DMN Camp Blog: Archer, Mosley Thursday Practice observations

[WoodysGirl]

Gurode has edge at center


• Andre Gurode has seized control of the first-string center job. Gurode's better against a 3-4 scheme. Al Johnson has more success against a 4-3. Take a peek at the schedule and you'll see that it's much heavier on 4-3 teams.

Gurode drew praise for snapping the ball quickly when DeMarcus Ware jumped offsides during team drills.

• Defensive end/tackle Jay Ratliff has looked strong during the 1-on-1 drills. He used a bull-rush to drive Johnson into the quarterback. Ratliff is looking like a pretty smart choice in the seventh round. Ratliff and several other defensive players tried out martial arts in the off-season.

Ratliff, Chris Canty and Thomas Johnson joined us for a little brisket and chili Thursday evening.

• Jason Fabini has struggled so far in camp, but he did a nice job on Greg Ellis during 1-on-1 blocking drills. He drove Ellis into the ground on one play.

• Bill Parcells and passing game coordinator Todd Haley were all over receiver Jamaica Rector on Thursday. Rector appeared to be tired.

"He's content with the practice squad," Haley told Parcells.

• Backup quarterback Tony Romo made a great throw on a skinny post to Tony Curtis during a red zone drill.

Haley shouted, "Nice shot, Tony!"

• Drew Henson made some strong throws, including one across the middle to Patrick Crayton during red zone drills. As our Todd Archer pointed out earlier, though, Parcells never seems to notice.

What we do know is that Jeff "Skull and Bones" Mroz is no longer taking his turn in 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills.

• J.R. Tolver is not long for this team if he keeps dropping passes.

• Parcells shouted, "You receivers have to start making plays!" after Terrance Copper dropped a ball that was thrown slightly behind him. Terry Glenn responded with a diving touchdown catch.

• Tyson Thompson had his best practice of camp. He hit the holes with authority and showed some of the speed that caught Parcells' eye during last year's training camp.

Thompson and Henson had a botched handoff in the red zone drill.

• Linebacker Rocky Boiman, running back Julius Jones and tight end Anthony Fasano were asked to sing the Notre Dame fight song at the end of practice. They did some rapid-fire clapping while belting out the song. Later, Jones made fun of Fasano for not knowing the song.

• Former TCU cornerback Quincy Butler was called for pass interference during red zone drills.

• Remember the intra-squad scrimmage Saturday. Stay tuned for a time on that event.


Posted by Matt Mosley http://www.***BANNED-URL***/sharedcontent/dws/img/standing/icons/email.gif at 12:12 AM (E-mail this entry) | Comments (0)


Thursday practice observations ...


• New Cowboys’ radio analyst and former safety Charlie Waters has arrived at training camp. He boldly watched practice from “inside the ropes,” using the former player card, with Jay Saldi, a former teammate and father of linebacker John Saldi.

• After one of the officials threw a flag on Quincy Butler for pass interference in the end zone, Terence Newman playfully picked up the flag and stuffed it in his pants. The officials are usually on hand for a few days every year for camp.

• Quarterbacks coach Chris Palmer has the quarterbacks working on their accuracy by having them try to hit different colored flags on poles from 15 yards away. At one point Palmer said, “The object is to hit the target,” after a number of misses.

• Linebacker Oliver Hoyt blocked a punt in special-team drills. New punter/kickoff specialist Tyler Fredrickson has a slow delivery that led to the block.

• Mike Vanderjagt was back on the field and made three of four kicks on the day. It was by far the kickers’ best day. Vanderjagt, Shaun Suisham and Fredrickson were a combined 8-for-10.

• Wide receiver J.R. Tolver did not help himself out with two drops of Drew Henson passes Thursday, earning Todd Haley's wrath.

• For the Yalies out there, it appears the end is nearing for undrafted rookie QB Jeff Mroz. For the first time in camp, he was not in the seven-on-seven or team drills rotation.

• Safety/cornerback Marcus Coleman had the interception of the day, ranging far to his left and leaping to pick a Tony Romo pass that appeared to be deflected.

• Terry Glenn had the catch of the day, diving for a Drew Bledsoe pass in the end zone and cradling the ball before it hit the ground for a touchdown.

• DE Kenyon Coleman is taking advantage of Marcus Spears' recovery from knee surgery. He was extremely disruptive in the running game, and stopped Marion Barber cold twice.

• After two slight delays in practice Parcells barked at his coaches, "Do we need a board of directors meeting?"

• After DeMarcus Ware jumped off-side on a third-down play, Parcells yelled, "Dumb players do dumb things."

• Kevin Burnett's athleticism shines through in his coverage skills. He knows how to stay in a running back's or tight end's hip pocket.

• It has to be encouraging to see Marcus Spears do some resistance training just afew days after having right knee surgery. He's still a ways from returning, but he appears to be a quick healer.


Posted by Todd Archer http://www.***BANNED-URL***/sharedcontent/dws/img/standing/icons/email.gif at 7:21 PM (E-mail this entry) | Comments (2)

 

[Vintage]

Glad to see Burnett is doing well. Or "read" about it, to put it more accurately.

He has good speed and his athleticism will definetly be a benefit to our defense. And since he has some safety experience at college, he should be pretty good for us in nickle situations when we need LBers to be a factor in the passing game moreso.

 

[ravidubey]

Glad to see Burnett is doing well. Or "read" about it, to put it more accurately.

This is the pleasant surprise of the year for me. I admit I may have gotten too down on the guy last year.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Glad to see Burnett is doing well. Or "read" about it, to put it more accurately.

He has good speed and his athleticism will definetly be a benefit to our defense. And since he has some safety experience at college, he should be pretty good for us in nickle situations when we need LBers to be a factor in the passing game moreso.

With our "Nickel" defense being...

Ellis
Canty
Ratliff
Ware

Burnett
James

Roy
Glenn
Henry
Newman
Watkins

I'm really liking that defense.

Between Watkins and Burnett I can see our pass defense being much better in the two areas we were weak in... deep passes and passes to the TE's.

 

[Hostile]

With our "Nickel" defense being...

Ellis
Canty
Ratliff
Ware

Burnett
James

Roy
Glenn
Henry
Newman
Watkins

I'm really liking that defense.

Between Watkins and Burnett I can see our pass defense being much better in the two areas we were weak in... deep passes and passes to the TE's.

I like our defensive depth all around. It tells me we have the personnel to run a lot of different looks.

 

[BulletBob]

• Drew Henson made some strong throws, including one across the middle to Patrick Crayton during red zone drills. As our Todd Archer pointed out earlier, though, Parcells never seems to notice.

I wonder if this is accurate ... If so, could it be that Henson just rubs Parcells the wrong way?

 

[Vintage]

With our "Nickel" defense being...

Ellis
Canty
Ratliff
Ware

Burnett
James

Roy
Glenn
Henry
Newman
Watkins

I'm really liking that defense.

Between Watkins and Burnett I can see our pass defense being much better in the two areas we were weak in... deep passes and passes to the TE's.

Yeah, I am excited to see that team on the field. Football season can't start soon enough.

Football and beer.....joyousness and amazingness rolled into one, giving me jamazingnessous.

 

[CaptainMorgan]

I wonder if this is accurate ... If so, could it be that Henson just rubs Parcells the wrong way?

I would guess yes.

Henson's opportunity will begin next season after Parcells is gone.

 

[CowboyManDan]

I wonder if this is accurate ... If so, could it be that Henson just rubs Parcells the wrong way?

I just can't think it can be accurate. I mean what good coach would ignore a player doing well? Can he really and truely not like Henson? I mean he seems to always say and do the right thing from what we read on our ends. But it sure feels this way.

There was a mention of a great Romo throw in this article. But honestly I think that's the first time I heard something like that. Usually its just his moxie that is talked about. Just from what I read, I think Henson is progressing in the right direction and pushing Romo more than Parcells wants to think.

I think it's plain and simple: Because Romo is in a contract year and Henson has multiple years left on his contract, Romo is going to get the look now.

Though if Parcells is really doing this in spite, like some suggest, then that's just being stubborn and childish. I for one gotta think it's the contract reason and not this.

 

[CaptainMorgan]

I just can't think it can be accurate. I mean what good coach would ignore a player doing well? Can he really and truely not like Henson? I mean he seems to always say and do the right thing from what we read on our ends. But it sure feels this way.

There was a mention of a great Romo throw in this article. But honestly I think that's the first time I heard something like that. Usually its just his moxie that is talked about. Just from what I read, I think Henson is progressing in the right direction and pushing Romo more than Parcells wants to think.

I think it's plain and simple: Because Romo is in a contract year and Henson has multiple years left on his contract, Romo is going to get the look now.

Though if Parcells is really doing this in spite, like some suggest, then that's just being stubborn and childish. I for one gotta think it's the contract reason and not this.

If this were something that was just now taking place I would agree with your theory but Henson has been overlooked and in my opinion, treated unfairly starting with Bears game 2 years ago.

Parcells pulling him at half was a serious blow to his development and confidence. It made absoultely no sense.

 

[wileedog]

If this were something that was just now taking place I would agree with your theory but Henson has been overlooked and in my opinion, treated unfairly starting with Bears game 2 years ago.

Parcells pulling him at half was a serious blow to his development and confidence. It made absoultely no sense.

I think he had Henson's best interests in mind pulling him. He has talked repeaedly about not throwing him or Tony "to the wolves", and Henson obviously was a little lost out there. I'm not sure how going out for another half and getting beat up would have helped Drew's development any, and if anything Bill probably should have listened to his instincts and not put him out there in the first place.

I think all this "not noticing" stuff is pure conjecture anyway. I agree with the poster above who said its about the contract year. Bill has about 4 weeks to figure out whether to give Romo a lot of money or not. He has time with Henson.

 

[CowboyManDan]

It's so hard to say. But I think we can say Henson is a better player this year than he was last year, and mostly likely the year before as well.

I'm giving Parcells the benefit of the doubt that this is not in spite and purely a contract timing evaluation thing like I mentioned (and others have too) in my previous post.

 

[CaptainMorgan]

I think he had Henson's best interests in mind pulling him. He has talked repeaedly about not throwing him or Tony "to the wolves", and Henson obviously was a little lost out there. I'm not sure how going out for another half and getting beat up would have helped Drew's development any, and if anything Bill probably should have listened to his instincts and not put him out there in the first place.

I think all this "not noticing" stuff is pure conjecture anyway. I agree with the poster above who said its about the contract year. Bill has about 4 weeks to figure out whether to give Romo a lot of money or not. He has time with Henson.

I agree in principle. Parcells shouldnt have even started Henson that day but once he did, pulling him had to be a serious blow to his psyche. Can you imagine the butterflys and adrenaline Henson was suffering from during that first half of play? Thanksgiving day, knowing the entire country is watching and making your inagural start in the NFL for the Dallas Cowboys.

That has to be a tough first 30 minutes.

 

[yesfan]

Go ask Phil Sims what it was like trying to
prove himself. Btw, is the intra-squad scrimmage Saturday,
on some sort of stream on the internet?

 

[wileedog]

I agree in principle. Parcells shouldnt have even started Henson that day but once he did, pulling him had to be a serious blow to his psyche. Can you imagine the butterflys and adrenaline Henson was suffering from during that first half of play? Thanksgiving day, knowing the entire country is watching and making your inagural start in the NFL for the Dallas Cowboys.

That has to be a tough first 30 minutes.

Bill is notoriously cruel to his QBs. If something like this is going to break Henson's psyche than perhaps the reports are true and BP doesn't have much interest in him. He has no use for fragile egos, especially at the QB spot.

 

[Iago33]

I wonder if this is accurate ... If so, could it be that Henson just rubs Parcells the wrong way?

If this were the Quincy/Hutch days, there'd be a sexual joke there. Luckily, we're more mature now.

Mysterious are the ways of Parcell--beyond mortal comprehension.

 

[JPM]

With our "Nickel" defense being...

Ellis
Canty
Ratliff
Ware

Burnett
James

Roy
Glenn
Henry
Newman
Watkins

And when Spears comes back it will be even stronger.

 

[DBoys]

Anyone noticing how many interceptions Romo is throwing? What is that like 6 or 7?

 

[CooterBrown]

I wonder if this is accurate ... If so, could it be that Henson just rubs Parcells the wrong way?

I think it is Parcells' way of testing Henson's mental strength. If Henson can ignore it and just play football, he'll be fine. If someone else's attitude affects his play, he probably doesn't have the mental toughness to be a starter in this league regardless of athletic ability.

And, FWIW, I think Parcells notices everything, even when he doesn't say anything.

And, a question for those who are attending camp: Since Mroz was not included in the rotation, how were the percentage of snaps split? Intially, I think it was 50% Bledsoe, 25% Romo, and 12.5% each of Henson and Mroz.

 

[CooterBrown]

Anyone noticing how many interceptions Romo is throwing? What is that like 6 or 7?

Certainly far more than the other QBs. Knowing Parcells conservative play calling is based on a desire to not take chances with the ball, that must be grating on his nerves. But, in his press conferences he has been giving huge props to the corner backs, so maybe he thinks it is just good DB play and not bad QB decisions or throws.

On the plus side, the interceptions seem to be on balls thrown by someone other than our starting QB. Hopefully, Bledsoe is the starter all year long and we don't have to worry about Romo's occasional tendency to throw to the wrong team.