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2014-2015 Regular Season: From NFC Least To
Competitive Beast And Prepping To Go Against A Dry Heat Foe
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- November 2,
2014
At 9:03 AM CST
By Eric M. Scharf
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- The Tortured Cowboys Fan mentioned –
just last week – a set of three basic rules . . . designed
specifically for the NFL’s mentally meek:
1) Beat the teams you are supposed to beat.
2) Win the games nobody expects you to win, because you know how to
compete.
3) Leave an impression of inflicted pain for any opponent who may
look forward to facing you again.
Failure to do so can leave any team – from potent to promising –
looking like a ship of fools.
There is only one scenario under which these basic rules can be
tossed aside . . . and that is when long-time division rivals
collide.
BUT – against a near-rudderless, injury-ravaged team like the
Washington Redskins – “America’s Team” had / has NO excuse to
seemingly attempt to do no more than survive trap game sins.
No Check For Foot On Neck
When you face a team that resembles a train wreck, you do not try to
outlast them . . . or do just enough to enjoy an uneventful win. You
go for blood and put your foot firmly on that team’s neck.
You proactively apply enough pressure until you hear their windpipe
crack . . . which should quell any remaining thoughts of
counterattack.
The Cowboys’ run-first offense is designed for reasonably-low-risk,
clock-chewing drives where little can go too wrong . . . and result
in Marinelli’s Men being on the field too long.
The Cowboys lost their Monday night matchup to the Redskins 20-17,
and the “Hans” and Marinelli struggled in certain areas to keep
their effort true and clean. They took a Redskins team that was the
NFC least and made them look like a competitive beast.
While DeMarco Murray ran for almost 150 yards – on top of four
catches for 80 more yards – he lost ANOTHER fumble . . .
jeopardizing his latest greatest effort with another brainless
bumble.
Tony Romo – for as good as he has been this year – could not take
advantage of the repeated-and-well-disguised Redskins’ blitz . . .
through quick outlet passes to his stable of capable receivers to
give aggressive defenders fits. This ultimately prevented his air
attack from getting into gear.
Jim Haslett’s use of consistent pressure and aggressive, situational
blitzing – and certainly since Romo entered the league – was not and
should not have been a point of intrigue.
The Cowboys – and the Hans in particular – had plenty of time and
warning to prepare for what has become the annual “Haslett Effect” .
. . which – to the Redskins defense – has become so ventricular and
often times so direct.
While available talent always dictates the depth of one’s plan,
nothing should have been a surprise for Garrett’s Guys . . . to a
man.
Haslett found success – this time around – WITHOUT DeAngelo Hall to
frustrate Dez Bryant and Brian Orakpo to help bring Romo to the
ground . . . among others lost for the year to the Redskins band of
defensive brothers.
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- Haslett took what was available –
making "the best offensive line in the league" suffer mental fatigue
– and making Romo assailable. Redskins linebacker Keenan Robinson
sacked in third quarter – with his knee zeroing in on Romo's spine –
and ensuring Romo was relabeled "Injury Hoarder".
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- While Romo was being urgently
inspected (and injected) by the Cowboys' medical staff, Brandon
Weeden stepped in for a couple series and – to the absolute relief
of Cowboys Nation – he did well in helping the Cowboys score 10
points . . . giving uneasy fans a good laugh.
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- Romo would soon return – with two
undiagnosed fractures that were sure to burn – but on a mission,
with mere minute left in the game, to ignore his condition. He was
clearly sore but determined – in regulation – to generate the
winning score. Romo failed and continued in overtime to become
derailed.
The Redskins were supposed to have their own QB headaches – with no
RGIII, a cranially-constricted Kurt Cousins, and Colt McCoy looking
to show he has what it takes. McCoy may look like a boy but – with
the exception of a handful of errors – he played like a man –
avoiding critical mistakes and sticking to Jay Gruden’s plan (which
exploited Marinelli’s zone coverage all night long for big and
timely yardage).
The Redskins used a convenient combination of dink, dunk, and "Deep
To DeSean (Jackson)" on offense – with constant pressure and a well-disguised blitz – to
give the Cowboys late game fits.
The Cowboys ran the ball more than enough – while also doing well
along the defensive line – but the passing game came up a little
lame . . . and Marinelli’s secondary simply did not have enough.
Particularly troubling has been Brandon “Big Contract” Carr’s
increasingly poor performances which continue bubbling. Orlando
Scandrick has gone from a luxury slot corner – but a handful of
years ago – to a fully-fledged side-to-side defensive back . . .
against a team’s best receiver he sometimes is asked to go.
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- Carr
knows fans, prognosticators, and the organization no longer have
Morris Claiborne to kick around anymore . . . and that Scandrick
needs much better from the rest of the Cowboys secondary core (him,
Church, Wilcox, and Moore).
When the Cowboys study the game tape, they should go ape. When they go down
their punch list, they should be pissed . . . because the check box
next to “Foot On Neck” was completely missed.
Will They Or Won’t They?
The Arizona Cardinals head into AT&T Stadium with plenty of front
line defensive heat . . . and they have been playing like one of the
NFC teams to beat.
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- These are not "your father's red
birds" – whom the Cowboys for years used to beat up and scrape off
the Texas Stadium Astroturf like a bunch of dried up turds. These
Cardinals have won the past three meetings and – for the America's
Team – they have nothing but ill-tempered greetings.
While the Cowboys would have liked to have more of their top
performers available for this contest, the injury bug – right on cue
– has begun to protest.
Justin Durant is gone for the year with an untimely tear to his
right biceps gear. On a unit that is starved for quality defensive
linemen and reliable linebackers, he was becoming one of Marinelli's
better all-around attackers.
Tony Romo – owner of the not so fine spine that has become a bone
fracture capture – is a NO GO . . . which Brandon Weeden stepping in
to run the show.
A silver lining – mixed in with any well-earned injury whining – is
the return of DeMarcus . . . Lawrence. Though he will be playing in
only his FIRST game of the season, will his fresh-faced performance
create enough reason for Cowboys Nation to expect improved pass rush
adherence?
The Cardinals regularly place eight men in the box and – against the
Cowboys’ offensive line and DeMarco Murray who continues to rack up
lots of yards in a hurray – a decision like that takes confidence in
one's personnel and some pretty big rocks.
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- Will Murray be able to continue
running to daylight – delivering another 100+ yards – without
handing any freebees to the Cards . . . during this latest game day
fight? Murray knows – and has known for some time – exactly what to
do . . . but will he follow through and put a permanent halt to his
fumbling crime?
The Cardinals’ defensive secondary, however, has been giving up a
per-game average of over 330 yards this year – which should give
Cowboys Nation a reason to cheer. This assumes Weeden has the
renewed fortitude, playbook knowledge, and alignment with “The Hans”
to perform like “The Man Without Fear”.
Smart decisions – in the face of such aggressive d-line play – will
be typically critical on game day. The Cardinals’ Patrick Peterson
returns from a concussion injury . . . eager to battle and ball hawk
(Dez) Bryant to prevent a Dallas victory.
If the Cowboys go heavy on “12 Personnel” – with two tight ends
remaining in against pass rush hell and many a fury blitz – will
“Beast” Bryant find a way to blast through single coverage . . . to
enjoy some serious pass-catching overage and give the Cardinals
fits?
Cardinals’ veteran QB Carson Palmer has made a successful return
from a shoulder nerve injury, and he has found another sharp arrow
with which he can perform his offensive archery. Rookie wide receiver
John Brown – the newly established alternative to Larry Fitzgerald
and Michael Floyd . . . has shown defenders there is no good choice
in which receiver to avoid.
Will Marinelli’s Men play more sloppy secondary zone – as poorly as
they did against the Redskins – and give Cowboys Nation reason to
groan and moan? Or will Brandon Carr continue to stall on coverage
calls not so daunting, not so tall?
Will the Cowboys’ defensive line show a little more pass rush pluck
– against Palmer, the persistent pocket passer – allowing the
Cowboys’ secondary to experience more zone luck . . . instead of
many more a deep ball gasser?
We shall see. We always do.
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