Observations from the Raider Game

The starting defense looks ready for the regular season. Terence Newman nearly intercepted a pass on the first play of the game. Bradie James and Keith Brooking were both flying around the field.

I really tried to focus on Alan Ball but he is usually lined up so far off the ball that he isn't on the screen during the play. I want to really see what he can do but I feel like I might need to be at the game in order to see what he is doing down the field.

The first team offense still needs work. Once again they drove right down the field only to fall apart in the red zone. They got Jason Witten, Miles Austin, Felix Jones, and Marion Barber all involved on the first drive but Romo was sacked two out of three plays after they reached the Raider 16 yard line. Roy Williams was really struggling with the tight bump and run coverage the Raiders gave him. The second drive by the starters ended in a punt with a slant to Austin being the only highlight. The starting offense definitely has not found their regular season form yet.

I loved the creativity of Jason Garrett to use an extra tackle on offense instead of throwing out a random street free agent tight end with the starting offense. Pat McQuistan was basically the #2 tight end with Marty B. still rehabbing his ankle.

David Buehler took advantage of the bad red zone offense by nailing a 42 yard field goal right down the middle. His first field goal looked better than any of his kicks last week. His second field goal was from 27 yards and was no problem. He made another from 28 yards right down the middle in the 4th quarter.

Bryan McCann made a great play on a deep ball at cornerback. He is going to make the team if he can keep it up for a few more weeks. McCann also returned a couple of punts. One of the returns went about 25 yards. The Cowboys might have found something in McCann.

Junior Siavii made a great play on a bull rush to get a sack. He'll probably be the backup defensive tackle again this season. There really isn't anyone else on the roster with a any shot of taking his spot.

Doug Free gave up a sack but it was more due to Kitna holding the ball too long than anything else. Free played pretty well overall again.

Matt McBriar kicked a ball nearly 80 yards in the air out of the end zone. That was probably the longest punt in the air I have ever seen in my life. He kicked it from the back of the end zone to the 30 on the other side of the field. And it was in Cowboys Stadium with the roof closed so it wasn't like he had help from the wind.

The second team defense was really soft up the middle against the run. They were matched up against the Raiders starting offense but they were getting blown off the ball up the middle. They did stiffen up once the Raiders put in their #2 defense. Jason Williams really looks like an improved player in his second season.

Jon Kitna really does not have good pocket presence. He takes a lot of unnecessary hits because he doesn't seem to feel the pass rush around him. It appears he could step up or sidestep on most plays to avoid the rush.

Tashard Choice looked very good with the second team offense. He is good enough to get on the field more than he does. The Cowboys are stacked at running back which is kind of sad for Tashard because he deserves more playing time than the Cowboys can give him. It is nice to know that he can step up if Felix Jones or Marion Barber go down.

It seems like Kevin Ogletree plays to the level of the guys around him. He had two passes knocked out of his hands that he probably should have come down with. I have a feeling he would have made the catches if it was a real game.

I'm starting to think that Stephen McGee doesn't have what it takes at the NFL level. I wish they would give him a little time with the second team offense so we could really judge his ability. McGee seems to have a hard time pulling the trigger when the patterns are down the field. I think his favorite pass is the check down to the running back.

Robert Brewster needs to be moved to guard. He looks like a guard and he doesn't appear to be quick enough to handle the duties of tackle. Maybe he is still rusty from his off year but I'll be surprised if he isn't move inside in the next year or two.

What to Watch for Against the Raiders

With such a quick turnaround between Sunday's game against the Bengals and Thursday's game against the Raiders the Cowboys are going to struggle to overcome some injury issues on the roster. Of course I am primarily talking about tight end and cornerback, but I'm sure a lot of players will be dealing with minor bumps and bruises heading into the game. Fortunately the majority of the starters didn't see much action against the Bengals so they should be fresh for the game on Thursday. Here is what I will be watching for:

1. Can the first team offense score touchdowns in the red zone? Sunday was concerning because we saw the exact same problem that plagued the offense last year. They moved right down the field only to stall in the red zone. Wade Phillips mentioned that they wanted to work on some passing down there but I think it is important to establish the physicality of the running game. The offense needs to have the attitude that they will cram the ball down the opponent's throat in short yardage situations. I'd like to see Jason Garrett establish the running game down there this week.

2. Was Doug Free's performance a sign of things to come? He looked great against the Bengals but he needs to play like that every week. I'll be watching him closely until he dominates a big name player in the regular season.

3. Was David Buehler nervous or is he going to be squeaking them through all the time? Against the Bengals it seemed that the longer the field goal the more he pulled the kick to the left. I hope he can straighten it out or the Cowboys will need to find a kicker fast.

4. Will Sean Lee get on the field? I want to see what he can do. Jason Williams looked a lot more comfortable and confident last week than he ever did last year. But Lee is the guy that most people are expecting to win the nickel linebacker battle.

5. Will Martellus Bennett play? The coaches seem to be indicating that Marty B. won't be ready just yet, but with the lack of depth at tight end he might be forced into limited action. With John Phillips out we are back to counting on Martellus to step up his game. I'd like to see him on the field if he is healthy.

6. Will Alan Ball show us something? He was somewhat invisible in the game on Sunday but that isn't necessarily bad for a safety. But I'd like to see him come up and make a hit against the run and make some plays on the ball in the passing game. Maybe with more game action we'll see him make more plays.

7. Will the second team offensive line perform better? They weren't great last week which has to make you nervous. Alex Barron is probably out so we should see more of Brewster again this week. The backups need to step up their game because odds are the offense will need one of them at some point in the regular season.

8. Can one of the rookie safeties make the team? I really like how Barry Church plays. He is always around the ball and he likes to hit. Danny McCray played great in the game on Sunday so hopefully he can continue that type of play. One of these guys could push one of the veterans off the team if they keep it up.

9. Is Stephen Bowen ready to start? He sure looked good against the Bengals. But we didn't see him as much against the run as we did against the pass. The key to becoming the starter is going to be playing the run as good as or better than Marcus Spears.

10. Can Brandon Williams play the run? He sure has a quick first step off the line against the pass. He could be a great backup option at outside linebacker if he can learn to play the run. The depth overall at outside linebacker looks much better this year with an experienced Victor Butler, Brandon Williams, and Curtis Johnson all battling for playing time.

11. Can the Cowboys avoid more major injuries? This is probably the most important question of all. John Phillips was lighting it up in camp and the first preseason game before he went down. We have to hope that the key players on the roster stay healthy for the rest of the preseason.

Time to Gobble Up the Raiders

After the close call last week there is no telling what type of game we can expect this week.  But there is no doubt that this is a must-win game if the Cowboys expect to make the playoffs and/or win the division.  The Raiders have shown the ability to beat some of the better teams in the league but also the ability to lose to some of the bad teams as well.  They are definitely due for a let down after their huge upset of the Bengals last week, but you could also argue that they will be playing with a new confidence after winning last week.

Bruce Gradkowski is certainly not anyone to fear, but he is an infinitely better quarterback than Jamarcus Russell.  I was hoping Russell would survive as the starter through the Thanksgiving game, but he was so bad the Raiders finally pulled the plug last week.  That makes things a little tougher for the defense because the Raider quarterback can actually hit a wide open receiver down the field.  He wasn't great last week but he was able to make enough plays in the passing game to pull out a victory for the Raiders.

So the defense is actually going to have to show up this week once again although you would hope that this will be the week that the offense gets back on track.  I fully expect the offense to put up more than 20 points in this game, so that should ensure a victory since the Raiders have not scored over 20 points in any game this season.  The Cowboys defense is now the 5th rated defense in the NFL in terms of points allowed so they should be able to shut down the Raider attack.

Injuries are going to play into the gameplan for the Cowboys in a big way.  Jason Witten is a game time decision with a sprained foot and Tony Romo will be playing with a sore back.  Doug Free hasn't played enough to be fully trusted yet in place of Marc Columbo.  And Alan Ball will have his hands full with the vertical threat that the Raider offense poses.

The wild card in the game is the big play threat that many of the Raiders players pose.  Darren McFadden hasn't been great this year but he can score on any play when he gets the ball.  Darrius Heyward-Bey has terrible hands but he can get behind the defense with his speed.  And Johnnie Lee Higgens has big play potential as well.

The Raider defense has been pretty good all year long.  But it is a base 4-3 which Tony Romo usually handles pretty well.  They have allowed 365 yards per game on defense which ranks 24th in the NFL and they have allowed 23.4 points per game which ranks 22nd in the NFL.  While that doesn't sound great you have to look at how many close games the Raiders have lost.  Most of the games they have lost were by less than 10 points, so they usually have stayed close in every game.  There are some exceptions (New York Giants, New York Jets, and Houston Texans), but those big losses were all week 7 or earlier.  They seem to be an improved team over the last 3 games.  And Nnamdi Asomugha is probably the best cornerback in the league.

As long as the Cowboys don't lay an egg they will make it a happy Thanksgiving for all of the Dallas Cowboys fans.  Tony Romo usually shines on Thanksgiving and I expect the same thing this year.  I predict a 27-9 victory for the Cowboys.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Wow, I almost ate my words. I was absolutely convinced the Cowboys were not only going to win, but that they would dominate yesterday. I was right about the win but very wrong about they way it happened. There were some positives to be taken away from the game regardless of what you hear from ESPN or the Dallas media. Here is what I took away from the game.

The Good: I saw a team that found a way to win when it seemed they were destined to lose. The Cowboys had no business winning that game. I know the team last year would have lost. This team seems to have learned what it takes to make the play when the game is on the line. Whatever plays weren't made at the end of the Denver game were made with the game on the line. The defense was great all day long even though they were under tremendous pressure all game long due to the offensive struggles. The Cowboys found a way to win when Tony Romo had a bad game. I don't know if I've ever seen them win when he plays so bad. And the defense stepped up and finished the game off when the Redskins got the ball back after the Cowboys touchdown. Like I've said before, winning is a habit.

The Bad: The offense struggled to put points on the board for the second game in a row. It seemed as though Jason Garrett over-corrected the lack of running game. It was great that they ran the ball so well but you have to make a big play here or there to put points on the board. Tony Romo is still struggling to connect with Roy Williams. Nick Folk is not making the big kicks like he used to do with regularity. It seems like the kicks he has missed have been in moments that could have made a big difference in the game.

The Ugly: Tony Romo did not look good. I am more concerned about his mechanics than anything else. Troy Aikman didn't point out what was obvious to me during the game. Tony Romo is not setting his feet and squaring his shoulders before he throws. It kind of reminds me of how his mechanics fell apart at the end of last season. I hope it was just due to injured back, but bad mechanics are going to lead to a lot of high, off-target passes. I wonder if he has lost trust in his offensive line. It is a correctable problem, but we all know that sometimes the coaching staff seems to let things go that should be addressed. Even worse than that is the play calling by Jason Garrett. He seems to have a real problem finding a balance between the passing game and the running game. One game it is all passing and the next is all running. That would be fine if points were being scored but when the offense is struggling you have to change things on the fly. I hope he finds a balance soon.

I'm going to look at the glass as half full after that win. And let's not forget it was a win against a division opponent which is big no matter how you get the W. Last time the Cowboys barely beat a team they were supposed to dominate they went on a four game winning streak. Let's hope this win propels them on another tear. Another three or four game streak would nearly clinch a playoff appearance. They have to get the streak going with a win against the Raiders.

What Did the 1st Preseason Game Tell Us?

The first preseason game is in the books and it gave some insight into the current state of the Dallas Cowboys. The starters on offense put together a very nice touchdown drive to end their day. The defense was shaky and it was obvious that they were working with young, inexperienced cornerbacks. Once both starting units finished up things got a little bit scary. The youth of the team depth was very apparent but I know the young guys will get better the more they play. Here is what I saw out of each position group last night.

Quarterbacks: Tony Romo is still Tony Romo. He is a very good and potentially great quarterback. He looked good running the offense, and, most importantly, he seemed composed and patient. He didn't force the ball to any receiver in his limited attempts and he was calm in the pocket. Jon Kitna was up and down, but really got things going with Sam Hurd. Kitna looks like a major upgrade over Brad Johnson even if his lone deep ball was picked off. Kitna is willing to get the ball down the field. Stephen McGee is very green. He looked uncomfortable in the pocket and often scrambled before it was necessary. He was hesitant to throw the ball, but he did show a strong arm and a good ability to run. He'll only get better.

Running Backs: Marion Barber looked ok but Felix Jones was exciting. I was happy to see Barber back to full health but we probably won't see him truck over many defenders until the regular season. Felix Jones was explosive and it going to make the defenses honest. I love how he opens up the entire offense just by being out there as a threat. Tashard Choice was solid but missed one key blitz pick up. Things like that are going to cost him playing time and he isn't going to get much as it is. Deon Anderson was missed as a lead blocker. Julius Crosslin missed a couple of blocks and needs to get it going because the Cowboys might need him in the first few games of the season.

Wide Receivers: Roy Williams and Tony Romo connected on a nice timing route. Patrick Crayton was his usual self, but the guy that stole the show for the receivers was Sam Hurd. He was on fire in the second quarter and looked leaps and bounds ahead of Miles Austin at this point in the preseason. Sam Hurd was the one guy on the field that really got my juices flowing because he was flat-out dominating. Miles Austin dropped a perfectly thrown ball on a slant that may have been a huge play. After that it was really hard to judge the receivers because Stephen McGee struggled so much running the offense in the second half. Isaiah Stanback did look good on a couple of kick returns and Kevin Ogletree nearly broke a return for a touchdown.

Tight Ends: Jason Witten was his usual all-pro self and caught a TD pass from Romo. No surprise that Romo went to Witten when the play broke down. Martellus Bennett caught a short pass in the flat and then steamrolled over a defensive back for a nice gain. I didn't notice much in the running game for either tight end. John Phillips looked decent in his time on the field. Scott Chandler made a few nice plays as well.

Offensive Line: The starters looked pretty good, but a mistake by Kyle Kosier on the goal line was irritating. I would love to see Holland get a shot with the starters. Doug Free actually looked pretty good manning the backup left tackle role. Cory Proctor and Jon Kitna had some snap issues that should never happen. One was a fumbled snap and another was a shotgun snap over Kitna's head. I don't know why the Dallas centers have so much trouble with the shotgun snap.

Defensive Line: Olshansky really did a good job stuffing several runs in his direction. I didn't notice Marcus Spears but the defensive scheme doesn't showcase the ends. Jay Ratliff caused chaos in the middle was usual. Junior Siavii and Tim Anderson didn't show up much during the game but it is hard to judge what they did since they primarily need to hold up the middle of the line. I know Marcus Dixon played but I only saw him jog off the field so I have no idea what he did.

Outside Linebackers: Demarcus Ware looked good as usual. Anthony Spencer didn't put much pressure on the quarterback but he did make a nice play covering the fullback in pass coverage. Spencer will have to do a better job rushing the quarterback or Ware is going to get doubled all year. Victor Butler put pressure on the quarterback a few times but he looked lost against the run.

Inside Linebackers: Keith Brooking made a sack thanks to a perfectly executed blitz by the defense. He was active and around the ball. Bradie James was solid. Bobby Carpenter got extensive playing time and did a good job. He was all over the field and made a nice pass breakup on a seam pass to the tight end. I think he has the nickel job sewn up. Jason Williams was completely lost out there. He got beaten by about 10 yards by the tight end on one play and was out of position on several plays. He did a good job rushing the passer though.

Cornerbacks: Ouch. The Cowboys need Terence Newman and Mike Jenkins out there or they are going to have trouble against the pass. Orlando Scandrick played great and Alan Ball was solid. After that the cornerbacks were awful. Mike Mickens didn't seem to understand that a game was going on. He was beaten time after time after time. Courtney Brown couldn't cover anyone either. I think there are four guys ready to play cornerback, but Mike Mickens better turn things around before the season starts or depth is going to be a major concern.

Safeties: Gerald Sensabaugh and Ken Hamlin both did a good job in coverage. Hamlin dropped an interception but made the play against a streaking, speedy receiver. Sensabaugh was called for a pass interference on a deep ball. Mike Hamlin is going to be a starter some day. He was good in run support. Pat Watkins didn't play very well and I'm starting to think his days with Dallas are over.

Special Teams: Can you say David Buehler? He delivered on a touchback on a kickoff as promised. And he was all over the place on the special teams units. He even ran down the field to make a tackle on a kickoff even though the announcers failed to notice it. Nick Folk missed a short field goal but I'll give him a pass since they were playing on a baseball field. Matt McBriar had some good punts and some not so good punts. I'm sure he'll be ok when the season starts. Willie Reed didn't show anything on punt returns and DeAngelo Smith misplayed a punt. The search for a punt returner besides Patrick Crayton may come up empty.

The best news of the night was that there were no major injuries. I found myself terrified at the thought of an injury to Tony Romo. I'll be glad when the real games start so I don't think "don't get hurt" on nearly every play the starters are out there.

Thansgiving Game - Cowboys vs. Raiders

It probably seems like small news to most fans but any news on the schedule is big news to me and my family. The Cowboys will play the Raiders on Thanksgiving this year at 3:15 CST. That is the usual time slot but the big news for me is the opponent. First, it would appear that this will be a winnable game given the current state of both teams. And secondly, on a personal note, there is a good chance that I will be able to call a good friend who is a die hard Raiders fan on Thanksgiving Day to rub it in after the Cowboys tear them up. Most importantly to my family, this could and should mean a happy holiday after a Cowboys' win.

I don't know about all of you, but my personal life is dictated by the Cowboys starting in August. I am fortunate to have a wife that understands that, so the sooner I can get the schedule the sooner I can start negotiating bye week plans and choosing games that I will attend. I wish I could afford tickets for all of the games, but it is so expensive that I have to choose two or three based on matchups and holiday travel plans.

I know the full schedule is not usually released until closer to the draft, but I hope we can get more information soon about the 2009 schedule. The only bad thing about schedule news is that having a date and time for the games reminds me how far away the season still is. We still have almost 6 months to wait for the opening game. That is just depressing to think about.