Bobby Carpenter, inactive for the first game of his career, made his first start Saturday. He made the most of it.
Carpenter turned in his most impressive performance of the season with a couple of pass deflections, a tackle for loss and a handful of tackles. His performance would have been even better had he not dropped an apparent interception.
He showed some bursts of potential against Detroit, but he was more active and physical against Seattle than he had been at any point of the season. That's the player the Cowboys need him to be every Sunday. That's a player worthy of being a first-round pick.
Coach Bill Parcells said it has taken Carpenter more time than some other players to figure out how to compete at this level. He's playing with more confidence, he understands his assignments and it's making him a better player.
He finally looks like the player the Cowboys saw on film from Ohio State. He's playing strong at the point of attack and forcing runners to cut inside before they get to the perimeter, and the Cowboys like his first-step quickness as a pass rusher.
It took a while for Carpenter to get started, but the Cowboys like the results.
Q: I see a slight parallel with Rex Grossman and how the Bears' coaching staff has approached him this season. Early this season, Grossman hit a couple of deep balls within the context of a fairly conservative game plan. Suddenly, the coaching staff became more aggressive with the play-calling and the game plans, which didn't help the team. Do you think the Cowboys did the same thing?
Rajiv Chopra, Chicago
TAYLOR: I'd have to agree because Parcells talked about reducing some of Tony Romo's load late in the season. As Parcells said, "It's human nature" to give a quarterback more responsibility once he shows he can handle certain aspects of the offense. I still think Romo is the future of the organization at quarterback, but it's going to take a lot of mental toughness to overcome the dropped snap and the loss to Seattle.
• • • Q: Where is the leader that can step up and make things happen?
James E. Williams
TAYLOR: Leadership is great, but making plays is more important. It's not that complicated. Your best players have to play best for the team to win. Too many times the Cowboys' best players weren't among the best players on the field. Bradie James has good leadership skills. So does Jason Ferguson. And Roy Williams, in his own way. But the game is about making plays, and the Cowboys simply didn't make enough of them.
• • • Q: Given all the criticism Williams and company have received the last several weeks, where does Anthony Henry fit in? What's your take on him?
John Kwak, New York
TAYLOR: Henry should receive some criticism for his play this season, but he's also playing with a bum knee. All you have to do is look at how slow he was after intercepting a pass against Detroit. Clearly, he was hobbled. That said, he intercepted passes each of the last two weeks. He also led the team with 25 pass deflections. He's a good player – not a great player. There's nothing wrong with that.
• • • Q: I think it is time for Bill to move on after this season regardless of what happens this week. Who is out there?
Dave Colafranceschi, Ontario, Can.
TAYLOR: The question isn't necessarily who's out there, but who's available that can work with Jerry Jones. It takes a certain personality and a certain caliber of coach to work with a strong personality such as Jones'.
It's hard to say who's available because we don't know if Parcells is leaving, which means candidates such as Pittsburgh assistant Ken Whisenhunt could be gone by the time he decides. The Cowboys are an attractive job that Jones won't have any problem giving away. He simply has to find the right guy, but I'm not sure Parcells is ready to leave.
• • • Q: Which is the real Cowboys' defense? The one that played solid for three months or the one that played downright awful the final month of the season?
Brett James, Commack, N.Y.
TAYLOR: It's somewhere in the middle. The defense was good until Greg Ellis was hurt. Then it suffered because no one stepped forward to be a difference-maker in December. There also were too many mental mistakes and not enough big plays. Dallas has to find a free safety to improve its coverage and make sure everyone is lined up properly, which would allow Williams to do what he does best: Attack the line of scrimmage.
• • • Q: A couple of weeks ago I asked whether the Cowboys game-plan for each opponent. Detroit's Mike Furrey suggested that Dallas uses the same defense for every game, which made the Cowboys predictable.
Cesar Cesar Canizales
TAYLOR: No team changes its defense completely from week to week. Teams tweak things here or there specifically for an individual opponent. The Cowboys' problems can't be blamed entirely on the players or the scheme. It's a little bit of both. They simplified their plan Saturday against Seattle, and it was their best performance in a month.
• • • Q: I hear the Cardinals are going to make a play for Pete Carroll. Do you think he'd be a good fit here? If not, what about the other hot college coaches: Bob Stoops, Urban Meyer or Charlie Weis?
Henry J. Noye
TAYLOR: Here's the problem: I don't know that Parcells is going to leave. The more you talk to people who know him, the more it sounds as if they expect him to return for a fifth season. The other problem is that coaches such as Stoops, Meyer and Weis make a lot of money and have complete control at destination college programs. I'm not sure taking an NFL job is a promotion for guys like that. They have security at their schools that could never be matched by the Cowboys.
• • • Q: Is there anything Dallas can do with its defense next season to make it less predictable?
Mark Mumford, Wilmington, Del.
TAYLOR: The one thing you guys don't always understand is that complex isn't always better. You want your guys playing free, not thinking, when they're on the field. Sometimes, the way to do that is to simplify the scheme so the players can let their talent flow instead of worrying about whether they're in the right spot or not.
• • • Q: Will the Cowboys have money to spend on free agents?
Dan Terry, Des Moines, Iowa
TAYLOR: The Cowboys have plenty of money to spend on free agents. The bigger question is whether Jones wants to spend his hard-earned money on free agency after what happened last year. He gave Rocky Boiman a $1 million signing bonus, Ryan Hannam $1 million, Jason Fabini $1.7 million and Mike Vanderjagt $2.5 million, and not one of those guys made an impact last season. They would have to be classified as busts, and the owner wasn't happy about it. He'll spend some money, but he's going to want some guarantees that he's getting good players.
• • • Q: Fire the coach? A good idea. Find the leader on the field of play. Who's the guy on the field who demands performance from his teammates? Find that and part of the puzzle is solved.
Bob Bassett
TAYLOR: I agree in principle, but I would submit that leadership requires some intangibles that you can't put your finger on. I would say Ellis was the leader on defense, but he certainly wasn't the best player. That said, he has so much experience after nine seasons that his teammates listen to him and respect his opinions.
• • • Q: I know it's early, but what in the name of God are they going to do to address this pass rush problem?
Rob Jaeger
TAYLOR: I'm sure that's high on the Cowboys' off-season priority list. I'm not sure you can fill that void in free agency because those players are difficult to find and generally don't become free agents. Carpenter was active and good Saturday night. He has a good burst, which might allow him to be a good pass rusher if he can perfect a move or two. Otherwise, Dallas must invest a premium draft choice on a pass rusher because the 3-4 defense doesn't work without two linebackers who can rush the passer.
