Cowboys' Williams has something to prove
By Tom Orsborn - Express-News
If Roy Williams plays with a substantial chip on his shoulder this season, it's for a simple reason.
“Everybody thinks I suck,” the Texas alumnus told a group of reporters Friday.
Williams has previously addressed the criticism that's been heaped on him since he joined the Cowboys last year in an October trade with Detroit, but he's never done so in the stark terms he used Friday.
After catching only 19 passes and scoring one touchdown in 10 games for the Cowboys last season, Williams became a punching bag for pundits, including former Dallas stars Troy Aikman, Deion Sanders, Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin.
Aikman said if Williams doesn't become a dominant receiver, the trade with the Lions will go down as “one of the biggest busts” in league history. Sanders questioned Williams' work ethic. Smith suggested the Cowboys have no explosiveness in their passing game. Irvin questioned Williams' route running.
“When I had 1,200 yards (actually 1,310) and had a Pro Bowl season (for Detroit in 2006), I had a chip on my shoulder to do it again (the next season) and it didn't happen,” Williams said. “But nothing like this. Everybody thinks I suck. I just have something to prove.”
Asked why so many people are down on him, Williams said, “Because I had 19 catches in 10 games last year and they pay me ‘X' amount of money. For a guy to catch 19 balls, obviously, I'm going to get tabbed that I suck.
“... I didn't suck last season. It's just hard to come in when the quarterback (Tony Romo) doesn't know you. Who's going to throw you the ball if he doesn't know you? It's tough to do.”
Williams' plan to quiet the critics includes reaching his annual goal of 1,200 receiving yards and 10 touchdown receptions. If he does so, he would exceed Terrell Owens' yardage from last season (1,052) and match his TDs.
The Cowboys released Owens in March to give Williams and the team's other young receivers a chance to thrive.
“Every year, I'm (going for) 1,200 yards and 10 touchdowns,” Williams said. “To do that, you are All-Pro, especially on America's Team. Those are just my numbers. But the big number I'm looking for is 16-0.”
Even though he's shooting for an Owens-like season, Williams would rather not hear comparisons between himself and Owens, now with Buffalo.
“That's why he's called T.O. and my name is Roy,” Williams said. “We're totally different receivers. He's a guy that's a big-play guy down the field. I can do the same thing, but I can also go across the middle. I catch everything thrown my way — that's what I do. I can't compare myself to T.O., and it's not fair for anybody else to compare me to T.O. because we're two different people.”
Cowboys coach Wade Phillips singled out Williams and San Antonio's Sam Hurd for praise after Friday's workout. Williams' day included a difficult back-shoulder grab during one-on-one drills that saw him tiptoe along the sidelines to stay inbounds.
“Their routes were good, they caught the ball well and they seemed to be in the places where Romo thought they were going to be,” Phillips said.
After Williams made his back-shoulder grab, Irvin followed Williams out to midfield and the two chatted for about a minute. At one point, Irvin slapped Williams on the rear.
“It was just tidbits about the game,” Williams said of his talk with Irvin. “Nothing big to share or anything.”
If Roy Williams plays with a substantial chip on his shoulder this season, it's for a simple reason.
“Everybody thinks I suck,” the Texas alumnus told a group of reporters Friday.
Williams has previously addressed the criticism that's been heaped on him since he joined the Cowboys last year in an October trade with Detroit, but he's never done so in the stark terms he used Friday.
After catching only 19 passes and scoring one touchdown in 10 games for the Cowboys last season, Williams became a punching bag for pundits, including former Dallas stars Troy Aikman, Deion Sanders, Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin.
Aikman said if Williams doesn't become a dominant receiver, the trade with the Lions will go down as “one of the biggest busts” in league history. Sanders questioned Williams' work ethic. Smith suggested the Cowboys have no explosiveness in their passing game. Irvin questioned Williams' route running.
“When I had 1,200 yards (actually 1,310) and had a Pro Bowl season (for Detroit in 2006), I had a chip on my shoulder to do it again (the next season) and it didn't happen,” Williams said. “But nothing like this. Everybody thinks I suck. I just have something to prove.”
Asked why so many people are down on him, Williams said, “Because I had 19 catches in 10 games last year and they pay me ‘X' amount of money. For a guy to catch 19 balls, obviously, I'm going to get tabbed that I suck.
“... I didn't suck last season. It's just hard to come in when the quarterback (Tony Romo) doesn't know you. Who's going to throw you the ball if he doesn't know you? It's tough to do.”
Williams' plan to quiet the critics includes reaching his annual goal of 1,200 receiving yards and 10 touchdown receptions. If he does so, he would exceed Terrell Owens' yardage from last season (1,052) and match his TDs.
The Cowboys released Owens in March to give Williams and the team's other young receivers a chance to thrive.
“Every year, I'm (going for) 1,200 yards and 10 touchdowns,” Williams said. “To do that, you are All-Pro, especially on America's Team. Those are just my numbers. But the big number I'm looking for is 16-0.”
Even though he's shooting for an Owens-like season, Williams would rather not hear comparisons between himself and Owens, now with Buffalo.
“That's why he's called T.O. and my name is Roy,” Williams said. “We're totally different receivers. He's a guy that's a big-play guy down the field. I can do the same thing, but I can also go across the middle. I catch everything thrown my way — that's what I do. I can't compare myself to T.O., and it's not fair for anybody else to compare me to T.O. because we're two different people.”
Cowboys coach Wade Phillips singled out Williams and San Antonio's Sam Hurd for praise after Friday's workout. Williams' day included a difficult back-shoulder grab during one-on-one drills that saw him tiptoe along the sidelines to stay inbounds.
“Their routes were good, they caught the ball well and they seemed to be in the places where Romo thought they were going to be,” Phillips said.
After Williams made his back-shoulder grab, Irvin followed Williams out to midfield and the two chatted for about a minute. At one point, Irvin slapped Williams on the rear.
“It was just tidbits about the game,” Williams said of his talk with Irvin. “Nothing big to share or anything.”
posted by The Gryphon at 9:06 AM
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