SB Nation - Pat McQuistan

The VRR: Redskins (3-6) @ Cowboys (6-3)

Aaron Novinger — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:29:58 -0000

More photos » by Gerald Herbert - AP

Dallas defenders must try to limit Ladell Betts and the Washington offense.

The Cowboys can accomplish quite alot in beating the Redskins. Most importantly, they can regain the momentum they lost up in Lambeau. They can also increase their division record to 2-1 and their conference record to 6-2, which could come in handly for tie-breaking purposes down the road.

And, by handing the Redskins their seventh loss on the season, they could pretty much force them to begin waving bye-bye to their playoff chances.

Much of the talk this week at Valley Ranch has centered on Big D's offensive lack of production last week. On the flip side, Washington's offense seemed to show some signs of life for one of the first times this season. At home against Denver, RB Ladell Betts and QB Jason Campbell each scored, WR Devin Thomas showed some play-making potential, and the special teams found success on a fake field goal.

More VRR after the jump.

Perhaps it's the Cowboys' defenders that need to come up big. Beating the Broncos 27-17 last week boosted the Redskins' confidence. Deflating it early could be key.

"Coming off last week's victory, we've definitely got confidence. It was a big confidence-builder for us," Rock Cartwright said.

"You've got to keep it rolling. That's the whole objective," receiver Devin Thomas said. "You can never give up on a season just because things have gone bad. We knew we were just one click away from hitting on all cylinders."

With a win in Dallas, the Redskins would be only two games out of the NFC East lead with six games to play, three against the other division teams - including the Cowboys at home two nights after Christmas. Dallas, whose 57 wins against Washington are more than against any other team, doesn't want things to get that close. The dismal day in Green Bay likely got the Cowboys' attention.

The Cowboys should expect to see a heavy dose of RB Ladell Betts with Clinton Portis (concussion) out.

Betts rushed for a season-high 114 yards on 26 carries in last Sunday’s 27-17 win over the Denver Broncos.

Asked how Portis's status impacts him, Betts replied: "You get to be the man on first, second and third down, because before that, it was pretty much only on third down. Now I know that I get to play a full game, so it’s a little bit different mindset."

And it won't change the offensive game plan vs. Dallas, Zorn added. "We didn't change the run game necessarily to accommodate Ladell," Zorn said. "We ran our stuff, and what he did was push up into the hole and fight for yardage."

The Dallas secondary may be a bit banged up, but Mike Jenkins and Alan Ball sound ready to go. Ball should also receive help from Gerald Sensabaugh.

Cowboys CB Mike Jenkins injured his bicep in the Packers contest. Coach Wade Phillips said Jenkins has looked well and even had a couple of interceptions off QB Jon Kitna in scout team practice.

With S Ken Hamlin (ankle) out of the lineup for the Cowboys the next several weeks, look for safeties Alan Ball and Gerald Sensabaugh to split the duties of lining up the defense. Coach Wade Phillips had high praise for the smarts of Sensabaugh and his ability to handle the job.

Ball talks about the difference between playing free safety and cornerback. Also, it looks as if rookie SS Mike Hamlin will see his first action this week since the preseason.

"At cornerback, you don’t have to talk a lot," Ball said. "At safety, you have to know a lot. You have to make a lot of adjustments, a lot of checks. So you have to know a lot more going in. That’s about what it is."

Ball has five tackles and a pass breakup on defense this season. He has 12 special teams tackles, but is expected to have his special-teams workload lightened this week.

Phillips said rookie safety Mike Hamlin and cornerback Orlando Scandrick will fill in on special teams. Mike Hamlin has not been active this season.

Ball and Doug Free will be replaced on special teams.

With Alan Ball starting at free safety, reserve cornerback Orlando Scandrick will likely become the ``gunner,'' with outside coverage on punt-coverage teams. In addition, offensive tackle Pat McQuistan is scheduled to be active for the first time this season and replace Doug Free as a wall blocker on kickoff returns.

DeMarcus Ware talks about how Washington's blocking schemes and Jason Campbell's mobility in the pocket make it difficult to get to him.

"To be honest, it’s really hard to get to him because they keep in extra guys," Ware said. "They might have some guys on the front line so they do a lot of split backs and a lot of protection schemes to keep the guys off Campbell to make sure he’s effective in the pass."

[snip]

"He’s a great pocket passer," said Ware, who has seven sacks, tied for 10th in the NFL. "He makes sure he has confidence in his line and the guys around him so he can step up in the pocket to make plays."

"When he extends, when he moves around, when he flinches the ball, it causes the secondary, the linebackers, to hesitate, to go, to move," Zorn said. "And then if he can pull it down and have time to hit somebody else, it is very hard. It is the most difficult thing in football because you got the coverage, and if you throw on rhythm, you think you can handle it. When that rhythm's broke and you have to cover long through the coverage that you had, it's hard. It's what makes those quarterbacks very difficult to defend and he's been good at it for a few years."

Brian Orakpo thinks the Packers mapped out a way to get to Romo.

"Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah," Orakpo told ESPN 103.3’s Galloway and Co. "They gave us a lot of good tips the way Green Bay was able to get after it with a lot of different looks. Best believe we’re going to go out there and try to perform some of those things and try to change it up a little bit and give Dallas a little different look."

[snip]

"It seemed like they didn’t know who to block," Orakpo said. "You see guys flying out of nowhere and hitting Romo from behind and forcing fumbles. I mean, they were all over the place. I guess what we’ve got to do is switch it up ourselves. We’ll see how the game plan is and what the calls will be called, but obviously, we got a lot of tips from that game."

Yes, they have Albert Haynesworth and London Fletcher, but the Redskins' run defense isn't all that.

The Redskins continue to struggle in run defense this season. The unit has yielded 100+ rushing yards in eight of nine games this season, including 120 yards in last Sunday’s win over Denver. Overall, the Redskins have allowed an average of 125.7 rushing yards per game, ranked 24th in the league. They have allowed 4.3 yards per carry, which is ranked 17th in the league.

Felix Jones pre-strained knee ligament, and Felix Jones post-strained knee ligament.

Before the injury, Jones had 21 carries for 212 yards (10.1 yards a carry). Since coming back after the bye week and wearing a knee brace, he has 23 carries for 92 yards.

The DallasNews guys talk to Bradie James and Roy Williams about the game.

The Redskins are looking forward to playing in Cowboys Stadium for the first time.

"That’s the first thing I thought about going to Dallas, ‘Man, I get a chance to play in the new stadium,’ Santana Moss said. "Just to see it--I’m looking forward to seeing what it’s all about. It looks nice on TV. You get mesmerized. "I remember seeing the first game there [on TV]--you had cheerleaders dancing on platforms. I was like, ‘Wow.’"

Rock Cartwright admits he plans to check out the video screen, hopefully after he makes a big play. "I’m really looking forward to seeing that screen," Rock Cartwright said. "I guess every seat in the house is a good seat. I’m sure I’ll take a look at it after I make a nice run, or so. But I won’t be focused on it too much. I’ll be focused on what’s happening on the field."

The series history between the two teams:

The Cowboys lead the all-time regular season series with Washington, 57-37-2, including an unconventional split of last year's home-and-home. The Redskins were 26-24 winners in their trip to Texas Stadium in Week 4, but dropped a 14-10 decision when the clubs met at FedEx Field in Week 11. The teams engaged in conventional home-and-home splits in both 2006 and 2007. Washington is 2-0 against Dallas in the postseason, winning in the 1972 and 1982 NFC Championship games.

Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips is 3-2 all-time against Washington, with one of those wins coming for his Bills team in 1999 at FedEx Field. The Redskins' Jim Zorn is 1-1 against both Phillips and the Cowboys as a head man.

Here is the NFL Game Center for the Redskins at Cowboys.

DeMarcus Ware had the privelege of meeting President Obama as they worked together on a PSA to promote the NFL's Play 60 campaign.

"I was like ‘Ohhhh my God,"’ when Obama came out in a Bears pullover, Ware said in a telephone interview. "It was me, Polamalu and Drew Brees there, so you know how we feel about the Chicago Bears. But he’s a big Chicago Bears fan. He greeted each one of us, and he knew everything about our teams."

Ware is Dallas’ representative for the Play 60 program, which began in 2007. The NFL estimates it has committed $200 million worth of programming, grants, and time for PSAs to the initiative.

"I think it’s really important," Ware said. "If the players are getting involved in it, Obama, a lot of important people getting involved in it, sometimes it encourages kids to get out and do those type of activities and show them just how important it is."

The VRR: Cowboys (1-2) @ Vikings (3-0)

Aaron Novinger — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 16:06:26 -0000

More photos » by Eric Gay - AP

With the Cowboys resting their starters against Minnesota in tonight's preseason finale, does that mean we will get to see David Buehler kick some field goals?

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One more preseason game to go. One more game, and we will see the final 53. Tomorrow, by 5 p.m. the Cowboys will have to trim the roster by 22 players. Tonight's game will be it for the so-called "bubble" players to either burst out and show their worthiness, or float away into the clouds called "potential".

The Houston Chronicle names some of the hopefuls, who may still need to make their mark.

Several draft picks are in danger of being cut, including linebacker Stephen Hodge, receiver Manuel Johnson, cornerback Mike Mickens and tight end John Phillips. It also could be now or never for receiver Isaiah Stanback, who is trying to hold off an inspired challenge from undrafted rookie Kevin Ogletree.

The Star-T is thinking it's either/or between Doug Free and Pat McQuistan.

Tackles Doug Free and Pat McQuistan are in their third and fourth years, respectively, with Dallas. The team still doesn’t know if they can hold up if counted on. It’s time for them to show a pulse with extended playing time. If not, at least one might have played his last game in Dallas.

More Valley Ranch Review after the jump.

Coach Phillips wants to see a sense of urgency from his players in tonight's game.

“I think this game will tell us a lot,” Phillips said. “This is a game that will tell us if they can play under pressure. It's on them to play well. “Some guys play under pressure well, and some guys don't. Your job is on the line. This is your opportunity to make the football team. Does this motivate you or are you just going to let it go by? That's the challenge.”

Does it seem as if the Cowboys play the Vikings every preseason? Going into tonight's game, it will make four consecutive years. Here are some more series notes on the two teams:

The Vikings first preseason game in the history of the franchise was against Dallas at Sioux Falls, SD, a game the Vikings lost 38-13.

The Vikings have finished the last 4 preseasons (2006-2009) with games against Dallas. Minnesota has finished 1-1-1 in the previous 3 years, with the tie coming in Coach Childress’ first year in 2006.

The Vikings are 12-14-0 against the Cowboys all-time in the regular season, including 5-9 at home and 7-5 away. -

The Vikings have played the Cowboys 6 times in the playoffs – twice in NFC Wild Card games, twice in NFC Divisional Playoff games and twice in NFC Championship games.

The Vikings have won 5 of the last 6 games between the 2 teams.

Here is DC.com's preview for tonight's game.

We will get to see much more of QB Rudy Carpenter.

A rotation at right cornerback: Is this a good thing? Apparently, the coaches have decided to alternate Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick at the position.

During the 16-game season Jenkins will start for the team in week 1 at Tampa Bay. Scandrick will start against the Giants in the Cowboys home opener week 2.

CBS 11 Sports talked to both after the coaches decision Thursday. Scandrick called it a good solution, Jenkins said "they want to keep the battle going apparently."

Both were told that if one of them gets hot and does particularly well the team will use that player more.

Assistant Secondary coach Brett Maxis says they didn't feel it was fair to name a clear-cut starter.

Hat tip to scottmaui for the FanPost.

The team named RT Marc Colombo as the 2008 Offensive Player of the Year yesterday at the Cowboys' Kickoff Luncheon. Rock on, dude!

Is Matt Mosely showing some true blue? Maybe a hint of mint. He's trying to prove, here, that Dallas is the most "stable" team in the division.

And after last year's drama that included allegations of Romo and road-trip roomie Jason Witten having pillow talk behind T.O.' s back, this appears to be the most stable locker room in the division. When I broached that subject with wide receiver Miles Austin on Wednesday, he started laughing.

"It's sort of nice not to have our names in the papers for all that stuff right now," Austin said. "I don't know about all the other locker rooms because I'm only in this one. But this locker room has a much different feel right now. I think guys are all about football, and that's a good thing."

In just a little over a week from now, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offense will face last season's NFL sack leader. And I doubt Wade, Ware, and the rest of the Dallas defense will hold back just because the Bucs will be sporting a brand new offensive coordinator.

So, why did Tampa fire Jeff Jagodzinski this week? Evidently, the team had concerns about his play-calling abilities.

Sometime during training camp, it became increasingly apparent to Bucs officials and players, that Jagodzinski was not equipped to install and direct an NFL offense. His expertise centered mostly around the zone blocking scheme, which he helped operate for the Atlanta Falcons.

But Jagodzinski lacked sophistication regarding protections and different aspects of an NFL passing game.

Quarterbacks coach, Greg Olsen, will take over as coordinator.

Former Cowboys LB, Eugene Lockhart, is in major trouble.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Lockhart and the others made 54 fraudulent loan closings for single-family homes in the Dallas area that totaled about $20.5 million. The scheme started in February 2001 and involved obtaining loans to buy distressed or pre-forclosure properties sold at inflated prices. The defendants kept the surplus loan proceeds, according to the federal indictment.

From football player to avid fisherman, former Dallas TE Jay Novacek talks Superbowls and Peacock Bass.

Raiders Cheat Sheet: It's About THESE Guys

Rafael Vela — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 01:45:41 -0000

More photos » by Eric Gay - AP

Rookie Jason Williams (58) will get plenty of playing time in Oakland. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

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There will be much to glean from Thursday's Raiders game, provided you don't obsess over the first team.

Tony Romo and the first team offense and Demarcus Ware and the first team defense will get two series, if other preseason games are any guide. This means they'll get somewhere between six to fifteen snaps, depending on their effectiveness or ineffectiveness.

This also means that by 9:20 pm CT Thursday night, the starters will have lost their pads and will be sipping gatorade on the sideline. Unless you're planning on bailing on the broadcast, or don't want a letdown, get ready to watch these guys, because the 2nd and 3rd quarters will belong to them:

2nd Offense

QB: Jon Kitna, 3
RBs: Felix Jones, 28/Tashard Choice, 23
FB: Deon Anderson, 34
TEs: Martellus Bennett, 80/John Phillips, 89
LT: Doug Free, 68
LG: Montrae Holland, 64
C: Cory Proctor, 71
RG: Greg Isander, 62
RT: Pat McQuistan, 77
WRs: Sam Hurd, 17/Miles Austin, 19/Isaiah Stanback, 86

We all have plenty to study with this group. Kitna has much better arm strength than the departed Brad Johnson, but how accurate will he be? He looked out of sync with his new receivers much of the time. How well does John Phillips block when leading a running back up the gut? Deon Anderson has been dinged up,so Phillips may get lots of lead blocking chances. If he can neutralze ILBs the Cowboys have themselves a 7th round find.

How well does Doug Free block unaided on pass plays? Is Montrae Holland more than big? Can he create movement on DTs? Has Pat McQuistan improved at all or is he a placeholder until Robert Brewster returns?

Can Sam Hurd and Miles Austin translate their promising camp performances into a real game? Can Isaiah Stanback continue to make plays, as he was this past weekend, and secure the 5th receiver spot?

2nd Defense

DE -- Stephen Bowen, 72
NT -- Junior Siavii, 78
DE -- Jason Hatcher, 97
OLB -- Victor Butler, 57
ILB -- Bobby Carpenter, 54
ILB -- Jason Williams, 58
OLB -- Brandon Williams, 59
CB -- D'Angelo Smith, 31
SS -- Michael Hamlin, 36
FS -- Alan Ball
CB -- Mike Mickens, 33
Nickel CB -- Ball, 20

The corners on this list may have to wait a bit later than the rest to play. WIth Mike Jenkins and Terence Newman sitting out the game, backups Courtney Brown and Orlando Scandrick will start. The coaches may want to work those two more than two series.

Their groupmates have plenty of questions to address. Can Junior Siavii anchor the line? Can Bobby Carpenter play the run as well as he has played the pass this camp? Can any of the three rookie linebackers step forward? The two ends have run hot and cold. Jason Williams seemed to be getting a feel for the pro game, but he's still an erratic rookie.

Can any of the Brown/Mickens/Smith corner trio show something? When all the corners were healthy, Scandrick and the two starters looked ready for real games. No other CB distinguished himself, though Ball started to make plays late last week once he was given some reps in the slot. (He played FS exclusvely the first ten days or so.)

Ignore the score folks. I don't think Wade Phillips will call a blitz-free game, but the objective is to assess playing ability. If you go blitz crazy, or go too deep into your offensive playbook, you're putting scheme above ability. All you get is confirmation that your schemes can confuse 1st and 2nd year players, but no evidence whether those guys can actually play.

Chiefs Have Nothing on the Cowboys When it Comes to Rookie Hazing

Joel Thorman — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 16:14:14 -0000

Rookie hazing is a tradition among NFL training camps. Players are tied to the goal posts, made to sing their fight songs in front of the team and forced to do other embarrassing acts as part of their initiation to the team.

It's supposed to be fun for the veterans and humiliating for the rookies.

A couple years ago, Chiefs rookie WR Dwayne Bowe was gift wrapped...

Embarrassing, but he'll get over it. This season, rookie RB Javarris Williams was tied to the goal post.

Again, embarrassing but he'll get over it.

Something a few players won't get over for a few weeks, even months, is what the Cowboys veterans did to their rookies (courtesy of Yahoo). Check it out, after the jump.

Rookie Greg Isdaner before...

via Yahoo

And the after...

via Yahoo

What's worse, Isdaner's old man cut or Pat McQuistan's, um, whatever this is...

via Yahoo

What would you do if you were hazing the rookies?

Dallas Cowboys 2009 Training Camp: Practice #2

Dave Halprin — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 16:55:47 -0000

More photos » by Eric Gay - AP

Joe DeCamillis is trying to shape up a special teams unit that was anything but special last year.

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This morning's practice was a full-pads practice. Stephen Hodge was still working on the side because of injury, and a big white guy was also over there but he didn't have a jersey on so I couldn't tell who it was. (UPDATE: Todd Archer sent me an email telling me the "big white guy" was Tim Anderson. Thanks Todd!)

The Cowboys seem to be placing an emphasis on special teams as they opened practice again by working on that area. First, they broke into groups; the gunners were working on techniques to get past the blockers, another group worked on punt return blocking from the middle and the third worked on blocking the gunners. It looked like they were emphasizing proper technique and balance. They moved to some actual punting with Mat McBriar, he had some good punts that were high but not very long along with a few that were not up to his standards. He looked to be kicking free and easy; his injury appears to be fully recovered. Catching punts were Terence Newman, Patrick Crayton and newcomer Willie Reid. Covering punts as gunners were Courtney Brown, DeAngelo Smith, Pat Watkins and Alan Ball.

After that session they broke into positional warm-ups then came together for team stretching. They broke off to work on FG's after that with both Nick Folk and David Buehler taking turns. They really didn't go for distance, but the sound of the ball coming off Buehler's foot was striking, the boom was just a little louder than Folk's.

Make the jump for more.

They broke off into positional drills with the offense going through some running plays and the defense practicing technique drills in their groups. During these drills on offense, the second team o-line was Pat McQuistan, Ryan Gibbons, Cory Procter, Montrae Holland and Doug Free. The defensive backs were working on close-coverage man-to-man techniques with the "offensive" player doing start-stop patterns and the DB was supposed to stay with him as he slowed down and sped up again. The WRs were working on different short pattern drills including catching with another guy's hand in the face.

Next came a round of 9-on-9 - no WRs or CBs. Tony Romo opened with a middle run to MB3 through a nice hole but Gerald Sensabaugh caused him to fumble. Felix Jones went left and followed a nice pull block by Leonard Davis. Tashard Choice ran a draw play through a huge hole in the middle. Jon Kitna gave Choice the ball but Stephen Bowen stuffed the play. Felix had a nice run up the middle and then Alonzo Coleman had a nice run on a delay. Stephen McGee took over and gave it to Coleman for a short run, then Keon Lattimore was stuffed by Victor Butler, and Justin Rogers stuffed a delay. Romo came back and gave it to MB3 who followed Bigg, Marc Colombo and Jason Witten for a nice gain, then MB3 had a good run after cutting off a block of Kyle Kosier, but on the next run Igor Olshansky shut it down. Kitna followed but the first run was doomed by Bowen and Bobby Carpenter, then Kitna dropped the snap on the next play. Felix had an OK run in traffic and was eventually stopped by Jerome Carter and they finished on a nice run by Choice behind the blocks of Doug Free and Montrae Holland.

The whole team reconvened for a session of 11-on-11. Romo handed off to MB3 who had a nice run up the middle, next was a counter roll-out with a short pass to Witten in the flats but Sensabaugh was not fooled and made the stop. Marcus Spears got good pressure on Romo who dumped it to MB3 but Keith Brooking was there for the tackle. They tried a pitch to Felix but Brandon Williams had good contain and Steve Octavien made the tackle. Romo hit Witten on an out after feeling the pressure, then he connected on a long pass to Miles Austin who found a hole in the zone coverage.

Kitna came on and gave it to Choice who made a nifty run through traffic, then he tried a pass but felt the pressure from Marcus Dixon and Michael Hawkins broke up the pass. They tried a run play but Holland, on a pull, collided with Kitna in the backfield from bad timing. Another little reverse roll-out pass connected with John Phillips, and Kitna finished by hitting Kevin Ogletree on a hitch with Orlando Scandrick making the tackle. McGee dumped a pass to Lattimore and then handed it to Lattimore who made a short gain in traffic.

Romo was back in, but Witten had a false start and was replaced by Bennett. MB3 had a nice run after Flozell Adams popped Brandon Williams on the edge, followed by Mike Jenkins making a nice break-up on a pass intended for Roy Williams, Ocatvien had gotten good pressure on Romo. Felix tried a run but Bowen was there to stop him, then they tried another counter roll-out but Dixon stayed at home and blew up the play. Kitna came on and pitched to Choice who had a nice run, on the next play Justin Rogers and Victor Butler met at the QB but they threw the pass anyway, but Hawkins had good coverage. DeMarcus Ware busted up a run in the backfield that was meant for Choice. Rudy Carpenter tried a handoff but Jay Ratliff busted through and caused a fumble on the exchange. Carpenter then tried to hit Mike Jefferson on an out but he ended up out-of-bounds.

After a short break, they came back for another session of 11-on-11. Romo threw a shot pass to Bennett but Sensabaugh closed it out quickly with a tackle. MB3 had a short run before Bradie James stopped him. Bennett had a nice 15-yard catch over the middle, Sam Hurd made a nice catch with Jenkins draped all over him, then Felix ran a pitch play following blocks of Bigg and Colombo. They tried Felix again in the middle but there was no room. Kitna started with an incompletion intended for Isaiah Stanback. He then dropped a shotgun snap halting the play, then John Phillips and Kitna almost collided after Phillips was in motion throwing off the timing of a pass play. Kitna finished with an OK draw to Lattimore. McGee hit Ogletree with a perfect pass but Ogletree dropped it. McQuistan had a false start and he was immediately replaced. (The Cowboys aren't tolerating the false starts in this camp). Under pressure, McGee had to dump a pass to Lattimore.

Romo was back in and ran a successful screen to MB3 who followed a block from Kosier. They tried a dump off to MB3 next but Jason Williams broke it up. Roy made a short catch in front of Scandrick, they tried a draw from the shotgun but Matt Stewart stuffed it. Romo hit Felix short over the middle but Victor Butler popped the ball out from behind for a fumble. Romo finished with a pass in the flats to Lattimore. Kitna hit Bennett on a pass, then tried an off-tackle with Choice but Ware and Ratliff both penetrated into the backfield. Ware followed that up by sacking Kitna. Kitna finished by overthrowing Willie Reid on a deep crossing pattern. Rudy Carpenter then tossed a sweep to Lattimore who made a beautiful cut towards the middle for good yards, then they tried a dump pass but Jason Williams was all over it.

That was it, another practice this afternoon.

Doug Free: The Future at Left Tackle?

Aaron Novinger — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:00:12 -0000

More photos » by Tony Gutierrez - AP

They're not playing basketball, but they wouldn't mind a sixth man. Can Doug Free be that guy?

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Unfortunately, the Cowboys can’t be deep at every position. In regards to offensive tackle, the team looks rather thin behind starters Flozell Adams and Marc Colombo. Investing a draft pick in Robert Brewster could provide Colombo a backup for years to come; although, Brewster is raw and not likely to be the active swing tackle on gameday this season. Last year, Pat McQuistan backed up both tackles but saw little action. It’s hard to believe that he will maintain that role with third-year man Doug Free looking to live up to his own potential.

Many of us know so little about Free because he's had limited playing time, having spent much of his short career inactive. The Cowboys picked Free in the fourth round of the 2007 Draft. His rookie year began with a start in the first preseason game, but ended quickly with a knee sprain in that very game. The injury delayed his development, as he would spend the rest of the preseason rehabbing and the first 15 games of the regular season as an inactive player. At least he saw some regular season action when the Cowboys rested their starters in the season finale against the Redskins. As it turned out, that fourth quarter work at right tackle provided him more playing time than he saw all of last season.

Even though Free has shown potential in training camp and practice, the coaches must have felt more comfortable keeping McQuistan active last season. "McQ", who is a bit more experienced and can also fill in at guard, also allowed the team some options on the interior line while Kyle Kosier and Montrae Holland missed time. But he is not the only option for this season. Dallas needs an upgrade at the tackle position, especially behind the 34-year-old Adams. Where it can be argued that McQuistan has hit his ceiling and is not exactly a prototypical NFL left tackle, Free’s potential and much talked about "quick feet" should ready him to close the gap between starters and project players.

The question remains: Is Doug Free being groomed to eventually take over the starting left tackle job, or will he just be a career backup?

We all witnessed Flozell Adams tough it out through injuries last season. In the past, he’s handled edge rushers, and more often than not, rendered them ineffective. But haunting images from a game such as last season’s in Arizona, where Tony Romo was rushed early and often--mostly from his blindside, make me wonder if the team is more prepared for a substitution at left tackle going into 2009. And having turned 34 in May, how many starting years does "The Hotel" have left in the tank? One more? Two? He’s signed through 2013. We can agree that NFL contracts are rarely set in stone, but for Adams to even sniff at playing his out, he has to show he’s a young Jackie Slater; he has to show that last year was just a bad year, not a body of evidence that his skills are diminishing. If Adams suffers from injuries or aging talent, it may force the coaching staff into making a choice, which is why Free needs to be ready.

How Free performs during this upcoming camp should give us all some feeling of direction about where the Cowboys’ future at left tackle is headed. The 6’6", 311-pound tackle out of N. Illinois is said to have good feet for a lineman, something NFL teams covet in left tackles. He’d have to be athletic to be able to do stuff like this in high school (from his DC.com bio):

As a defensive tackle in 2002, led the team to a 7-3 record and a playoff berth, recording 64 tackles, eight sacks, seven blocked kicks, six forced fumbles, five pass deflections, and two fumble recoveries.

Also had six receptions for 141 yards and a touchdown as a tight end.

Too bad the Cowboys are set at tight end. How about backup nose tackle? I kid.

Here’s what draft guru Mel Kiper said about Free:

I’ve always been very high on Doug Free. He is a tremendous physical specimen, is very light on his feet for his size, and an explosive run blocker. He has a chance to be a first or second rounder in the 2007 draft.

An explosive run blocker? You’ve got to like that!

I also like this 2008 Michael Lombardi quote on Free that Raf used in his New Year’s Day article, "Cowboys Autopsies: Offensive Line".

"If I were in Baltimore I might call Dallas and see if I could acquire one of its young offensive tackles. I would prefer 2007 fourth-round pick Doug Free, but doubt the Cowboys would trade him. Dallas is one of the few teams that has five very good offensive tackles."

Looking at the names on the Cowboys’ current roster, the tackle position now seems to lack someone with both experience and potential behind the starters. Sure, Leonard Davis can swing outside if really needed, but he excels at guard. Why mess with a good thing; and in the process, why create an even "Bigg"er-sized hole on the interior? Brewster is a rookie and more of a right tackle, and McQuistan is no lock to make the team.

Just imagine how solid the depth chart would look if Free were to step it up later this month in camp, and then show it in the preseason games. If he takes his development to the next level, the Cowboys would have a real 'swing' tackle, instead of the guard/tackle they had in McQuistan. Colombo would have a capable backup, and Adams would have a successor to groom. The Cowboys could have their left tackle of the future, and we will all be able to breathe a little easier about this upcoming season.

The Valley Ranch Review: Debating Jason Garrett; Nick Folk's Surgery "Common"

Aaron Novinger — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 01:35:13 -0000

Is Jason Garrett overrated? Not bloody likely, but Dan Parr at Pro Football Weekly writes that Garrett is the most overrated offensive coordinator in the NFL.

Overrated: Cowboys' Jason Garrett Thanks to an intriguing pedigree that fit what NFL owners were looking for in the next hot, young head-coaching candidate and his management of Dallas’ high-powered offense, the hype around Garrett skyrocketed after the 2007 season. He reportedly turned down head-coaching job offers from the Ravens and Falcons. As last year showed, however, this supposed prodigy has a lot to learn. Despite having an abundance of playmakers at his disposal, the Cowboys ranked 13th in total offense and 18th in scoring in ’08. While blame for the unit’s struggles was largely directed at Terrell Owens and a lack of team chemistry, Garrett erred by stubbornly underutilizing a deep, dynamic backfield and ultimately failed to get the most out of a talented group on "O." He may turn out to be a fine coordinator and even a great head coach someday, but people around the league are beginning to wise up that many crowned him king too soon.

Rick Gosselin ranks the Cowboys this off-season at just below average, dropping the team to 17th in the league.

Terrell Owens' departure could and probably should trigger a philosophical shift on offense to the running game. In Marion Barber, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice, the Cowboys have the ability to be a top-5 rushing attack. But Dallas needs Roy Williams to flourish on the flank and Anthony Spencer in the pass rush.

Final '08 ranking: 15

More VRR after the jump.

Nick Folk told Mickey Spagnola that the hip surgery he had is a rather common one for kickers.

In fact, not only did Folk’s brother have a similar surgery, so did Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri last week. Vinatieri’s surgery was performed by the same surgeon who fixed up Folk, Dr. Marc Phillipon, in Vail, Calif. Vinatieri is expected to be ready for the Colts’ Sept. 13 season opener. Folk explained how the soccer-style kicking motion wears down the labrum which is a ring of cartilage-like material that protects the inner portion of the hip socket where the femoral head fits into. Says his hip feels better than ever.

Folk was one of thirteen players who helped make and serve sushi at RA Sushi, Thursday night, for the Rich Behm Family Trust. The event, led by Jenny Kosier (wife of OL Kyle Kosier) and the Dallas Cowboys' Women's Association raised nearly $10,000.

The list inlcuded Tony Romo, DeMarcus Ware, Jason Witten along with, Kyle Kosier, Nick Folk, Mat McBriar, DeAngelo Smith, Doug Free, Pat McQuistan, Montrae Holland, Cory Procter and Bobby Carpenter and former Cowboys lineman Marco Rivera.

Romo spoke about Behm.

"Rich is an important part of the organization involved in the day-to-day activities of the team," Romo said. "It's not just the players. There are a whole bunch of people who put us in position to win. Coaches, players, front office and all the people behind the scenes that people don't see. We wouldn't be where we are without all of those people and Rich is one of those guys."

Behm's wife, Michelle, commented on the support.

"It's very overwhelming," Michelle Behm said. "These players are great. They are just ordinary people. They've really helped us out a lot. Whether it's coming out to the hospital to bring meals or something like tonight, they're just really great guys and they've really helped us out through all of this. Tonight was a big night and Rich is doing very well. We're really thankful for everyone who came out to support us."

Christopher Harris at ESPNFantasy took a look at how some quarterbacks such as Tony Romo and Peyton Manning will respond (fantasy football-wise) to losing targets, Terrell Owens and Marvin Harrison, respectively.

So what fate awaits Romo? On the plus side, unlike the post-Owens 49ers and Eagles, the Cowboys do have a proven, legit No. 1 receiver left on their roster in Roy E. Williams. Sure, he stunk once he came to Dallas in '08, but he also had an injured foot. He's 27, has a 1,310-yard season under his belt, and definitely offers high-ceiling potential. But let's face it: He ain't T.O. He's injury-prone and was known as something of a diva in his own right in Detroit. Yes, Romo has Jason Witten and some potentially interesting complements in Patrick Crayton and Miles Austin, but the fact is, Owens' departure is a perfect excuse for the Cowboys to get away from their sometimes ridiculous gun-slinging ways and start running the ball more. They had the eighth-heaviest pass-versus-run mix in the NFL last year, throwing on 57.7 percent of offensive snaps. With the troika of Marion Barber, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice in the backfield, presumably offensive coordinator Jason Garrett would like to see a bunch more handoffs.

Apparently, the Cowboys knew of Summit Structure's Philadelphia Regional Port Authority canopy collapse prior to the company's building of their practice facility.

Last weekend's DWI arrest of Cowboys Stadium's general manager has inspired the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission to investigate liquor sales at the stadium.

Just a friendly reminder for any Cowboys-related talk regarding Michael Vick's release:

Last month, Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones, who had been speculated to be a potential suitor for Vick, told the Dallas Morning News that the team was not interested in him.

Former NFL quarterback Ryan Leaf, who had a stint with the Cowboys in '01, will surrender on drug and burglary charges.

Wedge Busted: New Rule Change Could Shape Dallas' Late-Draft Plans

Rafael Vela — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 18:00:11 -0000

Felix Jones' kickoff return skills were one of the most immediate payoffs from last year's stellar draft. Jones returned a kickoff 98 yards for a score against Philadelphia and just missed going the route on a couple more before hamstring and toe injuries shortened his season.

A new rules change threatens to diminish Jones' return explosiveness. The NFL this week banned the traditional four and five man wedges that are common on all levels of play. When executed properly, they work like this:

Two years ago, I watched former special teams coach Bruce DeHaven work with the Cowboys’ returners and watched him teach his guys to use cutbacks. Returners were instructed to initially run directly up the field, even if it was not behind the wedge. The intent is to pull coverage guys towards you and give your wedge blockers an angle. After running a few yards upfield, the game is to then cut behind your blockers.

Jones followed this technique perfectly. Dallas had a center return called. Jones fielded Akers kick on his two, about three yards inside the yard numbers on the far sideline.

The Cowboys wedge formed at the fifteen, just outside the far hash mark. The Cowboys use Tony Curtis, Joe Berger, Pat McQuistan and Deon Anderson as their center four. They join hands and then move forward together under control until they encounter the line of Eagles. The returner who doesn’t field the kick, Isaiah Stanback in this case, runs up and flanks Anderson, adding a fifth blocker to the wedge.

Jones was about five to seven yards wide and to the left of Curtis, the closest wedge member, when he fielded the ball. Instead of angling to his right and running immediately to get behind his five bodyguards, Jones ran straight upfield, to about the ten...

-- Felix Jones -- He's Crafty -- Like a Cat, BSR, 9-16-2008

The new rule allows nothing larger than two-man wedges. The NFL cited safety as its rationale -- the wedges are collision magnets, which invited wedge-busters on other teams to throw their bodies into the line and "blow it up."

The National Football Post's Matt Bowen, a wedge-buster in his day, argues the rule change will wipe out the big return and make kickoffs far less interesting. I'm not sure I agree with Bowen, but I do agree that big kickoff returns will diminish if teams continue to use the same four people they've assigned to wedge duty in the past.

Dallas, as the quote demonstrates, used some combination of backup offensive linemen and fullbacks and blocking tight ends to form their four-man wedges. Berger and McQuistan formed the core of this group. Other teams have used defensive linemen; anybody who can produce the biggest bang against the wedge busters, who are usually linebackers, safeties and cornerbacks.

Two man wedges will place a premium on guys who can block in space, who can mirror a lighter, faster target and engage him one-on-one, or two-on-one in open field. The old wedges didn't require this of the linemen since coverage guys had to engage them. If you tried running around a wedge, the return man could simply hide behind it and follow the big grunts far upfield.

My guess is we may see fewer, if any offensive linemen on kickoff returns this year. Fullbacks, blocking tight ends and big backs will take their places. These guys are used to blocking blitzing linebackers, safeties and corners alone.

This will mean some of those many 4th, 5th and 6th round draft picks Dallas owns could be earmarked for smaller special-teams guys. Curtis was not tendered last month and has moved on. I had written before that Dallas will likely draft a fullback to replace him, since it needs a dependable hammer who can lead the three-headed Marion-Felix-Tashard monster on inside running plays.

I feel even more strongly the team will draft one now. The new wedge rules makes me think Dallas may now draft a fullback and a big blocking tight end.

The rule could also shape Dallas' and other team's thoughts about the backup linemen they activate. Dallas often activated seven offensive linemen on game day, the five starters and two backups who could cover the five line positions. If the Cowboys played next week and the old rules were in place, the backups would likely be Cory Proctor, who can play guard and center -- and who played wedge in '07 when he was a backup -- and Pat McQuistan, who has played wedge the past two seasons.

Under the new rules, Proctor would likely retain one spot, ahead of Montrae Holland, because he can play center. McQuistan had an edge at tackle because he doubled on the wedge. If that role disappears, the door is open for Doug Free, or some hotshot rookie draftee to make a push.

Back to Felix Jones. I think he and other talented returners will survive just fine. Kickoffs will now be treated as gigantic screen plays. Think of how often a good runner thrives in space on a screen pass, even when his linemen are whiffing one-on-one in space.

Cats can adapt, and Felix Jones is one crafty cat.

Film review: Cowboys vs. Vikings - Bubble Watch edition

Dave Halprin — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 21:01:59 -0000

I’ve watched the film on the Dallas Cowboys game with the Minnesota Vikings and have compiled my film review – The Bubble Watch edition. Not quite a traditional film review, I concentrated on those areas where I think we have decisions to make. Mainly, this included the offensive line, WR, OLB and the secondary. Later tonight, I’ll post my 53-man roster prediction.

One note, the Cowboys sure wanted to get a look at the line, the receivers and Bartel because in the second half when the Vikings kept blitzing and getting pressure, the Cowboys kept on throwing the ball basically abandoning the running game.

Offensive line

Joe Berger – For the most part I liked the game he played and would rate it better than Pat McQuistan’s or Cory Procter’s. He showed good mobility when he had to pull and was also good about picking up the right defender on those plays. His pass protection was pretty solid for most of the evening. I saw him blow a pass protection on a stunt and then he just got beat another time. He was also slow getting out on a screen. But for most of the game he was delivering a very solid performance.

Pat McQuistan – McQ got almost all the snaps at Kyle Kosier’s vacant left guard position but had some problems along the way. He did have moments when he was powerful in the run game and showed some mobility on the pull blocks, but didn’t always find a guy to block. He had a few soft moments in pass protection including one pitiful play. He also had three plays where his run blocks were complete failures and one almost led to a turnover. He did get downfield nicely on a screen pass.

Cory Procter – Procter only played a couple of series at left guard towards the end of the game. My guess is they are not considering him seriously for Kosier’s spot. Procter still suffers from being a little soft in the middle, he’s very susceptible to getting pushed straight back and he’s not as agile when he has to pull. He showed nothing in this game that should really change his status one way or the other.

Doug Free – Good thing my man Free isn’t really fighting for a roster spot because he played a lousy game. He was repeatedly beaten in pass protection and had a hard time recognizing some of the blitzes and stunts. The speed rush was really giving him trouble.

James Marten – I actually came away with the feeling that Marten played alright for him, which isn’t an overwhelming endorsement. He still had plays where he whiffed on blocks or didn’t hold his ground, but they were fewer than I’ve come to expect from him.

Mike Jefferson – He had a few moments, especially towards the beginning where he caught some balls and made a few plays. He did have one easy drop and he didn’t show up on special teams at all. But he did get the nod as the starter next to Sam Hurd, so that could be an indication about how the Cowboys view him. He did get a couple of good blocks downfield in the run game.

Danny Amendola – He made a few plays catching the ball and blocking downfield, but really looks like if he’s going to stick it will be because he can add to the special teams. As both a backup punt and kick returner, he gets an advantage. But he didn’t exactly shine in this game, but didn’t make any big mistakes.

OLB

Justin Rogers – Don’t see him as “on the bubble” so didn’t chart him. They need his experience (the little he has) and his play on special teams.

Erik Walden – He didn’t really impress in the pass rush department but he did do a better job than I’ve seen him do before at standing his ground against the run. He did blow an easy tackle in the backfield on one play. But what caught my eye was that on four kick/punt coverage plays, Walden showed up around the ball and made a couple of tackles. If he can contribute on special teams, that’s a great sign for him sticking around.

Tearrius George – If George could have had a couple of more games like this or showed some of this in camp, the Cowboys would for sure create a place for him on the roster. The guy had at least six plays in the backfield. He had a great penetration blowing up a run, he got a couple of sacks and hit the QB a couple of other times disrupting passes. Now, he did a lot of this later in the game against the Vikings’ scrubs, but it still was an impressive performance. The question is - was it too late to change his future?

Darrell Robertson – Just didn’t do enough to change his fate.

CB/S

Evan Oglesby – Helped himself again this game with a nice breakup of a pass in the endzone, another pass break up later, a good tackle against the run and generally no big mistakes. The only bad thing I saw him do is use bad technique and turn his back to a receiver on a short pass. One problem for Oglesby is he doesn’t show up much on special teams and that could hurt his chances.

Alan Ball – Had one great special teams play on punt coverage and one good deep coverage but not much else. He just doesn’t make a lot of plays.

Dowayne Davis – A couple of nice tackles on defense but not much on special teams where he needs to shine to make the team. Didn’t really help himself much during the game.

Injuries causing uncertainty for the Dallas Cowboys

Dave Halprin — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 16:17:58 -0000

A couple things to preface this post. I haven’t really watched the Dallas Cowboys game against the Vikings last night in detail; I did try to keep up watching online on a tiny screen but not enough to really comment on how guys played. I do have it on Tivo though and will be going through it this afternoon specifically watching the bubble players and will post on that later. Last night, a lot of my attention was focused on this. The other thing I’d like to say is thanks to Brandon for posting the open threads and a game recap last night while I indulged my other football passion.

OK, on to the game. One play I did see last night that I wish I’d never seen was the injury to Sam Hurd. Are you kidding? Another receiver down for the Cowboys. We need to wait on the MRI results before speculating but even that might not tell the whole story, it could take a while to really know.

Hurd, who will have an MRI exam on Friday, seemed confident he could return in time for the Sept. 7 season opener in Cleveland with proper rest and treatment. But team doctors project that he'll be doubtful for the game due to the lingering nature of a high ankle sprain, which involves the ligaments connecting the tibia and fibia on the lower leg. Generally that type of injury requires a week of evaluation before an accurate timetable can be set.

Now, I’ve taken some flak for suggesting we can’t roll into the season with just T.O., Crayton and Hurd because we’d be one injury away from playing some totally untested guys in a real role on offense. I’ve suggested that a veteran will be signed at some point but with the top three healthy, we might wait until we get past the first game so we wouldn’t guarantee the salary for the year. But now with Hurd down, and everyone expecting he won’t be available next Sunday - except for Hurd himself – I feel even stronger about this. Jerry Jones expresses the opposite view, but I have to wonder if he’s playing poker.

"We want people on the field with [Tony] Romo that Romo's been throwing to," Jones said. "We won't have anybody out there that has not been on the team trying to move the ball against Cleveland."

If you take that statement as the truth, then it looks like Mike Jefferson and/or Danny Amendola are going to get a baptism by fire next week as they participate in a real NFL game, a game that counts in the standings and kicks off the Cowboys run at a Super Bowl. I’m sorry, but I’m just not comfortable with that. It’s been suggested that we have enough weapons on offense to get away with it and that some of the other guys like Felix Jones or maybe Martellus Bennett can be used in ways to minimize the impact. That may be what Jason Garrett has in mind but even those guys are untested and are rookies who need time to grow into their roles – that includes El Gato. I realize we still have Jason Witten, so we still have three WR-quality guys we can play. But it’s a real gamble to me, injuries in that game would really hamstring us and rookie mistakes could cost us. WR is one of the easier roles to integrate quickly, especially if the receiver has any familarity with the coordinator's offense and terminology.

I won't beat this subject to death, because without knowing if any decent WR gets cut from another team, it’s hard to debate the specifics of the issue. But there is one WR out there who is available.

When asked if he planned to contact [Terry] Glenn, Jones was non-committal.

"I'm going to keep that to myself, one way or the other," Jones said.

Interesting.

One thing I will be watching closely when I review the game is the play of our offensive line, especially the guys in the left guard competition. I feel just like Wade:

"It's hard to evaluate the inside blockers until we look at the tape," Phillips said. "Once we get the tape, I think we'll have a better feel how each of those guys played."

With the trade for Montrae Holland, we have 11 linemen for 10 spots on the roster; somebody is going when we make the last roster cut. It’s not going to be one of the starting five and it won’t be Doug Free or Montrae Holland. That leaves Pat McQuistan, Joe Berger, Cory Procter and James Marten. I won’t hazard a final guess until I watch the tape, but my early money is on Marten.

Could we be adding another player to the roster? It will be tough to do with all the injury problems but It could help us on our special teams.

When asked if the Cowboys would be interested in making an effort to re-sign [Keith] Davis, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said, "We haven't - we'll get into that tomorrow and see. It has everything to do with the kind of pressure we have on our 53-man roster."