TONY ROMO SPRAINED HIS RIGHT ANKLE IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF SUNDAY'S 34 TO 21 SEASON OPENING VICTORY AGAINST THE BUCCANEERS... DESPITE THE INJURY... ROMO WAS ABLE TO THROW FOR A CAREER BEST 353 YARDS AND THE COWBOYS ARE HOPEFUL, HE'LL BE HEALTHY ENOUGH TO DO THE SAME THIS SUNDAY...

BY ALL INDICATIONS, ROMO SHOULD BE READY FOR THE HOME OPENER AGAINST THE GIANTS THIS WEEK. EXAMS ON HIS SPRAINED RIGHT ANKLE CAME BACK NEGATIVE TODAY AND HE IS EXPECTED TO PRACTICE THIS WEDNESDAY... COWBOYS HEAD COACH, WADE PHILLIPS SAY THEY WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR TONY'S ANKLE...

"NAW HE WASN'T ON CRUTCHES. FROM WHAT THEY SAID, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING SERIOUS. I THINK IT'S ONE OF THOSE BASKETBALL INJURIES AND HE'S PLAYING FOOTBALL SO IT'S NO PROBLEM," WADE JOKINGLY SAID.

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Just yesterday, Dallas Cowboys special teams coach Joe DeCamillis was leading his group through the morning practice in the neck brace we've been so accustomed to seeing him wear. When he came out for practice today, the brace was gone.

"It's outstanding!" said DeCamillis. "That thing was really a brace and it felt bad the whole time, hope it stays off!"

For the first part of camp, Joe even wore the neck brace to bed, having to sleep sitting in a chair, but now he'll get to go horizontal, but he may have a long night ahead, because going without the support for practice made that neck pretty sore.

"You caught me at a real stiff moment" DeCamillis said after the second practice of the day. "It's definitely stiff today and sore, but hopefully it gets better as the days go on, we'll see."

Another test will come on Thursday when the Cowboys play their first pre-season game of the year in Oakland, and Joe will be coaching from the sideline, which could be dangerous. We've seen coaches get run over by players down there before but he says he's taken precautions and he's prepared.

"I talked with Mike Westhoff with the Jets who had a broken leg for three years, where he used a cane on the sideline" DeCamillis said. "We talked about where to position myself and where to put myself out of harms way and still be able to do my job at an effective pace."

With how he's overcome so far, there's little doubt he'll be able to pull it off. It will be just one more way for him to inspire his players.

"I didn't move off the sofa for six weeks and it was a little foot deal" Punter Mat McBriar recalled after suffering a broken foot in the game against the Cardinals. "He tore up his back and was back at work in couple of weeks. He's a brave soldier and his coaching has been fantastic and he will get the best out of his players"

Be sure to tune in to The 33 News for the very latest from Dallas Cowboys Training Camp

Thursday, The Cowboys had their first practice in pads with neither the offense or defense claiming the spotlight... But Friday their was no doubt who gained bragging rights.

Bum Phillips, who attended today's practice, had to be proud of his son Wade, because the head coach/ defensive coordinator had his defense ready. The Dallas "D" came up with 3 big interceptions today... So while the defense is off to an early start, they know it's just a matter of time before their offense catches up.

Cowboys Linebacker, Bradie James said "The Defense had a good day. We know in the morning, the offense will bounce back so when you're on that roller coaster, you got to be ready for that dip because the offense will be ready, tomorrow morning."

Tight End Jason Witten said, "We didn't have as a good of a day as we did yesterday. The Defense probably got a little more today but that's what competition is all about."

The Cowboys will have another two-a-day session Saturday beginning at 8:50 AM.

The first day of two-a-day workouts brought 8,686 fans to the Alamodome today and though the Cowboys were in full pads for the first practice, they only practiced in shoulder pads for the second workout.  No matter the what pads they wore the edict remained the same from Wade Phillips....NO hitting!

"My Dad ( Bum Phillips ) practiced with shorts and shoulder pads every practice. It was still live" Phillips said, maintaining that his men are still required to go full speed and get to the spot of the tackle.
 
"Well, we work tacking drills, we work at getting to the position to be able to hit somebody, and we work on wrapping up and doing those things in other drills." said Phillips. "Some of it is just you've got to run into somebody and wrap them up.   You don't need them tackling people to the ground all of the time, but you need to get them into the position to be able to make the tackle, and that's what they are doing."

Even though the defensive players lick their chops to get able to do some hitting, they have to wait until the pre-season games and that seems just fine to DeMarcus Ware.  "You gotta get that edge thing back; seeing all of the balls, and getting off.  Learning the guy you are going against even though you just go against him in practice, they know you just as well so it's a little bit harder. So I'm just trying to get to where I need to be" Ware said.

Phillips does not believe that the lack of tackling will hurt this team resulting in missed tackles during the season.

"They do bang them, and they do bump them with their shoulders and so forth; they grab and knock the ball and pull the ball out, and you work on those things" Phillips said.  "You don't necessarily have to take them to the ground to be able to get in position to be able to tackle.  If a guys not a good tackler then we'll work extra on some of the specifics.  A lot of is getting into the position to tackle and not the hitting itself."

More touch football continues at the Alamodome tomorrow with one practice at 2:15pm.  The 33 Sports will be at every practice of  Training  Camp and make sure to check back with us often for the very latest on the Dallas Cowboys