After watching all 16 Cowboy games this year (ain't DirectTV great?), I have made up my report card for the 2004 season. Here goes:

Quarterbacks......... C
Vinny Testaverde performed admirably given the injuries to Terry Glenn and Richie Anderson. He stayed healthy and did more than anyone could have expected. The backups (Romo and Henson) were clearly not ready for Prime Time.

Running Backs.........
Until Julius Jones got into the lineup, this group was anemic. The signing of Eddie George was a mistake and ReShard Lee had a few moments, but is too inconsistent be counted on. Richie Anderson is beginning to break down and Darian Barnes has potential - especially as a blocker. Jones, however, showed everyone why Parcells picked him over the more heralded Steven Jackson and Kevin Jones.

Receivers.........C
Keyshawn Johnson was the go to guy all year and put up decent numbers. However, the star of this crowd is clearly 2nd-year tight end Jason Witten. With 87 catches, he broke the team record for catches by a TE and has become one of the best at his position. He will be making his first trip to the Pro-Bowl. The mid-season trade of Antonio Bryant (to Cleveland) for Quincy Morgan will have more of an impact next year. Rookies Terrance Copper and Patrick Crayton flashed some potential in their limited paying time.

Offensive Line.........C+
Considered a strength heading into the season, the line never lived up to its potential. Larry Allen is still the best they have, but he is far from where he was a few years ago. Flozell Adams followed up his Pro-Bowl year by taking two steps back. The right side of the line was a disaster. Andre Gurode and Torrin Tucker were inconsistent at best and Kurt Vollers was no better. A bright side was the emergence of Al Johnson at center.

Defensive Line.........C
A somewhat mediocre season for this bunch. La'Roi Glover made the Pro-Bowl and Greg Ellis had another solid season. However, Marcellus Wiley was a bust and Leonardo Carson plays too small. The depth is thin with only Eric Ogbogu making any plays.

Linebackers.........B
Dat Nguyen had an ok season. But as a team leader, more should be expected of him. Dextor Coakley still makes plays, but is beginning to show his age. Al Singleton was consistent and when he went down with injury, was replaced by Scott Shanle, who made the most of his opportunity. Keith O'Niel and Bradie James were big contributors on Special Teams.

Defensive Backs.........D+
After the losses of Darren Woodson and Pete Hunter, the backfield lost there way. While Roy Williams made the Pro-Bowl, he clearly was uncomfortable playing Woody's position. The Cowboys went through a number of cornerbacks before settling on Lance Frazier, who showed improvement as the season progressed. Terence Newman looked shell-shocked and seemed to have lost his confidence. Lynn Scott filled in the other safety position, but is too slow in coverage.

Special Teams.........B
Matt McBriar is a nice punter and Billy Cundiff is consistent, but does not have a strong leg. Frazier did a nice job returning punts, but kickoff returns were poor. However, the coverage teams were excellent. O'Niel, James, Ryan Fowler and Keith Davis were aggressive and made some big hits.

Coaching.........C+
Parcells never really understood his team, but he continued to get the best out of them. He made a few mistakes during the off-season that cost him, but he is the finest motivator in the game. The play-calling, which was handled by Sean Payton was uninspired and needs to be addressed. Mike Zimmer did as much as he could with what he had on defense and had them playing better near the end of the season.

The Cowboys are nowhere close to contending for a Super Bowl in the near future. Tomorrow, I will address what the teams need in order to get to the next level.