Name your top 5 most important Cowboys this year

[billknows]

I'm taking a different approach to this. It's obvious that Romo, Ware, Witten, the offensive line, et al, are very important to the success of this team, but those guys are expected to be a big part of our success, so just naming them here seems sort of redundant to me.

Therefore, I'm going to give you 5 players who, if they perform as we HOPE they will, they just might put the Cowboys over the top. They are:

1. Miles Austin - Everyone keeps wondering how this offense will operate after the departure of the player, and to tell the truth, I'm a bit curious myself, though I'm not panicky about it. I believe that there is some truth to the stories and opinions going around that Owens has lost a step which is perhaps why the Cowboys struggled a bit at times last year on offense, and if that is indeed the case, this team just might need another player to step up and fill in for some of that lost production, especially on deep throws. If Austin can do this and give us a couple of long plays a game, that could make a big difference in the success of our offense.

2. Gerald Sensabaugh - I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm tired of seeing a serious lack of production at the strong safety position. I'm also tired of seeing big plays given up because of this team's refusal to admit that, yeah, the strong safety has to cover guys too. But hopefully, all that has changed with the addition of Sensabaugh who, at least from mini-camp and OTA reports, looks like he can actually cover, and if that's the case, maybe we can get better in an area that this defense so desperately needs: interceptions.

3. Felix Jones - There is SO much talent in this guy. Had he remained healthy for all of 2008, I believe he would have easily ran away with rookie of the year honors. As Hostile demonstrated in another thread regarding offensive formations, Jones is an obviously dynamic player, so much so that it would be criminal NOT to move him all over the formation in an effort to find and exploit matchup problems for the defense. This guy reminds me of Westbrook in that respect, and I believe that if he stays healthy, he will be able to do just about anything he wants to do on a football field.

4. Anthony Spencer - I know he's not Ware, but he's definately shown flashes of playmaking ability. He already plays the run very well, and that's nothing to casually dismiss, but the Cowboys need him to develop into at least a decent pass rusher to give Ware and company some help at attacking the QB from the strong side. If he can at least approach Ellis' sack total from last season, and I know that's a big "if," the Cowboys pass rush should be just as dominate as it was last year.

5. Mike Jenkins - Scandrick is for real. I have no doubts whatsoever about his ability to play, and I expect him to play even more and be even better this year than last. Jenkins, on the other hand, gives me room for pause...even if it's an ever so slight pause. I feel that he should be just as good as Scandrick, and my gut says that he probably is, but there's a tiny part of me that's worried about him. Hopefully, Jenkins will completely erase any and all doubt about his ability and desire and play like we all expect him to. With Newman, Scandrick, and what I hope to be a guy who makes me wonder why the hell I ever had any doubt, this secondary could just be one of the best in the NFL. Couple that with our pass rush and damn, it just gives me chills.


Can we just fast forward to the pre-season already?

Certainly an OUTSTANDING list

 

[dbair1967]

1) Romo...needs to cut down on turnovers and stay healthy. We could survive a few games (2-4 perhaps) without him, but for us to make a championship run he has to be healthy and playing in top form.

2) Ware- best defensive player and pass rusher in the league, hands down. Without him our defense is middle of the pack (or worse)

3) Roy Williams- he doesnt have to catch 100 balls and 15 tds, but he needs to be a major factor that teams have to account for. We have a few guys who can be 2's and 3's behind him, but losing him could be a huge blow to the offense as none of those other guys are a 1.

4) T New- we're a different defense when he is healthy...one of only a small handful of shutdown CB's in football

5) Felix Jones...huge playmaker...most explosive player on the offense or special teams, easily.

Honorable mention to Anthony Spencer. He will get ample opportunities to beat 1 on1 blocking, he has to do it. If he does our defense will go from very good to potentially overwhelming.

 

[Cowboys2008]

1. Roy Williams
So much relies on him being productive to the point in which we need.

2. Tony Romo
How is he going to react without his blanky TO on the field anymore?

3. Demarcus Ware
I expect another level of performance from him this year. That lifts the rest of the defense around him.

4. MBIII
His smashmouth style is what opens the door for the other 2- And really for our whole offense as a whole. We need that brutal game-changer in the backfield.

5. The Oline
As one, all year long, protect Romo!

 

[Swolt]

Obviously Tony Romo needs to be at the top of all of our lists.

TOP 6

Tony Romo
D Ware
R Williams
Entire OLINE
Marion B
JWITT