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Marino can still play, but not in Miami
Posted: Thursday January 13, 2000 03:26 PM
Click here to send your NFL questions to SI's Peter King. I find myself conflicted about the future of Dan Marino. Entering last weekend's playoff game at Seattle, I was fairly sure Marino should hang it up at the end of the season. I was absolutely certain he shouldn't play for the Dolphins in 2000. Now, in the wake of Marino playing well on the road on the turf against a speed-rushing team -- and, unquestionably, exhibiting the arm of a good NFL quarterback -- I still feel the Dolphins should say goodbye to him after the season. But I'm leaning toward thinking he should play football again, regardless of what happens this weekend at Jacksonville, where the Jaguars will probably end Marino's Super Bowl dream again. Let me explain. In south Florida this year, the Marino story -- Will he play? Won't he play? Will he enter the ring to go 15 rounds with Jimmy? -- has gotten has become bigger than life. Every week the talk is all about Marino. Every week a coach who doesn't trust Marino has his temperature taken about Marino. Every week, every game, Marino is put under the microscope. Every week the Dolphins try to manage the game so it fits Marino. I've found, in 16 years covering the league, that when a coach or a player becomes so big and such a focal point, it usually means the team and the staff are distracted to the point where it's no good for anybody. You can't be focusing on one player or problem or situation if you want to have a successful NFL team. Show me a myopic NFL team, and I'll show you a losing team. The Lions always had to make sure they were conscious of getting Barry Sanders enough touches in a game; you talk to their coaches now, and it's like they've been released from game-planning jail, because they're free to enter each game asking themselves: What gives us the best chance to win this game? Now, Marino has brought none of this on himself. He's a terrific guy, a team player all the way. He is what it is, though. And the seemingly never-ending saga about Marino won't end this off-season, which is why the Dolphins need to give him his gold watch and wish him well. Marino still wants to play. His buddy John Elway wanted to get out, and Elway is loving retirement. But I spoke to Marino last weekend about his affection for the game, and what he told me changed the way I think about his future. "I love practice,'' he told me at the Dolphins' hotel in Seattle. "I love doing the drills. I love the competition during the week.'' You could tell how badly he wanted to win Sunday's game, and how much he still loves football. A man who feels that way about his job shouldn't be thrown out of the game. He'd be a great 2000 fit in a place like Tampa Bay, working under offensive coordinator Mike Shula, trying to make one more Super Bowl run, and teaching youngster Shaun King everything he knows about the game. Now, I watched the Monday night game against the Jets a couple of weeks ago, the game Marino threw two horrendous interceptions to cost the Dolphins the game. Horrible, chancy decisions. Marino made 52 throws in the game. Two were Hail Marys. Of the other 50, I counted 45 that were thrown 20 yards downfield or shorter. I turned off the TV that night thinking: The Dolphins have lost all faith in Marino being able to make plays downfield. After listening to Marino tell me the night before the playoff game his arm finally was getting back to feeling good following his mid-season neck injury, and after watching him convert three third downs -- including throwing a laser 28 yards through the air to covert a third-and-17 from the Miami 8 -- I thought: This guy can still play. For somebody. I spent some time with a good friend of Marino's Saturday night. "Dan is not Joe Namath or Johnny Unitas,'' the friend said. "Those guys played when their physical skills diminished to the point where they weren't effective. Dan's still able to play. He just doesn't want to be run out of the game by Jimmy Johnson.'' O.K. So go west, old man. To Tampa. Now on to your questions:
Peter, I noticed you pointed out Steve McNair, and not the playcalling, for the ineptness of the Titans' attack on Sunday -- and not the fact that the Bills played a terrific defensive game and were aided by the Tennessee's refusal to throw the ball downfield. I wonder what your thoughts on their chances are against the Colts, given this lack of confidence in the passing game and the likelihood that they would be coming from behind against that high-powered offense. I don't like Tennessee's chances, because the Titans will have to score 24 to 31 points and play ball-control to have a chance to win. And right now I don't have much confidence -- I don't see how anyone could -- in McNair to make a bunch of plays in the passing game to allow this to happen. Last week, against Buffalo, McNair had a third-and-one-and-a-half on the Titans' second offensive series. Tennessee could have bulled Eddie George behind boss hog Jon Runyan, but McNair was asked to convert with a quick pass to Yancey Thigpen. He threw it six feet over Thigpen's head. Tennessee needs George to dominate this game.
Dallas was an 8-8 team, regardless of the Vikings crowd, and that is why the 10-6 Vikings beat the 'Boys. But this weekend, how will each team's defensive front seven fair against the offensive line, and/or offensive scheme? Minnesota's defense has been better than 27th as of late, and the St. Louis defense as been on of the most opportunistic all season. America will get to know the Rams' defense this weekend. I predict Monday morning at Starbucks stores nationwide, latte lovers will be asking their baristas: "That London Fletcher is a heck of a player, isn't he?'' I agree with you, J.B., that the Minnesota defense is better than it has shown most of the season, but I also think Kurt Warner's going to throw for 378 against some pretty green corners.
What are you going to think next week when the Redskins blow out the Bucs on the road with a beat up offense? Probably the same thing Robert Porcher thought after Brad Johnson threw him on his back: "Maybe I underestimated this guy." This sets up a great scenario in the NFC title game if Minnesota upsets St. Louis (though unlikely): Brad Johnson going up against some more of his foolish doubters, the Vikings, in an unlikely title game in Washington. You heard it here first. Who's doubting the Washington offense? Not me. And who's doubting Brad Johnson? Certainly not me; when the Redskins traded first-, second- and third-round draft picks for Johnson, I said: "If Johnson starts 14 games, it'll be a great trade for the Redskins.'' He started 16 and won them a division. My problem with the Redskins is what a bunch of lightweights they are against the run. The 49ers, going nowhere, embarrassed them two weeks ago, and they've been consistently steamrolled over the tackles all season. I think Mike Alstott and Warrick Dunn combine for 199, the Bucs hold the ball for 38 minutes and win pretty easily.
What's really going on in New England? Marv Levy visits as consultant and advisor to Robert Kraft? In my opinion, the Kraft family needs to figure out just what type of structure it wants in that front office, then decide on the coach who fits it, instead of the opposite. Seems like it's in quite a shambles right now. What's going on in New England right now is this: The Pats are waiting for Bill Belichick to get free. If he doesn't -- and he won't be declared a free-agent by Paul Tagliabue -- then they'll try to trade a couple of draft picks to the Jets for him. If they can't work it out (I think they will; it makes too much sense for both teams), they go back to the drawing board and hire a good coordinator. Levy? I have no idea why they brought him in.
I have heard you often on WFAN's "Mike and the Mad Dog" show and greatly value your opinions. I would like to know why Kraft was permitted to be chair of the NFL Finance Committee regarding the Jets sale. In this regard, considering the current situation, i.e., the Parcells/Belichick fiasco, it is in his interest to stall the sale process to prevent the Jets from moving forward with their plans. In addition, he can "extort" some concessions from the new owner in order to pass his committee. I believe that Kraft has a blatant conflict of interest in connection with the Jets and should be recessed in Finance Committee dealings. Jeffrey, excellent question. But the stallers here have been the trustees of the Hess Estate and Goldman Sachs. It doesn't appear to me that Kraft is doing anything to slow the transaction -- and it's definitely not in his best interest to do so. Look at it from Kraft's point of view: Who would he rather make a deal with, Bill Parcells (who hates him and will drive a much harder bargain) or Woody Johnson (who will be in the same business with Kraft for the next 20 years)? I understand your point, but I don't think there's any way Kraft stalls this things to make it harder on the Jets. One other thing: The league wouldn't let him.
Will we have a chance to see Barry Sanders play again in the next season? My first question ever from Thailand. Wow. How do you see NFL games in Thailand? I'd be curious to know. My gut feeling is that Sanders will stay retired. I'd love to be wrong. Until I hear from him that he wants to play in 2000, I won't believe it. And so far the only person saying he'll play is his agent, David Ware. So, Somchai, and I think you and I are in the same boat on this one: Wait and see if there's a contending team out there that could get the Lions to deal Sanders (probably for two high draft choices) and hope he'll come back.
Can you explain to me why Gary Kubiak is the top coaching candidate throughout the NFL and continues to turn down every head coaching job that is offered to him? Is it because he likes Denver that much or is he awaiting a particular job, i.e., the Houston franchise? I personally would love to see him in Dallas in place of Chan Gailey. Gary Kubiak, perhaps more than any coach I know, values his family's happiness. Kubiak knows he mistreats his family for most of every year because of the ridiculously long hours coaches must put in. His family wants to be in one of two places -- Houston (maybe Texas, but it may be only Houston) or Denver. That's why he respectfully thumbs his nose at most of these jobs that come open.
I know you've already had a number of articles on the situation in San Francisco -- Jerry Rice, Steve Young and the cap -- but what is your view on where the two players should be next season? And what are the talks concerning the leadership of the team? Is Bill Walsh staying, is he giving some extra work to Steve Mariucci? Thank you and keep up the MMQB. It's my first stop each Monday morning. Thanks for your kind words about MMQB. I think Young quarterbacks the 49ers opening day. I think Rice, if he takes a massive pay cut, plays for the 49ers opening day -- and if he doesn't, he'll play for a contender on grass. Walsh stays. Mariucci gets equal power to Walsh. Send a question to Peter King.
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