Dallas Cowboys: Is There a Silver Lining To Demarcus Ware’s Injury?

After the Dallas Cowboys’ huge victory over the New Orleans Saints, a lot of the credit deservedly went to defensive end DeMarcus Ware.

Ware had two sacks and two forced fumbles, including the one that sealed the victory for the Cowboys.

In a post game interview , NFL Network’s Marshall Faulk said that Ware looked like he had a “little more energy [than in past games]” in the fourth quarter. 

Ware acknowledged that he felt great, and even half-jokingly looked at the camera and lobbied coach Wade Phillips for “more rest”.

The reason Ware felt so good in the fourth quarter was that his backup, rookie Victor Butler, played on almost all first and second downs due to the neck injury Ware suffered last week against the Chargers.

The silver (and blue) lining of Ware’s injury is that the Cowboys have gained confidence in Butler, and can give Ware plays off so he can be as dominant in the fourth quarter as he is on the first defensive play of the game.

Butler should not play on all first and second downs, but it is exciting to think about a good rotation between Ware, Butler and fellow linebacker Anthony Spencer. Throw in rookie Brandon Williams—who was ahead of Butler on the depth chart before going on injured reserve—and the Cowboys have a solid future at outside linebacker for years to come.

 

 

 

 

 

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What The Folk? Dallas Cowboys Kicking Woes Continue Against Saints

Dallas Cowboys kicker Nick Folk’s days are probably numbered after missing another field goal against the New Orleans Saints Saturday night.

Folk missed a chip shot from 22 yards that would have put the Cowboys up by 10 with 2:16 to go in the fourth quarter.

Instead, Folk’s gaffe gave the Saints life. Fortunately for the Cowboys, the defense held, but it is obvious the team must go in a different direction at the kicking position.

The obvious choice to replace Folk is kickoff specialist David Buehler. But apparently Buehler is “rusty” when it comes to kicking field goals.

I have never been a kicker, and definitely not an NFL kicker, but what the hell is Buehler doing throughout the week at practice if he isn’t practicing field goals on a regular basis? 

Does he really just practice kicking off the entire time? Is the technique so different between kicking field goals and kickoffs that if he practices one he will mess up the other?  Is it similar to having a home run swing with an upper cut as opposed to swinging level with power?  I don’t know, but something just doesn’t add up.

The next choice would probably be free agent kicker Jason Elam. The only problem with Elam is that he was actually worse than Folk before he was cut by Atlanta. 

Elam had hit only 12 of 19 field goals, and Folk now sits at 18 for 28 after missing a field in each of the last 6 games.

The Cowboys are considering placing Folk on injured reserve , which I agree would be smart because the guy is effective when his mental state is in check.

That said, I believe the decision should be to go with Buehler and add a player to help them on special teams, or possibly someone who can give them depth at a position that they isn’t as deep as they would like.

 

 

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Cowboys-Chargers: 10 “Whys” After Another L in Big D

I must have asked (screamed) “Why?” 15 times in the 20-17 loss to the San Diego Chargers, as the Dallas Cowboys coaches showed once again how inept they are as a staff.

Here is a list of some of the more prominent questions.

 

Why Is Felix Jones Returning Kickoffs?

Yes, when healthy, Jones is the most electric player the Cowboys have.  But if the coaches haven’t noticed, he doesn’t seem to have that same burst he had before his knee injury earlier this season. 

Why not give the duty to the speedy Kevin Ogletree or even Miles Austin and let Jones do what he does best—run the rock.

 

Why Is Jason Garrett the Cowboys Offensive Coordinator ?

This is getting to be a tired argument, but one couldn’t write about the struggles the Cowboys are going through without mentioning it.

The Chargers came into the game giving up 5.5 yards-per-rush, but Garrett comes out firing with quarterback Tony Romo.

It was obvious that the Cowboys could run at will, but it took until the third drive for Garrett to do it.  Why waste two drives, go down 10-3 and lose momentum to a good Chargers team?

The Cowboys receivers aren’t that good.  The offensive line is old and doesn’t do as well pass blocking.  The Cowboys have three very good running backs. 

It should be a no-brainer.  Run the @#$@^ ball early and often.

 

Why Run the Ball to the Exact Same Spot Four Times in a Row?

After Garrett realized that he probably should run the ball if the Cowboys were to have any chance of winning, the offense marched 72 yards down the field as the offensive line mauled the Chargers defensive line.

From the 1-yard line, Garrett chose to run the ball behind Leonard Davis four times with Marion Barber.

Yes, Garrett got a lot of flak for throwing the ball from the 1-yard line earlier in the year.  Everyone wanted to know why they wouldn’t use Barber in that situation.

He still has to use some common sense.  Running to the right with the same guy four times in a row makes absolutely no sense.

A poor game plan inside the redzone has the Cowboys as one of the worst redzone offenses in the NFL.

The most frustrating thing is that Garrett does have great redzone plays in his repertoire.

He called a great play last week in which Austin went into motion behind Barber, who was lined up behind Romo.  After faking the dive to Barber and then faking the pitch to Austin, the linebackers followed Austin and that opened up a clear path for Romo to find Roy Williams for a touchdown. 

Run it to a different side, or use a different player, or do a play action after a run or two, but don’t run it to the same spot four times! 

 

Why Don’t the Cowboys Run ISO All the Time?

I am not sure what I hate worse, the single running back in the backfield or the “Wild Hog” offense.

Anyone watching the Cowboys offense can see that they almost always have positive yardage when fullback Deon Anderson is the lead blocker on running plays.

Almost all negative yardage on running plays comes from the single back formation or the “Wild Hog”.  Again, this isn’t rocket science.

I understand that different formations make it hard on a defensive coordinator to prepare, but the single back formation is run too often by Garrett.   Let’s go back to the play calling of the Dynasty when Emmitt Smith went behind Darrell “Moose” Johnson.

 

Why Run the Ball Wide with Marion Barber III?

Barber is not an east-to-west runner.  Why call plays that forces him to run that way?  It just puts the offense in unmanageable second and third downs.

 

Why Not Stretch the Defense with Miles Austin?

When is the last time you saw Romo throw it deep?  I am not saying go crazy with the deep ball, but just like sticking with the running game, you got to throw it deep if you want defenses to respect it?

What happened to the double moves by the receivers and pump fakes we used to see Romo do often in games? 

This offense is a passing friendly offense that is too conservative.  Reminds me of the Redskins offense when Coach Jim Zorn was calling the plays.

 

Why Not Throw It Deep on 2nd-and-1?

I am definitely a proponent of running the ball early to set up the pass, but you can’t forget why you are running the ball.

The Cowboys were running the ball very effectively in the third quarter, and after a nine yard run by Jones on first down, Garrett decided to give him the ball on a delayed draw for a one yard gain and the first down.

A play action pass is the perfect call in this situation, because the defense is expecting a run.  Something deep to Austin or Roy Williams would have been an excellent call.

If it is an incomplete, the offense still has the confidence it can get one yard on 3rd-and-1 as they have been getting huge chunks on the ground up until that point.

 

Why Do the Cowboys Cornerbacks Play 10-12 Yards off the Ball When It Is 3rd Down and “Mid Range” Yardage?

It would be impossible to remember how many times the Cowboys give up first downs because of this, but I would say it happens 3-4 times per game.

When the corners play that far off the ball on 3rd down, with six to eight yards to go for a first down, all the quarterback has to do is throw it to the receivers on a slant and it is an easy pickings. 

There is no way for the corner to stop it from that distance.  If he comes up hard to defend the slant, a double move will eat him alive and it will be a big gainer down the field.

 

Why Can’t the Cowboys Defense Get off the Field When It Needs To?

During crunch time, the Cowboys always seems to be a play away from giving their team a chance to win. 

Unfortunately, they don’t ever seem to be able to make that play. 

It is coaching?  It is the players?  Both?

 

Why Isn’t David Buehler Getting a Chance To Kick Field Goals?

Romo took over holding duties from punter Matt McBriar because it was the “holder’s fault” that kicker Nick Folk had missed a field goal in each of the last four games.

Make that five games, as Romo’s holds didn’t help.

Missing field goals kills momentum, and obviously takes points off the board. 

The Cowboys can’t afford a mental case at the kicker position if they want to have any chance of sneaking into the playoffs.

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Why the Dallas Cowboys Fail in December—But Won’t This Year

As the first December games of 2009 are played this weekend in the NFL, the media machine is cranked up in Dallas, where the Cowboys are trying to fight the demons of Decembers past.

It is well documented that the Cowboys have played at their worst in month of December, going 18-31 since 1997.

So why have the Cowboys played so poorly in the last month of the regular season?

 

Who’s most responsible for the woes in December?

Most everyone wants to point the finger at quarterback Tony Romo, due to his dismal 5-8 career record in December.

Ed Werder of ESPN wants to blame the offensive line of the Cowboys , as Romo has been sacked twice as often once December starts.

I don’t agree with either of those assessments.  While Romo has been careless at times, and the offensive line does struggle against good defenses that blitz often, both could be remedied by one man—offensive coordinator Jason Garrett.

After 11 games, teams have 600-700 plays on tape of the Cowboys offense.  By that time in the season, Garrett’s playcalling is as predictable as Old Faithful.

This is a huge advantage to defensive coordinators, especially aggressive blitzing defenses with great secondaries.   They know when to blitz, and the cornerbacks and safeties know exactly what routes to expect from the Cowboys receivers.

And when they blitz, Garrett doesn’t have an answer for it.   His lack of protection schemes has been exposed for the last three years.  This makes it look like the offensive line isn’t blocking well, but in truth the players have no chance.

The Cowboys receivers are always running longer routes, with Romo taking long drops with no extra protection against the blitzing linebackers and safeties. 

That’s why Romo is sacked more often and makes poorer decisions in December.  At some point in time, a quarterback has to try and make a play to give his team a chance to win. 

Garrett needs to create a pass protection scheme similar to the one used against the Eagles, and Romo needs to be careful with the ball, and let his receivers make plays.

 

Why will this December be different?

The Cowboys have yet another nasty schedule in the month of December, facing the New York Giants on the road, at home against the San Diego Chargers, in New Orleans  versus the Saints, and finishing it out in D.C. against the Washington Redskins. 

But this December will be different. 

The Cowboys defense will win some games for them this month, as it has a couple times already this year.  

After being embarrassed in the games against the Baltimore Ravens and Philadelphia Eagles in 2008, the defense was retooled in the offseason with role players such as Keith Brooking and George Sensabaugh.  The new faces have had a tremendous impact.

The Cowboys are ranked first in the NFC in scoring defense (16.5),  giving the offense a chance to win every game.

And yes, the Cowboys offense will rely more on the running game this December. 

While it didn’t seem great at the time, the putrid offensive performance against the Packers—in which the Cowboys ran 11 times—was a blessing in disguise.

Garrett got an early reminder that he needs to run the ball, both to protect his quarterback and ultimately win games.

The combination of the Cowboys’ running attack and shutdown defense will have the Cowboys winning—for a change—in December.

 

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Dallas Cowboys: Still a Long Way to Go, But Offense Takes Baby Steps

In the week leading up to the 7-6 win over the Washington Redskins Sunday, Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett got an earful from fans, media, and even Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.

The message? Run the ball .

And that is exactly what Garrett did, to the tune of 149 rushing yards on 31 called running plays—a 4.8 yards-per-rush average.

There are probably some media and fans who are going to point to what matters most—points—and say it didn’t make much difference from the game against the Green Bay Packers when they scored seven points.

That couldn’t be further from the truth.

 

Stats that don’t lie

One stat that helps debunk that ridiculous assumption is how many times the Cowboys found themselves in “manageable” second downs (2nd-and-6 or less).

In the game against the Packers the Cowboys had 22 1st-and-10s.*

Of the 22, they ran the ball six times, gaining a “manageable” second down 66 percent of the time.

When the Cowboys passed the ball on first down, they only had a “manageable” second down 31 percent of time.

The trend continued in this Sunday’s game against the Redskins.

When the Cowboys ran against the Redskins defense on first down (12 times), they had a “manageable” second down 75 percent of the time, averaging 5.75 yards-per-play.

When the Cowboys passed against the Redskins defense on first down (10 times), they had a “manageable” second down 30 percent of the time, averaging 2.8 yards-per-play. That average was helped immensely by the 11- and 12-yard passes at the end.

You might say that the average yards-per-play is distorted because of that final drive in which they passed on every down, but the Cowboys only ran the ball one time on first down in the second half.

That is despite averaging 5.75 yards when running the ball on first for the entire game. 

Think about that.

 

Why are “manageable” second downs important?

The reason this stat is important is because it creates more options for the team on second down when you have success.

If you are facing 2nd-and-7 or more, your options become limited. Without looking back through two years of game logs, I can guarantee Garrett almost always calls for a pass on 2nd-and-long. 

The problem with that is that there are three things that can happen when passing the ball—and two of them are bad. 

An incomplete puts you in the dreaded 3rd-and-long, and an interception is the worst, but both are drive-killers.

Another stat that everyone seems to forget is time of possession. 

In the Packers game, the Cowboys had the ball for 24 minutes.

In the Redskins game, the Cowboys had the ball for 33 minutes.  

That is nine more minutes that the Cowboys’ defense got to rest for the end of the game against the Redskins than they did against the Packers.

And, if you didn’t notice, the Redskins got little to no pass-rush on quarterback Tony Romo in that final touchdown drive. 

You think those Redskins defensive linemen were gassed at the end of the game?

You bet.

And guess which defense looked fresh?  That’s right, the Cowboys.

 

Then how come the Cowboys still couldn’t put it together on offense? 

The lack of points on the board came down to poor play-calling in the passing game and execution by the players.

Romo was inaccurate for most of the game, and I believe a lot of that had to do with the shot he took from DeAngelo Hall after the Marion Barber fumble. 

But Garrett didn’t do anything to help Romo out.

Every passing play took three to four seconds to develop, and Romo just didn’t have that kind of time against the Redskins’ front. The Redskins only sacked Romo once, but the Cowboys quarterback didn’t ever really look comfortable.

Garrett needs to establish a short passing game—quick slants and hitches with short drops—that will build much-needed confidence in Romo with his offensive line and wide receivers early in the game. 

During the Cowboys’ Dynasty in the 1990s, quarterback Troy Aikman always had running back Emmitt Smith as an outlet, whether in the flat or right past the line of scrimmage in the middle of the field.

Why doesn’t this Cowboys team do something similar?

Another thing that I noticed is that Romo didn’t take advantage of the incredible running game he has.  

The play-action fake that Romo gives is very nonchalant. If you watch Peyton Manning do it, he really sells the fact that it is a run.  

I think Romo could do better in this area, possibly giving his receivers a little more separation as the linebackers and secondary bite on the fake.

And then you have Mr. Roy “That idiot gave a first, third, and sixth rounder for me” Williams. I haven’t been on Roy’s case about the drops, but it is now becoming inexcusable. 

It might be time for Kevin Ogletree to get his shot.

 

Forecast?

The Cowboys are going to come around—as long as Garrett sticks to the run. The Cowboys have to be able to pass to win, but it is a lot easier with a running game that defenses respect. 

In the end, the running game looked great, just like Jerry knew it would. 

Now, let’s see Garrett tweak the passing game.

But it’s baby steps—one small step at time.

 

*I only calculate first downs in which it was 1st-and-10, as it wouldn’t be accurate to include 1st-and-20 because the defense knows teams are more likely to pass.

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Dallas Cowboys: Run the Ball, Stupid

And when I say “Stupid”, I mean Jason Garrett.

A week after calling one of the best games since he became the Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator, the “Red Headed Jesus” called one of his worst.

Fans and media can blame the players and referees all they want.  This one lays squarely on the back of the “head coach in waiting”. 

Yikes, that is scary to even think about.

 

A Little History

It’s been about a year since I wrote the first of many articles on his incompetence as an offensive coordinator, and really nothing has changed.

I thought that last week’s Eagles game was the big turn-around that the Cowboys and their fans have been hoping for in Garrett’s gameplans and play calling.  

For the first time in a really long time, the Cowboys had a protection scheme and incredible play calling against a team that had a great secondary and blitzed like crazy.

Garrett wasn’t able to run the ball against the Eagles because of the defensive scheme, but he used the jailbreak screen, and other screens that took the place of the Cowboys running the ball.

Garrett was the architect behind that victory over the Eagles, and deserves much of the credit. This past Sunday—a week after that Eagles game—the Cowboys laid an egg to the Green Bay Packers.  Garrett deserves almost all of the blame.

 

Just run the ball

Fans and media like to point to quarterback Tony Romo for the Cowboys not having success in December and in the playoffs, but what everyone seems to forget is that unless you have Payton Manning or Tom Brady, you better establish the run.

Many believe that the Cowboys have established the running game this year because of the 130 yards per game average on the ground.  Unfortunately, that just isn’t true.

Despite averaging 5.1 yards per carry, the Cowboys remain a pass-first offense. 

The Cowboys rush the ball 25.6 times per game, good for 24th in the NFL.

Against the Packers, the Cowboys rushed the ball 14 times.  Tony Romo had the same amount of rushes as Felix Jones and Tashard Choice—three .

That means Garrett called 11 rushing plays—give or take a couple, because of audibles by Romo.

The first three rushing attempts went for 13, seven, and five yards.  There were only three more attempts the rest of the half, and eight more the rest of the game. 

Even if the Cowboys would have gotten 10 yards-per-rush on all 11 attempts, that isn’t “establishing the run”.

On Sunday, the Packers realized the Cowboys weren’t going to run the ball, pinned their ears back, and basically set up camp in the Cowboys backfield.

 

What happened to the great protection scheme?

Against the Eagles, Garrett called a great game against their blitz-happy defense. 

When the Packers decided they were going to blitz on almost every play, Garrett completely forgot what he did in the week prior.

After the first drive or so, there were no short drops for Romo, no quick slants to the wide receivers, and there were very few screens.

And when they did decide to call the jailbreak screen to receiver Kevin Ogletree, that worked so well against the Eagles, it was in the exact same sitiuation—3rd-and-long.  

Does Garrett not realize that the Packers probably had film from the Eagles game?

How much more predictable can an NFL offensive coordinator be?

 

What can Garrett do?

The Cowboys are built as well as any team in the NFL to run the ball effectively.

They have one of the largest offensive lines, the best trio of running backs in the NFL, and great blocking tight ends and wide receivers.  That’s why they have a 5.1 yards-per-rush average.

What they really need to do is “establish the run”.

Establishing the run means that the defense believes and respects that you may run the ball at any time.  

Contrary to popular belief, getting one and two yard gains early in the game isn’t terrible.  Those small gains turn into much larger gains in the 4th-quarter as the defense wears down, and it also opens up play action.  

Opening up play action is good both from the protection standpoint and getting the linebackers and secondary to bite on the fake, creating separation for the receivers. 

Like establishing the run, an effective protection scheme should be a staple of the Cowboys offense. 

The offensive line is starting to get banged up, and unless Garrett wants to see Romo get hurt, he should limit the amount of plays that Romo must wait to develop.   When the defense blitzes, there should always be an outlet, whether it be a running back in the flat, or the receivers breaking off their routes.  

I also believe it is time to let Felix Jones and Tashard Choice begin games and let Marion Barber III end them.  Let Barber return to the role in which he was a Pro Bowler, and let the young guys establish the running game early.  

With a home game against Washington Redskins and another over Thanksgiving with the Oakland Raiders, there is no time like the present to do these things.

If Garrett and the Cowboys can’t establish the run and protect Tony Romo against these two teams, fans might as well start looking to 2010.

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Dallas Cowboys: Run the Ball, Stupid

And when I say “Stupid”, I mean Jason Garrett.

A week after calling one of the best games since he became the Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator, the “Red Headed Jesus” called one of his worst.

Fans and media can blame the players and referees all they want.  This one lays squarely on the back of the “head coach in waiting”. 

Yikes, that is scary to even think about.

 

A Little History

It’s been about a year since I wrote the first of many articles on his incompetence as an offensive coordinator, and really nothing has changed.

I thought that last week’s Eagles game was the big turn-around that the Cowboys and their fans have been hoping for in Garrett’s gameplans and play calling.  

For the first time in a really long time, the Cowboys had a protection scheme and incredible play calling against a team that had a great secondary and blitzed like crazy.

Garrett wasn’t able to run the ball against the Eagles because of the defensive scheme, but he used the jailbreak screen, and other screens that took the place of the Cowboys running the ball.

Garrett was the architect behind that victory over the Eagles, and deserves much of the credit. This past Sunday—a week after that Eagles game—the Cowboys laid an egg to the Green Bay Packers.  Garrett deserves almost all of the blame.

 

Just run the ball

Fans and media like to point to quarterback Tony Romo for the Cowboys not having success in December and in the playoffs, but what everyone seems to forget is that unless you have Payton Manning or Tom Brady, you better establish the run.

Many believe that the Cowboys have established the running game this year because of the 130 yards per game average on the ground.  Unfortunately, that just isn’t true.

Despite averaging 5.1 yards per carry, the Cowboys remain a pass-first offense. 

The Cowboys rush the ball 25.6 times per game, good for 24th in the NFL.

Against the Packers, the Cowboys rushed the ball 14 times.  Tony Romo had the same amount of rushes as Felix Jones and Tashard Choice—three .

That means Garrett called 11 rushing plays—give or take a couple, because of audibles by Romo.

The first three rushing attempts went for 13, seven, and five yards.  There were only three more attempts the rest of the half, and eight more the rest of the game. 

Even if the Cowboys would have gotten 10 yards-per-rush on all 11 attempts, that isn’t “establishing the run”.

On Sunday, the Packers realized the Cowboys weren’t going to run the ball, pinned their ears back, and basically set up camp in the Cowboys backfield.

 

What happened to the great protection scheme?

Against the Eagles, Garrett called a great game against their blitz-happy defense. 

When the Packers decided they were going to blitz on almost every play, Garrett completely forgot what he did in the week prior.

After the first drive or so, there were no short drops for Romo, no quick slants to the wide receivers, and there were very few screens.

And when they did decide to call the jailbreak screen to receiver Kevin Ogletree, that worked so well against the Eagles, it was in the exact same sitiuation—3rd-and-long.  

Does Garrett not realize that the Packers probably had film from the Eagles game?

How much more predictable can an NFL offensive coordinator be?

 

What can Garrett do?

The Cowboys are built as well as any team in the NFL to run the ball effectively.

They have one of the largest offensive lines, the best trio of running backs in the NFL, and great blocking tight ends and wide receivers.  That’s why they have a 5.1 yards-per-rush average.

What they really need to do is “establish the run”.

Establishing the run means that the defense believes and respects that you may run the ball at any time.  

Contrary to popular belief, getting one and two yard gains early in the game isn’t terrible.  Those small gains turn into much larger gains in the 4th-quarter as the defense wears down, and it also opens up play action.  

Opening up play action is good both from the protection standpoint and getting the linebackers and secondary to bite on the fake, creating separation for the receivers. 

Like establishing the run, an effective protection scheme should be a staple of the Cowboys offense. 

The offensive line is starting to get banged up, and unless Garrett wants to see Romo get hurt, he should limit the amount of plays that Romo must wait to develop.   When the defense blitzes, there should always be an outlet, whether it be a running back in the flat, or the receivers breaking off their routes.  

I also believe it is time to let Felix Jones and Tashard Choice begin games and let Marion Barber III end them.  Let Barber return to the role in which he was a Pro Bowler, and let the young guys establish the running game early.  

With a home game against Washington Redskins and another over Thanksgiving with the Oakland Raiders, there is no time like the present to do these things.

If Garrett and the Cowboys can’t establish the run and protect Tony Romo against these two teams, fans might as well start looking to 2010.

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Dallas Cowboys: Keys To Victory Over The Green Bay Packers

The Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers meet this coming Sunday at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

The Cowboys (6-2) are on a four game winning streak after beating the Philadelphia Eagles this past weekend.   They are now in sole position of first place in the NFC East.

The Packers are heading in the opposite direction.  The Pack had a terrific preseason—after which many had them as a Super Bowl contender—but now the Packers stand at 4-4, and just recently lost to the winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

The Packers are better than they played against the Bucs, so the Cowboys cannot go through the motions and expect a victory, especially at Lambeau.

Here are the Cowboys keys to victory over the Packers.

 

Pressure Aaron Rodgers

The Packers quarterback is a good, young quarterback.  His offensive line has been porous at best, as he has been sacked 37 times.

But not all of it has been on the big boys up front.  Rodgers has a tendency to hold onto the ball too long.   He has the NFL’s best QB rating against the blitz, but some of that has to do with taking sacks instead of throwing the ball away, thereby increasing his rating, but ultimately killing his team.

 

Repeat the defensive gameplan from the Eagles game

The Cowboys and Eagles had the same amount of sacks last week, but the difference was the Cowboys got pressure with their front four (when Ware rushes they are in a 4-3 as opposed to their base 3-4), while the Eagles blitzed on almost every down.

This allowed the Cowboys to deploy bracket coverage over the top on the Eagles speedy wide receivers, and allowed the linebackers to cover the flats and the middle of the field.   This took away most of the Eagles options in the passing game.

The Packers have some great wide receivers in Donald Drivers and Greg Jennings, and depth at the position with Jordy Nelson and James Jones.  

If Dallas can get pressure up front without having to blitz, the Cowboys secondary should be able to handle the Packers wide receivers and eliminate the big plays down the field. 

 

Establish the run early with Felix Jones and Tashard Choice

Did you see how much of a monster Marion Barber III was at the end of the Eagles game?  That is the strength that horse brings to the table, and that is where they should utilize him.

The Cowboys should start the game off with a heavy dosage of Jones and Choice, who see the field better than Barber.  Early in games, there are a lot of times Barber misses the holes that Jones and Choice almost always hit.  Give the young guys a chance to get up on the Packers early, and then let Barber maul them at the end.

 

Take advantage of Aaron Kampman injury

The Packers linebacker will be out with a concussion, and rookie Brad Jones will take his place.   When Jones is in there, the Cowboys should exploit the mismatch with tights ends Jason Witten and Martellus Bennett in the passing game.   If the Packers try to counter that with a nickle defense, the Cowboys can crush them with Barber, Jones and Choice in the running game.

 

Don’t get complacent

The Packers offense has a ton of firepower, especially in the passing game. 

In the two games against the Minnesota Vikings, the Packers were on the verge of getting blown out.   The Packers had incredible comebacks in both games, and would have won, if not for a Hall of Famer named Brett Favre.

If the Cowboys get up early, they need to keep the pedal to the metal until the game is over.

 

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Week 9 NFL Prediction: Cowboys Will Pound Eagles at The Linc

It’s been a relatively easy couple of weeks for the Dallas Cowboys (5-2) and Philadelphia Eagles (5-2), as they have ascended to the top of the NFC East standings, cruising past the stumbling New York Giants.

The Eagles and Cowboys will meet Sunday at The Linc in Philly, which was the site of a crime scene in Week 17 of the 2008 season.

The Eagles absolutely stomped the Cowboys, 44-6, and the sting is still felt by many of the Cowboys.

This is how the two teams compare.

 

When the Eagles have the ball:

Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb has been efficient this year (9 TD, 1 INT) when he has been healthy.

They also have two very young, electric receivers in Desean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin.  Jackson already has six touchdowns greater than 50 yards.

All-Pro running back Bryan Westbrook, who is returning after a week off due to a concussion, will most likely split duties with LeSean McCoy.

The Eagles offensive line is still coming together, and isn’t as formidable as in years past.

The Cowboys have one of the most dominant defensive players in the game in Demarcus Ware.   He started off the year slow by his standards, but has rebounded in the past three weeks with five sacks and two forced fumbles.

Along with Ware, nose tackle Jay Ratliff has been unstoppable in the middle of that defense.  Offenses should start charging him rent as much as he camps out in their backfield.

The secondary, starring Terrence Newman and Michael Jenkins, is starting to peak, and they have been playing with aggression that Cowboys fans have not seen in years.  

But the heartbeat of the Cowboys defense is a newcomer, linebacker Keith Brooking.  His intensity and passion is contagious, and his teammates have benefited greatly from his presence on and off the field.

In the end, it comes down to the Eagles offensive line versus the defensive front of the Cowboys.  Desean Jackson will be blanketed with two Cowboys, allowing Ware, Ratliff and Co. to feast on McNabb as he tries to find an open receiver.    

The Eagles line won’t hold up, and McNabb will on the ground a lot. They gave up six sacks to the Oakland Raiders, and I believe it will more of the same with the more talented Cowboys.

Advantage: Cowboys

 

When the Cowboys have the ball:

Quarterback Tony Romo has been on fire the past three weeks, with nine touchdowns and zero interceptions. 

Romo has benefited from the emergence of receiver Miles Austin, who has quickly become the Cowboys No. 1 receiver by setting an NFL record for yards (482) in the first three starts of a career. 

Runningbacks Marion Barber III, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice form a three-headed monster out of the backfield. 

Tight end Jason Witten doesn’t have the stats to show for it, but he has drawn a lot of coverage away from the Cowboys receivers.  Look for his production to improve as Austin continues to excel.

The Cowboys offensive line has given up 13 sacks, which is a little more than in past years, but says more about Romo taking the sack instead of trying to force something.

However the Cowboys are sixth in rushing, seventh in passing, and second in total offense.  You can’t have those kinds of numbers without a solid offensive line.

The Eagles lost one of the greatest defensive minds in history, defensive coordinator Jim Johnson, to cancer during the offseason.  Along with the loss of Bryan Dawkins to the Broncos, they had faced quite a bit of adversity even before the beginning of the season.

Trent Cole (6.5 sacks) leads the Eagles front seven, but where the really have playmakers is in the secondary.  Asante Samuel and Sheldon Brown lead the team with five and three interceptions, respectively.  

Although the Eagles secondary is better than the Cowboys receivers as a whole, that is where their advantage ends.  

The Cowboys receivers may not have a big day, but the extra attention to Austin should open it up underneath for tight ends Witten and Bennett. The Eagles are incredibly vulnerable to tight ends, and Dallas just happens to have the best tight end in the NFL in Witten.

Finally, the Eagles defensive line just doesn’t match up well with the Cowboys offensive line.  Barber and Jones should be able to establish the run, and without pressure on Romo, he will pick the Eagles apart.

Advantage: Cowboys

 

Verdict:

The Eagles will keep it close early, but then it’s going to get ugly. 

Cowboys 42-20

Check out all the keys to a Cowboys Victory

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Sorry, ESPN: This Cowboys Team Won’t Become the Circus You Want It To Be

Tim McMahon of the newly formed ESPNDallas.com wrote an article today on how Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Roy Williams is not on the same page as quarterback Tony Romo.

Now this is obvious to anyone with a pulse, but you can be sure ESPN will beat this dead horse into the ground.

ESPN’s problem is the Cowboys are playing well, and, for the first time in a few years, there is little to no controversy within the organization. That doesn’t bode well for ESPN ratings.

ESPN likes to create news instead of reporting it, especially when it comes to America’s team. The difference is this year’s Cowboys team is going to have nothing of it.

The Cowboys probably got rid of 75 percent of ESPN’s articles written on them when they released Terrell Owens, Pacman Jones, and Tank Johnson. And even with those types of players, they still felt the need to manufacture stories .

Take, for example, the following quote in McMahon’s article.

“He gets the ball thrown correctly his way,” Williams said of Austin. “I’m stretching and falling and doing everything. Everybody [else] who’s been here’s balls are there. Our footballs [from Romo to Williams] are everywhere right now.”

Now I don’t know what context this was said in, but it doesn’t sound like the Roy Williams that we have been hearing all year—the one who wants to win, even if he isn’t getting his touches.

Unfortunately for the ESPN vultures, if that quote isn’t taken out of context, it will be dealt with internally by the team.

You see the 2009 Cowboys have real leadership this year, with players like Keith Brooking. Brooking and Co. will put Williams in his place, and the team will move on, with or without Williams.

 

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