3 Dallas Cowboys

THE BELIEF
A solidified offensive line will allow quarterback Drew Bledsoe to take full advantage of Terrell Owens's arrival and throw downfield more often. The volatile T.O. will keep his cool under coach Bill Parcells and provide big plays for an offense that lacked explosiveness last season.

THE REALITY
No one said it wasn't going to be interesting. After arriving at camp, Owens missed a string of practices with a hamstring injury, at one point riding a stationary bike in an outlandish Discovery Channel cycling outfit, and last week he was fined for missing a meeting and a rehab session for his injury. The hamstring kept him out of Dallas's first three preseason games, making it difficult to tell how he'll fit in once the real games begin.

But other signs were more promising. Coming off a bitter dispute with his quarterback in Philadelphia, Donovan McNabb, Owens was cooperating with Bledsoe. Shortly after T.O. signed in March, the Dallas quarterback sat down with his new wideout to explain how he expected their relationship to work. "I simply told him that if he gives me good information, I'll get him the ball," says Bledsoe.

But it's how well the line performs that's the real key to the season. Last year that unit fell apart following injuries to left tackle Flozell Adams (torn right ACL, Week 6) and guard Marco Rivera (strained neck, Week 15), and the entire offense went into a funk that it never escaped. By season's end the Cowboys had allowed 50 sacks and were averaging an anemic 3.6 yards per rushing attempt. When camp opened the status of Adams's recovery left Parcells "a little worried," and the 6'7", 335-pound nine-year veteran was placed on the physically unable to perform list for the first four days of practice. As camp progressed, however, Adams began to move more fluidly and had less swelling in the repaired knee.

That's reassuring for the quarterback's safety and the passing game as a whole. Should Adams struggle, the Cowboys might have to use tight ends and running backs in pass protection as they did last season. That means Dallas has to rely more on three-receiver sets that rob Bledsoe of his check-down options--a running back in the flat, for instance--and make the offense more predictable. "We had to play some younger guys when Flozell went down, and that meant I had to stay in and block more," says Pro Bowl tight end Jason Witten, whose receptions dropped from 87 in 2004 to 66 last year. "We had to do what was necessary to protect the quarterback." (And might that eventually be fourth-year man Tony Romo? More mobile than the 34-year-old Bledsoe, he got significant preseason playing time.)

The 11-year veteran Rivera is needed not only for his play on the line but also for his leadership. "Marco brings a calmness to the group when he's out there," center Andre Gurode says. Rivera had surgery to repair a herniated disc in March 2005, but his back still bothered him throughout last season. He's looked solid in camp this year and should be ready to anchor the line. The new starters up front are quick, powerful fifth-year left guard Kyle Kosier and right tackle Marc Colombo, who looks to have beaten out free agent Jason Fabini and 2005 starter Rob Petitti for the job.

"We can have T.O., Witten and all these other weapons," says Bledsoe, "but it really comes down to the line. We have to have things go right up front."

2006 SCHEDULE

SEPTEMBER
10 at Jacksonville
17 WASHINGTON
24 Bye

OCTOBER
1 at Tennessee
8 at Philadelphia
15 HOUSTON
23 N.Y. GIANTS (M)
29 at Carolina