Maybe it makes some sort of cosmic sense that the Dallas Cowboys are back to holding training camp in San Antonio. Of course, the Alamo City is home of the NBA champion Spurs. And the last time the Cowboys held camp here, back in 2003, the Spurs were also champs of the NBA.
I mean, that's where the Cowboys are trying to get back to, that championship level.
But, hold on.
"Everybody wants to talk about 11 or 12 wins," new head coach Wade Phillips told me, "but we're not an elite team -- not yet, at least."
In part, that's why I find the Cowboys to be one of the most intriguing squads in the National Football League. They could wind up being an elite team, or it could quickly go the other way.
I think the Cowboys could do anything from win the Super Bowl, to finish 7-9, or 8-8. With this team, and nothing's a given.
It's been 12-years since Dallas won its last Super Bowl. They haven't won a playoff game since then, and have but one double digit win season since '98.
All that was supposed to change when Bill Parcells came to town, but after four seasons, nada.
Now, in fairness, Parcells took over a team that was coming off three consecutive 5-11 campaigns. The cupboard is a lot more stocked for Phillips, the man who's replaced him.
"When Bill got here, the team was here (hand raised to about his waist), now it's here (hand at neck level). It's up to us to take it up to that next level," Phillips said.
Moving up to that next level will most likely hinge on whether or not quarterback Tony Romo can take it up a notch in his first full season as "the man."
You know the story with Romo: The former free agent finally gets his chance last year, and it was a tale of two seasons for him.
He came out the gate as a winner in four of his first five starts. In his final five, he was 2-3 with six touchdowns and 12 turnovers.
"Romo's got to find a way to be more consistent," one player told me in the "duh" comment of the day.
That said, his teammates still believe firmly that Romo can be the guy. Why not? With him in charge, the team did score its most points in a season since that Super Bowl year.
As Phillips put it, "We've got talent on offense....we've got two good running backs (Julius Jones and Marion Barber), three good receivers (WRs Terrell Owens, and Terry Glenn, along with TE Jason Witten), our offensive line is huge."
The point is that Romo doesn't have to do it all on his own.
The only personnel change the Cowboys have made on offense is bringing in Leonard Davis, who was the second player taken in the '01 draft behind Michael Vick, to play right guard. Davis played all over the line during his years in Arizona, but is probably a better fit at guard than the left tackle spot the Cards had him in under Denny Green.
Where the Cowboys think Romo will benefit is in the support around him off the field. Former Cowboy Jason Garrett was brought in to be the new offensive coordinator. Wade Wilson, another ex-Cowboy, is the QB Coach. And Brad Johnson is the new # 2 QB.
While keeping the running game the same, Garrett has totally changed the passing system. But it's one that Romo is familiar with. Garrett learned it under Saints head coach Sean Payton when he was Garrett's offensive coordinator with the Giants. Payton then brought the system to Dallas where Romo began to learn it as a rookie, before it changed a bit last year with Payton's departure.
So while it will be different, it's not a system that's totally new to Romo.
Despite Romo's late season struggles, the real problem in Big D was how little the D played, ranked 20th of the 32 teams in points allowed.
That's where Phillips comes in.
In his last six stops as an NFL head coach or defensive coordinator, Phillips has taken over a team with a losing record the year before he got there and guided them to the playoffs in his first season -- mostly on the strength of eight top 10 defensive finishes.
Let's see what he can do in Dallas while keeping nine of the 11 starters from last year's struggling unit.
"We're just wiping the slate clean, (we're) gonna teach them an entirely new defense," said Phillips. Not worried about trying to ease the transition by keeping some of the old in with the new, he said with a smile, "There was a reason I was brought in here."
Phillips really lights up when he talks about defensive play and schemes. His take is that his system finds out what a guy does best, and then plays to that strength, rather than worrying about fitting a guy in to what he teaches. Adapt to the players, instead of making the players adapt.
A prime example would be what he plans to do with linebacker DeMarcus Ware.
Ware is on the verge of being a breakout star in the league. But while watching tape of last year, Phillips noted that opposing offenses would often dictate where he would play because the Cowboys lined him up according to the offensive formation. This season, Ware's job will simply be "rush the passer," said Phillips. The plan is to allow him to play in different spots on both sides of the defense so that offenses no longer know what's coming. It's the same design that allowed Shawne Merriman to become a beast playing in this same defense under Phillips for the previous three seasons.
There's no question around the league about how talented Ware is. It's the rest of the Dallas defense that people wonder about.
Yes, strong safety Roy Williams has been moved closer to the line of scrimmage where his play excels, and his responsibilities in pass coverage have been drastically reduced, simply because he wasn't very good at them. Free safety Ken Hamlin was brought over from Seattle, becoming the seventh guy to start beside Williams in the last three seasons. With veteran linebacker Greg Ellis in street clothes with a foot injury, first-round pick Anthony Spencer looks ready to take over at times, and at other times, he looks like a rookie in his second week of training camp.
Small moves, yeah, but moves Phillips thinks will make a difference.
But what if all this re-jiggering of the pieces simply doesn't work because the talent really isn't there? The Cowboys have spent their last eight No. 1 draft picks all on defensive players, but the results are yet to show.
If that trend keeps going, the Super Bowl years may continue to feel like another century to Cowboy fans.
Butif Phillips is right, and he has been before, then the Cowboys could once again be the shining star of the NFL.
It could really go either way.
A QUICK SIDEBAR
Now that I've been to six NFL camps in the first week of my tour, I just wanted to mention to you how much fun this has been been for me.
Know that I have seen the hundreds of comments that you've posted following my blogging tour across the league and I thoroughly enjoy the input. After a full day of travel, watching practices, and talking to players and coaches (my life is tough, huh), I get back to the hotel a bit tired, but take to tapping on the keyboard to share with you what I've seen and heard.
Considering how late it is in the day, I often wonder if it makes any sense but then I see that it doesn't have to. You guys just take the ball and run with it. That team, that division, becomes a hot topic on the message boards.
Your passion proves what I tell folks all the time. NFL fans are the most passionate of any sport. They are the one group that truly cares about what goes on around the entire league, not just with the hometown team.
Thanks for your dedication. Thanks for your passion. Keep it up folks.
I have to agree with Curt here. The Cowboys are one of the most unpredictable teams where they have loads of talent but always seem to make bonehead plays in key games. Hopefully Phillips can work his defensive magic and get Ware to the same level he put Merriman at.
I think the Cowboys are going to be real disappointing this year with Romo going into his 2nd year, TO going into the 2nd year of his contract, a new coach, and a tougher division.
i don't see the cowboys doing much this year. I think that romo will struggle which will cause TO to meltdown in about week 6. the defense should be better but I don't think they are going to have enough. 8-8 in 07
im thkin the cowboys will go 11-5 and get the first round bye but after tht its unpredictable. Romo has to stay consistant to keep this team alive. The Defense will reck on everybody just like the bears last year.
hey umm eagles ####
wut happend to thm? wut happend to mcnabb?
he blows hard ones like ur mother!!
so deal with it the cowboys will reck on everyone this year
Last edited by Cowboy_Stunna on August 7th at 9:46 AM.
EAGLESRULE4EVER,
Now I know that all you eaglets s ucks 4 real, U always make comments that are soooooo dumb like your "Soup QB Boy Mcsoup" mama's boy of course, it's going to be a payback year for u eaglets....watch out ...DA BOYZ has a surprise for your as ses in philly.
I don't know why everybody pins the Cowboys success on Romo... the truth is, if Jones and Barber make decent gains on the ground, they won't need Romo to do much.
I think the Cowboys and Eagles both are going to finish 9-7, both will make the playoffs, and both will lose in the first round. But that's based on what I'm hearing coming out of the camps. It could go either way once we know how well Romo and Mcnabb are doing. Romo's got to be more consistent and Mcnabb's got to stay healthy. Romo's in the same situation as Grossman, he's got to play more consistently. The problem for Romo is the Dallas defense isn't even close to being as good as Chicago's, so it's up to the offense to carry the load... which means Jones, Barber, and the O-line have to step up.
New coach, inexperienced quarterback, drama queen receiver, tought division. They won't recover from a shaky start, Romo will not be able to handle T.O.'s #### i n g if things don't go well from the beginning. A good start is key if the cowgirls are to make any noise this year. They suck!!!
Cunning Linguist
I don't know what you guys are drinking, but don't want any of it ! Dallas is going to the bowl this year....sSpr.Bwl....dat is, U can hate all U want, I love my team (Dallas Cowboys) for me.
i think that Wade Phillips agressive def is just what the cowboy`s def needs to be a top 10 defense.Lets face it Bill parcell`s defenses with the Cowboys have always been as vanilla as they were predictable especially in the late season. THIS was the main reason for last years collapse, (Not Tony Romo) The Cowboys new AGRESSIVE Def should propell this team to playoffs and damage.
The Cowboys will have a great year. Isn’t that what all True Cowboys fans say? “Were gonna win the division, this is the year Whooohoooo”. Well this year I agree more then ever because of the depth at key positions that in years past we didn’t have. The secondary; I cant tell you how happy I was when Jerry signed Ken Hamlin, that should really help in pass coverage. Many times I’ve been watching the Cowboys and had to hold my breath when the other teams QB #### his arm back and throws the ball down field. Not knowing if they’ll be someone there in coverage or what! Our secondary depth isn’t as deep as our defensive line or even our receivers, but hopefully our trainers will do a good job keeping all the players healthy. My only concern however happens to be in the quarterback Tony Romo. I believe he can do well in the league, but how well is he at making adjustments is the question? Last year he went 5-1 as a starter, but after that he dropped to a dismal 1-3 including the playoff loss to Seattle. It was as heart-breaking for me as it was for ALL the other Cowboys fans. By listening to Jerry make comments about Romo this past week, I am under the impression that if Tony doesn’t make a "deep run" into the playoffs this year, he may be on the first things smoking after the season. I hope he does well this year, but in Dallas were used to being called Americas Team, we need to get our swagger back! It all starts with Tony Romo. The Cowboys success will depend greatly on the overall health of the team and weather Tony is good at making the proper adjustments when needed. S
divadisvet
U are right....love is in the East. NFC East is the toughest, no other team will last or be productive in this division, it's 4 d tough guys.
Eagle####4ever...your comments are played out dude...yes, your iggles beat our boys twice LAST YEAR, the article is about them being contenders THIS YEAR...come up with something else, or go somewhere else with that played out s.h.it....why are you always on COWBOY blogs anyway?....I think you want to jump on our bandwagon...and that's ok...I understand...our future looks bright!!!...unlike yours...
I'm a huge cowboys fan. But I'm also a realist. We aren't going to win 11 games. Maybe 10-6 or 9-7. Some of our tougher games this season are at home, ie the Pats. We beat the Colts at home last season, but then lost to Detriot. So you never know what's gonna happen. Playoffs can go either way depending on who get matched up against. But the Eagles are going down this year. McF*a*g can't stay healthy long enough and with Garcia gone, Kolb won't do anything this year
What happened to spell check these days? I can't tell if I'm reading a post from a 35 year old with first grade reading level or a 13 year old who thinks he's text messaging. . . either way it's hard to take an opinion that seriously when you can't even read it.
boys will dominate. they are clearly one of the most talented teams in the league. the offense showed it last year, now with phillips at the helm the D (also very talented) will dominate, not much unlike the bears. shut down corner at CB, Roy, Ware, Spears, i could go on. parcells' systems were too outdated. the guy brought in talent but now phillips will mold it
all the pundits will doubt Dallas as usual but they will prove it on the field. by scoring even more points than last year and shutting down opponents.
also the eagles will bend over a tree trunk in the middle of the forest adn get pounded by a prison vet. also they will not make the playoffs since their defense is absolutely horendous (save the secondary) and the offense is too one dimensional, by that i mean westbrook.
Take away the passing game @ eaglets, they are finished, cause they are not a rushing team, which is why the BOYZ will shove the ball down their throat this season....so they (eagles) can choke on it.
First off Romo is no fluke...you do not throw for a 95 rating in 10 games by accident.
2ndly, the D is the issue, not the offense. Our O finished #4 in the entire NFL...we will be good there.
If the D improves under Wade, the team will improve.
The NFC East did not get any better this year, so to say it is tougher is BS. The Eagles hopes and prayers rest on McNabb...if he goes down a 3rd year in a row, you are burnt birds...especially since you have not a QB worth talking about past him.
The Skins are worthless with their #### QB and their D has been toast for years.
The Giants will stink it up with no run game and poor Eli will get tore up with no one respecting the weak backs they have.
Dallas will go 10-6 or 11-5, winning the East will rest on more of McNabb's health than anything.
The Boys are a solid as hell team...give them another season and 1 more piece to the puzzle and they are there.
Oh I see the IAMDUMB4EVER and PHILLYFART have made their way onto yet another Cowboys thread. Simply stated they just want to read what winners talk about. GOT FIVE???? The Cowboys do, come back and thread when you win a SuperBowl.
I can't wait for the preseason game to see how Tony Romo is doing this year! I think the defense will improve under Wade and we have a line now that I think can do very well, especially run-blocking. TO seems to be finally getting some maturation, and if Tony does well, I think TO will be OK. TOny does have the potential for a breakout season, his camp practices have been great, but that first game is a real test. Cowboys can get to the superbowl on a 12-4 season at best if TOny really lights it up and the rest of the pieces come together. Looking at the schedule, the worst they can do is 9-7 with no playoffs if Romo stinks and other stuff comes apart. My bet? Probably a 10 or 11 win season with the division title. Sorry Eagles, but your team has way too many questions for me to consider you likely to get the title in the face of the talent the Cowboys do have.
lucy8276 ,
Yeah ! you are right... I think they are on this blog to spy for Reid and mcrap....heh !!! you lose eagles, out trade secrets will not be on this site.
Did someone just post the words TO and Maturation in the same sentence? Is this change evident in the way he stands on the sideline avoiding practice? Like he did last year?
There is a reason why they are called the Cow-boys, it's because they are boys, not MEN. Only one squad of boys made it to MEN, and those 4 dudes could sing. So no, the Cowboys will not be a good team. Not until they are the Cowmen.
And this Romo guy everyone is so giddy about, what a joke! This guy goes on a roid-rage and breaks the eye socket of his team mate during pre season a few years ago. He then turns into a crybaby and where does that get him? As a quarterback for the Cowboys? Didn't he use to be a linebacler.
Are there any bloggers here who truly understand professional football or am I in an elementary school message board?
Cowboys my foot. Romo hoof and mouth disease is what he is. If he were in England he would be destroyed by now.
Well, Wade has gone on record this year saying he is going to let his offensive staff call plays and be involved in the game. Jason Garret is a former player who is getting his first real taste of NFL O coordinator. He is a big unknown, so no judgement either way on that topic. But, Sparano is still here, and Ray Sherman, an accomplished reciever's coach, should do well with TO and Glenn, he did pretty well with Green Bay's recievers during their superbowl years.
Last edited by cofmanaaron on August 7th at 11:26 AM.
Alot of players not just TO are told by their coaches to take a break during practice. Have you seen TO lately? His body and shape does not look like that of one in need of practicing everyday. I don't care what team you are a fan of...every veteran does not practice every day and you guys take what the media says and run with it. There was nothing wrong with his hamstrings...he was resting. His back is tight, he is resting... Big DEAL. Emmitt Smith didn't practice every practice either... But I suppose to you ####'s he sucked too.
This season will come down to injuries. That was the only thing that got in the way last year. The season does not hinge on Romo. The ugly losses at the end of last season were due to Ellis's injury and the conservative 3-4 scheme that Parcells stubbornly insisted on. With more pressure on the QB it will put less pressure on what some may consider a weak secondary. Also, let's not forget that T.O.'s hand was broken all of last season which probably has something to do with the dropped passes. Also, I disagree that the division is stronger. The Giants are certainly worse, the Redskins are still questionable, and the Eagles did not improve by letting their top receiver and top QB go. Unlike McNabb, Romo has a ton of weapons at his disposal, not to mention his body is not worn out and injury prone. Now the O line is stronger, which wasn't really a problem for Romo anyway, so the only real threat is injuries. That's why people say the Cowboys could go to the Superbowl.
Wapners-PC: sorry to disappoint you, but it seems from camp that TO is actually having to be held back from practice that he keeps trying to get into because the coaches want to save his strength for the season. His work ethic has been tremendous, even overzealous, as his body hasn't been able to keep up with him wanting to stay in the grind.
TomTarugo: what load of BS is that! I really want to know where you got that info because ROmo was never a linebacker and never heard of that little incident. And the team has no 'men' on it. I guess that would applies to Aikman, Emmit Smith, and Michael Irvin in your book. Sorry dude, but it looks like they are more than 10 times the man you are. Go back to baseball, cause you sure as hell aren't a football fan. Not a smart one anyways
The Cowboys' best players are just getting to their prime, while the Eagles are clearly past it...that doesn't mean anything on the football field, but I sure am glad to be a Cowboy fan these days!!!!Offense is only getting beter, Romo WILL be better with 10 games under his belt and getting all the first team reps this year. The players are excited about the new defensive scheme that Phillips is implementing, (the main reason he got hired)and you know we got big time talent on that side of the ball. On paper we look really good, but games aren't played on paper and I'm also a realist. Injuries are a major factor for ANY football team, and because of that I'm not making any predictions, but all us Cowboy fans gotta be really excited about this year. GO COWBOYS!!!!
Believe me If these idiots know well that this is Cowboys fan blog, they will never attempt to jump in the pool without first testing the depth....Ha Ha..LOL
Curt Menefee is the host of FOX NFL Sunday. He is a veteran play-by-play man, who has also worked as a reporter for the MSG Network and an anchor for FOX's New York affiliate.
