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Butt Monkey
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SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The Cowboys have rediscovered the ability to compete in the fall.
After three consecutive seasons of mediocrity under Jason Garrett, the Cowboys reclaimed their pedestal among the NFL’s elite with a 12-4 record and NFC East title in 2014.
But the Cowboys seem just as comfortable these days with their inability to compete in the summer. They extended their preseason losing streak to an NFL-long seven games Sunday night with a 23-6 drubbing at the hands of the San Francisco 49ers.
These August games don’t mean anything. And the Cowboys play like it.
And after watching the Green Bay-Pittsburgh game on television Sunday afternoon, I can understand Jason Garrett’s approach to the preseason.
The Packers lost Pro Bowl wide receiver Jordy Nelson with a season-ending knee injury, and guard T.J. Lang also departed with a concussion. The Steelers lost Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey with a broken bone in his ankle, and pass rusher Stephon Tuitt was carted off with an ankle injury.
You can’t get hurt if you don’t play, so starting offensive linemen Tyron Smith, Zack Martin and Ronald Leary all sat against the 49ers. So did the Cowboys’ top three defensive tackles — Tyrone Crawford, Nick Hayden and Terrell McClain. Also sitting were cornerbacks Brandon Carr, Morris Claiborne and Byron Jones, plus linebackers Sean Lee and Anthony Hitchens.
Pro Bowl receivers Dez Bryant and Jason Witten spent the night as spectators, and their buddy Tony Romo took all of three snaps before taking off his helmet as well. Pass rusher DeMarcus Lawrence also made a cameo appearance, disappearing after one defensive series. The remaining starters who did play were excused from further participation by halftime.
The goal in August isn’t to win. It’s to stay healthy. Most of the players Garrett held out of the San Francisco game were nursing nicks from the Oxnard practice fields. Garrett is in no rush to get them back on the field. The season doesn’t start until Sept. 13. That’s 20 days and two more preseason games from now.
http://www.***BANNED-URL***/sports/...ld-but-win-the-battle-that-really-matters.ece
After three consecutive seasons of mediocrity under Jason Garrett, the Cowboys reclaimed their pedestal among the NFL’s elite with a 12-4 record and NFC East title in 2014.
But the Cowboys seem just as comfortable these days with their inability to compete in the summer. They extended their preseason losing streak to an NFL-long seven games Sunday night with a 23-6 drubbing at the hands of the San Francisco 49ers.
These August games don’t mean anything. And the Cowboys play like it.
And after watching the Green Bay-Pittsburgh game on television Sunday afternoon, I can understand Jason Garrett’s approach to the preseason.
The Packers lost Pro Bowl wide receiver Jordy Nelson with a season-ending knee injury, and guard T.J. Lang also departed with a concussion. The Steelers lost Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey with a broken bone in his ankle, and pass rusher Stephon Tuitt was carted off with an ankle injury.
You can’t get hurt if you don’t play, so starting offensive linemen Tyron Smith, Zack Martin and Ronald Leary all sat against the 49ers. So did the Cowboys’ top three defensive tackles — Tyrone Crawford, Nick Hayden and Terrell McClain. Also sitting were cornerbacks Brandon Carr, Morris Claiborne and Byron Jones, plus linebackers Sean Lee and Anthony Hitchens.
Pro Bowl receivers Dez Bryant and Jason Witten spent the night as spectators, and their buddy Tony Romo took all of three snaps before taking off his helmet as well. Pass rusher DeMarcus Lawrence also made a cameo appearance, disappearing after one defensive series. The remaining starters who did play were excused from further participation by halftime.
The goal in August isn’t to win. It’s to stay healthy. Most of the players Garrett held out of the San Francisco game were nursing nicks from the Oxnard practice fields. Garrett is in no rush to get them back on the field. The season doesn’t start until Sept. 13. That’s 20 days and two more preseason games from now.
http://www.***BANNED-URL***/sports/...ld-but-win-the-battle-that-really-matters.ece
