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Latest News
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 |
Is a Lighter D a Better D?
I was bored a few days back and looked at the Cowboys depth
chart on Sportsline like I usually do time to time. I was shocked
when I noticed how light all the players on defense were. No I've
been hearing all off-season about how guys like Bradie James and
Roy Williams played 10 to 15 pounds heavier than their listed
weights. They numbers I'm about to show you are the differences
in the actual listed weights from the two seasons which means the
difference in what they actually play at between last season and this
season is probably even larger.
Bradie James - 250 to 239
Akin Ayodele - 250 to 240
Bobby Carpenter - 257 to 248
Kevin Burnett - 240 to 227
Greg Ellis - 270 to 265
DeMarcus Ware - 257 to 252
Roy Williams - 229 to 225
Terence Newman - 195 to 181
Jay Ratliff - 305 to 298
Now I don't know what to make of Newman's weight, but the other
weights give me some hope that this defense won't look as sluggish
as they did last season. Parcells had the right guys to play his
rock'em sock'em scheme, but the lack of speed particularly with our
linebackers was easily apparent last season. Watching Ayodele or
James in open space made me cringe. Bradie James at full speed
last season wasn't even fast enough to call it running. He looked
like an undersized center trying to chase after a tight end or
running back in pass coverage and it was ugly.
Don't give me wrong, James and Ayodele aren't suddenly going to
morph into Dexter Coakley and Dat Nguyen, but the lighter weight
can only help them. They will still be physical linebackers whose
strong suit is taking on blockers and stuffing the run, but this will
make them a little more well-rounded which is needed in this day of
age. You need linebackers that are capable of shadowing tight
ends and running backs for short periods regardless of what
scheme you play.
Ware and Ellis's weight losses weren't dramatic, but imagine
DeMarcus Ware being even a wee bit faster. Ellis won't be any
more athletic then he was because the Achilles injury will hinder his
mobility assuming he even plays this season.
I didn't really think Burnett needed to loose any weight, but he
should just be that much faster which is good because his only real
role in this defense is that of nickel linebacker. Phillips could
envision him as the Dallas version of Donnie Edwards in the coming
seasons though. Carpenter's weight loss doesn't really effect
anything because his main problem is shedding blocks and the only
thing that will help that is technique and strength.
Roy has needed to lose weight for awhile now. When you are
getting paid as much as he is you should be in shape. I don't fault
him for not being great in coverage because of his somewhat
limited skill set in that area. He doesn't have the athleticism most
smaller safeties do. Still though, he shouldn't have a gut when he is
playing safety. The least he can do is get as light as possible so he
can be the best in coverage that he possibly can be.
Ratliff was the only defensive lineman with any real change in
weight. I would just say that it is an indication that he won't be the
backup nose tackle if at all possible. 305 isn't a natural playing
weight for him, but he needed it playing the nose. He was only
around 290 in college so the lighter weight should make him even
more explosive than he seemed last season.
I was bored a few days back and looked at the Cowboys depth
chart on Sportsline like I usually do time to time. I was shocked
when I noticed how light all the players on defense were. No I've
been hearing all off-season about how guys like Bradie James and
Roy Williams played 10 to 15 pounds heavier than their listed
weights. They numbers I'm about to show you are the differences
in the actual listed weights from the two seasons which means the
difference in what they actually play at between last season and this
season is probably even larger.
Bradie James - 250 to 239
Akin Ayodele - 250 to 240
Bobby Carpenter - 257 to 248
Kevin Burnett - 240 to 227
Greg Ellis - 270 to 265
DeMarcus Ware - 257 to 252
Roy Williams - 229 to 225
Terence Newman - 195 to 181
Jay Ratliff - 305 to 298
Now I don't know what to make of Newman's weight, but the other
weights give me some hope that this defense won't look as sluggish
as they did last season. Parcells had the right guys to play his
rock'em sock'em scheme, but the lack of speed particularly with our
linebackers was easily apparent last season. Watching Ayodele or
James in open space made me cringe. Bradie James at full speed
last season wasn't even fast enough to call it running. He looked
like an undersized center trying to chase after a tight end or
running back in pass coverage and it was ugly.
Don't give me wrong, James and Ayodele aren't suddenly going to
morph into Dexter Coakley and Dat Nguyen, but the lighter weight
can only help them. They will still be physical linebackers whose
strong suit is taking on blockers and stuffing the run, but this will
make them a little more well-rounded which is needed in this day of
age. You need linebackers that are capable of shadowing tight
ends and running backs for short periods regardless of what
scheme you play.
Ware and Ellis's weight losses weren't dramatic, but imagine
DeMarcus Ware being even a wee bit faster. Ellis won't be any
more athletic then he was because the Achilles injury will hinder his
mobility assuming he even plays this season.
I didn't really think Burnett needed to loose any weight, but he
should just be that much faster which is good because his only real
role in this defense is that of nickel linebacker. Phillips could
envision him as the Dallas version of Donnie Edwards in the coming
seasons though. Carpenter's weight loss doesn't really effect
anything because his main problem is shedding blocks and the only
thing that will help that is technique and strength.
Roy has needed to lose weight for awhile now. When you are
getting paid as much as he is you should be in shape. I don't fault
him for not being great in coverage because of his somewhat
limited skill set in that area. He doesn't have the athleticism most
smaller safeties do. Still though, he shouldn't have a gut when he is
playing safety. The least he can do is get as light as possible so he
can be the best in coverage that he possibly can be.
Ratliff was the only defensive lineman with any real change in
weight. I would just say that it is an indication that he won't be the
backup nose tackle if at all possible. 305 isn't a natural playing
weight for him, but he needed it playing the nose. He was only
around 290 in college so the lighter weight should make him even
more explosive than he seemed last season.
Will Greg Ellis Ever Play Again?
I know you've asked yourself this question at some point over the
last few weeks. It isn't something pleasant to think about, but it is
definitely a question worth asking. Will Greg Ellis ever play again?
My answer, I don't know. I can't pretend to know the exact condition
of his leg. The team says he is fine, but Greg is worried. I'm
worried. The guy hasn't practiced in over three weeks. It doesn't
sound like he has made any serious progress over those three
weeks. The clock is ticking. He will have to start practicing before
the team uses a roster spot on him.
You have to question whether he will ever come back. He is coming
back from perhaps the toughest injury in football. He is trying to
play a position that he was just borderline athletic enough to play in
the first place. Even if he comes back chances are he will be a tad
slower and less athletic. That could be a problem when you are
looking at the least athletic linebacker in football. The guy is a
really skilled pass rusher, but you'll never confuse his athleticism
with DeMarcus Ware or even Anthony Spencer.
Ever the optimist, I have believed all spring and summer that our
pass rush problems would be mainly solved by bringing in Wade
Phillips and Anthony Spencer to go along with Ellis's return. I'm
starting to waiver on that a little bit. Ellis's return is in doubt.
Anthony Spencer didn't show much at training camp or in the first
pre-season game. Wade Phillips will help, but he can only do so
much. All this talk from Chris Canty and Marcus Spears is BS.
Good football players are good no matter what scheme they play in.
If Marcus Spears was as talented as his first round billing would
indicate he could be a star at 4-3 DE or just about anywhere you
could put him. Take DeMarcus Ware. He would be a star at 4-3
DE or OLB despite those not being ideal positions because he is
simply a great player. Now Phillips' scheme does seem better
suited to Marcus Spears and I expect to see his play improve a bit,
but he just doesn't have what it takes to play at a high level. As for
Canty, he was ideally suited for Parcells's scheme. He is more of a
physical player which is exactly what Parcells wanted while Spears
is a little more finesse which didn't make him tailor made for his
scheme.
I shudder when I think about the possibilities of our pass rush being
as bad as it was last season. If that is the case our defense won't
be an elite unit, in fact it might not even be a good unit. We aren't
going anywhere without our defense. Our offense should be really
good, but we need a complete team. I sure hope Ellis comes back
healthy. If not, maybe Anthony Spencer or Junior Glymph or
somebody can step up and get a little pressure on the QB opposite
Ware.
I know you've asked yourself this question at some point over the
last few weeks. It isn't something pleasant to think about, but it is
definitely a question worth asking. Will Greg Ellis ever play again?
My answer, I don't know. I can't pretend to know the exact condition
of his leg. The team says he is fine, but Greg is worried. I'm
worried. The guy hasn't practiced in over three weeks. It doesn't
sound like he has made any serious progress over those three
weeks. The clock is ticking. He will have to start practicing before
the team uses a roster spot on him.
You have to question whether he will ever come back. He is coming
back from perhaps the toughest injury in football. He is trying to
play a position that he was just borderline athletic enough to play in
the first place. Even if he comes back chances are he will be a tad
slower and less athletic. That could be a problem when you are
looking at the least athletic linebacker in football. The guy is a
really skilled pass rusher, but you'll never confuse his athleticism
with DeMarcus Ware or even Anthony Spencer.
Ever the optimist, I have believed all spring and summer that our
pass rush problems would be mainly solved by bringing in Wade
Phillips and Anthony Spencer to go along with Ellis's return. I'm
starting to waiver on that a little bit. Ellis's return is in doubt.
Anthony Spencer didn't show much at training camp or in the first
pre-season game. Wade Phillips will help, but he can only do so
much. All this talk from Chris Canty and Marcus Spears is BS.
Good football players are good no matter what scheme they play in.
If Marcus Spears was as talented as his first round billing would
indicate he could be a star at 4-3 DE or just about anywhere you
could put him. Take DeMarcus Ware. He would be a star at 4-3
DE or OLB despite those not being ideal positions because he is
simply a great player. Now Phillips' scheme does seem better
suited to Marcus Spears and I expect to see his play improve a bit,
but he just doesn't have what it takes to play at a high level. As for
Canty, he was ideally suited for Parcells's scheme. He is more of a
physical player which is exactly what Parcells wanted while Spears
is a little more finesse which didn't make him tailor made for his
scheme.
I shudder when I think about the possibilities of our pass rush being
as bad as it was last season. If that is the case our defense won't
be an elite unit, in fact it might not even be a good unit. We aren't
going anywhere without our defense. Our offense should be really
good, but we need a complete team. I sure hope Ellis comes back
healthy. If not, maybe Anthony Spencer or Junior Glymph or
somebody can step up and get a little pressure on the QB opposite
Ware.