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By JOHN McCLAIN Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle
Aug. 4, 2008, 11:40PM
When free agency began in March, Cowboys fans could not wait to show cornerback Jacques Reeves the road out of Dallas. They pointed him in the direction of Interstate 45 South to Houston.
Cowboys fans across the state chuckled when the Texans signed Reeves to a five-year, $20 million contract that included a $4 million signing bonus. Reeves, who starts opposite Fred Bennett, is hoping to have the last laugh and show team owner Bob McNair a good return on his investment.
“I never paid any attention to that,” Reeves said about the criticism he received during the Cowboys’ 13-3 season, which ended with a playoff loss at home to the New York Giants. “I don’t know what was said or written. I just tried to focus on doing my job as well as I could.”
That’s a good thing, because Reeves was ridiculed for what fans and media insisted was too much poor pass coverage in his first season as a starter.
Texans general manager Rick Smith, coach Gary Kubiak and members of the personnel and coaching staffs watched enough tape of Reeves to convince them that he could help because their cornerbacks play a different style. They needed a veteran to replace Dunta Robinson, who won’t play before the seventh game of the season as he continues to recover from knee and hamstring surgery.
“First of all, we liked his speed and quickness,” defensive coordinator Richard Smith said of Reeves. “We knew he worked hard. We thought he might fit with what we’re doing.
“He’s improved from the OTAs (organized team activities) and minicamp. He’s making more plays on the ball down the field. You can tell he’s more confident with what we’re doing. I love his attitude. He works so hard.”
Only time will tell if Reeves was the right man for the job. The coaches will get their first look at him Saturday when the Texans host Denver in the preseason opener.
“I’m real happy to be here,” Reeves said. “I’m working hard and having fun. I’m getting more and more comfortable with what the coaches want me to do and what we’re doing on defense. This is a young team. The players are hungry. I love playing with guys like this.”
In his four seasons with Dallas, Reeves played for a team that improved to a point where it had home-field advantage in the playoffs last season before blowing it against the Giants.
In Wade Phillips’ first season as Dallas’ coach, the Cowboys played a 3-4 defense. Reeves played a lot of zone coverage in which he lined up off the receiver. The Texans play a 4-3. Most of the time, they want Reeves on the line of scrimmage.
“I’m excited about what they want me to do,” he said. “They want me to get in the receiver’s face and turn and run with him.
“One thing I’ve learned in this league is that you’ve got to play solid technique. I’ve got to keep my eyes focused on the receiver. You can run like Carl Lewis, but if you don’t play good technique, you’re going to get beat in this league.”
Reeves played at Purdue before the Cowboys selected him in the seventh round of the 2004 draft. He made the roster as a special teams player, and it wasn’t until last season when he finally got into the starting lineup.
“He’s having a good camp,” secondary coach Jon Hoke said. “He’s adapted to the way we play. He’s a smart player and a hard worker. Not only does he work hard on the field, but he works hard in the meetings, too. He takes a lot of notes. ”
Reeves, who grew up in Lancaster, will get a chance to show the Cowboys on Aug. 22 that they were wrong when they allowed him to walk away at a time when they were desperate to acquire more players at his position.
Just don’t expect him to say anything negative about his former team. That’s not his style.
“This is a new start for me,” he said. “I’m happy with the way things are going. I’m excited about the season. And I’m doing everything I can to get better.”
john.mcclain@chron.com
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/sports/5924504.html
Aug. 4, 2008, 11:40PM
When free agency began in March, Cowboys fans could not wait to show cornerback Jacques Reeves the road out of Dallas. They pointed him in the direction of Interstate 45 South to Houston.
Cowboys fans across the state chuckled when the Texans signed Reeves to a five-year, $20 million contract that included a $4 million signing bonus. Reeves, who starts opposite Fred Bennett, is hoping to have the last laugh and show team owner Bob McNair a good return on his investment.
“I never paid any attention to that,” Reeves said about the criticism he received during the Cowboys’ 13-3 season, which ended with a playoff loss at home to the New York Giants. “I don’t know what was said or written. I just tried to focus on doing my job as well as I could.”
That’s a good thing, because Reeves was ridiculed for what fans and media insisted was too much poor pass coverage in his first season as a starter.
Texans general manager Rick Smith, coach Gary Kubiak and members of the personnel and coaching staffs watched enough tape of Reeves to convince them that he could help because their cornerbacks play a different style. They needed a veteran to replace Dunta Robinson, who won’t play before the seventh game of the season as he continues to recover from knee and hamstring surgery.
“First of all, we liked his speed and quickness,” defensive coordinator Richard Smith said of Reeves. “We knew he worked hard. We thought he might fit with what we’re doing.
“He’s improved from the OTAs (organized team activities) and minicamp. He’s making more plays on the ball down the field. You can tell he’s more confident with what we’re doing. I love his attitude. He works so hard.”
Only time will tell if Reeves was the right man for the job. The coaches will get their first look at him Saturday when the Texans host Denver in the preseason opener.
“I’m real happy to be here,” Reeves said. “I’m working hard and having fun. I’m getting more and more comfortable with what the coaches want me to do and what we’re doing on defense. This is a young team. The players are hungry. I love playing with guys like this.”
In his four seasons with Dallas, Reeves played for a team that improved to a point where it had home-field advantage in the playoffs last season before blowing it against the Giants.
In Wade Phillips’ first season as Dallas’ coach, the Cowboys played a 3-4 defense. Reeves played a lot of zone coverage in which he lined up off the receiver. The Texans play a 4-3. Most of the time, they want Reeves on the line of scrimmage.
“I’m excited about what they want me to do,” he said. “They want me to get in the receiver’s face and turn and run with him.
“One thing I’ve learned in this league is that you’ve got to play solid technique. I’ve got to keep my eyes focused on the receiver. You can run like Carl Lewis, but if you don’t play good technique, you’re going to get beat in this league.”
Reeves played at Purdue before the Cowboys selected him in the seventh round of the 2004 draft. He made the roster as a special teams player, and it wasn’t until last season when he finally got into the starting lineup.
“He’s having a good camp,” secondary coach Jon Hoke said. “He’s adapted to the way we play. He’s a smart player and a hard worker. Not only does he work hard on the field, but he works hard in the meetings, too. He takes a lot of notes. ”
Reeves, who grew up in Lancaster, will get a chance to show the Cowboys on Aug. 22 that they were wrong when they allowed him to walk away at a time when they were desperate to acquire more players at his position.
Just don’t expect him to say anything negative about his former team. That’s not his style.
“This is a new start for me,” he said. “I’m happy with the way things are going. I’m excited about the season. And I’m doing everything I can to get better.”
john.mcclain@chron.com
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/sports/5924504.html
