Bleacher Report - Austin

Dallas Cowboys' Offense May Have Figured It Out

John Saenz — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:07:03 -0500

Thanksgiving was great for Dallas Cowboys fans. Not just because the team posted another victory, but because a struggling offense found its way out of a slump.

Sure, it was against the lowly Oakland Raiders, but they do have a good secondary, and Tony Romo found a groove against them, hitting Jason Witten and Miles Austin consistently for big gains.

This is what we wanted to see from this offense. We knew the Cowboys' defense would stop Oakland all day and force punts. We knew Romo and company would have several possessions to get clicking and score some points.

And they did. Twenty-four to be exact.

Now, 24 points may not seem like a whole lot (and I argue that Dallas could have scored 40), but it’s a big deal after the Cowboys only posted 14 total points over the previous two games. It’s an even bigger deal when the defense continues to hold teams to 17 or less.

However, my main point centers on how the Cowboys moved the football. The way the Cowboys executed on offense on Thanksgiving was the way I had envisioned it when the season started. They reverted back to plays that made them an electric offense in 2007, while adding in new wrinkles with their running backs.

I must give credit to Jason Garrett for going back to what made Romo an MVP candidate in 2007. That is, he took his best wide receiver (Miles Austin), moved him around, and, most importantly, had him running short/intermediate routes over the middle.

See folks, contrary to popular belief, the Cowboys were never a home run hitting team in the passing game when TO wore the star. They got lots of big plays, but only on a couple of occasions did they execute the 75-yard TD pass.

That offense centered on hitting TO 10-20 yards down the middle of the field and having him run for another 10-20 yards. The Cowboys got chunks of 20, 30, and 40 yards, and not necessarily 60, 70, and 80. Nevertheless, they still put lots of points on the board, being the second-best offensive team only to New England just two years ago.

Well, the Cowboys must have looked at the old tapes of TO.

On Thanksgiving, they had Austin running over the middle of the field and getting big chunks of yards. His line had receptions of 49, 11, 27, 20, 14, 9 (TD), and 15 yards (totaling 145).

Austin made all of these plays working the middle of the field either on slants, crossing patterns, or bubble screens. He lined up in the slot on almost all of these connections.

This was different from the Kansas City and Atlanta games, where Austin made most of his catches near the sideline (with one exception being the long touchdown versus the Falcons running a deep cross), especially on that comeback pattern.

Having Austin work the middle of the field is about as Romo-friendly as you can get. Romo is more accurate in between the numbers, and is twice as dangerous when he is shuffling in and out of the pocket hitting guys running across the middle of the field.

This is exactly how the Cowboys piled on the points in 2007. I just looked at the tape of the blowout wins over the Bears and Eagles in that season, and Romo made a killing attacking the belly of the defense.

The Cowboys scored 34 points and 38 respectively in those games—against good defenses no less.

Romo had over 300 yards in both games.

TO against the Bears had eight catches for 145 yards with a long of 35.

In Philly, he had 10 for 174 with a long of 45 (TD).

In those games, Owens was moved around and was working the middle of the field, mainly on crossing patterns. If you don’t believe me, go to the NFL.com video archives and watch for yourself.

There were no home run balls. It was catch and run all day long.

That, my friends, is the way Romo and this offense are suppose to operate. Tip your hat to Garrett for finally figuring this out just before December.

At the beginning of this season, everyone who was worried about not having a guy who could streak down the sideline for those sexy 70-yard touchdowns wasted a bunch of anxiety.

A) Because Austin can do this if the Cowboys ever need him to.

B) Because the Cowboys main worry should have been finding a guy who could work the middle of the field just like TO used to in order to confuse defenses, create mismatches, and run well after the catch (Austin is this guy too).

It should also be no coincidence that Jason Witten also had his best game of the 2009 season this Thanksgiving. Despite a bad foot, he caught five passes for 100 yards, including the return of that beautiful seam route that Romo and Witten have made a living on the past few years.

What made Thursday’s performance even better is that the Cowboys also added a good dose of Marion Barber, Felix Jones, and Tashard Choice into the mix. All three made plays, and they all got involved from the beginning of the game.

The Razorback run by Choice came at the right time in the game. Ditto for Jones’ 46-yard touchdown run.

Of course, it was all capped off by Barber grinding out the clock in the end.

I was satisfied with a 16-9-3 split of touches between the three backs. That’s perfect when Austin and Witten both catch 5+ passes for over 100 yards apiece.

On Thanksgiving the Cowboys had just the right portion. They had the right amount of turkey, sides, and pie, and didn’t overeat anything to their demise.

It was the epitome of a “Romo-friendly” offense in that they executed plays that tailored to his strengths, and coupled that with a ground game that featured three effective running backs.

If they follow this formula from here on out, the Cowboys might finally peak at the right time...in the playoffs.

We’ll see if they continue this at New York this Sunday.

Read more Austin news on BleacherReport.com

Texas Longhorn Fans Ready for Pasadena

Todd Schade — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:45:13 -0500

It's been a week full of zero surprises—Charlie Weis gets fired at Notre Dame, Bobby Bowden steps down at Florida State, Tiger Woods lies to save his image, four players from the media's beloved overrated Nebraska Cornhusker's defense get named to the All-Big 12 team, etc etc...

Maybe this weekend somebody can shock the world and get us out of this predictable funk. Maybe Nebraska will beat Texas.

"That is not going to happen," University of Texas student Brian Wilson said with a chuckle. "If the Big 12 wanted to find a real winner they would replay the top two teams from the South Division for the Championship. This game on Saturday is going to be an old-fashioned beat down. I don't even know if I want to go from fear of boredom. I will guarantee you one thing though; I am betting my entire life savings on Texas covering that tiny spread of 14 points."

Wilson was one of many who felt that the matchup between Nebraska and Texas on December 5th in Dallas, Texas doesn't even hold a candle to the dazzling setup in the SEC Championship. Lindsay Thorpe, a Junior at the University of Texas feels the same way.

"I feel like my friends and I are wasting beer money buying tickets that are by far way too expensive," Thorpe said. "In a game that is bound to be a blowout, I don't get what the excitement is all about. I swear you turn it to ESPN and all you hear from (Kirk) Herbstreit is how this one should go down to the wire. I guess maybe they haven't watched us play this year? Half of the teams we have played are better than Nebraska and none of those games have even been close."

You almost have to wonder if the Big 12 conference will make up for the consistently embarrassing Championship blowouts by moving some teams around. The way it stands now, Nebraska is at the top of the Big 12 North and at the bottom of the Big 12 South.

Texas fans can't complain too much when you think about it, however. When your fanbase can start printing out BCS National Championship tickets midway through the season, it has to feel good.

What about the other conferences though? You know the ones who actually get it right, like the SEC for instance. Poor old Alabama will just have to suffer another second place finish followed by a let-down in the Sugar Bowl. Quite a shame.

At least Florida won't be coming into the SEC championship knowing 100 percent for sure that it will be heading for Pasadena, California afterwards. A number of things could happen there. Tim Tebow could get hurt...well, a handful things would have to happen.

The Longhorns have the luxury of knowing that basically nothing can happen for their train ride to get derailed.

Senior Ian McDonald an intern working for the Texas Athletic Department said Monday "Trust me. The team can feel it. Being around the locker room, you just want to start celebrating. I know Coach Brown keeps telling the team to stay focused on the road ahead, but the players know where they are headed. As far as I am concerned Nebraska isn't even a piece of gravel in the road that we are going down."

Don't be too overconfident now fellow Longhorn fans. Remember in 1996 when Texas strolled into the Big 12 Championship and watched as the legendary Tom Osborne supplied his team with Kleenexes to soak up the tears? These things happen every now and then.

Nah, never mind, begin the celebration.

Texas vs. Florida—2010 BCS National Championship.

An even matchup. The way it should be.

Read more Austin news on BleacherReport.com

Houston Astros Should Sign Jose Valverde, Let Miguel Tejada Go

Richard Zowie — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:42:33 -0500

It looks like the Houston Astros have come to a crossroads of sort. During this offseason they have to decide on which players to keep, which to acquire, which to let go, and which not to pursue.

Think of it as a poker game, minus the cheesy sunglasses and ESPN's inexplicable decision to put this cure-for-insomnia "sport" on its airwaves.

Or, think of it like that line from Kenny Rogers' song "The Gambler":

"You have to know when to hold them, fold them, walk away, run", etc.

Houston offered closer Jose Valverde salary arbitration. They say he's looking for a multi-year deal worth lots of dough. If Houston fails to sign him, they'll get a draft pick as compensation.

Whoop-dee do.

It will probably end up being another draft pick who'll be a bust, and may not even get signed.

Hey, Houston, Valverde's turning into a good closer, something that seems rare these days. Do what it takes to sign him.

In the past 15 years or so, I think I can count all of Houston's good closers on one hand: John Hudek, Billy Wagner, Octavio Dotel, Brad Lidge, and Valverde.

Valverde was 4-2 with a 2.33 ERA and 25 saves last season. Please don't let him leave just because some team offers him more money.

Meanwhile, Miguel Tejada has great qualities, but he's aging and has lost his range. Don't overpay him. If you do that, you'll have no money to acquire other players Houston desperately needs.

Like another starting pitcher, or perhaps another lefthander in the bullpen. Maybe someone who can get clutch hits.

And perhaps a Kirk Gibson-type who wants to win and expects nothing less from his teammates.

And, of course, if you do get a Gibson-type, try to avoid coaxing Jesse Orosco out of retirement.

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Texas A&M, Mike Sherman Look to Leave Last Decade Behind Them

Jeff Shull — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:53:30 -0500

Ever since the firing of R.C. Slocum, the Texas A&M Football program has been a shadow of its former self.

From Southwest Conference dominance in the late 80s and 90s, to Big 12 mediocrity in the new millennium.

Dennis Franchione sent the Aggies spiraling to the cellar of the Big 12, finishing with a 4-8 record in his first season in 2003—the first losing season in 21 years.

After three good years of recruiting (three top 13 classes from 03-05), the 2005 season was supposed to bring the Aggies back to national prominence. Behind the arm and legs of Reggie McNeal in his senior season, the football program was receiving more hype than they had since the late 90s.

Poor coaching and questionable play proved they were not worthy of their preseason No. 17 ranking, as they finished with a 5-6 record. McNeal basically quit on the team, and did not start against Texas at Kyle Field to protect his own interest of playing in the NFL.

Is it wrong that I enjoy the fact that McNeal is playing receiver for the Toronto CFL team? I don't think so, especially after he made the comment that guys like Peyton Manning (pocket passers) are a dying breed in the NFL.

The 2006 season would be an incredible turn around. Fran finally beat Texas in Austin in a game that not many fans will soon forget. "12-7" shirts still make appearances on and off campus every once and a while.

The team finished 9-3, with the three losses totaling six points, but were waxed by California in the Holiday Bowl 45-10.

Despite the embarrassing bowl loss, several experts witnessed the fact that 18 starters were returning for the 2007 season. Kirk Herbstreit even mentioned the Aggies as a BCS sleeper contender.

A booster newsletter controversy, questionable coaching, ill-prepared teams, and failure to succeed all led to Fran's resignation at the end of the 2007 season, despite his second straight victory over the Longhorns.

In walks Mike Sherman, and with him questions about his lack of college experience and ability to withstand the grind of recruiting.

He has struggled to implement his pro-style offense with Fran's zone-read players, and Joe Kines has not been able to get the defense to show up consistently.

Last season, he finished with a 5-7 record but also was able to provide reasons to look to the future. The 2009 recruiting class was ranked in the top 25; apparently his pro style offense will attract more than just quarterbacks and tailbacks like Fran's offense.

Fran was always able to get the skill positions to come to A&M, but where he lacked, Sherman is excelling.

He has already recruited four offensive lineman, all four of which are four-star recruits and in nearly every credible recruiting website's top lists.

With four other four-star recruits and several three-stars from Texas, the recruiting class for 2010 is expected to be in the top 15.

The make or break aspect of the 2010 season will be keeping Jerrod Johnson away from the lure of the NFL draft and all those dollars. If he and Jeff Fuller get yet another season together, we could be witnesses to the best QB-WR combination in the program's history.

Johnson performed at the highest level on the biggest stage on Thanksgiving against the Longhorns. On his shoulders, the A&M offense scored 15 more points than anyone had scored on Texas all season in a classic shootout.

If the defense could have made an open field tackle or the special teams didn't implode, I could be writing this after the biggest upset since the Oklahoma win in 2002.

Unfortunately, that's not the case. All the Aggies did was make Longhorn fans sweat for 60 minutes and worry that their defense will not be able to withstand Alabama or Florida.

The loss ended a 6-6 up and down season to say the least. It featured a win at Texas Tech for the first time since 1993, but also saw embarrassing losses of 38 or more points three times.

It was almost impossible to get a handle on this team, which is the main reason they have fans questioning the hiring of Sherman.

That being said, a bowl win could turn in Sherman's first winning season and possibly bring in more solid recruits. He deserves at least one-two more years, it is almost impossible to turn around a bad program in two seasons.

Hopefully the Aggie brain trust feels the same way and gives him what he deserves; a chance to prove himself on the field.

The whole point of this article is to highlight the fact that despite around eight straight years of an average football team, the Ags will return to the national spotlight in 2010.

With 16 returning starters, including several key young players at skill positions, there is little evidence to the contrary.

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Houston Texans: Good Enough To Disappoint and Anger

Vik Vij — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:22:15 -0500

I don't think it is a stretch to say that this season has been a disappointment for the Houston Texans and their fans.

Before the season started, pundits were picking the Texans as a sleeper team to emerge as a playoff contender. The team had improved in terms of talent and on-field production and was coming off back to back 8-8 seasons. The offense was loaded and dynamic and the defense, led by first time coordinator Frank Bush, promised to be aggressive and hard hitting.

After all the hype, excitement and fanfare, the Texans came out and got thoroughly destroyed by the New York Jets in the season opener. It wasn't just that the Texans lost, it's that they lost the physical challenge and were beaten up at Reliant Stadium by a team with a rookie quarterback and rookie head coach.

I know it's painful, and I don't want to go into a game by game rehashing, but the Texans have been in a position to tie or win every other game this season.

Kris Brown missed potentially game tying field goals against the Colts and Titans on back to back weeks. Chris Brown, brought in for his supposed talents on the goal line, was unable to score to tie games late against Jacksonville and Arizona.

In short, these Browns cost the Texans a chance to tie four games. Granted, these games would only have been tied, but winning even one of these four games would put the Texans at 6-5 and not 5-6.

Winning even one of those games is the difference between realistically being in the playoff hunt at 6-5 and only mathematically in the playoff hunt at 5-6. In short, even one of those games would have been monumentous. Sliding from 5-3 to 5-6 has taken the air out of this season.

What is the problem facing the team?

Is it the offense? Led by Andre Johnson, Matt Schaub and Steve Slaton, the offense remains strong. Even without stand out tight end Owen Daniels, the Texans have been able to move the ball and put points on the board. The running game hasn't been great, but has been effective at times. Look at the first half of the home game against the Colts: the team was able to run the ball and put up points.

Is the offensive line perfect? No, but it is solid. Tackles Duane Brown and Eric Winston have played well. Schaub is facing less pressure in the pocket this season than in seasons past.

Of course, losing both starting guards hurts, but this is the NFL. Every team has injuries. Teams must move on. Chris White and Kasey Studdard have been adequate replacements for life-long Texan Chester Pitts and Mike Brisiel.

In my opinion, center Chris Myers is not big enough or strong enough to hold up against elite interior defensive linemen, but so are most centers. There are only a few players in the league who can matchup with monsters such as Shaun Rogers or Kris Jenkins.

On the other side of the ball, the defense has at times played very well. Linebackers Demeco Ryans and Brian Cushing have been great. Cushing should be on the short list of Defensive Rookie of the Year candidates. He makes an impactful play every week and his physical and aggressive style is contagious.

On the line, Mario Williams has not played as well as he did in 2008 and 2007, but his shoulder injury must be worse than either he, or the team is disclosing. He has still played the run well and has been the team's best defensive linemen.

Free agent Antonio Smith might have more personal fouls (3) than sacks (2) on the season, but he hasn't been the only big name player to disappoint on the line.

The light has yet to come on for Amobi Okoye. He may never develop into the elite pass rusher the team hoped for, but he can still turn into an effective and useful defensive tackle. He has shown flashes this season of turning the corner, but must become more consistent.

In the secondary, Bernard Pollard has turned into a top performer. His big hits are only part of the story. He has actually played well in coverage in recent games. Granted, he's not at his best when forced to cover elite slot receivers, but he's in the lineup for thunderous hits and intimidation in the middle of the field.

Eugene Wilson was solid before his season-ending injury. Rookie Glover Quin has been solid, as has Jacques Reeves. Even Brice McCain has played well in limited action.

The only disappointing player in the secondary has been former Pro Bowl cornerback Dunta Robinson. Once famous for bone-crushing hits and blanket coverage, Robinson is now known for wildly flailing at runners as they fly past him and largely ineffective coverage.

If it's not the talent, it must be the coaching, right? In my opinion, a team that is skittish, unable to finish, draws numerous penalties and makes stupid mistakes is a team that lacks leadership from the head coach. If it were up to me, Gary Kubiak would finish the season and then pack his bags.

Firing him now would only lead the team to play out the string and wouldn't solve anything. However, replacing Kubiak with an established and experienced head coach can help put the Texans over the top.

As fellow writer Robert Vega has written, Kubiak does deserve a special place in the hearts of Texan fans for driving the team out of the mediocrity of the David Carr years. Yet his inability to make the Texans anything more than average will, in my opinion, lead to his downfall as the head coach of the Texans.

Fans are still very passionate about the Texans. In those early years, fans knew that the Texans weren't going to compete for the playoffs right away. We were just happy to have a hometown team to root for. We threw our support behind the team even more with the glorious Sunday Night Football upset of the Dallas Cowboys.

It's a good sign that the fans are upset. It shows they care and expect more than just showing up from the Texans. It's time for the Texans to be about more than "wait till next year."

If it's not the offense, if it's not the defense, if it's not the special teams and if it's not the coach, what are we left with in the end? A team that teases and tantalizes but does not deliver in the end. In short, another season of disappointment.

Where does the team go in the future? First, as I've said numerous times, a top flight coach must be hired. Owen Daniels and Demeco Ryans must be signed to long term deals. Ryans is seemingly re-energized playing alongside Cushing and Daniels' absence has been felt despite rookie James Casey's emergence and potential.

A big time corner also must be added to the mix. Dunta Robinson may be an emotional leader of the team, but his inability to play at an even average level is hurting the team.

Bernard Pollard should be locked up in a long term deal. He's been an incredible find for the Texans. A free safety who can play exceptional pass defense is desperately needed, as Eugene Wilson is coming off season-ending injury and has lost a step and John Busing is really more of a special teams player.

The interior of the offensive line and defense line must be improved, as well. A massive defensive tackle to play alongside Mario and Okoye must be signed or drafted. A mauling run blocking guard or two is also required.

It's disheartening to say that the Texans are still loaded with unlocked potential and have the talent to be a playoff-caliber team. It's clear more good players are on the team now than in other seasons. The Texans are no longer an expansion team. There are more good players on this team than bad.

Learning how to finish must be an offseason assignment for the entire team. I don't know if that can be taught by a new head coach, but it's certainly not being taught by the current head coach.

The most disappointing and angering feature of the Texans is that inability to finish. If they simply weren't good enough to be competitive, it would be one thing. But to lose close games to good team, and even to beat good teams on the road, shows me that the Texans are close. Disappointingly close.

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For Now, Jason Kidd Is The Mavericks' Point Guard of the Future

Alex McVeigh — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:22:56 -0500

This summer, the Mavs' front office repeatedly said that re-signing Jason Kidd was priority No. 1. Some (at the risk of sounding like a Kobe fan, I'll call this group the "haters") thought that it was a face-saving move by owner Mark Cuban that the Mavs had to retain Kidd's services in order to make it seem like they didn't give Devin Harris away for a year-and-a-half of disappointing basketball.

After the Mavs got into a little bit of a bidding war with the New York Knicks, they ended up offering the 36-year-old point guard a three-year deal.

It was a strange move, even for the Mavs faithful, because even though the front office declared objective No. 1 "accomplished," we still had the same point guard we had last year, nothing had changed; enter the haters.

The haters are saying that the Mavs should have let Jason Kidd go and that they should have gone after someone else; that Kidd is too old to be at the helm of a contender.

Well, those people are idiots. Jason Kidd is the best point guard the Mavs could realistically have right now.

Did I wait until Kidd had one of his best performances of the season last night against the Philadelphia 76ers to run this article to make my point seem especially poignant?

That's none of your damn business and I'll thank you to stay out of my personal affairs.

But digressions aside, for right now, Jason Kidd is the point guard of the future for the Dallas Mavericks.

Sure, we've all been wowed by Rodrigue Beaubois acrobatics and ginormous wingspan, but Jason Kidd is clearly it right now.

For those of you who think the Mavs shouldn't have re-signed Kidd, I ask you, who would be their starting point guard right now?

Last I checked, Rajon Rondo, Chris Paul, Derrick Rose, and Deron Williams weren't on the market last season. Last I checked, Brandon Jennings, Tyreke Evans, Ricky Rubio, Ty Lawson, and Jonny Flynn were picked before the Mavs even got a chance to draft last year.

Beaubois, as gifted as he is, isn't ready to start for a contender right now and allowing him to do so, would have put the Mavs in a rebuilding mode, something that veterans like Dirk, Marion, Terry, and Josh Howard simply do not have time for right now.

I know Ramon Sessions was a hot name, but we've seen all the good he's done for the Timberwolves, when he can even get off the bench.

Anyone else that you think the Mavs should have signed? Because a trade for a good point guard would have certainly cost the Mavs a significant part of their core and they certainly wouldn't be sitting as pretty as they are right now with a piece gone.

There are several reasons why Jason Kidd is the perfect point guard for the Mavs right now:

1) He is a distributor on a team full of scorers

Sure, we've all been wowed by some of the point totals put up by Jennings, or by Harris when he was healthy last year, but the fact is, a point guard is supposed to be a pass-first guy and Jason Kidd is that to a fault.

Sure, he can't score (except for the wide-open three), but with Shawn Marion, Jason Terry, Dirk Nowitzki, and Josh Howard, Kidd doesn't need to score. He needs to get his teammates better shots.

And that's what he does, whether in the halfcourt off the pick and roll, on the fast break, or once every blue moon on a drive and kick.

When you've got shooters like the Mavs have, you need someone willing to defer to get his teammates better looks. Better shooters with better looks equals more points. It's just that simple.

2) He's a world-class mentor

In addition to Rodrigue Beaubois, the Mavericks have J.J. Barea, who is becoming a legit backup point guard right now, no small (pardon the pun) feat for an undrafted guy who tops out at 5-11.

Barea has learned from Kidd, and you can see it when he runs the fast break, sees the passing lanes, gets open for three and even drives to the rack for the occasional layup.

I've been watching almost every Mavs game for the past three seasons now, and looking at the 2007-08, Barea and the 2009-10 Barea is like night and day. He's simply a better basketball player and Kidd is directly responsible for that.

You don't think the Mavericks had that in mind when they drafted a raw talent like Beaubois right before gunning for Kidd?

Who better to teach the young guy how to run a pro-basketball offense? Face it, Beaubois is getting the best on-the-job training that a young point guard could ask for right now.

3) Good basketball players like to play with Jason Kidd

Ask LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony or Dwight Howard, all of whom played alongside Kidd on the redeem team. People just like to share the court with him.

They like to be on the business-end of his passes, to be a cog in his offense.

And come the free agent summer of 2010, you think that's going to help the Mavs land a big fish? I sure do.

Sure, LeBron and/or Wade might be out of reach, but any free agent whose worth his salt, would love to play alongside Kidd, even a Kidd on the downside of his career.

If the players I mentioned above, the best basketball players in the world like playing with Jason Kidd, then who wouldn't want to play with him?

If I'm a smart, big-name free agent, do I want to play for the Knicks, with their terrible roster and no first-round draft pick or do I want to be fed passes in traffic for a contender? I thought so.

Now, will Kidd be the same player when he's in the final year of his contract at age 39? Probably not, but will he still be able to mentor players like Beaubois and play 10-15 minutes a game? Absolutely.

That is why despite his age and despite some fairly obvious shortcomings, both offensively and defensively, Jason Kidd is the point guard of the future for your Dallas Mavericks.

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Will the Cowboys Have a December to Remember or Another Forgettable Season?

Derek Major — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:44:04 -0500

Well, Cowboy fans, here it is—the month you're all scared of, the month that for the past three seasons marked the end of the high scoring, aggressive defense, and well-coached games.

For the past three seasons December has given way to an inept offense, a defense that's on the field too long, and a combined 4-8 record.

This December won't be easy as the Cowboys' schedule isn't in their benefit.

Can the Cowboys overcome their demons and finish strong, or will they once again drop as fast as the temperature?

The Cowboys start this December on the road against the lowly Giants. While the Giants have a 6-5 record and a ton of injuries, they still have a passing game that lit the Cowboys up in Week Two.

Eli Manning was 25 of 38 for 330 yards and two TDs and wasn't sacked once. Receivers Steve Smith and Mario Manningham ran a clinic against the Cowboys' secondary.

Still, the Cowboys only lost by two points, and much of the blame was put on Tony Romo and his three interceptions. Romo hasn't thrown more than one interception in a game since, and the Giants' secondary is a shell of what it used to be after various injuries.

On Dec. 13 the Cowboys host the San Diego Chargers, a team that beat both the Giants and Eagles. The Chargers are currently 8-3, including 4-1 on the road, and have won six in a row after a rough start. They'll probably win this weekend against the Cleveland Browns, making it seven in a row.

Six days later the Cowboys face the New Orleans Saints on Saturday night in Louisiana. The Saints are undefeated after dismantling the Patriots last night, and Drew Brees has thrown for at least 300 yards in six of the Saints' 11 games. Including this season and last season, the Saints are a combined 12-2 at the Superdome.

The Cowboys then finish December against the Washington Redskins, who they beat two weeks ago 7-6. Although the Skins controlled much of the game, the Cowboys got themselves collected enough to drive down the field late in the game and score, then intercepted a Jason Campbell pass to put the game away.

There are some signs that the Cowboys can be successful in December. Their offense fixed some kinks in a tune-up game against the Raiders on Thanksgiving, and Keith Brooking, along with DeMarcus Ware, leads a defense that hasn't given up more than a TD in two straight games and hasn't give up 20 points since October.

Romo has found himself again after two subpar performances against the Packers and Skins. Felix Jones seems to be 100 percent for the first time since coming back from his PCL sprain, and Jason Witten had a season high in receiving yards with 107 on a sprained foot last week.

If the Cowboys can go 2-2 in December, they should lock up a playoff berth, and if they win three games in December, they should have the division wrapped up by the time they play Philadelphia to finish their season, making that game irrelevant for them. But in order to do that, they need to play their best while Wade Phillips and Jason Garrett call good games.

This month means a lot for the Cowboys: A chance at the playoffs for the team and a chance for Garrett and Phillips to keep their jobs. The hot seat has cooled off a bit, but you can bet if the Cowboys start dropping games, Bill Cowher and Mike Shanahan (provided he doesn't take the Bills job) will be getting calls from Jerry Jones when the season ends.

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Not Like Mike: Clyde Drexler and David Robinson Retired On Their Own Terms

Robert Kleeman — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 14:47:33 -0500

Writer's note : Thanks to an NBA, Best Buy, HP and Windows partnership, I interviewed Hall of Fame guard Clyde Drexler Sunday afternoon. I will post the full transcript of our 16-minute conversation later this week.

Sequestered in a back room of the Galleria-area Best Buy, Clyde Drexler autographed Houston Rockets items as he spoke in his unmistakable timbre.

He signed each poster with one robotic motion as I fired off questions about the college-to-pros transition, his career, Rick Adelman, and an assortment of other topics.

When I stammered through the dreaded retirement inquiry, he scoffed, as if mere mention of hanging up the sneakers insulted his intelligence.

The inquiry seemed appropriate. Allen Iverson announced his NBA departure Wednesday afternoon after 14 seasons, but multiple reports suggested he could re-sign with the Philadelphia Sixers by next week.

Iverson, like so many other Hall of Fame-caliber players, is struggling with when to call it quits.

The mercurial guard still considers himself a top five player. He takes the idea of anything other than a starting, go-to role with great offense.

Anyone who says he has "a lot left in the tank" in a post retirement interview has not played his last game.

Did Drexler struggle with this same decision?

He laughed and then answered without pause.

"No," he said. "I wanted to retire on my own terms. I wanted to leave before they kicked me out."

Drexler retired after a first round exit in 1998, one year after a John Stockton three sank the Rockets in Game Seven of the Western Conference Finals. His peers, even teammate Hakeem Olajuwon, left the game years later after less than polite shoves out the door.

His career, at least, ended after a short playoff series.

Patrick Ewing tried to hack it with the Orlando Magic in 2001 before averages of six points and four rebounds humbled him enough to quit.

The Rockets traded Olajuwon to the Raptors in August 2001. His career-low seven-point, six-rebound average in Toronto signaled the bitter end of a brilliant career.

Charles Barkley said "I'm done" so many times that he made "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" look like "Honest Abe."

How many times has he said he could score on a certain current player during a TNT broadcast? How many times has he cried that today's players often face "stiffs" while he faced Michael Jordan?

Now, a Springfield-bound guard often praised for his courage in attacking the rim, sits with a silent cell phone in hand.

Few can accept Iverson under his terms, and teams with a title shot will wait until key December and January deadlines pass to give him a look.

Drexler's quick response to my query provided a perfect parallel to a recent Hall of Fame inductee the San Antonio Spurs honored Sunday night.

David Robinson was enshrined alongside Jordan, Stockton, C. Vivian Stringer and Jerry Sloan in September.

No. 50 and No. 22 never beat No. 23 in a playoff series, but the grace with which they handled life after ruling the court puts "His Airness" to shame.

Robinson, like Drexler, had a Plan B. He could have survived without a basketball in hands, contrary to what Jordan told reporters about the 2009 class on the eve of his cruel speech.

The Spurs celebrated Robinson's induction after Sunday night's win over the Philadelphia 76ers. The ceremony offered fans the chance to canonize the center who saved the franchise from relocation and helped deliver two of San Antonio's four titles.

In his career finale at the AT&T Center, "The Admiral" scored 13 points and grabbed 17 rebounds in a championship clincher.

Yet, a night meant to celebrate his basketball accomplishments became a spotlight for the Carver Academy, the school for underachieving children Robinson and wife Valerie founded.

To date, Robinson has contributed more than $11 million to the San Antonio campus. Sunday night, he asked Spurs fans to memorialize him with a donation to the academy.

No wonder, then, that the NBA named its Community Assist Award after Robinson.

Jordan's post-second retirement life has involved marriage infidelity and part management of a loser expansion franchise in Charlotte.

He used the humongous platform provided him at Symphony Hall in September to bludgeon everyone who slighted him. Even legendary coach Dean Smith and a high school teammate.

"I wouldn't want to be you guys," he said to his kids.

Father of the year material, huh?

During his speech, the camera briefly captured Robinson shaking his head in disbelief.

Drexler might have done the same.

Players at peace with decampment can let go of on-court battles to fight new ones. Such as the quickstep on Dancing With the Stars or expansion of a 5,158-acre school.

Drexler serves as a TV analyst for Rockets home games, while Robinson owns a stake in the Spurs.

Neither player gets involved in team practices or meetings. Jordan once tried to hype up the Bobcats players by invading a shootaround.

Maybe if they competed with "His Greatness" they might absorb his talent through osmosis.

For Jordan, there is nothing but basketball. He stays in relative game shape and said at the end of his induction speech that he might return to the NBA at 50.

"Don't laugh," he said.

Drexler and Robinson joke about it sometimes.

"You make me feel like I want to play again," Robinson said to the 17,161 who had come to commemorate him more than watch the Spurs and Sixers.

During a telecast a few years ago, Drexler wondered if he could help the Rockets climb out of a 20-point deficit.

Play-by-play man Bill Worrell told Drexler he should consider suiting up to assist the ice-cold team.

"Maybe I should," Drexler said with a tone that flexed both the intended sincerity and humor of the remark.

Robinson and Drexler love to discuss their careers, but they're not still trying to hit game-winners, posterize foes, or win roster spots when they do it.

Drexler said Sunday he once wanted a basketball scholarship so he could study to be an investment banker.

If not hoops, Wall Street?

"I would have been in academia," he said. "I would have tried to get an academic scholarship."

Instead, he helped form the Phi Slama Jama fraternity at the University of Houston. He played basketball because he "loved the game," he said.

Like Robinson, Drexler's distinguished career—which included three NBA Finals appearances, a championship and numerous All-NBA and All-Star selections—made him worthy of inclusion on a list of the league's 50 all-time best.

Not wanting to be like a bar patron thrown to the street by the bouncer after closing time, Drexler announced his retirement during a season in which he was scoring 15 points per contest.

On his own terms.

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Week 13 NFL Power Rankings (With Full Summaries)

John Frascella — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 14:43:00 -0500

Week 12 was highlighted by a stunningly impressive Saints' victory over the Patriots, another notch in the belt of the incredible Vince Young comeback story, and disappointing showings by three teams in the playoff hunt: the Giants, Dolphins, and Jaguars.

Before I get to the actual rankings heading into Week 13, please note the following: I am not ranking entirely upon win-loss records at this juncture in the season. That would eliminate the possibility of evaluating teams in the grand scheme. Essentially what I'm saying is that there's projection involved; some looking ahead to the future.

With that out of the way, let's get it crackin'...

32. St. Louis Rams (1-10)

OK Rams fans, what do you want first, the good news or the bad news?

Well, the good news is, whenever you're standing on the metaphorical football ledge and thinking about diving off, you can always say, "Mike Jones tackles Kevin Dyson, Mike Jones tackles Kevin Dyson" to yourself.

The bad news is, those glory days are drifting deeper and deeper into the past, and there are few signs of hope for the future. Yes the Rams have a young and energetic head coach in Steve Spagnuolo, but he hasn't been able to turn things around in his first season at the helm. That's OK though, because I don't think many of us were expecting rapid and drastic improvement from this team.

The question is, will we see that improvement within the next couple of seasons? It doesn't look that way to me right now.

31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-10)

Another rookie head coach situation, and I don't think Tampa's down year is at all surprising. Coach Morris did the right thing by getting the ball in the hands of youngster Josh Freeman, but I don't see explosive potential in the players around him. Cadillac Williams, Derrick Ward, Antonio Bryant, Michael Clayton -- these are average supporting pieces for the present, with little-to-no value for the future.

I think this defensive unit has a shot for the upper-third in coming years, but even that is far from a lock. This is an organization in limbo.

30. Cleveland Browns (1-10)

This was a tough call. In all honesty, I think the Browns are a slightly better overall team than the Lions, but I'm giving the Lions the edge because they have franchise pieces (Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson, Kevin Smith) that provide some hope.

As for Cleveland, they've suffered some heartbreaking defeats this season. Head coach Eric Mangini has been the subject of much malign. I hated him when he coached my Jets, but I kinda feel bad for the guy this year. The collapses against the Bengals and Lions were surely soul-crushing, and Brady Quinn failed to step up for him at the beginning of the year. Quinn seems to be settling in a little now, but it's certainly too little, too late.

29. Detroit Lions (2-9)

I've already mentioned the talented, young offensive core, but I'm also putting the Lions ahead of the Browns because of their incredible comeback against them. A team with results this poor could easily have rolled over when Cleveland stormed out to a 24-3 lead, but the Lions showed both commitment and the drive to win. Hopefully those qualities will provide a boost, because they won't be getting any sort of boost from their defense...it still stinks.

28. Oakland Raiders (3-8)

Congrats to the Raiders on being this high on the list; I thought they'd surely stay in the 30-32 range this season. To my surprise, and the surprise of nearly every other football fan in the world, Oakland managed to knock off both Philadelphia and Cincinnati. They may actually get to four wins this year, as the Redskins and Browns remain on their schedule; figure they'll win at least one of those.

Any credit that is due has to go to their defense -- led by Nnamdi Asomugha, Richard Seymour, Kirk Morrison, and Greg Ellis -- and their balanced rushing tandem of Justin Fargas and Darren McFadden. I think that duo could be quite productive in an offense that could pass the ball with consistently. That's definitely not the Raiders' offense.

27. Washington Redskins (3-8)

I know they're in a tough division, but I'm surprised at how bad this team is. Heading into the season I thought they'd play tough defense and at least protect the ball with Jason Campbell at quarterback, but it's turned out to be nothing short of a disaster. Both of their top running backs, Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts, are down for the count, leaving the rock in the hands of Rock Cartwright. That's hardly an ideal situation.

26. Kansas City Chiefs (3-8)

The Redskins might be a slightly superior all-around team, but I'm a Matt Cassel guy. I'm glad Kansas City's front office decided to bring in Chris Chambers, because he's shown that Cassel can be just fine with some better receiving talent around him. The offseason loss of Tony Gonzalez certainly hurt their offensive attack, as have the injury to Dwayne Bowe and lack of production from the since-departed Larry Johnson, but Jamaal Charles has flashed ability in the running game.

Fully healthy, I think this could be a pretty solid offensive unit in 2010. Defensively, KC has some young players with considerable skill, and the group isn't that bad overall.

25. Seattle Seahawks (4-7)

To me, this is a stagnant franchise. Matt Hasselbeck still at quarterback, surrounded by a bunch of decent players that don't allow for any type of dominance. The Seahawks can stay in games if they protect the football, but let's get real: this team isn't scaring anyone.

24. Buffalo Bills (4-7)

Who knew Ryan Fitzpatrick would make this much of a difference?

The Harvard man has pumped life into Terrell Owens, and subsequently slipped the Bills into the very back end of the playoff race. While Owens' resurgence has drawn the vast majority of the attention, much of the praise needs to go to Buffalo's defense, which has rated well throughout the year. The Bills are in a must-win situation against the division-rival Jets on Thursday night.

23. Chicago Bears (4-7)

After getting spanked by the Vikings this weekend, the TV cameras followed Jay Cutler as he shook hands with members of the opposing team. As he stepped up to each player, he had a defeated-but-accepted look on his face. It was a face that said, "This just wasn't my year, and this team is going nowhere fast."

I don't know if Cutler has the football IQ to turn things around in coming years, but he's certainly the type of quarterback that I would despise as a fan. Think those Denver Broncos fans are still pissed about his dismissal?

Something tells me that the answer to that question is "no."

22. Miami Dolphins (5-6)

First things first, I love head coach Tony Sparano. Everyone seems to enjoy the rah-rah celebratory stuff on the sidelines, but I like Sparano because of his preparation and gameplanning. The first time the Dolphins played my Jets this season, I was astonished at how precise and effective Sparano's gameplan was. He used The Wildcat to disorient a defense that was white-hot at the time, and set them up with various run designs before calling upon Chad Henne to stretch one over the top.

It worked. Teddy Ginn was the benefactor down field.

Now Dolphins fans, don't get too worked up here. I'm only putting your boys behind the Jets because of the devastating injury to Ronnie Brown. I think most analysts would agree that Brown is Miami's best player (though Ricky Williams is making a case this year), and your team looked entirely out of sorts against the Bills on Sunday.

Fully healthy, I'd definitely have the Dolphins above the Jets.

21. Carolina Panthers (4-7)

Same deal here; if the Dolphins had Ronnie Brown they'd be ahead of the Panthers. The way I look at it, both offenses are predicated on two-back production, Brown and Williams for the 'Phins, and the combination of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart for Carolina. Since Miami lost one-half of its potent duo, I have to give the advantage to the Panthers, especially with Stewart breaking out after an anemic start.

Defensively, both the Dolphins and Panthers have been inconsistent, showing flashes of greatness but general mediocrity. Wash out the defenses, give the Panthers the edge in the running game, and I have to have them one spot ahead of Miami.

20. New York Jets (5-6)

Imagine if my Jets had a quarterback like...ohh...Brett Favre?

Oh wait, they did, last year. Of course he had to have serious arm trouble for the first time in his Hall of Fame career (just my luck), successful surgery during the offseason, and a ridiculous MVP run the very next season. Rub it in my face Brett, just rub it in.

Rookie QB Mark Sanchez has spiraled out of control after a 3-0 start to his career, which is a shame because the Jets' rushing attack has been excellent again in '09. The loss of Leon Washington was a dagger, particularly on special teams, but Thomas Jones has been shifty and consistently effective. I cringe every day over the possibilities with a healthy Favre, especially considering the addition of athletic target Braylon Edwards. Oh well, it just isn't meant to be for me.

By the way, CB Darrelle Revis is a beast. He's one of the best players in the NFL, hands down. I have a sports crush on him.

19. San Francisco 49ers (5-6)

It's been a strange year in San Fran. It began with the steady-but-limited Shaun Hill behind center, and now it's back to former No. 1 selection Alex Smith. It began with Isaac Bruce, and now it's Michael Crabtree. I think I like the direction in which they are going. Smith, Crabtree, Frank Gore, Vernon Davis, and Josh Morgan -- gotta love an offensive core with youth and freakish ability.

Their defense is quite talented as well. The issue for me though, is Smith. There's little denying his natural ability, but he hasn't proven to me that he's ready to make the correct, heady plays in the midst of a desperate postseason run. He nursed this weekend's important victory over Jacksonville, but I'll have to see that again before I'm convinced.

18. Houston Texans (5-6)

Two words come to mind when I think about the Houston Texans: explosiveness and inconsistency. They have beasts on both sides of the ball, like Andre Johnson and Mario Williams, but it never comes together on a regular basis for this team. Matt Schaub is a stat rat at the quarterback position, but is he a winner? Some of the same questions I have about Alex Smith, are here with Schaub. To Schaub's credit, he's definitely proven more statistically.

17. Jacksonville Jaguars (6-5)

Has there been a more enigmatic team in the league this season?

I don't think so. From week to week, who knows what to expect from these guys? Maurice Jones-Drew is certainly one of the top rushers in the game, but he's one of their only consistent players on either side of the ball. WR Mike Sims-Walker has been a welcome and pleasant surprise, but he has to worry about the many faces of David Garrard. What kind of quarterback is he? How can we truly evaluate this team?

Ugh. Headache.

16. Tennessee Titans (5-6)

Vince Young, baby. Vince Young. I'm just going to leave it at that...

...oh wait, I can't. I have to mention Chris Johnson.

Chris Johnson, baby. Chris Johnson.

15. Atlanta Falcons (6-5)

From day one I haven't trusted Atlanta's defense, and now Matt Ryan's banged up on the other side of the ball? It's not looking good for the Falcons and their faithful as we move forward. Michael Turner is trying to battle through an injury as well. I expect this team to fall in the rankings in coming weeks.

14. New York Giants (6-5)

Oh how the mighty have fallen. Their laughable opening schedule allowed for them to blaze out of the gate, but the better teams have given Tom Coughlin's boys plenty of trouble. Brandon Jacobs has been a major disappointment this year, as has New York's once-vaunted defensive line. The pressure on opposing QBs hasn't been there, and the G-Men don't have the secondary to hold up during long-winded plays.

Now they've officially lost Antonio Pierce for the season. There's a reason why they're right next to the Falcons in the rankings: these two teams are in similarly dangerous waters. The one hope for the Giants is Eli Manning, who has held his emotions in check (as usual) and provided strong leadership in the midst of turmoil. I think he's right at the back end of the top 10 quarterbacks.

13. Philadelphia Eagles (7-4)

I don't know how else to say this, but I don't like them this season. Head coach Andy Reid has made some head-scratching decisions, Donovan McNabb's accuracy has been fleeting, and Brian Westbrook may be done for his career. They suffered a heartbreaking loss in the death of defensive coordinator Jim Johnson, and the unit has subsequently lost some of its aggressiveness.

I haven't been impressed by LeSean McCoy in the backfield, though the young WR combination of DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin has been impressive. I think this is a "good" team, at best.

12. Denver Broncos (7-4)

We knew the losses were coming, but has Josh McDaniels' team now weathered the storm? They looked very close to dominant in their Thanksgiving stuffing of the Giants, and rookie RB Knowshon Moreno appears to be finding his groove. Veteran Correll Buckhalter provides the receiving complement in the running game, and Brandon Marshall draws the attention in the passing attack.

This team has talent, and their defense has been one of the biggest surprises in the NFL, if not the biggest. I don't love Kyle Orton, but I think he's showing that he -- at the very least -- can get the job done. This year's Broncos remind me of the Bucs and Ravens teams that won Super Bowls in the past decade, but I think there's too much powerful competition for them to make that kind of run in '09.

11. Cincinnati Bengals (8-3)

I'm not a believer, and I'm sure you can tell by their No. 11 ranking, in spite of a strong 8-3 record. I've never been a Carson Palmer guy, and I think Ochocinco emptied his clip too early in the season. The Cedric Benson injury unquestionably hurts, and Cincy's defense, while much improved, would still worry me in a critical game. This team plays a ton of close games, and they're bound to lose one early in the postseason.

10. Arizona Cardinals (7-4)

Now here's a team that I like. During the offseason people seemed to be writing off their run to the Super Bowl, using the old, "Hot team, right time" argument. Maybe in a sense that's true, but the Cardinals are still loaded with talent. I'd like to squeeze them into the top seven or eight, but I'm holding them here because of the Kurt Warner situation.

Let's be honest, there's no way Arizona is making a serious run with Matt Leinart at the helm. Warner is expected back soon, but I have to see how he responds physically. Gotta love their receiving core with Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston. Rookie RB Beanie Wells is showing signs of life, as well.

9. Baltimore Ravens (6-5)

This has to be one of the best 6-5 teams of the past five years. Ray-Ray (Lewis and Rice) are having outstanding seasons, and there's a quiet confidence about QB Joe Flacco. I like the kid; I think he'll be a top 10 quarterback at some point within the next two years. Good size, poise, and physical ability. Nothing seems to shake him mentally, and that's been the case since he took the reins as a rookie last season. I wish the same could be said of my hometown rookie, Mark Sanchez.

As for Baltimore, their defense isn't quite the same without Bart Scott and Rex Ryan, but it's still one of the best in the league. They have a high football IQ, and I'm a huge fan of head coach John Harbaugh. He's an X's and O's coach who can also be a motivator. Very sharp and versatile.

8. Dallas Cowboys (8-3)

I've been discussing the Cowboys all week in another article, so I don't have much to say this time around. I think this is a solid football team with a defense performing extremely well, but their lack of offensive explosiveness in games that I've witnessed tends to worry me. Marion Barber's injury is a concern of mine, and I'm not quite ready to anoint Miles Austin the Savior that all of the Cowboys fans are making him out to be. They might be better than the Patriots collectively right now, but I'm simply going with Brady over Romo, and Belichick over Wade Phillips.

7. New England Patriots (7-4)

I thought New England was on its way back to a comfortable spot in the top five, but then the mighty Saints went and embarrassed them. Bill Belichick, not surprisingly, was disappointed during his post-game interview session. What was surprising, was that he seemed totally confused. He was either shocked at how good the Saints are, or stunned at how mortal his Patriots have become.

I don't have much else to say about this team right now. They seem to have a ceiling, but then there's always Tom Brady.

6. Green Bay Packers (7-4)

This one even surprised me, and I'm writing this. Go figure. But when I evaluate things in the grand scheme, the Packers are a better all-around football team than the Patriots right now.

Aaron Rodgers is having another fantastic season as the signal caller for this franchise, and RB Ryan Grant has greatly improved upon his sorry performance in '08. WR Donald Driver continues to be a reliable option for Rodgers, though WR1 Greg Jennings is suffering through a bit of a down year. That can be attributed to Grant's improvement, and the emergence of TE Jermichael Finley. WR3 James Jones has cut into Jennings' touches as well.

Defensively, though they toss in a clunker at times, this unit has been one of the best in the game. Charles Woodson is having a Renaissance year at the cornerback position, and I think he's a sleeper candidate for some Defensive Player of the Year votes. Green Bay's secondary is extremely athletic and they finish plays, which is one of this team's great strengths. I don't trust them, but they are pretty strong at the moment.

5. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5)

A 6-5 team in the top five? You ask.

Well, they are the defending Super Bowl champions, so I'd like to give them the benefit of the doubt. Big Ben is on his way back, and Pittsburgh's rushing attack is significantly more explosive with Rashard Mendenhall taking over for Willie Parker. Santonio Holmes and Hines Ward are a fine 1-2 receiving punch, and WR3 Mike Wallace has proven to be a sneakily dangerous weapon.

Troy Polamalu is out defensively, but James Harrison, LaMarr Woodley, James Farrior, and Casey Hampton are still very much around. This defense is still strong, but it's seen a slight decline the likes of the Ravens at the No. 8 spot.

4. San Diego Chargers (8-3)

They were my pick to win the Super Bowl prior to the year, and they've worked their way to a solid 8-3 record. I was never a believer in Philip Rivers' physical ability, but the guy continues to put up excellent numbers while performing with a very high level of efficiency. I'm sold on him now; even if he short-arms the ball and doesn't quite look the part when he's back there making his tosses.

SD's running backs have settled into a bit of a comfort zone, with LaDainian Tomlinson and Darren Sproles providing what's necessary when called upon in different roles. Antonio Gates looks slim and fresh this season, and Vincent Jackson was been a reliable WR1 for the second straight year.

The Chargers' defense has a number of big names and some legitimate talent, but it doesn't always come together for them. If I had to pinpoint a weakness for this team, it would be a lack of defensive consistency and a little too much of a gambler's mentality.

3. Minnesota Vikings (10-1)

I love this team. I think this particular Vikings' unit would have been the best in the NFL last season. That statement speaks volumes about the strength of the league's premier teams in '09.

Getting to the specifics, well...there's Favre. He has my vote for MVP right now. Adrian Peterson hasn't been a dominant force this year, but he provides a threat and the opportunity for Favre to captain a balanced attack. Sidney Rice, Percy Harvin, and Visanthe Shiancoe have really broken out, making it difficult for opposing defenses to prepare for any one aspect of Minnesota's air attack.

Defensively, the Vikings have the top line in the league. It's a no-brainer. The Williams boys, Pat and Kevin (no relation) clog the run, while monster Jared Allen (one of the favorites for Defensive Player of the Year) runs wild around the outside. As a group, they are unstoppable. Brad Childress' linebacking core has also performed well, a pleasant surprise for them, and the secondary has been adequate.

I love the balance on this team. A legitimate Super Bowl contender.

2. Indianapolis Colts (11-0)

Yes they're undefeated through 11 ballgames, but I don't feel any invincibility from these Colts. I think they should be commended for the fact that they've squeaked out a number of hair-raising victories, but this is not a supernatural team. These are mere mortals, led by one of the top three players in the world (Peyton Manning, of course) and a "new" head coach who can do no wrong at the moment.

Indianapolis is great, but this isn't an undefeated team the likes of the '07 Patriots. The team at the No. 1 spot, on the other hand...is.

1. New Orleans (11-0)

Wow.

Wow. Wow. Wow.

What a team. An MVP candidate at quarterback in Drew Brees; three valuable running backs in Pierre Thomas, Reggie Bush, and Mike Bell; five viable receiving options in Marques Colston, Robert Meachem, Devery Henderson, Jeremy Shockey, and Lance Moore; a fantastic head coach, and a defense that has pulled off one of the most incredible 180's in the history of professional football.

Where are the weaknesses on this team? Is there even one, single weakness?

Well actually, PK John Carney has looked surprisingly shaky. Could he be the one to cost them in the end, or will the Saints continue to outclass the competition and cruise their way to The Promised Land?

I guess we'll have to wait and see.

(John Frascella is the author of "Theo-logy: How a Boy Wonder Led the Red Sox to the Promised Land," the first and only book centered on Boston's popular GM Theo Epstein. Follow John on Twitter @RedSoxAuthor.)

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Scout's Notebook: Offensive Review For Week 13

Wes Bunting — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 09:25:49 -0500

Observations and analysis from the 13th week of the college football season, including thoughts about some of the nation’s top offensive prospects.

Texas A&M Two-Step

Jerrod Johnson QB, 6-5, 243

I knew heading into the Texas-Texas A&M showdown just how talented a quarterback A&M’s Jerrod Johnson was, and I knew he’d been taking dramatic steps over the past year or so under head coach Mike Sherman.

However, what I didn’t expect to see was a quarterback who was so comfortable throwing the football outside the numbers while sticking big-time NFL throws into very tight windows. Johnson was absolutely brilliant Thursday night, carving up the Texas secondary and doing a great job using his pure athletic ability to create when nothing was there.

The guy is a physical marvel at 6-5, 243, and possesses the arm strength and anticipation to throw receivers open and be accurate with the football. He’s still far from a finished product—his mechanics and footwork have a tendency to get sloppy at times—but if you had seen this kid as a freshman, his development has been truly phenomenal.

It’s obvious that Johnson is a student of the game and wants to mature. It wouldn’t surprise me to see him make a run at the top quarterback spot in the 2011 draft.

Kevin Matthews C, 6-4, 310

Another standout in last week’s Texas-Texas A&M showdown was the play of Aggies center Kevin Matthews. You can tell Kevin is the son of a former All-Pro offensive lineman (Bruce Matthews) as he consistently plays with impressive technique inside.

Matthews does a tremendous job getting into opposing linemen quickly off the snap, and may have the quickest hands of any center I’ve seen this year. He’s consistently able to get under the chest plate of defensive tackles on contact and stay on his blocks through the play.

Plus, Matthews is the definition of a Velcro player in the run game, and did a great job repeatedly handling Texas DT Lamarr Houston at the point and opening up lanes inside. He isn’t the most gifted athlete, and lacks ideal range in space, but he’s fluid enough to slide laterally in pass protection, and can anchor consistently vs. the bull-rush.

Matthews looks like one of the more underrated offensive linemen prospects in the draft, and is a guy I could definitely see maturing into a potential starter at the next level.

One Nasty Owl

Temple tight end Steve Maneri has caught all of 11 passes this season and lacks the type of speed and overall athleticism to consistently create any kind of separation at the next level.

So why am I bringing up his name?

Well, at 6-6, 275 pounds, Maneri has found a niche on the Owls offense, and has developed into one of the most impressive blockers in the country at his position. His ability to play with power, balance, and body control at the point of attack are rare to see from a tight end his size.

Maneri made an absolute mockery of the Ohio run defense on Friday, routinely handling any defensive end they put in his way and easily driving/pancaking them away from the football. The guy definitely looks like a draftable prospect.

The question is, at what position?

There’s no doubt in my mind Maneri has the skill set to make a roster as a team’s No. 2, or No. 3 blocking tight end and could instantly enhance an NFL run game. However, much like former Arkansas TE Jason Peters (currently the Eagles starting left tackle), would it make more sense to ask Maneri to add about 30 pounds to his frame and turn him into an offensive tackle? He definitely has the athletic skill set and length to make the change, and at least gives NFL teams plenty of options concerning his role at the next level.

The Tools Simply Aren’t There

Coming into the year, I thought Western Michigan quarterback Tim Hiller had the ability to become one of the draft’s top senior quarterback prospects.He’s a tall, well-built pocket passer who has improved his release over the years and has the IQ to handle an NFL playbook.

However, after watching him last week vs. Ball State, it became clear the guy simply doesn’t have the skill set to be an efficient starting quarterback in the NFL.

Hiller is a limited athlete who struggles to buy time in the pocket and fails to make plays on the move. Plus, he lacks ideal arm strength for the position and really struggles to get the ball outside the numbers.

You can’t take away from the kid’s production throughout his college career, but his lacking physical skill set doesn’t bode well for his chances at the next level.

Underclassman Gone Bye-Bye?

One performance that really caught my attention this past weekend was that of Florida TE Aaron Hernandez.

Hernandez finished with five catches for 83 yards and two touchdowns vs. Florida State, and also displayed the ability to line up on the outside and easily create separation against the Seminoles’ best cover man, CB Patrick Robinson.

Hernandez is a gifted athlete for his size, and showcases the burst to quickly get on top of defenders and the speed to get down the seam.

However, it’s his body control and balance as a route runner that consistently allow him to cleanly get out of his breaks and separate vs. man coverage. The guy also does an excellent job after the catch and looks like a H-back/TE that you can split out and create a lot of mismatches within the pass game at the next level.

Blah

At the start of the season, Clemson offensive guard Thomas Austin was considered one of the nation’s top prospects at his position.

However, after watching tape of him last summer, I came away less than impressed. Although his performance this weekend vs. South Carolina was a little better, he just doesn’t look like the kind of athlete who will be able to consistently hold up in pass protection at the next level.

He showcases good power and girth inside, but he’s slow to redirect and really struggles to stay in front of his man after his initial punch. Plus, he’s limited in space and isn’t effective when asked to pull and get out to the second level.

His size and power will likely end up getting him drafted, but I wouldn’t considered him a prospect who has the ability to start for an NFL offense any time soon.

Follow me on Twitter: WesBunting

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Brad Richards: Finally Earning His Pay from Dallas

Kyle W. Brown — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 02:39:00 -0500

So far into this season, Brad Richards has been good—scratch that—Brad Richards has been really good. Averaging over a point a game 25 games in, Richards finds himself fifth in the league in points. Say what?

The Stars have never been a team full of superstars (Mike Modano and Brett Hull are arguably the only two huge names to play since the team moved to Dallas), nor have they been an offensive team, often utilizing the trap and typically playing in low-scoring games. Richards is defying both of these ideologies this year, however, proving them to be nothing but myths.

For those that don't know or have simply forgotten, Richards was surprisingly traded to Dallas on the 2007-08 season trade deadline alongside goalie Johan Holmqvist, in exchange for backup goaltender Mike Smith, Jeff Halpern, Jussi Jokinen and a draft pick.

The move, which would end up costing the Stars around $8-million for the remaining years on his contract, was supposed to be the missing piece to win the Stars the Stanley Cup.

Richards had already won a cup, not to mention the Conn Smythe the same year, and this was expected to give the Stars enough playoff experience and power that they'd go all the way. That didn't happen. Richards did however provide offensively, proven by his setting an NHL record one game by putting up four points in a period in the second round.

Where Richards lacked was defensively, ultimately being a liability whenever the puck was in Dallas' zone, just as many critics suggested would happen. (Richards went an awful -27 through 74 games that regular season.)

Then there was last year, where Richards was injured twice leading him to play just over 50 games, and putting up 48 points. Many fans would be happy with a near point-per-game player, but not those of Dallas (myself included), who felt that considering he put up over 70 points in his last four seasons in Tampa, the Stars were paying too much for a player to have just a good season.

Throw in a shaky season by Marty Turco who had a GAA under .900, and many fans thought trading a quality young goalie in Mike Smith was a bad decision.

Cue this season. Richards came in the twelfth highest player in the NHL. The Stars missed their first playoff birth since 2002, decided Brett Hull and Les Jackson weren't cutting it as GM's, and fired Dave Tippett, their bench boss since the '02-'03 season. The Stars needed to shine, but early injuries to Mike Modano and Jere Lehtinen, combined with the loss of long-time defenseman Sergei Zubov to the KHL left the Stars without many of their veteran leaders. Richards answered the call.

So far this year, he has set-up everyone on the ice. He has 32 points, and is even playing well offensively, boasting a +/- actually on the plus side (something he hadn't done since the '03-'04 Stanley Cup season.) At his current rate, Richards is on par for a career season in points. He has helped keep the Stars at a decent record, as they currently sit in a three-way tie for sixth in the West.

The Stars' stars are quickly recovering and joining the team, and in large part to Richards play the team is still in contention to finish high in the division (much unlike Toronto who crumbled without star player Phil Kessel).

Regardless of what the reason is: Olympic year, trade talk, criticism from the fans, Richards has stepped his game up. He has silenced his doubters in Dallas, and as a Stars fan I am finally happy to say that he is proving that all the money is worth it. While it has been a long wait for Richards to do what Stars fans hoped, he picked a great year to do it.

With linemate James Neal exploding as well, Turco playing well, and Modano possibly retiring at the conclusion of the season, the stars seem to be aligned for Dallas.

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Irish Coach, Yankees Manager, or Cowboys QB?: The Best Job in Sports Is...

John P. Wise — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 19:07:28 -0500

By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season

I started thinking about this last week, then found myself in a lukewarm debate on Bleacher Report about how prestigious the Notre Dame coaching job is.

One dude called it the most prestigious position in the entire world, and it didn't sound like he was exaggerating.

I think that's a bit of a stretch, but it's certainly one of the plum jobs in all of sports. If you're winning, that is. If you're not, as Charlie Weis found out Monday, it's a bushel of sour, rotten, brown apples.

Last week, in between gobbles, I wondered how I'd prefer to earn a living if my choices were:

Notre Dame football coach

Kentucky basketball coach

Yankees manager

Cowboys quarterback

Now, before you sign up to play QB for Dallas, with its acclaim, adulation, and endless supply of beautiful women, take an objective look at the four jobs above.

Look beyond the material possibilities and really consider which job you think would give you the best combination of a challenging and rewarding work environment, the best opportunity for success, the mental health and happiness for you and your family, and whatever other factors that key into your decisions to pursue certain jobs.

Notre Dame Football Coach

Growing up in Ohio, I loved the Buckeyes, but the college I heard about most after OSU was Notre Dame.

The Irish have long been the most scrutinized college football team in America, regardless of whether good news, bad news, or no news is coming out of South Bend. That type of microscope, coupled with pressure from the media, the university, alums, Catholics, fans, and to a degree NBC, among other sources, is not for the squeamish.

Could you handle it?

Kentucky Basketball Coach

The microscope, pressure, and expectations here are similar to those at Notre Dame. These are high-profile gigs on a national level, but because, in either position, your office is in small-town, Middle America, you are the biggest of fish in the smallest of puddles.

The likelihood that you'll own Lexington if you do the job right is stronger than the likelihood you'll own South Bend, where a 10-2 record would have saved Weis' job, but still left many whimpering about those two losses.

Yankees Manager

You are in charge of the most celebrated franchise in all of sports. Your team has won more championships than any other. Your logo, your history, and your pinstripes are as intimidating as they are famous.

You've retired more jerseys than most teams have won World Series. Your owners will buy you as many gourmet groceries as you need, you just need to cook the dinner and tolerate some occasional interference in the kitchen.

You also must answer to a relentless band of reporters, each of whom will leave no garbage can lid unturned in the world's largest media market, trying to make a story out of nothing. Do not underestimate the impact that will have on your ability to live your daily life.

Cowboys Quarterback

There seem to be two key requirements for this job: Be great, and be a savvy PR guy. Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman fulfilled those demands perfectly and they are in the NFL Hall of Fame.

Tony Romo, who many felt just two years ago was the next Brett Favre, will be known only for his off-field dalliances until he wins his first playoff game. Once he does that? He'll just need to win a Super Bowl or three.

No doubt there are many perks to the gig, but the everything's-bigger-in-Texas approach especially applies to the expectations and the pressure.

If I had to pick, I'd take the Kentucky basketball job.

I think the fewer people you have to coach and supervise, the more likely you are to have success that derives directly from your teaching, which would give me the most professional satisfaction. Also in a smaller circle, you're less likely to have one of your own find himself in some sort of off-field controversy, which sadly, would be a very real concern for me.

Lexington and South Bend are smaller towns, but I prefer the horse country in Kentucky, and I wouldn't feel the guilt of an entire religious denomination if I had unprotected, premarital, adulterous sex with Ashley Judd.

Finally, and I think most importantly, I'd much rather coach a team in the Final Four than risk botching the hold on a game-winning field goal attempt in an NFL playoff game.

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Houston Astros Negativity: Richard Justice Throws Down the Gauntlet!

Onan Coca — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 17:29:42 -0500

Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle is tired of all the fan bellyaching down south in Big Texas , and he has decided to offer the fans a forum to give management their advice.

Justice lays out a couple of basic (fair) rules: Lee, Berkman, Oswalt, Matsui, Moehler, Blum are all back for a total commitment of $58M. If the plan keeps Pence and Wandy (which mine does) add another $10M. If it keeps Valverde and LaTroy Hawkins (I keep one and toss the other) add another $15M. This total comes to $83M.

My plan comes in under this at $72-74M because I am letting Valverde walk, and bringing back Hawkins on a two-year $8-10M dollar deal. I will be taking the optimistic side and hoping that LaTroy signs for the $4M dollar price tag. This will leave me roughly $28M to fill about half of the roster.

While I would love to find a taker for Matsui, and sign a free agent 2B like Orlando Hudson, I just don't see it happening. So for our purposes I will keep and start Matsui at 2B. That leaves me holes at 3B, SS, SP, CL, and on the bench.

At 3B I think the Astros should sign the best defensive player on the market (and probably the best offensive option too), Adrian Beltre. Beltre will make considerably less than his last contract, and I don't think it's too optimistic to think he could be had for three years and $18M. He would hit sixth in my Astros lineup, and provide protection for the young and aspiring Hunter Pence.

At SS I would allow the departure of Miguel Tejada to open the door for an Astros product, Tommy Manzella. Manzella has about run out of time in the minors, and now has to show if he will ever be a major league caliber starter...I think he can be.

He can hit and he can pick, the only thing we don't know is if he can do it for 162 games at the Major League level. I would bring Jeff Keppinger back (around $400K) just in case, and I might even eye signing free agent Adam Everett to give me some extra protection.

The SP openings (not really openings, more like a lack of any other viable option) should be filled by Ben Sheets and Todd Wellemeyer.

Sheets is a Texas guy, but all the rumors thus far have linked him to the Rangers. Well it's time the Astros stepped in and changed that. Signing Sheets would make the Astros immediately competitive in the NL Central, and it would also give them a nice hometown hero story for the papers.

Sheets can be had for the right price, and though a bidding war could drive the price out of Astros reach (I don't think that will happen), a good start would be to offer a one-year $5M guaranteed contract heavy on incentives.

The other two SP openings should be filled by a free agent (Todd Wellemeyer) and a home grown product ready for the big time (Bud Norris).

Wellemeyer made $4M pitching ineffectively for the Cardinals last year, but I think this is a positive for the Astros. It means that Wellemeyer should come a little more cheaply (a two-year $6-7M deal) this time around, but his ability hasn't really diminished. He had a rough time last year, but the talent and "stuff" are still there. A change of scenery could be just what Wellemeyer needs, and he might end up being a bargain for the Astros in that fourth SP position.

In the fifth spot in the rotation should go the young Bud Norris. He will be making roughly $400K and will one day soon play an important part in the Astros' rotation.

At closer I opt to bring back set-up man LaTroy Hawkins and give him yet another shot at closing. He seems comfortable in Houston, and has shown even at 36 that his "stuff" is as good as ever. He may be a little more costly than last year, but he will be a much cheaper option than last year's closer, Jose Valverde. I figure that it will take a two-year deal worth about $8M ($4M per) to bring back Hawkins.

On my bench, Blum and Keppinger are back in the infield. I would also bring in Fernando Tatis for a little RH pop, and Endy Chavez for speed and defense. The two taken together should cost about $4M next year.

Below I have listed out the team and their relative cost for the 2010 season. I think this is a viable squad for the Astros to run out next year. This team could compete (and I daresay WIN) in the NL Central in 2010, and for LESS money.

This team ended up costing me about $94M.

Lineup:
CF: Michael Bourn
2B: Kaz Matsui
1B: Lance Berkman
LF: Carlos Lee
RF: Hunter Pence
3B: Adrian Beltre
C: Humberto Quintero, JR Towles
SS: Tommy Manzella

Rotation:
SP: Roy Oswalt
SP: Wandy Rodriguez
SP: Ben Sheets
SP: Todd Wellemeyer
SP: Bud Norris

Closer: LaTroy Hawkins
RP: Brian Moehler
RP: Jeff Fulchino
RP: Alberto Arias
RP: Tim Byrdak
RP: Wesley Wright
RP: Chris Sampson

Bench IF: Geoff Blum
Bench IF: Jeff Keppinger
Bench OF: Endy Chavez
Bench OF: Fernando Tatis

$48M Lee, Berkman, Oswalt
$10M Matsui, Moehler, Blum
$10M Pence, Wandy
$4M Hawkins (2/8M)
$4M [$0.4M each for: Manzella, Towles, Keppinger, Fulchino, Sampson, Wright, Norris, Arias and $0.8M Quintero)
$5M Ben Sheets ($5M guaranteed + incentives)
$3M Todd Wellemeyer (2/$7M)
$6M Adrian Beltre (3/$18M)
$1.5M Fernando Tatis
$2M Endy Chavez

That leaves roughly $6.5M left over.

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Does Texas' Will Muschamp Have What It Takes To Be the Head Honcho?

Dino Nicandros — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 17:22:22 -0500

Many college football fans around the country know defensive coordinator Will Muschamp for the all too recognizable sound clip making the rounds on YouTube, where he yells "Boom (expletive)" after a vicious hit made by one of his players.

While he may have not been aware that the ABC microphones were on at the time, I doubt he'd care anyway.

Will Muschamp wears his emotions on his sleeve and he's proud of it. His enthusiasm for the game, and more specifically for hard-hitting defense, rubs off on his players.

Muschamp has moved around a lot (LSU, Miami Dolphins, Auburn, and Texas), but his defenses have always been top of the line, and more importantly, well disciplined.

His arrival at Texas in 2008 bred major success for the Longhorns, as they finished 12-1 and were one controversial ruling away from the national title game.

This season, Muschamp's philosophy has really set in as Texas is ranked fifth in total defense (first in rush defense).

Muschamp's triumph at Texas has been so significant that following the 2008 season he was tagged as the "Head Coach-in-Waiting", meaning that when Mack Brown decides to step down, Muschamp will take over the program.

There are many questions surrounding this scenario, however. First and foremost, when will Mack step down and will Will Muschamp wait around for that long?

Mack Brown signed a 10-year contract extension following Texas' national championship victory in 2006. He's slated to be at Texas until 2016, unless he signs another extension or steps down before then.

While it is unlikely that Brown will stick around until 2016, I do see him completing the Garrett Gilbert project before he contemplates hanging it up.

Muschamp has staved off multiple rumours that he's thinking about heading elsewhere. Prior to being deemed the next guy in Austin, his name came up for coaching vacancies at Clemson, Tennessee, Washington, Auburn, and more recently, Notre Dame.

I believe Muschamp will indeed wait. He's in the perfect situation and has all the tools to be successful as the head guy on the Forty Acres.

He has wonderful coaching role model in Mack Brown to learn under.

He has a talent pool that can't be matched anywhere in the state, or perhaps even the country.

He has a supportive fan base and generous alumni donors.

Will Muschamp's personality and coaching style is exactly what a post-Mack Brown Texas would need.

While Mack Brown is the perfect mold of what a college football coach should be, Muschamp adds his own, unique edge. He's only 38, so his youthful passion and fervor would be well received by both players and fans.

Youth also has its advantages on the recruiting trail. Recruits can relate better to a younger coach like Muschamp (not to say Mack doesn't do an incredible job of wooing players).

Try imagining for a second the Texas program developing an even more talented crop of players than they already have available. Hard I know, but if anyone could meet, or even exceed, Mack Brown's ability as a master recruiter, it's Will Muschamp.

His honest and straight-forward mentality could win over a lot of recruits, especially on the defensive side of the ball, that have thoughts of going elsewhere. After all, Muschamp did coach in the SEC for an extended period of time, so it is likely that he could open Texas up to a whole new crop of talented youngsters in the deep south.

Muschamp will continue to be tempted by other teams with head coaching jobs available, as he is one of the hottest assistant coaches in the nation, but ultimately I see him waiting his turn at Texas and inheriting one of college football's premiere programs.

His sheer determination and will to win bode well for a Texas program looking to extend its Big 12 dominance in to the next decade.

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The Fastbreak Houston Rockets Have Run Into a Wall

Robert Kleeman — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:53:20 -0500

Before Friday's tilt with the San Antonio Spurs, the Houston Rockets had not lost two games in a row.

In the first three quarters of Sunday's 100-91 win over Oklahoma City, the Thunder threatened to extend the streak to three.

The Rockets, for their part, seemed to ask for a finishing punch, as if such a blow would end the misery of an embarrassing week.

First, the Dallas Mavericks destroyed the Rockets 130-99, using everything from hot shooting from behind the arc, to Dirk Nowitzki's untouchable fade-away jumper, and Jason Kidd post-ups, to sharpen the attack.

Jason Terry jump started the merciless blitzkrieg Wednesday night with demoralizing shot after demoralizing shot.

The Spurs strolled into town with a three game winning streak and a mission. In the third quarter of that slug-fest, the Rockets clanged 17 consecutive shots; shooting 20 fewer free throws might have hurt as well.

San Antonio escaped Houston with a 92-84 victory and the resilient Rockets seemed to have changed.

Except they didn't and never have.

I disagree with Houston Chronicle columnist Jerome Solomon that it's too early to define the squad.

The Rockets should know by now who they are and what they must do to win.

They must hope to keep the points in the paint, rebound, and win the turnover battle to stay competitive.

Sunday, an extra-shorthanded, red-clad unit, did just that.

The Thunder grabbed 11 less rebounds, coughed up the rock four more times, and lost the war in the paint by 10.

When Carl Landry nets 21 points and 10 rebounds, David Anderson contributes 12 points, and Aaron Brooks goes for 21 points with five steals, the Rockets have a chance to beat any team at any level.

Unfortunately, such blistering performances cannot always happen, and playing hard has little to do with it.

Rick Adelman makes sure the Rockets always give a complete effort. Even when they are getting their butts kicked back to the stone age, they are still trying.

Many observers wanted to blame a lack of intensity for the home losses to the Mavericks and Spurs, but both squads boasted far superior and more experienced talent and hotter circumstantial fuel.

On Tuesday night, the Mavericks were beaten by a Golden State Warriors squad that only dressed six players and was without pneumonia-stricken head coach Don Nelson.

When Houston opened an 11-2 lead, did anyone not expect Rick Carlisle's bunch to respond?

The Spurs headed to Houston with zero road victories in four tries. A defeat would have marked the first time in Tim Duncan's career that the Spurs finished November without a win away from home.

Both the Mavericks and the Spurs have their eyes on the Western Conference title and an NBA championship. The banged-up Rockets just hope to be someone's first-round snack.

The Rockets won't always have more motivation than the opponent, but they will play hard. Some teams don't.

To suggest the Rockets gave up last week is to misunderstand the gravity of the situation.

Yao Ming's absence in the middle necessitates a run-first, run-always approach. The players have said, though, that they want to regain the stingy defensive form Jeff Van Gundy once installed.

The lesson from this week might be the impossible nature of that goal. The Thunder shot 48 percent in a loss, while the Mavericks drilled 65 percent of their shots at Toyota Center.

Running teams rarely play consistent defense, and the Rockets won't be any different.

They will try, with Chuck Hayes, Trevor Ariza, and Shane Battier, and they can succeed on some nights.

To get stops, teams must often slow down the pace, and they need an inside presence to do it. That might be what the Rockets miss most about Yao.

Hall of Fame guard Clyde Drexler, with whom I conversed on Sunday afternoon, agreed.

"The more you run, the more points you give up," he said. "Running teams need a shot blocker."

A quick scan of the roster reveals the 6'6" Hayes as the the primary defensive center. Uh-oh.

The Rockets have fallen at home to two squads with Springfield-bound point guards who make a living on the break.

Kidd led the Nets to consecutive NBA Finals with his devil-may-care passes in the open court, while Steve Nash helped lead Mike D'Antoni's seven-seconds-or-less Suns' offense.

The Rockets must run to get easy buckets, but opponents with more talent, who also run, will annihilate them most of the time.

Defense and this up tempo style of play, do not go hand in hand.

With continued effort, the team could still finish in the top 10 or 15 in field goal percentage defense, a laudable mark given the personnel.

They are doomed, however, to allow more points per contest this season than they have this entire decade.

Get used to nights where the other guys topple the century mark.

One woolly week does not change my preseason prediction. At 9-8, the team can still win more than 30 games and less than 50.

A victory total in that range should allow the Rockets to compete for one of the final playoff spots in the Western Conference.

The Rockets don't have it in them to be consistent every game. There will be nights when they cannot overcome their flaws.

There will be evenings like Sunday, when a double-digit deficit means little. Houston, after all, had won 11 straight against Oklahoma City/Seattle.

This is how life on the run works.

The fastbreak Rockets have hit a wall and unlike the one in Berlin, this one's not coming down anytime soon.

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Dallas Cowboys Injury Report: November 30th

Derek Major — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:53:47 -0500

The Cowboys came out of Oakland healthy and with the Cowboys playing on a short week they have nine days before their next game against the New York Giants.

Linebacker Victor Butler suffered a sprained knee against the Raiders Thursday. He practiced on a limited basis toady but Coach Wade Phillips said it was unknown if Butler would practice on Wednesday.

Safety Ken Hamlin missed practice on Monday but the boot was taken off of his sprained ankle. He's expected to miss 2-4 weeks but it looks like he's recovering faster than expected. Alan Ball will start a third straight game at safety if Hamiln can't go this week.

Tight End Jason Witten played despite a sore foot and looked fine on the field, catching five balls for 107 yards. Witten has missed just one game his entire career and he's expected to practice and play this week.

Linebacker DeMarcus Ware is still playing with a stress fracture but did have a sack in Thursday's game against the Raiders and has eight sacks on the season. Ware is also expected to play against the Giants.

Quarterback Tony Romo played a great game against the Raiders and showed no signs of having a sore back. He practiced on Monday and is expected to start on Sunday.

Running back Marion Barber (Thumb), Linebacker Keith Brooking (Ankle), Safety Gerald Sensabaugh (Wrist), Corner Mike Jenkins (bicep), and Kicker David Buehler (Toe) all played in Thursday's game despite minor injuries and aren't expected to miss any time.

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48 Hours Make Colt McCoy the Clear Heisman Front-Runner

Jeff Dillon — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 10:40:34 -0500

Forty-eight hours.

That is all it took for Colt McCoy to take charge in the Heisman race.

The Texas quarterback, whom many felt was robbed in the voting a season ago, has been one of many names thrown out as possibilities to win college football's most distinguished award.

Perhaps never before had the Heisman race been so unclear so late in the season. "Unclear" in the terms of about 10 or so names all deserving consideration.

Tim Tebow, C.J. Spiller, Toby Gerhart, Jimmy Clausen, Case Keenum, Mark Ingram, and several other names were mentioned not only as candidates, but as Heisman front-runners.

Not any more.

On a wild Thursday night in College Station, Colt McCoy delivered his long-awaited Heisman moment.

The Texas A&M Aggies were playing their best football of the season. Junior quarterback Jerrod Johnson was pulling his best Vince Young impression. The College Station faithful were intent on an upset that would have undercut the Longhorns' BCS title hopes.

Then Colt McCoy took over.

The senior not only threw for 304 yards, four touchdowns and zero interceptions, he also rushed for 175 yards-a career high-and a touchdown.

All-in-all: 479 total offensive yards, five scores and a 49-39 Texas win.

Anyone who watched the Thanksgiving night shoot-out saw just how significant McCoy was to his team's avoidance of a monumental upset.

McCoy repeatedly willed the Longhorns down the field, answering every challenge the Aggies put forth. He played smart, efficient, and gutsy football.

This was a guy intent on keeping his team's undefeated record and national title hopes alive and well.

This was a guy that looked like a Heisman winner.

Just one day later, McCoy's Heisman hopes were given another boost when Alabama's Mark Ingram—considered the award front-runner by many—was held to just 30 yards on 16 carries.

And while the weekend saw impressive performances from other names, including Tebow, Gerhart, and Spiller, no player had a game like McCoy's.

With championship weekend on the horizon, McCoy's numbers read: 3,328 passing yards, 27 TD's, 368 rushing yards, two TD's, and a perfect 12-0 record.

Sure, names like Tebow, Gerhart, and Spiller all have impressive stats, too. But none of them have been the difference in a historical season the way McCoy has been with the Texas Longhorns.

And no one has been the difference in a season-defining win the way McCoy was Thursday night in College Station.

Before Thanksgiving, the Heisman race was a wide-open guessing game. Two days later, some voters likely already had their ballot in the mail.

It's Colt McCoy's season. And it's Colt McCoy's Heisman.

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Gary Kubiak May Take the Fall After Houston Texans' Latest Collapse

Robert Vega — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 10:03:44 -0500

The recipe was familiar. Play one good half and one bad half. Mix in a few questionable throws from Matt Schaub, plus a heartbreaking fourth-quarter performance, and stir.

When finished, garnish with a handful of reasons why this team can beat anyone, and you have the Houston Texans' 2009 season.

Yes, the Texans once again found ways not only to lose a football game, but also to embarrass themselves and their fans.

After the game, there was a lot of talk around the NFL about the Colts' impressive streak of winning five consecutive games when trailing after four quarters.

There was much less talk, however, of the Texans' streak of having been either tied or leading in the fourth quarter of 10 consecutive games—probably because the team has failed to prevail in half of those contests.

No, the majority of the talk regarding the Texans revolved around whether this is the final straw that broke the back of Gary Kubiak's employment as the Texans' head coach.

It's a rather intriguing question that has been fueled by the Texans' recent streak of inconsistent play and the rumor that the team is on Bill Cowher's short list.

Whatever happens to Kubiak, I will always have a soft spot for the fact that he is greatly responsible for taking the Texans from "bottom-feeding joke" to "relevant."

Still, after what is now three straight seasons of mediocrity, despite a continuous improvement in the talent base, one has to wonder whether the problem lies in leadership.

Furthermore, the team has yet to finish with a winning record within the division, and is a pathetic 1-15 against the Colts.

In the team's short seven-year history, they have yet to play a meaningful game in December. That streak may end this year, as the Texans are still technically alive for a playoff spot, but the excitement that should accompany such games is noticeably lacking.

During the bye week, I wrote that the Texans had a legitimate shot to reach the playoffs but would likely need a 10-6 record. To accomplish this, they would need to go 1-1 against the Colts/Pats, 2-1 against the Titans/Jags/Dolphins, and 2-0 against the Seahawks/Rams.

Technically, it is still possible, but the team is hardly playing with the momentum and energy needed to make a playoff run.

The players seem to be lacking the confidence to either sustain a lead or cap a comeback—attributes essential to kicking off the requisite five-game winning streak to finish the season.

The games are, in fact, all winnable. The only game against a top-tier opponent is the final one against New England, and it is possible that the Patriots will have nothing to play for that weekend.

Still, one has to wonder whether they can rebound from five fourth-quarter collapses.

If they can't close out a game, what would make us think that they can close out a season?

Football coaches like to look at a season in quarters—like a football game.

Despite the myriad of mistakes this season, if the Texans can win next week in Jacksonville, they will enter the fourth quarter needing a strong performance to be victorious.

The similarities are frightening.

If the rest of the season continues to mirror the on-field performance, however, we will once again be looking at an early offseason, and possibly a new coach.

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Texas Longhorns Suspend Marcus Davis Indefinitely

Brittany Jacobs — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 03:19:16 -0500

Freshman defensive back Marcus Davis has been suspended indefinitely after being arrested in Pearland (approximately 15 miles South East of Houston) early Saturday morning.

Davis was pulled over around 6:45 AM as he was driving with a flat tire. He was then arrested for driving while intoxicated and for possession of a controlled substance.

"We are very disappointed to hear about the recent allegations against Marcus Davis," Texas coach Mack Brown said in a statement. "He will not be involved in team activities in any way at this time, including participating in either the Big 12 Championship or our bowl game, pending the completion of the legal process."

This is the second arrest in a matter of weeks for the Texas Longhorns. Redshirt freshman D.J. Monroe was arrested two weeks ago on DWI charges. He was pulled over on I-35, the main highway that runs through Austin. He too has been suspended.

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Texas A&M Basketball Hits the National Stage With Full Force

Jeff Shull — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 02:07:58 -0500

The Texas A&M Basketball team has arrived. With wins over two ranked opponents this Thanksgiving holiday weekend, people will start considering the Aggies as a real opponent to Kansas and Texas for the Big 12 title.

In the 76 Classic tournament, the Ags opened up play with a convincing win over No. 19 Clemson, winning 69-60. The Aggies used defense, three point shooting, and a 15-2 late first half run to put away Clemson.

The team is playing unselfish ball and incredible team defense; something that has not lacked since Billy Gillespie coached the team.

BJ Holmes led the Aggies past the Tigers with 20 points. His leadership staved off a late second half run that saw their lead cut to two.

The Aggies are the definition of a balanced team; they have had four different leading scorers in six games. They know they can turn to a number of different players to lead them offensively in any situation.

In the semi-final game of the tournament, the Aggies faced No. 8 West Virginia and lost 73-66. They fell short defensively due to the absence of All-Big 12 defender Derrick Roland for most of the game due to injury.

The game was close for most of the game before a 12-1 Mountaineer second half run with the scored tied at 44. The Aggies refused to quit. They fought back from an 11 point deficit to cut it to four with 1:08 left. After a free throw, A&M got the ball back down five with a chance to stay in the game.

However, Donald Sloan gave the game away by allowing Devin Ebanks to steal the ball from him and go down for a slam dunk and a foul. He made the free throw to end any hope of an Aggie run. Just for good measure, he did the exact same thing to Sloan their next possession.

Although they were without their defensive stud, they still managed to give a top 10 team all they could handle. How would they come off a tough loss, you might ask?

The Aggies responded by beating No. 16 Minnesota in the third place game.

Derrick Roland was back and healthy as ever. He turned in 19 points to go along with his usual dominance in perimeter defense.

Even though the Aggies got the victory, the late turnovers and poor free throw shooting almost gave the game away. 50 free throws per player at the next practice would do the team some good; just ask Memphis fans.

The Aggies had a 66-59 lead with just over a minute to play, but allowed the Golden Gophers within one and a chance to win the game with 19.4 seconds left. Bryan Davis saved the game, blocking Paul Carter's shot with around five seconds to play.

A&M has arrived, whether you like it or not.

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Thunder-Rockets: Oklahoma City Lets Lead Slip Away

Casey Womack — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:43:40 -0500

Some losses are understandable. Some losses just drive you insane.

This loss against the Houston Rockets is one where you go insane.

The Oklahoma City Thunder had every opportunity possible to come out of the Ford Center with a victory.

The Thunder came out of the gates on fire offensively and was containing a very quick Rockets team.

The beginning of the game looked very similar to how they played against Orlando a couple weeks ago that resulted in the Thunder embarrassing Dwight Howard and the Magic. However, this time they faced a tough physical Rockets team that dominated on the glass.

When was the last time you saw a team get 23 offensive rebounds? Go ahead, I'll wait. Although, if you watched the game, you might have noticed the Rockets got plenty of lucky bounces off the rim that went straight back to a Houston player.

After three quarters of play, the Thunder led by two while having a loud Ford Center and a winnable defensive outing.

But then the Rockets got hot. It was all thanks to Aaron Brooks deciding to show up for the second half. His ridiculous quickness off the designed picks were too much for Westbrook to keep up with and eventually cost the Thunder late in the game.

Even with Luis Scola out with a bad cut to his eyelid, the Rockets didn't seem to skip a beat.

Plus, Oklahoma City minus James Harden stayed cold as ice from beyond the arch. The team went 1-15 Sunday evening. Kevin Durant continued his three point drought. I can't remember the last time KD got hot from trey-ball land.

Defensively, Thabo Sefolosha didn't have his best outing. He made a couple of mental mistakes leaving Trevor Ariza wide open for crucial three point shots. Serge Ibaka also had a decent night getting a few key blocks and rebounds, but whiffed on a few block attempts and left his man with an easy dunk.

Ibaka will be a defensive monster late in the season—I guarantee it.

If Ibaka can learn to not leave his feet so often and focus on playing fundamental defense, he will be a nightmare for teams down the stretch.

Even so, Thunder fans left with a bitter taste in their mouths thinking about what could have been. Hopefully the injured Thunder squad will learn from this loss and will come out better because of it.

Bring on the 76ers.

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The Way I See it: A Look at College Football's Top 25 (Nov. 29)

Drew Gatewood — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 18:56:19 -0500

1. Texas 12-0

The Big 12 Championship and a BCS title Game berth are on the line for the Longhorns this week.

Next: Nebraska

2. Florida 12-0

We’ve been waiting for this game all year, and so has The Crimson Tide.

Next: Alabama

3. Alabama 12-0

They travel to Atlanta with revenge on their minds, but will this year be any different?

Next: Florida

4. TCU 12-0

They’re waiting to see whom they play in a BCS bowl.

Next: Bowl Game

5. Cincinnati 11-0

The Bearcats had better sleep on an angry Panther team this week.

Next: Pittsburgh

6. Boise State 12-0

Will Boise be able to gain enough respect for an at large BCS bid?

Next: Bowl Game

7. Ohio State 10-2

The Buckeyes are in the clubhouse waiting for their show-down with the winner of Ducks and Beavers.

Next: (Rose Bowl)

8. Oregon 9-2

The ducks haven’t fared well in the civil war lately, they need to change that in order to smell the roses.

Next: Oregon State

9. Iowa 10-2

They won an ugly game and now wait to see if they can get a BCS at large bid.

Next: Bowl Game

10. Penn State 10-2

The Nittany Lions looked very impressive during their 42-14 win

Next: Bowl Game

11. Virginia Tech 8-3

The Hokies crushed the Cavaliers after a rough first half.

Next: Bowl Game

12. BYU 9-2

It took an overtime, but they beat Utah and improved bowl positioning.

Next: Bowl Game

13. Nebraska 8-3

The Huskers want to ruin Texas’s season and go to a BCS bowl.

Next: Bowl Game

14. Pittsburgh 9-2

The Big East crown is on the line this week along with the Panthers respect.

Next: Cincinnati

15. Georgia Tech 10-2

A dropped pass on fourth down doomed the Jackets against the Dawgs.

Next: Clemson

16. Houston 9-2

Houston’s 73 points are tops among any college football team this year.

Next: ECU

17. USC 8-3

They beat UCLA, but three losses on the year still stings a bit.

Next: Bowl Game

18. California 8-3

Beating the Huskies puts them in a better bowl.

Next: Washington

19. LSU 9-3

Another nail biter for LSU fans, this time turns out on the positive side.

Next: Bowl Game

20. Miami 9-3

The Canes made it rain on USF this weekend, once again beating their instate rival.

Next: Bowl Game

21. West Virginia 8-3

The Backyard Brawl turned out to be another nail biter in the fourth quarter.

Next: Bowl Game

22. Oregon State 8-3

The Civil war will always mean more than a Rose Bowl berth, but this year it adds another level of excitement.

Next: Oregon

23. Utah 9-3

The Utes have had another tough game slip away late.

Next: Bowl Game

24. Oklahoma State 9-3

Oklahoma put the BCS at large bid talk to sleep for the Cowboys this week.

Next: Bowl Game

25. Stanford 8-4

The Cardinal put the nail in Weis’ coffin this week as they got a late victory over the Irish.

Next: Bowl Game

Here's a look at the Terrible 10:

The Terrible Ten: College Football's Biggest Disappointments (Nov 29)

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The Dallas Cowboys are Good, but Something Is Still Missing

John Frascella — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 18:10:46 -0500

...And that something is a someone .

His name is Terrell Owens.

This is where the die-hard, rah-rah traditionalists say, "What are you talking about? The guy is a selfish player, all about himself, and the Cowboys are in first place without him."

Yes, Dallas is 8-3 and atop the NFC East, but anyone—Cowboys fan or not—that believes that Owens' departure is the explanation for their success, is either lying to themselves or doesn't follow Dallas very closely.

While WR2 Miles Austin has enjoyed a refreshing breakout season, WR1 Roy Williams (who was supposed to "replace" Owens) has been a dud, and one of the favorite whipping boys for analysts around the league. Williams makes ill-advised comments just as Owens did, but he doesn't have the statistical production to back it up. Let's go to the numbers to date:

Williams: 26 rec, 444 yards, 4 TD

Owens: 40 rec, 659 yards, 3 TD

All right, so Roy has one more TD than T.O., but T.O. has 14 more receptions and a 215-yard advantage. And here's the kicker: this is one of the worst, if not the worst season of Owens' Hall of Fame career.

In addition, Bills fans have rightfully blamed Dick Jauron and QB Trent Edwards for Owens' numerical decline, as a new head coach and quarterback have immediately returned No. 81 to form.

T.O.'s last two games with QB Ryan Fitzpatrick at the helm: 9 rec 197 yards 1 TD, and 5 rec 96 yards 1 TD. Edwards was horrific as the starter this season, struggling with a lack of arm strength and a stubbornness in regards to Owens.

When you have a receiver of that caliber at your disposal, it's OK to rely on them. If he can single-handedly win games for you, there shouldn't be an intense desire to spread the ball around to multiple targets.

Fitzpatrick, a Harvard man, understands that.

That doesn't mean that all other receivers should be ignored, only that Owens should be leaned upon and force fed if necessary.

So Owens has outproduced Roy Williams despite having to deal with Edwards' ineptitude for too long, and the fact that QB Tony Romo is about fifty times better than both of Buffalo's quarterbacks. Owens may have been an off-the-field distraction in Dallas, but on the field, he and Romo had excellent chemistry. Both put up exceptional numbers during their era as teammates.

As for the current Cowboys, sure they are 8-3, but they are lacking in offensive explosiveness. RBs Marion Barber and Felix Jones have struggled with injuries at different times during the year, TE Jason Witten has been less productive, and WR3 Patrick Crayton is here today, gone tomorrow.

For me to consider this team a serious Super Bowl contender, they would need a WR1 like, oh...Terrell Owens. I like Jerry Jones, but something tells me that this major offseason decision is going to bite him in the behind.

I've been very impressed by Wade Phillips' defensive unit in '09, but a strong defense and average offense isn't going to cut it this year. Not with the Colts, Saints, Vikings, and Patriots around.

I expect the Cowboys to reach the postseason with relative ease, but don't expect them to get very far.

Not without a receiver like No. 81.

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Fire Gary Kubiak Before Another Season Is Wasted

Vik Vij — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 16:29:08 -0500

The Houston Texans played almost a flawless first half and jumped out to a 20-7 lead at halftime. Sure, some points were left on the field and there were a few mistakes, but leading the Colts by 13 at the half is pretty good. At one point the Texans were up 17-0.

(Photo caption: Gary Kubiak looking away from another Houston field goal attempt)

Then the second half started. Something snapped. The wheels came off the bus. The Texans took their foot off the gas and scored exactly ZERO meaningful points while the Colts went up and down the field and scored four unanswered touchdowns to take a 35-27 victory. Jacoby Jones' touchdown with 18 seconds left might have made the onside kick meaningful, but it did little to change the game.

What happened in the second half? Where was the leadership? Matt Schaub certainly made some mistakes and threw two back breaking interceptions. Let's break these down a bit further.

On the first pick, there was some sort of breakdown. Andre Johnson ran one route and Schaub threw to a second route. The only problem was that two Colt defenders were there to pick off the errant pass. It was like fielding a punt the throw was so offline.

At this moment, there was some sense or feeling that things were going to get worse.

And worse they got. Schaub threw another horrible interception that was returned for a touchdown by linebacker Clint Session. Schaub just made a poor decision and made a bad pass to James Casey. Apparently, he didn't see Session undercutting the route.

Schaub also held onto the ball too long and was stripped by Robert Mathis when the outcome of the game was still in the air. Chad Simpson scampered into the end zone moments later and the game was effectively over.

But this loss does not fall onto Schaub's shoulders.

Why did the Texans take their foot off the gas? You can't let a great team like the Colts hang around. The Texans must learn how to finish games. Houston's lack of killer instinct came back to haunt them again.

What is the problem? Is it the talent? I don't think so. The offense is loaded with play makers even without injured Owen Daniels. Andre Johnson is flat out amazing. He routinely makes incredible catches. James Casey looks promising in his rookie year. The offensive line is playing well. Steve Slaton is (hopefully) over his fumbling issues. Kevin Walter is a very effective second receiver.

On the other side of the ball, the defense has come around. Mario Williams pressured Peyton Manning all day. Brian Cushing and Demeco Ryans are good linebackers. Bernard Pollard and Glover Quin have made the secondary better.

One quick note. There is a major problem with Dunta Robinson, however. He cannot cover anyone anymore. Granted, Reggie Wayne is a great receiver, but Robinson couldn't get near him without interfering. Was there a bigger off season blunder bigger than Robinson's leaving $23 million guaranteed on the table? He's not going to get anything close to that in the future.

My point is, the talent is there. That's not the problem. Again, I urge you examine Gary Kubiak's role in another loss.

Who made the decision to take the foot off the gas? Who is the leader of the team? Who made minimal at best half time adjustments?

Kubiak. Kubiak. Kubiak.

There is almost a sense of panic in the way that Kubiak coaches. When the Colts got a little momentum, Kubiak went for a big play down field. Never mind that the running backs had just picked up 15 yards on two plays to move the chains. That seems like a great time to go for a home run.

Now, I'm all for being aggressive. This is football, not soccer. But being aggressive just for the sake of it? Insane. Can Antonio Smith's three personal fouls in the past 6 days be indicative of the panic coming from the head coach? Is Smith's lack of composure a reflection of Kubiak's?

Kubiak seemingly panics whenever adversity shows up. It's permeating the entire team. People always say that a team takes on the personality of the head coach. Well, the Texans seemed to panic and were unable to finish the game. Sound familiar?

There is too much talent on this team being wasted by an inept and ineffective coach. As a offensive coordinator under a strong willed head coach in Denver, Kubiak was successful. Let's pause to mention Mike Shanahan and John Elway. But, note the strong head coach.

In Houston, Kubiak has hired baby-faced Shanahan Junior and a first time defensive coordinator in Frank Bush. Where is the strong personality leading the team? Who is the one in charge? Is is the coach who doesn't even look at field goal attempts? I say, emphatically, no!

The Texans were 5-3 and are currently riding a three game losing streak. Every game has been close, minus the season opener. Couldn't some better coaching help this team win even one of those games?

Blown challenges, poor clock management, poor leadership. Minus the success and 200 pounds, Kubiak does a pretty good Andy Reid impression.

Could the Texans win out and make the playoffs? Yes, it's not entirely out of the question but it seems unlikely.

But isn't four years enough time to determine what kind of coach Kubiak is?

I say, again, yes. It's been enough time. We've seen what Kubes can do. It's time for a real coach. Dom Capers led the team through four playoff-less seasons before Bob McNair showed him the door. I think Kubes has been at the helm long enough to show what he can and can't do.

It's time to fire Kubiak after the season. Firing him now would not solve anything. Interim coaches rarely do anything positive. Mike Singeltary was a huge exception to this rule. But, the time for Kubiak to go has come.

Before another season is wasted.

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SEC Secures Spot in BCS Title Game: Will Texas Be Next?

Pete Misthaufen — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 05:49:12 -0500

With Alabama and Florida finishing the regular season undefeated, the SEC now has eliminated any possibility of the SEC not having a team in the BCS title game. Now, it only remains to determine which team the SEC will face in its quest for a fourth consecutive BCS title.

With six undefeated teams, it would appear that the BCS was headed to the so-called "Doomsday scenario", that some pundits believe would lead to the implementation of a playoff.

While having four or more undefeated teams would seem at first glance as a problem for the BCS, the real problem is having an outsider make the BCS title game.

And by outsider, I mean Cincinnati as much as TCU. Have no doubt, even with its auto-bid status, the Big East does not have the required status, nor does the ACC outside of Miami, Virginia Tech, and Florida State.

Currently, unless Nebraska can find a way to win the Big 12 championship game versus Texas, the powers-that-be of the BCS will take comfort that they avoided what they view as a true disaster.

As a supporter of system shock , I can only hope for this type of doomsday soon. So, unless the Cornhuskers win, the BCS will avoid their worst nightmare. Having Boise State, TCU, and Cincy on the outside looking in will actually make them all content and happy.

Now, TCU and Texas have been very close together in the BCS computers for several weeks. There is a small chance that TCU could get a boost in the computers and human polls for the final BCS standings if Cincy loses (combined with the SEC championship game).

In such a situation, TCU most likely would be a strong No. 3 in the human polls, behind Texas, but with just enough computer help to move ahead by a small fraction. However, this is very unlikely and TCU needs a Texas loss.

One other possibility is a Texas loss and a very close battle in Atlanta. In such a situation, there is also a remote possibility of a Florida-Alabama rematch, but that would create such a stir and a turmoil that it is extremely unlikely.

Even with a Texas loss, TCU would likely need an assist from Pitt just to eliminate the Bearcat threat.

So, BCS tyrants, you are most likely going to get your way. But be prepared to deal with another difficult year in Washington, D.C., as the politicians badger Mr. Hancock and Mr. Perlman yet again.

And no, Ari the P.R. mouthpiece is not going to help resolve this situation. Not unless he can convince the BCS boneheads to finally bring in a playoff.

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Kidd and Beaubois: Mavericks' Defensive Dynamic Duo

Alex McVeigh — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 23:00:02 -0500

The Dallas Mavericks are making a strong defensive stance this season. Previously, they lived and died by their jump shot—when it was cold, they lost; when it was falling, they won.

Instead, when the Mavericks shoot poorly, they still manage to keep it close. When their shot is falling, they're damn near unstoppable.

That being said, they still have some defensive weaknesses, namely defending quick, smaller point guards. Chris Paul and Tony Parker routinely shred the Mavericks in the playoffs.

As recently as four days ago, we saw a small-guard duo of Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis decimate the Mavericks particularly in the closing period, where the Warriors outscored the Mavericks over the closing stretch by almost 20 points despite the Warriors only playing six players.

Now, its understandable that the Mavericks are going lose games that they should win. Hopefully, it only happens three or four times per season.

But the closing stretch of the Warriors game showed us that, as much as J.J. Barea is a great layer off the bench, he's a weak point defensively. In fact, teams are going to attack him over and over if he is in there at crunch time.

The Mavercks were up nine points with seven minutes to go, and then the Warriors decided to start attacking Barea. The rest, as they say, is history.

I wrote a previous article about how the fearsome foursome of Barea, Jason Kidd, Rodrigue Beaubois and Terry is helping the Mavs get things done. But now I'm going to whittle that down to Beaubois and Kidd, who really help the Mavs get things done on the defensive end.

We all know Kidd's legs have slowed down a step, but his hands are still pretty quick as evidenced by his average of almost two steals per game over his career and 1.67 steals per game this year.

Kidd also has a great body for defense for a guard, his 6'4, 210 pound frame—the same one that helped him become one of the best rebounding point guards of all time—is great for fighting around picks, as well as giving a driving defender a little bit of a bump.

He just lacks the footspeed to keep up with people like Paul and Parker.

Enter Beaubois. About 6-1, but with an amazing 6-10 wingspan and an unbelievable 40 inch vertical leap, he has the physical tools to provide exactly the kind of defense that Kidd suffers from.

Beaubois was the difference on Brandon Jennings in the OT win a few weeks ago, when Brandon Jennings dropped 13 on the Mavs in the fourth quarter.

Beaubois started the OT period and held Jennings to a pair of free throws, guarding him on two missed three-pointers, including one where he made a physics-defying block to set up Dirk's game winner.

Beaubois' combination of wingspan and footspeed help him keep up with those guards, and he can always get a hand in the face, if not a hand on the ball.

While Kidd is weak directly defending the ball, he's a great help defender. There's no reason that a competent defender couldn't force people into Kidd's waiting hands/arms to go for a steal.

Which is why the Golden State Warriors game was such a tragedy, because Beaubois could have more than likely stopped the bleeding as Curry ripped the Mavs apart in the closing minutes.

I understand if the Mavs prefer to close out the game with Terry at the two, because they need some late game offense to take the scoring load off Dirk. But the Warriors are one of the only teams the Mavs could get away with playing Kidd, Beaubois and Terry, because of their lack of size.

I mean, the Warriors played Mikki Moore the whole night as their center!

It's a tough way to learn a lesson because come the end of the season, the Mavericks will need every mark in the win column they can get.

Hopefully Carlisle can learn once and for all that unless it's garbage time, JJ Barea does not need to be in there, and the Mavs can get some late game defense from the duo of Kidd and Beaubois.

For more of my articles about the Dallas Mavericks, and the other teams in the NBA Southwest division, check me out at Fan Huddle .

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The Answer Is On The Runway? A.I. Could Learn From Jet Terry

Robert Kleeman — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:03:50 -0500

To the surprise of few, Allen Iverson announced his retirement Wednesday weeks after the Memphis Grizzlies agreed to release him from his one-year contract.

For fans of the courageous slashing combo guard, the decision marked the bitter end of a media-driven smear campaign. His ardent supporters would not allow themselves to blame Iverson for his petulant behavior.

Instead, they chastised anyone who dared to question his loyalty, will to win or ego.

A player with such talent has the right to behave in any manner he wants. Damn you if you disagree.

To those not blinded by the unfulfilled potential of his awesome basketball faculties, a retirement after 14 years represents a legacy destroyed.

Iverson could play several more productive years, but no one wanted to sign him under his rigid conditions.

The desperate Memphis Grizzlies signed him in September as a last resort sales ploy. The acquisition did boost ticket sales for a few days, but the boneheaded decision to sic him on O.J. Mayo and Rudy Gay could ruin the rest of the year for the franchise.

The prospect of decline and a reserve role prompted one of the NBA's leading men to bow out before the final act of the play.

The immovable force, well, moved in the wrong direction.

He should still be playing, but instead he decided ego preservation was more important than winning.

Michael Curry and Lionel Hollins never asked Iverson to come off the bench because they thought Rodney Stuckey, O.J. Mayo and Mike Conley Jr. were superior players.

The best player at a given position on a team doesn't always start. Future Hall of Famer Manu Ginobili and explosive scorer—J.R. Smith can attest to that.

Ginobili won a championship as the ultimate super sub in 2007. Lamar Odom produced off the pine for much of the L.A. Lakers latest championship run.

Dallas Mavericks guard Jason Terry, however, provides the best parallel.

Perceptions about Terry have changed since his embrace of a second-unit starring role.

He scored 35 points in a pivotal NBA Finals game as a starter. Then, observers wondered if he was just accumulating stats for a fat contract extension.

His deal conveniently expired after that Finals run.

The next year, after winning the sixth most regular season games in league history, the Mavericks flamed out in the first round to the eighth seeded Warriors.

Terry's play in the parts of the series could be compared to vomit.

Then, Avery Johnson decided that his team's second unit needed more firepower. He made Terry a full-time reserve, and the results were smashing.

Rick Carlisle concurred with Johnson about Terry's reserve value.

After dealing with Jason Kidd, Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard in the starting five, opponents would have to handle a lethal scorer with limitless range and veins with freezer burn.

His impact did not lessen because the PA announcer no longer called his name during the starting introductions.

His role, in fact, augmented.

Terry can establish his presence as much after six minutes as he can from the opening tip.

If Iverson followed Terry's lead, he would still be playing. And winning.

His 18 ppg average looks similar to his numbers as a starter.

What Terry realized that Iverson should have: a reserve role means free reign in the offense.

It means more shots and sometimes more points. Ginobili's highest season average came in a reserve role.

Ditto for Smith.

I get the differences between the two players, dear Iverson fanatics.

Terry has never carried a team on his back for a full season.

He was not a number one pick.

Terry is not headed to Springfield.

His career scoring totals cannot measure up to Iverson's.

Still, Terry has been to the same number of championship series, and he boasts one more Finals win than Iverson.

You can collate that.

It was difficult to watch the Jet demolish the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on Wednesday and not think of how Iverson could wreak similar havoc.

Terry was the best player on the floor, and he single handedlyerased a 12-point deficit with his dead-eye shooting.

If you squinted for a moment, you might have seen Kobe Bryant. He was that deadly.

After allowing an 11-2 lead, the Mavericks thumped the Rockets 130-99.

Would Dallas have won so handily with Terry on the floor in the opening minutes?

Imagine Iverson as a Celtics reserve. A limited role behind Rajon Rondo would mask his dangerous gambles on defense and his aversion to practice.

He could dominate the ball, and thus, dominate other second units. With Eddie House and Rasheed Wallace at his side, would anybody stop the Boston bench?

Instead of retirement, Iverson would be running toward the championship that would complete his career.

Perceptions would change. If they did for Terry, why wouldn't they for Iverson?

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Cowboys Crush Raiders 24-7, Face Tough December

Derek Major — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 13:49:38 -0500

The Cowboys know that December is going to be a tough month and with a game against the lowly Raiders the Cowboys didn't play with their Thanksgiving food as they dominated the game start to finish.

The Cowboys' offense was as perfect as a Thanksgiving turkey. Tony Romo went 18-for-29 for 308 yards and two TDs. Receiver Miles Austin and Tight End Jason Witten benefited from Romo's good day as they had plenty of balls to catch.

Jason Witten had five catches for 107 yards, his longest catch coming in the third quarter when Romo avoided a sack and hit Witten for a 44-yard catch and run that led to a Roy Williams TD. Witten was questionable on Monday but his sore foot improved during the week and he showed no signs of the injury during the game.

Miles Austin had been held in check the last two games but busted out on Turkey Day with seven catches for 145 yards and one TD. Austin beat pro bowl safety Nnamdi Asomugha a few times and was able to score on a screen pass after his TD two plays before was overturned after a official challenge.

The running game for the Cowboys was great. Smash, Dash and Tash each had one run of over 30 yards and finished with 196 yards combined. Marion Barber had 61 yards on 14 carries and also added a 42-yard catch. Felix Jones finished with seven carries for 68 yards including a 46-yard TD run that gave the Cowboys a 10-0 lead. Tashard Choice ran mainly out of the Wildcat and finished with three carries for 67 yards including a 66-yard scamper that set up a Nick Folk Field goal to make it 3-0.

The Cowboys defense gave up less than 10 points for the second straight game. Bruce Gradkowski (18-for-35, 200 yards and one TD) was pressured throughout the game and sacked three times. Gradkowski connected with Darrius Heyward-Bey for the Raiders only TD in the third quarter.

Linebacker Anthony Spencer finally got his first two sacks of the season while the man he replaced Greg Ellis, sat on the Raiders bench with a swollen knee. DeMarcus Ware also had a sack and a forced fumble recovered by Jay Ratliff to end the first half.

The running game for the Raiders was successful early in the game, but as the game went on the Cowboys front seven took control. Justin Fargas finished with 63 yards on 12 carries; Darren McFadden had eight carries for 23 yards and added 43 yards receiving.

The Cowboys secondary shut down the Raiders receivers as tight end Zach Miller led the team with 73 yards on five catches. Heyward-Bey, Chad Schilens and Louis Murphy combined for just six catches and 75 yards.

The Cowboys now head into December where the Cowboys are 17-29 since 1999 and this December won't be an easy one. The Cowboys face the Giants on the road, and then face the Chargers at home before going on a two game road trip to New Orleans and Washington.

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Colt McCoy Says Goodbye Texas A&M Aggies; Hello Heisman

Gene Strother — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 09:05:54 -0500

The Texas A&M Aggies played their "national championship" (of the Republic of Texas) yesterday. They played well. They fought valiantly. They left everything they had on the field.

And...they lost.

The Texas Longhorns narrowly escaped their matchup with Texas A&M, 49-39. Some will hold that against them, since the Aggies are now a mere 6-6. Those who do so either do not understand the dynamics of such a rivalry, the hostility of that environment, or they didn't see the game.

Great teams find a way to win, even when an upset is in the air. Upset was in the air at Kyle Field last night. The air was thick with it. The crowd could taste it every time they kissed in celebration of another Aggie score.

There were plenty of Aggie scores for one primary reason: His name is Jerrod Johnson. The Aggie quarterback was simply brilliant. By halftime, Johnson had thrown for 199 yards and three touchdowns. He completed 13 of his 15 passes in the first half, too. He was improvising masterfully, throwing accurately, and making timely plays, time after time.

Trouble for Johnson was this: as good as he was, Colt McCoy was better. Colt matched Johnson blow for blow and then one-upped him with a masterful half-ending drive to send Texas to the locker room with a 28-21 lead.

BY game's end, Colt McCoy was 24 of 40 for 304 yards. He threw four touchdown passes. He also ran for 175 yards on 18 carries, including a game-breaking 65-yard TD scamper right through the heart of the A&M defense.

Said Mack Brown after the game, "If anybody has a better Heisman moment than that, I would like to see it."

Me too.

Colt was big time in prime time and he almost single-handedly willed a vulnerable, exhausted, shell-shocked Longhorns football team to victory.

Shine the hardware. Go ahead and engrave it, too.

That is C-o-l-t.

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A USC Trojan Fan's Perspective of the Texas Longhorns

Rick McMahan — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 07:52:44 -0500

As the title of this piece suggests, I am a fan of the USC Trojans. More specifically, I am a disappointed fan of the USC Trojans.

The 2009 college football season has been one of chagrin of both myself and my fellow fans of the Men of Troy.

Nonetheless, I remain, even in this time of abject angst over my Trojans, a fan of college football.

As such, I cozied up to my television, fat from too much holiday eats, and prepared to watch what I thought was the best college football team in the land, the Texas Longhorns.

Now, I am not so sure.

Yes, the Longhorns impressed me on offense.

My Heisman vote, if I were to have one, would be directly deposited into the account of Colt McCoy, who is a marvellous talent. Hell, I might even be convinced to cast my ballot for Jordan Shipley, McCoy's roommate and a fantastic wide receiver in his own right.

The Longhorn offense, in my opinion, is among the very best in the land.

However, there is more to a football team than just the offense. And what I saw last night of the Texas defense has given me cause to pause.

Texas A&M, an up-and-coming team with some nice young talent, but still only a .500 team, ran and passed through the Longhorn defense with impunity.

How does 532 total yards and 39 points sound?

To the Longhorns and their faithful fans, probably like an out of tune garage band.

For me, last night only served to reinforce what I already suspected: that this year, there is no completely dominant college football team.

Florida, Alabama, and now Texas have all displayed significant chinks in its armor.

I remain unconvinced as to the quality of teams such as Boise State and TCU.

In a season where traditional powerhouses such as my Trojans and Oklahoma have been mediocre at best, even those with unblemished records have significant warts.

Of course, there is still time for the Texas defense to right its ship.

In the Big 12 championship game, they should easily handle Nebraska.

And certainly they are in the drivers seat to meet either Florida or Alabama in the national championship game. In that game, they will have an opportunity to show the nation that they are indeed a championship team.

But they won't do it with the kind of defensive effort I witnessed last night.

And unless some team displays a complete team game that shows excellence on both sides of the ball, this season will continue, for me, to be what it already has been.

A disappointment.

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