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Jets are good, but Bucs are better
CNNSI.com's B. Duane Cross talked with former NFL head coach and current NFL Preview analyst Ron Meyer about several issues and storylines as teams prepare for Week 4: Duane Cross: Coach, all the talk this week centers on Tampa, where the Buccaneers play host to the New York Jets. Buccaneers receiver Keyshawn Johnson has spent much of the week talking as only he can. As a former coach, is this good, bad, indifferent? Ron Meyer: From a pure coaching standpoint, I wish players would not hold interviews. I'd prefer closed practices and closed locker rooms. But the reality is that the NFL believes the more hype that is generated adds to the tremendous buildup of the game. Just ask Dallas. You don't think they were ready for Deion Sanders last Monday night? Emotions are still a large part of the game, and to a degree it plays into the Jets' hands. If this game were played in New York, it might be a different story. Cross: Last week, the Jets used a Hail Mary and a kickoff return for a touchdown to subdue Buffalo. Still, people are talking about the Jets using smoke and mirrors. The Jets may be the most overlooked 3-0 team in football. Meyer: A 3-0 start is a tremendous accomplishment. On the road this week against the best defense in football is a lot to ask from a team. But I don't think if the Jets get beat it will take away from their team. The Jets are for real. Cross: Off the field, ACL injuries have become one of the biggest stories in the first quarter of the season -- Joey Galloway, Michael Westbrook and this week Bobby Engram and Kevin Dyson. Are these knee injuries a cause for alarm, or have they always been prevalent in football? Meyer: Knee injuries have always been involved with football. But it puzzles me that MCL cartilage injuries can be cleaned up using arthroscopic surgery and ACL injuries need a long rehabilitation, a year or more. The correlation between artificial turf and the severity of these injuries has been looked at. Studies have shown the severity of these injuries is greater on turf. It's something that needs to be addressed. Cross: In Denver, Michael Anderson has become the most talked-about rookie running back -- more so than first-round draft picks Jamal Lewis, Thomas Jones, Ron Dayne and Stephen Alexander. Are these rookie experiencing typical growing pains? Meyer: Mike Anderson is a sixth-round pick who can play, and he's also benefiting from an efficient offensive line in Denver. There's generally way too much hype placed on these top draft picks. Dayne is splitting time in New York with Tiki Barker, and he's made an impact because he's not the guy. What we're seeing is more of a rotation and two-back sets. It's tailback-by-committee. Jamal Lewis is a tremendous running back, who is coming off a severe elbow injury. Alexander is locked in behind Ricky Watters, who had a tremendous game last week. Jones is still emerging, but has struggled more than the other three. Cross: Washington and Carolina spent a lot of money in the offseason to improve their teams. Yet, these teams haven't seen a lot of on-field success through three weeks. Is team chemistry being overlooked in pursuit of a championship? Meyer: I certainly think so. [Giants head coach] Jim Fassel thinks that is a big part of the teams' lack of early success. When teams pay top dollar for older players, they sometimes do not take into consideration the toll -- the physical pounding -- that 10-plus-year veterans take. Just watch Jim Ringo or Mike Ditka try to walk. Deion Sanders at this point is just another cornerback. Is he good? Yes. Is he hurt and banged up? Yes. Cross: Is there one thing that coaches look for to put them over the top? Meyer: That's a good question. If there's one thing that I could pinpoint -- the top thing on my wish list -- it would be maintaining the health of the starting units, offense and defense. Invariably, the starting units of Super Bowl teams do not change, they do not have the devastating injuries. Even if it's a team like Cincinnati, if you can stay healthy, you can win games. Darnay Scott's injury is showing for the Bengals. Cross: Sticking with the Bengals, a lot of fans had high hopes for Cincinnati -- a new stadium, an exciting receiver in Peter Warrick. What's wrong with the Bengals? Meyer: Like I said, the Scott injury is big. They've had tough luck with some other draft picks, Ki-Jana Carter, for example. Everyone blames the front office and the Brown family, but that organization works on the bare-bones minimum -- meaning it makes money, turns a profit, which is what a business is supposed to do. But that organization has been to two Super Bowls and was beaten by heroic drives twice. Historically, they've run a pretty good ship. Yes, the Bengals are on tough times. And it's questionable that they have the right coach and the right offensive design. I can understand the frustrations that guys have and want out, like Carl Pickens. But it was the same way a few years back in Green Bay and in Indianapolis. And now in San Francisco, even with Jerry Rice. Cross: Coach, you proved prophetic last week in picking Miami to knock off Baltimore. Any surprises this week? Meyer: Don't be surprised if San Francisco doesn't come back against the Cowboys. Troy Aikman is back for Dallas, but the 49ers may catch 'em by surprise. But I'd still take Dallas at home.
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