Cowboys Defense Rock Solid in Preseason Win Over Chargers

For the third straight preseason game, the Cowboys’ first-team defense looked in midseason form. The starting unit did not shut out the Chargers’ first offense, but they definitely held their own through nearly the entire first half. Rookies, seasoned veterans, and new acquisitions alike all showed why they are a part of the franchise in a 16-14 Dallas win on Saturday. The Cowboys’ defense created turnovers, recorded sacks, and showed resilience in the red zone; all big reasons why Dallas is ranked in top five units in the league. I’ll always mention that I don’t take much from preseason, but Boys fans have to like what they saw against a Chargers offense that is much more dynamic than Cincinnati or Oakland. (more…)

Defensive Line Should Dominate Under Pasqualoni

 

Paul Pasqualoni has returned to America’s Team. After serving as the Cowboys’ tight ends coach in 2005, Pasqualoni coached the Dallas linebackers in 2006 and 2007 before taking the defensive coordinator job in Miami the past two seasons. Now Pasqualoni is back in Big D as the Cowboys’ defensive line coach. Head coach Wade Phillips sees Pasqualoni as an all-around coach. Over his entire career, Pasqualoni has coached different styles of football at different geographic areas. Between his early days at Western Connecticut to his first head coaching job at Syracuse and then his days with the Cowboys and Dolphins, Pasqualoni has coached every position in football at least once. This wide range of knowledge will increase the expertise of the Cowboys coaching staff regardless of where Pasqualoni coaches. (more…)

Martellus Bennett’s Irrational Video Creates Doubt

There’s just something about the off season that brings out the worst in Dallas Cowboys backup tight end Martellus Bennett. Many NFL players go into broadcasting careers when they finish playing, so it’s no surprise that some of them might practice being in front of a camera every now and then. However, Marty B. was not practicing analyses of football games on camera. Dressed in a fake beard in the likeness of Osama Bin Laden, Bennett parades around a tattoo parlor yelling, “Y’all been looking for me? I’m making bombs!” Such a video might have been funny to Bennett’s buddies at Taylor High School in Katy, Texas eight years ago. It’s not funny here and now. (more…)

Cowboys Able to Draft Best Players Available

The draft is always tricky. Add to that the fact the Cowboys have their starters pretty well set and things get really dicey. I think drafting the best player available is a luxury, one that should not be taken lightly.

I’m not saying lets pretend like we’re starting a franchise on Madden and begin picking needless additions, like a running back or wide receiver just because we can. I’m saying we should look at the draft from a different perspective. One that takes all accounts into consideration.

First rounders demand money…big money. Even late first rounders get paid well. Assuming this player will come in and start is a bit of a stretch though. Especially at the 27th pick, which to me is like having an early second rounder.

I think it would be easiest to rule out positions that aren’t likely to get drafted with a first round pick. Quarterback and running back are definitely safe, assuming we don’t get rid of any of our running backs.

Receivers are too, if Miles Austin comes back, which I’m sure he will. I have never liked drafting a tight end in the first round, especially when this position is pretty deep on our team as well.

The chances of us drafting a defensive lineman in the first round is very sketchy. We could use some depth, but not with a first round pick. Remember Jay Ratliff was a seventh rounder and is now an All Pro (Thank You Parcells).

So that leaves us the offensive line and almost every position (no lineman) on the defense as potential first rounders. I have to say I wouldn’t be upset if any position got upgraded on defense.

A safety, has been the topic of many fans (mine included), as a choice if no quality offensive lineman are available in the first round. You have to remember that lineman are not typically able to come in right away anyhow.

In my last blog I discussed the possibility of getting Jared Gaither. Gaither was a 5th round pick and developed into a premier tackle. It wasn’t an immediate transition though. On the other hand I think a safety could come in right away and compete for a job.

We have some young guys at the safety position that could really battle it out. Ken Hamlin has done nothing to impress me since he signed that big contract, so I’m all for a position battle. Gerald Sensabaugh is good, but not great. Both positions could use improvement.

Cornerback is another area where I wouldn’t mind having some more depth. Last year was a rarity that none of our corners got hurt. Newman is 31 going on 32, that’s getting old for a cornerback. The body isn’t going to hold up like it used to.

Plus more and more teams are running 3 and 4 receiver sets. We need quality corners that can cover those guys. Drafting a Corner is unlikely though, since we used a first rounder on Mike Jenkins a couple years ago.

Linebacker is the last area to think about because I won’t go over offensive lineman again since I have in other blogs. Our inside linebackers are getting a bit older. Keith Brooking obviously did a fantastic job last year, but he’s going to be 35 in October. Bradie James is only 29, so he’s got plenty of good years ahead of him.

We drafted Jason Williams last year, so I’m sure we expect big things from him in the future. As for the outside linebackers, I don’t think we would draft a first rounder on them because we have some very talented players at the position to say the least. DeMarcus Ware is the best in the business. Anthony Spencer is showing more and more why we drafted him in the first round and released Greg Ellis.

So where I am at? Offensive lineman and defensive backs are the only real reasonable decisions to take in the first round. By defensive backs I mean safety (possibly corner). You never know though with Jerry Jones because he likes to make a splash and since he hasn’t in free agency, he might make a crazy draft pick (I hope not).

I just hope we make a logical choice because being in a position to draft the best player available is something that doesn’t come along very often. Most teams would kill for the opportunity to be able to draft anyone they want. Jerry Jones, if you’re out there, please don’t let us fans down.

Here We Go Again

Bill Parcells is single handedly the reason the Cowboys have the team they have now. The number of coaches/players that he brought to in to help with the rebuilding of the Cowboys when he was coaching is hard to believe.
Lets start with coaches. Sean Payton was assistant head coach of the Cowboys before he left [...]

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