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Saturday, December 27, 1997

Cowboys produce failing grades

By DENNE H. FREEMAN / AP Sports Writer

IRVING, Texas (AP) -- Placekicker Richie Cunningham, safety Darren Woodson and guard-tackle Larry Allen were the only Dallas Cowboys who can claim to be A students in a failed 6-10 season.

Here are the grades, as posted on the closed door at Valley Ranch:

SPECIAL TEAMS

Cunningham hit a team-record 34 field goals in 37 attempts and was perfect on 23 extra point tries. The offensive MVP. A plus.

Punter Toby Gowin faded. C plus.

Kickoff returner Herschel Walker sometimes was the only offense the team had. B plus.

Punt returner Deion Sanders was good while he lasted. B.

OFFENSE

Allen was the only A student. Snapper Dale Hellestrae gets a B plus for his hikes, but couldn't he block just a little better?

Erik Williams gets a D. Too many penalties. Nate Newton gets an F. Too fat and always hurt. John Flannery gets a C for being just average. Mark Tuinei gets an I for being injured and an aloha for the likely end of his long career.

Tight end David LaFleur gets a B for blocking and an I for incomplete as a receiver because Troy Aikman seldom threw him the ball. Eric Bjornson gets a C for receiver before he got hurt and an F for blocking. Tight end Scott Galbraith gets a B for his blocking.

Aikman gets a C minus. Too many interceptions and not enough leadership.

Running back Emmitt Smith gets a C for fighting through his many injuries. Sherman Williams gets a D for fumbles.

Because fullback Daryl Johnston got hurt, he gets an incomplete although he played great before his injury.

Wide receiver Michael Irvin gets a D for not being more productive, even though he faced a lot of double-teams. Anthony Miller gets an F for failure to run routes and use his speed to separate from defensive backs. Stepfret Williams, the third-down receiver, gets a D for too many drops.

DEFENSE

Ends Tony Tolbert and Shante Carver get big fat Fs for their disappearing acts. Tackles Chad Hennings and Tony Casillas get Ds because although they stopped the run some, they never put pressure on the quarterback. An F for Leon Lett, where were you for 13 games?

Linebackers Randall Godfrey and rookie Dexter Coakley earned Bs for their letterjackets because they made plays. Middle linebacker Fred Strickland had a sinking spell of a season and gets a D. Broderick Thomas, a linebacker-lineman, gets an F for making himself forgotten. Ditto for Vinson Smith.

The secondary had an honor roll member in the hard-hitting Woodson at strong safety. The other safety, Brock Marion, gets a B for a productive year. Cornerback Kevin Smith earned a D because of too many penalties and occasionally getting toasted. Sanders would have made a C if he hadn't been hurt because he got beat several times.

COACHING

Barry Switzer gave himself a grade after the finale with the New York Giants.

It was an F.