ARIZONA CARDINALS
Last year's record: 7-9
Head coach: Dave McGinniss (2nd year with Cardinals, 8-17 career record)
Offensive starters: QB- Jake Plummer (6-2, 202, 6); RB- Thomas Jones (5-10, 211, 3); FB- Joel Makovicka (5-11, 253, 4); WR- David Boston (6-2, 222, 4), Frank Sanders (6-2, 207, 8); TE- Freddie Jones (6-5, 270, 6); LT- L.J. Shelton (6-6, 335, 4); LG- Pete Kendall (6-5, 294, 7); C- Mike Gruttadauria (6-3, 284, 7); RG- Leonard Davis (6-6, 370, 2); RT- Anthony Clement (6-8, 350, 5).
Offensive strength: Plummer-to-Boston is a great combination and the passing game should be aided by new tight end Jones.
Offensive weakness: Thomas Jones needs to prove he is the player the Cardinals took with the seventh overall pick in the 2000 draft.
Defensive starters: DE- Kyle Vanden Bosch (6-4, 271, 2), Wendell Bryant (6-4, 308, R); DT- Russell Davis (6-4, 306, 4), Marcus Bell (6-2, 323, 2); OLB- Levar Fisher (6-1, 228, R), Rob Fredrickson (6-4, 242, 9); MLB- Ron McKinnon (6-0, 248, 7); CB- Duane Starks (5-10, 170, 5), David Barrett (5-10, 195, 3); S- Kwamie Lassiter (6-0, 202, 8), Adrian Wilson (6-3, 207, 2).
Defensive strength: Bryant and Fisher are two exciting rookies.
Defensive weakness: The defense is weak at eight of the 11 positions.
Crystal ball: Without a running game and a defense, they are just spinning their wheels.
ST. LOUIS RAMS
Last year's record: 14-2 (2-1 in playoffs)
Head coach: Mike Martz (3rd year with Rams, 26-10 career record)
Offensive starters: QB- Kurt Warner (6-2, 220, 5); RB- Marshall Faulk (5-10, 211, 9); FB- James Hodgins (6-1, 270, 4); WR- Isaac Bruce (6-0, 188, 9), Torry Holt (6-0, 190, 4); TE- Ernie Cornwell (6-2, 265, 7); LT- Orlando Pace (6-7, 325, 6); LG- Tom Nutten (6-5, 310, 6); C- Andy McCollum (6-4, 300, 9); RG- Adam Timmerman (6-4, 310, 7); RT- John St. Clair (6-4, 320, 3).
Offensive strength: No team can match Warner, Faulk, Bruce and Holt. And they have depth also.
Offensive weakness: There was one?
Defensive starters: DE- Grant Wistrom (6-4, 272, 5), Leonard Little (6-3, 257, 4); DT- Jeff Zgonina (6-2, 305, 9), Brian Young (6-2, 290, 3); OLB- Tommy Polley (6-3, 240, 3), Robert Thomas (6-0, 230, R); MLB- Jamie Duncan (6-1, 238, 5); CB- Aeneas Williams (5-11, 200, 12), Dexter McCleon (5-10, 195, 6); S- Kim Herring (6-0, 200, 6), Adam Archuleta 6-0, 215, 2).
Defensive strength: They are two-deep on the line, have great speed at linebacker, and a great corner in Williams.
Defensive weakness: The ends can be run at.
Crystal ball: This is the most complete team in the NFL.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
Last year's record: 12-4 (0-1 in playoffs)
Head coach: Steve Marriucci (6th year with 49ers, 49-36 career record)
Offensive starters: QB- Jeff Garcia (6-1, 195, 4); RB- Garrison Hearst (5-11, 215, 10); FB- Fred Beasley (6-0, 246, 5); WR- Terrell Owens (6-3, 226, 7), J.J. Stokes (6-4, 217, 8); TE- Eric Johnson (6-3, 256, 2); LT- Derrick Deese (6-3, 289, 11); LG- Ron Stone (6-5, 320, 10); C- Jeremy Newberry (6-5, 305, 5); RG- Dave Fiore (6-4, 290, 7); RT- Scott Gragg (6-8, 325, 8).
Offensive strength: Owens may be the best receiver in the NFL, they are deep at running back and have a solid line.
Offensive weakness: Owens can blow his top at any moment and disrupt the entire offense.
Defensive starters: DE- Andre Carter (6-4, 265, 2), John Engelberger (6-4, 260, 3); DT- Dana Stubblefield (6-2, 290, 9), Bryant Young (6-3, 291, 9); OLB- Julian Peterson (6-3, 235, 4), Jamie Winborn (5-11, 242, 2); MLB- Derk Smith (6-2, 245, 6); CB- Ahmed Plummer (6-0, 191, 3), Jason Webster (5-10, 180, 3); S- Zack Bronson (6-1, 201, 6), Tony Parrish (6-0, 210, 5).
Defensive strength: Secondary can cover and the safeties love to hit.
Defensive weakness: Defensive ends and outside linebackers lack strength against the run.
Crystal ball: They are the second-best team in the division and maybe the second-best team in the league - as long as Owens keeps his mouth shut.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
Last year's record: 9-7
Head coach: Mike Holmgren (4th year with Seahawks, 108-67 career record)
Offensive starters: QB- Trent Dilfer (6-4, 229, 9); RB- Shaun Alexander (5-11, 218, 3); FB- Mack Strong (6-0, 235, 9); WR- Darrell Jackson (6-0, 199, 3), Koren Robinson (6-1, 213, 2); TE- Itula Mili (6-4, 260, 5); LT- Walter Jones (6-5, 307, 6); LG- Steve Hutchinson (6-5, 311, 2); C- Robbie Tobek (6-4, 300, 9); RG- Chris Gray (6-4, 305, 10); RT- Chris McIntosh (6-6, 315, 3).
Offensive strength: Alexander is a workhorse and the offensive line has two stars in Jones and Hutchinson.
Offensive weakness: Dilfer won't lose the game for you, but he won't win many for you either.
Defensive starters: DE- Lamar King (6-3, 295, 4), Antonio Cochran (6-4, 290, 4); DT- Chad Eaton (6-5, 306, 6), John Randle (6-1, 287, 13); OLB- Chad Brown (6-2, 240, 10), Anthony Simmons (6-0, 236, 5); MLB- Isaiah Kacyvenski (6-1, 250, 3); CB- Shawn Springs (6-0, 195, 6), Ken Lucas (6-0, 203, 2); S- Reggie Tongue (6-0, 205, 7), Marcus Robertson (5-11, 211, 12).
Defensive strength: If Springs and Robertson are healthy, the secondary is filling with players who can make big plays.
Defensive weakness: Randle is the best pass rusher and there is no speed at the ends.
Crystal ball: This is a solid team, stuck in a tough division. If they stay healthy, the could earn a spot in the playoffs.
