I haven't done a Q&A section in a long while, so I figured I would start this feature back up... without further ado... here we go.
Q: Why is the media over-blowing Rony Tomo playing with a fractured rib?
A: First off, it's Tony Romo, not Rony Tomo, but to answer your question, the Sports media will always take a small issue and make it larger than it really is. I believe it is somewhat courageous that Romo plays through his injury, but some media outlets are putting him in a 'Hero' category, which is probably undeserved.
Q: What's up with Miles Austin?
A: Miles has a hamstring issue and isn't expected back until after the bye week (at least.)
Q: Why have the last 9 games been decided by 3 points or less?
A: Since Jason Garrett took over this organization, he has kept this team competitive and all of the scores have reflected that. Although we wish Dallas could blow out some teams, at least they are giving themselves a chance.
Q: How can Dallas beat Detroit?
A: They will have to pressure the QB as much as possible, stop the running game from developing, and the defense has to get turnovers and prevent The Lions from scoring... just like any other game.
Q: Why does Dallas still have two kickers on their roster, especially after Dan Bailey's 6 field goal performance last week?
A: Unknown... but more likely because Buehler (when healthy) has the ability to kick touchbacks, something Bailey struggles with.
Q: What the hell is wrong with Phil Costa?
A: There is still debate whether Costa was thrown off by the defense calling out the snap count, or if he was just nervous and messing up, but one thing is for certain, they better get this worked out ASAP. No professional center should have 4 premature snaps in one game... somewhere, Andre Gurode was probably watching and cracking up.
Q: How's the new job going?
A: Pretty good, thanks for asking.
Q: How long will you keep doing this stupid blog that no one even reads anyway?
A: Until I die jerk, so shut up! Enough questions for now, I'm outta here...
Friday, September 30, 2011
Here Comes The Lions...
Sunday at 1 pm may be the toughest challenge yet for these Dallas Cowboys (well, until the New England game that is.)
The Detroit Lions are firing on all cylinders and their 3-0 record proves it. Will Dallas, who is still hobbling into the game with injuries and missing players, be able to contend and walk away with a victory? It's pretty much a crap shoot.
There is no denying that The Lions' defensive line is a major threat... QB Matt Stafford is inching his way into conversations of 'Top 5 QB's'... and of course 'Megatron' Calvin Johnson is probably one of the best receivers in the league.
One could say that The Lions haven't played the highest quality teams their first three games (Tampa Bay, Kansas City & Minnesota) but they did manage to put up 48 points against Kansas City, and held them to only a field goal. Regardless who you play, that's pretty impressive.
Do I think Dallas has a chance, even without Miles Austin and a less than 100% Dez Bryant, Tony Romo & Felix Jones? Absolutely.
Rob Ryan will be dialing up some different looks for Stafford, you can be guaranteed of that. Hopefully the offense will be working hard at fixing some of the mistakes from last week, including improved route running...ahhem...Ogletree.
It's a home game for Dallas, and because of that they are 1.5 point favorites on the Vegas line. I may be biased, but I think there's a good chance Dallas can play a close game (as they have been lately) and succeed in the 4th quarter. My prediction is Dallas 31, Detroit 24.
The Detroit Lions are firing on all cylinders and their 3-0 record proves it. Will Dallas, who is still hobbling into the game with injuries and missing players, be able to contend and walk away with a victory? It's pretty much a crap shoot.
There is no denying that The Lions' defensive line is a major threat... QB Matt Stafford is inching his way into conversations of 'Top 5 QB's'... and of course 'Megatron' Calvin Johnson is probably one of the best receivers in the league.
One could say that The Lions haven't played the highest quality teams their first three games (Tampa Bay, Kansas City & Minnesota) but they did manage to put up 48 points against Kansas City, and held them to only a field goal. Regardless who you play, that's pretty impressive.
Do I think Dallas has a chance, even without Miles Austin and a less than 100% Dez Bryant, Tony Romo & Felix Jones? Absolutely.
Rob Ryan will be dialing up some different looks for Stafford, you can be guaranteed of that. Hopefully the offense will be working hard at fixing some of the mistakes from last week, including improved route running...ahhem...Ogletree.
It's a home game for Dallas, and because of that they are 1.5 point favorites on the Vegas line. I may be biased, but I think there's a good chance Dallas can play a close game (as they have been lately) and succeed in the 4th quarter. My prediction is Dallas 31, Detroit 24.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Week 3 Recap: Washington (16) @ Dallas (18)
A 'win' is a beautiful thing, The Cowboys victory against Washington was far from beautiful, but it was a win.
This Monday Night Game was not a high octane, offensive battle with points being racked up left and right... it was a slow, defensive struggle where Dallas had to win with 6 field goals and no touchdowns, in fact the only touchdown of the game was a 5 yard screen pass to Tim Hightower who wasn't being covered properly and walked right into the end zone.
Tony Romo played with fractured ribs and you could see that they were trying to gameplan to protect him as best as they could. He utilized more screen passes and quick throws than he normally does, but was still efficient out of the pocket...although with Miles Austin out and Dez Bryant not 100%, the young receivers gave Romo some problems. They didn't know where to line up and Kevin Ogleetree ran the wrong route at least 3 times during crucial moments of the game.
Romo also wasn't helped out by Center Phil Costa, who had no less than 4 premature snaps resulting in Romo scrambling around to recover the loose ball. Luckily, none of those were lost and he even made a couple yards with one of the faulty snaps. All this with a fractured rib... unbelievable. His frustration was evident and his leadership (which many used to question,) was on full display as he seemed to be constantly yelling at his receivers and center.
Let's move on to the positives, shall we...
- Tony Romo played exceptional given the circumstances... he threw 22 for 36, 255 yards and 1 interception (which was moreso Ogletree's fault than Romo's.)
- Sean Lee had another outstanding game on defense, with 4 tackles, 4 assists and another interception.
- Dez Bryant made the catch that kept Dallas alive in the 4th quarter, converting a 3rd and 21 to set Dallas up for the game winning field goal.
- DeMarcus Ware added another sack, as well as Victor Butler and Anthony Spencer.
- Speaking of Anthony Spencer, he chased down and forced the fumble at the end of the game, extinguishing any chance Washington had for a comeback.
- Felix Jones finally broke off some nice runs, giving the team it's first carry for over 9 yards (21 and 40.) He finished the day with 115 rushing yards.
Overall, it was not an easy win, but Dallas managed to stay alive in the game the whole time and pulled it together in the end to finish with a field goal to give them the lead, and a defensive stand to close the game out. Dallas now leads the division at 2-1, although that doesn't mean too much this early in the year, it does feel good though.
This Monday Night Game was not a high octane, offensive battle with points being racked up left and right... it was a slow, defensive struggle where Dallas had to win with 6 field goals and no touchdowns, in fact the only touchdown of the game was a 5 yard screen pass to Tim Hightower who wasn't being covered properly and walked right into the end zone.
Tony Romo played with fractured ribs and you could see that they were trying to gameplan to protect him as best as they could. He utilized more screen passes and quick throws than he normally does, but was still efficient out of the pocket...although with Miles Austin out and Dez Bryant not 100%, the young receivers gave Romo some problems. They didn't know where to line up and Kevin Ogleetree ran the wrong route at least 3 times during crucial moments of the game.
Romo also wasn't helped out by Center Phil Costa, who had no less than 4 premature snaps resulting in Romo scrambling around to recover the loose ball. Luckily, none of those were lost and he even made a couple yards with one of the faulty snaps. All this with a fractured rib... unbelievable. His frustration was evident and his leadership (which many used to question,) was on full display as he seemed to be constantly yelling at his receivers and center.
Let's move on to the positives, shall we...
- Tony Romo played exceptional given the circumstances... he threw 22 for 36, 255 yards and 1 interception (which was moreso Ogletree's fault than Romo's.)
- Sean Lee had another outstanding game on defense, with 4 tackles, 4 assists and another interception.
- Dez Bryant made the catch that kept Dallas alive in the 4th quarter, converting a 3rd and 21 to set Dallas up for the game winning field goal.
- DeMarcus Ware added another sack, as well as Victor Butler and Anthony Spencer.
- Speaking of Anthony Spencer, he chased down and forced the fumble at the end of the game, extinguishing any chance Washington had for a comeback.
- Felix Jones finally broke off some nice runs, giving the team it's first carry for over 9 yards (21 and 40.) He finished the day with 115 rushing yards.
Overall, it was not an easy win, but Dallas managed to stay alive in the game the whole time and pulled it together in the end to finish with a field goal to give them the lead, and a defensive stand to close the game out. Dallas now leads the division at 2-1, although that doesn't mean too much this early in the year, it does feel good though.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Injury Bug
Now that the dust has settled a bit from Dallas' overtime victory in San Francisco, we will start seeing how things will play out for Monday Night's game against Washington.
Due to the game being on Monday, The Cowboys will be receiving an extra day off, which should help some of these guys heal a bit.
And speaking of the injury front... there are a lot of injuries:
- Miles Austin reaggrivated his hamstring and it
seems he is not expected to play against Washington.
- Felix Jones sustained a separated shoulder during Sunday's game and depending on his tolerance for pain, he should be a go for Monday Night.
- Dallas is 'hopeful' that Dez Bryant will be healthy enough from his thigh contusion that he will play this week. I think he'll be listed as questionable and they will take it day-to-day to evaluate him.
- Terence Newman has tweeted that he will be playing in the Washington game, further evidence of this is Dallas cutting CB Bryan McCann yesterday (to re-sign WR Laurent Robinson.)
- Tony Romo, the warrior, will more than likely play. Apparently the fractured rib and punctured lung (which sounds worse than it actually is,) won't medically force him to miss the game, as long as Romo can handle the pain, he'll play.
- There are a few other injuries like Lineman Bill Nagy, CB Orlando Scandrick and a few others, but there hasn't been any definitive word on them, so we'll see as we get closer to gameday.
In Other News:
- Two former Cowboys have been signed by, surprise surprise, The Miami Dolphins... LB Igor Olshansky and CB Nate Jones.
In Stat News:
- Dallas has notched a couple top spots in regards to stats for the first two weeks of the season. Sean Lee leads the league in tackles with 23. DeMarcus Ware leads the league in sacks with 4 and Tony Romo has the fifth most passing yards in the league with 687 (although it's still a far cry from Tom Brady's 940.)
Due to the game being on Monday, The Cowboys will be receiving an extra day off, which should help some of these guys heal a bit.
And speaking of the injury front... there are a lot of injuries:
- Miles Austin reaggrivated his hamstring and it
seems he is not expected to play against Washington.- Felix Jones sustained a separated shoulder during Sunday's game and depending on his tolerance for pain, he should be a go for Monday Night.
- Dallas is 'hopeful' that Dez Bryant will be healthy enough from his thigh contusion that he will play this week. I think he'll be listed as questionable and they will take it day-to-day to evaluate him.
- Terence Newman has tweeted that he will be playing in the Washington game, further evidence of this is Dallas cutting CB Bryan McCann yesterday (to re-sign WR Laurent Robinson.)
- Tony Romo, the warrior, will more than likely play. Apparently the fractured rib and punctured lung (which sounds worse than it actually is,) won't medically force him to miss the game, as long as Romo can handle the pain, he'll play.
- There are a few other injuries like Lineman Bill Nagy, CB Orlando Scandrick and a few others, but there hasn't been any definitive word on them, so we'll see as we get closer to gameday.
In Other News:
- Two former Cowboys have been signed by, surprise surprise, The Miami Dolphins... LB Igor Olshansky and CB Nate Jones.
In Stat News:
- Dallas has notched a couple top spots in regards to stats for the first two weeks of the season. Sean Lee leads the league in tackles with 23. DeMarcus Ware leads the league in sacks with 4 and Tony Romo has the fifth most passing yards in the league with 687 (although it's still a far cry from Tom Brady's 940.)
Monday, September 19, 2011
Week 2 Recap: Dallas (27) @ SF (24)
This m
atch-up may have been a sure-thing win for Dallas on paper, but when it came down to it, The Cowboys needed everything they could muster to pull off a victory, including an overtime field goal.
The opening drive seemed like something straight out of last season, 14 plays, wasting 2 timeouts and driving all the way to the 3 yard line when newbie, Dan Bailey, missed the 21 yard field goal. What a whammy.
The rest of the first half was almost as bad... The 49ers managed two touchdowns which started the despair with a score of 0-14 and a real possibility of losing to a mediocre San Fransisco team. Dallas' offense just couldn't get rolling, with a 3 and out, after 3 and out, after 3 and out. Luckily late in the second quarter, Romo connected with Miles Austin on a slant for a 53 yard TD which brought the game back within reach at 7-14 going into the half.
To start the third quarter, things started looking rough again, Romo
appeared to be out for the rest of the game with a fractured rib which he apparently injured early in the game (also Felix Jones was hampered with a dislocated shoulder.) Kitna came in the game and ended his drive with an interception. Alex Smith followed suit and threw an interception on the next drive and thankfully Kitna took advantage of great field position and threw a 5 yard touchdown pass to Miles Austin, tying the game up at 14.
San Fran and Dallas went back and forth, 49ers punted and then the next drive, Kitna was driving down the field nicely when he threw another interception. Alex Smith responded with a touchdown pass putting the 49ers back in the lead 14-21.
Something special happened after that... Tony Romo, who sideline reporters were telling us would be out for the rest of the game, asked for his helmet and then marched onto the field. Although his first series back resulted in a punt, you could tell the team was influenced by his courage.
Heading into the 4th quarter, San Fransisco managed a field goal and took a 14-24 lead. Romo came back in again and drove down the
field, ending with an amazing Miles Austin dive for a 25 yard touchdown. 21-24.
The defense held strong and forced a 49ers punt and Romo came in driving down the field once again, thanks to some clutch catches by Miles Austin and none other than '4th and long' reality show winner, Jesse Holley. They were not able to put up 6 on the drive, but Dan Bailey redeemed himself from the missed 21 yard field goal by knocking threw a 48 yarder with :04 left on the game clock and sending them into overtime.
Dallas lost the coin toss an
d was forced on defense to start OT. The defense held up yet again, forcing SF to punt. On the first play of the drive for Dallas, Romo connected with a streaking Jesse Holley, who ran for 77 yards and ended up on the 1 yard line. Although they were tempted to run it in, they decided the smart move would be to kick a field goal. Dan Bailey, who missed the first 21 yard field goal of the game lined up ready to kick the game winning 19 yard field goal, and... SUCCESS, it was good. Dallas 27 - SF 24.
Other Things I Forgot to Mention:
- Jason Witten, for the second straight game, had over 100 yards receiving.
- Sean Lee led the team with tackles again, racking up 8 tackles and 2 assists... he currently leads the NFL in tackles through 2 games.
- Demarcus Ware added 2 more sacks to the 2 he had last week. Jason Hatcher also had 2 sacks. Anthony Spencer and Jay Ratliff each had 1.
- Miles Austin had a career day with 3 TD's and 143 yards, but he re-injured his hamstring and didn't play in OT.
- Felix Jones separated his shoulder early in the game but still played throughout, although the running game was not very effective regardless.
- I'm sure there's more but that's all I remember right now...
atch-up may have been a sure-thing win for Dallas on paper, but when it came down to it, The Cowboys needed everything they could muster to pull off a victory, including an overtime field goal.The opening drive seemed like something straight out of last season, 14 plays, wasting 2 timeouts and driving all the way to the 3 yard line when newbie, Dan Bailey, missed the 21 yard field goal. What a whammy.
The rest of the first half was almost as bad... The 49ers managed two touchdowns which started the despair with a score of 0-14 and a real possibility of losing to a mediocre San Fransisco team. Dallas' offense just couldn't get rolling, with a 3 and out, after 3 and out, after 3 and out. Luckily late in the second quarter, Romo connected with Miles Austin on a slant for a 53 yard TD which brought the game back within reach at 7-14 going into the half.
To start the third quarter, things started looking rough again, Romo
appeared to be out for the rest of the game with a fractured rib which he apparently injured early in the game (also Felix Jones was hampered with a dislocated shoulder.) Kitna came in the game and ended his drive with an interception. Alex Smith followed suit and threw an interception on the next drive and thankfully Kitna took advantage of great field position and threw a 5 yard touchdown pass to Miles Austin, tying the game up at 14.San Fran and Dallas went back and forth, 49ers punted and then the next drive, Kitna was driving down the field nicely when he threw another interception. Alex Smith responded with a touchdown pass putting the 49ers back in the lead 14-21.
Something special happened after that... Tony Romo, who sideline reporters were telling us would be out for the rest of the game, asked for his helmet and then marched onto the field. Although his first series back resulted in a punt, you could tell the team was influenced by his courage.
Heading into the 4th quarter, San Fransisco managed a field goal and took a 14-24 lead. Romo came back in again and drove down the
field, ending with an amazing Miles Austin dive for a 25 yard touchdown. 21-24.The defense held strong and forced a 49ers punt and Romo came in driving down the field once again, thanks to some clutch catches by Miles Austin and none other than '4th and long' reality show winner, Jesse Holley. They were not able to put up 6 on the drive, but Dan Bailey redeemed himself from the missed 21 yard field goal by knocking threw a 48 yarder with :04 left on the game clock and sending them into overtime.
Dallas lost the coin toss an
d was forced on defense to start OT. The defense held up yet again, forcing SF to punt. On the first play of the drive for Dallas, Romo connected with a streaking Jesse Holley, who ran for 77 yards and ended up on the 1 yard line. Although they were tempted to run it in, they decided the smart move would be to kick a field goal. Dan Bailey, who missed the first 21 yard field goal of the game lined up ready to kick the game winning 19 yard field goal, and... SUCCESS, it was good. Dallas 27 - SF 24.Other Things I Forgot to Mention:
- Jason Witten, for the second straight game, had over 100 yards receiving.
- Sean Lee led the team with tackles again, racking up 8 tackles and 2 assists... he currently leads the NFL in tackles through 2 games.
- Demarcus Ware added 2 more sacks to the 2 he had last week. Jason Hatcher also had 2 sacks. Anthony Spencer and Jay Ratliff each had 1.
- Miles Austin had a career day with 3 TD's and 143 yards, but he re-injured his hamstring and didn't play in OT.
- Felix Jones separated his shoulder early in the game but still played throughout, although the running game was not very effective regardless.
- I'm sure there's more but that's all I remember right now...
Monday, September 12, 2011
Looking Forward
Cornerback Concern:
There are troubling issues in Dallas' secondary. Terence Newman was inactive for the opening game and it is not known when he will return. M
ike Jenkins wasn't healthy going into the game and was injured multiple times throughout, leaving his week 2 status in question. Orlando Scandrick sustained a high ankle sprain during the matchup and is expected to be out 3-4 weeks. Without these three corners, The Cowboys' secondary is very spotty.
O-Line is Fine:
One of the main concerns heading into the game was the offensive line, and besides a few missteps here and there, they actually played fairly well, especially Tyron Smith who was listed as questionable going into the game. I would almost say that Kyle Kosier, the only veteran, played the worst... well maybe not the worst but he did allow the first sack of the season.
Marty B? How About Johnny P?!
John Phillip was replacing Martellus Bennett as second string tight end while Bennett is nursing a high ankle sprain, and he played exceptionally well. There was one play in which Phillip caught a screen, shook a tackle off his leg (Bart Scott nonetheless,) and jettisoned forward for a first down. Although I had tons of faith in Marty B for the past 3 years, he never lived up to his potential. I hate to say it, but I just couldn't see Bennett grabbing that pass (w/o dropping it) and then shaking the tackle the way Phillip did. This is likely Bennett's final season as a Cowboy.
Wide Receiver Concern:
There actually isn't really that much concern at WR except
Dez Bryant hurting his thigh and cramping up, which obviously hampered his ability to run on Sunday. Bryant is a big part of this offense and proved how valuable he can be on that first drive, but unforunately it seems that he is injury-prone. If he can get healthy and stay healthy, he has the talent to be as prolific as that other number 88.
Defensive Positives:
The defense played pretty well for having limited time with a new coach and compiling injuries play after play. Sean Lee was especially good, leading the team in tackles, with an interception and a recovered fumble. Demarcus Ware was also as dominant as usual, adding up two sacks to start his year.
Forty-Niners:
This upcoming Sunday's game will see Dallas traveling up to 'The City by the Bay' to face the 49ers
who just dismantled Seattle 33-17. I wouldn't say that San Fransisco was great in the game (mostly Seattle just plain sucked,) but The Niners did put up 33 points and win so they aren't horrible.
This could easily be a trap game, especially with Dallas' injuries piling up, so they will need to be careful how they approach San Fran. I think Garrett and Ryan will tweak the offense and defense over the week and might even bring in some free agent cornerbacks to help our crippled secondary. We shall see.
Go Cowboys!
There are troubling issues in Dallas' secondary. Terence Newman was inactive for the opening game and it is not known when he will return. M
ike Jenkins wasn't healthy going into the game and was injured multiple times throughout, leaving his week 2 status in question. Orlando Scandrick sustained a high ankle sprain during the matchup and is expected to be out 3-4 weeks. Without these three corners, The Cowboys' secondary is very spotty.O-Line is Fine:
One of the main concerns heading into the game was the offensive line, and besides a few missteps here and there, they actually played fairly well, especially Tyron Smith who was listed as questionable going into the game. I would almost say that Kyle Kosier, the only veteran, played the worst... well maybe not the worst but he did allow the first sack of the season.
Marty B? How About Johnny P?!
John Phillip was replacing Martellus Bennett as second string tight end while Bennett is nursing a high ankle sprain, and he played exceptionally well. There was one play in which Phillip caught a screen, shook a tackle off his leg (Bart Scott nonetheless,) and jettisoned forward for a first down. Although I had tons of faith in Marty B for the past 3 years, he never lived up to his potential. I hate to say it, but I just couldn't see Bennett grabbing that pass (w/o dropping it) and then shaking the tackle the way Phillip did. This is likely Bennett's final season as a Cowboy.
Wide Receiver Concern:
There actually isn't really that much concern at WR except
Dez Bryant hurting his thigh and cramping up, which obviously hampered his ability to run on Sunday. Bryant is a big part of this offense and proved how valuable he can be on that first drive, but unforunately it seems that he is injury-prone. If he can get healthy and stay healthy, he has the talent to be as prolific as that other number 88.Defensive Positives:
The defense played pretty well for having limited time with a new coach and compiling injuries play after play. Sean Lee was especially good, leading the team in tackles, with an interception and a recovered fumble. Demarcus Ware was also as dominant as usual, adding up two sacks to start his year.
Forty-Niners:
This upcoming Sunday's game will see Dallas traveling up to 'The City by the Bay' to face the 49ers
who just dismantled Seattle 33-17. I wouldn't say that San Fransisco was great in the game (mostly Seattle just plain sucked,) but The Niners did put up 33 points and win so they aren't horrible.This could easily be a trap game, especially with Dallas' injuries piling up, so they will need to be careful how they approach San Fran. I think Garrett and Ryan will tweak the offense and defense over the week and might even bring in some free agent cornerbacks to help our crippled secondary. We shall see.
Go Cowboys!
Week 1 Recap (foreal this time)
This season is eerily beginning just like last season. Dallas had every chance to win last year's opener against Washington, but due to some poor play-calling and horrendous mistakes, they were defeated. That devestating loss propelled them into a downward spiral that lasted up until Wade Phillips was fired about halfway through 
the season.
Last night's opening game was not too much different. Dallas had control of the game and held a 14 point lead going into the 4th quarter. Due to mistakes on special teams, mistakes by Romo and critical injuries, The Jets were able to rally in the 4th quarter and it looks like the downward spiral may have begun again for these Cowboys. The question is, will they quickly break the curse or are they doomed to repeat their woes.
There were many factors that led to this loss. Injuries to CB Orlando Scandrick, CB Mike Jenkins and WR Dez Bryant didn't help anything (especially since Terence Newman was already inactive due to injury.) Having a punt blocked and returned for a TD didn't help anything. Romo throwing a foolish pass toward a double-covered Dez that got intercepted didn't help anything. Romo trying to run for a TD on a broken play on 3rd and goal, which he then fumbled, didn't help
anything either. Overall, the 4th quarter was a comedy of errors.
It's not like anybody was predicting Dallas to win last night, but when you're heading into the 4th quarter with a 14 point lead, at that point you don't expect to lose. This is also the first game Dallas has lost after holding a 14 point lead in the 4th. Depressingly interesting.
The good news is that it is only the first game of the year... Sure the season could go the way of last year and Dallas could spiral into lose after lose after lose, but there's actually a decent chance they will pull off victories in the next three games (San Fransisco, Washington & Detroit.) If Dallas can carry a 3-1 record heading into the BYE (week 5) then things won't feel so grim.
If Dallas wants success, there are a lot of factors involved and a lot of things will need to be corrected and tightened up... it's funny, I said that we need to correct and tighten things up for the past 3 years but never had confidence that Wade Phillips would actually do anything. This season however, I have faith that Jason Garrett and Rob Ryan can enstill some discipline and actually correct problems. Maybe I'm just being optimistic.
the season.Last night's opening game was not too much different. Dallas had control of the game and held a 14 point lead going into the 4th quarter. Due to mistakes on special teams, mistakes by Romo and critical injuries, The Jets were able to rally in the 4th quarter and it looks like the downward spiral may have begun again for these Cowboys. The question is, will they quickly break the curse or are they doomed to repeat their woes.
There were many factors that led to this loss. Injuries to CB Orlando Scandrick, CB Mike Jenkins and WR Dez Bryant didn't help anything (especially since Terence Newman was already inactive due to injury.) Having a punt blocked and returned for a TD didn't help anything. Romo throwing a foolish pass toward a double-covered Dez that got intercepted didn't help anything. Romo trying to run for a TD on a broken play on 3rd and goal, which he then fumbled, didn't help
anything either. Overall, the 4th quarter was a comedy of errors.It's not like anybody was predicting Dallas to win last night, but when you're heading into the 4th quarter with a 14 point lead, at that point you don't expect to lose. This is also the first game Dallas has lost after holding a 14 point lead in the 4th. Depressingly interesting.
The good news is that it is only the first game of the year... Sure the season could go the way of last year and Dallas could spiral into lose after lose after lose, but there's actually a decent chance they will pull off victories in the next three games (San Fransisco, Washington & Detroit.) If Dallas can carry a 3-1 record heading into the BYE (week 5) then things won't feel so grim.
If Dallas wants success, there are a lot of factors involved and a lot of things will need to be corrected and tightened up... it's funny, I said that we need to correct and tighten things up for the past 3 years but never had confidence that Wade Phillips would actually do anything. This season however, I have faith that Jason Garrett and Rob Ryan can enstill some discipline and actually correct problems. Maybe I'm just being optimistic.
Week 1 Recap - Dallas (24) @ NY Jets (27)
For any Dallas fan that masochistically watched all of The Cowboys' games last season, this opening game feels quite familiar. 
Before the game, I certainly didn't expect Dallas to win, in fact I was bracing myself for a blowout, but the most disheartening thing about this loss is that they had this game in the bag for 3 quarters but fell apart in the 4th. When it mattered most, they couldn't put it away.
There are many aspects of this game that were good, but the bad things came in crucial times, and unfortunately, it was Tony Romo that ultimately gave the game away.
I will rant more about this loss later, but for now I just want to wallow in my sorrows as I chalk up the first 'L' for the season. 0-1. Ugh.
Before the game, I certainly didn't expect Dallas to win, in fact I was bracing myself for a blowout, but the most disheartening thing about this loss is that they had this game in the bag for 3 quarters but fell apart in the 4th. When it mattered most, they couldn't put it away.
There are many aspects of this game that were good, but the bad things came in crucial times, and unfortunately, it was Tony Romo that ultimately gave the game away.
I will rant more about this loss later, but for now I just want to wallow in my sorrows as I chalk up the first 'L' for the season. 0-1. Ugh.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Let's Roll!
Football Season has officially started with Green Bay (mostly) dominating against the Saints and winning Thursday Night's kickoff game with a score of 42 to 34. It was a pretty exciting game to start things off, there was a little bit of everything, three TD throws from Rodgers in the first quarter, a kickoff return TD, sacks, fumbles, etc, etc... very exciting indeed.
But I don't care much for Green Bay or the Saints, so tomorrow is the day I'm really
looking forward to. There's some pretty good games on in the afternoon and I'll get to see how the NFC East rivals play and then to cap off the night will be the very tough challenge of Dallas vs NY Jets. I have no clue how things are going to play out, Dallas has some major injuries already, including Terrence Newman, Martellus Bennett, possibly Tyron Smith and more. The secondary is what scares me the most, but who knows if the young guys will step up. We'll find out tomorrow night and it's sure to be intense.
It's also going to be an emotional game, in fact every game tomorrow will be special because it will be the 10th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks.
Players across the league are planning to go against some of the NFL dress codes (they were given permission btw,) and will be wearing red, white and blue incorporated in their cleats and maybe elsewhere too, we'll see. Tomorrow night's Cowboys/Jets game will top it off because of it's proximity to Manhattan which was hardest hit during 9/11.
While I'm on the topic, I can't stress enough how grateful I am for all firefighters, police and emergency workers who lost their lives being heroes on that day. The average citizens who all came together during the tragedy and everybody who believes in freedom, I give my thanks to.
In other news...
Since my brother got the Sunday Ticket from DirecTv and since I have a Playstation 3 and since DirecTv is allowing (for a $50 addition) Sunday Ticket to be streamed to Playstation 3... well, I will technically have the ST for the season through my PS3. Woo Hoo... that's all. Go Cowboys!
But I don't care much for Green Bay or the Saints, so tomorrow is the day I'm really
looking forward to. There's some pretty good games on in the afternoon and I'll get to see how the NFC East rivals play and then to cap off the night will be the very tough challenge of Dallas vs NY Jets. I have no clue how things are going to play out, Dallas has some major injuries already, including Terrence Newman, Martellus Bennett, possibly Tyron Smith and more. The secondary is what scares me the most, but who knows if the young guys will step up. We'll find out tomorrow night and it's sure to be intense.It's also going to be an emotional game, in fact every game tomorrow will be special because it will be the 10th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks.
Players across the league are planning to go against some of the NFL dress codes (they were given permission btw,) and will be wearing red, white and blue incorporated in their cleats and maybe elsewhere too, we'll see. Tomorrow night's Cowboys/Jets game will top it off because of it's proximity to Manhattan which was hardest hit during 9/11.While I'm on the topic, I can't stress enough how grateful I am for all firefighters, police and emergency workers who lost their lives being heroes on that day. The average citizens who all came together during the tragedy and everybody who believes in freedom, I give my thanks to.
In other news...
Since my brother got the Sunday Ticket from DirecTv and since I have a Playstation 3 and since DirecTv is allowing (for a $50 addition) Sunday Ticket to be streamed to Playstation 3... well, I will technically have the ST for the season through my PS3. Woo Hoo... that's all. Go Cowboys!
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
T-Minus 2 Days...
There are now only two days until we kickoff the season. There hasn't been a huge amount of news since yesterday, but there has been some.
- Dallas is working out WR Laurent Robinson, who recently played with The Rams. There is obviously a big dropoff from our # 2 receiver (Dez Bryant) to our #3 (Kevin Ogletree) so it makes sense to try-out some veteran wideouts. I wouldn't expect him to play in Sunday's game or anything, but if they sign him it would be a nice back-up option.
- Rob Ryan is certainly confident in his defense, he said in a recent interview that he expects to 'win it all,' and that 'no other coach has changed things around like he has in Dallas.' Judging by preseason, the defense was spotty at best, but Ryan assures us that he's 'saving the best stuff for later.' We shall see. Either way, I am liking his attitude in comparison to Wade Phillips.
The Jets have a pleathora of emotion evoking events planned for Sunday night including:
- Every spectater given an American Flag
- Firemen and Police Officer bagpipe players will perform 'Amazing Grace'
- Children of first responders are set to be the Jet's honorary captains
- Robert DeNiro will speak during halftime
- and much more...
Needless to say, emotions will certainly be running high and the stadium will be extra hype. I don't think that necessarily equates to an instant victory, in fact it might be too much pressure on The Jets which can negatively affect their play. Who knows.
In Other NFL News:
- It looks like Peyton Manning will definitely be missing a few games, if not the entire season. His neck injury isn't healing as fast as they would like it to, so it seems pretty set that come Sunday, Kerry Collins will be under center against Houston.
- Speaking of Houston, things may have gotten a lot easier for them in the AFC South this year. David Garrard was just cut by Jacksonville after 9 seasons. Quite a shock.
In Other College Football News:
I can't let it go.
I usually don't talk much about College football, mostly because my team is Notre Dame, who has been horrible for years... but last night in the Miami vs Maryland game, The Terrapins have unveiled their new uniforms (see picture,) and I gotta say, I haven't seen a worst uniform EVER. Sure there are some bad uniform designs out there, but I couldn't even watch the whole game because of those duds. C'mon Son! Back to the Drawing Board.
- Dallas is working out WR Laurent Robinson, who recently played with The Rams. There is obviously a big dropoff from our # 2 receiver (Dez Bryant) to our #3 (Kevin Ogletree) so it makes sense to try-out some veteran wideouts. I wouldn't expect him to play in Sunday's game or anything, but if they sign him it would be a nice back-up option.
- Rob Ryan is certainly confident in his defense, he said in a recent interview that he expects to 'win it all,' and that 'no other coach has changed things around like he has in Dallas.' Judging by preseason, the defense was spotty at best, but Ryan assures us that he's 'saving the best stuff for later.' We shall see. Either way, I am liking his attitude in comparison to Wade Phillips.
The Jets have a pleathora of emotion evoking events planned for Sunday night including:
- Every spectater given an American Flag
- Firemen and Police Officer bagpipe players will perform 'Amazing Grace'
- Children of first responders are set to be the Jet's honorary captains
- Robert DeNiro will speak during halftime
- and much more...
Needless to say, emotions will certainly be running high and the stadium will be extra hype. I don't think that necessarily equates to an instant victory, in fact it might be too much pressure on The Jets which can negatively affect their play. Who knows.
In Other NFL News:
- It looks like Peyton Manning will definitely be missing a few games, if not the entire season. His neck injury isn't healing as fast as they would like it to, so it seems pretty set that come Sunday, Kerry Collins will be under center against Houston.
- Speaking of Houston, things may have gotten a lot easier for them in the AFC South this year. David Garrard was just cut by Jacksonville after 9 seasons. Quite a shock.
In Other College Football News:
I can't let it go.
I usually don't talk much about College football, mostly because my team is Notre Dame, who has been horrible for years... but last night in the Miami vs Maryland game, The Terrapins have unveiled their new uniforms (see picture,) and I gotta say, I haven't seen a worst uniform EVER. Sure there are some bad uniform designs out there, but I couldn't even watch the whole game because of those duds. C'mon Son! Back to the Drawing Board.
Monday, September 5, 2011
T-Minus 3 Days...
We now only have three days until New Orleans and Green Bay kick off the 2011/2012 NFL season. Most are prepping for the first game, but Dallas has made a few changes with the roster, and I'm willing to bet a few more moves are made before the season starts... The 53 is always subject to various mutations.
First, Montrae Holland (Guard) and Sam Young (Offensive Tackle) have been cut and Dallas decided to add two semi-veteran players in Tony Fiammetta (Fullback from Carolina) and Derrick Dockery (Offensive Lineman who played with Washington.) For what it's worth, Fiammetta should provide more support than Gronkowski has done (ah..hem, cough*broken collarbone*cough) and Dockery may simply be a voice of experience for our young, budding O-Line. This has also forced a few Cowboys players to change up their numbers, most notably Marcus Spears who will now sport # 98.
In Other News Around the League:
Andre Gurode, who recently was sent away from Dallas, has been signed by The Baltimore Ravens. I always liked Gurode, so I hope he does well... unless we play them, which we unfortunately do not this year (unfortunate mostly because if it was in Baltimore, I would be at that game without a doubt.)
That's about it for Labor Day news.
First, Montrae Holland (Guard) and Sam Young (Offensive Tackle) have been cut and Dallas decided to add two semi-veteran players in Tony Fiammetta (Fullback from Carolina) and Derrick Dockery (Offensive Lineman who played with Washington.) For what it's worth, Fiammetta should provide more support than Gronkowski has done (ah..hem, cough*broken collarbone*cough) and Dockery may simply be a voice of experience for our young, budding O-Line. This has also forced a few Cowboys players to change up their numbers, most notably Marcus Spears who will now sport # 98.
In Other News Around the League:
Andre Gurode, who recently was sent away from Dallas, has been signed by The Baltimore Ravens. I always liked Gurode, so I hope he does well... unless we play them, which we unfortunately do not this year (unfortunate mostly because if it was in Baltimore, I would be at that game without a doubt.)
That's about it for Labor Day news.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
And Then There Were 53...
Today, Dallas' roster was cut from 80 to 53... most cuts were expected but there were a few that were a little bit surprising...
Some players who got cut that I didn't think would:
- Chris Gronkowski (I'm betting this was a request from Romo to Garrett... maybe a little karma for causing his broken collarbone.)
- Akwasi Owusu-Ansah (I didn't think he did horrible last year but I guess when Abram Elam was signed, it pretty much sealed Akwasi's fate.)
- Brandon Williams (I wouldn't say he was a draft bust, but he never really showed his true potential when he had the opportunities and he was just plain ol' expendable.)
- Igor Olshansky (perhaps the biggest shock cut in my opinion, Olshansky played good the last two years but I guess he was nothing spectacular.)
The 53:
QB (No real surprises here.)
- Tony Romo
- Jon Kitna
- Stephen McGee
RB (They really liked what they saw with both Murray and Tanner and it has paid off, I didn't expect them to carry four Runningbacks but there it is.)
- Felix Jones
- Tashard Choice
- DeMarco Murray
- Phillip Tanner
WR (Again, no real surprises... also to note, Raymond Radway was placed on IR for the season due to the injury (broken leg) he received in the final preseason game.)
- Miles Austin
- Dez Bryant
- Kevin Ogletree
- Jesse Holley
- Dwayne Harris
TE (With Bennett out for possibly the first month of the regular season, it made sense to keep all four of these Tight Ends.)
- Jason Witten
- Martellus Bennett (injured)
- John Phillips
- Martin Rucker
OL (The Offensive Line is being totally rebuilt, with Columbo, Davis and Gurode gone, they will need as many O-Linemen as possible and hopefully the experienced players step up and teach the noobs well.)
- Kyle Kosier
- Phil Costa
- Doug Free
- Tyron Smith
- Bill Nagy
- Montrae Holland
- David Arkin
- Kevin Kowalski
- Sam Young
- Jeremy Parnell
DL (Sounds about right to me... not sure how well Clifton Geathers plays but if he made the 53, he got someone's attention.)
- Jay Ratliff
- Marcus Spears
- Jason Hatcher
- Sean Lissemore
- Josh Brent
- Kenyon Coleman
- Clifton Geathers
LB (again, this squad comes back fully in tact from last year, with Alex Albright being the addition.)
- DeMarcus Ware
- Anthony Spencer
- Victor Butler
- Bradie James
- Sean Lee
- Keith Brooking
- Alex Albright
S (I like Sensabaugh and Elam is a nice addition to the Safety spot.)
- Gerald Sensabaugh
- Abram Elam
- Barry Church
- Danny McCray
CB (Ball and McCann are pretty much interchangeable as Safety's so they should be OK as the backup deep field guys.)
- Terence Newman
- Orlando Scandrick
- Mike Jenkins
- Alan Ball
- Bryan McCann
K (I don't like that we don't have a dedicated kicker for kickoffs and field goals/extra points, this roster spot could be given to someone of greater value. It is expected that Buehler will be kickoffs and Bailey will handle field goals...sigh.)
- David Buehler
- Dan Bailey
P (Shocker!)
- Mat McBriar
LS (Who else but LP to be the LS...word.)
- LP Ladouceur
In Other NFL Cut News:
Some other notable cuts from around the league include:
- Brandon Meriweather (S) from NE
- Chester Taylor (RB) from CHI
- Desmond Clark (TE) from CHI
- Larry Johnson (RB) from MIA
Dallas should actively pursue Meriweather if they can... with Sensabaugh, Elam, Church and Meriweather... they would be very strong in the secondary. Also related to the Cowboys, Chester Taylor being cut by Chicago... they have a lot of faith in Barber and I like Barber a lot so I wish him luck.) Clark and Johnson were not what they once had been, so I guess it just felt right to cut the baggage.
Well, that's pretty much it for now... Thursday will bring the official start of the season as New Orleans battles Green Bay in the Kickoff Game.
Some players who got cut that I didn't think would:
- Chris Gronkowski (I'm betting this was a request from Romo to Garrett... maybe a little karma for causing his broken collarbone.)
- Akwasi Owusu-Ansah (I didn't think he did horrible last year but I guess when Abram Elam was signed, it pretty much sealed Akwasi's fate.)
- Brandon Williams (I wouldn't say he was a draft bust, but he never really showed his true potential when he had the opportunities and he was just plain ol' expendable.)
- Igor Olshansky (perhaps the biggest shock cut in my opinion, Olshansky played good the last two years but I guess he was nothing spectacular.)
The 53:
QB (No real surprises here.)
- Tony Romo
- Jon Kitna
- Stephen McGee
RB (They really liked what they saw with both Murray and Tanner and it has paid off, I didn't expect them to carry four Runningbacks but there it is.)
- Felix Jones
- Tashard Choice
- DeMarco Murray
- Phillip Tanner
WR (Again, no real surprises... also to note, Raymond Radway was placed on IR for the season due to the injury (broken leg) he received in the final preseason game.)
- Miles Austin
- Dez Bryant
- Kevin Ogletree
- Jesse Holley
- Dwayne Harris
TE (With Bennett out for possibly the first month of the regular season, it made sense to keep all four of these Tight Ends.)
- Jason Witten
- Martellus Bennett (injured)
- John Phillips
- Martin Rucker
OL (The Offensive Line is being totally rebuilt, with Columbo, Davis and Gurode gone, they will need as many O-Linemen as possible and hopefully the experienced players step up and teach the noobs well.)
- Kyle Kosier
- Phil Costa
- Doug Free
- Tyron Smith
- Bill Nagy
- Montrae Holland
- David Arkin
- Kevin Kowalski
- Sam Young
- Jeremy Parnell
DL (Sounds about right to me... not sure how well Clifton Geathers plays but if he made the 53, he got someone's attention.)
- Jay Ratliff
- Marcus Spears
- Jason Hatcher
- Sean Lissemore
- Josh Brent
- Kenyon Coleman
- Clifton Geathers
LB (again, this squad comes back fully in tact from last year, with Alex Albright being the addition.)
- DeMarcus Ware
- Anthony Spencer
- Victor Butler
- Bradie James
- Sean Lee
- Keith Brooking
- Alex Albright
S (I like Sensabaugh and Elam is a nice addition to the Safety spot.)
- Gerald Sensabaugh
- Abram Elam
- Barry Church
- Danny McCray
CB (Ball and McCann are pretty much interchangeable as Safety's so they should be OK as the backup deep field guys.)
- Terence Newman
- Orlando Scandrick
- Mike Jenkins
- Alan Ball
- Bryan McCann
K (I don't like that we don't have a dedicated kicker for kickoffs and field goals/extra points, this roster spot could be given to someone of greater value. It is expected that Buehler will be kickoffs and Bailey will handle field goals...sigh.)
- David Buehler
- Dan Bailey
P (Shocker!)
- Mat McBriar
LS (Who else but LP to be the LS...word.)
- LP Ladouceur
In Other NFL Cut News:
Some other notable cuts from around the league include:
- Brandon Meriweather (S) from NE
- Chester Taylor (RB) from CHI
- Desmond Clark (TE) from CHI
- Larry Johnson (RB) from MIA
Dallas should actively pursue Meriweather if they can... with Sensabaugh, Elam, Church and Meriweather... they would be very strong in the secondary. Also related to the Cowboys, Chester Taylor being cut by Chicago... they have a lot of faith in Barber and I like Barber a lot so I wish him luck.) Clark and Johnson were not what they once had been, so I guess it just felt right to cut the baggage.
Well, that's pretty much it for now... Thursday will bring the official start of the season as New Orleans battles Green Bay in the Kickoff Game.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Let The Countdown Begin!
Here we are, officially into September and that means Football, Football, Football...
Tonight will be most team's final preseason game, and starters are expected to sit this one out while coaches evaluate the 3rd and 4th stringers to see who will make the 53, who will make the practice squad and who will be cut.
Dallas will be heading to Miami to face the Dolphins.
Next week, in a game that The Cowboys seem destined to lose, Dallas will travel to New York (well, New Jersey technically,) and face off against the New York Jets on 9/11. Besides the 9/11 sentiment and memorials, this is also going to be another 'Brother-Bowl' as Rex Ryan will be pitted against his brother, Rob. I'm sure there are some other subtle story-lines, like kicker Nick Folk facing the team that cut him, but either way it should make for a good game.
I think I already did predictions for the season, but I don't remember and don't care to look back so I'll just make another one... I believe Dallas has a good shot at going 11-5, which should be good enough to get to the playoffs... I don't know if we'll win the division, everyone is hyping Philly to the point that they are already representing the NFC in the Super Bowl this year, but we'll see.
Well, that's pretty much it for a recap... Oh yea... in Preseason so far, Dallas won against Denver (barely) and crushed Minnesota, but lost to San Deigo pretty bad. At least it's just preseason.
Tonight will be most team's final preseason game, and starters are expected to sit this one out while coaches evaluate the 3rd and 4th stringers to see who will make the 53, who will make the practice squad and who will be cut.
Dallas will be heading to Miami to face the Dolphins.
Next week, in a game that The Cowboys seem destined to lose, Dallas will travel to New York (well, New Jersey technically,) and face off against the New York Jets on 9/11. Besides the 9/11 sentiment and memorials, this is also going to be another 'Brother-Bowl' as Rex Ryan will be pitted against his brother, Rob. I'm sure there are some other subtle story-lines, like kicker Nick Folk facing the team that cut him, but either way it should make for a good game.
I think I already did predictions for the season, but I don't remember and don't care to look back so I'll just make another one... I believe Dallas has a good shot at going 11-5, which should be good enough to get to the playoffs... I don't know if we'll win the division, everyone is hyping Philly to the point that they are already representing the NFC in the Super Bowl this year, but we'll see.
Well, that's pretty much it for a recap... Oh yea... in Preseason so far, Dallas won against Denver (barely) and crushed Minnesota, but lost to San Deigo pretty bad. At least it's just preseason.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)