BY BRANDON GEORGE Follow @DMN_George bgeorge@dallasnews.com
Staff Writer
IRVING — Cowboys defensive end Jeremy Mincey said he wants another pair of limited-edition Nikes. But this time, he wants the shoes to represent a Super Bowl win and not an appearance.
Mincey, who joined the Cowboys as a free agent in the offseason, spent last season as part of the Denver Broncos team that lost to Seattle in Super Bowl XLVIII.
One of the parting gifts for playing in the Super Bowl was a silver pair of Nike Free Trainer 5.0 shoes. Super Bowl XLVIII is on the tongue of the shoes and on the lime green insoles. They were in front of his locker Tuesday at Valley Ranch.
Mincey said the shoes help remind him where he wants this year’s Cowboys to go.
“You see the shoes, right? I wear those at least once a week just to remind me of what I’m in this game for, definitely for a Super Bowl, that’s what we all play it for,” Mincey said, “but it’s always good to see it to get a reminder.”
Mincey has played in more playoff games (five) than the other Cowboys defensive starters combined (four).
Mincey, who leads the team with six sacks, said he believes this Cowboys team has the same Super Bowl feel as the Broncos a year ago.
“The work ethic we have here is amazing. It’s as good as I’ve seen since I’ve been in the league,” Mincey said. “And guys are sprinting to the ball, taking every day seriously and not taking one moment for granted, and when you have that in a group of men and coaches, you have something special.”
The Cowboys have one of the youngest teams in the NFL. Mincey said he’s spent time this week talking to some players about what a playoff game is like.
“They’re just curious about it, and I tell them all the same thing: You have to start fast,” Mincey said. “You can’t get a feel of the game and try to figure it out as you go. You have to know what’s going on from the beginning, and if you [do], you’ll play a lot faster and you’ll get in your groove a lot faster.”
Defensive tackle Tyrone Crawford is one of the players who have listened to Mincey’s advice.
What has Crawford heard from Mincey and others?
“Just the energy, the energy is higher, the game feels a lot faster,” Crawford said. “In the pregame, you’re going to get nervous. Things are going to be different for you individually.”
Mincey said he’s told his teammates “don’t do too much.” But he admits every play is bigger in a playoff game.
“This is where you just have to heighten your ability, you have to be more focused, you have to watch a lot more film, you have to be more on your details because everything counts. Everything is magnified,” Mincey said.
“Guys are doing a great job of preparing. We watched a lot of film earlier [Tuesday]. Of course, we’re going to watch some [Wednesday] and I’m going to try to get a group of guys together Thursday night to watch the film either at my house or whoever has the biggest house, because I don’t, but we’re going to find a way to get an edge and keep an edge.”
Staff Writer
IRVING — Cowboys defensive end Jeremy Mincey said he wants another pair of limited-edition Nikes. But this time, he wants the shoes to represent a Super Bowl win and not an appearance.
Mincey, who joined the Cowboys as a free agent in the offseason, spent last season as part of the Denver Broncos team that lost to Seattle in Super Bowl XLVIII.
One of the parting gifts for playing in the Super Bowl was a silver pair of Nike Free Trainer 5.0 shoes. Super Bowl XLVIII is on the tongue of the shoes and on the lime green insoles. They were in front of his locker Tuesday at Valley Ranch.
Mincey said the shoes help remind him where he wants this year’s Cowboys to go.
“You see the shoes, right? I wear those at least once a week just to remind me of what I’m in this game for, definitely for a Super Bowl, that’s what we all play it for,” Mincey said, “but it’s always good to see it to get a reminder.”
Mincey has played in more playoff games (five) than the other Cowboys defensive starters combined (four).
Mincey, who leads the team with six sacks, said he believes this Cowboys team has the same Super Bowl feel as the Broncos a year ago.
“The work ethic we have here is amazing. It’s as good as I’ve seen since I’ve been in the league,” Mincey said. “And guys are sprinting to the ball, taking every day seriously and not taking one moment for granted, and when you have that in a group of men and coaches, you have something special.”
The Cowboys have one of the youngest teams in the NFL. Mincey said he’s spent time this week talking to some players about what a playoff game is like.
“They’re just curious about it, and I tell them all the same thing: You have to start fast,” Mincey said. “You can’t get a feel of the game and try to figure it out as you go. You have to know what’s going on from the beginning, and if you [do], you’ll play a lot faster and you’ll get in your groove a lot faster.”
Defensive tackle Tyrone Crawford is one of the players who have listened to Mincey’s advice.
What has Crawford heard from Mincey and others?
“Just the energy, the energy is higher, the game feels a lot faster,” Crawford said. “In the pregame, you’re going to get nervous. Things are going to be different for you individually.”
Mincey said he’s told his teammates “don’t do too much.” But he admits every play is bigger in a playoff game.
“This is where you just have to heighten your ability, you have to be more focused, you have to watch a lot more film, you have to be more on your details because everything counts. Everything is magnified,” Mincey said.
“Guys are doing a great job of preparing. We watched a lot of film earlier [Tuesday]. Of course, we’re going to watch some [Wednesday] and I’m going to try to get a group of guys together Thursday night to watch the film either at my house or whoever has the biggest house, because I don’t, but we’re going to find a way to get an edge and keep an edge.”
