Here we are again in the second installment of the series. Last time we added the New York Giants as an obvious threat. Next, in week three the Cowboys will be home against the Carolina Panthers. Though the buzz hasn’t been surrounding Carolina, they are still a dangerous team.

Key Offseason Additions:

None.

Key Offseason Subtractions:

FB Nick Goings

WR DJ Hackett

CB Ken Lucas

Key Draft Picks:

DE Everette Brown, Florida State: Brown is a speedy guy with great size, he should compliment Peppers nicely.

S/CB Sherrod Martin, Troy: Martin is a speedy guy with great range and versatility. Won’t start but should be in on nickel packages.

Projected Top Performers

(courtesy ESPN 2009 Projections)

DeAngelo Williams 267 car 1325 yards 11 Td

Steve Smith 90 rec 1390 yards 9 TD

Jonathan Stewart 196 car 936 yards 9 TD

Read the rest of this entry »

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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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Got to give props to anyone who attempts a top list for Dallas Cowboys history – I mean whether it’s for the best players, worst players, best plays, or worst plays, you’ve got enough ammo to stretch a top 1,000 on just about any aspect. So here we have the Top Ten Worst Moments in Dallas Cowboys’ History from (Silver and) BlueBlood.

Let’s preface this list with an important qualifying statement: the only moments up for consideration are on-the-field occurrences. In other words, this is a list of the ten most devastating plays in team history. Consequently, we won’t be mentioning moments many may consider catastrophic, like the day Landry was fired or the day Jimmy Johnson walked away or the day Switzer was hired. Nor will we talk about the “white house” or the Michael Irvin trial. We may long debate the impact of such happenings on the team. But that is a different discussion.

In selecting the plays included in this list, several factors were considered:

• Was it a catastrophic moment for the team?
• Do Cowboys fans still remember it?
• Does it still hurt?

You can check out the list and some other good reads from Gene at www.SilverandBlueBlood.com.

Mike Jenkins also has a new blog posted from yesterday. He talks about getting ready for training camp and who he’s working with as he tries to balance his body to start camp next week.

I’m just ready to get into camp. I’m focused and ready to get this season popped off.

I’ve been going out to IMG here in Bradenton every day, working out with guys like Ryan Grant, Fabian Washington, Cliff Avril and a lot of others from Sportstars. But today was my last day as I shut it down and get my body back right, hit the cold tub through the weekend and just focus.

Working out meant speed drills in the morning and power in the afternoon, running hills, pushing sleds, working with medicine balls, just keeping the body moving. You have to have everything equal and balanced out for when you go to camp.

Check out the rest and more insights from the second year cornerback at www.MikeJenkins21.com. Don’t forget, for those of you always on the go, you can check out Mike Jenkins’ Twitter page as well – you can even check out our DCNation Twitter page too while you’re there.

Over at www.DefendingTheStar.net they’ve got a pretty good series going previewing the upcoming training camp.

Defending The Star’s Training Camp Preview Series:

Training Camp Preview – Part 7 – Defensive Line
Training Camp Preview – Part 6 – Special Teams
Training Camp Preview – Part 5 -Offensive Line
Training Camp Preview – Part 4 -Wide Receivers
Training Camp Preview – Part 3 -Tight Ends
Training Camp Preview – Part 2 -Running Backs
Training Camp Preview – Part 1 – Quarterbacks

It’s a pretty extensive list and it’s not even complete yet as they still have the secondary to go. Go check it out.

And while we’re on the subject, Blogging The Boys has also chimed in with an opinion of what’s hot to watch this year in camp with their post – Dallas Cowboys 2009 Training Camp: Five Things To Watch (Part II).

Okay, if you want to be technical about it, I won’t be at Cowboys training camp so I won’t be watching anything. I guess I will be listening for, or reading up on a few different storylines coming out of Cowboys camp. Considering the abundant media coverage these days, coaching staffs are reluctant to reveal much before the regular season kicks off. Still, if we look closely, we can probably gather a few vital tidbits of information about the Cowboys upcoming season. Here are the things that I will be looking for at Cowboys camp.

So plenty of action to check out this impatient late July Friday afternoon. One fan to another – can’t wait for training camp to start so we can get a look at every player and see how they’re each coming along. I’m even quite curious to see how lucky dog Jesse Holley comes along. Maybe Holley will be a Dallas Cowboy after all.

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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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Another change has come over DCNation and this time I think we’re all happier for it. Sorry for the quick changes that keep coming on the design – we had our hearts set on writing before we could even settle on the design of the site.

Well say hello to the New DallasCowboysNation.com!

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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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It’s a tradition for Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles fans to debate year after year which team will suck and which will claim the NFC East Throne. This year DCNation has partnered with Bleed Green to debate the subject and try to determine exactly who has all the answers. Cowboys fans know just what’s happening at Vally Ranch though.

Kyle Flip has given a good argument to the debate, here’s an excerpt:

The 2009 season has the potential to be an Eagles season we will never forget. With their new found passing game, and the emergence of DeSean Jackson, the Eagles have grown into a lethal pass team. In 2009, the passing game will only get better. Rookie Jeremy Maclin will utilize his quickness and agility to outrun the secondary, while veteran wideout Kevin Curtis will look to improve upon his injury plagued 2008 season. The Eagles have dumped tight end L.J Smith, who never lived up to all the hype surrounding him, and now Brent Celek will take over after Smith’s departure. Looking at the Eagles matchups with the Cowboy’s secondary, the Eagles’ wideouts have the favorable advantage. Besides Terence Newman, the Cowboys are stuck with Orlando Scandrick, Mike Mickens, and Mike Jenkins. Right there, the Eagles already have the advantage.

It’s a nice effort and you can’t really blame them for hoping but after a three mistake season for Mike Jenkins and zero mistake season for Orlando Scandrick it’s a little nuts to point them out as weak spots on this defense. Then again, with such a monster that we have DeMarcus Ware even a good player can be weakness next to him.

Here’s a piece of our side of the debate:

In 2009 we’ve got a healthy team, a much more capable safety than Roy Williams, and were light one pain in the ass receiver – something I know you guys can understand exactly. We’re focused, young, and energetic with enough experience to keep us plowing ahead for another 13-3 season.

The Eagles have too many rookie wide outs to field McNabb’s crooked passes, and they can’t cover the pass much better without the proven leadership ability of departed veteran Brian Dawkins.

Check out the full debate at Bleed Green Forever on Blogspot – The Great Debate: Part 1 and stay tuned to Bleed Green as they continue with parts 2 and 3 against the Redskins and Giants.

Also, don’t forget to check out our feature on MVN for the 2009 Dallas Cowboys Season Preview. Leave a comment over there and show us some love.

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So apparently Brandon Jacobs (or BJ as I like to call him when he starts running his mouth, hey it fits) has decided to grace us with his opinions yet again, and this time he’s going right after Tony Romo.

“I don’t think he’s that good a passer, to be honest with you.” – Straight from the horses mouth.

I read about this over on the Dallas Morning News blog while I was at work tonight, and as I scrolled down the page reading the comments to that post seeing so many opinions on who we’d rather have between Romo and Eli Manning, it got me to thinking, who’s really got more bragging rights?

Okay so Manning has a Super Bowl ring, but did he beat the Patriots all by himself or was it a team effort in which he merely avoided screwing up too badly to recover from?

So let’s take a look at the two over the last three seasons. Though I do want to mention that if you take each of their careers, though the same length Manning played a lot his first two while Romo didn’t, Romo has a better completion percentage, average yards per completion, and rating – just saying.

I know there are those of you who feel that stats are worthless, or at least worthless alone. Sure Manning has won in the post season; some of you same folks also act like post season success is all that matters. Yeah it’s the one thing Manning has that Romo doesn’t – but Manning was on a team that was clicking all year long.

But what if we had caught the luck that Tyree had on that Hail Mary, then the Giants would have lost in their first round. The cards fell the other way though. Does that mean Manning is better than Romo? Hell no!

Those stats show one thing – Romo is consistently better than Manning by recorded stats in every column. And keep in mind that these stats have Romo on three less games than Manning. That may make it easier to win some of the percentages, but not when Romo also beats Manning on the yards, sacks, touchdowns, interceptions, etc. etc.

So yeah, Jacobs can say all he wants about Romo not being that great of a passer, because if it’s true then it just means his QB sucks even worse!

I happen to agree with him on that point though. Romo has a good arm and a quick release, but in the pocket is not where he is most effective. Usually his pocket is collapsing around him and not many quarterbacks in history have been able to consistently deliver in a failing pocket. Romo makes plays.

All I can think is of when I was a teenager and played football – it was always a lot damn harder to throw accurately and downfield on the run than it was setting up in the pocket.

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Last year Kevin Burnett maintained a blog on the Dallas Morning News website all year long. This year tight end Martellus Bennett has taken over that duty while also being active on Twitter. Tashard Choice got his new website started by announcing it on BloggingTheBoys.com. And now Mike Jenkins has taken it a step further – he’s got his blog at MikeJenkins21.com, twitters, and has done an interview with TheLandryHat.com.

Seems that more and more of these players, especially the younger ones, are branching out from the normal exposure of television and newspaper journalism and are getting quite comfortable in the social media world.

Some would say that perhaps too comfortable is the correct description after Mike Jenkins gave himself the role of starter opposite Terence Newman in his post titled “My Job to Keep.”

It was taken a little too far by some of the more mainstream outlets since he starts that blog post by saying “Heading into training camp I’m the starter at right cornerback, and my job is to maintain that position.” It’s a true statement and looks as though he’s got a good outlook on things by understanding it’s his job to keep, meaning he’s going to have to work hard and correct some of last years mistakes to keep that job.

But judging by the amount of talk that was generated by that post, it’s probably safe to say that he’s getting off to an entertaining start for us. His blog is new, only three posts to date. He’s got his Twitter page that he updates several times daily, in most cases. And really he’s just getting started. So go check him out and don’t forget that he changed his number for this year from 31 to 21, at MikeJenkins21.com brought to you by the guys at PlayerPress.

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Wel, well, well – seems we’ve had a bit of controversy in the last week what with Tony Romo being called out yet again for his leadership abilities. I still say until someone can show me the blueprint to being a leader, the catchall if you will, then it’s a non-issue so long as he performs, and performs well.

I also would like to take a moment to extend our condolences over the death of Steve McNair. He was a talented quarterback that lived by the strict standards of the NFL during his career, he will be missed.

Now for some of the latest around the Cowboys blogosphere. First up is a fellow fan blogging on his own at DefendingTheStar.net. He’s got a new post up titled “10 Things I Hope to See at Training Camp” and he covers some good issues that we’re all keeping an eye on as the month of July draws to an end.

The training camp schedule came out today and got me excited for the start of the season. Unfortunately I will only be able to make it to training camp in San Antonio for one day this year, but I am hoping to come away from my time there with a positive outlook on the season. I am already optimistic that this season will end in at least one playoff victory, but training camp will be very telling in terms of the new players and new team attitude. Here are some of the things that I hope to see:

Next up we have our friend over at (Silver and) BlueBlood.com sharing his ensights with us after watching an obviously flawed top 10 greatest Cowboys list on NFL Network. You can’t argue with his logic, Tom Landry can’t very well top the list without Jimmy Johnson being on it, and you can’t put a coach on a player list. His choices are debatable, as is any top 10 list since we all have our own favorites, but his picks are all deserving of mention, to say the least.

The NFL Network recently offered an episode in its Top 10 series in which they named their top ten Dallas Cowboys of all time. While the names on their list are all undeniably great, they used flawed logic in their selections. I intend to set the record straight by giving you the real top ten Cowboys of all time.

And as a quick mention, the folks at TheLandryHat.com have a new interview with Cowboys cornerback Mike Jenkins. You can also go check out Mike’s new blog here – he updates it often and so far has been quite entertaining with his self-proclamation of being the starter this year.

And finally, LoneStarStruck.com tells us why they think Felix Jones is Primed for an Explosive Season.

The Cowboys have made it no secret that they plan on opening up more opportunities for their young and versatile running back. Only a few weeks ago they even surprised beat writers and fans alike when they ran some plays using the Razorback formation. Felix Jones can be an explosive weapon, especially when he let loose in an open field where his speed makes him both dangerous and elusive. Wade Phillips and company are trying to figure out how to exploit that explosiveness, and just the mere thought of it makes my mouth water.

When Jones was first drafted, the plan was to get him in as many formations as possible with Marion Barber, however that never really happened and rarely were both backs on the field at the same time. Don’t count on that happening again this season.

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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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…from me, at least.

If you are like me, you are sick of hearing/reading about it, regardless if you were against or for his release.   In the beginning, I was against it.  I didn’t like his mouth.  I didn’t like his me first attitude.  But I was willing to put up with it considering his production.  Shame on me…especially considering I was also against him joining the team in the first place. 

 But truth be told, if we only look at 2008, his performance hinged on several different contingencies to be effective.  First, he had to have a free release off the line in most cases to get open.  Second, while his top end speed was still impressive, the amount of time he took to get to that speed had deteriorated from years past.  And lastly, his ability to catch, in my mind,  suffered as a result of over-self-improvement.  We hear and read the term “soft hands” quite a bit, but rarely consider what that truly means.  But if you envisage his overall physique, chances are his hands followed suit with the rest of his body:  Hard.  Add to that his age of 35 and one could come to the conclusion just based on performance alone, minus all the drama that is a big part of T.O.’s entourage, that perhaps the Cowboy’s made the right decision in moving on and further grooming the youthful WR’s currently on the roster.

Now, let’s add the drama back. 

The latest news has T.O. running a camp at Duncanville Highschool and the distinguished guest of honor at a going away party Thursday night.  In short, he made the comment that everyone knew Romo was the quarterback and thus the leader of the team; Romo simply failed to rise to the occasion.  But, in the end, everyone blamed T.O. and he accepts the role of scapegoat, especially considering he is no longer a part of the team (paraphrased).   Just so we are clear, if anyone made T.O. a scapegoat, it was the media. 

Admittedly, the media did play a huge role in the drama filled 2008 season.  The media is a monster.  But like all monsters, the media must be fed.  And since T.O. seems to be the one that continually feed’s said monster, from a legal point of view, the monster was T.O.’s pet.   As the owner of that pet, T.O. is responsible for whatever damage it causes, as well.

Nevertheless, despite his annoying and poorly-behaved pet, T.O.’s problem is and always has been T.O.  His philosophy is to be honest no matter what, which is admirable.  But the problem with his so-called honesty is that filter that discludes him from accountability.  When you are a member of a team, and a member of your team makes a mistake, who made the mistake, the individual or the team?  The correct answer is the team.  Doesn’t matter if it’s a professional sports team, a research team, or a military team, as a whole you are only as strong as your weakest man, which means everyone on the team is responsible for the team’s success and failures.  Now let’s flash back to where T.O.’s problem’s really began in Philadelphia. 

On April 2005, Owens announced that he had hired a new agent, Drew Rosenhaus, and indicated that he would seek to have his contract with the Eagles renegotiated. Owens made $9 million in 2004 (most of which being bonus money as his base salary was only $660,000),^[6] and was slated to make $4.5 million in 2005. This two year amount did not place Owens in the top 10 paid wide receivers playing. He also made a comment to the effect that he “wasn’t the guy who got tired in the Super Bowl“; the remark, thought by most to be directed at quarterback Donovan McNabb, caused a controversy between them to heat up (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrell_Owens).

It really doesn’t matter who T.O. was referring to, because if an individual on that team “got tired” then the team as a whole “got tired.”  Furthermore, to use the performance of another as ammunition to get a raise is despicable.  Imagine if your co-worker were to throw you under the bus as ammunition for getting an increase in pay.  Beyond his ignominious display of narcissism, one has to wonder if he truly believed this comment in regards to another player helped his cause.  If anything, that comment in the end meant millions of lost dollars.  That loss would make most introspective in hind-sight, but because of his overall wealth and the lack of  pain truly experienced as a result of his actions, he will likely never change.

T.O.’s team concept is skewed, which is why he is a cancer.   When he can openly question other players, coaches, and management, this open’s the door for younger player’s who look up to T.O. as someone they want to emulate to also question others.  When everyone is questioning everyone, execution will suffer team-wide.  It happens quick.  And once the damage is done, there is no fixing it until the cancer and all those who were effected by the cancer are removed.   Plain and simple. 

Here’s looking forward to 2009′s Chemotherapied Cowboys!!!

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As an analogy, you could apply “sifting for gold” to quite a few different aspects of football. Free Agency. The building of the infamous war room draft board. Wittling the training camp roster from 80 to 53. But the one science of football that typically escapes the thoughts of most fans is how teams decide which plays they will keep in their play book and which one’s are dismissed as ineffective and/or are not complementory to the talent available.

That last bit is important to understand because the Cowboy’s playbook from last year and this year should be very different. It’s not so much because of the lack of success experienced with those plays, as it is due to the difference in the talent set and the difference in the coaches comprehension of said talent. Obviously, with T.O. gone, the plays that take a long time to develop very well may be all but extinct. Granted, Austin possesses some ability in stretching the defense, but it’s not likely they will rely on his ability to ultimately win games, as they seemed to do to a fault with T.O..

With the trio of backs and duo of TE’s the Cowboy’s have, a quick strike offense is likely the direction this team is headed in. Furthermore, the Cowboy’s now have a better understanding of what Felix, Choice, and Bennett can offer as weapons. The Cowboy’s will be looking to put together a play book that exercises each of their talents in different ways to keep opposing defenses off balance.

With that, I would like to take a moment to remind those of you who are concerned about every report indicating that Romo and company don’t seem to be insync, to consider that the play’s they are likely running are new to everyone, including the veterans. The idea behind these practices are to familiarize the players with different plays and, more importantly, to slowly acclimate said players conditioning to football ready

Once preseason begins, the process of sifting for gold, so-to-speak, begins, as they determine against viable opposing team defenses what play’s can be effectively ran, which players can execute said plays, and which players don’t fit with the final playbook they are able to construct as a result of the success and failures they experience through trial and error.

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Dallas Cowboys Football; was there ever a better hobby or pastime? Not for me, aside from family of course, and as we near the midway point in June, and these OTAs wrap up before the minicamp starts, I’ve still got a ways to go before my next Cowboys football fix.

It’s nothing to fret over though, not when we have such brilliant “expert” analysis and coverage as we do from the likes of Fox no less. More specifically, let’s talk about Peter Schrager and his list of the “Top 99 players for ’09” – moreover his brown nose special, as I call it.

I’m betting that most of you have heard of it already from the DMN where we learned that only four Cowboys made the list at all. I know many commenters over there were hung up more on where each of those four players were ranked, but there is something to be said for those that didn’t rank at all.

I mean you’ve got Jay “The Rat” Ratliff first and foremost who wasn’t selected to the list. I guess it’s a fair assumption to say that these types of lists usually are directed more at the offensive guys since it’s offense that’s counted on to score touchdowns, but it’s defense that wins games. There are always exceptions to that rule, such as last year in the first match up between the Cowboys and Eagles with a total score of 78 points during that game. But rarely does a pro football game turn out to be a homerun derby anymore.

But let’s take a guy like Albert Haynesworth and put him up against Ratliff for a moment here, and I’m only talking about 2008 regular season stats here. Haynesworth got a top rating of 14 while Ratliff didn’t even make the list. Both are defensive tackles, both have several years of experience. We could go into the vitals here, but size doesn’t always matter if there is solid production, and both guys obviously perform each week.

• Haynesworth hasn’t played more than 14 games in a season since 2002 while Ratliff hasn’t played less than 15 games in a season since his rookie year.
• Haynesworth had 51 total tackles in 2008; Ratliff also had 51 total tackles.
• Haynesworth registered 8.5 sacks to Ratliff’s 7.5 sacks.
• Ratliff’s sacks netted him 56.5 negative yards while Haynesworth only managed 52.5 with an extra sack.
• The only real benefit I see that Haynesworth has over Ratliff is having forced 3 fumbles to Ratliff’s zero, no forced fumbles.
• Ratliff deflected 5 passes and Haynesworth deflected 2 passes.
• They both recovered 1 fumble each.

I look at the numbers, the actual production of each man, and to me it seems more than just a little one-sided for Haynesworth to make any top X list when Ratliff doesn’t. It’s not a bias on my part, it’s just simple math. You have one guy that is great against the run and in getting pressure, and another guy who good against the run, great at getting pressure, and even gets into the passing game.

It’s only worse for picking Haynesworth since his numbers are significantly higher from last year than in years prior. It was a contract year, and as we all know, he has his $100 million dollars now. Ratliff has been playing like he has and hasn’t faced a contract situation yet. Anyone else really interested to see what he does in a contract year?

But the farce goes on though. DeMarcus Ware headlined the Cowboys’ effort on this list making it in at 6, with Tony Romo following behind him in a distant second at 28’th place. Now Ware, well no one for any team would argue that he deserves at least that high of a ranking. Not only are his numbers great, his attitude positive, and his ability tremendous – but his character is high as well. Being the overall sack leader since being drafted helps too.

Romo is another story. It’s a positive of this list in my mind because while there are a lot of bad things to be said for Romo from last season, there are many good things as well. I actually would have expected a much lower rating given the abundant criticism of him lately. He’s a quarterback though, so he would rank higher overall even though he only ranked 9th among quarterbacks. Putting him behind McNabb and Carson Palmer though? Seriously?

I know the guy seems to tank in the final stretch, but surely he’s worth a better ranking than Carson Palmer.

Marion Barber and Jason Witten also made the list, and that’s where my next point starts – Jason Witten ranked 96th of 99 by this fruitcake of a journalist/expert/assclown as one commenter stated it.

He was the third tight end to appear on the list behind Antonia Gates and Tony Gonzales. I’ll agree that Gonzales is good, and has been good for many years, but to say that Witten in his early age isn’t as good as the old fogy Gonzales just isn’t practical.

So yet again this year we are seeing how the rest of the NFL nation is rooting against the Cowboys in 2009, and that’s a great thing to see and hear. This time last season the Cowboys were being hyped as the Super Bowl winners, a mightily premature assumption to say the least.

But this year, while we have been favored at one point to win the Super Bowl in certain betting circles, once Owens was cut, the outlook went downhill. Our draft was rated like a D I think by the experts; the experts say we have huge problems facing us in our passing game and call it for both the QB and WR positions.

Yet all the while Roy Williams is still a top caliber receiver who had a bad year. Tony Romo had the same – a bad year that featured a finger injury that sidelined him for three weeks, and limited him for another three after that. He also had the task of dealing with Owens and his unwarranted and loud requests for more touches.

I think Owens, a 13 year veteran at the time, should be quite well aware of how it works in the NFL – if you produce at a high level, then you get more opportunity to produce, and if you continue to produce with the extra opportunities, then you keep getting them.

He just never seemed to understand that past success does not warrant current and future security. He started dropping balls, he started bailing on routes too early, he did get older and therefore slower, and he did forget to adjust his own way of thinking to fit his age and the new limitations that came with it.

Do I think a team can win games with Owens running routes? I sure do – do I think it can happen on any team currently in the NFL? I really don’t. He simply fails to account for the other 10 guys on the field with him at any given point, and that is why he became expendable for unproven and in some cases rarely tested youth in Dallas. He simply overstayed his welcome, and his vocal complaints and inability to really be a team player are to blame.

So in 2009 Romo gets to actually follow the rules of being a top quarterback again. He can go through his reads, he can release quickly, and he can find the open man – whether it is Witten, Barber, Jones, Williams, Crayton, Austin, or Bennett – he can return to being a quarterback again, instead of simply a TO placeholder.

Maybe Williams won’t be as good as Owens was in 2007, it won’t be because he isn’t producing, but rather because other guys will be producing too. There are only so many balls in a game.

But hey it’s June; we are silly and desperate fans who have no clue what’s what, right? We need to be spoon fed just enough crap to sell the papers and attract visitors. I got to admit that it’s a good theory, write enough bad crap and people will go there simply to see if the rumors are true – someone really is that moronic.

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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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I know it’s still early, but the response in favor of opening a discussion forum has been pretty lop-sided. So I’ve opened the forum for everyone who wanted it. You can access it by clicking the yellow link at the top of the page. Registration is completely free, as it should be. I hope you enjoy it!

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