Keys to Success: AFC Central
Posted: Saturday July 25, 1998 02:11 PM
The War Room offers up five keys
to success in the 1998 season for all 30 teams. Here's a look at the AFC
Central: Baltimore Ravens  - 1. New QB Harbaugh must step right in
and take control of the offense and lead this team.
- 2. Use excitement
of new stadium to get off to a good start and keep enthusiasm and fan
interest high.
- 3. Ravens must start to win games and not squander
leads, as was the case in 1997 ... efficiency is the key.
- 4. Coaches
must establish offensive identity -- three WR sets, H-back or ball control
offense for Harbaugh?
- 5. Front office is doing a nice job of slowly
building team -- don't give in to the "win now" philosophy.
Cincinnati Bengals  - 1. QB Blake must win back confidence
he once had with teammates and coaches to lead the Bengals.
- 2. New
young LBs must get off to quick start and contribute in 3-4 blitz defensive
package.
- 3. Bengals must stop "underachieving" cycle -- they seem to
play best once playoffs have been decided.
- 4. Too many "track meets" in
1997 ... defense must tighten up and take pressure off offense.
- 5. A
lot of characters on this team ... Coach Coslet must mold them into a solid
group of producers.
Jacksonville Jaguars  - 1. Rookie RB Taylor must learn quickly
and is key to run game to keep offense from being one-dimensional.
- 2.
Jag defense must play better on 3rd down and forget embarrassing playoff
loss to Denver.
- 3. Jags must avoid injury bug that hit in 1997 and
decimated the "D" ... QB Brunell must stay healthy.
- 4. Secondary must
make more big plays and stop opponents from beating them via the passing
game.
- 5. Coughlin and front office must continue to make astute
personnel decisions and acquisitions.
Pittsburgh Steelers  - 1. Steelers must compensate for
free-agent losses and get off to a quick start in improved AFC Central.
- 2. Punter Miller must stay out of Cowher's doghouse by putting together
a consistent season.
- 3. Defense needs to get a little more QB pressure
from the DL and not totally rely on blitzing LBs.
- 4. New offensive
coordinator Sherman must compensate for losses of left tackle Jackson, WR
Thigpen and Chan Gailey's system.
- 5. Now that Cowher has signed
extension, team must continue to focus on season ahead and not off-field
distractions.
Tennessee Oilers  - 1. QB McNair must emerge to carry this
team and he needs to win some games with his arm and athletic ability.
- 2. Oilers need quick start to create interest and excitement and
overcome current apathy in Tennessee.
- 3. Passing game must improve --
McNair must step it up so offense doesn't rely only on the run game.
- 4.
Under second-year defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, Oilers must do a
better job running the "46" defense.
- 5. Oilers must play great
man-to-man pass defense behind "46" blitz package and can't give up big
plays.
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