On Sunday, Terrell Owens and his Cowboys will take on the Miami Dolphins. Here are T.O.’s numbers against the “Fish”

Career v. Miami

• 1 game
• 4 catches
• 43 yards
• 28 yards- longest catch
• 3 first downs
• 0 touchdowns

By JAIME ARON, AP Sports Writer
September 5, 2007IRVING, Texas (AP) — Terrell Owens was in midseason form Wednesday, sounding off on any and every topic thrown his way.

Prediction for himself: “I am expecting an explosive year.”

We are going to win some playoff games.”

His review of last season: “I really felt like I let this team down.”

His relationship with Donovan McNabb: “I did what I had to do when I saw Donovan. I apologized.”

How about things with a more recent sparring partner, Bill Parcells: “Anything regarding Bill Parcells is not a non-issue, it’s a dead issue. D-e-a-d, dead.”

Owens even delved into the taboo topic of dogfighting, saying he attended one “when I was younger.”

“Being from the South, that’s something that’s very prevalent in that area,” he said.

Later, he compared dogfighting to hunting deer: “They cut their heads off and they go to mount them on the wall. And they are animals as well. I don’t see a big difference in the situation.”

T.O. Unplugged lasted 30 minutes.

Owens has been in a great mood for months, and with good reason: Parcells quit in January, a much friendlier coach was hired in Wade Phillips in February, and the Cowboys picked up a $3 million bonus in June to go with his $5 million salary.

Better yet, the new coach believes in spotlighting star offensive players, the offensive coordinator plans to make it happen by moving Owens around, and he has terrific rapport with quarterback Tony Romo.

“Any time you can go into a season without any legitimate distractions … yeah, you’re going to go out there and play free, you’re just going to have an overall better feeling about yourself,” he said.

When talk turned to distractions, Owens noted that no problems he’s caused have involved illegal activity.

“That is a credit to the way my family raised me,” he said. “I know right from wrong just as well as other guys. I just tend not to put myself in situations where things may come up. Considering some of things that have been going on since I have been in the league, especially this past year, I am a saint. I think you guys don’t give me enough credit.”

While that might sound angry, his tone wasn’t. He even ended with a line that made him laugh.

“You have the power of the pen,” he said. “So maybe you guys need to go to the store, get you some new pens and write it up.”

Owens was waiting at his locker when reporters were allowed in. He opened by saying that after announcing “get your popcorn ready” when he joined the Cowboys last year, his plan this year is to “butter the popcorn.”

He said things went “stale” last year partly because of injuries. There was a hamstring problem in training camp, a broken hand in the third game that led to surgery, and the prescription of pills that were part of an accidental overdose, followed by a finger injury that required offseason surgery.

Yet for all of Owens’ problems last season, he still caught 85 passes for 1,180 yards and a league-best 13 touchdowns. So if things are only going to get better this year, his numbers really could be something.

“If there is a dream season, this is the year to have it,” he said. “It couldn’t be any better.”

Here’s more from Owens on, well, all kinds of stuff:

– On patching things up with McNabb the week of the Super Bowl:

“Donovan is a good guy. I missed him. I missed the times that we had. He is a good friend. There were some things that happened. I do regret some of the things that happened. If I could go back and change some things then I would. … He was very receptive (to the apology), and we have moved on from that.”

– On whether he intentionally stayed out of the headlines lately:

“I haven’t made a point to be more quiet. I’m more focused because of some of the things that happened last year. I didn’t want to be a distraction then and I don’t want to be a distraction now.”

– On being considered an elite receiver, despite not making the Pro Bowl last year:

“I know my statistics should have put me there. For whatever reason, I didn’t make it. … I get the respect once I get on the football field. When I step on that field, I know that by the way defenses play me.”

– On Phillips and boosted expectations:

“We are on the same page as far as how to play the game. I am going to try to do my best to win this guy a Super Bowl. … This year is going to be a big year for this offense. I expect the same thing for myself.”

– More on dogfighting:

“When I say it’s a cultural situation, I’m not trying to bring a racial barrier into it. If anyone wants to dig that up, I will dispel that. I don’t condone Michael Vick’s actions with the dogfighting. I’ve been exposed to it and it’s something that’s very unfortunate for Mike. I think he’ll learn from this situation and move on from it.”

Owens wrapped things up by noting the Bible verse he’s worn on a plastic band around his right wrist for about a year is the same one he recently received on a plaque from a home for troubled youths that’s affiliated with the team.

Then he pulled out the plaque and read the verse, Joshua 1:9.

“Be strong and be of good courage and do not be afraid nor dismayed.”

Our guy, Terrell Owens had a pretty nice opening night, for the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys put 45 points on the board, and beat their rivals, New York Giants 45-35. Terrell caught only 3 passes, but scored 2 touchdowns, with 87 total yards, with the longest being 47 yards.

Quarterback Tony Romo threw 15 complete passes in 24 attempts, and threw for 345 total yards, 4 touchdowns and only 1 interception. The Cowboys are now 1-0.

Dallas and T.O. will now prepare to take on the Miami Dolphins on Sunday in South Florida.

If any of you are yet to draft in your fantasy football draft and are sitting there wondering – do I take Terrell Owens or Chad Johnson or Steve Smith???  TO has answered your question for you.  Check out his confidence in this open letter to fantasy players:

To All ESPN Fantasy Team Owners,

2007 is going to be a great year … for me and the Dallas Cowboys.

I came into training camp in excellent shape, feeling good about our prospects for the season and proud to be part of the great Dallas Cowboys tradition.

I want to help your fantasy team win its league title … and that means generating huge statistics. This year our offense is set up to make big plays. We worked hard during the preseason and we’re going to connect on a lot of touchdowns. Coach and I are on the same page. He understands my role and how I can help us win.

So here is my pledge to all ESPN fantasy owners who draft me in 2007:

I will catch the ball.

I will score touchdowns.

I will have a great season.

Did you see the preseason game against Houston? One touch, one touchdown. That’s how it’s going to be all year long. I’m aiming for 100 catches, 1,500 yards and at least 20 touchdowns. With our quarterback passing the ball, this is entirely possible.

And speaking of my QB … you might as well draft him too, because he’s going to the Pro Bowl this year.

Put me on your team and you won’t be disappointed. I am going to help you win your fantasy league this season.

Sincerely,

Terrell Owens, No. 81

Now if that doesn’t excite you to draft Owens – I don’t know what does!

By John Tranchina
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

IRVING, Texas (Ticker) – With a new coach, a new defensive scheme and a Pro Bowl quarterback returning for his first full year as a starter, expectations are soaring for the Dallas Cowboys heading into the 2007 season.

Virtually all of the key components of last year’s fifth-ranked offense are back, including quarterback Tony Romo, who finished with an impressive 95.1 passer rating, sixth in the NFL, so the Cowboys shouldn’t have much trouble putting points on the board.

And with Wade Phillips installing his more aggressive version of the 3-4 defense, which emphasizes rushing the quarterback, the Cowboys should be better at keeping opponents out of their end zone.

In fact, one barometer of how much optimism surrounds the Cowboys is that controversial wide receiver Terrell Owens, who led the league in touchdown receptions last season with 13 while also compiling 85 catches and 1,180 yards, has not overshadowed discussion about the team the way he did at times last year.

Even after creating a stir by arriving late for practice one day last week, Owens has not been the primary story in Dallas. That’s because this team has a lot of talent and has been generating talk of a possible Super Bowl run.

“We had a player late for practice and it’s been handled,” Phillips said. Phillips already is showing confidence in his team.

“I have a good feeling about this team, I’m excited,” he said. “You get a sense, there’s a feel that everyone is pulling in the same direction and they want to do well and they have some talent. We’ve got a solid group.”

“There are a lot of things, if you’re a Dallas Cowboys fan, to be excited about,” owner and general manager Jerry Jones said.

With Romo as the starter from Day One and with 11 games of experience under his belt, the pressure is on to prove that his impressive showing last year was no fluke. Forget about any lingering effects from that botched hold that cost the Cowboys a wild card victory in Seattle last January – he’s long over that.

By trading the 22nd pick in April’s draft (and the opportunity to select Brady Quinn) to Cleveland, the Cowboys put their faith in Romo that he could do the job, and in the preseason, he has delivered. Over the first two games, Romo completed 21-of-29 passes for 215 yards.

One can dismiss that by saying it’s just the preseason, but Romo has a reply for that.

“If you can’t do it in the preseason, you’re probably going to have a hard time doing it in the regular season,” Romo said.

“I think we need to have some good, sound quarterbacking play, we need to have some good decisions there,” Jones said. “And I’m excited about it, because I feel like I know Tony can make those good decisions.”

As for Owens, he’s looked like the same productive player he’s always been after recovering from two surgeries on his finger in the offseason.

“Terrell Owens is an outstanding receiver, but he’s also a very hard worker,” Phillips said. “I knew he was a great player. He’s better than what I thought he was, in that he’s really hard to cover. And I can see why, because he works hard at it.”

The Cowboys also employ an outstanding duo at running back, with Julius Jones, who rushed for 1,084 yards last season, and Marion Barber, who gained 654 yards while scoring an NFC-leading 14 touchdowns on the ground.

“Both of them can run,” Phillips said. “They both have real good vision and that’s what you need in a running back. We plan on utilizing both of them. It’s a good combination.”

On defense, Cowboys players are excited to have a chance to be more aggressive.

“We always say we play attack defense, and that’s a buzzword that everybody likes, said Phillips, who enters 2007 with a 45-35 record in five previous seasons as a coach. “But like 19 times we’ve been in the top 10 in sacks in the league, on different teams, so we can put some pressure on the quarterback. Wherever I’ve been, we’ve been able to do that. You certainly have to have the players to be able to do it and I think we have those kind of players.”

Phillips has spent 20 years in his coaching career as a defensive coordinator.

For a team that finished 24th last season in passing defense and tied for 19th with 34 sacks, led by outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware’s 11 1/2, an improved pass-rush will be an important element to their success.

Pro Bowl safety Roy Williams, who will be lining up closer to the line of scrimmage to allow him to be more aggressive in stopping the run, is another player who feels like his talents will be maximized by the system.

“I get to be more involved and I really just like to be closer to the ball, and coach Phillips said they installed some plays for me,” Williams said. “It does feel a little bit better coming to work knowing that I’m going to be able to get a little more involved in the defense.”

After the disappointing way the 2006 season ended, with the Cowboys crumbling down the stretch as an 8-4 contender to end up 9-7 and then to lose the wild card game on such a distressing note, there’s a much more positive aura surrounding the team now.

“I’m pleased overall with our progress,” Phillips said. “I’m pleased with where we are. I think everything’s on track as far as preparing for a season and preparing for preseason games first, and we have a lot of competition (for jobs), so all that is good.”

And with Owens maintaining a relatively low profile, the focus remains on the field, where the Cowboys have to be considered a legitimate contender.

The Sporting News did an excellent feature that recapped a day in training camp with Terrell Owens.  Be sure you check it out.

Here at http://www.terrellowensclub.com, we will give our “expert” advice on what to expect from Terrell Owens each week. This week, week 1, we expect T.O. to make 8 catches for 95 yards, and a touchdown catch. Cowboys 27-21.