National Football League

Cowboys owner sees opportunity with needed victory

Published Oct. 21, 2009 11:59 p.m. ET

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The Dallas Cowboys gained a half-game in the standings on the rest of the NFC East without playing a game and this week turned down a significant trade offer. What owner Jerry Jones sees now is an even bigger opportunity. Especially since the Cowboys (3-2) should be fresh coming off their bye week, when the other three division teams lost, and expect to get several key players back from injury at home Sunday against Atlanta (4-1). "That presents quite a challenge for us, but that's a good thing for our team right now, a very good thing," Jones said Wednesday. "We've got an opportunity here to really create some, perceived by our fans and by other people, some real credibility if we could come in here and beat the Falcons." Dallas' three victories are against a trio of teams with a combined 3-11 record, and overtime was needed to win at then-winless Kansas City in the last game. The two losses are against the New York Giants (5-1) and Denver (6-0). Unlike a year ago, when the Cowboys made a big deal to acquire receiver Roy Williams, the trading deadline passed Tuesday without any moves. "We had a significant offer for a key player that we turned down and turned down in getting in more extended dialogue for, " Jones said, refusing to provide details except to say it wasn't a running back. "It was a very firm, significant offer for one of our young players." Jones said part of the reason no deals were made is that he likes the general makeup of his team. "I feel as good about what we can do this year as I did last year when I traded for Roy Williams and gave consideration for Roy playing and helping us accomplish our goals last year," Jones said. "I feel every bit as strong as I felt last year." Maybe the result will be better this time, since the Cowboys missed the playoffs last season with a 9-7 record. Williams should be back in the lineup Sunday after missing the Kansas City game with bruised ribs sustained in the previous game. Safety Gerald Sensabaugh (right thumb) and running back Felix Jones (sprained left knee) are also expected back. If so, Sensabaugh will have missed only one game after surgery to repair a broken plate in his thumb and Jones will play for the first time since Sept. 28. With Williams back, and plans to use Miles Austin more after his franchise-record 250 yards receiving on 10 catches with two touchdowns against Kansas City while filling in for Williams, receiver Patrick Crayton is getting pushed out of the starting lineup. Coach Wade Phillips on Wednesday said Austin would start and deserved that chance. When asked who the other starting receiver would be, Phillips said it depended "on whether Roy Williams is healthy or not." Williams was a full participant in practice again Wednesday. "I think that Patrick Crayton is for whatever helps us win," Jones said. Still, Crayton seemed miffed that "nothing was explained" to him even though it seems evident to him that Austin will be starting. "It's been a tough two weeks, but I mean, it comes with the territory," Crayton said. "You've got to be able to respond and bounce back from it and go about your business. " Phillips contended, though, that Crayton had been told in a meeting. "We discussed it with him," Phillips said. "I have no doubt about it." Since four catches for 135 yards with an 80-yard touchdown in the season opener, Crayton has 11 catches for 108 yards with no touchdowns the past four games. Returning punts against Kansas City, he fumbled away the ball trying to field one and almost misplayed another one. The Cowboys last week signed kick returner and Dallas native Allen Rossum after he was released by San Francisco. Williams has 11 catches for 214 yards in his four games this season. He caught 19 passes for 198 yards in 10 games after being acquired from Detroit last October when Tony Romo was out for three games with a broken pinkie finger. Jones insists he has no regrets about the deal for Williams, in which Dallas gave up four draft picks, including first- and-third-round selections last April. The Cowboys also gave Williams a $45 million contract extension through 2013. "For various reasons, we did not get out of that trade the consideration that I thought we might get last year, and I think that's what calls it into question as much as anything," Jones said. "What's disappointing was last year. That was last year. ... What's is very positive is that we're sitting here and Roy Williams is a player that is in the prime of his career."

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