Cowboys not quite ready to be talking Super Bowl
Owner Jerry Jones’ expectations a year ago weren’t very big when the Dallas Cowboys had plenty of questions and seemingly not very many answers.
Now that they’re defending NFC East champions looking for multiple playoffff wins for the fifirst time since the last of three Super Bowl wins 20 years ago, the ever-optimistic Jones still isn’t trying to pump things up. Neither is his son.
“No, I think he’s been out of that business for a while,” said Stephen Jones, the Cowboys’ executive vice president of personnel. “We need to go get something before we can start talking too optimistic. We got a little bit more to prove before we can take that next step.”
Quarterback Tony Romo and All- Pro receiver Dez Bryant haven’t taken a snap in a game together since Bryant’s crucial catch that wasn’t in a playoffff loss to Green Bay
in January. Same thing for all fifive members of an offensive line being touted as the key to replacing NFL rushing champion DeMarco Murray, who left for Philadelphia in free agency.
Bryant missed the offseason in a contrac t dispute and injured his hamstring early in training camp, practicing sporadically after that and missing all four exhibition games. Four of the fifive blockers battled mostly minor injuries during camp, but all are expected to be ready for the opener Sunday night against the New York Giants.
“Obviously, I would have liked to have had more reps. But I’ve got to take advantage of what I’ve done and take advantage of this week coming up to prepare for New York,” said right guard Zack Martin, who played just one preseason game because of a neck injury. Last year he was the team’s fifirst rookie All-Pro since running back Calvin Hill in 1969.
While Murray’s franchise-record 1,845 yards rushing played a big role in the most effiffic ient season of Romo’s career, Bryant’s presence was huge. He led the NFL with 16 touchdowns receiving and is now paid like the receiver offff to the best start in franchise history. Bryant, 26, signed a fifive -year, $70 million contract.
Now he has to fifind a way to reconnect with his quarterback quickly.
“Obviously, when Dez Bryant comes back, he’s a tough matchup for any team and dictates coverage sometimes,” said Romo, who played six series over two games in the preseason. “But when anybody’s out, when I’m out, you’ve got to go execute, and that’s all I have got to do.”
Things to consider for the Cowboys:
Suspended pair: Defensive end Greg Hardy (domestic violence case) and linebacker Rolando McClain (substance abuse violation) will miss the fifirst four games because of suspensions. Both will be eligible to return Oct. 11 against New England, and Tom Brady should be there as well after a federal judge tossed his fourgame ban.
After Murray: Joseph Randle, Murray’s backup for two years as a fififth- round pick, is likely to be the starter in the opener ahead of Darren McFadden. Change-of-pace back Lance Dunbar is in the mix, and the Cowboys just traded for Christine Michael, a second-round pick by Seattle out of Texas A&M two years ago.
Young talent: While Hardy is out, Dallas’ second-round picks from the past two sea- sons, DeMarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory, should get plenty of chances. Gregory, a projected fifirst- rounder who slid because of conduct issues, had a sack in each of the fifirst three preseason games.
Cornerback concern: A season-ending knee injury to Orlando Scandrick in camp puts more pressure on Brandon Carr, an expensive free agent, and Morris Claiborne, a top-10 pick in 2012, to play better than in the past two seasons. Claiborne missed most of last season with a knee injury. Scandrick’s absence creates an opportunity for second-year player Tyler Patmon, a product of Vista Ridge High School and Oklahoma State, in the slot.
Witten milestone: Jason Witten, the franchise leader in receptions, needs 57 to join Tony Gonzalez as the only tight ends in NFL history with 1,000 career catches. But he was less of a focal point last season, a trend likely to continue with the number of receiving threats available to Romo.