SB Nation - Jason Witten

The VRR: Cowboys Hope to Tell the Saints it Ain't Happening

Aaron Novinger — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:21:53 -0000

More photos » by Sean Gardner - AP

Could it be a scary night for the Cowboys in the Louisiana Superdome? Not if they play like a playoff team.

Dome, dome, dome, dome...

When the Cowboys travel to the Superdome to face those undefeated Saints, who have the number one offense in the league with the number one QB in the conference, they must go in thinking two words: "UP" and "SET".

The home loss against San Diego last week was a heartbreaker, but Dallas now has this one last chance to play up to the level of one of the league's top teams - the elite team in the NFC, in fact. A win can do wonders, but it won't be easy. The dome teams are doing quite well this season.

This year, three indoor teams have either secured homefield advantage for at least one game or are on the verge of doing so. The Colts, Saints and Vikings should soon consume both two No. 1 seeds and the NFC's No. 2, respectively.

Times may have changed but it remains to be seen if these teams aren't haunted by their indoors postseason history. The Colts are 4-3 in home playoff games, the Saints are 2-3 in the Superdome in the postseason, and the Vikings are just over .500 (5-4) in the Metrodome come playoff time.

This season, the three teams are a combined 37-2 overall and own a perfect 20-0 inside their domes.

More VRR after the jump.

Sure, they face an undeated team. But the Cowboys are also trying to prevent a three-game losing streak. Just win, baby!

Snapping out of this skid will be tough. Dallas is headed to New Orleans for a Saturday night game against the undefeated Saints and a Superdome crowd that's sure to be, uh, boisterous. The Cowboys could lose that game and still get in the playoffs. But a third straight defeat would clinch a 13th straight December without a winning record and would leave them ripe for a knockout.

"We're not down, we're not out,'' receiver Roy Williams said Tuesday. "We're still going to play. Got a tough week this week and a bunch of naysayers around the country, but in this room, we know what we can do.''

A victory could be the springboard they need. A 3-0 finish is the only way the Cowboys are guaranteed to salvage the division title.

Like the great competitor he is, DeMarcus Ware wants to play despite soreness in his neck.

"Just taking it day-by-day and go from there," Ware said before practice on Tuesday morning. "Neck is a little sore right now so you have to be cautious with that. But at the end of the day, treating it and trying to get ready for this week."

[snip]

Ware said the injury scared him, but will do whatever the doctors say before getting back on the field. "It's really important," he said about listening to the doctors.

"Since not only are you talking about the team standpoint of being able to go out there and make plays and try to win a game this week. But also you got to think about the player's health. He can go out there and he might get paralyzed, hurt himself even more. Which one is more important: longevity or right now."

If DWare can't go, it will be interesting to see how well rookie Victor Butler handles his first starting gig in the pros.

"With D-Ware, you lose a leader," said the 22-year-old linebacker. "Not only a verbal leader, but he leads by example. With a guy like that out, you just have to step up everywhere. Special teams have to step up, individual guys have to step up to make the team better — myself, Steve Octavien. Guys have to step up and elevate your level of play."

While Martellus Bennett (concussion) will miss another game, Ken Hamlin has returned to practice and should get the start in New Orlearns.

Phillips said he believes Hamlin, who calls the defensive signals, will help the Cowboys make adjustments against the Saints' complicated offense. However, Phillips acknowledged that it could be difficult for a safety missing a month to return against the NFL's top-ranked offense.

"I don't think he'll make any mental mistakes back there," Phillips said. "Physically, how quickly he'll react to things and get back in the swing of it, I don't know for sure. I think he will, but he may be a little rusty."

The Saints' RB/PR/WR, Reggie Bush, could give the Cowboys headaches if they're not ready for his unique skill set.

The Saints may be targeting the nickel linebacker or the nickel cornerback. So Bobby Carpenter and Orlando Scandrick must be ready to chase the former Heisman Trophy winner in pass coverage. On first downs, when the Cowboys are in their conventional 3-4 defense, the Saints may decide it's a safety's turn to cover Bush. So Ken Hamlin or Alan Ball may wear the bull's-eye.

If the Cowboys go light Saturday night and lean on their nickel and dime packages out of respect for the NFL's third-ranked passing attack, the Saints may opt to hand the ball to Bush. Few are better in the open spaces a spread formation creates. Bush rushed for 83 yards on six carries against the Rams.

Against the high-scoring Saints, the Dallas offense needs to make plays to stay competitive. Other than Miles Austin, Felix Jones is a player who can score from any point on the field. But that doesn't mean the Cowboys will use him more than Marion Barber.

The Barber of September is better than the others but not the Barber who is in the midst of another three-month slide. A year ago, Barber ran for 311 yards with 4.4 yards per carry in the first four games and 574 yards with 3.4 yards per carry for the remainder of the season.

He is on the same path this season and has been at the center of costly plays in each of the last two games: a lost fumble late in the first half of the loss at the Giants and failing to score on three tries from the 1-yard line in Sunday's loss to San Diego.

Jones is going in the other direction, averaging five yards over his last 36 carries. He has the big-play capability that the pedestrian Barber lacks. The Cowboys have been reluctant to use Jones for more than about 10 carries per game out of concern he will break down.

Nah, there won't be much difference in the backfield. Look for the Cowboys to try to control the ball some with Barber. Yes, they need points, but they also need to keep Brees and the offense off the field.

Phillips was asked if he's considered reshuffling his running back rotation in an attempt to spark the team. Starter Marion Barber failed to get in the end zone against the Chargers despite three carries from the 1-yard line in the second quarter.

"Marion ran the ball really hard and really well except we didn't get him in on the goal line," said Phillips, who essentially blamed that failure on the offensive line. "Those plays down there dropped his average (to 3.4 yards per carry) or he would've had a big average... I don't know that that's really the answer."

Nick Folk's recent failures have David Buehler thinking about his long-term career goals.

"Eventually, to have longevity in this league, I need to be able to kick field goals," Buehler said. "I'm not going to be a kickoff specialist my whole career. So I need to fine-tune that and be able to be a reliable field-goal kicker."

Buehler said he's been kicking a few field goals in practice, but not many and not as seriously as he needs to now.

"Most of all, it's mental," he said. "I mean, going out there and getting back into that rhythm and doing the consistent motion every single time. ... I'm going to be there if need be. Who knows when they'll need me, if they'll need me at all."

DC.com posted an interview with K David Buehler here.

The Tony Romo of old VS the Tony Romo of today.

In four December contests last season, Romo threw five touchdowns and was intercepted six times. Through two games this month, he's thrown five touchdowns without a single interception.

Since his poor outing in Week 2 against the Giants, Romo has thrown 18 touchdowns and just four interceptions while averaging close to 280 passing yards per contest. Friends, that is flat-out elite quarterbacking.

Alex Marvez lists Miles Austin as his third biggest bargain player in the NFL.

Miami and the New York Jets should be kicking themselves. Neither franchise signed Austin to a tender offer as a restricted free agent when he could have potentially been lured away from a Cowboys team with cap challenges. He drew interest from the Jets before they backed off, while a Dolphins front office that comes largely from Dallas should have known Austin was set to blossom in his fourth NFL season. He has already posted career-highs in catches (52), receiving yardage (928) and touchdowns (9) while becoming QB Tony Romo's favorite wide receiver.

Austin is playing under a one-year, $1.545 million contract that would have required any suitor to surrender a second-round draft pick if the Cowboys didn't match a tender offer signed elsewhere. Austin will never come as cheaply again to other NFL teams or, for that matter, the Cowboys.

This is the last week to vote for the Pro Bowl. While DeMarcus Ware looks like a shoe-in, these other Cowboys could use a few more votes.

Sam Hurd is second among special teamers, while Miles Austin and Deon Anderson are third at wide receiver and fullback. Tight end Jason Witten, tackle Flozell Adams, center Andre Gurode, inside linebacker Keith Brooking, kicker Nick Folk and punter Mat McBriar are fourth at their positions. Safeties Ken Hamlin (free) and Gerald Sensabaugh (strong) are fifth.

No sign of nose tackle Jay Ratliff in the defensive tackle race, which is somewhat surprising.

Here's the link to the official Pro Bowl Ballot.

Updating the Pacquiao/Mayweather venue fight.

No definite venue has been agreed upon although reports are that, among those bidding, the MGM Grand in Las Vegas is the frontrunner. Texas' Dallas Cowboys has made a strong $25 million dollar bid to steal it away, but MGM is said to be putting together a deal that will reach over $30 million.

Week 14's Fantasy Focus on the Cowboys

Aaron Novinger — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 19:08:05 -0000

More photos » by Bill Kostroun - AP

Anybody get the feeling Felix could have a big game tomorrow?

Browse more photos »

As the Cowboys play host to the Chargers, many of us will be dreaming of playoff scenarios. Obviously, the Cowboys always come first. But, in the world of fantasy football, the playoffs are now!

For leagues that start their playoffs next week, some of us owners face win-and-in situations. Hopefully, those Cowboys we have on our squads can help us out.

Make the jump for the Week 14 Fantasy Focus.

QB Tony Romo - Last week, I said not to expect a huge day from Romo. Boy, was I wrong! After having a career day (41 of 55 for 392 and 3 TDs with 0 INTs), Romo asked the special teams coach if he could be the placekicker's holder. Now, the ball will hit his hands on every offensive play other that Razorback and punt formations.

San Diego will be a challenge for the Dallas passing attack. It currently ranks 8th (204.4 YPG) in pass defense, but the defense ranks averagely in points allowed (15th in NFL, 20.2 PPG). The Chargers have a tendency to force teams into a shootout with them. That, alone, should tell you that Romo is a great start this week.

RBs Marion Barber - The reason the Chargers try to force teams into a shootout is to cover for a weakness: their run defense. It ranks 21st in the league, giving up an average 117.8 YPG. SS Eric Weddle will miss the game and the rotation at NT has done little in clogging up holes.

Barber has looked great in the past few weeks, but did have a rare fumble against the Giants. The problem with the Dallas rushing attack looks to be the offensive line's inability to beat down the opposition (not a Flozell joke). It would make sense for the Cowboys to control the ball and keep Philip Rivers off the field. If they can manage to do so, Barber would get around 20 carries. I'd start him if I had him.

Felix Jones - Rumor has it that the Chargers don't do a very good job at containing RBs on outside runs. Felix excels at outside runs, so does the Dallas O-line. Starting "El Gato" is a gamble every week. You gamble on him having a big game, but more often that not, you are disappointed with the amount of touches he receives.

I'll go out on a limb and bank on him hitting a homerun this week. That doesn't mean he'll have double-digit carries though. Flip a coin.

Tashard Choice - He's buried on the depth chart, so getting 5-10 points out of him is the most you can expect.

WRs Miles Austin - If anyone can benefit from a shootout game, it's Austin. CB Antonio Cromartie can be a gambler at times, and I've heard that the San Diego secondary is not comprised of sure tacklers. OC Jason Garrett will have Austin running all over the field.

He caught 10 for 104 and a TD against the Giants - a week after abusing the Raiders. It's not presumptuous to chalk up another big day for him.

Roy Williams - Okay, RW is finding his niche on offense...and it's catching TDs. He caught two last week and one the week before. Don't expect him to rack up the yardage, but he could score you 10-15 points if he's your best option. Not great, but not bad either.

TEs Jason Witten - Holy career day from JWitt last week! He caught a whopping 14 passes for 156 yards. And get this: he averaged more YAC than Miles Austin, 11.1 to the WR's 10.4.

The end zone is still eluding Witten though. This has got to be the week he scores, right? Right?

Cowboys D/ST - Uh oh. Giving up a 30-burger to the Giants dropped the scoring defense from 2nd down to 5th in the league (now allowing 17.8 PPG). Both the D and the /ST can be blamed for that. Giving up two big plays to cost the team the game had to have humbled these units. They've got to regroup fast because Philip Rivers is spearheading an offense that ranks 3rd overall in scoring, averaging 28.5 PPG. If the Chargers' running game wasn't ranked so low (30th averaging only 88.7 YPG), the total offense could be up there in the top three with that of the Saints, Colts, and our Cowboys.

CBs Terence Newman and Orlando Scandrick will have their work cut out for them. Luckily, Mike Jenkins is back in the secondary both preventing big plays and making a few himself. SS Gerald Sensabaugh gets one of the tougher jobs in the NFL: covering TE Antonio Gates.

The Chargers score TDs, so it may not be wise to start the Dallas D/ST this week. Although they could get some sacks on Rivers, he's only thrown 6 INTs this year.

It's playoff time for the BTB and BTB Part Deux fantasy leagues on FleaFlicker! Below are the playoff brackets for both leagues. If your team is not in either one, then you are playing in the Consolation #1 bracket.

BTB League

Round 1 (14 Tue 12/8-Mon 12/14)	Semis (15 Tue 12/15-Mon 12/21)	Finals (16 Tue 12/22-Mon 12/28)

	#1 The Speed o...

		[TBD]
#4 Flashlights
	[TBD]
#5 Quincyyyyy
			Winner
#3 Doomsday Redux
	[TBD]
#6 Official Sp...
		[TBD]

	#2 Static

BTB Part Deux League

Round 1 (14 Tue 12/8-Mon 12/14)	Semis (15 Tue 12/15-Mon 12/21)	Finals (16 Tue 12/22-Mon 12/28)

	#1 kill everbody

		[TBD]
#4 Paper Cranes
	[TBD]
#5 Reykjavik R...
			Winner
#3 Maui Paniol...
	[TBD]
#6 WheresWare?
		[TBD]

	#2 StarBoys

As always, feel free to use this thread to discuss your FF dilemmas as well as anything Cowboys, anything football.

SBNation's fantasy webpage features injury updates, a Start/Sit section, and even a Flash in the Pan Alert. Check it out!

For your convenience, here's the link: sbnation.com/fantasy.

It's Friday, so Ernie P. is in the house

Ed Valentine — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 15:00:19 -0000

Time for our weekly swap of questions with Ernie Palladino, long-time Giants beat writer and current wizard of Giants Beat. Hopefully, you will find this week's installment entertaining. And, don't forget to check my answers over at Ernie's place.

1. Where in the world is Kevin Boss?

Ernie's Answer: Well, I know he's still with the team because I saw him in the locker room Wednesday. But you'd never know it by the way they're using him on offense these days. After coming up with a big effort against Atlanta, he's virtually disappeared. One lateral and one catch against Dallas? C'mon. Personally, I don't see any reason Boss shouldn't be used in a similar fashion as Jason Witten is with Dallas. He may not be as established as Witten or any of the league's other tight ends, but Boss is a heady, smart, and reliable pass catcher. I realize they have to keep him in a lot in max protect, but there's no reason he can't chip a guy and then loop around for a safe, short throw over the middle that he can turn into an eight or 10-yard gain. The skinny post should be a staple for him. Instead, it seems like he's being used as strictly a blocker, a responsibility that should go to Darcy Johnson.

2. Do you believe losing to the Eagles the last three encounters, including the one that eliminated the Giants from the 2008 postseason, will factor into Sunday night's game?

Ernie's Answer: Oh, yeah. The players are saying no, but who really wants to go on a losing streak to a division rival. Besides, these two teams hate each other -- the Giants with their New York swagger and Philadelphia with their smaller-city inferiority complex. It is kind of interesting, though, that this whole series has been one of streaks. The Eagles have beaten the Giants the last three games. The Giants won the three games before that. The Eagles won the two before that, the Giants three before that, the Eagles four before that. Don't quite know what that says about the two teams, except that once they get that taste of beating their Turnpike rivals, it's hard to get it out of their mouths. So, yeah, the Giants are going to want to snap this thing. Besides, if they don't, it's going to make it that much harder getting a playoff spot.

3. Given the state of the secondary, how would you defend DeSean Jackson this time around?

Ernie's Answer: Take Olivia Newton-John's advice. Get physical! Put Terrell Thomas right up on his nose and let Thomas slam him with a forearm every time Jackson tries to get off the line. And it wouldn't hurt to bring a safety in there to bracket him in coverage. The guy is so fast and elusive -- Thomas said he makes himself thin -- that slowing him up at the line is about the only way to contain him. At the same time, play plenty of nickel to try to contain other folks like Jeremy Maclin and TE Brent Celek. It's also something the Giants couldn't accomplish the first time around, and that led to a 54-yard scoring pass off a busted coverage.

4. Now that the Giants have a little space between themselves and the .500 mark, what do they have to do from here to get a playoff spot?

Ernie's Answer: Well, obviously, they have to beat Philadelphia and Carolina to get to 9-7. If they beat the Eagles, they can actually give up that middle game to Washington, providing they get help from the Eagles and Cowboys the rest of the way. Everything would be so much easier if they just swept these divisional games, but you know the Giants. Nothing ever comes easy for this team. So we're looking at some nail-biting no matter how Sunday goes. Realistically, I'm not thinking about a divisional title, even though they have a tiebreaker over Dallas. But they could be in line for the sixth playoff spot. That's why it's so advantageous to have these conference games coming all in a row. They'll need tiebreakers when all this is done, and with 8-4 Green Bay ahead in the conference by a half-game, and 6-6 Atlanta a game back in conference games, it's going to be a tight fit if they all finish even. Whatever the case, the Giants haven't given themselves an easy road to the postseason. But it's doable.

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

Cowboys Fans: The Annoying Optimists

aramnath — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 07:36:55 -0000

More photos » by Eric Gay - AP

These guys are among the reasons why Cowboys can really get under your skin. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Browse more photos »

I hate the Cowboys. As a Bills fan that grew up watching two Super Bowl beat downs at the hands of Big D it's hard to not to hate them. Not only that, but growing up an hour north of New York City, I grew up on a steady diet of Giants and Jets games. I was too young to even remember that the Giants beat us in a Super Bowl and with the Jets being a division rival I developed a strong affinity to the Giants as my second favorite team.

Side Note: I was 3 when they lost to the Giants so I have no recollection of that Super Bowl, but during the losses to the Cowboys I was 5 and 6. I became a Bills fan because I felt bad for them that they got beaten so badly both times by Dallas.

Neither my support for the Bills or the Giants however is the reason why I get such pleasure out of rooting for the Cowboys' misfortune. What really gets me going on that account is the way Cowboys fans just have a way of exaggerating anything and everything related to their team.

Tony Romo is an all-time great. The Cowboys are going to win the Super Bowl this year. Every year we have to hear some bullshit excuses when your team fails to live up to your bloated expectations. This is then followed up with the usual talk about how next year is going to be different, which it hasn't been for 14 years now.

Romo is an above average quarterback. Forget top-5 in the league, the guy is the third best quarterback in his division behind Eli Manning and Donovan McNabb.

You're team is not a Super Bowl contender and hasn't been since your last playoff win in 1996, so don't act like the Cowboys are the shit. If they make it to the playoffs this year, which would be surprising, don't make the mistake of hyping them up as some kind of dark horse. When you have the same exact players and Wade Phillips as your head coach for three years, without adding much significant talent, the results are not going to change.

Also, please stop talking about the tradition that is the Dallas Cowboys. You're starting sound like an NFL version of Notre Dame fans. Nobody cares anymore that you won three Super Bowls in the early 90's and we really don't want to hear about those unforgettable teams from the 70's.

I know how it is to support a perpetually underwhelming team with the fan allegiances. So for your own sake, just stop being shocked by your team's continued failure, because nobody else is.

Run Aground: The Giants Beat the Cowboys With Big Plays, 31-24

Rafael Vela — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 05:10:56 -0000

More photos » by Kathy Willens - AP

Jason Witten had pretty stats. The Giants got the pretty win. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

Browse more photos »

Tony Romo started December '09 with a 112 QB rating game. He completed 75% of his passes for almost 400 yards. He made one dubious throw, and was bailed out by Jason Witten, who played volleyball over Giants CB Bruce Johnson for a big first half gain. His offense was 9 of 17 on 3rd down. They ran 31 more snaps than New York's offense.

Roy Williams quietly had his best game as a Cowboy, catching two touchdown passes and making big receptions over the middle. Jason Witten piled up his career high in yards, with156 on fourteen catches.

Yet, the Cowboys again began December with a loss, because the defense, which has carried the team thus far, giving up yards, but not points, gave up both by the bucket full Sunday evening. I warned last Sunday:

When you see the "Perils of December" stories, and some are already around, know that the quarterback may get the attention, but it's the defense which will either navigate the rocky waters at last, or wreck the Cowboys ship again.

-- Wade's Defense Will Guide the Cowboys December Ship, BTB, Nov. 29th

Wade's guys ran the ship onto a sandbar off the New Jersey coast. They showed the maddening '08 tendency to surrender points immediately after Dallas scores. They did so twice, each time with depressing speed. Dallas had dominated the first 27 minutes of play, and had taken a 10-0 lead after Williams caught a fade in the far right corner of the Meadowland's left end zone with 3:14 to play in the second quarter.

Eli Manning and his offense snatched one back in just four plays, going 74 yards in 1:28. Manning made two key throws, the first a dumpoff to Kevin Boss, while Bobby Carpenter was trying to wrestle the QB to the turf. Boss' sixteen yard romp moved New York past midfield for the first time. Two plays later, Manning zipped a pass past Terence Newman up the right sideline. Hakeem Nicks sidestepped the gambling Newman for the Giaints first score.

The second rapid collapse came late in the 3rd. Dallas had driven 58 yards in methodical fashion to take a 17-14 lead, but the defense gave it all back in one play. The Giants deployed in a two tight end set that had Kevin Boss tight left and their backup flexed wide left, where he drew Gerald Sensabaugh into space. The two receivers were split right.

New York sent Jacobs on a quick out to the left flat. He got behind Anthony Spencer and raced up the left sideline. Gerald Sensabaugh had a chance to bump Jacobs out of bounds at the Dallas 30, but went low on the runner, who hopped over him, and continued up the sideline for a score.

Nineteen seconds after Dallas had taken a lead, it trailed again.

The defense had company in the big negative play department. Marion Barber provided the lone Dallas turnover and it proved to be devastating. The Cowboys were moving to answer New York's first touchdown with a late scoring drive of their own. Felix Jones had returned the kickoff to his 35 and a Barber draw had given Dallas 2nd and one on its own 44 with 1:18 left.

Barber released a blitzing linebacker on the next play and caught a screen to Tony Romo's right. He motored past midfield but fumbled the ball. Osi Umenyiora picked up the ball and ran it to the Cowboys 28. As the had in September, the Giants moved 28 yards for a key score just before the half. Two Manning passes to Steve Smith moved the Giants to one, where Jacobs scored with just 19 seconds left in the half.

Dallas' special teams added to the misery, surrendering a 79 yard punt return just over five minutes into the final quarter. Mat McBriar punted 59 yards to Domenik Hixon, who floated to his left, then cutback sharply to his right, escaped Pat Watkins and a couple other Cowboys, then picked up a wall of blockers up the right sideline. His score pushed New York's lead to 31-17.

For the day, New York's four touchdown jolts took 1 minute and 28 seconds, 45 seconds, 19 seconds and 15 seconds off the clock, respectively.

That's no way to treat your offense.

Notes

-- How do we define Nick Folk? Critical? Mental? His yips are no longer a distraction. They are an official impediment to the season. Folk wasted an early 4th quarter drive, which included a dandy 3rd-and-14 conversion by Romo to Roy Williams, when he hooked a 42 yard attempt. Folk's head is not right, and his miss, which would have closed New York's lead to 21-20, messes with every Cowboys fan's brain.

-- Sophomore slumps: Martellus Bennett makes plays here and there. He had a big 18 yard gain off a Romo scramble in the 3rd quarter. His tendency to drop one easy one a game is starting to grate. Bennett scuttled the promising opening drive, which had marched 50 yards from the Dallas 18 to the New York 38, when he dropped a 3rd down Romo dart aimed right at his face.

Orlando Scandrick also needs to shake off the second year funk. He may have been running 1B to Mike Jenkins 1A in camp, but there's no comparison between them now. Jenkins had several breakups and picked off Eli Manning in the end zone early in the 3rd, when the Giants were threatening to expand their 14-10 lead.

Scandrick, on the other hand, had another miserable day on Steve Smith's rack. Scandrick excelled in the slot last season but has been a liability much of the time this year. He's got a ways to go to reach Terence Newman's standard in the slot. He's got a ways to go to approach Kenny Gant class.

-- Another breakout for the bookend: Anthony Spencer had a strong game and continues to make late season strides. He pressured Manning out of the pocket on several plays and forced at least three incompletions with his pressure. Teams are doubling Demarcus Ware and Spencer is making them pay a higher price every week. Dallas needs him to continue his push.

-- We saw today what the passing game is capable of, with decent protection: the starting wideouts and tight end snagged 30 balls for 320 yards.

-- The line, on the other hand, could not break lanes in a front which run blitzed heavily on early downs. Marion Barber's 8-yard run was Dallas' best of the day. This was an inversion of the first game, so Dallas went up top and found its yards in the middle of the field, against the Giants linebackers and safeties.

-- The defensive and special teams breakdowns overshadowed one of Dallas' most creative touchdowns. On a 2nd and goal in the 3rd, with Dallas at the Giants' five, trailing 14-10, Dallas lined up in a two tight end, two wideout set with Marion Barber in the backfield. Roy Williams was alone left, Jason Witten at tight end right, Martellus Bennett flexed into the right slot and Miles Austin split right.

Before the snap, Austin motioned into the backfield and lined up as an I-back behind Barber, who was just five yards behind Romo, in the fullback spot. At the snap Romo first faked a dive right to Barber, then faked a pitch left to Austin. The second fake yoked both Giants linebackers towards Austin and held the corner on that side. This allowed Williams to release into the middle of the end zone. Romo's superb fakes produced a wide throwing lane and he tossed to Williams for an easy score.

-- Hurry back, Ken Hamlin. Gerald Sensabaugh had to overcome a hold on Brandon Jacobs' touchdown reception, but neither he nor Alan Ball tackled well. Both were invisible on a series of short crosses by Steve Smith which converted 3rd-and-long situations.

Cowboys fans know that poor safety play hamstrung the defense in '06 and '08. This is no time for the problem to recur.

Cowboys vs. Giants: 'Kudos & Wet Willies' preview

Ed Valentine — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 12:00:14 -0000

We need to have a happy Monday around here if our New York Giants are going to play any more meaningful football games this season. So, to make that a reality here is what I think needs to happen today against the Dallas Cowboys.

There will be lots of 'Kudos' Monday if ...

The Giants find a way to stop the run. This, of course, has been the reason for many of the lineup changes the Giants appear to be making defensively. The Cowboys ran all over the Giants for 251 yards in Week 2, and the run defense really hasn't gotten better since then. The Giants have given up too many big plays in the run game, and never seem to get a big stop when they need it. That has to change.
Jonathan Goff is not overmatched. Goff will not only be making his first start, he will be playing the first meaningful downs of his NFL career. Giants' brass and Giants' fans all want to know if he can do the job, which is why he is getting to play. If he can, the run defense should get better.
The Giants can contain Jason Witten. They usually can't. In fact, they usually can't contain most quality tight ends. But, if Michael Boley can slow him down that will help neutralize Tony Romo's favorite target.
David Diehl can slow DeMarcus Ware. Again, he usually can't. Ware has speed that usually is a problem for Diehl. The Giants need to help Diehl so that Eli Manning isn't running for his life.
The Giants re-discover the running game. We have debated the reasons for the struggles in the run game all week. All I am asking for this week is one or two big plays out of the running game. Maybe the fact that Brandon Jacobs is likely to play a lot more snaps with the depleted running back situation will get him into a rhythm.

There will be lots of 'Wet Willies' Monday if ...

The Giants don't play with passion. The most disappointing thing about the turkey of a game they played Thanksgiving Day in Denver was that a team that has played with tremendous passion and resolve for the past few seasons looked like it was mailing it in. Let's see what they bring to the table today.
Tony Romo has a big day. The last time the teams played Romo gift-wrapped the game for the Giants with three picks. If he slices up the beleaguered Giants secondary that's a big problem. Maybe the revamped front seven can generate some pressure.
The Giants offense is one-dimensional. If Manning is forced to try and throw 40 or more times, we could be looking at one of those games like the one last year when the Cowboys sacked him eight times. I don't care how they do it, but the Giants need to have enough success running the ball so that Dallas doesn't just go full-force after Eli on every play.

Week Thirteen: Fantasy Focus on the Cowboys

Aaron Novinger — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 19:13:29 -0000

More photos » by Erich Schlegel - AP

Anthony Spencer has recently joined the sack-dance club.

Browse more photos »

It's Saturday, so it's time to talk some fantasy football! This a huge week for the Cowboys as they travel to Giants Stadium in an effort to bury New York in the standings.

In the next week or two, fantasy playoffs will begin. For many of us, we will be facing a must-win situation this week...or, we're out!

Make the jump for the Week 13 Fantasy Focus.

QB Tony Romo -The Cowboys have yet to lose when Romo is the starting QB at Giants Stadium. In 2006 - his first year as a starter - he hit 20 of 34 passes for 257 yards with 0 TDs and 2 INTs to lead the team to a 23-20 win. The 2007 game there was a much more fantasy-friendly game for him; he lit up the Giants for 247 yards and 4 TDs with 1 INT. Last year, a hand injury forced him to miss the game in New York.

In Week 2 of this season, the Giants' defense seemed to have Romo figured out. His 127 yards, 1 TD and 3 INTs scared many fantasy owners. But, that was before the emergence of his number one toy: WR Miles Austin. Last week against the Raiders, Romo and Austin connected for 130 yards in the first half, alone. Austin's ability to gain yards after the catch has helped the Dallas offense tremendously, and helped Romo notch another 300-yard performance. The middle of the field passes clicked last week as TE Jason Witten also had a 100-yard day.

The Cowboys' 10th-ranked passing offense (254.1 YPG) will be going up against the 4th-ranked Giants' passing defense (allows just 182.6 YPG). But, in terms of scoring, the Giants' defense ranks 25th in the NFL, giving up a whopping 23.7 points per game.

I wouldn't expect a huge day for Romo, as this should be a physical NFC East battle. Though, he is definitely worth a start.

RBs Marion Barber, Felix Jones, Tashard Choice - Each one of these backs broke off large gains on Thanksgiving. Felix scored on a 46-yard run, Barber had a 42-yard catch and run to go along with his 61 rushing yards, and Choice ripped off a 66-yarder from the "Razorback" formation. That is the type of production the Cowboys envisioned having from this trio when the season began.

Not since the Week 2 home game against the Giants, has Dallas' three-headed monster looked more healthy. In that game, both Barber and Felix decimated the defense to combine for more than 200 yards rushing. They also each scored a TD. Recently, the Cowboys have continued their use of Choice as a WildCat QB.

With both Barber and Felix healthy, the Cowboys still try to get Choice 3-5 touches a game, which isn't ideal for fantasy owners. For Felix owners, though, his knee brace is off and his quickness and agility looked to be unencumbered against Oakland. Offensive coordinator, Jason Garrett, realizes that it's time to get the ball in his hands at least 10 times per game. He's back to being a home run threat whenever he touches the ball. And Barber owners have reason for excitement, as well. The Barbarian has been catching well, which suggests his fractured thumb is healing; and he is running with his usual boost of power and purpose.

WRs Miles Austin - His huge game last week proved several things: 1) he can beat the best of them in man-to-man - just ask Nnamdi Asomugha, 2) he's tough as nails - hard to bring down and has no fear catching the ball in traffic, and 3) Garrett is still finding ways to get him open - slants, screens, comebacks, crossing routes, you name it. He even had Austin sit underneath zone coverage for Romo to check down to.

You're kicking yourself if you didn't start Austin last week. He's returning to play in his home state of New Jersey, so you may not want to kick yourself again by benching him. He'll get his targets; he's worth the start.

Roy Williams - Not flashy, not a PPR guy; though, he could get you a TD grab. The Giants may be starting converted CB, Aaron Ross, at FS. If they wanted to use him to double anybody, it would be Austin. Roy could see alot of single coverage, but he has yet to confirm that he is a reliable pass catcher. Start him at your own risk.

TEs Jason Witten - Hitting the century mark against the Raiders was a step in the right direction. That lone TD on the season is still lurking. JWitt's foot sprain has healed some over the extra days off after the turkey day game. It sure didn't seem to bother him on his 44-yard catch!

This has got to be the week he returns to the end zone. Start him.

Cowboys D/ST -This unit now ranks second in the league in scoring defense. That is music to fantasy owners' ears. What is even better is that SOLB Anthony Spencer is picking up some sacks now. Combine his play, along with the other pass rushers - DeMarcus Ware, Jay Ratliff, and Keith Brooking - and Eli Manning could be in for a long day.

In Week 2, Manning's WRs, Steve Smith and Mario Manningham, embarrassed the Dallas secondary by catching 10 passes and a TD a piece. CB Mike Jenkins has come along way since then, growing into the team's best at the position. Veteran Terence Newman often learns from his mistakes made the first time around, as he seems to respond well in payback games. SS Gerald Sensabaugh is playing consistently well. The question in the back four is how much the loss of FS Ken Hamlin (ankle) will effect how the secondary covers NY's corps of young WRs. His replacement, converted CB Alan Ball, has been adequate so far. The only knock on him has been in regards to how his 188-pound frame will hold up in run-support. Nevertheless, the unit has not lost a beat with him in the lineup and ranks 9th in rush defense (102.7 YPG).

If the defense can start forcing more turnovers, this will quickly become a dominating unit. ST coach Joe DeCamillis and punter Mat McBriar have helped tremendously in forcing offenses to earn their yards. With the tough schedule the Cowboys face, fantasy owners can't expect any shutouts, but these guys do enough to earn double-digit points each week.

This is the last regular season week for the BTB and BTB Part Deux fantasy leagues on FleaFlicker. If you are in one of the leagues, check out the standings for where you sit. Some teams have already guaranteed their spots in the playoffs, while others badly need to get this last win. Below are the current standings.

Just ONE Loss...Are You Serious? (11-1)

kill everbody

Where the Cowboys are Headed (9-3)

The Speed of Dark

StarBoys

Doubling Your Losses (8-4)

Paper Cranes
Maui Paniolo Boyz

Seventh Heaven (7-5)

Flashlights

Doomsday Redux

Dallas Destroyers

Reykjavik Roughnecks

Official Spoiler

Static

Holy .500, Batman! (6-6)

WheresWare?

BigRigga31's Team

Dillababies

Quincyyyyy

Felix Jones At Every Position

A Must Win this Week? (5-7)

NameBrandj

Second Chance

BTBfantasyCHAMPS

4 X 2 = (4-8)

Apes

My Team Sucks

The Doomsday Defense Reborn

Three Squared (3-9)

high505
No Doubter
Brady's a b!tch
Damage,Inc.

If you've got a fantasy dilemma, post it here for the BTB community to discuss. As always, feel free to jump in with other Cowboys/football related discourse even if you don't play FF.

Remember, for all your fantasy football needs, SBNation's fantasy webpage is chock full of live updates to help you set up your team from week-to-week.

For your convenience, here's the link: sbnation.com/fantasy.

Cowboys @ Giants Injury Update

Aaron Novinger — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 22:23:51 -0000

DeMarcus Ware has been added to the injury report - again. Evidently, Ware has a small fracture in his wrist. From Todd Archer:

Ware was already on the weekly injury report with the foot injury but the wrist was added today. He is listed as probable. Ware had X-rays today that revealed the fracture. Ware will have to wear a small cast for protection.

Make the jump.

The extra time between games has helped heal Jason Witten's sprained foot.

"I thought it was something that might be lingering, but it feels really good," Witten said. "Last week was tough with a short week. I felt good in the game and the trainers did a good job of getting me back quick. If it were a normal week there wouldn't be any question."

Both Ware and Witten practiced fully this week and will play on Sunday.

The only other surprise on the Cowboys' injury report is that Ken Hamlin (high ankle sprain) did not return to practice this week. Therefore, he will not play against the Giants. Obviously, Marc Colombo will still be out with his broken fibula.

Here is the list of the Cowboys' probables:

LB Victor Butler (knee), QB Tony Romo (back), S Gerald Sensabaugh (thumb), LB DeMarcus Ware (foot/wrist), TE Jason Witten (foot)

For the Giants, RB Ahmad Bradshaw (ankle/foot) had limited participation in practice today and is listed as questionable. The same goes for S Michael Johnson who is suffering from an injured groin.

Here is how their injury report shakes out:

OUT - RB D.J. Ware (concussion)

QUESTIONABLE - TE Travis Beckum (groin), RB Ahmad Bradshaw (ankle/foot), S Michael Johnson (groin)

PROBABLE - LB Michael Boley (back), WR Derek Hagan (hamstring), QB Eli Manning (foot)

Cowboys vs. Giants Preview, Part Two: Gauging the Austin Effect

Rafael Vela — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:56:26 -0000

More photos » by Erich Schlegel - AP

New York's weak interior pass defense looks inviting to Jason Witten. (AP Photo/Erich Schlegel)

Browse more photos »

When Dallas Has the Ball

The Giants spent heavily in the offseason to beef up their front seven, in response to their December '08 defensive breakdown. Teams ran very effectively on New York then, so the Giants jumped into free agency with a vengeance, signing DT Rocky Bernard from Seattle and DT Chris Canty from Dallas. They added Michael Boley fro Atlanta to add some athleticism to their linebacking corps.

The thinking was to bolster a line which already rushed pretty well, and give more speed to the back seven. The plan appeared to be working well early in the season. New DC Bill Sheridan did not blitz as much as his predecessor Steve Spagnuolo, working instead to strangle opposing passing attacks.

The approach certainly worked in week two. Sheridan saw how Tony Romo and his receivers had ripped up Tampa Bay's depleted secondary and game-planned to take away Romo's big plays. Sheridan didn't play Tampa Two, with two deep safeties, as other teams had done to Romo, but the general concepts were the same. New York kept S Kenny Phillips deep on nearly all downs; Phillips often started downs 15 to 25 yards behind the line.

Sheridan reasoned that Romo would not remain disciplined and would force passes into coverage. The Giants rolled up their coverages towards the Dallas wideouts Roy Williams and Patrick Crayton and dared Romo to play small ball. They picked him short, when nickel corner Bruce Johnson returned an overthrown Romo pass for six, and they picked Romo long, when he tried forcing a bomb to Sam Hurd at a critical point in the 3rd quarter, when Dallas was trying to build on a four point lead.

They also got some luck, when Jason Witten inadvertently back-heeled a ball into Kenny Phillips' hands. The pick gave the Giants a very short field which they navigated for a touchdown just before the half. When the game was over, Romo had a meager 127 passing yards and three turnovers.

The Giants smothered every passing attack they faced in their first five games; opposing QBs averaged just 105 yards per game through the air. Then, they were found out, with emphasis. Drew Brees bombed them in New Orleans, Donovan McNabb bombed them two games later, and Philip Rivers took his guys the length of the field in the last two minutes, capping a three TD pass day with an 18 yard game winner to Vincent Jackson in the final 20 seconds.

I pointed out yesterday that the current Giants offense resembles the '08 Cowboys in its injury pattern. This year's Giants defense reminds of the '06 Cowboys D, which collapsed when its safety corps wore away. New York's problems started immediately after the Cowboys win, when Phillips was diagnosed with arthritis in a knee. He has been inactive since and his injury claimed the one New York safety with range and ball sense:

Games 1-5 : 4 TD passes allowed
Games 6-11: 14 TD passes allowed

The Giants do have talent on the edges. Corey Webster is a blue-chipper and fellow wideout Terrell Thomas has been solid. Opponents have been able to ignore them, spreading the field and working the intermediate and deep middle. The problems have been compounded by MLB Antonio Pierce's injury, which landed him on I.R. this week. He called the Giants defensive signals.

New York's defense looks lost at the moment. Last week the Broncos repeatedly broke down New York's coverage with bunch packages. They would clot three receiving targets on one side of their line and hit the man who inevitably came open when the trio scattered. The Giants safeties did not know who to cover. Kyle Orton threw an easy touchdown to Brandon Stokely out of this package in the third quarter, where nobody bothered to cover the Broncos slot man.

Look for a game plan very similar to the one Dallas ran against Oakland, at least when the Cowboys pass. Jason Garrett opened by moving Miles Austin around, motioning him into the slot or starting him there. Austin ran a number of deep posts and short and medium crossing routes, to get matchups with the Raiders safeties and linebackers. When Austin got single coverage outside, he simply ran posts or combination routes which let him use his speed to run away from Nnamdi Asomugha.

I expect we'll see Austin test the New York middle in similar ways. He's the Cowboys receiving ace now and the Giants saw very little of him in September. I expect to see him moved inside again and matched against Thomas when he stays wide.

Also look for Dallas to feature more bunch packages than before. Bunch sets are a regular part of the Dallas passing game, but are used to varying degrees week-to-week. You might see Dallas use this set four of five times a game, but Garrett can make it a focal point of a game plan if he feels it can hurt a defense. Dallas was bunch heavy in last year's season opener against Cleveland, for instance, and got Jason Witten free a lot on deep seams off the scatter.

Look for a more controlled game from Romo. He had three picks against New York but has had just four in his last nine starts, with no more than one in a single game. He seems to have learned that he doesn't have to force the deep ball to move the team.

Romo also has the option of handing the ball off repeatedly. New York threw roadblocks in front of Romo's receivers the first time around, but they left open lanes up the middle for the Dallas runners. Marion Barber ran for 124 yards and Felix Jones added 96 more on just seven carries as Dallas romped for a season high 251 yards.

The running game veered off course in the Philadelphia and Packers games, but has come back strong; Dallas has 347 rushing yards the last two weeks. This coincides with Felix Jones' return to health. He has again given Dallas the big play ground option they lacked when he was rehabbing a knee injury. Dallas had great success with variations of its staple the lead draw, as the Giants linemen were more concerned with getting to Romo. There's no reason to think this and Dallas other staple the power-counter won't be called a lot Sunday.

Special Teams

A divisional rematch in a windy stadium could make field goals more important than they usually are. That's sobering news for Dallas fans who have watched Nick Folk struggle with intermediate-range field goals since the preseason. Hope the game does not hinge on his foot. On the other hand, Folk has been Mr. Clutch his first two years. Maybe a last-second challenge is what he needs to focus his mind. Let's all hope so.

This is a divisional game. Dallas first tour of the East produced a two point loss, a four point win and a one point win. I see little reason to expect a blowout. It's December in New Jersey, which will likely mean poor conditions. The Giants are desperate and they're playing their last game against the Cowboys in Giants Stadium.

Stock up on the maalox and spirits, folks.

BTB Game Balls: Raiders @ Cowboys

Aaron Novinger — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 19:14:47 -0000

More photos » by Erich Schlegel - AP

Thanksgiving night was a good, good night for the Cowboys and Miles Austin.

Browse more photos »

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

Offense

Miles Austin -It all began on the first offensive series, man-on-man against one of the best CBs in the game. Tony Romo stepped up in the pocket and hit Austin crossing the field as he burned Nnamdi Asomugha en route to a 49-yard gain. This was the trend for much of the day as Austin gobbled up the middle of the field and made the most of his opportunities, catching six passes for 130 yards and a TD in the first half.

Often, it's those little plays, those extra efforts that bring out the best in everybody. In the second quarter, the Cowboys faced a 3rd-and-11 deep in their own territory. Austin sat in the middle of the zone to catch just a five-yarder from Romo. He then turned, broke two tackles, and picked up the extra yardage needed for the first down. Two plays later he beat CB Chris Johnson for a 27-yard catch and run across the middle. That gain would not have happened had he not broken those two tackles on the 3rd-and-11. Do you know what else would not have happened? Felix Jones' 46-yard TD run to finish the drive.

Austin's domination of the Raiders' secondary also helped open things up for Jason Witten in the second half.

Being at the game myself, it was quite evident that Austin has quickly become a fan favorite. Girls were screaming all around me when he kept standing up off the bench and raising his hands after his replay-reversed score just before the half. He pumped up the crowd again after officially grabbing back his TD after an impressive, side-stepping screen play. When he's smiling, all seems right with the Cowboys' offense.

Honorable Mention: Tony Romo, Jason Witten

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

Defense

Keith Brooking - Against a poor Oakland passing team (45 yards in the first half), it was important for the Cowboys to stop the run. Brooking made his presence known from the Raiders' first possession. In successive plays, he tackled Justin Fargas for just a four-yard gain and then pressured Bruce Gradkowski into throwing an incomplete pass. On the next possession, there he was knifing through the line on a run blitz to drop Fargas for a loss (though there was an accepted holding penalty against Oakland on the play).

All day, he and Jay Ratliff terrorized the middle of the field. The Raiders' backs did manage to pop some runs loose to the outside, but Brooking always seemed to be around the ball. If he was not making the tackle himself, he was around the pile - sometimes trying to punch at the ball. He was everywhere. I even saw him cover Darren McFadden, who split out wide and ran a deep route. Not even Robert Gallery's long, sweaty hair could block Brooking from getting to the ball carrier.

He ended up leading the team (again) with nine total tackles, six of which were solos.

It's his face on the videoboard that pumps up the crowd at Cowboys Stadium. "80,000 Fans..." his image points to them when the defense is looking for a key stop..."Remember What I Said".

Honorable Mention: Jay Ratliff, DeMarcus Ware

Special Teams

Mat McBriar - Absolutely amazing day for the Cowboys' punter. While Oakland's punter kicked for more than 400 yards, McBriar responded with deadly accuracy. He averaged only 40.2 yards on six punts, but many of those were pooch kicks from around midfield - four of which landed inside the 20.

In the first quarter, a punt can't get much better than what McB did from the Oakland 41. With a little english, he pooched it to the two. He didn't even give his cover guys a chance to make a play on it because it spun and bounced out of bounds at the six. In other similar situations, he pinned the Raiders at the 11, the 13, and the 5.

When the Cowboys were pinned back, themselves, at around their 10, he blasted a 56-yarder all the way to the Oakland 35. This Aussie can do it all!

Honorable Mention: David Buehler, Pat Watkins

Coaching

Jason Garrett - This game goes down as one of the best I've seen Garrett coach this season. On a shortened work week, he had the Raiders' defense figured out from the tee. That unit had done enough damage against the Bengals' and Eagles' offenses to pull out victories, but Garrett would not let that happen to the Cowboys.

He ignored the fact that Nnamdi Asomugha is one of the best CBs in the game because he knew that his guys (most notably, Austin and Witten) would match up well against man coverage. And did they ever! Then, when it looked like the Raiders would blitz with their DBs locked in man, he made them pay with a 66-yard Razorback run from Tashard Choice. When they had to adjust to that, he hit them up the middle with Witten. With the CBs in man and the LBs in zone, there was Marion Barber wide open for a 42-yard catch and run.

The best thing about Garrett's day is the way he created passing lanes for Romo. Once Austin became the Raiders' focus, they could not stop the bleeding. LB Sam Williams could not cover Witten. And the 2TE-formation that flanked Barber in the backfield on the Roy Williams' TD was just cruel. The Raiders' defenders were utterly confused after much of the offense looked to move left, leaving noone inside to help on the post route.

Garrett did what you need to do when you face a weaker opponent: keep hitting them big to confuse them, then Felix and Barber them down until the clock reads 0:00.

Honorable Mention: Skip Peete, Todd Grantham

This was a game I had the privilege of seeing in person. Unfortunately, I happened to sit in the end zone opposite to all of the touchdowns. Still, they were great seats and it was a such a blast being there. During the TV timeouts, the Jerrytron kept the crowd entertained with fun videos. The funniest was of the offensive linemen racing go-carts.

My favorite was a Dallas Cowboys rendition of the Black Eyed Peas' song "I Gotta Feeling". The video featured every level of the team's employees from the event staff to the players. Each clip portrayed them singing the lyrics, jumping up and down, and bobbin' their heads..."Tonight's gonna be a good night...tonight's gonna be a real goood niiight!" Marion Barber, Sam Hurd...Andre Gurode and Jay Ratliff...they were all feeling it - as was the crowd, especially since the video ran as soon as we got the feeling that the game was in hand. Indeed, it was a good night.

If you have not seen my pictures from the game, you can see them on BTB's Facebook page. Here is the direct link to the album.

Before we focus our full attention on the Giants, who gets your Thanksgiving Day game balls?

SB Nation - Jason Witten

The VRR: Cowboys Hope to Tell the Saints it Ain't Happening

Week 14's Fantasy Focus on the Cowboys

Round 1

Semis

Finals

Round 1

Semis

Finals

It's Friday, so Ernie P. is in the house

Cowboys Fans: The Annoying Optimists

Run Aground: The Giants Beat the Cowboys With Big Plays, 31-24

Cowboys vs. Giants: 'Kudos & Wet Willies' preview

There will be lots of 'Kudos' Monday if ...

There will be lots of 'Wet Willies' Monday if ...

Week Thirteen: Fantasy Focus on the Cowboys

Cowboys @ Giants Injury Update

Cowboys vs. Giants Preview, Part Two: Gauging the Austin Effect

BTB Game Balls: Raiders @ Cowboys