Moore: Ratliff won’t practice in Oxnard but on target for season opener

[boozeman]

Source: Cowboys DT Jay Ratliff won’t practice in Oxnard but on target for season opener

By David Moore/ Reporter
dmoore@dallasnews.com
9:42 pm on August 7, 2013 |



Jay Ratliff will not practice while the team is in California, a source said, but there is no concern about his availability for the start of the season.

The Cowboys defensive tackle strained his hamstring during conditioning tests on the first day of training camp and was placed on the team’s physically unable to perform list. Club officials are pleased with his progress but want to remain cautious at this stage of camp.

The team plays in Oakland Friday and won’t return to the practice fields in Oxnard until Sunday. Five more practices are scheduled in Southern California before the team breaks camp on Aug. 16.

There’s a chance Ratliff will work back into practice before the team faces Cincinnati in the Cowboys first pre-season home game on Aug. 24.

“I think he’s fine,’’ executive vice president Stephen Jones said. “He’s right on. We don’t have any concerns right now with Jay.

“I think he’s moving in a good direction as far as we’re concerned.’’

 

[bbgun]

If he ends up starting 16 games I'll eat my hat. And by "hat" I mean 18-yo vag.

 

[Cotton]

If he ends up starting 16 games I'll eat my hat. And by "hat" I mean 18-yo vag.

Wow, it's already been 18 years since the surgery. Time really does fly by.

 

[1bigfan13]

I just hope he's able to get a few weeks of practice in before the season starts. I'm not concerned about him not playing in preseason games.

 

[boozeman]

Why are Cowboys so confident in Jay Ratliff?

By Tim MacMahon | ESPNDallas.com

August, 8, 2013

OXNARD, Calif. – What, the Cowboys worry about Jay Ratliff?

On the contrary, they have complete confidence that the four-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle will be a dominant force this season. They firmly believe that defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin’s scheme and defensive line coach Rod Marinelli’s coaching will revitalize Ratliff’s career.

That would all make perfect sense, if only Kiffin and Marinelli had healing powers.

There’s no reason to doubt that a healthy, in-his-prime Ratliff would have been a phenomenal fit as a 3-technique tackle in the Tampa 2, the gap-shooting spot which Warren Sapp made famous en route to the Hall of Fame. But the Cowboys seem to be crossing their fingers and ignoring all the reasons to doubt that Ratliff’s body will allow him to flourish in that role.

Ratliff’s hamstring strain will sideline him for at least the entire training camp. He still hadn’t completely recovered from the sports hernia surgery that ended his 2012 season early when the Cowboys reported to camp. And Ratliff has missed significant time over the last 18 months due to a torn plantar fascia and high ankle sprain.

His body is breaking down after Ratliff’s remarkable run of durability and productivity as an undersized 3-4 nose tackle. The Cowboys are counting heavily on a declining player.

The signs of decline were evident before injuries limited Ratliff, who missed only one game total in his first five year as a starter, to six games last season. Follow his sack numbers over the last five years: 7.5, 6, 3.5, 2 and 0.

You think that guy is going to be a dominant force just because he sees fewer double-teams?

Maybe sacks can be misleading. Try to find a stat that indicates anything other than Ratliff’s days as an impact player are done.

Ratliff’s last two Pro Bowl berths were based on reputation. The last one he earned on merit was in 2009, when he was credited with 83 tackles, six sacks, eight tackles for losses, 33 quarterback pressures, three forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries. Ratliff’s totals in 38 games since then: 101 tackles, 5.5 sacks, seven tackles for losses, 38 quarterback pressures, one forced fumble and three fumble recoveries.

Yet the Cowboys have complete faith that the injury-ravaged Ratliff will wreak havoc again this season.

That faith isn’t just lip service, either. They passed on Sharrif Floyd, the fifth overall player on the Cowboys’ board, when he fell to them in the draft and didn’t draft a defensive tackle.

For some reason, the Cowboys are comfortable counting on Kiffin and Marinelli to work a miracle and reverse time for Ratliff.

 

[boozeman]

Jerry Jones: Not concerned about Jay Ratliff missing camp or preseason, wants him ready for full season



When defensive tackle Jay Ratliff was placed on the physically unable to perform list at the start of training camp because of a hamstring injury suffered during the pre-camp conditioning test, it was supposed to be a short time thing.

Roughly four weeks later, Ratliff has yet to return to the practice field and there is no timetable on when he will start practicing. He will miss all of training camp in Oxnard as the Cowboys will leave there before Saturday's third preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals.

At this point it''s not known when or if Ratliff will play at all in the preseason.

However, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones remains unconcerned and doesn't care at all if he takes a preseason snap. He says the Cowboys have a good handle on Ratliff's injury and he just wants him ready to go play a full season when they begin the regular season Sept. 8 against the Giants.

"I’m interested in him being in shape," Jones said. "I’m interested in him having the best chance to play as much as he can during the season. I don’t have any desire to see him make a lot of plays in preseason. I know what he can do.

"So our goal should be – and I know it’s his – to get him out there so he’s lined up against the Giants and will stay on the field all the way through the season, relative to any injuries or anything like that.

"It’s unique, because we know what he is and we see what he is physically right now. He’s very capable of playing at the level that he’s always played at. We’ve just got to not get in a hurry there."

Ratliff missed 10 games last season because of foot and hernia injuries. He has seen his production drop in each of the last four seasons.

Yet, Jones said is he very confident Ratliff can still play at a Pro Bowl level when healthy and there will be no drop off.



Considering Ratliff's age _ he turns 32 Aug. 29 _ the question is why?

"The nature of him, his play, type player he is, his makeup," Jones said. "We call it makeup, his energy level, how he approaches the game. His style of play will allow him, if he’s healthy, to be what he is. And he should be, from the standpoint of his physical health, he should be in the prime of his career. In the prime of his career.

"Arguably, when a guy is 30 years old, he’s at his strongest. Thirty-one years old, he can be at his strongest. There’s no reason in the world we handicap 31 and 32 because we’re looking at how much is left past that.

"As far as looking at the physical attributes of the player, he can be every bit of the player strength-wise or effectiveness in his thirties as he was at 28 or 29.

"I’m not concerned. If we can get him to where the soft-tissue things are comfortable for him, I’m not concerned about him playing at the level that we’d expect to open the season. I don’t want to push anything over a preseason game with him."
Clarence Hill

----------

Oh look, Jerry not worried. Imagine that.

 

[ravidubey]

I sense week 1 groin pull vs New York.

 

[Cotton]

Jerry: No reason to rush Ratliff for preseason

August, 11, 2013

By Tim MacMahon | ESPNDallas.com


OAKLAND, Calif. – Jerry Jones doesn’t know whether defensive tackle Jay Ratliff will play a down in the preseason and insists it doesn’t concern him.

Ratliff, who is recovering from a strained hamstring suffered during the Cowboys’ pre-camp conditioning test, has been ruled out of practice at least until the team returns to Valley Ranch.

“Well, I think that I have to urge everybody to put it in perspective,” Jones said. “I’m interested in him being in shape. I’m interested in him having the best chance to play as much as he can during the season. I don’t have any desire to see him make a lot of plays in preseason. I know what he can do.

“So our goal should be – and I know it’s his – to get him out there so he’s lined up [in the season opener] against the Giants and will stay on the field all the way through the season, relative to any injuries or anything like that. It’s unique, because we know what he is and we see what he is physically right now. He’s very capable of playing at the level that he’s always played at. We’ve just got to not get in a hurry there.”

Ratliff, a remarkably durable player for years as an undersized nose tackle, has been ravaged by injuries over the last 18 months. He has been sidelined for significant time by a torn plantar fascia, high ankle sprain, sports hernia and now the strained hamstring.

Ratliff, who turns 32 this month, was limited to six games last season. Yet Jones insists that he has the utmost confidence that Ratliff, whose string of four Pro Bowl appearances ended last year, will be a dominant force this season.

“His style of play will allow him, if he’s healthy, to be what he is,” Jones said. “And he should be, from the standpoint of his physical health, he should be in the prime of his career. In the prime of his career.

“Arguably, when a guy is 30 years old, he’s at his strongest. Thirty-one years old, he can be at his strongest. There’s no reason in the world we handicap 31 and 32 because we’re looking at how much is left past that. As far as looking at the physical attributes of the player, he can be every bit of the player strength-wise or effectiveness in his thirties as he was at 28 or 29.

“I’m not concerned. If we can get him to where the soft-tissue things are comfortable for him, I’m not concerned about him playing at the level that we’d expect to open the season. I don’t want to push anything over a preseason game with him.”

 

[Cotton]

Cowboys hope Jay Ratliff can play in preseason
August, 11, 2013

By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com

OXNARD, Calif. – Jay Ratliff will not practice until the Dallas Cowboys return to Texas next week, but the hope is the defensive tackle will be able to play in one of the final two preseason games.

“Regardless of how much you’ve played in this league you want to have a little work before the regular season starts,” coach Jason Garrett said. “But we’ll take it day by day.”

Ratliff was put on the physically unable to perform list at the start of training camp after suffering a hamstring injury in the conditioning test, but Garrett said part of the reason why the team is being cautious with Ratliff practicing is a sports hernia surgery performed last December.

At the time of the surgery, the Cowboys chose not to put Ratliff on injured reserve and expressed hope that he could return for a possible playoff run. That he is still rehabbing from a surgery eight months ago is slightly concerning, especially after he was limited in his work in the organized team activities and minicamp. Ratliff did most of his rehab away from Valley Ranch.

Last year, Ratliff suffered a high left ankle sprain in his only preseason appearance and missed the first four games of the regular season. That came after missing most of training camp with plantar fasciitis.

“With a guy like Rat the goal is to make sure he’s ready to play in the season opener against the Giants,” Garrett said. “We don’t want to take any backward steps with him. He’s making progress.”

____________________________

Jerry isn't worried about him not playing in the preseason, but Garrett is.

 

[ravidubey]

Jerry isn't worried about him not playing in the preseason, but Garrett is.

Garrett is saying the right things here, subtly contradicting Jerry and sending the message to Ratliff that no one plays without practicing and preparation.

 

[boozeman]

He has a history of contradicting Jerry. Fat lot of good it does.

 

[Smitty]

He has a history of contradicting Jerry. Fat lot of good it does.

It might be doing more than you realize.