-
-
-
2012-2013 Regular Season: Long Overdue
Against Big Blue
-
-
September 15, 2012
At 7:30 PM CST
By Eric M. Scharf
-
- The 2012-2013 NFL season has
officially begun, and fans (almost) everywhere are having fun.
The first week of the schedule has come and gone and – as Deion
Sanders says on his DirecTV commercials – “IT’S ON!”
-
- Fans knew the Dallas Cowboys were long overdue against Big Blue.
Fans would rightfully squirm – worried that Dallas would, once
again, whiff on the Big Apple . . . and bite into the worm.
Would the Cowboys be further snake-bitten without one of their
leaders in Jason Witten?
Would the Cowboys fidget and find another way to fail in the final
New York minute?
-
- Would the Cowboys start strong but diminish into another poor
finish?
Would the Cowboys stoke another late game choke?
Big Boys
“America’s Team” – to the delight of Cowboys Nation and
star-smashers’ deflation – was able to defeat the NFL Champion New
York Giants with a few of its new toys . . . and finally come away
looking like Big Boys.
The Cowboys were able to finish what they started, rather than end
dimly departed.
Tony Romo may have thrown an early pick, but he was able to recover
right-quick – with over 300 yards passing and three touchdowns
against a Giants’ secondary that (as the game went on) resembled
circus clowns.
While Jason “El Cid” Witten was not hiding a serious injury from his
teammates, his mere presence on the field – as a distracting decoy
and more-than-serviceable fourth receiver – made it appear as if he
was fully healed . . . making fan and teammate alike into a true
believer. Witten’s spleen laceration – to the relief of Cowboys
Nation – was not even remotely close to Drew Pearson’s
auto-accident-related spleen loss . . . or Witten would not have
even been allowed to play sideline toss.
-
- Kevin Ogletree went through nothing less than an incredible
transformation – right before the very eyes of Cowboys Nation – from
an unreliable fourth afterthought to the new third receiver who
miraculously caught . . . two touchdowns and nearly everything
thrown to this suddenly great Jason Witten reliever. Kevin went from
Uglytree to Ogletree – appearing to finally be ready to branch out
and defeat lingering doubt from his past performance drought.
-
- Dez “Compliant” Bryant and Miles “Hamstrung To Hamstrengthened”
Austin collectively and successfully returned from relative
preseason obscurity – with each making four catches for between 70
and 80 yards . . . and with a bionic late game touchdown by Miles to
help cement New York’s frown.
DeMarco “Running Man” Murray’s excellent rookie effort may have come
to a premature close against the Giants last year – but he smashed
and thrashed his way to over 130 yards in his first official game
back . . . showing everyone he still has that extra gear for the
Cowboys’ rushing attack. The Running Man even added a nifty 48-yard
run – bouncing off would-be tacklers during the initial Earl
Campbell ramble . . . and juking the other defenders a bit like
Barry Sanders.
-
- The Cowboys were able to get sacks and turnovers, rather than end as
weak-hearted pushovers.
The Giants’ offensive line was not quite so stiff, even when the
absence of Jay Ratliff could have sent the Cowboys’ defense over the
cliff. DeMarcus Ware may have faced double-teams all night – and
Anthony Spencer may have been limited (again) in pass rush might . .
. but Jason Hatcher’s attention to signal-caller detail helped make
it alright.
Sean Lee may have – once again – had to double as Dallas’ defensive
dean and determined tackling machine, but with Bruce Carter finally
and fully in on the action . . . the Giants’ running game received
no late game traction.
-
- The Cowboys’ secondary may have been chasing Cruz and Hixon all over
the place, but it worked out fine with Brandon “New” Carr and Morris
“Claymore” Claiborne keeping pace. They even survived a performance
renaissance by Martellus “Mental Blunder” Bennett . . . who always
seemed to approach his role in the Cowboys’ passing game with
extreme nonchalance.
The Cowboys’ special teams may have moved on from punting stalwart
Matt McBriar, but Chris Jones’ distances did enough damage to
prevent the Giants’ return game from catching fire.
Dan Bailey made quick work of his finite foot time on the field and
– aside from a 32-yard rookie running back return by the Giants’ 1st
round pick David Wilson – the Cowboys’ kick coverage converted
enough tackles to make the New York yield.
The Cowboys left MetLife Stadium with a reasonable sense of poise –
overcoming the loss of their starting center and their latest
mindless penalty bender – rather than like last year’s team . . .
making lots of hollow noise and adding to the number of fans it
annoys.
The Cowboys – for at least one game with at least fifteen more to go
– are, once again, Big Boys, prime time headliners of the NFL show.
Fans have certainly earned the right to celebrate the return of the
Big Boys, but they should slow down, look at the big picture, and
steel themselves against a season of potential killjoys.
Only One Game
Fans have every right to be thrilled about the Cowboys’ convincing
victory over the Giants, but excited fans should try to remain
reasonably tame . . . as it has been only one game.
Fans have every right to be thrilled about Romo’s 300 yards passing
and three touchdowns, but his lone interception would have been a
pick six if not for Tyron Smith’s timely horse collar take down.
Outside of the pick – and with the continued infection of poor pass
protection – Romo absolutely delivered the goods, his performance
did the trick, but excited fans should try to remain reasonably tame
. . . as it has been only one game.
Fans have every right to be thrilled about Kevin Ogletree’s
Witten-esque performance against the Giants, but Ogletree knows he
must deliver (reasonable) results for the entire season before
anyone can have reason to count on such reliance. Romo indicated
that Ogletree has put on similar displays in practice, but excited
fans should try to remain reasonably tame . . . as it has been only
one game.
Fans have every right to be thrilled about Bryant’s and Austin’s
safe arrival – after a lack of preseason exposure left them looking
downright archival. While Romo can only spread the ball so much, the
Giants’ secondary looked rather ordinary . . . and appeared to leave
more (unfulfilled) opportunities for Dez and Miles in and out of the
clutch. Ogletree may, indeed, have become the safety valve for the
evening but not without the expectation of Dez and Miles doing a lot
more route weaving. No need to pout, however, if the Giants made
every effort to scheme them out. Excited fans should try to remain
reasonably tame . . . as it has been only one game.
Fans have every right to be thrilled about DeMarco Murray’s 130
yards rushing, but if the offensive line cannot calm down – and
correct many of their mental mistakes – opposing defenses may just
run the Running Man right out of town. The offensive line – without
Phil “What Has My Average Play” Costa – has been far from fine and
on their penalties future opponents may dine. Excited fans should
try to remain reasonably tame . . . as it has been only one game.
Fans have every right to be thrilled about the vastly improved
defensive results against the Giants, but New York’s offense –
outside of a few untimely drops – was not very explosive . . . and
future Cowboys opponents may prove far more dangerous and corrosive.
Excited fans should try to remain reasonably tame . . . as it has
been only one game.
Fans have every right to be thrilled with the game-one performance
and season-long potential of America’s Team, but excited fans should
try to remain reasonably tame . . . or they may need to use Jerry’s
Wipes for corrective lenses and tears that stream.
-
- It has been only one game, folks. Fans can only build on hopes that
America’s Team is done with past chokes and playing like dopes.
Official Solution
NFL fans continue to wait for Roger Goodell and the referees
association to come to a common contractual commitment. No one
should hold their breath, however, as the replacement refs have yet
to really scare any vested stakeholders to death.
While the NFL and NFLRA continue to play chicken with the quality
and outcome of important game day officiating, there is one
sure-fire way for teams to make the effect of officiating far less
scintillating.
This official solution involves, drum roll please – wait for it . .
. EFFICIENT PLAYER EXECUTION OF PLAY CALLS.
This novel idea may appear devoid of the standard drama that comes
with most things of NFL heft . . . but it is quite clear the drama
never left. Individual players, specific player units (offense,
defense, and special teams), and entire teams have never been more
inconsistent in their game day execution.
While it is an accepted result of professional sports that one
player can be mentally or physically outmatched by an opposing
player, it becomes unnecessarily harder when one of the two players
simply does not care.
-
- Team sports require most – but not all – players on a team to share
the same goals. When those like-minded players are the superstars,
they are sometimes able to use their superior skills to fill in the
remaining holes.
Peyton Manning’s transformation of the talent-challenged Indianapolis
Colts’ offense comes to mind and – though he spent years pulling off
the impossible – his absence clearly left his team in a painful
bind.
“On any given Sunday” always diminishes down to “on any given play”
– and that reduces down to who executes the best . . . versus
“anything goes” in the Wild, Wild West.
The teams that play cleanest can prevent game day officials from
being at their meanest. Keeping referees laser-focused on down and
distance in every instance is not an unachievable dream for every
team.
The less you leave (for a referee) to debate, the closer you may get
to being great – or you can simply continue with laissez faire if
you dare . . . and encourage referees to officiate your fate.
You can be brave, you can have some pride, and you can choose the
direction in which you ride – or you can continue being inconsistent
or doing the bare minimum . . . and allow officials to decide.
Efficient player execution of play calls is the official solution
that can remove a great deal of referee confusion from this latest
NFL complication.
Bountiful Or Bounty Fool?
“Integrity” is a powerful essence – capable of driving a player, a
team . . . or even the most widely recognized professional sports
league in the world to uphold the might of doing things right.
The recent Federal court ruling that overturned the Bounty Gate
suspensions of Jonathan Vilma, Anthony Hargrove, Will Smith, and
Scott Fujita did so only on the point of pay-for-play – but not on
the point of intent-to-injure . . . or their collective innocence.
The players’ celebration of this ruling, thus, makes little sense.
The NFL has maintained all along that Roger Goodell made his
determinations on legitimate evidence. There has been the strong
(and completely understandable) indication that said proof has been
kept close to Goodell’s vest . . . in order to continue receiving
every future whistleblower’s very best.
The court ruling has merely forced Goodell to prove that these four
horsemen were not nearly as saintly as they have insisted . . . and
that they had every intention of injuring their bounty targets –
payment or not – and double-fisted.
-
- It is the humble opinion of The Tortured Cowboys Fan that anyone who
can hurt someone else in exchange for payment . . . can also hurt
someone else Scott Fujita, err, Scott Free, err, for free. These
players – at the time of their alleged wrong doings – were
mercenaries, not soldiers. If true, for these players to suggest
otherwise, indeed, takes stones as big as boulders. This was no
military scenario – this was simply “sweep the leg” – so, there you
go.
If Goodell has the treasure trove of proof that has been suggested
off-and-on since the announcement of the Bounty scandal, then – for
the integrity of the game – he is obligated to give the NFLPA all
the evidence it can handle.
The saintly four horsemen are all a drool over the possibility of
Goodell going from authority so bountiful . . . to a total
bounty fool.
Fans will learn soon enough if Goodell has the ammunition to
reinstate the suspensions. The integrity of both parties is at
stake, and this case – no matter the result – will continue to raise
tensions.
Will They Or Won’t They?
The Cowboys’ win over the Giants was great, but now they are onto
the next date.
Only Tony Romo and a handful of teammates can choose to yield to
their painful and personal 2006 playoff loss at what was Seahawks
Stadium . . . and what is now CenturyLink Field.
Only Tony Romo and a handful of teammates are qualified to decide if
this Sunday’s visit to the Great Northwest is a return to the scene
of the crime . . . or merely a different time, the second game of
the current season, and the latest opportunity to box with the
Seattle Seahawks.
Whatever Tony Romo and a handful of teammates decide, they will be
performing under different circumstances with an entirely new roster
ready to collide . . . with a fast and feisty Seahawks squad hoping
to negatively alter the Cowboys’ trajectory and positively glide to
their own first victory.
It should be exciting for Cowboys Nation – or any fan configuration
– to watch Seattle’s rising rookie Russell Wilson play, particularly
if Ryan’s Roughnecks take no shortcuts with Wilson . . . forcing him
to help the Seahawks get over the hump on a completely different
day.
-
- The Cowboys may be able to keep
young pup passer Wilson from pouncing outside the pocket, but will
they still have enough to put the rushing pinch on Marshawn Lynch .
. . or will he spend all day tasting the rainbow on goal-to-go?
-
- As the Green Bay Packers showed two years ago and as the New York
Giants displayed last year, you play with who you have when they are
available . . . and you put forth a successful effort, magically
unassailable.
The Cowboys still find themselves without a couple of their key
veteran players, but will they continue to make do with more of the
new – for at least another week – in order to fend off the
naysayers?
The Cowboys finally get Jenkins back – presumably to fill the
remaining strengths his secondary mates lack. Will Ryan’s
experimentation with him as a hybrid safety add nicely to the
secondary’s ability? Will Jenkins’ return complement the current
starting hat trick of Carr, Claiborne, and Scandrick?
-
- There is a new (Ryan) Cook in the
offensive line kitchen. Will he be as mentally expensive as (Phil)
Costa . . . or will he be able to keep the rest of his line mates
from flinchin' from the all-important center position?
Will the Cowboys part with the penalties, get it done, and extend fan fun . . . or will they
take a nap right in the middle of a talon-gripped trap?
We shall see. We always do.
|
