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Dallas Cowboys

By Andy Benoit, www.NFLTouchdown.com

Predicted: 1^st

2007 Record: 13-3 (1^st NFC East)

Head Coach: Wade Phillips (2^nd year)

Roster Quick View

*rookie

**new veteran

Offense

QB: Tony Romo Perhaps the best QB in the NFC, but another playoff letdown and he’ll have one helluva stigma to rebuff.

RB: Marion Barber Could be the most ferocious runner you’ll ever see. When has a first-time starter ever been coming off a Pro Bowl season?

FB: Deon Anderson Looked decent until a torn rotator cuff ended his ’07 rookie season.

WR: Terrell Owens No major episodes last season helped earn him a new three-year contract. We all feel the premonition….is that triumph or trouble ahead?

WR: Patrick Crayton Must get over the case of the dropsees that plagued him late last year.

TE: Jason Witten Easily the preeminent TE in the NFC. Can catch 100 balls and still thrive as a blocker.

LT: Flozell Adams Can wear out a referee’s flag-tossing arm, but don’t let that detract from his solidity. This man deserved his new six-year, $43 million contract.

LG: Kyle Kosier The least heralded member of an elite front five, but offers the best mobility in run-blocking.

C: Andre Gurode Aside from shotgun snaps, he’s excellent. Has great size (6’4”, 312) and can really move.

RG: Leonard Davis Bigger than some of the houses in Sugarland, TX. Playing inside, sheer power makes up for any limitations.

RT: Marc Colombo A little sloppy in spots, but this guy flat-out doesn’t get beat. And he can move people in the run game.

———–

QB: Brad Johnson Hard to find reliable backups who have 17 years of experience.

RB: Felix Jones* Is expected to bring a whole other playmaking dimension to the offense. If he does, how will this team be stopped?

WR: Terry Glenn Unhappy with management after being asked to sign a $500,000 injury settlement. But with his creaky knee, you can’t blame the Dallas front office.

WR: Sam Hurd Capable of handling the fourth receiver chores, but probably not someone you want working out of the slot.

TE: Martellus Bennett* A guy scouts have compared to Jason Witten. Could be yet another solid ball-handling weapon for this offense.

OL: Pat McQuistan Cowboys would love for him––or any backup––to not have to see the field for a third consecutive season.

Defense

LDE: Marcus Spears Former first-round pick. Critics look at his 4.5 career sacks and think he’s a bust. Experts look at his run defense and know he’s a stud.

NT: Jay Ratliff Very few sub-300-pounders play the nose this well. Will also see time at DE due to the elevated role of Tank Johnson.

RDE: Chris Canty Playing for a big contract in 2008. If he continues on his current path, he’ll rightfully get one.

LOLB: Anthony Spencer Taking over on first and second downs for pass-rushing ace Greg Ellis. Shows good signs, but must prove he can play with explosiveness.

LILB: Bradie James Annually leads the team in tackles, and has emerged as a respected leader in recent years.

RILB: Zach Thomas** Future Hall of Famer. Thirty-five in September and injury prone. If he’s healthy, he’s still dominant.

ROLB: DeMarcus Ware Simply put: the best 3-4 defensive player in football.

CB: Terence Newman Also simply put: the best cornerback in football.

SS: Roy Williams The type of ferocious hitter that makes chiropractors cringe. But ineptitude in coverage puts his playing time in serious jeopardy.

FS: Ken Hamlin Recipient of a new six-year, $39 million contract. Coming off his first Pro Bowl season.

CB: Anthony Henry Will moves to his college position of FS in nickel situations. Doesn’t mean he’s not a commendable CB though.

————

DL: Tank Johnson Claims he’s ready to erupt after his first true offseason in two years (knee injury cost him ’06 offseason, jail time cost him ’07).

LB: Greg Ellis Unhappy about demotion, but was also cranky in ’07 before he wound up recording 12.5 sacks en route to the Comeback Player of the Year award.

NB: Adam Jones** People forget that he’s one of the most gifted players in the sport. Has dropped the notorious Pacman epithet and has taken Prime Time’s No. 21. Two good signs.

Key Player Acquisitions

CB Adam Jones (Ten)

OL Cory Lekkerkerker (Mia)

LB Zach Thomas (Mia)

Key Player Losses

LB Akin Ayodele (Mia)

S Keith Davis (Mia)

TE Anthony Fasano (Mia)

NT Jason Ferguson (Mia)

FB Oliver Hoyte (KC)

RB Julius Jones (Sea)

CB Nate Jones (Mia)

CB Jacques Reeves (Hou)

Obviously, the hoopla surrounding Adam Jones––formerly known as Pacman––dominated headlines over the offseason. Criticize Jerry Jones all you want for bringing in the suspended star. The fact of the matter is, Dallas only gave up a fourth-round pick and will be paying one of the game’s best talents a total of $6.05 million over the next three years (none of it guaranteed). Business-wise, that’s an unbeatable bargain. No need to even explain why Nate Jones and Reeves became expendable. Thomas is a short-term upgrade over Ayodele, assuming the longtime Dolphin stays healthy. Julius Jones wasn’t worth big money, and Davis, Ferguson and Hoyte were all common depth guys.

2008 - Dallas Cowboys

Rd Sel # Player Position School

1 22 Felix Jones RB Arkansas

1 25 Mike Jenkins CB South Florida

2 61 Martellus Bennett TE Texas A&M

4 122 Tashard Choice RB Georgia Tech

5 143 Orlando Scandrick CB Boise State

6 167 Erik Walden DE Middle Tennessee State

The rich got richer. Felix Jones is expected to be at least a step-and-a-half better than Julius Jones, mainly because the ex-Razorback brings tremendous speed and open-field dynamics. Jenkins won’t have to start in 2008. In fact, he may be a nickel back for the first four years of his career. Dallas had him rated as the No. 1 CB in the draft. Bennett can be an excellent compliment to Jason Witten. He made headlines after the draft by talking up Tony Romo’s relationship with Jessica Simpson. Dallas’s PR department quickly called and told him to shut his trap. Choice gives them depth, while Scandrick could become an outstanding No. 4.

Dallas Cowboys 2008 Preview Report

Idea for a movie: snazzy football team takes a run at a title. Sounds cliché, I know. But I’m not talking about an underdog story like Little Giants or Angels in the End Zone. And I’m not interested in inspiring anyone like Radio or Rudy. What I’m thinking is a high-budget, high-octane, hold-no-punches hardcore football film. Varsity Blues, Friday Night Lights––they were both alright. I mean, you gotta love Lone Star State football. But those films were about high school teams. I’m talking about a professional team.

It’s gotta be pro––that’s where the money is. Think Any Given Sunday only without the nauseating camera work or exaggerated sleaziness. We could definitely pull this off.

Follow me here: the team is from the heart of Texas (like I said, Lone Star State football). They call themselves the Cowboys but also go by the moniker America’s Team. They’re the most polarizing franchise in pro football. They have the biggest fan base and yet they’re hated by more people than any other organization. Their cheerleaders are sizzling and provocative. I’m talking Halle Barry-in-Swordfish-type sex appeal. The league trumpets the team on national television more than it does any other. In fact, every year, it dedicates the late afternoon of the great American holiday (Thanksgiving) to them. This year, the team is favored to win it all, so the hype is boiling.

So we build on that plot, alright? Now, one of the key characters will be the team’s owner. He’s a haughty oil tycoon who will be moving the club into the world’s first $1 billion stadium next season. Because they’ve won five Super Bowls in their current stadium––which, by the way, has a hole in the roof so “God can watch his favorite team play”––there’s a heavy sense of nostalgia heading into this season. A real “let’s win the big one for old time’s sake” type sentiment.

The star of the movie––well, there are several stars––but the biggest star will, of course, be the quarterback. He’s young, good-looking, charismatic, and he’s dating a hot blonde celebrity pop star. The owner gave him a six-year, $67.5 million contract last season when the quarterback threw a conference-best 36 touchdown passes. There’s a story within the QB story here: With the paparazzi following the star passer everywhere, and sportscasters analyzing him nonstop, there’s enormous pressure on the guy. Exacerbating it all is speculation that he chokes under pressure. See, he comes into the year with an 0-2 playoff record.

Whatdaya think so far? Good––got more for ya.

The supporting cast is led by the quarterback’s greatest weapon––a flamboyant wide receiver who can be destructive in every sense of the word. He came over from the team’s arch-rival after shattering that team’s records but also their morale. His ego is enormous, his talent is immense and his agent is a slick-haired shark. The receiver is seen as a villain by everyone except his home fans. And even they’re a little nervous about him.

The owner loves his prima donna wideout. In fact, over the offseason, when he paid him nearly $13 million in guarantees and made him one of the richest at his position, he presented him with a multi-gallon tub of popcorn, publicly playing up the receiver’s self-installed slogan “Getcha popcorn ready.” (We can use this side story as an opening credits scene or something.)

So there’s the quarterback and receiver. They’re under the jurisdiction of a head coach (call him Wade Phillips) who everybody likes but nobody fears, and a hotshot assistant (say Jason Garrett….or some name like that) who calls the plays. Over the offseason, the hotshot assistant turned down bigger job opportunities elsewhere after the owner somehow convinced him to stay. The audience will suspect that collusion took place between the young coach and owner. The audience’s skepticism will only grow when the offense––which features three Pro Bowlers on the front line and four or five other big-time weapons––puts up huge numbers under the young coach’s direction.

The film’s best drama of all may come from the idea I have for two of the team’s defensive players. Picture this: the D is rock solid, but still, the insatiable owner goes out and gets two insanely talented twentysomething-year-olds at a bargain price that no outlet mall could match. One is a defensive tackle and the other is a cornerback. The catch is, both players have had serious legal problems in the past. In fact, both were still under league suspension when the owner brought them in. Think about the drama we could create here. We could have flashback scenes to nightclub shootings, then show the players tearing it up in offseason practices. We could have clips of fans and media blasting the owner for his peccancy. Something like this would put the audience on the edge of their seats wondering if one of the players will screw up. We could even give each player a symbolic name––that’s the kind of stuff the Academy eats up. You know, something like Tank. Or Pacman. Anything along those lines.

Now stay with me here, I want to share a few more ideas. I’ve told you about the main pieces, but what will make this movie great are all the juicy ancillary characters. I’ve already come up with a synopsis of names and storylines. Take a look:

Marion Barber––A ferocious running back who made the Pro Bowl as a backup last season. Now he must prove he can live up to the seven-year, $45 million contract that the owner gave him. Those who watch Barber, love him. Those who face him, fear him. (Barber’s storyline gives the movie some violence.)

Felix Jones––A dazzling rookie running back who hails from the owner’s alma mater (let’s say it’s Arkansas). Coaches put a lot on Jones’s plate because they’re eager to use him in a variety of ways. How will he handle it? (We can use Jones for some fast-paced action scenes.)

Jason Witten––A country boy tight end who put up huge numbers the year before and now must tutor a rookie, (Martellus Bennett), who is similar to him in style. Bennett is a bit of a talker. An idea I have is to show him getting drafted in the opening credits and then rankling the team’s PR staff with jokes to reporters about the quarterback and his celebrity girlfriend. (The Witten and Bennett characters lend a personable human relationship story to the film.)

Flozell Adams––A gifted, well-paid veteran offensive tackle who racks up tons of penalties. (Every film needs some comic relief.)

DeMarcus Ware––A sheer superstar outside linebacker who terrorizes opponents in every fashion, especially as a pass-rusher. (We’d use him as sex appeal to the female demographic.)

Chris Canty––An underappreciated defensive end who has played much better than expected in his yeomen’s role. He’s in the final year of his contract and just saw his former backup Jay Ratliff get a six-year, $20.5 million deal after a most unexpected breakout season at nose tackle the previous year. (We’ll have Canty come from a good home and be a team player, which will give the audience someone to root for.)

Marcus Spears––Canty’s sidekick who was actually drafted much higher. He has performed well but is unjustly criticized, mainly because Canty’s success has skewed the perception of him. Spears is also in the final year of his deal. (This adds a little more juice to the human element.)

Greg Ellis––A disgruntled veteran who feels disrespected after being benched. He has a history of petulance. He came back from an Achilles injury the previous season and shocked everyone with a career-best 12.5 sacks. But even before his return, the owner had already drafted his replacement (Anthony Spencer). Now the owner and coaches want Spencer to play more. (This brings a great moral dilemma to the story. The audience will be torn between whether Ellis is a victim or villain.)

Zach Thomas––An aging newcomer who has a lot of doubters. A surefire Hall of Famer, Thomas had spent his entire career with another team before he was released because of concussion problems and general wear-and-tear. At his family’s wish, he returns to the state in which he grew up to play for the team he grew up rooting for. All the while he’s trying to prove that he has something left. (This movie needs some philosophical depth. Thomas can be the prophetic old character whose wisdom is initially mistaken for craziness.)

Ken Hamlin––A playmaking safety who was, for awhile, miffed about not receiving a long-term contract like fellow defensive back and first-time Pro Bowler Terence Newman. The Hamlin character is rough around the edges, having had a few legal problems before. He spent much of the offseason away from the team, protesting the one-year franchise contract he was under. The owner acquiesced to his demands just before training camp, giving him a rich six-year deal. (Great drama and flash.)

Roy Williams––A five-time Pro Bowl safety who can crush opponents but struggles mercifully in pass coverage. He presents the coaches with a vexing predicament; they know he’s a star, but they also know that his single weakness could potentially kill the entire season. Williams has already admitted publicly that he’s not comfortable in the new head coach’s defense. (Williams is a possible keystone character because his struggles in coverage could be a part of the film’s climax.)

As you can see, there’s great theatre here. Americans love football, and they especially love entertainment. This movie has it all: drama, sex, humor, violence, social commentary––you name it. And here’s the kicker: the story’s motif is that everyone related to the team, from the owner to the quarterback, clear down to the ball boys and fans, is edgy because the franchise hasn’t won a playoff game in a dozen years. This, factored with enormous expectations, magnifies everything that is brewing underneath.

So….whatdaya think?

Sounds farfetched, I know. But it’s actually based on a true story.

Offense

With Brett Favre retired, Tony Romo becomes the preeminent gunslinger in the NFC. Like Favre, Romo thrives on improvisation. He has the mobility and quick release needed to alchemically convert recklessness into greatness. But, as Favre showed, interceptions can be inherent with this style of play. (Romo threw 19 picks in 2008.)

Offensive coordinator Jason Garrett––a former backup to Troy Aikman and the presumed heir apparent to head coach Wade Phillips––can live with the turnovers, as long as Romo consistently guides the high-flying offense for all 17 weeks (or, as Dallas hopes, 22 weeks). That didn’t happen last season. The Cowboys sputtered down the stretch and averaged just over 12 points per game in their final four outings (including postseason). Most concerning was that their then 27-year-old franchise quarterback exhibited a negative, less confident comportment in the playoff loss to the Giants.

Brad Johnson is a dependable backup who could keep the offense breathing if called upon for a few weeks. Whoever is under center in Dallas will always have a reliable rushing attack to lean on. Fourth-year pro Marion Barber is one of the most punishing players in the sport. His feral running style is a recipe for bumps and bruises, which is why scat back Felix Jones was drafted in Round One. Jones is familiar with being the elusive second fiddle in the backfield. At Arkansas, he shared time with Darren McFadden. The Cowboys plan to utilize the rookie much like the Saints utilize Reggie Bush.

At 200 pounds, Jones lacks the girth to bang inside. Therefore, he won’t spend too much time in the huddle with fullback Deon Anderson. Actually, no one will spend too much time with Anderson. Garrett favors the single-back-set, which means rookie tight end Martellus Bennett is likely to see a lot of the fullback’s snaps.

The Cowboys will pass first and run second in 2008. This makes sense considering they have the league’s best receiver-tight end combo in Terrell Owens and Jason Witten. You know the book on T.O., and you’ve probably read most of the one on Witten. Each man will post big numbers if for no other reason than Garrett makes it extremely difficult for defenses to double-cover both weapons.

Terry Glenn’s bum knee makes Patrick Crayton the default No. 2 receiver. Yes, Crayton is a better fit in the slot. And yes, Sam Hurd is a better fit as a fourth receiver. But given the vast talent throughout Dallas’s offense, these personnel glitches are like the mole that used to be on Cindy Crawford’s face: the sum of the parts is too great for it to matter.

Holding everything together is a punishing front five that hasn’t seen a starter miss a game since 2005. The Cowboys can only cross their fingers that such good fortune continues. (It’d better––there isn’t a single experienced backup on the roster.)

Left tackle Flozell Adams, center Andre Gurode and right guard Leonard Davis all went to the Pro Bowl last season. All are demonstrative run-blockers and skilled pass-protectors. The fact that their talent comes in packages weighing 340, 312 and 366 pounds, respectively, is what makes them almost unstoppable.

Good as the Pro Bowlers are, right tackle Marc Colombo is Dallas’s most consistent offensive lineman. The 320-pounder can maul in the run game and, despite having somewhat heavy feet, keep his side of the pocket firm in the pass. Left guard Kyle Kosier gives the Cowboys line the added dimension of mobility. Kosier, while a tad sloppy, has the quickness and wherewithal to get out in front.

Defense

If the secondary turns out to be as good as it looks on paper, it’s hard to imagine anyone stopping Wade Phillips’s aggressive 3-4 defense. Soon-to-be 30-year-old Terence Newman is the best cornerback in the business. While higher profile stars rack up more interceptions and Pro Bowl fan votes, Newman routinely clamps down on the opposing team’s best receiver and outright removes him from the equation. Considering Newman can also create turnovers and stop the run, defensive coordinator Brian Stewart has everything he could possibly want in a No.1 cornerback.

Prior to his suspension, Adam Jones was in the most elite class of defensive playmakers. Anthony Henry is a very good No. 2 corner, but if Jones is available, a permanent move to free safety is inevitable for the eighth-year veteran. Henry played safety in college, and the Cowboys already plan on using him there in nickel situations in ’08. This will allow Jones to cover the right side, Newman to slide into the slot (which he always does against three-receiver sets) and first-round rookie Mike Jenkins to get on the field.

More lineup dominos fall in the nickel package because Henry’s move to centerfield bumps the assertive Ken Hamlin down to the strong safety position, thus relegating pass-defending harlequin Roy Williams to linebacker or the bench. We’re talking about reshuffling some very gifted players into some very fitting roles here. Very rarely does a team have the flexibility to maximize so much talent in one defensive set.

Whatever defense Dallas is in, you can bet DeMarcus Ware will be on the field. Ware is an All-Universe talent. He has a stiflingly quick first step, which is best portrayed in his pass-rush (career-high 14 sacks in ’07). He is athletic enough to change directions and be a force in backside and playside run defense, plus he’s adept in coverage. With Ware, it’s almost like the Cowboys play 12 on 11.

Opposite Ware will be second-year pro Anthony Spencer, a former defensive end at Purdue who will be used on first and second downs. Greg Ellis will see action in pass-rushing situations. Ellis turns 33 in August and, while he’ll still be a force, it’s doubtful he’ll match his 12.5-sack outburst of a year ago.

Ellis’s productivity is a testament to the work turned in by Marcus Spears. Fans clamoring for more statistical production from the former first-round pick are ignorant of how consistent Spears is in dictating the action on the line of scrimmage. He is a forceful run defender and a destructive blocker-eater. This makes him effective in the system.

If the Cowboys needed big sack numbers from their ends, they’d play the swift but raw Jason Hatcher on a more regular basis. Right end Chris Canty is the same as Spears, only on a slightly higher level.

The Dallas D is stellar up the gut as well. Defensive end Jay Ratliff emerged as an excellent nose tackle filling in for an injured Jason Ferguson in 2007. Ratliff compensates for a lack of size and strength by playing with outstanding quickness and agility. He tends to shoot gaps rather than plug them. This does have mild drawbacks at times. Inside linebacker Bradie James struggles taking on contact in the north/south direction. That’s why a few too many of his team-leading 101 tackles came downfield last season.

James may not have to rectify his weakness in ’08. For one, he’s playing next to tackling machine Zach Thomas. For two, the Cowboys plan on sliding Ratliff over to end more often and using Tank Johnson at the nose. Johnson is the same size as Ratliff, but he plays with superior power. Coming off his first true offseason in two years, he is confident––almost to the point of cocky––about where he’ll be heading into September.

Special Teams

It’s almost unfair, but Dallas’s depth gives them outstanding special teams units as well. Fullback Deon Anderson is a respected wedge buster on kickoffs. Backup linebackers Bobby Carpenter (a former first-round pick) and Kevin Burnett (pass defending ace) play with great energy. Speedy fifth-round rookie cornerback Orlando Scandrick is someone Jerry Jones wants to see on the field. Former starting safety Pat Watkins can also contribute.

In the return game, Miles Austin has had his moments on kickoffs, and Terence Newman is someone teams try to stay away from on punts. However, both should take a back seat to Adam Jones. The only return specialist in football who is more dangerous than Jones is that guy in Chicago. In his two active seasons with the Titans, Jones took four punts to the house.

Punter Mat McBriar averaged a whopping 47.1 yards per boot last year, though opponents averaged 11.6 yards per return against him. Kicker Nick Folk is entering his second season as a pro and already has a Pro Bowl under his belt.

Bottom Line

The amount of talent the Cowboys have is surreal. They sent an NFL-record 11 players to the Pro Bowl in 2007. They have around 20 players good enough to contend for such honors this season. With an outstanding rookie class that brought two more first-round contributors and an impact second-rounder, plus the additions of Zach Thomas and Adam Jones, Dallas has no noticeable flaw. Anything less than a Super Bowl appearance would be a monumental disappointment in 2008.

Myth Buster

Patrick Crayton is a liability as a starting receiver

The reality is that Crayton is Dallas’s only ball-handler who isn’t a star. That doesn’t mean he’s a weakness. A fully healthy Terry Glenn is better than Crayton, but a fully healthy Terry Glenn no longer exists.

Coaches have said that Crayton––a former quarterback––has the softest hands on the team. He blemished this reputation with drops late in the season last year, but that boiled down to correctable concentration lapses.

Crayton is a smooth route runner with fast enough wheels to disappear once he reaches the open field. He caught 50 passes for 697 yards and seven touchdowns last season, numbers a lot of teams would gladly take from their third receiving option.

Open Thought

Have you noticed that the star on Dallas’s helmets does not match the shade of blue on their home jerseys? It’s not even close, in fact. The helmet star is navy and the jersey numbers are royal.

Colors have a history in Big D. The Cowboys were the trend setters for wearing white at home. The tradition began when Tex Schramm wanted to market his games by showing fans pictures of different colors of opposing teams coming through each year. Back then, Dallas’s blue road jerseys resembled the lighter royal shade that defines the numbers and lettering on their white outfits. Over time, however, that road royal blue darkened.

Today, it’s outright navy. And the pants the Cowboys wear with their blue jerseys are a shinier silver than the pants they wear with white. It’s utter chaos.