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So now we know the real motivation behind the Oilers' torturous
efforts to leave Houston. Owner Bud Adams subjected his team to
two years of lame-duck status at the Astrodome—where
per game attendance had fallen by nearly 30,000 since 1991—not,
like those other NFL robber barons, out of greed. No, the move
to Tennessee was Bud's roundabout way of building his team's
character.
Just ask guard Bruce Matthews, a 15-year Oilers veteran. "I
think we'll be better this season because we can concentrate on
football," he says. "We don't have to worry about where we'll be
playing or when we'll be moving, or even if we're going to be
moving."
Well, not exactly. The team is holding training camp in
Nashville at the subpar (by NFL standards) facilities at
Tennessee State, where it will practice during the season. But
until a swank new 67,000-seat Nashville stadium is ready in
1999, the Oilers will play their home games 200 miles away at
the Liberty Bowl in Memphis. In effect the Oilers have 16 road
games in 1997.
(Not that that's bad news. Recently Houston, er, Nashville, uh,
Memphis, um, Tennessee ... heck, the Oilers have been one of the
league's top road teams. In 1996 they tied San Francisco for
best away record in the NFL, at 6-2.)
The disruption extends to the team's balance sheet. Adams, who
spent more than $4 million to resolve disputes with the
Astrodome and the city of Houston, has said he won't okay any
huge signing bonuses until the millions from the new stadium
start rolling in. That handcuffed the Oilers this off-season,
resulting in the free-agency departures of the team's two best
defenders—cornerback Cris Dishman and linebacker Micheal Barrow.
"It's hard to say how good our defense is going to be because of
the players who won't be there," says free safety Marcus
Robertson. "We've got so many young guys, especially on the
line, who are under a lot of pressure to produce. So our offense
is going to have to carry its share of the load and score a lot
of points."
The attack might do just that. Steve McNair, the third pick
overall in the 1995 draft, enters the season as the new No. 1
quarterback. In his six career starts the 6'2", 232-pound Alcorn
State product is 4-2, with seven TDs, two interceptions and a
96.2 passer rating. His top target will be wideout Chris
Sanders, who led the team in receiving yards last season and
averages nearly 25 yards per reception when McNair is throwing.
Tight end Frank Wycheck had a team-high 53 catches last year,
but he'll be less of a threat in the passing attack as he moves
from H-back to a traditional tight end role under new offensive
coordinator Les Steckel.
McNair, who takes over for oft-injured former starter Chris
Chandler (traded to Atlanta), is respected and well liked by his
teammates. In addition, he possesses the strength of a
linebacker and the skills of a running back. "McNair is ready to
be the guy," says coach Jeff Fisher. "He's going to make some
mistakes, but he's also going to make a lot of big plays."
Tennessee is stacked in the backfield, where Eddie George, the
1996 offensive rookie of the year, will start alongside the
versatile Ronnie Harmon, one of the league's most dangerous
all-purpose backs. Also in the mix is Rodney Thomas, who gained
nearly 1,000 yards as a rookie in 1995.
The three will run behind a line that combines the veteran
leadership of Matthews and center Mark Stepnoski with younger
talents like second-year right tackle Jon Runyan. Best of all,
the Oilers have cast off the last vestiges of their run-and-shoot
mentality. "We're becoming a more physical offense," says Fisher.
"The kind that can wear down a defense in the fourth quarter."
That's assuming the Tennessee defense can keep the game close
through three quarters. Among those shouldering the load: left
end Anthony Cook, who led the team in sacks last year with 7 1/2
in just 11 games; cornerback Darryll Lewis, who is small at
5'9" but tough in one-on-one situations and has had 16
interceptions over the past three seasons; and strong safety
Blaine Bishop, who will make a run at his third straight Pro Bowl.
There are, however, gaping holes up front and at linebacker, due
in part to the financial repercussions of the move. Regardless
of the positive spin being put on the team's recent travails,
not even the Packers could win under these unsettled conditions.
Like their stadium in Nashville, the Oilers probably won't be
ready until 1999.
—by David Fleming
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