- Messages
- 79,281
- Reaction score
- 45,652
12:19 PM Fri, Aug 15, 2008 | Permalink
Jean-Jacques Taylor E-mail News tips
Marcus Spears is having a nice training camp - his best since he joined the team.
I think it's a combination of his maturity as a player, and the realization that as a first-round pick his days of entitlement were over. He knows Jay Ratliff is capable of taking his starting job away and that Jason Hatcher and Ratliff are better pass rushers, so he wouldn't play much in passing situations.
That was apparently enough to get the most out of Spears. It might be enough to keep his starting job. When the Cowboys were at their best in the early 90s, they had a terrific defensive line and rotated guys at will.
The 2008 Cowboys want to do the same with their three-man defensive line. That's one reason why Wade Phillps is having Ratliff spend so much time at defensive end.
The Cowboys want to be seamless in their rotations. The only way for that to happen is for Spears to feel as comfortable inside as he is outside and for Ratliff to feel as good outside as he does inside.
As of today, I think the starting defensive line on Sept. 7 against Cleveland will be Spears, Ratliff and Canty.
You guys happy with that?
Comments (2) Leave comment | TrackBack (0) | E-mail entry
Jean-Jacques Taylor E-mail News tips
Marcus Spears is having a nice training camp - his best since he joined the team.
I think it's a combination of his maturity as a player, and the realization that as a first-round pick his days of entitlement were over. He knows Jay Ratliff is capable of taking his starting job away and that Jason Hatcher and Ratliff are better pass rushers, so he wouldn't play much in passing situations.
That was apparently enough to get the most out of Spears. It might be enough to keep his starting job. When the Cowboys were at their best in the early 90s, they had a terrific defensive line and rotated guys at will.
The 2008 Cowboys want to do the same with their three-man defensive line. That's one reason why Wade Phillps is having Ratliff spend so much time at defensive end.
The Cowboys want to be seamless in their rotations. The only way for that to happen is for Spears to feel as comfortable inside as he is outside and for Ratliff to feel as good outside as he does inside.
As of today, I think the starting defensive line on Sept. 7 against Cleveland will be Spears, Ratliff and Canty.
You guys happy with that?
Comments (2) Leave comment | TrackBack (0) | E-mail entry
