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Recap: Green Bay Packers Defeat Cowboys 17-7

Brandon — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:00:33 -0000

by Jim Prisching - AP

The Cowboys offense was terrible, the defense hung tough for as long as they could, but eventually buckled late in the game. This was all on the offense, though.

So that's a Cowboys fan's perspective. Looking back at the play-by-play, it took the Cowboys the first 3 quarters to figure it out on offense. They were shut out for most of the game because they weren't able to run the ball or protect QB Tony Romo. Also, while the Packers had more penalties and penalty yards, the Cowboys penalties seemed to hurt them more. They weren't able to get any rhythm on offense because of their running game, pass protection, and the penalties. Then, in their final 2 drives, they managed to protect Romo (except for that big hit DE Johnny Jolly put on him) and they abandoned the run. It could have led to 2 TDs, except CB Charles Woodson jumped the route on the goal line for his big INT.

While it's not unusual to see a great defensive performance from the Packers, it was unusual to see the pass rush work so well in this game. The concern is that it was only a temporary surge of sacks and QB hits. While Romo kept taking hits, he wasn't sacked on his final 26 pass attempts. Also, the Packers allowed another red zone TD pass, their 6th one allowed in the past 3 games.

The offensive line struggled again, allowing 4 sacks and 4 QB hits. Overall the offense struggled with an inconsistent running game, sacks, and penalties. They did manage to put it together for one long TD drive, but even then the Cowboys' penalties helped move it along. Dallas' defense has gotten better as the season has gone on, but it was not a great offensive performance. The exception being that they had zero turnovers (1 turnover was negated by a penalty).

The special teams weren't great, but nobody on the Cowboys will be named NFC special teams player of the week either. The kick and punt coverage looked a lot better this week, so hopefully this is the start of a good trend.

The Packers don't play another team with a winning record until December 20th (the Steelers in Pittsburgh). It's never easy in the NFL, but hopefully they can keep winning over the next four weeks. They play 3 of their final 4 games on the road, so this is the time to build a lead in the Wild Card standings.

Cowboys vs Packers coverage; Cowboys vs Packers recap; Cowboys vs Packers boxscore; Blogging The Boys

Play-by-play from NFL.com:

First Quarter:

(14:15) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers pass short middle to 85-G.Jennings to GB 30 for 11 yards (32-O.Scandrick, 26-K.Hamlin).

The 3rd play of the game was already a 3rd and 16 situation. I counted 12 plays ran where the distance was 10+ yards, out of 68 plays during the game. The penalties and negative yards just killed the flow of the offense throughout the game.

(12:25) 24-M.Barber left end pushed ob at GB 26 for 13 yards (36-N.Collins).

(11:43) 24-M.Barber up the middle to GB 19 for 7 yards (59-B.Jones).

The Packers' run defense has been outstanding most of the season, but the Cowboys had some success running the ball. So I was surprised to see they ended up averaging 4.4 yards/carry, but only called 14 running plays vs. 39 pass attempts. But their last two offensive drives went for 15 and 11 plays, all passes, and by that point they were down 17-0. They didn't have a lot of opportunities to run the ball.

(10:36) 6-N.Folk 38 yard field goal is No Good, Wide Left, Center-91-L.Ladouceur, Holder-1-M.McBriar.

A gift from K Nick Folk. I always expect kickers to make them against the Packers.

(6:06) 2-M.Crosby 52 yard field goal is No Good, Wide Left, Center-61-B.Goode, Holder-10-M.Flynn.

Unfortunately K Mason Crosby matched with a missed FG of his own, after a good drive fizzled out at the Dallas 34 yard line.

(3:18) PENALTY on GB-70-T.Lang, False Start, 5 yards, enforced at GB 19 - No Play.

The only penalty on RT T.J. Lang, who did a good job matched up against LB DeMarcus Ware for much of the game. It seemed like LT Chad Clifton had more problems with Ware than Lang did.

(1:16) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers sacked at GB 15 for -8 yards (32-O.Scandrick). FUMBLES (32-O.Scandrick), RECOVERED by DAL-32-O.Scandrick at GB 15. PENALTY on DAL-21-M.Jenkins, Illegal Use of Hands, 5 yards, enforced at GB 23 - No Play.

The Packers committed 12 penalties for 100 yards, but the Cowboys hurt themselves more with penalties. If this fumble hadn't been overturned at the Packer 15 yard line, it obviously could have turned the game around.

Second Quarter:

(15:00) 9-T.Romo sacked at DAL 41 for -10 yards (56-N.Barnett).

I don't remember LB Nick Barnett ever blitzing this much in a game before. It kept working, so I guess Dom Capers just kept calling it.

(11:48) 12-A.Rodgers right end ran ob at GB 41 for 2 yards (94-D.Ware). PENALTY on GB-41-S.Havner, Personal Foul, 15 yards, enforced between downs. Penalty on GB-86-D.Lee, Offensive Holding, declined.

What a dumb play by TE Spencer Havner. I don't remember any obviously dumb late hits in the Buccaneers game, but they have had at least one in 3 of their 4 previous games. I don't notice other teams making those mental mistakes.

(9:04) 28-F.Jones right end to DAL 31 for no gain (90-B.Raji, 50-A.Hawk).

After gaining some good rushing yards on their first drive, the Cowboys only gain 11 yards on 6 carries for the rest of the 1st half. The Cowboys are averaging 5.1 yards/carry this season, so their struggles running the ball had to disrupt their offense.

(4:03) (Shotgun) 9-T.Romo pass deep middle to 11-R.Williams to GB 30 for 42 yards (21-C.Woodson). FUMBLES (21-C.Woodson), RECOVERED by GB-52-C.Matthews at GB 31. 52-C.Matthews to GB 31 for no gain (19-M.Austin).

The first big play by Woodson. He strips the ball from WR Roy Williams after a long gain. Watch it here.

(2:10) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers sacked at GB 30 for -5 yards (72-S.Bowen). FUMBLES (72-S.Bowen), recovered by GB-86-D.Lee at GB 36. 86-D.Lee to GB 36 for no gain (26-K.Hamlin).

Unfortunately no offense came from the turnover. Two sacks, and a fumble, in three plays. Rodgers got really lucky that 2 fumbles were recovered, and a 3rd one, the only one he lost, was overturned on a penalty.

(1:50) (Shotgun) 9-T.Romo sacked at DAL 14 for -3 yards (52-C.Matthews).

LB Clay Matthews ran right around LT Flozell Adams. The speed of Matthews, Barnett, Woodson, and Collins on the blitz really caused their big, slow offensive line problems. It led to a 3-and-out, with one more chance to score.

(:02) 2-M.Crosby 48 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-61-B.Goode, Holder-10-M.Flynn.

Crosby nailed it. That kick would have been good from 60 yards at least.

Third Quarter:

(13:29) 1-M.McBriar punts 47 yards to GB 26, Center-91-L.Ladouceur. 38-T.Williams to DAL 46 for 28 yards (1-M.McBriar). FUMBLES (1-M.McBriar), RECOVERED by DAL-91-L.Ladouceur at DAL 44. 91-L.Ladouceur to DAL 44 for no gain (94-J.Wynn). Green Bay challenged the fumble ruling, and the play was REVERSED. 1-M.McBriar punts 47 yards to GB 26, Center-91-L.Ladouceur. 38-T.Williams to DAL 46 for 28 yards (1-M.McBriar). PENALTY on GB-29-D.Martin, Illegal Block Above the Waist, 10 yards, enforced at GB 33.

After a great defensive series (run stuff, sack, incomplete pass), there was this play. It was the correct call, but what a botched play by CB Tramon Williams. While trying to avoid the punter!

(9:14) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers sacked at DAL 46 for -4 yards (54-B.Carpenter). Penalty on GB-86-D.Lee, Offensive Holding, declined.

This drive started out with 6 rushing attempts (1 by Rodgers on a scramble). It helped keep the offense out long yardage situations, but they couldn't pass the ball when they needed to.

(8:56) Direct snap (Shotgun) 23-T.Choice left tackle to DAL 31 for 11 yards (79-R.Pickett). PENALTY on GB-31-A.Harris, Face Mask (15 Yards), 15 yards, enforced at DAL 31.

I'll be interested to see if CB Al Harris is fined for this phantom face mask penalty. The league office seems to fine every personal foul.

(7:59) (Shotgun) 9-T.Romo pass deep middle to 23-T.Choice to GB 35 for 22 yards (36-N.Collins). PENALTY on DAL-82-J.Witten, Offensive Pass Interference, 10 yards, enforced at DAL 43 - No Play.

That was a big pass, completed into Packer territory. And TE Jason Witten is called for the pick far away from the play. Another critical Cowboy penalty.

(4:08) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers pass short right to 85-G.Jennings to GB 48 for 14 yards (41-T.Newman).

(2:10) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers pass short middle to 86-D.Lee to DAL 38 for 17 yards (25-P.Watkins).

This is their big 15 play, 80 yard TD drive. After getting stuck in 3rd and long all game, they convert on 3-11 and 3-13 to keep the drive alive.

(:13) 25-R.Grant left end to DAL 23 for -2 yards (94-D.Ware). PENALTY on DAL-32-O.Scandrick, Illegal Use of Hands, 5 yards, enforced at DAL 21 - No Play.

Scandrick killed them on this drive with 2 penalties that resulted in 1st downs.

Fourth Quarter:

(15:00) 12-A.Rodgers pass incomplete deep right to 89-J.Jones.

He had WR James Jones opened down the sideline, but it was just overthrown.

(13:17) 12-A.Rodgers left guard for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. Penalty on DAL-94-D.Ware, Defensive Offside, declined.

Rodgers has been productive running the ball this season. He ran for a 1st down earlier in the game, and then this TD.

(11:52) (Shotgun) 9-T.Romo sacked at DAL 25 for -7 yards (21-C.Woodson). FUMBLES (21-C.Woodson), touched at DAL 20, RECOVERED by GB-52-C.Matthews at DAL 7. 52-C.Matthews pushed ob at DAL 3 for 4 yards (82-J.Witten).

Why can't they review whether one team has recovered their own fumble? Whatever the reason, it sure worked out for the Packers because RB Felix Jones probably recovered it. Watch it here.

(10:53) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers pass short left to 41-S.Havner for 2 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

Spencer Havner: reliable go-to receiver. Who knew? Watch it here.

(8:14) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 9-T.Romo pass incomplete deep middle to 80-M.Bennett.

Bullet: dodged. It looked like he was wide open and had a clear lane to the end zone, but Romo overthrew him.

(6:03) (Shotgun) 9-T.Romo pass short right intended for 82-J.Witten INTERCEPTED by 21-C.Woodson at GB 1. 21-C.Woodson to GB 4 for 3 yards (82-J.Witten).

Just a back breaker. A 16 play, 76 yard drive ends when Woodson does a great job and jumps the route. They were finally able to keep the pressure off Romo and move the ball down the field, but it was a battle for every completion. This drive ate up almost 5 minutes and gave Dallas no time to mount a comeback.

(3:31) 7-J.Kapinos punts 41 yards to DAL 46, Center-61-B.Goode. 84-P.Crayton to GB 47 for 7 yards (41-S.Havner). PENALTY on DAL-98-C.Johnson, Illegal Block Above the Waist, 10 yards, enforced at DAL 47. Penalty on DAL-85-K.Ogletree, Illegal Block Above the Waist, declined.

Too bad the Packers weren't able to run out the clock after the INT. But I point this play out because it was the second special teams penalty by Dallas DE Curtis Johnson in the 4th quarter.

(:42) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 9-T.Romo pass short right to 11-R.Williams for 9 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

The 2nd drive in a row where the Cowboys are able to protect Romo and move down the field. It's a good thing they weren't able to figure this out until only 11 minutes remained in the game. And this was the 2nd good game in a row for WR Roy Williams. How come the Cowboys hadn't been able to use his height against shorter CBs until recently?

The VRR: Cowboys (5-2) @ Eagles (5-2)

Aaron Novinger — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:05:51 -0000

More photos » by Carolyn Kaster - AP

The Dallas secondary could try to bump DeSean Jackson out of Andy Reid's gameplan.

Browse more photos »

How do you defend the hottest receiving threat in the NFC East? Both the Dallas and the Philadelphia defenses could be asking themselves this very question all the way up to the Cowboys @ Eagles matchup on Sunday Night Football.

It could be tough for us, fans, to relax and watch the day games without twiddling our thumbs in anxiety over such thoughts as, "will Miles Austin's touchdown streak continue?" or "can the secondary stop DeSean Jackson?" Certainly, there are many other stories to the game to focus on, but lately it has been the continued emergence of these two weapons that has greatly increased the threat of these teams' respective offenses.

When that first ball kicks off, though, we will forget this week's headlines and get caught up in the hard-hitting, well-balanced contest that this should turn out to be. Playing physically has helped put the Cowboys where they are today. Continuing to do so could help produce on the scoreboard, and better yet, lead to a 6-2 record come Monday.

Can the physical play of Mike Jenkins stop DeSean Jackson? Eagles' safety Quintin Demps says, "no".

"Just be physical," Jenkins said Wednesday. "Go out and hit them in the mouth."

If that means playing press coverage, Jenkins might want to re-think that stance, Philadelphia safety Quintin Demps suggested in a phone interview.

"I've never seen a guy that fast and quick at the same time," Demps, a Roosevelt graduate, said of Jackson. "And he's smart. He knows how to play off of leverage and get off press coverage."

More Cowboys @ Eagles after the jump.

If Miles Austin and DeSean Jackson get voted into the Pro Bowl, it would be the first time a WR from both teams make it to Hawaii since the early 90s.

Now our guy Adam Schefter has unearthed the interesting nugget that a Cowboys and Eagles wide receiver haven't gone to the Pro Bowl in the same season since Michael Irvin and the immortal Fred Barnett both made it in 1992. Before that, you have to go all the way back to Tony Hill and Mike Quick.

Former Dallas defensive coordinator, Brian Stewart, may have not have much insight to offer Andy Reid in regards to Wade Phillips' defense.

Philadelphia coach Andy Reid tried to downplay the importance of having former Cowboys defensive coordinator Brian Stewart on his staff. Reid said whatever insight Stewart offers in advance of Sunday's game would be offset by coach Wade Phillips' ability to be unpredictable with his defense.

"Wade is a pretty creative guy," Reid said. "We have talked to ... [Stewart], but at the same time I know they've made changes."

Since taking over the Cowboys, Phillips is 2-2 against Reid. For his career as a head coach and defensive coordinator, Phillips is 4-5 against Reid.

Roy Williams had two of his best games in Philadelphia.

Going to Philadelphia could rouse Roy Williams from his funk. With Detroit, he had nine catches for 135 yards and two touchdowns at Philadelphia in 2004 and nine catches for a career-high 204 yards and one touchdown in 2007.

S Brian Dawkins is a tough presence to replace in the Philly secondary.

The Eagles have used a three-man rotation his place: rookie Macho Harris, Sean Jones and Quintin Demps. Harris started the first six games, but Jones replaced him for last week's win over the New York Giants. The Eagles have not committed to a starter against the Cowboys.

LB Chris Gocong is doubtful, but Brian Westbrook will be ready.

In other injury news, running back Brian Westbrook was held out of practice on Friday after a strong two days of practice by Reid, but he is expected to play and contribute in a significant manner on Sunday night against the Dallas Cowboys.

Wide receiver Kevin Curtis is the only player listed as out.

Rookie seventh-round pick Moise Fokou will start as the strongside linebacker if Gocong is unable to go. Coach Reid said he had plenty of confidence in Fokou to get the job done.

"He's worked hard," Reid said of Fokou. "Even when Chris was healthy, he worked in there during practice."

Cowboys @ Eagles injury report, courtesy of philadelphiaeagles.com.

CuJo and K.O. to play against the Eagles?

Based on the special teams practices all week, it appears linebacker Curtis Johnson and wide receiver Kevin Ogletree will both be in uniform for Sunday’s game in Philadelphia.

Marion Barber's quad is inching closer to being at full strength.

It could take up to 10 weeks for Barber to be 100 percent, according to the Cowboys. But Wade Phillips said Barber is getting better every week and starting to show some of that old explosiveness.

"He’s got a little more juice," Phillips said. "It’s an injury that you lose strength. It’s not something where you’re going to get injured again. He lost some power in one leg. He could play, and I thought he had his best game last week. He looked good today. I think more and more we’ll see the Marion Barber that we know and love."

Barber blogged about getting ready for the Eagles on his website.

My left thumb is still a little bit jammed from our game in Kansas City. I jammed it pretty good during pass protection but it's alright now. It doesn't affect my ability to carry the ball or anything.

Miles Austin has been coming up big for us recently and it's no surprise to anyone on the team. He's been balling out there and he's gonna continue to do so. We have a lot of guys who can produce and it's a great feeling. We have three guys in the backfield who are all dangerous too. That's a big plus for us because we work really well together. Nobody worries about who gets the touches, we all just want to win. There's no jealousy.

Stephen Bowen's hard work and athleticism are really starting to show this season.

Bowen, who carries 306 pounds on a 6-foot-5 frame, started playing football when he was 7. He said his height was average until the ninth grade, when he had a growth spurt that continued until he was big enough to move from linebacker to defensive line at Hofstra.

Bowen also played running back in high school. As a senior, he amassed 565 yards of total offense and scored four touchdowns.

"A lot of guys think I have good feet, and it's because I wasn't always big," Bowen said.

Bowen's athleticism was on display when he batted down Hasselbeck's pass on third-and-10 from the Dallas 25-yard line during Seattle's opening possession. Had the ball found its way to running back Justin Forsett, he likely would have scored on a perfectly set up middle screen. Instead, the Seahawks had to settle for a field goal.

With his impressive leg strength, David Buehler will reassess what his touchback goals are for this season.

No other team has more than 13 touchbacks. Buehler, who came into the season, with the goal of leading the NFL in the category said it's time to revise his goal.

"Instead of leading the league in touchbacks," Buehler said, "I can try and push past everybody and be in a league of my own."

The series history between these two clubs:

The Cowboys hold a 53-43 advantage in their all-time regular season series with the Eagles, including a conventional split of last year's home-and-home. Dallas won a 41-37 home thriller when the teams met in Week 2 of last season, but as previously mentioned, were drilled by a 44-6 count with a playoff berth on the line at Lincoln Financial Field in Week 17. Dallas last won in Philly in 2007, coming up a 38-17 winner in a primetime game there.

In addition to their regular season advantage, the Cowboys have a 2-1 edge in the postseason series. The Eagles were 20-7 winners in the 1980 NFC Championship, while Dallas won NFC Divisional Playoff games over Philadelphia following the 1992 and 1995 seasons.

Eagles head coach Andy Reid has a career record of 14-6 against the Cowboys. Dallas' Wade Phillips is 3-2 all-time against both Philadelphia and Reid all- time, with the first of those wins coming in the form of a 26-0 rout for Phillips' Bills over the Eagles in 1999.

Raf breaks down the key matchups in his post here.

Here is the NFL Game Center for the Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles.

If you're away from the TV, but have access to a computer Sunday night, you can watch the game live here.

Vote for some Cowboys to make the 2010 Pro Bowl here.

You've got 21 days left to vote Emmitt Smith on Van Heusen Fan's Choice.

Dallas Cowboys at Denver Broncos Friday Injury Report

Tim Lynch — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 07:35:27 -0000

DENVER BRONCOS
Player (Pos.)	Injury	Wed. Participation	Thur. Participation	Fri. Participation	Friday Status
Ben Hamilton (G)	Hamstring	Did Not Participate	Did Not Participate	Did Not Participate	Doubtful
Ryan Harris (T)	Shoulder	Did Not Participate	Limited Participation	Limited Participation	Questionable
Peyton Hillis (FB)	Head	Did Not Participate	Limited Participation	Full Participation	Probable
Spencer Larsen (ILB/FB)	Shoulder	Did Not Participate	Did Not Participate	Did Not Participate	OUT
Alphonso Smith (CB)	Ankle	Did Not Participate	Did Not Participate	Did Not Participate	Doubtful
Brandon Stokley (WR)	Thigh	Limited Participation	Limited Participation	Limited Participation	Questionable
Kenny McKinley (WR)	Illness	Not Listed	Did Not Participate	Full Participation	Probable
DALLAS COWBOYS
Player (Pos.)	Injury	Wed. Participation	Thur. Participation	Fri. Participation	Friday Status
Michael Hamlin (CB)	Wrist	Did Not Participate	Did Not Participate	Did Not Participate	OUT
Curtis Johnson (LB)	Hamstring	Did Not Partcipate	Did Not Participate	Did Not Participate	OUT
Felix Jones (RB)	Knee	Did Not Participate	Did Not Participate	Did Not Participate	OUT
Marion Barber (RB)	Thigh	Limited Participation	Full Participation	Full Participation	Probable
Flozell Adams (T)	Shoulder	Full Participation	Did Not Participate	Full Participation	Probable
DeMarcus Ware (LB)	Neck	Full Participation	Full Participation	Full Participation	Probable
Jason Williams (LB)	Ankle	Full Participation	Full Participation	Full Participation	Probable

Dallas Cowboys at Denver Broncos Thursday Injury Report

Tim Lynch — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 23:25:17 -0000

DENVER BRONCOS
Player (Pos.)	Injury	Wed. Participation	Thur. Participation	Fri. Participation	Friday Status
Ben Hamilton (G)	Hamstring	Did Not Participate	Did Not Participate
Ryan Harris (T)	Shoulder	Did Not Participate	Limited Participation
Peyton Hillis (FB)	Head	Did Not Participate	Limited Participation
Spencer Larsen (ILB/FB)	Shoulder	Did Not Participate	Did Not Participate
Alphonso Smith (CB)	Ankle	Did Not Participate	Did Not Participate
Brandon Stokley (WR)	Thigh	Limited Participation	Limited Participation
Kenny McKinley (WR)	Illness	Not Listed	Did Not Participate
DALLAS COWBOYS
Player (Pos.)	Injury	Wed. Participation	Thur. Participation	Fri. Participation	Friday Status
Michael Hamlin (CB)	Wrist	Did Not Participate	Did Not Participate
Curtis Johnson (LB)	Hamstring	Did Not Partcipate	Did Not Participate
Felix Jones (RB)	Knee	Did Not Participate	Did Not Participate
Marion Barber (RB)	Thigh	Limited Participation	Full Participation
Flozell Adams (T)	Shoulder	Full Participation	Did Not Participate
DeMarcus Ware (LB)	Neck	Full Participation	Full Participation
Jason Williams (LB)	Ankle	Full Participation	Full Participation

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

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

More photos » by Donna McWilliam - AP

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

Browse more photos »

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

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

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

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

More Panthers @ Cowboys after the jump.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[snip]

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dallas has owned Carolina in the regular season.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Barry Horn wrote an excellent bio on DE Igor Olshansky.

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

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

Analysis of the 2009 Colts roster cuts: Part One

BigBlueShoe — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 14:42:14 -0000

by Michael Conroy - AP

Indianapolis Colts head coach Jim Caldwell, right, and team president Bill Polian. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

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We have the final roster cut-down list, written up by shake n bake.

Almost immediately, there was significant reaction. Granted, every year cuts happen and there is always those one or two cuts where people scream NOOOOOOOOOOO!!! only to get over it once the season starts. But, with players like Dante Hughes, Mike Hart, and (especially) Marcus Howard getting the boot, it should serve as a reminder that the Colts do indeed have a new coach. This new coach has new ideas; ideas that in some cases will differ from his predecessor. And as we have seen, the 2007 and 2008 drafts, which were very heavily influenced by what Tony Dungy likes in players, were not drafts that tickle the fancy of new Colts coach Jim Caldwell.
MasterRWayne discusses whether Bill Polian has lost his touch as a draft guru. Currently, only three players remain from the 2007 draft, and three significant players from the 2008 draft were recently let go.
John Oehser offers his roster analysis at Examiner.com.
18to88 chimes in.
My favorite reader comment on the roster cuts thus far comes from Cassieper:

Lance Ball: He wasn’t that good. We only considered keeping him because Hart was injured.

Guns: Always injured. Never was going to contribute.

John Gill: Who?

Mike Hart: Serious injury. The Colts can’t wait until midseason on him.

Brett McDermott: Once again, who?

Tom Pestock: Only played in garbage time, never showed anything.

Taj Smith: Talented, maybe one year away. Cut him to get him on the practice squad. Should have no trouble getting him through the waivers.

Mike T: Another guy who’s practice squad bound. Wasn’t quite good enough to deal with starting talent.

Terrance Taylor: A huge project. Cross your fingers and hope he makes it to the practice squad.

Jaimie Thomas: A huge disappointment so far. Hasn’t shown anything. Practice squad bound.

Josh Thomas: Only good against the run. Putting him at end would concede the pass. Dawson is as good as him against the run and better as a pass rusher.

Michael Toudouze: I like him, but he is nowhere near Ugoh and CJ in talent.

Key and Petrowski: Bad players and injured. Bad combination.

So there you go.

In just a 24-hour period, this site has over 1,000 comments from numerous readers about the cuts. I did my best to read as many varying opinions as possible. After reading the comments, the articles, and examining how other teams dealt with the roster cut-downs, I have finally posted my analysis after the jump.

First off, I understand that the immediate reaction to the cuts seems like a stinging indictment of Polian's job, particularly when you look at the 2007 and 2008 drafts. Now, important to note that in neither of those drafts did Polian "bust" his first round pick, like Jerry Angelo with the Chicago Bears has done pretty much since 2004 (Rex Grossman, Cedric Benson, Chris Williams, etc.) With 2007 and 2008, it is important to note that those drafts were made with Tony Dungy working with Polian. Dungy had a specific philosophy about players. He valued certain traits over others. Bill respected that philosophy and draft accordingly.

But Dungy's philosophy on players is not necessarily shared by Jim Caldwell.

Dungy valued speed over size. This is why Marcus Howard and Curtis Johnson were so valued by Tony D. Clearly, Bill Polian and Jim Caldwell do not value speed over size as much. The Colts asked Cujo to add 15 pounds of muscle this off-season (which he did), but his efforts were not enough to supplant Keyunta Dawson. Dawson made the transition back to DE (his college position) during the off-season, and performed very well in camp and pre-season. Last season, Dawson was the starting defensive tackle, weighing in at 260 pounds. Now, he is more comfortable, and better suited, as a DE.

Thus, the smaller, quicker players like Howard and Cujo are expendable.

And I know some of you are screaming "WHAT ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED IN 2007 WHEN FREENEY AND MATHIS GOT HURT!" Folks, if Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis get hurt again as they did in 2007, it is the equivalent of losing Peyton Manning and Jeff Saturday. A player like Marcus Howard is not going to replace Dwight Freeney; not in this new defensive system. Indeed, one of the reasons Freeney and (especially) Mathis got hurt in 2007 was because the Colts relied too much on them for the pass rush. In a Tampa-2, the front four (not the front two) need to apply QB pressure. And now with Larry Coyer dialing up blitzes from Philip Wheeler (an excellent blitzer in college), Melvin Bullitt, and eventually Bob Sanders, the scheme should (in theory) create more rush without solely relying on Freeney and Mathis.

Also, I think Caldwell is just tired of seeing teams run the football at Indy's front, and having DEs weighting 245 pounds is not going to help you stop the run.

For Mike Hart, it is possible that he could be signed to the practice squad, but I think that's remote. Hart's knock coming out of college was he was "beaten up" after all the hits he took rushing for all those yards in the Big Ten. Last year, he blew out his knee and this pre-season he injured both his ankles. This is a bottom line business, folks. If you cannot stay healthy, you're not going to keep your job long.

And for all the Doom and Gloom folks who think that the cuts signal the "downfall" of the Colts, please take a moment to check out KFFL.com, or browse through the numerous SB Nation football sites. You will see all the cuts and roster moves other teams had to wrestle with. Many of these moves involved players many of us wanted the Colts to draft or sign in 2007 and 2008:

Buccaneers safety Tanard Jackson was placed on the suspended list. We thought highly of him in 2007.
The Bengals cut safety Corey Lynch. We also thought highly of him in 2008.
The Patriots cut Kevin O'Connell, another player in the 2008 NFL Draft we liked.
Packers first round bust Justin Harrell was placed on IR. For all the screaming about getting a quality DT the last three years, it seems Harrell clearly was not the answer in 2007. I thought he was. Clearly, I was wrong. Green Bay had to suffer through a horrid 6-10 season to draft B.J. Raji, and none of us know if he will be any good. He also signed late.
Packers also cut Brian Brohm, the "insurance QB" in case Aaron Rodgers turned out to suck. Brohm had a prolific career at Louisville, and if he had come out after his junior season, he might have been a first round pick.
John David Booty was cut.
Kory Sheets was cut.
Mitch King was cut.
Dominic Rhodes was cut. Hell, Marshawn Lynch is suspended for three games, and Dom still got cut. The Bills are a complete mess, folks.
DeMario Pressley, a DT from 2008 some wanted the Colts to grab, was cut by the Saints. So was former Colts WR Courtney Roby.
Adam Carriker, who I wanted the Colts trade trade for last season, is now on IR.
Broncos cut Tim Crowder, their second round pick from 2007.
The Jaguars IRed their starting DT from last season, Rob Meier.

So, no offense, but to those who seem to second guess Bill Polian for the 2007 and 2008 drafts (like Paul Kuharsky at ESPN), kindly tell me who he was supposed to take. Many of the players we all wanted Polian to pick up then are now in the same boat as Mike Hart, Marcus Howard, and Dante Hughes. If you want to bash him for trading up to get Tony Ugoh in 2007 and, thus, preventing Indy from getting a player like Matt Forte in 2008, then fine. I think that's fair. But, from where I'm sitting, it looks like the 2007 and 2008 drafts just did not foster the kind of overall NFL talent we are used to seeing from the collegiate ranks.

It's also important to note that from the now dreaded 2007 draft, Polian managed to sign then-free agent rookie Melvin Bullitt. So, it's not like lunch meat came out of 2007. Clearly, taking Anthony Gonzalez worked out better than trading up to get someone like Justin Harrell.

All of us are so used to seeing Polian draft picks work out that, when they don't, we scratch our head and wonder if we haven't been transported into some netherworld, alternate reality. But if you look around the NFL right now, lots of "name" players from the 2007 and 2008 drafts are, indeed, now looking for work.

Part two of my roster evaluation will get posted later today while teams begin putting in waiver claims for many of the recently cut players.

The VRR: Linebackers and Special Teams Players Wanted

Aaron Novinger — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 16:01:34 -0000

More photos » by David J. Phillip - AP

Brett Favre will not play when the Vikings host the Cowboys in the final preseason game Friday night. Aside from perhaps a series or two, both teams will hold out most of their starters.

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OLB Brandon Williams (knee) is on injured reserve. SS Michael Hamlin (wrist) and ILB Jason Williams (high ankle sprain) are expected to miss 4-6 weeks. The draft class that was supposed supply key backups and special teamers has thinned out in a major way. Now, Coach Phillips sounds concerned about ILB Stephen Hodge's knee. Josh Ellis says that IR may be an option for the rookie.

"If he's hurt," Phillips said. "It depends on what our doctors and our trainers think as far as what his prognosis is, and I just don't get a good - They thoughit it was good, but it doesn't look good right now. So we may have to reevaluate."

Placing Hodge on IR with the final round of cuts Saturday would protect his rights. The Cowboys have a few other options for their last middle linebacker spot in Matt Stewart and Tearrius George.

Here is the updated list of the Cowboys' walking wounded.

More VRR after the jump.

This guy has answered the ad. Colts fans call him CuJo. We might as well call him a Dallas Cowboy. DC.com makes the case for why OLB Curtis Johnson will be on the 53-man roster.

[O]utside linebacker Curtis Johnson, a converted defensive end who was claimed off waivers from the Colts, likely won't be included when the final roster cuts on Saturday are trimmed down to 53 players.

[snip]

"There was a reason for picking him up," said head coach Wade Phillips, who admitted Johnson has been more impressive now than when they evaluated him coming out of Clark-Atlanta University last year. "We knew about him coming out of college. We had him as a projection linebacker. He's actually gained some weight. He weighed in at 254, so he's a pretty good-sized guy. He knows how to play full speed and he knows how to play all out, which was impressive. We thought it was an opportunity to get a guy that's a pretty good athlete that can maybe play."

Coach Phillips has yet to turn his defense loose this preseason. Bradie James and Keith Brooking are anticipating what the defensive guru has in store for the regular season.

"I'm looking forward to when we really get into the fire to see what Wade will call," James said. "Everybody's asking, ‘What do you think Wade will do? Is he complex? Is he this? Is he that?' Personally, I can't tell you. I won't know until we start playing games."

This much is certain: The emphasis will continue to be on creating turnovers right up to kickoff.

"It's not for lack of talking about it (creating turnovers), thinking about it, communicating that to one another, being very conscious about it," linebacker Keith Brooking said when asked about the preseason turnover drought. "When you have that going through your defense, it makes a big difference."

Favre vs. Romo? Not likely. Minnesota Vikings coach, Brad Childress, said his starters will not play in Friday night's final preseason game against the Cowboys.

Asked if he's seen enough of Brett Favre, Childress said, "I think we'll get enough work out here (Thursday). "We'll do a couple things with our starting group. Through the week next week, we'll be OK. I just don't see the upside of doing that any further. I thought he made a nice jump from week one to week two, showed he's got a good understanding of what we're doing."

Even though Favre has again returned to the NFL, Romo thinks the 39-year-old gun slinger can still play at a high level.

"Shoot, history tells us plenty of people have done it," Romo said. "Everybody remembers your (best) moments. Is Michael Jordan not Michael Jordan because of Washington? He came back, he was still a good player, very productive, but you hold such a standard - can you ever reach the level you were at in your prime? I don't know. That's why they all come back, to try and do that."

The Minneapolis StarTribune reports that the Vikings are trying to trade QB Tarvaris Jackson .

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will open up the season against the Cowboys with a new offensive coordinator. Very new. The team just fired Jeff Jagodzinski.

The team announced the move in a statement Thursday morning and also said quarterbacks coach Greg Olson will take over as coordinator. There was no reason given for Jagodzinski's firing, but coach Raheem Morris is scheduled to discuss the situation later in the day.

Oklahoma will play the first regular season football game in Cowboys Stadium when the Sooners take on BYU this Saturday.

At a worth of $1.65 billion, the Dallas Cowboys are easily the most valuable team in the NFL. The franchise is second only to England's Manchester United for being Forbes' most valuable sports franchise in the world.

Hat tip to One.Cool.Customer for the FanShot.

Colts roster moves: Three players injured-waived, TE Colin Cloherty cut

BigBlueShoe — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 22:37:12 -0000

More photos » by Michael Conroy - AP

Indianapolis Colts receiver John Matthews was (shockingly) not cut today (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

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Tomorrow, the Colts must trim their roster down to 75 players. Today, they took the first steps to doing so, placing Michael Coe, Curtis Johnson, and Rudolph Hardie on the injured-waived list. This is the same list the Colts placed Roy Hall on. Basically, when the players clear waivers, another team can pick them up. If a team doesn't, the Colts will then place them on the Injured Reserve (IR) list, effectively ending their season.

Again, just like with Roy Hall, it seems Coe, Hardie, and Johnson will not play for the Colts in 2009.

Indianapolis also cut Colin Cloherty. By my count, they need to make one more roster move to get to 75. One possibility is cutting kicker Shane Andrus and bringing Adam Vinatieri off the PUP list.

Cutting Coe was something many of us saw coming. I don't think he's played in a single pre-season game. Likely, he is still recovering from last season's knee injury during training camp, which is very unfortunate. Hardie was injured in the Lions pre-season game on Saturday, and apparently that injury was serious enough to get him waived-injured. Curtis Johnson is a bit of a shocker. Some of us (aka me!) thought he'd make the final roster. Not sure what his injury is.

Also, Kelvin Hayden, Matt Giordano, Raheem Brock, and Jacob Lacey returned to practice today, according to IFR. Held out of practice were Mike Hart, Mike Pollak, Sam Giguere, Clint Session, and Tom Santi. The Colts seem to be listing Santi's injury from the Lions game as an ankle injury, and, as Phil B of the Indy Star fears, it could be serious.

Big Happy and Big Worry for the Indianapolis Colts... so far

BigBlueShoe — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 13:39:23 -0000

More photos » by Darron Cummings - AP

4 months ago: Indianapolis Colts running back Joseph Addai runs out of a tackle of Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Trent Cole during the first quarter of an NFL preseason football game in Indianapolis, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

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I made it a personal point this pre-season to look around other blogs and websites to get a taste of what fans for other teams go through during this time. I also lurk around these places so I can see how other teams cope with the oftentimes torturous rigors of pre-season, especially when injuries and other side-winders (like Michael Vick, Plaxico Burress, Brett Favre, Tom Cable, etc.) throw monkey wrenches into a team's preparation for the season.

Last year, I felt I watched both the pre-season and the regular season with blinders on. I didn't care what Team X was going through, or that Player Y was out for the year with an ACL. My own team had their best player with a gimpy knee, a pot-smoking DT who liked to drag race against cop cars at 4 in the morning, and a star WR fighting off the jackals at ESPN for his non-involvement in a shooting in Philadelphia which saw a convicted liar and ex-felon get shot in the hand.

For me, 2008 was working past disaster, after disaster, after disaster. Yet, the team still won 12 games. I'm still amazed by that. Remember, there was a new stadium opening (sans gawdy and game-altering scoreboard), a slew of injuries, and a team trying to re-capture the magic that helped them win a Super Bowl.

This year, you could argue that the off-season news has been even louder, and filled with even more distractions. Tony Dungy is gone. Ron Meeks is gone. Marvin Harrison is gone. Dominic Rhodes is gone... again. Hunter Smith is gone. Bob Sanders is still hurt. So is Adam Vinatieri. Tony Ugoh is benched. And so on...

Yet, despite all this news, I personally do not feel that this off-season, and pre-season, has been near the disaster that last season was. Of course, anything can happen, and we hope (knock on wood) that nothing bad does. But it just seems this team is not distracted by any of the changes. That's a credit to Jim Caldwell, his staff, and the veteran players on this team.

So, unlike last year, where each week (even in pre-season) felt like it was just another game to "ride out" in the hope that soon something good will happen, this year I approach the games with a greater sense of hope. This team, even with all the departures, is a damn good team. But, even with all the changes and added (and in some cases improved) players that make me grin ear-to-ear, there are also some worries. Mind you, compared to other teams, they are minor worries, but to us they are major.

Big Happy: The defensive line

I'm pretty damn giddy about this group, especially when I read more articles about players like this. The defensive tackle position has looked very strong in camp and in pre-season. Bringing back Ed Johnson was a major coup that few people will talk about, but his presence will have a major impact on the AFC. Teaming him on the line with Antonio Johnson, who is much better than I ever gave him credit for, should drastically improve Indy's run defense.

And if you haven't watched the second string defensive ends, you haven't seen Marcus Howard absolutely torturing people like Tarvaris Jackson and A.J. Feely. We know Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis are the best pass rushing duo in football, but backing thme up are some pretty scary-good rushers in Howard and a bulked up Curtis Johnson. Also, once Raheem Brock's hand heals, his insertion back into the rotation will help both the DE and DT positions.

Big Worry: The offensive line

A big question mark this off-season was the health of Ryan Lilja, and thankfully that question has been answered. He is indeed healthy, and has looked good in pre-season. Jeff Saturday is back, and second year guard Mike Pollak is improved. Behind them all are solid depth with guard Jamey Richard and guard-center Kyle DeVan.

It's the tackles I'm worried about.

Ryan Diem is a great guy, and has been one helluva RT for years in Indy. But, for the last three years, Diem has been injury prone. Last year was the first time in a while he played, and started, all sixteen regular season games. I don't hold out hope that he will repeat that in 2009. But as dicey as the RT position seems, it is nothing to what we have at left tackle. All-Pro talent Tony Ugoh has been benched in favor of all-world back-up Charlie Johnson. CJ has played, and started, at four of Indy's five offensive line positions. He's a high quality player who gives maximum effort on every single down.

Sadly, he does not have the talent to play LT. Tony Ugoh does.

Ugoh's problem is his effort and his toughness. He has all the physical tools, all the skill to dominant this league at LT. But, for some reason, he can't beat out a utility player like CJ. This poses major problems because even on mediocre pass rushers, Indy cannot leave CJ to single block the rusher. He simply cannot do it. This means keeping a TE in to double, or using more chip blocks from the backs. Thus, it limits the offense. This does not even take into account what they will need to do against the premiere rushers of this league. Mario Williams plays in this division, and the Colts will face the Patriots and the Ravens this season.

So, what are the things you are both excited and worried about?

2009 Colts Training Camp: Thoughts as we enter the first pre-season game

BigBlueShoe — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 15:26:51 -0000

More photos » by Michael Conroy - AP

4 months ago: Indianapolis Colts linebacker Freddy Keiaho (54) calls out the defense in front Adam Seward during the NFL team's football training camp in Terre Haute, Ind., Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2009. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

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What to look for tonight as the Colts face the Vikings in the first pre-season game for both teams in 2009.

Peyton Manning will play about ten plays, and that's it. Look for him to establish timing with ~~Anthony Gonzalez~~. Check that-- Gonzo's out. Pierre Garcon will likely start for him.
Charlie Johnson will start at LT, and Tony Ugoh will start at RT. Say a small prayer before the game, folks.
This is a game where Lance Ball and Chad Simpson need to showcase some ability at running back.
We should see a lot of Austin Collie in the slot.
The entire starting secondary is out. Starting the game will be Tim Jennings, Dante Hughes, Matt Giordano, and Melvin Bullitt.
Watch the run defense for the first two series, particularly when Adrian Peterson is in there.
Pass rush all night will be something I will watch. How are Marcus Howard and ~~Curtis Johnson~~ Keyunta Dawson looking?

What are your thoughts heading into the game?