Stepping Outside the Vacuum, Part One: The NFC East

Plaxico Burress is the most overrated player in the game. For the money he got, how many catches did he have last season? The guy’s only ability is to run down the field and hope the pass is perfect. Eli didnt look good last season and wouldnt have won a game if we didnt put all scrubs in there for the last game. I like Tuck, but you can’t really think they have a shot at sweeping us again. I don’t think they have a shot to win a game against us or Philly.

I didn’t say they would sweep us again. I said they won’t be easy wins. I’m still amazed we lost once to them last year, much less twice, but hey, two losses is two losses.

Burress may be a nut, but he’s a nut who has had some big seasons as a support player. And with Toomer and Shockey, not to mention Barber as pass catching options, Burress only has to be a #2, which he can do very well.

Plaxico was paid 25 Million. They expect him to be a #1. Take last year for example. He had a great game in Cleveland. But if you take that game out of his stats, he averaged 2.4 catches for 46 yards, including the playoffs. Thats not worth 25 million. Terry Glenn averaged 4.6 catches for 80 yards when healthy last season. And he doesn’t get paid near the amount the Giants paid Burress. And as for Shockey, he hasn’t had that great a year since his rookie season.

Who’s going to throw them the ball? I didn’t like Eli when he came out, thought SD made a mistake, and thought the Giants made a mistake trading Rivers and what turned out to be Merriman. They went out and got him a better line and better WRs, so I think this year is big for him. I don’t see the Giants winning more than 6 games, and think the Cowboys defense will cause all kinds of problems for them. The games won’t be as close as thought.

Great perspective for us Cowboy fans to look outside the team to see how we have fared on a relative basis instead of in our own little absolute vacuum. Here’s my take on your analysis.

The Giants don’t impress me. Sure, they beat us twice last year, but it’s not as if they were a dominating force at all. After all, they only won 6 games as well. Eli will be better, but he’s going to need a lot more than “Plexiglass” to lift his game to a higher level. They may be a slightly more improved team from last year, but not significantly improved as is the case with the Cowboys (remember Dallas had a lot more season ending injuries than the NYG last year).

Philly is still the team to beat in the NFC East. While I could envision the Cowboys maybe having a chance to take one game from them this year, they are still the cream of the division. They are so stocked they didn’t need to make a big splash in free agency and the draft was more of an exercise of fielding a farm team than it was filling immediate team needs. We have a way to go before we can have a roster as stacked as the Eagles.

Ah, the Skins. I live in DC, so I feel I can speak with some authority here. This team is a mess and in my opinion will own the number one pick in the 2007 draft. The Skins are better along the offensive line having signed C Casey Rabach from Baltimore along with the return of Jon Jansen at T. Other than that, they regressed. Obviously, Gibbs isn’t convinced of Ramsey or they would have never drafted Jason Campbell. Coles and Moss both use to play for the Jets, the Jets wanted to trade away Moss to get Coles back on their team…who do you think is the better WR? They wanted to trade away Gardner and couldn’t find any takers and now David Patten is their #2 WR. Basically they have a slew of #2 WRs and no true #1 guy. They are replacing Fred Smoot with a rookie, they let Antonio Pierce sign with another team (who they desperately wanted to keep), and didn’t manage to address a gaping need at DE. Granted they will get a boost from a healthy Lavar Arrington, the return of Matt Bowen, and maybe some additional help at LB from Mike Barrow, however all that can be erased if Sean Taylor decides to hold out for an extended period of time.

The Skins also only won 6 games last year and overall are probably not a better team than they were last year. Couple that with the fact that the other NFC East are better and you can easily see how they are going to be bringing up the rear in the divison. It won’t get any better for the Skins next year. 2006 is projected to be the year the Skins enter salary cap jail, with no money to spend on free agents next offseason, no #1 and #4 draft choices, the possibility of going with a second year QB in Cambell, the Skins could easily be the worst team in the NFL.

I’ll never forget a quote Joe Thiesmann made last year when comparing the potential future success of Joe Gibbs and Bill Parcells. He stated that “both coaches are looking into a dark tunnel, while Gibbs sees light at the end of the tunnel, Parcells sees a train coming right at him”. I wouldn’t expect anything less from Thiesmann.

Division Predictions:

1. Eagles
2. Cowboys
3. Giants
4. Skins

it was corey webster not FULLER

i also think plaxico is over-rated. shockey is good, but he is a hot head too. i like what bp is saying that he doesn’t want players that are hard to control. that means that he is trying to clean up the cowboys name and restore their reputation. u go bp.

plaxico, i agree they overpaid but he was mainly all that was left of the upper tier wr, he has excellent size and can go up and get balls. giants i think had a magical year from tiki is what was there key, if hes not the same this year they might be in trouble unless eli is the next peyton.

redskins i dont know what to think about there deals, draft, w/e they did. i dont think they helped themselves out except the cb they drafted in the first. i still think we will beat them.

philly still scares me, just like philly fans were about 13 years ago about us, like ive said in other post till you knock them off they are the best in the division. they do have alot of problems with there vets, which will help us out by screwing the eagles. they had a good draft, and if to comes back theyll be tough agin this year.

Washington may not have done much to help the team (two key losses on defense) but, keep these things in mind:

1. Washington had the third best defense last year and has LaVar coming back. 2. Washington’s offense won’t suffer through two-thirds of the year with Mark Brunell starting at quarterback. 3. Gibbs will be one year smarter.

Nothing is going to be easy for the Cowboys next year but the offseason additions sure make it easy to be optimistic.

redskins seemed to lose as much every year in FA as they gain in the draft………they let Pierce go…….

Coles vs moss? probably at best an even trade…..

taylor and moss holdouts…….

Gibbs……unlike Parcells has been away from the game for too long. Meanwhile his heart is going VROOOM VROOMM around the texas speedway or richmond or martinsville………..

Arrington is overated………..he is injured a LOT.

Here’s the bottom we beat the G-girls last year and we were in the dance.

I feel that Dallas can only afford to loose 2 of the 6 games againist the division this year.

There schedule looks pretty tough…

The redskins will flop this year and have the worst record in football with SF a close 2nd. That is to funny guess who would be waiting on them wth the first pick of the draft (MR. USC) Gibbs really didn’t think this come back very clearly.

As a fan of the game. I feel Gibbs had a great reputation, he is tanking it very fast. THATS JUST SAD!

there shcedule isnt as bad as it looks.

Sun Sep 11 at San Diego Tickets 4:15 PM
2 Mon Sep 19 Washington Tickets 9:00 PM
3 Sun Sep 25 at San Francisco Tickets 4:05 PM
4 Sun Oct 2 at Oakland Tickets 4:15 PM
5 Sun Oct 9 Philadelphia Tickets 4:15 PM
6 Sun Oct 16 NY Giants Tickets 1:00 PM
7 Sun Oct 23 at Seattle Tickets 4:05 PM
8 Sun Oct 30 Arizona Tickets 1:00 PM
9 BYE WEEK
10 Mon Nov 14 at Philadelphia Tickets 9:00 PM
11 Sun Nov 20 Detroit Tickets 1:00 PM
12 Thu Nov 24 Denver Tickets 4:15 PM
13 Sun Dec 4 at NY Giants Tickets 1:00 PM
14 Sun Dec 11 Kansas City Tickets 4:15 PM
15 Sun Dec 18 at Washington Tickets 1:00 PM
16 Sat Dec 24 at Carolina Tickets 1:00 PM
17 Sun Jan 1 St. Louis

theres alot of losing teams from last year on there, i think if we win 9-11 games, and our defense is ranked in the top 5-8 and showing improvements on all aspects we will be good to go. then watch out in 2006

Just my observations:

This year was about personel, and flexablity.

The Cowboys changability on defense should keep them in most of their games. Parcells can adjust to any offense that teams throw at ‘em. From two TE sets with a fullback to five WRs sets and an empty backfield, Dallas has it covered. There aren’t many teams that can put 3-5 WRs on the field, and feel that they have a huge mismatch against the Cowboys’ corners, but also the speed Dallas now posesses off the edge will make teams think twice about spreading them out and leave their QB vulnerable. In my opinion the size that Parcells and Jerry aquired this offseason in Spears, Canty, and Ferguson will make the most immediate impact. Before anything else … you have to stop the run!!

On offense, Parcells and the coaching staff can change formations they feel best suits an attack on that defense. If a team is thin in the secondary, Dallas can go 3 or 4 wide. Small up front? Two TEs and two RBs is a possibility. Dallas’ O-line has a better chance of winning the battles, with the additions of Riveria, Pettiti, and just getting healthier players out there will help. Balance!! Balance!! Balance!! … I love to see the options of throwing on 1st down, and running on 3rd and 5.

While getting a shutdown CB and a stud DE would have helped a whole lot, adding flexability on defense gives the Boys a chance to compete against every offense. This defense should help keep Dallas in every game. Couple that with a balanced attack on offense and Dallas can control the clock with a lead, yet have big play potential.

Aaron Glenn looks like a good CB although Father Time will catch him…..

and who is to say Spears, Ware or Canty cannot become a stud DE? Are you referring to an FA DE? Howard and Pryce were all I ever saw, and the small possibility of a John Abraham……….

I think we just drafted at least one stud as a DE………maybe 4 or more. Burnett, Canty, Ware and Spears………if they are all players………we are going to be loving IT!!!!

I read Jones was the one who was crazy for Canty…….kind of surprised me…….I think he just wanted to trade a pick in there somewhere……..I figured it was a BP from Al Groh move…….but hey……..Canty could be the STEAL of the entire draft……..I think he was a mid 2nd rounder at worst without the Bottle in the eye incident………plus we havent had anybody at DE that was that tall since……….TOO TALL…….imagine in 2 years when Canty adds 20lbs of Muscle to his Frame………he is going to be MEAN!!!!!

Ryan,

Thanks. I shouldn’t try to post and read term papers at the same time.
Without caffeine, no less. I’ll fix it.

rafael,
thats okay, i dont mean to sound like a jerk just thought id point it out.

jon,
just curious…how tall is canty anyways???

mike,
i personally feel the schedule does look a little worse than you put it. i mean oakland has a refurnished offense w/ moss and lamont jordan, plus a still pretty decent “D”. SD is a tough offense and could be hard, AZ has a better D than last year. SEATTLE still will have alexander and a good core of offense. DETROIT has a better “O”. KC is sick on offense and could be better on D. DENVER, CAR, and STL all have good offenses.

this year will DEFINITELY be a good test for our young and talented D. i cant wait to see how they respond to the offensive weapons we’ll be facing.

I agree with whoever said Barber is a key for the Giants. Something tells me he’s about to hit the wall and/or injuries that tend to afflict heavy use rb’s in their 30’s. Shockey should be scary again if he’s back to full health. What I think stands out about the division is that there are no pushovers — even the Redskins, with a defense like that and all the talent they have on offense, I don’t think will suck. There are no SF’s or Clevelands or last year’s Miamis in this division. And there isn’t a whole lot of separation for most of the teams in the entire league, when you think about it.
Looking at that schedule the odds are the Cowboys aren’t going to be looking at more than a couple of presumed easy wins. Probably some team will collapse or get decimated by injuries (Denver would be my guess). I mean, at Carolina? At Oakland with all their improvements? Seattle should’ve beaten us last year and they should be improved. There are fewer and fewer bottom dwellers in the league to pad stats with (e.g. the annual two games we used to have against Arizona). More and more in the league you’re looking at a bunch of teams within a game of .500 the last week of the season. I think Parcells thinks within the division first. It’s clear the Cowboys offense wasn’t any great shakes last year, but I think the overwhelming emphasis on defense in the draft is designed as much as anything to compete better with Philly and NYGiants. We moved the ball on those guys, at least at Texas Stadium, but we couldn’t stop them. I think Parcells is thinking we have to at least be making Dallas a place that divisional teams fear to play and that we’re going to at least gut out a split against the G-men and Iggles. If we get that done, and don’t crater against the Redskins, I think the rest will start to fall into place — even if it only shows an 8-8 record at the end of the year.

all im saying about the schedule is that its not badat least we dont play new england, indianapolis, steelers, some dominant afc teams… your right though the raiders could be tough, moss is a cowboy killer, seahawks we beat last year even with alexanderi think hassleback is overated. san diego 1 yr wonders or real deal, i think they are good but deffinetely beatable. denver has all are dline rejects from the browns mainly. carolina could be good they were better as the year went, but they also lost mushin there best offensive player. arizona is alot tougher then the past, but idk there qb kurt warner is still a decent qb but its his first year. kansas city have to outscore them there d is getting as lil better but they cant stop anyone i four defense is improved deffinteely winnable there. san fran cmon theres a reason they picked first. detroit deffinetely better then before, i think thyed be better with garcia runnin the show, they dont have the best defense.

i personally think the teams we will struggle with a superior defense. i hope our defense is improved and if it is we dont have to have last team to reach the end zone wins, game. our offense is fine i see it in the top 7-9 in the nfl. if our defense is top 5 we will be fine.

to sum everything up i can only see philly,possibly g-girls, maybe at oakland as potential loses. im sure theyll be a few more but if healthy and playing the way bp will want it we will be fine

this one thing just caught my eye on the new story on dallas’ site….

"While the Cowboys have to like Burnett earning all-conference honors for two years, and being a three-year starter, Parcells admitted being enamored with acquiring players who captained their college teams. Burnett and offensive tackle Michael Munoz this past season became the first and second two-time captains in the last 75 years of Tennessee football.

“That’s another thing very important thing to me,” Parcells said. "A captain of the team means something to me, especially if it’s a good team. "

if BP likes team captain type guys, why not raise MUNOZ’s spirits by bringing him by for at least a try at the offensive line since we could use it. plus he is a good player and he just quit. and yes i know that him quitting makes a point by itself, i do believe he woulda been a good player in the NFL…any thoughtS?

Ryan,

I thought the same when I read that.

I guess the book on Munoz is he was already so beat up in College, and evidently he never did have his fathers physique. Still as an FA……..and he was an All American at Tennessee……….

not sure something does not sound right. Maybe there was something else out there on the kid, sometimes a coach submarines a kid for no apparent reason. Who knows.

Jon,

You missed my point, but maybe I wasn’t clear.

It was speculated that Dallas might trade away their two 1st rounders for a stud DE. Some people thought Dallas should have gone after the big name free agent corner. By not making either move Dallas was able to land Henry and Glenn, and Spears and Ware, instead of say Abraham and Rolle. Also with additions of Burnett, Canty, and Ferguson the Cowboys can move from 3-4 to 4-3 to nickle defenses without loosing much, in terms of talent on the field. My point: I am much happier with this flexability, depth, and youth than adding two pro bowl players ("studs"), yet be limitted to play in a base defense because the personell isn’t there, with little depth at CB, and end up being strapped financially.

They can be “studs” … but that is not known yet.

… I sure hope so though!!

I am happy that for once the Cowboys stayed put and let the draft come to them. Its like a poker game, and they called the other teams bluff. Things are falling their way somewhat without having to mortgage their cap future.

As for the rest of the Division:

The Eagles biggest problem this year is going to be internal. I agree that they are not as unstoppable as people think, but they are still a top tier team. They had a solid draft that compliments their needs. They are still the force of the division until proven otherwise.

The Giants made progress. Eli will probably continue to improve. Moss is a good addition but I agree that he is somewhat overrated. Having said that, he was the second choice in Pitt because of Ward so he may thrive as the go-to receiver. Draft was okay considering the spots where they picked. I agree that the key is Barber, but Shockey will need to have a great year for them to succeed.

And finally our favorite whipping boys the Redskins. Dan Snyder has done more to ruin that team than Bidwell did for the Cardinals. You bring in a rookie quarterback and then give away a good chunk of next years draft. Snyder will always be a Jerry Jones wanna-be. He is not as football smart as he thinks he is. Example: the L. Coles deal. Other than that, Gibbs will have to get alot from his players for them to compete. They have to decide on a quarterback and stick with it, though Snyder will start messing with the system as soon they lose three in a row. His best move is to butt out.

One thing I think that we will be able to do is, put hats on McNabb. No more running around behind the line for 15 seconds.

Well, first off I want to admit I was wrong and that the draft shows alot more promise than I thought possible. I said earlier before the draft that they needed to trade down and add picks as they had way too many holes to stand pat….BP / JJ & team did a great job apparently restocking the team…with that said.

Eagles -are still a top dog and did a great job of restocking with backups in a lot of positions. That will keep them tough to beat…but we made strides to tighten the gap. Their infighting for contracts & playing time will be an issue and is big mouth Mitchell still with the team? 11-5

Giants -only made small progress as I agree that Buress is not a #1 WR. He is good at running straight down the field, but 1 shot from Williams on a xing pattern and ’That’s all folks’. If barber returns to his fumbling ways then they will struggle. Stahans best days are behind him…7-9

Redskins -all we can hope is that Snyder sticks around for a long time, because as long as he is around, they are set to finish last every year from this point forward. Dumb trades and picks…upset your best player…Snyder, keep up the good work! 4-12

Boys -You guys all made great points. Versitility on D and with the offense wil keep us in a lot more games and I think we can expect a lot of games decided by a field goal or less. The D will put a lot more pressure on quartbacks and will make the Secondary look that much better. More turnovers means shorter fields to travel. If the offense stays healthy it will move the chains and eat up the clock…a healthy Campbell will help the run and open up more areas for Witten to do his thing. Thomas will be a big help in the goal line situations that we did not have last year with George. That will mean more 1 on 1 for the WR and Glenn and Johnson can still get it done. We will clean up with both Wash & NYG and earn a split with the Eagles…9-7

Anyone else wanna take a guess on the records of the division.

It appears that Philly is the clear cut favorite heading into next season and it is certainly difficult to argue against a team that has lost three straight championship games and a Super Bowl. The question will be are they hungry to succeed or is there a mental hurdle that will force a late season burn out in the form of “here we go again.” Honestly no one should fear the Eagles, they are more than beatable, they are the cream of a parody ridden conference and it is not as if the rugged NFC East of the 80s and early 90s is there to truly test there metal against. For cryin’ out loud it has been the mediocriy of the Dallas Cowboys in recent seasons that has proven to be their most genuine threat! Quincy Carter managed to beat McNabb and Ronald Reagan excuse me, I meant Vinny Testaverde almost pulled off the upset late last year. The core nucleus of the vaunted Eagles is hitting that pinnacle and in reality has a closing window to find a championship stride. McNabb is a remarkably inmature quarterback for such a seasoned and talented veteran, observe his leadership in the big games. Owens is a cancer that eats from within kind of like the Addison’s disease that gave JFK that tan everyone thought was a sign of robust health. Fellas in light of the watered down NFL we know of today Dallas is good enough to make a deep playoff run and with a few breaks perhaps even claw the Division title away from the ‘birds. If this defense gels as advertised it will be a punishing force in a year or two. If Julius Jones, Jason Witten, the two veteren wideouts and the motley crue of talented veterans that comprise the o-line find a chemistry ther is no reason to think that New England won’t meet America’s Team in SB XL. Bledsoe and even Henson are capable behind center as long as the run is an option and with healthy weapons to throw to there is no reason to doubt that Dallas can’t be the ‘blue collar’ team of the NFC. Mark it down boys, Bellicheck vs. Parcells in the most memorable Super Bowl in a decade. Dallas is ready for the challenge and in todays league this is not fantasy or fiction.

Ryan,

Canty is 6’ 7" and list at 279…….if you look at his photos he looks more like a Basketball player than a football player. Let him pack on another 20lbs of Muscle as he develops…or even more he could probably play at 310 and not lose speed……and this guy would be a mean lean 300lb that looks like a Jason Taylor only TALLLER and weighing in at 50lbs more…….

He was a stud at UVA vs. the likes of Va Tech, FSU, Maryland and other ACC opponents I am only naming the perennial Bowl Teams. (they play Tech every year in state rivalry even before VATECH joined ACC)

I remember TOO TALL Jones and all those batted passes. In fact, I think if I remember correctly they started keeping that stat just because of the batted pass of Too Tall who was also a Tall Long Leaner guy, although plenty strong……he was not built like Bruce Smith. It occassionally led to a turnover but as good as an incomplete pass. I could see canty in a 3-4 being effective as a DE or as and END in the 4-3…….either way he he has some reach and a nice vertical………this guy will block a punt or field goal or two as well………Also the tall guys are deceptively strong……..those longer arms and legs give them naturally more muscle mass and if developed can really be incredibly strong although Lean. Ralph Sampson could CURL over 100 lbs in one hand…….and he was as lean as they came.

Eric,

As far as Rolle…….I personally would rather have Aaron Glenn and Anthony Henry vs. one Antrel Rolle. Although I think he will be a pro bowl football player, the role of a nickel or another cover corner is becoming more important in the NFL. Given the cap room, and the guys we signed in the front seven………and keeping Pete Hunter and the sophomore Committee at CBs….I wanted somebody else that could cover but BP had Glenn on his radar so I am all good…..I am extremely happy with the way the draft fell. Also glad they did not trade out but played their cards. Ware and Spears…….I really did not think Spears would be there at 20………but that and throw in Burnett who is likely to be a better pro than DJ…….one heck of draft……….Canty is the only gamble………and if anybody saw him play in college he is worth the risk……..his knee would be fine if not for the multiple eye surgeries……..even if we wait a year for this kid to be healthy he was a force in college and I think he will develop in the NFL.

Eagles are obviously very good, but still beatable. When I look at the AFC, I’m glad we compete in the NFC. The NFC is down right now, which only helps us develop.

There will always be a “best team” to aim toward, but as far “best teams” go, the Eagles aren’t that great. Consider if we had to beat the 94 Cowboys or the late 80s Niners. Heck, what if the Patriots were in the NFC?

My gut feeling is that the Eagles missed their chance. They’re done. The window doesn’t stay open forever. If we don’t beat them, someone will. It could be Minnesota.

I see the East being decided by injuries more than anything. For the first time in years, we have some depth in some spots. Depth is good, but good luck is better.

I think our greatest exposure is on the OL. The worst injury for us would be either to Flozell or Rivera. If Rivera goes down, we look like last year’s team. If Flozell goes down, I think Allen begins to show his age.

It doesn’t matter what Dan Synder will do to Washington longterm. What matters for the coming year is what Gibbs will get out of his team. Washington had the third ranked defense last year. It took two hits this off season but LaVar (over-rated or not) comes back and will make the defense better. For a Cowboys team that was offensively challenged last year, all I’m saying is that Dallas can’t overlook Washington. The Cowboys should take two from Washington but it won’t be easy if the Cowboys’ o-line doesn’t give Bledsoe time to throw and create holes for Jones or the A-Train when the ’Boys have a 3rd and two to sustain a drive.

Jon,

I was taliking about Samari Rolle, but its all good, I like what he ended up with too.

Travis,

Absolutely!!

With a poor man’s talent, Dallas competed with New England and beat Carolina and Philly two years ago. Last season they played the entire season with a QB, who was there to play the occasional one or two games in a back up roll, yet they were still able to compete against Pittsburgh, should have one that one, and in the second game against Philly. Besides the quarterback position, the Cowboys lost players at positions they just didn’t have any depth at. The Boys starting safety, corner, and running back all went down, and 3 players in the secondary were out for the year, 2 before the season even began. …. This team is ready for a run in the playoffs!!

In response to the offensive line issues raised by Cooper. I do agree, OT is our biggest possible issue for our team. I do however feel better about it this year tahn last year. Don’t forget Bettitti the rookie we picked up. Seems to be getting some good feedback. I think we have better options than we had last year. I hear Peterman our third pick last year is in great shape and is ready to play. It is nice to know our second pick last year has a year under his belt. I heard he was playing hurt most of the year last year. Not sure if true. But we do have better options this year and I pray to the injury gods that they just pass us by. Because in my oppinion that was the downfall for our team last year.

Eagles- 12-4
Cowboys- 10-6
Giants- 6-10
Redskins- 4-12

Eagles are still tough and beat the teams they should. The defense can carry them, and they have a winner’s mentality. Cowboys go 10-6 and get a Wildcard. Giants get 6 wins, maybe 7 if they get lucky. Redskins are horrible and are screwed for years to come. I love it.

would someone maybe mind telling me how Tony Romo is doing? Both “Drews” seem to be getting all the attention and Romo is left in the dust. Is he primarily a backup forever or will he ever be something?

This is my take on our 2005 schedule. I think we are gonna get a very good challenge in our first game.
The CHARGERS are a very good team but they can be beaten. Our DB’s can match up well with their WR. Our LB can take care of Tomlinson and Gates, our PASS RUSH can get to Brees. The main factor is how well our offense does on this game. Outcome W 24-17.
The REDSKINS. Need I say more. A good test for our offense. Outcome W 21-13.
The 49ers. This will be our easiest game. Outcome W 34-10. Henson will play the whole 4th quarter.
The Raiders. Hey guys Randy Moss owns us. Outcome L 28-24.
The Eagles. We are at home and this will be a game that just can’t be missed. The defenses will be key here. Outcome W 17-14.
The Giants. We will be the talk of the league with our 5and1 record. Outcome W 28-14.
The Seahawks. I don’t think this team will be any better than last year if not worse. Outcome W 42-20.
The Cardinals. Since every comentator will be talking about us this will make the Cardinals look even better. Outcome L 28-21.
BYE We needed this break because we need to recoup and have our injured players get healthy which is why we lost to the Cardinals.
The Eagles. Julius will still tear up the scene on this national televised game but the Eagles will pull it out in an overtime win. Outcome L 42-39.
The Lions. By this time of year Rogers will be hurt again and the QB will be Garcia. Outcome W 17-10.
The Broncos. We will have to play alot of 4-3 against this team and since we play more 3-4 than 4-3 we won’t do as good. Outcome L 23-17.
The Giants. Manning is playing like a seasoned vet by now and they grind it out. Outcome L 24-23.
The Chiefs. Their Offense has no answers for the unleashed Ware. He gets 2 Sacks in this game and Spears, Ellis, Burnett, and Roy get 1 sack each. Outcome W 35-10. By this time Ellis already has 10 sacks.
The Redskins. They somehow manage to loose again. Outcome W 21-17.
The Panthers. This will be a hard fought game that goes into overtime. Outcome L 20-17
The Rams. Final game of the season and it’s on national television which can only mean one thing. Give the damn ball to Julius Jones. He ends up having a 1652 yard season with this 175 performance. Outcome W 55-21.
AND OUR FINAL RECORD FOR THE SEASON 10 AND 6. PLAYOFFS BABY!!!!!!
Man did I have fun with this.

Alright this is mine:

SD L 17-21: Its close but SD pulls it out in the end. Our D looks good tho.

WAS W 27-10: Easy win against Campell and their anemic offense.

SF W 38-7: Another easy win. Henson plays a little, and Julius tears it up for 150.

OAK W 20-17: We win in OT, but could lose this game.

PHI L 28-13: Tough game for us as offense has a tough time getting started.

NYG W 24-14: I’ll be at this game to see us put the game away in the 4th.

SEA W 14-13: Defense looks great after defeating Seahawks.

ARI W 17-3: Our D matches us perfect for their offense, slow QB and inexperienced RB. Their D is tough, tho. We’re 6-2 and looking real good.

BYE

PHI L 24-21: Close game but lose in OT. Offense doesn’t get chance to see field.

DET W 35-10: Still no QB to get those WR the ball. We win easily.

DEN L 17-14: Defense plays well but Offense can’t get it done.

NYG W 34-17: Julius has a great game and sits in the 4th. Finishes with 140.

KC L 35-28: Lose late as season starts to close.

WAS W 42-7: Washington is in disarray and Ware and Ellis have BIG games.

CAR L 21-17: Good game but can’t complete the comeback.

STL: W 38-14: Get ready for the playoffs with an impressive win. Defense looks real sharp and in chemistry 4 the playoffs.

10-6, Wildcard. Bledsoe plays well and doesnt throw too often during the game. Julius Jones is HUGE, rushing for 1600 yards and 14 TD’s. Our defense has not one leader, but many players with good stats. Jones, Allen, Adams and Witten make Pro Bowl on O, and Glover, Roy, and Ellis is alternative on D. Ware finishes a close 2nd in Def Rookie, only to Rolle of ARI. THAT WOULD BE A GREAT SEASON. wat every1 think

if it happens that way thats great, id be real happy with a 9-7 record no less though. 10-6, 11-5 is deffinetely probable. i still think this schedule favors us having a winning season…

I’m sorry I just finished a large glass of Cowboy Koolaid. I’ve got to do it.

We WILL go 14-2. Our only losses are Phily on the road but a close game and Arizona. Good game we just weren’t motivated and we came in real cocky. Just thought we could show up and win.

damn thats out on a limb if i ever seen it before, but damn itd be awesome wouldnt it

I believe this team is far better than the 10-6 team 2 years ago. There is some real depth. I also believe RT will become one of the strong points of the o-line. Cowboys 11-5, Eagles 12-4, Giants 7-9 and of course the Redskins 4-12.

Boy predicting the season already?? Who knows who will get injured, or what kind of obsticles loom!!

…. All I can say is that this team is much better than either of Parcells’ teams so far. The Cowboys are far better suited to handle some injuries, and are built to compete now and for the future … because everyone knows defense wins championships!! If Dallas doesn’t get hit with a rash of injuries at key positions, there is no reason they can’t be in every game. But its their youth, the mid-season bye, along with the long break after Thanksgiving that really gets me excited about the possibilities. Parcells could have this team building up steam heading into a stretch run. It will be interesting to see if a young Cowboys team can make some noise in the playoffs, especially against teams with some older players like Philly.

I think we are destined for a 9-7, or 10-6 season. Our division is a bit tougher than some of us want to realize. Philly is Philly, pencil them in for 12 wins and probably 2 over us.

Washington’s defense finished amongst the leagues best last season and returns the core of their unit. Portis began to show he was grasping Gibbs running game late in the year. If they can establish any type of aerial attack they could be tough.

With Eli Manning’s development (which will be aided by the addition of Plaxico Burress) it’s not insane to suggest that even they could break even.

This year is not the year for us, but I think we have taken steps towards having a Super Bowl caliber defense as early as maybe 2007.

Until we solve the long time QB situation, no one should be talkin about anything more than 12 wins.

It’s too early to tell how well the Cowboys will do, especially not knowing how the defense will come together with all the changes, such as new 3-4 alignment, all the rookies and free agents, plus no Woodson leadership. Then there are also injuries to worry about.

However, by the middle of the season, barring injuries, I think the defense will be tough, and if Julius plays the whole year, I don’t think 11-5 is out of the question, and we’ll give the Eagles a run for their money to be a wildcard.

The Eagles will not be as good as last year. Too much turmoil, and their window of opportunity is starting to close. They’ll still go 12-4 and win the division, but they won’t get to the SB. The Giants are still rebuilding, Strahan is getting old and Manning needs more experience. I say they go 8-8. Oh the Redskins, Campbell is the QB come mid-season and they go 5-11.

Anyone else see, where Merriman, shortly after the draft fired his agent and hired the Postons? They advised him to sit out minicamp. lol. Bill made the right call there eh?

This is for all those Merriman fans. Merriman did not attend Chargers mini-camp because of an insurance dispute. He has already fired his agent and hired a Poston. The guy has never played an nfl snap, but is making plenty of noise. This right here justifies taking Ware. Thanks Bill.

I didn’t hear that about Merriman. Very funny. He seems more like a jackass every day. First, the comments about BP and JJ, and now he’s holding out.

As for a prediction….Dallas was 10-6 two years ago and this team is far better on paper than that team, so how can anyone predict we won’t win at least 10 games. While it is true that injuries, bad chemistry or just plain bad luck could derail anything, those problems are just as likely to happen to any team. Anything less than 10-6 will be a bit disappointing to me. Life will go on of course, but why would anyone want to predict less than 10-6? I don’t get it.

Josh,

I saw that and I thought the same thing about Merriman.

Merriman is an idiot,the crap he’s pulling is stuff you do AFTER you have proven yourself in the NFL as a stud,they should just stall him and leave him hanging.Much like he’s doing to them and give him a taste of maurice Clarret type lifestyle….make him beg to come back….

I’ll admit, I was a Merriman fan before the draft, but it’s clear now the Cowboys selected the right guy in Ware. It’s evident even at this point that Merriman isn’t near the class act as Ware.

You would think by now that players coming out of college would steer away from selecting the Poston brothers as their agent. Although I guess Merriman was at least smart enough to not have them as his agent going into the draft…or he may not have been draft quite as high.

Look what kind of deal those guys got for Winslow. Heavily incentive laden and he hasn’t seen any of it yet.

If our O line can stay healthy and block for the non mobile Bledsoe, we could win the division and contend deep into the playoofs.

Ryan,

Not sure about Romo but Henson and Romo remained in Dallas and were not sent to NFLE. Which is a good sign. You do not hear much about ROMO but what you hear all seems to be good.

Neither guy is costing us much, I would consider him a Farm Prospect…….maybe he develops maybe not. He had a great college career at Div IAA.

The fact that Dallas only got Bledsoe, passed on Aaaron Rodgers and Campbell…..in the draft………..and other qbs later…….suggest they see something in Romo and Henson. I think Bill is happy with what he has right now, I think he likes having Henson working his but off, and I would not be the least bit surprised to see Henson get a legitimate shot at beating out Bledsoe, even though Bledsoe does not seem to think so……..last time I checked he was the QB and not the coach.

If you look around the league other than perhaps the Chargers and Falcons who both have backups that would be NFL starters on most teams, I think Dallas is pretty good at QB. We have a veterean who knows the offense, and the coach. We have two understudys that are working their buts off……..and neither is eating up much cap space. I never bought into Chad Hutchinson being an NFL qb, Carter had some glimpses of good, and seemed to throw the long ball well, but he was inaccurate with the shorter stuff………and obviously Character became an issue………while I would love to have another Aikman……….there just aren’t that many great QBs around.

I do think Phillip Rivers and Matt Schuab could be traded for next year. I cannot see the Chargers keeping two qbs at that kind of salary. Garrad down in Jacksonville also. He has played pretty well when he has gotten on the field.

However, according to Jerry Henson has as much upside as any QB in this years draft. Not sure about last years, there looks to be a couple of good ones in there.

if anyone has a ranch report subscription theres some good highlights on there for ware and spears. merriman ij a jack-off im so happy we didnt take him..

The Poston brothers are so bad Merriman could not even say they were representing him.

I heard Kellen Winslow and Kellen Winslow II say it takes a Village to raise a child. But it only takes one Village idiot to wreck a motorcycle.

If I were the Browns I would not pay K2 his money……he violated the terms of his contract. He is lucky to be alive. Guy was still rehabbing from two surgeries and he wrecks. I think they overpaid for a TE anyway………..I mean the kid was a stud in college but that is hech of a lot of money going to him and shockey and you got a quiet guy like Witten just going to the Pro Bowl.

I think of agents Leigh Steinberg seems pretty classy. I know he will only sign a player if they agree to get involved with Charities, not just giving money but actually get involved.

Pasquarelli wrote the following today on espn.com about Ratliff . . .

“Dallas coaches were mightily impressed with seventh-round defensive lineman Jay Ratliff of Auburn at their mini-camp. Mostly a tackle in college, Ratliff is a terrific fit at end in the 3-4 scheme to which the Cowboys are moving in 2005.”

I haven’t heard much about Ratliff. All the buzz has been about the other 6 picks. Is Ratliff for real? Does anyone here know anything about him?

jon, thank you for the input. its nice to see someone answer my question, thanks man.

i also think henson will eventually be a great Qb. i like his size and his attitude, he didnt seem to be mad that he wasnt being in those last few games last year ya know, i mean he just went to work, and worked his butt off, hes a good guy.

and itll definitely prove well once he shows his stuff on the field….but all in all, i have FAITH IN BP

romo is expected to sign next week he has been with henson throwing alot of passes at the ranch, they have been throwing to quincy alot from what ice read.