|
The defensive line has been one specific area that has had a significant impact in helping the Cowboys' defense turn in some outstanding performances recently.
And while much of that success is attributable to starting linemen Marcus Spears, Jay Ratliff and Igor Olshansky, one shouldn't overlook the contributions of the backups who are a part of the regular rotation, particularly fourth-year man Stephen Bowen.
After starting out as an undrafted free agent who spent half his rookie year on the practice squad, Bowen has developed into a solid, dependable component of a good defensive unit. Even though he's been deployed mostly in third down, Nickel and Dime situations, Bowen has made his mark this season.
Through the first seven games of 2009, he had compiled 16 tackles, one sack, and ranked third on the team with 13 quarterback pressures, which already surpasses his previous career-high.
"I think I've been doing pretty good," the 6-5, 306-pound Bowen says. "The reps that I've been doing, I just try to make a difference when I'm in there. I think that we have a very good D-Line and everybody can contribute."
The soft-spoken, humble Bowen is quick to deflect any praise for his own play to the rest of the unit and his position coach.
"I'm trying to, when I'm in there, make a difference for our team and I think everybody on our D-Line does the same thing as well," says Bowen, who also registered his first NFL pass breakup in the win over Seattle on Nov. 1. "I think it's the way we watch film. I credit our coach, Todd Grantham, the way he breaks down film and we try to exploit other teams' weaknesses, to try to get pressure on everybody. It's a lot of film study and the way our coach stays on us."
Bowen's efforts have certainly not gone unnoticed by his teammates.
"He's a great player, he's a really good athlete and strong," notes Olshansky, the starting right end ahead of Bowen on the depth chart. "And when you have a lot of athletic ability and strength at our position, you're going to be successful."
"Me and Stephen, we came in together, we started from scratch, working our way up," says fellow defensive end Jason Hatcher, another player who's been impressive in part-time duty. "Stephen put a lot of work in, me and him both, and I saw him grow as a person and as a football player and he's a big part of this team. He's playing well this year-our whole defensive line is playing well. I take my hat off to a guy like that, a great dude, a great family man. I could go on and on about Stephen. He's a great guy, he's one of my best friends."
Many, including Bowen himself, believe his best days are still ahead of him, and for a large man with that kind of quickness who is still developing into an effective pass-rusher at the NFL level, his continued progression is almost a sure thing.
"I see speed and quickness out of Bow. For a big guy, he's real quick," points out Junior Siavii, the D-line's other solid reserve who has also been a regular contributor. "He gets off good, he's got good technique. I think Bow is shining in almost every game. We haven't seen enough of Bow yet. He's coming, though. He's getting better each game, works hard at practice. I think he's going to burst out one of these games and everybody's going to find out who Bow is, a great player."
"I'm not satisfied with what I've done now, everybody has room for improvement and I think I have a lot of room for improvement," Bowen says. "I try to get better every day. I don't know if there was a moment where a light turned on, I just think that hard work pays off. I try to work hard every day and try to get noticed. You see Miles (Austin) and Sam (Hurd)-all of us came in undrafted. I think that we just kept working hard every day and knew that maybe one day people would start noticing."
While that day has already arrived, Bowen has overcome incredible odds just to reach his current level of success. From the small town of Dix in upstate New York, Bowen was an outstanding athlete at Half Hollow Hills West High School, lining up at both running back and linebacker, while also starring on the basketball team.
"I was (a running back) most of my life," says Bowen, who gained 235 yards and four touchdowns rushing his senior year, while also recording 330 yards receiving with five TDs. "I played football since I was seven, and up until like ninth grade, I was like average height. Then I just started getting a boost every year with my height, so then I had to switch to tight end. And I played basketball as well. A lot of guys say I have good feet and stuff like that, but it's because I wasn't always big. I guess that's where that came from."
While attending a small college, Hofstra on Long Island, that isn't exactly heavily-visited by NFL scouts, Bowen was moved to defensive end and flourished concentrating strictly on the defensive side of the ball.
"I didn't play defensive line until I got to college, so I had to learn on the go," says Bowen, who amassed 168 tackles over his three-year career (two as a starter) at Hofstra, along with 11.5 sacks. "I always loved defense; I never wanted to play offense like that. I'd rather be the person hitting the target than being the target."
Bowen signed with the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2006, and though he didn't initially make the 53-man roster, he joined the practice squad and spent half the season there, learning and improving. He moved up to the main roster after eight games and after being inactive for seven more contests, made his NFL debut in the final game of the season against Detroit, registering his first career sack, ironically enough against current Cowboys backup quarterback Jon Kitna.
The perseverance and dedication he displayed while progressing in each successive season-totaling 23 tackles and nine quarterback pressures in 2007, and then collecting 28 tackles and nine quarterback pressures last season-exemplifies the gradual ascension that all small-school undrafted free agents would love to emulate.
"I don't see myself as a role model or inspiration for people. I'm just trying to work hard to the best of my ability," Bowen says. "Going against players like (offensive linemen) Andre Gurode and Flozell (Adams) every day on the practice squad, they just get you ready for how it's going to be in the game. I just kept working hard and when I made the transition to start playing in the games, I think it just made it easier playing against Pro Bowlers like these guys."
One particular skill Bowen honed considerably during that time is his natural ability to excel as a pass-rusher.
"I just work hard in the offseason, work on my technique," Bowen says of his pass-rushing success. "I just try to work off of what the offensive lineman is giving me. If he's going to give me inside more, I'm going to try to take it. If he's going to try to just play me off the ball and not shoot his hands, I'm going to bull him."
In addition to his unusual combination of speed and size, Bowen has a keen analytical mind as well. As a psychology major at Hofstra, he became interested in sports psychology and decided he wanted to become a football coach if he didn't reach the NFL.
"I just like the study of the mind and stuff, and then as I started to get into my major, I took a couple of sports psychology courses. That's what made me think I wanted to coach," Bowen recounts. "I just love football so much, I just wanted to be around the game, so I probably see myself coaching or something in the football field."
Bowen does admit that he'd have to alter his approach a bit if and when he ever enters the coaching profession.
"As a coach, I'd probably have to be more vocal," he says. "I just try to lead by example. I'm not much of a talker like that, so I just try to lead by what I'm doing on the field."
All he'd have to do to get his message across as a coach is show some film of his recent performances.
| Home | Email | Print | Register for New Alerts | RSS |
|
