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Hoping For Resurgence
Eatman: Look Closer To What Jerry Said About Corners
MOBILE, Ala. - Talking for nearly a half-hour earlier this week at the Senior Bowl, owner Jerry Jones included the cornerback position as one of the areas he deems as a positive.
While that was surprising to some, considering their inconsistent play last season, Jones didn't back down from his statement when asked again on Tuesday.
And remember, Jerry isn't saying the cornerbacks had a good season. In fact, he recognizes they were definitely below expectations, which were certainly going to be through the roof when they both make the Pro Bowl.
But because of that, and having seen a high level of play just two seasons ago, Jones doesn't think it's farfetched to assume - or maybe just hope - that guys like Terence Newman and Mike Jenkins can come around as early as next year.
Again, and it's worth repeating - he didn't say the cornerbacks had a great season. He agreed the corners must play better. But compared to the rest of the league, Jones said the Cowboys have enough talent to be successful at cornerback, from top to bottom.
"In general, I'm not as negative on our cornerbacks as you might think," Jones said. "When the dust settles, we won't be as hard on those corners as we might have been, or generally as fans might have been. They're probably, and I go down through all of them, they're a little better than probably the taste we have in our mouth."
Even Jones admitted on Tuesday here from Mobile, Ala., that the addition of Rob Ryan has helped with that opinion.
Ryan, who comes over from Cleveland as the Cowboys' defensive coordinator, had a positive opinion about the team's cornerback position, according to Jones. Ryan, of course, has not been available for comment until the team finalizes the coaching staff.
Whether or not Ryan's initial view of the cornerbacks has helped Jerry feel better about the position, the owner said Tuesday that seeing them succeed just a short time ago, gives him hope.
"We've got an old adage out here, once you've seen a player do it - you know he can do it," Jones said. "Now, can you get him to do it a lot, and do it again and do it consistently? It really shouldn't be hard for anyone to buy into the fact that these guys have done it - we've seen them do it. We didn't see them do it this year as much as we wanted, but we've seen it.
"Is that a reach to think they might be able to replicate that? I don't have a problem with that. I'm sorry anyone else does."
Now Jones is walking a fine line with that statement. In fact, it's a theory that has sometimes gotten this team in trouble. One thing he's been criticized for (among several) is holding onto players for too long, and not cutting ties before the player becomes a liability.
So for him to say that he's hopeful the cornerbacks will play better - simply because he saw it in 2009 - might be a reach. And hopefully for his sake, he does have more to go on.
That's where Ryan has to come in.
And I'm not saying Ryan will be a mastermind in teaching Newman or Jenkins how to cover, but he'll probably help apply a little more pass rush on the quarterback. We don't have to be certified NFL coaches to know how a good, consistent pass rush can make cornerbacks look really good.
And when you really listen to what Jerry said on Monday, it sounds like he's putting the blame more on the defensive coaches and the overall scheme, than the players.
Again, that's easier to do when those coaches - Wade Phillips and Paul Pasqualoni - are no longer around. He didn't name current defensive backs coach Dave Campo by name, but overall, it sounds like the coaching at this position is getting a big piece of culpability.
"I'm not saying we hung them out, but I'll say that we sure ask a lot of them, relative to maybe what we might do in the future," Jones said. "We know that the best ones can get beat. It's a part of coaching and it's a part of our job being personnel, when we're grading a player or looking how a player can help us, it's important for us to know what we were asking them to do and what we might be asking them to do in the future. That might make a difference how he was viewed.
"Now I don't think we were pleased with the year they had compared to other years. But a part of this job is looking at not only the talent of the player, but how he compares to other players."
In a nutshell, it sounds like Jones is hoping these cornerbacks - Jenkins, Newman and Orlando Scandrick - can return to the form they showed two seasons ago. And he's hoping that a few changes in the defensive approach from Ryan will help.
To me, this football team is a like a house that needs major remodeling. You can't do it all in one day, or one week, or even one year. You have to fix the things that are really broke right now and hope to get by with some things that need some work.
If they wanted to, this team could use an upgrade at just about every spot on the field, other than one outside linebacker spot and probably the punter and long snapper.
But yes, Jay Ratliff could be better - and he's a three-time Pro Bowler. Jason Witten is headed to seventh Pro Bowl, and there are parts of his game that could be better.
It's across the board. A lot of things need to be fixed, some of it needs tweaking and some needs to be outright replaced.
At cornerback, it doesn't seem to be the right time for the latter.
Eatman: Look Closer To What Jerry Said About Corners
MOBILE, Ala. - Talking for nearly a half-hour earlier this week at the Senior Bowl, owner Jerry Jones included the cornerback position as one of the areas he deems as a positive.
While that was surprising to some, considering their inconsistent play last season, Jones didn't back down from his statement when asked again on Tuesday.
And remember, Jerry isn't saying the cornerbacks had a good season. In fact, he recognizes they were definitely below expectations, which were certainly going to be through the roof when they both make the Pro Bowl.
But because of that, and having seen a high level of play just two seasons ago, Jones doesn't think it's farfetched to assume - or maybe just hope - that guys like Terence Newman and Mike Jenkins can come around as early as next year.
Again, and it's worth repeating - he didn't say the cornerbacks had a great season. He agreed the corners must play better. But compared to the rest of the league, Jones said the Cowboys have enough talent to be successful at cornerback, from top to bottom.
"In general, I'm not as negative on our cornerbacks as you might think," Jones said. "When the dust settles, we won't be as hard on those corners as we might have been, or generally as fans might have been. They're probably, and I go down through all of them, they're a little better than probably the taste we have in our mouth."
Even Jones admitted on Tuesday here from Mobile, Ala., that the addition of Rob Ryan has helped with that opinion.
Ryan, who comes over from Cleveland as the Cowboys' defensive coordinator, had a positive opinion about the team's cornerback position, according to Jones. Ryan, of course, has not been available for comment until the team finalizes the coaching staff.
Whether or not Ryan's initial view of the cornerbacks has helped Jerry feel better about the position, the owner said Tuesday that seeing them succeed just a short time ago, gives him hope.
"We've got an old adage out here, once you've seen a player do it - you know he can do it," Jones said. "Now, can you get him to do it a lot, and do it again and do it consistently? It really shouldn't be hard for anyone to buy into the fact that these guys have done it - we've seen them do it. We didn't see them do it this year as much as we wanted, but we've seen it.
"Is that a reach to think they might be able to replicate that? I don't have a problem with that. I'm sorry anyone else does."
Now Jones is walking a fine line with that statement. In fact, it's a theory that has sometimes gotten this team in trouble. One thing he's been criticized for (among several) is holding onto players for too long, and not cutting ties before the player becomes a liability.
So for him to say that he's hopeful the cornerbacks will play better - simply because he saw it in 2009 - might be a reach. And hopefully for his sake, he does have more to go on.
That's where Ryan has to come in.
And I'm not saying Ryan will be a mastermind in teaching Newman or Jenkins how to cover, but he'll probably help apply a little more pass rush on the quarterback. We don't have to be certified NFL coaches to know how a good, consistent pass rush can make cornerbacks look really good.
And when you really listen to what Jerry said on Monday, it sounds like he's putting the blame more on the defensive coaches and the overall scheme, than the players.
Again, that's easier to do when those coaches - Wade Phillips and Paul Pasqualoni - are no longer around. He didn't name current defensive backs coach Dave Campo by name, but overall, it sounds like the coaching at this position is getting a big piece of culpability.
"I'm not saying we hung them out, but I'll say that we sure ask a lot of them, relative to maybe what we might do in the future," Jones said. "We know that the best ones can get beat. It's a part of coaching and it's a part of our job being personnel, when we're grading a player or looking how a player can help us, it's important for us to know what we were asking them to do and what we might be asking them to do in the future. That might make a difference how he was viewed.
"Now I don't think we were pleased with the year they had compared to other years. But a part of this job is looking at not only the talent of the player, but how he compares to other players."
In a nutshell, it sounds like Jones is hoping these cornerbacks - Jenkins, Newman and Orlando Scandrick - can return to the form they showed two seasons ago. And he's hoping that a few changes in the defensive approach from Ryan will help.
To me, this football team is a like a house that needs major remodeling. You can't do it all in one day, or one week, or even one year. You have to fix the things that are really broke right now and hope to get by with some things that need some work.
If they wanted to, this team could use an upgrade at just about every spot on the field, other than one outside linebacker spot and probably the punter and long snapper.
But yes, Jay Ratliff could be better - and he's a three-time Pro Bowler. Jason Witten is headed to seventh Pro Bowl, and there are parts of his game that could be better.
It's across the board. A lot of things need to be fixed, some of it needs tweaking and some needs to be outright replaced.
At cornerback, it doesn't seem to be the right time for the latter.