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Von Miller was voted the MVP of the Broncos Super Bowl win, but right behind him for the Denver defense was ex-Cowboy DeMarcus Ware. Ware had a superb game with two sacks and numerous quarterback pressures and backfield disruptions. Ware was always the consummate professional and one of the all-around good guys in the NFL, congrats to him on his Super Bowl victory.
And while we're passing out accolades for the Denver defense, might as well throw some love to former Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips who did a great job of coordinating that unit. They dominated the Panthers. As has always been said about Wade Phillips, great coordinator, not-so-great head coach.
Wade Phillips was unemployed in 2014. In 2015, he was honored as the NFL's best assistant coach and ran the NFL's best defense. On Sunday, that defense shredded the league's best offense and newly minted most valuable player at Levi's Stadium, leaving the Panthers' reputation as mottled as the stadium's divot-filled turf and winning a championship for Peyton Manning in what might have been his last game.
Phillips is 68. He could have retired. Instead, he returned to the position that made him a head coaching candidate in the early 1990s - defensive coordinator of the Denver Broncos.
The Cowboys offensive tackles are a pretty good duo. Tyron Smith is the cornerstone of the future. Doug Free had a solid year and was injury free. But, do they have any depth? That's the questions asked at the mothership, and that means will 2015 third-round draft pick Chaz Green pan out.
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The answer has to be Green. He essentially took a medical redshirt, as he wasn't activated from the Physically Unable to Perform list until late in the season and he didn't play a down. The expectation for Year 2 is that he can play like a top-100 draft pick and ease into the swing tackle job. Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said at the end of the year that he was impressed by what Green was able to do in practice once he joined the team. That's a good start, but hopefully it can translate to games this year. Doug Free just turned 32, and he's only under contract for two more seasons. Ideally, you'd expect that Green is the right tackle of the future, but he's got a lot to prove.
The best and worst running back draft picks in Cowboy history? There's a good battle for the best between Emmitt Smith and Tony Dorsett, although with the all-time rushing record, the nod goes to Smith. But what's more fun is checking out some of the worst, like...
Bill Thomas, Boston College, 1972 (first round, No. 26 overall)
Seen as a replacement for Duane Thomas, Bill Thomas lasted one season with the Cowboys. And it wasn't even a full season. He was hurt in training camp, played in seven games and never got a carry. In a way, he was the Moonlight Graham character from Field of Dreams.
There was another questionable call about what is a catch at the Super Bowl. Jericho Cotchery had what might have been a reception, but the refs and replay said no.
But we need to go to the authority on that, Dez Bryant. His verdict?
Come on REFS !! Clear catch!
— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) February 8, 2016
Fun story about a scrapbook bought at a flea market that contained a history of Don Meredith. Follow the story and check out some vintage photographs here.
SB Nation caught up with Tony Romo for an interview, check it out.