For Dallas Cowboy Fans, Reality Bites

Remember in your youth when you naively got into that relationship with that special someone despite all the red flags that went off in your brain.

We’ve all done it.

Sure, that person didn’t have the best pedigree and did things a bit different, but you loved the way they improvised and made everything seem exciting.

You couldn’t resist.

Somewhere down the line you said fooey to better judgment and dove right in, head-over-heels.

Everything was fresh and new.

You were committed and sold-out to this individual.

Things were looking great. 

Sure, there was an occasional hiccup, but you were just glad of the prospects of something better than your past relationships (see Quincy Carter, Drew Henson, Anthony Wright, Chad Hutchinson, Ryan Leaf, Drew Bledsoe, et cetera).

Nothing could shake your happiness; you just knew you had found the one.

Like most relationships though, the honeymoon phase soon faded away and the warts started popping up.

All of a sudden those cute little things they did weren’t so cute anymore.

You asked them to change, and they promised they would, but in the end they just couldn’t help themselves.

Finally, as the relationship clearly met its crossroads, you had a moment of sanity and realized “ah man, this is bad.”

Recently, many Cowboy fans have had this moment of clarity concerning quarterback Tony Romo.

The season’s first four weeks have been a microcosm of the relationship between Romo and his fans. 

Week One: Excitement.

Week Two: Anger, disbelief, and disappointment.

Week Three: Signs of change. Renewed hope.

Week Four:  Resignation.

It’s becoming apparent to even the most die-hard Romo supporters that he may not be the guy; the one; the next in line of great Cowboy quarterbacks to lead this team to its next Super Bowl.

Okay, so maybe you’re over it; you’re ready to move forward and look for someone who can fit that bill. 

Not so fast.  It gets worse.

Any die-hard Cowboy fan realizes how generally loyal GM Jerry Jones is, but especially so towards his star players, or more accurately put, his investments.

Romo still has a lot of years and guaranteed money (aprox. $30 million) left on the six-year, $67.5 million contract extension he signed back in late 2007.

So lest Jerry has some sort of change of heart, it appears Romo is not going anywhere, anytime soon.

To make matters worse, until drafting Stephen McGee in the fourth round of 2009 draft, Jerry and Co. never had a contingency plan in place to bring along and develop a young QB via the draft or free agency.

Even if you believe that McGee is the future (and I have my doubts), he’s years away from being anywhere near competent enough to play as a starter.

So what does this all mean?

Well, it means you’re stuck. 

Like being in a relationship with someone you know you don’t have a future with; you hope for the best, but your gut feeling tells you it’s going nowhere with no clear way of getting out.

It means whine, moan, grunt or cry, things aren’t going to change.  Fans will have to decide if they want continue to watch, follow, and support the team, which they undoubtedly will. 

As a fan, that’s simply reality, it just happens to bite.

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Dallas Cowboys: Too Many To Name, but Only One Will Get the Blame

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…Romo sucks!

If you’re a Cowboy fan, some variation of these sentiments were likely uttered from your lips as the Cowboys laid a palatial egg in front of God and country last Sunday night.

Nothing like a loss in Week Two that’ll put a team’s entire fan base in a tizzy.

Well, it appears the honeymoon is over between Cowboy fans and Tony Romo.

Romo managed to put together one of the worst, if not the worst, performances of his relatively short career.

Romo’s stat line: 13 of 29 for 127 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions

For fans, what was most troubling was not those meager numbers.  They’ve seen worse statistical performances from Romo (the game @ Buffalo in ’07 comes to mind) in the past.

Rather, it was the manner in which he coughed up the game.

With 3:35 left in the third quarter, Romo ran a three-yard QB keeper for the go-ahead score (DAL 24 – NYG 20).

The Cowboys forced the Giants to go three-and-out on their next possession, received the ball on the ensuing punt at their own 44-yard line, and momentum was tangibly in their favor.

Unfortunately, Romo decided this was the right time to squelch that momentum.

After collecting a quick first down that put the Cowboys in Giant territory, Romo decided it was time to half-hazard go deep.

I can’t confirm, but it appeared Romo audibled out of the original call.  You’ll hear him yell “kill-kill-kill” on tape. 

With Sam Hurd as the only receiver on the field, it’s hard for me to believe that offensive coordinator Jason Garrett would call a deep ball to what might be the team’s slowest wide receivers.

Keep in mind, on every passing play, there are usually short, medium, and deep receiver routes.  Romo apparently wanted the kill shot deep.

In a postgame press conference, Romo said he didn’t see safety Kenny Phillips.  That’s not a legitimate alibi, not that he was searching for one.  Romo has to identify every defensive player and adjust accordingly.

He didn’t, and he forced the pass inexplicably. 

Cowboy fans feel betrayed.  They bought his offseason promises to ignore those impulses and take better care of the ball.

My advice to fans is simple: get over it.

Let’s deal with some reality first.  Romo has won plenty of big games with the Cowboys.  The fact is every game in the NFL is a big game.  Every game counts.  Every game is crucial.  Every game has its own meaning.

Here’s another dose, no one player loses a game.  Unfortunately, for the quarterback position it seems this logic gets tossed like a salad.

Lest we forget the dynamic duo of Terrance Newman and Orlando Scandrick put on what may have been the sorriest performances at the cornerback position of recent memory.

DeMarcus Ware and company failed to register a sack for the second consecutive game.  Unlike the Bucs game the previous week, they were unable to establish any consistent pressure on Eli at any point.

However, at the end of the day, fans don’t lay blame at the feet of these players’ feet.  D. Ware doesn’t get called to the carpet.  Newman’s decision making isn’t being questioned by Sterling Sharpe or Warren Sapp. 

Instead, right, wrong or indifferent (and it’s wrong), the onus is placed on the quarterback. 

For many Cowboy fans, this may be the harshest reality; Romo isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. 

Jerry Jones simply doesn’t work that way.

Don’t be an idiot and ask for Jon Kitna. 

The apple turnover that Tony Romo was on Sunday night is what Kitna has been his entire career.  Kitna may be fine in small stretches, but keep him out there for a too long and he’ll show you exactly who he’s been his entire career.

If you’re even asking about Stephen McGee, you should be slapped on the spot.

Transform Romo into more of a game manager?  Perhaps, but realize you’re eventually going to need to throw for a first down; your team will not always have the luxury of a lead to work with; there will be times you need to score points in bunches.  In other words, Romo will have to throw.

If Romo is ever going to become the quarterback that most fans believe he can become, he’s going to have to play through this latest self-induced humiliation. 

Romo no longer has to be the reason why the team wins; he simply can’t be the reason why they lose.

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Sssssshhh! New York’s Running Donkey Has Something to Say

If you’re not familiar with the player pictured above laying prostrate on the ground like a dead guppy, that would be none other than New York Giant running back, Brandon Jacobs.  Or, as I like to affectionately call him, “the world’s dumbest professional athlete.”

A little harsh?  Trust me, it’s not really.

See, Jacobs has a problem. 

He has a pea-sized brain that sits inside a malformed cone-shaped cranium which rests on top of a giant 6’4″ 264 lbs frame.

More precisely, Jacobs’ brain has developed just enough to where he’s able to acknowledge audible sounds (like reporter questions), form short bursts of complete sentences that at times can produce the following gems:

On the subject of Tony Romo…(PFT.com – Gregg Rosenthal)

“I don’t think he’s that good a passer, to be honest with you […] I’m not a fan of Tony Romo, no.  Keep him in the pocket, he’s not that good. […] His luck will be gone sooner or later.  If you were to keep Tony Romo in the pocket he’s not that effective.”

On the Cowboys playing host to the Giants during thier home opener at the new stadium…(Matt Mosley blog)

“They should’ve put Detriot in there instead of us.”

These are strange comments indeed. 

With the confidence and voracity of the statements, you would think the Giants have been eating Romo and the Cowboys’ lunch.

Here are the facts:

– In 40 career regular season starts, Romo sports a .700 win percentage (28-12).

– 95.7 career QB rating. Steve Young holds the highest career rating (min. 1,500 attempts) at a 96.81 clip.  Romo currently has 1,334 attempts.

– Dallas has beaten the Giants in four of their last six regular season matchups. Dallas also owns the all-time series edge (55-37-2).

– Dallas has won (4-0) every regular season matchup that Romo has started against the Giants.

Now, are these numbers fool-proof in proving Romo’s greatness?   

No.

Nor do they take away from the impressive Super Bowl run the Giants made in 2007, beating the Cowboys in Dallas along their way.

However, the Giants are nowhere close to having the Cowboys’ number.  Not to mention you don’t accumulate wins and numbers like that by pure “luck.”

In light of the aforementioned comments, Jacobs’ hot air turns out to be nothing but a whimpering sneeze. 

Speaking of whimpering, does anyone remember the flustered mess Jacobs was after the ’07 home loss to the Cowboys. 

You remember that game, right? 

That’s the one where Crayton laid the ball across the goaline for the touchdown, instead of running it all the way in.  Crayton in a post game interview likened the win to going into someone elses house and slapping their mama.

Jacobs got wind of this as he was interviewed in his locker room and was visibly shaken, only managing to whimper, “Patrick Crayton sucks!”

Oh, the memories!

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Cowboys’ Stock Report: Week One

2009—Week One

Dallas Cowboys—34
Tampa Bay Buccaneers—21

Box Score

 

Stock Up

Although he looked a bit rusty in the first couple of offensive series, Tony Romo looked great when making the right reads and selling the defense with his eyes.  Case in point, on the 80-yard touchdown pass to Patrick Crayton, Romo rolled slightly to his right and stared down Jason Witten.  The safety, Sabby Piscitelli, bit on Romo going to Witten in the flat, which left Crayton streaking down the sideline wide-open for the easy score.

Let’s remember Romo can’t look good unless his receivers run good routes and catch the ball.  Jason Witten, Roy Williams, Miles Austin and Patrick Crayton didn’t disappoint. 

Special praise should be given to Roy Williams.  Despite having just three receptions for the game, the much maligned receiver made his presence felt from his finger tip grab of an off-line Romo throw on the first possesion, to his 66-yard TD catch and run early in third quarter. 

Bobby Carpenter deserves some love as well.  Carpenter will probably never make it as three-down linebacker in any scheme, but he may have found a niche in the Cowboys’ nickel package.  Carpenter made two nice tackles of note today.  One occured on special teams when he made a nice open field tackle on the returner who had just cut back to run up an apparent open lane.  The other happened on a crucial third down late in the fourth quarter.  Carpenter stopped the ball carrier on a short pass in the flat for what would have been a first down.

Chuck Norris…I mean kicker, David Buehler, justified his roster spot with his performance today.  Out of seven of Buehler’s kickoffs, six made it to the endzone and three were touchbacks.  Doesn’t sound too impressive?  Keep in mind that in 169 career kickoffs, Nick Folk has registered just four touchbacks.

Speaking of Folk, his performance today (2/2 FG, 4/4 XP, long of 51-yards) was a good sign he’s back from offseason surgery and a shaky preseason.

Looks like safety Gerald Sensabaugh is an upgrade.  Sensabaugh was all over the field making tackles (don’t forget, he prevented a TD by running down Cadillac Williams), and blocking a FG.

Finally, got to give some credit to the Cowboys offensive line.  The pass protection was solid, though the run-blocking was somewhat uneven throughout the game.  However, the fact that they didn’t register a single false start, hold or any other of their patented mental gaffes should be noted.  We’ll just look past the fact Flozell Adams did get an apparent personal foul call (the replays did not show it) on him.

 

Stock Down

It appears safety Ken Hamlin is intent on continuing his Poor Tackling Tour for another season.  The fact that Hamlin continues to refuse to wrap-up ball carriers is a reflection on the coaches.  No player should be above being reprimanded for poor technique.  Throwing a shoulder into a ball carrier simply isn’t going to do it.  Hamlin not only got ran over on few runs, but he outright whiffed on a couple of plays.

The Cowboys defense needs an identity.  It’s apparent that the defensive energy generally goes as the team’s offense goes.  They certainly weren’t stout against the run, as the Bucs ran roughshod through the defense all game, allowing 174 yards, 5.6 YPC and 2 TD.

Question, where was the pass rush all game? 

Byron Leftwich is essentially a reincarnation of Drew Bledsoe.  The Cowboys did put Leftwich on his back a number of times bu the fact they were unable to register a single sack is a bit disconcerting. 

Perhaps the stinger he suffered early in the game affected his play, but DeMarcus Ware wasn’t much of a factor in the game.  Nor was Anthony Spencer for that matter.

Next Up…

The Cowboys will make their regular season debut at Cowboys Stadium in primetime againt division rival New York Giants.  The two teams have split the last four regular season games against each other.  Dallas does own the all-time series edge (55-37-2).

Look for both teams to utilize their deep running back rotations to control the clock and keep each others offense off the field.

If Dallas can shore-up their run defense, they should be able to handle the Giants’  passing attack.  As with most of their recent games, I expect this game to be hard fought, with Dallas squeaking out a win.

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Cowboys Stock Report: Preseason Week Two

Preseason Week Two

Dallas Cowboys 30
Tennessee Titans 10

Box Score

Stock Up

For the second straight week, running back Keon Lattimore continued to impress.  Though his numbers (9 carries, 33 yards) were modest, Lattimore ran decisively with quickness and power, making the most of his carries behind a second and third string offensive line.

Backup offensive tackle, Doug Free, had yet another solid game at left tackle.  He was beaten once by a spin move, but Free again showed quick feet in mirroring defensive ends in pass protection, and good effort in staying active during running plays.  Free looks to have developed into an adequate backup tackle should one of the starters go down.

Rookie wide receiver, Kevin Ogletree, may have gotten a leg-up on Isaiah Stanback for the fifth receiver spot.  Ogletree caught everything thrown his way (3 rec., 37 yards, 1 TD) and looked silky smooth doing it, and showed great quickness off the line to free himself up in the corner of the end zone for his touchdown.

No need to worry about the punting situation this year; Mat McBriar looks completely healed from his leg injury suffered last year.  He launched six booming kicks and landed three inside the 20-yard line.

On the defensive side of the ball, Anthony Spencer continues to play rock solid run defense.  If you’re worried about Spencer’s pass rushing efforts, you should be equally critical of DeMarcus Ware as well.  Ware hasn’t sniffed the QB too much this preseason either. 

However, head coach Wade Phillips doesn’t seem to think it’s much of an issue, as he noted the Cowboys haven’t run much exotic pass rush schemes thus far in the preseason.

Backup outside linebacker Steve Octavian made his presence felt in his first game of the preseason.  Octavian registered two tackles, a pass deflection which led to an INT, and some bone crushing hits.  Octavian’s chances of making the team improved with rookie linebacker, Brandon Williams, season-ending knee injury.

 

Stock Down

Though he’s probably not in danger of losing his place kicking duties, Nick Folk missed his second kick (49-yard attempt) in two preseason attempts.  Probably not the kind of showing Folk or the Cowboys were hoping for after his off season hip surgery.

Starting cornerback Mike Jenkins struggled in coverage during his first preseason game of the year.  Although neither ball was ultimately caught, Jenkins was beaten badly on two deep throws on the same drive.  Jenkins also blew an apparent coverage assignment which led to an easy touchdown for Titan receiver Justin Gage. 

It should be noted that Ken Hamlin appeared late in coming over the top after Jenkins passed off Gage to the safety.

Speaking of Ken Hamlin, the safety had a really rough game to say the least.  Hamlin picked up where he left off last season by displaying very poor tackling technique throughout his time in the game, which led to extra yards for the ball carriers. 

He also had an avoidable facemask penalty while trying to tackle Javon Ringer.  The “quarterback” of the secondary should both do and know better.

Special team coverage units struggled a bit again this week.  This continues to be an Achilles heel for the Cowboys.  A combination of poor tackling and available lanes for returners to run through is always a bad combination.

 

Things you may have missed…

2:56 – First Qtr:  Backup tight end, John Phillips, made a nice goal line block on MBIII’s TD run.  On the play, he got leverage, turned his man out and sealed the edge.  It’s these types of small things that make coaches take notice and want to find a place for you on the roster.

2:52 – First Qtr:  During the ensuing kickoff (after the MBIII TD) to Javon Ringer, Bobby Carpenter inexplicably gets blocked off his feet while trying to fill his lane.  It was this same lane that Ringer used to cut up through the traffic and onto his 51-yard return. 

I’ve watched the play more than three times in normal and slow-motion and still can’t figure out what Carpenter was doing to allow himself to get knocked on his back.

5:31 – Second Qtr: Marc Colombo opened up a lane for Felix Jones with a great cut block after pulling to the right side of the line during a pitch which went for 11-yards.

10:34 – Third Qtr: Bobby Carpenter made a nice tackle (along w/K. Brooking) on Javon Ringer for no gain.  On the play, Carpenter engaged the blocker and shed him at the right moment, strafing towards the line of scrimmage and eventually tackling Ringer.

9:43 – Third Qtr: Unbelievable. The second I think Carpenter is improving in terms of run defense, he goes back to his old bag of tricks.  It’s almost unexplainable.  On this run, Carpenter strafes through the line waiting on Ringer, Ringer shifts slightly to the right and Carpenter sits there and watches him go by, reacting only after Ringer runs past him instead of meeting him in the lane. 

He either has some of the worst reactionary quickness I’ve ever seen, or he doesn’t want contact.  I think the truth is found somewhere in between.

6:08 – Fourth Qtr: Backup tight end, Scott Chandler, helped facilitate a tip-ball drill in which 4th and Long star, Jesse Holley, came down with a pass that went off his helmet, into the arms of a Titans player, and back into his (Holley’s) hands. 

After the ball went off Holley’s helmet, two Titans went up for the ball, Chandler put his hands on both players’ chests and floored them both onto their backs.  The ball subsequently popped out and into Holley’s hands.

Cowboys Stock Report: Preseason Week One

Preseason Week One

Oakland Raiders 31
Dallas Cowboys 10

Box Score

Stock up

There is probably no spot for him on the roster, but running back Keon Lattimore had a nice showing.  Lattimore flashed quick feet and vision working between the tackles, making the most (11 carries, 55 yards) of his opportunities throughout the game.

Wide receiver Sam Hurd was flat-out ballin’.  The fourth year receiver had five catches for 79 yards.  During one stretch drive, Hurd and backup quarterback, Jon Kitna, were simply toying with the Raiders secondary.  Hurd has built his body up well, and is a long ways away from the lanky string bean he came in as a rookie.

The first string offense on its second possession of the game looked like a machine.  The Cowboys put together an impressive nine play drive, covering 71 yards and resulting in a touchdown. 

Offensive tackle Doug Free received extensive playing time and put together a solid performance in both run and pass blocking. 

Rookie kicker David Buehler had a great game.  Buehler had a touchback on one of his kickoffs and even made the tackle covering his own kick on another.

Stock down

Point blank, Courtney Brown laid an egg. The Raiders were able to play pitch-and-catch on him anytime they wanted. I counted six receptions Brown gave up, not to mention two other passes that would have been completed on him had the QB not made poor throws.  Brown simply looks tentative in coverage and generally out-matched out there. 

Cowboys’ seventh rounder, Mike Mickens had a rough professional debut.  Mickens picked up a couple penalties, missed a few tackles and gave up a number of catches, including a touchdown in the red zone.

One name, Wade Phillips.  Wade’s decision to let vital young receivers Sam Hurd and Miles Austin play on kickoff and punt coverage units in the first preseason game is a head scratcher. 

The team’s run defense deserves a knock. The Raider running backs gashed the Cowboys defense for 176 yards on 26 carries for a gaudy 6.8 yards per carry.  I suppose some of the team’s poor tackling could be attributed to Phillip’s non-tackling approach in camp.

Things you might have missed…

12:40 – First Qtr:  On a deep ball to rookie Darrius Heyward-Bay, Ken Hamlin looked to have had what would have been an easy interception had teammate Orlando Scandrick not blanketed him as if he were the wide receiver.

3:25 – First Qtr:  JaMarcus Russell made Cowboy linebacker look a bit silly by shaking him in the open field.  The 6’6”, 260 lb Russell is known to be a good athlete, but Spencer made him look like Mike Vick (circa 2006), as Russell left him whiffing at his knees on an open field tackle during a scramble.

0:24 – Second Qtr:  On a third-and-goal (on the 18 yard line), Kitna found Isaiah Stanback in the corner of the end zone.  Kitna lofted a nice ball over the defensive back, and Stanback timed his jump well but was unable to come down with it despite getting both hands on it.

14:52 – Fourth Qtr:  Rookie linebacker Jason Williams gave Cowboy fans a glimpse of his athleticism as he chased Raider’s quarterback, Charlie Frye, out the pocket and towards the sideline to force an incompletion on third down.

Felix Jones Vs. Chris Johnson: You Decide

Heading into the 2008 NFL Draft, Dallas Cowboys fans could barely restrain their glee.

Their team, armed with two first-round picks, had fans dreaming, discussing, and debating which prospects their team would soon select come draft day.

With just one running back (Marion Barber) on the roster under contract heading into that offseason, most fans recognized running back would be a position of need.

While some fans fantasized about packaging the picks for a chance to trade up for Darren McFadden, others realized a more likely scenario would have the Cowboys selecting one of the other running backs of the deep 2008 class.

It was apparent the Cowboys would be looking to add some dash to compliment Marion Barber’s bash.

Two of the top prospects that appeared to fit that bill were East Carolina’s Chris Johnson and McFadden’s former Arkansas backfield mate, Felix Jones.

Both players sported similar size, college résumés, and playmaking ability.

Message boards and fan sites were filled with threads where fans championed either player, vigorously debating the merits of why the Cowboys should take their guy.

As it turned out, the Cowboys chose Felix Jones in the first round over Chris Johnson, whom the Titans ended up selecting two picks later at No. 24.

Each player had an instant impact on his team and both look to have bright futures ahead of them.

However, the obvious and over-simplified question remains: Who is the better running back?

The proverbial jury may be still out, but upon first glance it’s hard to deny Johnson’s fabulous first season.

Simply put, the Titans’ 5’11”, 200-pound back is downright explosive.

Few players in the league can take the ball and make everyone else on the field look like they’re running in molasses; Johnson is one them.

Johnson was clocked at 4.24 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, which tied for the fastest combine time ever.

Unlike many speed demons, Johnson was able to transfer that speed onto the field.

Despite splitting carries with LenDale White, Johnson’s stat line for the year was impressive: 15 games, 251 carries, 1,228 yards, 4.9 YPC, nine TD, 43 receptions, 260 yards, and one TD.

Those numbers were good enough to send Johnson to the Pro Bowl. In fact, Johnson was the league’s only rookie to be named to the Pro Bowl. One aspect of Johnson’s game that was underutilized was as a receiver.

Coming out of college at East Carolina, Johnson was known for his able hands.

Although it didn’t provide for much production, Johnson proved to be a capable outlet for Kerry Collins out of the backfield.

Expect to see the Titans utilize Johnson even more in this capacity as he enters his second season.

For the Cowboys’ Felix Jones, his star shined just as bright as Johnson’s, just simply not as long. The 6’0”, 212-pound Jones offers the same take-it-to-the-house ability that Johnson has.

“Uncle Felix,” as he’s affectionately called by his teammates, is fast (4.49). Not Chris Johnson fast, but fast enough.

Better put, Jones is football fast.

Jones is gifted with great vision, acceleration and lateral agility (all of which are demonstrated at the 1:42 mark of this clip).

Unlike Johnson, Jones played in more of a relief role to starter Marion Barber during his injury-shortened six-game rookie season.

Despite relatively limited reps, Jones put up some gaudy statistics that have Cowboy fans salivating at the thought of what he could do with an expanded role: six games, 30 carries, 266 yards, 8.9 YPC, three TD, two receptions, 10 yards, 16 KR, 434 yards, 27.1 avg., and one TD.

Looking forward to the 2009 season, any success Jones has will be directly related to how offensive coordinator Jason Garrett incorporates him into the offense.

Garrett was criticized for not capitalizing on Jones’s ability by increasing his touches last season. Garrett is infamously remembered for not getting Jones even a single touch with the regular offense during the Week Four loss to the Redskins.

Up to that point, Jones had scored in three straight games. Jones wasn’t even a thought in the Cowboys passing attack in 2008.

That figures to change as Jerry Jones has essentially mandated that Garrett find ways to get the ball into Jones’ hands by any means.

Jones could prove to be devastating to defenses on screens.

If the Cowboys can perfect this play (which they’ve strangely struggled to consistently execute for years), Jones could alleviate some of the big-play potential that left with Terrell Owens.

The comparisons may never be on the level, as each player serves a different role for their teams (14 starts for Johnson vs. zero starts for Jones), but it will never cease.

At this point, the nod has to go to Chris Johnson, based on the fact that, well, he’s already done it.

Felix has to prove not only that he can stay healthy, but that he can continue to produce at a level similar to his 2008 pace for an entire season.

Oh man, I can already feel the ire of Cowboy Nation upon me.

Training Camp Spotlight: Miles Austin

The moment the Cowboys released Terrell Owens (TO) this past March, many questions were immediately raised.

Can wide receiver, Roy Williams, who was picked up in a midseason trade, pick up Owens slack as the lead receiver?

Would the Cowboys have to dramatically change its offensive approach due to TO’s departure?

Who will fill the void of TO’s down—the—field, big—play ability?

For the last question, the Cowboys are hoping the answer is already on the roster in the form of one, Miles Austin.

Entering into his fourth season out of Monmouth University, Austin will head into this training with an opportunity to carve out a significant role with the regular offense.

Even more, the Cowboys need him to step up.

Not since Terry Glenn in 2006, have the Cowboys had a legitimate deep threat (not named TO) that could stretch the field and keep opposing defenses honest.  In fact, some have argued that the absence of such a receiver is what helped neutralize TO’s effectiveness the past couple of seasons.

Jason Garrett and more importantly, Jerry Jones, recognize the need. After the draft, the Cowboys official website (dallascowboys.com) reported that had Missouri’s Jeremy Maclin slipped past the Philadelphia Eagles (No. 19) in the first round, Jones would have seriously considered trading up for him.

Either way, TO is gone; Maclin is with the Eagles; Roy Williams is now the lead receiver; and the Cowboys will need that deep threat this season. 

Austin brings many tools to the table; listed at 6’3’’ and 216 lbs., he’s not your prototypical smurf—sized burner. While he’s not the most agile in terms of changing directions, he’s shown the ability to run the route tree effectively and looks to be especially dangerous due to his size on slant routes, both short and deep.

It was apparent as early as last season’s preseason that something had clicked for Austin as a receiver. Instead of focusing robotically on his release, steps, and route, it was clear he was running more fluidly and attacking the ball in the air. 

Despite a relatively small sample size, Austin demonstrated his big—play ability, registering 278 yards on 13 receptions for three touchdowns. The Cowboys are confident that Austin can increase his production, but they must be concerned about his ability to remain healthy.

Injuries caused delays in Austin’s complete incorporation into the offense last season.  Furthermore, the mid—season trade for Roy Williams pushed Austin further down the depth chart behind Owens, Williams, and Crayton.

Things have since changed, and barring another injury setback, Austin looks to be primed to have an exponential increase in opportunities and production this season.

Tony Romo: Perception, Perspective, and Reality

Here’s a fun exercise; mention the name of Dallas Cowboy quarterback, Tony Romo, and you’ll likely hear some of the following comments:

“Pre-Madonna.”

“Choke artist.”

Or the simple, yet poignant, “Romo sucks!”

What’s amazing is these are statements that have been uttered from the mouths of Cowboy fans, not just the fans of rival teams.

Harsh analysis and unrealistic expectations from analysts and fans are typically par-for-the-course when it comes to manning the quarterback position for an NFL team.

However, it’s fair to say that no other quarterback in the league has been unduly scrutinized the way Romo has the past two seasons.

The hyper-criticism leveled at Romo on regular basis teeters on ferocious to simply absurd.

By all accounts, most will agree that Romo (and by extension, the Cowboys) have struggled in December and in the playoffs, point blank.

During the last quarter of the past three seasons (2006-08), the Romo led Cowboys have sported a less than stellar record (4-8).  Romo’s subpar individual numbers fall in-line with the team’s overall poor performance during that same stretch:

W-L (4-8)
71.6 QB rating
14 TD/17 INT
58.10 completion pct.

This seemingly annual slide has helped lead to the general perception that Romo is your run-of-the-mill choker during crunch-time.

WARNING: Perspective required from this point on

The reality is that no stretch of bad play by a team can accurately be pinned to just a single player.  Conversely, it’s foolhardy to credit a team’s success on just one player.  For a team sport such as football, there are so many variables, circumstances and plays that are involved in helping to determine the fate of a game.

Can we talk about Jacquez Reeves’ facemask penalty at the end of the first half of the 2007 Divisional playoff game against the Giants?

Can we talk about Patrick Crayton’s infamous game-changing drop during that same game?

Can we talk about Terence Newman giving up a momentum changing first down after biting on a pump fake when they had the Steelers pinned back on 3rd-and-16 last season?

Take this past season’s loss against the Ravens as another example.

Despite Romo’s uneven performance during that game, he had the team in position to win at the end of the game, which outside of winning outright, is all you can ask for your quarterback to do. 

Unfortunately, Romo could not control his defense’s tackling ineptitude during the game’s final four minutes in which they surrendered two touchdowns on two 77+ yard runs.

Yes, he did have some untimely interceptions (aren’t they always?).  However, if you want to exploit the improvisational talents of Romo, turnovers are simply part of that endeavor.  For every boneheaded deep heave that ends up in the arms of Ed Reed, you have far more plays in which Romo extends a play for a positive gain or points.

Should Romo be given a free license to go nuts in a Favresque manner?  No.  In fact, reports indicate the Cowboys will try to limit the number of opportunities Romo has to make decisions in the upcoming season by focusing on their strength at running back.

The point is critics have found it much easier to saddle Romo with the blame than to objectively watch and analyze the team’s overall play.

 

Romo’s Early Success

Romo has started a grand total of just 39 regular season games, which is slightly less than 2.5 seasons of professional football.  It should be noted that of the games in which Romo started under center, the Cowboys have won 27, while losing just 12.  For the stat lovers, that’s good enough for a .692 win percentage.

In those 2.5 seasons, Romo has helped lead the Cowboys to playoff appearances in both 2006 and 2007.  In 2008, Romo missed three crucial games due to injury, as the Cowboys limped to a (1-2) record without him.

Peyton Manning, a former first overall pick and anointed league golden boy, has never received the type of criticism that Romo.  This is despite the fact the Colts didn’t win their first playoff game under Manning until his sixth season (2003).

Yet, Romo, who came in as an undrafted rookie free agent, is held to a higher level of scrutiny, criticism and expectation of his play during his first 2.5 seasons?

Something doesn’t add up.

What Romo has been able to accomplish thus far in his career has been nothing short of outstanding.  Romo may already be 29 years old, but he’s a young veteran in terms of playing experience.  He may not be maturing physically, but his skills and game management are. 

Look for Romo to begin changing perceptions in 2009.

Five Cowboys that Will Step Up their Game

Going into 2009, the Cowboys will be looking for contributions from the usual suspects: Tony Romo, Marion Barber, DeMarcus Ware and company.

In an effort to get younger (and generally cheaper) players on the field, the Cowboys have cut loose some talented veterans who appear to be on the downward trend of their careers. Players such as Roy Williams (the safety), Tank Johnson, Anthony Henry, Brad Johnson, Zach Thomas and of course Terrell Owens have all been given the boot, as the Cowboys will focus on getting younger alternatives to fill the voids.

The term “progress stoppers” has been bantered about a lot this offseason. General manager Jerry Jones seems serious about giving young players more opportunity to compete for playing time and produce. Even team leader Greg Ellis has been recently rumored in trade talks. Anthony Spencer was the team’s first round pick in 2007, and will now be given every opportunity to prove his draft status worthy.

Spencer won’t be alone. These five young veterans will look to step their game up and become productive players in their respective roles for the 2009 season. For the Cowboys to make a serious playoff run, it’s paramount that these players develop into solid if not spectacular contributors.

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