One Game to Decide the Season

This is it. The game we have been waiting all season to see. Win and the season will likely be viewed a success. Lose and the sky will be falling. One game to decide it all.

There is no way to predict how this game will play out. The easy thing to do is predict another shoot out just like the first game between the Cowboys and the Giants this season. But how often do two games in a row play out the same way? It just doesn't tend to happen that way.

The Cowboys defense just isn't very good. I have tried to justify their performances throughout the season in different ways. But the reality is that they just don't perform at a high level for long stretches of time. Sometimes they are dominant for a quarter or even a half. But at some point they always seem to go soft. And they never seem to be at their best in the critical moments of the game. So the defense is what concerns me the most heading into the Sunday night showdown.

Demarcus Ware has put up 18 sacks this season. But how many of those sacks have come in game defining moments? Sean Lee has had some big plays. But how many of those big plays have come when the team needed them the most? There just doesn't seem to be a player on the defense that steps up when the moment gets big. I don't think we can expect that to change Sunday night.

So that means that the offense and special teams have to be on top of their game. Tony Romo should be good to go coming back from his hand injury. The Cowboys can't afford many turnovers from their offense in the game. And Romo needs to lead his offense to touchdowns, not field goals. The funny thing heading into the game is that Romo is one of the last guys on the team I am worried about. He has been playing lights out for quite a while and he has stepped up in big games before despite what his critics would have you believe.

Felix Jones and Sammy Morris will be very important as well. The Cowboys don't need to get into another game where the last offense with the ball wins. They need to control the clock and the game with the running game. Felix Jones should be healthy for this one. Derrick Dockery starting for Montrae Holland is a bit of a concern but I don't think there will be a noticeable difference in the running game with Holland out.

Dwayne Harris showed a little spark in the return game last week. Maybe he can finally provide some juice to the kick return game. Dez Bryant will be used on punt returns a lot more this week since there is nothing to save him for at this point. I give the Cowboys a big edge in special teams if Dez Bryant is going to get a lot of work returning punts. Of course that means that the defense actually has to force a few punts for Dez to get his opportunities.

I really could see this game going either way. The Giants could get out to a quick start and then pound the Cowboys into submission with Brandon Jacobs. Or the Cowboys could get out to a quick start and control the clock with the running game. Or it could be another shootout. I could even see Eli Manning and Tony Romo both come out a little shaky and the scoring stay down. Both teams have been so inconsistent this season it has been maddening to the fans of both the Giants and the Cowboys.

I'm going to pick with my heart. My head tells me to flip a coin. My heart tells me that Romo is playing the best football of his career and it is time for him to turn the corner and become respected as a big time quarterback. That means he needs a win Sunday night. I think the Cowboys will get the win. I'm picking the Cowboys to win the game 27-20. Of course, it will come down to the last minute. You can bank on that based on the way the season has gone.

Another 4th Quarter Collapse

I was at the game last night. It was probably the most exciting game I have ever attended. And I have never walked out of a game as angry as I was last night.

I'm not going to blame Tony Romo. All he did was put up 321 yards, 4 touchdowns, and lead his team to a 12 point lead late in the 4th quarter. Miles Austin says he lost the deep ball late in the game in the lights and I'm going to take him at his word. A completion there might have sealed the win but the Cowboys missed it.

I blame the defense. Rob Ryan's crew was flat out awful pretty much from start to finish. It has become painfully obvious that the defense can't run the scheme that Ryan has tried to bring to Dallas. The pre-snap adjustments that are required with Ryan's defense are just too much for the players to handle. It is amazing how often the secondary completely misses assignments. The pass to Mario Manningham that went for a touchdown was a perfect example of that. No one even thought about covering him.

Demarcus Ware really blew it in the game too. The only game I've seen him play that was as bad as this one was last year against Jacksonville. His offsides penalties couldn't have come at a worse time. And he didn't get to Eli Manning all game long and he made no impact, except in a bad way, as the Giants completed their furious comeback.

Terence Newman. Need I say more? He dropped a pick six early in the game. And he appeared to give up on the deep ball that Mario Manningham dropped in the endzone at the end of the game. And Newman was getting burned all game long. He was terrible in this game.

What really hurts coming out of that game besides the huge loss is the fact that so many players were hurt in the game. Phil Costa left the game with a concussion and is questionable for the Bucs game this week. Mike Jenkins is hurt again. Barry Church has a separated shoulder and is probably out this week. Jay Ratliff is hurt. And, the biggest injury of all, DeMarco Murray is out for the season with a broken ankle.

After Romo and Miles Austin made a phenomenal effort to get the Cowboys in position for a game tying field goal the field goal team let the Cowboys down again. It looked like Dan Bailey's kick was headed in the right direction but it was blocked so early that we'll never know if it would have gone in. It doesn't really matter. All that matters is the field goal unit broke down at the worst possible time for the second week in a row. I have lost all faith in the coaching of Joe Decamillis.

I know technically that the Cowboys still control their own fate. Win three straight and they win the NFC East and make the playoffs. But nothing I saw from the defense last night leads me to believe this team deserves a spot in the playoffs. I expect and one and done if the Cowboys do miraculously bounce back from the loss and win out. I realized about 6 or 7 weeks ago that this team was very mediocre. It is a shame because the offense did everything they could to win the game. But you aren't going to win many games when your defense gives up 37 points and over 500 yards of offense.

I'm still hopeful that the Cowboys can pull it together but I have exactly zero faith that it will happen. We just have to hope that this team gets it together like the Cowboys did at the end of the 2009 season and wins out.

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.

What A Difference A Week Makes

I guess I underestimated Jason Garrett's impact on the team. While I have been impressed by him all week and I was already sold on him as the permanent head coach I didn't think he could do enough to turn the team completely around in one week. I don't know if I've ever been happier to be wrong.

It amazes me that the team playing against the Giants was the same team we saw against the Packers last week. The Cowboys played better in every way possible this week. And you could feel the difference in their energy and attitude from the opening kickoff to the last play of the game.

It is a shame that it took a wasted season for the team and the owner to realize that things needed to change. But if that gives the team a better shot at a legitimate title run next season then I guess that is what had to happen. Jerry Jones never would have fired Wade Phillips unless the team totally went in the tank. And they did.

This week on offense the Cowboys were hitting big play after big play. Dez Bryant is amazing. Every time a deep ball is heading his way I feel confident that he is going to come down with it. He has amazing natural talent. The offensive line was better than they have been all season. The running game was actually pretty decent for a change. And Jon Kitna had time to hit several big passes down the field. And Felix Jones finally looked like the guy from last season again.

The defense was still pretty dicey. The Giants moved the ball at will for the most part. But the McCann interception returned 101 yards for a touchdown was huge. And Alan Ball jumping a route to close out the game was awesome. But Alan Ball was still terrible and one play doesn't fool me into believing he should be on the field. The biggest defensive improvement was the run defense. While the run defense wasn't great it was the best it has been all season.

On special teams it is becoming obvious that David Buehler just can't get it done as a kicker. He seems to make about 2 out of every 3 kicks but the misses always come at big moments. Hopefully the Cowboys will address that problem in the offseason. Dez Bryant's impact on the return game is huge. The Giants punter was so scared of him he was kicking the ball out of bounds 20 yards short to prevent a return. And Dez nearly broke a kickoff return for a touchdown as well.

I hope this is the start of the turnaround we have all been waiting for since the season started. This game only means something if the Cowboys build on their success and start stringing together some wins. Detroit won't be a cake walk next week but they do give the Cowboys a good chance to start a winning streak.

Jason Garrett may not have convinced everyone that he should be given the permanent job yet, but I'm sure people are going to start taking him seriously now. And the best part about the win is that is validates the changes he has made. The players that were on the fence about him have to see now that the methods have resulted in success they haven't seen in a long time.

Week 2 Keys to Victory

We've been hearing all week long how the big, bad Giants are going to come into the new stadium and embarrass Jerry Jones and the Cowboys. I know the Giants won the Superbowl a couple of years ago but this is a much different team coming to town than the one who won it all a couple of years ago. Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer are gone. And their defense is hurting badly right now from various injuries to key players.

So why do so many people seem to think the Giants are going to win? I wish I could answer that question because I'm sick of hearing about Eli Manning, Brandon Jacobs and Osi Umenyiora. Winning the Superbowl buys you a lot of respect but I think people aren't seeing reality with the current version of the team. Sure the defensive line is still tough to deal with, but the offense has a very different feel to it without Plaxico there to beat the double team for big plays. The secondary is depleted by injuries. Chris Canty is out so the defensive line rotation is down a man.

I certainly don't think the game is a cakewalk but I do think it is a game the Cowboys can and should win given the circumstances. The still have a lot to prove to everyone after last season's meltdown. I do worry about the offensive line protecting Tony Romo. But I am actually even more concerned that the grand opening festivities surrounding the game may cause the team to be distracted early in the game. The team claims to be all business this year and this game will certainly test that claim.

Here is what I think the team needs to do to win the game.

1. Play better run defense. The Giants offense is only going to be successful if they are able to set up the pass with the run. The Cowboys need to shut down Brandon Jacobs early on and force the Giants to put the ball in the air. Eli Manning is susceptible to turnovers if they can put pressure on him. But the key is shutting down the running game so the pass rush can get going. Eli won't survive the game if he takes hits like the Cowboys delivered to Byron Leftwich last week. The Giants don't have the firepower to go score for score with the Cowboys. But if the Giants run successfully they can play keep away from the Cowboys.

2. Limit turnovers. This is going to sound like a broken record by the end of the season. I know that fumbles are sometimes unavoidable as is the occasional interception, but Tony Romo can not give the Giants any cheap turnovers. My worst fear is a bad start to the game that forces the Cowboys to play from behind. You don't want to have to deal with that Giants defensive line if they can feel free to rush the passer every play.

3. Expose the inexperienced Giants secondary. Jason Garrett revealed some interesting new wrinkles in the offense last week. With the reserve players being forced into action for the Giants he can probably create some great matchups with new formations and schemes. I expect to see at least a few opportunities for big plays in the passing game as a result of the offensive game plan. The only thing that will prevent the Cowboys from passing effectively in this game would be poor play by the offensive line.

4. Continue the solid play on special teams. The Cowboys played the best game of special teams that we have seen in a couple of years from the team. If they can continue to win the special teams battle it will give them a field position advantage in every game. That will help the defense force more punts and give the offense more opportunities to score. I hope to see a lot of kickoffs booming into the endzone because that would mean that the Cowboys are racking up points.

5. Force a turnover! One interception that was called back was all we saw in terms of turnovers last week. The best way to break a game open is to not only get a turnover but get several of them. I want to see at least an interception or two and a forced fumble or two. I saw the team working on forcing fumbles and recovering fumbles in training camp so I know they have put in the work. I'm ready for the Cowboys to finally get some takeaways.

This is a winnable game. Last week I had no doubt in my mind that the Cowboys would win as long as they didn't lay an egg. This week is a little different. The Giants are a proud and confident team. They won't go down without a fight. The Cowboys have to play a good game to win but I believe they are up to the task. It is way too early in the season for them to start sleepwalking into games...especially one against a hated rival. I think there will be a lot of points scored in this game. My prediction is a 37-20 victory for the Cowboys.