Tank Johnson ready for his Dallas Cowboys debut
By TODD ARCHER / The Dallas Morning News
tarcher@dallasnews.com
IRVING – Until Tank Johnson plays in a game for the Cowboys, he will remain silent.
But he had a message for coach Wade Phillips on Wednesday.
"He's excited," Phillips said. "At practice he said, 'I'm ready to go, Coach.' OK, you're going to be in there. You better be."
Johnson was activated off the suspended list to the 53-man roster Monday, but he has been able to practice the last two weeks. Johnson has not played since Super Bowl XLI with Chicago because of a suspension for violating the league's personal conduct policy.
He will be in the defensive line rotation Sunday at the New York Giants and will spell starting nose tackle Jay Ratliff. Phillips is not sure how much Johnson will play in the third-down defenses.
"It's more timing and him getting used to playing and getting off people and running to the ball and changing direction," Phillips said. "He's been out a while, but I've seen guys miss a preseason and come right back in."
Hoyte hopes to play: With Deon Anderson out for the year with a torn rotator cuff, Oliver Hoyte knows he is needed as the only fullback on the 53-man roster.
Hoyte has missed the last six games with a neck injury. While he was cleared to return last week, the Cowboys wanted him to regain more strength.
Phillips said Hoyte came out of some full-speed blocking drills without any problem and should play Sunday. If he has a setback, the Cowboys would use tight ends Jason Witten and Anthony Fasano at fullback
"At the time, my whole arm was dead," Hoyte said of the injury. "The only thing I could do was move my fingers. I just want to see if I can be available [on Sunday]."
Kick returner up in the air: Isaiah Stanback's stint as the kick returner could be a short one because of a shoulder injury, but that does not mean Tyson Thompson would automatically be the replacement.
Miles Austin could become the lead returner Sunday against the Giants with it "not looking good," that Stanback could play. Stanback's left shoulder popped out of place in last week's game against Philadelphia. He did not practice Wednesday.
Glenn update: Terry Glenn, who had two surgeries in six weeks on his right knee during the preseason, has not started to run, but Phillips is hopeful the veteran receiver will be able to return.
"It'll speed up once he starts running," Phillips said.
But Phillips isn't sure if Glenn will be able to begin running next week. Glenn had hoped for a November return.
"I just know where he is now, and he's rehabbing," Phillips said. "They say he's coming along all right, but it's going to be a slow process."
Giants making adjustments: After playing their last game in London against Miami on Oct. 21, Giants coach Tom Coughlin had his team practice Monday after having the bye week.
"If there was such a thing as an adjustment practice, we could take care of that before we got into Wednesday," Coughlin said.
The time off allowed receiver Plaxico Burress to rest his ankle, and he managed to go through a portion of individual drills during Wednesday's practice.
Briefly: CB Anthony Henry continued to work with the second team in Wednesday's practice, which is a sign he will play the same role in the substitute defensive package Sunday against New York. ... S Pat Watkins was limited during a portion of practice despite a bruised right ankle that knocked him out of Sunday's game at Philadelphia. Watkins said X-rays were negative. ... Having already reached the six-game limit for primetime kickoffs, the Cowboys cannot have any games affected by the NFL's flex scheduling. The Dec. 30 season finale at Washington could be moved back to 3:15 p.m. from noon.
tarcher@dallasnews.com
IRVING – Until Tank Johnson plays in a game for the Cowboys, he will remain silent.
But he had a message for coach Wade Phillips on Wednesday.
"He's excited," Phillips said. "At practice he said, 'I'm ready to go, Coach.' OK, you're going to be in there. You better be."
Johnson was activated off the suspended list to the 53-man roster Monday, but he has been able to practice the last two weeks. Johnson has not played since Super Bowl XLI with Chicago because of a suspension for violating the league's personal conduct policy.
He will be in the defensive line rotation Sunday at the New York Giants and will spell starting nose tackle Jay Ratliff. Phillips is not sure how much Johnson will play in the third-down defenses.
"It's more timing and him getting used to playing and getting off people and running to the ball and changing direction," Phillips said. "He's been out a while, but I've seen guys miss a preseason and come right back in."
Hoyte hopes to play: With Deon Anderson out for the year with a torn rotator cuff, Oliver Hoyte knows he is needed as the only fullback on the 53-man roster.
Hoyte has missed the last six games with a neck injury. While he was cleared to return last week, the Cowboys wanted him to regain more strength.
Phillips said Hoyte came out of some full-speed blocking drills without any problem and should play Sunday. If he has a setback, the Cowboys would use tight ends Jason Witten and Anthony Fasano at fullback
"At the time, my whole arm was dead," Hoyte said of the injury. "The only thing I could do was move my fingers. I just want to see if I can be available [on Sunday]."
Kick returner up in the air: Isaiah Stanback's stint as the kick returner could be a short one because of a shoulder injury, but that does not mean Tyson Thompson would automatically be the replacement.
Miles Austin could become the lead returner Sunday against the Giants with it "not looking good," that Stanback could play. Stanback's left shoulder popped out of place in last week's game against Philadelphia. He did not practice Wednesday.
Glenn update: Terry Glenn, who had two surgeries in six weeks on his right knee during the preseason, has not started to run, but Phillips is hopeful the veteran receiver will be able to return.
"It'll speed up once he starts running," Phillips said.
But Phillips isn't sure if Glenn will be able to begin running next week. Glenn had hoped for a November return.
"I just know where he is now, and he's rehabbing," Phillips said. "They say he's coming along all right, but it's going to be a slow process."
Giants making adjustments: After playing their last game in London against Miami on Oct. 21, Giants coach Tom Coughlin had his team practice Monday after having the bye week.
"If there was such a thing as an adjustment practice, we could take care of that before we got into Wednesday," Coughlin said.
The time off allowed receiver Plaxico Burress to rest his ankle, and he managed to go through a portion of individual drills during Wednesday's practice.
Briefly: CB Anthony Henry continued to work with the second team in Wednesday's practice, which is a sign he will play the same role in the substitute defensive package Sunday against New York. ... S Pat Watkins was limited during a portion of practice despite a bruised right ankle that knocked him out of Sunday's game at Philadelphia. Watkins said X-rays were negative. ... Having already reached the six-game limit for primetime kickoffs, the Cowboys cannot have any games affected by the NFL's flex scheduling. The Dec. 30 season finale at Washington could be moved back to 3:15 p.m. from noon.
posted by The Gryphon at 9:54 PM
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