December 2006 - Posts
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 Well, there goes my season record prediction for the Cowboys. Had ‘em 11-5, and now the best they can do is 10-6. How’d you guys do? But you know, that darn blocked field goal at Washington right now likely stands in the way of 11-5, assuming the Cowboys bounce back to beat 2-13 Detroit. So as many of you predicted, that 22-19 loss to the Redskins after time expired is coming back to haunt the Cowboys. If not for that, they could have lost twice to the Eagles, beaten Detroit and still won the NFC East by a game at 11-5.
So we can say what we want about Terrell Owens, but now he has caught more touchdown passes in a single season for the Cowboys since Richard Nixon was President, his 12 matching Lance Rentzel’s dozen in 1969.
DeMarcus Ware’s 8½ sacks rank second in the NFC among linebackers, just a half-sack less than Seattle’s Julian Peterson. He’s now 1½ sacks in the season finale against Detroit away from posting the Cowboys’ first double-digit sack season since Tony Tolbert had 12 in 1996.
Just for the record, and maybe to help you guys from needlessly getting bent out of shape about Bill Parcells allowing the players to go home Christmas morning if they wanted to, implying a loss of focus was the cause for the loss. The only difference in that routine, other than Monday morning being Christmas, is the players didn’t have to report for mandatory breakfast by like 8 a.m. Normally, guys report for breakfast, and are free to drive home if they want before reporting to the stadium at least two hours before kickoff. I mean, for a 3 p.m. start, most head home before getting to Texas Stadium by noon or so. There are no team meetings the morning of a game, and it’s not like they ride a team bus to Texas Stadium. Get over it.
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Maybe it’s me. Maybe I’m a Scrooge. But it’s one thing for Terrell Owens to wear a Santa Claus hat to Texas Stadium with "Cowboys" emblazoned in black on the white fury rim before the game. But after getting beat 23-7 by the Eagles, and losing a chance to clinch the NFC East title, and catching as many passes (two) as he dropped (two), and you wear that get-up to the post-game media conference? And maybe I’m getting old and cranky, but, dude (as he would say), use some good judgment.
Bill Parcells didn’t point fingers on two huge mistakes the Cowboys made, but he did blame several on the team’s inexperience. So on the 25-yard touchdown pass to tight end Matt Schobel when the Cowboys blitzed both safeties, it seemed fairly obvious nickel linebacker Kevin Burnett failed to cover the tight end. All Jeff Garcia had to do was shotput the ball down the middle of the field.
Then when Parcells gambled on the goal line, going for it on fourth-and-goal from the one trailing 7-0 instead of kicking the gimme field goal, seemed fairly obvious again that rookie fullback Oliver Hoyte got confused on who to block, thus blocking no one, and allowing Eagles safety Quintin Mikell blitzing off the corner to nail Marion Barber for a three-yard loss.
Here is what Terence Newman meant about getting out-muscled in a game: The Eagles became the only team this year to construct four scoring drives of 77 yards or more against the Cowboys. My gosh, they went 89 and 80 yards for touchdowns, and then 89 and 77 for field goals. And get this: In the first nine games, the Cowboys' defense had been nicked for a drive of at least 77 yards just one time, and that was the Eagles’ one-play, 87-yard touchdown pass to Hank Baskett. But in the past six games, the Cowboys have given up 11 drives of at least 77 yards.
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So will you guys now cool it with the e-mails asking if the Cowboys are sorry for selecting DeMarcus Ware with last year’s first-round pick instead of Shawne Merriman? Someone out there must think the guy can play . . . just a little. And I’m guessing after Saturday night, Michael Vick is one of them.
Amazing the paths the Cowboys’ three first-time Pro Bowlers have taken to get to Hawaii. We all know Tony Romo’s rags to riches story by heart. Then there is DeMarcus Ware, going from Auburn, Ala., to Troy University to converting from a defensive end to linebacker at the NFL level. And finally Mat McBriar, having never played this game of American football growing up until going to college at . . . University of Hawaii. Ware, when asked if he’s ever been to Hawaii, said, “Never been to Hawaii, but I got my sandals ready.”
Boy, the Eagles will be all riled up for this game on Christmas Day. Not only do they have a chance to jump into the NFC East lead with a victory on the basis of then having swept the Cowboys, but they would also clinch at least a playoff spot.
That the Eagles held the Giants to 88 yards rushing Sunday represented the first time they have held an opponent to less than 100 yards rushing in the past eight games. And in one of those seven straight, 100-yard games opponents put up, the Eagles gave up a season-high 237 to Indianapolis.
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While the 11-play, 80-yard touchdown drive to take a 38-28 lead was maybe the most important one of the season, Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells saying, “That might have been the biggest drive of the year . . . so far,” don’t forget rookie Miles Austin’s kickoff return after the Falcons took a 28-21 third-quarter lead. Austin returned the kick that pinned him in the deep left corner of the field 37 yards to the Cowboys’ 45, where they drove for Martin Gramatica’s 48-yard field goal.
While Marion Barber will get all the credit for his game-clinching three-yard touchdown run to give the Cowboys that 38-28 lead, go back and look at the blocking. He got a double from tight end Jason Witten, a nice push by from Marc Colombo and then fullback Lou Polite pancakes Atlanta linebacker Ed Hartwell in the gut, allowing Barber to cut off his backside and fall into the end zone.
All I know, is that from 1991-96, when the Cowboys won five division titles, three Super Bowls and played in four NFC title games, they finished strong in every season they did not purposely pull back in the final game when their playoff fate had been decided. But look back to 1998 and 1999 when they lost first-round games. They finished 2-3 in both of those seasons, and 2-3 again in 2003 when they were eliminated in a wild-card round game. Do not minimize Parcells saying, “I don’t think any coach doesn’t want to finish on a high note.” For the Cowboys, that would be a three-game winning streak, and winning seven of their last eight.
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Here is the Cowboys’ biggest dilemma come Sunday against the Saints, the NFL’s top-ranked offense: How to deal with Reggie Bush. Saints head coach Sean Payton has done a wonderful job of coordinating an offense that implements the running skills of Deuce McAllister and the versatility of Bush at the same time. Bush will help form a three-receiver set, lined up out wide or in the slot, with McAllister at running back. So what kind of defense do you play? Stay standard to respect the run, but then you take your chances with Bush, likely in zone coverage, which gives him space. Go to your nickel so a DB can cover Bush, and now you have one less linebacker to deal with the hard-charging McAllister.
Leave it to NBC analyst John Madden to hit the nail on the head with Bush: “He reminds me of a kid who was never it.” He means in a game of tag. Beautiful.
This stat is scary: The Saints have 55 plays this season of 20 yards or more, second in the NFL to only Philadelphia’s 61. And what has hurt the Cowboys’ defense the most this season? Yep, big plays. Saints QB Drew Brees leads the NFL with 50 completions of at least 20 yards, along with 13 touchdowns passes of at least 20 yards. Those TD passes have averaged a frightening 34.6 yards. Where’s the safety, man?
The very same reason the Cowboys have made this turnaround in the past six games, going from 3-3 to 8-4, is one of the very reasons the Saints have gone from last year’s 3-13 to today’s 8-4. Quarterback. Sure Payton has done a wonderful job of cleansing that team, changing over half the 53-man roster, but the best move was bringing in Brees to replace Aaron Brooks. While Brees signed a six-year $60 million deal, there is a catch. After paying him a $10 million signing bonus this year, to keep him a second year the Saints must fork over a $12 million roster bonus in March. Benson better starting selling a few extra cars.
And the score . . . Cowboys 31, Saints 24 . . . the Saints’ loss of defensive tackle Hollis Thomas will hurt them greatly, and their offensive firepower will short-circuit some if Joe Horn and Marques Colston can’t go, which would allow the Cowboys to concentrate a tad more on Bush, if that’s possible.
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Starting already is it, the Cowboys can clinch a playoff berth if . . . . They win and about everyone else loses, including Philadelphia, Minnesota, San Francisco, St. Louis and Atlanta. Of course, ties also would aid their cause with the first four teams, too.
The Saints have two significant injuries causing them concern heading into Wednesday’s practice, the first this week preparing for the Cowboys. Leading receiver Marques Colston has missed the past two games with a severely sprained ankle. Making matters worse, veteran receiving leader Joe Horn has been bothered by a nagging groin, yet tried to play Sunday against the Niners. He lasted one catch, and never returned to the game. That means with Devery Henderson starting already, if Horn can’t go, Terrance Copper is the next guy up.
More bad news for the Saints, who don’t need much on defense since defensive end Will Smith (knee) missed Sunday’s game. Their starting nose tackle Hollis Thomas, who signed with them as a free-agent after spending nine seasons with the Eagles, has been suspended four games for violating the league’s steroid policy. Thomas appealed the suspension, claiming the banned steroid was contained in the asthma medication he uses in his inhaler. The suspension was upheld, and begins immediately. He's had 43 tackles and is third on the team with four sacks. Eight-year veteran Antwan Lake is his backup.
Former Cowboys kicker Shaun Suisham was signed off the Redskins’ practice squad Saturday and replaced Nick Novak on the 53-man roster Sunday to kick against the Falcons. Suisham missed his only attempt, wide left from 50 yards, and was rather short on his kickoffs. Also, Baltimore signed Remi Ayodele to its practice squad. The Cowboys released Ayodele from the practice squad Nov. 27.
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While Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo completed just 58.8 percent of his passes, the lowest of his five starts, he said he was forced to throw away more passes Sunday against the Giants than he has in all his other starts. Now that’s something to be proud of, because the young Tony Romo would never have given up on so many plays to live for another down or another series. And as he said, “I should have thrown away one more.” That was the one he badly missed Terrell Owens that landed in the paws of safety Will Demps. Romo got rushed hard, and says he was forced to throw the ball before Owens was able to complete his route, “and I should have known better.” Hey Tony, it’s only your sixth start, dude.
Yo, Marion “The Touchdown Maker” Barber, scoring his 12th and 13th rushing TD’s of the season: On that 7-yarder, nice move, but you don’t get there if not for the block first by Jason Witten to get you outside the tackle and then by Terry Glenn second, coming back inside to seal off the lane. Plus, go shake Tony Sparano’s hand for the call.
With the Cowboys leading 13-10 early in the fourth quarter, a huge pat on the back goes to veteran corner Aaron Glenn, who was giving up nine inches to Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress. But he never gave him an inch on the field, and on that third-and-goal from the four, the old pro recognized what was coming and undercut the slant route, nearly intercepting Eli Manning’s pass to force a game-tying field goal. “I anticipated what was coming,” Glenn said.
And when we are recalling big plays, none might have been bigger than DeMarcus Ware’s dropping of Brandon Jacobs for that three-yard loss on fourth-and-one at the Cowboys’ 24 with 1:13 left in the first half. Not only did his play save a potential seven points if the Giants converted and continued their drive, but the Cowboys made the most of that 1:13, starting at their own 27, Romo driving the Cowboys to the Giants 23 for Gramatica’s 41-yard field goal with :01 left. How’s that for symmetry? The Cowboys finished both halves with 40-something field goal at the one-second mark. You can make a case for his play causing a 10-point swing.
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