NFL 10 Questions For 2003
Hot Issues Around The League
By Jerry DiPaola

Is there room for both the oversized egos of Jerry Jones and Bill Parcells in Dallas?

Parcells said he is content to let Jones buy the groceries while Parcells cooks the meals. But if Jones doesn't get him enough beef: and the drafting of cornerback Terrence Newman instead of one of the big defensive linemen wasn't a good sign in that regard: will Parcells start passing blame along to management?

Q: Can Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden make Keyshawn Johnson happy enough for Tampa Bay to repeat its Super Bowl title?

A: After finishing 30 receptions behind the NFC's leading pass catcher Randy Moss last season, Johnson wants to be a bigger part of the Bucs' offense. Gruden will try to accommodate his star, but he's smart enough to not go out of his way in the attempt. Will Johnson be enough of a distraction to derail what many consider the NFL's best team?

Q: Is Kordell Stewart ready to emerge from his personal hell in Pittsburgh and make the Bears wish they'd given him more than a two year contract?

A: Stewart got off to a slow start in Chicago because coaches refused to adapt their offense to his strengths. Sound familiar? Look for No. 1 pick Rex Grossman to wrestle the job away by 2004, if not sooner.

Q: Is a healthy Michael Vick the next, great NFL quarterback?

A: The answer is yes, because he is a hybrid quarterback/running back, who keeps defensive coordinators up nights. Vick has a strong arm, fleet feet and rare quickness, and now he has wide receiver Peerless Price to make him even better. If the Falcons are back in the Super Bowl, no one should be surprised.

Q: What will new Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio do with veteran quarterback Mark Brunell and rookie Byron Leftwich?

A: Brunell barely has enough left for one more good season, and it might be time for the Jaguars to turn the page to the athletically gifted Leftwich. How long will Del Rio wait to pull the trigger? A season, two months, one month? It might be time sooner than anyone thinks.

Q: Does running back Eddie George have enough left to lead the Titans to the Super Bowl?

A: Maybe, but he needs help from quarterback Steve McNair, who can relieve some of the pressure. George has averaged 3.0 and 3.4 yards per carry in each of the past two seasons, and he was no factor in the playoff victory against the Steelers.

Q: Is this really Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre's last season and will his teammates give him the proper sendoff?

A: The only way Favre wants to go out is surrounded by confetti at the end of a victorious Super Bowl. He's still the best in the business at the game's most difficult position. Don't bet against him, because the Packers have fortified their defense with five new starters.

Q: Will the Kansas City Chiefs come from nowhere and land in the Super Bowl?

A: It makes sense, if running back Priest Holmes' hip injury is sufficiently healed. Holmes wants a new contract, and he'll get it: if coach Dick Vermeil decides Holmes is healthy enough. After that, the Chiefs can get down to the business of proving that the offseason defensive makeover worked.

Q: Will the Broncos' seven-year, $40 million investment in QB Jake Plummer make business and football sense at the end of the season?

A: It looks like a longshot, especially if he can't improve on his shaky 53.6 percent completion rate and the 20 interceptions he threw in Arizona last season. The Broncos are counting on a better supporting cast propping up a player who has been an inconsistent performer through most of his career.

Q: Will the Redskins' raid on restricted free agents and a generally busy offseason of signings yield benefits?

A: The Redskins signed former Jets Randy Thomas, John Hall, Laveranues Coles and Chad Morton and traded for Rams running back Trung Canidate. Then, they turned over the keys to a very rich kingdom to second-year quarterback Patrick Ramsey. Coach Steve Spurrier is just arrogant enough to believe it will work. Now, the Redskins are forcing teams to sign their draft picks to four-year deals to avoid losing them to restricted free agency.