Super Bowl 38 pick: Rams over Raiders

Yahoooooo Sporting News ^ | 08/28/03 | Dan Pompei

[bedolido]

What makes a Super Bowl winner?

The cliche answer is great defenses, and the last three Super Bowl winners -- Tampa, New England and Baltimore -- support that logic. But before the 2000 season, the argument can be made that 12 of the previous 13 Super Bowl winners (the lone exception being the 1990 Giants) were offense-dominated teams.

So great offenses also can win. In fact, it says here great offenses will win this season when the Rams beat the Raiders in the Arena, er, Super Bowl.

What wins Super Bowls are transcendent players who redefine their careers at the ultimate moments. Think John Elway helicoptering to a first down in 1998. Think Joe Montana dissecting the Bengals on the game-winning drive in 1989.

What wins Super Bowls are coaches who give transcendent players advantages by putting them in positions to succeed. Think Jon Gruden and Bill Belichick the last two seasons or, if you prefer, Joe Gibbs in 1988.

Assuming Kurt Warner and Marshall Faulk are healthy and can play as they did two seasons ago, no team has more game changers than the Rams. Some would say it is a big assumption that they will be healthy, but it may be a bigger assumption that two of the most gifted players in the game can lose their gifts so quickly.

This team also has the premier offensive mind in the game. Mike Martz is the coach whom offensive coaches at every level of football study in order to better prepare their teams.

Think Warner throwing beautiful spiral after beautiful spiral on February 1 in Houston, just as he did when he was the NFL's Most Valuable Player in 1999 and 2001. Think Faulk dancing through gaps, around linebackers and by defensive backs. Think Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt bursting out of their breaks, making effortless catches and then running away from everyone.

Think Martz making 11 offensive players look like 18, temporarily paralyzing a defense that can't possibly keep up with so many shifts, motions and personnel changes.

Think Rich Gannon throwing short, precise strikes, each one a dagger, to Jerry Rice, Jerry Porter, Tim Brown, Charlie Garner, Doug Jolley, Teyo Johnson and Tyrone Wheatley. But those short strikes don't hurt as much as Warner's long ones.

Think Rams 34, Raiders 28.

AFC picks

Division winners: Dolphins, Steelers, Titans and Raiders Wild-card teams: Colts and Bills AFC championship: Raiders over Dolphins

NFC picks

Division winners: Eagles, Packers, Bucs, Rams Wild-card teams: 49ers and Giants NFC championship: Rams over Packers

Super Bowl winner: Rams

Award picks Defensive player of the year: DE Jason Taylor, Dolphins Offensive rookie of the year: TE Dallas Clark, Colts Defensive rookie of the year: CB Terence Newman, Cowboys Comeback player of the year: QB Kurt Warner, Rams Coach of the year: Gregg Williams, Bills

Senior writer Dan Pompei covers the NFL for Sporting News. Email him at pompei@sportingnews.com.

[dfwgator]

Parcells is only interested in getting the ship in the right direction, I think Jerry only wants him there to clear up the mess, then as soon as Jerry thinks things are going in the right direction, he will again take over and hire another patsy for head coach. Jerry doesn't want Parcells around that long either.

[mr.pink]

hey just seem to have a tendency to say "now what?"...

My take was Oakland walked into a Superbowl streetfight when they were mentally prepared for, and expecting, a coronation.

[Mr. Mojo]

Yep, the egomaniac Jones doesn't like the fact that he didn't get full credit for the success of the great Cowboy teams of the early 90's, and he doesn't want that to happen again.

[bedolido]

The Rams suck, and so does their murderess old-whore owner. (Yes, Georgia was indeed a high-priced hooker in her younger days, and she ordered the murder her husband Carrol Rosenbloom).

Yeah I know the history. Been a Rams fan since 1955 (I was 11 years old and saw them at the LA Colisiem (sp). Jon Arnett and "Crazy-Legs" Hirsh. I wouldn't call her that name, however, I do think she's ruined a great franchise. Rosenblooms son should've won his lawsuit against her when she took over the team.

As far as the Rams "suck"ing, we'll see. If they stay healthy, I don't think there's a team that can beat them.

[mr.pink]

If Pitt's secondary plays at the same level they did last year they won't get past the AFC champ game....hell, they may not even make it that far.

[TravisBickle]

Can you tell us how you really feel about Georgia Frontiere?

[discostu]

Parcells is only interested in his own career, a big fat paycheck, and being an active "Hall of Fame" coach. He's overrated, underinspiring, and has repeatedly shown he'd flee a team in midstride for a minor temptation elsewhere. Parcells best skill was in spotting good assistant coaches, unfortunately for him his cadre has jobs elsewhere and aren't joining him in Dallas. Parcells will do two or three years (his standard) and bail leaving the franchise a trainwreck on his way out the door, actually if they show serious signs of going 0-fer expect him to leave in mid-season, having a zero win season will seriously damage his shot at getting in Canton and he won't tolerate that.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

The Rams are so over. Like a rookie knuckleball pitcher in the Bigs...the rest of the league has them figured out already. They'll be lucky to make the playoffs. Just MHO. But then, I'm a Patriots fan. Did you know the Rams lost to them in the Superbowl? Belichick figured them out. So will everyone else.

[discostu]

Our secondary didn't get much improvement in the offseason. They won't be able to make a serious run with third rate pass defense. Luckily the rest of the AFC North is in heavy flux so we've got a good chance of making the playoffs, just expect another early exit.

[bedolido]

I'm a Patriots fan. Did you know the Rams lost to them in the Superbowl? Belichick figured them out. So will everyone else.

Yeah I lost a bunch of money on that game...

Swine Patriots!

[dfwgator]

I disagree, does New England win their Super Bowl had Parcells not been there to turn them around? Would the Jets have the respectability they now have had Parcells never coached there? That is all Jerry is looking for, a guy who can stem the tide and turn the franchise around so that Jerry can win another Super Bowl, with his patsy as head coach, so he can take the credit. I think Bill and Jerry understand each other on that.

[grumple]

BIG Rams fan here, but this guy misses something. He goes on the assumption that Warner stays healthy, but even if Warner doesn't, there's a guy named Marc Bulger behind him whose name could just as easily be inserted here where Warner's name is mentioned.

The Rams blew their chance at the playoffs last year by rushing Warner back I think, and not admitting that his hand was more injured than they let on...

[Mr. Mojo]

1955? You go way back, old timer. I started going to their games in the Roman Gabriel era (around 1971) when their teams were very good but just not quite good enough to beat the Vikings and Cowboys and get to the Big Dance. Those were good days, though. Rosenbloom and Don Klosterman ran a professional operation.

[Mr. Mojo]

Frontiere?

Front and reary (as is her nick)

[kidd]

I'm a Viking fan, and while I agree they have a lot of talent, I believe that personalities will get in the way again this year like they did last year.

I don't like them personally, but I have to believe that the Patriots will win it all.

[bedolido]

yup sonny *puts his teeth back in* you're right. I'm gettin up there.

The 70's were frustrating years. ALmost great, and always losing to the cowboys and viking... yes I remember that well. Forgot that name (Klosterman). The fearsome foursome. I miss the days of innocents.

[Texas Federalist]

I think Polamalu will help loads. One of the main problems was Flowers inability to cover much ground. Polamalu is quick. Also, a healthy Kendrell Bell will be able to cover the middle better than Larry Foote and John Fiala did last year when he was out. I'm not worried.

[commonerX]

""Here's one pre-season prediction that is correct, the Cowboys are going to suck.""


And they should

[discostu]

A better question is: does New England win the Super Bowl against Greenbay if they're coach isn't already in negotiations with the Jets in direct violation of his contract and league rules?

Do the Jets not have that really bad year if Parcells doesn't gut both the coaching and management staff on his way out the door a couple years after bailing on New England?

That might be what Jerry wants but that's not gonna be what he gets. Parcells is one of the most overrated coaches in the history of the game and this stint in Dallas will prove it once and for all.

[discostu]

There are two primary problems with Pittsburgh's pass defense:
Washington always plays 10 yards off the line of scrimage (even if it's 3rd and 4) leaving him constantly open to short hook routes.
Scott just plain stinks.

Until we (Steelers are my boys) get useful cornerbacks we won't have decent pass coverage. Safety help will be nice, but they won't be able to be truly effective because the corners are weak.