Dallas Cowboys OffSeason Thread

[Underdog]

Ware Still The One
Only Ware Makes First-Team All-Pro; Witten On Second

link


IRVING, Texas - Maybe this is an indication of the team's performance. Perhaps an indication of the level of talent or how the Cowboys played this season.

But when the 2008 Associated Press NFL All-Pro team was announced on Friday, outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware was not only the lone Cowboys player selected to the first team, but just one of five players even receiving votes.

For Ware, this was the NFL's 2008 sack leader's third consecutive appearance on the AP All-Pro team, his 45 votes leading the league's outside linebackers, which included Pittsburgh's James Harrison, selected the AP NFL Defensive MVP earlier this week who joined him on the first team with 36 votes. Ware and Harrison also have been selected to SI.com's 2008 All-Pro team as the outside linebackers.

On the AP All-Pro squad, though, Ware is joined by Cowboys tight end Jason Witten, selected to the second team, his 14 votes well behind first-team All-Pro tight end Tony Gonzalez of Kansas City (33 votes).

In 2007, when the Cowboys finished the regular season with an NFC-leading 13-3 record, five players were selected to the AP All-Pro team, including Ware, Witten, Terrell Owens, Flozell Adams and Leonard Davis. Adams and Davis were second-teamers.

The disappointing 2008 season, with the Cowboys finishing 9-7 and failing to qualify for the playoffs for the first time in three seasons, showed in the voting. Only three other Cowboys players even received votes, Jay Ratliff placing fifth among defensive tackles with three votes, Davis finishing sixth among the guards with two votes and cornerback Terence Newman ranking in a five-way tie for seventh with one vote. Ware also received one vote as a defensive end.

Baltimore safety Ed Reed was the only unanimous selection this year, showing up on all 50 ballots. The next highest vote-getter was Tennessee's defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, receiving 49 of the 100 total votes for two defensive tackle spots. Next were Ware, Minnesota running back Adrian Peterson and Houston wide receiver Andre Johnson, each receiving 45 of the 100 votes for the two spots at their respective positions.