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St. Louis has some of the best Italian food around. Check out The Hill and just walk into a restaurant. Oh, yeah, the game is on Oct. 19. Last year Tony Romo made history with a tremendous 4-yard run after an Andre Gurode snap flew over his head. Cowboys fans will get a chance to look at running back Steven Jackson, whom so many of you wanted Dallas to take in 2004. We've asked Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch for his thoughts on the Rams.

Biggest question heading into camp - I would say when you're coming off a 3-13 season you have a lot of questions. I would say the wide receiver corps. For most of the last decade Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce have been if not the top tandem then one of the top tandems in the league. Now Bruce is gone and Holt, although still very effective, he's kind got some chronic knee problems that have slowed him down a little. They're counting on Drew Bennett to be the No. 2 guy. He signed a $30 million deal as a free agent last year and was a big disappointment. With Bennett and Holt as the starters it's really an open audition for the No. 3 spot.

Best pickup of the off-season - I'd say Al Saunders as offensive coordinator with his track record as a coordinator. He's a former member of the Rams' staff during the Greatest Show on Turf days and is highly respect. He's going to be running the offense, calling the plays. [Head coach Scott Linehan] is totally stepping aside from that. [Saunders] worked with Holt before and [Marc] Bulger was there briefly for part of one season. They're going to run a variation of the Mike Martz system with more of an emphasis on the running game. When he was in Kansas City, Saunders showed he knew how to use a big back in Larry Johnson. Steven Jackson has got to like this.

Under the radar guy - Donnie Avery [University of Houston]. Not just as a receiver, but depending on what happens with Dante Hall, who was slowed by injury, he may be the kick return guy. It was a flawed receiver class and they had the pick of the litter and [Avery] was the first receiver taken. So I think that was a surprise to some ... They really wanted some speed because Bruce slowed down and they wanted to be able to stretch the defense. He did OK [in mini-camps] He wasn't used that much during team periods. Maybe that's because he's still learning the offense, but his speed is legit. His hands were a little questioned at Houston, but he caught a lot of balls.

In case you were wondering - Old friend La'Roi Glover is still starting and playing but entering the last year of his contract. The Rams would like to limit his snaps to make him more effective, but they haven't found Jim says Claude Wroten hasn't shown he can handle the job.

Prediction - They had so many injuries early in the season last year. The line was wiped out by the two minute mark of the opener. They were missing three of their top six offensive linemen, including Orlando Pace. I think they'll be respectable. Maybe 7-9, somewhere in there, but there's just too many iffs and their schedule is so front-loaded I think it will be hard for them to be a playoff contender.

You can read more from Jim on the Rams here.

We close out our morning tour of the NFC East with a story on Redskins' tight end Chris Cooley.

I'll be happy for the many reminders that this is a Cowboys' blog and there's no need to post stories about other teams. Thanks.

The NFC East is filled with excellent tight ends. The Cowboys have Jason Witten. The Redskins have Cooley. The Giants have Jeremy Shockey and the Eagles have L.J. Smith. I think I'd rank them that way, too - Witten (the most complete of the group), Cooley, Shockey, Smith.

The AFC West has Antonio Gates (San Diego) and Kansas City (Tony Gonzalez). The AFC North has Todd Heap (Baltimore), Kellen Winslow (Cleveland) and Heath Miller (Pittsburgh). The AFC South has Dallas Clark (Indianapolis) but I'm not sure Alge Crumpler (Tennessee) is the same guy anymore. I'd say the best group of tight ends is in the NFC East.

Being a head coach in the NFL is not easy. Being a head coach in Philadelphia is even harder. But Andy Reid is about to enter his 10th year with the Eagles. Les Bowen takes a look at Reid's time in Philly and has some interesting stuff in there, like when he made former Cowboy George Hegamin work the blocking sled by himself after a brief walkout.

Only Tennessee's Jeff Fisher and Denver's Mike Shanahan have a longer stay with their teams than Reid.

The Cowboys visit Arizona on Oct. 12. They won in their first trip to University of Phoenix Stadium two years ago. We'll see if the Cowboys' fans will be heard from there this year with the Cardinals trying to limit ticket sales. We've asked Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic for his thoughts on the Cardinals.

Biggest question going into camp - Is Matt Leinart worthy of being the starting quarterback? He's played just parts of two seasons. He's unproven. Kurt Warner threw for 27 touchdowns last year. A lot of people think Ken Whisenhunt should've stuck with Warner, but the season was only a couple of minutes old and he said Leinart would start in 2008. It was a critical off-season for him ... I think they're going to give him every chance. I still think the guy is pretty talented. I think he's worthy of being the 10th overall pick. Look at his rookie year, he played well in some games. That Bears' game, the Monday Night meltdown, I think people forget how good he was in the first half of that game. He's not being coddled. Whisenhunt is straight forward and you know how Todd Haley is. They're not exactly babying him.

Best pickup of the off-season - I think for the value, getting Clark Haggans at outside linebacker. He was a pretty productive guy for the Steelers. Double digit sacks a couple of years ago and he didn't get the contract he wanted in free agency and came here for a one-year deal. He's strengthened the outside linebacker spot.

Under the radar guy - This guy is way under the radar, but a seventh round pick in 2007, Ben Patrick. He started his career at Duke, got his degree and spent his last year of eligibility at Delaware. He's a pretty good all-around tight end or appears to be. He came on in the second half of last season and looked really good in the off-season. He catches it. He runs well. If they can teach him to block a little bit I think he'll be a pretty good all-around player.

In case you were wondering - Antrel Rolle is moving to free safety from cornerback and Kent believes that's his more natural spot. He had three interception returns for touchdowns last year. With Rolle and Adrian Wilson, the Cardinals have a pretty good safety tandem ... Old friend Al Johnson should be ready for camp after having knee surgery. The Cardinals might rest Johnson some during two-a-days ... Haley will call the plays this year, although Whisenhunt will be in his ear.

Prediction - I've always been more pessimistic than anybody because I've seen them for too long. I may be stupid for saying it, but I think (this is the year they take the next step). If the quarterback situation turns out OK, I think this team could win 10 games and in the NFC West that's good enough for a division title.

You can read more on the Cardinals from Kent here.

You won't find two more different owners in the league than Jerry Jones and Mike Brown, but they actually get along pretty well. There is an automatic big-market/small-market thing, but they have shared some laughs. We've asked Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com for his thoughts on the team.

Biggest question going into camp - The defense. Is [former Cowboys' assistant] Mike Zimmer going to make a difference? They've been impressed. He's a type-A guy. He's in your face. He's a salty guy. Everyone, to a man, has been impressed with how he's got the secondary contesting every catch. It seems like his philosophy of not backing down is getting through.

Best pickup of the off-season - Defensive end Antwan Odom. He was the only free-agent pickup and he signed the richest free-agent deal in Bengals' history - five years, $30 million. He was one of the top one, two defensive ends out there and this is a team that last year was dead last in sacks per pass.

Under the radar guy - Cornerback Jonathan Joseph. Coming into his third season. He had a good rookie year, but he was slowed last year. He had a stress fracture in his foot and never got back into it until later in the season. He probably had the best camp of the veterans. The Bengals are hopeful about the secondary because Leon Hall improved last year from the opener until the end of the season, Joseph, and Deltha O'Neal is a pretty good third corner to have.

In case you were wondering - More on the work of the secondary: Geoff said Chad Johnson has liked what he's seen from the group in that they're being aggressive. Geoff didn't think Johnson would be problematic during the season given his talk in the off-season. Carson Palmer is the type of guy who will throw to the open guy and not get caught up in games. If Johnson's open, he gets the ball.

Prediction - Bengals go 9-7 and win the division.

You can read more about the Bengals from Geoff here.

Unless they meet in the playoffs, this Sept. 28 trip will be Washington's final visit to Texas Stadium. It will also be Jim Zorn's first trip to Dallas as a head coach with him replacing Hall of Famer Joe Gibbs. We've asked David Elfin of the Washington Times for his thoughts on the Redskins.

Biggest question going into camp - How will the Redskins adjust to the coaching change and the West Coast passing game?

Best pickup of the off-season - Since none of the rookies nor either of the new vets will likely start, let's go with coach Jim Zorn as Dan Snyder rebels against his own history and instincts and gambles on a 55-year-old who has never been an NFL offensive coordinator, let alone a head coach.

Guy under the radar - Second-round receiver Malcolm Kelly (Longview, Texas) could have a big impact in the red zone because he's 6-4, a quality the receiving corps has lacked for years. But let's go with pass-rushing end Chris Wilson, who had four sacks in limited duty in his NFL debut last year. The CFL refugee could play more this year, moving 35-year-old Phillip Daniels inside on passing downs.

In case you were wondering - Quarterback Jason Campbell is healthy after missing late last season with a knee injury, but he is learning his third different offense in four seasons ... We have Kevin Burnett blogging here, and Redskins tight end Chris Cooley has an entertaining blog here.

Prediction - The Redskins have all of the starters back (save murdered Pro Bowl safety Sean Taylor) from a team that made the playoffs in two of the last three years. But even though Washington faces just two 2007 playoff teams out of the division (Steelers, Seahawks), playing all three NFC East road games in the first six weeks will be too big a hurdle to overcome with a rookie coach and a still-unproven quarterback. The Redskins finish 7-9 in the NFL's best division.

You can read more about the Redskins from David here.

2008 Cowboys opponents
Sept. 7 at Cleveland
Sept. 15 vs. Philadelphia
Sept. 21 at at Green Bay
Sept. 28 vs. Washington

The Cowboys open their final season at Texas Stadium on Sept. 15 vs. Philadelphia, and we've asked Bob Brookover from the Philadelphia Inquirer for his thoughts on the Eagles.

Biggest question going into camp - It's got to be [Donovan] McNabb's health (sore shoulder). They shut him down the last mini-camp. He indicated it wasn't an issue at all that if it had been during the season he could've played through it. You just don't know until he comes out and throws. He's supposed to be throwing [this] week in Arizona.

Best pickup of the off-season - Asante Samuel. I think he's had 16 interceptions the last two seasons. He's definitely the playmaker they lacked last year when they were last in the league in turnovers.

Under the radar guy - Probably Chris Clemons. He signed the day after Samuel. He had eight sacks in a part-time role for the Raiders last year. They think he's going to be a big force on defense. They wanted [Jevon] Kearse to do more because they paid him to be an every down guy. This guy's probably going to be a third-down pass rush specialist they think can do a lot of different things to get pressure on the quarterback.

In case you were wondering - Houston's Kevin Kolb, a second rounder last year, goes to camp as McNabb's backup ... Bob said the Eagles are holding on to Lito Sheppard to be part of the three-man rotation at corner, but he's not convinced they won't trade him if a team gets needy during training camp.

Prediction - The division is just brutal. I think the Giants might drop off. The Cowboys certainly are good. I'll say 9-7 and the wild card.

You can read more on the Eagles from Bob here.

Here's a partial transcript from what Brett Favre had to say to Bob Costas on Sept. 6, 2006. Given what's going on now with the ex/current/on-hold Packer quarterback, it's pretty interesting.

Costas: "And, a lot of great players in every sport have gone to other teams toward the end of their career, and then in the mind's eye they settle back to their primary team for their legacy."

Favre: "Uh-huh (affirm)."

Costas: "And, they go someplace (to a new team) where they were 9-7 last year and they need a guy for a year or two, (to) make a Super Bowl run."

Favre: "I can't say it wouldn't happen. If it comes to a point where they do start over, and I feel like I can play and they say, 'Brett, if you wanna go somewhere else, go ahead, but we gotta start over. It's time for us to rebuild. It just doesn't make sense, so do what you want.' If I got the itch at some point, I can't say no."

Of course, the Packers aren't saying, 'Do what you want."

Today we kickoff off a series that will look at the Cowboys' 2008 opponents in which we get the assessment from those teams from one of the beat writers. The Cowboys open the season Sept. 7 at Cleveland and we've asked Tony Grossi of the Cleveland Plain Dealer for his thoughts on the Browns.

Biggest question going into camp - Whether or not they can acquire another cornerback for depth. They're a team with very few real issues right now other than getting another cornerback, a veteran. Another issue is Joe Jurevicius, their third wide receiver. He's probably going to miss all of training camp after his fourth knee operation since January. They've got a lot of bodies there. Eleven other receivers, so that's kind of a position issue, finding a No. 3.

Best pickup of the off-season - I think it's going to be Shaun Rogers. He didn't look obese. I've seen a lot worse come through here. He looks like a change of scenery is going to have an affect on him, at least this year. That coinciding with Corey Williams. They needed to beef up the defensive front and they did with those two trades.

Under the radar guy - Their top draft pick, Beau Bell. He's an inside linebacker candidate who is expected to have an immediate impact on special teams and may compete for some situational defenses in Game 1.

Season prediction - They're schedule is brutal but I think they're poised to take the next step. I think 9-7 could win that division. They'll be in it for that. They've just got to learn how to beat Pittsburgh. If they can do that, they should win.

In case you were wondering - It's Derek Anderson's job at quarterback, however, Tony has questions about how Anderson finished last season (more picks than TDs in his last seven games). He doesn't foresee a quick hook in favor of Brady Quinn, but he knows the fans will call for it should the Browns start slowly.

You can read more on the Browns from Tony here.

Brett Favre is seeking an unconditional release from the Green Bay Packers, according to ESPN. If the Packers agree, Favre would become a free agent, able to sign anywhere and just maybe shift the NFL balance of power.

The folks over at Big Blue View (guess what NFC East team they follow?) are profiling some of the Giants' rivals this season, including the Cowboys.

The bottom-line assessment: "With all the talent in the locker room, Dallas should contend for the division title and home field all year long; but I get the feeling this team is two bad losses from anarchy."

While Big Blue isn't quite Dr. Z when it comes to a long-term track record, the prediction reflects much of the conventional wisdom we're likely to hear about the Cowboys from the other 49 states. For all the assembled Valley Ranch talent, a lot of people are waiting (and probably hoping) for the first sign of unrest.

At least that's the opinion of superstar columnist Jean-Jacques Taylor today, who doesn't exactly mince words about the past (and maybe future) quarterback.

He says that Cowboy fans should want Favre back on the frozen tundra at Lambeau, writing: "That's because he's one of the most overrated, overhyped, good quarterbacks of this generation." And he doesn't even get around to Favre's 0-9 record at Texas Stadium.

So, what do you think? Is Favre's return a godsend for the Cowboys? Or does he make the Packers much more dangerous than Aaron Rodgers ever could?

Superstar columnist/Around the Horn sensation Tim Cowlishaw makes the case that the defending Super Bowl champs will enter the season as the NFC favorite, despite the Giants' off-field drama and the Cowboys' personnel upgrade (Adam Jones, the CB formerly known as Pacman).

All due respect to T-Cow, but that's bull.

Let's not forget that the Cowboys beat the Giants by double digits in both regular-season meetings last season. Plus, as Wade Phillips pointed out with statistical evidence to back him up, "the best team lost" the playoff game at Texas Stadium. Whether or not you buy that, the Giants' win was an upset.

The Cowboys should have won the game with T.O. hobbling on one good leg and Jacques Reeves as the nickel back. With a healthy Original 81 and trouble-free Mr. Jones, anything less than a trip to Tampa is a failure.

That's the standard Phillips will be held to by the media around these parts (and probably by Jerry Jones, too.) It's not fair to rip a coach/team for not making the Super Bowl if you don't expect them to do so before the season.

And I don't see any reason (the dozen-year playoff win drought be darned) the Cowboys shouldn't be considered the NFC favorites

The Bengals have refused to give in to Chad Johnson's trade demands. Ocho Cinco sure isn't giving up, fulfilling his contractual obligation by reporting to the team's mandatory minicamp but creating a whole bunch of headaches upon his arrival.

It's enough to make a level-headed guy like ESPN's John Clayton to advise Cincy to give up the fight and get Johnson out of town.

Though Johnson's strange arrival brought both comic relief to some of his teammates and heartburn to Bengals management, it also pointed to a lingering ailment the Bengals can't shake. The whole Johnson controversy is pulling this franchise backward. Because the Bengals won't honor his trade demands, Johnson is proving more trouble to Cincinnati than he's worth.

I didn't think I'd say this, but it's time for a trade -- even though I know it won't happen. Johnson's unhappiness is pulling the franchise backward. It took years for the Bengals to acknowledge that former talented malcontents Carl Pickens and Corey Dillon were destroying team morale before their departures.

It's reached that stage with Johnson. The Bengals have an ailment: Johnson's remaining a Bengal. It's time to fix the problem.

Ocho Cinco, of course, would be a welcome addition to the Valley Ranch Circus. Jerry said on draft day that he'd continue his search for a "wow" receiver, so you can certainly count on the Cowboys making a play for Johnson if the Bengals put him on the market.

It's never wise to bet against Jerry when it comes to making a high-profile deal. But it's at least as likely that the Cowboys would end up facing Ocho Cinco twice a season if he leaves Cincy.

The Redskins offered the Bengals two picks (a first-rounder this year and a third-rounder next year that could have escalated to a first-rounder) for Johnson before the draft. Would it be wise for Jerry to outbid little Danny Snyder?

I'm not pointing any fingers, but Albert Breer was in Massachusetts last week on "vacation," so we might have to see if he was involved in this scheme somehow.

New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan has told good friend Jay Glazer of FoxSports that he will retire.

That's good news for Tony Romo, right tackle Marc Colombo and the Cowboys. Strahan leaves with 141.5 sacks in his career and goes out on top with a Super Bowl victory. He also leaves with the most sacks in a season with 22.5 in 2001.

Strahan's retirement does not deplete the Giants' pass rush. It's still excellent with Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck.

Got some Sunday trivia for you guys.

In 1999, the Cowboys lost two players to the Cleveland Browns in the expansion draft. Who were they?

Here's a hint. You can look it up. Or show you're true Cowboys roots and just guess. Answer will be later in the day.

Akron Beacon Journal columnist Pat McManamon has a look at the Browns' schedule here.

The networks are banking on Cleveland being pretty good this year with some primetime games. After surprising a lot of people last year, the Browns might be one of those "fallback" teams in 2008, like New Orleans from 2006 to '07.

I like what Derek Anderson did last year, but I'm not completely sold yet. However, he does have a lot of talent to work with in Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow, provided he's OK in not getting a new deal yet.

We are being sarcastic here. The former Cowboys running back took his demotion pretty hard and talked about it in this Mike Sando story.

I don't know whether undrafted free agent RB Keon Lattimore has an NFL future, but he could be a big help in the Cowboys' preparation for their December game against the Ravens.

Lattimore could provide the Cowboys some serious inside info about Hall of Fame-bound Baltimore LB Ray Lewis, who happens to be Lattimore's older brother.

That alone probably doesn't merit a roster spot, of course. And I doubt the practice-squad salary is enough to get Lattimore to sell out his big brother.

It appears that WWE announcer Jim Ross' report that the Giants were trading Jeremy Shockey to the Saints was wrong.

The New York Post reports that all indications are that Shockey will be a Giant against next season.

The Giants turned down the Saints - who reportedly offered a second-round draft pick plus safety Roman Harper - and general manager Jerry Reese insists Shockey is not on the trading block. Shockey on Dec. 16 fractured his left fibula and suffered ligament damage to his left ankle, and while he was mending from surgery, the Giants staged one of the most remarkable postseason runs in NFL history.

Cowboys fans might consider this good news. Eli Manning is saying nice things about the tight end who set the Super Bowl record for drinks consumed, but it's probably not a coincidence that Peyton's little bro morphed into a star after Shockey went down.

Superstar columnist Tim Cowlishaw writes that the Cowboys must be kicking themselves after watching the Giants win the Super Bowl.

As Wade Phillips infamously noted the morning after the Cowboys' playoff loss, the Giants only won that game on the scoreboard. The Cowboys kicked some serious tail on the stat sheet.

If it makes the Cowboys feel any better, Michael Strahan offered quite a compliment to America's Team.

"Trust me, that is the best team we played, the Cowboys," Strahan told the New York Post.

Only the biggest Big Blue homers thought the Giants had a realistic chance to win the Super Bowl entering the playoffs, much less the season.

But the Giants' title is n