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2014-2015 Regular Season: The Means To Beat
New Orleans
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- October 4,
2014
At 11:37 PM CST
By Eric M. Scharf
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- Anxiety can come in quite the
variety.
The Disastrous Dallas Dismemberment was still fresh in the
collective memory of Cowboys Nation and – though each new season
brings more promise and hope – fans would have understood if
“America’s Team” had decided to take a game day vacation.
After all, Dallas could not possibly want to play more rope a dope.
The Saints seemed poised to – once again – turn the Cowboys into the
Aints.
Rob Ryan was set to reapply his exotic defensive schemes against the
latest in a long list of his former teams. During his only season
with the Cowboys, Ryan had a miserable time losing a ridiculous
number of players for the year . . . but it would have been a more
palatable experience if not for Tony Romo's untimely and repeated
turnover smear.
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- It remains the humble opinion of
"The Tortured Cowboys Fan" that Ryan's punch drunk defense would
have held it together long enough to help the Cowboys reach the
playoffs – in 2012 – if not for Romo's ruinous reads creating GREAT
field position for the opposition . . . and practically putting
Ryan's defensive unit on its rear. But it is easy to digress into
that past mess.
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- While the Saints were
no longer carving defensive holes with Darren Sproles, that did not
appear to significantly affect their still potent offensive weapons
and aggressive, point-scoring patrols.
The NFL’s younger audience – with their fraudulent fantasy football
focus – probably thinks it is complete hocus pocus that before the
name “Manning” was ever associated with Super Bowls . . . it was
linked to one of the league’s traditional toilet bowls. It was not
so long ago when the Saints were still taking turns with the Tampa
Bay Buccaneers and Detroit Lions as the annual doormat of the
league. No amount of money could reward even the best of players to
put up with that mental fatigue.
2006 was the year that theory was turned on its ear. Then-free-agent
quarterback Drew Brees agreed to join the Saints after they showed
him the money and said “Pretty please?!”
Though the last few years have not been ideal, Brees and Sean Payton
have generated plenty of appeal. They have enjoyed quite a run of
success and offensive fun.
That same youthful NFL crowd – when hearing of Dallas’ prior fame
and glory – has surely wondered out loud: “Why have the Cowboys –
over the past few years – been so incredibly lame? What is the
story?”
Regardless of for whom your cheer, any mystery is cleared up by a
few hours of NFL Films and a cold beer (or any preferred beverage
you can leverage).
Nonetheless, the only intrigue of the night was whether or not the
Cowboys would show any fight. Would the Dallas doubters be proven
right on Sunday night . . . or would the few Saintly cynics put on a
prognostication clinic?
Identity
The Cowboys were supposed to be the work-in-progress searching for
an identity.
Coming into their latest contest, “The Brothers Han” (Linehan and
Callahan) had shown surprisingly balanced offensive numbers but – with
the season still so early – doubts still lingered about
sustainability.
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- Their defense was supposed to be in-name-only but – after an opening
game meltdown – Marinelli’s Men had been playing pretty boldly.
The Cowboys – since 1996 – have been known for unfulfilled WCS
for a variety of play call and play execution reasons. Woulda’,
Coulda’, Shoulda’ . . . rather than World Championship
Seasons.
Just when fans were fearing (and many popular prognosticators were
expecting) another Louisiana lynching, the Cowboys exploded to a
24-0 first half lead that left so many – including the Saints – with
heads o’ scratching.
The Cowboys – prior to intermission – punted but once . . . leaving
Rob Ryan and his voodoo defensive crew looking like a collective
dunce in the first session.
The Cowboys’ offensive line – in allowing only one sack – played
powerfully, smart, and generally took the Saints’ defense apart.
DeMarco Murray enjoyed another solid rushing day – on his way to
nearly 150 yards on just 24 carries – and seemingly running downhill
on almost every play. Even Tony Romo got in on the act with 21-yard
scramble . . . albeit while looking a little like an older player
struggling to amble.
Romo tossed in another leisurely 260+ yards and three more scores .
. . with the help of help of his reliable receive corpse.
While the Saints were wisely doubling Dez Bryant, hoping Jason
Witten would remain static to block, and daring Terrance Williams to
beat them . . . the former Baylor Bear took full advantage of his
opportunity – delivering six catches for nearly 80 yards and two
touchdowns, eventually pulling attention from Bryant, and looking
very crème de la crème.
While Williams went from also-ran wingman to wide open, Bryant and
Witten – combining for eight catches, over 100 yards, and a
touchdown – also pitched in.
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- There was (to be fair) a brief second half scare – as the Dallas
offense sustained three consecutive punts and the defense lost Big
Bad Bruce Carter . . . during a furious rundown where he suffered a
groin strain. The Saints took advantage of his absence to quickly
pull within 31-17 . . . causing Cowboys Nation some flashback pain
(even with a solid fill in like Rolando McClain). Hey – last year it
was the Lions and the Packers to whom the Cowboys brilliantly
succumbed during horrific comebackers. Fans were – once more –
prepared to possibly see a sure victory tossed out the Jerry World
door.
Dallas – to the delight of fans everywhere – righted themselves just
in time to halt the Saints sudden touchdown tear . . . with one of
their own – from Romo to Bryant – to remain defiant.
While it was FANTASTIC to see the “Han Clan” impose their will
against the voodoo crew of Ryan, just as much credit goes to
Marinelli’s Men for sending the Saints home cryin’.
Marinelli finally had Cowboys’ defenders swarming in every way on
every play – just like the much-maligned Monte Kiffin had originally
planned . . . when he first replaced Rob, saw critical injuries
demolish his brand, and spent his first season with a serious brain
throb.
Marinelli’s Men allowed plenty of yards to Brees and Company but –
unlike their last meeting – they lived to defend another day by
preventing almost every big play. Jimmy Graham was expecting to
snack on secondary steak but was fed no better than Spam. Marques
Colston “received” the same treatment, leaving running back Khiry Robinson to briefly reward well-traveled Saints fans with a
46-yard run
. . . to temporarily halt their game-ending bereavement.
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- The Cowboys defensive effort was also bolstered by the return of
none other than Anthony Spencer (for hire) . . . who was playing
with a renewed-and-healthy fire. While Spencer was taking his first
official steps back from an outline in chalk – and with DeMarcus
Ware now long gone – Anthony was now more “A Man Called Hawk”.
The Cowboys – with the means to beat New Orleans – gladly took the
38-17 victory . . . and join their fans in welcoming their potential
new identity. It may seem familiar – to what was proudly on display
during the early 1990’s – but fans should wait until after the
season to see if the Cowboys’ new identify really is similar.
With so much looking up – however – there was bound to be something
downward to address. While Bruce Carter – with his strain – may be
able to avoid a long-term recovery mess, chaotic and oft-criticized
cornerback Morris Claiborne ruptured his patella tendon, as fate
determined in a certain direction his left knee would not be bendin’.
Claiborne has been lost for the season, and it would appear the
Cowboys may not bring him back . . . as his game day performances
(to-date) continued to lack and have given them little reason.
Will They Or Won’t They?
The 3-1 Dallas Cowboys – with renewed purpose and a clear direction
– prepare to host the Houston Texans . . . but it must be done with
100% trap game detection.
The Texans have the same record, and they have achieved it in a
different way . . . but that does not mean the Cowboys should be any
less vigilant against their in-state rivals on game day.
Houston fans will be amped for another shot at Dallas and a chance
to reclaim the Governor’s Cup. Cowboys Nation could care less about
a trinket trophy so long as the Cowboys’ record reaches 4-1 and
continues – in the win column – to go up.
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- Will the Cowboys with more of the
same plan from “The Brothers Han” . . . and continue allowing
DeMarco Murray to be the man? Will Tony Romo be able to continue as
a man of passing leisure . . . having to trigger the passing game
only at his pleasure?
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- Will Murray start up another
turnover streak . . . or have fans seen the last of his alter ego:
the Fumbling Freak?
Will Dez continue to remain patient in the face of expected
double-teams and encourage Terrance Williams to take advantages
towards fulfilling his own game day dreams?
Will Witten continue to pick his spot – as the
sometimes-third-receiving-option to Dez and Terrance – allowing Romo
to decide when and where to give him a casual-but-critical shot?
Will Marinelli’s Men remain aggressive – with more of their fresh
legs rotation – while Bruce Carter endures a short recovery
vacation?
Will Moore be able to adequately replace Morris Claiborne . . . or
will Sterling be the latest Cowboys cornerback for fans to abhor?
Will he take this golden opportunity, make fans forget about Mo . .
. and give Jerry Jones the confidence – next offseason – to say NO
MO?
Will J.J. Watt cause havoc quite a lot . . . or will the Cowboys
young and aggressive offensive line stop him on the spot? Will Tyron
Smith and Zack Martin leave the Texans’ defensive line smartin’?
Will Rolando McClain do enough – in Bruce Carter’s absence – to ease
the expected defensive strain?
Will Anthony Spencer improve upon his one game recovery with more
skill and strength discovery?
Will the Cowboys continue to follow their new identity, maintain a
steady attitude, go one game at a time, and allow their win total to
further climb?
We shall see. We always do.
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