May 31, 2009 | Filed Under Radio | Comments Off
The Counselor is IN:
As many readers know, I am a part of the dynamic duo of Internet radio personalities for
Cowboys Pride Radio. This is a sports themed Internet radio show. Next Thursday night at 9:30 CDT, we will be interviewing the beautiful
Grace Espinosa. Grace is a
2009 Hooters Calendar Girl and has been competing in the Hooters Calendar Girl of the Year contest which ends on Sunday. Grace is a huge fan of MMA and the New Orleans Saints.
Please tune into our interview with Grace.
The Counselor is OUT:
May 31, 2009 | Filed Under Cowboys News, Player Info | Comments Off
Same routine here with the Defensive Rankings from Real Scouts that I used with their Offensive Rankings.
They are listing the Top 20 players at each position by the way.
I will list the top 10 and if a Cowboy player is in there I will list what they wrote. If the Cowboys player is out of the top ten you just get his blurb.
Defensive Ends - Read Here.
1. Jared Allen, Vikings. 2. Julius Peppers, Panthers. 3. Dwight Freeney, Colts. 4. Mario Williams, Texans. 5. Richard Seymour, Patriots. 6. Aaron Smith, Steelers. 7. Osi Umenyiora, Giants. 8. Justin Tuck, Giants. 9. Patrick Kerney, Seahawks. 10. Kyle Vanden Bosch, Titans.
11. Igor Olshansky, Cowboys. His move to Dallas reunites him with Wade Phillips, the defensive coordinator during Olshansky's first three years with the Chargers. He knows the 3-4 well, has great strength and has learned to use his hands well and play with leverage.
I wasn't expecting Igor to be in the top ten or anything so I am happy he's getting a nod at #11. And some may be looking for Chris Canty on this list. He is being listed in the DT's and in no way do I think he's a top ten NFL DE. Spears? Not a bit surprised he's not in the top 20 listed by these guys because he doesn't come up with enough big plays.
Defensive Tackles - Read Here.
1. Albert Haynesworth, Redskins. 2. Kevin Williams, Vikings. 3. Vince Wilfork, Patriots. 4. Haloti Ngata, Ravens. 5. Chris Canty, Giants. 6. Shaun Rogers, Browns. 7. Casey Hampton, Steelers. 8. Marcus Stroud, Bills. 9. Luis Castillo, Chargers. 10. Tommie Harris, Bears.
15. Jay Ratliff, Cowboys. Ratliff had a breakout year in 2008, earning Pro Bowl honors for the first time. He was a disruptive pass rusher inside, and despite being relatively light (300 pounds), he has enough strength and lateral mobility to be an effective run-stopper. He's a player on the rise.
Just laugh so you don't scream., lol.
So Real Scouts is telling me Chris Canty, who hasn't even played DT as a starter is better than Jay Ratliff who just had 8 sacks and went to the Pro Bowl while playing NT in a 34 defense?
It's just stupid. It really is and Real Scouts makes themselves look like fools on this one.
Inside Linebackers - Read Here.
1. Brian Urlacher, Bears. 2. Patrick Willis, 49ers. 3. Karlos Dansby, Cardinals. 4. Ray Lewis, Ravens. 5. Jon Beason, Panthers. 6. DeMeco Ryans, Texans. 7. James Farrior, Steelers. 8. E.J. Henderson, Vikings. 9. Barrett Ruud, Buccaneers. 10. Kirk Morrison, Raiders.
Bradie James doesn't even make the top ******* 20 of your Inside Linebackers Real Scouts!!!
Wow. Again, it's just stupid. The guys leads the Cowboys defense in tackles every year and he's coming off a monster year where e also chipped in with 8 sacks. But he doesn't even crack their top 20, lol.
Outside Linebackers - Read Here.
1. DeMarcus Ware, Cowboys. The NFL leader in sacks last season, he made a serious run at Michael Strahan's season record of 22 1/2. Ware is a dominant pass rusher who exhibits remarkable speed and strength.
2. James Harrison, Steelers. 3. Shawne Merriman, Chargers. 4. Terrell Suggs, Ravens. 5. Joey Porter, Dolphins. 6. Adalius Thomas, Patriots. 7. Lance Briggs, Bears. 8. Keith Bulluck, Titans. 9. Julian Peterson, Lions. 10. LaMarr Woodley, Steelers.
I was half expecting them to rank Demarcus Ware at #20. If he wasn't ranked #1 I would started a website to have Real Scouts banned from the internetz.
Corneracks - Read Here.
1. Nnamdi Asomugha, Raiders. 2. Cortland Finnegan, Titans. 3. Champ Bailey, Broncos. 4. Asante Samuel, Eagles. 5. Nate Clements, 49ers. 6. Darrelle Revis, Jets. 7. Antonio Cromartie, Chargers. 8. DeAngelo Hall, Redskins. 9. Antoine Winfield, Vikings. 10. Rashean Mathis, Jaguars.
12. Terence Newman, Cowboys. Newman is explosive and athletic and shows great speed and agility. He can be overaggressive in coverage at times but has been playing with more maturity and better technique recently.
How in the world DeAngelo Hall still gets on these lists is amazing to me. Newman is a top ten CB in the NFL, but I guess no one told Real Scouts yet. And Nate Clements got chewed up and spit out a few times last season too.
Safeties - Read here.
1. Ed Reed, Ravens. 2. Troy Polamalu, Steelers. 3. Adrian Wilson, Cardinals. 4. Bob Sanders, Colts. 5. Chris Hope, Titans. 6. Nick Collins, Packers. 7. Brian Dawkins, Broncos. 8. Michael Griffin, Titans. 9. Donte Whitner, Bills. 10. Kerry Rhodes, Jets.
11. Ken Hamlin, Cowboys. He has great range and can track down a lot of balls playing center field. He is at his best jumping routes in zone coverage but can also match up with tight ends and wideouts in the slot.
I agree Hamlin is not a top ten Safety coming off the 2008 season. And a side note on this is that they listed Roy Williams of the Bengals as the #20 Safety. I guess they haven't seen him play for the last few seasons.
May 31, 2009 | Filed Under CP Staff Articles | Comments Off
Do you believe in Magic?
By Da NBA Janitor
Do you believe in Magic? The Cavaliers and their fans do...now. So much for the widely-anticipated Kobe vs LeBron series. The big question now is what will Nike do with all of those new Kobe-LeBron puppet commercials (which, by the way, are hilarious).
This should be an AMAZING Finals!
The Lakers are arguably the most-talented team, top to bottom. However, they tend to play with sporatic and inconsistent energy. Seldom do they play hard for 48 minutes or from one game to the next. Their 'Bigs' are also a tad soft. But when the Lakers do go all out for an entire game, as they did in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals, they are virtually unstoppable offensively and virtually impenatrable defensively.
'The Zen Master's' Triangle Offense (actually it's Tex Winters') is a truly a force when properly executed. It requires a basketball-intelligent deftly-passing 'Big' and Pau Gasol fits that role perfectly. But of course, any offense works pretty well with 'The Black Mamba' as the major player.
The Magic aren't exactly on welfare talent-wise either. Their starting five are all solid and are flat-out deadly offensively. "Superman" stellarly patrols the middle defensively and as he demonstrated in Game 6 against the Cavs, he can score at a high level when guarded one-on-one and the Magic guards remember to feed him the ball.
The Magic live and die by the 'trey'. This strategy combined with the players & coaches not being 'basketball Einsteins' precipitates the Magic blowing and coming back from big leads with great regularity. On the positive side, if their 'Making It Rain' with treys is cooking, they can take a huge lead, blow a team out, or make up a 20-point deficit in a heart beat. On the negative side, if those treys aren't falling and/or they're being launched on almost every possession in the 4th Q with 12-15 seconds left on each shot clock, the Magic will blow any-sized lead.
What to look for....
Lakers
Offense
Expect the Lakers to initially attempt to use their 'Bigs' plus Kobe to overwhelm Dwight Howard. 'Superman' is a incredible defender, but the Lakers will test if he can stop the diversely-skilled Gasol and hulking Bynum in the post, plus Kobe driving to the hole. Howard is foul prone, hence the Lakers will attempt to force him to the bench early in games.
I expect the Lakers to run The Triangle per usual, but spread out their 'Bigs' more early in possessions to minimize the ability of Howard and the other Magic 'Bigs' from easily zoning the middle. Of course if/when the Lakers are behind late 3rd-early 4th, the Triangle will go out of the geometry class and the offense will shift to "Take'em Kobe!"
Defense
The Lakers face a dilemma on D. The advantage that their multitude and average size of their 'Bigs' possess on offense becomes a liability on defense. With the exception of Howard, the Magic's 'Bigs' (Turkoglu, Lewis, Battie, and even Gortat at times) can be found offensively spreading and shooting from (effectively) all over the court. Neither Gasol or Bynum are effective defenders away from the basket. This will likely precipitate a heavy use of Lamar Odom who, even at 6-10, is agile & quick enough to stay with one of the Magic's versatile Forwards. This may occur early in games anyway if Bynum is ineffective and/or gets in early foul trouble...both scenarios per his playoffs precedence. Trevor Ariza is an very good, athletic defender, but the Magic offense will test him. I think we'll see more Lakers bench 'Bigs' than usual, used to play "Hack-A-Howard" to reduce his dunkings and to put him on the line a lot where he struggles.
Key Players
'The Black Mamba' (as if that needed to be said), Gasol and Odom.
X-Factors
Ariza with his treys (or not), 'hole-drives'/dunks, and D; Fisher finding his outside shot (or not); Vujacic (off the bench) keeping his prolific bombs somewhere in The Staples Center and Amway Arena.
Magic
Offense
After the 2nd game of the Cavs series, the Magic shifted from their usual outside-in offense to an inside-out offense. They still continued and will continue to launch treys like crazy, but now they at least consider allowing Howard to touch the ball in the low post early in possessions. As alluded to above, the ability of virtually every Magic player not named Dwight Howard to effectively shoot treys will cause the Lakers problems. Plus, Howard will exploit any one-on-one match-ups down low IF/when his guards find him. Turkoglu, Alston, & Pietrus will rain treys as usual.
Defense
Every Lakers' opponent's defensive strategy begins with "What the heck do we do with Kobe?" Turkoglu et al couldn't even slow-down LeBron and they won't do so either with Kobe. Since Kobe is a guard and a tad shorter (6'7) & certainly less powerful than LeBron, I expect to see more of the Magic guards, especially Pietrus at 6'6, defending him, as opposed any 'Bigs' chasing him around. My expectation is that the Magic will attempt to force Kobe more into a facilitator role and then hope his supporting cast flops like LeBron's bunch just did.
Key Players
'Superman' (who else?), Turkoglu, Alston
X-Factors
Pietrus and Lewis hitting (or not) their treys
PREDICTION
Both teams will win one game on the road. The
Lakers will hoist the O'Brien Trophy at home...in Game 7!
May 31, 2009 | Filed Under Basketball, Careless decisions, Classless, Eastern Conference Finals, LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers, NBA, NBA Finals, National Basketball Association, Orlando Magic, Troy Sparks, sports | Comments Off
LeBron James did his best to advance to the NBA Finals, but he was too alone. I give him credit for his effort and amazing plays, however.
Still, LeBron clearly lacks respect and fair play for his opponents. His walking off the court without congratulating the Cavs’ worthy adversaries is now a common course taken by LeBron, as he did the same thing last year after the game seven loss to the Celtics in Boston. I can understand that he is frustrated, mad, pissed, blustery, etc., but at least you can show some respect to your opponents. He didn’t say anything to the Magic players; he just walked off the court, with his head down. At least Kobe Bryant did hug the Celtics even after quitting on his Lakers while they were getting crushed by the C’s by 39 in game 6 of the NBA Finals in 2008.
Just another reason for the haters to be obligated to hate on LeBron, the ‘character’ as opposed to the player. Arrogant and disrespectful. (Cue in Jake Ball.)
If Bill Belichick does this and gets a lot of flack for it (Super Bowl XLII), then LeBron James should get flack for doing it too.
I’m sure he was devastated after not being able to even get to the Finals in his dream season. No ‘coronation’ this year. Oh, and all his fans whom are ‘witnesses’ are being bequeathed to a LA Lakers/Magic Finals.
It almost makes me feel bad for him. People expect so much from him and they put all of this hype on him, and at the same time he gets coddled by the refs almost ALWAYS getting favorable calls and never getting in foul trouble. The dude hasn’t learned how to deal with adversity yet. He hasn’t been given a chance to just play without people thinking he’s gonna be the man every night and downplaying his competition. You know, LeBron may be the greatest player on Earth right now, but he and his team would be a lot better without all of the hyping and the “Chosen One” bullshit as well as all of the blatant star-calls.
That said, if you are happy and willing to do all of the goofy bullshit — the clowning around with teammates, clapping powder into the air before the start of every game (stealing it from Kevin Garnett whom stole it from Reggie Miller), cheering and posing for pictures, all of that bullshit, then when you’re winning you should be prepared to act dignified when you lose. You can’t act the way LeBron (and his teammates) do when you’re winning and then just storm off the court when you face a disappointment like LeBron did tonight.
He’s only 25 years old, and he’s still a student of the game. Now heading to his seventh NBA season is November, the media is going to hound him the most they’ve ever done so. LeBron, you might as well ring up Kobe and ask him how he’s dealt with the myriad adversity that he’s personally faced since June 30, 2003. He’ll tell you: the psychological vices are a bitch. But worrying is only as effective as drinking spoiled milk with your cereal.
May 31, 2009 | Filed Under Uncategorized | Comments Off
Rob Phillips
May 29, 2009 5:57 PM
IRVING, Texas - The league-wide list grows every week.
Anquan Boldin.
Thomas Jones.
Joshua Cribbs.
Donald Driver.
While those players grumble and/or miss voluntary workouts due to contract disputes with their respective teams, DeMarcus Ware spent 10 minutes after Tuesday's sweltering practice teaching pass-rush moves to fourth-round pick Brandon Williams, one of two Cowboys rookies moving from defensive end to outside linebacker in head coach Wade Phillips' 3-4 scheme.
The other linebacker trainee, fellow fourth-round pick Victor Butler, will return for workouts once his alma mater, Oregon State, holds its graduation ceremony next month. In the meantime, Williams is capitalizing on some exclusive lessons from Ware, last season's NFL sack king (20.0), who made the same position switch from Troy University four years ago.
"I've been looking at him since college, so it's just been amazing to me that I can come here and learn from the best - a Pro Bowler leading the league in sacks," Williams said. "I was one away from leading the NCAA in sacks (13), so I have no choice but to learn from the best."
Two weeks ago, a Twitter "impostor" posing as Ware inaccurately declared that the Cowboys and Ware's agent Pat Dye were close to a mega-contract extension for the three-time Pro Bowl linebacker.
A deal isn't imminent yet. But while the two sides keep talking, Ware, who's entering the final year of his 2005 rookie contract, has shown no public signs of impatience. He's been a regular participant in the team's off-season strength and conditioning program and the voluntary OTA (organized team activity) practices at nearby Standridge Field.
He knows the Cowboys will eventually reward him with perhaps the richest contract in franchise history, its guaranteed money possibly exceeding that of Albert Haynesworth's $41 million in Washington.
"We're just having good visits," Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said, "and hopefully it'll get resolved at some point."
Patience, coupled with diligence, helped Ware solve the complexities of the 3-4 scheme.
Patience will deliver large dollar signs soon enough.
"I'm a guy that's always been about hard work, and that's what's gotten me where I am right now," Ware said. "Why would you take some days off or sort of jeopardize the team? If you want to be a team player that's how you've got to do it. Sometimes you've got to sacrifice some things and that's what I'm doing now."
Maybe Ware learned part of that lesson from Greg Ellis, the veteran linebacker who (sometimes begrudgingly) forfeited playing time to Anthony Spencer on the strong side the past two seasons, who remained focused on his job despite annual concerns about its security, who imparted his wisdom to younger players like Ware over the years.
Ellis, 33, is expected to be traded or released in the near future after 11 seasons with the Cowboys. By drafting Butler and Williams, the team clearly is attempting to get younger at the position. And ironically enough, the $4.15 million-plus of salary cap relief created by Ellis' impending departure could be used to help seal Ware's deal.
"Greg knew this was coming," Ware said. "We used to talk about it every year. He said, 'DeMarcus, sooner or later I'm not going to be here.' He was expecting it and getting himself ready for it, and I can understand that. The good thing is he's still healthy and he's still able to play."
Without Ellis, Ware realizes the Cowboys' outside linebacker depth now starts with a pair of rookies. Rather than boycott an unsigned extension, he's trying to prepare Ellis' eventual replacements. That's what a "team player" does.
"When I first came in I was the same way (as Williams)," Ware said. "Brandon's a strong, fast guy. He has a lot of ability. I'm just trying to show him how to sharpen his toolbox. And that's what Greg showed me."
Ware says the transition didn't come easily. Like Williams, he only worried about sacking the quarterback and stopping the run in college. Dropping into pass coverage wasn't really part of the job description.
He says he'd watch seven hours of film a day, reviewing "the same 10 or 11 plays and breaking it down."
"It was a big learning process my first season," Ware said, "but you just try to get out there and be full speed and play full speed - that's what they always told me - and everything else would come into play. And that's what happened."
The repetition paid off. His 53.5 career sacks are the most by any NFL player since 2005. Last season he became the first Cowboys defender to reach 20 sacks in a season since sacks became an official statistic in 1982, and his total also tied Derrick Thomas for the second-most in a season by a linebacker in league history.
No surprise, then, that a monster deal is coming sooner or later.
"My agent and Jerry Jones are handling that and they're just letting me go out and play like they usually do," Ware said. "I just let them handle that. And I'll know when something happens."
That's because he won't be hard to find.
May 31, 2009 | Filed Under Uncategorized | Comments Off
Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley
LAKE HIGHLANDS, Texas -- Greetings from one of the NFL's most talent-rich neighborhoods. Out my office window, I can see Wildcat-Ram Stadium, where Merton Hanks, Matt Stover, Phil Dawson, Marcus Coleman and the immortal Marcus Stiggers once played. So what does that have to do with the NFC East? Pretty much nothing, so let's get right to your questions. I've been long-winded the last couple of weeks (2,500-word average), so we're going rapid-fire today.
We start with Matt from Wilmington: First off, great article on the Birds additions this offseason. My question is with the Eagles $24 million under the cap, do you see them pursuing any other free agents? It seems they still could use a blocking tight end. The way our defensive line rotates, we could even use an additional pass-rushing defensive end to help out Trent Cole. What are your thoughts?
Mosley: I think Eagles fans are getting greedy -- and there's nothing wrong with that. You have three pretty decent options at tight end right now, but it wouldn't hurt to have another big body. If something comes along, Eagles tight ends coach Tom Melvin and the personnel staff will probably make a move. But that would be more of a luxury. It's not like the Eagles are going to come out this year with a bunch of double tight end looks. I think it's more likely that Philadelphia might try to sign defensive end Greg Ellis once he's released from the Cowboys. He's 33, but he could still be productive as a pass-rushing specialist. He still wants to be a starter, but if you dangle $1 million out there in addition to the $1.5 million check Jerry Jones will owe him, you might be onto something. Ellis would also be a good fit for the Redskins, but as Matt pointed out, the Eagles are in better position to do something.
Tsbein is one of our regulars in the "comments" section. And yes, I do read them: Eli has been "plagued," and I say that sarcastically, by his good team. He has the RBs, the O-line, the defense and had a top WR. Even Fran Tarkenton slighted Eli while trying to bash Favre. Since there are no stars as WRs, do you think a big year from Eli could garner him some nationwide respect?
Mosley: Tsbein, the second part of your question was quite astute, but we have a strict 300-word limit on questions in the mailbag! But seriously, I think it's ridiculous that Eli Manning's still has so many doubters. He was one of my MVP candidates heading into December last season. I think the loss of Burress certainly hurt his production, but the defensive breakdowns had more to do with the team's "collapse" than anything else. Manning led his team to a world title in 2007. I'll never forget that when analyzing his career. And unlike some critics, I don't try to poke holes in that late-season run. He struggled down the stretch in '08, but overall, he had another excellent season. I have immense respect for Fran Tarkenton's career, but there's one thing missing that Eli already has. But in all honestly, Tarkenton's work on "That's Incredible" probably made up for not having a Lombardi.
We've gone two whole questions without something on the Cowboys.
What gives? MBFJTCO9 rescues us with this: Howdy Matt. The Cowboys really haven't done a lot this offseason. How do you think their special teams are going to be this year. With Folk having surgery and us drafting a kicker, who will win that battle? And do you think a healthy Mat McBrair will help at all? Teams just seemed to have better field position when we lost him. That guy has got a boot on him.
Mosley: The great McBriar spends at least an hour each day on the Beast blog, so it's nice of you to mention his name. He's a Pro Bowl punter who is poised to have a huge comeback season. I wouldn't be surprised to see him average about 45 yards per punt with a ridiculous net in '09. He's headed out today to meet fellow Australian Geoff Ogilvy at the Crowne Plaza Colonial golf tournament. And don't worry about Nick Folk. There's no competition taking place in training camp. David Buehler will be a kickoff specialist. He'll only win the kicking job if Folk's not able to recover from hip surgery.
GTbengal sent this via Twitter via Facebook via fax: Can you please explain the release of Jon Jansen?
Mosley: I don't think he had a chance to win the starting job. And if a 10-year veteran doesn't have a chance, why would you allow him to possibly impede the progress of younger guys. The Redskins thought about letting him battle for one of the backups spots in the interior, but that was a far-fetched idea. Jansen gave the Redskins some solid seasons, but it was time to move on. Now, Stephon Heyer, Mike Williams and Jeremy Bridges will battle for the starting spot at right tackle. If Williams wins the job, it will be an indictment of the team's development of young players at that position. He's DOWN to 384 pounds, which is pretty scary. I wouldn't want a 384-pound man on my practice field. Seriously. It's unhealthy for anyone to carry that much weight around -- especially in a football uniform and helmet. I think the Redskins are pulling for Heyer to win the job, so it's his to lose. I'll try to track down Jansen for an exit interview if anyone's interested. Jason La Canfora of Redskins Insider fame has done some nice work on this story.
Eric in Fort Worth has a Cowboys question: Besides Jay Ratliff, do the Cowboys have any legitimate rotation guys at nose tackle? I know they seem to like the guy named Junior, but I was shocked they didn't draft at least one big defensive lineman.
Mosley: I think this is the year Junior Siavii out of Oregon finally sticks with the team. I made it a point to watch him during the recent OTAs, and the guy's just massive. He's a different type player than Jay Ratliff -- and that's a good thing. And the Cowboys can shift Marcus Spears to nose tackle every now and then if you're worried about depth. Guys like Stephen Bowen and Jason Hatcher can both fill in nicely at the defensive end spots. So I wouldn't lose any sleep over this position. Spend your time worrying about the receiving corps. With Siavii, the Cowboys have addressed their goal of adding more players from Pago Pago.
Joel from Clifton, N.J. has the final word of today's mailbag session: Hey Mosley, love the blog. I just have a quick question about how you think the Giants defense will perform this year. The additions of Canty, Bernard and Boley all seem like great moves to me, not to mention the return of Osi Umenyiora. But with the departure of defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, who was great at creating blitz packages and overall defensive schemes, do you think the Giants will be able to match the intensity and creativity that has defined their defense for the last few years? Thanks, and keep up the great work.
Mosley: Joel, you had me at "love the blog." I think it's a valid question. Spagnuolo did a wondeful job of putting players in "winning" situations. And he was more impressive than ever early last season. The Giants lost Osi Umenyiora -- and didn't seem to miss a beat. Of course, the defense finally wore down late in the season. But with all the reinforcements that you mentioned -- and a heady assistant like Bill Sheridan -- I'm not all that worried about words like "intensity" and "creativity." This is a very versatile group. Sheridan will have more to work with in the pass rush with Umenyiora coming back -- and Boley will make it tougher for the Eagles to line up and scheme them to death with Brian Westbrook. On my list of worries for the Giants, the defense is pretty low right now. Not that it's a long list. I had them No. 2 in the ESPN.com power rankings, which pretty much set the tone for the NFL season. Wouldn't you agree?
You guys have been wonderful. I have the most knowledgeable readers in the Blog Network -- no matter what Mike Sando and his magic database say. Have a wonderful rest of the weekend and I'll see you bright and early Monday morning -- except on the East coast.
Bonus opportunity: I'll mention your name on the Big Board on Monday if you can name every Lake Highlands High School player who's played in the NFL.
May 31, 2009 | Filed Under Uncategorized | Comments Off
Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley
Former Cowboys defensive coordinator Brian Stewart will soon join the Eagles' coaching staff, according to a league source. Stewart was the the defensive coordinator under Wade Phillips when the Cowboys went 13-3 in 2007, but he was stripped of his play-calling duties midway through the '08 season. Phillips fired Stewart a few days after the team's humiliating 44-6 loss to the Eagles.
Eagles head coach Andy Reid and Stewart have remained close since they were at Northern Arizona together in the mid-80s. Reid coached the offensive line and Stewart played cornerback. Both men grew up in Los Angeles and spent time at junior colleges in the area.
With defensive coordinator Jim Johnson taking a leave of absence as he receives treatment for cancer, secondary coach Sean McDermott has assumed his duties. Stewart's role hasn't been officially announced, but it's likely he'll coach the secondary. That was his expertise on Marty Schottenheimer's staff in San Diego before he followed Phillips to Dallas in 2007.
Reid obviously has a huge comfort level with Stewart, but it doesn't hurt that he'll get to pick his brain on the Cowboys' 3-4 defense twice-a-season. Stewart was set to join former Vikings and Cardinals head coach Dennis Green with the San Francisco representative of the United Football League, but he'll now remain in the NFL.
Joe Trahan's WFAA Sports Blog tipped us off to this story. Somewhat interesting sidenote: Eagles tight ends coach Tom Melvin, offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg, former offensive coordinator Brad Childress and Reid all spent time on the Northern Arizona Lumberjack coaching staff.
May 31, 2009 | Filed Under Uncategorized | Comments Off
Source: Jeffri Chadiha, ESPN.com
Jeffri Chadiha, of ESPN.com, reports Dallas Cowboys WR Roy Williams and QB Tony Romo started working together shortly after the offseason began and Williams said he can already see the benefits.
Quote:
'I just feel more comfortable,' Williams said. 'And I'm not the only one who's feeling that way. Tony is more comfortable with me. (Offensive coordinator) Jason Garrett is more comfortable calling plays for me. We're all developing that trust, and that's something we didn't have last season. Unfortunately, I was the one who wound up looking bad because of it.'
May 31, 2009 | Filed Under Uncategorized | Comments Off
NFL Team Column
By Russell Easley
Roster Series Part 3: Quarterbacks
By now I’ve heard it all. Tony Romo chokes in big games. Tony Romo makes too many costly mistakes with his Favre-esque style of play. Tony Romo doesn’t care about winning in the NFL. And the most outrageous of all to me – Romo-friendly means scaling back the offense and making it simpler in order to hide his shortcomings as an NFL quarterback.
Wow, Really ?
Here’s my rundown on the 2009 Quarterback roster of the Dallas Cowboys:
Starter – Tony Romo. There are some people on the internet who truly did see potential in Tony Romo when he signed with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent. I definitely remember the threads on the Ranch Report about it. I will freely admit I was not among those who saw his playmaking potential prior to his being inserted into a game in place of Drew Bledsoe in 2006. I did catch a small glimpse of it though during the preseason that year, when he audibled a play into a QB sneak to cap off the game winning drive against the Raiders. But once he really stepped onto the field, you could just tell. Even though his very first NFL regular season pass that day was an interception, you could tell. He just had that aura about him that says even though the bad plays still exist you know for a fact he is going to turn it around and soon. Witness the Monday Night Football game against the Buffalo Bills, wherein he threw five interceptions yet still led the team to victory. With Romo you have to take the bad with the excellent and just work constantly on reducing the bad plays that result from his gunslinger / sandlot style.
As quarterback of America’s Team and beau of Jessica Simpson, Tony is always in the spotlight, and everything he says and does is constantly being dissected by the media and fans alike. So when he came to the podium after taking one heck of a beating against the Philadelphia Eagles last December, he made a comment to the effect that there are in fact things that are more important to football. I don’t have a problem with my quarterback having a healthy perspective on life, but others did not take it so kindly. It was misinterpreted to mean that Romo doesn’t care about winning. If that’s so then why does he play? Why does he engage in competititve activities in the offseason? I view it as simple anti-Cowboy rhetoric. Which brings us to the final question – what does Romo friendly mean? What does it look like?
To put it simply, it means life without such disruptive locker room cancers such as Terrell Owens and Pacman Jones. Romo is now free to guide the team to success without all the media driven negativity that a player like TO brings to a team. Good luck Buffalo. In just 3 seasons as a starter (only one as a 16 game starter) Romo already has thrown for over 10,000 yards with 81 TD’s and 46 INT’s. That’s a TD/INT ratio of almost 2:1, which should be considered pretty good by any standards. This season is going to be an interesting one for not only Tony Romo but the entire Cowboys team. Don’t be surprised if he shuts up his critics.
Backup – Jon Kitna. This is a huge upgrade over last year’s backup, which we very painfully learned you can never take for granted. Kitna brings in 3 things that are going to be valuable this year. First, should he be called upon to relieve Romo because of injury, Jon definitely has the arm to get the ball downfield. Last year the Cowboys were hurt by Brad Johnson’s inability to do anything else from the QB position but to check down to the third receiver. Brad Checkdown Johnson should be his official nickname. Second, Kitna knows and has played with new #1 receiver Roy Williams. They have a built in rapport with each other, so again, if need be, the offense should not miss Romo too terribly much where the passing game is concerned. Third, and like Brad Johnson, Kitna is a savvy vet who has been around for awhile though unlike Johnson, is willing to serve as a mentor or player-coach if you will, to Tony Romo.
In Waiting – Stephen McGee. First things first. I am a fan of the show “NCIS”, and so therefore McGee will henceforth be known to me by the nickname “Probie” as in probationary employee. McGee was drafted in the fourth round out of Texas A and M University. Although grossly miscast as an option quarterback he persevered instead of transferring, giving the team his all. Just the fact that he didn’t transfer, when he could have ended up elsewhere and as a higher draft pick says a lot to me. This kid knows what loyalty is all about, and knows it takes self-sacrifice to be a loyal person. Already in OTA’s Probie has demonstrated a strong arm and has impressed coaches.
All in all the Cowboys are pretty well set up for a few years at the quarterback position. Romo is locked down by contract for the rest of his career, Kitna still has a few good years left in the tank, and that means the talented Stephen McGee can be groomed slowly by the coaches and made into either the next starting quarterback for the Boys, or traded for a high draft pick.
May 31, 2009 | Filed Under Uncategorized | Comments Off
Posted by Eric Edholm on May 29, 2009 1:24 PM
As I cover the NFC East for PFW, I marveled the other day at how much defensive line depth there is in the division. Wow. It really is stunning. There are at least six and maybe as many as eight Pro Bowl talents at the position among the four teams. No other division can boast that quality and depth.
But ranking the players individually within the division? Tough chore. I decided to choose it anyway, so here goes.
Special thanks to Mike Wilkening, who compiled PFW’s position rankings for our preview magazine (now available) and did a bang-up job of a tough chore. I stayed with him on most of his picks, veering on a few others, but the list stands up to anything I have seen like it.
Onward …
1. Redskins DT Albert Haynesworth
Until further notice, he’s the most destructive force in the division — and he has yet to play a snap for the Redskins. Will he live up to the money he receives? Hmm, doubtful, but he should be a top-tier player for another two or three seasons. Not bad for a contract that amounts to about four years and $48 million. Guess that’s the going rate for destructo defensive tackles these days.
2. Giants DE Justin Tuck
3. Giants DE Osi Umenyiora
Tough call here, as I would have flip-flopped them before Umenyiora’s knee injury. Now, after that, I have to have Tuck first. He had a marvelous season and battled through some really painful and restrictive injuries the second half of the season. His play fell off as they mounted and as opponents slanted protection his way.
I expect Umenyiora to be a difference-maker once more, with perhaps a slight downtick in his sacks with fewer reps per game. That’s as much because of the Giants’ DL depth as it is him coming back from injury.
4. Eagles DE Trent Cole
5. Cowboys NT Jay Ratliff
Another tough call. First of all, it’s nearly impossible to compare the two players because they are so different, other than the fact that they came from relative obscurity (Cole was a fifth-rounder; Ratliff a seventh) to reach Pro Bowl level.
Cole has been perennially underrated, in my opinion. And though he struggles with some top offensive tackles, his motor constantly is running and he has learned to power through his lack of bulk to be a better fourth-quarter player. Playing in a nice rotation in Philly helps, but I think Cole is a blue-chip end whose game has become more well-rounded.
Few people outside Dallas realized just how big Ratliff was last season. He and DeMarcus Ware — who, for all intents and purposes, should be listed here too, but is a de facto linebacker — were the only consistent playmakers on a Dallas defense that alternatively was dominant and curiously bad. (Truthfully, the defense was only bad, per se, four times: the first Redskins game, the Rams game with little help from the offense, the first Giants game and the freakish Ravens debacle.) Ratliff appears a perfect fit in Wade Phillips’ slanting version of the 3-4 and I think can get even better. I only rated him a smidge below Cole because Cole has done it longer.
6. Eagles DT Mike Patterson
7. Eagles DT Brodrick Bunkley
Again, different styles, hard to differentiate. For me, I am putting another slight edge on hustle and consistency. Patterson is a bit squatty and doesn’t have Bunkley’s explosion, but he’s a high-energy mauler who relies as much on guile as he does raw ability. He’s a fun player to watch and (I assume) a coach’s dream.
One of these years Bunkley is going to punish the league’s offensive linemen. I think it might be this season. Watching his final year at Florida State, I thought he was the best penetrating nose or 3-technique I had seen in a long time, and he could play either position. I was stunned he dropped to the middle of the first round. It hasn’t quite panned out to my lofty expectations, but Bunkley shows enough flashes to make one think he’ll be a very good player in short order.
8. Giants DT Chris Canty
9. Giants DE Mathias Kiwanuka
Canty is a converted five-technique who will kick down inside to battle against shorter, stouter guards. You don’t see many 6-foot-7 defensive tackles ever, and I wonder a little bit how Canty, who was never a big playmaker but rather a solid, scheme-fitting point-holder in Dallas, will pan out exactly. I think he’ll be good in Bill Sheridan’s defense, but with other players cleaning up the tackles, you might not hear Canty’s name called a lot this season.
Kiwanuka is a tricky one. I have followed his career since the B.C. days, and I like him a lot. But he wore down even more than Tuck down the stretch and will be relegated (if that’s the word) to third-DE status in New York, and perhaps a few moonlight performances as a stand-up strong-side performer. He’s a pass rusher, and they’re rare, so he gets the nod here. This just might not be his best season.
10. Cowboys DE Marcus Spears
To me, Spears could make a Canty-like jump in the final year of his deal. You can’t teach that frame, and though he has been less than thrilling to date, he also hasn’t had to with Greg Ellis playing over his left shoulder. I feel like Spears' career has taken a bit of a two-steps-forward-one-back progression, with each notch of improvement followed by spells of disappearance. Some 3-4 team, be it Dallas or Miami (Bill Parcells saw star potential when he drafted him), will go after him hard next season in free agency. But so far, I haven’t seen a lot to put him higher than this, and you could argue he might not deserve a top-10 ranking in the division.
Just missed the cut
Cowboys DE Igor Olshansky — Something tells me he will have a very nice season and will keep Ware happy.
Redskins DE-OLB Brian Orakpo — Talent is undeniable, but are the Redskins maybe throwing too much at him right away?
Redskins DE Andre Carter — Hard worker with good edge speed who gets worn down too easily.
Eagles DE Victor Abiamiri — An up-and-comer who could be the breakout player on the list. The Eagles like him a lot.
Giants NT Rocky Bernard — A two-down player on the deepest D-line in football.
Giants DT Fred Robbins — Hard not to see the writing on the wall here with all the additions. Terrific start to last season, but he fell hard and is well-worn.
Redskins DT Cornelius Griffin — If there’s anyone who will benefit from Haynesworth, it’s him. Maybe he has one season left, but the younguns (Kedric Golston, Anthony Montgomery) are pushing hard and fast.
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