Kevin Ogletree’s Sudden Emergence For Dallas Cowboys A Matter Of Opportunity

by Ryan Bush

The uneducated perception holds that a receiver who doesn’t catch a prescribed amount of passes is underachieving, or simply isn’t very good.  The common concurrence being that those who do are totally worthwhile.

Which is completely ludicrous.

Consider:  Roy Williams had 25+ catch seasons in each of his last two years with the Cowboys.  It didn’t mean he was a good player.  Tony Romo didn’t trust him.  Never did.  Romo couldn’t even get on the same page with Williams.

The knock on Kevin Ogletree has always been about his lack of productivity.  After catching only 14 passes last season, his third in the league, his spot on the team entering training camp was tenuous at best.

Which might be slightly unfair when taking all things into consideration.

Let’s remember the teams that Ogletree has been a part of and the talent surrounding him.  Dez Bryant.  Jason Witten.  Laurent Robinson.  Miles Austin.  Even Felix Jones. Ogletree didn’t catch many passes because there weren’t that many for him to catch.  Bottom-line.

Without dismissing the potential for vast improvement, last season wasn’t any indication of a lack of talent on Ogletree’s part, or the final straw for head coach Jason Garrett.  In fact, the reality of the situation was that the Cowboys were waiting on him to fill the void left when Laurent Robinson signed with Jacksonville this past off-season. So Ogletree hit the weights to improve his upper-body strength and trained harder to improve his physical conditioning.

A few months later, on the first Wednesday night game in the NFL’s modern era, Ogletree and the Dallas Cowboys reaped the benefits of it, as Ogletree tallied 114 yards receiving and two touchdowns on eight receptions – more than half of the previous year’s total – in an upset win at the New York Giants.

       

 

Some players are overrated, while others are overhyped.  And some, like Ogletree, simply need a chance to stick their foot in the door.

Kevin Ogletree’s Breakout Performance Vaults Dallas Cowboys Past New York Giants 24-17

by Ryan Bush

Happy Days Are Here Again for Jerry Jones?

Yes, there may be a small sense of vindication in Camp Cowboy over last season’s winter meltdown at the hands of the eventual champion Giants.  The Dallas Cowboys did what no one thought possible, wrecking a New York-style Super Bowl party on their way to a 24-17 season-opening road victory over their hated division rival.

But, at the bottom of the emotional bucket has to lay an overwhelming feeling of relief for Jerry Jones, Jason Garrett, and even Rob Ryan.  Rather than just a wad of cash and a draft day trade, the proof that the Cowboys are a better team than last year’s 8-8 squad was in the pudding for all to see.

$50 million man Brandon Carr was better than advertised, if that’s possible with the rock-star treatment you receive around the Ranch, and rookie Morris Claiborne played like anything but one.  Barry Church proved he belonged as a starter in the secondary, and second-round draft pick from a year ago Bruce Carter looked a good fit alongside Sean Lee at inside linebacker.

And then there was haven’t-heard-from-you-ever Kevin Ogletree.  Everybody counted him out, just like everybody was counting the Cowboys out of Wednesday night’s game.  An Ogletree of all things was the tree the Cowboys picked their fruit from on this night.

Dez Bryant received his fair share of catches, and Miles Austin even got in on the act late, hauling in a fourth-quarter scoring pass.  But at the end of the day, Ogletree was the one player that the Giants had no answer for.  Not early.  And definitely not late.

Three seasons spent sifting around the ashes of the Cowboys depth chart caused many to lose their faith in Ogletree.  One player who never did, though, was Tony Romo. Romo personally lobbied for Ogletree to be on this team, and if his voice wasn’t enough, Ogletree’s stellar performance throughout the latter half of camp and preseason was enough to convince head coach Jason Garrett to do just that.  You see, Romo plays a fickle , though popular, position that is based completely on trust.  And for all of the grumbling about Ogletree’s historic lack of statistical significance, Romo trusted him.

At one point last season, Romo observed that, though Ogletree wasn’t catching many passes, he was always in the right spot.  Any quarterback will tell you that’s an invaluable asset to have on offense, especially when the play breaks down and the passer is harried.

And there were plenty of those situations Wednesday night, and Romo was quick to look in Ogletree’s direction.  First, came a 10-yard scoring hookup when Ogletree broke off his route and raced to the middle of the field, making himself available for the scrambling Romo in the back of the end zone.  

Kevin Ogletree's First Career Touchdown

The touchdown, the first of Ogletree’s career, gave the Cowboys a 7-3 lead with just under a minute to play in the second quarter. The duo connected again to begin the second half, this time a 40-yard play down the right sideline in which Ogletree simply got behind the coverage.

Ogletree's Second Touchdown

Dallas Cowboys Drop the New York Giants...Thanks to Victor Cruz

With pregame reminders of last season's Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots, the New York Giants played nothing like champions as they dropped the game to the much maligned Dallas Cowboys 24-17. While the Cowboys are arguably an overall improved team from last year, especially on the defensive side, they nevertheless had to withstand the last minutes craftiness of veteran Eli Manning, a two time Super Bowl winner. Of course, the Cowboys should issue a hearty "thank you!' to Victor Cruz.

Cruz, a surprise star on last years Giants squad, had thee crucial and uncharacteristic drops that would definitely have changed the complexion of the game and, very easily, the result. One of these happened within the last few minutes of the game and, needless to say, they came up short.

 

A frustrated and deflated Cruz succinctly issued his thoughts on his uncommon night on the gridiron. “I guess it’s kind of just a humble check. ......Kind of just get yourself back in check. You just gotta do the little things for a win. I felt like this was one of those games.”

"One of those games" is something the Cowboys can relate to in the past few years. But for now, they are experiencing the joys of hard work rewarded thanks in part to the eagerness  and slippery fingers of Victor Cruz.

Stock Of Dallas Cowboys RB Felix Jones Still At An All-Time Low

by Ryan Bush

Running Back Felix Jones

If you thought that a week of silence concerning Dallas Cowboys running back Felix Jones was an indicator of his rising stock inside the walls of Valley Ranch, well, think again.  Management and coaching staff have been silent on the Jones’ front.  As of Tuesday afternoon, the media took a lead role in questioning Jones’ reliability and value to the team.

Jones’ play throughout training camp and preseason behind Demarco Murray at the tailback position has been uninspiring at best.  He’s looked slow, and has displayed no penchant for hanging onto the football when it comes his way, having dropped two passes in limited time during preseason action.  His conditioning, or lack thereof, coming off off-season shoulder surgery has also been a hot topic and a noticeable mark against the five-year veteran who is injury prone even when at peak physical condition. And even though Jones made the 53-man roster without even a breath of hesitation from the coaching staff, there remains a lingering spirit of misgiving at seeing No. 28 on the team.

While speaking to Tim McMahon of ESPNDallas.com, and former columnist for The Dallas Morning News, over the phone, longtime ESPN Central Texas radio personality Butch Henry stated, “I think it will be a miracle if Felix Jones can finish the game [against the New York Giants] without getting injured.”  To which McMahon responded by saying, “I think it will be a miracle if Felix Jones finishes a wind-sprint without losing his breath.”

Some things are said tongue-in-cheek.  And that may possibly be the case in this matter.

But whichever way you spin it, the Felix Jones Bandwagon looks to be coughing and sputtering its way to a finish line that has appeared far sooner than once expected.

Dallas Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones “Outdated,” Says ESPN’s Colin Cowherd

by Ryan Bush

Dallas Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones

There was a massive metaphorical earthquake in the wake of Peter King’s elaborate comments this morning about the “closing window” that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones sees in Dallas.  Not only is a “win-or-bust” mentality wrong for a franchise that has won only one playoff game in fifteen years, it’s also unfounded, says ESPN Radio talk-show host Colin Cowherd.  The Cowboys are a young team, pointed out Cowherd on his show, The Herd, and a good young team at that.  Brandon Carr is only 26 years old.  Morris Claiborne is 22.  Dez Bryant 23.  Sean Lee and Dan Connor are 26.  Tyron Smith 21. Dan Bailey 24.  Miles Austin is 28.  The old ones happen to be the trio of Demarcus Ware, Jason Witten and Tony Romo.  And Romo’s the oldest of the bunch, at age 32.  The core group of players that the Cowboys are relying on are barely out of the cradle, let alone having one foot in the grave.

“[2012] is not a window-closing thing,” said Cowherd.  “It’s can Jerry Jones get out of the way.”

Cowherd, like many NFL insiders, believes that Jones’ hands-on approach to managing the team is preventing the team from reaching their enormous potential.  “I think Jerry’s outdated.  I think the way Jerry runs things is outdated,” Cowherd summarized.

With that statement, Cowherd may have touched on the central nerve that has placed such emphasis on winning big this season.  More than a closing window on the Cowboys, it’s just barely possible that the 68-year old Jones sees the window closing on his own time as the Cowboys general manager.

If Defensive Additions Are Any Indicator, Demarcus Ware Will Be Even Better For Dallas Cowboys In 2012

by Ryan Bush

The prediction came so easily.  Too easily.  And, sadly, without very much thought.

It was the first Sunday of the 2009 NFL season, and predictions were being spewed forth from the mouths of Dallas Cowboys fans almost verbatim.  You know the scene well.  Everyone has Tony Romo passing for 5,200 yards and 55 touchdowns, and the Cowboys finish the year with 32 Pro Bowlers.  Oh, and of course a ho-hum trouncing of New England in the Super Bowl.  Why not?  I believe they call this unity in diversity.

Well, this diversely unified scene came to a surprising bump in the road when one fan, anxious to leave an impression on the group, promised that Cowboys linebacker Demarcus Ware would finish the year with 26 sacks, as in three-and-a-half more than Michael Strahan’s all-time leading mark of 22.5.  26?!?!  For real?!?!

Michael Strahan in action

 Even for the hyperbolic ones who were dealing with the stimulating effects of a caffeine rush, this forecast came across as slightly overcooked.  Yes, Ware was coming off a league-leading 20-sack campaign in 2008, but off-season events, if anything, indicated a drop in production from Dallas’ All-Pro linebacker.  Fellow outside linebacker Greg Ellis, along with pass-rushing defensive end Chris Canty, had departed in free-agency, leaving Ware as the only definite threat for opposing defenses to stop.

In the end, Ware provided his lowest sack total since his rookie season, finishing the 2009 season with 11.  Maybe this fan should have waited a few more years before making such a bold prediction, when the right pieces were coming together rather than falling apart.  Yes, there’s reason to hope for a special year from Ware’s corner of the world in 2012.  Not necessarily 26-sack special, but memorable nevertheless.

With as many circumstances working against him as there was, last season’s 19.5-sack campaign may have been the finest of Ware’s seven-year career.  On a defense that made Valley Ranch out to be the team’s headquarters of miscommunication, Ware ‘s proficiency with surrounding deficiencies and a nagging neck injury is a testament to his skill and never-ending motor.  Even with that said, Ware made it seem like there was plenty more left on the table in 2011.  Which, in hindsight, there probably was.

Let's hope we see more of this Wednesday Night!

For even the most skilled at quarterback takedowns, the art of producing sacks is a business of three dimensions, those being individual pass-rush, surrounding pass-rush, and secondary coverage.  It is generally understood that two of these three must be working at, or near, maximum output to allow the great ones to take over.  Such was not the case for Ware in 2011.  

While he himself may have had a fine season, too many others around him struggled in the performance of their duties, which, in turn, allowed opposing teams to focus more on stopping Ware, thereby limiting his individual success.  Anthony Spencer’s effectiveness on the opposite side of the defense was non-existent for the final month, a development that coincided with the demise of the Dallas Cowboys secondary, the primary culprits being Terence Newman, Mike Jenkins, and Alan Ball.

Rookie Morris Claiborne

Veteran Brandon Carr

Barry Church

With the additions of Brandon Carr, Morris Claiborne and Barry Church in the secondary, it’s logical to presume that Ware will see his sack meter jump up in 2012.  How much higher exactly is a matter of opinion for the time being.

Declaration From Dallas Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones “The Dumbest Statement In All Of Football.”

by Ryan Bush

 Much has been made of Jerry Jones’ statements during the off-season that the “window” of time is closing on this current Dallas Cowboys team.  Media personnel made it a point during training camp and preseason to ask every player their viewpoint of that “window,” and the sense of urgency within the Cowboys locker room.  With so much attention being focused on the topic, there has been an overwhelming sense of acceptance from the outside that 2012 is a “now-or-nothing” year for the ‘Boys.

Sports Illustrated columnist Peter King said nothing could be further from the truth.  Speaking on ESPN Radio’s “The Herd” with host Colin Cowherd this morning, King called Jones’ declaration, “the dumbest statement in all of football.”

While Cowboys players may not have the freedom to voice such candid opinions on the subject as King, there does appear to be a growing irritation within the ranks at the media’s persistence in asking window-related questions.   

Quarterback Tony Romo, known as one of the league’s real nice-guys, abruptly ended his Sunday session with the media when asked about it after practice.

Inclement Weather Would Change Dynamics Of Dallas Cowboys-New York Giants Season Opener

 As if the presence of replacement officials wasn’t troubling enough, the forecast for Wednesday night’s season-opening game between the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants looks just as disturbing.  Early predictions from meteorologists have a severe storm cell moving over the East Rutherford, NJ area on Wednesday evening, an event which will likely turn the NFL’s Back To Football celebration into a backyard brawl between neighborhood rivals.

 

For a Cowboys team preparing to face the onslaught of premier pass-rushers Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck and Jason Pierre-Paul, a slippery Giants Stadium turf could be their biggest ally in protecting Tony Romo’s backside.  Rain could also force each team to rely on the rushing department to move the ball, instead of the up-and-down-the-field aerial circus enacted during their first meeting last season in Arlington, a 37-34 victory for New York.

Questionable calls.  Division rivals.  All-Pro quarterbacks relegated to handoffs.  And rain.

The only thing missing for a perfect NFL moment would be a nice September snowstorm.

Stephen McGee’s Release From Dallas Cowboys Might Only Be Temporary

by Ryan Bush

One moment safe and secure on the 53-man roster, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Stephen McGee was waived in the next instant Saturday morning when the Cowboys signed Cincinnati tight end Colin Cochart to the active roster.  McGee’s status as the team’s third quarterback behind Kyle Orton and Tony Romo was something of an uncertainty through the final stages of the preseason as injuries started to pile up around him, increasing the likelihood of the Cowboys going long at other positions, thereby forcing McGee out.

That was exactly the scenario that played out, though not in the predicted order.  For a few short hours, McGee thought he was part of the team for the fourth consecutive year, only to find himself cut adrift as the round game of waiver claims reached Valley Ranch.

With Jason Witten’s status for Wednesday night’s game against the New York Giants still a toss-up, the Cowboys elected to sign Cochran as an insurance policy at the tight end position in case Witten’s lacerated spleen does in fact prevent him from playing.

Signing Cochran doesn’t necessarily mean the Cowboys are committed to him long-term, nor does it mean they’ve given up on McGee, a fourth-round draft selection in the 2009 draft.  Head coach Jason Garrett is pleased with the level of talent behind Witten on the depth chart in John Phillips and James Hanna, but needed another tight end to ensure that he has three available to open the season.  

Should doctors announce Witten to be out of the danger zone where his health is concerned, whenever that should happen to be, the team might choose to release Cochran and attempt to re-sign McGee.  If recent history suggests anything, it’s that a third quarterback is a must-have for the Cowboys, who have watched McGee take to the field during the regular season in each of the past two seasons.  Garrett isn’t one to tempt the football gods for too long in this area, having earned a spot start on Thanksgiving Day as the No. 3 signal-caller himself on Thanksgiving Day in 1994 as a member of the Cowboys.  McGee’s name would have to be the first on the list should the Cowboys go shopping for one.

All of that depends, of course, on whether McGee is picked up by another team in the meantime.

An Offseason Of What-ifs For Dallas Cowboys Can Finally Be Silenced Against Giants

 A perpetual game of what-ifs has been played around the Dallas Cowboys’ team complex since last January’s season-ending loss to the Giants in Week 17.  It’s to be expected when you lose a firm grasp on the division in one meeting, and then watch someone else steal it right out from under your nose during the next.  What if Tony Romo’s hand hadn’t been swollen like a purple pumpkin from contact with a helmet a week earlier?  What if Demarco Murray had been in the backfield instead of on the sideline with a broken ankle?  What if Dan Bailey’s kick that would have forced overtime three weeks previously at Cowboys Stadium had gone through the uprights, rather than off the hand of Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul?  What if the Cowboys had won the NFC East instead of the Big Blue G-Men?  The suppositions go on and on…

The Cowboys entered that month of all months, December, with a 7-4 record, but collapsed down the stretch, finishing with an 8-8 mark.  There was no season-ending celebration, no playoffs.  Instead, the Cowboys got to recline in a tub of ice while the Giants marched through the NFC Playoffs and all the way to a Super Bowl championship.

The Cowboys’ entire off-season program of free-agent signings, the draft, and mini-camps, has been geared to beat the Giants, winners of five of the last six meetings in the series.  Cornerbacks Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne join safety Barry Church for what is expected to be a much better secondary than the one Eli Manning torched at will twice in the season’s final months. 

These three pieces, among others, have the Cowboys feeling confident of their chances this time around.  You can hear it in their voices, see it in their walk.  The Cowboys know the challenge ahead, yet realize the opportunity.  The Giants are the champions, but are not invincible.  Last year’s down-to-the-wire contest in Arlington that ended on a blocked field-goal proves that.

And here we are, eight months later, on the other side of training camp, preseason and final cutdowns, with the Giants directly ahead.  It’s time to put an end to this game of what-ifs, and could’ve-would’ve-should’ves.  The Cowboys say they want the crown for themselves.  Well, now is the time to go and take the first major step in winning it.