Even on the rare occasions when the Raiders win the battle ... they still lose. Oakland dropped their third game in four tries Sunday against Houston. And on the way to their latest defeat cornerback Chris Johnson may have been a victim of religious persecution*. During the game. By the officials.
After intercepting a Matt Schaub pass Johnson fell to his knees, pointed skyward to give thanks to The Big Guy for his good fortune, and was promptly flagged for his belief that there was a Big Guy who would actually allow the Raiders to exist in their current form.
Video after the jump (includes some naughty language).
Free agent linebacker Greg Ellis will sign a three-year contract today with the Raiders, according to a source. Ellis visited the Raiders on Friday and agreed to the deal Sunday night.
CARROLLTON, Texas -- DeMarcus Ware led the NFL in sacks last season with a career-high 20. The Cowboys outside linebacker didn't receive the league Defensive Player of the Year award for his efforts, though -- that went to James Harrison of the Steelers.
But Ware is not too concerned about awards. He wants more pressures, more victories, and of course, more money.
Save the actual act of filling out the pink slip, Greg Ellis' 11-year career with the Cowboys is done. He was hailed as a team leader -- something the organization lacked in recent years -- and his DallasCowboys.com bio confirms as much:
"... Ellis has been a pillar of consistency and production for the Cowboys in his 10 seasons as an NFL player. Whether it be overcoming the adversity of a serious injury or making a position switch in the later stages of his career, Ellis has always responded."
But as you might have heard, the NFL is a business, and players -- even the good ones -- are sent on their way as soon as a coach, scout or owner determines they're no longer useful. And with 2007 first-round pick Anthony Spencer ready to assume Ellis' job, it was a relatively easy decision, at least from a business standpoint.
Based on what Jones told Dallas reporters, the team is in no rush to make the actual move. Ellis will not be attending OTAs, and Jones said he's given Ellis and his agent permission to try and arrange a trade with another team if they can. The Cowboys would rather trade Ellis than release him and have to pay the $1.5 million guaranteed portion of his salary, but his $5.6 million salary and his salary cap number of $6.25 million are likely to make a trade difficult.
The Dallas Cowboys are shopping outside linebacker Greg Ellis, multiple sources told FanHouse on Thursday. Ellis is one of the most trusted defenders the team has, but it would like to push 2007 first-round pick Anthony Spencer into a starting role.
Ellis is in the last year of his contract and if released, is owed $1.5 million by the Cowboys as part of a contractually agreed upon settlement.
Dallas is serious about a potential move because on Thursday, the final day of this week's organized team activities, the team sent Ellis home, not allowing him to practice. The Cowboys did this last year during some OTAs, and coach Wade Phillips said then it was to not wear Ellis down. He turns 34 in August.
With the draft approaching, we ignore projections and identify the dream scenario for each team in a series we call The Perfect Draft.
To say the 2008 Dallas Cowboys season was tumultuous wouldn't really be giving credit to the word. The team had suspensions, Jessica Simpsons and the incredible absence of TD-ing. Dallas missed the playoffs after being a favored team going into the season and now has gone through a total redesign.
With Terrell Owens shipped to Buffalo, the passing game will go through Roy Williams, who has never been the player to take control of an offense. Balking on Ray Lewis and sticking with Tony Romo, this crew has a long way to go to be the best in their division, which is the toughest in the NFL. Along with all their obvious holes, the offensive line is a tad thin and the safety position could be improve drastically.
Jones is fresh off a 30-day stint at a Boston rehab facility, and was suspended for the entire 2007 season for various off-field transgressions. He'll return punts and play in the Cowboys' nickel packages this Sunday against the Steelers, assuming, of course, he can maintain that new-found work ethic.
"I think that's positive," [Cowboys secondary coach Dave] Campo said. "I talked to him two or three times before the last incident went down, and [now] I've kind of given him some space a little bit. I told him if you want to visit about anything don't hesitate. That's kind of the approach I'm taking."
The Dallas Morning News' Calvin Watkins writes that before Mr. Pacman's six-game suspension, he had struggled returning punts, averaging just five yards per runback. Opinions differ on Jones' worth as a defensive back, but given the team's inconsistencies in the secondary, at the very least, he offers depth.
Yesterday, Carson Palmeradmitted that his sore right elbow kept him from having the confidence to make certain throws during the Dallas game (his ability to throw interceptions was unaffected, however; his first pass was tipped to Cowboys linebacker Greg Ellis).
Palmer originally suffered the injury during the Week 3 loss to the Giants, and backup Ryan Fitzpatrick had to will the team to defeat against the then-winless Browns seven days later.
Palmer made an appearance last Sunday, but apparently his elbow injury has worsened, which means MORE FITZPATRICK FOR EVERYBODY! But there's more good news: it's not a season-ending condition for Palmer, so he'll be back (although, to be fair, Palmer might be fine with taking off the next 10 months to regroup).
Lewis indicated Palmer's injury is not a season-ending condition, but the club wants to try getting him some rest so it doesn't become a week-to-week situation. Lewis didn't rule out Palmer as a backup for Sunday and wouldn't say if he will be the No. 2 or No. 3 quarterback.
"We're trying to get it not a week-to-week thing," Lewis said. "We want to get the thing calmed down so it doesn't give him any irritation or problems at all."
Training camps are underway, the NFL season is a month off, and to get you ready for 2008, FanHouse previews all 32 teams, "heat index" style. We'll rate each club in 10 categories on a scale of 1 to 10, high score wins.
Quarterback: We know that Tony Romo isn't a fluke. He stepped in last year and had another fantastic season, setting team records in the process. There are questions remaining about distractions (Romessica) and winning a playoff game (none in his two years) which Romo must answer if he wants to take a place among the NFL's elite. Dallas is putting all their eggs in that basket as the only fallback if Romo gets hurt is 39-yr old Brad Johnson who isn't quite the risk taker. Heat Index: 9
Running backs: It's rare when a team loses their starting running back and everyone is fine with the position. Julius Jones is gone, but rookie Felix Jones is in. Jones (Felix) will get a ton of carries this season to keep Marion Barber fresh. Barber, who only started the Cowboys' playoff game, is the NFL's version of Mariano Rivera -- he dominates late in games and finishes drives off. Jones and Barber will combined for that classic "lightning and thunder" combo and should be quite successful doing it in what supposed to be a more run-friendly offense. Heat Index: 7
Even on the rare occasions when the Raiders win the battle ... they still lose. Oakland dropped their third game in four tries Sunday against Houston. And on the way to their latest defeat cornerback Chris Johnson may have been a victim of religious persecution*. During the game. By the officials. 
Save the actual act of filling out the pink slip, 
Cowboys owner 
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With the draft approaching, we ignore projections and identify the dream scenario for each team in a series we call 
Tenth time's a charm, as the old saying goes. After countless run-ins with legal authorities and the NFL, "Adam" 
Yesterday, 
Training camps are underway, the NFL season is a month off, and to get you ready for 2008, 
