Cowboys Corner

Gurode plans to play; Hamlin uncertain

Center Andre Gurode said he plans to play Sunday despite a sprained ankle suffered in the Philadelphia game. Gurode came out briefly in the game and returned to finish it out. Gurode didn't practice Wednesday and said he said he will practice today.

Safety Ken Hamlin (strained groin) said he'll have to wait and see as the week goes on about his status for Sunday's game at Green Bay.

Hamlin has never missed a game because of a football injury and he takes pride in his streak that dates back to 2003. He's played a full schedule in each of his previous six seasons except for 2005 when he played the first six weeks, but missed the rest of the season after sustaining off-the-field head injuries.

Jeff Caplan

Injuries

The Cowboys were missing two starters at practice Wednesday. Safety Ken Hamlin (strained groin) and center Andre Gurode (sprained ankle) were injured in the victory over the Eagles, but both returned to the game. However, coach Wade Phillips said if the Cowboys had played today, Hamlin and Gurode could not have played. Phillips is confident both will play Sunday.

Alan Ball filled in for Hamlin, and Cory Proctor was at center Wednesday.

-- Charean Williams

Just CHILL: Breakthrough performer on offense Miles Austin

 

Clarence Hill

My no brainer breakthrough performer on offense is receiver Miles Austin

What can be said about wide receiver Miles Austin that hasn't already been said. Nobody in league history has put up the numbers he has in the first four starts of a career. He literally won two games with big plays in the fourth quarter and overtime. And while there were frustrations in training camp with Austin not developing as fast as the Cowboys had hoped, his emergence came when the Cowboys needed it most.

 I would bet that the Cowboys beat the lowly Chiefs with a healthy Roy Williams on the field. I believe Williams catches those two touchdown passes that Austin dropped in the first half. That being said, Williams didn't play and Austin did.

 I know that Austin broke the team record for receiving yardage in a game against the Chiefs. Williams wouldn't have done that. Nor does he have the run after catch ability like Austin to end a game on one play like Austin did against the Chiefs and Eagles.

It's probably fitting that a rags to riches quarterback like Tony Romo gets a rags to riches receiver like Austin to be his top big play target. The good thing for the Cowboys is they know have a mix at receiver they are comfortable with  _ just not the roles they thought.

 The opened the season thinking Williams would be the go-to guy with Austin mixing in a occasional deep pass to keep defenses honest. Now Austin is the proverbial go-to guy with Williams complementing him as a move the chains possession receiver.

Clarence E. Hill Jr. 

Just CHILL: Best Free agent Addition is Keith Brooking

Clarence Hill

 

Linebacker Keith Brooking has been proven to be the team's best free agent addition at the midpoint of the season.

 

This could easily be a shared award with linebacker Keith Brooking and safety Gerald Sensabaugh, who has been such an upgrade over Roy Williams that its not even funny. The Cowboys no longer have a weak spot in the secondary. Sensabaugh has proven to be a playmaking difference maker in his ability to tackle, cover tight ends and make plays on the ball.

 But Brooking gets the honor for what he brings on and off the field. He leads the team in solo tackles and has three sacks. His previous career high in sacks is 3.5, which he did in 2001 and 2004 with the Falcons. Add that to his leadership in the locker room and his impact can't be disputed. Most players who come to new teams sit back and back try not to step on anyone's toes.

Brooking asserted himself as a leader from the outset and the Cowboys are following. 

 

 Clarence E. Hill Jr.

Just CHILL: Breakthrough Performer on Defense Mike Jenkins

Clarence Hill

Cornerback Mike Jenkins is my breakthrough performer on defense at the midpoint of the season 

There was never any doubting Mike Jenkins' talent. That's why the Cowboys drafted him in the first round last season. But even the Cowboys will admit they didn't expect him to be this good this fast _ especially considering his mildly disappointing rookie season.

Even in training camp Jenkins gave no indication that he would be the team's most feared cornerback eight games into the season. If he did, they wouldn't have fooled around with the silly platoon system with Orlando Scandrick. And if truth be told, it was a bad performance by Scandrick more so that the coaches seeing a light coming on in Jenkins that prompted him to be named the full-time starter.

But he has taken the proverbial bull by the horns since. Jenkins leads the Cowboys with three interceptions and is second in pass deflections even though he split time early with Scandrick. He has covered like a blanket and he has also been physical with receivers.

 Teams are paying the ultimate compliment to Jenkins by choosing to pick on veteran and former Pro Bowler Terence Newman rather than taking their chances on his side of the field. His physical style is also rubbing off on Newman who has playing with more physicality and aggressiveness than any time during his career. 

Clarence E. Hill Jr.

Just CHILL: Tony Romo is the MVP

 

 

Clarence Hill
 

My midpoint is MVP is quarterback Tony Romo

Tony Romo won't truly shut up his critics until he wins some important games in December and January. You can never be labeled a great Cowboys quarterback if you don't win in the postseason. But it’s hard not to like what Romo has done so far in 2009.

 Criticized for his care free and sometimes careless play, Romo has seemingly found a happy medium between gunslinger and caretaker. He is still making plays but he is not turning the ball over at an alarming rate. As Patrick Crayton pointed out, there is no way Romo can be a bus driver for the Cowboys. He has to be a playmaker and sometimes that means taking a few risks.

 The Cowboys can't win if Romo doesn't play well. You can't say that about anybody else on the team. And certainly nobody on offense.

The Cowboys are playing with three different running backs and getting mixed results from all three, yet they are winning. Tight end Jason Witten leads the team in catches but he has largely been a non factor. Yet, they are winning. $9 million receiver Roy Williams has yet to have a big game. Yet the Cowboys are winning.

 And even though the current winning streak has coincided with a breakout performance from receiver Miles Austin, the Cowboys won two games without Austin being the focal point. And he only had one catch against the Eagles, albeit the game winner.

 But the point is the same, the Cowboys can't win if Romo doesn't play well. And when he plays well, they have a chance to beat anybody (not named the Saints, Vikings and Colts _ at least I'm not ready to go there, not yet).

 

Clarence E. Hill Jr.

Just CHILL: Cowboys Grades at the Midpoint

 

Clarence Hill
 

Here are my grades for the 6-2 and NFC East leading Cowboys at the midpoint of the season:

RUSH OFFENSE: B-- The Cowboys are seventh in the league in rushing, averaging 138 yards per game and 5.1 yards per carry. And while the Cowboys are getting decent production from running backs Marion Barber, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice, neither are having stellar seasons. A lot of the credit goes to behemoths up front. Center Andre Gurode and guard Leonard Davis are again having Pro Bowl seasons. The return of guard Kyle Kosier gives the chemistry they missed last season. The two-tight end offense also helps as Jason Witten and Martellus Bennett are getting it done in the run game. 

PASS OFFENSE: A--Tony Romo has met the challenge and come out a better man. He is still making plays but he's playing mistake free in the process with 13 touchdowns and just five interceptions. He only has one pick the last four games. It's notable that supposed No. 1 receiver Roy Williams has put up disappointing numbers so far. But it's even more notable that Miles Austin has more than picked up the slack, putting up numbers that Williams and former Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens can only dream about this season. And oh by the way, tight end Jason Witten is again leading the Cowboys in receptions, although he is admittedly having a down year.

RUSH DEFENSE: B+--The Cowboys are ranked 12th in league in rushing defense. But that does not tell the story of how well they have been playing against the run of late. That number is skewed by the embarrassing 174 yards the Cowboys gave up on the ground to Tampa Bay in the season opener. The Phillips' 3-4 has fixed things since. Consider that the Cowboys have allowed fewer than 100 yards rushing in five of the last seven games and three of the last four. The Cowboys are giving up an average of 3.8 yards per carry since the season opener. Nose tackle Jay Ratliff, who is the heart and soul of the defense and arguably the best player,  is the key  to everything that is going on up front. And he is flanked by inside linebacker duo are Bradie James and Keith Brooking, who are both tackling machines.

PASS DEFENSE: B--This is another unit that has gotten better as the season has gone on. Remember they went the first two games without recording a sacks and were picked apart by the Giants in Week 2. They now have 21 sacks on the season, including 18 in the past five games combined and 15 during the current four game winning streak. DeMarcus Ware is leading the way again with five sacks. But Ratliff has four and Cowboys have gotten three each from linebackers Keith Brooking and Victor Butler. The Cowboys still need to get some production from much maligned linebacker Anthony Spencer. The secondary has also stepped up in a big way and credit game-changing performances from cornerback Mike Jenkins and safety Gerald Sensabaugh. Jenkins is just in his second year but he is the best cover cornerback on the team. And Sensabaugh is just the ball hawking safety Roy Williams wished he could be, even with a broken thumb. 

SPECIAL TEAMS: A--If you don't think Joe DeCamillis has made  a difference on special teams then consider the fact that wide receiver Patrick Crayton has returned two punts for touchdowns and is among the league leaders in punt returns. Yes, the same slow-footed Crayton that coach Wade Phillips said was back there primarily to catch the ball because he had the most experience doing it on the team. Crayton gets credit for those huge returns because he had to finish the plays but that's how good the blocking was, which is all about DeCamillis. Because of him, special teams are finally important in Dallas again. The Cowboys are winning the battle of field position because of punter Matt McBriar, who has few peers in dropping the ball inside the 20, and rookie kicker David Buehler, who on his way to setting a team record for touchbacks in a season. 

COACHING: B-- It seems so long ago that the natives were restless and calling for Wade Phillips' job....after an overtime win against the lowly Kansas City Chiefs. The Cowboys haven't lost since and are now in first place in the NFC East with a 6-2 record.  While the fans and the media might not like or respect Phillips, the Cowboys are definitely responding to his coaching and leadership. Phillips' hands all on the turnaround because its been fueled by his defense. He has called all the right signals on defense and outsmarted and outcoached the highly respected Andy Reid of the Eagles last Sunday. If the Cowboys keep this up, all the Mike Shanahan and Mike Holmgren will have to be put on hold and Phillips might not be going anywhere. 

Clarence E. Hill Jr. 

Ratliff is the heart and soul of defense

Nose tackle Jay Ratliff is not only arguably the best player on defense but he is the heart and soul of the defense. He gives relentless effort on every play and he is accountable.

Consider this encounter with coach Wade Phillips at halftime of Sunday's game with the Eagles.

"At halftime, we came in and he says, ‘My fault on the running game,’” Phillips recalled about Ratliff. “And I said, ‘No it isn’t your fault.’ He jumps back at me and said ‘ITS MY FAULT’ I said, ‘Ok it’s your fault.’ But he said he would get it corrected. And sure enough they had 16 yards rushing in the second half, so it wasn’t all his fault, he played some things different second half than he did in first half.”

If everybody played with Ratliff's effort and attitude this would be a Super Bowl team for sure.

Clarence E. Hill Jr.

Free Reign delays release of CD until after football season

Free Reign's record label has pushed back the release date of their new CD until after the football season...January 26, 2010. Members of Free Reign include tackle Marc Colombo, guard Leonard Davis and center Cory Proctor. If you are an optimist it could mean that the release will coincide with the Cowboys first trip to the Super Bowl. To hold fans over they will be releasing FR's single "Tragedy" via iTunes later this month.
Here is the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hyh0UpCZu8

Here is album cover.

Clarence E. Hill Jr.
 

Roy Williams said he is no T.O. and Tony Romo said there is no controversy in Dallas

Cowboys receiver Roy Williams was in full damage control Thursday.

One day after seemingly pointing the finger at quarterback Tony Romo for his disappointing production and causing a mini national firestorm, Williams again stood up in front of the media and tried to explain himself.

Williams, who has just 14 catches through seven games, said he is not unhappy and wasn't complaining. Most importantly, Williams wants everyone to know he is not trying to be like former receiver Terrell Owens and cause a problem in the Cowboys lockerroom.

"I didn’t complain. I didn’t complain that I didn’t get the ball," Williams said. "All I said was that, when it comes to me, it’s not there. The percentages that you just said back my case. I’m not saying it can’t be fixed, because that’s what we do every day. We try to work on it and get it fixed. I’m not a T.O. or I’m not trying to be a T.O. I don’t know why people are trying to put me in that category, because I’m happy to win. I’ve said that 100 times. I don’t understand why people won’t just say OK and leave it alone. But I’m a professional football player and am trying to get this thing right."

Williams' initial comments raised some eyebrows in the Cowboys lockerroom because it created a perception that there is a controversy.

 The Cowboys weren't happy. Receivers coach Ray Sherman said he talked to Williams about just letting his play do his talking."

Romo defended Williams and the work the two have put in together. He said he will not let this problem divide the team.

"I don't look at the numbers," Romo said. "We've been through this before with people trying to intersect and divide a football team. This team is too strong from the core. I know the media is going to make certain things appear what they may not actually have been or things of that nature. This team is too committed to winning and too committed to improving to let anything like that or anything [the media] may present to us divide this team."

  Clarence E. Hill Jr.