Monday, June 17 Can the Cowboys be a playoff contender this season with Quincy Carter at QB? The play of Quincy Carter, or ultimately rookie Chad Hutchinson, will determine when this team will be a playoff contender. For everything to fall in place this year for Carter to be a playoff quarterback is tough. He finished the season decently enough to give the team optimism that this will happen. But he's learning a new, tough system coached by Bruce Coslet. Carter only completed 51.1 percent of his passes and had five touchdown passes. For Carter to be molded into a playoff quarterback, he must take the percentage closer to 60 and improve his quarterback rating from 63 to 80 or more. That's a lot to ask in one year. Carter will have his stretches of success. But he will also have his stretches of inconsistency. Those stretches of inconsistency will be the ones that could cost the Cowboys a few close games that would be the difference between a playoff season and a non-playoff season.

Owner Jerry Jones was quickly mocked last summer when he projected the Dallas Cowboys would win more than half their games and make the playoffs in 2001. However, his wayward predictions and reluctance to say the same this spring haven't stopped running back Emmitt Smith and coach Dave Campo from making similar declarations.

Smith, a member of the Cowboys' three Super Bowl winning teams from the 1990s, sent a letter to his teammates this offseason, informing them that a third straight 5-11 campaign is not acceptable. Campo followed the gesture by later suggesting that his team had enough talent to win the NFC East. Smith and Campo might have been inspired in part by Jones' offseason moves.

Dallas was one of the busiest teams this offseason, signing a couple of highly regarded unrestricted free agents in addition to retaining some of their own players. Defensive tackle La'Roi Glover (New Orleans), who combined for more sacks (25) in the past two seasons than the Cowboys had last year (24), was brought in to improve a generally ineffective pass rush. Dallas also re-signed fellow tackles Michael Myers and Brandon Noble, but their success up front is heavily tied to the health of ends Ebenezer Ekuban and Greg Ellis.

Ekuban missed all but the season opener last year after suffering a herniated disc against Tampa Bay while Ellis missed a pair of games. If those two could remain healthy in 2002, they'll create a number of opportunities for another newcomer -- linebacker Kevin Hardy (Jaguars).

Hardy missed the final six games last season with torn cartilage in his knee. The Cowboys believe he was worth the risk considering his pass-rushing abilities (10.5 sacks in 1999). With him lining up next to proven veteran Dexter Coakley and emerging star Dat Nguyen, Hardy could become the stabilizing piece in a solid linebacking corps. Whether it'll be as good as the projected secondary is another story.

The Cowboys were second defensively in the NFC last season, thanks to a secondary that held opposing foes to 180.6 passing yards per contest (also second in the conference). And while they find themselves having to maintain their status without safeties Izell Reese and George Teague, they've filled the holes nicely with the re-signing of Darren Woodson and drafting of Roy Williams. They've also added veteran Bryant Westbrook (Lions), who should start at left cornerback.

	COWBOYS AT A GLANCE
	Emmitt Smith rushed for      1,021 yards last season.
	2001 record: 5-11 Team rank: Defense (4th); offense (29th) Cowboys team news

The team's Achilles heel last year was offense, and not much was done in the offseason to upgrade the unit. Dallas heads into 2002 projecting to start a number of regulars from last season at: quarterback (Quincy Carter), wide receiver (Joey Galloway and Raghib Ismail) and running back (Smith).The most significant personnel change occurred at tight end, where Tony McGee (Bengals) is likely to replace Jackie Harris.

Instead of making wholesale changes with personnel, the Cowboys instead decided to switch coordinators. Bruce Coslet, highly regarded for his offensive creativity despite never coaching the Jets or Bengals to the playoffs during his tenures, was brought in to replace Jack Reilly. Their belief is that Coslet's experience of working with the West Coast offense will lead to increased productivity by establishing unpredictability for foes.