finsiders playbook: dolphins vs. cowboys

7/21/2019 Finsiders Playbook: Dolphins vs. Cowboys

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Editor: Scott Stone

Editorial Contributors: Alain Poupart, Andy

Cohen, Harvey Greene, Jason Jenkins, Fitz

Ollison, Theresa Monahan, Hank Nathan,

Brian Coyle, Michael Farnham

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Dolphins Schedule ....................................6

Game Plan

Game Facts ..........................................9

Cowboys Overview ............................10

Players to Watch ................................12

Quick Hitters ......................................13

Connections ......................................14

The Last Time ....................................15

Game Day

Head Coachs Corner ........................16

Dolphins Ownership ..........................18

Dolphins Management ......................19

Dolphins Coaching Staff ....................20

Dolphins Head Shots ........................23

Dolphins Roster..................................29

Depth Charts......................................30Cowboys Roster ................................33

Cowboys Head Shots ........................36

Finsiders Focus........................................41

Dolphins Darkroom ................................44

10 Questions with Louis Delmas ............47

Pop Dolphins ..........................................50

Cheerleader of the Game ......................52

My Generation ........................................56

The Last Word ........................................58

INSIDEVOLUME 49 NUMBER 1


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2014 MIAMI DOLPHINS SCHEDULEPRESEASON

AUG. 8 7:00PM at FALCONS L, 10-16

AUG. 16 7:30PM at BUCCANEERS W, 20-14

AUG. 23 7:00PM COWBOYS PRESENTED BYFORD

AUG. 28 7:00PM RAMS PRESENTED BYFORD

REGULAR SEASON

SEPT. 7 1:00PM PATRIOTS

SEPT. 14 1:00PM at BILLS

SEPT. 21 4:25PM CHIEFS PRESENTED BYAARP FOUNDATION

SEPT. 28 1:00PM at RAIDERS

OCT. 5 BYE WEEK

OCT. 12 1:00PM PACKERS* PRESENTED BYAT&T

OCT. 19 1:00PM at BEARS*

OCT. 26 1:00PM atJAGUARS*

NOV. 2 1:00PM CHARGERS* PRESENTED BYFPL

NOV. 9 1:00PM at LIONS*

NOV. 13 8:25PM BILLS PRESENTED BYBANK OF AMERICA

NOV. 23 4:25PM at BRONCOS*

DEC. 1 8:30PM at JETS

DEC. 7 1:00PM RAVENS* PRESENTED BY WASTE MANAGEMENT

DEC. 14 1:00PM at PATRIOTS*

DEC. 21 1:00PM VIKINGS*

DEC. 28 1:00PM JETS* PRESENTED BY PUBLIX

* Game subject to flex scheduling

4

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Tickets for all Dolphins home games areavailable on Dolphins.com, at the Dolphinsticket office, located at Gate G of Sun Life

Stadium; by phone at 1-888-FINS-TIX; andat Ticketmaster ticket centers.

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Dolphins Tickets Online Dolphins.comDolphins Ticket Office 1-(888) FINS-TIX

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Ticketmaster Express: 1-(866)-448-7849

U.S. Fan Support: 1-(800)-653-8000


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10 | FINSIDERS PLAYBOOK

GAME PLAN COWBOYS OVERVIEW | PLAYERS TO WATCH | QUICK HITTERS

Talented offense should lead the wayBy ALAIN POUPART@apoupartFins

The Dallas Cowboys have been stuck in a

Groundhog Day of sorts the last three years.

Each time the Cowboys finished with an 8-8

record and lost a showdown for the NFC East

title on the last day of the regular season.

The only thing that changed was the

final opponent, with Dallas losing to the

New York Giants in 2011, to Washington in

2012 and to Philadelphia in 2013.

The Cowboys are hoping for a different

outcome this season, but they face a diffi-

cult challenge in their quest to return to the

playoffs for the first time since 2009.

The big question mark for Dallas is on

defense, a unit that badly faltered in 2013

and then watched perhaps its best player,

linebacker Sean Lee, go down with a sea-

son-ending knee injury in the offseason.

The Cowboys also are without seven-

time Pro Bowl defensive end/linebacker

DeMarcus Ware, who was released in the

offseason and signed with Denver.

It would seem the key to the Cowboys

success in 2014 rests on the offense deliver-

ing in a big way.

Dallas certainly has a lot of reasons to be

optimistic about its ability to score points,

starting with quarterback Tony Romo com-

ing off one of his best seasons.

The Cowboys offense is filled with play-

makers, starting with mercurial wide receiv-

er Dez Bryant, who has developed into one

of the most dangerous pass catchers in the

NFL. The Dallas receiving corps also

includes nine-time Pro Bowl tight end Jason

Witten and second-year wide receiver

Terrance Williams, who showed a lot of

promise as a rookie in 2013.

The running game also is loaded with

potential because of the presence of

DeMarco Murray, who earned his first Pro

Bowl trip last season after rushing for more

than 1,100 yards.

The offensive line features three recent

first-round picks tackle Tyron Smith, cen-

ter Travis Frederick and 2014 top selectionZack Martin.

Barring injuries, all the pieces are in

place for the offense to have another big

year. Dallas ranked fifth in the league in

points scored last year, but lost three games

when scoring 30 or more.

This is where the defense needs to step

up and start doing its part.

Running back DeMarco Murray is one of themany talented players on the Dallas offense.


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GAME PLAN PLAYERS TO WATCH | SCOUTING REPORT | QUICK HITTERS

TONY ROMO

DEZ BRYANT

Pos.: Quarterback

Ht: 6-2Wt: 236 | NFL Exp: 12th year

How Acquired: Rookie free agent, 2003

Of Note: Romo has never finished an NFL

season with a passer rating lower than 90

since he first got into the Cowboys lineup

in 2006. His career high came when he

posted a 102.5 rating in 2012 after passingfor 4,814 yards with 31 touchdowns and

only 10 interceptions.

Pos.: Wide receiver


How Acquired: Draft, 2010,

1st round

Of Note: On his way to earning his first Pro

Bowl invitation, Bryant ended the 2013

season by scoring a touchdown in each of

Dallas last five regular season games. He

earlier had three other games where he

scored twice against San Diego, Denver

and Detroit, all Dallas losses.

GEORGE SELVIE

Pos.: Defensive end


How Acquired: Free agent, 2013

Of Note: After bouncing around four dif-ferent teams without much success, Selvie

emerged as a pass-rushing threat for the

Cowboys in 2013 as he finished second on

the team with seven sacks. The former

University of South Florida standout had

recorded only 2.5 in his first 36 NFL games

with the Rams, Jaguars and Panthers.


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DOLPHINS VS. COWBOYS | 13

GAME PLAN QUICK HITTERS |CONNECTIONS | LAST TIMECOWBOYS EDITION

1

2

3

4

5

The Dolphins and Cowboys are meeting inthe preseason for the fifth consecutive yearafter facing each other only four timesbetween 1966 and 2009.

The teams last preseason meeting inMiami came in 2011 in the last week of thepreseason. The Dolphins won that game,17-3, thanks to touchdowns by LarryJohnson (22-yard run) and Jeron Mastrud(18-yard pass from Matt Moore).

Before last years preseason battle in theHall of Fame Game, the Cowboys andDolphins had closed the preseason againsteach other three consecutive years.

Lamar Miller and Brian Hartline each havepreseason touchdowns against theCowboys, Hartline scoring in 2010 andMiller scoring in 2012.

Five of the teams eight preseasonmeetings were decided by four points orless, with the Cowboys winning all five ofthose games.


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GAME PLAN CONNECTIONS | LAST TIME

Dolphins tight ends coach Dan Campbell

played tight end with the Cowboys from2003-05.

Dolphins defensive line coach Kacy

Rodgers coached the defensive tackles

(2003-04) and defensive line (2005-07) with

the Cowboys.

Dolphins G David Arkin was a fourth-round draft choice of the Cowboys in 2011

(110th overall) and played with the team

from 2011-13.

Dolphins QB Matt Moore was signed as an

undrafted free agent by the Cowboys in

2007 but was released following the pre-

season.

Cowboys Head Coach Jason Garrett was

on the roster of the Dolphins in 2004 and

also served as the teams quarterbacks

coach from 2005-06.

Cowboys passing game coordinator Scott

Linehan served as offensive coordinator

with the Dolphins in 2005.

Cowboys wide receivers coach Derek

Dooley served as tight ends coach with

the Dolphins from 2005-06.

Cowboys FB Tyler Clutts played four

games with the Dolphins in 2013.

Cowboys OT Jermey Parnell spent three

weeks on the Dolphins roster early in the

2010 season.


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GAME PLAN LAST TIME (preseason)

The Dolphins fell behind 17-0 in the sec-

ond quarter after linebacker DeVonte

Hollomans 75-yard interception return for

a touchdown, but scored the next 13

points before their rally fell short.

After Dallas scored to make it 24-13 with

2:02 left, the Dolphins capped a 79-yard

drive with Matt Moores 5-yard touchdownpass to tight end Kyle Miller. But the

Cowboys recovered the ensuing onside kick

to clinch the victory.

The other Miami touchdown came on a 5-

yard pass from Pat Devlin to Keenan Davis

in the third quarter.

The Dolphins lost despite outgainingDallas 421-266. The big difference were

two Miami turnovers.

AUG. 4, 2013 | FAWCETT STADIUM; CANTON, OHIO | COWBOYS 24, DOLPHINS 20

STORY LINES

Rushing

Dolphins Jonas Gray 7-41

Cowboys Joseph Randle 13-70

Passing

Dolphins Matt Moore

19-29-1, 238 yards, INT

Cowboys Alex Tanney 5-11-0, 58 yards

Receiving

Dolphins Chad Bumphis 5-85

Cowboys Tim Benford 3-25

Interceptions

Dolphins None

Cowboys DeVonte Holloman 1-75 (TD)

Opponent fumble recoveries

Dolphins None

Cowboys Nick Hayden

Sacks

Dolphins Derrick Shelby 2,

Tristan Okpalaugo

Cowboys George Selvie 2, Taylor Reed

Field goals

Dolphins Dan Carpenter 2-2

Cowboys Dan Bailey 1-1

STAT LEADERS


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GAME DAY HEAD COACHS CORNER

What is one thing that got better during

training camp and one thing that remains

a concern?

I like the way the team has practiced. I like

the feel of the team; it feels like football

practice out there. Guys are talking football,

theyre communicating. So that part, Im very

happy about. Theres a ton of things that we

still have to clean up. But I like the attitude, I

like the work ethic, the chemistry so far.

Will coaches ask wide receiver Mike

Wallace to run all possible routes this

season?

Weve moved him around a little bit

more. Hes done some different things. He

has in-breaking routes, he has out-breaking

routes, hes got vertical routes, hes got slip

screens to him. I think hes going to be

involved and hes been working on his route

tree on a daily basis.

What have you seen from the linebackers?

Weve been looking at a lot of different

combinations, especially in our sub pack-

ages. Thats one thing that we identified that

we wanted to kind of get a look at different

combinations of guys. Theyve been pro-

ductive. I think theyre acclimating to their

new positions well, but were still sorting out

the sub nickel packages.

How have the tight ends been stepping

up in Charles Clays absence?

I see Dion (Sims) making a lot of progress.

Brett Brackett is a guy thats kind of made

some plays here in practice. Kyle Miller is a

guy that weve thought has always caught

the ball well. He had one decent, good

reception in the (preseason opener). Theres

still work to be done with that group, but

there is a lot of opportunity. I think Dion pos-

sibly because of the extra reps hes gotten, I

think hes made some nice strides in camp.

How did guard Dallas Thomas go from

not getting many snaps last year to lining

up with the first team?

He got better. You could tell when you

watched the tape throughout the course of

last year that he was developing and pro-

gressing. Obviously, fans didnt get to see

that on Sundays. But we got to watch it

Wide receiver Mike Wallace figures to run a lotof different routes this season.

Head CoachJoe Philbin


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when we watched the practice tape. Weve

watched one-on-one drills. We saw some

development. Then he had a very good off-

season program. He was one of the guys

that was here voluntarily in February and

March, just working with our strength andconditioning guys, and so hes made good

progress, solid progress.

Was it planned all along that Olivier

Vernon would wind up playing the most

snaps of any defensive lineman on the

team last season?

I think he kind of evolved, and I think

probably what happened a little bit is his

productivity kind of maybe took off a little

bit as well. We were comfortable with him

being on the field in critical situations. He

was able to play maybe the run. Maybe one

of the things initially as we went into it was,

Well, is he going to be able to hang in

there against the run? Is he big enough

against the tackle-tight end combination

schemes? And all of that stuff. He kind of

proved he could do that. Then he proved

that he could get involved in the pass rush

and have an impact there. He was good

dropping off into the zones and zone firesand those types of things. I think he kind of

evolved. It wasnt like week one we said,

Hey, hes going to be our guy, but the

more we watched, the more we liked.

How impressed have you been by the

way WR Brandon Gibson has come back

from the injury he sustained last season?

I think theres been more and more pic-

tures as practice has unfolded over these

couple of weeks where he reminds us more

of the player that we saw on film last year. So

thats encouraging. And good for him; hes

worked hard to rehabilitate himself from the

injury. And its good for our football team to

have that kind of competition.

Defensive end Olivier Vernons emergence last season led to him getting more playing time thanthe Dolphins initially had planned.



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Gloria Estefan

Partner

Emilio Estefan

Partner

Serena Williams

Partner

Venus Williams

Partner

Marc Anthony

Partner

Fergie

Partner

PARTNERS

Jorge Perez

Vice ChairmanDon Shula

Vice Chairman

Matt Higgins

Vice Chairman

DIRECTORS

STEPHEN M. ROSSChairman of the Board/

Managing General Partner

GAME DAY OWNERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT | COACHING STAFF


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Tom Garfinkel

President and

Chief Executive Officer

Dennis Hickey

General Manager

Dawn Aponte

Executive Vice

President of Football

Administration

Todd Boyan

Senior Vice President

of Operations-Sun Life

Stadium

Dan Caspersen

Senior Vice Presidentof Human Resources

Chris Clements

Senior Vice President-Chief Financial Officer

Bill Galante

Senior Vice Presidentof Operations-Davie

Tery Howard

Senior Vice President-Chief Technology

Officer

Claudia Lezcano del Campo

Senior Vice President-

Chief Marketing Officer

Nat Moore


Special Projects and

Alumni Relations

Jeremy Walls


Chief Revenue Officer

Nick Forro

Vice President of Ticket

Sales, Service and

Operations

Harvey Greene

Vice President ofHistorical Affairs

Jason Jenkins

Vice President ofCommunications

Bob Lynch

Vice President ofCorporate Partnerships

and Media Sales

George Torres

Vice President of SunLife Stadium Events


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Pro Career: Became the ninth coach in Dolphins history on January

20, 2012. Philbin joined Miami after serving as the offensive coor-

dinator with the Green Bay Packers from 2007-2011. During that

era, his offense ranked in the top 10 in points scored and total yards

every season. In five seasons at the helm of the Packers prolific

offense, the team scored 2,263 points (third in the NFL during that

span). In 2011, the Packers set franchise records for victories (15),

points (560) and total yards (6,357). The 560 points ranked secondin NFL history. In 2008-09, the Packers became the first team in

league annals to have a 4,000-yard passer (Aaron Rodgers), a

1,200-yard rusher (Ryan Grant) and two 1,000-yard receivers (Greg Jennings, Donald Driver) in con-

secutive seasons. Philbin joined the Packers in 2003 as an assistant offensive line coach. He served

as the tight ends/assistant offensive line coach from 2004-05 and offensive line coach in 2006.

Background: Philbin played one year at Washington & Jefferson, where he earned his degree in soci-

ology. He has coached collegiately at Tulane (1984-85), Worcester Polytechnic Institute (1986-87),

Allegheny (1990-93), Ohio (1994), Northeastern (1995-96), Harvard (1997-98) and Iowa (1999-2002).


GAME DAY COACHING STAFF | 2014 MIAMI DOLPHINS | DOLPHINS ROSTER | D

Joe PhilbinHead Coach

Blue AdamsAssistant

Defensive Backs

Lou AnarumoDefensive Backs

John BentonOffensive Line

Jack Bicknell Jr.Assistant

Offensive Line

Charlie BullenAssistant

Defensive Line

Jeff BurrisDefensive Assistant

David CorraoAssistant Linebackers

Kevin CoyleDefensive Coordinator


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EPTH CHARTS | COWBOYS ROSTER | 2014 DALLAS COWBOYS

Mark DuffnerLinebackers

Ben JohnsonAssistant Quarterbacks

Darren KreinHead Strength and

Conditioning

Bill LazorOffensive Coordinator

Marwan MaaloufAssistant

Special Teams

Ben MartinOffensive Assistant

Phil McGeoghanAssistant

Wide Receivers

Jeff NixonRunning Backs

Ken OKeefeWide Receivers

Dave PulokaAssistant Strength

and Conditioning

Dave ReganSports Science Analyst

Darren RizziSpecial Teams

Coordinator

Kacy RodgersDefensive Line

Zac TaylorQuarterbacks

Jay KaiserAssistant

to the Head Coach


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GAME DAY 2014 MIAMI DOLPHINS DOLPHINS ROSTER | DEPTH CHARTS

1 Damian Williams

wide receiver

2 Brandon Fields

punter

3 Orleans Darkwa

running back

4 Seth Lobato

quarterback

5 Damien Williams

running back

7 Brady Quinn

quarterback

8 Matt Moore

quarterback

9 Caleb Sturgis

kicker

10 Brandon Gibson

wide receiver

11 Mike Wallace

wide receiver

14 Jarvis Landry

wide receiver

15 Kevin Cone

wide receiver

17 Ryan Tannehill

quarterback

18 Rishard Matthews

wide receiver

19 Armon Binns

wide receiver

20 Reshad Jones

safety


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GAME DAY 2014 MIAMI DOLPHINS DOLPHINS ROSTER | DEPTH CHARTS | COW

21 Brent Grimes

cornerback

22 Jamar Taylor

cornerback

23 Mike Gillislee

running back

24 Cortland Finnegan

cornerback

25 Louis Delmas

safety

26 Lamar Miller

running back

27 Jimmy Wilson

safety

28 Knowshon Moreno

running back

29 Will Davis

cornerback

30 Jalil Brown

cornerback

31 Michael Thomas

safety

32 John Potter

kicker

33 Daniel Thomas

running back

34 Marcus Thigpen

running back/wide receiver

35 Walt Aikens

cornerback

36 Don Jones

safety


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OYS ROSTER | 2014 DALLAS COWBOYS


37 Kevin Fogg

cornerback

38 Steven Clarke

cornerback40 Brett Brackett

tight end

41 Demetrius Wright

safety

42 Charles Clay

tight end

43 Cameron Marshall

running back

44 Jordan Kovacs

safety

45 Andrew Wilson

linebacker

46 Tevin Mims

defensive end

47 Chris McCain

linebacker

48 DAundre Reed

defensive end

49 Micajah Reynolds

defensive tackle

50 Olivier Vernon

defensive end

51 Mike Pouncey

center

52 Philip Wheeler

linebacker

53 Jelani Jenkins

linebacker


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GAME DAY 2014 MIAMI DOLPHINS DOLPHINS ROSTER | DEPTH CHARTS | COW

55 Koa Misi

linebacker

56 Jonathan Freeny

linebacker

57 Jordan Tripp

linebacker

59 Dannell Ellerbe

linebacker

60 Tony Hills

tackle

61 Tyler Larsen

center

62 Evan Finkenberg

guard

63 Steven Baker

tackle

64 Shelley Smith

guard

65 Sam Brenner

center

66 David Arkin

guard

67 Daryn Colledge

guard

68 Garrison Smith

defensive tackle

69 Samson Satele

center

70 Dallas Thomas

guard

71 Branden Albert

tackle


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OYS ROSTER | 2014 DALLAS COWBOYS


72 JaWuan James

tackle

73 Kamal Johnson

defensive tackle

74 Jason Fox

tackle

75 Nate Garner

guard

76 Anthony Johnson

defensive tackle

77 Billy Turner

guard

78 Terrence Fede

defensive end

79 Derrick Shelby

defensive end

80 Dion Sims

tight end

82 Brian Hartline

wide receiver

83 Matt Hazel

wide receiver

84 Michael Egnew

tight end

86 Kyle Miller

tight end

87 Ryan Spadola

wide receiver

88 Arthur Lynch

tight end

81 Evan Wilson

tight end


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GAME DAY 2014 MIAMI DOLPHINS DOLPHINS ROSTER | DEPTH CHARTS

89 Harold Hoskins

tight end

90 Earl Mitchell

defensive tackle

91 Cameron Wake

defensive end

92 John Denney

long snapper

93 Jason Trusnik

linebacker

94 Randy Starks

defensive tackle

95 Dion Jordan

defensive end

96 A.J. Francis

defensive tackle

97 Isaako Aaitui

defensive tackle

98 Jared Odrick

defensive tackle

#STRONGERTOGETHER


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GAME DAY DEPTH CHARTS | COWBOYS ROSTER | 2014 DALLAS COWBOYS

MIAMI DOLPHINS

OFFENSE82 Brian Hartline 1 Damian Williams 15 Kevin Cone

71 Branden Albert 75 Nate Garner 63 Steven Baker

67 Daryn Colledge 64 Shelley Smith

51 Mike Pouncey 65 Sam Brenner 69 Samson Satele 61 Tyler Larsen

70 Dallas Thomas 77 Billy Turner 66 David Arkin

72 Ja'Wuan James 74 Jason Fox 60 Tony Hills 62 Evan Finkenberg

42 Charles Clay 80 Dion Sims 84 Michael Egnew 86 Kyle Miller88 Arthur Lynch

89 Harold Hoskins40 Brett Brackett81 Evan Wilson

11 Mike Wallace 18 Rishard Matthews 19 Armon Binns 87 Ryan Spadola83 Matt Hazel

17 Ryan Tannehill 8 Matt Moore 7 Brady Quinn 4 Seth Lobato

26 Lamar Miller 33 Daniel Thomas 23 Mike Gillislee 28 Knowshon Moreno5 Damien Williams3 Orleans Darkwa

43 Cameron Marshall

11 Brandon Gibson 14 Jarvis Landry 34 Marcus Thigpen

DEFENSE91 Cameron Wake 79 Derrick Shelby 48 D'Aundre Reed 46 Tevin Mims

94 Randy Starks/98 Jared Odrick 76 Anthony Johnson 68 Garrison Smith

90 Earl Mitchell 96 A.J. Francis 97 Isaako Aaitui 73 Kamal Johnson49 Micajah Reynolds

50 Olivier Vernon 95 Dion Jordan 78 Terrence Fede

52 Philip Wheeler 56 Jonathan Freeny 47 Chris McCain

55 Koa Misi 93 Jason Trusnik 45 Andrew Wilson

59 Dannell Ellerbe 53 Jelani Jenkins 57 Jordan Tripp

21 Brent Grimes 22 Jamar Taylor 35 Walt Aikens 37 Kevin Fogg

24 Cortland Finnegan 29 Will Davis 30 Jalil Brown 38 Steven Clarke

25 Louis Delmas 27 Jimmy Wilson 31 Michael Thomas 41 Demetrius Wright

20 Reshad Jones 36 Don Jones 44 Jordan Kovacs

SPECIAL TEAMS2 Brandon Fields

9 Caleb Sturgis 32 John Potter

9 Caleb Sturgis 32 John Potter

2 Brandon Fields

34 Marcus Thigpen

34 Marcus Thigpen

92 John Denney

WR

LT

LG

C

RG

RT

TE

WR

QB

RB

WR

LE

DT

DT

RE

LB

LB

LB

CB

CB

S

S

P

K

K0

H

KR

PR

LS


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DALLAS COWBOYS

OFFENSE88 Dez Bryant 11 Cole Beasley 15 Devin Street 85 Jamar Newsome

14 Chris Boyd

89 Gavin Escobar 86 Dallas Walker

77 Tyron Smith 75 Darrion Weems 61 John Wetzel

73 Mackenzy Bernadeau 65 Ronald Leary 74 Uche Nwaneri 63 Stephen Goodin

72 Travis Frederick 67 Ronald Patrick

70 Zack Martin 61 John Wetzel 71 Wayne Tribue

68 Doug Free 78 Jermey Parnell 62 Josh Aladenoye

82 Jason Witten 84 James Hanna 87 Jordan Najvar 45 Asa Watson

83 Terrance Williams 17 Dwayne Harris 80 LaRon Byrd 16 Tim Benford

81 Dezmon Briscoe

9 Tony Romo 3 Brandon Weeden 7 Caleb Hanie 10 Dustin Vaughan

29 DeMarco Murray 25 Lance Dunbar 21 Joseph Randle 34 Ryan Williams

48 J.C. Copeland (FB) 44 Tyler Clutts (FB) 35 D.J. Adams

DEFENSE99 George Selvie 98 Tyrone Crawford 71 Ben Gardner 70 Dartwan Bush

91 Kenneth Boatright

63 Adewale Ojomo

96 Nick Hayden 97 Terrell McClain 66 Ken Bishop 95 Caesar Rayford

69 Henry Melton 60 Davon Coleman 79 Zach Martin

92 Jeremy Mincey 90 DeMarcus Lawrence 56 Martez Wilson 95 Caesar Rayford

51 Kyle Wilber 57 DeVonte Holloman 53 Cameron Lawrence

52 Justin Durant 55 Rolando McClain 45 Dontavis Sapp 58 Orie Lemon

54 Bruce Carter 59 Anthony Hitchens 40 Will Smith 43 Keith Smith

39 Brandon Carr 26 Sterling Moore 30 Terrance Mitchell 28 Justin Green

32 Orlando Scandrick 24 Morris Claiborne 20 B.W. Webb 35 Tyler Patmon

42 Barry Church 23 Jakar Hamilton 37 Matt Johnson 47 Johnny Thomas

27 J.J. Wilcox 38 Jeff Heath 36 Ahmad Dixon 33 Ryan Smith

SPECIAL TEAMS6 Chris Jones 1 Tom Hornsey

5 Dan Bailey

6 Chris Jones 9 Tony Romo

17 Dwayne Harris J.J. Wilcox 11 Cole Beasley

17 Dwayne Harris 11 Cole Beasley 20 B.W. Webb

91 L.P. Ladouceur 49 Casey Kreiter

WR

TE

LT

LG

C

RG

RT

TE

WR

QB

RB

LDE

DT

DT

RDE

SLBMLB

WLB

LCB

RCB

SS

FS

P

K

H

KR

PR

LS


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GAME DAY COWBOYS ROSTER | 2014 DALLAS COWBOYSNO. NAME POS. HT. WT. EXP. COLLEGE

1 Hornsey, Tom P 6-3 221 R Memphis

3 Weeden, Brandon QB 6-3 220 3 Oklahoma State

5 Bailey, Dan K 6-0 191 4 Oklahoma State6 Jones, Chris P 6-0 197 3 Carson-Newman

7 Hanie, Caleb QB 6-2 222 6 Colorado State

9 Romo, Tony QB 6-2 236 12 Eastern Illinois

10 Vaughan, Dustin QB 6-5 233 R West Texas A&M

11 Beasley, Cole WR 5-8 180 3 Southern Methodist

14 Boyd, Chris WR 6-4 206 R Vanderbilt

15 Street, Devin WR 6-3 190 R Pittsburgh

16Benford, Tim WR 5-11 193 1 Tennessee Tech

17 Harris, Dwayne WR 5-10 207 4 East Carolina

20 Webb, B.W. CB 5-11 178 2 William & Mary

21 Randle, Joseph RB 6-0 198 2 Oklahoma State

23 Hamilton, Jakar S 5-11 195 2 South Carolina State

24 Claiborne, Morris CB 5-11 190 3 LSU

25 Dunbar, Lance RB 5-8 188 3 North Texas

26 Moore, Sterling CB 5-10 200 4 Southern Methodist

27 Wilcox, J.J. S 6-0 217 2 Georgia Southern

28 Green, Justin CB 5-11 195 1 Illinois

29 Murray, DeMarco RB 6-0 219 4 Oklahoma

30 Mitchell, Terrance CB 5-11 192 R Oregon

32 Scandrick, Orlando CB 5-10 195 7 Boise State

33 Smith, Ryan S 6-0 227 R Auburn

34 Williams, Ryan RB 5-9 207 2 Virginia Tech

35 Adams, D.J. RB 5-10 210 R Portland State

35 Patmon, Tyler CB 5-10 179 R Oklahoma State

36 Dixon, Ahmad S 6-0 212 R Baylor

37 Johnson, Matt S 6-1 212 3 Eastern Washington

38 Heath, Jeff S 6-1 209 2 Saginaw Valley State

39 Carr, Brandon CB 6-0 206 7 Grand Valley State

40 Smith, Will LB 6-2 227 R Texas Tech

42 Church, Barry S 6-2 218 5 Toledo

43 Smith, Keith S 6-0 199 R San Jose State

44 Clutts, Tyler FB 6-2 254 4 Fresno State

45 Sapp, Dontavis LB 6-2 235 R Tennessee

45 Watson, Asa TE 6-3 227 R N orth Carolina State

47 Thomas, Johnny S 5-11 205 1 Oklahoma State

48 Copeland, J.C. FB 5-11 275 R Louisiana State

49 Kreiter, Casey LS 6-1 246 R Iowa

51 Wilber, Kyle LB 6-4 250 3 Wake Forest

52 Durant, Justin LB 6-1 228 8 Hampton

53 Lawrence, Cameron LB 6-2 234 2 Mississippi State

54 Carter, Bruce LB 6-2 246 4 North Carolina

NO. NAME POS. HT. WT. EXP. COLLEGE

55 McClain, Rolando LB 6-4 259 4 Alabama

56 Wilson, Martez DE 6-4 252 4 Illinois

57 Holloman, DeVonte LB 6-2 242 2 South Carolina58 Lemon, Orie LB 6-1 242 4 Oklahoma State

59 Hitchens, Anthony LB 6-0 240 R Iowa

60 Coleman, Davon DT 6-2 297 R Arizona State

61 Wetzel, John T 6-7 315 1 Boston College

62 Aladenoye, Josh T 6-5 329 R Illinois State

63 Goodin, Stephen G 6-5 310 R Northern Illinois

63 Ojomo, Adewale DE 6-4 270 1 Miami (Fla.)

65Leary, Ronald G 6-3 318 2 Memphis

66 Bishop, Ken NT 6-0 301 R Northern Illinois

67 Patrick, Ronald G 6-1 318 R South Carolina

68 Free, Doug T 6-6 325 8 Northern Illinois

69 Melton, Henry DT 6-3 295 6 Texas

70 Bush, Dartwan DE 6-1 265 R Texas Tech

70 Martin, Zack G 6-4 305 R Notre Dame

71 Gardner, Ben DE 6-4 262 R Stanford

71 Tribue, Wayne G 6-3 329 1 Temple

72 Frederick, Travis C 6-3 311 2 Wisconsin

73 Bernadeau, Mackenzy G 6-4 333 7 Bentley

74 Nwaneri, Uche G 6-3 310 8 Purdue

75 Weems, Darrion T 6-5 320 2 Oregon

77 Smith, Tyron T 6-5 318 4 USC

78 Parnell, Jermey T 6-6 307 5 Mississippi

79 Minter, Zach DT 6-1 307 1 Montana State

80 Byrd, LaRon WR 6-4 220 3 Miami (Fla.)

81 Briscoe, Dezmon WR 6-2 210 4 Kansas

82 Witten, Jason TE 6-6 261 12 Tennessee

83 Williams, Terrance WR 6-2 200 2 Baylor

84 Hanna, James TE 6-4 250 3 Oklahoma

85 Newsome, Jamar WR 6-1 201 1 Central Florida

87 Najvar, Jordan TE 6-6 256 R Baylor

88 Bryant, Dez WR 6-2 222 5 Oklahoma State

89 Escobar, Gavin TE 6-6 249 2 San Diego State

90 Lawrence, DeMarcus DE 6-3 251 R Boise St.

91 Boatright, Kenneth DE 6-4 253 1 Southern Ill inois

91 Ladouceur, L.P. LS 6-5 259 10 California

92 Mincey, Jeremy DE 6-4 265 7 Florida

95 Rayford, Caesar DE 6-7 267 1 Washington

96 Hayden, Nick DT 6-4 301 7 Wisconsin

97 McClain, Terrell DT 6-2 293 4 South Florida

98 Crawford, Tyrone DE 6-4 284 3 Boise State

99 Selvie, George DE 6-4 270 5 South Florida


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GAME DAY 2014 DALLAS COWBOYS

5 Dan Bailey

kicker

6 Chris Jones

punter

9 Tony Romo

quarterback

27 J.J. Wilcox

safety

29 DeMarco Murray

running back

32 Orlando Scandrick

cornerback

39 Brandon Carr

cornerback

42 Barry Church

safety

51 Kyle Wilber

linebacker

52 Justin Durant

linebacker

54 Bruce Carter

linebacker

68 Doug Free

tackle

JASON WITTEN


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69 Henry Melton

defensive takle

70 Zack Martin

guard

72 Travis Frederick

center

73 Mackenzy Bernadeau

guard

77 Tyron Smith

tackle

82 Jason Witten

tight end

83 Terrance Williams

wide receiver

88 Dez Bryant

wide receiver

89 Gavin Escobar

tight end

92 Jeremy Mincey

defensive end

96 Nick Hayden

defensive tackle

99 George Selvie

defensive end

BRANDON CARR


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My first training camp experience was

like that of most rookies. Youre coming in

and you want to have opportunities to start

and become an impact player for your team.

But in my case, my start was just a little

later than I wanted it to be. The first day

of training camp I injured my ankle

and was out for 10 days. But I

came back as quick as I could

because I wanted to prove

myself to Head Coach

Jimmy Johnson and prove

that I could be a contributor

and starter for the team.

A players first training camp,

and just camp itself every year, is

incredibly valuable because it builds on the

stuff you did previously in the spring. Going

through rookie camp, OTAs and minicamp,

you get to build friendships and relation-

ships with guys for a little while. You gain

opportunities to know the guys really quick-

ly, especially when theyre working out at the

facility. When guys were coming into the

facility to work out instead of on their own

a mantra of Jimmy Johnson it was very

effective at building chemistry. He felt like it

was the best way to get the football team

ready to go, and it positively affected me to

start off my career.

While most rookies hit that proverbial wall

coming into camp and dont immediately

take off, I feel that my college career primed

me for success in this league right off the bat.

I played under legendary coach Howard

Schnellenberger for my first three years at

Louisville, which definitely prepared me for

what was to come in camp. Then Ron Cooper

took over my last two years in school, and he

brought in Everett Withers as a defensive

coordinator, and both men helped me grow

and develop as a player. They gave me a

lot of different pointers that assisted

me in becoming successful.

When I got into camp,

there was one thing I loved

immediately, and it became

my favorite thing every year.

My favorite part of camp was

just watching the competitions.

I just remembered loving watch-

ing one-on-ones, especially in the

first day of pads. I was always watching the

inside drills with guys like Zach Thomas and

Tim Bowens going against the offensive line

and running backs. Just watching those

guys move and the way that they hit with the

intensity that they brought and came with

was pretty cool to me.

But, of course, camp gets tough at times.

The worst part of camp are those dog days

before the first game action. The novelty of

the beginning of camp wears off, and youve

been into for a little while. But eventually its

broken up by the coach, whether it is

through changing up the practice schedule

or doing a team-bonding event of some sort.

When they do that, it helps build team

chemistry in addition to being with each

other in practice and in meetings, and ulti-

mately helps you become a better football

team in the end.

As told to Brian Coyle

THIS ISSUE: SAM MADISON on training camp


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CAMP CONFIDENTIAL: Scenes from Training Camp


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#STRONGERTOGETHER


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10 QUESTIONS WITH LOUIS DELMAS

Safety Louis Delmas is a hometown South Florida kid living out a

dream. In his sixth NFL season and first with the Dolphins, Delmas

brings enthusiasm and passion to everything he does. Even Coach Joe

Philbin pointed out, It took him about three minutes to get comfort-

able in the building.

But it wasnt an exuberant personality that brought Delmas back

to South Florida, where he attended North Miami Beach High

School. It was the way he hits, the way he plays safety, the way he

usually finds himself in the middle of the action. Big plays? Thats his

calling card. Thats what drives him. But injuries have slowed him.

Thats why this is such an important season: Louis

Delmas has plenty to prove.

He also had plenty of interesting things to say

when it came time to play 10 questions with him.

1. You grew up in South Florida. You

played high school football here. This is

your home. What does it mean to you to

play for the Dolphins?LD: I feel like Im on an all-star team right

now. Any individual who grows up and

bleeds any sport wants to play for their

hometown team. Im going to cherish this

opportunity and take full advantage of it.

I was a big Dan Marino fan growing up

because every kid wants to play quar-

terback. It was a special time being akid growing up in South Florida.

2. You are 27 years old. You

played five years for the Lions

before coming here. Have we yet

to see the best of Louis Delmas?

LD: Definitely not. Definitely not. No

way. No chance. Ive had my ups and downs in my

career. I started off very well and then I hit a downpoint. Ive had setbacks. Last year was better. Im 27,

but Im just getting younger, getting younger all the

time. Deep down, I just know the best is yet to come.

3. In 2009, you became the first rookie in NFL

history to return an interception for a touchdown,

return a fumble for a touchdown and record a

By ANDY COHEN

See 10 QUESTIONS, page 49


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safety. What can you possibly do for an

encore?

LD: Just keep capitalizing on the other

teams mistakes, keep myself motivated,

keep myself ready to pounce. There are a lot

more records to break, and if I can just get

around the ball, there is no telling what I can

accomplish in this league.

4. OK, lets dream a little. One play.

One moment. One game. Tell us what you

are dreaming.

LD: Itll be the Super Bowl. Itll be over-

time. Itll be down to the last two minutes.

The opponent is driving for a score. They go

in my direction. I can see it happening right

in front of me. I wait for the perfect moment

and then break on the ball. I catch the ball

and return it 103 yards for a touchdown. The

crowd goes wild. The Dolphins win the

Super Bowl! That by itself would be great,but to know I had the winning play, man,

that would be something special.

5. The Dolphins have had five straight

non-winning seasons. When you look at

this years team, what do you see?

LD: I see hunger. I see guys who are very

motivated to succeed. I see guys who are

motivated to change the mind-set of the fans,of the coaches and each other. I know the sta-

tistic of five straight seasons without a winning

record. We dont like the statistic. I dont like it.

We want to go out and win a lot more games

and change how everybody looks at this team.

6. Whats the one thing you would like

people to know about Louis Delmas?

LD: That Louis Delmas will always beLouis Delmas. Fun. Exciting. Unpredictable.

You never know what to expect, but I sure

hope to leave you with a smile on your face.

7. How would you describe the way

you play?

LD: With reckless abandon. Im like a

wrench. Sometimes you use me to tighten

up a bolt. Sometimes you use me to fix an

entire house. Sometimes you use me to put

a screw in the wall. Ill do whatever it takes to

win. I love contact. I love hitting. I love knock-

ing the ball loose. I love making plays.

8. Tell us what you are like away from

football, your passions?

LD: The one thing I love just as much as

football is fishing. If I could, I would get on my

boat on this two-hour break we have between

lunch and meetings. Yep, Id go fishing and Id

love it. Its so peaceful out there. Its my pas-

sion. Ill go deep-sea fishing. Bass fishing. Any

kind of fishing. Once you get that first bite, its

like Im running down the sideline trying to

score a touchdown. Its that exciting for me.

9. You signed a one-year contract with

the Dolphins. Tell us what it would mean

to you for this to be your final stop?

LD: It would mean everything in the

world to me. Dont get me wrong, I dontwant this year to be my final stop. I want to

play a long time and Id love to play here.

But I know I have to prove myself first. Ive

been around. I was in Detroit for five years.

But this is like a new beginning for me. I

want to surround myself with players just like

these teammates on the Dolphins. I love the

hunger here. I love that my teammates wantto win as much as I want to win. As long as

you play with that hunger, you can always

look in the mirror at the end of the day.

10. Finally, when you finish your career,

what do you want the fans to say about

Louis Delmas?

LD: First of all, I hope thats not anytime

soon. But when I do finish, I want people toknow all about the name on the back of my jer-

sey. That name means more to me than just

football. Every time I make a tackle, every time

I speak to my teammates, every time I speak to

the media or every time people see me on the

streets, I want them to know that Louis Delmas

is a great person and a great football player. I

dont think thats asking for too much, do you?


10 QUESTIONS, from page 47


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DRAFT PICK EDITION

By MICHAEL FARNHAM

Describe yourself

off the field

Favorite television

show character

Laid-back, just a

regular guy.

I like to relax.

Real laid-back, love to

have fun, love to make

people laugh, make

people smile, be the

jokester

Very energetic and Im

also a family dude,

family guy. I love my

dog, Beans,

an English mastiff.

Hank Moody from

Showtimes

Californication or

someone from Sons

of Anarchy

Same way I am on the

field, just very

proficient in what I do

and try to maximize all

opportunities given

Jerry from

Tom & Jerry.

Hes always running

around,

working

hard.

I would

have to say

the Hulk.

Stewie

from

Family Guy

JAWUAN JAMES

JARVIS LANDRY

BILLY TURNER

JORDAN TRIPP


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#STRONGERTOGETHER

Favorite

musical artist

Favorite material

possession

What satisfies

my sweet tooth Message to Dolphins fans

Jay-Z

Gummy bears

Fins Up!

I have no

preferences

for music.

Right now

Im really big

on Sam Smith.

Gummy fruit

My message to

Dolphins fans is, all the

support we can get

from you guys will defi-

nitely be helpful.

I would say my dog,

Beans.

Get ready for the

season!

Tool Hersheys bars

Fins Up!

Ive got a bad sweet

tooth, probably

bread pudding.

My acoustic guitar.

Thats kind of my relief.

I like

Earth Wind

and Fire,

the

Isley Brothers.

My iPhone

Nothing, I dont like

materialistic

possessions


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MEGANThree-year veteranCo-Captain

Hometown: Miami, Fla.


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MY GENERATION THIS WEEK: SAFETIES By ZACH DEAN

CURRENT PLAYER:JIMMY WILSON1. Who is the toughest receiver you have

faced?

Im always in the slot, so we have some

fast guys to cover. T.Y. Hilton, when hes in

the slot hes pretty tough. Hes a big speed

and change-of-direction type of guy.

2. Who sets the bar at your position?

The more I compete, the more I can

handle. I see guys in the league making

plays, but we have some of the best cor-

ners in the league on our team. Whenever

Brent Grimes makes a play I try to emulate

him, so I try to make as many plays as he

does.

3. What DB did you admire growing up?Deion Sanders. I was a die-hard Cowboys

fan, which most people dont know, but

yeah, Im a huge Deion fan.

4. What has been the most memorable

moment of your career?

Probably the game-closing interception

against Atlanta last year.

5. What do you do in the offseason to

stay occupied?

Ive got a daughter and a son on the way,

so Im trying to spend more time with them.

I travel, get out to San Diego to see some

friends, so thats pretty much what my off-

season consists of.


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FORMER PLAYER: SHAWN WOODEN

1. Who is the toughest receiver you

faced?

I faced some great receivers during my

playing days like Jerry Rice and Randy Moss.

If I had to choose one that created problems

not only for me but also the rest of the

defense, then I would say Marvin Harrison.

This is because of the WR-QB combo with

Peyton Manning.

2. Who set the bar at your position?

Each generation of football has one or

two guys at a position that defines what it is

like to play that position at a high level.

When I was playing, I kind of bridged two

generations, the 90s and the early 2000s.

The 90s was hot for the hard-hitting safetieslike Steve Atwater and our very own Louis

Oliver. During the 2000s the ball-hawking

safety came in and stole the show. Ed Reed

and Troy Polamalu are perfect examples of

this type of safety. The one who sets the bar

for the position is Ronnie Lott.

3. What safety did you admire growing

up?

The one safety that I loved to watch and

that I think could be considered the best

safety to play the game would be Ronnie

Lott. He knew how to lay the wood and

make plays all over the field. His football

IQ was astounding. He intimidated receivers

and TEs with his hard hits, and quarterbackswith his ability to make interceptions.

4. What has been the most memorable

moment of your career?

I would probably say that the most mem-

orable moment would have to have been

the first time that I came out of that tunnel

with all the fans cheering and realizing that I

made it here. That I made it in the NFL and

that I was a professional football player for

the Miami Dolphins. You see, I was never

supposed to be on an NFL roster. I was dam-

aged goods coming out of college. About

half the teams in the NFL had me on the

will not play in the NFL list due to my

medical history. I was coming out of collegewith a major back surgery and knee surgery.

Thats why I have so much gratitude to

Coach Johnson because he gave me a shot.

5. What did you do in the offseason to

stay occupied?

The offseason was time to spend some

quality time with family and friends. That

usually meant a little bit of traveling when

we werent working out. My first couple of

years, me and a couple of the other players

used to go on a cruise with some of the

Dolphin Fan Club members. We had a blast.

I met a lot of good people that I am still

friends with to this day. I would also try to

get back home to Philly during this time.


#STRONGERTOGETHER


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THE LAST WORD BY ANDY COHEN

Without prodding, without the slightest

hesitation, Joe Philbin rattles off the dates

as if he will never forget them.

December 22nd and December 29th

have been sticking in my craw for a long

time, he said.

Those were the dates of the season-end-

ing losses to the Buffalo Bills and New York

Jets, two games that changed the complex-

ion of the 2013 season. The Dolphins were

8-6 and had a real shot at making the play-

offs. But it all came apart in those two loss-

es. A season of real hope quickly turned to

average, an 8-8 record leaving the teams

second-year head coach frustrated, disap-

pointed and searching for answers.

We spent a lot of time this offseason try-

ing to examine everything that happened in

those games, Philbin said. It wasnt the

way any of us wanted the season to end.

Joe Philbin sits in his office on a late

Sunday afternoon, briefly looking back at

what could have been, but far more intent

on gazing straight ahead toward his third

season leading this franchise. Philbin will tell

you that this is the most talent hes had on

the roster since he arrived, that the upgrade

in depth is evident at every practice.

Things can change in a hurry in this

league, but I feel good about this roster, he

said. I believe in these players. We made

some incremental improvements last sea-

son. It wasnt as much as I wanted or as sud-

den as I wanted, but I am convinced we are

heading in the right direction.

And Joe Philbin feels he, as the head

coach, is heading in the right direction as

well. He readily admits that hes a better

coach today than he was two training camps

ago. He understands his players better. He

communicates with them better. He has a

better feel for the demands and challenges

of his job.

I loved this job when I took it, he says,

but I love it even more now.

What he doesnt love is losing. He does-

nt love remembering dates on a schedule

that bring back sour memories. He doesnt

love a 15-17 record in his two seasons here.

That the Dolphins were in position to make

the playoffs after 14 games last season

showed promise. But those two losses only

underlined how much work remained.

To get as close as we did shows a lot

about our guys, Philbin said. But when

you look closer youve got to ask: Why did-

nt we? What are some of the things we did-

nt do? More than anything else, it showed

me we still have a lot of room for develop-

ment.

I truly like and respect this man. He is

committed to this organization, committed

to the people around him who he praises,

from his top assistants to the guy who cuts

the grass on the practice field at night. He is

so even-keeled, so calculating, so unbeliev-

ably organized. And, yes, so passionate,

even though his calm, low-key demeanor

might suggest otherwise.

It has been a privilege to serve as head

coach of the Dolphins, he tells me. I try to

connect with our fans as much as possible.

You can feel their passion. I listen when they

say to me: Coach, we are going to do it this

year. Coach, we have a lot of confidence in

you. Coach, were going all the way.

You love to hear people who are as pas-

sionate as that. I share their passion and

Philbin embraces this challenge


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enthusiasm for this season. I want them to

rest assured I am as passionate as they are

and Im going to work tirelessly to help that

dream come true.

The events of last season, both on andoff the field, led Philbin to take a closer look

at himself. He realized he needed to com-

municate better and to have a more thor-

ough feel of the mind-set of his players. So

he scheduled one-on-one meetings with

most of his players and he listened intently.

But thats not all: He even personally han-

dled bed check every night in training camp

to stay close to his players. Yep, that was

Coach Philbin making sure the lights were

out.

I asked the guys a lot of questions,

Philbin said of the one-on-one meetings.

What is your favorite thing about being a

Dolphin? What is one thing you would

change about the program and it didnt

matter the cost? It was interesting to get a

perspective from the guys. The more infor-

mation you have the better decisions you

can make.

But communication is one thing; per-

formance is another. Philbin expects to be a

better coach this season just as he expects

his players to be better players. He has out-

lined to them his expectations, his goals.

You always want to improve in your

coaching, he said. I tell my players I want

them to be a better football team in

November and December than they were in

the opening week. As a coach, you want to

get better. I feel good about where Ive

come since year one.

But Philbin will be the first to tell you its

all about winning. He knows thats how hell

be judged. He embraces that. He talks of

the great Dolphins teams of the 70s and

how he would love nothing more than to

help write a new chapter.

This is an important season, an important

time. There is so much to do, so many deci-

sions to make and so many pieces to craft

together in forming the fabric of this football

team.

Joe Philbin clearly is ready for the chal-

lenge.


Joe Philbin likes the direction the Dolphins areheading and is confident the team can takethe next step this season.


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