Welcome Back, Matt McBriar!

The news came today that not only was Matt McBriar participating in minicamp practices, but he was back to his old form. Punts were booming off his previously broken foot and that is bigger news for the 2009 Dallas Cowboys than many people realize. As most people still vividly remember, the season took a major turn for the worst in the overtime session of the week 6 Arizona game last season. Everyone remembers that Romo broke his pinkie, but Matt McBriar's injury on the blocked punt was felt for the remainder of the season.

McBriar was on his way to his best season in 2008 before he was injured. He was averaging 49 yards per punt with a net average of 38.8 yards. Sam Paulescu was signed off the street to fill in and did an admirable job, but he was obviously a major downgrade at the position. His net average was 35.2 which wasn't terrible but the more telling statistic was his 41.8 gross average. 7.2 yards per punt doesn't sound like much difference but you also have to consider the trajectory of the ball. McBriar booms the ball high which in turn allows the coverage unit to get down the field to stop the punt returner. Not only was Paulescu shorter with his punts but they were lower and misdirected as well.

I still blame Paulescu as one of the main culprits in the Pittsburgh meltdown because his kicked the ball low and to the wrong side of the field which allowed a huge return late in the 4th quarter of the game. He was signed off the street to fill in for McBriar so we shouldn't have expected much but he should at least be able to punt the ball to the correct side of the field. There is a very good chance that Pittsburgh would have run out of time trying to tie the game up had they been forced to drive the ball down the field rather than starting deep in the Cowboys' end of the field which resulted in a quick score.

I hate rehashing the Pittsburgh game again, but my point is that a punter can make a huge difference in the outcome of not only a game, but the entire season. McBriar's injury cost the Cowboys countless yards in the field position battle and, in my mind, quite possibly a playoff-clinching victory against the eventual Super Bowl champions. A healthy McBriar in 2009 is going to improve the special teams more than anything else this offseason. I am a fan of Joe DeCamillis, but Matt McBriar has power in his leg that you can't coach.

Silence is Golden

After the recent rehash of the T.O. drama and the Pacman Jones talk things suddenly got very quiet in the world of the Dallas Cowboys. The last week actually gave me a chance to recharge my batteries for next season. It is amazing how nice it was to have no drama or rumor/speculation about the team even if it only lasts a week. Maybe this has been what all of the offseason moves have been about. I'm sure a lot of the players, coaches, and front office executives are happy about the new found calm surrounding the team.

Say what you want about cutting the talent that T.O. brought to the field. I can't argue that his talents won't be missed. But you would have to agree that the circus seems to have left town with Terrell Owens. Imagine if T.O.'s VH1 series were being filmed in Dallas. Things would be out of control at this point.

I hope that the new approach the team is taking is going to work. Getting rid of T.O., Greg Ellis and several other players completely changed the structure of the team. I know it is allowing everyone to focus on their jobs a lot more so I have to believe it will help. Time will tell.

Still a Slight Stench from Last Season

Over the last couple of weeks two of the names that I thought would be gone for good have resurfaced for the Dallas Cowboys. Of course I am talking about Terrell Owens and Pacman Jones. The locker room troublemakers from last season just won't go away quietly like I had hoped they would. I guess I was dreaming to think you could cut the cord with guys like that and think you wouldn't hear from them again.

The T.O. blame game played out just as you would expect but I thought maybe he would go away quietly this time since he claimed to have such a good relationship with his quarterback. As usual with #81 he left the team and is now bashing his quarterback, his coaches and the owner. It is always everyone else's fault when it comes to the T.O. circus. He is just proving that the Cowboys were right to ship him out. Thank goodness Tony Romo is smart enough to stay out of a war of words with T.O. He has caused enough distraction to the team and it is time to move on.

The Pacman release was announced in January but he is still hanging around Dallas and doing just enough to keep his name in the press. Jerry Jones didn't do anyone any favors by mentioning his name over the weekend. There is no way that you can justify bringing that embarrassment back under any circumstances. He proved he was unreliable off the field and he was not an enough of an impact player on the field to justify dealing with his problems.

I know this stuff is going to fade over time but it is really aggravating that months after these guys were released we are still forced to hear talk about them. They will both be forever linked with the Dallas Cowboys which is a sickening thought to me. I'd prefer that everyone could handle things with class and professionalism, but some of the players in the NFL are not capable of that. Jerry Jones made some deals with the devil when he brought these guys in and now we will all have to deal with it for years to come.

Is Anthony Spencer Ready?

The time is now. No more developmental time. No more learning curve. No more injuries. Just production on the field during games when it counts. Anthony Spencer has been given a golden opportunity to step up as a big time player on the defense.

Playing opposite Demarcus Ware is a dream come true for any pass rusher because you know the offense will focus on Ware. That means Spencer has to keep the defense honest. He has shown flashes but he hasn't been on the field enough for the fans to see if he can do it consistently. Apparently the coaches have seen enough in the games and practice to believe in him.

Spencer looked good against the run last season. He was mostly on the field in running situations while Greg Ellis was usually in the game for obvious passing downs. At least that is the current justification for Spencer's lack of sacks up to this point in his career. I do think his numbers have been hurt by not getting a chance to go all out at the quarterback because he was usually in situations where he had to play the run first. That doesn't matter any more. Now is his chance. Spencer has to beat his one-on-one blocks or Demarcus Ware will be double and triple teamed all year long.

Cowboys Cut Greg Ellis

My hope for a last minute deal for Greg Ellis was short lived. Just a few minutes ago the Cowboys announced that Greg Ellis has been cut. It is a sad ending for a player who gave everything he had to the team for 11 years. I hope he lands on his feet and gets a few more seasons out of his body.

The Cowboys will save over $4.15 million on the salary cap with the move and have eliminated the distraction of Greg Ellis whining to the media about his reduced role in the defense. I'll miss his play on the field but not his whining.

Remember This?

This video reminded me how different the Cowboys were at the start of the 2008 season before the injury bug hit. There is still plenty of talent on the offense to dominate. Felix Jones and Marion Barber may be the best tandem of running backs in the league in 2009. The offensive line needs to maul people at the line. I love the Felix Jones TD run against the Packers. Look out next season!

Keep Your Fingers Crossed for an Injury

It isn't nice to say it, but the truth is that the Cowboys really need an injury to a key pass rusher on another team. That is probably the only thing that will give the Cowboys any type of leverage in a Greg Ellis trade. As it stands right now it is unlikely that a team is going to give up much to get Ellis when the Cowboys have publicly announced that Ellis won't be back next season. It seems like Jerry Jones made a big mistake but maybe when Ellis went home from OTA's Jerry was forced to be honest about what was going on.

It appears that Ellis forced the issue on the trade since he is happy to stay home from OTA's while the Cowboys try to work something out. I would have preferred to keep him in the fold at least until we see something out of the new rookies but I don't think Ellis wanted to be the insurance policy in the event that the rookies can't step up. It doesn't really matter why he is leaving but I am hoping, for the sake of the Cowboys, that a pass rusher goes down for another team so the Cowboys can get decent trade value for Ellis.