European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 1, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 22 the stars and stripes sports 1 priday saturday january 1/2, 1993 final ensure by Dave Goldberg of football writer we and that no team with the Rush tag Champion has Ever gone to the super bowl something Emmitt Smith and Dallas cowboys a i try of rectify in the neat few weeks. But the More pertinent questions hanging Over the most wide open nil playoffs in a decade involve flaws not strengths on just about every team in the playoffs. To wit a can Buffalo. San Diego Houston and Pittsburgh win with backup or banged up quarterbacks emulating Jeff Hostetler s Victory two years ago a can Minnesota win with Anition Grant quarterback from Southern California could the raiders have made the playoffs if they d gone All year with Vince Evans a can Miami with one of the Best quarterbacks of All find an offence a can Kansas City win with a career hot and cold quarterback who needs to stay hot for four games or can their defense carry them ditto for new Orleans. A can Philadelphia 3-5 on the Road this year win three Road games to carry them top amp Sadena can the san Francisco secondary cover anyone and most pertinently a can any acc team even Challenge the Winner from the pfc which has won the last eight super bowls four pfc teams seem stronger than any acc teams particularly since Buffalo which has beaten the 49ers and saints has to Elay with Frank Reich instead of Jim Lefly. A a it a a new season. We re All equal Quot says Minnesota coach Dennis Green a proving that new coaches know the jargon As Well As old coaches. Here a a Teanby team ranking going into the playoffs 1. Dallas fewest weaknesses hence the top rating. The secondary is still suspect but less so with the emergence of Rookie Kevin Smith and the acquisition of Thomas Everett. Yes no defenders made the pro bowl but that Only proves that is Wannstedt has for Gnu a unit in which the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Smith Troy Aikman Emmitt Smith Jay Novacek and a Good line make the offence hard to contain. The biggest ques v Tion is experience a in a showdown with the 49ers, do san Francisco s four super bowls make the difference or Are these the 1981 cowboys and liners in reverse nil playoff bracket . First round by second round Washington at Dallas or saturday Jan. 2 or Minnesota a v  sunday Jan. 3 san Francisco Jan. 9, to St Dallas or a naw Orleans san Francisco i first round a h second round Kansas City St Miami or saturday Jan. 2 Pittsburgh Jan. 9, to a Miami or Asan Dlugo Houston sunday Jan. 3 Pittsburgh at Buffalo the two division Winnerson each conference with the Best records get a first round Bye apm nil Rushing Champion Emmitt Smith would like to break with precedent and run the Dallas cowboys into super bowl xxvii i its a new season. We re All  a Minnesota coach Dennis Green pensive line where Harris Barton has to get healthy. There s been no depth there for four years but Barton s injury is the first. It could be fatal. 3. Philadelphia the kind of team that can ride a hot Streak like the 4-0 Start particularly if the defense gets Reed and Randall Cunningham is allowed to be Randall again. Still the loss of the late Jerome Brown in the Middle of the defensive line showed up late against the run and the offensive line remains less than championship Caliper one of those teams however that cart score on defense and turns games with it. 2, san Francisco if you believe in the Home Field Edge promote san Francisco to la if you like. But Home Field never Means that much to the liners who win everywhere. They rank behind Dallas Here simply because other than Don Griffin there s nobody in the secondary. The other problem could be on the of 4. Jacw Orleans the eagles Haven t won a playoff game since 1980, the saints have never won so something has to give when they meet sunday. A he question Here is. Bobby Hebert Hie  get the saints in the end store when he needed to in two games against the 49ers, which is Why they re playing this week and the liners Are off. The defense none better which gives them a shot to go All the Way 5. Buffalo maybe not being Home with hyper critical fans is a Good thing. Injuries done to help a Kelly a out because of a knee injury a but Reich is one of the More capable backups in the league. Bruce Smith Shane Conlan Dar Rell Talley and Cornelius Bennett have All been banged up surprisingly until sunday night the defense has Neld up better than the past two years. And maybe that 27-3 loss in Houston was to be expected. The Bills lose their final game every year a they usually just done to mean anything. S 6. Houston maybe. If the oilers can win sunday at Buffalo. That a a big if. The run and shoot is not made for the climate at Rich Staci urn. Talents there but the consistency Isnit and the system seems wrong. 7. Kansas City a Quot defense see above if it plays like it did against Denver last sunday. How else can you explain 42 Points with an offence that gets 220 total Yards and drives just once beyond Midfield Dave a Krieff who can get very hot needs to for three straight games. If he gets very cold As he also can the chiefs Are gone in one.8. Minnesota defense again but its difficult to see Sean Salisbury getting anyone to the super bowl. Or Rich Gannon if Salisbury fails. 9. Washington the coaching and the experience Are there. So Are the injuries. It id losing to Vince Evans and the raiders at Frk on. Saturday demonstrated clearly that this is the Rule not the exception a you just done to repeat in the nil. 10. Pittsburgh yes the Home Field in the acc. But Bubby Brister can to carry a team through the playoffs and Neil of Donnell is still hurting. If say Kansas City comes to visit the first week they could be in for a Tough time. 11. San Diego no respect because of a last place schedule although the chargers certainly have first place players Junior seau Leslie o Neal Anthony Miller and Ronnie Harmon. Harmon dropped a pass that Cost the Bills a playoff game in Cleveland three years ago but he was a quiet Star this season. They move up if Stan Humphries plays but can you really get to the super bowl with Bob Gagliano Jeff Hostetler he Isnit. ,. 12 Miami Dan Marino Isnit Jeff Hostetler either he s a lot better. But the offence has gone. Well in this Case make it North. How else do you explain wins by a total of Tive Points the last two games Over the jets and patriots combined record 6-2oj? and Are Marco Coleman John offer Dahl and Mark Higgs healthy for the playoffs