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02:50 AM CDT on Sunday, August 15, 2010
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones appeared on The Fan recently. Here are some excerpts.
The Fan: We are joined by Jerry Jones, the owner and general manager of the Cowboys. Hey, how are you doing?
Jerry Jones: We're doing good today. We're putting it together here. Going to grade our game last night, then we're going there playing and head out to Oxnard.
The Fan: You lose 17-9 (to Oakland), your first-team offense, once again, goes down the field, but they can't score in the red zone. That's two straight games. How should I read it, Jerry?
Jerry Jones: I really would say we shouldn't grade the work we've done up until now. We all recognize it would take one play to get it in the end zone, one throw, one open receiver, one run into the end zone from two yards out. If all of a sudden that meant that everything you are doing is great so far, then that would be a misinterpretation. Just as we shouldn't knee-jerk because we didn't make that play and consequently scrap the whole thing.
We've done a lot of work. We're going to continue to do a lot of work. I like what we're doing with our offense, our playing. I like what we're going to have available to us to use in the regular season. So I'm disappointed we didn't get up on the top end of that score, but I'm not frustrated. My enthusiasm for our team isn't diminished at all and I'm not concerned for the offense at this juncture.
The Fan: Your first-team defense, Jerry, two games, is looking good.
Jerry Jones: Yeah, and by the same token, you've had a lot of consistent plays. A lot of plays that they've really been good on defense, both the run as well as the pass. But again, there you're talking about maybe a total of thirty, thirty-five plays over the last two times we've been in game conditions.
Let's don't get too carried away there, although I think you have seen an ability to show defense more because it's been three-and-out for so much of it relative to that first group. I think that's pretty impressive. But again, just so you're clear what I'm talking about, I could tell you, let's look at how we're moving up the field in offense. If we get one ball in the end zone – let's say we get two, one up in Canton and one here — and all of a sudden we're not as harsh on our offense.
I like what I see on the defense, but what I think I like about it is more what I've seen over the whole practice that we've had than I do the ballgames.
The Fan: Any concerns about your offensive line? Your quarterbacks sacked five times by the Raiders yesterday.
Jerry Jones: I'm concerned that our quarterback took a few hits that you don't want him to take during preseason, but not real concerns, no.
The Fan: Your kicker performed very well.
Jerry Jones: Before the game I said if, right now, he's kicking in our opening ballgame and he's our kicker for the year. No, I wouldn't be looking at a veteran kicker or any type of different approach. Certainly that was reinforced last night.
The Fan: Jerry, make me feel better about John Kitna ... I'm worried, man.
Jerry Jones: Look at how strong his arm is. Look how good his arm is. Look at a couple of those throws he made there in the last of the third quarter, fourth quarter.
Good, strong arm. Look at where he goes with the ball. If you really analyze the play — obviously a quarterback's got two or three plays he's usually to go to, but one is better by degree than another. As the play unfolds he'll usually make the right decision.
He's got a great long ball. Steve Beuerlein of many years ago had a great long ball. It was his forté. Kitna's got a great long ball.
The Fan: Talk to me about two players and their injuries and when do you think they'll be able to help improve your offense to get on the field: Dez Bryant and Martellus Bennett.
Jerry Jones: At this juncture, I would hope that Martellus at San Diego and would hope that Dez, maybe, would dream a little bit, certainly the last game against Miami, maybe get in some against Houston. I got that from medical school at the great University of Arkansas Technology. I don't know.
The Fan: What is your expectations for Martellus this year? We see he has talent. He's probably the most talented of all of your tight ends, but he has been a disappointment.
Jerry Jones: Martellus is a freak in the sense of his talent. He's exceptional. For his size, it's all there. His strength in his hands is really impressive. He can really block and really control a defender.
So all of that is there. We know he's got excellent hands for catching the ball, he's got the size to do it with and can really meet the ball in the air, can jump and hit the ball at the apex. All of those things are there. He has more focus than at any time in the last three years. I think he can be able to handle downtime adversity. He's having some right now.
It arguably might not have been handled as well as he's handling this. He'll be patient and get back out there for us. I think he's going to have a very impressive year and help us a lot.
The Fan: Your quarterback now enters his fourth season as a starter. What do you expect from him?
Jerry Jones: He's quarterbacked the team that certainly had a 12-, 13-game win season, so he's had success there. I think it all would go toward how far and how good we are playoff-wise, how far we can go there.
As far as on an individual-game basis with good health, the expectations I have for him is very similar to what he has done. He refines it. He has gotten better at every part of his game. I think if we can have him on the field, we can win a lot of games and hopefully enough games to really give us some advantage in the playoffs.
It's a team thing, my expectations for him. What can we do as a team? More than your question, which was what do you expect from Tony. I think, at the end of the day, if he can have team success, he'll be known as one of the really outstanding quarterbacks that's played.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones appeared on The Fan recently. Here are some excerpts.
The Fan: We are joined by Jerry Jones, the owner and general manager of the Cowboys. Hey, how are you doing?
Jerry Jones: We're doing good today. We're putting it together here. Going to grade our game last night, then we're going there playing and head out to Oxnard.
The Fan: You lose 17-9 (to Oakland), your first-team offense, once again, goes down the field, but they can't score in the red zone. That's two straight games. How should I read it, Jerry?
Jerry Jones: I really would say we shouldn't grade the work we've done up until now. We all recognize it would take one play to get it in the end zone, one throw, one open receiver, one run into the end zone from two yards out. If all of a sudden that meant that everything you are doing is great so far, then that would be a misinterpretation. Just as we shouldn't knee-jerk because we didn't make that play and consequently scrap the whole thing.
We've done a lot of work. We're going to continue to do a lot of work. I like what we're doing with our offense, our playing. I like what we're going to have available to us to use in the regular season. So I'm disappointed we didn't get up on the top end of that score, but I'm not frustrated. My enthusiasm for our team isn't diminished at all and I'm not concerned for the offense at this juncture.
The Fan: Your first-team defense, Jerry, two games, is looking good.
Jerry Jones: Yeah, and by the same token, you've had a lot of consistent plays. A lot of plays that they've really been good on defense, both the run as well as the pass. But again, there you're talking about maybe a total of thirty, thirty-five plays over the last two times we've been in game conditions.
Let's don't get too carried away there, although I think you have seen an ability to show defense more because it's been three-and-out for so much of it relative to that first group. I think that's pretty impressive. But again, just so you're clear what I'm talking about, I could tell you, let's look at how we're moving up the field in offense. If we get one ball in the end zone – let's say we get two, one up in Canton and one here — and all of a sudden we're not as harsh on our offense.
I like what I see on the defense, but what I think I like about it is more what I've seen over the whole practice that we've had than I do the ballgames.
The Fan: Any concerns about your offensive line? Your quarterbacks sacked five times by the Raiders yesterday.
Jerry Jones: I'm concerned that our quarterback took a few hits that you don't want him to take during preseason, but not real concerns, no.
The Fan: Your kicker performed very well.
Jerry Jones: Before the game I said if, right now, he's kicking in our opening ballgame and he's our kicker for the year. No, I wouldn't be looking at a veteran kicker or any type of different approach. Certainly that was reinforced last night.
The Fan: Jerry, make me feel better about John Kitna ... I'm worried, man.
Jerry Jones: Look at how strong his arm is. Look how good his arm is. Look at a couple of those throws he made there in the last of the third quarter, fourth quarter.
Good, strong arm. Look at where he goes with the ball. If you really analyze the play — obviously a quarterback's got two or three plays he's usually to go to, but one is better by degree than another. As the play unfolds he'll usually make the right decision.
He's got a great long ball. Steve Beuerlein of many years ago had a great long ball. It was his forté. Kitna's got a great long ball.
The Fan: Talk to me about two players and their injuries and when do you think they'll be able to help improve your offense to get on the field: Dez Bryant and Martellus Bennett.
Jerry Jones: At this juncture, I would hope that Martellus at San Diego and would hope that Dez, maybe, would dream a little bit, certainly the last game against Miami, maybe get in some against Houston. I got that from medical school at the great University of Arkansas Technology. I don't know.
The Fan: What is your expectations for Martellus this year? We see he has talent. He's probably the most talented of all of your tight ends, but he has been a disappointment.
Jerry Jones: Martellus is a freak in the sense of his talent. He's exceptional. For his size, it's all there. His strength in his hands is really impressive. He can really block and really control a defender.
So all of that is there. We know he's got excellent hands for catching the ball, he's got the size to do it with and can really meet the ball in the air, can jump and hit the ball at the apex. All of those things are there. He has more focus than at any time in the last three years. I think he can be able to handle downtime adversity. He's having some right now.
It arguably might not have been handled as well as he's handling this. He'll be patient and get back out there for us. I think he's going to have a very impressive year and help us a lot.
The Fan: Your quarterback now enters his fourth season as a starter. What do you expect from him?
Jerry Jones: He's quarterbacked the team that certainly had a 12-, 13-game win season, so he's had success there. I think it all would go toward how far and how good we are playoff-wise, how far we can go there.
As far as on an individual-game basis with good health, the expectations I have for him is very similar to what he has done. He refines it. He has gotten better at every part of his game. I think if we can have him on the field, we can win a lot of games and hopefully enough games to really give us some advantage in the playoffs.
It's a team thing, my expectations for him. What can we do as a team? More than your question, which was what do you expect from Tony. I think, at the end of the day, if he can have team success, he'll be known as one of the really outstanding quarterbacks that's played.
