We all know the preseason doesn't amount to much. But if there's a time to get semi-serious, it's this game. Most of the starters probably won't play in the next preseason game so this is game to get your tempo down. They'll see extended time against the Texans.
Adam Jones is ready.
The different approach comes with a change in the lineup. Adam "Pacman" Jones will start at left cornerback after rookie Mike Jenkins was there the first two games, working in place of the injured Terence Newman. Phillips said Jones would get more of a chance to showcase his punt returning skills. Jones rebounded from a poor game in the preseason opener to have a nice showing in game two against Denver, tying for a team-high six tackles. If Jones stays true to form, he'll relish every chance to guard Houston's best playmaker, Pro-Bowl receiver Andre Johnson.
"Whoever comes up there, I'm ready to compete," Jones said.
Wade wants us to be efficient and productive.
Man we talk a lot about Roy Williams. We've all covered the reasons why. But here's something I've honestly not thought about in a while. Roy could actually be close to the guy we knew in year's past -- disruptive and hard-hitting. The DMN Blog is all over it.
It can't hurt Williams to work again with DB coach Dave Campo, the head coach when the Cowboys drafted Williams. But pride and personnel are the two primary reason Williams could wreak havoc again.
Williams knows what's been written and said about him, and he's determined to prove it wrong. And he certainly doesn't want his Cowboys career to end with a whimper, which will happen if he doesn't make an impact this season.
He wore a T-shirt last night that had his new number on the front and "NO HORSING AROUND IN '08" on the back. There was a picture of a hand reaching up to make a horse-collar tackle, but the double-meaning is pretty clear.
I can dig it.
Spags has kind of been on fire of late. In this article he talks about how we have to progress from last year. Just reading it made me feel like Ricky Bobby. "If you're not first, you're last." Word to Reese Bobby!
Stewart said something like, "Just like we were talking about the other day," meaning to his players in a meeting, "we're good, got to be great."
That, for some reason stuck in my mind, causing me to circle what he said afterward in my notebook. And then there it was Wednesday night while watching Hard Knocks following the Cowboys night practice before 25,000 people at Texas Stadium thanks to the miracle of DVR in High Def, Stewart saying the exact same thing in front of his defense, assumingly during a meeting in Denver, and likely after one of the lackluster practices on Wednesday against the Broncos.
"We're good, but now we got to be great."
Good last year was good enough to match the club record for most wins in a season. Good last year was good enough to win the NFC East and earn the top playoff seed in the NFC, along with the accompanying first-round bye and a home game in the playoffs.
But in the end, good was not good enough.
Gisele v. Jessica? Any opinions? Here's one: Cowboy game, 12-pack of ice-cold beer and hot wings. I'll take that everytime.