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[SIZE=-1]02:08 AM CDT on Friday, November 2, 2007[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]By CALVIN WATKINS / The Dallas Morning News [/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]cwatkins@***BANNED-URL***
[/SIZE] IRVING – At times, Roy Williams sounds like a thespian upset with the reviews of theater critics instead of sounding like a football player.
To say Williams, the Cowboys' Pro Bowl strong safety, is sensitive would be accurate.
And who could blame him?
All Williams hears from fans, scouts and the media is that he's a liability in pass coverage. He also hears that he's not making as many impact plays this season.
"I'm in a lose-lose situation," Williams said Thursday. "I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if I don't. You guys get paid to criticize us, and a lot of viewers in the Dallas-Fort Worth area are reading that, and it makes me look like I'm a bad person, as far as not doing my job on the field. It's not cool."
To the Cowboys coaches, Williams is doing his job.
"He's played fine," defensive coordinator Brian Stewart said. "I'm excited. We get a chance to do more things with him once we get into [the NFC East]. He brings a wallop when he hits people, and he's concentrating. He's getting progressively better."
Over the next three weeks, starting Sunday night in Philadelphia, Williams' abilities will be tested.
And his critics will be watching.
On occasion, Williams will have to cover Eagles tight end L.J. Smith and possibly running back Brian Westbrook. The next week, there's New York Giants tight end Jeremy Shockey, and when Washington comes to Texas Stadium on Nov. 18, Williams takes on tight end Chris Cooley.
Combined, the three tight ends have 59 catches for 611 yards and seven touchdowns this season.
But when Williams has gone against the NFC East, he's had success.
Of his 19 career interceptions, six have come within the NFC East. His three interception returns for touchdowns are against the NFC East.
Williams downplays his big-play ability against the division as something he's supposed to do. Yet, he will not cover these players alone.
Free safety Ken Hamlin's presence will allow Williams to move closer to the line of scrimmage, giving him an opportunity to make impact plays.
When linebacker Kevin Burnett is in the nickel package, Williams also plays as a linebacker. In that situation, Williams can blitz or drop back in zone pass coverage.
Williams said the communication with Hamlin has improved the overall defense. As for when Williams plays linebacker? "I'm trying not to get my head knocked off by those big linemen. I'm trying to save face."
The numbers this season suggest Williams isn't making as many impact plays for a man who's been to four Pro Bowls.
Comparing his first seven games from last season, Williams has no tackles for loss, four fewer passes defensed and 10 more tackles.
Williams has been getting fewer opportunities to make plays because injuries on the Cowboys defense have forced him to do other things, and teams aren't directing as many passes toward him.
The absence of outside linebacker Greg Ellis for the first three games forced the Cowboys to keep Williams in pass coverage a little more because the pass rush wasn't as strong.
Starting cornerbacks Terence Newman and Anthony Henry missed games with injuries, which also kept Williams away from the line of scrimmage.
"You always adapt to who you have," Stewart said. "When you have your starting corners, I think you can do some things. If you're going against a two-back offense, you want to play your safeties down low and attack the run. But if [offenses] spread out all over the place, you have no choice but to play them in coverage."
While critics continue to file negative reviews of Williams' play this season, he refuses to listen to or read them. He won't allow family members to tell him what's being said. Williams hears about reviews, positive and negative, from one of the defensive coaches.
Williams is still considered a Pro Bowler among offensive coaches across the league; the next three weeks could prove that.
"We expect him to make plays," Hamlin said. "He's been doing them for a while now."
[SIZE=-1]By CALVIN WATKINS / The Dallas Morning News [/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]cwatkins@***BANNED-URL***
[/SIZE] IRVING – At times, Roy Williams sounds like a thespian upset with the reviews of theater critics instead of sounding like a football player.
To say Williams, the Cowboys' Pro Bowl strong safety, is sensitive would be accurate.
And who could blame him?
All Williams hears from fans, scouts and the media is that he's a liability in pass coverage. He also hears that he's not making as many impact plays this season.
"I'm in a lose-lose situation," Williams said Thursday. "I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if I don't. You guys get paid to criticize us, and a lot of viewers in the Dallas-Fort Worth area are reading that, and it makes me look like I'm a bad person, as far as not doing my job on the field. It's not cool."
To the Cowboys coaches, Williams is doing his job.
"He's played fine," defensive coordinator Brian Stewart said. "I'm excited. We get a chance to do more things with him once we get into [the NFC East]. He brings a wallop when he hits people, and he's concentrating. He's getting progressively better."
Over the next three weeks, starting Sunday night in Philadelphia, Williams' abilities will be tested.
And his critics will be watching.
On occasion, Williams will have to cover Eagles tight end L.J. Smith and possibly running back Brian Westbrook. The next week, there's New York Giants tight end Jeremy Shockey, and when Washington comes to Texas Stadium on Nov. 18, Williams takes on tight end Chris Cooley.
Combined, the three tight ends have 59 catches for 611 yards and seven touchdowns this season.
But when Williams has gone against the NFC East, he's had success.
Of his 19 career interceptions, six have come within the NFC East. His three interception returns for touchdowns are against the NFC East.
Williams downplays his big-play ability against the division as something he's supposed to do. Yet, he will not cover these players alone.
Free safety Ken Hamlin's presence will allow Williams to move closer to the line of scrimmage, giving him an opportunity to make impact plays.
When linebacker Kevin Burnett is in the nickel package, Williams also plays as a linebacker. In that situation, Williams can blitz or drop back in zone pass coverage.
Williams said the communication with Hamlin has improved the overall defense. As for when Williams plays linebacker? "I'm trying not to get my head knocked off by those big linemen. I'm trying to save face."
The numbers this season suggest Williams isn't making as many impact plays for a man who's been to four Pro Bowls.
Comparing his first seven games from last season, Williams has no tackles for loss, four fewer passes defensed and 10 more tackles.
Williams has been getting fewer opportunities to make plays because injuries on the Cowboys defense have forced him to do other things, and teams aren't directing as many passes toward him.
The absence of outside linebacker Greg Ellis for the first three games forced the Cowboys to keep Williams in pass coverage a little more because the pass rush wasn't as strong.
Starting cornerbacks Terence Newman and Anthony Henry missed games with injuries, which also kept Williams away from the line of scrimmage.
"You always adapt to who you have," Stewart said. "When you have your starting corners, I think you can do some things. If you're going against a two-back offense, you want to play your safeties down low and attack the run. But if [offenses] spread out all over the place, you have no choice but to play them in coverage."
While critics continue to file negative reviews of Williams' play this season, he refuses to listen to or read them. He won't allow family members to tell him what's being said. Williams hears about reviews, positive and negative, from one of the defensive coaches.
Williams is still considered a Pro Bowler among offensive coaches across the league; the next three weeks could prove that.
"We expect him to make plays," Hamlin said. "He's been doing them for a while now."
