ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—Jarvis Moss was a typical youngster growing up in north Texas, rooting for the Dallas Cowboys and plastering posters of their players on his bedroom walls.
“I had everything you could think of that had Dallas Cowboys on it,” Moss, now a Denver Broncos defensive end, said Tuesday. “They really were my team, but that was then and now I’m a Bronco.”
The 24-year-old Denton, Texas, native gets a chance to show that when the Cowboys come to Denver for workouts with the Broncos on Wednesday and Thursday and a preseason game on Saturday.
“I could care less about Jessica Simpson or HBO,” two things that have become synonymous with the Cowboys, Moss said. “I will only think about football.”
Moss was Denver’s first round selection and 17th overall in the 2007 draft but missed the entire season with a fractured right fibula.
“The injury last year slowed him up and slowed up his progress,” defensive coordinator Bob Slowik said. “But he’s coming along and he’s getting bigger and stronger.”
“Jarvis just needs a lot of reps and a lot of work,” Slowik said.
Moss expects to be pumped for this week’s workouts and game.
“Seeing the star on the Dallas helmet will definitely pick me up,” Moss said. “At the same time I want to make sure I concentrate on my technique and being consistent whether it be first or third down, first quarter or fourth quarter.”
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ANNOYED:@ Two things annoy Wesley Woodyard: people who act surprised by his standout game against Houston last Saturday and people who call him “Woodward” instead of “Woodyard.”
Woodyard had eight solo tackles and “wasn’t surprised at all.”
“I’m a guy that gives 100 percent every time out,” he said.
He demonstrated that type of ability at Kentucky, where he was first-team All-SEC his last two seasons and led the conference with 10.6 tackles per game as a senior.
“Every game I play I try to turn heads,” Woodyard said. “I want to make an impact on people whatever I’m doing.”
Denver’s defensive coordinator was already impressed with Woodyard. His impressions were reinforced in the Houston game.
“I saw Woodyard did a heck of a job jumping in once the lights went on,” Slowik said.
Woodyard says people mispronounce his name all the time, but he has a solution.
“They’ll get it right if I continue to make plays,” he said.
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NO TACKLING:@ Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said there will be no tackling in this week’s workouts with the Cowboys.
“We have a pretty smart football team on both sides and a lot of competition,” he said
“It’s more of an evaluation process, and cooler heads always prevail,” Shanahan said. “We were able to do that last time, and I’m sure we’ll be able to do it this time.”
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FIRST DOWNS:@ LB Nate Webster returned an interception for a touchdown after stepping in front of TE Tony Scheffler. “I reacted to the tight end going out and when he came out I jumped the route,” said Webster. … FB/LB Spencer Larsen likes his duo role. “I do all defense one day and all offense one day,” he said. “The hardest part is understanding the offense’s playbook and terminology.” … OG Dylan Gandy had his right thumb heavily bandaged a day after dislocating the thumb.
