OK, now that week 16 is officially over and the Chicago Bears upset the Vikings in overtime on Monday Night, the playoff picture is getting a little bit more clear.
New Orleans, Minnesota, Arizona, Philly, Green Bay and Dallas are all in the playoffs, but they have yet to determine what position and seed they will get. (I'm not going to even get into the confusing AFC Playoff picture.)
If Dallas wins against the Eagles, they will win the division title. If Dallas wins against the Eagles and if Minnesota and Arizona lose, Dallas will secure the number 2 seed and receive a bye week. So as difficult as it may be, I'll be rooting for the Giants against Minnesota and Green Bay against Arizona.
It may have been a year ago, but I'm hoping that 44-6 is still strong in the Cowboys' minds. Another finale against the Eagles, and although it's not as dire as last year's "do or die" game, you better believe they will be playing their hearts out to get the division title.
And with all 16 games being played on Sunday... it's going to be a busy day, but when it's all said and done, all of our playoff questions will be answered.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Monday, December 28, 2009
Week 16 Recap - Dallas (17) @ Washington (0)
Thanks to Carolina for giving Dallas a late Christmas gift and crushing the Giants 41-9, this meant that a win against Washington would be an automatic ticket to the playoffs.
What did Dallas do with this opportunity?
Well, they took full advantage, dismantled Washington 17-0, secured at least the second wild card position and are on their way to try and win the division with a victory over Philadelphia this upcoming Sunday (the game has been moved to 4:15 b.t.w.)
Things are looking up and the Cowboys are peaking at just the right time. Tony Romo has played some of his best football these past 5 games and completely dissolved the whole 'December' talk... his next goal is to dissolve the 'Big Game' talk by winning a playoff match-up (or 3.)
Regarding the game itself, Dallas was good... not great, but good. Washington is bad... just plain bad, and it showed. Dallas could have had more success on offense, especially a troubling trend that has started with Marion Barber not being able to pick up 1 or 2 yards, but besides that, Dallas was damn good. The defense was phenomenal and made the plays when they needed to. Washington never even got into the red zone.
This next game against Philly could possibly mean division title, home field advantage and a bye week (of course, Minnesota would have to lose outright as well as Arizona losing, or something like that...) Regardless, if Dallas wins they will at least win the division.
The cards have been laid out, now it's just up to the Cowboys to do what they've had trouble doing in the past, take advantage of the situation and win... if they continue their recent trend, it shouldn't be a problem, but I won't feel secure until they actually do. Go Cowboys!!!
P.S.
In other Cowboys (future) News... I just read the 2010 opponents for Dallas, and it's going to be Chicago, Detroit, Jacksonville and Tennessee at home (plus either New Orleans, Atlanta or Carolina, depending on next week's games.)
The away games will be Green Bay (ugh) Minnesota, Houston and Indy (plus either Arizona or San Fransisco, again, depending on next week's games.)
I was going to post an early, early, early prediction but I think I'll wait until April when the full schedule and dates are released before I start playing guessing games.
What did Dallas do with this opportunity?
Well, they took full advantage, dismantled Washington 17-0, secured at least the second wild card position and are on their way to try and win the division with a victory over Philadelphia this upcoming Sunday (the game has been moved to 4:15 b.t.w.)
Things are looking up and the Cowboys are peaking at just the right time. Tony Romo has played some of his best football these past 5 games and completely dissolved the whole 'December' talk... his next goal is to dissolve the 'Big Game' talk by winning a playoff match-up (or 3.)
Regarding the game itself, Dallas was good... not great, but good. Washington is bad... just plain bad, and it showed. Dallas could have had more success on offense, especially a troubling trend that has started with Marion Barber not being able to pick up 1 or 2 yards, but besides that, Dallas was damn good. The defense was phenomenal and made the plays when they needed to. Washington never even got into the red zone.
This next game against Philly could possibly mean division title, home field advantage and a bye week (of course, Minnesota would have to lose outright as well as Arizona losing, or something like that...) Regardless, if Dallas wins they will at least win the division.
The cards have been laid out, now it's just up to the Cowboys to do what they've had trouble doing in the past, take advantage of the situation and win... if they continue their recent trend, it shouldn't be a problem, but I won't feel secure until they actually do. Go Cowboys!!!
P.S.
In other Cowboys (future) News... I just read the 2010 opponents for Dallas, and it's going to be Chicago, Detroit, Jacksonville and Tennessee at home (plus either New Orleans, Atlanta or Carolina, depending on next week's games.)
The away games will be Green Bay (ugh) Minnesota, Houston and Indy (plus either Arizona or San Fransisco, again, depending on next week's games.)
I was going to post an early, early, early prediction but I think I'll wait until April when the full schedule and dates are released before I start playing guessing games.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Week 15 Recap - Dallas (24) @ New Orleans (17)
The Dallas Cowboys no longer have to rely on other teams losing to make the playoffs, their destiny is squarely in their own hands after beating the undefeated New Orleans Saints on Saturday night and improving to a 9-5 record.
I don't think there was anyone who thought that the Cowboys would win this game, but with great plays by Tony Romo, DeMarcus Ware and Miles Austin, Dallas may have righted their ship as they head toward the playoffs.
The final two games, against Washington and Philly, are going to be very important... if Dallas can manage a win in both games, they are in the playoffs with the Division Title, if they lose one of these games... they still could make the playoffs, but they would once again need some help from other teams losing.
There are really only 3 teams left that have an undecided fate regarding the playoffs... Dallas (9-5), Green Bay (9-5) and the Giants (8-6). New Orleans, Minnesota, Arizona and Philly have all secured a spot in the playoffs this year, and everyone else has been eliminated. It is going to be a heated battle to the finish.
Green Bay finishes their schedule against Seattle and then Arizona. I expect they will win against Seattle but Arizona could be a tough one... crossing my fingers they lose both!
The Giants play Carolina and then Minnesota... both of which should be a tough game... Go Carolina!! Go Minnesota!!
I'm definitely on the edge of my seat and quite anxious as I wait until next weekend to see what happens around the league.
IN OTHER COWBOYS NEWS
Nick Folk, who missed a 20-something yard field goal on Saturday night which would have put the Cowboys up by 2 scores with very little time remaining, has been given the axe. He will know today if any other team picks him up, but he's definitely not a Cowboy anymore.
In his spot, in what may turn out to be a really dumb move, the Cowboys have picked up Shawn Suisham who was recently cut from the Redskins for the same reason Folk was canned.
I'm not sure I understand this move. Suisham pretty much lost a game or two for Washington which led to him getting the boot, so why the hell did Dallas risk it by going after him? Him of all people. I know that David Buehler is not a very good field goal kicker, but at this point I would trust him more than Folk or Suisham. Prove me wrong Suisham!
I don't think there was anyone who thought that the Cowboys would win this game, but with great plays by Tony Romo, DeMarcus Ware and Miles Austin, Dallas may have righted their ship as they head toward the playoffs.
The final two games, against Washington and Philly, are going to be very important... if Dallas can manage a win in both games, they are in the playoffs with the Division Title, if they lose one of these games... they still could make the playoffs, but they would once again need some help from other teams losing.
There are really only 3 teams left that have an undecided fate regarding the playoffs... Dallas (9-5), Green Bay (9-5) and the Giants (8-6). New Orleans, Minnesota, Arizona and Philly have all secured a spot in the playoffs this year, and everyone else has been eliminated. It is going to be a heated battle to the finish.
Green Bay finishes their schedule against Seattle and then Arizona. I expect they will win against Seattle but Arizona could be a tough one... crossing my fingers they lose both!
The Giants play Carolina and then Minnesota... both of which should be a tough game... Go Carolina!! Go Minnesota!!
I'm definitely on the edge of my seat and quite anxious as I wait until next weekend to see what happens around the league.
IN OTHER COWBOYS NEWS
Nick Folk, who missed a 20-something yard field goal on Saturday night which would have put the Cowboys up by 2 scores with very little time remaining, has been given the axe. He will know today if any other team picks him up, but he's definitely not a Cowboy anymore.
In his spot, in what may turn out to be a really dumb move, the Cowboys have picked up Shawn Suisham who was recently cut from the Redskins for the same reason Folk was canned.
I'm not sure I understand this move. Suisham pretty much lost a game or two for Washington which led to him getting the boot, so why the hell did Dallas risk it by going after him? Him of all people. I know that David Buehler is not a very good field goal kicker, but at this point I would trust him more than Folk or Suisham. Prove me wrong Suisham!
Monday, December 14, 2009
Week 14 Recap : San Diego (20) at Dallas (17) and Various Thoughts
How do I see this all ending? Not well at all.
The December Slump marches right along and brings with it another disappointing loss... this time to the San Diego Chargers, in what was a very winnable game.
Once again, Dallas gave up when it mattered the most and haven't learned how to shut a team down. The defense played horribly, the offense couldn't get rolling and special teams was just 'OK' except of course, Nick Folk missing yet another 40-something yard field goal, (which makes his future very questionable.)
What this all means is that Dallas' playoff hopes have pretty much gone away. It would take a complete run of the table to guarantee a playoff spot, and against New Orleans, Washington and Philly... I don't see that happening, not the way these Cowboys have been playing.
It's remotely possible that with just two wins they could still make the playoffs, but that would require a few other teams to lose as well and it's never good if you have to rely on other teams losing to make the post-season. I have little to no faith that they could do well even if they were to make the playoffs.
I am already focusing on a long off-season and the changes for next year... which should at least include a new coach and kicker.
I never figured I would be this negative when there is still a chance, but I have seen no evidence that would lead me to believe that Dallas can win when it counts. I suppose the curse is true, be it Romo's fault or not, something just ain't right in December.
The December Slump marches right along and brings with it another disappointing loss... this time to the San Diego Chargers, in what was a very winnable game.
Once again, Dallas gave up when it mattered the most and haven't learned how to shut a team down. The defense played horribly, the offense couldn't get rolling and special teams was just 'OK' except of course, Nick Folk missing yet another 40-something yard field goal, (which makes his future very questionable.)
What this all means is that Dallas' playoff hopes have pretty much gone away. It would take a complete run of the table to guarantee a playoff spot, and against New Orleans, Washington and Philly... I don't see that happening, not the way these Cowboys have been playing.
It's remotely possible that with just two wins they could still make the playoffs, but that would require a few other teams to lose as well and it's never good if you have to rely on other teams losing to make the post-season. I have little to no faith that they could do well even if they were to make the playoffs.
I am already focusing on a long off-season and the changes for next year... which should at least include a new coach and kicker.
I never figured I would be this negative when there is still a chance, but I have seen no evidence that would lead me to believe that Dallas can win when it counts. I suppose the curse is true, be it Romo's fault or not, something just ain't right in December.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Week 13 Recap : Dallas (24) at NY Giants (31)
And let the Cowboy's 'December Slump' begin...
Tony Romo has been criticized for his bad play in December, and he was determined to silence his critics this game... in a way... he did prove himself... He actually had a great game, throwing for over 300 yards again and completing 41 for 55 passes with 3 touchdowns and zero interceptions... near perfect stats.
Unfortunately, the Cowboys' defense and the special teams were the disappointments this time and allowed the Giants to walk all over them. So this is not a December loss that can be blamed on Romo, but it is still a loss and regardless who is at fault, it doesn't feel good, especially now that the NFC East is fair game for everyone (except Washington, that is.) Dallas blew the lead they had in the first quarter and also blew the first place position they held in the NFC East.
The way I was figuring it is that Dallas had to win at least 3 of the last 5 to get into the playoffs, and now that they've lost one of the games I thought they could win, they have to go 3 out of 4, and how easy is that gonna be with San Diego, New Orleans and Philly on the schedule... plus Washington (don't wanna leave them out... they did almost beat New Orleans today.)
It has the feeling of another disappointing December, and any ounce of faith I had for a nice run in the final stretch was destroyed when the defense allowed a 70 plus yard touchdown pass to Brandon Jacobs... that is something that never should have happened. It's reminding me of last year's game against Baltimore... the nightmares are all coming back.
Tony Romo has been criticized for his bad play in December, and he was determined to silence his critics this game... in a way... he did prove himself... He actually had a great game, throwing for over 300 yards again and completing 41 for 55 passes with 3 touchdowns and zero interceptions... near perfect stats.
Unfortunately, the Cowboys' defense and the special teams were the disappointments this time and allowed the Giants to walk all over them. So this is not a December loss that can be blamed on Romo, but it is still a loss and regardless who is at fault, it doesn't feel good, especially now that the NFC East is fair game for everyone (except Washington, that is.) Dallas blew the lead they had in the first quarter and also blew the first place position they held in the NFC East.
The way I was figuring it is that Dallas had to win at least 3 of the last 5 to get into the playoffs, and now that they've lost one of the games I thought they could win, they have to go 3 out of 4, and how easy is that gonna be with San Diego, New Orleans and Philly on the schedule... plus Washington (don't wanna leave them out... they did almost beat New Orleans today.)
It has the feeling of another disappointing December, and any ounce of faith I had for a nice run in the final stretch was destroyed when the defense allowed a 70 plus yard touchdown pass to Brandon Jacobs... that is something that never should have happened. It's reminding me of last year's game against Baltimore... the nightmares are all coming back.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Where Have you Been Young Man!?!
My apologies for the lack of posts the past, umm...6 weeks or so, but cut me some slack, I've been busy getting married and going on a honeymoon and doing Thanksgiving and early Christmas stuff... so exccccuuuuse me.
Anyway... in my absence from posting, the Cowboys have gone through 5 games and have won 4 of them... not bad at all.
I am not going to go into depth about each game, just a small recap.
November 1 vs Seattle. Dallas won 38-17.
November 8 at Philly. Close game, but Dallas pulled ahead at the end and won 20-16.
November 15 at Green Bay. It was bound to happen after such a nice winning streak. Dallas went up to Green Bay and fell apart... losing 7 - 17.
November 22 vs Washington. Dallas looked shakey again, but thankfully Washington was even more shakey. Dallas won 7-6.
November 26 vs Oakland (Thanksgiving.) Dallas finally looked like a great football team and won very convincingly 24-7.
This Sunday will be a matchup in the meadowlands against the much hated, much division rivals the New York Giants.
The Giants have been struggling as of late, and this game may very well be a do or die game for them if they want any chance of making the playoffs. The Cowboys know this and will do whatever they can to knock them out of the race. It's going to be a tough game, as they always are against division foes.
In the past few years, December has been a rough time for Dallas, but there's hope that this December could finally change things around, make the playoffs and maybe win. 5 games left and my fingers are crossed.
Anyway... in my absence from posting, the Cowboys have gone through 5 games and have won 4 of them... not bad at all.
I am not going to go into depth about each game, just a small recap.
November 1 vs Seattle. Dallas won 38-17.
November 8 at Philly. Close game, but Dallas pulled ahead at the end and won 20-16.
November 15 at Green Bay. It was bound to happen after such a nice winning streak. Dallas went up to Green Bay and fell apart... losing 7 - 17.
November 22 vs Washington. Dallas looked shakey again, but thankfully Washington was even more shakey. Dallas won 7-6.
November 26 vs Oakland (Thanksgiving.) Dallas finally looked like a great football team and won very convincingly 24-7.
This Sunday will be a matchup in the meadowlands against the much hated, much division rivals the New York Giants.
The Giants have been struggling as of late, and this game may very well be a do or die game for them if they want any chance of making the playoffs. The Cowboys know this and will do whatever they can to knock them out of the race. It's going to be a tough game, as they always are against division foes.
In the past few years, December has been a rough time for Dallas, but there's hope that this December could finally change things around, make the playoffs and maybe win. 5 games left and my fingers are crossed.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Week 7 Recap - Atlanta (21) @ Dallas (37)
Dallas finally beat a team with a winning record and did it very convincingly. 37-21, which would have been 37-14 if it weren't for a late Falcons' garbage time touchdown.
Tony Romo shined again, Miles Austin shined again, Patrick Crayton shined and proved his worth, the O-Line shined, the pass rushers shined, and the defensive backs shined. Everyone was on point.
On defense, if it wasn't Jay Ratliff, DeMarcus Ware or Marcus Spears getting a sack (or 4), it was Mike Jenkins or Orlando Scandrick getting interceptions, or Gerald Sensabaugh hitting receivers so hard they can't hold on to a catch.
On offense, if it wasn't Miles Austin on a 59 yard touchdown reception, it was Romo scrambling out of a broken pocket and throwing a touchdown to Patrick Crayton, or Tashard Choice catching a critical 1st down reception up the seam.
On special teams, if it wasn't David Buehler kicking touchbacks, it was Patrick Crayton, returning a punt for a touchdown.
All three units played like a playoff caliber team... there were of course some hiccups, mostly with Roy Williams playing the worst game of his career, but Marion Barber and Felix Jones both played pretty mediocre too. (All three are recovering from injury.)
Also, I'm not sure why there was so much talk about Tashard Choice getting more carries, because he didn't get any carries... I think he only had one catch, maybe two.
Martellus Bennett also made two critical catches, one for a first down. He was also called for holding, but that call was very suspect. It's good to see Bennett finally getting some looks, I'm still betting he's going to be a big threat on this offense once he really opens up.
All in all, it was a good game and shows that this team can get it together when they need to, they just have to stay consistent the rest of the season... and they still need to cut down on stupid penalties.
Next week is another home game, this time against Seattle, who has been struggling this season. Without sounding cocky, Dallas should definitely win this one and sail to 5-2. Thanks to Arizona's victory against the Giants last night, Dallas is right back in the mix for top of NFC East.
The sky is not falling this week.
Tony Romo shined again, Miles Austin shined again, Patrick Crayton shined and proved his worth, the O-Line shined, the pass rushers shined, and the defensive backs shined. Everyone was on point.
On defense, if it wasn't Jay Ratliff, DeMarcus Ware or Marcus Spears getting a sack (or 4), it was Mike Jenkins or Orlando Scandrick getting interceptions, or Gerald Sensabaugh hitting receivers so hard they can't hold on to a catch.
On offense, if it wasn't Miles Austin on a 59 yard touchdown reception, it was Romo scrambling out of a broken pocket and throwing a touchdown to Patrick Crayton, or Tashard Choice catching a critical 1st down reception up the seam.
On special teams, if it wasn't David Buehler kicking touchbacks, it was Patrick Crayton, returning a punt for a touchdown.
All three units played like a playoff caliber team... there were of course some hiccups, mostly with Roy Williams playing the worst game of his career, but Marion Barber and Felix Jones both played pretty mediocre too. (All three are recovering from injury.)
Also, I'm not sure why there was so much talk about Tashard Choice getting more carries, because he didn't get any carries... I think he only had one catch, maybe two.
Martellus Bennett also made two critical catches, one for a first down. He was also called for holding, but that call was very suspect. It's good to see Bennett finally getting some looks, I'm still betting he's going to be a big threat on this offense once he really opens up.
All in all, it was a good game and shows that this team can get it together when they need to, they just have to stay consistent the rest of the season... and they still need to cut down on stupid penalties.
Next week is another home game, this time against Seattle, who has been struggling this season. Without sounding cocky, Dallas should definitely win this one and sail to 5-2. Thanks to Arizona's victory against the Giants last night, Dallas is right back in the mix for top of NFC East.
The sky is not falling this week.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Back in the Saddle Again
The Cowboys are back to practice after having the weekend off, and there are a few changes and injury updates.
As far as injuries go, Sensabaugh is back in practice with a cast on his broken thumb, and plans to play Sunday. Felix Jones is still day to day, which means he probably won't play.
Two unexpected names have popped up on the injury list, Demarcus Ware and Marion Barber. Ware is dealing with a stress fracture in his foot and Barber has a fractured left thumb... again, both plan on playing.
A few lineup changes have also been announced, starting with Tashard Choice getting more carries. Most likely this is due to the fact that Barber is still iffy, and Felix Jones may not play at all. Choice might be the only choice come Sunday.
The biggest change is that Miles Austin will be starting in place of Patrick Crayton. After a Cowboys Record day with 250 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns against Kansas City, Wade Phillips said this was an easy decision to make.
Crayton, on the other-hand, feels that it's unfair. He claims he was never told beforehand about this change at wide receiver and blah blah blah... Crayton always runs his mouth, so this is nothing new.
After muffing a punt and missing a pass or two, Wade Phillips and Jason Garrett might not be the only two people on a hot seat. I could definitely see this team being Crayton-less next season.
In other shocking news, the point spread is still favoring Dallas by 4 points. I thought that by now it would have been re-evaluated and reduced or even that Atlanta would switch positions and be favored, but it doesn't look like it. I'm hoping Vegas knows what it's talking about... We'll find out on Sunday.
As far as injuries go, Sensabaugh is back in practice with a cast on his broken thumb, and plans to play Sunday. Felix Jones is still day to day, which means he probably won't play.
Two unexpected names have popped up on the injury list, Demarcus Ware and Marion Barber. Ware is dealing with a stress fracture in his foot and Barber has a fractured left thumb... again, both plan on playing.
A few lineup changes have also been announced, starting with Tashard Choice getting more carries. Most likely this is due to the fact that Barber is still iffy, and Felix Jones may not play at all. Choice might be the only choice come Sunday.
The biggest change is that Miles Austin will be starting in place of Patrick Crayton. After a Cowboys Record day with 250 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns against Kansas City, Wade Phillips said this was an easy decision to make.
Crayton, on the other-hand, feels that it's unfair. He claims he was never told beforehand about this change at wide receiver and blah blah blah... Crayton always runs his mouth, so this is nothing new.
After muffing a punt and missing a pass or two, Wade Phillips and Jason Garrett might not be the only two people on a hot seat. I could definitely see this team being Crayton-less next season.
In other shocking news, the point spread is still favoring Dallas by 4 points. I thought that by now it would have been re-evaluated and reduced or even that Atlanta would switch positions and be favored, but it doesn't look like it. I'm hoping Vegas knows what it's talking about... We'll find out on Sunday.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Dallas favored by 4 points over Atlanta?!?
If you know me, you know that I am a die-hard Cowboys fan til the end and I wish nothing but success for my team, but even I was surprised when I opened up the sports section and saw that Dallas is actually being favored by 4 points over the Falcons.
I don't know what kind of bizarro world I woke up to, or what Vegas is thinking, but I've actually watched Dallas play the first 5 games, and the 3 wins they did manage were anything but pretty. Atlanta, however, is 4-1 and is having success all around... they're looking pretty good too.
If I were a betting man, (which I am... except when my team's involved,) I would take Atlanta getting 4 points.
The only thing I can think of is the fact that Dallas is coming off of a bye week, which means an extra week of preparation, but even with that I'm not very confident they can pull out a victory against Atlanta, whose quarterback is impressive, running game is dynamic and defense is coming along nicely as well.
Another factor in the 'favored' position might be that Felix Jones and Roy Williams should be healthy... should is the key word there.
It's only Tuesday and I expect that line to change a bit, and I of course hope and pray that Dallas will win, but let's just see how this week goes.
I don't know what kind of bizarro world I woke up to, or what Vegas is thinking, but I've actually watched Dallas play the first 5 games, and the 3 wins they did manage were anything but pretty. Atlanta, however, is 4-1 and is having success all around... they're looking pretty good too.
If I were a betting man, (which I am... except when my team's involved,) I would take Atlanta getting 4 points.
The only thing I can think of is the fact that Dallas is coming off of a bye week, which means an extra week of preparation, but even with that I'm not very confident they can pull out a victory against Atlanta, whose quarterback is impressive, running game is dynamic and defense is coming along nicely as well.
Another factor in the 'favored' position might be that Felix Jones and Roy Williams should be healthy... should is the key word there.
It's only Tuesday and I expect that line to change a bit, and I of course hope and pray that Dallas will win, but let's just see how this week goes.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Week 6 Recap : Dallas (1) vs NFC East (0)
There was no way Dallas could lose this week, with it being the Bye and all... but it is a bit surprising that Dallas actually won! They didn't add on to their 3-2 record, but they gained momentum in the NFC East as all three rivals lost today.
The Giants fell to New Orleans, which could have easily been predicted, but Washington losing to Kansas City and Philly being embarrassed by Oakland were both a shock. This automatically puts Dallas in a tie for 2nd place in the NFC East with the Giants still ahead by two games at 5-1 and Washington is left behind at 2-4. This upcoming week Philly will play Washington so I'll definitely be rooting for Washington to jump up to 3-4 and Philly down to 3-3. If that happens and if Dallas manages a win against Atlanta, they will claim the number 2 NFC East Spot... just like that.
As I write this, Chicago is playing Atlanta on Sunday Night Football, and Atlanta is looking pretty damn good. That's going to be Dallas' challenge next week. Luckily they will be playing at Cowboys Stadium, but even so, I'm not sure I can confidently predict a win.
The Giants fell to New Orleans, which could have easily been predicted, but Washington losing to Kansas City and Philly being embarrassed by Oakland were both a shock. This automatically puts Dallas in a tie for 2nd place in the NFC East with the Giants still ahead by two games at 5-1 and Washington is left behind at 2-4. This upcoming week Philly will play Washington so I'll definitely be rooting for Washington to jump up to 3-4 and Philly down to 3-3. If that happens and if Dallas manages a win against Atlanta, they will claim the number 2 NFC East Spot... just like that.
As I write this, Chicago is playing Atlanta on Sunday Night Football, and Atlanta is looking pretty damn good. That's going to be Dallas' challenge next week. Luckily they will be playing at Cowboys Stadium, but even so, I'm not sure I can confidently predict a win.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Week 5 Recap - Dallas (26) @ Kansas City (20)
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
The Good : Dallas won the game against the Kansas City Chiefs and instead of 2-3 will head into the bye week at 3-2.
The Bad : Sure they won, but they didn't do it convincingly and it took overtime to do it. Miles Austin shined but no one else did... maybe Keith Brooking too.
The Ugly : The whole game... The Penalties... The mistakes... The way Dallas played made Kansas City look like the '07 Patriots.
Overall... looks like it's back to the drawing board on correcting these mistakes. There's something wrong here, for sure, but it's hard to point out exactly what that is... I'm hoping the coaches know something I don't and I hope they know how to fix it. (Given their track record though... I am not confident.)
Now Dallas heads into a much needed bye week... hopefully giving some injured players a chance to heal... Felix Jones, Marion Barber & Gerald Sensabaugh mainly.
After the bye, Dallas also gets to stay at home for 2 weeks, hosting Atlanta and Seattle, who were once sure-things for the win column... at this point it's anybody's guess.
In Other Cowboys News : Veteran return-man Allen Rossum, was picked up from San Francisco, who cut him to make room for Michael Crabtree. Rossum will most likely be the return man on kickoff and punts for the rest of the season.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Tony Romo is the Cowboys' Best Option...
All of the so-called "fans" who are clamoring for Romo to be either benched or traded need to stop wasting their breathe because that isn't going to happen... nor should it.He is the best option that Dallas has right now and although his recent play might have knocked him off of everyone's Top 5 list, he's still an above average quarterback, which is something we haven't seen since the days of Troy Aikman.
After Aikman was forced to retire in 2001, the Cowboys have gone through 8 different quarterbacks with nothing to show for... no 13-3 seasons... no championship wins... nothing!
Romo comes along, injects some life into this dismal franchise, breaks numerous Cowboys' records and has at least got Dallas closer to winning a play-off game than any of those other 8 quarterbacks have done. Our best option is Tony Romo... whether you're sick of him or not, learn to love him, because he is not going anywhere.
Oh and on the whole, 'Let's start Jon Kitna instead of Romo,' talk... there's a quote that comes to mind from a current flamboyant Bengals' receiver who's name is 85... "Child Please!!" Kitna is the backup for a reason, and Kitna has gone through 4 different teams in his career for a reason... he is not the answer. The best option that Dallas has right now is... surprise... Tony Romo.
Why have the comparisons between Romo and Brett Favre stopped? I still feel that Romo is very much like Favre and has the talent to sustain a similar career. So look at Favre... a living legend... who plays like Romo plays... risky... which can win you games or lose you games. Favre had plenty of games that he lost because of his actions and Romo had plenty of games that he won because of his actions... just because he's already had 2 mediocre games, it's not the time to vilify the quarterback... he wants to win as much as us fans want him to.
I heard a great quote about Romo, and I will leave with it... "Tony Romo is a good quarterback who tries to be great." On some days he is great... other days he tries to be great but the game slips away from him... regardless, he is the Cowboys best option right now...
P.S.
Just something to note... this upcoming Sunday, the Dallas Cowboys will travel to Kansas City and face....the Dallas Texans...?!
Yep, you heard me correctly, the Chiefs began their franchise as the Dallas Texans in 1960 and for this game will be wearing their throwback Dallas Texans uniforms while the Cowboys will wear their retro uniforms with the star on the shoulder and white helmets (as seen in the picture above.)
Monday, October 5, 2009
Still Upset... Looking Ahead
OK, let's take a step back and look at the situation the Cowboys are in. The record is now 2-2, they won two games against teams with losing records and lost two games against teams that are undefeated. If you put it that way, it doesn't sound as bad... but it still is.
The next step that has to be taken is to win games that you should win, as well as win games that you aren't supposed to win. That's the mark of a championship team, and that's not what this team is right now.
Next week, Dallas travels to Kansas City to face a team that falls into the 'losing record' category with zero wins thus far. This is one of those games that should be a win, there's no doubt about it. If this game is a loss, there may be no way to steer this ship clear of the iceberg.
Following the Kansas City game is a much needed bye week. Felix Jones and Gerald Sensabaugh (who will miss 1-2 weeks from a broken thumb he sustained against Denver,) are both expected to return after the bye. Marion Barber should also be much more healthy after an extra week of rehab.
Fingers are crossed that this coaching staff can turn things around and get this offense productive again. Every second from the clock reaching 00:00 in Kansas City until the kick off against Atlanta, these players need to be studying and practicing and these coaches need to demand excellence and press them a little.
Realistically looking at the upcoming schedule and I can see this team going 8-8, if they're lucky. That's going to be tough enough and would mean wins against Kansas City, Seattle, Oakland, both Washington games and one of the Philly games. They will be hard-pressed to win against Atlanta, Philly, Green Bay, the Giants again, San Diego and New Orleans.
Division games are the key, however. They are already a game down with the Giants loss, but if they can sweep Washington, and win one of the Philly games, maybe even the final Giants game (which would be a huge win,) then they still have a shot.
In Conclusion, I honestly don't have a good feeling about the rest of this season. As I watch this team, I feel that it is unlikely they will be able to pull it together in time... there are only so many games in the NFL, and if they are having this many problems this early, (and I'm talking about problems that should have been solved in Training Camp like penalties, poor tackling and mental mistakes,) then this team will continue their downward spiral, heading straight to another early off-season.
The next step that has to be taken is to win games that you should win, as well as win games that you aren't supposed to win. That's the mark of a championship team, and that's not what this team is right now.
Next week, Dallas travels to Kansas City to face a team that falls into the 'losing record' category with zero wins thus far. This is one of those games that should be a win, there's no doubt about it. If this game is a loss, there may be no way to steer this ship clear of the iceberg.
Following the Kansas City game is a much needed bye week. Felix Jones and Gerald Sensabaugh (who will miss 1-2 weeks from a broken thumb he sustained against Denver,) are both expected to return after the bye. Marion Barber should also be much more healthy after an extra week of rehab.
Fingers are crossed that this coaching staff can turn things around and get this offense productive again. Every second from the clock reaching 00:00 in Kansas City until the kick off against Atlanta, these players need to be studying and practicing and these coaches need to demand excellence and press them a little.
Realistically looking at the upcoming schedule and I can see this team going 8-8, if they're lucky. That's going to be tough enough and would mean wins against Kansas City, Seattle, Oakland, both Washington games and one of the Philly games. They will be hard-pressed to win against Atlanta, Philly, Green Bay, the Giants again, San Diego and New Orleans.
Division games are the key, however. They are already a game down with the Giants loss, but if they can sweep Washington, and win one of the Philly games, maybe even the final Giants game (which would be a huge win,) then they still have a shot.
In Conclusion, I honestly don't have a good feeling about the rest of this season. As I watch this team, I feel that it is unlikely they will be able to pull it together in time... there are only so many games in the NFL, and if they are having this many problems this early, (and I'm talking about problems that should have been solved in Training Camp like penalties, poor tackling and mental mistakes,) then this team will continue their downward spiral, heading straight to another early off-season.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Week 4 Recap - Dallas (10) @ Denver (17)
Well... the Cowboys just aren't ready.
The Broncos may just be the team their record says they are, 4-0 and defensively tough as it comes, but Dallas let them off the hook on too many drives. Penalties plagued Denver early on, but Dallas never capitalized on it. Penalties for Dallas came (again) in crucial situations which killed positive drives. The Cowboys' defense made great plays when they needed to, but couldn't close the game down on the final drive again. The offense didn't help the defense at all and managed only a field goal and a touchdown (by Barber on a 1 yard rush.)
Tony Romo, specifically, was the cause of many woes. A fumble, an interception and more horrible throws then I can count... one that resulted in Roy Williams taking a hard hit which sidelined him for a few important snaps. It was another bad day for Romo, and unfortunately the bad days keep piling up. He started the season with promise, throwing for career yards and a couple touchdowns in Tampa Bay... since then, he has been mediocre at best.
It's starting to be really tough watching this team... they have so much talent, but they can't execute. Do I see this team making the playoffs this year? Nope... not without a miracle. This game was one of the winnable games on the schedule, and if they keep dropping the games they are supposed to win then they are going to have major problems even keeping a winning record, let alone making the playoffs.
Here's to hoping they can stop the disappointment and actually turn it around next week and for the rest of the season.
The Broncos may just be the team their record says they are, 4-0 and defensively tough as it comes, but Dallas let them off the hook on too many drives. Penalties plagued Denver early on, but Dallas never capitalized on it. Penalties for Dallas came (again) in crucial situations which killed positive drives. The Cowboys' defense made great plays when they needed to, but couldn't close the game down on the final drive again. The offense didn't help the defense at all and managed only a field goal and a touchdown (by Barber on a 1 yard rush.)
Tony Romo, specifically, was the cause of many woes. A fumble, an interception and more horrible throws then I can count... one that resulted in Roy Williams taking a hard hit which sidelined him for a few important snaps. It was another bad day for Romo, and unfortunately the bad days keep piling up. He started the season with promise, throwing for career yards and a couple touchdowns in Tampa Bay... since then, he has been mediocre at best.
It's starting to be really tough watching this team... they have so much talent, but they can't execute. Do I see this team making the playoffs this year? Nope... not without a miracle. This game was one of the winnable games on the schedule, and if they keep dropping the games they are supposed to win then they are going to have major problems even keeping a winning record, let alone making the playoffs.
Here's to hoping they can stop the disappointment and actually turn it around next week and for the rest of the season.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Thanks Vegas
Hahaha... Dallas is 3 point FAVORITES going into Denver this Sunday. I was shocked too... the 2-1 Cowboys against the 3-0 Broncos... usually for a game between two (fairly) equal teams, the home-team gives up the points... so this was a pleasant surprise.
This tells me a couple things... One thing that I take from it is that the Broncos should not be 3-0 (they'd be 2-1 if not for the 'immaculate deflection' against Cincinnati in the last seconds of the game... plus the other two teams they beat were Cleveland and Oakland, who do not have winning records.) The Broncos might not be as good as their record (please God don't make me eat those words...)
Another thing Vegas sees that some don't is that Dallas is a very good team... sure they had a shaky game against the Giants, but they only lost by 2 points and the Giants are being touted as one of the best teams in the league... to lose by only 2 points to the 'best' team isn't half bad...
Not that Vegas isn't wrong at least a few times a week, but this was definitely a nice thing to see when I cracked open the Sports section today.
Also, since I'm here, I might as well put out my prediction for the upcoming game since I most likely won't be posting another entry until my Week 4 Recap.
I have faith in this Cowboys' team, especially how they turned it around in the second half of Monday's game... There's going to be a tough defense to contend with, as well as the 'thin air,' from being at such a high altitude... these things should be minor and hopefully Dallas will stick to running and play a smart and conservative game with little error... we'll see... Jason Garrett likes to play a little risky at times... I still see a Dallas victory of 32-17... well I'd like to see it anyway...
This tells me a couple things... One thing that I take from it is that the Broncos should not be 3-0 (they'd be 2-1 if not for the 'immaculate deflection' against Cincinnati in the last seconds of the game... plus the other two teams they beat were Cleveland and Oakland, who do not have winning records.) The Broncos might not be as good as their record (please God don't make me eat those words...)
Another thing Vegas sees that some don't is that Dallas is a very good team... sure they had a shaky game against the Giants, but they only lost by 2 points and the Giants are being touted as one of the best teams in the league... to lose by only 2 points to the 'best' team isn't half bad...
Not that Vegas isn't wrong at least a few times a week, but this was definitely a nice thing to see when I cracked open the Sports section today.
Also, since I'm here, I might as well put out my prediction for the upcoming game since I most likely won't be posting another entry until my Week 4 Recap.
I have faith in this Cowboys' team, especially how they turned it around in the second half of Monday's game... There's going to be a tough defense to contend with, as well as the 'thin air,' from being at such a high altitude... these things should be minor and hopefully Dallas will stick to running and play a smart and conservative game with little error... we'll see... Jason Garrett likes to play a little risky at times... I still see a Dallas victory of 32-17... well I'd like to see it anyway...
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Looking Ahead...
It has been three weeks and Dallas has a record of 2-1... not a bad start. It very easily could have been 3-0 but it is what it is and that's the game... moving on...
There are only 7 teams with that perfect 3-0 record and it's not surprising that the Giants, Indianapolis & Baltimore are in that category. It's a little bit surprising that New Orleans is too. It's even more surprising that Minnesota, the Jets and Denver are also undefeated.
On the other end of the spectrum are the teams that have fallen to 0-3, and there are 7 of those as well. Not surprising, Cleveland, Kansas City and St. Louis are without a win. A little surprising is Tampa Bay and Miami. It's even more surprising that Carolina and Tennessee are also winless.
These next two weeks, Dallas will be on the road to match up with a team from each of those lists. Next week they are heading to face the undefeated Denver Broncos. In two weeks they are heading to Kansas City, who will either be 1-3 or 0-4.
I'm just putting it out there, and I've been disappointed before but I'm going to say that Dallas has a good shot at being 4-1 heading into the bye week.
I should just stop my prognosticating at the bye week since it's never a good idea to look too far ahead in the NFL... but, I started it, so I might as well do a little more guessing...
OK, after the bye week are two games that Dallas has potential to win. Atlanta and Seattle. Atlanta sounds like the tougher of the two, they have been doing good things ever since Matt Ryan became the starter, but they are a young team and can be exploited.
Seattle has been an opponent a lot the past few years so that should help a little bit with game planning... In terms of motivationn, we can't forget about the playoff game loss, but we also shouldn't forget about the 34-9 Dallas victory last Thanksgiving. Winnable for sure.
The next stretch features Philly, Green Bay and Washington and is much more difficult to predict so I'm going to cut my guessing game short... we'll just have to see what plays out.
There are only 7 teams with that perfect 3-0 record and it's not surprising that the Giants, Indianapolis & Baltimore are in that category. It's a little bit surprising that New Orleans is too. It's even more surprising that Minnesota, the Jets and Denver are also undefeated.
On the other end of the spectrum are the teams that have fallen to 0-3, and there are 7 of those as well. Not surprising, Cleveland, Kansas City and St. Louis are without a win. A little surprising is Tampa Bay and Miami. It's even more surprising that Carolina and Tennessee are also winless.
These next two weeks, Dallas will be on the road to match up with a team from each of those lists. Next week they are heading to face the undefeated Denver Broncos. In two weeks they are heading to Kansas City, who will either be 1-3 or 0-4.
I'm just putting it out there, and I've been disappointed before but I'm going to say that Dallas has a good shot at being 4-1 heading into the bye week.
I should just stop my prognosticating at the bye week since it's never a good idea to look too far ahead in the NFL... but, I started it, so I might as well do a little more guessing...
OK, after the bye week are two games that Dallas has potential to win. Atlanta and Seattle. Atlanta sounds like the tougher of the two, they have been doing good things ever since Matt Ryan became the starter, but they are a young team and can be exploited.
Seattle has been an opponent a lot the past few years so that should help a little bit with game planning... In terms of motivationn, we can't forget about the playoff game loss, but we also shouldn't forget about the 34-9 Dallas victory last Thanksgiving. Winnable for sure.
The next stretch features Philly, Green Bay and Washington and is much more difficult to predict so I'm going to cut my guessing game short... we'll just have to see what plays out.
Observations and Notes
What to talk about? Where to begin? There's a lot of things to take 
away from last night's victory and I'm not sure where to even start this blog post.
I could talk about the running game, which has been extremely impressive, racking up two back-to-back 200+ yard games for the first time since 1979 (and with 3rd string RB, Tashard Choice, most of the game.)
I could talk about Terence Newman's great performance, shutting down Steve Smith and grabbing a pick six which coupled with a successful 2 point conversion, gave the 'Boys a two score lead.
I could talk about rookie Victor Butler, who led the league in sacks for week 3 with two, and forced a fumble to officially take the game out of reach for the Panthers with less than a minute to play.
I could talk about Tony Romo, who rebounded nicely from last week, did not have a touchdown, but more importantly, did not have an interception. He managed the game like a true pro.
I could talk about Jay Ratliff, who continually dominates at nose guard and gave Dallas their first sack of the season.
I could talk about Anthony Spencer, who made me say, 'Greg Ellis who?' when Spencer darted into coverage and blocked a 3rd down pass from Delhomme, forcing a punt.
I could talk about Wade Phillips, who (as some are reporting,) gave an uncharacteristically fiery and intense halftime speech that motivated this team to cut down on penalties and turn the game around for the second half.
I could talk about the negatives too...
I could talk about the penalties, especially the ones that happen at the worst possible time... this is something that has plagued the Cowboys for years now.
I could talk about missed tackles... everyone from "Barbie" Carpenter to Terence Newman to Mike Jenkins allowed more yards than they should have because of missed or whiffed tackles.
I could talk about injuries... Marion Barber was out this game due to injury and it looks like Felix Jones may miss some time because of an injury he sustained on a 40 yard run in the 3rd quarter.
I could talk about Demarcus Ware, who is still M.I.A. in regards to sacks, although he is getting pressure on quarterbacks... he's definitely not going to reach his 20 sack total of last year.
I could talk about Jason Garrett and the awful play calling of two back-to-back fade/jump balls on 2nd and goal when Tashard Choice was more than able to break for 1 yard.
I could talk about a lot of things... in fact, I just did, so there... Booyah!
away from last night's victory and I'm not sure where to even start this blog post.I could talk about the running game, which has been extremely impressive, racking up two back-to-back 200+ yard games for the first time since 1979 (and with 3rd string RB, Tashard Choice, most of the game.)
I could talk about Terence Newman's great performance, shutting down Steve Smith and grabbing a pick six which coupled with a successful 2 point conversion, gave the 'Boys a two score lead.
I could talk about rookie Victor Butler, who led the league in sacks for week 3 with two, and forced a fumble to officially take the game out of reach for the Panthers with less than a minute to play.
I could talk about Tony Romo, who rebounded nicely from last week, did not have a touchdown, but more importantly, did not have an interception. He managed the game like a true pro.
I could talk about Jay Ratliff, who continually dominates at nose guard and gave Dallas their first sack of the season.
I could talk about Anthony Spencer, who made me say, 'Greg Ellis who?' when Spencer darted into coverage and blocked a 3rd down pass from Delhomme, forcing a punt.
I could talk about Wade Phillips, who (as some are reporting,) gave an uncharacteristically fiery and intense halftime speech that motivated this team to cut down on penalties and turn the game around for the second half.
I could talk about the negatives too...
I could talk about the penalties, especially the ones that happen at the worst possible time... this is something that has plagued the Cowboys for years now.
I could talk about missed tackles... everyone from "Barbie" Carpenter to Terence Newman to Mike Jenkins allowed more yards than they should have because of missed or whiffed tackles.
I could talk about injuries... Marion Barber was out this game due to injury and it looks like Felix Jones may miss some time because of an injury he sustained on a 40 yard run in the 3rd quarter.I could talk about Demarcus Ware, who is still M.I.A. in regards to sacks, although he is getting pressure on quarterbacks... he's definitely not going to reach his 20 sack total of last year.
I could talk about Jason Garrett and the awful play calling of two back-to-back fade/jump balls on 2nd and goal when Tashard Choice was more than able to break for 1 yard.
I could talk about a lot of things... in fact, I just did, so there... Booyah!
Week 3 Recap - Carolina (7) @ Dallas (21)
Last week I declared that this team is not ready to make a run at the playoffs. After this victory against Carolina, I didn't totally change my opinion of them, but this game gave me glimpses of a truly great team.
The entire first half can be practically disregarded figuring the only good drive ended with a missed field goal. It was also filled with plenty of penalties that definitely hurt drives. The only memorable occurrence was the first interception of the season by Mike Jenkins, which unfortunately resulted in only a punt.
The first half ended with a Carolina touchdown, and the score of 7 - 0, which apparently made Dallas pretty mad heading into the locker room.
The second half is when the Cowboys unleashed, especially the defense. They forced four straight 3 and outs and kept constant pressure on Jake Delhomme.
Jay Ratliff recorded the first sack of the season. Terence Newman grabbed his second career pick six, and rookie Victor Butler got two more sacks on Delhomme and forced the game clinching fumble to secure Dallas' victory with only a minute left to play.The offense is still a bit shaky and the penalties have to be cut down if they want to stop killing themselves in close games. The receivers seem to have a hard time getting open and I have to criticize some of the play calling... I mean c'mon... I understand the 2nd and goal fade to Roy Williams... ok, they almost had it... next play... a fade to Martellus Bennett in the same spot?!... When you're averaging about 5 or more yards per run?!? I just don't get why they didn't try to pound it up the middle on 2nd down... horrible decision.
Regardless of the imperfections, it was a win... and a win always makes the imperfections disappear... Dallas is now 2-1 and will be heading up to Denver next Sunday to face the 3-0 Broncos... this game should tell us a lot about both of these teams.
Cheers to the 'W' but there's a lot that needs to be tightened up.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Rants
Even though I'm trying to stay positive about the loss, I just have to rant about a few things...
- Where the hell are the sacks and turnovers? This team was #1 in sacks last year and in two games haven't been able to bring down 'slow release' Byron Leftwich or 'sacked 8 times last match-up' Eli Manning. They also haven't forced a fumble or grabbed an interception... unacceptable.
- Romo took the blame for the loss, Scandrick took the blame for the loss, Gurode said it wasn't Romo's fault that it was the team's fault, Wade probably said it was his fault, Scandrick couldn't sleep last night... whatever... just correct it! There's a problem and that's obvious, how can it be fixed, that's the question.
- Why couldn't any wide receivers get open against the Giants' second string cornerbacks? Was Romo just missing them? Very frustrating to watch and brings into question (once again) the value of the Roy Williams trade. With just one catch this game, his number 1 status should be in question.
- Speaking of wideouts, is it time to give Kevin Ogletree a try? Why not at this point... and what about Jesse Holley? I can picture the storyline now, from winning a spot on the roster through a reality show to catching the game winning touchdown pass in the Super Bowl... now wouldn't that be something.
- DeMarcus Ware... Where... Where are you? I already ranted a bit about the lack of sacks, but Ware is supposed to be on pace to crush his 20 sacks of last season. With zero so far, I don't know if that record will be reached this year.
That's really all I can think of right now... I'm sure there's many more rants to make, but I must take at least another day away from the loss to reflect. Gotta look forward to the Carolina game next Monday. It may be too little too late, but it's a chance to finally grab the first win at the new stadium... Aww Yea!
- Where the hell are the sacks and turnovers? This team was #1 in sacks last year and in two games haven't been able to bring down 'slow release' Byron Leftwich or 'sacked 8 times last match-up' Eli Manning. They also haven't forced a fumble or grabbed an interception... unacceptable.
- Romo took the blame for the loss, Scandrick took the blame for the loss, Gurode said it wasn't Romo's fault that it was the team's fault, Wade probably said it was his fault, Scandrick couldn't sleep last night... whatever... just correct it! There's a problem and that's obvious, how can it be fixed, that's the question.
- Why couldn't any wide receivers get open against the Giants' second string cornerbacks? Was Romo just missing them? Very frustrating to watch and brings into question (once again) the value of the Roy Williams trade. With just one catch this game, his number 1 status should be in question.
- Speaking of wideouts, is it time to give Kevin Ogletree a try? Why not at this point... and what about Jesse Holley? I can picture the storyline now, from winning a spot on the roster through a reality show to catching the game winning touchdown pass in the Super Bowl... now wouldn't that be something.
- DeMarcus Ware... Where... Where are you? I already ranted a bit about the lack of sacks, but Ware is supposed to be on pace to crush his 20 sacks of last season. With zero so far, I don't know if that record will be reached this year.
That's really all I can think of right now... I'm sure there's many more rants to make, but I must take at least another day away from the loss to reflect. Gotta look forward to the Carolina game next Monday. It may be too little too late, but it's a chance to finally grab the first win at the new stadium... Aww Yea!
It's Only Week 2, People!!
Emotions run strong when a team has a loss in the manner that Dallas lost last night. All kinds of thoughts pop up, from firing Wade Phillips to trading Tony Romo to burning down the new stadium, collecting the insurance money and buying a whole new all-pro team next year when there are no salary caps. Most of these thoughts are just the emotionally propelled and desperate yammering of the fair-weather fans who expect the Cowboys to win every game without challenge.
Reality is this... It's only Week 2 and there's still 14 more games to play... they can recover.
Reality is this... Although a win to christen the new stadium would have been nice, there's still plenty of life left in the stadium and plenty of Dallas wins will come there.
Reality is this... The Cowboys have a 1-1 record, which places them alongside teams like the Patriots, San Diego, Philly, Green Bay and both of last year's Super Bowl teams, the Cardinals and the Steelers... 1-1 doesn't sound so bad now does it?
Reality is this... Tony Romo seems to have one of these really bad games at least once a season, but he has a lot more good games than bad. There isn't any other quarterback I would rather have if it were the Cowboys down by 1 with under a minute left to get up the field. It's funny, I heard nothing but praise after Romo had a career day in Tampa Bay, but one week later after a few interceptions and now everyone is ready to throw him to the curb. I just don't get that mentality.
I'm not saying that everything is peachy and there's no reason to feel despair, things definitely need to be tightened up with this team, but they are on the verge of being really good. The Giants should have won by a much larger margin if it wasn't for a few Dallas defensive stops. It just seems, and it has been the case for about 3 years, that the 'Boys make crucial mistakes at the worst possible times. This is the main thing they need to correct. Penalties, bad throws, missed tackles, etc... I pray that I'm not being far too naive, but I think they can turn it around... time will tell.
P.S.
Jerry Jones got one of his wishes for the grand opening of Cowboys Stadium... the attendance was 105,121... about a thousand more than a game played in Mexico which, until yesterday, held the record for most attendance at a regular season NFL game. I'd be willing to bet, however, that Jerry Jones would've happily taken his other wish instead... a victory.
Reality is this... It's only Week 2 and there's still 14 more games to play... they can recover.
Reality is this... Although a win to christen the new stadium would have been nice, there's still plenty of life left in the stadium and plenty of Dallas wins will come there.
Reality is this... The Cowboys have a 1-1 record, which places them alongside teams like the Patriots, San Diego, Philly, Green Bay and both of last year's Super Bowl teams, the Cardinals and the Steelers... 1-1 doesn't sound so bad now does it?
Reality is this... Tony Romo seems to have one of these really bad games at least once a season, but he has a lot more good games than bad. There isn't any other quarterback I would rather have if it were the Cowboys down by 1 with under a minute left to get up the field. It's funny, I heard nothing but praise after Romo had a career day in Tampa Bay, but one week later after a few interceptions and now everyone is ready to throw him to the curb. I just don't get that mentality.
I'm not saying that everything is peachy and there's no reason to feel despair, things definitely need to be tightened up with this team, but they are on the verge of being really good. The Giants should have won by a much larger margin if it wasn't for a few Dallas defensive stops. It just seems, and it has been the case for about 3 years, that the 'Boys make crucial mistakes at the worst possible times. This is the main thing they need to correct. Penalties, bad throws, missed tackles, etc... I pray that I'm not being far too naive, but I think they can turn it around... time will tell.
P.S.
Jerry Jones got one of his wishes for the grand opening of Cowboys Stadium... the attendance was 105,121... about a thousand more than a game played in Mexico which, until yesterday, held the record for most attendance at a regular season NFL game. I'd be willing to bet, however, that Jerry Jones would've happily taken his other wish instead... a victory.
Week 2 Recap - NY Giants (33) @ Dallas (31)
If this was a game for the Cowboys to make a statement, they failed miserably and only made one thing clear... that they are not ready yet.The stars were aligned (so to speak) for Dallas to win... it was a division game and on top of everything, it was the grand opening of the new Cowboys Stadium. Fate didn't want to intervene, however, and Dallas lost 33-31 on a late Giants' field goal in the last seconds of the game.
Putting all of the 'freak' plays aside... this team did not show the discipline of a team destined to go anywhere in the playoffs, let alone get there.After having one of the greatest games of his career last week in Tampa Bay, Tony Romo had one of the worst games of his career against the Giants, which included bad throws and 3 interceptions.
The defense must have worked hard on stopping the run as it held the Giants total rushing yards to under 100, but the pass defense was practically non-existent. Eli Manning was not sacked, in fact he was barely touched and he was allowed to throw 330 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Marion Barber impressed with 124 yards on 18 carries and 1 touchdown, but on a 35 yard run late in the game, he appeared to injure his quad and was taken out of the game. We will have to see how this develops... without Barber, a new plan is in order for this offense.
Felix Jones was a mixed bag, with 96 yards on 7 carries and a touchdown, but also a costly fumble early in the game. Other mixed bag players were Orlando Scandrick and Mike Jenkins who made plenty of mistakes but still managed a few 'touchdown saving' plays here and there.
Any Cowboys fan has got to be extremely disappointed in this game, because of not only it's importance in the history of this franchise but also because it's the friggin' Giants. The Giants now take an early lead in the NFC East sailing to 2-0, while Dallas, the Eagles and the Redskins sit at 1-1 records...
If this prime-time, Sunday night, new stadium, home opening devastating loss is leaving a bad taste in your mouth, the Cowboys have a chance to slightly redeem themselves. The second game ever at Cowboys Stadium will be next Monday Night against the 0-2 Carolina Panthers. That gives them an extra day to get their sh*t together and prepare for a nice Rebound Game!! Let's Do This!!!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Texas Stadium/Cowboys Stadium Parallels
For just a minute, let's compare the opening of Texas Stadium to the opening of Cowboys Stadium. There are some parallels between the two and if history repeats itself, then we are in for a great year.Texas Stadium made it's debut on October 24, 1971 and at the time it was considered the most luxurious stadium in all of football. Cowboys Stadium will make it's debut September 20, 2009 and it is considered the most luxurious stadium in all of football.
The players for Dallas in 1971 were great legendary players, Roger Staubach, Duane Thomas, Bob Hayes, etc...etc... The players for Dallas in 2009 are great (potentially legendary) players, Tony Romo, Marion Barber, Roy Williams, etc...etc...
The 1971 team used the energy and atmosphere of Texas Stadium to win 7 out of last 8 games of the regular season, also sailing through the playoffs and winning Dallas' first ever Super Bowl. The 2009 team.......... well, we'll have to wait until January to see if the parallels will continue or end there. Should be an exciting ride.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Week 2 Thoughts and Prediction
All the elements are in place for this Sunday's game to be a big one... maybe the biggest second week game ever.
First, it is the Grand Opening of Cowboys Stadium, and it may also break the record for highest attendance at any regular season NFL game (104,000 +) Secondly, Dallas is facing off against the much hated division rivals, the Giants, and the trash talk has already begun (mostly by Brandon Jacobs.) Thirdly (is that a word?) it's a Sunday night, prime-time game, which means ratings will be through the roof. You couldn't ask for a more exciting match-up and venue... I only hope the Cowboys can pull off a victory at their new home, if they do, it may just be enough to make me forget about that final game at their old home.
It's only Wednesday, and Dallas hasn't even started practice yet, so the question of Felix Jones and Gerald Sensabaugh's injuries are not known. Will they be out this week and how will this affect Sunday's game? We shall see. Regardless of the injury concerns, I am still going to post my predictions (I may update it if any troubling news comes down the wire between now and Sunday.)
The Giants are getting very hype for this game, they would love more than anything to hand Dallas a loss for their home opener. The Cowboys, however, are also pretty damn hype for this game and there's no way they want to lose, especially to the Giants. Dallas is being favored by a field goal and I'm also going to give a slight edge to them because of the (possible) record breaking number of fans that will be in attendance. Combine that with Brandon Jacobs' big mouthed locker-room material and the memory of losing the final game at Texas Stadium, the Cowboys should be able to come out strong and finish just as strong, the atmosphere will be ripe for success... Dallas 42, Giants 27... yea... 15 point margin of victory... I think they'll take it that seriously.
LET'S DO THIS!!! GO COWBOYS!!!
First, it is the Grand Opening of Cowboys Stadium, and it may also break the record for highest attendance at any regular season NFL game (104,000 +) Secondly, Dallas is facing off against the much hated division rivals, the Giants, and the trash talk has already begun (mostly by Brandon Jacobs.) Thirdly (is that a word?) it's a Sunday night, prime-time game, which means ratings will be through the roof. You couldn't ask for a more exciting match-up and venue... I only hope the Cowboys can pull off a victory at their new home, if they do, it may just be enough to make me forget about that final game at their old home.
It's only Wednesday, and Dallas hasn't even started practice yet, so the question of Felix Jones and Gerald Sensabaugh's injuries are not known. Will they be out this week and how will this affect Sunday's game? We shall see. Regardless of the injury concerns, I am still going to post my predictions (I may update it if any troubling news comes down the wire between now and Sunday.)
The Giants are getting very hype for this game, they would love more than anything to hand Dallas a loss for their home opener. The Cowboys, however, are also pretty damn hype for this game and there's no way they want to lose, especially to the Giants. Dallas is being favored by a field goal and I'm also going to give a slight edge to them because of the (possible) record breaking number of fans that will be in attendance. Combine that with Brandon Jacobs' big mouthed locker-room material and the memory of losing the final game at Texas Stadium, the Cowboys should be able to come out strong and finish just as strong, the atmosphere will be ripe for success... Dallas 42, Giants 27... yea... 15 point margin of victory... I think they'll take it that seriously.
LET'S DO THIS!!! GO COWBOYS!!!
Monday, September 14, 2009
Week 1 Recap - Dallas (34) @ Tampa Bay (21)
From a shaky start to a punishing finish, Dallas went down to Tampa Bay and racked up the first win of the season, and some records to go along with it. The final score was 34-21 and Dallas starts the season 1-0.
Tony Romo had career high passing yards with 353 total, and his longest career pass, an 80 yard touchdown pass to Patrick Crayton. Speaking of Crayton, he had career high yardage with 135 yards from 4 receptions.
Everyone seemed to touch the ball and the most impressive touchdowns were all for over 40 yards.
In the second quarter, Romo hit Austin for a 42 yard pass. In the third quarter, Roy Williams got open and broke two tackles as he ran in a 66 yard pass. That should hopefully put to rest some of the talk that Roy Williams is no 'play-maker.' ah..hem...
Nick Folk looked good nailing all extra points and both of his field goal attempts, one being a 51 yarder. Special teams also looked good and gave no reason for concern. I can definitely see Felix Jones busting a kickoff to the house at some point this season.
The running back committee was OK. Choice was surprisingly involved in the first quarter and managed 10 yards on 2 carries. He also was involved in the first we've seen of the Dallas 'wildcat' or should we say, 'razorback' formation (which didn't result in more than a yard or two.) It wasn't used again.Felix Jones never achieved that breakout play that we may have been expecting, but with only 6 carries and 22 yards, he wasn't bad. He averaged 23 yards per kickoff return as well.
Marion Barber did everything we would hope he'd do. He punished when he had to, especially late in the game, and brought in the final Dallas touchdown to seal their win. I kind of like the idea of Choice and Felix taking most 1st half carries... sprinkle in just a little of Barber and then when the 2nd half comes around, let Barber's leash loose and watch him close the game with aggression.
OK, so it sounds like it was a great victory... the score was 34 - 21, sounds like Dallas did a great job... uhh... no... to every good story is the negative side which no one likes to talk about, so it hides near the very end of a blog post... (hehe)
At first I thought something was wrong with my eyes... was I truly watching my Dallas Cowboys defense out there? The inability to stop the run for the first 2 1/2 quarters really had me scratching my head. This was the team that took pride in their run defense (minus that Baltimore game, mind you,) and they were giving up huge chunks of yardage to... who? Cadillac Williams!? Bizzaro World for sure.
Another problem are penalties... and not just penalties, but penalties in very critical moments of the game. When the Cowboys finally get an interception, which has been as rare as four-leaf clovers lately... and it is negated by a penalty... there needs to be something done.
There were also a few minor flubs and a couple technical things that I hope get worked out. Hate to have to burn a timeout for a 2nd year player that isn't sure where to line up at... ah hem... Bennett... seriously, once Bennett gets more trust from Romo, he is gonna be a beeeaaast. Mark my words.
On the injury front... Romo hurt his right ankle, he will have it examined tomorrow, but says he is fine for next week. Gerald Sensabaugh got hit hard and left the game in the 3rd quarter, he also says x-rays were negative (ribs) and he will definitely be playing next week. Jenkins went down once or twice, but it was probably heat cramps, and DeMarcus Ware got knocked out early in the game, but he was back in their on the next defensive series.
Speaking of... there was not one sack. There may have been a dozen or so hurry ups and knock-downs, but neither DeMarcus Ware or Anthony Spencer ever brought Leftwich down. Sort of disappointing... I'm just not used to them not sacking every quarterback they play.
Well, I've rambled enough... sometime soon I hope to post a preview/prediction of next week, but for now, I am enjoying the victory. No matter how ugly they are, after the fact I'm just happy to see that 'W'.
Oh yea, speaking of my prediction, I was pretty close... my guess was 31-10, they went 34-21 (but really should have been 34-14 if it wasn't for the garbage-time Tampa Bay touchdown... oh well...)
Anyway... will update within the next couple of days... peace...
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Yippee
As sleep refuses to come, I find myself in an excited state that is usually reserved for children on Christmas Eve. The countdown started a long time ago, but in these final hours there is an overwhelming sense of anticipation for kickoff. Only 12 hours remain... tick tock, tick tock...
Anyway... I figured I would post not only a prediction for the Tampa Bay game, but how about a prediction for the entire season too. It's always interesting to read back and see how wrong or right I was. So here goes.
First, Dallas @ Tampa Bay: I could easily see, and almost expect a win. One understated problem may be the weather when these two teams meet up in Florida, but Dallas seems to have most of the advantages in this match-up. Tampa Bay is in a bit of disarray, as they just fired thier offensive coordinator last week. I'd guess 31-10, Dallas.
For the season as a whole, I'm thinking Dallas has the ability to go 10-6 or 11-5. I definately don't see a victory in every divisional game, and so far, Atlanta, Green Bay, San Diego & New Orleans are looking like pretty tough match-ups that could go either way. If the rest of the division and conference doesn't fair that well, 10-6 should be enough for a playoff spot and then we'll see if this team can actually win in the post-season.
Adios for now... will recap the game sometime after tomorrow. Peace...
Anyway... I figured I would post not only a prediction for the Tampa Bay game, but how about a prediction for the entire season too. It's always interesting to read back and see how wrong or right I was. So here goes.
First, Dallas @ Tampa Bay: I could easily see, and almost expect a win. One understated problem may be the weather when these two teams meet up in Florida, but Dallas seems to have most of the advantages in this match-up. Tampa Bay is in a bit of disarray, as they just fired thier offensive coordinator last week. I'd guess 31-10, Dallas.
For the season as a whole, I'm thinking Dallas has the ability to go 10-6 or 11-5. I definately don't see a victory in every divisional game, and so far, Atlanta, Green Bay, San Diego & New Orleans are looking like pretty tough match-ups that could go either way. If the rest of the division and conference doesn't fair that well, 10-6 should be enough for a playoff spot and then we'll see if this team can actually win in the post-season.
Adios for now... will recap the game sometime after tomorrow. Peace...
The Rest of Them PreSeason Games
OK, so I slipped a bit and didn't keep my blog updated with preseason game recaps... my apologies.
In brief, Game 3, San Fransisco at Dallas was a decent effort, but nothing incredibly noteworthy happened. There was a Romo interception which was sad to see, but there was a Felix Jones Touchdown, which was happy to see. Dallas lost though, 20-13. Next.
Game 4, Dallas at Minnesota. A game with nothing but backups, but they managed to impress. Pat Watkins in particular, who had a pick six and was all over the place racking up 7 tackles. Kevin Ogletree also made a case for himself to make the roster (which he did) and even Jesse Holley, winner of Michael Irvin's '4th and Long' had a heads-up play as he grabbed a bouncing punt and return it for the touchdown that won the game. Dallas 35, Minnesota 31.
Now we move on to the big day, the true kickoff to the Cowboys' season, Sunday at 1 p.m. (ET) Dallas will travel to Tampa Bay and battle the Bucs.
There is a lot of expectations for Dallas this year and this game may very well set the tempo for the season. I can only hope it starts off on a positive note with an impressive win... Go Cowboys, let's do 2009 right!
In brief, Game 3, San Fransisco at Dallas was a decent effort, but nothing incredibly noteworthy happened. There was a Romo interception which was sad to see, but there was a Felix Jones Touchdown, which was happy to see. Dallas lost though, 20-13. Next.
Game 4, Dallas at Minnesota. A game with nothing but backups, but they managed to impress. Pat Watkins in particular, who had a pick six and was all over the place racking up 7 tackles. Kevin Ogletree also made a case for himself to make the roster (which he did) and even Jesse Holley, winner of Michael Irvin's '4th and Long' had a heads-up play as he grabbed a bouncing punt and return it for the touchdown that won the game. Dallas 35, Minnesota 31.
Now we move on to the big day, the true kickoff to the Cowboys' season, Sunday at 1 p.m. (ET) Dallas will travel to Tampa Bay and battle the Bucs.
There is a lot of expectations for Dallas this year and this game may very well set the tempo for the season. I can only hope it starts off on a positive note with an impressive win... Go Cowboys, let's do 2009 right!
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Tennessee @ Dallas - Pre Season Game 2
You couldn't ask for a better game to open up the new Cowboys Stadium. There was dominance on offense & defense, great plays from starters & rookies, a punt hit the video screen and there was a safety... good times.
Friday night was the inaugural game for Dallas in the newly constructed (and $1.2 billion dollar) Cowboys Stadium against The Tennessee Titans. A preseason game, it's true, but a great start to the new era in a new stadium.
The 30-10 win was much deserved and made evident that the team has definitely improved since last week's loss to The Raiders. It seemed like everybody on offense got their hands on the ball at some point, and the defense was a little tighter than last week (especially the cornerbacks, but keep in mind T-New and Mike Jenkins didn't play against Oakland.)
Romo went 18 for 24 and 192 yards, although there weren't any of his usual bombs, there isn't a T.O. to go out and get them, so I understand. He didn't have a touchdown pass, but was impressive as usual, most notably driving the team 79 yards in 6 plays with only :58 seconds left in the first half.
That's what we expect of Romo and he delivered as usual.
The running backs were stiffled a bit, but that's no reason whatsoever to lose confidence in any of them... even Keon Lattimore made an impression (albeit against a 3rd string defense.) Felix Jones turned heads after turning a screen pass into a 42 yard gain. Barber's longest run was for 8, but he fought for yards when it counted and he has the distinction of driving home the first touchdown in Cowboys Stadium history.
Pretty much all the receivers got their hands on the ball and in my opinion the sweetest catch was Sam Hurd's 17 yard spinning grab, followed closely by Kevin Ogletree's one handed grab of a fade in the end zone. 4th and Long star Jesse Holly even got lucky when an almost intercepted pass bounced off a teammate's helmet and landed in his hands.
The tight-ends made some great plays too, led by Jason Witten, the pro and Martellus Bennett, the beast (Beans & Rice.) Bennett led the team in receiving yards with 65 and Witten racked up 46. 3rd string hopeful, Rodney Hannah also brought in the final touchdown of the game on a 22 yard pass from Stephen McGee.
As good as the offense is, it still seems the defense is the strongest aspect of this team (not even going to mention Special Teams because they need too much work!)
Tennesse's offense, who ran all over the place last season with Chris Johnson and Lendale White, couldn't move the ball at all and didn't even have a first down going into the 2nd quarter. Steve Octavian deflected a pass that Stephen Hodge picked off, and Jason Williams got to the QB in the end zone which resulted in a safety. Mike Jenkins made a great case for a starting spot and Sensabaugh showed some good, and some bad, but still a huge improvement over Roy Williams.
30-10 is a good feeling... it was a good showing to open the new stadium and besides a minor Mike Jenkins ankle problem and a Brandon Williams knee sprain, no one was injured. Things are looking good, but amid the celebration is reason for concern.
Penalties...Penalties...Penalties... This has got to stop... more false starts than I can count, holding penalties, an offsides, ect...ect... This has just got to stop... This team could have blanked the Titans if not for a few crucial and foolish penalties. Even the ref got sick of it, announcing a false start as ,"movement by everyone but the center"... which tells me that Cory Proctor is not the guy to play center.
Another little problem is Nick Folk's missed kick. He went from, 'Ice Water' to 'Mudslide.' I don't know if it's a mental thing because the Cowboys brought in David Buehler for kickoffs, but I'm just not used to Folk miss
ing kicks. In all fairness a 46 yarder isn't a sure thing, but this is the dude who had to kick two 53 yard field goals back to back, to win against Buffalo on that spectatular Monday Night Game.
All in all, I'm more excited than ever about the season kicking off... last week gave me a little uneasy feeling, but this game reminded me of what this team can do and reassured all my doubts. Let's Go Cowboys!!
Next week Dallas hosts San Fransisco and for the last preseason game they head up to Minnesota.
Friday night was the inaugural game for Dallas in the newly constructed (and $1.2 billion dollar) Cowboys Stadium against The Tennessee Titans. A preseason game, it's true, but a great start to the new era in a new stadium.
The 30-10 win was much deserved and made evident that the team has definitely improved since last week's loss to The Raiders. It seemed like everybody on offense got their hands on the ball at some point, and the defense was a little tighter than last week (especially the cornerbacks, but keep in mind T-New and Mike Jenkins didn't play against Oakland.)
Romo went 18 for 24 and 192 yards, although there weren't any of his usual bombs, there isn't a T.O. to go out and get them, so I understand. He didn't have a touchdown pass, but was impressive as usual, most notably driving the team 79 yards in 6 plays with only :58 seconds left in the first half.
That's what we expect of Romo and he delivered as usual.The running backs were stiffled a bit, but that's no reason whatsoever to lose confidence in any of them... even Keon Lattimore made an impression (albeit against a 3rd string defense.) Felix Jones turned heads after turning a screen pass into a 42 yard gain. Barber's longest run was for 8, but he fought for yards when it counted and he has the distinction of driving home the first touchdown in Cowboys Stadium history.
Pretty much all the receivers got their hands on the ball and in my opinion the sweetest catch was Sam Hurd's 17 yard spinning grab, followed closely by Kevin Ogletree's one handed grab of a fade in the end zone. 4th and Long star Jesse Holly even got lucky when an almost intercepted pass bounced off a teammate's helmet and landed in his hands.
The tight-ends made some great plays too, led by Jason Witten, the pro and Martellus Bennett, the beast (Beans & Rice.) Bennett led the team in receiving yards with 65 and Witten racked up 46. 3rd string hopeful, Rodney Hannah also brought in the final touchdown of the game on a 22 yard pass from Stephen McGee.
As good as the offense is, it still seems the defense is the strongest aspect of this team (not even going to mention Special Teams because they need too much work!)
Tennesse's offense, who ran all over the place last season with Chris Johnson and Lendale White, couldn't move the ball at all and didn't even have a first down going into the 2nd quarter. Steve Octavian deflected a pass that Stephen Hodge picked off, and Jason Williams got to the QB in the end zone which resulted in a safety. Mike Jenkins made a great case for a starting spot and Sensabaugh showed some good, and some bad, but still a huge improvement over Roy Williams.
30-10 is a good feeling... it was a good showing to open the new stadium and besides a minor Mike Jenkins ankle problem and a Brandon Williams knee sprain, no one was injured. Things are looking good, but amid the celebration is reason for concern.
Penalties...Penalties...Penalties... This has got to stop... more false starts than I can count, holding penalties, an offsides, ect...ect... This has just got to stop... This team could have blanked the Titans if not for a few crucial and foolish penalties. Even the ref got sick of it, announcing a false start as ,"movement by everyone but the center"... which tells me that Cory Proctor is not the guy to play center.
Another little problem is Nick Folk's missed kick. He went from, 'Ice Water' to 'Mudslide.' I don't know if it's a mental thing because the Cowboys brought in David Buehler for kickoffs, but I'm just not used to Folk miss
ing kicks. In all fairness a 46 yarder isn't a sure thing, but this is the dude who had to kick two 53 yard field goals back to back, to win against Buffalo on that spectatular Monday Night Game.All in all, I'm more excited than ever about the season kicking off... last week gave me a little uneasy feeling, but this game reminded me of what this team can do and reassured all my doubts. Let's Go Cowboys!!
Next week Dallas hosts San Fransisco and for the last preseason game they head up to Minnesota.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Welcome Home...
Tonight is the night... although it is only a preseason game, the new Cowboys stadium will be unveiled in front of a national audience on FOX at 8:00 p.m. (ET). The official season opener at the new stadium (September 20th vs. The Giants) will probably be an even bigger celebration of the facility, but tonight is 'technically' the Grand Opening and fans are beyond exuberant to get a peak. The only thing we can hope for is that The Cowboys keep it exciting and pull off a victory (again, it's preseason, so it doesn't matter that much, but it would be nice.) 
*photo stolen from Derek Eagleton, beat writer at DallasCowboys.com*
*photo stolen from Derek Eagleton, beat writer at DallasCowboys.com*
Monday, August 17, 2009
Dallas @ Oakland - Pre Season Game 1
As far as Dallas' first preseason game, there was really only one drive that is worth mentioning from the dismal 31-10 loss to Oakland. The rest of the game looked like a lopsided high school match-up.
The first series was definitely not what The Cowboys had in mind to kick off the new season. They won the coin-toss and opted to receive, unfortunately, a holding penalty forced the 'Boys to start the drive inside their own 10 yard line. To add a little insult to injury, the first play from scrimmage was a pass that got deflected by none other than recently released DE Greg Ellis... it looked like it was about to be picked off in the end zone too. Needless to say, they went 3 and out.
The starting defense struggled a bit as well, allowing a huge gain due to pass interference penalty by newly acquired saftey Gerald Sensabaugh. Luckily the Raiders were held to only a field goal.
The next drive for the Dallas offense was pure beauty. Isaiah Stanback returned the kickoff for 27 yards, Romo passed to Martellus Bennett, who stampeded over defenders for 7 yards, Barber went up the middle for 8 yards, Roy Williams caught a pass for 12 yards, Felix Jones tap-danced for a 14 yard run, Crayton took an end-around for 12 yards, Felix Jones got a screen pass for 9 yards, Barber rushed for 3 yards... and although the next play was brought back due to another holding penalty, it couldn't stop the good ol' Romo/Witten connection as Witten grabbed the pass in the end zone for a Touchdown.
The remainder of the game was not as eventful, and although I watched until the clock struck 00:00, I'm not going to go into depth about 4th string linebackers and reality show winners, so in closing, there was one really good drive and that's about it. Next week should be more exciting as Dallas hosts Tennessee for the very first game in their newly built stadium. I would imagine that the starters may play a bit longer, if only to get a feel for the new stadium, and although Tennessee is not a team to write-off at all, let's hope Dallas can grab a 'W', if only to get a little pride. Texas Stadium closed with an embarrassing loss, hopefully Cowboys Stadium will open with a bang and turn their luck around.
The first series was definitely not what The Cowboys had in mind to kick off the new season. They won the coin-toss and opted to receive, unfortunately, a holding penalty forced the 'Boys to start the drive inside their own 10 yard line. To add a little insult to injury, the first play from scrimmage was a pass that got deflected by none other than recently released DE Greg Ellis... it looked like it was about to be picked off in the end zone too. Needless to say, they went 3 and out.
The starting defense struggled a bit as well, allowing a huge gain due to pass interference penalty by newly acquired saftey Gerald Sensabaugh. Luckily the Raiders were held to only a field goal.
The next drive for the Dallas offense was pure beauty. Isaiah Stanback returned the kickoff for 27 yards, Romo passed to Martellus Bennett, who stampeded over defenders for 7 yards, Barber went up the middle for 8 yards, Roy Williams caught a pass for 12 yards, Felix Jones tap-danced for a 14 yard run, Crayton took an end-around for 12 yards, Felix Jones got a screen pass for 9 yards, Barber rushed for 3 yards... and although the next play was brought back due to another holding penalty, it couldn't stop the good ol' Romo/Witten connection as Witten grabbed the pass in the end zone for a Touchdown.
The remainder of the game was not as eventful, and although I watched until the clock struck 00:00, I'm not going to go into depth about 4th string linebackers and reality show winners, so in closing, there was one really good drive and that's about it. Next week should be more exciting as Dallas hosts Tennessee for the very first game in their newly built stadium. I would imagine that the starters may play a bit longer, if only to get a feel for the new stadium, and although Tennessee is not a team to write-off at all, let's hope Dallas can grab a 'W', if only to get a little pride. Texas Stadium closed with an embarrassing loss, hopefully Cowboys Stadium will open with a bang and turn their luck around.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Training Camp Update 1
Training Camp is about 5 days deep and so far, things are going smooth... for the most part.
The playbook has apparently been revamped with a variety of new plays, formations and schemes, most notably the Wildcat... err, I mean the Razorback formation. As every other team in the league seems to be jumping on the Wildcat bandwagon, why not the Cowboys too. There's definitely a place for it, or at least to practice against it.
Also being utilized more are 2 tight end sets and 2 running back sets. The pure overall athleticism of second year TE Martellus Bennett has forced the coaches to get him on the field with pro-bowler Jason Witten, as much as possible. The same can be said for all three running backs, Marion Barber, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice... Smash, Dash and Tash will be a big part of this season's success.
The defense has been the true star of practice. Demarcus Ware is doing great as expected, and newcomers Gerald Sensabaugh and Igor Olshansky (sp) are preforming well... so is Bobby Carpenter, actually. Cornerbacks Orlando Scandrick and Mike Jenkins are also doing great, and it's anyone's guess as to which will receive the starting #2 CB spot.
The offense has been a little slow out of the gate, but is in position to make great strides. The Tony Romo/Roy Williams connection could use some work, but there's plenty of time. It seems that Kitna has been connecting better with Williams than Romo, but of course, they do have years of history in Detroit, so that isn't saying too much.
There have been a few hiccups that include rookie Robert Brewster missing the whole season with a pectoral injury. Also troubling is WR/QB Isaiah Stanback, who hasn't lived up to his potential since he was drafted and now he faces a strained hamstring and already missed a couple days of practice. If Stanback can't step it up and make an impact and/or stay away from injuries, I doubt he will make the 53.
Overall though, things are looking great for Dallas in '09 and since they aren't loaded with pressure from being touted in the media as sure-things to reach the Super Bowl, they are in a good position to come out from underdog status and prove a lot of doubters wrong. Hopefully.
P.S. 4th and Long winner, WR Jesse Holley is doing pretty well in camp. He has a very slim chance of actually making the team, but if players like Stanback are forced out from injury, he may actually have a shot. I'd still bet that the furthest he gets is the practice squad, but we shall see... in this league, you never know what you're gonna get.
The playbook has apparently been revamped with a variety of new plays, formations and schemes, most notably the Wildcat... err, I mean the Razorback formation. As every other team in the league seems to be jumping on the Wildcat bandwagon, why not the Cowboys too. There's definitely a place for it, or at least to practice against it.
Also being utilized more are 2 tight end sets and 2 running back sets. The pure overall athleticism of second year TE Martellus Bennett has forced the coaches to get him on the field with pro-bowler Jason Witten, as much as possible. The same can be said for all three running backs, Marion Barber, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice... Smash, Dash and Tash will be a big part of this season's success.
The defense has been the true star of practice. Demarcus Ware is doing great as expected, and newcomers Gerald Sensabaugh and Igor Olshansky (sp) are preforming well... so is Bobby Carpenter, actually. Cornerbacks Orlando Scandrick and Mike Jenkins are also doing great, and it's anyone's guess as to which will receive the starting #2 CB spot.
The offense has been a little slow out of the gate, but is in position to make great strides. The Tony Romo/Roy Williams connection could use some work, but there's plenty of time. It seems that Kitna has been connecting better with Williams than Romo, but of course, they do have years of history in Detroit, so that isn't saying too much.There have been a few hiccups that include rookie Robert Brewster missing the whole season with a pectoral injury. Also troubling is WR/QB Isaiah Stanback, who hasn't lived up to his potential since he was drafted and now he faces a strained hamstring and already missed a couple days of practice. If Stanback can't step it up and make an impact and/or stay away from injuries, I doubt he will make the 53.
Overall though, things are looking great for Dallas in '09 and since they aren't loaded with pressure from being touted in the media as sure-things to reach the Super Bowl, they are in a good position to come out from underdog status and prove a lot of doubters wrong. Hopefully.
P.S. 4th and Long winner, WR Jesse Holley is doing pretty well in camp. He has a very slim chance of actually making the team, but if players like Stanback are forced out from injury, he may actually have a shot. I'd still bet that the furthest he gets is the practice squad, but we shall see... in this league, you never know what you're gonna get.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Training Camp Begins...
OK, so it has been a very busy week in the world of football. If it wasn't enough being the starting week for training camps, it was Brett Favre and his indecision to come out of retirement (yet again,) Michael Vick being reinstated, Terrell Owens reality show and Eagles' defensive coordinator Jim Johnson dying of cancer. Too much news... and I haven't even started talking about all the Twitter news from the likes of Ocho Cinco, Shawn Merriman and others. There's far too much to keep track of, and far too little time to do it... so I'll leave that up to the experts... check em out... http://www.nfl.com
In Dallas Cowboys news, they are officially 1 day deep into training camp, which was apparently a grueling day that left many players tired and beaten down (according to their various twitter messages.) Today they resume practice and put on pads for the first time, and although Wade Phillips is claiming he will not run another 'camp cupcake,' the players are still not tackling in practice. Phillips rebuttal to this is that they will get plenty of tackling practice in the pre-season. I beg to differ after seeing Dallas whiff on so many tackles at the end of last year... cough...Baltimore...cough...Philly...cough... I would like to see them hitting hard now in preparation... does this increase the risk of injury? Yes, but that's the game, ain't it....
Anyway... if anything ground-breaking and exciting happens in camp I will post again, but for now... peace! Oh yea... another thing of note... Dallas' 3rd draft pick, right tackle Robert Brewster will miss the entire season after suffering a torn pectoral muscle, it happened before training camp even begun... can't get worse than that... the good news is, he should be able to pick up a lot throughout the season and off-season and can hopefully contribute in 2010.
In Dallas Cowboys news, they are officially 1 day deep into training camp, which was apparently a grueling day that left many players tired and beaten down (according to their various twitter messages.) Today they resume practice and put on pads for the first time, and although Wade Phillips is claiming he will not run another 'camp cupcake,' the players are still not tackling in practice. Phillips rebuttal to this is that they will get plenty of tackling practice in the pre-season. I beg to differ after seeing Dallas whiff on so many tackles at the end of last year... cough...Baltimore...cough...Philly...cough... I would like to see them hitting hard now in preparation... does this increase the risk of injury? Yes, but that's the game, ain't it....
Anyway... if anything ground-breaking and exciting happens in camp I will post again, but for now... peace! Oh yea... another thing of note... Dallas' 3rd draft pick, right tackle Robert Brewster will miss the entire season after suffering a torn pectoral muscle, it happened before training camp even begun... can't get worse than that... the good news is, he should be able to pick up a lot throughout the season and off-season and can hopefully contribute in 2010.
Monday, July 27, 2009
It's Getting Hot in Here...
It is that time of year, once again, when my mind forgets everything else and suddenly the main focus of life is NFL Football. The season is starting to heat up as training camp is now underway for a few teams and by this upcoming Friday, all 32 squads will be back to the grind, working on plays, studying the schedule, testing their rookies and pushing themselves to the limits.
I plan on being very busy this season myself. My long list of things to do is setting up highly detailed spreadsheets, working on fantasy football drafts, playing far too much Madden 10, listening to more and more sports talk shows, studying this years opposition (NFC South and AFC West) and keeping an eye on the betting lines... not to mention, posting more on here and using twitter.
It's going to be a hectic season... maybe I should quit my job so I can fit it all in... or maybe not... either way, job or no job, nothing will be getting in the way of Football Season and I couldn't be more happy that it is almost upon us.
I plan on being very busy this season myself. My long list of things to do is setting up highly detailed spreadsheets, working on fantasy football drafts, playing far too much Madden 10, listening to more and more sports talk shows, studying this years opposition (NFC South and AFC West) and keeping an eye on the betting lines... not to mention, posting more on here and using twitter.
It's going to be a hectic season... maybe I should quit my job so I can fit it all in... or maybe not... either way, job or no job, nothing will be getting in the way of Football Season and I couldn't be more happy that it is almost upon us.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Where the Hell Have You Been?!?
It has been forever and a day that I've posted on here, huh?!
Well, the draft has come and gone, the Cowboys' practice facility is a thing of the past. OTA's are over with and so is Greg Ellis.
Hell, it's practically August, which means that the newest Madden game and the Preseason are right around the corner, so I really am late to the party... I should be ashamed of my blogging frequency... downright ashamed.
I also doubt that I will be posting any more frequently than I am now... at least until the Preseason begins and I can go back to posting my recaps, which I do intend to write every week.
For actual news that is up to date, and well-written, check out my main source, www.dallasnews.com and go to the Dallas Cowboys section. It is informative and entertaining, two things I very rarely accomplish.
If there is actually anyone who reads this besides me, please come back in August, when there will be something to read. I may drop the occasional post in the meantime, but even I doubt it.
Well, until then... peace out!
Well, the draft has come and gone, the Cowboys' practice facility is a thing of the past. OTA's are over with and so is Greg Ellis.
Hell, it's practically August, which means that the newest Madden game and the Preseason are right around the corner, so I really am late to the party... I should be ashamed of my blogging frequency... downright ashamed.
I also doubt that I will be posting any more frequently than I am now... at least until the Preseason begins and I can go back to posting my recaps, which I do intend to write every week.
For actual news that is up to date, and well-written, check out my main source, www.dallasnews.com and go to the Dallas Cowboys section. It is informative and entertaining, two things I very rarely accomplish.
If there is actually anyone who reads this besides me, please come back in August, when there will be something to read. I may drop the occasional post in the meantime, but even I doubt it.
Well, until then... peace out!
Saturday, April 18, 2009
2009 Schedule
April showers might bring May flowers, but April also brings us a little bit closer to Football Season. There are still 5 months before the actual battles will begin, but April is when the schedules are announced and also when the draft takes place. It is the difibulator that electrifies the heart and keeps Football alive in these lonely, cold off-season days.
On Tuesday the schedules for the 2009 season were released, and Dallas sure doesn't get many breaks. Sure, you could say that Kansas City & Oakland might be easy wins, but you could have said the same thing about St. Louis and Baltimore last year, and we all know how that turned out.
Regardless of what happened then, this is now and we have a clean slate for 2009. If you haven't already noticed, I posted the new schedule on the right side of this blog, and it was definitely a good feeling deleting last season's dismal schedule and scores.
The new schedule has Dallas in five prime time matchups, with the possibility of even more (depending on late season flexes.) This is definitely welcome, especially for me since I no longer have DirecTV and unfortunately all of the local bars are either Eagles, Steelers or Ravens bars... ugh.
There are a few teams that Dallas seems to play every year now (besides our division,) so we will once again face Tampa Bay (Week 1 @ TB), Seattle (Week 8 @ Dal) & Green Bay (Week 10 @ GB.) I am looking forward to the opening game against Tampa Bay, as that is my nephew's favorite team. If Dallas comes out strong, as they have the past few years, The Bucs should provide The Cowboys with their first 'W'.
Week 2 will be the Grand Opening of Dallas' new stadium in Arlington (if you don't count the pre-season). Whether you call it JerryWorld, JonesMahal or just The New Texas Stadium it will be ready for the world to see on September 20th against division rivals, The New York Giants. I got my popcorn ready... oh wait, I guess I should come up with a new phrase now huh?!
The "unfortunates" of the schedule include: An early BYE (Week 6,) and another tough final stretch. Lately, Dallas has not exactly been top-notch by the time December comes, and this year doesn't seem any easier.
The last five games are against The Giants, San Diego, New Orleans, Washington and then Philly... (again!)
I don't know what the cruel joke is, but that's two years in a row that the season has ended with a Dallas/Philly matchup. Sure it's a great storyline, but it's hard not to think of that 44-6 loss from last season and throw up a little in my mouth. Let's just hope it's not another do-or-die playoff scenario.
I mentioned that there will be five prime time games. Week 2 against The Giants, Week 3 (MNF) against Carolina, Week 9 against Philly, Week 15 (NFLN) against New Orleans and Week 16 against Washington.
The excitement of new schedules has me a little antsy, and I'll be even more excited next weekend when the draft begins.
To sum it up, and my first prediction of the 2009 Season... The Cowboys will go 11-5 and reach the playoffs, hopefully forging a path to the Super Bowl. Is this a realistic prediction? Nah, just high hopes, but we'll see how it all plays out.
I will do my best to update my blog after the draft to see what new weapons Dallas will have. Until then... Good day!
On Tuesday the schedules for the 2009 season were released, and Dallas sure doesn't get many breaks. Sure, you could say that Kansas City & Oakland might be easy wins, but you could have said the same thing about St. Louis and Baltimore last year, and we all know how that turned out.
Regardless of what happened then, this is now and we have a clean slate for 2009. If you haven't already noticed, I posted the new schedule on the right side of this blog, and it was definitely a good feeling deleting last season's dismal schedule and scores.
The new schedule has Dallas in five prime time matchups, with the possibility of even more (depending on late season flexes.) This is definitely welcome, especially for me since I no longer have DirecTV and unfortunately all of the local bars are either Eagles, Steelers or Ravens bars... ugh.
There are a few teams that Dallas seems to play every year now (besides our division,) so we will once again face Tampa Bay (Week 1 @ TB), Seattle (Week 8 @ Dal) & Green Bay (Week 10 @ GB.) I am looking forward to the opening game against Tampa Bay, as that is my nephew's favorite team. If Dallas comes out strong, as they have the past few years, The Bucs should provide The Cowboys with their first 'W'.
Week 2 will be the Grand Opening of Dallas' new stadium in Arlington (if you don't count the pre-season). Whether you call it JerryWorld, JonesMahal or just The New Texas Stadium it will be ready for the world to see on September 20th against division rivals, The New York Giants. I got my popcorn ready... oh wait, I guess I should come up with a new phrase now huh?!
The "unfortunates" of the schedule include: An early BYE (Week 6,) and another tough final stretch. Lately, Dallas has not exactly been top-notch by the time December comes, and this year doesn't seem any easier.
The last five games are against The Giants, San Diego, New Orleans, Washington and then Philly... (again!)
I don't know what the cruel joke is, but that's two years in a row that the season has ended with a Dallas/Philly matchup. Sure it's a great storyline, but it's hard not to think of that 44-6 loss from last season and throw up a little in my mouth. Let's just hope it's not another do-or-die playoff scenario.
I mentioned that there will be five prime time games. Week 2 against The Giants, Week 3 (MNF) against Carolina, Week 9 against Philly, Week 15 (NFLN) against New Orleans and Week 16 against Washington.
The excitement of new schedules has me a little antsy, and I'll be even more excited next weekend when the draft begins.
To sum it up, and my first prediction of the 2009 Season... The Cowboys will go 11-5 and reach the playoffs, hopefully forging a path to the Super Bowl. Is this a realistic prediction? Nah, just high hopes, but we'll see how it all plays out.
I will do my best to update my blog after the draft to see what new weapons Dallas will have. Until then... Good day!
Monday, March 16, 2009
K.I.T.
Just a very brief update of a few happenings in the world of The Cowboys.
- Kevin Burnett has parted ways with The 'Boys and is heading to San Diego.
- Speaking of San Diego, defensive end Igor Olshansky has left The Chargers and is now in Dallas with a 5 year deal. He will be a nice filler in Chris Canty's absence.
- Speaking of Jacksonville (which I wasn't,) safety Gerald Sensabaugh has been signed to a 1-year deal and speaking of Jacksonville some more, it is reported that recently released wide-out, Matt Jones, may soon be a Cowboy, if Jerry Jones has any say in the matter, that is.
- Kevin Burnett has parted ways with The 'Boys and is heading to San Diego.
- Speaking of San Diego, defensive end Igor Olshansky has left The Chargers and is now in Dallas with a 5 year deal. He will be a nice filler in Chris Canty's absence.
- Speaking of Jacksonville (which I wasn't,) safety Gerald Sensabaugh has been signed to a 1-year deal and speaking of Jacksonville some more, it is reported that recently released wide-out, Matt Jones, may soon be a Cowboy, if Jerry Jones has any say in the matter, that is.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
T.O. is IN... Buffalo
Barely two days after being released from Dallas, Terrell Owens has landed himself a spot with The Buffalo Bills for a $6.5 million guaranteed, 1 year contract.
If it wasn't shocking enough that T.O. was cut from The Cowboys, it was even more of a surprise that he will now be a Bill. After his dismissal from Dallas, it was speculated that he would be pursued by Oakland, Washington or even Philadelphia (just kidding,) but as it turns out, Buffalo came in quick with an offer and baited the offensive superstar, who will now play opposite Lee Evans.
After Buffalo's unsuccessful attempt to steal away Laverneus Coles from The Jets, they were shopping for a playmaker that could compliment Evans, the T.O. situation came with perfect timing. This move creates a much more powerful offense for Trent Edwards to flourish in. The Bills may be on a steady path to go all the way and lose another Super Bowl, we'll have to see how it all plays out.
If it wasn't shocking enough that T.O. was cut from The Cowboys, it was even more of a surprise that he will now be a Bill. After his dismissal from Dallas, it was speculated that he would be pursued by Oakland, Washington or even Philadelphia (just kidding,) but as it turns out, Buffalo came in quick with an offer and baited the offensive superstar, who will now play opposite Lee Evans.
After Buffalo's unsuccessful attempt to steal away Laverneus Coles from The Jets, they were shopping for a playmaker that could compliment Evans, the T.O. situation came with perfect timing. This move creates a much more powerful offense for Trent Edwards to flourish in. The Bills may be on a steady path to go all the way and lose another Super Bowl, we'll have to see how it all plays out.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
T.O. is Out
Jerry Jones is a very mysterious person. At times it seems that he is not afraid to speak his mind, and at other times he tip toes around a subject and barely says anything at all. He plays his cards close and does what he feels, which has resulted in good and bad things in the past.
A week or so ago, Jerry Jones was asked if he has plans to release controversial wide receiver Terrell Owens, at which Jones exclaimed that he doesn't see that happening.
Well, it appears that Jerry Jones once again had his cards close to his chest as a week later, T.O. has
been officially released from The Dallas Cowboys.
Repeat: Terrell Owens, the number one offensive weapon that the Cowboys have had for these past 3 seasons, has been released.
This move tells me that despite the numbers T.O. racks up on the field, he must have truly been a cancer behind the scenes for Dallas to cut him and cause a $9 million dollar salary cap hit.
At least if this was going to happen anyway, I'm glad it's happening now, before the draft and far before the start of off-season training. I'm sure there will be some players in the locker room who are opposed to this move and others who will welcome it, but giving this much time will help everyone adjust to life in Dallas without T.O.
Where does that lead our receiving unit? Well, unless there is some kind of crazy free agent pick up or a trade for someone of Andre Johnson's caliber, Roy Williams will be our number 1, Patrick Crayton will be number 2 and battling for
number 3 will be Sam Hurd and Miles Austin. Williams has to step it up and play like a number 1 or Dallas will be in major trouble this upcoming season.
This news was a shock, but there's no turning back now, so everyone will have to move on. T.O. it has been good having you and it was very entertaining... I wish you well on all of your future endeavors... (unless he joins up with The Giants or 'Skins, that is.)
**NOON UPDATE**
Not only is T.O. officially Out, but safety Roy Williams is Out as well. Not as much of a shock due to his age, recent productivity and last season's injuries, but Williams was a Dallas Cowboys staple for a long while and will be missed.
I can remember a time when everyone in the league was afraid to take one of Roy Williams' hits, but that spark just hasn't been with him in the past few years and it doesn't seem that it would be returning anytime soon. Farewell Roy, you will not be forgotten.
A week or so ago, Jerry Jones was asked if he has plans to release controversial wide receiver Terrell Owens, at which Jones exclaimed that he doesn't see that happening.
Well, it appears that Jerry Jones once again had his cards close to his chest as a week later, T.O. has
been officially released from The Dallas Cowboys.Repeat: Terrell Owens, the number one offensive weapon that the Cowboys have had for these past 3 seasons, has been released.
This move tells me that despite the numbers T.O. racks up on the field, he must have truly been a cancer behind the scenes for Dallas to cut him and cause a $9 million dollar salary cap hit.
At least if this was going to happen anyway, I'm glad it's happening now, before the draft and far before the start of off-season training. I'm sure there will be some players in the locker room who are opposed to this move and others who will welcome it, but giving this much time will help everyone adjust to life in Dallas without T.O.
Where does that lead our receiving unit? Well, unless there is some kind of crazy free agent pick up or a trade for someone of Andre Johnson's caliber, Roy Williams will be our number 1, Patrick Crayton will be number 2 and battling for
number 3 will be Sam Hurd and Miles Austin. Williams has to step it up and play like a number 1 or Dallas will be in major trouble this upcoming season.This news was a shock, but there's no turning back now, so everyone will have to move on. T.O. it has been good having you and it was very entertaining... I wish you well on all of your future endeavors... (unless he joins up with The Giants or 'Skins, that is.)
**NOON UPDATE**
Not only is T.O. officially Out, but safety Roy Williams is Out as well. Not as much of a shock due to his age, recent productivity and last season's injuries, but Williams was a Dallas Cowboys staple for a long while and will be missed.
I can remember a time when everyone in the league was afraid to take one of Roy Williams' hits, but that spark just hasn't been with him in the past few years and it doesn't seem that it would be returning anytime soon. Farewell Roy, you will not be forgotten.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Around the Division
If you haven't heard or followed the news, there are a few free agency/trade tidbits that recently happened and will impact The Cowboys for the 2009 season.
For one, Anthony Henry has been traded to Detroit for none other than 'Bradie James basher', Jon Kitna. Although Kitna wouldn't be one of my top choices, I feel much more confident with him behind Romo than Brad Johnson or Brooks Bollinger.
Chris Canty has also been signed by The New York Giants. There's not much Dallas could do to retain him since he was a free agent and most of the restricted tenders have been placed. It will be sad to see him go.
Atlanta linebacker Keith Brooking has been signed by Dallas to replace Zach Thomas, who apparently wasn't comfortable in Wade Phillips' scheme last year and vocalized that after the loss in Philly.
Another free agent, Kevin Burnett, might also be testing the waters. Burnett has scheduled a trip to Oakland to see what The Raiders are willing to do for him. With Brooking joining the team, Burnett's future in Dallas definitely looks grim.
That's pretty much everything that directly impacts Dallas for '09, but throughout the division there have been some shocking moves as well.
Of course, Haynesworth will be joining The Redskins, and joining him is DeAngelo Hall, who has just signed a multi-year deal. These two players should bring a load of memories in relation to Dallas, including Haynesworth stomping on Gurode's helmetless head, and DeAngelo Hall accusing T.O. of spitting on him.
Ok, so playing Washington is going to be tough for a while, but meanwhile in Philly, things are looking up.
The Eagles have traded Lito Sheppard to The Jets and lost Brian Dawkins to Denver. When you think of Eagles defense, those two players were at the top of the list. This was a shocking move that upset many Philly fans but thankfully gave the rest of the NFC East reason to breath a little easier.
For one, Anthony Henry has been traded to Detroit for none other than 'Bradie James basher', Jon Kitna. Although Kitna wouldn't be one of my top choices, I feel much more confident with him behind Romo than Brad Johnson or Brooks Bollinger.
Chris Canty has also been signed by The New York Giants. There's not much Dallas could do to retain him since he was a free agent and most of the restricted tenders have been placed. It will be sad to see him go.
Atlanta linebacker Keith Brooking has been signed by Dallas to replace Zach Thomas, who apparently wasn't comfortable in Wade Phillips' scheme last year and vocalized that after the loss in Philly.
Another free agent, Kevin Burnett, might also be testing the waters. Burnett has scheduled a trip to Oakland to see what The Raiders are willing to do for him. With Brooking joining the team, Burnett's future in Dallas definitely looks grim.
That's pretty much everything that directly impacts Dallas for '09, but throughout the division there have been some shocking moves as well.
Of course, Haynesworth will be joining The Redskins, and joining him is DeAngelo Hall, who has just signed a multi-year deal. These two players should bring a load of memories in relation to Dallas, including Haynesworth stomping on Gurode's helmetless head, and DeAngelo Hall accusing T.O. of spitting on him.
Ok, so playing Washington is going to be tough for a while, but meanwhile in Philly, things are looking up.
The Eagles have traded Lito Sheppard to The Jets and lost Brian Dawkins to Denver. When you think of Eagles defense, those two players were at the top of the list. This was a shocking move that upset many Philly fans but thankfully gave the rest of the NFC East reason to breath a little easier.
Friday, February 27, 2009
What's been going on?
BYE, BYE BRAD!
It seems that 2008 might go down in history as Brad Johnson's final season in the NFL. Dallas has officially released Johnson on Thursday, and I'd be willing to bet that there aren't many teams who are rushing to pick him up.
Johnson started three games this past season and lost two of them, which is one of the many factors why The Cowboys did not reach the playoffs.
Following the news of Johnson's release, former Chicago quarterback, Rex Grossman publicly expressed interest in backing up Romo next season. Regardless of Grossman's inconsistency, he did lead The Bears to the Super Bowl a few years ago and in my eyes, he is better than Johnson or Brooks Bollinger (who may or may not be returning to Dallas.)
BYE, BYE ROY?
It appears that something is in the works for Roy Williams, (the safety, that is,) and it doesn't look good. It appears that Williams doesn't want to leave, but a trade might be in the works anyway.
He is not getting any younger, his play hasn't been up to standards these past couple of seasons, he's sustained two major injuries last season and he could never really play in coverage that well.
If these signs are any indication, there will be only one Roy Williams wearing a Dallas helmet next season, and he will be playing on offense, not defense.
HELLO HAYNESWORTH?!
Albert Haynesworth will not be in Tennessee next season... he won't be a Cowboy either, but for the next seven years or so, we'll be seeing plenty of him.
Haynesworth signed a guaranteed $41 million contract to play for division rivals, the Washington Redskins. The deal could reach as high as $115 million after it's all said and done, but this means Dallas will have to deal with him at least two times a season, something I'm sure Andre Gurode is looking forward to.
It seems that 2008 might go down in history as Brad Johnson's final season in the NFL. Dallas has officially released Johnson on Thursday, and I'd be willing to bet that there aren't many teams who are rushing to pick him up.
Johnson started three games this past season and lost two of them, which is one of the many factors why The Cowboys did not reach the playoffs.
Following the news of Johnson's release, former Chicago quarterback, Rex Grossman publicly expressed interest in backing up Romo next season. Regardless of Grossman's inconsistency, he did lead The Bears to the Super Bowl a few years ago and in my eyes, he is better than Johnson or Brooks Bollinger (who may or may not be returning to Dallas.)
BYE, BYE ROY?
It appears that something is in the works for Roy Williams, (the safety, that is,) and it doesn't look good. It appears that Williams doesn't want to leave, but a trade might be in the works anyway.
He is not getting any younger, his play hasn't been up to standards these past couple of seasons, he's sustained two major injuries last season and he could never really play in coverage that well.
If these signs are any indication, there will be only one Roy Williams wearing a Dallas helmet next season, and he will be playing on offense, not defense.
HELLO HAYNESWORTH?!
Albert Haynesworth will not be in Tennessee next season... he won't be a Cowboy either, but for the next seven years or so, we'll be seeing plenty of him.
Haynesworth signed a guaranteed $41 million contract to play for division rivals, the Washington Redskins. The deal could reach as high as $115 million after it's all said and done, but this means Dallas will have to deal with him at least two times a season, something I'm sure Andre Gurode is looking forward to.
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