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Monday, October 29, 2007

Romo Is SIGNED!!!!!!!!!!

Dallas Cowboy QB Tony Romo has officially signed a long-term contract. The deal is for six years and $67.5 million, with $30 million guaranteed and an $11.5 million signing bonus.

This is huge news for the Dallas Cowboys franchise, the fans, Romo and the team. Even I am surprised with the hot start of the Cowboys and the competitive play considering some of the injuries to impact players this year.

His salary is a bit under what many fans thought he'd get, which is about $15 million a year. In comparison,
quarterbacks Matt Schaub ($48 million) and Marc Bulger ($65 million) received six-year contracts. Bulger got $27 million guaranteed. Jamarcus Russell got six-years, $61 million with $29 million guaranteed, and he hasn't even played a down.

Romo has proven to be better all of them. He leads the NFC with 1,984 yards passing and 16 touchdowns. Congrats Tony. You deserve it. Good luck in your six years with Dallas and I hope you can bring us home a couple of Super Bowls.

Sunday, October 28, 2007

Bobby Carpenter and the bust factor

The 18th pick in the 2006 NFL draft is under fire right now amongst Cowboy fans for not meeting expectations. Bobby Carpenter, from the Ohio State Buckeyes, has been a non factor for the Cowboys defense in the two years he has played. Some, if not many, expected he'd be a Pro Bowl linebacker. Instead, names like Bradie James and Greg Ellis have put Carpenter on the shelve, gathering dust.

To be blunt, Carpenter hasn't performed like fans want a first-round pick to perform. He hasn't recorded a sack and his tackle numbers are ineffective.

Why is this happening? Certainly, players who weren't expected to make huge impacts are, and their names are above.

A good debate is taking place on a forum and many are on the fence as to whether BC has been a bust. One argument that can be made is that BC hasn't played one position consistently. He's been moved to different positions throughout his career, and that surely affects his stability. But I expected BC to be a run stopper, playing beside DeMarcus Ware. I figured the two would be Pro Bowlers and our run defense would be one of the best in the NFL. Ware has performed; BC has yet to show he is a starter.

I am not sure what BC will turn into. I am not sure he was a good pick or a bad one. But I can and have said he hasn't played to the potential I thought he had. He and AJ Hawk were a one-two punch linebacker corps that pummeled runners in college. But maybe that's why BC was any good.

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Tony Romo on pace to destroy Cowboy passing records

It may be hard to believe for some, but Tony Romo is on his way to smashing all passing records in Dallas Cowboys history. Here is a breakdown of the current best seasons of the three best Dallas quarterbacks:

Troy Aikman: 23 TDs; 3,445 yards (1992)

Danny White: 29 TDs; 3,980 yards (1983)

Roger Staubach: 27 TDs; 3,586 yards (1979)

You ready for this?

Romo is on pace for 36 TDs and 4,500 yards. I have a feeling he may throw 40 or more touchdowns. This so far has been a great season for Romo. And he's learning game by game. For example, analysts are saying that teams are switching up their defenses against Romo to keep him in the pocket because he's most dangerous in scramble mode. But Romo sees more. He sees that the secondaries are putting more emphasis on taking away the big play to force Romo to beat them with the time-consuming, short-pass and run drives. This explains why either Offensive Coordinator Jason Garrett has been hesitant to call the deep plays or that Romo doesn't throw the long ball because it's not there and he's playing smart.

"I'm learning as I move along here," Romo said. "Make them come up and make tackles. If you throw it underneath, guys can still get 8, 10, 12 yards and they're pretty high-percentage throws. It's just, if the defense wants to come up, we'll throw over the top of them; if they want to stay back, we'll throw under it."

Monday, October 22, 2007

Dumb Play Calling Award for Week 7


Anyone catch the end of the Cardinals-Deadskins game? In my humble opinion, the Deadskins didn't deserve to win that game.
I am not sure if it was Ken Whisenhunt or OC Todd Haley that called the play for the two-point conversion, but both will get the Dumb Play Calling Award for Week 7 in the NFL. Congrats guys. You really earned this one.

The Play:

Anquan Boldin was playing quarterback and he ran to the right side of the field. The thought here was Boldin could run it in if he saw a hole. But the play was so obvious once he snapped it that the Deadskins defense swarmed in on Boldin. Still, a wide open receiver waited for the ball in the end zone, but Boldin just dumps it nearly into a Deadskin's hands. It was awful. If either Tim Ratay or Kurt Warner was in I would put a lot of money on a complete pass and a tie game. The receiver was that open. But that horrible play call lost it for them. I know...the Cardinals got the onside kick and missed a long field goal, but it doesn't matter. The game should have gone to overtime.


Now, as for the Cowboys, I truly believe that the Chris Canty blocked kick and Pat Watkins returning it for a touchdown was the play of the game. Without it, we have a drive to make, and three points to make up.

Finally, it was sad to see Dolphins RB Ronnie Brown tear his ACL. He's gone for the year. He was the only bright spot on that woeful Dolphin team, and he's done.

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Dallas heads to bye week 6-1 after beating Minnesota

Dallas defeated Minnesota 24-14, completely shutting down the Vikings in the second half with zero points. Dallas dominated this game statistically, but two turnovers kept it close. The game could have easily been 24-7 or even worse if Dallas had finished drives.

Marion Barber had a great game, with 98 yards and 1 touchdown. He ran the ball hard and punished the Vikings defense. MB3 scored the first rushing touchdown against the Vikings all year and has the two longest runs against the Vikings defense, which is pretty good.

Tony Romo threw 31-39, which is amazing. He only threw nine passes in the second half. Greg Ellis had two sacks. Chris Canty blocked a field goal and Pat Watkins ran it back for a touchdown that put Dallas ahead for good.

I was bombarded with a lot of negativity today from the Vikings fans. It was a pathetic display of nastiness and bad taste. I hope this game taught them a lesson.

End of THIRD QUARTER, Dallas leads 21-14

The Dallas Cowboys came out strong in the third quarter on two near safeties that pushed the Vikings deep into their endzone for the punt. After a penalty, we took the offense at the Vikings 36 and quickly ran it down their throats, highlighted by a great catch by T.O.

Romo's passing accuracy is terrific and he is approaching over 300 yards again.

Marion Barber also scored the first rushing touchdown on the Vikings this year. He is running over these guys with passion.

The Vikings came right back. The offense drove to Dallas territory, but were stopped at the 32. A field goal attempt was blocked and Pat Watkins returned it for a touchdown. Dallas is back on top, 14-7 and dominating the game right now.

Hopefully, the nonsense ends from a Vikings fan with a bad attitude.

Horrible. That simple

One word can describe the Cowboys at halftime of the game against Minnesota: Horrible. We've dominated the game statistically, but thanks to a couple of turnovers, the Vikings lead 14-7 at halftime.

Tony Romo has fumbled the ball. And he's made some mental errors in an otherwise respectable game. Sloppy special teams has really hurt us, but turnovers are killing us. The Vikings defense is reminding me of when the planets aligned in Buffalo, where Dallas pulled off a late, miraculous win. The planets can't align twice in one year so this really mean Dallas needs to wake up.

Once again, I have to criticize Offensive Coordinator Jason Garrett's play calling. THROW THE BALL DEEP at least twice a half please!!!! Why can't you have Romo lob a few out there for T.O.?

I'm nowhere near being worried. I am sure Dallas will pull this win out by a 10-point margin, but Dallas needs to play a strong first half game at least once this year. Tony Romo already has thrown 30 times. We seem to be able to run the ball well enough to offset that a little bit with a long touchdown drive. But all Dallas fans need to keep in mind that this is three bad weeks in a row, even if we come out in the second half strong. Buffalo and New England were both bad, bad games for the Dallas Cowboys.

Beating Minnesota

ALERT********
ALERT********
This blog has been invaded by a few idiot Vikings fans. These fans are not very smart. Please stay tuned for further announcements...


I am having some Internet problems here so I won't be able to do the regular updates unless the situation improves.

I wanted to quickly state that the Vikings pose a couple of matchup problems that concern me, but I still think Dallas should easily win this game. The Cowboys have to stop Adrian Peterson and keep him contained for the entire game. This is especially important because of the Cowboys slow starts.

Secondly, the Vikings defense hasn't allowed a rushing TD yet. So you would think the Cowboys would pass all day and that Crayton, Witten and T.O. will have big games. But, maybe Dallas ought to attack that front line and give the Vikings D a taste of MB3, a Minnesota college native. Let the former Golden Gopher pound them into submission.

Comments from Julius Jones last week that the two-back system hasn't allowed him to get into a groove are alarming. It comes less than three weeks after MB3 welcomed the two-back system and said it's working well for the team. JJ's comments are the first controversial remarks so far about this two-back system, and it could affect the longterm stability of the running game, and quite possibly the entire team. Let's hope not.

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Patrick Crayton irks Boston blogger

I enjoy visiting this blog from time to time because of the hot chicks he posts and he'll occasionally hit a funny bone. But today, "El Prez" hit a nerve with me and probably every Dallas fan who comes across his post on Patrick Crayton.

Here's the background. Most of us may already know about Patrick Crayton's brazen comments after the loss to the Patriots. If not, here is a glimpse into Crayton's mind:

I told my coach yesterday, ‘If they make it to Arizona, we will see them again,’ ” Crayton said. “If they make it to Arizona, we will see them again. Seriously, I’m not backing down from that statement. Yesterday, I told my coach that, and I’m saying it now.” Crayton said watching the tape he had a hard time “not throwing something at my TV.” In particular, he was chagrined the Cowboys didn’t better exploit a Patriots defense he considers overrated. “Offensively, they are the real deal,” he told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “I’m not going to lie about that. Defensively, I can tell you no, they’re not. They’re not (that good) at all. The only time they stopped us is when we had penalties. If that’s stopping us, it is what it is. Defensively, they are not the real deal.” He also was incensed at the cavalier attitude of the Pats and the idea that “their (expletive) don’t stink,” throwing the Colts in there as well. He didn’t appreciate the Pats celebrating by eating popcorn to mock the pregame words of receiver Terrell Owens or punching in a meaningless touchdown in the closing seconds. “You put that in the memory bank,” Crayton said. “You remember. You have a chance to sit on it, kick a field goal, whatever, and you score a touchdown. . . . You put it in the memory bank and prepare for the next time you face them.”
I personally like what he said. I think he makes some good points and he is motivated to beat them in a rematch. I like to see that in a player. Would it have been better not to say anything at all and let the two teams meet again in 'Zona like we all think is likely to happen? Probably. But I still like what he said.

In comes "El Prez" the blogger who runs barstoolsports.com. I think he goes too far, as he usually does, with his apparent ignorance of football. He also likes to use the noun "dude" a lot. Warning: There is some potty-mouth language here from this genius, bandwagon Pats-Red Sox fan:
Dude, who the fuck is Patrick Crayton? No seriously who is he? As a rule more than .0001% of NFL fans should be able to recognize you before you talk this much shit. Especially after getting your ass whipped inside out by the team that you are talking junk about. It just sets the entire trash talk movement back a 100 years. Talk as much crap as you want before the game, but don’t wait until you get pummeled and the other team is on a plane heading back home to open your trap. That’s as cowardly as it gets. Also I love the part where he is complaining about the Pats fans in Dallas and how it’s total disrespect. Disrespect by who? The Pats fans for rooting for the Pats? Do me a favor and mix in a clue dude.
I think he knows very well whom Patrick Crayton is. So, allow me to make a few statements:
Crayton is right. The Patriots defense isn't really that good. It is overrated. We lost that game largely because of penalties. To insinuate that the Patriots stopped the Dallas offense is completely ludicrous. Penalties certainly were a major factor in stopping the momentum of the Dallas offense. The Pats don't hit hard. They don't hustle to the ball, and they don't even tackle that well. And, they cheat.

I'm not being a sore loser here. The Patriots won this game because they appeared to be better coached and prepared for this game. But their defense didn't win this game. Sure, Tom Brady is incredible, and his offensive line is full of gems, but we competed. And we could have won.

And like Crayton said, we'll see them again in Arizona. I hope "El Prez" put this one in his memory bank.

Monday, October 15, 2007

What can we learn from Week 6?

It was a tough loss last night. Although the offense looked OK, there were a lot of things wrong with this game that should be dissected all this week. I will go through a few of those problems here.

1. If the coaches and Jerry Jones don't regret not going after secondary in the draft and the free agency market, they should now. Even with Henry and Newman in the game, I am still not comfortable with how the secondary plays. Maybe it's just the coordinator's schemes, I have no idea. But what I saw during the Patriots game was awful. It seemed like we turned into the Buffalo defense from last week. We were giving the Pats receivers 10-yard cushions.

We made absolutely no contact with these receivers at the line of scrimmage. And we couldn't slow their route running. And to make it worse, the tackling was atrocious. I was real disappointed in the play of the secondary. I knew this was going to happen, too. I knew I'd be moaning all year about the Dallas secondary, and I said at the beginning of the year that if we want to be an elite team we need to improve at the cornerback-safety positions and have tight nickel coverages. We don't.

2. Penalties. Hey, I am used to Flozell Adams' two false starts a game, but what happened last night is unexplainable. A lot of Cowboy fans are complaining about the refs. I'm not going to do that. I didn't see many bad calls. The several holding calls were probably warranted. The offsides calls all seemed fair. (The lack of calls of holding against the Pats might be valid, but my TV didn't show it).

We just committed these penalties at the worst moments: on third downs when we were driving the ball. Too many penalties is a sign of poor team discipline. Nice guy Wade Phillips might want to crack the whip this week because if he doesn't don't be shocked if we go into Minnesota and get beat again. It's possible with the rookie runner they have.

3. Play calling. With the Princeton degree, I was hoping Offensive Coordinator Jason Garrett would have some better plays than what we saw last night. We didn't throw one deep ball to Owens or Crayton. Not a single bomb. Although I thought we played smart with the short passes to take what we were getting, we didn't spread out the field at all. We ran the ball 14 damn times. That's it! And we were running it well. Both Julius Jones and MB3 had great runs. I didn't understand why, after we took the lead, that we didn't just run the ball and wear down the Patriots defense.

Not going for it on fourth down in the fourth quarter when we were down by 14 points was possibly the worst call of the year for the Cowboys. I'd like to know how the discussions went between Phillips and Garrett on this call. Who said what? Because it was a dumb call.

A field goal was meaningless. Yes, I know, Phillips said anything can happen. But we're not playing Buffalo, Wade. Our miracles already happened in one damn game this year on Monday night. I doubt we'll get anymore luck. It's time to play, Wade. Stop being Mr. Laid Back Nice Guy and get this team to improve!

Sunday, October 14, 2007

Fourth Quarter and it's over.

Dallas has 4th and 1 Barber gets the first down, but he fumbles only to get it back. Then we have a holding penalty and it's time to punt. Unbelievable. 12 damn penalties for 100 yards is killing us!!!!!!!!!!

Pats get the ball back....
This is a key drive right here and Dallas D needs to stop the Patriots. Going down by 2 scores could be too much to handle this late. So, here we go. On 1st and 10 on their own 20 Faulk runs for 6 yards. On 2nd and 4 Dallas stops Faulk for 2 yards. On 3rd and 2 (huge play!) and Brady scrambles for 3 yards....so damn close. On 1st and 10 and Stallworth catches a 69 yard touchdown because of a horrible secondary. It was a great play action fake and Reeves can't tackle. Pats go up by 14.

Dallas gets it back down by 14...
Thompson has a great kick off return to the Patriots to the Pats 23 yard line. On 1st and 10 with 12 minutes left, a pass to T.O. is caught for 14 yards and it's 1st and Goal! That was a nice catch by T.O., as the ball was near the ground. On 1st and Goal, Romo is sacked. On 2nd and Goal Julius Jones runs it to the 5 yard line for 7 yards. On 3rd and Goal a pass to Hurd is too far and it sails out of the endzone. Dallas decides to kick a field goal here, which is questionable down by 14. I am not sure this is the right call here, but we do it and the score is 38-27.

The Pats get the ball...
The Pats get a first down on two plays to Moss. On 1st and 10 in Dallas territory, Faulk runs for 5 yards. On 2nd and 5 with 8 minutes left Welker gets a first down because Newman can't make a damn tackle. Ware is hurt on the play. He walked off the field. On 1st and down with 7 minutes left Faulk gets nine yards. The Dallas D looks tired. On 2nd and 1 Faulk runs for 5 and a first down. The clock is down to 6 minutes and the Patriots are well in field goal range. On 1st and 10 it's a Moss touchdown with a flag: offensive pass interference. On 1st and 20 Moss catches it for 15 yards and it looks too easy for the Pats. On 2nd and 5 with 5:18 left Faulk runs for a first down and it's First and Goal. On first and goal Faulk runs for 2 yards. On second and goal Faulk is stuffed for no gain. On third ans Goal Brady throws the ball away. Pats kick a field goal to go back up by 14.

Dallas gets the ball back with 3:59 left and down by 14...
On the first play Romo is pressured and he throws a sidearmed interception. Game over. I am stopping the blogging.


Summary: It's pretty simple why we lost this game. Penalties and a horrible secondary killed us from being able to stay in this game. The defense also dried up at the end. A disappointing loss for week 6. I hate Bellichek.


Third Quarter continued

The Pats get the ball back after losing the lead and on the return there was a block in the back for a 10 yard penalty on the Pats. This backs the Patriots to their 23 yard line. On 1st and 10 Moss catches it for 15 yards and a first down, but a nice quick hit from Williams stops Moss in his tracks. On 1st and 10 Faulk runs for 8 damn yards. On 2nd and 2 a deep pass to Moss is well covered and incomplete. On 3rd and 2 there is no pressure and Welker runs for 10 yards, putting Welker over 100 yards for his first time. On 1st and 10 no gain for Faulk. On 2nd and 10 another short pass to Welker goes for 5 (War eis chop blocked). On 3rd and 5 Brady is pressured but connects with Gafney for 11 yards. On 1st and 10 another screen dump to Stallworth goes for 10 yards. Newman was playing 10 yards of him. On 1st and 10 this little dump off to Moss is quickly stopped by Newman for a 3 yard gain. On 2nd and 7 on the Dallas 23, the pass to Moss is incomplete but there is a penalty on the double coverage for pass interference. Not good. On the replay, it seems like the play was correct. On 1st and Goal Brady connects with Kyle Brady for a Touchdown. Pats take back the lead 28-24.

Dallas gets the ball back....
On 1st and 10 it's another holding penalty on Dallas, good ol' Flozell Adams. On 2nd and 10 deep in D territory, and MB3 has an amazing run that avoid a safety. He broke 6 tackles for the 2 yard run, four in the endzone. Amazing play. On 2nd and 13 Romo has all day but throws behind Witten. Now it is 3rd and long and Romo had all day to lob an incomplete pass to Witten. Dallas punts for the firs time in awhile.

Pats get the ball back...
Pats get the ball in Dallas territory and on 1st and 10 it's a bomb to Moss and he catches it. Refs call it a touchdown but it sure didn't look like he got both feet in. They also call a roughing the passer play. On the replay, it doesn't look like Moss has possession of the ball. The call: INCOMPLETE! WOOO that was close. But the penalty is still against us. On 1st and 10 on the Dallas 28 yard line and Ware shuts down Faulk for a yard loss. On 2nd and 11 a quick pass to Welker after a blitz is dropped. It's 3rd and 11 and the Dallas D holds up by tackling Faulk quickly on a 2 yard pass. Pats kick a 45 yard field goal to pad their lead 31-24.

Dallas gets the ball back...
On 1srt and 10 MB3 runs another passionate run for 11 yards. On 1st and 10 Barber gets just a yard. On 2nd and 9 Romo gets it to Owens but there'sa flag, illegal shit on the damn Cowboys. It's 2nd and 14 and Romo throws it away after pressure. On 3rd and 14 Owens catches it but he's two yards short of a first down. Dallas were going to line up quick to go for it but the quarter ends with Pats leading 31-24.

Third Quarter DALLAS TAKES LEAD 24-21

Pats get the ball
On 1st and 10 Brady throws it away after some pressure. On 2nd and 10 Morris is stopped for 2 and is shaken up on the play. He is real slow to get up. We've held him to 10 carries and 14 yards. On 3rd and 8 and Brady is sacked by Nathan Jones! Morris heads to the locker room. We've taken out Morris and their tight end.

Cowboys' first series in the second half...
Crayton catches it for a 7 yard gain. On 2nd and 3 Julius Jones has his best run of the year for 25 yards, breaking two tackles. WOW! On 1st and 10, JJ has another amazing run that will make it on ESPN. It looked as if he goes down, and it might come back but it's not challenged. On 1st and 10, a screen to Owens goes for about 6 yards. On 2nd and 4 J.J. is stuffed for no gain. On 3rd and 4, a big play, Romo rolls out to the right and passes to Crayton for a 1st down! On 1st and Goal from the 8 CRAYTON IS OPEN FOR A TOUCHDOWN. Amazing pass from Romo!!!!!! DALLAS LEADS 24-21!!!!!!!! The pass was right between Harrison and Samuel, the two best players on the Pats defense!!!

At Halftime, Dallas down 21-17

Dallas still has the ball and on 2nd and 5 MB3 gets it again and runs for 4. A flag is thrown on Warren for unecessary roughness. 1st and 10 and Romo passes to Owens for 13 yard. 1st and 10 and Dallas smartly runs a no huddle; MB3 runs for 6. 2nd and 4 and Barber gets it AGAIN for 3 yards. But, there's a flag and it's offensive holding. Not it's 2nd and 14 and Romo throws to Crayton for 11. Crayton was certainly holding on to that ball loosely. On 3rd and 3, Crayton falls down and the pass is no good. Nick Folk comes in for a 38 yard field goal, and it's perfect. At least we score. Score is 14-3 New England.


Patriots get the ball back and on 1st and 10 a quick pass to Gafney for 6. 2nd and 4 and Morris is stuffed for a yard gain. On 3rd and 3 Spencer jumped offsides and we hand them a first down. 1st and 10 and the Pats try a flea flicker for Moss deep. The play wasn't even close, but Moss had Newman beat. On 2nd and 10, Greg Ellis forces a fumble on a sack and Jason Hatcher picks it up and runs it BACK FOR A TOUCHDOWN!!! The Dallas D comes through and makes this a GAME!! Dallas still down 14-10.

And the Patstrris broke a tackle and it seems like he stilled didn't make it. The official call: 4th down. The Patriots go for it and Brady finds a seam for a first down on a sneak. On 1st and 10 from the Dallas 13, Welker is wide open for another touchdown. The ref actually was used to screen coverage a bit on this play. A long drive by the Pats puts them ahead 21-10.

Dallas gets the ball and...
Romo finds Fasano wide open for 26 yards. On 1st and 10 it's a nice dump pass to JJ but it's brought back on an offensive pass interference call. And now it's 1st and 20. Owens catches his second pass of the game for 9 yards. On 2nd and 11 there is another penalty, false start. On 2nd and 16 Witten catches it for an 11 yard gain. On 3rd and 5 Witten catches it again deep for 25 yards. We're in scoring position now. On 1st and 10 Witten catches it again for 11 yards, and the Cowboys are driving. Romo is looking great on these throws. On 1st and 10 with 59 seconds left, there's a flag: false start AGAIN and it costs them 10 seconds. On 1st and 15 on the Pats 23 yard line Crayton was wide open for about 10 yards. On 2nd and 5 TO catches it for a first and goal on the Pats 4 yard line. The refs are going to review the play with 34 seconds left to see if T.O. had both feet down. The call: incomplete. T.O. was obviously pushed out of bounds, but since the refs didn't say he was pushed out, they couldn't come back and make the call. So on 3rd and 5 with 51 seconds left now AND YES Owens catches it after a massive Blitz from the Patriots. Romo was amazing on this drive, going 7 for 8. Five people were coming after Romo and he still saw T.O. wide open. Dallas still down but close 21-17!

The Duel in Dallas FIRST QUARTER

Well, we missed the first 7 minutes of the game, which apparently was a 3 and out for Dallas and now a Patriots drive inside the 10.

New England has first and goal at the 6. On 3rd and Goal, Brady throws to a wide open Randy Moss for a touchdown. Too much movement for the Dallas Defense who I don't think was sure on what they were doing. Moss was WIIIIIDEEEE OPEN.

Dallas gets the ball backed and is getting throttled. JJ was stuffed for a yard loss and T.O. dropped another ball. Then Romo was sacked by Rodney Harrison. Not good. More slow starts. This may be one of those games I don't want to blog. We can't have a slow start against the Pats.

Pats second series
From the Cowboys 43, a quick pass gets 5. Now it is 2nd and 8 and Brady is sacked by DeMarcus Ware. Then, a screen pass is broken up by Ware again. Two great plays by Ware save the Cowboys from going down by even more.

Cowboys third series
On the Cowboys third series, after two 3 and outs, and Barber comes in for a 3 yard run. On second down, Romo throws a bad pass to the sidelines. On 3rd down, Crayton drops a pass. ANOTHER 3 and out for the Cowboys and we're kicking out three yards out of the endzone.

Patriots third series
Morrins runs for three yards. And when it looked like we were going to hold them again, Brady throws a 29 yard pass to Ben Watson. On a 3rd and 7 Welker was wide open in the middle for a touchdown. YUCK. Just yuck.

Cowboys fourth series
We've abandoned the run game and a short pass to MB3 goes for seven. 2nd and 3 and MB3 gets 2. 3rd and 1 and MB3 has a passionate hard fought run for a first down and about 8 yards. Dallas gets their first 1st down. Another short pass to MB3 ends the first quarter. It's an ugly one with Pats leading 14-0.

Big Day, folks

I, like most Cowboys fans, couldn't sleep last night. I tossed and turned and just wanted it to be Sunday because of the upcoming matchup against the cheating Patriots. I haven't been this pumped for a Dallas game since the mid-90s.

I am going to skip the predictions this week just to concentrate on this game.

Despite all the NFL "analysts" saying the Patriots are the better team, when you compare the numbers, the two teams actually nearly identical. But, then again, those are just the numbers.

Randy Moss has had a better season this year than any other receiver, including T.O. He has as many touchdowns as T.O. and Jason Witten combined.

Here is what I think will be key to Dallas winning this game: interceptions. Tony Romo cannot throw more than one interception. Why? Because the Patriots are 35-3 since 2000 when they get at least two interceptions. It's certainly a key point to make after Romo's six turnover game last week, a game Dallas won in dramatic fashion.

I am also a tad bit worried about how the secondary will perform against Randy Moss. In Week 1, Plaxico Burress caught 8 passes for 144 yards and 3 touchdowns. Since then, he hasn't had a game even remotely close to that. Moss is three times better than Burress right now. We need to make contact with him at the line and slow his pace, while sending blitzes at Brady to rush him out of the pocket.

If we can limit the interceptions and slow Moss, I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility we blow these suckers out.

GO DALLAS!

Saturday, October 13, 2007

If it's true, the league needs to hammer down on this

The Dallas vs Buffalo game continues to have twists and turns, even the day before the big matchup against the cheating Patriots.

Apparently, on the second attempt at the 53-yard field goal, the football was replaced with a new, shiny "slick" ball. ESPN reports that Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has notified the league and complained about the situation. Jones and head coach Wade Phillips also complained about the slimy time-out the Bills and refs conspired to call as great rookie kicker Nick Folk booted the football.

At least one Cowboys player confirmed Friday that the ball in question was indeed slick, but veteran holder Brad Johnson and Folk were able to fight through the situation.
"The spirit of the rule is to always have a conditioned ball rather than a slick ball," Jones said Friday. "...That second ball was pretty slick."
I had this awkward feeling during this entire game that the refs were making calls heavily against us. They were missing calls and coming down harsh on the Cowboys. The ref was standing right next to Bills head coach Dick(head) Jauron and you can see Jauron calling for a time out and the ref pausing even longer before he calls it. The reason this time out was called so late was because of the referee. Jauron actually calls the time out before Folk moved. I thought this was an obvious slight against the Cowboys by that ref. Secondly, if you watch the two-point conversion play with T.O., the corner obviously interfered. His hands are all over T.O. as he leaps in the air, and when the ball hits T.O.'s hands, the corner's hands are already all over T.O.'s chest.

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Terrell Owens: See me Sunday

Terrell Owens, who always attracts a horde of press, is taking a different tact to the BIG GAME against the Patriots this Sunday. He tells reporters that because of the hoopla of Sunday's Clash of the 81s he won't answer questions until after Sunday's game. Bring popcorn, Owens says, because it's going to be quite a game.

I love it.

Moss is tied for the NFL lead with seven touchdown catches and has a league-high 551 yards on 34 catches. T.O. has 21 catches for 387 yards and three touchdowns. Moss is getting more opportunities to make plays in the game.

Patriots QB Tom Brady was interviewed today about the game. This is some of what he said:

Q: How much are you looking forward to this matchup of the unbeatens?
TB:
It should be a good game. We've been studying hard for the last few days. They present some different challenges and they're a very talented team so we need to play our best. They're good in all facets and anyone who watched that game [on Monday Night] knows that they're never out of it. We've got our work cut out for us so it should be fun.
The last time the Patriots played the Cowboys, the Pats won 12-0 in what was deemed the "Tuna Bowl" because it was Parcells' return to New England after leaving the team behind.

Randy Moss also answered some questions from the press:
JW: It seems that New England is playing in a big game every week. This week all eyes are going to be on Patriots vs. Dallas. How does it feel to be playing in a huge game every week?
RM: “It feels good. You have to love what you’re doing. We like to come to work every day and prepare and hang out with each other. Going into Dallas, we’re just going to practice, prepare and whatever we put out on the field is what we’re going to put out on the field. So hopefully we’ll have a good week of preparation and we’ll see what happens on Sunday.”
Low key, right? No guarantees like the one made by Rams WR Isaac Bruce. No jabbing like the Giants or the Dolphins. It's just a game of two undefeated teams?

Hardly. The amazing win against the Bills, believe it or not, is a wake up call for the Cowboys. They are not invincible against teams playing on high emotions. The Patriots will certainly come into this game ready to play.

The game will likely come down to the two 81s. And I'll have my popcorn ready, T.O., so entertain me.

Monday, October 8, 2007

Unbelievable!!!!! Dallas Wins 25-24!!

It might have been one of the greatest games ever on Monday night. Dallas, favored by a lot, came in with too much on their minds. Probably none of it had to do with their opponents, the Buffalo Bills.

The Bills came prepared. The defense swarmed on the ball. The Bills intercepted Tony Romo five times, nearly six times. It looked as if Dallas was going to lose their first game of the year. Monday just wasn't going to be their night.

But they never gave up. The Dallas D played a strong game, too. They held the Bills to ZERO offensive touchdowns. Two defensive scores, a field goal and a kick-off return for a TD is all the scoring for the Bills.

How ironic that on a night that seemed to have all the planets aligned in Buffalo and the magic in high-time, Dallas got lucky too.

After a depressing drop from T.O. on a two-point conversion that would have tied the game, we kicked an onside kick and got it back. Thank you Sam Hurd.

Then, with 20 seconds left, we needed to get at least 15 yards to have a chance to win this. Even after T.O. dropped another pass that would have provided a closer field goal, Dallas offensive coordinator and Princeton grad Jason Garrett might have called the two most brilliant plays all year. Two short passes later and Nick Folk was facing a 53 yard field goal.

He kicks it. IT's GOOD!!!! But wait!!!!! The Bills called a time out (by the way, the NFL really needs to change that rule because it does nothing for the game. It's more of a cheap shot) and Folk had to do it all over again. The rookie wasn't distrait. The ball was snapped again and Folk knocked it through for the second time, resulting in an amazing win for the Cowboys.

The Cowboys were never vapid in this game. They showed a winning spirit, and a drive to win. An intrepid team that faced scrutiny all night, Dallas came out on top.

Now, it's time to think about the Patriots. Are we ready? Are we pumped up?

Thirs Quarter

Dallas drove the ball down the field for their first series of the second half, but fell short of a touchdown when Sam Hurd failed to hang on to a pass in the endzone. Folk kicked his second fieldgoal, and Buffalo still leads 17-13.

Bills then return a kick off for a touchdown. Unbelievable. The damn planets are aligned in Buffalo.
24-13 Bills.

Planets aligned in Buffalo. 10-17

The planets are aligned in Buffalo tonight. Who would have thought by halftime Tony Romo would have 4 INTs, two of which returned for touchdowns? One of the interceptions was a tipped pass caught by a Bills defensive lineman in the endzone for a touchdown. We haven't had a running game, and although the defense has shown glimpses of great play, the planets are just aligned in Buffalo tonight.

I am sure all Dallas fans like me are in shock right now. But there's good news. We are only down by a single touchdown at halftime. A nice quick drive allowed for our rookie kicker Nick Folk to get us a 47 yard field goal as time expired. Four turnovers, all by Romo, and we're still well in this game.


It was a very interesting first half, folks. One I'd like to forget with a win.

More first quarter

Dallas has the ball again and on 1st and 10 finally Romo gets a pass off to Witten. Early second quarter Dallas gets into Bills territory for the first time. Once that happened, Romo nearly threw another INT. On next play, T.O. makes a great catch, jumping high to snag the football. Then he gets a penalty for spiking the ball. However, after review, T.O. did nothing wrong. The very next play, Romo finally throws a gem to Witten for a touchdown!

Dallas 7 Bills 7

I am going to relax with the updates for a bit since this is on National Television. Be back at halftime with some comments and review.

First Quarter

On Buffalo's first series, the defense looked pretty good. A fake punt got Buffalo a first down, but the defense regrouped and it was 3 and out for the Bills after that surprise punt fake. The punter did it again with a kick that gives Dallas its first series for the 2 yard line.

On Dallas' first series, two crappy runs from JJ for a one yard loss led to an interception from Romo, returned for a touchdown. The pass was much too high for an open Jason Witten. A horrible start to the game for the Cowboys.

Dallas gets the ball back and after a nice run from JJ, Romo throws another interception. Oh man.

Bills get the ball back and on 4th and 1 the defense stays strong and holds them. The defensive line dominated the line of scrimmage and Dallas gets the ball back after Romo's second interceptions.

Dallas gets its third series and a run from MBIII goes for a couple yards. Romo throws another pass high and out of bounds and he's not throwing anywhere near receivers. Something doesn't seem right with Romo. On 3rd and 8 there was a delay of game. And the follies continue. Now 3rd and 3, Romo throws a dump pass to the left for MBIII, who is stopped pretty quick. Another poor series from Dallas.

Dallas vs Buffalo!!

I am originally from New York, near Buffalo. My first and only time seeing the Cowboys, it was at Buffalo, a 10-7 loss.

I remember how nasty the Buffalo fans were to anyone wearing blue and silver. I still have the mustard stain on my Aikman jersey, the result of a Buffalo idiot fan tossing a hotdog at me.

The Bills fans haven't changed. Upon entry of the Dallas Cowboys bus, fans tossed eggs at it ESPN reported today. They don't like Dallas. But we can thank Buffalo for two Super Bowl wins.

This should be an easy win for the Cowboys if they are determined, prepared and not looking ahead to next week's big match up. Let's hope I am right. I will give regular updates tonight, so stay tuned.

Sunday, October 7, 2007

Week 5 picks

Miami vs. Houston
The winless Dolphins head over to Texas to play a much-improved Texans team. However, we found out last week how important WR Andre Johnson is to the Texans. He scores touchdowns. Texans will play again without its starting running back, starting center and three of its best wideouts in 100 percent healthy form. That means another struggle for them, and the Dolphins are hungry for a win. Schaub may throw for 300 yards, but no one can get it into the endzone. Miami 24 Texans 21

Jags vs. Chiefs
I never expected the Chiefs to be 2-2 right now. And this is without a hot Larry Johnson who hasn't been able to throw his running game into overdrive. The Jags have a similar problem, with both their backs lackluster in the first four weeks. No touchdowns for any of them. Rookie Dwayne Bowe looks great, so expect him to have a good game. In fact, this rookie is better than any receiver currently on the Jags roster. So, does this mean a Chiefs upset? I will say yes. Jags 17 Chiefs 23

Browns vs. Patriots
The Browns are worst in the league in defensive yards per game. They give up more than 400 yards a game. And in comes the second best offense in the league. It's a recipe for disaster for the Dawg Pound. My jaw would drop if the Pats lost this game. I don't think they'll need to cheat for this one. Pats 38 Browns 17

Carolina vs Saints
What in the world happened to the Saints? It's unbelievable to see how bad they actually are this year, because last year they had great plays and the players were unstoppable. New year. New team, I guess. Meanwhile, David Carr looked like the draft-day flop we know him as during his first start for the Panthers. The question in this game is whether Reggie Bush can penetrate that Panthers front line. If he can, the Saints can pull this one out, even with an awful-lookingBreese. I think the Saints win, Saints 21 Panthers 14

Jets vs Giants
A buddy of mine who always comes up with fruitless trip ideas suggested we drive to this game, about 4.5 hours away. I would have but he always does this. If I did go, I'd be rooting for the J-J-Jets!! Neither team is healthy, but the ankle injury to Burress might be the most pressing problem. BUT, the Giants are persevering. Tough call, and although I want to say the Jets, I think the Giants pull this one out. Giants 23 Jets 17

Seattle vs Pittsburgh
The Steelers loss to the Cardinals last week showed this team isn't invincible. They may not even be a top-10 team in the NFL. Seattle, however, is surprising people. A team thought to be over the hill seems to still be climbing the mountain. Hasselbeck already has over 1,000 yards passing and 7 touchdowns. Even with Willie Parker's impressive start, I see the Seahawks pulling this one out. They have to if they want to be considered one of the better teams in the NFL. 'Hawks 27 Steelers 14

Arizona vs. Rams
The Rams are awful. Arizona is surrounded with great players but for some reason they just can't seem to hit a winning streak. Here's their chance. I'd say no if they weren't playing the Rams, who might just be the worst team in football. Larry Fitzgerald is going to kill these guys. Cardinals 35 Rams 7

Detroit vs Deadskins
That Jon Kitna isn't too bad, is he? I love it how the Deadskins fans think Jason Campbell is the real deal. He's about as real as the processed cheese slice I just ate. The Lions can win this game only if they get a running game going to offset Kitna's arm and cadre of receivers. The Deadskins can win this game if they hire a new coach, rebuild, and find a new quarterback. I love being a jerk when it comes to the Deadskins. Lions 34 Deadskins 27

Falcons vs Titans
The Falcons got their first win of the season last week, beating an injury-riddled Texans team. Chris Brown is getting nearly 6 yards a carry so I have no idea why the Titans don't give him the ball more. Vince Young is a real deal and if Brown can get the ball more and run over 100 yards, the Titans should cruise to a win. Joey Harrington may throw well again today, but who will score? Titans 30 Falcons 7

Bucs vs Colts
Who ever would have thought the Bucs would be 3-1? I mean seriously. The Loss of Cadillac Williams really hurt the Bucs. Pittman scares no one. So expect a bunch of bombs to Joey Galloway, and I think the Colts can handle that. Just too much offense and the Colts will overpower the Bucs. Colts 38 Bucs 17

Chargers vs Broncos
The Chargers are shocking everyone. This game usually would have been a prime time game. But neither team has shown much excitement or a will to win. No matter how many people believe in Norv Turner, the Chargers coaching change will still come down as one of the dumbest moves in NFL history. Sure, the Chargers play calling in the playoffs last year was disgusting, but why the Chargers waited so long to hire a coach is beyond me. Broncos...over the hill. This is a toss up, but I think the Chargers finally pull one out. Chargers 21 Broncos 17

Ravens vs 49ers
The Ravens aren't doing that well because they have a very old quarterback and Ed Reed isn't intercepting all those passes. The 49ers have shown that it will take a lot more to improve on their 7-9 season from last year. They look like a 6-10 team this year. This game comes down to Gore vs McGahee. Scales right now tip to McGahee. Ravens 14 49ers 7

Bears vs Packers
I would love to see the Bears pull this one out. It would give Dallas another flow of confidence. The Bears are hurting though. No quarterback, no receivers, and the defense is injured. The Packers are healthy and look great. Brett Favre is amazing. Packers 27 Bears 7

Monday night: Dallas vs Buffalo
I am not sure how Buffalo was chosen for a Monday night game, but that's fine. This game is intriguing, maybe just because I am from the Buffalo area. Dallas has the top offense in the league. The key match ups here will be T.O. and Crayton vs Bills cornerbacks Jabari Green and Terrence McGee. Can Crayton have another impressive game? Yes, he can. And T.O. will catch more than three passes. Dallas has some serious offensive weapons this year, and the defense is improving. The loss of Anthony Henry will hurt, so Buffalo should be able to get in the end zone. But not as much as Dallas. Cowboys 35 Buffalo 21

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

Jerry Jones bails out Greg Ellis

There's a story on the Dallas Cowboy Web site here about Greg Ellis, his injury, an insurance policy and Jerry Jones. Some Dallas fans are making a big deal of this article, and they believe it taints Ellis' reputation. I recommend everyone read it and then opine here. But here is my take on the whole ordeal.

Greg Ellis had a pretty serious injury last year. His career could have ended. So, Ellis buys an insurance policy.

The policy he paid for gave him a four-game window to determine if he was fully recovered from surgery to repair the torn Achilles he suffered on Nov. 12 of last year. But once he played that first game, Ellis would have to decide within that four-game span if he could continue playing, and if not he was required to officially retire and collect on the policy.
The writer, well-respected Mickey Spagnola, said Ellis was most concerned about his insurance policy protecting him financially against serious injury and lost wages before he stepped on the field Sunday (and had 1.5 sacks in limited play). Fair enough. And why is this wrong? Yes, football players make a ton of money. But they also risk a lot on the field every Sunday for our entertainment and their love of the game. Most athletes don't have what it takes to make it to the NFL. But if a player is returning from a serious injury, why should a player risk his financial stability for a game?
Ellis said he went into Jones' office out here at The Ranch to finalize their agreement, which by the way made the previous insurance policy null and void. Ellis said Jones promised him dollar for dollar of what his policy would have covered if he had an injury this year. So basically what happened is Jones stuffed $500,000 into his 2007 base salary, jumping him from the $2.5 million to $3 million for this year. He also promised him an additional $1.1 million the insurance policy would have covered if he suffered a career-ending injury at any point this season, to be paid next year. And if Ellis completes all his prescribed workouts during the off-season and training camp over the next two off-seasons, he'll receive an additional $1.5 million in 2009, the final year of his contract.
Jones did the right thing. Ellis is invaluable for the money we are paying him: 6 years, $24 million, with a $4.5 million signing bonus. Ellis was drafted by the Cowboys and has stuck with the team through bad times. Only until the past two years has Dallas show signs of success, and Ellis played a huge role in those wins on defense. Sure, I criticized Ellis when he was whining about a contract extension, and I even called him out to play better. But I won't criticize him for protecting himself when he's underpaid as it is for his position in the NFL. Let's hope Ellis' good play continues and he has a career year this year, because it might just be the Cowboys' year. And that, I am sure, will put a smile on Ellis' face.

Tuesday, October 2, 2007

It's "High Time" in Rumor-ville

If you haven't heard the latest rumor, hold your breath, and slowly exhale. Ricky Williams is looking to get reinstated to the NFL. He's been kicked out three times, all for smoking the ganja. The Dolphins have his rights, but they haven't made contact with him in months, and certainly not since he has expressed interest in returning to the NFL.

We know one team that could use Williams' services immediately: The Tampa Bay Bucs, who lost Cadillac Williams for the season. But another team mentioned in the rumor mill that shocked me was the Dallas Cowboys. What? The Dallas Cowboys? Why in the heck would we even consider taking Ricky Williams? We have two running backs, and a third one would love to get more playing time.

Just because he's an icon in Texas for his college years as a Longhorn doesn't mean he deserves a right to play for America's team. If you're going to smoke pot, do it in the off season so you don't get caught. It makes absolutely no sense to put smoke in your lungs when you're a runner. So, Ricky, here's to you:

Secondly, there is talk about Dallas vying for unhappy Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald. I am unsure about this. I liked Fitz in college, but I also liked the guy who played before him, Antonio Bryant, and he failed in Dallas. In fact, he has failed in the NFL and he's nothing but a below-average receiver now playing for the 49ers. Sure, Fitz seems to be the better receiver, but he hasn't done a whole lot for the Cardinals. And you can't blame this on the new head coach who is run oriented. If he's a playmaker, they'll get him the ball. Yes, Dallas needs to get younger at this position, but we have Crayton and T.O., who could easily play four more years together. A second receiver can be found in the draft, and not in the first round. I say keep that Browns pick and let's get some players. We need corners!

Monday, October 1, 2007

Anthony Henry out 2-4 weeks

Cowboys cornerback Anthony Henry officially has a high-ankle sprain that will keep him out of action for at least two weeks. This doesn't bode well for the Cowboys, currently the best team in the NFC (we'll get to that later).

I guess the Aaron Glenn cut is coming back to bite us even more. Henry was playing MVP level, a striking difference from last year. He leads the team in interceptions and has been covering receivers well. So when this injury happened, I felt my heart in my throat. It's hard enough to have Terence Newman recovering from injury, but to have Henry out will affect this team. And what makes it even worse is he most likely won't be available for the Oct. 14 game against the Patriots, which will be the true statement game, not the Bears. Jacques Reeves, who has played well, or Even Oglesby will likely replace Henry against Buffalo.

I hate to bring it back up again, but who is going to tell me the Glenn cut was smart considering this current situation? A veteran corner, even if he has "lost a step," would be a good replacement right now.

Now onto the Dallas Cowboys and the top team in the NFC. I love sports pundits who dislike the Cowboys, and try to discredit the Cowboys. This brings me to good ol' Skip Bayless. Yeah, that's dookie below.

Skippy says the Tony Romo factor will come back to bite the Cowboys. Romo is "too short and too sidearm," Skippy said. Well, before Skippy runs at the mouth, we should disclose something. Skippy used to cover the Cowboys.He even wrote some books. Skippy wrote the book Hell-Bent: The Crazy Truth About the "Win or Else" Dallas Cowboys, in which he claimed Aikman was gay. We all remember this, right? How this jerk could have gotten a gig at ESPN after that crap is beyond me, but somehow the fledgling company and creators of "Who's Now!" believe Skippy has some credibility. In other words, this guy is completely anti-Cowboy. Anything he says, about any subject really, needs to be taken with a grain of salt.

Skippy went on to say during a radio show today that the Packers are better, their defense is better and Favre is steaming hot. Has he not watched any Cowboys game this year? Has he not seen Romo play and be compared to the one and only Brett Favre? Did he not see yesterday's game and the plays Romo made? Dallas is better than Green Bay right now. Dallas has better receivers, better running backs and a better offensive line. The defenses are comparable, with decent linebackers and pass rushers.

No matter what Skippy says, he's the one who will be eating crow at the end of the season. I'll make sure of that.