Miami Has Better Safeties Than Dallas
By Brian Miller
The Dallas Cowboys may be revving up for another stab at a Super Bowl, at least in the eyes of their fans, but they may need to get better safeties. If Miami Dolphins officials can say that the Dolphins have better safeties than the Cowboys, well, I guess the safeties in Dallas suck.
While the “officials” name was not released, a few sites have reported that one of the Phins officials actually has made that claim and when you think about it, they would probably have a good idea if that is true, considering that half of the Dolphins officials were taken from Dallas.
Who better to know the Dallas Cowboys safeties than Cowboy’s Miami’s secondary coach Todd Bowles. ”Jason has a lot of speed and I like what I see, as much as you can like in shorts and a T-shirt“, speaking of Jason Allen. Yes, coach, we are still a ways away from getting pads on and well, Jason hasn’t been all that the last 2 years.
Bowles was not disclosed as the “official” and likely wasn’t. Looking at the Cowboys secondary, specifically safety, we find only 5 true safeties on their roster and one of those is still a questionable talent these days. Of course I’m talking about Roy Williams.
Williams was a very hard hitting safety and then for whatever reason, you can ask Greg Ellis, he wasn’t. In fact many a Dallas fans were calling for him to be traded instead of Anthony Fasano. Who by the way has a new nickname…more on that in a minute.
After the Pro-bowl Safety Williams (yes he did make the pro-bowl), is Courtney Brown who enters his 2nd season, rookie Dowayne Davis, 6 year veteran Pat Watkins, and the very talented Ken Hamlin. A guy who many Dolphins fans were hoping to see in Miami this year.
So while those “listed” safeties on the Cowboys site are hardly anything to sneeze at, they are not a blistering list of Super Bowl bound safeties either and if you compare them to the Miami Dolphins, well, at least in experience…yeah we got Dem Boyz’.
Chris Crocker is the latest addition to the unit and the 6 year veteran is expected to improve a unit that struggled with injury last season. The Dolphins also landed Keith Davis formerly of the Cowboys and he is expected to make an impact on special teams and will compete for one of the package spots in the secondary.
The Dolphins do however have a few guys that have shown glimpses of becoming stalwarts on the defense. Yeremiah Bell is emerging as a leader provided he can recover from yet another major injury, this time an Achilles. Jason Allen for all the garbage he has gone through began to show serious glimpses of his talent late last season and it appears that so far he is winning over his coaches.
Courtney Bryan who didn’t play horribly last season returns for his 2nd year and Renaldo Hill is returning after his season ending injury last year. Miami has some experience back there, whether or not that will translate into success largely depends on the front 7’s supporting cast of lineman and linebackers. In that area, proven, Dallas has the definitive edge and because of that, their safeties do not have to be stellar…yet.
Whether Roy Williams returns to his former Pro-Bowl self or continues his downward spiral, or for that matter suits up for another team, is not really the issue at hand. It’s youth behind him. If he can’t return, the guy everyone will look to is Hamlin…if they are not already and if they aren’t they should be.
Miami’s safeties better than the Cowboys? Maybe, but there is a lot more to being better safeties than running around the field in T’s and shorts…but of course Todd Bowles already knows that doesn’t he? For now, the comparisons between the Dolphins and the Cowboys can stop right there. While the Cowboys may or may not choke in the playoffs this year, they will at least be in the playoffs…regardless of who’s safeties are better.
So I did mention that Anthony Fasano has a new nickname, apparently Bill Parcells calls him “General Hospital” and has told him that he should wear scrubs. Fasano is recovering from surgery but is expected to be ready for camp. Fasano said that he believes the Dolphins got the better end of the trade that brought him and Akin Ayodele to Miami. Now that I will agree with.