| This site created and maintained by Jeremy Dunklin. cowboy-fan.com is in no way affiliated with the NFL or the Dallas Cowboys. All material on this site is copyrighted 2007 cowboys-fan.com |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  |
Latest News
Breakin' Down the Roster: Defensive Line
The defensive line is perhaps the most overlooked squad on the
roster in terms of importance. If the 2007 Dallas Cowboys are
going to have an elite defense, their defensive line play has to
improve.
The man that sits firmly in the middle of this three man line is Jason
Ferguson. He was one of if not the best player on defense for us
last season. He clogged the middle like he was supposed to, but
he also made his share of big plays in the run game. Look for him
to have an even better year this season with a defense that fits his
style better. Parcells's prototypical nose tackle would be Casey
Hampton or Ted Washington. He just needed a big, stout guy to
clog the middle. The guy doesn't need to be athletic at all. He will
never be asked to rush the passer.
Jason Ferguson doesn't fit this mold. Really and truly, he is a
better fit in a 4-3 because he is one of those guys that can stop
the run, but he can also collapse the pocket. He had a few pretty
productive seasons as a pass rusher in New York. Wade Phillips's
defense will allow Ferguson to rush the passer a little more. Wade
had Jamaal Williams in San Diego. He is perhaps the best nose
tackle in football. He flourished under Phillips because he was
able to make plays in his scheme. Williams is 6'5 350, but make no
mistake about it, he isn't just a plugger like Ted Washington who
has a similar height and weight. Williams best attribute is his ability
to disrupt the opposing offense. In this way I think he compares to
Jason Ferguson. Although much different in stature, these guys
actually mirror each other in a lot of ways. These two guys are
probably the two most athletic guys out of the cream of the nose
tackle crop. Hopefully Ferguson will excel in Phillips's scheme like
Williams did.
The depth at nose tackle is worrisome, but not as bad when you
put it in context. The only 3-4 team I see with a legitimate backup
is Pittsburgh with Chris Hoke. I'd probably take Jay Ratliff over the
rest of the backups. My only hope for this spot is that either Mt.
Stanley or Dagundro can step up and play good enough to make
this team. We need to keep three nose tackles, but like I said you
don't keep a player at a position just because most teams keep a
certain number at that position. The last 8 to 10 spots on your
roster should be reserved for the best players regardless of
position.
Defensive end is where the play really needs to improve. Chris
Canty and Marcus Spears have to step up and play better. I've
come to the realization either guy will ever be a star, but the should
be able to develop into quality starters. C'mon Marcus, we will
probably always wish we hadn't taken you, but at least show us
that it wasn't a complete waste of a first round pick.
The depth at end is nearly as shallow. Jason Hatcher will be a
solid backup that will contribute regularly on the nickel. After him,
its anybody's guess. I suspect Stephen Bowen will make the team
this season. If he was good enough to crack last year's roster in
December, why can't he make it this year with less competition (no
Coleman). Again, Bowen may not be a good player, but I bet he is
good enough to make this team. Also watch out for rookie free
agent Marcus Smith. He is raw, but he has a lot of upside.
Overall, I would say our talent as a whole on the defensive line is
average. If we can get an good performance out of this bunch next
season we should have a pretty good defense. Hopefully Phillips
can coax a few sacks out of Canty and Spears and the young guys
can step up and provide solid depth.
The defensive line is perhaps the most overlooked squad on the
roster in terms of importance. If the 2007 Dallas Cowboys are
going to have an elite defense, their defensive line play has to
improve.
The man that sits firmly in the middle of this three man line is Jason
Ferguson. He was one of if not the best player on defense for us
last season. He clogged the middle like he was supposed to, but
he also made his share of big plays in the run game. Look for him
to have an even better year this season with a defense that fits his
style better. Parcells's prototypical nose tackle would be Casey
Hampton or Ted Washington. He just needed a big, stout guy to
clog the middle. The guy doesn't need to be athletic at all. He will
never be asked to rush the passer.
Jason Ferguson doesn't fit this mold. Really and truly, he is a
better fit in a 4-3 because he is one of those guys that can stop
the run, but he can also collapse the pocket. He had a few pretty
productive seasons as a pass rusher in New York. Wade Phillips's
defense will allow Ferguson to rush the passer a little more. Wade
had Jamaal Williams in San Diego. He is perhaps the best nose
tackle in football. He flourished under Phillips because he was
able to make plays in his scheme. Williams is 6'5 350, but make no
mistake about it, he isn't just a plugger like Ted Washington who
has a similar height and weight. Williams best attribute is his ability
to disrupt the opposing offense. In this way I think he compares to
Jason Ferguson. Although much different in stature, these guys
actually mirror each other in a lot of ways. These two guys are
probably the two most athletic guys out of the cream of the nose
tackle crop. Hopefully Ferguson will excel in Phillips's scheme like
Williams did.
The depth at nose tackle is worrisome, but not as bad when you
put it in context. The only 3-4 team I see with a legitimate backup
is Pittsburgh with Chris Hoke. I'd probably take Jay Ratliff over the
rest of the backups. My only hope for this spot is that either Mt.
Stanley or Dagundro can step up and play good enough to make
this team. We need to keep three nose tackles, but like I said you
don't keep a player at a position just because most teams keep a
certain number at that position. The last 8 to 10 spots on your
roster should be reserved for the best players regardless of
position.
Defensive end is where the play really needs to improve. Chris
Canty and Marcus Spears have to step up and play better. I've
come to the realization either guy will ever be a star, but the should
be able to develop into quality starters. C'mon Marcus, we will
probably always wish we hadn't taken you, but at least show us
that it wasn't a complete waste of a first round pick.
The depth at end is nearly as shallow. Jason Hatcher will be a
solid backup that will contribute regularly on the nickel. After him,
its anybody's guess. I suspect Stephen Bowen will make the team
this season. If he was good enough to crack last year's roster in
December, why can't he make it this year with less competition (no
Coleman). Again, Bowen may not be a good player, but I bet he is
good enough to make this team. Also watch out for rookie free
agent Marcus Smith. He is raw, but he has a lot of upside.
Overall, I would say our talent as a whole on the defensive line is
average. If we can get an good performance out of this bunch next
season we should have a pretty good defense. Hopefully Phillips
can coax a few sacks out of Canty and Spears and the young guys
can step up and provide solid depth.
WHO IS THE BEAST OF THE EAST?
By Larry Petton
The dog days of summer are here. Training camps are about to
open. The 2008 season will be here in two months. Bring it on....I
am really tired of NFL Europa!
Can the Cowboys get back to the Big Dance in 2008? Can they
break the decade-long drought of non-playoff years?
I always appreciated the basic approach of Tom Landry who, when
asked about the prospects for the upcoming season, would always
begin with this pithy point: “First of all, you have to get out of your
division, which happens to be one of the toughest in the NFL.” Get
out of the division…..imagine that. We haven’t done that
in……well, you know the quote. Don’t remind me. I am working on
anger management.
How will the ‘Boys do with the other beasts of the East? Let’s break
it down:
NEW YORK GIANTS – This team was tough to beat when Tiki was
having one of his days. Unfortunately, Eli had a lot of his days,
also. Eli’s luck will continue in the new season, but Tiki won’t be
around to cover him, except as a tv reporter. New York will have to
have a banner season out of Manning to stay up with Dallas and
the E-gals. It won’t happen. New York will struggle all season long
and finish at 7-9. Goodbye, Tom Coughlin. You’re too mean to be
a coach. You might want to consider anger management courses
yourself!
WASHINGTON REDSKINS – There is a lot of talk out of D.C. about
how they now have two Pro-Bowlers in the defensive secondary
with the rookie LaRon Landry (nice last name) and Sean what’s-his-
Miami-face. They are fast and athletic, but they will need that and
more to stay up with the receivers when the quarterback will have
all day to pick apart the Redskins’ defense. The Skins have one of
the worst pass rushes in the NFL and they did very little to improve
that during the off-season. Jason Campbell, second-year qb from
Auburn , will have to grow up this year. But this isn’t the SEC and
that means very few Skin wins. It could be a long year for Joe who
may want to jolt back to NASCAR after the Bad Guys play Dallas in
December. I’m going to go out on a limb and give them 5 wins.
Dan Snyder, consider some leadership training courses.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES – Big Mac is back and Donte is gone.
Andy Reid is still around to hold things together. The defense is as
aggressive as ever, but the receivers are green and need to grow
up quickly. Takeo Spikes could not get Buffalo to help pay his
“Bills”, so he now lines up with the Iggles defense. Jeff Garcia, last
year’s savior, is gone but Kelly Holcomb is there in his place (bad
trade-off). If Donavan stays healthy, Philly can be as tough as
anybody in the league with Brian Westbrook around. The
diminutive RB had a career year in ’07 with 1217 yards on the
ground. The E-gulls also have one of the weakest schedules in the
NFL and could possibly be 7-0 when they get Dallas at home on
November 4. The Birds will fly high and deep into the playoffs, but
will not make it to the championship finale. They will tie Dallas for
the division on the strength of a weak schedule, but the Cowboys
will win the tie-breakers.
DALLAS COWBOYS - The league office has handed the Cowboys
another difficult schedule filled with 7 nationally-televised games.
Don’t ever forget that the Blue and Silver team from Dallas is still
America ’s favorite football franchise. However, the Cowboys could
be 3 games behind Philly after November 4 if they don’t start out of
the gate with a fast pace. They will. Wade Phillips is bringing back
the “D” in Doomsday and offensive guru, Jason Garrett, is itching
to strut his stuff. The Cowboys have to curb the turnovers at qb,
ignite their new defense, get consistency in their kicking game and
play with an aggressive, new attitude. They will. The pressure of
not having Roasted Tuna after every single mishap on the field will
be very healthy for this talented team. They will come together and
become the BEAST OF THE EAST again. Dallas wins the division
crown and goes on to play in the NFC Championship game.
But wait a minute…don’t get too excited. Remember these familiar
stats:
Shut Up!
Written by Larry Petton from Springdale, Arkansas. If you have
any comments, please send them to lpetton@hotmail.com.
By Larry Petton
The dog days of summer are here. Training camps are about to
open. The 2008 season will be here in two months. Bring it on....I
am really tired of NFL Europa!
Can the Cowboys get back to the Big Dance in 2008? Can they
break the decade-long drought of non-playoff years?
I always appreciated the basic approach of Tom Landry who, when
asked about the prospects for the upcoming season, would always
begin with this pithy point: “First of all, you have to get out of your
division, which happens to be one of the toughest in the NFL.” Get
out of the division…..imagine that. We haven’t done that
in……well, you know the quote. Don’t remind me. I am working on
anger management.
How will the ‘Boys do with the other beasts of the East? Let’s break
it down:
NEW YORK GIANTS – This team was tough to beat when Tiki was
having one of his days. Unfortunately, Eli had a lot of his days,
also. Eli’s luck will continue in the new season, but Tiki won’t be
around to cover him, except as a tv reporter. New York will have to
have a banner season out of Manning to stay up with Dallas and
the E-gals. It won’t happen. New York will struggle all season long
and finish at 7-9. Goodbye, Tom Coughlin. You’re too mean to be
a coach. You might want to consider anger management courses
yourself!
WASHINGTON REDSKINS – There is a lot of talk out of D.C. about
how they now have two Pro-Bowlers in the defensive secondary
with the rookie LaRon Landry (nice last name) and Sean what’s-his-
Miami-face. They are fast and athletic, but they will need that and
more to stay up with the receivers when the quarterback will have
all day to pick apart the Redskins’ defense. The Skins have one of
the worst pass rushes in the NFL and they did very little to improve
that during the off-season. Jason Campbell, second-year qb from
Auburn , will have to grow up this year. But this isn’t the SEC and
that means very few Skin wins. It could be a long year for Joe who
may want to jolt back to NASCAR after the Bad Guys play Dallas in
December. I’m going to go out on a limb and give them 5 wins.
Dan Snyder, consider some leadership training courses.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES – Big Mac is back and Donte is gone.
Andy Reid is still around to hold things together. The defense is as
aggressive as ever, but the receivers are green and need to grow
up quickly. Takeo Spikes could not get Buffalo to help pay his
“Bills”, so he now lines up with the Iggles defense. Jeff Garcia, last
year’s savior, is gone but Kelly Holcomb is there in his place (bad
trade-off). If Donavan stays healthy, Philly can be as tough as
anybody in the league with Brian Westbrook around. The
diminutive RB had a career year in ’07 with 1217 yards on the
ground. The E-gulls also have one of the weakest schedules in the
NFL and could possibly be 7-0 when they get Dallas at home on
November 4. The Birds will fly high and deep into the playoffs, but
will not make it to the championship finale. They will tie Dallas for
the division on the strength of a weak schedule, but the Cowboys
will win the tie-breakers.
DALLAS COWBOYS - The league office has handed the Cowboys
another difficult schedule filled with 7 nationally-televised games.
Don’t ever forget that the Blue and Silver team from Dallas is still
America ’s favorite football franchise. However, the Cowboys could
be 3 games behind Philly after November 4 if they don’t start out of
the gate with a fast pace. They will. Wade Phillips is bringing back
the “D” in Doomsday and offensive guru, Jason Garrett, is itching
to strut his stuff. The Cowboys have to curb the turnovers at qb,
ignite their new defense, get consistency in their kicking game and
play with an aggressive, new attitude. They will. The pressure of
not having Roasted Tuna after every single mishap on the field will
be very healthy for this talented team. They will come together and
become the BEAST OF THE EAST again. Dallas wins the division
crown and goes on to play in the NFC Championship game.
But wait a minute…don’t get too excited. Remember these familiar
stats:
- The Cowboys have not won a divisional title since 1998.
- The Cowboys have not won a playoff game since 1996.
- The Cowboys have not won a Super Bowl since 1996.
Shut Up!
Written by Larry Petton from Springdale, Arkansas. If you have
any comments, please send them to lpetton@hotmail.com.
2007 SCHEDULE
PRE-SEASON
Thu Aug 9 INDIANAPOLIS
(FOX) 7:00 pm
Sat Aug 18 DENVER (BSM)
7:00 pm
Sat Aug 25 @ Houston
(BSM) 7:00 pm
Thu Aug 30 @ Minnesota
(BSM) 7:00 pm
REGULAR SEASON
1. Sun, Sept. 9 NY GIANTS
(NBC) 7:15 pm
2. Sun, Sept. 16 @ Miami
(FOX) 3:05 pm
3. Sun, Sept. 23 @
Chicago (NBC) 7:15 pm
4. Sun, Sept. 30 ST. LOUIS
(FOX) Noon
5. Mon, Oct. 8 @ Buffalo
(ESPN) 7:30 pm
6. Sun, Oct. 14 NEW
ENGLAND (CBS) 3:15 pm
7. Sun, Oct. 21
MINNESOTA (FOX) Noon
8. Sun, Oct. 28 BYE WEEK
9. Sun, Nov 4 @
Philadelphia (NBC) 7:15
pm
10. Sun, Nov. 11 @ NY
Giants (FOX) 3:15 pm
11. Sun, Nov. 18
WASHINGTON (FOX) Noon
12. Thu, Nov. 22 NY JETS
(CBS) 3:15 pm
13. Thu, Nov. 29 GREEN
BAY (NFL) 7:15 pm
14. Sun, Dec. 9 @ Detroit
(FOX) Noon
15. Sun, Dec. 16 PHILLY
(FOX) 3:15 pm
16. Sat, Dec. 22 @
Carolina (NFL) 7:15 pm
17. Sun, Dec. 30 @
Washington (FOX) Noon
PRE-SEASON
Thu Aug 9 INDIANAPOLIS
(FOX) 7:00 pm
Sat Aug 18 DENVER (BSM)
7:00 pm
Sat Aug 25 @ Houston
(BSM) 7:00 pm
Thu Aug 30 @ Minnesota
(BSM) 7:00 pm
REGULAR SEASON
1. Sun, Sept. 9 NY GIANTS
(NBC) 7:15 pm
2. Sun, Sept. 16 @ Miami
(FOX) 3:05 pm
3. Sun, Sept. 23 @
Chicago (NBC) 7:15 pm
4. Sun, Sept. 30 ST. LOUIS
(FOX) Noon
5. Mon, Oct. 8 @ Buffalo
(ESPN) 7:30 pm
6. Sun, Oct. 14 NEW
ENGLAND (CBS) 3:15 pm
7. Sun, Oct. 21
MINNESOTA (FOX) Noon
8. Sun, Oct. 28 BYE WEEK
9. Sun, Nov 4 @
Philadelphia (NBC) 7:15
pm
10. Sun, Nov. 11 @ NY
Giants (FOX) 3:15 pm
11. Sun, Nov. 18
WASHINGTON (FOX) Noon
12. Thu, Nov. 22 NY JETS
(CBS) 3:15 pm
13. Thu, Nov. 29 GREEN
BAY (NFL) 7:15 pm
14. Sun, Dec. 9 @ Detroit
(FOX) Noon
15. Sun, Dec. 16 PHILLY
(FOX) 3:15 pm
16. Sat, Dec. 22 @
Carolina (NFL) 7:15 pm
17. Sun, Dec. 30 @
Washington (FOX) Noon
| Cowboy's Trivia Question of the Week! Who holds the Cowboys' single season passing yardage record? Last Week's Answer: Purdue |