European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 05, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday. Septembers. 1989 the stars and stripes Page 23 eagles Odd spark of Dull division by  " a football writer say this for Budd Ryan. He s come through on most of his predictions like winning the pfc East last season when the pundits believed Washington and the new York giants were far Superior. But say this. Loo. The eagles could As easily have been 6-10 As 10-6. As quarterback Randall Cunningham the rfcs Best imitation of a one Man offence puts it god was on our  the eagles got two wins when Roy Green and Mark Bavaro. Two of the surest handed receivers in the league dropped touchdown passes another on a play in which their own blocked Fiel goal attempt in overtime was picked up and run in for the winning touchdown a fourth when former Dallas coach Tom  misjudged the position of the Ball. But they remain a mild favorite in a division that seems to have slipped into mediocrity. An argument also can be made for new York and Washington although the giants Are in transition and the redskins Are aging. Phoenix is competitive but thin and Dallas should be better than 3 13 under Jimmy Johnson. 1. Philadelphia eagles Philadelphia is probably the Only team on the Rise. The eagles title last year should help their Confidence and so should playoff experience they outplayed the bears in Chicago losing 20-12 in a game Best remembered for the fog Hal turned the second half into a mystery. Philadelphia has iwo of the game s most dominant players Cunningham who had a hand in 30 of the eagles 42offensive touchdowns and tackle Reggie White on defense although while was a Laic signee after a training Camp  receiver Mike Quick another hold out who missed most of training Camp before signing and Light end Keith Jack son also have superstar Quality. Bul icy May nol have enough Good players to become a dominant team. The supporting cast includes safely Todd Bell and linebacker Al Harris aging players who were favourites of Ryan in Chicago a secondary thai was the league s most porous last season an offensive line in which the guards Are Mike Schad a bust As a no. I draft Choice i los Angeles and Ron soil a one time All pro coming off two knee operations who was suspended for the first three games after testing pos iliac for steroid use. It also includes an offence in which Cunningham who passed for 3,808 Yards was also the leading rusher with 624 Yards. Ryan uncharacteristically is Low key about his chances he wants performance nol Promise from his defensive line and an improved running game in which Keith Byars docs More than catch passes. Harris signed As a plan b free agent likens the eagles to the 1985 bears  Ryan As defensive coordinator went 18-1 and won the super bowl. We have the Lac no to do it Harris says. It s just going to take time. In starts Al the lop and we have a head coach who has been to the super  have to be reminded of what you arc reaching for and buddy knows How to remind  2. New York giants the giants Bill Parcells knows about a Lac East preview Randall Cunningham Hopes to make a few Breaks for the defending Dillon chumps. Receiver Mike Quick ends holdout to add his blinding to c til eagles attack. The giants blew their final game to the jets to tie the eagles at 10-6 ind find hem selves left out on tiebreakers. This year they re rebuilding while try ing to stay competitive. Of the offensive linemen Only Center Bart Raics has More than three year experience and the giants must replace the retired Harry Carson. Jim Burt and George Martin whose leadership will be missed on a basically Young defense. Still the giants cup Cal much belter seasons from three former All pros who were subpar last year because of injury and holdouts Bavaro at tight end. Linebacker Carl Banks and defensive end Leonard Marshall. Lawrence Taylor is still around to Chase quarterbacks Joe Morris still managed 1.000 Yards last year despite the line problems and Rookie i wis Tillman looks like a Quality run Ner. Quarterback Phil Simms will throw to receivers who arc potentially the Best new York has had for a while Bavaro third year men Stephen Baker. Mark in Gram and Odessa Turner plus Lionel Manuel who stayed healthy last year and caught 65 passes for 1,029 Ards. The defensive line and linebackers Are Strong hut thin in the absence of Hurt. Carson and Martin the secondary is deep but not proven. 3. Washington redskins the redskins took the Chi Slomar Post super bowl plunge slipping to 7-9 and leading coach Joe Gibbs to try to re create the dominant running game that the key to his one Back offence. He did it by persuading general manager Bobby Beathard. Since resigned to obtain Ger Ald Riggs from Atlanta and Earnest Pilsner from Cleveland for the usual draft choices that the redskins disdain. Bui that added to the team s age 17 seasons in the last 20 without a no. I draft Choice will do that. And Quarter Back is fragile Doug Williams has added Back problems to his had Knees hell miss at least six wee Sand Mark Rypien and Stan Humphries Are prom Ising bul unproven. Rypien faded from13 touchdown passes with three interceptions in his first five games last Yea to five ads and 10 interceptions in his last  is Strong at wide receiver with Art Monk. Gary Clark and Rick Sanders at defensive end with Markus Koch Charles Mann and possibly Dexter Manley and on the offensive line Al though Joe Jacoby Russ Grimm. Mark May and jul Bostic Are up in years. So is Manley who led the team with nine sacks last  Are holes at linebacker and in the secondary and Beathard signed 15 plan b free agents in an Effort 10 gel immediate help. 4. Dallas cowboys the cowboys Aren t thinking about division , brought in by Arkansas pal Jerry Jones to run the team after Jones bought the cowboys and fired Landry. Will rebuild from the top Wilh one of two rookies Al quarterback Troy Aikman. First Choice in the regular draft or Sieve Walsh first in the supplemental. Herschel Walker provides a scoring Threal from anywhere on the Field Bulich cowboys need help on inc offensive and defensive lines Al linebacker and at wide receiver. Johnson has a 10-year contract so he does t have to Rush things. I d like to have Aikman or Walsh Wilh five years experience or someone with their ability and five years experience he says. Since i Don l have i her i la go Wilh   5. Phoenix cardinals Phoenix playing its second year in the desert has one serious problem that plan b May rectify the slate of quarterback Neil Lomax s arthritic hip. He was placed on injured Reserve on aug. 29 and will miss the season. In Lomax s absence the Job goes to Gary hog Boom signed under plan b Toa contract that averages More than $900,000 a year. He Hai an aging sup porting cast running backs slum Mitchell and Earl Terrell and receivers Green and , Smith Are All past 30. Gene stagings defense has a Good ass rusher in Freddie Joe Nunn and a unch of underachieving first round picks Al linebacker. But Overall in cards who lost their last five games last season Don l seem to have enough Doplh to Challenge. Tomorrow pfc Central