Friday, August 21, 1998

Cowboys move starters to bolster special teams

IRVING, Texas (AP) - The season hasn't even started yet, but the Cowboys realize they need help.

That's why they're calling back their special teams starters - including Billy Davis, who is battling Ernie Mills for the No. 2 receiver position - for Saturday's exhibition game against the St. Louis Rams.

Davis, who hopes to start opposite Michael Irvin this season, is none too thrilled about the assignment.

"It is definitely going to set me back as far as competing with Ernie for the second wide receiver position," Davis told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram in Thursday's editions. "I really don't know what it means. I've come to a point of where I'm tired of figuring it out, of asking where I stand on the field."

Wide receivers coach Dwain Painter told the Star-Telegram Mills "has the slight edge" over Davis because of his experience with the offense. Head coach Chan Gailey said he has yet to decide who will fill the spot.

The decision follows the Cowboys' 21-3 exhibition loss to New England Monday night in Mexico City. In the first half alone, special teams bobbled two punts and a kickoff, committed a penalty and allowed a 74-yard punt return for a touchdown which officials called back because of holding.

Gailey and special teams coach Joe Avezzano hope to prevent those kinds of errors by having several offensive and defensive starters double up on special teams. That's a longstanding Cowboys practice, but Gailey had free agents and rookies playing against the Patriots so he could evaluate them.

"We took a look at a lot of young guys Monday, which is what we needed to do because of the cutdown situation, but we've got to get ready for the season," assistant special teams coach Bill Bates told The Dallas Morning News, referring to the Aug. 25 deadline to reduce rosters to 60 players. "You've go to build some consistency."

The game plan calls for Davis, Pro Bowl strong safety Darren Woodson, starting weak-side linebacker Dexter Coakley, starting tight end David LaFleur and starting weak-side defensive end Kavika Pittman to play at least one area of special teams against the Rams.

Meanwhile, the Cowboys reacquired blocking tight end Kendell Watkins on Wednesday, less than a year after cutting him for defying a club ban on a Valley Ranch restaurant.