SAN DIEGO – Here are five random thoughts from the Cowboys' 28-20 loss to San Diego on Saturday:
* I spoke briefly with Mike Jenkins in the locker room after the game and he said that his surgically-repaired right shoulder is feeling better and better every day. He is working through some scar tissue issues that have hampered his strength, but his range of motion is fine. He isn’t ruling out being available for the Sept. 5 opener at the New York Giants, but he will take another trip to Pensacola, Fla., to visit with Dr. James Andrews for a checkup.
* At some point Saturday I started to feel badly for Stephen McGee. Sometimes he just had no chance because of the blocking. Sometimes he made the mistake, like on the sack/fumble when he should’ve gotten rid of the ball quickly. But then Rudy Carpenter comes in and completes 6-of-9 passes for 78 yards and a touchdown. Maybe San Diego called off the dogs with a 15-point lead for that final drive, but Carpenter has a feel for the position.
* So I read in Teddy Williams' bio that he was a sprint champion at UT-San Antonio with a time of 10.25 in a 100-meter win in an NCAA Regional event. Why doesn’t he play that fast? Williams was given a chance to return kicks against San Diego and he just didn’t get up to speed fast enough. Covering a punt, he couldn’t close on Roscoe Parrish. At corner, he doesn’t show the top-flight speed. There’s track fast and football fast.
* Raymond Radway was also a track guy, but at Abilene Christian. He might have had the most memorable play of the game because of his speed. McGee’s interception by Shareece Wright came on a throw to Radway, who was on the ground as Wright turned up field. Radway got up and caught Wright at the Cowboys' 2. San Diego scored two plays later, but I would guess Jason Garret will show that play to his players because of the effort. Radway probably won’t make the team, but his effort should be noted.
* Because of Jermey Parnell’s stiff neck, Jeff Adams was able to see more action than the undrafted backup tackle from Columbia ever could have imagined. And he didn’t do poorly until he just ran out of gas. Clearly he was tired in the fourth quarter on a steamy night after seeing only limited time in training camp.