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Hurricane warning Miami's Davis could blow into Washington
Updated: Monday November 06, 2000 2:03 AM
Sports Illustrated senior writer Peter King spoke about Week 10 with CNN's NFL Preview host Bob Lorenz on Sunday: Bob Lorenz: Politically speaking, we find out this week if there will be a change of power in Washington. And, as far as the Redskins are concerned, could there be a change in power there as well after the season? Peter King: Norv Turner has been the incumbent almost as long as Bill Clinton, but it looks as if both could have change of addresses come January.
A close friend of Turner's told me this week that it is all but known to Turner that he will not be back as head coach of the Redskins next year; which begs the question why. Well, Turner chafes under the incendiary leadership of owner Now, if Turner does leave, who becomes the head coach? I think Snyder could have a very interesting choice to make because it looks like Butch Davis, the Miami coach, is headed toward a New Year's bowl game, and perhaps the national championship game, and there is no doubt that Butch Davis wants to take the step to the next level. Could Davis handle Snyder's leadership? I think so. Davis worked for years under Jerry Jones in Dallas and he can take an owner involving himself in the franchise. Lorenz: The Steelers may be winning games, but they're just doing OK. Even head coach Bill Cowher made it sound like they're not blowing the doors off anyone. Peter, they're just doing OK, right? King: That's exactly right. The Steelers have put it in the hands of Jerome Bettis, and the key reason there is they simply can't rely on their passing game. Their past two No. 1 picks, Troy Edwards and Plaxico Burress, are poor route runners and they also have two quarterbacks who aren't really accurate. On the other side of the ball in this game is the best player no one has ever heard of, Pittsburgh outside linebacker Joey Porter, one of the best young sackers in football. I think Pittsburgh helps themselves today by stopping the run, by stopping a banged-up Eddie George and sticking Joey Porter on Steve McNair. Lorenz: Is it fair to assume in Washington, that with Brad Johnson not signed and Jeff George who is, that if George plays well over the next several weeks that Johnson may never get his job back? King: I think it is fair to assume that, especially if Jeff George wins. Now, there is one basic difference between these two guys and that is this: When Jeff George goes back to pass he looks at one guy and tries to hit the first guy he sees. Brad Johnson surveys the field and looks at all his options -- one, two three, four. And that's the difference and that is the reason why Norv Turner really likes Brad Johnson because he looks at all his options. Lorenz: What is wrong with the Baltimore Ravens offense, why can't they get into the end zone? Twenty quarters without a touchdown.... King: A couple of things are wrong. Number one, a bunch of small things go wrong on almost every single drive. And, I think that the other thing that happens here, you've got a couple of inaccurate quarterbacks, Tony Banks and Trent Dilfer. It is hard for them to sustain a drive, but what [head coach] Brian Billick did this week was that he basically said look, 'I have been through this before in Minnesota when we have had three, four, five-game losing streaks on the way to playoff seasons. And that's exactly what we are going to do here. We have a three-game losing streak and today is the day we are going to turn it around.' I talked to Billick last night and he was very, very confident even though two of his offensive coaches got in a spat this week and had to be separated. Billick calls it creative tension. Well, after this game, if they don't score, I'd call tension -- period. Lorenz: A little quarterback controversy brewing in Buffalo between Doug Flutie and Rob Johnson after these comments appeared in this week's Sports Illustrated: 'There's no question we're a different team with Doug in there. All Doug thinks about is helping the team win and how he can do that. Rob seems distracted by things like wanting everyone to like him...He'd rather get pummeled by four guys than throw the ball away to help his QB rating.' Johnson attributes the comments to Flutie; Flutie denies it. Peter, can this relationship get any worse? King: Well, I don't think this relationship can get any worse; these two guys simply don't trust each other. But the only thing that matters right now is that the Buffalo Bills are playing for their season in Foxboro today and if Doug Flutie wins this game, I think [head coach] Wade Phillips keeps him as the starting quarterback. Lorenz: Lawrence Phillips' name is making headlines again. What's up with him? King: Lawrence Phillips signed with the Las Vegas entry of the XFL, and Vince McMahon, the commissioner of the XFL, basically said, 'Look, we don't want any convicted felons in our league.' So Phillips, if the league does not allow him in, will sue the XFL to gain entry.
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