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Get Dallas Cowboys news on your cellWhat to watch at practice
12:37 PM Mon, Jul 23, 2007 | Permalink
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February 2008
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Movers and Shakers Pre-season Texas Stadium dallasnews.com
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One-on-one drills: This is the best way to judge the defensive backs and receivers. Do not get too carried away on the goal-line stuff because the offense has too big of an advantage. Spend some time looking at the DBs' footwork and ability to break on the ball, not so much if they knock a pass away or pick one off. For the receivers, look to see who can beat the jam at the line. If they can't, then forget about the pretty catches a guy might make.  LOUIS DeLUCA / DMN OL/DL pass drills: This is the one drill that gets way overhyped because you will see a defensive tackle loop waaaaay out of the way and get to the quarterback when in reality he would be scooped up by another linemen. Look for the defensive players' burst off the ball (especially DeMarcus Ware, right) and look at the offensive tackles' first step. That will tell you if the guy will block somebody. If he opens up early, forget about it. Seven-on-seven: The best combination drill, but the QBs have a big advantage because there's no pass rush. You'll see all the route combinations and see the communication between the DBs. See if Ken Hamlin is pointing things out to the other guys in the secondary. Goal line: Under Parcells this was the only live action in camp and this is often the most feisty. It's the test of wills and the players love to talk in this one. Look for the defensive linemen to stay low and disrupt the O-line. Take a peek at the fullbacks because this is where you'll see if Deon Anderson is a true lead blocker. Two-minute drill: Easily the most entertaining part of practice and perhaps more competitive than the goal-line portion. With so many games coming down to the wire, the teams running a good two-minute offense will succeed. The quarterbacks like this because they often get to freelance more. |
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