Quick Hits: Keeping Target Off Owens
Mickey Spagnola - Email
DallasCowboys.com Columnist
September 7, 2007 6:30 PM
IRVING, Texas - Early in training camp, with Jason Garrett installing a new offense, the Cowboys talked about how Terrell Owens would be moved around, no longer a stationary target.
Sometimes Owens would be lined up left. Sometimes right. Sometimes in the slot. Sometimes heading in motion across the formation. Just anything to keep teams from easily double-teaming the Cowboys' top receiving threat.
That flexibility in the offense just might start paying dividends come in the Cowboys' season opener against the New York Giants Sunday night when fellow starting receiving Terry Glenn will be sidelined with a knee injury.
Without Glenn on the field, the Giants will have a bull's-eye on Owens, figuring if they take him out of the game they will shut down the Cowboys' passing game. Owens likely will face numerous double teams, with the Giants taking their chances on promoted starter Patrick Crayton and now third receiver Sam Hurd.
But moving Owens around might make it more difficult for the Giants to gear their defense toward last year's NFL leader in touchdown receptions.
"They will probably make us beat them with the other guys," Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips said. "But still, we'll move him around to get him more one-on-one (coverage)."
Pregame Emotion
The Cowboys will be making a special effort to call attention to the Ron Springs & Everson Walls Gifts For Life Foundation by honoring the two former Cowboys players in a ceremony before Sunday night's 7:15 p.m. (CDT) kickoff.
Walls donated one of his kidney's in the spring to Springs, his former teammate who was suffering badly from diabetes, having already had a foot amputated and had lost normal use of his hands. The two former players decided to capitalize on the notoriety they received following the operation to start an awareness campaign to help others in need of an organ donation.
Springs and Walls will participate in the pregame coin toss, wearing Cowboys jerseys, and 40,000 towels will be passed out to arriving fans at Texas Stadium, calling attention to living organ donations.
Short Shots
Knowing he will start for the first time in the team's regular-set offense after three years in the NFL, Cowboys wide receiver Patrick Crayton said, "No more star gazing. No more the, 'Uh-oh, I'm in the NFL.' It's going to be fun. I'm ready." . . . The Cowboys have lost six of their past seven season openers, only defeating San Diego, 28-24, to start the 2005 season . . . Giants starting wide receiver Plaxico Burress has not taken a live snap in a game since last season, having missed all four preseason games with an assortment of ailments, including a sprained ankle, the flu and lastly back spasms . . . And remember, the Giants other starting receiver, Amani Toomer missed the last eight games of last season after suffering a torn ACL.
DallasCowboys.com Columnist
September 7, 2007 6:30 PM
IRVING, Texas - Early in training camp, with Jason Garrett installing a new offense, the Cowboys talked about how Terrell Owens would be moved around, no longer a stationary target.
Sometimes Owens would be lined up left. Sometimes right. Sometimes in the slot. Sometimes heading in motion across the formation. Just anything to keep teams from easily double-teaming the Cowboys' top receiving threat.
That flexibility in the offense just might start paying dividends come in the Cowboys' season opener against the New York Giants Sunday night when fellow starting receiving Terry Glenn will be sidelined with a knee injury.
Without Glenn on the field, the Giants will have a bull's-eye on Owens, figuring if they take him out of the game they will shut down the Cowboys' passing game. Owens likely will face numerous double teams, with the Giants taking their chances on promoted starter Patrick Crayton and now third receiver Sam Hurd.
But moving Owens around might make it more difficult for the Giants to gear their defense toward last year's NFL leader in touchdown receptions.
"They will probably make us beat them with the other guys," Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips said. "But still, we'll move him around to get him more one-on-one (coverage)."
Pregame Emotion
The Cowboys will be making a special effort to call attention to the Ron Springs & Everson Walls Gifts For Life Foundation by honoring the two former Cowboys players in a ceremony before Sunday night's 7:15 p.m. (CDT) kickoff.
Walls donated one of his kidney's in the spring to Springs, his former teammate who was suffering badly from diabetes, having already had a foot amputated and had lost normal use of his hands. The two former players decided to capitalize on the notoriety they received following the operation to start an awareness campaign to help others in need of an organ donation.
Springs and Walls will participate in the pregame coin toss, wearing Cowboys jerseys, and 40,000 towels will be passed out to arriving fans at Texas Stadium, calling attention to living organ donations.
Short Shots
Knowing he will start for the first time in the team's regular-set offense after three years in the NFL, Cowboys wide receiver Patrick Crayton said, "No more star gazing. No more the, 'Uh-oh, I'm in the NFL.' It's going to be fun. I'm ready." . . . The Cowboys have lost six of their past seven season openers, only defeating San Diego, 28-24, to start the 2005 season . . . Giants starting wide receiver Plaxico Burress has not taken a live snap in a game since last season, having missed all four preseason games with an assortment of ailments, including a sprained ankle, the flu and lastly back spasms . . . And remember, the Giants other starting receiver, Amani Toomer missed the last eight games of last season after suffering a torn ACL.
posted by The Gryphon at 7:54 AM
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