SB Nation - Igor Olshansky

Justin Tuck: Soft? Me, soft?

Ed Valentine — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:00:29 -0000

More photos » by Bill Kostroun - AP

New York Giants defensive end Justin Tuck (91) has taken exception to defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan's assessment that the defense has not been physical enough.

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New York Giants defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan is not a rah-rah motivator, that much has always been obvious. But, if Sheridan's comments Thursday that his defense has not been physical enough were intended to get under the skin of some players, mission accomplished.

Defensive end Justin Tuck is not too happy with Sheridan's assessment.

"I disagree," Tuck said when told about Sheridan's comments. "Everybody has an opinion. Maybe I'm completely wrong by saying I disagree. But in my opinion I don't think that is the case.

"Go ask the O-lines and the offensive tackles or the guards that I play against," Tuck continued. "I don't mean to make this an individual thing. I don't think (Sheridan) said I was unphysical but when you talk about the team, I am part of the team, so I take it personally. So go ask some of the people I play against and ask the how physical I am. If they come back and tell you I'm not, then maybe I'm just a guy that blows smoke all day because I don't know about myself."

My take: Good. Tuck is ticked, and I hope a bunch of the other defenders are, too. Defensive players never, ever want to be accused of being soft. Maybe they will do something about it. Which, I'm thinking, is exactly what Sheridan wants.

By the way, Tuck did a very entertaining interview with 103.3 FM ESPN Dallas-Fort Worth Thursday. Give it a listen if you have five minutes to kill.

The Dallas Morning News today has a story about how the Cowboys feel they have benefitted, both financially and on the field, from replacing Chris Canty with Igor Olshansky.

That part of the story wasn't what really caught my attention, though. Here is what did. Remember how we were killing Sheridan the other day for dropping Canty into coverage. Turns out this is something Wade Phillips asked him to do frequently last season, and that he did well. He had five -- yes, five -- passes defended for Dallas last season.

Some of you old-timers will appreciate this Q&A with legendary Giant Frank Gifford.

(E-mail Ed at bigblueview@gmail.com)

The Cowboys Now Rank Second in Scoring Defense

Aaron Novinger — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 13:51:30 -0000

More photos » by Mike Stone - AP

Mike Jenkins has been flying around, making sure opponents don't score.

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Read it and weep upcoming, opposing offenses. This Dallas defense may not be in the top five of any yardage category, but they will limit you in arguably the most important category of all: scoring defense. By holding the Raiders to just a touchdown and an extra point, this unit now only gives up an average of 16.5 points per game. In the league, that's second only to Cincinnati, which is holding opponents to 15.8 PPG.

Okay, so the Raiders' are dead last in scoring offense (10.5 PPG), but the Cowboys helped put them there. Because I know it's hard for us not to look down the road, let's take a peak at where the Cowboys' upcoming opponents rank in terms of scoring offense.

More after the jump.

Week 13 @ The Giants (T-8th, 24.7 PPG)

Week 14 vs. The Chargers (3rd, 28.4 PPG)

Week 15 @ The Saints (1st, 37 PPG)

Week 16 @ The Redskins (29th, 15.5 PPG)

Week 17 vs. The Eagles (7th, 26.6 PPG)

To sum it up, Dallas will face four of the top ten scoring offenses within the final five weeks. As you can see, having one of the league's best scoring defenses will be a necessity as the team seeks a return to the postseason.

What is amazing about this defense is that the Cowboys began the season with four new starters, including at least one at each level. On the line, Igor Olshansky has been brutalizing running backs. At linebacker, you can arguably count SOLB Anthony Spencer as a fifth new starter. He, too, has been solid against the run and has recently grown into an asset against the pass. Keith Brooking is everything you want in a ILB - 'nuff said. Mike Jenkins is playing lights out at CB who, along with slot-man Orlando Scandrick, brings a youthful exuberance to the position. And, Gerald Sensabaugh is that early Christmas present we've all been asking for at strong safety.

As a unit, they have gone from learning to work together to playing consistent, hard-nosed football. Coach Phillips sounds confident in how his group has grown.

"We've just been more consistent, went back to basics," Phillips said, explaining the improvement since the early problems. "Just melding the defense together. No excuses, but we did have new guys. Those guys playing together, it's a little bit different. ... (we) found a niche to what we can play defensively and what we can't play, what our strengths and weaknesses are."

The players are well aware of where they've been, and of the challenges they have yet to face.

"The first few weeks of the season, we would play really good football for 3 1/2 quarters and it seemed like for a half a quarter, all hell would break loose. We're a lot more consistent in our play," linebacker Keith Brooking said. "We want to be the best. We're not there yet, we're not even close to being there yet. ... We can't take any steps back at this point. We've got to keep moving forward."

And America's Favorite Prime Time Team Award goes to...c'mon, you know who!

The Cowboys have averaged 19.152 million viewers for their 16 games on NBC’s "Sunday Night Football" and ESPN’s "Monday Night Football" since the start of the 2006 season, when NBC began broadcasting the Sunday night NFL package and ESPN started airing "Monday Night Football."

According to a SportsBusiness Journal review of Nielsen Sports data, of the five most-viewed prime-time teams, only the Cowboys have not reached the Super Bowl since 2006. The Colts, Giants, Bears and Patriots have all played in the NFL’s title game over the past three years.

Some practice squad moves were made. The Cowboys waived CB Jamar Love and signed CB Marquis Floyd and LB Donovan Woods.

Floyd spent last season on the Seattle Seahawks practice squad. He was on the Cleveland Browns practice squad for a week in 2009 before being cut Sept. 29.

Woods, former quarterback and safety at Oklahoma State, played five games last season with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He opened this season on the Steelers practice squad before being released Nov. 24.

The VRR: Hot Cowboys Prepare to Take on Cold Packers

Aaron Novinger — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:36:53 -0000

by Mel Evans - AP

Miles Austin has had success in the past against the Packers. Perhaps, we will also get to see some more success in the Tashard Choice-featured "Razorback".

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Because both the Cowboys and the Packers finished third in their respective divisions in '08, they are once again facing off this season. With the weather expected to be in the high 40's at Lambeau Field, there won't be much for a frozen tundra. But judging by Green Bay's 38-28 loss at Tampa Bay last week, the Packers will bring in a cold front of their own.

Hopefully, the red hot Cowboys' defense can continue to freeze another NFC offense. ~~David Carr~~ Aaron Rodgers is getting sacked left and right this season. DeMarcus Ware and Jay Ratliff ought to be licking their chops.

Rodgers has spent a lot of time on his back side — Tampa Bay dumped him six times Sunday. The Packers have given up a league-high 37 sacks, seven more than Kansas City and 20 more than Dallas.

"Well, it has to stop," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said after the demoralizing Tampa loss. "You can’t sit here and keep taking sacks."

Injuries have added to the problem on the offensive line. The movement will likely continue this week with rookie T.J. Lang possibly getting the start at right tackle after Mark Tauscher re-injured his knee in his first start at right tackle at Tampa Bay.

More VRR after the jump.

The Cowboys look to have an advantage over the Pack's special teams, as well.

The Packers are hurting on special teams. They rank dead last in net punting and are one of four teams to give up a blocked punt. While the Cowboys have thrived on field position, the Packers have not. They rank 26th in opponent starting field position, 24th in punt return and 17th in kickoff return.

The Star-T scouts Rodgers.

OLB Aaron Kampman is missing practice and may not play against the 'Boys.

Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy is pessimistic about outside linebacker Aaron Kampman being able to play against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.

Kampman emerged from Sunday's loss at Tampa Bay with a concussion and will miss his second consecutive practice on Thursday. McCarthy said on a conference call that the Packers will treat Kampman cautiously because of the nature of the injury.

Much of Miles Austin's potential was evident in games against Green Bay.

Miles Austin has had some pretty good games against the Green Bay Packers in his four-year career. In 2007, Austin didn't have a catch but returned six kickoffs for 166 yards.

Then last season, Austin had just two catches -- but they went for 115 yards, including a spectacular 63-yard score that was the first of his career. Austin almost had another touchdown in that game but was caught on his way to the end zone for a 52-yard gain.

"If I look back at that game, I look at the touchdown, rather than the other one," Austin said.

The Cowboys got Kevin Ogletree involved last week via bubble screens. Makes you wonder what they have in store for him this week.

The bubble screen calls for the receiver to take a step forward before darting back toward the quarterback to catch the ball.

"We've been working on it in practice," Ogletree said. "If there's a play the coaches design and call for me, I'm just going to give it my maximum effort."

That the No. 5 receiver made such a big contribution underscores a major reason the Cowboys (6-2) will ride into Green Bay (4-4) this weekend possessing the NFC East lead and a four-game winning streak: Everybody's pitching in offensively.

"We have so many people contributing," coach Wade Phillips said. "You don't have to count on a running back to make 150 yards for you to win, or one receiver having two or three touchdowns."

Tashard Choice is digging his role as a Razorback quarterback.

"Just another way we can get the football, man," Choice said. "It was cool to be in the game. And for the coaches to call it [and be] comfortable with it, that was really important."

The Miami Dolphins are the only NFL team that uses the Wildcat formation on a consistent basis. Choice says he watches film of how the Dolphins use the scheme.

"Ronnie Brown is perfect for it. He's awesome," Choice said of the Dolphins' running back. "One of top three backs in the league, to me, running the football. He's patient and he makes people miss. That's what really makes it."

Does everybody on the team refer to the formation as the "Razorback"?

Most teams have nicknames for their "Wildcat" formations. In the case of the Cowboys, "Wildcat" QB Tashard Choice was asked what the official name of the formation was. Choice's answer was simple.

"It's called TC, that's it."

Ken Hamlin (strained groin) and Andre Gurode (ankle) were held out of practice today.

On Wednesday, Hamlin was suited out but later worked strength and conditioning coaches, who were running with return specialist Allen Rossum, who is expected to miss another game with a hamstring injury.

As for Gurode, he suffered a ankle injury in the Eagles game and missed two snaps, before returning on the next series.

The rest of the Cowboys' injury report.

Steve Wyche begins his "Best free-agent moves" article by talking about three Cowboys: Keith Brooking, Igor Olshansky, and Gerald Sensabaugh.

Safety Gerald Sensabaugh, defensive end Igor Olshansky and linebacker Keith Brooking have been the glue at each level of the defense that is now allowing stars Terence Newman, Jay Ratliff and DeMarcus Ware to hit their strides.

"(With) Igor and myself, Wade (Phillips) knew what he was getting because he coached us in San Diego and Atlanta," said Brooking, the Cowboys' leading tackler who spent his previous 11 seasons with the Falcons. "Sense (Sensabaugh), he's in the same boat, except I don't think they knew he was such a playmaker. It's working because this means something to the guys. Not just us three, but to all 11 guys on the field."

Sensabaugh (Jacksonville), Olshansky (San Diego) and Brooking were deemed expendable by their former teams. But their experience, toughness and desire were inherent qualities that have allowed them to mesh with the guys in place and fill voids that were areas of concern. Adding experienced pieces to prime parts is a long-held formula to success, but some teams, especially those in need of "franchise" talent or marquee appeal, spend for the big dogs that don't always help the overall cause.

The offseason moves the Cowboys made to achieve better team chemistry have worked since the season began.

Linebacker Bradie James said the sense of community began in training camp. He said that was evident in crunch time against the Eagles Sunday.

"This year, so far, has been definitely the best team atmosphere," James said. "With the characters we have on this team, guys are really just playing for one another, understanding the goals we have, sticking by each other's side. You want to know as players what you can count on and who you can rely on when the funk hits the fan and we know that we can definitely rely on each other."

Matt Mosely takes a look back at the Cowboys' first half of 2009, and then looks forward to the rest.

There's no reason the Cowboys can't win at least 11 games. After a trip to Green Bay, they come home to play the Redskins and Raiders. The worst they'll do in that stretch is 2-1, and I think they have a great chance to come out of this stretch 9-2. I think 11 wins will seal the division race -- and the Cowboys are headed in that direction. Will they win a playoff game? Yes, I think they'll finally break through and get a win. I'm very interested in that game in the Meadowlands in early December. I have a sneaking suspicion that the Giants will have turned it around by then.

Jason Witten spent Tuesday going back to school.

Witten picked up the fourth-grader and his family in a limo Tuesday and took them to Akin Elementary School in Wylie ISD. The Cowboys tight end was welcomed by screaming students and teachers chanting "Cowboys! Cowboys!"

Weaving around the fans shaking sparkling blue pompoms, Witten went straight up the middle of the crowd in the school cafeteria to speak about good health as part of the NFL Play 60 campaign. The program encourages youths to exercise at least an hour a day.

Cowboys Stadium could soon host a Manny Pacquiao title fight.

"Keep an eye on this Pacquiao fight Saturday," Jones said. "That's a big one. Keep an eye on that. Some big things might happen if he could win that one."

Last week rumors began of a possible matchup between Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather at the stadium should Pacquiao dethrone Cotto at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Broncos Thoughts and Musings - A look back at Chargers Week

Emmett Smith — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:00:30 -0000

More photos » by Denis Poroy - AP

about 1 month ago: Denver Broncos running back Knowshon Moreno, center, goes over the top of San Diego Chargers linebackers Tim Dobbins (51) and Stephen Cooper (54) while gaining two yards for a first down in the third quarter of the NFL football game Monday, Oct. 19, 2009 in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

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Having taken a 'bye' week of my own, I thought that I'd put together a few musings for the general group. Before getting into the meat of this week's offering, though, I'd like to take a minute to mention a phenomena that has been showing its ugly face around Broncos Country. I'm talking about the problems of our fans having a 'Shanahangover': the sinking belief that the issues of the past years, in which the Broncos look good enough to fool us and lull us into a state of complacency before succumbing to a massive blowout (often to an inferior team) and shattering our dreams, could resurface in 2009. It's a dangerous disease, but fatal only to those who believe that this year's team has something in common with the teams of the past - notably, the past three seasons. Time will tell, but I don't see this happening any longer.

I've read this from a few of the members and in other blogs and sites: "The Broncos have fooled us before." It's true, too, but that was before a new sheriff, deputy, posse, marksman and scouts came into the picture. No matter what you've seen in the past, this team has little or nothing to do with the Ghosts of Seasons Past. The improvement in the coaching, performance of players, attitude and execution is light years beyond what we as fans are used to. Whether it's our team or another, living in the past is an exercise in misunderstanding the present. This is not last year's Broncos. It's a whole new experience.

As an example, Arrowhead Stadium is likely to be a tough place to win; but it's not because the Broncos haven't played well there in the past. They often didn't, but that's not a matter for this year's team. It's a windswept, loud, raucous place to play. It's hard to hear signals if the place is full and I don't take any game lightly, particularly a division rival. While I do think that the Chiefs are in early stages of an upswing, I'm not at all concerned that they're better than Denver or that they will beat us, even in their own house. Our veterans aren't going to take games off and they're not going to let the younger players take anyone lightly. If the Broncos play anywhere near their skill level, they're just too good for most teams. We've got a lot of great contests coming up, but one thing that doesn't concern me at all is the possibility that we will revert to the habits of seasons past. It's not going to happen, so put it out of your mind.

Charging into the Future

Before the Monday Night Football game that extended the Broncos' record to 6-0, Chargers TE Antonio Gates said, "One thing that gives us a chance is that we're still in the hunt in the AFC West. We never said it had to be pretty, and it wasn't pretty last year." After the game, it was a lot uglier. If Gates believes that the Chargers are still in the hunt, he needs to define his terms pretty quickly.

"It's tough to always be in this situation," Gates said afterward. "We didn't plan on being here. We didn't plan on being 8-8 last year either. But here we are. We have to keep working, or it could snowball and turn into a losing streak."

"We didn't plan on getting here." If there are words perfectly suited for failure, I think those should be high on the list. "We didn't plan on being here." Yes, that about covers it.

Bear in mind that they also didn't plan well enough to avoid it. They didn't run the extra sprints that the Broncos endured to get in better shape than their opponents. They didn't make the personnel moves that the Broncos did, realizing that no matter how good you were supposed to be, an 8-8 record will rarely get you into the postseason. They didn't identify the weaknesses that they had, nor the ones that could arise with age, injury and contract status. They didn't do enough to prepare themselves for the fact that Shawne Merriman was very unlikely to have a great year this year. Few will, after the kind of surgery that he had. In short - they didn't plan to succeed, either.

I'm sympathetic to their injury issues among linemen. That's tough and often unpredictable. But even there - is it a shock that Jamal Williams (who's had more surgeries than an aging Hollywood ingenue) would start to break down? Nick Hardwick has had a lot of injuries, plenty of surgeries (and I thought that Scott Mruczkowski did a very good job until Mike Nolan outfoxed him). Igor Olshansky was going to be gone. I wrote last spring about the issues that the Chargers were going to be experiencing, and I'm no expert. So, what happened?

Three things, I'd argue, and all are common: arrogance, lassitude and reversion to the mean. Arrogance in this case includes believing that you can start out poorly season after season and still make up the ground - the continuing decline of their schedule argues against that. But the arrogance also includes the behavior of individuals, including fighting within the team that is seen in public. Then there's lassitude, as in admitting, as A.J. Smith did last February, that the Chargers' woes were in great part on him but not doing more about it. And reversion to the mean: this is a team that has been heading for mediocrity (and how obvious can that be, after going 8-8?) for some time. It needed major help, and it got a few band-aids.

I loved the Kevin Burnett pickup, and it's just bad fortune that he's hurt. I liked the Larry English draft pick, and he's getting there. I also liked the Louis Vasquez draft pick, and he's developing quickly. I can't even fathom the Kynan Forney (who's since been released) or Travis Johnson pickups, though. The Bolts tended to stand pat with a suspect secondary, didn't develop their depth and accepted on faith that bad performances were anomalies instead of facts. It bought them a game in which a stellar performance by Philip Rivers wasn't enough, in which Nolan and McDaniels out-coached Ron Rivera and Norv Turner and in which the best the Chargers could bring wasn't close to enough.

There will, as Merriman pointed out, be a rematch. I look forward to it, and I'm sure the Broncos do. Stating before the game that 'the Broncos can't stop me' wasn't Rivers' smartest move. Claiming that they will get revenge after the game wasn't Merriman's, but I do appreciate the help those things gave Denver. If the Broncos needed any aid in getting up for the home half of this series, which I greatly doubt, they won't after that night's statements.

Arrogance...some things don't change.

Losing the Locker Room

That same arrogance has infected the locker room and the very attitude of the Chargers. You could see in a single moment why the Chargers have problems with their team very clearly during the first quarter of the Monday night game. The Chargers bogged down at the goal line - LaDainian Tomlinson was stopped short of the goal line twice. They took him out on the third play and put in Darren Sproles, trying to take advantage of a seam that Turner had seen. Tomlinson paced the sidelines, obviously complaining bitterly about not being in. The Broncos stopped Sproles and the Bolts short again, and they settled for kicking the FG.

It got me to thinking. Last year at this time, the Chargers were starting slow, appeared unmotivated and perhaps even ill-prepared. Tomlinson was also complaining - about the play calling, the offensive line, and not getting enough carries. Now, imagine that he was in orange and blue. How likely is it that a Bronco would do that - two years running? If you consider that Turner's team has gone from 14-2 before he arrived, to slow starts three years running, you start to see why that might be true. Players fight with management in the media. The GM insults his team, as A.J. Smith did by calling their play 'soft'. Nowhere is there a sign that adults are in charge. Merriman has a public feud with Smith, dating back a couple of seasons. Smith doesn't like his side jobs, feeling that it takes away from the team. LDT fights with Turner, expresses his feelings and tussles with Smith this past offseason, very publicly. Smith gets quickly pulled into it. No one wins.

This past week, it was wide receiver Chris Chambers. A non-factor for quite a while now, he was complaining to the press that his snaps are being taken by Malcolm Floyd. I don't know what he expected - he's not gaining separation, he's not getting open and he hasn't shown a ton of skill at fighting for the ball. But he's still touting himself as if it were three seasons ago and he was doing good things. It's the kind of thing that you're not seeing from the Broncos, the kind of thing that tells you when a franchise is in disarray.

I can't even express my gratitude for the fact that Josh McDaniels has very good management skills. He won't carry arguments into the media, rarely gets flustered and keeps things behind closed doors. I've fired people for the kinds of destructive behavior that I've seen from the Chargers over the past two years. Those who claim that this is football and that it's really okay to have things this way should consider how the Broncos do handle things -- and how their team acts and plays. As in, as a unit. As a real team, one that's going good places. It matters. Once in a while, a dysfunctional team has a good year. Most of the time, though, they flame out, and the talent levels don't matter enough to get them where they want to go. That's happening in San Diego, and while it's good for the Broncos, it's an obvious sign of the Bolts organization needing a makeover.

Asked before the MNF debacle, LDT was asked what he saw in the Charger's locker room. "It's a quiet confidence. You look in each man's eyes in that locker room, you can tell there is something extra."

Did they also see that you'd be pacing the sidelines, yelling and pouting, LDT? Perhaps not. That's one reason that the Chargers are 3 games back. Even worse for the Bolts and better for the Broncos, LDT hasn't been alone.

Beating Kansas City has given the Bolts a brief respite, but that's hardly a road back into the land of the competitive. While I do think that the Denver game as been a wakeup call of Shakespearean proportions for San Diego, their problems run too deep to permit them to make the late season run this year profitable. The game in Denver will be a grudge match. Given the state of the raiders and Chiefs, that's a good thing. It may keep thing much more interesting.

Some Other Stats that Matter (With apologies to Lebowski)

What did the Broncos do right so far this year? It's a long list, but try these perspectives on the rushing game:

Stuffs per carry - Correll Buckhalter, 4th, at 0.043 Knowshon Moreno at 9th, with 0.061
Stuffed: Best in league - It only happened on 8 plays. Despite the issues that can improve in short yardage, the problem isn't with negative plays.
YPC: Buck, 1st, 6.7 Broncos 11th, 4.3
Yards: Broncos 7th, 798
Big play rushes: tied for 9th, 20
100-yard rushers against: 0
100 yards rushing by opposing teams: 0
Passes dropped, over 6 games: 5. Four of those came in the first two weeks. It's all about doing your job and doing it right.

Let's also look at the percentage of rushing versus passing plays. Going back to the offseason, Doug (nycbroncosfan) and I published the "Divining Josh McDaniels" series. We said at the time that McD had been viewed at being more of a passing kind of guy than he really deserved. It was true when McD was in NE and it is true in Denver. We're in 8th, with 47.7% rushing and therefore 52.3% passing - a very even, balanced attack. Over the last 4 years, McDaniels had averaged 43.1% rushing plays. That seems low, but it's not if you look at how the team was structured. In 2008 that number was 46.8% rushing and that was similar to 2006 as well. On the other years, the passing game was working too well to minimize it. Josh McD believes in maximizing all of your skill sets and using the ones that the defense lets you win with, whether it's the pass or the run. As you would expect, he's attempting to make sure hat both are viable options. It's that simple. By getting Moreno, Buckhalter, Orton, the O-line and the receiving corps, he can go either way with complete confidence. That makes it very hard to stop the Broncos' offense.

You might also look at how the aging, decrepit defensive secondary is doing. Teams have been challenging Champ Bailey and Brian Dawkins and getting their hats handed to them. Take a look at these stats: Bailey is tied for 2nd in the league with 8 passes defensed; Dawkins is tied for 11th with 6.

The Broncos have two players in the top 11 in the NFL in passes defensed -- and both players are over 30. That's a stat that not a lot of casual fans follow, but it tells you a lot about a team. It tells you that the Broncos have age, wisdom and maturity in the defensive secondary. Experienced players know how to communicate and that skill is constantly undervalued. It also tells you that those who believe that Champ Bailey, Andre' Goodman, Brian Dawkins and Renaldo Hill are 'losing a step' need to find their argument. Dawkins and Bailey are among the league leaders and are getting some payback on the 'lost a step' crowd. Andre' Goodman and Renaldo Hill are playing the best ball of their careers. The young guys, Alphonso Smith and Jack Williams, are also paying well and Darcel McBath has already shown why we drafted him on defense as well as by leading the team on special-teams tackles.

I'll be back later today with more Thoughts and Musings...

Matching up with the Chargers

Emmett Smith — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:30:15 -0000

More photos » by Chris Schneider - AP

Denver Broncos coach Josh McDaniels salutes the crowd after the Broncos defeated the New England Patriots 20-17 in overtime in an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009, in Denver. (AP Photo/Chris Schneider)

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Living in San Diego now (up north, in Carlsbad), I've had a classic opportunity to follow and spy on the Chargers. Milling around the town, lounging on the beach, watching the newspapers and the tube analysis, as well as breaking down the games, I had a year-long chance to get a little insight into the team. I wanted to share with you some of the things that I've seen over that time. The Bolts are a walking contradiction, just as they are every year, of late. They're starting slow, they have seemed unmotivated and they're been fighting injuries. They are going to be playing for their season, though. It's a great Monday night matchup, and I'm going to enjoy it.

So saying, here's to 5-0, 6-0, and another Monday Night slugfest!

Denver vs. San Diego

This is probably one of the best opportunities that Denver will have this year. They can take this one on the road and put SD in a deep, deep hole - IF they can control the tempo of this game. I've been living in SD for 15 months now, and spying on the Chargers organization the entire time. I have a lot of respect for them. Taking them lightly will get you beaten, but Denver won't do that. In that fact, can lie the road to victory.

Let's take it one area at a time. I'm going to start where every game starts - with the Trench Warfare (dedicated to firstfan):

Denver O-line vs. the Chargers D-line.

This is one battle that I think Denver can win hands down. Again - I'm not suggesting that it will be easy, just that it's very winnable. Ryan Clady is the best in the game. Ryan Harris is healthier, Casey Wiegmann is doing fine and while I'm not excited about Russ Hochstein, I do think that he's up to the job. I also think that Chris Kuper is better than any fans (even Denver fans) give him credit for. Like most fans, I'm worried about Ben Hamilton, but I do think that he's up to this one if he plays. Perhaps he will do better at center, perhaps he's fading a bit. That's why grooming Seth Olsen makes so much sense.

On the Bolts' side of the ball, it's a different story. Jamal Williams is injured; he's also pushing 35, is gone for the year, and (in my mind) probably won't be back next season. He's most likely done, and SD didn't find anyone to get prepared and polished for this moment. Bad planning, A.J. Smith (Chargers GM). Igor Olshansky was uneven in his play and a problem in the locker room last year, so they don't miss him. However, Ryon Bingham was supposed to replace him and he's on injured reserve. Jacques Cesaire, backing up Bingham, has some injury problems of his own. A local rookie made good in Ogemdi Nwagbuo is trying to handle NT.

Luis Castillo has been uneven but can't be overlooked. Monster Vaughn Martin from Canada isn't ready for the NFL game, but he's probably the Chargers' future at NT, at least as the roster is currently set. The Chargers found a warm body in Alfonso Boone, formerly of the Chiefs. If a Chiefs castoff is your option at DL, you're in seriously deep kimchi (Note - Seoul Food, on 6th Avenue, is/was a very fine restaurant for those who like Korean cuisine). Travis Johnson, a recent Chargers acquisition from the Houston Texans, has had issues with motivation and injury; but he will now be back for Monday's game, as will all players except Center Nick Hardwick. The current plan is for Johnson to take some of the reps at NT which he played for 14 games in 2008 for Houston, although that was in a 4-3 line.

Backing up the front line on the Chargers side are the linebackers. Shawne Merriman is still trying to recover from his knee surgery. He won't be fully back until next season (and he may be working for another team by then), but he will be on the field. The rest of the Chargers LBs are good, but not stars; they brought in Kevin Burnett from Dallas, and he's played well. 1st-round draft pick Larry English will be a very good-to-great one, but not this year. Shaun Phillips, Antwan Applewhite, Stephen Cooper, Tim Dobbins, and Brandon Siler fill out the squad. Jyles Tucker spent some time injured last year, but he showed enough for the Chargers to know that he has serious potential. Even so, they aren't a bad squad, but they seem disorganized and unmotivated. The Broncos have a chance here to paste one on them.

Denver's offensive playmakers vs. Chargers secondary:

The first fact that Denver has to face is that one of the trade-offs to Kyle Orton's incredible home record is that he hasn't been as effective on the road prior to this season. That may not be a concern, since everything this year is different, but it's something to watch for. Orton's numbers are good and becoming much more so.

In fact, Orton has a better QB rating right now than Philip Rivers. He's got a much better TD/INT ratio (Orton - 7/1, Rivers - 6/3 in 1 fewer game). Orton also has an INT percentage of 0.6%; Rivers is 12th in the league at 2.0% - not bad, but not as good. Overall, Rivers is a top-5 QB -- in theory. But right now, his playmakers aren't producing like Orton's and that's affecting his numbers.

The Denver running game is better than the Chargers' front 7. Knowshon Moreno is coming into his own, and he's going to be very good indeed. LaDainian Tomlinson has been out, injured. He should be back, but even so - he's been playing like he's getting older and isn't the same. I love Darren Sproles, but he's not an all-game answer.

The Denver WRs could have a stellar day. The secondary of SD is being coached by Steve Wilks, formerly of Chicago a friend of Ron Rivera's who came over to help Ron out. The Bolts are playing in the secondary like they're being coached by Pee Wee Herman.

I speak periodically with Bolts From The Blue Contributing Editor Brian; he got his start on MHR and he's a well-informed, interesting guy who is open about sharing his knowledge. This is what he had to say about the Chargers' secondary following their loss to the Steelers...

I think it's also time to pull Cromartie for Cason; he is just a train wreck out there. And why Rivera stuck with deep zones when they were eating us alive underneath, I have no clue. I still have a lot of belief in the linebackers, but time will tell. We have almost no sacks; from AJ's perspective he is losing a ton of talent this year and these guys look to be mailing it in sometimes. I guess that is the heart of it; they perform exceptionally in spots and weakly in others, it is strange considering how many could be making a play for a starting job.

I don't have a lot to add. He's pretty much nailed it. Eric Weddle was laid out by the Steelers, Clinton Hart was doing so-so but the Chargers released him Wednesday in a surprise move in order to add DT Ian Scott. Antonio Cromartie looks terrible. Steve Gregory is playing alright, but this isn't a group that inspires confidence. At this point, they claim that they're still not sure who will start in Hart's place, but 6th round pick Kevin Ellison is one option. When you consider that they aren't stopping the run effectively and that the line isn't bringing pressure to stop the pass, this could be a long day for the Chargers defense.

Chargers offense against the Denver defense:

Philip Rivers is always dangerous; in fact, he's the only reason that SD is in the race at all. The Chargers O-line has been porous and despite his relative mobility, Rivers has been sacked 10 times in 4 games. His QB rating is down to 90.2 after a year's rating of 105.5 last year. It's mostly because of the O-line, and I'll get to that in a moment.

But there is a strength that I haven't discussed for the Chargers. Before the season I was talking to Brian, of Bolts from the Blue; he noted that Rivers had a lot of skills and strengths, but that he just hadn't mastered the long ball yet. His deep passes were a weakness that other teams could exploit. That's not at all so anymore. Rivers has completed 16 passes of 20 yards or longer, with 4 surpassing 40 yards; both place him among the NFL's leaders despite having been on bye last week.

Look for Rivers to throw mostly out of the shotgun. After going from the shotgun on 16 of his 39 drops (41%) at Oakland Week 1, Rivers was in the shotgun 29 times in 47 drops (62%) against the Ravens and 27 times in 35 drops (77%) against the Dolphins. Rivers needs the extra time since his line has been so weak. The Broncos secondary has been strong thus far; this could be their toughest challenge yet.

Trench Warfare:

LT Marcus McNeill had two surgeries during the offseason. LG Kris Dielman went to his second Pro Bowl last season - he's very good. They did lose C Nick Hardwick until at least November, and he's been replaced by Scott Mruczkowski. They cut Mike Goff at right guard (who then went on to infect Kansas City) and replaced him by drafting Louis Vasquez, who has fought injuries as a rookie but should play Monday. Jerome Clary is uneven at right tackle, and Elvis Dumervil may snack on him as the game wears on. In fact, I do not believe that the Chargers can stand up to our DL over the course of a full game. That is probably our ace in the hole. Like All QBs, Rivers can get frustrated if he's harassed.

Expect the Chargers to feature their TEs and use more max protection Monday. Antonio Gates is still strong and effective, and the Chargers have two young talents in Brandon Manumaleuna and Kris Wilson who are perfect for their roles. Both are good blockers, can run routes, go in motion, and confound opposing defensive coordinators. I see the tight ends as one of the Chargers' biggest strengths.

On the other side of the ball is a Denver group that doesn't have a single well-known household name, but they play like unbridled fury. Ronald Fields and Marcus Thomas are splitting time at NT, and both look good. The starting ends have been surprising players - Ryan McBean (formerly of the Steelers practice squad) and Kenny Peterson, and they are rotated with Vonnie Holliday. Le Kevin Smith isn't back from his knee injury fully, but he is a solid backup. The front seven is rounded out with a big group of linebackers. Elvis 'Doom' Dumervil and Mario Haggan are backed by Darrell Reid and Robert Ayers. At ILB, D.J. Williams and Andra Davis are leading the team in tackles. This isn't an even contest - the Broncos have the advantage across the board. I expect them to notch a few sacks on Rivers. If they can harass him into mistakes, this could turn ugly for the Bolts.

Rushing to Victory

I believe that the Chargers are in trouble here. Tomlinson has already been injured. He's dangerous if he's healthy this Monday, as is predicted, but he's not the player he once was. Like the team overall, I don't recommend underestimating LDT, but he can be stopped, especially behind that line. The Chargers have a potent weapon in Darren Sproles on kickoffs and in relief of LDT. Michael Bennett is also an option. They Chargers surprised me by cutting Gartrell Johnson, who only had one good game in preseason but was a 4th round pick: I believe that admits indicates sloppy drafting.They can hurt Denver here, but the O-line has to step up for that to happen.

On the other hand, Knowshon Moreno is coming into his own and is running behind a very good Denver O-line, which is bad news for the rest of the league. My only concerns with Knowshon were that he might be a little light for the league - he's put in the time in the weight room to counteract that and will continue to get tougher, and that I honestly didn't know if he was the kind of player that Bobby Turner wanted. I wasn't convinced that he wasn't, just interested to see what Denver thought. Could he pick up and play within the system? The answer to both questions is a resounding "Yes". Correll Buckhalter may be back, which would make the game easier. I'm disappointed in Peyton Hillis so far, and LaMont Jordan is a good back for running out the clock and a very good receiver, but his minutes will be limited. The Broncos are near the top of the league in rushing with 139 yards per game and have a nice average of 4.6 YPA. They will be hard to stop and the Chargers haven't been great at stopping the run.

Slow Starts:

What is it with the slow starts in San Diego? Ever since Norv Turner came to town, the trend has been to stink up the beginning of the year and to firm up later. With the Broncos coming into the game undefeated, that just won't cut it in the AFC West. The Bolts need to wake up NOW if they are to have any chance at all in the division, much less in the playoffs.

I did a little checking, and it seems that historically the Chargers have had recurring issues in this regard. In fact, they are the only team since 1970 to make the playoffs after a 0-4 start, having managed that in 1992 (Final regular season record, 11-5 that year). At 2-2, they aren't in that kind of trouble, but unless they pull themselves together, they soon will be.

That's the big potential trap here - the Chargers have had two weeks to game-plan, which puts them almost even with an 8-day Josh McDaniels plan. They are at home, they are coming off a bye week, and they are fighting for the season. A loss at this point could end their Super Bowl aspirations for the year. They may be a very tough team on Monday night; but they are still, without question, vulnerable. Unless they can really put a lot of points on the board early, the Denver defense will probably shut them down in the second half.

A last point on SD:

I've been hearing from some intelligent Chargers fans that there "wasn't anyone out there who could have an impact at NT (and a few other positions)". I've had to bite my tongue before casually asking if they'd looked at Ron Fields lately. The fact is, there were good players at many of the positions that SD now needs sitting out there this past offseason. You can get a good look at most of them on the Broncos roster next Monday night. Blame this one firmly on A.J. Smith, who was too smart for his own good this time.

With all of these factors in mind, this has the makings of another great game. SD will be highly motivated - they're at home, the numbers favor them becuase they're coming off a bye at home and they know that their season may well rest on this game. That and their offense (other than the line) are concerns.

The Broncos, on the other hand, will be prepared.They will be well aware of the dangers. They will be recipients of the McDaniels/Nolan game plans. We have the same offense that has scored when ever it had to and which is looking to break the habit of starting slowly. They can - they know each other better each week. SD isn't, frankly, as good as New England. Could we drop emotionally. Honestly, not on Monday Night Football. I see that as a small benefit - our guys are given a chance to prove, on national and international TV, who they are.

They will. Broncos over the Bolts, 27-24. Rivers has a good night, Doom gets a couple of sacks and Orton continues to do his job and do it well. How's that for playing it safe?

Go Broncos!

The VRR: Cowboys Special Teams Getting More Special; Miles Austin Awarded

Aaron Novinger — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:33:03 -0000

More photos » by Paul Sakuma - AP

Dallas-native Allen Rossum returns to Texas to spark the return game for the Cowboys.

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Special teams coach Joe DeCamillis has done an outstanding job for the Cowboys since joining the team during the offseason. Through five games, his coverage units have held opponents to 7.8 yards on punt returns and 20.8 on kickoffs. On the flip side of that, the Cowboys average only 7.3 yards on their own punt returns and turn in a decent, but not spectacular, 23.7 yard average on kick returns.

Enter Allen Rossum. The veteran return specialist will sign today with the Cowboys and should help Coach Joe D bring more balance to his units.

Rossum is the latest in a chain of "DeCamillis Guys" to come to Dallas since the special teams czar was brought in this off-season and the Cowboys made a new commitment to improving their kicking game.

The coach was heavily involved in the war room on draft day, and his Jacksonville experience encouraged the Cowboys to bring in Gerald Sensabaugh and Chauncey Washington.

More VRR after the jump.

By all the roster churning this season, Calvin Watkins thinks that the Dallas coaches are sending a message to the players.

Under Bill Parcells, the Cowboys constantly churned the bottom of the roster and worked out players. That practice slowed when Wade Phillips took over as coach. Phillips believed once the roster was set, he didn't want to change it. But after last season's 9-7 finish, Phillips has changed things.

The Cowboys have made nine roster moves since the start of the season -- two more than this time last year. That will rise to 10 when Rossum signs.

Patrick Crayton could be back to being a backup on both offense and special teams.

Wade Phillips wouldn’t say it on Monday but it sounded like Miles Austin would be starting at one of the receiver spots. Phillips said he expects Austin to be playing as much as he did last week, when he made his first start for an injured Roy Williams. While Phillips didn't say how it would all shake out, one can only assume it means Crayton might be going back to the No. 3 receiver.

And now with the Cowboys expected to sign veteran return specialist Allen Rossum, it would appear Crayton could be losing his punt return duties as well.

Cowboys fans: go here to vote for Miles Austin's game-winning catch as Sprint's Can't-Miss Play for Week 5. Doing so also enters you in a contest to win Super Bowl tickets.

Vote each week for a chance to win one of 17 trips to Super Bowl XLIV!

Voting opens every Tuesday beginning at 3 p.m. ET and closes every Saturday at 3 p.m. ET. Check back weekly to see which Sprint Can't-Miss Play was the winner.

The play is NFL Total Access' top play of Week 5.

Austin has already been named the NFC's offensive player of the week.

Prior to Sunday's game at Arrowhead, Tony Romo was the inconsistent part of the passing game. While he looked to have recovered much of his accuracy, the receivers sort of fell apart.

Dropped passes were a huge problem against the Chiefs. Austin had two passes he should have come up with in the end zone. Crayton had a drop and a near fumble. Sam Hurd had a drop in the end zone. And Jason Witten let quarterback Tony Romo down by not coming up with a deep pass in the second half. It would have been a tough catch. But it was one a Pro Bowler like Witten should come up with.

Even if Marion Barber and Felix Jones return from the bye week healthy, the Cowboys plan to incorporate Tashard Choice more into the offense.

Barber is expected to get plenty of rest this week in the hopes of getting over his lingering thigh problem. The Cowboys (3-2) are also hopeful Felix Jones (knee) will emerge from the bye week healthy. But even if Barber and Jones are at 100 percent heading into the Oct. 25 home game against Atlanta, Dallas is determined to keep Choice in the mix.

"We've got to give him some touches," Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said. "We can't eliminate him. He makes plays."

When asked about getting more opportunities, Choice chose his words carefully. But he did suggest he would like to be more involved in the early going. "I feel I'm at my best when I do run it a lot," he said. "It helps you when you go into the fourth quarter and have already run the ball 15 times."

Throughout all the penalties, turnovers, and just downright sloppy play, the Cowboys are nine points away from a chance at a perfect record.

"I’d like to be 5-0, certainly," Phillips said. "But that’s not where we are. We played almost well enough to do that, and I told them one more play in two games, and we would be. But we’re not, so that’s reality. We’re 3-2, which is where we are, and we’ve got to do something about that. We’ve got to get better."

This offseason, the Cowboys made three key free agent acquisitions - one for each level of defense. Todd Archer says Keith Brooking, Igor Olshansky, and Gerald Sensabaugh are all fitting in well.

Brooking is second on the team in tackles to Bradie James with 55. He has a sack, two tackles for loss, three pressures and three pass deflections. He's also become this team's heart beat in many ways.

Olshansky might not be as heralded because 3-4 defensive ends don't put up great numbers but his 24 stops are second-most among linemen next to Jay Ratliff. He also has a sack and four pressures.

Sensabaugh has 26 tackles and a pass deflection so far. I think his better days are ahead and you're not seeing tight ends do as much damage vs. the Cowboys than they had in the past.

The NFL trade deadline is October 20th. Jason La Confora discusses some of the names that may be available.

The Cowboys will practice today and tomorrow, and then the players will have a three-day weekend.

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: Carolina (0-2) @ Dallas (1-1)

Aaron Novinger — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 18:03:40 -0000

More photos » by Donna McWilliam - AP

"Just take care of the pigskin," says Barber to Romo.

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There is a growing consensus that Marion Barber's quad injury will keep him out of tonight's home game against the Panthers. Here's what Nick Eatman says on the matter.

One Cowboys official in the hallway just now said he thought there was a 98 percent chance that Barber misses tonight's game, for the simple reason that he's not fully healthy and it's the third game of the season.

Matt Mosely asks the relative question: how might the carries be divvied up between Tashard Choice and Felix Jones?

With Barber out, look for offensive coordinator Jason Garrett to try to get Jones and Choice involved in the passing game early. My best guess is that Jones will end up with about 15 to 18 carries and Choice will be somewhere in the 10 to 12 range. Choice did a really nice job filling in last December, so I could see him getting hot in this game and reeling off 75 yards and a touchdown.

More Panthers @ Cowboys after the jump.

Here's what Coach Phillips said about the swelling in Barber's quad.

"I want him to be healthy, completely healthy," Phillip said. "I don’t know if that means 100 percent, but I don’t want him to be in a situation where, No. 1, he could be hurt worse and you lose him for a longer amount of time. That goes with the determination of the athletic trainers and the doctors and so forth as to where he is. Because he had some swelling. He had a legitimate injury that we just have to find out day-by-day what it’s going to do and how much better it gets. But, we didn’t think it was a long-term injury, that’s why we’re thinking he may be able to play, so that’s where we are."

Just after two weeks of regular season action, Carolina's injured list is quite substantial.

The Panthers have already lost two defensive tackles, and now they’ll be without the services of starting outside linebacker Na’il Diggs (ribs). Starting safety Chris Harris (knee), starting fullback Brad Hoover (back) and backup defensive end Everette Brown (ankle) are all doubtful. Starting offensive tackles Jordan Gross (knee) and Jeff Otah (shoulder), plus starting defensive tackle Nick Hayden (toe) were questionable earlier in the week, but enter the game as probable.

For the Cowboys, S Michael Hamlin (arm) and ILB Jason Williams (ankle) are out. QB Stephen McGee (knee) is probable, and RB Marion Barber (quad) is questionable. Barber's status should change as gametime nears.

Somehow, some way, the Dallas defense needs to show up tonight.

"If you're aggressive, like we are, things will turn out fine. We're working at it," Phillips said. "The most important thing is winning the game, whether you get 10 turnovers or none."

Mike Jenkins gets his turn as the starting cornerback tonight instead of Orlando Scandrick, who had a poor performance and was repeatedly beaten by the Giants. The Cowboys plan to keep alternating the second-year cornerbacks as starters opposite Terence Newman.

"I remember 32 (Scandrick) because they've been playing him on ESPN pretty frequently," Panthers receiver Steve Smith said, followed by a laugh. "By the scouting report we got, he probably won't be in because he's been playing continually on the rotation on ESPN."

Tom Orsborn at SAEN says that the defensive pressure has been limited by three things: max protection, no pressure from the strongside, and a lack of depth at the OLB position.

Knowing how much pressure the Cowboys generated last season, opponents have opted to max protect, meaning they're keeping backs and tight ends in to block.

"Teams we've played and teams we'll play will try to protect the quarterback as much as they can," Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said Saturday. "If they do that, you need to cut down the percentage of passes they complete, and we haven't done that."

Another problem: With strongside linebacker Anthony Spencer unable to generate pressure, weakside backer DeMarcus Ware — the NFL's sack leader last season with 20 — is getting double-teamed.

[snip]

"We've had a tough time at the end of the last two games, and some of it is having (Spencer and Ware) playing every play," Phillips said. "We're trying to alleviate that by working some other guys in so they'll be fresher."

To that end, Phillips is hopeful Victor Butler, Steve Octavien and Curtis Johnson can provide relief. Bottom line: Someone other than Ware has to generate pressure.

A key to beating the Panthers could be how the Cowboys utilize their tight ends.

Carolina has the third-ranked pass defense, but five of the seven touchdowns given up by the defense have come through the air. And the Panthers have been worked over by the tight ends in the first two weeks. Philadelphia's Brent Celek caught six passes for 37 yards and a score. Atlanta's Tony Gonzalez had seven catches for 71 yards and a TD. Hello, Jason Witten and Martellus Bennett.

This may also be a game in which ST coach Joe DeCamillis' units can help the team to victory.

The Panthers' coverage teams are struggling. They allowed an 85-yard punt return for a score and 29.4 yards per kick return. Even if Felix Jones doesn't return kicks, Miles Austin is almost as dangerous. Two of the top kickoff guys – Carolina's Rhys Lloyd and Dallas' David Buehler – will be on display.

Dallas has owned Carolina in the regular season.

The Cowboys have won seven straight regular season games over the Panthers since losing the first meeting in 1997. In the last matchup Dec. 22, 2007, Romo threw for 257 yards and a touchdown in a 23-13 victory.

The Cowboys fare pretty well on MNF. Of course, they have had plenty of opportunities to do so.

Their 70 appearances on Monday is more than all but the Miami Dolphins, who have 74, and the Cowboys have won the most of any team, with 41. The Cowboys have played at least one game on Monday Night Football in 36 of the past 39 seasons.

The upcoming contest against Carolina will mark the Cowboys' 32nd home Monday-nighter over the years, the team compiling an 18-13 record in primetime weekday affairs at Texas Stadium. Like the Cowboys stadium opener last week, the Cowboys should be giving maximum efforts under the bright lights.

Here is NFL.com's Game Center for Carolina @ Dallas.

Three interceptions last week? Big Deal! Jerry Jones still thinks Tony Romo can pull off a Super Bowl run.

"Some day he will have greatest day of all," Jones said. Asked to clarify his comments, Jones didn't back down. "I do, I do I (think he will win a Super Bowl for us)," Jones said. "I feel like that will happen. It is in no small part due to his skill level because of his ability to come back from adversity because of his hard work. That will be one of the big reasons we get it done."

Only a team with no chance entertains the idea of a midseason coaching change. That still does not prevent people from asking Jerry Jones about who will lead this team in the future.

"I have an option, number one, and don't discuss certainly at this time of the year our coaches' contract, especially the head coach's contract," Jones said. "I'd like for him to win his first Super Bowl as a head coach as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys and that might take more years than this year to do it."

The first part of that answer means that Jones can extend the deal into 2010, if he so chooses. The rest of the answer implies that he'll exercise that right.

As to the notion that Garrett might be the successor to Phillips, Jones smiled and said, "Well, he certainly is in the family portrait." (So much for those offseason rumors that Jones was hoping Garrett would get a head-coaching job elsewhere.)

Barry Horn wrote an excellent bio on DE Igor Olshansky.

The Cowboys are still breaking records. This latest one is in one of the most famous records books of all.

On Monday, the Guinness Book of World Records will arrive at new Cowboys Stadium to certify its celebrated and controversial video board as the largest in the world.

The VRR: A Three-Headed Monster Week for the Cowboys?

Aaron Novinger — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:33:08 -0000

More photos » by Donna McWilliam - AP

Run, Felix, Run!

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[UPDATE] Marion Barber was seen practicing today, and is now listed as questionable for Week 3. [END UPDATE]

Should the Cowboys be without starting running back Marion Barber for Monday night's home game against the Panthers, Felix "the Cat" Jones says he will be ready to carry the load. This should make for an interesting game, as it could be the first time we get to see Jones in a starting or heavily expanded role.

Yes, Barber will be missed. But now is the time to shine for the Cowboys' first pick in the 2008 draft.

"I believe [the running game] can be the same," Jones said. "The offensive line did a great job. They created holes for us to run through. We just need to go out and play hard and keep doing what we're doing and keep moving the ball."

We will know more about Barber's status as the week progresses. As Todd Archer points out, Marion "the Barbarian" is still looking to play.

Here's Barber's response when he was asked about his status for the Carolina game: "If I'm good today, I'm going to be good tomorrow and then I'm going to be good up until Monday."

More VRR after the jump.

If Barber can't go or is limited, and Jones gets the nod, Tashard Choice will also move into a more expanded role.

Choice has only four carries for 18 yards through two games, but he proved last December he can contribute if needed. He might get another chance against Carolina.

"I knew I wasn't going to get the ball nearly as (much as) those guys," he said. "Whatever chance I get I've got to make the most of mine."

Who is this Chauncey Washington fellow the Cowboys signed to the practice squad yesterday? He is a running back with return capabilities who was drafted in the seventh round by Jacksonville last year. A former Jaguar himself, special teams coach, Joe DeCamillis, is said to be familiar with him.

At USC, Washington got a bit lost in the backfield rotation between Reggie Bush and Lendale White. I've heard he's fast. Here's a little highlight reel for you.

Rick Gosselin digs kickoff specialist David Buehler.

With Buehler handling the kickoffs, the Cowboys have already have four touchbacks, and they have vaulted to eighth in the NFL with an average opponent starting point of the 22.9-yard line. That's 6-plus yards per possession better than a year ago. That will add up over the course of the season, making your defense better because offenses must conduct longer drives to score.

Jerry Jones has seen what Tony Romo can do the week after a bad game. More often than not, the Dallas QB shows resilience.

"You'd like for him not to have a day like that," Jones told KRLD-FM in Dallas-Fort Worth, "but when everybody is pointing fingers, when it didn't go good, then you want someone who can walk into that huddle in the next snap at practice, the next snap in the ballgame and walk out there and cut and shoot and play like they just won the Super Bowl. That's a great quarterback."

In 2006, Romo followed a 58.8 passer rating in a loss to New Orleans with a 113.9 rating in a win over Atlanta. Last season, he had a 113.8 rating in a win over the Giants after recording a 44.9 rating the week before in a loss to Pittsburgh.

It seems fitting that Keith Brooking joined the Cowboys the season the team plays the NFC South. He has 11 years of experience playing in the division.

In his 19 games against the Panthers, Brooking had a combined 169 tackles, 2.5 sacks and six pass breakups. He had 10 double-digit tackle games. It would be fitting if Brooking could break the Cowboys' sack and/or takeaway streak Monday night against his former divison rival.

"Let's don't panic about one loss," he said. "We're 1-1. Man, I'd love to be 2-0. Let's don't make it bigger than what it is and let's also not make it smaller than what it is. There's a fine line there, and it all starts with that "A" word everybody talks about. And that's accountability."

Moving on from the Chargers to the Cowboys this offseason, Igor Olshansky has yet to get use to all the media scrutiny 'round these parts.

Olshansky was being bombarded with questions about the Cowboys’ lack of sacks and turnovers and if he’s confused about the defense’s troubles. Olshansky politely articulated reasons and his hopes for improvement. But, finally, he felt he had to put things in perspective.

"This is only two weeks and I realize this is the Dallas Cowboys, America’s Team and everyone wants to write a novel after every game, you know what I mean?" Olshansky said. "This is game two. We’re going to get past this, we’re going to go out there and we’re going to win."

Sure, Cowboys Stadium is gigantic; nevertheless, the amount of "party passes" sold Sunday night sounds extreme.

Team spokesman Brett Daniels said the Cowboys and Arlington city officials were discussing possible limits on the number of standing-room tickets, which was one of the buzz-generating features at the stadium and a rarity in the NFL. Daniels said the team had sold about 8,000 standing-room tickets for the second game Monday night against Carolina. That's a far cry from 30,000 - and that's probably a good thing.

Want the latest power rankings for NFL Week Three? Our own One.Cool.Customer has compiled them together in a nicely organized FanPost.
A BTB hat tip to you, sir!

Let's keep this one in our back pockets for Week 13, shall we?

Uh-oh. Brandon Jacobs is apparently mad at Cowboys right tackle Marc Colombo. I didn't see it, but apparently the two had a little altercation following the game.

San Diego Chargers' Roster: 2009 vs. 2008

John (obviousman) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 14:02:57 -0000

More photos » by Dave Martin - AP

3 months ago: San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson (21) and quarterback Philip Rivers (17) watch from the sidelines during their NFL preseason football game against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta Saturday Aug. 29, 2009. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

Browse more photos »

With the San Diego Chargers' 53-man roster set, I want to compare where the team is today compared to where they were one year ago. How do the position groups match up to each other? On talent alone, has the team gotten better or worse?

QB (2009): Philip Rivers, Billy Volek, Charlie Whitehurst

QB (2008): Rivers, Volek, Whitehurst

Verdict: Equal. There's been no change, but Rivers enters 2009 with no questions about his health (as he did in 2008) and a year of learning how to carry an NFL team on his back. Volek looks more polished as he gets even more comfortable with Norv Turner's offense. Still, any improvements here have more to do with time and chemistry rather than any talent improvement.

See the comparisons and verdicts of the rest of the position groups after the jump.

HB (2009): LaDainian Tomlinson, Darren Sproles, Michael Bennett, Gartrell Johnson, Jacob Hester, Mike Tolbert

HB (2008): LT, Sproles, Hester, Tolbert, Andrew Pinnock

Verdict: Better in '09. The Chargers went into 2008 thinking that Hester could fit the role of power RB and backup to LT. He has shown himself to be a fine FB, but not an NFL-caliber running back. So, based on the fact that there is at least one decent backup to LT in 2009 (Bennett) and possibly another (Johnson), 2009 wins.

WR (2009): Chris Chambers, Vincent Jackson, Buster Davis, Malcom Floyd, Legedu Naanee, Kassim Osgood

WR (2008): Chambers, Jackson, Davis, Floyd, Naanee, Osgood

Verdict: Equal. Same players, same result. Jackson, Floyd and Naanee may be better than they were at the start of 2008, but there's really no way of predicting that. The expectations for Chambers and Davis have dropped in the last year.

TE (2009): Antonio Gates, Brandon Manumaleuna, Kris Wilson

TE (2008): Gates, Manumaleuna

Verdict: Better in '09. Kris Wilson offers great blocking and good hands out of the 3rd TE position. Having a player like that on the end of the line (possibly next to Manu), offers a great improvement for goal line packages. Expect a lot of "Off Tackle" runs to his side when the Chargers are inside the opponents' 5 yard line.

OT (2009): Jeromey Clary, Marcus McNeill, Brandyn Dombrowski

OT (2008): Clary, McNeill, L.J. Shelton, Corey Clark

Verdict: Better in 2008. Although I really like Dombrowski, I'd certainly prefer to have 2 legitimate backup Tackles and a veteran mixed in there (like Shelton) makes me more comfortable as well. Shelton did a decent job filling in for McNeill in 2008, and it's always nice to have a proven commodity sitting on the bench should anything happen.

G (2009): Kris Dielman, Louis Vasquez, Tyronne Green

G (2008): Dielman, Mike Goff, Scott Mruczkowski

Verdict: Better in '09. Dielman is healthier than he was going into 2008, Goff was a train-wreck last season and has since flopped in KC, and Mooch is still on the team. Louis Vasquez brings a massive presence to the right side of the line that should eventually help balance it out.

C (2009): Nick Hardwick, Mruczkowski

C (2008): Hardwick, Jeremy Newberry, Cory Withrow

Verdict: Better in '09. Hardwick is healthy, which is the biggest improvement here, and Mooch is a better blocker than Newberry and Withrow combined. The reason the Chargers were able to go with only 8 offensive linemen is because Mruczkowski and Green can both play Center and Guard. Dombrowski can also play either Tackle or Guard.

Defense

DT (2009): Jamal Williams, Ogemdi Nwagbuo

DT (2008): Williams, Brandon McKinney

Verdict: Equal. Both McKinney and Nwagbuo are young and have shown themselves to be capable in the preseason. Regular work in the season will let the team know if Nwagbuo is ready to fill that backup NT slot long-term.

DE (2009): Luis Castillo, Travis Johnson, Vaughn Martin, Jacques Cesaire

DE (2008): Castillo, Igor Olshansky, Cesaire, Ryon Bingham

Verdict: Incomplete. For as bland as Igor was as the Chargers' DE, he stayed healthy and was consistent enough to almost never get bowled over. Cesaire's health will help determine if this group has been improved over 2008, as well as how well Travis Johnson can transition back to the 3-4 and if he's improved work ethic. Since neither is a starter, I'll call Martin and Bingham a tie.

ILB (2009): Kevin Burnett, Stephen Cooper, Tim Dobbins, Brandon Siler

ILB (2008): Dobbins, Siler, Matt Wilhelm, Derek Smith, Anthony Waters

Verdict: 2009, better by a long shot. Cooper wasn't on the initial 53 man roster from 2008 because he was serving a 4 game suspension, so that's a big improvement. Burnett has shown himself to be a major playmaker in the Chargers defense, which puts him leaps and bounds ahead of Wilhelm, Smith and Waters.

OLB (2009): Shawne Merriman, Shaun Phillips, Larry English, Jyles Tucker, Antwan Applewhite

OLB (2008): Merriman, Phillips, Marques Harris, Jyles Tucker

Verdict: 2009 wins. A healthy Merriman (remember, the Chargers knew he was planning on playing 2008 on a bad knee), plus a first-round draft pick, makes this an easy choice.

CB (2009): Quentin Jammer, Antonio Cromartie, Antoine Cason

CB (2008): Jammer, Cromartie, Cason, Cletis Gordon, DeJuan Tribble

Verdict: Tie. Gordon and Tribble don't bring anything to the 2008 group. Figuring that out helped the Chargers to take the risk and go with only 3 CBs in 2009.

FS (2009): Eric Weddle, Paul Oliver, C.J. Spillman

FS (2008): Weddle, Oliver

Verdict: 2009, but just barely. I don't know that Spillman will see a lot of time as a FS in '09, but he should be a force on special teams and could eventually develop into the backup FS or a starting SS.

SS (2009): Clinton Hart, Steve Gregory, Kevin Ellison

SS (2008): Hart, Gregory

Verdict: 2009, but just barely. Ellison brings something to the table in goal line situations (where he can't get burned deep), and I hope he can do something for special teams, but that's about it right now. If he continues to develop, keeping him this season will pay dividends in the future.

Special Teams (LS/K/P): David Binn, Nate Kaeding and Mike Scifres are rocks in this group. The Chargers, and their fans, are hopeful that this trio stays together for another five seasons.

Do you have a question for next week's mailbag? Don't hesitate to e-mail me directly with your question and I'll make sure to answer it before next week's game.