The Nfl

Youth Movement
An influx of young talent has given the game a shot in the arm, Smith plays through pain, Jets kicker is a keeper

In the Patriots' 33-6 rout of the Bills on Sunday, quarterback Drew Bledsoe completed four passes to his favorite wide-out, Terry Glenn. Linebacker Ted Johnson had a team-high nine tackles on a defense that limited Buffalo to 242 yards. And Curtis Martin rushed for 99 yards, barely missing his 15th career 100-yard game. All of the aforementioned players are 25 or younger. All have either played in Pro Bowls or are on the verge of doing so.

The Patriots' youth movement is not unique. In fact, the league is enjoying a player renaissance. A scant three years ago, as many of the game's megastars—Joe Montana, Jim Kelly, Ronnie Lott and Art Monk, to name a few—were on the verge of flaming out, the woe-is-football signs were everywhere. Where would the much needed infusion of fresh talent come from? "The talent was lagging," New England coach Pete Carroll says. "But now you look at the league, especially at quarterback. I think it's pretty clear the young guys are back."

It is no coincidence that aging teams like the Cowboys and the Bills have limped through the first seven weeks of the season. The Broncos are gray too, but they are the NFL's deepest team. The 49ers are old, but three kids under 27, wideouts Terrell Owens and J.J. Stokes and running back Garrison Hearst, have helped make up for the loss of Jerry Rice. Jacksonville will make a run at the playoffs, and its five premier players—quarterback Mark Brunell running back Natrone Means, offensive tackle Tony Boselli, defensive end Tony Brackens and linebacker Kevin Hardy—are 27 or younger. The Super Bowl champion Packers have only three key players over 30: defensive end Reggie White, free safety Eugene Robinson and center Frank Winters.

"The young players are forced to play sooner," says Ravens vice president of player personnel Ozzie Newsome, who notes that many of them have had a positive impact. "For years we were accustomed to kids sitting around three or four years before they blossomed." Not anymore.

Bruised Bruce

The Bills have 10 games left, and their best player, defensive end Bruce Smith, hopes he'll make it through the season. At the team's Providence hotel on the eve of the game against the Patriots, a downcast Smith said a cracked bone spur in his right knee had sapped his confidence. "When you're playing hurt like I am, you don't have the same faith in your pass-rush moves," said Smith, the 1996 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. "You're worried that your leg might not be able to take it. Now I'm using my left leg more than I should. [The injury] is playing mind games with me."

Smith didn't help matters when he banged knees with fellow defensive end Jim Jeffcoat late in training camp, then had physical games in the first three weeks of the season. "But I'll keep playing until I stop being productive or the pain's too great," he said. So far productivity hasn't been an issue. During Buffalo's 3-3 start, Smith had 6½ sacks, including one in the loss to New England.

One Cool Customer

"Jeez!" Jets coach Bill Parcells said last week, fearful that fans and the media were falling too much in love with rookie kicker John Hall. "You've got this kid out in Canton already. He hasn't even made it to Harrisburg."