Opening Weekend Can Be a Big Step to Super Bowl

In planning decorations for that Jan. 26, 1997, Super Bowl XXXI party, here are a few things to consider:

Atlanta, Detroit, Arizona, Tampa Bay, New Orleans, Houston, Seattle and the two expansion outfits have never been to the Super Bowl.

Indianapolis and St. Louis haven’t been there either, but the Colts and Rams have. Baltimore has been there, but the Ravens haven’t. Cleveland never made it, but it will get its chance again. Nashville’s just happy to get on the map.

Of the 239 teams that have lost season-opening games since 1978, when the NFL went to a 16-game schedule, only 54 have rallied to make the playoffs.

New Orleans has had the ninth-best record during the ‘90s, 53-43, and yet has failed to win a playoff game in that time. New Orleans has the second-easiest schedule this season and will play teams with a combined record of 111-129.

Green Bay has the toughest slate against teams with a combined record of 146-110.

Buffalo has the best record in the ‘90s in close games, having gone 36-14 in games decided by 10 points or fewer.

The 49ers are the winningest team in pro sports since 1983 with a .746 percentage--the Lakers are second at .656. The 49ers also have the best record outside their division since 1986, 74-23.

The last Super Bowl champion to miss the next playoffs were the New York Giants. They will not again have to concern themselves with that kind of two-year scenario any time soon.

Beginning today, there will be 266 games to play before reaching Super Bowl XXXI. And the Raiders are already out of it before the opening kickoff.

ON TV

* RELOCATION BOWL

Oakland (8-8) at Baltimore (5-11), 10 a.m., Channel 4: For more than 12 years, the fans in Baltimore have been waiting, fighting, longing for the return of football and now they get Vinny Testaverde. Al Davis came here a few years back, surveying the area for a possible move, but chose Oakland and aren’t those fans pleased? They got the most expensive tickets in the NFL and a chance this week to watch Billy Joe Hobert on TV.

Say what? Kenny Shedd. Who? Kenny Shedd, Raider receiver, led the NFL in the exhibition season with 18 catches for 321 yards.

Player to watch: Baltimore rookie wide receiver Jermaine Lewis had a 27.9-yard punt-return average to lead the AFC in the exhibition season. But does he know who Edgar Allan Poe is?

Finally: The Raiders opened last season 8-2 with Jeff Hostetler (sidelined now because of a sore knee) at quarterback and then went to Hobert and Vince Evans before finishing 8-8.

* CAST YOUR VOTE

New Orleans (7-9) at San Francisco (11-5), 1 p.m., Channel 11: So who will have the better year between the former Occidental College roommates? Jack Kemp or Jim Mora? Kemp’s relying on Bob Dole; Mora’s got Jim Everett. The Saints finished last season on a 6-3 run, including an 11-7 victory over the 49ers, who had Elvis Grbac at quarterback.

Say what? In the last three openers, 49er quarterback Steve Young has passed for 808 yards and nine touchdowns with a quarterback rating of 107.7.

Player to watch: 49er wide receiver Jerry Rice needs 58 catches to reach 1,000. He might get there by halftime.

Finally: The 49ers’ offensive line is a shambles and Young has been sacked 33 times by the Saints, more than by any other team.

* L.A. TEAM OPENS ON ROAD

Seattle (8-8) at San Diego (9-7), 1 p.m., Channel 4: This was going to be the debut of the Los Angeles Whatevers, and had owner Ken Behring had his way, the loud sound you would have heard at 1 p.m. would have been collective L.A. turning off its TVs. The Seahawks are power-packed with running back Chris Warren and wide receivers Brian Blades and Joey Galloway. Unfortunately, the ball must first touch the hands of quarterback Rick Mirer.

Say what? Why bother to show up? The Chargers have won eight of the last nine games against the Seahawks and haven’t fallen to Seattle at home since 1990.

Player to watch: Leonard Russell, Charger running back, is playing for his fourth team in four years. At this rate it will take him until 2022 to hit them all, assuming no further expansion.

Finally: San Diego Coach Bobby Ross is 8-0 when his defense scores a touchdown.

* NEW YORK POST GRIST

Buffalo (10-6) at New York Giants (5-11), 5 p.m., TNT: Pity the poor Giants, who were lambasted by Dallas on the opening Monday night a year ago, 35-0. Imagine the Post headlines the next morning: Junky Jints. This year the Giants go before the nation on Sunday night TV, looking like one of the worst teams in the league, against the Bills, one of the favorites to make it to the Super Bowl: Jints Juiced. O.J. Simpson, the Bills’ all-time rushing leader, is about to be passed by another all-around good guy, Thurman Thomas, who needs 455 more yards.

Say what? The Bills have the NFL’s best record in September since 1990: 19-4. Ah, make that 20-4.

Player to watch: No one on the Giants.

Finally: Coaches Marv Levy and Dan Reeves have combined to lose seven Super Bowls.

* CHAMPS OR CHUMPS?

Dallas (12-4) at Chicago (9-7), Monday, 6 p.m., Channel 7: The defending Super Bowl champions must set the record straight or continue doing bad time as every critic’s punching bag. Troy Aikman, 60-38 as starting quarterback for the Cowboys, now assumes the role of Superman. The Bears counter with Erik Kramer. No giggling, please. Kramer had 13 more touchdown passes than Aikman a year ago, and he didn’t have the likes of Michael Irvin and Jay Novacek to throw to.

Say what: Besides the Monday night TV emotion, the home-field advantage and the built-in incentive to knock off the champions, the Bears have an 11-1 record in their last dozen openers.

Player to watch: If Sherman Williams is in the game, the Cowboys no longer are, because that means Emmitt Smith, who has been bothered by a sore knee, is on the bench.

Finally: Dallas is 5-1 in Monday night games with Barry Switzer in command.

WANTED: A FEW GOOD QUARTERBACKS

Philadelphia (10-6) at Washington (6-10): The Eagles, trying to corner the market on peewee quarterbacks, went after 6-foot Ty Detmer in the off-season to push 6-foot Rodney Peete. The Redskins merely pushed aside Heath Shuler in favor of Gus Frerotte.

Say what? Peete, who will be starting on a sore knee, didn’t have a pass completion beyond 37 yards last season.

Player to watch: Henry Ellard, considered a lost cause by the Rams, has 130 catches over the last two seasons--122 of which resulted in first downs.

Finally: The Eagles have defeated the Redskins seven consecutive times.

Pittsburgh (11-5) at Jacksonville (4-12): The Steelers didn’t think Neil O’Donnell was worth $25 million. While getting high marks for smarts, now what? O’Donnell was 39-22 as a starter. Jim Miller makes his first start today. Mark Brunell had more touchdowns rushing than anyone on the Jaguars, but he’s the quarterback.

Say what? The NFL schedule maker is trying to put the Steelers in the Super Bowl again. After their opener, the Steelers return home for games against the Ravens, Bills and Oilers.

Player for Miller to watch: Jacksonville rookie defensive end Tony Brackens had AFC-best 4 1/2 sacks in exhibitions.

Finally: The Steelers have outscored opponents in the fourth quarter by 271 points since 1990.

Green Bay (11-5) at Tampa Bay (7-9): The Packers might have the best quarterback in Brett Favre and the Buccaneers might have the worst in Trent Dilfer. Hometown fans were booing Dilfer in exhibition games. It might have something to do with last year’s performance: five touchdowns and 24 interceptions.

Say what? The Packers are opening on the road for the first time since 1985. Considering the competition, they aren’t complaining.

Player to watch: Tackle Paul Gruber, surely a man who understands misery, has started 122 games for the Buccaneers.

Finally: If Favre passes for 175 yards against the Buccaneers--sorry, when Favre throws for 175 yards against Buccaneers, he will tie Joe Namath for third-fastest quarterback to hit the 15,000-yard mark.

Arizona (4-12) at Indianapolis (9-7): A pair of quarterbacks trying to prove they are not washed up meet in an otherwise forgettable game. Boomer Esiason, 73-87 as a starter, comes back with the Cardinals, and Jim Harbaugh, 46-40, tries to demonstrate that last year’s dynamic play was no fluke.

Say what? The Cardinals have not had a winning record since moving to Arizona in 1988. The tradition continues.

Player to watch: Running back Larry Centers had 33 catches on third down for the Cardinals--the most in the league.

Finally: Harbaugh had a quarterback rating of 100.7 last season, although he had never been higher than 85.8 earlier in his career.

TEASING MATCHUPS

Detroit (10-6) at Minnesota (8-8): Quarterback Scott Mitchell threw for a club-record 410 yards the last time he faced the Vikings’ defense, and Minnesota running back Robert Smith ran for 111 yards in his last outing against the Lions’ defense.

Say what? The Lions have scored 20 or more points in 13 straight games.

Player to watch: How do the Lions get the ball to Glyn Milburn without ignoring Herman Moore, Brett Perriman, Barry Sanders and Johnnie Morton?

Finally: Lions outscored their final two regular-season opponents last season, 81-10.

New York Jets (3-13) at Denver (8-8): Will the purchase of good players make Rich Kotite a successful coach? Has John Elway, 113-74-1 as a starter, lost it? Does No. 1 draft pick Keyshawn Johnson spark the Jets? Can Terrell Davis duplicate last year’s performance? No. No. No. Yes.

Say what? Mike Shanahan, while not qualifying for the Hall of Fame yet, is 3-0 in openers.

Player to watch: Free agent Reggie Cobb, who wasn’t being counted on by the Jets, averaged 4.8 yards a carry in exhibitions.

Finally: Denver is an AFC-best 59-21 at home since 1986. The Jets are 29-50 on the road in that time.

New England (6-10) at Miami (9-7): Dan Marino and Jimmy Johnson together, which suggests Super Bowls, Super Bowls and Super Bowls. But this is not two-man beach volleyball, and checking the Dolphins’ roster, this is not even a playoff team.

Say what? Bill Belichick, former Cleveland head coach, was hired to fix the third-worst defense and is now rumored to replace Bill Parcells as head coach.

Player to watch: Kicker Adam Vinatieri, who replaces Matt Bahr, trails Bahr by only 1,422 points.

Finally: In 1994 opener with Miami, New England quarterback Drew Bledsoe threw for 421 yards and four touchdowns. Marino, meanwhile, threw for five touchdowns.

Kansas City (13-3) at Houston (7-9): Guess the attendance. The Oilers are gone to Nashville, but remain obligated to play in the Astrodome for the next two years. Nashville-bound or not--would you want to pay money to see Steve Bono play?

Say what? The Oilers have beaten the Chiefs five consecutive times in the Astrodome.

Player to watch: Marcus Allen needs two more touchdowns to pass Walter Payton and Jim Brown for second place, 127, on the all-time touchdown list. Some guy named Rice has 156.

Finally: Kansas City Coach Marty Schottenheimer has a .637 winning percentage in regular-season games, a .333 mark in the playoffs and .000 in the Super Bowl.

Cincinnati (7-9) at St. Louis (7-9): The Rams, walking a tightrope with no net, are relying on Steve Walsh and Lawrence Phillips, who make their Ram debuts against the NFL’s worst defense.

Say what? Cincinnati quarterback Jeff Blake has thrown a touchdown pass in 21 straight games.

Player to watch: Bengal wide receiver Carl Pickens has 28 touchdowns and 10 100-yard receiving games in the last two years and that was without the benefit of playing the Rams.

Finally: The Rams have yet to post a winning season in the ‘90s.

THE YAWNER

Atlanta (9-7) at Carolina (7-9): Quarterback Jeff George has lost weight, has never looked better and will undoubtedly be one of the hottest available free agents next season. So how come he always looks like he’s about to cry?

Say what? The Panthers open new Ericsson Stadium after finishing 7-4 down the stretch last season.

Player to watch: Carolina starting quarterback Kerry Collins was an amazing 7-6 in his rookie campaign.

Finally: In last year’s opener, Atlanta sacked Carolina quarterbacks nine times, and still had to go to overtime to win, 23-20.