European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 28, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 22 nil 91 the stars and stripes wednesday August 28, 1991 three Way race turns Cleveland into the also ran by Dave Goldberg a football writer is Bubby Brister a slow learner or Joe Walton a slow teacher in either Case its taken until this season for Pittsburgh a quarterback and offensive coordinator to understand each other. _ now the question is whether that Harmony can pull the Steeles above the pack in the acc Central. A we know what we re doing now a says running Back Merril Hoge one of Many Pittsburgh offensive players thrown into a muddle last season when Walton installed his complicated new offence. A last year we found ourselves thinking what we had to do and you can to do that. A football player has to be Able to see and react he can to be trying to think and  last year the Steeles were one of three 9-7 teams in the acc Central a Cincinnati won the division and Houston earned a wild card playoff berth but the Steeles were left out of the playoffs. In part the reason was their failure to score an offensive touchdown in five games including the seasons first four. The same three teams figure to Battle it out again this season. Cleveland which had been to three of the previous four acc title games fell to 3-13 last season and Bill Belichick the defensive coordinator of the new York giants super bowl winners has  in to resurrect the team. A Houston oilers in its second year under Jack Pardee last year one of three of  a rain int teams in division to finish 9-7, i fusion s Ruil Anu but macj0 playoffs of tiebreak Sloot May be More ers to become one of just two nil teams san Francisco is polished not Good bad 0 mat Ltd it for four news for secon straight years. Lost first Rounda i .1 41-14 to bengals with Cody clerics around me Carlson replacing injured War Leathue. Last season Ron Moon a it quarterback to drop postseason record to 2-4 Pardee s first the Over mat period. Oilers led the strengths run and. A. Shoot offence led by Warren league in yardage Moon and receivers Drew Hill wild scored 405 Ernest Givins and Haywood of. Fires. Offensive line standout to Illus Seco ild Only Dof Eusivo players in defensive to buffaloes 498 end Rev Childress safety a. A Bubba Mcdowell. With Warren Moon weaknesses Overall de Ali Mcvinn for 1 Tonso particularly secondary. Quot rowing for a umrtatl0s 0 in  in. League ngh 4,628 Side me 20. Yards newcomers stove Jack a a son a third round pick has Bill the defense been starting at cornerback. Acc Central preview a the Only thing left for me is the super bowl a says Moon who is the Only quarterback to throw for More than 20,000 Yards in two leagues a the nil and the Cal a and has led teams to victories in the Rose bowl and Cal Grey cup. A the Only thing you re really judged by is whether you be made it to the big game. I just done to see How we re not going to  a Pittsburgh Steeles Pittsburgh has few problems on defense a its secondary headed by Rod Woodson May be the Best in the nil. But despite their 9-7 record the Steeles still had that problem scoring touchdowns. One reason was the inconsistency of Brister. But the Steeles came up with a future superstar in Eric Green the 275-Pound tight end who was an instant hit As a Rookie after a Long holdout. But the wide receivers Are thin once you get Pas Louis Lipps. The running game is another matter. The attempted suicide of guard Terry Long after a failed steroid test could be a morale problem on the offensive line and Tim Worley has yet to fulfil the Promise that made him a no. 1 draft Choice. Hoge is solid but second year Man Barry Foster could press Worley for a starting  Cincinnati bengals if Houston is consistent a they last year finished 9-7 in ,., a typically inconsistent Bengal never won or lost Paar _ after a 3.q Start they last year the third 9-7 team in the division although they missed the playoffs largely because of an inept Start in which the offence failed to score a to in the first four games. Strengths defense particularly the secondary although holdouts by cornerback Rod Woodson and Detton Hall have impeded me development there. Tight end Eric Green a 275-Pounder who As a Rookie looked like the prototype for the next decade. Running Back Merril Hoge one of the league s least known workhorses weaknesses inconsistency on offence particularly quarterback Bubby Brister who could be threatened by second year Man Neil o Donnell if o Donnell continues to look As Good As he did in Early exhibitions. Lack of an overwhelming pass Rush. Wide receiver outside of Louis Lipps. Newcomers de Huey Richardson no. 1 pick who could be the needed ingredient in the pass Rush o Donnell who did t take a snap last season second year re Barry Foster who would have beaten out Tim Worley anyway if Worley Hadnot been injured fell Down in two key games a a 40-20 loss to Cincinnati in the 15th week that would have clinched the division title and a 41-14 playoff loss to the bengals who ended up with the tiebreakers. A a in a proud of what our defense accomplished last year a says Jim Eddy the defensive coordinator who put in the 4-3. A but we be got to get a lot  one change is moving Ray Childress a two time pro Bowler from tackle Back to end where he played in the 3-4. Another was a draft in which three of the first four picks were defensive backs led by Indiana a Mike Dumas taken with the first pick of the second round. But the keys remain Moon and the offence for a team that a one of Only two san Francisco is the other in the nil to make the playoffs four years in a Row. The difference is that the 49ers have won two super bowls during that time the oilers Are 2-4 in playoff games and have never even reached the acc championship game. A file Houston a Warren Moon expects to improve on 1990�?Ts league High 4,628 passing Yards. Year. More than two in a went 6-7, but won the division in ,. A three Way tiebreaker with the Tow last season and oilers and Steeles. Beat the or top Hern either 0llers 41 14 in playoff a pm nor Nave Ocon a incr then Tob t0 the Angs 10-6 or 9-7 the past raiders 20-10. Four up inc _ pin. Strengths explosive of out years �?�?�111 sense featuring passing of Cannati is Schizo Boomer Esiason to Eddie. A r Brown Tim Mcgee Rodney phrenic going trom Holman and James Brooks 4-11 in 1987 to 12-4 wh0 is a so the principal run-4-Li in to 144 Nung mrea Uno Backer James and the super bowl Francis Strong safety David a Moo if _ 1___1, Fulcher and offensive tackle an in 1988, then Back Thony Munoz. To 8-8 in 1989. Weaknesses defense. Particularly against the run. Injun last year its 9-7 nes age have eroded offensive and tiebreakers was newcomers la Alfred Eood enough to win Williams the no. 1 pick was a ?. 0 ,. Holdout and his immediate con the division but attributions will be limited. Or Vunic n ctr pal a 9-7 _ Reggie Rembert who was on was a Siresky j / injured Reserve As a a r00kle a 3-0 Start and a 2-0 could help if his attitude is right finish let the Beng als slide into the playoffs. That May be a reflection of coach Sam Wyche who can be distracted a As he was Over the Issue of women in his locker room last year. But it was also a reflection of injuries particularly in the secondary where cornerback Eric Thomas missed most of the year and Strong safety David Fulcher missed three weeks and played Hurt in the others. The injury Jinx has already struck a Ickey Woods reinsured his knee in training Camp. But Boomer Esiason a sore shoulder seems better. A you give him 30 throws hell make the big plays a says wide receiver Tim Mcgee who with Eddie Brown tight end Rodney Holman and running Back James Brooks gives the bengals a Host of big play makers a if Brooks can get another 1,000-Yard season at age 32. The defense linebacker Alfred Williams the top draft Choice might have been a Bookend with last years no. 1, James Francis. But he was a holdout retarding his development. If Thomas is recovered the secondary is Strong but the line is  Cleveland Brownsand then there a Cleveland which collapsed under the weight of age and a succession of mediocre drafts last season. Enter the 38-year-old Belichick. Belichick has no contender Here. In fact he a brought Back Joe Morris the 32-year-old sex giant who missed 1989 with a broken foot and 1990 after he was Cut to play running Back has sex Cardinal Roy Green 35, at wide receiver and has taken another sex giant in a. A "1 last year after three trips in four years to the acc title game the Browns collapsed to 3-13 and coach Bud Carson was fired at mid season. Jim Shofner was interim coach before Art Modell hired Bill Belichick the former defensive coordinator of the giants. Strengths quarterback Bemie Kosar and receivers Webster Slaughter and Brian Brennan. Defensive tackle Michael Dean Perry and linebackers Clay Matthews and Mike Johnson. Weaknesses just about everywhere. Poor drafts and aging of Matthews Frank min me Fioke and and other mainstays of the title game left the Browns with Tew Good Young players other than Perry. Newcomers Belichick who has brought in old timers like re Joe Morris and or Roy Green As Stopgap to try to get the team respectable Early. S Eric Turner no. 2 Overall pick g de King the second round Choice and defensive lineman James Jones no. 3, May All Start and Browns also Are nigh on Michael Jackson. A Fife enlightened Bubby Brister. Reacting instead of thinking plan b running Back Lee Rouson and moved him to tight end. There Are a few Good players led by quarterback Bernie Kosar defensive tackle Michael Dean Perry and wide receiver Webster Slaughter. But a Leaky offensive line puts Kosaris health in jeopardy and the Browns have yet to decide what to do with Eric Metcalf a the front office would like him to be a full time running Back. Tomorrow acc West How  finish 1. Houston 3. Cincinnati 2. Pittsburgh 4. Cleveland