A couple of friends and I are going to head down to the parade.

If anybody wants to hook up, just let me know. I plan on heading down Sunday and then finding a spot somewhere on Figueroa. I'm probably not going to Staples or USC. I'd rather be in the thick of it. I've read that city officials are suggesting people take the metro to the parade instead of driving. I've also heard that there may be parking at the J.W. Marriott starting at $40. The parade is going to coincide with the early morning commute, so I'd suggest heading down that way early. I mean, REALLY early. Traffic is going to be insane.

Go Lakers!

I want the Eagles.

Twice.

I want to beat them Sunday and then beat them again in the playoffs the following week. So let's go Packers!

It's only right. It's the only way. In my mind at least.

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All good things come to an end.

A Tribe Called Quest broke up.

Duane Allman died. Isaac Hayes died.

Robert Duvall wasn't in Godfather III.

The day has come, gentlemen. I will no longer be a regular front-page contributor to BTB. That honor is left to the able hands of Grizz, Raf, Jim Vance and GloryDayz88. I will continue to be a guest contributor though so you'll get to hear all about what brand of beer I'm drinking the next time a calamity strikes the 'Boys. Lord my team is hard on my liver. (Sidenote: I can't believe Tequiza has been discontinued! I'll miss consoling myself with that quirky beer).

I thank Grizz for allowing me to write for this awesome blog. I felt honored the day he chose me and I still do. He's gone out of his way to be patient while dropping nuggets of knowledge along the way. There's a reason everybody respects him.

I thank my man Brandon W for his friendship. The inclusiveness of his writing style is something to behold. He's shared an awful lot about his personal life and how the ups and downs of the season affected that. Most of all I'd like to nominate his wife for MOST AWESOME WIFE EVER for getting him tickets to a Cowboy game on his birthday. She deserves an infomercial!

I realize it's easy to take things for granted. I certainly have. It's hard to remember the days when I didn't have an outlet to express my joy, anger, frustration or passion for this team that I love. But it did exist. I've been in sports bars all over this country pulling for this team. It seems like people gravitate to Cowboys fans. I'd meet all kinds of different people: drug addicts, business men and woman, gang members, grandparents, college students, emo kids, faithful girlfriends, rednecks. All with an opinion about the 'Boys. This blog was the first place I came to that allowed me to express myself unabashedly. It was like the sports bar experience times a thousand. It's something I will always cherish about this blog. 

So does this mean I'm leaving? Heck no! I'll be around to add my two cents. I'll be around to support Jim Vance and GloryDayz88. I'm particularly excited about these two guys. I think they will add a dynamic dimension to the blog. Welcome guys. I know you'll do good work. I'll be around to stick up for Bob Hayes (FAMU baby!), criticize the local Dallas media (it's a thankless job but someone has to do it), post silly youtube videos, and, most of all, sip that glistening, sparkling red Cowboy Kool-Aid.

Most of all this change will allow me to concentrate on two things: my studies and my wedding. I still have roughly about a year left to go in law school and I'm getting married in July. So if your near Orlando on July 11 feel free to come on down and kick it with the fam. We'll have plenty of Hennessey (my favorite drink) and other spirits. Just look for the group that's doing the Electric Slide at the reception. That's us.

Alright ya'll. I need to hit up IHOP for a Chicken Fajita omelette and wash it all down with some Bud Light. Stay true and blue guys.

I've always ignored the "Tony Romo doesn't care" talk.

Obviously he does. Remember the idiot kicker saying the same thing about Peyton Manning and Tony Dungy? Emotion is a tangible thing but desire is not. There are indicators but no definite barometer. Chuck Noll and Tom Landry were cold, distant and indifferent to some. They were leaders with steel resolve to others.

.

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I thought it made sense at the time.

For a team on the verge of the Super Bowl, maybe it was. You add a high-risk, high-reward player at a reasonable salary. If it doesn't work, he's gone. If it does, you gambled and won.

I realized the risk at the time. I acknowledged his baggage. His arrests. The naysayers. It was a Faustian deal with the Devil and I believed we'd see a championship before hellfire.

Turns out I was wrong on both counts. The Cowboys weren't on the verge of anything except implusion. And Pacman Jones was high-risk alright. But the rewards never surfaced.

Jones did play hard and he did lead the team in pass deflections. But he wasn't the punt returner we envisioned nor the impact player we gambled for.

Now, according to reports, his days as a Cowboy are over.

The Adam Jones' experiment is over.

The Cowboys will release Jones on Friday, the first day teams are allowed to waive players, severing ties with the oft-troubled player and leaving the sixth overall pick in the 2005 NFL draft without a job again.

The Cowboys acquired Jones from Tennessee last April for a fourth-round pick while he was under league suspension for multiple violations of the personal conduct policy. He was fully reinstated on Aug. 28 by the league after he was allowed to participate in the organized team activities, training camp and preseason games.

We played with the Devil and got burnt. I'm not saying Pacman is the devil. Go down to the local police department and read the police blotters and you'll see that. But we opened ourselves up to an unnecessary distraction when we should've been focused on football and it bit us in the butt. That's the Devil to me. Not being focused on the real reason we all come here: football.

I hope the burning sensation lingers a little bit.

We should learn from this.

We had a lot of problems on special teams this year.

We lost a crucial game to the Cards on the first and last plays of the game. Pittsburgh had a critical punt return that keyed their comeback against us. We started the Philadelphia debacle (I think that's what I'm going to call that game from now on) with a special team mistake. Our kickoffs were too short and our punt return game was stagnant.

Bruce Read lost his job because of these failures.

Now it's Joe DeCamillis' turn to rectify our struggles on this unit. The DMN Blog and DC.com are reporting DeCamillis has been hired.

Wade Phillips' first sign of change is bringing in Joe DeCamillis as his special teams coach to replace Bruce Read.

Phillips and DeCamillis were assistants together in Denver and Atlanta.

DeCamillis spent the last two years as Jacksonville's special teams' coordinator. He has run special teams' units since 1993 with the New York Giants (1993-96) and Atlanta (1997-2006) before moving on to the Jaguars.

Jacksonville led the NFL in opponents' starting position after a kickoff (24.5) in 2008. Opposing teams averaged 19.9 yards per kick return and 8.1 yards per punt return, compared to the 21.3 yards per kick return and 10.5 yards per punt return the Cowboys allowed under Read.

Jacksonville's returners averaged 22.5 yards on kicks and 9.5 yards on punts. The Cowboys' averaged 22.2 yards per kick and 6.4 per punt.

"DeMarcus Ware was cheated out of the Defensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press, who handed the trophy to James Harrison of the Pittsburgh Steelers."

This was my immediate reaction when I heard the news. Yes it's a bit childish but it was just my raw emotions.

After further review, I'm more understanding of the Harrison choice. SportingNews.com goes into greater detail.

NEW YORK (AP) -- James Harrison slams down the current version of the Steel Curtain better than any Pittsburgh Steeler, earning him The Associated Press 2008 Defensive Player of the Year award.

The linebacker who had a career-high 16 sacks, setting a team record, and led the NFL with a career-high seven forced fumbles, beat Dallas' DeMarcus Ware in balloting by a nationwide panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters announced Monday. Pittsburgh defense was the league's stingiest in total defense, pass defense and points allowed. Harrison was its main hammer.

"That's something that everybody in the league would love to have, to be voted the top player in the league for that year," Harrison said. "In my mind, I think I do -- and it's going to sound boring -- what the defense allows me to do and what my teammates allow me to do."

Harrison earned 22 votes to 13 for Ware.

I think they make a pretty good case for Harrison. I'm going to make the case for Ware.

Ware had 20 sacks. Think about that. Twenty sacks on a team were no other player had double-digit sacks. On a team with no other dominant defensive players. Harrison has Troy Polamulu (73 tackles, 7 INTs) and LaMarr Woodley (60 tackles, 11.5 sacks). Ed Reed has Terrell Suggs and Ray Lewis. Ware is the center of every offensive team's gameplan. Every game. And there is no other dominant defensive player on the team to alleviate some of that pressure off of him.

Also, Ware's stats are comparable if not better. He has more sacks than Harrison and one less forced fumble than Harrison's league leading seven. True Harrison does have more tackles than Ware, but Ware has more solo tackles than Harrison. And Ware is in a division filled with dominant offensive lines and offensive lineman (Tra Thomas, Chris Samuels, Chris Snee, etc). Shoot, I think there's an equally persuasive argument that Reed (40 tackles, 9 INTs) is more deserving than Harrison.

It's not that I don't think Harrison deserves the award. He's had an awesome year and the Steelers defense is the best in the league. We found that out. But I just get the feeling that Ware lost votes because of our December swoon and that's not his fault. Not only that but the Steelers defensive prowess wasn't entirely Harrison's doing. He's part of a system that features dynamic players at every level. From where I'm sitting Ware has done more with little. And that deserves recognition too.

I did something I haven't done in a long time Sunday.

I turned off the TV on the 'Boys.

After Pacman's ill-advised fumble on a punt return, I knew it was over. The momentum of the game had gotten out of control. We couldn't stop them. We were self-destructing and I didn't want to spend the rest of my evening watching the Eagles laugh at us. I had too many beers to consume. 

The most maddening aspect of that pathetic affair Sunday was the realization that the naysayers were right about us. I spent most of this year mocking and ridiculing journalists like Jean-Jacques Taylor, Skip Brainless, Jennifer Floyd Engel, Trey Wingo, Randy Galloway and others for their extreme pessimism toward the Cowboys. They seemed to go out of their way to rub in our faces after any loss and would always dismiss any significant victory as a prelude to disaster. I still believe that there were some outrageous things written and said about us. I haven't changed my mind about that.

I've also tried to talk extremely negative fans off the ledge. You know the type. "The season is over!" "Wade sucks!" "Romo is terrible!" All of this after any loss or any bad play. C'mon on guys. Have a little more faith.  

But here's the thing though. They were right about a lot of things. Not everything. But certainly their criticisms was accurate in a lot of respects. Our season was filled more with drama than resiliency. T.O.'s character flaws seemed to overwhelm his value to our team. The Pacman Jones Experiment was an unmitigated disaster. Romo, again, wilted on the biggest stages when we needed him the most.

It hurts my heart to agree with these statements. I've spent months arguing against them. I've tried to be a pragmatist with a bent toward optimism. But that effort in that game at this time of the year has forced me to reevaluate. Don't get me wrong. I'm not jumping ship and I never will. I believe in Tony Romo, I still think T.O. can be productive in our system and I still believe Wade Phillips can turn things around. But my arguments seem hollow now. This season was a failure and an utter disappointment. Time to look in the mirror and repeat that old line from Parcells: "You are who you are."

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The more I think I know about the 'Boys the more I realize I don't know much guys.

This season has been full of the unexpected. We went from Super Bowl contenders, to bottom dwellers in the division, to hot team of the moment to fighting to make the playoffs.

So I'm not going to make any predictions about what's going to happen tomorrow. I have no idea. I'm obviously rooting for a Cowboy win. But I thought we'd beat the Giants, as I explained here, and I thought we'd lose to the Steelers (although I was pleasently surprised when we were on the cusp of winning that game). I also thought we'd smack the Rams and beat the Ravens (as I explained here). Yeah. Not so much.

I do believe certain things will take place though. I do believe there are certain inescapable realities all Cowboy fans are aware of. I've watched this team all year. I'm well aware of our strengths and weaknesses. I just don't know how we'll balance that dynamic from game-to-game. Will the things we do well carry us to victory? Or will our mistakes doom us to another heartbreak? We had penalties on the road against the Redskins, but Romo's playmaking and MB3's toughness overwhelmed those mistakes. Our defense played valiantly against the Steelers but our disconnect on offense was the deciding factor in that game.

These are the 10 things I believe will happen regardless of the outcome Sunday:

I believe Jason Witten will play and make plays

He's our most reliable receiver and always has been. He's just a tough-as-nails SOB. He's dealt with a myriad of injuries yet he keeps coming back.

I believe Romo will make plays and give us a chance to win

He always does. He plays well on the road and he's 8-4 as the starter this year. He was heating up toward the end of the Ravens game and I believe it will continue Sunday.

I believe Romo will throw an interception or otherwise have a turnover

He's one of the leaders in interceptions thrown this year. One of his few flaws is his proclivity to fumble or throw maddening picks. He's done it all year. It will continue

I believe Tashard Choice will have more than 100 yards in total offense

This guy continues to thrive against the best defenses in the league. He was oh-so-close from breaking a few runs against the Ravens.

I believe DeMarcus Ware will have a sack

This guy will find a way to get to the QB. He has all year and I don't see it stopping now.

I believe Flozell Adams will have a false start penalty and it will be critical

Talented guy that's overcome a lot in his career. But this is almost a given.

I believe we will have more penalties than the Eagles

We are one of the most penalized teams in the league. Hopefully it won't cost us a playoff spot.

I believe someone will be injured in this game

We're like the walking wounded. Everybody's dealing with injuries: Romo, Witten, MB3, Hamlin, KD, RW2 and the list goes on and on. I'm certain the injury Gods will forsake us again

Nick Folk will nail any critical FG

This guy's a stud and kept us in many games this year. If the game is on the line, so sorry for you Eagles fans. That's a wrap.

Our offensive line will allow pressure on Romo

We've had problems all year. There were definite problems in the Steelers, Ravens and Giants game. Some rushers will come free and Romo will have to make the play regardless. 

Continue reading this post »

A lot of stories on Romo lately. He is always a magnet for criticism.

Here comes JJT to jump on the bandwagon. Like Grizz, I enjoy JJT's style of writing for the most part. But sometimes he veers off the reservation.

This story is one of the stories where he takes an inference and stretches it to limit. He said T.O. didn't know his plays based on scant evidence. He said T.O. was washed up based on declining numbers this year (then he looked like a fool the following week). Now he's saying Romo doesn't understand the advantage of taking care of the ball because of a comment he made after Saturday's loss.

I'd argue that Romo turns the ball over too much and any inference that comes with that. But he doesn't understand that throwing picks is a bad thing? Really?

Sigh. Again, this is an argument over a subjective thing. How do you know that? Have you crawled into his mind? Again, stick to the objective tangible things. He turns the ball over too much. That's fair. He doesn't understand turnovers are bad. Unfair.

Ok. I got one. JJT doesn't know the difference between football and flatulence. Numerous unnamed sources confirm this. Plus, we've never seen him explain the difference between the two. So it must be true.

Continue reading this post »

The spotlight is on Tony Romo. It always has been. But especially this year. The NFL Network crew looks at whether he's ready or not in this video. Rich Eisen, Sterling Sharpe and Warren Sapp provide analysis. Sharpe thinks he's ready. Sapp isn't so sure. He's also not ready to call our defense dominate just yet.

Shout out to rioplayer7 for his fanpost here.

Brad Sham gives his top three memories of Texas Stadium. Gotta love Brad. Tells it just like it is. If the 'Boys are playing like dogs, he says it. If we're playing well, he says that too without being too much of a homer. I wish I could hear his voice tonight for the last game.

TH's favorite Texas Stadium moment? My first and last time there. Watching grown man cry during this historic event. I actually got in trouble at my job for going to this game. But boy was it worth it.

There are so many subplots to this game it feels like a Quentin Tarantino movie. We've got the Ravens D v. the Cowboy O. We've got Tony Romo v. Joe Flacco. We've got DeMarcus Ware and the sack record. We've got the last game at Texas Stadium. And so much more.

DC.com does a good job of running down the line of all the major characters in this game with huge playoff implications.

BIG ISSUE: The Cowboys can clinch a playoff spot this week, as much of a long shot as that is, but they can't do it all by themselves. First, though, they need to beat the Ravens, who have never played at Texas Stadium. Then, they need one of the following scenarios to occur - a Philadelphia loss or tie against Washington, a Chicago loss or tie against Green Bay and an Atlanta loss at Minnesota; a Philadelphia loss or tie and a Chicago loss or tie and a Tampa Bay loss against San Diego; a Chicago loss or tie and a Tampa Bay loss and an Atlanta loss; or a Philadelphia loss or tie and an Atlanta loss and if Dallas clinches strength of victory tiebreaker over Chicago. If none of that happens, the Cowboys will still hold firmly onto a wild-card spot with a win, but will need a victory in Week 17 to clinch. Lose, and it's anybody's game, so this is a must-win for Dallas - again. Add in the extra motivation that comes along with playing the final game at Texas Stadium, and the Cowboys should be revved up for this one.

The Ravens are also fighting for a wild-card spot. Right now, Baltimore owns the sixth and final playoff spot in the AFC, holding tiebreakers over two other 9-5 teams - the Patriots and the Dolphins. The Jets, also at 9-5, may factor into the wild-card race if they lose the division lead. If the Ravens lose Saturday and those three teams win, it will be nigh impossible to gain a playoff spot with a week left in the season. If all those teams win, Baltimore would still have the head-to-head tiebreaker over Miami (which plays Kansans City), the strength of victory tiebreaker over the Jets (who play Seattle) and the conference record tiebreaker over the Patriots (who play the Cardinals).

I can't wait. 

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Columnist Adam Schein goes where I think a lot of people will go in the near future. This year's Cowboys are a replica of last's year's Giants.

1. Dallas = New York

 The Dallas Cowboys could be the Giants from a year ago.

That's right.

The Cowboys, assuming they are done fighting amongst each other, can still go to the Super Bowl because of their defense and star power on offense.

That is, of course, if they make the playoffs.

Dallas' defense is finally clicking. DeMarcus Ware had three of the eight sacks against Eli Manning on Sunday night. Fellow linebackers Greg Ellis, Bradie James and Zach Thomas have been playing great ball. Terrence Newman is back and playing at a Pro Bowl level. Jay Ratliff is the most underrated defensive tackle in the game.

I see the argument. We have a defense with a fierce pass rush, a much-maligned quarterback, an emerging rushing attack and a coach on the hot seat supposedly.

But I just don't think football karma works like that. We definitely have a shot. Four wildcard teams have won the Super Bowl since 1998. But if we do I don't think it will resemble the Giants Super Bowl run. No Super Bowl run is a template. They're all unique, hair-raising, lucky in some respects and special. It takes a talented team with commitment and heart. We can do it. But it won't be like the Giants.

I say this because we don't win like the Giants. I wish we did. Eli Manning is best when he doesn't make mistakes and their defense creates pressure and causes turnovers. Last year they beat up teams with their running game and pass rush and then made enough plays to win it in the end. They won their last three playoff games by a combined 10 points. This year they've been more explosive (except, say, a few days ago, when they were manhandled by the 'Boys!)

If we have a Super Bowl run, it will not be like that. Romo isn't a bus driver. He makes plays but he also gives up plays. Our offense, even on a bad day, can put up a lot of points on opposing defenses. If MB3 can't shake this injury, our running game goes from punishing and powerful to quick, deceptive and effective with Tashard Choice.

So give it a rest, guys. I get it. A lot of times journalism is about spotting trends. Situation A looks like Situation B thus what happened in A will happen to B. It's textbook. Many times it's very effective and I appreciate it. I realize it's a compliment.

But this time I'm going to have to take a pass. We are our own team with our own qualities, quirks, strengths and weaknesses. Let us make our own mark before you tranpose someone else's accomplishments on us.

Let us win this thing our own way.

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Straight from DC.com.

IRVING, Texas - The Cowboys sent an NFL-record 13 players to last year's Pro Bowl. They'll gladly trade Tuesday's smaller selection size of five for a deep playoff run.

No matter how this topsy-turvy season ends, five Cowboys starters - tight end Jason Witten, center Andre Gurode, nose tackle Jay Ratliff, linebacker DeMarcus Ware and guard Leonard Davis - will represent the NFC in Hawaii this February. Four players - Witten, Gurode, Ware and Davis - were part of the record-breaking group in 2007 that helped the Cowboys capture their first NFC East title since 1998.

Davis has been selected as a reserve. The other four will start for the NFC squad.

Ware, a three-time selection, headlines this year's class as a strong candidate for Defensive Player of the Year and perhaps the NFL MVP award. He needs four sacks in the Cowboys' final two games to break Michael Strahan's single-season league record.

It's about what I expected. Eli Manning's selection probably cost Romo his shot. I'd argue Romo was more deserving but whatever. I think Bradie James has a good argument as well. He'll become the poster boy for the upcoming slew of "Snubbed" articles you'll see in the next few days.

For all those homers like me who aren't satisfied with just watching the game but need to relive it through highlights, this one is for you. Let's call it the video show. All the links are to videos and not stories. I never get tired of watching the 'Boys run through the Giants like a monster in a cheesy science fiction film flick. Enjoy.

Highlights of the game. That was a team game right there. No turnovers. Great D. Big plays in the running and passing game. Beautiful. The first quarter highlights saw two beautiful passes from Romo to Crayton and Owens. The second quarter highlights features a whole lotta silver and blue surrounding Eli "McLovin" Manning. In the third quarter highlights Miles Austin, Chris Canty and Greg Ellis gets some of the action.

I've always said I was excited to see Tashard Choice get some more opportunities. I had no idea he was this good. Almost 150 total yards. Are you kidding me? I envy Grizz that he got to watch this kid run for his team for three years. I'm glad he runs for mine now. Nice take on T.O.'s touchdown dance by the way.

Our D really smacked the Giants around. Eight sacks and two picks. I can't believe Greg Ellis and Jay Ratliff have seven sacks on the season. And Bradie James has six. That's 20 sacks before you even get to Ware! Wow.

Romo's highlights in the game just make you appreciate him more. I think Madden's man-crush on Romo is returning. Not that it ever left but right now it's burning hot and filled with passion. Romo gave him plenty to choose from: fumbles the snap then picks it up for a completion, throws off his back foot for a 20-yard gain to Owens, improvises on the TD catch to Crayton and then does all of this in the face of a fierce pass rush.

Highlight of Romo's TD pass to Crayton. I love the shot Al Michaels gives to Oakland at the end of the play. Man he hates the Raiders.

Highlights of Owens. Not a lot here. There's the big play and the drop. One thing though. He was this close from breaking that catch all the way. And if Romo hits him on another possession, he's off to the races for a long touchdown.

I like to go back and watch analysts make fools of themselves with their picks earlier in the week. First up: Tom Waddle. His claim  to fame? This NFL Network analyst is a former wide receiver who once outran Deion Sanders. He says it's time for Tony Romo to win a big game. Were you watching Tom?

ESPN's Trent Dilfer adds his postgame two cents. Basically, he's concerned T.O.'s antics will fester and derail our season. The huge divisional game we just won? Not so much.

JJT and Todd Archer chop it up after the game. JJT says he doesn't trust this team, mocks Barber for getting two yards and throws in a little "Mr. Fix It" reference to boot. Sigh. The whole thing is just dripping with sarcasm.

It seems as if the defense has been playing better as of late.

A few weeks back many people wanted Brian Stewart's head-on-a-stick. Wade stepped in and became more involved. But he did so in a way to help Stewart save face and avoid taking all the credit. He was intentionally ambiguous about his role and that drove the media nuts.

Well, he was a little more definitive today.

"Nothing has changed," safety Ken Hamlin said on Oct. 23.

Said Stewart on that day, "If I got demoted, I probably wouldn't be smiling. ... He will spend a little more time on the defense."

Now it's more than a month later, and Phillips admits he has been indeed calling the defenses. He calls what defense he wants to run to Stewart, who relays it to linebacker Bradie James on the field.

"I call all the defenses," Phillips said Wednesday afternoon.

But the agreed-upon lie back then was Stewart was calling the defense. Nothing had changed, etc.

"I said that during the week (after the loss to the Rams) that I was calling defenses," Phillips said.

No. He didn't. All he said was he was going to get more involved.

I guess no good deed goes unpunished. Seems like Wade just tried to handle it with some class.

Imagine the temerity!

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So I have this friend right.

Well, let's not call him a friend. He's in this murky area between acquiantance and enemy. I like him enough to be cordial to him but I don't hate him enough to assert the necessary energy to punch his lights out.

I went to school with this guy. In the prime years of the Cowboys Super Bowl runs. And what did I hear from him? Not a word. Never knew he was a Giants fan. Never heard a peep from him.

So we're in a fantasy football league together. His team is stacked. My team isn't (although I did pick up Tashard Choice though, he was a beast). He's the No. 1 seed in the playoffs. I barely made it in (I have a knack for doing this. Ask the guys in the BTB fantasy league). If he wins and I win, we'll play for the championship.

So now all the sudden, he's the biggest homer in the world. He can't stop talking about the Giants. He's the biggest trash talker in the world now.

Here are his weapons of choice: Kid 'N Play were popular last time the Cowboys won a Super Bowl game, Tony Romo is a pretty boy, blah blah blah.

Here are my weapons of choice: shooting yourself has never been popular (even for idiots) and why does Eli Manning always look like he has diarrhea?

Why do I tell you guys this?

Because I'm still mourning over that debacle in Pittsburgh. I'm still mad that in a week where the BCS bowls have finally been settled and there are two teams in the NBA who may win 70 games, the lead in stories on ESPN are: Jerry Jones and T.O. What a joke.

So guess what. I'm not choosing hope over love today. I'm choosing hate over heartbreak.

And I hate the Giants.

So I'm asking you to choose hatred over heartbreak today.

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Not. Good.

OLB DeMarcus Ware (hyperextended left knee) did almost everything at today's practice without a problem. The news about RB Marion Barber isn't as good.

Barber's dislocated right pinkie toe hasn't recovered as well as anticipated. He stayed off his feet during today's practice, with the hope that rest instead of rehab would help get him ready to go Sunday in Pittsburgh.

"We were assuming that Marion would play, but it's a little more doubtful right now," Phillips said. "We'll see tomorrow."

DC.com uses the dreaded term "game-time decision." 

Gentlemen this guy may be our starting RB on the road, possibly in the snow, against the top-ranked defense in the league. I believe in Choice and he's shown some real progress over the year but ...

Yikes.

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While some people aren't sure Romo will make the Pro Bowl, Clarence Hill argues he might have an MVP in his near future.

Romo is first in the league in passer rating at 103.2. He is first in average yards per attempt with 8.5 He is tied for fourth in touchdown passes with 21, just three behind co-leaders Brees and Warner, who have 24.

But the thing that sets Manning, who will not win any statistical awards, apart is the same thing that separates Romo. Manning is 11-1 as a starter on the league’s best team. Well, Romo is 7-2 as a starter.

And if you didn’t know how valuable he was to everything the Cowboys do — offense and defense — then you learned it over the past six games.

Currently, just looking at QBs (because Clinton Portis, James Harrison and Anquan Boldin certainly have a case as well), there are three candidates: Drew Brees, Kurt Warner and Eli Manning. Brees and Warner are having historic years as far as numbers and statistics are concerned. Manning is not. But he's a Super Bowl MVP that followed that up with an 11-1 record on a team dealing with injuries and Cheddar Bob Burress (all jokes aside, I'm glad he didn't seriously injure himself).

Romo has a little of both. He's 7-2 as a starter this year and he's the highest rated QB in the league. Will it be enough to earn him the coveted award?

Hill makes a good argument that it could.

Shoutout to bloomth and his fanpost here and GloryDayz88 and his fanpost here.

Wins against a 9-3 team without your Pro Bowl QB apparently is not enough for JJT. Neither is winning on the road against a division rival. Winning four out of the last five games? Listen guys, JJT is yawning at you. And don't even get him on how overrated it is to have more than 200 yards receiving in a game.

But winning at Heinz Field Sunday? Priceless.

Go win in the cold, maybe the snow, on the league's worst field before a raucous throng waving their Terrible Towels and still peeved about the Cowboys' win in Super Bowl XXX. Go prove your high-powered, star-driven offense can score enough points to beat the NFL's most physical defense, a unit that will gladly remove your heart if given the chance.

Go take a significant step toward making the playoffs, because the Cowboys would be on the outside looking in if the postseason started today.

"I'm happy that Waffle House was ok with me talking to ya'll about my day today. And ya'll that's pretty much in a shell what's it's like to manage a Waffle House. Ma'am I don't know what else you want me to say to them and I'm also going to need to know where your commode is at."

This is a quote from one of my favorite scenes from Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (which apparently spawned a dance craze). The kid looks mortified as her weird father. That is until Reese Bobby shows up and steals the show.

Well, on a day that you ride in a limo with Jason Witten to school, there will be no show stealing from anybody. This has to be the coolest thing ever for a young kid.

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I guess it was only a matter of time.

The Cowboys placed left guard Kyle Kosier on injured reserve Saturday and signed linebacker Steve Octavien off Washington's practice squad to fill Kosier's roster spot.

Kosier is likely to have surgery this week in Charlotte, N.C., on his right foot. He played in only three games this season - all wins - after suffering a ligament injury and hairline fracture in his foot in the preseason against Houston.

Kosier played well when he was healthy and has been solid ever since he came to the 'Boys. I'm encouraged by Montrae Holland but I can't shake the feeling that this will haunt us at some point down the road.

The Star-Telegraph reports the same here.

DC.com has a good recap of the situation here.

Kosier was expected to visit a foot specialist this coming week, but the Cowboys doctors already were recommending surgery to repair the torn ligament he's been trying to fight through this entire season. Kosier was able to return a second time this season to play in the Washington and San Francisco games. But the starting left guard reinjured his problematic foot against the Niners and the ligament damage this time has left a joint in his foot too loose to continue playing and likely in need of surgery. The rehab from such a surgery is expected to be three to four months.

In Thursday's 34-9 victory over Seattle, the Cowboys replaced Kosier in the starting lineup with Montrae Holland, acquired in an Aug. 28 trade with Denver for a 2010 fifth-round pick. Holland appeared to play decently starting in place of Cory Procter, who had started eight games in Kosier's previous absence. Kosier first injured his foot in the third preseason game against Houston, and missed the first two games of the season. He returned to play against Green Bay but stepped in a hole on a somewhat torn up Lambeau Field late in the fourth quarter and missed seven more games after convincing the club to allow him to rest and rehab instead of having season-ending surgery then.

Shout out to scottmaui and his fanpost here.

I was talking to a college buddy of mine yesterday. He's a Broncos fan.

He told me not to hold my breath waiting for Montrae Holland to make an impact. He ate his way out of Denver and that was with Coach Shanahan watches his every move, trying to get his weight down.

"And you know the Cowboys ain't going to do that," he said. "Wade is too nice for that."

Well last time I checked Holland seemed to play awful well Thursday. Rafeal's analysis was spot-on. But I didn't see any penalties or false starts and Romo wasn't touched. I was concerned when Wade said he'd start.

Good call Wade.

That's the Wade I've seen lately. And I've been saying that a lot. Especially about this defense and it's increased sack productions and turnovers. This is the defense I've expected from Wade and he has delivered since reclaiming play-calling duties.

"We have a good rush team," Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips said after the Cowboys improved to 8-4. "We get a lot of hits on the quarterback. It's something that you have to do, I think, to be able to win. Our pass rush was really good. Hasselbeck had not been sacked that much (12 times). Their team overall had, but he hadn't. I thought we really got after him and got after the passing game."

I fully supported the decision when Wade was hired. Part of my reasoning was I hoped he'd turn our defense into a silver and blue version of what his San Diego teams were: sack-collecting, pressure-driven, turnover-machines. This year started off slow, but we're finally seeing the fruits from Wade's harvest. Thursday's game was a perfect example. Watching the defense work was satisfying not only because they were blitzing but they were blitzing smarter and more effectively. The statistics bear this out.

Dallas is currently No. 1 in sacks with 40. DeMarcus Ware is the sack leader in the league with 15. Greg Ellis has five sacks and Jay Ratliff has six. The Cowboys have created 12 turnovers in the last seven games. They've held their opponents to 10 points or less in three out of its last five games. Yes, they played the 49ers and the Seahawks, two sad-sack franchises. Yes, the Giants ran all over us. This is true. But they also held an 8-3 team without a TD (the Bucs) and forced the Giants into three turnovers and sacked Eli Manning four times. Factor that in as well.

My biggest criticisms of Wade has been two-fold: our zone is too soft and we don't blitz often enough or effectively. He's addressed both. We do a much better job of mixing up our coverages and you can see that our blitzes aren't as obvious now. One play you might see a eight or nine-man front and then next you might see Ware dropping into coverage. James, who can be reckless at times, has channeled that energy into controlled bursts. I saw him obliterate a tight end and back trying to block him Thursday and then attack Hasselback without overrunning the play, which I've seen him do against the Eagles and the Redskins. James has five sacks this season after having a total of five sacks for the last five years. I credit Wade with this.

Billy P once told Greg Ellis that sacks are "overrated." I certainly disagree and I would assume Wade does too. Sacks and pressure are two huge factors that contributed to our recent success. There's no doubt about that. When is the last time you saw the Cowboy defense play with so much enthusiasm?

I credit Wade with that too.

T.O. pops off again. In other news, the sun rose today and Elvis is still dead.

Here's part one of the infamous video.

You just knew JFE was going to jump in on this one.

Apparently, the system drops balls, can’t get off the line in press coverage and can’t make plays when he catches the ball. T.O. is right. The system does stink.

And speaking of "the system," doesn’t it technically include Tony Romo? He is, after all, the trigger man deciding in whose capable hands to pass.

I can just see her now, foaming at the mouth as she types those words. With a philly cheesesteak by her side, a glazed ham, two bags of chips and a Diet Soda, I can just picture her typing out this story and then tapping her editor with her cheetoes-stained hand to let her know it's finished.

"Thanks Engel," the editor says. "Cowboy-hateration. That's why we pay you what we do."

Clarence E. Hill jumps in too. He has a more, shall we say, subtle non-hysterical approach.

After trying his best to be patient and not cause a distraction, a frustrated Owens took to the airways and voiced his complaints about his role in the offense during an interview with former Cowboys cornerback Deion Sanders on NFL network Thursday night.

But Owens said anybody who is waiting for him to blow up and cause a big scene, as he has done in the past when he was with the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers, shouldn’t waste their time. He said that is not going to happen and will he continue to run whatever plays are called.

Seems like T.O.'s argument goes something like this: teams have caught up to the system, it's not flexible enough, I'm not involved enough, I'm frustrated with my numbers and we can't win a championship if my numbers don't improve.

Call me crazy, an apologist or whatever bad name you want to, but I tend to agree with most of that. It does seems like teams have caught up to our system. Washington sure did in our first game. Fred Smoot even went so far as to say they "exposed" us, which a lot of people agreed with. At times it doesn't seem flexible enough. Not just with putting T.O. in motion but utilizing talent (Tashard Choice, Roy Williams, Felix Jones when he was healthy). Also, it just seems like sometimes Jason Garrett gets a little too cute for my tastes. He's ignored MB3 too much at times and that borders on nonfeasance in my book. To his credit, he turned it around last week and I'm excited about the future. We also have to factor in Romo's injury and the limitations of Brad Johnson before we judge Garrett too harshly.

More T.O. and Cowboys roundups after the break.

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Looking at the numbers, the Cowboys will probably win Sunday and will probably make the playoffs. But the numbers tell two stories: one where statistics point to a probable quick playoff exit and another where each season has its own twists and turns and improbable victor. Sometimes the 6-4 team gets on a roll that continues into the playoffs. Other times the 6-4 team is teetering on the edge of disaster and misses the playoffs altogether.

I'm going to base my research on the last 10 years. In the last 10 years, 45 teams have been 6-4. Of those teams, 31 of them won the next game. Twenty-three of those games were played at home with the home team winning 15 times.

What do these numbers tell us? That there's a pretty good chance the 'Boys qualify for the playoffs and a pretty good chance that they'll lose in the first round or quickly thereafter. Eighteen of the 45 teams that went 6-4 in the last 10 years missed the playoffs. Of the 27 teams that did make the playoffs, 13 lost in their first game. Only two teams went to the Super Bowl and only five teams went to the conference championship game (they are 2-5 in that game). 

More fun with numbers after the break.

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Felix the Cat returns to practice.

Felix Jones is practicing today for the first time since partially tearing his hamstring in the Oct. 12 loss to the Cardinals.

We'll get more from Wade Phillips this afternoon, but this is obviously a great sign that Jones will play Sunday against San Francisco.

Yessir.

The 2014 Final Four will be played in the new Cowboy stadium.

How cool is that?

Cowboys roundup and much more after the jump.

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The year was 1999.

The Denver Broncos had just won the Super Bowl. The Mandalay Bay and Venetian Hotel were opened in Las Vegas. Microsoft had just released Windows 98. The world was introduced to Napster. David Cone had just pitched a perfect game on Yogi Berra Day.

I was a senior at Florida A&M University, driving a broken down 1990 Benz with this album and this album and this album in my CD player. I couldn't get Limp Bizkit's "Re-Arranged" or Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Scar Tissue" out of my head. And I was so sure that the 'Boys would capitalize on their recent success and return to the days of glory. I was still kinda steamed we didn't draft Randy Moss the year before and this new guy Greg Ellis was still in my doghouse. But we still had Emmitt, Troy, Irvin and Deion. We weren't far from getting back to the Super Bowl, I told myself. 

The day was September 1 (which, coincidentally, is the day Zach Thomas, Jason Taylor and Clinton Portis share a birthday).

There were so many similar things about this day and this game and the current Cowboys.  

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Clinton Portis has an MCL injury reports the DMN Blog. Does this mean we see Shaun Alexander? Or does Rock Cartwright get all the carries? Ladell Betts? I have a hard time thinking he's going to play with a Grade 2 tear.

I don't wish injury on anyone. And I kinda like ... ahem, let me rephrase ... I respect Clinton Portis. He plays hard and when he's healthy he's one of the best backs in the league.

But it would be disingenuous to say I want him to play. I don't. It helps our chances of victory exponentially. It robs them of another playmaker. Plus, if they can't run the ball, they can't control the clock, which is a huge part of their gameplan. They dominate time of possession. Maybe without Portis, this will change.

Hmmm. I like this idea.

On DC.com, the guys discussed the possibility of using the hurry-up offense Sunday. Regardless of when it's used, I like the idea. Set the tempo. Don't allow them to dictate the flow of the game. Plus, it gives Romo a little cushion from the pass rush. Our offensive line hasn't exactly been steady lately and maybe a couple of series in the shotgun might help them get into a much-needed rhythm.

Also, Romo is excellent in this form of offense. He's great at making quick decisions, spreading teams out, taking advantage of the underneath throw to Barber or the intermediate throw to Witten.

The only downside I see is that we'll see the riverboat gambler-side of Romo come out. That guy can be reckless. He's prone to being stripped and throwing picks. But Romo makes far too many good decisions in this format for it to be a serious concern.

Ultimately, I don't think now is the time to be passive. I like the aggressiveness of this idea. Go at 'em. Make them adjust to us. 

Shoutout to CowboysFan4Life for his fanpost here. Again.

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Burger King breaks down our matchup against the Redskins. He sees DeAngelo Hall as a liability.

Hall has always talked a great game, but this year he proved he can't play one. He should be no more than a third corner behind Shawn Springs and Carlos Rogers when Springs returns from his calf injury. Still, when Hall was on Sirius NFL Radio Friday, he still talked with Deion-like bravado, telling a host who said he'd given up some big plays: "You just made that statement, 'give up big plays.' I don't think I gave up a play over 20 yards this season. I gave up one to Michael Jenkins, a 27-yard touchdown. That's part of the business, the nature of the beast. When you're getting a lot of money, you're expected to make a lot of plays. And there are a lot of plays out there I didn't make and I take responsibility for those."

Ah Jennifer Floyd Engel. She's baaaaack! Such a Debbie Downer. She could bring down a bachelor party. She's definitely not the person to go to for an optimistic view of the 'Boys.

Her favorite phrase?

"I told you so."

Way back in July, back when everybody figured this Cowboys team to be pretty much screw-up proof, Owner Jones uttered a bunch of his typical hyperbole.

"I told you so!"

Like about how Pacman was so reformed and trustworthy and, therefore, a steal in exchange for a couple of second-day picks.

"I told you so!"

Or how signing aging talents like T.O., Flo, Terence Newman and Ken Hamlin to long-term, big-time contracts was pure genius. Or my personal favorite that this coaching staff is his best since coming to Dallas.

"I told you so!"

Eventually, she gets to the point of the editorial ... I think ... which is to say we need to start playing up to our Super Bowl potential. 

But guess what. We're barely in the playoff mix right now. So, I realize you get a big kick out of the team's struggles, but once your hand gets tired from patting yourself on the back, you might want to recognize that this team is in the fight of it's life. I'm way more interested in where do we go from here than ... wait for it ...

"I told you so!"

Romo seems to be throwing with more velocity. That's good. He's still hurting but the pain is manageable.

It's one thing for the Cowboys to have their two-time Pro Bowl quarterback returning to practice. To have him performing near his best is even better.

Wade Phillips said Tony Romo was throwing passes with velocity during Monday's practice, which must have been a welcomed sight after three weeks of Brad Johnson taking the first-team reps, and a limited Romo throwing last week. Romo practiced with a splint to guard the fifth finger on his throwing hand, which he fractured in the overtime loss at Arizona on Oct. 12.

When Romo has participated in practice while wearing the splint before, his passes appeared to have more wobble than usual. Today, the tight spiral returned.

"Romo is better and better," Phillips said. "Last week he was OK. Today he was a lot better, I think. He had more zip on the ball. He felt more comfortable. He's still taking snaps - didn't seem to be a problem. It's looking better and better for him as far as getting back to where he was."

Also, we're still undecided on who's going to hold for Nick Folk.

Not. Good.

Jamie Aron hits on a similar theme about the 'Boys. Even Coach Wade said it. We need to get hot. Fast. Like NBA Jam hot. We need to win as many games as possible as quick as possible. 

The Cowboys go to Washington on Sunday night knowing they'll almost certainly make the playoffs if they win their final seven games, probably even if they go 6-1. But they can't lose many more than that, and they'd really make things tough on themselves by losing to teams like the Redskins, who are ahead of them in the division and conference.

We have no room for error.

Remember Breerman? I assumed he was still depressed about the Patriots and their ultimate chokejob in the Super Bowl (I kid Breerman!)

Now he's offering some advice on how to right the ship.

Interesting read but Grizz had the better take in my opinion here and here.

Pretty good story from the Washington Post about our season. It makes two good points: our problems didn't start with Romo but at the same time you can't write this team off until Romo comes back. We've basically played three games where our offense was stagnant. For all our faults, we are not an incompetent offense when Romo is at the helm. He won't solve all of our problems but teams will get a true sense of what this team can do once he's back at the helm.

Shoutout to CowboysFan4Life and his fanpost here.

The Cowboys worked out six defensive players today. Seems like their looking for depth and a chance to address some special teams needs.

Here's an interesting look back at the day Tom Landry was inducted in the Ring of Honor. At first he turned Jerry Jones down. Who wouldn't want to give the finger to the guy that fired them? Then a group of his former players persuaded him to accept and eventually he did. A great day in Cowboy history.  

Tom Orsborn (I keep wanting to call him Osborne for some reason) says the Cowboys chances of making the playoffs range from slim to none. He thinks we'll end up 9-7. He sees a three-game win streak against the Redskins, 49ers and Seahawks and a 1-3 finish against the Steelers, Giants, Ravens and Eagles.

I'll admit, I've had visions of 9-7 or even 8-8 dancing in my head. But I'm going to assume my role as Chief Optimist-in-Chief (does that even make sense?) Where's my rose-colored glasses and pitcher of Kool-Aid? Here we go!

Due to the ankle-grabbing loss to the Rams, I'm a little leery of "guaranteeing" Cowboy victories against lesser opponents. That being said, I really don't see how we can lose to the 49ers or the Seahawks at home and have anything close to a chance of getting into the playoffs. We need those games and I believe the team will see it as such.

Sunday's game against the Redskins is as close to a season-saving game as any. We absolutely need this game. Am I confident will win it? No. But I am confident in the power of one Antonio Romo. If he's anywhere near 100 percent, we've got a shot. That's all we need.

Also, the Redskins don't necessarilly play that well at home. They're 3-2 with losses to the Rams and the Steelers recently. Secondly, they don't blow teams out. They don't make mistakes, they run the ball, they play good defense and they win close games. So we should be in it the entire game. If we can keep it close, I have confidence in our QB and our kicker.

The Steeler game is going to be rough and I'm assuming we'll lose that one. But then again, Roethlisberger hasn't been playing well and they've got definite problems on the injury-front. The Eagles game will be similiarly difficult. For some reason, I've got good vibes about the Giants home game. The Giants are real full of themselves right now and if we're fighting for a playoff berth and they've already clinched the division or they're close to it, I see a chance to embrass them. Gotta love that. The Ravens have the defense to make our life difficult but we're at home and we've got the offense to spread them out. Also our defense can get enough pressure on Joe Flacco to expose him.

So at the end of the day, I think 9-7 is a realistic projection, but I'm going to go with 10-6, a playoff spot and first-round rematch against the Cardinals. Wins versus the Redkins, Giants, 49ers, Seahawks and Ravens. Losses versus the Eagles and Steelers.

I would watch out for the three-game winning streak though. If the Cowboys beat the Redskins Sunday and then win the next two games, I wouldn't be surprised to see them beat the Steelers. Confidence is really something we've lacked recently and if we find a way to harness it, I don't think Heinz Field is too big of a mountain to climb. As I've said before, I think we'll win at home against the Giants and the Ravens, which leaves us with a six-game winning streak. If that happens, watch out Eagles.

But we'll talk about best-case scenarios another day.

It hurts my heart to say this.

But the Cowboys are an undiscipled team.

We have no shot of making the playoffs if this doesn't change. The numbers bear this out.

Penalty problems

Rank: 1st Last year: 8th

The Cowboys have turned into the Oakland Raiders. Entering the weekend, Dallas had the dubious distinction as the most penalized team in the league with 71 (mostly false starts/offside) in nine games. The Cowboys have had eight or more penalties in five games, with 33 on offense, and left tackle Flozell Adams has seven. They are on pace for their most penalties since 1999, when they went 8-8 and had 136 under Chan Gailey. Dallas had eight more penalties than second-place Cleveland.

Lack of takeaways

Rank: 26th in TO margin

Last year: Tied for 8th

It has been an amazing stat all season. The Cowboys have just three interceptions, and the first one didn’t come until the fifth game. Dallas’ lack of game-changing plays on defense is not affording the offense room for error. Four times this season the defense has not produced a turnover in a game. The only team with fewer interceptions is hapless Detroit with two. The Cowboys were tied for second-to-last with Denver and Seattle going into the weekend. Dallas will hope for things to change with Pro Bowl cornerback Terence Newman returning to the lineup at Washington.

We've endured costly mistakes (small note: other sources say we're No. 2 in penalties not No. 1). Twelve men on the field during a crucial defensive stop. Too many offsides penalties. Lots of sacks but not enough turnovers (Greg Ellis has more picks than some of our DBs for Chrissakes!) Inopportune picks by Romo and the dubious duo (Brad and Brooks). Inopportune fumbles by MB3 and T.O.

We can't win if we don't start causing more turnovers while holding onto the ball. We can't win if we don't stop the penalties.

How do you teach discipline? Particularly in the middle of the season? Do you yell more? Do you send players to the locker room and drop you pants like Coach Singletary? Do you encourage them to do the right things? Do you hand out no-penalty pledges?

I'm at a loss. Parcells was a hard @$$ but even his teams had problems with penalties and turnovers. His career as a coach ended on a turnover. Wade is a players-coach and last year it seemed that we turned a corner. But our playoff game ended with a turnover. And this year we've lost plenty of games due to carelessness.

I know we need to stop it. But I have no idea how to do it.

Hopefully, our coaching staff does.

Shout out to gee-roj and his fanpost here.

Jamie Aron is spreading blame around like cheese on gritz (don't knock it 'til you try it). That's cool. That's what happens when you don't live up to expectations.

Check this out though. We've still got seven games. Let's not start writing epitaphs. We've still got a shot.

Good article by Mac Engel. We need to quit playin' games. Playtime is over. Bruce Willis has just bust in with the sword. Zed is dead. Time to get Medieval on their @$$!

The Cowboys have seven games. Seven games to prove they are as good as so many people thought they were, including themselves. Seven games to reach a postseason that was once thought to be a given. Seven games to help save a head coach’s job.

"No question this team understands there are important times whether it’s during a football game, during a season, whatever, but as an athlete and a competitor you understand when those times come up, and this is no question one of those times," Romo said. "I don’t think there is a magic potion; I don’t think there is a secret."

Good points about what the team needs to do at the end.

Santana Moss and Clinton Portis. We can't cover or tackle either one. Should be fun Sunday!

What's this? Portis may be out Sunday? Hmmmm.

Shout out to Mullin and his fanpost here.

After some digging, I researched the playoff seeding format, and realized the NFL competition committee tabled this proposal to allow wildcards to host playoff games. I was under the assumption it passed.

I want to encourage people to point out things like this. You guys have actually been doing a good job of this. Please keep it up.

Now my preference is that you don't be an @$$#ole about it. Nonetheless, I still appreciate the feedback regardless of it's tone.

I hate bye weeks.

Usually, around Saturday night, I start to get a pep in my step. I start to look forward to going to sleep and waking up early Sunday morning. I'm giddy like I just got a brand new fresh pair of Nikes. I imagine driving down to the local bar and watching my 'Boys. I used to look forward to our offense lighting up opposing teams like a pinball machine. But recently, any first downs or points are cause for celebration.

On bye weeks, fantasy football is about the only thing that keeps my interest. But it's nothing like rootin' for the 'Boys.

But this bye week, I've found something that I need to monitor. That would be our playoff status.

We could still get hot and win the division. It's possible, but right now, it doesn't look likely. So I'm basing this analysis on a possible wildcard spot. If we can't win the division, we at least want to host a wildcard game.

The playoffs are not out of the realm of possiblity. If we beat the Redskins, there is a decent chance we could go on a three game winning streak. We play the (2-6) 49ers and the (2-6) Seahawks at home in consecutive weeks. The Seahawks are as injury-plagued as we are, although they might be a little healthier by the time we play. And the 49ers are still recovering from their coach dropping his pants on them (no word on whether he got his eagle on or not). I'm not getting cocky about this either. We can still lose to anybody. Refer to this game to jog your memory.

Despite the fact that we're 5-4, we're still in the thick of things. There are only four teams in the conference with a 6-3 record or better and we play three of them. There are eight teams with a 5-3, 5-4 or 4-4 record.  

The playoffs are a long ways away so I don't want you to put a lot of stock into this analysis. But it's never too early to start planning.

Seeing how playoff standings are based on factors such as overrall record, conference record and head-to-head matchups, I want the 49ers to beat the Cardinals, the Saints to beat the Falcons and the Packers to beat the Vikings. I would rather the Raiders beat the Panthers but I have no faith in Raider Nation to do so.

The Cards have the head-to-head matchup on us due to our loss a few weeks back. Currently they are 5-3 and if we end up in a tie with them for a playoff spot they could edge us out. We need them to lose as many games as possible so we can edge them out with our overall record.

The Falcons are 5-3 and, let's face it, battling with us and other teams like us for a playoff spot. We don't want any team to get too far ahead of the pack. So if the Saints delivered them a little humility and bounced them back to 5-4, I wouldn't mind.

We're up half a game on the Packers. Plus we have the head-to-head matchup on the Packers. So I'm not too worried about Green Bay right now (but I reserve the right to change my mind). The Pack can do us a big favor by knocking the Vikings back to 4-5 while keeping us near the front of the pack for a wildcard spot. 

I guess I should be rooting for the Eagles to beat the Giants, so that they don't leap too far in front of the division. But then again, there's a good argument for rooting for the Giants. If we're focusing on a wildcard spot, an Eagles lost wouldn't be so bad. More importantly, it's just hard to cheer for either one of these teams because I hate both of them like the Lifetime Channel (props to Hank Baskett though). So I'm willing to just sit back and enjoy them beating each other to a pulp. I'd cheer for the refs if that was possible.

Last year, we were pretty stout against the run. But this year with been giving it up like Prom Night when it comes to premier running backs. Although we've played well against other teams, we've let Brandon Jacobs, Clinton Portis and Steven Jackson have their way with us.

Calvin Watkins has noticed.

In the last three weeks, the Cowboys have given up 25 first downs on runs; in the previous six games the team allowed 28.

The Cowboys have given up 11 run plays of 10 or more yards in the last three games and three of those have gone for touchdowns. In the previous six games, the Cowboys had given up only 11 runs of 10 or more yards with no touchdowns.

And next week, the Cowboys face the Redskins and running back Clinton Portis, who leads the NFL with 995 rushing yards.

Ok. Now this is the shinola that I really hate. Mac "The Knife" Engel decides to write an article about how the Cowboys can't celebrate until we start winning.

The last person I expected to go Antonio Bryant on the Giants Stadium faux-grass was DeMarcus Ware. But there was the Cowboys’ best defender, celebrating a sack and a forced fumble of Giants quarterback Eli Manning … and the Cowboys only trailed by three touchdowns midway through the third quarter.

This is not an isolated incident, either.

Two weeks earlier, Ware registered a sack of the season near the end of the first half that prompted a small celebration. He must not have noticed the Cowboys trailed the Rams — the Rams, dude — 21-7.

(Before continuing, it should be noted Ware is one of the kinder, more gentle professional athletes I have encountered. He is a pro’s pro.)

The time has come for Ware and this defense to quit celebrating stat-padding numbers such as these. A sack of Manning down 21 points is too late. The same for a sack of Bulger. Plays such as these may look good on season totals and help in contract negotiations, but they are too late in games and they aren’t making a difference when the time for a difference is long gone.

First all, the MVP of our season so far, IMHO, is Ware. So he can celebrate whenever the heckfire he wants to. He's also having what could be a historical season as far as sacks and consideration for Defensive Player of the Year. He does the same thing everytime he gets a sack. The same dance. Everytime. It's not really even a dance. He puts his hands in the air and then slams them down on the ground. Mexico City 1968 this was not.

Secondly, I really don't think journalists have standing to decide when a player gets to celebrate and when he doesn't. I will admit that it's annoying when a player starts to celebrate and you're down 40-0. I wasn't fond of Miles Austin celebrating when we were down in the waning moments of the Redskins game and he scored. But he's been hurt, buried on the depth chart, forgetten about and now he's finally getting his chance to shine. I can't blame him. As long as it doesn't cause a detrimental penalty, I don't care.

I think that's the biggest point. I don't care about this junk. Again, this is a waste of my time. To be fair, there are some good analysis about how our defense has not lived up to expectations. But leave the trivial stuff alone. What is this? Bring it On? You giving points on jazz fingers now? Keep it movin' guys.

RW2 is frustrated. So am I. He wants to contribute more. Me too. C'mon coach, listen to one of us!

Tom Pelissero of the Green Bay Gazzette decides to take a moment out of his busy schedule to trash the 'Boys, a popular sport at the moment. He compares our dysfunction to the Raiders. Seems like apples and oranges to me. We're 5-4 with a chance. They're 2-6 without a prayer. Not to mention, WE WHUPPED THE PACKERS IN THE FROZEN TUNDRA THIS YEAR!!! So we must be doing something right. And the Packers are 4-4 and not exactly burning up the league.

Don't throw stones from glass houses, Mr. Pelissero.