The Eagles' line allowed only 21 quarterback sacks with a pair of first-year starting quarterbacks behind them.

On their first play, they sent Williams and linebacker Pete Monty at Dallas's first-year quarterback, Anthony Wright.

"Kelly is not a typical first-year quarterback," Miami Coach Butch Davis said.

His 2,494 yards were the fourth highest of any first-year quarterback in league history, his 15 touchdowns passed only by Marino's rookie mark of 20.

Now, Handley's direct link there will be Jim Fassel, a 42-year-old, first-year quarterbacks coach who had been head coach at the University of Utah.

He clearly outplayed Steve McNair, who threw two interceptions and was sacked seven times in a matchup of first-year starting quarterbacks.

Anytime you take a first-year quarterback and put him in the sophisticated offense we've had in place for eight years, you expect a rookie to look out of place.

In the past, first-year quarterbacks could rely on the running game.

If you go back and you see guys who coached first-year quarterbacks, I think Dave Brown had a good year over all.

But the unit also has the responsibility of protecting the first-year quarterback Ron Powlus, who fractured a collarbone twice last year.