Where’s The Beef? 2009’s Crop of Defensive Tackle Prospects
January 31, 2009
The consensus opinion among Cowboy fans and league “experts” is that the Cowboys defense needs to add a run-stuffing, space-eating nose tackle to a defense that ranked 12th against the run in 2008. While perusing this year’s list of draft eligible defensive tackles, it becomes quickly evident that this year’s class of cloggers is a bit short on heft. There are just not a ton of 3-4 style defensive tackles in this draft. Of the top 40 prospects at the position, only four tip the scales at more than 315 lbs. Of course, not every 3-4 nose tackle has to be a 350 lb. monster. Jason Ferguson has held the position down for quite some time at about 305 lbs. Good strength and balance, coupled with superb technique can compensate for a lack of overwhelming size.
One common misconception about Wade Phillips’ defense is that the nose tackle is not asked to two-gap. Every 3-4 nose tackle has to control a center and man two gaps from time to time, it’s just that Wade’s NT’s are asked to do so less than others. A Wade Phillips defense is geared more toward shooting gaps and getting penetration; this is why a 298-pound, lightning quick Jay Ratliff can excel in this scheme. Still, you can’t scheme your nose tackle out of being double teamed. It seems that Ratliff would greatly benefit from having a wide-bodied partner who would allow him to slide outside on rushing downs.
The first thing you need to know about the 2009 class of defensive tackles is that (say it with me) B.J. Raji is gone. Forget about him, get him out of your head. Save the “if we still had or 1st round pick” talk, it wouldn’t matter, he is gone, gone, gone. A shallow class of run-stuffers and a stellar week of Senior Bowl practice have allowed Raji to skyrocket up everyone’s draft board. Save for a full-blown combine disaster, Raji will be snapped up in the first ten selections. Raji has in fact been so impressive, rotoworld.com is reporting that he may be among the Lions’ considerations with their first overall selection.
Nose tackle may be a primary need for the Cowboys, but they can not go into this draft married to the idea of grabbing one with the 51st pick. The value simply may not be there. The second tier cloggers have a history of sliding, (see Gabe Watson, and Alan Branch) so there is a chance that Raji’s linemate Ron Brace could fall to the Cowboys in the second round. If not, the Cowboys may have to take a long hard look at Clemson’s Dorell Scott in the third, or take a late round flyer on a small school guy like Stillman’s Sammie Lee Hill. With that said, we are still early in the process, and draft positioning will change dramatically after the combine.
I wouldn’t consider any site to be the bible on player evaluations, but in all my years of being a draft junkie, draftcountdown.com has been one of the more reliable sites. Their projections always turn out to be pretty accurate. Here is a list of this year’s top defensive tackle prospects, in the eyes of the draftcountdown.com staff.
1. B.J. Raji, Boston College- 6-1, 323
2. Peria Jerry, Ole Miss- 6-2. 290
3. Evander Hood, Missouri- 6-4, 295
4. Sen’Derrick Marks, Auburn- 6-2, 296
5. Ron Brace, Boston College- 6-3, 324
Nose tackle, or defensive tackle in general has been a tough position to project in recent history. The last decade has been full of underachieving first rounders, and second day pleasant surprises. Still, a few players have played up to the level of their draft status. Here are some of the game’s best nose tackles (3-4 and 4-3 alike) along with their respective draft positions.
|
Jason Ferguson, 7th round, 229th overall (1997) |
Albert Haynesworth, 1st round, 15th overall (2002) |
|
Jamal Williams, Undrafted (1998) |
Shaun Rogers, 2nd round, 61st overall (2001) |
|
Kris Jenkins, 2nd round, 44th overall (2001) |
Kevin Williams, 1st round, 9th overall (2003) |
|
Vince Wilfork, 1st round, 21st overall (2004) |
Haloti Ngata, 1st round, 12th overall (2006) |
|
Casey Hampton, 1st round, 19th overall (2001) |
Maake Kemoeatu, Undrafted (2002) |
Also, a few high picks who have not exactly panned out:
|
Ryan Pickett, 1st round, 29th overall (2001) |
DeWayne Robertson, 1st round, 4th overall (2003) |
|
Jonathan Sullivan, 1st round, 6th overall (2003) |
Jimmy Kennedy, 1st round, 12th overall (2003) |
|
Junior Siavii, 2nd round, 36th overall (2004) |
Alan Branch, 2nd round, 33rd overall (2007) |
As you can see, it has been a bit of a mixed bag as far as drafting nose tackles in recent history. And with a thin class of draftees, the Cowboys may have to venture beyond all conventional thinking to plug this hole. Is Magnus Ver Magnusson busy? Can’t we just re-sign Marcus Spears, and hook him up with a platinum Golden Corral pass? Honestly, tell me that dude ain’t the second coming of Gilbert Brown waiting to happen.
In all seriousness, nose tackle is a legitimate need for the Dallas Cowboys. The list of two-gapping free agents-to-be leaves a lot to be desired, and the draft class is skimpy. The Cowboys may have to settle for another slightly undersized penetrator who can at least give Ratliff an occasional breather. If there is not a nose to be had who can free up Ratliff to play some end, the defense could still benefit from always having a fresh body in the middle. However the front office chooses to address this need, the decision will go a long way in determining whether or not a defense that showed flashes of greatness can take the next step forward.
"Bullet" Bob Hayes finally gets his due
January 31, 2009
The Pro Football Hall of Fame finally rectified a wrong. Bob Hayes, known as the Bullet, the Dallas Cowboys WR who basically created the zone defense with his speed, was elected to the Hall of Fame.
The Dallas Cowboys drafted him in the seventh round of the 1964 NFL Draft, taking a chance an Olympic sprinter with unrefined football skills could excel as a wide receiver. The bet paid off, due to his amazing feats as a receiver, Hayes has been credited by many with forcing the way the rest of the NFL conducted pass defense (see zone defense below). His first two seasons were most successful, during which he led the NFL both times in receiving touchdowns.
In 1966 when the Cowboys played at Washington, Hayes caught nine passes for 246 yards. Earlier that same season he caught six passes for 195 yards against the Giants at the Cotton Bowl. Hayes’ speed forced other teams to develop the zone defense since no single player could keep up with him. By spreading the defense out in order to contain Hayes, it allowed the Cowboys running game, with players like Don Perkins, Calvin Hill, Walt Garrison and Duane Thomas to flourish. Hayes returned punts for the Cowboys and was the NFL’s leading punt returner in 1968 with a 20.8 yards per return average and two touchdowns including a 90 yarder against Pittsburgh. He was named to the Pro Bowl three times and All Pro four times. He helped Dallas win five Eastern Conference titles, two NFC titles, played in two Super Bowls, and was instrumental in Dallas’ first ever Super Bowl victory in 1971, making Hayes the only person so far to win both an Olympic gold medal and a Super Bowl ring.
Groundhog Day with Roy Williams
January 31, 2009
The phone rings Friday afternoon. It’s DCFanatic. I can tell right away by the tone of his voice something’s up. It’s RW2. While giving some interviews on Friday, Roy Williams managed to toss plenty of people under the proverbial bus.
My initial reaction - Groundhog Day. What’s new? Another Cowboy decides to air-it-out in the press. My second reaction - good. Add some more fuel to the fire and blow it up.
Time to opine on another Cowboy who either: a) spoke the truth b) personified the modern narcissist athlete c) threw his team under the bus or d) all of the above. Isn’t it always ‘all of the above’ with the Cowboys? It’s become tough to even analyze what these guys are saying anymore.
I couldn’t even generate a healthy outrage or a healthy agreement with Roy. I wasn’t even amused by it.
Rationally, I can see that this team could be very good. This upcoming season, if we sidetrack the injury bug, we could be back in the playoffs. We could be dangerous. I see the talent, I see the potential.
But they’re never going to get anywhere if they all don’t shut up.
Sure, they have the right to speak their minds, by the same token they have the right to lose football games. Sure, the media stirs things up with the questions, which is their right. But the players have the right to do their best impression of Crash Davis teaching Nuke LaLoosh his clichés and give them nothing. “We’ll just take it one game at a time.” “I’m just trying to help the team.” Clichés are your friends - learn them, love them.
Jerry Jones, your team is dysfunctional, do something about it.
For Roy quotes go here, here or here.
Never can say goodbye …
January 30, 2009
All good things come to an end.
A Tribe Called Quest broke up.
Duane Allman died. Isaac Hayes died.
Robert Duvall wasn’t in Godfather III.
The day has come, gentlemen. I will no longer be a regular front-page contributor to BTB. That honor is left to the able hands of Grizz, Raf, Jim Vance and GloryDayz88. I will continue to be a guest contributor though so you’ll get to hear all about what brand of beer I’m drinking the next time a calamity strikes the ‘Boys. Lord my team is hard on my liver. (Sidenote: I can’t believe Tequiza has been discontinued! I’ll miss consoling myself with that quirky beer).
I thank Grizz for allowing me to write for this awesome blog. I felt honored the day he chose me and I still do. He’s gone out of his way to be patient while dropping nuggets of knowledge along the way. There’s a reason everybody respects him.
I thank my man Brandon W for his friendship. The inclusiveness of his writing style is something to behold. He’s shared an awful lot about his personal life and how the ups and downs of the season affected that. Most of all I’d like to nominate his wife for MOST AWESOME WIFE EVER for getting him tickets to a Cowboy game on his birthday. She deserves an infomercial!
I realize it’s easy to take things for granted. I certainly have. It’s hard to remember the days when I didn’t have an outlet to express my joy, anger, frustration or passion for this team that I love. But it did exist. I’ve been in sports bars all over this country pulling for this team. It seems like people gravitate to Cowboys fans. I’d meet all kinds of different people: drug addicts, business men and woman, gang members, grandparents, college students, emo kids, faithful girlfriends, rednecks. All with an opinion about the ‘Boys. This blog was the first place I came to that allowed me to express myself unabashedly. It was like the sports bar experience times a thousand. It’s something I will always cherish about this blog.
So does this mean I’m leaving? Heck no! I’ll be around to add my two cents. I’ll be around to support Jim Vance and GloryDayz88. I’m particularly excited about these two guys. I think they will add a dynamic dimension to the blog. Welcome guys. I know you’ll do good work. I’ll be around to stick up for Bob Hayes (FAMU baby!), criticize the local Dallas media (it’s a thankless job but someone has to do it), post silly youtube videos, and, most of all, sip that glistening, sparkling red Cowboy Kool-Aid.
Most of all this change will allow me to concentrate on two things: my studies and my wedding. I still have roughly about a year left to go in law school and I’m getting married in July. So if your near Orlando on July 11 feel free to come on down and kick it with the fam. We’ll have plenty of Hennessey (my favorite drink) and other spirits. Just look for the group that’s doing the Electric Slide at the reception. That’s us.
Alright ya’ll. I need to hit up IHOP for a Chicken Fajita omelette and wash it all down with some Bud Light. Stay true and blue guys.
Eagles DC Diagnosed with Cancer
January 29, 2009
Eagles DC Diagnosed with Cancer
This is sad news for all.
Jim Johnson, the 61 year old Eagles DC has been diagnosed with a recurrence of cancer. He is currently undergoing radiation treatment and says he plans to return to the sidelines. My hopes and prayers are with him and his family.
Cowboys TE’s: Martellus Bennett fined, Jason Witten talks to the press
January 29, 2009
What’s going in Cowboys World today?
Well, quote-machine and TE Martellus Bennett recently slipped into a different persona, that of Marty B. It turns out that alternate personality cost Mr. Bennett around 22K!
The Dallas Cowboys have fined tight end Martellus Bennett one game check, roughly $22,000, for making a derogatory YouTube video that was released Monday, according to two sources.
The video was taken down Tuesday and Bennett apologized Thursday in a different video.
Now, when I first was directed to the video I had one reaction - his flow is weak. If you’re going to come out strong with the language and the slurs, your style better be down tight. There’s a reason one man’s profanity-laced rap is a hit and another’s is a big fine from Jerry Jones. Maybe he should have hired Timbaland, that guy could make a gold record out of Marty B. taking a crap. I’m getting off track here.
In retrospect, Marty B. shouldn’t have worn a Cowboys helmet while doing the video and his timing and choice of material is suspect at best. The Cowboys universe is a little chaotic right now and he jumped in with two feet. I say he should have rapped about his super-hero persona instead.
His apology video is here.
Jason Witten was talking to the press because he was voted the The Home Depot NFL Neighborhood MVP. You can read the full press release after the jump. For the basics, he did good things for kids and got recognized. Along with the interviews about the honor came talk of the locker room, chemistry and “the rat.” He answers the questions in this Randy Galloway article.
Did any of your so-called teammates, who did a lot of media whispering, actually ever go face-to-face and call you “a rat”?
“No,” answered Witten. “Nothing even remotely close to that was ever said. If anything, when all that stuff was flying around, what I got personally was teammates being very supportive.”
[snip]
“I was not involved,” Witten said. “But I still got caught up in it. Tony and I got placed in the middle of it.”
Witten says he’s not the rat and no one ever accused him of being one directly. You can read more Witten interviews here.
Roger Staubach agrees with Troy Aikman about Tony Romo. He still has faith in the kid, though.
Meanwhile, the Cards’ coach says their win over Dallas was big at the time, since we were a Super Bowl pick and all.
“It was a big game for us,” Whisenhunt said. “It gave us confidence against a team that a lot of people thought was very good.
“There was a lot of talk about them in the preseason and how good they were and how they could go to the Super Bowl. That was a big game for us.”
Remember those days, when things were still possible for the Cowboys, all those months ago?
The Cowboys held a workout for a bunch of players. Where was Michael Irvin? We should just pick all our scrubs from a reality show. I kid!
JASON WITTEN NAMED
Witten Honored With $25,000 Donation To The S.C.O.R.E. Foundation For His Commitment To Fighting Domestic Violence
TAMPA, Fla., JAN. 28, 2009 - The Home Depot, the world’s largest home improvement retailer and ‘official home improvement sponsor’ of the National Football League, today announced Jason Witten as The Home Depot NFL Neighborhood MVP for the 2008 season. The Home Depot NFL Neighborhood MVP is a national program that recognizes players who are making a positive impact in their local communities through charitable programs and contributions.
Witten was chosen for the award through an online consumer voting contest, which received more than 250,000 votes nationwide. He was one of 17 NFL players honored through the program this year and one of eight program finalists. Warrick Dunn was honored as The Home Depot NFL Neighborhood MVP for the 2007 season.
Witten and the seven Neighborhood MVP finalists rolled up their sleeves today and worked alongside community and The Home Depot associate volunteers to build a state-of-the-art KaBOOM! playground for kids in East Tampa in just one day. In a break in the action, the players were recognized for their good works and Witten was announced the program MVP. A $25,000 donation was presented to Witten’s foundation.
Witten was honored for the work he does through the Jason Witten S.C.O.R.E. Foundation, an organization Witten founded in 2007 to provide support and assistance for families and individuals affected by domestic violence. In 2008, the foundation instituted the SCOREkeepers male mentor program in six women’s shelters throughout Texas in an effort to provide positive male influences for children affected by domestic violence. S.C.O.R.E. also opened the Jason Witten Media Center at the Boys & Girls Club of Dallas and the Jason Witten Literacy Center in Witten’s hometown of Elizabethton, Tenn.
“Jason Witten is a class act on and off the field, and The Home Depot is pleased to be associated with such a strong role model,” said Frank Bifulco, senior vice president and chief marketing officer at The Home Depot. “Jason’s commitment to addressing domestic violence has positively impacted thousands of lives, and his enthusiasm for giving back is a value fundamental to The Home Depot and the NFL.”
“I try to bring the same energy and dedication to community service that I do to football, and it is an honor to be recognized by The Home Depot for my activities off the field among such an amazing group of guys,” said Witten. “Giving back to the community has always been important to me, and I appreciate the support for my work to raise awareness of domestic violence.”
During the regular season, The Home Depot built 17 playgrounds, one for each week of the regular season, in each MVP’s local market and made donations to the charities of their choice. Each player worked alongside representatives from KaBOOM!, a national nonprofit, local community partners and volunteers from The Home Depot to complete the building projects in just one day. Throughout this process, more than 2,600 The Home Depot associates donated more than 21,000 hours of service. More than 11,800 children and families will have safer places to play as a result of the new playgrounds.
The other players honored as part of The Home Depot NFL Neighborhood MVP program in 2008-2009 included: Keith Brooking*, Atlanta Falcons; Vernon Carey, Miami Dolphins; Nate Clements, San Francisco 49ers; Brian Dawkins*, Philadelphia Eagles; Braylon Edwards, Cleveland Browns; Bobby Engram, Seattle Seahawks; Mike Furrey*, Detroit Lions; Chad Greenway, Minnesota Vikings; Andre Johnson*, Houston Texans; Kassim Osgood, San Diego Chargers; Samari Rolle, Baltimore Ravens; Steve Smith*, Carolina Panthers; Charles Tillman, Chicago Bears; Amani Toomer*, New York Giants; Kurt Warner*, Arizona Cardinals; and Ty Warren, New England Patriots.
Through the Neighborhood MVP program, The Home Depot again teamed with United Way® to recognize consumers who are making a positive impact in their local communities. Christine Alexander was selected as this year’s Community All-Star based on her work with New Haven Reads, an organization she founded six years ago to increase youth literacy in New Haven, Conn. The Home Depot also honored one of its store associates as the Associate Neighborhood MVP. Christine Colella associate at store No. 8526 in Palm Springs, Calif., was honored for her efforts in feeding the homeless. Both honorees received an all-expense paid trip to Super Bowl XLIII, where they helped the NFL MVP finalists build the All-Star playground.
About The Home Depot
The Home Depot is the world’s largest home improvement specialty retailer, with 2,270 retail stores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, 10 Canadian provinces, Mexico and China. In fiscal 2007, The Home Depot had sales of $77.3 billion and earnings from continuing operations of $4.2 billion. The Company employs more than 300,000 associates. The Home Depot’s stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: HD) and is included in the Dow Jones industrial average and Standard & Poor’s 500 index. HDE
*Indicates the player was a program finalist
Manusky Not a Cowboys DC Option
January 29, 2009
Santa Rosa Press Democrat sportswriter Matt Maiocco announces an extension for 49ers DC Greg Manusky and takes a subtle swipe at one of his Metroplex-based colleagues:
Defensive coordinator Greg Manusky recently signed a contract extension to remain with the 49ers through the 2010 season…
Anyway, this should dispel the rumor that Singletary has already fired his defensive coordinator. In reference to Manusky, a Dallas-area newspaper reported this week that Singletary “booted his butt.” Manusky was portrayed as a leading candidate to join Wade Phillips’ staff with the Cowboys.
It seems somebody needs to replace her Bay-Area sources.
Now, back to Jim Vance’s excellent analysis of Cowboys DC candidates, only his list is now one name lighter.
Cowboys waiting for Super Bowl to make a move?
January 29, 2009
Nineteen teams will begin next season with a new defensive coordinator. Six teams are still looking for a defensive genius to take them to the next level.
Defensive Coordinators Jim Schwartz, Steve Spagnuolo and Rex Ryan all got promoted to head coach. Making lateral moves were Gunther Cunningham (Chiefs to Lions), Gregg Williams (Jaguars to Saints) and Ron Meeks (Colts to Panthers). Mike Trgovac (Panthers to Packers) took a step down the ladder by going from DC to defensive line coach. The remaining dirty dozen were asked to leave.
A look at the fallout:
New Hires: Lions (Cunningham); Saints (Williams); Green Bay (Dom Capers); Seattle (Casey Bradley); Giants (Bill Sheridan); Denver (Mike Nolan); Cleveland (Rob Ryan); Rams (Ken Flajole); Texans (Frank Bush); Bucs (Jim Bates); Ravens promote their former LB coach (Greg Mattison); The Jets hired former Ravens OLB coach (Mike Pettine).
Still Looking: Titans, Colts, Raiders, Chiefs, Cowboys, and Jaguars (although Jack Del Rio says he will be his own DC).
My head is spinning!
So, where do we find the next Tom Landry, Bill Parcells or Bill Belichick? (yep, Defensive Coordinators good enough to parlay their success into a head coaching spot)
We can look to someone who was a D coordinator in the past, someone who took it to the next level but is now looking for work. Romeo Crennel comes to mind, but guys like Mike Nolan and the oft-mentioned Dom Capers are taken. The herd has been thinned out.
We can look inside to Dave Campo or maybe Reggie Herring?
Then there’s the approach that has you look for the up and comer, the guy who has what it takes, but just hasn’t had the opportunity. We should look for valuable assistants on our team or perhaps on another who are just waiting to make their mark.
Personally, I think we need to go with the latter. Find a guy who has shown he can lead the players, has the chops to design a scheme and most important, be agile and be a counter puncher. I want a guy who understands that this game ebbs and flows. The opposing offense may probe our defense, find a weakness and exploit it, but my ideal Defensive Coordinator quickly sees what the offense is doing and like a battlefield commander, adjusts his men to meet that threat, and crush it.
There is the school of thought that Wade Phillips was and will be the de facto Defensive Coordinator for the Cowboys, and that whoever is hired will be nothing more than a handmaiden for Wade. The same thinking says that Brian Stewart filled this handmaiden role while he was the Cowboys DC before his termination. This argument doesn’t make sense to me.
If Wade was indeed always running the defense, why not leave the current handmaiden in place? Why hire another? I don’t see the logic. I believe Wade wants to have a viable, active, contributing Defensive Coordinator who he can trust with full responsibility. I believe Wade will have occasional input as any HC would, but he wants a right hand, not a handmaiden.
Looking at the carousel that has taken place since the end of the regular season- what are the Cowboys waiting for? Is there someone on either of the two Super Bowl teams that is of interest? The Cardinals DC Clancy Pendergast was with the Cowboys from ‘96 -’02 but I can’t see him making a lateral move from a Super Bowl team to a non-playoff team. No other Cardinal assistants look like viable candidates to me. In an earlier post Rafael mentioned Bill Davis the Arizona LB coach who worked with Wade in Atlanta and Pittsburgh’s DB coach Ray Horton, a former Cowboy assistant as possibilities. Pittsburgh has a more tenured group of assistants than does Arizona, indicating stability, but I don’t see anyone on the Steelers who looks interesting to me either.
So, how do we find our guy? I look for those who have generated interest from other teams, but just didn’t get the nod. My favorite right now? Sean McDermott from the Eagles.
He’s got tenure, he has coached DBs and LBs and taken part in QC for the Eagles defense. He’s had the chance to hone his craft under an aggressive master, Jim Johnson. McDermott has steadily risen through the ranks and I believe the Eagles are grooming him to be the successor for the sixty-six year old Johnson.
McDermott was considered for the DC jobs this year for the Packers and Broncos, but was passed over for former head coaches with more experience as Defensive Coordinators. His name will continue to surface as a candidate.
The knock on McDermott will be his lack of 3-4 experience having been Johnson’s protege the last ten years. However, Johnson is a blitz master and a 3-4 offers more opportunities for creative blitzes than a 4-3. McDermott can use his 4-3 background and Wade’s 3-4 to develop innovative, aggressive schemes. A number of teams have started to employ these hybrid defenses, a mix of the 3-4 and 4-3, specific to the situation to confound offenses. The Cardinals, Ravens, Raiders, Dolphins, Patriots, Jets, Cowboys, Browns, and 49ers all have used some form of the hybrid.
That’s just my opinion……does anyone else out there have one?
Terrell Owens: Hall of Famer?
January 28, 2009
As I do most days, yesterday I tuned in to talk radio for most of the day in my work van. The debate of the day was about recently retired Los Angeles Dodger second baseman Jeff Kent, and whether or not his career had been a Hall of Fame worthy one. It struck me almost instantly how similar the argument over Kent is to the one we will be having eight to ten years from now regarding Terrell Owens.
The similarities between the two are striking. Like Owens, Kent carries with him the reputation of being a clubhouse malcontent. Kent’s poor fundamentals are evident in his below average fielding. Owens’ poor fundamentals are evident in his less than desirable route running, and his difficulties hanging on to the football. Both men have been tantalizingly close, but neither man has been able to claim a championship in his respective sport. Still, it is more than likely that the legacy that both men leave behind will be defined by their eye-popping, undeniable offensive production. As far as Major League Baseball’s Hall of Fame is concerned, there seems to be a set of “magic numbers” (500 home runs, 3,000 hits, 300 wins) that make a player a virtual lock for induction. Though football’s Hall is a bit less number crazed, it will be difficult for voters to turn a blind eye to Terrell Owens’ statistics when his day comes.
Love him or love to hate him; Terrell Owens has been an absolute monster since first suiting up for the San Francisco 49ers in 1996. To this point in his 13 year career, T.O. has racked up nine 1,000 yard seasons. He has six times been a Pro Bowler, and five times a First Team All-Pro, in an era that has seen more prolific wide receivers than any other in NFL history.
If Terrell Owens retired today, he would be sixth in NFL history in receptions. His 14,122 receiving yards rank him fifth all-time. With 822 yards next season, he can climb into third or even second place, depending on a still active Marvin Harrison, who is currently 458 yards ahead of Owens. T.O.’s 139 touchdown receptions are second only to the great Jerry Rice. His 141 total touchdowns have him tied with LaDainian Tomlinson for fourth place all-time behind Rice and Emmitt Smith. Both should breeze by Marcus Allen’s 145 total TD’s next season. For those scoring at home that’s 6th all-time in receptions, 5th in receiving yards, 2nd in receiving touchdowns, and 4th in total touchdowns.
It is a bit early to judge Owens’ body of work since it is not yet complete, so I took the liberty of doing some projections. I am taking into consideration the fact that Terrell is 35 years old, so his years are limited, and his production should begin to dip. For the sake of the argument, I projected out Owens numbers over three more seasons, at 70% of his average career production. Even assuming that Terrell Owens can only squeeze out 3 more seasons, at a 70% clip, his legacy would read like this:
Terrell Owens, 6-time Pro Bowler, 5-time First Team All-Pro. 1,104 career receptions, 16,403 receiving yards, 163 touchdowns. NFL record holder for receptions in a single game (20, December 17, 2000.)
Those numbers are hard to deny, even with all of T.O.’s locker room transgressions. Owens’ numbers are even rock solid when contrasted against those considered the best to ever play the position. Consistency is a key attribute for a Hall of Fame player. It is my belief that one of the best ways to measure a player’s career production is to examine what a player gives his team on a year to year basis. This is how Terrell Owens’ average season stacks up against current and future Hall of Famers of the modern era.
|
|
AVG Rec. |
AVG Yards |
AVG TD |
|
Randy Moss |
76.6 |
1200 |
12.3 |
|
Marvin Harrison |
84.8 |
1121 |
9.8 |
|
Jerry Rice |
73.8 |
1090 |
9.4 |
|
Terrell Owens |
73.2 |
1086 |
10.7 |
|
Michael Irvin |
62.5 |
992 |
5.4 |
|
Steve Largent |
58.5 |
934 |
7.1 |
|
Cris Carter |
68.8 |
869 |
8.1 |
|
Art Monk |
58.8 |
795 |
4.3 |
|
Charlie Joiner |
41.6 |
674 |
3.6 |
|
Lynn Swann |
37.3 |
606 |
5.6 |
Even among the game’s all-time greats, Owens does more than hold his own. The scary thing is that Owens may have left his best season on the field. In 2005 with Philadelphia, Owens had 47 receptions for 763 yards and seven touchdowns through seven games. He was on pace to dwarf all of his statistical career highs, but his unwillingness to fall in line led to a mid-season deactivation by coach Andy Reid. Once again, the bright shining star that is Terrell Owens was dimmed by his own selfish actions.
The question is, what will play a bigger role in the minds of Hall of Fame voters eight to ten years from now? Will voters make try to make a statement about the importance of the team concept, and deny a player entry whose on field play was certainly worthy of Hall of Fame membership? Or will voters succumb to the allure of Owens’ undeniable numbers, and open the doors of pro football’s most sacred club to a player who was considered a cancer for the better part of his career? When Terrell Owens stands before the Football Gods on his judgment day, will he be remembered for the game winning catch in that 1998 NFC Divisional game, or his heroic performance in Super Bowl 39? Or will he be forever remembered as the man who is believed to have single handedly torn apart the San Francisco 49ers, the Philadelphia Eagles, and quite possibly the Dallas Cowboys?
The Last Time Dallas Had a Football Guy in Charge…
January 28, 2009
was 2006. Bill Parcells had near total control over free agency and full sway over the draft. In the interest of beating up on one of my favorite canards, I offer a look at what a “real football guy” did for Dallas in his last go round:
Let’s revisit that‘06 off-season, shall we? All of it, NFL free agents, draft picks and undrafted free agents. Let’s see if Jerry 2.0 really looks that bad by comparison.
Let’s recall that the ‘06 Cowboys entered the offseason frustrated. They had been big free agent spenders in ‘05 adding Anthony Henry, Jason Ferguson and Marco Rivera for tens of millions in signing bonuses. They had a great draft, headed by Demarcus Ware, Chris Canty, Marion Barber and Jay Ratliff. They also made a significant futures pickup in RT Marc Colombo.
But Dallas entered the year short at right tackle and at safety. When Flozell Adams injured a knee and Rivera injured his back the offensive line collapsed. Dallas’ lack of a free safety saw it up big pass plays by the handful.
In ‘06, Dallas went smaller, for the most part. Instead of big deals, it handed out a lot of medium sized ones — with one exception: a malcontent from Philadelphia named Terrell Owens. That one was put on Jerry Jones’ head. Here was the player he forced on Parcells. The guy who would destroy the locker room.
You know, the guy who kept that off-season from being a complete failure.
Look at the remaining free agent deals:
- Kyle Kosier, LG, Detroit;
- Akin Ayodele, LB, Jacksonville;
- Jason Fabini, RT, Jets;
- Mike Vanderjagt, K, Indianapolis;
- Rocky Boiman, LB, Tennessee;
- Ryan Hannam, TE, Seattle;
- Marcus Coleman, S, Houston
A lot of bucks, spread out over seven contracts, but very little bang. Kosier has been a steady Eddie at left guard. Fabini could not beat out Colombo. Hannam languished on the bench before tearing a knee ligament and landing on I.R. Boiman suffered a gruesome finger injury, was cut, and eventually wound up on the champion Colts. Coleman was charged with DUI and was released in December.
The most frustrating signee was Vanderjagt. The socially-challenged kicker spent a lonely camp shanking kicks and blaming a dead leg. He then went through an erratic half season before he was canned.
Ayodele looked like the defensive version of Kosier, a solid if unspectacular player who filled a need. He regressed badly in ‘07, logging only 57 tackles in a scheme that funnels traffic towards the inside backers and strong safety. His trade means that Dallas has only two starters to show from an eight-deep free agent spree.
That offseason looks worse when you add the draft to it. Eight players and no starters, though 3rd rounder Jason Hatcher may eventually get his shot. With Anthony Fasano’s trade, only Hatcher, Bobby Carpenter, Pat Watkins and Pat McQuistan remain. Carpenter and McQuistan are down to their last shots, and neither looks like he will ever start. Watkins is a lost cause. Skyler Green, Montavious Stanley and E.J. Whitley were early dropouts.
The most productive rookies besides Hatcher were undrafted free agents Sam Hurd, Miles Austin and Oliver Hoyte. Hoyte was the only rookie to start in ‘06 and only after Fasano failed his first audition as the U-back. Hoyte was converted from inside backer to fullback and took Fasano’s spot.
Hurd is rehabbing an injured ankle that put him on IR at mid-season. Austin, the UFA from Monmouth, may be the only quality player from an absolute loser of a draft class.
When you sift through this dross, it is not hard to see why the ‘06 Cowboys flailed to another 9-7 record. Aside from Jerry’s Kid Terrell and Kosier, the team got no significant help from the other 14 free agents and draftees.
Compare that to Jerry 2.0’s first offseason, when he scored with Leonard Davis and Ken Hamlin and was able to retain every rookie from the first non-Tuna draft. His ‘08 draft was even better, adding RBs Felix Jones and Tashard Choice, and CBs Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick, along with the enigmatic Martellus Bennett.
Can you blame Jerry for trading Ayodele and Fasano last April and trying to get as far away from that ‘06 offseason class as possible? To paraphrase Roy Clark and the late Buck Owens, if it weren’t for T.O. the Cowboys would have had no offseason luck at all that year. Gloom, despair and agony indeed.
Dan Reeves = Football Guy
January 27, 2009
To all those clamoring for Jerry Jones to “bring in a football guy,” here you go. The team is apparently negotiating with Dan Reeves to serve as a consultant.
What role will a consultant have? Whatever the team feels necessary. Reeves served in an advisory capacity to Texans owner Bob McNair after the Texans fell to 2-14 during the ‘05 campaign. Reeves was recruited in December of ‘05 and observed the team, broke down film, met with then HC Dom Capers and GM Charlie Casserly and reported to McNair.
It’s not clear what Reeves told McNair, but the team fired Capers immediately after the season and replaced Casserley after the next April’s draft. Reeves had a hand in hiring current HC Gary Kubiak.
Reeves’ breadth and depth of experience means he could be utilized in a number of ways. He might evaluate the team’s personnel, and give another opinion heading into the off-season. This would not be a novel practice for the Cowboys. Bill Parcells used to invite former Packers GM Ron Wolf to visit training camp every August and give an independent assessment of the roster. He also brought in former coach Chuck Fairbanks and asked him to do the same. Parcells wanted personnel eyes he trusted to ensure he was not fooling himself about his teams’ strengths and weaknesses. Reeves might perform a similar task this year.
Reeves could also perform assessments of the team’s game plans and preparation methods, meaning he could offer feedback to Jason Garrett and to long time friend Wade Phillips. This relationship makes the hire appealing. Phillips served as Reeves’ DC in both Denver and Atlanta, and provides the least threatening, and yet valued voice the team could hire.
Is Dallas Waiting on a DC?
I talked to Dave over the weekend about the Cowboys’ easy-going search for Brian Stewart’s replacement. We both wondered if there is a coach on either the Cardinals or the Steelers staff whom the Cowboys might approach for the spot?
A quick review of defensive position coaches shows two names who might fit the bill. Cardinals LB coach Bill Davis worked with Wade Phillips in Atlanta and helped him set up the 3-4 scheme for Dan Reeves. I don’t know if the multi-year vet is coordinator material but he’s as good a guess as any.
The Steelers DB coach Ray Horton has Cowboys ties. He was Dallas’ starting free safety on Jimmy Johnson’s first teams. He’s had a long career coaching secondaries in Washington, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. He can take credit for developing Troy Polamalu, which speaks well of his coaching skills.
Again, I’m doing nothing but thinking out loud, but with no news on this hire, I encourage you to offer other candidates.
Trivia: The Cardinals’ staff could be Tuna West. Todd Haley (OC) Freddie Kitchens (TEs) and Maurice Carthon (RBs) all worked for Bill Parcells in Dallas. Add Clancy Pendergast, who served for Dave Campo, and you have a heavily Cowboys’ flavor to that sideline.
Introduction: Carl Shelton (GloryDayz88)
January 27, 2009
Before I formally introduce myself, I feel an obligation to use these first few lines to thank Grizz, Raf, Brandon, Tuna, Raul, and anyone else who was involved in the selection process. I would also like to thank everyone who recommended me for this position, and also those who took the time to read and comment on my posts. I am very proud and feel very fortunate to be a part of this team.
As far as me from a personal standpoint, I am a 26-year-old Des Moines, Iowa-native, though I refer to Sarasota, Florida as my second home. I am married, and the Lord has blessed my wife and I with three wonderful daughters, our most recent addition being born only ten days ago. Outside of the time I spend with my family, I don’t do much other than work out, and risk frostbite on a daily basis as I travel across the state repairing hot tubs. Yeah, not real exciting.
My football credentials are modest. I, like every other warm blooded American male, played high school football of course. After that I spent two seasons playing wide receiver and busting the wedge at NAIA Graceland University. My poor off-field choices shortened my college playing days, but I apparently did enough to get a couple of looks from a few CFL and Arena squads. Nothing really materialized, though I did stick around for a cup of coffee (more like instant coffee) with the Evansville Bluecats of the United Indoor Football league. It’s sad but looking back I would have to say one of my biggest accomplishments was being a part of a defense that roughed up Kyle Orton in his first high school start. My resume is nothing to tell my grandkids about, but I think I’ve played enough ball to have perspective on certain things. I have never been near the NFL, but with a lot of things football is just football.
As I said, I am honored to be a part of BTB. I think that we have a good thing going here, and I will do the best I can to further improve it. I’m glad that this blog is committed to a level of integrity and professionalism unseen in other NFL blogs.
My promise to all of you is to work diligently, to be credible, and to be open-minded toward the views, opinions, and beliefs of everyone in this family. At times I start fires to raise interest, but at the end of the day, we are all here for the same reason. This is going to be a lot of fun.
GO COWBOYS.
…and GO SEMINOLES…take that Grizz.
Opinions on the Cowboys Draft
January 27, 2009
You know what they say about opinions…well, you know, everybody has one and the other guy’s stinks!
I love the draft. My wife thinks I must be mentally deficient to watch the draft on TV. She thinks it’s boring. HA, this from a woman who has watched Moonstruck about 20 times.
You gamble your fortune and reputation on a college kid in the draft. He may be blessed with the physical skills of Achilles, but his heel may be a weak brain or weak character. The NFL Draft on television was the first American Idol, Mel Kiper the first Simon Cowell.
The challenge is: pick the right guy, at the right position, at the right time. Pray that he’s durable, smart and dedicated.
I went online at random and looked up mock drafts that went to the second round, just to see if there were any consensus picks for the Cowboys at 51. Here are the results…
|
Player |
Position |
College |
|
Dorell Scott |
DT |
|
|
Alphonso Smith |
CB |
|
|
Patrick Chung |
SS |
|
|
Michael Hamlin |
S |
|
|
Emanuel Cook |
SS |
|
|
Sean Smith |
CB/S |
|
|
Juaquin Iglesias |
WR |
|
|
Michael Hamlin |
S |
|
|
Matt Shaughnessy |
DT |
|
|
Emanuel Cook |
SS |
We have Emanuel Cook from South Carolina and Michael Hamlin from from Clemson in a run-off. My take from this unscientific sampling:
90% felt our primary need was defense.
70% thought our primary need was in the defensive backfield.
50% thought Safety was a primary need.
20% thought our primary need was along the D-line
Patrick Chung is the only name I recognize from some of the comments made on this site and I would be delighted to get him. The other names are just the opinions of other fans in regards to who would be the right player for the right position at the right time for the Cowboys and you know what they say about opinions.
Dan Reeves and the Cowboys, together again?
January 27, 2009
Chris Mortensen has a new “scoop” out. Considering how he did last week with the Mike Shanahan to KC deal, we’ll see how this one plays out. The word is Dan Reeves may be coming back to Dallas.
Former NFL coach Dan Reeves has been in discussions with the Dallas Cowboys about a consultant’s role, according to sources.
Reeves recently interviewed with the San Francisco 49ers about the offensive coordinator’s job but a 49ers source said Monday that Reeves informed them he likely would be taking a consultant position with the Cowboys.
Reeves and the Cowboys certainly have history, and Wade Phillips has history with Dan, Reeves’ son-in-law is newly-hired ST coach Joe DeCamillas. The Cowboys could use an authority figure around the Ranch. Not out of the question in my estimation.
We signed a couple of futures today.
The Cowboys signed two players to their futures list today — defensive tackle Tim Anderson and cornerback Michael Hawkins.
Anderson was a third-round pick out of Ohio State in 2004 whose last game action came in 2007 with the Falcons. That’s basically all I know about the 6-3, 325-pounder.
Hawkins was at Oklahoma and has a wild background according to the DMN blog.
Check out this Bradie James interview. Pretty amusing. He says firing Brian Stewart didn’t change anything and calls out Calvin Watkins and Ed Werder. Good times.
And the hits keep coming. T.O. is getting his own reality TV show. Please, make it stop. Somebody, stop it, I beg of you.
Jim Vance’s Rookie Post
January 26, 2009
My name is Jim Vance and I applied for and was chosen by Raf and Grizz as a front page contributor. I saw a few of you say some nice things about me on earlier posts and I thank you for those comments. I’m sure those comments weighed heavily in the decision.
I’m a grandfather of two beautiful little girls who live in Fort Worth, and my wife and I live on a small ranch just north of there. I have a BA in Management from St. Mary’s College of California and I work in the medical supply field and in real estate. I’ve been a Cowboys fan for a long time.
The Cowboys used to have a practice facility just off of the LBJ Freeway in North Dallas and it used to be open to the public. I have pics of my wife Donna standing next to Tom Landry while he was talking to Randy White and Larry Bethea on the practice field. I had the temerity to yell out, “Hey Coach” so I could get a good shot. He gave me this baleful gaze…. I took the picture but felt very uncomfortable.
We could barely afford our house payments back then but we managed to scrape up enough dough to get seasons tickets in the end zone. It was great! We’re big fans.
So, enough of the childhood memories…we are getting ready to enter a new era in the Cowboys’ story together, and I’m glad I have the chance to take part on Blogging The Boys. I plan to just tell you what I’m thinking about and see if it stimulates some conversations. I think it will. I hope so.
Thanks to Raf and Dave
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