Cowboys Math - Does 32 & 24 = 39 & 24?

Steven Van Over - SportsTalkLine.com
1/2 of the CB Duo

History is a great place to look when searching for answers. I found a potential corollary between some old Cowboys and some new ones that is worth looking at closer. Let's see if you agree. As always, thank you Wikipedia for the fact checks.

In the 11th round of the 1978 draft the Cowboys tabbed little known Dennis Thurman, a 5th year safety from USC, who made the team as a cornerback. In 1980 he won the starting free safety gig. In 1981 Charlie Waters retired, they moved Benny Barnes to safety and Thurman (#32) to start at right cornerback.

That same year (1981), every team in the league passed over Grambling University standout Everson Walls in the draft, giving Dallas the chance to sign him as a UDFA. Deemed too slow to play in the NFL after being clocked at a pedestrian 4.7 in the 40, Walls impressed the moment he walked on the field. Landry started the rookie (that in and of itself was a record of sorts) at left cornerback, and paired with Dennis Thurman, the two of them had one of the best years of any two corner backs in the history of the NFL. This according to NFL films who ranked them #10 in their "Top Ten CB Tandems of All Time" production. Walls had 11 interceptions and made the Pro Bowl that year. These two guys had WR mentality once the ball was in the air. It gave Tom Landry incredible freedom as his two CB's could lock down any pair of WR's in the league. The two players clicked, feeding off the other's exploits. Walls became one of the first shut down corners as teams were afraid of throwing to his side. He took to baiting QB's into interceptions (according to Joe Thiesman), leading to a classic Tom Landry interview. When queried about Walls penchant for giving up a big play from time to time, a "smiling" Tom Landry replied:

"he gets a couple, they get a couple. That kind of offsets each other."

And indeed it did. Teams started throwing to the other side and Thurman responded in a big way, picking off nine interceptions of his own. Opposing QB's were left with the center of the field and little else. The edges and over the top were off limits. The entire defensive backfield got the fever and became known as "Thurman's Thieves" as he tutored the younger players under his veteran leadership wing. Doomsday was in full effect with the Manster, the Beautiful Harvey Martin and Ed Too-Tall Jones roaming the opposing teams backfield with menace. The two things, the DLine and the CB's, complimented each other. Everson Walls himself stated he got so many interceptions (57 over his career), because of playing behind Too-Tall, as QB's had to try and throw around him. Synchronicity between the DLine and the CB's was defined in Dallas.

Fast forward to 2012 and Brandon Carr (#39) being paired with rookie Morris Claiborne (#24). I agree, there is a big jump between UDFA and a number six pick in the draft. However, the theme here is the bringing together of two CB's that can lock down the opposing starting WR's. This gives the DLine more time to get to the QB. Conversely there will be times Ware or Ratliff's pressure causes errant throws that our CB's can lay hands on. Claiborne's first pick was made thusly. The Dallas defense is having a very good year. The large number of interceptions have yet to materialize. However, Carr is showing veteran leadership that the other DB's seemingly embrace and the synchronicity between the Dallas front seven and the new starting CB's are having an effect on opposing teams. It doesn't matter who is the chicken and who is the egg. What matters is they are both here.

We have looked at the past and the present, now let us look to the future. In the coming drafts and off-seasons there are things Dallas will be looking for. A starting CB is not one of them. A Too-Tall Jones would be on my short list however!

Author: Steven Van Over

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Cowboys Feel the Need at Receiver

Dallas tipped its hand bidding high on Gordon

Over the weekend, I spoke to some sources about the 2013 draft class and turned my attention for the first time to the wide receiver spot.  This was considered a possible team strength entering the campaign but it is clear seven games into the season that this was incorrect.

The passing game has been the greatest source of frustration, producing big positive and negative plays in near equal amounts.  Kevin Ogletree is playing out his rookie contract and will be a free agent this spring.  Dez Bryant is three years into his deal and remains an enigma.  Miles Austin's hamstrings are always a concern and the kids are not pushing for starting time.  How many reps have Andre Holmes and Cole Beasley taken from Dwayne Harris this year?  What's more, how many reps has Harris pried from Ogletree?

One more Austin hammy pull could send this unit down the chute. 

The Cowboys know this.  They put in a 3rd round claim on Baylor receiver Josh Gordon in the recent supplemental draft, but were trumped by the Cleveland Browns, who offered their 2nd.  Gordon has made a promising start for the Browns, and would probably be in discussions for reps at the Cowboys split end spot, had he slipped to Dallas.

The Cowboys are ready to invest a higher pick in a receiver.  That matches up nicely with the strength of the 2013 class, according to one source, who said:

"It's pretty strong.  It's not elite by any stretch, but there are some intriguing guys, especially when you look at the juniors.

The seniors are okay.  Terrence Williams from Baylor, he's a big guy who can run welll.  Size-speed.  Those guys get drafted high.

You have some unique slot guys like Tayvon Austin from West Virginia who is 5'9", 175, but just lighting in a bottle.  Teams like these smaller guys now, because they can beat press coverage and get up the field.  I don't think Austin goes in the first round, but he's probably a 2nd or 3rd round option.

Moving to the juniors, Keenan Allen from California looks like a more dynamic version of Eric Decker, the Broncos receiver.  He's polished.  He runs good routes.  He can go get the football.  From an athletic standpoint he's a plus.  Decker is a plus number two NFL starter, so I think Allen has a chance to be a number one in the league.

Justin Hunter from Tennessee has been pretty good this year.  He's 6'4", 200, and he runs a 4.49.   Then you get to Robert Woods from USC, who looks like a more dynamic version of Steve Smith, who played so well for the Giants before he hurt a knee.  I don't see Woods as an elite athlete but he looks like a solid starting NFL receiver.

Da'Rick Rogers is now at Tennessee State after he got booted off the Tennessee rosters.  There are a lot of good juniors in the receiver class."

This source rated Keenan Allen as his top receiver prospect, and said the meat of this class will come in the earlier rounds, from the 2nd to the 4th.  Put some of these guys on your early 2013 radar.  There's still plenty of 2012 Cowboys football to be played, but with this team, it doesn't hurt to look to the future.  The front office already has. 

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Are the Cowboys Getting Better or Worse?

Post Game Book II

As turnovers were the stat that affected the Giants vs Cowboys game so greatly, we got off track in yesterday's article, not looking in depth as much as we should have at some of the numbers. Let's rectify that.

As mentioned in yesterday's Post Game Book article,

"Dallas dominated all areas but turnovers"

continuing the improvement Dallas keeps showing in the stats department, while somehow maintaining that losing edge. How exactly, did Dallas dominate? With another nod to the NFL's Game Book, let's break down the team stats.

Dallas Attacked the Giants Secondary: Dallas had 19 net yards running versus 415 yards passing. Using the pass as the primary weapon, the Cowboys won time of possession 32:18 to 27:42 and almost tripled the Giants 11 1st downs with 28 of their own. Let that sink in, 28 to 11 on 1st downs. Any way you slice it, that is serious domination.

The passing game has many components. The OLine created and held a pocket around Romo for much of the game against one of the best DLines in the NFL. Don't forget that Costa (again) missed the entire game, leading to a much deserved tip-of-the-cap to both Center Ryan Cook and the Scouting Department that pushed for him. A beleaguered WR corps had veterans Jason Witten and Miles Austin step up and show the young guns how to get it done. Dez Bryant was held accountable, as Ratliff had his full attention on the sideline while giving a much needed explanation about the facts of NFL life.

Offense can get it done in the Red Zone: The Cowboys converted 75% in the Red Zone. In three of four tries we punched it in for six. That is studly no matter how you get it done. Doing so while showing versatile play calling is a plus.

Dallas D in the Red Zone: If you want a touchdown against the Cowboys you better get it from a distance. The Giants were in the Red Zone four times (thanks mostly to turnovers), and the Cowboys D allowed one touch down. That's a 75% stuff rate. Performed with your second best player out for the year, reputed, so-so safeties and a rookie CB, this is not a one game, flash in the pan performance. This D, under Rob Ryan, is for real.

Coaching, Player-Performance and Penalties: The GMen had five penalties for 45 yards. The Cowboys had three for 10 yards. You read that correctly. Dallas had three penalties. At this point of the season the three penalties has to be viewed as an anomaly. We need to string together a few such performances, then full credit can be given to the coaches and player-performance. Until then, nice job. Now do it again.

Turnovers: When you turn the ball over six times you will lose the ball game nine times out of eight. The turnovers are not "just" a Romo or a Dez thing, they are a team thing. Like a line of dominoes, once the fall is in motion it is a hard thing to catch up to and stop. WR'ers making bad reads, weeks of intense middle pressure affecting a QB's reaction schedule in a timing game, players not being on the same page, leading to ... wait for it ... turnovers. Regardless of the injuries, youth of the team or who is calling the plays this group needs to learn ball security. It is the last thing holding Dallas back.

Conclusion: Rather than responding to whether Dallas has improved, with a clearly obvious answer, we are left with a more pertinent query. Will the Cowboys be able to learn ball security before the mental toll of losing saps their spirit?

Author: Steven Van Over

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Whack A Mole: The Cowboys Continue to Chase Completeness

We're all crying, Dez.

"Same as it ever was,
same as it ever was...."

Such is the read mid-way through the 2012 Dallas Cowboys season.  While Dallas has fulfilled its primary off-season goal, it cannot obscure the fact that the job was too big for one draft and one modest free agent shopping spree.  Thus, the team finds itself back where it started, treading water in the widening ocean of NFL mediocrity.

The spring drive to repair the badly broken secondary has worked.  Brandon Carr has been a quality starter on his corner.  Morris Claiborne has steadily raised his game week to week.  The two, and nickel corner Orlando Scandrick, shut down the Giants heralded duo of Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz on Sunday.  Nicks gained but 46 yards receiving and the seemingly unstoppable Cruz left Cowboys Stadium with a season-low 23 yards on two receptions.

In front of them, second year linebacker Bruce Carter has emerged, much as Sean Lee did in his sophomore professional season.  Lost in the bile and noise of the Giants loss was Carter's best game of his young pro career. He was aggressive on run downs and has provided outstanding coverage on tight ends all year. 

They have given Dallas a major boost in pass defense, and that has made Rob Ryan's defense much better.  The second half in Seattle aside, the defense has played well enough to win every Cowboys contest.

Which brings us, grudgingly, to the offense.  The Miles Austin ruling, which kneecapped the Cowboys salary cap this year, meant the team had only one big-ticket free agent signing in its budget.  The team gave that money to Carr.  This decision precluded re-signing Laurent Robinson or signing a big-ticket offensive lineman.  The Cowboys crossed their fingers and put their hope in youngsters like Dez Bryant, Kevin Ogletree, Mackenzy Bernadeau, Phil Costa and Felix Jones.

They have failed thus far.  Some, like Costa and DeMarco Murray, have suffered recurring injuries. Others, mainly the receivers, have demonstrated time and again that they're not playmakers, in the Jimmy Johnson definition.  Oh, they can produce an impressive stat line here and there, as Ogletree did in the first Giants game and as Bryant did in Baltimore. But when 3rd downs need to be converted, or big game clinching catches are called for, they've been invisible.

What emerges is an offense that's perhaps half a unit.  Let's take this by personnel group:

Offensive line:  Dallas entered 2012 knowing it needed at least two, and perhaps three interior offensive linemen.  It signed Nate Livings and Bernadeau in free agency and trusted new line coach Bill Callahan to squeeze every drop of performance from there.  Callahan has raised this unit from its dismal September level, but we may have seen its ceiling on Sunday.  The Cowboys could not gain a single yard on four goal line runs in the 3rd quarter, a fact that probably factored in Jason Garrett's decision to pass three times after getting to 2nd and 1 at the Giants 19 on Dallas' next to last possession.

The Giants moved Tony Romo around the pocket, with nearly all the pressure coming up the middle, where the Giants tackles overpowered backup center Ryan Cook and the guards.

The skinny:  Dallas still needs at least two interior offensive linemen to field a competitive line.

Running back:  The Cowboys appeared to have a good 1-2 punch entering the season.  DeMarco Murray looked like a bell cow back and Jones appeared to find a role as the 3rd down back.  That plan also looks overly optimistic.  Murray continues to suffer niggling injuries and has missed as many games as he's started.

Jones, meanwhile, has confirmed he's up to spelling Murray, even for short periods of time.  He blocks very well on passing downs, and can make a big run here and there.  But he cannot stay in the lineup for an entire 10 play drive, and his critical 4th quarter fumble, where he tried switching the ball hand-to-hand in the middle of traffic, showed a lack of game awareness.  He's simply not clutch, and five years into his career, it's clear he never will be.

The skinny:  Dallas needs another running back.  DeMarco is brittle, Felix is in the final months of his contract and you don't want to rely on Phillip Tanner, whom linebackers regularly steamroll on blitzes.

Receiver:  Dallas was counting on the three-man trident of Austin, Bryant and Witten to keep secondaries honest.  Witten has exploded after losing September to a spleen injury.  He's back at the top of his game.  Austin has been steady.

Ogletree and Bryant have been all over the football map.  Ogletree was the hero of the Giants win, and has done next to nothing since.  He's back to dropping passes and mangling routes, the same traits which put him behind Robinson on last year's depth chart.

Bryant, meanwhile, is edging closer to Joey Galloway and Roy Williams as expensive receiver busts.  (Remember, Dez cost a 1st and a 3rd round pick to acquire.)   He's still running sloppy routes, misses in-play adjustments, and shows a distaste for contact.  He was an outside the numbers receiver as a rookie, who ran go, fade and stop routes on the perimeters.  Three years in and he still does all his damage up the sidelines.  If he could field jump balls on every play, he'd be an All Pro. But this is the NFL, where you need a complete game.

The skinny:  You see now why Dallas was ready to spend a 3rd round pick on Josh Gordon in the supplemental draft?  Dallas has one receiver whom Tony Romo trusts, and he has a touchy hamstring.  Ogletree, like Felix Jones, is months away from a new team.   Dez shows no hints that he'll develop the heart, brain or nerve to deserve Michael Irvin's 88.

Dallas needs two receivers, minimum, unless and Andre Holmes morphs into a starter anytime soon, or Dez follows the yellow brick road to Oz.

That's four starters and a key reserve, and I haven't mentioned the quarterback spot.  That's too big an issue for this piece, but go ahead and add a young QB to the shopping list.  Stephen McGee is gone, and Dallas needs a prodigy to develop.

Six real offensive needs.  That's half an offensive unit. That's nearly an entire draft.  Those shortcomings should disabuse us of wishing this damaged bunch into the post-season.  And where will Dallas find the extra picks to chase a safety, pass rusher, or defensive end?

"Letting the days go by, water flowing underground,
Into the blue again, after the money's gone,
Once in a lifetime, water flowing underground.

Same as it ever was,
Same as it ever was..."

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Cowboys vs Giants Game Book - Week 8

Cowboys vs Giants Game Book

We are changing the Game Book post format. Instead of a preview of the next weeks game, we are dissecting the NFL.com Game Book that becomes available after the current contest. Our purpose is to review the numbers, then point out revealing statistical information and to discourse on what it all means.

The Game Book reveals a lot of information, however it's statistics. We would be wise to apply real world logic to any of the "numbers" the Game Book Analysis reveals.

• QB Orton and OL Arkin were the only two players that did not get in the game
• Beasley has his number changed to 11 from 81
• Non-Actives for the game included Matt Johnson, A. Holmes, D. Murray, K. Wilber, Costa, Lissemore & new signee Safety C.Peprah
• The Giants scored first and last
• Dallas dominated all areas but turnovers
• The Cowboys averaged a turnover every 10 minutes

And that was the game. Let's recap goals from the previous week. We needed the team to continue to show improvement along the offensive line, put consistent pressure on Eli Manning, have our defensive backfield neutralize their wide outs, stop the running game, get our running game going, kill the multitude of penalties and win the turnover battle. If you had told me we would get six out of eight from that list I would have thought a victory was in the bag.

Make no mistake, the Cowboys made huge progress. I am proud of their effort. There has been no mention of missing Lee in the middle, nor should there be. However until Tony Romo and company learn to take care of the rock, no matter the circumstance, we will lose these games, period. 

I believe we need to be patient and continue along the path. I realize this probably will not be the popular balm to soothe our ills. What do  you think CowboysNation? Explain your choices in the comments below. "Other" entries should be available for viewing when the poll closes tomorrow morning.

Author: Steven Van Over

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Giants 29, Cowboys 24: Losing to the Man in the Mirror

The Dallas Cowboys won the statistical duels against the New York Giants today, just as they did against the Baltimore Ravens two games ago.  They won the yardage battle, and the time of possession battle.  Their defense was much better on 3rd downs.  Their receiver trio of Jason Witten, Miles Austin and Dez Bryant each finished the game with over 100 receiving yards.

But the Cowboys again finished the losers because they insist on playing two teams every week.  One of course, plays across the line of scrimmage.  The other resides in the Cowboys twisted psyche.  Dallas cannot overcome its self destructive tendencies and failed again today at that task.  Four first half turnovers, including three in the first quarter, put the Cowboys in a 23-0 hole.

The Cowboys showed incredible fight.  They scored the next 24 points and carried a one point lead into the fourth.  Here, the miscues again crippled them.  Felix Jones fumbled a handoff at midfield when Dallas was driving to answer a Lawrence Tynes field goal which put New York ahead 26-24.  That led to Tynes fifth field goal of the game, and the Giants 23rd points from Dallas turnovers.

The Cowboys had two more opportunities to steal a win but lost them in familiar and frustration fashion.  A long drive ended on downs at New York's nineteen yard line with just over a minute left.  Here, Dallas threw three three incompletions after reaching 2nd-and-1 at the nineteen.  The Cowboys defense held again and the offense appeared to have found a way when Tony Romo completed a pass to Dez Bryant in the left corner of the end zone with ten seconds left.  The on-field officials signaled a touchdown but replays showed Bryant's right fingertips landed on the end line, making the play a noisy incompletion.   Two more Romo throws went incomplete and the Giants again escaped Cowboys Stadium with a win.

A terrible first quarter which saw breakdowns on special teams, in the secondary, on the offensive line and in the passing game put Dallas in early misery. The defense put New York in a 3rd and long  on New Yor's opening possesion. Eli Manning converted with a slingshot pass far down field, which rookie Rueben Randle caught for a 56-yard gain.  Mike Jenkins appeared to have the pass measured, but slipped to the turf charging for the ball.  The defense then stiffened, and held the Giants to a field goal.

The Cowboys got a couple of first downs on their next series, working from the 12 set they used so effectively against the Ravens.  When the ball reached mid-field, Jason Garrett called a play action pass for Bryant and was foiled when the receiver made a late inside break on his route.  This let Giants safety Stevie Brown to beat Dez to the spot.  Brown returned the pick deep into Dallas territory.

The defense again held and Tynes made his second attempt, pushing New York's lead to 6-0.  On Dallas' next series, Romo went deep up the right sideline to Miles Austin, who had inside position on CB Corey Webster.  Romo's throw was on Austin's outside shoulder, and when the receiver mis-timed his jump, Webster instead made the grab, which he also took deep into Dallas territory. The Giants reached the end zone this time, mainly on runs by Ahmad Bradshaw.

The teams then exchanged punts.  Romo spared Dallas a third consecutive turnover by cleanly fielding a center snap which sailed over his head.  He then threw incomplete.  The defense appeared to bring some stability to the contest with a three and out.  That feeling was short lived, because Bryant tried fielding a punt which was well over his head and angling towards the near sideline.  Bryant bobbled the ball, then handled it loosely in one hand when he gained possession.  A Giants cover man stripped Dez of the ball, and New York recovered.   The secondary again responded, stopping the Giants 3rd down play, but the drive had started too far in Cowboys territory to prevent Tynes from making the lead 16-0.

The Giants like playing zone and they stayed in cover two shells, waiting for more errant throws and tipped balls.  Romo looked frustrated and had words with Kevin Ogletree, who appeared to miss his adjustment on a 3rd down pass.  On the following series, Romo's checkdown flare to Felix Jones was intercepted by Jason Pierre-Paul, who slam dunked the ball over the crossbar after scoring.  Tynes extra point made the lead 23-0, with less than 20 minutes of game time elapsed.

At this point, Garrett went exclusively to the three receiver, one back set as the base.  Ogletree and Bryant were not dependable targets, but the spread meant that the Giants could not double both Jason Witten and Austin.  Romo began throwing almost exclusively to those two, and they got the Cowboys inside the Giants five.  Felix Jones took a delay behind Mackenzy Bernadeau and Doug Free for the Cowboys' first score.

A three and out gave Dallas a second opportunity late in the half and they converted a field goal.  A hi-lo combo by Austin and Bryant at Webster sprung Bryant free.  Webster let him go to jump an out route Austin was running in the left flat.  No Giants safety rotated deep so Bryant was free up the near sideline. Romo hit Bryant for 55 yards, setting up a Dan Bailey field goal.  Dallas trailed 23-10 at the half, but knew the game could have been long gone by that point.

The Cowboys took the 2nd half kickoff and began another pass-fueled drive.  Big throws to Witten, Bryant and finally to Austin put the Cowboys in 1st-and-goal at the one.  Two runs gained nothing and Romo missed an open James Hanna on 3rd and goal.   Garrett decided to go on 4th-and-1, and called a crafty naked bootleg for Romo, with no tight end or back as an option.  Romo outraced Chase Blackburn to the far pylon, pulling Dallas within six points.

They took the lead after the defense produced a Giants punt.  Garrett stayed in the spread and used three straight completions to Witten to reach the one yard line.  From here, the head coach called another bootleg pass, this one with a tight end option.  Romo was free but both his pass targets were covered.  When Romo feigned running the ball in for a second score, a safety had to chase him, freeing Phillips to catch Romo's flip. The extra point put Dallas ahead 24-23.

Here, finally, the Giants offense responded.  Eli Manning completed throws to Randle and Hakeem Nicks, which put New York in field goal range.  Tynes restored the Giants lead, setting the stage for Felix Jones' fumble and the final drive disappointments.

Notes

-- Same as it ever was, the good.  The result obscured how well the defense played against the Giants.  Manning was just 15 of 29.  The secondary was very good on 3rd downs, as they have been all year.  What's more, Rob Ryan got solid pressure from his front four, led by Jay Ratliff, who was outstanding against center David Baas.   It's a shame to see strong performances like his wasted.

-- Same as it ever was, the bad.   The passing game has been the biggest problem, and it was again today.  Witten and Austin did their part, but Ogletree was invisible and Bryant remains that coach killer.  He made big plays for the Cowboys and big plays that cost the Cowboys.  Two of the first three turnovers were due to his poor decisions and sloppy routes.  He again dropped a couple of catchable passes.

He does just enough to get you beat, as do so many of his compatriots.

-- The pressing Romo.  The gunslinging Romo.  I'll add, the uncertain Romo.  The 2nd pick should never have been attempted.  There were other times when it was clear that Romo did not know if his targets would be where they were supposed to be.

The passing game's play remains the enigma of 2012.  There are no rookies here.  Witten, Romo, Austin, Ogletree and Bryant all have three or more seasons of experience.  The playbook has been in place since 2007.

There are no secrets, no peculiar nuances which have never been practiced before.

There still appear to be too many knuckleheads on the roster.  Until that changes, swapping coaches and signing free agents will bring more attention, but it won't bring new results.  We're ten years into the Parcells/Phillips/Garrett run.  The mistakes we saw back in '04 and '05 and in '07 and '08 remain in '12.

What's the constant, ladies and gents?

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Cowboys vs Giants Game Day ....

Steven Van Over - SportsTalkLine.com
Cowboys Attitude

Raf will be updating.The crowd WILL (reportedly) be loud.

Drop your comments below.

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Giants vs Cowboys Keys to Victory

Everyone has an idea on why their team will win. Since everyone has an opinion we might as well keep a record of them! You can make more than one choice. Raf or I will be updating the post as the game progresses, and of course your know where the comment section is! What is going to be the key to winning? Do you know? Will it be one thing or more than one? Let's see if CowboysNation has the sight and can predict the Keys to Victory! The Poll closes at kick off. So get your votes in early. We will review the outcome of the poll later in the week. See ya after the win!



In Game Descriptions below this line.


The Game Day Post by Raf will be at this address (click here)

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2nd Look - Cowboys vs Giants Week 8

Looking at the edge one more time

In this series we take a look back at any one item from the week and take a second look. Have things changed? Do we have more information? Let’s examine it closer.

I went and looked way back. To Week 1 against the New York Giants. The edge run was there. We blocked it, we ran it, we exposed it to the tune of 143 time eating, net yards on the ground.

Then I looked at the next 6 weeks. Not of our games, I looked at the New York Giants. Was it a matter of one and done? Were other teams able to recreate what we had accomplished? Did the Giants figure it out? Can we attack again this Sunday? This is what I found the vaunted GMen defense has done so far this season.

• 143 yards rushing to the Cowboys in a loss
• 79 yards rushing to the Buccaneers 
• 125 yards against the Panthers 
• 57 yards against the Eagles in their second loss 
• 84 yards against Cleveland 
• 149 vs the 49'ers in a blowout win
• 248 net yards rushing against the Redskins in a freak win

Two things jump out. You don't have to run on the GMen to beat them, Philadelphia proved that. You have to stop their offense, put up "enough" points and win the turnover battle. The next item, they are Über-resilient! The Redskins put up 248 yards on them and they still managed a victory.

Dallas amassed 143 net yards rushing in Week 1 at the Meadowlands behind a very suspect OLine. They used those runs to gain key yardage and kill the clock late. How and when you get the yards are just as important as the number of yards you amass. Just ask the Eagles, Redskins and Cowboys.

Dallas brought an excellent game plan and executed it in week one. The Cowboys came back with a counter punch for each play in the 4th quarter that the Giants were able to muster. We showed we knew how to win. We did not get lucky. We won. Week 8 needs to be more of the same.

Author: Steven Van Over

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Cowboys vs. Giants, Part II: The Challenge of Beating an Old School Team

The New York Giants had several major messes to clean up after their season opening loss to the Dallas Cowboys.  On defense, their secondary was in shambles.  Cornerback Terrell Thomas, a projected starter, was lost to an ACL tear in the preseason.  Prince Amukamara missed the Cowboys contest with an injury, leaving Michael Coe and rookie Jayron Hosley, the 5th corner, to man the 2nd and 3rd slots opposite Corey Webster.  When Coe went down in the game, 6th stringer Justin Tryon was pressed into duty, and Dallas targeted him in the late going.

On offense, the offensive line which played so miserably at times in 2011 looked shaky again.  New York ranked last in rushing offense last season, despite winning the Super Bowl, and offered Eli Manning spotty protection.  The 49ers battered him in the NFC Championship Game, sacking Manning five times.  Against Dallas, the Giants' tackles looked out of sorts.  New York started Sean Locklear at left tackle and the old battle horse David Diehl at right.  DeMarcus Ware worked over Locklear early in the contest, and the Cowboys kept Eli Manning out of rhythm for much of the game.

The Giants had many holes to mend, and to their credit, they've patched them well.  Amukamara's return gave the team two solid corners and Hosley has been steady in his first campaign.  Their steady play stopped the big play stream and let Perry Fewell play his preferred zones.  More zone behind a strong rush line means more turnovers.  The back seven keep the action in front of them and wait for rushed throws and tipped balls.  They've harvested 15 turnovers in the Giants last four wins.

On offense, New York inserted Will Beatty at left tackle.  He was the Giants projected starter on the left side but he also missed the opener.  Beatty's return let the team slide Locklear to right tackle, where's he's much better suited to play.  Locklear run blocks effectively and can handle power rushers.  He's not as good getting out in space and cutting off speed rushers like Ware.

As the secondary and the offensive lines have gelled, the Giants have gained momentum.  Their rushing attack has regained its teeth.  New York rushed for 125 yards against the Panthers, 243 against Cleveland and for an impressive 149 against the vaunted 49ers front in a 26-3 victory two weeks ago.  The line has also tighted up its pocket;  Eli Manning has only been sacked once in the last month.

The Giants are playing old-school ball.  They keep things simple on defense.  They let the rush force mistakes.  On offense, they run the ball and protect the quarterback.

They make the Cowboys' task easy to recite, but hard to execute.  To get the sweep, Dallas will need:

1.  to protect the football.  The Cowboys committed only one turnover in their win.  The Eagles had none in their victory over the Giants.  The Giants turn their front four loose and wait for you to beat yourself.  Tony Romo needs to throw accurately and his targets need to catch his passes cleanly.  Easier said than done.

2.  to maintain some offensive balance.  The Giants kill one-dimensional teams.  They learned early that the 49ers receivers posed no real threat and turned their attention to slowing Frank Gore.  Once New York gained a seven point lead, they pressured Alex Smith and waited for the bad throws to come.  The contest was close at halftime but snowballed quickly.

The Cowboys can't get run happy or pass happy.  Dallas needs to keep New York out of its rhythm while the Cowboys maintain their own.  Again, easier said than done.

3.  Dallas needs to find a way to pressure Manning.  The Cowboys got to Eli in September without Jay Ratliff.  They're missing Sean Lee this time, but the Rat's presence may provide a counterweight.  Dallas got strong pressure last week from a front four of Ware, Hatcher, Ratliff and Anthony Spencer.  Getting some semblance of pressure this week will let Rob Ryan play his safeties deeper and double Victor Cruz.

4.  Contain Cruz -- Everybody knows they need to contain the salsa-dancing machine from UMass, but few can.  He already has 50 catches in 2012, more than double the second-place Giants' catch total.  Dallas has the corners to challenge Cruz, and held him to 58 yards in the first meeting.  Ryan needs another strong game from Orlando Scandrick and the safeties and linebackers who will assist him.  It would also help of Cruz dropped a pass or two, as he did in the September game.

5.  Get a second strong game from Anthony Spencer.  He can make a huge difference Sunday.  Spencer was a rock on the strong side edge.  The Giants love to run Ahmad Bradshaw to their strong side, behind TE Martellus Bennett.  Bennett and Spencer will square off this weekend, and Dallas' hopes depend in no small part on how Spencer plays against his old teammate.

Spencer will also need to beat Locklear on a few edge pushes.  If Almost Anthony has indeed become Lights-out Anthony, the Cowboys D will keep the game competitive, Lee or no Lee.

These five points will be tough to execute.  The Giants have stopped giving up the easy plays.  They're not beating themselves.  The 2012 Cowboys can't say that about themselves yet.

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What Cowboys Need Most

Linemen? WR? RB? S?

In conjunction with the trade deadline, the angst from the Lee injury has precipitated talk about what the Cowboys need to do. If a move is going to be made, which way will it go?

Does Jerry make a splash move at WR? Don't act like that has never happened. Does an impact safety get pried away from a team on the downside, (Oakland for instance) ?

Then there is the camp that wants to get value out of CB Jenkins and/or RB Felix Jones. Either a draft pick or a younger player with more time on their contract.

Are we going to be buyers or sellers, to use baseball parlance.

Before we decide which path would be the best for Dallas, a definition of the overhead of each transaction is in order.

What do the Cowboys need most? If we are "sellers" we are giving up on the season. This is a plain, undeniable fact. How do you hold a locker room like that? If you give up on a season, do you give up on an era? Why not trade Romo, Ware and Witten as well? Once a team quits on a season, that is not only what they have done, it becomes what they are.

What do the Cowboys need most? If we are "buyers" what do we have that would purchase us something worth having that patience would not deliver at a better rate later? There is always a market for CB's. There is a much smaller market for RB's with an injury history that have lost a step. These types of trades are best made in the off season. That way a team can replace the affected position with a prospect  or veteran from a much larger talent pool, resulting in a better outcome of the total transaction. It would take a top offer for either player in order to achieve the needed payout.

What do the Cowboys need most? Which player currently in the NFL would yield a difference this year, and in later years that would not cost a #1 pick? That would not cost multiple picks? Are multiple picks worth spending on a player that may or may not excel in the system your team uses. Historically, middle of the season trades do not fair well. The trade deadline pushes up the price and helps blind the buyer to flaws in the product. This is the environment in current effect.

What do the Cowboys need most? In a winning program, when a key player, any player, gets injured then someone from the rest of the team steps up. It might be the immediate backup. It may be a scheme change from a coach with a vision. It may be a combination of both. The point is, you put the helmet on, you buckle the chinstrap, and you play football. You get it done. If you go the other route, the consequences are painful, regardless of the success of the move itself. Does this team have what it takes to overcome adversity? As the saying goes, adversity does not create character, it reveals it.

Author: Steven Van Over

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Cowboys vs. Giants II: Same Names, Very Different Teams

The Cowboys host the rematch of of their week one win over the Giants this Sunday.  Repeat games send you back to the game tape, looking for plays that work  and approaches which fizzled.  Much of this week's attention revolves around two young Cowboys who will miss this game.  Running back DeMarco Murray continues to rehab his injured ankle and will watch from the sidelines.   Fortunately for Cowboys fans, he will return in the near future.  His teammate Sean Lee's season ended against Carolina when Lee tore ligaments in his right big toe. 

How much will their absences factor into this week's game plans?  Let's look at the teams which butted heads back in early September for some clues.

Offense

Murray had a big game against the Giants, rushing for 131 yards on 20 carries.  Forty eight of them came on a busted play, when Murray found the right edge clogged, reversed his field, broke a tackle, then spun back  up the right sideline.  His gaudy numbers did not show how he amassed those yards.  Nearly all of his successful runs, those of 4 yards or better, went to the left side, behind left tackle Tryon Smith.  Smith had trouble with Jason Pierre-Paul on pass downs, but Smith won many of the run duels.  Murray made solid gains to the left edge early, and those gains increased as the game wore on. 

The Cowboys have remained a left-handed team, and they've become even better at attacking the left outside now that Jason Witten has regained much of the strength he lost after his spleen injury.   But what of the inside runs and jabs to the right side?   The inside rush improved dramatically when Phil Costa moved back into the lineup, but he's on the shelf again with an ankle dislocation.  Ryan Cook will again play the pivot.  This time, he's got the full week to prepare.  He had to jump in one series into the New York game (and just six days after joining the team) and hold the line together. 

Cook made all the correct calls that night and was solid in pass protection last week, when the line shut out the Panthers rushers. Half a loaf would be a good start, but more of the inside push we saw against Baltimore would help tremendously. 

A second question starts at right tackle.  Doug Free has been the lineman slowest to adapt to Bill Callahan's methods but he may have played a breakout game last week. He's looked much better in his drops since the bye week.  He's no longer overstepping on hard outside rushes, a problem that emerged during training camp.  Consequently, he's no longer giving up inside counter moves.  Watch his match-up against Osi Umenyiora for an early tell on the Cowboys' offensive fortunes this weekend.  Umenyiora beat Free with a couple of those up-and-inside rushes in that game:

 

If Free has his footwork sorted, he should be tougher to beat.  Free had his best run blocking game against Carolina and he needs to show it wasn't a fluke.

Pick Up the Flags

Better pass blocking and better pre-snap discipline will let Jason Garrett call more runs.  The Giants' rush defense has been erratic this year and has had its worst contests in the losses to Dallas and Philadelphia and in the near loss to the Redskins.  Last week, Alfred Morris and Robert Griffin racked up over 240 yards on the ground. 

The Cowboys will miss Murray's in-game durability.  That sounds awkward, given that he's out of the lineup, but prior to the foot sprain, Dallas was using Murray in the same way the team once used Emmitt Smith.  Murray could become the focal point of a series and carry the team for half a dozen snaps.  Look at the first five snaps from the Cowboys' initial 2nd-half drive in that Giants win:

-- pass short right to Murray for 9 yards.
-- Murray run left for 2 yards.
-- pass left to Murray for no gain.
-- Murray run off left tackle for 9 yards.
-- Murray left end for 4 yards.

Murray muscled Dallas from their 20 to their 44.  With better field position, Garrett opened up the playbook, throwing four straight passes that landed the Cowboys in New York's end zone.  Felix Jones and Phillip Tanner have their strong points, but neither has the overall inside-outside rushing and receiving chops that Murray offers.  The Cowboys will have to use a lot more situational rotating, or alternate backs by series, in order to get the same effect.  The backups' respective weaknesses, Tanner's as a receiver and Jones' as an inside, consecutive-down rusher, prevent Dallas from running a no huddle.  That option exists when Murray is in the lineup.

Receiving Targets Up, Receiving Targets Down

Earlier this week, I wondered if the team could again count on Kevin Ogletree, who had a game-changing 114 yards of receptions in that game?  He beat New York's linebackers running from the slot and he torched starter Corey Webster with a double move to close that Murray-ignited 3rd quarter drive.  Ogletree has been erratic lately, troubled by drops.   He'll likely get more chances in this game, because I don't see New York offering him much attention.

In that opener, they gave most of their medium and short coverage to Jason Witten.  Witten was a very effective decoy, drawing a safety and a linebacker despite being rusty and weak.  Witten played purely on courage.  He could not make effective blocks at the point of attack.  Some of those whiffs meant the difference between modest gains and big plays.  Witten also lacked his usual zip running routes. 

That Witten lives in the past.  Check his September vs. October splits:

September:  3 games, 10 catches, 76 yards, 3.3 catches per game, 25.3 yds. per game.
October: 3 games, 25 catches, 244 yards, 8.3 catches per game, 81.3 yds. per game

He's tripled his output since the Tampa Bay game. That means the Giants will have to double cover him again.  But that also means Witten may still make some big plays, in spite of the anticipated attention. 

A key to Dallas success will be getting one of the Ogletree, Dez Bryant duo to play an up game.  Miles Austin has been the steady Eddie, catching 67 yards or more of passes in every contest so far.  He should make his usual share of plays. Conversely, Dez and Ogletree have provided all or nothing, alternating huge outputs with games where they don't gain 20 yards. 

Watch how the Cowboys attack the Giants left cornerback Corey Webster.  He's been New York's best for a while, but Webster has struggled in 2012.  Ogletree lit him up and Bryant beat him deep  in that contest.  He's been targeted by most Giants opponents this campaign, with success. 

The Giants like to play a lot of zone and it will be interesting to see how Dallas challenges Webster and the safety on his side.  Witten can keep Kenny Phillips, who is nursing a knee injury (watch the injury reports on him) in the middle of the field with posts and seams, isolating Webster on Austin.  Jason Garrett can also deploy three receiver sets, with Witten and Ogletree on the left and Austin and Bryant on the right.  This look gets Dez one-on-one, and pits Ogletree against New York's third corner Jayron Hosley. 

When the Cowboys spread the field, watch the match-up inside between Miles Austin and Prince Amukamara.  The 2nd year Giants corner missed the opener and his return has helped repair New York's leaky secondary.  Amukamara slides inside on nickel downs and has played very well there. 

Next:  How the match-ups play out for the Sean Lee-deficient Dallas defense.

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What I'm Hearing: How Low Can the Big 10 Go?

Ziggy Ansah

The latest canvass of Cowboys Nation sources finds that NFL talent evaluators are down on Big 10 talent. The most surprising note came from one source who said that the conference has no more than mid to late round picks at the skill positions.

"When was the last time big time skill position players came out of the conference?" I heard.  "You can look at Rashard Mendenhall and Santonio Holmes.  They've been good NFL players but not spectacular ones. There have been some good linemen in recent years.  You can point to J.J. Watt, but the conference has been down and it's really down as a whole this year."

The source continued with a review of the top conference skill position players from 2012, saying, "you can look at Silas Redd.  He was probably the most dynamic player in the conference last year.  He transfers to USC and he's been good there, but nowhere near as good as he had been made out to be.  Take Montee Ball from Wisconsin.  You're hyping this guy up and he seems to be hitting his stride,but that's because he's playing the Big 10.  You look at his out-of-conference games and they were not that good."

He concluded his report of the conference by saying, "I''ve talked to a few people who feel there's better skill position players in the MAC and the Sun Belt."

     *     *     *     *     *

I'm hearing the early 2013 draft depth is at running back and quarterback.  The top talent in the first round right now is at pass rusher, and if some well-regarded underclassmen declare, DE/OLB could be a loaded position.

BYU's Ziggy Ansah got a lot of love from NBC and NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock during the Notre Dame vs. BYU broadcast last Saturday and it appears Mayock has company.  "He's 6'6", 260 lbs. and he's big enough to play some base end in a 4-3, and athletic to be a 3-4 rush linebacker," I was told.  "He's not overly productive yet, but he's just learning to play football." 

"A lot of scouts didn't know who he was coming into the year but he's 6'6", 260 and he runs a 4.5.  He's a freaky athlete who hasn't played much football, so the Jason Pierre-Paul comparisons are coming out right now.  And people are looking at this athlete as a possible 1st-round talent.   I think he could be one of the folk heroes of this year's draft."

     *     *     *     *     * 

The safety class is reported as being decent at the moment and I'm told NFL teams are more receptive to considering big cornerbacks as free safeties.  The Seahawks success with their king-sized secondary has many teams thinking about copying their approach.

"They have a strange look," I heard.  "They have massive 6'4" corners, and a massive strong safety in Kam Chancellor and a little guy who can run at free safety in Earl Thomas.  The big thing with Seattle is that all four of them can cover in man-to-man.  Chancellor is a bit stiff, but he can really press in the red zone and in tight areas."

     *     *     *     *     *

Notes from college and the NFL

-- There are concerns that South Carolina RB Marcus Lattimore can handle every-down work in the NFL.  The leggy running back reminds some people of Darren McFadden, who has had trouble staying healthy.  The concern is that Lattimore seeks out contact more than McFadden and that he could wear down with heavy duty.

--  I'm hearing a consensus is growing that the Eagles will never be able to close the deal with Michael Vick.  He brings all the athleticism but he's not viewed as a player who can overcome his tendency to make mistakes, at this later stage of his career.

-- Conversely, a few are bullish on Minnesota's Christian Ponder, who is viewed as a young QB who can get more from less.  His receiving corps underwhelms and I'm told Ponder is seen as somebody who can really take off if he gets better weapons to catch his passes.

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Scouting Report Week 8 - New York Giants

Scouting the Giants

This series is all about the next opponent. Just like the players, we have to move on. This Sunday at 4:25 PM EDT on FOX, we do round two with the New York Giants at Cowboys Stadium. Dallas leads the series 52-37-0, having a 30-16-0 home record. The home record is misleading as the Giants have never lost in the (our) new stadium. We owned them from 1974 - 1980 winning 12 straight and they won 6 straight from 1988 - 1990. I like the current historical data (thank you again MCubed.net) where the Cowboys are are on a 1-0-0 overall streak.

The GMen are well coached, motivated and playing at a high level. After being blindsided by a huge effort (and defeat) by the Cowboys the first game of the season the notoriously slow starting Giants have gone on a 5-1 tear losing a close one to the Eagles in Week 4.

QB - Eli Manning. For three quarters Eli is a very good quarterback. In the 4th quarter Manning elevates his game. Eli is tough, a pocket passer who has developed an adept touch on his deep ball and excellent chemistry with his WR corps. Don't let the goofy kid look fool you for an instant. This man is a team leader and an elite talent. As with any Elite QB you have to consistently pressure, hit, sack him in order to beat him. Pocket containment is also an issue has he can, and will run, though he looks to pass first like any elite talent.

WR – Victor Cruz, Hakeem Nix, Domenik Dixon, Ruben Randle and Marty B comprise the group and they are a handful. Bennett is the wild card and he seems to be finding his way under the leadership of the veteran laden Giants (to the chagrin of CowboysNation fans). Coming off a 79 yard game against the Redskins, Marty has 25 receptions for 305 yards and 3 TD's. That is one TD less than he had in his entire career in Dallas. Give the man his due. He is a load as a blocker and even though he still will drop a pass, Eli keeps coming to him and it is working. With the loss of Sean Lee the middle of the field potentially becomes the open sore it was last year. As good as Cruz and Hicks are, Bennett is the match up that will test us the most, in the running and the passing game.

RB – Bradshaw, Hynoski, Brown and Wilson are the names we know with the rookie Wilson being the newest addition. Will Bradshaw play? Regardless of his recurring feet issues it would take Mack Trucks in tandem to keep Bradshaw out of this game. Look for him to get 12-15 touches per his Redskins performance last week. Regardless of the presence of Bennett, Dallas should be able to stop the Giants run game early. If we get behind late in the game that will be another matter.

OL – Not being the best run blocking unit Coughlin has had, they do a good job of protecting the QB. That and the fact Manning has excellent footwork in the pocket with a quick release. With 37 years combined experience this line has seen it all. Rob Ryan hopes to show them a few new wrinkles come Sunday.

Defensive Backfield – The return of Prince Amakumara alleviates many of the problems this unit faced early in the season when 5' 9" Justin Tyron ,(their 5th DB) was forced into a starting role. That is not the case now with both starting CB's being a solid 6'. We will be facing a crew will give up some plays, but specialize in take-a-ways. They love to capitalize on tipped balls and forced throws courtesy of their aggressive front seven. Tony Romo will have to be at his very best or this game will fall into the hands of this opportunistic group.

Defensive Front Seven – You know the names. You know the players. I am not going to waste time repeating earned and deserved superlatives. They can, and do, bring the heat. That being said, this year you can get to the outside on them in the running game. Traps, outside slants and counters are successful . Get to the outside between the 20's and find a way to punch it in once you reach the red zone. It will be a war in the trenches. Much will rest on the improved play of Doug Free. Has he turned the corner? Can we consistently run to both sides now? Will Costa be able to go?

Special Teams – Being a member of the 18th rated Special Teams Corps that rates especially dangerous on kick offs, Dominek Hixon and David Wilson can hurt you. They have moves and speed. Either one can get the ball up the field as they both move north/south very well. The Defensive Special Team brings consistent pressure and have just missed some big plays by the punt team. The Dallas Special Teams need to be extremely disciplined and keep protection solid as well as get up the field in their lanes during coverage. Cowboys Rookie Gunner, RB Dunbar, as well as Special Teams ace McCray, will be players to watch. The Giants RB Wilson will, (as we fondly remember) put the ball on the ground. He did it in college and he has continued in the pros. We should be in his head. We need to capitalize on this..

Overview - We are not going to see a hobbled Victor Cruz, miniature defensive backfield or a confused Eli Manning this time around the dance floor. In a mirror match up, we have the injuries and they are coming in near full strength. With Lee out of the middle we are going to have to change our successful defensive 4-2 front and come up with different, and perhaps new, formations and schemes in order to shut down the run. As most of these games go in recent memory, this will be a war. It will come down to the 4th quarter. At that point we will find out how far each team has come.


Author: Steven Van Over

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Doc: Lee's Long-Term Game at Risk Without Surgery

The Dallas Cowboys have confirmed in the last hour that inside linebacker Sean Lee will undergo season-ending surgery to repair damaged toe ligaments.  I spoke with CN's medical advisor Dr. Luis Rios earlier in the evening about the risks involved with torn toe ligaments.  He offered his opinion before the full extent of Lee's injury was known, but the risks he outlined explain the team's decision:

Rios: There's a difference between an ACL reconstruction and a toe injury or a thumb injury.  That's a bigger ligament in the knee, and the doctors use a piece of the patellar tendon, which has a richer blood supply, it's a lot heartier.  That's why those guys come back so fast and in many cases stronger.

With these little [toe] ligaments, there's not a lot of substance.  It's a fleck of a ligament.  They're very small but they're crucial, because there's all the power in your toe. 

It's not like an ACL where you're sure they come back.  If they don't treat it in the optimum time frame, they're taking a risk.

The problem with torn ligaments if you don't repair them quickly is that they can shrink.  If you keep playing on it and it shrinks down, then when you go in for a repair it's harder to stretch it out to its previous size.  When you're dealing with a small ligament, the risk increases.

As I see it, he's not going to be the same player as before if he tries gutting it out, if the reports [of multiple tears] are correct.  You're better off with a healthy player in his place, even if that guy is not as good as a healthy Sean Lee.  He's not going to be able to explode and push off and generate power through a tackle when he's trying to take somebody down...

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Cowboys Injury Update

Steven Van Over SportsTalkLine.com
Sean Lee

BREAKING NEWS

Nick Eatman on Twitter.com is reporting that Sean Lee could be out with season ending toe surgery. We will get you more updates as we can.

This is a huge blow to the Dallas D. You lose a leader as well as the talent drop off. Will the Cowboys quit or will the other players step up? All good questions, right now it just hurts.

Nick Eatman's actual tweet states

@nickeatman : Sean Lee could be out for the season. Inside LB might need season-ending toe surgery.

Usage of the word "might" must be noted.

UPDATE:

7:23 PM - Eatman posted his article.  Minimum two weeks, worst case scenario out for the season. Hard to say if the lead quote is jumping the gun or a probability put forth by the team. I am certain Raf will have better insight after he checks with CowboysNation resources. Check back!

7:46 PM - Jason La Confora reporting via Twitter that a decision is due by Wednesday concerning the surgery.


Author: Steven Van Over

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Cowboys 1/2 & 1/2 Week 8 - JG HC or OC?

Which Half is OC & Which Half HC?

In this series we acknowledge that it is a bit to soon to fully let go of the previous game while still being curious about what is approaching in the coming week. So we look back and talk about what was, then peer forward and see what we can take into the next game with us. Without further ado let’s try on some 1/2 and 1/2.

First, I must state it is more desirable to look back at an ugly win (let's all agree on it being just that) versus looking back on any kind of loss. I was able to watch ESPN on Monday and Tuesday instead of later in the week when I could handle the emotional angst of watching analytic breakdowns of another loss that should have been a win. It is easier to discuss another dropped TD pass (thank you Dez) when the end result is a plus in the win column. Coffee taste better and the weather is nicer. Such are the vagaries of victory.

Speaking of the weather, instead of using a unit or player breakdown grouping, lets equate the state of all things Cowboys in a manner we use on a daily basis, the weather!

Putting the Carolina vs Cowboys Game Behind Us

Rays of Sunshine -  Tony Romo had a few miscues, but overall was excellent. Witten and Austin seem to be getting into rhythm with their QB as the improved OLine play is giving Tony time, space and throwing lanes. Doug Free looked the best he has since the last time he played RT. We showed our RB depth and it was necessary, as Felix dinged his shoulder early, though he was able to return, Tanner got extra snaps and did his job. Dunbar was excellent on Special Teams, which is the path for a 3rd RB onto the game day roster. With him also having the potential to add a speed dimension to the backfield, Dunbar is an exciting addition.

The defensive front 4 were able to totally collapse the Carolina pocket on several occasions with pressure up the middle as well as from the edge. This pressure led directly to Morris Claiborne's first interception of his career. If you're going to make your first interception you may as well make it in the opposing team's end zone and make it a drive killer. The rookie is having a solid season. For a CB that is amazing. When healthy the LB corps, in conjunction with the DL can stop the run, period. Spencer is critical to the effort.

Slightly Cloudy with Scattered Showers - The difference in salaries notwithstanding, Dez Bryant and Kevin Oggletree might as well be the same player on the field when you look at production. 'nuff said.

Heavy Lightning w/Tornado Warning - We should have been able to put nails in the coffin instead of letting Carolina back in the game and managing to squeak out a win. The JG / Tony Romo time-management blunder? It very well could have (should have?) been Ravens groundhog day. This is inexcusable and speaks volumes about the HC/OC mantle and it's effect on this team. The actions have to change or you have to change the people involved. The clock is ticking.

Looking Forward to the Cowboys vs Giants

Rays of Sunshine - We beat them in their house in Week One. At the Meadowlands we took it to them and won the game. Yes, I realize that, technically, that is the same information twice. I just really like saying it. Unlike in previous years we have the ability to compete with their WR corps, we have the ability to stop the running game and we can put pressure, even sack, Eli Manning.

The league has been able to run against the Giants Defense on the edge. They do not match up well against a group of taller receivers and are susceptible to the big play. Cook has faced them once already and performed admirably. Our OLine should be able to make space on the edge in the running game as well as give Romo an improved pocket and throwing lanes.

Scattered Showers with Sunshine by Evening - Dare I say it? We are showing improved special teams play. Out of bounds opening kick offs and bone-head punt returns noted, we are tackling and holding lanes. We are getting the job done. Bailey is a keeper.

Threatening Thunder Clouds - This is not the same GMen WR corps that we faced in Week 1. They have found their groove and so has their QB. We won't be seeing dropped passes or the QB on a different page than the WR. At their most dangerous in the 4th quarter, these are the World Champions. However, we started the architecture of a Defensive Backfield that can compete. Safety issues aside, how far has this group come in relation to the resurgence of the Week One Giants WR corps?

Force 3 Tornado Sister Twisters - At the risk of repeating myself (ok, I am repeating myself) in-game management performance has to be elevated, period. Keeping on topic, we need a HC, not a "1/2 and 1/2 hybrid". What say you CowboysNation?

Author: Steven Van Over

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Questions: The Receiver Edition

Some troubling questions loom as Giants week begins.  Most of them center on the receivers position.

At the four week mark, I named the receiving corps, the three wideouts and Jason Witten, as the most under-performing unit on the team.   They had competition.  The offensive line had been dire to that point.  The safeties were all over the place. 

Bill Callahan's line has bounced back, run blocking superbly against Baltimore.  The line was air-tight against Carolina.  How much has this unit's perception changed when Phil Costa is suddenly viewed as an important player, and his injury lamented? 

The receivers remain the biggest hole on this team.  Witten has recovered from his spleen injury and has looked like himself the last two games.  Tony Romo has sought out Miles Austin more and one fumble in Carolina aside, number 19 has delivered. 

The other two?  There's the rub.  Dez Bryant runs hot and cold, and has a scoring pass drop streak that now stretches over three games.  He's either getting T.O.-in-'08 like attempt numbers, or very little.  See the Ravens and Panthers games for evidence.  A baker's dozen of grabs against the Ravens, and two last week.  He was fuzzy headed on Sunday, after taking a shot to the back of the head on a punt return. 

How much of the decline was due to Tony Romo deciding to dial in his two dependable targets and to de-emphasize his two nutty ones?

In week one, the Giants challenged Romo to beat them throwing to Ogletree.  On several key 3rd downs, Ogletree drew New York's 4th wideout, and beat that defender.  Four times, Jason Garrett called a double slant route combo between Witten and Ogletree and each time Ogletree got the ball and made the grab. 

I can see New York dusting that game plan off and repeating it.  Austin and Witten deserve attention.  Dez remains his flighty self, but he'll hurt you if you ignore him. 

If the Giants coverage dictates more throws to Ogletree, will Romo again feed him the ball in key situations.  And do you have an ounce of faith that he'll deliver this time around?

Which brings me to the final, most frightening question.  This is the time of the year when Jerry goes receiver crazy.  This is when he panicked and made the Roy Williams deal in '08.  He's seemingly never met a wild and crazy receivers deal he would not at least consider. 

The trade deadline is not far away.  Will the front office contain itself this time, or will the erratic receivers play send Jerry and Stephen out looking for a remedy? 

Too many receivers questions, with no obvious and positive answers. 

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Cowboys vs Panthers Game Book

Game Book

We are changing the Game Book post around. Instead of a preview of the next weeks match we are dissecting the NFL.com Game Book that becomes available after the contest. Our purpose is to review, point out revealing statistical information and to discourse on what it all means.

What a game it was. As Tony Romo stated in his post-game interview

"No road game in the NFL is ... where you can just go in and think, we got this one. Every road game is a dog fight...."

There would be no argument from anyone who watched the game. Before we dive into the NFL.com Game Book, a few personal observations from the notes taken during the game.

When all the parts are available the Ryan D can shut an Offense down. Critical positions are thin however for when a part is not available (Lee, Spencer, Church). The fall off is not as precipitous as it was last year, however it is still a big drop. When Conner comes in for Lee the passing game is instantly vulnerable in the middle of the field. When Spencer is out we have issues holding the strong side edge.

Once Dallas gets the Safety position upgraded this Defense will become intimidating. Yes, the Safety play matters that much. A perfect example happened on the third play of the game. Cam Newton dropped back on 3rd and 7 looking for Steve Smith running a 10 yard inside route. Dallas totally collapsed the pocket (which was beautiful to see) and Newton was forced to release early and tried to strong arm the throw off his back foot as he was not able to step forward. The pass was off target and sailed by Smith landing at the feet of Gerald Sensabaugh who watched the entire play NEVER driving towards the ball. I repeat, he did NOT drive towards the ball. He seemed to be focused on the WR and was not aware of the ball until it was almost at his feet. Wonder why we don't have more take-a-ways? This is a big part of the reason.

Sensabaugh watching ball bounce at his feet

Various Game Book Items of Note

• James Hannah, listed as the #2 TE, has surpassed Phillips on the depth chart. His blocking must be improving. Is he part of the answer for the 3rd WR dilemma?
• Matt Johnson was again inactive. Hard to get on the field that way.
• Dallas uses it's full roster as once again Orton was the only player that did not see game action. (Sorry Tex) 
• Tony Romo opened 9-9 finishing with a 98.5 QB rating and zero turnovers (getting lucky one time).
• Oggletree does not seem to be the answer as the 3rd WR.
• Claiborne is in the books with his 1st interception, and it was in the end zone. Nice!
• The only Special Teams miscue was (again) on the 1st play of the game. Exactly how do you kick it out of bounds on the opening play?
• Miles Austin felt the defender behind him that caused his fumble, but was not quick enough securing the ball.
• Dallas had four 1st downs rushing and three by penalty. I'm not certain exactly what that says, but I am pretty sure it is not good.
• 43% 3rd down efficiency means  you are moving the ball. Our second possession 18 play drive was a thing of beauty and our longest such event of the season.
• 85 yards rushing means Felix Jones tried really hard. I saw a guy at Walmart who also was hustling. We need Murray back. Now.
• Other than the opening KO, Bailey was booming the ball. Late in the game, when we could not afford a Special Teams miscue, he booted kick offs out of the back of the end zone. Throw in the four field goals and the man was clutch.
• We dominated time of possession in all but the 2nd quarter with a final tally of 33:37 - 26:23. That's how you rest your D!
• Panthers had two 10 play drives and one 9 play drive. We stopped the 1st with the Claiborne interception and the other two resulted in TDs.
• Vickers had a nifty seven yard reception up the right sideline. The man can catch.
• Doug Free is learning "the Callahan way". Enjoy the ride.
• We have red zone issues. Can you spell "running game"?

Was this an ugly victory? It was a victory. How you describe it is based on viewpoint. Carolina stated (at various points) that they beat themselves. I think the Cowboys got the job done. If not for the 2nd quarter the game would have been ugly alright. A good ugly. In private the players have been quoted as saying they "are so close to being great". We were one quarter away from that yesterday. A win is a win. This one is in the books.

Author: Steven Van Over

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Snap Analysis, Cowboys vs. Panthers: Doug Runs Free

Perhaps the most positive aspect of yesterday's Cowboys win over Carolina, aside from Anthony Spencer's strong comeback performance at strongside outside linebacker, was the play of right tackle Doug Free.  The veteran had struggled in his transition back to right tackle after two seasons protecting Tony Romo's weak side.  Combined with his so-so 2011 play at left tackle, Free's slow 2012 had led many fans to wonder if he was the latest in a series of bad contracts which have troubled Dallas in recent years?

Free's performance yesterday suggests he may be coming around.  Free has struggled with a variety of pass and run blocking issues thus far.  In camp and in the opening games, he was vulnerable to inside counter rushes, where defenders would initially charge hard up the field.  Free would overextend trying to cut off the outside rush and could not anchor when his opponent cut inside of him.  Free also had trouble with quick bull rushers like the Bucs Michael Bennett, who abused Free with the old Jumpy Geathers "forklift" move, where Bennett would charge low, get into Free's pads, and lift him up, negating Free's ability to anchor.

On run downs, Free was the runt.  As I showed during the bye and last week after the Ravens game, running plays behind left tackle Tyron Smith averaged more than twice as many yards as those behind Free.  Dallas had become very one-handed, running the vast majority of its plays to the left.

Yesterday, that changed.  Free looked again like the quick, agile understudy who filled in so ably for Marc Colombo in 2009.  He was quick off the ball and got regular lateral movement on Panthers ends.  He was very good at getting out in space and attacking linebackers on the second level.

Here's one play from Dallas' first scoring drive which shows Free at his best.  The Cowboys face a 2nd and 10 in Carolina territory.  The Cowboys put a three receiver set on the field, with an overload to the left.  Two receivers and tight end Jason Witten flank the LT Smith:

Carolina over-shifts its line towards the Cowboys strong side, putting three of its four linemen on the right.  The Panthers are also cheating their strong safety from the slot towards the line of scrimmage. Notice how he's a few feet inside of slot receiver Miles Austin, ready to pounce on any run to his side.

Jason Garrett does call a run, but it's a stretch to the right, away from the congestion.  Success depends on Free's ability to get outside of the Panthers end who is playing wide of him.  Free makes a strong lateral first step, outflanking the end.  He then turns the defender inside with a right handed punch, which you can see in still two:

Free stays on his feet and makes some quick strides up the field, where he cuts off a pursuing tackle (94):

Free blocked two men and sealed the right edge for Felix Jones, who trucked nine yards to the sideline.  2nd-and-10 became 3rd-and-1, a very realistic down for the Cowboys these days. 

Free made several more blocks like this and held the right edge on pass plays, contributing to a sack free day the the Cowboys line. 

Free historically has struggled with coaching changes.  He was impressive as a rookie under Tony Sparano, but regressed badly in his first year under Hudson Houck.  Free finally turned things around in year two with Houck and was ready when Colombo broke his leg.  It appears that Free has made a similar slow start for new line coach Bill Callahan -- or so we can hope.

It's only one game, but the Cowboys need Free to continue this level of play.  Callahan has to replace injured center Phil Costa, whose injury will surely impact the inside run game.  Having the option of running left and right will make the Cowboys far less predictable and make the passing game more effective.

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Cowboys 19, Panthers 14: Just Enough

The injury bug bit the core of the Dallas Cowboys' offense and defense today.  Phil Costa left the game early with an ankle injury, after being stepped on by RG Mackenzy Bernadeau.  The injury left backup Ryan Cook to again quarterback the line.

Sean Lee left the game early in the 3rd quarter with a sprained toe, leaving Dan Connor to play the middle with the Cowboys iffy safeties.  Felix Jones left the game with a shoulder injury, though he returned to action in the second half.

The injuries weakened the Cowboys rushing game and their pass defense.  In addition, the miscues which have dogged this team all year persisted.  Kevin Ogletree dropped two more  passes.  Dez Bryant took a shot to the back of the head and played as if in a daze, dropping an end zone pass for a second consecutive game.  The defense committed two penalties on Carolina's second touchdown drive of the game, helping the Panthers grab a 14-13 lead halfway through the 4th.

This week, however, the Cowboys prevailed, because they made enough big plays in critical situations to wrest the game away.  Here are a few:

Josh Brent broke the Panthers pocket late in the 1st quarter when Carolina was inside the Dallas five.  Brent engulfed Cam Newton and forced a wobbly throw, which Morris Claiborne intercepted in the end zone.

Tony Romo shook off a critical miss to Austin on Dallas' first scoring drive of the game. Romo stayed with his primary and completed two beautiful throws on Dallas' lone touchdown drive of the day.  Romo converted a 3rd-and-8 with a dart to Austin, who exploded out of the left slot for 38 yards.  On Dallas' next play, Romo dropped a perfect fade into Austin's hands in the back left corner of the end zone, moving Dallas back into the lead at 10-7.

-- Connor made a critical stop on a 3rd-and-1 run on the series after Austin's TD.  This gave Dallas a chance to expand on their lead and they converted, pushing the lead to 13-7.  The Cowboys held Carolina to 20% on 3rd downs (2 of 10) keeping themselves among the league leaders in this category.

The Cowboys got quality performances from a few maligned starters, which helped them prevail in this ugly game.

-- Anthony Spencer was a rock on the strong side.  He stuffed some early Panthers runs to his edge and made some strong rushes in the 2nd half. His sack on the Panthers' final drive sealed the game.

-- Doug Free had his best game of the season by far.  He showed the quickness and second level speed that made him such a valuable replacement in 2009.  The Cowboys had success running wide to Free's side for the first time this year.

On the down side:

-- How long will it be before Andre Holmes replaces Kevin Ogletree?  The veteran keeps getting open, and he keeps dropping balls.  Tony Romo has not tuned him out, but I would not fault him if he did.

Ogletree had company from Dez Bryant, who dropped passes from scrimmage and made some poor decisions on punt returns.  He took a sharp blow to the back of the head on a first half return, and may have had a buzzing head the rest of the game.  Dwayne Harris played a lot of 3rd down snaps while Bryant was out.  Nonetheless, when you're on the field, you need to do you job,and Bryant was mostly invisible today, catching two balls for 14 yards.

The knucklehead is strong with these two, and that negative force needs to be neutralized if the team wants to improve.

Notes:  A big game for Dallas' front six.  The Panthers want to spread you out and run off zone reads with Johnathan Stewart and Cam Newton.  Newton made a couple of long runs on a scramble and on an option run.  Aside from that, Dallas contained the Panthers' rush with a 4-2 front, with or without Sean Lee.

Equally as important, the front four of Ware, Spencer, Jason Hatcher and Jay Ratliff got pressure on Newton without help.  This let Ryan keep the safeties deep and negate any deep throws.  Carolina had success with a slant route to Steve Smith off of zone read action, but never established a rhythm throwing down the field.

-- Good kicks by Dan Bailey and punter Brian Moorman.  Bailey was perfect on his field goals and knocked his kickoffs out of the end zone, protecting the brittle coverage teams.  Moorman's punts were deep and on the sidelines, and helped his coverage teams have a strong day.  Moorman netted 48.3 yards on his four attempts.

-- Another incremental step forward for the offensive line.  The rushing average crashed down to earth, after last week's feast in Baltimore.  The line did keep Romo clean today, preventing the Panthers from sacking Romo.

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