Note: Just wanted to take a moment and welcome the newest member of our team at DCNation – Shaun Wellman. He’s been a commenter here since the beginning and always has some insight to share, so read carefully and pay attention. Welcome to the Team Shaun!
Excitement in the preseason is very rare. Most people watch these games hoping to see the starting units perform well and provide a glimpse of what the regular season version of the team will look like. A smaller percentage watch the second and third teams to get an idea of how the teams backups will perform. Of course underneath it all we hope for a win, but in the grand scheme of things most understand that whether or not your team wins in the preseason is the least important factor of all. What is important is how they play the game.
Putting all that aside for now, can anyone say that they sat down to watch the preseason finale versus the Vikings with any feelings other than “Thank God the Preseason is About to be Over”? I highly doubt it.
There were still some questions to be answered about the last few roster spots before the final cut down to 53 on Saturday.
- Will Isaiah Stanback do anything to show that he deserves another year on this team?
- Will Kevin Ogletree step up one more time and slam the door in Stanback’s face?
- Can Patrick Watkins do anything besides play special teams?
- Does Mike Mickens have any business being on an NFL football field?
- Will Jesse Holley even get on the field?
- Can Rudy Carpenter even throw a forward pass?
Anyone committing themselves to sit down and suffer through 3 hours of spare to fair preseason finale football had to be watching to get the answers to the above questions and probably several more. No way were we expecting entertainment.
No way.
Not only were a lot of questions answered, but we as fans were treated to a whole lot more. Maybe it was all the turnovers, penalties, missed assignments, and improbable touchdowns. How about the fact that the game was played on a Friday night, and there was a sense that everyone on this team played like there was no tomorrow.
Maybe it’s just me, but that sure felt like watching a High School Football game, and a very exciting and entertaining one at that.
A bunch of no-names pulling it out in the end, coming back from double digit deficits twice, with improbable play after improbable play to cap off an off season of philosophical change, and a preseason of no-nonsense nothing but football due directly to said changes. No T.O., not much hype, (except for the 4th and Long Guy,) and the only thing close to controversy being the competition between Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick.
Alot was said about this teams chemistry or lack there of last year. How great was it to see the starters on the sidelines cheering on the back up and bubble guys? I was happy to see their involvement on the sidelines during a meaningless game that none of them played in. To see the vets on the sidelines coaching up the young guys portrayed a team oriented atmosphere that literally brought a smile to this fans face. How fitting was it that mister 80th man himself Jesse Holley was the one to make the play to win the game. He got me up out of my chair yelling and screaming just like he got the entire Cowboys’ sideline running with him to the end zone, basically clearing the bench.
I think that explosion of emotion really said something about this team, and I can honestly say now that because of a meaningless preseason game where they all showed that they cared, that I believe this TEAM is very focused and headed in the right direction.
