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Q&A with SI's Peter King The NFL’s final four sure have come a long way, baby
Posted: Monday January 17, 2000 02:52 PM
Heading into the AFC and NFC Championship games, the Rams, Bucs, Jaguars and Titans are the only NFL teams left standing. This ensures that Super Bowl XXXIV will be without a traditional NFL powerhouse -- and some would argue there isn't much tradition at all among these four franchises. So who are these guys? And how did they go from anonymity (or ignominy) to one step away from the Super Bowl? CNNSI.com spoke with Sports Illustrated senior writer Peter King about the NFL's final four, and what factors will propel two of these teams to Atlanta. CNNSI.com: Peter, if you look at the pasts of the four teams remaining, they are checkered -- at the beginning of the decade, only Tampa Bay had an NFL franchise, and even that is debatable -- but they all find themselves one win from the Super Bowl. How did this happen? Peter King: I think St. Louis is here because of a confluence of explosive offensive weapons and a belief in the system that Dick Vermeil has been establishing for three years. Tampa Bay is here because of Tony Dungy's unrelenting defense. Period. Jacksonville is here because of a long-term commitment to building a modern-day NFL program the right way. Tom Coughlin knew what he wanted when he went to that job. He wanted a quarterback, a left tackle and defensive players who could pressure the quarterback. He has all of that, plus more. Tennessee is here thanks to a collection of largely unknown players with a great work ethic and a very underrated coaching staff led by Jeff Fisher and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams. They've also been led on the field by a 240-pound mail carrier, Eddie George, who is going to get his yards even against the best defenses. CNNSI.com: What should we know about the way these teams approach games when they break the huddle? Peter King: St. Louis is going to challenge everyone with a vertical passing game -- whether the Rams are up by 20 points or down by 20. Tampa Bay simply has to give its offense a short field with its relentless pressure defense, because the Bucs offense just isn't good enough to keep up with the Rams. Jacksonville is going to be diverse, with a classic, pro-style passing game and a talented runner in Fred Taylor. Tennessee will survive offensively on the legs of Eddie George, and on the hope that its defense can force turnovers. CNNSI.com: Are these teams for real, or are we looking at the Atlanta Falcons, circa 1998? Peter King: We always look at the good teams in football at the end of the year and wonder if they can stay on top. Now, more than ever, that's a big question. The thing about each one of these teams that seems to give them a good chance is that they all can play defense. I think, for instance, that happened in the last 20 minutes of the Rams game on Sunday was a mirage; the St. Louis defense is a legitimately good group and will show that against Tampa. CNNSI.com: So defenses are obviously a common theme for the four teams, but what is the most important aspect of these teams? Peter King: I think this is the way each of these teams will win on Sunday: CNNSI.com: Will we see two good football games next weekend? Peter King: I think Tampa Bay is going to have to play close to a perfect game to beat St. Louis because it's going to be hard for them to score enough points to get into anything even remotely resembling a shootout. I really like the Tennessee-Jacksonville game. I can't understand how some oddsmaker in Las Vegas, after the Titans have beaten Jacksonville three in a row, can make the Jaguars a seven-point favorite. That oddsmaker obviously didn't watch Kenny Holmes tie up two blockers on Sunday or watch Samari Rolle neutralize Marvin Harrison. This is a very good, very ferocious Tennessee team. It won't be favored. But I like Tennessee's chances.
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