Every time Roy Williams gets beat for a touchdown, which happens too often, the questions pour in about why the Cowboys don't make him a linebacker. Let's examine this realistically.
It's never going to happen as long as Bill Parcells coaches the Cowboys. That's because the 3-4 defense requires linebackers in the 250-pound range. Williams weighs about 230 pounds.
He might work as a linebacker in the 4-3, where he's protected by defensive linemen, but the 3-4 is all about winning one-on-one battles against much bigger players, especially at linebacker.
At linebacker, he'd still have to cover tight ends and running backs, so there would still be issues with his ability to cover. There are few perfect players.
Williams is flawed, but he remains one of the few safeties in the NFL capable of dominating a game. He also leads the team with five interceptions.
He's not perfect, but he remains a better player than most people think.
Q: I can't help but notice since Darren Woodson's retirement, the Cowboys are victimized far too often by the deep ball. I understand we cannot have a "steak on every plate" position-wise, but how about drafting a top-notch cover safety? Keith Davis seems to emulate Williams' style, not complement it.
Jason Gura, Phoenix
TAYLOR: You sound like some other people I hear from who are just now starting to grasp the greatness of Darren Woodson. He could hit nearly as well Williams but could cover like a cornerback. Woodson should be a Hall of Fame player because he helped revolutionize the position. You're right about Davis because he is a strong safety by nature, which means he's an aggressive run-stopper better suited for stopping the run than playing in coverage.
••• Q: A quarterback in the NFL can look lousy in statistics because of dropped passes. Some of these teams drop seven to 10 passes in a game, and the quarterback's rating is directly affected. This is not fair, nor is it an accurate record of the quarterback's performance. It could easily be rectified if the NFL would do a better job of calculating statistics.
Charlie Forbes, Rockwall
TAYLOR: I understand your point, but quarterbacks get credit when the receiver makes a great catch or catches a poorly thrown pass. This is simply the other side of that. For what it's worth, quarterback rating is overrated. The best stat for quarterbacks is winning and probably touchdown-to-interception ratio.
••• Q: When Southern Cal lost to UCLA, one theory was that USC had simply faced too many emotional games in a row, and it showed against UCLA. The Cowboys have been in similar straits in recent weeks, with emotional game after emotional game. Do you think it just caught up to them Sunday?
Ray Criscoe, Asheboro, N.C.
TAYLOR: Nope. Now, maybe they spent too much time reading their press clippings about how great they were and how they have a shot to play in the Super Bowl and got caught up in the hype. I don't think they were emotionally strung out. That's too easy an excuse.
••• Q: I had to laugh when I read that Parcells said, "The coaches designed a game plan capable of slowing the Saints. The players failed to execute the plan." When I first entered insurance sales, I had to learn a canned sales pitch, but I soon learned the people just didn't know their part! Maybe Dallas knew their plan. but New Orleans didn't know its part!
James Donohoe, Gunter, Texas
TAYLOR: That's classic Parcells. He rarely takes 100 percent of the blame for something. After all, he says, he doesn't coach penalties, and when officials flagged him for challenging a call in the final two minutes, Parcells said he took full responsibility. But he said he threw the flag because one of the assistants on the headphones told him to challenge the play. The Cowboys were outcoached on offense and defense against New Orleans. It happens sometimes.
••• Q: I was astonished to listen to Parcells explain why he was miffed at Sean Payton for not telling the Cowboys in advance how much money they were going to offer to Keith Davis so they could tell the Saints whether or not they would match it.
Russell Posch, Irving
TAYLOR: I think that's something that coaches who have a good relationship do, so they won't be accused of stealing players from a friend. I can't say I agree with it, but I understand how it happens. It's really no different than agents making deals before free agency starts. Then on the first day of free agency, somebody signs an 8-year, $50 million deal.
••• Q: I don't know if you watched the Steelers-Browns game on Thursday night, but Willie Parker is exactly what Julius Jones should be. Parker was slipping through keyhole-size running lanes and making at least two tacklers miss on every play. Parker and Jones have similar size and speed, yet Parker is able to make plays when it seems there are no holes, while Jones runs directly into the backs of his linemen. Julius needs to sit down and study how Parker makes plays.
Ken Corch, Arlington, Va.
TAYLOR: I think it's too easy to sit there and say what Julius should be as it relates to another runner. The teams run completely different types of offenses, and I would venture that Pittsburgh has a better offensive line than Dallas. Overall, though, Julius has two of the four best games rushing in franchise history. I'm not saying he's great, but you're making it way too simplistic.
••• Q: Would you liken the performance in 2006 of Marion Barber III to that of Preston Pearson, or has his contribution been even greater?
Rick Hayes, Atlanta
TAYLOR: I was only 10 years old when Preston Pearson helped the Cowboys get to the Super Bowl in 1975, but I spoke to a couple of his former teammates to get their opinion. Then I looked at the stats and came to my own conclusion: Pearson had a bigger role than Barber. Pearson rushed for 509 yards (3.8 average per carry), caught 27 passes for 351 yards (13.1 average) and averaged 24.4 yards on 16 kickoffs to lead the team.
••• Q: Why wait on signing Marc Colombo and Andre Gurode to extensions or new deals since we all know they're keepers? Why let it go to free agency shopping before they get it done?
Matt Maples, Victoria, Texas
TAYLOR: You make a good point, but there's no hurry. You would have to overpay to get those guys to sign now and give up their free agency. I wouldn't do that for Colombo because I'm not convinced you can't do better at right tackle because he's so limited physically, though he does bring some intangibles. I really like Gurode, and I think the Cowboys have a good enough relationship with his agent that they can get a deal done when the season ends. There isn't going to be a home-team discount, but I don't think that will matter because Parcells likes him and he's still a young guy.
••• Q: Do Julius Jones and Marion Barber have an amicable relationship despite sharing the running back load, or do they have animosity due to those circumstances?
David Reyes, Boston
TAYLOR: They get along. They understand it's business – not personal – and they don't have any control over the situation except for their performance.
••• Q: Is this offense more conducive for Marion Barber's running style? It appears that he has emerged as the feature back in the Cowboy's offense. And is the organization satisfied with Julius Jones' performance this year? Are there any plans to extend his current contract or role in the future?
Al Craig, Washington, D.C.
TAYLOR: Now that Dallas has gone away some from the two-tight-end offense, I think Julius can thrive. Marion is a slasher and a more powerful runner than Julius. He also goes from zero to 60 in a blink, though he can't go any faster than 60. Julius goes from zero to 60 in two blinks, but as you saw Sunday, he can still hit another gear when he gets into the open field. If Barber started and had 20 carries on a regular basis, I think you'd see a dip in his performance.
••• Q: The Cowboys tried to periodically blitz Eli Manning to no avail in the first half, and it looked like Mike Zimmer went conservative in the second half. What gives? I'm still waiting for the Cowboys' defense to become that dominating defense we all hope to see. Does this guy not have any imagination to get to the quarterback?
Glenn Guillory
TAYLOR: When your defensive players are making mental mistakes, it's hard to call for blitzes because if you don't get there, the odds of giving up a big play increase dramatically.
