SB Nation - Bobby Carpenter

FISH on FOOTBALL: Four Cowboys Who've Been Put In Positions To Succeed

Mike Fisher — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:00:30 -0000

More photos » by Sharon Ellman - AP

The Cowboys are utilizing all of their roster and positioning players to succeed.

For all the ego and swagger that powered Jimmy Johnson's Super Bowl Cowboys, the coach and his staff implemented a foundation philosophy that often runs contrary to the rigid mindset employed by so many coaches:

"Put players in position to succeed.''

This year's Cowboys staff seems to be relying on the same flexible approach ... and I've got four Cowboys players for whom this is paying subtle dividends.

First, a quick explanation of what used to be. Norv Turner's offense was installed very specifically with Troy Aikman's strengths in mind. Jay Novacek was a tight end who couldn't much block, so they didn't ask him to. Daryl Johnston had been a ballcarrier his entire life but he wasn't going to have a career trying to do that in the NFL. Jimmy historically liked to rotate D-linemen but once he acquired Charles Haley, Haley didn't often rotate out. Ray Horton used to call secondary signals from the free-safety spot; with the maturation of Darren Woodson, Dallas let the strong safety call signals.

Time and time again, with stars on down, those Cowboys coaches fit the system around the players instead of stuffing the players into the system. They put players in position to succeed.

With this year's team, it's easy to see how this philosophy is being applied to luminaries like Tony Romo, Marion Barber and Demarcus Ware. But let's get to those four subtle dividends:

1. David Buehler: Question: Hey, you drafted a placekicker in the fifth round! Why not let him placekick?

Answer: Because he's not ready to succeed in that role at Nick Folk's level. (Not yet, anyway.) Instead, let's unleash him into an area in which he cannot fail: Booming kickoffs.

Rafael's got some great details here, so let me round it off: Last year's Cowboys never had a touchback on a kickoff. This year's Cowboys do it twice a game. That's twice a game that the likes of Darren Sproles and Percy Harvin and Joshua Cribbs aren't even allowed an at-bat.

On top of that, the Cowboys have eased the athleticism of Buehler (on the track and in the weight room, his measurables are linebacker-like) onto their special teams, where he is a "regular'' (non-kicking) member. It's a great way to milk his roster spot, and you watch. ... there will be a time this year when he doesn't get a touchback, the other team does get a return, and the TD-saving tackle is made by "just a kicker'' who isn't just a kicker.

2. Bobby Carpenter: He's a whipping post for many of us who want more of the former first-rounder, who think he's a failed "Parcells Guy'' or who don't like his haircut. But in terms of results (as long as we lower expectations down from "Urlacher-like''), Carpenter has been a pretty functional piece of some of the Cowboys' special defensive packages.

It would've been a mistake to force him into this year's starting lineup - if only because that would've probably meant Dallas wouldn't have signed Keith Brooking. But Carpenter is on the team and he needed a role and with his ranking of eighth on the team in tackles, he's been sound enough that I don't really miss what Kevin Burnett once did in the same job.

3. Victor Butler: It wouldn't be fair to limit the rookie fourth-rounder by saying that because he's had three sacks in just 38 defensive snaps, that he's a "specialist.'' For one thing, the most "special'' thing about the sacks is that all three of them have come in fourth quarters. For another thing, his track record as Oregon State says that he doesn't just tackle quarterbacks behind the line of scrimmage. ... he's an equal-opportunity tackler of opponents. (In his junior and senior seasons, he was among the NCAA leaders in that category). But it is interesting to note that when Butler was a junior, he got all his 10.5 sacks while coming off the bench in all but one of his team's games before as a senior recording 12 more sacks as a full-time starter.

The point is, the kid has a knack for this. Maybe the knack is best utilized right now late in games, when he's fresh and fat-boy blockers are dragging. Maybe there is an adjustment that is being made from being a college end to being a Phillips' 3-4 OLB. But given the way he put up numbers as a backup junior before putting up more numbers as a starting senior, I bet Butler is on a fast track to being a player who will be "put in situations to succeed'' in almost any situation.

4. Kevin Ogletree: It's pretty clear that the Cowboys have created packages that feature the street-free-agent from Virginia; that college-style screen pass isn't a play they're going to run for, say, Roy Williams. But the Cowboys took the kid out of bubble-wrap to play him against the Eagles (the blitz-crazy team against which a screen can really work) and they asked the kid to do one thing he can really do with ease (run a play I bet he's been a part of since high school).

It's not a challenging route, it's not a tough catch, it doesn't require "reads'' ... it's just Ogletree being allowed to rely on his instincts. Those instincts, by the way, are more than just about speed; like Miles Austin, he appears to have some lower-body strength that might just allow him to run through some tackles, too.

One more thing: After what he did with his two catches against the Eagles, it will cause ensuing opponents to have to spend valuable practice time working to combat yet another weapon that a week ago was non-existent in their minds.

We could go on here. ... Miles Austin fits this mold. So does Tashard Choice in the Wildcat. So does Junior Siavii giving Jay Ratliff a blow.

Most impressively, it's all the Cowboys coaching staff digging deep, way down there on the depth chart, and putting those guys in a position to succeed.

Matt Hasselbeck's Square Wheels

John Morgan — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:39:59 -0000

More photos » by Donna McWilliam - AP

This doesn't happen from shotgun.

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Matt Hasselbeck sold play-action well but showed off his square wheels attempting to roll out. He was barely through his curve before he had to target Deion Branch because of pressure. The pass had all the mustard of a Coney Island sand crab. Branch dropped it before being blown up.

Max Unger was beat back but Hasselbeck found John Carlson for five to put Seattle back into manageable third down. The play was filthy with Greg Knapp.

With that we get to the infamous instant sack by Bobby Carpenter. No breakdown necessary, but in short order, this is what I blame for the play:

1. Hasselbeck for not audibling into shotgun.

2. Knapp for making no attempt to disrupt timing the Cowboy's timing. Seattle has made little use of hard counts and Dallas and Arizona have timed the Seahawks snaps to perfection.

3. Chris Spencer, who doubled down on the nose tackle, and Unger, who needed Spencer to help him with Jay Ratliff.

The real culprit, by my estimate anyway, is the new coaching staff and lack of continuity on the line. Hasselbeck should have audibled into shotgun regardless, but each of the above can be attributed to an offense learning a new playbook and an offensive line that hasn't played together very much.

The VRR: Cowboys Can Ride Three-game Win Streak for Only So Long

Aaron Novinger — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:46:13 -0000

More photos » by Donna McWilliam - AP

Wade Phillips likes the way his defense is physically attacking ball carriers.

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For the second week in a row, the Cowboys defeated their opponent in dominating fashion. The team's offensive, defensive, and special teams units outplayed, out-muscled, and simply outperformed Seattle on its way to a 38-17 victory.

As soon as the fourth quarter began, it was becoming more and more obvious that Dallas could not be caught. That felt good, but only for so long. Those scoring updates on FOX did little to shield us from the anxiety of how well the Eagles, the Cowboys' next opponents, were dismantling the Giants.

Admit it, you were staring at that big, blue star on the turf at Cowboys Stadium, but the peripheral view of your imagination was skipping ahead to next week, to Lincoln Financial Field.

We, fans, usually use Monday and Tuesday to relish and reflect on Sunday's game. On Wednesday, we are ready to transition. Nevertheless, the players, the coaches, and the media are already thinking Philadelphia. It was evident from the very first question in today's press conference with Coach Phillips.

But before we look to the future, let's first look to the recent past to see how this team achieved its 5-2 record yesterday. Here's what Coach Phillips had to say today about the performance of his players against the Seahawks.

Make the jump.

DL: Phillips seemed most impressed with this group. He singled out Jay Ratliff for his ability to play injured, while maintaining his high performance level. He also credited Stephen Bowen with a nice game, saying he plays his role well.

LBs: Bobby Carpenter (6 tackles, 1 sack) was the first named mentioned, here. He said it's "good to see him step up" and that he seems to be getting better and better in his role. He also mentioned Keith Brooking's consistency (12 tackles, 1 sack) and DeMarcus Ware (8 tackles, 1 sack).

DBs: Phillips calls Jenkins and Scandrick the "sophomore sensations". He says that they challenged Scandrick during the week to regain the technique he had last year. Scandrick responded well, he said, noting that he was supposed to have help on the TD caught on him. He seemed pleased that Jenkins had a quiet game, which simply meant he was doing his job well; and, he credited Newman for "making plays".

OL: He said that Leonard Davis had one of his best games with "knockdowns" and "runovers".

RBs: Their performance, he collectively called "solid". Their pass-blocking continues to impress him.

WRs: The "confidence we have in those guys is warranted," Phillips said. He noted how well they run with the ball after the reception (singling out Hurd's score) and then poked fun at Miles Austin for his inablity to dunk the ball over the goalpost. He also noted that the two P.I. calls on Seattle should also be seen as "big plays" by Austin.

Romo/Roy: "Tony doesn't throw many bad balls," he said. He has faith, as do the rest of the coaches, that all the work they do in practice, along with the talent between the two will pan out. He likens it do Ware's lack of sacks early in the season. The players all just keep working harder and harder until it produces for them on the field.

ST: They have been "special." Other than his giving credit to Crayton and the return teams, Phillips likes what he sees from the coverage units. Buehler and McBriar help, and guys like Hurd, Pat Watkins, Victor Butler, and Alan Ball all have great games covering kicks.

Young players: Phillips stressed that getting Hurd, Kevin Ogletree, and Doug Free in the game was not a direct effect of having the game in hand. These are three young players that the coaches feel they wanted to get some more game experience.

Keith Brooking is excited about this team, but cautious about "drinking the Cowboy Kool-Aid".

"We are just now starting to see all the hard work and sacrifices we’ve made come into fruition, and it’s a good feeling," Cowboys linebacker Keith Brooking said. "That’s the reason we play this game. This is so much fun. That’s the reason I came here — to be a part of Sundays like this. I’m just excited about my football team, our football team, the way we’re coming together."

"There’s a fine line, though. We need to enjoy it, but everyone’s going to be drinking the Cowboy Kool-Aid here and telling us how great we are and how good we’re doing. We have a long way to go and a lot of football to play. As long as we prepare the way we’ve been preparing and come out on the field with confidence on Sunday, we’re going to be right where we want to be."

Bobby Carpenter got in on the sack action yesterday, but this is the second straight game the defense has gotten off to a slow start.

"I've been saving them up," joked Carpenter, whose last sack before Sunday came on Dec. 16, 2006, when he dropped Michael Vick 11/2 times in a win over the Falcons in Atlanta. "When you've got a team that can bring pressure from all angles, it makes it easy for guys to get sacks because they can't afford to double-team guys."

While Dallas celebrated having at least three sacks in each of its last five games, the Cowboys weren't happy about giving up points on their opponents' opening drive a second straight game.

"We performed well, but at the same time, we can't start off slow like this every Sunday," said Jay Ratliff, who had three tackles after being listed as questionable Friday with a knee injury. "We have to come out fired up and remain that way until the end."

The Dallas offense is more sweet than bitter right now. If Tony Romo can just get on the same page with a certain wide receiver, the sky would be the limit for this team.

On getting on the same page with Roy Williams:

"We have to watch the tape. We have to see why certain things are different ways. I missed him on a big route early in the game; I have to bring the ball down some. But he’s doing good. He’s running good routes and he’ll be fine. It’s just a matter of going back and looking at the tape and seeing what we have to do better. It’s just part of growing with a receiver or group."

Coach Phillips, yesterday, on the 9-11 disconnection.

"I still see Roy and Tony not on the same page," coach Wade Phillips said. "They're getting closer, they talk to each other afterwards a couple of times. Tony thought he was going to go there and vice versa, so we just got to keep working at that. Roy is tough to catch on that slant pass on the goal line."

Here is the transcript of Coach Phillips' post-game press conference, courtesy of Scout.com.

Remember, Romo and another "Bigg" time player allowed the Cowboys to restructure their contracts so that the team could afford to re-sign players, such as DeMarcus Ware. Great teamwork!

Tony Romo and Leonard Davis both let the Cowboys move some of their bonus money around in the spring of 2008 to save room for future signings, including Ware's extension. By shifting their bonus deferment Romo and Davis combined to save the Cowboys roughly $8 million against this season's cap.

Jason Witten's climb-up-the-TE-record books watch:

Witten’s 36 yards today gave him 5,283 for his career and allowed him to pass Russ Francis (5,262) and tie Keith Jackson for 16th all-time among league tight ends.

Witten caught four passes in today’s game to give him 466 for his career and break a tie with Mickey Shuler for ninth on the NFL’s all-time tight ends receptions list. He is 14 catches behind Jackie Smith (480) for eighth.

The punt return game is back on in Big D. Only five other guys have two TD-returns in one season for the team.

Patrick Crayton became the sixth Cowboy to have two punt returns for TDs in a season and only the second to do it in consecutive weeks.

Really, no false starts?

The pre-snap penalties that hounded the Dallas Cowboys' offense in the previous two games were eliminated in Sunday's win against Seattle.

The Cowboys' offense ran 67 plays with only one penalty: the team-high fourth holding call of the season against tight end Martellus Bennett. It represented an improvement from the previous two games, when the offense had six false starts and one illegal formation.

BTB Game Balls: Giants @ Cowboys

Aaron Novinger — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 18:30:17 -0000

More photos » by LM Otero - AP

Dallas Cowboys running back Marion Barber did all he could to grab himself a BTB game ball for his Week Two performance.

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NFL Week Two is officially over. It's time to hand out the BTB game balls for the Cowboys' game against the Giants. Win or lose, each week I will virtually hand off a game ball to one player from each unit: offense, defense, special teams, and the coaching staff.

Offense

Marion Barber - His numbers were impressive: 18 carries for 124 yards and a touchdown. Even more impressive was what he meant to the offense. His vision was amazing. When there was a hole in the middle of the Giants' defensive front, he hit it hard. When the Giants would plug up the middle, he would break outside to take advantage of their lack of containment. His 26-yard reception just before halftime set up Nick Folk's 47-yard field goal.

Barber was the go-to guy Sunday night. Let's hope they let his strained quad heal, so they can get him back at 100%.

Honorable Mention: the Kosier/Cricket/Gurode combo, Felix Jones

Defense

Jay Ratliff - There's really no blocking this guy one-on-one. He's a beast in the middle with a great burst off the snap. Although he did give up some ground to double-teams by center, Shaun O' Hara, and one of the Giants' guards, he would employ an effective spin move to get himself back in the play.

Ratliff only had three tackles, but he clogged things up enough to help the Dallas D hold Brandon Jacobs to just 58 yards on 16 carries - 31 of which came on a play to the outside where DeMarcus Ware lost containment and Terence Newman put a nice hit on Keith Brooking. Without that play...well, you do the math.

Honorable Mention: Anthony Spencer, DeMarcus Ware

Special Teams

Nick Folk - Along with going 4-of-4 on extra points, Folk's 47-yarder just before the half was dead center. He is the kind of kicker that doesn't seem to get rattled. Had he been given a chance to win the game, he would have most likely done just that.

Frankly, this should go to the leader of the special team's units; but, there is a coaching game ball reserved for him.

Honorable Mention: Bobby Carpenter, Deon Anderson

Coaching

Joe DeCamillis - Solid. Sure, McBriar averaged a net of 43.5 yards on his punts, and Buehler kicked half of his six kickoffs in the end zone, notching one touchback. Those guys, along with Folk, do help. But check out what Coach Joe D's coverage units did against the Giants.

On kick returns, New York averaged just 22 yards with a long of 29. On three punt returns, they turned in a measly 13 yards with a long of nine.

I also applaud his decisions on the kickoff return units. Even though Felix fumbled, he stuck with him on the next return. And his creativity on the Miles Austin 29-yard return just before the half was also impressive. He had Sam Hurd and Marvin White loop all the way back from the left side of the field to the right, which timed out well enough to provide lead blocks for Austin.

Honorable Mention: Jason Garrett, Hudson Houck

Who gets your game balls?

The VRR: Cowboys Player News and Video Board Controversy Recap

Dave Halprin — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 17:00:20 -0000

More photos » by Sharon Ellman - AP

Special teams coach Joe DeCamillis praised the HD video board after Friday's game for blocking a Titans punt. He cited video board's work on special teams as one of the high points of play for that unit.

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So one major bummer did come out of Friday's game against the Titans. Rookie OLB Brandon Williams tore an ACL and is lost for the season. How much time Williams was going to get this year was debateable, but it would have been nice to see him play special teams and possibly become a factor by later in the season on defense. We'll just have to wait until next year, or the year after that, to see what the kid's got. Consider it a redshirt year.

William's injury does limit the options at an already thin position in terms of backups. Behind DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer, the Cowboys have Victor Butler, Steve Octavien and Justin Rogers. Dallas is doing everything they can to get Bobby Carpenter comfortable and productive as the nickel backer on the inside, so I don't see them swinging him outside in emergencies. The primary backups outside will come from the Butler/Octavien/Rogers trio, or the Cowboys can try to pick someone up from another team. Steve Octavien is intriguing. I barely thought about him before this training camp, but after the first week he'd become my pet cat - every time I checked the days notes on practice, #53 kept turning up, making plays. He also had a very good game on Friday.

After last night it looks like first-year player Steve Octavien could be in the team's plans as well. When the Cowboys opened the second half Friday night with some subs and some starters in the game, Octavien had replaced Ware, while Spencer stayed in on the other side of the 3-4 front. He played deep into the game, and tipped Vince Young's pass that was intercepted by Matt Stewart.

More VRR below...

Flying under the radar is the fact that our starting fullback, Deon Anderson, will not play until at least the first game of the season. The Cowboys are likely to keep only one fullback on the 53-man roster. So while Anderson is sitting out after his knee surgery, Julius Crosslin is trying to make his move and supplant Anderson is the coach's minds. Not sure that Crosslin can do it, but it's an interesting situation to watch. Anderson has served Dallas well on special teams and is an adequate FB. Crosslin is trying to show he can do more than block, that he can help in the passing game.

Crosslin admitted to being a little nervous, though, and he bobbled both catches a bit before eventually securing them. Pass catching was something he did not do much as a fullback at Oklahoma State. "I wasn't looking them in," Crosslin said. "I was trying to get upfield and go. I know what I need to do, and what I need to work on in practice for the next game."

Another story that is starting to get a little more serious is Nick Folk's recovery from surgery. It wasn't talked about much coming into preseason, but it is now, since the ultra-reliable Folk has missed two FG's in two games. Even Wade Phillips admits to a little apprehension.

"There is a little bit of a concern," Phillips said. "I don’t think he is completely well, but he is well enough to be kicking those things. I just think he’ll get better and better as he goes along.

"It wasn’t a minor deal as far as kickers are concerned. I think (John) Carney had the same surgery and had a little problem for a little while and then got back into the groove. We are hoping he does the same thing."

The new stadium is a sight to behold according to all reports, including this excellent first-hand report from Raf. Even the opposition were stunned by Jerry World.

"It was awesome," Titans defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch said at halftime. "It was a lot of fun opening up this place. This is a great stadium. Not only should the fans be excited, but so should the NFL and all the players as well. "It was a great atmosphere here tonight."

Still, there's only one part of the stadium that everyone is talking about. Jerry's $40 million HD video board hanging over the field was a spotlight magnet even before the stadium opened. The biggest of it's kind, it would allow fans to watch the game, and the replays (as Raf pointed out), in stunning clarity and on a scale unimaginable before the stadium's creation. Now, it's become a point of interest for blocking a Titans' punt (maybe the Cowboys best special teams player - I kid!). After the Titans' punters used the board for target practice in warmups, one of them pegged it in a game. Now, we got Jerry, the NFL, the officials, Jeff Fisher, the P.R. department and a Cowboys stadium tour guide all weighing in.

The NFL says:

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said in an e-mail that the league office is aware of the issue and will continue to monitor it. Aiello said the NFL's competition committee has not yet scheduled a meeting to discuss the issue, but Titans coach Jeff Fisher indicated it was a possibility after Tennessee rookie A.J. Trapasso's punt hit the board in the third quarter Friday night.

Jerry's stance is based on this:

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones helped set the height at 90 feet above the field— 5 feet above the league minimum—even though tests using the team’s punter, Mat McBriar(notes), showed he could clear 100 feet. The reasoning behind cutting it close was that during the tests, McBriar was trying to boot it that high, but a regular punt has a lower arc and is usually kicked toward a sideline, not right down the middle.

The officials didn't know quite what to do:

Turns out, they might have to raise the video board, which is in the line of fire for punts. Or the league could be forced to examine its rules. "It's something we're going to have to look at in the next week," Mike Pereira, the NFL's director of officiating, told The Times on Saturday. "We need to see if there's anything further we can do to make sure there's equity involved if it happens again."

Pereira said it's entirely possible that a team trying to protect a lead could run time off the clock by intentionally punting the ball into the video board and getting a do-over. He said there is no rule for putting time back on the clock in that situation. "We haven't talked at all about time being put on the clock," he said. "The only thing we've talked about really is the do-over of the play. We've never talked about resetting the clock back to where it was. That's obviously something we're going to have to talk about. And that may be what we arrive at. I would say that it's a big enough issue that we're going to have to address it with the competition committee here probably sometime this week to figure out what direction we want to go."

But let's go to a reliable source, a Cowboys stadium tour guide?

Crews were working on the giant HD screen at Cowboys Stadium on Saturday, and tour guides told paying customers the crane in the middle of the field had to do with raising the video board.

Cowboys PR flaks deny it:

Cowboys spokesman Brett Daniels denied that the work Saturday had anything to do with raising the video board, saying it was part of "ongoing construction" at the stadium. A tour guide said Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was paying additional money to allow the board to be raised and lowered as warranted inside the $1.2 billion stadium. It was already known that the Cowboys would have to raise the video board for the U2 concert on Oct. 12.

Keith Brooking and Bobby Carpenter: Are They the Answer?

Aaron Novinger — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 06:00:10 -0000

More photos » by Eric Gay - AP

Keith Brooking has Bradie James' back this season as the two inside linebackers look to solidify the middle of the Dallas defense.

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The Cowboys' inside linebacker position has seen a bit of a makeover from last season. Keith Brooking is replacing Zach Thomas, providing more size next to strongside backer Bradie James. Also, his experience in Wade Phillips' 3-4 scheme could prove to be a valuable asset to this unit right away.

On Friday, we got a good glimpse of Bobby Carpenter's new role as the nickel/dime linebacker. Taking over for the departed Kevin Burnett, Carpenter's athleticism showed against Oakland. He had a really nice pass breakup, pressured the quarterback on blitzes, and simply looked like he knew what he was doing on the field.

When Carpenter substitutes in on those passing downs, he often replaces Brooking. Although, we did get to see both Brooking and Carpenter on the field together late in the second quarter.

The breakdown below follows each snap played by Brooking and Carpenter in Friday night's game against the Raiders. Brooking started the game at the weakside linebacker position and played into the second quarter. He even lined up on the field goal block unit. Carpenter came in when the Raiders faced their first third down. With rookie Stephen Hodge out and not getting playtime, Carpenter played into the fourth quarter until Matt Stewart took over. Carpenter also starts on the coverage and return units for both kickoffs and punts.

Make the jump for the breakdown.

Note: Instead of declaring strong or weakside LB, I wrote left (LILB) or right (RILB) to show where they were lined up on the field. Brooking plays the weakside, while Bradie James plays strong. When Carpenter comes in on the second-team defense, he replaces James on the strong side. Of course, their jobs vary in situational formations.

First Quarter

First Raiders Possession

1^st and 10 from Raider 32: Brooking (LILB) covered short zone. Assisted Alan Ball on tackle.

1^st and 10 from Raider 43: Brooking (RILB) pushed Igor towards run off left tackle, tried to club ball from RB

2^nd and 8 from Raider 45: Brooking (RILB) read QB, then pass-rushed

3^rd and 8 from Raider 45: Carpenter (LILB) next to James, covered short zone to the left

1^st and goal from Dallas 8: Brooking (RILB) blitzed around James and shot between RT and HB while James covered TE in flat. Got hands in the air, but QB completed pass.

2^nd and goal from Dallas 1: Brooking (RILB) right behind Igor, shed C to get around the left end of the line. Holding penalty on the Raiders.

2^nd and goal from Dallas 12: Brooking (RILB) man on RB, Anthony Spencer tackled FB for a loss.

3^rd and goal from Dallas 14: Brooking (RILB) against 3WR and TE, pushed TE outside, but pass went to WR for 10.

4^th and goal (field goal try): Brooking played right DE

Next Possession

1^st and 10 from Oak 22: Brooking (RILB) twisted with James at snap on a blitz between C and G. Sped through unscathed and sacked QB fro 11-yard loss.

2^nd and 21 from Oak 10: Carpenter (ROLB) in dime, rushed around LT but RB ran right.

3^rd and 8 from Oak 23: Carpenter (RILB) read QB, then rushed in and shed the FB just before QB completed pass for first down.

1^st and 10 from Oak 38: Brooking (LILB) lined up over C and blitzed. Looked good but QB broke free for 17.

1^st and 10 from Dallas 49: Brooking (RILB) read play action off of FB block. Incomplete pass deep.

2^nd and 10 from Dallas 49: Brooking (LILB). Pass deflected at line by Jay Ratliff.

3^rd and 10 from Dallas 49: Brooking (LILB) covered the middle zone against the TE.

Next Possession

1^st and 10 from Oak 37: Carpenter (LILB) was double-teamed by RT and C as RB ran left for big gain.

Second Quarter

1^st and 10 from Dallas 17: Carpenter (LILB) blocked by RT as run went opposite direction.

2^nd and 8 from Dallas 15: Carpenter (RILB) in coverage, ran across field to help push WR out of bounds.

1^st and goal from Dallas 6: Carpenter (RILB) made initial contact on run up middle, slowing up RB by wrapping his arm around waist.

2^nd and goal from Dallas 4: Carpenter (LILB) covered FB in flat while QB hit TE in back of end zone for TD.

Next Possession

1^st and 10 from Oak 22: Carpenter (RILB) in coverage, penalty on Raiders.

1^st and 20 from Oak 12: Carpenter (LILB) in man on slot. Pass went elsewhere.

2^nd and 7 from Oak 25: Carpenter (RILB) moved up to line to blitz, but RB did a good job picking him up.

3^rd and 7 from Oak 25: Carpenter (RILB) covered his zone. Gerald Sensebaugh laid a lick on a WR for the incompletion.

Next Possession

1^st and 10 from Oak 6: Carpenter (RILB) ran right to cover RB, then read QB's eyes and checked back to the middle where he almost jumped high enough to tip pass.

1^st and 10 from Oak 25: Carpenter (LILB) blocked by C on draw to left, but Raiders called for holding.

1^st and 20 from Oak 15: Carpenter (LILB) faked blitz, then got hands up on delayed pass rush.

2^nd and 20 from Oak 15: Carpenter (LILB) and Brooking (RILB) in 4-2-5 vs. 3-WR set. Brooking made tackle on run left after RB gained 7.

3^rd and 13 from Oak 22: Brooking (LILB) and Carpenter (RILB) sandwiched DeMarcus Ware in a 3-3-5 vs. 3-WRs. Carpenter and Ware dropped into coverage while Brooking blitzed and caused pressure up middle. Carpenter had good coverage on a WR.

Next Possession

1^st and 10 from Oak 26: Carpenter (LILB) shed a block to make tackle on run left.

Third Quarter:

1st and 10 from Oak 20: Carpenter (RILB) pushed down to ground by C for a 4-yard run up the middle.

2^nd and 6 from Oak 24: Carpenter (LILB) on a delayed blitz, got around RB and got hands in QBs face. Pass fell incomplete.

3^rd and 6 from Oak 24: Carpenter (RILB) lined up outside TE on 3-2-5 vs. 3-WR set, rushed QB and had nice inside move on RB. Unfortunately, a penalty on Mike Mickens gave the Raiders a first down.

1^st and 10 from Oak 29: Carpenter (LILB) rushed QB up middle but got pushed to ground by RB.

1^st and 10 from 50: Carpenter (LILB) twisted right on blitz while Jason Williams came in free behind him to hit QB.

2^nd and 10 from 50: Carpenter (LILB) read QB, screen pass went away from for a 20-yard gain.

1^st and 10 from Dallas 30: Carpenter (RILB) shed a blocker as a run to right went for 9.

2^nd and 1 from Dallas 21: Carpenter (LILB) before snap directed J.Williams to cover right zone while he took the short middle. Pass went left.

1^st and goal from Dallas 2: Carpenter (LILB) shed two blockers but RB ran left away from Patrick Watkins for TD.

Next Possession

1^st and 10 from: Oak 31: Carpenter (RILB) got by LG in a heavy offensive set to get in on pile for short gain.

1^st and 5 from Oak 36: Carpenter (RILB) followed TE in motion and then covered him down the field.

1^st and 10 from Oak 31: Carpenter (RILB) couldn't get free of LT on a run left.

2^nd and 8 from Oak 33: Carpenter (LILB) read QB, then rushed and hit QB just before throw.

1^st and 10 from Dallas 49: Carpenter (LILB) covered middle zone but pass went deep.

1^st and goal from Dallas 1: Carpenter (RILB) in on tackle to stop RB.

2^nd and goal from Dallas 1: Carpenter (RILB) blocked by fullback but RB scored quickly on an inside run to the right. In this goalline formation, next to Carpenter were J.Williams (MLB) and Matt Stewart (LILB).

Next Possession

1^st and 10 from Oak 27: Carpenter (LILB) pushed away FB to help close hole.

2^nd and 3 from Oak 30: Carpenter (RILB) double-teamed by C and LG while J. Williams got tackle.

1^st and 10 from Oak 40: Carpenter (LILB) covered TE in man.

1^st and 10 from Dallas 33: Carpenter (LILB) took on RG, shed him, and made tackle.

2^nd and 7 from Dallas 30: Carpenter (LILB) moved up to line to blitz, then shot between RT and RG, evaded FB and got to QB just as he got pass off.

1^st and 10 from Dallas 19: Carpenter (RILB) spun off LG to make tackle on run to his side. Raiders flagged for holding.

Fourth Quarter

1^st and 20 from Dallas 29: Carpenter (RILB) blanketed TE in flat.

2^nd and 20 from Dallas 29: Carpenter (RILB) communicated coverage to others as Raiders had two TEs on left side. He covered the inside TE, who ran a post. Had great coverage and great play on the ball to knock pass incomplete.

3^rd and 20 from Dallas 29: Carpenter (RILB) lined up outside OLB and covered RB out of the backfield.

Matt Stewart took over after this possession.

Coach Phillips may have carved a good niche for Carpenter in this defense. When coming in during passing situations, he has shown good coverage skills and enough speed to get to the quarterback on blitzes. Playing behind James keeps him on the offense's strong side, which will expose him to the run more often. That's something we need to keep an eye on during the remainder of the preseason. In this game, he looked to have a good command of the defense and was quick to pursue the ball carriers.

Brooking snapped right in with Coach Phillips' defense. He played with confidence, looked pretty quick and was tenacious. With him next to James and Carpenter coming in on passing downs, this makeover done at inside linebacker could be an improvement for the defense.

For another look at Carpenter's play-by-play against Oakland, check out Musiccitynorm's most excellent FanPost.

Dallas Cowboys 2009 Training Camp: Practice #7

Dave Halprin — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 23:15:05 -0000

More photos » by Eric Gay - AP

The return of a healthy Mat McBriar should cheer up any Cowboys fan.

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Full pads for today's afternoon practice. The injured list consisted of Isaiah Stanback, Stephen Hodge, Tim Anderson, Michael Hawkins and Alonzo Coleman. Before practice Sam Hurd took some reps as the backup holder on kicks while Mat McBriar is the primary holder.

After special teams drills they finally practiced real kickoffs. The first unit coverage team was Alan Ball, Orlando Scandrick, Justin Rogers, Deon Anderson, Sam Hurd, the kicker, Pat Watkins, Steve Ocatvien, Bobby Carpenter, Miles Austin and Gerald Sensabaugh. Returning the kicks were Felix Jones and Willie Reid. Folk had a couple of kicks that went to the 5-yard line and the 1-yard line while David Buehler put one 3-yards in the endzone, another to the 2-yard line and one that went 9-yards deep into the endzone.

After stretching, they practiced FGs, both Folk and Buehler looked good kicking the ball. They followed with a long session of position drills. One thing different about this camp is the variety of drills they are doing. At previous camps, the drills always seemed to be the same. This year, they are doing a lot of different ones, which should help the players stay sharp instead of just falling into a routine. For example, the offensive line was lining up with both hands on a small ball instead of one hand on the ground, and when they popped up out of their stance, they picked the ball up to their chest. My guess is this was to help them to get their hands up to their chest quickly when they come out of their stance. That is just one example of the variety of drills I'm seeing this year. They also spent some time practicing blocks against spin moves.

Next was a session of 7-on-7 at one end while the OL battled the DL at the other. This time, I followed the OL/DL matchup. One thing I noticed is that no matter how well the OL did, after each rep Hudson Houck was right in there critiquing and teaching. Colombo was able to push Brandon Williams wide the first time, the second time Williams got closer to the QB, but Colombo held him up. Bigg was able to stop Rat, the second time Rat tried to bull-rush but got off-balance and Bigg pushed him to the ground. Gurode rode Spears upfield past the QB, the next time Spears won the hand fight and Gurode was visibly mad at himself. Bowen put a nice move on Kosier for the win, the second time Kosier looked good. Ware circled around Flo and was probably too deep, but Flo never got his hands on him, Houck didn't like that. The next time Ware tired it again, but near the QB Flo got his hands on him to push him by. Octavien blew right by McQuistan, and got a good rush the second time but McQ managed to put up some resistance. Ryan Gibbons was good twice on Hatcher, then Marcus Dixon stepped in and was able to bull-rush Gibbons backward. Siavii tried a bull-rush on Procter but was leaning too far forward so Procter pushed him to the ground by the back of his helmet. Joans Seawright stepped in for Siavii and forced Procter to give up too much ground.

Holland stuffed Dixon in his tracks, and then Dixon tried a spin move next time but Holland was up to the task. Free had no problem with Victor Butler on the first go-round, the second time Free was good initially on Butler, but was moving too far back and Butler cut under him to the QB. Spencer was able to blow by McQ, he tried the same move a second time but McQ recovered at the last second for the save. Travis Bright looked OK on Dixon, the second time Dixon managed to push him back some but Bright never gave up the contact and held up well. Derreck Robinson blew up Greg Isdaner, actually knocking him to the ground, the second time Robinson beat him again, though not as easily.

Next came a session of 11-on-11. Romo dumped a short one to MB3 in the flats but Jenkins was there instantly for the stop. Spencer then blew through the blocking to stuff MB3 in the backfield. (BTW, Wade needs to put a coach along the line of scrimmage, Spencer was lining up off-sides almost every time). Roy got into a one-on-one with T-New on a bomb, but T-New was able to break up the pass. Crayton had a false start and was replaced, and then Witten caught one for about 8 yards between Bradie and Carpenter. Roy was able to out-leap Courtney Brown for a 10-yard catch. Kitna started by hitting Austin for about 25-yards between the linebackers and the safeties. Next was a short pass to Crayton with Alan Ball making the tackle. Derreck Robinson knifed through the blocking to probably tackle Choice in the backfield, it was a close call, Choice kept running and if it was a miss in the backfield then he had a big run. Lattimore took a pitch for around 10 yards before Hamlin2 made the stop. McGee threw one high out-of-bounds and then threw one short to Scott Chandler in front of DeAngelo Smith.

Romo was back and tried a hand-off but Spencer beat Kosier, who was pulling for a block, and made the stop. Ware and Brooking met at the QB for a sack, then Romo led Bennett by just a hair too much on a short pass, Bennett had the ball go off his fingertips. Austin caught a 10-yd comeback pattern in front of Jenkins, Felix tried a run up the middle, made a nice move to avoid a tackle then broke it outside. Crayton caught a short pass and Brown made the stop. Kitna dumped one off to Choice and while Choice was breaking it outside on the ensuing run, Bennett blew up Alan Ball who was trying to make the tackle, putting him to the turf and allowing Choice a big run. The gasp in the crowd was priceless, even Ball had to give Bennett a slap on the helmet in congratulations after he got up. (Corrected: I originally had Brown as the victim, I've been told it was Ball). Kitna threw a swing pass to Choice but Hamlin2 made the quick stop. Lattimore made a nice move in between two defenders for a decent run, Kitna dropped the snap on the next play, and then Choice had a nice run to the left side behind Gibbons and Free where he was untouched for about 20-yards. Rudy Carpenter closed out the practice with a short pass to Rodney Hannah and another short pass to Jesse Holley.

Practice over.

Dallas Cowboys 2009 Training Camp: Practice #6

Dave Halprin — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 23:18:54 -0000

More photos » by Eric Gay - AP

Hurd beats Scandrick.

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Practice was in shells this afternoon. Stephen Hodge dressed out but never managed to participate, he continued to work with the trainers instead. TE John Phillips took some reps as a long snapper early before practice started, joining LP Ladouceur and Matt Stewart. Early on they ran punt drills and Mat McBriar was booming the kicks, I counted at least three between 60-65 yards with nice hang time. They only had two punt returners catching the ball as they practiced coverage, Patrick Crayton and Felix Jones. That might be an indication of the direction they want to go.

After stretching they moved into positional drills and they added a new one today, the LBs covering the RBs on pass patterns. I didn't catch the whole thing but here's what I did see. Bobby Carpenter deflected a pass for Felix Jones but had held Felix before that to be in position. Marion Barber was able to shake free of Jason Williams, Asaph Schwapp caught a pass on Jason Williams but Williams was able to get his hands in and poke it free. Keon Lattimore got a step on Carpenter but the pass was overthrown. Brooking had good coverage on MB3, Felix and Williams collided at the break on the pattern knocking Williams down leaving Felix open. Choice cooked Carpenter on a long pass, Schwapp got a short one on Williams, and Lattimore was able to beat Brooking.

Make the jump.

While this was going on Hudson Houck was working with the whole line, including the TEs on run blocking from 2-TE sets. Mainly they worked on Witten coming down the line on a wham block or shuffling him into the backfield as a lead blocker. The DBs were working with Dave Campo on zone coverage responsibilities especially with two receivers crossing on the same side of the field. The WRs were going through the passing tree but did an extra session where they worked on double-moves on long patterns.

They broke up for 7-on-7 and OL/DL matchups. I followed the 7-on-7 so I could get a feel on the "Roy Question" that everybody seems to be concerned with. In general, what I saw was Romo hitting the first-read when it was open and that wasn't always Roy, accounting for stretches where Roy didn't see the ball. They were also using Roy to clear out the safeties deep or attracting two defenders in a zone and the QB hit the guy left open or the guy with single-coverage. For instance, Romo started off with a pass to Witten deep over the middle but Roy had taken the safety with him on a deep post opening up the middle zone. On the next play, Jenkins and Ware bracketed Roy in coverage leaving MB3 wide open in the underneath zone. Miles Austin ran a nice fade-stop along the sideline to beat Jenkins who had tight coverage but didn't put on the brakes quick enough to get back to the ball. Witten caught a slant, then they motioned Felix out wide and since Romo couldn't hit his primary read he dumped it to Felix in the flats. Romo then made a mistake and didn't see Mike Hamlin (Hamlin2?) in the middle and he almost picked it off but the pass was high and he just couldn't grab it, but he did break up the pass.

Kitna tried to Roy on a crossing pattern but the ball went just off the end of Roy's fingertips. Willie Reid made a nice catch on a crossing pattern, Kitna dumped one short to Alonzo Coleman, then hit Crayton deep who had gotten by T-New. McGee hit Julian Hawkins short over the middle and Bradie laid a pop on him that sent him to the turf but he held on to the ball. In a rarity for 7-on-7, McGee couldn't find anybody open on the next play, so he tucked the ball and ran it.

Romo hit Crayton deep over the middle again as Roy had cleared the safety from the zone. Witten got open on a deep in for a catch, Bennett caught one over the middle as Hamlin2 was late getting over, and then Hurd made a spectacular diving catch on the sidelines. Caryton beat Mike Mickens on an out pattern, then Romo forced one into double coverage of Hurd by Hamlin and Watkins, and Dave Campo managed to get in the way, leading to a mess and an incomplete pass. Kitna dumped one to Felix, then hit Kevin Ogletree on a seam route, followed by another short pass where he missed the read of an open receiver downfield. He closed by hitting Julian Hawkins on a deep pass, Hawkins had lost Courtney Brown on the coverage. Rudy Carpenter then hit Manuel Johnson on a dig route and then dumped a short one to Rodney Hannah.

After the water break, the all came together for a closing session of 11-on-11. MB3 tried a run but Rat blew it up in the backfield and Spencer got in on the tackle because Kosier was too slow on his pull-block. Next they blitzed Sensabaugh who got picked up by the back, leaving T-New alone with Crayton, Crayton was able to beat T-New and haul in a long bomb. Romo audibled the next time to a draw for MB3 and he found a lot of room up the middle before Sensabaugh finally made the stop. Romo audibled again and hit Hurd in the flats. MB3 followed with a short run, then Romo checked-down to a short pass to Hurd.

Kitna gave it to Choice on a run and he made some nice cuts before Watkins made the stop. John Phillips had a nice catch on a well-thrown ball that was over Matt Stewart's head but before the oncoming Hamlin. Hurd ended up wide open for a catch after Courtney Brown fell down. Marcus Spears clogged up a running play, then Willie Reid got open over the middle because the MLB's blitzed but the line gave Kitna time. McGee had to avoid a collapsing pocket and ran the ball, then he hit Phillips who made a nice catch just beating the attempt of Alan Ball to break it up. Lattimore had a short run outside then Spears penetrated the line and blocked a pass in the backfield.

Romo was back and threw a 10-yd pass to Roy up the seam and then MB3 had a short run up the middle. Romo led Austin to the sideline of the endzone but the pass just bounced off Austin's out-stretched fingertips for an incompletion. Witten made a very nice catch for about 15-yds while managing to keep his feet in-bounds, then came a nice surprise. The defensive line rushed and looked like they were going to sack Romo, but they had a screen set up for Bennett who caught it and followed Bigg and Kosier for major yards. Romo finished by hitting Bennett in the flats but Carpenter was all over him for the tackle.

Kitna and Felix collided in the backfield on a blown handoff, but Kitna atoned on the next play by hitting Austin for a TD, Austin had beat coverage by Ball and Brown. The pocket collapsed on the next play leading to a sack, then Kitna pulled a roll-out that fooled Octavien on the pass rush leaving him open to toss it to Ogletree, then he hit Willie Reid in the endzone for a completion. Rudy Carpenter dumped one short to Lattimore, Hatcher tipped the next pass in the backfield for an incompletion, Carpenter then made a really bad throw, and finished by trying to hit Phillips but Sensabaugh swooped in to break it up.

Practice was over. Today was by far the best I'd seen the offense operate in camp, they got the better of the defense on numerous occasions. Tomorrow is a two-a-day but the morning session is a walk-through so I probably won't cover that. In the meantime, I will try to post another summary that will include who I think is doing well and who needs to step up their game.

Dallas Cowboys 2009 Training Camp: Practice #5

Dave Halprin — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 16:57:51 -0000

More photos » by Eric Gay - AP

That's 4th and Long's Jesse Holley versus rookie Mike Mickens.

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The Cowboys were in full pads this morning in what turned out to be a very spirited practice. Things were getting a little chippy on the field, a couple of defensive players decided to tackle the ball carriers and there was some physical play from both sides.

As usual, they started with special teams, this time with punt drills. The gunners were practicing on one side and that group included Pat Watkins, Orlando Scandrick, Miles Austin, DeAngelo Smith, Courtney Brown and Alan Ball. At the other end punt formations were going on, Joe DeCamillis uses three protectors on punts, the first unit was Steve Octavien, Tashard Choice and Deon Anderson, the second group was David Buehler, Sam Hurd and Jerome Carter. Catching punts was the regular group of Terence Newman, Patrick Crayton, Willie Reid, Felix Jones and DeAngelo Smith.

On the injury front, Isaiah Stanback joined the group with a sore hamstring along with Stephen Hodge and Tim Anderson. I know, you're shocked Stanback was injured again.

After stretching and warm-ups they went into a feisty session of 9-on-9 while the WRs/CBs battled on the other side. I followed the 9-on-9 this morning. The first run was by MB3 up the middle but Igor Olshansky knifed into the backfield to stop it, MB3 tried another run towards the outside but DeMarcus Ware pursued it down the line to catch him before it could really get going. MB3 did manage to get a nice gain on a run to the right on the next play. Felix Jones started a run outside but cutback to the middle for around 5-yds before Bobby Carpenter made the stop. Doug Free had a false start and was replaced, then Felix took the handoff and after Julius Crosslin and Jason Williams had a big collision in the backfield, Jason Hatcher moved in for the stop. Choice tried the middle and got a few yards before Carpenter stopped him and started a little of the rough stuff that characterized the day by not just touching Choice but wrestling with him for a bit. Alonzo Coleman had a nice run through a big hole up the middle, next Victor Butler got fooled and gave up contain allowing Coleman to get wide on a pitch play. They followed with a draw to Coleman but Pat Watkins snuffed it out. Ware blew right by a Jason Witten block to stuff MB3, next MB3 had a short run, then Felix blew through a big hole up the middle. Felix then slipped the next run to the right and outran Carpenter who was in pursuit and turned it upfield for a nice gain. Choice then had a run to the right side but Carpenter made the stop and pushed Choice to the turf in a little more extra-curricular activity.

The next session was 11-on-11 with the defense lining up in a nickel package on some of the plays. The four down lineman on the nickel were Anthony Spencer, Jay Ratliff, Stephen Bowen and DeMarcus Ware. Carpenter replaced Keith Brooking in this package. Tony Romo started it off with a draw to MB3 for about 5-yds before Bradie James made the tackle. After a swing pass to MB3, Romo threw a bullet that threaded the needle between two defenders for a Martellus Bennett catch. Octavien got good pressure on the next play and probably would have got the sack so Romo tucked it and ran. Romo dumped one short to Felix but Brooking made the stop, then they ran a draw to Felix who had a big gain up the middle.

Kitna came on and threw to Bennett in the flats, then threw and incompletion after Carpenter broke through for what would have been a sack. Spencer broke through to stop Coleman in the backfield, but they let the play run some more and Coleman ran into Mike Jenkins - Coleman stiff-armed Jenks in the facemask which got Jenks upset and they wrestled around a bit after the whistle. Stephen McGee took over and made a nifty little flip-pass to Keon Lattimore while under pressure but Ratliff was there and he ended up tackling Lattimore to the turf. On the next play McGee lofted a floater to the sidelines which Kevin Ogletree caught but was probably out-of-bounds.

Romo was back and tried a draw to MB3 but Brandon Williams stopped it quickly, the next play Romo dropped back to pass but nothing came open and Romo had to hold the ball, frustrated, he just spiked it to the turf. Next, he hit Witten for 10-yards, then he had to avoid pressure from Butler and hit Miles Austin for 20-yds or so over the middle. Kitna hit Mike Jefferson in front of Mike Mickens, then got flushed from the pocket and tried to hit Crayton but Kitna was clearly past the line of scrimmage.

After a short water break they formed up for another round of 11-on-11. They were using quite a bit of 2-TE sets in today's sessions. Romo tried a hitch-screen to Roy but the pass was low and Roy couldn't scoop it up. MB3 tried to get wide on a run but Ware and T-New shut it off. Romo tried to hit Roy deep over the middle but Ken Hamlin swooped in at the last second to break it up. Felix ran a draw play and made a move that broke Bradie James' ankles in the hole and then he ripped off a nice gain. Austin made a nice catch for 15-yds or so beating Courtney Brown. Felix ran another draw for 10-yds before Jason Williams made the stop.

Kitna threw into the flats to Manuel Johnson and Scandrick made the tackle, Jefferson then dropped a pass that hit him right in the hands while he was wide open. DE Derreck Robinson blew right by an attempted block from Greg Isdaner to stop a Coleman run, then Butler had pressure again, probably a sack, but the play continued and Kitna hit Bennett for 15-yds or so. McGee threw to Jesse Holley in the flats and he made a nice move on DeAngelo Smith and Courtney Brown to get some extra yards. Lattimore tried a run but Derreck Robinson shot through the line again, this time beating Turkovich, and stuffed it for a loss.

Romo's last session started with a swing pass to MB3 that Brooking tracked down for a stop, then on the next play Rat was so quick getting through the line he actually hit Romo's arm as he attempted a quick pass to the flats and it fell incomplete. Crayton then caught one in the flats, Witten caught a short one, then Austin collected a pass in front of Jenkins for good yards. MB3 finished Romo's session with a nice run.

Kitna overthrew Hurd and then Choice ran the ball for a good gain. Kitna then threw a pass to the endzone from around 20-yds out that Roy Williams caught making a nice play beating DeAngelo Smith. Matt Stewart then stuffed a Coleman run. Rudy Carpenter threw one to Jefferson on the sidelines and then finished the practice with a throw-away pass out-of-bounds.

I'll be back this afternoon for a second practice.

Dallas Cowboys 2009 Training Camp: A Summary So Far

Dave Halprin — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 16:00:17 -0000

More photos » by Eric Gay - AP

Yes, Tony Romo is the center of attention at training camp. But what about the rest of the team?

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It's only been three practices, but I see a lot of requests for a summary of what's happened so far. Being the type of blogger who likes to listen to his audience, I'll comply. I generally like to give practice reports as objectively as possible for two reasons. One, I want to give you guys the facts of what's going on at practice without a filter, hopefully it gives you a sense of being there and watching the practices for yourself. Two, I've found that if you post something like "Player X looked bad today" it leads to the inevitable extrapolation that the player sucks and that we're in big trouble. Remember, these are training camp practices, the Cowboys are trying new things out; they're putting players in positions to test their skill sets that may never be replicated in real games. Having said all that, here are some observations of mine through the first three practices.

The Cowboys, and Wade Phillips, have been true to their word and have changed things. They've changed up the drills they're running in the positional groups and to my eyes the drills are more attuned to real-game situations. Some of them I've mentioned, the fumble prevention drills, an extensive session on covering the bunch formation, the receivers are running the passing tree more than in the past, all kinds of things that are a little different from past training camps. The emphasis on special teams is clear by running those drills at the beginning of practice when the players are fresh and more likely to absorb new information.

Also, contrary to the meltdown I've seen in some media circles and on other Cowboys blogs and non-Cowboys blogs, the no-tackling rule is nothing new. Even when Parcells was here we rarely tackled, if at all, so it's not like much has changed in that respect. So when you see that kind of stuff, just ignore it.

Much more below.

OK, on to what a lot of people really want to hear, who is doing well and who is not. Remember to be a little skeptical of all this; for example, last year Bobby Carpenter had a great camp, he was making a lot of plays, but once the real season hit he was an afterthought. Also keep in mind, since we're practicing against ourselves, one player or unit doing well means that another player or unit was getting beat. So it's a glass half-full or half-empty scenario on all of this.

What I've liked so far:

The running game is performing well, in the 11-on-11's the line is opening holes and the backs are able to make quality runs for the most part. Tashard Choice looks as good as he did at the end of last year and seems particularly adept at wiggling through traffic. The Cowboys have stated they will depend on the running game more this season and they should, it's a strength of this team. Kyle Kosier is back and he looks to be in good form, this could help solidify an offensive line that had problems with consistency last year.

The play of Gerald Sensabaugh has been good. He's done well at diagnosing plays and then making the play by taking proper angles and working his way through traffic. I like what I'm seeing from him so far but I really haven't seen him tested deep over the middle that often.

I've thought of Brandon Williams and Victor Butler as twins since they were drafted close together and they play the same position. So far in camp, Butler has made the plays. He's had some good moments rushing the passer and just appears to be the more active of the two. In addition, little-known OLB Steve Octavien has been getting opportunities and has actually made a few plays. Who knows if he can sustain it, but he's been active so far.

Mike Hawkins is an unknown player who has made plays in camp. He's broken up a few passes, got an INT and generally stood out from the rest of the non-starting CBs. Will he make the team, probably not and this is the danger of reading too much into training camp practices, so take it for what it's worth.

Jay Ratliff and DeMarcus Ware are doing exactly what you'd expect; they have been the dominating force on the defensive front seven and have caused havoc regularly. The secondary has been solid, not giving up as many big plays as they have in the past. I can probably count on one hand the number of deep passes they've given up in 11-on-11's.

Tony Romo has looked like Romo. I haven't seen much that is different from his play in other training camps. But then again, I wasn't really worried about his play in camp.

What I've had problems with so far:

None of the WRs have had a great impact on camp so far. It's not just Roy, it's the unit as a whole. Now there are some mitigating factors. It could speak to an improved secondary that is giving better coverage. Also, with Jason Witten and Martellus Bennett roaming the field, they present great targets for the QB's. Factor in that our pass rush can be very effective, meaning the QBs are dumping the ball short on occasion, further limiting the WRs effectiveness. Don't panic. By this time next week one or two receivers may be tearing up practices. Give it a little time.

I still greatly worry about the backup o-line. I've been a little down on Pat McQuistan for the past couple of years and he's done nothing in this camp to change my view. A lot of the rest of the guys, especially in the interior, haven't stood out in my opinion. Holland is getting some chances and maybe he will prove to be a guy we can rely on for a backup, and Doug Free has been serviceable so far. It's not that their awful, but I loved to see a little more punch out of these guys.

It's early, but I'm still waiting on Jason Williams to make a few plays. I heard all about his athleticism but it hasn't shown up yet. But, give him some time, he's a rookie learning a new position and it's only been a few practices.

The defense as a whole is still not getting a lot of turnovers. Kudos to Romo and Kitna for not throwing INT's, but last year not getting turnovers on defense was a big problem and I was hoping to see more of it happening in camp. Of course, if it did start happening, everybody would start complaining about Romo and Kitna! You just can't win when practicing against yourself.

There are still too many false start penalties and there have been some very visible cases of holding along the line that aren't called but easy to see. Clean up the penalties guys, it's important.

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Those are some things I've observed in practices. I'm always reticent to make these kinds of pronouncements because they tend to get extrapolated into bigger things and by next week the whole situation could be different. I've always tried to give training camp practice reports as objectively as possible so you, the reader, can make your own evaluations. But, since I was asked, I complied.

Hope you're enjoying BTB's coverage of training camp so far.