Major League Baseball players may be readying to strike, but the question on the minds of New England sports fans is whether the Patriots can win another Super Bowl. Will Tom Brady be able to continue his success from last season? Will Antowain Smith's inability to pass the team's fitness test hinder the defending Super Bowl champions? The answers to these questions and many others will emerge in the coming weeks.
AFC
In the AFC East, the Miami Dolphins could give everyone a run for their money. The recent addition of running back Ricky Williams should improve their running game and the appointment of Norv Turner as offensive coordinator will ensure a tailback-oriented offense built around Williams.
For the Patriots, Daniel Graham will join the offensive trio of Troy Brown, David Batten, and Antowain Smith and provide more short-field options in Brady's arsenal. Repeating last year's performance will be tough, but defensively-minded Belichick showed last season that the Patriots have no problem beating expectations.
Having taken a gracious sideline to Brady last season, Drew Bledsoe has moved to the Buffalo Bills, taking over a team that went 3-13 last season. Given his affinity for sacks, tackles Mike Williams and Trey Teague will have their work cut out for them as they attempt to protect their best bet for a winning season.
The success of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC North depends on whether the same team can produce better results, given that 21 of 22 starters were retained. Linebackers Jason Gilden and Joey Porter were re-signed and add clout to the defense. The question mark remains QB Kordell Stewart, who had flashes of brilliance last season but couldn't follow through in the AFC Championship game.
From his days with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, coach Tim Dungy brings to the Indianapolis Colts a cover two defensive ploy in an attempt to patch up the defensive weakness that has hampered the Colts' playoff hopes in recent years. With the addition of Chad Bratzke and rookie Dwight Feeney, Dungy will have two speed rushers at his disposal. Add a healthy running back in Edgerrin James, and the Colts could make a run at the Super Bowl.
Much of the success of the Denver Broncos rests on the shoulders of QB Brian Griese in the wide open AFC West, especially after Terrell Davis retired because of a nagging knee injury. Griese will have to improve on his reputation as the worst fourth-quarter QB in a sport where the fourth quarter is when games can be won or lost and during which Griese's predecessor John Elway made his name.
The San Diego Chargers have a potential QB debate in their midst, pitting youth against experience as Drew Brees and Doug Flutie contend for the pocket spot. Flutie produced during the first half of last season, but during a nine-game losing streak late in the season he threw for 15 interceptions, giving Brees a chance to takeover.
NFC
If the Philadelphia Eagles plan to reach the NFC East title, they will have to depend upon the arm and legs of Donovan McNabb. Although using their top three picks to draft defensive backs will be a threat to pass-intensive NFC teams such as the St. Louis Rams and the San Francisco 49ers, the Eagles won't provide as much clout in their own power-running NFC East Division. The team will feel the loss of linebacker Jeremiah Trotter to division foes Washington Redskins.
Coach Steve Spurrier is creating the most stir in the NFC East and throughout the NFL. Spurrier has unabashedly brought his offensively-minded game from the University of Florida to the Washington Redskins. Contending for the team's QB slot are Florida alumni Shane Matthews and Danny Wuerffel, although outsider Sage Rosenfels may be Spurrier's best bet. If his players can adjust to his obsession with perfection and he can run an effective Fun and Gun offense, Spurrier could mold a winning team outside of the collegiate arena.
Green Bay Packers coach Mike Sherman took a gamble on Terry Glenn, who has the backing of QB Brett Favre, in an effort to add speed to the game's third-rated passing team. With the offense squared away, much of the Green Bay defense hinges on the performance of middle linebacker Hardy Nickerson.
The ability of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to spring coach Jon Gruden from the Oakland Raiders provides the team with offensively minded clout in the NFC South. Gruden has inherited a Johnson QB debate, as the returning Brad Johnson and newcomer free-agent Rob Johnson square off, he'll need to decide soon who is best suited for the job.
In an effort to ease up double coverage on Keyshawn Johnson, Keenan McCardell and Joe Jurevicius as well as tight end Ken Dilger have been added to the offensive lineup.
The NFC West is home to the "greatest show on turf," the St. Louis Rams, a team that desperately wants revenge after finishing as runner-ups in the last Super Bowl. With the dynamic duo of a healthy Kurt Warner at the helm and Marshall Faulk, the pressure is on coach Mike Martz to make it back to the big game.
