Have the Dallas Cowboys Fixed the Holes?

Here we go! The season is finally just a week away and what do we know? There were many holes in the plan when the offseason began such as the third receiver spot and how the line would hold up. So let’s take a look at the questions both answered and unanswered going into next week’s game against the Giants.

Going into the offseason one of the glaring questions up for debate was who would man the vacancy left by departed surprise player Laurent Robinson? The consensus decision seems to say that Kevin Ogletree has officially been dubbed the heir to the position which is more than likely true. However if we have learned nothing else this preseason I think we can say that the plethora of unknown receivers we have might be just a little bit more talented than most of us expected.

I’ll speak for myself regarding that subject. I honestly thought that past Miles Austin and Dez Bryant was nothing but a gaping hole but I will say I have been pleasantly surprised. From Dwayne Harris’ and Cole Beasley’s huge single game performances to Danny Coale’s diving, one-handed catch against the Dolphins. Heck even Andre Holmes showed a few signs of flash early on even though he did fade quite a bit in the last couple of games. What looked to be a weakness now seems to be a strength, or at least has that potential. The surprise here is there may not be enough spots to keep all these guys. Hopefully we hold on to the right ones.

Well that’s the good news. Another concern was the offensive line. The additions of Mackenzy Bernadeau and Nate Livings were moves expected to bolster and strengthen what was a big weakness for the team last year. Unfortunately the string of injuries that attacked the team seemed to have an eye out for the big boys this year. So many injuries may have left us with the same questions we started with as to what we can expect from the line this year.

Fortunately though, the acquisition of Bill Callahan may have been just what the doctor ordered. The game against the Raiders was nothing short of pathetic which was a huge cause for concern. The following games though the line seemed to improve significantly, providing the quarterbacks with the opportunity to make plays. Obviously it’s up in the air as to how they will perform when the real games come along, especially since the Boys didn’t face anything compared to the arsenal the Giants have in their fold, but it does offer a glimmer of hope.

Then there’s good ol’ Dez. I think it’s safe to say that he’s a man among boys as far as potential but discipline has never been his ally. Things started off great, reports were coming out about his focus, determination and even his increased work ethic. Then trouble found him again. Long story short, it now looks like he’s got some pretty strict guidelines to follow. Hey, if he’s cool with it and it keeps him out of trouble then I’m all for it. One question though. Am I the only one wondering if somehow Dez has slipped through the chokehold discipline system Roger Goodell has implemented? I’m not complaining by any means, I guess I just expected some kind of suspension. Hopefully that’s not a surprise to expect in the future.

Well prep time is over. It’s time to strap on the gear and embark on this journey that we all expect to be our return to glory. Let’s just hope we haven’t been fooled again by media hype and advertising.