This week, NYP TV Sports’ Andrew Marchand spoke with ESPN’s NFL Live’s Darren Woodson. Woodson, 37, played 13 seasons and was a fivetime Pro Bowler.
Q: As a former Cowboy, how do you think it will work out between Terrell Owens and Bill Parcells?
A: It is hard to say right now.
If things are going good, everything will be great. If T.O.
is getting his catches, I think it will work out fine. The problem is when things aren’t going good, how is Parcells going to react? What is Parcells going to say? How is T.O. going to react?
Parcells is a guy who could care less who you are. Parcells doesn’t care if it is T.O. or Lawrence Taylor or whoever – if he doesn’t like things, he is going to be confrontational. The bigger question is: How is T.O.
going to react to Parcells being in his face? Because it is definitely going to happen.
Q: Whom do you like in the NFC East?
A: I like Washington. I think they are ready to make a run at the Super Bowl. They are a team to watch this year. They probably have the two best coordinators in all of football in Al Saunders and Gregg Williams.
Q: Whom do you like in the AFC East?
A: If there is going to be a surprise team in the AFC, I think it is going to be the Miami Dolphins. I think they are going to shake some things up in the AFC. They are a team that could make it to the end.
Q: Which team that people may think is going to be a playoff team isn’t going to make the post season?
A: Pittsburgh is going to have some trouble this year. I don’t think Pittsburgh is going to be as strong as they were last year.
Teams have gotten better. I think Baltimore has gotten better.
Baltimore is going to make a run.
Q: How do you think the Giants and the Jets will do?
A: After Washington, it is a toss-up in the NFC East between the Cowboys and the Giants. I think the Cowboys have a little bit of the edge because they brought in T.O.
The Giants are a very good team, a playoff-caliber team, but playing in that division may eliminate them.
The Jets have so many problems. They are in survival mode. I know they brought in Eric Mangini, a young head coach, who has been a winner most of his career. I don’t think he has enough talent [on his roster]. To lose your top pass rusher in John Abraham, to lose your best corner in Ty Law, they just have so many problems. You don’t even know who the starting quarterback is going to be.
By the end of the year, they will probably be a better team than they are now.