European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 31, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 38 the stars and stripes sports wednesdays August 31,1994 Rea by Dave Goldberg a football write can things get any stranger for the Houston oilers last year saw the team s turmoil Over offensive tackle David Williams missing a game when his wife gave birth. There was the suicide of defensive tackle Jeff aim. And there was the sideline fistfight betwee offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride and defensive coordinator buddy Ryan. After losing four of. Their first five games the oilers on their last 11, making the playoffs for the seventh straight year and winning the division. Then for these thoth straight year they were eliminated in the playoffs without getting As far As the acc championship game. If you reflect on the oilers ills the past few years we be had an environment for winning says Floyd Reese who moved up to general manager in the offset son. We be had the personnel the coaches full stadiums so people ask Why did t you win at some Point maybe All the turmoil the bickering has an effect and i think maybe the players Are realizing that we match up with some super bowl the aging oilers lost a lot to free Agency and May have trouble staying with Pittsburgh this year in the division. Cleveland 7-9 last year figures to be around the _.5qp level again. Cincinnati should bring up the rear de spite the new salary Cap which has forced the Penu rious bengals to spend Money. Houston oilers Houston 12-4 last year still has a so lid nucleus. But like everyone else in the new Era tha oilers Lack depth. Cody Carlson the Able backup to Warren Moon for the past half decade gets the quarterback Job to him self. Moon a salary Cap casualty was traded to Minne Sota. But All Carlson has behind him Are Sean Salisbury and Bucky Richardson. Gary Brown who made Lorenzo White expendable is the running Back after gaining 1,002 Yards in a half season. The receiving corps in t what it should be i Gilbride s run and shoot Webster Slaughter is still recovering from a knee injury and Gary Wellman broke a leg the first week of biggest defections Are on defense led by Ryan who became head coach in Arizona leaving the unit Toone of his "46" disciples Jeff Fisher. Ends Sean Jones and William Fuller defected to Green Bay and Philadelphia and linebacker Wilber Marshall was t re signed because the oilers could t fit him under the Cap. He landed in Arizona with holes in the line which retains Ray Childress and Glenn Montgomery inside will be filled by Lamar la Thon moved from outside linebacker and Henry Ford the no. 1 draft pick who needs to develop quickly. Pittsburgh Steeles Pittsburgh 9-7 last season after winning the divisional 11-5 two years ago figures to be Back in the playoffs for a third straight season. The team is a study in contrasts a conservative of sense that runs behind one of the game s Best offensive lines and a gambling defense that leaves a lot up Toone of the the nil s Best secondaries. Apsite Cody Carlson Cap elbowed Warren Moon aside in Houston. Neil o Donnell who missed much of last year wit shoulder trouble figures to be Back at quarterback. Barry Foster who also was Hurt a Good portion of the year will carry the Load in the conservative offence. He d better Leroy Thompson his backup last year was traded to new England during Camp. The Steeles Lorn seeking an outside receiving threat May have one in no. 1 pick Charles Johnson who can take some of the pressure off massive tighten Eric Green who was a holdout. The defensive line is Ordinary but the linebackers led by Greg Lloyd and the secondary with Rod Wood son and Carnell Lake make up for that. Lloyd Wood son and Lake Are All around players who can tackle Blitz and cover depending on the defense. Linebacker Kevin Greene picked up a year ago fro the rams is the Best pass rusher. � Cleveland Browns Bill Belichick arrived in Cleveland three years ago with a five year mandate from Art Modell to rebuild the Browns. After three seasons of 6-10, 7-9 and 7-9,Modell could be getting edgy. This is the Best group we be had says Belichick trying to take off the edginess. But is it Vinny Testaverde is the quarterback but for How Long Testaverde has never been productive Over a full season and Mark rapier i whose effectiveness depend son his Protection is behind him. The Browns Are deep at running Back with the Elu Sive Eric Metcalf Tommy Vardell Earnest byner an Leroy Hoard. Hoard and Metcalf also Are excellent receivers out of the Backfield. Acc Central preview ?93 finish 1. Houston 12-4 a Pittsburgh 9-7 3. Cleveland 7-9 4. Cincinnati 3-13 predict red 94 finish 1. Pittsburgh 10-6 2. Houston 8-8 3. Cleveland 8-8 4. Cincinnati 3-13. On defense the team s strength last year linebackers Michael Johnson and Clay Matthews were lost to free Agency. The two Best now Are two of Belichick s sex giants Pepper Johnson and Carl Banks whose big years seem behind him. Safety Eric Turner is the Best of a pretty Good second Dary that picked up Don Griffin and Rookie Antoni Langham. Cincinnati bengals because the salary Cap mandates teams to spend a minimum of $31 million Cincinnati opened its the bengals could t Corral the better free agents because they declined to give signing bonuses. So the shored up the offensive line with Darrick Brilz and Eric Moore. ". Their biggest and costliest acquisition was the no. 1 Overall pick in the draft Dan big daddy Wilkinson who has looked like what he was supposed to be an explosive inside Force on defense. Teamed with John Copeland last year s no. 1, he gives the bengals Awe some potential up front. But the offence could self destruct unless Davi Klingler comes around at quarterback. Now in his third year he must prove himself or Send the bengals looking elsewhere. Harold Green and Derrick Henri rare decent enough running backs and Darnay Scott the second round pick could help at wide receiver. Still,.it looks like another Long year after a 3-13 sea son although David Shula should be around at least until oct. 2, when Don Shula s Miami dolphins come to riverfront stadium. That will be the first time Innel history that a son will coach against his father. Tomorrow acc West family ties loosen As Shu a is. Shula nears by Joe Posnanski Scripps Howard news service Dave Shula we re very different. " Don Shula i Don t see that at All " Davie Fla. The father has just remembered something. A few years ago Miami was playing Dallas. First series the cowboys ran and passed and slowed through the dolphins for a coach Don Shula was furious. Then Don Shula realized oldest son Dave Shula was calling the Cowboy plays. Obviously i was upset Don Shula says. But then i kit Jusi a Little Pride. That was Dave calling those plays that led to the touchdown. And i thought hey he did a pretty Nice Job " in just about a month on oct. 2, father and son will face off Dave s bengals is. Don s dolphins the Shula howl at Kiv Cirioni stadium nothing like that has Ever happened in prote Yumul sports and Cove i age will be immense lather and son c Lor the Stussi and the i Light and the oedipus talk will with around them for Iyow they try to ignore everything and build their teams. What s there to say Dave Shula has lost 24 games in his first two seasons As Bengal head coach. Don Shula lost 23 games in the 1960s.Dave Shula has won eight games. Don Shula has coached in six super bowls. No there s nothing to say except that in Miami Don Shula nears the end of an incredible ride a four decade journey which blurred past victories an nil re Cord 327 and championships past unit As and Marino. And in Cincinnati Dave Shula just begins. Don on the oct. 2 game it will certainly be a proud moment for Dave on the game it will Only be one sixteenth of the season the father talks about the son. Does he remind me of Niv self " Don Shu a asks i Don t know i Don t think that Way. You just try to raise the family and us do the Beni of can Lase was Alwa Sam it Sre for h a " Don Dave Don Shula continues. He was very serious. You could see his leadership ability around the neighbourhood. He was always a Captain of his teams. In that Way i think he was a lot like Dave Shula i can appreciate How hard he s Dow Shula Iacre arc a Lut of de mands on nov Job 1 he son talks about the father. Hcs
