Cowboys News & Notes: Kellen Moore Is Small But Accurate, Looking To Leave '15 On High Note

Dallas Cowboys: With Jeremy Mincey As Santa, Tony Romo Entertains Kids By Reading Twas The Night Before Christmas - SportsDay Staff
Right before the holidays, Tony Romo and Santa Claus visit the local hospitals to spread some Christmas cheer to those battling bigger battles than football.

Here, with a big assist from Santa Claus (Cowboys defensive lineman Jeremy Mincey), Romo reads the Christmas classic Twas the Night Before Christmas to children at The Christmas of Giving. The event was put on by Cowboys tight end Jason Witten's S.C.O.R.E Foundation for mothers and kids of The Family Place.

Four Cowboys Players Selected To The Pro Bowl - Danny Phantom, Blogging The Boys
The Dallas Cowboys send four players to Honolulu and their three offensive linemen make the team for the second year in a row.

For the second straight year, the Cowboys trio of first round offensive linemen made the squad. Cowboys left tackle, Tyron Smith is making his third straight appearance. The team gave him an eight-year deal worth almost $100 million and Smith continues to show why he's one of the highest paid LT's in the game. Smith has amazing hands and has done a great job fending off edge rushers. His strength allows him to handle the best defensive ends in the game and he's been a central part of the Cowboys running attack. He's the anchor of the offensive line and he's only 25 years old so there should be many more trips to Honolulu in his future before his career is over.

Scout's Eye: Dealing With Dareus; Bills' Unheralded Weapon At CB - Bryan Broaddus, Dallas Cowboys
The Broad One is back scouting the Buffalo Bills ahead of this week's match-up with an old rival of the 90's.

As of this writing, we don’t know whether LeSean McCoy will be able to play through his injury this Sunday against the Cowboys. Even if he can’t, there are still playmakers available for the Buffalo Bills, and they very much fit the mold of what we’re looking for in these write-ups. Buffalo sits at just 6-8 on the season, but don’t let that fool you. The Bills boast one of the best defensive linemen in the NFL – not to mention a dangerous quarterback and an unheralded cornerback.

Dallas Cowboys: Babe Laufenberg: When Johnny Manziel 'Lost Me For Good'; Worst Injury I Had As A QB - Babe Laufenberg, SportsDay
Babe Laufenberg, Dallas Cowboys radio color analyst and former NFL quarterback, answered some questions about the team in a chat Tuesday.

I see Johnny Manziel the same way I see Joseph Randle. Ultimately, he will break your heart. When he was partying on the bye week after specifically being told to watch his conduct, then lied to the team, he lost me for good. He comes with a "Caveat Emptor," label on the back of his jersey. "Let the buyer beware."

Cowboys Scouting Report: Dysfunction, No Playoffs Have Bills Reeling - Drew Davison, The Star-Telegram
Sixteen years. That’s how long it’s been since the Buffalo Bills have been to the postseason, the longest active playoff drought in pro sports.

So it’s safe to say Buffalo has become accustomed to meaningless regular-season games late in the season, and will be greeted with another one Sunday. The Dallas Cowboys, much like the Bills, saw their playoff pipe dreams officially vanish last weekend, and the teams are set to meet in a game that has little interest in most parts of the country.

Zack Martin Proves Again That Dallas Cowboys Made Right Call In 2014 - Todd Archer, ESPN
Jerry Jones may not be over his infatuation with Johnny Manziel, but the player Dallas drafted over the QB is turning out to be a Pro Bowl regular.

Martin has not missed a game in his career. He helped DeMarco Murray lead the NFL in rushing last season. He has helped Darren McFadden post five 100-yard games in the last nine contests. McFadden needs just 102 yards over the last two games to reach 1,000 for the season.

What Cowboys Can Learn From Patriots, Broncos, Saints, And Seahawks About Drafting QBs - OCC, Blogging The Boys
The Cowboys need a better plan at backup QB, but that plan may not necessarily involve a first-round pick.

If the Cowboys are looking to find a backup for Tony Romo for the next few years, the approach followed by the Patriots, Broncos, Saints, and Seahawks suggests they should invest a low second- or third-round pick in a QB this year.

Garrett Gives Reaction To Cowboys’ "Deserving" Pro Bowl Selections - Nick Eatman, Dallas Cowboys
Despite being eliminated from the playoffs, head coach Jason Garrett typically doesn’t talk about non-game related topics in his Wednesday press conference.

"I think each of those guys is very deserving," Garrett said. "I think they’re among the best players in the league at their positions.

Dallas Cowboys: Rex Ryan: 'Little bitty Dude' Kellen Moore Throws With The Wrong Hand, But He 'Torched' Us - Jon Machota, SportsDay
When Cowboys quarterback Kellen Moore makes his first career start Sunday in Buffalo, he'll be facing a familiar opponent.

"I saw him in preseason and he torched us," Bills head coach Rex Ryan said during a Wednesday conference call. "First thing that jumps out at you, he's a little bitty dude. You're expecting these big 6-5 dudes and here's a guy that's 6-foot. Then he's throwing with the wrong hand. But he's accurate. He's poised. And obviously the numbers he put up in college speak to that as well. He's a smart guy. That's kind of what jumps out at you."

Cowboys Practice Report: Dez Bryant (Foot), Cole Beasley (Sick) Absent On Wednesday - Drew Davison, The Star-Telegram
Cowboys wide receivers Dez Bryant and Cole Beasley were two notable absentees from practice on Wednesday.

Bryant continues to be limited with a foot injury, but is not expected to miss Sunday’s game in Buffalo. Beasley, meanwhile, missed with an illness.

Dallas Cowboys' Dan Bailey Happy To Have Respect Of Others Across NFL - Todd Archer, ESPN
Making his first Pro Bowl means a lot to Dan Bailey, not for the accolades, but for the fact that it was his peers who voted him in.

"I mean, it’s a good milestone in a sense. More than anything, it’s just the fact it was voted on by other guys around the league," said Bailey, who has made 142 of 156 career field-goal attempts. "It’s somewhat of a respect thing. I think Travis (Frederick) or one of those guys mentioned that (Tuesday), and that means a lot. To know that other guys around the league respect what you’re doing and the work you’re putting in that means more than anything. So yeah, there is a little bit of gratification that comes along with that."

Cowboys Cap Casualties? Three Players Who Might Be Candidates To Be Cut - Tom Ryle, Blogging The Boys
Three players have contracts that might make them cuts to gain cap space. Who are the potential casualty candidates.

Roster management in the NFL is not only a matter of getting the right talent. It is also driven by the salary cap. The Dallas Cowboys are an aggressive team in utilizing the cap to get the most bang for the buck. Part of that is cutting players who are seen as not being worth their current costs, and who can be cut without a prohibitive hit to the cap.

Moore Not Focused On Long Wait, But Excited For Opportunity Of First Start - Nick Eatman, Dallas Cowboys
Some players on the verge of making their first start might try the "play it cool" approach when asked about nerves or excitement. For Kellen Moore, his first start is as important as ever.

"It's not another start because I haven't had one," Moore said Wednesday when surrounded by reporters near his locker. "But I think it will be good. It will be exciting. You've got a lot of good guys on this offense left. Unfortunately, we're not playing for a playoff game, but we're still playing for something and we're excited about the opportunity to play a game."

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