Growing up watching the Cowboys, I generally disliked two teams…San Francisco and Washington. Every other team Dallas played was just another game. This included the Giants and Eagles. Even though they were division foes, I really didn’t have a deep disliking for either of these teams. My deeply rooted disliking for the Eagles came in 1999 as I saw Michael Irvin lying motionless on the turf at Veterans’s Stadium in Filthadelphia due to a hit he had just sustained. For fear of a spinal injury, his helmet was left on but his face mask removed while he was transported off the field on a stretcher. And the classy Eagles fans cheered. Make no mistake, they weren’t clapping, as he was being transported off the field, honoring him for his play or the injury he had sustained which is normally heard at stadiums, for the home and visiting teams alike, whenever someone sustains an injury. No they were cheering out of joy that Michael Irvin was hurt and had to be carried off the field. At that point, no one knew if Irvin would ever walk again, much less play football. But they just cheered as if they had won the Super Bowl. Their hatred the Cowboys permeated all levels decency and class and showed them for what they are. It was at that moment that my hatred for all things Filthadelphia was born.
For the past few years, really since 2000, this is the game that has made me more nervous than any of the others on the Cowboy’s schedule. This is due in part because the Foul has pretty much owned the Cowboys since then and also because of my dislike for that team…and city. When the NFL schedules come out each spring, this is the game that I look for first…the Eagles @ Cowboys (the next game I look for is Cowboys @ Eagles). So when I turned on the TV last Sunday in the final two minutes of the Eagles/Rams game and saw Filthy was up 38-3, I felt an uneasiness in the pit of my stomach. The uneasiness was quelled a bit watching Dallas destroy Cleveland but there still is a nervous residue that remains.
The Eagles look pretty formidable this year. In playing the Rams last week, which I read looked like they were playing their 16th game of the year instead of their first, Filthy put up 522 yards of offense (414 passing; 108 rushing) went 8 of 14 on 3rd down conversions and had 28 first downs. The Eagle’s defense gave up only 166 yards (130 passing; 36 rushing) and had 4 sacks. Now that is a dominating performance. The area that the Eagles needed to address in the off season, special teams, has been addressed with the addition of DeSean Jackson and for the first time in several years, Donovan McNabb is completely healthy. So even though Dallas may be the “team to beat in the NFC”, the Eagles might be the team to beat Dallas.
I believe (just like I did last week) that this will be a tight game. Even though last week’s game vs. Cleveland ended up not being quite as tight as I thought it would be, the Eagles and the Cowboys aren’t that far apart and I can’t see either team blowing the other off the field. I think both teams will find weaknesses of the opposing defense and exploit those weaknesses for big plays and large chunks of yardage. I think TO Owens will want to make amends for his poor Week 15 showing against the Eagles last season and I think Witten will have a big day as Filthy didn’t have an answer for him last year (11 passes for 190 yds in two games last season) and I don’t think they will have much of one this year. I think Barber, based on what he did last week, will run with a purpose but due to the fact that Eagles blitz quite a bit, I look for Felix Jones to play a bit more this week than he did last week. Also, I think the game will come down to the turnover battle and the number of big plays that were made and not missed. And even though the Eagles could only play the opponent in front of them last week, the Rams and the Cowboys are leagues apart. Dallas playing at home and this being the home opener will have a little to do with it despite the fact Filthy has been successful at Texas Stadium of late. After the smoke clears, Dallas will be a game up on Filthy in the NFC East
Prediction: Dallas 27, Filthy 21.
Oh, one more thing…I’m getting so tired of seeing Jessica Simpson and the Dallas Cowboys in the same news story. During an appearance on Good Morning America earlier this week, Jessica Simpson screamed "Go Cowboys!" She later added that when the Cowboys play the Eagles Monday night that, "We're gonna kick your butts, too!" Vomit, Vomit, Vomit. This is not an anti Jessica Simpson rant (although it may sound like one) but, Jessica, for the love of all things blue and silver can you please just fade into the background? I know you and Romo are supposed to be Ozzie and Harriet but, honestly, crap like this make you look like a buffoon. Just be his girlfriend, go to the games and be a classy fan and let that be it. Don’t go out there chirping about how “we’re gonna kick your butt” because here’s a hot tip…YOU aren’t doing anything. YOU aren’t kicking anyone’s butt. YOU are in the stands (or luxury suite) or watching on TV at home just like the rest of us. I mean, you never heard that she was this big Cowboy fan before she and Romo hooked up despite the fact she grew up in the Dallas area. Here ends the rant…for now.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Saturday, September 13, 2008
A New Level of Ineptitude for Miss. State Football
Anyone who doesn't care about Mississippi State football (which is probably the majority, if not all, of all 5 people who read this) probably should stop reading about here...
Well, at least I can take solace in the fact that no one can ever accuse me of picking where I went to school based on the football program. After watching tonight's Auburn/MS State game, I'm seriously rethinking that decision. The game ended with Auburn winning 3-2...3-2. Are you freakin' joking? That's a baseball score. I haven't written, before now, anything about State's football program because, well, they aren't very good. Every once in a while, State will have a 3-4 year period of being pretty good but then will revert back to sucking the knee caps of the SEC elite. So needless to say, I've seen some crappy football from my beloved Bulldogs. But I can't remember when I have been so utterly frustrated at the lack of offensive cohesion from a MS State team. Did I just say offensive cohesion in the same sentence with MS State? Ugh.
The defense played wonderful and should be praised for playing their guts out against the #9 team in the country. Time and time and time again, State's defense shut down Auburn's offense. They brought pressure, got sacks, stuffed the run and defended the pass pretty well most of the night. The defense played the way you want to see them play. They were heroes tonight even though the team lost. The offense however was utterly abysmal.
I have absolutely no idea what State's offense was doing tonight but it sure wasn't playing football. The offensive line is a terrible, at best, and the quarterback...well, the best thing I can say about him is that he played like a gutless gimp. That may be harsh but I really don't care. Plant his rear end on the bench if that's the best he can do and put in the back up. Heck, I don't even know who the freakin' backup QB is but I'll be willing to bet he could do a helluva better job than Carroll did tonight. I'm not even sure he would be the backup at my high school. It might help the QB to have an offensive coordinator that used a little imagination as well. Here's a hint: up the middle, up the middle, up the middle, punt is NOT a good offensive series. Maybe they really don't have any imagination because the offense couldn't handle it if they tried.
Here's the thing. I've seen all this before. This level of offensive suckiness is not new. No, what was new tonight is that the defense didn't go quietly into the night, they kept fighting. Auburn was holding a 3-0 lead in the 4th quarter when State's defense got a safety. Then with under 5 minutes left in the game, Auburn still holding on to a 3-2 lead, State's defense came up with, not one, but two fumble on successive series...gifts sent down by the football gods. And State couldn't even get a 1st down either time. Absolutely pathetic. Auburn was trying their best to give the game to State...but State said "no, we're MS State...don't you know we aren't suppose to win?"
Even though I love MS State, and don't regret going there at all, I can't help feeling a bit envious while I watch USC dismantle Ohio State. I wonder what it would have been like to go to a school that went to major bowls, every year, and compete for the national championship on a regular basis. I think that would be pretty stinkin' cool to go to a school like that.
It's gonna be another long year for the Bulldogs...a very long year.
Well, at least I can take solace in the fact that no one can ever accuse me of picking where I went to school based on the football program. After watching tonight's Auburn/MS State game, I'm seriously rethinking that decision. The game ended with Auburn winning 3-2...3-2. Are you freakin' joking? That's a baseball score. I haven't written, before now, anything about State's football program because, well, they aren't very good. Every once in a while, State will have a 3-4 year period of being pretty good but then will revert back to sucking the knee caps of the SEC elite. So needless to say, I've seen some crappy football from my beloved Bulldogs. But I can't remember when I have been so utterly frustrated at the lack of offensive cohesion from a MS State team. Did I just say offensive cohesion in the same sentence with MS State? Ugh.
The defense played wonderful and should be praised for playing their guts out against the #9 team in the country. Time and time and time again, State's defense shut down Auburn's offense. They brought pressure, got sacks, stuffed the run and defended the pass pretty well most of the night. The defense played the way you want to see them play. They were heroes tonight even though the team lost. The offense however was utterly abysmal.
I have absolutely no idea what State's offense was doing tonight but it sure wasn't playing football. The offensive line is a terrible, at best, and the quarterback...well, the best thing I can say about him is that he played like a gutless gimp. That may be harsh but I really don't care. Plant his rear end on the bench if that's the best he can do and put in the back up. Heck, I don't even know who the freakin' backup QB is but I'll be willing to bet he could do a helluva better job than Carroll did tonight. I'm not even sure he would be the backup at my high school. It might help the QB to have an offensive coordinator that used a little imagination as well. Here's a hint: up the middle, up the middle, up the middle, punt is NOT a good offensive series. Maybe they really don't have any imagination because the offense couldn't handle it if they tried.
Here's the thing. I've seen all this before. This level of offensive suckiness is not new. No, what was new tonight is that the defense didn't go quietly into the night, they kept fighting. Auburn was holding a 3-0 lead in the 4th quarter when State's defense got a safety. Then with under 5 minutes left in the game, Auburn still holding on to a 3-2 lead, State's defense came up with, not one, but two fumble on successive series...gifts sent down by the football gods. And State couldn't even get a 1st down either time. Absolutely pathetic. Auburn was trying their best to give the game to State...but State said "no, we're MS State...don't you know we aren't suppose to win?"
Even though I love MS State, and don't regret going there at all, I can't help feeling a bit envious while I watch USC dismantle Ohio State. I wonder what it would have been like to go to a school that went to major bowls, every year, and compete for the national championship on a regular basis. I think that would be pretty stinkin' cool to go to a school like that.
It's gonna be another long year for the Bulldogs...a very long year.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Now We’ll See What Is More Important…A Good QB or a Good Team?
There is an old debate I’ve heard hashed and rehashed by friends, commentators and radio talk jocks several times. The debate is what is more important…a good QB or a good team. I think it’s safe to say that quarterback is one of, if not the most, important position in all of sports. If a team has a solid franchise QB at the helm, then typically they will be successful. Prime example of this is the Cowboys. Throughout their history, Dallas has had several outstanding quarterbacks which are why they now have 5 Lombardi Trophies. I know this isn’t the norm as several teams haven’t been as blessed over their history, in this way, as Dallas (Chicago, Arizona, New Orleans and Atlanta to name just a few). But even with the Cowboys, the times they haven’t had good quarterback play (recently, the 2000-2004 seasons), they haven’t been real successful. Now that they have Romo, Dallas is the team with the best odds of winning the Super Bowl.
So, back to my point. The debate is which type team will go further…an average, or even slightly below average, team with a good quarterback or a good team with an average, or slightly below average, quarterback. We are about to find out this season by looking at which team will have more success this season, the New Yawk Jets or the New England Patriots. The Jets were 4-12 last season and no one really expected much of them this year. The Patriots on the other hand went 18-1 last year, loosing only the Super Bowl, and were the preseason odds on favorite to win the championship this year. However, the Jets traded for Brett Farve who, even though is a bit long in the tooth, is still a top 10 quarterback and the Patriots just lost reigning MVP Tom Brady for the season and are moving forward with Brady’s backup, Matt Cassel, who hasn’t started a game since he was in high school. Which team will end up with more wins at the end of the season?
You can make a case for both. In the case of the Jets, one can argue that a great quarterback will make other around him better. A transcendent quarterback has the intangibles that every team looks for in their leader. Some call it the “it factor”. “It” can’t be measured, like height, arm strength or foot speed, but “it” is the burning desire to win and whatever it takes to get there. If that means making everyone around them elevate their respective level of play, so be it. If you look at all the great quarterbacks, the majority of them all have, or had, “it”. Peyton Manning has “it”. Tony Romo has “it”. Brett Farve has “it”…as well as a pretty average team around him this year in the Jets. But Farve elevated his team to a road victory over Miami on Sunday which I’m not sure would have happened with Kellen Clemens leading the team, despite how bad the Dolphins are.
In the case for the Patriots, you can make the case that football is the ultimate team sport and that no one person is bigger than the team. If the team itself is strong, then you don’t necessarily need a great leader to get to the championship. Two examples of this would be the 2000 Baltimore Ravens and the 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Both of those teams won the Super Bowl without having a high profile quarterback. Baltimore had Trent Dilfer and Tampa Bay had Brad Johnon neither of whom produced eye popping stats but they played within their respective team’s “system” and, as a result of the team being strong, ended up winning the Super Bowl. Matt Cassel has no skins on the wall but team itself does having won 3 Super Bowls in 4 years. However, the 2007 Patriots were the most prolific scoring team the NFL has ever seen and that success was due, in large part, to the ability of Tom Brady. What will happen if the incumbent quarterback doesn’t possess the skills Brady has? Will the offense still continue to click or will defenses load up to stop the run daring Cassel to try to pick them apart as Brady would have done?
If I were a betting man, I would bet that the Patriots have a better chance of being a playoff team with Matt Cassel than the Jets have with Farve. Even thought the Patriots are an aging team, they have experience on their side and a solid coaching staff. Plus the Patriots have more talent at their skill positions (WR/TE/RB) than the Jets. So, I guess we will see if a more talented and experienced “team” can offset an inexperienced quarterback. By the end of the season, I would expect the Patriots to be 10-6, maybe 9-7, and the Jets to be 7-9, maybe 8-8.
So, back to my point. The debate is which type team will go further…an average, or even slightly below average, team with a good quarterback or a good team with an average, or slightly below average, quarterback. We are about to find out this season by looking at which team will have more success this season, the New Yawk Jets or the New England Patriots. The Jets were 4-12 last season and no one really expected much of them this year. The Patriots on the other hand went 18-1 last year, loosing only the Super Bowl, and were the preseason odds on favorite to win the championship this year. However, the Jets traded for Brett Farve who, even though is a bit long in the tooth, is still a top 10 quarterback and the Patriots just lost reigning MVP Tom Brady for the season and are moving forward with Brady’s backup, Matt Cassel, who hasn’t started a game since he was in high school. Which team will end up with more wins at the end of the season?
You can make a case for both. In the case of the Jets, one can argue that a great quarterback will make other around him better. A transcendent quarterback has the intangibles that every team looks for in their leader. Some call it the “it factor”. “It” can’t be measured, like height, arm strength or foot speed, but “it” is the burning desire to win and whatever it takes to get there. If that means making everyone around them elevate their respective level of play, so be it. If you look at all the great quarterbacks, the majority of them all have, or had, “it”. Peyton Manning has “it”. Tony Romo has “it”. Brett Farve has “it”…as well as a pretty average team around him this year in the Jets. But Farve elevated his team to a road victory over Miami on Sunday which I’m not sure would have happened with Kellen Clemens leading the team, despite how bad the Dolphins are.
In the case for the Patriots, you can make the case that football is the ultimate team sport and that no one person is bigger than the team. If the team itself is strong, then you don’t necessarily need a great leader to get to the championship. Two examples of this would be the 2000 Baltimore Ravens and the 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Both of those teams won the Super Bowl without having a high profile quarterback. Baltimore had Trent Dilfer and Tampa Bay had Brad Johnon neither of whom produced eye popping stats but they played within their respective team’s “system” and, as a result of the team being strong, ended up winning the Super Bowl. Matt Cassel has no skins on the wall but team itself does having won 3 Super Bowls in 4 years. However, the 2007 Patriots were the most prolific scoring team the NFL has ever seen and that success was due, in large part, to the ability of Tom Brady. What will happen if the incumbent quarterback doesn’t possess the skills Brady has? Will the offense still continue to click or will defenses load up to stop the run daring Cassel to try to pick them apart as Brady would have done?
If I were a betting man, I would bet that the Patriots have a better chance of being a playoff team with Matt Cassel than the Jets have with Farve. Even thought the Patriots are an aging team, they have experience on their side and a solid coaching staff. Plus the Patriots have more talent at their skill positions (WR/TE/RB) than the Jets. So, I guess we will see if a more talented and experienced “team” can offset an inexperienced quarterback. By the end of the season, I would expect the Patriots to be 10-6, maybe 9-7, and the Jets to be 7-9, maybe 8-8.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
100th Post
In celebration of this being my 100th post and in preparation for the upcoming season of The Office, I think a montage of pranks pulled by Jim, on Dwight, is in order.
Gotta love it.
Gotta love it.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Miscellaneous Items on the First Weekend of the 2008 Season
-I wonder if Seattle Seahawk fans were as impressed as I was with their big time RB free agent signing after Sunday’s thumping at the hands of the Buffalo Bills. Seattle fans thought they had Shawn Alexander’s replacement when the club signed Julius Jones in the off season but I’m thinking they might be a little more reserved about him after seeing him run for only 45 yards on 13 carries. Oh, and one of those runs was for 24 yards so if you take that out of the mix, he had 21 yards on 12 carries. Impressive to say the least…
-Recently, Bengals WR Chad Johnson (who wears #85) legally changed his name from Chad Johnson to Chad Ocho Cinco. The Bengals promptly came out and said that they would recognize this and change all team documents, including the back of his jersey, which had previously read Chad Johnson to Chad Ocho Cinco. However, no one bothered to check with the NFL on this. Apparently, Reebok (which makes the jerseys for all the NFL teams) has made, and shipped out, a plethora of Chad JOHNSON jerseys and since the league has that financial commitment to Reebok, Ocho Cinco’s name will remain C. Johnson on the back of his jersey. The NFL issued the following statement: "He will wear the name Johnson on his jersey today and will be referred to as Chad Johnson on the official play-by-play sheet…certain issues remain [with the NFL] to be resolved before Ocho Cinco will be permitted to wear his new surname on his jersey. He has a financial obligation to Reebok, which produces the jerseys available to fans. That has to be resolved before the on-field jersey can be changed.” So, I guess we will all have to wait a little longer before Ocho Cinco really becomes Ocho Cinco.
-Looks like The Patriots’ season might have just gone up in flames as Tom Brady suffered a season ending injury in the 1st quarter of their game vs. the Chiefs on Sunday. Matt Cassel, his replacement came in in relief and guided the Patriots to a 17-10 victory but if Brady would have been in there, the Patriots probably would have won 38-10. Now we see what a QB who, before yesterday, started his last game in high school can do with one of the best teams in the NFL. Cassel backed up Carson Palmer then Matt Leinart at USC but never got the starting nod himself. Reports are that New England is going to bring in Chris Simms for a workout and might actually sign him. I’m sure a few Texas fans will roll their eyes at that and say “yeah, bring in Simms…he’s your savior.”
-Is the 2008 Tennessee defense the new ’85 Bears? I know that is a dumb question but Tennessee beat Jacksonville on Sunday 17-10 and did it was some pretty sick defense. Keep in mind that Jacksonville was considered a top 5 or top 6 team in the NFL. Last season, Jacksonville’s offense was ranked #7 and was ranked #2 in rushing offense. Here’s how they fared yesterday against Tennessee’s defense:
-189 total yards on offense
-33 rushing yards (Fred Taylor – 18 yards on 9 carries; Jones-Drew – 13 yards on 5 carries)
-3 turnovers
-7 allowed sacks
That is ferocious defense. I’m glad Dallas doesn’t plat Tennessee this year.
-Recently, Bengals WR Chad Johnson (who wears #85) legally changed his name from Chad Johnson to Chad Ocho Cinco. The Bengals promptly came out and said that they would recognize this and change all team documents, including the back of his jersey, which had previously read Chad Johnson to Chad Ocho Cinco. However, no one bothered to check with the NFL on this. Apparently, Reebok (which makes the jerseys for all the NFL teams) has made, and shipped out, a plethora of Chad JOHNSON jerseys and since the league has that financial commitment to Reebok, Ocho Cinco’s name will remain C. Johnson on the back of his jersey. The NFL issued the following statement: "He will wear the name Johnson on his jersey today and will be referred to as Chad Johnson on the official play-by-play sheet…certain issues remain [with the NFL] to be resolved before Ocho Cinco will be permitted to wear his new surname on his jersey. He has a financial obligation to Reebok, which produces the jerseys available to fans. That has to be resolved before the on-field jersey can be changed.” So, I guess we will all have to wait a little longer before Ocho Cinco really becomes Ocho Cinco.
-Looks like The Patriots’ season might have just gone up in flames as Tom Brady suffered a season ending injury in the 1st quarter of their game vs. the Chiefs on Sunday. Matt Cassel, his replacement came in in relief and guided the Patriots to a 17-10 victory but if Brady would have been in there, the Patriots probably would have won 38-10. Now we see what a QB who, before yesterday, started his last game in high school can do with one of the best teams in the NFL. Cassel backed up Carson Palmer then Matt Leinart at USC but never got the starting nod himself. Reports are that New England is going to bring in Chris Simms for a workout and might actually sign him. I’m sure a few Texas fans will roll their eyes at that and say “yeah, bring in Simms…he’s your savior.”
-Is the 2008 Tennessee defense the new ’85 Bears? I know that is a dumb question but Tennessee beat Jacksonville on Sunday 17-10 and did it was some pretty sick defense. Keep in mind that Jacksonville was considered a top 5 or top 6 team in the NFL. Last season, Jacksonville’s offense was ranked #7 and was ranked #2 in rushing offense. Here’s how they fared yesterday against Tennessee’s defense:
-189 total yards on offense
-33 rushing yards (Fred Taylor – 18 yards on 9 carries; Jones-Drew – 13 yards on 5 carries)
-3 turnovers
-7 allowed sacks
That is ferocious defense. I’m glad Dallas doesn’t plat Tennessee this year.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Dominant Performance
Well, the 2008 NFL season opened yesterday for the majority of teams. I really didn’t know what to expect from the Cowboys to tell you the truth. I knew what they were capable of but with all the Hark Knocks hype and opening on the road vs. a team that went 10-6 last year, I just wasn’t sure how Dallas would come out yesterday. But Dallas lived up to the hype and turned in a dominant performance beating the Cleveland Browns 28-10…and it could have been worse than that.
First the offense. The offense looked like a well oiled machine most of the day in racking up 487 yards and 30 1st downs. They came out firing and took the fight right to the Browns. Romo was 24-32 for 320 yards. The offensive line was much tougher than the Browns defensive line at the point of attack and most of the time Romo dropped back to pass, he had enough time to make a three course dinner before finding an open target. Jason Witten had 96 yards receiving, TO Owens had 87 yards (and 1 TD) and Crayton had 82 yards and had some real nice catches as well as runs after the catch.
The running game looked about as sharp as the passing game too. Marion Barber showed how tough he was in getting 101 total yards (80 yads rushing, 21 yards receiving). I’m excited to see how he handles the bulk of the rushing load this year. I told a friend of mine yesterday Barber reminds me of a smaller Earl Campbell. Barber isn’t as big or strong as Earl but runs a lot like him looking to dish out punishment to any defender who is coming to make the stop. Felix Jones came in and showed why Dallas took him in the 1st round of the draft this year. He has the acceleration where if he gets just a seam, he will be into the defensive backfield before you can blink. There was a couple of times a Cleveland defensive back had to make a touchdown saving shoestring tackle on Felix. In the limited time he played, he rushed for 62 yards and if one of his runs wasn’t called back for holding, he would have been in the mid 90’s. He is going to be exciting to watch this year, no doubt about it.
Now, the defense. I was pleased with the overall play of the defense. Even though Terrance Newman was inactive yesterday, Dallas’ defense managed to hold Cleveland’s high octane offense to only 205 yards and 11 first downs. The big thing Dallas didn’t do yesterday is give up the big play. They bent, but didn’t break. The one thing I would have liked to see more was the amount of pressure they got on Derek Anderson. I really thought the Cowboys would get to him more than they did. That is going to have to be something they improve on, especially playing McNabb this week, if the defense if going to be successful this year. Also, Pac Man Jones better shake the rust off a bit quicker than he has. He bit on several double moves by the Cleveland receivers and had to drag Braylon Edwards down in the end zone to keep him from scoring a touchdown. I know he hasn’t played in a year but he needs to get back to form quick.
Another issue Dallas needs to address is penalties. Dallas had 11 penalties for 82 yards yesterday. They could afford that yesterday against a bumbling Browns team but won’t be able to get away with that against Filthadelphia next Monday night and win. TO Owens really needs to cut the end zone celebrations, that draw flags, as well. I’m fine with the celebrations but he CAN do that without drawing a flag. And if he does that against Filthadelphia and gives DeSean Jackson another 15 yards of running room, that could be a touchdown for the Eagles, quite easily.
All in all, I was very pleased with the initial game yesterday. I bet that was a nice plane ride back to Dallas…but first thing on Wednesday morning, Dallas needs to put that game in their rear view mirror and press on toward Monday night because the Filthadelphia Foul looks very formidable (they routed St. Louis yesterday 38-3).
First the offense. The offense looked like a well oiled machine most of the day in racking up 487 yards and 30 1st downs. They came out firing and took the fight right to the Browns. Romo was 24-32 for 320 yards. The offensive line was much tougher than the Browns defensive line at the point of attack and most of the time Romo dropped back to pass, he had enough time to make a three course dinner before finding an open target. Jason Witten had 96 yards receiving, TO Owens had 87 yards (and 1 TD) and Crayton had 82 yards and had some real nice catches as well as runs after the catch.
The running game looked about as sharp as the passing game too. Marion Barber showed how tough he was in getting 101 total yards (80 yads rushing, 21 yards receiving). I’m excited to see how he handles the bulk of the rushing load this year. I told a friend of mine yesterday Barber reminds me of a smaller Earl Campbell. Barber isn’t as big or strong as Earl but runs a lot like him looking to dish out punishment to any defender who is coming to make the stop. Felix Jones came in and showed why Dallas took him in the 1st round of the draft this year. He has the acceleration where if he gets just a seam, he will be into the defensive backfield before you can blink. There was a couple of times a Cleveland defensive back had to make a touchdown saving shoestring tackle on Felix. In the limited time he played, he rushed for 62 yards and if one of his runs wasn’t called back for holding, he would have been in the mid 90’s. He is going to be exciting to watch this year, no doubt about it.
Now, the defense. I was pleased with the overall play of the defense. Even though Terrance Newman was inactive yesterday, Dallas’ defense managed to hold Cleveland’s high octane offense to only 205 yards and 11 first downs. The big thing Dallas didn’t do yesterday is give up the big play. They bent, but didn’t break. The one thing I would have liked to see more was the amount of pressure they got on Derek Anderson. I really thought the Cowboys would get to him more than they did. That is going to have to be something they improve on, especially playing McNabb this week, if the defense if going to be successful this year. Also, Pac Man Jones better shake the rust off a bit quicker than he has. He bit on several double moves by the Cleveland receivers and had to drag Braylon Edwards down in the end zone to keep him from scoring a touchdown. I know he hasn’t played in a year but he needs to get back to form quick.
Another issue Dallas needs to address is penalties. Dallas had 11 penalties for 82 yards yesterday. They could afford that yesterday against a bumbling Browns team but won’t be able to get away with that against Filthadelphia next Monday night and win. TO Owens really needs to cut the end zone celebrations, that draw flags, as well. I’m fine with the celebrations but he CAN do that without drawing a flag. And if he does that against Filthadelphia and gives DeSean Jackson another 15 yards of running room, that could be a touchdown for the Eagles, quite easily.
All in all, I was very pleased with the initial game yesterday. I bet that was a nice plane ride back to Dallas…but first thing on Wednesday morning, Dallas needs to put that game in their rear view mirror and press on toward Monday night because the Filthadelphia Foul looks very formidable (they routed St. Louis yesterday 38-3).
Friday, September 5, 2008
And the Quest to Tampa Begins…
The preseason is over. No more meaningless exhibition games. Time for the real thing. And the real thing started off last night with the Giants beating the Deadskins 16-7. To tell you the truth, I was pretty impressed with the Giants…at least for the first half. I’ve never been terribly impressed with Eli. Other than the playoffs and the Super Bowl last year, he’s always looked somewhat average, maybe a little above. However, there were times last night where Eli looked like Peyton as he completed 19 of 35 for 216 yards and an interception and capped a game-opening 84-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run. His main target was Plaxico Buress (who signed a 5 year contract extension before the game) who had 10 catches for 133 yards. Add to that Brandon Jacobs who had 21 carries for 116 yards and the Giants offense looked pretty potent.
I expected more from the Deadskins though. Washington only got in New York territory three times in the game, the last time in the final seconds and possessed the ball for less than 25 minutes. I don’t think they will even make the playoffs this year. However, I don’t really think they are as bad, defensively, as they played last night and I don’t think NY is as good, offensively, as they played last night. Probably somewhere in the middle. One thing’s for sure though…Washington left a lot to be desired, which is just fine with me.
Now, on to the game that matters (or at least matters more to me)…
Dallas and Cleveland face each other in their respective opening games on Sunday. It is the featured 3:15 game on Fox and the Browns fans, from what I hear, are already whipped into a frenzy over this one probably because Dallas is the visiting team but also because Cleveland has received quite a bit of preseason hype and is picked to win their division. Looking at their offense from last year, it’s easy to see why expectations are lofty for the Browns.
In 2007, Cleveland’s offense ranked eighth in total yards (351.3) and points (402) behind quarterback Derek Anderson, who came out of nowhere, passing for 3,787 yards and 29 TDs. Cleveland wanted to make sure Anderson didn’t get away so they signed him to a contract extension in the off season (which pretty much guarantees Brady Quinn will be traded at some point). Supporting Anderson, the Browns have a variety of offensive weapons to utilize in WR Braylon Edwards, RB Jamal Lewis and TE Kellen Winslow, Jr. In 2007, Edwards caught 80 passes for 1,289 yards and 16 touchdowns; Lewis ran for 1304 yards and had 9 touchdowns; and Winslow caught 82 passes for 1106 yards and 5 touchdowns. Cleveland also added another potent WR in the off season in Donte’ Stallworth who was in integral cog in the New England juggernaut offense last year.
Dallas also knows how to score though. The Cowboy’s offense in 2007, ranked third in the league with 365.7 total yards per game, and second with 455 points. Romo, was third in the league with 4,211 passing yards and second with 36 touchdowns. Dallas also has 3 star performers in Terrell Owens who had 81 catches for 1355 yards and 15 touchdowns, RB Marion Barber who had 975 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns (in part time duty) and TE Jason Witten who had 96 catches for 1145 yards and 7 touchdowns. Patrick Crayton is a solid #2 receiver and the addition of Felix Jones will give more speed and options to Romo. And I really don’t think the addition of Pac-Man Jones can be discounted especially in the return game. I think he’s going to make a big difference there.
The Achilles heel for Cleveland though is their defense which ranked 30th in the league in 2007. So the Browns can score points but they also give them up almost as fast as they score them. However the Dallas defense, while not being top flite last year, was solid ranking 9th in the league holding opponents to an average of 307.6 yards. The defense bent but didn’t break which is how Dallas won 13 games in the regular season last year and entered the playoffs the #1 seed in the NFC.
Also, I’m not real impressed with the teams Cleveland had wins against last year:
Cincinnati (7-9)
Baltimore (5-11)
Miami (1-15)
St. Louis (3-13)
Seattle (10-6; in OT @ home)
Baltimore (5-11)
Houston (8-8)
NY Jets (4-12)
Buffalo (7-9)
San Francisco (5-11)
So, even though the Browns were a 10 win team last year, they had only 1 win against a team with a winning record and it took OT to get that win.
I think the first half of the game both offenses will be clicking and be productive. However the 2nd half is where Dallas’ defense tightens up and allows the offense to put more distance between them and Cleveland. Also, I think with the way Dallas’ season ended last year, Romo and company have been counting down the days until they can get back out on the field. In the end, I don’t think Cleveland’s defense will be able to keep up with Dallas’ offense whereas Dallas’ defense will, again, bend but not break and allow the Cowboys to start off the 2008 campaign with a “W”.
My prediction: Dallas 31, Cleveland 20.
I expected more from the Deadskins though. Washington only got in New York territory three times in the game, the last time in the final seconds and possessed the ball for less than 25 minutes. I don’t think they will even make the playoffs this year. However, I don’t really think they are as bad, defensively, as they played last night and I don’t think NY is as good, offensively, as they played last night. Probably somewhere in the middle. One thing’s for sure though…Washington left a lot to be desired, which is just fine with me.
Now, on to the game that matters (or at least matters more to me)…
Dallas and Cleveland face each other in their respective opening games on Sunday. It is the featured 3:15 game on Fox and the Browns fans, from what I hear, are already whipped into a frenzy over this one probably because Dallas is the visiting team but also because Cleveland has received quite a bit of preseason hype and is picked to win their division. Looking at their offense from last year, it’s easy to see why expectations are lofty for the Browns.
In 2007, Cleveland’s offense ranked eighth in total yards (351.3) and points (402) behind quarterback Derek Anderson, who came out of nowhere, passing for 3,787 yards and 29 TDs. Cleveland wanted to make sure Anderson didn’t get away so they signed him to a contract extension in the off season (which pretty much guarantees Brady Quinn will be traded at some point). Supporting Anderson, the Browns have a variety of offensive weapons to utilize in WR Braylon Edwards, RB Jamal Lewis and TE Kellen Winslow, Jr. In 2007, Edwards caught 80 passes for 1,289 yards and 16 touchdowns; Lewis ran for 1304 yards and had 9 touchdowns; and Winslow caught 82 passes for 1106 yards and 5 touchdowns. Cleveland also added another potent WR in the off season in Donte’ Stallworth who was in integral cog in the New England juggernaut offense last year.
Dallas also knows how to score though. The Cowboy’s offense in 2007, ranked third in the league with 365.7 total yards per game, and second with 455 points. Romo, was third in the league with 4,211 passing yards and second with 36 touchdowns. Dallas also has 3 star performers in Terrell Owens who had 81 catches for 1355 yards and 15 touchdowns, RB Marion Barber who had 975 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns (in part time duty) and TE Jason Witten who had 96 catches for 1145 yards and 7 touchdowns. Patrick Crayton is a solid #2 receiver and the addition of Felix Jones will give more speed and options to Romo. And I really don’t think the addition of Pac-Man Jones can be discounted especially in the return game. I think he’s going to make a big difference there.
The Achilles heel for Cleveland though is their defense which ranked 30th in the league in 2007. So the Browns can score points but they also give them up almost as fast as they score them. However the Dallas defense, while not being top flite last year, was solid ranking 9th in the league holding opponents to an average of 307.6 yards. The defense bent but didn’t break which is how Dallas won 13 games in the regular season last year and entered the playoffs the #1 seed in the NFC.
Also, I’m not real impressed with the teams Cleveland had wins against last year:
Cincinnati (7-9)
Baltimore (5-11)
Miami (1-15)
St. Louis (3-13)
Seattle (10-6; in OT @ home)
Baltimore (5-11)
Houston (8-8)
NY Jets (4-12)
Buffalo (7-9)
San Francisco (5-11)
So, even though the Browns were a 10 win team last year, they had only 1 win against a team with a winning record and it took OT to get that win.
I think the first half of the game both offenses will be clicking and be productive. However the 2nd half is where Dallas’ defense tightens up and allows the offense to put more distance between them and Cleveland. Also, I think with the way Dallas’ season ended last year, Romo and company have been counting down the days until they can get back out on the field. In the end, I don’t think Cleveland’s defense will be able to keep up with Dallas’ offense whereas Dallas’ defense will, again, bend but not break and allow the Cowboys to start off the 2008 campaign with a “W”.
My prediction: Dallas 31, Cleveland 20.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
