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2011-2012 Regular Season: Outpointed In
Pointless Contest With New York Next
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- December
28, 2011
At 11:55 PM CST
By Eric M. Scharf
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- Fans – every last one of them – had
the near-perfect holiday gift in mind when the Cowboys’ home game
against the Philadelphia Eagles began in full effect.
Fans – every last one of them – wanted to see their
consistency-challenged Cowboys suddenly reach critical mass in all
phases of the game . . . just in time to de-feather a “Dream Team”
that annihilated “America’s Team” earlier in the season and made
them look so incredibly tame.
Fans – every last one of them – were ridiculously rabid for a raging
rumpus of revenge . . . but there was a constipating catch
conspiring to course-correct the contest, making it look as if –
once again – Garrett's Gang had "gagg-ed."
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- Fans – every last one of them –
would learn the fate of the Eagle’s late season playoff push at the
end of the Giants / Jets game .
. . thus determining how furiously focused the Cowboys would be on
their fine-feathered foes, just past their 3pm starting time frame.
Fans – some but not all – were begrudgingly abuzz of the potential
for the game against Philadelphia to suddenly become one in which
Dallas could rest some players to get healthia’.
Fans – some but not all – were angrily aware that resting players would, indeed, ruin any chance to build precious momentum .
. . while the rest of the team performed at less than full speed.
The Eagles and their fans had their own sense of anger – for
“dreaming” on the job and for believing in poor-execution slobs . .
. and they wanted to do everything they could to put the Cowboys’
playoff hopes in danger.
Fans and prognosticators were in the mood for another typical
Cowboys / Eagles blood feud – albeit for a far more competitive
contest where both teams were playing closer to their best.
If only the second game of the annual series had been that simple .
. . in the face of possibilities so ample.
Divine Backhand
It seems that not only does God like to watch his favorite team
through the hole in Cowboys Stadium, but he also loves irony . . .
even if it makes Dallas look a bit silly.
The Cowboys found themselves down by seven soon after the first
quarter fun had begun and – on his very first series – into Jason
Babin’s helmet was Tony Romo’s throwing hand run.
Romo had to hurry his pass to avoid getting both clobbered and
sacked – and he ended up getting the back of his hand smacked . . .
causing fans to hold their collective breath as they waited for word
that Romo did not permanently buckle his prized knuckles. After
enduring “Pinky Gate” – a couple years ago – fans were feeling none
too great.
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- Jerry Jones – at that very moment it seemed – must have taken an
express zip line from his skybox down to the sideline to tell Jason
Garrett to hold the phones. He informed Garrett the Jets had lost to
the Giants and – no matter how hard Romo would plead his case – the
Cowboys starting quarterback was better off following injury
compliance.
Fans watched anxiously as Felix Jones had a brief run – looking quite
good on four rushes for 24 yards – and, then, he was also pulled as a
precaution . . . he was done.
There was little doubt the Cowboys would have relished revenge on
the big bad bald birds, and they were looking forward to having more
than just words – but not everything went as planned . . . putting
both teams in no man’s land.
Romo’s injury and the suddenly pointless pursuit of punishment
against the pungent pigeons, however, conspired to take the wind out
of the Cowboys’ game-winning decisions.
Stephen McGee joined the fray – to fans’ frustration-laced dismay –
and he did his rust-covered best to save the day. While he showed
his strength with solid mobility in the face of defensive line
hostility, McGee came up significantly short . . . unable to dock
the Cowboys’ ship at a winning port.
Fans – some but not all – have tried to label McGee as a major
backup bust, but more practice reps are a must if he is to enjoy a
Romo-esque rapport with his receivers . . . getting closer to
developing that game day timing and trust. He made some nice third
down throws, but the rest were largely no-goes.
While the Eagles won the game 20-7, it played out more like a
second-degree sprain . . . with the next game suddenly on Dallas’
brain. Any grid iron big talk was replaced by a pretty apparent sleep
walk. Even Philadelphia receiver Jason Avant fumbled a sure
touchdown like a clown for a convenient Cowboys touchback . . .
helping to stall the Eagles’ scoring attack.
Fans – so rightfully bent on seeing their Cowboys build any kind of
momentum – may have overlooked a few promising details while shaking
their hands in no man’s land.
While the first meeting between the Cowboys and Eagles resulted in
Michael Vick throwing for nearly 300 yards and two touchdowns – with
LeSean McCoy’s 200 yards of total offense being highly complementary
. . . Vick’s near-300 yard and two touchdown performance – in the
second game – mostly came courtesy of the Cowboys’ seemingly
sedentary secondary.
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- The Cowboys’ defense had nothing to gain but the unwanted potential
for more physical pain. Vick got banged around about as much as
McGee – enduring several hard smacks . . . with DeMarcus Ware
collecting two more sacks. Even more telling was that none of the
Eagles’ runners gained more than 35 yards . . . with vaunted LeSean
McCoy – and his 45 total yards – shockingly being reduced to an unused
holiday toy.
Fans might have been convinced turnovers would flow free behind the
stewardship of McGee, but there were surprisingly no such turnovers
for which the fans could worry over. McGee’s clock-stopping
inaccuracy may have had fans rattled, but the Cowboys unbelievably
also won the time of possession for the game in which they battled.
Fans – with less than a minute to go in the game – may have also
been just slightly irked the Cowboys were apparently going to end
their pointless performance in style . . . being shut out at home
for the first time in a long while. After forcing one final
three-and-out by the Eagles, rookie linebacker Bruce “Welcome Back”
Carter came out of nowhere to block Philadelphia’s punt with 22
seconds remaining, joining Dwayne Harris in validating the existence of the Cowboys’ special
teams – and giving McGee one last shot to score before the final gun
. . . and avert being blanked at home for the first time since 1991.
McGee quickly scrambled for 12 yards and – on the next play – rolled
right, hit Miles Austin on a short touchdown pass, and Dan Bailey
kicked the extra point to give fans a mildly more pleasant night.
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- While the Cowboys and their fans sustained a divine backhand, it was
only a temporary trip to no man’s land . . . with Romo ready to
return to work against New York.
Pro Bowl Is A Dull Bowl
When I first began following professional football – and learned
that a player could be voted onto the Pro Bowl roster – I thought it
was a great honor for that player . . . rather than a fan-favored
imposter.
Pro Bowl balloting – if memory serves – is split equally between
coaches, player peers, and fans . . . who combine for not –so-honest
voting.
There may be head coaches whose performance bonuses are partially
tied to how many of their own players make it to the Pro Bowl.
There may be players whose escalator clauses are partially tied to
how many Pro Bowl appearances they make.
There may be fans who – due to the team(s) they follow – always and
only vote for their favorite players on their favorite teams . . .
even if other players – on performance alone – are far more
deserving of their votes.
There is a relatively small portion of the professional football
player population – consistently at the top of their game – who
will always deserve to be perennial Pro Bowl participants. Whenever
these players are voted in, they know to be gracious, acknowledge
their fans, the coaches, and their peers . . . and simply move on.
The vast majority of the player population, however – at least
privately and outside of the contractual benefits – cannot possibly
take their Pro Bowl nominations too seriously . . . nor should they.
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- Pro Bowl nominations are – ideally – something players can
straight-up earn (through solid regular season performances) . . . and it is
understandable that being left off such a roster (through vindictive
or uninformed voting) can cause a ego-bruising burn.
There are players in the NFL who have been Pro Bowl poster boys . .
. but who have never made it to the postseason or won a playoff
game.
Pro Bowl nominations are a nice to have, collect, and absolutely use
as leverage towards newer, bigger, longer contracts (with teams and
for product endorsement deals) – but they
pale in comparison to the oftentimes eternal memories of postseason
victories and Super Bowl wins . . . and the still-bigger
financial rewards that tend to follow those results.
America’s Team and their fans have – without a doubt – enjoyed more
than their fair share of Pro Bowl nominations and postseason success
. . . even if those nominations and successes have some undesirable
age on them. Cowboys Nation – from the Dallas / Fort Worth Metroplex
to points unknown around the world – understands that playoff
participation is
as precious as gold . . . especially when you have seen the price of
precious metals lately.
Does Tony Romo deserve to be in the Pro Bowl . . . after being
dumped on by his fan base to start the season, after playing through
a tremendously painful rib fracture, after conquering the majority
of his mental mistakes to become the most efficient he has ever
been?
Objectively – yes, he should have been nominated to the Pro Bowl.
Financial considerations notwithstanding – should he care at all
about participating in a Pro Bowl versus the postseason or, GASP,
the Super Bowl? No – not for a single New York Minute.
Romo knows the score, the fan-favorite Pro Bowl is a bore, and Tony
knows he can accomplish so much more.
Fans – the truly myopic ones – need to acknowledge what the majority
of their dear Dallas Cowboys already understand.
The Pro Bowl is a Dull Bowl, and the Cowboys deal only in playoff
runs and Super Bowls . . . no matter how much longer it may take to
reach and win the next one.
Want To
Basketball – from elementary school pickup games to the NBA –
requires players to perform on both offense and defense. Defense – in any
sport – is all effort, is all “want to.”
Rob Ryan has just another couple days of practice to determine the
secret password or trigger event that gets his defense to “want to”
get after the Giants’ offense as if their very lives are at stake.
The defense does not necessarily need to dominate, but he must get
them to “want to” – once again – avoid hitting themselves squarely
in the face by stepping on that mental rake.
Ryan – in all fairness – had almost no offseason to properly
instruct his players in the execution of his new defensive system .
. . and the aggressive, never-stop-‘til-you-drop
way he expects them to normally and regularly perform, no matter
which play he calls. Fairness is
ignored, of course, when fans are reminded the entire league faced the same
dilemma upon returning to work from the knock-down-drag-out lockout.
Ryan has to help his players “want to” . . . where all but a few of
them are clearly struggling to “want to” for and by themselves.
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- Society always wonders whether there is a new level of dumb or lazy
. . . and which person or group might actually go even deeper below
that new all-time low. It would be too easy to simply label the
Cowboys’ defense as the worst ever in any kind of weather . . . but
that would be incorrect to great effect.
The current Cowboys’ defense is one of the most inconsistent and
destabilizing units in the history of the franchise . . . but it is
not the worst.
Fans would do well to remind themselves that this season’s defense –
while resembling a hospital ward – has better personnel than the
2009 unit that woke up just in time to help beat an undefeated
Saints team in its prime.
Ryan’s scheme may be more complex than what Wade Phillips had
installed with so many of the very same players . . . but,
ultimately, scheme cannot be blamed – ever – for poor tackling along
the defensive line and in the secondary. Outside of Barry Church's
strained shoulder, DeMarcus Ware's on-again-off-again stinger, Jay
Ratliff's recovering ribs, and
Tony Romo's not-so-needy knuckles, no other players on the team should have
any major trouble exercising textbook tackling techniques . . .
"want to" notwithstanding. What about Sean Lee? What about
the Cowboys' defensive MVP? Even with his ongoing wrist injury, he
has shown fans and teammates that he is still feeling pretty strong
and free.
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- Coaches love to espouse how they
work every day to put their positives into practice . . . and their
players “in the best position to succeed.”
When a player finds himself in the best position to succeed, it is
up to him to finish the job . . . rather than rewarding Ryan’s
faith by playing like an inexperienced slob. Finishing the job –
after all – has been the Roughnecks' biggest problem. If they can find a way to
finish, the other symptomatic, finish-flavored problems will fall in
line just fine.
Ryan has already made efforts to simplify his scheme to promote the
standard pro sports work environment of “do more and think less.”
Some players – such as Anthony “Denser” Spencer and Terence “Toast”
Newman – are clearly struggling more with their “want to” than almost
any of their teammates.
Bad plays can be called. Players can, indeed, get juked out of their
jocks by their opponents. Players can, in fact, get tired. Players
may also continue to get tired even after rotating in and out of
different defensive sets. While all players in every pro sport
eventually get tired at some point, they simply have to suck it up
or shut it down . . . and hit the street with a pink slip in their
back hip. Jason Garrett has made it clear that no misshapen players
get to play on game day . . . unless it is an absolute emergency and
those players are showing a deep sense of urgency. Montrae “Entrée”
Holland found this
out before the season even began – though he was later given the
chance to work his way back into Garrett's plan.
While players can, indeed, get juked out of their jocks by their
opponents . . . there has been no such player in the NFL since Barry
Sanders retired. So, if Spencer and Newman are physically functional
with their jocks reasonably intact, what is it about these
repeat offenders – these performance perpetrators – that stops them
from showing they have a clue . . . and that finishing “want to?”
Fans cannot count – on 50 nervously chewed hands – how many times
Spencer and Newman have seemingly given up on plays or shown up late
to the action in a mystifying daze . . . whether
playing close to the line, in the offensive backfield, in the
secondary, man or zone, sideline to sideline, or down the
seam, and being unreliable for their team.
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- Regularly distributed interview
footage of Spencer and Newman always shows them both to be generally
insightful, occasionally speaking to the intricacies and results of
their defensive approaches, and showing a seemingly sincere desire
to either improve or correct what they are doing – on an individual
basis and as part of a group thing. Finishing and
maintaining that improvement or correction has simply proven more
elusive to them than the rest of the Roughnecks – who rely on
Spencer and Newman to successfully execute important roles within
Ryan's system . . . accurately and to-spec.
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comprise Cowboys Nation – cannot and will not speak ill of his two
defensive starters. He desperately needs them to crank – as he has
no valid replacements for them in the depth chart bank. Damaging
statements – for which Ryan does always rank – might give Spencer
and Newman (like any highly criticized players) an extremely simple
excuse to go into the tank. Then, again, they need look no further
than their own starting quarterback for sticktoitive inspiration . .
. as Romo would love nothing more than to ease his career-long
burden and Super please Cowboys Nation.
Spencer may, indeed, completely, finally, and totally not be the
bookend edge rusher the Cowboys and their fanfare thought they had to
marvelously match with DeMarcus Ware. Newman has dealt with so many physical
breakdowns that – by this time in his career – it should be forgiven
and a foregone
conclusion that it is a step he has been losin'. These potential facts aside
– Spencer and
Newman can and should still be able to finish the plays they are in
position to make . . . applying solid tackles (among other things)
which only a few opponents can regularly break.
Fans – those who really study the game (albeit from their armchairs)
– understand that if Ryan can reduce his “want to” reclamation
project down to just succeeding with Spencer and Newman, the rest of
his defense will flourish . . . or, at the very least, be able to
focus on their assignments rather than try to do too much. Coaches –
after all – go insane when an important player gets “do too much”
stuck in his brain.
Fans – those who really study the
salary cap (albeit from their armchairs) – understand that Ryan may
have agreed to work with the Cowboys' existing players both out of
personal pride that he could enhance their performance . . .
and due to an unenviable salary cap situation. Jerry may have made a
serious run at Nnamdi Asomugha, but all available facts pointed to
some serious salary cap suffering – with which Cowboys Nation is incredibly familiar – as an eventual result of such a move . . . but I
digress with helpless "go with what we got" resignation.
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- There is a reoccurring special
effect used in the film
“Biker Boyz” – staring Lawrence Fishburne – which goes hand-in-hand
with the “exotic” label so often applied to Rob Ryan’s playbook.
This effect shows how Smoke (Fishburne’s character) can focus in on
his target, finish his assignment during every bike race . . . and
win. This can also be described as “want to” . . . but I digress.
NBA players – some of the very best athletes in the world – have to
play glamorous offense and sometimes-thankless defense. The Los
Angeles Lakers (as an extreme example) very recently started their strike-shortened season
after just a handful of preseason games and practice days – with a
brand new head coach . . . and the unwanted headache of brand new offensive and defensive
systems to install during the regular season.
The World
Champion Dallas Mavericks – for that matter – would not have won an
NBA Championship last year if they had not finally and completely
committed themselves equally to offense and defense.
While signing now-former Dallas center Tyson Chandler helped
change the Mavericks' attitude towards defense, the Cowboys
have an entire unit of players who are supposed to be stone cold
dedicated to defense. The Mavericks actually had the benefit of working within the same offensive and
defensive systems for a couple years. Talk about waiting
around to "want to" . . . but I digress, again.
The Lakers' scenario sounds familiar until fans are reminded that
Rob Ryan’s players – Spencer and Newman in particular – only play
defense and had significantly more time to study their playbook than
the Lakers did. It appears as if Spencer and Newman have somehow
subconsciously split their jobs into one part glamorous and one part
“want to.” Everyone knows that is just not how it goes. Their jobs
are one and the same in the Ryan attack . . . and they have no slack
from their coaches, teammates, or blood-thirsty opponents to get off track.
Rob Ryan has mere days of practice to manipulate the magic phrase
that gets his entire defense to “want to” get after the Giants’
offense as if the world was ending on game day. If Ryan’s Roughnecks
can do their jobs, can “want to” wipe the grid iron with the Giants,
then, Tony Romo will not have to carry so much of the “want to”
weight on his shoulders . . . like Giant boulders.
Will They Or Won’t They?
If there was ever a game for which every coach and active player
within the Dallas Cowboys organization should get their act
together – no matter the weather – it would be this weekend’s game against the Giants in New
York . . . to decide the single-and-simultaneous winner of both the
NFC East division crown and a first round playoff game in their home
town.
ATTENTION: Dallas Cowboys’ Coaching Staff – if you are going to
confuse any players on that day, please let it be your opponent’s
players . . . who are standing around yelling "What the hey?!"
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- ATTENTION: Dallas Cowboys’ Players – if you are going to execute
your assignments poorly on that day, please do so only after the
game . . . somewhere in the MetLife Stadium parking lot.
While Ryan may be determined to find a way to light the right fire
under Spencer and Newman, his Roughnecks may receive an even better
improvement on tap with the return of backup nose tackle
Josh Brent . . . who is bent on returning to his usual chores of
successfully occupying two defenders at once, stuffing the run with
his wide body, and giving Jay Ratliff a breather. Brent sounds
great, and Dallas could really use him . . . but will his presence
be enough to help offset Spencer and Newman – the Cowboys’ current
gruesome twosome?
Will the Cowboys' secondary put up
more of a primary challenge to keep Eli Manning and his long-range receivers
from going on Cruz control . . . or will Victor, Manningham, and
Nicks continue to sink the Cowboys' corners with an auto-repeating deep six?
Will the Cowboys' front seven
prevent big Brandon Jacobs from busting loose – again – like a
Brahma bull tiptoeing downhill through running back heaven? Jacobs
likes to say a heck of a lot, but will Josh "Big Boy" Brent chill
all of Brandon's interview rot and stop him on the spot?
Will Tony Romo and his offense have to play the perfect game . . .
or will Ryan’s Roughnecks “want to” do their jobs and help him make
a successful home playoff claim?
It appears a foregone conclusion
that any problems Dallas may experience against the Giants will come
exclusively from the defense – but will Diamond Dez Bryant deliver
in the clutch while ignoring off-the-field distractions . . . or will he be
just another rhinestone cowboy with no glory?
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- Will Miles Austin have another fight
with the stadium light or will he be ready to make all the big
receptions and set it right? Will Jason Witten use the Pro Bowl
oversight to help his best friend Romo win the division crown on
Sunday night?
Will Laurent Robinson continue to carve up single-coverage
cornerbacks who think they can handle him? Will Felix Jones find a
running game way to make Dallas' day? Will Sammy Morris continue
playing like a Taurus? Will Tony Fiammetta help both of them rush
even betta'?
Will a surprise mench come off the bench? Will John Phillips get a few quality receiving rips? Will
Martellus Bennett be much brighter and – for at least a few good
plays – function like a prize fighter? Will Kevin Ogletree latch his
roots onto a good catch (or two)? Will Dwayne Harris be at his
special teams peak, following his solid performance from last week?
Will Romo even get a real opportunity to play the perfect game with
the way his offensive line has continued to come up physically lame
– with Holland the latest to have fallen – or will the Cowboys
miraculously be able to plug in and still win?
Will the Cowboys even have enough healthy
quality players to field a competitive team . . . or will they
succumb to an expanding ER theme?
Fans can be confident in the fact
that many players on the Cowboys' roster have shown physical
toughness all season long . . . but will they show that mental
toughness that has seemingly and stingingly been an elusive dream to most
– but not all – players on the team?
The 49ers' Fracture Fest was a long time ago . . . and with the
Redskins and Dolphins, the Cowboys matched their competition by
going lower than low. Outside of Romo – and a handful of other
players – there may remain the majority of a mentally-challenged roster in
tow.
Garrett's gang can study film, practice new scheme wrinkles with
grace, and run situational awareness drills until they are blue (and
silver) in the face. Will they be able to respond with winning
resolve to the Giants' own new features . . . or will the
Cowboys – once again – become habitual head case creatures? And if
the Giants decide to go back to the well on what won the first game
at the final bell – will the Cowboys make the necessary adjustments
to their mental toughness . . . or fall under yet another neurotic
spell?
Garrett has repeatedly met recent
media questions with the fact the Cowboys have a tremendous
opportunity this week . . . but will his players show the focus,
determination, and unity to make the Giants' chances less than
bleak?
The writing will officially be on the wall for one of these teams by
the final gun Sunday night . . . but will it finally be Romo’s
successful signature becoming a MetLife Stadium
fixture?
The Dallas Cowboys have a chance to join the Big Dance and bring the
NFC East division crown back to town. Will they
advance or will they end their inconsistent season with even more
ants in their pants?
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- Dallas showed the will to succeed
earlier in the season but – with the NFC East title and a home
playoff game on the line – they, now, have the ultimate reason to
avoid committing quitter’s treason. Will the Cowboys finally master
"The Art Of Heart" and show supreme mental toughness when it
matters most . . . or will they simply add to their regular
season pile of burnt toast?
If the Cowboys can win it, they are in it . . . but can they stand
it?
Will the Cowboys be ready to grapple in the Big Apple?
The Cowboys can do it, but can they
USE IT . . . and how badly
do they want it?
We shall see. We always do.
- Happy New Year.
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