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2010-2011 Regular Season: Giant Step Back Or
Forward?
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- October 21,
2010
At 9:20 PM CST
By Eric M. Scharf
The Cowboys have been spending all week trying to accomplish two tasks:
aggressively forgetting their latest free give-away and aggressively
finding ways to improve from free give-away to charge on delivery.
Their search is in-depth and leaving no stone unturned. The stones
are many, and Cowboys Stadium has a lot of glass.
W’s and L’s
Everyone knows someone who struggles with their native tongue – from
youngsters to adults and from early learning to hearing impaired.
Those we know tend to struggle with pronunciation – particularly
with W’s and L’s – just like the 2010 Dallas Cowboys.
Sports fans everywhere associate W’s and L’s with wins and losses
but – with great respect to those in life who are truly struggling
every day – the Cowboys cannot seem to tell one letter from another.
If the Cowboys have tuned out Wade and his coaches, does that mean
the Cowboys are hearing impaired?
If the Cowboys have trouble saying W(in) and L(oss), does that mean
they are suffering from amnesia – making their potent physical
skills useless until they can re-learn the meaning of those special
letters in the alphabet?
The Cowboys have exhausted their appeals for more time to understand
why W’s and L’s are so important to them.
The Cowboys must re-acquaint themselves with the season-altering
meaning of W’s and L’s by the time their next game begins . . . or
their season really will be over.
Nothing Special
The concept seems simple enough: use a young, athletic,
strong-legged place kicker to send kickoffs out of the back of the
end zone. No worries about directional kicking. Simply kick “the
dang ball” out of the back of the end zone.
David Buehler – the Cowboys’ young, athletic, strong-legged place
kicker – has thus far struggled to do in 2010 what he did quite well
in 2009: kicking the football out of the back of the end zone . . .
with rare exception.
He recently indicated that the balance between powerful kickoffs and
finesse field goals has been a challenge for him to maintain.
Buehler is not the first place kicker to struggle with excelling at
both, and he will not be the last but – with every place kicker
having to manage both roles – he simply has no choice but to suck it
up and put his very best foot forward.
Punting, however, is a different issue – with Mat McBriar doing
everything he possible can, including tackling, to ensure Cowboys
opponents are regularly pinned inside their own 20 yard line. The
man punts lights out every time he takes the field, with rare
exception, and he deserves the best available supporting cast of
tacklers.
Did the Cowboys really replace that many veterans with rookies on
special teams? Is there no longer any such thing as a reasonably
smart rookie special teamer?
Then, again, as with every other issue surrounding the Cowboys,
attitude and determination can mean all the difference between being
special at what you do and being mediocre.
Jesse “The Alley Dog” Holley – product of Michael Irvin – was
promoted from the practice squad last week and took part in the
Vikings game.
Players who are called up from the practice squad – depending upon
your perspective – have little to no pressure to deliver anything
more than “zero mistakes.”
Corralling clutch catches, rushing the right way, tackling
tastefully, and tallying touchdowns are considered thick, rich gravy
– when it comes to practice squad promotions.
And, yet, Holley gets called up and delivers two special teams
tackles – as good as or better than any of his teammates against the
Vikings. Maybe DeCamillis and Holley should be comparing notes in
order to make something special once more . . . from nothing
special.
Three Horses Sharing One
Bit
What has not been said about Marion “The Barbarian” Barber, Felix
“The Cat” Jones, and Tashard “The People’s” Choice?
They are supposed to be the Cowboys’ three-headed monster – with
Barber bashing opponents in the beginning, Felix flashing through
the holes in the middle, Choice mixing it up with a little of both,
and Barber returning to clobber and close out the competition in the
end.
Marion is an excellent closer who was made a starter – with mixed
results that no one on Earth can dispute.
Felix has been a speedy specimen – with intriguing but inconsistent
results caused by questionable play-calling, situational
play-calling, or simply his own inability to regularly get the job
done.
Tashard has shown fans that he is more than good enough to start for
the Cowboys in an emergency – if not longer – having stepped in for
the injured Barber and Jones in 2008 to unquestionably deliver the
goods in solid starting opportunities.
Tashard has been collecting dust for most of the season – with the
exception of a regrettable first game of the season fumble, a
handful of touches, and time on special teams.
The obvious questions continue to persist publicly from the usual
suspects – fans and prognosticators – and privately from within the
Cowboys brain trust.
“Why not trade Marion and his big contract before he finally wears
down from his punishing running style?”
“Why not make Felix the starter with his superior speed, catching
skills, and ability to make people miss?”
“Why not get Felix more touches as a Herschel Walker-type running
back out of the slot – where he can simply outrun the competition
after the catch?”
“Why not chuck the injury prone Barber and Jones to the bench and
take a shot on Tashard being the right Choice – with a good blend of
speed, strength, running, receiving, and peripheral vision?”
People everywhere have suggested that Jerry Jones fears
embarrassment if he chooses to officially start fast Felix Jones –
rather than the once physically dominating Barbarian – due to
Barber’s bulky contract.
People everywhere have suggested that Jerry fears embarrassment if
he chooses to officially start Tashard Choice as the well-rounded
running back on the roster – rather than his higher salary horses –
even when Tashard’s body of work indicates he is the most capable,
flexible, and all-day ready of the bunch.
Fewer and fewer people have suggested that Jerry fears embarrassment
if he chooses to re-focus Barber towards what originally earned him
his current contract and what he does best: wearing down defenses
throughout the final quarter of games and closing the deal.
Once you get past $1.3 billion dollars, a player salary here and a
player salary there will have no effect on Jerry.
Jerry and Wade want the best most reliable players on the field –
just like the fans – and if a change-up will help save a sinking
season, then, fans should expect an ego to be swallowed, some pride
to be bruised, a change to be made, and success to be had.
When your very NFL playoff life is at risk – and you are also
hosting the big game in your own backyard – you will make decisions
on best possible production . . . regardless of public humiliation.
If the Cowboys do not find a way to recover and make the 2010-2011
playoffs, there will be plenty of humiliation for everyone in the
Cowboys organization.
Public humiliation and criticism will be there whenever the season
ends – like a ball and chain around every member of the Cowboys
organization and every fan of America’s Team.
If Jerry, Wade, and Jason need to alter who is carrying the rock and
when, Monday night’s game is an excellent opportunity for a new,
more productive approach.
While people say – and even insist – that progressively more touches
make a more productive running back, it is still the quality of
those touches that makes the biggest difference . . . just as it did
when the Cowboys’ three-headed monster was getting the job done at
the end of 2009.
On the other hand, if the Cowboys’ offensive line is generally
firing on all cylinders – as it did during the last 4-5 games of
2009 – it will not matter who is running the ball.
The Cowboys would, of course, be able to follow the same pattern
that was, again, working so well for them – with Barber bashing
opponents in the beginning, Felix flashing through the holes in the
middle, Choice mixing it up with a little of both, and Barber
returning to clobber and close out the competition in the end.
While the offensive line is a big part of the reason the Cowboys
continue to rack up big yardage, most of it is passing yardage. If
the linemen can dig deep – rising above the starter soreness with
better back-up battles – and give the running game a little more
light, it will not matter who is running the ball.
If the Cowboys decide to make a bold and legitimate change in the
order of appearance at running back, may the Cowboys make the right
Choice.
Never Too Cozy
Kyle Kosier – at nearly 10 years in the NFL – has become an injury
magnet. His latest injury – an Achilles strain – was supposed to
keep him out of action for 2-3 weeks, but it now appears he is day
to day.
This is either a weak Wade smokescreen, or Kosier is better off than
the original diagnosis suggested. Regardless of whether he is 2-3
weeks or day to day, he always seems to be minute to minute when it
counts most – at game time.
Montrae “Entrée” Holland is preparing to start in the event that
Kyle cannot get any cozier with his latest injury. Montrae has a
potential opportunity to show his teammates that he can rise from
the ranks of the back-up bench and succeed as a starter.
Though the Cowboys kept Romo’s jersey nice, clean, and neat against
the Vikings, missing Kyle for a while may just convince Romo to use
that bruised left thumb to hitch a ride out of town.
The Cowboys need Kyle for as many games as his broken body can buy.
Getting cozier with Kosier would be great, but physical fate may
never allow Kyle and the Cowboys to get too cozy.
Celebrations
While celebrating a touchdown in the end zone, Marc Colombo has
trouble staying upright.
While celebrating a touchdown in the end zone, Miles Austin pretends
he is a giant frog.
While celebrating a touchdown in the end zone, Sam Hurd likes to
practice sign language.
While celebrating a touchdown in the end zone, all three players
were penalized for leaving their brains on the sideline.
If the Cowboys deliver a resounding win – even a close win – against
the Giants, they should wait until after the game, after the fans
have left, and go into the Cowboys Stadium parking lot to celebrate.
Even then, Jerry and Wade should be on the lookout for loose zebras.
On the other hand, fans would probably agree the Cowboys have no
good reason to celebrate until they have reeled off enough wins to
magically rise back up and into the playoff picture.
The Cowboys know they should not have to spend 60 minutes on the
grid iron forcing themselves to be completely miserable – especially
if they are winning – but until they can be trusted to trust
themselves, they may simply have to pretend Tom Landry, Jimmy
Johnson, and Bill Parcells are all shooting deadly laser stink eyes
at them.
Zebras To Zero In
The Cowboys are considering bringing in NFL referees to help
determine when they are offside in practice – among other
correctable issues.
Why now? Why not three or four weeks ago? Why not every week from
here on out?
While bringing in NFL referees costs money rather than being a
league subsidized courtesy, the Cowboys’ monstrous mistakes have
cost them a lot more. There should be an open invitation for the
zebras to graze freely at Valley Ranch until further notice.
The referees can help the Cowboys zero in on many mistakes, but the
ultimate solution can only be delivered by the players.
False Fourth
Fans should normally be delighted at hearing the Cowboys have the
fourth-ranked defense in the NFL – if not better. The label sounds
similar to last season, but the numbers are deceiving.
While the Cowboys’ defense has been putting a clamp on raw offensive
yardage, it has been failing to stop opponents from entering the end
zone at crucial times in each of their four losses.
The Cowboys are starved for turnovers like a desert-wanderer is
thirsty for water. If the Cowboys can stop rolling over on defense –
bending but not breaking and allowing fewer scores whenever possible
– they can begin to pin their ears back, force fumbles, make
interceptions, and truly assert themselves in the battle for
turnovers.
False fourth can still become a for real fourth, a forceful fourth,
better than fourth . . . and from fourth to first if Cowboys
defenders put their collective mind to it.
Head Games
It is safe to say that Cowboys defenders should be as far away from
malicious helmet-to-helmet collisions as possible.
It is ironic the Cowboys have not been called for any this season –
if memory serves.
Can the Cowboys’ defenders be more aggressive? Absolutely.
Can the Cowboys’ defenders tackle harder? Absolutely.
Can the Cowboys’ defenders do anything that may cause them 15 yards
or more? Not unless they want their own fans to empty out onto the
field and club them to death with brand new Texas Rangers ALCS
Commemorative baseball bats.
The Cowboys are doing just fine keeping their helmets closest to
their own heads.
Too Tragic To Trade
Most Cowboys fans know by now that a handful of players were offered
up as trade bait in the off-season, with only one of any real value
– Patrick Crayton – being traded away.
While the Cowboys were certainly listening to any legitimate offers,
the NFL trade deadline came and went with nary a peep from Valley
Ranch headquarters.
While the entire Oakland Raiders roster was on the trading block –
in what has become an annual angry fire sale offering – no Cowboys
player deserved to be traded away from the “Nightmare On One Cowboys
Parkway.”
No Cowboys player deserved to be sent away from the misery they
helped create.
Trading anyone away from the Cowboys would be completely undeserved
and inhumane to Cowboys fans everywhere.
The Cowboys were simply too tragic to trade . . . and every single
one of them needs to stick around to clean up the mess they have
thus far made of their season.
The fans – no matter how myopic at times – deserve to see the
Cowboys’ awaken from their malaise and make a successful mountain
from their molehill of mayhem.
Remember The Titans, Err,
Bears
Fans must remember how the Cowboys were mauling the Chicago Bears’
pass protection in the first quarter of their game earlier this
season.
The Bears lost one of their offensive line starters, and Cowboys
defenders were expected to put the final stake in the heart of a
bruised and battered Jay Cutler.
The most implausible of events occurred: the Bears played better
with a back-up and a bunch of three-step drops.
If the Cowboys show up to the Monday Night gun fight with a knife
(Montrae “Entrée” Holland) rather than a gun (Ok – a toy gun – in
Kyle Kosier), the Cowboys can take the very same approach.
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- The Cowboys' offensive line was Mr.
Hyde against Tennessee, and it was Dr. Jekyll against the Vikings. A
little more creativity will be necessary for Jason "Red Ball"
Garrett to keep Dr. Jekyll from transforming again.
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- Red Ball knows full well what a
little creativity can do to keep his system from becoming
predictable . . . and to keep his quarterback from becoming pancaked
by the sack-happy defensive line of the Giants.
Everything Is Bigger In
Texas
The New York Giants will arrive at Cowboys Stadium on Monday night
as an imperfect 4-2. The Dallas Cowboys will arrive at Cowboys
Stadium as an impossible 1-4. Both teams have their weaknesses, but
everything is bigger in Texas so – naturally – the Cowboys’ problems
are far more dramatic and traumatic.
The Giants can afford a loss and not act like the sky is falling,
but they have no intention of giving the Cowboys any freebees. The
Giants would love nothing better than to be the team that put the
final foot to the Cowboys’ throat and their 2010 playoff hopes.
Brandon “Big Mouth” Jacobs is licking his chops – even in his
reduced role behind Bradshaw.
Eli Manning would never admit it, but he would love nothing better
than to sign his name, again, on the wall of the Cowboys’
locker room at the end of the game.
Fans can just see it now: “Enjoy serving refreshments on Super Bowl
Sunday – in your own stadium – Hugs and Kisses, Eli ‘The Lesser
Brother’ Manning!"
Giants' wide receivers Steve Smith and Hakeem Nicks would love
nothing better than to make the Cowboys' secondary look like a bunch
of no-nothing hicks.
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- The Giants defensive linemen – including a former Cowboy – probably
expect to come into Cowboys Stadium and destroy Tony Romo like they
destroyed the Bears’ Jay Cutler and Todd Collins.
Every professional football fan on Earth knows full well the
potential for intelligence, maturity, production, and success that
remains untapped within the 2010 Dallas Cowboys – on offense,
defense, and possibly a youthful special teams. Everyone saw those
qualities in the 2009 Dallas Cowboys.
Will the 2010 Dallas Cowboys rediscover those same qualities in time for
kick-off on Monday night – keeping them active for the rest of the
season and beyond? Can the Cowboys take one Giant step forward –
“Big Tex” style – or will they just let themselves get stepped on
again?
We shall see. We always do.
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