Reflective Future

Is there really such a thing as a Monday morning quarterback for the season? That’s about what I feel like for the last few weeks watching the _(Va)Giants not only make their way into the playoffs but win out the hard way – one game at a time; no byes, no advantage, just good tough football.

I still firmly believe Eli Manning is a child and want Osi to slam him to the turf every time he sulks and pouts after a play gone awry, but he did his part. So congratulations go out to the Super Bowl Champs.

Now that I’ve vomited and rinsed, let’s talk some Cowboys…

Coaching:

Jason Garrett had his blunders – and oh were they stupid and agonizing to watch – but overall I think he made a positive impact on this team. He’s still too iffy about the running game but it doesn’t appear his personal style as a quarterback has anything to do with it. When he had a capable back he used him and we were better off for it. Here’s hope DeMarco Murray returns to health quickly and hasn’t lost a step. Garrett can call the plays and do it well when he’s got capable – not great – receivers, tailbacks, and quarterback on the field. The opposing defense is an after-thought, this team can make any play they want when they execute properly.

Houck – He’s been a great coach for us in the past and that’s probably the doom for us. He’s been good and Garrett knows that as well Jerry Jones does and for his past contributions we would have never fired him, damning these ‘Boys to an archaic running game that doesn’t work anymore. So my hat’s off to him for retiring. What’s coming next is a surprise for us as we get a change of pace, but with Murray we should be able to make it work. Fingers and Toes crossed!

When Dave Campo returned I thought it would be a good thing. At the time we still had Roy Williams I playing and he was in a slump, a slump that Campo couldn’t bring back despite his success with Roy years earlier. And Maxie wasn’t getting it done either. Both are solid changes and again I have to thank Maxie for making the change, considering the Cowboys offered him a new contract.

Offense:

The offense for next year really boils down to three things – The line, the back, and the receivers.

The offensive line got a shade better this year with Tyron Smith coming into his own. He’s an athletic giant on the line and though he had a few mistakes, the rookie proved himself. Now the question is will he make the switch to the left side and will he be able to perform at the same level on the left – I say yes. He’s young and learning.

But Doug Free is a pussy cat who needs either a major attitude downgrade or a nice and cozy bench to keep warm. He’s got all the make-up of a good lineman but he’s just too tame – he needs a bigger bite to go with his bark. Phil Costa is simply bad. I know he’s young and has a lot of learning to do but damn son, how do you forget the snap count more than once? I think he’s scared and unfocused. He snaps when he should hold, and he snaps badly in anticipation of the defensive linemen coming.

DeMarco Murray has the ability to become a great running back in this league and he was well on his way when injury forced him to a stop. He’s got speed, vision, quickness, and he’s tough enough to withstand a few tackles (attempts). Add in Felix “Greatest running back in the NFL – NOT” Jones to give some relief and a change of pace at the line and we’ve got a duo that is easy to maintain, easy to game-plan for, and about as effective as any tandem in the league since Smith and Moose tore it up back in the day. High praise I know, but it’s mostly for Murray. That kid has something special.

By the by – anyone else find it strange that two years in a row, in the first meeting of each year the Giants have broken one of our primary producers bones? First Romo’s collarbone and now Murray’s ankle… Just saying.

Dez is doing whatever the hell he’s doing to undermine his potential, but we still have Austin (Fad) and Robinson (Hype). Miles Austin has flashed brilliance a few times but a number one receiver he is not.

His break out game against the Chiefs a couple of years ago was mainly due to the fact there was little to no game footage on him – he was an unknown for the Kansas defense. He had some good games after that but once an off-season came and went he lost his edge.

Bryant is our number one and Robinson our number two. Robinson isn’t real flashy but he’s consistent and can make the big plays when the ball is within his arm span. He’s just one of those pieces of a puzzle that you can’t make a full picture without. Then again, if Bryant doesn’t step up and focus and execute then we’re in trouble. During the final minutes of the Jets game it was all Bryant. People look back now and say it was Revis verses Bryant but it really wasn’t. It was a short route and Bryant had position on Revis – just not the position Romo was throwing to. Bryant goofed on a fundamental aspect – run the route, catch the ball.

Meanwhile Romo had a great year, but ESPN pointed out the tell… Romo had a record passer rating and yet the ‘Boys were middle of the pack on scoring. Those are two things that shouldn’t go together. I don’t blame Romo – he did his job. He threw short, long, low, high, whatever was asked of him. He had his mistakes as any QB does but his team didn’t help. His receivers need to focus and run their routes, they need to be mindful of where defenders are, and they need to catch and then run. And in Bryant’s case he needs to run up the field a little more. That kid is like a hamster in a wheel – legs are churning but he’s not going anywhere. As an added bonus, we see him take on three and four times the hits for it too.

There’s no great mystery to this offense for 2012 – if healthy they do what they did mid-season with a solid mix of run and pass. It worked. Not because the other guys’ defense was off but because it was a powerful combination that worked.

Defense:

They say defense wins championships and while that’s hardly accurate in the full spectrum of things, it’s a damned fine place to start for these ‘Boys. The line played well for what they are – you don’t get huge sack totals from the line in a 3-4. They’re merely for blocking and redirection and they did both effectively.

The linebackers fell a little short though. I’m not saying the line shouldn’t do more because they always should, but the obvious miscommunications and confusion behind them was a serious problem that can’t be repeated without the same 8-8 result. Lee was a bright spot and from what I’m hearing he’ll take over signal calling next year. He’s young and that could creep up into an issue but for now he’s our top defender hands down.

I love Ware, the guy gets it done, but in 2011 he was swimming upstream far too often. Spencer again lacked any demonstration that warranted his praise or pay. James and Brooking signed their names next to Missed Tackles most of the year and missed assignments the rest of it. A few rookies got some play and managed when more than managing was needed – not exactly their fault what the other linebackers and secondary do or don’t do.

I’m one of these types that believes you can’t cure an illness by fixing a symptom and 2011 seemed like a whole lot of symptoms were trying to be fixed with personnel. Look at ILB – Brooking and James, two very experienced and previously dominating forces rotating at the head spot, signal caller. Why on earth do you need that much experience to point out a run or pass? It comes down to the coach usually, the guy saying what’s to be done when a certain condition is met. Maybe it was the lack of an off-season or maybe it was an overcomplicated scheme; either way, these Cowboys did not get it. Some plays worked great, others were just disastrous. But who says the coach is to blame for this teams defensive woes?

T-New is all over the place. From hurdled to beat, missed catches to penalties, he’s simply not worth a rookie salary anymore. It was said during the year that the game plan was to play him off his receiver 10 yards, we universally balked at that and for good reason – why is a formerly great cover guy playing 10 yards off the ball? Because he lost a step, guts, and because all the corners were playing off! They simply did not have the confidence in the corners to play press or man coverage and get it done. 70 yard TD passes over their head will do that. But why is Ryan making a defense centered around making up for what his guys can’t do? It makes no sense.

I see the ‘Boys drafting hard in the DB market this year to get some fresh and able blood at corner. Jenkins played with a ton of heart but he missed the mark as well – probably due to his constantly injured shoulder, probably. But Scandrick was horrible, as was Ball. Sensabaugh actually didn’t do as bad as the others but he’s still just an average safety. Of course when you have catastrophic failures in every other part of your coverage game, an average guy looks like a new contract.

Many think he should be dumped as well as Newman, Scandrick, and Ball but the basic truth is that they’re going to have a hard enough time replacing the corners, never mind adding a safety into the mix. Elam isn’t great but he’s a good start. Essentially, the safety spots are both filled by average players who aren’t glaring liabilities at present, so leave them and focus on the liabilities around them. Down the line, theoretically, you’d reach a point where those average safeties become the liability and that’s when you deal with them.

Special Teams:

Rookie kicker had a few tough games, but let’s remember two of them were directly because of his own head coach. Garrett icing him certainly did the trick and literally cost us the game as he made the first kick, but it also paved the way for the second iced kick by showing how well it worked on our boy. Bailey is good though, and will get another season to show it.

McBriar says today that he feels the surgery to remove a cyst believed to be causing his nerve issues is all he needs to return to form, and a mere recovery is all he needs. He’s a rock at punter and we need him back. He’s also a free agent and will just be getting healthy again around the week free agency starts. I predict we’ll resign him if he can pass the physical and kick the ball. His skill isn’t a question, only his health.

The special teams units looked good all year – most of the year – had a few run backs gone too far late in the season but otherwise it was a solid unit for once. And luckily DeCamillis is here to stay for another year.

All-in-all this team needs a lot of work and much of it is now down to new players – through the draft, free agency, and our own talent pool (practice squad and backups). The offense needs health and the defense needs better players. It’s at least an easy problem to figure out, even if the solution isn’t quite so clear.

Dallas Cowboys 2009 Offensive Team Stats…where do we go from here?

Ok guys! I know that this article might be a little bit late but I figured if I could put last seasons performance in numbers that it would give a clearer vision of where we need to be headed for the 2010 season. I am going to break this down as simple as I can, with highlighting certain areas that I think we all know have been issues.

Offense

2nd in Total Yards per Game- In first place…Super Bowl Champions New Orleans Saints with 403.8.

14th in Points Scored with 361- This clearly doesn’t match up with our 2nd overall ranking of Yds/Game. To me this shows that we still need a lot of improvement in the Red Zone, which I am sure a lot of Cowboys fans already know. I believe we need to find more plays for Jason Witten to get open in the end zone being he only had 1 TD last year. I also think Martellus Bennett needs to step up more to also fill that role. I do like that fact that the Cowboys have been working more on the “back-shoulder” throw that has been given us our first TD of the preseason to Miles Austin.

6th in Pass Yards per Game with 267.9/ 7th in Rush Yards per Game with 4.8 (2,103 Total Yards)- These are clearly numbers that the Cowboys should be proud of. With a 6th ranking in pass and 7th in rushing, in the same season, shows that Dallas has a great overall offense. They are very balanced and with players looking to be bigger key role players this year. We should look towards a dominating season if Felix Jones and Dez Bryant become that X-Factor that Dallas Cowboys need in order to go over the top.

3rd in Total Penalties with 115/8th in Penalty Yards with 892- For all those people out there that thought Flozell Adams should of not been released should take notice to this. I know that he doesn’t account for ALL of the penalties, but how many times do you yell at the television cringing everytime there is a false start call being made?…KNOWING that it’s Flozell before the ref even has a chance to announce it. Dallas needs to remain more focused and not let stupid mental mistakes keep occuring that keep us from getting into the end zone.

15th in QB Sacks Allowed with 34/16th in QB Hits Allowed with 78- I will give credit to Flozell did a heck of a job, after the ball was snapped, to protect our franchise QB. Now that he is gone Doug Free has not been a “?” anymore. I know that he was the talk of the off-season but has already shown himself to not be that big of an issue during the preseason. Now if we can just keep our O-Line healthy and also keep a secure roster depth at that position, then we should be ok. Not to mention that a lot has been talked about Leonard Davis needing to be as good of a pass blocker as he is a rush blocker.

6th in Time of Possession per Game with 32.17- This is a good stat just need to it as it is.

14th in 3rd Down Percentage with 41%- This stat is NOT so good. Dallas Cowboys were 82/202 for the season in 3rd Down success/attempts. I think that this falls on Roy Williams whom Romo has tried time and time again to go to and build his confidence. We all know the Roy Williams situation, but maybe with Dez Bryant coming in, things could all change.

I think that the Cowboys are doing well on addressing the offensive problems that occurred last season. I know that preseason isn’t looking that great, but it’s PRESEASON! Jason Garrett is clearly not showing all of his cards before the games really count. But truthfully, Dallas Cowboys Nation would like to see better execution in their plays.

My next article will focus more on their defensive struggles and what they need to do to get over the hump there. I know that a lot of rookies from last year will step up this season to really contribute when the dominating starters can’t be in. Plus, I know that we ended the season great, defensively, with a couple of shut outs…but we still need to work on those things that will give our offense a better chance of scoring….turnovers. Luckily, our defense is looking like they are leaving where they left off last year, just only better. I am looking forward to a lot of excitement this year on both sides of the ball…especially if the defense steps up even more.

Jason Witten At Dick’s Sporting Goods Next Weekend

Hey Cowboys fans. Got an update about a coming event that Jason Witten will be attending for those of us in the DFW area. He’ll be at the Dick’s Sporting Goods store in Dallas from Noon to 2pm on Saturday, June 5th, 2010.

He’ll be hosting a promotional event for Gatorade, G Series Pro “Signing Day.” The address is:

Dick’s Sporting Goods
8030 Park Lane
Dallas, TX 75231

At the event, fans will be able to:

• Have a professional photograph taken with Jason Witten
• Receive an autographed photo (while supplies last)
• Sample the new G Series Pro products
• Access Gatorade’s online Professional Training System for elite athletes
• Enter the “Train Like A Pro” sweepstakes – winner will receive a week of professional style training at a world class facility

Don’t miss out on this chance for a meet and greet with Pro Bowl Tight End Jason Witten.

Healthy Competition

I have a good feeling about this year!… We are going all the way!… We’re looking good with everything we did in the off season!… This year is different! These are things that every NFL fan says about their favorite team. Of course, there are an exception to that rule with a few teams that never seem to enjoy real success. Let me tell you why I am feeling good about the Dallas Cowboys in the upcoming 2010 season…competition.

Jerry has adopted a way of handling this team that has been a rule of previous successors of the Dallas Cowboys. For perfect example, take Tom Landry and Jimmy Johnson. These two leaders, of grown men, knew how to motivate their team while remaining loyal and making this a business. Just like how any other business is ran, if you don’t do your job there will be somebody that is more than willing to take your position. If it means to get on a professional football team… then that is a definite! But to play for America’s Team!… the Dallas Cowboys, comes a real sense of honor. To know what has been a symbol of a successful sports franchise for years is what has become every player (who takes their craft seriously) dreams come true. Even if you have rooted for another team your entire childhood, to play for the silver and blue really means something.

Competition should always bring the best out of us. Competition doesn’t necessarily mean cutting the throat of the man, behind you or, in front of you in order to get ahead. It means everyday showing up with your ‘A-Game’. Despite how you feel that day or what’s going on in your life, you know how to get the best out of yourself in whatever you do. That also means getting the best out of yourself with the people that you work with…you push each other. Lots of times you end up rooting for that person that you are also competing against. Mainly for the love and dedication that you have for each other…and in this case, that star.

I love the way that Jerry and Wade handle this team after handfuls of follies Jerry had dealt over the years. Dishing out millions of dollars for big time players that just don’t seem to mount up to high standards when their pockets get really full. Perfect example of this has been Terrell Owens. Money doesn’t always talk, but B.S. definitely walked. A lot has been learned from the few short years that T.O. has given to this organization. T.O. got paid big money and felt like he needed to prove himself, so he played at the top of his game. He had that motivation, that sense to prove himself, that fire under his rear. Once he got paid again and knew that he was “set” to be a Dallas Cowboy for life, his true colors spilt out.

Now for the subject of Roy Williams, that is something that I just don’t feel like touching right now…I believe I have already said enough.

To get to my point…we need to have depth at all positions and we have it this year. We have veterans competing with veterans; rookies drooling over the chance to learn from a vets and possibly take over a vets spot; and rookies needing to prove themselves with all the talk that has surrounded them.

There are some exceptions to the rule this year. Tony Romo has proven himself this year as a true elite QB. Now that we have a ‘QB friendly’ system, he has shown himself to know how to be the leader and to successfully march the team down the field. Demarcus Ware has proven himself to be a constant elite player on defense. After starting off slow last season, he came through strong in the end and remained a definite force. But, it is always nice to have that guy behind him wanting to get in and show what he’s got. To show that he’s got the stuff it takes. That’s what makes a team solid. To know that when Ware comes out of the game that there will be a Jason Williams, Victor Butler, Stephen Hodges, or Brandon Williams waiting behind for their chances to contribute to the team. The competition is what makes the Dallas Cowboys a whole, to function to it’s max potential.

Sean Lee will be on the backs of the feet of Brady James and Keith Brooking this year. Not saying that either one of these veteran starters will be replaced, but Sean Lee will be there to learn and to show that he can play at that level. I am particularly happy with our Wide Receiving corp this year! Our original starter will be Miles Austin and Roy Williams. There will be plenty of competition for both of these starter to make sure to always bring their ‘A-Game’. We have Kevin Ogletree who wants to prove that he can handle more snaps this year after his successful rookie showing. Manny Johnson and Jesse Holley feel like they could replace either Patrick Crayton and/or Sam Hurd for a slot on that bottom of that roster. Let’s not forget our favorite topic of the year…our first round draft pick. Along with everything I mentioned with our Receiving corp….we can throw Dez Bryant right into the mix of everything.

As for Defense, I already mentioned how our Linebackers will be full to the rim with guys wanting to get in and show their stuff. Some already have and will be sure to always show why they are the newly developed starter (e.g. Anthony Spencer). Now we have competition in the secondary position, with not just the safety position, but also the cornerback position. Just when Terence Newman, Mike Jenkins, and Orlando Scandrick start feeling comfortable at the spots the earned last year…Along comes Akwasi Owusu-Ansah, and Jamar Wall. AOA can play safety and corner, and if he can make the special teams squad he could surely look to be a quality back up and future starter. Alan Ball and Mike Hamlin are looking to be the main competitors for is looking like the Free Safety starting position, but you never know if any of these young cornerbacks could handle that position. You know how Wade likes having guys on his team who can play more than one position. Now with Gerald Sensabaugh looking like he’s not going to play unless he has a contract before the season starts, that just gives other “hungrier” players a chance to show themselves on the pro football stage. Then we have our Offensive Line who now has made the Doug Free situation a little bit lighter. With the addition of Alex Barron(in the Bobby Carpenter trade to the Rams), this years sixth round pick Sam Young ,and now, last years third rounder Robert Brewster is getting healthier from a torn pec before the season began last year. Free will need to show why Tony Sparano felt highly about this young prospect. Jason Hatcher and Stephen Bowen will be competing with Marcus Spears for Defensive End time. I think everyone is getting my point here!

Now there are good ways to handle adversity with competition. Take Marcus Spears who sees that he is getting under paid but is still willing to go out there and to do whatever he can to progress and to make this team better.

There are bad ways to handle adversity with competition. Take Gerald Sensabaugh, whom won’t play this year unless he has a contract (longer than one year). Patrick Crayton, who isn’t showing up to OTA’s, which is allowing these other WR’s to go out and strut their stuff.

All in all everybody is in it for the team effort…if their not then they are shown the easiest exit out of the Ranch.

We need to keep our players hungry!…that’s exactly what Jimmy Johnson did with the Cowboys in the early 90′s..he kept them wanting more. He made sure that he found talent and that the talent worked hard. Their reward?…wins…”W”s…a championship…many championships! Even spotlight time for their personal achievements. No matter if you just played Special Teams( e.g. Kenneth “The Shark” Grant and Bill Bates). Who can beat that?

Tom Landry did that with his players, with Craig Morton and Roger Staubach sharing time at QB..some times each coming out every other play. Or Preston Pearson with Tony Dorsett. After a while Pearson, knew that he just needed to become a role player and let the young star rookie take the lead. Meanwhile, Pearson gave a whole ‘nother depth to that ’77 championship team.

I could go on and on. I could talk about the Running Back situation, on who should start and who should be our third down back, etc. Jason Witten has Martellus Bennett and John Phillips, to have him staying ahead of the game. Even the kicker Dave Buehler can’t just walk in and assume the starting roll as kicking field goals. Practically, every position has someone who could came in from behind and take over the starting roll…that’s what makes us special.

Now you could be reading this and think, “What about Romo, Ratliff, Witten or Ware?Haven’t these guys already proven themselves at a, sometimes, All-Pro level??…don’t these guys have a solid spot?” Well, of course, they do! They achieved it in their own way, by showing up every day to lead this team. Look at Aikman, Irvin, and Emmitt…they had solid spots, because they carried the team. I would love to say that there are solid spots on this team, but you never know…? I don’t see any rings on Wade’s Dallas Cowboys….just yet! Let ‘em duke it out with each other in the hot weather this offseason….then duke it out with the rest of the NFL to show everyone what they are made of, and what their teammates have pushed each other to become…future Super Bowl Champions!

Deon Anderson Should Fear Team Reaction

Of all the things to happen, why’d Deon Anderson have to land himself a gun related charge? Seriously, as if Plaxico Burress didn’t make that point crystal clear for the league.

To me it seems like there are just too many dynamics in play to try to figure out what will happen with him should he be convicted, and even if he’s not. I say too many because one of the key dynamics is the amount of change in Jerry Jones regarding his players and personal conduct.

We all remember the 90′s—it was ugly as far as personal conduct.

But then Adam “Pacman” Jones was able to test and tread the waters before eventually sinking at the hands of Jerry Jones. And who can forget Terrell Owens, given that anyone believes the decision to release him last year was even slightly about team chemistry and “The Player’s” attitude.

Jerry has possibly demonstrated a change in his own policies for dealing with players who cause and get into trouble. I use possibly because while things were really heating up with Pacman and T.O., Anthony Spencer got into some trouble and barely received a slap on the wrist.

So what will Jerry do with Deon, regardless of if he is eventually convicted or not? It’s hard to say.

T.O. had become more of a problem than a producer, and Pacman could never stay out of trouble long enough to start producing in Dallas. But Spencer was viewed as the next starting OLB ready for the soon-after release of Greg Ellis.

Deon Anderson had one catch for five yards in 2009. That’s it. That was all of his involvement.

It seems to me that the axe would fall swiftly if it even looked like he was facing jail time. But a guy that touches the ball only once in a whole season plus two playoff games should be very worried no matter what.

So you guys tell me what you think, should he be cut and under what circumstances? Answer in the comments.

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Dallas Dominates Seattle; Is This Going To Be A Common Result?

Dallas followed up their dominating performance over the Falcons with a duplication against the Seattle Seahawks.

The Cowboys once again outplayed their opponent in all three phases of the game. They were playmakers on offense, smothering on defense, and the special teams was the smoking gun to end the game for the second straight week.

Patrick Crayton followed a 74-yard punt return last week with an 82-yard punt return against Seattle that signaled the game’s end.

The main question that I have is: “Are you guys going to keep this up?”

Being a passionate and attentive fan is very painful when you see your team fail. It is harder when your team beats themselves instead of being outmatched.

I believe the majority of Dallas’ losses last year were because they beat themselves. That is agonizing because if they were outplayed, the team simply needs to draft an important player at this spot or trade for a playmaker at that spot.

Dallas has the talent, but they have not had the discipline needed to be consistent. Without consistency, a team is not going to win championships or even get into playoffs.

Though they are showing discipline now, the bane of the Cowboys’ year is in December, and the loyal fans of Dallas have waited 14 years to see their team get back to a championship-contending level.

Is the wait going to be for nothing?

I’m truly excited by their play. If they kept playing like they have the past two weeks, then I’d be fine with them losing a few games to bad luck or to better play by the opposing side. What I can’t stand as a fan or analyst is sloppy play.

The greatest coaches of all time were understanding after a loss to a better team. But no coach worth mentioning would be satisfied with the results of some of the Dallas games I have watched.

This team is almost too good to be true.

Tony Romo has thrown 120 passes without an interception and with eight touchdowns.

Miles Austin, an unknown receiver, has gained 482 receiving yards in his first three career starts.

Dallas has 17 sacks, four interceptions, eight forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries in five games after having zero in all categories for the first two weeks.

Does this sound like the Dallas team of last year?

Want to see the rest? Check here: http://www.nfltouchdown.com/dallas-dominates-seattle-is-this-going-to-be-a-common-result/

Why I Am Not Surprised By Dallas’ Win

After the Dallas Cowboys won the Falcons game, my good friend and fellow NFL fan voice, Dan Parzych, messaged me this: “I must say….that was one impressive victory for your Boys today. I’d say big, BIG statement game.”

This was a big statement game yes, but did it surprise me? No, it did not.

The Dallas Cowboys were under a lot of pressure. They were a 4-2 team that looked like it was hanging on by the skin of their teeth instead of the dominant team that they were in 2007 or the team that looked great at times in 2008.

They were not a bad team, but more of a team that was without focus and had mistakes instead of executions for plays.

They had not even beaten a team that had a won a game. The Buccaneers still haven’t won a game, and the Chiefs and Panthers won games after they lost to Dallas.

So, they were going up against a team that had the reigning NFL Coach of the Year, a hotshot young quarterback who was the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year, the NFL’s all-time receiving tight end, a running back who led the league in rushing last year, and a receiver who had the most receiving yards last year.

Oh, and they had made playoffs too.

It was not going to be easy. Many thought the Cowboys were, to quote T.I. and Timberlake, “Dead and Gone” and were going downhill from there with a team that had just blown their chances to beat the Giants and were done away with against the Broncos.

Dallas not only won the game, but aside from two drives, they dominated the Falcons on all three parts of the game. They scored 37 points, Tony Romo threw for three touchdowns and 311 yards.

The defense had four sacks, three interceptions, three forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery. The special teams had amazing coverage and scored a 73 yard touchdown on a punt return.

Why am I not surprised though? Why am I, James Williamson, not surprised by what Dallas did to that team?

Because Dallas is capable of doing that to, if not all, most of the teams in the National Football League, and I am as serious as a heart attack when I say that.

I remember thinking to myself, before the game started, “This team is not better than us. The only way they should win is if Dallas becomes a chicken farm and starts laying eggs.”

I have watched this team for three years now. I’ve reviewed the film so many times, I’ve actually had dreams with it playing. If I didn’t know this team, then I’d be an underachieving fan voice to say the least.

These guys are special. I know they are. When they are on, I don’t think any Dallas team can compare to them.

The problem is that they don’t stay on. They are a flickering light bulb that is unreliable and that is what makes them a tough team to watch because the light bulb will fizzle out at the most inopportune time.

Look at the talent level around them.

Please finish this at: http://www.nfltouchdown.com/why-i-am-not-surprised-by-dallas-win/

Cowboys Running Game in a Cover Two State of Mind

cover-2-defense

In the first two games of the pre season the Dallas Cowboys offense has encountered what I believe will be the standard defense for teams to run until the Boys prove they can consistently beat it.

The Oakland Raiders and the Tennessee Titans stayed true to the “Cover Two” strategy through the entirety of both games. Obviously the Raiders had more success with it than the Titans.

The general premise of the “Cover Two” is to simply force the offense to settle for short passing gains, thus putting an enormous amount of pressure on so teams running attack. If the offensive team is unable to rush the ball effectively, the defense has control of the game, simply because they can force the offense to have to try to connect on longer pass plays, and the numbers are way more in favor of this defense when that happens.

While yes it is “just pre season” Jason Garrett and the Cowboys offense should be a little concerned with what they have seen from the running game thus far.

Through the first two pre season games the Cowboys offensive starters are averaging 3.3 yards per carry. This will not get it done against the “Cover Two” in the regular season!

The Cowboys offensive line and running backs have got to step up the pace come game one in Tampa Bay.

Jason Garrett probably has a number in mind that he needs this offense to be at as far as YPC is concerned for this offense to work, and I will promise you that number is not 3.3! I would guess that the number in question is probably in the 4 to 4.5 YPC range.

While I will agree that the starters have played less than three quarters of football so far this pre season that is no excuse for disregarding the necessity of needing this group to step up.

I have heard a lot of the Cowboy fandom saying things like “we cannot get the ball down field” and “why are we not taking shots deep” there is a very basic answer to these questions, they are taking what the defense is giving them. Tony Romo should be applauded for the things we are seeing from him so far.

I can only remember one time so far that Romo has tried to do more than he should and it was almost intercepted! The rest of the time he has been extremely diligent in just sticking to the plan and taking what is there.

This offense will only be able to take shots down field if the running game can produce enough to force the defense to change its strategy, which would force them to no longer drop their Linebackers into zone coverage, but rather keep them near the line to help out with run defense.

The Cowboy offense has not accomplished this feat yet, notice I said yet! This team is a work in process, and so far each week they have grown stronger.

The success of this offense now rest in the hands of six people. Andre Gerard, Kyle Kosier, Leonard Davis, Marion Barber, Felix Jones, and Tashard Choice. The damage they do in between the tackles could vault this team to greatness or send it spiraling out of control.

Straw That Stirs The Defenses Drink?

Gerald Sensabaugh The 2009 version of the Dallas Cowboys defense will look and feel like a completely new unit. With an influx of young energetic, athletic players and a full season with Wade Phillips as the Coordinator will certainly change things.

There is one person however who holds the key to what this team can be, and it might not be who most of us would have thought either!

Now we could come up with at least a handful of names that at the very least could drastically change what this defense will be able to accomplish this year, Demarcus Ware, Terrence Newman, Bradie James, Mike Jenkins, Orlando Scandrick… just to name a few.

None of those guys can do for this unit what one Gerald Sensabaugh can though! I realize it sounds ridiculous to think that a guy who many of us did not even know who he was could suddenly be the main component in elevating this average defense to a top flight unit.

Gerald has already made a profound impression upon Wade Phillips during OTA’s, saying

“Sensabaugh looks outstanding” Phillips said last week. “He’s really got a lot of ability, good work ethic, but he can really cover a lot of ground. We can cover in man to man with him…he has great speed along with cover ability.”

I may not agree with a lot of the things that Wade Phillips does or does not do, but when that guy speaks about what he see’s in a defensive player, I do not question it!

When Wade tells us “He can really cover a lot of ground. We can cover in man to man with him...” He is speaking volumes about what Gerald means to this unit! Everyone wanted an Ed Reed type of safety, well guess what, Wade just told us that we now have one.

In Baltimore’s system Ed Reed is allowed to roam around in the defensive backfield and to just “go after the ball.” They will play some zone coverage, but primarily they stay in a man to man scheme. Ed Reed thrives in this type of system for two reasons.

First, Reed is very fast, and secondly he has excellent cover ability. Now I am in by no means saying that Gerald Sensabaugh is about to become the second coming of Ed Reed (although I certainly believe it is a possibility) I am simply comparing the two systems and how safeties with these abilities can change the culture of those systems.

Gerald Sensabaugh will allow the likes of Demarcus Ware, Anthony Spencer, Keith Brooking, Bradie James, Jay Ratliff, and the rookies to pin their ears back and send blitz packages at the opposing offense that they simply cannot plan for.

Wade Phillips has been dreaming about this type of safety since he became the Head Coach here, and his players know it!

Wade is ready, and so are his troops, thanks to one Gerald Sensabaugh.