Sunday, August 16, 1998

Chan Gailey's team still a work in progress

By Kevin Lyons

Knight Ridder Newspapers

(KRT)

WICHITA FALLS, Texas -- The Cowboys broke training camp on Saturday still needing another pass rusher and somebody other than Michael Irvin to catch passes on a consistent basis.

Yet new coach Chan Gailey insists that his club has made progress at Midwestern State University.

Seeing the headway perhaps requires looking beneath the headlines of a telltale haircut. Offensive lineman Flozell Adams looks like a 10-year starter. Running back Chris Warren is better than the average backup. Omar Stoutmire has emerged at free safety.

"We still have work to do, but I thought that things have gone smoothly," Gailey said. "We're ready to take the next step -- going back now to Valley Ranch and beginning our practices there, getting ready for the opener."

Three more preseason games remain, including Monday night's American Bowl against the New England Patriots in Mexico City. And first-round draft choice Greg Ellis, for one, knows that the Cowboys must begin showing considerably more productivity with the pass rush.

"People look for sacks. I know that," said Ellis, whose struggles at defensive end include no sacks. "Nobody considers if I'm making tackles, or holding down my side for the run. The only time you are doing good is if you get two sacks. You may miss five tackles in a game, but with two sacks a game you make the Pro Bowl. Don't get me wrong. I want a sack. I can't say that I'm happy without a sack. I want a sack."

Ernie Mills wants a reception. But in two preseason games, he has none. Billy Davis, who will start at the No. 2 wide receiver spot against the Patriots, has but four receptions this summer.

Davis and Mills underscore the Cowboys' inconsistency on offense. The Cowboys' first-teamers moved the ball adequately in the preseason opener against Seattle. They were three plays and out, however, on four possessions against the Oakland Raiders before turning it around in the scrimmage against the New Orleans Saints on Tuesday.

The up-and-down performance of the offense obviously concerns Gailey.

"The offense is at a point where it's the one that needs to become cohesive, and the continuity needs to come together more than (defense, special teams)," Gailey said. "We've got to put the whole thing together. We've had parts of (the offense) go right from time to time, but we've got to have it all come together.

Quarterback Troy Aikman agrees with Gailey's assessment. But Aikman said it might bE -3/4oo soon to predict the Cowboys' regular-season effectiveness based on two preseason games. There are, he said, still three games that don't count in which to get this unit back on track.

"I don't know that it is fair to try to judge us offensively with where we are now to a year ago-1/4'5 Aikman said. "This is a whole new deal. Right now, I think we're performing at a level that we'd hoped for. And we've still got time to get better."

The Cowboys have answered some questions about depth at offensive line, running back, and free safety -- where Stoutmire, Kenny Wheaton, and George Teague give secondary coach Mike Zimmer depth.

On offense, Adams struggled some at guard. But he is, Gailey said, good enough to start at either guard or tackle in this league. The acquisition of guard Everett McIver, the improved strength of center Clay Shiver, and the conditioning of Nate Newton gives Gailey hope that this unit will keep Aikman upright in 1998.

"One area that I think we've improved is pass protection," Gailey said. "I think we've got a better idea about pass protection and what we've got to do, excluding the couple of bad missed assignments (in the Raiders' preseason game) that we've had where the quarterbacks have been hit in the mouth from (pressure) up the middle. But I like how our offensive line has come along."

So have running backs Emmitt Smith and Chris Warren. In the first preseason game and scrimmage, Warren showed the skills that led him to more than 1,500 yards rushing in 1994. Smith showed why he is the starter with a six-carry, 83-yard performance in the scrimmage against the Saints.

But Smith isn't satisfied.

"I think the running game is developing," he said. "But we still need to work on it. We've only had one good day and that ain't nothing to brag about. We don't have much time. We've got to get it together very quick."

And just three preseason games remain.

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(c) 1998, Fort Worth Star-Telegram

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