Almost Starting From Scratch
by Mickey Spagnola
IRVING, Texas - Let the second half of the 2006 season begin as the Cowboys head out to Arizona for Sunday's 3:15 p.m. (CST) game against the Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium.
The Cowboys are 4-4, the first time they have stood 4-4 at the halfway point since 1999, and of course, they finished that second, and the last season under head coach Chan Gailey, 8-8. They did qualify for the playoffs that season as a wild-card team, but lost a first-round playoff game to Minnesota, 27-10.
So for the Cowboys, this is almost like starting over from scratch, or at least no better than they were before kicking off the season on Sept. 10 in Jacksonville, Fla.
"Yes, it's (like) 0-0," Cowboys Pro Bowl safety Roy Williams said. "We're 4-4, and either we're going to tank it or strive to do better."
And to "do better," the Cowboys obviously must cut down on the penalties, eliminate turnovers in key situations and reduce the number of big plays a defense generally playing awfully well is allowing.
Even Williams agrees.
"We have to have better concentration, better discipline, better judgment," Williams said.
Of the four teams starting off the 2005 season at 4-4, only New England went on to qualify for the playoffs.
Returns Wanted
Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells still wasn't ready to commit before practice on Friday as to who would be returning kickoffs for the Cowboys Sunday against Arizona.
Parcells seems to be leaning toward rookie wide receiver Austin Miles, who likely will be active since starting wideout Terry Glenn has been nursing a quad/knee injury since last Friday. Even if Glenn is able to play, Parcells can't be sure of how many snaps his veteran receiver will be able to take.
So chances are Austin will be active as an insurance policy, and since Parcells puts such a premium on getting a certain number of snaps from all his active players, he has been working Austin on kickoff returns this week.
The other two possible candidates would be Keylon Kincade and Marion Barber. Kincade figures to be the active third running back, taking the place of Tyson Thompson, whose fractured fibula suffered against Carolina is the cause of all this return concern. The Cowboys tried rookie Skyler Green last Sunday against Washington, but much of that had to do with Green serving as Thompson's replacement as the third active running back.
"We'll work the same as yesterday," said Parcells Friday of how he would practice his return guys.
New Digs
The Cowboys, in the process of building their own new stadium, will be checking out the Cardinals' new digs for the first time - University of Phoenix Stadium, complete with a retractable roof and a grass field that rests on a motorized tray that can wheel in and out of the new structure.
The Cardinals list their seating capacity at 63,400, and after four games, the record crowd is the 63,977 for Chicago, the Cards' last home game before embarking on a two-game road trip.
The Cowboys have always been a big attraction in Phoenix, Ariz., after the Cardinals moved from St. Louis in 1988, and played before the team's record crowd of 73,025 in 1993 at Sun Devil Stadium. Six times the Cowboys played before crowds of at least 70,000 at the spacious Sun Devil Stadium.
Feathered Cardinals
While it appears fairly certain Cardinals starting wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald will return after missing the past three games, fullback Obefemi Ayanbadejo has been downgraded to doubtful as of Friday.
Fitzgerald, who set a club record with 103 receptions last year, had missed the past three games with a sore hamstring. He has been able to practice all week, and while listed as probable, is expected to return to the starting lineup. Also improving this week is wide receiver/punt returner Troy Walters, who was listed as questionable earlier in the week after dislocating the little finger on his right hand. He has been upgraded to probable.
But Ayanbadejo has missed portions of team practice all week with a bruised fibula that kept him out of the last game, and now is unlikely to play. He is listed as the team's starting fullback, although he has yet to start a game since the Cardinals normally work out of a three-receiver set.
Short Shots
The Cardinals have had problems scoring points in the fourth quarter this year, tallying just 20 points - an average of just 2.5 a game. In fact, in the past give games, all they have to show is one Neil Rackers' field goal . . . And this statistic hasn't been any better at home. In the Cards' three home losses they have scored just seven total points in the fourth quarter and have converted just three-of-13 third-down opportunities . . .
It appears the Cowboys will stock their free safety position just as they did against Washington and Carolina, with Keith Davis starting, Marcus Coleman coming in on nickel downs and rookie Pat Watkins getting left behind . . . The Cowboys likely will continue using offensive tackle Jason Fabini as a blocking tight end when they want to go heavy in short-yardage or definite running situations. Fabini served in that capacity last Sunday against Washington for the first time . . .
The Cowboys have not played at Arizona since 2002, losing 9-6 in overtime after then starting quarterback Quincy Carter was intercepted four times and lost his starting job to Chad Hutchinson for the season following the game. The Cowboys also had a dropped hold by then-punter Micah Knorr on an extra point and Billy Cundiff came up short on a 49-yard field goal late in the game.
IRVING, Texas - Let the second half of the 2006 season begin as the Cowboys head out to Arizona for Sunday's 3:15 p.m. (CST) game against the Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium.
The Cowboys are 4-4, the first time they have stood 4-4 at the halfway point since 1999, and of course, they finished that second, and the last season under head coach Chan Gailey, 8-8. They did qualify for the playoffs that season as a wild-card team, but lost a first-round playoff game to Minnesota, 27-10.
So for the Cowboys, this is almost like starting over from scratch, or at least no better than they were before kicking off the season on Sept. 10 in Jacksonville, Fla.
"Yes, it's (like) 0-0," Cowboys Pro Bowl safety Roy Williams said. "We're 4-4, and either we're going to tank it or strive to do better."
And to "do better," the Cowboys obviously must cut down on the penalties, eliminate turnovers in key situations and reduce the number of big plays a defense generally playing awfully well is allowing.
Even Williams agrees.
"We have to have better concentration, better discipline, better judgment," Williams said.
Of the four teams starting off the 2005 season at 4-4, only New England went on to qualify for the playoffs.
Returns Wanted
Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells still wasn't ready to commit before practice on Friday as to who would be returning kickoffs for the Cowboys Sunday against Arizona.
Parcells seems to be leaning toward rookie wide receiver Austin Miles, who likely will be active since starting wideout Terry Glenn has been nursing a quad/knee injury since last Friday. Even if Glenn is able to play, Parcells can't be sure of how many snaps his veteran receiver will be able to take.
So chances are Austin will be active as an insurance policy, and since Parcells puts such a premium on getting a certain number of snaps from all his active players, he has been working Austin on kickoff returns this week.
The other two possible candidates would be Keylon Kincade and Marion Barber. Kincade figures to be the active third running back, taking the place of Tyson Thompson, whose fractured fibula suffered against Carolina is the cause of all this return concern. The Cowboys tried rookie Skyler Green last Sunday against Washington, but much of that had to do with Green serving as Thompson's replacement as the third active running back.
"We'll work the same as yesterday," said Parcells Friday of how he would practice his return guys.
New Digs
The Cowboys, in the process of building their own new stadium, will be checking out the Cardinals' new digs for the first time - University of Phoenix Stadium, complete with a retractable roof and a grass field that rests on a motorized tray that can wheel in and out of the new structure.
The Cardinals list their seating capacity at 63,400, and after four games, the record crowd is the 63,977 for Chicago, the Cards' last home game before embarking on a two-game road trip.
The Cowboys have always been a big attraction in Phoenix, Ariz., after the Cardinals moved from St. Louis in 1988, and played before the team's record crowd of 73,025 in 1993 at Sun Devil Stadium. Six times the Cowboys played before crowds of at least 70,000 at the spacious Sun Devil Stadium.
Feathered Cardinals
While it appears fairly certain Cardinals starting wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald will return after missing the past three games, fullback Obefemi Ayanbadejo has been downgraded to doubtful as of Friday.
Fitzgerald, who set a club record with 103 receptions last year, had missed the past three games with a sore hamstring. He has been able to practice all week, and while listed as probable, is expected to return to the starting lineup. Also improving this week is wide receiver/punt returner Troy Walters, who was listed as questionable earlier in the week after dislocating the little finger on his right hand. He has been upgraded to probable.
But Ayanbadejo has missed portions of team practice all week with a bruised fibula that kept him out of the last game, and now is unlikely to play. He is listed as the team's starting fullback, although he has yet to start a game since the Cardinals normally work out of a three-receiver set.
Short Shots
The Cardinals have had problems scoring points in the fourth quarter this year, tallying just 20 points - an average of just 2.5 a game. In fact, in the past give games, all they have to show is one Neil Rackers' field goal . . . And this statistic hasn't been any better at home. In the Cards' three home losses they have scored just seven total points in the fourth quarter and have converted just three-of-13 third-down opportunities . . .
It appears the Cowboys will stock their free safety position just as they did against Washington and Carolina, with Keith Davis starting, Marcus Coleman coming in on nickel downs and rookie Pat Watkins getting left behind . . . The Cowboys likely will continue using offensive tackle Jason Fabini as a blocking tight end when they want to go heavy in short-yardage or definite running situations. Fabini served in that capacity last Sunday against Washington for the first time . . .
The Cowboys have not played at Arizona since 2002, losing 9-6 in overtime after then starting quarterback Quincy Carter was intercepted four times and lost his starting job to Chad Hutchinson for the season following the game. The Cowboys also had a dropped hold by then-punter Micah Knorr on an extra point and Billy Cundiff came up short on a 49-yard field goal late in the game.
posted by The Gryphon at 8:12 AM
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