Breaking Down the Cowboys Versus Eagles Tonight

One good sign is the Philly fans are saying it’s going to be a good game. If a Philly fan is gracious at all, it’s a bad sign for them. I’m just sayin…

Course problem with WEEK TWO is some of what we saw in week one was a mirage, but it’s not like that stops us. I agree with you on most of it jhalp although there are some slight differences.

Coaching - I’m giving the Edge to Philly
I’m fine some of you guys saying EVEN because of Jason Garrett, but our defense seems to get out-guessed too much, and the Cowboys came from behind a LOT last season.

QB - this is a feast or famine pick. Either Romo is much better or much worse. So I’ll say EVEN.
McNabbit is healthy and decent, while Romo, if he has a bad game, will have it against Philthy.

RB - Even (We have two guys who do what their one does)
Yep. I agree with this assessment. Barber and Jones might actually be better when all is said and done, but the Eagles use Westbrook better so it evens out.

WR - Advantage Dallas
Unless DeShawn of the Dead matches up against Roy.

TE – Advantage Dallas
Overall, with the receiving corp Dallas has, they simply have more weapons than the Eagles do.

O Line – Advantage Dallas
Easily.

ST’s – Even (K’s about even, our punter is better, their coverage is better)
With Nick Folk they are even. Our coverage improved dramatically with the signing of that one guy…

But more importantly, let’s do the match ups…

Dallas’ Passing Attack versus Eagles Passing Defense
Eagles are going to bring pressure and force some bad throws which could lead to game changing interceptions. The Cowboys have so many weapons to throw to and such a good power running game, they can neutralize the Eagles pass rush and pick apart anyone’s secondary. I don’t think the Eagles can stop everyone, but the Cowboys need to be patient and good at recognizing what the defense is giving them or not. EVEN.

Dallas Rushing Attack versus Eagles Rushing Defense
They should be strong at first and weak later due to the size differential. The Cowboys have the perfect running attack to face smaller, faster defensive linemen, and that attack is named Marion Barber. In Barber, the Cowboys have one of the most powerful power running attacks possible. If the Cowboys are allowed to run consistently, they’ll beat the Eagles to a pulp. Advantage Cowboys after the first quarter.

Eagles Passing Attack versus Dallas Pass Defense
The Cowboys are in much better shape than last year, but with Spencer out, Newman hobbled, and the McNabbit able to scramble again, the Cowboys will have to rush in lanes and more pressure will be on the secondary. Eagles are going to find holes, find whoever is being guarded by Roy Williams, and they are going to hit on a few screens. EVEN.

Eagles Running Attack versus Dallas Rushing Defense
The Cowboys gave up some power runs against Cleveland and were susceptible to the screen. They’ll get hurt by Westbrook tonight, but Westy ain’t going to bull through them like Jamal did. Plus, homefield seems to help the rush D. Advantage Cowboys.

Read the entire discussion Here_________________

Wade Phillips and Cowboys Suddenly on Hot Seat

It wasn’t just that Denver beat the Cowboys, it was the fact the first team Broncos has rolled over the Cowboys all week INCLUDING the preseason game. Not a good sign for a supposed Super Bowl contender.

From Cowpunk:

Folks, I’m worried about this team playing big this season with this coach. This team is nothing more than an extension of this laid back country boy we have as a coach.

It will be up to the leaders on this team to motivate and police…and make sure the prima donna’s are prepared.

This from Jean Jacques Taylor of the Dallas Morning News, is the reason you need leadership at the head coaching level. We ain’t got it and I’m worried this season could be wasted.

Maybe this team has been reading its press clippings or listening to the national pundits praise them. Perhaps they’ve been mugging for Hard Knocks instead of focusing on the task at hand.

Or maybe JJT, they don’t have enough leadership?

From Doomsday:

Exhibit 1A: “We did go to the divisional round of the playoffs, and I believe the team we lost to did pretty well in the playoffs.”
-Wade Phillips

Exhibit 2A: If you can accept losing you can’t win.
-Vince Lombardi

Exhibit 1B: “It was a very disappointing ending to a very good year,” Phillips said on Monday in front of a packed press conference room. “After looking at the tape, I feel like the best team lost the game. I thought we outplayed them, but we lost. Certainly, that goes directly to the coach, and I accept that.

But this team also exceeded everyone’s expectations with the number of games we won this season. I think it certainly raised the level of expectations, which it should have, and then we came up short. We ended out losing as one of the final eight teams.

I think we will learn that when you outplay a team, you need to go ahead and put them away,” he said. “Right before the half, we need to make the plays so we don’t get in the situation where they have a chance to get ahead of you.” “
-Wade Phillips

Exhibit 2B: “One of the things that has bugged me the most since Saturday night are people with great intentions saying, `great start’ and `great year,’” said Tomlin. “I appreciate it, but I am not wired like that. Not that I’m a negative guy. Not that I’m a melancholy guy. I am just a football coach. I appreciate that, but there is something we are chasing here and we never will cease that chase. I’m not big into moral victories. We did some good things. We won 10 games. We won our division. It starts there, but it wasn’t as well as I would have liked. The goals I set for myself, I am not bashful about.
-Mike Tomlin – Steelers

Read entire conversation here

More Thoughts About Hard Knocks

Dissenting Opinion from NJ22

Another meaningless episode IMO. I think the problem is we have so much information at our fingertips these days that we can’t learn anything from the show. The show to me is for a casual fan not fanatics on this board. Wade is so nice to us, roy williams is a prankster, Bennett is a slug and Danny is an underdog..big deal. I like the Garretts but I can read about them I don’t need to the show to spend 15 minutes on them. Show me hurd/Austin/Stanbak/amendola running patterns against our D. Show me Spencer against our O-line. Show Scandrik, Oglesby, Ball, against our wr’s. Show me Berger and McQuisten and Free and Martin. The show will get more interesting come Cut down time, so far they have only provided reason to want Bennett cut.

Thoughts About Hard Knocks Episode II

From CowboyRoy at AbsoluteCowboys.Com

Another quality episode.

Things of note:

-Nice to see them give props to Wade. I know many of you dont like his laid back style and prefer the Jimmy, Bill Cowher screaming and fear tactics, and I am partial to them also. But Wade is a good coach and everyone down the line stresses that. Nice to see. AGAIN……the harmony and chemistry on the team between the players and coaches seems like it cant get any better. Appears to me like the non tackling, giving time off to certain veterans is the right call for this team.

-Bennet……its official, this kid is 100% and attitude, punk problem. All the talent and freak whatever in the world, but if he doesnt learn a work ethic, he wont stick. Its bad……….you can tell he is just a lazy little punk that has zero work ethic. All I can say is he is in the right place to get the motivation he needs. We can only hope.

-I just cant get over how talented this team is. This team is awesome. Now we all know they have to produce in the playoffs, but if this team doesnt go to the SB it will a total and complete travesty. They are completely stacked everywhere. (and no kjj, that doesnt mean every player on the 53 man roster)

-Offense seems to be on fire. Getting the best of the defense in practice

-Felix Jones seems so much to be the man we need him to be. Big time playmaker.

-Tank Johnson………what a great leader he has become. This guy is going to turn our D-line into one of the best in the league this year. This is finally the year to take Dallas D in fantasy. Sleeper d for sure. Sacks and picks all over the place.

-Love Zach Thomas. the guy is a player. Just what we needed.

Early Prediction for Cowboys 2008 Season

Gee, I don’t want to be too specific but here goes. I will say 12-4. Win the division and get the 1 seed again. Beat New Orleans to end our playoff drought in a shoot out 38-28. Then beat surprise team Carolina in the NFC championship 28-17. Felix returns a Kickoff 104 yards to put the game away with 5 minutes left. Meet 13-3 San Diego Super Chargers in the big dance We will be 6 1/2 point dogs and Romo leads a game winning drive with 30 seconds left 31-28. I cash in for $1400 on my Dallas +6 1/2 and the over 47 1/2 – 100 time parlay. yeah that’s how it will go ….Yeah that’s the ticket!
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Jerry Jones Latest Bust

Okay, what is with this guy and his traveling soap opera. I’m getting angry at Jed wasting a #2 on this Freak, AND a $1.5 million signing bonus. Here is the story for today kids….

August 11, 2008
Bennett has personal issue again
TE Martellus Bennett said he was 30 minutes late to practice while he was dealing with a personal issue again. He missed a practice last week while he was on the phone 4-5 hours handling a personal emergency.

“I had some stuff to deal with,” Bennett said.

With the NFL Films crews wanting him to talk about his time in camp he had this to offer: “I just want to go home. I miss my dogs and my house.”

- Rick Herrin

Are you believin’ this guy???

Hey, I watched Rodney Hannah, last years FA TE project, and he is not that bad. He’s actually a pretty good player, he’s as huge as a house, he can run, and he can catch, and he can block. So if Bennett keeps freakin’ out, I say Jed, cut his ass. THIS year.

Again, remember this pick could have been a decent WR or QB depth. Instead we got a headcase that doesn’t like to be coached, and sandbags in practices.

Dang it Jed, this is the LAST thing this team needs right now while trying to assemble a Super Bowl roster.
Read More Here

Is Depth A Problem? It is at Quarterback.

Kevin Acee, writer for the San Diego Union Tribune, doesn’t believe the Cowboys have depth.
Here is the thing about depth that the San Diego writer overlooked.

Depth during the season is done on a “need basis.” This means that wholesale changes of entire units are not done, unless it is the last 2 minutes of a blowout. Real, functional depth is Jenkins for Newman. Depth is Felix Jones for MBIII. Depth is Hatcher for Spears. On that basis, Dallas has plenty of good depth, and more than enough to win the Superbowl.

No, the Cowboys list of low draft picks and free agents did not beat the Chargers list of low draft picks and free agents. So what? Changes during the season are 1-2 guys on a unit, not subbing the entire first team for the entire 2nd team. On that basis Dallas can play with anybody in the NFL, because their starters are very gifted, and all entering their prime.

This team only goes to mediocre if Romo goes down. In fact, he doesn’t even have to be “out” per se. One good thumb rap on a DL helmet on his follow through, and the Super Bowl aspirations of the Dallas Cowboys would be officially over.

We need a decent backup QB really, really badly. I hope Jed is listening, because every writer in the metroplex is saying this today.
Read the rest of this conversation here

First Impressions from the First Preseason Game

-Cornerback Mike Jenkins is going to be a good one and Terrance Newman’s injury is probably a blessing in disguise, giving Jenkins and others some extra playing time. Jenkins could actually challenge for a starting job by the end of the preseason. Especially with Adam Jones looking so rusty.

-Martellus Bennett is doing his part to reinforce the “bust” label that many have already slapped on him. Way to go Bennett…

-Miles Austin made a few good catches, but he’s got a long ways to go before anyone feels reassured that if TO is injured, the Cowboys can still move the ball. We’ll see. I still never see Hurd when playing against a good secondary. He just disappears.

-Isaiah Stanback doesn’t yet look any better than Austin did his first or second year. That might even be a stretch and that’s disappointing. Remember, Patrick Crayton had people excited when he made the switch from QB to receiver because he was making plays, but Stanback barely makes anyone notice he’s there. Although the fumble was noticed…

-Why didn’t Jerry draft a receiver???? Geez

-Zach Thomas is a beast.

-Brad Johnson and Bartel shouldn’t be in the NFL.

-Why didn’t Jerry draft a quarterback???? Or pick one up? Actually, I would be surprised if they didn’t before too long.

-The special teams must get better. A big non-helper on special teams is Bobby Carpenter. He plays ST just like he plays LB. Mediocre. He’ll have lots of tackles, but none for a loss. Cowboys need to do what Jimmy Johnson did one year: dump a few guys at the end of preseason and pick up a few excellent special teams players. There are always special teams demons who get released or are trade bait. Cowboys need to make plans to do that and dump guys like Carpenter. It’s the year to make a run, not a year to try and just get by.
Read the entire conversation here

Backup Quarterback Is a Huge Problem

It’s obvious that Felix is a gamebreaker type back. I hate to make comparisons early but Tashard Choice looked just like he did on film at draft time….like a very good simulation of Emmitt Smith inside the tackles…very shifty and runs low. If Barber would go down we’d STILL have a great combo in Choice/Jones…regardless of starter.

The special teams looked wretched…..but not near as wretched as Brad Johnson. Even with all the talent this team has, if Johnson were the starter they’d be hard pressed to go .500….seriously…he’s THAT bad.

Jerry and Wade are guilty of gross negligence leaving this talented team’s success at the mercy of Romo being healthy for an entire season. Bartel is a joke and practice squad material. Think about Aikman’s backups in the 90’s……ALL were capable of starting and winning…..then look at what we have today….a limp armed guy who should be retired, and a throwaway…….

we’d best keep our fingers crossed that Romo stays healthy.
-Read the Entire Conversation Here

Wade Phillips Blasted for Statements

from sp1der at AbsoluteCowboys.Com
What an absolutely STUPID (coach). He either lives in some delusional world where he thinks he’s Jimmy Johnson or he’s just the dumbest (guy) on earth. How else could you explain THIS:

Phillips: ‘Get the ring finger ready’