Roy Williams, Dallas Cowboys / Image: Zuma Press

Roy admitted some turmoil with QB Tony Romo exists, but insisted he was still the Cowboys’ top receiver:

“It’s just not even close. It’s not even funny. Not even close. I’m the number one receiver. But things are just going number two’s way. He gets the ball thrown correctly his way. I’m stretching and falling and doing everything. Everybody (else) who’s been here’s balls are there. Our footballs (from Romo to Williams) are everywhere right now.”

Everywhere but on target is what he’s trying to say. It just sounds like a lot of whining and complaining to me. Rather than moan to the media about his trials within the Cowboys’ offense, Roy should take a meeting with his quarterback and maybe schedule some extra practice time so they’re on the same page the rest of this 2009 season. I believe Dallas’ playoff hopes depend on it.

Source: ESPNDallas.com

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Roy Williams: ‘I’m the Number One Receiver’

Roy Williams, Dallas Cowboys / Image: Zuma Press

The fact that Roy never worked out like most all other NFL players certainly speaks of his immense talent. But it also shows he has a poor work ethic. Can you imagine how good Roy Williams could be if he actually applied himself and properly prepared for an NFL season? Maybe we’re about to find out. Scary.

Source: Dallas News

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Roy Williams Working Out?

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast

The Buffalo Bills held an introductory press conference for newly acquired receiver Terrell Owens yesterday. Terrell was all smiles (six and a half million will do that to you) — he was polite, funny, and very convincing that he has put his questionable past behind him and is ready to move on to a new chapter in his life. He seemed genuinely excited to be with the Bills and to help them get back to the playoffs — from which they have been absent for a decade. On the surface — on paper, if you will — it all sounds very nice.

So, I want to believe T.O. I want to give him the benefit of so many doubts. Yet watching him today I had to wonder if this guy does, in fact, have a split personality? Because I’ve seen this side of him before, when things are going well and there are six and a half million reasons to smile. But as we all know, you can’t really figure out the character of a man until you see how he reacts under adversity. And Terrell’s boorish behavior during times of difficulty throughout his career speaks volumes.

T.O. is not a monster. He’s not out pillaging the community and breaking the law. He seems like a genuinely good guy when things are going well (i.e. signing big money contracts, catching a lot of passes, scoring touchdowns). But I will be watching closely if the Bills are losing games and quarterback Trent Edwards is struggling to get T.O. the ball. How will T.O. react then? Will he behave like the mature veteran he should be or will he fuss and complain and create turmoil like he always has in the past? Anyway, I will be shocked if this whole Buffalo Bills/Terrell Owens experiment works, but you know what? I hope it does. I will be very happy to see Terrell Owens prove me wrong.

Opening statement:

“Thanks for having me and I’m very excited to be here, but first I want to thank God for the opportunity. God is good. I know I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for him. I want to thank the Buffalo Bills organization, Mr. Ralph Wilson, I just got off of the phone with him, talked with him briefly, and this is an opportunity for me to kind of, the story will kind of write itself. I don’t really have a whole lot to say. It’s been a pretty interesting couple of days for myself. I know a lot of my teammates back in Dallas, I’ve had a lot of support from those guys. It’s very unfortunate, but now, I must move on. This is another new beginning for me, so I’m just looking forward to this opportunity. I know I’ll help this organization out, and I’m looking forward to getting with Trent (Edwards), Lee (Evans), and the guys, putting some points on the board, that’s what I’ve done everywhere I’ve been and it’s going to continue. I’m looking forward to the opportunities.”

On when the deal came together:

“You’ll have to talk to Drew (Rosenhaus). I’ve just kind of been at home, relaxing and once he and I met with Jerry Jones and Steven Jones, and we parted ways, the next day, he got busy, so once he told me that these guys were interested, I was looking for a home.”

On what made him decide to sign with the Bills:

“You never know. God has a place for me. He has a plan for me. This may not be the most ideal place for a lot of people, but I’m the guy. I beat to my own beat sometimes, my own thinking, my own intuition. Well, for me, this is an opportunity. It’s an interesting situation, no matter what uniform, I put on, I perform, so it’s not a matter of what tipped the scale. It could be money, it could be this, you never know. I will say that it’s an opportunity. I saw how the Bills started last year and they made some eyes open last year, so if I can be that extra added piece to the puzzle to get them to the playoffs and make something happen, then that’s what I’m here for. At this point in time in the league you can’t really just sit and say, ‘ok, this team is going to get to the Super Bowl.’ When I was in Dallas, we were picked to be in the Super Bowl and we didn’t make the playoffs. Nobody would have thought that the Arizona Cardinals would have been in the playoffs. At this point of time in my career, it doesn’t really matter about the team that you think is going to make it to the playoffs and go to the Super Bowl. It’s all about X’s and O’s, going out and making plays and I looked at the defensive side of the ball, and I looked at the offensive side of the ball. These guys have all of those pieces, you know? If I can add to that we’ll get where we need to be.”

On his previous divisiveness and selfishness with his former teams:

“That’s all hearsay. If you look at all of the comments that have come from all of my teammates with the Cowboys, it’s all been positive. Prior to that, I can’t really… I don’t really want to get into it. I’ll let my teammates speak highly and I think they have done that. They’ve spoken and they speak loudly as to what transpired.”

On what role he hopes to play in the locker room:

“I’m going to be the same person that I was the last three years with the Cowboys. When I’m on the football field, I’m a passionate guy. I demand a lot from myself and from the guys around me. I’m sure those guys and some of the guys around the league and in the locker room that I was with for three years all know that whatever is being said out there, it’s not accurate.”

On Buffalo Bills QB Trent Edwards:

“Trent has tremendous upside. As I said earlier, as a player, you kind of watch games, you watch highlights, and I think Buffalo gave themselves a buzz. They were hot at the beginning of the season, they didn’t finish well, but with someone like myself, I can come in, I can add that extra piece, and we can get over the hump. With Trent, I saw tremendous upside. I saw he was an accurate passer, one of the things I asked my receiving coach was how many times has he been sacked last year? And with that being said, that means he’s getting protection, and if he’s getting protection, we’re going to get open.”

On how much longer he would like to play:

“Right now, I’m focusing on the 2009 season, that’s about it. I feel like I can still play. I can still run and as long as I’m healthy, I’ll continue to play. People have asked me that the past couple of years and I’ve always told them, as long as God keeps me healthy and I’m able to be productive, I’ll play.”

On if there were other teams interested in signing him:

“There was interest. To get into it doesn’t make any sense right now. I’m here with the Buffalo Bills. I’m a Buffalo Bill right now and right now I’m just going to start with that.”

On meshing with WR Lee Evans:

“I haven’t talked to Lee personally, but he was on the phone with Coach (Tyke) Tolbert. He was very excited about it, excited about the opportunity to have a threat on the other side. I’m sure he’ll be excited as well. That’s what we tried to do in Dallas with bringing Roy (Williams) there. For whatever reason, midway during the season, that didn’t work out. That doesn’t bother me. I feel like my play kind of speaks for itself. The opportunity kind of presents itself. I make those plays, we make things happen, and as I know, and as everyone knows, Lee’s been doing that since he’s been here. I think we’ll compliment each other.”

Larger market to smaller market adjustment:

“No, not at all. I just have to create my own following up here in North America. I’m leaving America’s team to come to North America’s team. I’m looking forward to the opportunity, and I’m excited about it.”

On switching to a more wide-open conference:

“Being a wide receiver, that’s music to my ears. The thing is we’re going to get to work real soon, as soon as we can get on the field. I’m going to get myself from Coach Tolbert the plays down, get the system down, the routes, the system, all of that stuff. The sooner we can get that done, the better we’ll be. It’s all about communication when you’re out there on the football field, anyway. I’m looking forward to the opportunity. Get ready.”

Source: BuffaloBills.com

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Terrell Owens Presser Quotes

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast

In an effort to eliminate confusion by having two players with the same name on one team, the Dallas Cowboys released five-time Pro Bowl safety Roy L. Williams today. Receiver Roy E. Williams remains. The move was completely overshadowed by the same-day release of receiver Terrell Owens, but it was Roy who had a far greater impact on the organization over the years. During one stretch of his career (2002-2007), Roy started 92 consecutive games for the Cowboys. He had 506 career tackles, 10 forced fumbles and 19 interceptions during his seven seasons in Dallas. But Roy’s coverage skills began to diminish and he became disgruntled with his role on the team (or lack of a role on the team). Then he missed most of last season with a broken arm. Owner Jerry Jones had a busy day making statements about his now former players. Regarding Roy’s release, he said:

“Roy has been a wonderful representative of this organization since coming to Dallas. Unfortunately, we have reached a crossroad with his time here in Dallas, and the difficult decision was made to allow him to explore other opportunities in the NFL.”

Roy can still play in this league and plans to do so with another team. But he’ll need to find the right fit where his focus can be stopping the run, not the pass. That being said, I don’t see more than a backup role for Roy unless he suddenly finds a fountain of youth to keep up in the defensive secondary.

Source: DallasCowboys.com, Photo: Newscom

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Cowboys Release Roy Williams

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Dallas Cowboys receiver Roy Williams was on ESPN Radio’s “Mike and Mike in the Morning” (this morning) and said his former (and winless) Detroit Lions team practiced harder than his current Cowboys team. That sounds about right based on the leadership there. Roy expalined:

“I mean, I was there until we were 0-5, I think. We still had a chance to be in the playoffs at 0-5. Guys were still working. I think, actually, Detroit works harder than Dallas on the practice field. I don’t know why it doesn’t transition to the game field on Sunday.”

And regarding blocking downfield on every play as a receiver, Roy said:

“I tried to do it when I first got here, but none of the guys were catching on, so I felt like an idiot running out there by myself. So I quit doing it, but I’m going to start that back up come the off-season work. If people come with me, fine. If they don’t, I’m going to get my work in. It’s my time to be a leader on this team.”

Somebody has to. The Cowboys have enough talent to be the best team in football, but they lack team chemistry and leadership from the top down.

Source: Detroit Free Press, Photo: Newscom

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Roy Williams: ‘I Think, Actually, Detroit Works Harder Than Dallas on the Practice Field’

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According to multiple sources within the Dallas Cowboys organization this week, receiver Terrell Owens has expressed resentment toward quarterback Tony Romo because he’s jealous of Tony’s relationship with tight end Jason Witten. T.O. thinks Tony and Jason hold private meetings and create plays without including him. An anonymous Cowboys player weighed-in:

“He’s insecure about it. The thing that bothers me more than anything about this problem is that it’s always something with him — San Fran, Philly and here; always something. And he brings other people into it. You know, he talks to Sam Hurd and Roy Williams, who just got here and doesn’t really know these guys. T.O. talks to him and so now he probably thinks Witten politics with Tony for the ball. That’s so far from the truth. You think Tony is throwing to him because that’s his buddy? His best buddy is Bobby Carpenter, and that’s not helping him too much. It’s crazy to think that, and I hate that he acts that way.”

T.O. has resorted to private meetings between his fellow receivers and offensive coordinator Jason Garrett. He won’t talk to Tony because he “seldom talks to Romo, unless it’s on the football field.” Of course, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and head coach Wade Phillips say there is no such “Terrellnoia.” But they’re just trying to keep the whole operation from imploding, which it will most likely do Sunday night if the Cowboys lose to the N.Y. Giants.

What needs to happen for Terrell Owens to be happy? The team needs to revolve around him. He needs to have the most catches (which he currently does not — Jason Witten does) and he needs to be the focal point of not just the offense, but the entire organization. A distant second is winning. If Terrell Owens were having a lot of personal success (leading the team in catches, for instance), I don’t really think he would care if the team were losing games. He says it’s all about winning, but his behavior doesn’t reflect that.

The entirely dysfunctional Cowboys amuse me. This is not a team that has adopted the true team concept and there is no way they’re winning a championship with this group of personalities. Nobody can talk to anybody. Private meetings. He said this and he said that. I believe it starts from the top and trickles down. How many other owners do you see giving postgame quotes every week? Let the coaches and players handle that. Jerry Jones is like a puppet master. So with all that money spent and the tremendous publicity and expectations this season, it’s entirely possible the Cowboys will lose all of their remaining games against the Giants, Ravens and Eagles.

Source: ESPN.com, Photo: Newscom

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Terrell Owens is Angry and Jealous

Dallas Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Ware tied an NFL sack record by recording a sack in his 10th straight game this afternoon. But it was the only good news the Cowboys had as they were not only beaten — they were lambasted by the revived St. Louis Rams 34-14. DeMarcus finished the day with three sacks and led the Cowboys with seven tackles. Interestingly, though he now shares the NFL record, DeMarcus remains one game shy of the franchise record. The Cowboys recognize Harvey Martin’s 11-game streak from 1976-77, a run that ended five years before the sack became an official statistic, as the number to beat.

This was a chaotic week for the Cowboys — Tony Romo’s injury, Adam “Pacman” Jones’ suspension, more injuries to rookie running back Felix Jones and punter Mat McBrier, trading with Detroit for receiver Roy Williams — and I guess I overestimated backup QB Brad Johnson’s veteran ability at 40-years-old. He had three interceptions today. But Brad was not the only reason the Cowboys lost today. It was a team effort. DeMarcus will certainly put this sack record on the backburner as the Cowboys try to regroup and figure out what is wrong with their team.

Source: NFL.com

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DeMarcus Ware Ties NFL Sack Record

The news just keeps getting worse for the Dallas Cowboys. You don’t think it can get any worse, but it does. Strong safety Roy L. Williams broke his right forearm again this afternoon against the St. Louis Rams and owner Jerry Jones said he’ll miss the remainder of the season. Roy was hurt midway through the third quarter. This is the same arm he broke while making a special teams tackle against the Philadelphia Eagles in the second game of the season. He had missed three games and will now, as I said, miss the rest of the season.

Source: Dallas Morning News

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Roy L. Williams Season Ending Injury

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The Dallas Cowboys acquired Detroit Lions Pro Bowl receiver Roy Williams just before the National Football League’s 4 p.m. ET trade deadline this afternoon. In return, the Lions get first, third and sixth round selections from the Cowboys in next year’s NFL Draft. Roy’s deal is set for five years. The financial terms of the agreement have not yet been disclosed.

After a rash of injuries to key players recently, this is the first good news the Cowboys have had in a while. In the quote of the day, Roy (who played college ball at the University of Texas) said he was “more happy to be a Dallas Cowboy than when I got my first bike.” Nice. Owner Jerry Jones, still attempting to recover from today’s Adam “Pacman” Jones suspension, was (almost) equally as excited:

“We got two guys out there that can really run, they’re big, but as you know, both of them can really make spectacular catches.”

What an impressive duo of receivers the Cowboys now have. Opposite Terrell Owens, Dallas has arguably the second best tandem in the National Football League (Arizona’s Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin are still tops). So, it appears the most talented team in football just got better. When everyone is healthy, this offense — at least on paper — appears unstoppable.

This trade, however, was pretty clearly an act of desperation for the Cowboys. Jerry Jones made a financial commitment to win the Super Bowl this past offseason, but with the team at 4-2 and hurting from an influx of injuries, giving up three Draft picks for the talented Roy Williams was a stretch. I feel it was necessary, though. Even at 100 percent, the team needed a better receiver than Patrick Crayton opposite T.O. Roy Williams is that receiver.

Sources: DallasCowboys.com, Yahoo! Sports, Photo: Newscom

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Cowboys Acquire Receiver Roy Williams

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Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo fractured a finger on his throwing hand against the Arizona Cardinals yesterday and could be out for up to four weeks. Tony broke his right pinkie on the first play of a disastrous overtime for the Cowboys. They won the toss, then proceeded to go three-and-out and had a punt blocked and returned for a touchdown to lose the game. Tony had difficulty gripping the ball and throwing since the injury, but he won’t need surgery. Head coach Wade Phillips was nevertheless optimistic:

“Brad Johnson is going to be playing quarterback for us this week and we have complete confidence in him. Our team, I think, will rally around him, along with the rest of the guys playing, and everybody is going to do their job and they’re going to do it the best they can do it, and we’re going to demand they do that, and that’s what’s going to happen.”

Fantasy owners will cry the blues about Tony’s injury, but I don’t think this is the biggest problem for the Dallas Cowboys right now. Brad Johnson is a very capable backup QB and while he won’t offer Tony’s big play ability and gun-slinging mentality, he should give the Cowboys a more balanced attack. Let’s face it, the running game has been inconsistent this season and with Brad at the helm, I expect the Cowboys to recommit themselves to a ground attack. Brad’s a smart, experienced and talented backup quarterback who will perform very well. Despite what some people will want you to believe, there’s really not a lot of drop-off here — just different styles.

There’s more injury news to go around, though. Felix Jones’ strained hamstring will cause him to miss a couple games. Plus, cornerback Terence Newman is out for at least three more weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a sports hernia last week. Those are both potentially nagging, ongoing injuries. Safeties Roy Williams (broken arm) and Pat Watkins (neck) could return this week against the Rams but probably won’t be 100%. Receiver/special teamer Sam Hurd needs ankle surgery. And punter Mat McBriar fractured his right foot on the aforementioned blocked punt and is out 6-8 weeks. Throw in the potential Adam Jones punishment/suspension/banishment and whatever Terrell Owens wants to add to the mix and you’ve got a team in disarray.

Source: DallasCowboys.com, Photo: Newscom

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Tony Romo Out For One Month