Dallas Cowboys Team Report
Cowboys Team Report
2/3/2006
By Jean-Jacques Taylor
Dallas Morning News
The Cowboys' defense, significantly improved over 2004 season, needs to improve its impact plays to become an elite defense. Though Dallas ranked 10th in the NFL in yards allowed and gave up an average of 19.25 points per game, the Cowboys generated only 37 sacks, 15 interceptions and 11 fumble recoveries. Part of the reason is defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer rarely stunted with the defensive line and only blitzed rookie linebacker DeMarcus Ware, a pass-rushing specialist, about 50 percent of the time. Coach Bill Parcells doesn't like blitzing because it creates big-play opportunities for the opposition, but there's a fine line between blitzing enough to wreak havoc and compromising the defense. . . .
Dallas is sending receiver Tom Crowter, who has spent a portion of the past two seasons on the practice squad, to NFL Europe to gauge his improvement. Crowter played primarily on special teams at Arkansas, but he has excellent speed so the Cowboys have tried him at receiver. He has inconsistent hands and runs average routes, but his speed is an asset. Dallas will be looking for him to make progress, but for him to make the roster he must improve as a special teams player. In preseason, he was often the first player down the field on punt and kickoff coverage, but he struggles with tackling. He does a poor job of breaking down and controlling his body, which would put him in position to make a tackle. Instead, he's usually off-balance and easily avoided. . . .
In the next month, the Cowboys will ask guard Larry Allen to restructure his contract. The 10-time Pro Bowl performer is scheduled to count more than $7 million against the club's salary cap next season. He earned another Pro Bowl berth this season, but he struggles to make blocks in space and at the second level. As his athleticism wanes, Allen is a good player but no longer consistently dominates.
SOMETHING TO PROVE: Safety Keith Davis has to prove he can be a playmaker on defense the way he is on special teams. Davis started 16 games last season but generated just one fumble recovery. As the free safety playing alongside run stopper Roy Williams, he must do a better job in pass defense. The Cowboys need him to be a ballhawk and create turnovers. Davis made significant improvement last season, but he still gets too emotional at times, which causes him to lose focus and gives the offense an opportunity to make big plays. He's a hard-hitting, aggressive player, and there's a role for him on the team but the Cowboys aren't sure if it's as a starter or a key backup.
2/3/2006
By Jean-Jacques Taylor
Dallas Morning News
The Cowboys' defense, significantly improved over 2004 season, needs to improve its impact plays to become an elite defense. Though Dallas ranked 10th in the NFL in yards allowed and gave up an average of 19.25 points per game, the Cowboys generated only 37 sacks, 15 interceptions and 11 fumble recoveries. Part of the reason is defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer rarely stunted with the defensive line and only blitzed rookie linebacker DeMarcus Ware, a pass-rushing specialist, about 50 percent of the time. Coach Bill Parcells doesn't like blitzing because it creates big-play opportunities for the opposition, but there's a fine line between blitzing enough to wreak havoc and compromising the defense. . . .
Dallas is sending receiver Tom Crowter, who has spent a portion of the past two seasons on the practice squad, to NFL Europe to gauge his improvement. Crowter played primarily on special teams at Arkansas, but he has excellent speed so the Cowboys have tried him at receiver. He has inconsistent hands and runs average routes, but his speed is an asset. Dallas will be looking for him to make progress, but for him to make the roster he must improve as a special teams player. In preseason, he was often the first player down the field on punt and kickoff coverage, but he struggles with tackling. He does a poor job of breaking down and controlling his body, which would put him in position to make a tackle. Instead, he's usually off-balance and easily avoided. . . .
In the next month, the Cowboys will ask guard Larry Allen to restructure his contract. The 10-time Pro Bowl performer is scheduled to count more than $7 million against the club's salary cap next season. He earned another Pro Bowl berth this season, but he struggles to make blocks in space and at the second level. As his athleticism wanes, Allen is a good player but no longer consistently dominates.
SOMETHING TO PROVE: Safety Keith Davis has to prove he can be a playmaker on defense the way he is on special teams. Davis started 16 games last season but generated just one fumble recovery. As the free safety playing alongside run stopper Roy Williams, he must do a better job in pass defense. The Cowboys need him to be a ballhawk and create turnovers. Davis made significant improvement last season, but he still gets too emotional at times, which causes him to lose focus and gives the offense an opportunity to make big plays. He's a hard-hitting, aggressive player, and there's a role for him on the team but the Cowboys aren't sure if it's as a starter or a key backup.
posted by The Gryphon at 7:49 PM
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