European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 08, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday septembers 1989 the stars and stripes Page 23 nil 89 Bills have leg up on another title by Davi. Goldberg a  writer i he Way the Buffalo Bills look ill in. They were a foot  from the super bowl last year. Shane Conlan s fool. Yin an. The Bills aim to inside line Hacker missed  of inc last four regu Lar season games with a foot injury and was hobbled during the playoffs. The Hills. 11-1 when c Onlan was Hurt finished 12-4. As the defense yielded an average of l 2 Sards on the ground in the final four games. That Cost the Bills ate East preview the Home Field advantage for the play offs forcing them to to to Cincinnati for the acc title game which they lost 21 10. Hut Roach mar Levy contends that the Hills also Nav have shot themselves in the foot with an offence that scored touchdowns Only 40 percent of the time when it Gol inside the 20-Yard line. In Stead they depended on Scott Norwood who was Only two Short of the nil re Cord of 34 Field goals in a season. When you have a defense like we do and a kicker like we do you tend to gel  Levy said. When you re Down 7-o approaching the half you tend to be satisfied if of go in ahead 9-7. 1 think Well he bolder this  they need to be. While Buffalo was 7-3 in its final 10 games Indianapolis was making up for allow Start with an 8-2 finish. New Ting land which like the Colls was 9-7, might have been 12-4 if it had a kicker and the new York Juls were a surprising 8-7-1. All could be As Good this year and Miami could cause trouble any team coached by Don Shula and with Dan Marino at quarterback is dangerous. 1. Buffalo Bills still the acc cast division looks like Buffalo s to lose. The defense is the acc s Best led by three Young All pros in Conlan. Outside linebacker Cornelius Bennett and end Bruce Smith. End Art still and nose tackle Fred Smerlas add experience and end Leon seals linebacker Ray Bentley cornerback Nale odoms and safety Mark Kelso arc Comers though Kelso May miss the first few games with a knee injury. The offence could use a deep receiver but Kelly has capable Middle distance targets in Andre Reed who had 71 receptions last season Chris Burkett and running Back Ronnie Harmon. Thurman Thomas ran for 881 Yards a 4.3 average As a Rookie and Larry Kinnybrew com ing Back after sitting out a year in a con tract dispute with Cincinnati is looking Good at fullback. The Talent on offence is there Levy said. I think we can utilize in belter this year and i think we  2. Indianapolis Colts the Lac no on the Colts is Eric Dicker son who has led the team to its first two winning seasons since in was trans planted from Baltimore to Indianapolis in 1984. Dickerson will be 29 in septem Ber elderly for a running Back but he led the league Wilh 1,659 Rushing cards last year and has a More than Capa ble backup in Albert Bentley. Dickerson May also get More help this year. Second ear pro Chris Chandler who threw for eight touchdowns and 12 interceptions last year is ahead of Jack Trudeau for the quarterback Job and should improve with experience. Bruce Smith anchors Buffalo s acc Best defense which spurts two either All pros linebackers Shane Conland and Cornelius Bennett. Chris Hinton and Ray Donaldson an Chor a solid offensive line and Rookie Andre Rison adds Speed to a receiving corps that also includes steady Billy Brooks. Dean Biasucci has been the arcs Best kicker the past two seasons. The secondary is suspect and the Colts could use a nose tackle they went with a beat up Joe Klocko last season. As a result coach Ron Meyer is installing an attack Orion cd defense that will free linebackers Duane Bickett and Frudd Young to harass opposing quarterbacks. The first tests come Early against super bowl Winner san Francisco in the opener at Home then an emotional Road game against inc rams. Dickerson s first game against his former least. Last year the Colts lost their first three games and five of their first sin and never recovered. A win in thai first game could set the tone for the entire  general Man Ager Jim Irsay said. 3. New England patriots for new England the last game was the key. The patriots needed Only to heat Denver to Clinch a playoff spot hut could t do it dying in the late moments inside the Broncos 10 with John Stephens the offensive Rookie of the year. Inexplicably out of the game. Stephens who rushed for 1,168 Yards is inc key again for new England which has three top Grade offensive linemen in guards Ron Woolen and Sean Farrell and tackle Bruce Armstrong. But 34-year-old Stanley Morgan can t go on forever Al wide receiver and Ihei he pats Are questionable Al quarterback. Tony Eason. Trying to recover from a variety of injuries has the Job to Start with aged and battered Steve Grogan and Doug Flutie the Hometown scrambler in the bullpen. Flutie and Grogan shared the Job last season. The defense is led by Johnny rom Bart Al inside linebacker. Nose Lackly Tim goad showed Promise As a Rookie bul the defensive ends. Kenneth Sims and Garin Ucris on injured Reserve have spent More Lime injured than playing. Gary Jeter 34, a plan b free agent should help the pass Rush. The Veteran secondary is solid but abit thin and Raymond Clay born is 34 and Roland James 31. 4. New York jets the jets by contrast Are Oung and improving buoyed a the final week win thai knocked inc local rival giants oui of the playoffs. The team theme for thai game if we can t go. Neither should  but the playoffs May still be a bit Oul of a reach unless Ken o Brien finally Hasa consistent year Al quarterback. In does t help thai Al Toon the All provide receiver has an injured Arm and might miss the opener. The age is at running Back where Oft injured Freeman Mcneil. 30. Remains the key Man backed by Johnny he Cir. 28. A holdout. A Good year by third year fullback Roger Vick would help. New York had three Rookie starters in the secondary for much of last season led by Fink Mcmillan tops in the league in interceptions and inc defensive Rookie of the year. That s the strength of the defense where Rookie Ron Stallworth a fourth round pick and Marvin washing ton a sixth Rounder May prove to be the pass rushers inc jets arc seeking. 5. Miami dolphins Miami is hoping for a life from Gary Stevens who has replaced Shula s son David As inc quarterback coach. David Simla who went to Dallas had his differences with Marino who did l have one of his better years. Still. The dolphins 2-14 against Divi Sion opponents the past iwo years need a lot of help. John of Tordahl a holdout through Camp is the Anchor of a defense Hal needs development from the High draft choices of the past iwo years lineman John Bosa linebacker Rick Graf and hybrid linebacker pass rusher Eric Kume Row. Rookie Louis Oliver a help immediately Al safely and Sammie Smith a running Back where Troy Stradford must return to the form of his Rookie year in 1987. Tomorrow acc Central