the 'Boys need to thank their defense!

I'm glad I was wrong.

In the Cowboys-Buccs game today, neither offense thought it would be a good idea to show up. The two teams combined scored only one touchdown, and the Cowboys' offense gained just 172 total yards -- the lowest number of yards every put up by a Cowboys offense in a win. Even the game's one touchdown wasn't a testament to a well-developed sustained drive, as much as it was a testament to the 4 defensive penalties on Tampa Bay that all but handed a touchdown to the Brad Johnson-led Cowboys.

The real story in the game was the Dallas defense. They kept the Buccs out of the end zone for the entire game, and allowed just 9 points on 5 Tampa Bay drives into the red zone.

I do not feel confident about a Cowboys win next week at the Giants. New York has a smothering defense who just sacked Ben Roethlisberger 5 times in this afternoon's game against Pittsburgh -- and Big Ben is much tougher to bring down than the 90-year old Brad Johnson who will continue to start in place of the injured Tony Romo. Today the Dallas defense won a football game. Against the Giants I don't think that's nearly as likely.

So let's assume the Cowboys head into their bye week at 5-4. After their bye they'll get Tony Romo back, and what I saw today makes me think that they aren't completely out of the playoff hunt this season. However, a brutal schedule is yet to come, and it'll be a tough deficit to overcome.

A big week

It's gonna be one heckuva football week, in my opinion. I'm excited because the Cowboys play the early game... and it will be shown here! I haven't been able to watch the team play in weeks (which, if I were superstitious, might mean that they'll finally play well) and I'm really excited. I'm under no delusions about Dallas' chances in this game. I've got to say that probably for the first time this season I do not expect a win. There is, of course, still that little place somewhere inside me that hopes Peter King is right and that the 'Boys will have a fire lit under themselves this week and come out fighting, but like I said, that's a pretty little place somewhere inside me. The rational me picks Tampa Bay by two touchdowns.

I do have to mention that a Cowboys loss is going to put them in a nearly impossible situation to try to make the playoffs. The next two games after Tampa Bay are the Giants and the Redskins, and their last four games of the season are against Pittsburgh, Baltimore, New York Giants, and Philadelphia -- not the stretch you want to have when you need to WIN THEM ALL to make a wild card spot.

The biggest game of the week for non-Cowboys fans is Giants-Steelers -- two of the best three teams in football right now. Both teams have one loss, and have been playing pretty great lately. That game is also being shown, so it'll be two straight great games for me to watch.

Finally, the Falcons play the Eagles this week, and it could be a very interesting matchup. Matt Ryan has looked spectacular in his still-young rookie season, but the Iggles have a very tough defense and an even tougher secondary that Ryan will have to try to outsmart. I won't get to see this game, but I'll be following it very closely.

The only bad thing, football-wise, about this week is that there is no Sunday Night Football, so for the second straight week we won't get to hear John Madden being his usual senile Mr. Obvious self (he had last week off and Cris Collinsworth took his place in the announcer's booth). Oh well, the other games will make up for it.

Trouble

Peter King consistently has the best NFL column of the week with his Monday Morning Quarterback.

Apparently former Vikings receiver Chris Carter was on Mike & Mike's radio show this morning on ESPN radio, railing pretty hard on the Cowboys, and specifically their owner Jerry Jones. I've not heard the clips, but I'm sure he's right.

Dallas is in a world of hurt right now. Their next four weeks include the Buccaneers at home and the Giants and Redskins on the road (with a bye week thrown in). Right now it looks like they'll lose all three of those games. The last four weeks of their regular season include the Steelers and Eagles on the road and the Giants and Ravens at home. Right now it looks like they could lose all four of those. Even if the 'Boys kick it in gear and turn it up a notch, that is not the closing schedule you want to have when you know you'll be fighting for a wild card spot all the way down the stretch. They're gonna have to get to 10-6 to make the playoffs, and that's looking like a much higher mountain to climb than it did a few weeks ago.

'Twas the night before the Rams game

For no reason at all I feel obligated to post again before tomorrow's game.

This week the Cowboys are at St. Louis and are playing in their first "early" game of the year (it starts at noon central time). Dallas is injury depleted, to say the least. However, apparently Tony Romo was practicing lightly the second half of the week and throwing a few passes. Some people are speculating that he might still try to play tomorrow (even though he's supposed to be out for four weeks with a broken pinkie). I don't really have any idea what the likelihood is of him playing, but I frankly don't think it matters. Brad Johnson is a more-than-capable backup QB -- probably one of the more accomplished backups in the league today, though he's also probably the oldest. The other injuries affecting the team might be more influential. Adam Jones has been suspended indefinitely and won't be playing anymore -- which I don't consider to be a huge loss because of his average play thus far, except that with other injuries in the secondary it could have an impact.

Still, given all the adversity, I think Dallas will prevail in this game. They've been playing so poorly lately that I almost think this "crash" with all the injuries and stuff might help motivate them. What I'm most anxious about is to see how the newly acquired receiver Roy Williams will fit with the team's scheme and how offensive coordinator Jason Garrett will use him. I hope T.O. doesn't implode.

Dallas will win this one handily.

Some new drama

Before yesterday's trading deadline, Dallas cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones had been suspended by the commissioner indefinitely (at least 4 games)... but on the other hand, Jerry Jones had negotiated a trade with Detroit for receiver Roy Williams.

While the Cowboys have TOTAL issues regarding injuries and team chemistry right now, Williams is a great addition, and he'll be a fantastic asset to this team. My biggest fear is that T.O., not known for his ability to share, will not completely self-destruct when Williams starts out-performing him (by the looks of the last few games, I could out-perform T.O. right now). Let's see how things work out.

On another note of irony, with all the talk of team implosion and drama and spinelessness and poor play with the Cowboys that's been going on in the media (and it's certainly not unwarranted), I find it somewhat funny that the 'Boys are still ranked 6th in ESPN's power rankings this week. They're third in the NFC (behind division rivals the Giants and the Redskins). Everyone's saying it'll be a miracle if they make the playoffs this season, and they'll have to compete hardcore for a wild card spot... but they're 6th. In the league. Third in the Conference. Did you know that 12 teams go to the playoffs? And that 6 go from the NFC? And that Dallas is tied with Washington in record (behind them because the 'Skins beat Dallas head-to-head) and only one HALF game behind the division-leading Giants? Just checking.

Gloom, but not quite doom

A shout-out to Jase, the only reader of this blog (that I'm aware of) who messaged me earlier saying, "You need to blog on Valley Ranch so that I know what to think."

I don't know if I'd say it's time to panic, but it's certainly time to feel fairly uncomfortable about the Cowboys' chances at going very deep in the playoffs. Tony Romo has a broken pinkie and will be out for four weeks. Other key players are out with injuries too (Felix Jones, Sam Hurd, Matt McBriar, and more). The next three games for the 'Boys are @ St. Louis, against Tampa Bay, and against the New York Giants. If Dallas wins two of those games with 40-year old backup quarterback Brad Johnson I'll consider it a success. 

The Cowboys have been outcoached and outplayed in their two losses this season. I thought that the loss to Washington two weeks ago would serve as a wake-up call. Then they played poorly against the Bengals last week, so I thought maybe THAT was the wake-up call. Now I'm convinced that it's gonna take more than poor play and softy coaches that treat the players like sensitive junior highers to get through to this team. They need some tough love.

I haven't thrown in the towel on the season for the Cowboys. They're still 4-2, and a lot can happen in 11 weeks of an NFL season. I still fully expect a playoff birth and at least a win or two. So, Jase, be angry at Jerry Jones, Wade Phillips, Jason Garrett, and every one of the players, but don't stop cheering for the Cowboys. They'll pull out a few big wins yet.

Bolts of lightning

I just feel like I need to say that I'm watching the Chargers-Patriots game right now (San Diego is ahead 27-3 at the end of the 3rd quarter) and the Chargers look like men playing against boys. Every time Philip Rivers lets go of the ball I simply KNOW it will be a completed pass. It's the way I felt about Brady and the Pats all of last season, only maybe even more so. Seriously, after today I would probably rank them 1 or 2 in the league, and I'm going to predict that they will represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. I will also revise my "projections" from the AFC West post I wrote yesterday. I was way off. San Diego WILL win the West, and the Broncos will fall short of the playoffs.