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November 2008
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Cowboys: August 2008 ArchivesNot that injuries ever come at a particularly good time, but the several non-season ending injuries the Dallas Cowboys have stockpiled make trimming the roster from 75 players to 53 particularly difficult. Wide receiver and linebacker have been particularly hard hit. Out of five or six wide out spots there are three injuries: Miles Austin, Isaiah Stanback and Sam Hurd, who should all miss the season opener. Austin and Stanback... Cowboys coach Wade Phillips was lukewarm on the performance of quarterback Richard Bartel, who started the game and is seeking to become the team's third quarterback. "Richard was up and down," Phillips said. "He fought hard the whole game." ...My prediction based on tonights performance is that it wasn't enough for Richard Bartel to make the Dallas Cowboys as the third quarterback. He did some nice things, but I doubt it was enough for the team to use a valuable roster spot on a guy that was on their practice squad last year. They'll probably try to get him on it again. ...The Cowboys won their final preseason game, but the goal was to come out without any injuries. That didn't happen. Third receiver Sam Hurd suffered an ankle sprain. Receivers Miles Austin and Isaiah Stanback were already out with injuries, so depth has become a very serious concern at the position. ...SLIDESHOW: Cowboys vs. Vikings in pictures. ...Cowboys kicker Nick Folk drilled through another long field goal. He is two of three on 50+ yard field goals tonight. Looks like that first miss from 50 didn't hurt him at all. Cowboys lead 16-10. ...Finally we are down to one last quarter of preseason football and it can't end soon enough. Cowboys lead 13-10. ...Here in the press box, the Cowboys also have the Baylor Bears and Wake Forest Football game on. I won't mention names, but at times, there are more folks watching the Baylor game then the Cowboys game, at least during halftime when the game was close. It is Art Briles debut as the head coach of the Bears. Baylor's freshman quarterback Robert Griffin from Copperas Cove reminds me a lot of Vince Young. He has had some really nice moves... But after Richard Bartel maneuvered nicely, narrowly avoiding a sack on third down deep in his own territory, he failed to connect to an open back. And so it goes and why he will probably not make the team. The elusiveness is good, but then you have to make it count. ...It's amazing what happens when the starters don't suit up and take the field. All of a sudden, the Cowboys look like a team from the last strike year. I know that's been a while, but when guys like Quarterback Tony Romo, Wide Receiver Terrell Owens and Tight End Jasson Witten aren't part of the offense, it's not real exciting. I'm sure you've heard by now that only one of the 22-starters started tonight, that was Fullback Deon Anderson. That's... Tyson Smith is showing his ability to rush the passer. The free agent rookie from Iowa State is making a strong case to make the team as an outside linebacker. He has applied consistent pressure on the quarterback in the second half. ...Evan Oglesby will make the team and he should after a spectacular play in the end zone to knock a touchdown grab away from the Vikings' Martin Nance. The Vikings later got a field goal to make it 13-10 Cowboys. The play puts the cap on an impressive training camp and preseason for the third-year corner back from North Alabama. ...It was just announced that Cowboys #3 wide receiver Sam Hurd has a left ankle sprain. He suffered it on the Cowboys opening drive on an end-around he took for 35-yards. ...Most of the second team defense is still in the game for the Dallas Cowboys and they just gave up an ugly run to Vikings rookie Albert Young. He meandered through a pile before bursting out and down the left sideline. Courtney Brown made the tackle after Young ran 32 yards. ...Vikings have the ball and I should note that this is the final preseaon game, not just for this season, but ever at Texas Stadium. ...Richard Bartel looks much better in his second run in the two-minute drill. He completed several mid-range passes to get Nick Folk into range to nail a 52-yard field goal. And it's halftime, Cowboys lead 13-7. ...Not much. Richard Bartel's first two passes in the 2-minute drill were low and short, so the team is forced to punt. He has looked pretty good in the first half connecting on 14 of 20 passes for 111 yards, but ended poorly. ...Back up fullback Julius Crosslin is now in the game for the Cowboys. Mercifully it seems Deon Anderson's night is done. He was the only, the only, Cowboys starter to play tonight. ...Rookie running back Tashard Choice may be working to get himself some time in crucial third down situations in the regular season. He has been magnificent in pass protection, once even flipping a blitzing linebacker. Deon Anderson just made a 6-yard catch for a first down and is still the only starter to see action tonight. Not sure why the coaching staff feels the need to keep their lone legitimate fullback in the game so long. Seems silly. ...The Vikings third-strings running back, Maurice Hicks, scored on a one-yard run. The Vikings back up offense had its way with the Cowboys back up defense on this drive that took 8 plays to cover 60 yards in just 3:11. Now 10-7 Cowboys. ...You gonna be careful with kickers. Not worried about Nick Folk getting hurt, at least not physically, but I do wonder about the fragility of any kickers head. Does sending him out and them having him miss a 50-yard field goal accomplish anything? Richard Bartel to Danny Amendola for 11-yards. Amendola may not make the team, but he has a lot of fans. Something about the scrappy little guy people like and now with a possible injury to Sam Hurd, his chance could look better. Bartel looking good now. Going down the field with ease just hit Mike Jefferson for 24-yards. ...On the Cowboys second offensive drive (after the Tyson Smith interception) it took just two plays for another score. Rookie running back Tashard Choice had a nice 11-yard scoring run to the left. But on the play before starting fullback Deon Anderson had 13-yard reception, which begs the question: Why is he in the game? Anderson is the only starter playing and he's also the only real fullback option on the roster. If he... But there are a couple first-round draft picks: Bobby Carpenter and Mike Jenkins. Linebacker Tyson Smith got an interception on the second play of the drive. Back to offense. ...The Cowboys are up 3-0 on a Nick Folk chip shot after a 12-play, 73-yard drive that lasted 6:32. Richard Bartel looked solid, if unspectacular on the drive. While rookie running back Felix Jones again looked elusive. Sam Hurd left with an apparent injury. Jones shouldn't play much more. The key to this game is to keep key contributions healthy. Hurd would be a big loss with both Miles Austin and Isaiah Stan... The 35-yard end around by Sam Hurd should be the last action for Sam Hurd tonight. The Cowboys #3 wide receiver was gimpy after the impressive run and has just been taken to the locker room. ...This is Richard Bartel's shot to make the Cowboys or any other NFL team. It's likely the Cowboys will only keep Tony Romo and backup Brad Johnson, but a strong showing could persuade them to keep the former Tarleton State quarterback. He has to show promise more than anything, some reason for the team to think he can be a legitimate #2 next season. So far he really hasn't done that. It's also probably one of... Cowboys captains are Marc Colombo, Mat McBriar, Marcus Spears and DeMarcus Ware. Vikings win and are kicking. ...Only one starter in the lineup: Fullback Deon Anderson. He must have gotten the short straw. ...Three Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders sang the National Anthem moments ago and did a nice job. They were all blondes, if you were wondering. ...The Cowboys kicker, punter and long snapper are on the field. ...The Cowboys have looked woeful on special team and the Miami Dolphins just released Keith Davis, the safety and specials team ace who left for there from here this off season. Davis' agent calls it a business decision, but it's easy to wonder if there is more to it. Sure the Cowboys could use some to help with coverage units, but a big part of the reason Davis left in the first place was because he wanted to be a starter at s... Adam 'Pacman' Jones just talked to the media about being reinstated. So what did he learn? "Staying out of gentlemen's clubs." ...We'll have all the latest on the Cowboys and their final preseason game of this year and final preseason game ever at Texas Stadium tonight from the place with the hole in the roof. The Dallas Cowboys acquired guard Montrae Holland from the Denver Broncos for an undisclosed draft choice. Holland, in his 6th year in the NFL out of Florida State, was originally a fourth-round choice (102nd overall) of the New Orleans Saints in 2003. He started all 16 games at right guard for the Broncos in 2007. He played four seasons with the Saints starting 30 of 52 games before signing with Denver as an unrestr... The Pro Football Hall of Fame selectors have overlooked former Dallas Cowboys receiver Bob Hayes for too long. This year, they again have the chance to include the Bullet. Simply put, Bob Hayes changed the game. He was a dominant player of his era and he forced defense to go away from just using man coverage. As world-class sprinter and two-time gold medalist, he burned defenses with speed, while still having the toughness of... To quote the previous head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, "You are what you are." And current Dallas Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips' coverage units are not good. Just look at this preseason or last season when Keith Davis was not playing. Now Davis is playing for the Miami Dolphins and overlord Bill Parcells. What is more disturbing is how nonchalant Phillips is about the breakdowns in coverage. "Special teams,... The Cowboys offensive line hasn't seen many injuries in recent years, but now an injury to Left Guard Kyle Kosier will change that. Kosier is recovering from a sprained right foot and a hairline fracture. "I was talking on a bull rush and kind of loaded up on it, and it just popped on me," Kosier said before an afternoon practice. Pat McQuistan, Joe Berger and Cory Procter will have to take up the slack, and we may see more o... No shockers here, but the Dallas Cowboys released four players today: CB Quincy Butler Butler, a TCU product, was injured for much of the preseason and faced improved corner depth. He could catch on elsewhere. Ottovegio showed some promise as a punter and kickoff man, but with Nick Folk at kicker and Mat McBriar at punter, there simply wasn't ... Injuries are a part of the game. Just tell the Cowboys who have wanted to solidify their receiving depth only to suffer injuries to backup receivers/kick returners Miles Austin and Isaiah Stanback and lost starting left guard Kyle Kosier for a few weeks with a sprained right foot. But none of those players are real impact players. Austin and Stanback could be on kick returns, but neither is in the same league as New York Gian... Coach Wade Phillips says he isn't sure how much he will play his starters in Thursday night's preseason game vs. Minnesota. ...Coach Wade Phillips says Isaiah Stanback has a shoulder injury. His shoulder popped out and was passed back in. ...Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said his starters performed well. "I don't the win is as important as how we started out," he said. "I thought our first group stepped it up." He praised the offensive line and said the team played aggressively. "I feel good about where we are," the coach said. ...There were a lot of mistakes, but the Dallas Cowboys have now won a preseason game -- and it couldn't have been closer. The Cowboys defeated the Houston Texans 23-22 Friday night at Texas Stadium to claim the Governor's Cup. ...Thank goodness. Cowboys lead 23-22, it could have been a real long night if Texans coach Gary Kubiak didn't go for two (and not make it). ...If the Texans score and make the PAT it's a tie game and likely overtime. Maybe Texans head coach Gary Kubiak will go for two so we won't have to play on. ...This is why people hate preseason games. The never seem to end. It's especially painful after the starters are out. ...Maybe the Cowboys just don't want to play in the preseason. That might explain why they keep letting the ball go. An interception by Tony Romo and fumbles by Isaiah Stanback and now rookie Felix Jones. The Cowboys have got to get some stick 'em or something. ...What is it about the opening kickoffs for the Cowboys. To start the game, the Texans got a 68-yard kickoff return. Then to start the second half, Cowboys returner Isaiah Stanback fumbled the return. He was carrying the ball far away from his body, practically like a discus thrower. It ended in another turnover and another mistake. Texans get another field goal out of it, like a weird nearly mirror o... My favorite football saying is form Jimmy Johnson: "It's not who makes the most big plays, it's who makes the fewest mistakes." Well the Cowboys are leading 20-10 despite some big mistakes that led to all 10 Texans points. First was the first play of the game. Nick Folk knocked his opening kickoff around the goal line but it was returned just right up the middle for 68-yards. It wasn't a spectacular return, it was a poor job of... Rather than take a knee with 34 seconds left in the first half, Cowboys coach Wade Phillips elected to try to add some more points. It worked beautifully. After an anxious scramble by Tony Romo, he proceeded to pick the Texans defense apart before Nick Folk booted a 42-yard field goal. The key play was a 32-yard pass to Sam Hurd, who has two catches for 43 yards is having his best game of the preseason. It's important because... The Cowboys came back and pounded the Texans on another long scoring drive to retake the lead, 17-10, as the first half winds down. Full back Deon Anderson was a featured player on the drive with a reception and run. With all of the other stars on offense, Anderson can be easily over looked, but he can contribute too. ...His physical prowess, the same size and arm strength Jerry Jones was enamored with, is enough to get Drew Henson another look in the NFL. ...Ok, so maybe the sky hasn't fallen just yet, but when you toss an interception in the end zone and then the opposing team drives 80 yards to tie the game, it's not exactly an emotional boost. I'm sure we'll hear all about how this is just a preseason game and it doesn't mean anything, but it was a clear momentum shift. Let's see how Romo responds. ...Tony Romo threw it to Zac Diles in the end zone, problem is he's a linebacker for the Texans. The Cowboys were rolling along, then Romo threw it short. On an end zone play like that Romo has to throw it deeper and higher where his guy, Tony Curtis in this case, is the only one who can make a play. Curtis had a couple yards behind him to work with, but Romo tried to sneak it in when he didn't have to. ...First quarter just ended and aside from the opening kick off, the Dallas Cowboys are dominating the Houston Texans. The Cowboys defense has allowed just 10 yards. The Cowboys offense has gained 145 yards. Marion Barber is punishing in the running game and Tony Romo is distributing the ball nicely, just missing on a long pass to a Jaques Reeves beating Terrell Owens. Special teams is the only area the Cowboys ... Ken Hamlin had to atone for his missing an interception of Matt Schaub, so he got down and did some push ups. It's the same thing they do in practice, yes, we're talking about practice. ...For a punt return, 18-yards isn't too bad, but Adam 'Pacman' Jones makes it really interesting. Seeing him back there makes you know why Jerry Jones wanted him, despite all of his baggage. Just electric, even on an 18-yard return. ...After scoring a touchdown the Cowboys gave up only a 24-yard kickoff return to Andre Johnson. Already showing signs of improvement. ...For all the talk of adding a veteran wide receiver, Patrick Crayton is still the number two wide out for the Dallas Cowboys and he showed why on the Cowboys first drive against Houston. Crayton was effective on an 11-yard end around and caught a 6-yard touchdown pass from Tony Romo going across the field. ...Well at least if you're going to give up a long kickoff return, you can get a long one of your own. Isaiah Stanback started with a routine return the started getting shifty, moving outside and prancing his way up the sideline for 44 yards. WFAA photojournalist Arnold Payne compared his moves to Eric Dickerson's. Also on the return, Texans receiver Harry Williams took a nasty blow and is being taken off the field on a stretcher... After giving up a 68-yard return on the opening kickoff, giving up just a field goal isn't too bad. The Dallas defense should get use to being put in bad spots. The Cowboys offense should score a lot of points this season and that means a lot of kickoffs and, apparently, a lot of big returns. ...
Yikes. It was a nice kickoff by Nick Folk then the Texans Andre Davis just ran right up the middle. Not a lot complicated about that. Catch the ball and run. Are you ready? Do you remember the last time the Dallas Cowboys had a game at Texas Stadium? It wasn't a happy ending for Cowboys fans. They lost to the eventual Super Bowl Champion New York Giants, 21-17. The Cowboys have just returned to the locker room. Maybe coach Wade Phillips has a rousing pep talk for them. ...Ok, so it's only warm ups for a preseason game, but the Dallas Cowboys are on the field and in uniform at Texas Stadium. Fifty minutes until kickoff of the final season of the place with the hole in the roof. ...
The Cowboys specialists and kick returners are on the field for warm ups. Although Cowboys coach Wade Phillips has said Felix Jones will not return kickoffs, Jones is among the group of players currently warming up as returners. The others are Isaiah Stanback, Orlando Scandrick, Mike Jenkins, Alonzo Coleman and Keon Lattimore. The punt returners are Adam 'Pacman' Jones and Danny Amendola. Dave Campo is once again on the field here at Texas Stadium the Cowboys head coach from 2000-2002. Right now he is talking to a Texans coach around the 25 yard line. He returned to the team this year as secondary coach, a job he held here before being promoted to defensive coordinator and eventually head coach. It's got to be a bit odd to be back where he led the team to three 5-11 seasons. Current Cowboys hea... Several Dallas Cowboys are going through some special pregame stretches: Marion Barber, Sam Hurd and Greg Ellis, among them. Injured corner Terence Newman is playing catch in the end zone. He looks good and should be ready for the season opener in a little over two weeks. ...We are about 90 minutes away from kickoff, and Texas Stadium is buzzing with a few fans and a lot of media. Joe Trahan will have a live report during the 6:00 sportscast. It's hot. No surprises there, but a photographer from another station reminded us that after next week, we'll never be uncomfortable for a pre-season game again; the new stadium (closed, and air-conditioned when it's too hot outside) opens next year. I've hear... Even though the Dallas Cowboys have one more preseason game after tonight's tilt with the Houston Texans, this is the last real test drive before the season opener at Cleveland Sept. 7. The first key tonight will be the Cowboys intensity. The excuse of being tired of being on the road (like life at a hotel a few miles from the beach in California is rough) for three and a half weeks is gone now. Not only that but, they even had a fan-f... We will be blogging live from Texas Stadium tonight during the Dallas Cowboys preseason game against the Houston Texans, which begins at 7 p.m. But we'll be up in going long before that to take you all the way from pregame through postgame.
Here is an interesting list of some of the most expensive stadiums in sports. Of course the Dallas Cowboys new home in Arlington will be among the top of that list when it's completed next year. Wired Magazine has a pretty interesting look at the new digs too. >> Continue reading: The most expensive stadiums in sports and the new Cowboys home The Cowboys have finished their Texas Stadium practice. Now the players are signing autographs. Needless to say the fans were thrilled. Heavy rain, a couple guys running onto the field and a bunch of touchdowns. Isaiah Stanback, who a week ago was the team's fifth wide receiver, is getting some plays with the first team. With the injury to Miles Austin it would appear the team wants to get Stanback, a converted quarterback, and his athleticism on the field. Austin was the team's only real deep threat after Terrell Owens. ...So much for the Cowboys fans here at Texas Stadium reserving their loudest cheers for Terrell Owens. About 8:15 a man sneaked onto the field and ran around like Barry Sanders for a few minutes before being corralled by some security guards. The rest of the fans here were not happy he was hauled off and began chanting: "Let him go." Hey, they guy didn't have much time to frolic at Texas Stadium. And yes if you ... The Dallas Cowboys are putting on a show for the thousands of fans here at Texas Stadium. I'm estimating at least 20,000 here. Terrell Owens scored his second touchdown in just a few minutes. This one an end zone jump ball over Alan Ball. Then when the defense took the field Ken Hamlin and rookie Orlando Scandrick intercepted Richard Bartel passes to open the defensive drill. Danny Amendola just made a nice over the ... This isn't event a preseason game and the Cowboys aren't even playing another team, but Terrell Owens just caught a long touchdown pass from Tony Romo. It was enough to excite this crowd. Owens beat rookie corner Mike Jenkins for the maybe score in a real game. ...Often criticized rookie tight end Martellus Bennett, from Texas A&M, is working with the first team offense in two tight end sets. Bennett has been criticized for a lack of focus, but he certainly has the athleticism to perform at the NFL level. The fans packed in here at Texas Stadium have saved their loudest cheers for Terrell Owens. Quarterback Tony Romo got a big ovation, but on several occasion -- when he took the field and when his name was announced -- the murcurial wide receiver has gotten an even bigger ovation. Maybe they just agree with T.O.: They love him. ...It almost feels like a real game. The cheerleaders were just introduced and the Dallas Cowboys are taking the field (in shorts, jerseys and helmets for those of you who follow such things). An entire half of the the lower bowl of Texas Stadium is packed with fans, more are sprinkled in the upper deck. This is the first time in 17-years the Cowboys have held an open practice at Texas Stadium. The team will play their fi... Here's the catch (you know there is always a catch): It's a practice. But hey it is free. For the first time in 17 years, the Dallas Cowboys will host an open practice at Texas Stadium. Wednesday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. the team with hold a regular workout session and fans are invited to fill the seats. The event is part of the Cowboys' season-long farewell to Texas Stadium. Of course since it is the Cowboys, th... The injury to Miles Austin has created a need for a kick returner. Isaiah Stanback will get time there, coach Wade Phillips says rookie corner Orlando Scandrick may also return kicks and he said Adam 'Pacman' Jones has expressed interest in the job. However, one guy who may not yet do it is rookie running back Felix Jones, who was a dynamic returner at Arkansas. "We haven't said 'no he's not going to do it,'" Phillips... Coach Wade Phillips praised Cowboys rookie cornerback Mike Jenkins, who is getting lots of work with the first team defense with the injury to Terence Newman. Phillips says he keeps competing and doesn't get discouraged. "I think it's good he played against top competition and had some troubles," the coach said. "He'll get better and better." Dallas Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips says being back at Valley Ranch is good for his team. "I think we probably had our best practice of the year so far," he said. The coach praised quarterback Tony Romo and the defense. "Our concentration was good, there weren't many mental errors," he said. "(Romo) had another good day." |
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