Bleacher Report - Articles by Chad Hensley

Dallas Cowboys: Keys To Victory Over The Oakland Raiders

Chad Hensley — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:45:30 -0500

This Thanksgiving, the NFC East leading Dallas Cowboys take on the Oakland Raiders in what will be a rematch from the preseason, in which the Raiders won 31-10.

Unfortunately for the Raiders, unlike the preseason matchup, the Cowboys starters will be playing the full 60 minutes.

That said, the Cowboys have been struggling for the past couple of weeks—particularly on offense—and the Raiders are fresh off a victory over the AFC South leading Cincinnati Bengals.

Here are the Cowboys keys to victory over the Raiders.

Continue to Run the Ball

Offensive coordinator Jason Garrett caught a lot of flak for not running enough in the game against the Packers, and then got it from the other side for running too much against the Redskins.

The key stat from those two games? The Cowboys lost to the Packers and won the Redskins game.

The Raiders rank 30th in the NFL against the run, giving up an average of 157.7 yards/game.

They also have two of the better coverage corners in the game, in Nnamdi Asomugha and Chris Johnson. It would make very little sense to challenge these corners when the Cowboys can just ram it down the Raiders' throat.

Establish a Passing Game With Short Drops and Quick Passes

The Cowboys are really struggling with the downfield passing game. Quarterback Tony Romo has a sore back from the Redskins game, the offensive line is banged up and the receivers are dropping passes and aren't getting separation.

The Raiders can watch tape of the past two Cowboys games and see that they can regularly beat the offensive tackles Flozell Adams and Doug Free with a speed rush.

Garrett can help the line and Romo out by calling for quick slants and hitches. Both Miles Austin and Roy Williams are big-bodied receivers that should be able to get position.

This slows the pressure to Romo and also builds Romo's confidence in the receivers, and vice-versa.

If the Raiders decide to crank of the blitz like they did in the 13-9 win over the Eagles, then the Cowboys should throw in some screens that worked so well in Philly.

Don't Allow Big Plays On Defense

The Raiders are absolutely putrid on offense. They rank 20th in rushing (102.3), 32nd in passing (125), 32nd in total yards (227.3), and 32nd in points (10.6).

The Cowboys lead the NFC in scoring defense (17.5), and the Raiders don't sustain drives very well. The only way the Cowboys lose this game is if the speedy receivers for the Raiders get behind the secondary and score on big plays.

The Cowboys should be able to play straight up and allow the Raiders' offense to destroy itself with turnovers, penalties and lack of execution. The quarterback play from Bruce Gradkowski—while better than JaMarcus Russell—isn't threatening enough that the Cowboys need to do anything special on defense.

Stopping the so-so running game and keeping the receivers in front of them should be enough to win the game.

Prediction

The Cowboys will get the passing game going after establishing a solid running game, and will win easily, 30-10.

Dallas Cowboys: Still a Long Way To Go, But Offense Takes Baby Steps

Chad Hensley — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 23:04:23 -0500

In the week leading up to the 7-6 win over the Washington Redskins Sunday, Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett got an earful from fans, media, and even Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.

The message? Run the ball .

And that is exactly what Garrett did, to the tune of 149 rushing yards on 31 called running plays—a 4.8 yards-per-rush average.

There are probably some media and fans who are going to point to what matters most—points—and say it didn't make much difference from the game against the Green Bay Packers when they scored seven points.

That couldn't be further from the truth.

Stats that don't lie

One stat that helps debunk that ridiculous assumption is how many times the Cowboys found themselves in "manageable" second downs (2nd-and-6 or less).

In the game against the Packers the Cowboys had 22 1st-and-10s.*

Of the 22, they ran the ball six times, gaining a "manageable" second down 66 percent of the time.

When the Cowboys passed the ball on first down, they only had a "manageable" second down 31 percent of time.

The trend continued in this Sunday's game against the Redskins.

When the Cowboys ran against the Redskins defense on first down (12 times), they had a "manageable" second down 75 percent of the time, averaging 5.75 yards-per-play.

When the Cowboys passed against the Redskins defense on first down (10 times), they had a "manageable" second down 30 percent of the time, averaging 2.8 yards-per-play. That average was helped immensely by the 11- and 12-yard passes at the end.

You might say that the average yards-per-play is distorted because of that final drive in which they passed on every down, but the Cowboys only ran the ball one time on first down in the second half.

That is despite averaging 5.75 yards when running the ball on first for the entire game.

Think about that.

Why are "manageable" second downs important?

The reason this stat is important is because it creates more options for the team on second down when you have success.

If you are facing 2nd-and-7 or more, your options become limited. Without looking back through two years of game logs, I can guarantee Garrett almost always calls for a pass on 2nd-and-long.

The problem with that is that there are three things that can happen when passing the ball—and two of them are bad.

An incomplete puts you in the dreaded 3rd-and-long, and an interception is the worst, but both are drive-killers.

Another stat that everyone seems to forget is time of possession.

In the Packers game, the Cowboys had the ball for 24 minutes.

In the Redskins game, the Cowboys had the ball for 33 minutes.

That is nine more minutes that the Cowboys' defense got to rest for the end of the game against the Redskins than they did against the Packers.

And, if you didn't notice, the Redskins got little to no pass-rush on quarterback Tony Romo in that final touchdown drive.

You think those Redskins defensive linemen were gassed at the end of the game?

You bet.

And guess which defense looked fresh? That's right, the Cowboys.

Then how come the Cowboys still couldn't put it together on offense?

The lack of points on the board came down to poor play-calling in the passing game and execution by the players.

Romo was inaccurate for most of the game, and I believe a lot of that had to do with the shot he took from DeAngelo Hall after the Marion Barber fumble.

But Garrett didn't do anything to help Romo out.

Every passing play took three to four seconds to develop, and Romo just didn't have that kind of time against the Redskins' front. The Redskins only sacked Romo once, but the Cowboys quarterback didn't ever really look comfortable.

Garrett needs to establish a short passing game—quick slants and hitches with short drops—that will build much-needed confidence in Romo with his offensive line and wide receivers early in the game.

During the Cowboys' Dynasty in the 1990s, quarterback Troy Aikman always had running back Emmitt Smith as an outlet, whether in the flat or right past the line of scrimmage in the middle of the field.

Why doesn't this Cowboys team do something similar?

Another thing that I noticed is that Romo didn't take advantage of the incredible running game he has.

The play-action fake that Romo gives is very nonchalant. If you watch Peyton Manning do it, he really sells the fact that it is a run.

I think Romo could do better in this area, possibly giving his receivers a little more separation as the linebackers and secondary bite on the fake.

And then you have Mr. Roy "That idiot gave a first, third, and sixth rounder for me" Williams. I haven't been on Roy's case about the drops, but it is now becoming inexcusable.

It might be time for Kevin Ogletree to get his shot.

Forecast?

The Cowboys are going to come around—as long as Garrett sticks to the run. The Cowboys have to be able to pass to win, but it is a lot easier with a running game that defenses respect.

In the end, the running game looked great, just like Jerry knew it would.

Now, let's see Garrett tweak the passing game.

But it's baby steps—one small step at time.

Table 1.

Packer's Game

First Down	Run/Pass	Result
1	P	2nd & 7
2	R	1st
3	P	2nd & 10
4	R	2nd & 5
5	R	2nd & 11
6	R	2nd & 8
7	P	2nd & 4
8	P	1st - Fumble by Roy
9	P	2nd & 13
10	R	2nd & 11
11	P	2nd & 10
12	P	2nd & 13
13	P	1st
14	R	2nd & 6
15	P	2nd & 15
16	P	2nd & 8
17	P	2nd & 10
18	P	2nd & 6
19	P	2nd & 4
20	P	1st
21	P	2nd & 10
22	p	2nd & 10

Table 2

Redskins Game

First Down	Run/Pass	Result
1	R	2nd & 5
2	R	2nd & 1
3	R	2nd & 2
4	R	2nd & 2
5	R	2nd & 5
6	R	2nd & 3
7	P	2nd & 10
8	R	2nd & 8
9	R	1st
10	R	2nd & 6
11	R	2nd & 8
12	R	2nd & 4
13	P	2nd & 2
14	R	2nd & 9
15	P	2nd & 10
16	P	2nd & 10
17	P	2nd & 16
18	P	2nd & 10
19	P	2nd & 10
20	P	2nd & 7
21	P	1st
22	P	1st

*I only calculate first downs in which it was 1st-and-10, as it wouldn't be accurate to include 1st-and-20 because the defense knows teams are more likely to pass.

Dallas Cowboys: Just Run the Ball, Stupid

Chad Hensley — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:55:38 -0500

And when I say "Stupid", I mean Jason Garrett.

A week after calling one of the best games since he became the Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator, the "Red Headed Jesus" called one of his worst.

Fans and media can blame the players and referees all they want. This one lays squarely on the back of the "head coach in waiting".

Yikes, that is scary to even think about.

A Little History

It's been about a year since I wrote the first of many articles on his incompetence as an offensive coordinator, and really nothing has changed.

I thought that last week's Eagles game was the big turn-around that the Cowboys and their fans have been hoping for in Garrett's gameplans and play calling.

For the first time in a really long time, the Cowboys had a protection scheme and incredible play calling against a team that had a great secondary and blitzed like crazy.

Garrett wasn't able to run the ball against the Eagles because of the defensive scheme, but he used the jailbreak screen, and other screens that took the place of the Cowboys running the ball.

Garrett was the architect behind that victory over the Eagles, and deserves much of the credit. This past Sunday—a week after that Eagles game—the Cowboys laid an egg to the Green Bay Packers. Garrett deserves almost all of the blame.

Just run the ball

Fans and media like to point to quarterback Tony Romo for the Cowboys not having success in December and in the playoffs, but what everyone seems to forget is that unless you have Payton Manning or Tom Brady, you better establish the run.

Many believe that the Cowboys have established the running game this year because of the 130 yards per game average on the ground. Unfortunately, that just isn't true.

Despite averaging 5.1 yards per carry, the Cowboys remain a pass-first offense.

The Cowboys rush the ball 25.6 times per game, good for 24th in the NFL.

Against the Packers, the Cowboys rushed the ball 14 times. Tony Romo had the same amount of rushes as Felix Jones and Tashard Choice—three .

That means Garrett called 11 rushing plays—give or take a couple, because of audibles by Romo.

The first three rushing attempts went for 13, seven, and five yards. There were only three more attempts the rest of the half, and eight more the rest of the game.

Even if the Cowboys would have gotten 10 yards-per-rush on all 11 attempts, that isn't "establishing the run".

On Sunday, the Packers realized the Cowboys weren't going to run the ball, pinned their ears back, and basically set up camp in the Cowboys backfield.

What happened to the great protection scheme?

Against the Eagles, Garrett called a great game against their blitz-happy defense.

When the Packers decided they were going to blitz on almost every play, Garrett completely forgot what he did in the week prior.

After the first drive or so, there were no short drops for Romo, no quick slants to the wide receivers, and there were very few screens.

And when they did decide to call the jailbreak screen to receiver Kevin Ogletree, that worked so well against the Eagles, it was in the exact same sitiuation—3rd-and-long.

Does Garrett not realize that the Packers probably had film from the Eagles game?

How much more predictable can an NFL offensive coordinator be?

What can Garrett do?

The Cowboys are built as well as any team in the NFL to run the ball effectively.

They have one of the largest offensive lines, the best trio of running backs in the NFL, and great blocking tight ends and wide receivers. That's why they have a 5.1 yards-per-rush average.

What they really need to do is "establish the run".

Establishing the run means that the defense believes and respects that you may run the ball at any time.

Contrary to popular belief, getting one and two yard gains early in the game isn't terrible. Those small gains turn into much larger gains in the 4th-quarter as the defense wears down, and it also opens up play action.

Opening up play action is good both from the protection standpoint and getting the linebackers and secondary to bite on the fake, creating separation for the receivers.

Like establishing the run, an effective protection scheme should be a staple of the Cowboys offense.

The offensive line is starting to get banged up, and unless Garrett wants to see Romo get hurt, he should limit the amount of plays that Romo must wait to develop. When the defense blitzes, there should always be an outlet, whether it be a running back in the flat, or the receivers breaking off their routes.

I also believe it is time to let Felix Jones and Tashard Choice begin games and let Marion Barber III end them. Let Barber return to the role in which he was a Pro Bowler, and let the young guys establish the running game early.

With a home game against Washington Redskins and another over Thanksgiving with the Oakland Raiders, there is no time like the present to do these things.

If Garrett and the Cowboys can't establish the run and protect Tony Romo against these two teams, fans might as well start looking to 2010.

Without Central Michigan, TCU Isn't a BCS Team: Say What?

Chad Hensley — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 23:43:58 -0500

Every team with BCS aspirations needs a little luck along the way. Usually "luck" is staying injury-free, the bounce of the ball, or a call that goes their way in a close game.

But for the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs, their luck changed when the Central Michigan Chippewas backed out of a scheduled game with the Clemson Tigers (after the 70-14 beatdown the Tigers gave Chippewas in 2007, it was understandable).

When Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney was presented with his options—reschedule with a I-AA team or face TCU—he chose TCU.

“Surely there had to be a Division I-A team that would want to come here,” Swinney said when the athletic director sought to find another opponent. “Terry Don Phillips got this look on his face and said: ‘There’s one. There’s only one.’ He said it’s TCU. I said, ‘Holy smokes.’ I just said: ‘Let’s play. Let’s do it. It will be great for our kids.’ That’s really how it happened."

The only reason anyone outside Dallas/Ft. Worth is considering TCU as a BCS team—and maybe even a national title contender—is because TCU beat Clemson on the road.

TCU plays in a horrible conference, and the only win they can really hang their hat on is the Clemson game.

"But what about BYU?" The Cougars were blown out at home by the seventh or eighth best ACC team in Florida St. They are not a top 25 team.

"Utah?" Another highly overrated MWC team that doesn't deserve to be in the top 25.

And even the win over Clemson has some critics.

The Tigers start a redshirt freshman quarterback in Kyle Parker, who was just getting his feet wet in the TCU game.

The game was played in monsoon-type weather, and TCU needed a deflected pass for a TD, and some ridiculous mistakes by Clemson, to win 14-10.

A week later, Clemson lost to the Maryland Terrapins, who have two wins this season. One over Clemson, the other over I-AA James Madison University.

Now since that loss to the Terps, the Tigers have played lights out and have climbed back into the polls after reeling off five consecutive victories.

But you have to ask, "Is today's Clemson Tigers team the same one that faced TCU in week four?"

Is TCU a legit National Championship contender? Without a loss by Texas Longhorns and Cincinnati Bearcats (Cincy will pass TCU in the BCS if they beat Pitt), we may never know.

But I will leave with you this.

Until TCU, Boise St., and other "BCS-Busting" teams play in a real conference, they shouldn't get the chance to play in the BCS National Championship game.

You can compare it to playing Tiger Woods in a "putting match."

If Tiger (teams in real conferences) has to hit 10 putts from 10 feet away and two from one foot, against you (TCU) hitting 10 putts from one foot and two from 10 foot, it really isn't fair to Tiger.

He probably is still going to beat you most of the time, but every once in a while, he may slip up. That doesn't mean you are better than Tiger at putting.

The point is TCU doesn't go through the gauntlet that the Pac-10, SEC, etc. go through. The parity in those conferences is close enough that the lower tiered teams have a chance to beat anyone in their respective conferences.

With the MWC and WAC, the top-tier teams are basically playing I-AA teams seven or eight games out of the year. That is a lot of scrimmages, and really eliminates any chance of an upset that you see in the "big boy" conferences.

Do I want to see TCU in the national championship?

Not until they MWC and WAC combine or a playoff system is implemented. I'd like to see both happen.

But until then, TCU can thank the Central Michigan Chippewas, both for the chance to play and win their marquee game of 2009, and the $1 million check that came with it.

Tigers-Wolfpack: N.C. State Blown Away by C.J. Spiller and Co.

Chad Hensley — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 15:41:10 -0500

The Clemson Tigers pounded the N.C. State Wolfpack 43-23 Saturday, moving them one game closer to an appearance in the ACC Championship game.

Looking at the score, one would expect Heisman hopeful C.J. Spiller to have put up huge yardage numbers on State like he did against Miami (310 Total Yards) and Florida St. (312 Total Yards), but that wasn't the case.

The Wolfpack were scared of Mr. Spiller, and they paid for it.

Spiller had zero yards returning kicks, as N.C. State paid the greatest honor a returner on special teams can get—they completely avoided kicking to him.

The downside for the Wolfpack was the unbelievable field position the Tigers got to begin almost every drive.

In a stretch in which they got the ball on their own 37, 41, the N.C. State 17 (after a six yard punt) and again on their own 43, the Tigers scored a field goal and three touchdowns. That established a lead they would never relinquish.

Though N.C. State didn't give Spiller a chance to return kicks, it doesn't mean he wasn't highly effective.

Adding to his already Heisman-worthy resume, Spiller rushed the ball 18 times for 97 yards and 1 touchdown, and also caught a 34 yard touchdown.

Oh and he also threw for a 17 yard TD.

Spiller is simply unbelievable, especially when you consider he is playing with a injured big toe that has kept him playing below 90% since the first play of the season.

While Spiller has Heisman aspirations , his main goal is to carry his team to the ACC Championship game in Jacksonville, Fl.

To move onto the ACC Championship game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, the Tigers need a loss by Boston College to UVA, or they can do it themselves with a victory next weekend against UVA.

Dallas Cowboys: Keys To Victory Over The Green Bay Packers

Chad Hensley — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:07:54 -0500

The Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers meet this coming Sunday at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

The Cowboys (6-2) are on a four game winning streak after beating the Philadelphia Eagles this past weekend. They are now in sole position of first place in the NFC East.

The Packers are heading in the opposite direction. The Pack had a terrific preseason—after which many had them as a Super Bowl contender—but now the Packers stand at 4-4, and just recently lost to the winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Packers are better than they played against the Bucs, so the Cowboys cannot go through the motions and expect a victory, especially at Lambeau.

Here are the Cowboys keys to victory over the Packers.

Pressure Aaron Rodgers

The Packers quarterback is a good, young quarterback. His offensive line has been porous at best, as he has been sacked 37 times.

But not all of it has been on the big boys up front. Rodgers has a tendency to hold onto the ball too long. He has the NFL's best QB rating against the blitz, but some of that has to do with taking sacks instead of throwing the ball away, thereby increasing his rating, but ultimately killing his team.

Repeat the defensive gameplan from the Eagles game

The Cowboys and Eagles had the same amount of sacks last week, but the difference was the Cowboys got pressure with their front four (when Ware rushes they are in a 4-3 as opposed to their base 3-4), while the Eagles blitzed on almost every down.

This allowed the Cowboys to deploy bracket coverage over the top on the Eagles speedy wide receivers, and allowed the linebackers to cover the flats and the middle of the field. This took away most of the Eagles options in the passing game.

The Packers have some great wide receivers in Donald Drivers and Greg Jennings, and depth at the position with Jordy Nelson and James Jones.

If Dallas can get pressure up front without having to blitz, the Cowboys secondary should be able to handle the Packers wide receivers and eliminate the big plays down the field.

Establish the run early with Felix Jones and Tashard Choice

Did you see how much of a monster Marion Barber III was at the end of the Eagles game? That is the strength that horse brings to the table, and that is where they should utilize him.

The Cowboys should start the game off with a heavy dosage of Jones and Choice, who see the field better than Barber. Early in games, there are a lot of times Barber misses the holes that Jones and Choice almost always hit. Give the young guys a chance to get up on the Packers early, and then let Barber maul them at the end.

Take advantage of Aaron Kampman injury

The Packers linebacker will be out with a concussion, and rookie Brad Jones will take his place. When Jones is in there, the Cowboys should exploit the mismatch with tights ends Jason Witten and Martellus Bennett in the passing game. If the Packers try to counter that with a nickle defense, the Cowboys can crush them with Barber, Jones and Choice in the running game.

Don't get complacent

The Packers offense has a ton of firepower, especially in the passing game.

In the two games against the Minnesota Vikings, the Packers were on the verge of getting blown out. The Packers had incredible comebacks in both games, and would have won, if not for a Hall of Famer named Brett Favre.

If the Cowboys get up early, they need to keep the pedal to the metal until the game is over.

Clemson Tiger Football: Keys To Victory Over The N.C. State Wolfpack

Chad Hensley — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:15:49 -0500

The Clemson Tigers are just two victories away from their first shot at an ACC Championship Game, and possibly their first ACC title since 1991.

Tigers fans have been here before, though, when Tommy Bowden and Co. were the masters of building up hope.

Bowden would accumulate wins against superior competition, setting them up for a run at the title, only to follow it up with a disastrous loss to a mediocre team.

It was almost as if they enjoyed ripping the hearts out of Clemson faithful.

But new head coach Dabo Swinney has given this Tigers team an attitude adjustment, and fans are hopeful that the past does not come back to haunt them.

The next step to redemption is a game with N.C State, and this is how they can beat them on Saturday.

Eliminate Mistakes

The amount of mistakes in the game against Florida St. was ridiculous. Regardless of the final score, it was sloppy and showed that they are susceptible to losing to a team with less talent. This is how Clemson has lost its way in the past, and for them to get to the ACCCG, the turnovers, penalties and mental mistakes must be corrected.

Spencer Benton

He will be Clemson's kicker this weekend due to an academic violation by Richard Jackson. If you watched the game against Florida St., you saw Jackson miss three extra points and two possible field goals. Benton missed an extra point. It's all mental at this point, so hopefully Benton can get his act together before kickoff.

Contain Russell Wilson

The Wolfpack's best player is their quarterback Russell Wilson. He is very mobile, so the Tigers will need to keep contain and not let him extend drives with his legs.

Spiller Time

N.C. State has given up almost 40 points per game over the last four games, and 158 yards rushing. Clemson just happens to have the most exciting player in the country, runningback C.J. Spiller. Offensive coordinator Billy Napier should run the ball like he did again the Seminoles, and absolutely destroy the weak Wolfpack defense.

Feel the urgency

From the opening kickoff, the Tigers should fight like their lives on the line. They cannot let the Wolfpack stick around, because that is how upsets are born.

Cowboys-Eagles: Tony Romo Wins Big As Dallas Flies Past Philly into First Place

Chad Hensley — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 01:38:30 -0500

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo didn't have the best game of his career. But in a big-time setting—prime time, nationally televised game, against a division opponent on the road—he was better than his counterpart, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb.

Late in the fourth quarter, Romo (21/34 307 yards 1 TD 1 INT) found wide receiver Miles Austin streaking down the sideline for the go-ahead touchdown and the Cowboys slipped past the Eagles 20-16 Sunday night, moving into sole possession of first place in the NFC East.

The play was set up with a nasty double move on Sheldon Brown, and Romo laid it in there perfectly for a 49-yard score. Austin (49 yard 1 TD) improved on his league leading yards-after-catch, racing past the Eagles safeties who had come over to help.

After the touchdown, Romo seemed to point to offensive coordinator Jason Garrett, basically saying "good call."

That wasn't the only good call Garrett made, as his gameplan and playcalling were excellent against the overly aggressive Eagles defense.

Although Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson—one the greatest defensive minds of our time—sadly passed in the offseason, his successor, Sean McDermott, basically took over with the same mentality.

McDermott had the Eagles blitzing all night long, and for the first time as the Cowboys offensive coordinator, Garrett had a counter.

Teams with great secondaries who blitz often, have absolutely owned the Cowboys in recent years. So No. 5 in my keys to victory over the Eagles was a protection scheme involving short drops and quick passes.

Garrett had his offense execute this exact game plan, and Romo and Co. had it working to perfection.

Romo's favorite target on the night was Roy Williams (5 catches 75 yards), who has been in the news all week . They looked in sync in all but a couple of plays.

That connection was needed, because the Eagles blanketed Austin and tight end Jason Witten for most of the night. McDermott said that he wanted to take those two out of the game, and that is what they did.

Fortunately for the Cowboys, Williams and receivers Kevin Ogletree (2 catches 38 yards) and Patrick Crayton (2 catches 74 yards) all made big plays that led to points.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Cowboys pressured McNabb (16/30 227 1 TD 2 INT) for most of the night, sacking him four times and intercepting him twice.

The Cowboys' linebackers had some trouble with tight end Brent Celek (3 catches 39 yards 1 TD), but I think the focus was on stopping Desean Jackson from beating them with the big play. With Jackson only having two catches for 29 yards, they were successful.

While the Cowboys only ran the ball 23 times for 76 yards, Garrett used the wide receiver slip screen with Ogletree and other screens to offset the constant blitzing of the Eagles defense.

Other than a few long screen passes and a couple good runs by rookie LeSean McCoy (5 catches 61 yards, 13 rushes 54 yards), the Cowboys' defense played lights out. They only allowed one touchdown, and even stopped the Eagles on a crucial 4th-and-inches.

As great as the defense was, it was Romo who stole the show.

When the Cowboys needed a first down to ice the game, a confident Romo performed under pressure, hitting Jason Witten on a quick out, moving the sticks and sealing the victory.

Week 9 NFL Prediction: Cowboys Will Pound Eagles at The Linc

Chad Hensley — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:02:35 -0500

It's been a relatively easy couple of weeks for the Dallas Cowboys (5-2) and Philadelphia Eagles (5-2), as they have ascended to the top of the NFC East standings, cruising past the stumbling New York Giants.

The Eagles and Cowboys will meet Sunday at The Linc in Philly, which was the site of a crime scene in Week 17 of the 2008 season.

The Eagles absolutely stomped the Cowboys, 44-6, and the sting is still felt by many of the Cowboys.

This is how the two teams compare.

When the Eagles have the ball:

Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb has been efficient this year (9 TD, 1 INT) when he has been healthy.

They also have two very young, electric receivers in Desean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin. Jackson already has six touchdowns greater than 50 yards.

All-Pro running back Bryan Westbrook, who is returning after a week off due to a concussion, will most likely split duties with LeSean McCoy.

The Eagles offensive line is still coming together, and isn't as formidable as in years past.

The Cowboys have one of the most dominant defensive players in the game in Demarcus Ware. He started off the year slow by his standards, but has rebounded in the past three weeks with five sacks and two forced fumbles.

Along with Ware, nose tackle Jay Ratliff has been unstoppable in the middle of that defense. Offenses should start charging him rent as much as he camps out in their backfield.

The secondary, starring Terrence Newman and Michael Jenkins, is starting to peak, and they have been playing with aggression that Cowboys fans have not seen in years.

But the heartbeat of the Cowboys defense is a newcomer, linebacker Keith Brooking. His intensity and passion is contagious, and his teammates have benefited greatly from his presence on and off the field.

In the end, it comes down to the Eagles offensive line versus the defensive front of the Cowboys. Desean Jackson will be blanketed with two Cowboys, allowing Ware, Ratliff and Co. to feast on McNabb as he tries to find an open receiver.

The Eagles line won't hold up, and McNabb will on the ground a lot. They gave up six sacks to the Oakland Raiders, and I believe it will more of the same with the more talented Cowboys.

Advantage: Cowboys

When the Cowboys have the ball:

Quarterback Tony Romo has been on fire the past three weeks, with nine touchdowns and zero interceptions.

Romo has benefited from the emergence of receiver Miles Austin, who has quickly become the Cowboys No. 1 receiver by setting an NFL record for yards (482) in the first three starts of a career.

Runningbacks Marion Barber III, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice form a three-headed monster out of the backfield.

Tight end Jason Witten doesn't have the stats to show for it, but he has drawn a lot of coverage away from the Cowboys receivers. Look for his production to improve as Austin continues to excel.

The Cowboys offensive line has given up 13 sacks, which is a little more than in past years, but says more about Romo taking the sack instead of trying to force something.

However the Cowboys are sixth in rushing, seventh in passing, and second in total offense. You can't have those kinds of numbers without a solid offensive line.

The Eagles lost one of the greatest defensive minds in history, defensive coordinator Jim Johnson, to cancer during the offseason. Along with the loss of Bryan Dawkins to the Broncos, they had faced quite a bit of adversity even before the beginning of the season.

Trent Cole (6.5 sacks) leads the Eagles front seven, but where the really have playmakers is in the secondary. Asante Samuel and Sheldon Brown lead the team with five and three interceptions, respectively.

Although the Eagles secondary is better than the Cowboys receivers as a whole, that is where their advantage ends.

The Cowboys receivers may not have a big day, but the extra attention to Austin should open it up underneath for tight ends Witten and Bennett. The Eagles are incredibly vulnerable to tight ends, and Dallas just happens to have the best tight end in the NFL in Witten.

Finally, the Eagles defensive line just doesn't match up well with the Cowboys offensive line. Barber and Jones should be able to establish the run, and without pressure on Romo, he will pick the Eagles apart.

Advantage: Cowboys

Verdict:

The Eagles will keep it close early, but then it's going to get ugly.

Cowboys 42-20

Check out all the keys to a Cowboys Victory

All Eyes On Heisman Hopeful C.J. Spiller Against Florida St. Saturday

Chad Hensley — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:55:44 -0500

This Saturday night, the nation—and most importantly Heisman voters—will get another chance to evaluate one of the hottest players in the country, C.J. Spiller.

The Clemson Tigers will be playing the Florida St. Seminoles in prime time, and it will be televised nationwide by ESPN.

Spiller has been one man wrecking machine for the Tigers in 2009, and the chatter for including Spiller as a top Heisman candidate has begun.

The Seminoles haven't been the juggernaut of years past, but they still have prestige, which carries with viewers on the tube. That's great for Spiller, as the more people who get to see his ridiculous speed (recently clocked at 28 mph by ESPN on a kickoff return against Miami) and unbelievable moves the better.

This game also carries with it something that Spiller covets even more than the Heisman—a chance to play in the ACC Championship.

The Tigers control their own destiny, and a victory over Florida St. will get them one step closer to Jacksonville.

They will need Spiller to perform like he has all year to have a chance.

As Deion Sanders always says, "Big-time players make big-time plays in big-time games".

I expect Spiller to live up to being a big-time player. The rest will take care of itself.

Please vote C.J. Spiller for Heisman .

Sorry, ESPN: This Cowboys Team Won't Become the Circus You Want It To Be

Chad Hensley — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:21:54 -0500

Tim McMahon of the newly formed ESPNDallas.com wrote an article today on how Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Roy Williams is not on the same page as quarterback Tony Romo.

Now this is obvious to anyone with a pulse, but you can be sure ESPN will beat this dead horse into the ground.

ESPN's problem is the Cowboys are playing well, and, for the first time in a few years, there is little to no controversy within the organization. That doesn't bode well for ESPN ratings.

ESPN likes to create news instead of reporting it, especially when it comes to America's team. The difference is this year's Cowboys team is going to have nothing of it.

The Cowboys probably got rid of 75 percent of ESPN's articles written on them when they released Terrell Owens, Pacman Jones, and Tank Johnson. And even with those types of players, they still felt the need to manufacture stories .

Take, for example, the following quote in McMahon's article.

"He gets the ball thrown correctly his way," Williams said of Austin. "I'm stretching and falling and doing everything. Everybody [else] who's been here's balls are there. Our footballs [from Romo to Williams] are everywhere right now."

Now I don't know what context this was said in, but it doesn't sound like the Roy Williams that we have been hearing all year—the one who wants to win, even if he isn't getting his touches.

Unfortunately for the ESPN vultures, if that quote isn't taken out of context, it will be dealt with internally by the team.

You see the 2009 Cowboys have real leadership this year, with players like Keith Brooking. Brooking and Co. will put Williams in his place, and the team will move on, with or without Williams.

Dallas Cowboys: Keys to Victory Over the Philadelphia Eagles

Chad Hensley — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:21:07 -0500

The Dallas Cowboys (5-2) play the Philadelphia Eagles (5-2) this Sunday in a matchup of the leaders of the NFC East.

Here are five keys to victory for the Dallas Cowboys.

1. Contain Donovan McNabb

The Eagles quarterback is most dangerous when he is extending plays with his legs. Demarcus Ware and company must contain while still pressuring the All-Pro quarterback.

2. Bracket Cover Desean Jackson

The extremely fast Jackson has followed up a great rookie year with an even better sophomore year. While Cowboys cornerback Terrence Newman should be in his hip pocket all night, I don't believe Newman can keep up with the younger, faster Jackson without help on some plays. It only takes one big play by Jackson to kill momentum and steal the game, so the Cowboys should force someone else to beat them.

3. Find Mismatches with Eagles Linebackers

Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett should utilize the two tight end sets with Jason Witten and Martellus Bennett to create mismatches with the Eagles linebackers. Running backs Felix Jones and Tashard Choice out of the backfield would also be a matchup I would look for.

4. Establish the Running Game

This should be done in every game, but it is especially important against the Eagles because of their tremendous secondary. It not only controls the clock, keeping McNabb off the field, but also helps the Cowboys passing game. Playaction with Marion Barber III, Jones, and Choice can help wide receivers Miles Austin and Roy Williams get that extra separation for quarterback Tony Romo to get them the ball.

5. Use a Protection Scheme That Focuses on Quick Drops and Passes

The Eagles are going to blitz, early and often. Garrett must understand this, and have a plan in which his receivers break off their routes to help out Romo. Barber, Jones, and Choice have all done a terrific job in blitz pickup this year, and they will need to continue that this weekend.

Clemson Tiger Football: Keys To Victory Over the Florida St. Seminoles

Chad Hensley — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:48:03 -0500

The Clemson Tigers play the Florida St. Seminoles this weekend in what could be the deciding factor in determining who goes to the ACC Championship game for the Atlantic Division.

The Tigers will need to do these six things if they want to win on Saturday.

1. Contain Christian Ponder.   The Seminoles quarterback is incredibly athletic and will extend drives with his legs if given the opportunity.   The Tigers defensive ends cannot get too far upfield and must keep contain to prevent Ponder from breaking out of the pocket.

2. Establish the running game. The Seminoles are ranked last in the ACC and 101st in the nation in rushing defense (183/ypg). Offensive coordinator Billy Napier must understand that sticking with star C.J. Spiller and company will wear down the Seminole defense, and will keep the dangerous Seminole offense off the field. This eluded him against the Maryland Terrapins.

3. Protect Kyle Parker. The Seminoles passing defense is actually worse than their rushing defense. It is ranked last in the ACC, and 97th in the nation (246/ypg).   Kyle Parker has shown that he can be very accurate when given time, and he should be able to pick apart the vulnerable Seminoles secondary.

4. Don't get into a shootout. Similar to the game against the Miami Hurricanes, the Tigers offense could possibly go toe-to-toe with the nation's 15th ranked offense (443/ypg), but it would behoove them to play lights out with the nation's 15th ranked defense and control the clock with the running game.

5. Pick up the void that Da'Quan Bowers leaves. Bowers will most likely miss the game due to a knee injury. Bowers has three sacks and eight tackles-for-loss on the season, and consistently pressures opposing quarterbacks. Malliciah Goodman and Kevin Alexander must pick up the slack and keep Ponder from getting comfortable.

6. Parker must find Michael Palmer . The Tiger's tight end will return to action this weekend after sitting out last weekend's game with a concussion.   Palmer is Parker's most dependable receiver, and he will need to find him early and often as the Seminole's will most likely load up the box against the run and force the Tiger's into second- and third-and-longs.

The Dallas Cowboys Are a Year or Two Away from Becoming the 2009 Redskins

Chad Hensley — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:02:17 -0400

The offensive line is the pillar of successful NFL teams. There has never been a Super Bowl champion with a bad offensive line.

The Dallas Cowboys offensive line is filled with Pro Bowlers. They are one of the most experienced units, and often considered among the best in the NFL.

They are also old.

The current starters are, Marc Colombo (31, eighth season), Leonard Davis (31, ninth season), Andre Gurode (31, eighth season), Kyle Kosier (30, eighth season), and Flozell Adams (34, 12th season). That's an average age of 31.4.

That might not seem that old, but when you consider the Washington Redskins entered the 2008 (I do not have 2009 statistics) season with the oldest offensive line in the NFL, with an average of 32, there is cause for concern.

Although the Redskins "got younger" in this past offseason, they obviously waited too late. If you have recently watched that train wreck in D.C., you know that those little piggies up front couldn't block a high school team.

Like the Redskins, the offensive line's penalties are killing the Cowboys. Before the Atlanta Falcons game, they accounted for 15 of the Cowboys 37 penalties, with perennial All-Pro "Flag-Magnet" Flozell Adams leading with seven.

Cowboys offensive line coach Hudson Houck defended accusations that Adams was trying to hurt people with his two leg-whip penalties this year.

"He is not doing things to hurt people," Houck said. "The reason he got the penalties really was because he was out of position. He tried to get back in position and the foot came up. It wasn't malicious at all. We've got to clean up the penalties."

While I agree Adams wasn't trying to hurt anyone, there is a reason he throws out his leg like that. He got beat. Plain and simple.

When offensive linemen start losing athletic ability as they get older, "getting out of position" happens more often. When they are consistently beaten by the guy they are supposed to block, they do anything they can to stop the guy from getting to their quarterback. A lot of the times, false starts and holding penalties are the end results.

This has cost the Cowboys time and again this season, killing drives before they can get started, and sometimes taking away first downs.

And if they aren't committing the penalties when they get beat, that means the quarterback is about to get smacked.

Luckily for the Cowboys, they have one of the most elusive quarterbacks in the NFL in Tony Romo. He also happens to have the quickest release in the NFL.

With those skills, Romo masks a lot of the protection problems the offensive line has against the better pass rushing teams. Did anyone notice how great the offensive line became after Romo replaced Drew Bledsoe? They didn't change anyone on the line, they just changed quarterbacks.

But Romo can't help the penalties. Age and lack of discipline are the culprits there.

What are the repercussions for a false start in practice?

"In practice, a false start results in getting pulled from the drill."

Seriously? There is no wonder they lack discipline. Fortunately, with the right coaching, that can be controlled and minimized.

Unfortunately for the Cowboys, they do not control time. They need to get younger up front, regardless of recent, ridiculous contract agreements, and I'm not sure I have faith in the current backups becoming starters.

If the Cowboys ignore this in the offseason, 2010 might have Cowboys fans edging toward the cliffs like Redskins fans have this season.

Clemson Tiger Football: Michael Palmer Has Been a Difference-Maker

Chad Hensley — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:36:02 -0400

He may not remember, but Clemson Tigers' tight end Michael Palmer played another great game this past weekend in the victory over the Miami Hurricanes, in which he had five catches for a career high 74 yards and a touchdown.

Memories of the huge win might be a little fuzzy for Palmer because of a vicious helmet-to-helmet hit by Hurricane linebacker Darryl Sharpton. The hit rang Palmer's bell, and you could see his eyes were glazed over immediately after hitting the ground. It probably should have been a penalty, but I believe it was unavoidable as Palmer was flipped wildly right before Sharpton came in full speed for the tackle.

The most unbelieveable thing about the play? Despite being knocked senseless, Palmer held onto the ball until he hit the ground.

He again proved he is Mr. Reliable for this Clemson Tiger team, as he has been making plays all season.

Palmer's extremely soft hands, great routes, and knowing when he needs to get beyond the sticks has made him the most consistent receiver for redshirt freshman quarterback Kyle Parker.

Palmer already has 21 catches, which is the most by a Tiger tight end in 25 years. He only has two touchdowns on the year—but I don't believe he has dropped a pass, and almost every catch is a first down.

Credit that to offensive coordinator Billy Napier, who has obviously made a genuine effort to involve the tight ends in the passing game. Napier has his critics—including me—but this is one thing that has really helped this Tiger team get those third-down conversions they haven't normally gotten in years past.

Hopefully, Palmer will return soon from the concussion, because the Tigers need their go-to guy if they want to stay in the hunt for the ACC title.

Roy Williams Needs To "Listen" To Tony Romo

Chad Hensley — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:44:30 -0400

The Dallas Cowboys traded for Roy Williams in 2008 for a first-, third-, and sixth-rounder from the Detroit Lions. At this point in time, it is very easy to say the Lions have come out on top.

Williams has 31 catches for 428 yards and two touchdowns since joining the Cowboys—a span of 15 games played.

The supposed "Number One" receiver is not living up to that role. But I don't believe ability is what is holding him down.

I wrote a few weeks ago that Tony Romo is playing without confidence . That wasn't confidence in himself, it was confidence in his receivers.

As everyone now knows, Miles Austin has created that trust with Romo, and he has had an amazing two weeks with 16 catches for 421 yards and four touchdowns.

But Williams has that ability too, if he would just listen to Romo.

In a post-game interview with NBC's Tiki Barber, Romo was asked about Austin's emergence, and Romo replied that Austin did small things well, like running routes.

That was an implicit message from Romo. Hopefully Williams will hear it and let it sink in, and become the player Cowboys fans—and Jerry Jones—hoped he would be.

That would give the Cowboys a two-headed monster at receiver, and give the offense so many weapons it would rival the New Orleans Saints as the best in the NFL.

Clemson Tiger Football: Midseason Report Card

Chad Hensley — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 01:47:58 -0400

After trouncing the Wake Forest Demon Deacons 38-3 over the weekend, the Clemson Tigers will be entering the second half of the season with some much needed confidence.

The win did not help their midseason report card.

Offense

The offensive line returned all starters from 2008, but their improvement has been barely visible. The return of Chris Hairston from injury, and some adjustments by line coach Brad Scott, had an immediate impact against Wake Forest, but I am not sure it solved the line's woes.

Offensive line Midseason Grade: D

Jacoby Ford leads the receivers with 26 catches for 358 yards and 2 touchdowns. Unfortunately, there have been few other bright spots. The receivers have been inconsistent at best, dropping passes and rarely getting separation.

In my opinion, tight end Michael Palmer has been the best option for quarterback Kyle Parker, but doesn't get as many opportunities as the others.

Wide Receivers Midseason Grade: C-

C.J. Spiller leads the team in rushing with 466 yards on 94 carries and 3 touchdowns. Although those are decent numbers, they would be better if the coaching staff would stick to the run. The lack of passing game also allows teams to put eight in-the-box, which is probably why offensive coordinator Billy Napier seems to shy away from the run when he should be pounding it.

Running Backs Midseason Grade: B

Parker started off well against Georgia Tech, but has regressed since. He has passed for 1027 yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions, with a 49.7 percent completion percentage. Those numbers are to be expected from a red-shirt freshman behind a so-so offensive line and receivers who constantly drop catchable balls.

Parker stares down his receivers and back pedals for dear life when the pocket collapses. He does show great elusiveness, and when given time, throws a fairly accurate ball with his rocket arm.

He is head and shoulders above his backup, Willy Korn, and should remain every game until it is out of reach.

Quarterback Midseason Grade: C

The coaching staff is where most of the offensive woes come from.

In short, they are not getting the most out of the talent that the team has, which has been a problem at Clemson for over a decade.

Napier's playcalling has been absolutely horrible. There is no sugar-coating it.

With bubble screens galore, it as if Rob Spence was still the offensive coordinator. The only thing I can give Napier is that he genuinely tries to get the ball to Spiller as much as possible.

Even with giving the ball to Spiller, the Tigers break down when it counts most—in the red zone.

With only seven touchdowns in 16 tries (four of those came against Wake), the Tigers are at the bottom of the ACC in red-zone efficiency. Settling for field goals has cost this team many games this season.

Another troubling stat is that the Tiger's longest drive this season has been a little over three minutes. You aren't going to beat the big boys doing that.

Offensive Coaches Midseason Grade: D-

The offense is the reason the Tigers are 3-3, instead of 5-1, or possibly 6-0.

Overall Offense Midseason Grade: D

Defense

Ricky Sapp, Da'Quan Bowers, Jarvis Jenkins, Malliciah Goodman, Jamie Cumbie and Brandon Thompson have been superb.

The Tigers already have 17 sacks, which is three more than the entire 2008 season. Sapp and Bowers are tied for the lead with three sacks, and have also combined for 16 tackles-for-loss.

Defensive line Midseason Grade: A-

Kavell Conner and Brandon Maye lead the linebackers with 39 and 38 tackles a piece, respectively.

Linebackers Midseason Grade: B+

The Tigers have the nation's seventh ranked pass defense, and a big part of that is great play of the secondary.

Deandre McDaniel leads the team with 5 interceptions and 50 tackles (29 solo).

Secondary Midseason Grade: A-

Defensive coordinator Kevin Steele was a steal from Alabama. He actually makes halftime adjustments, which is something that hasn't been done in a very long time.

Defensive Coaches Midseason Grade: A

The nation's 11th ranked defense has kept the Tigers in every game this season, and they seem to keep getting better every week. The only problem I see is that they still seem to give up that one play that crushes the hopes of Tiger fans everywhere. That said, the offense seems to put them in that situation all too often.

Overall Defense Midseason Grade: A-

Special Teams

Richard Jackson has a great leg, already kicking a few field goals over 50 yards. That said, he has missed some crucial field goals that may have cost the Tigers a couple games.

Kicker Midseason Grade: B-

Ranked last in the ACC and 112th in the nation in net punting, Dawson Zimmerman and the punt return team need to get it together. The numbers may be skewed because the Tigers do stall at midfield a lot, so I will give him the benefit of the doubt.

Punter Midseason Grade: C-

Spiller and Ford have been electric, returning two punts and two kickoffs for touchdowns.

Now teams kick away from them, which almost always means great field position for the Tigers.

Returners Midseason Grade: A+

Overal Speacial Teams Midseason Grade: B

Coach Dabo Swinney

The only reason it is this high is because of the hiring of Steele. It has to be awkward in coaches meetings when the most qualified, experienced, and knowledgeable guy isn't the head coach.

Coach Dabo Swinney's Midseason Grade: C -

The Tigers showed promise with an inferior Wake team. Let's hope it continues.

Overall Team Grade: C

President Obama Inducted Into NASCAR Hall Of Fame (Satire)

Chad Hensley — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 22:03:02 -0400

Honors continue to roll in for President Barack Obama.

Less than a week after receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, President Obama got the checkered flag today as he was honored with induction into the inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame.

President Obama's induction was a surprise to some, but not if you look closely at his merits.

President Obama is solely responsible for talking about saving the automotive industry in the United States. Without his rhetoric, General Motors would have went bankrupt, the Pontiac brand would have been scrapped and thousands of automotive industry jobs would have been lost.

President Obama's administration is also pushing for complete government takeover of NASCAR in 2010.

One of the changes the administration hopes to implement are completely electric cars, which will save thousands of gallons of gas.

Going electric will also quiet the cars significantly, which will completely eliminate tinnitus (ringing) of the ears at each event. This directly helps lowers cost for the nation's soon to be government-controlled health care.

And finally, President Obama is opening up all NASCAR teams to illegal aliens. The hope is that the illegal immigrants will work for little to nothing, which will offset the administration's 30 percent increase in taxes on the wealthy companies who advertise on the sides of the cars.

The five other inductees included Dale Earnhardt, Richard Petty, Junior Johnson, Bill France, Sr. and Bill France, Jr.

NFLPA Speaking Out Against Limbaugh Is About Politics

Chad Hensley — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:27:14 -0400

Rush Limbaugh wants to purchase the St. Louis Rams. The NFLPA chief DeMaurice Smith has spoken out against it.

The next few months will again show how much politics can affect sports, which we all wish were politics-free.

If you think Smith's ties to President Barack Obama has nothing to do with it, then you are a Kool-Aid drinker.

Politics have probably always been a part of the NFL, as it is affects all of our lives, whether we like it or not. But blocking someone from purchasing a team because they don't agree with their political beliefs is a slippery slope with no end.

And no, it isn't about racism. Sorry again to those drunk on the Kool-Aid.

Racism is just the card that is thrown anytime someone doesn't agree with an outspoken, conservative political figure.

For instance, many people are saying that it is racist, because millions of Americans don't agree with President Obama's health care reform. I am pretty confident those same people were speaking up against health care reform when the President was a white, southerner named Bill Clinton.

Does anyone doubt that if Jesse Jackson wanted to purchase the Rams, and a white NFL representative spoke out against Jackson's perceived racism over the years, it would be that representative who would be considered racist?

And what happens if a player is found to be racist? Should they not be allowed to play? And remember, it isn't just white people who are racist.

But again, this isn't about racism. This is politics.

The government controls enough, they don't need to run the NFL, too.

Dallas Cowboys: With Roy Williams Out, Kevin Ogletree Could Shine

Chad Hensley — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 20:59:42 -0400

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Roy Williams will miss Sunday's game versus the Kansas City Chiefs because of cartilage damage to three ribs.

Miles Austin will replace Williams in the starting lineup, but don't be surprised if you see rookie Kevin Ogletree get some playing time.

Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo doesn't seem to trust any of his receivers other than tight end Jason Witten. That could change with Ogletree.

It is probably safe to say that Ogletree had the best preseason of any of the receivers working with the first team, and Romo went to him often.

Ogletree runs precise routes and catches the ball with his hands, which is not often the case with the other Cowboys' receivers.

In the preseason, it was evident that Romo was in sync with Ogletree, but then again, tight end Martellus Bennett also had a great camp.

Bennett only has four catches for 40 yards through four games.

Hopefully Romo finds some trust in both Ogletree and Bennett against the Chiefs.

Clemson Tiger Football: Bye Week Couldn't Have Come at a Better Time

Chad Hensley — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 20:33:49 -0400

Usually teams like bye weeks about 3/4 of the way through the season. But after an embarrassing loss to a young Maryland Terrapins team, it couldn't come soon enough for the Clemson Tigers.

The Terps came into the game without a win against an FBS opponent. Their only victory came against James Madison University, which competes in the FCS - and that took overtime.

As I said last week, the Tigers have major problems on offense. But it all starts with the head coach, Dabo Swinney, and his chosen offensive coordinator, Billy Napier.

The thing that was most responsible for killing the early momentum the Tigers had, was when Dabo decided it would be a good idea to play quarterback Willy Korn.

Quarterback Kyle Parker had just led a terrific touchdown drive, and you could tell the offense was in rhythm.

When Korn came in, that rhythm was destroyed, and the Tigers never got it back.

The Tigers did score three points with Korn at the helm, but he also got lucky on a couple plays.

It is obvious to anyone who is a dedicated fan that Korn is just not the quarterback that Parker is. It's not close, and there is no way that changes in the near future.

As a fan, I could care less if Korn is talking about transferring if he doesn't get playing time. The best players should play. If Parker goes down with an injury, I would hope Korn can come in and do a good job.

Beyond the decision to play Korn, the playcalling was again very questionable.

For a while, I thought that Tommy Bowden and Rob Spence were calling in the plays. With the bubble screens, reverses to the short side of the field, and not sticking with the run, it was déjà vu.

The Terps had been destroyed by their opponents all year on the ground, yet Napier decided to throw the ball 40 times and run it 30, with only 18 of those rushes going to their best player, C.J. Spiller.

Why would one want to throw the ball 40 times with a redshirt freshman at the helm, when they have a very capable backfield of Spiller, Jamie Harper and Andre Ellington?

I am not sure if Napier realizes that it's ok to have minimal gains on rushing attempts, because establishing the run pays off in the end.

Those two and three yard gains turn into 30 and 40-yard gains in the fourth quarter. It also helps control the clock, wears down defenses and sets up the play-action pass. And let's be honest, Parker needs all the time and added protection he can get.

Maybe the Tigers can implement a new strategy, where Kevin Steele's defense allows the opponent to drive down and kick field goals on every drive.

That would allow Clemson to run its best play, kickoff returns by Spiller.

There are plenty of other reasons why the Tigers lost to a team that, up until then, had been one of the laughingstocks of the ACC. If changes aren't made during the bye week, the Tigers may be wearing that crown.

Fortunately, the ACC Atlantic Division is full of underachieving teams, and the chance to represent the division in the ACC Championship game is still attainable.

As a Clemson fan, I just want them to beat Wake Forest next Saturday.

Clemson Tigers Football: Thank God For C.J. Spiller

Chad Hensley — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:13:19 -0400

Clemson Tiger fans, if you think the last few years have been bad, imagine if your best player wasn't a Tiger for the last four years. If you aren't sure who that is, let me help.

He is that blur across your screen, where the eight barely holds on to the two. He is C.J. Spiller.

The truth is, there have been multiple times when it wasn't for certain that Spiller would be a Tiger.

The first is obvious; signing day.

Spiller was a last second recruit by current head coach Dabo Swinney.

Being swooned by the Florida Gators and USC Trojans of the world, the chances of him becoming a Clemson Tiger were close to zero.

But after a trip up to Clemson, and a game at Death Valley, Spiller told Swinney he was about 99 percent sure he was going to be a Tiger. And sure enough, Spiller became a Clemson Tiger on signing day in 2006.

Then there was that tumultuous week in 2007, when Spiller was considering transferring to Florida to be closer to his family, who live about 30 minutes from the Gainesville campus.

That also ended on a happy note for Tiger fans, as Spiller decided staying at Clemson was best for him.

And finally after the 2008 season, he was projected as a first or second round draft pick in the 2009 NFL draft. Almost everyone thought he was leaving along with co-star running back James Davis.

And again, to the delight of Clemson Tiger fans everywhere, Spiller decided to stay at Clemson.

What did Clemson fans get with those decisions?

Without copying and pasting a million accolades, here is what he did in his first three years.

In 2009, he became the All-Time Atlantic Coast Conference career leader in all-purpose yards and the second player in college football history to amass 2,500 rushing yards, 1,000 receiving yards, 1,500 kickoff return yards and 500 punt return yards.

Oh and here are a few youtube videos just to put an image to words.

One of his first big plays.
The play that put him on the map.
A big-time run in a big-time game

And then there was this past week.

The Tigers were struggling against the below-average Maryland Terrapins, and were down 24-13. Unable to get anything done on offense, Spiller decided to put the entire team on his shoulders, and pulled the Tigers back into the game; with only one shoe.

Honestly, there is part of me that wishes C.J. would have went to Florida and been a star on a couple national championship teams, or went ahead to the NFL and got his millions.

Why?

Because despite all that he does on the field, he is an incredible person off the field. And anyone who has the physical talent and amazing character that C.J. has deserves everything he gets.

But thank God for C.J. Spiller.

Without him, Clemson Tiger football would be in even more disarray than it currently is, and that is something I would rather put off until next year.

Dallas Cowboys: Tony Romo Is Playing without Confidence

Chad Hensley — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:36:30 -0400

For all the pundits screaming about how bad Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo was this weekend, I have news for you.

Losing to the Denver Broncos (17-10) on Sunday wasn't on Romo.

If you have watched Romo since his first start, you can see a noticeable difference in his style of play from the past to what it has been the last three weeks.

The difference is confidence.

And no, it isn't the weak mind, Brad Lidge-esq lack of confidence.

It is the confidence he has in his teammates and coaches.

It wouldn't be hard to argue that the only receiver that Romo trusts on the entire team is his tight end, Jason Witten.

Why? Because Romo knows he is always going to run a precise route, and will always be "there."

"There" is the place in which the receiver needs to be based on the thousands of times they have run the exact same play in practice.

Troy Aikman once said that he sometimes just threw the ball to his tight end Jay Novacek without even seeing him, because he knew Novacek would be there.

That is the kind of confidence that Romo has in Witten and no one else.

Besides not trusting where his starting receivers—Roy Williams, Patrick Crayton, and Miles Austin—are going to be, he has no confidence in them getting separation or catching the balls when Romo actually makes a good pass.

Romo has always been accurate; there is no way he lost that ability. It is all about confidence.

But Romo has been inaccurate the past three weeks, and a lot of that has to do with that extra second he loses with the lack of confidence in his receivers.

You can see it in the throws made to Witten as compared to the others.

The passes to Witten are crisp and with authority. The throws to everyone else seem to be too fine.

He is probably thinking, "Will he be there if throw it? Or should I just give it another second for a little more separation? Maybe I should just eat it and not cost the team."

Not to mention, that extra second he may want to wait isn't always there.

Romo was sacked five times by the Broncos, and he was constantly under pressure.

Specifically, left tackle Flozell Adams was consistently beat this weekend by Broncos defensive end Elvis Dumervil.

Offensive coordinator Jason Garrett smartly used Witten to help Adams with Dumervil, but that just took Romo's favorite weapon out of the mix.

What Garrett really failed to do (besides abandoning the run in the second half), is set up routes that are short in case of a blitz.

It seemed Romo was always having to wait for the receivers to finish their routes and by then it was too late. I believe this is because they were all mid to deep routes, and without protection those are impossible to finish.

Garrett's pass protection schemes have always been suspect, and Romo even spoke about it after the 2008 season.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick always has Wes Welker running across the middle, and Brady uses him as his outlet a lot.

During the '90s Dynasty, Aikman always seemed to find Emmitt Smith right over line of scrimmage.

Garrett should be able to devise something similar to help Romo out a bit.

Now, obviously, some of Romo's lack of confidence is mental, having to always think "Don't turn it over" after the debacle against the New York Giants.

But he can get more confidence if players make plays.

Did you notice who Romo went to for the final two plays into the end zone, even though perennial Pro Bowler Champ Bailey was covering him?

Sam Hurd, who isn't a starter.

Hurd was the player who got open on that fourth down with about a minute to go in the fourth quarter, caught the ball and raced down to the Broncos 21-yard line.

I believe Romo found confidence in Hurd after that play, and he trusted Hurd enough to go to him twice with the game on the line.

It may not have worked out, but it showed Romo could develop confidence in someone other than Witten.

Dallas Cowboys: Some New Wrinkles on Offense Would Make a Difference

Chad Hensley — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:47:43 -0400

Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett has done a slightly better job this year of mixing in new plays and new formations, but his game plan is still one of the most simple in the NFL.

Here are three changes that I believe would help the Cowboys when they get into an offensive rut.

1. Go to the "No Huddle" offense in the middle of a quarter, instead of just when there is two minutes left in the half and/or game.

Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo is great in two minute drills. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that he is reacting, instead of thinking.

This also puts pressure on the defense. If the Cowboys can catch the opposing team in a poor defensive formation, it can exploit the mismatches and even cause the defense to call timeouts, which could be crucial late in the game.

2. Run the Wildcat/Triple Option with Patrick Crayton at quarterback.

If you have a guy who was a former quarterback, who can pass well and make good reads, why wouldn't you use him over Tashard Choice? It just doesn't make sense.

Crayton brings the extra element of the pass, that opposing defenses really don't need to defend as hard with Choice.

Crayton is also a decent runner, and running an option with him as quarterback, Marion Barber III as the "dive back", and Felix Jones as the "pitch back", might be deadly in short yardage situations.

3. ISO and traps with Marion Barber III as fullback

You have seen what Felix Jones can do with small holes, imagine what he can do with the holes Barber would create as a fullback.

The way Barber destroys blitzing defenders on passing downs, he would be devastating with a full head of steam.

Of course, Felix would need to stay healthy for this to occur.

I'm not saying make any of these a staple of the offense, but I believe it would be a great change of pace and could energize the offense.

Clemson Tiger Football: An Honest Assessment Through Four Games

Chad Hensley — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 21:50:38 -0400

A third of the way into the college football season, the Clemson Tigers have had their ups and their downs.

Sitting at 2-2, the Tigers could easily be 4-0, if not for some mistakes by the players on the field—and a few more by the coaching staff on the sidelines.

But that is football—especially Clemson Tiger football.

Here is my analysis of the first third of the season.

Coaching

When Tommy Bowden "resigned" in 2008, Dabo Swinney took the reigns and finished the year strong enough that the administration felt he deserved the full-time position as head coach.

His rhetoric is strong, and the players definitely seem to be responding better than they did in Bowden era.

However, that is not translating to wins.

Sorry, but that is all that matters. Period.

Kevin Steele's defense has been incredible at times.

While the Tigers defense is statistically 26th in the nation, if you watch the games, you know they are the real deal.

While Steele has turned out to be an excellent choice as defensive coordinator, the offensive side of the ball is where the Tigers have been struggling mightily.

Offensive coordinator Billy Napier seems to be in over his head, and his play calling has struggled the most where it matters most—in the red zone.

The Tigers have scored a touchdown two out of 13 times (15 percent) inside the 20 yard line.

That is just plain horrible—and is a huge reason the Tigers are 2-2.

Lastly, Brad Scott's offensive line has struggled again this year. You would think that a group that returned all starters from last year would see a dramatic improvement, but that hasn't been the case.

It is very hard to utilize the stars the team has on offense when the offensive line isn't blocking well.

Offense

After the Georgia Tech game, I said Kyle Parker was the real deal.

I am not saying he won't eventually be a legitimate quarterback, but as of right now, it looks like I was wrong.

Parker is definitely going through some tough times as a red shirt freshman quarterback. That was to be expected (though I thought he played like a veteran in the game against Georgia Tech).

A big problem I see with Parker is that he is always back pedaling, even out of the shotgun. He never steps up in the pocket, like he did in the Georgia Tech game. Sometimes he is adding 15-20 yards to passes.

A lot of that has to do with how the offensive line has been porous at times, and maybe the playcalling could be better to keep the pressure off.

But Parker still needs to be more consistent, more accurate, and continue to use his athletic ability to offset the offensive line woes.

One thing Napier has done well, something that was a big problem in the Bowden era, is get the ball into CJ Spiller's hands on a consistent basis throughout the game.

Spiller has been tremendous, and only needs a few more yards to become the All-Time ACC all-purpose yards leader.

That said, Spiller would have more yards if he could stay healthy. It always seems like he is dinged up, and if Clemson is going to compete for an ACC title, he needs to play all four quarters in every game.

Jacoby Ford leads a group of receivers that frankly, is not good. Ford had his troubles in the first game of the season, but has been solid ever since.

The other receivers have dropped balls in crucial moments, and that doesn't help you win close games.

Defense

Steele's defense has been lights out for the most part, and there are very few weak spots in the Tigers defensive armor.

Ricky Sapp and Da'Quan Bowers may be the best defensive end duo in the nation. They have been consistently getting pressure, which has resulted in holding quarterbacks to a 44.3 percent completion percentage.

The secondary and linebackers have fed off of them, and are doing a much better job than last year.

Deandre McDaniel leads the teams in tackles with 34, and Sapp leads the team with six tackles-for-loss.

If there is anything that needs to be improved, it is giving up that pesky last-minute touchdown drive, or that crucial third-down conversion.

Those are the things Bowden called "the one play" during his tenure, and it still haunts the Clemson Tiger football team.

But there is not much more you can ask from this defense, as it has done more than enough to keep the Tigers in every game.

Special Teams

Spiller and Ford have been unbelievable in the return game, and Richard Jackson has been a great kicker thus far.

They literally have been the offense for this team. There was the miserable first quarter in Atlanta, but a lot of that can be put on Dabo.

Since then, outside of the miss by Jackson against TCU, the special teams have been excellent.

Conclusion

You can see that the team is responding better than it has in the past, but when it comes to the thing that counts—wins—nothing has changed since Bowden left.

If Napier can get the offense to start clicking, and Steele's defense remains consistently good, I believe the Tigers will finish the year no worse than 8-4.

But is that really any different than the Bowden era?

Dallas Cowboys: Walking a Tightrope Over Disaster

Chad Hensley — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:38:47 -0400

The Dallas Cowboys almost made the entire NFL, and its fans, forget about the Washington Redskins losing to the Detroit Lions.

Losing to the Carolina Panthers wouldn't have been a "worse" loss, but the Cowboys are America's Team. It comes with the territory.

Instead, the Cowboys squeaked out a 21-7 win over the hapless Panthers.

Things could have been much worse.

The same culprit I wrote about last year here, here, here and here, and most recently here, is the reason the Cowboys will continue to struggle.

Jason Garrett is the worst offensive coordinator in the NFL, in relation to the talent that he has to work with. There is no one who misuses talent like "Red Headed Jesus."

I'm not going to repeat what I said in those columns, just take the opposing team, change it to Carolina, and the result is the same.

Wait. They had over 200 yards of rushing offense two weeks in a row? They lead the NFL in rushing? So is Garrett finally coming through?

Not so much.

The yardage is greater than in the past, but a lot of that is attributed to Felix Jones, the most exciting player in the NFL, outside of Adrian Peterson.

The timing and sequence of rushing attempts, is the biggest problem in Dallas right now.

Would you believe, that despite a 7.5 yards-per-rush average in the first half, the Cowboys never ran the ball two times in a row?

And what about that debacle down at the goal line, with two fades from the one-yard line, despite all the success running the ball.

The Cowboys probably left 14-21 points on the board last night, and it was all due to this complex that Garrett has about running the football.

Quite frankly, the Cowboys will not beat the good teams in the NFL with this kind of gameplan.

In fact, the Cowboys would not have beaten the Redskins last night. Their defense is good, and Jason Campbell doesn't throw interceptions.

The truth hurts.

Another question I have is, why hasn't the Dallas media jumped all over this? It is almost like CNN not covering ACORN or the Van Jones stories. It doesn't make any sense.

The media needs to ask the tough questions, even after a win, because there are a lot of fans who are completely frustrated with his incompetence.

There is a poll here that asked, "Is the Cowboys talent being misused on offense?"

Not surprisingly, a lot of fans were drinking the Kool-aid, and 60 percent voted that it wasn't being misused.

I've decided to put up the same poll, to see how many are now seeing the light.

If anyone knows Garrett, please send it to him. Thanks in advanced.

Clemson Tiger Football: A Class Act For Reaching Out To Mark Herzlich

Chad Hensley — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 22:18:20 -0400

Since it didn't have to do with a pro athlete committing a crime or a college athlete punching somebody in the face, you probably missed this story unless you are a Clemson or Boston College fan.

Mark Herzlich, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year in the ACC, was diagnosed in May with Ewing's Sarcoma, a rare bone cancer, in his left leg.

This past Saturday, the Tigers and Eagles played at Death Valley, and the Clemson Tiger football team presented Mark with a jersey, signed by the whole team.

Here is a letter from Mark's father to the Clemson faithful.

Dear Clemson Fans:

First—My son is Mark Herzlich, the BC linebacker recovering from Cancer. The entire Tiger Nation should be proud of the complete class your entire program carries itself with. I wear a copy of Mark's jersey to games and I lost track of the number of Clemson fans who approached me to wish him well and to say that they were praying for him. These are people who don't know me, don't know Mark and have little reason to even be aware of his situation yet were both aware and involved enough to say some kind words. Thank you.

Second, for those who missed it, prior to the game Coach Swinney presented Mark with a Clemson jersey signed by the whole team with Mark's #94 on it. I've never seen such an outstanding and unsolicited display of sportsmanship.

Finally, throughout the weekend the major topic of conversation outside football was the graciousness of the Clemson fan base. All of us commented on how welcoming everyone was, both before and after the game. I've been to Clemson before and interacted with Clemson fans in Boston so I wasn't suprised any more but I was glad to see my friends get the message too. There was absolutely no lack of support or fanatacism for Clemson football but it was all wrapped up in an understanding that competing doesn't mean hating, that you need an opponent to play a game and that there's a difference between an opponent and an enemy. My younger son, who's used to the whole us versus them attitude in a lot of fan bases turned to play a game and that there's a difference between an opponent and an enemy. My younger son, who's used to the whole us versus them attitude in a lot of fan bases turned to me at one point and said, "you just can't hate these guys!"

Clemson continues to be my favorite road trip. I always root for Boston College to go undefeated and win the ACC, but in the years that it can't be us, I hope it's you.

If you're going to be a bear—be a grizzly!

-Sandon Herzlich

Here's hoping to see Mark on the field next year.

If only stories like this were considered "news".

Dallas Cowboys: Felix Jones Is Who We Thought Reggie Bush Would Be

Chad Hensley — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 11:00:12 -0400

Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys had a decision to make.

It was the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft, and they were looking for a playmaker at the running back position to replace Julius "2nd-and-11" Jones.

The choice was between University of Illinois' Rashard Mendenhall, and University of Arkansas' Felix Jones.

At first you would think this wasn't even a choice. Jerry would go with his alma mater.

But it wasn't entirely up to Jerry, as offensive coordinator Jason Garrett made it clear who he wanted.

"The one guy is an everydown back," Garrett said, referring to Mendenhall while the No. 22 pick was approaching. "The other guy is a special complementary back. We've got to remember that we've got an everydown back here."

I'm sure there wasn't much arm twisting, and the Razorbacks "backup" was selected 22nd overall, one spot ahead of Mendenhall.

As it turns out, Felix might turn out to be a better pro prospect than his much more glorified Razorback teammate, Darren McFadden, the fourth overall selection.

In 2008, he carried the ball 30 times, and averaged a unheard of 8.9 yards per carry, and scored three touchdowns.

He had three runs over 20 yards, and one over 40, with a long of 60.

In 2009, it hasn't been much different, as Felix is averaging 9.1 yards per carry.

On 13 attempts, he has two carries over 20, and one over 40, with a long of 56. He also had the go-ahead touchdown against the Giants in the Sunday night game of week two.

But it hasn't all been perfect. If he only got 30 carries in 2008, what happened?

Injuries. And Felix has been nicked up already in 2009 as well, during the Tampa Bay game in week one.

But one cannot say he is injury prone yet. That will bear out over time.

You can say that Felix Jones is the most electric player on the Cowboys, and possibly only second in "wow factor" to Adrian Peterson in the NFC.

Felix is what everyone thought Reggie Bush would be—a tremendous running back who can make directional cuts without losing speed, with vision that allows him to set up his moves two and three blocks ahead, an uncanny ability to break multiple tackles, and the speed to break away from everyone on the field.

So why hasn't Jason Garrett found more opportunities for the most exciting player on his team?

Maybe Garrett still doesn't believe Felix is an every down back, and still wants to lean on Marion Barber III. Maybe it's his other tendency to be like the real Reggie Bush—always nicked up.

But if Barber is limited this Monday night against the Carolina Panthers due to his strained quad, expect to see a heavy dosage of Felix Jones.

That's when I believe a star will be born, and Felix will show the world that his name should be talked about with the best in the League.

Dallas Cowboys: Media and Fans Should Take a Deep Breath

Chad Hensley — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 11:08:57 -0400

I realize it's Week 15 in the NFL, with only two weeks before playoffs, but...

Wait, you mean it is only Week Two?

With the incredible ratings (16.5) that the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants got on Sunday night, you would have thought that all of the media and fans actually watched the game.

However, it seems like almost everyone is focused on the box score.

Yes, Tony Romo cost Dallas the game with his three interceptions, which were all on him. He is the main reason that the Cowboys are now 1-1, instead of 2-0.

Congrats to all the Sherlock Holmes' out there for figuring that one out.

Why isn't anyone mentioning that Dallas, despite four turnovers, was barely beaten by a team that almost "everyone" agrees is one of the top three teams in the NFL?

If I were a Giants fan, I would be ecstatic about the win, but I wouldn't want to play the Cowboys again.

What really are the chances that Romo throws three interceptions in a game, again?

He has thrown three interceptions four times in 41 starts. I'm not going to get into detail about whether or not those interceptions were on him.

But I will say that his team had a chance to win all of those games, including that magical Monday night in Buffalo, when he drove them for the winning field goal—despite five interceptions.

And please, stop with the "Romo loses all the big games" craziness. If the regular season game that he just lost is a "big" game, then I guess the 4-1 regular season record against the Giants indicates that he has at least won four big games.

Is that not fair to say? I think it is. Basically because all games in the NFL are big. Not just the ones Romo loses.

The Cowboys absolutely dominated the game, but Eli Manning played exceptionally well and capitalized on Romo's mistakes. That is the real story.

Ask yourself, "If the Cowboys win the game, are the Giants suddenly suspect and the Cowboys a team who can win despite adversity?"

Better yet, ask yourself this, "If the Giants and Cowboys played this weekend, and you had to bet something valuable on the game, who would you take?"

I'm taking the Cowboys, because Romo isn't going to repeat that performance.

He had a bad game. Relax. Take a deep breath. Step back from the ledge.

It's a long season. It's a marathon, not a sprint. The Cowboys are going to be fine.

Cowboys Vs Giants Instant Analysis: Who Said TO Left Dallas?

Chad Hensley — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:47:34 -0400

The Dallas Cowboys opened up their brand new Cowboys Stadium against the New York Giants Sunday night.

They played in front of a crowd of 105,000 or more, and about 100,000 went home very unhappy, as the Giants kicked a last second field goal and won the game 33-31.

Negatives

• Tony Romo's turnovers

And everyone was worried that TO had left. He had three very costly interceptions, and all of them were on him. Even the fluke pick off Jason Witten's shoe was a poorly thrown pass.

• Tony Romo's passes

Almost every pass seemed "pushed" or "too fine." He seemed very uncomfortable, and never really got it together.

• Secondary was shredded

Eli Manning had a field day with Orlando Scandrick and Terrence Newman. It didn't help that they had to cover their guys forever because of the lack of a pass rush.

• Pass rush was anemic

For the second week in a row, the Cowboys had zero sacks. They put some pressure on Manning, but it wasn't enough to rattle him.

• Orlando Scandrick

Last week after the Tampa game, I said Scandrick should be starting over Jenkins. After seeing him miss about five tackles and get burned by the young Giant receivers, I will admit I was wrong.

• Cornerbacks' cushion

Eli ate the corners up with the quick passes, and when you don't tackle, it turns into easy first downs. Why are they always 10 yards off the ball?

And by the way, yes the Cowboys stopped the "run." But the Giants took a page from the Patriots playbook and used the short passes as their "running game."

• No turnovers. The Giants didn't drop Romo's mistakes. The Cowboys dropped all of Eli's.

• Wade Phillips' time management

He should have used the timeouts they had at the end of the game to give Romo a shot to pull off one of his "horrible game" miracles.

Positives

• Jason Garrett's game plan

This was the best game plan Jason Garrett has called since 2007.

Dallas had the most rushing yards since 1993 (a Super Bowl year). He turned an overly aggressive defense against itself with some plays that allowed cutbacks and a spectacular end around.

Read this and see that he turned all those negatives into positives.

• Running game

To run up 251 yards rushing against the Giants is unbelievable. All the backs had great games and the offensive line was superb.

• Offensive line

Those big boys finally got to do what they have been wanting—ground and pound. I was absolutely shocked that they manhandled the formidable Giants defensive line the way they did. The holes were huge and Romo wasn't sacked.

• Felix Jones

Yes, he did have a costly fumble. But Dallas Cowboys fans are about to see what this offense is really capable of. With Marion Barber III possibly injured, Jones will get the bulk of the carries next week.

• Marion Barber III

I think MB3 benefited the most from Garrett's game plan. He looked fresh in the fourth quarter for the first time in a long time, and I believe that had to do with the rotation of backs early in the game.

He was a man among men and a huge key in keeping the Cowboys in the game.

• Dallas red zone defense

This was probably the biggest thing that kept the Cowboys in the game. The Giants were 0-5 in the red zone. It is just tough to overcome -4 turnover ratio.

Final Analysis

Offense

The Cowboys rushing offense looked spectacular. Then there was the elephant in the room—Tony Romo's turnovers.

It is nice to know that Dallas can stay in the game despite a bad game from Romo, but I don't think they want to test that theory anymore this season.

It will be funny to read the articles tomorrow saying Romo can't "win the big game." He is now 4-1 against the Giants in the regular season, so if this was a "big game," then he has at least won four of them.

Defense

They must develop a pass rush and make turnovers. The secondary was ripped apart, and there were tons of missed tackles.

The red zone defense was great, but the Giants racked up 427 yards.

I would rather Wade play an aggressive defense, rather than the bend-don't-break defense.

Special Teams

Other than Felix Jones' fumble, it was another good week for special teams.

I will say it seems like Patrick Crayton is the NFL's greatest fair catcher. It'd be nice to see him to do something with the ball.

Conclusion

The Cowboys were lucky to have been that close at the end of the game with a minus-four turnover ratio.

I am going to take it as a good sign.

If they can stand toe-to-toe with one of the better teams in the NFL, dominating both sides of the ball throughout the whole game, despite the poor game by Romo, I am encouraged.

Romo and Peyton Manning are tied for the highest QB rating of all time. Romo will bounce back and Dallas will be fine.