Sunday, December 12, 2010
Cliff Lee
I just wanted to be the first one to predict this...Cliff Lee in The Decision 2.0 will go on the big screen in Cowboy Stadium during the SNF game on NBC against the Eagles and announce that he is staying with the Texas Rangers. You heard it here first.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Pipe down Rex Ryan
I know I'm speaking for a lot of us out there when I say: How great was it to watch the Jets fly into Gillette Stadium and absolutely CRASH & BURN. If you're a Jets fan, that was an absolute catastrophe. Now granted, my team has gotten their tails absolutely whipped for a good half of the year and we've been thoroughly embarrassed but I don't think I've ever seen a team get absolutely BAMBOOZLED like I saw last night. It was awesome.
Rex Ryan has been running his fat mouth all year and talking like he was about run through the AFC with a wrench and set of brass knuckles. Mean while, Bellichek and Brady (don't get me wrong, I still hate them) kept their mouths shut and just waited to pounce on an easy prey. I can just picture Bellicheks reaction to every sound bite from that bag of chips with a vest. "Just keep running your mouth you fat bush, and we'll stick your foot in it for you when you get up here." And that is exactly what the Pats did. They made Mark Sanchez look actually retarded and Tom Brady went through the "great" Jets defense like Rex Ryan goes through a box of Dunkin Donuts Munchkins. At least there were about 40 Dunkin Donuts for Rex to stop at to stuff his face for the long ride home.
With all that said...The Jets are still a good team and they are going to make the playoffs and cause problems for whoever they play. But take a piece of the humble pie and shut up and come back when you beat a good team.
-Just a note: I know the Cowboys suck this year so don't feel compelled to remind me so.
Rex Ryan has been running his fat mouth all year and talking like he was about run through the AFC with a wrench and set of brass knuckles. Mean while, Bellichek and Brady (don't get me wrong, I still hate them) kept their mouths shut and just waited to pounce on an easy prey. I can just picture Bellicheks reaction to every sound bite from that bag of chips with a vest. "Just keep running your mouth you fat bush, and we'll stick your foot in it for you when you get up here." And that is exactly what the Pats did. They made Mark Sanchez look actually retarded and Tom Brady went through the "great" Jets defense like Rex Ryan goes through a box of Dunkin Donuts Munchkins. At least there were about 40 Dunkin Donuts for Rex to stop at to stuff his face for the long ride home.
With all that said...The Jets are still a good team and they are going to make the playoffs and cause problems for whoever they play. But take a piece of the humble pie and shut up and come back when you beat a good team.
-Just a note: I know the Cowboys suck this year so don't feel compelled to remind me so.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Cowboys get their potatoes mashed: Cowboys/Saints Reaction
In a normal season, as in one that has not been over since week 1, this loss would have left me restless and irritated. However, with this season already long lost at sea, I actually think there are positives to be found in the dramatic 30-27 Thanksgiving Day loss to the New Orleans Saints.
The start of the game looked very similar to my Turkey Bowl game this year. Everyone on my team was sorely hungover as a result of too many encounters with Johnny Jameson. As a result, our stacked squad had a better chance of running to the sideline to puke than filling the endzone with heaps of touchdowns. The Cowboys looked like they went out hard on Wednesday night too because in the first half they looked like they were hurting bad.. High snaps, fumbles, a pick thrown to a 350lb lineman, 1 yard rushes...it looked like an old NFL follies film.
Drew Brees embarrassed the Cowboys secondary for most of the day and as per usual, the Cowboys brought their diet package of pressure. Still, one has to be impressed with the way this team responded under the adversity that they were presented with. Under Wade Phillips, this team would have mailed in the rest of the game, probably lost 72-3, and they'd be running down to the shake shack with Wade to rub his belly. Under Red Jesus, however, the shake shack is closed. The Cowboys proved to be resiliant and took control of the game in the second half. The defense even stiffened up a little. Not Viagara stiff but, close enough to let the boys climb back in.
The Cowboys got creative and found a way to utilize Miles Austins speed with an end around for a touchdown. Both Marion Barber and Tashard Choice ( whom most of you probably have forgotten about) punched in 1 yard touch down runs. (Despite this, Marion Barber is increasingly unimpressive from game to game). For the first time this season, Dez Bryant was visibly frustrated on the field and especially on the sidelines where he was seen squabbling with receivers coach Ray Sherman. The Saints did a good job of disguising coverages on him all day and were usually rolling two players to his side. You gotta love the fire and intensity that Dez plays with but you're a rookie, don't disrespect your coach like that. Just learn from this and deal with it boy. With the Saints focusing so much of their attention on Dez, Jon Kitna was able to utilize his trusty TE Jason Witten to drive the field. He also was able to find Roy Williams multiple times for big plays...
Oh! Speaking of Roy Williams. In case any of you missed it, he fumbled the ball on a long reception with only minutes to go in the game. Sound familiar? The Cowboys were up and as long as Roy would have fallen to the ground with the ball the game would have been sealed. 5 straight turkey day wins would have been in the books...The cowboys could have gotten in feast beast mode and concentrated on tearing up turkeys. Instead, Drew Brees and the Saints got one more go on our impotent defense and did what everyone expected them to do. Took our turkey and stuffed it right in our house.
Now I can't fully blame Roy Williams for this terrible play. He has made plays all year and he was making one here. He had been having a superb game and CB Malcom Jenkins made a hell of a play. Plus, the defense should have been able to stop the Saints from marching 80+ yards. Of course, this season, nothing has gone right, and this Roy Williams play epitomizes not only his career but the 2010 Cowboys season. Now Jason Garrett has to deal with his first real challenge: Getting this team motivated to play the defending AFC champion Colts coming off a huge loss. Now we will have a real chance to see what Garrett is made of.
The start of the game looked very similar to my Turkey Bowl game this year. Everyone on my team was sorely hungover as a result of too many encounters with Johnny Jameson. As a result, our stacked squad had a better chance of running to the sideline to puke than filling the endzone with heaps of touchdowns. The Cowboys looked like they went out hard on Wednesday night too because in the first half they looked like they were hurting bad.. High snaps, fumbles, a pick thrown to a 350lb lineman, 1 yard rushes...it looked like an old NFL follies film.
Drew Brees embarrassed the Cowboys secondary for most of the day and as per usual, the Cowboys brought their diet package of pressure. Still, one has to be impressed with the way this team responded under the adversity that they were presented with. Under Wade Phillips, this team would have mailed in the rest of the game, probably lost 72-3, and they'd be running down to the shake shack with Wade to rub his belly. Under Red Jesus, however, the shake shack is closed. The Cowboys proved to be resiliant and took control of the game in the second half. The defense even stiffened up a little. Not Viagara stiff but, close enough to let the boys climb back in.
The Cowboys got creative and found a way to utilize Miles Austins speed with an end around for a touchdown. Both Marion Barber and Tashard Choice ( whom most of you probably have forgotten about) punched in 1 yard touch down runs. (Despite this, Marion Barber is increasingly unimpressive from game to game). For the first time this season, Dez Bryant was visibly frustrated on the field and especially on the sidelines where he was seen squabbling with receivers coach Ray Sherman. The Saints did a good job of disguising coverages on him all day and were usually rolling two players to his side. You gotta love the fire and intensity that Dez plays with but you're a rookie, don't disrespect your coach like that. Just learn from this and deal with it boy. With the Saints focusing so much of their attention on Dez, Jon Kitna was able to utilize his trusty TE Jason Witten to drive the field. He also was able to find Roy Williams multiple times for big plays...
Oh! Speaking of Roy Williams. In case any of you missed it, he fumbled the ball on a long reception with only minutes to go in the game. Sound familiar? The Cowboys were up and as long as Roy would have fallen to the ground with the ball the game would have been sealed. 5 straight turkey day wins would have been in the books...The cowboys could have gotten in feast beast mode and concentrated on tearing up turkeys. Instead, Drew Brees and the Saints got one more go on our impotent defense and did what everyone expected them to do. Took our turkey and stuffed it right in our house.
Now I can't fully blame Roy Williams for this terrible play. He has made plays all year and he was making one here. He had been having a superb game and CB Malcom Jenkins made a hell of a play. Plus, the defense should have been able to stop the Saints from marching 80+ yards. Of course, this season, nothing has gone right, and this Roy Williams play epitomizes not only his career but the 2010 Cowboys season. Now Jason Garrett has to deal with his first real challenge: Getting this team motivated to play the defending AFC champion Colts coming off a huge loss. Now we will have a real chance to see what Garrett is made of.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Jason Garrett: Red Jesus/Thanksgiving
The Christians can stop waiting for the second coming of Jesus. The Jews can stop waiting for his first appearance. I think the Muslims may still be sitting this one out but...Jesus has arrived in ginger form. Jason Garrett A.K.A Red Jesus has surfaced, leaving his imposing press conference podium, to lead a newly inspired Cowboys team to a dominating and crushing victory over the New York Giants and another fortunate win over the unlucky Lions.
Okay, I may be getting ahead of myself by anointing Garret Top as the Messiah but I was completely floored by the Cowboys performances these past two Sundays after the banishing of Wade Phillips. Not that they have played great in any way, shape, or form, but they are playing with great tenacity and effort. Their lackadaisical play and sense of self-entitlement seems to finally be a thing of the past. (By the way... you would think that fat clown Wade would have wallowed in his mire of embarrassment and disappointment indiscreetly. Instead, he went on Bruce Smith'sVirginia
Okay, back to what is relevant. Since Jason Garrett has taken over, this team has suddenly come back to life. Throughout the past three weeks Garrett has talked tough, with a military like presence that is a refreshing change from the yawn and gone tactics of Wade Phillips. He's demanded accountability and effort from his new team all week and that is what he has received. One could argue the Lions may have outplayed the Cowboys and I wouldn't disagree. Under Wade, the Cowboys give up and the Lions win. Under Jason Garrett? Not on your life. I think this team has found something special in Garrett. I would not be surprised if they win the majority of their remaining games...including the Thanksgiving shootout against the Saints. Watch them go 9-7 on the year and miss the playoffs. How annoying would that be?
Red Jesus has injected some life and adrenaline into these boys. All of a sudden they're playing with some pride. (The fact that grown men who are paid to play football need someone to remind them that they have pride to protect is more baffling to me than the Yankees current stance with Derek Jeter) He has put them in pads during practice, required them to be early to meetings, implemented a dress code and has fined players for being messy. I'm not saying any of these things directly translate into victories but they provide structure and discipline that this team has lacked. Red Jesus also is curt but to the point with the media. His replies are instantaneous and there is none of that "fat-man stuttering syndrome" that chronically gripped Wade. He's aPrinceton grad and you can tell when he speaks. He isn't going to be running some cuddly family farm like Wade. He is the boss and if any of these players want to be on the team next year they better buy into this system quick. The thing is, I believe that most of the players are and that is why they are winning. Case point: Mike Jenkins has played much better since Garrett took over.
The Cowboys recent string of success hinges on the fact that they are playing harder and executing better in all three phases of the game. Against the Giants Jon Kitna looked like a pro-bowler, firing the ball all over the field. He tossed the rock 13 times for 327 yards and finished with a stellar 124.1 QB rating. It seems that the entire offense played with a great sense of both urgency and confidence. The line looked like a new set of players compared with the group we've been gagging over for the past 8 weeks. (Leonard Davis still needs to grab some bench though) I'm not saying Kitna is better than Romo but Tony would do well for himself if he took a few notes from the wily veteran. Kitna makes sure all of his receivers are on the same page with him. He is constantly conferring with Dez Bryant on the field to make sure the rookie knows where to be. The result? Dez Bryant is playing like a stud and in a few years he will be the best receiver in the NFL. He is the definition of being in Beast Mode. The fact that his mom may or may not be a crack head/hooker is irrelevant. If the ball's in his vicinity it’s getting gobbled.
The defense still looks slow and vulnerable but they are playing much harder. They will face a stiff test against the Saints especially with Reggie Bush coming back from injury. The Cowboys defense still suffers from the fact that its linemen are not getting enough pressure (where the hell have Anthony Spencer and Demarcus Ware been hiding?!) Their linebackers are too old and can't cover in the middle of the field. Their secondary is downright despicable and that is not a formula for success.
My bold Thanksgiving prediction.Dallas : 34 New Orleans
Okay, I may be getting ahead of myself by anointing Garret Top as the Messiah but I was completely floored by the Cowboys performances these past two Sundays after the banishing of Wade Phillips. Not that they have played great in any way, shape, or form, but they are playing with great tenacity and effort. Their lackadaisical play and sense of self-entitlement seems to finally be a thing of the past. (By the way... you would think that fat clown Wade would have wallowed in his mire of embarrassment and disappointment indiscreetly. Instead, he went on Bruce Smith's
Okay, back to what is relevant. Since Jason Garrett has taken over, this team has suddenly come back to life. Throughout the past three weeks Garrett has talked tough, with a military like presence that is a refreshing change from the yawn and gone tactics of Wade Phillips. He's demanded accountability and effort from his new team all week and that is what he has received. One could argue the Lions may have outplayed the Cowboys and I wouldn't disagree. Under Wade, the Cowboys give up and the Lions win. Under Jason Garrett? Not on your life. I think this team has found something special in Garrett. I would not be surprised if they win the majority of their remaining games...including the Thanksgiving shootout against the Saints. Watch them go 9-7 on the year and miss the playoffs. How annoying would that be?
Red Jesus has injected some life and adrenaline into these boys. All of a sudden they're playing with some pride. (The fact that grown men who are paid to play football need someone to remind them that they have pride to protect is more baffling to me than the Yankees current stance with Derek Jeter) He has put them in pads during practice, required them to be early to meetings, implemented a dress code and has fined players for being messy. I'm not saying any of these things directly translate into victories but they provide structure and discipline that this team has lacked. Red Jesus also is curt but to the point with the media. His replies are instantaneous and there is none of that "fat-man stuttering syndrome" that chronically gripped Wade. He's a
The Cowboys recent string of success hinges on the fact that they are playing harder and executing better in all three phases of the game. Against the Giants Jon Kitna looked like a pro-bowler, firing the ball all over the field. He tossed the rock 13 times for 327 yards and finished with a stellar 124.1 QB rating. It seems that the entire offense played with a great sense of both urgency and confidence. The line looked like a new set of players compared with the group we've been gagging over for the past 8 weeks. (Leonard Davis still needs to grab some bench though) I'm not saying Kitna is better than Romo but Tony would do well for himself if he took a few notes from the wily veteran. Kitna makes sure all of his receivers are on the same page with him. He is constantly conferring with Dez Bryant on the field to make sure the rookie knows where to be. The result? Dez Bryant is playing like a stud and in a few years he will be the best receiver in the NFL. He is the definition of being in Beast Mode. The fact that his mom may or may not be a crack head/hooker is irrelevant. If the ball's in his vicinity it’s getting gobbled.
The defense still looks slow and vulnerable but they are playing much harder. They will face a stiff test against the Saints especially with Reggie Bush coming back from injury. The Cowboys defense still suffers from the fact that its linemen are not getting enough pressure (where the hell have Anthony Spencer and Demarcus Ware been hiding?!) Their linebackers are too old and can't cover in the middle of the field. Their secondary is downright despicable and that is not a formula for success.
My bold Thanksgiving prediction.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Quick Hit on Garrett
I was just listening to the local ESPN Dallas radio and Jason Garrett's press conference after his first practice as the head coach. Not for nothing but I like what I hear from him. He is saying the right things at the very least. I still don't know if his tough talk will translate into wins and I am by no means endorsing him as their next full time head coach but it does seem that he will bring a stronger presence to the helm of the ship. He was straightforward and articurately in his response to the demands from reporters and his tone was confident and assertive.
Jason has gotten off on the right foot, at least in terms of sounding like a hard coach. Now it will see if he can walk the walk. He had the Cowboys practice in full pads for the first time this season, and apparently had them running to and from their drills. He has made it clear that he will have an active hand in all phases of the game plan and management and it seems that he will be in constant communication with all of his coaches. This is different from Phillips who had little contact with any of the offensive coaches. Garrett wouldn't discuss any personnel changes but surely they will come. I don't know what any of this means but I did like what I heard from Garrett today.
Jason has gotten off on the right foot, at least in terms of sounding like a hard coach. Now it will see if he can walk the walk. He had the Cowboys practice in full pads for the first time this season, and apparently had them running to and from their drills. He has made it clear that he will have an active hand in all phases of the game plan and management and it seems that he will be in constant communication with all of his coaches. This is different from Phillips who had little contact with any of the offensive coaches. Garrett wouldn't discuss any personnel changes but surely they will come. I don't know what any of this means but I did like what I heard from Garrett today.
Wade Phillips Hits the Road
Monday, November 8th marks the most important and perhaps exciting day in Cowboys history. Jerry Jones briefly went on hiatus from his egocentric binge, decided to bite the bullet, and fire Wade Phillips. Thank God! They should be lining the streets in Dallas in celebration because let's face it: Wade Phillips is a fat, worthless load of incompetence and stupidity. His coaching ability paralleled Justin Beiber's ability of looking heterosexual. The reason this common sense move took so long to manifest is because Wade was Jerry's guy. He handpicked Wade to lead the Cowboys to glory and finally, after 8 torturous games, Jerry realized he was wrong.
Wade Phillips is disgraced and he will never be the head coach of a team again. In fact, the only job he is suited for is to be the fat, drunk Santa Claus you see at your local mall. If I was a kid sitting on his lap I would kick him straight in the nuts and tell him all I want for christmas is for him to go to hell. GOOD RIDDANCE!
So what now? Jason Garrett? Red Jesus? Soulless ginger? Sounds great to me. Except that he is not respected by any of the players, he is about as creative as a stone when calling offensive plays, and he is a quiet, nerdy college boy and not the answer for this flailing team. Granted, he is the interim coach and I fully expect him to have to clear a steep grade of hurdles before he has a shot at getting the head coaching position next season, the fact that he is another one of "Jerry's guys" scares me.
Do I expect the Cowboys to play better under him? I really don't even know. All of these players talked about how much they loved Wade and they didn't even have the decency to give an effort for him. Unless Garrett asserts himself as a Stalin-like dictator who promises to decapitate lazy and heartless players, (cough cough...mike jenkins...cough) I think this team will continue to play every game like it is a high school football consolation game. Maybe we can rent Odessa High Schools' football team for the remainder of the season. Garrett needs to instill some fear in these players. Like hey! Idiot! If you keep playing like a two-year old child then I'm going to treat you like a child and put you in a time out on the pine. Hey, asshole! If you don't have any pride in wearing that star on your helmet then I'm going to remove the star from your helmet. Maybe ESPN can hire you as an analyst to replace Antonio Pierce (God he's just awful).
Moving forward one thing really terrifies me; Jerry Jones. This guy is eroding, both mentally and physically. After his press conference yesterday a local Dallas radio personality asked if Jerry was taking drugs and I found myself wondering the same thing. He only realized that his team sucked after the Green Bay game? Bro, I know you'd rather swallow a pint of blood than an ounce of pride but this team is a reflection of not just bumbling Wade Phillips, but you. Jerry is in charge of who is on the team and guess what? Since Parcell's left Jerry has drafted nothing but garbage. Jerry had to fire Wade but it seems that he is conveying the message to the players that it wasn't their fault that this team is terrible. These players MUST be held accountable for their play too. I hope, going forward, that Jerry has the decency to put some of the football decisions into more qualified hands. If he's not then I pray there's a lockout next year.
Wade Phillips is disgraced and he will never be the head coach of a team again. In fact, the only job he is suited for is to be the fat, drunk Santa Claus you see at your local mall. If I was a kid sitting on his lap I would kick him straight in the nuts and tell him all I want for christmas is for him to go to hell. GOOD RIDDANCE!
So what now? Jason Garrett? Red Jesus? Soulless ginger? Sounds great to me. Except that he is not respected by any of the players, he is about as creative as a stone when calling offensive plays, and he is a quiet, nerdy college boy and not the answer for this flailing team. Granted, he is the interim coach and I fully expect him to have to clear a steep grade of hurdles before he has a shot at getting the head coaching position next season, the fact that he is another one of "Jerry's guys" scares me.
Do I expect the Cowboys to play better under him? I really don't even know. All of these players talked about how much they loved Wade and they didn't even have the decency to give an effort for him. Unless Garrett asserts himself as a Stalin-like dictator who promises to decapitate lazy and heartless players, (cough cough...mike jenkins...cough) I think this team will continue to play every game like it is a high school football consolation game. Maybe we can rent Odessa High Schools' football team for the remainder of the season. Garrett needs to instill some fear in these players. Like hey! Idiot! If you keep playing like a two-year old child then I'm going to treat you like a child and put you in a time out on the pine. Hey, asshole! If you don't have any pride in wearing that star on your helmet then I'm going to remove the star from your helmet. Maybe ESPN can hire you as an analyst to replace Antonio Pierce (God he's just awful).
Moving forward one thing really terrifies me; Jerry Jones. This guy is eroding, both mentally and physically. After his press conference yesterday a local Dallas radio personality asked if Jerry was taking drugs and I found myself wondering the same thing. He only realized that his team sucked after the Green Bay game? Bro, I know you'd rather swallow a pint of blood than an ounce of pride but this team is a reflection of not just bumbling Wade Phillips, but you. Jerry is in charge of who is on the team and guess what? Since Parcell's left Jerry has drafted nothing but garbage. Jerry had to fire Wade but it seems that he is conveying the message to the players that it wasn't their fault that this team is terrible. These players MUST be held accountable for their play too. I hope, going forward, that Jerry has the decency to put some of the football decisions into more qualified hands. If he's not then I pray there's a lockout next year.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
New York Mets find another way to embarrass themselves
Okay I know this is supposed to be a Dallas Cowboys/NFL blog but as a NY Mets fan I had to dedicate some time to this latest implementation of the "Team Embarrassment Policy" by the Mets. I heard about this on Mike'd Up...Francesa can't even control himself reading this ridiculous and pathetic list of perks that the Mets are offering to fans who purchase season tickets immediately. I strongly recommend listening to Francesa's take on the list...its hilarious.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19V5NufLJ74
Here are a few of the high (or low) lights of this list.
1- Win a chance for Mr. Met to come an event of your creation OR get access to a restricted tunnel to meet Mr. Met outside of his dressing room before a Mets game!
Yeah, that is exactly what I want for Christmas this year. Meet Mr. Met in some dark, secret, underground tunnel and have him show up at his dressing room door with his pants down. That would be a great ball park story: Getting raped by Mr. Met.
Also, why would I want Mr. Met to come to any function that I host? To make sure that I lose every single friend I have? Mr. Met doesn't even talk and unless he's pulling balloons out of his ass he's only going to scare everyone away. No thanks on Mr. Met...tell that clown to get a real job.
2- Announce the starting lineup at a Mets home game!
Could be interesting if you know any of the players on the team.
3. Be an HONORARY member of the PEPSI PARTY PATROL!
Fuck the Pepsi Party Patrol. I've been to my fair share of Mets games and those idiots have never even come close to getting a t-shirt in my vicinity. The chicks with the shirt guns are hot but if I was a member of the patrol and they gave me a shirt gun (which they definitely would not) I would aim it right at that dude on the patrol who break dances before every shirt he throws out. Then I'd take the T-Shirt cannon and aim it at the following. A- Cowbell man B- Oliver Perez C- David Wright and D- Razor Shines
4. Play catch on the field with your child before a home game!
I was having trouble thinking of ways I could waste a couple of months salary but luckily the Mets were one step ahead of me. Instead of playing catch for free in my backyard I can pay $10,000 to do it on Citi field and then watch the Mets lose. Great.
5. A wine tasting with Tom Seaver!
- Fat Mike wanted no part of this and I don't know who would. If I want to hear Tom Seaver talking about himself while drunk I'll take my time machine back to his days on the WB.
6. Be a JUNIOR MET REPORTER!
"As a junior Met reporter your child will interview a Mets player before a 2011 Mets home game...preferably one who speaks English." Well put Francesa.
7. Win a suite party with 16 guests and get $750 worth of food and beverages!
-I guess I'll be bringing my own beer to this one. I couldn't buy a 24 case at Citi for $750. How much would 16 Shake Shack burgers cost?
8. Give the Mets Hi-Fives as they go out onto the field!
Seriously? Last season wasn't degrading enough for these players? I won't be surprised if some little Mets fan catches the team on a bad day and gets a fist in the mouth from let's say K-Rod instead of a Hi-Five.
The Mets ticket and sales department needs to grow up. This isn't fantasy land and this isn't Michael Jackson's play palace. This is baseball and if you want to sell your damn tickets get a team out on the field that Mets fans can get excited about. Also...get rid of Mr. Met. No real, self-respecting franchise should have a mascot. I think it's safe to say the Mets have embraced the abyss of embarrassment with arms wide open.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19V5NufLJ74
Here are a few of the high (or low) lights of this list.
1- Win a chance for Mr. Met to come an event of your creation OR get access to a restricted tunnel to meet Mr. Met outside of his dressing room before a Mets game!
Yeah, that is exactly what I want for Christmas this year. Meet Mr. Met in some dark, secret, underground tunnel and have him show up at his dressing room door with his pants down. That would be a great ball park story: Getting raped by Mr. Met.
Also, why would I want Mr. Met to come to any function that I host? To make sure that I lose every single friend I have? Mr. Met doesn't even talk and unless he's pulling balloons out of his ass he's only going to scare everyone away. No thanks on Mr. Met...tell that clown to get a real job.
2- Announce the starting lineup at a Mets home game!
Could be interesting if you know any of the players on the team.
3. Be an HONORARY member of the PEPSI PARTY PATROL!
Fuck the Pepsi Party Patrol. I've been to my fair share of Mets games and those idiots have never even come close to getting a t-shirt in my vicinity. The chicks with the shirt guns are hot but if I was a member of the patrol and they gave me a shirt gun (which they definitely would not) I would aim it right at that dude on the patrol who break dances before every shirt he throws out. Then I'd take the T-Shirt cannon and aim it at the following. A- Cowbell man B- Oliver Perez C- David Wright and D- Razor Shines
4. Play catch on the field with your child before a home game!
I was having trouble thinking of ways I could waste a couple of months salary but luckily the Mets were one step ahead of me. Instead of playing catch for free in my backyard I can pay $10,000 to do it on Citi field and then watch the Mets lose. Great.
5. A wine tasting with Tom Seaver!
- Fat Mike wanted no part of this and I don't know who would. If I want to hear Tom Seaver talking about himself while drunk I'll take my time machine back to his days on the WB.
6. Be a JUNIOR MET REPORTER!
"As a junior Met reporter your child will interview a Mets player before a 2011 Mets home game...preferably one who speaks English." Well put Francesa.
7. Win a suite party with 16 guests and get $750 worth of food and beverages!
-I guess I'll be bringing my own beer to this one. I couldn't buy a 24 case at Citi for $750. How much would 16 Shake Shack burgers cost?
8. Give the Mets Hi-Fives as they go out onto the field!
Seriously? Last season wasn't degrading enough for these players? I won't be surprised if some little Mets fan catches the team on a bad day and gets a fist in the mouth from let's say K-Rod instead of a Hi-Five.
The Mets ticket and sales department needs to grow up. This isn't fantasy land and this isn't Michael Jackson's play palace. This is baseball and if you want to sell your damn tickets get a team out on the field that Mets fans can get excited about. Also...get rid of Mr. Met. No real, self-respecting franchise should have a mascot. I think it's safe to say the Mets have embraced the abyss of embarrassment with arms wide open.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Half-Time Report: NFL Midseason Team Rankings
Half-way through this extremely unpredictable and highly volatile 2010 NFL season I think it is safe to say that many of the teams are looking up or down from a position that many people could not have expected them to be at. Here are my rankings of all 32 teams through the half-way mark.
1. Pittsburgh Steelers- Their defense is still second to none and as long as Big Ben doesn't sneak into any freshman dorms this offense will be good enough for the Steelers to run the table in the AFC.
2. New England Patriots- This team can go to hell. They're defense sucks and they have a white running back and yet they have the best record in the NFL in possibly the best division. Hopefully Tom Brady gets hit hard in the knee again but until that glorious day, they are a team that finds a way to win games and will continue to do so.
3. Baltimore Ravens- People seem to forget about this team. They have quietly been very good so far this season. They have beaten both the Steelers and Jets and almost beat NE in overtime. Ray-Ray is going to break out soon and Ed Reed's return completes the U swagger that Ray Lewis' defense possesses.
4. New York Jets- It kills me to rate the Jets this high. Fireman Ed is a glorified drunk who somehow has become the working man's hero for everyone from Cortland to Secaucus. Does he even work? Stop showing a guy, who can't even defend his territory against a 150 pound drunk Giants fan, on TV! Anyways, fat Rexy's defense is the second best in the league and the Sanchez led offense is very good when they're clicking. They can mash with the best of them in the NFL.
5. New York Giants-This team was supposed to be a joke this year and all of a sudden they're the best team in the NFC. How the hell does this happen? Their pass rush is among if not the best in the NFL . Ahmad Bradshaw is one of the top runners in the league and the combination of Hakeem Nicks and Steve Smith is deadly. Maybe Giants fans and players can stop whining about Tom Coughlin when a few things go wrong. "He's too tough...oh no!" You guys can have Wade if you want.
6. Indianapolis Colts- Peyton is still Peyton and this team will always find a way to be in the mix.
7. Green Bay Packers- Despite being decimated with injuries this team shutout the Jets and shut-up the Jets fans in the Meadowlands. They still have no running game but Aaron Rodgers is an elite quarterback. Their defense is battered but it is resilient as hell. The BeastMaster Clay Matthews also has Erin Andrews dressing up as him to go along with his 9.5 sacks. Not a bad sign for the pack.
8. Atlanta- I'm waiting for Roddy White to bring the dirty bird back. This team is playing well and Matt Ryan is a beast. Their division is wide open and the NFC is terrible in general. Look for the dirty birds to flutter their wings come January.
9. Kasas City- I think people are still blinking their eyes when they see that this team is 5-2. You can stop blinking. They're schedule the rest of the way is powder puff and they have a legitimate team. Cassell is overrated but this defense can play ball.
10. New Orleans Saints- As much as people have cried out Super Bowl hangover the Saints are 5-3 despite playing with their 8th string running back. The sun is far from setting for those freaks down in New Orleans.
11. Tennessee- Whether its strip-club brawling Vince Young or Alcoholics Anonymous member Kerry Collins at the helm for the Titans, this team seems to be able to find ways to win. (They did lose to San Diego last week but that team was bound to win one) They claimed Randy Moss today so if he plays with any effort, the injury to Kenny Britt should be negligible. Hopefully Tennessee has good food.
12. Miami Dolphins- Despite Spagnola's creepy-guy glasses, he has a fiery personality that is perfect for this team. Henne is underrated and Marshall is filthy. Their 3 losses are to really good teams and they should have won two of them. They also have a defense that can make plays. They will be a tough team to deal with down the stretch.
13. Philadelphia Eagles- There really should be no QB controversy here. Michael Vick is back to making defenses dump in their pants and the Eagles offense will do the same again as long as Vick doesn't have his ribs caved in. His return should put the Eagles right back into the NFC race. Andy Reid's house is still a drug emporium so he can go to hell.
14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers-The fact that Raheem Morris could say that the Bucs are the best team in the NFC with a straight face is impressive. Surely he knows better than that, and if he doesn't he's an idiot. No one is scared of the surprising Buccaneers but they do have captain clutch, Josh Freeman. This kid could be an emerging star. Unfortunately he's playing in a city that is plagued with Asian buffets and homeless people.
15. Houston Texans- This team is floating in the middle of a good division and they could go either way. They have the talent to be a great team but have played like a mediocre one so far this season. Their offense has too many weapons for them not to factor into the AFC playoff race.
16. St. Louis Rams- I would say surprise team of the year but that division is the porta-potty of the NFL. Bradford will be a bonafide stud for years to come in this league and their defense has a stockpile of young talent that will emerge under the guidance of Spags. If they switch back to the old blue and yellow uniforms and Steven Jackson rocks the Dickerson goggles again this team could swipe the NFC West.
17. Chicago Bears- I understand Cutler is a diabetic but does he always have to play like one? Luckily their defense has regained form.
18. Oakland Raiders- Did Al Davis die and no one notice? Maybe someone forgot to check on him in his office and he's rotting on his throne. Raiders fans can only hope so because their team has looked like the 2000 Rams in the past two games, putting on a scoring clinic. Who would have ever thought Heyward-Bey would ever score a touchdown?
19. San Diego Chargers- Oh Norv Turner, Norv Turner. You and Wade Phillips have desecrated talented teams time and time again, and both of you deserve to never coach again. Antonio Gates may be the best offensive player in the NFL and Phillip Rivers is still a top tier QB. Amazingly, the Chargers are ranked in the top 5 in both total defense and offense...AND THEY STILL SUCK? Look for them to make a late season grasp in an ever evolving division.
20. Seattle Seahawks- Puzzling team. They either play in an inspired manner or like complete dogshit. Only in the NFC West can such folly go unpunished.
21. Jacksonville Jaguars- David Garrard is actually a black Peyton Manning. At least the Dallas Cowboys think so. MJ-D made the Cowboys defenders look like bowling pins on Sunday but this team is still too inconsistent.
22. Detroit Lions- Stafford is a beast and Megatron (Calvin Johnson) is asserting himself as an unguardable receiver. Their defense is getting after people. For the first time in about a century the Detroit fans have a team to get excited about...next year.
23. Washington Redskins- If Mike Shanahan can make this team a laughingstock and a punching bag for football analysts, then Dan Snyder will never be successful as a GM. That was his job.
24. Minnesota Vikings- Brett Favre's throwing penis interceptions on his phone, Brad Childress is the ugliest coach in the league, and the food in Minnesota apparently sucks. Lions could finish the season ahead of this team.
25. Cincinnati Bengals- Don't expect the pilot episode of this reality show disaster to be picked up for next season.
26. Arizona Cardinals- Matt Leinart must have really sucked because Derek Anderson and Max Hall are pushing the boundaries of pitifulness.
27. Cleveland Browns- This poor city. Lebron James would be the best player on the Cavaliers and the Browns. At least Colt McCoy's girlfriend is a 10-1-10.
28. Dallas Cowboys- Blehhh. I just threw up on myself. At least that will be easier to clean up than this disgrace of a team. I have a few suggestions, however, and they start with the fat man driving the bus.
29. San Francisco 49ers- If the NFL does expand and put a team in the U.K. the niners' should volunteer to move there. It's the only place where they've looked like a real football team.
30. Denver Broncos- Clearly Tim Tebow isn't doing the half-time speeches to motivate this team...I couldn't be happier he's a second string fullback in that city.
31. Buffalo Bills- I heard there is a fan up there who gives away free booze. Hope he has enough for everyone that shows up to black out.
32. Carolina Panthers- 12 points per game. Next question.
1. Pittsburgh Steelers- Their defense is still second to none and as long as Big Ben doesn't sneak into any freshman dorms this offense will be good enough for the Steelers to run the table in the AFC.
2. New England Patriots- This team can go to hell. They're defense sucks and they have a white running back and yet they have the best record in the NFL in possibly the best division. Hopefully Tom Brady gets hit hard in the knee again but until that glorious day, they are a team that finds a way to win games and will continue to do so.
3. Baltimore Ravens- People seem to forget about this team. They have quietly been very good so far this season. They have beaten both the Steelers and Jets and almost beat NE in overtime. Ray-Ray is going to break out soon and Ed Reed's return completes the U swagger that Ray Lewis' defense possesses.
4. New York Jets- It kills me to rate the Jets this high. Fireman Ed is a glorified drunk who somehow has become the working man's hero for everyone from Cortland to Secaucus. Does he even work? Stop showing a guy, who can't even defend his territory against a 150 pound drunk Giants fan, on TV! Anyways, fat Rexy's defense is the second best in the league and the Sanchez led offense is very good when they're clicking. They can mash with the best of them in the NFL.
5. New York Giants-This team was supposed to be a joke this year and all of a sudden they're the best team in the NFC. How the hell does this happen? Their pass rush is among if not the best in the NFL . Ahmad Bradshaw is one of the top runners in the league and the combination of Hakeem Nicks and Steve Smith is deadly. Maybe Giants fans and players can stop whining about Tom Coughlin when a few things go wrong. "He's too tough...oh no!" You guys can have Wade if you want.
6. Indianapolis Colts- Peyton is still Peyton and this team will always find a way to be in the mix.
7. Green Bay Packers- Despite being decimated with injuries this team shutout the Jets and shut-up the Jets fans in the Meadowlands. They still have no running game but Aaron Rodgers is an elite quarterback. Their defense is battered but it is resilient as hell. The BeastMaster Clay Matthews also has Erin Andrews dressing up as him to go along with his 9.5 sacks. Not a bad sign for the pack.
8. Atlanta- I'm waiting for Roddy White to bring the dirty bird back. This team is playing well and Matt Ryan is a beast. Their division is wide open and the NFC is terrible in general. Look for the dirty birds to flutter their wings come January.
9. Kasas City- I think people are still blinking their eyes when they see that this team is 5-2. You can stop blinking. They're schedule the rest of the way is powder puff and they have a legitimate team. Cassell is overrated but this defense can play ball.
10. New Orleans Saints- As much as people have cried out Super Bowl hangover the Saints are 5-3 despite playing with their 8th string running back. The sun is far from setting for those freaks down in New Orleans.
11. Tennessee- Whether its strip-club brawling Vince Young or Alcoholics Anonymous member Kerry Collins at the helm for the Titans, this team seems to be able to find ways to win. (They did lose to San Diego last week but that team was bound to win one) They claimed Randy Moss today so if he plays with any effort, the injury to Kenny Britt should be negligible. Hopefully Tennessee has good food.
12. Miami Dolphins- Despite Spagnola's creepy-guy glasses, he has a fiery personality that is perfect for this team. Henne is underrated and Marshall is filthy. Their 3 losses are to really good teams and they should have won two of them. They also have a defense that can make plays. They will be a tough team to deal with down the stretch.
13. Philadelphia Eagles- There really should be no QB controversy here. Michael Vick is back to making defenses dump in their pants and the Eagles offense will do the same again as long as Vick doesn't have his ribs caved in. His return should put the Eagles right back into the NFC race. Andy Reid's house is still a drug emporium so he can go to hell.
14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers-The fact that Raheem Morris could say that the Bucs are the best team in the NFC with a straight face is impressive. Surely he knows better than that, and if he doesn't he's an idiot. No one is scared of the surprising Buccaneers but they do have captain clutch, Josh Freeman. This kid could be an emerging star. Unfortunately he's playing in a city that is plagued with Asian buffets and homeless people.
15. Houston Texans- This team is floating in the middle of a good division and they could go either way. They have the talent to be a great team but have played like a mediocre one so far this season. Their offense has too many weapons for them not to factor into the AFC playoff race.
16. St. Louis Rams- I would say surprise team of the year but that division is the porta-potty of the NFL. Bradford will be a bonafide stud for years to come in this league and their defense has a stockpile of young talent that will emerge under the guidance of Spags. If they switch back to the old blue and yellow uniforms and Steven Jackson rocks the Dickerson goggles again this team could swipe the NFC West.
17. Chicago Bears- I understand Cutler is a diabetic but does he always have to play like one? Luckily their defense has regained form.
18. Oakland Raiders- Did Al Davis die and no one notice? Maybe someone forgot to check on him in his office and he's rotting on his throne. Raiders fans can only hope so because their team has looked like the 2000 Rams in the past two games, putting on a scoring clinic. Who would have ever thought Heyward-Bey would ever score a touchdown?
19. San Diego Chargers- Oh Norv Turner, Norv Turner. You and Wade Phillips have desecrated talented teams time and time again, and both of you deserve to never coach again. Antonio Gates may be the best offensive player in the NFL and Phillip Rivers is still a top tier QB. Amazingly, the Chargers are ranked in the top 5 in both total defense and offense...AND THEY STILL SUCK? Look for them to make a late season grasp in an ever evolving division.
20. Seattle Seahawks- Puzzling team. They either play in an inspired manner or like complete dogshit. Only in the NFC West can such folly go unpunished.
21. Jacksonville Jaguars- David Garrard is actually a black Peyton Manning. At least the Dallas Cowboys think so. MJ-D made the Cowboys defenders look like bowling pins on Sunday but this team is still too inconsistent.
22. Detroit Lions- Stafford is a beast and Megatron (Calvin Johnson) is asserting himself as an unguardable receiver. Their defense is getting after people. For the first time in about a century the Detroit fans have a team to get excited about...next year.
23. Washington Redskins- If Mike Shanahan can make this team a laughingstock and a punching bag for football analysts, then Dan Snyder will never be successful as a GM. That was his job.
24. Minnesota Vikings- Brett Favre's throwing penis interceptions on his phone, Brad Childress is the ugliest coach in the league, and the food in Minnesota apparently sucks. Lions could finish the season ahead of this team.
25. Cincinnati Bengals- Don't expect the pilot episode of this reality show disaster to be picked up for next season.
26. Arizona Cardinals- Matt Leinart must have really sucked because Derek Anderson and Max Hall are pushing the boundaries of pitifulness.
27. Cleveland Browns- This poor city. Lebron James would be the best player on the Cavaliers and the Browns. At least Colt McCoy's girlfriend is a 10-1-10.
28. Dallas Cowboys- Blehhh. I just threw up on myself. At least that will be easier to clean up than this disgrace of a team. I have a few suggestions, however, and they start with the fat man driving the bus.
29. San Francisco 49ers- If the NFL does expand and put a team in the U.K. the niners' should volunteer to move there. It's the only place where they've looked like a real football team.
30. Denver Broncos- Clearly Tim Tebow isn't doing the half-time speeches to motivate this team...I couldn't be happier he's a second string fullback in that city.
31. Buffalo Bills- I heard there is a fan up there who gives away free booze. Hope he has enough for everyone that shows up to black out.
32. Carolina Panthers- 12 points per game. Next question.
In His Own Words: Randy Moss
http://www.hulu.com/watch/137417/in-their-own-words-randy-moss
In the spirit of the Randy Moss sweepstakes, I've dug up this NFL Films treat off of Hulu. Check it out.
In the spirit of the Randy Moss sweepstakes, I've dug up this NFL Films treat off of Hulu. Check it out.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Get em out!
Here is a brief list of players who need to be seriously evaluated this off-season. I know people say this team has great talent but these players seem to disagree. I'm not against Jerry getting real aggressive and cutting someone mid-season just to send a message to this pathetic squad. Here are a few culprits.
Marion Barber..Sorry dude, you are the Barbarian no more. You can blame Wade and Garrett for making you the #1 back when that was never part of your physical design. Now you are as good as useless. Obviously the offensive line has greatly underperformed but this position needs a pair of fresh legs.
Leonard Davis... The Cowboys biggest and perhaps strongest offensive lineman is also one of their most deteriorated. He was a major force for 3 years when the Cowboys snagged him from Arizona but his Pro-Bowl days are behind him. He has been beat with inside rushes and stunts in the passing game and is generating alarmingly little push for someone of his size. He should retire and live out his days as the bass player for Free Reign.
Andre Gurode-Here's another case of an offensive lineman aging at a frightening pace between seasons. It seems like only a few years back that Gurode was a young Center with a ton of potential. He turned into a solid Pro-Bowler but his skill has also diminished at a surprising rate.
Kyle Kosier- He was never a great lineman but always one of the most consistent of the boys in the trenches. His age and proneness to injuries has now made him a liability.
Alan Ball- Good Lord Alan Ball is TERRIBLE. Somehow the Cowboys sold all of us this off-season that this guy was talented enough that it wasn't necessary to pursue any safeties in free agency. I think a statement of apology from the organization is in order after selling all of us on such an egregious lie. This guy is so bad it actually makes me laugh. He seems to be at least 2 steps behind every time he is defending a receiver man-to-man or when he's filling in over the top in zone. Run defense? Fougettaboutit. He ain't hitting NOBODY!
Bradie James- This is a tough one because he has been such an underrated player with the Cowboys for so long. He has also been one of the defensive leaders. Still, it seems he has aged fast. He is not as feared a run-stopper as he once was and we all saw what the Marcedes wagon did to him this weekend while he was in pass coverage. The problem is that Keith Brooking is even older and we cannot expect him to be around next year and there is no one to take over Bradie's position on defense. It doesn't seem likely that rookie Penn St. linebacker Sean Lee will be able to stay on the field long enough for us to figure out if he's worth anything or not.
This is just a first-glance list. We will have a better idea of who definitely has to go as the rest of this season sludges on. Bottom line, this heartless team cannot be allowed to take the field next year.
Marion Barber..Sorry dude, you are the Barbarian no more. You can blame Wade and Garrett for making you the #1 back when that was never part of your physical design. Now you are as good as useless. Obviously the offensive line has greatly underperformed but this position needs a pair of fresh legs.
Leonard Davis... The Cowboys biggest and perhaps strongest offensive lineman is also one of their most deteriorated. He was a major force for 3 years when the Cowboys snagged him from Arizona but his Pro-Bowl days are behind him. He has been beat with inside rushes and stunts in the passing game and is generating alarmingly little push for someone of his size. He should retire and live out his days as the bass player for Free Reign.
Andre Gurode-Here's another case of an offensive lineman aging at a frightening pace between seasons. It seems like only a few years back that Gurode was a young Center with a ton of potential. He turned into a solid Pro-Bowler but his skill has also diminished at a surprising rate.
Kyle Kosier- He was never a great lineman but always one of the most consistent of the boys in the trenches. His age and proneness to injuries has now made him a liability.
Alan Ball- Good Lord Alan Ball is TERRIBLE. Somehow the Cowboys sold all of us this off-season that this guy was talented enough that it wasn't necessary to pursue any safeties in free agency. I think a statement of apology from the organization is in order after selling all of us on such an egregious lie. This guy is so bad it actually makes me laugh. He seems to be at least 2 steps behind every time he is defending a receiver man-to-man or when he's filling in over the top in zone. Run defense? Fougettaboutit. He ain't hitting NOBODY!
Bradie James- This is a tough one because he has been such an underrated player with the Cowboys for so long. He has also been one of the defensive leaders. Still, it seems he has aged fast. He is not as feared a run-stopper as he once was and we all saw what the Marcedes wagon did to him this weekend while he was in pass coverage. The problem is that Keith Brooking is even older and we cannot expect him to be around next year and there is no one to take over Bradie's position on defense. It doesn't seem likely that rookie Penn St. linebacker Sean Lee will be able to stay on the field long enough for us to figure out if he's worth anything or not.
This is just a first-glance list. We will have a better idea of who definitely has to go as the rest of this season sludges on. Bottom line, this heartless team cannot be allowed to take the field next year.
Cowboys season no longer wad(e)ing...it has drowned
This latest Dallas Cowboys effort (if you have the ignorance or moxy to call it that) has led me to pick up a thesaurus. As I perused the pages I happened to come across some of these adjectives that seem to fit the Dallas Cowboys like a glove that's not O.J.'s : Awful, Putrid, Abominable, Atrocious, Deplorable, Disgusting, Despicable, Dreadful, Terrible, Horrific, Offensive, Horrendous...the list goes on and on. The bottom line is the Dallas Cowboys are a DISGRACE and have embarrassed themselves and their loyal fan base with performances reminiscent of their 1989 1-15 season, Jerry's inaugural as the team owner. We are now competing with the Buffalo Bills for the # 1 draft pick in June's draft. (We don't even know if there will be NFL football next year...great...maybe we can sit on this season for two years) Maybe the Cowboys can draft a coach with that # 1 pick.
Let's get one thing straight. The Jacksonville Jaguars are a joke of a franchise. So much so that they are blacked out on TV on a regular basis because no one in Jacksonville cares enough to even go to their games. I don't care if Tony Romo is out, the Cowboys are supposed to have a talented enough team to beat the lowly Jaguars. Instead the entire team put up a performance and effort eerily similar to that of the Los Angeles Clippers. The Dallas Desperados would have probably performed better if they suited up.
Once again the Cowboys run defense was a laughing matter and David Garrard looked like Peyton Manning. I'm not going to even bother discussing the Cowboys putrid run attack ( they have run for 91 yards combined in the last 2 games) or Jon Kitna's beautiful day. He can go right ahead and join Vinny Testaverde, Drew Bledsoe and Brad Johnson in my doghouse.
From this game we can establish two, indiscernible, hard truths. Wade Phillips must (and will) be fired. As a fan, however, I do not want to wait another 8 weeks for this guy to get the well-deserved ax. Jerry must fire him immediately. The season is unsalvageable and it would be an insult to Cowboys fans if we have to see that fat load waddle out onto the sidelines with a befuddled look on his face, for any more games. GET HIM OUT NOW!
The one thing that also has come out of this game is, that as talented as this roster seemingly is, there must be some major changes made this off-season. I will give a brief list of players who must pack up and leave town...or at the very least, get some young competition to push them in the next entry.
For now... go to hell.
Let's get one thing straight. The Jacksonville Jaguars are a joke of a franchise. So much so that they are blacked out on TV on a regular basis because no one in Jacksonville cares enough to even go to their games. I don't care if Tony Romo is out, the Cowboys are supposed to have a talented enough team to beat the lowly Jaguars. Instead the entire team put up a performance and effort eerily similar to that of the Los Angeles Clippers. The Dallas Desperados would have probably performed better if they suited up.
Once again the Cowboys run defense was a laughing matter and David Garrard looked like Peyton Manning. I'm not going to even bother discussing the Cowboys putrid run attack ( they have run for 91 yards combined in the last 2 games) or Jon Kitna's beautiful day. He can go right ahead and join Vinny Testaverde, Drew Bledsoe and Brad Johnson in my doghouse.
From this game we can establish two, indiscernible, hard truths. Wade Phillips must (and will) be fired. As a fan, however, I do not want to wait another 8 weeks for this guy to get the well-deserved ax. Jerry must fire him immediately. The season is unsalvageable and it would be an insult to Cowboys fans if we have to see that fat load waddle out onto the sidelines with a befuddled look on his face, for any more games. GET HIM OUT NOW!
The one thing that also has come out of this game is, that as talented as this roster seemingly is, there must be some major changes made this off-season. I will give a brief list of players who must pack up and leave town...or at the very least, get some young competition to push them in the next entry.
For now... go to hell.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Friday, October 22, 2010
Cowboys-Giants Preview
Every year this is the game I look forward to the most. One of, if not the most, hated rivals of the Cowboys comes into Jerry world and the circumstances could not be further from the preseason predictions of both myself, experts, and everyone inbetween. The Cowboys are reeling at 1-4 and the its sickening to watch the wheels fall of the spokes for this team. This is the final straw for the Cowboys despite the youth of the season. If they lose this game, despite the overall weakness of the NFC, I believe it will be too difficult for them to come back to even make the playoffs.
The Giants on the other hand are coming in hot. They looked pitiful at the season's begining and I really expected them to go in the tank after the Tennessee disaster. Now they are riding high and are firing on many, if not all cylinders. Their vaunted defensive line is finally back to 2007 form, racking up 21 sacks so far this season. Osi has 7 Sacks and 6 forced fumbles in the last 3 games alone! That is staggering! The Cowboys defense only has 12 sacks total despite their so called "talent."
So how will this game play out? It's tough to say. Clearly there is more pressure on the Cowboys. They are literally hanging on for dear life and everyone in that locker room knows that its now or never. Week after week we are barraged with the same old story, same old apology and a nauseating re-commitment speal. It's pathetic and its time to turn those actions into words. No one is questioning their talent but this teams toughness, intelligence, and discipline is very questionable. Their very manhood is on the line this week. For these reasons it would seem that the Cowboys will come out, on their home turf, in a roaring fashion and deluge the Giants with every thing they have. The problem is that a lot of the gaps in the Cowboys play seems almost unfixable and the Giants are downright dangerous.
Despite being in the top 4 in the NFL in both yardage categories on offense and defense the Cowboys continue to trip over their own feet (sometimes literally) week after week. They are second in the league in penalties committed. That is an embarrassing statistic. That stat should be reserved for teams like the Lions, Rams, and Raiders, not the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys running game (2nd in total yards last year) is pitiful this year. It seems the O-Line cannot open up holes and their running backs numbers pale in comparison with that of Bradshaw and even Jacobs.
Further more, the Cowboys offensive line can't pass block either all of a sudden. Not a good time to forget how to do that when you're going up against the hottest pass rush in the league. Osi and Tuck could single handedly decide this game if the offensive line struggles and plays the way it has in the past few weeks. (Guard Kyle Kosier is nursing an injured achilles and is questionable, so watch out for that as well). Quietly, the G-men have the highest rated defense in the league and have let up the fewest total yards.
Offensively, Eli has been solid the past few weeks and Hakeem Nicks just catches touchdowns. The Cowboys secondary has looked egregious at times this year and they face another stiff challenge come Monday night. In order for the Cowboys D to be successful, DWare and co. really need to get after Eli. The Giants offensive line is exploitable and we all know that Eli can implode and play like a rookie at any moment. Wade Phillips needs to start thinking a little more creatively and find ways to get after the quarterback. The Cowboys blitz packages have become as predictable as Mike Francesa in a room with a Cheetos bowl. Hey! Maybe try that saftey blitz with Sensebaugh again. (It was the first saftey blitz of the season but it worked). If the Cowboys can get to Eli they will be successful. If they can't it's going to be another nail-biting shootout that most likely will end in despair for the Cowboys. Most likely they'll score a game winning touchdown and get it called back on a penalty....either a blatant hold or an excessive facial expression penalty on Wade Phillips.
For the Cowboys on offense, it all starts up front. I don't mean to sound redundant but all the shortcomings of the boys offense really originates with that big boys up front. Romo also has to play smarter. His reads have been shaky at best the past two weeks and he has 5 ints in those games to show for it. He needs to stop forcing the ball and calmly make his reads. (It would also help if the Cowboys recievers could stop deflecting the balls into defenders hands with their fingertips) And for Godsakes put the ball in the endzone. Jason Garett needs to go back to the drawing board on the redzone offense. Can we please use Jason Witten down there more? It seems like the only way for the Cowboys to score TD's this year is via Roy Williams ( Who would've thought!)
Oh yeah, lets maybe try to play some special teams this week. You know that thing...kicking...covering? They're kind of important.
I'm not going to predict the outcome of this game. It really is a tossup.
The Giants on the other hand are coming in hot. They looked pitiful at the season's begining and I really expected them to go in the tank after the Tennessee disaster. Now they are riding high and are firing on many, if not all cylinders. Their vaunted defensive line is finally back to 2007 form, racking up 21 sacks so far this season. Osi has 7 Sacks and 6 forced fumbles in the last 3 games alone! That is staggering! The Cowboys defense only has 12 sacks total despite their so called "talent."
So how will this game play out? It's tough to say. Clearly there is more pressure on the Cowboys. They are literally hanging on for dear life and everyone in that locker room knows that its now or never. Week after week we are barraged with the same old story, same old apology and a nauseating re-commitment speal. It's pathetic and its time to turn those actions into words. No one is questioning their talent but this teams toughness, intelligence, and discipline is very questionable. Their very manhood is on the line this week. For these reasons it would seem that the Cowboys will come out, on their home turf, in a roaring fashion and deluge the Giants with every thing they have. The problem is that a lot of the gaps in the Cowboys play seems almost unfixable and the Giants are downright dangerous.
Despite being in the top 4 in the NFL in both yardage categories on offense and defense the Cowboys continue to trip over their own feet (sometimes literally) week after week. They are second in the league in penalties committed. That is an embarrassing statistic. That stat should be reserved for teams like the Lions, Rams, and Raiders, not the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys running game (2nd in total yards last year) is pitiful this year. It seems the O-Line cannot open up holes and their running backs numbers pale in comparison with that of Bradshaw and even Jacobs.
Further more, the Cowboys offensive line can't pass block either all of a sudden. Not a good time to forget how to do that when you're going up against the hottest pass rush in the league. Osi and Tuck could single handedly decide this game if the offensive line struggles and plays the way it has in the past few weeks. (Guard Kyle Kosier is nursing an injured achilles and is questionable, so watch out for that as well). Quietly, the G-men have the highest rated defense in the league and have let up the fewest total yards.
Offensively, Eli has been solid the past few weeks and Hakeem Nicks just catches touchdowns. The Cowboys secondary has looked egregious at times this year and they face another stiff challenge come Monday night. In order for the Cowboys D to be successful, DWare and co. really need to get after Eli. The Giants offensive line is exploitable and we all know that Eli can implode and play like a rookie at any moment. Wade Phillips needs to start thinking a little more creatively and find ways to get after the quarterback. The Cowboys blitz packages have become as predictable as Mike Francesa in a room with a Cheetos bowl. Hey! Maybe try that saftey blitz with Sensebaugh again. (It was the first saftey blitz of the season but it worked). If the Cowboys can get to Eli they will be successful. If they can't it's going to be another nail-biting shootout that most likely will end in despair for the Cowboys. Most likely they'll score a game winning touchdown and get it called back on a penalty....either a blatant hold or an excessive facial expression penalty on Wade Phillips.
For the Cowboys on offense, it all starts up front. I don't mean to sound redundant but all the shortcomings of the boys offense really originates with that big boys up front. Romo also has to play smarter. His reads have been shaky at best the past two weeks and he has 5 ints in those games to show for it. He needs to stop forcing the ball and calmly make his reads. (It would also help if the Cowboys recievers could stop deflecting the balls into defenders hands with their fingertips) And for Godsakes put the ball in the endzone. Jason Garett needs to go back to the drawing board on the redzone offense. Can we please use Jason Witten down there more? It seems like the only way for the Cowboys to score TD's this year is via Roy Williams ( Who would've thought!)
Oh yeah, lets maybe try to play some special teams this week. You know that thing...kicking...covering? They're kind of important.
I'm not going to predict the outcome of this game. It really is a tossup.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Quote of the Day
Ran across this on ESPN. Apparently the Colts punter Pat McAfee got bombed the other night and some how ended up jumping into some water and then running around the streets with his shirt off. When asked by police how much he had to drink his respone was "A lot because I am drunk." Well put. He was then arrested. The Colts seem to always get kickers who love to get hammered. Then again, they are the kickers, so no one talks to them in the first place. Add that up with living in Indianapolis and it all makes sense.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=5706081
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=5706081
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Missing Cowboys: Players on the 2010 milk carton
We are 6 weeks (5 games for the boys) into the 2010 NFL season and the Cowboys befuddling 1-4 record reflects their consistently inconsistent play on the field. There are many things that factor into the alarmingly sluggish start for the cowboys, among them penalties, stupidity and poor coaching. There is also the problem of players who seem to be missing on the field even though they are always on the playing field. Their lack of production is another reason for the dearth of success in the Cowboys season thus far. Here is my early season list of missing cowboys.
1. Alan Ball- Safety
The Cowboys thought they were better off without the pricey Ken Hamlin and opted to go with the young Alan Ball at free safety this year. The result has been a player who we barely see ever on our television screens except when he's late to help coverage over the middle. He has proven that he wants nothing to do with making physical contact with an opponent. He has a measly 12 solo tackles, (14 total) ONE, (that's right, ONE) pass defended and no interceptions. LaRon Landry, the Redskins free safety, has 48 solo tackles, (63 total) 1 interception, 1 sack and 4 passes defended on his own. Alan Ball and his safety companion Gerald Sensabaugh have 32 tackles, 1 sack, 1 pass defended, and no interceptions between them. That's ridiculous. The Cowboys safeties are a joke.
2. Anthony Spencer- Outside Linebacker
Anthony Spencer was thought to have broken out last year. After a slow start in his first season as a starter he started roaring through offensive lines like a rabbid dog. He ended up with 6 sacks, most in a very short span, along with 67 total tackles, 7 passes defended, an interception, and 2 forced fumbles. He seems to still be in hibernation this season as he only has 2 sacks and 14 tackles. When someone has a "breakout" season they are supposed to follow it up by asserting dominance from the get-go. Spencer on the other hand, has yet to consistently rush the passer and as a result the Cowboys are not able to effectively pressure opposing quarterbacks. They will not be a completely effective defense until they can start forcing the QB to sweat a little bit when he's in the pocket.
3. David Buehler- Kicker
First we draft this guy to be a kick-off specialist and he does the job to perfection; 29 touchbacks, a Cowboys record, and the league leader. Then we get rid of Nick Folk because he is, out of nowhere, completely inadequate. Now a season later Nick Folk is kicking the ball in from everywhere and anywhere for the first place Jets while Buehler is only 6/9 on FG's (2 of which would have greatly helped the Cowboys cause) and he only has 3 touchbacks! He can't even do what the Cowboys originally drafted him to do. The Cowboys coverage unit is the worst in the league and Buehlers sudden inability to kick a touchback is a large part of the problem. He's in the doghouse for sure.
4. The Tight Ends- Jason Witten & Martellus Bennett
There is no doubt that Jason Witten is one of the most exceptional tight ends in the league. Over the past 7 seasons he has been one of the top receiving tight ends in the league and he is an exceptional blocker. Witten is also a gamer. He is a model for toughness... see his helmetless run against the Eagles and the seasons where he played with cracked ribs and a broken jaw as example. Though, for some reason, he has yet to really be a contributor on the offense so far this season. He hasn't been targeted as much by Romo and has even dropped a few balls which truly is a rarity for Witten. He only has 23 catches for 270 yard thus far which is well off his pace for an 80 catch 1,000 yard season. Romo needs to find him more, especially on 6-9 yard 3rd down distances, for the Cowboys to flourish.
Martellus Bennett just doesn't seem like he's going to be that big threat receiving tight end that Jerry Jones envisioned him to be when he drafted him in the 2nd round in 2008. His athletic ability is unquestionable and he is a great blocker. His work ethic, however, is questionable and he seems to have struggled to fit into this, perhaps overloaded, offense.
5. Marion Barber & Tashard Choice- Running Backs
Where do you begin with the Cowboys and their running game? It is woeful. I know their offensive line is aging a bit but it is still big enough to create holes and these running backs need to find ways to run through them. Barber's productivity has drastically diminished since his pro-bowl season where he was the Cowboys third down back. The Cowboys made the mistake of thinking that Barber was an every down back which he is not. He is a punisher and most of all a finisher. He is not fast enough or nimble enough to be the primary back and now, because of the misuse of him, his body has taken such a beating that he is no longer dealing out punishment when he runs. He was once one of the most feared backs to tackle in the league. Now he gets little production out of the 10 touches a game he gets.
Tashard Choice doesn't even see the field any more so at least we know where he is: Grabbing some bench on the sideline. He was never a great back but he is a tough runner and a leader on this team. I don't know that he will ever be good enough to be a featured back but it just seems that opportunities won't present themselves in Dallas for him. It will be interesting to see if he survives the trading deadline (3 pm CST) today.
That "Three-headed monster" running game of Felix Jones, Marion Barber and Tashard Choice looks more like a 3-headed guppie to the rest of the league.
6. Leonard Davis- Guard
Well this guy aged really quick. He's been a pro-bowl player ever since he fled Arizona to join the Cowboys. He is one of the biggest guys in the entire NFL and all of a sudden a huge liability for this offensive line. He is not creating much of a push on the right side of the line for the running game and he is pass protecting so poorly that he's had to be replaced by Montrae Holland once so far this season. If he doesn't regain his old form soon, its going to be a long year for the Cowboys offense.
1. Alan Ball- Safety
The Cowboys thought they were better off without the pricey Ken Hamlin and opted to go with the young Alan Ball at free safety this year. The result has been a player who we barely see ever on our television screens except when he's late to help coverage over the middle. He has proven that he wants nothing to do with making physical contact with an opponent. He has a measly 12 solo tackles, (14 total) ONE, (that's right, ONE) pass defended and no interceptions. LaRon Landry, the Redskins free safety, has 48 solo tackles, (63 total) 1 interception, 1 sack and 4 passes defended on his own. Alan Ball and his safety companion Gerald Sensabaugh have 32 tackles, 1 sack, 1 pass defended, and no interceptions between them. That's ridiculous. The Cowboys safeties are a joke.
2. Anthony Spencer- Outside Linebacker
Anthony Spencer was thought to have broken out last year. After a slow start in his first season as a starter he started roaring through offensive lines like a rabbid dog. He ended up with 6 sacks, most in a very short span, along with 67 total tackles, 7 passes defended, an interception, and 2 forced fumbles. He seems to still be in hibernation this season as he only has 2 sacks and 14 tackles. When someone has a "breakout" season they are supposed to follow it up by asserting dominance from the get-go. Spencer on the other hand, has yet to consistently rush the passer and as a result the Cowboys are not able to effectively pressure opposing quarterbacks. They will not be a completely effective defense until they can start forcing the QB to sweat a little bit when he's in the pocket.
3. David Buehler- Kicker
First we draft this guy to be a kick-off specialist and he does the job to perfection; 29 touchbacks, a Cowboys record, and the league leader. Then we get rid of Nick Folk because he is, out of nowhere, completely inadequate. Now a season later Nick Folk is kicking the ball in from everywhere and anywhere for the first place Jets while Buehler is only 6/9 on FG's (2 of which would have greatly helped the Cowboys cause) and he only has 3 touchbacks! He can't even do what the Cowboys originally drafted him to do. The Cowboys coverage unit is the worst in the league and Buehlers sudden inability to kick a touchback is a large part of the problem. He's in the doghouse for sure.
4. The Tight Ends- Jason Witten & Martellus Bennett
There is no doubt that Jason Witten is one of the most exceptional tight ends in the league. Over the past 7 seasons he has been one of the top receiving tight ends in the league and he is an exceptional blocker. Witten is also a gamer. He is a model for toughness... see his helmetless run against the Eagles and the seasons where he played with cracked ribs and a broken jaw as example. Though, for some reason, he has yet to really be a contributor on the offense so far this season. He hasn't been targeted as much by Romo and has even dropped a few balls which truly is a rarity for Witten. He only has 23 catches for 270 yard thus far which is well off his pace for an 80 catch 1,000 yard season. Romo needs to find him more, especially on 6-9 yard 3rd down distances, for the Cowboys to flourish.
Martellus Bennett just doesn't seem like he's going to be that big threat receiving tight end that Jerry Jones envisioned him to be when he drafted him in the 2nd round in 2008. His athletic ability is unquestionable and he is a great blocker. His work ethic, however, is questionable and he seems to have struggled to fit into this, perhaps overloaded, offense.
5. Marion Barber & Tashard Choice- Running Backs
Where do you begin with the Cowboys and their running game? It is woeful. I know their offensive line is aging a bit but it is still big enough to create holes and these running backs need to find ways to run through them. Barber's productivity has drastically diminished since his pro-bowl season where he was the Cowboys third down back. The Cowboys made the mistake of thinking that Barber was an every down back which he is not. He is a punisher and most of all a finisher. He is not fast enough or nimble enough to be the primary back and now, because of the misuse of him, his body has taken such a beating that he is no longer dealing out punishment when he runs. He was once one of the most feared backs to tackle in the league. Now he gets little production out of the 10 touches a game he gets.
Tashard Choice doesn't even see the field any more so at least we know where he is: Grabbing some bench on the sideline. He was never a great back but he is a tough runner and a leader on this team. I don't know that he will ever be good enough to be a featured back but it just seems that opportunities won't present themselves in Dallas for him. It will be interesting to see if he survives the trading deadline (3 pm CST) today.
That "Three-headed monster" running game of Felix Jones, Marion Barber and Tashard Choice looks more like a 3-headed guppie to the rest of the league.
6. Leonard Davis- Guard
Well this guy aged really quick. He's been a pro-bowl player ever since he fled Arizona to join the Cowboys. He is one of the biggest guys in the entire NFL and all of a sudden a huge liability for this offensive line. He is not creating much of a push on the right side of the line for the running game and he is pass protecting so poorly that he's had to be replaced by Montrae Holland once so far this season. If he doesn't regain his old form soon, its going to be a long year for the Cowboys offense.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Romo might not be the answer
I've defended Tony for a long time now. I've always thought he was talented, more talented in fact, than a majority of the quarterbacks in the league and certainly more than any in the NFC East. I've cited his progress and statistics as the bases for my arguments. Now, however, I think I am nearing the end of the road of patience for Romo. I've never appreciated his silly smirks that he makes when he screws up and I've always wanted him to assert more leadership but I figured that as he progressed into an elite quarterback the leadership would follow. We are now 5 years into the Tony Romo era and he has not progressed over the proverbial hump into an elite quarterback. Statistics don't mean too much when the endgame is always failure.
He has consistently proven that he can rack up huge numbers but let us not forget that the talent that has surrounded him throughout his career is much better than most teams in the NFL. At times he can make phenomenal plays and often proves his critics wrong but this season he has done everything he can to prove them right. I thought getting his first playoff victory last year would be the final piece to the puzzle but he seems to have regressed. He is throwing silly interceptions as if his ability to read coverages has diminished. He has failed to raise his team to the level of intensity that is needed with the adversity they are constantly facing. As a quarterback it is your job to dictate the way your offense plays. If your backs are against the wall (which the Cowboys backs have been against the entire season) then you must lead them forward with composure, assertiveness and confidence.
Romo has yet to take control of his team and he probably never will. I don't see the Cowboys replacing Romo as their quarterback any time soon but it is certainly feasible that Romo is never going to be the great Quarterback that he was touted to be. He has all the Cowboys passing records but he has not brought this team even close to sniffing a ring. Troy Aikman's passing numbers at times may seem pedestrian to Romo's but I'll tell you one thing; that guy won and won when it counted.
He has consistently proven that he can rack up huge numbers but let us not forget that the talent that has surrounded him throughout his career is much better than most teams in the NFL. At times he can make phenomenal plays and often proves his critics wrong but this season he has done everything he can to prove them right. I thought getting his first playoff victory last year would be the final piece to the puzzle but he seems to have regressed. He is throwing silly interceptions as if his ability to read coverages has diminished. He has failed to raise his team to the level of intensity that is needed with the adversity they are constantly facing. As a quarterback it is your job to dictate the way your offense plays. If your backs are against the wall (which the Cowboys backs have been against the entire season) then you must lead them forward with composure, assertiveness and confidence.
Romo has yet to take control of his team and he probably never will. I don't see the Cowboys replacing Romo as their quarterback any time soon but it is certainly feasible that Romo is never going to be the great Quarterback that he was touted to be. He has all the Cowboys passing records but he has not brought this team even close to sniffing a ring. Troy Aikman's passing numbers at times may seem pedestrian to Romo's but I'll tell you one thing; that guy won and won when it counted.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
The Colombo Penalty
Let me start off by saying that although the celebration penalty by Marc Colombo was a turning point in the game it is not the reason or even an excuse for why they lost this game. Rather than delve any further into that, however, I would like to address the call.
The rule is that a player cannot use the ground as a prop to enhance his celebration after a touchdown. The fact that this is a rule in the first place is ludicrous but it is even more utterly ridiculous that the game officials would even think that Colombo was trying to use the ground as a prop after Jason Witten handed him the ball to spike after his 4th quarter touchdown. Colombo is a giant. He is a right tackle and naturally does not have the nimblest of feet. In his excitement, it is so blatant, so eye-gougingly obvious that he lost his balance and fell and did not intend to use the ground to celebrate that it makes me sick.
Shame on the NFL for wasting its off-season time by making rules that are meant to curb the entertainment that these playmakers can provide. More shame on the officiating crew for not adhering to common sense and understanding that Colombo merely fell. It did not cost the Cowboys the game but it certainly factored into the loss. It would have been interesting to see if the Titans would have scored so easily if the Cowboys did not have to kickoff so close to their own endzone.
The NFL is reviewing its rule that affected the Calvin Johnson TD reception that was not, from week one and they should do the same for this.
The rule is that a player cannot use the ground as a prop to enhance his celebration after a touchdown. The fact that this is a rule in the first place is ludicrous but it is even more utterly ridiculous that the game officials would even think that Colombo was trying to use the ground as a prop after Jason Witten handed him the ball to spike after his 4th quarter touchdown. Colombo is a giant. He is a right tackle and naturally does not have the nimblest of feet. In his excitement, it is so blatant, so eye-gougingly obvious that he lost his balance and fell and did not intend to use the ground to celebrate that it makes me sick.
Shame on the NFL for wasting its off-season time by making rules that are meant to curb the entertainment that these playmakers can provide. More shame on the officiating crew for not adhering to common sense and understanding that Colombo merely fell. It did not cost the Cowboys the game but it certainly factored into the loss. It would have been interesting to see if the Titans would have scored so easily if the Cowboys did not have to kickoff so close to their own endzone.
The NFL is reviewing its rule that affected the Calvin Johnson TD reception that was not, from week one and they should do the same for this.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Cowboys Titans reaction
Just as Staples has its EASY button, sports fans have their PANIC button. Well Cowboys fans, it's about time we start to think about pressing that button. What other choice do we have? We are now firmly entrenched in the basement of the NFC East and easily look like the most vulnerable team in the division. Sundays 34-27 loss to the Titans was disheartening to say the least. Any momentum gained by the win over the Texans 2 weeks ago fled during the premature bye week and the Cowboys, specifically the defense, came out looking flat. The pressure on Vince Young was sporadic and unrelentless. I understand that our defense is not the Pittsburgh Steelers defense, who demoralized every aspect of the Titans offense only a short time ago, but we are supposed to have a "great" defense. Our run defense let Chris Johnson do whatever he pleased and allowed Vince Young to be comfortable and efficient throughout most of the game.
CB Mike Jenkins has seemingly fallen into the "Sophmore slump" only it's his third year in the league. After a Pro-Bowl season last year it seems he has taken a step back. He has been spotty all season and on Sunday he was downright terrible. Our linebackers and downtackles had trouble stopping the run and the safeties were nowhere to be seen. It seems that at times, only Demarcus Ware comes to play. Even Keith Brooking had an uncharacteristically poor game, tackling wise. Wade Phillips is the head coach of the Cowboys because of his "great" defensive mind. Of course the players are the ones who have to show up on the field but Wade needs to find a way for a defense this talented to start playing up to its full potential.
On the offensive side of the ball there were numerous signs of potential, but at this point Cowboys fans should be expecting more than signs. Yes, the boys' put up 27 points and yes, Roy Williams is quietly having a superb year and Miles Austin is a downright stud... and we all know the abilities of Dez Bryant; still, Romo has been hot and cold this year. (One positive is that he played shaky in the first stages of last season) He had a great day throwing the ball for big yardage ( 31 completions for 406 yards) but he also threw three extremely costly turnovers that are all on him.
This offensive line is starting to look its age and that is a bad thing. Colombo looked a bit overwhelmed at times as did Andre Gurode, and Leonard Davis is so vulnerable in pass defending that he had to be replaced by Montrae Holland. How can as mobile a Quarterback as Tony Romo get sacked 6 times? This happens when the offensive line is the albatross of your team. They are getting beaten with both strength and speed and it's amazing Romo was still able to put up the numbers he did. The offensive line also accounted for half of the teams 133 yards in penalties! If you're going to be old at least act like a veteran and get some discipline!
So where do the Cowboys go from here? With the offensive line I honestly can offer no advice. Something in practice needs to change. The only player whose spot is in jeopardy is Davis'. Maybe give Holland a try there, I didn't see any pressures over his spot once he came in. As a unit they simply need to play better and smarter. Let's see some grit and intelligence out there! Offensively I think it's clear that Felix Jones needs to get more touches than Marion Barber. He is a greater threat and is running the ball better. I believe that Barber can still be useful. He always runs hard and can get the tough yards when needed but when your establishing the run I think it's a better strategy to run the more dangerous guy out there.
Defensively, Wade needs to find a way to get more pressure on the Quarterback. Our secondary is looking like its open for business when the QB has ample time to throw the rock.
Finally... start looking for a kicker. I don't trust Buehler for a moment. I don't know if there is anyone better out there but it can't hurt to look.
CB Mike Jenkins has seemingly fallen into the "Sophmore slump" only it's his third year in the league. After a Pro-Bowl season last year it seems he has taken a step back. He has been spotty all season and on Sunday he was downright terrible. Our linebackers and downtackles had trouble stopping the run and the safeties were nowhere to be seen. It seems that at times, only Demarcus Ware comes to play. Even Keith Brooking had an uncharacteristically poor game, tackling wise. Wade Phillips is the head coach of the Cowboys because of his "great" defensive mind. Of course the players are the ones who have to show up on the field but Wade needs to find a way for a defense this talented to start playing up to its full potential.
On the offensive side of the ball there were numerous signs of potential, but at this point Cowboys fans should be expecting more than signs. Yes, the boys' put up 27 points and yes, Roy Williams is quietly having a superb year and Miles Austin is a downright stud... and we all know the abilities of Dez Bryant; still, Romo has been hot and cold this year. (One positive is that he played shaky in the first stages of last season) He had a great day throwing the ball for big yardage ( 31 completions for 406 yards) but he also threw three extremely costly turnovers that are all on him.
This offensive line is starting to look its age and that is a bad thing. Colombo looked a bit overwhelmed at times as did Andre Gurode, and Leonard Davis is so vulnerable in pass defending that he had to be replaced by Montrae Holland. How can as mobile a Quarterback as Tony Romo get sacked 6 times? This happens when the offensive line is the albatross of your team. They are getting beaten with both strength and speed and it's amazing Romo was still able to put up the numbers he did. The offensive line also accounted for half of the teams 133 yards in penalties! If you're going to be old at least act like a veteran and get some discipline!
So where do the Cowboys go from here? With the offensive line I honestly can offer no advice. Something in practice needs to change. The only player whose spot is in jeopardy is Davis'. Maybe give Holland a try there, I didn't see any pressures over his spot once he came in. As a unit they simply need to play better and smarter. Let's see some grit and intelligence out there! Offensively I think it's clear that Felix Jones needs to get more touches than Marion Barber. He is a greater threat and is running the ball better. I believe that Barber can still be useful. He always runs hard and can get the tough yards when needed but when your establishing the run I think it's a better strategy to run the more dangerous guy out there.
Defensively, Wade needs to find a way to get more pressure on the Quarterback. Our secondary is looking like its open for business when the QB has ample time to throw the rock.
Finally... start looking for a kicker. I don't trust Buehler for a moment. I don't know if there is anyone better out there but it can't hurt to look.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
18 game season?
The discussion on whether or not the NFL should increase its regular season to 18 games has been circling around for awhile now. It is one of the key issues that is being presented in the new collective bargaining agreements and if implemented could change the NFL as we know it forever (Although the NFL seems to change dramatically each year anyways; Defenders aren't even allowed to hit offensive players anymore.) The other day, Colts president Bill Polian believes that the move to an 18 game season is a "fait accompli" which is unnecessarily fancy for--its a done deal. He later back tracked but all signs point towards Rodger Goodell and the rest of the owners getting the longer season that they so desire. Why do they want this? Money of course. As it stands under the current CBA the players make about 59.6 percent of the profits and the owners want to reduce that number to around 40%. They argue that they do not make enough money and are whining about their investments into their own stadiums and the NFL network. Here is my take:
If you don't want to invest in your team (i.e. funding a stadium, paying for game-day operations) then don't become an owner. Sure, the owners are taking financial risks all the time when they are running their respective teams but these are men who know money, and had to take risks to make it in the first place. The one thing they are not risking is their bodies and lives. The players are the ones whose lives are at stake here. We have seen what damage has been done to a multitude of retired players, especially from head trauma. This sport can literally ruin your life. It can leave you both physically and mentally crippled and in not-so-few cases, dead. 16 games plus 4 preseason games is hard enough. This sport is unlike any other in the world in terms of the brutal physical punishment a man's body endures (Yes, this includes rugby). How often do we see players go down with an injury and then not see them for many times, the rest of the season. Some never make it back to the playing field. If the season is expanded to 18 games we are going to see more and more players get hurt.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello is quoted by the AP as referring to other football leagues such as the CFL or USFL as having 18 game seasons as justification for the NFL's move. If they move to an 18 game season, the NFL will be using CFL players by seasons end and we mine as well not watch. Countless star players will go down and we will be forced to watch inadequate backups and other players not worthy of an NFL roster spot. What will the NFL do to counteract this? Impose more disgraceful penalties on defenders for touching the QB or other "defenseless players." Pretty soon the only way the NFL will be able to keep its Tom Brady's and Peyton Manning's on the field is by making contact with the quarterback "2-hand touch."
Finally, I know a lot of veteran players don't like to play in preseason games, and the NFL thinks that by only playing 2 a year it is creating a balance but its not. The point of preseason games is to allow for your experienced players to shake off a little rust, but more importantly, its for the young rookies and free agents to develop and have a shot at making the roster. The preseason games are a necessity of the NFL.
Despite some of the bogus rules that at times can take away from the game, the NFL is a well run machine. It works. We all love to watch it, and it is by far the most popular and watched sport in America. The NFL as a company makes over 8 billion dollars annually. That is a staggering number. I understand wanting more money but look at how much your already making! For all of Roger Goodell's actions in gesture of "protecting the integrity of the game," he might want to look beyond just the players conduct in the end zone or off the field. The NFL thinks that it has problems looking after its retired players health care now? Just they wait.
If you don't want to invest in your team (i.e. funding a stadium, paying for game-day operations) then don't become an owner. Sure, the owners are taking financial risks all the time when they are running their respective teams but these are men who know money, and had to take risks to make it in the first place. The one thing they are not risking is their bodies and lives. The players are the ones whose lives are at stake here. We have seen what damage has been done to a multitude of retired players, especially from head trauma. This sport can literally ruin your life. It can leave you both physically and mentally crippled and in not-so-few cases, dead. 16 games plus 4 preseason games is hard enough. This sport is unlike any other in the world in terms of the brutal physical punishment a man's body endures (Yes, this includes rugby). How often do we see players go down with an injury and then not see them for many times, the rest of the season. Some never make it back to the playing field. If the season is expanded to 18 games we are going to see more and more players get hurt.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello is quoted by the AP as referring to other football leagues such as the CFL or USFL as having 18 game seasons as justification for the NFL's move. If they move to an 18 game season, the NFL will be using CFL players by seasons end and we mine as well not watch. Countless star players will go down and we will be forced to watch inadequate backups and other players not worthy of an NFL roster spot. What will the NFL do to counteract this? Impose more disgraceful penalties on defenders for touching the QB or other "defenseless players." Pretty soon the only way the NFL will be able to keep its Tom Brady's and Peyton Manning's on the field is by making contact with the quarterback "2-hand touch."
Finally, I know a lot of veteran players don't like to play in preseason games, and the NFL thinks that by only playing 2 a year it is creating a balance but its not. The point of preseason games is to allow for your experienced players to shake off a little rust, but more importantly, its for the young rookies and free agents to develop and have a shot at making the roster. The preseason games are a necessity of the NFL.
Despite some of the bogus rules that at times can take away from the game, the NFL is a well run machine. It works. We all love to watch it, and it is by far the most popular and watched sport in America. The NFL as a company makes over 8 billion dollars annually. That is a staggering number. I understand wanting more money but look at how much your already making! For all of Roger Goodell's actions in gesture of "protecting the integrity of the game," he might want to look beyond just the players conduct in the end zone or off the field. The NFL thinks that it has problems looking after its retired players health care now? Just they wait.
Week 3 thoughts
Here are a few brief thoughts/points from an exciting third week of football.
49ers-10 Chiefs-31
Talk about two teams heading in directions that no one could have predicted. The 49ers are in the middle of an actual implosion. In their furious state of imcompetence and offensive infertility they have fired their offensive coordinator 3 weeks into the season! I can't tell if Alex Smith has any potential because this is now the 7th offensive coordinator that has gotten the axe during his tenure. If you ask me the QB has something to do with it, scrap this kid. Kansas City on the other hand is one of two remaining undefeated teams (Steelers)in the AFC and I doubt anyone would have guessed this. Kudos to Todd Haley and his staff. They have this team believing in themselves and at this point in time, they should now be considered the early favorites to take the division although I think San Diego will have something to say about this later on down the road.
Lions- 10 Vikings-24
It took playing the hapless Lions for Brett Favre and the Vikings to finally get one in the winning column. They will take it but there has to be concern about Brett Favre. He needs only 1 more interception to equal his total from last year. It seems as if his magic may finally be running out. If Adrian Peterson keeps running the rock like he did against the Lions, (160 yards, 2TD) the Vikings should make it an interesting race in the NFC North. The Lions have shown a lot more fight this season and eventually they will catch a break. Stafford returns soon and rookie RB Jahvid Best is expected to play next week.
Bills- 30 Patriots-38
Is it just me or are the Pats looking extremely vulnerable these days? I know the Bills always play them tough but this Pats defense was exposed by a Ryan Fitzpatrick led offense. If the Bills can put up 30 on the Patriots, just think of what other teams can do down the road. Fortunately for New England fans, their offense has the ability to score at will.
Falcons--27 Saints-24 (OT)
If you are a professional kicker, I'm sorry but you need to make a 29 yard field goal. That's a chip shot for a high school kicker. If I were the Saints I would drop him. This is a "what have you done for me lately?" league and it doesn't matter that Hartley was clutch for them last year, he cost them an extremely important division game. The Falcons are going to be in contention for the NFC South title until the very end of the season and now have an upper-hand on the Saints whose run defense is a joke. Luckily for New Orleans, Drew Brees is still the most dangerous QB in the NFC and he will have something to say about who ends up with the division crown.
Titans-29 Giants-10
I was almost rolling on the ground, churning with laughter, when I saw the "ambidextrous" Eli Manning throw the most humiliating and disgraceful left-handed interception in the end zone on Sunday. He always finds a way to push the boundaries of stupidity and the die-hard Giants fans must seriously be concerned about the prospects of this season. Their defense was once again perforated by a running attack. The Steelers made Vince Young look foolish last week but the Giants could not force him to make his usual mistakes. For such a no-nonsense coach, Tom Coughlin seems inept at instilling discipline upon his team. They committed 5 personal fouls including 2 by long time veteran tackle Kareem McKenzie. There are Bill Cowher rumors circling and that may be the best news the Giants fans will get all season.
Steelers-38 Buccaneers-13
We all knew that the Bucs weren't for real but everyone, myself included, always seems to underestimate the Steelers. Not having Ben Roethlisberger is not a problem for them. They have always been defined by their smash-mouth mentality. They ran the ball down the Bucs throats all day and of course the Steelers defense put up another excellent performance including Brett the diesel Kiesel's 79 touchdown interception. The AFC North is going to be a great division to watch this year.
Eagles-28 Jaguars-3
Michael Vick. That's all the needs to be said. He is playing better than he ever did in Atlanta. He is running and gunning at an optimal level. The Eagles offense is downright terrifying and they are looking like early season favorites for the NFC East. The Jaguars are terrible and Jack Del Rio's leash has to be shorter than ever as his team has once again underperformed expectations.
Chargers-20 Seahawks-27
Pete Carroll is a smart man. He left a stormy tempest at USC just in time to hand off all the problems to the very unlikeable Lane Kiffin and has ignited a fire in the Seahawks. They have soundly beaten two teams that they weren't supposed to. It is fun to watch Carroll enthusiastically coaching on the sidelines, often times running onto the field as if he wants to get a few plays in. Everyone seems to have forgotten that Matt Hassleback has been a pro-bowl QB. San Diego has under performed thus far this season but then again, they always get off to slow starts. QB Phillip Rivers is too good for this team not to be successful this season. His careers passing day (455 yards 2 TD) was not enough against the Seahawks mostly because Leon Washington had two magnificent kick off returns for touchdowns.
Jets 31- Dolphins-23
This was one of the two best games of the weekend. The Jets defense did not play up to Rex Ryan's high expectations but they made plays when it counted. Jason Taylor, in his return to Miami, proved he is still a relevant pass rusher and although the secondary bent a lot at the hands of Chad Henne and Brandon Marshall they did not allow the Dolphins to score on four tries in the red zone at the end of the game. Mark Sanchez continued his growth and maturity passing for 256 yards and 3 touchdowns. His chemistry with TE Dustin Keller is something to be feared and WR Braylon Edwards put down his drinks in time to score a decisive 67 yard touchdown. The Jets have won two huge division games and I expect them to win a third against Buffalo next week. They have recovered from that first week debacle and have gained an early lead in a wind sprint for the AFC East.
Packers-17 Bears-20
This was the other great game of the 3rd week. The Bears are who we thought they were; except they're not. They are a legitimate team. Jay Cutler survived a rocky performance and was able to find receivers when it counted. Tight end Greg Olson is blossoming into a premier player and Devon Hester proved with his 62 yard punt return for a TD that he is still one of the most dangerous players in the league. The Bears defense held up formidably against the vaunted Packers offense. Brian Urlacher is still a beast and was all over the field. Great players make big plays and his strip of Greg Jennings sealed the game for Chicago. Despite all of this, the Packers really beat themselves. They tied a team record with 18 penalties. Aaron Rodgers did pretty much whatever he wanted. He and Drew Brees are the cream of the NFC quarterbacks. If he can get some running back help the Packers will still be the team to beat in the NFC North.
49ers-10 Chiefs-31
Talk about two teams heading in directions that no one could have predicted. The 49ers are in the middle of an actual implosion. In their furious state of imcompetence and offensive infertility they have fired their offensive coordinator 3 weeks into the season! I can't tell if Alex Smith has any potential because this is now the 7th offensive coordinator that has gotten the axe during his tenure. If you ask me the QB has something to do with it, scrap this kid. Kansas City on the other hand is one of two remaining undefeated teams (Steelers)in the AFC and I doubt anyone would have guessed this. Kudos to Todd Haley and his staff. They have this team believing in themselves and at this point in time, they should now be considered the early favorites to take the division although I think San Diego will have something to say about this later on down the road.
Lions- 10 Vikings-24
It took playing the hapless Lions for Brett Favre and the Vikings to finally get one in the winning column. They will take it but there has to be concern about Brett Favre. He needs only 1 more interception to equal his total from last year. It seems as if his magic may finally be running out. If Adrian Peterson keeps running the rock like he did against the Lions, (160 yards, 2TD) the Vikings should make it an interesting race in the NFC North. The Lions have shown a lot more fight this season and eventually they will catch a break. Stafford returns soon and rookie RB Jahvid Best is expected to play next week.
Bills- 30 Patriots-38
Is it just me or are the Pats looking extremely vulnerable these days? I know the Bills always play them tough but this Pats defense was exposed by a Ryan Fitzpatrick led offense. If the Bills can put up 30 on the Patriots, just think of what other teams can do down the road. Fortunately for New England fans, their offense has the ability to score at will.
Falcons--27 Saints-24 (OT)
If you are a professional kicker, I'm sorry but you need to make a 29 yard field goal. That's a chip shot for a high school kicker. If I were the Saints I would drop him. This is a "what have you done for me lately?" league and it doesn't matter that Hartley was clutch for them last year, he cost them an extremely important division game. The Falcons are going to be in contention for the NFC South title until the very end of the season and now have an upper-hand on the Saints whose run defense is a joke. Luckily for New Orleans, Drew Brees is still the most dangerous QB in the NFC and he will have something to say about who ends up with the division crown.
Titans-29 Giants-10
I was almost rolling on the ground, churning with laughter, when I saw the "ambidextrous" Eli Manning throw the most humiliating and disgraceful left-handed interception in the end zone on Sunday. He always finds a way to push the boundaries of stupidity and the die-hard Giants fans must seriously be concerned about the prospects of this season. Their defense was once again perforated by a running attack. The Steelers made Vince Young look foolish last week but the Giants could not force him to make his usual mistakes. For such a no-nonsense coach, Tom Coughlin seems inept at instilling discipline upon his team. They committed 5 personal fouls including 2 by long time veteran tackle Kareem McKenzie. There are Bill Cowher rumors circling and that may be the best news the Giants fans will get all season.
Steelers-38 Buccaneers-13
We all knew that the Bucs weren't for real but everyone, myself included, always seems to underestimate the Steelers. Not having Ben Roethlisberger is not a problem for them. They have always been defined by their smash-mouth mentality. They ran the ball down the Bucs throats all day and of course the Steelers defense put up another excellent performance including Brett the diesel Kiesel's 79 touchdown interception. The AFC North is going to be a great division to watch this year.
Eagles-28 Jaguars-3
Michael Vick. That's all the needs to be said. He is playing better than he ever did in Atlanta. He is running and gunning at an optimal level. The Eagles offense is downright terrifying and they are looking like early season favorites for the NFC East. The Jaguars are terrible and Jack Del Rio's leash has to be shorter than ever as his team has once again underperformed expectations.
Chargers-20 Seahawks-27
Pete Carroll is a smart man. He left a stormy tempest at USC just in time to hand off all the problems to the very unlikeable Lane Kiffin and has ignited a fire in the Seahawks. They have soundly beaten two teams that they weren't supposed to. It is fun to watch Carroll enthusiastically coaching on the sidelines, often times running onto the field as if he wants to get a few plays in. Everyone seems to have forgotten that Matt Hassleback has been a pro-bowl QB. San Diego has under performed thus far this season but then again, they always get off to slow starts. QB Phillip Rivers is too good for this team not to be successful this season. His careers passing day (455 yards 2 TD) was not enough against the Seahawks mostly because Leon Washington had two magnificent kick off returns for touchdowns.
Jets 31- Dolphins-23
This was one of the two best games of the weekend. The Jets defense did not play up to Rex Ryan's high expectations but they made plays when it counted. Jason Taylor, in his return to Miami, proved he is still a relevant pass rusher and although the secondary bent a lot at the hands of Chad Henne and Brandon Marshall they did not allow the Dolphins to score on four tries in the red zone at the end of the game. Mark Sanchez continued his growth and maturity passing for 256 yards and 3 touchdowns. His chemistry with TE Dustin Keller is something to be feared and WR Braylon Edwards put down his drinks in time to score a decisive 67 yard touchdown. The Jets have won two huge division games and I expect them to win a third against Buffalo next week. They have recovered from that first week debacle and have gained an early lead in a wind sprint for the AFC East.
Packers-17 Bears-20
This was the other great game of the 3rd week. The Bears are who we thought they were; except they're not. They are a legitimate team. Jay Cutler survived a rocky performance and was able to find receivers when it counted. Tight end Greg Olson is blossoming into a premier player and Devon Hester proved with his 62 yard punt return for a TD that he is still one of the most dangerous players in the league. The Bears defense held up formidably against the vaunted Packers offense. Brian Urlacher is still a beast and was all over the field. Great players make big plays and his strip of Greg Jennings sealed the game for Chicago. Despite all of this, the Packers really beat themselves. They tied a team record with 18 penalties. Aaron Rodgers did pretty much whatever he wanted. He and Drew Brees are the cream of the NFC quarterbacks. If he can get some running back help the Packers will still be the team to beat in the NFC North.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Cowboys-Texans reaction
Cowboys fans can breathe a sigh of relief...for now. The Cowboys avoided the dreaded 0-3 start and soundly beat a very strong Texans team that were sort of the flavor of the week for early Super Bowl contenders. The Cowboys played with a sense of urgency that they seemed to have lacked in their first two games. They finally put their egos aside, shut their mouths and let their playing do the talking for them. Prior to this game it looked as if the Cowboys thought they could just walk onto the field, that bright blue star shining on their helmets, and teams would just let them win the games. They finally realized that other teams are trying to get to the big show too. They played like their backs were to the wall and showed us what this team is capable of.
I think the first thing we have to look at when we break down how the Cowboys were able to be successful against the Texans is their offensive game plan. Finally, Jason Garrett listened to sensible reason and called an offensively balanced game. Neither Marion Barber nor Felix Jones had tremendous rushing days but both were very effective. Barber ran tough the whole day and Felix gashed the Texans D averaging 6.1 YPC. They rushed the ball 27 times for a combined 101 yards, which was enough to keep the Texans defense honest and allowed Romo to open up the passing game.
Roy Williams has been quietly having a decent year (minus that pitiful fumble last week). He has been catching tough balls and he finally earned his paycheck with a break out game. He consistently ran precise routes and burned the Texans secondary for 117 yards and 5 receptions and 2 huge touchdowns. Give that man a game ball. Although Miles Austin and Dez Bryant were relatively quiet on Sunday, they both had some clutch catches and just watching Dez's ability to haul in tough balls in tight coverage makes me think that he is a Brandon Marshall in the making. Jason Witten finally got involved in the offense catching 7 balls for 56 yards. Even Sam Hurd made a nice catch. Tony Romo was on all day and made intelligent reads and had a commanding presence in the pocket. I keep waiting for him step up and consistently be assertive in this offense. Sunday could be the first step.
One thing that you may or may not have noticed was Mario Williams and the rest of the Texans pass-rush, or lack thereof. Is it just me or are Doug Free and Marc Colombo playing out of their minds? Neither Julius Peppers or Mario Williams was able to get near Romo in the past two weeks and compared to Flozell Adams, there is a penalty drought with these two guys. They are both big, athletic and play with great tenacity. Neither is getting their name mentioned too much and that is a good thing. That means their doing their job, not getting penalized and keeping tough pass rushers at bay.
On the defensive side, Cowboys fans have to be extremely excited. They finally forced the turnovers that had been lacking with interceptions from Jenkins and rookie safety Danny McCray as well as a forced fumble. Demarcus Ware continues to show that he is one of if not the most dynamic defensive players in the game with 3 sacks, 2 more QB pressures and 5 tackles for a loss. The run defense bent but didn't break and the cowboys coverage was superb all around. They held perennial pro-bowl QB Matt Schuab in check and out of the end zone until the very end of the game when the outcome was no longer in question. Schuab threw for a modest 241 yards and posted an unimpressive 77.7 passer rating. Andre Johnson was also held in check, although his injured ankle played a factor in this.
It's unfortunate that the Cowboys get such a big win right before their early bye week. They will have to continue to have good practice weeks and come out for the week 5 match-up with the Titans with great intensity and purpose. It's nice that they had all of these private team meetings and player speeches last week but now they must take the proverbial ball and run with it. With the Eagles looking more and more like the real deal the Cowboys must furnish a great winning streak especially against all of their division opponents. (Technically the Cowboys are still in last place with the pathetic Giants).
There are reasons to be optimistic. The defense looked like a Super Bowl defense last week but then again, they looked like the complete opposite against a weaker Bears offense the week before. If they can continue to play at that high level, however, it will be tough for any team to have much success against this high-octane defense. Romo is starting to like he in synch with all his receivers. If Roy Williams can become a consistent threat in the offense it will be impossible for defenses to cover all three of the cowboys receivers and Witten and Martellus Bennett. Finally, the special teams also picked things up this week. The coverage was tighter and kicker David Buehler made 2 tough kicks, although I think the jury is still out on him.
It's only one game and this win really doesn't guarantee anything for the Cowboys season. They have to prove that they can play like that on a weekly basis. The running game is still weak and until Barber and Jones are running on full throttle the Cowboys offense will still be vulnerable to stall the way they did consistently during the first two games. It's a long season and the Cowboys have to keep the fire in their belly for the next 14 weeks.
I think the first thing we have to look at when we break down how the Cowboys were able to be successful against the Texans is their offensive game plan. Finally, Jason Garrett listened to sensible reason and called an offensively balanced game. Neither Marion Barber nor Felix Jones had tremendous rushing days but both were very effective. Barber ran tough the whole day and Felix gashed the Texans D averaging 6.1 YPC. They rushed the ball 27 times for a combined 101 yards, which was enough to keep the Texans defense honest and allowed Romo to open up the passing game.
Roy Williams has been quietly having a decent year (minus that pitiful fumble last week). He has been catching tough balls and he finally earned his paycheck with a break out game. He consistently ran precise routes and burned the Texans secondary for 117 yards and 5 receptions and 2 huge touchdowns. Give that man a game ball. Although Miles Austin and Dez Bryant were relatively quiet on Sunday, they both had some clutch catches and just watching Dez's ability to haul in tough balls in tight coverage makes me think that he is a Brandon Marshall in the making. Jason Witten finally got involved in the offense catching 7 balls for 56 yards. Even Sam Hurd made a nice catch. Tony Romo was on all day and made intelligent reads and had a commanding presence in the pocket. I keep waiting for him step up and consistently be assertive in this offense. Sunday could be the first step.
One thing that you may or may not have noticed was Mario Williams and the rest of the Texans pass-rush, or lack thereof. Is it just me or are Doug Free and Marc Colombo playing out of their minds? Neither Julius Peppers or Mario Williams was able to get near Romo in the past two weeks and compared to Flozell Adams, there is a penalty drought with these two guys. They are both big, athletic and play with great tenacity. Neither is getting their name mentioned too much and that is a good thing. That means their doing their job, not getting penalized and keeping tough pass rushers at bay.
On the defensive side, Cowboys fans have to be extremely excited. They finally forced the turnovers that had been lacking with interceptions from Jenkins and rookie safety Danny McCray as well as a forced fumble. Demarcus Ware continues to show that he is one of if not the most dynamic defensive players in the game with 3 sacks, 2 more QB pressures and 5 tackles for a loss. The run defense bent but didn't break and the cowboys coverage was superb all around. They held perennial pro-bowl QB Matt Schuab in check and out of the end zone until the very end of the game when the outcome was no longer in question. Schuab threw for a modest 241 yards and posted an unimpressive 77.7 passer rating. Andre Johnson was also held in check, although his injured ankle played a factor in this.
It's unfortunate that the Cowboys get such a big win right before their early bye week. They will have to continue to have good practice weeks and come out for the week 5 match-up with the Titans with great intensity and purpose. It's nice that they had all of these private team meetings and player speeches last week but now they must take the proverbial ball and run with it. With the Eagles looking more and more like the real deal the Cowboys must furnish a great winning streak especially against all of their division opponents. (Technically the Cowboys are still in last place with the pathetic Giants).
There are reasons to be optimistic. The defense looked like a Super Bowl defense last week but then again, they looked like the complete opposite against a weaker Bears offense the week before. If they can continue to play at that high level, however, it will be tough for any team to have much success against this high-octane defense. Romo is starting to like he in synch with all his receivers. If Roy Williams can become a consistent threat in the offense it will be impossible for defenses to cover all three of the cowboys receivers and Witten and Martellus Bennett. Finally, the special teams also picked things up this week. The coverage was tighter and kicker David Buehler made 2 tough kicks, although I think the jury is still out on him.
It's only one game and this win really doesn't guarantee anything for the Cowboys season. They have to prove that they can play like that on a weekly basis. The running game is still weak and until Barber and Jones are running on full throttle the Cowboys offense will still be vulnerable to stall the way they did consistently during the first two games. It's a long season and the Cowboys have to keep the fire in their belly for the next 14 weeks.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Wade Phillips Job Security
Just a quick thought since ESPN reported today that Jerry Jones has affirmed that Wade Phillips job is not in jeopardy even if the Cowboys fall to 0-3. If the Cowboys were to fall to 0-3, devastating as it may be, the season is still not lost. Their division is weaker than in past years and there is no reason why they could not go on a dramatic winning streak. With that being said, firing a coach at any part of the season is something that teams that have written off the year or teams that are in a serious rebuilding phase do; not teams that have any sort of playoff aspirations. Think about it. If the Cowboys fire Wade Phillips and even the incompetent Jason Garrett now it will cause further implosion within the franchise. These players are in Wade's system. Romo is in Garrett's system and has been for the past few years. At this point in time the solution to the problems is to tinker with what you have and fix the problem. Now, if, down the road, the season becomes lost, by all means fire the whole staff. If the cowboys fail to make the playoffs or give their fans another early exit performance the entire staff should be shipped out. For now, however, let us all just hold our breath and hope that we make it out the other side.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Some NFL thoughts from week 2
Just a few thoughts after a very interesting week 2.
Although the uproar by Cowboys fans about their teams pathetic start and anemic offense are justified, there are some bright spots that are encouraging as the Cowboys forge ahead into a HUGE Texas showdown in Houston against the well equipped Texans. Tony Romo is actually second in the entire NFL (behind Peyton Manning) in passing yards and first in the NFC. Miles Austin leads all NFL receivers with 288 yards receiving. Although these stats are misleading; Romo has thrown a ton and many of his yards come late in the game when the Cowboys are playing from behind. It is still encouraging to know that Romo can still move his team down the field.
Another gift bestowed upon the Cowboys this week is the 4 game suspension of Texans left tackle Duane Brown. If Wade Phillips utilizes his brain cells the Cowboys defense should get to Matt Schuab with regularity on Sunday.
In Philadelphia Andy Reid has finished his turn on the sea-saw and has picked Michael Vick as the Eagles starting QB until further notice, leaving them with a frustrated and expensive backup in Kevin Kolb. Last year I would have laughed at this decision thinking that Vick's time as a threatening and dominant player in the league had expired. This notion is now far from the truth. Vick seems to have his gazelle legs back under him and now he's equipped with a hose that he's not afraid to use, throwing the ball with strength and accuracy down the field. The Eagles D is still a question mark but the intangibles that Vick brings to the table are downright frightening.
There seemed to be a battle for the restoration of balance to the league last week. Peyton Manning and the Colts once again looked like the team that expects to contend for the Super Bowl every year. They trounced the Giants and exposed a defense that looks like it had never discussed the notion of stopping the run in practice. Peyton tooled on his little brothers' team in every way possible. The Giants look like they're going nowhere fast, especially when their once feared running back Brandon Jacobs' equipment poses more of a threat to spectators than his ability does to opponents. On the flip side of this "restoration of balance" to the league idea, Brett Favre and the Vikings looked incredibly vulnerable against a Miami team that not everyone has yet bought into. Next week's Monday night match up against the Jets should show us if Miami is for real or not. As for the Vikings, they better hope Favre hasn't hit menopause just yet because they need him to perform at least a fraction like he did last year for them to have a chance. 5 picks in 2 games sounds familiar for those who know Favre, except Minnesota fans.
A few other head turners from last week included the implosion of Joe Flacco. I really thought he was going to turn a corner after a solid game against a very good Jets defense. Instead he went haywire and threw four picks, essentially giving the game to Cincinnati.
The 49er's picked up the intensity after the drubbing they received from the Seahawks and nearly pulled off a shocker against the Saints. If coach Mike Singletary can keep that teams intensity up I fully expect them to secure the weakest division in football.
Shame on me for picking against the Steelers last week. Their defense is always among the best in the league and it made both Vince Young and Kerry Collins look absolutely silly this past weekend. Even though the Steelers offense will continue to be a joke at least until Ben Roethlisberger returns, their defense will keep them in that division race for the entire year.
Finally, I think we learned something about both the New York Jets and the New England Patriots this week. The Jets, for all the over-hype they get and their chronic appetite for distractions, are a very good team and, defensively, are extremely intimidating. The Patriots on the other hand, have shown that they are no longer the intimidating juggernaut that can have Tom Brady just toss the ball into outer space and have it land for a touchdown. Aside from Moss's brilliant, one-handed escape from Revis island, Tom Brady could not take advantage of the opportunities he was given. With Revis out of the ballgame I expected the Patriots passing game to flourish but the Jets defense was just too good. Sanchez out played Brady in all aspects of the game and deserves a good deal of credit. He finally looked like a real pro quarterback. It will be interesting to see where he goes from here.
Although the uproar by Cowboys fans about their teams pathetic start and anemic offense are justified, there are some bright spots that are encouraging as the Cowboys forge ahead into a HUGE Texas showdown in Houston against the well equipped Texans. Tony Romo is actually second in the entire NFL (behind Peyton Manning) in passing yards and first in the NFC. Miles Austin leads all NFL receivers with 288 yards receiving. Although these stats are misleading; Romo has thrown a ton and many of his yards come late in the game when the Cowboys are playing from behind. It is still encouraging to know that Romo can still move his team down the field.
Another gift bestowed upon the Cowboys this week is the 4 game suspension of Texans left tackle Duane Brown. If Wade Phillips utilizes his brain cells the Cowboys defense should get to Matt Schuab with regularity on Sunday.
In Philadelphia Andy Reid has finished his turn on the sea-saw and has picked Michael Vick as the Eagles starting QB until further notice, leaving them with a frustrated and expensive backup in Kevin Kolb. Last year I would have laughed at this decision thinking that Vick's time as a threatening and dominant player in the league had expired. This notion is now far from the truth. Vick seems to have his gazelle legs back under him and now he's equipped with a hose that he's not afraid to use, throwing the ball with strength and accuracy down the field. The Eagles D is still a question mark but the intangibles that Vick brings to the table are downright frightening.
There seemed to be a battle for the restoration of balance to the league last week. Peyton Manning and the Colts once again looked like the team that expects to contend for the Super Bowl every year. They trounced the Giants and exposed a defense that looks like it had never discussed the notion of stopping the run in practice. Peyton tooled on his little brothers' team in every way possible. The Giants look like they're going nowhere fast, especially when their once feared running back Brandon Jacobs' equipment poses more of a threat to spectators than his ability does to opponents. On the flip side of this "restoration of balance" to the league idea, Brett Favre and the Vikings looked incredibly vulnerable against a Miami team that not everyone has yet bought into. Next week's Monday night match up against the Jets should show us if Miami is for real or not. As for the Vikings, they better hope Favre hasn't hit menopause just yet because they need him to perform at least a fraction like he did last year for them to have a chance. 5 picks in 2 games sounds familiar for those who know Favre, except Minnesota fans.
A few other head turners from last week included the implosion of Joe Flacco. I really thought he was going to turn a corner after a solid game against a very good Jets defense. Instead he went haywire and threw four picks, essentially giving the game to Cincinnati.
The 49er's picked up the intensity after the drubbing they received from the Seahawks and nearly pulled off a shocker against the Saints. If coach Mike Singletary can keep that teams intensity up I fully expect them to secure the weakest division in football.
Shame on me for picking against the Steelers last week. Their defense is always among the best in the league and it made both Vince Young and Kerry Collins look absolutely silly this past weekend. Even though the Steelers offense will continue to be a joke at least until Ben Roethlisberger returns, their defense will keep them in that division race for the entire year.
Finally, I think we learned something about both the New York Jets and the New England Patriots this week. The Jets, for all the over-hype they get and their chronic appetite for distractions, are a very good team and, defensively, are extremely intimidating. The Patriots on the other hand, have shown that they are no longer the intimidating juggernaut that can have Tom Brady just toss the ball into outer space and have it land for a touchdown. Aside from Moss's brilliant, one-handed escape from Revis island, Tom Brady could not take advantage of the opportunities he was given. With Revis out of the ballgame I expected the Patriots passing game to flourish but the Jets defense was just too good. Sanchez out played Brady in all aspects of the game and deserves a good deal of credit. He finally looked like a real pro quarterback. It will be interesting to see where he goes from here.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Cowboys Bears reaction
The Cowboys and their impatient fans waited for what must have seemed like a year for this game to come, after week one's let down. The result? In a disgraceful showing, the boys fell flat on their faces. Now, after what was considered a lighter portion of their tough schedule, they are sitting at 0-2 and face a daunting uphill battle to turn their season around. The Houston Texans are next weeks opponent and I see no reason for Cowboys fans to look forward to this game.
The Cowboys, after all their talk during the week about correcting the mistakes, only compounded them with more (many by veteran players!). Give the Bears their due though. Their defense was especially impressive and the turnover prone Jay Cutler not only posted a zero in that category, but relentlessly unleashed long bombs all over the Cowboys secondary, making them look foolish.
Where do we start when analyzing this game? The offense for the second straight week (7th if you count the preseason) looked nothing like the vaunted bunch that was supposed to score at will coming into the season. Romo had a terrible game. Don't let his 374 yards fool you, many of his throws were inaccurate, including the pass to Jason Witten that bounced off his hand and into the arms of Bears defensive back D.J. Moore. Moore made an uneducated comment, stating that Witten "heard footsteps" and was "scared" and that is why he dropped the ball. The same Jason Witten who has played a season with 2 cracked ribs? The Jason Witten who repeatedly hauls in balls in heavy traffic and takes on severe hits as if they were rain drops? No, Witten dropped that ball because it was thrown behind him and he could not react in time to get a good hand on it. Aside from Moore's bumptious comment, he does deserve credit for playing a good game.
Despite the return of the two starters on the offensive line, the fortunes of the Cowboys offense did not change. Once again, Jason Garrett decided that a balanced offense was not prudent, electing to pass 51 times and running only 19 times. Does he not understand that getting the running game started will help Romo and the passing attack? In the first quarter, Marion Barber repeatedly rushed for over seven yards and the Cowboys marched down the field. (Surprise, surprise, the drive stalled.) Still, why abandon the run for the rest of the game? Their run attack for the final 3 quarters was nothing less than a joke, and often was merely a feeble attempt to catch the Bears off guard in terms of defending Romo's arm. Good luck trying to catch the likes of Urlacher and Briggs off guard.
Kicker David Buehler has done nothing to inspire confidence in the hearts of the Cowboys. He missed another easy kick and poorly executed a surprise onsides kick. (This "gutsy" call had to have Cowboys fans pulling their hair out all over the country.) Buehler looks like he is just trying to muscle these field goals through the uprights and is throwing his technique into the wind. To make matters worse, I haven't seen any of those booming kickoffs that he's known for yet this year. In short, he has been useless thus far. Dare I say, bring back Nick Folk?
Then, on the defensive side of the ball, the boys were exposed and humiliated. In the first quarter I would have boldly predicted that they would tally up around 6 sacks on Cutler for the day. Ware and Anthony Spencer were flying around like mad men. It looked as if Cutler wanted nothing more than to head back to the Bears bus and hide under a seat. They were literally unblockable, and they must have been licking their chops when the Bears had to insert a backup tackle into the game. Instead, Wade Phillips stopped calling for effective blitzes and the Cowboys sat back as Cutler was allowed to settle down and pick apart a secondary that played uncharacteristically poor. CB Mike Jenkins, usually the Cowboys best cover corner was beaten frequently. He also suffered a knee bruise but is expected to start next week. His replacement Michael Hamlin looked like he had never been taught how to cover anyone on Cutlers third TD toss.
It also appeared that Bears O-coordinator Mike Martz out smarted defensive guru Wade Phillips. Often the Cowboys were caught in coverage that left the middle of the field wide open. On the first Bears TD, tight end Greg Olson was barley touched as he scampered for 39 yards into the endzone. (Greg Olson does drop the best lines in the U-Miami's 7th floor crew, so its hard to hate on him for that.)
Heading into next week, it is an understatement that the Cowboys have a lot to work on. They must figure out how to run a respectable offense. Their talent is without question, but their execution is among the leagues worst. Roy Williams has finally shown that he can catch the ball; Now hold on to the damn thing! Dez Bryant looks like a superstar in the making and Miles Austin is a bonafide superstar. Romo must return to form and the offensive line must drastically cut down on penalties. I can't even begin to count how many drives have been stalled by holdings and false starts in the past 5 years. These guys are supposed to be experienced veterans!
Defensively we need to get some turnovers. This D has too much talent to not add to the turnover margin. Dial up the blitz more often! It scares me that we couldn't even get one interception off of the leagues leader in throwing them from last year. It is not panic time yet. Key word yet. Let us not forget that the New York Giants started off 0-2 a few years ago and ended up winning the Super Bowl. In 1993 the Cowboys also started off 0-2 and went on to win the big one. (Of course, the main reason for starting off 0-2 was Emmitt Smith's absence because of a holdout.) The NFC East is still wide open but their is a closing window of opportunity for the Cowboys. The time for the right words A.K.A cheap talk is over. Get out there and play ball!
The Cowboys, after all their talk during the week about correcting the mistakes, only compounded them with more (many by veteran players!). Give the Bears their due though. Their defense was especially impressive and the turnover prone Jay Cutler not only posted a zero in that category, but relentlessly unleashed long bombs all over the Cowboys secondary, making them look foolish.
Where do we start when analyzing this game? The offense for the second straight week (7th if you count the preseason) looked nothing like the vaunted bunch that was supposed to score at will coming into the season. Romo had a terrible game. Don't let his 374 yards fool you, many of his throws were inaccurate, including the pass to Jason Witten that bounced off his hand and into the arms of Bears defensive back D.J. Moore. Moore made an uneducated comment, stating that Witten "heard footsteps" and was "scared" and that is why he dropped the ball. The same Jason Witten who has played a season with 2 cracked ribs? The Jason Witten who repeatedly hauls in balls in heavy traffic and takes on severe hits as if they were rain drops? No, Witten dropped that ball because it was thrown behind him and he could not react in time to get a good hand on it. Aside from Moore's bumptious comment, he does deserve credit for playing a good game.
Despite the return of the two starters on the offensive line, the fortunes of the Cowboys offense did not change. Once again, Jason Garrett decided that a balanced offense was not prudent, electing to pass 51 times and running only 19 times. Does he not understand that getting the running game started will help Romo and the passing attack? In the first quarter, Marion Barber repeatedly rushed for over seven yards and the Cowboys marched down the field. (Surprise, surprise, the drive stalled.) Still, why abandon the run for the rest of the game? Their run attack for the final 3 quarters was nothing less than a joke, and often was merely a feeble attempt to catch the Bears off guard in terms of defending Romo's arm. Good luck trying to catch the likes of Urlacher and Briggs off guard.
Kicker David Buehler has done nothing to inspire confidence in the hearts of the Cowboys. He missed another easy kick and poorly executed a surprise onsides kick. (This "gutsy" call had to have Cowboys fans pulling their hair out all over the country.) Buehler looks like he is just trying to muscle these field goals through the uprights and is throwing his technique into the wind. To make matters worse, I haven't seen any of those booming kickoffs that he's known for yet this year. In short, he has been useless thus far. Dare I say, bring back Nick Folk?
Then, on the defensive side of the ball, the boys were exposed and humiliated. In the first quarter I would have boldly predicted that they would tally up around 6 sacks on Cutler for the day. Ware and Anthony Spencer were flying around like mad men. It looked as if Cutler wanted nothing more than to head back to the Bears bus and hide under a seat. They were literally unblockable, and they must have been licking their chops when the Bears had to insert a backup tackle into the game. Instead, Wade Phillips stopped calling for effective blitzes and the Cowboys sat back as Cutler was allowed to settle down and pick apart a secondary that played uncharacteristically poor. CB Mike Jenkins, usually the Cowboys best cover corner was beaten frequently. He also suffered a knee bruise but is expected to start next week. His replacement Michael Hamlin looked like he had never been taught how to cover anyone on Cutlers third TD toss.
It also appeared that Bears O-coordinator Mike Martz out smarted defensive guru Wade Phillips. Often the Cowboys were caught in coverage that left the middle of the field wide open. On the first Bears TD, tight end Greg Olson was barley touched as he scampered for 39 yards into the endzone. (Greg Olson does drop the best lines in the U-Miami's 7th floor crew, so its hard to hate on him for that.)
Heading into next week, it is an understatement that the Cowboys have a lot to work on. They must figure out how to run a respectable offense. Their talent is without question, but their execution is among the leagues worst. Roy Williams has finally shown that he can catch the ball; Now hold on to the damn thing! Dez Bryant looks like a superstar in the making and Miles Austin is a bonafide superstar. Romo must return to form and the offensive line must drastically cut down on penalties. I can't even begin to count how many drives have been stalled by holdings and false starts in the past 5 years. These guys are supposed to be experienced veterans!
Defensively we need to get some turnovers. This D has too much talent to not add to the turnover margin. Dial up the blitz more often! It scares me that we couldn't even get one interception off of the leagues leader in throwing them from last year. It is not panic time yet. Key word yet. Let us not forget that the New York Giants started off 0-2 a few years ago and ended up winning the Super Bowl. In 1993 the Cowboys also started off 0-2 and went on to win the big one. (Of course, the main reason for starting off 0-2 was Emmitt Smith's absence because of a holdout.) The NFC East is still wide open but their is a closing window of opportunity for the Cowboys. The time for the right words A.K.A cheap talk is over. Get out there and play ball!
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Dallas Cowboys vs Chicago Bears preview
It's finally here. After a whole week of screaming and pouting about Alex Barron, the half-ending fumble, and the overall play of the Cowboys offense in the upset loss to the Redskins, its finally time for the boys to take the field and really start this season. They will do so at home against a Bears team that was lucky to come away with a win against the Lions.
On paper the Cowboys should massacre the Bears, but that's the way it seemed heading into Washington. The Bears offensive line is feeble, giving up 4 sacks last week to the Lions. The Cowboys front 7 should have a field day against the Bears front 5. For Jay Cutler, this is a recipe for disaster. He led the NFL in interceptions last year has already thrown for one this year. The Cowboys have two very talented corners in Terrence Newman and Michael Jenkins and I expect at least one of them to come away with a turn over. The Bears run over 70% of their offensive plays in a 3-wide set meaning the cowboys will be playing a lot of nickel defense. 3rd cornerback (and the cowboys only carry three on their roster) Orlando Scandrick will have to play a large role in this game. He is very skilled, and itching to redeem himself after that ill-advised offsides last week on a Redskins FGA.
The Cowboys linebackers and front 7 should also be busy trying to contain the very talented RB Matt Forte. Keith Brooking and Bradie James are very skilled and consistently keep their heads on a swivel, and I expect them to bottle up the Bears run attack. With the likes of Jay Ratliff, Igor Olishanksy and Marcus Spears clogging up the middle, the Bears will likely have to resort to the one offensive play that the Cowboys seem inept at defending: The screen pass. Matt Forte is an excellent receiving back and I expect this to be a pain for the Cowboys to defend.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Cowboys have a lot to prove. Cowboys fans have been patient with the development of Tony Romo and his offense over the past few years but they are growing restless. In my opinion, Romo has solidified himself as a top tier quarterback in this league. He played very well and extremely efficient last week. His offensive line failed to protect him and offensive coordinator Jason Garrett has continually failed to live up to his pay grade, with poor, head scratching play calling.
The Cowboys have three very talented backs, all with unique styles and yet they are never utilized to their full ability. The Cowboys must pound the rock, let these runners and their big offensive line pound the defense into submission. The Bears have a stout defense with great linebackers in Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs, as well as free agent DE Julius Peppers. Over the years however, we have seen that this defense is not complete and can be exploited in the run game
Once the Cowboys establish a run attack, then Garrett can really open up the passing game. Off of play action, Tony Romo should be able to take 7 step drops and throw the ball wherever he pleases. Witten should be able to get open over these linebackers and their WR's will be open all day. Julius Peppers will test both Doug Free and Mark Colombo but Romo is elusive enough to make plays.
I think the Cowboys are motivated enough to make the plays necessary to take it to Chicago. The offense will be smarter this week and most definitely motivated. The defense will make for a long day for Jay Cutler. One more interesting thing to watch for is Dallas kicker David Buehler. He has a powerful leg and broke the Cowboys record for touchbacks last season. Now he is responsible for the place kicking duties and failed in his only attempt last week. Hopefully he can make his first career FG this weekend and get those nerves under him.
Final: Cowboys 26 Bears 14
On paper the Cowboys should massacre the Bears, but that's the way it seemed heading into Washington. The Bears offensive line is feeble, giving up 4 sacks last week to the Lions. The Cowboys front 7 should have a field day against the Bears front 5. For Jay Cutler, this is a recipe for disaster. He led the NFL in interceptions last year has already thrown for one this year. The Cowboys have two very talented corners in Terrence Newman and Michael Jenkins and I expect at least one of them to come away with a turn over. The Bears run over 70% of their offensive plays in a 3-wide set meaning the cowboys will be playing a lot of nickel defense. 3rd cornerback (and the cowboys only carry three on their roster) Orlando Scandrick will have to play a large role in this game. He is very skilled, and itching to redeem himself after that ill-advised offsides last week on a Redskins FGA.
The Cowboys linebackers and front 7 should also be busy trying to contain the very talented RB Matt Forte. Keith Brooking and Bradie James are very skilled and consistently keep their heads on a swivel, and I expect them to bottle up the Bears run attack. With the likes of Jay Ratliff, Igor Olishanksy and Marcus Spears clogging up the middle, the Bears will likely have to resort to the one offensive play that the Cowboys seem inept at defending: The screen pass. Matt Forte is an excellent receiving back and I expect this to be a pain for the Cowboys to defend.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Cowboys have a lot to prove. Cowboys fans have been patient with the development of Tony Romo and his offense over the past few years but they are growing restless. In my opinion, Romo has solidified himself as a top tier quarterback in this league. He played very well and extremely efficient last week. His offensive line failed to protect him and offensive coordinator Jason Garrett has continually failed to live up to his pay grade, with poor, head scratching play calling.
The Cowboys have three very talented backs, all with unique styles and yet they are never utilized to their full ability. The Cowboys must pound the rock, let these runners and their big offensive line pound the defense into submission. The Bears have a stout defense with great linebackers in Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs, as well as free agent DE Julius Peppers. Over the years however, we have seen that this defense is not complete and can be exploited in the run game
Once the Cowboys establish a run attack, then Garrett can really open up the passing game. Off of play action, Tony Romo should be able to take 7 step drops and throw the ball wherever he pleases. Witten should be able to get open over these linebackers and their WR's will be open all day. Julius Peppers will test both Doug Free and Mark Colombo but Romo is elusive enough to make plays.
I think the Cowboys are motivated enough to make the plays necessary to take it to Chicago. The offense will be smarter this week and most definitely motivated. The defense will make for a long day for Jay Cutler. One more interesting thing to watch for is Dallas kicker David Buehler. He has a powerful leg and broke the Cowboys record for touchbacks last season. Now he is responsible for the place kicking duties and failed in his only attempt last week. Hopefully he can make his first career FG this weekend and get those nerves under him.
Final: Cowboys 26 Bears 14
Week 2 Picks part 4
Houston at Washington:
The Houston Texans are for real this year. Where the hell did Arian Foster come from? This guy had the second highest rushing yardage total (behind O.J. Simpson) on opening day history. He terrorized the Indianapolis Colts with 231 yards rushing and 3 trips to paydirt. The Texans have so many weapons on offense its silly. Matt Schuab led the league in passing yards last year and his targets include arguable the best receiver in football, Andre Johnson, as well as WR Kevin Walter and TE Owen Daniels. On the defensive side of the ball the Texans defense is very potent and Mario Williams was all over the field last week against Peyton and the Colts. Even without stud linebacker (and perhaps performance boosters abuser) Brian Cushing, the Texans should have no problem containing the weak Redskins offense.
Washington's defense looked very good last week against the Cowboys but a lot of that was due to Jason Garrett's failure to know how to coach offense. I expect Schuab and Co. to meticulously pick apart this Redskins defense with a well balanced attack. I also expect, once again, for Albert Haynseworth to play no substantial role whatsoever.
Final: Texans 31 Washington 17
New York Giants at Indianapolis
I expect this game to play out like the individual commercials that star Peyton and Eli manning respectively. Peyton, whose commercials are quietly funny and entertaining, will exploit every aspect of the Giants defense. Eli, who looks like he's lost in the sauce, or drunk in his commercials,will look baffled and continue to bumble about with the offense. After starting 14-0 last season it was quite a shocker to most everyone that the Colts dropped their first game of the 2010 season to the Texans, a team that had only beaten them once before in the franchises history. I still believe that Peyton is the best quarterback in the league and he has a solid core of formidable receivers to throw the ball to this year. He also has a good running back in Joseph Addai. The Giants defense, although it played well against the Panthers last week, does not have any bit of that intimidation factor that is used to have. They should have some success with that porous Colts O-line at getting to Peyton, but he probably will have already dumped the ball off by the time he is contacted. Dallas Clark has the ability to eat Giants safety Kenny Phillips alive and Peyton will make sure that he does.
The Colts defense was supposed to be greatly improved but there was little evidence of that last week. They've also lost Bob Sanders for the year, but that is routine for them by now. Eli can have a big day if he utilizes Hakeem Nicks, and avoids the pressure from Dwight Freeney. Ahmad Bradshaw must have a good day if the Giants are going to have a chance. Without his check down option in TE Kevin Boss, it is likely that Eli will have another interception laden performance.
Final: Colts 34 Giants 21
Monday Night Game
New Orleans at San Francisco
The defending Super Bowl Champions didn't start off the season with the fireworks offense that we have come to expect from Drew Brees and his comrades but they beat a very good Vikings team and are clearly still the team to beat in the NFC. San Francisco on the other hand was favored by everyone to win the weakened NFC West division. Alex Smith finally gets a consecutive year with the same offensive coordinator, Michael Crabtree, Vernon Davis and Frank Gore are all supposed to be All-Pros, and their defense, led by Patrick Willis, has been ranked # 1 in many fantasy leagues. Then they get absolutely CRUSHED by the rebuilding Seahawks. It doesn't add up. Apparently there were technical difficulties in communicating to the QB and coach Mike Singletary smells a rat. I think the 49ers have too much talent not to get things back on track but this is not the week that they do it. The Saints are too good. Their defense is underrated and their offense is superior to most if not all the teams in the NFL.
Final: Saints 27 49ers 19
The Houston Texans are for real this year. Where the hell did Arian Foster come from? This guy had the second highest rushing yardage total (behind O.J. Simpson) on opening day history. He terrorized the Indianapolis Colts with 231 yards rushing and 3 trips to paydirt. The Texans have so many weapons on offense its silly. Matt Schuab led the league in passing yards last year and his targets include arguable the best receiver in football, Andre Johnson, as well as WR Kevin Walter and TE Owen Daniels. On the defensive side of the ball the Texans defense is very potent and Mario Williams was all over the field last week against Peyton and the Colts. Even without stud linebacker (and perhaps performance boosters abuser) Brian Cushing, the Texans should have no problem containing the weak Redskins offense.
Washington's defense looked very good last week against the Cowboys but a lot of that was due to Jason Garrett's failure to know how to coach offense. I expect Schuab and Co. to meticulously pick apart this Redskins defense with a well balanced attack. I also expect, once again, for Albert Haynseworth to play no substantial role whatsoever.
Final: Texans 31 Washington 17
New York Giants at Indianapolis
I expect this game to play out like the individual commercials that star Peyton and Eli manning respectively. Peyton, whose commercials are quietly funny and entertaining, will exploit every aspect of the Giants defense. Eli, who looks like he's lost in the sauce, or drunk in his commercials,will look baffled and continue to bumble about with the offense. After starting 14-0 last season it was quite a shocker to most everyone that the Colts dropped their first game of the 2010 season to the Texans, a team that had only beaten them once before in the franchises history. I still believe that Peyton is the best quarterback in the league and he has a solid core of formidable receivers to throw the ball to this year. He also has a good running back in Joseph Addai. The Giants defense, although it played well against the Panthers last week, does not have any bit of that intimidation factor that is used to have. They should have some success with that porous Colts O-line at getting to Peyton, but he probably will have already dumped the ball off by the time he is contacted. Dallas Clark has the ability to eat Giants safety Kenny Phillips alive and Peyton will make sure that he does.
The Colts defense was supposed to be greatly improved but there was little evidence of that last week. They've also lost Bob Sanders for the year, but that is routine for them by now. Eli can have a big day if he utilizes Hakeem Nicks, and avoids the pressure from Dwight Freeney. Ahmad Bradshaw must have a good day if the Giants are going to have a chance. Without his check down option in TE Kevin Boss, it is likely that Eli will have another interception laden performance.
Final: Colts 34 Giants 21
Monday Night Game
New Orleans at San Francisco
The defending Super Bowl Champions didn't start off the season with the fireworks offense that we have come to expect from Drew Brees and his comrades but they beat a very good Vikings team and are clearly still the team to beat in the NFC. San Francisco on the other hand was favored by everyone to win the weakened NFC West division. Alex Smith finally gets a consecutive year with the same offensive coordinator, Michael Crabtree, Vernon Davis and Frank Gore are all supposed to be All-Pros, and their defense, led by Patrick Willis, has been ranked # 1 in many fantasy leagues. Then they get absolutely CRUSHED by the rebuilding Seahawks. It doesn't add up. Apparently there were technical difficulties in communicating to the QB and coach Mike Singletary smells a rat. I think the 49ers have too much talent not to get things back on track but this is not the week that they do it. The Saints are too good. Their defense is underrated and their offense is superior to most if not all the teams in the NFL.
Final: Saints 27 49ers 19
Week 2 Picks part 3
Seattle at Denver:
Seattle's absolute drubbing of the 49er's last week may have been the biggest shocker of week 1. This team is supposed to be rebuilding under Pete Carroll. Denver also lost a game they probably had expected to win against the Jaguars. Josh McDaniels team does not look like its poised to repeat its quick start from last year, especially with their two best players from 2009 not on the field (Brandon Marshall gone to Miami and Elvis Dumervill out indefinitely with a torn pectoral muscle) Kyle Orton does look like he's starting to get comfortable as the starter of the offense and threw the ball well last week. The Broncos will need to establish a better run presence but their offense is not going to be their problem.
The Denver defense did not look anything like the Orange Crush, yielding 24 points to a Jaguars team led by David Gerrard.
The Seahawks have talent all across the board and Matt Hassleback seems determined to prove that he's not too old to lead the Pete Carroll rebuilding effort. I think Carroll's enthusiasm will become contagious and spark a fire for this Seattle team which knows that it is in the weakest division in football and a 2-0 start could set it up for a nice little title run.
Final: Seahawks 19 Denver 17
St. Louis at Oakland
Sam Bradford was impressive in his NFL debut and Oakland doesn't look like they've made much progress this off season. Their leading rusher last week, Darren McFadden also led the team in receiving yards against the Titans and that is not a good sign for Jason Campbell and the Raiders passing attack. Their offensive line is shoddy and, even though the Rams defense is still very porous, Jake Long is finally starting to look like a player on the field. If the Rams can get any sort of consistent pressure on Campbell, Bradford manages the game efficiently, and Steven Jackson does he does best, the Rams could pull one out in the black hole.
Final: Rams 17 Raiders 10
New England at New York Jets
Is it possible that Fireman Ed and the rest of the Jets fans go home drunkenly disappointed again?Absolutely. Don't get me wrong. The Jets defense looked superb, especially against the run last week against the Ravens. Revis Island, was not giving any free tours and the Jets came to hit. Still, the Ravens exposed some glaring weaknesses that Tom Brady, who looks like vintage Tom Brady, will surely expose. Randy Moss the slouch is motivated and even if Darrelle Revis shuts him down (he is playing on a sore hamstring) none of the other Jets secondary players have shown that they will be able to cover the resilient Wes Welker. Cromartie and Kyle Wilson were exposed and embarrassed last week and it could be more of the same this week.
Even if the Jets defense stands up to the Patriots offense, which it very well could, the Jets offense doesn't look like it will be reliable for anything this year. Brian Shottenheimer needs to take the training wheels off of Mark Sanchez and try and open up the passing game because everyone saw what happened when they became one dimensional last week: They got a lot of work in for their punt cover team. If Sanchez is allowed to open up the game a little bit, Jets fans still have to worry about his ability to make the right reads in a short amount of time. The jury is still out on the Sanchize and I don't think this game will do anything to solidify his cause.
Final: Patriots 21 Jets 14
Jacksonville at San Diego
Phillip Rivers is pissed. One of the most fiery personalities in the NFL, he was lashing out at anyone in his path last week during the rain-soaked loss in Kansas City. He is too good to allow the Chargers to lose to a subpar team two weeks in a row. Jacksonville won a close game over a decent Denver Broncos team but going into San Diego against a hungry chargers team might silence all that excitement in Jacksonville. Gerrard is a productive quarterback with some good weapons on offense and Maurice-Jones Drew is a wrecking ball with the rock. Still, the Chargers defense is fast and physical and if they can contain Jones-Drew they will force Gerrard to make some costly errors.
On the offensive side of the ball I expect Chargers rookie RB Ryan Matthews to have a better game than his first one and Rivers will consistently find TE Antonio Gates to methodically suffocate the Jaguars defense. Phillips must be wary of DE Aaron Kampman. He's back in a system hes comfortable in and will be in non-stop beast mode on Sunday.
Final: Chargers 24 Jaguars 17
Seattle's absolute drubbing of the 49er's last week may have been the biggest shocker of week 1. This team is supposed to be rebuilding under Pete Carroll. Denver also lost a game they probably had expected to win against the Jaguars. Josh McDaniels team does not look like its poised to repeat its quick start from last year, especially with their two best players from 2009 not on the field (Brandon Marshall gone to Miami and Elvis Dumervill out indefinitely with a torn pectoral muscle) Kyle Orton does look like he's starting to get comfortable as the starter of the offense and threw the ball well last week. The Broncos will need to establish a better run presence but their offense is not going to be their problem.
The Denver defense did not look anything like the Orange Crush, yielding 24 points to a Jaguars team led by David Gerrard.
The Seahawks have talent all across the board and Matt Hassleback seems determined to prove that he's not too old to lead the Pete Carroll rebuilding effort. I think Carroll's enthusiasm will become contagious and spark a fire for this Seattle team which knows that it is in the weakest division in football and a 2-0 start could set it up for a nice little title run.
Final: Seahawks 19 Denver 17
St. Louis at Oakland
Sam Bradford was impressive in his NFL debut and Oakland doesn't look like they've made much progress this off season. Their leading rusher last week, Darren McFadden also led the team in receiving yards against the Titans and that is not a good sign for Jason Campbell and the Raiders passing attack. Their offensive line is shoddy and, even though the Rams defense is still very porous, Jake Long is finally starting to look like a player on the field. If the Rams can get any sort of consistent pressure on Campbell, Bradford manages the game efficiently, and Steven Jackson does he does best, the Rams could pull one out in the black hole.
Final: Rams 17 Raiders 10
New England at New York Jets
Is it possible that Fireman Ed and the rest of the Jets fans go home drunkenly disappointed again?Absolutely. Don't get me wrong. The Jets defense looked superb, especially against the run last week against the Ravens. Revis Island, was not giving any free tours and the Jets came to hit. Still, the Ravens exposed some glaring weaknesses that Tom Brady, who looks like vintage Tom Brady, will surely expose. Randy Moss the slouch is motivated and even if Darrelle Revis shuts him down (he is playing on a sore hamstring) none of the other Jets secondary players have shown that they will be able to cover the resilient Wes Welker. Cromartie and Kyle Wilson were exposed and embarrassed last week and it could be more of the same this week.
Even if the Jets defense stands up to the Patriots offense, which it very well could, the Jets offense doesn't look like it will be reliable for anything this year. Brian Shottenheimer needs to take the training wheels off of Mark Sanchez and try and open up the passing game because everyone saw what happened when they became one dimensional last week: They got a lot of work in for their punt cover team. If Sanchez is allowed to open up the game a little bit, Jets fans still have to worry about his ability to make the right reads in a short amount of time. The jury is still out on the Sanchize and I don't think this game will do anything to solidify his cause.
Final: Patriots 21 Jets 14
Jacksonville at San Diego
Phillip Rivers is pissed. One of the most fiery personalities in the NFL, he was lashing out at anyone in his path last week during the rain-soaked loss in Kansas City. He is too good to allow the Chargers to lose to a subpar team two weeks in a row. Jacksonville won a close game over a decent Denver Broncos team but going into San Diego against a hungry chargers team might silence all that excitement in Jacksonville. Gerrard is a productive quarterback with some good weapons on offense and Maurice-Jones Drew is a wrecking ball with the rock. Still, the Chargers defense is fast and physical and if they can contain Jones-Drew they will force Gerrard to make some costly errors.
On the offensive side of the ball I expect Chargers rookie RB Ryan Matthews to have a better game than his first one and Rivers will consistently find TE Antonio Gates to methodically suffocate the Jaguars defense. Phillips must be wary of DE Aaron Kampman. He's back in a system hes comfortable in and will be in non-stop beast mode on Sunday.
Final: Chargers 24 Jaguars 17
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