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Keep it simple, stupid For many teams, it's time to get back to basics
Updated: Sunday October 22, 2000 2:26 PM
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 8: Duane Cross: Coach, several of the young quarterbacks are really struggling this season -- Tampa Bay and Shaun King lost again Thursday night, Chicago, under Cade McNown, has won only one game and Cincinnati and Akili Smith are winless. What is at the root of the struggles? Ron Meyer: I really don't buy into the theory that it takes a while to get quarterbacks into the NFL mindset. I think head coaches and offensive coordinators need to take a look at the big picture -- defense, special teams and offense win games. Each of these young quarterbacks has talent; coaches have to judiciously select the optimum time for them to succeed. It goes back to Kiss -- Keep it simple, stupid. Each of the guys is in danger of getting gun shy; the coaches must put these guys in a situation where they can win. Everyone in the NFL gets their own kingdom, and the coordinators want to have the "hot" offense and get their name into Gordon Forbes' column on Monday mornings. These coordinators want to be head coaches, too, and get their name on the lips of owners. But you cannot put all the pressure on these young quarterbacks. Many of these coordinators want to throw the ball deep, when they should run the ball, punt and play defense. Cross: In Dallas, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones stands behind Troy Aikman as the team's quarterback. In light of Dallas' struggles, where is Jones coming from? Meyer: Jerry is extremely loyal to Troy. Matter of fact, Aikman is the NFL's all-time winningest quarterback for a decade. Jerry knows that, and also Troy won three Super Bowls. I don't think there's any question they have hung on too long with Troy, though. [Backup] Randall Cunningham, when he has played this year, has done a great job. I don't think there's any question who should be the quarterback. Cross: Along those same lines, Baltimore has not scored a touchdown in almost 140 minutes. Should Ravens head coach Brian Billick bite the bullet with QB Tony Banks? Meyer: Again, I think you have to evaluate who the backup quarterback is. You cannot lay all the blame at Banks' feet. Last week against Washington, he faced a very good defense. Plus, the Redskins, with Stephen Davis running the ball, kept the ball out of the hands of Baltimore's offense. This week against Tennessee, I think they need to put Banks in a situation -- like I said with the young quarterbacks -- where he can succeed, handing the ball off, using the running backs out of the backfield and picking their spots to throw deep. Cross: Speaking of the Redskins, the agent for quarterback Brad Johnson this week said his client will test the free-agent market when the season ends. Meyer: This is just hard for me to understand. Here's your starting quarterback -- and there is a lot of football still to be played -- who could lead you to the Super Bowl. How can the Redskins not make an effort to re-sign Johnson? Personally, I think this is a ploy by the agent [Phil Williams] to put his client in a better bargaining position. This is something that we'll have to see how it plays out. I certainly do not see Washington giving up on Johnson. Cross: In Kansas City, Elvis Grbac is playing in the shadows of St. Louis' Kurt Warner, but Grbac has put up respectable numbers. Meyer: Grbac certainly has come into his own with the Chiefs. He has what every quarterback wants -- a great tight end [Tony Gonzalez]. When Dallas was winning, Aikman had Jay Novacek. Brett Favre had Mark Chmura in Green Bay. Grbac has the relationship with Gonzalez that, when it's third-and-8, he's the go-to guy who can pick up that critical first down. The Chiefs also drafted Sylvester Morris to go along with Derrick Alexander at wide receiver and they are throwing the ball out of the backfield. It's a good situation to be in. Cross: On Thursday, Cleveland's Tim Couch broke his thumb in practice. How will this set back his progress? Meyer: Oh, it'll be tremendous. Couch is the heart and soul of the Browns. They were trying to improve, and certainly they were getting better. Earlier this year, they lost their backup [Ty Detmer] to a broken leg, and now the Browns turn to Doug Pederson. I think Cleveland will go back to basics against Pittsburgh on Sunday, throw the safe passes, run the ball, punt and play defense. Cross: On Monday night, Miami visits New York in a key AFC East game. Is there one player who can be the difference-maker? Meyer: I believe it is Curtis Martin. If the jets are to contain Miami's great pass rush, he will have to dominate at the line of scrimmage, as he did last week against the Patriots. New York doesn't have great receivers, though I love the competitive spirit of Wayne Chrebet. But if the Jets are to win, they will have to stay away from the Dolphins' defensive strength by offsetting the pass rush with running the ball, play-action passes. Ron Meyer, a former NFL head coach, is a pro football analyst with CNN/Sports Illustrated and appears weekly on CNN's NFL Preview.
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