I'm sitting there watching Pittsburgh and Dallas and I'm thinking "Boy, I 
hope the Steeler fans don't freak out about this game."
You see, I can remember that Pittsburgh hasn't won too many opening games 
lately and Dallas gave them a good whooping a few years ago to open up the 
Switzer Era and Pittsburgh came back from that (Went 12-4 and lost to SD in 
the AFC championship).
I think that Stewart's a better QB than O'Donnell so I don't see them being 
down for long (I think that Pittsburgh needed to run the ball more. They did 
have success but called too many passes early. Dallas was setting up to 
defend the pass and to contain Stewart. I've seen games like this just get 
out of hand when the team that lost could have made it close and that's what 
happened). I wouldn't be throwing in the terrible towel just yet.
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SF, on the other hand, could be in deep do do. Losing Rice is even worse to 
SF than when Dallas lost Irvin. Michael was coming back, Jerry isn't. Heart 
is going to have to produce even more now that the running game has become 
even more important.
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Maybe it's just me but it DOES seem like there have been a lot more 
significant injuries this early than there has been in a while.
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Remember when I introduced you to a new NFL stat? I went back to 94 and 
charted 94, 95 and 96. Here are the top 2 teams in each league (Remember, 
this is the difference between offensive and defensive efficiencies):
1994  Cleve  8.89  SD     3.97  SF     7.02  Dall  6.43
1995  KC     4.85  Cinc   2.63  Dall   5.38  SF    5.19
1996  NE     5.97  Pitt   2.53  GB    10.08  Caro  9.69
Interestingly, only once has the top team in the AFC made the Super Bowl in 
the last 3 years, however, it has happened every time in the NFC.
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I hope you've taken notice that Dismal Howard hasn't been missed one bit in 
GB. While he did have kickoff returns of 39 and 40 yards for Oakland, the 
other guy to return kicks that day, Hall, had a 34 yard return and averaged 
25 yards per kick. GB made a concerted effort last year to upgrade its 
special teams and Howard got a lot of credit (More than he deserved). I see 
the same thing happening in Oakland (But he won't win an MVP because they're 
NOT going to the Super Bowl).
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I hate to say this but KC looks like the same old Chiefs. I don't think that 
ragging on the QB can continue, I think that play calling needs to be 
addressed. Greg Hill did some great running but ONLY 7 times! The team has to 
be less conservative and take advantage of their opportunities (It would also 
help if they didn't get penalties at the worst times).
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Interleague play has been bery bery bad for the New York teams. Without 
interleague play, the Yankees would be 4 1/2 games out of 1st and the Mets 
would be 2 games away from second.
--- TrekEd 1.00
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