European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 31, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday August 31, 1988 the stars and stripes Page 23 pro football $8 1 Man team looks to be no. 1 Bojoh Mossman once the nil s most powerful Divi Sion with three playoff teams in 1983 and 1984, the acc West has contracted a lingering Case of Wim piness. The two time division Champion Denver Broncos who have gone on to claim two straight american conference titles appear to retain a slight Edge Over acc West preview their four divisional foes heading into the 1988 season but even the Broncos Are not immune to the malady. A pair of super bowl blowouts Havethe Broncos reeling. Just about every team in the division seems to have developed a glaring weak Ness. For Denver Seattle and Kansas City it is defense. For the los Angeles raiders and san Diego it is offence. In addition three of the teams Are suffering from the dreaded Quarter Back controversy and Seattle s Dave Krieg never certain of his Job Security anyway has to be looking Over his shoulder after the sea Hawks acquisition of Kelly Stouffer. Only Denver with the incomparable John Elway is unaffected. Denver Broncos if the Broncos Are in fact a one Man team As some critics charged last season the one Man is Winner. Elway entering his sixth nil sea son has emerged As a never say die Leader who Hopes to become Only the second quarterback after Miami s Bob Griese to Lead his team to three straight super bowl appearances. The nil s most valuable player Elway threw for 3,198 Yards and 19 touch Downs last season and was the team s second leading rusher. Denver s sup porting cast is in consistent. Elway has a Superb receiving corps of Vance Johnson Mark Jackson Ricky Nattiel and tight end Clarence Kay but the running game remains suspect unless sex Dallas run Ning Back Tony Dorsett can recapture his dazzling form at age 34. Two time pro bowl guard Keith Bishop anchors an efficient offensive line. The defensive line remains under sized and vulnerable to the Power run Ning game however. The Broncos Hope nose tackle Ted Gregory their first round pick can step in immediately. Pro bowl linebacker Karl Mecklen Burg As important to our defense As John Elway is to our offence according to coach Dan Reeves is a Stalwart and safeties Mike Harden and Dennis Smith Are solid if they can stay injury free. Cornerback Mark Haynes looks Ca Pable of duplicating his standout sea sons in new York. If the Broncos Are to improve on their 10-4-1 record of last season Reeves believes his defense must lower its per Rush yield of 4.4 Yards Only Seattle was worse in the acc and the of sense must become More varied and less dependent on Elway. Last year 10 4-1 2-1 strike. Beat Houston 34 10 in divisional playoff Cleveland 38-33 in acc title game. Lost super bowl to washing ton 42-10. Strengths quarterback wide receiver safety. Weaknesses running game defensive line. Trauma of being blown out of two straight super bowls. Key players Abjohn Elway was Vance John son Ricky Nattiel Mark Jackson la Karl Mecklenburg. New and emerging faces re Tony Dorsett obtained in Trade with dal Las it Ted Gregory first draft pick of Gerald Perry pick no. 2 la Randy Thornton free agent Rookie third year of Jim Juriga who has missed first two through injury. Prediction will contend for division title and probably make playoffs but third straight super Bowlis problematical. Map John Elway is gunning for his third consecutive super bowl appearance. Seattle sea Hawks Seattle appeared primed for a super bowl appearance in 1987 but once again proved a mystery. The sea Hawks went 9-6 and with the injured Curt Warner on the sidelines bowed to Houston in the playoffs. Was Brian bos Worth s presence disruptive is the underappreciated Krieg too inconsistent those questions Are com pounded by the loss of safety Kenny Easley who retired with a kidney ail ment and the bit Ter holdout of pro bowl linebacker Fredd Young. Krieg was the acc s third rated passer last season throwing for 23 touchdowns. But unlike Elway Krieg has tended not to Rise to the occasion when the sea Hawks need him. Steve Largent the nil s All time leading receiver with 752 receptions enters his 13th season needing 106 Yards to become the All time yardage Leader. Last year 9-6 2-1 strike. Lost to Houston 23-20 in overtime in acc wild card game. Strengths running potential of the linebackers. Wide receivers. Weaknesses quarterback Dave Krieg s inconsistency secondary. Key players res Curt Warner and John l. Wil Liams or Steve Largent lbs Fredd Young hold out Tony Woods and Brian bos Worth de Jacob Green. New and emerging faces a a Kelly Stouffer obtained in Trade with Phoe Nix or Brian Blades and Tommy Kane Sec Ond and third round draft picks. Prediction should contend for division title. Out Side Chance at super bowl in weak conference. The sea Hawks have a Superb running attack in Warner who rushed for 985 Yards in 1987, and fullback John l. Wil Liams. Los Angeles raiders the los Angeles raiders have the league s youngest head coach 36 year old former Denver offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan who has brought some of the Broncos motion oriented of sense with him. The raiders were 5-10 last year their worst Mark since 1962, and they were 2-10 Over the last 12 weeks. Since last season the raiders have made a number of acquisitions including wide receiver Willie Gault and offensive tackle Jim Lachey. They drafted notre Dame s versatile receiver kick re Turner Tim Brown. But they still Haven t done any last year 5 10 1-2 strike strengths outside Speed running Back when to Jackson arrives defensive line. Weaknesses quarterback secondary. Key players do Howie Long and Bill picket part time re to Jackson re mar Cus Allen the Todd Christensen s Vann Mcelroy or James Lofton. New and emerging faces or or Tim drown cd Terry cd Mcdaniel of Scott Davis All first round draft picks. Do Russell Carter obtained in Trade with jets. Or Willie Gault obtained in Trade with bears of Jim Lachey. Obtained in Trade with chargers. New coach Mike Sha Nahan. Prediction third or fourth. Brown Gault and Jackson make team explosive but a playoff con tender Only if a quarterback can be located. Last year 411 0-3 strike strengths defensive secondary. Nose tackle special teams. Weaknesses quart Erbai k line Backer tight end key playe Fis cd Albert Lewis. It Bill Maas s  Cher by feb Christian Okoye. Or Carlos Carson. Pm Nick Lowery. La Dino Hackett new and emerging aces de Neil Smith. No. 1 draft pick do Kevin Porter. No. 3. A a Steve Deberg. Obtained in Trade with bucs. Prediction third or fourth. Better than last year but unlikely Lei Challenge Lor the playoffs thing about the festering quarterback situation. Steve Beuerlein who has never taken a snap in a regular season game will be the opening game starter. So the raiders will continue to rely on their ground game led by Marcus Allen and once baseball seasons ends. To Jack son. Los Angeles led All teams with 4.6yards per carry last season. Kansas City chiefs Kansas City s Frank Gansz admitting some mis takes in a 4-11 sea son his first year As head coach has hired new offensive and defensive coordinators in George Sefcik and Rod rust. The chiefs also traded away three former no. 1 draft choices quarterback Todd Blackledge guard Brad Budde and defensive end Art still. The chiefs dropped from eighth in total de sense in the nil in 1986 to 27th last year and Gansz Hopes end Neil Smith the team s first round draft Choice will be the answer to a persistent shortcoming the Lack of a pass Rush. Despite three defensive players in the pro bowl Bill Maas Deron Cherry Al Bert Lewis the chiefs gave up an acc High 388 Points and had a league Low 11 interceptions. The chiefs were a much More Cut Active offensive team with Bill Kenny at Quarter Back instead of Blackledge but Kenney is being challenged for the starting Job by Steve Deberg who has started for three other nil teams. San Diego chargers the Good news in san Diego is the chargers had an 8 7 record a year ago their Best since 1982. The bad news is they lost their last six games. Coach Al Saun Ders no. 1 priority is finding a replace ment for six time pro bowl Quarter Back Dan Fouts who retired. You Don t replace Dan puts you follow him Saunders said. Mark Malone the much maligned former Steeler quarterback was acquired As a Likely successor to Fouts but Laufenberg who has times appeared to have the season. Last year. 8-7 3-0 strike lost last six. Key players lbs Chip Banks and Billy Ray Smith de Lee Williams re Gary Anderson or Lionel James new and emerging faces Bmark Malone. Obtained in Trade with Pittsburgh or an Thony Hancock no. 1 draft pick. Of John Clay obtained in Trade with raiders. Outlook Banks is unhappy. Jim la Chey is gone the quarterbacks throw like Point guards. Saunders did won Ders getting the team to 8-1 last season but the Quality or Lack thereof showed in the last six games prediction last free agent babe been Cut seven the Edge entering the chargers have accomplished a remarkable turnaround in the past few sea sons. Once All offence and no defense the offence was ranked a meager 21st last year while the defense improved to 15th and led the acc with 45 sacks. Linebacker Billy Ray Smith was the Kingpin of that defense leading the team with five interceptions and three forced fumbles. Free safety vencie Glenn showed a Knack for making the big play. San Diego had the most lopsided of sense in the nil last season gaining 71.5 percent of its yardage via the pass