• E-mail

Marcus Spears is finally playing like a No. 1 pick.

I don't know what happened, but he's had the best training camp of any defensive player. Now he just has to take it into the regular season.

Maybe Spears heard the rumors that the Cowboys might release him or trade him if he didn't have a good camp. Maybe he finally realized the Cowboys might not re-sign him after next season, so he needs a good résumé tape to get the kind of deal he covets in free agency.

Perhaps he's finally accustomed to the NFL game. Or he's focused. Or he was tired of hearing about how DeMarcus Ware was playing like a No. 1 pick and he wasn't.

All I do know is that Spears has been disruptive during games. He's making plays behind the line of scrimmage and helping others do the same. He's showing up consistently, and he looks like the guy the Cowboys thought they were getting when they picked him out of LSU.

Now there doesn't seem quite the urgency to play Jay Ratliff at defensive end and Tank Johnson at nose tackle. That's because Spears is doing everything the Cowboys want and need him to do.

If he keeps it up, the Cowboys will change their mind and decide it's better to have him in Dallas than playing for some other team.

Q: Why do you think the Cowboys won't re-sign Marc Colombo? He has been really solid, and with all the trouble they had finding a right tackle after Big E (Erik Williams) left, they would jump at signing him and keeping this real good offensive line together.

Wendell Stewart

TAYLOR: First, you can't pay everybody. The Cowboys have spent a second-round pick on James Marten, a fourth-round pick on Doug Free and have been developing seventh-round pick Pat McQuistan for three years. At some point, you need those young guys to come through so you don't have to keep breaking the bank to sign guys like Colombo. That said, Colombo has a balky knee. He might not find the lucrative offer he wants from another club, which means the Cowboys might get some kind of discount for signing him when his deal expires. Dallas likes him, the question is whether they can afford him.

Q: What do you think of Pacman? Even allowing for being out of football for a year, he hasn't shown me much in the way of pass defense, though he does look like he could be very good in punt returns.

A. Beasley

TAYLOR: I don't think you understand just how hard it is to be out for a full season and then try to come back and compete against world-class athletes. Don't forget, he didn't even get cleared to practice until the spring. He won't be the Adam Jones you saw in Tennessee until the end of the year or next season at the earliest.

Q: I was just wondering what you thought of Felix Jones not getting any reps with the first team Friday night? Also, do you think they will ever use him on kick returns? I think we need to improve our return game, and Felix can really add some explosiveness. You can't play fearing an injury, so why are they so afraid to use Felix?

Ben Grimaldi

TAYLOR: He's not a starter, so it wasn't a big deal to me that he didn't get any work with the first team. Now it's easy to say they shouldn't fear injury and use him on kickoffs until he gets hurt, and one of the guys you have big plans for in the offense is suddenly unavailable. They have Orlando Scandrick and Mike Jenkins in addition to Miles Austin, when he returns. They don't have to use Felix.

Q: I have been excited by all the positive comments about Bobby Carpenter in training camp but was very disappointed with his play vs. Houston. He played a lot at inside LB and was way too passive. At the snap, he would just wait for the play to come to him – never attacking the hole. What do you think?

Mark Peterman

TAYLOR: The problem with Bobby is that he's not a physical player; he's a finesse player. In the 4-3, where he would be protected by the defense end – like he was at Ohio State – he would be a better player than he is in the 3-4 where he has to take on guards every play.

Q: With Kevin Burnett sidelined, why not keep Roy Williams in the game on passing situations at linebacker instead of Bradie James? Surely he can cover better than James in those nickel and dime coverages. James has typically come out in these situations. Have they already experimented with this?

Jeremy Pate, Houston

TAYLOR: Most people would say Bradie is better in coverage for what they ask him to do than Roy. Each is better as a two-down player than a three-down player right now. When your top guy is out, your options are not always good.

Q: Do you think Cowboys fans will finally be satisfied if the Cowboys go 19-0 and place all 22 starters and the kicker/punter on the Pro Bowl team? Or will the 22 all need to be starting the Pro Bowl.

TAYLOR: You're right. All 22 and the kicker and punter would need to start the Pro Bowl to make some folks happy. Of course, there's another group of fans that makes me seem like a sunshine pumper because they're so negative. It's really funny on both fronts.

Q: What causes me the most concern is penalties. That speaks to players not being disciplined. This is not something that recently started. Can we see any evidence outside of preseason games that suggests the coaches have a handle on this?

Michael Leath, Carrollton, Texas

TAYLOR: They didn't have many penalties in their last game, so maybe that bodes well for the future. Every team has some penalties. What the Cowboys need to avoid is the dumb 15-yard penalties for late hits, unnecessary roughness and taunting that always seem to come back and haunt you.

Q: With the relative success the Cowboys have had in using late-round picks and undrafted free agents at receiver, has there been any indication that the team will pay the price to get a top pick to be used for TO's protégé?

Shane Theriot, Inland Empire, Calif.

TAYLOR: That's a good question, but I don't think you ever have to worry about Jerry paying the price for a good player – no matter the position. The Cowboys, like many teams, are shy about using first-round picks on receivers, because it usually takes them a year or two to develop, and there's such a high bust rate on receivers in the first round. I would say that's at the top of their priority list next season, and they'll be looking to get one.

Q: It is hard for me to picture the Cowboys having a very good year this coming season. It seems the division is going to be pretty tough. For one thing, I am still not sold an Tony Romo as an NFL quarterback. I believe that, when healthy, Donovan McNabb is still the best quarterback in the division. The Giants are the defending champions, and the Redskins should not be taken lightly. Also, I must question this team's maturity. Penalties, poor tackling and poor kick return coverage. Most of all, I'm not sure this team handles a little success or high expectations very well. Your thoughts?

Bradley Gatewood

TAYLOR: I am so glad to finally get an e-mail from someone more negative than me. You don't know how good that makes me feel. Seriously, though, this a really good team that has all of the talent it needs to get to the Super Bowl. As you mentioned, it's the intangibles that will mean the difference between a disappointing year and a great year for the Cowboys. That's why I can't give you any answers. You have to wait and see how it plays out.

Q: Adam Jones has incredibly quick feet but he is SHORT. How does he match up with Plaxico Burress or any of the taller receivers in the league?

Matt Hempel

TAYLOR: He'll be fine. He's been short in high school, college and the NFL and always figured out how to make plays. He's a tremendous leaper and competitor and he was on the verge of becoming a Pro Bowl-caliber player when he was suspended. Aaron Glenn wasn't any taller than Jones, and he was a quality player for years.