SB Nation - Leonard Davis

The VRR: Cowboys Will Take a Team-First Approach into Philadelphia

Aaron Novinger — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:51:50 -0000

Working as a team has helped Dallas develop the potential of some of their rising stars, such as WR Miles Austin and TE Martellus Bennett.

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The numbers 44-6 still have a sting to them, but this Dallas team is different from the last one that management fielded against the Eagles.

"That was a low point that everybody still tastes, everybody remembers," Jerry Jones said Sunday evening. "We brought it on ourselves, more so than anything else, and we’ll remember that as we go back up and play in a similar situation."

While the Cowboys seem to be benefiting from a growing team chemistry, they are also much healthier going into this game.

Some things are clearly different now, such as Miles Austin. The only time he touched the ball against the Eagles was on kickoff returns. That night, at least, there were a lot of them.

"We have a lot of other new faces here," Jones countered. "Just add them up." He chose to add up faces that have healed. "I think Romo is healthier and better than he was against Philadelphia," Jones said. "I think Marion Barber is healthier. I think Felix Jones is healthier."

Romo’s thumb had mostly healed by late December, but point taken. Barber was bothered at the end of last season by a sore toe, and he carried only three times in the finale against the Eagles. Felix was out.

More VRR after the jump.

The Eagles, though, have attained some new weapons for themselves - particularly on offense.

As if one outstanding dual-purpose running back wasn’t enough in Brian Westbrook, Philadelphia added second-round pick LeSean McCoy (294 yards, 4.2 average). McNabb has a dependable target in tight end Brent Celek (37 catches), but wideouts DeSean Jackson and rookie Jeremy Maclin worry Dallas the most. Jackson has five TDs this season (three receiving, one punt return and one rushing) that have covered 50-plus yards. Dallas coach Wade Phillips was asked how he plans to contain Jackson.

"Help, help," Phillips said. "You got to get some help on him. They know that. We know that. You get a guy like that who makes a lot of big plays, you’ve got to have somebody else looking for him other than a corner."

It's no secret that the Eagles WR DeSean Jackson is their most dynamic player. I'm not so sure Dallas will just stick one guy on him, as this article suggests.

Who has to stop him? Terence Newman followed Steve Smith all over the field when the Cowboys played Carolina and limited him to four catches for 38 yards. Newman could draw Jackson this week. Newman has a team-high three forced fumbles this season.

Newman took the team-first approach in addressing the subject of him covering Jackson.

"I don’t know. You’ll have to ask the coaches. I’ll do whatever they tell me to do," Newman said when asked about the possibility. The cornerback also said he has no preference when the coaches notify him of the plan. "It doesn’t matter. You just go out and play. If that’s something they want me to do, I’ll definitely do it."

Matt Mosely on Jackson.

One longtime NFC pro personnel scout told me recently that it's Jackson's ability to stutter-step and then be at full speed within about four strides that separates him from most receivers in the league. Asked recently if he'd coached a weapon as potent as Jackson, Eagles coach Andy Reid referenced Terrell Owens and Brian Westbrook. But he quickly returned to Jackson.

The Cowboys have yet to be fooled by the Wildcat this year. With Michael Vick coming in at times for the Eagles, the Dallas defense must still be aware of how well Philly uses the formation.

According to stats compiled by Paul Domowitch of the Philadelphia Daily News, the Eagles have rushed for 163 yards on 40 carries out of the Wildcat. They have rushed for 639 yards on 127 carries out of their standard sets. Vick has rushed for 26 yards on 10 carries out of the Wildcat.

Brian Westbrook will play on Sunday night.

Coach Andy Reid made the announcement on Wednesday afternoon that barring any setbacks in practice, his starting running back is good to go for Dallas.

JJT and Geoff Mosher go over both teams' keys for success, and predict a 24-17 Eagles victory.

BGN previews the game here.

Wouldn't it be great if Patrick Crayton could seal another victory via punt return?

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, no professional player has ever returned a punt for a touchdown in three consecutive games.

The ST coverage units have been consistently tackling returners all season. Nick Eatman notes how competitive the special teamers' numbers are.

Checking out the special teams tackles, there’s a competition brewing for the team lead with three guys tied with 12 tackles. Alan Ball, Patrick Watkins and Sam Hurd each have a dozen stops while covering kicks, and watch out for rookie Victor Butler, who is right there with 11. Deon Anderson and Steve Octavien each have seven each.

Coach Phillips is having fun working with this group of Cowboys. With each week, the team grows more into its "blue-collar" mentality.

"They are hard workers, and we have a lot of guys that play a role," Phillips said. "Whatever it is, they accept it, and they try to do really well at their role. So I think that's a good sign for our team."

Phillips has coached plenty of stars, including hall of famers John Elway, Bruce Smith and Jim Kelly. While he enjoyed them all, he's clearly having plenty of fun guiding a team that lacks a bona fide superstar.

"It's fun to have guys that are not big ego guys and are very team-oriented," Phillips said. "... This is a good group to coach. They do what you ask, and that's what you want as a coach. If you emphasize something or if you are quote on them about something, they try to do better. That's what you ask."

Team play is emphasized at every turn. In Sunday's 38-17 win over Seattle, Romo completed passes to 10 different targets, and five different players scored touchdowns. Afterward, nobody complained about not getting the ball enough.

Doug Free's play last week was encouraging for the coaches. Is this something we can expect more of?

At some point, the Cowboys have to find out what they have in the 25-year-old Free. They've tried to replace Adams, 34, the last few years but draft picks Pat McQuistan and James Marten, who's no longer with the team, haven't panned out. Meanwhile, Free has emerged as the backup to Adams.

"I think it's important for us. That's why we played him some," coach Wade Phillips said of Free. "I just think if a guy ... if he practices good enough and is good enough to play, then he deserves to get in the game sometimes. It helps his attitude and the confidence in the team in that guy when they see him do some good things."

Evidently, Miles Austin did get a tad banged up in the Seattle game, but nothing worrisome.

Receiver Miles Austin emerged with a sore groin, but that is not expected to limit his participation in practice.

It's doubtful we will see Austin's name on the injury report this week.

Either way, it doesn't look like Austin will be bothered by the groin this week. It didn't sound like an issue at all on Wednesday.

"It's alright, yeah," the receiver said.

The Dallas defeat of Seattle led to some big changes up in the Pacific Northwest.

Head coach Jim Mora Jr. reportedly ripped into his team following the team's 38-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys this past Sunday and chose words that intimated changes could be on the horizon for 2-5 Seattle. Cornerback Travis Fisher, who had five tackles in four games this season, was released Monday -- joined by (Edgerrin) James and safety C.J. Wallace a day later. Wallace made three stops in five games prior to his release Tuesday.

While broadcasting a Chargers game in 2002, Troy Aikman received a call from Andy Reid. Apparently, Reid wanted Aikman to come out of retirement to fill in for Donovan McNabb, who had just broken his ankle.

"Andy was giving me all the reasons why this would be good, why this would work," said Aikman, who was 35 at the time and had retired from the Cowboys after winning three Super Bowls in large part because of concussion problems.

The Philadelphia situation was all happening too fast for Aikman, who explained to Reid he was in the middle of a broadcast and promised to call after the game. Aikman had plenty of time to chat too, because he and his wife were driving from San Diego to their home in Santa Barbara for a mini-vacation. When Aikman dialed back Reid, the quarterback said he wanted to sleep on the decision but promised to call the coach the next day. By the time he reached Santa Barbara, Aikman had a pretty good idea which way he was leaning.

"So I went to bed that night and said, 'I can wake up tomorrow and spend a nice couple of days in Santa Barbara. Or, I can be in frigid Philadelphia getting my brains kicked in,' " he said. The next day, he called Reid and politely declined the offer.

Dancing With the Stars says, "you are the weakest link, goodbye" to Michael Irvin.

Irvin says that he recently offered advice to both Roy Williams and Miles Austin. Austin seemed the more receptive.

Ostensibly, Irvin stressed the importance of knowing the snap count and getting off the line; according to Irvin, Austin's receptiveness, and Williams disregard, was evident last Sunday against Seattle. On one play, Irvin said, Austin was four yards ahead of Williams after 12 yards, indicating that the former got off the line quicker and, presumably, did so at least in part due to the Hall of Famer's advice.

Put this in your backpocket for some offseason Cowboys-related reality TV.

When Free Reign -- the metal rock band featuring Dallas Cowboys Marc Colombo, Leonard Davis and Cory Procter -- joins WWEer Chris Jericho's Fozzy in a spring tour to promote Free Reign's new CD, "Tragedy," you can follow from your couch. Production house Go Go Luckey! ("Laguna Beach") will film for a reality series it'll soon shop to various networks.

The Cowboys' Offensive Line: The 'This-Ain't-Their-First-Rodeo' Factor

Mike Fisher — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 02:00:30 -0000

More photos » by LM Otero - AP

Romo and the Cowboys' 1,627 pounds of etched-in-granite.

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Timing. Chemistry. The "This-Ain't-Our-First-Rodeo'' Factor.

Understanding of the importance of all this when it comes to offensive-line play tends to get avalanched as an NFL season trudges on. ... buried under everything from the excitement of a new toy (Miles Austin's record-setting hat-trick!) to how a team is doing when its quarterback start wearing his ballcap front-side-to-the-front (Tony Romo, undefeated!).

But then along comes the Seattle Seahawks, a 38-17 thrashing of that beleaguered bunch, and a distinct contrast in success levels when you compare their offensive line to your offensive line.

The jump-out number from Seattle: They are seven games into their season and they have been forced to dress out five different left tackles. In their last 23 games, they have utilized 14 different quintet combos as starters.

Now compare-and-contrast: Dallas' offensive line, left to right, is almost etched into 1,625 pounds of granite: Flozell Adams, Kyle Kosier, Andre Gurode, Leonard Davis and Marc Colombo. With the exception of a Kosier injury a year ago, those fellas have been side-to-side-to-side-to-side-to-side for two years.

They don't move out of the lineup ... but they do move the people in front of them.

That fivesome has turned the lights out on some of the NFL's greatest defensive-front standouts (Carolina's Julius Peppers, Atlanta's John Abraham, Seattle's Patrick Kearney) in bodyguarding Dallas' stars to four wins in the team's last five games. Most of the credit for the Cowboys' 5-2 record naturally goes to Romo and Austin and the people who habitually follow the final gun by being led to Pam Oliver.

But just as timing matters when it comes to quarterbacks and receivers (you see Romo's perfectly-synched coordination with every other pass-catcher and you begin to assume that it is Roy Williams who is doing something wrong), timing matters in the offensive line. At 411 yards per game, Dallas is the NFL's second-best grass-eaters ... and this offensive line is the constant there.

Chemistry matters, too. As every good Cowboys fan knows, Colombo, Davis and reserve Cory Procter are in a heavy-metal band called "Free Reign.'' Offensive linemen are often a tight group - tight enough to go bowling or fishing together - but I assume it takes a special bond for these guys to lie to each other about their musical gifts.

Kidding!

And the "This-Ain't-Our-First-Rodeo''Factor? This is Flozell's 12^th year, the ninth season for Gurode and Davis, the eighth season for Colombo and Kosier. They are grinders and they are survivors. ... and I'll give two examples to prove it:

One, you know the financial problems many athletes subject themselves to because of crazy spending? I do not believe that will ever happen to Flozell Adams. Friends of his testify that on a recent visit to Las Vegas, Flozell ended the trip having lost $50. On the entire plane ride home, a mumbling-to-himself Adams just couldn't let it go ... 50 bucks - gone!

Flozell Adams' latest contract, from February 2008, paid him a $15-million signing bonus ... but still ... 50 bucks - gone!

Not exactly flashy.

Two, a Marc Colombo story that I think illustrates what these five guys are all about: On a recent Cowboys day off, Colombo opted to spend the day with his lovely wife Jessica. They are members of the Four Seasons Golf Resort in Las Colinas, so that was their destination. Marc Colombo for some golf? A fancy lunch? Maybe a spa and pedicure?

You know better than that. What Marc Colombo did on his off-day at the Four Seasons Golf Resort typifies the style of this Cowboys offensive line that is heavy on timing, chemistry and understanding of how to get as far as it has.

He found the gym. And spent the day in the weight room.

BTB Game Balls: Seahawks @ Cowboys

Aaron Novinger — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:30:28 -0000

More photos » by LM Otero - AP

Steve Octavien congratulates Patrick Crayton for picking up his second-consecutive BTB game ball.

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It's time to hand out game balls for the Cowboys' home victory against the Seahawks! We've got one for a player from each unit: offense, defense, special teams. We've even got one for the coaching staff.

Offense

Tony Romo - Down 3-0 in the first quarter, faced with a 2nd-and-1on the Seattle 36, Romo had a choice: run for an easy first down, or get the ball in the hands of one of the receivers.

Had it been third down, perhaps he would have tucked it in to pick up a new set of downs; instead, he found Sam Hurd running a short crossing route in front of two Seattle linebackers. A mismatch all the way turned into a go-ahead score. Plays like this show that Romo's decision-making process has continued to mature past the pressure to make a play, himself, into a faithful patience that lets the plays develop.

For all the passing plays Jason Garrett called, Romo (36 attempts) responded again with accuracy (58% completed) and confidence. This game marked his third straight without an interception. Even more impressive is that he is hitting the throws that this offense depends on: slants, deep-outs, and that back-shoulder TD throw to Miles Austin was one of the better 3-yard passes I've seen. We already know he can throw the deep balls and the curl routes. Now, we're getting to see him trust his receivers - whether it's Felix coming out of the backfield or Ogletree on a screen.

Honorable Mention: Miles Austin, Leonard Davis

Make the jump to see who else gets a game ball.

Defense

Terence Newman - Timing is everything, especially for a cornerback. It was apparent that Dallas wanted to get up on Seattle early. Newman's hit on Justin Forsett that forced a fumble towards the end of the first quarter helped to do just that. After Orlando Scandrick's recovery and return, the turnover gave the offense the ball on the Seattle 30, which led to Marion Barber's 2-yard score. That put the Cowboys up 14-3.

After Nate Burleson caught that 36-yarder on Newman on the next drive, Seattle's top two WRs went on to have a rather frustrating day (T.J. Houshmanzadeh made that visibly apparent with his tantrums on the sidelines.) T-New kept the rest of the passes caught on him to 16 yards or less. He looks to be playing up to the level of his counterpart, Mike Jenkins, in that he's playing physically and following through with his tackles (6 solo, 1 assist).

Honorable Mention: Keith Brooking, Bradie James

Special Teams

Patrick Crayton - Thanks to Crayton's sudden surge at punt returning, the Cowboys are now atop the league leaders in punt return average. The team's 14.3 YPR average ranks only second behind Cleveland's 16.4. Individually, Crayton's 16.6 YPR average trails only the Vikings' Darius Reynaud, who has 10 less returns. Also, Crayton is the only player in the league with two touchdowns.

This most recent touchdown return against the Seahawks differed from the one against the Falcons in that this one was a little less dependent on his blockers. Although he did get some key blocks from Scandrick and Steve Octavien (also, check out David Buehler coming over from the right side of the field in the highlight), Crayton's burst allowed him to weave in and out of the protection. And he finished it all like all punt returners should - stiff-arming the punter to the ground to get to paydirt.

Honorable Mention: David Buehler, Victor Butler

Coaching

Reggie Herring - Herring and his assistant, Dat Nguyen, are getting the most out of each of their linebackers. We know how dominant DeMarcus Ware and Brooking are, and we've seen the consistency over the years from Bradie James. What these coaches are doing with the younger players is impressive.

Anthony Spencer is getting better every game. You get the sense that he's going to take a FB-flat pass to the house at least once this year. And he seems to be just a step away from sacking the quarterback in every game. He's stout against the run, collapses the pocket more and more consistently, and nearly took Hasselback down on the TD throw to Deion Branch.

Herring is a loud guy. You've got to imagine that his tough persona has got to rub off on a guy like Bobby Carpenter. What's great is that Herring, Nguyen, Coach Phillips, and Coach Joe DeCamillis have worked well together to find roles for players like Carpenter, Victor Butler and even Steve Octavien - roles that are putting each of them in position to contribute to the team. That's what makes a good coach.

Honorable Mention: Joe DeCamillis, Skip Peete

The Cowboys did what they were supposed to do: beat a team they should beat. And, again, they dominated in all phases.

Who gets your game balls?

The VRR: Cowboys Can Ride Three-game Win Streak for Only So Long

Aaron Novinger — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:46:13 -0000

More photos » by Donna McWilliam - AP

Wade Phillips likes the way his defense is physically attacking ball carriers.

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For the second week in a row, the Cowboys defeated their opponent in dominating fashion. The team's offensive, defensive, and special teams units outplayed, out-muscled, and simply outperformed Seattle on its way to a 38-17 victory.

As soon as the fourth quarter began, it was becoming more and more obvious that Dallas could not be caught. That felt good, but only for so long. Those scoring updates on FOX did little to shield us from the anxiety of how well the Eagles, the Cowboys' next opponents, were dismantling the Giants.

Admit it, you were staring at that big, blue star on the turf at Cowboys Stadium, but the peripheral view of your imagination was skipping ahead to next week, to Lincoln Financial Field.

We, fans, usually use Monday and Tuesday to relish and reflect on Sunday's game. On Wednesday, we are ready to transition. Nevertheless, the players, the coaches, and the media are already thinking Philadelphia. It was evident from the very first question in today's press conference with Coach Phillips.

But before we look to the future, let's first look to the recent past to see how this team achieved its 5-2 record yesterday. Here's what Coach Phillips had to say today about the performance of his players against the Seahawks.

Make the jump.

DL: Phillips seemed most impressed with this group. He singled out Jay Ratliff for his ability to play injured, while maintaining his high performance level. He also credited Stephen Bowen with a nice game, saying he plays his role well.

LBs: Bobby Carpenter (6 tackles, 1 sack) was the first named mentioned, here. He said it's "good to see him step up" and that he seems to be getting better and better in his role. He also mentioned Keith Brooking's consistency (12 tackles, 1 sack) and DeMarcus Ware (8 tackles, 1 sack).

DBs: Phillips calls Jenkins and Scandrick the "sophomore sensations". He says that they challenged Scandrick during the week to regain the technique he had last year. Scandrick responded well, he said, noting that he was supposed to have help on the TD caught on him. He seemed pleased that Jenkins had a quiet game, which simply meant he was doing his job well; and, he credited Newman for "making plays".

OL: He said that Leonard Davis had one of his best games with "knockdowns" and "runovers".

RBs: Their performance, he collectively called "solid". Their pass-blocking continues to impress him.

WRs: The "confidence we have in those guys is warranted," Phillips said. He noted how well they run with the ball after the reception (singling out Hurd's score) and then poked fun at Miles Austin for his inablity to dunk the ball over the goalpost. He also noted that the two P.I. calls on Seattle should also be seen as "big plays" by Austin.

Romo/Roy: "Tony doesn't throw many bad balls," he said. He has faith, as do the rest of the coaches, that all the work they do in practice, along with the talent between the two will pan out. He likens it do Ware's lack of sacks early in the season. The players all just keep working harder and harder until it produces for them on the field.

ST: They have been "special." Other than his giving credit to Crayton and the return teams, Phillips likes what he sees from the coverage units. Buehler and McBriar help, and guys like Hurd, Pat Watkins, Victor Butler, and Alan Ball all have great games covering kicks.

Young players: Phillips stressed that getting Hurd, Kevin Ogletree, and Doug Free in the game was not a direct effect of having the game in hand. These are three young players that the coaches feel they wanted to get some more game experience.

Keith Brooking is excited about this team, but cautious about "drinking the Cowboy Kool-Aid".

"We are just now starting to see all the hard work and sacrifices we’ve made come into fruition, and it’s a good feeling," Cowboys linebacker Keith Brooking said. "That’s the reason we play this game. This is so much fun. That’s the reason I came here — to be a part of Sundays like this. I’m just excited about my football team, our football team, the way we’re coming together."

"There’s a fine line, though. We need to enjoy it, but everyone’s going to be drinking the Cowboy Kool-Aid here and telling us how great we are and how good we’re doing. We have a long way to go and a lot of football to play. As long as we prepare the way we’ve been preparing and come out on the field with confidence on Sunday, we’re going to be right where we want to be."

Bobby Carpenter got in on the sack action yesterday, but this is the second straight game the defense has gotten off to a slow start.

"I've been saving them up," joked Carpenter, whose last sack before Sunday came on Dec. 16, 2006, when he dropped Michael Vick 11/2 times in a win over the Falcons in Atlanta. "When you've got a team that can bring pressure from all angles, it makes it easy for guys to get sacks because they can't afford to double-team guys."

While Dallas celebrated having at least three sacks in each of its last five games, the Cowboys weren't happy about giving up points on their opponents' opening drive a second straight game.

"We performed well, but at the same time, we can't start off slow like this every Sunday," said Jay Ratliff, who had three tackles after being listed as questionable Friday with a knee injury. "We have to come out fired up and remain that way until the end."

The Dallas offense is more sweet than bitter right now. If Tony Romo can just get on the same page with a certain wide receiver, the sky would be the limit for this team.

On getting on the same page with Roy Williams:

"We have to watch the tape. We have to see why certain things are different ways. I missed him on a big route early in the game; I have to bring the ball down some. But he’s doing good. He’s running good routes and he’ll be fine. It’s just a matter of going back and looking at the tape and seeing what we have to do better. It’s just part of growing with a receiver or group."

Coach Phillips, yesterday, on the 9-11 disconnection.

"I still see Roy and Tony not on the same page," coach Wade Phillips said. "They're getting closer, they talk to each other afterwards a couple of times. Tony thought he was going to go there and vice versa, so we just got to keep working at that. Roy is tough to catch on that slant pass on the goal line."

Here is the transcript of Coach Phillips' post-game press conference, courtesy of Scout.com.

Remember, Romo and another "Bigg" time player allowed the Cowboys to restructure their contracts so that the team could afford to re-sign players, such as DeMarcus Ware. Great teamwork!

Tony Romo and Leonard Davis both let the Cowboys move some of their bonus money around in the spring of 2008 to save room for future signings, including Ware's extension. By shifting their bonus deferment Romo and Davis combined to save the Cowboys roughly $8 million against this season's cap.

Jason Witten's climb-up-the-TE-record books watch:

Witten’s 36 yards today gave him 5,283 for his career and allowed him to pass Russ Francis (5,262) and tie Keith Jackson for 16th all-time among league tight ends.

Witten caught four passes in today’s game to give him 466 for his career and break a tie with Mickey Shuler for ninth on the NFL’s all-time tight ends receptions list. He is 14 catches behind Jackie Smith (480) for eighth.

The punt return game is back on in Big D. Only five other guys have two TD-returns in one season for the team.

Patrick Crayton became the sixth Cowboy to have two punt returns for TDs in a season and only the second to do it in consecutive weeks.

Really, no false starts?

The pre-snap penalties that hounded the Dallas Cowboys' offense in the previous two games were eliminated in Sunday's win against Seattle.

The Cowboys' offense ran 67 plays with only one penalty: the team-high fourth holding call of the season against tight end Martellus Bennett. It represented an improvement from the previous two games, when the offense had six false starts and one illegal formation.

Carolina Panthers Trample the Arizona Cardinals: 34-21

Pyromnc — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:16:21 -0000

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

about 1 month ago: Arizona Cardinals' Kurt Warner (13) gets chased down by Carolina Panthers' Julius Peppers, who caused Warner to fumble on the play, in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009, in Glendale, Ariz. The Panthers defeated the Cardinals 34-21. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

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Last week the Arizona Cardinals came out and played a great game against the New York Giants and they didn't get any national recognition. They came out complaining over the fact that they made the Giants look like they lost the game rather than the Cardinals won it. If they wanted that national recognition, this was the week to start getting some. They were playing a team in the Carolina Panthers that has struggled all season on offense not getting anything done, yet the Cardinals could not put down the Panthers team. They came out and did what they always do when everyone has their hopes up on this team - lose ugly. They will never get the national recognition they want if they keep playing like this.

The Good

The Running Game was one of the few bright spots of this game despite only getting 16 rushing attempts, Warner's rush not included. Those 16 attempts though went for 86 yards (5.4 yards per carry) and 1 touchdown. Both Tim Hightower and Beanie Wells received eight carries and had similar yardage 39 and 47 respectively, and Timmy had one touchdown. There is no doubt in my mind that if the Cardinals had been much closer or even winning, these two backs could have put up some monster numbers today with the way they were running.

The Bad

The Defense as a whole today played terrible. They allowed 270 total rushing yards despite being the number one rush defense. That would be more than half of what we had allowed all season with 405 yards in the other 6 games and the Cardinals dropped to ninth in rush defense after this performance. They also allowed two rushing touchdowns after having allowed just three touchdowns in the previous six games. The passing defense was not bad despite the Panthers only throwing 15 times. Jake Delhomme completed 7 of his 15 attempts for only 90 yards and that low yardage total allowed the passing defense to move to 20th overall. Even though our passing defense played somewhat better than normal, when given the chances to defend the pass, this team has one of the better rushing defenses in the league and they must play like they have played in the past 12 games in which they did not allow a 100 yard rushing in a game if they want to win.

The Ugly

Sloppiness played a huge roll in this game. If it was not players dropping passes, not to mention any names (Jerheme Urban), it was missed tackles on defense, and if it was not those two things than it was a penalty. The penalties were not as bad as usual but some of them were penalties that should not happen, like defensive offsides. Adrian Wilson added to his collection of offsides penalties this season with one more and Calais Campbell also had one. They also has one of those penalties that should never happen at home, that would be a false start. That false start came from Levi Brown, who I am now convinced is related to Leonard Davis in some way, shape or form. The Cardinals defense had tackled pretty decent this season but not on Sunday. Despite stacking the box with eight guys the Panthers running backs were able to run wild and missed tackles were a big reason why. This was something we had problems with last season and was supposed to be fixed by bringing in a more conservative defensive coordinator in Bill Davis. The drops were also bad. From what I saw Fitz dropped a couple that could have gone for first downs and then Urban dropped a major passed that turned into an interception. There has been a lot of drops by this teams receivers this year, something that did not happen often last season. All these things need to be cleaned up in time for the Chicago Bears next weekend.

Kurt Warner might have actually been worse than ugly on Sunday as he threw five interceptions and had one fumble lost. We all know Warner has games like these every year. Last year against the Jets he had six total turnovers, three fumbles lost and three interceptions. In 2007 Warner had five interceptions against the Seattle Seahawks. As you can see, this is nothing new for Warner but still comes at somewhat of a surprise because of how accurate he has been in the past. Warner has got to stop turning the ball over and make better decisions if he wants us to get the national recognition he so passionately asked for last week when they beat the Giants.

As you can see there was not much good that came out of this game. We did learn a lot from this game however, as a lot of us thought they had turned the corner with how they played in the last three games but apparently not. This team still can not win when they are the favorites. This team seems to only thrive when they are dissed or feel like they are not getting credit they deserve. Frankly, yesterday showed exactly how much recognitions and credit they deserve. Until they start beating teams they are favored to win and stop getting blown out this team Will never get what they are asking for. Thoughts?

The VRR: Falcons (4-1) @ Cowboys (3-2)

Aaron Novinger — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:17:26 -0000

More photos » by Jack Dempsey - AP

Keith Brooking will do what he can to help his new team defeat his former team.

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At last, we will get to see the Cowboys play a regular season game in their new stadium during the day. And even though a few starters (Gerald Sensabaugh, Marion Barber, and Leonard Davis) will wear casts on their fractured thumbs, Dallas should field all their weapons on Sunday against Atlanta.

During this morning's press conference, Coach Phillips indicated that Felix Jones will return to his normal role, which "could be quite a bit" - the only difference being that he will wear a brace on his knee during the game. Phillips feels good about the way Jones has practiced this week, saying that he looks "fast" and "moves well".

Phillips does seem concerned with the status of Roy Williams (ribs). He said he can tell the wide receiver has been practicing with pain. Although Williams said he wants to play and feels like he can, Phillips said he is the only guy that "could or could not" play. Today's practice will determine that.

On the other side of the ball, the Atlanta running backs are a bit banged-up.

Atlanta Falcons fullback Ovie Mughelli didn't practice Thursday for the second straight day because of a calf injury and could be sidelined against Dallas. Pro Bowl running back Michael Turner was on the field, but a chest injury limited his participation.

The Falcons expect No. 2 running back Jerious Norwood to miss the Cowboys game with a hip flexor.

More Falcons @ Cowboys after the jump.

With the season-ending loss of CB Brian Williams, the Falcons will turn to former Ram, Tye Hill, amongst others to fill in the secondary.

Coach Mike Smith says the loss of Williams creates an opportunity for Hill, Chevis Jackson and rookie Chris Owens.

"With the loss of Brian we have to have contingency plans," Smith said.

The Falcons’ unofficial depth chart released on Wednesday listed Brent Grimes and Chris Houston as the starting cornerbacks. Jackson is expected to play nickel back, the role he held in his 2008 rookie season. Jackson replaced Williams against the Bears and gave up a touchdown pass on his first play. He said he is confident he’ll be ready for a return to a more prominent role.

The Atlanta defense features many young players, including safety Thomas DeCoud.

"He went through his reading of the route progression and played the ball," said Falcons coach Mike Smith. "It's good to see Thomas, a young player, a third-round draft pick, second year in the league, make plays like that. Good to see these young guys continue to progress and start making plays like that."

Nose tackle Thomas Johnson, linebacker Curtis Lofton and cornerback Brent Grimes are also in their second season. Defensive end Jamaal Anderson and linebacker Stephen Nicholas are in their third year.

All eyes will be on Matt Ryan.

Matt Ryan's 96.5 passer rating is ranked 10th overall in the league. That is including his 19-for-33 completions for 185 yard performance last week. That was Ryan’s worst week since Week 3, when he threw for 199 yards. Ryan bounced back after Week 3 to explode against the 49ers for 329 yards and 110 passer rating. Watch to see if Ryan bounces back from last week and returns to his subtle but stellar play.

Keeping Matt Ryan upright has been the key to the Falcons' offense since their season opener.

"Yes, this is our fourth straight week with no sacks," coach Mike Smith said about Sunday's 21-14 home win over Chicago. "Again, that's attributed to our offensive line, quarterback, tight ends, and protection package that our coaching staff has put in."

The Falcons have been efficient in winning their last two games, allowing an average of 91.5 yards rushing. Star receiver Roddy White has gotten untracked with three touchdowns in that span after he had just one in his first three contests.

Coach Phillips is well aware of Atlanta's offensive tendencies to switch things up with some no-huddle.

[C]oming off the bye week, Phillips has some worry about the timing being off on both sides of the ball. To help them, Phillips had the defense work against the hurry up and they worked in two-minute drills on both sides of the ball.

The Dallas defenders should know what to expect.

Cowboys' linebacker Keith Brooking, who left Atlanta via free agency in the off-season, likened it to Peyton Manning's patient no-huddle in Indianapolis.

"They get up to the ball quick and you've got to be ready because they will snap it with a quick count every now and then," Brooking said. "But for the most part they're looking at the defense, seeing what the defense is giving them and Matt's making checks. He has a few calls that he can go to and then they snap the ball.

"But for the most part you have a chance defensively to kind of collect yourself and get in the right position to make your checks and get ready for the ball to be snapped."

Gerald Sensabaugh vs. Tony Gonzalez will be a key matchup.

"He's real athletic," Sensabaugh said. "He has good hands, runs pretty good routes and uses his body pretty well."

Sensabaugh won't be the only defender concentrating on Gonzalez. Phillips plans to double him as much as possible.

"That's something I've been used to my whole career," Gonzalez said. "Whatever they want to do, hopefully we can adjust and move the ball down the field."

Falcons coach Mike Smith isn't surprised Sensabaugh is trying to return so quickly after surgery. "Gerald is one of the toughest guys I've coached," said Smith, who was Jacksonville's defensive coordinator when the Jaguars drafted Sensabaugh in 2005. "My experience coaching Gerald was, you're going to basically have to cut a limb off to keep him off the field."

It looks like ILB Jason Williams could be inactive for the game.

So the only other new guy figuring to play against the Falcons includes newly-signed return specialist Allen Rossum. So who does he replace? The best guess is rookie linebacker Jason Williams, who was not on the kickoff or punt teams during Wednesday and Thursday at practice. That’s usually the first sign for a guy not expected to play.

Bob Sturm analyzes the Falcons in great detail on his Inside Corner.

Here's the series history between the two teams.

Dallas leads the all-time regular season series with Atlanta, 13-8, including a 38-28 road victory when the teams last met, in Week 15 of the 2006 season. The Falcons won the previous two head-to-head meetings, including a 27-13 triumph when it last visited Dallas in 2003. The Cowboys' most recent home win in the series came in 1999.

In addition to the regular season series, the teams have met twice in the postseason, with the Cowboys winning NFC Divisional Playoff matchups with the Falcons in 1978 and 1980.

The Falcons @ Cowboys is set to kickoff on Sunday at 4:15 EST.

It’s technically not nationally televised, but the game will be called by FOX’s No. 1 crew of Thom Brennaman, Troy Aikman and Pam Oliver.

Cowboys Injury Update

Aaron Novinger — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 22:14:37 -0000

Though not considered serious, a few more starters - Marion Barber (fractured thumb), DeMarcus Ware (stress fracture in foot), and Leonard Davis (fractured thumb) - will add new injuries to the team report.

Phillips said Ware had been experiencing foot pain for the last couple of weeks, and an MRI revealed the fracture.

"It's not a major injury," Phillips said. "It's something he can play with."

Barber thought he jammed his thumb against Kansas City two weeks ago, but an X-ray showed a fracture. Right guard Leonard Davis has the same injury, and both players will wear casts.

Also wearing casts will be strong safeties, Gerald Sensabaugh (thumb) and Mike Hamlin (arm). Sensabaugh is pushing to start against Atlanta, while it is not yet known whether or not Hamlin will be activated.

Roy Williams (ribs) , Andre Gurode (knee), and Flozell Adams (shoulder) are all still on the injured list, but have practiced this week and are expected to play Sunday.

Meanwhile, Felix Jones (knee) is not yet a lock to play against the Falcons.

"It's still there (pain in knee) a little bit, but if feels a lot better,'' Jones said after Wednesday's practice. "One day at a time is all I can do.''

Drive Summary: Cowboys @ Chiefs

Raul Villaronga — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:42:54 -0000

More photos » by Charlie Riedel - AP

Cowboys receiver Miles Austin celebrates after catching the game-winning touchdown to put the Cowboys ahead of the Chiefs 26-20 in overtime. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

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Sloppy play has once again dominated the discussion about the Cowboy’s performance. And once again, the mental mistakes andlack of execution made this team look horrible. There were a total of 15 penalties, however two were not taken, both of which occurred on the Chiefs' eighth drive, which netted them 3 points:

On 2nd and 3 from the Dallas 49, Igor Olshansky was called for offsides (an epidemic on this drive), but the Chiefs took the gain on the play for a first down.

On 2nd and 6 from the Dallas 37, Jay Ratliff was called for, you guessed it, offsides. However, Kansas City was called for holding and the penalties offset. Ironically, the holding was on the lineman who was trying to keep Ratliff out of the backfield because, well, he was offsides.

Here’s a summary of the penalties and mistakes:

7 Offensive penalties:

Ineligible Downfield: 1
False Start: 3
Offensive Holding: 2
Illegal Formation: 1

6 Defensive penalties

Defensive Holding: 1
Offsides: 3
Pass Interference: 1
Unnecessary Roughness: 1

Here's an itemization of each penalty:

OFFENSE

Series 1

2nd and 14 from DAL 49: Andre Gurode, Ineligible downfield
This turned a 3rd and 7 into a 2nd and 19. Dallas was forced to punt
RESULT: Drive Stopper

Series 2

2nd and 5 from KC 36: Marc Colombo, False Start
First down on the subsequent play.
RESULT: No Harm
1st and 10 from KC 23: Kyle Kosier, Offensive Holding
Barber ran to the 7 yard line but it was brought back. Folk missed the subsequent field goal.
RESULT: Drive Stopper

Series 3

2nd and 6 from DAL 22: Andre Gurode does not snap the ball on the count, disrupting the play timing andcausing Leonard Davis to collide with Tony Romo and force a fumble. Kansas City recovers on the Dallas 16 and goes on to score touchdown.
RESULT: Turnover (TD for opponent)

Series 4

1st and 10 from DAL 32: Miles Austin, Illegal Formation
1st and 20 from DAL 22: Flozell Adams, False Start
Back-to-back penalties put Dallas in a 1st and 20 hole that they do not get out of.
RESULT: Drive Killer

Series 5

No penalties or errors (FG)

Series 6

No penalties or errors (Punt)

Series 7

No penalties or errors (TD)

Series 8

1st and 9 from KC 9: Flozell Adams, False Start
Dallas only gained another 4 yards from the 14 and got a field goal.
RESULT: Drive Killer

Series 9

No penalties or errors (TD)

Series 10

No penalties or errors (kneel down for OT)

Series 11

No penalties or errors (Punt)

Series 12

2nd and 5 from KC 50: Flozell Adams, Offensive Holding
Romo hit Austin for the TD in overtime to win it
RESULT: No Harm

Summary of Offensive Possessions:

Possessions:	11 (This excludes kneel down at end of 4th quarter)
Error-Free	5	2 Punts, 2 Touchdowns, 1 Field Goal (17 points)
Penalties/Errors	6	4 Drive Stoppers (1 FG), 1 Turnover, 1 Touchdown (9 points for DAL, 7 points for KC)

DEFENSE

Series 1

2nd and 6 from KC 16: Terence Newman, Defensive Holding
Gave KC a first down, but they punted after the next series of downs.
RESULT: No Harm

Series 2

No penalties or errors (Punt)

Series 3

OK, this isn’t on the defense but it occurred after the 2nd defensive series. Patrick Crayton muffs a punt and give the ball to the Chiefs on the Dallas 23.
RESULT: Turnover (FG)

Series 4

No penalties or errors (TD attributed to offensive turnover)

Series 5

No penalties or errors (Punt)

Series 6

No penalties or errors (Punt)

Series 7

No penalties or errors (Punt)

Series 8

1st and 10 from KC 44: Anthony Spencer, Offsides
2nd and 3 from DAL 49: Igor Olshansky, Offsides (declined)
2nd and 6 from DAL 37: Jay Ratliff, Offsides (offsetting due to holding)
1st and 10 from DAL 27: DeMarcus Ware, Offsides

A gaggle of ghastly good-grief gaffes. Need I say more...
RESULT: FG

Series 9

2nd and 7 from KC 23: Bradie James, Pass Interference
Pass was incomplete and would have brought up a 3rd and 7, instead of a first down. Chiefs ended up punting.
RESULT: No Harm

Series 10

3rd and 26 from KC 11: Alan Ball, Unnecessary Roughness
OK, this is picky because I don’t think this should have been a penalty. Ball definitely hit Bobby Wade in the check with his shoulder, but his shoulder pad did slide up and contact the face mask. But there was no head shot, or snapping of the receiver’s head. Granted, it wasn’t as horrific as the phantom penalty that Tom Brady milked from the referee last week, but, as they say on the FOUR-LETTER, "Come on, Man!". Anyway, Ratliff blocked the field goal attempt later.
RESULT: No Harm

Series 11

No penalties or errors (TD). However I would like to throw a mental error to the horrific defensive calls in this drive. Having defenders play off when you know there’s a short pass coming is something we’ve all railed against.

Series 12

No penalties or errors (Punt)

Series 13

No penalties or errors (Punt)

Summary of Defensive Possessions:

Possessions:	13
Error-Free	7	6 Punts 1 Touchdown (7 points for KC)
Penalties/Errors	5	2 Field Goals (6 points for KC)

The VRR: Gerald Sensabaugh's Impact; Colombo Joins "Bigg" Davis on Smashburger Venture

Aaron Novinger — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 21:43:43 -0000

More photos » by Matt Slocum - AP

Marc Colombo tells Cory Procter about his Bigg plans to smash everything: smash on the field, smash on the stage, Smashburgers.

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Gerald Sensabaugh is the new hope at the Cowboys strong safety position. In the past, the team has relied on the position as one of strength. That was until Darren Woodson retired. Soon after, Roy Williams' game began to decline, and then he got injured.

This offseason, Dallas let both Williams and his backup Keith Davis walk and signed Sensabaugh to a one-year contract worth $1.75 million. The deal sounds similar to the one the Cowboys gave FS Ken Hamlin. If Sensabaugh proves to be a quality starter this season, then the team will look to extend his contract as they did with Hamlin's.

Sensabaugh's play resembles that of Hamlin's moreso than Williams'. That doesn't mean he can't support the run as well as Roy, but it does mean that the Cowboys will ask him to cover more - as Sensabaugh says in this interview. Coach Phillips has got to be giddy to have a strong safety who can cover and who wants to cover. No longer will he have to adjust his defense to hide a player's weakness. I'm sure a guy like Hamlin will also appreciate that.

Sensabaugh recently created a website so he can "communicate with fans, personally answering reader questions and updating his blog on a regular basis".

And he has been quite active on his blog. Here's a sampling of some of the recent Q&A he's been doing with fans.

On his expected impact with the Cowboys:

I would have to say that i feel that i will make the most impact in the passing game. Here in dallas we have a great front 7 who's dominant against the run. I do plan on getting my share of run stopping, but for me right now my main focus is to play good coverage. I'm very fortunate to have some great pass rushers who can get sacks or force bad throws. So i'm excited to get a chance to play where the pass rush is going to be there and knowing that the balls are going to be coming out fast. I'm expecting our secondary to get lots if int's, especially with how athletic everybody is.

Make the jump for more from Sensabaugh and more VRR news.

Sensi on reading offenses:

"Before the snap there are many reads," responds Sensabaugh. "The main read is identifying the formation. Once the formation is identified it will give u a big clue on rather its left, right run.... short, deep pass. Through film study you notice that a lot of teams are repetitive, so before the snap you can take a highly educated guess.

[snip]

I pay attention to the splits of the WR's and i can get big clues of where they are going. Film study is the biggest part of the NFL. The more you know about your opponent, the better chance you have at executing against your opponent.

On fitting in the Cowboys defensive scheme:

In the 3-4 defense it mainly stops the run and puts a lot of pressure on the secondary because we all know the Cowboys love man coverage. So my job is to cover and cap the run. I think this defense is great for what i have molded my career for. So expect me to make a lot of plays and show my coverage ability which i am looking forward to. My rookie year in jax they experienced me at corner and every year i get snaps playing the inside slot.

Check out his blog at GeraldSensabaugh.net for his answers to other random topics like why he wears the number 43, how he feels about the nickname "Sensi", and how he can't wait to kick some NFC East butt.

Smashburger. It just sounds like a joint a Cowboys offensive lineman should own. Now two linemen own a stake in the chain. Right tackle Marc Colombo is joining fellow Free Reign member and O-line neighbor, Leonard Davis, in the burger biz.

"When Leonard told me about his arrangement with Smashburger, I knew I wanted to get involved," Colombo said. "Because we’ve worked side-by-side on game day every week during the season, I know we will be a great team in making Smashburger a huge success in the Dallas area. Smashburger's excellent food, setting and value will make it Dallas’ favorite burger place for every occasion."

With training camp starting next week, expect the rookie signings to begin soon.

Stephen McGee's mother is looking forward to attending her son's first practice as a Cowboy at the Alamodome.

Here's a precamp injury update:

DE Jason Hatcher, WR Isaiah Stanback and rookie LB Stephen Hodge all had knee surgeries this offseason but are expected back for training camp. So is PK Nick Folk (hip surgery), but his kicking could be limited early in camp. The team drafted David Buehler as a kickoff specialist, and he could handle the early foot duties until Folk is cleared. Miles Austin missed OTAs and minicamp with a hamstring strain and should be back for camp, but he also missed valuable time — time he had designs on spending to get a leg up on a starting spot.

The Cowboys will launch a Kickoff Spectacular on Tuesday at the Alamodome. Here's what's in store:

5 p.m. Fan Interactive Area Opens

6 p.m. Alamodome Doors Open

7 p.m. Kickoff Spectacular, which will feature the Randy Rogers Band and IntoCable. Players and coaches will be announced to the fans.

For Cowboys fans in the Kansas City area: the Chiefs ticket agents will require that you purchase a preseason game ticket when you purchase one for the Dallas @ KC game.

The Dallas game on Oct. 11 will come in a two-ticket package with the Houston preseason game Aug. 15. The Pittsburgh game Nov. 22 is paired with the Seattle preseason game Aug. 29. And no, there is no discount for the preseason tickets you'll have to buy along with the regular-season ticket.

The VRR: NFC East Meets AFC West; Cowboys Quiet in Supplemental Draft

Aaron Novinger — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 06:00:14 -0000

The Cowboys certainly will face some tough teams this season. As always, the other NFC East teams tend to be a handful, no matter how much momentum Dallas has built going into each matchup. The East will battle the South and all of its young talent in the NFC. In the AFC, an easier task. Could the AFC West be a division that the Cowboys sweep? If they do, it sure would help their chances of a much desired return to the playoffs.

The Cowboys begin their quest against the West in Denver (10/4). The Broncos are in a bit of a rebuilding phase with new head coach Josh McDaniels. The following week they travel to Kansas City (10/11) where the Chiefs will be led by their new head coach and former Dallas wide receivers coach, Todd Haley. They, too, are rebuilding. Greg Ellis will play his first regular season game in Cowboys Stadium when the Raiders make a Thanksgiving Day visit (11/26). Unfortunately for Oakland, the Cowboys have been kicking some serious butt when the aroma of turkey and stuffing hits the air. The Chargers (12/13) look to be the toughest opponent the Cowboys face from this division. The game is in Arlington, but it's in December.

Even getting three of four against the AFC West wouldn't be too shabby. Two or less would be more than disappointing.

Matt Mosely lists seven things to watch in this season's inter-conference matchups between the NFC East and AFC West. He has the San Diego @ Dallas game twice on the list.

1. Wade Phillips gets a look at his old defense: The Cowboys' head coach helped Shawne Merriman have the best season of his career when he was the defensive coordinator in San Diego. In fact, the Chargers' defense hasn't been nearly as dominant since Phillips brought his version of the 3-4 to Dallas. The Chargers will play on the road against the Browns and then come to Dallas on Dec. 13. It will be a great opportunity to see Merriman and DeMarcus Ware on the same field. The Cowboys opted for Ware over Merriman, and at this point, it looks like they made the right decision.

[snip]

4. Another reason I love that Cowboys-Chargers matchup Dec. 13: Chargers coach Norv Turner thinks he should've been the successor to Bill Parcells in Dallas, although he's always very complimentary of Phillips. Turner would've been exactly what Tony Romo needs -- someone who won't accept the careless mistakes. I think Phillips and Turner will bring a little something extra to this game.

More VRR after the jump.

Nothing but crickets chirped for the Cowboys during the NFL's Supplemental Draft on Thursday. Thirty other teams stayed just as quiet. The only team who did select a player was the Redskins. They gave up a third-rounder in next year's draft to select DE Jeremy Jarmon.

This doesn't mean Dallas can't check out the leftovers. Supposedly, there were some talented players that made themselves eligible. Here's a short list:

Former Kentucky defensive end Jeremy Jarmon is considered the crown jewel, though Texas Tech defensive end McKinner Dixon, Tennessee safety Demetrice Morley and Kansas State wide receiver Deon Murphy also show NFL-caliber athleticism on film.

Western Kentucky linebacker Blake Boyd, Central Michigan offensive lineman Pete McMahon, Southern Mississippi receiver Torris Magee and Florida State receiver Corey Surrency aren't likely to be drafted, but could earn a workout with teams.

Speaking of drafts, SBNation's Mocking The Draft has the Cowboys taking a defensive tackle in next year's first round. Personally, I don't see Dallas drafting so high.

14. Cowboys- Ndamukong Suh DT, Nebraska

Who really knows what Jerry Jones is going to do in the first round? He may go after a QB if Romo fails to win the 2010 Super Bowl. Suh is a massive force in the middle, and will command a double team all of 2009. He could be a big time force next to DeMarcus Ware.

It feels as if it has been a while since we talked some Bobby C. He's been prepping to fill Kevin Burnett's vacated nickel linebacker spot.

Carpenter has worked hard this offseason to get leaner, losing five pounds, with the idea that he would have to turn and run with a lot of tight ends in this projected role. In fact, Carpenter said he has worked out with Tony Romo and Jason Witten — a player he often goes up against in practice — this offseason to work on his footwork and change-of-direction skills.

Doug Free was named to CBSSports' Mid-American Conference All-Decade Team.

Nick Eatman takes a close look at the Cowboys' left guard position.

The Ravens re-signed OLB Terrell Suggs to a six-year, $63 million contract. This could help determine the value of DeMarcus Ware's upcoming contract extension.

Hat tip to thejanusman for the FanPost.

Jamie Dukes ranks Cowboys fans as third best in the league. Ha, ha. We beat the Giants who he slotted at number four.

The San Francisco Cowboys? This SF Chronicle article discusses the resemblance the current 49ers team has with, or hopes to have with, the Cowboys teams of the '90s.

Thoughts are with legendary Cowboys head coach, Jimmy Johnson, whose father died Monday at the age of 90.

Pappas Bros. Steakhouse will be hosting a benefit dinner for Rich Behm.

The event is July 19 at the steakhouse in Dallas and costs $500, with reservations required. For more information, call 214-366-2000.

Smashburgers are now BIGGer than ever. Leonard Davis partnered up with the Smashburger chain to open up 30 of the Colorado-based restaurants in the Dallas area.

Says Davis in the press release, "I've had great success in the NFL, and my career with the Cowboys continues to drive me. But I wanted a business opportunity that made sense with my life after football. Smashburger has all the right things in place to be a huge success in Dallas and nationwide. They have a great management team and a compelling concept, and the burgers are hands down the best I've had."