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By GERRY FRALEY / The Dallas Morning News
gfraley@dallasnews.com
ARLINGTON – The Cowboys played their second exhibition game in five days Thursday, losing to Oakland, 17-9, at Cowboys Stadium. Now comes a period of practice and introspection.
The Cowboys don't play again until Aug. 21 at San Diego . That gives coach Wade Phillips and his staff time to review what has gone right, what has gone wrong and what has no chance. These players are sure to come up during the review:
Marion Barber
In search of quickness, Barber lost weight in the off-season. He looks like the same plodding runner. Barber has handled the ball six times in exhibition play and produced only 13 yards. That hardly represents improvement from his showing in two postseason games last season: 18 yards on 11 carries.
Against the Raiders, Barber had three runs for 5 yards and one catch for 1 yard. The reception showed the limitation to his game. Barber lacks a burst. He got the throw from Tony Romo in the flat, made cornerback Chris Johnson miss and still gained only 1 yard.
David Buehler
For the second consecutive game, the first-team offense moved well on its opening try only to bog down near the goal line and settle for a field goal. Buehler converted again, this time from 42 yards. Buehler also made kicks of 27 and 28 yards in the second half.
The 42-yarder was a good test for Buehler. So was kicking at home.
Nick Folk and Shaun Suisham both had troubles last season in the controlled conditions of Cowboys Stadium. They were a combined 10-of-16, giving the Cowboys the third-lowest success rate on field goal tries (.625) at home in the league last season. The home failures compounded the kicking problem.
Buehler kicked often in this stadium during the off-season and is comfortable with the place.
"It's the ultimate home-field advantage," said Buehler, who also put four kickoffs into the end zone.
Marc Colombo
Colombo had trouble on the opening possession, playing a role in two of the three sacks of Romo.
Rookie end Lamarr Houston, of Texas, twice got around the corner against Colombo for sacks. Romo seemed to hold the ball longer than usual on the first Houston sack. On his second sack, Houston manhandled Colombo and raced past him.
Colombo's performance raised memories of his struggles against Minnesota in the playoff loss last season. He refused to answer questions after this game.
Bryan McCann
If McCann, an undrafted rookie free agent from SMU, makes the club, it will be because of his speed. He put it on display against the Raiders as a cornerback and a punt returner.
McCann averaged 10.8 yards on five punt returns. Each time, his speed and quickness created problems for Oakland's coverage unit.
With veteran Cletis Gordon out because of a neck injury, McCann received extra playing time at corner. In the first quarter, McCann ran step-for-step with Louis Murphy to cause an incompletion on a deep throw.
In the fourth quarter, he was caught in-between and had a Kyle Boller throw sail over him to Yamon Figurs for an 18-yard gain.
Jason Williams
With the glut of talent at all linebacker positions, a quality player likely will not make the opening-day roster. Williams, who plays on the inside, keeps that in mind.
"I know every time I go out there, I have to make a play," Williams said.
Williams had two tackles in the second quarter. One play stood out as an example of what Williams can do at his best. He sliced through Oakland blockers on a run blitz and dropped running back Rock Cartwright for a 2-yard loss to the Raiders' 1.
gfraley@dallasnews.com
ARLINGTON – The Cowboys played their second exhibition game in five days Thursday, losing to Oakland, 17-9, at Cowboys Stadium. Now comes a period of practice and introspection.
The Cowboys don't play again until Aug. 21 at San Diego . That gives coach Wade Phillips and his staff time to review what has gone right, what has gone wrong and what has no chance. These players are sure to come up during the review:
Marion Barber
In search of quickness, Barber lost weight in the off-season. He looks like the same plodding runner. Barber has handled the ball six times in exhibition play and produced only 13 yards. That hardly represents improvement from his showing in two postseason games last season: 18 yards on 11 carries.
Against the Raiders, Barber had three runs for 5 yards and one catch for 1 yard. The reception showed the limitation to his game. Barber lacks a burst. He got the throw from Tony Romo in the flat, made cornerback Chris Johnson miss and still gained only 1 yard.
David Buehler
For the second consecutive game, the first-team offense moved well on its opening try only to bog down near the goal line and settle for a field goal. Buehler converted again, this time from 42 yards. Buehler also made kicks of 27 and 28 yards in the second half.
The 42-yarder was a good test for Buehler. So was kicking at home.
Nick Folk and Shaun Suisham both had troubles last season in the controlled conditions of Cowboys Stadium. They were a combined 10-of-16, giving the Cowboys the third-lowest success rate on field goal tries (.625) at home in the league last season. The home failures compounded the kicking problem.
Buehler kicked often in this stadium during the off-season and is comfortable with the place.
"It's the ultimate home-field advantage," said Buehler, who also put four kickoffs into the end zone.
Marc Colombo
Colombo had trouble on the opening possession, playing a role in two of the three sacks of Romo.
Rookie end Lamarr Houston, of Texas, twice got around the corner against Colombo for sacks. Romo seemed to hold the ball longer than usual on the first Houston sack. On his second sack, Houston manhandled Colombo and raced past him.
Colombo's performance raised memories of his struggles against Minnesota in the playoff loss last season. He refused to answer questions after this game.
Bryan McCann
If McCann, an undrafted rookie free agent from SMU, makes the club, it will be because of his speed. He put it on display against the Raiders as a cornerback and a punt returner.
McCann averaged 10.8 yards on five punt returns. Each time, his speed and quickness created problems for Oakland's coverage unit.
With veteran Cletis Gordon out because of a neck injury, McCann received extra playing time at corner. In the first quarter, McCann ran step-for-step with Louis Murphy to cause an incompletion on a deep throw.
In the fourth quarter, he was caught in-between and had a Kyle Boller throw sail over him to Yamon Figurs for an 18-yard gain.
Jason Williams
With the glut of talent at all linebacker positions, a quality player likely will not make the opening-day roster. Williams, who plays on the inside, keeps that in mind.
"I know every time I go out there, I have to make a play," Williams said.
Williams had two tackles in the second quarter. One play stood out as an example of what Williams can do at his best. He sliced through Oakland blockers on a run blitz and dropped running back Rock Cartwright for a 2-yard loss to the Raiders' 1.