Cowboys News & Notes: DeMarcus Ware Is Going To The Super Bowl

The two #1 seeds in each conference both advanced to the Super Bowl on Sunday. Denver won a close game against New England, but the Carolina Panthers routed Arizona. The Panthers defense created seven turnovers yesterday.

Watching this Panthers D and all I can think is "Myles Jack"

— ✭LandoMcCoolrissian✭ (@McCoolBTB) January 25, 2016

I guess we know what Landon wants come April.

Broncos' DeMarcus Ware has been waiting for this moment - Jarrett Bell, USA Today
Former Cowboys great will finally get a shot to play in the big game. It's hard not to feel good for him.

Typical for his rigorous profession, Ware has sacrificed so much of his body over the years to play the sport he loves. This season, back spasms sidelined him for five games. In previous years, the toll included neck and shoulder injuries, and well, pretty much everything else at one time or another.

Demarcus Ware is going to the Super Bowl.

— Cowboys Nation (@CowboysNation) January 24, 2016

Former Cowboys Head Coach Is Going To Super Bowl 50 - Newy Scruggs, NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth
Ware isn't the only former Cowboy going to the Super Bowl. Wade Phillips will be taking his former Pro Bowl Cowboys defender DeMarcus Ware with him. Ware signed in Denver after being released by Dallas after the 2013 season.

Wade Phillips is a doofus, but boy can he coach defense. You called a helluva game, sir...

— rabblerousr (@rabblerousr) January 24, 2016

Stephen Gostkowski's extra-point streak ends at 523 - Staff, ESPN
Another botched kick has a significant impact in the outcome of a playoff game. The New England Patriots made it interesting with a late Rob Gronkowski touchdown, but were unable to convert the two-point conversion needed to tie the game. They were forced to go for two due to an missed extra point by one of the best kickers in the league.

Gostkowski had made an NFL-record 523 consecutive PATs, and he had made all 60 extra-point kicks in the playoffs. He made his two other kicks in the game, field goals of 46 and 38 yards.

Just another reason to appreciate Dan Bailey.

Congrats to Broncos coach Gary Kubiak for doing something that's never been done before.

Gary Kubiak will be the 1st to play and coach in a Super Bowl for the same team (via @eliassports)

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) January 24, 2016

Cowboys: Reflecting On 1982 NFC Championship Game - Christian Blood, Fansided
It wouldn't be an NFC Championship game without some reference to "The Catch," but always I like to take the opportunity to remind people that the game should really be titled "The Tackle."

Many forget that White still had under a minute and a timeout remaining to get the Cowboys in field goal range, a possibility that just about happened. His deep completion to receiver Drew Pearson across the middle was likely a touchdown – or at least field goal range for kicker Rafael Septien – but was stopped by a fingertip tackle by cornerback Eric Wright on the collar of Pearson’s jersey. Pearson had just crossed midfield on that play, the first of the drive.

Cowboys, Senior Bowl 2016: Three Prospects to Watch - Lauren Draper-Wood, The Landry Hat
There will be no NFL action this next weekend as the two-week Super Bowl layoff begins, but that doesn't mean fans will be without football. Jason Garrett will be coaching the North roster and get a great chance to work closely with some potential draft prospects.

The Cowboys have a long history with the Senior Bowl and in the last five years alone they’ve drafted Zack Martin, DeMarco Murray, Terrance Williams and Dwayne Harris- all participants in the game. Dallas Cowboys staff writer Rob Phillips touched on how the Senior Bowl helped establish the team in it’s early years.

Cowboys Draft 2016: This Senior Bowl Running Back May End Up In Dallas - Ryan Ratty, BTB
The new kid on the block is firing on all cylinders with great draft prospect write-ups. And now he profiles my favorite running back target. Check out these nice video clips of the young ball carrier from Louisiana Tech.

There are many reasons why a team could fall in love with Dixon. He's one of the more intriguing prospects in this year's class for his field vision as well as his ability to cut and change directions quickly. For the Cowboys' zone-blocking scheme, Dixon makes a ton of sense for exactly those reasons.

I expect Cowboys to stick with RB committee approach next season; What's on my sports bucket list - Kristi Scales, SportsDay
The Cowboys could get a fresh-legged running back in the draft, but they have a solid option already on the roster.

Do you think Darren McFadden can be our number one running back next year?

Could he? He showed durability towards the end of this season -- in fact, he seemed to get stronger as the season went on. Then again, he didn't have the carry the load as the starter for the full 16 games (remember Joseph Randle???? Wonder what he's doing today?). The good news is that Lance Dunbar, barring any setbacks in his rehab following knee surgery, will be available in 2016. And I expect the Cowboys to add help in the RB corps. So my guess is that the approach in 2016 will be the same as it was heading into this past season -- a committee approach, but with someone other than Randle as the leader of the committee.

Report: Falcons will hire former Cowboys DBs coach Jerome Henderson as passing game coordinator - Dave Choate, The Falcoholic
A couple weeks ago, there was talk about Jerome Henderson going to the Miami Dolphins. While that didn't happen, he could now be on his way to Atlanta.

#Falcons are set to hire former #Cowboys DBs coach Jerome Henderson as passing game coordinator on D, I'm told. Will cause some tinkering

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 24, 2016

Jerome Henderson's departure not only change to Dallas Cowboys' staff - Todd Archer, ESPN
Could Henderson just be the first of many coaching changes coming for Dallas this offseason?

Henderson’s departure is the first for the Cowboys’ staff this offseason but it will not be the only change. According to sources, Steve Loney will move to tight ends coach and Marc Colombo will serve as the assistant offensive line coach.

Finding An Impact Player In The NFL Draft: Why The Cowboys Have A Tough Challenge At Four - Tom Ryle, BTB
The Cowboys have a great opportunity to do something special with the #4 pick, but will they make the right choice? Tom Ryle explains how finding the game changers don't come easy.

The fact is, it is hard to predict who will be that real game-changer. While some of the players that go on to true Hall of Fame careers are taken in the first five picks, other come from later in the draft - sometimes much later. The reason quarterback is part of the discussion for the Cowboys is that it is the position that is most often a true game-changer in the NFL.

Admittedly, taking a quarterback would be planning on getting the payoff down the road instead of right away, but the basic principle still applies. It is illustrative to look at the top quarterbacks in the league right now. Although it is certainly subjective, six of the top quarterbacks at the moment are Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Cam Newton, Aaron Rodgers, Ben Roethlisberger, and Russell Wilson. All were playing last week, and three of them are in the division championship games.

Bob Sturm's 2016 NFL profile series: prospect analysis by position - Bob Sturm, SportsDay
Bob Sturm takes a look at some of the top prospects in the 2016 NFL draft.