Tuesday Morning Running Back Week 6: Trouble In Big D And Foxborough.

Sorry for the two day delay for this column. When you're going for a Master's degree and overwhelmed with schoolwork, it's inevitable.

Anyway, I want to make one thing perfectly clear in this week's big story, Something is very wrong in Dallas.

Maybe it doesn't seem as bad as it did on Sunday with both the Giants and Redskins losing, but you have to admit that the Cowboys loss to the Cardinals was a bitter pill to swallow.

Usually, when you score 10 points against a notoriously bad defense in the final two minutes, fate is on your side, especially when your kicker makes a 52 yard field goal as the clock ran out in regulation.

However, the poor play of the Dallas special teams unit cost them badly, as they gave up two touchdowns, including one on a demoralizing blocked punt in overtime to give the Cardinals a victory.

Now, there's word that golden boy Tony Romo will be nursing a broken pinkie for four weeks, and that Pac, ahem, Adam Jones can't stay out of trouble with the law.

Getting WR Roy Williams from the Lions will help, but can you really trust Brad Johnson as your quarterback when he's forty and hasn't started a game in two years?

If the Cowboys don't right the ship soon, Wade Phillips's Father's nickname will not be used a term of endearment. He will always be known as a "Bum" in Dallas

Now, that we've analyzed the woes of the Cowboy's let's analyze some woes for other teams. Onto the bullets!

• Whose luck is better right now, the Arizona Cardinals or John McCain's?
• If Matt Cassel doesn't learn to throw the deep ball, the effect is going to be two-fold. The offense won't score and Randy Moss will lose his patience with the system.
• I knew the Chargers were going to take their frustrations out on the beleaguered Patriots, but when you have a 4th and goal from the one, and can't punch it in, you know it's not your night.
• Did the Giants even know that their game was on Monday? They sleepwalked through that one.
• If you think football is a game that is decided by the end of the first half, consider this. 4 of the 8 1 PM games last Sunday were decided in the last ten seconds.
• Whoops of the week goes to Lions QB Dan Orlovsky, who ran out of the back of his own end zone and thus gave the Vikings two easy points.
• In the Lions defense though I will say that they got hosed on the pass interference call that led to the game winning field goal for the Vikings.
• At this point, not even John Madden can fix the woes of the Raiders.
• One word describes Drew Brees on Sunday, accurate.
• Tough loss for the Redskins on two fronts, they turned the ball over three times and they lost to the Rams.
• New Rams coach Jim Haslett has a clause in his contract that says he can have the interim tag removed if he wins 6 games and he will then in turn earn a six-figure bonus. So far so good.
• What were the odds that the Texans Jacoby Jones would leap into the arms of his Mother who was seated in the front row while celebrating his first NFL touchdown? I'd say pretty darn good when you figure she probably got in for free.
• Kudos to Texans offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan for having the guts to call a quarterback sneak from the two yard line. It paid off.
• There's no truth to the rumor that Joey Votto, Edison Volquez and Paul Bako will start for the Bengals next week. Desperation is a terrible thing.
• The Panther defense had shut down every marquee runner from Larry Johnson to Michael Turner, but the ageless Warwick Dunn run amok against them. It must be a wisdom of the ages thing.
• Just remember Falcon fans, Jason Elam could've easily been the goat on Sunday.
• A strong offensive effort and a slew of turnovers helped the Colts finally get a win in their new home.
• I think the 49er's sleepwalked through the 4th quarter on Sunday as they gave up 23 points to the Eagles in the fourth.
• You think the Browns still regret trading away Charlie Frye last season? He only threw for 64 total yards last week.
• The Broncos are a hard team to figure out, one week their offense can do no wrong and the next, a tough defense stops them cold. It will be interesting to see what happens at the razor next week.
• Enjoy your weekend, and make sure to respond to the weekly poll question. I'd appreciate it. See you next week.