The Warmup: Playoff Edition

It’s official: The Dallas Cowboys 13-year playoff victory drought is OVER! Last weekend the Cowboys did what only few other teams have done in the NFL, they defeated an opponent for the third time in one season. Dallas claimed their third win over division foe Philadelphia Saturday night allowing them to advance to the next round of the NFL Playoffs.

The Cowboys will be headed to Minnesota to take on Brett Favre and the second-seeded Vikings in one of the loudest stadiums in the country. The Vikings showed a little weakness headed toward the end of their schedule, but they ended nicely with an absolute rout of the New York Giants to finish off the regular season.

The Cowboys continued to fire on all cylinders in the third meeting with the Eagles, and they will have to keep up the pace if they are going to beat a Minnesota team who has yet to lose a game at home this season. With Favre at Quarterback, and it being this late in the season… you really don’t know what you’re going to get?

The point of view I am taking is that this game will come down to one stat. That stat has everything to with the defense… but it is offensive: The number of yards rushing that Adrian Peterson will have when the game is over. This, in my mind, will be the statistic that will tell the story of how this game turned out. The lower the number, the better the chances for Dallas to come out on top.

There are many important factors to think about besides the one facet of the game that I will be focusing on, and here’s a few more stats to look for Sunday afternoon:

• The run/pass ratio from Minnesota
• The turnover margin (especially Favre, he throws INTs this time of year)
• The number of sacks by Dallas

This game is all about whether or not Dallas can continue to feed off that intensity on the defensive side of the ball that has just destroyed everything in its path the last month. I say this because on the offensive side of the ball, Dallas matches up well and I believe they will score points. Minnesota was exposed by Chicago and Carolina late in the season first with Carolina’s dominant running; then Jay Cutler lighting up the secondary on Monday Night Football… JAY CUTLER!?

This matchup is all about the Dallas defense taking on a potent Minnesota offense… but limiting the rushing attack, and getting to a QB that can be gotten to could be the way to win. We will find out in only a few days fellow Dallas fans.

GO COWBOYS!

Goodbye to the regular season, and hello to the playoffs people! It’s time for The Warmup. On Sunday afternoon, the Dallas Cowboys won their second NFC East title in three years and they did it by dominating a divisional opponent who was thought by many to be the best team in the NFC.

The Cowboys defense absolutely gave the Eagles offense their toughest game all year, no doubt about it. The Dallas offense was just as prolific as it had been the previous two weeks in road wins against Washington and New Orleans. Tony Romo finished the season with the most attempts, completions and yards passing ever by a Cowboys quarterback. This season was also the most prolific in yardage for any Cowboys team ever assembled.

The reward… A THIRD EAGLES MATCHUP! On Saturday night, the Cowboys will welcome the very same team they defeated twice this year, most recently Sunday in a 24-0 win. The conventional wisdom seems to be that it is always more difficult to defeat a team three times in a season, but it was just done last year when the Steelers defeated the Ravens in the playoffs… and eventually won the Super Bowl.

The rematch, in my opinion, could go one of two ways: a very close game in which Dallas is likely to be the winner; or a repeat of what happened only a few days ago. I say this for two reasons: First, the defense of the Cowboys has now pitched two straight shutouts, and that type of play just doesn’t shift overnight, so it’s safe to say the defense will continue their aggressive attack on McNabb and contain the big play. Second, Romo has seemed to turn a corner this year, his career low 9-interceptions this year, combined with his performances against the Eagles twice and the game against New Orleans. He has evolved as a Quarterback, and hopefully put the Big-Game woes behind him.

A very important point that should not go unnoticed for this weekend’s rematch, and also relating to offensive play overall, the need to “finish drives” will be key. Dallas must make sure that when they drive the ball 60+yds down the field and get into Philadelphia territory, that they score… TOUCHDOWNS. Field Goals can come back to haunt you, and turnovers are just unacceptable when you get that close.

Continuing to be aggressive on the defensive side of the ball, and finishing on offensive side of the ball… Dallas should have a great chance of making it to the next round of the playoffs.

In an absolute stunner, the Dallas Cowboys went to the Superdome and played what could arguably have been their best game since they defeated the undefeated Colts a few years ago. This was quite a performance by a team that absolutely had to get a win… and boy did they ever!

The Cowboys will head to the Nation’s Capital tonight where they will face a reeling Redskins team that was embarrassed by their NFC East rival New York Giants on Monday Night Football. This is one of those divisional games where Dallas should win… but one where conventional wisdom doesn’t always prevail.

Tony Romo’s play the last few weeks has been phenomenal, and if he can continue to throw ZERO interceptions in these latest December games, then that is certainly a critical part of getting to their tenth win on the season. Eli Manning and his core of wide-outs had their way with the Washington Secondary for pretty much most of that game on Monday Night, and Romo can certainly take advantage much the same way in order to build an early lead on the road.

This is not a guaranteed win, no game ever is, so the Cowboys will have to make sure they don’t look ahead to a very critical game in against another divisional opponent that could decide the NFC East Champion of this season. This is a very important game because it is on the road, in the division, and it could help Dallas clinch a playoff spot… so the Cowboys must stay focused on this week, and this week only.

I can’t say that Washington really has any strengths that present any major problems, with the lone exception being that they did come down to Texas and give the Cowboys a very difficult four quarters of football. In the end, Dallas was victorious, and this Sunday night Dallas should be able to put up big offensive numbers against a Redskins team that looked just pitiful Monday Night. The Dallas Defense should go after Campbell, early and often, so as to not let him get into any type of rhythm. This game could get ugly early, and if that is the case… let’s hope it gets ugly for the home team.

This is it people… it is officially time to be in “panic mode!” Who would have thought that less than a month after winning half the games in a regular season and appearing to be in the driver’s seat in the NFC East, the Dallas Cowboys would be in grave danger of missing the playoffs? Did I say “grave danger?” As Col. Jessup said in one of my favorites, “A Few Good Men”… is there any other kind?
The Cowboys have lost back-to-back games by an average of 5pts… FIVE POINTS. The fact of the matter is that the Dallas Cowboys outplayed the New York Giants, period. The fact of the matter is that the Dallas Cowboys had multiple opportunities to put the game against the Chargers in their control, period. However, the most important fact to take away from the last few weeks is this: the Dallas Cowboys lost those two games because they could not, I repeat COULD NOT make the “big play.”

Think about the most important plays in those last two games that resulted in losses for the Cowboys: Brandon Jacobs’ +50yd TD, and the Goal-Line stand by the Chargers. The ability of the opposing team to make the big play, coupled with the inability of Dallas to make the big play have put them at a disadvantage, which has added to their trend of December woes.

The Cowboys are in a real crisis now, considering the opponent that they are about to come face-to-face with: the undefeated New Orleans Saints. The Saints have yet to lose a game and for most of the season they have been able to dispose of teams with ease. However, the last few weeks have seen the Saints nearly give up the run at 16-0 to both the Redskins and the Falcons. The Saints were able to pull out victories, but nonetheless these close wins reveal that they are not invincible. Dallas will have to figure out a way to expose whatever vulnerability Washington and Atlanta were able to exploit.

The current predicament for the Dallas Cowboys is a familiar one, so I don’t think anyone should be surprised. I posed a question in my blog last week that I thought mattered most: Is there a sense of urgency? I believe there is, but with DeMarcus Ware now suffering a lingering neck injury, there is serious doubt about what exactly will unfold on the defensive side of the ball.

Ware wants to play, according to an ESPN report, but Dallas might be wise to get him healthy for the next two games, which are divisional and are of a slightly greater importance in terms of making the playoffs. I will by no means write off the Cowboys, but things are getting dicey at this point in time, and we have seen this December movie before… it hasn’t had a cheerful ending in a very long time… but maybe this year will be different.

GO COWBOYS!!

December is upon us, and this could be a brutal winter for the Dallas Cowboys considering the schedule that awaits them starting Sunday. The first thing that the Cowboys have to do is forget about that absolutely awful game at the Meadowlands on Sunday. The quicker Romo and company focus on San Diego, the better.

San Diego is on an absolute tear and has been for several weeks. After a very rocky start in the season, they are now leading the division and head into JerryWorld with all the momentum and confidence of a perennial championship favorite with arguably the most talent in the NFL. There is no question that this will be a very difficult test for the Dallas Cowboys in all phases of their game. The strengths of San Diego on offense and defense are in the passing game. Phillip Rivers has passed for more than 3,000 yards, over 20 TDs, and has only 6 INTs on the season. The Cowboys secondary will have to step up if they want a chance in this game.

The run game for Dallas will have an opportunity to thrive as the Chargers are vulnerable brining a lackluster 21st ranked run defense into Dallas. Jason Garrett must utilize Felix Jones and capitalize on his speed and potential game-breaking play abilities. This could be the key to a Dallas victory, and this Sunday… it is ALL ABOUT THE RUN GAME.

Tony Romo will need to do his best to protect the football against a ball-hocking San Diego defense that brings with it a turnover ratio that rests in the top ten. They have 11 interceptions and Romo cannot afford to add to their total on Sunday. Aside from the number of yards that Dallas has on the ground… the turnover margin could be the most important statistic of this game.

Sunday is going to tell everyone a great deal about the Dallas Cowboys. Can they rebound after a crushing loss? Can they beat a team with a better record then their own? Are they good enough to compete with one of the AFC’s top tier? Will December be another bad month?

The question I think is most significant will also be answered: Is there a sense of urgency?

We’ll find out Sunday!

GO COWBOYS!

After a couple of off-weeks for the offense, the Cowboys were finally able to get it together on Thanksgiving and hold onto their lead in the NFC East. This Sunday, a major test awaits Dallas as they head to New York to face division foe Eli Manning and the Giants.

Sunday’s game comes at a crucial point in the season for Romo and company, especially because of their recent history. The last few years in Dallas have been marred by brutal Decembers for America’s Team, and many feel that Dallas must reverse that trend in order to become a contender for post-season success.

The New York Giants started out like wildfire, but have since cooled off, losing five of their last six, including a bruising loss to the Broncos on Thanksgiving. The Giants offense managed less than 300 total yards and the Broncos defense never let up; while Denver offense rushed for over 130-yards with their one-two combination.

The Giants are 3-2 at home this season; and Eli appears to be suffering a lingering foot injury that could complicate things for him against a ferocious Dallas defensive unit that will be looking to disrupt the QB all day long. The rush game for New York has averaged over 100-yards this season, so the Cowboys must be prepared to stop Brandon Jacobs for four quarters of football.

The key for Dallas on Sunday will be whether or not they can run the ball effectively against New York. This is where the Giants are vulnerable on defense, and if Dallas can use the “Three-Headed-Monster” to its full potential, this will provide Romo with some big-play opportunities; which could break the game wide-open.

This is an extremely important game for Dallas, and New York for that matter. The Eagles are keeping pace and sitting just a mere one-game back behind the Cowboys in the division; and a Giants win could put them right back in the thick of the division race, not to mention they would own the tiebreaker since they defeated Dallas back in Week 2. If the Cowboys can come out of Giants Stadium with a victory, this could be the start of a very eventful and uplifting December for a squad that has not shined late in the year the last few seasons.

GO COWBOYS!

Back at home. Back on track?

The win streak is over, and boy was it painful to watch! However, there’s no better way to get over a tough loss than by getting a division opponent at home… a division opponent who is three games below .500 and has yet to get a win in said division.

The Washington Redskins arrive Sunday for their first game at “Jerry-World” and Dallas has a unique opportunity to wipe away the stain of Sunday’s debacle by reasserting their position in the NFC East with a victory over the DC rivals. The Redskins are a mediocre 3-6, although they did beat a Broncos team that had defeated the Cowboys a month prior; and they bring the top-rated pass defense in the NFL. On the offensive side of the ball though, this is a team that ranks in the bottom half of numerous key statistics. The road record of the Redskins also should give Cowboys’ fans some optimism… they are 0-4 on the road this season.

Dallas should look at the Denver game this past Sunday and think about how best to defeat the Redskins in terms of controlling the tempo of the game. The Redskins has over 150yds rush and Campbell had no interceptions. The Redskins also benefited from Kyle Orton’s exit in the game… especially after he absolutely tore them up on two bombs to Brandon Marshall. Dallas needs the big play this week, and how!

There must be dramatic improvement in the run game this week, the “three-headed monster” mustered up a less than dominant 61 yards on the ground. The run game will be key for two reasons: First, it is the weaker part of the Washington defense; and second, it will provide Garrett and Romo with the opportunities to take chances on the big play by opening up the field.

There will be some hurdles for any offensive (and defensive) game plan to provide Dallas with the chance for success. The Offensive Line comes in a little banged up, including the loss of significant loss of Marc Colombo. Colombo may not see action for the rest of the 2009 season, this will without a doubt test the stability running game. The other pressing obstacle that has really hurt Dallas, and it hurt them Sunday, are the PENALTIES. They are one of the most penalized teams in the league and the game in Green Bay did not help their cause.

If this team wants any chance of having a successful second half, they must do everything they can to play smart football in order to win those games down the stretch in late November and December that will really define for everyone whether Dallas’ win streak was just that… a streak.

GO COWBOYS!!

Don’t look now, but the Dallas Cowboys have now played half their 2009 season and are clearly in the driver’s seat for the NFC East after a bruising victory Sunday night over dreaded nemesis Philadelphia. It doesn’t get any easier though, as this Sunday, the Cowboys travel a bit further north to (with a Berman”esque” voice) Lammmbeauuuu Field to take on Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers.

The past few weeks we learned a great deal about this Dallas Cowboys team:

• They can beat teams of a high caliber in the NFC (Philadelphia, Atlanta)

• They can avoid the so-called “trap-game” (Seattle)

• They can overcome adversity and find a way to win (Kansas City)

These points say quite a lot about the Cowboys this year and with each win, I think every fan should grow more and more confident in their ability to play meaningful football in late December, and dare I say it… January and beyond. However, before getting to far into the future, let’s take a look at what we can hope to see out of this team on Sunday.

The Competition

The Packers are less than impressive this year but make no mistake, they can certainly throw a wrench into the four-game win streak that Dallas has enjoyed over the past month. Though the Packers are a mere .500 on the season (4-4), Aaron Rodgers is hurling bombs all over the football field and they are going for six-points as far as the eye can see. Rodgers is averaging over 280ypg and he has thrown 16 TDs including a couple of +70-yarders. This is where Dallas must look if they want to prevent, what I think, would be a critical loss that could deflate an otherwise jubilant mood at Valley Ranch.

The Cowboys were able to hold the Eagles to a mere 16 pts; and as I mentioned in my blog, the Eagles had been successful when scoring 20+ (with the exception of their blowout loss to NO). Dallas was able to keep Donovan and crew from hitting the “big play” and without that capability, the Eagles offense was rendered pretty much less than successful aside from one big screen pass to McCoy that went for 45 yards. The key to winning this game will be keeping Rodgers from making the big play, because a couple of 70 yard passes to Jennings and that would certainly not bode well for Dallas.

Keys to Victory

There are two things left that I will say about what Dallas needs to do to ensure the best chance at victory.

1. Continue to protect the football. Tony Romo did have one giveaway against the Eagles, but they face a Packers team that has twelve interceptions on the season, so adding anymore to their total could be costly.

2. This team absolutely has to do something about the ridiculous penalties that they’re committing game-in and game-out. These are not only numerous, but they come at the most in-opportune times for the Cowboys. Being on the wrong side of either of those statistics on Sunday could mean the win-streak ends at four.

GO COWBOYS!!

With their confidence brimming and a 3-game win streak in hand, the Dallas Cowboys will be playing the 1st “biggest game” of the 2009 season. On Sunday night, Tony Romo and company head to Lincoln Financial Field to face a very formidable, and recently dominant looking Philadelphia Eagles team that is also sitting at 5-2. There’s no doubt that this game will certainly show the entire league how the latter half of the season could play out in terms of who comes out atop the NFC East after week 17.

Looking at the offensive numbers… this game has the makings of a high scoring affair. The Eagles are the third in scoring and Dallas brings the second ranked YPG averaging over 400 yards of offense. This is an extremely important point that goes to the heart of this matchup: the Eagles are 3-1 at home this year and in those 3 wins they scored more than thirty points; and in their only loss at home, they scored under thirty… a 48-22 loss to New Orleans in week 2.

The last few weeks Dallas has been able to put together a couple of impressive wins and wins are always a good thing in the NFL. However, Sunday night will have two key differences from the previous two weeks for this seemingly rejuvenated Cowboys squad. The first difference is that their opponent will be an Eagles team that is just as familiar with them as they are with it. The second difference is that they will be playing ON THE ROAD. Dallas is 2-1 on the road; but road wins against Tampa and KC (in overtime mind you) are not something to get too excited about.

Dallas would do well to keep this thought in mind: the New York Giants reminded you of what will be most important to this game, and all you have to do is go back to that forgettable season finale last year when Philadelphia absolutely destroyed Romo and crew. What am I trying to say you ask? Against the Cowboys last year and the Giants last Sunday, the Eagles took a BIG LEAD, and took it EARLY. Dallas must be sure not to let the Eagles get up on them quickly, if at all!

How does Dallas make sure to keep this from happening? The running game will be the key to victory on Sunday night. The “three-headed monster” will have to step up and the Cowboys must put together long drives, early in the game to make sure the Eagles aren’t all over the place having their way with the Defense. This is certainly within reason, considering the triple threat that Barber, Jones, and Choice make; and not to mention the Eagles have allowed slightly over 100 rushing YPG this season.

I think I speak for all Dallas fans when I say that I am optimistic about our chances for victory Sunday night. This is not a “David vs. Goliath” situation… the Eagles got beat by the Raiders only a few weeks ago! If Oakland can put together a game plan to stifle McNabb, Ware and the rest of the Defensive unit will certainly be up to the task. Combine that with a healthy dose of the run game…. and Dallas could quite possibly wake up Monday morning sitting at number one in the NFC East.

It’s Week 8, and Dallas aims to build on a 2-game win streak that saw a breakout performance by undrafted 4th year wide-out Miles Austin. The Cowboys Week 7 performance included more dynamic play from Austin, a much more relaxed Tony Romo, and a defense that absolutely stifled the potent Falcons offense for a much needed victory at home.

The Seattle Seahawks head to Big D this Sunday and Dallas is in prime position to make it nearly halfway through the season vying for a share of the lead in the NFC East. The Seahawks are an unimpressive 2-4 and are ranked in the bottom half of the league in the key offensive statistics. The two wins they do have came from teams with a combined record of 3-10. Dallas can also look to the fact that Seattle has yet to win on the road this year and was a mere 2-6 on the road in 2008.

The key to this game will be the turnovers. Seattle won’t win this game unless the Cowboys offense gives it to them. With the Barber, Jones, and Choice all at playing strength and Austin beginning to assert himself in the passing game; Tony Romo must do exactly what he did against the Falcons: PROTECT THE FOOTBALL. This brings us to another important statistic: Dallas fans would be wise to take into account that Seattle hasn’t really “thrived” off the turnover this year, having only a total of 3 interceptions on the season.

I see the potential for Dallas to continue their trend for scoring big points, and coming from all fronts including the defensive side of the ball. Speaking of defense, DeMarcus Ware will certainly look to show all the fans in Dallas that he is worth every penny he just inked this week. The contract extension was long overdue, and Ware has proved to his teammates, fans and the NFL at large that he is a force on the football field to be reckoned with.

Taking all these factors into account… if Romo makes the smart decisions and the defense continues their disruptive ways, Dallas should be able to get another victory at the new stadium and keep up the pace in the NFC East. Losing a home game to a 2-4 team in the Conference would be a major letdown for a team that absolutely cannot afford to lose confidence heading towards the halfway mark of the season.

GO COWBOYS!!