The film opens at Canyon Park where narcotics cop Frank Daly (Brian Dennehy) is coaching his partners Wayne Gross (Joe Pantoliano), Ricky Rodriguez (Jeff Fahey), and Howard Jones (Bill Paxton) during a flag football game. After the game, Daly tells Captain Joe Torres (Henry Darrow) that his team is working on a major bust. He asks Torres to help keep the DEA out of the operation.