Mailbag:How Can The Cowboys Regroup Against Philly
DallasCowboys.com Report
June 29, 2009 5:54 PM
DAN JORDAN, PHILADELPHIA, PA As a die-hard Cowboys fan living in Philly, I have to know, how do the Cowboys go about beating the Eagles next year after the 44-6 season ending loss last December?
Josh: They don't play again until November, and plenty of things will happen between now and then to put 44-6 out of the Cowboys' minds. But let's talk about Jan. 3, 2010, this season's finale. If it's a do-or-die game again, and it certainly could shake out that way because of how stacked the division is, last season's blowout could be a tough memory to repress. At least the Cowboys would have the home field this time. On paper, the teams are about equal. It's just about who shows up.
Rob: Hmm . . . outplay them? Same thing they did in Week 2 against the Eagles last year -- execute and play smart football. Look, last year's finale was a disaster, no question. But this is a new season and quite frankly, there's little difference between these two teams on paper. Both are very talented, and I think both can win at least 10 games. It comes down to who's healthy, focused and sharp. Just can't see "44-6" being a mental hurdle for the Cowboys by the time Nov. 8 rolls around.
Nick: Eliminate 80-yard fumble returns for touchdowns. Run the right routes. Don't turn the ball over. Keep your quarterback on his feet. Don't rely on Jason Witten to complete your longest pass of the day. And keep Felix and Marion healthy. With all that, you might have a chance.
DANIEL OPORTO, TALLAHASSEE, FL Looking at tape of Mike Mickens, I noticed that in college he seemed to play the ball more than the opposing receiver. That takes a lot of confidence and an exceptional amount of skill. However, the NFL game is very different than the "junior varsity," and many players do not succeed in the transition. Will Mickens be able to continue creating turnovers, or will the speed of the NFL be too much for him?
Josh: At best he could become the fourth cornerback this year, and even then the snaps will be somewhat limited. If the guys above him stay healthy Mickens will have a year to learn when he can take chances. As with any player, Mickens should be vastly improved from his rookie season to year two. This is going to be a big training camp for him technique-wise since he missed all the OTAs to fulfill school requirements.
Rob: We'll see, but two things I've noticed about Mickens are: 1) he seems recovered from last year's knee injury; and 2) he does go after the ball. The Cowboys want more ballhawks, and this rookie class is pretty aggressive. The Cowboys feel like they can play more man coverage with the current group. But there's just no way to know how much Mickens is going to contribute until the pads come on.
Nick: You're right about confidence. That's the No. 1 ingredient cornerbacks must have. And as you said, it changes with each level. High school seniors might have a ton of confidence, but it can change quickly when they become college freshman. Same with college guys and the pros. It's all about how comfortable he will be covering the elite NFL receivers. But if he adapts quickly and becomes the player that many teams had projected as a second- or third-round pick before his injury, then Mickens might just be a draft-day steal for the Cowboys.
June 29, 2009 5:54 PM
DAN JORDAN, PHILADELPHIA, PA As a die-hard Cowboys fan living in Philly, I have to know, how do the Cowboys go about beating the Eagles next year after the 44-6 season ending loss last December?
Josh: They don't play again until November, and plenty of things will happen between now and then to put 44-6 out of the Cowboys' minds. But let's talk about Jan. 3, 2010, this season's finale. If it's a do-or-die game again, and it certainly could shake out that way because of how stacked the division is, last season's blowout could be a tough memory to repress. At least the Cowboys would have the home field this time. On paper, the teams are about equal. It's just about who shows up.
Rob: Hmm . . . outplay them? Same thing they did in Week 2 against the Eagles last year -- execute and play smart football. Look, last year's finale was a disaster, no question. But this is a new season and quite frankly, there's little difference between these two teams on paper. Both are very talented, and I think both can win at least 10 games. It comes down to who's healthy, focused and sharp. Just can't see "44-6" being a mental hurdle for the Cowboys by the time Nov. 8 rolls around.
Nick: Eliminate 80-yard fumble returns for touchdowns. Run the right routes. Don't turn the ball over. Keep your quarterback on his feet. Don't rely on Jason Witten to complete your longest pass of the day. And keep Felix and Marion healthy. With all that, you might have a chance.
DANIEL OPORTO, TALLAHASSEE, FL Looking at tape of Mike Mickens, I noticed that in college he seemed to play the ball more than the opposing receiver. That takes a lot of confidence and an exceptional amount of skill. However, the NFL game is very different than the "junior varsity," and many players do not succeed in the transition. Will Mickens be able to continue creating turnovers, or will the speed of the NFL be too much for him?
Josh: At best he could become the fourth cornerback this year, and even then the snaps will be somewhat limited. If the guys above him stay healthy Mickens will have a year to learn when he can take chances. As with any player, Mickens should be vastly improved from his rookie season to year two. This is going to be a big training camp for him technique-wise since he missed all the OTAs to fulfill school requirements.
Rob: We'll see, but two things I've noticed about Mickens are: 1) he seems recovered from last year's knee injury; and 2) he does go after the ball. The Cowboys want more ballhawks, and this rookie class is pretty aggressive. The Cowboys feel like they can play more man coverage with the current group. But there's just no way to know how much Mickens is going to contribute until the pads come on.
Nick: You're right about confidence. That's the No. 1 ingredient cornerbacks must have. And as you said, it changes with each level. High school seniors might have a ton of confidence, but it can change quickly when they become college freshman. Same with college guys and the pros. It's all about how comfortable he will be covering the elite NFL receivers. But if he adapts quickly and becomes the player that many teams had projected as a second- or third-round pick before his injury, then Mickens might just be a draft-day steal for the Cowboys.
posted by The Gryphon at 8:32 PM
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