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ARIZONA CARDINALS

TIPPING POINT: Coach Dennis Green's opinion of WR Bryant Johnson will have a dramatic impact on offseason plans. If Green and his coaches think Johnson can play, the club could stand pat. If they have serious questions about his ability, receiver could become a priority in the free-agent market and the draft. Johnson flashed some ability last year, but he also dropped passes. He has the speed to be a deep threat and could complement Anquan Boldin.... Coaches could move Adrian Wilson from safety to cornerback. There is a need for cornerbacks, especially if free-agent starter David Barrett signs elsewhere. Wilson would need to drop weight, but he has the necessary cover skills.

DOMINO EFFECT. The change in coaches could be bad news for some veterans. MLB Ronald McKinnon is likely to face a challenge. Dave McGinnis and his staff loved McKinnon, but even they challenged McKinnon in 2003, bringing in James Darling to compete for his job. Some in the organization think McKinnon is not the playmaker he once was. McKinnon, however, doesn't get that many opportunities. He played mostly on first and second downs, leaving the game in nickel situations.--Kent Somers

ATLANTA FALCONS

LOOKING AT THE LINEBACKERS: Though the new staff still is evaluating personnel, Jim Mora, defensive coordinator Ed Donatell and position coach Chris Beake all agree that LB Keith Brooking will start in the middle. None of the coaches will pinpoint the odd man out among OLBs Matt Stewart, Chris Draft and Keith Newman. Stewart is the best choice to start on the strong side with Newman backing him up. Both are good against the run, but Stewart has better technique. Draft should start on the weak side with Will Overstreet as his backup. Though he lacks size (5-11,232), Draft has great football savvy and has the speed to be effective in coverage. Overstreet, who has battled injuries, still has a chance to justify his selection as a third-round pick in 2002.

RETURN MAN: Of the five assistants Mora retained, special teams coach Joe DeCamillis was the most important for the new staff. DeCamillis is exceptional at finding flaws in opponents' schemes and formations. Last year's 14.3-yard average return, a team record, was as much due to DeCamillis' design as KR/PR Allen Rossum's effort. Atlanta does a great job of sealing off a sideline to let Rossum run.--George Henry

CAROLINA PANTHERS

WALKING TALL: CB Ricky Manning fell to the third round of the 2003 draft because of concerns about his height, 5-8. But he was productive at UCLA, and choosing him has paid off. Manning worked his way into the lineup late in the season and has become the team's best cornerback. He is smart and aggressive and is working to become a better tackler.... C Jeff Mitchell has had an excellent season, but he'll face his biggest challenge Sunday. Patriots DT Ted Washington has tremendous size and excels at clogging the middle. Mitchell must move Washington for the running game to succeed.

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