It's time to hand out game balls for the Cowboys game against the Broncos. Win, lose, or draw, we've got one for a player from each unit: offense, defense, special teams. We've even got one for the coaching staff.
Offense
Marion Barber - This player may mean more to the offense than any other player right now. He is excited to play and exciting to watch. After scoring the team's lone touchdown, he maintained his composure in not taking off his helmet, which could have cost 15 yards on the ensuing kickoff. That was smart. One carry in the second half wasn't smart; that's on the coaches. Barber was in the game some, and certainly got open on several passing downs.
His 68 yards from scrimmage does not look impressive, but considering this unit was shutout for the final three quarters kept him alongside the few players who were productive.
Honorable Mention: Tashard Choice, Jason Witten
Make the jump to see who else gets a game ball.
Defense
Keith Brooking - Brooking is just as exciting to watch as Barber. He will do whatever it takes to make the tackle. His hurdle over an offensive lineman in the second quarter squeezed the ball carrier out of bounds. To end the third quarter, it was him diving through on 4th-and-1 to drop Moreno for no gain. Then, off to the sideline he went to gore his coach, Reggie Herring, in the chest. Add nine more solo tackles to Brooking's stat sheet.
What more could we want from a football player?
Honorable Mention: Marcus Spears, DeMarcus Ware
Special Teams
Mat McBriar - Unfortunately, McBriar saw a lot of action Sunday. Fortunately, he dropped half of his six punts inside the 20. His 60-yarder helped boost his average for the game to a respectful 41.7 yards per punt. In close contests such as these past few, McBriar has maintained his consistency. Another solid game for the Dallas punter.
Honorable Mention: Nick Folk, David Buehler
Coaching
Joe DeCamillis - Coach Joe D does have some of the better kickers in the league on his side. Though, if we take a glance back at the first quarter of the 2009 season, the special teams units would have to be considered the most consistent for the Cowboys.
On Sunday, Eddie Royal returned four punts for 15 yards. The Denver kick returners averaged 24 yards on two returns. The Dallas coverage units still have many of the same names as they did in '08. The biggest difference is they have a new leader.
Honorable Mention: Reggie Herring, Todd Grantham
Who gets your game balls?