European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 02, 1995, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Ers f by Gerry Dulac Pittsburgh Post Gazette first and 10 on the eve of sunday s nil openers 1. San Francisco 49ers. Even with the loss of Ricky Watte Sand most Likely Dion Sanders the 49ers have such a talented cast of characters that dethroning them will be a task Only the cowboys if them can handle. A a Steve Young proved last season that he longer has to play in Joe Montana s Shadow. And with Jerry Rice and John Taylor his air strike remains As deadly As anybody. The 49ers will win it All for the second straight year. 2. Dallas cowboys. The cowboys still have Troy Aikman the game s Best deep passer and Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin and that offensive line and Charles Haley but the loss of or Alvin Harper will Hurt the passing game and the loss of safety James Washington will weaken the secondary. Still they remain with the 49ers, the Mercedes and Bow of the pfc. 3. Pittsburgh Steeles. By now everyone has heard repeatedly How the Steeles came within three Yards of returning to the super bowl. Well this year they will not fall Short mainly because their defense suffered no significant losses from a unit filled with Many of the league s top players. A a Neil o Donnell May not be Drew Bledsoe but he is efficient enough to take this team to Arizona. 4. Miami dolphins. Having been unable to win a super bowl with one of the greatest quarterbacks in the history of the nil Don Shula will now try to do so with a roster loaded with High priced free agents including the Eric Green de Trace Armstrong and it Steve Emtman. They will need them too because their defense has remained a Enigma for years 5. Cleveland Browns. If it weren t for the Steeles the Browns would have won the acc Central and might have made it to the super bowl last season. But half of their six losses were to the Steeles which is Why the Browns went out and signed free agent receiver Andre Rison to a hefty contract. 6. New England patriots. If you had to Start an nil franchise right now the Ideal player to build around is Drew Bledsoe. However the. Pats still have not found a running Back., to take some of the heat off Bledsoe. Free agent Dave Meggett is certainly not the answer Bill Parcells was so eager to sign an offensive lineman to. Clear holes that he spent $1.8 a minion to lure Center Jeff Dellenbach he s not Worth that much away from the dolphins 7. Oakland raiders. The raiders have returned to their old haunt with a new coach and they have enough offensive Talent to Challenge the Apap Jerry Rice and Steve Young want a super bowl like the last one when they did a number on the san Diego chargers. Chargers in the acc West. Coach Mike White has a staff that includes Joe Bugel Floyd Peters and former Elway Tutor Jim Fassel who will handle the play calling. 8. Chicago bears. Of so neither of their quarterbacks Steve Walsh nor Erik Kramer could Start for almost any other nil team. But under the steady hand of Dave Wannstedt the bears have been transformed from an aging remm bar the 85-super bowl team to a Young aggressive talented team in just two seasons. The bears defense is Good enough to carry them through the pfc Central but still not Good enough to slow the 49ers of cowboys. 9. San Diego chargers.  thing s for certain the chargers will not sneak up on anybody this. Season not after last season. As ,._ you can probably bet the super bowl ticket refund they won t be making any return trips to the acc championship game this season. -.,- 10. Green Bay packers.  Favre will really miss Sterling Sharpe but still has a few weapons in his Arsenal to Surprise Many nil teams. Favre has developed into one of the Best quarterbacks in the league Reggie White will be 34 this season but he still commands More attention that any defensive player in the nil. Second and 10 11. Denver Broncos. With a new coach can John Elway make it Back to the super bowl nah. Mike Shanahan should bring some of his 49er magic to the Broncos but Denver s biggest problem is not offence but defense. That s Why the Broncos added defensive tackles Michael Dean Perry and James Jones and cd Lionel Washington. 12. Minnesota Vikings. Team turmoil is among the Best inthe nil but it will have a hard time after they win the big one the defending super bowl Champion san Francisco 49ers Are looking to repeat that feat this year. What other super boat champs did the following season won super bowl again lost in super bowl Tost in playoffs missed playoffs emerging from its own division in the playoffs. Minnesota s biggest problem will be replacing pro bowl defensive lineman Henry Thomas and a secondary that has three new starters Warren Moon celebrates his 83rd birthday this season so hell be retiring soon. 13. Detroit Lions. Any team with Barry Sanders can t be All bad but the Lions Are still waiting to see if left hander Scott Mitchell was Worth All that free Agency Money they shelled out two years ago. The decision to sign it Henry Thomas from the Vikings was a big boost for the defense. 14. Philadelphia eagles. There a a new head coach and a new offensive coordinator Arula new running Back and a new system and now the eagles want to. See if an old quarterback Randall Cunningham can Lead them Back to the playoffs. Ricky Watters was a big free agent addition but the loss of cd uric Allen one of the Best cover Guys in the league will Hurt the defense 15. Buffalo Bills. Jim Kelly Thurning Thom Sandre Reed Bruce Smith and Cornelius Bennett Are still there but alas the once feared offensive machine is but a Shadow of its former self and the defense which Hopes that Smith is. Recovered from his health problems torn rotator of a year ago lost two starting lds and a starting cornerback to free Agency. They will have a hard time. Finishing third in the at East. 16. Indianapolis Colts. Coach Ted Marchibroda who knows on a Jay a i source Flap Edda Gasero september 2, 1995 beyond the game Page 3 \