Dallas Cowboys defense is ready for the Packers
by JJT
Newman, others want message to be loud and clear for Favre, Green Bay
12:28 AM CST on Friday, November 23, 2007
IRVING – Every year, Jerry Jones asks a few other teams to rank the top 30 players on his roster, while the Cowboys do the same for them.
The idea is to get an unbiased opinion of the team's talent base.
Every time, Terence Newman is ranked as the Cowboys' best player or second-best player.
On a Thanksgiving Day that he'll remember long after his hair has turned gray and he's relaxing in a La-Z-Boy watching the games instead of playing, Newman showed why other teams respect him.
Newman's 50-yard interception return for a touchdown propelled the Cowboys to a 34-3 victory over the hapless New York Jets and set up a showdown against Green Bay and future Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre.
The Patriots' game was huge. This is bigger. Way bigger.
Big Tex big. Texas Toast big. Leonard Davis big.
Do you understand yet? This is for home-field advantage in the NFC and the opportunity to host the championship game, if everything works out for both teams.
Newman's interception return showed opposing offensive coordinators and quarterbacks why it's much better to mess with Jacques Reeves and Anthony Henry than No. 41.
Henry and Reeves are good. Newman is special.
At times, though, it has been difficult to tell because a partial tear of his plantar fascia, and a bout of patellar tendonitis has nagged him all season.
Newman has been OK. For most players, that would be good enough. But Newman strives for greatness.
He thought he might finally achieve it this season. See, he figured this was his year.
You can't really blame him. After all, he's 29, so his intelligence and experience have finally caught up to his athletic ability.
That's why this season has frustrated him so much.
When Newman returned to the lineup in Week 3 in a limited role, he played tentatively based on the standard he has established. Just a few days ago, he talked about managing his frustration level because he's had to accept playing hurt.
"It makes me mad," Newman said.
Each week, though, he feels a little better. And he plays a little better. Now, he's making plays.
That's the difference between an elite cornerback and a good one. Every cornerback gives up a catch here or there, but the best ones make you pay, if you throw too many passes in their direction.
Last week, Newman made a key fourth quarter interception in the final two minutes to preserve an important 28-23 win over Washington.
Against the Jets, he anticipated a third-down out route directed at Jerricho Cotchery and intercepted the pass, returning it for a touchdown as the Cowboys took a 21-0 lead.
Anyone who's watched the Jets' offense this season knew what Newman's play meant: game over.
"[Secondary coach] Todd Bowles is always preaching about jumping routes and taking chances when the opportunity arises. I finally took one today," Newman said. "Coach gave me the green light to feel comfortable, so I did it. You have to time it right and you have to play it smart."
Like their head coach, Newman and too many of his defensive teammates are way too sensitive to criticism.
They can't figure out why folks criticized them after the Redskins' Jason Campbell – yes, Jason Campbell – torched them for 348 yards last week. After all, it's one thing for Tom Brady to throw five touchdown passes against Dallas, but quite another for Campbell to shred the pass defense.
The standard is high for this defense because Jones has used six first-round picks on defensive players since 2002. He has spent a chunk of his family fortune to add free agents like Henry, Jason Ferguson and Akin Ayodele, while re-signing Roy Williams and Bradie James to lucrative extensions.
This defense is supposed to be good.
So when it doesn't perform to the standard the players say they want to be held to, then they deserve to be questioned.
If they don't like it, too bad.
That said, Newman's re-emergence as a difference-maker couldn't come at a better time because Green Bay has one of the NFL's best passing offenses. Like New England, the Packers have no interest in running the ball.
Favre has passed for more than 300 yards seven times this season with a bunch of anonymous receivers other than Donald Driver.
When Newman is at his best, the Cowboys' defense has the ability to dominate like it did against the Jets, holding New York to 180 yards and nine first downs.
"All of a sudden," said Jones, "Terence gave just a little reminder – the kind you saw with Deion [Sanders] – about the kind of impact player he is."
Favre has been warned.
Newman, others want message to be loud and clear for Favre, Green Bay
12:28 AM CST on Friday, November 23, 2007
IRVING – Every year, Jerry Jones asks a few other teams to rank the top 30 players on his roster, while the Cowboys do the same for them.
The idea is to get an unbiased opinion of the team's talent base.
Every time, Terence Newman is ranked as the Cowboys' best player or second-best player.
On a Thanksgiving Day that he'll remember long after his hair has turned gray and he's relaxing in a La-Z-Boy watching the games instead of playing, Newman showed why other teams respect him.
Newman's 50-yard interception return for a touchdown propelled the Cowboys to a 34-3 victory over the hapless New York Jets and set up a showdown against Green Bay and future Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre.
The Patriots' game was huge. This is bigger. Way bigger.
Big Tex big. Texas Toast big. Leonard Davis big.
Do you understand yet? This is for home-field advantage in the NFC and the opportunity to host the championship game, if everything works out for both teams.
Newman's interception return showed opposing offensive coordinators and quarterbacks why it's much better to mess with Jacques Reeves and Anthony Henry than No. 41.
Henry and Reeves are good. Newman is special.
At times, though, it has been difficult to tell because a partial tear of his plantar fascia, and a bout of patellar tendonitis has nagged him all season.
Newman has been OK. For most players, that would be good enough. But Newman strives for greatness.
He thought he might finally achieve it this season. See, he figured this was his year.
You can't really blame him. After all, he's 29, so his intelligence and experience have finally caught up to his athletic ability.
That's why this season has frustrated him so much.
When Newman returned to the lineup in Week 3 in a limited role, he played tentatively based on the standard he has established. Just a few days ago, he talked about managing his frustration level because he's had to accept playing hurt.
"It makes me mad," Newman said.
Each week, though, he feels a little better. And he plays a little better. Now, he's making plays.
That's the difference between an elite cornerback and a good one. Every cornerback gives up a catch here or there, but the best ones make you pay, if you throw too many passes in their direction.
Last week, Newman made a key fourth quarter interception in the final two minutes to preserve an important 28-23 win over Washington.
Against the Jets, he anticipated a third-down out route directed at Jerricho Cotchery and intercepted the pass, returning it for a touchdown as the Cowboys took a 21-0 lead.
Anyone who's watched the Jets' offense this season knew what Newman's play meant: game over.
"[Secondary coach] Todd Bowles is always preaching about jumping routes and taking chances when the opportunity arises. I finally took one today," Newman said. "Coach gave me the green light to feel comfortable, so I did it. You have to time it right and you have to play it smart."
Like their head coach, Newman and too many of his defensive teammates are way too sensitive to criticism.
They can't figure out why folks criticized them after the Redskins' Jason Campbell – yes, Jason Campbell – torched them for 348 yards last week. After all, it's one thing for Tom Brady to throw five touchdown passes against Dallas, but quite another for Campbell to shred the pass defense.
The standard is high for this defense because Jones has used six first-round picks on defensive players since 2002. He has spent a chunk of his family fortune to add free agents like Henry, Jason Ferguson and Akin Ayodele, while re-signing Roy Williams and Bradie James to lucrative extensions.
This defense is supposed to be good.
So when it doesn't perform to the standard the players say they want to be held to, then they deserve to be questioned.
If they don't like it, too bad.
That said, Newman's re-emergence as a difference-maker couldn't come at a better time because Green Bay has one of the NFL's best passing offenses. Like New England, the Packers have no interest in running the ball.
Favre has passed for more than 300 yards seven times this season with a bunch of anonymous receivers other than Donald Driver.
When Newman is at his best, the Cowboys' defense has the ability to dominate like it did against the Jets, holding New York to 180 yards and nine first downs.
"All of a sudden," said Jones, "Terence gave just a little reminder – the kind you saw with Deion [Sanders] – about the kind of impact player he is."
Favre has been warned.
posted by The Gryphon at 8:07 AM
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