T.O. will make Dallas a champion again
Michael David Smith /
FootballOutsiders.com
FoxSports
Posted: 7 hours ago
It would be easy to look at the Dallas Cowboys' decision to give a three-year, $25 million contract to the NFL's biggest malcontent, Terrell Owens, and ask, "What were they thinking?"
The answer is simple: They were thinking they want to win the Super Bowl. And signing Owens was a step in the right direction.
Because he acted like such a jerk in Philadelphia, it's tempting to overlook just how great a player Owens is. Before the Eagles decided that enough was enough, Owens was on pace for a phenomenal season last year. He caught 47 passes for 763 yards and six touchdowns in only seven games. Prorated to a 16-game season, that would have equaled 107 catches for 1,744 yards and 14 touchdowns. All three numbers would have led the league.
In his two years in Philadelphia, Owens played in 21 regular-season games and a Super Bowl. In those 22 games, he totaled 2,085 yards and 20 touchdowns. Steve Smith, generally regarded as the best receiver in football, has 2,065 yards and 16 touchdowns in his past 22 games.
Defensive coordinators will have a much harder time preparing for the Cowboys' offense in 2006 than in '05. Last year, passing game coordinator Sean Payton put together a decent attack with Keyshawn Johnson and Terry Glenn acting as Drew Bledsoe's primary options. But the inability to keep Bledsoe upright was the offense's undoing.
This year, with Payton in New Orleans and Bill Parcells taking on more of the offensive game planning, the Cowboys will use more maximum protection schemes; and with tight ends and running backs staying in to block, the wide receivers will draw tighter coverage. No receiver in football does a better job of fighting through blanket coverage than Owens.
Bledsoe has publicly endorsed Owens' arrival, saying he thinks it will make him a better quarterback. But as much as Bledsoe will benefit from Owens' presence, Glenn will benefit even more. Last year, with Johnson across the field from him, opposing defenses always shaded their safeties in Glenn's direction because Johnson, who was never much of a deep threat to begin with, has slowed noticeably and averaged a career-low 11.8 yards a catch. When the Cowboys released Johnson to make room for Owens, they instantly ensured that Glenn would no longer be the primary focus of the opposing defense.
And while it might sound crazy to say that Owens could be a positive influence on a young player, he could help the promising Patrick Crayton, who will be Dallas' third receiver this year. A seventh-round pick in 2004 who played quarterback in college, Crayton is just learning the receiver position — but he could make great strides by mimicking Owens' precise routes.
So there's not much question that Owens represents a significant upgrade for Dallas. The only question is whether his toxic personality will poison the locker room. Owens will never have the noble, dignified presence of Jerry Rice or Marvin Harrison, but there are a number of reasons to believe that Owens meant it when he turned to Jerry Jones at Saturday's press conference and said, "I know what's expected of me. I won't let you down."
For one, Owens knows he can't screw up again. If he does, no team will ever offer him close to what his Dallas deal will get him. He poisoned the Eagles because he wanted more money. Now that he has tasted free agency and determined that the Cowboys were offering him his fair market value, he won't have any reason to revisit last year's antics.
This might sound crazy, but another reason to believe Owens will do what's asked of him is that Drew Rosenhaus will be a helpful impact on Owens. Rosenhaus knows that the Cowboys represent his last chance to get three percent of a fat weekly paycheck. He'll urge Owens to keep quiet and do what Bill Parcells asks of him.
And the most important reason to trust that Owens will be on his best behavior is Parcells. As the head coach of four different teams, Parcells has always thrived with players who had great talent but also behavioral problems: Lawrence Taylor, who won two Super Bowl rings with Parcells as his coach on the New York Giants, is the most prominent example; but also remember that many people thought Parcells couldn't get along with Terry Glenn in New England or Keyshawn Johnson with the Jets. Parcells got along so well with both that he brought them to Dallas.
Parcells likes players who work hard, and there's no player in the NFL who stays in better shape than Owens. Even last year, when he spent all off-season saying he wanted out of Philadelphia, he showed up to training camp with a sculpted physique.
Some have criticized Owens for saying, "I'm not the one who got tired in the Super Bowl," presumably a reference to Donovan McNabb, who looked drained as the Eagles attempted to come from behind late in the fourth quarter. But Owens is absolutely right: He's not the one who got tired. Owens was in such great shape that he was the most impressive player on the field, despite having sat out the previous six weeks with a broken leg. Parcells loves players like that.
This is probably the last season before Bill Parcells rides off into the Canton sunset. Owens makes Parcells more likely to go out a champion.
FootballOutsiders.com
FoxSports
Posted: 7 hours ago
It would be easy to look at the Dallas Cowboys' decision to give a three-year, $25 million contract to the NFL's biggest malcontent, Terrell Owens, and ask, "What were they thinking?"
The answer is simple: They were thinking they want to win the Super Bowl. And signing Owens was a step in the right direction.
Because he acted like such a jerk in Philadelphia, it's tempting to overlook just how great a player Owens is. Before the Eagles decided that enough was enough, Owens was on pace for a phenomenal season last year. He caught 47 passes for 763 yards and six touchdowns in only seven games. Prorated to a 16-game season, that would have equaled 107 catches for 1,744 yards and 14 touchdowns. All three numbers would have led the league.
In his two years in Philadelphia, Owens played in 21 regular-season games and a Super Bowl. In those 22 games, he totaled 2,085 yards and 20 touchdowns. Steve Smith, generally regarded as the best receiver in football, has 2,065 yards and 16 touchdowns in his past 22 games.
Defensive coordinators will have a much harder time preparing for the Cowboys' offense in 2006 than in '05. Last year, passing game coordinator Sean Payton put together a decent attack with Keyshawn Johnson and Terry Glenn acting as Drew Bledsoe's primary options. But the inability to keep Bledsoe upright was the offense's undoing.
This year, with Payton in New Orleans and Bill Parcells taking on more of the offensive game planning, the Cowboys will use more maximum protection schemes; and with tight ends and running backs staying in to block, the wide receivers will draw tighter coverage. No receiver in football does a better job of fighting through blanket coverage than Owens.
Bledsoe has publicly endorsed Owens' arrival, saying he thinks it will make him a better quarterback. But as much as Bledsoe will benefit from Owens' presence, Glenn will benefit even more. Last year, with Johnson across the field from him, opposing defenses always shaded their safeties in Glenn's direction because Johnson, who was never much of a deep threat to begin with, has slowed noticeably and averaged a career-low 11.8 yards a catch. When the Cowboys released Johnson to make room for Owens, they instantly ensured that Glenn would no longer be the primary focus of the opposing defense.
And while it might sound crazy to say that Owens could be a positive influence on a young player, he could help the promising Patrick Crayton, who will be Dallas' third receiver this year. A seventh-round pick in 2004 who played quarterback in college, Crayton is just learning the receiver position — but he could make great strides by mimicking Owens' precise routes.
So there's not much question that Owens represents a significant upgrade for Dallas. The only question is whether his toxic personality will poison the locker room. Owens will never have the noble, dignified presence of Jerry Rice or Marvin Harrison, but there are a number of reasons to believe that Owens meant it when he turned to Jerry Jones at Saturday's press conference and said, "I know what's expected of me. I won't let you down."
For one, Owens knows he can't screw up again. If he does, no team will ever offer him close to what his Dallas deal will get him. He poisoned the Eagles because he wanted more money. Now that he has tasted free agency and determined that the Cowboys were offering him his fair market value, he won't have any reason to revisit last year's antics.
This might sound crazy, but another reason to believe Owens will do what's asked of him is that Drew Rosenhaus will be a helpful impact on Owens. Rosenhaus knows that the Cowboys represent his last chance to get three percent of a fat weekly paycheck. He'll urge Owens to keep quiet and do what Bill Parcells asks of him.
And the most important reason to trust that Owens will be on his best behavior is Parcells. As the head coach of four different teams, Parcells has always thrived with players who had great talent but also behavioral problems: Lawrence Taylor, who won two Super Bowl rings with Parcells as his coach on the New York Giants, is the most prominent example; but also remember that many people thought Parcells couldn't get along with Terry Glenn in New England or Keyshawn Johnson with the Jets. Parcells got along so well with both that he brought them to Dallas.
Parcells likes players who work hard, and there's no player in the NFL who stays in better shape than Owens. Even last year, when he spent all off-season saying he wanted out of Philadelphia, he showed up to training camp with a sculpted physique.
Some have criticized Owens for saying, "I'm not the one who got tired in the Super Bowl," presumably a reference to Donovan McNabb, who looked drained as the Eagles attempted to come from behind late in the fourth quarter. But Owens is absolutely right: He's not the one who got tired. Owens was in such great shape that he was the most impressive player on the field, despite having sat out the previous six weeks with a broken leg. Parcells loves players like that.
This is probably the last season before Bill Parcells rides off into the Canton sunset. Owens makes Parcells more likely to go out a champion.
posted by The Gryphon at 7:10 PM
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