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Dr. Z's Forecast
Posted: Tuesday December 14, 1999 02:34 PM By Paul Zimmerman
Let's talk about turmoil. Writers call it dissension. Coaches call it a distraction. I still don't know how to handicap it. I've known coaches who liked to stir things up when they felt their team was getting complacent. Former Raiders linebacker Matt Millen tells a story about how Al Davis told him to start a fight at the Wednesday practice before Super Bowl XVIII because things were too dull. "So I picked the worst fighter on the offense," Millen says, "Mickey Marvin, our right guard." There was so much turmoil in the Jets' Super Bowl camp before they played the heavily favored Colts in 1969 that the line went from 17 to 19 1/2. Of course, we know what happened in that one. A few weeks ago the Jets were in turmoil again. You remember the Keyshawn Johnson quote after the Jets lost to the Colts on Nov. 28: "I don't want to be around no losers." Then they got murdered by the Giants, prompting coach Bill Parcells to say, "I'm ashamed of this team." But on Sunday the Jets turned in a rock-solid performance and a big upset over Miami, which is desperately fighting for a playoff spot. And how about those Giants? Linebacker Jessie Armstead popped off about how the defense was carrying the offense, then defensive end Michael Strahan laced into management for muzzling Armstead, and bam-bam, they get the big win over the Jets followed by an upset of the Bills. Tampa Bay was winning, but last month the Bucs started slipping. The offense couldn't score a touchdown against the lowly Falcons. Three players were docked playing time for missing meetings. Add quarterback Trent Dilfer's broken clavicle, and you've got a team ready to crack, right? Nope. Tampa Bay just keeps beating the good teams -- Seattle, Minnesota and Detroit -- and distancing itself from the rest of the NFC Central. The best incidence of a little turmoil breeding success this season belongs to the Redskins, though. They are tops in the NFC East but were shaky after losing to Detroit on Dec. 5. There were frowns all around after their premier runner, Stephen Davis, carried the ball only three times in the second half against the Lions. So last Thursday owner Daniel Snyder called five veterans into his office and told them -- depending on which version of the story you got -- to play for themselves, or never mind what the coaches told them. Then the Skins crushed the Cardinals. So how do we project all this into Week 15? I say the Skins lose to Indy, which makes up in quality for what it lacks in turmoil. Call it 37-31. The Giants visit St. Louis, and I'm trying to find an upset. If the game were in the Meadowlands I'd consider it, but in the TWA Dome I'll take the Rams. The Jets? Well, we don't really know how good they are, do we? I say they're good enough to upset the Cowboys, who have a depleted wideout corps, in Dallas, though New York is an extremely difficult team to handicap, as I've learned the hard way. I'll stick with the Jets. And the Bucs will keep it going with a win in Oakland, although their young quarterback, Shaun King, might find things a bit tougher on the road. Green Bay visits Minnesota in the Monday nighter. Both are coming off weird losses. Both know that another loss will cripple their wild-card chances. I'd like to know more about the prognosis on Cris Carter's sprained ankle. Even so, I like the Pack to upset the Vikings. Quickie picks: Seattle can't stop the skid and will lose to the Broncos in Denver. The Patriots keep their dim playoff hopes flickering with a win in Philadelphia. Finally, the Bills squeak one out in Arizona, not with Flutie magic but with a defense that forces a few turnovers. Issue date: December 20, 1999
For more Inside the NFL see this week's issue of Sports Illustrated, on newsstands Wednesday, December 15. Click here to subscribe to SI.
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