Williams, Jones, Sensabaugh return to practice
By: Tim MacMahon, ESPNDallas.com

Wide receiver Roy Williams (ribs), running back Felix Jones (knee) and safety Gerald Sensabaugh (thumb) practiced Wednesday at Standridge Stadium.

Owner/general manager Jerry Jones said he expected Williams and Felix Jones to play Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. They both returned to practice Monday.

Sensabaugh’s status is uncertain. This is his first practice since having surgery on his thumb Oct. 4. He is wearing a cast.

Cowboys fans: Felix Jones is going to be exciting to watch
Column by JEAN-JACQUES TAYLOR / The Dallas Morning News

Felix Jones is the most electric runner the Cowboys have had since Tony Dorsett. He’s the most exciting player the Cowboys have had since Deion Sanders.

Here’s why: You can feel the anticipation and excitement in the stadium every time Jones touches the ball because you never know when he’s about to do something spectacular.

Obviously, Emmitt Smith, the NFL’s all-time leading rusher was superb.

But he was a grinder, a battering ram. His genius was in the subtle cuts he made to make defenders miss and his unquestioned toughness, which why we all remember the Giants game. But you could miss a couple of plays with Smith on the field without feeling like you were going to miss something you might not see again.

Herschel Walker was terrific for a couple of seasons.

He did it with power and speed because he couldn’t make me miss in the open field. But if he hit the hole and found a seam, you couldn’t catch him when he was in his prime.

That’s how Walker wound up with an 84-yard touchdown run and an 84-yard touchdown catch in the same game.

Dorsett’s speed was breathtaking. So were his moves. He could make anyone look bad, and if you missed him in space, he was gone.

Jones brings back those memories because he has tremendous speed and just enough wiggle to make guys miss.

He turned a 12-yard pass into a 42-yard gain against Tennessee because he made two guys miss before making the kind of cut usually only seen in video games to get outside. Jones’ gift is that he can make a hard cut and seemingly be back at top speed within a step or two.

He averaged 8.9 yards on only 30 carries last year with runs of 33 and 60 yards. He also returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown.

Jones is going to be one of the league’s most exciting players this season – and for years to come.

Dallas Cowboys RB Jones stays one step ahead
Column by DAVID MOORE / The Dallas Morning News

SAN ANTONIO – His speed makes jaws drop and defenders flail. The eyes of Cowboys coaches and players light up at the mention of his name.

Felix Jones is the sort of threat teams ache to find. He can change the complexion of a game with one carry or kick return. But if you believe the Cowboys running back is all about speed, you don’t give him enough credit.

Jones is the sizzle in the Cowboys’ three-back attack. He’s the one who keeps fans on the edge of their seat as they fantasize about what could happen next.

What you may not appreciate is how Jones sets up these electrifying jaunts. Before his move to get past the initial defender is made, Jones has assessed where that puts him on the field and how the next defender will respond.

If Jones played chess, he would be one of those guys in Central Park who juggles five boards at once and makes each of his moves in a matter of seconds.

“One of his biggest attributes is not the first guy he’s trying to make miss, but the second guy,” running backs coach Skip Peete said. “He’s already starting to work to see where that guy is coming from and getting his next move, his next decision-making process started.

“Some guys will run and make a move on the guy directly in front of him, then start running again. There is no slowdown with Felix. He will see the next guy and is ready to create and make a move. It looks like it’s all one motion.”

This is what owner Jerry Jones means when he says Jones makes defenders look out of position when they’re not. He’s intuitive.

“You have to look forward to the next move,” Felix Jones said. “If you have somebody already set up to get past them, you are looking forward to making another move to get to the end zone.

“It’s hard to put into words, but once you see your blocker in front of you, you have confidence in him and know that he’s going to do his job, you automatically look for the next guy.”

Look for the next guy, and your chances to break off a long run increase. Jones averaged a touchdown every 12 times he touched the ball as a rookie.

Precious few players are that explosive.

“I’m sure I’m not the only one who has that ability, to look forward to the next move,” Jones said. “But it is a blessing.”

Once Jones sees the crease, he has unbelievable speed to accelerate through the hole. He’s brilliant in space but can run inside and is more physical that his size indicates. He will get the majority of carries Marion Barber doesn’t.

Receiver Patrick Crayton jokes that Nike should design a shoe with cleats on the side to accentuate the running back’s ability to cut and leave defenders in his wake.

“That might be a good idea,” Jones said.

Another good idea is to get Jones involved in the passing game. The Cowboys intend to do that this season. Peete said he’s noticed an improvement in how Jones runs his routes and comes out of breaks as a receiver.

Something else is at work in the mystique that surrounds Jones. The anticipation over what he can do is elevated because he’s played so little.
Dallas Cowboys / NFL

Head coach Wade Phillips was surprised the other day when he browsed the Cowboys media guide and noticed that Jones had only 30 carries before an injured toe ended his season.

Imagine what Jones can do if he stays healthy for 16 games, not six? Imagine the impact he can have if he catches more than the two passes and returns more than the 16 kicks he did last season?

The Cowboys are intrigued by the possibilities.

“We have high hopes, and I’m sure he does, too, that he will have a tremendous year for us,” Phillips said. “He’s a real talent.

“You see him do some outstanding things that you don’t see many other people do.”

BIG BANG THEORY

Felix Jones averaged nearly nine yards a carry as a rookie. No other running back in the top 70 was even close.

Player Team Avg.
Felix Jones Dallas 8.9
Kevin Faulk NE 6.1
Derrick Ward NYG 5.6
DeAngelo Williams Car. 5.5
Darren Sproles SD 5.4

Stiff toe sidelines Felix Jones
Tim MacMahon/Blogger, Dallas Morning News

Felix Jones sat out team drills this morning because of stiffness in his surgically repaired left big toe.

“I don’t foresee it being a problem,” RB coach Skip Peete. “We’re in training camp, two weeks in, and guys are getting sore and stiff and all that stuff.”

Jones tore ligaments in the toe last season while rehabbing from a hamstring injury. He underwent surgery in November and didn’t have any problems with the toe during OTAs. His minicamp was cut short because of a bruised thigh.

Peete said he wasn’t sure whether Jones would practice this afternoon. Jones said he doesn’t expect to miss a practice, but that decision won’t be made until Jones is evaluated by the team’s athletic training staff.

“He’s actually running fine,” Peete said. “He just came back after one play and said he’s stiff. That happens in camp.”

As we head into Sunday’s practices, I started jotting down some names that have stood out to me since training camp started in San Antonio.

I’m not going to list the obvious playmakers like Ware, Ratliff, James, Witten, Romo and others…those guys must play well.

Here are five players or groups that have caught my attention—knowing as I’ve said before, you have to be very careful not to “reach” with an opinion about a player during training camp or even the pre-season.

(In no particular order)

1) Martellus Bennett, the Cowboys are lining up in what appears to be more double tight end formations, whether one tight end and an H-Back, but Witten and Bennett are a difficult twosome to handle and the Cowboys need to find ways to keep a constant double-team off Witten. Of course, the running game and wide receivers will have something to say about that too.

2) Orlando Scandrick/Mike Jenkins, there’s a lot of talk about who will be the other starting cornerback opposite Terence Newman. Well, these two are going to make that a difficult decision, but—all three will be on the field a lot. I think the coaches would like to see Jenkins win the battle for the second corner for obvious reasons, including Jenkins being a first-round pick and the money invested. But Scandrick is just a player with a constant chip on his shoulder.

3) RB by committee, I know Barber has been to a pro bowl, and Felix Jones is the people’s choice with his speed, but Tashard Choice just makes plays and is going 100% against other players or against air. Jones is so cat quick and there’s one specific play that he always seem to make big yardage, a counter to the right side with most all movement to the left. It’s like he’s 5-yards downfield before anyone can react. If he remains healthy, I think he’ll score on that play a couple of times. Barber is lighter, quicker, and probably healthier. He took a beating last season, and I’m sure he wants a bounce back season as much as anyone else. Those two, along with Choice gives the Cowboys a three-headed running back monster. It’s a position that will takes bumps and bruises, so you can never have too many good one’s.

4) Gerald Sensabaugh: There appears to be a confidence in the back part of the secondary that hasn’t been there in quite some time. I always thought OU-Roy took the bad rap too many times—but Sensabaugh seems to flow to the ball when it’s in the air…he’s fluid when the ball is in the air and should solidify an obvious concern in the Cowboys secondary. He’s also physical enough to play against the run when necessary.

5) Personality. I’ve been asked about this many times this week, but there is something different about this team. I don’t know if it leads to more or less wins, but other than the regular 2-3 “diva’s,” this team has a bunch of guys who just want to practice and play the game.

Again, I don’t think this team is as talented as in the past year or two, but we saw what that did in December.

The Cowboys rid themselves of those who talked more than they played, and I can’t help but think that’s a good thing.

I don’t know of one question I’ve asked or others have asked that’s been about something other than football.

Well, unless you had to listen to Jerry’s 28-minute barrage on the “party-pass” promotion.

David Smoak