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ENGLEWOOD, Colo. - Sure, the Cowboys would like to cut down on the number of interference penalties charged against them last week (three) in this Saturday night's preseason against the Denver Broncos.
Sure, the Cowboys would like to cut down on the number of turnovers they had in their preseason opener (two) in this 8 p.m. (CDT) start at Invesco Field at Mile High.
And sure, the Cowboys definitely want to take a further look, and in some cases a first look, at a whole bunch of the young players trying to squeeze onto this roster in the second preseason game of the summer before heading back home from this extended training camp here in the Denver area.
But most of all, it seems, the Cowboys want to see significant improvement from their first preseason game to the second on special teams, especially in coverage, where they were rather porous against the San Diego Chargers last Saturday night.
"We had effort, we just got some guys who need to learn," Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips said following Friday's walk-through practice which had to be moved from Invesco Field to the South Suburban Sports Dome here because of steady morning rains and temperatures dropping down to as low as 50. "Our kick-off coverage was good last week but our punt coverage was horrible. But we had five starters who didn't play and the young guys just didn't come through.
"But I think they learned a lot and I'm going to give them another opportunity. That's part of it . . . the young guys need to learn and see if they can contribute."
Phillips is right. The Cowboys allowed the Chargers to gain 82 yards on four returns, including a 25-yarder by Darren Sproles and a 21-yarder by Mark Jones. And this appears to be a troubling trend stemming from last season, along with some spotty kick-off coverage.
So with two of their better special teams players out - Kevin Burnett returning to Dallas to have his left knee scoped and Anthony Spencer still nursing the bone bruise on his knee - the Cowboys will be looking at several young guys on punt coverage. That should include sixth-round pick Erik Walden, backup tight end Tony Curtis, rookie free-agent fullback Julius Crosslin, first-round pick Mike Jenkins and fifth-round pick Orlando Scandrick on the first two punt-coverage unites.
And covering kickoffs in the first half figures to be a bunch of rookies, including Jenkins, Tashard Choice, Dowayne Davis and two young guys who were rookies last year, Deon Anderson and Courtney Brown.
These units - and these guys - also will attract the attention of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.
"An area that is big to me," Jones said of eyeing the coverage units, "(because) we have our third, fourth and fifth receivers who can be great cover guys, and are cover guys, and (Isaiah) Stanback showed big effort out there. We've got our young secondary people that can be great cover guys. We got a couple of running backs who can be great cover guys.
"We got a lot of cover guys and I think in this ball game we are going to see them utilized in coverage and do a better job on special teams."
Returning To Defense
While the Cowboys might take a look at Adam Jones returning a punt or two Saturday night against the Broncos, they seem more interested in the suspended cornerback knocking the rust off playing defense.
Jones experienced some spotty tackling against the Chargers, the first real football game he had played since Dec. 31, 2006, after getting suspended by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell in April of last year for repeated violation of the league's conduct policy. He also was called for interference, wiping out a Pat Watkins interception in the end zone, and noticeably struggled in coverage during the four practices against the Broncos this week.
"I'd like to see Adam on some of those returns," said Jerry Jones, but wasn't sure if he would. "And one of the things you'd like to see is him do is man up a little bit. I'm interested in seeing how he plays."
He meant at cornerback, where Adam Jones is working behind starter Anthony Henry on the right side and has been playing right cornerback on the first dime defense when Henry goes inside to the slot on the tight end side. Adam Jones had his hands full trying to cover the likes of Denver's Brandon Marshall during the four practices here against the Broncos.
Even Phillips admits his young corner has some work to do.
"I just want him to get comfortable on defense, and the defense we're playing," Phillips said. "He's a little rusty on defense, but we have two more preseason games. And I'd like for him to return some."
Phillips said on Thursday when asked if Adam Jones would return any punts, "Uh, maybe not," but then on Friday amended that to "maybe - one or two."
Saturday's Expected Bystanders
Technically, the Cowboys will be without two starters Saturday night because of injury, including starting left corner Terence Newsman (groin) and Burnett, the starting nickel linebacker who had his left knee scoped on Friday to remove a loose piece of cartilage.
Also missing the Denver preseason game will be third outside linebacker Anthony Spencer, who suffered a bruised knee in San Diego and has not practice here all week.
Other players scheduled to miss the second preseason game are first-year cornerback Quincy Butler (hamstring), first-year safety Tyler Everett (back) and rookie defensive end Marcus Dixon (back).
The Broncos are getting a tad thin at running back, where projected rookie starter Ryan Torain is already out three months with a dislocated elbow that also caused ligament damage. And on Thursday, third-stringer Anthony Alridge of Denton, Texas, suffered a pulled hamstring and did not participate in Friday's walk-through workout. That leaves Texas rookie Selvin Young as Saturday night's likely starter. Also still not practicing is veteran center Tom Nalen, who had his knee scoped in the off-season.
Another First
This will be the first time the Cowboys will play at Invesco Field at Mile High, which replaced the Broncos' venerable Mile High Stadium in 2001.
The Cowboys met the Broncos in a 2000 preseason game in Denver while the new stadium was being built in the former parking lot right next door. And not since 1998 have the Cowboys met the Broncos in Denver for a regular-season game.
Certainly Cowboys officials will tour Invesco Field with great interest since they are less than a year away from completing their own new stadium being built in Arlington, Texas.
The combination of an open-air stadium and natural grass turf promises to be tested Saturday night since the forecast is calling for 60 percent chance of showers, with temperatures at night in the upper 50's. Rain has fallen for most of the day on Friday here and the temperature in the middle of the afternoon has reached only 52, making for sloppy conditions.
Short Shots
While Phillips indicated his first units might play a little longer than they did in the first preseason game, that decision ultimately might be affected by the weather conditions . . . The Cowboys have said they'd like to get backup quarterback Brad Johnson some snaps with the first-team offense, but if he does, Phillips said he'll be out there without Marion Barber, Terrell Owens and Jason Witten, so basically just the first-team offensive line . . . When asked who might take over for Keith Davis as special teams captain this year, Phillips suggested third-year safety Pat Watkins, who led the team last year with 25 special teams tackles. "I think he is our best one, and I think he has some leadership qualities," Phillips said of Watkins. "I think Pat Watkins is that guy who is going to probably lead that group." . . . The Cowboys traveling road show will finally come to a 3½-week end following the preseason game in Denver, the team returning home immediately after the game, likely to officially end the road portion of training camp around 2:30 a.m. (CDT) Sunday when their charter flight is estimated to land at DFW.
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Mickey Spagnola - 
