This marks the beginning of a highly controversial and highly opinionated series. We have deeply analyzed the 2009 Dallas Cowboys Schedule and will target those teams that have the potential of giving us problems. Today we start with those crazy New York Football Giants.

The Giants will immediately come to town in Week 2, as the Cowboys open the new stadium. Here is the outlook:

Key Offseason Additions:

DE Chris Canty from Dallas.

OLB Michael Boley from Atlanta.

DT Rock Bernard from Seattle.

DB C.C. Brown from Houston.

Key Offseason Subtractions:

RB Derrick Ward

WR Plaxico Burress

CB R.W. McQuarters

CB Sam Madison

S Sammy Knight

Key Draft Picks:

WR Hakeem Nicks, North Carolina- Nicks is a potential game-breaker, whose known for making spectacular catches

OLB Clint Sintim- A great linebacker with good size, should start opposite Boley. Read the rest of this entry »

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- First order of business, Michael Vick. Tired of it yet? Here is my deal. The dude did something that was completely disgusting, I agree. However, he did his time. He doesn’t deserve the extra headaches. Give the dude a chance, if he messes up again then let him have it. When did football go from being a game about strong smash mouth football, to a game about public affairs and fan acceptance. Get the hell out of here with that weak crap. Football is Football, that why we love it, you want glamour and fame? Watch basketball.

- According to multiple sources, Owen Daniel is lobbying to be the highest paid tight end in the league. Seriously? You’re not even a top 3 tight end in this league my friend. Why don’t’ you quit your crying, you don’t hear Jason Witten crying about his contract!

- On a more serious note, we all know that the Cowboys/Eagles rivalry has only intensified over the years. However, my most sincere prayers and wishes go with the family of Defensive Coordinator Jimmy Johnson, who has been a defensive mastermind within the NFL with his baffling blitz packages. Best luck to him, his family, his replacement Sean McDermott, and the Eagles organization who has been a class act in supporting Coach Johnson and his family.

- Lastly, I was reading an article on Foxsports.com about training camp battles for Super Bowl contenders and much to my surprise the Cowboys were not listed. It is here I realized a lot of football “experts” have sincere doubts about Dallas. If you’re buying into this crap, stop! The Cowboys are a good team, in a whirlwind of a division. Expect the unexpected this year!

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Jesse Holley is now the latest member of the Dallas Cowboys. Who you say? That’s right Jesse Holley! Thanks to the Michael Irvin show 4^th and Long The Cowboys now have another man on the roster, the question is though will he stick? or is he just the product of another marketing gimmick?

I will tell you straight up that I watched only the first episode of 4^th and Long! Not because it was a bad show (although it was not a show that made me want to put the DVR to use) but more because it was just too damn gimmicky for me.

So who is Jesse Holley? Well I do not know just a ton about him, but what I do know is not all that glamorous.

Jesse was a two sport player at the University of North Carolina from 2003 – 2006, was a member of the 04’-05’ National Championship basketball team. He was a very solid Wide Receiver for the Tar heels, played all fours years that he was there.

In 2007 Holley was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Cincinnati Bengals. He was then released by the team at the end of Training camp only to be signed to the practice squad. Jesse lasted one month on the practice squad before being released.

In 2008 Jesse signed on to play for the BC Lions of the CFL. After the teams first Pre Season game (one month later) He was released.

Basically Jesse Holley is the same as a million other solid collegiate athletes with dreams of being a Pro, but now his dream is a reality thanks to Spike T.V.?????

I have a question for all of you that I need help answering. Can anybody tell me who was the last player (that went undrafted, unable to stick on a practice squad, and unable to make it in the CFL) that has been talked about this much?

My partner and I had a… well let’s call it a discussion yesterday about this situation, and well… Let’s just say our thoughts were not anywhere near the same!

Bryson watched the series from beginning to end, and had nothing but good to say about Jesse and his abilities. While I respect his opinion on the matter I strongly disagreed with his synopsis. He told me about how he was a big and physical receiver with good hands and the ability to go up and get a jump ball. He also told me how he thought “he may be a good addition for us” and “he may be able to take Stanback’s spot”.

It was about this time that the “discussion” got a little more heated. Not because I think Stanback is such a great receiver, but because I simply cannot comprehend how a guy who cannot make a CFL roster can come in and be a better player than a guy who has stuck on an NFL roster for 3 years!

The argument will always be “NFL scouts do make mistakes and miss on players, just look at Tom Brady” and while that is accurate to an extent, name me a player who has been a contributing player in the NFL that was unable to stay on a practice squad and unable to make a CFL roster.

Every year NFL teams bring in players this time of year that will never play a down in a regular season game, simply to fill roster spots at training camp.

It takes a very special athlete to be able to make and then stay on a NFL roster, Any NFL roster! If you have ever played a sport then you know that there are two kinds of players. (1) Overly Gifted (2) Under Gifted.

For the overly gifted athlete things come easy to them and they are generally stand out players, the great ones have the same work ethic as the guy who has less talent and has to rely on his determination, and hard work.

The under gifted player while he has talent he MUST work harder than everyone else, and he MUST be involved with his sport of choice on a continuous basis (playing on a year in year out basis) as this player simply would fall way behind his competitors if he took a year off.

Jesse Holley falls into the Under Gifted category, while I am sure he has some very nice talents, the fact remains he has not played in almost 2 years and was not very good then! I would like nothing better than to see this kid come into camp and set the world on fire and prove me wrong!

The problem that I have with this show is simple, a guy has become a member of the Dallas Cowboys and thrust into the spotlight for no other reason than because he was on a T.V. show! And better still because he competed against other players who cannot make an NFL roster and shined against them, this show has given Cowboy fans a severely skewed opinion of their talents.

Without this show no one would care about anyone of these guys! Much less believe any of them could “add” anything to this team! Or believe they could take a job away from a veteran NFL player.

Just to put it in perspective, I played Football and Baseball all my life and was never anymore than an average player. When I got into my twenties I started playing in a local Softball Beer league. I was and am a decent player but by no means a “Pro” but every time I have played against people that were not very good I looked like a “Bad Ass” player. The contestants on this show are no different!

These contestants performed against the likes of Semi-Pro players (your Beer League of the Football world) and cast away Arena League players. Frankly these guys should look like superb football players, but many of them did not! The two that did make it to the finals did look the part, but one of those was only 5’7”! And by all accounts if he had not been a midget(pardon me vertically challenged) he would have won the competition.

In the end, I have done nothing but waste your time and mine writing about a guy that more than likely will end up like all the other late invitees to a NFL camp, released and never heard from again!

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In part one of this series we discussed how we see things shaking down amongst the over populated line backing corps.

This next group some might say is the most critical to the Cowboys success, and I would be one of those people. As far as the defense goes this unit holds all the keys to success!

This very potent and powerful defense cannot do the things it wants without solid secondary play. The Cowboys have spent a lot of time and draft picks on shoring up the secondary, from first on the depth chart down to the last man on the chart.

So let’s take a look at what they have going to camp!

Corners:

Terrence Newman – Will be the starting Left Corner (barring Injury)

Mike Jenkins – Heading into camp as the leading candidate to start at Right Corner, but will have to battle to keep the spot.

Orlando Scandrick – The leading candidate to replace Jenkins if he stumbles, and most assuredly the best Nickel corner on the team.

Alan Ball – Alan has a leg up on the rest of the competition heading into camp based off of the solid year he had in 2008 with the boys.

Mike Mickens – By most accounts the steal of the draft, thought by many to be a top of the 2^nd round guy the Cowboys were able to wait and pick him up in the middle of the 7^th. Should be able to contribute in special teams right away.

Safeties:

Ken Hamlin – Will be the starting Free Safety again this year for the Cowboys, and thanks to an upgrade at Strong safety Hamlin should be able to get back to his 2007 Pro Bowl form.

Gerald Sensebaugh – One of the Cowboys top free agents acquisitions this year should add a much needed dimension to the Cowboys secondary.

Courtney Brown – Originally a Corner but made the switch to Safety at the start of 2007. Brown has the ability to be a ball hawking safety, this being his third year with the team and at safety means that this is a make or break year for him. Could also see some time at corner.

Pat Watkins – Is a big athletic, rangy player the Cowboys had high hopes for this young man, unfortunately that has not come to fruition just yet. Pat is a solid special teams player (has gotten lost a few times however) Special teams play will not keep him on the team this year, he must prove his worth as a safety.

Jerome Carter – Former 4^th round selection of the St.Louis Rams in 2005 and spent all of last year out of work, was signed to a futures contract by the Cowboys in January.

DeAngelo Smith – The Cowboys used the first of two 5th round picks on Mike Mickens collegiate teammate. DeAngelo was a top cornerback in college but the Cowboys have moved him over to safety, giving themselves more options at the position. In the early stages of his career could see some opportunities at corner as well.

Michael Hamlin – The second of two 5^th round selections Hamlin is a pure Free Safety, while lacking a little in the pure speed department he makes up for in instincts and awareness, hard hitting safety that has a nose for the ball and an exceptional leader.

Last year the Cowboys kept seven Cornerbacks and 4 Safeties, and I think those are probably pretty decent figures to go with this year. So with that in mind the coaching staff will have some major decisions to make.

With eleven spots available and 12 players vying for those spots the competition could get very heated in San Antonio.

My belief is that the Cowboys will end up releasing Jerome Carter, and then use DeAngelo Smith, and Courtney Brown as “Tweeners” leaving the secondary looking something like this.

Left Corner:

Terrence Newman , Orlando Scandrick

Right Corner:

Mike Jenkins , Alan Ball

Sub Packages:

Courtney Brown , DeAngelo Smith

Free Safety:

Ken Hamlin , Courtney Brown , DeAngelo Smith

Strong Safety:

Gerald Sensebaugh , Michael Hamlin , Pat Watkins

I would however like to say that I would not be a bit surprised if Pat Watkins was released as well. Pat has gotten several opportunities to claim a spot on this team and has simply not capitalized on those opportunities.

Who stays and who goes in your view?

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Do you think Tony Romo is distracted by fame? Maybe you feel like Romo is in his make or break season, or just maybe, you think Romo is far overrated.  The chances that you can relate to these statements is about 90 percent.  I say that strictly because where ever you look 9 out of 10 fans are bashing Romo’s very existence.

Just recently I was rummaging through DC.com and read Mick’s latest article “Pressure Cooker” and it inspired me to do a little digging.  You see, Romo’s lack of post season production isn’t as frightening as one might imagine.  Though the outcry of fans would produce a different story.  I simply decided to compare the ever so scrutinized Romo with other NFL greats.  The results were just as I expected, Romo was leading the pack and the fair weather fans arguments were proven to be ridiculous.

Clearly these statistics place Romo on comparable status with HOF caliber Quarterbacks.  So what gives? Why the criticism? I accredit it to one of two scenario’s.  1) The fans of today are too idiotic to realize that football is a game of growth and maturity and not a game of instantaneous success, and their ignorance far surpasses the need to gather information and statistics to help them understand the game, or 2) Tony Romo is simply just another victim of Dallas Cowboys Nation.  I can only really offer an explanation for one, since I can’t change the disposition of fans.

The Cowboys microscope has been in effect since the 70′s when Tom Landry decided to go with Roger Staubach as his starter over Craig Morton.  It then continued with Danny White, and claims of Troy Aikman “going soft” before winning another Super Bowl in 1995.  This to me says that no matter how talented and skilled a quarterback is, as a Cowboy he is doomed to being faced with the troubles of Hollywood. Here is where the problem lies, fans easily forget or become blind to the talent that truly lies in the quarterback that is leading their team.  Romo has displayed strong abilities in arm strength, pass accuracy, mobility, and throwing on the run, which elevates him to one of the only true balanced quarterbacks in the league.

It is my firm opinion that if Romo was on a handful of other teams he would be referred to as a gem and most certainly a franchise quarterback.  We need to realize the facts, we need to open our eyes, and realize that Romo is a worthy and talented leader for this team.  Facts speak for themselves.

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Training camp is less than two weeks away now and there are only two starting positions up for grabs. However only one of those is really in question and it is sure to be an extremely heated battle.

Mike Jenkins, last years first round pick and the hard nosed 5^th round pick from a year ago, Orlando Scandrick, will be involved in a Heavy Weight Fight for the starting Right Cornerback spot.

There are so many different angles to look at this battle from that there is no way I could cover them all in less 5,000 words, so I will do my best to keep this short and sweet and touch on as many as I can before I put you into a state of boredom!

Heading into Training camp it would be safe to say that Jenkins is the leading candidate. Not that he has superior talent over Scandrick, but more so that he was a first round selection.

Mike Jenkins is a completely different player than Orlando Scandrick and that is what makes this battle so intriguing.

While Jenkins is more in the “Primetime” mold (and I am not saying he is as good as he was) with his great speed, agility, and oh yes, the less than desirable tackling attributes. Orlando Scandrick is more in the mold of a Champ Bailey. Scandrick, like Bailey, is an in your face type of defender, he loves being engaged in “hand to hand combat”, he has the ability to recover, and does not miss a tackle – he is not as fast as Jenkins so the deep ball could be his only weakness.

To me this should not be looked at as a battle to see who will start along side Terrence Newman but who is best suited to cover the slot! The key to the Cowboys defense is covering the slot receiver.

Teams have taken advantage of the Cowboys over the years by working the middle of the field and many times it is the slot that imposes the biggest threat.

So what kind of defender is needed to play the Nickel? Well you must have a very versatile player, one who can move fluidly from sideline to sideline. This person must also be able to disrupt the timing of the receiver coming off the line, and above all else he must absolutely be extremely physical!

Now that we know what is needed to play the Nickel position what kind of player do we need at that RCB spot?

Well an outside corner needs some of the same tools as the inside guy! In the style defense that Dallas plays your outside defenders must be able to get physical with their opponent at the line of scrimmage and disrupt things at the onset, if they do not get this done then the rest does not matter! Here is where it gets tricky, sideline to sideline agility is not quite as important for these guys, what is important is the ability to stop on a dime and then get back to full speed very quickly, and then they got to have a “nose for the football”.

My initial thoughts on this competition was that I believed Mike Jenkins would win the job, not because he is so much better than Scandrick, and not because he was a first round pick, but because Orlando Scandrick is better.

Did I lose you with that statement? Let me clarify what I said. If tomorrow the Cowboys were playing the Patriots, there are three offensive players on that team that you better have your best defenders on at all times!  Tom Brady, Randy Moss, and Wes Welker.

I feel really confident that DeMarcus Ware could supply enough pressure on Tom Brady, and I feel fairly confident that Terrence Newman could stay with Randy Moss. So the question becomes who do you want covering Wes Welker? Do you want Mike Jenkins? Or do you want Orlando Scandrick?

Orlando could cause infinitely more disruption covering Welker than Jenkins could! Not to mention I like my chances with Jenkins covering Galloway.

So you see in my eyes the better man will not be the starter. Who would you rather have covering the slot?

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The Dallas Cowboys 2009 version of training Camp is now only two weeks away, and there is no better time than now to try and get a head start on some of the positional battles that we need to keep an eye on.

It has been awhile since my last post, I have been in a little bit of a slump, so I would like to apologize ahead of time for a poorly done post!

The Cowboys currently have 82 players on the roster, but do not expect it to stay that way long!

The first position I would like to take a look at is the one containing the most applicants. No big surprise it’s the Linebacker position!

Now I can speculate all day long on how many backers the Cowboys will keep and odds are good I still would not get it right, and since I have next to zero insider information, we’ll take it for what its worth!

Here are this years nominees to fill the Linebacker corps:

1. DeMarcus Ware
2. Bradie James
3. Anthony Spencer
4. Keith Brooking
5. Bobby Carpenter
6. Steve Octavien
7. Justin Rogers
8. Matt Stewart
9. Victor Butler
10. Jason Williams
11. Brandon Williams
12. Stephen Hodge

The Top four of this group are essentially locked in as your starters, from here though is where the water gets awfully murky!

Let’s take a look at the guys vying for position at the inside linebacker spots and keep in mind, last year the team kept only four!

Through the OTA’s we must assume (after all the praise handed down) that Stephen Hodge is going to get a serious look at taking over the nickel position vacated by Kevin Burnett.

Bobby (Barbie) Carpenter also gave the coaches something to think about during the work outs. We are all well aware that Barbie practices like a first round pick, but he has yet to play like one.

Jason Williams was the Cowboys first selection in this years draft, and by all accounts is going to need some time to develop, but has some serious athletic ability! And we cannot forget about Victor Butler as he will be in this group of inside guys trying to secure a spot on the roster.

Last but not least Steve Octavien, who spent most of last year bouncing from practice squad to practice squad, does have some ability as a special teams player.

We have five players battling for two spots, who do you think is in? And who is on the outside looking in?

In my opinion Stephen Hodge and Jason Williams are my leading candidates heading into camp, followed closely by Victor Butler and Bobby Carpenter.

The Cowboys do not want to face the fact that the Carpenter selection was one of the worst first round draft selections on record! That is what has kept him on this team, but the coaching staff can no longer afford to carry his dead weight. So he has more to prove than any of the rookies, and I personally do not believe he will hold up to the pressure.

There is one aspect of this that we need to look at. If the Coaching staff decides to cut ties with Carpenter they will be left with only rookies and we know that one of those rookies is a “project” player. So would they at that point decide to carry an extra guy? Quite possible and they may be thinking that way already!

ILB Leading Candidates                                     ILB Outside Looking In

1. Stephen Hodge                                                       1. Victor Butler

2. Jason Williams                                                     2. BobbyCarpenter

3. Steve Octavien

Now let’s take a look at the Outside spots! First let’s meet the contestants!

For those of you who live under rocks the starters are DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer. These are the starters and there is only one player who could possibly change this.

Brandon Williams has been the talk of the town around Valley Ranch, not only among the coaches but his teammates as well. The time is now however for Anthony Spencer and he will get the first crack at being the starter opposite Ware, but he better get a grip on it quick because the longer he lets Williams hang around the more opportunity Williams will have at proving he should be the man!

Matt Stewart and Justin Rogers will be battling each other for one available spot, with Ware and Spencer as the starters and Brandon Williams having a tight grip on the 3^rd spot, it will be down to these two guys to state their claim to the 4^th and final OLB spot.

There is one other very distinct possibility that could occur here! It is very possible that the Cowboys could decide to keep neither Stewart nor Rogers and keep an extra inside guy!

The more I have contemplated the scenarios I would not be one bit surprised to see the Cowboys hold on to Victor Butler and use him as a “swing” player, giving them the ability to keep an extra secondary person.

Victor Butler was an undersized OLB at the University of Oregon State, and while they would rather use him inside in an emergency situation he could fill in outside.

Who knows how this will ultimately work out but I believe the Cowboys will stick with eight!

Here is my final eight leaving camp!

1. DeMarcus Ware

2. Bradie James

3. Keith Brooking

4. Anthony Spencer

5. Brandon Williams

6. Stephen Hodge

7. Jason Williams

8. Victor Butler

Who are the eight that you would want to start the season with?

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Okay so the guy is a beast on special teams – are we really so desperate to shore up the kicking units that we need to sacrifice the roster spot?

I was a fan of Keith Davis for a few years. He was never a great safety, no more so than Roy Williams was anyway, but the guy had enough heart to pump the teams blood and that was important. Now that we’ve cut guys like Anthony Henry, Roy Williams, and Greg Ellis, why are so many of you so quick to welcome KD back to Dallas?

Does it not mean anything to you that he was cut by the Dolphins before he ever played a down for them? Moreover, what about the same thing happening in Oakland? Personally, I don’t see that much wrong with the guy, but you just can’t ignore the same guy being cut only from practice time by two totally different teams.

Besides, we know what KD can do. We do not yet know what the rookie safeties can do. They at least have room to grow. It’s not worth cutting potential for a few good plays a game.

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Hey guys….I’m sitting here watching the Home Run Derby and still can’t manage to get the Cowboys off my mind. So I’m going to try something new, an opinion corner of sorts with a hint of quick shots. So here we go.

- According to US magazine Tony Romo and Jessica Simpson have split up. A close friend of Romo’s has been quoted as saying “it’s been a long time coming.” This will create some closure and happiness for Cowboys fans all around the world. This breakup came on July 10th before Jessica Simpson’s “Barbie and Ken” themed Birthday party.

My Take: I’m a bit upset because I know Romo really probably wanted this to work out, however, the way it benefits the organization is incredible. Romo will instantly feel less pressure because the focus is off of his personal life, and fans will finally find something else to complain about.

- I’ve been gone for a week or so and have come back to hear a lot of chatter about DeMarcus Ware giving up some plays for Greg Ellis. Some skeptics are talking about rehydration, some are saying that it’s crap that Ware would do that. The bottom line is this: Ware is the best defensive player in the league, bar none! He plays hard, and I don’t’ know about you guys but I help a friend out whenever I can. So here’s to you DeMarcus Ware…Way to understand what it means to be a teammate.

- Last thing here my friends, the ‘boys are a legitimate title contender. I read the comments on DC.com and I’m tired of the pessimism. If you’re a fan be a fan, not a ranting annoyance to the organization and the Dallas Faithful. You don’t’ like Romo’s personal life? You don’t like Demarcus Ware helping out a friend? You don’t like Roy Williams half season effort? I don’t care, find a new team. I surely don’t see you all playing in the NFL. As for the rest of you, thanks for being loyal.

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Well I’m back from a grueling week of training and just in time to get ready for training camp.  I don’t know if you’ve realized but this may be the most important training camp the Cowboys organization has endured in years.  Why you ask? Well, simply because we are at a turning point for this team,  a surge of young talent and revamped attitude headlines a training camp for a team who seeks to once again return to dominance.  So with that being said I thought that we’d take a look at some of the position battles that we’ve been paying EXTRA attention too.

Wide Receiver:

Since the Draft we’ve been hearing a lot about the Game Breaking ability that Miles Austin has displayed, but have forgotten about the possible emergence of Sam Hurd.  Not to mention the fairly consistent play of Patrick Crayton.  Let me just help you all realize something, Hurd has sure hands.  I was at the Miami game last year, and after being kicked out once for starting a train of Cowboys fans that marched throughout Dolphin stadium chanting, I got back in to witness some of Sam Hurd’s ability.  It was about 3rd and 7, and Romo threw a pass to the sideline too far ahead of Hurd but Hurd outstretched his hands and pulled it in with an impressive effort to then turn up field and gain some yards.

Now, I’m not saying Hurd should start but I am saying don’t forget about him.   The possibility of the Austin-Hurd tandem shows promise to a receiver core that some are pessimistic about.  Lastly, Crayton still has the speed and the hands to provide a good number 2 receiver to the lineup.  This is important for one thing and that is to allow Austin to be lined up on safeties or linebackers in coverage within the slot.

With Roy Williams working hard this offseason and the talent that is emerging, don’t sleep on this Cowboys unit.

Cornerback:

Clearly Newman gets the nod as one of the Elite DB’s in the league.  Most importantly to me is the battle among Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick.  I know that Jenkins has said that it’s his job to loose but is it really?  His play was slow up until mid season, and he still has much to learn.  Though I truly believe he has the talent to start in this league, I’m curious as to if he’s reached his fullest potential.

Against him lies Orlando Scandrick, the underdog to most.  His play however, has been pretty solid.  Coming in on nickel sets, he’s been a tackling machine and has impressed the coaches.  He surely has potential to start in this league, but also has much more to learn.  One thing is for sure, this is a battle only time will tell.

Nevertheless, you have to feel good about all this battling.  It defines the future of the Cowboys.  With so much talent, it can only mean success in the upcoming years.  Stay tuned for updates on these battles and more!

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I’ve noticed that there are plenty of lists going out lately. Most of which shed no respect to Cowboys players who have rightfully earned it. So to fulfill the appetite of you fans I’ve created a list of the Best Cowboys of the last 15 Years. .. So get ready!

1 Emmitt Smith-The leagues leading rusher. Smith proved to be a “Go to guy” by coupling hard nose, downhill running with incredible durability. With 3 Super Bowl rings, Smith may be the most noticeable player in Dallas Cowboys History.

2 DeMarcus Ware- Perhaps the most naturally talented player to emerge on this defense in years, Ware consistently strikes fears into opposing offensive coordinators. Ware has increased his sack total in each of his 3 seasons ending with 20 last year. There is no signs of slowing down which is good news for this defense!

3 Troy Aikman- Concussion Troy can’t be forgotten for all the marvelous things he did in Dallas. He was a model field general, orchestrating 3 Super Bowl victories and becoming the Cowboys all time leading passer with 32,942 yards.

4 Darren Woodson- The one player that ANY of us would give ANYTHING to have back. Darren Woodson played the secondary perfectly forcing 23 interceptions. He was the backbone in many great defenses and earned a reputation as one of the fiercest safeties in the league.

5 Michael Irvin-A distraction? Sure. However, Michael’s production was unmatched. He averaged over 15 yards per gain and had over 60 touchdowns in his career. He was a consistent target who was reliable and a HOF athlete.

6 Larry Allen- A big strong offensive lineman who was versatile in his play. At 325 lbs he was an immovable force and a good reason for Emmitt’s success.

7 Jason Witten- Witten is a Blue Collar, Smash mouth player who has, in my opinion, defined the future play of tight ends. He blocks well, He’s intelligent, and He’s a bigger threat in the passing game then most receivers, He can shed tackles, and he’s not afraid to throw his body around.

8 Tony Romo- Though under constant scrutiny, he has produced more 300 yard passing games then any quarterback in Dallas history in 3 years. With a 64 percent completion rate, and a ratio or 2 td’s to 1 interception, his regular season play is comparable to some of the greatest quarterbacks of all time (Coming soon: a comparison against Peyton, Aikman, and Young in there first 4 years) I believe that given the opportunity, Romo will thrive in future playoff appearances.

9 Deion Sanders- Prime time, Sanders electrified the field with his wonderful coverage, ability to force interceptions for touchdowns, and punt returning skills. Sanders had abilities that we will forever miss and may not see for years to come.

10 Terrence Newman- Not Deion Sanders, but that doesn’t mean he’s necessarily worse. Terrence doesn’t produce stats like some of the other elite DB’s but that’s because he’s never really tested. He is a shut down corner with speed and game breaking ability. He will be the staple in this defense for years to come.

11 Greg Ellis- A bitter end to this story. Greg has given his all to this team and that has to be respected. He was a feared defensive end, but an even more devastating OLB with the ability to get to the passer; he’s registered 77 career sacks with the Cowboys.

12 Daryl Johnston- The moose led the way for Emmitt throughout his career… Enough said.

13 Dat Nguyen- Nguyen solidified the middle linebacker slot in his second year after leading the team in special teams tackles the first. His run stopping ability and hard hitting made him well known throughout the league. If it weren’t for a disc injury, Dat would be along Bradie James, supporting the same number 1 defense he helped solidify in 2003.

14 Marion Barber- A hardnosed runner this team hasn’t seen since Smith. After going through Troy Hambricks stages and a little flash of Cason, Barber was a breath of fresh air. He has become a “Closer” and has the talent to become a franchise back and league leader.

15 Flozell Adams- Though penalty prone, Flozell has provided stability to the offensive line in Larry Allen’s Absence. He is big, strong, and mobile. He also uses his hands well and is also a talented blocker. An excellent round out to this list.

**Notable Mention** George Teague- For his incredibly memorable hit on Terrell Owens, when Owens was boastfully disrespecting the star.

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What makes a good Offensive line? How do we judge their performance? The questions could go on and on, with many different outlooks. I am sure my assessment is different than yours, but one thing is for sure everyone has doubts about the Dallas Cowboys Line and I am not so sure all the doubts are warranted!

Many of us were spoiled by the O-Line of the 90’s teams, and there are some of us that believe that if you cannot operate the way that line did then you’re not any good! Well this is just not true!

The design of the teams offense can make or break a line, just the same as a line can make or break an offense.

There are many out there who always want to look at sacks allowed as the judgment stat, this is the wrong way to look at things.

In 2006 this O-line paved the way for 1936 yards rushing on 472 attempts for an avg. of 4.1 yards per carry. In that same year Bledsoe and Romo combined for 4067 passing yards on 506 attempts for an avg. of 8.0 yards per attempt. They were also sacked 37 times.

Then in 2007 they rushed for 1746 yards on 419 attempts for an avg. of 4.2 yards per carry. While Romo threw for 4211 yards on 520 attempts for an avg. of 8.1 yards and was sacked 25 times.

Finally last year they rushed for 1723 yards on 401 attempts for an avg. of 4.3 yards per carry. The group of QB’s last year combined for 3789 yards passing on 547 attempts for an avg. of 6.9 yards per play and were sacked 31 times (11 of those over a 3 game span from Bollinger and Johnson).

So are you seeing the trend? What I see is a team game planning away from the run, not because they cannot do it but rather just because they want to.

In three short years this team has gone from a super balanced attack (50% runs vs 50% pass) to a very one sided passing team (last year 42% run vs 58% pass) and in every year since 2006 there number of plays and rushing yards have gone down! There average yards per carry have increased to further prove the point that it is not a line problem but more so a scheme problem.

When you are dealing with a line built at an average 6’5” 327 lbs. you cannot expect them to sustain blocks for very long! Guys that big are built to smash folks in the mouth and blow open a hole and then release.

As far as the sack numbers are concerned this unit averages 1.9 sacks per game over the last three years. Just to put this figure into perspective, the Indianapolis Colts give up the least per game with an average of 1.1 sacks per game (12 less per year than Dallas) but the Cowboys line protects as well and better than most in the rest of the league. The Giants come in at 1.7, Patriots 2.1, Eagles 2.0.

What I am trying to get to is very simple, This Line may not be the best in the league but they are most definitely in the top tier!

For those of you who wish to argue and live in the 90’s please go look at the numbers! From 1992 to 1995 (the hay day) the O-Line of all O-Lines gave up an average of 1.5 sacks per game (a mere 6 less sacks over the course of the year)! Over that same time period the Cowboys offense averaged 30 pass attempts     per game , and 32 rush attempts per game with a average of 4.1 yards per rush attempt.

Now I have never claimed to be the smartest guy on the planet but the only thing I see wrong with this group is the way that they are used!

This team has a wealth of talent on the Offensive line that is not being used properly. I have never been one to play around much with predictions, but I feel compelled in this situation!

So I am hereby making my first prediction of the season (it may be my last too!) If this unit (Jason Garrett) changes there scheme and gets back to being more of a 50 – 50 offense, this offensive line will be regarded as one of, if not THE top lines in the NFL!

I am also going to go on record as saying this team will win the division and end its playoff win less streak!

I realize I have opened myself up to some harsh criticisms, but I am willing to defend my thoughts are you?

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The question on everyone’s mind these days is and will continue to be, how and better still can Jason Garrett use the wealth of running backs he has at his disposal?

With the start of training camp rapidly approaching one would think that Jason Garrett is hard at work devising a plan to optimize the abundance of talent he has at the running back position??????

The Cowboys invested #1 money on Marion Barber to be the #1 guy, but we are all aware of the fact that Marion is better suited to be fresh in the fourth quarter!

The Cowboys also used a first round selection last year on Felix Jones, so there is an extremely high need to get him touches as well.

Then let’s not forget about the 2008 unsung hero from Georgia Tech, Tashard Choice! When the Cowboys were decimated by injuries Choice stepped in and performed at an extremely high level.

These are three very different running backs which will allow Jason Garrett a ton of flexibility.

Marion Barber: Marion is the head knocker of the group, while he is not a burner so the big plays you get from him are more of the “just ran over three people on his way to a 20 yard touchdown” variety. However with his hard nosed running style his body wears down much quicker than the elusive style back.

Felix Jones: Felix is the epitome of a “Home run hitter” there is not one spot on the field where he cannot score from. Possessing speed, agility, vision, and great hands. Felix Jones is in the mold of a Reggie Bush type. For all the good qualities he possesses the one concern with him is his ability to stay off the injured list.

Tashard Choice: Tashard is very much so one of the most vocal leaders on this team. He is the most complete back of the group, while he is not the fastest or strongest he can do a lot of good in many areas. He has the ability to give opposing defenses many different looks. The only question with Tashard is, was last year legit or did he catch some teams off guard and worn down?

What is considered by many (including myself) to be the biggest strength of this years team, could possibly be a nightmare for Jason Garrett? If Garrett fails to adequately use this group, the wheels of this season could come flying off!

There has been many people try this off season to predict how many touches each man should receive on a per game basis. While there is no one good way or rule to go by, many claim a sequence such as this:

Marion Barber: 15-20 Touches

Felix Jones: 10-15 Touches

Tashard Choice: 5-10 touches

This appears to be a solid marker to follow, but I am not a big fan of this way of thinking. I just feel that if you set yourself boundaries, you ultimately are setting yourself up for failure.

The amount of touches this unit gets (designed running plays) should be and I believe will be handled on a game by game, scenario by scenario basis.

Jason Garrett needs to know what he has, and to put the player and the team in good situations. Part of knowing what he has is going to be the recognition of what situations the player performs at his peak.

Many people including myself marvel at the closing ability of Marion Barber, while this is a very true statement there is something that must be taken into account. The only time his closing ability will come into affect is if this team is ahead in the fourth quarter and that they can continue to pick up first downs.

Jason Garrett cannot become predictable with his formations or his sub packages, the defenses cannot be given the luxury of simply looking in the backfield to see who is there and know what the play is.

The Cowboys should be able to line up two if not all three on the field in certain situations.

If I was a betting man I would have to say that Felix Jones will spend a lot of time this year lined up out wide and in the slot. Allowing Garrett to give teams a full dose of Marion and Tashard early and often!

The first half of games this year will be crucial to the success of the team. They need to be able to establish the ground game early on. The score at the end of the first half is not the most important thing.

The rest of the league knows what the Cowboys have at the running back position; So Garrett will be forced to make some crucial decisions very early on in games.

Teams will simply overload the line of scrimmage and try to force Garrett to give up on the run. He must be strong willed enough to fight off the urge to open up the air attack! We all saw what happened when this team became so one dimensional last year.

Those 90’s Cowboys teams were the best at simply beating a team into submission by the 3^rd quarter.  This team has something that those teams did not, depth! There is no need for 35 carries a game to one man, this team can run a different guy through the holes in the line like fans through the turnstiles!

If this team and Jason Garrett use what is available to them correctly, there will be nothing that anyone can do about it! That is one big IF though.

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Summer is in full bloom, and that means we are getting ever so close to the beginning of training camp. It is this time of year that has every football fan tied in knots, and I am no different.

While the Cowboys have yet to don anything but shorts and helmets the style of this team is beginning to take focus.

Every team in the NFL is good enough to win the Super Bowl! Or at least that is what they want us to believe. This years Dallas Cowboys are no different, at this moment many of us have very legitimate concerns about the receiver, quarterback, and O-line positions and basically the overall play of the offense.

Jerry Jones and Wade Phillips can tell us all day long that they have faith in the young receivers and that the offense is working hard and coming together, and blah, blah blah! We all know that the majority of that is just a bunch of crap to make us feel warm and fuzzy about the upcoming year!

Let me be clear about something, the offense in my opinion should be as good as and possibly better than last year’s team. I honestly feel and believe that Romo will be a better QB this year, and that Roy Williams can and will do a more than adequate job as the teams #1 receiver, and with the running game that the Boys have this should be enough to carry that side of the ball.

The offensive unit will always be the most glorified, it has all the stars, and scores all the TD’s, but I am here to tell you that if you are an offensive person, and like to see scores in the 40’s each week you are in for a rude awakening.

This is now a control and time of possession unit, we should no longer see play after play of three receivers all running 40 yard triple move routes (not saying we are not going to see these still, just not as many), instead we will see a lot of two tight end sets, short hooks, out routes, slants, and fades, but primarily large amounts of MBIII, Felix, and T-Choice.

There is something taking place on this team that everyone should start paying attention to, THE DEFENSE!!

Granted there has been very minimal contact so far so we cannot quite see the full picture yet, but all the early reports talk about how attacking, and pressure filled this unit is. Mickey Spagnola at DC.com had a great article up on Tuesday about this very thing. Here is my rookie attempt at designing a graphic that shows the alignment!

In his article he went into pretty in depth detail about how the defense was lined up at one point in the day, and I must tell you this type of scenario is going to cause major headaches for opposing offenses.

Everyday it seems I hear about the competitions taking place on the defensive side of the ball, and each and every one of these guys are pushing each other to be the best. This unit already has there competitive juices boiling over, and its FREAKING JUNE!

This unit is priming itself to have a major impact not only within the team, but they are looking to, in the immortal words of Ebby Calvin ‘Nuke” LaLoosh “Announce their presence with authority!”

We have all heard the old saying “where there is smoke there is usually fire!” all I can say is that the defense of the Dallas Cowboys has had a ton of smoke emitting from its smoke stack!

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This is what I think of Pac-Man: He is an animal, he swallows up the field in front of him, weaving himself through what looks like a maze, demolishing everything in his way. With every step he takes he’s working his way to the next level… He’s amazing and I’d take him on my team any day…

The only problem is… He’s a Video Game character!

The Pac-man that you probably thought I was talking about is a trouble making, slightly talented thug, who consistently ruins the chance to be something by being unable to curb the temptation of mans desire. He has completely been a cancer, finding himself in strip clubs and bars, drowning in pools of violence and poor decisions.

Incase you haven’t been paying attention, there has been increasing speculation that the Cowboys are interested in the second coming of Pac-Man Jones, according to a blog by Nick Eatman.  The blog goes on to say:

“Jones was quoted in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram about the slim possibility of bringing back the troubled cornerback, who was released this off-season.”

It’s important to remember that Adam Jones did produce, stacking 33 tackles and 4 interceptions last season for the Cowboys, but that doesn’t justify his childish actions. It’s also important to know that Jones quickly squashed this rumor by sending out his spokesman Rich Dalrymple who said “I have no plans to bring Adam back”.

So when do the rumors stop? I swear I come home from work everyday and there is a new rumor surfacing or criticism being handed where it isn’t needed. In case you haven’t noticed the Cowboys are apparently re-vamping their locker room to paint the portrait of a straight edge franchise, and Pac-Man doesn’t exactly fit the equation.

Besides, Our secondary is better than it’s been in years with Newman, Hamlin, Sensabaugh, Scandrick, Jenkins, Smith, and Mickens. There is so much talent there that the addition of Pac-Man would just cause unneeded competition not to mention the drama that would set Dallas back into a replica Cirque Du Soleil.

So here  is some truth for you Adam isn’t coming back, so if you’re one of the FEW fans who are awaiting the return of Pac-Man… Let it go, for the sake of the franchise, Let it Go!

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It turns out I was wrong… We haven’t seen the last of our free agents moves.  Today the Cowboys signed former San Diego Chargers Defensive End Igor Olshansky to a 4 year 18 millions dollar contract according to Mickey Spagnola of DallasCowboys.com.  Olshansky played under coach Wade Phillips while he was a defensive coordinator in San Diego.  This guy is no joke, he is 6-6 and 309 lbs.  Perfect to line up against some of the bigger linemen in the NFC east.  In 5 years he’s totaled 179 tackles, 11.0 sacks, and 1 interception.

The signing of Olshansky fills a deep void at right end, and takes some pressure off of Hatcher and Bowen.  This move wont replace canty, but it will add some serious help to a healthy rotation that has to potential to disturb some quarterbacks and fill those running gaps.  All and all I find this to be a great decision by the Cowboys front office.

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Well, the Cowboys made some moves today. That’s a good way to come back from a fairly quiet weekend.

They signed two players to futures contracts, and the good thing is that one of them has been a starter before, and he’s a Defensive Tackle. He is a big DT at 6’3 and 325lbs and his name is Tim Anderson.

He’s only played 9 games in the last two seasons and has even fewer tackles during that time. He spent last year in Atlanta and the four previous years with the Buffalo Bills, the team that drafted him in the third round of the 05 draft.

They also signed a cornerback, Michael Hawkins. He’s played some for the Packers, and for the Dallas Desperados, but hasn’t made much of a splash yet.

As for Anderson, well I’m thinking that maybe the Cowboys are looking into the possibility of moving Ratliff to end and not resigning Canty. Anderson is a little bigger than Ratliff and could clog the hole a little better. Let’s just hope that there isn’t any good reason he only played in 9 games the past two years.

More to come on today’s activity, like an interview Bradie James did on The Ticket.

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