Throughout the month of April the sports watching public was swamped once again with prognostications concerning the draft. Every able bodied reporter with a presentable haircut and three-piece was elbowing for some good face time. Each spring I have to stifle my nausea watching so-called NFL draft gurus like Mel Kiper and Mike Mayock going at it predicting how the draft order will change and the predictions as well. Locally this is a huge pain in the ass as the focus is on the eternally pathetic Cleveland Browns, even while we have a winning baseball team. There is NO BIGGER expression of the over-hyped sports event than the NFL Draft. At least LeBron's decision was a one-time deal.

There are some more teeth gritting moments during the actual NFL season, such as whenever Steve Young comes on camera. But the concentration of these pompous a-holes is highest during draft week. Here is the attitude that I think people should take towards each draft: Teams have a true opportunity to improve, experiment, and rejuvenate their lineups. On the other hand, by over-investing in it the consequences can wreck entire organizations. Every sport has its own drawbacks in this respect. In baseball the draft is nowhere near as important, because there is such a wealth of picks and prospects tend to change organizations easily. In basketball, however, it isn't uncommon to see teams tank entire seasons just so they could move to the top of the draft order, a la Charlotte this season. In football, losing teams often have hometown radio hosts who will encourage them to roll over late in the season for better draft picks. Does that really end up helping the team? If anything it only degrades the self esteem of fans, and lowers the motivation of free agents to return.

On the N.O. bounty scandal

I cannot take a stance in favour of or against Roger Goodell's handling of the Saints' bounty scandal. This is because such offenses don't fit into any real category that has existed in the past. I think that America was collectively welcoming of the Saints' Super Bowl title two seasons ago, including myself. The key figures on the team, even those who have left, were easy to identify with and have engaging personalities. But like in every ethics scandal of sports, even people who are normally worthy of our admiration must bear some responsibility for their stupid decisions or behaviour.

The real issue shouldn't be whether this penalty was fair. What I can't understand is that no one asks why if this is such a heinous crime the NFL shouldn't deal more seriously with off-the-field incidents. On the contrary, pro football decision makers like Goodell are all too willing to let bygones be bygones when the offense is outside of stadium bounds. To a certain extent, those aren't his responsibility. When a player belts his wife or girlfriend, or is pulled over reeking of Jager, or sends an electronic package of his package to a reporter, the justice system is the real venue for settling these disputes.

However, there are certain crimes that the NFL somehow deems unforgivable, such as gambling. Gambling may not be the most virtuous pastime, but it certainly isn't harmful in and of itself, like domestic violence, sexual harrassment, or DWIs. Yet Art Schlichter, a former Colts quarterback convicted of only illegal gambling offenses but none of the other vices I've mentioned, may be the fastest player to be banned permanently from the NFL. During the same period Dexter Manley, a Redskins defensive lineman, was a repeated drug offender, yet was never permanently banned . . . only suspended for two seasons. He would have been able to make a comeback if he hadn't been convicted of a cocaine related offense in 1995. Some have posited that gambling is a threat to the integrity of the game due to the possibility results and performances can be affected by wagers. But aren't such results also affected by drug use? What about people like Sam Hurd he never can get enough and become large scale drug dealers? Wasn't Brett Favre's mental focus affected during the photo scandal? Michael Vick's dog fighting activities may have been the most self-destructive saga of the decade for an individual NFL player, and it rivals Tiger Woods' own troubles in the general field of sports.

Roger Goodell's program of reducing the violent injuries on the field has a legitimate point, even if plenty of people think it degrades the quality of play. But then why give so many players the benefit of the doubt when they make immoral decisions? Saints fans and others should accept this penalty, but they should also demand the book be thrown at the next Sam Hurd or Donte Stallworth.

I write as I'm watching the post-game coverage of the Giants' victory over the Cowboys. It seems I should be more bitter. Last year the season ended with a meaningless victory against Philadelphia. The season before that ended with a disgraceful play-off defeat against the Vikings. Both times the feeling was unsatisfactory, but I don't hate those teams nearly as much as the G-men. The other teams I follow have also been non-achievers: The Cleveland Indians blew a long division lead to give the Tigers the Central Division. The OSU Buckeyes have given themselves an epic black eye by disqualifying themselves from the post-season in football. Their basketball team has been a complete let-down year after year. But that is irrelevant. When it comes to winning or losing big, the Cowboys have never disappointed. Since that fateful defeat on January 5, 1997 against the Carolina Panthers, Dallas has lost a magic spark, and that has obviously lacked in the years since. Even a victory this week would have opened up room for more questions next week.

The Final Countdown

I had a foreboding feeling long before the final seconds ticked off the clock at MetLife Stadium/The New Meadowlands. The week before, I was able to catch the tail end of the shameful home defeat against the Eagles. At that point, I saw that this team was forgettable without our team leader, Tony Romo. And even with him, they don't seem to rise to the occasion. Even good throws by him get dropped. This will end up being my only post from this season. Last season I was ripped for criticizing Romo, even suggesting that a certain former Titans quarterback would be a good replacement for him.

Let it be clear that this wasn't meant to be another pillory of Romo as a quarterback. In fact, that season he wasn't even able to participate for a good part of the season due to a crushing injury. But the people who filled in for Romo, Stephen McGee and John Kitna, were obviously not good replacements. This year Romo participated the whole year, made some very gutsy performances, and undeniably also cost the Cowboys key games. The conclusion that I would reach, and anyone is free to disagree, is that Tony Romo is a great statistical quarterback, a very convincing offensive leader, and even the heart and soul of our massive fan base. But what he is not is a marquee quarterback. Because that category features players who have been able to cross that stream into greatness. Those names are Brady, Brees, Roethlisberger, Manning and Rodgers. No one can rightfull include Tony Romo in those ranks. Even with his accomplishments, many commentators refuse to include Eli Manning in them.

I feel that for next season Tony Romo will continue to be the leader of our offense. Unfortunately, I don't know that he is deserving of the trust of this great franchise, and maybe the time has come for Jerry Jones, Jason Garrett, or whoever will be in charge, to begin tutoring the next Dallas franchise quarterback. There are plenty of examples of teams that stuck with great passers for years, and in the end had to face the music. Not long ago the Eagles traded Donovan McNabb to Washington, the Broncos just allowed Kyle Orton to be picked up by Kansas City. Those who will reply to this post must answer this question: Divest your emotion from this issue and let's take another team with a great talented passer: The San Diego Chargers. Do you see Philip Rivers guiding them to a title in the future? Because Rivers, for all of his past success, simply has the same scarlet letter spread across his back as Romo. For the sake of all of us, I hope that Tony Romo surprises me, shocks the world, and improves the stature of this team.

Marginal people crush the center

To blame a player who overcame three key injuries this season, faced down media witchhunts, and has survived yet one more season as the starter for a team with a pressure cooker atmosphere would be merciless, and more so incorrect. Tony Romo was not to blame for this loss, although he did play key roles in other ones. Unfortunately, the Cowboys pass rush once again was inconsequential in slowing down a dynamic offense led by Eli Manning. Their coverage of his receivers was for the second time a complete failure. The personnel we have is capable of fulfilling those needs, but they don't have the motivation nor the coaching to do that. I can't judge whether Rob Ryan will in the end be able to actualize that potential, and no one knows if he will be given that chance. The Dallas defense possesses playmakers on the line and at linebacker in DeMarcus Ware, Jay Ratliff, and Sean Lee. Others were once capable of evoking fear in enemy offenses, such as Keith Brooking and Bradie James. But in the secondary they only have a barely adequate group in Terence Newman, Orlando Scandrick, Gerald Sensabaugh, Alan Ball et al. Both of these units must be infused in the future with players who cause opposing offensive coaches to cross off options in their playbook.

On offense, the Cowboys have a group of receivers that could be the envy of the league in Miles Austin, Jason Witten, Dez Bryant, and Laurent Robinson. Their running game also possesses two or three solid players in Felix Jones, DeMarco Murray, and Sammy Morris. At quarterback, Romo can still produce great results. However, the backup position could benifit if they had a player more in the style of Michael Vick or Cam Newton. These guys are dangerous as rushers and are physical enough to withstand the pass rush. Obviously that would entail shifting the style of the Cowboys. Other teams have struggled by trying to fit inadequate personnel into ambitious schemes. Just look at the Browns and Rams who have failed miserably at integrating Colt McCoy and Sam Bradford into the West Coast Offense. As long as Tony Romo is quarterback, the Cowboys should not alter their game plan. But if he won't be able to play at some point next season due to injury or whatever reason, a contingency has to be prepared. That is how the Broncos reached the play-offs this year. That's how Brett Favre took a wishy-washy Vikings offense and turned them into the second seed in the NFC two seasons ago. The example of last week's pathetic cave-in against Philadelphia cannot be accepted as the norm. Teams that can't win with their back-ups don't have the character to succeed with their starters. This isn't a blue print to reaching the Super Bowl or even being good from season to season, but is a key reason why a team that is otherwise great couldn't close out the NFC East in four of their last five games.

Best Memories

The saving grace of this season was the always welcome sweep of the hated Redskins. This should never be taken for granted; after all the divisional games are the deciding games in the season. The Week 3 effort to protect the home field was the most nail-biting game I have ever experienced. The game was in limbo from play to play as the Cowboys seemed bound for disintegration. I felt the same way in the middle of the third quarter when my brother called to tell me our mom was in the hospital. As ridiculous as it sounds, the improbable win on eight field goals helped sustain me in the weeks that followed.

The only other moment I witnessed personally that gave me any encouragement was the Week 15 excursion to Tampa when the TV crew remarked many times that the stands were coloured with a majority Cowboys crowd. It is ironic to see that despite a dearth of success over more than a decade and a half, the Cowboy faithful remains strong in contrast to the 49ers and Dolphins national fan bases that in the past were a roaring throng and today are invisible.

Daggers in the heart

I didn't witness all of these, but the meltdowns in New York, Arizona, and against Detroit called into question why I feel this team is so special. It is outrageous defeats like these that are harder to swallow than even the pathetic showings against Philly or the nailbiting loss at New England. I often shouted at the screen: "Can these guys cover anyone?"

Obscured Nuggets

I'll close with observations of the moments I felt were overlooked as defining 2011 in the NFL:

• On Monday Halloween Night the Chargers visited Arrowhead Stadium and were in position to seize a commanding lead of the AFC West. They were able to drive deep into KC territory with 48 seconds left and the score knotted at 20. Philip Rivers took the snap in order to bring the next play closer into the center of the field and into optimal field goal formation. Instead he fumbled the snap with a closed hand and the Chiefs recovered. They would eventually win by three in overtime. In the end, both teams seasons would be ruined, as Matt Cassel would be injured, Todd Haley fired, and San Diego eliminated later. Norv Turner may have just coached his final game for the Chargers, and I have no doubt that the Week 8 head shaker had a key role in that.
• One week earlier, Indianapolis visited the Superdome for a rematch of Super Bowl XLIV with the Saints.This game was far less rivetting than the Chargers-Chiefs matchup. In fact it was pretty much decided within one quarter as the Saints romped with almost no resistance. The visions that stayed with me were of the proud Colts D-Line who stood in formation for play after play in their backward march toward futility, and of a once excellent quarterback, Kerry Collins, who had no chance in hell of filling Peyton Manning's shoes.
• In Week 9, the Baltimore Ravens visited Heinz Field. This would be a far more important display of their grit than their Week 1 blowout win over the Steelers. Despite being down by four in the closing minutes of the 4th quarter, Joe Flacco led the Ravens on a late drive immortalized by an end zone throw to Torrey Smith. After eight more weeks, both teams would have equal records, but as a result of this improbable drive, the Ravens remained with the edge, and I believe they are up to whatever challenge awaits them in the play-offs.
• Much has been written about the current crop of young QB's. These include Matt Stafford, Mark Sanchez, Cam Newton, and Tim Tebow. But only one those four will be playing in the playoffs next week. Unless we include a young play caller from Texas Christian University who was considered at season's start cannon fodder. I'm talking about Andy Dalton, a red-headed rookie who is one of only five first-year QB's to have thrown for at least 20 touchdowns (Newton is also on that list). But Dalton's accomplishments are ever more remarkable given the Cincinnatti Bengals' miserable expectations in September. They had just experienced the one-man player strike of Carson Palmer and the abominable conduct of owner Mike Brown in that saga, the trade of number one weapon Chad Ochocinco to New England. There were few positive markers in that mix. He wouldn't be the hero in Week 1 against the Browns; that honor belonged to his back-up Bruce Gradkowski. But in Week 4 he stunned the Bills at home, and he and favourite target AJ Green haven't been fazed since then. No one has crowned the Bengals as future ring wearers, but with Dalton's prediction-defying performance, and similar late heroics from Houstons TJ Yates, we shouldn't be quick to judge young QB's as dead men walking. On the other side of the fence, we witnessed his fellow rookies or 2nd-year men Curtis Painter, Sam Bradford, Christian Ponder, and Colt McCoy eating turf week after week. So the bottom line is that a young eager QB can truly be a game changer, but they can just as well be irrelevant roster fillers.

• The final moment was easily forgotten for several reasons, not the least of which was because it happened in Week 2 and no one at the time was conscious of what was truly going on with either team involved. For the third consecutive regular season the Atlanta Falcons played the Philadelphia Eagles in a game hyped by a match between Michael Vick and his old team. Vick was the back-up in 2009 to Donovan McNabb, who defeated Atlanta, and in 2010 Kevin Kolb earned one of his last victories as the Eagle starter while Vick once again was a mere sideshow. Each of the previous two games served as question marks as to whether Matt Ryan was really equal to the task of filling Vick's shoes and running the Falcons to a greater destiny, even as they qualified for the play-offs both times. Furthermore, the Falcons preceded the meeting with dizzying losses in preseason to Miami, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Jacksonville. In their season opener, Ryan and the Falcons were tossed casually aside by a thundering Bears team led by Brian Urlacher and Jay Cutler.

But the actual game would leave no doubt that the Falcons' destiny is no longer a captive of Vick's sordid past and his quest for redemption. Down 17-7 at the half, the Falcons bounced back against Philly after Vick was injured and booed off the field (why, I don't know) and he pointed at the scoreboard in defiance. It turned out that Vick would be showed up by his successor who would throw for four touchdowns. One can't help but admire the resilience of the disgraced No. 7 in green who will not be bowed in shame forever. But the final story of that night would be the sense of closure for Ryan, Mike Smith, and the Atlanta community who may have finally earned a real identity despite their play-off stumbles and their second-place status to the rival Saints. The next years should promise more entertainment in the NFC South with three teams featuring heart-wrenching playmakers, and Matt Ryan gives the Falcons reason not to feel disadvantaged.

To all of my fellow Lone-Star fans from Arlington to here in Ohio, have a happier New Year than the one that has just passed. And here's my order of preference of who I want to win it all:

1.Saints

2.Ravens

3. Lions

4. Broncos

5. Falcons

6. Bengals

Everyone else can just suck it.

The emptiest feeling pervades my room after having spent this day at work following the Dallas game on Yahoo! Game Channel. Was I pleased that we ended the season with a road win at Philly? That goes without saying. After all, living in Cleveland I could take comfort in the fact that one of Dallas's worst seasons is still better (barely) than Cleveland's, so there will still be something for me to reply to the local haters. This Sunday ended in the best possible scenario from where I see it: Dallas reached .500 in divisional play, the Giants beat the Redskins, and they also missed the playoffs. 

So where does that leave us? This blog has always been about the Cowboys as part of their division, so this entry will briefly show the picture as it has changed since the last post:

The Dallas Cowboys of 2011 are only part of the larger question mark of a league facing lockout. The coaching staff may look completely different by next year, and there are gaping holes in the offensive line and secondary. Nevertheless, the Joneses have a good chassis upon which to rebuild. They will not have to seek running backs, tight ends, or receivers with the urgency that other teams may have  to. But none of these units can function well in the offense that exists today without a solid O-line. The fearsome defensive line is a real asset, but a secondary that creates turnovers is what creates anxiety among opposing offensive coordinators.

The Philadelphia Eagles as they stand today are the most attractive team in the NFC East, and the win this Sunday changes nothing. They have an owner that commands tremendous respect around the league and nationwide for that matter. Andy Reid is the second most tenured coach in the league, and if Jeff Fisher is out in Tennessee he will be on top in that category. Michael Vick is by far the most intriguing comeback story that has been in professional sports. Forget about the burnout comebacks of Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden in baseball; an ex-convict who within two seasons moves two slots up and mounts the Miracle at the New Meadowlands is far more interesting. They have three playmakers in DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, and Jason Avant, as well as their solid RB LeSean McCoy. And before I forget they're the only East team that made the playoffs. If Michael Vick can persevere against Green Bay next Sunday, then I will believe that the Eagles have truly found a permanent system. I can't predict if Vick will be healthy enough to seriously challenge Atlanta or Chicago after that. With a loss it will be impossible for Reid and Jeffrey Lurie to prove that the organization has progressed by dumping Donovan McNabb.

Despite a far better record, the Giants may have an even more dissatisfied public to cater to next season than Dallas. After missing the playoffs for the seconds straight season due to a meltdown, Coughlin's team remains an underachieving mess. As of this evening Coughlin has been confirmed for next season, whenever that may be. To say that their situation isn't hopeless is of no consolation to the New York fans; they're exactly in the same situation as they were twelve months ago, with virtually the same system and roster. Jets fans are also keen to remind them that this season will be the second straight where the Jets are playoff bound and the Giants remain out of it.

FedEx Field will continue to be the picture of misery , whatever Daniel Snyder claims. They have improved by two games from the Jim Zorn era, but remain a throughly unattractive team with no clear leader on offense after the benching of McNabb, and a huge gap to fill in a defense that was supposed to showcase Albert Haynesworth. There are many reasons a team can go through a losing period. In Carolina and Buffalo it is due to small market blues; in Cleveland and Detroit it is because of a tradition of lethargic attitudes and low ambition. Washington suffers from a similar ailment as San Francisco. Both teams have very proud traditions, but the internal politics have spoiled the whole purpose of the club's activity, and that is to win titles. The Redskins scarcely improved upon last season's roster, apart from the McNabb  acquisition. But it is evident that even Jason Campbell could have won with the right accompaniment last season; he moved from Washington to Oakland and posted an 8-8 record.

One final note: Every single reaction from the last post included a ferocious outburst about my suggestion that Vince Young be added to the roster. I found every reaction to have a valid point: Vince Young would not be the magical solution to the Cowboys' problems. And it is true that Tony Romo has statistically performed better than him. But my suggestion was not to ax Romo and replace him with Vince Young within a day. I suggested that Romo's injury this season was a scenario that the coaching staff was not prepared for. Also, he performed rather dismally in the games he did play. Jon Kitna from his first appearance seemed clearly past his prime,  and was injured in Arizona leaving 3rd stringer Stephen McGee to carry the load. Placing a franchise's trust in one player has been the mistake of numerous teams this season. In New York the Giants never thought of benching Eli Manning, but he ended up leading the NFL in interceptions. The Vikings allowed themselves to be held hostage by Brett Favre's whims on game days, as well as their lack of an adequate back-up for him. And let's not forget that Arizona decided to take a respectable roster that was built for a Kurt Warner type quarterback and implant Derek Anderson at its head. These were all talented teams with good quarterbacks, but the absence of that quarterback or his failing performance left them with no contingencies.

Those who are Romo fanatics can continue to dream. This season proved just how unprepared Dallas is for a situation without him. It also proved that a good 2nd stringer like Michael Vick/Kevin Kolb can keep a team competitive. The Lions are a much improved team this season partly because they had Shaun Hill to replace Matthew Stafford. When Hill was a starter in San Francisco he hardly seemed to be a successor to Joe Montana and Steve Young. But that isn't what a back-up is supposed to be. Whoever will be the next back-up for Romo, he must be someone that can keep a team playoff competitive if Romo can't. He must also provide a proper threat to Romo as a starter in order to keep him motivated to retain his starting spot. I suggested Vince Young as an example because he seems to be on his way out of Tennessee, and he has had some success in the past. But that's only one possibility , and the readers can forgive me for speculating.

In a weekend when the NFC East teams were confined to killing each other off, both games would become perfect metaphors for what has transpired over the first fifteen weeks of the season. Every season seems to produce its own intrigue as to which of the four classic franchises in one of the two oldest divisions in the NFL is at the moment part of the league's elite. In September no one was able to accurately predict which of the four would be in the best shape come December. However, in the intermediate period one team collapsed early, one collapsed late, one soared above, and the last one hasn't yet spoken its last words. Here is the  synopsis of the day that has defined one of the most unpredictable sequences that has come to pass this season, from the viewpoint of each team. Why does this come this week and not in two weeks? First of all this season has coincided with a nightmarish semester for me, so this is only my second post this season, and there's no guarantee of a third. Also, the Dallas Cowboys are effectively out of playoff contention, and the division title is almost certainly Philadelphia's to salvage in the next two weeks. The only significant question left is whether the Giants will earn the wild card berth or lose it to Green Bay.

Continue reading this post »

With all of the disappointment over the Cowboys' start this season, I think that it's worthwhile to note that there's still a ways to go until the situation gets critical and the team needs to make a change. I'd like to exhibit other cases of teams that have a serious need for a wake-up call.

San Francisco and Carolina

On November 12 of last year the Niners faced off with Chicago in a pivotal game that was meant to show which of the two was on the steadier path to rebuilding. Both clubs featured young quarterbacks (Alex Smith and Jay Cutler) who were trying to redeem themselves after disappointing past seasons, as well as head coaches Mike Singletary and Lovie Smith who were trying to show progress in forming competitive teams. That game proved to be an ugly mess to the tune of 10-6 in favor of SF. Ten months later it seems as if a rematch would end a lot differently as Chicago has proven to be a potential playoff team at 3-1, whereas Singletary's 49ers are a train wreck on offense, and have fired coordinator Jimmy Raye. On defense they seem no more competent after allowing 31 points to the Chiefs, 27 to the Saints, and 28 to the Seahawks. In Week 4 the Niners performed admirably against Atlanta, and seemed poised to pull off a road upset, only to blow by turning the ball over when they had opportunities to extend their leads. Singletary has already stated that in his opinion the quarterback position shouldn't be the main position in the game of football, but that doesn't aid his cause when he loses games because of a lukewarm passing game.

John Fox is also going to have a rough ride if the first four weeks are an indicator of what's to come for the Panthers.  They've already lost two games against divisional opponents, including their home opener against Tampa. Fox and Singletary have to deal with similar situations, in that they lead teams with weak front office management that have questionable passing games. My bet is that Singletary is most at risk for losing his job, because the Niner faithful are far rowdier than Carolina's.

Buffalo, Cleveland and Detroit

These sets of wheels are vastly improved over last year's models, but it looks like the Midwest still hasn't recovered from the Recession, (and living in Cleveland, I don't need football to know that). Although both the Lions and the Browns have amazingly grown an offense, neither team really can show any fruit from their efforts. The Browns lost a disappointing opener at Tampa, then dropped a nail-biting home opener against Kansas City and went on to lose on the road to Baltimore. This week they finally were able to hold on to a lead and dump Cincinnati. Detroit has shown decent efforts as well against the Bears, Eagles, Packers and Vikings, each time failing to cross the final bridge and get a W.

Buffalo played very well against Miami and New England, both times keeping the score close. But Chan Gailey's team was absolutely atrocious against the Packers and Jets, and they don't seem to have much prospects having already dropped games against against all divisional rivals.

San Diego and Minnesota?

Two clubs with the same record as Dallas, but maybe even more problems. Philip Rivers has not stopped being productive in terms of yardage, but turnovers (his 5 INTs) and special teams allowed a likely victory on the road in Seattle to become an embarrassing loss. Minnesota earned a big boost by beating Detroit  at home, although such a win cannot possibly be construed as a sign that all is well. Unfortunately, the horned warriors may be discovering the limits to Brett Favre's endurance. The immortal one has already thrown a league leading six interceptions. San Diego recovered nicely in Week 4 to annihilate the Cardinals, which could be the boost it needs to stay in the hunt in the wide open AFC West.

So coming out of its bye Week, Dallas faces a division knotted up at 2-2 and one game ahead of us. Also, there is evidence that the hard part may be ahead. The choking performance in Week 1 was a God awful mistake, and Dallas's offense must aim to recreate its performance in Houston so as to earn key victories on the road.

Irrespective of the outcome of yesterday afternoon's game against Minnesota, I think that Jerry Jones should make the prudent call and retain Wade Phillips as his head coach. Until December, that choice wa have failed to do.s more in question than ever; after all, Dallas was only one of three teams in its division that was contending for a playoff seed. But with the bigger picture now clear, I think it's worthy to note why Dallas has become a better team than before, even though it hasn't made the high profile personnel changes during the Phillips era:

Staying the Course

Bill Parcells installed Tony Romo at QB in 2006 after starter Drew Bledsoe was injured. Romo performed that season well enough to guide his team to a wild card appearance, where the Cowboys lost to Seattle. At that point Romo became the main candidate to start the next season as well. Unfortunately, Parcells left Dallas to become president of the Miami Dolphins. At that point, anything could have happened, as many first year quarterback successes have proven flat in their sophomore seasons. This risk was especially great since the offense was changing its coordinators. Jones decided to hire a seasoned coach, San Diego defensive coordinator Wade Phillips as his head coach, and former Cowboys back-up QB and Miami quarterbacks coach Jason Garrett as offensive coordinator. To the surprise of most observers, the offense was not only just as good that season, but Romo and wide out Terrell Owens were a potent, connecting for 15 TDs, the second best mark for Owens in his career. Dallas accomplished a 12-4 season and a division title, better than any result under Parcells.

Adapting with time

The signing of Adam "Pacman" Jones was one of the bigger mistakes of the past few seasons, and it showed in the 2008 season. Also, when Terrell Owens' behavior became a team distraction that same year, Jones knew that the team had to be altered in order not to implode. Fortunately, he made the mature decision that in the past he failed to make, such as in his bizarre firing of two-time Super Bowl winner Jimmy Johnson. He not only retained Phillips, he made a request that he'd also take the wheel as defensive coordinator instead of Brian Stewart. Jones also decided not to keep Owens.

At the beginning of the passing 2009 season, the greatest question was whether Dallas as a team was worth what it had been as a team + TO. I think that in retrospect it's possible to say that it was an improvement. Superstars like Owens can build powerhouses, but they also stifle the development of other talented players. In 2008 the rush offense was a far smaller factor than this year, and Dallas' receivers almost all bloomed this year, from the overnight sensation Miles Austin to the already solid Jason Whitten. 

Most important was the behavior that Phillips brought out of his defense. Dallas linebackers are now a punishing unit, thanks to Keith Brooking, DeMarcus Ware, Bradie James etc. No one can dispute that a division title wouldn't have even been a possibility had these pass rushers not kept several games low scoring. As improved as the offense has been, Romo's squad was not the type that would crack 30-40 points in a game.

. . . my troubles seemed so far away

The blemish left from the Metrodome defeat cannot be erased from this team's memory. But neither can it be used a crowbar to dismantle the accomplishments of this season. Dallas competed very well in its division, and moreover has better prospects than many other franchises:

• Pittsburgh revealed itself to be a paper tiger when it lost two key games against Cincinnatti as well as road games against lowly Cleveland, KC and Oakland. In the end the defending Super Bowl champs missed the playoffs by one game, but many media observers agreed that this club's record actually whitewashed its true value for this year. One of the issues was an injury to playmaking safety Troy Polamalu, but  such an excuse is empty when considers that the team was portrayed on ESPN and various media outlets as one of the most well-prepared at the season's outset. Well-prepared should also mean depth at key positions. 2010 will present even greater challenges manifested in Baltimore and Cincinnatti, as well as a Browns team that could present better competition than Pittsburgh has faced since the refoundation of that franchise.
• The Patriots were a playoff team that presented throughout the season a picture of decay. What can one say about a perennial Super Bowl contender that posts blowout wins at home against then-pathetic Tennessee and warm weather Jacksonville, but also lays eggs against real contenders like Indianapolis and New Orleans. New England had a spotless home record during the regular season, but only won two road games against Tampa Bay (in London) and the headless Buffalo Bills.
• The Giants are the ultimate example of a team that has enough puzzle pieces, at least on offense, to be a threat, but consistently disappoints. After posting a 5-0 start, the Giants were humbled by the Saints, starting a four game losing streak and relinquishing the division lead to Dallas and Philadelphia. Although they stayed in the hunt for a wild card bid late into the season, New York totally maxed out its credit line by losing their Giants Stadium finale by a pathetic 9-41 to a Carolina Panthers team that very early on seemed to be disintegrating. In their closing game at the Metrodome Eli Manning's team was totally incapacitated by the Vikings 44-7.

I would like to see how the coaching staffs of the above three teams fare in the off season before Wade Phillips' judgment is passed. Jerry Jones must be aware that an environment of stability and improvement is far better than that of blockbuster deal making. An experienced, defensive, low-key coach like Phillips is exactly the type of person that strikes a balance between pampering hot shot players like the Vikings management, and treating them like brainless commodities like Denver coach Josh McDaniels sometimes seems to do. The Minnesota Vikings made a very good decision to acquire Favre, and for that reason Minnesota was still better than Dallas yesterday. But such opportunities are very rare in this league. In my opinion, the Vikings aren't built to be a dynasty without having some sort of assurance that Brett Favre has a worthy replacement. The Patriots feature a team bursting with talent, but also without the proper guidance to defeat an equal opponent on their home turf. The Steelers still have a very physical and spirited roster on both sides of the ball, and Dick LeBeau provides the selfless dedication and infinite knowledge of a thirty year coaching veteran. But Mike Tomlin hasn't covered the other bases, such as sufficiently protecting leads and his quarterback in close games. Those are models of teams that could be in for some hard times next year. I don't think that Phillips has concluded the Dallas season in such a precarious position, rather I think that Minnesota was an extraordinary team yesterday. 

Under those circumstances, I recommend that Jerry Jones take his finger off of his coach's ejection seat for this offseason, allow him to augment the team through the draft, and hopefully produce a team that not only will be competitive, but will be a divisional and conference favorite for a change. 

A lot has been written about the way that Keith Brooking became the spur that drives the Dallas defense this season. Or of Miles Austin stepping up to fill in for TO. Or of DeMarcus Ware becoming the worst nightmare of NFL QBs. Yesterday featured two men on the roster who propelled the Cowboys to an unexpectedly mismatched victory over Philadelphia.

Instant Relief by Felix Jones

Felix Jones may have been a well documented threat for most of the season, but he was overshadowed by the Dallas pass offense and other running backs such as Chris Johnson of Tennessee, Adrian Peterson of Minnesota, or Maurice Jones-Drew of Jacksonville. Unfortunately, analysts have come to the conclusion that a rush-driven offense cannot motivate a team enough to the higher end of the standings and into the playoffs, and this approach has been correct in many cases: Until the departure of Brett Favre from Green Bay, the Packers enjoyed a distinct advantage over all of their opponents, whereas Peterson was able to lift the Vikings to division titles, but failed to be the spark that would drive them to their first Super Bowl appearance since 1976. Yesterday Jones charged down the field with 148 yards, and shredded the Philly defense. The Eagles showed during all three of their games against the Cowboys that their offense doesn't have the running depth to overcome the Dallas defense. The one-dimensional pass-heavy offense of McNabb is a fallacy that is often ignored by the analysts, but is in common with a number of other offenses, such as Chicago, Denver, and New England. The success of Jones has added a deadly dagger to this offense. Last year the Terrell Owens option was too obvious for opposing defenses, and the Bengals this year won many games more as a result of running backs Cedric Benson and Larry Johnson than because of the Carson Palmer-Chad Ochocinco combination. Jones this season has showed solid performance as a special teams kick returner, and the options that coordinator Jason Garrett has in his three half backs, Jones, Marion Barber, and Tashard Choice, have not just alleviated pressure on Tony Romo, they've safeguarded against the overworking of any one of those backs. The best example was during Barber's mid-season stint on the DL, when both Choice and Jones were able to give valuable contributions weekly.

Bradie James: the anti-biotic

At Left Inside Linebacker, Bradie James doesn't necessarily suffer from the same pressures as Jones or as the defensive backs like Mike Jenkins. Also, one has to consider that the players flanking him, such as defensive captain Keith Brooking, OLB DeMarcus Ware, and linemen Jay Ratliff and Marcus Spears have rolled the dice enough on opposing offenses. But consider the fact that James made twelve solo tackles in Week 16 at Washington, and leads the team in solo tackles and total tackles. James has five pass defenses over the course of the season, trailing Brooking and Anthony Spencer on the LB roster, but still ranking high in the league.

Neither player will be making the Pro Bowl, but it's easy to see that they add a depth that not every NFL team, nor playoff team can boast. Arizona and Philadelphia suffer from running games that haven't pitched in enough, Green Bay also trails at 13th in the league in rush yardage, Philly ranked 22nd, and Indianapolis ranks dead last in yards per game. I feel that Dallas' three-headed monster is one advantage it will definitely have against its next opponent, Minnesota, so that Romo can have less pressure from Jared Allen, while Bradie James and his colleagues will keep constant pressure on Favre, while containing Peterson.

Writing this I'm aware that we are all focused on the Saturday game, but yesterday the most important news of the offseason may have happened. As we all know Washington Reskins owner Daniel Snyder has bagged a big fish in Mike Shanahan. as a long-time observer of the NFL, it gives me great displeasure to see such a great figure in pro sports defile himself by associating with this loathesome franchise. In my previous blog entry, I outlined the main causes of the disintegration of their season, and most of them had very little to do with outgoing head coach Jim Zorn. Executive Jerry Cerrato had been a key culprit, but he's also out.

The one positive derivative of this hiring may be that we will have a much more interesting divisional race than even the one seen this season. Truth be told, this year was a pathetic one for the NFC East rivalries: There was not a single split between any team. Dallas lost to the Giants twice, Philly beat the Giants twice, Dallas beat Philly twice, and Washington was completely swept. Many of the contests were thoroughly lopsided, example NYG 45-WAS 12 from Week 15. Conversely, the AFC North saw many close contests, including Baltimore's overtime 20-17 victory over Pittsburgh, Cleveland's 13-6 masterpiece against Pittsburgh, and almost all of the Cincinnati divisional contests. In the AFC West we witnessed two seemingly hapless teams, KC and Oakland surprise Denver in consecutive weeks. The NFC West featured San Francisco's stunning upsets of Arizona. The AFC East showed Jets and Dolphins teams that stood up to New England.

Ideally, all of us would like for Dallas to sweep divisional series. But that isn't NFC East football. In fact, that's hardly ever winning football. In 1998 the NFC East included Arizona, and Dallas swept the division for the last time with an 8-0 record, but a 10-6 overall record. In a stunning upset Arizona QB Jake Plummer guided his team to its first playoff victory since 1947 at Texas Stadium. Unsurprisingly, that was head coach Chan Gailey's only season there. Truth, be told, it is the high quality of NFC East divisional rivalries and races that have made each of the teams the social institutions they are today. It is one of only two divisions whose current members have been together in the same grouping since the 1960s, the other being the NFC North. If we take a look at the AFC South, for example, the underdevelopement of rivalries since its formation in 2002 has lead to a virtually dominant era by Indianapolis.

As my work and the Ohio broadcasting schedule limited my viewing of the Cowboys' games, I actually was able to see five Reskins' divisional games, and only three Dallas ones. By the time I was halfway through my fourth, the Giants-Washington game, I realized that I was dissatisfied. Watching blowout football simply isn't interesting, even when the score is working in your favor. Watching Dallas beat the Redskins the week after that, I realized that the accomplishment was bittersweet. It was obvious that Washington didn't have the incentive to make a real effort, and had suffered too many injuries to even try. Skins quarterback Jason Campbell was a real example of human misery that week, and I had to ponder whether his performance would have been better had been on a different team, like Kansas City. After all, in Week 17 we saw a somewhat meaningless game between Jacksonville and Cleveland morph into a real crowd pleaser, with David Garrard attempting a late comeback and the basement dwelling Browns snuffing it out.

This is why I for one view the Shanahan hiring as a positive long term development, if not for us specifically, then for the enjoyment of the public as a whole. NFL fans don't pay to watch losing football. In the past two years there's been discussion of stripping Detroit of its slot with Dallas as one of the two annual participants in Thanksgiving Day football, even though this year they played age-old rival Green Bay.  There was a rumor circulating this week of  Buffalo owner Ralph Wilson being offered a bid to bring he Bills to LA, in spite of them having performed for fifty years in Buffalo and leading the rise of professional sports in that city. During the Week 14 game between Pittsburgh and Cleveland, pregame local coverage featured scenes of throngs of Pittsburgh fans "conquering" Browns stadium, and local broadcasts have featured reports of Steelers merchandise outselling Browns gear in Cleveland. This may be uninteresting to the average NFL fan, but I am sure that the league as a whole suffers from it. Mike Shanahan can change the trend, if only by keeping the games close. Him and Wade Phillips, as I mentioned in the previous posting, served as Dan Reeves' assistants back in Denver, and can certainly add spice to the mix. Andy Reid will be an interesting opponent for Shanahan, as they're both offensive minded coaches, one of them an understudy of George Seifert's west coast offenses, the other a member of Mike Holmgren's 1990s Green Bay staff. If Shanahan's defensive staff can weld together the jack in the boxes on their defensive roster, Washington can probably compete with Tom Coughlin's Giants, who bulldozed the Redskins in Week 15 on the road.

Overall, I see this as an acquisition by Washington that only creates more questions, not more answers. Can Campbell really continue as their QB with all of the hits he's taken? Will Daniel Snyder and Bruce Allen give Shanahan the leeway he needs to help the team mature? Will there be any trace left of the staff Jim Zorn left behind? We have till August to find out. Meanwhile, we hope to enter next season with solid enough to fend Shanahan off.

Giddy as any Dallas fan, looking ahead to 2010 I watch the changing face of our division which was accelerated on Black Monday with the firing of Jim Zorn in DC. During the 2009 season I'm sure many of you as I did identified the Zorn situation as the main chink in the Skins' armor. Zorn was an offensive expert who was out of his depth at the head coaching position. Daniel Snyder maligned him for many of the flaws in a team that he and Vinny Cerrato put together from the beginning. The decision to strip him of offensive play calling duties was a half measure that in the end only prolonged Zorn's suffering and killed Washington's season. Indeed, the head coach was seen as such a sure candidate to be axed early in September that Snyder would have done both sides a favor had he fired Zorn after the 14-6 embarrassment against Kansas City. But as most commentators have already stated, Jim Zorn was far from being the only culprit in his undoing. It's worth it to scope the other factors that lead to the 4-12 season, from team ownership to the players.

Snyder and Cerrato

In the 2009 offseason Vinny Cerrato seemingly accomplished the task of bolstering the Washington defense. He signed ex-Tennessee right tackle Albert Haynesworth who made a monumental $7.25 million this season and in 2008 had acquired former Falcon and Raider DeAngelo Hall, who this season made over $8 million. What Cerrato failed to do was to reinforce Washington's crumbling O-line. Skins QBs Jason Campbell and Todd Collins suffered between them 46 sacks on the season, to tie Buffalo for fourth in the league behind Pittsburgh, Green Bay, and Oakland. With 94.3 rushing yards per game Washington was sixth from the bottom in the whole NFL, although this area could be blamed on the musical chairs of injured RBs like Clinton Portis. It's becoming increasingly clear that Portis cannot  b e leaned on by new Skins GM Bruce Allen to anchor the running game; he simply is injury prone having played two seasons with Washington in which he's played only eight games.

The midseason decision to strip Zorn of offensive playcalling was the kiss of death for him. If as an offensive specialist Zorn had no authority on offense, what role could he essentially play on the sideline? During the Week 15 loss to New York in Washington, ESPN commentators Ron Jaworski, Mike Tirico, and John Gruden remarked how insanely complicated the playcalling was after Zorn's demotion: Offensive plays were relayed through Offensive Coordinator Sherman Smith and Offensive "Consultant" Sherman Lewis, depending on whether it would be a run or pass play. It doesn't seem far-fetched to speculate that Zorn's decision to run a fake field goal in the 2nd quarter of that game was made as a statement of his frustration. Also, it was shown that Lewis, who had been drafted out of retirement by Snyder, was unaware at first that his job was effectively to quarantine Zorn from the offensive play calling. This type of management behavior is nothing short of manipulative, and it begs the question of whether Daniel Snyder deliberately sabotaged Zorn through Lewis.

Alienating the fans

Snyder's ego was so bruised by the public outpouring against him that there were reports that he attempted to muzzle fans by restricting them from holding critical placards during home games. This measure was doomed to failure and could have provoked a fan boycott of the style that was germinating in Cleveland in November. Instead of addressing the concerns of ticket holders, Snyder allowed his commissar Vinny Cerrato to go on the offensive and claim that the franchise was performing up to par with the goals it had set at the beginning. The tactic backfired, because at the same time as Snyder attempted to silence fans, he was putting heat on his head coach. The public wasn't fooled, and they bypassed Zorn in order to vilify Cerrato. It isn't surprising that when this bail out measure failed Snyder shot his own horse by forcing Cerrato to resign. Although Cerrato was certainly deserving of this outcome, by that time the season was over and the replacement of a GM wasn't very conducive to rehabilitating it.

Playing for blood

After dissecting Snyder's and Cerrato's miscues, we can only redeem them somewhat by displaying the complete betrayal that some of their players made of the purpose of their employment.  This section may only add to the perception of the Skins' front office as an insane asylum, but in my opinion the specific players were more to blame than the people who brought them to FedEx Field.

It is hard to criticize QB Jason Campbell, who showed true integrity by taking hits and getting up, neither can we pass judgment on the numerous half backs who were injured in the course of the season: Portis, LaDell Betts et al. Similarly, the veterans on the O-line, like guard Chad Rinehart, also spent a great deal of time in rehab. Tight ends Chris Cooley and Eddie Williams added to the IR.

But on the defensive side of the field, we find overpaid prima donnas that seem to think old grudges are more important than winning a game. Cornerback DeAngelo Hall exhibited this on November 8 when he charged the Falcons' sideline in order to get in on a fight resulting from a late hit  by Skins LB LaRon Landry against Atlanta QB Matt Ryan. Hall traded shots with his former head coach Mike Smith, with the result being a fine for Smith! Hall had made no secret that of his dislike for his former team. Coincidentally, Atlanta won the game. In the above mentioned Giants game at FedEx field Hall participated another fight with RB Brandon Jacobs after the play had been whistled dead. It's been contended that Jacobs provoked the fight, but nevertheless Hall was out of his depth in this instance.

The other Washington party to the incident was right tackle Albert Haynesworth, who followed Hall by getting into a fistfight with Jacobs. The whole situation displays the futility with which Hall and Haynesworth played. The game had already been out of reach by then, with the Giants leading by more than three touchdowns, and the Skins' playoff prospects long over. Apparently neither of the two defensive players thought that the possibility of a suspension would hurt their club. They also put a great deal more effort into that thirty-second scrap than into stifling Eli Manning's offense. The fact is that the Giants would end the game with 45 points and controlled the game more than eight minutes more than Washington as a result of the Skins' swiss cheese defense. Haynesworth rebounded from the Giants game by arriving late to a team meeting during the week between that game and the following one against Dallas. Jim Zorn made the right call by ejecting him from practice. These two players displayed every bit of galling carelessness that's attributable to overpaid athletes, and that is one of the fallacies of Cerrato having brought them into Washington. If either player had deserved the salary they received, they would have shown a great deal more determination in the six NFC East games that Washington lost this year. It's hard to compare either of them to Dallas' offseason acquisition LB Keith Brooking, who became the top factor in motivating Wade Phillips' defense. Or to their own teammate LB Brian Orakpo who earned four sacks against Oakland a week prior to the Giants game.

The Reeves Bowl

Bruce Allen and the Redskins really want Mike Shanahan, as those of us who haven't been finding shelter in a cave know. As Cowboys fans, it is too early to look  past next week's playoff game against Philadelphia and worry about next season. But I for one do expect tougher competition from Washington. It also poses one of the more interesting matchups in the history of the rivalry: Both head coaches served as assistants to former Denver head coach Dan Reeves together in the years 1989-91, Shanahan as QB coach and Phillips as defensive coordinator. When Reeves was fired in 1993 Phillips received his first head coaching position, only to be sacked after just one season in order to be replaced by Shanahan. Rumblings in Dallas during this season included rumors that Jerry Jones was courting Shanahan to be Phillips' replacement in Dallas again. Dan Reeves was even hired briefly towards the beginning of the season as a consultant before storming off.

If the Shanahan hiring occurs, Dallas-Washington games could earn the nickname Reeves Bowl, due to the common history of the two head coaches and their former superior. Shanahan already faced Reeves in Super Bowl XXXIII as coach of the Broncos against Reeves' Falcons. As head coach of Buffalo Phillips never faced the Broncos, and in 2007 the Cowboys under Phillips did face the Broncos, but in the preseason when they defeated them 31-20. Next season would conjure up the first head to head matchup of both coaches during the regular season, which should add some more spice to an already volatile division considering Saturday's game and the future of the New York Giants' coaching staff.