Alright, 24 hours have elapsed and I can finally start getting over what happened at Invesco Field at Mile High Stadium last night. I already know where this is going, the Cowboys lost, the world must deeply overreact, judge Tony Romo, and try and understand why our defense is the worst defense to ever play football. While this is happening the world is also forgetting it’s only week 4 and the Cowboys are 2-2… The last time the Dallas Cowboys went 2-2? 2006, where they made the playoffs .

Now listen to me I’m not saying the Cowboys will definitely make the playoffs, they have to work on a few things:

1) Offensive Line Play- We have one of the largest most talented offensive lines in the league. They need to start playing like it, 5 sacks isn’t acceptable.

2) Gunslinging- Tony Romo will make mistakes! Period. Why not let him do it while being the playmaker he is.

3) Offensive Play Calls- Jason Garrett needs to learn a few things still about when to run and pass, it just seems like his play calls are unmethodical.

4) Defensive Dominance- Our defense has been playing well, but they need more big plays, so many big plays that teams are afraid of them. Only then will we be a feared team in the league.

Now that we’ve established what needs to be solidified. I feel confident that I have a solid feel on how the Cowboys are playing and responding to certain situations. So where will they be come January? Lets take a further look…

Week 5 @ KC- There is no way the Cowboys lose to an unimpressive Chiefs team.

Prediction: DAL 31 KC 10

Week 7- BYE

Week 8 Home against Atlanta- This will be a tough game, but the extra preperation time pays off.

Prediction: Dallas 24 ATL 17

Week 9 @ PHI- This is a tough game, and it looks like the Cowboys are gonna battle the Eagles to the bitter end..

Prediction: DAL 17 PHI 20

WEEK 10 @ GB- This is a potential wildcard grabber. I don’t worry about Green Bay, the Cowboys Run to 6-3.

Prediction: DAL 27 GB 21

Week 11 Home against WAS- A tough one but the Cowboys sweep the Redskins.

Prediction DAL 34 WAS 17

Week 12 Home against OAK- Thanksgiving… Need I say More?

Prediction: DAL 31 Oak 10

Week 13 @ NYG- Sorry Guys but we don’t split with New York, another disappointed loss and we’re 8-4.

Prediction: DAL 24 NYG 27

Week 14 @ SD- This game is a tough one, but by now the Cowboys are rolling and the Wildcard is to close to let go. Give us the Win

Prediction: DAL 24 SD 14

Week 15 @ NO- Drew Brees…

Prediction- DAL 20 New Orleans 31

Week 16 @ WAS- Sweep Complete, and they need it. If the Cowboys don’t clinch this week, it’s up to home against PHI again.

Prediction: DAL 35 WAS 24

Week 17 Home against PHI- Cowboys avenge last season, pushing the heavily favored Eagles to 3rd in the NFC East.

Prediction: DAL 37 PHI 16

Now incase you lost count that gives the Cowboys a realistic 11-5 record. The Early bye week gives the Cowboys a chance to regroup and refocus, which pays dividends in the end.

Final Word-The Blame Game

Again for my weekly destruction of over critical fans. Last weeks loss was not Tony Romo’s… No ands, if’s or buts about it. It was a team loss. Communication, Football Knowledge, and Blown Assignments are the factor of that loss. There are 13 more weeks left, and if you want the Cowboys to do well, you better rally behind them. Many of you will bash my predictions, yet they are all generated the same way experts do. You know why you’ll bash them? Because you don’t believe. So get up, shut up, and Support your team. That means you Derek Eagleton!

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Forgive the blatant clichéd to death Charles Dickens rip off, but honestly I don’t think there is a play on words that I’ve heard that better describes the Cowboys of the last 3 years.  I touched on this briefly in my last contribution; thus far in 3 games, we have seen every aspect of the Cowboys wow us, be it the running game, the passing game, special teams, rush defense, pass defense, etc.  But, we have not seen it all happen at the same time!  The one scenario that I did not cover, though, was when the Cowboys do all show up at the same time, only not for the entire game.  To be more specific, the Cowboys in the 1st half compared to the 2nd half were two different teams against the Panthers Monday night.  It happened last year against the Bengal’s, only the Cowboys fired on all cylinders in the first half, but seem to become content with their lead in the 2nd.  The point is, yes, I’m happy the Cowboys were able to pull their collective heads out of their butt and win (I even told those who would listen in my close proximity at the bar I was at that the Cowboys were going to come back), but as a fan who would like to see this team go to the Super Bowl, I was not impressed. 

Granted, the Eagles were playing the Chiefs, but they won that game the way a good team wins – convincingly (and that with their back-up QB and rookie RB).  The Giants against the Bucs:  Is there any question who got dominated in that game?

And yet, the Cowboys in every game have made the game look closer than what it should be.  I walked away from week 1 thinking watch out for those Bucs.  Three games down and I’m not so sure.  I walked away from week 2 thinking, well, at least, the Giants didn’t blow us out; there something there to build on and improve upon.  And then coming into week 3 I heard a familiar statement that I hadn’t heard since 2008:  “The Cowboy’s have a nasty habit of playing to the talent level of their opponent,” and it really hit me hard, because this was shortly after my last contribution.  It all makes sense now.  The question left is, who is at fault? 

Honestly, I’m leaning towards Wade Phillips.  There is another cliché that often is used in regards to the Cowboys:  A team takes on the personality of their coach!  Now let’s imagine Wade gets in a fight and let’s say he is actually winning.  Which of the following sounds more like Wade’s approach in finishing off his opponent:  He keep’s swinging until someone pulls him off or he knocks the guy down, but then being the nice guy that he is, reaches down to help him up, dusting off his pants and hoping that his adversary has had enough? 

Now let’s look at a few teams that have had success over the last few years and apply that same question to their coach:

Steelers – Mike Tomlin – He keeps swinging

Patriots – Bill Belichick – He keeps swinging

Eagles – Andy Reid – He keeps swinging

Giants – Tom Coughlin – He may have to stop to take his heart medication, but by God, he’ll keep swinging.

This is not a criticism of the players coach.  The players coach can have success; there have been plenty in the history of football.  In fact, watching the chemistry that Mike Tomlin has with his players, I’d describe him as a players coach.  This is about identity and it is a universal concept that extends beyond the borders of football. 

As an adolescent growing up, if you wanted a reputation that you were not to be messed with, it wasn’t enough to throw the punch that ended the fight; there will always be another who will take a chance at the title.  You had to end it and make who ever tested you regret it and it had be done in such a manner that sent a message to any other potential contenders, hospital stay being the ultimate statement. 

In life, it is no longer good enough to do your job.  There are too many people out there without a job who are over qualified to do your job and yet are willing to do it for the lack of anything better.  No, you have to keep swinging until you make your self irreplaceable.

In your marriage, it is not nearly good enough to say you love your spouse; you have to show through action that you love them.  The same principle applies to your children and family.

I hate this, because I want to like Wade and, furthermore, I want to believe that 2009 could still be the Cowboys year to go to the Super Bowl.  But unless this team finds someone different within the organization to emulate, I have my doubts.

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Back by popular demand (popular demand being defined as, at least, one person asking me to do this), I will now attempt to predict how the Cowboy’s can stop the otherwise vaunted run attack of the Giants and their potentially dangerous aerial game.

But the first thing we have to do as a collective fan base, is brain dump everything we thought we learned from this unit against Tampa Bay, for three reasons:  1.  It was the first game.  The players adrenaline is higher than normal, the pressure to prove ones value is higher, it’s the first game the starters play a full 4 quarters, and the coaches have very little film to game plan against the opposing team (I’m sure there are the factors, but those are the major ones).  2.  I honestly believe the Bucs are better than what they are getting credit for.  Admittedly, they could use a different QB.  But Antonio Bryant, Michael Clayton, Kellen Winslow, Jerramy Stevens, Cadillac Williams and Derek Ward are not pedestrian weapons; they have all been considered dominant players at their perspective positions at some point in their careers, if not as early as last year (Bryant, Ward, Stevens).   Furthermore, that OL played an outstanding game, in my opinion.  3.  For the first time in a long time, despite the win, the defensive players are not satified with their performance and are committed to correcting what many have agreed are correctable issues.

Feel better?  Okay, let’s move on.

First, our starters:

Defensive Line:

Jay Ratliff (6’4″ 303):  This analysis is going to be long; we all know who Ratliff is.  Next.

Marcus Spears (6’4″ 309):  Like many players returning from last year’s squad, he committed to improving his game over the offseason.  Be that due to personal pride or the fact that he is entering a contract year, I think we can expect him to be solid throughout the year; against the Giant’s, though, we will need more.

Igor Olshansky (6’6″ 315):  For the time being, I have to give Igor an incomplete on his grade.  The trouble is, in the 3-4, defensive lineman effectiveness is very hard to evaluate because their job vastly differ’s from a 4-3 lineman.  But, if Demarcus isn’t getting his sacks, that’s should be a good indication that Igor is not doing his primary job:  keep Ware in one on one blocking situations.

Jason Hatcher (6’6″ 305):  Of all the back ups, Jason seem’s to have the most potential to eventualyl unseat a current incumbent.  He get’s good penetration, and can push the pocket on even starting quality offensive lineman.

Junior Siavii (6’5″ 318):  Thus far, he has been invisible.  On the defensive line, that’s probably the most significant criticism you can offer.

Stephen Bowen (6’5″ 306):  He comes in at a close second, behind Jason Hatcher as a back up.  He has good size and a decent motor.

Linebackers:

Demarcus Ware (6’4″ 262):  Listening to an interview following the Bucs game, he admitted he was never quite right after that first hit that sidelined him while they assessed the severity of what was later revealed to be a concussion.  My understanding of league rules is that he should not have played from the point forward, but there is little trainers can do when a player like Ware makes his mind up that he is going to pass every test they throw at him to determine rather or not he is good to go.  Beyond ability, let this serve as a reminder to his committment to this team and his awareness of how important it is he is standing on the field as a factor in the game or not.

Keith Brooking (6’2″ 241):  This quote says everything:  ”We’ve got to go in with a mentality that we’re not going to allow them to run the ball on us, period.  No matter what happens, no matter what we call, no matter what they run, it’s on us to be where we’re suppose to be.  And when we get there, get there with bad intentions!”  To that, all I can say in reference to his position is, ‘Zach who?’.  For those of you who contend that talk is cheap, he has the career stat sheet to back his talk up!

Bradie James (6’2″ 247):  Following the ugly Bengals game last year, players seemed content to squeak out a win against a lesser opponent.  Flash forward to this week and from the vast majority of the defense from the Head Coach down the mantra is the same, “We have to play better,” Bradie James admitted.  ”We know that.”  Nuff said.

Anthony Spencer (6’3″ 255):  Throughout his career, thus far, he’s been inconsistent.  He has all the physical tools and speed, but he tends to revert to his college day MO of trying to outrun the tackle/TE by going around the block to get to the QB/ball carrier.  In the NFL, in the 3-4, it is imperative, regardless if it involves being taken out of the play by a blocker, that he own his gaps of responsibility.  The 3-4 can be a very effective defense (as the Steelers and Baltimore’s chart topping defenses should suggest), but it requires unselfish players at every level, who obey their assignments.  If he doesn’t take the blocker in his gap, the blocker will have the opportunity to pick up someone in the secondary and that typically mean’s a long run, if not TD, by the ball carrier.  For an example of what to do, take a look at what Demarcus Ware has become excellent at.  He takes on the block and while using one arm to disengage the blocker, he uses his other arm to bring down the carrier or corral him towards other manned gaps.  It requires Demarcus trusting that his teammates will be where they are supposed to be, but again, that is absolutely crucial for the 3-4 to be effective.

Bobbie Carpenter (6’2″ 249):  Bust.  We’ve establish this much.  But I do believe he is, at least, a servicable replacement for Kevin Burnett.  And if you think about it, had we drafted Bobbie in the 3rd round, like Burnett, instead of the 1st, the criticism of Bobbie wouldn’t be nearly as bad; and that was Parcells fault.  At any rate, the one thing the Cowboy’s are doing with Bobbie that I ardently oppose is him being a member of the goalline defense.  His instincts, size, and frame do not matchup well to most NFL team’s goalline offense.  And I really just cannot envision him getting in the air meeting a RB trying to dive over the pile.

Corners:

Terence Newman (5’11″ 195):  When healthy, he’s clutch.  If health had not been an issue in 2007 and 2008, I might even say he’s pretty close to being a shut down corner.

Orlando Scandrick (5’10″ 192):  Thus far, I’d say he has proven he should be the 2nd starting corner over Mike Jenkins.  A true student of the game, we can expect him to be well prepared for the Giants.

Mike Jenkins (5’10″ 198):  He has the tools and the frame defenses like for their corner.  It’s the mental side of his game that typically get’s in the way.  Rather it is over-thinking or a lack of thinking, the jury is still out.  But, I will say, I like him starting over Anthony Henry, Pacman Jones, and Alan Ball.  And if I’m not mistaken, the guys at football outsiders actually think pretty highly of him, as well.

Alan Ball (6’1″ 188):  He proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was the best corner behind the above 3 in training camp and in preseason.  But with his only competition being the likes of Courtney Brown, Mike Mickens, DeAngelo Smith and Julian Hawkins, that really isn’t saying much.

Safeties:

Gerald Sensabaugh (6’0″ 210):  We’ve seen good and we’ve seen bad.  He’s certainly a better coverage guy than Roy Williams, Keith Davis and Patrick Watkins, but he has not been as good as advertised against the run.  Thus far, preseason included, team’s have not had opportunities deep, but he sure has been called for quite a few penalities; most notably the defensive holding call that nullified a Mike Jenkins interception against the Bucs this past Sunday.  I have a theory:  As much as Wade Phillips gushed about what Sensabaugh, in particular, add’s to his defensive scheme’s, I can’t help but wonder if he is over-thinking and committing these stupid penalties to live up to the hype.   Honestly, I think that little bit of phsychology may have also been an issue for quite a few of the Cowboy’s players in 2008.   Regardless of his excuse for mental error’s, it’s unacceptable and against the Giant’s the Cowboys will need every part of his focus.

Ken Hamlin (6’2″ 209):  Much has been made about those two infamous missed tackles at the end of the game against Baltimore, closing the door forever on Texas Stadium.  But for the most part, considering the injuries that created a turnstile at various positions in the Secondary, I honestly believe Ken Hamlin did the best he could with what he had.  As the Quarterback of the defense, it is his job to ensure that all of those rookies and bottom of the roster feeders forced to play due to the suspension or injuries, are lined up correctly.  Ultimately, it comes down to his ability to trust the other guys lining up back in the secondary, to do their job.  He could not do that last year.  In his trying to compensate for poor play by those other positions, his position suffered.  But that’s just my opinion.  Either way, Hamlin has been known to throw everything he has into hit’s and he will be primed to hurt people when the Giants are in town.

Special Teams:

Matt McBriar (6’1″ 220):  Prior to his injury early last year, he was on pace to be a Pro Bowl selection.  He has a boot that can put the ball 60 yards from scrimmage, but from what I understand, DeCammalis has wisely requested he adjust his kicks to not out-punt the coverage.  Thus far, this adjustment has paid off.

Nick Folk (6’1″ 222):  The dynamic of a defense changes when backed against it’s own endzone.  The Cowboy’s may rely on Nick quite a bit to ensure we don’t leave points on the field.

David Buehler (6’2″ 228):  He will likely end the season as the Touchback king of the league, which is huge, but that’s not the only place he will contribute.  He also helps on punt coverage and for a guy who beat out all of the highly touted linebackers drafted from USC this year in the combine at the 40 and on the bench, he is not to be taken lightly as an open field tackler.

Of all the defensive player’s above, Special Teams will likely be where the Cowboy’s win this game.  The Giants, barring turnovers, should have a long field to traverse each time they start a drive.  This will be huge in the wanning moments of the game, particularly considering that of all the attributes their receivers can offer, burning our defense for a quick score likely won’t be one of them.

Now here’s the motley crew the Giant’s will be throwing at the Cowboys:

Offensive Line:

For any NFL team, anything done offensively begins in the trenches.  Partly because I’m lazy, but mostly because it’s unnecessary, I’m going to skip the individual breakdown of the Offense Line.  When you think of the Giant’s OL, most Cowboy fans can’t name one player from the offensive side of the ball with a hand on the ground, anyway.  And for the Giant’s, that’s a good thing.  Why you ask?  Because that mean’s they are a cohesive unit that get’s recognized for their cumulative efforts and not just that one dominant presence; example:  Joe Thomas of the Browns.    But, if you consider the 5 sacks the Cowboy’s were able to compile the last time these two team’s met, you know they are not without their flaws.  Granted, the Giant’s didn’t have Brandon Jacobs in that game, so that should change Wade’s approach a bit.  But keep in mind, despite his TE like frame, Jacobs is actually notoriously horrible at pass blocking, which is why we won’t see him catching to many balls Sunday night (unless it’s on the chin, figuratively speaking; I’m sorry, I had to).  In for sure passing situations, we will likely see Ahmad Bradshaw manning the RB position.

Running Backs:

Brandon Jacobs (6’4″ 264):  To be honest, he doesn’t scare me.  Personally, I believe if you took away his stellar offensive line and committee of RB’s around him, he would be considered an average RB, at best.  With a full head of steam, he is extremely difficult to bring down.   But if the Cowboys can slow his initial acceleration, by simply hitting him (notice I didn’t say they have to tackle him at this point) before or shortly after he crosses the line of scrimmage, his overall production will be marginal.  I will admit, however, if the Giant’s are within 3 yard’s of the Goalline, because of his presence, and, of course, that offensive line, it’s an automatic 6 in my opinion.  By the way, if you didn’t quite get the clowning I was delivering at BJ’s expense in paranthesis at the end of my assessment of the Offensive Line, in other word’s, I’m predicting he’s going to suck against the Cowboys.

Ahmad Bradshaw (5’9″ 198):  I wouldn’t say he scare’s me, but he does draw more concern from me than BJ.  First, he is the RB they will rely on the most in pass protecting, now that Derrick Ward is gone, meaning that he is the guy most likely to catch are defense with their pant’s down expecting the pass.  Furthermore, he is in the mold of those RB’s from last Sunday the Cowboys played against, though I’ve forgotten their names adhering to my own advise.  Last year, Ahmad only compiled 60 yard’s, but with those 12 attempt’s, he averaged 5 yards per carry.  In 2008, he had 355 yard’s on 67 attempt’s for an average of 5.3 yard’s.  And in 2007, he averaged 8.3 yards per carry, with 190 yards on 23 attempts.  If anything, you can say he consistently put’s the Giants in 3rd and relatively short.

Danny Ware (6’0″ 234):  Statistically speaking, we don’t know much.  In 2008 he had 2 carries for 15 yard’s, averaging 7.5 per carry, but that could hardly be considered a trend.  Judging from what I’ve read, he likely could be described as a cross between BJ and Bradshaw, not only in size, but in style, as well.  Last year, he was the preseason team MVP amassing 180 yard’s on opposing team leftovers and bubble-riders.  What that says about him and how he will fare against the Cowboys, if he even see’s the field, is beyond me.

Wide Receivers:

Steve Smith (5’11″ 195):  With 6 passes for 80 yards against the Redskins, Smith was Eli’s favorite target.  His longest reception of the day was 26 yard’s, so if the Giants do try to test our Safeties, it will likely be with him.

Domenik Dixon (6’2″ 182):  Last year, he owned the slot, amassing 596 yards on 43 receptions.  He is also dangerous after the catch.  Scandrick will have his hand’s full, but with our selection of cover Safeties, Scandrick shouldnt’ have to many problems keeping Dixon in check.

Sinorice Moss (5’8″ 185):  The younger brother of self-proclaimed Cowboy-killer Santana Moss, he never has lived up to the Giants expectations.  He has shown flashes, but thus far has failed to be consistent, particularly at catching the ball.

Mario Manningham (5’11″ 183):  He scored a 6 on the Wunderlich and was considered as too slow to play receiver in the NFL.  Most team’s had scratched him off of their draft boards.  But the Giant’s saw something in him and if the Washington game is any kind of indication, with one year under his belt, they are beginning to reap the rewards.

Ramses Barden (6’6″ 227):  Though he likely will never be Plaxico Burress, his size affords him the ability to be that type of weapon in the readzone.  His performance for a 3rd round pick was impressive in preseason, but he has yet to catch a ball in the regular season.  If the Giants are within 10 yards of scoring, I would not be suprised if the Giant’s don’t, at least, put him on the field to give the defense something more to think about.

Hakeem Nicks (6’0″ 215):  The Giant’s 1st round pick was touted as being the most NFL ready receiver available; Jeremy Maclin perhaps being the lone exception.  Early in training camp and preseason, though, Ramses Barden was earning the vast majority of the buzz.  The light’s seemed to come on late, but again, it was preseason.  Against the Redskins, he collected two passes for 18 yards, 11 yards being his long.  If anything, you can say he catches what is thrown at him; Darrius Heyward-Bey, the top receiver drafted, unfortunately, cannot make that claim.

Tight Ends:

Kevin Boss (6’6″ 253):  Jeremy Shockey was the Giant’s T.O..  And Kevin Boss is the Giant’s Roy Williams.  Kevin may not have the amount of talent Shockey possesses, but the Giants, with the baggage Shockey added brought to the team, are better off with out him.  Parallel aside, Boss would still be the 3rd TE on the Cowboy’s depth chart.

Travis Beckum (6’3″ 239):  Drafted in the 3rd round, behind Ramses, Travis topped quite a few list for TE’s available this year, making him a steal in the 3rd.  However, he has not been targeted in the regular season, and only caught two passes for 37 yards throughout preseason.  It may take a year or two to see him reach is potential.

Darcy Johnson (6’5″ 252):  If he does see time, he is mostly considered a blocking tight end.  In 3 years with the Giant’s he has only caught 4 passes for 46 yards.

Analysis:

Like the Cowboys, having jettisoned Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer in the offseason, the Giants have an offense that flourishes by spreading the ball around and keeping opposing defenses off balance by pounding the run, using a few different types of ball carriers.  The Cowboys defense likely won’t dominate the Giants.  That may be asking a little much.  What I am counting on is that the Cowboys will win the field position battle through special Special Teams and the Cowboys offense will ultimately outscore the opposition.   The key for the Cowboy’s defense is to keep the pressure on Eli, even if it doesn’t result in Sacks, and ensure that their running game cannot be relied on to extend drives and dominate the time of possession ratio throughout the game.

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“Whoever gets the mismatch gets the ball with us,” Bennett said. “I think it’s a great tool and a great weapon we showed.”  Martellus Bennett dead panned.

Personally, I think this may have been the definition of tipping your hand, but then again, I think most defenses in this league expect the mismatches to get picked on.  And then, to take that a step further, how will defenses applying that information use it against us?  Honestly?

Here’s what opposing defenses, provided our weapons can stay healthy, are up against.

Wide Receivers

Roy Williams (6’3″ 215):  I think we can, at least, all agree he is a clutch possession receiver.  Though, I have to say, that Touchdown early in the second half looked alot like the Touchdown Larry Fitzgerald scored late in the Super Bowl last season.  Romo throws a beautiful rope hitting Roy in stride, effortlessly pulling in a ball that would break my hands off.

Patrick Crayton (6’0″ 204):  He has often been regarded as having the best hand’s on the team.  But after that 80 + yard touchdown against the Bucs, I’d say his offseason work added quite a bit to his explosion and overall speed.

Miles Austin (6’3″ 214):  Speed has never been a concern.  It’s what earned him a look from the Cowboys in the first place.  But last year, when he turned up field rather than keeping his orginal direction allowing the defense to thrwart his otherwise touchdown against Green Bay, we all saw why he was still a work in progress.  But against the Bucs, he showed the speed and the moves to complement him, as he took a 40+ catch in for a Touchdown, making two players miss one shortly after the first, to take the lead shortly before the end of the 1st half.

Sam Hurd and Kevin Ogletree (6’2″ 208 & 6’0: 192):  Unless one of the above see injury, it’s unlikely we see much of either this year.  But as a quick reminder, Hurd was the receiver who arguably had the best training camp of all the receivers making acrobatic catch, one after another and Kevin Ogletree played the best in preseason, unseating a fairly rooted 3rd year receiver Isaiah Stanback who was much better in Special Teams than Kevin; that mean’s the coaches must have thought alot of Kevin to drop Isaiah, considering the 5th receiver spot typically goes to the Special Teams standout.

Tight Ends

Jason Witten (6’5″ 263):  He won’t wow you with speed or explosion, but he find’s the soft spots in coverage and does not drop balls, as a general rule.  He is also a fairly dominant lead blocker out of the backfield and from the standard TE lineup.  Furthermore, he is Romo’s favorite target.  That speaks volumes to Witten’s reliability.

Martellus Bennett (6’6″ 265):  Big mouth.  Big personality.  But he is all business on the field.  He, too, has displayed the ability to make some clutch catches, even when contested by a would-be defender.  This teamed with his wide receiver like speed, makes him extremely dangerous after the catch.

John Phillips (6’5″ 255):  Think Jason Witten in the early years.  Of course, rather or not he can maintain intensity through severe adversity, such as a deabilitatant injury, remains to be seen, but in terms of his hands and his ability to block, he certainly seems to have the tools to be described as Witten-esqe.

Running Backs

Marion Barber (6, 0″ 222):  Has proven on a fairly consistent basis that he is a reliable target out of the backfield.  If we are being honest, we haven’t really seen the Barbarian like play, a moniker earned in the 2007 season, but he is still solid and can typically pick up 3 to 4 yard’s after the 1st contact with the opposition.

Felix Jones (6’0″ 218):  The first thing you notice is his explosion.  In space, he can turn a check down from Cowboy’s 5 yard line to a touchdown 95 yards down the field in about 10 seconds.  After his initial explosion, you might notice that second gear he hit’s when turning the corner.  If you don’t know what I’m talking about look for Romo on a pitch to Jones on 4th and 3 against the Bengals on youtube or google it.  If you can, watch it in slow motion; when he turn’s the corner watch as it seem’s as though for a brief moment he is running in real time while everyone around him is still moving slow.  Lastly, there is his vision.  The ability to set up the next defender while making the 1st defender miss.  It’s a rare ability that among Cowboy great’s, only Emmitt Smith had and, though I’m not sure on this, perhaps Tony Dorsett.  But outside of those two, I don’t think any RB’s had vision that rivals that of Felix.

Tashard Choice (5’10″ 212):  A combination of Felix and Marion, is the best way to describe him.  And, yes, he too can be threat out of the back field in screen and check down situations.

Deon Anderson (5’10″ 245):  His colleague’s describe him as a devastating lead blocker.  Considering his compact size and, yet, considerable weight, I don’t doubt it.  But I’ve also seen him be pretty reliable in catching situations, as well.  So, he is something else an opposing defense has to think about.

Now, let’s think of the above as a big odd number that a team has to find a common denominator to divide the Cowboy’s by utilizing the combination of size and weight  and the respective talents of their own defensive players.  Quick note:  some players, regardless of size, play big, so you can’t always just compare size and say it’s a mismatch.  How do they match up to the various looks the Cowboys can create utilizing the above weapons?  I feel a series coming on.

Let’s take a look at our next week opponents the Giants starting unit in the secondary.

Corners

Cory Webster (6’0″ 202):  Clutch, but by no means what you would consider a lockdown corner.  So Roy Williams and company, with precise route running, will have opportunities.

Terrell Thomas (6’0″ 199):  A second round pick by the Giants from 2008, you could say he’s on Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick’s level, which means, once again, Roy Williams and company will have opportunities.

Aaron Ross (6’0″ 197):  According to the injury report, Aaron has a hamstring injury and is definitively out for next week’s game.  Though, it would not be the first time Coughlin had a player miracously recover from an injury to play afterall.

Bruce Johnson (5’11″ 182):  Who?  Oh, that undrafted rookie free agent.  Not much can be said, other than he beat out the rookies DeAndre Wright and Stoney Woodson drafted in the 6th and 7th rounds respectively to make the 53 man roster.

Linebackers

Danny Clark (6’2″ 245):  A 10 year veteran, he is solid, particularly against the run, but I can’t see him running with any of our TE’s down the seam.

Antonio Pierce (6’1″ 238):  A 9 year veteran, same issue as Danny Clark.

Bryan Kehl (6’2″ 237):  Logged the least amount of tackles in his first year with the Giants last year, despite starting all 16 games.  If a Safety doesn’t move up to cover our TE’s, he will likely be the unlucky soul charged with the responsbility.

Safeties

Kenny Phillips (6’2″ 210):  He’s my favorite Giant, in a weird “I still hate you because of the team you represent” kind of way.  Not only is he good in coverage, but he can still lay the wood like the orginal prototypical SS.  Think 1st and 2nd year Roy Williams, with the coverage ability of  Gerald Sensabaugh.

Michael Johnson (6’2″ 207):  I don’t know much about him, but looking at his stat’s, I’ll say he is, at least, solid.  I would expect nothing less from a Coughlin staffed defense.

Four corners, with one definitely out for the game and the other an undrafted rookie, 3 safeties, and 4 linebackers.  That is the price the Giants paid to win battles at the line of scrimmage.  But for that ideaology to be effective, they have to win every battle at the line and, honestly, I don’t think they can do that against the Cowboys, particular when the Cowboys show the 12 formation (i.e. two receivers, two TE’s and one RB).  Considering the aforementioned, we will likely see a much more effective version of the Bucs defensive gameplan.  The Giants are going to force us to beat them deep, which also means the Cowboys offensive line is going to have to give Romo time; and that, admittedly, considering the talent and depth on the Giants defensive line, is going to be a tall order.  I said it of the Bucs game, and I’m sticking to this philosophical belief, the Cowboys will also need to employ some screens to back off that blitz, but I would not be suprised if Jason Garrett didn’t come out of the gate wanting Romo to sling it deep to test that very thin secondary.

Now for the fun part.  Consider the above described 12 formation.   Webster and Thomas will likely pick up RW and Crayton.  Brian Kehl will likely pick up either Bennett or Witten, dependent on their alignment.  Who pick’s up the other TE, particularly if they get motioned out wide?  The Safety.  What does that leave?  Either Crayton or William’s in a one on one situation.  Are we getting the picture?  All of our receivers last Sunday displayed the ability to beat single-coverage.  It come’s down to protecting Romo long enough to take advantage of the obvious mismatches:  The receiver in single coverage and/or the TE matched up with Kehl.  Pretty simple, actually.  I could do this all day, but I hope most of my reader’s can read the above and imagine the amount of different alignment’s the Cowboy’s can do that will create several different undesirable situations for the Giant’s defense.

The other side of the ball is a different question entirely.  Given the Cowboy’s performance last week and considering the above, one could surmise that Sunday could turn into a shoot out.  I seriously doubt it, though.  It will be a close game, that will likely be decided by Special Teams and the turnover ratio.

Prediction:  Cowboys 24 Giants 20

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If this is your second time looking at this, you may have noticed I had my number’s backwards.  It was the Giants that led the Redskins by 10 going into the half, 17 to 7.  So the Redskins are pretty much who we thought they were.  But as I will expound on further down, this game really mean’s nothing, considering that they lost to the Giant’s in the opener last year and still beat our beloved Cowboy’s in week four last season.  Therefore, there really isn’t much you can take from the stats compiled in this game; especially if you consider how mediocre our otherwise capable of being dominant, Cowboys defense played against the Bucs.

The running back that seem’s to have broken the Redskins back was actually Ahmad Bradshaw, averaging 5 yards per carry on 12 attempts yielding 60 yards.  The perennial trash talker Brandon Jacobs was held to a measely 2.9 yards per carry with 16 touches totalling 46 yards.  Real quick side bar – the Cowboys, regardless of this next weeks meeting’s outcome, should be able to shut Brandon Jacobs up, albeit temporarily. On the other side of the ball, Clinton Portis had the most yard’s for the day, but was well below average in terms of production with 3.9 yards per carry on 16 attempts, 34 of which was on their first play from scrimmage; in other word’s, after his first run, he averaged 1.8 per carry.  The big question here is, is Clinton Portis that poor of a runner, or is the Giant’s run defense that stout.  Considering Portis’ career average of 4.4 per carry, I’m leaning toward’s the latter.  Of course, this could also be an indictment of the OL and/or coaching, but considering Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, Barry Cofield, and Fred Robbins, with back-ups who could start for most team’s such Chris Canty and Mathias Kiwanuka, I suspect it’s mostly because the Giant’s are just that good against the run.  But getting back to the team in question…the Redskins defense, looked stout throughout the majority of the game against the run, but came up short when stop’s were crucial.  Of course, many fan’s are pointing towards the play calling of Jim Zorn, whose three back-to-back unimaginative running play’s following a goal line stand, gift wrapped a short field for the Giants, where the Giants eventually scored.

As I was digging for a description of the game, I happened upon the following, from an actual fan and since I have thing’s I’d rather be writing about and the following is about as unbiased as you can get considering it’s criticism from an actual fan, I’m going to steal it.  So, with out further ado…

Jim Zorn was determined to rush the ball, but the Giants would not permit it. After a 34-yard run on their first offensive play from scrimmage, Clinton Portis and the rest of the running backs did nothing, gaining 51 yards on 20 carries.

For anyone planning on walking away from this thinking that’s two more W’s we can add to our win/loss ratio prior to the actual games, please note that regardless of how the Redskins play other team’s, they always show up against the Cowboys.  For as long as I have been trying to predict what to expect from these Deadskins, the only thing I’ve been right about is to not underestimate them.

Furthermore, Albert Haynesworth, regarless of the apology and accepted apology exchanged between he and Andre Gurode, will be looking to be vindicated.  Why?  The storyline that you don’t hear about, when the infamous face stomp is brought up, is why Albert was so frustrated he lost his temper.  The truth is, he was getting man-handled, Gurode refusing to give up any ground, despite Haynesworth pile-pusher reputation.  Any NT worth 100 million should draw double-coverage, especially from the Center.  If he doesn’t against Gurode, the Redskins, as well the rest of the nation will know he is what we all think he is:  Vastly overpaid.

And then of course there is the Cowboy killer Santana Moss.  Newman shut him down in our last meeting, but the big question is will Newman remain healthy throughout the year?  (cricket’s chirp)

All in all, the first game is somewhat of a waste of time to analyze, for several reason’s:  First and foremost, there is no game tape from the previous game to study, for the exception of preseason, where most team keep it basic so they don’t tip their hand.  Second, many player’s, particluarly the younger one’s, will get a mad case of the jitter’s, likely taking a half to really get into the flow of the game.  Third, it’s the first game the starters play for 4 quarters.  Not only are these players physically tested in terms of their conditioning, but their mind set changes when they know they have to maintain the same intensity for 1 hour.  It might not seem like much, given the relatively small amount of time transpired during each play, but with the excitement of playing and the concentration that has to be applied for each position, it can be very taxing on the body, mind and spirit of a given player.  Combine the above 3 and the result’s will vary for team’s.  The Cowboy’s were fortunately able to reign in their collective focus and put together what most of us thought they could be as a team in the 2nd half against the Bucs.  The Redskins fell flat in their opener on the road, but by week 11, the first time the Cowboys and Redskins meet, will know alot more about this team and what they are capable of.

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Here we are again in the second installment of the series. Last time we added the New York Giants as an obvious threat. Next, in week three the Cowboys will be home against the Carolina Panthers. Though the buzz hasn’t been surrounding Carolina, they are still a dangerous team.

Key Offseason Additions:

None.

Key Offseason Subtractions:

FB Nick Goings

WR DJ Hackett

CB Ken Lucas

Key Draft Picks:

DE Everette Brown, Florida State: Brown is a speedy guy with great size, he should compliment Peppers nicely.

S/CB Sherrod Martin, Troy: Martin is a speedy guy with great range and versatility. Won’t start but should be in on nickel packages.

Projected Top Performers

(courtesy ESPN 2009 Projections)

DeAngelo Williams 267 car 1325 yards 11 Td

Steve Smith 90 rec 1390 yards 9 TD

Jonathan Stewart 196 car 936 yards 9 TD

Read the rest of this entry »

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This marks the beginning of a highly controversial and highly opinionated series. We have deeply analyzed the 2009 Dallas Cowboys Schedule and will target those teams that have the potential of giving us problems. Today we start with those crazy New York Football Giants.

The Giants will immediately come to town in Week 2, as the Cowboys open the new stadium. Here is the outlook:

Key Offseason Additions:

DE Chris Canty from Dallas.

OLB Michael Boley from Atlanta.

DT Rock Bernard from Seattle.

DB C.C. Brown from Houston.

Key Offseason Subtractions:

RB Derrick Ward

WR Plaxico Burress

CB R.W. McQuarters

CB Sam Madison

S Sammy Knight

Key Draft Picks:

WR Hakeem Nicks, North Carolina- Nicks is a potential game-breaker, whose known for making spectacular catches

OLB Clint Sintim- A great linebacker with good size, should start opposite Boley. Read the rest of this entry »

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It’s a tradition for Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles fans to debate year after year which team will suck and which will claim the NFC East Throne. This year DCNation has partnered with Bleed Green to debate the subject and try to determine exactly who has all the answers. Cowboys fans know just what’s happening at Vally Ranch though.

Kyle Flip has given a good argument to the debate, here’s an excerpt:

The 2009 season has the potential to be an Eagles season we will never forget. With their new found passing game, and the emergence of DeSean Jackson, the Eagles have grown into a lethal pass team. In 2009, the passing game will only get better. Rookie Jeremy Maclin will utilize his quickness and agility to outrun the secondary, while veteran wideout Kevin Curtis will look to improve upon his injury plagued 2008 season. The Eagles have dumped tight end L.J Smith, who never lived up to all the hype surrounding him, and now Brent Celek will take over after Smith’s departure. Looking at the Eagles matchups with the Cowboy’s secondary, the Eagles’ wideouts have the favorable advantage. Besides Terence Newman, the Cowboys are stuck with Orlando Scandrick, Mike Mickens, and Mike Jenkins. Right there, the Eagles already have the advantage.

It’s a nice effort and you can’t really blame them for hoping but after a three mistake season for Mike Jenkins and zero mistake season for Orlando Scandrick it’s a little nuts to point them out as weak spots on this defense. Then again, with such a monster that we have DeMarcus Ware even a good player can be weakness next to him.

Here’s a piece of our side of the debate:

In 2009 we’ve got a healthy team, a much more capable safety than Roy Williams, and were light one pain in the ass receiver – something I know you guys can understand exactly. We’re focused, young, and energetic with enough experience to keep us plowing ahead for another 13-3 season.

The Eagles have too many rookie wide outs to field McNabb’s crooked passes, and they can’t cover the pass much better without the proven leadership ability of departed veteran Brian Dawkins.

Check out the full debate at Bleed Green Forever on Blogspot – The Great Debate: Part 1 and stay tuned to Bleed Green as they continue with parts 2 and 3 against the Redskins and Giants.

Also, don’t forget to check out our feature on MVN for the 2009 Dallas Cowboys Season Preview. Leave a comment over there and show us some love.

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What makes a good Offensive line? How do we judge their performance? The questions could go on and on, with many different outlooks. I am sure my assessment is different than yours, but one thing is for sure everyone has doubts about the Dallas Cowboys Line and I am not so sure all the doubts are warranted!

Many of us were spoiled by the O-Line of the 90’s teams, and there are some of us that believe that if you cannot operate the way that line did then you’re not any good! Well this is just not true!

The design of the teams offense can make or break a line, just the same as a line can make or break an offense.

There are many out there who always want to look at sacks allowed as the judgment stat, this is the wrong way to look at things.

In 2006 this O-line paved the way for 1936 yards rushing on 472 attempts for an avg. of 4.1 yards per carry. In that same year Bledsoe and Romo combined for 4067 passing yards on 506 attempts for an avg. of 8.0 yards per attempt. They were also sacked 37 times.

Then in 2007 they rushed for 1746 yards on 419 attempts for an avg. of 4.2 yards per carry. While Romo threw for 4211 yards on 520 attempts for an avg. of 8.1 yards and was sacked 25 times.

Finally last year they rushed for 1723 yards on 401 attempts for an avg. of 4.3 yards per carry. The group of QB’s last year combined for 3789 yards passing on 547 attempts for an avg. of 6.9 yards per play and were sacked 31 times (11 of those over a 3 game span from Bollinger and Johnson).

So are you seeing the trend? What I see is a team game planning away from the run, not because they cannot do it but rather just because they want to.

In three short years this team has gone from a super balanced attack (50% runs vs 50% pass) to a very one sided passing team (last year 42% run vs 58% pass) and in every year since 2006 there number of plays and rushing yards have gone down! There average yards per carry have increased to further prove the point that it is not a line problem but more so a scheme problem.

When you are dealing with a line built at an average 6’5” 327 lbs. you cannot expect them to sustain blocks for very long! Guys that big are built to smash folks in the mouth and blow open a hole and then release.

As far as the sack numbers are concerned this unit averages 1.9 sacks per game over the last three years. Just to put this figure into perspective, the Indianapolis Colts give up the least per game with an average of 1.1 sacks per game (12 less per year than Dallas) but the Cowboys line protects as well and better than most in the rest of the league. The Giants come in at 1.7, Patriots 2.1, Eagles 2.0.

What I am trying to get to is very simple, This Line may not be the best in the league but they are most definitely in the top tier!

For those of you who wish to argue and live in the 90’s please go look at the numbers! From 1992 to 1995 (the hay day) the O-Line of all O-Lines gave up an average of 1.5 sacks per game (a mere 6 less sacks over the course of the year)! Over that same time period the Cowboys offense averaged 30 pass attempts     per game , and 32 rush attempts per game with a average of 4.1 yards per rush attempt.

Now I have never claimed to be the smartest guy on the planet but the only thing I see wrong with this group is the way that they are used!

This team has a wealth of talent on the Offensive line that is not being used properly. I have never been one to play around much with predictions, but I feel compelled in this situation!

So I am hereby making my first prediction of the season (it may be my last too!) If this unit (Jason Garrett) changes there scheme and gets back to being more of a 50 – 50 offense, this offensive line will be regarded as one of, if not THE top lines in the NFL!

I am also going to go on record as saying this team will win the division and end its playoff win less streak!

I realize I have opened myself up to some harsh criticisms, but I am willing to defend my thoughts are you?

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Well, it looks like the Dallas Morning News Cowboys Insider Blog has a new author, and face, now that Kevin Burnett has departed for San Diego. Can’t really say that it’s a surprise though since the new author has been making blogging headlines for a while now either due to his updates on Twitter or his, at times, controversial videos on YouTube.

Yep, Marty B TV is coming into the blogosphere and if his first post is any indication of what we can expect … good lord.

Check out Martellus Bennett’s first entry here.

In other news though, it appears that Jay Cutler has finally gotten his wish and is now being shopped around. It’s not really a surprise to me that Denver is trying to trade him, but it is concerning that so many people are still thinking that Washington is a good destination for him.

It’s similar to what happens to Tony Romo a lot being another NFC East quarterback … these guys consistently play some of the toughest defenses in the league. Anytime you have a team that plays against the likes of the Chiefs, Chargers, and Raiders for six weeks of every season, the quarterback on that team is going to look good more often than not.

But when you have a guy like Jason Campbell from the Redskins who plays six games against the Giants, Eagles, and Cowboys, he’s bound to look bad and play bad more often. It’s not a direct relation to the guys skill or talent or ability in any way, it simply means that he is playing better defenses in a division that is pass rush happy.

So the talks of the Redskins trading Campbell for Cutler are a little retarded. Some media folks have said that it would be a problem if the ‘Skins acquired Cutler because he is seen as one of the most promising young quarterbacks in the league, and that he would give the Cowboys fits, but really a guy like Cutler just makes our secondary look even better by throwing more interceptions than Campbell.

That’s really the trade-off between the two, Cutler throws more loosely, and Campbell takes more sacks. I say it’d be a plus for us if the Redskins picked up Cutler, not only because of those stats, but because Cutler is on the verge of becoming a full on diva in the league after he so adolescently threw a tantrum when he thought trade offers were being entertained for him early this off-season.

Guess what? Now he will be traded and what he has to look forward to is landing on a team that probably has less going for it than the Broncos. The only real contenders mentioned thus far as possible trade partners for Cutler have been the Redskins and Titans. Other teams being mentioned are the Vikings, Lions, Browns, and the Jets … careful what you wish for is coming to mind right now.

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