Three Burning Questions
Can running back Julius Jones hold up physically for a full season and give Dallas a ball control offense?
With Dallas going to a one-back offense, where Jones has the freedom to pick holes and create on his own, he should have more success and take less hits than he has the last couple of years. This formation will allow him to make some presnap reads and identify the defensive schemes. You get the feeling the Cowboys are starting to sour on Jones a little bit because he has only been active in 21 of 32 career games, and it is important for him to get through the 2006 season with better durability than he has shown in the past. If Jones struggles, we may see backup Marion Barber getting more carries, because he is more physical between the tackles. However, Barber is not as nifty and lacks the big-play threat of Jones. The only negative thing about this new offensive formation is that with two tight ends as a part of your basic set, we may see defenses put eight defenders in the box, which could make it a little tougher for Jones to find those holes.
Camp battle to watch
Al Johnson vs. Andre Gurode
This was a weak spot a year ago for the Cowboys, as defenses seemed to routinely attack this offensive line up the middle and flush an immobile Drew Bledsoe out of the pocket. These are two totally different players with different skill sets. Johnson is the better athlete of the two, is excellent in space and is a solid angle blocker. He also makes all the offensive line calls and plays very well under control. However, he does not have strength and power, and if he gets into a short area fistfight, he is really in trouble. Gurode has less range and athleticism, but is stronger and tougher. He can battle with a physical player who lines up over him. However, he tends to make more mental mistakes and is probably not as capable of making the offensive line calls as Johnson. You get the feeling coaches would like for Gurode to beat out Johnson, and that could happen if he can handle the mental aspects of the game.
Can kicker Mike Vanderjagt and the special teams unit be the difference between a good Dallas team and a legitimate playoff contender?
Absolutely. The Cowboys lost three games in 2005 because of marginal production with their kicking unit, and that is the difference between 9-7 and 12-4. Their cover teams are excellent and they hope to get a big shot of adrenaline from rookie return specialist Skyler Green. Vanderjagt, the most accurate kicker in NFL history, will give them those game-winning kicks they have missed in the last few years. This is a team that had nine games decided by four points or less in 2005, and three of those nine games wound up being losses.
Is this team a legitimate Super Bowl contender?
Owner Jerry Jones has spent $70 million in signing bonuses over the last two years to remake this team and put the players on the field Bill Parcells wants. The Cowboys have eight new free agents in 2006, and they have better depth than they have had at any time in Parcells' tenure. With former offensive coordinator Sean Payton gone, Parcells will likely go back to calling the plays himself, and it will be interesting to see how innovative he is, and if he takes some chances. Interestingly, Parcells took the Giants to the Super Bowl in his fourth year in New York and the Patriots to the Super Bowl in his fourth year in New England. Now he is in his fourth year in Dallas. History tells us even though this division is very competitive, Parcells has his best chance to take this Cowboys team to the Super Bowl.
The player under the microscope
The entire football world will be watching Terrell Owens in training camp, not only to see if he is still a great player, but also to observe how he handles himself on and off the field. This season is going to be very interesting for Owens because Parcells is a coach who likes to spread the ball around and Owens is unlikely to put up big numbers. Owens might be spending much of his time clearing out the middle for tight end Jason Witten or taking away double coverages from Terry Glenn, and it will be interesting to see if he handles those roles well. Much of his success will depend on turning short catches into long gains. He has a tremendous ability to run after the catch and knows how to push off and separate, which should allow Drew Bledsoe to get the ball out quickly and avoid sacks. Owens can be a great player in this offense without having terrific stats, but will he be patient with Bledsoe and Parcells?
Breakout player
Bradie James came out of nowhere in 2005 to post great numbers in the second half of the season, when starter Dat Nguyen went down with an injury. Nguyen is now retired and this becomes James' defense to run. He posted 109 tackles in 2005, and also did a much better job than his coaches expected in lining up the defensive fronts and getting everybody in position. He showed amazing maturity for a young player. He is very physical and an excellent run and fill linebacker. James is surrounded by an excellent overall linebacking corps, so it would be very difficult for offensive lines to double-team him.
Comeback player of the year
Flozell Adams missed the last 10 games of the 2005 season with a torn ACL. When he went out of the lineup, the pass protection for the Cowboys totally fell apart and Bledsoe became a sitting duck in the pocket. All reports out of Dallas indicate the rehabilitation for Adams is going well and he should be ready to have a very productive 2006 season. He is not a traditional left offensive tackle in terms of athletic ability and range, but he is a massive man with long arms who can simply push most edge rushers past the pocket because of his wingspan. He does a nice job of protecting Bledsoe's back side. While he tends to get a little sloppy, he is still a dominating player and by far the best offensive lineman on this roster. With this offense having a lot more weapons to spread the ball around, he will not have the pressure he's had in the past and could easily return to Pro Bowl form.
Offensive philosophy
The Cowboys are changing their basic offensive set in 2006 to a two-tight end, one-back look without a fullback as a lead blocker. This is an offense that wants to feature a power run game, but also be more effective in the short to intermediate passing game. Tight ends Witten and rookie Anthony Fasano will not only provide better balance as blockers in the run game, but will also be targets in the middle of the field. Last year, most of Bledsoe's throws were outside the hashes. Witten had to stay in and block because of poor edge protection and it really affected the passing game over the middle, but now the Cowboys have two guys who can catch the ball.
Without a true fullback in the game, Jones will be allowed to use his vision to create seams and hit holes when he sees them open, rather than being confined to following a lead blocker and not being able to improvise. The coaches feel this new freedom will really help his overall production. The key on offense will be the pass protection abilities of left offensive tackle Adams and right offensive tackle Jason Fabini. If they can hold up without help, which didn't happen a year ago on the edge, the tight ends can really get involved much more in the passing game. Glenn will continue to be the vertical threat in this pass offense, and with both tight ends and newly acquired Owens going over the middle, Glenn can avoid catching the ball in a crowd.
Owens will get a lot of short hitches and skinny posts in this offense to use his ability to run after the catch, but he will also continue to be a little bit of an underrated deep threat. His presence should really take double coverages away from Glenn. This is a tough group to match up against defensively. Witten is too good an athlete to be covered by a linebacker, Owens is too physical for most corners and Glenn is usually too fast to cover with only one guy.
Defensive philosophy
The Cowboys are now entering their second year in a 3-4 defense, and they are close to having all the personnel they need to be successful. They will play the 3-4 scheme on most snaps, but will also spend some time in a 4-3 defense. The Cowboys are blessed with excellent overall defensive line depth and their best pass rusher, defensive end Greg Ellis, is not even on the field in 3-4 schemes, so playing a little more 4-3 will get Ellis on the field in more pass-rushing situations.
Parcells does not like to blitz a lot and take chances, but defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer is a little more of a gambler and has two corners he really trusts in Anthony Henry and Terence Newman. Zimmer is not afraid to put them on an island with no safety help over the top. The Cowboys' primary scheme in the secondary last year was a Cover 2, but we may not see that as much in 2006. Strong safety Roy Williams is a great player, but the one weakness of his game is pass coverage. When you put him in the deep half of the field, not only does it negate his ability to come up and make big hits versus the run, it also exposes some of his limitations.
Look for Dallas to play a lot of Cover 1 and man free schemes. Williams can play close to the line of scrimmage, almost like a linebacker, and projected free safety Marcus Coleman can control the deep middle of the field and help out the corners if necessary. Look for the coaching staff to be really creative in training camp on finding ways to get Williams more involved closer to the line of scrimmage with a variety of coverage schemes and more blitzing. This is a defense capable of creating a lot of big plays.
Can running back Julius Jones hold up physically for a full season and give Dallas a ball control offense?
With Dallas going to a one-back offense, where Jones has the freedom to pick holes and create on his own, he should have more success and take less hits than he has the last couple of years. This formation will allow him to make some presnap reads and identify the defensive schemes. You get the feeling the Cowboys are starting to sour on Jones a little bit because he has only been active in 21 of 32 career games, and it is important for him to get through the 2006 season with better durability than he has shown in the past. If Jones struggles, we may see backup Marion Barber getting more carries, because he is more physical between the tackles. However, Barber is not as nifty and lacks the big-play threat of Jones. The only negative thing about this new offensive formation is that with two tight ends as a part of your basic set, we may see defenses put eight defenders in the box, which could make it a little tougher for Jones to find those holes.
Camp battle to watch
Al Johnson vs. Andre Gurode
This was a weak spot a year ago for the Cowboys, as defenses seemed to routinely attack this offensive line up the middle and flush an immobile Drew Bledsoe out of the pocket. These are two totally different players with different skill sets. Johnson is the better athlete of the two, is excellent in space and is a solid angle blocker. He also makes all the offensive line calls and plays very well under control. However, he does not have strength and power, and if he gets into a short area fistfight, he is really in trouble. Gurode has less range and athleticism, but is stronger and tougher. He can battle with a physical player who lines up over him. However, he tends to make more mental mistakes and is probably not as capable of making the offensive line calls as Johnson. You get the feeling coaches would like for Gurode to beat out Johnson, and that could happen if he can handle the mental aspects of the game.
Can kicker Mike Vanderjagt and the special teams unit be the difference between a good Dallas team and a legitimate playoff contender?
Absolutely. The Cowboys lost three games in 2005 because of marginal production with their kicking unit, and that is the difference between 9-7 and 12-4. Their cover teams are excellent and they hope to get a big shot of adrenaline from rookie return specialist Skyler Green. Vanderjagt, the most accurate kicker in NFL history, will give them those game-winning kicks they have missed in the last few years. This is a team that had nine games decided by four points or less in 2005, and three of those nine games wound up being losses.
Is this team a legitimate Super Bowl contender?
Owner Jerry Jones has spent $70 million in signing bonuses over the last two years to remake this team and put the players on the field Bill Parcells wants. The Cowboys have eight new free agents in 2006, and they have better depth than they have had at any time in Parcells' tenure. With former offensive coordinator Sean Payton gone, Parcells will likely go back to calling the plays himself, and it will be interesting to see how innovative he is, and if he takes some chances. Interestingly, Parcells took the Giants to the Super Bowl in his fourth year in New York and the Patriots to the Super Bowl in his fourth year in New England. Now he is in his fourth year in Dallas. History tells us even though this division is very competitive, Parcells has his best chance to take this Cowboys team to the Super Bowl.
The player under the microscope
The entire football world will be watching Terrell Owens in training camp, not only to see if he is still a great player, but also to observe how he handles himself on and off the field. This season is going to be very interesting for Owens because Parcells is a coach who likes to spread the ball around and Owens is unlikely to put up big numbers. Owens might be spending much of his time clearing out the middle for tight end Jason Witten or taking away double coverages from Terry Glenn, and it will be interesting to see if he handles those roles well. Much of his success will depend on turning short catches into long gains. He has a tremendous ability to run after the catch and knows how to push off and separate, which should allow Drew Bledsoe to get the ball out quickly and avoid sacks. Owens can be a great player in this offense without having terrific stats, but will he be patient with Bledsoe and Parcells?
Breakout player
Bradie James came out of nowhere in 2005 to post great numbers in the second half of the season, when starter Dat Nguyen went down with an injury. Nguyen is now retired and this becomes James' defense to run. He posted 109 tackles in 2005, and also did a much better job than his coaches expected in lining up the defensive fronts and getting everybody in position. He showed amazing maturity for a young player. He is very physical and an excellent run and fill linebacker. James is surrounded by an excellent overall linebacking corps, so it would be very difficult for offensive lines to double-team him.
Comeback player of the year
Flozell Adams missed the last 10 games of the 2005 season with a torn ACL. When he went out of the lineup, the pass protection for the Cowboys totally fell apart and Bledsoe became a sitting duck in the pocket. All reports out of Dallas indicate the rehabilitation for Adams is going well and he should be ready to have a very productive 2006 season. He is not a traditional left offensive tackle in terms of athletic ability and range, but he is a massive man with long arms who can simply push most edge rushers past the pocket because of his wingspan. He does a nice job of protecting Bledsoe's back side. While he tends to get a little sloppy, he is still a dominating player and by far the best offensive lineman on this roster. With this offense having a lot more weapons to spread the ball around, he will not have the pressure he's had in the past and could easily return to Pro Bowl form.
Offensive philosophy
The Cowboys are changing their basic offensive set in 2006 to a two-tight end, one-back look without a fullback as a lead blocker. This is an offense that wants to feature a power run game, but also be more effective in the short to intermediate passing game. Tight ends Witten and rookie Anthony Fasano will not only provide better balance as blockers in the run game, but will also be targets in the middle of the field. Last year, most of Bledsoe's throws were outside the hashes. Witten had to stay in and block because of poor edge protection and it really affected the passing game over the middle, but now the Cowboys have two guys who can catch the ball.
Without a true fullback in the game, Jones will be allowed to use his vision to create seams and hit holes when he sees them open, rather than being confined to following a lead blocker and not being able to improvise. The coaches feel this new freedom will really help his overall production. The key on offense will be the pass protection abilities of left offensive tackle Adams and right offensive tackle Jason Fabini. If they can hold up without help, which didn't happen a year ago on the edge, the tight ends can really get involved much more in the passing game. Glenn will continue to be the vertical threat in this pass offense, and with both tight ends and newly acquired Owens going over the middle, Glenn can avoid catching the ball in a crowd.
Owens will get a lot of short hitches and skinny posts in this offense to use his ability to run after the catch, but he will also continue to be a little bit of an underrated deep threat. His presence should really take double coverages away from Glenn. This is a tough group to match up against defensively. Witten is too good an athlete to be covered by a linebacker, Owens is too physical for most corners and Glenn is usually too fast to cover with only one guy.
Defensive philosophy
The Cowboys are now entering their second year in a 3-4 defense, and they are close to having all the personnel they need to be successful. They will play the 3-4 scheme on most snaps, but will also spend some time in a 4-3 defense. The Cowboys are blessed with excellent overall defensive line depth and their best pass rusher, defensive end Greg Ellis, is not even on the field in 3-4 schemes, so playing a little more 4-3 will get Ellis on the field in more pass-rushing situations.
Parcells does not like to blitz a lot and take chances, but defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer is a little more of a gambler and has two corners he really trusts in Anthony Henry and Terence Newman. Zimmer is not afraid to put them on an island with no safety help over the top. The Cowboys' primary scheme in the secondary last year was a Cover 2, but we may not see that as much in 2006. Strong safety Roy Williams is a great player, but the one weakness of his game is pass coverage. When you put him in the deep half of the field, not only does it negate his ability to come up and make big hits versus the run, it also exposes some of his limitations.
Look for Dallas to play a lot of Cover 1 and man free schemes. Williams can play close to the line of scrimmage, almost like a linebacker, and projected free safety Marcus Coleman can control the deep middle of the field and help out the corners if necessary. Look for the coaching staff to be really creative in training camp on finding ways to get Williams more involved closer to the line of scrimmage with a variety of coverage schemes and more blitzing. This is a defense capable of creating a lot of big plays.
