In case you didn't know, the Star-Telegram wants to reiterate the fact: there's a lot of pressure on Tony Romo. Will he be Troy Aikman or Danny White?
So as Romo prepares to enter his second full season as the starting quarterback of the Cowboys, it’s been agreed he is good. But at Valley Ranch, the question has become is he Troy Aikman good, or Danny White good?
Each had numbers. One has rings. That is the Valley Ranch standard.
So far, Romo has numbers. He has already set team single-season marks for touchdowns in a season (36), completions (335), yards (4,211) and 300-yard games (seven). The first three records were previously held by White, and White was tied for the franchise record on that last record with several others.
It led to White being criticized sometimes mercilessly as a "Yeah ... but quarterback."
In my humble opinion, Romo is way too cool to be White. He's way too nimble to be Aikman. And he's way too smart to try and be Roger Staubach. Romo is like Serpentor. He's a mix of all the DNA of great Cowboy quarterbacks (Dandy Don included). And unlike that terrorist organization Cobra, one day he will lead us to victory.
The Cleveland offense scares the bejesus out of me. Todd Archer details why.
IRVING – When the Dallas Cowboys look at Sunday's foe, at least offensively, they can see a lot of themselves.
A Pro Bowl quarterback. One of the best tight ends. A touchdown machine at receiver. A bruising running back. A big, solid offensive line.
Now, Tony Romo, Jason Witten and Terrell Owens have done it longer than Derek Anderson, Kellen Winslow and Braylon Edwards, and Marion Barber doesn't have the wear on his tread the way Jamal Lewis does.
But the Cleveland Browns represent a challenge to the Cowboys' defense nonetheless.
I'm also concerned about the home crowd. I remember when we played Jacksonville in the opener in 2006. That was a statement game for them. The crowd roared and they fed off that emotion. We should've buried them early in the game but didn't and it came back to haunt us.
I see this game in similar terms. I want to jump out early, take out the crowd and pick this team apart. Make this a statement game for us. Because I fear the closer the game is, the more confident this team will be against us.
We're the standard-bearer gentlemen. We don't have any rings but every team is going to get up to play us and we have to counter that. I'll take any win anyway we can but I'll sleep better at night if it's 30-10 as opposed to 28-27.
Shout out to scottmaui and his fanpost here.
John Clayton is like my pusher (in a figurative sense, just say no kids!) I go to him whenever I'm in a pinch. He usually has that good stuff too. Inside information about teams, background on my favorite players and updates on injury reports. I can hear Curtis Mayfield in the background playing whenever he starts talking. (And no I'm not talking about the horrible Ice-T version).
He's got a new article up at ESPN, detailing how QB play and pressure has elevated the NFC East into the upper-echelon of divisions. I agree.
• The NFC East understands the value of a quarterback. Romo directed an offense that led the NFC with 28.4 points a game last season. Though undrafted, he played like a first-round quarterback. Donovan McNabb (Eagles), Eli Manning and Jason Campbell (Redskins) were first-round picks. To win in the Brady-Manning dominated NFL, you need quarterback play and you need offensive scoring. All four NFC East teams get it, and Jim Zorn is doing his best in Washington to take Gibbs' 20.9-points-a-game offense to the 23- or 24-point level.
• All four NFC East teams try their best to pressure the quarterback. Last season the Giants, Cowboys and Eagles ranked in the top nine in sacks. The Redskins had only 33, but they traded for Taylor. Although the Giants lost Umenyiora and Michael Strahan, they signed Jerome McDougle from the Eagles to add another potential pass-rusher and will do their best with schemes to make up for the 22 sacks Umenyiora and Strahan produced.
And he throws a little salt in the eyes of the Tuna haters.
Credit Parcells, Coughlin, Gibbs and Andy Reid for formulating the foundations of these teams. During his tenure as the Cowboys' coach, Parcells established a physical, 3-4 defense and found a hot, hard-throwing quarterback in Tony Romo. Gibbs taught aggressive Redskins owner Dan Snyder how to win and make trips to the playoffs.
Ha ha! Good stuff.
Cowboy Quickies
Kellen Boswell Winslow II states the obvious: Jason Witten is the best in the business. You're not far KW2.
The Giants feel disrespected cause everybody's talking about the 'Boys. Gimme a break like Nell Carter.
Matt Mosley's gives a good roundup of Cowboy News & Notes.
KD is happy to be back. Happy to have ya back Killer. A little 50 Cent to celebrate the occasion? Gangstalicious? Jokes! These are just jokes man.
Not Cowboy-related. Just funny as hell.
Shout out to BoyzRback and his fanshot here.
This is Cowboy-related. And still funny as hell.
Shout out to sublimezg and his fanshot here.
The Ravens picked up Evan Oglesby off waivers.
Apparently, Isaiah Stanback was on fire at practice Wednesday. I'm very concerned about the prudence of playing with a shoulder subluxation. But I'll admit Stanback is the closest thing to my pet cat and I'll pull for him hard.
Shout out to GloryDayz88 and his fanpost here.