Nice, but...

Nice win against a desperate opponent, but it was way too close for me. This may be, for me, the most frustrating Cowboys team that I have watched in a long time. I know there were some awful teams under Campo, but we didn't expect much for those teams, so it wasn't too surprising when they stunk.

This team, however, came into the season with high expectations with some, like Peter King, predicting them to go to the Super Bowl, and I bought into the expectations, hook, line and sinker. Even better, when our statuesque QB Bledsoe was replaced with a younger, more athletic Romo, after some initial hesitation, I became even more excited about the SuperBowl aspirations.

Some predicted that this defense was the third coming of Doomsday, and I remained excited, but after watching the games, I'm having a lot of concerns. I HOPE that this team will win it all, but I just don't like what I'm seeing on defense.

It all starts with the coaches, and they play the worst 3-4 scheme I've ever seen.

Outside of Ware, Ferguson and Newman, I'm not so sure this team deserves any accolades. Collectively, I just don't see the fire or desire that I would hope our defense so-called "Doomsday III" would have. It just seems that when the opposing offense gets the first shot, this defense stays down, and I hate it. No one seems to stand up and say, WITH THEIR PLAY AND NOT THEIR MOUTHS, that "the buck stops here" or "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take anymore" or "don't bring that $@#% in here" or "here I come to save the day!" Nobody. Geez, we made Michael Freaking Vick look like Joe Montana! When was the last time this team made a big play when they NEEDED to make a big, crunch-time play?

Sure, in pre and post-game interviews, Bradie James seems to SAY the right things, but during the game, he seems to disappear and when he does make a tackle, it's usually 8-10 yards down the field. He reminds me of Eugene Lockhart, which isn't good.

Anthony Henry was paid a lot of money to come in here to get beat at least once or twice a game.

Marcus Spears is playing nowhere near to his 1st-round status.

Canty was supposed to be a 1st-round talent, but isn't close.

At the other OLB, we desperately miss Greg Ellis opposite of Ware. Perhaps Carpenter can play up to his draft status.

Then, there are the safeties. Wow. Free Safeties are so bad collectively, that I can't even comment on them.

Finally, I've been on Roy's case since his rookie year, and it seems that a lot of people are getting on my bandwagon, but the truth is that I WANT him to play up to his All-Pro status. He just seems incapable. As a fan, I want all Cowboys players to be studs, but I just can't stand how he covers, how he disappears for extended periods of time, and perhaps most of all, how he pouts when someone asks him about his play or the teams play. He acts like a 3-year old. He's supposed to be the LEADER of this defense, and he can't even man-up and say "You're right, I have stunk, but that's over damn it. No more!" Instead, he whines and says how people are too hard on him.

News flash Roy — you're the highest paid player on our team, and you're supposedly an All-Pro, so if we can't look to you when times are tough, WHO do we look to?

I don't mean to be so negative after a win and clinching a playoff spot, but the truth is that I'm looking down the road. Now that the QB spot has been secured, I really believe that this team has a chance IF the defense can't finally play up to the expectations.

Other thoughts:

• I'm no coach, but after watching the game a few times, it appears to me that the failure to cover the FB at the goaline is on the ILB's. It appears that they want Ware to rush the QB which leaves the FB for the other 'backers. To me, it looked like Fowler was at fault on the 1st TD and James on the 2nd.

• I've been Julius' fan for a long time, but it's now time to make Barber the lead and Jones the changeup. Again, Barber seems to break tackles that Jones can't. It looked like on one carry in particular that Jones could've taken it to the house had he broken a shoestring tackle.

• Love T.O.'s game, but can't stand the man.

• Rivera just isn't very good anymore.

• Sure the defense has been bad, but some young guys like Hatcher, Coleman, Ratliff and some flashes of Carpenter look good.

• Romo stepped up after a bad game. Nice.

-M