European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 7, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday september 7,1990 the stars and stripes a a a Page 23rams poised to end 49ers�?T Streak by Dave Goldberg a football writer pfc preview it has become trendy to suggest that the san Francisco 49ers Are ready to etch their place in nil history As much because of Eddie Debartolo As Joe Montana Jerry Rice Roger Craig Ronnie Lott Bill Walsh and George Seifert. It became particularly trendy after Debartolo was called before commissioner Paul Tagliabue for allegedly breaking nil rules by taking Money from his construction company earnings to lavish on his players a millions of dollars to sign plan b free agents thousands to treat the players and their families to a week in Kauai. Wrong. As the 49ers try to become the first team to win five super bowls and the first to win three in a Row Debar Tolos generosity is an effect of the teams Success rather than a cause. A i think the motivation comes from within us a says offensive tackle Bubba Paris who has been part of the last three super bowl championships. A a once you experience the elation of being on top you want to stay there. There a no worse feeling than going Home knowing that somebody else has something that you had and want  the Way the pfc shapes up for 1990, the hardest part May be getting there. As it has been for most of the �?T80s, its clearly the dominant conference particularly at the top. Not since the raiders won following the 1983 season has an acc team won the super bowl. Only once when Cincinnati came within 34 seconds of beating the 49ers, has an acc team even come close. And for most of the past four or five years the top five teams in the pfc have been As Strong or stronger than anyone in the rival conference. It looks the same this year. The 49ers, 14-2 last year Are not even prohibitive favourites to win their own division. The los Angeles rams need Only consistency to reach their level. In the Central division Minnesota has the players to go All the Way and needs Only More Harmony and a better performance by quarterback Wade Wilson. The Long time patsies a Green Bay Detroit and Tampa Bay a have All improved. And in the East new York Philadelphia and Washington All have super bowl potential particularly the giants who went 12-4 last season in what was supposed to be a building  Ives division but the pfc has to Start with san Francisco and its quest for a  physically the elements Are there a Montana throwing to Rice and John Taylor with a new weapon in Mike Sherrard who is healthy after missing most of three years with leg problems. Defensively the 49ers Are stocked with unpublicized stars like Pierce Holt Kevin Fagan and Chet Brooks plus veterans like Matt Millen Jim Burt and Dave Waymer picked up for leadership and experience. And they seem to have the perfect coach a Seifert who took Over for Walsh and refined what a the Genius had built. But they May not even win the division because the rams seem ready to Blossom a in Large measure from the fruits of the 1987 Trade that brought them 10 High draft picks for Eric Dickerson. A i think this is the year for a lot of the second and third year players we got from that Deal a says coach John Robinson whose team has made the playoffs six it the last seven years but Only once As division Champion. Last year the rams went 10-6, beat the eagles and giants then lost 30-3 in the pfc title game to the 49ers, with whom they had split during the regular season. Everett trailed Only Montana in the pfc quarterback rankings throwing for 4,310 Yards and a league fading 29 touchdowns. His receivers a Henry Ellard Ripper Anderson and Aaron Cox plus tight end Pete Rio Cohan a May be every bit As dangerous As the san Ria Cisco Crew. Look for Cleveland Gary last years no. 1 draft pick to emerge As a franchise Back after missing most ast season because of a protracted holdout. And look for improvement from defensive youngsters such As defensive end Brian Smith linebacker Jim Everett hit a league leading 29 to passes in 1989.postseason lineup East giants Central Vikings West rams wild cards 49ers, redskins Lions pfc Champion rams Fred Strickland and defensive Back Anthony Newman. The rest of the West is. The rest of the West. New Orleans 9-7 last year would contend in most divisions. Here with the unproven John Fourcade at quarterback they can Only Hope for a wild card playoff spot. Atlanta 3-13, is improved a on paper. But new coach Jerry Glanville a teams have always been unpredictable and so Are Many of his players like Deion Sanders who wandered into Camp after leaving baseball two weeks late and is $35,000 poorer.0 East division the East is a two tier division where the three at the top a new York Washington and Philadelphia a All play brutal football with Only a touch of the panache of the warm weather teams. The giants put some Flash in their offence last year with kick Zetumer runner receiver Dave Meggett and seem to have added More with Rodney Hampton their no. 1 draft pick. He ran 89 Yards for a touchdown the first time he touched the Ball in an exhibition. Run is what they will do most behind a huge Young offensive line that May soon be the leagues Best then sit Back and let their usually solid defense do the rest. A this is the Best personnel we be had since in be been Here a says Center Bart Oates the Only offensive lineman left from the january 1987 super bowl Winner. Washington missed the playoffs despite a 10-6 record because it can to beat the giants a the redskins have lost seven of the last eight non strike games. They have three Veteran running backs a Gerald Riggs Earnest byner and James Wilder a to run Joe Gibbs offence a top notch receiving Trio of Rickey Sanders Gary Clark and Art Monk and a somewhat suspect defense. Unlike the redskins the eagles 11-5, can beat the giants a four straight victories Over the last two seasons. But they be faltered elsewhere because they re not deep enough to supplement Reggie White one of the leagues Best defensive fronts and quarterback Randall Cunningham who had an off year last season. The running backs Are plodder and the receivers Young. Phoenix under new coach Joe Bugel will be phasing out old Talent and phasing in new from last years 5-11 team. Dallas 1-15 in Jimmy Johnson a first year is still starting from scratch although the arrival of Alonzo Highsmith from Houston and the late signing of first round Choice Emmitt Smith should improve a spotty ground attack.0 Central division Minnesota should win the Central. Herschel Walker who never quite fit in after being obtained from Dallas last year will have the Benefit of a full training Camp and has looked Good As a receiver. The defensive line remains along with Philadelphia a the leagues Best. Chris Doleman led the league with 20 a a sacks last year and Keith Millard was the defensive player of the year. The key will be quarterback where Wilson signed a new contract last year and slipped badly from his pro bowl level of 1988. A we have to get More out of quarterbacking. Its that simple a says coach Jerry bums part of a four Man triumvirate that will Call the plays called by offensive coordinator Bob Schnelker last season. Schnelker still has the title but he has been superseded by Tom Moore a assistant head coach offence a and Marc Trestman a administrative assistant to the head  Green Bay 10-6 last year May need Luck to equal that Mark again. Don Majkowski a holdout in training Camp pulled out four of those games in the last minute and the schedule this year is a lot harder. Still Tim Harris remains one of the games Best pass rushers and Sterling Sharpe has developed into one of the Best receivers in the game. Detroit 7-9, May be the leagues most improved team with an offence finally added to what has been a Good defense. The Lions won their last five and six of the last seven As mouse Davis run and shoot began to work. While Rookie Andre Ware is the quarterback of the future Rodney Peete and Bob Gagliano Are there for the present. Their main threat is Barry Sanders who rushed for 1,470 Yards As a Rookie. Chicago went the other Way last year starting 4-0 and finishing 2-10 after the defense fell apart when Dan Hampton injured his knee. Mike Ditka ran a rough Camp but the team is at a difficult stage a trying to integrate a lot of Young players with veterans who May have a year or two left. Another problem is quarterback where both Mike Tomczak and Jim Harbaugh have played like backups. One though will have to Start. Tampa Bay is on a 5-11 Treadmill that could get better if Keith Mccants and Broderick Thomas the last two no. 1 draft choices become the kind of Book end linebackers so much in Vogue these Days. It would also help if quarterback Vinny Testaverde finally fulfils his Promise. Tomorrow the american football conference. Keep the nil �?T90 at your fingertips every wednesday in the stars and stripes. Starting wednesday and every week thereafter we a print a team by team schedule updated with results of each weekends play for you to follow the Progress and prognosis for your favorite nil team