OSAKA, Japan -- There couldn't be a much better matchup to start the 2002 NFL preseason than the one between two of the league's most exciting teams, the Washington Redskins and the San Francisco 49ers.

The Redskins are perhaps the NFL's most intriguing story this season with the arrival of new head coach Steve Spurrier. With new coordinator Marvin Lewis, the Redskins' defense stands to be among the top five in the NFL. But offensively, there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding the Redskins. Spurrier has already made a lot of noise, and everyone wants to know how his "Fun 'N' Gun" offense will make the move from the college level to the NFL.

All about Osaka

Since 1989, I've traveled to every season-opener in Tokyo, Japan. This year's venue has moved to Osaka, which is a very different city than Tokyo. Osaka is an industrial seaport city with massive piles of coal, oil refineries and lumber yards. It's sort of like a combination of Newark, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. It's very neat and clean, but without the hustle and bustle of Tokyo, which is like downtown New York during rush hour all of the time. In Osaka, the traffic isn't nearly as bad, and it's not as crowded. The weather is similar to the summer weather in the U.S. right now -- 95 degrees and humid. So we're not getting a break from the hot weather. I've grown accustomed to the 11-hour flight from San Francisco. I've made the trip about 10 times, so I've got my system down pat. I try to pace myself and my workload so that I basically work throughout the plane ride. Because I'm getting ready for four games over the next 12 days, this is the first year I didn't sleep. I just read, studied and ate. Though some may question how necessary it is to make the players travel so far for an exhibition game, it's part of the NFL's international promotion. Oddly enough, every game we did in Tokyo sold out, and tickets aren't cheap at $250 apiece. The Japanese fans love American football. -- Joe Theismann

There are so many questions: Will his offense survive? Does he have the receivers and the quarterback? Which QB will play? Will he have tantrums and throw his visor on the ground? What kind of comments will he make?

When you're cocky like Spurrier is, people tend not to like you until you've proven yourself -- and then they still don't like you. But even if he's not well-liked, Spurrier will make things interesting. He has shown no signs of intimidation. Spurrier stills carries the same confident attitude.

He's already invited controversy with comments about presenting the game ball to owner Daniel Snyder after the Redskins beat the Dallas Cowboys. And, when asked if he worked late hours, he said Saints head coach Jim Haslett works late hours in New Orleans, and it doesn't seem to do him any good.

I have known Steve for about 15 years. We have played golf together, and -- on occasion -- our families have socialized with one another. I visited Redskins' training camp last week and was intrigued by Spurrier's approach. He only works with the QBs and receivers during practice, and he calls the plays. He seems to be adjusting well from the 20 hours per week he seemed to put in at the University of Florida.

Eventually, the NFL boils down to whether or not a team has the right players in the right system. If a coach has both, he will be successful. No system can be successful on its own. Spurrier has to find out if his system can work with the players he has.

I would like to say it will work for him, but I don't know. Maybe it will, maybe it won't. If it doesn't, a lack of energy or effort won't be the reason. What is important is that Spurrier believes in his players and his system.

Interestingly, despite record-setting performances in college, no Florida QB has had proven success in the NFL. Shane Matthews and Danny Wuerffel combined for 82 records at Florida and 37 SEC records. Yet Matthews went undrafted out of college, and Wuerffel, the Heisman Trophy winner, has been a journeyman quarterback.

Without unsigned rookie Patrick Ramsey, the three remaining potential starters will get a lot more work than they normally would have. Sage Rosenfels, the Redskins' fourth-round pick in 2001, will start against the 49ers. Matthews will start against Carolina next week, and then Wuerffel will start against Tampa Bay the following week. Personally, I think teams need to start playing their regular-season starter by the time they get to their third preseason game.

There is no quarterback controversy in San Francisco, where Jeff Garcia has established himself as a Pro Bowler. The 49ers return 20 of their 22 starters from last season. They feel the only two changes they made were upgrades. They lost safety Lance Schulters, but added Tony Parrish from Chicago. They also signed 31-year-old guard Ron Stone from the Giants after releasing 39-year-old Ray Brown.

Another plus for the 49ers is that Terrell Owens seems to have matured. He is a different person. Gone is the selfish, irreverent, psychotic player from last year. Owens has become a pleasant young man who wants to be a leader and is having fun playing football for the 49ers.

Owens and Mariucci met in the offseason and decided it was time to put the controversy behind them. Maybe now they can move forward -- and so can the 49ers.

Former NFL quarterback Joe Theismann is a game analyst for ESPN's Sunday Night Football and a regular contributor to ESPN.com.