Analyze This: Millen a GM?

It’s that time of year again.

Plenty of NFL television analyst jobs are suddenly available.

It’s nothing new for coaches to slip in and out of the studio or broadcast booth between jobs, and it wasn’t surpris-

ing to see Marty Schottenheimer decide to coach again.

But reports that Matt Millen will jump from Fox analyst to general manager of the Detroit Lions add a different twist.

Millen has never worked in management for an NFL team.

But he has dabbled in other areas. Only last August, he took a turn officiating an exhibition game to promote goodwill and television’s umpire-cam.

What is this, GM-cam?

There’s no disputing Millen is smart and personable. He knows the game inside out from a linebacking career that took him to four Super Bowls, and he’s current on league personnel and strategies from his television work.

All of which suggests it might be an easier transition to NFL coach than general manager.

Millen has a degree in marketing and finance from Penn State.

He’ll need a major in capology to be a general manager. There’s also a difference between picking a fantasy league team and picking players in the draft while cobbling together an organization that won’t be starting from scratch every year.

None of this is to question whether Millen eventually could become a good GM, simply to say it’s a very difficult move. For a reported $12 million over four years, however, it would be hard to find the person who wouldn’t try it.

Schottenheimer also is becoming a general manager--his title with the Washington Redskins is coach and director of football operations--because in order to work for owner Dan Snyder it is necessary to make sure you don’t have to take orders from him.

But the Redskins are a salary cap implosion waiting to happen, and Schottenheimer is likely to become only the latest coach to find that running the show and coaching it makes for a difficult double.

Mike Holmgren won a Super Bowl as a coach with Green Bay, but after two seasons has yet to show that he can do both jobs in Seattle, having made mistakes this season in choosing his defense and his quarterbacks.

Coaching is time-consuming enough. It’s hard to imagine where someone can find time to do both jobs well. Mike Shanahan qualifies as the reigning best example in Denver, where he is coach and vice president of football operations, though the Broncos also have a general manager.

Bill Parcells and Jimmy Johnson pulled off dual management and coaching responsibilities as well as anyone. Notice neither one seems to want to do it again.

SQUABBLE OVER VERMEIL

In other head-turning news, Kansas City is trying to hire Dick Vermeil to replace Gunther Cunningham, fired Friday in the wake of widespread reports of a dispute between the Chiefs and St. Louis Rams over compensation for Vermeil, who remains under contract to the Rams.

Vermeil retired after the Super Bowl last year because he liked the idea of going out a winner.

Now he’d come back to coach the Chiefs?

Here’s what Vermeil said when he retired, so to speak:

“I think the time is right. . . . Very few people in this profession get this opportunity. Some great people, way more talented than Dick Vermeil, have experienced tremendous coaching success and then followed with a very depressing way of leaving coaching.”

Just a thought: If Vermeil is willing to come back to coach a former rival, maybe USC should have inquired.

BY GEORGE

There’s no greater clash of strengths this weekend than Tennessee’s Eddie George against the Baltimore Raven rushing defense.

The Ravens haven’t allowed a 100-yard rusher in the last 34 games and twice have gotten the better of the relentless George this season.

In the first game, a 14-6 Tennessee victory at Baltimore, George carried only once for four yards before leaving the game because of injury.

In the second, the Ravens’ 24-23 victory at Adelphia Coliseum--the only time the Titans have lost there--George rushed for only 28 yards as the Titans essentially abandoned the running game, handing him the ball only 12 times.

“We were able to keep Eddie George from getting started, which is the key,” Baltimore defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis said. “Other than a couple of scrambles by Steve McNair, we did a pretty good job. They were able to throw the ball. We’ve got to do a better job of playing a complete game.”

The key to the Raven rushing defense is no surprise: linebacker Ray Lewis, the NFL defensive player of the year.

“It’s extremely hard to run against this defense,” George said. “Pound for pound, they’re probably the most physical team we face.

“They have a lot of speed and penetrate to the point of attack. You’re running into an unblocked linebacker, that being Ray Lewis, who is a hell of a tackler. They try to get you out of your rhythm early.

“You may be able to get five or six yards, but it’s not going to happen on a consistent basis.

“They take great pride in not allowing 100-yard rushers. It would be nice to get, but that’s not my sole focus.

“I’m focused on getting a win, if it takes me getting 50 yards or 30 yards.”

BUT IT WOULD BE SO QUIET . . .

Marvin Lewis gets extraordinary reviews from Baltimore players who say it’s time he became a head coach.

Ray Lewis calls him a genius, Rod Woodson calls him the best coordinator in the game today, and tight end Shannon Sharpe made a jesting threat.

“I tell you what, and I know Brian [Billick] is going to be upset with me for saying this, but if Marvin Lewis doesn’t get a head-coaching job in this league, I’m boycotting next year,” Sharpe said.

RICKY WILLIAMS WATCH

Listed as doubtful earlier in the week, Ricky Williams was upgraded to questionable Friday for New Orleans’ game against Minnesota today.

Williams had some carries with the first-team offense this week for the first time since breaking his left fibula, the smaller of two bones in the lower leg, Nov. 12.

When Coach Jim Haslett snapped at reporters for repeated queries about Williams--practices are closed--it might have been an indication Williams is getting close to returning.

The normal recovery period for the injury is six to eight weeks.

This weekend marks the eighth week since Williams’ injury.