ARLINGTON — Most of the world hasn't seen Montrae Holland do his thing with the Dallas Cowboys this fall, but perhaps they're missing a lot behind the scenes.
Holland was inactive Sunday for the Cowboys' 38-17 win over the Seattle Seahawks before 80,886 paid spectators at Cowboys Stadium. A 6-2, 326-pound offensive guard from Jefferson, Holland has yet to put on his Cowboys uniform for a regular-season game at the new home of the Cowboys as he has been inactive for all seven Dallas games this season.
NFL teams have 53 players each on their rosters, but eight players must be declared inactive on game day, even if they're healthy, such as Holland.
"They should see me in practice," Holland said with a smile. "Everybody wants to play, so I take it out on the defense in practice. In practice, you don't want to get embarrassed."
Holland had to deal with a similar stretch of inactivity in 2008. He didn't play in the Cowboys' first four games — including inactive status for the first two — before making his Dallas debut against Cincinnati on Oct. 5. Holland was traded for the Denver Broncos to the Cowboys in August 2008.
Holland said he is not angry or disappointed about not playing. Holland said the situations of 2008 and 2009 are similar in that both teams were successful at the time. The Cowboys defeated Cincinnati 31-22 and were 4-1 at the time. After Sunday's win, the Cowboys are 5-2 this season and are tied with the Philadelphia Eagles for first place in the NFC East.
"We're winning, and that's the most important thing," Holland said. "Everybody is healthy. We're pushing for the playoffs and the top of the division."
Unless Holland's situation changes soon, he will have the least playing time this season than any other time in his seven-year NFL career after a successful collegiate career at Florida State and high school career at Jefferson, where he was a standout in football as well as track and field. Holland had played at least 13 games in four NFL seasons, including starting every game for Denver in 2007.
Holland played seven games for the Cowboys last year before suffering a right knee/ankle injury against Pittsburgh. The injury forced him to miss three games. The Cowboys went 1-2 in that stretch to finish 9-7 and missed the playoffs.
Holland's contract ends at the end of this season, but he said he is not worried about his lack of playing time affecting his NFL future after this year, whether it's with the Cowboys or another NFL team.
"I'm not even thinking about it," Holland said.
Crayton not going old school for success
Patrick Crayton continues to respond to being removed from the starting lineup at receiver for the Cowboys before last week's game against Atlanta with punt-return success. His 82-yard return for a touchdown with 1:11 left in the third quarter, which gave the Cowboys a 35-10 lead. It's his second punt return for a touchdown in as many weeks.
However, Crayton has work to do to match his collegiate success. While at Northwestern Oklahoma State, he returned 10 punts for touchdowns. Crayton was also a successful punt returner playing high school football at DeSoto, but he said he not drawing on old memories for new success.
"There are no old tricks," Crayton said. "In Oklahoma and DeSoto, I had 10 guys who blocked in front of me. We have 10 guys doing that now."
Showdown in
Cheesesteak town
The Cowboys and Eagles will meet in Philadelphia at 7:15 p.m. Sunday with sole possession of the NFC East lead on the line. The Eagles joined the Cowboys at the top with a 40-17 rout Sunday over the New York Giants, which are a half-game behind the Cowboys and Eagles.
When the Cowboys and Eagles last met in Philadelphia, in the 2008 regular season finale for both teams, their fortunes went in opposite directions as the Eagles annihilated the Cowboys 44-6. The Eagles made the playoffs with the win and the momentum helped propel them all the way to the NFC championship game before losing to the Arizona Cardinals. The defeat margin tied for the fifth-largest in the history of the Cowboys.
