IT’S MORE GIVE THAN TAKE: Dez Bryant not worried about ball security
IRVING, Texas – It’s safe to say Dez Bryant left a much bigger imprint last weekend – in multiple ways.
After being targeted just twice with one catch on Nov. 10 in New Orleans, Bryant turned in nine catches for 102 yards on 16 targets on Sunday against the Giants. Though it’s fair to say that statline included both highs and lows.
Bryant’s night started with a dropped pass that led to a Giants interception, and it was made worse by a wacky fumble for a 21-yard loss. But Bryant made up for it with three clutch catches on the Cowboys’ game-winning drive.
“We got the job done, and like I said I was going through a little bit of adversity at the beginning of that, but things started clicking at the end,” he said.
Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones said Tuesday morning in his weekly interview with 105.3 The Fan that Bryant needed to work on ball security. He did add, however, that some of that is simply the way he approaches the game.
“He’s violent when he’s got the ball. He’s violent going after the ball. Consequently he does need to have that ball closer to his body,” Jones said. “I don’t know how much of that you’ll ever be able to coach out of him.”
For his part, Bryant said he doesn’t think there are any problems with his fundamentals. Instead, he said it’s a result of the elements the game was played in, which is something he’ll need to be mindful of in two weeks when the Cowboys travel to Chicago.
“My ball security, honestly, has always been fine,” Bryant said. “It was just that kind of a game where you have to be a little bit more prepared – focusing on what kind of difficulties it would be in the cold weather, handling the ball. I think you’ve just got to prepare a little bit better.”
His quarterback seemed pleased with the outcome, despite the miscues. The increased focus on Bryant helped Tony Romo to his second-best passing total in the past month.
“Dez is a great competitor. He competes. He did a great job on the last drive of winning on his individual matchups,” Romo said. “I think you saw that, and obviously he knows he’s got to take care of the football. He works very hard at that, so I suspect he’ll continue to do a good job.”
Jones acknowledged the same thing, pointing out the need for getting the ball to Bryant. His reception tally of nine against the Giants tied his season high, set in Kansas City. But Bryant wasn’t overly interested in drawing praise – even from the team owner.
“I can’t make this about the targets, you know? We did win that game as a team – it’s not all about me. Not to be rude,” he said.
That said, Bryant did acknowledge that his late-game success could help carry over into Thursday’s game. With yet another chance to create a winning streak this season, he said the offense needs to remember that it can build on success, even if things aren’t working perfectly.
“It’s a confidence booster. You want to take that and add on top of it, and you want other guys to feed on it. And I think that’s exactly what we’re going to do,” he said.
RELATED: Jerry Jones Show: Dez Bryant’s ‘violent’ running style leads to fumbles
IRVING (105.3 THE FAN) – It could have been a game-changing play — a play that ultimately flipped Sunday’s 24-21 win over the New York Giants.
With the Cowboys leading 21-13 in the fourth quarter, receiver Dez Bryant fumbled the ball while fighting for extra yards. The ball was deflected 20-yards backwards, leaving the Cowboys in a difficult third-and-3o situation.
It wasn’t the cold, or the defensive player, or anyone else that was responsible for the fumble. After the game, Bryant attributed the fumble to a lack of focus.
But Cowboys owner Jerry Jones attributes it to the running style of his star receiver.
“He’s violent when he’s got the ball,” said Jones on 105.3 The Fan’sNew School. “He’s violent going after the ball. Consequently, he does need to have that ball in closer. He needs to fundamentally have it closer to his body.”
In 54 career games with Dallas, Bryant has fumbled the ball 12 times. Compare that to other elite receivers like Detroit’s Calvin Johnson (13 fumbles, 102 games) and Cincinnati’s A.J. Green (3 fumbles, 42 games), and you might conclude that Bryant has a serious problem.
Jones however understands that, while it’s unacceptable, you have to take the good with the bad when coaching Dez.
“You’d like to say, ‘hey just take the ball and go straight up the field rather than trying to take it across,’” said Jones. “Of course, about the time that comes out of your mouth, he goes lateral across that field and breaks it about 40 yards.”
So can Jason Garrett and the Cowboys’ coaching staff expect Dez to change his running style?
“A lot of this is a natural, physical way he plays football, and you’re not going to coach it out of him.”
(Listen to the Jerry Jones show)
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THE GOOD-BYE BLOWOUT: Despite Saints loss, Jerry Jones wants team focused on playoff run and a good bye week
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones admitted today on his radio show that he still hasn’t recovered from last Sunday’s 49-17 blowout loss to the Saints.
“That was a rough one in New Orleans,” Jones said with a sigh as he opened his radio show on KRLD-FM. “We have not (recovered). That was one that should and will hang with us a little while. Unlike those one- or two-point losses, it’s one that should get your attention.”
Jones has his eyes wide open but also doesn’t think the Saints game is truly representative of the Dallas Cowboys this year.
He said the Cowboys were severely impacted in that game by the injuries on defense and feels they will play better when some of the players return.
He also said the offense is much better than it showed against the Saints when quarterback Tony Romo passed for just 128 yards and the Cowboys were 0-for-9 on third downs.
“What is representative of our team is some of the early games we had than this past Sunday,” Jones said.
The Cowboys’ owner acknowledges, however, that work must be done during this week’s bye if he hopes for a happy ending to the 2013 season.
He said coach Jason Garrett, offensive coordinator Bill Callahan and Romo are hard at work evaluating and making adjustments to improve the slumping offense, namely fixing their problems on third down and finding ways to get receiver Dez Bryant and tight Jason Witten the ball and away from double teams.
“I don’t think we are far away, an adjustment here and an adjustment there,” Jones said. “I think they are making adjustments that are called for.”
Jones acknowledges the defense will still be challenged because the loss of middle linebacker Sean Lee for next two or three games and the offense must pick up the slack to “keep the defense off the field. It needs some help.”
Jones said he will spend the bye week watching football, particularly the NFC East games. He will play close attention to the battle between the Redskins (3-6) and Eagles (5-5), who are tied with the Dallas Cowboys atop thee division. The Giants (3-6) also have a winnable game against Packers, who playing without their quarterback Aaron Rodgers, and could be one game back when the Cowboys face them Nov. 24 following the bye.
And as much as he’s disappointed in the team’s play against Saints, he said the season-long goals are still out there for the Cowboys to achieve: win the division, make the playoffs and go from there.
“We got six more games,” Jones said. “It’s before us if we want to take it. That’s the way we should look at it. It would be wrong to look at the past weekend and count it out and say, ‘That’s the way we are’.”
Listen to The Jerry Jones Show in it’s entirety for best context.
2013-2014 COWBOYS ROSTER: Dallas RG Brian Waters is out for the season; Mackenzy Bernadeau back in lineup
Dallas Cowboys offensive guard Brian Waters is out for the year, owner Jerry Jones confirmed on his radio show today.
Waters, 36, had started the past five games at right guard. Waters injured his knee and his ribs during Sunday’s loss to the Lions, but it was a triceps injury that had concerned the Dallas Cowboys the most. As it turns out, they were right to be concerned.
Mackenzy Bernadeau will return to the starting lineup, and Jones said the Cowboys will look to their practice squad for depth. They released guard David Arkin on Saturday and signed him back to the practice squad yesterday.
“[Bernadeau] started for us the entire year last year and played well, came in and played about 20 snaps and played well yesterday,” Jones said on 105.3 The Fan. “Then, we’ll look to what we do with depth off our practice squad.”
Bernadeau started 19 consecutive games after signing a four-year, $11 million deal with the Cowboys during the 2012 off-season. But he lost his job to Waters in Week 4 after Waters got back into football shape.
Now, it’s Bernadeau’s turn again.
“It’s an adjustment just for the fact that you go from being in the game all the time to being on the sideline and waiting around,” Bernadeau said Monday. “You never want anybody to go down and get hurt. At the same time, when your number is called, you’ve got to be prepped, and that’s how I’ll be.”
Waters missed the 2012 season and all of training camp this year. He signed a one-year deal with the Cowboys on Sept. 4, the week of the season opener against the Giants.
The Cowboys have been pleased with Waters, not only for his play on the field, but for how he has taken their young offensive linemen under his wing.
“He’s done a lot,” Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said. “Maybe as much as anything else, it’s his demeanor. He’s a guy that plays the game the right way. He’s physical. He’s tough. He knows what to do. He plays with a little bit of an edge to him, and that’s a positive thing, and I’ve talked to our team about it. It’s contiguous. You get a guy like that who can do it again and again and again, always kind of making an impression, trying to break their will, and other guys see that it’s OK, and it’s a good thing to do. It’s good for your team. He’s good for the offensive line, and he’s good for everybody on our team. He’s had a real positive influence.”
ROSTER WHEELS ARE TURNING: Dallas Cowboys expected to address defensive line injuries
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones stated the obvious on his radio show this morning. He said the defensive line is the Dallas Cowboys biggest concern six weeks into the season.
The loss of defensive end DeMarcus Ware for at least a week or two is the latest setback up for a unit that is already without ends Tyrone Crawford and Anthony Spencer for the season and has seemingly given up hope of getting back defensive tackle Jay Ratliff at any point this season.
The Cowboys are scouring the waiver wire and the streets for help up front but Jones said the team will not trade a future high draft pick to get a defensive lineman.
“It’s pretty well known, I imagine, around the league, some of the issues we got with our defensive front,” Jones said on 105.3 The Fan [KRLD-FM], “so if some other GMs or personnel people are sitting there saying, ‘I bet Dallas might be interested in this lineman,’ then their wheels are turning, too. That could still happen, but we’re not going to be in a position, and don’t want to give up a high draft pick to get a defensive lineman right now.”
The Cowboys are expected to sign veteran defensive end Jarius Wynn, who has five years of experience with the Packers and Chargers.
DOUBLE DOWN ON DEZ: Jones’ agree on Bryant’s ability to beat coverages
Dez Bryant has been targeted 36 times, more than any Dallas Cowboys player this season. But Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and his son, Stephen, the team’s executive vice president, believe Bryant should get more opportunities even when he’s covered by more than one defender.
“I do think sometimes he’s going to win the battle even if he’s doubled,” Stephen Jones said Monday on KRLD-FM. “He deserves those shots.”
His father echoed thoughts on Tuesday during his KRLD-FM radio segment.
“He can make that catch with two people on him,” Jerry Jones said.
As for Bryant, he professes he doesn’t care about the number of chances he gets each week.
“It’s not about me,” said Bryant, who has made 23 catches for 282 yards and four touchdowns. “We got too much talent on this team. That’s the great thing about it. Everybody can make a play.”
Editors comment: Defenders paranoia over Dez Bryant’s playmaking ability should be tested occasionally. That type of mental pressure could lead to one or two DPI (defensive pass interference) calls … which is as good as a catch! If the flag is thrown, the only thing it risks is the RAC (run, after catch) factor. If the result is an INT, it’s generally in the range of punt/kickoff territory … which is manageable. Not suggesting that Dallas forces the issue constantly, but it should be tested at opportune or strategic moments. The advantages of a run game threat can be duplicated with a Deep to Dez threat. Keep these defenses off balance and guessing! The Jones’ are right … Dez can win those match-ups … if it’s timed properly and the ball is thrown accurately.
HORSES SADDLED: Improvement expected in the Dallas Cowboys running game
IRVING, Texas – Through two games of the season, the lack of a consistent running game is once again a hot topic for the Dallas Cowboys.
But team owner/general manager Jerry Jones is optimistic things can turn around.
“I see improvement in the future in our running game,” Jones told 105.3 FM “The Fan” on his regular radio show. “I look at how much we’re improved in our offensive line. (Brian) Waters played good for the number of snaps he played. So Waters will be in there. That’ll improve us. I think we have flexibility with our tight ends. We’ve got some answers there … we’ll get it worked out.”
When asked about running back DeMarco Murray, who had just 25 yards rushing on only 12 attempts Sunday, Jones said he graded out well from the coaches film after the Chiefs game. He praises his professional approach and his physical size as a runner, and then added, “I’d like to see him have more opportunities.”
The Cowboys’ average starting position on Sunday was their own 21-yard line and had four possessions starting at the 10 or closer to the goal line.
“You’re going to be more conservative when you’re backed up like we were,” Jones said. “I want to credit (Kansas City’s) defense. They have a good front. (Dontari) Poe was the talk of the combine. There was a question about his motor but there’s not a question anymore. He did give us fits. Hopefully, there won’t be any more Poes.”
When asked about the differences between a Bill Callahan-called game and what the Cowboys had the last few years with Garrett, Jones joked it would take “five hours” to get into full detail of all the changes. But he did give some hints of what he expects to see more of in the future.
“I think we’ll see more play-action, more zone blocking,” Jones said. “You’ll see us emphasize the tight ends more. I think this Terrance Williams is really improving practice by practice. I think he can put some pressure on those (defensive) backs.”
STUD REMAINS SIDELINED: Dallas Cowboys DT Ratliff out at least six weeks
IRVING, Texas – The Dallas Cowboys had been optimistic about Jay Ratliff’s chances of returning to the field for the season opener against the Giants.
Now, the earliest they will see the defensive tackle on the field will be Oct. 20 against the Eagles.
Ratliff was placed on Reserve/PUP today (on Tuesday) in an effort to trim the roster down to 75 players. The Cowboys also put Tyrone Crawford (torn Achilles) and Ryan Cook (back) on injured reserve, along with releasing nine players.
Ratliff is dealing with both a hamstring and groin injury, a possible re-aggravation from his sports hernia surgery he underwent last December.
The defensive tackle missed all of training camp nursing what was believed to be only the hamstring injury he sustained on July 20 at the conditioning test in Oxnard, Calif. He stayed with the team for the remainder of camp when other injured players were sent back to Dallas early for rehab.
Dallas Cowboys VP Stephen Jones, the team’s director of player personnel was asked Tuesday if he thought Ratliff would even play at all in 2013.
“I feel confident that he will. I believe in Jay. I think he’s a competitor,” Jones said. “There’s some things that can be frustrating when you have injuries. Jay has a real injury. Those things happen. I’m convinced that we’ve got a (rehab) program now — he’s had a few setbacks — that hopefully will put him on the road where he can play for us at some point this season.”
The four-time Pro Bowler missed 10 games last year – the final six games with the groin injury and the first four because of a high ankle sprain. He also missed most of camp with a nagging foot injury.
The last 12 months have also included a heated exchange with Jerry Jones in the locker room last December and then a DWI arrest in January. His hearing was recently pushed back to February 2014.
Until Ratliff gets back, the Cowboys will likely start Nick Hayden and Jason Hatcher at tackle with a backup rotation of Sean Lissemore, Ben Bass, and perhaps Landon Cohen, a journeyman vet who has taken advantage of extra snaps with Ratliff out.
RELATED: Jerry Jones on Jay Ratliff starting season on PUP
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones admitted the obvious today (Tuesday) when he confirmed on his radio show that defensive tackle Jay Ratliff could start the season on the physically unable to perform list, sidelining him for the first six games of the season.
Ratliff has been sidelined since the start of training camp with hamstring and groin injuries. The Cowboys had long held out hope that he could return for the season opener against the New York Giants on Sept. 8.
But Ratliff has yet to take his rehab to the point where it’s realistic he could be ready by then. Jones is still holding out hope but he can’t deny that sitting Ratliff for the first six weeks of the season might be the best move and the Cowboys only move.
“It’s certainly more of a possibility than I would’ve ever thought two to three weeks ago,” Jones said Tuesday on the New School show on 105.3 The Fan [KRLD-FM]. “But we’ve got to look at the next two weeks, carefully look at his progress over the next two weeks.”
Editors test … click on button below to download the MP3 file (Box.com)
RANCH HANDS ON ALERT: Jerry Jones says change is necessary at 8-8; evaluating options
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones wanted fans to know "I’m very upset, very irritated" after the Cowboys’ 8-8 season, gave a wholehearted endorsement of quarterback Tony Romo, but "I can assure our fans it’s going to be very uncomfortable from my standpoint, it’s going to be very uncomfortable over the next few weeks and months at Valley Ranch."
Jones addressed the Cowboys’ situation on KRLD/105.3 FM The Fan on Wednesday morning during his weekly show. He refused to address two hot topics: Who will be the Cowboys’ play-caller and the status of defensive coordinator Rob Ryan.
"We’re not having a meeting like that this morning. I haven’t even had a meeting," Jones said, but said that he will have that meeting in evaluating consecutive 8-8 seasons and losing back-to-back finales with the playoffs at stake.
“I’m going to spend a lot of time visiting with people outside of the organization that I have a lot of confidence in that will help us evaluate how to do the things that I know what our fans want to do, and that’s not be sitting here at .500,” Jones said. “There are a lot of teams that haven’t been at .500, but nobody hasn’t been at .500 and spent as much cash as I’m spending.”
On Romo, he said, "“Tony is a tremendous asset and he’s an asset that is going to be with the Dallas Cowboys for, as far as I am concerned, a long time." But asked if it should be inferred he would extend Romo’s contract, Jones said, "You shouldn’t infer anything, I’m just saying what I’m saying."
His one theme was that "we need to look at the fundamental things" and spend more time on "how we line up," on blocking and tackling. Jones mentioned Garrett and Romo had been together six years, but indicated he wanted to change fundamentals and not focus on schemes.
Jones didn’t mince words on changing things: "I can tell you change is necessary at 8-8. We’re going to have changes."
You can listen to Jones’ comments on KRLD here, or click on the button below:
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JERRY JONES BUILDING ROME: Like Landry and Belichick, Jason Garrett needs time
Jerry Jones didn’t sound like a general manager ready to get rid of his head coach when he spoke Tuesday on his weekly radio show.
While talking about the Cowboys struggling under Jason Garrett, who is in his second full season as head coach, Jones mentioned firing a previous coach too soon, a mistake he doesn’t want to make again.
But the highlight of his answer came when discussing how Super Bowl-winning coaches like Bill Belichick and Tom Landry didn’t have success early in their careers.
“I think you got to look at his short tenure as our coach as well as potential for the future,” Jones said on 105.3 The Fan [KRLD-FM]. “Now, that’s a combination that’s worth looking at real good. Because, yes, I made a coaching change with a coach in here that had only been here two years — Chan Gailey. I regretted it. That was not the thing to do at the time. A lot of people would take issue with the statement I just made, but it’s probably one of just a few things regarding the coaching thing that I would take back. That was a pretty quick tenure for him. Fair is not the word, but I don’t know that it was fair to our team and our fans.
“Having said all that, you need to look at how short of a time that Jason’s been here. You need to look at the potential that he has. You need to look at a coach like Bill Belichick, that went up to Cleveland and was fired, and then turned around and was looking, trying to get a job and then ends up working his way back and ends up in New England later on. The books are full of coaches that initially started slower and ended up doing outstanding jobs. … Specifically, I do know of coaches that had they not stuck with them, Coach Landry, we don’t have to remind ourselves of his early years as a young coach.”
That certainly sounds like an owner/general manager that’s content with his current head coach.
Later in the interview, Jones addressed the speculation about the possibility of the Cowboys going after Sean Payton at the end of the season. Jones said he is not allowed to have any communication with the New Orleans Saints coach who is suspended for the season because of his alleged involvement in the Saints’ bounty scandal.
“I have no idea what they’re talking about, and I have no understanding about anything to do with his business or the Saints’ business,” Jones said. “All of that was news to me. I saw it just like you did, on television.”
PRESIDENTIAL DECLARATION: Jerry Jones says Dallas Cowboys are still in the race, can win this year
The Dallas Cowboys are 2-3 and have lost their past two games. But owner, PRESIDENT, and general manager Jerry Jones is more confident than ever that his team can make a title run this season because of how it played in Sunday’s 31-29 loss at Baltimore.
Jones said he is disappointed in the loss but he did see positive things that the Cowboys can build on.
"It’s terribly disappointing. But we played physically. We did things that we can win with in the future," Jones said on his radio show on KRLD/105.3 FM. "We’re 2-3, so that’s five games into a 16-game season. We don’t have time to have a bad time here. We’ve got to have some wins to make sure we’re in the hunt. We are fresh off, I keep pointing it out, a world champion that won nine of 16 ballgames last year.
"We know that you want your team as healthy and as in sync as it can be as we get on in to the end of the season. We know that we’ve played one division game and won it. We’ve got those guys, the Giants, coming back in here. We know that’s going to be a big game for us. All of those things give us a chance to take a team that is evolving into — if you look at the pluses yesterday — evolving into a team that can compete for the championship. Not next year, this year.
"Let me emphasize that," Jones said. "I’m not into everybody getting better, learning for years to come. It’s this year."
Murray out this week
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones confirmed on Tuesday that running back DeMarco Murray will miss at least Sunday’s game at Carolina with a sprained foot.
Jones said on his radio show that magnetic resonance imaging results showed ligament damage, but no fractures.
Murray will likely miss a few games, but the injury will not sideline him for the season.
"I think we were encouraged that his sprain was not any more serious than it is," Jones said. "He’s a tough guy. I regret that we’re not going to have him against Carolina."
Costa’s impact
The return of center Phil Costa and his impact on the record-setting rushing performance against the Ravens was more than just lip service from Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett.
According to Pro Football Focus, every Cowboys offense lineman played well in the game as the team rushed for 227 yards, the most ever against the Ravens. But the site rated Costa as the best lineman in the game for both teams, saying he was dominant in the middle and got the best of every Ravens defender they put in front of him.
It was Costa’s first game since suffering back injury on the first series of the season opener against the New York Giants.
Roster moves
The Dallas Cowboys signed cornerback Vince Agnew to the practice squad and released cornerback Mario Butler.
Agnew was one of 16 players the Cowboys worked out on Friday. Agnew originally signed with the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Central Michigan on July 28, 2011. He was released on September 3 and immediately signed to their practice squad where he spent most of the 2011 season.
He was released by Miami on August 31, 2012.
THE JERRY JONES SHOW: Lawrence Vickers | Felix Jones | Jay Ratliff | 2-2 after four games
Listen to The Jerry Jones Show …
Link will be added when the show is released on KRLD – 105.3 The Fan
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Each of these articles relate to quotes from The Jerry Jones Show on KRLD-FM 105.3 The Fan (The home of the Dallas Cowboys and The Dallas Cowboys Radio Network) …
RELATED: Jerry Jones – Cowboys FB Lawrence Vickers
The offensive line will shoulder the majority of the blame when a team is struggling to run the football, but the fullback also deserves some of the responsibility.
After signing Lawrence Vickers in the off-season, Jerry Jones said the Cowboys “can be the best we’ve been at fullback since Daryl [Johnston].”
With the Cowboys averaging only 3.4 yards per carry, which ranks 28th in the league, it’s hard to believe Jones would compare Vickers to Moose Johnston.
But Jones says he’s optimistic that Vickers’ best days as a Cowboy are still ahead of him.
“What I look for in a fullback, and he’s got it, is the ability to instinctively pick up a guy that maybe isn’t his guy, that just shows up,” Jones explained this morning on 105.3 The Fan [KRLD-FM]. “When you play his spot, especially in the running game, I guess you could say this about the passing game too, your assigned guy is not always the one that’s the freest. And I emphasize that ‘est’ because it’s the guy that’s coming first that he has to pick up. He’s got good instincts there. I think we can look forward to that. That hasn’t diminished in any way.
“I look for him to play better. I’m still as excited about him as I’ve been. I’m crazy about his work ethic. He works, brings that enthusiasm for the team but also backs it up with work. I think we’ll see better play than what we think we’ve seen so far this year.”
RELATED: Jerry Jones – Felix Jones as kick returner
The Dallas Cowboys added undrafted rookie free agent Lance Dunbar to their 53-man roster on Monday to help on special teams.
Dunbar said after Monday’s practice that he would be participating in all phases of special teams, but it seems the former North Texas standout running back would be best used as a kickoff returner. The Cowboys haven’t had any success in their kick return game and the youngster could provide a spark.
But the team’s current kick returner, former first-round pick Felix Jones, hasn’t lost the job yet, according to Jerry Jones.
“I still think that Felix has the ability to do what we want to do, which is make some plays,” the Cowboys owner and general manager said today on 105.3 The Fan [KRLD-FM]. “He’s showing more burst the last couple of weeks, so I don’t want to dismiss him.”
Jerry Jones said he didn’t know if Dunbar would get a chance to return kicks Sunday in Baltimore because the coaching staff still wanted to see how comfortable he looked back there throughout the week of practice.
“You worry a little about his size, but he sure could help us,” Jerry Jones said of Dunbar. “He’s instinctive, and I think that’s the key word for him. He just finds a way, finds holes and has some burst when he sees it, to find the soft spot. If he can add that to our kicking game, then we’ve stepped it up.”
RELATED: Jerry Jones – Dallas Cowboys nose tackle Jay Ratliff
With Jay Ratliff limited during training camp with a foot injury, Jerry Jones wondered if his Pro Bowl nose tackle got enough practice time before seeing his first action in the Cowboys’ third preseason game.
Ratliff suffered a high ankle sprain in that game and left the locker room on crutches.
“Did we let him get back in enough practice to get used to the speed of the game and were there things we could’ve done that might’ve prevented him from having that high ankle sprain,” Jones questioned today during an interview on 105.3 The Fan [KRLD-FM]. “Of course, [Ratliff] was the expert on the matter as it would be. He said there was no way in the world that I could’ve prepared for the guy falling over on the back of my leg like that, creating an ankle sprain.”
Ratliff returned to practice on Monday and it’s likely he’ll make his season debut Sunday in Baltimore. His return would bring an immediate impact considering opponents often double team the four-time Pro Bowler.
If Ratliff is out there, Jones doesn’t anticipate the 31-year-old slowly easing himself back into the mix.
“It’s not we’re going to turn him loose, he’s going to turn loose,” Jones said. “He doesn’t know but one speed, and that is getting after it. We’ve missed him and he’ll help us.”
RELATED: Jerry Jones – At 2-2, we’re in pretty good shape, considering
With how poorly the Dallas Cowboys played in losses to the Seahawks and Bears and even during a win over the Buccaneers, a 2-2 record might be better than what they deserve.
Today, Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones gave his thoughts on where his team sits entering Week 6. Despite being outscored by a 61-25 total in their two losses, the Cowboys are fortunate that each team in the NFC East has at least two losses.
“We got to play better,” Jones said on 105.3 The Fan [KRLD-FM]. “I’m disappointed that we’re not putting more points on the board. I’m disappointed that we’re not getting the turnovers. All of that tells me that at 2-2, we’re in pretty good shape, considering the way we’ve played. I’m not saying we’re lucky to be 2-2, but we haven’t played any better than 2-2. We can play better though. That’s the good news.
“You look at where we are with our division, where everybody has lost two games in the division. What does that tell you? Nothing, other than we’ve got the games ahead of us – one more against the Giants and two against each of our division opponents. You got to look at your division hard and keep an eye on it. We have a lot to be encouraged about where we are in our division relative to records and nobody’s gaining on us here.
“We’ve got to do this from within. We just got to play better from within, across the board. It isn’t in just one spot, it’s across the board. I emphasize the interior blocking of the offensive line, but we got so many other areas that we can play better in. But that’s football.”
JERRY JONES’ PHILOSOPHY: “I like the coach being one of the coordinators …”
Four of Jason Garrett’s worst losses as Cowboys head coach have come in the team’s last six games. The Cowboys have lost those four by an average of 16.5 points.
In a league structured for parity, those lopsided defeats to the Bears, Seahawks, Giants and Eagles are somewhat alarming.
Jerry Jones, the Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager says he doesn’t see it that way.
“I could go into each game and see how we got on a lopsided score,” Jones said Friday on 105.3 The Fan [KRLD-FM]. “But I thought, candidly, one of the worst games we’ve played is against Tampa. We didn’t play well against Tampa, so the score can be misleading. For instance, I can say turnovers last week against Chicago. I can say we really did become generally careless, I guess would be the word. But once we got three scores down, we were running out of time (and) we certainly did cut and chew and basically throw into … coverage. Chicago’s real good, so those last two interceptions were right into the teeth of what they do the best. They’re a Cover 2 team. You do those outside, little elongated throws in there and you’re going to get them intercepted against Chicago. I look at that. That’s a couple of scores right there. … That’s a couple right there that contributed to the lopsidedness of things.”
Is there too much on Garrett’s plate? With Garrett being both head coach and offensive coordinator, Jones was asked if there has been any talk of handing the play-calling over to offensive line coach Bill Callahan, who also carries the title of offensive coordinator.
“No, there haven’t,” Jones responded.
Entering Friday, the Cowboys ranked last in the NFC in points scored, averaging 16.2 per game. The Jacksonville Jaguars are the only NFL team averaging less at 15.5 per game.
“I believe in a head coach being one of the coordinators,” Jones said. “That’s debatable. I’ve had people say the head coach needs to be what I call a walk-around head coach, and that is he just looks at everything. We’ve had at least two of them in Bill Parcells and Tom Landry — of course I wasn’t here when Tom was here — that did everything. They ran the whole thing. Although they had coordinators or run coaches or passing coaches. I’m sounding a way that I don’t want to sound because it can work.
“I like the coach being one of the coordinators, preferably the offensive coordinator. But of course in Wade Phillips’ case, he was the defensive coordinator. When you do that, you’re going to get in down times, loss times. You’re going to get people to say, ‘They do too much. They’ve just got too much on their plate.’ You have to look at that. Jason has huge capacity to cover a lot of ground, so if anybody can do it, or look to the future, he can.”
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SOURCE: The Jerry Jones Show on 105.3 The Fan
Click on the PLAY button to listen to the entire show. Several issues are covered, including ‘being in the stew’. Enjoy!
PINK PALACE: The secret is out … Jerry Jones tickled pink
It might make the Dallas Cowboys the butt of jokes, but Jerry Jones will go pink for profit in his $1.2 billion football palace.
A Victoria’s Secret PINK store will open Monday at Cowboys Stadium, a first at a professional sports stadium or venue.
"We think it’s cute as a bug and very in place to show it and sell it out there," Jones said Friday on KRLD-FM.
Cowboys Stadium has pretty much everything Jerry Jones could imagine packing into a single building, but if there’s one thing it lacks, it’s a certain feminine touch. No longer.
The Cowboys sent out a news release promoting a ceremonial ribbon-cutting event that will take place a few hours before the Cowboys kick off against the Chicago Bears. Victoria’s Secret models Elsa Hosk and Jessica Hart will be among the dignitaries there along with Charlotte Anderson, Jones’ daughter and the Cowboys’ executive vice president for brand management.
According to the release, Victoria’s Secret PINK is a "fully articulated lifestyle collection for young women that include bras, panties, loungewear and sleepwear."
The Cowboys Stadium store, which will be located on the main concourse club area above Entry A, will sell Victoria’s Secret PINK merchandise that features the Cowboys’ name and star logo.
No need to wait ’til Monday Night to have your emblazon your crotch with the Cowboys Star. May I suggest the Jerry-approved lace trim thong panties? You can order them online right now.
RELATED: The Jerry Jones Show
The Jerry Jones Show 105.3 The Fan, September 28, 2012
ALTERNATE LINK: Click HERE to listen to the show (listed on the right column)
EDITORS COMMENT: You really SHOULD listen to this show. Always a few gems!
JERRY JONES IMPRESSED: Washington Redskins QB Robert Griffin III
Jerry Jones noted Tuesday that the Washington Redskins nearly beat the Cowboys twice last season, “without really acceptable quarterbacking.”
The Redskins’ defense made the difference, Jones said.
The Cowboys defeated the Redskins 18-16 in Week 3 and needed overtime for a 27-24 victory in Week 11.
In those two games, Redskins quarterback Rex Grossman was a combined 47-of-75 for 542 yards with three touchdown passes, one touchdown run and two interceptions.
After watching Redskins rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III on Sunday, the Cowboys owner and general manager is expecting better quarterback play when the Cowboys face the Redskins in November and December.
“Well, I was very impressed,” Jones said on 105.3 [KRLD-FM] The Fan’s New School show. “He certainly showed a lot of poise. They had him game-planned really well to do the kinds of things that he does good. His athletic ability, his speed, all of that is something that I don’t look forward to the Cowboys competing against for a lot of years.”
Griffin was 19-of-26 for 320 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions as he led Washington to a 40-32 upset victory in New Orleans on Sunday. The former Baylor standout and Heisman Trophy winner also ran for 42 yards on 10 carries.
Jones added: “The Redskins have needed a quarterback for a long time. They have an outstanding defense. … They’re going to be improved.”
RELATED: The Jerry Jones Show – Jones praises Coach Jason Garrett, RGIII
DALLAS (105.3 THE FAN) – Even though the mere mention or utterance of the Washington Redskins anywhere in DFW could warrant a severe beat-down’ New School had to ask the Dallas Cowboys owner what he thought about the NFL debut of RG3 during his weekly “Jerry Jones Show” on 105.3 The Fan.
The question of RG3 was posed only after co-host Shan Shariff played a portion of the Redskins fight song and asked the Cowboys owner/general manager to sing along with him which elicited the response of “he (Shan) is an idiot.”
Turning back to the question of Robert Griffin’s debut, “I was very impressed and he certainly showed a lot of poise” said Jones. “His athletic ability, his speed..it’s something I don’t look forward to the Cowboys competing against.”
When New School asked if Jerry would be doing any trash talking with Redskins owner Dan Snyder Jerry exclaimed, “I don’t give him (Snyder) much opportunity to trash talk me.”
The Cowboys owner also praised the efforts and leadership of his head coach and told New School why he decided to present Jason Garrett with the Cowboys vs. Giants game ball.
Jerry also previewed the Cowboys next opponent and asked his thoughts about heading back to Seattle since the the 2006 NFL playoffs.
Listen to the Jerry Jones Show, Mondays at 8:15 a.m. and Fridays at 10:00 a.m. on 105.3 The Fan.
PLAY: The Jerry Jones Show on 105.3 The Fan
Download: 091112_jjs.mp3
MENTAL PREPAREDNESS: Jerry Jones wouldn’t mind thinking of Seattle as Game 1 of this season
Jerry Jones has an idea – start the season over right now. With Seattle as Game 1.
That might be a good way to get over the euphoria of the win over the Giants.
“Let’s start the season now, and we’ve got the first one on the road,” the Cowboys owner said on his Friday morning radio show on 105.3 The Fan. “This will be the Seattle Seahawks’ opener. I am concerned. I think they’ve got one of the better teams. They’ve gotten a lot better than they were predicted to have.”
After playing five games in 24 days, including the build-up to the NFL’s kickoff game against the defending Super Bowl champion Giants, the Cowboys could likely use a mental break.
“We’ve played a lot of football in a short period of time,” coach Jason Garrett said at his Thursday press conference. “We played four preseason games in 16 days. We finished one up. We cut our team down, we were practicing like a Monday practice two days later, so I think our team really handled that part of it really, really well.
“There were some challenges that we had, kind of transitioning back from training camp, playing a lot of games in a short period of time. I thought our guys just kind of came to work every day, got themselves prepared, went up there and played well.”
Jones said he’ll break the 24-hour rule this weekend to think about the win for more than one day.
But he still wanted to be careful not to make the win into more than it was.
“We’ve got to be careful about making this the fingerprint of the team,” he said. “On the other hand, that took something for our team to go up there – that’s pretty intimidating – and pull that win off the way we did. In spite of our foibles, we pulled it off.”
COMPROMISING POSITION: Jerry Jones laughs about glasses cleaned, says he wouldn’t sit by him at a game
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Jerry Jones is laughing about it now, and he’s glad he can – the moment the NBC cameras caught his son-in-law, Shy Anderson, cleaning his glasses for him.
“Had you told me last week that we’re going to be able to laugh and smile about this and it be something fun and notable to talk about, I would have taken that in a minute,” Jones said happily on his Friday morning radio show. “I was about to die up there. About to swallow my tongue.”
Jones said his glasses were just dirty, and that Anderson – the husband of Jones’ daughter, Charlotte Jones Anderson – offered to clean them.
“Listen, those things were fogged over, dirty, they had all kinds of prints on them,” Jones said, still chuckling. “He just reached down there and said, ‘Hand me those. You need some help.’ ”
But then, anything done near the Cowboys owner during a game is likely to wind up on TV, also.
Jones said with a laugh, “One of the things that I would do if I were another human on this planet is not sit near me at a ballgame because you could get compromised by what really is happening.
“And, of course, that was Shy Anderson, my son-in-law, he’s a vital part of our organization. trying to just help his father-in-law where he could see the ballgame. He reached down and said those things need cleaning. He’s paying the price on it.”
Jones laughed again, heartily.
“We’ll figure it out,” he said. “I heard that somebody might need to be shining my shoes up there. Somebody else serving me hors d’oeuvres in between the huddle.”
Jones said Anderson is enjoying the attention.
“We’re having fun with it, too,” he said. “And one of the great things about him, he does have a big-time sense of humor. We’re having more fun about how ridiculous it is. But it’s fun. Let’s keep it going.”
RELATED: AUDIO – Listen to The Jerry Jones Show
105.3 The Fan, CBS Radio Dallas September 7, 2012
Editor’s Comment: This portion of The Jerry Jones Show comes in the last few minutes. Enjoy!
THAT’S A RAP: Jerry Jones suddenly wraps up questions about “Dez Rules”
Rappin’ Jerry Jones, whose rhyme-busting pizza commercials became an instant YouTube classic, can dance, too. (Check it out … video provided below)
That was clear when the Cowboys’ owner/general manager was grilled about the strict set of rules put in place for troubled, talented receiver Dez Bryant. Jones danced around the subject matter, going so far as to state that he wasn’t sure any new rules have been created.
“I’m not so sure where media has come up with detail of this nature,” Jones said Tuesday on KRLD-FM, referring to guidelines first reported by ESPN Dallas that include Bryant having a midnight curfew, being forbidden from drinking alcohol or attending strip clubs, and having a security team that will take him to and from practices, games and team functions.
“Fundamentally, Dez does – and I’m convinced – want to do many things that give him the opportunity to get on track the way he needs to both on and off the field. I think any of this talk or any of these references to what he’s going to be doing or what he’s not going to be doing in general is one that says let’s conform to good behavior, the kind of behavior the commissioner expects, that society expects, that anybody expects if you’re going to get the opportunities you are. He does believe he has a great opportunity.
“We’re fully supportive of him, his family, his mother. We want to do anything in that direction that we can. As far as the specifics of rules, I think [there are] just rules that let him concentrate on what he’s doing on the field, let him do his work and not have the distractions of not doing it right off the field.”
Asked if the Cowboys created the rules, Jones firmly said, “No.” He declined to answer when asked if the rules were created by Bryant’s adviser David Wells, a former bail bondsman who has worked with several former Cowboys and was the head of Adam “Pacman” Jones’ four-man security team during the controversial cornerback’s lone season in Dallas.
“I’m not going to discuss any of the rules, because that implies that there are a certain set of rules,” Jones said. “I don’t know that that’s correct, either. So really, just by the nature of it, it’s not one that you would really discuss. We have rules of behavior in the NFL and we have rules of behavior with the Cowboys as well. So I’m not so sure there’s been any new rule created here.”
Asked about consequences if rules are broken, Jones spoke in general terms.
“I think it’s pretty clear,” Jones said. “We’ve got behavior rules in the NFL that have been made very clear by the commissioner’s office. Then I think it’s real clear that if you don’t abide by the rules of society what happens. All of those are answers that any adult deals with every day.”
There is no denying that Bryant, whose arrest on a misdemeanor family violence charge a couple of weeks before training camp was the most serious of several off-field missteps, is a unique case that necessitates much more guidance than the normal NFL player.
The Cowboys knew that when they drafted him, having done thorough research into his difficult upbringing. They decided Bryant’s immense potential was worth dealing with his problems.
Nothing has changed Jones’ mind so far.
“There have been absolutely no surprises for us with Dez,” Jones said, repeating a line he’s used several times over the last year.
Pressed on the matter, Jones got agitated and cut off the line of questioning. He was done dancing.
RELATED AUDIO: The Jerry Jones Show (Regarding Dez Bryant, and more)
Editors Note: You’ll be taken to a website outside of The Boys Are Back blog. From there, click on the PLAY button to listen to the entire 15 minute show. You may experience a reload at 5 minute intervals. If so, refresh and start the audio where it last ended. Enjoy!
Secondary Link to The Jerry Jones Show … click HERE.
GOING LONG: Jerry Jones using Ben Franklin procedure for the Dallas Cowboy decisions
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones compared his decisions as general manager in deciding what he is going to do at third receiver to being a modern day Ben Franklin.
He is going to the let the preseason play out and then pick a guy or go after another guy on free agency based on his evaluation of what’s best for the team, which is why doesn’t feel pressure to make a decision on a veteran free agent like Plaxico Burress right now.
“It’s the Ben Franklin procedure,” Jones said. “He would take a sheet of paper and put why and why not. He would look at the plusses and minuses and he would fill in on each side and decide which ever shape he was in. That’s the long way of saying why or why not!
Courtesy: Clarence Hill | FWST
Photos Courtesy: Dallas Morning News
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Kevin Ogletree (85) is chased by linebacker Sean Lee (50)
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Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dwayne Harris
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Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Cole Beasley (14)
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Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant (88) runs after catch
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Dallas Cowboys tight end James Hanna (84)
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Dallas Cowboys tight end James Hanna, a rookie from Oklahoma, wears No. 84. But his knowledge of predecessors who also donned that digit is limited. Asked by a reporter if he knew of any other notable No. 84 in franchise history, he identified Jay Novacek, a standout tight end from the 1990s. Asked about Pettis Norman, a star tight end in the 1970s, Hanna said: “I don’t know about that. Not familiar with him.”
He is familiar with outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware, who has helped him with his technique during training camp. Asked to cite the moment he realized the NFL would be significantly different from college, Hanna said: “The first time I blocked DeMarcus Ware. Or tried to. It didn’t go well.”
Dallas Cowboys special teams coach Joe DeCamillis congratulates wide receiver Andre Holmes
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Cowboys receiver Andre Holmes had a couple of notable catches on fades in the red zone, including one against cornerback C.J. Wilson. Holmes (6-foot-4, 223 pounds) is the team’s tallest receiver and his production in those situations figure to play a prominent role in whether he makes the 53-man roster.
“I’ve been working on that. I felt like it kind of paid off today,” said Holmes, who has strung together a series of solid practices after falling behind others when he failed his pre-camp conditioning test. “I’m trying to show something to the coaches. It’s what I’ve got to do.”
Holmes showed significant emotion after one fade route and indicated he planned to keep the emotional edge front and center.
“It’s not a relief. I know I’m going to make those plays all the time,” Holmes said. “I was just a little more fired up today. That’s what I’m going to be doing every day.”
VIDEO–Training Camp Opening Press Conference in Oxnard
VIDEO – The annual opening press conference from training camp, as Jason Garrett, Jerry Jones, and Stephen Jones take the stage to open up camp in Oxnard, California.
Click HERE to watch video
Jerry Jones says Garrett can learn on the job and take Cowboys where they want to go
The Cowboys want their players to perform up to their potential, but not only them.
Owner Jerry Jones said that includes head coach Jason Garrett.
“We need him to be coaching at a level that can get us where we want to go next year,” Jones said last week at an OTA practice at Cowboys Stadium. “If he can do that, and I think he has the potential to do that, it’s almost unthinkable of what he could become over the years as a head coach.”
Garrett will be entering his second full season as Cowboys’ head coach.
He took over in mid-season in 2010 for Wade Phillips, who was fired after a 1-7 start. Under Garrett – a first-time head coach – the Cowboys finished that year 5-3 and went 8-8 last season.
“I think Jason is just in the first steps out of the box,” Jones said. “With his intellect and with his passion and his temperament – he’s an overachiever, but a smart one – I think the sky is the limit for him. Lou Holtz told me he’s got a real challenge, talking about Jason. He said, ‘I made my early head coaching mistakes at Appalachian State. Nobody cared.’ With all due respect, nobody cared. When Jason makes one it’s with the Dallas Cowboys. Big difference.”
Garrett drew criticism down the stretch, when the Cowboys lost four of their last five games, including the season finale that would have given them the NFC East title and a playoff berth.
Against Arizona, Garrett used a timeout that interrupted a field goal that would have won the game. The next week, in a home game against the Giants, Garrett was late with a timeout that could have saved time for a last-minute drive.
Garrett said Wednesday he knows improvement is important, and that there is no area where he cannot improve.
“Every phase of my job, I have to get better at,” he said. “I have to get better at the leadership phase. I have to get better at the organizational phase. I’ve got to get better at what we’re doing on offense, how we’re doing things on defense and in the kicking game. I never look at any part of my job and say, “Boy, I’ve got that down.”
Garrett said he judges his success like everyone else in professional sports – by winning.
“Everybody who is in our business knows it’s a bottom-line business,” he said. “You have to win. If you don’t win, you’re not going to be here for very long. I understood that early on as a player. I certainly understand that as a coach. Having said that, if you’re so focused on the bottom line or the result in what you do, in or out of football, you’re not going to be your best, in my opinion. I think you have to focus on the process. I think you have to focus on whatever you’re doing, doing it to the best of your ability and doing it with the best people you can do it with and then constantly evaluating what you’re doing and improving upon on what you’re doing. That’s the approach that we take in this organization.”
Garrett, 46, played 12 years in the NFL, was an assistant coach for five years and is the son of a 21-year veteran scout for the Cowboys, Jim Garrett.
But even with that background, he must learn on the job as a head coach and yet deliver results.
“That’s the challenge for him,” Jones said. “He’s up to it. He’s got the right stuff to effectively learn as he goes and, at the same time, coach at a level that will get us to where we want to go next year. He’s very up to it. I don’t know of anybody else in the country that has that upside potential, yet is capable as he is to get the job done this year. That’s why I’m excited about him being our head coach.”
VIDEO: Jerry Jones speaks with Dallas media at NFL Owners Meeting
Jerry Jones Sit Down At Owners Meetings
Jerry Jones took about thirty-minutes to speak with Dallas media members about all things Dallas Cowboys, and all things offseason.
RELATED: Jerry Jones believes Bill Parcells’ return ‘would be outstanding’
PALM BEACH, Fla. — The last coaching stop for Bill Parcells was in Dallas and, despite not winning any playoff games, he’s given credit for turning the Cowboys franchise around after three consecutive 5-11 seasons.
Now Parcells is thinking about returning to coach the New Orleans Saints while Sean Payton serves a one-year suspension for his role in BountyGate.
Jerry Jones thinks Parcells’ return would be good for everyone.
"First of all, I thought it would be outstanding for the Saints and the NFL," Jones said. "I see it all there. Now he has got the credibility to take it. If he came in and didn’t do as well as they were supposed to, he’s got the credibility to live with that. And he’s got the confidence and reputation, if he comes, to say its Sean’s team and to live with that. And I do respect him as being one of the best there is in coaching."
Jones is very close to Parcells and Payton. He even talked to Payton twice during the owners meetings.
"I feel terrible for the fans of New Orleans," Jones said. "But it is what it is. The fans of New Orleans have had to take it on the chin a lot. If anybody can handle this, they can. It still doesn’t make it any easier. I feel terrible for them."
The Cowboys are scheduled to face the Saints this season at Cowboys Stadium. The NFL schedule won’t be released until April.
JERRY JONES: Talks about season opener, cap charge (Video)
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones talked at the NFL owners meeting about the team’s season opener against the New York Giants and cap charge battle with John Mara.
ON THE CLOCK: Jerry Jones says Dallas Cowboy scouts hold tie-breaker in player selection process
On Friday, Jerry Jones expressed satisfaction with the results of their aggressive campaign to fortify their roster through free agency.
“I don’t know when we have ever had more success when executing our plan,” Jones said Friday.
Some attributed the positive outcome to the influence Jason Garrett now wields over the organization after in his 16th month as the team’s head coach. Garrett, after all, is measured and methodical — adjectives that could also be used to described the strategy the Cowboys executed earlier this month when they acquired seven veteran newcomers.
But Jones disputed the notion that Garrett has any more control over personnel decisions than any previous coach who has worked under the Cowboys’ owner.
“As head coach, I would look to him for an overall perspective and lean to him very much if we were talking about an offensive player since that’s the side of the ball he’s spent the most time,” Jones said. “But I would look a lot at the defensive coaches from that side. If it got down to it a tie, I’d trump them with scouts.
“I have always trumped anything we do with coaches with what we do back in our scouting department. Our pro scouting and our college scouting live with this 12 months a year and our coaches only get in it for a few weeks. So, you certainly want their input. But scouting – pro and college – are the ones that get my attention. I want their input. “
Jerry Jones addresses $10 million salary-cap penalty, will follow through on the legal fight
Less than two weeks after the Cowboys were stripped of $10 million of salary-cap space on the eve of free agency, team owner Jerry Jones said the club plans to fight the penalty and has already reached out to the league and the Washington Redskins, the NFC East rival that received a similar penalty.
"We will and have expressed that we don’t agree with that," Jones said Friday at the Hilton Anatole, where the AWARE luncheon, a fundraiser for Alzheimer’s disease, was taking place. "What we’re doing is a combination procedural and legal and all of that"
Jones added that the Cowboys are "talking with not only the league but the Redskins and whoever we can visit about it….The Cowboys are resisting that to say the least and don’t agree with that and how it was figured. I guess the Redskins feel the same way. We’re trying to work through that"
The Cowboys were punished March 12 and Jones said they were given little warning about the penalty, which was handed down by the NFL as retribution for the manner in which they structured receiver Miles Austin’s contract in 2010, a year when the league was operating without a salary cap. That season, Austin was given a $17 million base salary.
"That’s about when we knew about it," he said.
"I don’t want to make our case here," Jones added. "But all of our contracts were approved by the league and you can’t approve a contract that is in violation of league rules. You can’t even get it on the books if it isn’t in sync with league rules. So you start there."
After the Cowboys and Redskins received what many outsiders viewed as unfair and draconian penalties for exploiting rules that were in effect that year, reports circulated that both teams’ financial flexibility was sacrificed in negotiations with the NFL Players Association so the league could institute a salary cap with a higher ceiling in 2012.
That didn’t sit well with Jones, even though he said that the team was able to accomplish its goals in free agency by adding seven newcomers, including cornerback Brandon Carr.
"There were a lot of things rather than Cowboys cap room that I would have rather leveraged the players union to give the NFL," Jones said. "There are many things we would have liked to have had that we bargained in the collective bargaining agreement that if you got some leverage you wanted to gain apart from docking the Cowboys $10 million. I can answer that easily."
Now, Jones is working in concert with the Redskins — an arrangement he admits is odd.
"First of all, there is no joy in Mudville, having to team up with the Redskins on a point with the league," Jones said. "They’re competitors, not cohorts. It just shows you, independent of that, some of the issues we have with this cap space issue. Sometimes you can have strange bedfellows and this is one of them."
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