SB Nation - Orlando Scandrick

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.

Cowboys vs. Giants Preview: Can the Cowboys Beat Up Their Old Selves?

Rafael Vela — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 18:40:06 -0000

More photos » by Sharon Ellman - AP

The Cowboys want Eli Manning moving outside of his pocket Sunday. (AP Photo/Sharon Ellman)

Browse more photos »

The old rivals set up for their rematch Sunday. We can overdo the superlatives, get caught up in the voo-doo of December, and talk about the closing of Giants Stadium.

Or, we could talk about matchups.

When the Giants Have the Ball

When Dallas faced the Giants in September, they saw an opponent which presented a host of matchup problems. The Cowboys had stuggled against New York's rushing attack in the past, particularly runs to its perimeter. Run defense was again the focus, as the Cowboys trusted their secondary to contain the young Giants duo of Steve Smith, and Mario Manningham. (Rookie Hakeem Nicks missed the game with an ankle injury.)

Dallas got half the plan down. They contained Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw, holding the New York attack to less than 30 first half rushing yards. But the Cowboys rush did not sack Eli Manning that night, which gave Manningham and Smith time to work out the right side of Dallas secondary. Both receivers attacked Terence Newman and Smith, when lined up in his long-time spot in the slot, abused Orlando Scandrick. Each receiver caught ten passes. Manningham gained 150 yards and Smith 134. They gained 86% of the Giants 330 passing yards.

The balance and the fun continued until game five's 44-7 blowout win over Oakland. While the win was impressive, the Giants offense began absorbing key injuries which have continued to accumulate to this day.

Quarterback Eli Manning left after just ten passing attempts with a foot injury, later diagnosed as plantar fasciitis. He says the foot has healed but several reports this week note that he has suffered a stress reaction in the same leg and his overall health remains an issue. Running back Ahmad Bradshaw, the speed complement to the bludgeon Jacobs, injured an ankle later in the contest and has not been the same since, as this line shows:

Bradshaw, games 1-5: 58 carries, 375 yards, 6.5 yards/carry, 75 yards/game;
Bradshaw, games 6-10: 57 carries, 174 yards, 3.1 yds./carry, 35 yds./game

The injuries contined the following week against New Orleans, when right tackle Kareem McKenzie was rolled from behind and had to leave the game. His injury broke a run of almost two years when the Giants starting line stayed intact.

In many ways, the '09 Giants offense resembles the '08 Cowboys O, which accumulated injuries to linemen and skill position players and saw its effectiveness erode as the season progressed. In New York's case, the numbers do not lie:

Games 1-5: 5-0 record, 30 points/game., 160 rush yds./game, 2 sacks allowed
Games 6-11: 1-5 record, 20 points/game, 99 rush yds./game, 15 sacks allowed

New York has been dying the death of a thousand paper cuts, or a dozen joint sprains, in this case. They have not suffered the catastrophic injury, like Plaxico Burress' last year, but their line, their backs and their quarterback have all been hobbled, and the results have dropped their offensive output a whopping ten points per game.

Dallas' task will be to face up to their old offense and show it no mercy. That may be easier said than done, because many of the same matchups which worked in New York's favor three months ago remain.

When New York runs the ball, it will be the Cowboys' task to make them play to their character. That may sound counter-intuitive, but New York's line, like Dallas' blocks better on the move. It also runs its attack better to the perimeters. Off-side counters, tosses, cross-blocks between the tackles and tight ends. These are the bread and butter plays of New York''s attack.

That is why they miss Bradshaw, or at least the healthy incarnation of Bradshaw. Jacobs can get off-tackle, but he looks sluggish and the Broncos showed that a 3-4 front with speed can bog him down by forcing him to run to the sidelines. Jacobs lacks the speed to turn the corner, of if his first hole isn't available inside or off tackle, he can be dropped for minimal gains.

It is unclear which Jacobs will show. He played heroically in the first month after Bradshaw's injury, having three of his season-best games against New Orleans, Arizona and San Diego, but he has been almost invisible since the Giants' bye, rushing for 66 total yards and a 2.9 average per carry. In any case, he will have to shoulder New York's rushing burden. Bradshaw has not practiced this week to rest his ailing ankle and his speedy backup Danny Ware was knocked out of last week's game with a concussion and has already been ruled out for this contest.

Expect far more blitzing this week than we saw in week two. As I noted then, Wade Phillips went against type early in the year, choosing to rush just 4 men on most of Dallas' pass plays, where he used 5 man rushes as his default last year.

He will not let Manning sit in the pocket. Phillips knows Smith and Manningham are the focal points of New York's attack right now. Smith has 869 receiver yards and Manningham has logged 665 of his own. Nicks is back and is having an impressive rookie year. OC Kevin Gilbride will likely use the same passing strategy, throwing a lot on first down and targeting Newman. The veteran has solidified his play since weeks one and two, but he's the preferred target over Mike Jenkins.

I also look for the Giants to spread the field to put Smith inside against against Scandrick. His sophomore campaign has been rough. He struggled the first month, then stepped up, but appears to have flattened out the last few games.

New York can still throw the ball, so Wade's task will be to disrupt Manning. As the stats show, this protection has broken down a lot the last six games, especially in comparison to the 5-0 start, when Manning was barely touched. Denver shut the Giants down last week with lots of pressure off the edges, which made Manning drift laterally and preventing him from getting into a regular rhythm with his wideouts.

Look for lots of Cowboys on the line of scrimmage, to run blitz and to attack Manning. Dallas has moved Demarcus Ware around a lot the last month, flopping him to the right side to get mismatches against right tackles and putting him in the center of a 3-3 nickel front, where he is free to roam between the tackles and pick a rush lane.

Phillips blitzed without restraint in last year's rematch and sacked Manning eight times. New York's banged up running attack invites him to dust that game plan off and try it again. New York's WR could sting him a bit, but I don't think Wade will back off the pressure unless his secondary flops, and they have been solid the last two months.

Tomorrow: The Cowboys offense vs. the Giants defense

The Cowboys Now Rank Second in Scoring Defense

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

More photos » by Mike Stone - AP

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

Browse more photos »

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

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

More after the jump.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The VRR: Redskins (3-6) @ Cowboys (6-3)

Aaron Novinger — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:29:58 -0000

More photos » by Gerald Herbert - AP

Dallas defenders must try to limit Ladell Betts and the Washington offense.

Browse more photos »

The Cowboys can accomplish quite alot in beating the Redskins. Most importantly, they can regain the momentum they lost up in Lambeau. They can also increase their division record to 2-1 and their conference record to 6-2, which could come in handly for tie-breaking purposes down the road.

And, by handing the Redskins their seventh loss on the season, they could pretty much force them to begin waving bye-bye to their playoff chances.

Much of the talk this week at Valley Ranch has centered on Big D's offensive lack of production last week. On the flip side, Washington's offense seemed to show some signs of life for one of the first times this season. At home against Denver, RB Ladell Betts and QB Jason Campbell each scored, WR Devin Thomas showed some play-making potential, and the special teams found success on a fake field goal.

More VRR after the jump.

Perhaps it's the Cowboys' defenders that need to come up big. Beating the Broncos 27-17 last week boosted the Redskins' confidence. Deflating it early could be key.

"Coming off last week's victory, we've definitely got confidence. It was a big confidence-builder for us," Rock Cartwright said.

"You've got to keep it rolling. That's the whole objective," receiver Devin Thomas said. "You can never give up on a season just because things have gone bad. We knew we were just one click away from hitting on all cylinders."

With a win in Dallas, the Redskins would be only two games out of the NFC East lead with six games to play, three against the other division teams - including the Cowboys at home two nights after Christmas. Dallas, whose 57 wins against Washington are more than against any other team, doesn't want things to get that close. The dismal day in Green Bay likely got the Cowboys' attention.

The Cowboys should expect to see a heavy dose of RB Ladell Betts with Clinton Portis (concussion) out.

Betts rushed for a season-high 114 yards on 26 carries in last Sunday’s 27-17 win over the Denver Broncos.

Asked how Portis's status impacts him, Betts replied: "You get to be the man on first, second and third down, because before that, it was pretty much only on third down. Now I know that I get to play a full game, so it’s a little bit different mindset."

And it won't change the offensive game plan vs. Dallas, Zorn added. "We didn't change the run game necessarily to accommodate Ladell," Zorn said. "We ran our stuff, and what he did was push up into the hole and fight for yardage."

The Dallas secondary may be a bit banged up, but Mike Jenkins and Alan Ball sound ready to go. Ball should also receive help from Gerald Sensabaugh.

Cowboys CB Mike Jenkins injured his bicep in the Packers contest. Coach Wade Phillips said Jenkins has looked well and even had a couple of interceptions off QB Jon Kitna in scout team practice.

With S Ken Hamlin (ankle) out of the lineup for the Cowboys the next several weeks, look for safeties Alan Ball and Gerald Sensabaugh to split the duties of lining up the defense. Coach Wade Phillips had high praise for the smarts of Sensabaugh and his ability to handle the job.

Ball talks about the difference between playing free safety and cornerback. Also, it looks as if rookie SS Mike Hamlin will see his first action this week since the preseason.

"At cornerback, you don’t have to talk a lot," Ball said. "At safety, you have to know a lot. You have to make a lot of adjustments, a lot of checks. So you have to know a lot more going in. That’s about what it is."

Ball has five tackles and a pass breakup on defense this season. He has 12 special teams tackles, but is expected to have his special-teams workload lightened this week.

Phillips said rookie safety Mike Hamlin and cornerback Orlando Scandrick will fill in on special teams. Mike Hamlin has not been active this season.

Ball and Doug Free will be replaced on special teams.

With Alan Ball starting at free safety, reserve cornerback Orlando Scandrick will likely become the ``gunner,'' with outside coverage on punt-coverage teams. In addition, offensive tackle Pat McQuistan is scheduled to be active for the first time this season and replace Doug Free as a wall blocker on kickoff returns.

DeMarcus Ware talks about how Washington's blocking schemes and Jason Campbell's mobility in the pocket make it difficult to get to him.

"To be honest, it’s really hard to get to him because they keep in extra guys," Ware said. "They might have some guys on the front line so they do a lot of split backs and a lot of protection schemes to keep the guys off Campbell to make sure he’s effective in the pass."

[snip]

"He’s a great pocket passer," said Ware, who has seven sacks, tied for 10th in the NFL. "He makes sure he has confidence in his line and the guys around him so he can step up in the pocket to make plays."

"When he extends, when he moves around, when he flinches the ball, it causes the secondary, the linebackers, to hesitate, to go, to move," Zorn said. "And then if he can pull it down and have time to hit somebody else, it is very hard. It is the most difficult thing in football because you got the coverage, and if you throw on rhythm, you think you can handle it. When that rhythm's broke and you have to cover long through the coverage that you had, it's hard. It's what makes those quarterbacks very difficult to defend and he's been good at it for a few years."

Brian Orakpo thinks the Packers mapped out a way to get to Romo.

"Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah," Orakpo told ESPN 103.3’s Galloway and Co. "They gave us a lot of good tips the way Green Bay was able to get after it with a lot of different looks. Best believe we’re going to go out there and try to perform some of those things and try to change it up a little bit and give Dallas a little different look."

[snip]

"It seemed like they didn’t know who to block," Orakpo said. "You see guys flying out of nowhere and hitting Romo from behind and forcing fumbles. I mean, they were all over the place. I guess what we’ve got to do is switch it up ourselves. We’ll see how the game plan is and what the calls will be called, but obviously, we got a lot of tips from that game."

Yes, they have Albert Haynesworth and London Fletcher, but the Redskins' run defense isn't all that.

The Redskins continue to struggle in run defense this season. The unit has yielded 100+ rushing yards in eight of nine games this season, including 120 yards in last Sunday’s win over Denver. Overall, the Redskins have allowed an average of 125.7 rushing yards per game, ranked 24th in the league. They have allowed 4.3 yards per carry, which is ranked 17th in the league.

Felix Jones pre-strained knee ligament, and Felix Jones post-strained knee ligament.

Before the injury, Jones had 21 carries for 212 yards (10.1 yards a carry). Since coming back after the bye week and wearing a knee brace, he has 23 carries for 92 yards.

The DallasNews guys talk to Bradie James and Roy Williams about the game.

The Redskins are looking forward to playing in Cowboys Stadium for the first time.

"That’s the first thing I thought about going to Dallas, ‘Man, I get a chance to play in the new stadium,’ Santana Moss said. "Just to see it--I’m looking forward to seeing what it’s all about. It looks nice on TV. You get mesmerized. "I remember seeing the first game there [on TV]--you had cheerleaders dancing on platforms. I was like, ‘Wow.’"

Rock Cartwright admits he plans to check out the video screen, hopefully after he makes a big play. "I’m really looking forward to seeing that screen," Rock Cartwright said. "I guess every seat in the house is a good seat. I’m sure I’ll take a look at it after I make a nice run, or so. But I won’t be focused on it too much. I’ll be focused on what’s happening on the field."

The series history between the two teams:

The Cowboys lead the all-time regular season series with Washington, 57-37-2, including an unconventional split of last year's home-and-home. The Redskins were 26-24 winners in their trip to Texas Stadium in Week 4, but dropped a 14-10 decision when the clubs met at FedEx Field in Week 11. The teams engaged in conventional home-and-home splits in both 2006 and 2007. Washington is 2-0 against Dallas in the postseason, winning in the 1972 and 1982 NFC Championship games.

Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips is 3-2 all-time against Washington, with one of those wins coming for his Bills team in 1999 at FedEx Field. The Redskins' Jim Zorn is 1-1 against both Phillips and the Cowboys as a head man.

Here is the NFL Game Center for the Redskins at Cowboys.

DeMarcus Ware had the privelege of meeting President Obama as they worked together on a PSA to promote the NFL's Play 60 campaign.

"I was like ‘Ohhhh my God,"’ when Obama came out in a Bears pullover, Ware said in a telephone interview. "It was me, Polamalu and Drew Brees there, so you know how we feel about the Chicago Bears. But he’s a big Chicago Bears fan. He greeted each one of us, and he knew everything about our teams."

Ware is Dallas’ representative for the Play 60 program, which began in 2007. The NFL estimates it has committed $200 million worth of programming, grants, and time for PSAs to the initiative.

"I think it’s really important," Ware said. "If the players are getting involved in it, Obama, a lot of important people getting involved in it, sometimes it encourages kids to get out and do those type of activities and show them just how important it is."

The Veteran Jog that Sealed Seattle's Fate

John Morgan — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 03:04:38 -0000

More photos » by LM Otero - AP

Seattle helped Dallas into the end zone with its sloppy, arrogant play.

Browse more photos »

There were two major turning points in Sunday's contest. They happened in short succession and turned a close game into the beginning of a blowout. The second was a questionable defensive pass interference penalty called on Marcus Trufant after Miles Austin initiated contact. That cost Seattle 10-12% of win probability. The first made the second possible.

I have nailed Nate Burleson for not finishing routes and I have criticized several Seahawks receivers for not finishing blocks. Missed blocks and dropped routes are easy to ignore. If a receiver does not finish his route, the quarterback usually does not target him and the sin stays within the family, known only to players and coaches. If a receiver does not block, walks over and says "what's up" as I've seen T.J. Houshmandzadeh do, it does not usually lead to much. Maybe another body hits the pile. Often the play is over before it matters.

Seattle splits three wide in an unbalanced formation. Deion Branch is split wide left, Housh is in the left-slot, John Carlson is tight left and Justin Forsett is aside Hasselbeck's left hip. Burleson is alone on the right. Matt Hasselbeck is in shotgun.

The Dallas Cowboys are in a 3-3 nickel with the right outside linebacker walked up to line, showing pass rush. The left corners are walked off, but Terence Newman is opposite Burleson, straddling the first down marker.

It's third and three and Seattle is down by four.

Seattle runs an inside draw. It gets good push from Chris Spencer and Rob Sims. Forsett slips through a seam and streams out the other side behind the pulling Spencer. He has the first.

Before he's blindsided and the ball pops from his grasp, let's rewind and look around. It's a shotgun snap and the handoff to Forsett is quick and definitive, so the wide receivers have to hustle to influence the play. They're not going to run off their guys, but they could put a body on them. Burleson inches up towards Newman and when it's clear he's beat, stops, stands and spectates. Houshmandzadeh starts quicker but slows and instead of engaging nickelback Orlando Scandrick, he jogs up and behind the referee. Newman forces the fumble and Scandrick recovers for 15 yards.

The Seahawks chances of winning drop from 43% to 23%.

The VRR: Cowboys Extend DeMarcus Ware's Contract to 2015

Aaron Novinger — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 22:02:35 -0000

More photos » by LM Otero - AP

Keep this guy happy!

Browse more photos »

How good can it get for Cowboys' fans right now? A day after the team puts up another fat "W" to go 4-2, Jerry Jones and company follow that up by giving DeMarcus Ware a fat contract extension. The agreement is said to be six years for $78 million with $40 million guaranteed.

Now, Dallas has one of the best defensive players in the game locked up through 2015.

Coach Phillips knows a good defender when he sees one. He thinks Ware is as special a player as any he's coached.

"I’ve been lucky to be around a lot of good ones. He’s at the top of the class, and it doesn’t take long to call the roll," said Philllips, also the team’s defensive coordinator. "He’s an all-around player, and he plays the run well, too. That’s what you really like about him."

The Cowboys drafted Ware from Troy instead of Shawne Merriman, who was then taken 12th overall by San Diego when Phillips was the defensive coordinator there.

"I was around Merriman, he had 17 sacks in 12 games. Of course, Reggie White and Bruce Smith were special. (Ware) is special. He’s a special guy in that way," Phillips said. "He’s got all the things it takes and he utilizes them and he works hard at it. He’s only going to get better."

More VRR after the jump.

That was a physical game by the defense. What's even better is that they learned from their mistakes.

The defense came up big after early adjustments. The game opened with a 16-play, 80-yard drive that resulted in Ryan throwing a 4-yard TD to Roddy White, but the Falcons had only 13 yards and no points on their subsequent four possessions.

"We were like, ‘OK. This is a good team,’" said DeMarcus Ware, who had two sacks. "They score a lot of points, they don’t give up sacks, they run the ball. But we took their punch and figured them out."

Burned by misdirection on the opening drive, the Cowboys improved their gap control to stop the run, forcing Ryan to pass. Unable to set his feet, Ryan connected on just 19 of 35 for 198 yards with two TDs and two interceptions for a woeful 66.1 passer rating. He had gone four straight games without being sacked.

Cover Tony Gonzalez and Roddy White. That's how you beat the Falcons. While TNew was on White and Mike Jenkins was throwing the other Mike Jenkins to the ground, a bunch of other guys were covering Tony G.

Strong safety Gerald Sensabaugh covered him, as did cornerback Orlando Scandrick, inside linebacker Bobby Carpenter and strongside linebacker Anthony Spencer.

In the end, the speedy White and the 6-foot-5 Gonzalez accounted for 10 catches for 87 yards and a touchdown.

Scandrick did get the first interception of his career, but he was annoyed that he let Gonzalez get a catch on him.

"I let him catch a ball on me," Scandrick said. "I was mad about that. But it’s Tony Gonzalez, one of the best tight ends. I just played him to the inside, and he had leverage on me."

Keith Brooking was all fired up for the game. He followed his trash-talking, arm-flapping performance with some choice quotes.

"The last thing I was told by one of the Atlanta coaches was, 'It's a young man's game,' " said Brooking, the Falcons' longtime defensive leader-turned-Dallas Cowboys linebacker, with a lopsided grin. "I guess that old man can still play."

[snip]

"There are a lot of people in that organization that mean a lot to me and I will always keep in touch with," he said. "Some very good friends. I was talking a little bit of trash to them, so I had to go and apologize for it. Sometimes I do get a little bit out of control."

That was understandable given the defense's performance against his old team. Dallas held Michael Turner to 2.8 yards per rush while sacking usually untouchable Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan four times.

"Atlanta prides themselves on being physical, but they didn't outphysical us today," he said. "We took it to them. We bloodied their noses, and then we stepped on them and kicked them to the ground. So that's a good feeling."

Matt Mosley points out how well Junior Siavii contributed to the game.

The Cowboys decided to play nose tackle Junior Siavii earlier in the game than usual and that seemed to help starter Jay Ratliff. Siavii did a really nice job against Michael Turner and he helped collapse the pocket against Matt Ryan. He said it was his goal for the defense's production not to fall off while he was on the field -- and I'd say he accomplished that.

After yesterday's game, a big roar was heard from the locker room. It was the players reacting to Coach Phillips telling them to take Monday off. Calvin Watkins thinks that a "Victory Monday" sends a bad message to the team.

Just because the team won Sunday, it doesn't mean things are fine. Offensive coordinator Jason Garrett said there are corrections to be made on offense. And the defense, as good as it played, allowed Falcons backup running back Jason Snelling to average 9.7 yards per carry. Miles Austin had a good game with two touchdowns, yet he fumbled a ball out of bounds on his way to the end zone. Roy Williams had two drops, and the offensive line struggled to open holes at the start of the game.

Many of the players showed up at Valley Ranch today, anyways.

"We had 45 guys already," the coach said at his early afternoon press conference. "It's just the day off from us meeting where we go over the tape with them. Tomorrow we'll go over the same tape with them except we'll leave out the good plays."

"So it's really not a great deal for them, because they don't get to cheer the good plays that they made. We go over all the mistakes that we made and things we need to work on."

Roy Williams is proud of the team, but not of himself.

"Worst game ever in my life," said Williams, who caught one pass for 16 yards.

He was most upset with two dropped passes and a pass interference penalty that wiped out a catch. This was the fourth time Williams has caught just one pass since coming to the Cowboys in the trade from Detroit last year. He had four games with one or no catches in 60 games with the Lions.

Miles Austin's game dropped off by 79 yards! He knows he's just got to keep on working.

Austin's 171 yards is the second-highest performance immediately following a 250-yard game in league history. It's the most yards by a Cowboys receiver following a 200-yard output.

"It's exciting, but I know I have to keep working hard," Austin said. "We just have to build off of this. I can't relax or anything. I have to work even harder now. I know people will be looking at me even more. That's fine. I'm not going to change anything or my approach."

Jason Witten talks about the going-for-the-throat play.

"First, the kind of kid Miles is, I couldn’t be happier for him" said tight end Jason Witten. "Second, I couldn’t be happier for our offense, to see this kind of weapon emerge. "Today, we were kind of lagging there on offense. Not doing a lot. Then boom. [Offensive coordinator] Jason [Garrett] made a great call, Tony threw a great ball, and Miles catches it, shakes loose, and he’s on his way, and we’re on our way."

Witten was referring to a second-quarter bomb that Romo dropped on Austin after a DeMarcus Ware bull-rush and hand-slap that caused Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan to lose a fumble.

Witten's five catches for 53 yards has him moving up the all-time TE record books.

Jason Witten's 53 receiving yards today upped his career total to 5,247 to move him past Frank Clarke (5,214) for fifth on Dallas' all-time receiving yards chart.

Witten's 53 yards today allowed him to pass Brett Jones (5,195), Dave Casper (5,216) and John Mackey (5,236) for 18th all-time among league tight ends with 5,247.

Witten caught five passes in today's game to give him 462 for his career and move him past Todd Christensen (461) and tie with Mickey Shuler for ninth on the NFL's all-time tight ends receptions list.

Just some fun nuggets.

The win gave Dallas its fifth consecutive win following a bye, upped its record after a bye to 16-5 overall and 7-1 at home. ... Romo threw for 311 yards, upping his club record to 19 career 300-yard outings. The club is now 16-3 when Romo throws for 300-or-more yards.

MHR Chalk Talk -- Dallas Cowboys at Denver Broncos (Wk 3, '09)

Steve Nichols — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 17:30:17 -0000

(Author's note - This is Breast Cancer Awareness month for the NFL, and that is why you'll see the color pink around the NFL. If you are one of MHR's wonderful ladies that frequents this site, PLEASE consider getting a mammogram and learn how perform a self exam. If you are a one of the many men that calls MHR home, pester your wife, mother, girlfriend, or - if you're old enough - your daughter to get checked. Breast cancer can be beaten if it gets caught early enough. See your doctor about low cost and even free options that are available.)

Denver fans have been delighted at the play of their team. While many outsiders have made an issue of the turbulence during the off-season, new head coach Josh McDaniels seems to have done everything that has been asked of him.

First, his new QB has protected the football. Gone are the interceptions of yesteryear, and with a solid QB rating in the 90s, Kyle Orton (playing with a restrictive glove to protect an injury) has silently flown under the radar. He has distributed the ball amongst several receivers, TEs, and even RBs in the passing game, leaving opposing teams to wonder if they should cover "the stars" or anything that moves. Here's a great stat I picked up from ESPN -

Kyle Orton became only the fourth quarterback during the NFL's expansion era (that is, since 1960) to win his first three starts for a team, throwing at least one touchdown pass and no interceptions in each game.

Second, new names at RB haven't disappointed. A few weeks ago, fans would have panicked at the prospect of missing Peyton Hillis to an injury. Correll Buckhalter is a candidate for ground player of the week at NFL.com (vote for him here), and despite some injury issues, rookie Knowshon Moreno is improving each week to show off his 1st round potential.

And least, but far, far, far from least is the improved play at defense. Future Hall of Famers Champ Bailey and Brian Dawkins are deadly to opposing offenses, but the secret in the secondary (unless you read MHR, because we knew it all along) is that Renaldo Hill and Andre Goodman are not just your average DBs - they're outstanding. As if that isn't enough, the defensive front seven are wreaking havoc. Elvis Dumervil alone is averaging 2 sacks per game, and even the recently lauded Cincy Bengals couldn't put a dent in the Broncos' defense.

But it is the same old story. Instead of being allowed to enjoy one of the best starts Denver has had in a long time, there are some who want to tarnish the shine. They point out that Denver hasn't "played anybody". Many of those same folks rate Denver below the Bengals (the team that Denver beat), and laud the Bengals as being a surprisingly good team. Those same folks praise other teams who have beaten the same teams we have. The only way to get respect in the NFL is to win games, but that doesn't seem to be enough for the Broncos.

So Denver needs this game, to beat a worthy opponent, to get respect. Perhaps. I'm thinking Dallas needs it more. If Dallas wins, the media will give them credit for beating a solid Denver defense. If Dallas loses, the talking heads will immediately proclaim that Dallas wasn't a contender from the start.

But we don't care what "they" say. We know this is a fair test. Denver is at home, Dallas is coming off of a short week after playing on MNF, and we realize that nobody is really going to put Dallas in the same category as Oakland or Cleveland (at least, not before the game). So here we go; Denver's first real test. We've had the time and games to get up to speed, and we've performed very well. Let's see how we do in a game that many folks would call us underdogs in. Dallas isn't a great team, but they certainly aren't a bad team. Let's take a look at how both teams match-up, and try to figure out what may happen at the quarter mark of the 2009 season for Denver....

Injuries

Some quick notes on injuries.

Dallas has a three-headed monster with their running game. Of the three, Felix Jones looks like he won't be playing on Sunday. Marion Barber was limited in practice (at the time of this writing), and is nursing a thigh injury that might keep him from playing. If he does play, he might not be 100%. Tashard Choice may get a lot of touches this game. On defense, pass rushing great Demarcus Ware is very probable for the game. Playing at weakside LB in the Dallas 3-4, Ware is a threat whenever he gets on the field (though he hasn't garned a sack yet this season).

Dallas is one of those teams that has entered the modern era of RBs, using a committee approach. This was wise, as even the loss of one (and possibly two) RBs shouldn't hurt them. The key injury for Dallas would be Ware, but as I wrote earlier, it looks like he will play.

On the Denver side of things, Hillis is questionable at RB, but Denver shouldn't miss a beat with the rotation of Buckhalter and Moreno. Without Spencer Larsen, the STs coverage unit will be missing a key component. There's no definitive word yet on Ben Hamilton and Ryan Harris on the OL. Both are key players, and Denver may have to rely on depth to fill some holes. WR Brandon Stokley was a concern early in the week, but now looks probable. So far, the Ameoba philosophy protects Denver from some key injuries (because there are really no weaknesses behind our starters).

The key concern may be nickle back Alphonso Smith. His ankle injury kept him from practice on Wed, and he needs that ankle to be in perfect shape to do the two things CBs need to be able to do - run fast and make quick turns. I'm not hopeful that Smith will be 100%, and that means either moving up CB Jack Williams or one of the back-up safeties. More on this later.

Now, onto the match-ups. There are so many great pairings in this game that it is hard to know where to start at.

Denver offense vs. Dallas defense

Dallas has been solid against the run against two teams that can run the ball well (NYG and CAR). Denver can go up the middle against a stout defense that plugs the gaps and creates opportunities for the LBs, or they can go wide and face the wide aligned OLBs. Denver is a solid running team, still using the zone block, and features two RBs this week that can trade off running time. This is as close to an even match-up as it gets.

Denver's run game is good, and so is the pass. But Denver's bread and butter is the run. Orton only needs to protect the ball and take opportunities as they present themselves. With the intricate screen passes that Denver plays, Orton can make the easy pass, then let the receiver and his blockers do the rest. But the run game makes it all work. The run game means possession time, it means keeping opposing offenses off of the field, and it means a lack of turnovers.

Denver would much rather play a running attack against the Cowboys. If the running game fails, it is all up to Orton. Orton has proven that he's better than the naysayers think, but we haven't yet seen him in a shoot out, and we really don't want to go that route unless we have to.

The Dallas secondary is an enigma. On the one hand, they have a lot of talent. Safety Ken Hamlin is at double the League average for tackles with 14. Terence Newman is a dangerous threat at #1 CB. And Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick are both neck and neck in a battle for the #2 CB position (Jenkins will start this week). Like Denver, they have a #2 quality CB playing at nickle. In other words, Denver can bring out their depth at WR, and (unlike many teams) Dallas can counter with depth at CB.

On the other hand, this good secondary is giving up a lot of deep passes.

Orton has shown some flashes with deep passes (though he's been accused of not having a strong arm). Orton may brush the defense back with some deep throws to support the running game, and catch Dallas off guard. If Denver sells the run, those deep passes may amount to yards or points. If the running game bogs down, they'll be a gamble that pays off or costs dearly.

Watch for both teams to use their TEs a lot. Denver will rely on the TEs (especialy Daniel Graham and Richard Quinn) to help with the run blocking, but the threat is that they can break into routes at any time. Dallas is talented enough to cover Graham and receiving TE Tony Scheffler, but the key will be knowing if the TEs are supporting the run or going out. This is a guessing game that should cost Dallas on plays here and there.

Denver's OL injuries might be a factor. Fortunately for Denver, Ryan Clady is at LT, facing Ware. Analysts will argue over whether last year's sack master is better or worse than the LT who didn't give up a sack last year, but at least in run blocking, Clady should have a clear edge against the line and against Ware in the second level.

When Denver's offense is on the field, the TEs will be key. Even if they don't get the ball much, the threat that they might, and their skills in the blocking game will be key.

Dallas offense vs. Denver defense

As mentioned earlier, the Dallas running game can power along even with out one or two starting RBs. All three RBs are legit starters, and the Dallas OL is big and effective. Like Denver's offense, they face a very tough defense.

Dallas is the top running team in the League. They favor power running, and love to run at their opponents. If Denver can stop the Dallas running game, they can stop anybody's running game. Like Denver, the key to winning for both teams is the running game.

Looking at this game, perhaps the two most intriguing players are OC Andre Gurode (a 315 pound, 6'4 big guy who went to Colorado) and TE Jason Witten. If, like a lot of folks, you don't watch the trenches, you'll be missing a treat if you don't watch Gurode match wits and muscle with NT Ronald Fields. If Gurode handles Fields, the run game is half won for Dallas.

But in the passing game, Witten is more key than QB Tony Romo and his receivers combined. Not to take anything away from a good receiving corps, but Denver's secondary is beyond elite. But Witten poses a clear and present danger in more than one facet of the passing game.

First, the 5-2 look that Denver presents is like all other formations and systems - there are weaknesses. Covering the TE presents a lot of choices, and each has risks. First, Denver's true LBs are at ILB (inside linebacker). The two outer "OLBs" are really DEs, both in alignment and even playing history. Neither DE/OLB is a match for Witten, and the two ILBs are too far away (and aligned to stop the interior run we can expect from Dallas).

Second, Denver covers the WRs with a layered defense of extreme quality defensive backs. If one of those backs (Hill or Dawkins) goes into man coverage on Witten, this leaves the deep field exposed. Denver doesn't have as great of an option if they go with a nickle formation to cover Witten, since Alphonso Smith is out.

If the seams and slots are the weakness of the 5-2, Witten (who is Romo's best target) should eat Denver alive. Denver will adjust, but the adjustment will cost them from another sector of the game.

Keys to the Game

Denver -

Be effective running the ball. Denver may be a shoot-out team, and may be able to fly down the field. But nobody has seen that yet, and we don't want to find out.
Score first. Both teams would love to play a ball control, clock control game. The team that scores first forces the other team to weigh a more risky gameplan.
Special teams must help with the field position battle. With both teams duking it out in the trenches for every yard, gains on punts and kicks could be key for getting a team in FG range. Denver is missing Larsen, the lead tackler in Denver's STs coverage units.

Dallas -

Use Witten. Denver is already planning on how to contain Witten, but he remains the best option for Dallas in the passing game.
Protect Romo. Romo can make mistakes when he is getting pressured, and Denver has been bringing a lot of pressure. Stopping Dumervil is crucial.
Forget the zone. Denver WR Brandon Marshall tore up the Oakland LBs in the middle of the field with some quick slants. The Dallas CBs should man their WRs and test Orton.

Conclusion

Denver is much better than a lot of talking heads think. Dallas won't rely on the media for their take on Denver - they'll study the film and prepare for a hard fought game. Denver is also aware that they face a quality team this week. Both teams will bring their "A" game. But who will win?

Denver needs this game if they want to even think about the playoffs. I'm not one to agree with ESPN's Bill Williamson much, but I'm going to give him the credit for his thoughts in this piece...

...What’s ahead: We’re going to find out if Denver is a contender or a pretender in the coming weeks. Denver faces top teams in eight of its next 10 contests. It also plays at Philadelphia in Week 16. Denver's next five games are at home against Dallas and New England and on the road at San Diego, Baltimore and Pittsburgh. Games against the New York Giants and Indianapolis also loom. I guess the 1972 Dolphins and 1985 Bears were busy. This is a tough stretch and the Broncos know it. But Denver is confident, well-prepared and McDaniels knows a lot about playing in pressure games. The team is healthy and it feels like it can navigate this stretch competitively.

Realistic outcome: It is very difficult to expect the Broncos to run through this schedule without difficulty. But early success gives Denver some breathing room. If Denver goes 5-5 in the next 10 games it will be 8-5 and probably in the playoff mix heading to the stretch run. Denver has to keep winning at home and steal a couple of road games. It has to take advantage of its two remaining games against Kansas City and its home game against Oakland. Denver can’t stumble in winnable games. If Denver can stay healthy, I think it can stay in the race. This doesn’t look like a team that will fall apart. I think it will only get better under McDaniels. Realistically, the Broncos can be a factor in the playoff race.

Denver made their early season mistakes in the pre-season, and is already looking like a team in mid-season form. They are at home, and playing an opponent that matches with them pretty evenly. Denver has beaten two teams that aren't contenders (Oak and Cle) and one team that is also surprising the League (Cincy). Dal has gone toe to toe with quality teams, win or lose.

This one is at home, and both teams have some injury concerns.

Coaching - Den

Running - Dal (not to take from Denver, but Dal leads the League)

QB - Den (not to take away from Romo, but no INTs and at least 1 TD per game for Orton)

Receivers - Den

TEs - Den (in depth, but Witten is more likely to be a game changer based on match-ups)

OL - even (taking into account injuries to Harris and Hamilton. Clady remains a rock star)

DL - even

LBs - even

CBs - Den

SAFs - Den

STs - Den

You could look at the list and say that Denver is better in more categories, but that would be too simplistic. For example, Denver has three terrific TEs, but Witten is a game changer. Denver has more and better CBs, but Smith is questionable for the game. Can Denver's STs perform without leading tackler Spencer Larsen? They still have K Matt Prater, the AFC special teams player of the month.

Before the season started (in fact, well before the pre-season), I predicted that Denver could win the first two games, and would win one game against Oakland with the other game being a toss-up. (Fortunately, we won the away game, increasing our odds of a sweep). Against Dal, I think I had us at 50/50. Denver is doing what I thought they would - play better as a team, regardless of record. Their play is so much better, in fact, that while I'm sticking with my 8-8 prediction for now, I think DAL is one of those toss-up games that goes to Denver.

I'll give the edge to Denver at home. Dallas has looked very good, but has had some bad moments. In fairness, they've played some teams that are pretty good (at least they were last year). Denver has been consistent. Oakland should have been easy, and Cleveland only a little less so. But Cincy has been looking very good, and Denver walked over them. (No, there was no miracle pass. There WAS a good play on a tipped ball by Brandon Stokley, as well as an earlier TD reception that "miraculously" didn't happen because Denver's WR tripped).

Denver has only given up 5.3 points per game on avg so far this year, and that's a darned good stat against any three teams in the NFL. I'll take Denver in a close one.

Will the Cornerback Rotation End for the Cowboys?

Aaron Novinger — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:48:22 -0000

Mike Jenkins may have proved enough on Monday night to make Wade Phillips reconsider his plan to alternate starters at the right cornerback position.

"I thought Jenkins had a good game. That's to be determined tomorrow really," coach Wade Phillips said of evaluating the rotation system. "We're going to discuss it."

Make the jump for more.

If Jenkins is to start again, this would be a move towards defensive consistency rather than a slight to Orlando Scandrick. Scandrick had a quiet game against the Panthers, but that may be a good thing. He really seems more comfortable in handling the slot duties.

A factor to be considered, Phillips said, is that Scandrick plays on the corner in regular packages and moves to the slot in the sub-packages used on passing downs. Jenkins plays corner full time. Phillips said it's been more difficult than expected for Scandrick to make the switch in mid-stream.

A pass rush could certainly help everyone in the secondary. While DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer are still hungry for their first sack, we got to see one of the backup OLBs take full advantage of his playing time.

Wade Phillips said Victor Butler played in five snaps against Carolina. Let's see five snaps, two sacks and a forced fumble.

The other pass rusher Phillips was hoping to see play had some bad luck.

Curtis Johnson was active for the first time but he aggravated his hamstring and did not see a defensive snap.

The VRR: Cowboys Blues After a Giant Disappointment

Aaron Novinger — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 19:00:31 -0000

More photos » by Sharon Ellman - AP

Gosh darnit, hickey heck! Coach Phillips needs to get his defense in order.

Browse more photos »

Even though Tony Romo and the Dallas secondary had a bad game, and Eli Manning had a great game, the Cowboys only lost by two points. They were never dominated. They certainly came out swinging to a team many rank as one of the best in the league.

But losing to the New York Giants to open up Cowboys Stadium can make many a Dallas fan feel blue. Losing never feels good. We just have to accept those feelings and move on.

Jason Witten says it all right here:

"It’s so disappointing, and so early in the season and all that was surrounding (Sunday) but more than that to win a big football game against a huge rival," tight end Jason Witten said. "It’s very disappointing. Words really can’t describe how this team feels right now."

It is a long season. This team has much to improve upon. The Buccaneers showed us some of that last week; but, a victory full of big plays sugarcoated some of the worries. The Giants reinforced the fact that the passing game, on both sides of the ball, can be a weakness for the Cowboys.

Hopefully, by the time these two teams meet again, Dallas will have corrected its woes. If not, a long season may seem all the more longer.

More VRR after the jump.

DMN reports that Marion Barber's injury is a strained quad. It is not believed to be serious. We will definitely stay tuned on this.

Wade Phillips was reluctant to put a timetable on Marion Barber's injury because he had not been told the results of an MRI the running back had taken Monday morning.

"A quad injury, I guess I'll call it an injury right now because we don't know the extent of it,'' Phillips said at his Monday press conference. "We'll have to wait and see on that.''

Here's some reason for optimism. After two weeks, the Cowboys lead the entire NFL in rushing with a 184.5 per game average. This, of course, is not counting tonight's Colts @ Dolphins game.

MBIII is 7th in the league in rushing with 32 carries for 203 yards for a whopping 6.3 ypc average. His complement, Felix Jones, ranks 17th in the league with 13 carries for 118 yards for a whopping whopping 9.1 ypc average.

Will this be the second week in a row that Flozell Adams gets fined? Giants DE Justin Tuck, who injured his shoulder after being tripped by Flo, thinks so.

"It was bush league," Tuck said of Adams' trip. "He did it a few times in this game. I'd like to have the rest of the game to punish him for it."

Tuck vowed to play next Sunday against the Bucaneers even though he couldn't get in his stance Sunday night. He has played through a lot of injuries, so you know his shoulder had to be hurting him.

"I'm fine," he said. "I'm playing next week."

Adams, not a man prone to speaking after games, had this to say: "I didn't see nothing," Adams said late Sunday. "Did you see something?"

Other than Flo's questionable play, some love for the offensive line is in order.

Give the Cowboys offensive line some credit. They handled the vaunted Giants defensive line pretty well. They did not give up a sack. They opened holes for rushing attack that accounted for 251 yards on the ground, is the most since rushing for 271 yards at Philadelphia (10/31/93).

Roy Williams had only one catch for 18 yards. On the Lunch Break, they said that Williams was seen in the locker room at halftime getting an IV. As Raf noted, having the roof open caused the infamous Texas humidity to float into the stadium. This may be a reason why Williams was dehydrated.

When interceptions rain for Tony Romo, they pour. Cover your eyes if you do not want to see the scary Romo stat below.

Romo, as everyone knows by now, has a habit of throwing footballs to guys without stars on their helmet. Since taking over as the Dallas Cowboys starting quarterback early in the 2006 season, he had thrown 46 picks in 40 games. Make that 49.

Here you go, Mario Manningham, have 150 receiving yards on us. Mr. Steve Smith, go ahead and take 134 yards. By the way, you each get 10 catches, some key third-down grabs, and a touchdown.The Dallas cornerbacks did not have a good game last night. Perhaps Coach Phillips' idea to name co-starters at RCB is not working out.

"We are going to look at it and see," he said. "We evaluate every week as to how players are playing. We didn't cover No. 12 (Steve Smith) at all, I didn't think, very well the whole game. And we had a couple of bad breaks obviously."

Starters Terence Newman and Scandrick were both visibly disappointed with their own performances.

Scandrick knows he failed to play up to his potential last night.

"We put ourselves in bad positions," Scandrick said. "Starting off with myself, I didn’t play well. I probably had the worst tackle game and we had mental errors. As a team, we just didn’t play well enough to win."

The bad news gets worse. The Dallas defense is ranked 30th in the league, giving up an average of 438.5 yards per game. The passing defense also ranks 30th as the Bucs and Giants have averaged 303 yards against it. Zero sacks and zero forced turnovers through two weeks also indicate that something just ain't right on that side of the ball.

Let me leave you with a couple numbers that will make you feel better, or at least help put things in perspective. 48-22. Saints @ Eagles.

SB Nation - Orlando Scandrick

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

Cowboys vs. Giants Preview: Can the Cowboys Beat Up Their Old Selves?

The Cowboys Now Rank Second in Scoring Defense

The VRR: Redskins (3-6) @ Cowboys (6-3)

The Veteran Jog that Sealed Seattle's Fate

The VRR: Cowboys Extend DeMarcus Ware's Contract to 2015

MHR Chalk Talk -- Dallas Cowboys at Denver Broncos (Wk 3, '09)

Injuries

Denver offense vs. Dallas defense

Dallas offense vs. Denver defense

Keys to the Game

Conclusion

Will the Cornerback Rotation End for the Cowboys?

The VRR: Cowboys Blues After a Giant Disappointment