Dallas Cowboys News And Notes: Tony Romo Haters Put On Notice

Tony Romo haters take heed: Dallas Cowboys QB is underrated - NFL.com
Romo haters beware: Not only does Elliot Harrison believe you're completely out of line, but he says the Dallas Cowboys quarterback remains one of the NFL's most underrated players. Preach it, Brother Elliot:

Never mind that you can count on one hand the number of quarterbacks who were under as much pressure as Romo last season. Even league analysts who don't like Romo much acknowledge that no one has better pocket mobility, or is tougher to sack (save maybe Ben Roethlisberger).

Oh, and then there's this: Romo finished last season tied for third in the NFL with four game-winning drives, and the Cowboys finished second in the league with eight come-from-behind victories. Say whaaaat?

Ranking the NFL's backup quarterbacks - NFL.com
Marc Sessler examines the league's backup passers, and - you guessed it - Kyle Orton is ranked as a top-tier backup.

Cowboys Ring of Honor Selections from Eatman, Broaddus, and KD - YourDallasCowboysFootballFix.com
YDCFF conclude their tour of Top 10 Candidates for the Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor with selections from Bryan Broaddus, Nick Eatman, and our very own KD Drummond.

DeMarco Murray: I can have a 2,000-yard season - Jon Machota, DMN
Murray was asked if he had the ability to run for 2,000 yards in a season. "I think I'm capable of anything," Murray replied.

As long as he stays healthy.

Broaddus' Prediction: Season Ends At Pro Bowl For Sean Lee - DallasCowboys.com
I'm beginning to lose track of all the predictions Broaddus has made over the last few weeks. Sean Lee to make the Pro Bowl doesn't feel like a particularly bold prediction though.

2013 NFL training camp preview: Examining the new coordinators - CBSSports.com
With nearly half of the league's coordinators switching clubs, new playcallers abound. Pat Kirwan examines what the coordinator carousel means for affected teams. Here's a part of his take on Dallas:

The bigger change in Dallas will be the defense. Gone is Rob Ryan and his 3-4 pressure scheme and in comes Monte Kiffin and his 4-3 Tampa 2. Don't be surprised to see a lot less Tampa 2 and a lot more man coverage.

Kiffin has studied what the Seahawks are doing with their 4-3, which has 3-4 principles and lots of man to man. Jason Hatcher could be used in the Red Bryant role at times, so while everyone thinks it's all one-gap penetration up front (like it was when Kiffin had Warren Sapp and Simeon Rice), it might change.

This can be a good defense for Jay Ratliff if he stays healthy at his age, and defensive line coach Rod Marinelli will push DeMarcus Ware to new heights in pass rushing. I think this defense is the perfect fit for linebackers Sean Lee and Bruce Carter. No longer will the offensive guards get a clean shot on them like they did in the 3-4 front, and they should both be much more effective run-and-hit guys.

Cowboys by the Numbers: Defense - Bob Sturm
Bob Sturm with a thorough checkup of the statistics that the defense was responsible for. We've been harping on the pass defense all offseason here on BTB, and Sturm has some numbers on that which will make you feel queazy.

Read option won't catch NFL teams by surprise this season - CBSSports.com
Colin Kaepernick and Robert Griffin III better hone their pocket skills. Defensive coaches tell Clark Judge they will be ready for the read option in 2013, with Mike Tomlin calling it "the flavor of the month."

Which losing NFL teams are poised to make the playoffs? - Grantland
Somewhere in the darkest recesses of the internets, somebody was bound to predict that the Eagles would win the NFC East. And the reason why they're predicted to win is fairly simple: because they sucked big time last year. Factoid of the Day: After starting 3-1, the Eagles went 1-11 last year.

Sorry, Donovan McNabb, but HOF anything but a certainty - CBSSports.com
Former Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb 'absolutely' believes he's a Hall of Fame lock. Hardly anybody else does. Which makes McNabb's repeated attempts to position himself as a potential Hall of Fame candidate a very sad story.

The long road home - National Football Post
The NFP revisits the home field advantage question by examining each team’s performance against one interesting statistic.

Half Of Football Fans Would Rather Watch A Game On TV Than Go To A Game For Free - Business Insider
Being at home with a bunch of screens is, apparently, more fun for 44% of casual NFL fans, and 35% of die-hard NFL fans - even if they were offered free tickets. And that's not even factoring in the open game threads on BTB.

How worried should ESPN be about declining ratings? - Awfulannouncing.com
Interesting read on ESPN's recent ratings drop. Much as we'd hope that the ratings drop has something to do with viewers looking for quality elsewhere, that really isn't the case, and ESPN remains THE sports broadcasting juggernaut despite a minor blip in the ratings.

Delbert Alvarado, former Cowboys training camp kicker, doing well in Canada - Calgary Herald
Alvarado is a familiar name at Valley Ranch as he was on the Cowboys' roster for two months in the summer of 2010 and again in 2012. While he didn't make the team, he put his time to good use anyway, as he met his future wife in Dallas, professional barrel racer Fallon Taylor. the two got married last fall and are now living in Canada, where Alvarado is on the roster of the Montreal Alouettes and Fallon is ranked second on the world barrel racing money list.

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