Chandus mulls the Cowboys, glass on the positive side

Glass half empty? Go somewhere else, 5Blings has a nice post here.

• Let's start with the Draft selections. Jason Williams returned to practice, we saw progress in the Preseason games, Rafael, Grizz and company also noticed progress in the practices. He hasn't played, though, so he's a big unknown but looks good. Robert Brewster is still on PUP, such a thing speaks volumes of what the Front Office thinks, most rookies, and specially OLineman, would head to I.R. as soon as the pectoral muscle tear diagnosis got delivered, with this guy the team wants time. Stephen McGee is a project that may take as much time as Romo, the jury will be out for a while. Victor Butler already showed that he has NFL quickness and balance, if he can continue to improve he may be a steal. Brandon Williams is on IR, the jury is out. Michael Hamlin looked good in the Preseason games that he played, Rafael and Grizz mentioned that he looked instinctive and as if he belonged at the NFL level, the jury is out. If David Buehler keeps kicking 70 and 80 yarders he will continue to prove that the Cowboys were right in selecting him were they did. Stephen Hodge is on IR. John Phillips had extensive blocking duties in the Carolina game and I'm feeling confident enough to say that he's the best blocking 3rd TE that our team has had in quite a while...

12 picks, 3 failures and 1 bonus in Ogletree? So far, the Draft looks solid. This season and the next couple of years will write the grade of this Draft.

• Free Agency? Jon Kitna came here via trade, but he's a good acquisition as the team traded Anthony Henry straight up for him. The Lions rank 30th in passing Defense and they have allowed 10TDs (leading the League). I'm certain that the Cowboys feel much better with their QB security blanket than the Lions with their passing coverage. Igor Olshansky is, so far, a massive run blocking upgrade as I hadn't seen a consistent 3 downs 3-4 DE in the all the years with the Defense (Canty and Spears were always inconsistent, Spears right now is on a new contract drive and he's playing better). And furthermore he has a cool name. Igor! I can't begin to express the difference in level of play that  Keith "with his lunch pail" Brooking has shown in the last couple of games, he was off like most of the guys around him in the Tampa game (with the possible exemptions of Ratliff and Olshansky, who showed good things), he's a much better run stopper than anything the team has paired with James and he can also get his hands on the QB but arrived late both times. And Gerald Sensabaugh can actually play coverage out of the SS position! He's been mostly invisible in the past couple of games. That's a good thing.

• I've seen Junior Siavii enter for a handful of snaps in a per game fashion, he was a consistent topic of discussion in the Offseason, he isn't getting pushed around and I've seen him getting double teamed. The guy can anchor and doesn't move. He's a stop gap, though, as he's old (in his 30s already).

• For all the discussions about our coaching staff something went amiss on all the hoopla about Monday's game... The coaching staff adjusted and the team showed a noticeable improvement in their performance. For a coaching staff that receives as many questions, and many deserving, not to receive their deserving kudos is a shame.

• The passing game struggled some on Monday? The Panthers were a top 10 passing Defense going to that game and they faced the Eagles and Falcons, 2 teams that can throw the ball and that have good receivers. Romo threw for 255 yards and no Ints... Not too shabby, Tony, not bad at all....

• The Cowboys are running the ball (like the best team in the League) and stopping the run against good teams, that's a recipe for winning a bunch of games. Including Playoffs.

• I haven't seen the Cowboys package or 46 on the field, maybe it's time to print milk cartons.