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Tony Banks-How much can I say about the most over analyzed QB in the
NFL....not a lot that has not already been said. I thought he really
improved on stepping up into the pocket toward the end of the year. He
started doing that with confidence in the Redskin game and it really
improved his performance and the teams. The problem is that when he would
do that his release point is still right around his ear lobe. I am unsure
if that is a function of his baseball injury or just a bad habit. I am very
sure without looking that Tony leads the league in passes deflected at the
line of scrimmage for two years running now. His low release point
completely negates his size advantage. One of the reasons that Hanifan has
his linemen strike out with their fists on passing plays is to get the
defensive linemen's arms and hands down...Tony needs to elevate his release
point to take proper advantage of that. So many things are being written
about him by a lot of writers that is based on both his rookie year (when
he was clearly not ready in a talent, mental or maturity sense to play)
that it borders on the absurd. Writers (that is national football writers
and journalists) are still knocking his dedication even though he made
every meeting, every class with White and stayed in town all summer. Do
some work guys, don't be so damned lazy. Steve Bono-I have no confidence in him. He makes lazy reads, has a tendency to hang the ball at the worst possible time and has never shown any inclination or desire to work with a younger QB. He is a streak passer who will choose the worst possible time to get cold...and then blame it on everyone else around him. Will Furrer-He is a coach in the making. He sometimes helps diagram plays and knows Rhome as well as anyone. He has some ability and is a pretty tough guy who will not bail out of the pocket. When he did get a chance to play he threw lots of interceptions and has a tendency to get hyper in the huddle. He has thrown 10 picks in 124 attempts. His hyperness would translate better as a coach than as a player. Kurt Warner-He was a star in the arena league and in the World League. He played college ball at Northern Iowa and got a preseason shot with the Packers. He has an exceptional release and lots of smoke on the ball. In the World League he tended to rely on that smoke too much and threw more interceptions than you would like to see. I saw him play a few times in the arena league. He would take that little drop and fire with guys bouncing off his legs...he is very strong and can take a hit. He seemed to be a fiery guy and very animated on the field. Despite everything he is probably at best an outside shot to push Bono into retirement. A lot depends on if Bono is more accepting of his role on the team and makes more of an attempt to learn the offense and get along. Coaches- This is really Dick Vermeil's first year. He basically spent a year searching for what kind of coach he was going to be and how to just do the mechanics of the job all over again. He came in with an idea of being a figure head and personnel guy and let the assistants coach the team and make all the calls. By years end he was beyond frustrated and had at least one temper tantrum in a coaches meeting over the offense (or at least I am told so). The offense is going to be his, and make little mistake about it-Mike White is the number two guy on the offense and not Jerry Rhome. The only other person he trusts as much as White is his wife Carol. Frank Gansz is still an object of derision by some of the veterans who make fun of his loudspeaker and his "crap" (my word not the players) about two step redirects-which the players think takes away from the emotion and intensity on special teams. Peter Giunta is a rising star in the NFL. A friend in the NFL office says that he is thought to be a next generation head coach. Wilbert Montgomery is a greatly respected position coach and the players respond to him...even those at other positions. He has a world of ablity but is still not sure he wants to do this and probably would not have come back if not for the debt he feels he owes Vermeil. Personnel-The Rams are in the process of making plans to do without Ryan McNeil...they are going to sign Roger Jones a 7 year veteran out of Tennessee State. He is a 5:9 175 cornerback who has played for Tampa Bay, Cincinnatti, and the Oilers. He has only two lifetime interceptions and was on the IR list last year. He has some speed but is nothing special. The Rams at this point are going to call McNeil's bluff and see what he does next week. Jim 
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