September 5, 2005 Table Of Contents
2005 NFL Preview
Their bibles are team-issued binders crammed with hundreds of meticulously designed plays. Their mission is to change their teams' fortunes in the blink of an eye. They stretch to the first-down marker on third-and-long. They make the stop on fourth-and-inches. They are PLAYMAKERS
So you think playbooks are just diagrams with lines going this way and that? You'll be amazed at what coaches stuff in them and how much the poor player has to learn
By Peter King
Ravens offensive coordinator Jim Fassel doesn't waste any time, installing one of his favorites, PFB Double Square Out, on Day One
By Peter King
They're bold and brash, and with the trend toward multireceiver sets, there are more of them than ever--and they all want the ball. When the pass arrives, be it on a slant or a deep post, something electrifying tends to happen
They are the new wave of defensive stars, delivering bone-jarring hits in run support and patrolling the middle of the field in coverage. And when they get their hands on the ball, watch out!
Never mind that both coordinators and a pair of starting linebackers had to be replaced. Nothing seems to rattle the two-time defending champs
Chad Pennington's tender shoulder ... a big hole at nosetackle.... Such pivotal issues will decide whether this club goes far in the postseason
After finishing strong in '04, a team with savvy veterans puts its fate in the hands of a 24-year-old quarterback who has thrown five NFL passes
Trying to jump-start the run game, Nick Saban hired a respected line coach, welcomed back a familiar face and added a versatile rookie
Everybody is terrified of their defense, but can Kyle Boller strike fear into opposing secondaries? He finally has the receiving weapons to do it
After his sensational rookie season, what can Ben Roethlisberger possibly do for an encore? Well, there is one thing ... get to the Super Bowl
Marvin Lewis is rebuilding his porous defense on the same foundation that brought him success elsewhere: bruising linebackers
Still trying to get its act together, the six-year-old franchise looks for leadership from a rookie coach and a veteran quarterback with Super Bowl savvy
It's business as usual for Peyton Manning and the high-scoring offense, but for this team to get past the Patriots, the defense has to raise its game
A new coordinator takes the chains off the offense, installing a quick-strike attack that emphasizes long passes and putting a lot of points on the board
Having ably played the role of expansion-team celebrity, it's time for David Carr to fulfill his promise on the field by getting into the playoffs
After 32 years and great success in the college game, new offensive coordinator Norm Chow is daring to make a difference in the NFL
A new arrival, elite corner Patrick Surtain, gives the revamped defense an identity--and the team the jolt it needs to finally get to the Super Bowl
Rejuvenated linebacker Steve Foley and the defending division champions are bent on proving that their startling 2004 was no fluke
In a city where expectations run mile-high, the pressure is mounting on passer Jake Plummer to lead his team deep into the postseason
By Jeff Chadiha
All eyes are on Randy Moss, but success could hinge on whether another new player, former Jet LaMont Jordan, can revive the ground game
A lesser team would wilt from the heat and tension of this summer soap opera, but Andy Reid will get his fractious bunch back to the playoffs
By Peter King
Bill Parcells hopes to re-create some of his old magic with a return to his preferred defensive scheme and the addition of some hungry players
They'll go as far as their franchise quarterback takes them--just don't expect Eli Manning to play like his famous brother. At least, not yet
By Peter King
The ball is still in Patrick Ramsey's hands, but there are two other options at quarterback if the offense sputters as it did a year ago
By Bill Syken
The defense has been fortified and a major distraction is gone, but Mike Tice & Co. still have to prove they can finish what they start
By Peter King
The front office underwent a shake-up, but the defense--which was in dire need of one, too--will have to get better with the same players
By Peter King
Whether he'll admit it or not, Joey Harrington is entering a make-or-break season for a team that needs his arm to make the jump to the playoffs
By Peter King
All-Pro wideout Muhsin Muhammad is a major addition to an offense that was the league's worst in '04, but who's going to get him the ball?
By Peter King
Defensive end extraordinaire Julius Peppers and the return to health of a handful of stars make this club the team to beat in the NFC
By Bill Syken
If young deep threats Michael Jenkins and Roddy White get open and make plays, they will add another dimension to Michael Vick's game
By Peter King
Coach Jim Haslett is getting back to the basics with the emphasis on a ground game bolstered by two new faces on the right side of the line
By Bill Syken
A rejuvenated Brian Griese and a new Cadillac will drive the offense, but the lanes may be clogged because of a suspect offensive line
By Bill Syken
With bruising back Steven Jackson and other talented young starters getting comfortable in the offense, Mike Martz's team has its swagger back
The quick development of a young secondary, including converted safety Michael Boulware, will be key to a defensive turnaround
There's reason for optimism in the desert, starting with veteran passer Kurt Warner and an explosive set of young wideouts
This up-and-down franchise is counting on its new-look defense to lay the groundwork for a return to respectability. It may take a while
PLAYER VALUE RANKING
Sports Illustrated: Bonus Flashback
That's what being black in the first half of the 20th century meant for Oscar Charleston, the greatest baseball player you've never heard of
AIR AND SPACE
By Steve Rushin
Inside
The Week In Sports
Inside Baseball
Twelve (contenders) doesn't go into five (postseason spots up for grabs), so which teams will make the cut?
By Tom Verducci
By Tom Verducci
A walk-off homer capped hustling Hawaii's comeback win over Curaçao in the Little League World Series
By Albert Chen
Inside The WNBA
The sharpshooting of newcomer Nicole Powell could decide whether Sacramento finally makes the finals
Inside College Football
After sitting behind David Greene for four years, quarterback D.J. Shockley finally gets the chance to lead Georgia
LIFE OF REILLY
By Rick Reilly
Departments
A French paper has joined the chorus of critics who say Lance Armstrong cheated his way to those Tour de France titles. Expect the Texan to weather the storm
After a horrific year, James Blake bounces back in New Haven
The fifth season of the comedian and Dodgers fan's sitcom, George Lopez, starts on Sept. 28 on ABC
By Robert Deitsch
By Adam Duerson
What to watch and watch for
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