Temperatures Soar In Morning Practice With Broncos
Mickey Spagnola - Email
DallasCowboys.com Columnist
IRVING, Texas - For the first time since the 2003 season the Dallas Cowboys practiced against another NFL team, meeting up with the Denver Broncos at The Ranch in the first of four scheduled practices over a two-day period.
And greeting the two teams for the morning practice was that nearly unbearable Texas summer heat, with the temperature near the end of practice reaching 97, but combined with an uncommonly high humidity, boosted the heat index to 105.
There wasn't a dry stitch of clothes out there, and after spending the first two weeks of training camp in the comfy confines of the Alamodome in San Antonio, Wednesday's Texas heat was a rude awakening for those unaccustomed to August weather in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Rookie fullback Deon Anderson, who grew up in the northeast, said he never faced anything like this.
"Back home it didn't feel like the devil was dancing on your face," Anderson said.
The rookie fullback said he lost nine pounds in the morning practice, and was starting to worry about keeping his weight on. He wants to play at 243, but has continually lost weight since camp has begun.
He's not the only one struggling with weight. Outside linebacker Junior Glymph said he lost 11 pounds in Wednesday morning's practice, and was contemplating getting an IV to replenish the fluids in his body for the afternoon practice.
And backup center Cory Procter spent a few minutes sitting in front of his locker after practice waiting for a cramp to subside in his groin area.
If this was tough on the Cowboys, this must have been a shock to the Broncos, who hold their training camp at their facility in Englewood, Colo.
"I think I lost 10 pounds today, it's that hot," said defensive end Ebenezer Ekuban, the Cowboys' 1999 first-round draft choice. "But we'll get used to it. By Saturday we'll be ready."
The two coaches, though, were glad to get a chance to work against another team, instead of having their own team have to facilitate every drill.
"We welcome Denver in with some nice cool weather," Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips said, tongue in cheek. "We got a lot of good work out of it. There wasn't any fighting . . . (probably) too hot to fight."
And Denver coach Mike Shanahan was glad to have his team working against someone else, even though the travel was a tad tough on the Broncos, who played a preseason game Monday night in San Francisco, returned to Denver for meetings on Tuesday and then departed Tuesday night for DFW.
"In your third week of two-a-days it's always nice to work against somebody else," Shanahan said. "You get a real good feel for your own personnel to go against somebody different, is a plus. And then to go against a different scheme, both offensively and defensively, I think helps both teams."
The two teams were scheduled to face each other again in the afternoon practice, beginning at 4:30 p.m. (CDT), though the session was expected to be a little short and lighter.
Quick Shots:
Cowboys kickers Martin Gramatica and Nick Folk each made three of their field goal attempts from 38, 40, 42 and 44 yards. Gramatica pushed his 40-yarder left, and Folk did the same from 44 yards.
Cowboys starting offensive tackles Flozell Adams and Marc Colombo were held out of the morning practice but will return for the afternoon session. Phillips has practiced both players only once a day following their return from arthroscopic knee surgery, and said he plans to do the same on Thursday.
Cowboys outside linebacker Greg Ellis continued his rehab work, trying to recover from the sore heel which has sidelined him since the first day of training camp. Ellis also continued to reiterate to reporters that he is not retiring, despite his frustration with his sore heel.
Former Cowboys Ebenezer Ekuban, Quincy Morgan and Steve Cargile all practiced with the Broncos on Wednesday. Former second-round pick Jacob Rogers missed practice with a knee injury.
Cowboys safety Keith Davis made a diving breakup of a pass intended for Broncos tight end Daniel Graham in team drills.
Who's Hot:
Cowboys outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware hasn't been blocked very much by his own team here in training camp this summer. But the Broncos offensive tackles didn't have much of an answer either. Ware routinely blew past his opponents, whether it was one-on-one drills or the team period.
Who's Not:
Broncos offensive tackle Jacob Rogers had a chance to show his former team just what kind of player he actually can be. Rogers, a second-round pick of the Cowboys in 2004, was released in training camp in 2005 amid continuous knee problems. But instead of proving himself for a few days here at practice, Rogers is hurt again, suffering from a right knee injury.
You Should've Seen:
During a team drill in the morning practice, Broncos cornerback Domonique Foxworth thought he had an interception in his grasp until Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens jumped over the corner and snatched the ball away from him for a spectacular completion from Tony Romo.
Injury Update:
OT Doug Free, sprained knee, 2-4 weeks (8/9)
CB Quincy Butler, pulled muscle - day-to-day (8/5)
WR Jamaica Rector, knee - day-to-day (7/31)
WR Terry Glenn, knee scope - 2 weeks (7/30)
DT Jason Hatcher, hamstring - day-to-day (7/30)
LB Greg Ellis, heel - day-to-day (7/25)
Missed Practice:
OT Flozell Adams (rest)
OT Marc Colombo (rest)
CB Quincy Butler (pulled muscle)
WR Jamaica Rector (knee)
WR Terry Glenn (knee scope)
DT Jason Hatcher (hamstring)
LB Greg Ellis (heel)
OT Doug Free (knee)
Returned to Practice:
(None)
Transactions:
P Sam Paulescu, signed (8/14)
G Steve Franklin, waived (8/9)
TE Andy Thorn, waived (8/8)
LB Khari Long, signed (8/3)
P Sam Paulescu, waived (8/3)
LT Pete Lougheed, signed (8/1)
RT Jim Molinaro, placed on IR (8/1)
QB Matt Baker, waived (7/26)
RT James Marten, signed (7/26)
LB Anthony Spencer, signed (7/26)
LT Flozell Adams, placed on active PUP (7/25)
RT Marc Colombo, placed on active PUP (7/25)
RB Alonzo Coleman, placed on active PUP (7/25)
WR Isaiah Stanback, placed on active/non-football injury (7/25)
WR Isaiah Stanback, signed (7/25)
G Doug Free, signed (7/25)
K Nick Folk, signed (7/25)
FB Deon Anderson, signed (7/25)
DB Courtney Brown, signed (7/25)
DB Alan Ball, signed (7/25)
Wade's Best:
"'I don't care what your contract says, if we don't win, we're getting fired.'" - Phillips recalling his first year in San Diego with his current defensive coordinator Brian Stewart and when the Chargers head coach Marty Schottenheimer told them in the very first meeting.
DallasCowboys.com Columnist
IRVING, Texas - For the first time since the 2003 season the Dallas Cowboys practiced against another NFL team, meeting up with the Denver Broncos at The Ranch in the first of four scheduled practices over a two-day period.
And greeting the two teams for the morning practice was that nearly unbearable Texas summer heat, with the temperature near the end of practice reaching 97, but combined with an uncommonly high humidity, boosted the heat index to 105.
There wasn't a dry stitch of clothes out there, and after spending the first two weeks of training camp in the comfy confines of the Alamodome in San Antonio, Wednesday's Texas heat was a rude awakening for those unaccustomed to August weather in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Rookie fullback Deon Anderson, who grew up in the northeast, said he never faced anything like this.
"Back home it didn't feel like the devil was dancing on your face," Anderson said.
The rookie fullback said he lost nine pounds in the morning practice, and was starting to worry about keeping his weight on. He wants to play at 243, but has continually lost weight since camp has begun.
He's not the only one struggling with weight. Outside linebacker Junior Glymph said he lost 11 pounds in Wednesday morning's practice, and was contemplating getting an IV to replenish the fluids in his body for the afternoon practice.
And backup center Cory Procter spent a few minutes sitting in front of his locker after practice waiting for a cramp to subside in his groin area.
If this was tough on the Cowboys, this must have been a shock to the Broncos, who hold their training camp at their facility in Englewood, Colo.
"I think I lost 10 pounds today, it's that hot," said defensive end Ebenezer Ekuban, the Cowboys' 1999 first-round draft choice. "But we'll get used to it. By Saturday we'll be ready."
The two coaches, though, were glad to get a chance to work against another team, instead of having their own team have to facilitate every drill.
"We welcome Denver in with some nice cool weather," Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips said, tongue in cheek. "We got a lot of good work out of it. There wasn't any fighting . . . (probably) too hot to fight."
And Denver coach Mike Shanahan was glad to have his team working against someone else, even though the travel was a tad tough on the Broncos, who played a preseason game Monday night in San Francisco, returned to Denver for meetings on Tuesday and then departed Tuesday night for DFW.
"In your third week of two-a-days it's always nice to work against somebody else," Shanahan said. "You get a real good feel for your own personnel to go against somebody different, is a plus. And then to go against a different scheme, both offensively and defensively, I think helps both teams."
The two teams were scheduled to face each other again in the afternoon practice, beginning at 4:30 p.m. (CDT), though the session was expected to be a little short and lighter.
Quick Shots:
Cowboys kickers Martin Gramatica and Nick Folk each made three of their field goal attempts from 38, 40, 42 and 44 yards. Gramatica pushed his 40-yarder left, and Folk did the same from 44 yards.
Cowboys starting offensive tackles Flozell Adams and Marc Colombo were held out of the morning practice but will return for the afternoon session. Phillips has practiced both players only once a day following their return from arthroscopic knee surgery, and said he plans to do the same on Thursday.
Cowboys outside linebacker Greg Ellis continued his rehab work, trying to recover from the sore heel which has sidelined him since the first day of training camp. Ellis also continued to reiterate to reporters that he is not retiring, despite his frustration with his sore heel.
Former Cowboys Ebenezer Ekuban, Quincy Morgan and Steve Cargile all practiced with the Broncos on Wednesday. Former second-round pick Jacob Rogers missed practice with a knee injury.
Cowboys safety Keith Davis made a diving breakup of a pass intended for Broncos tight end Daniel Graham in team drills.
Who's Hot:
Cowboys outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware hasn't been blocked very much by his own team here in training camp this summer. But the Broncos offensive tackles didn't have much of an answer either. Ware routinely blew past his opponents, whether it was one-on-one drills or the team period.
Who's Not:
Broncos offensive tackle Jacob Rogers had a chance to show his former team just what kind of player he actually can be. Rogers, a second-round pick of the Cowboys in 2004, was released in training camp in 2005 amid continuous knee problems. But instead of proving himself for a few days here at practice, Rogers is hurt again, suffering from a right knee injury.
You Should've Seen:
During a team drill in the morning practice, Broncos cornerback Domonique Foxworth thought he had an interception in his grasp until Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens jumped over the corner and snatched the ball away from him for a spectacular completion from Tony Romo.
Injury Update:
OT Doug Free, sprained knee, 2-4 weeks (8/9)
CB Quincy Butler, pulled muscle - day-to-day (8/5)
WR Jamaica Rector, knee - day-to-day (7/31)
WR Terry Glenn, knee scope - 2 weeks (7/30)
DT Jason Hatcher, hamstring - day-to-day (7/30)
LB Greg Ellis, heel - day-to-day (7/25)
Missed Practice:
OT Flozell Adams (rest)
OT Marc Colombo (rest)
CB Quincy Butler (pulled muscle)
WR Jamaica Rector (knee)
WR Terry Glenn (knee scope)
DT Jason Hatcher (hamstring)
LB Greg Ellis (heel)
OT Doug Free (knee)
Returned to Practice:
(None)
Transactions:
P Sam Paulescu, signed (8/14)
G Steve Franklin, waived (8/9)
TE Andy Thorn, waived (8/8)
LB Khari Long, signed (8/3)
P Sam Paulescu, waived (8/3)
LT Pete Lougheed, signed (8/1)
RT Jim Molinaro, placed on IR (8/1)
QB Matt Baker, waived (7/26)
RT James Marten, signed (7/26)
LB Anthony Spencer, signed (7/26)
LT Flozell Adams, placed on active PUP (7/25)
RT Marc Colombo, placed on active PUP (7/25)
RB Alonzo Coleman, placed on active PUP (7/25)
WR Isaiah Stanback, placed on active/non-football injury (7/25)
WR Isaiah Stanback, signed (7/25)
G Doug Free, signed (7/25)
K Nick Folk, signed (7/25)
FB Deon Anderson, signed (7/25)
DB Courtney Brown, signed (7/25)
DB Alan Ball, signed (7/25)
Wade's Best:
"'I don't care what your contract says, if we don't win, we're getting fired.'" - Phillips recalling his first year in San Diego with his current defensive coordinator Brian Stewart and when the Chargers head coach Marty Schottenheimer told them in the very first meeting.
posted by The Gryphon at 6:47 PM
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