The Schedule Looks Tough This Year

The 2012 NFL schedule was finally released today. While the opponents and the home/away games were already determined months ago we did get a lot of new information in terms of the actual dates and times of the games.

It is definitely too early to try to make predictions for the season considering that the Cowboys aren't even done in free agency yet and the draft is a week and a half away. But it isn't too early to draw a few obvious conclusions about the schedule.

The season opener is a tall order for the Cowboys. We've known for quite a while that the Cowboys will play at the New York Giants to open the season on September 5. The defending Super Bowl champion is 8-0 since the NFL started scheduling the champion in the season opening game. I'm not saying the Cowboys can't win but the odds are stacked against them.

The good news is that the Cowboys get Seattle and then Tampa Bay after that. Those aren't automatic victories, but they are two of the easiest games on the schedule. Hopefully the Cowboys can get off to a better start this season.

The bye week comes early again this season. The Cowboys have their bye in week 5. Unfortunately that means the Cowboys have to go the last 11 games without a break. I'm not going to use that as any type of excuse if things don't go well for the Cowboys but it would be nice if they could get the bye midseason at some point.

The Cowboys get 4 of their last 6 games at home. That is good news considering the struggles the Cowboys have had in December in recent years. But they also have the Redskins twice, the Eagles, the Steelers and the Saints in that same stretch of games. As usual the NFL did the Cowboys no favors in December.

As I just mentioned the Cowboys get the Saints late in the season. The game is week 16 to be exact. That means that any player suspensions from the bounty fiasco are likely to be over by the time the Cowboys face the Saints. I expect that this game will end up being moved to the Sunday night game if both teams are reasonably competitive this year.

The Cowboys play most of their division games by the time December rolls around this year. Last year the end of the season was loaded with NFC East games. But this year the Cowboys are done with the Giants in week 8 and they play the Eagles for the second time on December 2. The Cowboys do finish the season with an NFC East matchup at the Redskins.

One of the things I like the most about the schedule is that the Cowboys don't have many holiday games this season. Those games are always challenging for me since my family has to schedule around the games. But the Cowboys only play on Thanksgiving this season. And they don't have the usual NFL Network this game in December which is also usually a big problem since Time Warner Cable still won't get on board with the NFL Network.

Overall the schedule looks tough. It isn't a surprise, but it always seems more real when the dates and times are set. I know the schedule is tough based on strength of schedule rankings, but we won't really know how tough it is until about a month into the season when we find out which teams will be good in 2012.

The Cowboys Still Need to Fill Holes on the Roster

By nearly all accounts the Cowboys have done a great job so far this offseason. They have managed to fill several of the most glaring areas of need. But there is still quite a long way to go if the Cowboys want to go from a non-playoff team to a Super Bowl contender.

Let's start on the defensive line. So far the Cowboys have done essentially nothing to improve the most important part of the defense. Sure, they gave Anthony Spencer the franchise tag but all that did was guarantee that the pass rush won't be worse than last year. But, outside of Demarcus Ware, the pass rush was nearly non-existent last year. Bringing Spencer back helps maintain status quo, but changes are needed if we expect to see improvement. The Cowboys can still make a bargain free agency signing or two to help shore up the defensive line and outside linebacker depth. But it seems more likely that they intend to pick defensive line/outside linebacker either the first or second round of the draft or both.

At safety the Cowboys did sign Brodney Pool to replace Abe Elam. But that is a minor upgrade at most. The Cowboys have been trying for far too long to find viable starting safeties. With Gerald Sensabaugh locked up long term at one spot it leaves the other position in flux. Depending on how the draft plays out it might turn out that Pool and Barry Church will share time while Sensabaugh plays full time. It is frustrating to see the same position handcuff the Cowboys defense year after year with no long term solution on the horizon. Maybe Barry Church is the answer but, if he were going to be an impact player, we probably would have seen some flashes of that by now.

Wide receiver depth has become a big concern now that Laurent Robinson has left for Jacksonville. There are some young players on the roster with potential but it is scary to think that one of those guys could be forced to step into a starting role early in the season with the injury history of Dez Bryant and Miles Austin. The Cowboys need to find a solid veteran in free agency who can man the #3 spot early in the season while either one of the young players on the roster or a draft pick can get worked into the offense. I'd like to see Dwayne Harris be the answer at the #3 receiver but he obviously didn't show enough during practice last year to warrant much playing time. Maybe a real offseason will do him some good.

The good news is that the Cowboys don't have nearly as many positions of need as they did heading into the offseason. They are set at middle linebacker with the signing of Dan Connor. And they have shored up the middle of the offensive line by signing Mackenzy Bernardeau and Nate Livings. I'm not sure that both guys are starters, but at least the Cowboys have gotten younger and bigger in the middle of the line. Now if David Arkin or Bill Nagy can improve over the offseason there might be some real depth on the offensive line for the first time in a long time.

Fullback seems to now be a position of strength with Lawrence Vickers on board to lead block for Demarco Murray and Felix Jones. I loved what Tony Fiametta brought to the table last season but he couldn't stay healthy. And Vickers is a much nastier lead blocker than Fiametta was. It is exciting to think what a healthy Demarco Murray might do with a big fullback and a real offensive line.

Heading into the draft I'd like to see the Cowboys get a defensive end and/or outside linebacker either in the first or second round, a safety in the first or second round, another cornerback, a wide receiver, and more defensive line/outside linebacker depth. At least the Cowboys won't be entering the draft with a bunch of glaring needs. I think defensive line is still a big need position but they have their bases covered everywhere else.

The Cowboys Continue Signing Players

The Cowboys aren't messing around this year. It appears that they are fully aware of what everyone else has noticed about the 2011 roster as well. There were holes all over the place. And they couldn't sit back and wait this year if they want to be a real contender next season.

After signing 4 players on Wednesday (Brandon Carr, Kyle Orton, Lawrence Vickers, Mackenzy Bernadeau) they have also added Dan Connor (ILB), Brodney Pool (S), and Nate Livings (G). That is now 7 players that are directly addressing the obvious needs that the Cowboys had heading into the offseason.

In Dan Connor the Cowboys got an inside linebacker with starting experience who can push Bruce Carter this offseason. And he will act as insurance if Bruce Carter doesn't turn out to be what the Cowboys are expecting him to be. This moves seems to signal that Bradie James and Keith Brooking won't be coming back next season. They assigned Connor jersey #56 so that says everything you need to know about Bradie James coming back.

Brodney Pool is a decent safety with experience in Rob Ryan's defense. He isn't the ball hawking type of safety we are all hoping for, but he does appear to be a slight upgrade over Abe Elam. I'm not sure if the Cowboys are counting on Pool to start or provide depth but he does make the safety position much deeper heading into the draft. He only got a one year deal for the Cowboys so it is likely that the Cowboys aren't done at safety and have plans in the draft.

The surprising move to me took place today. The Cowboys signed a sure-fire starter to shore up the interior line with Nate Livings. He has size (6' 5", 332 lbs) and he has started every game for the last two seasons for the Bengals. I have a feeling that Kyle Kosier is about to be shown the door after this signing. The Cowboys have now signed two guards and they have several on the roster who appear to be capable of developing into starters.

I have to say I am very impressed with the results the Cowboys have had early in free agency. They have managed to address many of the most glaring roster needs without destroying the salary cap this year or in the future. They are signing solid players, many who will start, and aren't breaking the bank to get them. It appears Jason Garrett and Jerry Jones are planning to get this team turned around next season. Last years roster purge / mini-rebuilding is over and it is time to start focusing on playoff victories again.

Spencer Gets the Franchise Tag

The rumors that have been circulating for the last few weeks about Anthony Spencer and the Cowboys finally proved to be true today. The Cowboys placed the franchise tag on Spencer this afternoon. I've got mixed emotions about the move.

I said a few weeks ago that I didn't like the idea of putting the tag on Spencer. And the reason I don't like it is because it guarantees Spencer $8.8 million this season if he chooses to sign the offer sheet. The good news is that the Cowboys can lower his cap number if they can come to a long term agreement with him. I'm not so sure I like the idea of a long term contract now.

I was hoping the Cowboys would either get Spencer signed to a reasonable deal prior to the start of free agency or just let him test the market if there wasn't an agreement in place before free agency kicks off. But apparently Jerry and Stephen Jones didn't want to roll the dice and risk losing Spencer to another team if they blew him away with a big offer like the Giants did with Chris Canty a few years ago.

I like Spencer as a player but I don't love him. I think he is a solid run defender and a decent pass rusher, but I certainly don't think he is worth the $8.8 million he is guaranteed now. And what's worse to me is that Spencer now has a lot of leverage in any ongoing negotiations. If he doesn't like the long term number the Cowboys are presenting him in an offer than he can just sign the one year franchise tag deal and the Cowboys are stuck with a giant cap hit of $8.8 million for an above average but far from great player.

The Cowboys have a lot of options they can use to free up more cap space if they still want to go after a big name free agent. But it doesn't sit well with me that Spencer is being paid so much money to be a good run defender and decent pass rusher. I'd love to see the Cowboys work out a reasonable 3-4 year deal with a better cap number, but why would Spencer go for a lesser deal now? He would be a fool to take a deal that takes any money out of his pocket.

And, if the contract is going to be a big one, that means Spencer will be the guy at strong side linebacker for several more years. It makes it hard to draft high for another pass rusher if you are going to commit so much money to Spencer. Maybe the Cowboys have decided to bite the bullet for one season and draft another outside linebacker early in the draft. A one year deal would make sense in that scenario since Spencer's replacement would get one year to learn the system and get comfortable at the NFL level.

I'm hoping now that Spencer has the franchise tag that it will turn out to be a one year deal. Spencer will have loads of motivation to earn his next contract and the Cowboys can draft to find his replacement after one more season. I do understand that it would have left a gaping hole heading into the draft if the Cowboys had lost Spencer in free agency. I just don't like the idea of paying a guy of his level so much money.

Is Keeping Anthony Spencer a Priority?

There is a lot of debate going on these days concerning the future of Anthony Spencer with the Dallas Cowboys. Rumor has it that the Cowboys are considering using the franchise tag on Spencer to keep him from testing the free agent market. I've got some major concerns with the Cowboys considering what I believe to be severely overpaying Spencer for even one season.

I do understand that Spencer has value beyond pressuring the quarterback. If you want to base his value to the team purely on sacks then it looks like Spencer should be allowed to move on since he doesn't put up big sack numbers. But Spencer's real value comes from his ability to play against the run. He is a very good run defender. Unfortunately he is inconsistent at best in getting pressure on the quarterback.

So the Cowboys need to decide if it is worth it to hit Spencer with the franchise tag and guarantee him $8.8 million to be a very good run defender. That seems like a big price to pay for a guy who isn't a premier player and doesn't make many game changing plays. I think the Cowboys would be making a mistake to franchise Spencer.

I'd like to see the Cowboys allow Spencer to test the free agent market. He'll likely find that his free agent value isn't anywhere close to $8.8 million per year. And, if by some miracle, another team makes him an offer like that then the Cowboys should let him walk.

I think Spencer should only be back if he can be signed to a reasonable deal. Somewhere along the lines of 3 years for $15 million or 4 years for $20 million sounds about right. The Cowboys have a lot of areas of need and the last thing they need to do is overpay because they are afraid to go find another outside linebacker who can play the run.

Outside linebackers who can play the run are much easier to find then outside linebackers who are good/great pass rushers. So, if the Cowboys make an offer that is reasonable and Spencer finds a better deal elsewhere, then let him go. I have no doubt that a combination of Victor Butler and a reasonably priced free agent can provide just as much as Spencer has over the last few years.

The Biggest Offseason Need

There are plenty of holes in the Cowboys roster heading into the 2012 offseason. And it is pretty easy to spot most of them. There are major problems on the offensive line, the defensive line, outside linebacker, and in the secondary. But I think there is something that is needed beyond the obvious talent needs.

The defense needs a leader. And I don't mean to say that Demarcus Ware isn't a leader. He gets pressure on the quarterback and he leads by example. He is a great guy by all accounts. But, in some ways, that is exactly what is wrong.

The defense doesn't play with any attitude. They need a Ray Lewis type of player. They need a Brian Dawkins type of guy. What I getting at here is that they need a guy who will get the defense to play with some attitude. There is talent on the defense. But they are soft. The Cowboys don't have the killer instinct that is needed to dominate an opponent.

Unfortunately it isn't easy to find a guy that be the emotional leader of a defense. I love Sean Lee...he isn't that type of guy. I love Jay Ratliff...he is emotional but he isn't a guy who rallies the troops. It doesn't appear that there is anyone on the roster who can step into the role that is needed.

Scouring the top potential free agents there aren't any obvious names that stand out in terms of being a fiery leader. But there is one player that brings a big attitude with him every time he steps on the field. Cortland Finnegan.

I'm not a big fan of having low character guys on the roster. But there is something to be said for having a guy who is willing to mix it up with the opposing team. A guy who won't back down when challenged. And Finnegan isn't a guy who gets in trouble off the field. He just isn't a nice guy on the field.

For that reason I'm hoping that Cortland Finnegan is a target for the Cowboys. I know he isn't the greatest cornerback ever, but he brings the attitude I'm looking for. He isn't afraid to stand up to Andre Johnson in his battles twice a year against him. He won't back down. Sure, he makes dumb plays now and then because he goes a little too far. But he could bring the attitude to the defense that they are missing.

What I don't know about Finnegan is if he has the personality that the defensive players can follow. But the way I see it the Cowboys have a big need at cornerback with the sure to be coming cut of Terence Newman. And Finnegan is a good cornerback who also brings some major attitude to the field. It seems like a match made in heaven to me.

A Few Early Offseason Thoughts

It is really hard to watch the playoffs because the Cowboys are missing yet again. But I have definitely realized that the Cowboys had no business being a playoff team this season. The NFC playoff teams were all much more deserving than the Cowboys to be in the tournament. And I think the Cowboys would have lost to every team on the NFC side.

Dave Campo is out as the defensive backs coach. I have mixed emotions on this move. When Campo was the head coach in the early 2000's I attended a training camp practice in Wichita Falls. He actually took about 5 minutes of his time after practice to talk with my friend and me about the team. I'll never forget that. He is a great guy. But, as a coach, it was time for him to go. I know a big part of the problem is the players but the cornerback play has been sub-par for years. There are a lot of teams in the league doing more with less talent at cornerback.

I will be thrilled if Tony Sparano comes back to the Cowboys. He would help shore up the offensive line and, more importantly, he could be a great advisor to Jason Garrett. Garrett's best season as a play caller was in 2007 when Sparano was around helping out with the offense. I hope he is willing to come back to team up with Jason Garrett again.

Rob Ryan should be back as the defensive coordinator. I know that he should shoulder a big part of the blame for the embarrassing performances by the defense to close out the season. But, with a full offseason to teach his scheme, I think we could see big improvements in the defense. I expect a much greater understanding of the defense by all of the players after an offseason to learn the schemes and pre-play adjustments.

The Cowboys need to find another young quarterback to groom. Tony Romo will turn 32 in April. He probably has 2-4 good/great seasons left in him. After that the cupboard is pretty bare for the Cowboys. Stephen McGee has flashed potential a few times but I have no confidence that he will be able to develop into a starting caliber player. I'd like to see the Cowboys bring in another young quarterback to develop. They might even need to bring in another older veteran to serve as the backup in the short term and draft another young quarterback to develop for the future.

There has been a lot of talk that the offensive line needs a complete overhaul. I'm not sure that I agree with that. The Cowboys are set at tackle with Doug Free and Tyron Smith possibly switching sides next season. And Phil Costa and Kevin Kowalski did a pretty good job at center. Where the Cowboys are hurting is at guard. Kyle Kosier is aging and becoming injury prone. His play isn't good enough to cross your fingers and hope he stays healthy. Bill Nagy and David Arkin should battle for one starting spot next year. But I'd like to see guard addressed in either the draft or free agency.

The biggest needs for the Cowboys seem to be on defense. There is a major need for impact players. Outside of Sean Lee and Demarcus Ware there just aren't any players that make game changing plays on a regular basis.

Jerry Jones is promising changes this offseason. I hope he isn't just blowing smoke to quiet the angry fan base. There are gaping holes on the roster that need to be addressed. And there are aging veterans that need to be cut loose.

Step One Complete

The Cowboys completely dominated on Saturday night. Looking at the final score, 31-15, it doesn't look like complete domination. But if you watched the game it was easy to see how much better the Cowboys were than the Bucs.

If the Cowboys hadn't taken the pedal off the gas in the second half they could have easily put another 10-14 points on the board. But after an early strip sack returned for a touchdown by the Bucs in the second half Jason Garrett went a little conservative. But it was the smart move. Winning by 30 points doesn't get you anything extra.

And some might point to the way the Bucs moved the ball in the second half as a sign that the defense went soft again. First of all, Demarcus Ware and Jay Ratliff sat out the entire second half. Take away two pro bowl caliber players from any defense and there will be a drop off. Secondly, most of Josh Freeman's completions were underneath the coverage because the Cowboys were forcing the Bucs to use a lot of clock to get the ball down the field.

What was even more impressive than the play of the defense was the performance of Tony Romo. He is playing the best football of his career. It is too bad that the Cowboys lost in the final minutes to the Cardinals and the Giants because there would be more recognition nationally for just how great Romo is playing. Romo played so good in the first half with three passing TD's and one rushing TD that he didn't need to do much in the second half but manage the game. The blowout score prevented him from having a career game.

The trio of wide receivers for the Cowboys are making the offense very dangerous. Miles Austin, Dez Bryant, and Laurent Robinson all have the ability to make big plays and they are forcing the defenses to stop over-committing to the run. And Jason Witten is finally starting to find a little room to work again.

Felix Jones played pretty well for the second straight game. He was tough between the tackles and was explosive when big play opportunities presented themselves. I just hope he can stay healthy because the more touches he gets the more concerned I become. If he can keep running like he is then the running game will be ok. Especially if Sammy Morris runs with power for the rest of the year like he did against Tampa Bay. Morris might be a good short yardage back for the offense with the power he showed in this game.

It isn't all roses for the Cowboys coming out of this game. It is still worries me that the pass rush seems to disappear whenever Demarcus Ware is out of the game. Ware's health seems like a big concern heading down the stretch. Anthony Spencer and the rest of the pass rushers need to make a bigger impact over the next two games. Sean Lee missed several tackles in the game and it is obvious that he needs to get full use of his left hand to be at his best.

The loss the Giants suffered to the Redskins this week was helpful but doesn't change much if they can beat the Jets next week. But there is at least a chance now that the Cowboys could clinch the NFC East next week with a win over the Eagles and a Giants loss to the Jets. It just feels like that would be too easy. My gut tells me that this season will come down to the final game of the year. The luxury the Cowboys have now is that they can lose to the Eagles and still come away with the NFC East title with a win in the final game.

The great thing about the schedule next week is that the Giants and Jets play in the early slate of games. The Cowboys have a 3:15 CDT kickoff so they will have a good idea at kickoff if the are playing for the NFC East title. I'd love to see the Cowboys clinch next week but things just don't usually play out so nicely for the Cowboys. Either way, bring on the Eagles!

It Is Do or Die Time

I think most of us have come to the realization that the Dallas Cowboys are most likely not destined for the Super Bowl this season. That doesn't make this season a failure. But it would be hard to imagine not viewing the season as a failure after the Cowboys held a two game lead in the division just two weeks ago and seemed to be a lock for the NFC East title.

But a funny thing happened along the way. The team performed with a two game lead just like they have in the 4th quarter of too many games this season. They found a way to screw it up. And it happened so quickly it left everyone wondering what happened. But, just like in the games they lost, there is still time to salvage a playoff spot.

If that is going to happen then the game against Tampa Bay has got to be a win. The Cowboys need to not only win but they need to make a statement. I know it is hard to make a statement in a game that should be an easy win. But a great performance could start the ball rolling in the right direction again for this team.

The Bucs are a mess. They are in an awful downward spiral very similar to what happened with the Cowboys right before Wade Phillips was fired last year. Sure, they will come out fired up for a big game against the Cowboys. But they are also only a few early scores away from quitting completely.

And so a quick start is what they Cowboys will need this week. They can't mess around with taking this game down to the last minute. The Cowboys have no more margin for error on the season. They need three straight wins and this should be the easiest of the three.

I'm not going to spend too much time breaking down who needs to do what in this game. We all know it at this point. Felix Jones needs to play this week like he did last week minus the fumble. Tony Romo needs to continue to play excellent football. And, for the love of God, the defense needs to pull their heads out of their rear ends.

Rob Ryan has promised that many of the communication issues that have plagued the defense have been fixed. I find that hard to believe. If it were so easy why wasn't it fixed months ago? I don't want to hear any excuses from anyone on the defense. They all need to play better. Line up and beat the man across from you. Scheme plays a part in the outcome but there haven't been many guys winning their one-on-one matchups lately.

I think the Cowboys will come out very motivated this week. I think the team will have a chip on their shoulder after the way things went down last week. I expect to see a blowout victory that is clinched in the third quarter. I like nothing more than to see a healthy dose of Sammy Morris and Stephen McGee in the 4th quarter. I'm picking the Cowboys to win 35-20 and it won't be as close as that score sounds. And Jason Witten is dues for a big game. Don't be surprised if he has 10+ catches in this one.

Feels Like a Must Win Game

This is it. Finally a big time game to get excited about. The Cowboys head into the game with the NFC East lead but for some reason I get the feeling they need to win this one or the season will end without a playoff appearance.

I know the Giants have lost 4 straight. But they come into the game with a lot of confidence after going toe to toe with the defending Super Bowl champions last week and nearly coming away with a win. Eli Manning is on fire. And the defensive line can be scary good when they are motivated. They will be this week.

I don't want to make it sound like the Cowboys can't win this week. They can and I think they will. But the running game is going to have to be great this week so the Cowboys can keep control of the ball and keep this game from turning into a shootout. Thankfully Tony Fiammetta will be back at fullback after missing the last few games with an inner ear infection. Hopefully his presence will get the running game back on track.

And, just as importantly, Miles Austin will finally be back on the field for the offense. It was painfully obvious last week that the Cowboys missed his speed on the outside last week as the Cardinals put 8 men in the box and dared Dez Bryant and Laurent Robinson to beat them deep. They couldn't and they allowed the Cardinals to shut down the running game of the Cowboys all game long. With Austin back the offense gets a deep threat that helps prevent the defense from selling out against the run.

My biggest concern heading into the game is whether the defense can contain the explosive passing game of the Giants. Eli Manning has been playing very good football this season. As usual with a hot quarterback the key is getting pressure in his face. Eli is similar to Tony Romo in that most of his errors happen when there is pressure right in his face. He'll make a few bad passes every game that can be picked off if he is under pressure. Rob Ryan needs to attack and stay aggressive all game long. I'm tired of seeing the three man rush show up in critical situations. The defense needs to dictate the pace of the game to the offense. That means they need to be attacking.

Sean Lee having use of his hand is going to make a big difference. He probably isn't going to be back to picking off passes with a partial cast on his wrist, but at least he'll be able to wrap up with two hands when he tackles. The Cowboys can't afford to let the Giants have success running the ball because they'll have enough trouble stopping the pass without worrying about the run. The defensive line needs to control the line of scrimmage so we don't have to see Brandon Jacobs steamrolling anyone. I don't want to have to watch that idiot running his mouth. If they keep him moving sideways he becomes a terrible running back. That can only happen if the Cowboys are winning at the point of attack.

The secondary needs to have a good game covering Victor Cruz, Hakeem Nicks, Jake Ballard and Mario Manningham. But I think they can only be successful if Anthony Spencer, Jay Ratliff and Demarcus Ware are keeping Eli Manning from getting comfortable in the pocket. I don't think the Cowboys can win if they are planning to sit back and let Eli Manning survey the field.

Dez Bryant on punt returns could be the X-factor in the game. Of course that can only be the case if there aren't yellow flags flying every time he returns the ball. Dez is a dangerous returner and the blockers need to be smart about avoiding penalties.

I'm fired up for this game. I'll be at the stadium doing my part to help the Cowboys win. A victory in this game would nearly wrap up the NFC East. A loss could spell doom for the season. The stakes are high. And that is what makes this game so exciting to think about. I'm picking the Cowboys to win the game 27-26.

It Feels Like a Trap Game

I don't have a lot to say here. I'm mainly just throwing this thought out there. With the Cowboys coming off of 4 straight victories and with the first game with the Giants coming up next week this is the type of game that defines what a trap game is. Jason Garrett's one day at a time mantra will be put to the test this week.

Can the Cowboys come out focused and execute efficiently against the Cardinals? A quick start by the Cowboys would probably result is an easy win over the Cardinals because they won't have much desire to fight back from a deficit. But if the Cowboys come out playing flat or sloppy the Cardinals will gain confidence and make it a tough game.

I hope my feeling is wrong about this week. But all I am hearing about is how the Cowboys are in first place and that this should be an easy win. This is the type of game that Bill Parcells would have hung mouse traps from the ceiling for. I hope Jason Garrett finds a way to keep his guys focused on the Cardinals before moving on to the Giants.

3 In A Row

For the second time this season the Cowboys won a game against the Redskins that felt a little like stealing. Dan Bailey squeaked his game winner just inside the right upright to win the game in overtime this time around. The Redskins had their shot to win in just a few minutes earlier in overtime but Graham Gano missed wide right by about 2 feet.

This game could have easily resulted in a tough loss. But thanks to a missed field goal they come away with a win and a shot at a first place in the NFC East if the Giants lose to the Eagles. So the Cowboys come out of the game at 6-4 and on a bit of a roll.

There was a lot to be happy about in the game. But there was a lot to be concerned about as well. Considering the game was a win you would think there would be more good than bad but really not so much.

Tony Romo played another good game. He wasn't perfect. But I'll take 3 TD's and no interceptions any day of the week. And he made a few plays during the game that only Tony Romo makes. The touchdown to Laurent Robinson that tied the score at 17 was an improv play by Romo. And the touchdown to Witten for 59 yards and a 24-17 lead was another improv special. And finally, the big gain to Dez Bryant to set up the game winning field goal was all Romo.

Dan Bailey just continues to make field goals. I thought he had missed the game winner and I wasn't convinced he actually made the kick until after FOX came back from commercial and showed the replay. He has been a great addition to the team. I wonder how many games the Cowboys have won that they would have lost if Buehler was still the kicker.

The defense played very well for about a quarter and a half. And then the wheels fell off. They allowed Rex Grossman to look like a pro bowl quarterback from the 2nd quarter through the end of the game. There wasn't enough pressure on Grossman and the secondary allowed a bunch of no name receivers to rack up big play after big play. I'm concerned about the play of the defense because I expected them to be rounding into shape at this point in the season. Hopefully this game was just a blip on the radar.

The running game for the Cowboys struggled all game long. Jason Garrett stayed committed to running the ball even though the Redskins kept DeMarco Murray in check all game long. At least the Cowboys were able to convert on 3rd and short by running to extend one of their drives. I don't know if Tony Fiammetta's absence hurt the running game that much or if the Redskins just played that well against the run.

There was good and bad with Dez Bryant. He made a great play on his first quarter touchdown and another great play to get open in overtime. But he disappeared for a big stretch of the game again. Until his route running improves I don't think we'll see a full 4 quarter of dominating play from him.

Jason Witten is a beast. The Redskins doubled him all game long. But he still came up with 3 receptions for 85 yards and, of course, the huge scoring play in the 4th quarter. He is just a great player.

The Cowboys nearly lost the game in large part due to bad punting and bad punt coverage. Matt McBriar shanked a punt to set up one of the Redskin scores. And a big punt return set up another score. Joe DeCamillis needs to get his punt team going. And the Cowboys kick and punt returns were awful as usual. I hope we see Felix Jones on kick returns against Miami because Akwasi Owusu-Ansah just can't get it done.

What originally looked like it would be an easy Thanksgiving day game against Miami is now looking like it will be a tough test. Miami has won three straight coming into the game and they are playing good football. The Cowboys will have to play better all around if they expect to make it a happy Thanksgiving for Cowboys fans.

Get Ready for Another Wild One Against the Redskins

I don’t know what it is about the rivalry the Cowboys have with the Redskins. But for some reason the games are decided by some sort of wacky play on a regular basis. You don’t have to look back more than a few games to see what I mean.

Last year the Cowboys appeared to win and then lost on the final play of the game when Alex Barron was called for a holding penalty that nullified the game winning score.

This year Dan Bailey hit six field goals to provide all 18 of the Cowboys points as Tony Romo made a miraculous play on 3^rd and 18 late in the game to get the Cowboys in position for the game winner.

You can go back not only for a few years but for a few decades and you’ll see similar games that have been played between the two teams almost every season. So why would this game be any different?

On paper it would appear that the Cowboys and Redskins are heading in opposite directions. The Cowboys are just starting to get on a roll and are beginning to look like a playoff team. The Redskins have lost 5 straight and appear headed for a top 5 draft pick. But those types of things don’t usually matter in the Cowboys-Redskins series.

The year the Cowboys went 1-15 with first year coach Jimmy Johnson guess who they beat for that lone victory. That’s right, the Washington Redskins. No one expected it that day and no one expects the Redskins to be able to win this week.

I’m not saying all of this to predict a loss by the Cowboys this week. I just think we need to realize that another 44-7 win is probably not in order this week. The Cowboys should win, but it will likely be much closer than that if history tells us anything.

The Cowboys will obviously try to keep their running game rolling this week. But with Tony Fiammetta out battling a mystery illness the running game will lose one of its biggest assets. The good news is that Felix Jones will return and will likely give a nice #2 option to the running attack.

The Redskins have a good defense despite what their record shows. The majority of the losses the team has had are due to the completely inept play they have had at the quarterback position. Tony Romo and the rest of the offense won’t have to be special to win the game this week. But they need to protect the ball so that the Redskins have to work for any points they get.

The defense will be challenged to stop the run yet again this week. You know that Mike Shanahan wants to be able to hide Rex Grossman with his game plan. That means a heavy dose of the running game. If the Cowboys can shut down the run then Grossman will be forced to throw the ball. The Redskins have no receivers who can provide a threat and Fred Davis at tight end is the only real playmaker on the offensive side of the ball.

It is hard to envision a scenario where the Cowboys lose this game barring a catastrophic injury to Romo or a Romo meltdown. But, as I say that, all I have to do is picture a few of the crazy things that have gone on in this rivalry over the last few years to realize that it only takes a few odd plays here or there and suddenly the Cowboys will be on the wrong end of the scoreboard.

I think the Cowboys will find a way to overcome any odd moments that come up in this game. I’m not expecting a blowout this week. But I wasn’t expecting one last week either. The Redskins just can’t score enough points to keep up with the Cowboys offense. I’m picking the Cowboys to win 24-12.

This Should Be An Easy Win

The game on Sunday against the Seahawks reminds me a lot of the game against the Rams a few weeks ago. The Cowboys just have an overwhelming talent advantage entering the game. That should be a recipe for another dominating victory.

I am still reeling from the beat down the Cowboys took from the Eagles. It has convinced me that the Cowboys just aren’t as good as I thought they were this season. Good teams don’t lose 34-7 to a 2-4 team. I have come to the realization that the Cowboys aren’t going to do anything this season if they don’t start getting on a roll right now.

Fortunately the Seahawks are coming to town at the right time. The Cowboys need a win. Any kind of win. The Seahawks are a team that could beat you if you took them lightly. But the Cowboys can’t afford to take anyone lightly.

I have some big concerns about Keith Brooking filling in for Sean Lee at linebacker. Brooking was absolutely terrible last week. He looked like a guy who should have retired a few years ago and it made me wonder if a big part of the defensive problems last year came from his performance. Hopefully he can get the Cowboys through this game before Sean Lee can hopefully return for the Bills game next week.

Is the offensive line ever going to improve? There has been a lot of talk about the lack of deep passes by the offense in recent weeks. It seemed pretty obvious to me against the Eagles that Romo just didn’t have time to get the ball down the field. Deep routes take time to set up and Romo isn’t getting enough time from the offensive line to get receivers open deep down the field.

On the positive side with the offensive line at least their run blocking seems to be rounding into shape. As bad as the game was last week was at least DeMarco Murray found some big running lanes on his limited attempts last week. I expect to see that continue this week against the Seahawks. I don’t think he’ll be running for 250+ yards but I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t break 100.

I’m confident the defense will be able to force a few Tavaris Jackson turnovers even without Sean Lee and Mike Jenkins. As long as Romo doesn’t have one of his high turnover games there is no reason to think that the Cowboys will lose this game. I’m picking the Cowboys to win big, 27-16.