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Show Page 32 THE HERALD, Provo, Utah, Football Section, Wednesday, August earn AFC's Supeo1 lowD berth Bills vavos'ed By DAVE GOLDBERG AP football Writer What do the Buffalo Bills do for an encore, other than become the butt of jokes? Win the Super Bowl, of course, some hing they've failed to do the last two years, putting them in the class of the Denser Broncos, who were thrashed in three of four NFL title games by increasing mareach time. gins Unfatr. says coach Marv Levy. "1 den t think we can be considered a failure When we've won two straight conference titles." he says. "People always look at the Super Bowl and say you're a loser if you lose there. But you have to win a lot of mes just to get And more to get there three times. In fact, the Bills are favored to by default if nothing else become the first team to get back to a Super Bowl after losing two in a row. Does that mean the talented but fractious Bills. 13-- 3 last year, have a walkover in the AFC East, which they had clinched last season with four weeks left? Probably not. Not only is their schedule tougher than last year, when they faced only two winning teams, but the division is. too. Look for Miami and perhaps the New York Jets to make a run at the Bills the Jets if second-yea- r quarterback Browning Nagle can do the job. New England, which 5 to 0 a year improved from and be decent ago, may lis. last season's team, can't be worse and has Ted Marchibro-da- , the architect of Buffalo's offense, as its new head coach. But as it has for the past five years, the AFC East goes through Buffalo. 1 -- 1 The cast of characters has changed little in those five years the nucleus of quarterback Jim Kelly, running back Thurnian Thomas, linebackers Cornelius Bennett, Shane Conlan and Darryl Talley; wide receivers Andre Reed and James Lofton, and ... if his knee holds up ... defensive end Bruce Smith. Still, there's something to be saiii for new blood. Or old blood, as m a veteran to provide a new perspective, as both San Francisco and Washington did with Matt Mil-le- n and the New York Giants did with Everson Walls and Dave Duerson. Instead, the Bills are the same guys w ho spent 1989 bickering and 1990 and 1991 winning, then losing Super Bowls. "We may be the same team but we're not an old team," Levy says, excusing the Lofton from that group. "I think we still have the tools." Still, the onlv major addition is kicker Steve Christie, signed under Plan B to replace Scott Norwood, who never did recover from d missing the attempt that cost the Bills the Super Bowl two 47-yar- Hen- years ago. ry Jones replaces Leonard Smith at strong safety. Sccond-year-ma- n coming off his best season. But it's harder to take the next step. New England needs another decent year from Millen and the continued deveolpment of young play- That means the defense against the run is still questionable, particularly if Smith doesn't return to his All-Pr- o form. But more intangible is the effect of losing. Thomas, the NFL's MVP and best back, was testy in training camp, raisiim the spectre of the "Bickering Bills" of 1989. On the other hand, who can tackle Pat Harlow, running back Leonard ers like offensive Russell, tight end Marv Cook and defensive end Ray Agnew. But other than tackle Armstrong (and Millen?). players arc either young like Fryar and linebacker Tippett with few in their challenge? Miami fell from 12-- 4 in 1990 to 8 last year and missed the playoffs by losing in overtime to the Jets on the final Sunday of the season. One reason was injuries to linebacker John Offerdahl and offensive linemen Richmond Webb and Keith Sims, three of the team's best players. Another reason was goal-lin- e fumbles by Sammie Smith, something that Don Shula hopes he's rectified by trading Smith to Denver for Bobby Hum8-- there." or old. Andre prime. added some stability by hiring Marchibroda. Buffalo's offensive coordinator, back for a second stint at head coach he ran the team in Baltimore from 1976-7But more important will be rebuilding an offensive line to protect their future quarterback Jeff 8. Dan Marino-le- d usually good and sometimes spectacular, even with age catching up with Marc Dupcr and Mark Clayton. The usually weak defense should get help from the two No. I George. George enters his third season after a year in which the Colts started four different left shell-shock- draft choices, cornerback Troy e Vincent and end Marco Coleman, who could be linebacker-defensiv- Shula needs desthe pass-rushperately to take pressure off Jeff er Cross. The Jets, also 8 last year, are the division's mystery team. They've been coming along quite well since Dick Steinberg and Bruce Coslet took over two years ago. But now comes the installing grand experiment 8-- tackles; five left guards, two centers and six right guards. It got so that George probably didn't even know the names of everyone in the huddle. But there's a long way to go. Not only is the line still shaky but the running game may depend on Albert Bentley, who is 32 an com-- " ing off serious knee surgery. Defensive tackje Steve Emtman and linebacker-QuentiCoryatt will help the defense, but someone has to get the bal I in the end zone . n second-- Browning Nagle as the starting quarterback, knowing he will probably be less consistent than Ken O'Brien. year-man Linemen Jeff Lageman and Dennis Byrd, cornerback James Indianapolis Colts 6 LA. Rama Cleveland 13 San Francisco Houaton New England oc s Prediction: I, Buffalo (1 2, ); Miami 3, New York ); ); 4. New England 6, Indianapolis ). Miami Dolphin New York New England Jets Patriot Miami Atlanta LA. Rams Pittsburgh ... Cleveland 14 a. ft 20 Indianapolis Buffalo LA. Rama Seattle San Francisco 27 New England OPEN DATE Seattle Buffalo LA. Rams Tampa Bay Buffalo N.YJets New England Atlanta San Francisco Indianapolis OPEN DATE 4 Miami 2 o 8 Jeta 11 L. A. Raiders N. IB OPEN DATE San Diego OPEN DATE OPEN DATE Miami Indianapolis Cleveland 25 V. New England 8 Pittsburgh cc m .... 1 26 N.YJets 1 , San Diego N.Y.Jets Buffalo Miami Miami Indianapolis New Orleans Denver Indianapolis Cincinnati New England J5 16 Miami z Buffalo Buffalo Jeta New England 22 Atlanta Pittsburgh Houston N. 29 Indianapolis Buffalo New Orleans Atlanta Kansas City New England San Francisco indianapolia Buffalo Kansas City Indianapolis Cincinnati Miami 6 N. Y. Jets Y. Denver 12 CC N.Y Jets m 13 S LA. Raiders 14 LU, ieo New Orleans Phoenix N.Y.Jets New Orleans 26 27 Houston Bold Cincinnati New England Miami AP Martha P. Hernandez Home games (8-8- (9-7- (5-11- (3-13- Mo Lewis are the anchors for a coming defense. If Blair Thomas can fulfill his promise at running back, the somewhat shaky offensive line does its job and Nagle fulfills some of his promise, the Jets could be a playoff team. New England and Indianapolis bring up the rear. The Patriots made their move last year, improving from to rookie under 61 year-old head coach Dick MacPherson. Journeyman Hugh Millen established himself at quarterback and MacPherson's enthusiasm restored team (if not fan) spirit. 6-- Buffalo Bills ld the. offense, which is Hasty and linebacker Bruce its best Rebuilding continues. The Colts, who scored just 143 points, rid themselves of a problem by dealing unhappy Eric Dicker-so- n to the Raiders, who are used to such problems. They phrey. Humphrey should augment - 26, 1992 PBBMaSBBBiaaSMaSBSHBBlBBBBMBBMBBHBBllBlBB!!! 1 VIVIVJ'MUV II 1 When you re making travel arrangements, you shouldn'thave to worry about being blindsided with unexpected costs and penalties. -- We employ a team of courteous agents who know the game and can professionally handle all of your travel neede so that you don't have to scramble with details. 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