Tag archives for dallas cowboys

NFC Teams Hold Serve at Home

Brett Favre makes me eat my words
It’s time for me to eat some crow here. Thinking it would become the biggest non-story of the year, I railed on ESPN’s round the clock reporting on Brett Favre during the preseason, boy was I wrong.

You run out of words when trying to describe his greatness this season, so to put it simply, he’s one of those rare players who makes everyone around him better. It’s kind of fun to think about what the Jets would have looked like if Favre wouldv’e stayed in New York. Maybe the Jets would be hosting Indianapolis instead of traveling to Lucas Oil stadium this weekend.

Ray Edwards chases after Tony Romo

Ray Edwards chases after Tony Romo

The key to the Vikings 34-3 drubbing of the Cowboys was their ability to put pressure on Cowboys’ quarterback Tony Romo. Minnesota defensive end Ray Edwards made Cowboys offensive tackle Marc Colombo look more like Dumbo, tying a Viking’s franchise record of three sacks in a game while leading a Minnesota defense that forced two lost fumbles, an interception and six sacks of Tony Romo.

The Cowboys season long trend of not cashing in on scoring opportunities against anyone other than Philadelphia continued against Minnesota, five Dallas drives ending in Minnesota territory amounted to just three points.

Favre finished the day 15/24 for 234 yards and 4 TDs and no INTs. Viking’s wide receiver Sidney Rice was targeted seven times pulling in six catches for 141 yards and 3 TDs.

We’ve got Bush
The re-emergence of Reggie Bush and the Saints physical defense overwhelmed the defending NFC champion Arizona Cardinals 45-14 Saturday night in New Orleans. Bush scored on a 46-yard run that left the Cardinals headed to the sidelines shaking their heads and looking for their manhood.

Bush and the Saints shook off the notion that rust may have settled in on the team that hadn’t played a good game in over a month. The Saints out-physicaled and out-everythinged Arizona.

Too close for Drew's comfort?

Too close for Drew's comfort?

Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner was knocked out of the game in the second quarter after a crushing hit by Saints DE Bobby McCray. Warner returned in the second half but was unable to get his team on the board in the final 30 minutes and when Bush returned a punt 83 yards for a touchdown and a 45-14 Saints lead in the 3rd, the game was over.

On the day Bush finished with only 5 rushes but amassed 84 yards and was both punishing and quick. After surrendering a 70-yard touchdown run by Arizona running back Tim Hightower on the game’s initial play, the Saints’ D shut down the high-flying Cardinals offense, allowing only 280 yards the rest of the day.

Not trying to be the sexiest man alive anymore

Brad Pitt's goatee

Brad Pitt's goatee

Brad Pitt sported this janky-ass looking goatee while watching the game at the Super Dome. I know he’s done a lot for the hurricane Katrina relief effort but how about a little relief from that unkempt chin bush?

NFL Divisional Playoffs Preview

I can hardly believe there’s only three more weekends of ‘real’ football left, notice I’m not counting the Pro Bowl as actual football.

Preseason predictions: For the record my preseason Super Bowl picks, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, are done. Also for the record, SI’s Peter King predicted the Patriots and Bears. Ha! What an idiot.

Divisional diversity: It rarely works out this way but one team from each of the NFL’s eight divisions fill out the remaining eight-team field.

A word about momentum: Who has momentum? Who cares? Tell me who’s playing well and how the teams match up and I’ll tell you who’s gonna win. Talking about who has momentum is such a beat down.

The NFL’s Divisional Playoffs Schedule

Arizona Cardinals @ New Orleans Saints (-7)
Saturday 4:30 PM ET – Fox

Is Kurt Warner the best playoff quarterback in the history of the NFL? I wouldn’t argue against it.

Last week Arizona eliminated the Packers, who most experts agreed was the best team in the NFC during the second half of the season.

Saints receiver Marques Colston

Saints receiver Marques Colston

New Orleans isn’t playing well, and I’m not just talking about their 3-game losing streak when things may or may not have been of the utmost importance at the end of the season, but also struggling against Atlanta and Washington prior to the losing streak. The Saints haven’t played well since facing the Patriots on that Monday night game in November.

Cardinals wide receiver Anquan Boldin, who sat out last week’s game to nurse a left ankle and knee injury, is expected to return, giving Warner another offensive weapon against a defense that has given up more points than any other team remaining in the playoffs.

Prediction: Arizona 38, New Orleans 34

Baltimore Ravens @ Indianapolis Colts (-6.5)
Saturday 8:15 PM ET – CBS

Ok, so he hasn't played but Colts WR Samuel Giguere is huge.

Ok, so he hasn't played but Colts WR Samuel Giguere is huge.

The Colts chose to rest their starters down the stretch so it’s hard to get a feel on how they’re playing. The Ravens, winners of 6 postseason road games since 2000, will present a formidable challenge with a power running game and a bruising defense that held the Colts to just 17 points in a loss at Lucas Oil stadium in November.

It’s strength vs strength and weakness vs weakness, so I’ll take the guy who threw for over 4,500 yards and 33 touchdowns, and the organization who has a lot to prove after giving up on a perfect season in favor of a better shot at playoff success.

Prediction: Indianapolis 24, Baltimore 13

Dallas Cowboys @ Minnesota Vikings (-3)
Sunday 1 PM ET – Fox

Vikings running back Adrian Peterson

Vikings running back Adrian Peterson

This games got the story lines; Tony Romo vs Brett Favre, Adrian Peterson vs the Cowboys defense and America’s team vs America’s Mall.

The Vikings run defense suffered a huge blow when they lost middle linebacker E.J. Henderson, their leading tackler and signal-caller, to a broken leg in November, forcing Minnesota to rely on their All-Pro defensive lineman Jared Allen and Kevin Williams to create stops and put pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

The Cowboys counter with two Pro Bowl blockers and a healthy stable of diverse running backs that average a playoff-best 4.8 yards per rush.

Dallas’ defense appears to be coming together nicely under the direction of head coach Wade Phillips but shutting down sub-par running backs like Clinton Portis, LeSean McCoy and Leonard Weaver in consecutive weeks doesn’t mean much when the assignment is Vikings’ running back Adrian Peterson.

As strange as it sounds to say, I think Favre will struggle against the Cowboys secondary.

Prediction: Dallas 28, Minnesota 27

New York Jets @ San Diego Chargers (-7)
Sunday 4:40 PM ET – CBS

This is the week we will be reminded of how the Jets backed into the playoffs as the beneficiaries of fortuitous scheduling. The Chargers, winners of 11 straight, will be in control of this game before the sun sets.

Prediction: San Diego 34, NY 10

NFC Championship – Cardinals @ Cowboys
AFC Championship – Chargers @ Colts

Wild Card Weekend ends on a wild note

How did the highest-scoring playoff game in the history of the NFL end? If you answered on a defensive touchdown in overtime then give yourself a cookie. After all of the dust settled from the wild card weekend match ups, the AFC underdogs reigned, while the NFC favorites held serve at home.

One more bonus question: Name a statistic which was won by every winning team this past weekend? The answer at the end of this story.

NY Jets 24, Cincinnati Bengals 14

Playing to your strengths means doing what you do best and that’s exactly what the Jets did, using their power running game and top-ranked defense to out muscle the Bengals in Cincinnati.

Cincinnati managed just 281 yards of total offense with quarterback Carson Palmer completing 18 of 36 throws for 146 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT, Sanchez was 12 of 15 for 182 and 1 TD. Everyone, including the Bengals, knew the Jets game plan coming into Saturday but Cincinnati was simply overpowered and outplayed.

Felix Jones 3rd Quarter TD sealed the win.

Felix Jones 3rd Quarter TD sealed the win.

Dallas Cowboys 34, Philadelphia Eagles 14

The Cowboys exploded for 27 points in the second quarter and got a 73-yard TD run from Felix Jones in the 3rd to put the game away. The Eagles offered little resistance and were plagued with turnovers (4), penalties (9-112) and an impotent ground game which totaled only 56 yards on 13 attempts.

Baltimore Ravens 33, New England Patriots 14

The Ravens blasted the Patriots with a 83-yard Ray Rice touchdown run on the first play of the game and then the ass kicking really got started for the old, slow Patriots. Tom Brady uncharactersitically turned the ball over three times in the first quarter and it’s clear that New England is no longer good enough to overcome mistakes.

Arizona Cardinal Karlos Dansby celebrates his game winning TD in OT.

Arizona Cardinal Karlos Dansby celebrates his game winning TD in OT.

Arizona 51, Green Bay 45

It was simply the most exciting NFL playoff game in years, and the Cardinals survived 7-straight Packer touchdown drives to win when Karlos Dansby returned a fumble for a TD just minutes into OT.

He who wins the turnover battle wins the game
So what’s the one statistical category that went in favor of each and every winner from the Wild Card Weekend? Turnovers! Here’s the proof:

Cincinnati 2 turnovers, Jets 0 = Jets win
Philadelphia 4 turnovers, Cowboys 1 = Cowboys win
New England 4 turnovers, Ravens 2 = Ravens win
Green Bay 3 turnover, Cardinals 1 = Cardinals win

No brotherly love from these Eagles

It will be deja vu in Dallas tonight when the Cowboys and Eagles square off for the second time in six days. Last week Dallas shut the Eagles out 24-0 and captured the NFC East title, but the stakes are much higher in tonight’s elimination game.

These teams are evenly matched at quarterback, wide receiver and tight end. The Cowboys offensive line is healthier and just plain better than Phillys, while Dallas’ defense is coming off consecutive shut outs. The Eagles may have a slight pissed off factor at play here but it won’t be enough to overcome the Cowboys tonight.

Prediction
Dallas 27, Philadelphia 13

Gay sports fan’s guide to the Eagles hotties

#10 WR DeSean Jackson

Eagles WR DeSean Jackson

Eagles WR DeSean Jackson

#55 LB Stewart Bradley

Stewart Bradley Eagles TE and hottie

Stewart Bradley Eagles TE and hottie


Stewart Bradley modeling

Stewart Bradley modeling

#57 LB Chris Gocong

Eagles LB Chris Gocong

Eagles LB Chris Gocong

#87 TE Brent Celek

Eagles TE Brent Celek showing off his underwear.

Eagles TE Brent Celek showing off his underwear.

#80 WR Kevin Curtis

Eagles WR Kevin Curtis

Eagles WR Kevin Curtis

#82 TE Alex Smith

Eagles TE Alex Smith

Eagles TE Alex Smith

#90 DE Darren Howard

Eagles DE Darren Howard

Eagles DE Darren Howard

#94 DE Jason Babin

Jersey Shore cast member or Eagles DE Jason Babin?

Jersey Shore cast member or Eagles DE Jason Babin?

Gay sports fan’s guide to the Cowboy’s hotties

#4 PK Shaun Suisham

Dallas Cowboys cute PK'er Shaun Suisham

Dallas Cowboys cute PK'er Shaun Suisham

#7 QB Stephen McGee

Cowboys backup QB Stephen McGee

Cowboys backup QB Stephen McGee

#9 QB Tony Romo

Cowboys QB Tony Romo smiling

Cowboys QB Tony Romo smiling

#19 WR Miles Austin

Cowboys WR Miles Austin

Cowboys WR Miles Austin

#56 LB Bradie James

Shirtless Bradie James pulling a sled

Shirtless Bradie James pulling a sled

#82 TE Jason Witten

Dallas Cowboys TE Jason Witten's got helmet head.

Dallas Cowboys TE Jason Witten's got helmet head.

#89 TE John Phillips

Cowboys TE John Phillips

Cowboys TE John Phillips

#94 LB DeMarcus Ware

Cowboys Pro Bowl LB DeMarcus Ware

Cowboys Pro Bowl LB DeMarcus Ware

Cowboys New Formula, No Drama

The extent to which the Dallas Cowboys recovered from a disappointing 2008 season is nothing short of remarkable.

The difference between 2008 and 2009 is simple, the Cowboys shed Terrell Owens, Tank Johnson, Adam ‘PacMan’ Jones and Jessica Simpson. It may sound like a simplified version of events but with Tony Romo and Wade Phillips able to lead without distraction the Cowboys rebounded from losses to San Diego and New York to start December with three straight wins en route to claiming the NFC East title.

I was just about to fire you

I was just about to fire you

It’s refreshing to see Jerry Jones making roster moves based on winning football rather than selling tickets. The truth is without the sabotaging, self-aggrandizing Terrell Owens, Tank Johnson and Adam Jones, the Cowboys are a better team. Jessica was just an ass-whip story that wouldn’t go away.

Minus those distractions Wade Phillips focused his attention on what he does best, defense. Minus those distractions Tony Romo focused on making better decisions and finished the season with 26 TDs and a career low nine interceptions.

Yes, there’s still an overhyped, overpaid, pass dropping wide receiver in town, but to his credit Roy Williams has accepted some of the blame for his chronic under performance and thus the Cowboys roll into the playoffs drama free.

Cowboys vs Eagles headline NFL weekend

Tony and Jason are out for revenge

Tony and Jason are out for revenge

As my momma used to say, “Who would’ve thunk it?”

Just three weeks ago the Cowboys were preparing for what everyone, including myself, thought was a sure beat down from New Orleans. The loss to the Saints would be the catalyst that would surely send the Cowboys into a tale spin, ending only after Dallas was eliminated from the playoffs.

Yet these Cowboys stepped up and beat the Saints and the next week they beat the Redskins. Two road wins in December put an end to talk of another Cowboys’ December collapse.

And so entering the final weekend of the season, Dallas is a win away from capturing their second NFC East title in the past three years.

Eagles TE Brent Celek

Eagles TE Brent Celek

On the other hand, fellow NFC East rival Philadelphia, withstood a number of injuries this season, starting tailback Bryant Westbrook, starting quarterback Donovan McNabb and several offensive lineman have missed several games. Yet amid the upheaval the Eagles cautiously worked their dynamic young play makers, LeSean McCoy and Jeremy Maclin, into an offense that had grown increasingly predictable in 2008.

As a result, the Eagles also enter the final weekend of the season just one win away from capturing the NFC East title.

Last year the Cowboys traveled to Philadelphia on the season’s final weekend of the regular season with a chance to secure a playoff bid and were routed 44-6 by the Eagles. So the question remains, are these Cowboys, who this season answered adversity with a renewed focus and determination, any different than last year’s squad that failed miserably at the end?

Absolutely.

What the Cowboys denied last year but recently acknowledged is that the atmosphere created by Terrell Owens’ selfishness was a major factor in their demise last year. So if you believe like I do, that a locker room can benefit greatly by addition through subtraction, then you’ve got a team that isn’t looking to get the season over with but rather, one that’s focused on making a push for the playoffs.

There’s no way Dallas will fall apart like they did in Philly last year, especially considering the Cowboys have only given up 30+ points in a single game to one team this year, against the NY Giants twice.

Philadelphia has big problems on the offensive line, Romo is playing great, the Cowboys offensive line is rolling and the Cowboys defense is peaking at just the right time.

Brent Celek modeling his pouty boy look

Brent Celek modeling his pouty boy look

Hottie Watch – Keep an eye on the tight ends, like I really had to tell you that. Tony Romo’s favorite little buddy All-Pro Jason Whitten and Philadelphia’s Brent Celek are hella fine and they’re having monster years which translates to plenty of face time on TV.

Prediction
Dallas 27 – Philadelphia 20

Other games of importance
New York Jets 27 – Bengals 17
The Jets have proven they can beat any team who doesn’t have anything to play for. Bengals’ starters may play but they will be on the sidelines when the Jets win this one in the second half.

Baltimore 38 – Oakland 17
Flacco will lead the Ravens to their second straight playoff appearance against an Oakland team looking forward to the off season.

Ready, Set, Collapse…

jerry-jones-picking-noseThe Cowboys struggles in December and January have been well documented over the past couple of seasons. With two winnable games against Washington and Oakland left on the November schedule, the Boys from Arlington are quietly talking about being 8-3 when they hit the final month of the year. Jerry needs to slow his roll.

Injuries
Going into the Green Bay game this past weekend the Cowboys were remarkably healthy and on a four-game winning streak. They left Green Bay with neither. Starting right tackle Marc Colombo was lost for the season with a broken bone in his leg and safety Ken Hamlin will be out for at least four weeks. Some Cowboys insiders point to an aging offensive line as the catalyst for injuries which contributed, in large part, to the Cowboys recent late season collapses, so hearing that offensive lineman Kyle Kosier and human-false-start Flozell Adams are trying to work through ankle sprains, on top of losing Columbo for the year, does not bode well for Dallas.

tony-romoDecember Schedule
Considering the December schedule, three of four on the road — Giants, Saints and Redskins — and home to surging San Diego, it appears the Cowboys are perfectly set up to collapse again. The season ends with a rematch of last year’s finale against the Eagles in Arlington, a game which will undoubtedly have playoff implications for both teams.

NFC East at the halfway point

What many saw as the best division in all of football prior to the season has been just slightly above average through the first half of the season. I thought the Eagles and Giants would finish 1-2 with the Cowboys finishing a close third, and while I may have gotten the teams right at the midway point, my ordering was out of whack.

Dallas Cowboys 6-2

Tony Romo is flourishing with Miles Austin's emergence

Tony Romo is flourishing with Miles Austin's emergence

Big Surprise – Pre season expectations were dampened a bit after the team folded at the end of last season. For the Cowboys to be a full game ahead of Philadelphia and in sole possession of first place in the NFC East is the biggest surprise for this team.

Good news - The emergence of Miles Austin as the best receiver on the team is primarily due to Austin being the best route runner on the team. It’s amazing how much of a better quarterback one becomes when his receivers are where they’re supposed to be when the ball is thrown. So, as Austin emerged as a reliable receiver, quarterback Tony Romo’s decision making suddenly improved as well.

Bad news – Roy Williams’ inconsistency and poor workout habits have been a distraction. He leads the team in dropped passes and media coverage, not a good combination, just ask Terrell Owens. The Cowboys recent history suggests they fall apart in the second half of the season.

DeSean jackson is one of the young weapons McNabb has in his arsenal

DeSean jackson is one of the young weapons McNabb has in his arsenal

Philadelphia Eagles 5-3

Big surprise – How little of an impact, both on the field and off, that Michael Vick has had in Philadelphia.

Good news – Young offensive weapons DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and LeSean McCoy have progressed nicely, giving McNabb some talent around him. Even with the loss of their Defensive Coordinator prior to the season, the defense is just as physical and tough to score on as last year. The 20 points put on the board by the Cowboys this week was only the second time a team has scored more than 17 points on the Eagles all season.

Bad news – The eagles have only beaten one team with a winning record, that coming against the Giants, a team in the midst of a four game losing streak. They also have an unexplainable loss to the Oakland Raiders, good teams should not lose to the Oakland Raiders of 2009. The remaining schedule which includes road games against San Diego, Chicago, Atlanta, NY Giants and Dallas, and home versus the Broncos, is brutal.

New York Giants 5-4

The Giants defense has failed them in the first half of 2009

The Giants defense has failed them in the first half of 2009


Big Surprise – The Giants find themselves on a four game losing streak and just a half game ahead of the Atlanta Falcons for what would be the final playoff spot.

Good news – The Giants finally get their bye week and have two weeks to prepare for the Falcons at Giants stadium. At times, the offense has gotten on a roll but they’re inconsistent at best.

Bad news – In the four game losing streak the defense is giving up an average of 33 points per game and the once vaunted pass defense has given up 11 TDs in the last four games, including three to Phillip Rivers this past Sunday. Like the Eagles, the Giants have beaten only one team with a winning record and the schedule gets much tougher in the second half.

Redskins GM Vinny Cerrato can't even pick out nice pants to wear.

Redskins GM Vinny Cerrato can't even pick out nice pants to wear.

Washington Redskins 2-6
Big Surprise – Fans, current players and former players alike, all publicly pointing to the front office and ownership as the reason for the Redskins 2-6 record.

Good news – Defense has kept the Redskins in every game this year. Atlanta’s 14-point victory against the Redskins on Sunday was the first game the Redskins have lost by more than 10 points this season.

Bad news – Whether it’s been Head Coach Jim Zorn or newly appointed Offensive Coordinator Sherm Lewis calling the plays, the offense has failed to score more than 17 points in a single game this season.

Yet, looking ahead, the really bad news is that Redskins Owner Dan Snyder seems unwilling to do anything about General Manager Vinny Cerrato. Under Cerrato’s stewardship, the Skins are approaching levels of futility not seen since Matt Millen left the Detroit Lions for the broadcast booth.

Five pivotal football games with five big questions

Five games across the football world this weekend will go a long way in separating the good from the mediocre and each game has a big question that must be answered.

Can LSU keep the ball away from Mark Ingram?

Can LSU keep the ball away from Mark Ingram?

Can LSU run the ball effectively enough to upset Alabama?
Both teams have first year quarterbacks, in Jordan Jefferson and Greg McElroy, who’ve struggled at times. The key to this game will be whether the surprisingly ineffective LSU running game, which finally broke out last week against Tulane, can keep the ball away from Mark Ingram and the Crimson Tide’s powerful rushing attack. I’ve had LSU all year as my surprise team all year so I can’t jump off the train before it rolls into Tuscaloosa.

Can Terrelle Pryor prove himself in a big game?
Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor has the lowest pass completion percentage amongst all Big 10 QBs at just 54% but the Buckeyes, along with Iowa, have over come his struggles and are in position to win the Big 10 should they win out. A loss at Penn State, who’s getting better defensively, would be another disappointing loss for Pryor and the Buckeyes.

Are the NY Giants for real or real bad?
By elevating the status of this week’s game against San Diego to that of a must win, New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin put some serious pressure on his team. The Giants issues must be bigger than a three game losing streak if the normally even-keeled head coach is resorting to pumping up a mid-season game to get his team motivated.

Can the Eagles defense force Romo mistakes?

Can the Eagles defense force Romo mistakes?

Who’s the team to beat in the NFC East?
Sunday’s night Cowboys vs. Eagles contest is the NFC’s marquee matchup and will go a long way towards determining the winner of the East. Both teams have rolled up some big numbers offensively with some non-marquee players. The difference here will be who’s defense will be able to force more turnovers to keep the ball away from the other team’s offense.

Can the Colts overcome injuries to remain unbeaten?
Earlier this week the Colts lost CB Marlin Jackson for the rest of the season with a torn ACL and late word today is that Safety Bob Sanders will have season ending surgery on his torn bicep. Add that to CB Kelvin Hayden’s knee injury which is expected to sideline him for a month and the Colts have big issues in the secondary. The Texans have been pointing to this game as a chance to prove themselves.

Must Win for the Cowboys? Hardly.

One of the most worthless and over used sports cliches is ‘must-win game’. Over the course of a season the only must win game is when you are facing elimination. So when sports writers and commentators label a mid-season NFL game for a 3-2 team as a ‘must win’ they immediately lose credibility with me. Such is the case with this week’s game for the Dallas Cowboys.

At 3-2 and a recent history of falling apart in November and December this week’s game against Atlanta is certainly an important one. Yet those who are filling dead air or blank column space by arguing this is a must win game are dead wrong. The Cowboys are coming off a bye week, Marion Barber and Felix Jones are finally healthy and a tough remaining schedule including games at the Giants, New Orleans, Green Bay and home versus San Diego and Philadelphia are ahead.

Marion Barber and the Cowboys look for a signature win against Atlanta

Marion Barber and the Cowboys look for a signature win against Atlanta


Is this an important game? Absolutely. At year’s end will Dallas reflect back on this game as a turning point in their season? Possibly. But is this a must win? Not even close. This game is important because strong starts by the Saints and Giants makes it probable that the Falcons and Cowboys are amongst the eight or nine teams vying for two wild card spots in the playoffs.

It might be too early to bury the Falcons behind the Saints in the NFC South but I think it’s fair to say that the Cowboys aren’t going to win the NFC East. Dallas’ three wins were against Tampa Bay, Kansas City and Carolina. I wouldn’t consider any of those a quality win. So this is a statement game for sure, but even with a lose the Cowboys would be .500. With 10 games left on the schedule and the NFC East not as formidable as in year’s past, the Cowboys season would hardly be over.

It’s tough to predict when, or if, an inconsistent team with a lot of talent will put it together. Lose this week and we know that the Boys aren’t amongst the NFL elite, but the playoffs and more are still within reach.