Charles Haley, the San Francisco 49ers' best defensive player, likes the way Ray Handley settled the New York Giants' quarterback controversy. He's happy it's Jeff Hostetler and not Phil Simms he'll be seeing Monday night.
"I'd rather face Hostetler," said Haley, who was third in the NFL last year with 16 sacks. "To me, Simms sets in the pocket and throws. A quarterback who moves around a lot doesn't give his receivers a chance to get open."But it can't be fun chasing Hostetler, can it? "All our defensive linemen like to run," Haley said.
The 49ers spent the week preparing for Hostetler and Simms, according to strong safety Dave Waymer. "I'm not saying we anticipate seeing Simms, but it could happen," he said. "They've got two guys who can really play. They've both won Super Bowls. What can you say? We might see both of them."
Niners defensive coordinator Bill McPherson says he would rather go against Simms but only because a more mobile quarterback like Hostetler creates problems.
"I think any defensive coordinator would rather play against a dropback type of quarterback than a quarterback who you don't know where he is going to be," McPherson said.