Will the Cowboys End Favre or Will Favre End the Cowboys?

Here we go again. Back to the Metrodome to revisit the Cowboys house of horrors. The last time the Cowboys visited Minnesota we all know how things ended. 34-3...the game wasn't as bad as the score indicates since the Vikings ran up the score but it was a dominant win for the Vikings.

So what is different this time around? Not really much for the Cowboys except for the fact that they come into the game with no confidence as opposed to being filled with confidence coming off their blowout over Philadelphia last season. The Cowboys still have problems at safety and they still have problems on the offensive line and a kicker who's ability can best be described as questionable.

The Vikings last season were also a team brimming with confidence. Brett Favre was at his best and the defensive line was tough to deal with. This year Favre looks like a man who stayed one year too long. The Viking offense hasn't been good all year and the defense is nothing like what we saw last season.

It is amazing how different this matchup appears this week compared to what we thought it would be when the schedule came out. This was supposed to be the clash of the NFC titans. Instead we essentially have the NFC toilet bowl.

But something has got to give here. Both of these teams are better than they have shown up to this point. And the Vikings have added Randy Moss who seemed to have put a little spark back into their offense last week. The Cowboys haven't shown anything that would make you believe they are ready to turn the corner but they do have possibly the most dynamic offense in the NFL.

It is difficult to predict how this game will play out. If the Cowboys can get some early points they might be able to keep the crowd from becoming such a big factor this time around. And maybe the Cowboys can establish more of a running game this time around to keep the Vikings from rushing the quarterback relentlessly like they did the last time around.

But on the flip side, Randy Moss is like kryptonite to the Cowboys defense. He has always burned them for big plays nearly every time he has face them. And the Cowboys have struggled with allowing big plays in the passing game this season. So that matchup could be a big problem.

I think the game will come down to what happens with Brett Favre. Favre has a tendency to turn the ball over when he faces the Cowboys. And he will be pressing this week and playing with a bad elbow. It seems as though he is one big hit away from the end of his career. But if he comes out hot the Vikings will be very tough to beat.

There is really nothing coming out of Valley Ranch this week that leads me to believe they will win this game. But I just can't allow myself to give up on the season yet. I pick this game with no confidence but my heart tells me the Cowboys will win the game 31-20.

The Cowboys Have to Prove They Aren't a Bad Team

Let me start by prefacing what I am about to say with a few remarks. I have not given up on the team. I still believe the Cowboys can achieve every goal they had set before the game started this year. Every game remaining on the schedule is a winnable game.

With that said, the Cowboys are not a good team right now. In fact they aren't even an average team right now. They are flat out bad. They put up great offensive numbers but they don't score enough points off of all the yards they gain. The defense hasn't been anything to brag about all year. And the special teams have been bad in nearly every game.

They are a 1-3 team. It is really embarrassing to even admit that they have such a terrible record. You can search high and low for answers but the problems of the Dallas Cowboys are a complicated riddle. Here is a brief list of what ails the team: penalties, turnovers by the offense, lack of turnovers forced by the defense, poor tackling, missed field goals, poor kick coverage, big plays allowed by the defense, poor pass protection by the offensive line, missed throws by the quarterback, dropped passes and inconsistent results in the running game. And I could keep going.

There is no way I can sit here and say the Cowboys are really close to being a good team right now. There are way too many problems to correct. They are going to have to improve in every category if they expect to not only win one game but win several games in a row to claw their way back into the NFC playoff picture.

I don't care what anyone wants to say about the Cowboys right now. They do have talent on the roster. That is no mirage. But they don't play as a cohesive unit and they don't fire on all cylinders with any consistency. Until that changes the Cowboys are just a collection of talented players. Look at the players individually and most of them look very good, but the performance of the team is currently less than the sum of the individual talent on the roster.

I have reached the point that I have lowered my expectations for the Cowboys. They are going to have to prove to me that they are a good team. Obviously they haven't been a good team up to this point, but Sunday can be the start of a turnaround.

One win won't convince me that the Cowboys have cleaned up their act. I was fooled by one decent performance in the Houston game and then felt like a sucker watching the game last week against the Titans. It is going to take 3 or 4 good team performances in a row before I start to believe all of the hype that surrounded this team heading into the season.

The Cowboys can't prove they've turned it all around against the Vikings. But they can begin to right the ship. I am a firm believer in the idea that winning is a habit just like losing can become a habit. The Cowboys are in danger of becoming habitual losers this season. The more they lose games the easier it becomes to accept those losses. I think the Cowboys have enough backbone to refuse to go down that losing road. I hope I'm not fooling myself again.

Where Was the Pass Blocking?

Heading into the game I believed the Cowboys held the advantage in most of the key matchups. One that I took for granted was the ability of the offensive line to protect Tony Romo. I guess I overestimated the quality of the offensive line. On nearly every play Tony Romo was under duress.

Some people who either didn't watch the same game I watched or don't understand football want to put the blame on Romo. It was pretty obvious that the passing game had no chance against the Vikings. Receivers were able to get open but Tony Romo was constantly ducking and dodging pass rushers. He was sacked a career high six times and probably avoided 10 more with Houdini-like escapes. The one interception that Romo did throw was horrible but that was the one bad play I thought was on him (and Columbo completely whiffed on his man on that play too).

The biggest culprit was Marc Columbo. And, unfortunately, just when I was thinking they might want to put Doug Free in for Columbo, Flozell Adams went down with a calf injury. The line play was a disaster nearly all game long. The Cowboys were able to move the ball when they ran it and when Romo managed to get a few passes off but then the problem at kicker reared its ugly head.

Dallas had a chance at an early lead. Then they had another chance to pull closer in the second half but Sean Suisham missed two nearly identical kicks. If those two kicks had been made it would have been a very different game. Kicker is going to be a major need this offseason.

I know a lot of people are excusing the Vikings and Brett Favre for the late touchdown pass but I believe it was extremely poor sportsmanship. I don't know if Brad Childress made the call or if Favre changed the play but it was unneccessary and classless. I'm glad Keith Brooking said something because I know I was feeling just like he was.

I said before the game and I still believe now that the Cowboys had a good season. They exceeded the expectations of nearly every preseason prediction from the so-called experts. And they won their first playoff game in 13 years. There was progress made and there is hope for the future. Now the Cowboys will have to set their sights higher next season because the Super Bowl talk will start cranking up this summer.

No matter how bad you feel right now, and trust me I feel it too, try to remember to appreciate the progress the team made this season. The loss leaves a bad taste in my mouth and it is going to take some time to get over. But I also appreciate that I can expect the Cowboys to be just as good if not better next season. I'm really not looking forward to waiting 8 months for the next game. One of these days the Cowboys are going to win the Super Bowl again and make us all happy. I guess I have to resign myself to another offseason of frustration. This offseason will be a little less painful knowing that there is real hope for next season.

How to Beat the Vikings

The Cowboys and Vikings appear to be two evenly matched teams on paper heading into the game on Sunday. With that said, you would think that the game will be a tough battle that will be won in the fourth quarter. I'm not so sure that is how things are going to play out. Let me explain why. A closer look at the matchups appears to give the Cowboys advantages in most areas.

The Vikings have a tough run defense primarily because they have massive defensive linemen in the middle of the line. But the Cowboys have Felix Jones to counter that strength. He can run effectively in the middle of the field but his real strength is his speed. He can run outside as well as any back in the league. When he is on the field the Vikings will be forced to respect the outside run which will help open up the inside of the field as well. I don't think the Cowboys will have a consistent running attack but they will be able to break off a big play here and there against the Viking defense.

The pass defense for the Vikings is completely reliant on Jared Allen applying pressure to the quarterback. With the fans going crazy it is going to force the Cowboys into a silent snap count. That works to Allen's advantage because he will get a step on Flozell Adams at the snap. The Cowboys may have to give Flozell some help to keep Allen from having a big day. The good news for Dallas is that the secondary is below average. If the Cowboys can protect Tony Romo then he will have time to find open receivers. The Vikings run a cover 2 scheme which usually results in high catch games for Jason Witten. After a five or six throws underneath to Witten the safeties may get tempted to cheat up and that is when the big plays will come.

The strength of the Dallas defense matches up with the biggest weakness for the Vikings. The offensive tackles for the Vikings have trouble pass blocking so the Vikings will need to run to keep Demarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer honest. If the Cowboys can get a big lead to eliminate the running game of the Vikings then I believe the Cowboys will hit Favre repeatedly and possibly even knock him out of the game.

The Cowboys run defense has been one of the best in the league this year. But they haven't faced a running back as dynamic as Adrian Peterson. He can take any play the distance so the Cowboys will need to wrap up and gang tackle. But they can't over-commit to the run or Favre is going to kill them with play action passing. I believe the running of Adrian Peterson is the only chance the Vikings have to control the game and win. Limiting the carries Peterson gets is going to be vital to the success of the Dallas defense.

Another strength for the Vikings is the return game of Percy Harvin. Well, the Cowboys have the antidote for that too. David Beuhler has been forcing touchbacks all year long. And kicking in the climate controlled dome should work to his advantage. Harvin may get a returnable kick or two so the coverage teams will have to be on their toes, but Harvin's chances will be limited by deep kickoffs.

One advantage I can see for the Vikings is the playmaking ability of Brett Favre. If he gets hot he can be unstoppable. He has the ability to turn a broken play into a big gain. He gets rid of the ball just when you think he is going to be sacked. And he has some big targets to make plays when he throws up a jump ball. But sometimes he makes silly mistakes under pressure. The more times the Cowboys force him into his freelance mode the higher the probability that he will turn the ball over. The pass rush has to force Favre into mistakes.

Obviously Tony Romo will need to protect the ball. He has the same tendencies as Favre so the offensive line will need to give him time. The Cowboys need to control the clock with long drives. A fast start by the offense will force the Vikings into a pass mode and that will play into the strengths of the Dallas defense while also limiting the impact of Adrian Peterson.

I believe the Cowboys will get off to a fast start. A fast start will quiet the crowd, limit Adrian Peterson's touches, and allow the Dallas pass rushers to attack Favre. I keep envisioning the game ending in a big Dallas win with an injury to Favre ending his season. Maybe I've been "drinking the kool-aid" too much this week but I see the Cowboys winning big. It just seems like the Cowboys match up well with the Vikings. I predict a 33-17 win for Dallas.

Why Can't the Cowboys Win It All This Year?

Now I'm not saying that anything is guaranteed for the Dallas Cowboys this season. But what I am saying is...why not Dallas? Why not this year? Are the other playoff teams really that much better than the Cowboys?

Sure, you can say the Colts and Peyton Manning or the Cardinals and Kurt Warner have the experience edge over Tony Romo and the Cowboys. You can say the Vikings and the Saints are better than Dallas because they are the higher seeds in the NFC. You can say the Chargers beat the Cowboys late in the season. You can even argue that Brett Favre has seen it all so that gives him the edge.

But, realistically, the Cowboys are just as good as any other team remaining in the playoffs. The Cowboys have played the Saints and won. They played the Chargers and lost a close game. The majority of the core players on the team were here when the Cowboys beat the Colts and the great Peyton Manning a few years ago. There is no reason to believe that the Cowboys can't run the table.

Tony Romo is playing the best football of his career. The defense is peaking and really starting to play like the talent laden group that they are. Felix Jones is breaking out and may be on his way to star status if he keeps it up. All of the receivers are playing well...even Roy Williams looked pretty good last week. And, most importantly, the team has not lost a single player to a season ending injury this year.

That last statement is huge. What are the chances the Cowboys can go another season without a major season-ending injury to any player? Very, very slim. Every other team in the playoffs has lost not just players but starters to injuries. The Cowboys have the clear advantage on the injury front.

And the Cowboys have the confidence of a still somewhat young, but battle hardened team. Over the last few years the Dallas Cowboys have won and lost games in just about every way imaginable. But the key is that they seem to have finally put it all together and seem ready to finally take advantage of all of the talent on the roster. The Cowboys know how to win games no matter if it is a shootout, a defensive battle, or a game of evenly matched teams.

So maybe they won't win the Super Bowl this year. But maybe they will. No team left in the playoffs has a clear advantage over the Dallas Cowboys. It is just going to be a matter of which team plays the best football over the last month of the season. Who knows, it just might be the Dallas Cowboys. When was the last time you really believed that the Cowboys had a real shot to win it all? Probably not since the days of Aikman, Irvin, and Emmitt.

I'm going to sit back and enjoy the ride. Maybe, just maybe the Dallas Cowboys are going to make all of us happy and finish the year on top. It is nice to believe that could actually happen without feeling like I'm being delusional.

Time to Be Greedy

The Cowboys have met every expectation I had for them heading into the season. I promised myself all along that I would be happy with just one playoff win. But now that the Cowboys have achieved that goal I find myself wanting more. I'm not saying that I'll think the season is a failure if they go up to Minnesota and lose, but I see how close the Cowboys are to the ultimate prize.

It isn't every season that a team has everything fall into place with injuries, players peaking at the right time and excellent team chemistry. Last season is a perfect example of what injuries and distractions can do to a team.

I watched a post-game interview by Joe DeCamillis today and he mentioned that the Cowboys need to be greedy at this point. And he is exactly right. There is no guarantee that this team will be back in this spot next season. The only guarantee is that they have a shot at the NFC championship game on Sunday. So the Cowboys have to lay it all on the line against the Vikings.

Look at the Giants 2007 team. Everything fell into place and they rode the tide of momentum into an improbable Super Bowl championship. But only two years later they finished out of the playoffs and their team is a mess.

I think the 2009 Dallas Cowboys are a more talented team than the 2007 Giants. But the situation is similar. The Cowboys got on a late season roll with stellar defense and a quarterback playing the best football of his career. The Cowboys have as good a chance as any team in the NFC to make the Super Bowl.

It will be interesting to see how the Cowboys respond to their situation. They have beaten back all of the demons that have plagued them for years and suddenly the pressure is off of them. Will they respond by playing their best football now that they have nothing to lose? Or will they morph back into the inconsistent team we saw early in the season?

My gut tells me that this is a special team and we are seeing the Cowboys finally emerge as a dominant force in the NFL. Does that mean a Super Bowl? It is very possible. But they need to make it happen now because you never know what will happen next season.

Either way, it is time to sit back and enjoy the moment. The Cowboys are finally back on the big stage and they have a shot at winning it all. No matter what happens on Sunday the season has been a success. But I would love too see them come out hungry and quiet any remaining naysayers.

I would never have predicted a visit to the NFC championship game this season, but they are only one good game away from a return to elite status in the NFL. It is time for the Cowboys to be greedy and take advantage of the golden opportunity in front of them.

Vindication!

Anyone want to talk about 44-6 now?  What a difference a year makes.  The Cowboys have finally taken the next step and look like a team that can beat anyone right now.  I don't want to get into the match up next week just yet, but I do like their chances against the Vikings.

This is about celebrating a win that the die hard fans have been wanting and needing for over 13 years.  Keith Brooking was right...it feels like King Kong has been lifted off our backs.  We all deserved this one after enduring all of the ups and downs over the last few years.  The Seattle playoff loss a few years ago and the Giants game to end the 2007 season were probably the two worst losses I can ever remember.  This win doesn't erase those memories but it does ease the pain a little bit.

It is amazing to go on ESPN and watch those guys all fighting to get on the bandwagon first.  I guess the Cowboys will forever be the best team in the league or the worst team in the league based on their last game in the eyes of ESPN.  It sure feels good to see that so many of us who believed in this team and dealt with all of the mockery from the media, family and friends are being proven right about Tony Romo and the rest of the Cowboys.

Now, the key to everything here is the doors that have opened up for the Dallas Cowboys.  Not only do they have a legitimate shot at making a run to the Super Bowl this year, but now that they have gotten over the hump it looks like the Cowboys will be contenders for at least the next four or five years.  Expectations heading into this year were low and even the most optimistic fans like me were just hoping for one playoff win.  Now the stakes will be higher and nothing less than a Super Bowl is going make most people happy from this point going forward.

It is great to see that we can now raise our expectations and realize that this team has the talent, experience, and intangibles to be one of the top teams in the league.  

What went right:  Well, basically everything.  Felix Jones was unstoppable, Tony Romo was good, and the defense shut the Eagles down for the third time this season.  Patrick Crayton had several excellent punt returns and Sean Suisham even made two field goals.  The Cowboys forced turnovers and protected the ball.  They scored touchdowns when they got in the red zone and they made the big plays that the Eagles could not make.  DeSean Jackson was completely shut down again.  I wonder if he'll be sending our any Twitter messages?

What went wrong:  Marion Barber left the game early after aggravating his sore knee.  Mike Jenkins made a boneheaded play after his interception to give the ball right back to the Eagles.  The Cowboys committed way too many penalties.  And Jason Witten did not have a good game.  He committed several penalties and missed a few blocks during the game.  Roy Williams missed a perfectly thrown ball that nearly resulted in an interception for Romo.

Things to Work on for Next Week:  Reducing penalties has to be a priority.  Jason Garrett has figured out how to beat the Eagles defense, but I'm sure the wide receiver screens won't be so successful in every game.  Garrett will need to mix things up a bit more next week.  Has anyone else noticed that each week there is only one play in the wild cat arsenal?  It would be nice if they didn't line up and run the same play out of the wild cat all game long.  Kick returns for the Cowboys were not good at all and they need to get better.  

Make sure you stop and savor the feeling from this game for a few days.  It has been a long time coming.  Wins like this one help remind me why I get so emotionally invested in the Dallas Cowboys.  The bad times are terrible, but the good times make it all worth it.

Pro Bowls Are Great, Playoff Wins Are Better

Congratulations to all of the 2009 Dallas Cowboys pro bowlers. I'm happy for all of the guys who made it but I'd like to save the individual celebrations for the offseason. I'm worried about the Eagles game Sunday, playoff matchups, and playoff wins right now.

I hope the players realize how important Sunday is going to be. I know the Cowboys are in the playoffs no matter what at this point but I am hoping for a win Sunday to guarantee at least one home playoff game. The way the top NFC teams are playing right now it looks like a #3 or #4 seed could end up with a home NFC championship game. I think it is vitally important that the Cowboys secure one of those two spots.

But at the same time I'm also hoping that the best cast scenario does not play out to reward the Cowboys the #2 seed. I don't want the Cowboys to have a week to lose the momentum that they have worked so hard to get this December. We all saw what the bye week did to the team in 2007 and I don't want to see that play out again.

So my dream scenario for Sunday is for the Vikings to win to prevent the Cowboys from securing the #2 seed. I'd like to see the Cardinals lose which would give the Cowboys the #3 seed assuming they beat the Eagles. That would mean that the Cowboys could possibly host the NFC championship game assuming they make it that far. There is no guarantee that they'll win any playoff games but the Cowboys have as good a chance as anyone else this year.