European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 06, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday september 6. 1989 the stars and stripes Page 25 a Kes Anfe 10 All pros in super pot by Dave Goldberg a football writer since 1985, the Chicago bears have won 52 games and lost 11 and arc 24-0 against the division sad sacks Green Bay Tampa Bay and Detroit. They be won the pfc Central five straight times. But that s All they have to show since their super season of 1985. They re 1-3 in playoffs All of those losses in Home games. So Mike Ditka has been in his typical frenzy As the season approaches. Getting to the super bowl is not Good enough he says. Our goal is to go All the Way. We be been awfully pfc Central preview close and we be been a Good team but we have to become  that won t be easy As the bears continue to replace older players without taking a step backwards. Lurking up North is a Minnesota team that looks on paper like the league s Best. Its Only problem it can win the big games but not the Small ones beating the bears twice last season Only to lose the division title by losing twice to 4-12 Green Bay. The rest of the division remains several years be Hind Detroit and Tampa Bay May be improving slightly Green Bay is literally starting Over with 20 plan b free agents signed on the premise that other teams rejects can t be any worse than what was Al ready in town. 1. Minnesota Vikings the Vikings had a league High nine pro bowlers last year and added a tenth when they traded with Pitts Burgh for linebacker Mike Merriw Cather. The pass Rush headed by Chris Dolman and Keith Millard is every bit As Good at Chicago a Joey Browner is the league s Best Strong safety and an offence headed by Wade Wilson and featuring wide receiver Anthony Carter is far More explosive than the bears. The one problem might be the running game which averaged just 106 Yards last season and was led by Darrin Nelson with just 380 Yards. But five backs rotated in part due to injury and the Vikings Hope that Nelson and . Dozier will provide a better ground attack this year. "1 would t Trade our top five backs for any other team s top five says coach Jerry Burns. The More pressing problem is staying up for the Green Bays an 18-6 loss in the 15th week last year made the Vikings last week win Over Chicago mean ingless. Minnesota finished 11-5 and was forced to Settle for a second straight wild card berth. It s something we have to work on Wilson says. Our intensity level is totally different when we play Green Bay than when we play Chicago. We have to approach things much More  2. Chicago bears Chicago retains some key players from that Awe some 18-1 1985 team Dan Hampton and Steve Mcmichael anchoring the defensive line with Mike singltary behind in Dave Ducr son at Strong safety and an Offen Sive line that remains the same. The Only difference they re Al four years older. Jim Mcmahon was the latest to go leaving for san Diego after losing a quarterback Battle wit Mike Tomczak and Jim har Baugh. Tomczak is the Likely Elk starter. I m the rest of the cast is basically  new headed by Cal Anderson Hampton who with help from Thomas Sanders has stepped in for the retired Waller Payton at running Back without the falloff you would expect u. Or Talent Rich Minnesota can explode on both sides of the Ball with receiver Anthony Carter and safely Joey Browner. When the leading rusher in nil history retires. One thing the bears have done is gel rid of aging players Otis Wilson and Mike Richardson among others were allowed to become free agents this year and Chicago Lei Wither Marshall defect to the redskins a year ago. But there arc questions. While William Perry has come Back after a year off trying to lose weight he s somewhere in the area of 320 pounds How no one s sure if the defensive line will hold up All season. Trace Armstrong one of two no. I choices was pencilled in to Start at a vacant defensive end position but his Long absence due to a holdout had Ditka Fum ing. Ditto for Donnell Woolford who was supposed to Start at Richardson s cornerback position. But linebacker John Roper a second round Choice has looked Good and so has defensive lineman Tony Woods an eighth Rounder. 3. Tampa Bay buccaneers Tampa Bay went 5-11 last year its Best record in five years. But four of the wins were Over Detroit and Green Bay. The biggest change this year seems to be the switch from Orange jerseys Al Home to White ones Vinny Testaverdi blamed his league re Cord 35 interceptions last year on being unable because of color blindness to distinguish Friendly receiver from enemy defender. Ray Perkins bucs remain the league s youngest learn but Young players have to gel older for a team 10 improve turning Over third year players for rookies every year won l Cut it. There is some improvement on an Offen Sive line led by last year s no. 1, Testa verde Paul Gruber and the defensive line was better last year particularly against the run. But there s still a Long Way to go. 4. Detroit Lions Detroit was 4-12, but finished 2-3 after Wayne font is replaced Darryl Rogers As coach and showed some Promise on defense where the standout play of linebackers Mike Cofer Chris Spielman and George Jamison was lost in the general obscurity Hal surrounds the Lions. This year s development is the Silver stretch offence a Van Sion of the run and shoot implemented by its founder. Mouse Davis who was brought in As quarterback coach. Davis seems to be leaning to Cofer Rookie Rodney Pete a sixth round bargain As his quarterback because he s far More Mobile than holdovers Chuck Long Eric hippie and Rusty Hilger. Bob Gagliano is also a possibility. Everyone had him a Little underrated because he s been a Journeyman Davis says of Gagliano. He backed up Joe Montana in san Francisco and then he backed up Montana and Steve Young. But he s very Bright and i m not sure his Arm in t stronger than it was a few years  5. Green Bay packers Lindy Infante has Little but journeymen in Green Bay where he s building an offensive line around plan b free agents Billy Ard and Blair Bush while hoping that monstrous Tony Mandarich finally signs. The Best read on this team is that 11 of those rejects from other teams May make it and six could  Majkowski has had an occasional Good game at Quarter Back and Tim Harris is a much underrated linebacker because he of Jowski plays for the packers but Overall this is a team Ihal s a Long Way from con Landing. Tomorrow pfc West