Ball might be out today, per DMN

[dbair1967]

Lineup twist
Ball not a sure bet to play today

Cowboys safety Alan Ball is recovering from a shoulder strain. If he is a late scratch or reinjures himself while playing, Barry Church and Danny McCray would get the first call.

Mike Hamlin, who was cut Tuesday, was Ball's backup until a poor performance against Chicago resulted in him getting benched the last two games.

Hamlin was the third safety from last year's team that Dallas has released. Ken Hamlin and Patrick Watkins are the others. The moves reflect the team's confidence in the progression of Ball and rookies Church, McCray and Akwasi Owusu-Ansah. This is Ball's first season as a starter.

Dallas' secondary needs improvement. The team has not had an interception from a free safety in the last 25 games. Ken Hamlin, who recovered a fumble against Pittsburgh on Dec. 7, 2008, had the last takeaway by a free safety.

 

[Jon88]

Oh well. Maybe we can see what someone else can do. That's the only time the lineup ever improves on this team - when someone gets hurt and another guy is put in and does better.

 

[sbk92]

Hell yeah. It's a good thing to have undrafted rookies out there as the last line of defense against Randy Moss and Percy Harvin.

 

[dbair1967]

Hell yeah. It's a good thing to have undrafted rookies out there as the last line of defense against Randy Moss and Percy Harvin.

Its not like Ball was an elite pick either. He's a late 7th rd pick who was a skinny CB in college. Church probably should have been drafted based on his production on the field. Plus he's a far better tackler, and I feel worse about Ball coming up in run support vs Peterson than I do about Moss or Harvin against our secondary.

 

[bvhawkeye]

Hell yeah. It's a good thing to have undrafted rookies out there as the last line of defense against Randy Moss and Percy Harvin.

Ball hasn't done a thing all year. Hopefully someone else will.

 

[cboys72]

Church and Mcray are pretty good DBs and need more time on the field.

 

[sbk92]

Its not like Ball was an elite pick either. He's a late 7th rd pick who was a skinny CB in college. Church probably should have been drafted based on his production on the field. Plus he's a far better tackler, and I feel worse about Ball coming up in run support vs Peterson than I do about Moss or Harvin against our secondary.

But Ball has several years experience in the NFL. He's less likely to blow an assignment than some undrafted rookie getting his first chance to play.

Now go ahead and try to debate the obvious.

 

[dbair1967]

But Ball has several years experience in the NFL. He's less likely to blow an assignment than some undrafted rookie getting his first chance to play.

Now go ahead and try to debate the obvious.

Debate what, that Ball's blown his assignments too?

Ball's been terrible. He's one of the most disappointing players on the team so far.

 

[sbk92]

Debate what, that Ball's blown his assignments too?

Ball's been terrible. He's one of the most disappointing players on the team so far.

He's been bad. But he isn't a liability out there blowing assignments.

Any coach with a lick of sense would at least be worried about the rookies not knowing what to do out there. If they weren't, they would have battled for that starting spot in camp.