Cowboys 2011 season outlook

Hello from Jordan...the country....I'm still going to be looking after my boys from the middle east no matter how much sleep it costs me...

The Cowboys have pretty much finalized their roster and the team that's in camp now is likely going to be the team that heads to NY on September 11th for what promises to be an enthralling showdown. I think that Cowboys fans can look forward to this season with guarded optimism. The Garrett era is in full effect and I think we will see a much more disciplined, physical, and overall better team on the field. Despite the defenses struggles throughout the preseason, I attribute much of that to trying to learn Rob Ryan's defensive scheme in a short amount of time. I think eventually this defense will be far superior to last years.

Here is where some problems lie. Despite a new defensive scheme, the defense suffered from a lack of quality players last year and they still suffer this year. Alan Ball was replaced by Abram Elam at safety (a definite upgrade) and Igor Olshanky  (a Wade Phillips guy) was cut and his lack of production will not be missed. Still, his replacement, Kenyon Coleman doesn't really get my blood flowing, and there has been a consistent lack of pass rush this preseason. The Cowboys cornerbacks are not good enough to play man to man and if Ryan can't figure out a way to consistently pressure the QB, the defense will find itself giving up tons of disastrous plays.

On the offensive side of the ball, I think the Cowboys have made every single right move. Romo has looked great this off season, as had Jason Witten and Dez Bryant. Miles Austin needs to have a bounce-back year and their lack of depth at the WR position is a serious concern. Their 3rd receiver is the unproven, inconsistent, but highly talented, Kevin Olgletree. The Offensive line was completely overhauled, with last years 3 worst players let go. The problem is that they were replaced with talented but hugely inexperienced players. I would feel better if the Cowboys sign another veteran that can fill in if any of these youngsters falter. Still, the line is much more athletic and the running game should get a huge boost from it. 

Speaking of the running game, I think that the Cowboys will catch everyone by surprise in that category this year. The more athletic line will pave the way for Felix Jones and Demarco Murray to have big seasons. Whether Tashard Choice or Phillip Tanner mans the 3rd spot could be negligible, both are tough runners.

The one area of huge concern, and it always is, is the kicking game. It looks as though the Cowboys will go with two kickers on the roster. The incumbent, Buehler, will go back to his original occupation as a kick-off man. With the new kick-off rule, there is no reason why he shouldn't have a touchback every time he boots the ball. Rookie kicker Dan Bailey has been impressive enough in camp (and Buehler has been unimpressive enough) to get a spot on the team as the place kicker. I actually like him kicking the FG's instead of Buehler, but the fact that the Cowboys have to waste a valuable roster spot on another kicker is concerning. 

Lets face reality: This is a semi-rebuilding year for the Cowboys and their expectations are vastly minimal to those of the past few seasons. Still, I like being the underdog. As we know, everyone who is picked to win the NFC East every year, somehow falters. Don't be surprised if the Cowboys surprise people by coming out on top this season.

Cowboys Complete offensive line overhaul; Cut Gurode

I called for it all last season. Marc Colombo, Leonard Davis and Andre Gurode all had to go...and now they all have. The Cowboys cut the 5x Pro Bowl center today and now only 2 of last years offensive line starters remain; Doug Free and Kyle Kosier. This move ensures that the Cowboys will have a much younger and more athletic offensive line, but also a much less experienced one. I still think this group, overall, will be a significant upgrade over last years bunch. Doug Free has the potential to be one of the most stabilizing forces at the left tackle position in the league and Kyle Kosier is a gritty veteran who provides intelligence and leadership, and a nasty disposition. What he lacks in size, he makes up for in effort and intelligence.

The Cowboys first addressed their offensive line ineptness by drafting the physical freak Tyron Smith out of USC. He is a raw talent but he has performed very well in camp. There are sure to be mental errors throughout the season, but I doubt he will be beaten by pass rushers as frequently as Colombo was last season. Another plus, Jason Garrett wisely moved Kosier to the right side so that he can help tutor the young Smith.

Now it looks like the Cowboys will go with Phil Costa as Gurode's replacement at center. I thought Costa was too small and too weak last year at guard, but he has performed very well this preseason (he's out with a knee injury right now but is expected to return soon) Perhaps center is better suited for his size. One thing is for sure; we won't see all of those erroneous snaps when the QB isn't looking, a trademark of Gurode.

Finally, it looks as if rookie Bill Nagy will get the nod at left guard. Both he and fellow rookie David Arkin  has performed well at times at camp and both have a feisty mentality that the Cowboys are looking for in their offensive line. Nagy has been a little more consistent and I think that his athleticism, as well as the rest of the groups collective athleticism, will pave the way for a big year for Felix Jones and the rest of the backs. I am skeptical about the interior's ability to protect the QB but the outside pressure should be less than last year. Overall this bunch should be a much better unit than last years. 

1st Preseason Game: Cowboys 24 Broncos 23

Let's just start off by saying that the score, the end result of preseason games, means absolutely nothing. That being said, its always nice to beat anything that involves Tim Tebow. As much as people seem to hate preseason games, I always enjoy them for evaluation purposes and here is what we can come away with from this game:

The Cowboys are still very much a work in progress, especially on defense. There is no reason to panic, as the first team defense has only practiced together for one full week, and they were visibly out of sorts playing in a brand new scheme last night. Then again, maybe we should be concerned. This defense SUCKED last year and only Alan Ball has been replaced by Abram Elam. They gave up a good chunk of down field passes last night, 2010 deja vu.

Here are a few other things from the game:

-Tony Romo looked sharp in limited action, his first football game since week 7 last year. He completed his first 3 passes and finished 3/5.

-3rd string QB Stephen McGee can play. He looked like a young gunslinger out there last night. He was 14/24 with 208 passing yards and 3 TD's. He calmly led the Cowboys on a game winning drive, including a gutsy 2-point conversion to cap it off.

-Rookie WR Dwayne Harris really looks like he could be something. He had 5 grabs for 127 yards, 2 touchdowns including the game winner. He made ran a lot of smart routes including going to a hot route when he noticed a blitz, which led to his second touchdown.

-Gerald Sensabaugh could be a cause for headaches once again. I know he is just learning the system but he gave up some big plays last night. hmmm looks familiar.

-Jason Hatcher and Victor Butler were constantly putting pressure on the Denver QB's. This would be a good year for both of them to break out.

-Tim Tebow sucks.

Terence Newman Groin Injury

Cowboys CB Terence Newman will have an MRI taken on his groin after getting tangled up in practice this afternoon. This shouldn't be a shock to any Cowboys fans because Terence Newman is always getting hurt and he's old now (32). And yet, the Cowboys have done nothing to address their secondary which was downright disgusting (actually disgusting....this is not meant to be a good connotation) last season. Yet EVERY SINGLE CULPRIT, from that horde of misfits is still on the team. Alan Ball is the only one who won't get a starting job this season. They re-signed Sensebaugh, who is decent at best. Jenkins had an abysmal year last season and Newman wasn't much better. Compile that with the fact that Newman will almost certainly not make it through the entire season and you have a situation that can best be described as fucked.

Why not at least sign some people to create competition. How can we not punish Jenkins for his play last season. How can we continue to rely on old CB's who get injured and who just don't have it anymore? The Cowboys best area is not on offense or defense. It is their PR department, because year after year they somehow get us to believe that all these crusty old, washed up, worthless veterans are going to bounce back and take the league by storm. The Cowboys need to address this secondary situation now.

Cowboys start of FA with prudency

Thanks to Jerry Jones' eyes being bigger than his stomach...actually thats not quite the appropriate analogy...thanks to the fact that he's a moron...the Cowboys barley have any money to spend on free agents this offseason because of the revitalization of a hard cap this season. Luckily, Jason Garett has Jerry's full ear now and the Cowboys can go back to making prudent moves and that is exactly what they have done thus far.

First they got rid of all of their under-achieving players and gave themselves a little bit of breathing room. Marion Barber, (once my favorite offensive player on the team) Roy Williams (never a favorite of anyone's) Marc Colombo (super-big shredder) and Leonard Davis (bass shredder) are all gone and that was important.

Now they have resigned 3 very important free agents...none of them are sexy signings and they were all already on the team but they are still very important. The Cowboys resigned Doug Free who looks like he will be an elite tackle very soon and at the very least a substantial and lasting foundation on the offensive line. They also agreed to a 3 year deal with the savy veteran Kyle Kosier. Kosier is a solid player who relies on his head and determination to remedy his small frame. The Cowboys offensive line always seems to play better when he is in the lineup...that is his issue. He is often injured but if he can stay healthy this he is as good as most other offensive guard free agents that are available. Finally the Cowboys agreed to a 5 year deal with DE Marcus Spears. Most people underappreciate Spears...he was first round pick and has never produced sexy numbers, notably in the sacks category. But Spears is a 3-4 DE whose job is not to usually sack the QB but to be stout against the run and demand double teams, which he often does, so tha the outside LB's can get sacks. Trust me, Demarcus ware wouldn't have as many sacks as he does if it weren't for the likes of Spears and Ratliff dominating in the middle. I think this is a very helpful signing, especially since rotational DE Stephen Bowen just left to go to D.C. Good start Cowboys, but now go get Nmadi!

I Need you to cut the fat: I need you to fire all the fat people

The Cowboys opened for business and quickly did their best to trim their heavy waistline. The Cowboys mid section has been sagging with inflated contracts on under-producing players but Jason Garrett ushered in the start of his first full season at the helm with definity. He cut all the underperformers no matter how many zero's were above their respective dotted lines. This is his team for sure. The Cowboys cut Marion Barber, Roy Williams and the real fat boys Marc Colombo and Leonard Davis.

This means a few things. First and most importantly, Colombo and Davis will have much more time to play in their death metal band "Free Reign." Second, the Cowboys aired our the room a little bit and at least gave themselves some...just some....mobility. Lets face it...Every single one of these guys deserved to get cut, albeit for different reasons. Barber just isn't the battering ram that he used to be and is essentially ineffective. He also didn't seem too enthusiastic with the Red Jesus rules (Garrett rules). Williams was always heard, rarely seen...except when fumbling the ball in big situations....actually... to be fair he had a productive year last year for the most part and I would have liked having him as a third option, possession receiver. Colombo played with so much heart and determination last year but his body just can't keep up anymore. Leonard Davis played football with the courage of a vegan, he will not be missed.

The Cowboys should now have enough room to resign both Doug Free (a # 1 priority) and the savy, but often injured veteran, Kyle Kosier. If Kosier can stay healthy, they can be part of a rebirth of a group that last year, was more of a punchline than an offensive line. After that they will have little money to dole out and the likely hood of landing a top tier free agent seems unlikely at this point.

NFL Right around the corner

The NFL's wheels seem like they're ready to finally start turning again so that means I am back on the blog beat. With the NFL's longest work stoppage in the final lap of its seemingly interminable race I think it's time we look at the potential changes and how they could affect the upcoming season.

Here are some of the key changes and arguing points that the owners and players squabbled over for the past 6 months.

Revenue Splits:

This was the the main issue that the players and owners couldn't agree on. In the previous format, the players were taking in about 50% of the revenues from NFL's profits. The owners, claiming they had to put up the money for new stadiums and other gigantic expenses wanted a bigger piece of the pie. I think it clear that the owners were in the wrong on this argument point but either way the players still make out pretty well. They will now get anywhere from 46-48% of over 9 billion dollars.

Rookie Wage System-

This has been a a huge problem recently in the NFL. Rookies are getting paid an obscene amount of money for having done nothing. This mine as well be called the Jamarcus Russell Rule. Now rookies will make considerably less off the bat then their counterparts made just last year. I think this will at least make it easier to sign first round picks who so often think they deserve money without having proved a thing on the field. Under the new proposal, all picks can be signed to 4 year deals with an option for a 5th. That option, if picked up, would work like a franchise tag in that the team would be required to pay at least the median of what picks from that year make by position.

Bart Scott called the abolition of 2-a-days "Whimping Out"

TRAINING CAMP/PRACTICES

This was a win for the players, I guess, but I think a loss for the fans. The players, who have long claimed that the NFL does not really care about their safety, demanded that their contact practices be lowered dramatically in count and in the process they basically eliminated 2-day practices during training camp. Bart Scott called this "whimping out" and I couldn't agree more. 2 even 3 a day practices have long been sewn into football's fabric. High School teams always have at least 1 week of triple sessions and these professionals are crying about 2-a days? The coaches don't run long, exhaustive practices because they're dickheads. They want the team to get better and be prepared both physically and mentally. The players are going to be missing out on a ton of reps and I think the game will suffer for this. We are going to see a lot of sloppy games from now on and we will see more players who are less prepared for a season than ever before. Total cop out.

RETIRED PLAYERS BENEFITS:

This one was a long time coming. For years the NFL has basically neglected the players who have made the game so great, while their bodies and minds have deteriorated, beginning in their mid 30's. The NFL's past attempts to appease some of the medical demands of NFL players is borderline insulting and I think this is one of the best aspects of the entire CBA. Now the NFL has pledged over 1 billion over the next 10 years to retired players.

There are still a few kinks to work out before we are officially back in football mode but I am confident they can be overcome. The most important factor that looms is whether or not there will be a hard cap. Reports seem to indicate that there will be and that it will stand somewhere around 120 million. This could be treacherous for teams like the Cowboys who are well over that mark with the bloated contracts of players like Marc Colombo, Marion Barber and Roy Williams.