So much for a boring bye-week

Ok... I really don't know what to think about this whole situation with TO. Did he try to kill himself, or was this thing just one huge media avalanche of speculation? Frankly, I am ready to put this whole thing to rest and get back to football. If TO did try to end his life, I hope he gets some help. I don't think anyone out there would want to see any person struggle with issues of that nature.

It does seem like there is always something surrounding him. Maybe you can chalk some of it to the media, but this is the kind of baggage that comes with a player of TO's magnitude. But the one thing that you can't argue is the talent that he brings to the team. He is a special player with a skill-set that the Cowboys haven't had in forever. Hopefully this will blow over and TO can get back to scoring touchdowns and helping this team get to the next level.

One thing that I did get out of this whole ordeal, was finding out that TO lives 2 blocks away from my studio in Deep Ellum. Kind of cool.

– S

Catching Up

As a fellow human being, I'm glad T.O. is still with us, as I would never wish harm upon anyone. If, indeed, he has issues, I hope he can work them out.

In the off season, I was a big proponent of signing T.O. with the caveat that if anything went wrong, then the Boys should cut ties with him, so after the latest incident, I think it's time for the Boys to look to the future - a future without T.O. on the team.

I'm not arguing his value to the team - I like having T.O. as a TRUE #1 WR, because it opens up the offense and benefits other players like Glenn, Jones, Witten, et. al., but I think with his fragile ego and possible fragile mental state, it's just a matter of time before Parcells goes to Jerry and says, "him-or-me."

The Cowboys should focus on finally acquiring a DEPENDABLE, (mental and physical) YOUNG stud #1 WR (someone like Calvin Johnson, above), because Glenn and T.O. are in their 30's. Crayton has skills and is a potential starting #2, but I'm not sure he's a #1. That said, I hope the Boys have all of their scouts scouring the college ranks for the next stud WR.

Might Hurd or Austin develop as a #1? It would be great, because it means saving a high pick for another position, but the odds are long that the young guys will become the Cowboys next true WR. Drew Pearson, Rod Smith and Steve Largent are a few examples of non-drafted #1 WR's, but they are definitely the exception and not the rule. I feel it's time to invest a high pick on a WR.

I am wary of the teams past inability to develop WRs in the Jerry Jones era. Irvin was a stud. Alvin Harper and Kevin WIlliams, and Patrick Crayton were/are solid complimentary players, but that's it for drafted WRs. Not so good.

Hopefully, Jeff Ireland and crew can find a good one — one without the baggage.

-M

Days Gone BYE

As a die-hard fan of the Cowboys, I hate bye weeks. I wait around all off-season, studying the draft, reading all about camp, then start getting into the games and players, then…it all comes to a screeching halt.

But, maybe this one came at a good time. It gives T.O. time to heal, we re-up Bradie James, but then after this week, it's nothing but non-stop Cowboys action.

After thinking it over, as a fan I'd rather it happen now than in the latter part of the season when the games get more important and we all get more ravenous for action.

That said, this week can't go by soon enough.

- M

Post Game Thoughts

Perhaps the best news of the Cowboys-Redskins game?

4.7

Julius Jones averaged 4.7 yards, and if he can keep it up (actually 4.0 would be more realistic), it will only help the team. That kind of average will result in more carries from the coach, which will cause opposing defenses to react by bringing the safeties up. If the safeties get closer to the line, the Cowboys will definitely get their yards in the air. Owens, Glenn, Witten, Crayton, and from what we saw, Fasano, will all get their yards and that should result in more points, which obviously should translate into wins.

4.7 also means the Offensive Line, who most felt would be the weak link of the team, is doing their job and that should mean ball control which usually results in other teams playing a form of catch-up. If teams must pass, then the Cowboys Defense can tee-off on the QB, and if they move Ware around like last night (thank you Zimmer for reading the S&M blog), that means havoc and sacks, from Ware and his teammates. The Cowboys had 6 against the Skins.

4.7 becomes a pick-your-poison scenario for the opposing defenses and the Cowboys will only benefit.

__________

Nice games for Hatcher, Watkins and Fasano. If Carpenter can play up to his first round status, this could be another solid draft for the Cowboys.

Outside of the kickoff return and dropped passes, it was a dominating performance.

- M

Same Song, Different Verse

We're now at halftime, and this game eerily reminds me of last years Monday Night Redskins game:

Complete dominance throughout most of the game, but just the feeling that something bad's gonna happen.

Last year, it was Moss, and tonight it's freaking Rock Cartwright.

The Cowboys must regain the momentum, or it'll be a repeat of last year.

Scary thing is, that so far, we haven't heard much from Moss.

Now, onto the second half...

- M

There's no FUN in CONSERVATIVE

I'm sitting here watching the Giants/Eagles game... and man, the Eagles defense has a lot of fun. And why wouldn't they? The get to attack, disrupt and create havoc every time they are out there on the field. With their aggressive nature, THEY dictate what the opponents offense can do and not the other way around. You can see it after every play... players jumping around... beating their chests. That must be a blast. Much more fun than sending four on the rush and sitting back in a prevent defense while the other team steadily takes it the length of the field late in a close game.

Dallas has the talent and depth on defense to do the same. And I think you might even see a bit of a mean streak in some players that have been bottled up in a boring, conservative scheme. We might be talking about Ware in the same way that we are talking about Merriman.

Let's hope that Dallas comes out to play today like a team that wants to send a little pay-back to a team that swept them last year.

– S

FOOTball

The NFL kicker has always been a mystery to me.

Every other position on the team has a plethora of different scenarios and situations where they have to react accordingly. Blitzing and zone defenses working in harmony with one another, a runningback having to pick up a cornerback blitz, wideouts breaking off their routes to find an empty zone, Quarterbacks having to check down to the hot route... I can sympathize with having an occasional brain-fart at those positions. But a kicker? They have one job... Kick a pig-skin between two yellow posts.

I know that it takes talent to be an NFL kicker, I'm not saying that it doesn't. But when kicking is all that you are asked to do, day in and day out, it is hard understand the inconsistency of today's pro kicker. You go to practice several days a week and kick hundreds and hundreds of times. You don't go through physically demanding practices like the rest of the team. You don't sit through four hour film sessions dissecting the upcoming opponents tendencies. You just live on the other end of the practice field with hours of time to hone your craft. Then maybe 4 or 5 times a game, you are asked to do the only thing that you have been working on since you graduated from college. I would think that there would be some consistency in the results.

I am by no means great at darts. But if someone paid me 3 million dollars a year to really work hard on my dart skills week after week after week and that was the only responsibility... I would like to think that I could stand 10 to 15 feet away from any dart board at any bar in the U.S., for 16 weeks, and at least hit the somewhere close to the middle at least 90% of the time.

Am I being too hard on them?

- S

Re-thinking My Position

For years, I have not been a fan of Roy Williams, because I always felt he was an overrated safety as the result of his poor coverage skills.

After watching the Chargers Merriman tear up the Raiders last night, I began to think how he would be not nearly effective in the Cowboy's D, because, like they do with Ware, the coaches or the scheme would limit his playmaking ability by refusing to take advantage of his natural abilities.

Again, the lack of attack in the defense is taking a potential superstar in Ware and reducing him to an average LB. Heck, even Fujita played well in his Saints debut and he was nothing here.

Which brings me back to Roy. Forever, I though it was his fault for being not near as big a factor as his fans claimed he was, but after careful consideration, the blame falls on the scheme, and more directly, Zimmer. I'm actually glad he's in the last year of his contract.

- M

Time to digest

After having a bit of time to really take in everything from Sunday's loss, I'm not ready to throw in the towel just yet. I just hope that the Cowboys make some adjustments on both sides of the ball. Like I said before... I think the rest of the league knows exactly how to get to Bledsoe, and you can bet that Washington will bring the house Sunday night. We just have to hope that the coaching staff has something to counter it.

On the defensive side of the ball, QB pressure is the key. I was really surprised that secondary played so poorly, but there isn't a starting QB in this league that can't dice up a defense if they are given time. Put pressure on the QB and you will see a dramatic difference in the play of the secondary. Zimmer just has to put those guys in a position to succeed.

Maybe an opening loss is the best thing that could have happened to the Boy's. Hopefully it will serve as a wake-up call to the players and coaches entering division play. Let's hope so.

– S

Thinking About Ware

Does anyone else imagine how Ware would look in the Steelers defense?

Joey Porter is by no means a slouch, but he doesn't have Ware's measurables.

Just think how Ware would DOMINATE in that defense. He would be blitzing from all different spots and would creating total havoc, causing fumbles and having many multi-sack games. He would be Porter x 3.

My point is that in Pitt., and possibly San Diego or Philly, those coaches would use his skills to the maximum, but here in Dallas, he just looks like he's being held back from what he could be.

As a Cowboys fan, it's completely frustrating. When we switched to the 3-4, I just knew we would have a "bringing the hammer"-type defense, contantly attacking and maximizing the skills of Ware, R. Williams and everyone else, but we've done nothing but sit back.

I can't stand our passive 3-4 defense.

– M

Not so hot in season opener

So why deviate from a plan that was working brilliantly? The defense began by putting pressure on Leftwich with blitzes... and it really seemed to bother the Jags offense. Then, for some reason, they backed off. It's the same old story for this "talented on paper" defense. I just don't get it? Is it Parcells? Is it Zimmer? Whoever it is, it has to stop.

I would personally like to see a more "offensive" defense. A defense that dictates, rather than one that only reacts. I have been saying for years... Make the opposing QB make throws BEFORE he wants to. We have the talent on the field... I am sure of that. The coaching staff just has to stick with the gameplan for 4 quarters.

Bledsoe looked horrible, and I think the rest of the league knows exactly how to gameplan against him. BLITZ HIM UP THE MIDDLE!!!! He makes rookie-like mistakes when he's pressured there. Romo soon?

It's kind of interesting that the Cowboys did very little to improve (during the offseason) the weakest link on the team. It seems like the Cowboys will do only as well as the O-line this season.

The one person that you can't blame for today's lack-luster performance is TO. Man... that guy is an absolute beast.

Buy "We want Romo!" tees

– S