Here are a few quick thoughts from the game yesterday:
- Marion Barber was phenomenal is his debut as the Cowboys' starting running back. He had som big holes to run through, but what really impressed me was his vision to find the perfect running lanes. His 13 yard catch and run on third down showed just how refined a football player he has become.
- Anyone saying Barber's bruised ribs are proof he can't handle the starting job needs their head examined. Barber's running style is physical, but not once have I ever seen him throw his chest into a defender.
- Speaking of large running lanes, did anyone else get the itch to see what Felix Jones could do with those running lanes at the beginning of the game?
- I am convinced that Felix is the second coming of Neo; he has the ability to slow down time. He just runs so smooth and his acceleration is so quick that defensive lineman don't even realize he's by them until the whistle blows.
- Don't get discouraged by the Cowboys' pass rush. We have to remember that Derek Anderson was the least sacked quarterback in the league last year. They have a great offensive line led by Joe Thomas and Anderson gets rid of the ball in a hurry. The Cowboys also routinely used Greg Ellis in pass coverage in an effort to thwart Kellen Winslow's routes off the line of scrimmage. Demarcus Ware eventually got a sack and made a big play by forcing a fumble on third down.
- The Cowboys had 29 total tackles on defense, with Zach Thomas and Ware leading the team with 5. The defense allowed one long drive, and pretty much nothing else the rest of the game.
- Seeing Tony Romo pinned to the ground by about 600 lbs of human being grimacing in extrene pain, then being pulled up and pushed into the huddle by Marc Columbo, that was tough to watch. Then watching Romo drive his team down the field with blood dripping from his chin showed just how much of a leader Romo really is. That drive just threw all the "Hollywood", pretty boy Dallas Cowboys quarterback talk right out the window. At the end of the day, Romo is one hell of a football player.
- And finally: The wife refused to watch the game after halftime, stomping off after aCowboys' touchdown yelling, "I thought you said the Browns were supposed to be good this year!"