Cowboys’ Spencer seeks first sack of the season

IRVING, Texas (AP) — The story of outside linebacker Anthony Spencer’s season has been the near miss, as in all those sacks the Cowboys’ new starter opposite DeMarcus Ware was close to getting but didn’t.

So when a victory-sealing interception was coming his way in the final minutes of the last game, and teammate Jay Ratliff reached for it, Spencer feared he was going to miss out again.

“I was thinking, ‘Please don’t touch it. Just don’t hit it. Don’t knock it out of my hands. Don’t let anything else go wrong,’ ” Spencer said.

Spencer made the play. Now he’s hoping it is the first of many breaks to go his way — preferably starting Thursday, when the Cowboys face his predecessor, Greg Ellis, and the Raiders.

Ellis was cut after 11 seasons largely because Dallas wanted to turn his job to Spencer, a first-round pick in 2007. Although they spent two years basically fighting for playing time, Ellis still mentored the youngster.

Judging by the stat sheet, Ellis either didn’t teach Spencer all his tricks or Spencer wasn’t paying close enough attention.

Ellis had 121‚Ñ2 sacks in 13 games in 2007 and eight more last season, mostly by taking advantage of one-on-one matchups from offenses more worried about stopping Ware. Facing more of the same, all Spencer has to show is 18 quarterback pressures.

“I try not to really pound myself too hard about it, just because I know if I stay focused and confident, good things will happen,” Spencer said.