2 Dallas Cowboys
THE BILL PARCELLS era has been strangely bipolar. The Cowboys boasted the NFL's second-ranked defense in points allowed in 2003, then slipped to 28th in the league last year. In an effort to summon another dramatic defensive mood swing--and to avoid the first back-to-back losing seasons of his career--the grizzled coach has switched from the 4--3 scheme back to the 3--4 he used to win two Super Bowls.
If the change puts the D back in Big D, then Parcells is a genius again; if it blows up--well, get ready for some Texas-sized tantrums. "Bill doesn't know anything about rebuilding, so the way we look at it is we have to win now," Pro Bowl safety Roy Williams says. "When we win, Bill's happy. When we lose, he's upset, and you don't want to be around him. He'll have that look in his eyes like he wants to eat you alive."
The hunger was missing from a unit that last year also lost its confidence following a back injury that ended the career of strong safety Darren Woodson before the season started. The Cowboys gave up 30 or more points five times--twice allowing opponents to score in the 40s. "We did all the things a good defense doesn't do," says defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer. "We gave up big plays, didn't get off the field on third down and didn't play well in the red zone. I didn't coach very well, either."
Now Zimmer, 49, is coaching a scheme with which he was largely unfamiliar--having "been a 4--3 guy basically my whole life," he says--and several players he has only just met. The draft netted four defenders who could contribute immediately: ends Marcus Spears and Chris Canty and linebackers Demarcus Ware and Kevin Burnett. Through free agency the team also acquired a pair of veteran starters, nosetackle Jason Ferguson (Jets) and cornerback Anthony Henry (Browns).
Ware, a 6'4" 251-pounder from Troy, is the newcomer most likely to turn heads once the season starts. A defensive end in college, he'll play the featured rush linebacker position that Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor made famous for Parcells's Giants in the 1980s. As is Parcells's custom, he also needled the 11th pick in the draft throughout camp, punctuating his instructions with comments like, "What, you didn't do this at Troy?" and repeatedly telling reporters that Ware, also new to the 3--4, looked lost in practice.
Then on Aug. 22, in the first half of an 18--10 preseason victory over the Seahawks, Ware found himself. He forced two fumbles (recovering one), intercepted a pass and got a sack. "The 3--4 is hard for the offense to read," Ware says. "You can disguise coverages and blitz a little more, and there are times when you can be macho and blow a guy up, which I love."
Such enthusiasm does not extend throughout the front seven. Veteran end Greg Ellis, a 6'6" 271-pounder who is better suited to the 4--3, says the switch is "scary for me" because of his unfamiliarity with it. Another relatively undersized veteran, five-time Pro Bowl tackle La'Roi Glover (6'2", 282), welcomes the chance to display his versatility, but the prospect of two-gapping--holding his ground between a tackle and guard on obvious running downs--isn't nearly as enticing. Says Glover, "I talked to Howie Long and Bruce Smith, and they said, 'Yeah, it's going to suck because you've got to two-gap a guy. But if you're successful, it's going to create crazy matchups and free you up to get to the passer on third down.'"
Among the defensive ends who could benefit in those situations are Spears, a first-rounder out of LSU who missed much of the preseason with knee and ankle injuries, and Canty, a 6'7", 280-pound fourth-round pickup out of Virginia who slipped in the draft after suffering a detached retina as a bystander in a bar fight. (Canty was cleared to play in early August.)
Can all those young Cowboys lift the defense back into the league's upper echelon? Williams is convinced the kids will do all right. "Those young guys are freaks," he says. "They are big, physical and fast; they are phenomenal. Every time I talk about this defense, I have a smile on my face. I think we'll have an opportunity to be even better than we were in 2003." --M.S.
PLAYMAKER
With more catches (87) than star receivers such as Marvin Harrison, Hines Ward, Terrell Owens or Antonio Gates had in 2004, tight end Jason Witten emerged as the Cowboys' go-to receiver, finishing 20 yards shy of a 1,000-yard season. Witten, who made the Pro Bowl in his second season, has the bulk (6'5", 261 pounds) to thrive as a blocker and the speed to torch defenders. He's also a clutch player, with 62 of his 122 career catches producing first downs, including 25 in third-down situations.
An Opposing Scout's View: Enemy Lines
This team is missing something, and that's a quarterback. They keep shuttling guys in and out each season, and I don't think Drew Bledsoe is the answer. He can't move, he doesn't have patience, and when he's pressured he looks nonchalant throwing the ball up for grabs. But he's 6'5" and has that cannon, and people always get seduced.... They do have weapons. Julius Jones is powerful, fast and can catch the ball--pretty much the total package. They have two good tight ends in Dan Campbell, who's more of a blocker, and Jason Witten, who can do a little of everything.... Keyshawn Johnson is good as an underneath guy, but Terry Glenn is always hurt. They don't have depth at receiver.... The line has a chance to be outstanding. Marco Rivera is smart, solid and real good in pass protection. Rob Petitti is a 340-pound guy who can move his feet; he's the prototype right tackle if he stays healthy. Some games Flozell Adams looks like a Pro Bowl player, while others he's just average.... Jason Ferguson is probably their best defensive lineman. La'Roi Glover wears down in games, but he can be disruptive.
PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP with 2004 statistics
2004 RECORD: 6--10
NFL RANK (rush/pass/total): OFFENSE 20/15/14 DEFENSE 10/21/16
COACH: Bill Parcells; third season with Dallas (154-116-1 in NFL)
OFFENSE
KEYSHAWN JOHNSON
POS. WR
PVR 155
REC. 70
YARDS 981
TDs 6
DAN CAMPBELL
POS. TE
PVR 304
REC. 2
YARDS 16
TDs 0
JULIUS JONES
POS. RB
PVR 9
ATT. 197
YARDS 819
AVG. 4.2
REC. 17
YARDS 109
AVG. 6.4
TDs 7
FLOZELL ADAMS
POS. LT
HEIGHT 6'7"
WEIGHT 343
GMS. 16
STARTS 16
LARRY ALLEN
POS. LG
HEIGHT 6'3"
WEIGHT 325
GMS. 16
STARTS 16
DREW BLEDSOE [New Aquisition]
POS. QB
PVR 168
ATT. 450
COMP. 256
% 56.9
YARDS 2,932
TDs 20
INT. 16
RATING 76.6
AL JOHNSON
POS. c
HEIGHT 6'5"
WEIGHT 296
GMS. 16
STARTS 15
JASON WITTEN
POS. TE
PVR 67
ATT. 87
YARDS 980
AVG. 6
MARCO RIVERA [New Aquisition]
POS. RG
HEIGHT 6'4"
WEIGHT 307
GMS. 16
STARTS 16
ROB PETITTI (R) [New Aquisition]
POS. RT
HEIGHT 6'6"
WEIGHT 340
GMS. 11
STARTS 11
JOSE CORTEZ [New Aquisition]
POS. K
PVR 319
XPs MADE 0
XPs ATT. 0
FG MADE 0
FG ATT. 0
PTS. 0
TERRY GLENN
POS. WR
PVR 148
REC. 24
YARDS 400
TDs 2
DEFENSE
DEMARCUS WARE (R) [New Aquisition]
POS. ROLB
TACKLES 53
SACKS 10 1/2
INT. 0
DAT NGUYEN
POS. RILB
TACKLES 107
SACKS 1
INT. 3
GREG ELLIS
POS. RE
TACKLES 59
SACKS 9
ANTHONY HENRY [New Aquisition]
POS. CB
TACKLES 76
INT. 4
JASON FERGUSON [New Aquisition]
POS. NT
59
3 1/2
ROY WILLIAMS
POS. SS
TACKLES 88
SACKS 0
INT. 2
KENYON COLEMAN
POS. LE
TACKLES 9
SACKS 1
KEITH DAVIS
POS. FS
TACKLES 0
SACKS 0
INT. 0
BRADIE JAMES
POS. LILB
TACKLES 31
SACKS 0
INT. 0
TERENCE NEWMAN
POS. CB
TACKLES 70
INT. 4
AL SINGLETON
POS. LOLB
TACKLES 45
SACKS 0
INT. 0
MAT MCBRIAR
POS. P
PUNTS 75
AVG. 42.4
NEW ACQUISITION
(R) Rookie (statistics for final college year)
PVR: Player Value Ranking (explanation on page 170)
SCHEDULE
SEPTEMBER
11 at San Diego
19 WASHINGTON (M)
25 at San Francisco
OCTOBER
2 at Oakland
9 PHILADELPHIA
16 N.Y. GIANTS
23 at Seattle
30 ARIZONA
NOVEMBER
6 Open date
14 at Philadelphia (M)
20 DETROIT
24 DENVER (T)
DECEMBER
4 at N.Y. Giants
11 KANSAS CITY
18 at Washington
24 at Carolina (S)
JANUARY
1 ST. LOUIS
(M) MONDAY
(T) THURSDAY
(S) SATURDAY
SCHEDULE STRENGTH
NFL rank: 26 Opponent's 2004 winning percentage: .477 Games against playoff teams: 6
"Julius Jones is powerful, fast and can catch the ball--pretty much the total package."
 
PHOTO
PAUL CONNORS/AP
EYE-OPENING
Ware was a one-man wrecking crew in a preseason victory at Seattle.
PHOTO
KIRBY LEE/WIREIMAGE.COM
JONES
PHOTO
NFL/WIREIMAGE.COM
PHOTO
John Biever
STAR POWER The Cowboys will have a new look on defense with their 3-4 scheme, but they can expect more of the same from the hard-hitting Williams.