The VRR: Redskins (3-6) @ Cowboys (6-3)
by Aaron Novinger on Nov 20, 2009 12:29 PM CST
in News
12 comments
The Cowboys can accomplish quite alot in beating the Redskins. Most importantly, they can regain the momentum they lost up in Lambeau. They can also increase their division record to 2-1 and their conference record to 6-2, which could come in handly for tie-breaking purposes down the road.
And, by handing the Redskins their seventh loss on the season, they could pretty much force them to begin waving bye-bye to their playoff chances.
Much of the talk this week at Valley Ranch has centered on Big D's offensive lack of production last week. On the flip side, Washington's offense seemed to show some signs of life for one of the first times this season. At home against Denver, RB Ladell Betts and QB Jason Campbell each scored, WR Devin Thomas showed some play-making potential, and the special teams found success on a fake field goal.
More VRR after the jump.
12 comments | 0 recs |
Cowboys Injury Update
by Aaron Novinger on Nov 20, 2009 10:53 AM CST
in News
15 comments
Here is the report on who practiced and who didn't yesterday for the Cowboys.
Ken Hamlin, S - No Practice (Ankle)
Allen Rossum, CB - No Practice (Hamstring)
Marion Barber, RB - Full Practice (Thumb)
Mike Jenkins, CB - Full Practice (Elbow)
Gerald Sensabaugh, S - Full Practice (Thumb)
DeMarcus Ware, LB - Full Practice (Foot)
Make the jump for the Redskins' injury report.
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Cowboys vs. Redskins: A Chat With Hogs Haven
by Dave Halprin on Nov 19, 2009 11:00 PM CST
152 comments
This week, I got together for a little instant message chat with KevinE over at Hogs Haven to discuss the upcoming game against the Redskins. Since it was an IM conversation, I left the spellings and errors in the text so you can read it just how how it went down.
Blogging The Boys: So what's the story with Jim Zorn and Vinny Cerrato? Do you guys think Zorn will survive past this year?
Hogs Haven: if you had asked me last week I'd say Zorn had 0% chance, but there aren't any big names out there. And the way they stripped the play-calling from Zorn...it was a real turn-off for coaches (Holmgren publically stated his displeasure of the move)
As for Cerrato...no one knows. It certainly would win some popularity points for Snyder if he canned him. I think it depends on Cerrato's 3 2nd round picks from last year (THomas, Kelly, Davis)...if they show a lot of production the rest of the year, it'll prob be enough to save his job. Shanahan rejected Snyder's offer to come here as well...as did Cowher. So...its anyone's guess.
More after the jump...
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BTB Talks To Daryl Johnston: He Likes The Cowboys But Dislikes The Shotgun
by Mike Fisher on Nov 19, 2009 2:15 PM CST
90 comments
Daryl Johnston is a former Dallas Cowboys Pro Bowl fullback and is a present Fox analyst. His Cowboys relationships run deep. ... but so does his talent and commitment to broadcasting. So he wears multiple hats here ... and acknowledges that it is a juggling act as he goes one-on-one with Blogging The Boys to evaluate:
*A Cowboys team that he says "should've beaten Green Bay.''
*Dallas offensive coordinator Jason Garrett, a close pal of Johnston's who D.J. nevertheless says ought to dump the over-reliance on the Shotgun.
*The Cowboys' chance of success in the NFC East and in the NFC overall: "They're going to be fine,'' he says. "If you are 6-4 or better, you are going to be fine. You are solid. If you are 5-5, it's going to be tough to catch up.''
Read on for BTB's visit with Daryl "Moose'' Johnston:
90 comments | 1 recs |
The VRR: Can the Cowboys Regain their Balance Against the Redskins?
by Aaron Novinger on Nov 18, 2009 7:04 PM CST
in News
135 comments
The first time the Cowboys hosted an NFC East rival in their new stadium, the offense featured a devastating rushing attack that mixed both power and speed. Marion Barber ran 18 times for 124 yards and a score. Felix Jones averaged 13.7 yards on seven carries and picked up a score of his own. Tashard Choice didn't have a big game, but you could tell the coaches were trying to get him involved. Typically, that's how many of us imagined the Dallas ground game producing for the rest of the year.
Much has changed since that Week Two game against the Giants. It all began with a strained quad, and then a sprained knee, a fractured thumb. But it was okay. Miles Austin saved the day, and then Tony Romo got hot. Their success has helped make up for the fact that the Cowboys no longer lead the league in rushing.
Choice has maintained his injury bug repellent, and the team is still ranked 8th in rushing - averaging 130 YPG. That's great, but the worry is that the rushing YPG is slipping every week. The worry is that the Dallas offense is growing unbalanced. The worry is that too many passing plays draw more hits on the quarterback, and can effectively lose the time of possession battle. Losing that can wear out a defense.
Shouldn't it be the Cowboys' offense doing that to opposing defenses this back half of the season?
More VRR after the jump.
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Anthony Spencer: So Close to Being a Playmaker
by Aaron Novinger on Nov 18, 2009 3:00 PM CST
40 comments
Instead of forcing game balls on an unproductive game against the Packers, I went back to take a look at one player who did have a productive game for the Cowboys: Anthony Spencer.
The Dallas rush defense in now ranked 10th in the league, allowing just over 103 YPG. Spencer is a big part of that. Often playing next to Marcus Spears with Keith Brooking behind him, Spencer rounds out the trio to provide the Cowboys with a physical presence that attacks opposing offense's strong side.
In Green Bay, Coach Phillips would sometimes line up Spencer across from the slot receiver and rush him at the quarterback. When he and DeMarcus Ware would flip, he often began in a three-point stance. Sometimes, he would backpedal from his stance to cover the short zone. On at least one occasion, Ware lined up next to him.
Obviously, moving Spencer around is a direct result of Phillips trying to get the best possible mismatches for Ware. Although Spencer still does not have a sack on the season, he is continuing to match Ware in quarterback pressures and is dropping running backs for losses.
On the Packers' second offensive drive, Spencer dropped back into a short zone coverage, read the HB-screen to Ryan Grant and darted forward to drop the RB for a one-yard loss. On the very next play, he collapsed the pocket by overpowering the LT and forced Aaron Rodgers to scramble. He ended up tackling Rodgers for a two-yard gain.
Make the jump.
40 comments | 0 recs |
Doug Free: What The Game Tape Said
by Dave Halprin on Nov 18, 2009 11:14 AM CST
100 comments
After reading that Wade Phillips was considering the possibility of moving Leonard Davis out to right tackle and inserting Cory Procter or Montrae Holland in at guard, or that Pat McQuistan might even get some practice snaps; I got to thinking - Why the heck would Dallas do that?
Was Doug Free that bad in the Packers game? The franchise has invested time and money in Free, this would seem like the perfect opportunity to see what they have in the player. We've seen Procter and Holland play, and I don't think anybody is clamoring to get these guys playing time, ditto Pat McQuistan. Why break up the continuity at two positions? It all seemed a little nutty to me, so I did what any responsible blogger would do - I just made up an opinion.
I kid! I actually watched the game again focusing exclusively on the play of Doug Free.
[UPDATE]: The Cowboys are going to start Doug Free at right tackle. Line coach Hudson Houck gave the news to Todd Archer.
100 comments | 0 recs |
Exclusive: BTB Goes 1-on-1 With Jason Witten - Cowboys 'Learning To Live In The Moment'
by Mike Fisher on Nov 17, 2009 5:00 PM CST
65 comments
If it was completely up to Jason Witten, football would be played in a vacuum. There would be no stories on how players wear their hats, or on which teammate is dating which starlet, or whether the locker room is a more mentally and emotionally stable place after the banishment to Buffalo of a certain troubling component of that locker room.
Of course, if football was played in a vacuum - in the mud with the guys wearing Wranglers while just battling among neighborhood pals - the Cowboys star tight end couldn't get paid. And he couldn't use what he calls his "shining light of celebrity'' to make a positive impact on his community. And he wouldn't be available for my exclusive BTB interview, in which he addresses the aforementioned issues, along with his view on his reduced numbers and his belief that this year's Cowboys team is "learning to live in the moment.''
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Night of the Living Dread: The Cowboys Zombies Wore Jerseys, Not a Headset
by Rafael Vela on Nov 17, 2009 12:58 PM CST
160 comments
I see some pitchforks have flown out of some sheds after Dallas' 17-7 loss to Green Bay, and the holders want Jason Garrett's head. One game removed from a four game win streak where the offense averaged 30 points per contest, Garrett has apparently experienced Rapid Onset Coordinator Dementia (CORD).
"He's predictable!" "He never runs the ball!" "He calls passes on every play!"
Set the torches down for a second. Garrett's game plan didn't deviate any from his others this year. What went missing Sunday afternoon was the usual precision we've come to associate with those plans. You saw zombies at Lambeau Field Sunday, but they were wearing white jerseys, not roaming the sideline with a play sheet.
160 comments | 2 recs |
FISH on FOOTBALL: No Question, Cowboys Offense Has 'Power' To Put On Thinking Caps
by Mike Fisher on Nov 17, 2009 2:00 AM CST
68 comments
You are the Cowboys in Green Bay. You are wearing stocking caps on the sideline. It feels like winter.
There are reasons to play what we might call "power football'' ... and in what turns out to be a 17-7 loss to the Packers, you fail to do that.
Are there reasons why the Cowboys seemed to shift away from a power offense that almost certainly was part of the pregame plan? Are the reasons justified? Do those reasons serve as an explanation for why this otherwise-accomplished offense just ended up in a 3-0 game after three quarters for the first time in the Cowboys franchise's 50-year history? Let's raise some questions ... as we remove our stocking caps and put on our thinking caps:
Question: What do the Steelers, Broncos and Packers have in common? In addition to all of them in recent memory taking on a visiting Cowboys team and winning, all of them play a 3-4 defense. Is there something about the Cowboys' offensive approach against a 3-4 that doesn't fly? Is that reasonable, considering the fact that the Dallas offense has ample opportunity to practice against its own Wade Phillips 3-4?
68 comments | 1 recs |
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