Woodson: Jenkins, Newman Suffering From Lack of Confidence

It’s no secret that the Dallas Cowboys secondary is strugg-l-ing at the moment; in fact, it’s almost painfully obvious. In Reggie Wayne and DeSean Jackson, the Cowboys’ have allowed 200-plus yards to the opposing no. 1 receiver in consecutive weeks. Now, the Washington Redskins don’t have a receiver on the level of a Wayne or a Jackson, and maybe that’s comforting. But it’s all that’s comforting right now, where the Dallas secondary is concerned.

It’s quite a step back from last year, when both Terence Newman and Mike Jenkins each went to the Pro Bowl, and many saw Jenkins as having surpassed the veteran Newman as the team’s best cornerback. So what has so quickly changed? Former Cowboy Darren Woodson believes it’s a matter of applied confidence.

Woodson spoke about the secondary in a recent appearance on 103.3 FM ESPN Radio.

“This year, it's almost like when you look at this kid (Jenkins), he doesn't have the confidence that he did in the past,” Woodson said, per the Dallas Morning News. “And that's what made him the player that he was: that confidence factor as far as seeing the play, come out and then reacting on those football plays. Right now, it seems like he's always a step slow; it's like he doesn't really believe what he's seeing right now and those are the things that make a great cornerback a great cornerback. ...And I think on both sides of the ball, both corners are not playing with a lot of confidence.”

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