Post by ccboy on Dec 24, 2009 23:34:32 GMT -7
Dallas Cowboys’ Anthony Spencer turns near misses into defensive gems
By CHAREAN WILLIAMS
cjwilliams@star-telegram.com
IRVING — When Anthony Spencer heard the Elias Sports Bureau had taken away half a sack from him four days after Saturday night’s game, he wasn’t surprised. It’s the way Spencer’s season has gone.
It’s been a near miss here, a near miss there.
"It’s happened like that all year," Spencer said. " …In Green Bay, I had [quarterback Aaron Rodgers] wrapped up. The Redskins’ game with the review. There’s been a few of them, actually. I’m not going to think about it, though."
While DeMarcus Ware was lauded as the defensive star for his performance in the Dallas Cowboys’ 24-17 upset of the New Orleans Saints, Spencer arguably was the best defensive player on the field Saturday. It was the best game of Spencer’s career as he was credited by the in-game stat crew with six tackles, two for loss, two sacks, three quarterback hits and a fumble recovery that sealed the game.
He gained a tackle and lost a half-sack in postgame video reviews by Cowboys coaches and Elias, the NFL’s official statistician. They ruled Marcus Spears got to Drew Brees first for the sack before Spencer finished him off.
Whatever Spencer’s stats were, there is no debating he was good.
"He definitely stepped in and played well," Cowboys inside linebacker Bradie James said of Spencer. "He took some heat earlier [this season]. He kept getting to the quarterback, but he wasn’t sacking them. Now, he is getting to the quarterback, sacking him and making some plays."
Too many times this season, Spencer was close enough to see them sweat, yet not close enough to make the play.
He had an interception go through his hands and into the hands of Denver Broncos running back Knowshon Moreno for a 9-yard touchdown pass in the Cowboys’ 17-10 loss.
He had Rodgers wrapped up for a sack, only to see the Packers’ quarterback flip the ball underhanded, leaving Spencer to throw up his hands as if to say, "What do I have to do?"
He sacked Washington’s Jason Campbell for a 5-yard loss with 21 seconds remaining in the first half, only to have the play reversed on a replay review that the NFL later ruled shouldn’t have occurred.
He sacked Brees for a 6-yard loss in the third quarter Saturday, only to have the play negated by an illegal-use-of-hands penalty on teammate Orlando Scandrick.
Close, but no credit.
"Probably my biggest wake-up call was that Denver Broncos’ game when the ball went through my hands, and they ended up scoring and winning," Spencer said. "From that point on, I took it upon myself to make sure I’m getting better every day and focusing. I think it was just a lack of focus on one play, and it changed an entire game. It’s stuff like that that makes a difference. I’ve been focusing pretty hard lately."
In the past four games, Spencer has 31 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 13 quarterback pressures, two pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He finally is living up to the expectations the Cowboys had for him when they made him the 26th overall pick in 2007, making Cowboys fans forget about Greg Ellis.
"All you can say is he was in a developing stage [the past two years], and he just seems to be getting better and better each game," Cowboys linebackers coach Reggie Herring said. "The consistency level, the intensity, the play-making ability, everything’s just coming to the surface. At the same time, he’s gaining confidence each week and he’s just learning how to be a better player. ... The best thing is he’s not done yet."
By CHAREAN WILLIAMS
cjwilliams@star-telegram.com
IRVING — When Anthony Spencer heard the Elias Sports Bureau had taken away half a sack from him four days after Saturday night’s game, he wasn’t surprised. It’s the way Spencer’s season has gone.
It’s been a near miss here, a near miss there.
"It’s happened like that all year," Spencer said. " …In Green Bay, I had [quarterback Aaron Rodgers] wrapped up. The Redskins’ game with the review. There’s been a few of them, actually. I’m not going to think about it, though."
While DeMarcus Ware was lauded as the defensive star for his performance in the Dallas Cowboys’ 24-17 upset of the New Orleans Saints, Spencer arguably was the best defensive player on the field Saturday. It was the best game of Spencer’s career as he was credited by the in-game stat crew with six tackles, two for loss, two sacks, three quarterback hits and a fumble recovery that sealed the game.
He gained a tackle and lost a half-sack in postgame video reviews by Cowboys coaches and Elias, the NFL’s official statistician. They ruled Marcus Spears got to Drew Brees first for the sack before Spencer finished him off.
Whatever Spencer’s stats were, there is no debating he was good.
"He definitely stepped in and played well," Cowboys inside linebacker Bradie James said of Spencer. "He took some heat earlier [this season]. He kept getting to the quarterback, but he wasn’t sacking them. Now, he is getting to the quarterback, sacking him and making some plays."
Too many times this season, Spencer was close enough to see them sweat, yet not close enough to make the play.
He had an interception go through his hands and into the hands of Denver Broncos running back Knowshon Moreno for a 9-yard touchdown pass in the Cowboys’ 17-10 loss.
He had Rodgers wrapped up for a sack, only to see the Packers’ quarterback flip the ball underhanded, leaving Spencer to throw up his hands as if to say, "What do I have to do?"
He sacked Washington’s Jason Campbell for a 5-yard loss with 21 seconds remaining in the first half, only to have the play reversed on a replay review that the NFL later ruled shouldn’t have occurred.
He sacked Brees for a 6-yard loss in the third quarter Saturday, only to have the play negated by an illegal-use-of-hands penalty on teammate Orlando Scandrick.
Close, but no credit.
"Probably my biggest wake-up call was that Denver Broncos’ game when the ball went through my hands, and they ended up scoring and winning," Spencer said. "From that point on, I took it upon myself to make sure I’m getting better every day and focusing. I think it was just a lack of focus on one play, and it changed an entire game. It’s stuff like that that makes a difference. I’ve been focusing pretty hard lately."
In the past four games, Spencer has 31 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 13 quarterback pressures, two pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He finally is living up to the expectations the Cowboys had for him when they made him the 26th overall pick in 2007, making Cowboys fans forget about Greg Ellis.
"All you can say is he was in a developing stage [the past two years], and he just seems to be getting better and better each game," Cowboys linebackers coach Reggie Herring said. "The consistency level, the intensity, the play-making ability, everything’s just coming to the surface. At the same time, he’s gaining confidence each week and he’s just learning how to be a better player. ... The best thing is he’s not done yet."