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National Football League

NFL Preseason Hype: Rams, Redskins, and Redskins Face High Expectations

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The anticipation for the upcoming NFL season is palpable, with several teams generating significant buzz. The St. Louis Rams, led by quarterback Kurt Warner, are looking to replicate their Super Bowl-winning performance from the previous season. Warner's quarterback rating of 109.2, 41 touchdown passes, and 4,353 yards have set the bar high for the upcoming season. The Rams' receiving corps boasts a potent variety of weapons, and Marshall Faulk, considered by some to be the best all-round back in pro football, is lining up behind Warner.

Key Takeaways:

  • The St. Louis Rams are facing high expectations for the upcoming season, with many doubting whether Kurt Warner can replicate his impressive 1999 performance.
  • Warner has expressed confidence in his ability to play at the same level as the previous season, citing his own pressure to perform rather than external pressure.
  • The Rams' offense, designed by Mike Martz, will retain a similar philosophy, with a focus on throwing three to four wide receivers at defenses and running routes that pressure certain parts of the zone defense.
  • Warner uses a system that reads defensive backs to pick his receivers, a system that caught defenses by surprise last season.
  • The Washington Redskins and their young boss, Daniel Snyder, are also generating buzz, with quarterback Bruce Smith and Reggie White leading the charge on defense.
  • The Redskins' quarterback chasers Smith and White will see significant action, with Smith noting that there's no one man who can stop Reggie White one-on-one.
  • The Indianapolis Colts and their triplets are also getting attention, with the Tennessee Titans, losers to the Rams in the Super Bowl, receiving attention for their roster and potential.
  • The Rams' new uniforms will feature a deeper navy blue, metallic gold, a Rams head on the sleeves, and three kinds of pants: blue, white, and gold.
  • The New England Patriots, New York Giants, and Minnesota Vikings are also introducing new uniforms for the upcoming season.

Statistics:

  • Kurt Warner's quarterback rating in 1999 was 109.2, with 41 touchdown passes and 4,353 yards.
  • The Redskins' Bruce Smith and Reggie White have a combined 363 sacks and 29 seasons of experience between them.
  • The New York Giants, St. Louis Rams, and New England Patriots are leading the way in new uniforms for the upcoming season.
  • The study by Scarborough Sports Marketing reveals that the three cities with the highest percentage of die-hard NFL fans are Milwaukee (38%), Jacksonville, Fla. (37%), and Kansas City, Mo. (33%).
  • The study also notes that avid NFL fans tend to be between the ages of 18 and 34 (34%), male (69%), own their own homes (66%), and have an annual household income of $59,585.

Sources:

  • The Philadelphia Inquirer, August 25, 2000
  • Scarborough Sports Marketing study
  • Philadelphia Online, the Inquirer's World Wide Web site, at http://www.philly.com/ Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services

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