John Madden

Each week John Madden answers readers questions. To ask Coach a question, e-mail him at:

What do you think of the Washington Reskins quarterback Jason Campbell?  Can he take the Skins to the Super Bowl?
Michael Charles

Madden: Michael, I like Jason Campbell and once he settles into a system you are going to see how good he is.  He was one of those guys that you considered his last eight years of football, college and pros, I think he has had seven different coordinators and seven different systems.  Learning a system is one thing, becoming comfortable in that system is yet another. That is the thing. He has yet to be comfortable in a system and when he does I think he is going to be a top flight NFL quarterback.

What are your thoughts about Terrell Owens compaining about not getting the ball after the Cowboys lost their first game?
Chris from New Jersey

Madden: I am not surprised Chris. I think we all have respect for Terrell Owens as a great NFL player but we also know that when he doesn't get the ball and the team loses he is going to complain.  It happened in San Francisco, it happened in Philadelphia and it happens in Dallas. I think when Philadelphia took him they knew that too and when Dallas took him they knew it and that is just part of the thing that you have to live with.  It really started the week before in Green Bay when he only had two catches but didn't say anything because they beat the Packers.  He has always said that when he has the problems and he gets upset is when they don't win. That is okay and you kind of know that is part of the deal. 

Now on the other side of it I don't think the Cowboys coaches, play callers and quarterback can be intimidated by that and I don't think you can say, Well I know on one hand you want to get the ball to your playmakers, that is what you do, and on the other hand you can't force it to him and forget other things on your team to win games for you like your running game.  You can't sacrifice by forcing the ball 10 times to Terrell Owens and not give it to Marion Barber. You still have to have balance with the run and pass.  If that happens, you win and he catches a lot of balls, that is good. If he doesn't and you win… so what.

After throwing six touchdowns in Week 4, is that the Brett Favre we're used to seeing or is he not at that point yet?
Nicholas from Brooklyn

Madden: No, Nicholas, he's not at that point yet.  Part of it was the Arizona turnovers but to say that Brett Favre is right at the same height that he was in Green Bay you are kidding yourself.  By the same token, I think anyone that has written Brett Favre off as being finished learned a lesson that he is not finished yet. There is still some gas left in that tank.

How do you think Jim Haslett will fare in St. Louis as the new head coach?
Bob from Missouri

Madden: It is tough Bob. The Rams are not a good team.  It's not that they have a lot of good players that aren't playing well and by changing coaches they are going to win. It is still going to be tough.  I like Jim Haslett as a coach, back at New Orleans I think he did a pretty good job.  He has been a head coach before and he has proven that he can do it.  It will be interesting to see if this is a temporary thing or if the Rams want to give him time. I think he would be a pretty good choice if you gave him some time to get the thing straightened out.  To say they are going to change coaches and now they are going to win all of their games… that would be ridiculous.

How big of an issue is it for the Steelers that their running backs keep getting injured?  Is this a long-term problem?
Frank from Penn.

Madden: I don't know if it is a long term problem, Frank. They lost Rashard Mendenhall for the year so that is a year problem. When they get Willie Parker back how long can he stay healthy and all those types of questions.  It is tough for the Steelers when they lose a running back because everything that Ben Roethlisberger is, the Steelers are still a running team and a defensive team and then everything comes off of the run and when they don't have the run then they make themselves one dimensional and that brings about the pass rush and right now when teams are playing the Steelers teams are just rushing Roethlisberger. They had problems a couple weeks ago with the Eagles blitz, now everyone just blitzes him with no worry about the run that puts a lot of pressure on the blockers.