12/23/08

The end of the regular season is almost here.  Beat Philly at their rowdy place and you are in. Simple, right?  Well if Dallas continues its recent trends of this season, there is no way to know.  Should Dallas beat Philly?  Yes.  Will they?  Who knows. You tell me Tony Romo’s stat line and I could tell you what the outcome will be.  This season has come down to that simple fact.  The Cowboys go as Romo goes.  It really is not much different than most teams with a franchise QB.  The Colts don’t win if Peyton Manning has his head not screwed on straight (although that doesn’t happen much, but for proof, just check out his two games against San Diego last year.) The Eagles don’t win if Donovan McNabb messes up.  Same goes with the Giants, Redskins, Carolina, etc.  The list goes on.  People seem to forget that Romo has not started that many games, although he is a fixture in the image of the franchise.  What he has done in such a short time is amazing.  

He has set his own performance bar quite high, and he reaps the benefits of that, as well as consuming the criticism when he fails to uphold his end of the bargain.  Now look, I personally like Romo.  I hated where the team was at before he emerged.  I love where they could be headed.  You have to take the good with the bad with that kid.  The good makes me smile and buy a pink #9 jersey for my wife.  The bad makes me angry and treat that same wife badly on Sundays. I just have a feeling that he will turn it around.  This week?  Who knows.  The playoffs? Gotta get there first.  Next season?  Maybe. Perhaps this is just a series of moments in fanhood.  I follow them and put my hopes in them. I curse their stupidity when for some reason they don’t follow my armchair advice. But hope is a wonderful thing.  Just because I cursed at them on Sunday, doesn’t mean that I won’t love them the next week.  Welcome to being a fan, ladies and
gentlemen.  It is a ride that will not get off of until we perish.  Even if they extinguish their own hopes, we still keep it alive for them.  

   Now, for the game itself, it is as it always is with the Eagles.  Stop Brian Westbrook.  That is not so easy.  He, in my opinion, is the most versatile player in the league.  They do a great job of moving him around and hiding him.  Washington this past week did a great job of shadowing him.  The problem with that is Dallas does not have a player that can do that.  Washington sent only three people on the rush and covered Westbrook with sometimes three players.  Since the Redskins have a bad pass rush, it made sense.  Dallas does not have that issue.  They can get after the passer.  But, there is the problem.  What do you do?  Rush McNabb and cross your fingers that you can actually get him on the ground?  Sit back and let him tear up your zones?  Outside of Romo’s up in the air production, that is the key to the game.  
 
   So fans, sit back and enjoy a great game.  Win and you are in, and get to hope again.  Lose, and watch a new regime take over.  Just don’t take it out on your wife.

11/20/08

The ‘Boys surely have had some peaks and valleys in what is turning out to be an exciting season.  They found themselves at the very lowest of valleys following the brutal loss to the NY Giants in week 9.  Never has a bye week been so welcome, when Dallas went back and licked its wounds.  And now, after a hard fought win at Washington, the team finds itself climbing out of the large hole they dug themselves.  At 6-4, they are right in the hunt for a wildcard spot.  During this stretch ahead, they face two lower tiered teams at home, then a very rough run on good teams.  The next six weeks will provide many answers to both the team and the fans out there.

1.  Is Wade Phillips and his laid back attitude right for this collection of talented egos?
2.  Can Roy E. Williams prove he is worth what Dallas gave up for him?
3.  Was the last we see of  Roy L. Williams at safety for Dallas?
4.  Is TO finally showing his age?
5.  Is that highly paid offensive line really as good as they were last season and at the beginning of this one?
6.  Which free agents are worth resigning?
7.  Are the December pains of the last few years over?

It will take weeks and months to answer most of these, but here is my take on a few. Wade is gone after the season unless they make a real playoff run, like the NFC Championship game.  And don’t assume Jason Garrett is the next HC of the Cowboys.  His magic has not been as spellbinding as it was last season, although losing your Pro Bowl QB will do that.  Roy Williams will prove that he can be a consistent threat…..as long as there is a threat opposite him.  Whether that be TO, Jason Witten, or Miles Austin, I don’t know.  Roy Williams the safety will not play another down in a Cowboy uniform.  He is paid too much for a two down player, and Keith Davis has filled in okay, and he is much cheaper.  The line is overrated, but good.  Flozell Adams is getting old quickly, and a replacement needs to be found in the draft.  He won’t make it through his five year contract.  The rest we will all have to tune in to find out.  Here’s hoping a talented team can come together and show us fans why we were so excited in September.  

10/24/08

It seems that Dallas has had two different seasons so far this year.  They started off with such promise and excitement, but the last month has brought disarray and disappointment to the Cowboy faithful.  Has the bottom fell out?  Has this chemistry experiment of Jerry Jones's just exploded in his face?  There is still plenty of football to play, but the outlook seems bleak.  Perhaps the fans have become accustomed to winning most ball games, especially against perceived inferior competition.  4-3 is not a bad record, but with Tony Romo out for awhile and the injury list filled with key performers, the losses could pile up in a hurry.  Since they traded some key draft picks for Roy Williams the receiver and shown more weaknesses, I have come up with some new ideas for next spring's draft.  The are without a first rounder, but could end up picking in the middle of round 2.  If I were GM for the day, I would take the best o-lineman possible.  

That might be Phil Loadholt (Oklahoma), Herman Johnson (LSU), Xavier Fulton (Illinois), Trevor Canfield (Cincy), Alex Boone (Ohio St), or Johnathan Luigs (Arkansas). Any of these prospects would offer huge upside and possibly unseat one of the current starters.  In the third rounder they received from Cleveland, I would go after a safety, with Roy Williams possibly playing his last season in Dallas.  I would prefer more of a centerfield type so that Ken Hamlin can play closer to the line. Some names to remember here would be Nic Harris (Oklahoma) or Courtney Green (Rutgers). For the rest of the second day, my focus would still be on the offensive line, middle linebackers, and a backup QB.  There are sure to be some talented signal callers available on the second day.  Selections like that would go a long way to shore up some weaknesses in what everyone thought was a very talented team entering this season.
 

10/12/08

While almost all of the focus around the Cowboys is on Adam Jones’s skirmish with one of his babysitters, I am going to concentrate on what Dallas might do for next April’s draft.  In studying Dallas so far this year, I have noticed some improvements that a very talented team could address in the draft.  Firstly, there does not seem to be a fire starter on the defense.  There is a ton of talent and high round picks, but few players that will smack the opposition in the mouth and make them fear the defense.  Roy Williams used to be an enforcer, but his trademark hits have become few and far between the last two seasons.  Ken Hamlin is willing to throw his body around, but is less able to do so from his free safety spot.  

Although they have spent several high round picks on linebackers recently, I would love to see Dallas take a Rey Maualuga from USC.  He is big, strong, and fast.  Also, he offers a mean streak that would light the entire team.  He is projected to go fairly high in the draft, so they might have to trade up to get him, but they have the firepower to do so with extra picks.  Secondly, the popular choice would be a receiver.  I doubt there will be one available worthy of a slot where they should be picking.  As evidenced by this season’s rookie pass catchers, you can get a good young receiver in the second round.  

They might also look at o-linemen.  Flozell is getting older, Marc Colombo is a free agent and the youngsters might not be ready.  Phil Loadholt sure would look good with a star on his helmet as he fits the teams theme of big linemen. Herman Johnson or Duke Robinson would be nice as well.  There is also the need for a backup safety and d-lineman.  Even with a team as talented as this, there is always excitement when thinking of the possibility of upgrading the roster with college’s most thrilling players.
 

9/25/08

NFL teams often break up the football season into blocks, 4 groups of 4 games, to evaluate where they are and where they are headed.  After completing 3/4 of their first segment, the Cowboys must be happy.  They have gone undefeated against two very good teams and one preseason media darling while leaving the coaches plenty of shortcomings to coach and preach on.  The offense seems to be humming, and possibly uncontainable.  Want to stop Owens?  Ok, Dallas will get the ball to Jason Witten and Patrick Crayton.  Want to stop the entire passing attack?  Just fine with them.  Marion Barber and rookie Felix Jones will shred your front 7.  Want to blitz Tony Romo?  Go ahead.  The big offense line will max protect and Romo will hit you with seam routes to Witten and Owens.  There seems to be no game plan to stop their offensive attack so far this season.  

As far as mistakes, Romo seems to have one bonehead decision or two a game.  At least the team is talented enough to overcome them, although I sure wouldn't want to test that every game.  Another downside is the penalties.  They had 11, 10, and 7 through their first three games, some coming at very poor times.  Another concern is the inability of the defense to get the QB on the ground.  They should have twice as many sacks as they do, but Donovan McNabb and Aaron Rodgers escaped the pass rush often in their respective contests.  

There are many things to be excited about, however.  First of all, Felix Jones looks to be an explosive weapon, scoring three touchdowns in his first three games as a pro.  He will only get more involved as the season gets older.  Secondly, Pacman Jones has not yet knocked off all of the rush gathered from a year off.  His punt return ability will show up sooner or later, as will his playmaking on the defensive side.  Also, their are some role players starting to come into their own.  Miles Austin, a third year receiver, is starting to show why Dallas has kept the undrafted player around this long.  He is big and offers a deep threat trait only shown in TO on the team.  Second rounder Martellus Bennett has also done well, giving two big pass receptions and good blocking.  

 The NFC East is a beast, however.  The team will be challenged every time they play any of the teams they share the division with.  Next up is Washington.  Jason Campbell seems to be getting into a groove and Clinton Portis is always a Cowboy pain.  Perhaps we will find out more about this team after they play a tough rival after two primetime, emotional wins.
 

9/3/08

The season is finally here, and for the first time in a few seasons, Dallas is facing some injury issues.  Thankfully, none of their key performers are injured, but a handful of role players are banged up.  The only starter who will miss time is LG Kyle Kosier, who is out several weeks with a foot injury.  To counter this, Dallas traded with Denver to bring in Montre Holland, who will take a week or two to get familiar with the offense. Cory Proctor will fill in during the mean time.  Three of the top five wideouts are nursing injuries, with Miles Austin and Sam Hurd out for at least the opener, possible more.  Dallas decided against signing any other receivers and will go with the status quo.  Filling the third receiver spot will be Isaiah Stanback, who has a bum shoulder.  The exciting news to come out of these injuries is that fans will get to see Adam Jones and Felix Jones returning kickoffs, which might not have happened if Austin and Stanback were
healthy.  I doubt that Dallas's high powered offense will miss an experienced third and fourth receiver too much, considering the talent on that squad.  With TO, Jason Witten, Marion Barber, Felix Jones and Patrick Crayton all healthy and ready to go, the missing receivers would be the fourth or fifth options on most plays.  Fans should have faith in OC Jason Garrett being creative and getting the ball into the hands of TO and Witten.  

 On the defensive side of the ball, Anthony Spencer will miss at least the opener with a knee scope.  His loss is fairly significant since he comes in on the nickel and is a good pass rusher.  Dallas will just have to give more snaps to Greg Ellis until Spencer is back.  Kevin Burnett missed most of the preseason with knee issues of his own, but is expected to play against Cleveland.  Terrance Newman is also expected back this week, which should give Dallas four starting quality corners.  

 The special teams are going to need to be better, especially if Joshua Cribbs can play for Cleveland.  He is the second most dangerous return man in the game, outside of Devin Hester.  There are rumors that Keith Davis, who left for the South Dallas Dolphins this off-season, is coming back after being released last week.  If so, last season's ST captain is back to help straighten out the coverage units.  

 All in all, I believe that Dallas has dodged some bullets on the injury front, for many of them could have been much worse.  If all goes well, they should be completely healthy to start October and the meat of the schedule. Dallas has a nice mix of youth and experience to lead this team, with all of the core guys, except for TO, entering their prime. It should be an exciting year for Cowboy fans.

 

8/25/08

The Cowboys went 13-3 last year and have very little to prove (UNTIL THE POST SEASON) ... so the pre-season has been predictably anemic. Thursday's game promises to be even less meaningful and more vanilla in scheme as the team has already begun game-planning for Cleveland.

What we can look at it the rookies and draftees specifically.
 

With such a small sample these are knee-jerk but its the best we can do right now to peg these guys for the upcoming season.

1A. Felix Jones — Felix is faster than his 40 time and quicker than his more highly rated Arkansas backfield mate. But he is not a great between the tackles guy. He is an exciting out of the backfield receiver and he blocked much better than expected. His role seems pretty clear. Glorified third down back who will see snaps with Barber in various offensive packages. It is pretty clear garrett had those packages drawn up even before the draft which is why the Boys left Rashard Mendenhall on the board without much concern.

1B. Mike Jenkins — Jenkins is an athlete who can cover just about anybody. But he is raw as rain and needs to work on technique. Campo saying he "had lost his mind" was one of the most classic pieces of audio from Hard Knocks. Jenkins may end up the best CB of the rookie class but he has about zero chance of looking that way this season with Terence Newman, Anthony Henry and Adam Jones ahead of him. But that is a good thing IMO. Jenkins can work on technique and learn to be a pro.

2. Martellus Bennett — I think everybody agrees Martellus is a special athlete. It's just maybe not as special as he thinks. The guy can run and he can catch and he can block. T.O. needs to make a shirt for him called iPrimadonna though! Yes, ironically T.O. there for those just waking up. Bennett has looked a mess on hard Knocks and many of his quotes require 3 or 4 reads because they are so crazy. But he has shown what the team felt it lacked with Fasano, a guy who can actually make plays. Bennett is a real threat as a receiver and is not a weak blocker by any means. He just has to decide to be a pro. He couldn't learn from a  better player than Witten and even with his wacky, zaniness he seems to realize that. 

4. Tashard Choice — Choice seems an odd draft selection but has turned out to be a good Special Teamer who can make active game day rosters with his coverage skills while offering spot duty spelling Barber. I expect with Felix getting more of a hybrid role, Choice is the de facto Barber backup. Choice isn't a special player but he is a capable one.

5. Orlando Scandrick — There has been a buzz around Scandrick since he ran his 40 at the combine and nothing he has done in the pre-season games or camps has derailed that. Scandrick is a great athlete who plays zone very well and will break on the ball to get picks or lay big licks. He is also an outstanding special teamer. If we weren't so deep at CB he might start at CB. Looks like a great prospect and a definite keeper.

6. Erik Walden — The only Cowboys rookie draftee who’s at risk of missing the final cut. Walden is a project at OLB and may need a year on the Practice Squad. He is the size equivalent to Dwight Freeney so he needs to learn some great moves to be an effective edge rusher. A long shot by any standard but especially with Ware, Ellis and Spencer all ahead of him by a mile. Wade loves him some OLBs though so Walden has that going for him.

UFA: Danny Amendola - The only undrafted rookie I'll list who has a shot at a roster spot thanks to some heady route running. His fumbling of a punt didn't help his cause any but one mistake won't derail him after showing in practice he can get open against our talented CBs. He is an ideal practice squad candidate but will be tough to sneak past other teams who have seen what ignoring Wes Walker cost them. 

Knee-jerk Analysis: Early returns have been positive. Dallas looks to have found starting NFL caliber players in Felix Jones, Mike Jenkins, Martellus Bennett and Orlando Scandrick. Not starting today guys but those who have the actual talent to do so one day. Felix, Jenkins and Bennett should contribute this year and Scandrick/Tashard Choice  may as well with their special teams play.

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As a note be watching who gets cut in Tampa Bay and in Miami as Dallas looks to be need of a young QB they believe in behind Romo.
 

8/9/08

By: Scott Arendt

It seems like the disappointing loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion NY Giants was just the other day, but training camp is again is full swing.  The Cowboys are taking residence in Oxnard, California where they are enjoying the mild climate away from the usual humid stickiness of San Antonio.  Camp is just over a week old and the 'Boys have had a much tougher camp than last year's, which quickly earned the name, Camp Cupcake.  Perhaps coach Wade Phillips is trying to prepare the team differently in an effort to make them mentally and physically ready for what looks to be a rough December stretch.  
 Today we will take a position breakdown and talk about what the rookies are looking like.

QB. Tony Romo, Brad Johnson, Richard Bartell, Jeff Terrell
The starting position is obviously set.  Johnson is the steady vet that has shown a lack of arm strength throughout camp.  The offense would have to change some play calling if he were to have to fill in.  Bartell has a huge arm, but has shown some inconsistencies in accuracy and decision making.  Terrell is just a camp arm trying to maybe get a shot a practice squad spot.  PREDICTION: Romo, Johnson.  They might carry a third, but only if Chris Simms ever gets released from Tampa Bay.

RB. Marion Barber, Felix Jones, Tashard Choice, Alonzo Coleman, Keon Lattimore.
Marion will get more carries than in the past, but will not be overloaded.  My guess is somewhere close to 300 carries, but not more.  He has looked good in camp, but that is not the place for him to show his bruising style.  Felix will give spot duty, but used more as New Orleans used Reggie Bush and Deuce McAlsister two years ago.  Felix has shown his speed and instincts so far in camp, and has shown the coaches he can handle whatever they ask of him.  He has been surprisingly good at pass protection and on inside runs.  Tashard Choice has shown more wiggle than they thought he had, and should get some touches.  My guess is that Barber gets about 15 carries a game, with Jones about 10-12 total touches and the rest going to Choice.  Coleman is solidly build and is a blazer, but the inn does not have much room.  Keon Lattimore, Ray Lewis's brother, has shown some skills so far.  PREDICTION: Barber, Jones, Choice. Maybe Coleman, with Lattimore getting a practice squad invite.

FB: Deon Anderson, Julius Crosslin, Ronnie Cruz
 This is a position that has no competition for the starting spot.  In fact, Dallas might look to the waiver wire for a backup to Anderson. "Cricket" Deon has improved a ton since his rookie year.  The coaches love his ISO blocking.  He also has soft hands and is the wedge buster on the kickoff team.  PREDICTION: Anderson

WR: TO, Patrick Crayton, Sam Hurd, Miles Austin, Isaiah Stanback, Danny Amendola, Mark Bradford, Mike Jefferson, Daniel Polk.
 TO is having a great camp.  Phillips said that he seems even faster than last year and is catching almost everything thrown his way.  With the release of Terry Glenn, Crayton has solidified his status as the #2. He is also having a good, steady camp. The third spot is a battle between Hurd and Austin, according to Phillips.  I see Hurd winning the spot due to his consistency.  He runs great routes and has nice hands.  Austin is a big boy with some speed and RAC ability.  They are both great on special teams.  Stanback has come a long way since coming from UW as a QB.  He dealt with some lingering injuries last year that slowed down the transistion.  The coaches are excited about his potential, and he seems to be working diligently.  Amendola is a quick slot-type receiver with great hands.  The reports say he runs excellent routes and is quick.  The word is that if waived, he would not make it through waivers, so Dallas has a decision to make on him.
PREDICTION: TO, Crayton, Hurd, Austin, Stanback, Amendola

TE: Jason Witten, Martellus Bennett, Tony Curtis, Rodney Hannah, Drew Atchison.
Witten is one of the best in the game, and really the Boys' #2 receiver.  Bennett came from Texas AM, where the offense was mostly a running scheme, and not very complex.  The word is that he has had some issues with the playbook and is thinking too much.  He is such an athlete, however, that once he figures it out, he should be a weapon.  Curtis, with all of three career catches (all for TDs, though), is coming along nicely.  He should start the season as the second TE. Dallas wants to run several 2 TE packages, so Bennett and Curtis should see alot of playing time.  PREDICTION: Witten, Curtis, Bennett

OL: Flozell Adams, Marc Colombo, Doug Free, Pat McQuistan, James Marten, Cory Lekkerker, Leonard Davis, Kyle Kosier, Joe Berger, Adam Stenavich, Andre Gurode, Cory Procter, Ryan Gibbons.
This is one of the best starting units in the league, sending three to Hawaii for the Pro Bowl. Sources say that Adams is having the best camp of his career, which is good news for Tony Romo.  Kyle Kosier is steady, yet unspectacular.  His spot is the only one that could see some competion. Colombo is in the last year of his deal, and it is up in the air as to whether Dallas will resign him.  He is very strong and aggresive, but Dallas has drafted some tackles for this reason.  The leader of the young lineman class is Doug Free.  He has shown great pass blocking.  They have tried McQuistan and Marten out at left guard to improve depth and versitility.  PREDICTION: Adams, Kosier, Gurode, Davis, Colombo, Free, McQuistan, Marten, Berger, Proctor.

DL: Chris Canty, Marcus Spears, Jason Hatcher, Jay Ratliff, Tank Johnson, Remi Ayodele, Junior Saivii, Stephen Bowen, Marcus Dixon.  
This group is very solid, yet not flashy.  Canty is up for a contract, but might play out the season before seeing some of Jerry Jones's money. He a fast riser, and getting better and better.  Tank has had a great off season, and is forcing Phillips to find ways to get him on the field.  Ratliff is very good at both the nose and at end, so he might end up playing there some to get the best three on the field.  Spears is not a draft bust, but perhaps mildly underwhelming.  The depth is good with Hatcher and Bowen at end.  PREDICTION: Canty, Spears, Ratliff, Johnson, Hatcher, Bowen.

LB: DeMarcus Ware, Greg Ellis, Anthony Spencer, Darrell Robertson, Erik Walden, Tearrus George, Zach Thomas, Bradie James, Kevin Burnett, Bobby Carpenter, Tyson Smith.  
 Ware, Ellis and Spencer give Big D a talented pass rushing trio.  Expect bigger things from Spencer this year.  The coaches say he is playing much quicker than last season.  Ellis has had back issues this camp, and Spencer is getting a ton of reps.  We should see the three of them on the field at the same time more often this season.  The inside guys offer a lot of depth.  Thomas is the big name, and still going strong after all these years.  James is the banger and defensive leader.  Burnett is the nickle backer and Carpenter is the backup to both inside spots.  He has had a really good camp, and is making it hard to keep him off the field.  Perhaps keeping him at one spot is doing him some good. PREDICTION: Ware, Ellis, Spencer, Walden, Thomas, James, Burnett, Carpenter.

CB: Terance Newman, Anthony Henry, Adam Jones, Mike Jenkins, Alan Ball, Orlando Scandrick, Evan Oglesby, Quincy Butler, Tyler Everett.
Dallas has perhaps the most talent and depth at CB in the league.  With the addition of Adam Jones and draft picks Jenkins and Scandrick, a position that was questionable last season has now become a strength.  Newman has a groin injury and is out a few weeks, so the younger guys are getting a lot of playing time. The player that has really taken advantage of the extra time has been Oglesby, picked up from Baltimore last season.  He has overtaken Alan Ball as the sixth corner, it seems.  Ball has shown some good things as well, though.  He was out a few practices with a sprained ankle, which has cost him.  Jenkins has seen some time with the fist group in the absence of Newman.  He has been up and down, but the coaches love his length and athletisicm.  Scandrick has impressed with his speed and burst.  And of course, there is Adam Jones.  Sources say that he has been the best corner at camp.  He has some rust to knock off, but is a competitor and gives
great effort.  If reinstated, he should at least be the nickel back for the season opener.  PREDICTION: Newman, Henry, Jones, Jenkins, Scandrick, Oglesby.

S: Roy Williams, Ken Hamlin, Pat Watkins, Courtney Brown, Dowayne Davis.
It seems as if Roy has lost some weight and gained some speed.  He had a rough off season, with many things said in the press about his desire and coverage.  If he can get back to the bone crusher everyone fell in love with, those questions will quickly go away.  Hamlin, with his brand new contract, is doing well.  The two ballers that have raised some eye brows have been Brown and Davis.  Brown is making a switch from college corner to NFL safety.  He has the speed and smarts to make the switch, and had make several plays in camp.  Davis is a bruiser who likes contact.  Both look like excellent special teamers.  The guy whose stock is falling seems to be Watkins.  Although Phillips has declared him the special teams ace, he is not seeing much playing time in regular sets. PREDICTION: Hamlin, Williams, Watkins, Brown.
SPECIALISTS: Nick Folk, Mat McBrair, LP Ladouceur.
They are all three good and young. No real concerns here.  

ROOKIE REPORT
Felix Jones and Tashard Choice are locks to make the team.  They will both see playing time and should have very detailed roles in the offense.  Jones will be the scat back, and Jason Garrett will find creative ways to get him the ball in space.  He should also be a kick returner. Choice will be the main backup for Barber.  He can grind out yards and has nice hands.  He could see a few carries each game.
Martellus Bennett is going to be the second or third TE.  He should see plenty of time in goal line situations, and perhaps more if he can learn the playbook well enough.  Orlando Scandrick will make the team, and be the fifth or sixth corner.  He should be on all special teams, and be good at it, if he makes the active game day roster.  Erik Walden is a small school pass rusher who might have a tough time making the roster.  He has some ability, but is making the tough transition from DE to OLB.  Worst case, he makes the practice squad earns some money while getting bigger and better.
 So all is going fine so far for the Boys.  Instead of Camp Cupcake, they now have Camp Competition.  It seems that everyone is happy and very competitive.  They will need that attitude to reach their Super Bowl aspirations.
 

8/4/08

By: Joseph Terrell

Training Camp short shots:

The Boys have an awful lot of talent.
It doesn't mean much once the season begins but this is the NFC's most talented club on paper.

We can talk all we want about Dallas not beating the Giants when it mattered last year but neither did the Patriots. So perhaps it isn't an unforgiveable sin.

Adam Jones looks quite good at times and has a willingness to battle T.O. in what has been the highlight of a rather staid training camp. Not sure what the Vegas odds were but a team with T.O., Pacman and Tank is having a training camp that is football-focussed to the point of being boring. The greatest irony is those 3 players are not just falling in line to make it quiet, they are leading the charge to make it productive and football-oriented.

Long shot I like: The popular choice here seems to be undrafted rookie WR Danny Amendola. As a Red Raider myself I am not going to disagree here. What Cowboy fans and coaches are seeing now I saw for four years while he was in Lubbock. Danny is short and slight. He is also tough as nails, extremely quick and has great balance. He was the Wes Welker clone for Tech. He was a return man and inside WR who caught a ton of passes setting down in short zones for first downs while at Tech. That left him open to big shots quite often but he held onto the ball. So the guy can take a hit, he is quick enough and smart enough to get open and he has great hands. That's why he is a legit slot, possession Wr type in this league.

Early draft pick impressions:
Mike Jenkins: Great athlete who is fortunate to ve able to develop behind three top notch NFL players---Terence Newman, Adam Jones and Anthony Henry. Jenkins will have to learn technique and develop a taste for film study but he has the potential to be the best CB in this class. Whether he reaches that goal or not may depend on how easily he gets playing time and thats why his early backup duty could be a great thing for him in the long run.

Felix Jones: I think Dallas got this one right. While best available player advocates will tell you Mendelhall was a must take I think Dallas was smart to go with the guy they felt they could create the most mismatches with and could get on the field. RB is a hit and miss position in the draft and I think you really have to know how to use whom you draft. Dallas goes in expecting Jones to be a returner and slotback sort. That type of poor man's Brian Westbrook or reaosnable facsimile of Reggie Bush is exactly what this teams needs with a lack of speed after Terry Glenn was released. The guy closest to Terry Glenn athletically and skillwise on this roster is probably Felix Jones.

Martellus Bennett: Bennett was one of the top overall athletes in the country as a high school senior and he has been an underachiever ever since. The guy is sort of an enigma in that he is so athletic but also so average in skill. He is a capable blocker or pass receiver but not entirely impressive at either. He has quickness and footspeed Anthony Fasano(which is why Fasano was gifted back to Bill Parcells for basically nothing) lacked but doesn't often stand out over long stretches.

Tashard Choice: Choice looks like a capable backup for Marion Barber but he will likely only touch the field in mop up or injury situations. He has shown some vision and toughness but will likely only win playing time in pre-season where he may well be the Cowboys MVP.

Orlando Scandrick: Scandrick has 4.32 in the 40 speed and he can play zone defense quite well. He will have to get used to battling WRs at the line and playing man for the Cowboys who go man to man quite often at CB. He has been impressive in mnay sets at may earn a home in the nickel and dine defenses but will fight with Alan Ball and Evan Oglesby for any final CB roster spots. Special Teams play will make it very hard to consider releasing him.

Erik Walden: Unless Walden is the best special teams tackler in pre-season expect him to end up on a practice squad, but it may not be this one. Walden looks like a guy who could develop into a legit OLB in a 3-4 defense but the Cowboys are so ridiculously deep at LB that he may see the tea leaves and opt himself for another team's practice squad on which to develop.

5/29/08

It is officially the dry part of the off-season. We have a few OTAs (Organized Team Activities) going on but with little more than glorified walk throughs and most players simply in the weight room not a lot going on. Unless perhaps you are the Dallas Cowboys. With Jerry Jones at the wheel this team is quite willing to drum up Hard Knocks interest with its own unique brand of drama.

I'd write about it more but quite honestly it gives me tired head.

The dramatic bulletins:
1. When/If Adam Jones Now that he is a Cowboy the team is encouraging he drop Pacman as a moniker) will be re-instated. He has met with Roger Goodell. He is also broke and is struggling to pay off debts be they to Las Vegas Casinos or his mortgage company.... To me this is a complete Yawner. Pacman (I'll abide by the Cowboy's wishes once Adam shows some maturity) will play this year at some point and I am sure he'll play quite well. The rest is just made for tv drama.

2. Greg Ellis is grumbling again. I really appreciate Greg Ellis and what he has done and how he is a solid citizen and player. BUT even I have my limits. I really wish Greg Ellis would just shut up. Then again I apparently believe in his talents more than he does. As any woman will tell you insecurity ina  grown man is about the worst affliction one can have. Anyways this time around Greg is upset because he is being pushd to a Pass Rush specialist so Anthony Spencer can get 1st and 2nd down snaps and presumably actually cover the flats on occasion. However, Greg Ellis is good enough to work his way on the field so if he shuts up he'll play and play a lot. If he is fresher then we are a better defense. The guy does play hard and he wears himself down. The third down role is perfect for him. The only good thing to coem from all his whining is he actually gets more rest for hsi body while his mouth runs.

3. Unsigned players oh my!!! Jerry already re-signed Marion Barber and Terence Newman. Ken Hamlin will be re-signed. No need to fret there. This is really just made up drama. Jerry never loses free agents he wants to keep. Or at least not since the mid 90's when he wanted to keep every player on the roster.

4. Young receiver to step into key 3rd WR role and be next Jerry Rice.... Almost every team's fans overrate their own young talent. It is human nature. Occasionally a guy is so good he can not really be overrated --see Demarcus Ware, but 95 times out of 100 a guy like Miles Austin will have a fan base behind him as a future starter when in fact the player simply never had a realistic shot at more than special teams duty and the player himself knows it. See the players line up everyday versus other pros so they know where they stack up. So Dallas will very likely remain in the market for a veteran WR and will be all ears if a team has an older player they do not need or want right now once training camp starts. You can bet there will lots of drama here.

Other than that the rookies are all shiny and new. Not much real football to talk but alas it is the dry season.

4/29/08

Jerry Jones gets his man, gets lucky and rewinds the clock.

On day one of the 2008 NFL Draft The Dallas Cowboys selected Felix Jones as expected. What wasn't expected was the fact they passed on Rashard Mendenhall to do so. RM was expected to go top 15 and has awesome power and speed.

So why'd Dallas do it?

You can ask yourself two questions here: 1. Is Mendenhall the better player without Marion Barber in
Dallas? 2. Is Felix Jones the better fit with Marion Barber in Dallas?

The Cowboys decided the answer to both question was Yes and signaled Barber will be going no where by selecting a perfect complement to him. I know one can wonder how would Felix Jones do if he has to carry the load but at the same time don't you also have to ask yourself how Mendenhall would fit in in a 10 carry
role? He isn't the kick returner or slot player Felix Jones is. Felix will be on the field WITH Barber and that is something they didn't envision with RM.

The best player on the board at 22 may well have been Mike Jenkins. Dallas was fairly confident Pittsburgh
and Tennessee were interested in things other than a corner and when the running back run ended at 25 Dallas had traded back up with Seattle and snagged Mike Jenkins. The South Florida CB looked bored at
times and played sloppily in some games but no one is denying Deion Sanders Hall of Fame access for doing the same. Now Jenkins is no Deion but the point it CBs can get bored when they are good enough to seldom get tested. That's not exactly a knock like the ones on Aqib Talib.

Dallas completed their first day with the selection of TE Martellus Bennett. Bennett is a big guy with very good overall athleticism. He has a great blend of blocking and receiving skills. This was a shock to many Dallas fans the team had just traded away Anthony Fasano for a pittance. BUT, Bennett was one of the top
overall athletes in the country coming out of high school and played in that "should only be run for Vince Young" veer option offense at Texas A&M. I truly believe Bennett would have been a mid first rounder
had he returned to school and played under new Aggie coach Mike Sherman in an NFL style offense.

So all in all this was a good day for the Dallas Cowboys.

Goose Gossellin had the guys rated:
Felix Jones-21
Mike Jenkins-15
Martellus Bennett-46

So Dallas got value at each selection and each guy should have a role on a team that expects to be a Super Bowl contender.
 

4/25/08

Well the Pacman deal has been agreed to.

Dallas sends a 4th round pick this year to the Titans for his rights.
Pacman has restructured his contract such that he has no guaranteed money in a new four year pact but the exact totals haven't been released yet.

If Pacman plays this year and meets some playing time incentives Tennessee will receive a 6th round pick next season, if he remains suspended this year, Dallas will receive the Titans 4th round pick in 2009.

In the end the deal has a lot of covering of behinds in it. Dallas is protecting against further Jones suspension and Tenn is trying to get a pick while the getting is good before Jones does something else.  Dallas is also tying Jones' salary to his performance and availability in a way that has worked quite well with Terrell Owens.

I am sure you've all heard about the 12 police incidents and 6 arrests Adam Pacman Jones has brought upon himself. What you may not have heard is that he is only 24 years old. That's the age of Terence Newman when Dallas DRAFTED him. So Adam Jones does potentially offer you a long term solution at CB. Or he could be the next Duane Goodrich. Time will tell, but the investment was barebones. Jerry Jones is a gambler and right now he is playing with house money. T.O. has worked out fine, Tank Johnson has worked out fine and Jerry deserves some latitude with the rain-man here. After all in the end it is a 4th and possibly 6th round pick for a former 6th overall selection who has Pro Bowl caliber ability as a CB and return man.

What does this mean for the roster and draft?

I think it means you consider Pacman and Henry co 2nd CBs. Henry has had injury issues and Pacman tends to end up in handcuffs. Between the two of them you hopefully get a full season of 2nd CB play at a ridiculously high level. BUT you still have to recognize them as risks and go get another CB. Dallas lost both Nate Jones and Jacque Reeves this off-season. They need to draft a CB even with this signing.

Last minute Cowboy draft thoughts.

22. I think with the Pacman addition Dallas will use this slot to improve the offense. They'd still love to move it to Detroit for Roy Williams but if they can not get a proven vet Wr they'll simply go RB/WR imho. Felix Jones is the usual suggestion and with good reason. My apologies to the Cowboys legion who read that pick at 22. Johnathan Stewart is the better player but he has injury concerns and Dallas wants to make a run at the Lombardi this year.

28. I think this is trade down territory. What better way to recoup that 4th rounder then to move down to Atlanta's spot.

34. This allows the Falcs to move up and take Brohm or Flacco. With Atlanta's high second Dallas can choose between Antoine Cason and Brandon Flowers as the de facto 3rd CB and fourth guy on the depth chart.

61. I suspect Dallas would love a WR here and a guy they like is Early Doucet.

4/18/08

The NFL has finally released the 2008 schedule.
Dallas doesn't get any early or late season favors so a run in the middle looks very important.

At Cleveland
Philly
At Green Bay
Washington
Cincy
At Arizona
At St. Louis
Tampa Bay
At Giants
BYE
At Washington
49ers
THANKS: Seattle
At Pittsburgh
Giants
Baltimore
At Philly

Dallas is not in as many prime time games as most would expect but that will be remedied as channels flex those games to prime time is Dallas is anywhere near as good as last season. Dallas is really going to have to play well to come out of that schedule 13-3 as they did last year.

And it appears Dallas is finally going to close the Pac-Man Jones deal. Looks like the cat is out of the bag and the Rainmaker is about to be re-instated so Jerry Jones has blinked and agreed to up the compensation for the Titans. I'd expect a 4th this year and conditional '09 5th is the price but have heard both more and less depending upon which reporter you read. It's either way too much or a steal. Depends on if you can reform stupid. I am going to assume you can as most young people would fall under that category at some point even if they never touch the Pac-Man Jones level.

If I was Pac-Man's agent I'd get signed to some gentleman's club endorsement deals. Come to think of it why has he never just bought his own club??

4/9/08

It is the not so "off", off-season and as we prepare for the draft, the Dallas Cowboys are front and center, top of mind for most NFL people.

While the Dallas trading for McFadden stuff has finally subsided it has been replaced by other speculation.
 
Peter King has reported that Dallas is not only almost certain to get a deal done for Adam Pac Man Jones by the end of this week, that Dallas is a good bet to land Detroit WR Roy Williams for a first round pick come draft day. Peter King bases this on supposed talks between Millen and Jerry at the Owner's Meetings.

Every NFCE team would like to land Roy Williams but Dallas has a huge edge here. First Williams wants to come back to Texas and play for the Cowboys and as he is nearing the end of his rookie contract he has some leverage there. Second, the Dallas Cowboys have two first round picks. Giving up 22 or 28 for Roy Williams doesn't leave them bereft of selections and elite WR is a glaring weakness for this draft class.

Can Jerry pull off the coup? Can he turn the Lone Star State into the home of both Roy Williams and Terrell Owens? I am still not sure regardless of various reports. But I do know the Eagles and Redskins will not land Roy Williams for a second round draft pick. Not with Jerry holding a spare first rounder. And I know if the Cowboys do land Pac Man Jones and Roy Williams this team becomes the one to beat.

So as we gear up for the always exciting time that is draft day, Dallas fans can ponder the delicious thoughts of an offense that scored over 500 points adding a super stud like Roy Williams.

4/2/08

I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop on this off-season.

Dallas has tendered (Barber, Canty), franchised (Hamlin) or re-signed (Flozell) its own talent but has really been quiet outside of that. It does make sense with all the Pro Bowlers this team had last season but is very unlike Jerry Jones who smells Lombardi Trophies like sharks smell chum in the water.

That other shoe just may be a doozy. Pacman Jones is rumored to be coming to Dallas with those rumors coming largely from Pacman and his agent. He has even stopped in Dallas to do local radio with Michael Irvin.  With this much smoke you can be sure there is a fire but the NFL and Roger Goodell will decide whether or not a bonfire is allowed. Pacman hasn't shown much reason for Goodell to re-instate him. He has settled his court cases and stayed on the right side of the law recently but it's not much of a track record. Then again the NFL is hardly a boys choir and you have to figure Pacman will get his shot again at some point. Tennessee is motivated to trade him before he commits another crime and Jerry would like to get him in Dallas with Calvin Hill and yes even Michael Irvin guiding him. (Why Michael?) Because Jerry listened to Michael over Bill Parcells and that is largely how T.O. came to Dallas. T.O.'s rather solid citizenship here builds on an already strong Irvin-Jones bond.

The "other" hole in Dallas' lineup is at WR. Seeing Terry Glenn try to play on that bum knee in the playoffs left everyone feeling sorry for him and hoping this team can acquire a starting caliber WR. With Roy Williams, Anquan Boldin and Chad Johnson all tossed about as potential trade targets those guys will be linked to Dallas and Jerry Jones' money. I am not sure any of those are anything but long shots but Roy Williams does want to return to Texas and with the size of the contract he will be asking he will have some say in his final destination. Detroit may be inclined to accept one of the two Dallas first round picks for him. Or Philly and Washington may also try to get into the mix at the cost of their own first rounders. 

1/15/08

The season ended with a whimper.

Not sure how to gauge our inability to score in the second half versus the Giants but I do have an idea of where we are.

In the end it appears we are what we thought we were (Thanks Dennis Green for that enlightening turn of tongue) at the start of the season. Playoff bound, yes, elite unit? No.

It's a shame because the talent was in place. Maybe not to the level of the Pro Bowl nominations but certainly higher than the injured Giants who walked off victoriously.

At the start of the season I expected us to need a CB/WR/DT in this upcoming draft.
Right now we have two major changes in that thinking.
1. We saw Cleveland's expected high first drop like the stock in Enron.
2. We saw Jay Ratliff play at a very high level at NT. We also signed Tank Johnson and essentially now can forget DT/NT unless a great value falls to us.

So... we saw with Patrick Crayton's lack of explosion and with Jacque Reeves very ordinary corner play that both positions could use infusions of young high round talent.

Fortunately both positions seem to offer a lot of low first high second round caliber players.

On the WR front I expect Dallas has to replace the quickness and raw speed of Terry Glenn. Not sure that is even possible but with someone like DeSean Jackson it just may be.

At CB, Aqib Talib and Justin King would look like good fits for the Cowboys on day 1.

It's early and we have to see all the off-season work but based on in season efforts these guys stand out to me.

One thing is certain, the Dallas Cowboys still have work to do

1/8/08

Forget the nonsense about who is hot...ask Washington how much that matters when everyone's intensity reaches playoff fervor.

The Giants have done a better job not giving up big plays BUT that's probably because they have not been facing the Cowboys or Packers.

They did play hard and valiantly versus the Pats but the Pats did get big plays and did score 38 points.

The Giants are at their best playing running game football and slowing down games so Eli can make a couple of throws but not be burdened with lots of them. Eli was outplayed by Favre, Romox2 and Brady. In those games they went 0-4.

The Giants are not explosive on offense at all. Burress is merely tall not very fast. Watching them even versus Tampa, the Buc defense had a great game, it just couldn't muster any offense with Joey Galloway hurt again.

In the end Dallas wins this game if Tony Romo is better than Eli again. He is a better player and I suspect he once again has the better game. If Dallas gets ahead and Eli is forced to challenge us through the air he will make some plays but eventually he'll turn it over and we'll put the dagger through their heart. Same song, different verse... Cowboys by double digits again!

The Cowboys have some weaknesses, but as the 12 Pro Bowlers suggest, they also have quite a lot of talent. They have also been fortunate with regards to health. The Giants guarded T.O. with three guys last match up in an effort to keep Dallas below 40. It worked even if in a losing cause but now T.O. is banged up and the Giants have to decide if they can afford to focus that much coverage on a guy who might not play or at least not play a full game.