FLASH-BACKER
BY EDDIE MATZ
After spending the off-season searching for one specific thing, LaVar Arrington finally found it after he signed with the Giants: himself. "I had gotten lost in all the BS in that other place," says the all-smiles Arrington, lounging under a shady tent at Giants training camp. "I lost being happy. I lost loving the game."
Not that he was playing it much. Thanks to a bum knee and sour relationships with Redskins coaches, the 6'3'', 257-pound outside linebacker started only 12 games total in his last two seasons in Washington. "Here," he says, "I'm allowed to be who I am."
And that is? Well, besides being a plaything (for 7-month-old daughter Marlee) and a play partner (nightly chess matches with camp roomies Brandon Short and Jay Feely), he's a playmaker. Or at least he's being paid $49M over seven years to become one. Again. Arrington, a three-time Pro Bowler, totaled 17 sacks and forced 10 fumbles for the Skins during the 2002 and 2003 seasons. But when Joe Gibbs and D-coordinator Gregg Williams came to town, in 2004, they put Arrington in their doghouse. He freelanced too much, had trouble picking up Williams' system and spent much of two seasons on the bench or injured, tallying just one sack and zero forced turnovers. Not exactly savior stats. "Anyone who calls him a savior doesn't know football," says Giants GM Ernie Accorsi. "But if LaVar's healthy, he'll help our team."
The G-Men desperately need to bulk up at 'backer. In January, they got run over by Carolina in a 23-0 wild-card whitewashing, allowing 223 rushing yards. In fact, they started that game with two linebackers who'd been benchwarmers a month earlier. Arrington, obviously, is an upgrade. "He's one of the most amazing athletes I've ever been around," says Short, who played against Arrington in high school and with him at Penn State. "He's 260 pounds and may run faster than Tiki."
Unfortunately, that speed could get lost in transition. The Giants are shifting Arrington from the weak side—where less responsibility typically means more freedom to chase QBs and roam the field—to the strong side, where burly tight ends are sure to give him plenty of friction. But playing behind Pro Bowl defensive ends Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora means Arrington should see few if any doubleteams. "You give me a one-on-one situation," says the seven-year vet, "and more often than not, I'll win."
And if Arrington wins, so will the Giants.
CHEAT SHEET
BY DAVID FLEMING
The Panthers are a trendy title pick. But if you think it's because of Delhomme, Peppers and Smith, you haven't been studying. The real savior could be 6'5'', 350-pound ex-Raven Maake Kemoeatu. Here's why:
1. He's Got Good Genes After the 2002 draft, then-Ravens D-line coach and current coordinator Rex Ryan asked, "Who is the biggest rascal still out there?" The answer was Kemoeatu, a three-year starter at Utah who signed with Baltimore as an undrafted rookie free agent. No surprise. His grandma goes 6'4'', and he has three younger brothers each weighing in the neighborhood of three bills. That includes 344-pound Chris, a guard for the Steelers. "We used to play games of hide-and-seek," says Maake, "and the whole house would shake."
2. He Can Adapt Kemoeatu's parents moved from Tonga to Kahuku, Hawaii, when he was 6. They put him in school even though he didn't know any English. "For a long time I came home every day crying, 'Please take me back to my islands,'" Kemoeatu says. He survived, and now he can talk trash to quarterbacks in Tongan. "Tek mohe he ni he poo ni." ("You sleep here tonight.")
3 . He Can Dominate Last season, Kemoeatu's first as a starter, the Ravens' run defense allowed just 99.4 yards per game, ninth-fewest in the NFL. Since Panthers coach John Fox believes only QBs affect the game more than D-tackles, he didn't hesitate to offer Kemoeatu a five-year, $23M free agent deal in March. Fox expects his new addition to keep blockers away from injury-prone Pro Bowl linebacker Dan Morgan and from focusing on injury-prone Pro Bowl DT Kris Jenkins.
4. He's Still Learning "I play mostly off instincts," Kemoeatu says. "One of my weaknesses is reading formations. And most of the time it comes down to who did their homework. Because, really, everyone is big, everyone is strong."
Just not as big or strong as Kemoeatu.
FAQ
BY SETH WICKERSHAM
Congratulations, Chargers, on your decision to make Philip Rivers your new starting quarterback. We are pleased to announce that the current Rivers has been upgraded from the model you acquired in 2004. But because this is your first time using this version regularly, we understand you might have concerns. Before calling our 800 number, please review these Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to better understand your new QB.
What are his terms and conditions?
There's no small print here. Rivers will be judged a success on only one condition: He has to match Drew Brees' leadership skills (20–11 record the past two seasons) and numbers (3,576 yards, 24 TDs in 2005). Otherwise fans will never forgive GM A.J. Smith for dumping the popular passer. And if the Chargers don't make the playoffs, not only is Smith's credibility shot, but Marty Schottenheimer will probably be gone.
Rivers has thrown just 30 career passes. How do I troubleshoot potential system failures? With patience. As unsettling as 30 passes sounds, Rivers has examined, replayed, analyzed and dissected them. And he's found hope, especially in the last 22 throws, which came against Denver in last season's finale. Rivers threw for only 115 yards with no TDs and 1 INT—not to mention fumbling twice—but on his first series, he led San Diego on a 10-play, 69-yard TD drive. Postgame, he beamed as he climbed into his Escalade. "I sat in my car and had confidence," Rivers says. "That made me work harder for this year."
How did the upgrade between the '05 and '06 versions occur? Three ways:
1) Rivers clocked more offseason hours than any other Charger. He threw to receivers three times a week and didn't miss a single workout. While lifting one day, Rivers saw D-linemen Luis Castillo and Igor Olshansky doing a ladder drill. He dropped his dumbbell and joined them.
2) He earned teammates' respect, as much as he could without playing. To get teammates to obey him during the season, he listened during the off-season. "He always asks about our families," says WR Eric Parker. "He takes time to get to know people."
3) He perfected his fundamentals. Example: During spring workouts, Rivers felt off-balance when he set up to throw. On film, Rivers and offensive coordinator Cam Cameron noticed the QB holding the ball at his right shoulder. Rivers moved it three inches, to the middle of his chest, between the 1 and the 7 on his jersey. Now his base is set. Rivers says, "Amazing what a difference three inches makes."
How has Rivers performed in recent studies? Very well. During camp, he'd drop back in 7-on-7 drills and complete a pass, then redo his footwork, for perfection's sake. Says Keenan McCardell: "We're at the same level offensively as we were with Drew."
True or false: Rivers is not compatible with LaDainian Tom linson. False. Sure, Tomlinson was ticked when Brees, his best friend, was dumped. And yes, LT worked out with Brees until training camp started. But while Rivers knows he'll never be as tight with LT as Brees is, both parties know it doesn't matter. "We're very good working friends," Tomlinson says.