The 'Boys Are Back!
After three mediocre seasons, Parcells appears to have all the pieces to make Dallas a championship contender
By Bob Buttitta, bbuttitta@VenturaCountyStar.com
July 23, 2006
Over the last few years, Dallas Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells was a man trying to put together a puzzle without having the right pieces needed to complete the picture.
Parcells has a reputation for getting the most out of even marginal talent, but even his magic wasn't enough to propel the Cowboys back among the game's elite over the last few years.
That doesn't figure to be the case in 2006. As the Cowboys roll into Oxnard this week for the start of training camp and their preparations for the 2006 season, many experts believe they have the talent not only to win the NFC East but possibly even the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Thanks to back-to-back strong drafts and owner Jerry Jones' willingness to spend money to acquire the missing pieces to the puzzle, Dallas looks like it should be strong in all phases of the game this season.
Like a poker player hoping not to tip his hand, Parcells is coy when asked whether his team should be the favorite to win the NFC East.
"This division is heating up," Parcells said. "I think everybody is improved. I don't think there's a hands-down favorite."
While Parcells isn't willing to call the Cowboys the favorites, many publications and experts are.
ESPN analysts Mike Golic and Tom Jackson both said they consider Dallas the team to beat in the NFC East.
Preseason publications from Sporting News, Street & Smith, and Athlon chose the Cowboys to win the NFC East. While no publication picks Dallas to win the Super Bowl, most acknowledge if all the puzzle pieces mesh together, they puzzle pieces mesh together, they have the potential to reach the big game.
Among all the moves that Cowboys have made in the last few years to try and build a championship team, none was bigger or more widely scrutinized than the signing of controversial wide receiver Terrell Owens.
Owens is the most talented receiver to put on a Dallas uniform since Michael Irvin retired, and there are many who feel when Owens is focused on playing football, he's the best receiver in the game.
The problem in the past for Owens is his ego and desire to be the focus of attention has caused friction with teammates, ultimately leading to his release.
"... It's fair to speculate that he's (Parcells) gearing up for one last run at the big shiny silver trophy," said SI.com pro football writer Don Banks. "We're not buying into the idea that Terrell Owens is the final piece of the puzzle in Dallas, but that doesn't mean his addition won't be a huge upgrade for the passing game.
"It's worth noting that Parcells has yet to endure three consecutive non-playoff seasons."
While he's already grown tired of answering questions about Owens, Parcells acknowledges the impact Owens can have on the Dallas offense this season.
"He gives us speed outside. He's certainly going to command attention," Parcells said. "I think that will be good for Jason Witten and Terry Glenn as well. It's tough to cover them all."
Cowboys quarterback Drew Bledsoe is taking an attitude of what happened in the past has no bearing on today and he says teammates have welcomed Owens with open arms.
"What's past is past," Bledsoe told reporters after a mini-camp session. "He's an explosive, powerful receiver who runs good routes and catches the ball well.
"His impact is going to be felt not only in his production but also in the production of the other people on the field."
The other big free-agent signing was kicker Mike Vanderjagt, who has a chance to make even a bigger impact than Owens.
Dallas lost three games by three points or less and the three kickers they used were a combined 20 of 28 on field goals with four misses of less than 40 yards.
Vanderjagt was a model of consistency with the Indianapolis Colts, so his presence is a huge boost to the Cowboys' chances of winning close games.
"I think we have a chance to have a better field-goal situation," Parcells said. "That would be the understatement."
While the signing of Owens and Vanderjagt give the Cowboys more ways to score points, most experts believe the key to offensive success this season will come from an improved offensive line.
After seeing Bledsoe harassed all of last season, the Cowboys made moves to shore things up in front.
They added free agent Jason Fabini, who will compete with 2005 sixth-round pick Rob Petitti for the starting right tackle spot. Petitti struggled in his rookie season and was a big part of Dallas' pass-protection problems.
Left tackle Flozell Adams, who was lost with a knee injury last season, is back healthy. The interior of the offensive line should also be improved with the addition of Kyle Kosier to compete for the starting left guard spot with Andre Gurode.
"Even though they did not go out and get any big-name players, the Cowboys definitely improved the offensive line," said Jeremy Green, director of pro scouting for Scouts Inc. "Dallas had a solid group last season, but when injuries started piling up, the team ran into trouble. Now with more depth, the Cowboys will be able to weather the storm should injuries start piling up again."
Parcells is optimistic the changes will pay dividends up front.
"Hopefully we will be all right. I don't know." Parcells said. "Everybody in the league except for about one or two teams are worried about that same thing."
"Petitti will be a lot better player this year. He is physically so superior to what he was last year at this time. I don't think Fabini will give up 15 sacks (the number Petitti gave up in 2005) if I put him in there and turned him around backward."
Perhaps the biggest key to a possible Super Bowl run will be the ever-improving defense.
Last season, Parcells started the transition away from a 4-3 scheme and into a 3-4 defense which Parcells has favored throughout his coaching career.
Len Pasquarelli, a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com., said that Parcells has completed the overhaul thanks in large part to the Cowboys' two most recent draft classes.
"There are a lot of ways a team can remake a unit over time and Parcells has basically utilized all of them," Pasquarelli wrote. "... More than any other acquisition mechanism, however, Parcells has used the draft to get the right kind of players into place for the 3-4, to add youth to the defense, and to create a potentially deep unit for the long term."
Last year's top two picks, DeMarcus Ware and Marcus Spears both played extensive minutes and both played well. Ware was spectacular at times, drawing comparisons to a young Lawrence Taylor.
The team solidified its linebacking corps in this year's draft by selecting Bobby Carpenter from Ohio State.
"He's a real pure linebacker," Parcells said. "You could see him do everything you wanted to see."
With Roy Williams and Terrence Newman heading up a secondary with all four starters returning, the defense may steal the offense's thunder.
"Defensively, this is a good group that will only get better," Horton said. "It is young and active."
The only down side for local fans is that this will be the last time the team trains in Oxnard.
Starting next season they will hold training camp in San Antonio.
While the city would have loved to see the team return in coming years, Janet Sederquist, president and CEO of the Oxnard Convention and Visitors Bureau, said it's not a huge blow to the local economy.
"The summer is our peak season in the county," Sederquist said. "We are a coastal destination, so we are always at a relatively high occupancy during the summer. The Cowboys being here was just a bonus. It was like frosting on the cake."
According to a study done by the Visitors and Convention Bureau, it's estimated that fans visiting the camp spent about $4.9 million locally during the team's 2004 stay.
"... Overall the economic impact (of the team training here) has been very positive," Sederquist said. "But as we go into next summer, we look to have another good summer. We have two more hotels coming on line and the redevelopment at the harbor is helping, So we don't anticipate a huge fall next year even though they are moving on."
Because the site the Cowboys use for training is slated for another development project, Sederquist said it's doubtful the city will go looking for another pro football team to train.
However, with the Big League Dreams Sports Complex being built at College Park, Sederquist said the city may look to attract amateur sports teams and tournaments to the city.
For example, a large youth soccer tournament which runs for three or four days can generate significant income.
While the economic loss isn't a severe blow to the city, Sederquist said she's sorry to see the team go.
"It's been great working with the Cowboys," she said. "They are a first-class organization all the way around.
"It's been great for Oxnard getting national network coverage for three years. The exposure has been priceless. It's been a win-win all the way around. We're sorry to see them go."
By Bob Buttitta, bbuttitta@VenturaCountyStar.com
July 23, 2006
Over the last few years, Dallas Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells was a man trying to put together a puzzle without having the right pieces needed to complete the picture.
Parcells has a reputation for getting the most out of even marginal talent, but even his magic wasn't enough to propel the Cowboys back among the game's elite over the last few years.
That doesn't figure to be the case in 2006. As the Cowboys roll into Oxnard this week for the start of training camp and their preparations for the 2006 season, many experts believe they have the talent not only to win the NFC East but possibly even the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Thanks to back-to-back strong drafts and owner Jerry Jones' willingness to spend money to acquire the missing pieces to the puzzle, Dallas looks like it should be strong in all phases of the game this season.
Like a poker player hoping not to tip his hand, Parcells is coy when asked whether his team should be the favorite to win the NFC East.
"This division is heating up," Parcells said. "I think everybody is improved. I don't think there's a hands-down favorite."
While Parcells isn't willing to call the Cowboys the favorites, many publications and experts are.
ESPN analysts Mike Golic and Tom Jackson both said they consider Dallas the team to beat in the NFC East.
Preseason publications from Sporting News, Street & Smith, and Athlon chose the Cowboys to win the NFC East. While no publication picks Dallas to win the Super Bowl, most acknowledge if all the puzzle pieces mesh together, they puzzle pieces mesh together, they have the potential to reach the big game.
Among all the moves that Cowboys have made in the last few years to try and build a championship team, none was bigger or more widely scrutinized than the signing of controversial wide receiver Terrell Owens.
Owens is the most talented receiver to put on a Dallas uniform since Michael Irvin retired, and there are many who feel when Owens is focused on playing football, he's the best receiver in the game.
The problem in the past for Owens is his ego and desire to be the focus of attention has caused friction with teammates, ultimately leading to his release.
"... It's fair to speculate that he's (Parcells) gearing up for one last run at the big shiny silver trophy," said SI.com pro football writer Don Banks. "We're not buying into the idea that Terrell Owens is the final piece of the puzzle in Dallas, but that doesn't mean his addition won't be a huge upgrade for the passing game.
"It's worth noting that Parcells has yet to endure three consecutive non-playoff seasons."
While he's already grown tired of answering questions about Owens, Parcells acknowledges the impact Owens can have on the Dallas offense this season.
"He gives us speed outside. He's certainly going to command attention," Parcells said. "I think that will be good for Jason Witten and Terry Glenn as well. It's tough to cover them all."
Cowboys quarterback Drew Bledsoe is taking an attitude of what happened in the past has no bearing on today and he says teammates have welcomed Owens with open arms.
"What's past is past," Bledsoe told reporters after a mini-camp session. "He's an explosive, powerful receiver who runs good routes and catches the ball well.
"His impact is going to be felt not only in his production but also in the production of the other people on the field."
The other big free-agent signing was kicker Mike Vanderjagt, who has a chance to make even a bigger impact than Owens.
Dallas lost three games by three points or less and the three kickers they used were a combined 20 of 28 on field goals with four misses of less than 40 yards.
Vanderjagt was a model of consistency with the Indianapolis Colts, so his presence is a huge boost to the Cowboys' chances of winning close games.
"I think we have a chance to have a better field-goal situation," Parcells said. "That would be the understatement."
While the signing of Owens and Vanderjagt give the Cowboys more ways to score points, most experts believe the key to offensive success this season will come from an improved offensive line.
After seeing Bledsoe harassed all of last season, the Cowboys made moves to shore things up in front.
They added free agent Jason Fabini, who will compete with 2005 sixth-round pick Rob Petitti for the starting right tackle spot. Petitti struggled in his rookie season and was a big part of Dallas' pass-protection problems.
Left tackle Flozell Adams, who was lost with a knee injury last season, is back healthy. The interior of the offensive line should also be improved with the addition of Kyle Kosier to compete for the starting left guard spot with Andre Gurode.
"Even though they did not go out and get any big-name players, the Cowboys definitely improved the offensive line," said Jeremy Green, director of pro scouting for Scouts Inc. "Dallas had a solid group last season, but when injuries started piling up, the team ran into trouble. Now with more depth, the Cowboys will be able to weather the storm should injuries start piling up again."
Parcells is optimistic the changes will pay dividends up front.
"Hopefully we will be all right. I don't know." Parcells said. "Everybody in the league except for about one or two teams are worried about that same thing."
"Petitti will be a lot better player this year. He is physically so superior to what he was last year at this time. I don't think Fabini will give up 15 sacks (the number Petitti gave up in 2005) if I put him in there and turned him around backward."
Perhaps the biggest key to a possible Super Bowl run will be the ever-improving defense.
Last season, Parcells started the transition away from a 4-3 scheme and into a 3-4 defense which Parcells has favored throughout his coaching career.
Len Pasquarelli, a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com., said that Parcells has completed the overhaul thanks in large part to the Cowboys' two most recent draft classes.
"There are a lot of ways a team can remake a unit over time and Parcells has basically utilized all of them," Pasquarelli wrote. "... More than any other acquisition mechanism, however, Parcells has used the draft to get the right kind of players into place for the 3-4, to add youth to the defense, and to create a potentially deep unit for the long term."
Last year's top two picks, DeMarcus Ware and Marcus Spears both played extensive minutes and both played well. Ware was spectacular at times, drawing comparisons to a young Lawrence Taylor.
The team solidified its linebacking corps in this year's draft by selecting Bobby Carpenter from Ohio State.
"He's a real pure linebacker," Parcells said. "You could see him do everything you wanted to see."
With Roy Williams and Terrence Newman heading up a secondary with all four starters returning, the defense may steal the offense's thunder.
"Defensively, this is a good group that will only get better," Horton said. "It is young and active."
The only down side for local fans is that this will be the last time the team trains in Oxnard.
Starting next season they will hold training camp in San Antonio.
While the city would have loved to see the team return in coming years, Janet Sederquist, president and CEO of the Oxnard Convention and Visitors Bureau, said it's not a huge blow to the local economy.
"The summer is our peak season in the county," Sederquist said. "We are a coastal destination, so we are always at a relatively high occupancy during the summer. The Cowboys being here was just a bonus. It was like frosting on the cake."
According to a study done by the Visitors and Convention Bureau, it's estimated that fans visiting the camp spent about $4.9 million locally during the team's 2004 stay.
"... Overall the economic impact (of the team training here) has been very positive," Sederquist said. "But as we go into next summer, we look to have another good summer. We have two more hotels coming on line and the redevelopment at the harbor is helping, So we don't anticipate a huge fall next year even though they are moving on."
Because the site the Cowboys use for training is slated for another development project, Sederquist said it's doubtful the city will go looking for another pro football team to train.
However, with the Big League Dreams Sports Complex being built at College Park, Sederquist said the city may look to attract amateur sports teams and tournaments to the city.
For example, a large youth soccer tournament which runs for three or four days can generate significant income.
While the economic loss isn't a severe blow to the city, Sederquist said she's sorry to see the team go.
"It's been great working with the Cowboys," she said. "They are a first-class organization all the way around.
"It's been great for Oxnard getting national network coverage for three years. The exposure has been priceless. It's been a win-win all the way around. We're sorry to see them go."
posted by The Gryphon at 7:13 PM
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