September 2, 2013 Table Of Contents
SI.com
LEADING OFF
THE MAIL
NFL PREVIEW 2013
Four young stars and an influx of strong-armed, light-footed rookie hopefuls are giving teams offensive alternatives. The question now: How can the read-option be stopped?
By GREG A. BEDARD
Four young quarterbacks took the league by storm in 2012, but how quickly—and how high—will they rise? SI compared each with a Super Bowl champion, showing ways in which the past could be prologue
Physical skills? The Cowboys' wideout has always had those. Now that his talent and maturity are in better balance, he's finally ready to take off as a pass-catching star
By Peter King
It's been an off-season of upheaval, but long before the tumult, the braintrust had identified the source of their offensive struggles in the postseason
By Greg Bedard
You want to be a running back in the Mile High City? Great. One thing, though: Peyton Manning's got a job for you—and it has nothing to do with running the ball
Andy Dalton has to get better on the deep ball. A.J. Green knows it. Heck, Andy Dalton knows it. But if he can't figure it out? Well, that defense is a horrible thing to waste
By Peter King
Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Paul Kruger, Anquan Boldin.... The champs bid adieu to a slew of Super Bowl contributors, but if you think they're crying about those losses, think again
By Greg Bedard
The running game has some new Pep in its step, but the tight ends could benefit the most from a new commitment to the West Coast offense
Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt can't do everything for a D that under-achieved last year. A rehabbed Brian Cushing will bolster an otherwise sad-sack pass rush
In a city that's all about the sauce, the Chiefs hope their new coach and quarterback can add some much-needed flavor. The name of the secret sauce? 22 Z In
By Peter King
Investing in a new franchise quarterback to run a new up-tempo offense is cause for renewed optimism. There's talent here, and maybe a good sleeper pick too
Patience is the play in Cleveland—heard that one before?—even with a restocked defense that should live up to the AFC North's absurdly high standards
By Peter King
In the midst of an identity crisis, the Steelers returned to their roots by drafting Le'Veon Bell, who should be a classic man of Steel—just as soon as that foot heals
By Don Banks
Chris Johnson got what he was looking for, some Big Uglies to pave the way for a ground revival. A middling franchise, though, is still playing a game of Chance
By Dan Greene
You didn't expect the Dolphins to hit the ground running with a rookie coach and QB, did you? They practically did—and now they've added Mike Wallace. Watch out
A new coaching staff wants you to get it out of your head: Philip Rivers doesn't need an overhaul. But a few tweaks—shorter drops, more reliance on his runners—are in order
By Jim Trotter
Big data— at least that offered by the front office—is the friend of Blaine Gabbert, who got a vote of confidence and a huge gift in the draft. This is his last, best shot
By Don Banks
A year removed from a butt fumble of a season, the Jets are hoping to sneak up on opponents. The question is: With what, exactly?
Some big-name dumps replaced by low- and mid-level stopgaps suggest this is the rebuilding before the rebuilding. Six wins would be a major triumph
By Jim Trotter
The Super Bowl runner-ups need a hand, a bunch of them, actually; they'll find them in their February nemesis and a tight end suddenly back in demand
A new coordinator, a tweaked scheme and plenty of moving parts—not exactly what you would expect from one of the NFL's top defenses. But it's Super Bowl quality
By Jim Trotter
The passing game is as balanced and well-oiled as they come, but the franchise needed to make a ground-breaking off-season move. Hello, Steven Jackson
By Greg Bedard
They sank a fortune into their franchise quarterback, but their big-ticket expense on the other side of the ball is no less vital to a title run
By Don Banks
Loud. Entertaining. Swagger. It's been an off-season blitz of those words commonly associated with Rob Ryan and his defense. But it's time the results live up to the hype
By Don Banks
For the Giants, a return to defensive excellence is all about keeping up with the times. Good thing, then, that this team ain't afraid to tinker
Recall, if you will: RG3 didn't revive the Redskins alone last year. Alfred Morris was, in fact, the bigger revelation, and he's not done surprising people
By Don Banks
Whether Christian Ponder blows up or gets benched in 2013 likely comes down to a matter of trust—trust in himself and in a new crew of talented pass catchers
By Don Banks
Rebuild? Or make a run for it all? The seemingly on-the-brink Bears will go for the Lombardi. If it doesn't work out, they're well-positioned for a good gutting
Ducks ... Eagles ... They're both going to fly in Chip Kelly's no-oxygen attack. Thing is, these Birds are of a different feather for the rookie coach
By Don Banks
Quarterback Sam Bradford suffered from a big-play problem in 2012. The solution—a most excellent and effective one—comes in a small package
By Peter King
The pass defense has been addressed in a huge way. The pass offense, though? It's time for Josh Freeman to make that Eli-like leap
By Don Banks
In order to keep pace in the East, owner Jerry Jones ditched one defensive guru in exchange for another. But does 73-year-old Monte Kiffin have many tricks left?
It's easy to sling mud—the passers didn't pass muster in 2012. Not even close. But Carson Palmer has the arm to make the new coach's big-play-minded playbook work
By Jim Trotter
In terms of big uglies, they don't get any bigger and—well, nastier than Suh and Fairley. But it's time for that feral pair to start delivering unit-changing results
Cam Newton has the tools. Cam Newton has the numbers. Cam Newton just needs to get on the same page as his teammates in a make-or-break season
By Greg Bedard
Domes and the ever-growing cacophony of 12th Men everywhere turned play-calling into a leaguewide nightmare. Then a wise old man came up with an innovation that changed the game: He told his quarterbacks to shut up
POINT AFTER
By Brian Burke
Departments
By Jack Dickey
By Jim Trotter
By Mark Bechtel
It's one of the most grueling fortnights in sports: withering matches in weather that can go from blistering hot to postmonsoon humid to autumn chill in a matter of hours. Here's how 13th-seeded John Isner—who is no stranger to epic tennis, having played an 11-hour match at Wimbledon in 2010—copes
By Interview by Dan Patrick