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Taylor: Cowboys' Mike Jenkins is too good to be playing this badly
12:41 AM CST on Monday, December 13, 2010
COLUMN By JEAN-JACQUES TAYLOR / The Dallas Morning News
jjtaylor@dallasnews.com
ARLINGTON - This Mike Jenkins stinks. There’s no nice way to say it.
Jean-Jacques Taylor
Archive | Bio | E-mail
You know it's true. So does he.
He was one of the reasons the Cowboys were considered among the league's championship contenders when the season began. These days, he's among the reasons the Cowboys are in the midst of the club's most disappointing season.
You could make the argument Jenkins has been the team's biggest disappointment.
We've all seen him struggle, whether we're talking about the infamous give-up play against Green Bay or his performance in last week's win against Indianapolis, when he was torched for most of Reggie Wayne's 200 yards.
Then there's the 91-yard catch-and-run he gave up to DeSean Jackson in the fourth quarter of Sunday night's 30-27 loss to Philadelphia.
In the long, illustrious history of the Dallas Cowboys, they've given up only one longer pass play, a 94-yard catch by some dude named Rich Houston of the New York Giants in 1972. Just so you know, the Cowboys have now allowed receivers to record 200-yard games in consecutive weeks.
Ridiculous.
When training camp began, Jenkins was supposed to be among the league's best cornerbacks after intercepting five passes and earning a trip to the Pro Bowl last season. I didn't have any problem calling him the team's best cornerback.
Obviously, that's no longer the case.
According to Stats LLC, Jenkins had allowed 745 yards receiving this season entering the Philadelphia game. Only Pittsburgh's Bryant McFadden (762 yards) had allowed more.
Opposing quarterbacks had completed 49 of 75 passes with three touchdowns and an interception against Jenkins for a passer rating of 105.6 before Sunday's game. Last season, opposing quarterbacks had a passer rating of just 53.6 against Jenkins.
As a rookie, he allowed a passer rating of 88.1 in limited playing time.
No one can quite put a finger on why Jenkins has regressed. Is it a loss of confidence? Poor technique? Shoddy work ethic in the off-season? Bad karma?
Ask 100 people at the Cowboys' Valley Ranch training complex, and you'll get 100 different answers.
"I can't say. Balls he got to last season, he's just missing by an inch this season," said secondary coach Dave Campo, holding his thumb and forefinger an inch apart.
The game-turning touchdown Jenkins allowed against the Eagles had more to do with poor decision-making than anything else.
Every player must take into account down, distance and situation when deciding whether to gamble. He must also take into account the player he's covering.
Jackson, one of the NFL's fastest players, had already burned the Cowboys for three receptions and 119 yards. With nearly 12 minutes left in the game, it would've been better for Jenkins to take a conservative approach.
Instead, Jenkins gambled – and lost.
Jenkins made a diving attempt to break up a short out route on first-and-10 from the Philadelphia 9. When Jenkins missed the ball, Jackson caught it at the 20, turned upfield and zig-zagged across the field before scoring as Philadelphia took a 27-20 lead.
"My first instinct was to go for it," Jenkins said. "I went for the ball because I wanted to be aggressive. I probably should have made the sound tackle."
Ding! Ding! Ding!
That's the correct answer, but it came too late. The damage had been done.
The Cowboys lost their ninth game, guaranteeing them a losing season for the first time since a 6-10 performance under Bill Parcells in 2006.
"I let all of the pass interference penalties get to me," said Jenkins, who led the league in interference penalties at one point this season. "I've looked at film, and that's what it is.
"I have to be aggressive and physical to be good. I was trying to play without getting penalties, and it's not working. I'm not going to change anymore. I'm going to be aggressive the rest of my career."
Good – as long as he keeps the situations in mind.
Jenkins understands something must change, because he's too good to play this poorly.
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12:41 AM CST on Monday, December 13, 2010
COLUMN By JEAN-JACQUES TAYLOR / The Dallas Morning News
jjtaylor@dallasnews.com
ARLINGTON - This Mike Jenkins stinks. There’s no nice way to say it.
Jean-Jacques Taylor
Archive | Bio | E-mail
You know it's true. So does he.
He was one of the reasons the Cowboys were considered among the league's championship contenders when the season began. These days, he's among the reasons the Cowboys are in the midst of the club's most disappointing season.
You could make the argument Jenkins has been the team's biggest disappointment.
We've all seen him struggle, whether we're talking about the infamous give-up play against Green Bay or his performance in last week's win against Indianapolis, when he was torched for most of Reggie Wayne's 200 yards.
Then there's the 91-yard catch-and-run he gave up to DeSean Jackson in the fourth quarter of Sunday night's 30-27 loss to Philadelphia.
In the long, illustrious history of the Dallas Cowboys, they've given up only one longer pass play, a 94-yard catch by some dude named Rich Houston of the New York Giants in 1972. Just so you know, the Cowboys have now allowed receivers to record 200-yard games in consecutive weeks.
Ridiculous.
When training camp began, Jenkins was supposed to be among the league's best cornerbacks after intercepting five passes and earning a trip to the Pro Bowl last season. I didn't have any problem calling him the team's best cornerback.
Obviously, that's no longer the case.
According to Stats LLC, Jenkins had allowed 745 yards receiving this season entering the Philadelphia game. Only Pittsburgh's Bryant McFadden (762 yards) had allowed more.
Opposing quarterbacks had completed 49 of 75 passes with three touchdowns and an interception against Jenkins for a passer rating of 105.6 before Sunday's game. Last season, opposing quarterbacks had a passer rating of just 53.6 against Jenkins.
As a rookie, he allowed a passer rating of 88.1 in limited playing time.
No one can quite put a finger on why Jenkins has regressed. Is it a loss of confidence? Poor technique? Shoddy work ethic in the off-season? Bad karma?
Ask 100 people at the Cowboys' Valley Ranch training complex, and you'll get 100 different answers.
"I can't say. Balls he got to last season, he's just missing by an inch this season," said secondary coach Dave Campo, holding his thumb and forefinger an inch apart.
The game-turning touchdown Jenkins allowed against the Eagles had more to do with poor decision-making than anything else.
Every player must take into account down, distance and situation when deciding whether to gamble. He must also take into account the player he's covering.
Jackson, one of the NFL's fastest players, had already burned the Cowboys for three receptions and 119 yards. With nearly 12 minutes left in the game, it would've been better for Jenkins to take a conservative approach.
Instead, Jenkins gambled – and lost.
Jenkins made a diving attempt to break up a short out route on first-and-10 from the Philadelphia 9. When Jenkins missed the ball, Jackson caught it at the 20, turned upfield and zig-zagged across the field before scoring as Philadelphia took a 27-20 lead.
"My first instinct was to go for it," Jenkins said. "I went for the ball because I wanted to be aggressive. I probably should have made the sound tackle."
Ding! Ding! Ding!
That's the correct answer, but it came too late. The damage had been done.
The Cowboys lost their ninth game, guaranteeing them a losing season for the first time since a 6-10 performance under Bill Parcells in 2006.
"I let all of the pass interference penalties get to me," said Jenkins, who led the league in interference penalties at one point this season. "I've looked at film, and that's what it is.
"I have to be aggressive and physical to be good. I was trying to play without getting penalties, and it's not working. I'm not going to change anymore. I'm going to be aggressive the rest of my career."
Good – as long as he keeps the situations in mind.
Jenkins understands something must change, because he's too good to play this poorly.
Want more from Jean-Jacques Taylor? Became a fan on Facebook for analysis, links and more from the SportsDay columnist
