The Cowboys face probably their toughest game to date this year on Sunday when they visit New Yawk to face the Giants. To be honest, I don’t see much hope for Dallas winning this, much less keeping it a close game.
Traditionally the Giants have been sort a blue collar team, which I know the city takes pride in. They generally have a good, hard hitting, pressuring defense and an adequate offense usually fueled by a solid running game and a passing game that can move the chains when needed. I've never really been scared about anything the Giants had on offense (except for maybe Tiki Barber when he was playing). However, this year, I truly see a flashier offense for the Giants with WRs Plaxico Burress, Amani Toomer, Steve Smith, Domenik Hixon, David Tyree and TE Kevin Boss (and I'm not even mentioning WRs Mario Manningham and Sinorice Moss either). Add to that the gaggle of RBs in Brandon Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw and Derrick Ward plus a great o-line. So, what I see is not so much a blue collar offense anymore but an offense that can score points in bunches and put teams away quickly. That's not to say they won't have a stinko game every now and then as all team do (like they had against Cleveland 2 weeks ago) but I, unfortunately, I think the Giants are the best team, top to bottom, in the league.
Nobody expects the Cowboys to beat New York. Parts of Cowboys team resemble a MASH unit right now, while the Giants are playing as well as any team in the league. It would have been a challenge to win even if the Cowboys were at full strength. But with Romo, CB Terence Newman, RB Felix Jones, o-lineman Kyle Kosier out because of injuries and, the Cowboys are huge underdogs in the game. Tight end Jason Witten and CB Anthony Henry were both injured against the Bucs and may not play but if they do, it will be with significantly less playing time.
To compound Dallas’ woes, Brad Johnson has been frustrating to watch because of his inability, or unwillingness, to effectively throw the ball down the field. Against Tampa Bay last week, Johnson averaged 2.8 yards per pass play, and his longest completion was 14 yards. And even though he didn’t turn the ball over, Johnson missed some open receivers either because of inaccuracy or choosing to check down to a safer route. Playing Brooks Bollinger may not be the answer as he wasn’t even thought of to be the 3rd string option in Minnesota this year and no other team picked him up when he was subsequently released by the Vikings. Dallas just has to get through this game and hopefully after the bye week Romo will be able to come back and play.
In order for the Cowboys to pull off the upset, or even keep the game interesting, they are going to have to play the same way they did last week vs. Tampa Bay. The defense is going to have to play lights out and get lucky a few times and the offense is going to have to keep things close to the vest and try to play as mistake free as possible. However, objectively speaking, I just don’t think they can repeat their performance of last week especially against a better team on the road. Dallas may keep it close (7-10 pts) for a half, maybe 2 1/2 quarters, but I expect the Giants to start pulling away in the 3rd quarter and end up winning big (20+ pts). I just don't think Dallas' offense will be able to hang (especially with Johnson at QB) and the defense will tire out from having to play so much. The bye week couldn’t come at a better time for the Cowboys.
Prediction: New Yawk 37, Dallas 14.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
What a Difference a Week Makes
I wasn’t sure what kind of game, or effort, to expect from Dallas yesterday when they kicked off against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The previous 4 games, where the Cowboys’ record was 1-3, were marked by inconsistent, uninspired play on both sides of the ball. I was hoping the Cowboys had some pride left and would come out and give a good Tampa Bay team all it could handle. I was hoping the defense would step up and play like they can instead of like zombies simply collecting a check. I was hoping the team would shake off the fog they have played in for the past month. I was hoping for all that but still didn’t know what to expect.
Well, much to my surprise, the Cowboys’ defense played to their potential yesterday and was the driving force behind their 13-9 win over Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay was held without a touchdown for the first time since the 2007 opener and Dallas gave up its fewest point all season. The defense played with an obvious sense of urgency and allowed only three field goals all afternoon to Tampa Bay, two coming in the first quarter after drives that reached the Dallas 18 and 14. This is no small feat considering the fire power that the Bucs have on offense: WR Antonio Bryant (former Cowboy, by the way) who has more receiving yards that TO Owens, WR Joey Galloway who despite being a little long in the tooth is still lightening fast, WR Ike Hillard, WR Mark Clayton and RB Earnest Graham. Oh, and QB Jeff Garcia is still solid and playing at a high level.
What really made the defensive effort look even more impressive is that the defensive secondary lost another starter to injury in the 3rd quarter when Anthony Henry left with a bruised thigh. So, from that point on, the Cowboys’ pass defense consisted of 2 rookies, in Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick, a 2nd year player in Alan Ball, a 3rd year player in Courtney Brown and pro bowler Ken Hamlin. I would have thought that was easy pickings for Garcia but the young players above stepped up, held their ground and didn’t allow any big plays down field.
The offense was pretty pedestrian and gained only 172 yards of total offense, their fewest ever in a victory. Jason Garrett constructed a game plan consisting of a lot of 2 tight end sets, short passes and a grind it out running game. Brad Johnson’s longest pass went for just 14 yards and it was on a dump-off to running back Marion Barber. However, even though Johnson had several more horrendous throws, he didn’t have a turnover and neither did the Cowboys, which was the first time in 9 games Dallas didn’t give the ball back to the opposition. Dallas led 10-6 at halftime, which was the most against Tampa Bay, this season, in the first half. It also was the first time this season the Bucs trailed at halftime.
The offensive line played a lot better as well yesterday in the win. While they allowed 3 sacks on Johnson, they blocked pretty well for Marion Barber who rushed for a tough 71 yards. This also was no small feat considering Tampa Bay was consistently playing 8 and 9 man defensive fronts to stop the run. How Barber got even 50 yards rushing is amazing to me. Add to that the fact that tight end Jason Witten left with a rib injury, tried to return after X-rays showed no break, then left again. So the bulk of the tight end duties were picked up by rookie Martellus Bennett and he held up pretty well.
Ugly as it was, this was a huge win for the Cowboys…probably their biggest of the season to this point if you take into consideration all the injuries, how the team has played recently and how the rest of the division is playing. Make no mistake…Dallas had to win yesterday especially since every other team in the NFC (B)East won, much to my dismay. The win buys the Cowboys some much-needed breathing room. But they need to forget this win and focus on how they will be able to at least keep up with the Giants next Sunday. And to tell you the truth, I have no idea how they will do it. If this is truly God’s team, I think divine intervention will need to take place in order for Dallas to even be competitive. But we’ll focus on that a little later in the week. For now, let’s just enjoy a hard fought Dallas win.
Well, much to my surprise, the Cowboys’ defense played to their potential yesterday and was the driving force behind their 13-9 win over Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay was held without a touchdown for the first time since the 2007 opener and Dallas gave up its fewest point all season. The defense played with an obvious sense of urgency and allowed only three field goals all afternoon to Tampa Bay, two coming in the first quarter after drives that reached the Dallas 18 and 14. This is no small feat considering the fire power that the Bucs have on offense: WR Antonio Bryant (former Cowboy, by the way) who has more receiving yards that TO Owens, WR Joey Galloway who despite being a little long in the tooth is still lightening fast, WR Ike Hillard, WR Mark Clayton and RB Earnest Graham. Oh, and QB Jeff Garcia is still solid and playing at a high level.
What really made the defensive effort look even more impressive is that the defensive secondary lost another starter to injury in the 3rd quarter when Anthony Henry left with a bruised thigh. So, from that point on, the Cowboys’ pass defense consisted of 2 rookies, in Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick, a 2nd year player in Alan Ball, a 3rd year player in Courtney Brown and pro bowler Ken Hamlin. I would have thought that was easy pickings for Garcia but the young players above stepped up, held their ground and didn’t allow any big plays down field.
The offense was pretty pedestrian and gained only 172 yards of total offense, their fewest ever in a victory. Jason Garrett constructed a game plan consisting of a lot of 2 tight end sets, short passes and a grind it out running game. Brad Johnson’s longest pass went for just 14 yards and it was on a dump-off to running back Marion Barber. However, even though Johnson had several more horrendous throws, he didn’t have a turnover and neither did the Cowboys, which was the first time in 9 games Dallas didn’t give the ball back to the opposition. Dallas led 10-6 at halftime, which was the most against Tampa Bay, this season, in the first half. It also was the first time this season the Bucs trailed at halftime.
The offensive line played a lot better as well yesterday in the win. While they allowed 3 sacks on Johnson, they blocked pretty well for Marion Barber who rushed for a tough 71 yards. This also was no small feat considering Tampa Bay was consistently playing 8 and 9 man defensive fronts to stop the run. How Barber got even 50 yards rushing is amazing to me. Add to that the fact that tight end Jason Witten left with a rib injury, tried to return after X-rays showed no break, then left again. So the bulk of the tight end duties were picked up by rookie Martellus Bennett and he held up pretty well.
Ugly as it was, this was a huge win for the Cowboys…probably their biggest of the season to this point if you take into consideration all the injuries, how the team has played recently and how the rest of the division is playing. Make no mistake…Dallas had to win yesterday especially since every other team in the NFC (B)East won, much to my dismay. The win buys the Cowboys some much-needed breathing room. But they need to forget this win and focus on how they will be able to at least keep up with the Giants next Sunday. And to tell you the truth, I have no idea how they will do it. If this is truly God’s team, I think divine intervention will need to take place in order for Dallas to even be competitive. But we’ll focus on that a little later in the week. For now, let’s just enjoy a hard fought Dallas win.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Dallas's Playoff Chances May Rest on This Weekend
As I said in the post below, last week's loss to the Rams was one of the worst losses I've ever seen from a Cowboy team...ever. It was a gutless peformance all the way around and it basically looked like most of the players didn't even get off the bus that day. But this is a new week and the team needs to leave last week's horrible performance in the past because a very good Tampa Bay team is in town and they smell blood in the water. Romo is not playing this week and probably won't, by his own admission, until at least the Washington game in 3 weeks. That means Brad Johnson is at the helm again (gulp!).
All I've heard all week, from the players interviewed, is that their back in against the wall and they know they have to win this weekend. My question is, where was that attitude last week? Where was that urgency? Why does it take 4 straight games of playing effortless, uninspired football and 2 bad losses to get to that point? I'm hoping that what I heard is the truth and not just lip service. I'm hoping we see the Cowboy team we saw the first 3 games of the season.
One thing is for sure though. If the Cowboys hope to even make the playoffs, then they really must win this weekend vs. Tampa Bay. I think that 10-6 gets you into the playoffs but anything less than doesn't. The Cowboys are 4-3 right now and I really don't see them going to NY next week and coming away with a win. So, if Dallas doesn't win tomrrow, then they will probably be 4-5 going into their bye week and would need to go 6-1 over their last 7 games to get to a 10-6 record. And with road games at Washington, Pittsburgh and Filthadelpia, I really don't think the Cowboys will be able to go 6-1 over their last 7 games. So, the game this week will give them a little room for error, but not much. So it is imperative that Cowboys win this weekend.
Maybe I'm the eternal optimist as far as the Dallas Cowboys go but something tells me that they will find a way to come away with a "W" tomorrow. I have no real basis for this other than they Cowboys are at home and their back is truly against the wall. That is what I'm basing my prediction on. I'm hoping what I heard this week is the truth and that they play with urgency and a sense of purpose and not like a team entitled to go directly to the Super Bowl despite the fact they haven't won a playoff game since 1996. However, the Cowboys are a wounded animal trapped in a corner and I beleive they will come out fighting tomorrow.
Prediction: Dallas 20, Tampa Bay 17
All I've heard all week, from the players interviewed, is that their back in against the wall and they know they have to win this weekend. My question is, where was that attitude last week? Where was that urgency? Why does it take 4 straight games of playing effortless, uninspired football and 2 bad losses to get to that point? I'm hoping that what I heard is the truth and not just lip service. I'm hoping we see the Cowboy team we saw the first 3 games of the season.
One thing is for sure though. If the Cowboys hope to even make the playoffs, then they really must win this weekend vs. Tampa Bay. I think that 10-6 gets you into the playoffs but anything less than doesn't. The Cowboys are 4-3 right now and I really don't see them going to NY next week and coming away with a win. So, if Dallas doesn't win tomrrow, then they will probably be 4-5 going into their bye week and would need to go 6-1 over their last 7 games to get to a 10-6 record. And with road games at Washington, Pittsburgh and Filthadelpia, I really don't think the Cowboys will be able to go 6-1 over their last 7 games. So, the game this week will give them a little room for error, but not much. So it is imperative that Cowboys win this weekend.
Maybe I'm the eternal optimist as far as the Dallas Cowboys go but something tells me that they will find a way to come away with a "W" tomorrow. I have no real basis for this other than they Cowboys are at home and their back is truly against the wall. That is what I'm basing my prediction on. I'm hoping what I heard this week is the truth and that they play with urgency and a sense of purpose and not like a team entitled to go directly to the Super Bowl despite the fact they haven't won a playoff game since 1996. However, the Cowboys are a wounded animal trapped in a corner and I beleive they will come out fighting tomorrow.
Prediction: Dallas 20, Tampa Bay 17
Monday, October 20, 2008
A Whole New Low for the Cowboys
Honestly, I don’t know what happened yesterday. This is the same feeling I had last year when Dallas lost to New York in the playoffs. I am just absolutely befuddled about how the lowly, hapless Rams could not only beat the Cowboys but blow them out 34-14…and the game wasn’t near as close as the final score indicates. This has left this whole city with a big “?” above it’s collective head. I mean, only one month ago, Dallas was regarded by many as the best team in the NFC and possibly the NFL and they were expected to not only get to the Super Bowl but win it. But now? I don’t think anyone knows what will happen next. Is this the bottom? Or will this season spin completely out of control and the team not even make the playoffs? There are so many problems with this team, I don’t know where to begin. But, really, they are the same things that have kept this team from playing well for the past 4 games such as a lack of intensity, lack of urgency, being unfocused and not prepared, mental mistakes, blown assignments, poor play from the offensive line, poor play from the defensive secondary and on and on and on.
The thing I noticed the most yesterday was that the team lacked any kind of urgency and just seemed to wilt after the Rams went up 14-7. St. Louis had gone up by only 1 touchdown and the Cowboys looked like they had just lost the Super Bowl. What?!?!?! Where is the fight in this team? Where is the intensity we saw in the Filthadelphia game earlier this year? Is this team composed of nothing but mental midgets? The basics of football dictate that each guy beats the guy across from him and quite honestly, Dallas just isn’t doing it. This team looks defeated, whipped and beaten. And this was against one of poorest, if not the poorest, teams in the league (before yesterday’s game that is). What will Dallas look like against better competition like Tampa Bay and New York in the next 2 weeks? I’ve got to be honest, I’m flat out scared about what those teams are going to do to Dallas…because the Cowboys doesn’t look like it’s got the stomach for any kind of fight.
The mental mistakes and turnovers are also killing this team. Mistakes like a false start on a 3rd and 1; a false start on a 4th and 1; 3 interceptions by Brad Johnson (who I erroneously thought was better than he really is); an untimely fumble by Marion Barber; a blown coverage resulting in WR Donnie Avery (who is that?) getting behind the whole defense and scoring, with Roy Williams giving chase…again; mistackles by just about every linebacker. These things aren’t new. They have been happening over and over again for the past month. So my question is, where is the accountability for this team? Are the coaches not doing anything to address this? And if so, why are the same mistakes being made? If players are not playing to their potential, what is being done to address that? Will anyone be benched? Do any of the coaches or players even care or are they just satisfied to collect a check every week, slop through another game and get to the end of the season where they will magically be transported to the playoffs just because they have a blue star on their helmet?
This team needs to figure out what and/or who it is. I’d like to say that I think yesterday was a wake up call; that this was truly the bottom and now the team can move on onward and upward; that after some adversity, the team and coaches know what needs to be done and knows how they are going to get it done. But I can’t say any of that. The loss yesterday was truly among one of the worst losses I’ve ever seen from the Cowboys, ever…and I’ve seen quite a few horrible losses. The Rams, took pity on the Cowboys and called off the dogs when they pooch punted toward the end of the game. And when the camera showed the St. Louis sideline, the Rams players were laughing at the Cowboys. One of the worst teams in the NFL actually took pity and laughed at the Cowboys. And Dallas doesn’t seem to care.
The backup QB is so done that he shouldn’t even be on this team. I was wrong, wrong, wrong about that guy. I knew he didn’t have the arm strength that Romo has but I didn’t know his skills had so diminished that there were several times where I didn’t even know who he was throwing to. There were a few times where he threw the ball so early that the intended receiver hadn’t even looked for the ball yet. Brooks Bollinger probably would have done a better job yesterday than Brad Johnson. Maybe at one time Johnson was an adequate QB but that time is long gone. The only time he should be in the game, going forward, is in an emergency. He is that bad. My question is, why didn’t the coaching staff know this?
The offensive line, yet again, had a horrible day. Flozell Adams (or Fatams, as a friend of mine calls him) consistently got beat on the edge yesterday by a guy that I don’t even know his name. It’s a dang good thing Jerry gave him a brand new top dollar contract this year to the tune of $7 million a year. But the rest of the line didn’t do any better as St. Louis got to Johnson multiple times without even blitzing…and sometimes only rushing 3 guys. Rushing 3 guys?!?!?!? And those 3 can beat 5 o-lineman and get to the QB? What?!?!? This team will not get any better until that line starts to play to their potential. Take that to the bank. They may win a game here or there but they most certainly will not make the playoffs playing uninspired ball like they did yesterday and the last 4 weeks.
The defense is in shambles, except for DeMarcus Ware who is really the ONLY player on defense who matters and brings ‘A’ effort every game. The rest of the defense doesn’t seem to know up from down. The first game that Roy Williams is back in the line up he get caught chasing Donnie Avery into the end zone while pointing to other team mates trying to defer blame. Nothing’s changed with that guy and now we hear he has fractured his arm, in a different place than he fractured it the first time, and will be put back on the injured list. Truthfully, he shouldn’t be activated again this season and should be released in the off season. He’s not going to get back to where he was 4 years ago when he was a player that made a difference and had to be accounted for by the opposition. He’s done and the Cowboys should cut their loss with him at the end of the season.
The game yesterday was marred by poor effort, poor execution and poor coaching all the way around in a game that Dallas really needed to win. There aren’t many players that can truly look in the mirror and say they left it all on the field yesterday. And that’s what bugs me the most. And Wade doesn’t seem to have a clue what to do about it. You can’t fire the whole team though…but you can fire the head coach. Do I hear any objections to that?
The thing I noticed the most yesterday was that the team lacked any kind of urgency and just seemed to wilt after the Rams went up 14-7. St. Louis had gone up by only 1 touchdown and the Cowboys looked like they had just lost the Super Bowl. What?!?!?! Where is the fight in this team? Where is the intensity we saw in the Filthadelphia game earlier this year? Is this team composed of nothing but mental midgets? The basics of football dictate that each guy beats the guy across from him and quite honestly, Dallas just isn’t doing it. This team looks defeated, whipped and beaten. And this was against one of poorest, if not the poorest, teams in the league (before yesterday’s game that is). What will Dallas look like against better competition like Tampa Bay and New York in the next 2 weeks? I’ve got to be honest, I’m flat out scared about what those teams are going to do to Dallas…because the Cowboys doesn’t look like it’s got the stomach for any kind of fight.
The mental mistakes and turnovers are also killing this team. Mistakes like a false start on a 3rd and 1; a false start on a 4th and 1; 3 interceptions by Brad Johnson (who I erroneously thought was better than he really is); an untimely fumble by Marion Barber; a blown coverage resulting in WR Donnie Avery (who is that?) getting behind the whole defense and scoring, with Roy Williams giving chase…again; mistackles by just about every linebacker. These things aren’t new. They have been happening over and over again for the past month. So my question is, where is the accountability for this team? Are the coaches not doing anything to address this? And if so, why are the same mistakes being made? If players are not playing to their potential, what is being done to address that? Will anyone be benched? Do any of the coaches or players even care or are they just satisfied to collect a check every week, slop through another game and get to the end of the season where they will magically be transported to the playoffs just because they have a blue star on their helmet?
This team needs to figure out what and/or who it is. I’d like to say that I think yesterday was a wake up call; that this was truly the bottom and now the team can move on onward and upward; that after some adversity, the team and coaches know what needs to be done and knows how they are going to get it done. But I can’t say any of that. The loss yesterday was truly among one of the worst losses I’ve ever seen from the Cowboys, ever…and I’ve seen quite a few horrible losses. The Rams, took pity on the Cowboys and called off the dogs when they pooch punted toward the end of the game. And when the camera showed the St. Louis sideline, the Rams players were laughing at the Cowboys. One of the worst teams in the NFL actually took pity and laughed at the Cowboys. And Dallas doesn’t seem to care.
The backup QB is so done that he shouldn’t even be on this team. I was wrong, wrong, wrong about that guy. I knew he didn’t have the arm strength that Romo has but I didn’t know his skills had so diminished that there were several times where I didn’t even know who he was throwing to. There were a few times where he threw the ball so early that the intended receiver hadn’t even looked for the ball yet. Brooks Bollinger probably would have done a better job yesterday than Brad Johnson. Maybe at one time Johnson was an adequate QB but that time is long gone. The only time he should be in the game, going forward, is in an emergency. He is that bad. My question is, why didn’t the coaching staff know this?
The offensive line, yet again, had a horrible day. Flozell Adams (or Fatams, as a friend of mine calls him) consistently got beat on the edge yesterday by a guy that I don’t even know his name. It’s a dang good thing Jerry gave him a brand new top dollar contract this year to the tune of $7 million a year. But the rest of the line didn’t do any better as St. Louis got to Johnson multiple times without even blitzing…and sometimes only rushing 3 guys. Rushing 3 guys?!?!?!? And those 3 can beat 5 o-lineman and get to the QB? What?!?!? This team will not get any better until that line starts to play to their potential. Take that to the bank. They may win a game here or there but they most certainly will not make the playoffs playing uninspired ball like they did yesterday and the last 4 weeks.
The defense is in shambles, except for DeMarcus Ware who is really the ONLY player on defense who matters and brings ‘A’ effort every game. The rest of the defense doesn’t seem to know up from down. The first game that Roy Williams is back in the line up he get caught chasing Donnie Avery into the end zone while pointing to other team mates trying to defer blame. Nothing’s changed with that guy and now we hear he has fractured his arm, in a different place than he fractured it the first time, and will be put back on the injured list. Truthfully, he shouldn’t be activated again this season and should be released in the off season. He’s not going to get back to where he was 4 years ago when he was a player that made a difference and had to be accounted for by the opposition. He’s done and the Cowboys should cut their loss with him at the end of the season.
The game yesterday was marred by poor effort, poor execution and poor coaching all the way around in a game that Dallas really needed to win. There aren’t many players that can truly look in the mirror and say they left it all on the field yesterday. And that’s what bugs me the most. And Wade doesn’t seem to have a clue what to do about it. You can’t fire the whole team though…but you can fire the head coach. Do I hear any objections to that?
Friday, October 17, 2008
Romo Should Sit This One Out
Who would have thought 3 weeks ago that this weekend’s game vs. St. Louis would be “must win” for the Cowboys? I know I certainly wouldn’t have. In fact, I think anyone that knows anything about football would have said, before last week’s games, that Dallas would probably beat the Rams by at least 2 touchdowns on Sunday, if not more. However, because St. Louis beat Washington, in Washington no less, and because of not only how Dallas played last week but their injury factor, this game on Sunday is huge. In fact, I think it’s a “must win” not in the sense that Dallas’ season will be over if they lose but if the Cowboys lose to the hapless Rams, I don’t think they will have a snowball’s chance of beating Tampa Bay or New Yawk. And if they lose all three of those games, they will be 4-5 heading into their bye week with road games in Washington, Pittsburgh and Filthadelphia on the horizon and tough home games against New Yawk and Baltimore as well. So, this week’s game vs. St. Louis is very important for Dallas to get their rhythm, swagger and confidence back to where they were through the first 3 games of the season.
It’s been reported this week that Romo may in fact play this weekend vs. St. Louis despite having a fractured little finger on his right hand. It’s my opinion (and of course, no one asked me) that Romo should not play even if he says he can go and even if the trainers/doctors clear him to play. If Wade lets him play and his finger ends up getting broken...that will be a huge problem. It's just fractured now but could break if hit just right. And if Romo does break his finger, then forget about him playing, at all, for at least 4 to 6 weeks.
Another reason I wouldn’t play Romo is that his backup, Brad Johnson, while being 40 years old is a solid back up capable of filling in for a few games. He may not be what he was back in 2002, when he won the Super Bowl with Tampa Bay, but he is experienced, knows his limitations and can be effective. Basically, it’s not like Romo’s backup is a rookie who has never thrown an NFL pass before. And while there are several injuries on the team, including Felix Jones, the majority of the offense will still be playing. That means, Witten, TO Owens, Barber, Patrick Crayton, Miles Austin and the newly signed Roy Williams will be in the lineup to give Johnson support. And really, depending on how Johnson plays this weekend, I would even consider keeping him in next week against TB so Romo can try to play vs. the Giants the following week.
Dallas is not playing a team on their level, like New Yawk, Washington or Filthy. I know Washington lost to St. Louis last week but St. Louis’s offense only put up 4 field goals and needed a fumble returned for a TD to win. In fact, this is how St. Louis ranks among the 32 NFL teams in offense and defense:
Rams Passing Offense: averages 155 yards/game (28th in the NFL)
Rams Rushing Offense: averages 82 yards/game (29th in the NFL)
Rams Total Offense: averages 237 yards and 12 points/game (31st in the NFL)
Rams Total Defense: gives up 403 yards/game: 234 yards passing, 169 yards
rushing (31st in the NFL)
St. Louis still has a few good players, as all teams do, in QB Marc Bulger, WR Torry Holt, RB Stephen Jackson, DT La’Roi Glover and DE Leonard Little but beyond those, very little else.
So Dallas is, quite possibly, playing the worst team in the NFL. And with all the rest of the offensive weapons the Cowboys still have playing, they really should be able to win regardless of who is in at QB…emphasis on should. If they don't, then this thing's got bigger problems that Romo being out.
Prediction: Dallas 23, St. Louis 14.
It’s been reported this week that Romo may in fact play this weekend vs. St. Louis despite having a fractured little finger on his right hand. It’s my opinion (and of course, no one asked me) that Romo should not play even if he says he can go and even if the trainers/doctors clear him to play. If Wade lets him play and his finger ends up getting broken...that will be a huge problem. It's just fractured now but could break if hit just right. And if Romo does break his finger, then forget about him playing, at all, for at least 4 to 6 weeks.
Another reason I wouldn’t play Romo is that his backup, Brad Johnson, while being 40 years old is a solid back up capable of filling in for a few games. He may not be what he was back in 2002, when he won the Super Bowl with Tampa Bay, but he is experienced, knows his limitations and can be effective. Basically, it’s not like Romo’s backup is a rookie who has never thrown an NFL pass before. And while there are several injuries on the team, including Felix Jones, the majority of the offense will still be playing. That means, Witten, TO Owens, Barber, Patrick Crayton, Miles Austin and the newly signed Roy Williams will be in the lineup to give Johnson support. And really, depending on how Johnson plays this weekend, I would even consider keeping him in next week against TB so Romo can try to play vs. the Giants the following week.
Dallas is not playing a team on their level, like New Yawk, Washington or Filthy. I know Washington lost to St. Louis last week but St. Louis’s offense only put up 4 field goals and needed a fumble returned for a TD to win. In fact, this is how St. Louis ranks among the 32 NFL teams in offense and defense:
Rams Passing Offense: averages 155 yards/game (28th in the NFL)
Rams Rushing Offense: averages 82 yards/game (29th in the NFL)
Rams Total Offense: averages 237 yards and 12 points/game (31st in the NFL)
Rams Total Defense: gives up 403 yards/game: 234 yards passing, 169 yards
rushing (31st in the NFL)
St. Louis still has a few good players, as all teams do, in QB Marc Bulger, WR Torry Holt, RB Stephen Jackson, DT La’Roi Glover and DE Leonard Little but beyond those, very little else.
So Dallas is, quite possibly, playing the worst team in the NFL. And with all the rest of the offensive weapons the Cowboys still have playing, they really should be able to win regardless of who is in at QB…emphasis on should. If they don't, then this thing's got bigger problems that Romo being out.
Prediction: Dallas 23, St. Louis 14.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Like Sand Through the Hourglass, So Are the Days of Our Lives…at Valley Ranch
What a week it’s been at Valley Ranch…and it’s only Wednesday. After playing two sloppy games against Washington and Cincinnati, the Cowboy go to Arizona and, again, play a very sloppy game and end up losing the game in a way no team in the history of the NFL has lost (punt blocked for a TD in overtime). As if that weren’t bad enough, Dallas, who was already without Terrance Newman, lost Tony Romo, Matt McBriar, Felix Jones and Sam Hurd to various injuries. But that’s not the end of the goings and comings of the Cowboys this week.
The soap opera continued yesterday as Pac Man Jones was suspended, again, by the NFL commissioner indefinitely, but at least 4 games. This stemmed from an incident that happened last week where Jones ended up getting into a fight with one of HIS own body guards. Pac Man must be dumber than a bag of hair. He knew what would happen if his name appeared in any kind of headlines that regarded anything other than his play on the field. The NFL commissioner suspended him last year, for the whole season, for running afoul of the NFL’s personal conduct policy…basically being an idiot. When he was reinstated, he was told that he would be suspended and possibly banned from the NFL if he was brought discredit to his team or the NFL in any way.
In the off season, Jerry Jones, took a flier, and traded for Pac Man because he is such a naturally gifted athlete and Jerry thought, erroneously, he could keep Pac Man under control. Jerry went to great lengths to try to make sure Pac Man kept his nose clean by even hiring personal body guards who went everywhere with him. These body guards not only helped to keep people away from Pac Man but also helped to keep out of trouble as well. But, obviously, Pac Man just doesn’t get it. He was playing for a team that most thought would be a front runner in the NFC and possibly a Super Bowl contender. He had a new lease on life. He had a GOLDEN opportunity just handed to him on a silver platter. But he still couldn’t keep his nose clean. How in the world could he screw this up? I wish all I had to do, to make million and millions of dollars, was stay out of trouble and play football. The guy is absolutely hopeless.
I so wish that Jerry would just cut bait and cancel Pac Man’s contract. I think everyone can see this experiment didn’t work out and this is not a distraction the team needs to be dealing with, especially if they think themselves a Super Bowl caliber team. However, I would bet a large portion of my next paycheck that Jerry will welcome him back if/when he is reinstated by the NFL…because he needs him. But there has to be a line where you say, enough is enough. Pac Man, enough is enough.
If the Pac Man suspension wasn’t enough for everyone, the Cowboys made an addition to their team yesterday when the traded, just before the deadline, for Detroit WR (and former Longhorn) Roy Williams. This was something that had been rumored for a long time but since they didn't get it done in the offseason, I really thought they would roll with Owens, Crayton, Austin, etc. at that position this year. Dallas gave up a 1st, 3rd and 6th round pick for Roy, who is probably doing cartwheels right now going from a winless Detroit team to the Cowboys. I think it was a good trade though. This will open things up for TO Owens a little more because teams can't just double Owens...they will have to throw some coverage to Williams. So if they do both (cover Williams and Owens), then who will be covering Witten in the middle of the field or Crayton (when he catches passes) or Miles Austin running crossing routes or seam routes? I think Roy is a younger, less volatile version of Keyshawn Johnson...not a TD machine but will keep the chains moving. I think Roy is so glad to be out of Detroit that he will do whatever is asked of him and if that means acquiescing to TO Owens as the alpha-male WR, then that is what he will do.
However, if the o-line still plays like warmed over dog poo (the way they have the past 3 games), then it won't matter if Jerry signs Ladanian Tomlinson, Randy Moss or Peyton Manning. The o-line MUST play better in order for this to work...at all. And it all starts this weekend in St. Louis. If Dallas can’t beat St. Louis, then I don’t think they will have much of a prayer to beat Tampa Bay the following week or New York after that. And if that happens, the season really will be in doubt. So, the way I see it, this week’s game vs. St. Louis is a “must win” not in the sense that if they lose their season is over but in the sense that if they lose, their season will hang in the balance.
The soap opera continued yesterday as Pac Man Jones was suspended, again, by the NFL commissioner indefinitely, but at least 4 games. This stemmed from an incident that happened last week where Jones ended up getting into a fight with one of HIS own body guards. Pac Man must be dumber than a bag of hair. He knew what would happen if his name appeared in any kind of headlines that regarded anything other than his play on the field. The NFL commissioner suspended him last year, for the whole season, for running afoul of the NFL’s personal conduct policy…basically being an idiot. When he was reinstated, he was told that he would be suspended and possibly banned from the NFL if he was brought discredit to his team or the NFL in any way.
In the off season, Jerry Jones, took a flier, and traded for Pac Man because he is such a naturally gifted athlete and Jerry thought, erroneously, he could keep Pac Man under control. Jerry went to great lengths to try to make sure Pac Man kept his nose clean by even hiring personal body guards who went everywhere with him. These body guards not only helped to keep people away from Pac Man but also helped to keep out of trouble as well. But, obviously, Pac Man just doesn’t get it. He was playing for a team that most thought would be a front runner in the NFC and possibly a Super Bowl contender. He had a new lease on life. He had a GOLDEN opportunity just handed to him on a silver platter. But he still couldn’t keep his nose clean. How in the world could he screw this up? I wish all I had to do, to make million and millions of dollars, was stay out of trouble and play football. The guy is absolutely hopeless.
I so wish that Jerry would just cut bait and cancel Pac Man’s contract. I think everyone can see this experiment didn’t work out and this is not a distraction the team needs to be dealing with, especially if they think themselves a Super Bowl caliber team. However, I would bet a large portion of my next paycheck that Jerry will welcome him back if/when he is reinstated by the NFL…because he needs him. But there has to be a line where you say, enough is enough. Pac Man, enough is enough.
If the Pac Man suspension wasn’t enough for everyone, the Cowboys made an addition to their team yesterday when the traded, just before the deadline, for Detroit WR (and former Longhorn) Roy Williams. This was something that had been rumored for a long time but since they didn't get it done in the offseason, I really thought they would roll with Owens, Crayton, Austin, etc. at that position this year. Dallas gave up a 1st, 3rd and 6th round pick for Roy, who is probably doing cartwheels right now going from a winless Detroit team to the Cowboys. I think it was a good trade though. This will open things up for TO Owens a little more because teams can't just double Owens...they will have to throw some coverage to Williams. So if they do both (cover Williams and Owens), then who will be covering Witten in the middle of the field or Crayton (when he catches passes) or Miles Austin running crossing routes or seam routes? I think Roy is a younger, less volatile version of Keyshawn Johnson...not a TD machine but will keep the chains moving. I think Roy is so glad to be out of Detroit that he will do whatever is asked of him and if that means acquiescing to TO Owens as the alpha-male WR, then that is what he will do.
However, if the o-line still plays like warmed over dog poo (the way they have the past 3 games), then it won't matter if Jerry signs Ladanian Tomlinson, Randy Moss or Peyton Manning. The o-line MUST play better in order for this to work...at all. And it all starts this weekend in St. Louis. If Dallas can’t beat St. Louis, then I don’t think they will have much of a prayer to beat Tampa Bay the following week or New York after that. And if that happens, the season really will be in doubt. So, the way I see it, this week’s game vs. St. Louis is a “must win” not in the sense that if they lose their season is over but in the sense that if they lose, their season will hang in the balance.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
When it Rains, It Pours
Well, more injury news came down yesterday and in addition to Tony Romo being out 4 weeks minimum and Terrance Newman being out 4-6 weeks because of surgery on a sports hernia, Matt McBriar is out 6-8 weeks, Felix Jones out 2-4 weeks, Sam Hurd is out (possibly for the season) and Pac Man Jones may possibly get suspended by the commissioner. So, the injury bug Dallas had avoided the last 4-5 years caught up with them within 2 weeks. Add to these injuries the fact that the offensive line is playing like dog poo, the defensive secondary can't cover very well and the special teams are in major disarray. Did I miss anything?
I’m trying to be optimistic though. The team still has a plethora of talent. They still have T.O. Owens, Patrick Crayton, Miles Austin, Jason Witten, Marion Barber and Tashard Choice on offense and DeMarcus Ware, Greg Ellis, Jay Ratliff, Tank Johnson, Zach Thomas, Marcus Spears and Anthony Henry on defense. And Brad Johnson, while not being as good as Romo, is a capable and experienced backup that can manage the offense. Injuries are a part of the game and Dallas has been fortunate enough where they didn’t have to deal with injuries that much recently. No one is going to feel sorry for them so they can’t feel sorry for themselves. But the team, as a whole, needs to find a way to fight through this. They need to stop playing the lazy, unfocused and undisciplined football they have played the last few weeks.
I’ve had a few friends tell me, as well as hearing on the radio, that the Romo injury is just what the team needed to jolt them back to reality and that losing an integral part of the team will make them come together more than they are right now. My question is, why would they need an injury to bring them together as a team? I thought I remember hearing that the playoff loss to the Giants was motivation enough for this team. If an injury is needed to galvanize the team, then I don’t think they were a Super Bowl contender from the start.
A silver lining to this is that the Giants lost last night, surprisingly, to Cleveland so they still have only a 1 game lead on Dallas in the division. IF Dallas can somehow get through the next 3 weeks, losing only 1 game, then they will get to their bye week at 6-3. Then, hopefully, they can return from their bye week, get a few guys back that are injured right now and hit the ground running. That’s what needs to happen because Dallas’ schedule after the bye week doesn’t get any easier with games at Washington, at Pittsburgh, at Philly and a home game against the Giants. The next several weeks will show what this team is made of…or not made of.
I’m trying to be optimistic though. The team still has a plethora of talent. They still have T.O. Owens, Patrick Crayton, Miles Austin, Jason Witten, Marion Barber and Tashard Choice on offense and DeMarcus Ware, Greg Ellis, Jay Ratliff, Tank Johnson, Zach Thomas, Marcus Spears and Anthony Henry on defense. And Brad Johnson, while not being as good as Romo, is a capable and experienced backup that can manage the offense. Injuries are a part of the game and Dallas has been fortunate enough where they didn’t have to deal with injuries that much recently. No one is going to feel sorry for them so they can’t feel sorry for themselves. But the team, as a whole, needs to find a way to fight through this. They need to stop playing the lazy, unfocused and undisciplined football they have played the last few weeks.
I’ve had a few friends tell me, as well as hearing on the radio, that the Romo injury is just what the team needed to jolt them back to reality and that losing an integral part of the team will make them come together more than they are right now. My question is, why would they need an injury to bring them together as a team? I thought I remember hearing that the playoff loss to the Giants was motivation enough for this team. If an injury is needed to galvanize the team, then I don’t think they were a Super Bowl contender from the start.
A silver lining to this is that the Giants lost last night, surprisingly, to Cleveland so they still have only a 1 game lead on Dallas in the division. IF Dallas can somehow get through the next 3 weeks, losing only 1 game, then they will get to their bye week at 6-3. Then, hopefully, they can return from their bye week, get a few guys back that are injured right now and hit the ground running. That’s what needs to happen because Dallas’ schedule after the bye week doesn’t get any easier with games at Washington, at Pittsburgh, at Philly and a home game against the Giants. The next several weeks will show what this team is made of…or not made of.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Time to Circle the Wagons
Well, to add insult to injury, we learned today Tony Romo will be out at least 4 weeks due to a broken finger he suffered yesterday in the loss to Arizona. Over the past 4 or 5 years, the Cowboys have been one of the most, if not THE most, fortunate teams in the league in regards to injuries. They simply haven’t had to deal with an injury like this to a player of Romo’s importance to the team. Maybe that has now caught up with Dallas. However, the Cowboys have no time to hang their collective heads about this as they go on the road again next weekend to play the Rams. Before yesterday, I think everyone would have marked a “W” in the column when Dallas plays St. Louis on Sunday. The Rams are, quite possibly, the worst team in the NFL. But they managed to beat Washington yesterday which, by all accounts, is one of the best teams in the NFL. So, the Cowboys and their respective fans better not take this upcoming game for granted…not at all, especially now that Romo is out of commission for the time being.
I don’t envy the coaching staff as they have a lot to clean up before their next game, no doubt about it. I really thought, last week vs. Cincinnati, Dallas would have played well after the stinko game they played vs. Washington. However, even though they won, they played a pretty sloppy game. So, again, I thought that surely after 2 weeks of playing sloppy, they would come out yesterday, take command of the game and exert their will on the Cardinals. And, once again, I was dead wrong. By my count, this is how shoddy Dallas played yesterday:
-12 penalties
-4 dropped passes
-4 fumbles (they are lucky it wasn’t about 6)
-3 sacks of Romo given up
-1 kick off that went out of bounds
-1 missed field goal
-1 blocked field goal for game winning touchdown
-Opening kick off returned for touch down
-Out of 64 snaps Dallas took, Romo was hit 19 times or basically 1 time for every 3 snaps
So now, Dallas has under achieved for the last 3 games in a row. In fact, you can say that they have under achieved in 8 of the last 11 games, going back to last year (Detroit, Philly, Carolina, Washington and New York last season; Washington, Cincinnati and Arizona this year). They did lose every one of those games (they were 3-5 in those 8 games) but the mere fact that they haven’t played well, consistently, since last year’s Green Bay game isn’t a good omen. Clearly, this team is unfocused, undisciplined and has absolutely no urgency.
Wade Phillips took offense last week when people were concerned about Dallas’ play even though they beat Cincinnati. Well Wade, should we be concerned now?!?!?! Are you going to come out and pout at the media if they mention the fact that this is a concerning trend developing? Or, are you going to take freaking control of the team, like a head coach would, and get the ship righted? What do I mean when I say “take control”? I mean go in there, TODAY, and make a statement that this lackluster play and foolishness will not be tolerated. Go cut Barbie Carpenter, today. Go fire your special teams coach, today. Go fine Leonard Davis for the bone headed taunting penalty he took, today. Go into the offensive line meeting and draw a freaking line telling them their bland play, specifically, is a big reason the team is in the situation that it is and that it won’t be tolerated going forward. Do something that shows the team you ARE concerned and that they should be too. If you do nothing, or sit back and tell everyone “Hey, we’re 4-2 and the games we lost were by 2 pts to Washington and in OT on the road” then it’s quite possible Dallas doesn’t make the playoffs at all this year…period. That is exactly the kind of lax attitude that has filtered down to the team. I’m not saying Wade should turn into Bill Parcells, Jr. but I am saying that that he needs to do something, anything, before he loses the whole team. Quit coddling these guys and lead them Wade! Make the players accountable for their mistakes; don’t say the mistakes are all your fault. The team is at a cross roads right now and the leadership, if there is any, needs to circle the wagons and get this thing back on the right path.
I don’t envy the coaching staff as they have a lot to clean up before their next game, no doubt about it. I really thought, last week vs. Cincinnati, Dallas would have played well after the stinko game they played vs. Washington. However, even though they won, they played a pretty sloppy game. So, again, I thought that surely after 2 weeks of playing sloppy, they would come out yesterday, take command of the game and exert their will on the Cardinals. And, once again, I was dead wrong. By my count, this is how shoddy Dallas played yesterday:
-12 penalties
-4 dropped passes
-4 fumbles (they are lucky it wasn’t about 6)
-3 sacks of Romo given up
-1 kick off that went out of bounds
-1 missed field goal
-1 blocked field goal for game winning touchdown
-Opening kick off returned for touch down
-Out of 64 snaps Dallas took, Romo was hit 19 times or basically 1 time for every 3 snaps
So now, Dallas has under achieved for the last 3 games in a row. In fact, you can say that they have under achieved in 8 of the last 11 games, going back to last year (Detroit, Philly, Carolina, Washington and New York last season; Washington, Cincinnati and Arizona this year). They did lose every one of those games (they were 3-5 in those 8 games) but the mere fact that they haven’t played well, consistently, since last year’s Green Bay game isn’t a good omen. Clearly, this team is unfocused, undisciplined and has absolutely no urgency.
Wade Phillips took offense last week when people were concerned about Dallas’ play even though they beat Cincinnati. Well Wade, should we be concerned now?!?!?! Are you going to come out and pout at the media if they mention the fact that this is a concerning trend developing? Or, are you going to take freaking control of the team, like a head coach would, and get the ship righted? What do I mean when I say “take control”? I mean go in there, TODAY, and make a statement that this lackluster play and foolishness will not be tolerated. Go cut Barbie Carpenter, today. Go fire your special teams coach, today. Go fine Leonard Davis for the bone headed taunting penalty he took, today. Go into the offensive line meeting and draw a freaking line telling them their bland play, specifically, is a big reason the team is in the situation that it is and that it won’t be tolerated going forward. Do something that shows the team you ARE concerned and that they should be too. If you do nothing, or sit back and tell everyone “Hey, we’re 4-2 and the games we lost were by 2 pts to Washington and in OT on the road” then it’s quite possible Dallas doesn’t make the playoffs at all this year…period. That is exactly the kind of lax attitude that has filtered down to the team. I’m not saying Wade should turn into Bill Parcells, Jr. but I am saying that that he needs to do something, anything, before he loses the whole team. Quit coddling these guys and lead them Wade! Make the players accountable for their mistakes; don’t say the mistakes are all your fault. The team is at a cross roads right now and the leadership, if there is any, needs to circle the wagons and get this thing back on the right path.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
TIVO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well, it's now 11:49 on Sunday night and I just finished watching the Cowboys game. And by "finished" I mean that I got all the way to the end, with :03 seconds left, and just as the ref was announcing that the Cardinals had a man offsides on the previous play, my TIVO cut off. That was it...I felt so freaking jipped! I just sat there looking at my tv. All I could say was, "you've got to be kidding."
The reason I had to watch it so late was that I was attending a wedding of a friend of the family. I kept telling people I didn't want to hear anything about the game but this man walked by our table and proceeded to tell my dad something about a 51 yard field goal which is the time I got my hands up to my ears. So, I remembered that and deduced that Dallas had made the kick of what would have been a 51 yards. However, I still didn't know the final score. So, I logged onto trusty ESPN.com and read all about it...a freaking blocked punt by Arizona returned for a touchdown, in overtime. That's how it ended. As my shoulders slumped, I closed my eyes and just thought, how could Dallas lose to the freaking Cardinals?!?!?!
Had I posted my pregame thoughts, I would have said that the only way Dallas will win is if they pressure Kurt Warner and put him on the ground. I thought if Dallas doesn't do that, then Warner will throw for 400+ yards and Dallas will be history. However, Dallas did put some good pressure on Warner, got some turnovers and still lost. What?!?!? Are you kidding me?!?!? No, it's the truth. And the two huge reasons for their loss today was special teams and pass defense (as I feared).
The Dallas special teams today sucked, sucked, sucked, sucked, sucked! Guess how I feel about them? First off they let backup RB JJ Arrington (can anyone say, forgotten about?) take the opening kick back for a touch down. Nick Folk missed a 37 yard field goal (but we'll disregard that since he made the 52 yarder to send it to OT). And then they allow a punt to get blocked, in OT, and returned for the winning touch down by Arizona. They also allowed more return yardage than they normally do on kick offs and punts. And where the hell is Adam Jones with his "Deion like" punt returns? I haven't seen it once in the regular season. He's probably more concerned with picking fights with his own security detail like he did this week. Special teams is what lost them the game but the pass defense didn't help.
There is this talk jock, on the sports talk radio station I listen to, that always has one question before every Cowboys game...can they cover? And I think after the last 3 weeks, the answer to that question is an emphatic NO! They couldn't cover Jerry Jones if they had to. It's a good thing Anquan Boldin didn't play becuase I think he would have torched Dallas more than Fitzgerald (5 rec. for 79 yards; 1 TD) and Breaston (8 rec. for 102 yards; 1 TD) did. Those two guys consistently got open and made the Cowboy's secondary look a high school defense. I may be overreacting and knee jerking a bit here but I don't think I'm that far off. And I'll say this...Dallas IS NOT going to the Super Bowl until they can get that fixed...period. Dave Campo better put on his coaching hat this week and figure out what the hell is wrong with that defensive secondary. I know Terrance Newman didn't play but Dallas, supposedly, has other capable players that should be able to hold the fort down, but their not. Anthony Henry has struggled this season, Adam "Pac Man" Jones is average (if not below) and Scandrick/Jenkins still look like rookies. I'd be lying if I said that the coverage, or lack thereof, isn't worrying me.
Well, it's now 12:26 am and I really need to hit the hay. Hopefully Dallas can get back on track vs. St. Louis next weekend but I don't even know if I can say that because the Rams beat the Deadskins today (what?). This is a great start to the week, let me tell ya.
The reason I had to watch it so late was that I was attending a wedding of a friend of the family. I kept telling people I didn't want to hear anything about the game but this man walked by our table and proceeded to tell my dad something about a 51 yard field goal which is the time I got my hands up to my ears. So, I remembered that and deduced that Dallas had made the kick of what would have been a 51 yards. However, I still didn't know the final score. So, I logged onto trusty ESPN.com and read all about it...a freaking blocked punt by Arizona returned for a touchdown, in overtime. That's how it ended. As my shoulders slumped, I closed my eyes and just thought, how could Dallas lose to the freaking Cardinals?!?!?!
Had I posted my pregame thoughts, I would have said that the only way Dallas will win is if they pressure Kurt Warner and put him on the ground. I thought if Dallas doesn't do that, then Warner will throw for 400+ yards and Dallas will be history. However, Dallas did put some good pressure on Warner, got some turnovers and still lost. What?!?!? Are you kidding me?!?!? No, it's the truth. And the two huge reasons for their loss today was special teams and pass defense (as I feared).
The Dallas special teams today sucked, sucked, sucked, sucked, sucked! Guess how I feel about them? First off they let backup RB JJ Arrington (can anyone say, forgotten about?) take the opening kick back for a touch down. Nick Folk missed a 37 yard field goal (but we'll disregard that since he made the 52 yarder to send it to OT). And then they allow a punt to get blocked, in OT, and returned for the winning touch down by Arizona. They also allowed more return yardage than they normally do on kick offs and punts. And where the hell is Adam Jones with his "Deion like" punt returns? I haven't seen it once in the regular season. He's probably more concerned with picking fights with his own security detail like he did this week. Special teams is what lost them the game but the pass defense didn't help.
There is this talk jock, on the sports talk radio station I listen to, that always has one question before every Cowboys game...can they cover? And I think after the last 3 weeks, the answer to that question is an emphatic NO! They couldn't cover Jerry Jones if they had to. It's a good thing Anquan Boldin didn't play becuase I think he would have torched Dallas more than Fitzgerald (5 rec. for 79 yards; 1 TD) and Breaston (8 rec. for 102 yards; 1 TD) did. Those two guys consistently got open and made the Cowboy's secondary look a high school defense. I may be overreacting and knee jerking a bit here but I don't think I'm that far off. And I'll say this...Dallas IS NOT going to the Super Bowl until they can get that fixed...period. Dave Campo better put on his coaching hat this week and figure out what the hell is wrong with that defensive secondary. I know Terrance Newman didn't play but Dallas, supposedly, has other capable players that should be able to hold the fort down, but their not. Anthony Henry has struggled this season, Adam "Pac Man" Jones is average (if not below) and Scandrick/Jenkins still look like rookies. I'd be lying if I said that the coverage, or lack thereof, isn't worrying me.
Well, it's now 12:26 am and I really need to hit the hay. Hopefully Dallas can get back on track vs. St. Louis next weekend but I don't even know if I can say that because the Rams beat the Deadskins today (what?). This is a great start to the week, let me tell ya.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Where’s All That Motivation I Heard About Mr. Crayton? And Where is the Defense?
TO Owens, again, was double covered much of the game vs. Cincinnati but managed to break away on a 57 yard touch down. I’ve heard people say that he should be able to break whatever coverage he has and get open…Jerry Rice faced double coverage much of his career and look what he did. That true…but Jerry Rice also had John Taylor on the opposite side catching passes too. Which brings me to my next point, where has Patrick Crayton gone to? Yes, he was in the wrong place at the right time Sunday to get the game winning touchdown but other than that, what has he done the past few games? The answer…not much. Here is Crayton’s production since catching 10 balls for 125 yards and a touchdown in the season opener vs. Cleveland: vs. Filthy – 2 catches, 23 yards, 0 TD; vs. Green Bay – 0 catches, 0 yards, 0 TDs; vs. Washington – 7 catches, 87 yards, 0 TD; vs. Cincinnati – 1 catch, 12 yards, 1 TD. So in 5 games this year, he’s had a great game, a solid game, 2 duds and a non factor.
All I heard during the off season was that Patrick Crayton was using that 3rd down pass he dropped, during the playoff game vs the Giants, as motivation and that he would make amends this season for his playoff performance. Well, he had a golden chance on Sunday when Romo threw him a long pass that hit him in the hands…but he dropped it, again. I’m not saying that Crayton has to catch every pass thrown to him…even Jerry Rice didn’t do that. But Rice certainly would have caught the pass Crayton dropped on Sunday. I know Crayton caught the winning touchdown last week but I really do think that was more luck than anything else. And the fact that teams are doubling Owens sends the message that they are willing to take their chances with one-on-one coverage with Crayton because they don’t think he will hurt them like Owens could. Crayton needs to find a way to get open and create more plays down field so teams will have to respect him. He did that against Cleveland, but then again they have a sieve-like pass defense. The offense, which ranks towards the top in the NFL, needs Crayton to be at least a factor in these games. If I were TO Owens, I wouldn’t be mad at the media, at Romo, at Jason Garret or anyone else besides Crayton because if Crayton would do his job, Owens wouldn’t be doubled as much and would have more opportunities to catch balls.
Another thing that is concerning me is the defense and more specifically the pass defense. They are just not playing like a defense with 9 #1 draft choices. They did get their first interception and recovered a fumble…I give them that and those were good plays. But outside of those, I don’t really remember too many great plays. I do, however, remember TJ Houshmandzadeh being WIDE open on both of his touchdowns. I also remember that Carson Palmer was 23 of 39 for 217 yards…with a bum elbow. So the idea of facing Kurt Warner, who is the #1 rated passer in the NFC, is making me quite nervous.
One thing that will rattle Kurt Warner and make him less of an effective passer is to get up in his face, put pressure on him and make him throw the ball before he wants to. If that happens, he starts getting antsy and makes poor decisions. Unfortunately, Dallas hasn’t been really good about getting consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks this year. They just haven’t. The Cowboys only have one real effective pass rusher, DeMarcus Ware, and he gets double teamed, just like TO Owens does, on a regular basis. And even with those double teams, he’s gotten several sacks this year. But he can’t do it all himself. Jay Ratliff has also been effective but only in spots. The defensive front seven has got to be more productive and cause more chaos for the opposing offense than they have. If the minimal pressure Dallas has put on opposing QBs remains the same, the Cowboys defense will continue to look mediocre if not worse, especially against a pass happy offense like the Cardinals have.
All I heard during the off season was that Patrick Crayton was using that 3rd down pass he dropped, during the playoff game vs the Giants, as motivation and that he would make amends this season for his playoff performance. Well, he had a golden chance on Sunday when Romo threw him a long pass that hit him in the hands…but he dropped it, again. I’m not saying that Crayton has to catch every pass thrown to him…even Jerry Rice didn’t do that. But Rice certainly would have caught the pass Crayton dropped on Sunday. I know Crayton caught the winning touchdown last week but I really do think that was more luck than anything else. And the fact that teams are doubling Owens sends the message that they are willing to take their chances with one-on-one coverage with Crayton because they don’t think he will hurt them like Owens could. Crayton needs to find a way to get open and create more plays down field so teams will have to respect him. He did that against Cleveland, but then again they have a sieve-like pass defense. The offense, which ranks towards the top in the NFL, needs Crayton to be at least a factor in these games. If I were TO Owens, I wouldn’t be mad at the media, at Romo, at Jason Garret or anyone else besides Crayton because if Crayton would do his job, Owens wouldn’t be doubled as much and would have more opportunities to catch balls.
Another thing that is concerning me is the defense and more specifically the pass defense. They are just not playing like a defense with 9 #1 draft choices. They did get their first interception and recovered a fumble…I give them that and those were good plays. But outside of those, I don’t really remember too many great plays. I do, however, remember TJ Houshmandzadeh being WIDE open on both of his touchdowns. I also remember that Carson Palmer was 23 of 39 for 217 yards…with a bum elbow. So the idea of facing Kurt Warner, who is the #1 rated passer in the NFC, is making me quite nervous.
One thing that will rattle Kurt Warner and make him less of an effective passer is to get up in his face, put pressure on him and make him throw the ball before he wants to. If that happens, he starts getting antsy and makes poor decisions. Unfortunately, Dallas hasn’t been really good about getting consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks this year. They just haven’t. The Cowboys only have one real effective pass rusher, DeMarcus Ware, and he gets double teamed, just like TO Owens does, on a regular basis. And even with those double teams, he’s gotten several sacks this year. But he can’t do it all himself. Jay Ratliff has also been effective but only in spots. The defensive front seven has got to be more productive and cause more chaos for the opposing offense than they have. If the minimal pressure Dallas has put on opposing QBs remains the same, the Cowboys defense will continue to look mediocre if not worse, especially against a pass happy offense like the Cardinals have.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
My Wonderful Wife
This is not sports related in any way but I just had to recognize my wonderful wife for doing such a great job of taking care of me this past weekend. From about 5:30 on Friday evening through Sunday night, I was out of commission due to strep throat. It has been about 20 years since the last time I had strep and I had forgotten how miserable it is. But Carole took care of me all weekend and also looked after Hunter as well. For those of you who don't know what it's like to be a single parent, it's tough. I also want to thank Carole's mom, Trina, and Carole's sister, Courtney, for coming over on Saturday morning to watch Hunter while Carole was at work and I was in bed. Anyway, it was a really busy weekend for Carole which was only exacerbated by having to take care of not only a sick husband but an 18 month old too.
Thanks babe! Your a trooper and I thank God everyday he brought you into my life. I love you!
Thanks babe! Your a trooper and I thank God everyday he brought you into my life. I love you!
What’s Up With Romo?
Tony Romo, who is on pace to duplicate the statistics he put up last year and is usually a Jedi on the field, has look rather pedestrian the last few weeks. He has flat out missed several wide open receivers, turned the ball over and made questionable decisions. He had solid performances against the Browns and the Eagles but had an uneven performance against Green Bay, Washington and Cincinnati. That’s going to happen to a QB over the course of his career, no question about it. That’s happened to every Hall of Fame QB. However, the thing I’m a bit unnerved at is Romo’s body language. There were several times on Sunday after a bad play, turnover or 3 and out where the camera caught Romo walking off the field with his head down or over on the bench looking like he just sank the Titanic himself. That’s not what I want to see from him. I want him to keep his head up, jog off the field (not walk) and exude the leadership that has been placed upon him. Things are not going to go well all the time and the team is going to follow their leader’s example.
I also remember though that Romo didn’t really look like his normal “happy-go-lucky” self when Dallas was cruising and up by 17 points. He looked like he wasn’t enjoying the game and that there was something else on his mind. Last year, it seemed he was smiling from ear to ear almost every game and not just when things were going well either. I remember last year, after he had thrown an interception or fumbled or something else had gone wrong, he seemed to have a “kid-like” goofy grin on his face and exuded this “we just screwed up but we’re gonna come out and score a touchdown on the next series” attitude. But the past few games, and especially on Sunday, he looked like he had just found out his dog had just died.
Maybe there is nothing to this. Maybe I’m totally reading into Romo and there’s nothing going on out of the ordinary. Maybe Romo is trying to level himself off and be more even keeled. I hope so. I mean, on Sunday, Romo was 14 of 23 for 176 yards and ended the day with a 106.2 rating, which is great. Those are solid stats which you can’t argue with. I’m a fan of Romo but one reason is that he has this fun-loving care free attitude which seems to have disappeared. In the end, I just want Dallas to win and if Romo can make that happen, smiling or not, then the rest is just details.
I also remember though that Romo didn’t really look like his normal “happy-go-lucky” self when Dallas was cruising and up by 17 points. He looked like he wasn’t enjoying the game and that there was something else on his mind. Last year, it seemed he was smiling from ear to ear almost every game and not just when things were going well either. I remember last year, after he had thrown an interception or fumbled or something else had gone wrong, he seemed to have a “kid-like” goofy grin on his face and exuded this “we just screwed up but we’re gonna come out and score a touchdown on the next series” attitude. But the past few games, and especially on Sunday, he looked like he had just found out his dog had just died.
Maybe there is nothing to this. Maybe I’m totally reading into Romo and there’s nothing going on out of the ordinary. Maybe Romo is trying to level himself off and be more even keeled. I hope so. I mean, on Sunday, Romo was 14 of 23 for 176 yards and ended the day with a 106.2 rating, which is great. Those are solid stats which you can’t argue with. I’m a fan of Romo but one reason is that he has this fun-loving care free attitude which seems to have disappeared. In the end, I just want Dallas to win and if Romo can make that happen, smiling or not, then the rest is just details.
Monday, October 6, 2008
An Ugly Win For Sure
Well, it was a “W” but it wasn’t pretty. The Cowboys, in my mind, needed to go out yesterday and prove that the divisional home game they experienced last week, in which they were manhandled, beat up, out coached and out played in just about every way, was a fluke. In my mind, I assumed Dallas would have been pissed off enough to come out yesterday and do the same thing to the Bengals that the Deadskins did to them last week. I would have though they would have taken this opportunity to pummel a winless team and show everyone that last week’s loss was just an off week. I knew the Bengals would score some points but figured would whip Cincinnati despite the margin of victory (kind of like they did to Green Bay). However, that’s not how the game went.
Even though Dallas won yesterday 31-22, I think the biggest positive that can be taken, other than the “W” is the fact that the running game got back on track. I know I’m probably going to sound like the proverbial “the sky is falling” Dallas fan but I’m really not. Dallas started off, at home, with a 17-0 lead against a winless team and it seemed as if they would dominate Cincinnati into oblivion. However, that 17-point lead shriveled to one, and then Dallas had to break up a 2-point conversion that could’ve tied it midway through the fourth quarter. Dallas got the breathing room they needed only when a fluke play happened and a pass went through the hands of the intended receiver, Miles Austin, and landed in the hands of nearby Patrick Crayton, who was in the end zone. So, the ball bounced Dallas’ way, literally, and they got the win.
The thing I am concerned about is the way Dallas has played the last two weeks. I’m concerned because their play the past two weeks is eerily reminiscent of how they have played in December the past few years. The month of December the past several years has not been kind to the Cowboys. It has been characterized by unfocused, shoddy, lackluster play, mistakes, turnovers and a lack of urgency…all of which we have seen the past two weeks. There is no doubt in my mind that Dallas should be 5-0 if they played to the level they are capable of. They played that way when they played Cleveland, Filthadelphia and Green Bay. But where has that play gone the last two weeks? Yesterday, the Giants absolutely dismantled Seattle to the tune of 44-6. That is they type of performance Dallas needs to put up against the Cincinnati’s, Arizona’s and St. Louis’s of the world. That is the type of performance a Super Bowl contender will bring against obvious inferior teams.
The bottom line is that the team didn’t play well but still got the win, which is good. And who knows...maybe Dallas ran into a team that, while not as bad as their record would indicate, was absolutely desperate to get a win while the Cowboys were just trying to pace themselves through their long season. However, if Dallas plays the way they did yesterday in Arizona next week, they WILL get beat...there’s not a doubt in my mind. In fact, I thought Dallas was going to get beat yesterday. I sent a text message to a friend of mine, who is a Bengals fan, late in the 3rd quarter saying I wasn’t holding out much hope for Dallas winning the game because it looked like Cincinnati wanted the game more. They need to put these last two weeks in their rearview mirror, forget about them and move forward. I know there is a lot of teams, and fans (Cincinnati being one) that would love to be in Dallas position, 4-1. But the bar has been raised for the Cowboys and simply winning doesn’t make up for poor performance.
***I have several observations of this team over the past few weeks but instead of making this one really long post noting them all, I’ve decided to break this up over the next few days with a new observation for each day.
Even though Dallas won yesterday 31-22, I think the biggest positive that can be taken, other than the “W” is the fact that the running game got back on track. I know I’m probably going to sound like the proverbial “the sky is falling” Dallas fan but I’m really not. Dallas started off, at home, with a 17-0 lead against a winless team and it seemed as if they would dominate Cincinnati into oblivion. However, that 17-point lead shriveled to one, and then Dallas had to break up a 2-point conversion that could’ve tied it midway through the fourth quarter. Dallas got the breathing room they needed only when a fluke play happened and a pass went through the hands of the intended receiver, Miles Austin, and landed in the hands of nearby Patrick Crayton, who was in the end zone. So, the ball bounced Dallas’ way, literally, and they got the win.
The thing I am concerned about is the way Dallas has played the last two weeks. I’m concerned because their play the past two weeks is eerily reminiscent of how they have played in December the past few years. The month of December the past several years has not been kind to the Cowboys. It has been characterized by unfocused, shoddy, lackluster play, mistakes, turnovers and a lack of urgency…all of which we have seen the past two weeks. There is no doubt in my mind that Dallas should be 5-0 if they played to the level they are capable of. They played that way when they played Cleveland, Filthadelphia and Green Bay. But where has that play gone the last two weeks? Yesterday, the Giants absolutely dismantled Seattle to the tune of 44-6. That is they type of performance Dallas needs to put up against the Cincinnati’s, Arizona’s and St. Louis’s of the world. That is the type of performance a Super Bowl contender will bring against obvious inferior teams.
The bottom line is that the team didn’t play well but still got the win, which is good. And who knows...maybe Dallas ran into a team that, while not as bad as their record would indicate, was absolutely desperate to get a win while the Cowboys were just trying to pace themselves through their long season. However, if Dallas plays the way they did yesterday in Arizona next week, they WILL get beat...there’s not a doubt in my mind. In fact, I thought Dallas was going to get beat yesterday. I sent a text message to a friend of mine, who is a Bengals fan, late in the 3rd quarter saying I wasn’t holding out much hope for Dallas winning the game because it looked like Cincinnati wanted the game more. They need to put these last two weeks in their rearview mirror, forget about them and move forward. I know there is a lot of teams, and fans (Cincinnati being one) that would love to be in Dallas position, 4-1. But the bar has been raised for the Cowboys and simply winning doesn’t make up for poor performance.
***I have several observations of this team over the past few weeks but instead of making this one really long post noting them all, I’ve decided to break this up over the next few days with a new observation for each day.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Caution to Cowboys...Do NOT Overlook the Bengals
Ok, I have strep throat so this might not be very long. I'm just tired of laying down so I had to get up and do something. The Bengals come calling tomorrow afternoon and even though they are 0-4, they are not to be overlooked...at all. Remember, 2 weeks ago they took the Giants to OT, in New York no less. So they are very capable of winning in Texas Stadium.
A big key in winning tomorrow is to get back to a balanced attack on offense. Last week, Dallas only had 11 rushing attempts the whole game, the fewest since 1990. However, it's impossible to imagine Pro Bowl tailback Marion Barber and first-round pick Felix Jones having such a limited role this Sunday against a struggling Cincinnati Bengals run defense. The Bengals defense are near the bottom of the league in rushing defense giving up 164 yards on the ground per game. You have to run the ball against a team that is giving up that kind of yardage on the ground. Seriously, if you don't do that against that type of team, you lose the game. We all know how potent the passing game can be with weapons like TO Owens, Witten, Crayton, and Miles Austin. Balance is the key though.
The defense is where I'm most concerned though. They have some potent WRs in Chad "Ocho Cinco" Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh and then newly activated Chris Henry, who just finished serving a 4 game suspension from the league for off the field problems. Honestly and objectively, I don't think Dallas secondary can stop Houshmandzadeh and Ocho Cinco and if Chris Henry gets into the mix, watch out. They can contain them, but they can't stop them. The secondary hasn't stopped anyone all year other than the Cleveland game. Greg Jennings went over 100 yards. DeSean Jackson had over 100 yards and Santana Moss had over 100 yards. They haven't stopped an offense yet, other than Cleveland. And Terrance Newman, who missed the season opener and did not start in game two because of the slightly torn groin suffered the first week of training camp, landed on the injury report, listed as questionable after being limited in the final full practice of the week. That means he is 50-50 to play and if he can't go, then Pacman Jones will start in his place at left corner.
So, even though Dallas is playing an 0-4 team, they need to remember that Cincinnati still have enough offensive firepower to hang with Dallas. I think the key for Cincinnati will be the success in their run game...which I don't think they will have. Last week, Clinton Portis gashed Dallas for 120 yards so I think the defense will be keying on stopping the run and forcing the Bengals to pass. And that will be the difference in the game. I think the Bengals will score some points but I believe Dallas' defense will make a few more stops than Cincinnati's defense and Dallas will get back in the "W" column while Cincinnati will continue the slide.
Prediction: Dallas 31, Cincinnati 21
A big key in winning tomorrow is to get back to a balanced attack on offense. Last week, Dallas only had 11 rushing attempts the whole game, the fewest since 1990. However, it's impossible to imagine Pro Bowl tailback Marion Barber and first-round pick Felix Jones having such a limited role this Sunday against a struggling Cincinnati Bengals run defense. The Bengals defense are near the bottom of the league in rushing defense giving up 164 yards on the ground per game. You have to run the ball against a team that is giving up that kind of yardage on the ground. Seriously, if you don't do that against that type of team, you lose the game. We all know how potent the passing game can be with weapons like TO Owens, Witten, Crayton, and Miles Austin. Balance is the key though.
The defense is where I'm most concerned though. They have some potent WRs in Chad "Ocho Cinco" Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh and then newly activated Chris Henry, who just finished serving a 4 game suspension from the league for off the field problems. Honestly and objectively, I don't think Dallas secondary can stop Houshmandzadeh and Ocho Cinco and if Chris Henry gets into the mix, watch out. They can contain them, but they can't stop them. The secondary hasn't stopped anyone all year other than the Cleveland game. Greg Jennings went over 100 yards. DeSean Jackson had over 100 yards and Santana Moss had over 100 yards. They haven't stopped an offense yet, other than Cleveland. And Terrance Newman, who missed the season opener and did not start in game two because of the slightly torn groin suffered the first week of training camp, landed on the injury report, listed as questionable after being limited in the final full practice of the week. That means he is 50-50 to play and if he can't go, then Pacman Jones will start in his place at left corner.
So, even though Dallas is playing an 0-4 team, they need to remember that Cincinnati still have enough offensive firepower to hang with Dallas. I think the key for Cincinnati will be the success in their run game...which I don't think they will have. Last week, Clinton Portis gashed Dallas for 120 yards so I think the defense will be keying on stopping the run and forcing the Bengals to pass. And that will be the difference in the game. I think the Bengals will score some points but I believe Dallas' defense will make a few more stops than Cincinnati's defense and Dallas will get back in the "W" column while Cincinnati will continue the slide.
Prediction: Dallas 31, Cincinnati 21
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