Dallas Cowboys Nation

Preseason games mean very little

By Rich Steidler|Dallas Cowboys|Be the first to comment!

In the NFL there are many things that matter and a few that do not. The obvious ones that do matter are scoring, turnovers and third down efficiency to name a few. Then there are the ones that do not matter which are the first game of the season, opening drives, the first team to score and preseason games.

Now we all know the Cowboys have been mediocre at best this past preseason. The defense has shown flashes of being dominant while the offense has looked pitiful. The offensive line does not seem to be able to block anyone and the running game was nonexistent but it is preseason.

Preseason games have no bearing on how a team will perform in the regular season. The truth is most veterans are playing at half speed and do not want to get hurt as well as being worn down from training camp. There are also players mixed in that have very little or no experience at all in these games. It’s hard to get continuity when there are different players in and out throughout the games in preseason.

I know we keep hearing the term but the Cowboys have been very vanilla in their playcalling. Against the Texans the Cowboys did not blitz one time. That’s about as vanilla as you can get. Tony Romo has also said that the Cowboys have run most of their offensive plays only in practice and have not revealed them yet.

Preaseason is no time to start to panic. This Cowboys team is loaded and has too much talent to not be successful in 2010. Now there are areas of concern like the offensive line and the running game. If it carries over into the Redskins game then I would say this team is in trouble.

I have confidence that this team will either be 12-4 or more than likely 11-5 and another NFC East crown. I also think they will be in the thick of things at the end of the season and challenge for the Super Bowl. Let’s at least wait to see how the Washington game pans out before we say the sky is falling on the Cowboys.

Popularity: 5%

Cowboys Defeat Chargers but work still to be done.

By Bryan Martin|Dallas Cowboys|1 Comment

Last night the Dallas Cowboys allotted more time for the first teams to show their stuff.  It turns out it they needed a lot more than just the first 2 quarters.   We’ll take some time to highlight the Good, Bad, and Ugly of last nights game.

The Good:

- Sean Lee displayed good speed and recognition in his play last night.    That’s a good sign for someone who was injury prone during his collegiate career.  Lee is very similar to Brooking and if he continues to progress the way he is, it’ll be a very good career he’ll have in Dallas.

- Martellus Bennett finally showed some fight in him.  After a disappointing season and dramatic offseason, Martellus Bennett came into the game amassing 40 yards off of two catches.  Bennett has been under a lot of scrutiny for his lack of motivation but if this is a sign of things to come it’ll be good news for a struggling offense.

- Miles Austin was able to snag a perfectly thrown back shoulder fade by Tony Romo.   You can expect this to happen frequently this season.  This too was a sign that Miles wasn’t a one hit wonder.

The Bad:

- For a team who is looking to hoist a dominant running game, Felix, Tashard, and Marion have looked less than stellar.  Behind a quality offensive line you’d expect to see something out of this trio of running backs that are projected to be game changers.

- Kevin Ogletree.  For a guy who is being given a lot of opportunities to produce, he isn’t.  The Cowboys really think a lot of this guy and throughout practice and game situations he’s been mediocre at best.

The Ugly

The Offense– particularly the play of Tony Romo.  Now I can say this, I think Tony Romo will be a top 5 quarterback this season.  However, he needs to start producing.  I know his play has been limited but he looked rusty and that’s not something that is encouraging entering a season with great expectations.

Notes:

Injuries to Sensabaugh and Brooking seem to be a non issue but will be held out for precautionary reasons.

Akwasi looked good for his pro debut.  Quick with good burst needs to work on fluidity in movement and decisions.

Cletis Gordon is fighting hard for a spot on this roster and I think he just might make one.  He has been incredibly consistent when he has to make plays on the ball.

Popularity: 9%

2010-2011 Dallas Cowboys Season Predictions

By Bryan Martin|Dallas Cowboys|Be the first to comment!

The Dallas Cowboys will start this season striving for something that has never been done: attempting to win a home super bowl.  Playing in a Super Bowl at home is, in itself, an incredibly unheard of feat.  That being said a dynamic offense synced with a superb defense will be the identity of this Dallas Cowboys team against some difficult foes.  So we’ll take a look at the schedule and predict how this season will unfold.

Week 1 – @ Washington

The Cowboys open the season in a rivalry game that offers a lot of new faces in new places.  Mike Shanahan will lead Donovan McNabb and the Washington Redskins onto the field.  In a battle that will seem lopsided the Cowboys Offense will overpower the Skins D.

Outcome: Dallas 31 – Wash 17

Week 2 – CHICAGO

The Cowboys open in Dallas against a rebuilding Chicago team.  Jay Cutler will be under a fire storm and Miles Austin and Dez Bryant are going to torch Chicago’s passing D in a big way.  Expect Ware to get multiple sacks against Cutler who looks like a statue in the pocket sometimes.

Outcome: Dallas 24 – Chicago 10

Week 3 – @ Houston

Houston is a sleeper for sure this year.  They offer a tough matchup in the passing game.  Owen Daniel and Andre Johnson provide Schaub legitimate targets that can get things rolling.  The Houston D is also potent enough to considered a threat.  However, the lack of a running game makes the passing attack an easier gameplan and the Boys win a close one.

Outcome: Dallas 27 – Houston 24

Week 5 – TENNESSEE

Another week with a lopsided offense.  Dallas should be able to focus on CJ2K and Vince Young and dominate the young team.  The Titans D allowed the 20^th highest points per game last year and I expect the high scoring Cowboys to exploit that.

Outcome: Dallas 35 – Tennessee 16

Week 6 – @ Minnesota

There are two scenarios here, none of them good.  Farve returns and dices the Cowboys Secondary.  Favre doesn’t return and Jared Allen dices up the Cowboys new left tackle.  Take your pick.  There is upside, the game is a lot closer if Favre stays home.

Outcome Dallas: 17 – Minnesota 28

Week 7 – N.Y. GIANTS

Cowboys come off a loss in Minnesota by facing bitter rival New York.  The Cowboys are lucky in this game as New York can’t get it’s running game established through a tough showing through the Dallas D.  The Cowboys are able to use there running game to establish control and win a big statement game.

Outcome: Dallas 27 – New York 21

Week 8 – JACKSONVILLE

An easier game in the schedule, the Cowboys handle the inconsistent David Garrard with ease.  This is a field day for a very talented Cowboys team and it’s over before the third quarter sees it’s halfway mark.

Outcome: Dallas 38 – 13

Week 9 – @ Green Bay

Dallas meets a equally talented team in the frozen tundra.  Aaron Rodgers and Greg Jennings offer the Cowboys a chance to see what it feels like to be diced by a tremendous passing offense and Ryan Grant offers a good “Don’t forget me” aspect of the game.  This one is a battle however, once that Mason Crosby decides on a frigid day.

Outcome: Dallas 24 – Green Bay 27

Week 10 – @ N.Y. Giants

Cowboys wont get caught again this time and face the first losing streak of the season with 2.  Its hard to sweep the Giants and this time they’re a little more prepared.

Outcome: Dallas 21 – New York 28

Week 11 – DETROIT

The hard fighting Detroit Lions come to Dallas to get massacred.  Detroit never gives up and Matt Stafford will surely be a force at quarterback in a few years but this time the Boys run them to hard on both sides of the ball and end this one quickly.

Outcome: Dallas 31 – Detroit 17

Week 12 – NEW ORLEANS

Last year the Cowboys walked into the superdome against an undefeated team.  They won and the Saints are looking to exact revenge.  Unfortunately, the Cowboys Defense puts in one of the strongest showings of the season and force 3 turnovers.

Outcome: Dallas 32 – New Orleans 27

Week 13 – @ Indianapolis

How many people run into Indianapolis and defeat Peyton Manning and the Colts?  Answer: Not many.  The Cowboys don’t’ get to do what other teams have before and lose to the offensive genius known as Peyton.

Outcome: Dallas 24 – IND 28

Week 14 – PHILADELPHIA

Last year is fresh on the Eagles mind and Kevin Kolb is starting to come into his own.  However, Jenkins seems to have DeSean Jackson’s number and the Cowboys shut down a team that lives by the pass.  On the other end of the ball Dez Bryant has taken over the # 2 spot by now and will dice up the weak Philly Secondary.

Outcome: Dallas 27 – Philly 17

Week 15 – WASHINGTON

The Cowboys sweep the Redskins who at this time are relying way too heavily on McNabb and are deeply in need of a quality running game.

Outcome: Dallas 21 – Wash 14

Week 16 – @ Arizona

The Cardinals are a mess at QB at this point the cards are thinking about next year and have inserted Anderson in as Leinharts replacement.  Things aren’t looking good for the once impressive Arizona Cardinals as they face the upper class of the NFC.  Marion Barber and Felix Jones take a lot of pressure off of Romo and the group as they coast to a low scoring, clock controlled game.

Outcome: Dallas 24 – Ari 9

Week 17 – @ Philadelphia

The Cowboys clinched the playoffs last week against Arizona and take this game to rest some starters.  Since the NFC East is a few games back of the Boys, the Cowboys take this time to see what their depth looks like and plan ahead for a playoff game as the number 3 seed.

Outcome: Dallas 14 – Philly 24

Overall Season Outcome:

DAL 11-5; 3^rd Seed NFC

Popularity: 23%

It’s not helping Patrick Crayton to be out right now

By Stewart Fuller|Dallas Cowboys|1 Comment

I know that Patrick Crayton is feeling pretty upset right now, but this really isn’t the way to go by handling it. There are several other ways to express your feelings about your football ability on a certain team. Being absent to OTA’s and mini-camps is not helping  his side of the argument. You can’t just kick and scream to get your way in the NFL. I learned that at an early age when Mom or Dad got tired of any temper tantrum I would provoke in public with my rear meeting the palm of their hand. Now as for a grown man, that’s a different story. I would really like to understand everything that is going on with this. Is there some sort of hidden story going on at the Ranch, or does he really feel that Jerry Jones is out to ruin his career and… his life?

 To me, none of this mounts up to making sense. I know that Crayton has voiced his opinion before about issues that Cowboys fans feel should of just slid by…but why such a big voice about this? I just assumed that he understood that he has a job and it’s to show up to camp and catch footballs with his teammates.

 I am very grateful for everything Crayton has done for this team over the years. I know that he has gotten the ‘shaft’ on many occasions. Fortunately every time he has shown up to prove himself the following week, and on through the rest of the season. It just seems very simple to me that all Crayton needs to do is show up to camp and do what he has always done..proven himself. That’s what every player does every day of being in the NFL. Tony Romo needs to always prove that he is good enough of a Quarterback to lead the Dallas Cowboys to a Super Bowl victory. DeMarcus Ware needs to prove that his 20 sack season wasn’t a fluke. Roy Williams needs to prove that he can play just as good at Dallas as what he did in Detroit. Miles Austin needs to prove that he can keep on performing the way he did last year after his break out game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Keith Brooking needs to prove that he can still play at a high caliber after 13 years in the league. Sean Lee needs to prove that he can play with the pros after teams passing on him in the draft cause of his ACL tear. The list continually never ends.

 Now, my opinion on handling such a situation would be to not focus on talking… but to focus on playing hard on the field, working hard off the field, and improving my ability as an NFL receiver every day. He is clearly putting his focus in the wrong direction. With him being out right now, that is allowing a lot of younger guys to step in and get a better chance at taking 84′s spot. These are young and hungery guys who dive into any slightly open crack of an opportunity. Those guys who are with the team right now are focused! Let me repeat myself..they are FOCUSED! Focused on their individual play and the playing ability of the team as a whole. They are focused on their job and the ultimate goal. They are not focused on talking with the media about how they feel they need to fit into an organization. Talking to the media is just something that is a requirement that many guys don’t always feel like doing. The media shouldn’t be an outlet for your frustrations.

 There was a reason why Jerry, Stephen and Wade decided to clean house before last year… because there was too much controversy going on…way too much. Even the constant comments from Greg Ellis were getting old, and look at what happened to him after a 1 year stint in Oakland. Patrick Crayton is a big key to this team. Patrick and Tony have a chemistry that takes years to develop. Crayton isn’t a superstar on this team but he gives us everything that is still vital to winning a championship. He is a very good third receiver to be placed in the slot. He had a couple of excellent touchdown runs on punt returns too. He is that guy who we all know can fill in a second or even first receiver role any time someone gets hurt.

 Maybe Patrick is wanting to show to people that he is worth the money that Jerry spent on him a few years back. Maybe that is the issue…? I know that I am trying to psychologically analyze this whole ordeal. Something just doesn’ t aggrevates me about this whole situation. It seems like the Dallas Cowboys are looking very positive right now… I just don’t understand what the whole uprise of feeling betrayed by Jerry is all about. 

 Whatever it is it needs to get sorted out and Dallas needs to get back to their main focus. That’s being a team and everyone finding a way to contribute to the ultimate goal. We all love you Crayton!… for everything that you have done for this team. You have gotten yourself through many criticisms that typically come with being a Dallas Cowboy, but don’t let things end like this. I feel that Patrick Crayton is a tremendous commodity to this organization and needs to get back on the field and do all those positive things that he knows how to do. If not then I guess we will be talking about how good (or bad) the Cowboys will play in 2010 without Number 84 on the team. That guy who gives Tony Romo assurance on catching balls during drastic situations. Someone who knows the ends and outs of this offense. Let’s get back to playing football…and proving ourselves as a team.

Popularity: 8%