Updated: November 10, 2009, 4:26 PM ET

Not really putting their best feet forward

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Mosley By Matt Mosley
ESPNDallas.com
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Until you've been heckled by an NFL place-kicker, you really haven't arrived. At least that's the way I'm spinning my recent locker room encounter with Cowboys kicker Nick Folk.

Moments after the Cowboys' 20-16 win over the Eagles, I entered the visiting locker room in search of Mike Jenkins. As I spotted Jenkins' dreadlocks and started to walk over, I heard someone shout, "Mosley, how's Celek doing?"

I turned around to see Folk and his close pal Mat McBriar laughing together. The Pro Bowl specialists for the Cowboys happen to be daily listeners of "Galloway and Company" on 103.3 FM ESPN and they apparently thought I went a little far in my recent praise of Eagles tight end Brent Celek.

Celek
Cary Edmondson/US PresswireNote to self: When praising opposing players -- such as Philadelphia Eagles tight end Brent Celek -- on the radio, make sure the kickers aren't listening.

I addressed Folk and McBriar's concerns quickly before visiting with Jenkins, who fortunately had not heard about my Celek comments. Pro Bowl tight end Jason Witten also asked for clarification on whether I gave Celek the nod in the tight end matchup. It seems that he'd been tipped off by Cowboys star quarterback Tony Romo.

But hey, it's nice to know the players are listening. I also have confirmation that Wade Phillips secretly listens to the show via transistor radio. This might explain the fact that he's sneered at me three times over past couple of weeks. Perhaps he didn't hear our radio campaign for naming him NFC Coach of the Week after the win over the Eagles. And if there were such a thing, I honestly believe Phillips should win it.

Now, let's begin the portion of Obstructed View in which we cover several fascinating topics in rapid-fire fashion. Your response to this section has been overwhelming, according to my growing team of editors:

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  • Maybe Roy Williams should keep complaining. When Williams suggested that he wasn't getting the same quality passes from Romo as the team's other receivers last week, our friends on the TV side sensed trouble. And nothing can carry an ESPNEWS cycle like comments from a frustrated Cowboys wide receiver.


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    Well, Romo and Williams responded by hooking up for five passes and 75 yards. And if not for Asante Samuel grabbing Williams' jersey in the end zone, there might've been a touchdown. From folks I've talked to at Valley Ranch, Romo hadn't been throwing to Williams because he wasn't getting enough separation. But someone finally convinced Romo to give Williams a try on some of those slants. The timing looked much better and Williams resembled a No. 1 receiver for the first time in a Cowboys uniform. (Tampa Bay doesn't count.)

  • Sorry to be negative, but why do the Cowboys feel compelled to play linebacker Bob Carpenter in a lot of passing situations? I saw him get a jam on Celek a time or two, but that's a complete mismatch. There's no reason to force things with Carpenter. Phillips can just blame him on Parcells and we can all move on with our lives.

  • It's amazing how undrafted wide receivers keep showing up in the Valley Ranch bull-rushes. The latest gift is rookie Kevin Ogletree out of Virginia. He had two catches for 38 yards against the Eagles -- and both of them were on important third-down plays. We've had a national debate over which scout should get credit for Miles Austin. Now I intend to find out who's responsible for Ogletree being here.

  • The running game wasn't that impressive against the Eagles, but Marion Barber was able to slam the door on the Eagles in the fourth quarter. That 16-yard run with 3:33 left in the game reminded me of something Larry Csonka would do. Witten did a really nice job of sealing Eagles strongside linebacker Moise Fokou. Eagles cornerback Sheldon Brown was credited with the tackle after he served as a blocking sled for a couple of yards.

    • [+] EnlargeMike Jenkins
    Barbara Johnston/US PresswireCornerback Mike Jenkins is playing like the Cowboys' best cornerback right now.

  • Let's admit that Mike Jenkins is playing like the best cornerback on this team right now. That was a huge interception late in the third quarter, when he undercut Jeremy Maclin on the deep ball. And let's give some credit to safety Ken Hamlin for giving Jenkins a warning about what Maclin was going to do right at the snap.

    • I also think safety Gerald Sensabaugh has solidified the back of this defense. He makes a huge difference because he's able to cover athletic tight ends and also support the running game. I have no clue how he can make an interception with that cast on his hand. One piece of advice to young Gerald: You're not down until someone actually touches you. Sensabaugh made the interception and then remained in a fetal position for three seconds before attempting to stand up.

  • Witten returned to his familiar role as Romo's safety valve but I'd like to see the Cowboys use him as more of a downfield threat. Right now, Witten's averaging about 9 yards per catch while Celek's over 12 yards per catch. I just hope Folk and McBriar don't read this note.

  • We've spent a significant amount of time poking fun at Jerry Jones' discount rack draft of '09, but let's give personnel chief Tom Ciskowski and his crew credit for selecting linebacker Victor Butler. I loved what Butler did early in the preseason, but he sort of faded a little bit after that. On Sunday night, the Eagles had third-and-10 at the Cowboys' 33-yard line while trailing 20-13. It looked like Donovan McNabb had all kinds of daylight to the right side, but Butler tracked him down from behind for a huge sack. That's three sacks on the season for Butler in limited playing time. I'd find a way to get the guy some more snaps.

    • We'll come back with some thoughts on the Stars and Mavs next week, but I thought we needed to be Cowboys-intensive this week. Thanks for your undying support.

    Matt Mosley writes weekly on the Dallas-Fort Worth sports scene for ESPNDallas.com.

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