The NFL regular season is complete. With the playoff teams moving on, other teams are left thinking about next season. Before thinking forward, though, some teams should cast their minds back to last August to look for hints at where the problems with their team lie.
Fortunately, here at Sports Central, we have come across recorded conversations between representatives of several NFL teams. These lost tapes, captured before the start of the season, explain a great deal and go a long way to illustrating exactly where the strategy for this season may have been incorrectly plotted.
I know you can't believe that we actually have these conversations, but read them for yourself. If they only knew then what we know now.
After a 9-7 season and one game away from the playoffs, the Buffalo Bills were thinking they were only a few plays or key players from ending their five-year absence from the postseason. See what was planned for this season to get the Bills to the next level.
Owner Ralph Wilson — So Mike, what do you have planned this year that will get us to the next level?
Coach Mike Mularkey — You are going to love it, Mr. Wilson. We are going to confuse our opposition. We will use the unexpected to our advantage. Imagine this, 4th-and-1 at midfield, what play would you expect?
Wilson — A running play to Willis McGahee, one of the best backs in the league, a guy who rarely loses yards.
Mularkey — Exactly what I thought you would say. But no way. We will run our flanker option pass down the field. Or a reverse, or flea flicker. See, no one will expect it. Surprise is to our advantage.
Wilson — Wow. So instead of giving it to a guy who has done it before, we will put the game in the hands of someone who has never been in the position before? Where do you think of these things?
Mularkey — I stay up for days at a time to work on these things.
Wilson — How about our QB?
Mularkey — Drew Bledsoe has to go. He just can't lead a team anymore. I am going to anoint J.P. Losman the starter without any competition. You know, just give him the job.
Wilson — And then throw in a lot of trickery and gadget plays. Just like Kordell Stewart?
Mularkey — Who? Oh yeah, sure, him. Anyway, it will be sweet. Losman may pass, run, lateral, and then go out for a pass himself. It's all about putting guys in unfamiliar situations.
Wilson — Us or the opposition?
The Bills are not the only team that game-planned for this season. Here is an exclusive conversation between Philadelphia Eagle head coach Andy Reid and CEO Jeff Lurie.
Lurie — Coach, we were so close. Who would have thought that the Patriots would have kicked a last second field goal to win a Super Bowl? I never thought I would see that. What do we do next? You have to admit, our two-minute offense at the end of the game was weak.
Reid — Yeah, it could have been better, but don't you worry. Next year, we will ratchet up the tempo of the offense. You know that running game stuff? Well, none of that. All pass all the time. Throw it left, throw it right, throw it short, throw it deep. Pass, pass, pass!
Lurie — Wow. Pass it all the time. Where do you think of these things? Won't other teams catch on and just double-team Terrell Owens and blitz our QB? Won't we have our defense on the field too much of the time?
Reid — No way. Did you see Owens in the Super Bowl? What a selfless effort! He came back from that injury and was our best player in the game. He's going to be a star this year. He will be in the headlines week after week for everything he says and everything he does. Oh, I heard he has a new agent.
Lurie — Oh yeah, I hadn't heard. I'm sure he's a great guy. We have such a great team thing going on here in Philadelphia. I mean we went out there and saved Owens from going to Baltimore or staying in San Francisco. He and Donovan are so close and will be a great duo, just like [Dan] Marino and [Mark] Clayton. Who would mess this up?
This is great stuff here. You really get the inside scoop on how teams think and prepare for the upcoming NFL season. Now, hindsight is 20-20, but put yourself in their shoes. Didn't things look great in August?
Here is what Oakland Raiders head coach Norv Turner and Manager of the General Partner Al Davis spoke about before the season.
Davis — Look, Norv, the General Partner here in Raider Nation isn't happy. We need to win now and win big. Do you understand? Just win, baby!
Turner — Don't worry Mr. Davis, the Raiders you know and love will be back this season.
Davis — So we will throw it down the field? You know, the vertical passing game?
Turner — Yes! Picture it, Kerry Collins to Randy Moss down the sideline, Collins to Moss on the post. Moss deep patterns everywhere. Collins throwing it deep all the time.
Davis — So like in Minnesota, just throw it deep without any game plan? Wow. Where do you think of these things?
Turner — Well, you told me.
Davis — Yes, of course. Now about this LaMont Jordan, now he wasn't first string in New York, what makes you think that he can be a starting back in Oakland?
Turner — Well, you told me.
Davis — Yes, of course. Now remember, Norm...
Turner — That's Norv.
Davis — Yes, of course. You know that if you don't win, I'll ... I mean the General Partner ... will fire you. Here in Raider Nation, we have a commitment to excellence. Win or go home and if you can't effectively do what I say, then I'll find someone else to listen to what I tell them.
Turner — I understand, this is after all the Raiders.
Davis — Did I ever tell you that I should have fired that Art Shell after his first year?
There you have it, some insider information. Our last conversation is one that took place between Minnesota Viking owner Zygi Wilf and head coach Mike Tice just days before the season began back in September.
Wilf — Mike, here we are just days before the season is to begin in September. You have been getting a pass here in Minnesota the last few seasons and it isn't because you are the lowest-paid head coach in the NFL and previous ownership here didn't want to spend on a coach.
Tice — Oh, I know. We need to win today. But look at our roster. We have made some huge signings on defense and look to be a real contender this year.
Wilf — Yes, we are the trendy pick for the Super Bowl at least on the NFC side this year. But I have a concern.
Tice — You mean how will we replace the explosive play of Randy Moss with an unproven draft pick?
Wilf — No, that wasn't it.
Tice — You mean, how stable is our running game with our main man, Onterrio Smith being suspended after being found with a strange piece of apparatus meant to fool drug tests?
Wilf — No, that wasn't it.
Tice — You mean how will our team chemistry come together with all the new signings?
Wilf — Yes, that's it.
Tice — I was wondering that myself, but I'm not worried now.
Wilf — Oh?
Tice — Yeah, Daunte Culpepper called me and he has this great idea of getting the guys together and going on a boat cruise. He said it will be great for team chemistry and will really bring the guys together.
Wilf — Well, then, we don't have anything to worry about at all, do we?
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