Bleacher Report - Articles by The Landry Hat .com

Cowboys-Seahawks: DeMarcus Ware and Marion Barber Injured in Dalls Win

The Landry Hat .com — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 19:38:35 -0500

DeMarcus Ware is on track to record 20 sacks this year—if he can still play.

A scary moment came at the end of the Dallas Cowboys against Seattle Seahawks game when Ware left with a knee injury. There has been no word at all if the injury is serious. But typically, when a player is taken out of a game with a knee injury, it is rarely good.

Meanwhile, Marion Barber left the game with a foot injury after a player stepped on it. He returned to the game for a few plays, but he was taken out again for X-rays.

If either of these players was lost, it would be devastating for the Cowboys, who since 2003 have gone 10-16 in December.

We remember December of last year too well, including the ugly loss to the Washington Redskins, before we had a bye in the first round of the playoffs.

Start praying. Start praying.

UPDATE: It seems Ware will be fine. He won the Gobbler Award and said he is fine and he was taken out just as a precaution. GOOD NEWS!

Dallas Cowboys May Let Julius Jones Run Wild

The Landry Hat .com — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 11:23:13 -0500

By Bevomav

The Dallas Cowboys need Julius Jones to pick up the pace, just a little: If he gains 1000 yards (he is on pace for 986), the Cowoys will receive a third-round pick.

Currently, the Cowboys are on pace for a fourth-round pick.

Why I use points instead of yards? Dallas is the number 10 defense in the NFL using yards, but using points allowed they are 21st.

Tony Romo making a difference

If you take Romo’s stats and stretch them out (averaged) for the 11 games
Offense….Currently..9th….With Romo for year..4th..
Defense…Currently..21st..With Romo for year..11th..
Record…..Currently..7 and 4…With Romo for year..8 and 3..Here I am using the win percentage with/without Romo..and making a projection.

NFL Power Rankings: Week 12

The Landry Hat .com — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 19:49:44 -0500

What a week in the NFL. Have a happy Turkey Day, fellas...and jessicafan.

#	+/-	Team	Comment
1	–	New York Giants	The Giants manhandle another top tier team in the league. This team could be better that the 07 Patriots. Oh Wait! They beat the 07 Patriots!
2	–	New York Jets	Does anyone (not including MB III) have anything to say about me ranking the Jets at 3 last week? I didn’t think so! I will add that I called a BIG WIN over the Titans last Tuesday. The Jets are the BEST team in the AFC, Period!
3	–	Tennessee Titans	This team will not win a playoff game this year. I only ranked them so high because their record wouldn’t let me do anything different. But, if the Lions beat them on Thanksgiving, ( I think they will, but I’m not guaranteeing anything like I did last week) they will go on a downward spiral.
4	–	Pittsburgh Steelers	The Steelers are not the best team in the league, but they are the toughest team in the league. I believe that this team could beat anyone in a December slug-fest.
5	+2	Atlanta Falcons	It’s official: the Falcons are the best team in the NFC South. They will have their hands full with a desperate Chargers team. In the coming weeks, I see the NFC South fading, with the Falcons standing strong.
6	–	Dallas Cowboys	The Dallas Cowboys are back! They may have to win out to make the playoffs, but if they do, no one will want this wild card team coming to their house!
7	-2	Indianapolis Colts	The Colts are looking more solid every week. Like the Cowboys, watch out if this team gets into the playoffs.
8	+4	Arizona Cardinals	I don’t think this team is as good as everyone else does. It’s a shame that they have no competition in their division. NONE!
9	–	New England Patriots	Matt Cassel CAN lead this team to the playoffs. He will become a very rich man in the offseason! If the Patriots’ Old Defense can play fairly well, this team will be another dangerous wild card.
10	+3	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	At the end of the day, I think the Redskins will snatch the wild card spot away from the Buccaneers. Poor Bucs. No one gives this team any respect, yet they keep on winning.
11	-1	Carolina Panthers	I don’t see the postseason in this team’s future either. I have called them overrated since week 1 and the Falcons proved me right!
12	+2	Baltimore Ravens	The Ravens that played the Eagles can beat anyone! However, the Ravens that played the Giants don’t stand a chance.
13	-5	Washington Redskins	The Redskins seem to play down to bad teams. Something the Cowboys did last year and it drove me crazy! But I believe they are better than the Panthers. It will be a battle with the Buccaneers for the playoffs.
14	-3	New Orleans Saints	This team is amazing to watch! They put up 51 points on one of the best defenses in the NFL. It may be too late, but if this team wins out and slips into the playoffs they could be trouble.
15	+4	Minnesota Vikings	The Vikings are the most well-rounded team in the NFC North. I think they will win the division, but the Bears and Packers will nip at their heels the whole ride.
16	–	Chicago Bears	Very similar to the Vikings in playing style. They need Kyle Orton to step it up if they want to contend.
17	+1	Buffalo Bills	he Bills got a much needed win on Sunday, but the division has become a powerhouse, leaving them behind.
18	-3	Miami Dolphins	The Dolphins played a whole new Matt Cassel on Sunday. A Matt Cassel that they should go after in the off season! Now the Dolphins have to worry about the attitude of Joey Porter, not making the playoffs.
19	-2	Green Bay Packers	The Packers got embarrassed on Monday night football. They are still in the mix, but this loss comes at a bad time.
20	–	Denver Broncos	This team does not deserve a playoff berth.
21	–	San Diego Chargers	They will be looking for a new coach soon. There’s just noway a team this talented should miss the playoffs. Norv Turner just cannot win the big games.
22	+1	Philadelphia Eagles	I don’t even know what to say . I’m just so happy I am not an Eagles fan. I hate the Giants and Redskins just as much, but I don’t have respect for the Eagles or their fans. I love to see them crumble.
23	+1	Cleveland Browns	The Brady Quinn experiment is over, and so is all hope that Romeo is back for next year. The Browns ought to make a coaching change.
24	-2	Houston Texans	It’s a shame that this team started off so bad, because they show flashes of awesomeness! They should be much better next year. Wait, we all said that last year.
25	+5	Jacksonville Jaguars	This is one of my biggest disappointments of the season. I really thought this team would win the AFC South and have a shot at the Super Bowl. Now they’re fighting to stay out of the basement of their division.
26	-1	Oakland Raiders	A funny thing is that this team could still win the division!!!!
27	–	San Fransisco 49ers	The question is will Mike be coaching this team next year? Probably not.
28	-2	Seattle Seahawks	AN overall poor year for what seems to be a dead-weight coach and a bunch of players who gave up. Maybe next year.
29	–	Kansas City Chiefs	Tyler Thigpen Mania!
30	-2	Cincinnati Bengals	Ocho Cinco is benched. Can anyone help the Bengals rebound?
31	–	St. Louis Rams	Truly an NFL embarrassment this year. At leas the Lions compete!
32	–	Detroit Lions	Will they go 0-16? I think so

*Iron Man’s POWER STANDINGS AFTER WEEK 12

AFC

North

Steelers
Ravens
Browns
Bengals

South
Titans
Colts
Texans
Jaguars

East
Jets
Patriots
Bills
Dolphins

West
Broncos
Chargers
Raiders
Chiefs

NFC

North
Vikings
Bears
Packers
Lions

South
Falcons
Buccaneers
Panthers
Saints

East
Giants
Cowboys
Redskins
Eagles

West
Cardinals
49ers
Seahawks
Rams

POWER PLAYOFF PICTURE AFTER WEEK 12

AFC
1. Jets
2. Titans
3. Steelers
4. Broncos
Wc1. Colts
Wc2. Patriots

JUST MISS
1. Ravens
2. Bills
3. Dolphins

NFC
1. Giants
2. Falcons
3. Cardinals
4. Vikings
Wc1. Cowboys
Wc2. Buccaneers

JUST MISS
1. Panthers
2. Redskins
3. Saints

Rapper Lil Wayne on Pacman: “If I was the commissioner…”

The Landry Hat .com — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 14:25:21 -0500

Who knew rapper Lil Wayne had a blog on ESPN where he comments about sports? How nifty.

It is even more interesting noting his most recent blog here where he talks about NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s decision to reinstate Dallas Cowboys cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones after a lengthy suspension for an Oct. 7 fight with Pacman’s bodyguard at a Texas hotel. Pacman should return in time for the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Lil Wayne doesn’t think Pacman will turn it around. He says if he was the NFL commissioner he would have banned him for life. It doesn’t matter that the events of Oct. 7 did not warrant a police report, any criminal charges or even a stay in the police department. The altercation was minor, and what really happened was fuzzy in the media reports.

“That’s why I think, in his situation, there is no way he’s turning it around. I mean, come on. He’s a grown man. They don’t give these huge contracts to kids. His main job is to stay out of trouble and he can’t do that, so I’d kick him out of the league,” Lil Wayne writes.

Lil Wayne says Pacman doesn’t hang out with the right people. Lil Wayne should know. He is no angel. Certainly no angel. It seems Lil Wayne likes the green smoke.

There is a reason Lil Wayne is not the NFL commissioner. He’d fail the drug test. But his points are hollow and without much reasoning. He’s just making an opinion, and that is all fine, but maybe he shouldn’t be preaching to the choir. If Pacman cannot play football anymore, why should Lil Wayne be allowed to make records or play concerts?

Of course we do not condone Pacman’s history. The entire episodes of criminal charges and trouble is disappointing for anyone. But the most recent incident shouldn’t have even been something the NFL got involved in. With that said, Goodell’s statement that Pacman doesn’t have any more chances left is a smart one. We wish Pacman luck.

Mike Jenkins, Kyle Kosier Out for Thanksgiving

The Landry Hat .com — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 10:04:58 -0500

The Dallas Cowboys officially ruled rookie cornerback Mike Jenkins and veteran guard Kyle Kosier out for this Thursday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks. Jenkins has an injured hamstring and Kosier sprained his foot.

I am getting a bit nervous that the Cowboys may be overlooking the Seahawks, who played the Washington Redskins pretty tough on Sunday. Anytime you play a team with a former Cowboys player on it, the outcome can be a little too close for comfort.

Julius Jones probably has a little bit of anger he’d like to release on the Cowboys defense. On a short week, with the Pittsburgh Steelers up next, the Cowboys need to ensure a win here or the season could fizzle just like the Redskins’ season.

Washington Redskins Blogger Attacks the Landry Hat

The Landry Hat .com — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:35:12 -0500

Folks, I have been disparaged, and this guy even misinforms people of my identity. But Washington-Redskins-Examiner~y2008m11d24-The-brothers-Cooley-vs-the-Landry-Hat" target="_blank">in this post, The Washington Redskins Examiner has attacked me with full force and was unprovoked.

He not only protects Chris Cooley and his brother Tanner Cooley for the massive attack they launched on angry Redskins fans after the embarrassing loss to the Dallas Cowboys two weeks ago, but he says I am someone who I am not, and attacks me here and then attacks another blogger for the Cowboys over at the Examiner. Insane. Completely insane.

If you all remember, Tanner Cooley came over to The Landry Hat and launched some vitriol on us. We’re unsure if he will rear his head here again, but he better behave. Cowboys fans don’t attack each other.

I challenged him to get Chris Cooley over here to explain the post, and maybe even discuss some football with us in an interview, but he has not followed through on the request.

Are the Cooleys scared of us?

As you can see in my Week 12 breakdown, I predict the Washington Redskins will tank the second half of the season and miss the playoffs. Would the Cooleys, or Mark Newgent, care to debate that with us here?

Can the Dallas Cowboys Score Early? Apparently Not

The Landry Hat .com — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:15:44 -0500

Our stats engineer Bevomav pulled an interesting stat today for The Landry Hat. In the last six games, in which the Dallas Cowboys are 3-3, they have had a really hard time scoring points early. Here is a review of the first-quarter scoring differential:

49ers 6 Boys 0

Skins 7 Boys 0

Giants 14 Boys 0

Bucs 6 Boys 7

Rams 21 Boys 0

Cards 7 Boys 0

Opps 61 Boys 7

61-7!!!! The Rams stat is just scary. The Cowboys last year had a hard time starting games off with a lot of offensive power, but they would pull away late, oftentimes in grand fashion.

It is hard to determine why this is happening. What I will have Bevo try to do is pull the first quarter scoring differentials for all NFC teams that are currently in the running for a playoff spot.

I can only suspect the Cowboys will be dead last in the category.

NFC East Breakdown: Week 12

The Landry Hat .com — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 04:36:37 -0500

(Dan T. writes for The Landry Hat, which is FSB’s Dallas Cowboys blog. Representing the rest of the NFC East are G-Men HQ, Inside the Iggles. and Riggo’s Rag.)

You can kiss the Philadelphia Eagles goodbye from the playoff hunt, and quite frankly, Donovan McNabb and head coach Andy Reid might want to pack their bags.

Did McNabb really yawn on the bench? Meanwhile, the Dallas Cowboys are heating up at the right time, while the Washington Redskins are stalling on offense and the New York Giants look unstoppable.

Coach Wade Phillips has to be proud with his defense lately, but his locker-room speech was pretty pathetic. He’s smiling too much. No need to smile yet. Several sources say that he did. Terrell Owens may want to consider slamming offensive coordinator Jason Garrett again if it means he’ll have 200 yards receiving again with a touchdown or more. Whatever works, right?

Dallas Cowboys (7-4)

Looking Back: For the first quarter, Cowboys fans were freaking out a little bit. The game could have easily been 14-0 in favor of the San Fransisco 49ers, but they were held to two field goals. Shaun Hill was throwing the bombs and Isaac Bruce was hauling them in.

The Cowboys' defense stood strong and after the first quarter, they dominated the line of scrimmage. Tony Romo was throwing his own kind of bombs, to almost forgotten wide receiver Terrell Owens—remember him?

Cowboys fans were ready to murder the guy after watching his interview with Deion Sanders, where he criticizes the coaching staff for not getting him involved. But once he caught that 75-yard bomb, things sort of changed. Some fans had memory loss. Terrell Owens and Tony Romo are back. And that’s not good for the five teams that face the Cowboys as the season comes to a close.

Looking Forward: The Cowboys need Marion Barber to have some impact in the game against Seattle, another team the Cowboys could overlook in anticipation of the Pittsburgh Steelers and their No. 1 ranked defense.

Barber didn’t score against the 49ers and although he had 19 carries, he only amassed 59 yards. He did catch seven passes for 50 more yards. Seattle almost beat the Redskins, and they’d love nothing more than to spoil the Cowboy's run—the Cowboys haven’t won three games in a row since they started the season 3-0.

A win puts them at 8-4 and locks them in for a wild-card berth.

New York Giants (10-1)

Looking Back: The score was closer than the Giants would have liked, and the Arizona Cardinals made a valiant attempt to oust the best team in the NFC and possibly the NFL. Eli Manning was stellar, throwing for three touchdowns and 240 yards. The Cards were able to slow down the powerful Giants rushing game, but that might of had to do with Brandon Jacobs being injured.

The Cards couldn’t stop the passing game. The key factor in this win was the Giants actually stopped the Cards rushing game even better, holding Tim Hightower to just 21 yards on 11 carries. The Giants also had great field position on almost every drive thanks to special teams expert Domenik Hixon.

Looking Forward: The Giants next play the Washington Redskins who are desperately fighting for a playoff spot. Damn those pesky Atlanta Falcons. To beat the Redskins, the Giants just have to play their kind of football game: run the ball well and dominate the time of possession while sending thick pressure on the opposing quarterbacks.

It’s a recipe of disaster for the Redskins, who have very little of a chance to win this game.

Philadelphia Eagles (5-5-1)

Looking Back: The Eagles didn’t just lose to the Baltimore Ravens; they got demolished. It was so bad that Coach Andy Reid benched Donovan McNabb. It got worse when McNabb was spotted yawning on the sidelines. Poor guy tired?

The game was pathetic to watch. For the fourth game in a row, Brian Westbrook stunk it up. It’s not like Joe Flacco was the next John Unitas out there; he just didn’t throw interceptions.

Looking Forward: Reid is already saying that McNabb will start, but is that what he really wants? Personally, he should turn the page on this season and give the ball to their QB in the wings, some kid named Kolb.

Why not, right? I mean, McNabb is just not performing and the Eagles aren’t going to have it very easy with the high-flying Arizona Cardinals this weekend.

Washington Redskins (7-4)

Looking Back: Sorry Redskins fans, but your team really looks like it is going to tank it in December. You played a very bad team and should have lost it. You didn’t dominate anything, and you allowed a guy named Maurice Morris to run all over you.

It was sad to watch, really. I guess without a healthy Clinton Portis, the Redskins are an average team, and possibly even below average. Are their playoff hopes fizzling? I think so.

Looking Forward: The Giants would love nothing more than to abuse the Redskins and seriously damage their playoff hopes.

The Redskins haven’t been able to get the offense moving, and the defense isn’t exactly impressive. The Giants are so much better than this team that there would have to be many turnovers and some injuries for the Giants to even come close to losing this game.

Well That Didn't Take Long: Kyle Kosier Injured Again

The Landry Hat .com — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 20:26:45 -0500

I hate Mondays. I don’t hate them because it is the beginning of the work week, but I hate them because every Monday we get the list of new Dallas Cowboys injuries. I reported on Mike Jenkins‘ hamstring.

Now Kyle Kozier is likely not going to play against the Seattle Seahawks this Thanksgiving.

Kozier has a nagging foot injury and he reinjured it yesterday against the San Fransisco 49ers. Kozier hasn’t played most of the season, but he’s anchored that front line that last two weeks. Now it looks like he is going to miss more time. The offensive line hasn’t exactly played lights-out football, but Kozier is always solid up front.

Cory Procter will again take Kozier’s place.

Mike Jenkins Injures Hamstring: Is Dallas' Secondary Imploding?

The Landry Hat .com — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 12:51:08 -0500

The Dallas Cowboys have a very delicate secondary that has blown games before. Injuries and just inconsistent play has hampered the Cowboys for almost a decade.

So, the news that rookie cornerback Mike Jenkins has injured his hamstring could become a serious problem for the Cowboys. Jenkins will get an MRI today, so there should be some indication if his injury is bad enough for him to miss this coming game against the Seattle Seahawks–a game for which the Cowboys have just three days to prepare.

Terence Newman did play, but he has a groin injury he’s fighting. Safety Ken Hamlin gave up several big plays against the 49ers, and although cornerback Anthony Henry did have an interception and a few decent redzone plays, he was inconsistent on the field.

Any injury to the secondary from here on out can result in serious problems for the Cowboys.

Terrell Owens Slams Coaching Staff And Then Has Best Game

The Landry Hat .com — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 19:32:39 -0500

Terrell Owens got what he wanted, and the Dallas Cowboys hammered the San Fransisco 49ers after a slow start today at Texas Stadium.

Owens had his best game of the year by far, with seven catches for 213 yards and a touchdown. His performance comes on the same day an interview aired with Deion Sanders in which Owens was critical of offensive coordinator Jason Garrett.

It was Owens second-best game in his career.

The 75-yard bomb to Owens was Tony Romo’s longest of his career.

The win was important for a few reasons. The Cowboys won two games in a row for the first time since week three when they started the season 3-0. The defense also played well and limited Frank Gore, making him a non-factor in the game.

The Dallas Cowboys were able to stay tied with the Redskins for the final wildcard playoff spot in the NFC as the Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers continue to grind out wins.

Tony Romo was solid, passing for more than 300 yards again with three touchdowns. Rookie tight end Martellus Bennett caught another touchdown, giving him more on the season than Jason Witten, who had a tough time finding his pace.

It was ironic that Owens had his best game today. His interview on the NFL Network was a selfish viewpoint of his struggles this year, and it did nothing to boost morale in the locker room. But, the Cowboys won, and they remain 7-4 with the ‘Skins who squeaked by the Seattle Seahawks this evening.

Terrell Owens Speaks Out, But Not Convincingly

The Landry Hat .com — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 12:13:35 -0500

As I predicted, the second half of the interview by Deion Sanders of Terrell Owens was uneventful. Owens made all of his scathing statements in the first interview, and well, he hasn’t convinced me he is right.

Terrell Owens excelled with this offense last year, having one of his best career years. Deion points this out when Owens blames the Jason Garrett’s playbook as the reason he hasn’t had one 100-yard game so far this year and might have his worst year in his career by productivity alone.

Owens’ excuse was that opposing teams have had all summer to study the Cowboys game plan, and that is why the routes are not opening up.

Hogwash. It’s wrong. It’s not convincing, and it’s selfish. Owens just isn’t the same player. He cannot break out of his routes like he used to.

He isn’t shaking the cornerbacks at the line of scrimmage. And he still drops a lot of passes, some key passes that were needed to keep a drive alive.

Deion made the funny statement that the Cowboys fans are wondering why the team is not getting him the ball. Oh really? We watch the games every week, and we see just about every week the Cowboys give Owens the ball or throw to him more than anyone on the team. It’s a matter of fact–Bevomav will do the stats to prove it.

Every network loves to get an interview with Owens and stir the pot because they all would love to see the Cowboys fail. It is just unfortunate Owens always falls for the bait.

Pulling the Stats: Dallas Cowboys Vs. San Fransisco 49ers

The Landry Hat .com — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 10:12:40 -0500

By Bevomav

The Dallas Cowboys host the San Fransisco 49ers in another must-win game if the Cowboys want to stay on the playoff train and remain competitive within the division. The Cowboys and Redskins have the same 6-4 records and the Eagles are 5-4-1.

There are the Atlanta Falcons also at 6-4 and then a host of teams at 5-5, including the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears.

Offense rankings (scoring)

Cowboys: 14th

'Niners: 13th

Defense rankings (scoring)

Cowboys: 20th

'Niners: 29th

Measuring the QBs

Tony Romo has a 99.9 QB rating

After three games Shaun Hill has a 91.6 rating.

TD’s/Ints: Romo, 15/7

Hill, 5/2

Yards per attempt: Romo 8.3 to Hill’s 7.3

Measuring the Running Backs

Marion Barber has 779 yds and 4 per rush with 39 receptions for 303 yards
Frank Gore has 834 yds and 4.7 per rush with 35 receptions for 325 yards

Sacks

Cowboys have 29 sacks and have allowed 7 for +22

'Niners have 22 and allowed 36 for -14

Interceptions

Cowboys have 4 and allowed 13 for -9

'Niners have 10 and allowed 13 for -3

Scoring

Nick Folk is 9/11 or 82%

Joe Nedney is 18/20 for 90%

The Cowboys have 27 touchdowns compared with the 'Niners 21

Points differential

Cowboys scored 230 and have allowed 229 for a +1
'Niners have scored 230 and allowed 275 for a -45

Tight Ends

Jason Witten has 48 catches for 583 yards and 2 touchdowns

Martellus Bennet has 12 catches for 206 yards and 2 touchdowns

Vernon Davis has 18 catches for 216 yards and 2 touchdowns

Interesting facts: The 49er roster shows three tight ends on the roster, but only one has caught a pass. All the talk of losing Felix Jones for the year. The team wasn’t using him anyway. Take away kickoff returns and he was averaging five plays a game including runs and passes.

Last five games

Cowboys have won three out of five

'Niners have won one out of five

All time: 'Niners have won 13 and Cowboys have won nine.

Playoffs: Cowboys have won four and the 'Niners have won two.

Terence Newman is 50/50

The Landry Hat .com — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 22:36:22 -0500

Terrell Owens attacks the coaching staff.

Felix Jones is gone for the year.

And now, Terence Newman injured his groin and he may not play Sunday.

What a week for the Dallas Cowboys.

Let’s start with Owens:

Apparently, the interview Sunday with Deion Sanders is going to be a doozy. We have no idea what Owens will say, but if it gets any worse than what he has already said, it will be time for Wade Phillips to get ballsy. Suspend Owens for a game. Give the ball to Roy Williams and Marion Barber and see what happens. Of course, Sanders is an entertainer, and he very well could have said that to get more people to watch the show on NFL Network at 10 a.m.

As for Felix Jones:

If he stays healthy, he has a real chance for rookie of the year, something a Dallas Cowboy has not won since Emmitt Smith in 1990. Jones was an important weapon for the Cowboys on special teams and on certain offensive plays. He had the capability to explode and spread the field out. Losing him is big because ever since he’s been gone, the Cowboys have struggled.

As for Terence Newman, he played very well against the Washington Redskins.

If Newman cannot play, the pressure is back on rookie Mike Jenkins, who has been inconsistent. We know Jenkins can think too much and avoid big hits while on the field. In the secondary, that’s an unhealthy attitude to have. The concern is that even when Newman is 50-50 on the field, he doesn’t play well. It is really unfortunate how he has had health problems for the last two seasons.

The Dallas Cowboys host a pesky San Fransisco 49ers team led by a fiery coach. The 49ers have a real decent running back in Frank Gore. All of these setbacks can cause problems for the Cowboys if the coaching staff isn’t doing the right thing. The Cowboys don’t want to overlook this team, and hopefully the mindset is to prepare for a battle.

Terrell Owens And Deion Sanders: Bad Sweater Vs. Eagles Shirt

The Landry Hat .com — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:45:24 -0500

Terrell Owens wearing a Philadelphia Eagles shirt? Deion Sanders wearing a really loud sweater? Armageddon?

This video has been circulating around the Internet. I heard about it and wanted to really see Owens wearing an Eagles shirt. He is. Ugh.

“When I get my hands on the ball, things happen. I can’t throw it and catch it. It’s not that I can’t play. It’s the system of which I’m in.”

So, Terrell, what happens when you don’t catch the ball? You know, how you led the league last year in dropped passes? Some of those drops were pretty important balls to catch. Just wondering, Mr. Me. Just curious.

I have no doubts that some of the play calling is the reason he’s not running away with it all the time. But, there was one game where the Cowboys gave him the ball 21 times and he did squat with it.

I personally don’t appreciate seeing him in a green shirt. Period. I have no idea why Owens is not scoring and getting 100 yards-a-game, like Deion points out, but I do know the Cowboys won last a week.

Apparently, “It gets a lot better than that,” this Sunday when the rest of the interview airs. Great.

Dallas Morning News is right here, Owens couldn’t have launched his attack at a worse time. Did the Cowboys lose last week or am I missing something?

Power Rankings: Week 11

The Landry Hat .com — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:59:57 -0500

By James Masse Aka. Ironman

Minus the WEST, the NFC is stacked all over! Hell! Minus the West, the AFC is stacked all over, too.

*MY POWER RANKINGS AFTER WEEK 11

#	+/-	Team	Comment
1	–	New York Giants	Titans can be undefeated all they want, but they have yet to manhandle a playoff contender the way that the Giants manhandled the Ravens on Sunday.
2	–	Tennessee Titans	Still the team to beat in the AFC, but not the best team in the league.
3	–	New York Jets	With Brett Favre, anything can happen. I want to predict a big win over the Titans on Sunday.
4	–	Pittsburgh Steelers	The Steelers are built for December and on, they definitely know how to win ugly.
5	+2	Carolina Panthers	I’m not sold on the Panthers. They seem to skim by bad teams every week. With the Falcons and Buccaneers in this division, I think it could get interesting down the stretch.
6	–	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	I don’t think I’m sold on this team either, but we shall see. (No one was sold on them last year and they made it to the playoffs)
7	-2	Arizona Cardinals	Lucky for them they should have six “gimme” wins in their pitiful division. I don’t know if they can stay tough in the cold weather playoff games.
8	+4	Dallas Cowboys	The Dallas Cowboys are not the same posse without Sheriff Romo in the lineup. Lucky for us… Heeeeeee’s Baaaaaack!
9	–	Atlanta Falcons	They lost a heartbreaker to the Broncos, but I still think they are the best team in the NFC South. If not the BEST, then certainty the most COMPLETE!
10	+3	Indianapolis Colts	The Colts show flashes of the Colts, but they better make it stick before December hits.
11	-1	Washington Redskins	The Redskins are still a tough football team, but it doesn’t look like they’re built for the long haul.
12	+2	New England Patriots	Do the Patriots have a QB controversy? Maybe not, but I bet they lose their backup in the off-season.
13	-5	Baltimore Ravens	Hmm… Lets see… How could I explain…. POUNDED! I hate to admit this, but the Giants are scary. Don’t believe me, just ask the Ravens.
14	-3	Miami Dolphins	The Dolphins have a legitimate shot at the playoffs. Say that slow and listen really close. Isn’t that crazy?!
15	+4	Denver Broncos	Everyone including myself is a Bronco hater. Not because I hate them, but because my Cowboys are so good and have to fight their hearts out to make the playoffs in such a tough division. The Broncos on the other hand, can play with themselves and go 8-8 and still make it, and so can the Cardinals. Something has to be done about this ridiculousness!
16	–	Green Bay Packers	They embarrassed the Bears on Sunday. Until the Bears rebound on that loss, everyone on the L-Hat has to refer to them as the Teddy Bears.
17	+1	Chicago Bears	Aww, what fluffy little Teddy Bears!
18	-3	Minnesota Vikings	The Vikings lost this game more that the Buccaneers won it. They can’t afford another loss if they want to stay close to the surging Packers.
19	-2	Buffalo Bills	Fire your kicker!!!!!!
20	–	Philadelphia Eagles	This team doesn’t deserve to make the playoffs with the douchebag at quarterback claiming he didn’t know regular season games had ties. Idiot. Losers. “I didn’t know there was such thing as getting in shape for a Super Bowl” -The one, The only, No. 5
21	–	New Orleans Saints	One more loss and your done!
22	+1	San Diego Chargers	Stick a fork in ‘em!
23	+1	Cleveland Browns	Good, hard fought win over the Bills. Dear NFL, think before you schedule next year. I feel like I’m watching the Browns every weekend.
24	-2	Jacksonville Jaguars	So close, yet so far back from the Titans. They may have blown it on Sunday.
25	+5	San Francisco 49ers	They looked so good! Wait, who did they play again?
26	-1	Houston Texans	This team always fights until the fourth quarter, then they lose. It’s their trademark for 2008.
27	–	Kansas City Chiefs	I really like this new QB, but they should rest him for next year.
28	-2	Cincinnati Bengals	They played one of the all-time ugliest games I have ever had the displeasure of watching! At least they didn’t lose. Wait, they didn’t win though. Do you mean to tell me that there are ties in football?
29	–	Seattle Seahawks	Keep up the good work Julius, I miss you more and more every time I see MBIII pound the rock!
30	-2	Oakland Raiders	I heard that in February, all cable will be terminated. The Raiders better switch to digital.
31	–	St. Louis Rams	I still can’t believe that this team beat the Cowboys and the Redskins.
32	–	Detroit Lions	I hope this team plays spoiler to some NFC wild card contenders!!

* I have an idea…. The NFC West and AFC West should forfeit there playoff berths to the NFC East and AFC East, just for being so damn pitiful!

QUICK NUMBERS!

The AFC East has a combined 24 wins!

The NFC East has a combined 26 wins!

The AFC West has a combined 13 wins!

The NFC West has a combined 14 wins!

That means the NFC East has just one less win than the AFC West and NFC West COMBINED!!! That is ridiculous!

Sorry, I’m done venting now.

*MY POWER STANDINGS AFTER WEEK 11

AFC

North

Steelers

Ravens

Browns

Bengals

South

Titans

Colts

Jaguars

Texans

East

Jets

Patriots

Dolphins

Bills

West

Broncos

Chargers

Chiefs

Raiders

NFC

North

Packers

Bears

Vikings

Lions

South

Panthers

Buccaneers

Falcons

Saints

East

Giants

Cowboys

Redskins

Eagles

West

Cardinals

49ers

Seahawks

Rams

AFC

1. Titans

2. Jets

3. Steelers

4. Broncos

Wc1. Colts

Wc2. Patriots

JUST MISS

1. Ravens

2. Dolphins

3. Bills

NFC

1. Giants

2. Panthers

3. Cardinals

4. Packers

Wc1. Buccaneers

Wc2. Cowboys

JUST MISS

1. Falcons

2. Redskins

3. Bears

Jones: Never Considered Firing "Marshmallow"

The Landry Hat .com — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 20:58:50 -0500

Twice already this week the press has hounded Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones about if he had ever considered firing head coach Wade Phillips, especially after losing four of six games.

In this article, Jones goes as far as to say Phillips will remain the coach for the rest of the season no matter what.

“There is just absolutely no - I can tell tell you without any hesitation - thought in my mind about him not coaching the Dallas Cowboys in the future,” Jones said. “Past this year. There’s no thought. I haven’t given that one ounce of consideration.”

That’s probably the right idea, Jerry. I cannot think of a time when a head coach was fired midseason and the team still made the playoffs. Can you? Has it ever happened? Maybe it has. But firing Phillips now would almost certainly result in the Cowboys missing the playoffs; teams go through adversity.

What bothers me a little bit is how some, myself included, think that the Cowboys will be compared to the New York Giants of last year, who had a shaky beginning of the season and ended strong. The issues I have with that are that the Giants did not come into that season with fans in awe of their overall talent. Sure, they were a good team, but if my memory serves me correctly, most people had the Giants finishing last in the NFC East that year. Why? Because they did not have the super stars.

The Cowboys came into this season with the stars and the super contracts. In spite of all that, the team has looked really, really bad. Losing Tony Romo for four weeks did not help, but even with him, the team was looking sloppy.

Week 11 Fantasy Football Report

The Landry Hat .com — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:39:24 -0500

By Carden Hedelt aka MBIIIEffect

What’s up, you fantasy fools?

The past few weeks have continued in a long line of strange weeks in the NFL. Eddie Royal continues to put up numbers, Chris Johnson is proving to be the fastest kid alive and has been putting up good numbers, except when Kerry Collins decides to steal the show. Let’s not forget that Kurt Warner is proving to be one of the best fantasy QB’s around right now, too.

Pardon my faux pas, but only Ricky Bobby can accurately describe Warner’s performance this year.

While these preseason duds are scoring tons of points, preseason studs like LaDanian Tomlinson, Marc Bulger and Braylon Edwards are hurting owners who spent high picks on them. I got Edwards in the third round, and he’s had a pretty serious case of penguin hands this season.

The big question, like why does Ian gripe so much about the lack of a good fullback when the Eagles’ real problem is having an offensive line that would rather pass protect than run the rock, comes down to who is hot right now.

Who can put points up for me? Who is worth me running back to my computer during commercial breaks to check stats? Who can keep me from being the laughing stock of my league?

Have no fear, MBIIIeffect is here.

For the Dallas Cowboys, start everybody. I said it. Start everybody. Except Patrick Crayton, of course. The Cowboys have their backs against the wall. They’ve had two weeks to prepare and take a long, hard look at their season. They need to win all their NFC East games to have a prayer for the postseason. I feel a revolution happening in Dallas, and it starts this week.

RBs

Tim Hightower: Start ‘em

Yes, I’m talking about the Tim Hightower that provided one of my favorite video moment of the season sofar on Monday night, as the Arizona running back shattered the visor of San Fran DB Mark Roman. Hightower possesses great speed and power, not to mention a great football name, and he should have no problem finding the end zone against the Seahawks on Sunday.

Maurice Jones-Drew: Sit ‘em

Runners haven’t been faring well against the Titans defense this year, and Maurice Jones-Drew, one of my favorite backs in the league, will have the same struggles. Jaguars quarterback David Garrard isn’t helping MJD much, and a team has to have a balanced offense if they hope to find a win against Tennessee.

QBs

Brady Quinn: Start ‘em

I hate Notre Dame. Their treatment of Ty Willingham in comparison to former Bill Belichick sidekick Charlie Weis is disgusting and absurd. They’re awful this year. Now that you’ve endured my mini-rant on Notre Dame, Brady Quinn is breathing new life into the Browns' offense. He had a strong showing against the Broncos, with a short week, so look for a more-prepared Quinn to shine against a struggling Bills defense.

Shaun Hill: Sit ‘em

Don’t ever even think about starting Shaun Hill again. He’s not a quarterback you want starting for you, I promise. His numbers looked good early in the Monday night game, but a trained eye will see that his two touchdown tosses required extraordinary efforts (one illegal effort, in my opinion) by Hill’s receivers.

I also called his interception late in the game. If the frequent reader that I watched the game with, a fellow Cowboys fan, would like to verify that I said “once he gets into the red zone, Hill is going to throw a dumb interception,” now is the time to verify my eerily accurate predicting abilities.

WRs

Laveranues Coles: Start ‘em

It warms my heart to see former Redskins shine in new towns, and Laveranues Coles has done just that with gunslinger Bret Favre joining him in the green half of New York. Coles should be on the other side of at least one Brett Favre touchdown.

T.J. Houshmandzadeh: Sit ‘em

T.J. Houshmandzadeh is going to have a bad day against the Eagles. All the Bengals are. It’s going to be very, very ugly.

D/ST

Carolina Panthers: Start ‘em

Daunte Culpepper, prepare to meet Julius Peppers.

Cleveland Browns: Sit ‘em

You might be compelled to start the Browns D against a struggling Bills offense. Marshawn Lynch should have a big day for the Bills. Trent Edwards might even get in on the scoring.

Quick Hitters

Here’s something new I thought I’d try. They’re just a few of my thoughts on things going on in the NFL that could help you down the road sometime.

Brady Quinn likes tight ends. Kellen Winslow is a great tight end. Brady Quinn plays on the same team as Kellen Winslow. Catch my drift?
Ray Rice is starting to get some time. The kid is averaging 4.6 yards per carry right now and could be the most dependable back in Baltimore right now.
Cadillac Williams is coming back, but it’ll take time for him to get up to speed. Keep tabs on him through Week 14, he could help you come playoff time.
The Packers run defense just went from bad to worse with LB Nick Barnett going onto the IR.
Chris McAlister and Dawan Landry have also been placed on IR, but the Ravens defense will continue to be their strong suit.
If you don’t get NFL Network, get to a sports bar tomorrow night. Putting a game this good on NFL Network is a crime, and sign from the NFL that they’re ok with bamboozling fans out of quality games.

Don’t forget to set your lineups before tonight’s game!

Felix Jones Still Hasn't Practiced

The Landry Hat .com — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 10:43:04 -0500

When Felix Jones is healthy and in the game, the Dallas Cowboys have a much better shot at winning football games. Jones provides relief for Marion Barber, but he is also a threat on special teams and has the ability to run wide for big gains.

But he still hasn’t practiced since injuring his hamstring three weeks ago.

Terence Newman and Kyle Kozier have practiced, and it looks like they will return to play against the Washington Redskins Sunday night at FedEx Field. Kozier’s absence has hurt the Cowboys, as the pressure on the quarterback has increased quite a bit when compared with last year.

Cowboys owner has no regrets with the money he has spent to shore up a good team. He realizes the struggles are coming at a surprise for many, but there’s still hope as the backs are against the wall, as he stated in this Washington Post article.

“You get people knocking each other off, and we’ve still got a shot. If you thought sailing this boat that you were going to have easy sailing, you weren’t being realistic. At least with the players we’re getting back, we’ll at least have the talent. I’m disappointed we’ve got ourselves in this position up against the wall, but I understand why. That’s the NFL. The decisions we’ve made, the money I’ve spent, I’d do it all again.”

Even former Redskins GM Charley Casserly opines on the Cowboys. He says the Cowboys’ success revolves around Tony Romo’s play. Romo has practiced and the coaches say they are noticing he has more zip on the ball and he is more comfortable out there since fracturing his pinkie three weeks ago.

“With Dallas, you have to get back the quarterback,” Charley Casserly, the former general manager of the Redskins and Houston+Texans?tid=informline">Houston Texans, who now serves as an NFL analyst for CBS, said by telephone yesterday. “They need to get the quarterback and some other people back healthy, and that can still be a good team.”

Power Rankings Week 10

The Landry Hat .com — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 18:34:38 -0500

By James Masse Aka. Ironman

The Redskins Go To Disneyworld!

*MY POWER RANKINGS AFTER WEEK 10

#	+/-	Team	Comment
1	–	Tennessee Titans	This team was good when it could run and play D…. Now it can throw!
2	–	New York Giants	Out muscled the Eagles for four quarters.
3	–	Carolina Panthers	Struggled to put the Raiders away, but still a power house in the NFC.
4	–	Atlanta Falcons	When all is said and done, this team will win the NFC South.
5	+2	Pittsburgh Steelers	The Steelers let the Colts back into this game, but they’re still a force in the AFC.
6	–	Baltimore Ravens	This team will nip at the Steelers heels all season.
7	-2	New England Patriots	he backup QB is one of the most important positions on a football team, especially this year.
8	+4	New York Jets	The Jets will play one of the biggest games of their season on Thursday night
9	–	Washington Redskins	I hope Disney World was fun, the resurged Dallas Cowboys are up next
10	+3	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	If Cadillac Williams can be the back he was a few years ago, watch out!
11	-1	Arizona Cardinals	Should have lost to the 49ers, but a win is a win
12	+2	Dallas Cowboys	Our entire season rests on Tony Romo’s pinkie
13	-5	Indianapolis Colts	They finally reached the turning point of their season. Are the Colts back?
14	-3	Chicago Bears	They stuffed the Titans running game, but they let Kerry Collins have a field day.
15	+4	Buffalo Bills	The Tuna has the Dolphins looking like Great Whites! (like my fish analogies?)
16	–	Miami Dolphins	From first to last, just like that
17	+1	Denver Broncos	Great offense, but you need a defense in the playoffs
18	-3	Minnesota Vikings	Watch out, Bears! Adrian Peterson is on fire and if he can stay healthy he will carry this team to the top of a weak division
19	-2	Philadelphia Eagles	Same old story, the Eagles need a power running game.
20	–	Jacksonville Jaguars	If this team can keep up the tough football, it can push for a playoff spot.
21	–	Green Bay Packers	The Packers lost a heart breaker to the Vikings on Sunday. With such a powerful NFC the Packers to be in a tough spot.
22	+1	San Diego Chargers	If they want to squeeze into the playoffs, they can’t let bad teams push them around
23	+1	New Orleans Saints	The Saints may have to win the rest of their games to make the playoffs.
24	-2	Cleveland Browns	The Browns have a star in Brady Quinn, but they’ll have to wait until next year for it to matter.
25	+5	Houston Texans	The Texans got man-handled… Again
26	-1	San Fransisco 49ers	The 49ers had this game in the bag, it’s a shame that they lost it. Pants or no pants, I think they have a great head coach for the future.
27	–	Kansas City Chiefs	They lost a hard fought battle, but at least they found a good QB.
28	-2	Oakland Raiders	They played tough, but like the Raiders usually do….they lost.
29	–	Seattle Seahawks	They played a pretty good game against the Dolphins, they could be better with Matt Hasselbeck coming back.
30	-2	St. Louis Rams	Just when they stop looking terrible, they lose 47 to 3.
31	–	Cincinnati Bengals	The Bengals got their much needed bye week.
32	–	Detroit Lions	The Lions have a new QB! They still suck

*MY POWER STANDINGS AFTER WEEK 10

AFC
North
Steelers
Ravens
Browns
Bengals

South
Titans
Colts
Jaguars
Texans

East
Patriots
Jets
Bills
Dolphins

West
Broncos
Chargers
Chiefs
Raiders

NFC
North
Bears
Vikings
Packers
Lions

South
Panthers
Falcons
Buccaneers
Saints

East
Giants
Redskins
Cowboys
Eagles

West
Cardinals
49ers
Seahawks
Rams

*MY PLAYOFF PICTURE AFTER WEEK 10

AFC
1. Titans
2. Steelers
3. Patriots
4. Broncos
Wc1. Ravens
Wc2. Jets

JUST MISS
1. Colts
2. Dolphins
3. Bills

NFC
1. Giants
2. Panthers
3. Cardinals
4. Bears
Wc1. Falcons
Wc2. Redskins

JUST MISS
1. Buccaneers
2. Cowboys
3. Vikings

NFC East Breakdown: Week 10

The Landry Hat .com — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 04:05:18 -0500

(Dan T. writes for The Landry Hat, which is FSB’s Dallas Cowboys blog. Representing the rest of the NFC East are G-Men HQ, Inside the Iggles. and Riggo’s Rag.)

When the New York Giants can turn over the ball twice, including a key fumble late, and still pull out a win, then it is time to take them more seriously and consider them true contenders for a second-straight Super Bowl win.

The coaching from the Giants, and namely Head Coach Tom Coughlin was brilliant. Funny how just two years ago he was almost fired mid-season.

On the flip side, Andy Reid’s decision to run the ball twice on short yardage for a key first down as they Eagles were driving for a win in the final minutes was purely boneheaded. It is even more boneheaded knowing that Brian Westbrook had just walked off the field the series before that with what appeared to be an injured groin.

Why not just call a quarterback sneak or a bootleg to the left? Running the ball in the same exact area two times in a row to gain a yard just made no sense, and the Eagles not only deserved to lose, but they should not be considered a playoff contender.

Neither defense was lights-out great, but the the Giants frontline showed up when they needed to, and the team owes linebacker Chase Blackburn a free meal for making the game-saving tackle.

Dallas Cowboys (5-4)

Looking Back: The Cowboys had a bye week, and it was pretty quiet in Big D all week. We’re hearing that Tony Romo, Terence Newman, Kyle Kozier, and Felix Jones all should be back for the first time this season. What we don’t know is how well they will play against rival Washington Redskins.

The Cowboys went into the bye week after getting destroyed by the New York Giants. They learned that they can stink it up on every end of the field. Hopefully the bye week allowed for some important soul checking. No one is happy.

Looking Forward: The Cowboys must win this matchup to keep their playoff hopes alive. The division is tight beyond the New York Giants, and the entire NFC is a boondoggle of teams all with chances to make it minus a few slackers. You never know what to expect with this team.

We’re all waiting for the talent to explode and the machine to run like it did last year, but there’s not high hopes of it right now. A win at FedEx Field could do wonders for a Cowboys playoff run.

They’ve got room to lose one or two more games and that’s it. The Week Three loss to the Redskins sent the Cowboys into a downward spiral, winning just two of those five games. They remember that game, and they also know they could have won it.

New York Giants (8-1)

Looking Back: Tom Coughlin is coach of the year so far. He made so many sound and brilliant coaching decisions against the Eagles that he may have solely been the reason the team won. No one could hold onto the ball. Passes were dropped. Players were committing stupid penalties. It just seemed like nothing was going right for anyone.

One thing is for sure, the Giants sure can run the ball well with their triplets. For the second straight week, the Giants gained more than 200 yards on the ground. Only the Atlanta Falcons, yes the Atlanta Falcons, are doing better. The Giants dominated time of possession and ran 20 more plays than the Eagles. The score was much closer than this game really was at times.

Looking Forward: The Giants next face the 6-3 Baltimore Ravens, with a rookie quarterback and a newfound defense that is playing with a lot of drive. Both teams are coming into this game with big wins.

The schedule doesn’t get a whole lot easier for the G-Men either, with additional games against Dallas, Washington, Carolina, Arizona, Philly, and Minnesota. The Giants have to be careful not to fall apart late in the season, a malady that often struck the Cowboys for the past decade.

Philadelphia Eagles (5-4):

Looking Back: The Eagles are in live-or-die playoff mode. Since they lost to the Cowboys already, they’re outside looking in. Andy Reid is likely beside himself right now wondering what he was thinking late in the fourth quarter.

But Donovan McNabb should be doing the same thing for the horrible clock management of the same quarter. His heavy breathing late in the game that pushed them to the two-minute warning before they could run another play made the television analysts bring up memories of McNabb during the Super Bowl.

You remember, the vomiting story that Eagles fans deny but the majority of the world knows it really happened.

Looking Forward: The Cincinnati Bengals couldn’t come at a better time, right? The Eagles better not look past this team because they almost beat both the Giants and Cowboys. Brian Westbrook needs to find his groove because he’s been off the past two games. The Eagles do so much better when he plays well.

Washington Redskins (6-3):

Looking Back: The Redskins hit the bye week after a crushing loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Guess what some players did on this week off? They went to Disney World! Yeah! Chris Cooley was bragging about his little trip to Florida with quarterback Jason Campbell and took pictures of them on a roller coaster together. How cute.

Now they have an excuse if they lose to the Cowboys on Sunday night: We didn’t take the game seriously. Certain Cowboys players took a big hit from the media when they went to Mexico in the bye week before the matchup against the Giants.

And although this little foray in Florida may not be that bad, these guys aren’t paid millions of bucks to goof off during the season. They can do that February through July, right? Ridiculous.

Looking Forward: Maybe the Redskins think they really are that good and they can overlook the Dallas Cowboys, who are knocking on their doorsteps in the division. Sure, the Cowboys have lost three of four games, but the Redskins haven’t exactly looked amazing either.

A 7-3 record with six games remaining would really look good for the Redskins, but being home for this game isn’t going to mean a sure win. We saw Pittsburgh fans take over FedEx Field last week, and because more than 90,000 people can get a seat in that ridiculously large park, there is no such thing has home-field advantage for rivalry games.

Check Craigslist and see all of the “Redskins” fans selling tickets to this game.

Are the Dallas Cowboys Guilty of Outrageous Salaries?

The Landry Hat .com — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 01:15:08 -0500

USA Today has updated its 2008 Salary Chart, and there are five Dallas Cowboys in the top 25.

You can see it for yourself here, but Flozell Adams, Tony Romo, Terence Newman, Marion Barber, and Terrell Owens are all on the list. Adams is having a mediocre year, Romo is playing slightly above average football, Marion Barber still has not proven he is an every-down back, Terence Newman hasn’t played but one week, and Terrell Owens can’t seem to get open.

Yikes. That’s about $62 million right there. That’s not to mention the contracts given to Ken Hamlin and Patrick Crayton. You can also add Roy Williams to the bunch.

Thank God Jason Witten signed in 2006 for a reasonable six year, $28 million. Sheesh. It’s only $10 million more than Crayton’s outrageous contract.

Overall, the Dallas Cowboys have the second-largest payroll, second only to the incredibly awful Oakland Raiders. The 6-3 Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots have some of the lowest payrolls, along with the Packers and the Falcons.

Tony Romo, the Savior?

The Landry Hat .com — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 09:36:39 -0500

Tony Romo has long been criticized during his three-year starting quarterback career as one who has accomplished zilch. No playoff wins. No Super Bowl. Nothing.

Those who hate the Dallas Cowboys despise Romo, make fun of him, laugh at him, disrespect him, and say he stinks.

“He’s proven nothing.”

Coming off four weeks on the sidelines nursing a broken pinkie finger, Romo has an opportunity he must seize. He has an opportunity to help turn a struggling football team, taking a massive hit from the press, back into a winner.

There’s so much talent, yet there’s no sail turning the ship. It’s heading for the bottom of the sea and someone has got to stop it.

Tony Romo.

Tony Romo.

Tony Romo.

Say what you wish, but a loss to the Washington Redskins will all but kill the Cowboys' chance to make the playoffs, and possibly even a winning season. All eyes will be on Romo and his powerful offense. For the first time all year, he’ll get to throw to not only Terrell Owens, but Roy Williams, too.

How well Romo performs will certainly be written into the history books as part of the legacy of a no-name backup who came off the bench to start for America’s Team, and get a contract no other quarterback in the history of this franchise has ever seen. When things like that happen, you have to perform.

All of the great quarterbacks—Troy Aikman, Steve Young, John Elway, Joe Montana, and Brett Favre—played with less talent than this Cowboys team.

Romo, your legacy begins next weekend. Make us proud.

NFC East Breakdown: Week Nine

The Landry Hat .com — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 05:58:49 -0500

(Dan T. writes for The Landry Hat, which is FSB’s Dallas Cowboys blog. Representing the rest of the NFC East are G-Men HQ, Inside the Iggles. and Riggo’s Rag.)

The New York Giants made it clear that they are the cream of the crop in the NFC this year, and they are making their case that there is not a team in the conference that is even close to them. But the Dallas Cowboys proved how important it is to have a backup quarterback who can actually throw the ball and read defenses.

No one at the beginning of the season would have predicted the Cowboys would be last after the halfway point, but they are. The Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Redskins are not as bad as the defending division champs, who will scratch and fight for a playoff spot the rest of the season.

Dallas Cowboys (5-4)

Looking Back: Wade Phillips should have pulled flimsy backup Brad Johnson after the first interception thrown in Giants territory. When noodle-arm threw the second, some fan in the stands should have shot both of them. In came kid-faced Brooks Bollinger, who threw an interception on his very first pass.

At that moment, there was a collective vomiting sound across America. I heard it. Bollinger has more zip in the ball, and that would have helped the Cowboys in the short passing game, but for some reason, they held back bringing in the kid until the third quarter.

But the woeful offense wasn’t the only problem. The defense return to mediocrity again, missing tackles, and some players (Mike Jenkins) just plain out avoiding tackles. Jenkins shouldn’t get another start for the year after that game. Despite his interception return for a touchdown, he was an embarrassment out there.

The Cowboys are officially on the outside looking in. Every game from here on out will be a dog fight. These final seven games will test the will of this entire team, from the coaching staff to the owner.

Speaking of owners, Jerry Jones tried to cover his rear-end by saying the Cowboys made it a point in the offseason to shore up a respectable backup quarterback. Someone want to fill me in on what he is talking about?

Looking Forward: The Cowboys have a much-needed bye to regroup the forces before they head to FedEx Field for a must-win game against the Redskins. Tony Romo should be back, as will Terence Newman at cornerback. Those two alone will pump some much needed energy into a team that after started 4-1, has gone 1-3 since then. Ouch.

After the Redskins, the Cowboys face the 49ers and Seahawks, and they could turn the corner at 8-4 before a four-game run against the Giants, Steelers, Ravens, and Eagles. None of those games will be easy, but all the Cowboys will need is to win at least two of them.

New York Giants (7-1)

Looking Back: The Giants wanted to prove that they were not going to be pushed around by anyone in the NFC East, and to date, no one has. They manhandled the Cowboys on Sunday, with the only glitch being a miscommunication between Eli Manning and Plaxico Burress that resulted in an interception returned for a touchdown.

All facets of the Giants game are running strong, from the defense to the offense. It will be hard to beat these guys, but it is so hard for teams to continue to win for an entire season. They’ll have some obstacles soon that will test this team, but from the looks of it, they’ll overcome them better than any other team in the NFL.

Looking Forward: Another NFC East showdown for the Giants visit the Philadelphia Eagles. Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook are playing good enough football now to make the playoffs, but they’ll have to start defeating divisional foes as the season winds down.

Both teams have great running backs, and if you stop Westbrook and Brandon Jacobs, you’re left with Eli Manning and McNabb. The Giants won’t overlook anyone in their division, but I give the upper hand in any shootout to McNabb. It’s always a crap-shoot when trying to pick who will win in a rivalry matchup from this division, but this is one the Giants should take.

Philadelphia Eagles (5-3)

Looking Back: After the Seahawks took a quick 7-0 lead, the Eagles settled down and took command of the game, thwarting any upset that would have left this team reeling. McNabb had another 300-plus-yard game and it was needed because Westbrook was not very effective running the ball.

The Eagles are one of four teams who are ranked in the top 10 in total offense and defense and ironically, the other three teams are the Cowboys, Giants and Redskins. After a concussion to L.J. Smith, McNabb found a new weapon at tight end, some guy named Brent Celek caught six balls for 131 yards. I wonder if he’ll see the ball next week.

Looking Forward: The Eagles will host the division leading New York Giants in a game that could be a defensive struggle or a shootout; hard to tell. One thing is for sure, if the Eagles are going to win, Westbrook has to rush for more than 60 yards. The problem for the Eagles will be protecting McNabb, who will feel pressure all day.

There probably is not an offensive line in the NFL that can fully contain the Giants' pass rush, but minimizing it will go a long way toward victory.

Washington Redskins (6-2)

Looking Back: The Redskins got manhandled at home by the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night Football. The Redskins have been a lot worse than their record indicates over the past month, going 2-2 despite only playing one team that will reach the playoffs.

It was just a bad night for the 'Skins, because even Jason Campbell threw his first pick of the season. Maybe the Redskins were distracted by all the election buzz?

Looking Forward: The Redskins have a bye week before a key game against the Dallas Cowboys at home, and it couldn’t come at a better time, following the loss. Giving the Redskins two weeks doesn’t bode well for the Cowboys, but it doesn’t exactly mean the Redskins will walk all over them if their backs are against the wall. It should be a great game.

Jason Witten Needs to Sit out Sunday

The Landry Hat .com — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 19:47:06 -0400

As painful as it is to say, Dallas Cowboys' tight end Jason Witten needs to sit out Sunday’s game against the New York Giants. According to this blog post from Mickey Spagnola, it hurts for Witten even to breathe.

Rookie tight end Martellus Bennett, the Cowboys’ second round pick, has stepped in nicely and made some key catches already this year after a shaky training camp. He can play the role for three weeks as Witten fully heals.

The pressure this puts on the Cowboys' coaching staff is figuring out how to get the ball to their star wide outs, Roy Williams and Terrell Owens.

Witten risks more serious injuries if he pushes himself onto the field Sunday. At 5-3, the Cowboys certainly can’t risk losing many more than two games the rest of the season.

It is unlikely that more than one team with six losses will make the playoffs this year if the Giants, Redskins, and Panthers continue to roll on because there is a stockpile of 5-3, 4-3, 4-4, and 3-4 teams on the board.

The Cowboys would need four of these teams just to drop out of contention, and soon, for them to have a chance to make the playoffs with six losses. Defeating the Bucs helped, but losing to the Skins did not.

Witten’s presence is not completely critical for the Cowboys to win, even though he has had some spectacular games against the Giants in the past. He should sit out for a few weeks and allow his ribs to heal.

Fantasy Football Picks: Week 8

The Landry Hat .com — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 10:33:44 -0400

I made much better selections in the last version of TLH’s start’ ‘em/sit ‘em. I was also a little hungover. Well, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Last night, Dan and I wound up at the same bar. We had a good time, but he refused to take off his mask. Weird…

Anyway, here’s week 8’s TLH start ‘em/sit ‘em.

Marion Barber: Start ‘em
Barber remains the only offensive player worth a start against the Bucs defense in my book. It all boils down to me having no faith in quarterback Brad Johnson. He looked awful against the Rams, and I’m not expecting much more from Johnson this week.

Cowboys D/ST: Sit ‘em
Head coach Wade Phillips is taking over defensive playcalling duties, but I’m still not comfortable with the Dallas defense. You should have a better option than Dallas on your bench. If not, take a look at the Redskins D/ST on the road at Detroit (owned in 57.7% of ESPN fantasy football leagues).

RB’s
Maurice Jones-Drew: Start ‘em
Maurice Jones-Drew is a definite start against Cleveland at home. The diminutive back should have a huge day.

Jamal Lewis: Sit ‘em
The Jacksonville defense hasn’t allowed a rushing touchdown since week 3. That’s a problem for Jamal Lewis. Even though Lewis will see his share of touches, I don’t think he’ll see much of the end zone.

QB’s
J.T. O’Sullivan: Start ‘em
J.T. O’Sullivan has been in my doghouse over the past couple of weeks. O’Sullivan will get his chance to shine against an underperforming Seattle defense that he torched for 321 yards in week 2.

Marc Bulger: Sit ‘em
The Patriots showed their class against one of the best offenses in football last weekend. Marc Bulger’s stock is definitely rising after two wins, but he’s only thrown one touchdown in those wins. I think there are better options out there, including (it hurts to say it) Jeff Garcia against the Cowboys (owned in 58.4% of ESPN fantasy football leagues).

Also, be wary of starting Drew Brees this weekend. ESPN is saying he’s going to be the top fantasy QB this weekend. They must have some inside info from the NFL on this one, because I can’t see it. Being in London is a huge distraction and there’s bound to be some rain at some point during the game, so I can’t see a huge game from Brees. I know the NFL would love for Brees to light it up, but I can’t see it happening.

WR’s
Calvin Johnson: Start ‘em
Calvin Johnson is the only offensive weapon that the Lions have. If the Lions score, chances are good that Johnson will have a hand in it.

Roy Williams: Sit ‘em
This sit ‘em for Roy Williams remains in effect until the week after Williams’ second bye week this season. He’s not comfortable with the offense yet, and he probably won’t have a big points day until Tony Romo comes back.

D/ST
49ers D/ST: Start ‘em
The Seahawks offense looks completely clueless. While the 49ers defense hasn’t looked much better, this should be a good one-week fix if you have a bad matchup with your first choice defense.

Panthers D/ST: Sit ‘em
Kurt Warner is tough to contain. The Cardinal offense leads the league in scoring with 29.5 points per game. That doesn’t look good for Carolina defense owners.

That’s all. I have a few hours that I can sleep before the games start. Good luck with your fantasy ball.

Roy Williams Knows How To Lose

The Landry Hat .com — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 01:05:46 -0400

Roy Williams came to the Dallas Cowboys under the belief he’d finally play for a winning team. And then the Cowboy get blown out by the helpless St. Louis Rams. Not a good start for the new wide reciever. But apparently, he is ok.

In a story here Williams says he never thought he’d lose a game like that with the Cowboys. But, hey, he is still happy!

But the article takes a really weird turn. More weird than my vlogs.

Williams will work at Pizza Hut in Frisco (access road off Tollway in front of Pizza Hut Park) Tuesday from 4-6 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend. He will sign mini footballs for the first 400 people for a $10 donation to the hunger relief program. Fans can also stop by any Pizza Hut location to make a donation to help Williams win the challenge he’s put out to Baltimore’s Mark Clayton, Tampa Bay’s Davin Joseph and Seattle’s Chris Spencer.

WTF?

The "D" Is Embarrassing in Big D

The Landry Hat .com — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 18:25:24 -0400

The Dallas Cowboys are in a world of hurt. The entire team is officially in dire straits, and there does not seem to be any relief in sight. This could be the biggest flop season the Dallas Cowboys have ever seen in the history of the franchise, and quite possibly the biggest the NFL has ever seen.

There are so many holes, so many problems, and so many bad coaching moves and drafting decisions that the Cowboys have that it may be a mountain too tall to climb for this year. It is truly a scary moment for this team, the coaches, and most certainly the fans, who had such high hopes for this season.

Fear now. The season may not be over, but it is quickly looking like it could be if Tony Romo does not play for the next two games. Albeit, the Cowboys are still 4-3, but they quickly can fall into last place in the division at the drop of a hat.

So what can the Cowboys do to save this season? The offensive line is playing terribly. The defense cannot tackle. The secondary is like a pound of Swiss cheese. Nothing seems to be working right.

Is it coaching or is it the players? What the hell do you do?

Losing to the Rams, 34-14, is not acceptable. How did the Rams defense punish the Cowboys' offensive line? They had interceptions, hard hits, and great secondary play. We were 100 percent outplayed in every facet of the game. How does that happen?

It is no secret that I haven’t liked Wade Phillips from day one. I thought it was a poor selection for a coach, and I had no idea why Jerry Jones did it. And then he goes ahead and gives offensive coordinator Jason Garrett pay that a head coach would love to have. That puts a burden on your coaching staff right away.

And who the hell is Brian Stewart, the two-year defensive coordinator? Who is he? Why was he kept on this team? Why is he still coaching?

Phillips has already said he is unsure this team can turn it around. Jerry Jones, for the first time in 10 years, went into the locker room and gave the team a tongue lashing. Brian Stewart’s defense allowed the Rams to score almost as many touchdowns in one game as it has in the entire season of six games. Jones is right: This is unacceptable.

This entire week, I, Carden, and James Massey will have to evaluate what this team must do to turn it around. If it means make a midseason coaching change, something Jerry has never done, then so be it. But we will review every aspect of the Cowboys' play, the team, and the coaching staff and pinpoint what the flaws are and what the problems are.

If the Cowboys need a damn scientist, then hire one! But this season cannot go down the tubes, because it will be an embarrassing colossal failure and a sore point in the spectacular Cowboys history.

Brett Favre Tells Tony Romo To Man Up, Grow Some Balls

The Landry Hat .com — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 17:16:08 -0400

The Brett Favre-Tony Romo phone call has been widely reported. If you don’t know about it, let me tell you that Favre called Romo before he was about to visit doctors to offer a few encouraging words.

“The only thing I said was, it’s worth trying [to play] if you can deal with the pain and can function good enough with a splint,” Favre said. “If not, don’t try.”

Now it appears Romo is really trying to emulate his hero, Favre, who played through a thumb injury but he had a consecutive game record he wanted to win. Romo, who has played in only 30 straight games, doesn’t really have that on his mind, nor should he.

But now Romo is trying to play. According to the Ticket’s Dunham and Miller show, head coach Wade Phillips said Romo was going to throw in practice today and his status to play against the Rams, with new wideout Roy Williams, could be reviewed again.

Is this right? As I said before, I had a fractured pinkie 10 years ago or something like that. There was no way I was throwing a football and I certainly wouldn’t want to get hit on the injured pinkie. But then again, I don’t have a $60 million contract.

Did anyone see Romo throw the ball after he injured the pinkie? It was ugly. Do we really want him out there if that is how he is going to play? He becomes a risk out on the field. Brett Favre’s pressure was unnecessary and it could have an adverse effect on the Dallas Cowboys having any chance to come 2-1 out of these next three games against the Rams, Bucs and Giants.

Roy Williams Is A Dallas Cowboy

The Landry Hat .com — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 16:31:06 -0400

The Detroit Lions have agreed to trade embattled wide receiver Roy Williams to the Dallas Cowboys for two second-round picks, one next year and one in 2010. Now I am hearing the trade was for the Cowboys 2009 first, third, and sixth rounders for Roy Williams and Detroit’s seventh rounder.

It is not clear what the Cowboys traded, but if they did trade a first, that is not good.

The Landry Hat is real busy with his real job, but let’s discuss whether this will help the Cowboys at all considering the current injuries and team chemistry issues right now.

Discuss…