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Footballguys.com Daily Email Update
Volume 4 Issue # 97
August 21, 2003
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE

1. Ground Struggles Could Cause Headaches For Steelers
2. Vick Won't Change His Style
3. Anthony Thomas Needs Help From Line
4. DC Rhodes Is Known For Reviving Bad Defenses
5. Panthers Q&A's
6. J.J. Stokes Getting His Chance
7. Ritchie A Big Asset At FB For Eagles
8. OT Pace Says Holdout Could Be Over Soon 
9. Quincy Carter Gets The Start vs. Steelers 
10. Buccaneers Talking To Former Falcons RB Jamal Anderson
11. Broncos To Use RB Portis More Often As A Receiver
12. Offensive Imbalance Just Fine With RB Garner 
13. Lions WR Depth Chart Is A Daily Guess
14. QB Ramsey's Status Improves; May Play Saturday
15. RB Bettis Surprised And Disappointed At Demotion
16. Kirwan: Davis Should Be Top-10 RB In '03
17. Vick's X-Rays Encouraging
18. WR Gadsden Does Best To Hang On
19. RB Smith The Steal Of The NFL Draft? 

Hi Folks,

Thanks to Footballguy Maurile Tremblay for rounding up these stories tonight. As we close in on the 100th Email Update of the Summer, we hope you've enjoyed them. And we hope you'll give us the opportunity to be your Football Information Source once the regular season starts as well. If you've liked what we've done thus far, you'll love our material in the regular season. If you're not a subscriber yet, check out what we have to offer http://footballguys.com/whysubscribe.htm Now let's jump right to the update.

Joe

1. Ground Struggles Could Cause Headaches For Steelers

Clipped From: ESPN.com (Len Pasquarelli)

In the first 11 seasons of Bill Cowher's head coaching tenure, the Pittsburgh Steelers only once finished a campaign ranked outside of the league's top 10 in rushing offense.

Three times in that stretch, the Steelers' ground attack led the NFL, and they ranked among the top five rushing offenses on a half-dozen occasions overall. Only in '95, when Pittsburgh was No. 12, did the Steelers drop anywhere even near the middle of the league. Under the Cowher stewardship, the Steelers featured an individual 1,000-yard runner seven times, and the average league ranking in rushing offense during that smashmouth period was sixth.

"Let's face it, that's what we do here, right?" said standout left guard Alan Faneca, one of the league's premier in-line blockers. "I mean, that's Steelers football, and it pretty much has always been that way from what I understand. I can't really ever see us being a team that throws it first and then just runs the ball for the heck of it."

Well, then, Alan, you might have to play blindfolded in 2003. Because if early preseason results are a precursor, it appears the Steelers' ground game has, well, ground to a halt. And while two meaningless exhibition contests might not offer much insight or auguring, there are some ominous signs that the Steelers' running game is stalled beyond repair.

And that the days of being able to set tempo with a potent inside rushing game, to pound opponents into submission and close out close contests in the fourth quarter by controlling the line of scrimmage, could be coming to a close.

Last season, when the Steelers ranked No. 7 in passing offense and were ninth with the rush, it represented only the second time in 25 years that Pittsburgh was more productive in the throwing game. For just the fifth time in two decades, the Steelers had more pass plays (585) than runs (512). Eight times in '02, an exceedingly lopsided number for a franchise whose fans prefer deep bruises over deep passes, the Steelers threw for more than 250 yards.

Following up with more opinions on the Pittsburgh OL. The Steelers' offensive line is traditionally among the league's best in the run-blocking department, but is kind of a mess right now. OT Wayne Gandy was lost to free agency, C Jeff Hartings is bothered by a knee injury, OG Kendall Simmons is being treated for a diabetes-like condition, and OT Marvel Smith is learning a new position. The decision to start Zereoue over Bettis and Riemersma over Bruener may signal a change in offensive philosophy from a power rushing attack to more of a wide open aerial attack. In Burress, Ward, Randle El, Riemersma, and Zereoue, QB Maddox has plenty of targets at his disposal.

2. Vick Won't Change His Style

Clipped From: Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Matt Winkeljohn)

Mike Vick came back into the light Tuesday, speaking publicly for the first time since he broke his right fibula. The Falcons quarterback wasn't able, however, to shed a lot of light on how it happened.

Wearing a black fiberglass cast from just below his right knee to within a few inches of his toes, Vick shed his crutches, took a seat in a room at team headquarters packed with media, and vowed his first serious injury as a professional football player wouldn't alter his all-out playing style in the future.

"I won't play scared," the third-year pro said. "I won't hold anything back. Nothing is going to change about me."

Vick said he wasn't sure exactly at what point the injury occurred, nor if Ravens defensive end Adalius Thomas caused it when he tackled Vick around the neck as Vick tried to make a cut.

One thing is certain: Vick's right foot was anchored to the ground Saturday night when he didn't want it to be. He didn't, however, blame the Dome's new FieldTurf playing surface or his choice of footwear -- 1/2-inch cleats more typically worn on grass playing surfaces than artificial surfaces.

If it looked on replay like Vick's legs kind of went wobbly just before Thomas hit him, maybe it was because he was trying to slide, which by NFL rules would have made him off limits to defenders.

"At that time, I was thinking about going down; I was thinking of hitting the ground," Vick said. "It was third-and-8 [actually third-and-6] and I was maybe 3 yards from the first down so I was thinking of going down to slide. I went to my right, and I was trying to come back [to the left], and that's when he grabbed me."

Vick surprised everyone by saying, "I don't tape my ankles [before games for extra support]. I've never worn ankle braces before. Since I left Virginia Tech [where he had a serious sprain to the same ankle in 2000] I haven't worn them. Saturday night was the first time I ever wore my ankle braces. I don't even know why I put ankle braces on."

Falcons officials said the braces are not designed to safeguard against rotational ankle injuries, such as Vick's. Instead, the braces Vick wore are to reduce the possibility of rolling the ankle.

He knows the injury will take at least six weeks to heal. His doctors have said he could be lost for up to 10 weeks, but Vick was more optimistic.

"Worst-case scenario, eight weeks I'll be out, but I think it will be sooner than that."

If you are trying to figure out how much to discount Vick's value based on an assumption that he will play 10 games this year instead of 16, do not give him a "zero" for the weeks he will miss. After all, assuming you have a warm body for a backup QB, you will not get zero points you're your QB position during the weeks he is out. A more appropriate way to calculate Vick's worth would be to award him his projected PPG for the weeks he will play, and your projected backup QB's PPG during the weeks Vick won't play. So if you think Vick will get 21 PPG over 10 weeks, his total projected points for VBD purposes should not be 21 * 10 = 210 points, but (using FBG's projection of 16 PPG for Jake Plummer as your backup) more like 21 * 10 + 16 * 6 = 306 points, which may still make him a top 5 QB. If you think he'll only play 8 games, 21 * 8 + 16 * 8 = 296 points, which should still be top 10. You should reduce his ranking a bit further than this to reflect the risk that he'll be out even longer than anticipated, or that he won't be 100% when he returns, or that your fantasy season is shorter than the NFL season; but even taking all of that into account, a QB who scores 210 points over 10 weeks is worth a lot more than a QB who scores 210 points over 16 weeks. So do not make the mistake of thinking Vick's injury puts him down in the David Carr range of fantasy QBs just because their total fantasy points will likely be similar.

3. Anthony Thomas Needs Help From Line

Clipped From: The Mercury News (Terry Bannon)

It's all Anthony Thomas's fault. Forget the two inexperienced tackles. Ignore that the entire offense is adjusting to a new quarterback. It's all Anthony Thomas's fault.

Guard Chris Villarrial, the senior member of the Bears, has a word for that: "Unfair."

Life isn't always fair, as Thomas is being reminded this week. He didn't look sharp in his exhibition debut Saturday against Indianapolis and will get a lot of work Friday night in Arizona, but exhibition games mean only so much.

Whether he has a huge game or a poor one Friday won't matter unless the Bears find a way of dealing with more fundamental problems facing the running attack. Such as blocking. Such as a passing offense that must prove it's a threat. Such as a defense that has to put the offense in a position to run the ball from a position of strength instead of pass from a position of weakness.

After a rookie-of-the-year season in 2001, when he rushed for 1,183 yards and averaged 4.3 yards per carry, Thomas joined in the Bears' 2002 collapse. He averaged 3.4 yards per carry, only once rushing for 100 yards before missing the final four games of the 4-12 season with a broken finger.

In 2001, the Bears stayed healthy. Last year, injuries hit. And they're still dealing with the remnants of that, which won't help the running backs.

While we wouldn't read too much into Thomas's preseason stats, the state of the Bears' OL along with their inability to run the ball well last year are cause for great concern. We expect moderate improvement for Thomas this year, but hope for a repeat of his 2001 performance looks bleak.

4. DC Rhodes Is Known For Reviving Bad Defenses

Clipped From: ESPN.com

Seahawks defensive coordinator Ray Rhodes has brought a new system and a different mentality to a defense that ranked 28th out of 30 NFL teams last season.

His first priority has been to repair the run defense, which ranked last and gave up 152.6 rushing yards per game. The Seahawks allowed 10 running backs to gain at least 100 yards in a game.

"We've got to be better on stopping the run," Rhodes said Wednesday. "We're going to generate a pass rush, but this training camp has been dedicated to stopping the run."

Rhodes, who is known for his no-nonsense approach, has brought a sense of urgency to practice.

"He definitely brings a new level of intensity," said linebacker Chad Brown. "It's a good thing. It makes all the guys work hard."

Rhodes replaced Steve Sidwell, who was fired after Seattle went 7-9 last season. Three years ago, Rhodes took over the Washington defense and boosted the Redskins defenders from last place the previous season to fourth. He spent the next two years in Denver, moving the Broncos from 24th to eighth in one season.

Players like Rhodes' simplified philosophy that assigns each player a gap to cover, allowing each to think less and just react.

"Last year, the defense was confusing," said safety Reggie Tongue. "It's different now. You know what your responsibility is and you take care of it."

The Seahawks' defense is half of the "DTBC" (Defensive Team By Committee) Chase Stuart recommends in what has been one of our more popular articles this year. Check it out at: http://footballguys.com/stuart_dtbc.htm

5. Panthers Q&A's

Clipped From: The Charlotte Observer (Pat Yasinskas)

Who will be the quarterback?

Most indications are Rodney Peete will open the season as the starter. Anything, though, is possible for a team that has changed quarterbacks just before the start of the season the past two years. Peete, a veteran, has looked good in training camp and solid in the first two exhibitions. He is the safe choice, but there are other options. Jake Delhomme has shown signs he can run the offense efficiently. Chris Weinke has had the brightest moments in camp and exhibitions, but he's still third on the depth chart.

Whichever direction the Panthers choose will have positive attributes. Peete showed he can lead last year, Delhomme has good intangibles, and Weinke has the strongest arm. What has happened so far is the best-case scenario for the Panthers.

What's the outlook on DeShaun Foster?

It seemed to improve daily. He faced uncertainty at the start as he returned from microfracture knee surgery, and the Panthers brought him along very slowly. Foster has passed every test, and after taking every other workout off for most of camp, he began participating twice a day in the final week. Stephen Davis is the feature back, but it looks as if Foster will be ready to contribute early. If he is, the Panthers could have a great power/speed combination.

Which off-season acquisition will have the greatest impact?

The Panthers signed a bunch of offensive free agents, but Davis is the only one firmly in a starting position. He looks like a perfect fit for an offense that's going to be centered on the running game. Davis has lived up to his billing and his presence might allow the Panthers to hold onto some of those fourth-quarter leads that were lost last season.

Who's winning the kicking battle?

Veteran John Kasay appears to have taken a slight lead on Shayne Graham. The final two exhibitions could decide this battle, and the salary cap (Kasay's cap figure is almost $700,000 higher than Graham's) will be a consideration.

The QB position in Carolina should be avoided. It is unclear who will start the majority of the games this season, but whoever it is will spend most of his time handing off to Stephen Davis.

6. J.J. Stokes Getting His Chance

Clipped From: Naples Daily News (Eddie Pells)

For eight seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, all J.J. Stokes wanted was a chance.

He came to Jacksonville and now, he's getting his chance, and then some.

Brought in to complement Jimmy Smith in the Jaguars passing game, Stokes must essentially take Smith's place, now that the five-time Pro Bowler has been suspended for four games for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

Stokes will be the featured pass catcher, and in his mind, that's a far cry from what the 49ers expected when they traded four draft picks to the Cleveland Browns to move up to the 10th spot and take him in the 1995 draft.

"I'll tell you what happened there - what happened was they decided they didn't want a two-receiver offense, they wanted a one-receiver offense, and that's their decision," Stokes said.

Despite his huge potential in college - he was an All-American his junior year and left as UCLA's all-time receiving record holder - Stokes got caught behind Jerry Rice, then Terrell Owens, and spent most of his eight seasons with the Niners trying to shed the label of "disappointment." He feels he never got a chance. Others said that was because he had trouble getting open.

"I just wanted to come to an offense where I felt I could get some opportunities and take advantage of every opportunity," he said. "That's something I felt I wasn't getting where I came from. I've always had confidence in my skills and I just wanted to play football."

Sorry, but Stokes had plenty of opportunity in San Francisco. He was unable to separate from opposing cornerbacks. Stokes does certain things well -- he runs disciplined routes and has good hands -- but his lack of speed has been a real handicap thus far in his career. It is possible he could develop into a fine possession receiver; but to say he never "got his chance" in San Francisco isn't right.

7. Ritchie A Big Asset At FB For Eagles

Clipped From: PhillyBurbs.com (Jeff Offord)

Every productive West Coast offense always has a good fullback. Every productive West Coast offense except Andy Reid's, that is.

For years, all Reid had was Cecil Martin.

A good blocker but not much of a receiver, Martin didn't fit the mold of a prototypical West Coast fullback. That's one of the reasons why he's no longer wasting a spot on the Eagles' roster. It's also one of the reasons why the Eagles signed free agent Jon Ritchie during the offseason.

The addition of Ritchie should give the Eagles' offense something they haven't had since the Ray Rhodes days, when Kevin Turner was catching 30 to 40 balls a season.

At 6-foot-2, 250 pounds, Ritchie definitely has the size to be an effective blocker. And considering he caught 129 passes during his five-year career with the Oakland Raiders, he certainly has the credentials to be just the fullback the Eagles need to get to the NFC Championship Game for the third straight year.

"Ritchie brings a number of things to the team," wide receiver James Thrash said. "He's a big-time blocker, he's got great hands coming out of the backfield, plus the experience. You can't beat that. He's already stepped into the role of being a leader on our offense."

"He's demonstrated he can be a substantial ball carrier," offensive coordinator Brad Childress said. "Anytime you can get a fullback the ball that weighs 250 pounds, that takes a toll on the defense."

When told of Childress' comments, Ritchie smiled.

"He said that, huh?" Ritchie said with a quizzical look. "That's exciting."

Over the past three years with the Raiders, Ritchie has averaged zero carries for zero yards. He may at least get some goal line carries this year, but unless you are in a TD-only league, he has no fantasy value whatsoever.

8. OT Pace Says Holdout Could Be Over Soon

Clipped From: FoxSports.com

St. Louis Rams holdout offensive tackle Orlando Pace said Wednesday he thinks that the holdout that has kept him out of the club's training camp drills thus far could end within the next week. In an interview with James Brown, Pace indicated that he's likely to sign a one-year tenure offer with the hope of eventually negotiating a long-term contract.

"I like to play and I'm anxious to get in there right now," Pace said. "I don't know if I'll sit out the season, I don't think I will. I think I am going to get in there and play the one year deal and see what happens next year."

The interview will air in its entirety on The James Brown Show on Thursday on Sporting News Radio and locally in St. Louis on 1380AM "The Team".

Pace, whom the Rams selected with the first overall pick of the 1997 NFL Draft, was designated the club's "franchise player" in February. He has played in two Super Bowls and been named to play in the Pro Bowl twice.

OTs Orlando Pace and Kyle Turley will be a huge upgrade over John St. Clair and Andy King. Two-a-days are now over, so Pace might as well join the team.

9. Quincy Carter Gets The Start vs. Steelers

Clipped From: Dallas Morning News (Jean-Jacques Taylor)

Last week, the Cowboys proved they could score points with Quincy Carter starting at quarterback. Now, they'll look for a repeat performance.

Cowboys offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon confirmed that Carter, who started last week's game against Houston, will start against the Steelers in Thursday night's preseason game. Chad Hutchinson will play, and possibly longer than Carter, according to Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.

Hutchinson, who didn't play last week while coach Bill Parcells studied Carter and Tony Romo, said he doesn't know how much he'll play. And he doesn't know what Parcells thinks about him because the coach hasn't told him.

"If I only have a quarter," said Hutchinson, "then I better make it good."

Play well against one of the NFL's better defenses, and Hutchinson might earn the starting job. Play poorly and he might start the season on the bench wearing a baseball cap and holding a clipboard.

Only Parcells knows for sure - and he's not saying.

"I think maybe in the back of my head I might be, but I'm not ready to say that right now," said Parcells, when asked if he had determined the starter."

Parcells has said he wants two things from his quarterback: points and wins.

Hutchinson has delivered neither this preseason; Carter has delivered both.

Of course, Carter has had a lot more opportunities.

Carter started and showed some mobility, which may give him the edge over Hutchinson. The Cowboys' offensive line will struggle enough as it is; putting an immobile QB behind it will not help matters.

10. Buccaneers Talking To Former Falcons RB Jamal Anderson

Clipped From: SportingNews.com (The War Room)

The Buccaneers are talking to former Falcons RB Jamal Anderson about a comeback, and don't be surprised if he shows up at some point in training camp. With Michael Pittman's pending legal problems, coach Jon Gruden is auditioning almost every unemployed running back who has played in the NFL recently in an effort to avoid having to move FB Mike Alstott to running back. . . .

Should we start the Barry Sanders rumors?

11. Broncos To Use RB Portis More Often As A Receiver

Clipped From: Rocky Mountain News (Lee Rasizer)

There are few sights Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak enjoys more these days than that of running back Clinton Portis in the open field. And by design, he's hoping that will occur with more frequency this season.

The Broncos are making a concerted effort to get Portis more involved in the passing game with screens and flares out of the backfield.

"We've definitely been teaching more of those," Kubiak said this week, adding it's "an emphasis" offensively.

Portis, the reigning rookie of the year, averaged 11 yards on 33 catches in 2002, but the majority of those receptions came on checkdowns when other options weren't available.

He still probably won't line up as a true receiver. But now that he has emerged as one of the league's most dangerous weapons in open space, he's getting the kind of treatment as fellow Broncos players such as Shannon Sharpe, Ed McCaffrey, Ashley Lelie and Rod Smith - having play calls designed specifically for him.

Portis ranked only 26th last season among NFL backs in receptions. But after initial concerns coming out of college about his hands and a rough start in mini-camps, he sold Broncos coaches on his pass- catching ability.

"When people lock him up in man-to-man, we feel as good about that as any other matchup we've got on the field," Kubiak said. "So he's got to become more of a factor for us."

Portis also might have to defer slightly to rookie Quentin Griffin, who is viewed as a valuable third- down weapon but missed almost the entire training camp because of a fractured leg.

But rest assured, Portis won't be forgotten.

Historically, the Broncos have not used their RBs in the passing game much at all, but that may change with Clinton Portis and Quentin Griffin. Needless to say, if Portis can haul in 50+ receptions this year, it will add to his fantasy value significantly. Portis is one of the more dynamic open-field runners in the league, so getting him the ball on short passes underneath and letting him run makes a lot of sense.

12. Offensive Imbalance Just Fine With RB Garner

Clipped From: The San Francisco Chronicle (David Bush)

As every coach does, the Raiders' Bill Callahan has said his team is committed to running the ball.

He will have to convince running back Charlie Garner. "I think he is trying to do more things in the running game," Garner said Wednesday in the Raiders' locker room. "But we were doing the same things last year in the preseason; we had a lot of focus on running the football. And then when the season came around, we were passing the ball."

Since Garner arrived, the Raiders gradually have been changing their emphasis. Last year, they had just 414 rushing attempts and 619 passes. Two years ago, the numbers were 450 and 553, and in 2000, the year before Garner arrived, the Raiders led the league in rushing with 2,470 yards on 520 attempts while they had thrown fewer passes, 475.

Garner is certainly aware that all that passing last season produced the league's top-rated offense and landed the Raiders in the Super Bowl.

"We aren't going to fix anything that's not broken," he said. "We are still going to take what the defense gives us. We are still going to pass the football."

Garner caught his share of passes. He was second on the team with 91 receptions last year, just one fewer than Jerry Rice. Garner's catches earned the team 941 yards to go with the 962 he had on the ground. Fifty-nine yards here, 38 there and Garner has 1,000 and 1,000. Only Marshall Faulk and Roger Craig have broken triple digits in both rushing and receiving in one season.

"A (Super Bowl) ring would have meant a lot more to me," he said. "Nobody pays much attention to a running back's stats except his rushing yards. My receiving yards and catches don't come into play."

One of the nice things about having Garner on your fantasy team is that whether the Raiders run the ball or pass the ball in any particular week, Garner will be involved. He was the team's leading rusher and second-leading pass-receiver, making him a consistent performer from week to week. He had either 100+ combined yards or a touchdown in 13 out of 16 games last year.

On a side note, Garner missed practice again today and won't play Friday night against the Vikings this weekend. He bruised his left knee Aug. 11, but the injury is not considered serious.

13. Lions WR Depth Chart Is A Daily Guess

Clipped From: Detroit News Online (Mike O'Hara)

Shortly before 1 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 7, the status of the Lions' receivers will be clearer.

That's when the Lions will introduce their starters for the opening regular-season game against Arizona.

Until then, developing the depth chart is almost a daily exercise of guesswork based on who's healthy and who has played the best of late.

Coach Steve Mariucci didn't shed much light on the issue Wednesday -- other than to indicate that rookie Charles Rogers is on course to start Saturday night's third exhibition game against Cleveland.

"Show up for the first game," Mariucci said after practice. "When we introduce the offense, you'll know who the starters are. Or watch that week's practice, and you'll probably have an idea."

Rogers seems certain to make his first start against the Browns, but Mariucci left an opening to keep him in a reserve role.

Rogers played in relief in last week's loss at Cincinnati. His most memorable play was a dropped pass. Quarterback Joey Harrington hit him in the hands on a post pattern for what would have been a gain of about 40 yards, but Rogers didn't make the catch.

He had two other receptions, for 18 yards, as he alternated with the other receivers.

We expect Rogers to end up leading the team in both receptions and receiving yards this year, but it wouldn't be surprising to see most of his production come in the second half of the season. Bill Schroeder and Az-zahir Hakim are the other two WRs who will see the field a lot, but Hakim is recovering from minor knee-surgery and will not play at all during the preseason.

14. QB Ramsey's Status Improves; May Play Saturday

Clipped From: The Washington Redskins' Website (Gary Fitzgerald)

Quarterback Patrick Ramsey's chances of playing in Saturday's pre-season game against the Ravens took a step in the right direction on Wednesday. Steve Spurrier said that Ramsey's bruised hand had improved and that he "should be able to play Saturday night."

"Patrick was able to pitch it around a little bit today," Spurrier said. "In fact, he threw some nice spirals. He didn't take any snaps, but we think tomorrow he'll be fine."

Said Ramsey: "I came out expecting to throw lightly and as I warmed up, my hand felt fine. I was able to do some light passing and it felt pretty good."

Ramsey bruised a knuckle on his right hand in last Saturday's pre-season game against the New England Patriots. He wore a bandage on Monday and Tuesday, but it was removed before practice today.

Ramsey should be fine by the time of the regular season opener.

15. RB Bettis Surprised And Disappointed At Demotion

Clipped From: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Ed Bouchette)

Jerome Bettis had no inkling he would be demoted for the first time in his career with the Steelers after concluding a training camp he called one of his best.

"I was surprised," Bettis said, shortly after Coach Bill Cowher announced Amos Zereoue would open the season as the Steelers' starting halfback. "I wasn't mad, but I was disappointed. As a competitor, all you want is for it to be a decision on the field and it wasn't a decision on the field." Citing a "gut feeling," Cowher revealed his decision yesterday at a news conference as training camp concluded at St. Vincent College in Latrobe. It's the first time Bettis was benched to start a season with the Steelers.

Bettis was their starting halfback since he joined them after a trade with St. Louis in 1996. His 11,542 yards rushing ranks 10th in NFL history and needs only 771 to surpass Jim Brown and move into sixth place.

Cowher also chose newcomer Jay Riemersma to start at tight end ahead of Mark Bruener. It will be the first time Bruener does not open the season as their starter since 1996, his second in the NFL.

Cowher said he still plans to use Bruener and Bettis often and left the door open for them to start if he deems it appropriate.

"We're going to use our running back situation with Jerome and with Amos a lot like we went into the last couple of years," Cowher said. "Both those guys will play. We're going to utilize them both and, hopefully, have them both fresh through the course of the year. But we're going to start the season with Amos."

He told his players of his decision Monday night.

Zereoue and Bettis will both get their share of playing time; rotating might help keep both of them fresh throughout the season. Zereoue is the better pass-receiver, and the Steelers may be opening up their offense quite a bit this year with Maddox at the helm. Especially since the offensive line has not opened up any holes for the RBs so far in the preseason.

The bottom line is that Zereoue probably has more value than Bettis in yardage leagues while Bettis may have more value in TD-only leagues; but neither one will be a top fantasy producer as long as the other stays healthy.

16. Kirwan: Davis Should Be Top-10 RB In '03

Clipped From: NFL.com (Pat Kirwan)

In a classic defensive coach mentality, [John Fox] secured the services of former Redskins back Stephen Davis. I'm sure Davis left a lasting impression on him from his days at the Giants when Davis was running hard and scoring touchdowns. Fox no longer has to wait for Foster to return from his injuries, although a few of his teammates feel any day now he will be ready. When he does step on the field, it will be as a backup to Davis.

I would be very surprised if the former Redskin doesn't become a top-10 rusher with first-round pick Jordan Gross and Todd Steussie up front. I watched both tackles and the numerous two-tight end sets offensive coordinator Dan Henning puts on the field. The Panthers may not score like the Rams, but they will know how to win time-of-possession battles.

The Panthers are going to put the ball in Davis' hands an awful lot this year. It would not be a huge surprise if Davis ends up being a top 10 rusher this year, although he will probably not get enough receiving yards to be a top 10 RB overall.

17. Vick's X-Rays Encouraging

Clipped From: Yahoo! Sports

Michael Vick received a good report after Atlanta Falcons orthopedist Andrew Bishop looked at X-rays of the quarterback's broken right leg.

"Everything is the same with Mike," team spokesman Aaron Salkin said Thursday. "Nothing has changed, which is good news."

Bishop indicated earlier this week that Vick likely would avoid surgery if the ligaments surrounding his ankle hold the three parts of the leg in place. Bishop described the fracture as "a clean break," which gave the Falcons hope that Vick might return as early as Oct. 5 against Minnesota.

Vick met with Bishop on Wednesday for the third time since he was injured in a preseason loss to Baltimore on Saturday night. Bishop placed a fiberglass cast over the lower part of Vick's right leg Monday.

The 23-year-old Vick didn't travel to Miami with the Falcons, who face the Dolphins on Friday night. Fourth-year backup Doug Johnson will start in Vick's place and is expected to play the first half.

Kurt Kittner will play the second half.

Ligament damage still can't be ruled out, but the fact that the bones in Vick's ankle haven't moved out of place is certainly good news.

18. WR Gadsden Does Best To Hang On

Clipped From: Sun-Sentinal.com (Michael Cunningham)

It appears wide receiver Oronde Gadsden is determined to give the Dolphins one fewer reason to release him.

Although hobbled by an ankle injury suffered on July 30, Gadsden is noticeably slimmer than when he reported. Wide receivers coach Robert Ford said Gadsden is ready to prove he's in shape when he weighs in this week.

"He is in great spirits," Ford said. "He said I would be very surprised when he gets on the scale. He was very proud to make sure that I know that, so I am going to check it out.

"He's been working; I know he has been rehabbing. But we will see where that weight is."

Making weight still may not be enough. Gadsden has been out most of camp after missing all of the offseason workout program and minicamps, and some young players are pushing for roster spots.

But it's a good sign if he's managed to improve his fitness. It's uncertain when he will return, but on Wednesday he was walking without crutches.

Sam Simmons and J.R. Tolver are the leaders for what could be the final two slots for wide receivers. Ford said he holds out hope of getting six players, but that's not likely.

Obviously, Gadsden is not worth a fantasy roster spot right now.

19. RB Smith The Steal Of The NFL Draft?

Clipped From: The Sacramento Bee (Joe Davidson)

NFL Draft Day 2003 was hardly a joyous run for Onterrio Smith, a tailback who's thrilled thousands with many game-breaking jaunts.

He sat slumped on his mother's couch, in a home not too far from where he got his football start at Grant High School in Del Paso Heights. Smith expected to get picked in the top two rounds of the NFL draft after a stellar if checkered two-year career at the University of Oregon.

But Day One turned into Day Two, and Mel Kiper Jr. still hadn't mentioned Smith on ESPN.

Finally, with the 105th selection, the fourth round, the Minnesota Vikings tabbed Smith. Finally, celebration in the Smith home. Finally, a dream fulfilled.

Now Smith confidently bounds into the Oakland Coliseum to play the Raiders on Friday closing in on a more familiar position: No. 1. He has been given every opportunity to claim the Vikings' tailback spot. Smith expects to start Friday at Oakland, with some 50 family and friends expected to be in attendance.

mith, never short on self-esteem, proclaims himself the "steal of the draft." He has played like it at times in two preseason games, scoring two touchdowns while displaying power and burst.

As we've mentioned before, we believe Smith is the most talented healthy RB on the Vikings' roster, and we expect him to get the majority of the Vikings' carries this year. It may not be until three or four weeks into the regular season, but Smith is our pick to become the featured RB in Minnesota this year, pending the return of Michael Bennett.

That'll do it for today, Folks. Hope you have a great Friday.

Joe