Bleacher Report - Articles by Phillip Brennan

Forget His Hands—Roy Williams' Heart Called into Question

Phillip Brennan — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:24:43 -0500

If you were to unfurl the scroll of criticisms directed towards Cowboys wide receiver Roy Williams, you would end up with a list longer than Schindler's.

He's lazy; he's slow; he doesn't run routes well; he's got big clown feet; et cetera.

You name it, and it's probably been said about the beleaguered receiver at some point.

Media talking heads and fans have a habit of turning pimples into boils.

However, the latest accusation is perhaps the most disturbing, if for no other reason the fact it came from one of Williams' NFL peers.

If you haven't heard already, Redskins safety LaRon Landry unequivocally called into question Williams' heart.

Landry had some candid thoughts regarding Williams as relayed by Matt Terl, writer for the Redskins' official blog, while discussing with Landry his effect on Williams after the Redskins’ 7-6 loss to the rival Cowboys.

"Scared," Landry plainly described Williams' play.

"Yeah, I know he was. Y'all can quote it, too. Y'all can tell him right now, tell him I'm saying it. I can say it right now: Yeah, he was scared, I think. I told him he was scared."

When Terl asked Landry what Williams said in response to his on-the-field bantering, "Nothing," said Landry.

Landry went on to discuss specifics as to why he felt Williams was playing scared.

"Certain pass concepts they had, [...] certain routes he ran, you could tell he didn't want any part of it."

Upon first blush, this seems like a pretty damning criticism being leveled at Williams.

You can be a lot of things in the testosterone-fueled game of football, but you can't be a heartless wimp.

Furthermore, when you have a fellow peer calling you into question, it stings just a bit more.

However, with a little perspective and source consideration, one realizes it's probably much to do about nothing.

First off, I'm certainly no Roy Williams apologist, but I'm a wee bit sympathetic toward a receiver on the mend from three cracked ribs who demonstrates a slight reluctance in throwing his hands over his head with 215 lbs. of muscled aggression coming his way.

Just a little bit.

Those who have experienced broken ribs will tell you that it's a debilitating injury. It hurts to breathe, twist, or stretch, let alone jog or full-out sprint.

Secondly, a defensive back calling out a wide receiver is nothing new. This has been going on since the forward pass was legalized in the league in 1933.

As to Williams' supposed silent reaction after Landry's taunts—that's just junior high level psychoanalysis.

Since Landry took some liberty in doing so, allow me to do some of my own.

Considering some of the factors noted above, not to mention the fact the Redskins had just lost a tough game, it's understandable how a known hothead such as Landry would lash out, feeling like they lost but didn't really get beat by Dallas.

It sounds to me like Landry just found some personal solace in muzzling one of the Cowboys' offensive weapons.

Conversely, it could all be true. Maybe Williams is a wuss. Maybe he did get punked on the field.

I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt though. At least until further proof is provided.

This really seems to be much ado about nothing.

More than likely it's just a talented yet emotionally wounded safety venting after a tough divisional loss.

Dallas Cowboys: Fans, Step Away From The Ledge

Phillip Brennan — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:24:33 -0500

The feeling of impending doom hit me pretty early in the Cowboy 17-7 loss at the hands of the Green Bay Packers.

Right when Nick Folk missed that 38-yard field goal on the Cowboys' first drive was when I felt the lug nuts start loosening on the wheels.

Only when Felix failed to recover that fumble in the fourth quarter did the wheels officially come off.

They were clearly beaten, bruised and battered by a Packers team that had its season on the brink.

Funny thing was, five minutes after the game, I was over it.

The Cowboys got beat by a team that had a better defensive scheme, playing on their field, against a team with their back against the wall.

This wasn't the 44-6, heartless, playoffs-on-the-line, rotten egg, the Cowboys laid last year against the Eagles.

No, the team, specifically the defense, gave a great effort in shutting down the Packs' aerial attack for most of the afternoon.

Like most losses, you can lay blame on a lot of things.

The team got some poor performances from a few players. They lost the turnover battle and faced some inexplicably bad refereeing. Sprinkled in a few injuries and the Cowboys' penchant for stupid penalties and you have your classic recipe for a loss.

The team didn't fold up though; they simply got beat by the better team, today .

I can live with that.

Let me point something out to you. No Cowboy team which has won a Super Bowl has ever gone undefeated. Even more clearly, the teams that did win the Super Bowl all had multiple losses during the regular season.

1971 - SB VI - (11-3) regular season record
1977 - SB XII - (12-2)
1992 - SB XVII - (13-3)
1993 - SB XVIII - (12-4)
1996 - SB XXX - (12-4)

So what is my point?

The point is, even these past Super Bowl winners faced defeat on more than one occasion on their way to adding a Lombardi to the trophy case.

They all lost games they undoubtedly thought they should have won. They all felt doom, gloom and despair after dropping a game.

Every loss is ugly; there is no way to get around it. But, perspective is in order.

Are the Cowboys a Super Bowl quality team? That remains to be seen.

Let the season take its course and revisit it when the season is at least closer to its completion.

The Cowboys face a new challenge; how will they react coming off a loss after playing so well previously?

I'm the farthest thing from a homer with rose-colored glasses, but I feel like they will lick their wounds and move forward in righting the ship next week at home against the Redskins.

Dallas Cowboys: Hold the Relish, Bring on the Cheese

Phillip Brennan — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:03:12 -0500

With a crucial win over the division rival Eagles last Sunday night, the Cowboys made it official:

They're rollin' .

During the course of their current four-game win streak, the Cowboys (6-2, first in NFC East) faced and answered a new challenge on weekly basis.

Can they rebound from the disappointing loss in Denver and beat a tin can like the Chiefs?

Can they beat a legitimately good opponent like Atlanta?

Can they slay an old demon and beat one of the league's best in Philadelphia?

The team answered with a resounding yes on all accounts.

However, just as the team has evolved during these recent weeks, so will the challenges.

The present question that must be answered is how the team will respond in Green Bay coming fresh off an emotional win.

The Cowboys must be mindful of not falling into the trap of relishing their latest victory.

The Packers pose a dangerous threat to rain on the Cowboys' parade.

Ironically, the Cowboys have been sort of a monkey on the Packers' back of late. Of recent history, the Cowboys have beaten the Packers handily in '08 (DAL 27 - GB 16) and '07 (GB 27 - DAL 37).

For the Packers (4-4, second in NFC North), it has been a season of uneven performances.

Outside of their most recent loss against the previously winless Buccaneers, the Packers had beaten up on proverbial doormats (STL, DET, CLE) and struggled against competitive teams (MIN, CIN).

Yet, with all that said, the Packers are dangerous.

Quarterback Aaron Rogers may have the league's strongest arm, and he's flanked by a stockpile of talented receivers.

The defense, which is making the transition to the 3-4, has talent at all the positions.

Of special note is the play of rookie outside linebacker Clay Matthews. Call it a hunch, but count on Matthews to factor in on a big play this Sunday.

The secondary continues to be feast-or-famine with Al Harris and Charles Woodson manning the corners.

If Wade Phillips can get his troops to continue to focus and not get caught up in hoopla of their recent wins and the accompanying press clippings, the Cowboys should tally another win.

"...each week it just presents different challenges, but to stack up wins you've got to just take it one game at a time," said linebacker Bradie James.

I get the sense this current team gets it; they've seen this movie before and didn't like the ending.

Bring on the cheese.

Cowboys' Spotlight: Mike Jenkins' Star Is Rising

Phillip Brennan — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:44:15 -0500

Perhaps lost in the hysteria created by Miles Austin's meteoric rise; Romo's improved game management and the Cowboys' subsequent four game win streak, is a player on the defensive side of the ball that might quietly be making the biggest impact of them all.

Cowboys' second year cornerback Mike Jenkins is flat-out ballin' (as they say).

In fact, Jenkins' stellar play traces back to the start of the season when he was named starter for the opener against Tampa Bay.

Wade Phillips' and the coaching staff went into the season undecided on whether Jenkins or Orlando Scandrick would be the starter opposite of veteran Terence Newman.

They decided to rotate both players in the starter's role game-by-game, as both players had solid training camps without either clearly claiming the role.

After Scandrick was humbled in his lone start in Week Two, Jenkins started the following week and never relinquished the spot again.

Since then, he's been a supreme difference maker.

During the Cowboys' current four game win streak, Jenkins has registered the following:

12 tackles (10 solo)
4 passes defended
2 INT

The secondary's improved overall play, and specifically, Jenkins’ ability to lock down his receiver, has enabled the DeMarcus Ware and company that extra half-second to get to the quarterback (Weeks 1-4: 6 sacks vs. Weeks 5-9: 15 sacks).

His highlight interception against the Eagles is exactly the type of make-it-happen playmaking the Cowboys haven't seen in the secondary since Deion.

On the play, Jenkins wasn't fooled by Jeremy Maclin's running-play posturing off the line. Jenkins took an angle to get on top of Maclin as they streaked up the field.

McNabb's throw left just enough air under it for Jenkins to undercut the route and make a leaping interception in front of Maclin's outstretched hands.

(Jenkins discusses interception )

That's not the type of interception your average cornerback makes.

Jenkins' is showing himself to be anything but ordinary.

The second (No. 25 overall) of the Cowboys' first round picks in 2008, Jenkins came highly touted out of the University of South Florida.

Three cornerbacks (Leotis McKelvin, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, and Aqib Talib) were taken before him in the draft.

Jenkins came into camp with a chip on his shoulder stemming from his belief that he was the best corner in the draft.

Admittedly, he didn’t prepare himself both mentally and technically as he should have coming into the league.

His rookie season was dotted with some highs (pick-six vs. the Giants in Week 9) and lows (his infamous ole' tackle attempt on Derrick Ward during the same game).

That low light in fact helped him become a lightning-rod of criticism inside Cowboy Nation, who incessantly questioned his toughness and heart.

This season, Jenkins is arguably the best tackler of the cornerback crew, and his preparation for the game is evident on the field.

If Jenkins' play of late continues to trend upward, the Cowboys may have just found their future No. 1 corner.

The Game within the Game: Austin Better Have A Double-Move

Phillip Brennan — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:51:33 -0500

Want to know if Garrett is truly a red-headed genius?

This week's matchup against the Eagles' Asante Samuel will be an indicator.

A stock route the Cowboys love to run is the simple comeback or curl route. The curl route has the receiver run what looks like a go, straight up the sideline 10-15 (or whatever predetermined depth). They then curl and comeback toward the quarterback. The Cowboys like to have their receiver curl toward the sideline.

This route has been the bread and butter of a lot of Miles Austin's success of late (see the Chiefs and Falcons games).

You better believe the ball-hawking Samuel knows this.

Look for Samuel to be eager to jump this route at the slightest hint of a shoulder flinch from Austin.

It will be interesting to see if the Cowboys anticipate this and incorporate some type of double-move to counteract and exploit Samuel's aggressiveness.

The Cowboys could utilize a stop n' go route which can get Samuel to bite on the initial move. Austin (or name your receiver) would then continue streaking up the sideline for a potential big play.

The Cowboys ability to capitalize on the Eagles' traditionally aggressive defense will be a key to victory.

Roy Williams' Time Will Come

Phillip Brennan — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:10:22 -0400

Let’s get something straight; Roy Williams is a good receiver.

What Jerry Jones gave up in order acquire him and the amount of the extension he immediately paid him is inconsequential.

Roy Williams is a good receiver.

It’s seems that Cowboy Nation has found its latest gripe to unite around: Bench Roy Williams!

Since the trade mid-season last year, here are Williams’ sobering numbers with the Cowboys:

15 games
31 receptions
428 yards
2 TDs

By comparison, Miles Austin’s last two games have been more productive (16 rec., 421 yards, 4 TDs).

Cowboy fans should realize Williams isn’t Terrell Owens.

He’s not a stretch-the-field, deep attack, down-the-field receiver. In fact, he’s much more of a move-the-chains type of receiver who thrives in short to mid-range route running and is an asset to the run game with his blocking.

If anything, Williams is a younger, faster, stronger version of Keyshawn Johnson circa 2004.

Let’s not get it twisted, though; Williams is a talented receiver.

You don’t put up a 1,300+ season in the NFL by accident.

Williams’ role is still to be determined in Garrett’s offense. Make no mistake though, he has a role.

Don’t hold your breath waiting for Williams to be benched either.

Right, wrong or indifferent, there is no scenario in which Williams will find himself demoted and coming off the bench. Jerry didn’t make Williams the second highest paid receiver in the game for that honor.

Ironically, Austin’s emergence stands to benefit not only Williams, but the rest of the receivers, including tight end Jason Witten.

Going into training camp, the Cowboys envisioned Austin playing across from Williams as the No. 2 receiver. Austin would provide the team its first true deep threat since Terry Glenn.

Unfortunately, Austin had a lingering hamstring injury that carried on through camp. Crayton, who was having a great camp, assumed the No. 2 role out of necessity.

Now it appears the receiving corps is set with Williams being the “chain moving” No. 1; Austin the “deep threat” at No. 2, and Crayton at No. 3, working the slot where he’s one of the league’s best.

Williams’ time will come.

Standing 6’3” and 215 pounds, Williams is a big target with good hands and surprising build-up speed.

It’s apparent Garrett has realized making Williams a moving target is the best way to utilize his specific skill set.

During the past few games we’ve seen at least attempts to get the ball to Williams on quick slants. This will continue to be a work in progress as Romo has historically been inaccurate on these types of routes, often throwing behind or high to receivers.

It’s coming.

This offense precludes a dominant, game-in, game-out receiver. As we’ve seen thus far, Witten, Crayton, Hurd and Austin have all at one time been the team’s leading receivers for the game this season.

Williams’ time will come.

Will he ever perform enough to earn that contract? Probably not, but that should be taken up with the man who orchestrated the trade and created the contract.

Gerald Sensabaugh: The "Sensei" Delivers Again

Phillip Brennan — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:45:43 -0400

Perhaps lost in the Cowboys’ important win against Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons this weekend was the quietly stellar performance of starting strong safety Gerald Sensabaugh.

Coming back for his first game since breaking his thumb against Denver in Week Four, Sensabaugh was faced with the tall task of matching up with Atlanta’s future Hall of Fame tight end, Tony Gonzalez.

Sensabaugh didn’t flinch.

After giving up a 17-yard reception early to Gonzalez in the first quarter, Sensabaugh put the clamps on him the rest of the game. Gonzalez was limited to just four catches for 37-yards on the afternoon, and was effectively shutout of any impactful plays on the game.

Sensabaugh should be commended.

He brings an air of confidence and competence to the position the Cowboys haven’t seen since the days of Darren Woodson.

Interesting enough, both players share similar size (about 6-foot-1, 215 lbs) and skill sets.

Like Woodson, Sensabaugh has seen time during his days with the Jacksonville Jaguars and lined-up covering the slot receiver.

The Cowboys haven’t saddled him with those duties yet, but he’s shown he’s more than capable of handling some of the league’s better tight ends (Kellen Winslow, Kevin Boss, Tony Gonzalez).

That ability allows the Cowboys to get additional coverage men like Orlando Scandrick or Alan Ball on a wide receiver during certain schemes, maximizing their turnover opportunities during obvious passing downs.

Woody and Sensabaugh also share a love of delivering bone-crushing hits. Sensabaugh brings a physical presence to the secondary that the Cowboys have sorely been lacking since the early years of Roy Williams.

On a crucial third down play late in the game, Matt Ryan delivered a quick slant to receiver Eric Weems who was racing up the middle of the field toward the first down marker. Sensabaugh came crashing in for a textbook tackle which stopped Weems dead in his tracks, like a dog yanked back by a chain staked to the ground.

Fans should pay attention to the vigor he applies when tackling a ball carrier. In fact, Ken Hamlin would do well to pay attention to him.

Sensabaugh’s versatility makes Hamlin potentially expendable at the end of the season. The Cowboys coaching staff are said to be high on rookie fifth-rounder, Mike Hamlin, and may be keen on incorporating him into the defense as the season goes on.

Ironically, Sensabaugh finds himself in a similar situation that Ken Hamlin was in two seasons ago. Like Hamlin, Sensabaugh is effectively playing on a one-year “show me” contract. Clouding the situation is the looming collective bargaining agreement on the horizon.

Esoteric collective bargaining talk and salary cap ramifications aside, all Sensabaugh needs to do is continue balling out.

The rest will fall in place.

For Dallas Cowboy Fans, Reality Bites

Phillip Brennan — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 08:51:24 -0400

Remember in your youth when you naively got into that relationship with that special someone despite all the red flags that went off in your brain.

We’ve all done it.

Sure, that person didn't have the best pedigree and did things a bit different, but you loved the way they improvised and made everything seem exciting.

You couldn't resist.

Somewhere down the line you said fooey to better judgment and dove right in, head-over-heels.

Everything was fresh and new.

You were committed and sold-out to this individual.

Things were looking great.

Sure, there was an occasional hiccup, but you were just glad of the prospects of something better than your past relationships (see Quincy Carter, Drew Henson, Anthony Wright, Chad Hutchinson, Ryan Leaf, Drew Bledsoe, et cetera).

Nothing could shake your happiness; you just knew you had found the one.

Like most relationships though, the honeymoon phase soon faded away and the warts started popping up.

All of a sudden those cute little things they did weren't so cute anymore.

You asked them to change, and they promised they would, but in the end they just couldn't help themselves.

Finally, as the relationship clearly met its crossroads, you had a moment of sanity and realized "ah man, this is bad."

Recently, many Cowboy fans have had this moment of clarity concerning quarterback Tony Romo.

The season's first four weeks have been a microcosm of the relationship between Romo and his fans.

Week One: Excitement.

Week Two: Anger, disbelief, and disappointment.

Week Three: Signs of change. Renewed hope.

Week Four: Resignation.

It's becoming apparent to even the most die-hard Romo supporters that he may not be the guy; the one; the next in line of great Cowboy quarterbacks to lead this team to its next Super Bowl.

Okay, so maybe you're over it; you're ready to move forward and look for someone who can fit that bill.

Not so fast. It gets worse.

Any die-hard Cowboy fan realizes how generally loyal GM Jerry Jones is, but especially so towards his star players, or more accurately put, his investments.

Romo still has a lot of years and guaranteed money (aprox. $30 million) left on the six-year, $67.5 million contract extension he signed back in late 2007.

So lest Jerry has some sort of change of heart, it appears Romo is not going anywhere, anytime soon.

To make matters worse, until drafting Stephen McGee in the fourth round of 2009 draft, Jerry and Co. never had a contingency plan in place to bring along and develop a young QB via the draft or free agency.

Even if you believe that McGee is the future (and I have my doubts), he's years away from being anywhere near competent enough to play as a starter.

So what does this all mean?

Well, it means you're stuck.

Like being in a relationship with someone you know you don't have a future with; you hope for the best, but your gut feeling tells you it's going nowhere with no clear way of getting out.

It means whine, moan, grunt or cry, things aren’t going to change. Fans will have to decide if they want continue to watch, follow, and support the team, which they undoubtedly will.

As a fan, that's simply reality, it just happens to bite.

Cowboys' Stock Report: Week Three

Phillip Brennan — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 15:24:19 -0400

2009—Week Three

Dallas Cowboys—21
Carolina Panthers—7

Box Score

Stock Up

After a complete meltdown in Week Two, Tony Romo gets on the list if for no other reason than not turning the ball over.

Romo looked tentative and measured during the first half but loosened up by the second, at one point even completing an impromptu pass to running back Tashard Choice that saw the ball go from one sideline across to the other. I like Romo the game manager; lean on your running game and make a play when called upon. That works for me.

Speaking of the running game, it deserves some two-pronged praise. The Cowboys’ offensive line and running back tandem of Felix Jones and Tashard Choice have to be noted. After racking up more than 250 yards against the Giants the previous week, the Cowboys followed that spectacular rushing performance by tallying another 212 yards against the Panthers. The Cowboys currently lead the NFL in rushing, averaging 193.7 yards per contest.

The aforementioned Jones and Choice pulled up the production slack left by the injured Marion Barber, as they dropped 176 combined rushing yards on 26 carries and one touchdown.

Helping to open running lanes for the running backs was wide receiver Roy Williams. Williams had a superb night blocking, making numerous key blocks that helped spring both runners.

Not to be forgotten in the passing attack, Williams also had a productive night catching the ball, registering four receptions for 75 yards.

I would be remiss if I didn’t note the terrific jobs rookie tight end John Phillips and third-year fullback Deon Anderson did in contributing to the rushing attack. Phillips did have a costly false-start penalty on 4th-and-goal at the 1-yard line that nullified a potential touchdown opportunity for the Cowboys, but that shouldn’t over shadow his solid blocking contribution throughout the game.

On the other side of the ball, the Cowboys’ rush defense put up back-to-back stellar performances, limiting a strong Carolina run game to just 73 yards for the night.

Players like Igor Olshansky, Keith Brooking, Bradie James, and Jay Ratliff get some deserved shine for their efforts against the run.

Give Mike Jenkins some love, please. It seems that a lot of Cowboy fans are reluctant to forgive Jenkins for ducking away from tackling the Giants’ Derrick Ward (currently with Tampa Bay) last year.

Although he won’t fool anyone into thinking he’s Ronnie Lott, he has shown a willingness to at least put a helmet on a ball carrier this year, albeit with mixed results.

Jenkins first half interception off of Jack Delhomme was an athletic gem, and was also the team’s first interception on the season.

Is Terrance Newman Steve Smith’s kryptonite? It seems as though every time the two teams have met, Newman does an outstanding job of stifling Smith from having an impact on the game.

Kudos to Newman for holding onto that game-clinching pick-six.

Stock Down

Someone please fork my eyes out; I can’t stand to watch Ken Hamlin any longer.

Hamlin put on another clinic on how not to tackle. On that long Mushin Muhammad touchdown that was called back, Hamlin was the last line of defense on the play. Instead of wrapping up Muhammad for the sure tackle, Hamlin once again just dipped his shoulder and bounced off the receiver who ran down sideline on his way to the end zone.

I’ll give Hamlin some credit for helping Newman shut down Smith. However, playing over the top of a covered receiver is a bit like giving praise to a tight end for helping his offensive tackle shut down an elite pass rusher by chipping occasionally.

Having said all that, Hamlin may still be the worst starting safety in the NFC.

As hard as it may be for some to believe, DeMarcus Ware is not above critique.

For the third straight game, Ware has been stifled by the opposing team’s offensive tackle. What’s troubling is that he’s not being double- and triple-teamed, or chipped, as much as you would think.

It should be noted that Ware has been outstanding against the run this season.

The Cowboys did register three sacks on the night, but ultimately they will need Ware to find a way to get consistent pressure and sacks for the club.

Maybe we’ve become spoiled with placekicker Nick Folk. Folk missed what seemed to be an easy chip-shot for him (40 yards) on the team’s first offensive drive. After missing just two field goal attempts (20-for-22) last year, we’ve come to expect near-perfection from him.

Things You May Have Missed…

14:55 First Quarter: On the Cowboys’ first offensive play of the game, offensive guard Kyle Kosier got himself a two-for-one. As the Cowboys ran a screen to Felix Jones, Kosier leaked out into the second level. He located linebacker Thomas Davis and knocked him off his feet and into cornerback Richard Marshall who was taken down in domino-like affect.

13:21 First Quarter: If you watched the game, I’m sure you didn’t miss it. Felix took a handoff to the left of the line and had safety Charles Godfrey squared up. Jones feigned to the inside and burst outside leaving Godfrey looking like he got crossed-over by Hot Sauce from AND1 fame. Click here to watch

6:40 First Quarter: Anthony Spencer looked more like a cornerback than linebacker when he came up and beautifully timed a break-up of Delhomme’s pass in the flat to his fullback.

15:00 Second Quarter: You have to love Marc Colombo; after Charles Godfrey suplexed Jason Witten, Colombo was quick to grab Godfrey and whisper sweet-nothings into his ear.

8:03 Second Quarter: Oh, Bobby Carpenter. Dallas had the Panthers in a third and 16. They run a draw to DeAngelo Williams who runs past the line and is looping outside. Carp flails at Williams, failing to even lay a hand on Williams who races to the sideline for the first down.

7:44 Third Quarter: Romo completed four-route to Williams, but was inches away from having all of Cowboy Nation on his back again. The ball just cleared a leaping Quinton Teal’s hands by three or four inches as it dropped into Williams’ bread basket.

5:54 Third Quarter: The Cowboys ran a reverse to Crayton who had three offensive linemen in front of him by the time he turned the corner. Problem was center Andre Gurode was looking for a man to block backside instead of looking up field. In a bit of a funny moment, Crayton basically instructed Gurode to turn around and block up field. Had Gurode been a bit more aware, Crayton likely would have scored. It should be noted that Gurode flattened Quinton Teal, sending the defensive back five yards backwards.

12:01 Fourth Quarter: A lot of fans are critical of Anthony Spencer because he has yet to register a sack on the season. What folks are missing is the outstanding run defense he’s providing. On this particular play, Spencer held his edge against two blockers, which forced the Panthers’ running back to the outside for an eventual one yard loss. Sometimes it’s the small things that make you winners.

Next Up…

The Cowboys (2-1) go on the road to face a seemingly upstart and undefeated Denver Broncos (3-0).

The Cowboys hope to field at least two healthy running backs on Sunday, and they will need them. The mile-high altitude will tax a lot of players’ stamina, so rotation and substation of fresh bodies will be key.

The Broncos are probably the least impressive undefeated team in the league. Having said that, the Broncos have strong depth at running back in Corey Buckhalter and rookie Knowshon Moreno, as well as an experienced quarterback with Kyle Orton.

I expect them to play to their strengths’ and try to win the time of possession battle.

Look for Dallas to continue to pound the ball on the ground to open up play-action opportunities for Romo and his receivers.

I expect a closer game than might be expected, with the Cowboys pulling out a victory by a single-digit margin.

Dallas Cowboys: Too Many To Name, but Only One Will Get the Blame

Phillip Brennan — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 03:32:16 -0400

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot...Romo sucks!

If you're a Cowboy fan, some variation of these sentiments were likely uttered from your lips as the Cowboys laid a palatial egg in front of God and country last Sunday night.

Nothing like a loss in Week Two that'll put a team's entire fan base in a tizzy.

Well, it appears the honeymoon is over between Cowboy fans and Tony Romo.

Romo managed to put together one of the worst, if not the worst, performances of his relatively short career.

Romo's stat line: 13 of 29 for 127 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions

For fans, what was most troubling was not those meager numbers. They've seen worse statistical performances from Romo (the game @ Buffalo in '07 comes to mind) in the past.

Rather, it was the manner in which he coughed up the game.

With 3:35 left in the third quarter, Romo ran a three-yard QB keeper for the go-ahead score (DAL 24 - NYG 20).

The Cowboys forced the Giants to go three-and-out on their next possession, received the ball on the ensuing punt at their own 44-yard line, and momentum was tangibly in their favor.

Unfortunately, Romo decided this was the right time to squelch that momentum.

After collecting a quick first down that put the Cowboys in Giant territory, Romo decided it was time to half-hazard go deep.

I can't confirm, but it appeared Romo audibled out of the original call. You'll hear him yell "kill-kill-kill" on tape.

With Sam Hurd as the only receiver on the field, it's hard for me to believe that offensive coordinator Jason Garrett would call a deep ball to what might be the team's slowest wide receivers.

Keep in mind, on every passing play, there are usually short, medium, and deep receiver routes. Romo apparently wanted the kill shot deep.

In a postgame press conference, Romo said he didn’t see safety Kenny Phillips. That’s not a legitimate alibi, not that he was searching for one. Romo has to identify every defensive player and adjust accordingly.

He didn’t, and he forced the pass inexplicably.

Cowboy fans feel betrayed. They bought his offseason promises to ignore those impulses and take better care of the ball.

My advice to fans is simple: get over it.

Let’s deal with some reality first. Romo has won plenty of big games with the Cowboys. The fact is every game in the NFL is a big game. Every game counts. Every game is crucial. Every game has its own meaning.

Here’s another dose, no one player loses a game. Unfortunately, for the quarterback position, it seems this logic and reason gets tossed like a cheap house-salad.

Lest we forget the dynamic duo of Terrance Newman and Orlando Scandrick put on what may have been the sorriest performances at the cornerback position of recent memory.

DeMarcus Ware and company failed to register a sack for the second consecutive game. Unlike the Bucs game the previous week, they were unable to establish any consistent pressure on Eli at any point.

However, at the end of the day, fans don’t lay blame at the feet of these players’ feet. D. Ware doesn't get called to the carpet. Newman's decision making isn't being questioned by Sterling Sharpe or Warren Sapp.

Instead, right, wrong or indifferent (and it's wrong), the onus is placed on the quarterback.

For many Cowboy fans, this may be the harshest reality; Romo isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Jerry Jones simply doesn’t work that way.

Don’t be an idiot and ask for Jon Kitna.

The apple turnover that Tony Romo was on Sunday night is what Kitna has been his entire career. Kitna may be fine in small stretches, but keep him out there for a too long and he’ll show you exactly who he’s been his entire career.

If you’re even asking about Stephen McGee, you should be slapped on the spot.

Transform Romo into more of a game manager? Perhaps, but realize you’re eventually going to need to throw for a first down; your team will not always have the luxury of a lead to work with; there will be times you need to score points in bunches. In other words, Romo will have to throw.

If Romo is ever going to become the quarterback that most fans believe he can become, he’s going to have to play through this latest self-induced humiliation.

Romo no longer has to be the reason why the team wins; he simply can’t be the reason why they lose.

Sssssshhh! New York's Running Donkey Has Something to Say

Phillip Brennan — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:25:10 -0400

If you're not familiar with the player pictured above laying prostrate on the ground like a dead guppy, that would be none other than New York Giant running back, Brandon Jacobs. Or, as I like to affectionately call him, "the world's dumbest professional athlete."

A little harsh? Trust me, it's not really.

See, Jacobs has a problem.

He has a pea-sized brain that sits inside a malformed cone-shaped cranium which rests on top of a giant 6'4" 264 lbs frame.

More precisely, Jacobs' brain has developed just enough to where he's able to acknowledge audible sounds (like reporter questions), form short bursts of complete sentences that at times can produce the following gems:

On the subject of Tony Romo...(PFT.com - Gregg Rosenthal)

"I don't think he's that good a passer, to be honest with you [...] I'm not a fan of Tony Romo, no. Keep him in the pocket, he's not that good. [...] His luck will be gone sooner or later. If you were to keep Tony Romo in the pocket he's not that effective."

On the Cowboys playing host to the Giants during thier home opener at the new stadium...(Matt Mosley blog)

"They should've put Detriot in there instead of us."

These are strange comments indeed.

With the confidence and voracity of the statements, you would think the Giants have been eating Romo and the Cowboys' lunch.

Here are the facts:

- In 40 career regular season starts, Romo sports a .700 win percentage (28-12).

- 95.7 career QB rating. Steve Young holds the highest career rating (min. 1,500 attempts) at a 96.81 clip. Romo currently has 1,334 attempts.

- Dallas has beaten the Giants in four of their last six regular season matchups. Dallas also owns the all-time series edge (55-37-2).

- Dallas has won (4-0) every regular season matchup that Romo has started against the Giants.

Now, are these numbers fool-proof in proving Romo's greatness?

No.

Nor do they take away from the impressive Super Bowl run the Giants made in 2007, beating the Cowboys in Dallas along the way.

However, the Giants are nowhere close to having the Cowboys' number. Not to mention you don't accumulate wins and numbers like that by pure "luck."

In light of the aforementioned comments, Jacobs' hot air turns out to be nothing but a whimpering sneeze.

Speaking of whimpering, does anyone remember the flustered mess Jacobs was after the '07 home loss to the Cowboys.

You remember that game, right?

That's the one where Crayton laid the ball across the goaline for the touchdown, instead of running it all the way in. Crayton in a post game interview likened the win to going into someone elses house and slapping their mama.

Jacobs got wind of this as he was interviewed in his locker room and was visibly shaken, only managing to whimper, "Patrick Crayton sucks!"

Oh, the memories!

Cowboys' Stock Report: Week One

Phillip Brennan — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 17:45:52 -0400

2009—Week One

Dallas Cowboys—34
Tampa Bay Buccaneers—21

Box Score

Stock Up

Although he looked a bit rusty in the first couple of offensive series, Tony Romo looked great when making the right reads and selling the defense with his eyes. Case in point, on the 80-yard touchdown pass to Patrick Crayton, Romo rolled slightly to his right and stared down Jason Witten. The safety, Sabby Piscitelli, bit on Romo going to Witten in the flat, which left Crayton streaking down the sideline wide-open for the easy score.

Let's remember Romo can't look good unless his receivers run good routes and catch the ball. Jason Witten, Roy Williams, Miles Austin and Patrick Crayton didn't disappoint.

Special praise should be given to Roy Williams. Despite having just three receptions for the game, the much maligned receiver made his presence felt from his finger tip grab of an off-line Romo throw on the first possesion, to his 66-yard TD catch and run early in third quarter.

Bobby Carpenter deserves some love as well. Carpenter will probably never make it as three-down linebacker in any scheme, but he may have found a niche in the Cowboys' nickel package. Carpenter made two nice tackles of note today. One occured on special teams when he made a nice open field tackle on the returner who had just cut back to run up an apparent open lane. The other happened on a crucial third down late in the fourth quarter. Carpenter stopped the ball carrier on a short pass in the flat for what would have been a first down.

Chuck Norris...I mean kicker, David Buehler, justified his roster spot with his performance today. Out of seven of Buehler's kickoffs, six made it to the endzone and three were touchbacks. Doesn't sound too impressive? Keep in mind that in 169 career kickoffs, Nick Folk has registered just four touchbacks.

Speaking of Folk, his performance today (2/2 FG, 4/4 XP, long of 51-yards) was a good sign he's back from offseason surgery and a shaky preseason.

Looks like safety Gerald Sensabaugh is an upgrade. Sensabaugh was all over the field making tackles (don't forget, he prevented a TD by running down Cadillac Williams), and blocking a FG.

Finally, got to give some credit to the Cowboys offensive line. The pass protection was solid, though the run-blocking was somewhat uneven throughout the game. However, the fact that they didn't register a single false start, hold or any other of their patented mental gaffes should be noted. We'll just look past the fact Flozell Adams did get an apparent personal foul call (the replays did not show it) on him.

Stock Down

It appears safety Ken Hamlin is intent on continuing his Poor Tackling Tour for another season. The fact that Hamlin continues to refuse to wrap-up ball carriers is a reflection on the coaches. No player should be above being reprimanded for poor technique. Throwing a shoulder into a ball carrier simply isn't going to do it. Hamlin not only got ran over on few runs, but he outright whiffed on a couple of plays.

The Cowboys defense needs an identity. It's apparent that the defensive energy generally goes as the team's offense goes. They certainly weren't stout against the run, as the Bucs ran roughshod through the defense all game, allowing 174 yards, 5.6 YPC and 2 TD.

Question, where was the pass rush all game?

Byron Leftwich is essentially a reincarnation of Drew Bledsoe. The Cowboys did put Leftwich on his back a number of times bu the fact they were unable to register a single sack is a bit disconcerting.

Perhaps the stinger he suffered early in the game affected his play, but DeMarcus Ware wasn't much of a factor in the game. Nor was Anthony Spencer for that matter.

Next Up...

The Cowboys will make their regular season debut at Cowboys Stadium in primetime againt division rival New York Giants. Dallas has beaten the Giants in three of their last four regular season matchups. Dallas also owns the all-time series edge (55-37-2).

Look for both teams to utilize their deep running back rotations to control the clock and keep each others offense off the field.

If Dallas can shore-up their run defense, they should be able to handle the Giants' passing attack. As with most of their recent games, I expect this game to be hard fought, with Dallas squeaking out a win.

Madison Bumgarner Gets The Call

Phillip Brennan — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 20:54:35 -0400

The Giants have called up their top pitching prospect Madison Bumgarner to make his major league debut against the Padres tonight (9/8).

The opportunity presented itself as scheduled starter Tim Lincecum was scratched from the lineup due to a back strain. Lincecum is expected to make his next scheduled start.

Source

According to Giants' GM, Brian Sabean, Bumgarner will be on a short leash if things get too sketchy for the young 20 year-old in his first major league outing.

The call-up was a bit of a surprise based on the standard dismissive answers Sabean gave previously regarding whether Bumgarner would be brought up to the big league team in previous months.

With the call-up, the Giants now have their future battery mates in place with catcher Buster Posey being called up just last week after rosters were expanded.

Bumgarner was 9-1 in 19 starts at Double-A Connecticut with 69 SO, 30 BB, 1.03 WHIP and 1.93 ERA.

The left-hander was the Giants' 1st round draft pick (10th overall) in the 2007 draft.

Cowboys Stock Report: Preseason Week Three

Phillip Brennan — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 17:38:37 -0400

Preseason Week Three

San Francisco 49ers 20
Dallas Cowboys 13

Box Score

Stock Up

Anthony Spencer had a great all-around game. Spencer was again active in run defense, getting to the running back several times either at or behind the line of scrimmage. He also registered his first sack of the preseason, albeit against the 49er’s second team offensive tackle.

The Cowboys starting defensive line, in particular Jason Hatcher and Marcus Spears, was very strong up front. Both players were aggressive and active in pursuit. Spears demonstrated good awareness by snuffing out running back Frank Gore, who was acting as the QB in the wildcat formation.

Offensive tackle Doug Free once again gave a solid performance. Despite facing 49er’s starting defensive end Justin Smith, there was not much of a drop-off in play when Free took over from Flozell Adams.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Kevin Ogletree’s performance. The wide receiver got a chance to start with the first team offense due to Roy Williams and Sam Hurd being held out of the game.

Ogletree did not disappoint as he hooked up with Romo on a couple of nice first down grabs during the offense’s first series. He looked smooth and natural playing pitch-and-catch with Romo.

The Cowboy cheerleaders in HD – enough said.

Stock Down

Cornerback Orlando Scandrick had a bit of a rough game. He got worked for a couple of catches by the 49ers' WRs during the course of the game, not to mention getting bullied around while being blocked by 49er wide out, Josh Morgan, on a couple of runs.

CB/S Courtney Brown’s time may be running out, if not already. Here’s the good; Brown looks the part in a uniform and has tremendous athletic ability. Now the bad; he doesn’t appear to be much of a football player. Brown lacks instincts, has no desire for contact, which renders much of his athletic ability as ultimately useless.

Brown did invoke head coach Wade Phillip’s wrath (which is a rarity) when he got turned around and lost on a desperation lob pass from 49er Nate Davis. Brown lost track of the ball and ended up grabbing the receiver’s jersey in vain, which drew a flag.

Add Isaiah Stanback to the bubble group with Brown. Stanback simply doesn’t look comfortable out there. He’s very mechanical in his routes and struggles to get himself open at times. He did manage to get one grab, but promptly turned it over when he was stripped.

Stanback did have a nice 30-yard kickoff return in the second half, but the door of opportunity appears to be closing on him. With Ogletree’s emergence, I’m not sure there is anything Stanback could realistically do in the final preseason game to save his roster spot.

Backup quarterback Jon Kitna looked very erratic with his throws. His first series during the second half was particularly bad as he was off target on a screen pass, and later on what should have been an easy first down to Austin.

Things you may have missed…

4:14 1^st Qtr: The Cowboys offensive line gave Romo great protection on a pass down the middle of the field to Austin. During the play, OG Kyle Kosier showed great awareness by keeping active and coming over to help center Andre Gurode block his man. Kosier leveled defensive end Ray McDonald, taking him right off his feet.

1:12 1^st Qtr: Much maligned cornerback Mike Jenkins made a tremendous open-field tackle on a check down pass to running back Frank Gore. Jenkins attacked the ball carrier instead of allowing the runner to dictate the action. Gore had a lot of real estate in front of him if Jenkins didn't manage to bring him down.

10:54 2^nd Qtr: Jason Witten coming out of the backfield and across the LOS, made a great block on linebacker Takeo Spikes to maintain a crease for MBIII to run through for a nice gain. Witten then made another tremendous block in similar fashion in the following play.

4:40 2^nd Qtr: On second and goal, the Cowboys ran a handoff to Felix Jones. Jones went left where Patrick Crayton lined-up prior to the snap. As Jones raced to the edge, Crayton, in crack-back like fashion, came back to knock 6’5” 315 lbs Kentwan Balmer off his feet.

Cowboys Stock Report: Preseason Week Two

Phillip Brennan — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 06:48:51 -0400

Preseason Week Two

Dallas Cowboys 30
Tennessee Titans 10

Box Score

Stock Up

For the second straight week, running back Keon Lattimore continued to impress. Though his numbers (9 carries, 33 yards) were modest, Lattimore ran decisively with quickness and power, making the most of his carries behind a second and third string offensive line.

Backup offensive tackle, Doug Free, had yet another solid game at left tackle. He was beaten once by a spin move, but Free again showed quick feet in mirroring defensive ends in pass protection, and good effort in staying active during running plays. Free looks to have developed into an adequate backup tackle should one of the starters go down.

Rookie wide receiver, Kevin Ogletree, may have gotten a leg-up on Isaiah Stanback for the fifth receiver spot. Ogletree caught everything thrown his way (3 rec., 37 yards, 1 TD) and looked silky smooth doing it, showing great quickness off the line to free himself up in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown.

No need to worry about the punting situation this year; Mat McBriar looks completely healed from his leg injury suffered last year. He launched six booming kicks and landed three inside the 20-yard line.

On the defensive side of the ball, Anthony Spencer continues to play rock solid run defense. If you’re worried about Spencer’s pass rushing efforts, you should be equally critical of DeMarcus Ware. Ware hasn’t sniffed the QB too much this preseason either.

However, head coach Wade Phillips doesn’t seem to think it’s much of an issue, as he noted the Cowboys haven’t run much exotic pass rush schemes thus far in the preseason.

Backup outside linebacker Steve Octavien made his presence felt in his first game of the preseason. Octavian registered two tackles, a pass deflection which led to an INT, and some bone crushing hits. Octavian’s chances of making the team improved with rookie linebacker, Brandon Williams, season-ending knee injury.

Stock Down

Though he’s probably not in danger of losing his place kicking duties, Nick Folk missed his second kick (49-yard attempt) in two preseason attempts. Probably not the kind of showing Folk or the Cowboys were hoping for after his off season hip surgery.

Starting cornerback Mike Jenkins struggled in coverage during his first preseason game of the year. Although neither ball was ultimately caught, Jenkins was beaten badly on two deep throws on the same drive. Jenkins also blew an apparent coverage assignment which led to an easy touchdown for Titan receiver Justin Gage.

It should be noted that Ken Hamlin appeared late in coming over the top after Jenkins passed off Gage to the safety.

Speaking of Ken Hamlin, the safety had a really rough game to say the least. Hamlin picked up where he left off last season by displaying very poor tackling technique throughout his time in the game, which led to extra yards for the ball carriers.

He also had an avoidable facemask penalty while trying to tackle Javon Ringer. The “quarterback” of the secondary should both do and know better.

Special team coverage units struggled a bit again this week. This continues to be an Achilles heel for the Cowboys. A combination of poor tackling and available lanes for returners to run through is always a bad combination.

Things you may have missed…

2:56 - First Qtr: Backup tight end, John Phillips, made a nice goal line block on MBIII’s TD run. On the play, he got leverage, turned his man out and sealed the edge. It’s these types of small things that make coaches take notice and want to find a place for you on the roster.

2:52 - First Qtr: During the ensuing kickoff (after the MBIII TD) to Javon Ringer, Bobby Carpenter inexplicably gets blocked off his feet while trying to fill his lane. It was this same lane that Ringer used to cut up through the traffic and onto his 51-yard return.

I’ve watched the play more than three times in normal and slow-motion and still can’t figure out what Carpenter was doing to allow himself to get knocked on his back.

5:31 - Second Qtr: Marc Colombo opened up a lane for Felix Jones with a great cut block after pulling to the right side of the line during a pitch which went for 11-yards.

10:34 - Third Qtr: Bobby Carpenter made a nice tackle (along w/K. Brooking) on Javon Ringer for no gain. On the play, Carpenter engaged the blocker and shed him at the right moment, strafing towards the line of scrimmage and eventually tackling Ringer.

9:43 - Third Qtr: Unbelievable. The second I think Carpenter is improving in terms of run defense, he goes back to his old bag of tricks. It’s almost unexplainable. On this run, Carpenter strafes through the line waiting on Ringer, Ringer shifts slightly to the right and Carpenter sits there and watches him go by, reacting only after Ringer runs past him instead of meeting him in the lane.

He either has some of the worst reactionary quickness I’ve ever seen, or he doesn’t want contact. I think the truth is found somewhere in between.

6:08 - Fourth Qtr: Backup tight end, Scott Chandler, helped facilitate a tip-ball drill in which 4th and Long star, Jesse Holley, came down with a pass that went off his helmet, into the arms of a Titans player, and back into his (Holley’s) hands.

After the ball went off Holley’s helmet, two Titans went up for the ball, Chandler put his hands on both players’ chests and floored them both onto their backs. The ball subsequently popped out and into Holley’s hands.

David Buehler Vs. Chuck Norris: Who's Really the Baddest Man Alive?

Phillip Brennan — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 01:18:11 -0400

That’s right.

It now appears that rookie Cowboys kicker David Buehler has replaced Chuck Norris as the baddest man alive.

In case you didn’t know:

David Buehler can slam a revolving door.

David Buehler counted to infinity—twice.

David Buehler doesn’t get frostbite. He bites frost.

You get the point.

It doesn’t seem there is anything Buehler can’t do.

The former USC Trojan has worn many hats this training camp, working as a placekicker, kickoff specialist, and as a gunner on return coverage units.

During preseason’s week one game against the Raiders, Buehler nailed a 39-yard field goal, had a touchback, and registered a tackle on his own kickoff.

His latest feat had him beating Cowboy defensive back and fellow rookie DeAngelo Smith in a 50-yard foot race after practice.

And it wasn’t even close.

It really shouldn’t come as a surprise. At 6’2”, 227 lbs., Buehler was known as a great athlete coming out of USC. In fact, his 4.62 40-yard dash at the combine was faster than the times of his Trojan linebacker teammates Brian Cushing and Rey Maualuga. He also bested all three USC linebackers (Cushing, Maualuga, and Clay Matthews) in the bench press, posting 25 reps.

“He’s on steroids,” joked wide receiver Roy Williams.

Well, the Cowboys obviously felt he was clean enough to take in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft.

The team envisions Buehler as a kickoff specialist, which makes him sort of a luxury. Keeping an extra kicker makes you go short at another position, so the coaches are looking to justify his spot by finding him other roles, such as holding kicks on extra point attempts.

"The more I can do the merrier,” says Buehler.

As Buehler’s job description grows, so does his legend.

Don’t be surprised if you hear about Buehler fixing the economy and finding Osama bin Laden sometime soon.

Cowboys Stock Report: Preseason Week One

Phillip Brennan — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 17:10:48 -0400

Preseason Week One

Oakland Raiders 31
Dallas Cowboys 10

Box Score

Stock up

There is probably no roster spot for him, but running back Keon Lattimore had a nice showing. Lattimore flashed quick feet and vision working between the tackles, making the most (11 carries, 55 yards) of his opportunities throughout the game.

Wide receiver Sam Hurd was flat-out ballin’. The fourth year receiver had five catches for 79 yards. During one stretch drive, Hurd and backup quarterback, Jon Kitna, were simply toying with the Raiders secondary. Hurd has built his body up well, and is a long ways away from the lanky string bean he was as a rookie.

The first string offense on its second possession of the game looked like a machine. The Cowboys put together an impressive nine play drive, covering 71 yards and resulting in a touchdown.

Offensive tackle Doug Free received extensive playing time and put together a solid performance in both run and pass blocking.

Rookie kicker David Buehler had a great game. Buehler had a touchback on one of his kickoffs and even made a tackle covering his own kick on another.

Stock down

Point blank, Courtney Brown laid an egg. The Raiders were able to play pitch-and-catch on him anytime they wanted. I counted six receptions Brown gave up, not to mention two other passes that would have been completed on him had the QB not made poor throws. Brown simply looks tentative in coverage and generally out-matched out there.

Cowboys’ seventh rounder, Mike Mickens had a rough professional debut. Mickens picked up a couple penalties, missed a few tackles and gave up a number of catches, including a touchdown in the red zone.

One name, Wade Phillips. Wade’s decision to let vital young receivers Sam Hurd and Miles Austin play on kickoff and punt coverage units in the first preseason game is a head scratcher.

The team’s run defense deserves a knock. The Raider running backs gashed the Cowboys defense for 176 yards on 26 carries for a gaudy 6.8 yards per carry. I suppose some of the team’s poor tackling could be attributed to Phillip’s non-tackling approach in camp.

Things you might have missed…

12:40 – First Qtr: On a deep ball to rookie Darrius Heyward-Bay, Ken Hamlin looked to have had what would have been an easy interception had teammate Orlando Scandrick not blanketed him as if he were the wide receiver.

3:25 – First Qtr: JaMarcus Russell made Cowboy linebacker look a bit silly by shaking him in the open field. The 6’6”, 260 lb Russell is known to be a good athlete, but Spencer made him look like Mike Vick (circa 2006), as Russell left him whiffing at his knees on an open field tackle during a scramble.

0:24 – Second Qtr: On a third-and-goal (on the 18 yard line), Kitna found Isaiah Stanback in the corner of the end zone. Kitna lofted a nice ball over the defensive back, and Stanback timed his jump well but was unable to come down with it despite getting both hands on it.

14:52 – Fourth Qtr: Rookie linebacker Jason Williams gave Cowboy fans a glimpse of his athleticism as he chased Raider’s quarterback, Charlie Frye, out the pocket and towards the sideline to force an incompletion on third down.

Felix Jones Vs. Chris Johnson: You Decide

Phillip Brennan — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 05:43:23 -0400

Heading into the 2008 NFL Draft, Dallas Cowboys fans could barely restrain their glee.

Their team, armed with two first-round picks, had fans dreaming, discussing, and debating which prospects their team would soon select come draft day.

With just one running back (Marion Barber) on the roster under contract heading into that offseason, most fans recognized running back would be a position of need.

While some fans fantasized about packaging the picks for a chance to trade up for Darren McFadden, others realized a more likely scenario would have the Cowboys selecting one of the other running backs of the deep 2008 class.

It was apparent the Cowboys would be looking to add some dash to compliment Marion Barber’s bash.

Two of the top prospects that appeared to fit that bill were East Carolina’s Chris Johnson and McFadden’s former Arkansas backfield mate, Felix Jones.

Both players sported similar size, college résumés, and playmaking ability.

Message boards and fan sites were filled with threads where fans championed either player, vigorously debating the merits of why the Cowboys should take their guy.

As it turned out, the Cowboys chose Felix Jones in the first round over Chris Johnson, whom the Titans ended up selecting two picks later at No. 24.

Each player had an instant impact on his team and both look to have bright futures ahead of them.

However, the obvious and over-simplified question remains: Who is the better running back?

The proverbial jury may be still out, but upon first glance it’s hard to deny Johnson’s fabulous first season.

Simply put, the Titans' 5’11”, 200-pound back is downright explosive.

Few players in the league can take the ball and make everyone else on the field look like they’re running in molasses; Johnson is one them.

Johnson was clocked at 4.24 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, which tied for the fastest combine time ever.

Unlike many speed demons, Johnson was able to transfer that speed onto the field.

Despite splitting carries with LenDale White, Johnson’s stat line for the year was impressive:

15 games, 251 carries, 1,228 yards, 4.9 YPC, nine TD, 43 receptions, 260 yards, and one TD.

Those numbers were good enough to send Johnson to the Pro Bowl. In fact, Johnson was the league’s only rookie to be named to the Pro Bowl.

One aspect of Johnson’s game that was underutilized was as a receiver. Coming out of college at East Carolina, Johnson was known for his able hands. Although it didn’t provide for much production, Johnson proved to be a capable outlet for Kerry Collins out of the backfield.

Expect to see the Titans utilize Johnson even more in this capacity as he enters his second season.

For the Cowboys' Felix Jones, his star shined just as bright as Johnson’s, just simply not as long. The 6’0”, 212-pound Jones offers the same take-it-to-the-house ability that Johnson has.

"Uncle Felix," as he’s affectionately called by his teammates, is fast (4.49). Not Chris Johnson fast, but fast enough.

Better put, Jones is football fast.

Jones is gifted with great vision, acceleration and lateral agility (all of which are demonstrated at the 1:42 mark of this clip).

Unlike Johnson, Jones played in more of a relief role to starter Marion Barber during his injury-shortened six-game rookie season.

Despite relatively limited reps, Jones put up some gaudy statistics that have Cowboy fans salivating at the thought of what he could do with an expanded role:

six games, 30 carries, 266 yards, 8.9 YPC, three TD, two receptions, 10 yards, 16 KR, 434 yards, 27.1 avg., and one TD.

Looking forward to the 2009 season, any success Jones has will be directly related to how offensive coordinator Jason Garrett incorporates him into the offense.

Garrett was criticized for not capitalizing on Jones’s ability by increasing his touches last season. Garrett is infamously remembered for not getting Jones even a single touch with the regular offense during the Week Four loss to the Redskins. Up to that point, Jones had scored in three straight games.

Jones wasn’t even a thought in the Cowboys passing attack in 2008. That figures to change as Jerry Jones has essentially mandated that Garrett find ways to get the ball into Jones’ hands by any means.

Jones could prove to be devastating to defenses on screens. If the Cowboys can perfect this play (which they’ve strangely struggled to consistently execute for years), Jones could alleviate some of the big-play potential that left with Terrell Owens.

The comparisons may never be on the level, as each player serves a different role for their teams (14 starts for Johnson vs. zero starts for Jones), but they will never cease.

At this point, the nod has to go to Chris Johnson, based on the fact that, well, he’s already done it.

Felix has to prove not only that he can stay healthy, but that he can continue to produce at a level similar to his 2008 pace for an entire season.

Oh man, I can already feel the ire of Cowboy Nation upon me.

Flashback: My Introduction to Tony Romo

Phillip Brennan — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 16:03:02 -0400

As the Cowboy's near this season's first preseason game against the Oakland Raiders on August 13, some fond memories resurface of when I was first introduced to Tony Romo.

At around this time of year, in 2004, my then girlfriend (now wife) decided to surprise me with a pair of tickets to go watch the Cowboys play the Raiders in Oakland, California.

Living in the Bay Area, I don't get many opportunities to see the Cowboys play in person, so I jumped at the chance.

So my girlfriend and I arrived at the game, of course not wearing any offensive regalia (i.e. Cowboy jerseys), sat down and enjoyed the game.

(For any Cowboy diehards who might have taken offense of us not being decked-out in Cowboy attire; you try sporting your painted star faces at Oakland Coliseum and let me know how that goes.)

The game was your basic snoozer as preseason games go.

I do remember getting a few pictures of then Cowboy newcomer, Eddie George, and being mindful to watch out for a few of our new draft picks like Julius Jones, Bruce Thorton and Patrick Crayton.

As the game winded down, the field became littered with a bunch of obscure names, rookie free agents, and journeymen players fighting for roster spots.

Tony Romo fit somewhere in that group of players. Romo at that point was just a second year player still fighting to justify a roster spot.

Little did I know Romo was about to give the fans a glimpse of his famous moxy, and a reason for then Cowboys' head coach, Bill Parcells, to keep him.

The details are a little fuzzy, but I believe the Cowboys were down by three points, with less than a minute to go.

The Romo-led Cowboys were driving and managed to get into Raider territory. My girlfriend and I had already started heading up the stairs to get a jump on traffic heading out of the stadium.

We made our way to the top of the stairs when we heard a loud roar (quite a few Cowboy fans in Oaktown); Romo had the Cowboys at the Raider 2-yard line with about 15 seconds to go.

So we stood there and watched with everyone else.

Romo was frantically ushering the Cowboys to the line. The clock continued to wind down. Finally, the snap; Romo takes the ball and sneaks it up the gut for the touchdown and what ended up being the game winner.

We screamed our heads off and quickly got the hell out of Dodge.

Listening to the post game show and interviews, I found out that Parcells called for a spike to stop the clock, Romo nixed the play call and audibled for the sneak instead.

Can you say ballsy?

I never dreamed at that point Romo would assume the starting role nearly two years later and become one of the better quarterbacks in the league.

I'll always remember it, and the story will only get better if Romo helps lead the Cowboys to a Super Bowl victory at some point in his career.

Dallas Cowboys Training Camp Spotlight: Pat Watkins

Phillip Brennan — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 03:42:35 -0400

Dallas Cowboys safety, Pat Watkins, is a bit of an enigma.

With size and speed measurements (6'5", 215 lbs, 4.42 speed, 41" vertical) straight out of a Madden create-a-player fantasy, Watkins has all requisite physical tools to be a player in the NFL.

The problem for the fourth year veteran out of Florida State is found beneath his helmet.

Watkins was thrust into a starting role his rookie year (2006) under Bill Parcells. His rookie season was filled with the typical ups and downs that most rookies experience.

However, Watkins seemed to struggle at shaking lost confidence when plays went bad. As witnessed during his mental meltdown at Lincoln Financial Field that season.

Since then, Watkins has not legitimately been in contention for a starting role again.

In 2007, the Cowboys brought in Ken Hamlin to bring stability and experience to the free safety position. The Cowboys eventually signed Hamlin to a multi-year contract after he posted a successful first year with the team. This effectively ended any hopes of Watkins manning the position in the near future.

The Cowboys did try Watkins at strong safety in 2008. However, the experiment didn't yield what the Cowboys were looking for; Watkins, although willing, was not a good form tackler, which limited his run support capabilities.

The Cowboys have a good grasp of what Watkins can and can't do as a defensive back. The fact the Cowboys went heavy with defensive backs in the draft and even converted some of their cornerbacks into hybrid safeties doesn't bode well for Watkins.

To remain on the squad in 2009, Watkins is going to solidify his role on special teams.

This works to Watkins' favor, as he's proven to be a good special teamer in the past (team leader in 2007 with 25 special teams tackles). In fact, he may be one of the best special team gunners in the league. Despite missing eight games last season due to injury, Watkins posted nine special teams tackles in 2008.

With the influx of talent via the draft (M. Hamlin, Smith and Mickens) and free agency (Sensabaugh), a roster spot is not assured to Watkins.

If he can stay healthy and makes some plays in preseason, Watkins may force the Cowboys to save a roster spot for him.

Training Camp Spotlight: Miles Austin

Phillip Brennan — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 20:20:07 -0400

The moment the Cowboys released Terrell Owens (TO) this past March, many questions were immediately raised.

Can wide receiver, Roy Williams, who was picked up in a midseason trade, pick up Owens slack as the lead receiver?

Would the Cowboys have to dramatically change its offensive approach due to TO’s departure?

Who will fill the void of TO’s down—the—field, big—play ability?

For the last question, the Cowboys are hoping the answer is already on the roster in the form of one, Miles Austin.

Entering into his fourth season out of Monmouth University, Austin will head into this training with an opportunity to carve out a significant role with the regular offense.

Even more, the Cowboys need him to step up.

Not since Terry Glenn in 2006, have the Cowboys had a legitimate deep threat (not named TO) that could stretch the field and keep opposing defenses honest. In fact, some have argued that the absence of such a receiver is what helped neutralize TO’s effectiveness the past couple of seasons.

Jason Garrett and more importantly, Jerry Jones, recognize the need. After the draft, the Cowboys official website (dallascowboys.com) reported that had Missouri’s Jeremy Maclin slipped past the Philadelphia Eagles (No. 19) in the first round, Jones would have seriously considered trading up for him.

Either way, TO is gone; Maclin is with the Eagles; Roy Williams is now the lead receiver; and the Cowboys will need that deep threat this season.

Austin brings many tools to the table; listed at 6’3’’ and 216 lbs., he’s not your prototypical smurf—sized burner. While he’s not the most agile in terms of changing directions, he’s shown the ability to run the route tree effectively and looks to be especially dangerous due to his size on slant routes, both short and deep.

It was apparent as early as last season’s preseason that something had clicked for Austin as a receiver. Instead of focusing robotically on his release, steps, and route, it was clear he was running more fluidly and attacking the ball in the air.

Despite a relatively small sample size, Austin demonstrated his big—play ability, registering 278 yards on 13 receptions for three touchdowns. The Cowboys are confident that Austin can increase his production, but they must be concerned about his ability to remain healthy.

Injuries caused delays in Austin’s complete incorporation into the offense last season. Furthermore, the mid—season trade for Roy Williams pushed Austin further down the depth chart behind Owens, Williams, and Crayton.

Things have since changed, and barring another injury setback, Austin looks to be primed to have an exponential increase in opportunities and production this season.

Training Camp Spotlight: Time For Alan To Ball-Out

Phillip Brennan — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 02:23:40 -0400

With training camp looming just a few weeks away, the mindsets needed to get through summer have already begun setting in for the players.

For established veterans, simply making it out of training camp healthy is what is paramount. For rookies, it’s all about getting the playbook and terminology ingrained on the brain until it becomes second nature on the field. Finally, for young veterans like defensive back, Alan Ball, training camp poses as an audition to carve a role on the team that will find him on the field on Sundays.

Ball, a former seventh-round pick out of Illinois is entering into his third season. He will likely be competing for expanded nickel and dime package duties, as well as solidifying a role on special teams (ninth on the team with seven special team tackles in 2008).

Standing at 6’1’’, the Cowboys like Ball’s length and ability to match up with taller receivers. He remains thin and lanky, but has managed to put on good weight this off season, and now checks in at a solid 186 lbs, which is nearly 10 lbs more than when he came in as a rail-thin rookie. Ball is very similar in build to former Kansas City Chief, Dale Carter, who was a Pro Bowl cornerback that converted to safety later in his career.

The coaching staff was impressed with the way Ball stepped up when thrown into action last season. During a crucial home win against Tampa Bay, Ball was subbed in for an injured Anthony Henry during the final five minutes of a close game.

On one pivotal play, Ball exhibited great awareness and agility while covering Buccaneer’s receiver, Michael Clayton. Clayton gave Ball a double move on a go-route that a lot of veteran cornerbacks would have bit on. Instead, Ball mirrored Clayton step-for-step and blanketed the receiver, preventing what would have easily been a game-changing score.

The Cowboys seem willing to find a fit for Ball, having tried him at free safety during the team’s OTAs in May. The coaching staff envisions Ball as a hybrid swing defensive back who can play either role (CB or FS) dependent on the scheme. They were pleasantly surprised at how natural and aggressive he played the position in practice and feel comfortable with him in that role moving forward into training camp.

Training camp this August will go far in determining Ball’s role with the team. The secondary has gotten crowded with talent as the draft brought in an influx of talented defensive backs in Michael Hamlin, DeAngelo Smith, and Mike Mickens.

Ball appears to have the inside track of getting significant regular season playing time as the youngsters will simply be trying to adjust to the speed and timing of the pro game.

Look for Ball’s play to jump to the next level during this upcoming season.

Tony Romo: Perception, Perspective, and Reality

Phillip Brennan — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 04:38:16 -0400

Here’s a fun exercise; mention the name of Dallas Cowboy quarterback, Tony Romo, and you’ll likely hear some of the following comments:

“Pre-Madonna.”

“Choke artist.”

Or the simple, yet poignant, “Romo sucks!”

What’s amazing is these are statements that have been uttered from the mouths of Cowboy fans, not just the fans of rival teams.

Harsh analysis and unrealistic expectations from analysts and fans are typically par-for-the-course when it comes to manning the quarterback position for an NFL team.

However, it’s fair to say that no other quarterback in the league has been unduly scrutinized the way Romo has the past two seasons.

The hyper-criticism leveled at Romo on regular basis teeters on ferocious to simply absurd.

By all accounts, most will agree that Romo (and by extension, the Cowboys) have struggled in December and in the playoffs, point blank.

During the last quarter of the past three seasons (2006-08), the Romo led Cowboys have sported a less than stellar record (4-8). Romo’s subpar individual numbers fall in-line with the team’s overall poor performance during that same stretch:

W-L (4-8)
71.6 QB rating
14 TD/17 INT
58.10 completion pct.

This seemingly annual slide has helped lead to the general perception that Romo is your run-of-the-mill choker during crunch-time.

WARNING: Perspective required from this point on

The reality is that no stretch of bad play by a team can accurately be pinned to just a single player. Conversely, it’s foolhardy to credit a team’s success on just one player. For a team sport such as football, there are so many variables, circumstances and plays that are involved in helping to determine the fate of a game.

Can we talk about Jacquez Reeves’ facemask penalty at the end of the first half of the 2007 Divisional playoff game against the Giants?

Can we talk about Patrick Crayton’s infamous game-changing drop during that same game?

Can we talk about Terence Newman giving up a momentum changing first down after biting on a pump fake when they had the Steelers pinned back on 3rd-and-16 last season?

Take this past season’s loss against the Ravens as another example.

Despite Romo’s uneven performance during that game, he had the team in position to win at the end of the game, which outside of winning outright, is all you can ask your quarterback to do.

Unfortunately, Romo could not control his defense’s tackling ineptitude during the game’s final four minutes in which they surrendered two touchdowns on two 77+ yard runs.

Yes, he did have some untimely interceptions (aren’t they always?). However, if you want to exploit the improvisational talents of Romo, turnovers are simply part of that endeavor. For every boneheaded deep heave that ends up in the arms of Ed Reed, you have far more plays in which Romo extends a play for a positive gain or points.

Should Romo be given a free license to go nuts in a Favresque manner? No. In fact, reports indicate the Cowboys will try to limit the number of opportunities Romo has to make decisions in the upcoming season by focusing on their strength at running back.

The point is critics have found it much easier to saddle Romo with the blame than to objectively watch and analyze the team’s overall play.

Romo’s Early Success

Romo has started a grand total of just 39 regular season games, which is slightly less than 2.5 seasons of professional football. It should be noted that of the games in which Romo started under center, the Cowboys have won 27, while losing just 12. For the stat lovers, that’s good enough for a .692 win percentage.

In those 2.5 seasons, Romo has helped lead the Cowboys to playoff appearances in both 2006 and 2007. In 2008, Romo missed three crucial games due to injury, as the Cowboys limped to a (1-2) record without him.

Peyton Manning, a former first overall pick and anointed league golden boy, never received the type of criticism that Romo has. This is despite the fact the Colts didn’t win their first playoff game under Manning until his sixth season (2003).

Yet, Romo, who came in as an undrafted rookie free agent, is held to a higher level of scrutiny, criticism and expectation of his play during his first 2.5 seasons?

Something doesn’t add up.

What Romo has been able to accomplish thus far in his career has been nothing short of outstanding. Romo may already be 29 years old, but he’s a young veteran in terms of playing experience. He may not be maturing physically, but his skills and game management are.

Look for Romo to begin changing perceptions in 2009.

Brian Wilson: All-Star Snub and Deservedly So

Phillip Brennan — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:36:31 -0400

First, let’s get this shiny robust figure out of way: 22.

As in the number of saves that Giants' reliever, Brian Wilson, has collected thus far in the 2009 season as we near its midway point. Numbers good enough for second most in the National League and leaves him tied for third overall in the majors.

Those details alone would lead a lot of people to believe that Wilson is deserving of an All-Star spot later this July. Or at the very least, put him in the conversation of who are the league's best closers.

I'd like to layout the reasons why he was deservedly left off this year's All-Star roster and also explain why he isn't one of the league's best relief pitchers.

Before I start, it's worthwhile to go through a refresher of what exactly constitutes a save opportunity. By doing so, I'll be demonstrating why simply pointing to save totals alone is a foolhardy approach to determining a reliever's effectiveness.

10.19 Saves For Relief Pitchers
A save is a statistic credited to a relief pitcher, as set forth in this Rule 10.19.
The official scorer shall credit a pitcher with a save when such pitcher meets all four of the following conditions:
(a) He is the finishing pitcher in a game won by his team;
(b) He is not the winning pitcher;
(c) He is credited with at least a third of an inning pitched; and
(d) He satisfies one of the following conditions:
(1) He enters the game with a lead of no more than three runs and pitches for at least one inning;
(2) He enters the game, regardless of the count, with the potential tying run either on base, or at bat or on deck (that is, the potential tying run is either already on base or is one of the first two batters he faces); or
(3) He pitches for at least three innings.

Wilson’s bumbling effort in the Giants’ 5-4 win over the Marlins on July 6, is a prime example of why save totals don’t adequately speak to a closer’s ability.

Wilson entered the game (ninth inning) with a 5-2 lead, which satisfied part one of the aforementioned criteria needed for a save. Without going into the pitch-by-pitch detail, Wilson surrenders the follows stat line:

IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
1.0 3 2 2 1 0 0 3.79

After that stellar performance (all sarcasm intended), guess what Wilson was rewarded with? That’s right, a save.

What Giants fans should be concerned with is not save totals, but a relief pitcher’s effectiveness. Or more to the point, when the game is on the line, do you have a pitcher who can be trusted to get three outs; a pitcher whose overwhelming stuff can overpower an opposing team’s lineup; a pitcher who doesn’t hurt himself (and by extension his team) by putting men on base and into scoring position.

I don’t believe the Giants have that type of reliever in Wilson.

Now, that isn’t to say Wilson has not had runs of dominance. The fact is he has.

The problem is that he’s so insanely inconsistent. As a reliever, what good are you if you can’t be trusted to put the nail in the coffin on a consistent basis?

Baseball is a game that heavily favors the pitcher. Even the game’s best hitters typically fail seven out of 10 plate appearances. An average major league pitcher should be able to shutdown an opposing team for one inning.

Don’t believe me?

Brad Hennessey, who’s not even on a major league roster currently, saved 19 games (in 24 opportunities) for the Giants in 2007. Matt Herges saved 23 games (in 31 opportunities) for the Giants in 2004.

Are they not pitchers that Wilson is? Take a look at Hennessey's numbers with the Giants in 2007 and see if you still believe that.

W L ERA G SV SVO IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG. WHIP
4 5 3.42 69 19 24 68.1 66 26 26 7 23 40 .257 1.30

Wilson’s Problems

Let’s first look at some of his vital numbers for this season (as of 7/6):

22 saves (26 SVO)
3.79 ERA
16 ER (18 total runs allowed)
1.29 WHIP
15 BB/42 SO
38 IP
34 H

Remove the 22 saves and those look like pretty decent numbers for a starting pitcher. However, when you realize these are numbers from a pitcher that is typically asked to just get three outs an outing you see how inept Wilson really has been.

It’s not an aberration either. Wilson’s numbers last year were just as mediocre (4.62 ERA, 41 saves/47 opportunities, 1.44 WHIP).

This season he’s blown four games for the Giants. Think about it, those games would do a world of difference in the standings if the team had those wins back.

Wilson’s problems stem from essentially two issues.

One, despite what Krukow may tell you on the broadcasts, Wilson throws effectively one pitch, the fastball (a four-seamer I believe). He throws it typically around 96 to 100 mph. That’s heat any way you slice it. However, the reality is major league hitters can hit 100 mph fastballs. Without legitimately offering batters other pitches, hitters sit back on Wilson’s fastball and as the numbers have shown, knock it.

The second issue is he lacks consistent control of that fastball, let alone his other pitches. Wilson gives up a lot free bases for being a closer. He sports a career strike out to walk ratio of nearly 2:1, which is atrocious for a reliever.

Most troubling, though, is his approach to the game. During one of his weekly shows on KNBR, Ralph Barbieri asked him if he watches or studies tape on opposing team’s hitters. Wilson responded in cocksure manner, “no.” He alluded to the fact he just goes out there and makes his pitches regardless of who the batter is.

Recently, in MLB.com beat writer Chris Haft’s blog (http://chrishaft.mlblogs.com/), Wilson offers the following gem while lauding Mariano Rivera:

Giants closer Brian Wilson, who has listened ad nauseum to coaches and managers telling him that he must mix up his pitches more, seized upon Mariano Rivera's milestone 500th save as an example of a pitcher who excels without variety.

“The guy's gone after hitters with one pitch his whole career," Wilson said, referring to Rivera's cut fastball. "Pitching coaches always harp on getting a third pitch, a fourth pitch, and he has always been the case where I'd say, 'Well, Mariano's got one pitch, so'"—and then dot, dot, dot.

"It's such a good pitch that it's really four different types of pitches. He can throw it front door to a righty, back door to a lefty, he can throw it to the other side of the plate and he can throw it down. Maybe that's all you need. His plate zone because of that pitch is expanded."

Here’s the problem Brian, you’re not Rivera and you certainly don’t have his “one pitch.”

I’m calling it early folks, if it comes down to crunch-time for the division or the wildcard spot, I really believe Wilson is going to play a major role in determining our fate, and I don’t think it’s going to be positive.

I’m passionate about this topic because I feel like Krukow and company have Giants fans hoodwinked into believing Wilson is something he’s not—a great reliever.

I’m open to discussing any statistics on the issue.

Your thoughts?

Five Cowboys that Will Step Up their Game

Phillip Brennan — Fri, 22 May 2009 17:16:04 -0400

Going into 2009, the Cowboys will be looking for contributions from the usual suspects: Tony Romo, Marion Barber, DeMarcus Ware and company. In an effort to get younger (and generally cheaper) players on the field, the Cowboys have cut loose some talented veterans who appear to be on the downward trend of their careers. Players such as Roy Williams (the safety), Tank Johnson, Anthony Henry, Brad Johnson, Zach Thomas and of course Terrell Owens have all been given the boot, as the Cowboys will focus on getting younger alternatives to fill the voids. The term “progress stoppers” has been bantered about a lot this offseason. General manager Jerry Jones seems serious about giving young players more opportunity to compete for playing time and produce. Even team leader Greg Ellis has been recently rumored in trade talks. Anthony Spencer was the team’s first round pick in 2007, and will now be given every opportunity to prove his draft status worthy. Spencer won’t be alone. These five young veterans will look to step their game up and become productive players in their respective roles for the 2009 season. For the Cowboys to make a serious playoff run, it’s paramount that these players develop into solid if not spectacular contributors.

Begin Slideshow

San Francisco Giants: Do Alderson and Bumgarner Mean "See Ya" for Sanchez?

Phillip Brennan — Thu, 21 May 2009 15:52:26 -0400

One thing that could be said about the Giants and in particular, Brian Sabean, is that they value pitching.

Perhaps too much.

Whether it be their approach to drafting, consistently using their top picks on pitching prospects over position players, valuing pitching in free agency over much needed hitting, or a reluctance to trade their only commodity (pitchers) for bats, the Giants have a clear and somewhat dogmatic philosophy towards building a competitive team.

This off season, I was astounded when I heard that southpaw, Jonathan Sanchez, was off the table as trade bait when the Giants sought to acquire a bat via a trade. It's apparent to me that Sabean and the Giants haven't grasped the concept of having to move what you got to get what you want.

I could envision Sabean sitting at his desk and defensively hording bobbleheads of all the top Giant pitching prospects in his arms, as he mans the phones.

They rank second to last in the majors in runs scored and team slugging, and dead last in homeruns and RBI. Let me state the obvious: the Giants are anemic on offense.

Sabean has to wake up.

The reality is even as the season progresses, the Giants bats are not going to improve dramatically. The everyday lineup simply doesn't have enough talented hitters, point blank.

To make matters worse, outside of Buster Posey, who still might be at least a year or two away, the Giants have no sure-fire hitters looming in the minors. Infielders Nick Noonan and Brandon Crawford might excite the Giants' hardcore fans, but they aren't on the radar of most scouts' Top 100 rankings, nor are they even on the horizon of seeing a major league field anytime soon.

Here's what we do have: Tim Alderson and Madison Bumgarner. Both pitchers received a promotion to Double-A Connecticut in early May this year.

Neither pitcher has seen a lapse in dominance at the level. As of May 21, listed is a breakdown of their stats for the Connecticut Defenders:

Tim Alderson

Team	League	W	L	ERA	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	GO/AO	AVG
CON	EAS	2	0	1.93	3	3	0	0	0	14.0	11	3	3	0	1	18	2.00	.212

Madison Bumgarner

Team	League	W	L	ERA	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	GO/AO	AVG
CON	EAS	2	0	0.75	2	1	0	0	0	12.0	8	1	1	0	3	11	0.57	.200

Does their current success promise to carry onto the majors? No. However, all signs internally and externally from scouts point to both prospects having bright futures with the major league ball club.

What does this have to do with Sanchez?

In short, everything. The emergence of these two pitchers makes holding on to a perceived commodity like Sanchez a luxury.

I've never been sold completely on Sanchez; he's far too erratic, throws too many pitches (a la Matt Cain), and when his arm slot on his delivery is off, all hell can break loose. Let's remember he's no spring chicken, either, as he turns 27 years old this November.

Much in the same way Fred Lewis is an older prospect, Sanchez's chances for refining his game may only be incremental at this point. To me, he's always going to be the guy that has three bad starts and then dazzles you in his next one.

The Giants should strike while the iron's hot with Sanchez, particularly after he's come off a solid performance against the Padres (6.0 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 5 SO).

Sabean has to be able to read the tea leaves. This team's pitching can't keep picking up an impotent hitting squad.

Message to Sabean: Deal him.

Kornheiser's Reason for Leaving Isn't Flying

Phillip Brennan — Mon, 18 May 2009 20:50:21 -0400

Whether they believed in a God or not, for the past three seasons the prayers offered up by thousands, maybe millions, of NFL football fans has now been answered.

Tony Kornheiser is leaving the set of Monday Night Football (MNF).

Can I get a hallelujah?

Officially, Kornheiser's stated reason for leaving is due to aviatophobia, a phobia more commonly known as the fear of flying. With heavy travel scheduled for the 2009 season, Kornheiser apparently felt it was too much to handle.

Let's be honest though, it was likely ESPN's decision, not Kornheiser's, that sent him packing. ESPN threw Kornheiser a bone. It's what is known in the business world as a professional courtesy. ESPN gained nothing by outright firing Kornheiser, the chemistry just wasn't there. Even a casual viewer of MNF knew that Kornheiser just didn't comport with his broadcasting mates, Mike Tirico and Ron Jaworski.

Gone now are Kornheiser's pretencious and long-winded soliliques that were burdensome on viewers' ears. Why ESPN ever thought his pregame pontifications were some sort of television gold was beyond me.

On a side note, viewers will also be thanking ESPN for sparing their eyes from perhaps the worst comb-over job in existence. Seriously, Kornheiser's attempt to fool us with that thing is an insight into the psychosis of those suffering from male pattern baldness.

ESPN plans to inject a bit more football acumen by adding former Super Bowl winning head coach, Jon Gruden, to the mix. Gruden has a surly, yet friendly disposition that is sure to appeal to a more traditional football watching audience, and instantly raises the football IQ on the set.

As far as I'm concerned, it's two down (Bryant Gumbel, Tony Kornheiser) and three to go: Warren Sapp (NFLN), Derrick Deese (Fox Sports Radio) and Joe Buck (Fox Sports).

The Dallas Cowboys: At Long Last, Stanback.

Phillip Brennan — Fri, 15 May 2009 21:02:39 -0400

For even the most diehard of Dallas Cowboy fans, the name Isaiah Stanback is still a bit of a mystery.

What is known of Stanback is that he played in the Pac-10 conference as a QB for the Washington Huskies. He's got a cannon of a throwing arm, speed, quick feet, a certain "it" factor, and is dripping with potential.

However, in the two seasons since being selected as the 103rd player overall in the 2007 draft, fans have yet to see more than just a few glimpses of production over promise.

Injury has played a large role in keeping Stanback off the field. His rookie year amounted to a red shirt season, as a lingering foot injury (Lisfranc) kept him from challenging for playing time.

In 2008, the injury bug continued to plague Stanback as he suffered a chronically dislocated shoulder that kept him from seeing the playing field on a regular basis.

Tom Landry was known for his "three year" player evaluation rule, which essentially said that if a player hasn't shown you anything by year three, it's probably not going happen.

Jerry and company will be hoping Stanback shows significant improvement, as he enters into his third season with the Cowboys.

A faint endorsement of Stanback could be inferred by the fact that Dallas decided to go against conventional wisdom and opted not to draft a wide receiver high. They did, in fact, draft a wide receiver when they selected Oklahoma's Manuel Johnson with the their last pick in the seventh round. But Johnson is hardly expected to come in and take a receiving spot from the incumbents.

Stanback's time is now.

He's a tremendous physical specimen, standing at 6'2", 210 lbs of lean muscle. What intrigued Cowboys' GM Jerry Jones and director of scouting, Tom Ciskowski, the most though, was what Stanback could do with the ball once it was in his hands.

Stanback possesses fluid hips which allow him to change direction without losing much speed. It's that speed which is Stanback's game.

His rather pedestrian forty time (4.6) prior to the draft might fool some who just take a cursory look at scouting reports. Stanback was still in the early stages of recovering from his foot surgery, when he decided to run for scouts. Those in the know will refer you to his game tapes as a Huskie when he was deftly dodging and running past would-be tacklers as a QB.

Without stating the obvious, his development and performance in this upcoming training camp will be crucial to his future with the Cowboys.

The Cowboys will be looking for him to put his considerable talents into a useful package that can contribute on the field this season.

All Hat, No Cowboy: Another Brian Wilson Debacle Stifles the Giants

Phillip Brennan — Fri, 15 May 2009 13:57:44 -0400

What are the prerequisites needed to be a major league closer?

Imposing on-the-field demeanor. Check.

Uniquely wild-looking haircut. Check.

Tattoo sleeves. Check.

Personal introduction music. Check.

Blindingly fast heater. Check.

Ability to consistently mow down the opposing team's lineup and preserve the victory.

Fail.

Coming off yet another game that has blown up in his face, Giants closer Brian Wilson has again seemingly snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.

Wilson has shown the ability to look the part, but he simply doesn't deliver the goods.

Yes, in this last effort with the score tied 4-4 going into the top of the ninth, Wilson wasn't in a save situation, but he was out there to preserve the tie and allow the Giants' bats an opportunity to scratch out another run for the win.

Instead, as Giants fans are growing accustomed to, Wilson came in against the Mets on Thursday night and fell apart like a towering game of Jenga.

His stat line for the game: 1 IP, 3 hits, 3 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO.

Lest you think last night's game was an aberration, Wilson's last 10 games (10.4 innings) pitched have yielded 8 ER, 11 hits, 2 HR, 4 BB, 11 SO, 1 Win, 1 Loss, 6 Sv, and 2 BlSv.

His performance this season is just an extension from his second half last season. In the final month of the season, Wilson managed to blow three out of eight save opportunities, sporting an 8.64 ERA, while giving up 14 hits, 8 ER, 8 BB, and 3 HR in just 8.1 IP.

His ineptitude on the mound has Giants fans reminiscing about Armando Benitez sans the childish attitude and disdain for accountability.

The Giants are handcuffed by Wilson, as they have no real alternatives for a closer. Perhaps once off the disabled list the Giants might consider Sergio Romo as an option. Romo showed a lot of promise last season as a reliever, striking out 33 batters while walking only eight in 34 innings and garnering five holds.

Romo is trying to get himself off the 15-day DL with a strained throwing elbow.

Unfortunately for Giants fans, they will have to continue to wince in anticipation of the worst when Wilson steps to the mound.

Salvaging The Cowboys 2006 Draft

Phillip Brennan — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 15:54:28 -0500

Seems like a foreign concept to think Bobby Carpenter may play a major role in deciding anything as it relates to football. However, the former first round Ohio State linebacker will be entering into his fourth year and could play a key factor in salvaging the Cowboys' bleak 2006 draft class.

After three straight nondescript years of preseason games and a smattering of regular season appearances, it’s apparent that Carpenter lacks instincts and arguably more important, the aggression to be a successful linebacker in the league.

As so infamously highlighted on HBO's Hard Knocks this season, his teammates and in particular the offensive line, don't have much respect for Carpenter's finessed game.

Some fans have argued that he hasn't been given a solid role, nor a legitimate opportunity to show his worth on the field. The obvious counter-point to that is that he simply has to show something to get on the field. Cowboy owner, Jerry Jones, has said as much during Carpenter's rookie season.

It remains to be seen if the Cowboys decide to retain the services of Carpenter. He's been rumored to be trade bait for the past two seasons with an obvious connection to the Miami Dolphins, where at least the team's executive vice president, Bill Parcells, the man who originally drafted Carpenter found Carpenter, might find him redeemable.

Any scenario involving Carpenter riding the bench or playing for another team would put the final nail in the coffin for the Cowboys' 2006 draft.

1st rnd. Bob Carpenter (Has made no impact as a linebacker; little more than a special teams contributor at this point.)

2nd rnd. Anthony Fasano (Middle-tier talent taken at least a round too early; now with the Dolphins)

3rd rnd. Jason Hatcher (Part-time contributor in pass-rush role, run defense leaves something to be desired; an improving player)

4th rnd. Skyler Green (Last time I checked he was with the Bengals)

5th rnd. Pat Watkins (Solid special teams player, but has yet to prove he can stay healthy or contribute with the regular defense)

6th rnd. Montavious Stanley (He’s on his 3rd or 4th team now; camp body)

7th rnd. Pat McQuistan (Really an unknown at this point; Parcells seemed to like the player, but a make or break season for him as well)

7th rnd. E.J. Whitley (Released after one season; suffered a knee injury and has yet to step on to an NFL field.)