Why Tashard Has Been the Cowboys’ Key “Choice” at Running Back

The Dallas Cowboys used to have three running backs that, I felt, were capable of starting on other NFL teams and could each take 20-plus carries a game.

However, Felix Jones is looking to be injury prone, which is heartbreaking for Cowboys fans, considering he could have won the Offensive Rookie of the Year last season and the lack of him on the field is easily noticed.

Without him, Dallas had to rely on Marion Barber, who was still nursing a quad injury, and Tashard Choice at Invesco Field at Mile High in Denver. The lack of a third running back to help with the oxygen-deprived players hurt like surgery without anesthesia.

Last week, despite the fact the Cowboys won, they should not have been forced into overtime against a team like the Chiefs. No offense to Todd Haley, he’s a great coach, but his team is nowhere near the talent level it needs to be to efficiently win games.

I was reviewing the film, and the lack of a run game was very hard on Dallas. Barber, one of my favorite players, really looked like he couldn’t find the holes or run the way he was used to. Jones was already out, so Dallas had to rely on the third back to help win the game.

Without Choice, the Cowboys would not have been able to keep the Chiefs split between stopping the run and pass. I don’t believe Miles Austin would have gotten 250 yards in the end had Choice not executed the way he did for the football team.

Let’s examine, shall we?

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The Cowboys Need To Stop Shooting Themselves In The BLEEP

When the Dallas Cowboys won last Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs, I was just happy they won the game. Dallas could go into its bye week with a 3-2 record and rest before taking on the Atlanta Falcons.

I was excited by Miles Austin’s 250 yards receiving. I was excited that Tashard Choice got a chance to show his ability, and he was great. Choice gained 92 yards on eight carries and a touchdown.

I was really happy that DeMarcus Ware got his first sack of the season, and it was almost like getting a double scoop of ice cream to see him get his second. The sprinkles to go on top came in the form of watching Jay Ratliff block a field goal. Wonderful, wonderful defensive play from this team.

However, society, in general, likes offense. How many DeMarcus Ware jerseys do you see when compared to the amount of Tony Romo jerseys?

So, when I talked to some friends of mine who are casual fans, they were disgusted by the fact that Dallas did not tear the Chiefs to pieces. Forget the fact that we won the game—the Cowboys should have made Arrowhead Stadium empty of Chiefs fans.

You know what? They are right. Dallas is too good of a team to go to overtime with the Chiefs, and Dallas cannot have the kind of game they had against Philadelphia or Washington or San Diego. They will be eaten alive if they do.

The Cowboys may have won this one, but they will lose more with this sloppy play.

Teams win championships and teams are built like computers—they have several components from the Central Processing Unit (CPU) to the monitor screen you’re staring at as you read this article.

I’m going to break this computer down and see why it is near a crash in its future.

Watching the Dallas Cowboys’ drives are too painful and too long, so I got the play by play sheet.

Two of Dallas’s drives were severely affected by dumb penalties. Penalties are like hiccups during a speech. They are annoying, embarrassing, and they interrupt the speech/drive.

Momentum is a huge factor in these games and momentum falls like the 1929 Stock Market Crash when unwanted penalties happen.

The first drive had an illegal receiver downfield, Andre Gurode the center, and that cost five yards. The drive ended on a fourth-and-three before Dallas punted.

Those five yards were the difference.

The other drive was back-to-back penalties. Illegal formation on Miles Austin and a false start on Flozell Adams that led to first-and-20, instead of first-and-10. The playcalling changes when it is first-and-20, so instead of seeing Choice of Barber pound at the defense for a first, the Cowboys had to pass for it.

And Kansas City knew it was coming, so Romo had two straight incompletions and he ran for his life to get six yards, which led to a fourth-and-14.

 

The rest is located here: http://www.nfltouchdown.com/the-cowboys-need-to-stop-shooting-themselves-in-the-bleep/

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Victor Butler: A Dallas Gem from the Fourth Round Shines

Out of the team’s 12 draft draft selections made this past April, the Dallas Cowboys picked up several players who converted from their original positions to outside linebacker.

However, Brandon Williams and Stephen Hodge are on the injured reserve, and Jason Williams has been on the injury report with a high ankle sprain (though should be back relatively soon).

However, one linebacker still remained and he was a steal. His name is Victor Butler.

Butler is a fourth-round draft choice the Cowboys picked up to address depth at linebacker after Kevin Burnett and Zach Thomas left the team while Greg Ellis was getting older.

I didn’t expect he’d be getting this much playing time for Dallas, but Ellis, in his unhappiness, finally left Dallas after the team released him on his own request.

Ellis is now with the Raiders, and with the obvious lack of linebacker depth after so many injuries, Butler really got a chance to shine Sunday night.

He was sent in the fourth quarter when Dallas was already up, 21-7, and Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme was trying to make a last-minute miracle against the ‘Boys.

Butler replaced Anthony Spencer for a couple of plays and sacked Delhomme twice, forcing a fumble on the second sack that was recovered by defensive end Jason Hatcher.

This guy came out of Oregon State. He’s a Beaver that chews away on the pass rush.

I mentioned him prior in an earlier article during preseason.

To quote it directly, though: “Backup Linebacker Victor Butler really impressed me. He managed to make a tackle and get pressure against the starting Oakland team. Now, he does have to learn to play the run a bit better, but he is looking like a fine draft pick.”

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Want to see the rest? It is featured here: http://www.nfltouchdown.com/a-dallas-gem-from-the-fourth-round-shines.

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Why the Giants Did Not Beat the Cowboys As One Would Think

Before anyone decides to angrily post on my comment board about my intelligence, sexual preference, or the appearance of my mother; I want to state that the title of this article was meant to draw you into the article.

The Giants did beat the Cowboys. The scoreboard says so with a 33-31 score. What I am saying is that the Giants didn’t really dominate as much as one would think. The core reason for this loss is attributed to a bunch of Cowboy blunders.

The Cowboys had more things go wrong for them than Laurel and Hardy do in a movie. Except there was no happy ending for the Cowboys.

Four turnovers led to 24 points. 24 points! That means that only 9 points were made on Giant drives. The Cowboys defensively were great in some areas, and intermediate at others, but they shouldn’t have to be in those situations.

But, I will swear on a stack that the Cowboys shot their own selves in the BLEEP to be very blunt. Tony Romo threw three interceptions, and Felix Jones fumbled a kickoff return. Every single one of those turnovers led to points that defeated the Cowboys.

The Giants, if you look at a stat sheet, were great offensively, but if you watched that game, they shouldn’t have even been on the field to make those plays. That’s how dominant Dallas was at controlling the ball before the turnovers happened.

One interception was taken back for a touchdown by Bruce Johnson, so there is seven points there. Take that out, and Boys win game probably. The second interception was just plain weird. I’ve seen strange interceptions, but this one was WEIRD.

Tony Romo throws out to Jason Witten, and it is a little behind him and it is going to be incomplete except Witten got a hand on it and tipped it. Now, a tipped interception happens every week in the NFL, but this is where it becomes a TV spot on Ripley’s Believe It Or Not.

Want more? Check here: http://www.nfltouchdown.com/why-the-giants-did-not-beat-the-cowboys-as-one-would-think/

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Vince Young: More Than a Tennessee Titans Quarterback, He’s a Million-Dollar Man

I get up in the morning. I brush my teeth after I eat my breakfast. I get my tired rear end in the car and go to college.

All the while, I’m still thinking about football after I’ve checked MSN.com for anything new. For me, football is an obsession/future career and I love it to death. I can’t believe there was a time where I demeaned it, but that’s another story.

The point is that I’m a young man who is not a professional athlete and yet gets so fired up when his team plays, you’d swear I was in pads on the field.

But what is football? Is it Age of Empires on a grass field with a ball and helmets? Is it a sacred ritual that is part of a pagan religion? Is it even a business?

“Yes” can be the answer to all of the above, but when you remove all emotional attachment, football is a game. Real men play this game for millions of dollars. All they do is football. They are playing a game.

Except, a lot of times, we as fans in our competitiveness forget that it is a game. That when Sunday is over that these men go home and be regular men.

After all, that is just what they are…regular men.

Have you ever thought about who is that man beyond the guy who led a great drive to win a Super Bowl or caught so many passes that normal humans couldn’t touch?

Who are they as men? We worship them for their athletic talents, but we regularly, especially the ignorant fan, forget how these men are on the inside.

Are they good fathers? Are they kind, calm persons who help those in need when he can’t figure out his geometry lesson or when she needs a fourth for an afternoon tea party with Ms. Susie Bear and Little Quackers the Duck.

When I think about what I want to in life when it comes to my kids, I think of what John Wayne said in The Cowboys before he dies. “Every man wants his children to be better than he was.”

Well, Steve McNair, the former quarterback for the Tennessee Titan died, and he died with his two young sons not knowing who is going to teach them or make them better than daddy was?

Steve McNair was a great football player who achieved a great deal of success. However, he was murdered this past Fourth of July before he could reach the same success he had in the NFL as a father.

However, another man stepped in. Not a boy, not an athlete, but a real man stepped in, and his name is Vincent Young.

Vince Young is known as the quarterback for the Tennessee Titans who was a pupil under McNair before and after he lead the University of Texas to a NCAA Division IA Championship title in the Rose Bowl.

Most of us remember him for that and the fact that he lost his starting quarterback position to Kerry Collins this past year. People call him retarded or label him a bust because he can’t play football like Peyton Manning or Tom Brady can.

I refuse to let my memory remember only that. I intend to remember Vince Young for what he did that was more valuable than winning any diamond studded ring.

He became a real man to two boys that weren’t even his own. He took McNair’s two sons, Tyler and Trenton, to “Dear Dad’s Breakfast” this past Wednesday at their school, because he loved those boys like he loved their father.

Young told The Tennessean, “Those are my boys. I wouldn’t say it was to pay anyone back; it was just out of love. Steve would do it for me. He pretty much did it for me when I was growing up. I have a history with the boys and I want to do anything I can. I am their big brother.”

The boys are doing better because of Vince Young’s realization that family and love is key to a person’s life. He is still fighting for his chance to be a great quarterback, but he won’t be blind to two young boys who need a man like him to guide them.

When I think about that, I hope that my boys will be able to tell our next generation about me, not just as a writer, but as a great father just like I will tell them about my dad.

We talk about Vince Young as a bust, but I’ll remember him as a Hall of Fame man.

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Donovan McNabb Breaks a Rib In Win Over Carolina

In a smashing victory over the Carolina Panthers to start their new season, the Eagles’ quarterback, Donovan McNabb, also got smashed on a three yard touchdown run in the third quarter.

McNabb was slow getting up after the touchdown and was immediately taken to the training room. After some tests, the diagnosis is in. Donovan McNabb broke a rib in this last game.

Kevin Kolb replaced him at quarterback since Michael Vick is still ineligible until week 3. Kolb was not very effective and the Eagles did not score again after McNabb left.

The Eagles face the New Orleans Saints next week and will need an offensive attack to counter Saints quarterback, Drew Brees, and his great passing arm. Brees threw for six touchdowns today, so the Eagles need to use a decent offense to handle the Saints poor defense, and their defense needs to stop Drew Brees in order to win the football game.

The Eagles had five interceptions and a fumble recovery for a touchdown on defense as they slaughtered the Carolina Panthers 38-10 in Carolina.

Whether Donovan McNabb plays or not is a mystery because it is a broken rib, but he has played on a broken ankle before, so my money is on McNabb returning for next week.

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Dallas Cowboys Season Opener: What Are the Critical Points?

It is almost here.

Like the little kid watching the clock tick slowly to midnight on Christmas Eve, I have been counting the days ’til the football season started.

And it is finally here!

Finally, enough of the monotonous offseason and on to the real stuff. The excitement of getting the popcorn and soda ready for the game. The great feeling you get after a win, and the “Aw, shucks!” after a loss.

We are almost in the 2009 season of the National Football League.

Our opener is in Tampa Bay against the Buccaneers.

This team has made significant changes since Dallas defeated them 13-9 last year with Brad Johnson at quarterback after Tony Romo broke his pinkie finger.

This time, I expect it to be different. I want Tony Romo beyond his best this time.

View the rest here.

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The Dallas Cowboys: Preseason Week Two Review

Sorry I’m late. School just started for me and it was hectic this past week.

Did I see the game though? I’d rather miss a wedding than miss a Cowboys game. With that said, let the analysis begin…

The Dallas Cowboys dominated ball control for the first half yet still only had 14 points to show for it. That makes me concerned because if we go up against a team with a high power passing attack that can score quick, we will need to score faster than the other team to counter it.

That brings me concern as to who will be that very deep guy? I’m starting to accept Terrell Owens being gone now, but I will say that I wish that Jerry Jones had given the Owens/Williams pairing a real year to see what they could do.

Now that Owens is gone, the Cowboys need a legitimate speed guy who can run deep routes. Who is that guy? Miles Austin? Kevin Ogletree? Felix Jones?

Check out the rest here:

http://www.nfltouchdown.com/preseason-week-2-review-for-dallas/

Dallas Cowboys Lose, but Learn at Preseason Game One

I didn’t watch the game. I was spending time with two buddies whose interests are not those that relate to a pigskin ball.

However, we are in the day and age where TiVo exists and I recorded the game in its entirety.

And I did what some of my colleagues do not do. I watched three hours worth of film.

Stats are facts written on a piece a paper that tell one the end result of a certain play. Basically like a plot summary of a movie that you find on its back cover.

When David Tyree made the most amazing catch in Super Bowl history, a statbook will tell you if the catch made a first down or how many yards were gained.

However, film tells a story, and the film will portray how awkwardly the ball was held against his head, and how it almost touched the ground or how Rodney Harrison, the safety, could have taken it away.

I don’t know about the majority, but I prefer film because I can eat some popcorn while watching.

Now…I’m going to tell you, the fans, what I saw from the film and give you my analysis of what Dallas learned thus far.

Want more? Check it out at http://www.nfltouchdown.com/dallas-loses-but-learns-at-preseason-game-1/

 

Dick LeBeau Named Senior Nominee to the Hall-of-Fame

After a successful Super Bowl win, defensive guru, Dick LeBeau, has been named as a finalist to the Professional Football Hall-of-Fame at the age of 71.

In my humble, unbiased opinion, “It’s about time!”

Every August, certain Hall-of-Fame voters, who are also members of the Senior Selection Committee, select two players, whose professional careers ended at least 25 years prior.

Dick LeBeau was not just a coach, but also an excellent cornerback, and he played with Dick “Night Train” Lane and Lem Barney over a 14-year career with the Detroit Lions.

He is tied for seventh in all-time career interceptions, had nine fumble recoveries, and four defensive touchdowns.

He was drafted in 1959 by the Cleveland Browns as a fifth round pick from Ohio State University. He was cut by the Browns and then signed by the Lions where he became a legend.

However, his accomplishments on the field are only half of what this man has done for the game of football. This guy became a defensive coach and in 1995, he became the defensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

That first year, the Steelers went to the Super Bowl and even though they lost, it’s still quite an accomplishment. He left the Steelers in 1997 and came back in 2004.

Every year he’s been with the Steelers, they have been in the top 10 in defense, except in 2006 when they were ranked 11th.

Twice they have been No. 1, and three more times in the top five.

Dick LeBeau has been a father figure to his players and many of them consider him as just that, a father.

But, his greatest accomplishment was how he changed defensive football.

He is universally regarded as the inventor of the Zone Blitz, which is used to confuse the offense by dropping back players that usually blitz into zone coverage, while using players that usually play coverage as blitzers.

For example, one would have the outside linebacker drop into coverage and call for a cornerback blitz.

If he wasn’t a Hall-of-Famer as a player or as a coach, any unbiased person cannot say that if you combine both of them, then he should have been in the Hall years ago.

Steelers and Lions fans should be rejoicing when this great player, coach, and person will be inducted to the Hall-of-Fame.

I say that because I believe there is a greater chance of me being teleported to Pluto to become the ambassador of an alien race, than this guy being denied induction.

He’s already got the Senior Committee behind him, which is five voters, and he’s got Ed Bouchette-the Pittsburgh voter, and Tom Kowalski-the Detroit voter, so I don’t see this guy being denied.

When you think about it, Dick LeBeau deserves it, especially this year because Emmitt Smith and Jerry Rice are up for induction and it is just appropriate that these three greatest of the greats be inducted together.

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