SB Nation - Chauncey Washington

Shonn Greene's Fumble Struggles

John B — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:01:18 -0000

More photos » by Chris O'Meara - AP

NJ.com's Manish Mehta profiles Shonn Greene's fumble problem.

Greene’s resume at Iowa wasn’t littered with fumbles – he coughed it up just twice in 307 carries last season – but he’s been shaky at the next level. The 5-11, 226-pound running back has lost three fumbles in just 71 carries this season. Greene’s latest fumble wasted a 25-yard gain last week against the Buccaneers.

"He takes it harder than anybody," right tackle Damien Woody said. "You don’t want to be known as a fumbler."

To that end, Greene kept the ball high and tight to his chest in practice on Wednesday. Rex Ryan dispelled the notion that the team signed running back Chauncey Washington this week from the Cowboys practice squad to send a message to Greene, who has gained 353 yards (4.0 ypc) for the league’s top-ranked rush offense.

They won't say it in public, but there's no question to me the Washington signing had to do with Greene. Washington's strengths are too similar to Greene's. I don't think Washington takes over for Shonn right off the bat, but the team can't have a back who keeps putting it on the ground. It was for insurance. Thomas Jones has to sit sometime, and there needs to be a back capable of spelling him.

The good news for Greene is his condition is curable. A lot of running backs have overcome fumble struggles, most notably Tiki Barber.

How many more fumbles would it take for you to want to see Greene benched?

Jets Flight Connections 121609

dvdvil — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 16:00:41 -0000

Jets great Joe Klecko says CB Darrelle Revis is the Jets' MVP this year.

He is probably better than Charles Woodson.

He is so good that he's still affecting Randy Moss.

As expected, fantasy footballers are not recommending Falcons WR Roddy White this week.

Darrelle and the defense are the best in the league.

Theweekender.com says good things about Revis and RB Thomas Jones.

Against the next three teams with high scoring ability, running the ball may not be enough.

The Jets are favored by six against Atlanta, who is dealing with injuries and police trouble.

CBSsports.com debates whether the Jets will make the playoffs.

More connections after the jump.

If you still don't know, here are the teams vying for post-season berths in the AFC.

I know we started 4-6, but in 2002, the Jets went from 2-5 to winning in the playoffs.

There is some talk about our need to get younger guys on the O-line for the future. Here is another one who got away.

Speaking of young O-linemen, Ryan McKee was signed by the Rams, just in case you were wondering.

Speaking of signings, the Jets added RB Chauncey Washington yesterday.

He and The Sanchize were on the same team in college.

He will wear #32.

He will be active for three weeks.

He might see action in special teams.

Or, his acquisition may simply be a message to RB Shonn Greene, who did some good off the field yesterday.

C Nick Mangold was at a charity event for Montefiore Medical Center.

WR Jerricho Cotchery helped with a project for teenagers, along with Giants WR Steve Smith.

QB Mark Sanchez is also promoting a good cause.

And the Jets have a benefit for Jersey Cares this Sunday at the Meadowlands.

Your daily Pro Bowl reminder: you can vote as many times as you want for Revis, Jones, Mangold, LB David Harris, K Jay Feely and other deserving Jets. You have until Dec. 21.

Lastly, Darrelle Revis talks about how practicing against WR Braylon Edwards helps his game:

Jets Sign RB Chauncey Washington

David_Wyatt — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 19:09:03 -0000

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According to Adam Caplan, the Jets have signed Chauncey Washington to replace Ryan McKee who was released yesterday.

Washington was a 7th round draft choice of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2008, he was later signed by the Cowboys to the practise squad, he made several trips between the active roster and the practise squad before being signed by the Jets yesterday evening.

His NFL scout combine page lists his positives and weaknesses

Positives: Thick, powerful frame for the position. ... Powerful runner who can grind out the tough interior yards. ... Takes a hit and can continue forward due to his combination of power, balance and good forward lean. ... Secure ball handler. ... Not often used as a receiver out of the backfield, but shows some quickness in his route-running and extends well to make the reception. ... Good size and strength as a blocker.

Negatives: Lacks the speed to be an effective outside runner. ... Isn't going to make many defenders miss in the open field due to marginal agility and acceleration. ... Academic struggles lead to some concerns about his ability to handle a complicated playbook. ... Some lower leg injuries throughout his career, and had a week-long paralysis in his legs when he was nine that was never diagnosed.

Make what you will of the signing, but seeing us sign a player with secure ball handler listed as a positive 24 hours after Greene again fumbled the ball will surely cause a little conspiracy. He also wore number 23 in college.....of course I jest.

Washington attended USC with Reggie Bush and LenDale White, however due to academic problems he was ineligible to play in 2004 and 2005. As well having academic problems he was also nagged by some injuries to his ankle and hamstring. However despite this he managed to rack up over 900 yards and 10 TD's in 2007 with the Trojans.

One interesting aspect of Washington's story is a bizarre occurrence during his childhood. When he was just nine years old he woke up one day with no feeling in his legs. He was paralysed for one week, he explains:

"They still haven't figured out what it was," the running back recalls. "After seven days, I got the feeling back in my legs. It was painful, but I started gaining strength. Next thing I know, I started to walk again. Once I got out of the hospital, I started running faster. For some reason, I felt fast. And no, I wouldn't recommend being paralyzed to everyone...I don't think I'll meet any other challenges like that in my life. It makes you stronger as a person."

We may not get to know Washington at all, but his story is interesting none the less

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.

The VRR: Cowboys Must Move Forward by Throwing Back with the Chiefs

Aaron Novinger — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 18:21:46 -0000

More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

The Dallas defenders will look to lay the smackdown against the old AFL version of the Dallas Texans.

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The Dallas Cowboys and the ~~Dallas Texans~~ Kansas City Chiefs have much more in common than their, so far, disappointing '09 seasons. They have a long lost history together. It all began when Lamar Hunt became one of the founders of the American Football League.

[B]y 1963, it was clear Dallas couldn’t support two football franchises and Hunt moved his pro team to Kansas City. In 1966, during a series of clandestine meetings between Cowboys president Tex Schramm and Hunt at Love Field, the AFL-NFL merger was born.

The Chiefs will wear their Dallas Texans uniforms in honor of Hunt’s unsuccessful attempt to have the Cowboys and Texans play during their Dallas co-existence. It will mark the first time since the 1962 AFL Championship Game against Houston in 1962 that the Chiefs have worn their Texans uniforms. The Cowboys will wear vintage gear from their inaugural season to celebrate the rivalry.

More VRR after the jump.

Historically, the Chiefs have been one of the better home teams in the league.

Arrowhead Stadium is tough for opponents. Kansas City owns the NFL’s fourth-best home record with a 105-49 (.682) mark since 1990. Only Denver, Pittsburgh and Green Bay have been better at home over that span. The Cowboys are 11-7 (.611) on the road under Wade Phillips. But Dallas is only 2-6 in their past eight road contests.

Tim MacMahon studied Tony Romo's throw distribution, which shows that the Dallas quarterback is heavily favoring the right side of the field this season.

If you go just by the numbers from this season, the evidence seems to support that theory. According to Stats Inc., Romo has thrown 70 passes to the right side of the field, 61 to the middle and left side. Of course, four games is a small sample size. Expand the study to include all Romo's throws since 2006, the season he became a starter, and the right-left balance is almost even: 640 throws to the right, 620 to the left, 178 in the middle of the field.

Here is something to be optimistic about regarding the Cowboys' wide receivers.

The Beast also has three players ranked among the top five in terms of yards after catch (YAC):

1. DeSean Jackson, PHI: 12.83

2. Patrick Crayton, DAL: 9.45

3. Percy Harvin, MIN: 7.79

4. Devery Henderson, NO: 7.29

5. Roy Williams, DAL: 7.09

Obviously Jackson, Crayton and Williams have all had long touchdown receptions that have skewed these numbers, but it's still pretty impressive. Crayton's certainly never been known for his YAC numbers, but he's doing a much better job of staying on his feet after catches this season.

Ogletree! Ogletree! The speedy WR made the team with a great showing through training camp and preseason. Still, the Cowboys have yet to activate him. As Nick Eatman says:

Well, maybe it’s time to change that. With Roy Williams banged up with a bruised ribs, there’s a chance he may not play Sunday in Kansas City. If so, expect the Cowboys to activate Ogletree, who might be able to provide a little speed and quickness that has been lacking with this receiving corps.

Obviously, we will be keeping up to date with the Cowboys' injuries as the week progresses.

[UPDATE] Roy Williams, Felix Jones, and Andre Gurode are not practicing today. [END UPDATE]

So far, we know that Gerald Sensabaugh will be out this week with a broken thumb. Patrick Watkins is expected to take his place.
Roy Williams is a maaaybe with some cartilage damage to his ribs. Word is, is that he hopes to play Sunday.
Felix Jones could again be resting his sprained PCL. With a bye coming up next week, the team hopes to give him time to fully recover.
Andre Gurode's sprained knee is not considered serious; so, the Cowboys expect him to be good to go Sunday. [UPDATE] From Todd Archer, "If Gurode can't play then the Cowboys would look to Cory Procter or Duke Preston as the starter against Kansas City. [END UPDATE]
Flozell Adams (shoulder), DeMarcus Ware (neck strain), and Marion Barber (quad) should also be fine for the K.C. game.

Alex Marvez ranks Flozell Adams atop his list of "Five stars who may be finished". And yes, T.O. is number two.

The Cowboys could overlook Adams' penchant for costly penalties when he was a shutdown tackle. Those days have passed. At age 34, Adams has become a liability on an inconsistent offense.

Clarence E. Hill Jr. points out some things for us to keep an eye on, including the amount of playing time for NT Jay Ratliff and the recent play of CB Mike Jenkins.

* Keep an eye on Jay Ratliff's snaps. He thrived last season partly because Tank Johnson was capable of enough to give him rest. Ratliff is playing more this year with Johnson gone. He has been a beast so far this season. But it could take its toll later in the season. Remember Ratliff is an undersized nose tackle. So there might be some wear and tear.

* Don't look now. But cornerback Mike Jenkins is looking more and more like the guy the Cowboys picked in the first round last season. He is making plays and he starting to develop a swagger about his game.

Mike Florio, on PFTV, mentions DeMarcus Ware as one player who isn't earning his next contract.

In case you missed it, the Cowboys signed CB Cletis Gordon yesterday.

Gordon played three seasons with the San Diego Chargers (2006-08) and in 30 games with one start he recorded 17 total tackles, two pass breakups and 12 special teams tackles.

The team was also able to re-sign RB Chauncey Washington back to the practice squad.

As expected, MNF's contest between the Packers and Vikings topped that of '08's Philly @ Dallas matchup for drawing the largest cable TV audience.

His Minnesota Vikings' 30-23 win over the Green Bay Packers on ESPN's "Monday Night Football" was watched by more than 21.8 million people. The previous record was more than 18.6 million viewers for last year's Monday night game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys.

Joe Buck and Troy Aikman will be calling the Cowboys @ Chiefs game for FOX.

Can Chauncey Washington Be the New T.J. Duckett?

John Morgan — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:56:11 -0000

More photos » by Mel Evans - AP

Chauncey Washington and Asante Samuel compare childhoods of ridicule before violently smashing into each other.

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Seattle is in a strong waiver spot and needs a short yardage back. Washington isn't a hot commodity, so the Seahawks could just as easily let him slip and sign him off the Cowboys practice squad. It could always re-sign T.J. Duckett, as well. I won't bore anyone with FG's brief love affair with Chauncey Washington, but he hasn't done much as a pro, but he hasn't had much of an opportunity either. Dallas and Jacksonville need running backs like Seattle needs linebackers.

Washington is a nice mix of size, speed, inside running ability, receiving ability and even some return ability. He can't match Louis Rankin's 4.0 forty, and maybe he sincerely can't run at the pro level, but I think he's worth a look. Washington offers Seattle something as a burly short yardage back no other member of its roster can match. A brief audit of his game logs informs he is 7/12 in short yardage situations. That's a hair better than the Seahawks. If signing Washington prevents Seattle from attempting reverses and bombs in short yardage, I would consider the signing worth it.

Horse Tracks 10/4/09 - Would a win today mean the Broncos are good, or the Cowboys are bad?

Douglas A. Lee — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 14:28:22 -0000

DB - Matchup: Broncos vs. Cowboys - Broncos TV
Chris Hall previews today's game with player/coach quotes.

NFL Films - Week 4: Cowboys vs. Broncos Preview - Video

DB - A Closer Look: Dallas Cowboys - Gray Caldwell

LTC - Cowboys bring stiff challenge to Broncos’ early perfect record - Brian Howell

DPP - Broncos Q&A with Elvis Dumervil - Lindsay Jones
Doom was a Derrick Thomas fan growing up; I hope that doesn't mean he was a Chefs fan... More importantly, Elvis' family is Haitian and he speaks Creole; there's an interesting bit I wish I'd known long ago - certainly explains his name.

DPP - Defense zeroing in on Cowboys' Witten, who has 19 catches - Lindsay Jones

NFP - Sunday at the Post - Mike Lombardi
Lombardi thinks the Broncos' WRs can overmatch the Cowboys' CBs. He thinks the Broncos' formation shifts and personnel substitutions will confuse Dallas; he says of McD and Co., "Denver is one of the best new game-plan teams. Each week, they attack the weakness of their opponents very well."

NFL - Injury Reports

DPP - Kiszla: Cowboys coach Phillips not in Josh McDaniels' league
Folks point to Denver having won only 1 playoff game in 10 years. How about Dallas not having won ANY playoff games in 12 years?

DPP - QBs can't escape microscope - Jeff Legwold

DPP - Broncos' RBs hitting the dark side - Mike Klis

CSG - Broncos set to host flashy Dallas Cowboys - Frank Schwab
I sure remember the Cowboys' last visit; I believe it featured 50+ yard touchdown jaunts by TD on two consecutive offensive snaps...

CSG - Broncos: Three things to watch against Dallas - Frank Schwab

CSG - Broncos top 10: Coaches - Frank Schwab

KDVR - Cowboys vs. Broncos: Who will rise to the occasion? - Zubin Mehenti

CBS4 - Peterson: Any Great Defense Always Stops The Run - Matthew Buettner
Oops, missed this one...

Cowboys News

NFL - Cowboys call up RB Washington, cut S White
Dallas signed RB Chauncey Washington from their PS

DMN - Are Dallas Cowboys into ground control or just running hot? - David Moore

DMN - Broncos an automatic 'W' no more - Tim Cowlishaw

DMN - GameDay: Cowboys at Broncos - Todd Archer

ST - No sack time leaves Dallas Cowboys’ DeMarcus Ware restless - Charean Williams

ST - We all know Roy Williams’ role, so why doesn’t he? - Jennifer Floyd Engel

ST - Star-Telegram staff picks for Cowboys-Broncos game
5 of 6 predict a Cowboys victory

ST - Players to watch in today’s Cowboys-Broncos game

ST - Scouting the Broncos

AFC West News

SDUT - Chargers hurt by brownouts in the red zone - Kevin Acee

SDUT - Chargers-Steelers: Five things to watch - Jay Posner

KCS - Flowers realizes he’s fortunate to be where he is - Kent Babb
Fortunate to be in the NFL? Everyone, yes. Fortunate to be a Chef? Definitely not.

KCS - Chiefs-Giants scouting report - Adam Teicher

SFC - Still hoping for a return to glory - David White

NFL News

NFL - Steelers promote Redman for RB depth
Pittsburgh released former Broncos draftee DE Nick Eason

NFL - Browns thin at running back after losing rookie Davis for season

NFL - Seahawks sign Williams to boost offensive line, cut FB Griffith

NFL - Family emergency will keep Bills backup DE Ellis out vs. Dolphins

NFL - Vikings G Hutchinson practices but is questionable

NFL Opinion

NFP - Weekend Notes: Protecting Rodgers - Matt Bowen
Bowen thinks the Broncos deserve more credit for their start.

DPP - Don't pass on what is working so well - Jeff Legwold

NYT - N.F.L. Teams Weigh Challenge to Manage Players for More Games - Judy Battista

ESPN - 10 Spot: D-Rex will dial it up for Brees - Adam Schefter
Schefter thinks BDawk will make teams give veteran free agents a longer look. Right, like there are any other 35-year olds around who play like him?

NYT - Brees Sees the Stars Aligning for New Orleans - Greg Bishop

FOX - Caldwell's Colts maintain the momentum - Alex Marvez

PFW - AFC Whispers
They're hearing Knowshon is the next RB to get goal-line carries if Peyton can't cut it.

PFW - NFC Whispers

FOX - NFL Countdown: Previewing Week 4's games - John Czarnecki
Now that they're playing on FOX, the Broncos game is actually worth writing about...

CBS - Expert Picks: Week 4

Y! - Expert Picks Week 4
Interesting. Charles Robinson actually picked the Broncos just a few days after saying they're overrated. Perhaps he was swayed by some Denver fans furiously typing out nasty emails to him this week...

Poll

What will happen if the Broncos win today?

They will get the national attention they deserve

39 votes

The story will be the Cowboys just aren't that good

185 votes

The Broncos will get overhyped

10 votes

234 votes | Poll has closed

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.

Game 4 Impressions - Troy Williamson and Mike Walker are real, Eben Britton needs work

Tkopa — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 04:16:38 -0000

[Note by Tkopa, I think we need to join 1010XL and end this blackout. If everyone could buy two tickets to the Arizona game, we could end the blackout at least for opening day! . 09/04/09 1:53 PM EDT ]

I think the Washington Redskins let us win. The Jaguars can't be this good, can they? It seemed like a lot of things worked well and the Jaguars got answers to a lot of questions. Let's start with the receivers...

Troy Williamson. A lot of short balls were thrown his way tonight and he bobbled a few but hung on to most of them. It was as if they wanted to see if his recent catching ability was real and it seemed to be. He looked every bit the reliable receiver again tonight. I think they were game planning with short passes to open up a long ball, but it never came. Troy Williamson is a starter.

Torry Holt. Used as a decoy again tonight and played quite a bit. They sent him deep and then had Troy come across the middle. Some very nice patterns from Dirk Koetter. Torry played his man all night until that once when he didn't stop and curl back, he slipped past. What a nice ball David placed in there. Well here, see for your self.

Mike Simms-Walker. OK, I am not being fair. Mike Simms-Walker was the star of the night. What a standout talent he was. Anyone, especially anyone named Collin (just kidding buddy!), who thinks this guy isn't worth keeping didn't see the game tonight. MSW was on fire from the get go and was not going to be denied anywhere near the goal line. You could tell he wanted it and had the ability to deliver. TH, TW and MSW are your starters.

Jarret Dillard. He got a lot of work tonight and the plays were passes along the line of scrimmage as if to see if he had RAC ability. Nothing developed for him except he had no trouble with his hands. The two point conversion was a JD play all the way and he was up for it. Based on the time he got, they are evaluating him against Mike Thomas.

Nate Hughes. Worked out as a return man tonight and didn't work out too well. He is confused on the run back. Go here, no wait, try that way, no wait maybe this way. On one punt if he had fallen down he would have gained more yards. Just didn't have it.

Mike Thomas. A bit of ability. Where Jarret had the route running, Mike has the power and speed. Nothing flashy tonight.

Running Backs... Clearly it was Chauncey Washington verses Rashad Jennings. Rashad Jennings can run with the ball but he doesn't move the pile. He can catch and run and looks best out of the backfield. I think I saw more from him even though Chauncey got the nod early and worked with the first team. I just though Jennings was tops tonight.

Rookies on the Offensive Line. Much as I like and root for Eben Britton, he got beat tonight and David paid for it. Here are some photos to show it.

David paid the price on this on as Reed Doughty came in on a safety blitz.

LB Chris Wilson beat Eben and David ran for his life.

Once the Redskins figured out the weakness, David got it again. The right side was wide open.

Well, that is enough about Eben. He is headed for the Hall of Fame, so we will give him a few moments to learn, He better learn fast, however, because behind David is Todd Bouman. If the Redskins let us win, Todd was paid to give it back to them. Wow, Jack may have faith in him, but I struggle to. Enough negative, there was too much positive, let's give out more game balls.

Game ball to Quentin Groves! Hey Twitter world, something to cheer. Quentin had a great special teams play and a great forced fumble. The thing I noticed was he wasn't getting pushed around tonight. He stood his man up and stayed in the play.

Game ball to Tyron Brackenridge. Tyron's hit on the kickoff forced the fumble. Fast down field and powerful in the play. Game ball and roster spot if I am judging.

Game ball to David Garrard. Still can't avoid a sack to save his life, but he got protection most of the night and did lay in some nice passing.

Game ball to Dirk Koetter. The mad genius continues to amaze me with the play book. Runs to the left looked good tonight in that some of them worked. Misdirection with receivers all over the place. It is beginning to look as sophisticated as the Indy offense.

OK, it is getting late and I will write more over the weekend, but one last mention to go out. Derek Cox. Derek Cox can diagnose a play faster than anyone on the field and get in the action while others are standing around.

Here is Derek peeling off his assignment as he diagnoses the play.

and sticks the guy while Brian Williams stands frozen. Nothing against Brian, he played well. I have more pictures of Derek with his head in the game.

OK one more picture.

That's Uche calling out the blocking assignments from the center position. I didn't see that one coming.

Overall Summary.

A solid effort. The offensive line will be the area of work in the first six games so we need patience. I just hope David can survive it. I saw a good team tonight. Very disciplined, low penalties, very much in control. They played their game. Of course Albert Haynesworth may have changed that, but I think they are ready to start the season. Indianapolis couldn't be a better starting place.

- Terry O'Brien

Jaguars Vs Eagles: Winners and Losers

silencecs — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 20:13:22 -0000

More photos » by Michael Perez - AP

Garrard, on one of the rare occasions he had time to throw.

Browse more photos »

Winners:

Brian Witherspoon - Spoony showed us all why he's our kickoff returner. His blazing speed is undeniable and it is only a matter of time before he breaks one all the way. This guy is not going anywhere.

Derrick Harvey - Lst year's number 8 overall selection is starting to look like a top ten pick. He was applying pressure all game long and all he needs to do is finish. He is having a very positive preseason and that's a major plus, because we need him to have a big game out of the gate against the Colts.

Reggie Nelson- The Eraser had his best game of the preseason, flying all over the field, rarely out of position, and he actually caused a fumble with a huge forearm shiver he delivered. Reggie looked good, and he seems to be ready for a big year.

Gerald Alexander - The safety we traded Dennis Northcutt for played a lights out game, arguably better than Reggie, although against lesser competition. He is a solid back-up, and there will be little drop-off should Nelson go down with an injury.

Tyron Brackenridge - T-Brack has secured a spot on the squad. Period. He's lights out on special teams and he's been excellent in coverage and coming up to tackle. He has arguably outplayed Brian Williams, and will be on the team come opening day, without question.

Russ Purnell - Russ needed this game, big-time. The head of the absolute worst special teams unit in Indianapolis, was now the Jags replacement for the legendary "Joey D". The Jags special teams looked atrocious the first two games, but were standout in their performance against the eagles.

Russell Allen - Another player who is guaranteed a spot on the squad is UDFA Russell Allen. the MLB played a stellar game yet again, and the coaching staff has got to be impressed with the way this kid has grasped the defense. He's got potential as a QB rusher, and he is a strong tackler.

Podlesh/Weatherford/Scobee - Our kickers are playing flat out awesome. Scobee hasn't missed a FG yet, and Weatherford and Podlesh are both kicking like they deserve the spot. The Jags kicking game isn't a concern this year at all.

Mark Duffner - The LB coach, and arguably the best defensive assistant coach we have, has a stable of outstanding stallions at the LB position. All three starting LB's sat out the entire game, and all the back-ups filled-in extremely well. All of the LB's played great football, thus we give credit to the coach.

Losers:

Todd Bouman - He continues to have balls batted at the line of scrimmage, and is wildly inconsistent at times. He is not an adequate back-up, and needs to be replaced before the season begins. This game was his last chance, and he came up short.

The Offensive Line - Wow... a poor perforamance all around. Below average run-blocking, poor pass blocking, and pressure on Garrard from inside and out. Andy Heck has got some work to do in the next few weeks.

Mike "I NEED A" Walker - The perpetual injury bug missed another game, and he's legitimately only got one shot left to impress against Washington. If Walker misses or has a poor game this Thursday, then the only way he keeps his spot is if the Jags carry 6 WR's, and even then he won't be a lock.

Mike Thomas - The diminutive Thomas has to show something this Thursday, or he is likely headed to IR for the year, because I can't see the Jags giving him a spot without seeing him perform.

Paul Smith - Paul is garbage and has no shot to make this team. He's a great individual and may have a career in coaching in front of him, but his spaghetti-armed passes won't fly in the NFL.

On The Fence:

Brian Williams - B-Dub played his best game of the preseason, although he still isn't playing at the level he was even a year ago. Brian must come up big against the Redskins, or his spot may be in jeopardy. Derek Cox didn't play again, which is the biggest break Brian has had thus far.

Chauncey Washington - Last year's seventh round pick had a solid game, but fumbled the ball, a big no-no for any running back. Chauncey had his one fumble of the preseason, if he has another, it may become a factor.

Josh Vaughn - The former Buccanneer didn't have as big of a game as he needed to. Averaging only 2.9 yards on 10 carries. In a crowded backfield, Josh needed a bigger performance to give himself a shot at a roster spot.

Quentin Groves - The former DE was starting at LB for the Jaguars, and seemed to handle the experiment fluidly. He had a few pressures and one batted pass. It will be interesting to see if he continues to play LB.