Richard Paolinelli
We came so close, fam. The first three days of this year’s training camp in Oxnard could have been a dream. But no. A bunch of Texas lawyers had to go and play nice on Tuesday. That allowed Jerry Jones to arrive on Thursday instead of Saturday. Seriously, where do I go to begin disbarment proceedings …
The first day of training camp has come and gone for the Dallas Cowboys, and it was mostly a quiet one for a change. The Cowboys got settled in at Oxnard on Wednesday, holding a closed session on opening day. Today’s session will be open to the public. The session begins each day at 11 a.m. …
It’s opening day of the 2024 training camp for the Dallas Cowboys out in Oxnard. Which means it’s time for another edition of my way-too-early season predictions. Yesterday, my colleague Mario Herrera Jr. took umbrage with USA Today’s prediction of Dallas finishing 8-9 and in second place in the NFC East. He’s currently writing his counter-prediction …
Stephen Jones made the news last week while discussing the Dallas Cowboys’ plans regarding their three big contract negotiations. Jones called it a “challenge” to re-sign everyone. He also said the team was “playing Houdini” to re-sign Dak Prescott while still fielding a competitive team. And therein lies the problem — even if the team chooses …
Barring injury, trade, or holdout, Dak Prescott is set to become only the third Dallas Cowboys player to start at quarterback for nine seasons. Last season, he tied Roger Staubach for third with eight seasons. Staubach was the starter in 1971, 1973-1979. For reasons unknown, Tom Landry went back to Craig Morton in 1972. A fine …
With training camp set to open on Wednesday, the Dallas Cowboys officially begin their run on a new NFL season. We rarely mix sports and politics around here, but the fact is that we’re also in the run-up to a presidential election too. So let us dare to beg the question: How do the Cowboys historically …
Normally, I pay little attention to the talking heads on television. Especially when they are Giants or Jets fans. Seriously, those guys need help. But I was skimming through some videos online and came upon something I had missed five months ago. In my defense, I wasn’t paying attention to football after the Cowboys’ 2023 season …
The undrafted free agents of the Cowboys’ 2023 rookie class outshone the drafted rookies last year. The 2024 class could outshine all 11 of the 2023 rookies too. It’s a harsh statement to make, but the truth is undeniable. First, let’s take a look at the 2023 class. Kicker Brandon Aubrey — one of those undrafted …
Call it an interesting season to come for the Dallas Cowboys’ quarterback room. Dak Prescott will be the starter, barring injury, but the question of how much longer that remains true after this season remains unanswered – so far. And, whether he gets an extension this season or hits free agency after it concludes remains to …
Suffice it to say that the Dallas Cowboys haven’t had a game-changing fullback since Daryl Johnston. Hunter Luepke is hoping to change that. Whether or not he actually gets a chance to do so remains to be seen. Since Johnston’s retirement in 1999, Dallas has had seven different players try to fill the role of fullback. …
The list of frustrations grows with each passing year. Each year that passes without a Super Bowl victory. Each year without a conference championship. When yet another season ends in the divisional or wildcard round, or even in missing the playoffs altogether, the frustration grows more. We all know the numbers by heart. Dallas hasn’t won …
A half dozen Dallas Cowboys will arrive at training camp in Oxnard in less than two weeks, each carrying extra baggage. All six either suffered a season-ending injury last year or are dealing with issues that arose during this offseason. This list doesn’t include Dak Prescott’s recent foot issue either. For two of the six players, …
Last year, Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland burst onto the scene in record-setting fashion. While his nine interceptions in 2023 were five short of the NFL season record (set by Dick “Night Train” Lane in 1952), he made the most of them. Five of his interceptions were returned for touchdowns. In just two years, he’s just …
The biggest weakness in the Dallas Cowboys defense in 2023 was right up the middle for all the world to see. And the entire NFL world saw it and took full advantage. Dallas comes into this season hoping that new Defensive Coordinator Mike Zimmer can shore that up. His defensive lines have been hard to run …
Most of the attention on the offensive line this offseason has been on the new starters at left tackle and center. But the real focus should be on right tackle Terence Steele. Tyler Guyton – the Cowboys first round pick in April – is expected to be the starting left tackle. As for the starting center, …
To CeeDee, or not to CeeDee, that is the question – in Dallas. And the rub – if we’re going to keep this cheesy Shakespearean theme going – is that there is no easy answer to that question. Yes, CeeDee Lamb has proven he deserves to get paid. His numbers have improved every year that he’s …
Ezekiel Elliott’s second tour of duty with the Dallas Cowboys begins when camp opens in Oxnard in a few weeks. Elliott, the Cowboys first round pick in 2016, is looking to regain his form from his first four years. He’ll be hoping he’s left his last four underwhelming seasons behind him. Elliott will also have a …
There is a scene in the film, Moneyball, between Oakland’s A’s General Manager Billy Beane and Manager Art Howe. In 2001, the A’s had made the playoffs only to lose to the Yankees in the division series, 3-2. The 2002 season nears but there’s a problem. Oakland’s ownership was not going to spend a lot of …
With the beginning of training camp now just under three weeks away, many associated with the Dallas Cowboys will arrive in Oxnard with great expectations. That includes players, coaches, and the front office itself. Yesterday, I touched on Dak Prescott’s prospects for the upcoming season. Today, I will go to the very top and look at …
Last Monday we discussed a meme making the rounds that compared Dak Prescott to Patrick Mahomes. The point of it was to say that Prescott’s numbers in the last 50 regular season games were similar. Thus Prescott is as good a quarterback as Mahomes. Of course, no mention was made of their overall career numbers. Nor …
As we have pointed out ad nauseam here, it’s been nearly 30 years since the Cowboys have done any of the following: Won, or even played in, a Super Bowl. Won, or even played in, an NFC title game. Won a divisional round playoff game. The main reason for this lengthy drought? The organization’s front office. …