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The 2012 season wasn't kind to the Cowboys defense. Injury after injury sidelined the likes of Sean Lee, Barry Church, Bruce Carter and Jay Ratliff, plus others. One player was injured for much of the second half of the season but somehow managed to stay on the field. DeMarcus Ware was having a pretty good season until the injuries slowed him down, he only accumulated 1.5 sacks over the last six games. Turns out he was dealing with multiple problems.
He recently revealed that in addition to the torn labrum in his shoulder and a hyper-extended elbow, he played with a fractured right wrist. He's already had surgery on for the torn labrum, and now confirms he's scheduled to have work done on his elbow,
"Just to get the bone fragments cleaned up," Ware said from radio row at the Super Bowl, where he is making the rounds.
So not only is he dealing with his surgeries, he's now moving from outside linebacker to defensive end. But he seems to be cool with the idea, even relishing the idea of not dropping into coverage.
"I think it can benefit me,’’ Ware said Thursday as he made the media rounds at Super Bowl XLVII. "I can play a lot more aggressive. I don’t have to worry about dropping into coverage. Then guys like Sean Lee and Bruce Carter and Jay (Ratliff) can really get after it.’’
He mentions he played a 4-3 in college and that he has no problem with putting his hand down when needed. But one comment really struck home with me, something I've been feeling for a while, as I'm sure many of you have.
"We haven't been that consistent team that we need to be," Ware said. "Everybody tells us the opportunity, the gate is closing, the door is closing. The door is always closing each year because it's a business deal to have certain guys on the team."
Consistency. That's the Cowboys problem in a nutshell. Game to game, you never knew which team would show up. Heck, even within the games when they could stink on ice for a half then look like world-beaters the following half. And the turnovers, penalties, etc. This team has talent, plenty of talent, what they don't have is consistently good play. Maybe Jason Garrett's process will finally get that attribute working in 2013.