The Line Drive Report: Cowboys start training camp

The Cowboys started training camp in Oxnard, California over the weekend. It kicked off with Jerry Jones' usual "State Of The Cowboys" opening press conference. I do believe the Cowboys are a better team this year than last year. They got a little bit of help at both the offensive line and wide receiver position, but I'm not sure it's enough help to do much better than 8-8 or 9-7.

If you listened to Jones' press conference on Saturday, then you heard something Jerry said that I wasn't shocked he said but not sure how he can make this statement. He was asked if this was a make or break year for head coach Jason Garrett. Now I understand with Garrett was sitting there with him, but it still floored me that he actually answered the question. According to ESPN Dallas, Jones was quoted as saying "Everything I'm thinking about is not only about how to beat the Giants when we open up [the season], but also about what our future is in a plus manner or in a positive way with Jason. I look to the future with Jason, not just through his contract that we're sitting here with right now. I think he has a couple of years left on his contract, but that's not a thought. It is not what is implied when you say, 'This is an Armaggedon for him.' It's not that with me."

Now I'm very confused here. How can Jerry actually say that? The Cowboys are 21-19 under Garrett and haven't made the playoffs, choking back to back years on the final day of the season when a win would have put them into the playoffs. Garrett has lost games by freezing his own kicker and calling plays during intense situations that had no business being called. So how can Jerry say Garrett's job isn't in jeopardy? I guess that is Jerry being Jerry. This is coming from the same man who claimed the Cowboys were a Super Bowl team when Quincy Carter was the quarterback and who kept Josh Brent on the roster after he failed not one, but two drug tests while under house arrest. So I guess we can't expect nothing less from our owner/general manager.

I promise you folks, I'm a Cowboys fan. I am. I watch the games every week and always want them to win. I just don't believe they will. This year's team just might surprise me and I pray to God they do surprise me this year. I do like that Bill Callahan will be doing the play calling instead of Garrett and I've always liked the Monte Kiffin signing to be the defensive coordinator. So we will just have to see. Below is the Cowboys schedule. Look over it and tell me if I'm wrong that they won't win more than 8 or 9 games.