The Cowboys Could Be Playing In The Super Bowl At Home This Year

The Cowboys Could Be Playing In the Super Bowl At Home This Year

The Dallas Cowboys finally won a playoff game last year when they beat they beat the Eagles 34-14 in the NFC Wild Card game.  Unfortunately for them, that win was short-lived after the Minnesota Vikings roughed them up 34-3 one week later.  Losing in a playoff game by that much can really setback a team but the Cowboys have used that as motivation on both offense and defense during the entire offseason to get bigger, faster and stronger.  Last season the Cowboys passing offense ranked sixth in the NFL and it should only get better this season.  With the emergence of Miles Austin and the addition of Dez Bryant, Tony Romo and Jason Witten are very excited to see how their passing offense should get even better.

If their offensive line can continue its dominance and their three-headed backfield of Marion Barber, Tashard Choice and Felix Jones can stay healthy, the Cowboys could have another shot at the playoffs this year.  If all goes well, they could be playing in the Super Bowl in Dallas Stadium as it is slated to be played in Dallas this season.Jason Witten joined ESPN Radio in Dallas to talk about whether their training camp schedule seems odd to the players at all, whether he embraces the Super Bowl talk this year because they have the chance to play it at home, and what player on the team deserves more credit.

Whether their training camp schedule seems odd to the players at all:

“I think obviously I have been around here long enough to know all of these things going on with this organization there is a lot happening so there are a lot of fans out there and he definitely wants to see them and do the whole experience.  I think for us as players, it is a lot harder to the support staff and you could imagine the equipment staff.  What has got to go through in the logistics to make that happen?  It took a lot, for us not so much.  If anything it breaks it up for you.  Camp can get old.  I’ll tell you what, this is better than staying in San Antonio for five weeks, I’ll tell you that.  Just deal with it and move on.  You can’t let that get in the way of what training camp is all about.  I think it is a critical time to start putting things together and start working on some things, so it will work itself out.”

Whether he embraces the Super Bowl talk this year because they have the chance to play it at home:

“I think you have to embrace it and I think you really don’t worry about what people are saying and so much has to happen.  Whether they have got you last or winning it really doesn’t matter.  I think everybody thinks that is really the ultimate goal, at the same time you really cant be naïve.  Thirty-one other teams have the same goal right now and that is what is so unique about training camp and putting your team together and all about that approach to getting through that whole process and going through that whole process to get to the Super Bowl.  From what I have heard the great players in any organization, especially with this organization who won the Super Bowl, they talk about those processes over the three years of what happened and what took place to get to those moments.  I don’t think you worry about that too much about what people are saying as a team you embrace it and look forward to the challenges.  If you are mentioning one of those six or eight teams, great, if you are not then ‘oh well’ but a lot has to happen to get there and that is the ultimate goal but you cant get caught up in seeing the big picture there.  You have got to be able to look it from each day to get through training camp to come better and getting it through the season.  So I don’t think you can get caught up in one just little goal.  A lot has to happen for that to unfold.”

What player on the team deserves more credit than he deserves:

“Oh man I don’t know.  It seems like this team has got a lot of those guys.  That is what makes up good football teams having those guys that are on the fringe so to speak.  But within the organization they are really spoke highly about key players and making that happen.  I am not sure, I think Anthony Spencer just going up against him everyday sometimes we forget how good he is.  Obviously with Demarcus and what a star he is but sometimes you get on the other side of that and a guy that makes a lot of that happen is Anthony Spencer.  When you talk about this defense those outside linebackers are key.  So I think sometimes he doesn’t get enough credit.  I just think all the three, four, five guys that make up the special teams.  Obviously we know about Joe D. and what a good coach he is and what a difference he makes but those guys that are your core guys on special teams, they can really change a season for you just really playing field position.  Whoever those guys maybe I think they are a critical part of it.”

Whether he has seen any signs from Martellus Bennett that he is finally going to mature and be the player the organization hopes he can be:

“Well I think that is the ultimate question.  There is a fine line of having a personality to you and then doing too much.  I am not saying that Martellus does that.  I mean that is great that he can do all of those things.  Definitely not my style, but I mean there is a lot of different ways to go about and be successful.  I definitely think that he is a very talented guy.  I think that has been shown but I think in this game, especially at tight end, the consistency of it week in and week out just because there is so much out there and in this offense it is a good thing to have a lot of responsibilities.  One minute you are blocking Justin Tuck and then you are running on Asante Samuel so there is two totally different ways this position is played and I think the ability to do all of those things is what makes great tight ends across the league.  That is kind of where the challenge is for him.  I think understanding that, unfolding that and not really getting too high and not allowing yourself to get too low and just have an even keel about you to not allow those things to get in the way.  At the same time, perception is reality at some point.  I do think he understands that and I do think he is making headway on that.  It’s just, is it as fast as some people want it?  I don’t know.  At some point you have got to understand what the personality is but it can’t get in the way and affect you in a negative manner and that is what you have to stay away from.  I think Martellus does understand that and will have a good year.”