SB Nation - Courtney Brown

Horse Tracks - 12/7/09 - Broncos beatdown Chiefs in Historic Fashion

John Bena — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:34:43 -0000

Good Morning Broncos Country! Doug is off enjoying the fruits of his labor...errrr..celebrating his first year of marriage so I will be filling in. I know, Horse Tracks was one of my earliest ideas at MHR but there is no way I can match what Doug brings to the table. I will certainly try, so let's get to it on this 8-4 Monday Morning!

NFL.com - NFL Game Center: Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs
It was over when ... Broncos RB Knowshon Moreno raced 18 yards for a touchdown to give Denver a 41-13 lead early in the fourth quarter.

DB – Firing on All Cylinders(Zach Eisendrath)
They controlled the line of scrimmage. They made big plays at opportune times. They displayed toughness and intensity from start to finish.

DB - Asserting Their Will(Gary Caldwell)
Football changes when the calendar reaches December. As the weather gets colder, the play gets a little more hard-nosed, a little more physical, and a little more about pounding the ball.

DP - Broncos crunch Kansas City, improve to 8-4(Mike Klis)
Stephen Alexander and Jeb Putzier were the tight ends. Charlie Adams was the No. 3 receiver. Courtney Brown was a defensive end. Kyle Johnson was a frequently used fullback.

DP - McD pick of the litter(Woody Paige)
The Broncos are very lucky. Very lucky they got to play the subterranean Chiefs on Sunday. Very lucky that they get to play the Chiefs again this season in what could be a critical final regular-season game for them — the Broncos, not the mouth-breathers. Very lucky that Haley is in Kansas City, not Denver. And very, very lucky that they chose Josh McDaniels over the myriad other coaches who were available for employment after Mike Shanahan was dumped.

DP - Even cliches fail with awful Chiefs(Dave Krieger)
Arrowhead Stadium ain't what she used to be. The Broncos' December house of horrors has become a wax museum.

DP - Broncos in driver's seat for playoff spot(Jim Armstrong)
True story. Did an article for The Post the other day about a Chiefs fan living in Denver who couldn't take it any more. He was so distraught and disgusted, he e-mailed the paper and asked if we could arrange to have him hypnotized into becoming a Broncos fan.

DP - There's no halt in Buckhalter(Lindsay Jones)
For a moment there, Broncos running back Correll Buckhalter was sure he had broken free. Buckhalter dashed untouched through Kansas City's defensive linemen and linebackers early in the second quarter of Sunday's 44-13 victory at Arrowhead Stadium, but a push from safety Mike Brown knocked Buckhalter off-balance. Buckhalter had gotten past all of the Chiefs' defenders but couldn't stay on his feet and fell near midfield after a gain of 26 yards.

DP - Quinn's deflection on K.C.'s trick play, Royal's returns elevating unit(Jeff Legwold)
There are times when an NFL special-teams coach is like a carnival barker, constantly reminding those who pass by to come inside and see the wild, the weird and all of life's mysteries discovered in the far corners of the world.

DP - Royal's all-purpose show stuns K.C.(Mike Klis)
His commercials call for the Royal Treatment. The Broncos should call him All-Purpose Eddie. Eddie Royal had a busy game during the Broncos' 44-13 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, totaling 182 all-purpose yards.

DP - Briefs: Orton's odd day: Red-zone pick, fumbles lost, win - The Denver Post
Kyle Orton knows when to pick them. Ordinarily, when a quarterback commits three turnovers in a game, he finishes it on the losing team.

ESPN.com - Cassel tanks in front of mentor(Bill Williamson)
This couldn’t have been the Matt Cassel whom Josh McDaniels tried to trade for, completely changing the complexion of his new organization in the process.

ESPN.com - Rapid Reaction: Broncos 44, Chiefs 13(Bill Williamson)
The Denver Broncos excel at not playing down to the level of their opposition.

The VRR: Three Vets Make Their Return; Team Makes Two Cuts

Aaron Novinger — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 03:06:14 -0000

More photos » by Eric Gay - AP

It's good to see Terence Newman back playing ball. The Dallas defense is not the same without him.

Browse more photos »

Cornerbacks Terence Newman and Mike Jenkins, and receiver Roy Williams, all returned to practice today. Newman has missed the past 11 practices and the preseason game against Oakland with a strained groin, while Williams missed the Sunday afternoon practice with a sprained left wrist. Head coach Wade Phillips expects both players to play against Tennessee this Friday.

Williams could have held back in practice today, but decided against it.

"Going in for treatment the trainer said, you're going to run cords with Britt (Brown) and I said. No I'm not" said Williams who sprained his left wrist going after a pass and landing on it in Sunday's first work out. Williams then opted to play through the pain instead of going through the rehab. "It's a good thing i did, my confidence level went sky high because thought the ball would take my hand and break my wrist. Thank God I have strong hands" Williams said.

He had a tough time sleeping with the soft cast last night and did practice with the wrist heavily taped and he thinks he accomplished his goal of leading by example by not missing the only practice of the day.

"I practiced not only for my teammates and coaches but also for the media side of it as well" said Williams. "If i miss camp , it's a big deal. I don't want to be the guy that doesn't practice because of this or that. I've come to far not to go through camp, we're almost done, so get it over with, go through the pain, catch the football and do what i do."

Newman returned to his starting LCB spot, but will not be returning punts yet.

While Newman participated fully with the defense, he is not expected to play a significant role as a punt returner, which is how he injured his groin in the first place. He's only someone to be used in certain situations, if at all, Phillips said.

"He's been kind of on the edge of punt return anyway," Phillips said. "He's not the returner. He's a guy that we're looking at as a backup or maybe a guy that if we get them backed up, we want more of a speed guy and we could utilize him."

More VRR after the jump.

CB Mike Jenkins also made his return from an ankle injury, completing the reunion of the Cowboys' starting secondary.

"It's normal right now, just a little sore," he said of his ankle. "It's probably going to be like that through the whole season, but it's something I can work through."

Secondary coach Dave Campo said Jenkins might not be able to "do certain things" but that he didn't look rusty in his first day back.

"I thought he did a nice job," Campo said. "He moved around good. I was more looking at how he was moving than anything else. He looked fine to me."

Courtney Brown had a good practice today, making an interception and breaking up a couple of passes from his cornerback position. After the Raiders game, that should bode well for his confidence--something every CB needs. Here's what secondary coach Dave Campo had to say about Brown's practice.

"One of the keys with the younger guys, sometimes they can (get) beat down with us talking about things they're doing wrong. Sometimes they don't rebound from that. I thought he did today and did a nice job."

The Turk visited RB Alonzo Coleman and CB Michael Hawkins, today. Both players were cut by the team. That drops the roster down to 76. They don't have to get down to 75 until September 1, so there's a chance they can bring in another camp body to help fill a thin position.

Stephen Hodge vs. Jason Witten? It sounds like the two have already found some competitive fire between each other.

Maybe the most surprising sight from today's practice came from five time pro-bowler Jason Witten. He and draft pick Stephen Hodge got in some good battles and when a red zone completion ended, Witten heaved the ball at the rookie out of TCU.

"The first time I grabbed his shoulder pads, since tight ends most likely push, so I grabbed his pads, and next go around and I guess he thought I was trying to tackle him" said Hodge who returned to practice this week after missing time with a knee injury. " I was just trying to get the ball out and he threw it at me but it's not a big deal" Hodge said.

Nick Eatman reports that Coach Phillips plans to give the starters more snaps in this Friday's game against the Titans .

"We haven’t finalized how long we’re going to play them but we’ll play our starters more than the last game obviously," said Phillips, who added that decision was not affected by the Cowboys opening up the new stadium in Arlington. "No, we have to evaluate guys and also have to get our team ready to play the first ballgame against Tampa so that's what we're going to do. I don't think anything changes there."

Phillips said he expected Terence Newman (groin) and Roy Williams (wrist) to play some against the Titans and added rookie linebacker Brandon Williams (bruised shoulder) could also return to practice and possibly play Friday night.

Keith Brooking feels that moving to the Cowboys came at a good point in his career.

Tashard Choice is more than understanding about accepting his role behind MB3 and Felix.

"It's frustrating when you're not running the ball as much you want to. But you've got to understand that something is going to be better, something is going to work out here or down the line so you've just got to take it in stride. You can't complain about the position you're in. You're still playing football."

Like Choice, Orlando Scandrick is taking a "team first" attitude and sounds like he's tired of being asked about the starting RCB position.

"I don’t really want to talk much more about the competition or nothing like that," Scandrick said. "I’m hungry, and I want more. I’m not going to stop. I’m going to continue to make plays and, I mean, I don’t know what they’re going to do, but as long as I’m out here I’m going to continue to make plays."

Mickey Spagnola discusses Jason Garrett's options for spreading around the football.

While the Cowboys might not have a dominating offensive player, they have more weapons than you can shake a stick at, and they are now unencumbered to use them all at their discretion without having to worry about some verbal repercussion.

Just count them. You got two running backs now needing the ball in their hands, Barber and Jones, plus a third who can carry his own weight in Tashard Choice. They have a bevy of receivers capable of contributing in different ways, from Williams to Crayton to the emerging Sam Hurd and Miles Austin.

And as I pointed out at the start of camp, you will fall in love with the two-tight end sets formed by Witten and Bennett, their dual ability to not only block like tight ends but run the field like power forwards.

Apparently, DeMarcus Ware is the film study subject for several Tennessee Volunteers defensive ends.

Stars have to dance, right? Evidently, they do. Michael Irvin will headline the cast of ABC's "Dancing With The Stars".

Dallas Cowboys Training Camp: The Bubble Boys

Jim Vance — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 06:00:09 -0000

Who are the Bubble Boys this year? Who are the Cowboy players standing on the proverbial bubble this training camp? Almost all rookies are somewhat on the bubble unless they are top-round draft picks. I'm defining a Bubble Boy as a veteran player, who has not broken into the starting lineup and has yet to show themselves to be a reliable backup. At some point the team has to make a change if a player doesn't develop. That change can mean being traded for another player or future draft choice, or being cut outright. For some of the Bubble Boys, the clock is ticking.

Make the jump.

Bubble Boys:

Pat Watkins - When you play the safety position and your team signs a free agent safety and then drafts two more, you should be looking over your shoulder. The safety play was poor last year and the team appears determined to upgrade. With Roy Williams' injury last year there was a real opportunity for Watkins to secure a spot. He didn't. Watkins will have competition for one of the backup safety positions and he will need to make it clear that he is worth the roster space. If it looks like a push between him and a rookie, the rookie will get the spot.

Courtney Brown - See Pat Watkins above. The safety play was poor last year, Roy Williams was hurt and Brown had a chance to win a spot. He didn't. He could be on the outside looking in. The Cowboys could possibly look at him back at corner again.

Isaiah Stanback - Have you seen the M. Night Shyamalan movie called Unbreakable where Samuel L. Jackson played a bad guy who was nicknamed ‘Mr. Glass' because he was very fragile? Well, that's who Stanback reminds me of. He has talent, but he can't seem to stay healthy enough to get on the field. How long can the Cowboys endure the opportunity cost of waiting for Mr. Glass to become Mr. Big Play?

Alan Ball - At cornerback, the Cowboys have gone from liability to strength with Terence Newman, Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick. Ball was a 7th-round draft choice in 2007 and will be battling for a backup spot with rookie Mike Mickens, who was considered an elite cover prospect before suffering a knee injury. If Mickens knee is solid, Ball might be in trouble. DeAngelo Smith will also be in the mix.

Pat McQuistan - An offensive tackle drafted in the 7th-round in 2006. He has backed up Marc Columbo at RT and even Flozell Adams at LT but only for very brief stints. When Flozell had a bad wing last year and seemed a shell of himself, McQuistan had an opportunity to step in and help the team as well as himself. Flo had to come right back in. McQuistan needs to bring it during training camp or he just might lose it.

Bubble Boys (potential trade variety)

Bobby Carpenter - When you cost your team a first-round draft pick (18^th) and first-round draft pick money, and you haven't played your way onto the field - that's a big problem. Since Carpenter was drafted by Parcells in 2006 he has not been able to earn significant playing time and the team surely won't want to continue to burn up a roster spot without reciprocal production. For the last few years I've heard Carpenter being discussed as moving inside and then outside and that he deserves more playing time and yet, he doesn't manage to get on the field except for special teams. If the guy has the ability and desire, I'm sure Wade will recognize it and find a way to use it. His big opportunity is a shot at the starting nickel-backer role. I see him as someone the Cowboys would love to talk up during camp and package him for a future draft pick.

Cory Procter - Procter signed a one-year deal in April and he has shown some versatility by backing up Andre Gurode at center, but last year while filling in at guard he got pushed around more than a Wal-Mart shopping cart. If the Cowboys really liked him it seems they would have locked him up for a longer term. That one-year deal sounds to me like, "If another G/C prospect comes on the radar screen, we won't be tied to you with a longer contract." We used to think Kyle Kosier was the weak link on the o-line, until Proctor took his place. Procter will be battling Montrae Holland as the primary backup guard, but his best chance for continued stability with the Cowboys is as a backup center. Playing center could save him this year.

The clock is ticking down for these guys to make an impact. Training camp may be the last time some of these men wear the star. Tick...tick...tick.

The VRR: The Dallas Offense Rushes to the Top; Michael Irvin Files Counterclaim

Aaron Novinger — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 19:08:44 -0000

More photos » by Tony Gutierrez - AP

Dreams of being an Australian Football League quarterback dance in Terence Newman's head.

Browse more photos »

FOX Sports ranks the Cowboys' running back package at number eight in the league. That may sound a bit low to Cowboys fans, but had two-thirds of the trio stayed healthy last year they could have at least broken into the top five. Of course, we may not have found out the full extent of Tashard Choice's talent had Marion Barber and Felix Jones stayed healthy.

Here's what the article said :

Jerry Jones had big dreams last summer after watching his fellow Arkansas alum Felix Jones electrify during training camp and the preseason. But an early-season injury derailed what the owner hoped would be the ultimate backfield combination, pairing the rookie's big-play potential outside with Barber's grinding style inside. The good news from Jones' injury: Dallas found out that Tashard Choice had game, giving the 'Boys a solid No. 3 RB. The bad news: Barber wore down with the grueling punishment he created for himself, meaning Dallas lost their key fourth-quarter advantage of Barber cutting defenses down in the final 15 minutes. If Felix is healthy in '09, this backfield trio could be one of the league's best.

Hat tip to One.Cool.Customer for the FanShot.

Gregg Rosenthal at PFT suggests that the Cowboys' running game may be number one in the league.

Jones has the flexibility to line up wide or go in motion. (There is talk he may start.) Barber is also a versatile receiver and runner. Throw in Tashard Choice, who was excellent in three starts last year, and Dallas arguably has the best backfield in the NFL.

The key word here is "arguably". You never know what's going to happen up in Minnesota or down in the Carolinas. The fact is: the Cowboys are three deep. Three. Only time will tell.

More VRR after jump.

Tim McMahon cites KC Joyner's Scientific Football 2009 to emphasize his point that the offensive line is not dominating the opposition at the point of attack. It's obvious these backs are more talented than what the numbers on the back-half of the slashes dictate.

Marion Barber averaged 5.0 yards per carry when there was no point-of-attack loss, 1.7 when at least one O-linemen got beaten. Felix Jones' splits: 10.8/2.4. Tashard Choice's splits: 7.2/1.2.

PFW points out that the Cowboys aren't just stacked at running back, but tight end as well--two positions that should bode well for offensive coordinator Jason Garrett.

Part of an offensive coordinator’s challenge is to get his playmakers on the field and get them all the ball. At least we know the first part of the equation should be doable for Jason Garrett. Although receiving is still being sorted out, the Cowboys' good depth at running back and tight end allows him to put some interesting formations to work.

Roy Williams leads off Albert Breer's list, "Four players expected to rebound in '09" .

With Terrell Owens gone, the newest heir to the Drew Pearson-Michael Irvin throne needs to start playing like he's worthy, which Williams believes he is. "I feel like I can do it all," Williams said. "If I'm coached to do it the right way, I can do it." It's simple: Williams performs, the Cowboys contend. Absent that, the otherwise-loaded Dallas offense could struggle.

Breer asked former Lions coach Mike Martz how Williams will "put in all together" this season. Martz pointed to four reasons why RW will excel: understanding the offense, the quarterback understanding him, the fact that the games will matter in Big D, and the sheer talent the big WR has.

Tony Romo will be inducted into the Hall of Fame--the Eastern Illinois University Hall of Fame, that is.

Romo will be running his annual football camp this week on his old stomping grounds at Burlington High School. What he had to say about the Cowboys' offseason was pretty interesting.

"It’s been very football heavy this offseason," Romo said. "We had a lot of OTA’s (Organized Team Activities) and a lot of minicamps, the most since I’ve been here. The guys have worked their butts off and we’ve tried to put ourselves in position to be successful by doing everything we can this offseason.

"Since I’ve been playing in the NFL, this has been the best offseason to date and that excites you as a quarterback. In that regard, it’s been real enjoyable."

Michael Irvin filed a counterclaim against the group that accused him of stealing "their" idea for 4th and Long. Go get 'em, Playmaker!

Irvin says he had the idea to produce an "American Idol"-type reality show about football try-outs years before he met the plaintiffs. The counterclaim filed by Irvin also contends that Irvin told his attorney about the idea before meeting any of the plaintiffs.

In Irvin’s response, he alleges that a friend of his, Bonnie-Jill Laflin, knew of Irvin’s interest in producing such a show and connected him with one of the defendants Shannon Clark who also had mentioned creating a show with a similar concept.

Irvin says without the friendship with Laflin, the plaintiffs never would have been able to secure a meeting with him. In addition, Irvin said he told Laflin he would meet with the group, but already had the idea for the program and did not make a commitment to them at any time. His filing also states that the meeting wasn't exclusive and that Irvin had meetings with others, including former Cowboys Coach Barry Switzer, about doing a TV show.

Irvin also said he learned the group "had nothing to offer" and the show discussed was not based on proprietary information, but rather on a common business plan that many in the entertainment industry were pursuing after the success of American Idol-type reality shows, according to court documents.

Who is the greatest living Dallas Cowboy? The Star-T debates this question.

Terence Newman and Courtney Brown took in an Australian Football League (AFL) game and were impressed with the talent 'down under'.

Brown and Newman came to Melbourne on the advice of team-mate Mat McBriar, one of several Australians forging NFL careers as punters. But after watching this year's two top teams battle on Sunday, Newman had no doubt that AFL players could succeed in other NFL roles as well. "Some guys could play it on a playing level, not as punters - there are some guys who could play wide receiver, safety or corner back," Newman said.

In our own blogging community news, SB Nation adds Mobile Commenting and Retweeting Features. Sweet!

We are very excited to introduce mobile commenting to the platform. You can now sign in to each blog you are a member of and comment in GameThreads from the game or the bar or participate in an interesting discussion happening on a blog from anywhere with your phone.

[snip]

We are also very excited about the new retweeting feature. If you see a post that you find interesting and want to share it via twitter, now you can with just one click rather than copying and pasting the link.

10 Training Camp Battles for the Dallas Cowboys

Dave Halprin — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 18:35:03 -0000

More photos » by Tony Gutierrez - AP

One guy who won't be in a training camp battle is Tony Romo, although he's constantly battling expectations, his own and the public's.

Browse more photos »

Looking forward to training camp, I put together a list of 10 training camp battles I'll be watching. Some are traditional battles - Player X vs. Player Y for a particular role. Some are more concept battles, or group battles. They're not just about who will make the roster or not, but who will play important roles and what they must do. They're sort of in order of importance, starting with the lesser battles.

TE vs. FB vs. Offensive Schemes

The Cowboys have been dabbling with more 2-TE sets in the recent OTA's and mini-camps, utilizing Jason Witten and Martellus Bennett. With two TEs it's usually a FB who gets sacrificed unless it's short yardage. Deon "Cricket" Anderson is the incumbent FB joined by contenders Julius Crosslin and Asaph Schwapp. How much will the FB be used and will they carry only one on the roster? They also have to consider what they want their third TE to be, is he going to be used out of the backfield as a blocker on a significant amount of plays? This could affect the battle between rookie John Phillips and holdover Rodney Hannah. What the offensive scheme is geared more toward in 2009 will help decide which of these guys make the roster and how they will be utilized.

David Buehler vs. The Endzone

They brought in Buehler to improve the kickoffs. They can't afford to keep him around and take up two roster spots with kickers if he isn't providing a serious upgrade in touchbacks and deep kicks. Nick Folk is as close to a lock as you can get for kickers to remain as the guy on FG's. In camp, Buehler has to prove he can consistently hit the endzone with his kicks. Only then, can they think about other special teams' roles for the rookie.

Eight more battles after the jump.

Manuel Johnson vs. The Rest

For argument sake, let's say the Cowboys keep six WR's. Roy Williams, Miles Austin and Patrick Crayton are locks. Sam Hurd has a very good chance at remaining and Isaiah Stanback is probably going to get another year to prove his worth. (Of course, injuries can always change this scenario). If those five retain their spots on the roster, then you have one open WR position. And a long list of unknowns ready to fill it. I separated Manuel Johnson out because he was drafted this year, meaning the Cowboys are intrigued enough to give him an opportunity. But this is really a battle between Johnson and guys like Mike Jefferson, Kevin Ogletree, Julian Hawkins, and Travis Wilson - and possibly a guy from 4^th and Long. Can anybody make an impression at camp?

Alan Ball vs. Courtney Brown vs. Pat Watkins

These guys represent a larger battle between guys who have been on the team, and some new faces, to grab some of the last spots in the secondary. Terence Newman, Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick are going to be the top corners. Ken Hamlin and Gerald Sensabaugh are going to be the top safeties. After that, there's a mad scramble. Alan Ball and Courtney Brown have been tried at corner and safety. Pat Watkins is going to battle at safety. Throw into the mix draft picks Mike Mickens, DeAngelo Smith and Mike Hamlin, and you have a royal rumble to fill out the rest of the secondary. I give a little edge to the draft picks only because the other guys have had their time in Dallas and have yet to impress. The rookies will get to show their stuff and if they show potential, they could be kept over the veterans. Ball, Brown and Watkins all need to impress at training camp to remain with the Cowboys.

Kyle Kosier vs. Montrae Holland

I don't know if this is a true battle or a media-created battle given Kosier's absence from practices while still recovering from injury. I'll admit, I've bashed Kosier before for being the weak link along the line before. Last year opened my eyes - without him, we suffered. But, will Kosier be healthy and remain healthy? Montrae Holland is a big lineman, the kind Dallas prefers. Now that he's been with the team for a year, we'll get to see if he really is the better option at guard. Then again, this could be much ado about nothing; Kosier might walk right back into his place and not miss a beat.

Anthony Spencer vs. Offensive Tackles

The Cowboys have definitely thrown in their lot with Anthony Spencer. After releasing Greg Ellis, Spencer is the clear starter opposite DeMarcus Ware. So how will he perform? We've seen bits and pieces of his talent, but can he create the need for offensive coordinators to pay attention to him, thus lessening the attention to Ware. The Cowboys need a credible threat opposite Ware so teams don't start throwing two and three blockers his way on a consistent basis. Spencer has to be able to beat offensive tackles so that he will also demand chip blocks and occasional double-teams, in hopes of freeing up Ware.

Brandon Williams vs. Victor Butler vs. Rookie Expectations

The Cowboys are now depending on these two guys to make the transition from DE to OLB as the primary backups on the outside. While battling each other, they're also battling the need to be at least a credible players in that role. Either player could be one injury to another player away from getting significant playing time. Can a rookie making that transition fill that role? Is one, or both, capable of meeting the expectations being placed on them? We'll find out this year and our first real look will be at training camp.

Bobby Carpenter vs. The Rookies vs. His Reputation

Going into training camp, Carpenter will get the first look as the inside linebacker in the nickel defense. This is his last chance to create a home for himself with the Cowboys. Last year, Carpenter had a great camp but it didn't translate into serious playing time. This year, the Cowboys don't have Kevin Burnett to fall back on, so Carpenter is going to get his chance. But he'll also have to compete with rookies Jason Williams and Stephen Hodge. Can Carpenter turn around his bust reputation this year?

Patrick Crayton vs. Miles Austin

Who will be the starter? All signs point to Austin. Jerry Jones has talked about him enough this offseason and the offense could clearly use his speed on the outside. Patrick Crayton has been solid for the Cowboys outside of a couple of high-profile mistakes. Crayton is a known quantity, we know he can produce, his numbers will tell you that. But is he better off being the third WR and playing in the slot? That's what the Cowboys want, but Miles Austin has to finally get past the ‘potential' label and actually make things happen. If the Cowboys can get that out of Austin, they'll be very happy with their WR situation behind Roy Williams.

Mike Jenkins vs. Orlando Scandrick

One of them will start on the outside opposite Terence Newman, the other will be the nickel corner. Either way, they're both going to be playing significant minutes. But I'm intrigued to see which one comes out on top for the traditional second CB role. Both are clearly talented and showed a lot of potential last year. This year will be about building on that momentum for each player and carrying their good work over to a new season. The battle between them at camp to be the ‘starter' will be fun to watch, even though in the end both will be playing a lot.

Any battles you would add to the list?

Notes on Today's Cowboys OTA

Aaron Novinger — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 23:03:15 -0000

Defense wins. Offense loses. That was the theme of today's organized team activity. The passing game looked, as Roy Williams said, "sloppy". There were some center-quarterback exchange problems and blown assignments on the O-line.

On the other end of the offense's miscues, the defensive backs came up big--particularly Courtney Brown and Alan Ball. Brown showed his cornerback skills by swatting away a couple of passes. Ball, who subbed in for Ken Hamlin (personal business) as the 1st-team free safety, picked off a Jon Kitna pass and provided the defense with some nice center-fielding skills.

Make the jump for today's practice observations from Tim MacMahon, Josh Ellis, and Matt Mosely.

Tim MacMahon:

*We got a glimpse of the Marion Barber/Felix Jones I formation, something the Cowboys tinkered with last summer but rarely used during the regular season. Barber got a play-fake on a dive behind the right guard, then Tony Romo flicked a counter pitch to Jones, who scooted around the left end.

*When the offense was working against air, TE Martellus Bennett dropped a pass. That prompted Jason Witten to holler, "C'mon now!" in an encouraging tone. Bennett didn't drop another ball all practice. He made a tough, twisting catch on an out while barely getting both feet in bounds during team drills.

*Witten isn't perfect, either. He committed a false start, prompting Jason Garrett to replace him for a play, something that has been happening on a regular basis with offensive players who jump. But RT Marc Colombo wasn't having any of it, shoving Robert Brewster out of the way when the rookie tried to replace Colombo after a false start. There appeared to be an issue with Romo's cadence, as Kitna replaced him for a couple of snaps with the starters.

Josh Ellis:

* Last week it was Crayton, but this week Tashard Choice was taking the snaps in the 'Razorback' offense, with Felix Jones coming in motion. The Cowboys split Tony Romo out wide, and had him circle behind the play as if to fake a reverse. The Cowboys showed the formation maybe three times.

* Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick continued to split first-team reps.

* Roy Williams had a nice catch on a route over the middle, sticking up one hand to knock the ball into his chest and corralling it in the open field.

* With center-quarterback exchanges a problem for much of the day, those two positions stayed after practice for extra work, and Wade Phillips said they would work on snapping more before OTAs conclude Wednesday.

Matt Mosely:

Let me be as diplomatic as possible here: The offense was atrocious during Tuesday's session. Tony Romo barely had time to get off a pass, and when he did, the ball was dropped by wide receivers. I guess we should expect some of this when a free-agent rookie named Kevin Ogletree is the No. 3 receiver. But still, there are far too many mistakes.

Former first-round pick Bobby Carpenter received shouts of praise from linebackers coach Reggie Herring when he made a nice recovery on a naked bootleg play on which Romo was trying to hit Martellus Bennett.

Tight end Martellus Bennett is drawing rave reviews from my guys in the scouting community. It's almost impossible for safeties and linebackers to cover him. And he's starting to use his size to his advantage. It's pretty startling to see a 265-pound guy come out of break and absolutely lose a safety.

The Valley Ranch Review: Finally, Some Love for Roy Williams; Orlando Scandrick Delivers...Pizzas!

Aaron Novinger — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:35:51 -0000

Drew Pearson is one former Cowboy who is confident in Roy Williams. Being one of the greatest wide-outs to don a star on his helmet, Pearson shared why he thinks Williams has the intangibles to make it as Dallas' #1.

"I had a talk with him a couple of weeks ago when our paths happened to cross, and he told me what he's been doing since the beginning of March, working with the other receivers; working with the quarterbacks, including (Tony) Romo; working on how to develop the trust, the love, the relationships with not only Romo, but all the quarterbacks, all the receivers, all the offense," Pearson said. "And that's what you've got to do, that's what it takes.

"So I give him a pass to the head of the class. He's proven. He's done some great things in the NFL. And I've got to feel like he is really excited and motivated to do some of those things and even greater things in a Dallas Cowboys uniform, being a Texas guy. I think he will step up and do what he has to do."

Steve Wyche at NFL.com recognized ILB Bradie James as one of the NFC East's "unheralded" linebackers.

James follows the format of how to ideally play the strong side, inside linebacker position in a 3-4. James is frequently responsible for taking on the lead block and he is a violent knee buckler, whether it's a guard, fullback or trapping tight end. Besides playing his role responsibly, James also has been Dallas's top tackler for the past three seasons. He had a career-best 116 tackles last season and he added eight sacks, a very high total for an inside backer.

A "violent knee buckler"? You gotta like that!

In just two weeks of OTAs, Gerald Sensabaugh has looked impressive, according to Coach Phillips. The strong safety may just be a perfect fit in this style of the 3-4 defense.

"Sensabaugh looks outstanding," Phillips said last week. "He’s really got a lot of ability, good worth ethic, but he can really cover a lot of ground. We can cover in man to man with him . . . he has great speed along with cover ability."

More VRR after the jump.

Starting a new job is both scary and exciting for NFL rookies. For guys like DeAngelo Smith and Mike Mickens, being drafted together out of the University of Cincinnati's defensive backfield will make their transition to the Cowboys' roster a little easier.

"I feel like it's good just to have a familiar face on my side," Smith said. "It's rare that you get your own teammate, the one that's been with you for like four years on the other side (of the secondary). It feels good just to have him here." [snip]

"He brings home to me," Mickens said. "He's here with me, and it makes me not homesick or anything . . . It's good to have a teammate here. We're friends and we hung out all through school. "It's just good to have somebody here like that."

[snip]

While Mickens has been working to complete his schoolwork at these past OTAs, Smith has seen his fair share of attention from secondary coach Dave Campo.

"I like him as a ball-hawk and a hitter," Cowboys defensive backs coach Dave Campo said. "And his ability to go to the football. He has a real good instinct for the football, so he's going to start out at safety. Now, we're going to play him some at corner, but that's not going to be his main position. His main position is going to be free safety. I really graded him as a safety more than I did as a corner."

In this DMN video, 3rd-round draft pick Jason Williams talks about doing the best he can to "be the best player out there" while he transitions from the college to the pro game. He sure does talk with a lot of confidence!

Looking to contribute more to the Cowboys than just in the secondary, cornerback Orlando Scandrick helped Jerry Jones and Papa John's Pizza founder, John Schnatter, deliver more than 800 pizzas to nearly 2,000 workers at Cowboys Stadium this past Saturday.

Schnatter also personally delivered pizzas to the kids participating in the Tashard Choice Youth Camp at Sam Houston High School earlier in the day. Schnatter served pizzas and also gave a financial donation to the Tashard Choice Foundation.

It was a full day for Scandrick as well. He worked the Choice camp before coming over to the stadium.

Brian Stewart's coaching role with the Eagles is more definitive now. The former Dallas defensive coordinator has been named a "special assistant" to the Philly defense, working primarily with the secondary.

"Brian Stewart brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to our football club," said head coach Andy Reid. ""He especially has a good understanding of the NFC East acquired during his time with the Cowboys. He'll be a nice addition to our coaching staff.""

Ready for some more Martellus Bennett? The entertaining tight end was a recent guest on Deadspin. Bennett answered a wide variety of questions ranging from his physique, to P.F.Chang's dumplings, to how lame T.O.'s tweets are. Evidently, defensive end Marcus Spears interrupted the interview four times!

Both Spears and Marty B played in the charity basketball fundraiser for Rich Behm. You can watch video of the actual game here on YouTube, including some pregame interviews. Other current Cowboys, such as Patrick Crayton and Courtney Brown, took on a team of old-school players, such as "MOOOSE!" and Mr.222-total-tackles, Eugene Lockhart.

Today begins week three of OTAs for the Cowboys. Usually, Tuesdays are open to the media; but, today's access has been cancelled because of weather and a scheduling change.

The Cowboys have one more week of OTAs after this, and then a full squad mini-camp June 15-17.

The Valley Ranch Review: Ware and Spencer Speak on the Greg Ellis situation; All Romo Said Was "He"

Aaron Novinger — Thu, 28 May 2009 06:30:09 -0000

DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer comment on Cowboys moving Greg Ellis. (via NewsDFW)

Hat tip to DCFanatic for the video link.

With the Cowboys ready for life after Greg Ellis, fellow linebacker DeMarcus Ware talked about Ellis' leadership and the business aspect of pro football.

"He was a mentor to me when I first came in and also we became really good friends," said defensive end DeMarcus Ware, who led the NFL with 20 sacks last year. "Now we're sort of like brothers. We did everything that we could to sort of help the team. But now he's going probably somewhere else to benefit that team, and I've got to do what I need to do to help this team out."

Ware stands as a potential beneficiary of any Ellis move. The Cowboys are trying to sign their best pass rusher to a long-term contract. He doesn't feel any guilt over that.

"You've got to help your team out, but also protect yourself," Ware said. "I don't feel good about it. But at the end of the day, it's a business."

Anthony Spencer sounds ready for his new role.

"For me," Spencer said, "it is [the beginning]."

[snip]

"I’ve worked hard for it, so it feels good right now," Spencer said. "I’m just trying to get better."

As for who is backing up whom.

(Brandon) Williams served as Spencer's backup at strongside outside linebacker Tuesday. Per NFL rules, (Victor) Butler is not allowed to practice yet, but (LBs coach Reggie) Herring said Butler likely will begin his career as Ware's backup at weakside outside linebacker, with veteran Justin Rogers moving to strongside outside linebacker.

But Butler and Williams are expected to work at both positions, Herring said.

More VRR after the jump.

Tim McMahon is already at it with his 53-man roster prediction. Watching the OTAs inspired him to throw 11 of the 12 draftees on the team (sorry Manuel Johnson). He's also got Junior Siavii being the only backup to Jay Ratliff, and neither Pat Watkins nor Courtney Brown making the cut.

The Sporting News ranks Ken Hamlin as the #11 safety in the league. Here's what they say about "The Hammer".

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.

Check out regaberto's FanShots for some other Cowboys rankings from TSN.

Tra Battle didn't last but a day after being released by Dallas on Wednesday. The Detroit Lions have already claimed the safety off waivers.

When will the media stop asking T.O. about his relationship with Tony Romo? Evidently, Romo failed to mention Owens by name last week. Are you kidding me? Here's what the new Buffalo Bill had to say:

Dude, I could care less," Owens said with a laugh following the Buffalo Bills voluntary minicamp practice Wednesday. "I mean, he doesn't mention my name, that's fine. What about it?"

Owens spoke in response to a question regarding Romo, who declined to refer to the receiver by name after the Cowboys practiced last week for the first time since Dallas released Owens in March. Though Romo didn't say anything negative, the quarterback referred to Owens with nothing more personal than "he."

Yesterday, the ceremonial ribbon was cut at the new Cowboys Stadium.

Jerry Jones and other members of the Dallas Cowboys leadership team gathered for the ceremony, along with city officials, to christen the stadium.

Those in attendance were able to watch the glass retractable end zone doors open -- an event that allowed participants to feel the full effect of sitting inside the state-of-the-art stadium.

Click here for a handheld video of the stadium's opening. Click here for DC.com's 30-minute version, or DMN's condensed minute and a half version, here.

Former Dallas special teams coach and current SpikeTV star, Joe Avezzano, recently did a Q & A with The Oregonian. Anybody know Coach Joe's record as head coach of the Oregon State Beavers, some 25 years ago? How about 6-47-2!

Romo may be more of an avid golfer, but my money is on Wade Phillips to outdrive his starting quarterback. The head coach not only helped raise money for the Babe Zaharias Foundation this past weekend; he also pulled a John Daly.

Phillips, despite having picked up his golf clubs only a couple of times this year, also authored one of the most impressive shots in the tournament. His drive on the 300-yard, par 4, 5th hole wound up 10-feet past the cup. Voigtman (his partner) rolled in the putt for an eagle 2.

The Valley Ranch Review: Anthony Spencer Takes First Team Reps at OTAs

Aaron Novinger — Wed, 27 May 2009 02:31:10 -0000

With Jerry Jones pretty much announcing that Greg Ellis won't be a Cowboy this year, the door is open for former first-rounder Anthony Spencer to take over the other outside linebacker spot, opposite Demarcus Ware. Head coach Wade Phillips, who will be spending alot more time in this season's defensive meetings, sounds sold on Spencer's ability to man the position.

"Anthony Spencer can play," Wade Phillips said. "All you have to do is watch the tape. When we go through film after the season, go through the tape after the season, we go through every play and most of our highlight stuff from that position was him. In some cases, you'd say, 'Hey, that's DeMarcus. No, it's not, that's Anthony.' I think he's going to be a really good player for us."

[snip]

Spencer has established himself as a force against the run. Phillips raved about Spencer's ability to beat run-blocking tight ends, saying Spencer was one of the best OLBs he's coached in that regard.

DC.com's Rob Phillips looks at rookie OLBs, Victor Butler and Brandon Williams, as reasons the Cowboys will be moving on from Ellis.

Having directed the 3-4 defense for decades, Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips knows an outside linebacker when he sees one, and he thinks Butler (6-2, 248) and Williams (6-2, 252) have the right combination of size and athleticism. Williams led the Big 12 with 13 sacks last year while Butler's 12 ranked second in the Pac-10.

Butler will return to practice once Oregon State holds its graduation ceremony in June. Once he's back, he's looking forward to learning and competing with Williams for playing time.

Depending on Ellis' future, both rookies might have more opportunity than originally thought.

"When you get two great competitors together you're going to push and push each other to work harder," Butler said. "And I think that's where DeMarcus and his counterpart come in because you've got two good guys out there working every day in practice. That's how you're able to put up 20 sacks because you've got a guy next to you that's going to make you work."

More VRR after the jump, including OTA highlights and an interview with Coach Joe DeCamillis.

The Cowboys are already fine-tuning their practice roster. The team released both S Tra Battle and DT Casey Tyler today.

Here are some highlights from Timmy Mac's observation of today's practice. Read his full account here.

- Tony Romo to Roy Williams was at first, cold; then hot.

- Bobby Carpenter worked on the first-team nickel D. Also, the line on these nickel and dime packages showcased Ware and Jay Ratliff at the ends with Stephen Bowen at the tackle.

- Courtney Brown is back at CB.

- MB3 threw a HB touchdown pass to Patrick Crayton.

- Sam Hurd did not practice (left quad). Coach Phillips said he will hold Hurd out of practice for the rest of the week.

And some quick hits from Josh Ellis.

- Orlando Scandrick split first-team reps with Mike Jenkins, at the spot opposite Terence Newman.

- Although hurt, Sam Hurd stayed after practice to hold for FGs.

- Several of Romo's passes were "wobbly".

- Joe DeCamillis was at practice again, and told Jerry Jones how impressed he was with a few unnamed rookies.

Special teams coach Joe DeCamillis told his harrowing story of the training facility collapse to Atlanta's 790 the Zone.

Guys started to get out the doors that they were close to - I happened to be close to the door on the east side... Which unfortunately, was not the great thing, 'cause what happened was the structure ended up falling on to us."

[snip]

"The scariest part was the tarp was on top of us. So, you thought you were really gonna suffocate. I knew my back was hurt, but you thought you were gonna suffocate when you were sitting there because there was like six inches of water on the ground, and there was a big ol' tarp that was on top of you.

[snip]

And, I'm sitting there with my back and I'm thinking, ‘Geez, you wuss, you gotta get up, man.' So, somehow (laughs), I ended up walking inside to my office... And, I called Dana, my wife, and I said, ‘Are you all right?' And, she said, ‘Yeah. I'm all right. It's bad weather but what's the matter?' And, I said, ‘Well, you're gonna see something on the TV, the dome just fell on me but I'm okay (laughs)."

SI ranks Big D's running game at #3 in the league, just one behind the Giants (doh!).

Hat tip to aussie_cowboy for the FanShot.

Here are some photos of OTA Week One from DC.com's multimedia center. Go #4!

Orlando Scandrick: "I'm not playing safety at all"

Dave Halprin — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 04:23:06 -0000

Earlier this offseason, there was a lot of talk about moving CB Orlando Scandrick to safety, at least on a part-time basis in certain formations. With the departure of Roy Williams (RW1), the Dallas Cowboys were short at the position and were thinking about creative ways to get their best players on the field. They discussed the possibility of Scandrick playing the "Star" position, a role Darren Woodson once played back in the day.

The Cowboys also traded CB Anthony Henry to the Lions in the Jon Kitna deal and that opened up a starting CB spot opposite Terence Newman. Would Mike Jenkins claim that spot by default while Scandrick was learning a hybrid safety spot along with his slot-corner duties in the nickel? Or would Scandrick get his shot at the position on the outside?

I decided to go to the source and see what he said about it. I was able to get a few minutes on the phone the other day with Orlando Scandrick and posed those questions to him.

I asked if he thought he would be competing with Jenkins for the outside CB spot vacated by Henry or if the Cowboys were going to use him in the slot, and would they be using him any in the safety spot as earlier reported.

On the question of competing for Henry's spot, Scandrick replied, "I don't see any reason why I wouldn't." He went on to say that he was basically the third corner last year, practically a starter playing the slot in the nickel, so he thought he would definitely be competing for the position with Jenkins.

On the question of playing the ‘hybrid' safety role, Scandrick indicated that was no longer in the plans. "I'm staying at corner from what I know. They signed a safety, Gerald Sensabaugh, an athletic, young safety," said Scandrick. I pressed a little further for clarification sake. "I'm not playing safety at all," was his reply. A final ‘you'll definitely be at CB this year' question was met with a simple "Yes."

Given that the Cowboys have little depth behind Ken Hamlin and Gerald Sensabaugh (who still has a lot to prove to be a starter), and given that Scandrick thinks there's no way he'll be at the position even part-time, the Cowboys will need to acquire help in the draft. Pat Watkins has yet to show he's the presence they need back there and has injury issues, Courtney Brown hasn't lessened the Cowboys' anxiety about the position in his short time. They could always resort to bringing Keith Davis back, which would surely help special teams. But in reality, the Cowboys need to stop looking at stop-gap solutions and get serious about a safety of the future alongside Ken Hamlin. Maybe Sensabaugh can grow into that role, but the Cowboys would do well to get another option in the draft.

I had a little time to discuss a few other subjects with Scandrick. When I asked him to describe secondary coach Dave Campo's style, he said with a slight chuckle, "Outspoken." He followed up by saying, "He wants the best for all of us. That's a huge benefit, a good guy to work with."

I asked if he noticed much difference between Wade Phillips' play-calling later in the year and Brian Stewart's earlier in the year. Scandrick didn't really notice much difference and said he was just running the play and looking for any hand-signals from coach Campo on the sideline.

When I poked into the ‘chemistry' question of the locker room during the year and his thoughts on the changes made in personnel, he spoke as the wisest of Cowboys should speak. He relayed that he just kept his head down during the season because he was still grasping everything as a rookie, he kept quiet and went about his job and that he trusts the organization is making the right moves for the team in the offseason. Now there's an answer worthy of emulating!

He also made sure to note that he is currently working out at Valley Ranch in their 12-week offseason program that will lead right into training camp.