DeMarcus Ware. He's big, bad, fast and everything we'd thought he'd be when he was drafted. We're probably going to have to pay him a lot of money before someone else does.
OXNARD, Calif. – DeMarcus Ware is scary, and it might end up costing the Cowboys big money.The outside linebacker has been quick to establish himself as a star after just three pro seasons in which he has made the Pro Bowl twice and piled up 33½ sacks.
Quickness is indeed Ware's trademark. In fact, NFL officials told the Cowboys that on three occasions last season in which Ware was whistled for being offside, videotape showed he actually wasn't.
Ha ha! Too fast for the human eye. Try curving a bullet on DeMarcus and he'll start glowing, catch it and spit it back at you like Bruce Leroy!
Is Felix Jones too light in the pants to protect Tony Romo?
RB coach Skip Peete says the 208-pound rookie needs to improve as a pass protector, but he believes that will happen. Jones is willing to stick his nose in there, which is half the battle. But his technique needs a lot of work. He didn't have his feet set when he met undrafted rookie Darrell Robertson on a pass play yesterday and got knocked sideways. Robertson didn't get to Romo, but a veteran NFL defender might have.
"If you have a guy that's willing to block, you can teach him how to block," Peete said. "You can teach him how basically using the technique of closing the position between you and the defender, get your body in the right position, basically get your body between the quarterback and the defender and then step-strike and make him restart his motor.
"One of the best guys I ever had as far as being a protector was Charlie Garner, and he was only 190 pounds. I think he's going to be all right."
Newman thinks we can play man-to-man and still blitz effectively.
Please. PLEASE! PUH-LEESE blitz more. I got so tired of allowing teams to pick us apart during the year before our pass rush got to the quarterback. Now that our secondary has improved let's unleash hell! Gladiator style!
Jason Witten was on fire today.
Who's Hot:
Jason Witten. The Cowboys Pro Bowl tight end dropped maybe one pass all day, and has had a slew of spectacular grabs, most notably an over-the-shoulder catch down the middle of the field while covered by linebacker Justin Rogers and safety Pat Watkins. It's the same exact catch he made to beat Detroit in the final minutes last season.
Dave Campo is back with the 'Boys again and it feels so good for both sides.
The Star-Telegram's "Cowboys' hot routes" briefly analyzes the position battle between Tony Curtis and Martellus Bennett, the battles between Adam Jones and T.O. in practice and how impressive Tashard Choice has been so far.
Apparently the world changed how it thought about Tony Romo but he never changed how he thought about himself. Mickey Spagnola fills in the blanks.
No matter what you think, what others might want you to think, Romo's still Romo.Maybe I'm naïve, having now been around him for the better part of 5½ years, but to me, he's the same smiling kid he was when he arrived at The Ranch in 2003. The long shot, relatively unknown and undrafted quarterback from Eastern Illinois who to most of us was no more than a camp body - just another live arm to help facilitate those grueling weeks of training camp.
Now, he was aware back then, not cocky, but surprisingly confident of himself on and off the field. And, he possessed this certain something which made you want to sit and chew the fat with him, even though you knew he didn't have a chance in hell of getting on the field or maybe of even making the team.
That did not change his first few years here as other quarterbacks with supposedly better pedigrees and certainly much better contracts fell by the wayside. There goes Chad Hutchinson and Clint Stoerner. Then Quincy Carter, in fact, right here on these very same Residence Inn grounds. Just a week or so into the 2004 camp, the scene burned in my mind, Carter walking out to his get-away ride eating a bowl of cereal.
Romo didn't mind breaking down plays for you, talking offensive philosophy, filling you with info only those privileged to have ever commanded a huddle would know.
And there would be those times he would playfully send out a few digs, especially to me, since I had never seen much of anything those first couple of years to suggest he'd ever be a starting quarterback in the NFL, much less a Pro Bowl quarterback.
Zach Thomas is glad to get back to work. He also gave a big shout out to Bradie James.
Seven-time Pro Bowl linebacker Zach Thomas made a nice first-impression in his first full contact practices with the Cowboys. He said he has been helped in his transition greatly by fellow inside linebacker Bradie James.
The 13-year veteran is learning from Bradie and believes he's a player that should have been in Hawaii by now. James, who is entering his 6th year, has averaged 123 tackles per season since becoming a starter. He led the team in tackles for the third consecutive season last year.
"He doesn't get the pub he should," Thomas said. "He's a Pro Bowl player. I have learned so much from him."