ago and Rookie defensive backs such As Keith Simpson and Bob jury. Kansas City which won Only two games last season has a promising new coach 50-year-old Marv Levy whose credentials include a Phi Beta Kappa key. Levy will try a Wing to offence a great College attack of the past which utilizes three running backs rather than two. They will be Tony Reed Mark Bailey and Macarthur Lane the latter 36 years old. Reed expects to gain 1,000  quarterback again will be Mike Livingston with Tony Adams a Strong replacement. The offence in pre season has been feeble As Levy anticipated. The defensive unit in a 3-4 formation is entirely new in the line and at linebacker with four rookies Likely to Start. The secondary led by Gary Barbaro is the Best feature of the team. National conference Eastern division the Dallas cowboys defending super bowl champions should Waltz to another division title because their opposition is Yards behind. The Washington redskins and St Louis cardinals distracted by coaching changes have slipped backward while the Philadelphia Eagle s an new York giants have a Way to go to reach .500. There Are Small changes in the Cowboy cast. The Capa ble kicker Efren Herrera held out for More Money and was traded to Seattle. His successor a free agent Rookie named Jay Sherill is a Chancy Choice. The venerable Rayfield Wright has not recovered from last year s knee surgery so Andy Frederick a second year Man is the new right tackle on offence. While Thomas Henderson recuperate from hepatitis Mike Hegman starts at linebacker. He is no Slouch. De Jones the defensive end has been a terror in preseason games and thus representative of improvement within the team. With a 16-game season ahead Tony Dorsett says he expects to gain 2,000 Yards Rushing. The cowboys Are smug and proud. Jack Pardee the new Redskin coach is acquiring draft choices when available and going for youth which Marks a departure from the style of his predecessor George Allen. Pardee is expected to Start Joe Theis Mann 29 years old rather tha Bill Kilmer 39, at quarterback because Theisman can move behind an insecure line John Riggins and Mike Thomas will be the running backs although both have been Hurt this summer and Frank Grant Danny Buggs and Jean Fugett the receive  offensive unit lacks punch and depth and continues its dependency upon the defense. Washington scored Only 196 Points last season ranking 21st in the nil. The de sense allowed 189 Points fourth Best in the league behind Atlanta 129 los Angeles 146, and Denver 148. The defensive veterans Are Ron Mcdole starting his 18th season at end Chris Hanburger in his 14th at line Backer and Ken Houston a 12-year All pro at safety. The organizational talents of Bud Wilkinson the new 62-year-old coach seem to agree with the cardinals who collapsed and complained last december. Hington played while Sammy White recovered from i injury of Little consequence. Vickey Young obtained from san Diego for de White the esteemed Chuck Foreman Are a formidable pair nning backs. The kickers Are new Rich Danmeier the retired Fred Cox on Field goals and Mike Wood for punts following the release of Neil Clabo. The Chicago bears have come on fast from four victories in 1975 to nine and a playoff berth in 1977. Old coach Jack Pardee deserted to Washington id Neill Armstrong 52, takes charge with 14 sea bins of nil experience As a player and assistant Bach. The bears begin with Walter Payton the Premier run g Back in pro football who is helped by a Young and Ong offensive line. The exception there is 36-year-old i Morris a former lion and Patriot who replaced Dan offer at Center. Peiffer retired after a cow in his Missouri farm kicked n on a Kneecap. Job Avellini has become a representative nil Quad Back who often searches for James Scott an Upu Bli de receiver. Scott gained 809 Yards on 50 receptions t season. To rather and Brian Baschnagel Are the Ler wide receivers and Mike Cobb a tight end was of Ned recently from Cincinnati. Dayton May have a new running partner in Robin Earl i-foot-5-Inch, 240-Pound fullback just learning How to cd a linebacker. To catch the Vikings the Chicago defense must go after quarterbacks. The bears last decent pass Rush a tired with Wally Chambers s knee injury in 1976. Lambers now plays for Tampa Bay and Tommy Art the former 49er, is expected to improve Chica Rush. In Detroit Lions did not have a player in the pro bowl january and a casual fan might have trouble recon in names such As Luther Blue David Hill Ray is Dexter Bussey and Horace King. They Are the re is and running backs for this team which does have Miliar quarterback Greg Landry now a 10-season an with the same powerful Arm. It Landry and his backups Gary Danielson and Joe 1 barely have had time to gulp before their offensive men wilted. Monte Clark a builder of offensive lines he new head coach and his expertise fits the first Pri a. The Lions have had 26 major knee injuries in two sea sons most to offensive linemen. Clark a Don Shula disciple ran a Tough training Camp which brought grumbles. Clark turned around the 49ers from 5-9 to 8-6 in 1976, his Only previous year As a head coach and the players there respected him. He takes Over a Dull team that last season scored Only 183 Points and allowed 252. The won lost record against Minnesota in the last decade is 2-18. The Green Bay packers similar record against the Vikings is 3-17, with the last Victory coming in 1974. Bart Starr Vince Lombard s great quarterback now starting his fourth season As Green Bay coach groans about mis takes while the packers make Little visible Progress. David Whitehurst a promising nobody out of Furman University is the quarterback because Lynn Dickey the expensive acquisition from Houston two years ago has never recovered from his injuries the last one a leg Frac Ture. Who else plays Terdell Middleton and Barty Smith Are the running backs James Lofton Ollie Smith and Rich Mcgeorge the receivers. The new 3-4 defense has two starting Rookie linebackers in John Anderson and Mike Hunt. New to this division Are the Tampa Bay buccaneers who lost 24 straight games before winning the last two in 1977. The bucs won their first three exhibitions this summer and require respect. The quarterback Job is unsettled with Gary Huff Mike Boryla and a Rookie Doug Williams of Grambling the contestants. Williams May Start. The running backs will be Ricky Bell Jimmy do Bose and an Alabama Rookie Johnny Davis who can play. The defensive platoon achieved competence last year and shut out Cincinnati in preseason. Dave Pear the Middle guard in a 3-4 formation and Lee Roy Selmon at end set the standards. Western division life among the los Angeles rams has been fascinating this summer. George Allen came and after two pre season games departed As coach. Ray Malavasi a leading assistant under Chuck Knox when the rams won the division title five straight times took charge and this outstanding squad relaxed. It will play for him. There Are few lineup changes. Pat Haden continues As Page 14 the stars and stripes the offence has much to overcome with the loss of Terry Metcalf the 1,000-Yard halfback who went tothe Canadian league Ike Harris the leading receiver traded to new Orleans and . Cain the Star tight end out for this year with a torn Achilles Tendon. The respective replacements Are Wayne Morris Pat Tilley and George Franklin the latter a 230-Pound neophyte converted from fullback. The offensive line one of the Best has Keith Wortman at guard in place of Conrad Dobler also traded to the saints. Jim Hart the passer and Mel Gray the receiver make the big play better than any other  defense which often betrayed the potent offence has taken on the 3-4 formation with John Zook leading a newly developed pass Rush. But the line Backmo is questionable and a Rookie Ken Greene a first round draft Choice is starting at  Little College football s leading kicker last season is the new punter and 37-year-old Jim Bakken the old placement kicker. Little will kick off to the end zone and beyond. U ,. The eagles have displayed steady if unspectacular improvement under Dick Vermeil starting his third season As head coach. Last year s team lost nine games but Only one by More than 10 Points and six within the division to the cowboys cardinals and redskins by a total of just 34. The defense a longtime Eagle deficiency gave up Only 207 Points fourth Best in the conference. Ron Jaworski has become a top flight Quarter Back who fights every foe. The Young running backs All 25 or younger Are Wilbert Montgomery Cleve land Franklin Herb Lusk and James Betterson not one a household name beyond Camden. Harold Carmichael Charlie Smith and Keith Krepfle Are the receivers. The comeback of this summer was made by Woody Peoples a one time pro bowl guard dropped by the 49ers, who at age 35 has made the Eagle starting  so Many other teams the eagles Are committed to a 3-4 defensive alignment which permits their All pro linebacker Bill Bergey to Shine. A Rookie Roger Wilkes will Start at outside linebacker. Because of their fifth place finish in the division last season the giants have an easy schedule two games against Tampa Bay for example. As the season opener against the bucs approaches the giants Ere settled at quarterback running Back and the defensive secondary. The Young quarterbacks do not complement each other because of contrasting styles Jerry Golsteyn being a deft yet Green passer and Joe Pisarcik a rugged Type who will  Hammond the league s smallest running Back 5 feet 9 inches and 175 Pound gained 1,466 Yards last year on runs receptions and returns which came to 30 percent of All giant upfield movement. So Hammond starts while the team Waits again on Larry Csonka s varied ailments. Billy Taylor and Dan Doornink promising Rookie runners May eclipse Csonka. Gordon Gravelle and Jim Clack former Steeles May improve an impotent offensive line that had 47 quarterback sacks to its discredit. The new York defense Tough on occasion gave up 265 Points 37 More than the conference average and it will go without the Best lineman the injured Troy Archer for at least the first three games. The secondary is in transition and Odis Mckinney and Terry Jackson both rookies May Start at cornerback this team s Best feature is the kicking of Dave Jennings and Joe Danelo. Central division Down a Bluff behind a parking lot at metropolitan stadium where the Minnesota Vikings play in Bloomington minn., lies the Mississippi River which Rolls on and on., so do the vikes who have won the division championship five years in a Row and nine times in the last 10 seasons. I it should happen again because the Competition is on a lesser  Grant the coach has Good Young players ready 101 take Over for old ones including a new defensive line should he decide upon drastic change. I that is not his style. Carl Eller Jim Marshall Alan Page and Doug Sutherland representing 51 seasons or nil play Are the front four regulars again while Randy Holloway Duck White and Mark Mullaney ready to move in. Year quarterback who had a Good summer running to  777t7"i. 7----� a preseason offence in place of fran Tarkenton now of Jas kicker Efren Herrera i 1 kicks a Field goal Over the outstretched arms of Denver years old. Tarkenton is fully recovered from a Mincheg a Ojers in for of Quarter Ajjon of super bowl Xii last Jan. 15. The cowboys went on to j11. La a. 1"i_j.eaupjswn a Rookie.4 the Broncos Hopes with a 27-10 Victory and with it the nil championship. Friday after 1, 1978 quarterback but should he falter a promising second year Man Vince Ferragamo is ready. The rams have sex capable running backs beginning with Lawrence Mccutcheon and John Cappelletti. The wide receivers will be Ron Jessie injured last year and Billy Waddy who had replaced Jessie. Waddy takes Over for Harold Jack son traded to new England for two future draft choices. The defense which gave up Only 10 Points a game last season for one of the Best records in nil history is intact. Isaiah Robertson the fiesta All pro Lin Backer who resented Allen s ways has been calmed Down by Malavasi. Other pro bowl performers Are Jack Young blood and Larry Brooks. The Atlanta Falcons put up the stoutest defense in the league last year allowing Only 129 Points for an nil record. But the offence scored just 179 in a 7-7 season and the team finished three games behind the rams. Leeman Bennett then the new coach was satisfied and the Falcons expect to make the playoffs this season As a wild card qualifier. But they must score More. Steve Bartkowski the quarterback beginning his fourth season has failed to Complete a full schedule be cause of injuries and the team s future depends on whether he gains Confidence and consistency. He is shaky. Woody Thompson Haskell Stanback and Bubba bean the running backs Are steady if unspectacular. Bennett firmly believes in a running game but the average Yards gained per Rush was Only 3.2, next to last in the league last year. The Superb defense with Claude Humphrey Greg Bre Zina and Rolland Lawrence the pacesetters has been weakened by the loss of Wilson Faumuina a formidable pass rusher. Knee surgery has excused him for the year. The de sense s Best asset is John James the punter whose kicks consistently give the opposition dreadful Field position. The san Francisco 49ers Are in disarray. Pete Mcculley from Allen s staff at Washington is the fourth head coach in four seasons. He is a yes Man for Joe Thomas the general manager who engineered the club s Sale last year to the Debartolo family a wealthy father son duo from Youngstown Ohio. They build shopping centers. Jim Plunkett following two dismal seasons As the quarterback has been no better in preseason games. 0. J. Simpson the expensive import from Buffalo and Wilbur Jackson a Holdover were designed to be a dynamite run Ning duo but Jackson has a knee in a cast while . Has been tentative. Bobby Ferrell a 1976 free agent with Little pro playing time will take Jackson s place. The offence has two new guards often an unsettling change and a Rookie at tight end in Ken Macafee who has considerable credentials. Freddy Solomon at wide receiver and Vern Roberson at safety both acquired from Miami Are solid especially Solomon who complements the seasoned Gene Washington. Solomon and Roberson came in the Trade for Del Wil Liams the running Back deemed expendable when Simp son was obtained. The promised presence of Simpson whose $750, 000 annual salary is twice to 20 times that of any other nil player has resulted in a 50 percent gain in season ticket sales. . Is 31 and underwent knee surgery last october thus missing the last half of the Bills dismal season. The new Orleans saints have been in the nil for 10 years without a winning season or a division standing other than last or next to last. They have their sixth new coach in Dick Nolan who succeeded Hank Stram de posed after a predictable disagreement with the owner the impatient but wealthy Oil scion John w. Mecom or. Nolan who directed the 49ers to three division titles in the Early 1970s, is a patient teacher. His attention has gone first to the defensive unit which will have five new regulars. The saints gave up 336 Points last season a total exceeded Only by Kansas City s. Joe Federspiel a capable but unacknowledged linebacker holds the elements to Gether. Offensively the saints can slug it out because of Chuck Muncie and Tony Galbraith 230-Pound running backs. In addition Galbraith has secure hands having caught 41 passes last season to Lead All pfc running backs. Archie Manning now 29, has played for five of the six Saint coaches and survived six major injuries some of them the fault of feeble Protection. Manning can be a Superb quarterback and this year for a change will have As targets two Superior wide receivers in Ike Harris and Wes Chandler. Harris and Conrad Dobler the new guard came from the cardinals and Chandler from the draft. The Florida alumnus is expected to be the nil Rookie of the year. The stars and stripes Page 15