September 2006 - Posts
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 Just know that when the second set of officers investigated the Terrell Owens incident, a third person was identified as being at his residence along with himself and publicist Kim Etheredge. That was Anthony Gardner, identified as his pastor. While officer Richard Duggan was interviewing Etheredge about the incident at Baylor Medical Center, officer Eugene Reyes, identified as a supervisor, interviewed Gardner in a separate room, and both accounts of what happened were similar.
So gut feeling, does T.O. play or not? He’s listed as “questionable,” which means 50-50. Unless he makes marked improvement Friday and Saturday – and that’s with managing the pain in his right hand – then I’d think he’s sitting on the wrong 50 right now.
Just because first-round draft choice Bobby Carpenter dressed for the Washington game doesn’t mean he’ll dress against Tennessee. A lot will have to do with special teams participation, and if Bill Parcells wants to give Oliver Hoyte another chance, and maybe more will deal with if Parcells decides to go with one or two kickers.
And the score . . . oh, there really is a game Sunday? Seems like ages since the Cowboys last played or we dealt with football. OK, if I must, Cowboys 20, Titans 10 – that’s with or without T.O. Titans don’t have much offense.
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Guess Terry Glenn won’t be going into the tailor business anytime soon. Evidently before practice Monday he was trying to cut off the bottom of the T-shirt he was wearing with a pair of scissors to make it one of those mid-drift styles. While holding the shirt with one hand and cutting with the other just below his waist, he evidently went a little too far, clipping his thumb and needing several stitches to close the wound. Bill Parcells couldn’t resist, saying, “Fortunately he only cut his hand.”
Much is being made of former Cowboys assistant head coach Sean Payton leading the Saints to a 3-0 record, and becoming only the second first-year coach to go 3-0 in his first year, along with Vince Lombardi (1959) and John Fox (2002). But as Parcells said, acknowledging the good start and the 23-3 win over Atlanta in the re-opening game at the Superdome, “Get ‘em 100 games first and see if they can last that long.”
And while we’re on the Saints, how ‘bout the job former Cowboys linebackers coach Gary Gibbs did coordinating the defense to totally shut down Marcus Vick? That was impressive and didn’t receive near enough attention.
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Going into the Monday night game, five teams have scored at least 79 points after playing three games. The combined record of those teams is 12-3, and only the Giants (81) points has a losing record (1-2) and only Philadelphia (86) is not undefeated. Indianapolis (90), Cincinnati (86) and Chicago (79) are all 3-0.
Conversely, four teams going into Monday night’s Atlanta-New Orleans game have given up no more than 23 points, Baltimore (20) and Chicago (23) in three games and Atlanta (9) and San Diego (7) in two games. All had yet to lose a game.
So far, the Cowboys’ offense has scored the most points against the Jaguars’ defense. While Indianapolis beat Jacksonville, 21-14, Sunday, seven of the Colts’ points came on an 82-yard punt return.
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Of the Cowboys’ seven sacks in two games, 4½ of those have been generated by inside guys. That’s a really good thing. Because teams then can’t think if they just neutralize DeMarcus Ware (1) and Greg Ellis (1½) they will stone the Cowboys. That might be why their nickel defensive-tackle pass rushers Jay Ratliff (2) and Jason Hatcher (½) are doing so much damage after two games. That, and with the outside guys providing pressure, there is no room to step up if those inside guys just get a push. Ratliff and Hatcher also have totaled as many quarterback pressures (3) as Ware and Ellis.
Those out-of-work veteran quarterbacks never rest for long. Saw where Oakland brought in Tommy Maddox for a workout this week.
If you look at Rock Cartwright’s 100-yard touchdown return on tape, it’s obvious the guy Bill Parcells was talking about not getting over the top of the blocker was Kevin Burnett, who got washed inside and left about an eight-yard gap between himself and Al Singleton. That allowed the wedge to take out Singleton and then double Roy Williams.
Cowboys “Sunday kicker” Mike Vanderjagt’s 50-yard field goal against Washington was his first made 50-yarder since 2003 (50 yards). In fact, it was his longest field goal since hitting a 51-yarder in 2002, along with his career long that year of 54 yards.
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With the number of injuries proliferating the NFL after Week 2, the Cowboys should thank their lucky stars all they must worry about is a fractured fourth metacarpal. OK, it’s T.O.’s, but still. Look, Philly has lost Jevon Kearse for the season. Cincinnati has lost linebacker David Pollack for the season. Houston has lost offensive lineman Charles Spencer for the season. Minnesota has lost defensive end Erasmus James for the season. And the Colts are holding their breath for the results of an impending MRI on Dwight Freeney.
Also, just to clear this up. Terrell Owens’ fractured fourth metacarpal is the bone leading into the ring finger on the back of his right hand. He didn’t break a finger.
Remember when Billy Volek was all the clamor in Tennessee, signing that four-year, $6.8 million deal which included a $2.2 million signing bonus when he was a restricted free agent in 2004? Remember a whole bunch of you wanted the Cowboys to sign him to a franchise-type contract? Well, he gets traded to San Diego for a sixth on Tuesday after being demoted to third team by the Titans after they felt it necessary to sign veteran free agent Kerry Collins right before the start of the season. Must have been some kind of quarterback.
Signing Bradie James to the extension just about locks up the contract business for the Cowboys. That is, unless Andre Gurode keeps playing the way he has so far. Remember the team’s starting center is working on the one-year deal he signed this off-season.
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How good was Drew Bledsoe Sunday night? Well, going back over my notes, you can credit the Cowboys with anywhere from eight to 11 drops. That’s how many hands he hit without completions. Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells says he threw four passes away, and here’s one deflected at the line of scrimmage and another Anthony Fasano fell down on. So of his 19 credited incompletions, that’s 17 or so right there. Parcells said Bledsoe made only two bad decisions, and I’m guessing one is the interception Carlos Rogers dropped.
In two games against pressure defenses, Bledsoe has been sacked a total of three times. I’m guessing we would have lost the over-under on that one if set prior to the start of the season. And to think the Cowboys had to work hard giving up that one sack to Washington, since they were in max protect and only sent two guys into the pattern, meaning they had eight blocking. Only six teams have given up fewer than three sacks, and one of those, Jacksonville (one), plays its second game Monday night.
Terry Glenn had six catches for 94 yards Sunday night. Don’t forget he also drew that 41-yard interference penalty on Kenny Wright. If not, he would have totaled seven catches for at least 135 yards, and who knows, that interference play might have been another touchdown. This guy is getting better with age (32).
The Cowboys nearly totally shut down the Redskins on third down, giving up only two third-down conversions in 14 plays. Jacksonville and Washington have gone a combined seven-for-27, or 25.9 percent, which ties the Cowboys’ defense for the second-best percentage in the NFC behind Chicago’s 10 percent. And in the AFC, going into the Monday night game, only San Diego (16.7) and Baltimore (20.8) have better percentages.
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Oh boy, don’t know if you believe in symmetry or not, but in today’s column I mentioned that 1985 season opener at Texas Stadium against Washington, a Monday night game. Well, the game fell on Sept. 9, and it just so happened to be Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann’s 36th birthday. Remember, he threw like five interceptions, and before the Cowboys completed their 44-14 victory, the fans at Texas Stadium serenaded Theismann with a rousing rendition of “Happy Birthday” after his fifth pick. Well, guess what? Washington quarterback Mark Brunell turns, uh, 36 on Sunday.
Just so the Cowboys’ defense knows, Chris Cooley will be the Redskin wearing No. 47, and he’s no linebacker. He’s an H-back – an eligible receiver. He’s the guy who caught six passes for 71 yards and three touchdowns (9, 2 and 30 yards), all in the first half, mind you, in last year’s 35-7 Washington win the second time around. When asking Bill Parcells what the heck happened that day covering Cooley, he succinctly said, “We stunk.”
Since the Redskins like to blitz so much, wonder if the Cowboys will do as they did in the opener against Jacksonville on several third-down passing situations and go empty. With five eligible receivers spread across the line of scrimmage, you should have a better chance of seeing just where the blitz is coming from. That is, if you get the pass off in time.
And the score . . . call me stubborn, but Cowboys 21, Redskins 10. This will be more like it, the fallen sky ascending back to its proper position.
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Well, look it here: With Marcus Stroud battling that high ankle sprain, even though he played about half the game against the Cowboys but didn’t practice on Tuesday, and having lost defensive end Reggie Hayward (ruptured Achilles) in Sunday’s game, the Jaguars just signed Cowboys’ sixth-round pick Montavious Stanley off the St. Louis practice squad, which means he’s guaranteed three weeks on the Jacksonville 53-man roster.
No matter what you might have heard about Indianapolis’ reported interest in Drew Henson, evidently Colts head coach Tony Dungy has said the teams has no plans to even meet with the former Cowboys quarterback.
OK, OK, Shawne Merriman recorded three sacks in Monday night’s drilling of Oakland. But come on, with what the Raiders were throwing out, you might have recorded three sacks. Plus, still seems as though the Chargers ask Merriman to do one thing, and one thing only on defense: Sic the quarterback. DeMarcus Ware doesn’t get that leeway.
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You know, Tony Romo has become – or always has been – pretty savvy answering questions, especially now when the media tries to draw him into a quarterback debate. Asked about his desire to start, which, heck, every red-blooded American athlete wants to do, Romo calmly said, smiling I might add, “At the end of the day, all I’m here to do is help the team win.” Good answer.
Well, well, seems as though kicker Mike Vanderjagt was left behind in Dallas for Sunday’s opener not because of a sore groin, but more so because he hasn’t yet shown Bill Parcells “enough” in practice. In other words, his field-goal kicking still has been somewhat erratic, leaving Parcells uncomfortable.
Evidently someone else was leaving Bill feeling uncomfortable after Sunday’s game: Flozell Adams, who was OK most of the time, but the Cowboys need better than OK from their starting left tackle, and Parcells said, “It needs to get better.” When ask if Adams was his guy at left tackle this Sunday no matter how he looks in practice this week, Parcells said, “No, not no matter what I see in practice. No, I have to see improvement.” Hmmm. Adams’ guy, Jaguars defensive end Paul Spicer, had two tackles, one sack and three quarterback hurries.
OK, it’s just one game. But with this defense, the Cowboys, going into Monday night’s two games, should never be the NFL’s 18th-ranked passing defense.
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Seems as though one of the Cowboys’ early coverages against Jacksonville’s three-wide sets caught the Jags off-guard. Instead of taking out a linebacker when the Jags went three wide on first or second down when run was still prevalent, the Cowboys brought in nickel back Aaron Glenn and took out free safety Pat Watkins, leaving Roy Williams in single safety, and all four linebackers still on the field.
This might get lost in the hair-pulling following the loss, but that was rookie H-Back Anthony Fasano with a great seal block on Julius Jones’ 23-yard touchdown run. By the way, though they didn’t run consistently, finishing with 88 yards rushing and averaging four yards a carry against this defense isn’t all that bad.
Said Bledsoe afterward, “If we get out of our own way, we could’ve been in this ball game and possibly won it.” Why would he say that? Well, let’s see, the Cowboys gained more yards than the Jaguars, rushed for more yards, passed for more yards, had a better third-down conversion rate . . . but ended up minus-2 in turnover margin, ended up 0-for-2 in red-zone opportunities and led in penalties 9-2.
Gotta like Jerry Jones’ assessment of Terrell Owens: “Obviously, he’s a mess to cover.” Not just to cover, but to get on the ground after the catch.
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Don’t know if Bill Parcells is playing opossum with this kicker thing or not, but he sure did swing the door wide open to the possibility of Shaun Suisham opening as the kicker. Now Suisham is no crackerjack on field goals, but he’s been darn consistent on kickoffs. And as for Mike Vanderjagt, he hasn’t been proficient at either, and still seems to be doing rehab work on his groin.
Sure would be a huge loss for Jacksonville if defensive tackle Marcus Stroud can’t play. He suffered one of those high ankle sprains in practice Wednesday, and we certainly know around here how those can linger. Ask Julius Jones.
If I’m reading Parcells correctly, then here’s my prediction for the eight inactives on Sunday: Miles Austin, Sam Hurd, Pat McQuistan (that’s if Flozell Adams is able to start), Cory Procter, J’Vonne Parker, Nate Jones, Bobby Carpenter and a kicker. Parcells said Thursday if he knows a week ahead Adams can’t go, then the rookie McQuistan would be his starting left tackle, but that in a pinch, it’s Jason Fabini.
And the score . . . Cowboys 20, Jags 13, and don’t just assume I think Cowboys will kick two field goals. That might be a missed extra point, you know. Won’t matter, Jaguars get a huge taste of this Cowboys defense.
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OK, if you want to feel better about the offensive line in general, listen to what Bill Parcells had to say about seventh-round draft choice Pat McQuistan, who is working as a backup at left tackle, but might start getting a few snaps at right tackle, too. In fact, listening to Parcells long enough, if he knew then what he knows now about the rookie, he might have started him off working at right tackle. “I do like this young player we have there very much – I do like him a lot,” Parcells said of McQuistan. “Ability-wise, he’s better than any young offensive lineman we’ve had since I’ve been here. Now ability-wise, now that doesn’t always translate to performance. He’s pretty smart, has good balance, he’s very big, he’s just a little inexperienced. He hasn’t played a lot of football. But if this guy ever gets it, he will be playing there for a long time.” My oh my.
Three more players the Cowboys released have been scooped up. Fifth-year linebacker Rocky Boiman has signed with the Indianapolis Colts. Also, sixth-round draft choice Montavious Stanley, the nose tackle released in favor of second-year tackle Thomas Johnson, who was subsequently released two days later, has been signed to the St. Louis Rams’ practice squad. And free-agent rookie offensive tackle Dennis Roland has been added to the Tampa Bay practice squad.
Sports Illustrated has come out with its 10 most feared players in the NFL, and Cowboys safety Roy Williams ranks sixth. First? Well, that would be Steelers outside linebacker Joey Porter.
Told you back during the March NFL owners’ meetings from Orlando, Fla., Jacksonville head coach Jack Del Rio made some crack about how nice the Cowboys would look in blue uniforms playing in the September heat and humidity at Alltel Stadium. Well he didn’t forget, announcing the other day the Jaguars would indeed where the unaccustomed white jerseys for the opener because, tongue planted deeply in cheek, “I like those white helmets (the Cowboys) wear with those dark jerseys. I think they're pretty classy. We'll let them wear them here." What a guy, Jack.
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Just had this feeling last week Bill Parcells wasn’t sold on either of his backup nose tackle candidates, Thomas Johnson or Montavious Stanley. The Cowboys cut Stanley, their sixth-round pick, and Johnson didn’t last 48 hours, getting waived on Monday to make room for a Cleveland castoff, 6-4, 323-pound J’Vonne Parker, who played in all of four games last year, making one tackle.
You know, Terrell Owens must be feeling good. He not only was in a chatty mood Monday during the open locker room session for the media, but he was less guarded and about as personable as he’s been since his camp-opening press conference. When asked if he even remembers the last time he played in an NFL game, he said, “It was Denver. I went 91 yards.” Indeed it was Denver, Oct. 30, 2005, three catches 154 yards, including a 91-yard touchdown grab. Would you take it?
Boy, if you were handicapping the competition for the starting right tackle position back in, say, June, of the three legitimate contenders, Marc Colombo might have been third. Now he’s the starter. Could have fooled me.
Boy II, Bill can sure turn back the sands of time. While making a reference to how rookie receiver Sam Hurd has been smart enough to learn all three receiver positions as a rookie, he said, “Maybe he should be on the G.E. Whiz Bowl,” making reference to this game show many moons ago involving college athletes that if I remember correctly was called the College Bowl. And before you knew it, we’re talking the host of that show, Allen Ludden, who yes, was once married to Betty White, and who went on to Password game-show host fame.
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Knowing the New Orleans Saints had the No. 2 spot in the claiming order, it's not surprising Saints head coach Sean Payton, the Cowboys' former assistant head coach, scooped up Rob Petitti and Terrance Copper off waivers Sunday. The Saints also claimed 2003 first-rounder Michael Haynes (Bears).
Wow, maybe it’s not the end of the world cutting fourth- and sixth-round picks when you see other team slashing high-round picks from the past couple of years. Detroit cut ties with 2003 first-rounder Charles Rogers. The Chiefs cut 2004 second-rounder Junior Saivii.
Saw where a couple of former Cowboys were released, including Pete Hunter, Quincy Morgan and Ross Tucker.
Good thing Mat McBriar had a really nice preseason, averaging 42.7 on 10 punts, six of which were downed inside the 20. Otherwise Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells might have been tempted to go get a two-for-one, punter/kickoff guy, and two former Cowboys are available for such duty, Micah Knorr and Toby Gowin.
This is either genius or seriously rolling the dice: The Atlanta Falcons are going with a three-for-one kicker, second-year guy Michael Koenen from Western Washington, who will handle the place kicks, punts and kickoffs. The last known player to serve as a triple-threat kicker was Frank Corral in 1981 with the LA Rams. Sure this frees up a roster spot, but should he become injured, you might find yourself looking for two guys, maybe three.
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