MichaelWinicki
07-04-2004, 01:25 PM
Uncertainty Prevails
By Mike Rabun
It will be remembered that most of the essays in the required reading back when we all signed up for Pro Football 101 had to do with the philosophy of, "defense wins championships."
But things have been known to change.
In today's classroom, there are instructors who have altered that core belief to something like this:
"A great defense wins championships, but there are not that many truly great ones out there anymore. So, as a precaution, it is wise to have an offense that can put the ball in the end zone with reasonable regularity."
As the Dallas Cowboys approach the 2004 season, there is a certain amount of giddiness to be found upon the land.
After all, the most recent go-round produced a playoff berth - a big-time jump from the three downtrodden seasons that had gone before.
With Bill Parcells entering his second campaign, the optimistic prognosis is for greater things ahead. And maybe the end result will be just as rosy as the optimists expect it to be.
That result, however, is going to depend on the quality of the offense and the quantity of its production - items currently surrounded by much mystery.
In this year's National Football League history book, and in all the ones that will follow, the Cowboys will be listed as having had the best defense of all in 2003.
That accolade will be perpetually awarded because the Cowboys held their opponents to a league-low 253.5 yards per game. The number of points allowed per game was a very impressive 16.25, second best in the NFL.
Dallas' defense, however, was a long way from being great because 20 other teams had more sacks than did the Cowboys and 24 other teams had more interceptions.
It was not a defense that won championships. In the playoff game against Super Bowl entry Carolina, the defense gave up a 77-yard drive that led to a field goal, a 51-yard drive that resulted in a touchdown and a 63-yard drive that ended in another touchdown.
The defense was good. But it was not overwhelming. It is reasonable to expect another good defense this year. It is not reasonable to expect the kind of defense that can win a championship on its own.
A considerable amount of pressure, therefore, will fall on the Cowboys' offense. Just where that offense winds up, obviously, is impossible to tell. It says here, however, that where it is starting out looks very much the way it looked at the beginning of 2003 - rather vague.
When last year's training camp began, the new coach was looking for a No. One quarterback. There was an assortment to choose from.
He was also in the market for a No. One running back since there was a gap created by the exit of a fellow who just happened to have gained more yards than any other rusher in league history.
A varied group of receivers was on hand with the key question being whether the soon-to-be-appointed quarterback could get the ball into those receivers' hands.
The offensive line was unsettled.
From that conglomeration, the Cowboys surprisingly became the top-ranked offense in the league for the first few weeks of the season.
It did not last.
As far as yards gained were concerned, Dallas ranked right in the middle of the pack. When it came to points scored, the Cowboys were worse than that - No. 21 out of 32.
Quincy Carter, who emerged as the best the team had at quarterback, ranked 11th in his conference. He threw for just 177 yards fewer than NFC-leader Daunte Culpepper, but Culpepper completed 7.5 percent more passes, threw eight more touchdowns and 10 fewer interceptions.
There were 18 1,000-yard rushers in the league last year and none of them played for the Cowboys. Troy Hambrick did the vast majority of the rushing work for the team and his yards-per-carry average of 3.5 was the lowest of any starter in the league.
Highlight moments certainly occurred from time to time for most of the offensive weapons on the team in 2003, enough to bring about 10 victories and a playoff berth.
Nevertheless, it took a very short period of time after the start of the Cowboys' first playoff game in four years to realize that their offense was not going to get it done.
Now, more than five months later, what do we have?
We have Bill Parcells seeking out a No. One quarterback. There is an assortment to choose from.
Sounds familiar.
Carter is still there, but he must prove himself again.
If Vinny Testaverde can produce the numbers over the course of 500 passes that he did over 198 last season, the Cowboys would be in good shape. But that is problematical.
And then there is Drew Henson, who must start from scratch.
At running back, the Cowboys will start over for the second straight season. This time, they will really start over.
The most controversial decision made by Parcells since his arrival came on draft day when he bypassed Steven Jackson and went with Notre Dame's Julius Jones.
Jones is it. If he does not come through, Plan B will have to be put in place. As of now, Plan B is not readily apparent.
One of last year's receivers is gone and another has crossed the boss, leaving his future in doubt.
Once again, whether the appointed quarterback can get the ball into the hands of the receivers is a bit of a lottery.
The arrival of Keyshawn Johnson has made headlines, but how many touchdowns will he create?
Touchdowns, after all, are the name of the game. Dallas made just 31 of them a year ago - less than one every other quarter. Kansas City had twice as many as did the Cowboys.
When the team convened in 2003, there was plenty of doubt about what kind of offensive club it would be.
That team made the playoffs, but did not create any sort of short-term offensive legacy. In fact, we seem to be right back where we started.
And even if improvement is forthcoming, it is wise to remember a remark from Parcells at the close of last season.
The Cowboys can be better on the field in 2004 than they were in 2003, he said, and still not have as good a record.
That doesn't mean improvement both on the field and in the won-loss column cannot be achieved. But if such improvements are made, they will come about by overcoming some familiar question marks.
By Mike Rabun
It will be remembered that most of the essays in the required reading back when we all signed up for Pro Football 101 had to do with the philosophy of, "defense wins championships."
But things have been known to change.
In today's classroom, there are instructors who have altered that core belief to something like this:
"A great defense wins championships, but there are not that many truly great ones out there anymore. So, as a precaution, it is wise to have an offense that can put the ball in the end zone with reasonable regularity."
As the Dallas Cowboys approach the 2004 season, there is a certain amount of giddiness to be found upon the land.
After all, the most recent go-round produced a playoff berth - a big-time jump from the three downtrodden seasons that had gone before.
With Bill Parcells entering his second campaign, the optimistic prognosis is for greater things ahead. And maybe the end result will be just as rosy as the optimists expect it to be.
That result, however, is going to depend on the quality of the offense and the quantity of its production - items currently surrounded by much mystery.
In this year's National Football League history book, and in all the ones that will follow, the Cowboys will be listed as having had the best defense of all in 2003.
That accolade will be perpetually awarded because the Cowboys held their opponents to a league-low 253.5 yards per game. The number of points allowed per game was a very impressive 16.25, second best in the NFL.
Dallas' defense, however, was a long way from being great because 20 other teams had more sacks than did the Cowboys and 24 other teams had more interceptions.
It was not a defense that won championships. In the playoff game against Super Bowl entry Carolina, the defense gave up a 77-yard drive that led to a field goal, a 51-yard drive that resulted in a touchdown and a 63-yard drive that ended in another touchdown.
The defense was good. But it was not overwhelming. It is reasonable to expect another good defense this year. It is not reasonable to expect the kind of defense that can win a championship on its own.
A considerable amount of pressure, therefore, will fall on the Cowboys' offense. Just where that offense winds up, obviously, is impossible to tell. It says here, however, that where it is starting out looks very much the way it looked at the beginning of 2003 - rather vague.
When last year's training camp began, the new coach was looking for a No. One quarterback. There was an assortment to choose from.
He was also in the market for a No. One running back since there was a gap created by the exit of a fellow who just happened to have gained more yards than any other rusher in league history.
A varied group of receivers was on hand with the key question being whether the soon-to-be-appointed quarterback could get the ball into those receivers' hands.
The offensive line was unsettled.
From that conglomeration, the Cowboys surprisingly became the top-ranked offense in the league for the first few weeks of the season.
It did not last.
As far as yards gained were concerned, Dallas ranked right in the middle of the pack. When it came to points scored, the Cowboys were worse than that - No. 21 out of 32.
Quincy Carter, who emerged as the best the team had at quarterback, ranked 11th in his conference. He threw for just 177 yards fewer than NFC-leader Daunte Culpepper, but Culpepper completed 7.5 percent more passes, threw eight more touchdowns and 10 fewer interceptions.
There were 18 1,000-yard rushers in the league last year and none of them played for the Cowboys. Troy Hambrick did the vast majority of the rushing work for the team and his yards-per-carry average of 3.5 was the lowest of any starter in the league.
Highlight moments certainly occurred from time to time for most of the offensive weapons on the team in 2003, enough to bring about 10 victories and a playoff berth.
Nevertheless, it took a very short period of time after the start of the Cowboys' first playoff game in four years to realize that their offense was not going to get it done.
Now, more than five months later, what do we have?
We have Bill Parcells seeking out a No. One quarterback. There is an assortment to choose from.
Sounds familiar.
Carter is still there, but he must prove himself again.
If Vinny Testaverde can produce the numbers over the course of 500 passes that he did over 198 last season, the Cowboys would be in good shape. But that is problematical.
And then there is Drew Henson, who must start from scratch.
At running back, the Cowboys will start over for the second straight season. This time, they will really start over.
The most controversial decision made by Parcells since his arrival came on draft day when he bypassed Steven Jackson and went with Notre Dame's Julius Jones.
Jones is it. If he does not come through, Plan B will have to be put in place. As of now, Plan B is not readily apparent.
One of last year's receivers is gone and another has crossed the boss, leaving his future in doubt.
Once again, whether the appointed quarterback can get the ball into the hands of the receivers is a bit of a lottery.
The arrival of Keyshawn Johnson has made headlines, but how many touchdowns will he create?
Touchdowns, after all, are the name of the game. Dallas made just 31 of them a year ago - less than one every other quarter. Kansas City had twice as many as did the Cowboys.
When the team convened in 2003, there was plenty of doubt about what kind of offensive club it would be.
That team made the playoffs, but did not create any sort of short-term offensive legacy. In fact, we seem to be right back where we started.
And even if improvement is forthcoming, it is wise to remember a remark from Parcells at the close of last season.
The Cowboys can be better on the field in 2004 than they were in 2003, he said, and still not have as good a record.
That doesn't mean improvement both on the field and in the won-loss column cannot be achieved. But if such improvements are made, they will come about by overcoming some familiar question marks.