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Tim Cowlishaw / Columnist


He wears an old man's beard but he has a young man's body. Having shed 10 pounds in the off-season, Anthony Spencer looks lighter and faster than ever in practice here.

That's trouble for the rest of the NFC East.

"They can't double team both of us,'' linebacker DeMarcus Ware said. "They can only get one.''

And last year's opponents had trouble stopping either one. Ware has been a great player almost since his arrival in the NFL. Spencer came into his own last year. When the Cowboys became a really good team -- a team capable of finally winning a playoff game -- it was when Spencer became one of their best players.

In the last eight games including the playoff contests with the Eagles and Vikings, Spencer had eight sacks to Ware's seven. To have a pass rusher coming from the strong side that is as capable as Ware is on the weak side...well, just ask Philadelphia how its offensive line held up.

Ware says Spencer is smarter, quicker than ever. Spencer said he's now totally comfortable in Wade Phillips' defense.

"He allows us to play. He wants the havoc coming from the edge,'' Spencer said. "And that comes from us.''

As for the long beard: "I just got bored in the off-season. It's supposed to make me look nicer.''

No one sees that when his helmet is on.
 
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