Cowboys News

"Many have wondered how the Dallas Cowboys would have fared against the New York Giants in the playoffs last year if Cowboys Pro Bowl receiver Terrell Owens had been healthy. Owens admits having similar thoughts. Owens missed the final game of the season with a high ankle sprain but returned to the field in the Cowboys' 21-17 divisional loss to the Giants two weeks later. He second-guesses the Cowboys' strategy more so than his health. He caught four passes for 49 yards and a touchdown in the game, all in the first half. But he said he could have done more, especially in the second half when he was held without a catch. Owens caught nine passes for 212 yards and touchdowns of 22, 47, 25 ..."

"Cornerback isn't for the meek. It takes excellent footwork, hand-eye coordination and speed to become a shutdown corner in the NFL. A little bravado doesn't hurt, either. "I love man," Adam Jones said. "I wouldn't mind playing man-to-man every day, every play." The Cowboys played mostly zone coverage last season. Terence Newman battled a foot injury all season. Jacques Reeves and Nate Jones saw considerable playing time. Both were unrestricted free agents after the season, and the Cowboys let them go. This season, the Cowboys' cornerback situation is drastically different. With the additions of Jones and rookies Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick, the coaching staff believes the defense ..."

"There was a notable absence from Tuesday's practice at Valley Ranch. Starting strong safety Roy Williams missed practice because of tendinitis in his left knee. Williams was replaced by Patrick Watkins, normally the backup free safety, at strong safety in some defensive packages. The Cowboys don't believe Williams' knee will pose a problem. "It was not an injury type of thing," owner Jerry Jones said. "In my view, what I interpreted, it was just needing some rest. [It's] a chronic thing." Along with Watkins, Courtney Brown received more snaps with Williams sidelined. Coach Wade Phillips is using Brown and Watkins at both safety positions to add diversity to the defense. "As backup ..."

"Last check of Valley Ranch, the sky was not falling. Raining, but not falling. Miles Austin will be lost to the team for "4-6 weeks" (between Sept. 15 Eagles and Sept. 28 Redskins games), and how phat have the Cowboys gotten that losing a Miles Austin merits a red alert? Admit it, backup receiver is a major cause of our mid-August angst. It's not the 0-2 record, we all know better than that. "Hey, T.O., get your wide receivers ready!" That's really what this preseason is all about. Patrick Crayton currently has the No. 2 job nailed down, even the way Austin played these first two preseason games. But when a third-year speed receiver makes the coaching staff sit up and take notice of his ..."

"The Dallas Cowboys were gone for 25 days, stayed in three different hotels, flew on planes, rode on a train as well as in automobiles, played two teams and had just two or three days off during that time. So by the time they took the field against the Denver Broncos on Saturday night, they knew a charter plane was waiting to fly them home immediately after the game. "I feel like I've been on tour with a rock band. I feel like I've been on tour with a famous singer," Cowboys defensive tackle Tank Johnson said. "I'm ready to get home, get back to my bed and kinda get into a routine of the season. This hasn't been easy. Playing, traveling, unnecessary traveling, but this is how it goes." ..."

"With Miles Austin out four to six weeks with a knee injury, several young Cowboys receivers have another chance to show the coaching staff they belong on the 53-man roster. Austin sprained the medial collateral ligament in his right knee on a kickoff Saturday against the Broncos. He had just caught a 5-yard touchdown pass. Austin could return before the game at Green Bay on Sept. 21. "He's had a tremendous camp this year," backup quarterback Brad Johnson said. "You hate to see him get injured. He's really improved and [it's been] fun to watch him make plays." Austin's absence opens the door for Isaiah Stanback, Mike Jefferson, Danny Amendola and even Todd Lowber, who was signed soon ..."

"It's just the Cowboys' second preseason game, so there's no need to overreact. Honest. That said, the Cowboys' offensive and defensive starters turned in a pathetic performance Saturday night against Denver. Actually, that might not be strong enough. What about putrid? Or abject. Maybe you prefer appalling. You get the idea. Whether you want to focus on the offense or the defense doesn't really matter, because each was equally inept in the Cowboys' 23-13 loss against Denver at Invesco Field at Mile High. Most of you have watched enough preseason football to realize the final score isn't really that important. Sure, the coaches and players want to win, but it's more important for the ..."

"Apparently the Broncos like vanilla just fine. And quarterback Jay Cutler, who has routinely brushed aside almost all things preseason with a nod to "nothing but vanilla defenses,'' certainly scooped up the Dallas' Cowboys offerings Saturday night. Cutler hit his first 12 passes and led two scoring drives - Matt Prater missed a 49-yard field on the last play of the first half that would have finished a third - as the Broncos came away with a 23-13 preseason win at Invesco Field at Mile High. "I'm not real happy overall,'' Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said. "We made some strides, but obviously we're not there yet, but we'll keep going,'' Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said. The Broncos are now ..."

"There are skeptics who think Brad Johnson can't get the job done as a backup quarterback with the Dallas Cowboys. Johnson is bothered by these skeptics the same as he's been bothered by them his whole football life. Which is, not at all. "It's been interesting, my whole career, what they've said about me. In middle school, in high school, in college and the last 17 years in the NFL," said Johnson, who turns 40 next month. "You've just got to be able to fight all that off. You're going to have skeptics, regardless. Even when we won the Super Bowl (in Tampa Bay in 2003), it wasn't good enough and we had to answer questions the next year. You just deal with it and do the best you can." ..."

"Those Cowboys are not only real big and strong and unnecessarily rough at times, word is they're real good. Maybe even Super Bowl good. What does that say about the Broncos? The Cowboys might turn out to be something this year, but when it was best against best in a preseason game Saturday night at Invesco Field at Mile High, the Broncos were better. Jay Cutler and the Broncos' offense were way better. In leading the Broncos to a confidence-enhancing 23-13 win against a Cowboys team that finished 13-3 last year, Cutler completed short passes to Brandons Marshall and Stokley, long passes to Eddie Royal and 12 passes in a row to start the game. "He's impressive," said middle linebacker Zach ..."

"Super Bowl or bust? How about just putting together a solid preseason performance? The Dallas Cowboys struggled once again in Saturday's 23-13 loss to Denver at Invesco Field at Mile High. Quarterback Tony Romo and the first-team offense looked out of sync; the Cowboys' pressure defense didn't get to Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler - he completed his first 12 passes while leading the Broncos to a 14-0 lead - and ultimately couldn't get off the field. Most damaging to the Cowboys was their inability to get out of their own way on offense and defense - namely seven penalties for 58 yards, including a late hit on linebacker Bradie James to keep a Broncos scoring drive alive and a false start ..."

"Adam Jones said to bring on the criticism if he had a repeat performance of the preseason opener at San Diego. There was no need to throw him under the bus after the way he played Saturday night in Denver. Jones returned his first punt for the Cowboys and looked much more like the impact player the team hoped he would be when he was acquired in April. "I felt a lot more comfortable than last week," Jones said. "I worked extra on my tackling." When asked about his timing, he said, "It was better, I can tell you that," Jones said. "I'll get better." In the second quarter, the Cowboys put Jones back to return a punt, and he showed why he could be one of the best in the league. He broke a few ..."

"The Dallas Cowboys' training camp travels took them to Point Mugu Naval Air Station for 23 practices in Oxnard, Calif., and included a scenic train ride along the Pacific Ocean for a game in San Diego and a flight over the Rocky Mountains for four practices and their second pre-season game against Denver. But the trip back to Dallas couldn't have been a fun one after a dismal 23-13 loss to the Broncos on Saturday that leaves the Cowboys winless after two pre-season games for the first time since 2001. "We definitely have things to work on," quarterback Tony Romo said, "but there is still some time for that." There is time before the Sept. 7 opener at Cleveland, but the Cowboys' play was ..."

"The majority of the Dallas Cowboys starters will play the first half of tonight's preseason game at Denver, coach Wade Phillips said Friday. The only starters who will not play the entire first half will be quarterback Tony Romo, tight end Jason Witten, running back Marion Barber and wide receiver Terrell Owens. That group will likely play only one quarter. The Cowboys will give backup quarterback Brad Johnson some extended time behind the first-team offensive line. In the first preseason game, Johnson played under heavy pressure and was sacked twice and intercepted once. Out of action Six players will miss tonight's game at Denver. They are defensive backs Terence Newman (groin) and ..."

"The Dallas Cowboys have no reason to be alarmed by their 31-17 loss to the San Diego Chargers in their preseason opener last Saturday - especially considering the dominant performance by the starters in their brief appearance in the game. But it's safe to say they were not pleased with the team's overall performance. That goes for backups on offense and defense, the punt coverage units and several individuals. They will all get a chance to not only make amends but change impressions in tonight's second preseason game against the Denver Broncos. No one is more eager to get back on the field and show that he's better than his performance against the Chargers than cornerback Adam "Pacman" ..."

"Adam "Pacman" Jones took a break from his friendly feud with Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall to get down to some serious business. The Cowboys' suspended cornerback said Thursday he has sent a letter to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell asking to be allowed to play this season. "I think it should be successful. I did everything he asked me to do," Jones said of the 1 1/2-page letter he sent Wednesday night after the Cowboys' workouts with the Broncos. While Jones is allowed to play in preseason games, the Cowboys don't know when they will find out if he will be fully reinstated for the regular season. Goodell has said only that a decision would come before the regular season. Since his ..."

"Dallas Cowboys linebacker Kevin Burnett will undergo arthroscopic surgery Friday on his sprained right knee. The surgery is termed as a minor clean up by the Cowboys, who expect Burnett to miss no more than two weeks. He should be ready for the season opener Sept. 7 against the Cleveland Browns. "He got a few things he needs to clean out in his knee," coach Wade Phillips said. "It's less than a week process. We think he will be ready pretty quickly." Burnett, who has had an injury marred career with the Cowboys, was relieved that it wasn't something more serious like a torn anterior cruciate ligament. He certainly thought the worst when he initially went down Wednesday morning while ..."

"Kevin Burnett is expected to undergo arthroscopic surgery on his left knee today in Dallas, but the Cowboys aren't ready to rule the linebacker out of the Sept. 7 season opener at Cleveland. "I think he'll be ready from what they say," coach Wade Phillips said. Without Burnett for at least the rest of the preseason, Phillips said Bradie James, Zach Thomas and Bobby Carpenter would fill Burnett's roles in the substitution packages. James saw all of the action with the first-team dime package in Thursday's afternoon workout. Burnett, entering the final year of his contract, is also one of the core special teams players. "You never want to see a player like Kevin go down," Carpenter said. ..."

"Dallas Cowboys linebacker Kevin Burnett will return to Dallas to have arthroscopic surgery on his left knee, according to two sources. The surgery is scheduled for Friday. Burnett's availability for the Sept. 7 season opener at Cleveland is in question."

"Brandon Marshall used sign language to make a lighthearted jab at one of his critics Wednesday. The Broncos receiver wrote "21's no Champ" and affixed it to a sticker on the back of his shoulder pads for the afternoon workout against the Dallas Cowboys. The sign was clearly visible, as Marshall rolled up his jersey to expose the message. It was his way of answering cornerback Adam Jones, who earlier in the day had stated that Terrell Owens is "10 times" faster and stronger than Marshall. Marshall's comeback suggested that Jones, formerly known as "Pacman," doesn't hold a candle to Denver's eight- time Pro Bowl cover man Champ Bailey. "Like I said last year, football, to me, is like Pop ..."

"Cowboys cornerback Adam Jones fired the first shot in the morning, emphatically stating Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall is "nowhere near" as talented as Cowboy Terrell Owens. Marshall carefully thought out his response before the teams returned to the field in the afternoon. Marshall wore his jersey pulled up high, and on the back of his shoulder pads he placed a piece of tape, on which he had written "21's No Champ," his way of poking fun at Jones, the troubled cornerback formerly known as "Pacman" who wears No. 21. Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler had dismissed Jones' comments by saying Marshall gets to practice against Champ Bailey, arguably the NFL's best cover corner, every day. ..."

"Two of the Cowboys' best players, quarterback Tony Romo and defensive end Chris Canty, were almost Broncos. Remember when the Broncos took running back Maurice Clarett with the final pick in the third round of the 2005 draft? They wanted the 6-foot-7, 304- pound Canty. "I had heard that," Canty said, laughing. "I'm going to leave that one alone." Canty had suffered a detached retina in college, and the Broncos' physicians wouldn't clear him. Clarett was an enormous bust and is now in prison. Canty has started every game for a strong Dallas team the past two years. Romo was an undrafted free agent coming out of Eastern Illinois in 2003 when he was deciding between offers made by the Broncos ..."

"Before Wednesday's joint Cowboys-Broncos practice at Dove Valley, the quarterbacks coach huddled with the quarterback. The subject wasn't reading coverage, but rather the disease they both are battling. Cowboys quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson was diagnosed as having Type 1, insulin-dependent diabetes at age 25, when he was about to begin his third season with the Minnesota Vikings. Sound familiar? It did to third-year Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler, diagnosed last spring. "He dealt with it for a long time," Cutler said of Wilson. "He said it's manageable, just like I've been trying to do the last four or five months. He went through his career with it, and I don't see any reason why I ..."

"Nothing that happened last week in San Diego is worth a Dallas Cowboys overreaction, and Lord knows, I wouldn't want to be a accused of such a thing. Not in early August. Not in this heat. Overreacting is hard work. It causes sweat. If I want to sweat, I'll tar and gravel a roof. But since Jerry Jones brought it up ... The most obvious yelp factor from exhibition game No. 1 came on special teams, as in coverage of punts and kickoffs, particularly punts. It was awful. And as Mr. Jones pointed out in pointed postgame remarks, lack of adequate coverage last season was a negative for the Cowboys, and, in Jerry's belief, it might have been the biggest factor in the playoff loss to the Giants. ..."

"Because Brandon Marshall is the No. 1 receiver in Denver, there's some obvious comparisons to how he stacks up against the Dallas Cowboys' Terrell Owens. The Cowboys and Broncos are having joint practices today and Thursday at the Broncos' training facility. They meet in a preseason game Saturday night (8 p.m., KTVT/Ch. 11). Marshall, in his third year in the league, had a monster season in 2007 with 102 receptions, 1,325 yards and seven touchdowns. Owens, who is starting his 13th season, had 81 receptions for 1,355 yards and 15 touchdowns last season. After practicing against Marshall in the morning session, Cowboys cornerback Adam Jones had this to say about any comparisons. "He's a good ..."

"I know what Jerry Jones is thinking and, believe me, that's the really scary part of this whole deal. Being in Jerry's head is a little like stumbling into the Fun House at the State Fair of Texas. You never quite sure what's real and what's runaway imagination. This, however, is real (I think): Jerry is second-guessing himself about not upgrading his Dallas Cowboys at backup quarterback in the off-season instead of bringing back weak-armed veteran Brad Johnson, who'll turn 40 in another month. It doesn't take a football genius to reach that conclusion. All it takes is a little bit of reading between the lines when Jerry speaks. "We want to give Brad more work [with the first-team ..."

"When the Dallas Cowboys arrived here, Adam Jones went to work. The cornerback grabbed a laptop computer and typed a 1 page letter to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell asking for a full reinstatement to the league. Jones said the letter will be mailed Thursday. "I'm feeling real good," Jones said following Wednesday's practice with the Broncos. "It's just a letter on why I feel I should be reinstated. It's my chance to respond, and we'll see how it goes." The NFL also wanted anfrom Jones by Friday on what he's doing to keep himself out of trouble. Jones has participated fully in the Cowboys' player-development program and has forged close relationships with several members on the staff. ..."

"Anthony Henry has heard all the chatter about Adam Jones taking his job. It never bothered him. Really, it didn't. Not for an hour. Not for a day. Never. He's completely secure in his ability to play cornerback in the NFL at a high level, so he didn't need to get caught up in the media hype - I admit I was part of it - and message-board threads that suggested Jones would easily supplant him by midseason. All Henry has ever needed to do is play his game. Do that and he'll continue to be a starter. It's easy to underestimate Henry or take him for granted, because he's so low-key on the field and off. He's not interested in giving riveting interviews or being the face of the franchise. ..."

"The Dallas Cowboys desperately wanted to get through four practices against the Denver Broncos with no injuries. Inside linebacker Kevin Burnett was gone by the end of the first. Burnett sprained his left knee during 11-on-11 drills against the Broncos' offense Wednesday morning. Burnett said late afternoon he was fine, but he underwent an MRI exam and could require surgery. The Cowboys must conduct further tests to determine the severity of the injury. Owner Jerry Jones said it's too early to say if Burnett will miss Saturday's preseason game against the Broncos. However, other players were held out last week against the Chargers as a precaution. As for the MRI, Jones said: "We got a ..."

"The Broncos and Cowboys took the field for their first joint practice Wednesday morning and it didn't take long for the trash talking to start. Immediately after practice, Cowboys cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones was asked to compare Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall with Cowboys wideout Terrell Owens. "He's nowhere near T.O.," Jones said of Marshall. "He's a good athlete, but he ain't on T.O.'s level. T.O. is 10 times faster and 10 times bigger. I wouldn't say he's nowhere near T.O." Marshall's nickname coming out of college was "Baby T.O." because both receivers are similar in size and both have huge playmaking ability on the field. Marshall is easily the biggest offensive threat the ..."

"The Dallas Cowboys' time in California is over, and a great many of the names who made an impression in Oxnard may yet wind up on the waiver wires and on another roster by September. But as many, if not more, players will be expected to carry this team deep into January ... and beyond. But as the Cowboys leave this phase of training camp, here is a look at 11 players who made the 2008 Dallas Cowboys All-Oxnard team: Tank Johnson, DT He has Warren Sapp's build, his speed, his big mouth, and quite possibly his strength, too. This Tank Johnson looks much better than the player the Cowboys signed last season. He knows what he's doing, and he's a human bowling ball in the middle of the ..."

"The Dallas Cowboys head into two days of practices with the Denver Broncos still smarting from the 31-17 loss to the San Diego Chargers in the preseason opener and with questions concerning their light training camp practices. Although the Cowboys had just one day off during training camp, their final 10 days of work featured only one day in full pads. Coach Wade Phillips said he wanted to keep his team fresh. "I thought we had a good camp," Phillips said. "I think the facilities and the weather certainly were great for us. We got a lot of work done, I thought technique-work, especially. I think it will pay off for us." Besides, Phillips said the Cowboys will get plenty of contact the next ..."

"Cowboys coach Wade Phillips made a crack during the first episode of Hard Knocks that this was Camp Marshmallow. But was that really a joke? It truly was more like Soft Knocks than Hard Knocks in training camp when it came to hitting, but Phillips wanted it that way. He didn't want to overwork his team or get players hurt. He feels he got the needed work and has a fresh team steadily building toward the Sept. 7 opener at Cleveland. Dallas broke camp Tuesday afternoon leaving behind Oxnard after practice headed to Denver to practice with the Broncos before their game Saturday in Denver. Phillips and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones believe the team accomplished the mission in camp without full ..."

"One season into his career as an NFL defensive coordinator, Mike Zimmer was frazzled. His 2000 Cowboys couldn't stop the run - and if you can't stop the run in the NFL, you can't compete for playoff spots. The Cowboys finished 31st in the league in run defense that season, allowing 164.8 yards per game and 4.9 yards per carry, and never contended for a playoff spot. They finished 5-11. So Zimmer called an old friend, someone he met in Los Angeles in the early 1980s, when he was recruiting for Weber State and his friend was recruiting for Idaho State. Their friendship was rekindled in 1995, when they coached against each other in the Pro Bowl, then again in 1996, when they coached against ..."

"After one preseason game, it seems most of you think Felix Jones is going to the Hall of Fame and Martellus Bennett should be cut. My response: Chill out. Nothing is concrete after one preseason game. We won't even know what either guy is capable of at the end of this season. It takes time, whether you choose to believe that or not. Different players learn at a different pace. Some rookies are learning to handle real failure for the first time. Bennett is an athletic freak. Do you think he's been manhandled much in his athletic career? Nope. It takes time to learn how to handle getting your butt kicked, while not letting it affect the next play. Jones looked terrific in the first ..."

"After 24 practices in 18 days, the Cowboys left training camp Tuesday and headed to Denver. Coach Wade Phillips said temperatures, which ranged from cool and reasonably warm, were beneficial to the development of the team. "I thought we had a good camp here," Phillips said. "I think the facilities and weather was great for us. We got a lot of work done, technique work especially, and I think it will pay off for us." The Cowboys will practice with the Broncos for three days before facing Denver in an exhibition game Saturday at Invesco Field. This is the second consecutive year the Cowboys and Broncos have met for training camp practices. "We had real crisp practices [last year], and ..."

"This is the week when the Broncos had better plant a little harder in their three-point stances. Chin straps had better be buckled extra tight. A few more bench-press reps in the weight room wouldn't hurt. The Dallas Cowboys are coming. These aren't your granddaddy's white-hat, America's Team, flex and finesse Cowboys. These are the big, bad, rough, tough Cowboys who bullied the Broncos through four practices in stifling, 105-degree heat last year. And then in Texas Stadium on a Saturday night, the Cowboys whipped the Broncos some more for a 31-20 preseason victory. "They took it to us," Broncos defensive lineman Ebenezer Ekuban said. "Hopefully we can make a little better showing this ..."

"Backup quarterback Brad Johnson will get more playing time with the first team when the Cowboys play their second preseason game Saturday in Denver. Coach Wade Phillips stopped short of saying that Johnson will start against the Broncos. The coaching staff simply wants to see how Johnson plays with the Cowboys' starters. "It gives him a better feel for having the protection, having the running game, having the receivers and the right routes and the timing," Phillips said. Johnson led the Cowboys' second-team offense on five possessions last Saturday against the Chargers. However, the Chargers played their first-team defense. Johnson got pressured just before throwing an interception on a ..."

"No doubt exists in Bradie James' mind about his ability to be a three-down linebacker. None. But he's not going to get a chance to do it this year - just like Roy Williams and Zach Thomas will have their playing time limited pretty much to first and second down. Wade Phillips has made it clear he wants the best personnel on the field, based on down and distance, every play. It's hard to argue, considering this team's abundance of talent. The Cowboys should have about 20 defensive players who contribute regularly. James, as you would expect, doesn't agree with Phillips' decision, but he's accepted it. So he won't complain. James has complete control of his ego. And that's the way it ..."

"Bruce Read stood in the middle of the practice field on an overcast Monday afternoon - alone. It was as if he was waiting for a storm to come crashing down on him. Read, the Cowboys' special teams coach, has already endured one storm. His units didn't play well in the preseason opener last Saturday in San Diego. There was rookie Danny Amendola fumbling a punt return, which led to a Chargers score. Then Alonzo Coleman, who hadn't returned a kickoff since high school, bobbled a ball on a kick return. There was a lack of containment from the punt and kick return units. Read said he used up to 30 different players, mostly rookies and second-year players, on the special team units. At one ..."

"The Dallas Cowboys want to give backup Brad Johnson some quality time with the first-team offense before they hit the emergency button on trying to find a possible replacement or more competition. In the preseason opener against San Diego, Johnson completed 8 of 15 passes for 89 yards, was sacked twice and intercepted once. While there remains some interest in the organization for a passer with a stronger arm, the team at this point does not want to trade a draft pick for another quarterback. There could be interest if a veteran quarterback is released. "I can't give that a high likelihood," owner/general manager Jerry Jones said. "That could change." Until, or if, that happens, the ..."

"Calling them Thunder and Lightning might be a little trite if not premature. And it's probably been used enough. But after Saturday's preseason opener against San Diego, is there any doubt that rookie running back Felix Jones has a certain electricity about him that goes hand-and-hand with starter Marion Barber's battering-ram style? Two days later, the Cowboys were still buzzing about Jones' performance, which featured a 19-yard run and going 28 yards on a simple swing pass. The first-round pick from Arkansas showed cutting ability, quickness and acceleration that haven't been seen in Dallas since the days of Hall of Famer Tony Dorsett. "It's exciting watching him run," linebacker Bradie ..."

"Cowboys cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones sounded off after practice on Monday. On himself. Jones bashed himself following the afternoon training camp workout about how poorly he played against the Chargers. For fans hoping to see an impressive opening debut, they saw a player fighting rust and timing problems. Jones gave up a 21-yard completion to Chris Chambers. He also missed tackles on 21-yard games by running backs Darren Sproles and rookie back Jacob Hester. Jones also had an 18-yard pass interference penalty. And don't tell Jones about being patience with his comeback from suspension. Wade Phillips said secondary coach Dave Campo told him before the game Saturday that Pacman would ..."

"Wade Phillips is a big movie goer/pseudo critic, and when watching The Love Guru this summer, he asked his wife halfway through the movie if they should leave. "We'll stay," she said. "It can't get any worse." "That was the worst movie," he said. This is empirical evidence that the coach of the Dallas Cowboys, who has been condemned for a lack of criticism of his team, has it in him. And immediately after the Cowboys' preseason opener in San Diego on Saturday night, he offered his own version of "going off" on his team, even if it was muted by Mike Ditka or Vince Lombardi standards. "Special teams didn't play well," he said. "[The Chargers] are very good on special teams. We did look at a ..."

"Anthony Spencer had four tackles in Saturday's preseason game in San Diego. 1Spencer missed practice Monday after he banged his knee on a play against San Diego. The trainers didn't think it was serious, and he was taken for a MRI exam of his knee. 2The second-year linebacker from Purdue remains behind Greg Ellis at the outside linebacker position. Spencer appears to have successfully made the adjustment from college defensive end to pro outside linebacker. 3In his rookie year, Spencer started the first six games while Ellis was out with an injury. 4Spencer finished the season with three sacks, three tackles for loss, seven quarterback pressures and one forced fumble. 5"He's a playmaker," ..."

"Wade Phillips is a big movie goer/pseudo critic, and when watching The Love Guru this summer, he asked his wife halfway through the movie if they should leave. "We'll stay," she said. "It can't get any worse." "That was the worst movie," he said. This is empirical evidence that the coach of the Dallas Cowboys, who has been condemned for a lack of criticism of his team, has it in him. And immediately after the Cowboys' preseason opener in San Diego on Saturday night, he offered his own version of "going off" on his team, even if it was muted by Mike Ditka or Vince Lombardi standards. "Special teams didn't play well," he said. "[The Chargers] are very good on special teams. We did look at a ..."

"The second half of Saturday's game was Richard Bartel's golden opportunity. Third-string quarterbacks simply don't get much playing time. Bartel spent last season on the Cowboys' practice squad and hasn't seen meaningful action since leaving Tarleton State after the 2006 season. Against the Chargers, Bartel completed seven of 15 passes for 64 yards in an uneven performance. "He's the third guy, with no experience," owner Jerry Jones said. "So, you get what you should have there. He's better than he was last year." The former Grapevine standout guided the Cowboys on a nine-play, 75-yard scoring drive in the third quarter, going 3-for-6 for 40 yards. Tashard Choice's 19-yard run capped ..."

"In the last two years, Bradie James and defensive coordinator Brian Stewart have developed a close relationship, but with the NFL allowing coach-to-player communication for the first time via a transmitter, they are sure to get closer. Stewart and James had their first in-game opportunity to work with the system Saturday in San Diego, and came away knowing they have some work to do before the Sept. 7 season opener at Cleveland. "It's different," James said, "but I think it can be a tool to help us out. I think we can use that to our advantage at some point." But parts of the system need to be ironed out. The league approved the system partially to avoid another spying scandal that cost ..."

"Rookie jitters may have gotten the best of Danny Amendola when he fumbled on a punt return in the first quarter against San Diego. That was just the start of a rough night for the Cowboys' special teams. Alonzo Coleman bobbled the ball on the lip of the goal line on a kickoff return. Justin Rogers couldn't contain Darren Sproles, allowing the speedster to slip outside for a 25-yard punt return. Amendola let the Chargers down a punt inside the Cowboys' 10-yard line. Making matters worse, Courtney Brown was flagged for a personal foul on the play, pushing the Cowboys back to their 3. Three plays later, the Cowboys had to punt from the 1. This time, Mark Jones dodged three Cowboys and ..."