Dallas Cowboys News & Notes: O-Line Earns Some Praise, Romo "Not Too Careful", More

Dallas offensive line earns praise in loss - Calvin Watkins, ESPN Dallas
Jerry Jones articulates what a lot of fans have been seeing, but perhaps not believing:

"Our offensive line, frankly played a real good ballgame," Jones said on KRLD-FM. "A very good ballgame, they've been playing well. Tony's got plenty of time to make the throws. We just got to make the plays."

And coach Jason Garrett agrees:

"I thought they played well," coach Jason Garrett said. "We ran for nearly six yards a carry. We blocked a front that has traditionally rushed the passer well. There are some matchup problems that those guys can present. Dwight Freeney is a great player and has been a great player in this league for a long time. I thought we blocked him. I thought we blocked some of the other guys well. Tony had time to throw the football."

Garrett: Tony Romo not being too careful - Todd Archer, ESPN Dallas
It wasn't too long ago that Romo was criticized for being a gunslinger. Now he's being criticized for not being a gunslinger. Jason Garrett doesn't buy any of that.

"I think you can make big plays without turning the ball over," Garrett said. "I think over Tony’s career he’s demonstrated that. He’s had a number of years where he’s had a high touchdown total and a low interception total. And that’s obviously what we’re going for. I think we’re playing better than we have in a long time on the offensive line. They have some marquee rushers on that San Diego defensive front. We did a good job of slowing those guys down. I thought he had time to throw the football, and so in that kind of balance that we have, if we’re running it, if we’re protecting it, I believe you can make some of those plays. We’ve just got to do that on a more consistent basis."

The Week in Overreactions: Don't doubt Dallas - CBSSports.com
New storylines emerge every week. Some are reasonable, most are not. 'The Week in Overreactions' focuses on the latter and takes a look at the state of the Cowboys.

"Yes, the Cowboys lost a game they shouldn't have. And yes, we've seen this before. But the good news is that this has nothing to do with quarterback Tony Romo (which, if nothing else, saves us the unhinged, unfounded rants about him being a choker), and this team, despite Scandrick's reservations, can be pretty good."

Garrett says defensive line didn't play up to expectations against Chargers - Carlos Mendez, Star-Telegram
After the good recent performances by the defensive line, coach Jason Garrett said it was not up to par on Sunday.

"They did not play to their level, and a lot of different reasons for that," he said at his Monday news conference. "We’re playing a lot of different combinations, all of that, but there are no excuses."

Dallas Cowboys CB Morris Claiborne cites zone coverage for confidence hit - Tim MacMahon, ESPN Dallas
When you draft a corner for the man-to-man coverage abilities he displayed in college, and then ask him to play zone, expect some growing pains.

Garrett Hopes Right Technique Will Help Fix CB’s Confidence - Rowan Kavner, DallasCowboys.com
Garrett thinks Claiborne will start playing better and more consistently when he plays more confidently and with the right technique. But playing with the right technique in a new scheme has been a challenge for Claiborne, as fellow corner Brandon Carr explains:

"You’ve got to learn a whole new thought process and terminology and technique and things like that," said Carr, who’s also learning the nuances of Monte Kiffin’s system. "it’s a bit of a learning curve, but he’s still fighting. Coach [Jerome] Henderson is doing a good job of each and every day working us to get us to where it’s second nature on the field. In due time, this thing will start clicking and guys will be where they need to be on the field."

Jerry Jones says there's a way Dez Bryant can beat double coverage: 'You throw him the ball' - Carlos Mendez, Star-Telegram
Jerry Jones is supremely confident in Bryant's ability, and proposes a truly brilliant solution for how Bryant can beat double coverage.

"The same kind of throw you throw to him in the end zone the other day that he made that catch – he can make that catch with two people on him," Jones said on his weekly radio show on KRLD FM 105.3 FM "The Fan" Tuesday. "You throw him the ball when he’s double covered. You can do that."

Dallas Cowboys DE DeMarcus Ware says his back is fine - Brandon George, DMN
Ware suffered a mild back strain on Sunday but says he's fine. Ware is expected to sit out today's practice before re-joining practice on Thursday and Friday.

Garrett grades Baylor-ex Williams high despite late-game blunder - Tom Orsborn, MySA.com
Terrance Williams received praise from Jason Garrett for his seven-catch performance on Sunday - despite the fumble at the goal line late in the game.

Cowboys’ Spencer Undergoing Microfracture Surgery - Mike Fisher, CBS DFW
Spencer will undergo the procedure on Tuesday, and his agent told Fisher that if all goes well, Spencer should be back to full health by February. Fisher also writes that the are interested in finding a way to return Spencer to the roster, even though he'll be a free agent after the season.

Thank You for Not Coaching! Week 4 - Bill Barnwell, Grantland
Bill Barnwell, like most other observers, didn't like Garrett's decision to go for the long field goal.

"What do most coaches choose in this situation? As you might suspect, the most conservative choice of the three. In relatively similar situations — game within 14 points, between five and seven yards to go, ball between the opposition's 37- and 39-yard lines — teams since 1999 have punted nearly 74 percent of the time. They were twice as likely to go for it as they were to kick a field goal, though. Somehow, Garrett chose the least conventional and, quite possibly, the least optimal decision of the three available to him."

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