So it's been two days since "that" game ended on Sunday. I won't even comment on the game because it won't matter anyway. What matters is this Sunday against the Redskins. The Cowboys sit at 7-7 with the NFC East division title still in reach. If they beat the Redskins then the final Sunday against the Eagles is for the division title no matter what happens in the Eagles-Bears game. It would be a position that the Cowboys are all too familiar with the last two seasons. If the Cowboys happen to lose to the Redskins then they have to sit back and hope that the Bears beat the Eagles Sunday night. If the Eagles beat the Bears then the Cowboys season would be over.
I don't care that the Redskins are the worst team in the NFC with a 3-11 record. They would like nothing more than to deal the Cowboys a death blow to their division title hopes. Make no mistake that the Cowboys will get the Redskins A game this Sunday. Throw the records out as well as how the Cowboys beat the Redskins 31-16 earlier this season in Dallas. None of it will matter come Sunday.
The question is after such a horrible loss to the Packers can the Cowboys regroup, refocus and travel to Washington and beat the Redskins? I'm not about to go down the injury road with the Cowboys because a team like the Patriots have lost far more on offense and defense and they are currently sitting at 10-4 and looking at a first round bye. There are countless teams that have won more with less talent then the Cowboys. It's time for the Cowboys to step up and make a statement.
What injuries do the Cowboys have on offense? They should be attacking and scoring at will in this fans opinion. Their offensive line is actually the strong point of the team. They are opening the running lanes and protecting Romo very well for the most part. They have one of the best receivers in the game as well as one of the best tight ends. I see no reason why this offense seems to disappear at times.
As far as the Cowboys defense, they have been bad since Week 1. Yes, I understand that Sean Lee makes them better and chances are he won't be playing against the Redskins, but the Cowboys were also losing games and giving up a million yards a game even when Lee was healthy. I thought the corners for the Cowboys were supposed to be a plus, but yet opposing receivers are open all over the field. And what has happened to DeMarcus Ware? Once one of the most feared pass rushers in the league he seems to have disappeared from the Cowboys defense. Is he hurt? Has he lost a step?
The Cowboys are what they are and the next few days or even the next two weeks is not going to change that. Which team will take the field against the Redskins on Sunday afternoon is anyone's guess at this point. Will it be the team that beat up on the Rams and Eagles earlier this season or will it be the team that built big leads against the Lions and Packers and then gave the games away?
The Cowboys can only control what they do come Sunday afternoon. Maybe the good thing for the Cowboys is that there won't be any scoreboard watching with the Eagles playing the night game.
Even with some really bad losses for the Cowboys this season, there is still a certain level of excitement as Sunday draws closer. I guess it's how fans look at things at this point. They can see it as another chance to move closer to a division title or they can see it as they've been down this road before. As mad and depressed as Cowboys fans were last Sunday I'm sure we will all be back this Sunday as the ball is kicked off again.
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Monday, November 18, 2013
Cowboys-Giants winner this Sunday could send both teams in opposite directions the rest of the season
Hey! Remember when the Cowboys beat the Giants way back in Week 1?
Hey! Remember when the Eagles were 3-5?
Hey! Remember when the Giants were 0-6?
Well, the reality of the situation as we head into Week 12 of the 2013 season is this.
Eagles, 6-5
Cowboys, 5-5
Giants, 4-6
The Eagles have won their last three games and are now in first place in the NFC East with a 6-5 record as they head into their bye week. They are currently 3-2 in the division with only a trip to AT&T Stadium for the final game of the season left.
The Giants have won their last four games and are now 4-6 with a huge division game this Sunday against the Cowboys. The Giants are 1-2 in the division with this week's game against the Cowboys as well as two games against the Redskins left.
Even with the Giants starting the season 0-6, the Cowboys and Giants have the same exact record of 4-5 since the Cowboys beat the Giants in Week 1.
The Cowboys are currently 3-0 in the division. If the Cowboys can go into MetLife Stadium and beat the Giants they may just be able to knock the Giants out of the division race with a season sweep. The Cowboys should also be getting some needed help with players coming back from injury. JJ Wilcox, Miles Austin, Morris Claiborne, DeVonte Holloman and Jason Hatcher should all be back and ready to go. Hopefully DeMarcus Ware is also back to 100% with two more weeks to heal. There are also reports that Sean Lee is trying to get himself ready for the Giants, but we won't know for sure until later in the week if that is possible.
The Cowboys, Giants and Eagles victories this season haven't been overly impressive, but the fact is that the Giants and Eagles have done something that the Cowboys haven't been able to do. And that is to put a winning streak together. The important thing is that a win is a win no matter who it's against and it builds confidence in a team, especially later in the season.
If the Cowboys go to NJ and lose, then they will be tied with the Giants and both will be one game back of the Eagles. The Giants have a history of playing their best games against the Cowboys especially when their backs are against the wall. And if the Cowboys are the team that we keep hearing they could be, then this is the game they need to get it done.
When the 2013 season is over it's my guess that the Giants-Cowboys game this Sunday will be the pivotal game that pushes one these teams towards a division title and the other into a season ending tailspin. No one can say for sure which Cowboys team will show up against the Giants, but one thing for that is for sure is that it's going to be a wild ride.
Hey! Remember when the Eagles were 3-5?
Hey! Remember when the Giants were 0-6?
Well, the reality of the situation as we head into Week 12 of the 2013 season is this.
Eagles, 6-5
Cowboys, 5-5
Giants, 4-6
The Eagles have won their last three games and are now in first place in the NFC East with a 6-5 record as they head into their bye week. They are currently 3-2 in the division with only a trip to AT&T Stadium for the final game of the season left.
The Giants have won their last four games and are now 4-6 with a huge division game this Sunday against the Cowboys. The Giants are 1-2 in the division with this week's game against the Cowboys as well as two games against the Redskins left.
Even with the Giants starting the season 0-6, the Cowboys and Giants have the same exact record of 4-5 since the Cowboys beat the Giants in Week 1.
The Cowboys are currently 3-0 in the division. If the Cowboys can go into MetLife Stadium and beat the Giants they may just be able to knock the Giants out of the division race with a season sweep. The Cowboys should also be getting some needed help with players coming back from injury. JJ Wilcox, Miles Austin, Morris Claiborne, DeVonte Holloman and Jason Hatcher should all be back and ready to go. Hopefully DeMarcus Ware is also back to 100% with two more weeks to heal. There are also reports that Sean Lee is trying to get himself ready for the Giants, but we won't know for sure until later in the week if that is possible.
The Cowboys, Giants and Eagles victories this season haven't been overly impressive, but the fact is that the Giants and Eagles have done something that the Cowboys haven't been able to do. And that is to put a winning streak together. The important thing is that a win is a win no matter who it's against and it builds confidence in a team, especially later in the season.
If the Cowboys go to NJ and lose, then they will be tied with the Giants and both will be one game back of the Eagles. The Giants have a history of playing their best games against the Cowboys especially when their backs are against the wall. And if the Cowboys are the team that we keep hearing they could be, then this is the game they need to get it done.
When the 2013 season is over it's my guess that the Giants-Cowboys game this Sunday will be the pivotal game that pushes one these teams towards a division title and the other into a season ending tailspin. No one can say for sure which Cowboys team will show up against the Giants, but one thing for that is for sure is that it's going to be a wild ride.
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Sitting at 4-4 where do the Cowboys go from here?
Even after last Sunday's horrible 31-30 loss to the Lions the Cowboys still find themselves atop the NFC East with a 4-4 record, but that's only because the Redskins, Eagles and Giants have played so bad the first part of the season. So, where do the Cowboys go from here? Next up are the Vikings, followed by difficult road games against the Saints and Giants. Don't be fooled by the Vikings game. In no way should it be considered a gimme win just because they are 1-6. And don't be surprised with how the season has played out so far that come November 24th that the Cowboys and Giants are playing for first place at MetLife Stadium.
So far the 2013 season is playing out just like recent past seasons. In 2011 the Cowboys started 4-4 and finished 8-8 and in 2012 they started 3-5 and finished 8-8. In my opinion I see no real differences with the 2013 Cowboys that make me say they are ready to make a quality run in the second half and the first eight games pretty much shows that. Some people say that I have become very negative when it comes to the Cowboys. Well, in a way they are right, but that's only because the Cowboys have let me down so many times over last few years that it's easy to get somewhat negative.
I sit and I watch every game just like it's always been since I was 10 years old. But with the recent Cowboys teams there is something inside of me that always asks during the close games how are they going to find a way to lose. And in a lot of those games they do end up losing. In the glory days of the Cowboys there was always that sense of confidence that no matter the score they were going to finish off other teams.
We always hear that in order for teams to succeed the players need to buy into what the coaches are teaching. I don't think that is much different when it comes to fans. If the fans don't believe in what the coaches are doing then there will always be that lack of confidence in the team. And when it comes to Jason Garrett, Jerry Jones and Stephen Jones I just am not buying what they are trying to sell. They are filled with contradictions when it comes to many things regarding the team. Also add on poor play calling and poor game management for the past few seasons. And if I hear Garrett say the word process anymore I'm going to slam my head against a wall.
I will ask the question again. Where do the Cowboys go from here with a 4-4 record with teams like the Saints, Packers, Bears still to come, plus three more division games? Just how much confidence do fans have that they can do better than 4-4 in the second half of the season? I understand that the Cowboys have their share of injuries, but I really don't want to hear it as an excuse. There are not many teams that are healthy right now, but they move on? In my opinion this team has talent. There is no doubt about that, but what it's lacking is coaching. As an example I will use the Kansas City Chiefs that went 2-14 in 2012. The Chiefs went out and hired Andy Reid, who is a proven coach that players believe in and they are currently sitting at 8-0.
Before the season started I saw this Cowboys team going 8-8 again simply because I saw nothing that told me that things would be different. I hoped that I would be wrong and maybe I still will be, but after the first eight games something tells me that they are on course for another average season.
So far the 2013 season is playing out just like recent past seasons. In 2011 the Cowboys started 4-4 and finished 8-8 and in 2012 they started 3-5 and finished 8-8. In my opinion I see no real differences with the 2013 Cowboys that make me say they are ready to make a quality run in the second half and the first eight games pretty much shows that. Some people say that I have become very negative when it comes to the Cowboys. Well, in a way they are right, but that's only because the Cowboys have let me down so many times over last few years that it's easy to get somewhat negative.
I sit and I watch every game just like it's always been since I was 10 years old. But with the recent Cowboys teams there is something inside of me that always asks during the close games how are they going to find a way to lose. And in a lot of those games they do end up losing. In the glory days of the Cowboys there was always that sense of confidence that no matter the score they were going to finish off other teams.
We always hear that in order for teams to succeed the players need to buy into what the coaches are teaching. I don't think that is much different when it comes to fans. If the fans don't believe in what the coaches are doing then there will always be that lack of confidence in the team. And when it comes to Jason Garrett, Jerry Jones and Stephen Jones I just am not buying what they are trying to sell. They are filled with contradictions when it comes to many things regarding the team. Also add on poor play calling and poor game management for the past few seasons. And if I hear Garrett say the word process anymore I'm going to slam my head against a wall.
I will ask the question again. Where do the Cowboys go from here with a 4-4 record with teams like the Saints, Packers, Bears still to come, plus three more division games? Just how much confidence do fans have that they can do better than 4-4 in the second half of the season? I understand that the Cowboys have their share of injuries, but I really don't want to hear it as an excuse. There are not many teams that are healthy right now, but they move on? In my opinion this team has talent. There is no doubt about that, but what it's lacking is coaching. As an example I will use the Kansas City Chiefs that went 2-14 in 2012. The Chiefs went out and hired Andy Reid, who is a proven coach that players believe in and they are currently sitting at 8-0.
Before the season started I saw this Cowboys team going 8-8 again simply because I saw nothing that told me that things would be different. I hoped that I would be wrong and maybe I still will be, but after the first eight games something tells me that they are on course for another average season.
Monday, October 28, 2013
Some call it passion from Dez Bryant, I call it unprofessional
What Dez Bryant showed on the sidelines of the Lions game yesterday on two different occasions was disrespectful, unprofessional and uncalled for. It's understood that he felt he should have been targeted more in the game because he felt he could help the team more, but there is also a right and wrong way to go about things. Jason Witten, who has been a professional on and off the field for the Cowboys since the start of his career only caught two passes against the Lions, but yet he wasn't on the sidelines yelling and screaming at his teammates and coaches about it.
For all the talk about how Dez Bryant has matured and grown up over the last two seasons were destroyed against the Lions. He threw his temper tantrums like a two year old that didn't get the toy he wanted as he shopped with his parents. This is about right and wrong and Bryant needs to learn the right way to approach things when he feels the need to speak up. He needs to learn to go to his coaches and quarterback and explain what he is seeing on the field. The coaches and Tony Romo can't see everything on every play. Go and talk to them and explain things to them as a professional and get your message across that way. Bryant has shown what he can do on the field and how he can be a difference to the Cowboys offense, but to get in his coaches faces and his quarterback face the way he did is just plain wrong. The only message he is getting across to them is that he is unprofessional and immature.
And what is even more disturbing about Bryant's actions is that the team is supporting him, at least from the outside. The Cowboys are the way they are because no one is held accountable. Instead of Jason Garrett putting his hand gently against Bryant's stomach while continuing his conversation with Wade Wilson, he should have stopped right there. Garrett should have got in Bryant's face, made it clear that he is the Head Coach of this team and tell Bryant that how he was handling the situation was wrong and to stop. And if Bryant chose not to stop then Garrett should have sent him to the locker room. Bryant needs to be held accountable for his actions and doing nothing about Bryant's behavior against the Lions sends a message that it's alright to do what he did.
Then after the game it was Jerry Jones who supported Dez Bryant's behavior. I understand supporting your player's emotion and passion for the game, but at the same time there is a line that Bryant crossed as far as being disrespectful towards the entire team. And with crossing that line Jones should have sent a message to Bryant and the team that that kind of display towards coaches and teammates will not be tolerated. Bryant should have been fined by the team and I would even go as far as possibly sitting him for the first series or two next week against the Vikings. But that type of thing doesn't happen with this Cowboys organization because no one is held accountable for their actions.
What I saw on TV against the Lions was not a player trying to get his teammates up for the challenge of the game. I saw no rah, rah coming from Dez Bryant. What I saw was a player yelling and screaming out of control and getting in people's faces complaining about things. Then at the end of the game I once again saw no rah, rah as Jason Witten and DeMarcus Ware were visibly upset with Bryant as they both were yelling and screaming at him.
It was a disturbing display of unprofessionalism from Dez Bryant against the Lions. And because nothing was done about it from the owner and the head coach, all it did was show other players on the team that it's alright to show disrespect towards their teammates and coaches because instead of being held accountable for their actions, they'll just get support.
For all the talk about how Dez Bryant has matured and grown up over the last two seasons were destroyed against the Lions. He threw his temper tantrums like a two year old that didn't get the toy he wanted as he shopped with his parents. This is about right and wrong and Bryant needs to learn the right way to approach things when he feels the need to speak up. He needs to learn to go to his coaches and quarterback and explain what he is seeing on the field. The coaches and Tony Romo can't see everything on every play. Go and talk to them and explain things to them as a professional and get your message across that way. Bryant has shown what he can do on the field and how he can be a difference to the Cowboys offense, but to get in his coaches faces and his quarterback face the way he did is just plain wrong. The only message he is getting across to them is that he is unprofessional and immature.
And what is even more disturbing about Bryant's actions is that the team is supporting him, at least from the outside. The Cowboys are the way they are because no one is held accountable. Instead of Jason Garrett putting his hand gently against Bryant's stomach while continuing his conversation with Wade Wilson, he should have stopped right there. Garrett should have got in Bryant's face, made it clear that he is the Head Coach of this team and tell Bryant that how he was handling the situation was wrong and to stop. And if Bryant chose not to stop then Garrett should have sent him to the locker room. Bryant needs to be held accountable for his actions and doing nothing about Bryant's behavior against the Lions sends a message that it's alright to do what he did.
Then after the game it was Jerry Jones who supported Dez Bryant's behavior. I understand supporting your player's emotion and passion for the game, but at the same time there is a line that Bryant crossed as far as being disrespectful towards the entire team. And with crossing that line Jones should have sent a message to Bryant and the team that that kind of display towards coaches and teammates will not be tolerated. Bryant should have been fined by the team and I would even go as far as possibly sitting him for the first series or two next week against the Vikings. But that type of thing doesn't happen with this Cowboys organization because no one is held accountable for their actions.
What I saw on TV against the Lions was not a player trying to get his teammates up for the challenge of the game. I saw no rah, rah coming from Dez Bryant. What I saw was a player yelling and screaming out of control and getting in people's faces complaining about things. Then at the end of the game I once again saw no rah, rah as Jason Witten and DeMarcus Ware were visibly upset with Bryant as they both were yelling and screaming at him.
It was a disturbing display of unprofessionalism from Dez Bryant against the Lions. And because nothing was done about it from the owner and the head coach, all it did was show other players on the team that it's alright to show disrespect towards their teammates and coaches because instead of being held accountable for their actions, they'll just get support.
Friday, October 25, 2013
How one Lions player went from hated to loved in the eyes of Cowboys fans
The Cowboys entered the Pontiac Silverdome in Detroit with an 8-2 record and tied with the Philadelphia Eagles for first place in the NFC East. The Lions were 4-6 and five of their six losses had come in the final minute. The Cowboys were considered Super Bowl contenders in 1981 and they came out in this game ready to hand the Lions their seventh loss. What this game came down too was the leg of a certain Lions kicker as well as a penalty flag that never fell to the ground.
The Cowboys defense got the game started by forcing Lions running back Billy Sims to fumble at the Lions 39 yard line. Danny White then drove the Cowboys offense to the Lions ten yard line and completed the drive with a ten yard touchdown pass to Drew Pearson. The Cowboys took a 7-0 lead.
The Lions then drove down to the Cowboys four yard line looking to tie the game, but Billy Sims fumbled again. The Cowboys once again capitalized off the turnover and added a Rafael Septien field goal to take a 10-0 lead in the second quarter.
The Cowboys defense seemed to have their way in the first half as they sacked Lions quarterback Eric Hipple four times. After forcing a Lions punt, Danny White drove the offense 62 yards in five plays to the Lions 12 yard line. From there he found Pearson again for their second touchdown connection and a commanding 17-0 lead on the Lions.
Like in so many of the Lions games in 1981 they would not go away easy. Eric Hipple got his passing game going as he connected with receiver Eric Hill for 30 yards. Then the Lions caught the Cowboys by surprise by running a reverse to receiver Mark Nichols that gained another 30 yards, which put the ball at the Cowboys three yard line. From there Billy Sims scored with just 15 seconds left in the first half to get the Lions on the scoreboard. The Cowboys led at halftime, 17-7.
The Lions picked up where they left off at the as the third quarter got under way. Defensive end Al Baker from the Lions intercepted a Danny White pass that came off of Tony Dorsett’s fingertips. The Lions converted the turnover into an Eric Hipple to Mark Nichols six yard touchdown pass. The Cowboys now only led only 17-14.
On the next Cowboys drive Danny White threw his second interception as Lions linebacker Gary Cobb stepped in front of Drew Pearson and gave the ball back to the Lions offense. From there that certain Lions kicker tied the game 17-17 with a 37 yard field goal.
The Lions got the ball back again and had taken all the momentum from the Cowboys who once led 17-0. The Lions were looking to take their first lead of the game when Eric Hipple found a wide open Billy Sims for a sure touchdown, but Sims dropped the pass with just over seven minutes to play in the game. The Cowboys offense got the ball back and looked to put the Lions away.
Danny White led the Cowboys offense on an 80 yard time consuming drive. White capped off the drive with his third touchdown pass of the game. This time White found tight end Jay Saldi for a 14 yard score to give the Cowboys the lead back, 24-17 with 2:37 left in the game.
Once again this Lions team would not go away. With the Lions sitting at their own 19 yard line it took them only 20 seconds to answer the Cowboys go ahead score. Eric Hipple found Billy Sims one-on-one against Cowboys linebacker D.D. Lewis as he streaked down the left sideline. Sims caught Hipple’s pass at the Cowboys 40 yard line and scored easily to tie the game 24-24 with just over two minutes remaining.
With the score tied the Cowboys thought that overtime would be the best way to go. It became obvious that the Lions were not thinking about overtime like the Cowboys were. The Cowboys ran three plays and were unable to gain a first down. The Lions used all their timeouts and forced the Cowboys to punt with 1:13 left in the game.
Eric Hipple started the Lions drive at the 18 yard line. Hipple quickly connected with David Hill on passes of 15 and 30 yards. Then with 25 seconds left he found tight end Ulysses Norris for an 18 yard completion to the Cowboys 30 yard line. With no timeouts and just 18 seconds left in the game, it was thought that Hipple would just spike the ball to stop the clock, but the offense and special teams became confused. In what can only be described as confusion for the Lions as the clock continued to run, that certain Lions kicker came running out onto the field. Eric Hipple looked around not knowing whether to run a play or hold for a field goal attempt. Hipple went to a knee and took the snap from a makeshift offensive line. That certain Lions kicker approached the ball with just four seconds left. His 47 yard field goal attempt sailed up and through the uprights as time expired. The Cowboys just stood there in disbelief as the Lions celebrated their 27-24 victory.
In the newspaper the next morning there was a picture showing the Lions last second field goal attempt. What was interesting was that the Lions players all had a number listed above them. What was even more interesting was that the numbers totaled 12. The Lions had 12 men on the field for their last second game winning field goal. With all the confusion of the last play for the Lions the officials never saw that they had 12 players on the field and a flag was never thrown. Of course nothing could be done at this point as league officials admitted their mistake. The Lions had the last second field goal to win the game and the Cowboys with the loss had fallen one game back of the Eagles in the NFC East.
I’m sure you are all wondering why I have not yet mentioned the name of the Lions kicker in this game. That's because there became a connection with the Cowboys and this Lions kicker 12 seasons after this game. Of course with the way this game ended there were many Cowboys fans who took a disliking to this kicker. He not only beat the Cowboys, but he beat them on a play that should have never happened. But like so many other times, there are opposing players who are disliked by fans until they become a part of your favorite team and help them win. The kicker in this game was Eddie Murray, who became a member of the Cowboys in 1993. Murray became a favorite of Cowboys fans when he kicked the game winning field goal in overtime against the Giants in the final game of the 1993 season. The win also earned the Cowboys the NFC East division title and home field advantage in the playoffs. Of course as Cowboys fans know, Eddie Murray went on to collect a Super Bowl Championship that season as he kicked three field goals in Super Bowl XXVIII as the Cowboys beat the Buffalo Bills 30-13. It’s strange how things work out in life. Eddie Murray goes from being disliked by Cowboys fans in 1981 to being loved by Cowboys fans in 1993.
You can see the boxscore of the game here.
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/198111150det.htm
You can see the winning field by Eddie Murray and Lions here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDLgoM8lGng
The Cowboys defense got the game started by forcing Lions running back Billy Sims to fumble at the Lions 39 yard line. Danny White then drove the Cowboys offense to the Lions ten yard line and completed the drive with a ten yard touchdown pass to Drew Pearson. The Cowboys took a 7-0 lead.
The Lions then drove down to the Cowboys four yard line looking to tie the game, but Billy Sims fumbled again. The Cowboys once again capitalized off the turnover and added a Rafael Septien field goal to take a 10-0 lead in the second quarter.
The Cowboys defense seemed to have their way in the first half as they sacked Lions quarterback Eric Hipple four times. After forcing a Lions punt, Danny White drove the offense 62 yards in five plays to the Lions 12 yard line. From there he found Pearson again for their second touchdown connection and a commanding 17-0 lead on the Lions.
Like in so many of the Lions games in 1981 they would not go away easy. Eric Hipple got his passing game going as he connected with receiver Eric Hill for 30 yards. Then the Lions caught the Cowboys by surprise by running a reverse to receiver Mark Nichols that gained another 30 yards, which put the ball at the Cowboys three yard line. From there Billy Sims scored with just 15 seconds left in the first half to get the Lions on the scoreboard. The Cowboys led at halftime, 17-7.
The Lions picked up where they left off at the as the third quarter got under way. Defensive end Al Baker from the Lions intercepted a Danny White pass that came off of Tony Dorsett’s fingertips. The Lions converted the turnover into an Eric Hipple to Mark Nichols six yard touchdown pass. The Cowboys now only led only 17-14.
On the next Cowboys drive Danny White threw his second interception as Lions linebacker Gary Cobb stepped in front of Drew Pearson and gave the ball back to the Lions offense. From there that certain Lions kicker tied the game 17-17 with a 37 yard field goal.
The Lions got the ball back again and had taken all the momentum from the Cowboys who once led 17-0. The Lions were looking to take their first lead of the game when Eric Hipple found a wide open Billy Sims for a sure touchdown, but Sims dropped the pass with just over seven minutes to play in the game. The Cowboys offense got the ball back and looked to put the Lions away.
Danny White led the Cowboys offense on an 80 yard time consuming drive. White capped off the drive with his third touchdown pass of the game. This time White found tight end Jay Saldi for a 14 yard score to give the Cowboys the lead back, 24-17 with 2:37 left in the game.
Once again this Lions team would not go away. With the Lions sitting at their own 19 yard line it took them only 20 seconds to answer the Cowboys go ahead score. Eric Hipple found Billy Sims one-on-one against Cowboys linebacker D.D. Lewis as he streaked down the left sideline. Sims caught Hipple’s pass at the Cowboys 40 yard line and scored easily to tie the game 24-24 with just over two minutes remaining.
With the score tied the Cowboys thought that overtime would be the best way to go. It became obvious that the Lions were not thinking about overtime like the Cowboys were. The Cowboys ran three plays and were unable to gain a first down. The Lions used all their timeouts and forced the Cowboys to punt with 1:13 left in the game.
Eric Hipple started the Lions drive at the 18 yard line. Hipple quickly connected with David Hill on passes of 15 and 30 yards. Then with 25 seconds left he found tight end Ulysses Norris for an 18 yard completion to the Cowboys 30 yard line. With no timeouts and just 18 seconds left in the game, it was thought that Hipple would just spike the ball to stop the clock, but the offense and special teams became confused. In what can only be described as confusion for the Lions as the clock continued to run, that certain Lions kicker came running out onto the field. Eric Hipple looked around not knowing whether to run a play or hold for a field goal attempt. Hipple went to a knee and took the snap from a makeshift offensive line. That certain Lions kicker approached the ball with just four seconds left. His 47 yard field goal attempt sailed up and through the uprights as time expired. The Cowboys just stood there in disbelief as the Lions celebrated their 27-24 victory.
In the newspaper the next morning there was a picture showing the Lions last second field goal attempt. What was interesting was that the Lions players all had a number listed above them. What was even more interesting was that the numbers totaled 12. The Lions had 12 men on the field for their last second game winning field goal. With all the confusion of the last play for the Lions the officials never saw that they had 12 players on the field and a flag was never thrown. Of course nothing could be done at this point as league officials admitted their mistake. The Lions had the last second field goal to win the game and the Cowboys with the loss had fallen one game back of the Eagles in the NFC East.
I’m sure you are all wondering why I have not yet mentioned the name of the Lions kicker in this game. That's because there became a connection with the Cowboys and this Lions kicker 12 seasons after this game. Of course with the way this game ended there were many Cowboys fans who took a disliking to this kicker. He not only beat the Cowboys, but he beat them on a play that should have never happened. But like so many other times, there are opposing players who are disliked by fans until they become a part of your favorite team and help them win. The kicker in this game was Eddie Murray, who became a member of the Cowboys in 1993. Murray became a favorite of Cowboys fans when he kicked the game winning field goal in overtime against the Giants in the final game of the 1993 season. The win also earned the Cowboys the NFC East division title and home field advantage in the playoffs. Of course as Cowboys fans know, Eddie Murray went on to collect a Super Bowl Championship that season as he kicked three field goals in Super Bowl XXVIII as the Cowboys beat the Buffalo Bills 30-13. It’s strange how things work out in life. Eddie Murray goes from being disliked by Cowboys fans in 1981 to being loved by Cowboys fans in 1993.
You can see the boxscore of the game here.
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/198111150det.htm
You can see the winning field by Eddie Murray and Lions here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDLgoM8lGng
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Brian Waters needs to start for the Cowboys now!
After watching the Cowboys victory over the Rams again from this past Sunday, I came away with one major change that is needed. The Cowboys need to get Brian Waters in as their full time right guard ASAP. There is a reason why Waters has gone to six Pro Bowls. He is a force on the inside and dominates from the first level to the third level. I understand the Cowboys have been trying to work Waters back into football shape, but I think the time has come to insert him as the starting right guard come Sunday against the Chargers. As I watched Waters against the Rams I saw a player who took care of business at the line of scrimmage and then moved on to the next level with no hesitation.
With the addition of Waters to go with Tyron Smith, Ron Leary, Travis Frederick and Doug Free, the Cowboys have what could be their best offensive line in years. A group of guys that can open up the running lanes, which will then help Tony Romo and the passing game.
Outside of one holding call against the Rams, Waters seemed to dominate every play he was in. One play out of many that stood out was at the start of the third quarter on the Cowboys second play. As DeMarco Murray broke loose on a long run, it was Waters who took care of his initial block and then got to the next level and dove at another defenders legs to knock him down. By doing this the play was extended and Murray was allowed to gain more yards.
The more this line plays together the better they will get and hopefully become an outstanding unit, which is something the Cowboys have been lacking in recent years.
With the addition of Waters to go with Tyron Smith, Ron Leary, Travis Frederick and Doug Free, the Cowboys have what could be their best offensive line in years. A group of guys that can open up the running lanes, which will then help Tony Romo and the passing game.
Outside of one holding call against the Rams, Waters seemed to dominate every play he was in. One play out of many that stood out was at the start of the third quarter on the Cowboys second play. As DeMarco Murray broke loose on a long run, it was Waters who took care of his initial block and then got to the next level and dove at another defenders legs to knock him down. By doing this the play was extended and Murray was allowed to gain more yards.
The more this line plays together the better they will get and hopefully become an outstanding unit, which is something the Cowboys have been lacking in recent years.
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Dallas Cowboys 1979 Flashback: Roger and Out!
On December 16, 1979 the Cowboys played in what many believe to be one of the greatest games of all time. In the final game of the regular season at Texas Stadium the Cowboys needed to beat the Redskins to make the playoffs. With a victory they would also win the NFC East and earn a home playoff game and a week off. They were behind the Redskins 17-0 in the first half and 34-21 in the fourth quarter. With the great Roger Staubach leading them the Cowboys battled until the end and beat the Redskins 35-34. It was another late game comeback added to Staubach's already impressive resume during his NFL career. Cowboys games never seemed out of reach as long as Staubach was at quarterback. There was always that feeling that Staubach would pull out the victory.
Two weeks after beating the Redskins the Cowboys were back in Texas Stadium for the divisional round of the playoffs against the Los Angeles Rams. Way back in week 7 of the 1979 season the Rams had come to Texas Stadium and were destroyed by the Cowboys 30-6. Now it was the playoffs and the winner would advance to the NFC Championship game with hopes of making it to Super Bowl XIV.
The Cowboys first three possessions of the game ended in punts. Roger Staubach and the offense couldn't get anything going against the Rams defense to start the game, except for a 27 yard rush by tight end Billy Joe Dupree. The same could be said for the Rams offense who punted on their first two possessions.
The Rams started their third possession from their own 12 yard line and then a five yard penalty pushed them back to the 7 yard line. On second down Rams quarterback Vince Ferragamo dropped back into the end zone. While trying to avoid the rush from Harvey Martin, Ferragamo stepped up in the pocket and then tried to avoid Randy White. He tried to spin and then slipped and fell in the end zone where White sacked him for a safety. The Cowboys took a 2-0 lead on the Rams.
On the Rams free kick after the safety the Cowboys took over at their 46 yard line. On third down Staubach was rushed, but was never hit. His pass seemed to slip out of his hands and floated high like it was tipped. The Rams came down with an easy interception and returned it to the Cowboys 32 yard line. Once again the Rams could not put a drive together and lined up for a Frank Corral field goal attempt that he missed from 44 yards.
The second quarter started with more punts from both teams. One of Danny White's punts went out of bounds at the Rams 7 yard line. The Cowboys defense figured they had the Rams in trouble again so close to their goal line. But behind the running of Wendell Tyler and Cullen Bryant the Rams quickly were able to drive to the Cowboys 36 yard line where they faced a 4th and 1. The Rams decided to go for it instead and attempting another field goal. They were successful on fourth down and then made the Cowboys pay on the next play. From the 32 yard line Ferragamo threw over Cowboys linebacker DD Lewis who was covering Tyler. Tyler caught the pass at the 15 yard line and outraced the Cowboys defense to the end zone for the score. The Rams took the lead 7-2.
The Cowboys offense had been shut down by the Rams defense for just about the entire first half. They couldn't run the ball and Staubach seemed out of rhythm with his receivers. But like so many times before, Staubach could not be counted out for long. As the first half was coming to a close it was Staubach who connected with Drew Pearson for 17 yards and then with Dupree for 16 yards as the Cowboys drove to the Rams 19 yard line. The drive stalled at the 16 yard line and Rafael Septien connected on a 33 yard field goal to get the Cowboys closer, 7-5.
On two straight kickoffs by Septien he kicked both out of bounds. Back in 1979 this was a five yard penalty and a re kick. With two penalties it pushed the Cowboys kickoff back to the 25 yard line. The Rams returned Septien's third kickoff to the 31 yard line with time winding down in the first half. Ferragamo quickly completed two straight passes and the Rams found themselves at the Cowboys 43 yard line with 17 seconds left. Then with only 11 seconds left Ferragamo was able to get a pass off as Randy White hit him hard and took him down. The pass made its way into the end zone where Rams wide receiver Ron Smith came down with the ball while covered by two Cowboys defenders. The Rams went into halftime leading the Cowboys 14-5.
The Rams defense in the first half was able to control the Cowboys running game and was able to limit any big plays from Staubach. The Cowboys defense played well, but the Rams offense was able to make a few more plays then the Cowboys and that led to their nine point lead going into the third quarter. But this was the Cowboys who were America's team. They had Roger Staubach and the Doomsday defense and were known for exciting games and great comebacks. As the second half got started it seemed as though everyone was waiting for that moment that the Cowboys would come alive and make their move.
It didn't take the Cowboys defense very long to make a play as the third quarter got under way. Dennis Thurman intercepted Ferragamo at the Cowboys 46 yard line and returned it to the Rams 34 yard line. But once again the Cowboys offense could not put a drive together and could not take advantage of the turnover and had to punt.
The Cowboys defense was able to force the Rams to punt and the Cowboys offense took over with great field position at their 46 yard line. Staubach connected with Drew Pearson for 29 yards and got to the Rams 25 yard line. On the next play Tom Landry went to his bag of tricks and ran a halfback option with Ron Springs. Springs threw into the end zone and found Tony Hill for a touchdown, but one official over ruled the one who signaled touchdown, saying that Hill didn't have both feet in bounds before stepping out the back of the end zone. Then Staubach threw into the end zone for Tony Dorsett and was intercepted, but the Rams were called for pass interference and that put the Cowboys at the one yard line. From there Ron Springs scored on the next play and the Cowboys closed to within 14-12.
On the Rams next possession they drove to the Cowboys 43 yard line. Then the Cowboys defense came up with another turnover as Cliff Harris intercepted Ferragamo. The Cowboys offense took over at the 43 yard line as the third quarter came to an end.
The Cowboys offense in the third quarter was playing so much better than they were in the first half. They were able to gain yards in the running game and Staubach was now able to find open receivers, but it just didn't seem like the Cowboys that everyone was use to seeing. As the fourth quarter started the Cowboys offense quickly drove inside the Rams 10 yard line off the Harris interception. Then from the 2 yard line Staubach found tight end Jay Saldi wide open for the go ahead score with 12:46 left in the game. Staubach was hit hard on the play and was shaken up, but was able to walk to the sideline. From that point on Danny White was seen warming up just in case he was needed. The Cowboys now led the Rams 19-14.
The Rams once again were able to drive the ball on the Cowboys defense. They reached the Cowboys 32 yard line where they faced a 4th and 8. Instead of attempting a field goal they decided to go for the first down. Ferragamo threw to wide receiver Drew Hill and the pass fell incomplete. A flag was thrown for pass interference, but after a discussion between the officials it was ruled that there was no interference and the flag was picked up.
The Cowboys offense took over at the 32 yard line with 6:59 left. On the first play Dorsett hit a hole and raced up the middle for a 26 yard gain to the Rams 42 yard line. From there the Cowboys could not go any further and had to punt.
The Rams got the ball with 4:22 left and Ferragamo connected with wide receiver Billy Waddy for a 36 yard gain to the Cowboys 44 yard line. A holding penalty on the Rams pushed them back to the 46 yard line and they ended up punting back to the Cowboys.
With only 2:45 left and the Cowboys sitting at their 21 yard line all they needed to do was get a first down to seal the game, but they were not able to move the ball like they had done during the third quarter and the beginning of the fourth quarter. On first down Robert Newhouse lost a yard. On second down, a screen pass to Tony Hill only gained a yard. On third down Staubach was rushed and he rolled out to his right and was tackled for no gain. In the process of stopping the Cowboys from getting a first down the Rams also used their last two timeouts and the Cowboys were forced to punt for the eighth time in the game.
The Rams got the ball back at midfield with 2:16 left and no timeouts. On the first play Ferragamo fired a pass over the middle to Billy Waddy who caught it on the run at the Cowboys 28 yard line. Waddy then out raced the Cowboys defense and scored easily to take the lead 21-19.
After the kickoff the Cowboys took over at the 21 yard line. The Cowboys and their fans had seen this type of situation countless times in Cowboys history. There was only 1:57 remaining, the Cowboys had two timeouts, any kind of score wins the game and the great Roger Staubach was under center to work his magic that he had done so many times before in his career. The script couldn't have been written any better for the Cowboys. But there was something was different about this game. The moment where the Cowboys took control of the game never seemed to come even after they took a 19-14 lead. If that moment was ever going to come it had to be this moment with 1:57 left in the game.
On first down Dorsett gained 12 yard to the 33 yard line. On the next play Staubach over threw Tony Hill. Then on second down Staubach once again over threw Hill. Everyone seemed to be waiting for that one play that got the Cowboys rolling towards victory. What happened on third down has become Dallas Cowboys trivia for years. Staubach dropped back and threw a pass directly at offensive lineman Herbert Scott, who caught the ball. A flag was thrown for ineligible receiver and the Cowboys now faced a 4th and 20. It was the last chance for that Staubach magic to come through so that the Cowboys could advance to the NFC Championship game. Staubach dropped back and threw for Drew Pearson. The pass sailed high on Pearson and fell incomplete.
The Rams offense took over with 1:07 left. They played it safe and on fourth down they lined up for a field goal attempt with 13 seconds remaining. The Rams faked the field goal as holder Nolan Cromwell kept the ball and ran for the first down. The Rams won the game 21-19 and shattered the Cowboys hopes of a 6th Super Bowl in the 1970's.
The loss to the Rams in 1979 was one of the worst playoff defeats in Cowboys history. Some say the loss had to do with the dramatic game against the Redskins that put the Cowboys in the playoffs. Others believe that the Cowboys just over looked the Rams. Whatever the reasons were, the Cowboys season ended that Sunday in Texas Stadium. The Staubach magic also ended that day and on March 31, 1979 he announced his retirement from the Cowboys and the NFL after 11 seasons and two Super Bowl Championships.
Two weeks after beating the Redskins the Cowboys were back in Texas Stadium for the divisional round of the playoffs against the Los Angeles Rams. Way back in week 7 of the 1979 season the Rams had come to Texas Stadium and were destroyed by the Cowboys 30-6. Now it was the playoffs and the winner would advance to the NFC Championship game with hopes of making it to Super Bowl XIV.
The Cowboys first three possessions of the game ended in punts. Roger Staubach and the offense couldn't get anything going against the Rams defense to start the game, except for a 27 yard rush by tight end Billy Joe Dupree. The same could be said for the Rams offense who punted on their first two possessions.
The Rams started their third possession from their own 12 yard line and then a five yard penalty pushed them back to the 7 yard line. On second down Rams quarterback Vince Ferragamo dropped back into the end zone. While trying to avoid the rush from Harvey Martin, Ferragamo stepped up in the pocket and then tried to avoid Randy White. He tried to spin and then slipped and fell in the end zone where White sacked him for a safety. The Cowboys took a 2-0 lead on the Rams.
On the Rams free kick after the safety the Cowboys took over at their 46 yard line. On third down Staubach was rushed, but was never hit. His pass seemed to slip out of his hands and floated high like it was tipped. The Rams came down with an easy interception and returned it to the Cowboys 32 yard line. Once again the Rams could not put a drive together and lined up for a Frank Corral field goal attempt that he missed from 44 yards.
The second quarter started with more punts from both teams. One of Danny White's punts went out of bounds at the Rams 7 yard line. The Cowboys defense figured they had the Rams in trouble again so close to their goal line. But behind the running of Wendell Tyler and Cullen Bryant the Rams quickly were able to drive to the Cowboys 36 yard line where they faced a 4th and 1. The Rams decided to go for it instead and attempting another field goal. They were successful on fourth down and then made the Cowboys pay on the next play. From the 32 yard line Ferragamo threw over Cowboys linebacker DD Lewis who was covering Tyler. Tyler caught the pass at the 15 yard line and outraced the Cowboys defense to the end zone for the score. The Rams took the lead 7-2.
The Cowboys offense had been shut down by the Rams defense for just about the entire first half. They couldn't run the ball and Staubach seemed out of rhythm with his receivers. But like so many times before, Staubach could not be counted out for long. As the first half was coming to a close it was Staubach who connected with Drew Pearson for 17 yards and then with Dupree for 16 yards as the Cowboys drove to the Rams 19 yard line. The drive stalled at the 16 yard line and Rafael Septien connected on a 33 yard field goal to get the Cowboys closer, 7-5.
On two straight kickoffs by Septien he kicked both out of bounds. Back in 1979 this was a five yard penalty and a re kick. With two penalties it pushed the Cowboys kickoff back to the 25 yard line. The Rams returned Septien's third kickoff to the 31 yard line with time winding down in the first half. Ferragamo quickly completed two straight passes and the Rams found themselves at the Cowboys 43 yard line with 17 seconds left. Then with only 11 seconds left Ferragamo was able to get a pass off as Randy White hit him hard and took him down. The pass made its way into the end zone where Rams wide receiver Ron Smith came down with the ball while covered by two Cowboys defenders. The Rams went into halftime leading the Cowboys 14-5.
The Rams defense in the first half was able to control the Cowboys running game and was able to limit any big plays from Staubach. The Cowboys defense played well, but the Rams offense was able to make a few more plays then the Cowboys and that led to their nine point lead going into the third quarter. But this was the Cowboys who were America's team. They had Roger Staubach and the Doomsday defense and were known for exciting games and great comebacks. As the second half got started it seemed as though everyone was waiting for that moment that the Cowboys would come alive and make their move.
It didn't take the Cowboys defense very long to make a play as the third quarter got under way. Dennis Thurman intercepted Ferragamo at the Cowboys 46 yard line and returned it to the Rams 34 yard line. But once again the Cowboys offense could not put a drive together and could not take advantage of the turnover and had to punt.
The Cowboys defense was able to force the Rams to punt and the Cowboys offense took over with great field position at their 46 yard line. Staubach connected with Drew Pearson for 29 yards and got to the Rams 25 yard line. On the next play Tom Landry went to his bag of tricks and ran a halfback option with Ron Springs. Springs threw into the end zone and found Tony Hill for a touchdown, but one official over ruled the one who signaled touchdown, saying that Hill didn't have both feet in bounds before stepping out the back of the end zone. Then Staubach threw into the end zone for Tony Dorsett and was intercepted, but the Rams were called for pass interference and that put the Cowboys at the one yard line. From there Ron Springs scored on the next play and the Cowboys closed to within 14-12.
On the Rams next possession they drove to the Cowboys 43 yard line. Then the Cowboys defense came up with another turnover as Cliff Harris intercepted Ferragamo. The Cowboys offense took over at the 43 yard line as the third quarter came to an end.
The Cowboys offense in the third quarter was playing so much better than they were in the first half. They were able to gain yards in the running game and Staubach was now able to find open receivers, but it just didn't seem like the Cowboys that everyone was use to seeing. As the fourth quarter started the Cowboys offense quickly drove inside the Rams 10 yard line off the Harris interception. Then from the 2 yard line Staubach found tight end Jay Saldi wide open for the go ahead score with 12:46 left in the game. Staubach was hit hard on the play and was shaken up, but was able to walk to the sideline. From that point on Danny White was seen warming up just in case he was needed. The Cowboys now led the Rams 19-14.
The Rams once again were able to drive the ball on the Cowboys defense. They reached the Cowboys 32 yard line where they faced a 4th and 8. Instead of attempting a field goal they decided to go for the first down. Ferragamo threw to wide receiver Drew Hill and the pass fell incomplete. A flag was thrown for pass interference, but after a discussion between the officials it was ruled that there was no interference and the flag was picked up.
The Cowboys offense took over at the 32 yard line with 6:59 left. On the first play Dorsett hit a hole and raced up the middle for a 26 yard gain to the Rams 42 yard line. From there the Cowboys could not go any further and had to punt.
The Rams got the ball with 4:22 left and Ferragamo connected with wide receiver Billy Waddy for a 36 yard gain to the Cowboys 44 yard line. A holding penalty on the Rams pushed them back to the 46 yard line and they ended up punting back to the Cowboys.
With only 2:45 left and the Cowboys sitting at their 21 yard line all they needed to do was get a first down to seal the game, but they were not able to move the ball like they had done during the third quarter and the beginning of the fourth quarter. On first down Robert Newhouse lost a yard. On second down, a screen pass to Tony Hill only gained a yard. On third down Staubach was rushed and he rolled out to his right and was tackled for no gain. In the process of stopping the Cowboys from getting a first down the Rams also used their last two timeouts and the Cowboys were forced to punt for the eighth time in the game.
The Rams got the ball back at midfield with 2:16 left and no timeouts. On the first play Ferragamo fired a pass over the middle to Billy Waddy who caught it on the run at the Cowboys 28 yard line. Waddy then out raced the Cowboys defense and scored easily to take the lead 21-19.
After the kickoff the Cowboys took over at the 21 yard line. The Cowboys and their fans had seen this type of situation countless times in Cowboys history. There was only 1:57 remaining, the Cowboys had two timeouts, any kind of score wins the game and the great Roger Staubach was under center to work his magic that he had done so many times before in his career. The script couldn't have been written any better for the Cowboys. But there was something was different about this game. The moment where the Cowboys took control of the game never seemed to come even after they took a 19-14 lead. If that moment was ever going to come it had to be this moment with 1:57 left in the game.
On first down Dorsett gained 12 yard to the 33 yard line. On the next play Staubach over threw Tony Hill. Then on second down Staubach once again over threw Hill. Everyone seemed to be waiting for that one play that got the Cowboys rolling towards victory. What happened on third down has become Dallas Cowboys trivia for years. Staubach dropped back and threw a pass directly at offensive lineman Herbert Scott, who caught the ball. A flag was thrown for ineligible receiver and the Cowboys now faced a 4th and 20. It was the last chance for that Staubach magic to come through so that the Cowboys could advance to the NFC Championship game. Staubach dropped back and threw for Drew Pearson. The pass sailed high on Pearson and fell incomplete.
The Rams offense took over with 1:07 left. They played it safe and on fourth down they lined up for a field goal attempt with 13 seconds remaining. The Rams faked the field goal as holder Nolan Cromwell kept the ball and ran for the first down. The Rams won the game 21-19 and shattered the Cowboys hopes of a 6th Super Bowl in the 1970's.
The loss to the Rams in 1979 was one of the worst playoff defeats in Cowboys history. Some say the loss had to do with the dramatic game against the Redskins that put the Cowboys in the playoffs. Others believe that the Cowboys just over looked the Rams. Whatever the reasons were, the Cowboys season ended that Sunday in Texas Stadium. The Staubach magic also ended that day and on March 31, 1979 he announced his retirement from the Cowboys and the NFL after 11 seasons and two Super Bowl Championships.
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Four minutes and 54 seconds that will live forever in Cowboys history
The 49ers sat at their own 10 yard line with 4:54 left on the clock. The Cowboys were ahead 27-21 and all they needed to do was prevent a touchdown and stand tall like they had done so many times before in the 1981 NFC Championship game. A victory over the 49ers would send the Cowboys to Super Bowl XVI to play the Cincinnati Bengals. The Cowboys defense had already forced six 49ers turnovers during the game, which included three interceptions off Joe Montana.
From the start 49ers Coach Bill Walsh saw that the Cowboys were playing their nickel defense, consisting of one linebacker and seven defensive backs. Walsh wanted to take advantage of that by keeping the Cowboys on their heels and guessing. It was Cowboys safety Charlie Waters who confronted Cowboys defensive coordinator Ernie Stautner as to why it was a bad idea to be playing nickel defense with so much time left on the clock. Stautner's response to Waters was...
...meaning that Waters would have to answer to coach Landry. And Waters responded...
So the Cowboys stayed in their nickel defense as the 49ers started on their 14 play drive. Over the years some have said that the 49ers called more rushing plays on the drive due to the Cowboys nickel defense, but the fact is that the 49ers actually ran 8 passing plays and 6 running plays on the drive. Of the 14 plays on the drive 11 of them went for positive yardage. The 49ers seemed to move down the field with ease and the 4:54 that was on the clock when the drive started dwindled down to just 58 seconds left when Joe Montana faced 3rd and 3 from the Cowboys six yard line. It was at that point Ernie Stautner removed his nickel defense and replaced it with the Cowboys base 4-3 defense.
I'm sure we have all seen the play more than we have wanted over the years. Joe Montana rolled to his right while being chased down by Ed Jones, Larry Bethea and D.D. Lewis. He then threw into the back of the end zone before being knocked to the ground. Dwight Clark leaped high with Everson Walls covering and came down with the ball for the touchdown. The play became one of the most famous in NFL history. It also became one of the greatest plays in 49ers history and one of the worst in Cowboys history. The score put the 49ers ahead 28-27 with just 51 seconds left in the game.
The Cowboys returned the kickoff to their 25 yard line and the offense took over with just 47 seconds left to play. With two timeouts left and a great kicker in Rafael Septien, the Cowboys knew there was a sense of urgency, but at the same time there were no signs of panic or a need to rush as Danny White and the offense broke the huddle.
On first down Danny White dropped back and fired the ball into triple coverage as Drew Pearson neared midfield. Pearson made the reception and never broke stride as he crossed midfield. If it wasn't for 49ers cornerback Eric Wright dragging Pearson down by the back of the jersey chances are that Pearson would have scored or at the very least gained enough yards to put the Cowboys in field goal range. Pearson gained 31 yards on the play to reach the 49ers 44 yard line and the Cowboys quickly called a timeout with 38 seconds left.
The Cowboys were looking to get as close to the 30 yard line as possible if not past it to give Septien the best chance to kick the game winning field goal. But it wasn't meant to be as the game came to a crashing end on the next play. Danny White dropped back looking for Tony Hill on the left sideline. 49ers defensive lineman Lawrence Pillers bull rushed Cowboys guard Kurt Petersen who never had a chance. Pillars knocked Petersen off his feet and slammed into White. The ball came loose and the 49ers recovered to end the game and to end the hopes of the Cowboys advancing to Super Bowl XVI.
Watching the play over and over again it does look as though Danny White's arm was going forward when he was hit. White can also be seen jumping to his feet after the play and motioning to the official that his arm was going forward, but all the arguing in the world wasn't going to change the call and the 49ers took possession and ran out the clock.
A few years back I was able to interview Danny White and I asked him about that particular play.
Q. Watching the 1981 Championship game recently, I’ve always wanted to ask you if you thought your arm was going forward on that last play?
A. Danny White: "It was. However under the rules at that time I think it was the right call. Today it would definitely be an incomplete pass."
I also asked White if he thought the 1981 Cowboys had the best chance of making the Super Bowl and winning it.
Q. Do you think the 1981 team had the best chance to make the Super Bowl and win it?
A. Danny White: "I think 80, 81 and 82 would all have won the Super Bowl if we had played the Championship games at home."
It was 32 seasons ago that the Cowboys left the ball on the field in the 1981 NFC Championship game, along with so many questions. What if the Cowboys had not played in the nickel defense on that last 49ers drive? What if the Cowboys rush had been a second quicker getting to Joe Montana on that touchdown to Clark? What if White's fumble was actually called an incomplete pass? The "what ifs" really mean nothing other than interesting conversations. And even though the game was heart breaking for the Cowboys and their fans and still is to this day, there is no mistaking that it was also one of the greatest football games I have ever watched.
From the start 49ers Coach Bill Walsh saw that the Cowboys were playing their nickel defense, consisting of one linebacker and seven defensive backs. Walsh wanted to take advantage of that by keeping the Cowboys on their heels and guessing. It was Cowboys safety Charlie Waters who confronted Cowboys defensive coordinator Ernie Stautner as to why it was a bad idea to be playing nickel defense with so much time left on the clock. Stautner's response to Waters was...
"Look, we’ll get out of the nickel, but it’s going to be all on you."
...meaning that Waters would have to answer to coach Landry. And Waters responded...
"No thanks"
So the Cowboys stayed in their nickel defense as the 49ers started on their 14 play drive. Over the years some have said that the 49ers called more rushing plays on the drive due to the Cowboys nickel defense, but the fact is that the 49ers actually ran 8 passing plays and 6 running plays on the drive. Of the 14 plays on the drive 11 of them went for positive yardage. The 49ers seemed to move down the field with ease and the 4:54 that was on the clock when the drive started dwindled down to just 58 seconds left when Joe Montana faced 3rd and 3 from the Cowboys six yard line. It was at that point Ernie Stautner removed his nickel defense and replaced it with the Cowboys base 4-3 defense.
I'm sure we have all seen the play more than we have wanted over the years. Joe Montana rolled to his right while being chased down by Ed Jones, Larry Bethea and D.D. Lewis. He then threw into the back of the end zone before being knocked to the ground. Dwight Clark leaped high with Everson Walls covering and came down with the ball for the touchdown. The play became one of the most famous in NFL history. It also became one of the greatest plays in 49ers history and one of the worst in Cowboys history. The score put the 49ers ahead 28-27 with just 51 seconds left in the game.
The Cowboys returned the kickoff to their 25 yard line and the offense took over with just 47 seconds left to play. With two timeouts left and a great kicker in Rafael Septien, the Cowboys knew there was a sense of urgency, but at the same time there were no signs of panic or a need to rush as Danny White and the offense broke the huddle.
On first down Danny White dropped back and fired the ball into triple coverage as Drew Pearson neared midfield. Pearson made the reception and never broke stride as he crossed midfield. If it wasn't for 49ers cornerback Eric Wright dragging Pearson down by the back of the jersey chances are that Pearson would have scored or at the very least gained enough yards to put the Cowboys in field goal range. Pearson gained 31 yards on the play to reach the 49ers 44 yard line and the Cowboys quickly called a timeout with 38 seconds left.
The Cowboys were looking to get as close to the 30 yard line as possible if not past it to give Septien the best chance to kick the game winning field goal. But it wasn't meant to be as the game came to a crashing end on the next play. Danny White dropped back looking for Tony Hill on the left sideline. 49ers defensive lineman Lawrence Pillers bull rushed Cowboys guard Kurt Petersen who never had a chance. Pillars knocked Petersen off his feet and slammed into White. The ball came loose and the 49ers recovered to end the game and to end the hopes of the Cowboys advancing to Super Bowl XVI.
Watching the play over and over again it does look as though Danny White's arm was going forward when he was hit. White can also be seen jumping to his feet after the play and motioning to the official that his arm was going forward, but all the arguing in the world wasn't going to change the call and the 49ers took possession and ran out the clock.
"My arm was going forward, White said after the game. I was throwing the ball. I told Jim (Jim Tunney, who was the referee), but he said no. He said my arm was coming up rather than throwing. Tony (Hill) was open on the sidelines. I knew the rush was closing in, but I didn’t feel any guy in particular. I didn’t want to take a sack. I was in the middle of throwing when I got hit."
A few years back I was able to interview Danny White and I asked him about that particular play.
Q. Watching the 1981 Championship game recently, I’ve always wanted to ask you if you thought your arm was going forward on that last play?
A. Danny White: "It was. However under the rules at that time I think it was the right call. Today it would definitely be an incomplete pass."
I also asked White if he thought the 1981 Cowboys had the best chance of making the Super Bowl and winning it.
Q. Do you think the 1981 team had the best chance to make the Super Bowl and win it?
A. Danny White: "I think 80, 81 and 82 would all have won the Super Bowl if we had played the Championship games at home."
It was 32 seasons ago that the Cowboys left the ball on the field in the 1981 NFC Championship game, along with so many questions. What if the Cowboys had not played in the nickel defense on that last 49ers drive? What if the Cowboys rush had been a second quicker getting to Joe Montana on that touchdown to Clark? What if White's fumble was actually called an incomplete pass? The "what ifs" really mean nothing other than interesting conversations. And even though the game was heart breaking for the Cowboys and their fans and still is to this day, there is no mistaking that it was also one of the greatest football games I have ever watched.
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Flashback: What really happened to the Cowboys in the 1980 NFC Championship game?
When it comes to all the great games the Cowboys have played in their history I have no problem writing articles about them and trying to relive them the best I can through words, but what about some of the big losses in their history? People may find it strange that some of the Cowboys big losses intrigue me as well. I'm not talking about recent losses; I'm talking about going back in time to the losses that aren't mentioned that much. I understand that losses aren't something that fans like to talk about, but at the same time the losses are part of Cowboys history just as much as the victories.
I found myself thinking about the 1980 NFC Championship game against the Philadelphia Eagles the other day. I kind of remember watching the game, but I was just 12 years old at the time and all that mattered back then was if the Cowboys outscored the other team. I pride myself in knowing as much as I can about the Cowboys history, which means the good and the bad. I wanted to know more about the championship game against the Eagles and how the Cowboys lost. For those who remember the Cowboys lost 20-7, but was it closer than the score showed or was it domination by the Eagles?
Back in the 1970's and into the early 80's the Cowboys had blue jerseys that some thought were bad luck since the Cowboys seemed to lose more then they won when they wore them. The Eagles knew this and decided to wear their white jerseys for the NFC Championship game and force the Cowboys to wear their blue jerseys.
It was a cold January day in Philadelphia as temps would continue dropping to as low as 17 below with the wind during the game. Veterans Stadium was packed full of rabid Eagles fans. This was the Eagles chance to advance to the Super Bowl for the first time in their history. The Eagles were led by players like Ron Jaworski, Wilbert Montgomery, Harold Carmichael, Carl Hairston and Herman Edwards. They were NFC East Champions which was why the Cowboys had to travel to Veterans Stadium for the game.
The Cowboys were going to through plenty of changes in 1980. The great Roger Staubach had retired following the 1979 season and Danny White took over as the starting quarterback. The Cowboys also lost All-Pro safety Cliff Harris to retirement. The Cowboys secondary had three new starters going into 1980 as cornerback Aaron Mitchell replaced Aaron Kyle, as well as safety Charlie Waters replacing Randy Hughes and Dennis Thurman moving from cornerback to safety. Even with all the changes the Cowboys finished with a 12-4 record and were one of the best teams in the NFL.
The Cowboys were coming off an incredible 30-27 comeback win on the road against the Falcons in the Divisional Playoff game. Now it was a trip to Philadelphia for the third meeting of the season with the Eagles. They had split the first two meetings during the 1980 season and now the third meeting would be for a trip to Super Bowl XV.
The first quarter consisted of one huge play that came on the Eagles second play of their first possession. Wilbert Montgomery broke into the Cowboys secondary like the defense wasn't even there and scored easily from 42 yards to give the Eagles an early 7-0 lead. On the Eagles second possession they were looking for more points as they lined up for a field goal attempt, but the Cowboys were able to block the attempt to keep the Eagles from increasing their lead to 10-0. The Cowboys offense could not get anything going in the first quarter as they punted on all three of their possessions.
Heading into the second quarter and the Cowboys offense continuing to struggle. It was once again the Cowboys defense that came up with a big play. The Eagles lined up for another field goal attempt, but this time the snap was high and the Cowboys defense tackled the Eagles kicker as he tried to make a play. The Cowboys offense took over on their 31 yard line and quickly went to work. With a long screen pass to Tony Dorsett along with a completion to Drew Pearson and the running of Robert Newhouse, the Cowboys got into scoring position. The capped the drive with a short touchdown run by Dorsett and tied the game at 7-7.
On the ensuing kickoff the Eagles fumbled on their own 28 yard line, but they recovered. The Eagles put together another drive and got to the Cowboys 25 yard line. Ron Jaworski connected with Harold Carmichael on a 25 yard touchdown pass, but a personal foul was called on the Eagles and the touchdown was called back. With the personal foul penalty the Eagles were pushed back to the 40 yard line and ended up punting. It was another break for the Cowboys to go along with the two missed field goals by the Eagles. The Cowboys and Eagles went into halftime tied 7-7.
The first half was mostly about the defenses. The Cowboys defense held their own outside of the long touchdown run at the start of the game. They seemed to bend at times, but they never broke. They harassed Jaworski most of the first half and got a few breaks along the way. Wilbert Montgomery was becoming the focal point of the Eagles offense as he rushed for over 100 yards in the first half. The Eagles defense seemed to smother the Cowboys offense for most of the first half. Danny White could not get into any rhythm and outside of a few good runs by Robert Newhouse the offense only gained 97 yards.
The Eagles had the advantage in the running game in the first half, but for the most part the stats were close for both teams. It was the passing game for both teams that were struggling. Danny White completed only 6 of 13 passes for 37 yards and Ron Jaworski completed 7 of 17 passes for 54 yards.
The third quarter is where this game was won. After a turnover free first half, there were four in the third quarter and it was the Cowboys who committed three of the four turnovers.
The Cowboys had forced the Eagles to punt on their second possession of the third quarter. Cowboys punt returner James Jones fumbled and the Eagles recovered at the Cowboys 27 yard line. Like in the first half the Cowboys defense made a play and stopped an Eagles scoring threat. Cowboys' linebacker Anthony Dickerson intercepted a Jaworski pass at the Cowboys 19 yard line and the Cowboys offense took over. But as quick as the Cowboys got the ball they gave it right back to the Eagles. Danny White dropped back and was hit hard by the Eagles defense and fumbled the ball at the Cowboys 11 yard line. Even though the Cowboys defense continued to play tough, the Eagles were able to capitalize on the fumble and kicked a 26 yard field goal to take the lead 10-7.
Even with two fumbles early in the third quarter the Cowboys were still in the game. Danny White facing a 3rd and 17 connected with tight end Jay Saldi for a 28 yard gain to the Eagles 40 yard line. But on the very next play the Eagles recovered a Dorsett fumble and returned it to the Cowboys 38 yard line. Once again the Eagles capitalized on the turnover as fullback Leroy Harris scored from the 9 yard line to increase the Eagles lead to 17-7.
After the ensuing kickoff the Cowboys offense took over at the 34 yard line. The first play was a 20 yard pass from White to Butch Johnson who was playing for the injured Tony Hill. The completion put the Cowboys at the Eagles 46 yard line as the third quarter ended and the Cowboys still down 17-7.
On the first play of the fourth quarter the Cowboys faced a 3rd and 8 from the Eagles 44 yard line. White went deep to Butch Johnson who was covered by four Eagles. White's pass was intercepted at the 2 yard line, but the Eagles were called for off-sides. Now the Cowboys had a 3rd and 5 from the 39 yard line. White dropped back and found a wide open Dorsett for a sure first down, but Dorsett dropped the ball and ended any chance of a Cowboys score.
Danny White dropped the fourth down punt at the Eagles 5 yard line. The Cowboys defense was hoping to keep the Eagles pinned against their goal line, but the Eagles running game was too strong. Behind the running of fullback Leroy Harris the Eagles got to the 20 yard line. From there Wilbert Montgomery slashed and cutback on his way to a 55 yard gain to the Cowboys 25 yard line. But just when it looked like the Eagles would increase their lead, it was the Cowboys defense that made another big play. Jaworski threw into the end zone for Carmichael, but Cowboys' cornerback Aaron Mitchell came down with the interception for a touchback.
With over nine minutes still to play in the game the Cowboys offense once again took over looking to get points. White connected with Preston Pearson for a 24 yard gain to the Cowboys 46 yard line. But once again like so many times during the 1980 NFC Championship game the Cowboys offense failed to generate a drive and to score points. The Cowboys punted and the Eagles took over at their own 35 yard line with 8:58 to play.
The Eagles started running the ball again because they knew the Cowboys were unable to stop them. The combination of Montgomery and Harris was just too much for the Cowboys. The Eagles drove to the Cowboys 40 yard line when Jaworski, who had only completed one pass in the second half up to that point, completed his second pass when the Cowboys least expected it. Jaworski threw to the right sideline looking for his tight end Keith Krepfle. Charlie Waters dove for the ball, but missed and Krepfle made the reception and raced to the Cowboys 23 yard line. The Cowboys defense held the Eagles at the 3 yard line, but it was too little too late. The Eagles had eaten up over six minutes on the drive and capped it off with a field goal with just over two minutes to play to increase their lead to 20-7.
The Cowboys had a history of big game comebacks in the 1970's and even though this game looked out of reach the Cowboys offense went down trying when they got the ball back. Danny White got the Cowboys close to midfield and with only 30 seconds left threw deep in hopes of maybe getting a penalty, but ended up throwing an interception and ending the game.
In the end the Cowboys offense gained just 206 yards and could not move the ball consistently. They were also not able to take advantage of the turnovers they got from the defense. The Cowboys defense although it played tough could not stop the Eagles running game that gained 263 yards rushing. Most of that came from Wilbert Montgomery who rushed for 194 yards.
Some people may say the Cowboys were dominated in the 1980 NFC Championship game, but to me the Cowboys had their opportunities many times throughout the game. They just couldn't do anything with those opportunities, but the Eagles were able to capitalize at times and made a few more plays than the Cowboys. Those plays are what doomed the Cowboys and their chance of advancing to Super Bowl XV.
I found myself thinking about the 1980 NFC Championship game against the Philadelphia Eagles the other day. I kind of remember watching the game, but I was just 12 years old at the time and all that mattered back then was if the Cowboys outscored the other team. I pride myself in knowing as much as I can about the Cowboys history, which means the good and the bad. I wanted to know more about the championship game against the Eagles and how the Cowboys lost. For those who remember the Cowboys lost 20-7, but was it closer than the score showed or was it domination by the Eagles?
Back in the 1970's and into the early 80's the Cowboys had blue jerseys that some thought were bad luck since the Cowboys seemed to lose more then they won when they wore them. The Eagles knew this and decided to wear their white jerseys for the NFC Championship game and force the Cowboys to wear their blue jerseys.
It was a cold January day in Philadelphia as temps would continue dropping to as low as 17 below with the wind during the game. Veterans Stadium was packed full of rabid Eagles fans. This was the Eagles chance to advance to the Super Bowl for the first time in their history. The Eagles were led by players like Ron Jaworski, Wilbert Montgomery, Harold Carmichael, Carl Hairston and Herman Edwards. They were NFC East Champions which was why the Cowboys had to travel to Veterans Stadium for the game.
The Cowboys were going to through plenty of changes in 1980. The great Roger Staubach had retired following the 1979 season and Danny White took over as the starting quarterback. The Cowboys also lost All-Pro safety Cliff Harris to retirement. The Cowboys secondary had three new starters going into 1980 as cornerback Aaron Mitchell replaced Aaron Kyle, as well as safety Charlie Waters replacing Randy Hughes and Dennis Thurman moving from cornerback to safety. Even with all the changes the Cowboys finished with a 12-4 record and were one of the best teams in the NFL.
The Cowboys were coming off an incredible 30-27 comeback win on the road against the Falcons in the Divisional Playoff game. Now it was a trip to Philadelphia for the third meeting of the season with the Eagles. They had split the first two meetings during the 1980 season and now the third meeting would be for a trip to Super Bowl XV.
The first quarter consisted of one huge play that came on the Eagles second play of their first possession. Wilbert Montgomery broke into the Cowboys secondary like the defense wasn't even there and scored easily from 42 yards to give the Eagles an early 7-0 lead. On the Eagles second possession they were looking for more points as they lined up for a field goal attempt, but the Cowboys were able to block the attempt to keep the Eagles from increasing their lead to 10-0. The Cowboys offense could not get anything going in the first quarter as they punted on all three of their possessions.
Heading into the second quarter and the Cowboys offense continuing to struggle. It was once again the Cowboys defense that came up with a big play. The Eagles lined up for another field goal attempt, but this time the snap was high and the Cowboys defense tackled the Eagles kicker as he tried to make a play. The Cowboys offense took over on their 31 yard line and quickly went to work. With a long screen pass to Tony Dorsett along with a completion to Drew Pearson and the running of Robert Newhouse, the Cowboys got into scoring position. The capped the drive with a short touchdown run by Dorsett and tied the game at 7-7.
On the ensuing kickoff the Eagles fumbled on their own 28 yard line, but they recovered. The Eagles put together another drive and got to the Cowboys 25 yard line. Ron Jaworski connected with Harold Carmichael on a 25 yard touchdown pass, but a personal foul was called on the Eagles and the touchdown was called back. With the personal foul penalty the Eagles were pushed back to the 40 yard line and ended up punting. It was another break for the Cowboys to go along with the two missed field goals by the Eagles. The Cowboys and Eagles went into halftime tied 7-7.
The first half was mostly about the defenses. The Cowboys defense held their own outside of the long touchdown run at the start of the game. They seemed to bend at times, but they never broke. They harassed Jaworski most of the first half and got a few breaks along the way. Wilbert Montgomery was becoming the focal point of the Eagles offense as he rushed for over 100 yards in the first half. The Eagles defense seemed to smother the Cowboys offense for most of the first half. Danny White could not get into any rhythm and outside of a few good runs by Robert Newhouse the offense only gained 97 yards.
The Eagles had the advantage in the running game in the first half, but for the most part the stats were close for both teams. It was the passing game for both teams that were struggling. Danny White completed only 6 of 13 passes for 37 yards and Ron Jaworski completed 7 of 17 passes for 54 yards.
The third quarter is where this game was won. After a turnover free first half, there were four in the third quarter and it was the Cowboys who committed three of the four turnovers.
The Cowboys had forced the Eagles to punt on their second possession of the third quarter. Cowboys punt returner James Jones fumbled and the Eagles recovered at the Cowboys 27 yard line. Like in the first half the Cowboys defense made a play and stopped an Eagles scoring threat. Cowboys' linebacker Anthony Dickerson intercepted a Jaworski pass at the Cowboys 19 yard line and the Cowboys offense took over. But as quick as the Cowboys got the ball they gave it right back to the Eagles. Danny White dropped back and was hit hard by the Eagles defense and fumbled the ball at the Cowboys 11 yard line. Even though the Cowboys defense continued to play tough, the Eagles were able to capitalize on the fumble and kicked a 26 yard field goal to take the lead 10-7.
Even with two fumbles early in the third quarter the Cowboys were still in the game. Danny White facing a 3rd and 17 connected with tight end Jay Saldi for a 28 yard gain to the Eagles 40 yard line. But on the very next play the Eagles recovered a Dorsett fumble and returned it to the Cowboys 38 yard line. Once again the Eagles capitalized on the turnover as fullback Leroy Harris scored from the 9 yard line to increase the Eagles lead to 17-7.
After the ensuing kickoff the Cowboys offense took over at the 34 yard line. The first play was a 20 yard pass from White to Butch Johnson who was playing for the injured Tony Hill. The completion put the Cowboys at the Eagles 46 yard line as the third quarter ended and the Cowboys still down 17-7.
On the first play of the fourth quarter the Cowboys faced a 3rd and 8 from the Eagles 44 yard line. White went deep to Butch Johnson who was covered by four Eagles. White's pass was intercepted at the 2 yard line, but the Eagles were called for off-sides. Now the Cowboys had a 3rd and 5 from the 39 yard line. White dropped back and found a wide open Dorsett for a sure first down, but Dorsett dropped the ball and ended any chance of a Cowboys score.
Danny White dropped the fourth down punt at the Eagles 5 yard line. The Cowboys defense was hoping to keep the Eagles pinned against their goal line, but the Eagles running game was too strong. Behind the running of fullback Leroy Harris the Eagles got to the 20 yard line. From there Wilbert Montgomery slashed and cutback on his way to a 55 yard gain to the Cowboys 25 yard line. But just when it looked like the Eagles would increase their lead, it was the Cowboys defense that made another big play. Jaworski threw into the end zone for Carmichael, but Cowboys' cornerback Aaron Mitchell came down with the interception for a touchback.
With over nine minutes still to play in the game the Cowboys offense once again took over looking to get points. White connected with Preston Pearson for a 24 yard gain to the Cowboys 46 yard line. But once again like so many times during the 1980 NFC Championship game the Cowboys offense failed to generate a drive and to score points. The Cowboys punted and the Eagles took over at their own 35 yard line with 8:58 to play.
The Eagles started running the ball again because they knew the Cowboys were unable to stop them. The combination of Montgomery and Harris was just too much for the Cowboys. The Eagles drove to the Cowboys 40 yard line when Jaworski, who had only completed one pass in the second half up to that point, completed his second pass when the Cowboys least expected it. Jaworski threw to the right sideline looking for his tight end Keith Krepfle. Charlie Waters dove for the ball, but missed and Krepfle made the reception and raced to the Cowboys 23 yard line. The Cowboys defense held the Eagles at the 3 yard line, but it was too little too late. The Eagles had eaten up over six minutes on the drive and capped it off with a field goal with just over two minutes to play to increase their lead to 20-7.
The Cowboys had a history of big game comebacks in the 1970's and even though this game looked out of reach the Cowboys offense went down trying when they got the ball back. Danny White got the Cowboys close to midfield and with only 30 seconds left threw deep in hopes of maybe getting a penalty, but ended up throwing an interception and ending the game.
In the end the Cowboys offense gained just 206 yards and could not move the ball consistently. They were also not able to take advantage of the turnovers they got from the defense. The Cowboys defense although it played tough could not stop the Eagles running game that gained 263 yards rushing. Most of that came from Wilbert Montgomery who rushed for 194 yards.
Some people may say the Cowboys were dominated in the 1980 NFC Championship game, but to me the Cowboys had their opportunities many times throughout the game. They just couldn't do anything with those opportunities, but the Eagles were able to capitalize at times and made a few more plays than the Cowboys. Those plays are what doomed the Cowboys and their chance of advancing to Super Bowl XV.
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
The Top 10 greatest NFL games I have ever watched
The other day I was thinking about some of the greatest NFL games that I have ever seen. Not ones that I've heard about or seen highlights from, but ones I actually remember watching. I didn't want to look up any existing lists of games that others had written about. I just wanted it to be from me, so I started listing games that I remembered watching off the top of my head just to see what I came up with. What I came up with were mostly older games and of course a few Cowboys games made my list. I find it amazing that my memory is so much clearer when it comes to older games and that is why I didn't want any help from lists that others put together.
The ten games I came up with were great in their own way, but there has always been one game that stood out as the greatest of all time. And all these years later that has not changed and I doubt it ever will. To me "greatest" comes from two teams slugging it out like a heavy weight fight. Punch after punch and never going down no matter how beat up and tired they are. But in the end someone has to be declared the winner and both teams shake hands knowing that they had just played in a game that will go down in history.
#10 - 1981 NFC Championship, Cowboys at 49ers. For those Cowboys fans that actually remember watching this game, also remember how heart breaking it was. Dwight Clark's fingertip catch and Danny White's fumble all in the final minute of the game. The Cowboys defense knocked Joe Montana down time after time, only to see him get up and keep coming at them. There were seven lead changes throughout the course of the game and even though the Cowboys came up short 28-27, it was still one of the greatest games of all time.
#9 - 1992 NFC Championship, Cowboys at 49ers. Eleven seasons after losing to the 49ers 28-27 the Cowboys were back in Candlestick Park. The faces were different and so were the results as the Cowboys won 30-20. This was not the type of game that both teams exchanged scores throughout the game, but it was equally exciting. The Cowboys were in control most of the game and when the 49ers did back them into a corner late in the fourth quarter, they responded with a 71 yard pass from Troy Aikman to Alvin Harper to seal the game and get back to the Super Bowl after 14 long seasons.
#8 - 1982, Super Bowl XVII, Dolphins vs. Redskins. In one of the most under rated Super Bowls of all time the Dolphins and Redskins battled as the Dolphins held the lead 17-13 going into the fourth quarter. The Redskins took their first lead of the game in the fourth quarter when John Riggins scored on a 43 yard touchdown run on a 4th and 1 play. The Redskins went on to win the game 27-17.
#7 - 1986, Week 3, Dolphins at Jets. In a game that featured 96 points, 1,066 yards, 10 touchdown passes, four 100 yard receivers and nine lead changes; it also went into overtime where the Jets finally ended it and won 51-45 on a 43 yard touchdown pass from Ken O'Brien to Wesley Walker.
#6 - 1981 Wildcard Playoff, Bills at Jets. It was a cold day at Shea Stadium and it wasn't the cleanest game with a total of nine turnovers. The Bills jumped out to a 24-0 lead and then 31-13, but the Jets fought back to 31-27. With only two seconds left and the Jets sitting at the Bills eleven yard line, Jets quarterback Richard Todd tried to complete the comeback, but was intercepted at the two yard line to end the game.
#5 - 1992 Wildcard Playoff, Oilers at Bills. The Oilers Run and Shoot offense with quarterback Warren Moon jumped out to a 28-3 halftime lead and then increased their lead to 35-3 early in the third quarter with an interception return. From that point on the Bills and backup quarterback Frank Reich, who was playing for the injured Jim Kelly mounted an incredible comeback. They scored the next five touchdowns and took a 38-35 lead. The Oilers were able to tie the game to force overtime, but early in overtime the Bills intercepted Warren Moon and kicked the winning field goal to win 41-38.
#4 - 2012 Divisional Playoff, Ravens at Broncos. This playoff game was a classic from beginning to end. The game featured a punt return, kickoff return and interception return for touchdowns. Every time Peyton Manning got the lead the Ravens would answer back and it was no different with 41 seconds left in the game and the Broncos leading 35-28. Joe Flacco threw a Hail Mary pass that Jacoby Jones came down with and scored from 70 yards to force overtime. The game would go into double overtime before the Ravens kicked with winning field goal and won 38-35.
#3 - 1997, Super Bowl XXXII, Broncos vs. Packers. In what I consider the greatest Super Bowl I have ever watched, John Elway finally came through after losing three Super Bowls in the 1980s. It wasn't a game filled with exciting plays, but it was a game that was beautifully played and was close from beginning to end. The game featured two of the greatest quarterbacks of all time in John Elway and Brett Favre. The Broncos sealed the game with just 32 seconds remaining and won 31-24.
#2 - 1980 Divisional Playoff, Cowboys at Falcons. This game was played at the old outside Atlanta Fulton County Stadium. It was only Danny White's second career playoff game since taking over for Roger Staubach. The Falcons had a high powered offense and showed it early and often against the Cowboys. The Falcons took a 24-10 lead into the fourth quarter, but the Cowboys battled back as Danny White threw two late touchdown passes to Drew Pearson and the Cowboys pulled out the victory 30-27.
#1 - 1981 Divisional Playoff, Chargers at Dolphins. This game without a doubt was the greatest game that I have ever watched. It was a game filled with excitement throughout regulation and into overtime. Both the Chargers and Dolphins went toe to toe and battled for almost five quarters. The players were beaten up, exhausted and at times could barely get to their feet. It was that classic heavy weight fight that you hated to see end. And even when you thought it would end something would happen to make the game continue on. The Chargers jumped out to a 24-0 first quarter lead. Then Dolphins Coach Don Shula removed starting quarterback David Woodley and replaced him with veteran backup Don Strock. From that point on Strock brought the Dolphins back and tied the game 24-24 in the third quarter. Then on the first play of the fourth quarter the Dolphins took their first lead of the game 38-31. The Chargers tied the game late in the fourth quarter and the game went into overtime. Even the overtime was filled with excitement as both teams had multiple chances to win the game, but in the end it was the Chargers winning this classic game 41-38 with a field goal late in overtime. It's difficult to put into words just how great this game was. It was nonstop, end to end action that in this fans opinion turned out to be the greatest NFL game ever played.
I actually found the the entire broadcast of the game here.
The ten games I came up with were great in their own way, but there has always been one game that stood out as the greatest of all time. And all these years later that has not changed and I doubt it ever will. To me "greatest" comes from two teams slugging it out like a heavy weight fight. Punch after punch and never going down no matter how beat up and tired they are. But in the end someone has to be declared the winner and both teams shake hands knowing that they had just played in a game that will go down in history.
#10 - 1981 NFC Championship, Cowboys at 49ers. For those Cowboys fans that actually remember watching this game, also remember how heart breaking it was. Dwight Clark's fingertip catch and Danny White's fumble all in the final minute of the game. The Cowboys defense knocked Joe Montana down time after time, only to see him get up and keep coming at them. There were seven lead changes throughout the course of the game and even though the Cowboys came up short 28-27, it was still one of the greatest games of all time.
#9 - 1992 NFC Championship, Cowboys at 49ers. Eleven seasons after losing to the 49ers 28-27 the Cowboys were back in Candlestick Park. The faces were different and so were the results as the Cowboys won 30-20. This was not the type of game that both teams exchanged scores throughout the game, but it was equally exciting. The Cowboys were in control most of the game and when the 49ers did back them into a corner late in the fourth quarter, they responded with a 71 yard pass from Troy Aikman to Alvin Harper to seal the game and get back to the Super Bowl after 14 long seasons.
#8 - 1982, Super Bowl XVII, Dolphins vs. Redskins. In one of the most under rated Super Bowls of all time the Dolphins and Redskins battled as the Dolphins held the lead 17-13 going into the fourth quarter. The Redskins took their first lead of the game in the fourth quarter when John Riggins scored on a 43 yard touchdown run on a 4th and 1 play. The Redskins went on to win the game 27-17.
#7 - 1986, Week 3, Dolphins at Jets. In a game that featured 96 points, 1,066 yards, 10 touchdown passes, four 100 yard receivers and nine lead changes; it also went into overtime where the Jets finally ended it and won 51-45 on a 43 yard touchdown pass from Ken O'Brien to Wesley Walker.
#6 - 1981 Wildcard Playoff, Bills at Jets. It was a cold day at Shea Stadium and it wasn't the cleanest game with a total of nine turnovers. The Bills jumped out to a 24-0 lead and then 31-13, but the Jets fought back to 31-27. With only two seconds left and the Jets sitting at the Bills eleven yard line, Jets quarterback Richard Todd tried to complete the comeback, but was intercepted at the two yard line to end the game.
#5 - 1992 Wildcard Playoff, Oilers at Bills. The Oilers Run and Shoot offense with quarterback Warren Moon jumped out to a 28-3 halftime lead and then increased their lead to 35-3 early in the third quarter with an interception return. From that point on the Bills and backup quarterback Frank Reich, who was playing for the injured Jim Kelly mounted an incredible comeback. They scored the next five touchdowns and took a 38-35 lead. The Oilers were able to tie the game to force overtime, but early in overtime the Bills intercepted Warren Moon and kicked the winning field goal to win 41-38.
#4 - 2012 Divisional Playoff, Ravens at Broncos. This playoff game was a classic from beginning to end. The game featured a punt return, kickoff return and interception return for touchdowns. Every time Peyton Manning got the lead the Ravens would answer back and it was no different with 41 seconds left in the game and the Broncos leading 35-28. Joe Flacco threw a Hail Mary pass that Jacoby Jones came down with and scored from 70 yards to force overtime. The game would go into double overtime before the Ravens kicked with winning field goal and won 38-35.
#3 - 1997, Super Bowl XXXII, Broncos vs. Packers. In what I consider the greatest Super Bowl I have ever watched, John Elway finally came through after losing three Super Bowls in the 1980s. It wasn't a game filled with exciting plays, but it was a game that was beautifully played and was close from beginning to end. The game featured two of the greatest quarterbacks of all time in John Elway and Brett Favre. The Broncos sealed the game with just 32 seconds remaining and won 31-24.
#2 - 1980 Divisional Playoff, Cowboys at Falcons. This game was played at the old outside Atlanta Fulton County Stadium. It was only Danny White's second career playoff game since taking over for Roger Staubach. The Falcons had a high powered offense and showed it early and often against the Cowboys. The Falcons took a 24-10 lead into the fourth quarter, but the Cowboys battled back as Danny White threw two late touchdown passes to Drew Pearson and the Cowboys pulled out the victory 30-27.
#1 - 1981 Divisional Playoff, Chargers at Dolphins. This game without a doubt was the greatest game that I have ever watched. It was a game filled with excitement throughout regulation and into overtime. Both the Chargers and Dolphins went toe to toe and battled for almost five quarters. The players were beaten up, exhausted and at times could barely get to their feet. It was that classic heavy weight fight that you hated to see end. And even when you thought it would end something would happen to make the game continue on. The Chargers jumped out to a 24-0 first quarter lead. Then Dolphins Coach Don Shula removed starting quarterback David Woodley and replaced him with veteran backup Don Strock. From that point on Strock brought the Dolphins back and tied the game 24-24 in the third quarter. Then on the first play of the fourth quarter the Dolphins took their first lead of the game 38-31. The Chargers tied the game late in the fourth quarter and the game went into overtime. Even the overtime was filled with excitement as both teams had multiple chances to win the game, but in the end it was the Chargers winning this classic game 41-38 with a field goal late in overtime. It's difficult to put into words just how great this game was. It was nonstop, end to end action that in this fans opinion turned out to be the greatest NFL game ever played.
I actually found the the entire broadcast of the game here.
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
The good and bad when it comes to Tony Romo
I think we can all agree that Tony Romo is the most discussed and scrutinized quarterback in the NFL today. Since the time Romo became the Cowboys starting quarterback in 2006 to the final game of the 2012 season, there have been arguments about what kind of quarterback he is. There are questions about whether or not he is an elite quarterback or a player that seems to struggle when the lights are shining the brightest. Over the years I have written my share of articles about Tony Romo. The first ones were in his favor as I saw excitement once again at the quarterback position. But as a few seasons went by I found myself questioning whether or not Romo had reached his potential as a starting quarterback in the NFL and maybe couldn't get the Cowboys to the next level. Of course the articles that are not in his favor are the ones that are not all that popular with Cowboys Nation. But that's alright because everyone is entitled to their own opinions. That's what being a fan is all about and why I love to write about the Cowboys.
Over Tony Romo's six and half seasons he has had games that have made me think that there is nothing that he can't do and that the sky is the limit. But of course with the good also comes the bad and there are also those games that I think being a starting quarterback is just too much for him. All of this shows why Tony Romo's career has become known as the Romo Coaster.
The five games listed below are the ones that made me think that Tony Romo is capable of greatness and getting the Cowboys to the next level.
2007 season opener vs. Giants - In Tony Romo's first ever season opener as a starter, he threw for 345 yards and four touchdowns. He also scored on a 9 yard touchdown run and led the Cowboys to a 45-35 victory over the Giants.
2007 at Bills - In a mistake filled game by Tony Romo, he threw five interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns and he also lost a fumble. Even with all the turnovers and losing 24-16 to the Bills late in the game Romo kept fighting. The Cowboys scored 9 points in the final 20 seconds. Romo threw a touchdown pass to Patrick Crayton to make the score 24-22, but the attempt to tie the game with the two point conversion failed. Then Tony Curtis recovered the onside kick for the Cowboys. Romo quickly got them into position for a Nick Folk game winning field goal from 53 yards with 2 seconds left. The Cowboys completed the comeback and won 25-24.
2009 at Eagles - In the final game of the 2008 season the Cowboys traveled to play the Eagles and got crushed 44-6, which ended their playoff hopes. In the Cowboys first trip back to Philadelphia since that horrible loss Tony Romo came through when the Cowboys needed him most. In a tight hard fought game that was tied 13-13 with eight minutes to go, Romo connected with Austin on a 49 yard touchdown that gave the Cowboys a 20-13 lead. They went on to win 20-16 and took over the lead in the NFC East.
2011 at 49ers - The Cowboys were losing 24-14 to the 49ers when Tony Romo came off the bench in the fourth quarter with two broken ribs and led the Cowboys to victory. After closing to within 24-21, Romo led the Cowboys to the game tying field goal by Dan Bailey with no time left on the clock to force overtime. Then on the first play of overtime Romo connected with Jesse Holley on a 77 yard completion to set up Dan Bailey's game winning field goal. The Cowboys won 27-24. For the game Romo completed 20 of 33 passes for 345 and two touchdowns. Romo's numbers after coming back into the game were 12 of 16 for 201 yards and two touchdowns.
2012 at Giants - After losing the division title to the Giants in the final game of the 2011season the Cowboys opened the 2012 season back at Met-Life Stadium. From the start the Cowboys and Tony Romo were in control and the Cowboys won 24-17. Romo completed 22 of 29 passes for 307 yards and three touchdowns.
The five games listed below are the ones that made me think if Tony Romo has what it takes to lift the Cowboys to the next level.
2008 at Steelers - The Cowboys had gone toe to toe with the #1 ranked Steelers defense. But with the game tied 13-13 and only 1:40 remaining in the game, Tony Romo threw a pick six and the Steelers won 20-13.
2011 at Jets - With the Cowboys leading 24-17 in the 4th quarter, Tony Romo fumbled on the Jets 1 yard line and the Jets recovered. Then with 1:00 left in the game and the score tied 24-24, Romo threw an interception directly to Darrelle Revis and the Jets turned that into the game winning field goal and the Cowboys lost 27-24.
2011 vs. Lions - The Cowboys were beating the Lions 27-3 in the 3rd quarter when Tony Romo threw a pick six to make the score 27-10. On the Cowboys next possession Romo threw another pick six to make the score 27-17. Then with Cowboys leading 30-27 and four minutes left in the game, Romo threw his 3rd interception that the Lions turned into the winning score, 34-30.
2011 vs. Giants - With the Cowboys leading 34-29 and only three minutes left in the game, Tony Romo overthrew Miles Austin on what would have been the game clinching as well as the division clinching throw. The Cowboys would go on to lose the game 37-34. Three weeks later the Cowboys would lose to the Giants again as well as losing the division title and miss the playoffs.
2012 at Redskins - The Cowboys went into the Redskins game with the division title on the line and Tony Romo threw two first quarter interceptions. Romo then threw his third interception of the game with three minutes left and the Redskins leading 21-18. The Redskins would go on to seal the game and the division title 28-18. The Cowboys would miss the playoffs for the third straight season.
So what does 2013 have in store for Tony Romo? Will the Romo Coaster continue as it's been since 2006? No one can say for sure, so find a seat, buckle up and hopefully the ride will be enjoyable.
Over Tony Romo's six and half seasons he has had games that have made me think that there is nothing that he can't do and that the sky is the limit. But of course with the good also comes the bad and there are also those games that I think being a starting quarterback is just too much for him. All of this shows why Tony Romo's career has become known as the Romo Coaster.
The five games listed below are the ones that made me think that Tony Romo is capable of greatness and getting the Cowboys to the next level.
2007 season opener vs. Giants - In Tony Romo's first ever season opener as a starter, he threw for 345 yards and four touchdowns. He also scored on a 9 yard touchdown run and led the Cowboys to a 45-35 victory over the Giants.
2007 at Bills - In a mistake filled game by Tony Romo, he threw five interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns and he also lost a fumble. Even with all the turnovers and losing 24-16 to the Bills late in the game Romo kept fighting. The Cowboys scored 9 points in the final 20 seconds. Romo threw a touchdown pass to Patrick Crayton to make the score 24-22, but the attempt to tie the game with the two point conversion failed. Then Tony Curtis recovered the onside kick for the Cowboys. Romo quickly got them into position for a Nick Folk game winning field goal from 53 yards with 2 seconds left. The Cowboys completed the comeback and won 25-24.
2009 at Eagles - In the final game of the 2008 season the Cowboys traveled to play the Eagles and got crushed 44-6, which ended their playoff hopes. In the Cowboys first trip back to Philadelphia since that horrible loss Tony Romo came through when the Cowboys needed him most. In a tight hard fought game that was tied 13-13 with eight minutes to go, Romo connected with Austin on a 49 yard touchdown that gave the Cowboys a 20-13 lead. They went on to win 20-16 and took over the lead in the NFC East.
2011 at 49ers - The Cowboys were losing 24-14 to the 49ers when Tony Romo came off the bench in the fourth quarter with two broken ribs and led the Cowboys to victory. After closing to within 24-21, Romo led the Cowboys to the game tying field goal by Dan Bailey with no time left on the clock to force overtime. Then on the first play of overtime Romo connected with Jesse Holley on a 77 yard completion to set up Dan Bailey's game winning field goal. The Cowboys won 27-24. For the game Romo completed 20 of 33 passes for 345 and two touchdowns. Romo's numbers after coming back into the game were 12 of 16 for 201 yards and two touchdowns.
2012 at Giants - After losing the division title to the Giants in the final game of the 2011season the Cowboys opened the 2012 season back at Met-Life Stadium. From the start the Cowboys and Tony Romo were in control and the Cowboys won 24-17. Romo completed 22 of 29 passes for 307 yards and three touchdowns.
The five games listed below are the ones that made me think if Tony Romo has what it takes to lift the Cowboys to the next level.
2008 at Steelers - The Cowboys had gone toe to toe with the #1 ranked Steelers defense. But with the game tied 13-13 and only 1:40 remaining in the game, Tony Romo threw a pick six and the Steelers won 20-13.
2011 at Jets - With the Cowboys leading 24-17 in the 4th quarter, Tony Romo fumbled on the Jets 1 yard line and the Jets recovered. Then with 1:00 left in the game and the score tied 24-24, Romo threw an interception directly to Darrelle Revis and the Jets turned that into the game winning field goal and the Cowboys lost 27-24.
2011 vs. Lions - The Cowboys were beating the Lions 27-3 in the 3rd quarter when Tony Romo threw a pick six to make the score 27-10. On the Cowboys next possession Romo threw another pick six to make the score 27-17. Then with Cowboys leading 30-27 and four minutes left in the game, Romo threw his 3rd interception that the Lions turned into the winning score, 34-30.
2011 vs. Giants - With the Cowboys leading 34-29 and only three minutes left in the game, Tony Romo overthrew Miles Austin on what would have been the game clinching as well as the division clinching throw. The Cowboys would go on to lose the game 37-34. Three weeks later the Cowboys would lose to the Giants again as well as losing the division title and miss the playoffs.
2012 at Redskins - The Cowboys went into the Redskins game with the division title on the line and Tony Romo threw two first quarter interceptions. Romo then threw his third interception of the game with three minutes left and the Redskins leading 21-18. The Redskins would go on to seal the game and the division title 28-18. The Cowboys would miss the playoffs for the third straight season.
So what does 2013 have in store for Tony Romo? Will the Romo Coaster continue as it's been since 2006? No one can say for sure, so find a seat, buckle up and hopefully the ride will be enjoyable.
Friday, June 21, 2013
Should Tony Romo be a part of NFL Top 100 list from 2012?
So, Tony Romo was not voted into the NFL Top 100 players from the 2012 season. It's really not a big deal, especially to the players and especially not to Romo. Every year there are lists for this and lists for that. They are released to pass the time away until training camp and for people like me to write about them.
After last night we are down to the Top 10 players left from 2012. Tony Romo's name has yet to be announced and I highly doubt it will be at this point with players like Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady still waiting for their names to be called. Last season Romo was voted #91 on this same list and #72 the season before that. Is it right that Romo was not included in the Top 100 this year or should he have been included at some point? Looking at the list of quarterbacks so far I would have no issue with removing a few of them so Romo could be added in.
Here is how the quarterback rankings have gone so far:
#81 Colin Kaepernick
#76 Matthew Stafford
#61 Ben Roethisberger
#51 Russell Wilson
#46 Cam Newton
#43 Eli Manning
#23 Andrew Luck
#19 Joe Flacco
#17 Matt Ryan
#15 RGIII
#11 Drew Brees
Being not just a Cowboys fan, but an NFL fan as well, I will say that to put quarterbacks like Cam Newton and Matthew Stafford on the list and not Romo is just wrong. At the same time I don't believe Romo is a Top 10 player in the league either. My though as I looked at the ranked quarterbacks so far is that Romo should be somewhere between 40 and 60 on the list. What hurt Romo in my opinion was that once again he came up short in the biggest game of the season as he threw three interceptions against the Redskins with the division title on the line.
For all those who may be concerned about Tony Romo and how he is handling not being part of the Top 100 list, I wouldn't worry too much. I'm sure he is fine and is moving on with his life. He made that clear last week.
Take these lists for what they are worth everyone, which is really nothing at all. Have fun with them, don't take them seriously and most of all don't get into heated arguments with others because of them. It's just not worth it. Just ask Tony Romo.
After last night we are down to the Top 10 players left from 2012. Tony Romo's name has yet to be announced and I highly doubt it will be at this point with players like Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady still waiting for their names to be called. Last season Romo was voted #91 on this same list and #72 the season before that. Is it right that Romo was not included in the Top 100 this year or should he have been included at some point? Looking at the list of quarterbacks so far I would have no issue with removing a few of them so Romo could be added in.
Here is how the quarterback rankings have gone so far:
#81 Colin Kaepernick
#76 Matthew Stafford
#61 Ben Roethisberger
#51 Russell Wilson
#46 Cam Newton
#43 Eli Manning
#23 Andrew Luck
#19 Joe Flacco
#17 Matt Ryan
#15 RGIII
#11 Drew Brees
Being not just a Cowboys fan, but an NFL fan as well, I will say that to put quarterbacks like Cam Newton and Matthew Stafford on the list and not Romo is just wrong. At the same time I don't believe Romo is a Top 10 player in the league either. My though as I looked at the ranked quarterbacks so far is that Romo should be somewhere between 40 and 60 on the list. What hurt Romo in my opinion was that once again he came up short in the biggest game of the season as he threw three interceptions against the Redskins with the division title on the line.
For all those who may be concerned about Tony Romo and how he is handling not being part of the Top 100 list, I wouldn't worry too much. I'm sure he is fine and is moving on with his life. He made that clear last week.
“Until I see one person who’s a Dallas Cowboy who votes on that stuff, I would figure at some point they’d ask me, Jason Witten or DeMarcus Ware to vote,” Romo said. “I think then maybe it’s a vote by the players. But the four people who vote, I just don’t think it matters too much. I know this, I would have a hard time telling you who was great in the AFC last year. You just go by what’s written about and talked about.”
Take these lists for what they are worth everyone, which is really nothing at all. Have fun with them, don't take them seriously and most of all don't get into heated arguments with others because of them. It's just not worth it. Just ask Tony Romo.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
If the Cowboys want to continue moving in the right direction they need to go out and sign Peyton now!
If the Cowboys are going to make any noise this season they need major improvements from their running game. A balanced attack on offense will take the pressure off Tony Romo and the passing game and will keep defenses guessing. But do the Cowboys as they stand today have enough as far as a dependable running game that can can get the job done?
The Cowboys rushing offense in 2012 was ranked 31st in the NFL and they averaged only 79.1 yards a game. DeMarco Murray led the way with 663 yards rushing in 2012, but also missed six games due to injury. There is no doubting that Murray is the Cowboys feature back and can do great things when he is on the field and healthy. But Murray's durability has come into question due to his injuries. In Murray's rookie season in 2011 he rushed for 897 yards, but missed three games with an injury as well. Murray has said he plans on playing all 16 games for the Cowboys in 2013, which is great news, but injuries cannot be controlled.
What exactly do the Cowboys have behind DeMarco Murray? They have Phillip Tanner who has really done nothing in his two seasons with the Cowboys. He has rushed for only 137 yards combined in '11 and '12. There is Lance Dunbar who carried the ball only 21 times for 75 yards in 2012. Let's face it; Tanner and Dunbar don't exactly make opposing defenses fear them. The Cowboys also have rookie Kendial Lawrence on the roster. who may be an improvement over both Tanner and Dunbar even though he is unproven. Gone from the Cowboys is Felix Jones after five seasons. Although that decision made the majority of Cowboys fans happy, let's not forget that Jones rushed for 402 yards and three touchdowns in 2012 to go along with 25 receptions for 262 yards and two touchdowns.
The Cowboys drafted Joseph Randle out of Oklahoma St. in the 5th round of the 2013 draft. Although unproven in the NFL, Randle did rush for 1,417 yards and scored 14 touchdowns for Oklahoma St. in 2012. Back in 2011 he rushed for 1,216 yards and scored 24 touchdowns. If Randle can even produce half of those numbers for the Cowboys in 2013 the running game will be much improved. But Randle is still a rookie and unproven at the next level. Time will tell what the Cowboys have in Randle.
So outside of DeMarco Murray who has flashed what he can do on the field at times along with a history of injuries what do the Cowboys have to offer with their running game?
Well, not much!
What the Cowboys need to do is bring in Peyton Hillis to bolster their rushing attack. With Hillis the Cowboys would get the experience, quickness, toughness, speed and the kind of diverse player that they need. Hillis has been in the league five seasons. He has rushed for 2,470 yards and 21 touchdowns in his career. His biggest season was in 2010 with the Browns when he rushed for 1,177 yards and 11 touchdowns. Hillis is not a feature back and that is why I think he would work so well with the Cowboys. I understand that Hillis didn't have his best season last year with the Chiefs, but when someone like Jamaal Charles is rushing for over 1,500 yards it's going to take away from the other runners on the team.
Hillis has that fullback mentality that would benefit the Cowboys at the goal line. He also has the quickness to hit the holes when they are there and to make his own holes when they are not there. He has the speed to get to the outside as well. He is an effective blocker and can be an added threat when he gets out into the passing lanes. From what I've seen of Hillis I believe he would be a tremendous asset to the Cowboys offense. The three headed monster of Murray, Hillis and Randle would transform the Cowboys running game into something that they have not had in quite a while.
The Cowboys need to end their experiment with Tanner and Dunbar. They gave it a try and it didn't work out. Now it's time to move on and get the Cowboys running game out of the NFL basement. Peyton Hillis can help the Cowboys now, which is what they need desperately.
The Cowboys rushing offense in 2012 was ranked 31st in the NFL and they averaged only 79.1 yards a game. DeMarco Murray led the way with 663 yards rushing in 2012, but also missed six games due to injury. There is no doubting that Murray is the Cowboys feature back and can do great things when he is on the field and healthy. But Murray's durability has come into question due to his injuries. In Murray's rookie season in 2011 he rushed for 897 yards, but missed three games with an injury as well. Murray has said he plans on playing all 16 games for the Cowboys in 2013, which is great news, but injuries cannot be controlled.
What exactly do the Cowboys have behind DeMarco Murray? They have Phillip Tanner who has really done nothing in his two seasons with the Cowboys. He has rushed for only 137 yards combined in '11 and '12. There is Lance Dunbar who carried the ball only 21 times for 75 yards in 2012. Let's face it; Tanner and Dunbar don't exactly make opposing defenses fear them. The Cowboys also have rookie Kendial Lawrence on the roster. who may be an improvement over both Tanner and Dunbar even though he is unproven. Gone from the Cowboys is Felix Jones after five seasons. Although that decision made the majority of Cowboys fans happy, let's not forget that Jones rushed for 402 yards and three touchdowns in 2012 to go along with 25 receptions for 262 yards and two touchdowns.
The Cowboys drafted Joseph Randle out of Oklahoma St. in the 5th round of the 2013 draft. Although unproven in the NFL, Randle did rush for 1,417 yards and scored 14 touchdowns for Oklahoma St. in 2012. Back in 2011 he rushed for 1,216 yards and scored 24 touchdowns. If Randle can even produce half of those numbers for the Cowboys in 2013 the running game will be much improved. But Randle is still a rookie and unproven at the next level. Time will tell what the Cowboys have in Randle.
So outside of DeMarco Murray who has flashed what he can do on the field at times along with a history of injuries what do the Cowboys have to offer with their running game?
Well, not much!
What the Cowboys need to do is bring in Peyton Hillis to bolster their rushing attack. With Hillis the Cowboys would get the experience, quickness, toughness, speed and the kind of diverse player that they need. Hillis has been in the league five seasons. He has rushed for 2,470 yards and 21 touchdowns in his career. His biggest season was in 2010 with the Browns when he rushed for 1,177 yards and 11 touchdowns. Hillis is not a feature back and that is why I think he would work so well with the Cowboys. I understand that Hillis didn't have his best season last year with the Chiefs, but when someone like Jamaal Charles is rushing for over 1,500 yards it's going to take away from the other runners on the team.
Hillis has that fullback mentality that would benefit the Cowboys at the goal line. He also has the quickness to hit the holes when they are there and to make his own holes when they are not there. He has the speed to get to the outside as well. He is an effective blocker and can be an added threat when he gets out into the passing lanes. From what I've seen of Hillis I believe he would be a tremendous asset to the Cowboys offense. The three headed monster of Murray, Hillis and Randle would transform the Cowboys running game into something that they have not had in quite a while.
The Cowboys need to end their experiment with Tanner and Dunbar. They gave it a try and it didn't work out. Now it's time to move on and get the Cowboys running game out of the NFL basement. Peyton Hillis can help the Cowboys now, which is what they need desperately.
Friday, May 10, 2013
Tony Romo has been accused of many things, but commitment should never be one of them
It's bad enough that the Cowboys have finished 8-8 the last two seasons and have missed the playoffs the last three seasons, but when management, coaches and players seem to be on different pages it's a huge concern. If a team isn't on the same page how can it expect to achieve success? If a team is filled with contradictions it points to a major problem in the organization. The latest involves who else, Tony Romo.
Soon after the draft Jerry Jones made the following comments in regards to Tony Romo.
A few days later Jason Witten commented on what Jones said about Romo.
Then it was Jason Garrett's turn to comment about Romo.
So the owner wants more commitment from Romo and the head coach and a longtime teammate believe that Romo has always had that commitment to the team.
It just baffles the mind that there are different opinions when it comes to the teams franchise quarterback. How can people so close to a situation have such different opinions? I know all about the stories when it comes to Romo as the quarterback of the Cowboys. How he makes mistakes at the worst possible times and doesn't come through when the games matter the most and how he is just 1-6 in do or die games. For those who read my articles know that I'm front and center when it comes to writing about Romo and how he doesn't come through in big spots and the mistakes he has made as a starter. Yes, I have developed a lot of doubt when it comes to Romo being able to win that BIG game when he is under the bright lights.
BUT.......
...the one thing I have never questioned about Romo is his commitment to football and to the Cowboys organization as well as his teammates. I don't care about all the golf he plays or any of the other stuff he does during the off season. He has every right in the world to have fun and enjoy himself. It's not like he is missing OTAs or training camp because he is doing other things that don't involve football or taking his focus away from the team. From what I can tell as a fan, Romo has always been committed to the Cowboys and working with the offense to try and get better every week. Romo is out there working his butt off with the rest of the team trying to get them to that next level. I don't remember at any time something happening to make anyone doubt his commitment to football and the Cowboys. Well, there was little trip to Cabo in 2007, but we won't go there in this article.
Sure, Jerry Jones can backtrack on his comments about Romo, but it's not going to change the fact that he said it and that he probably meant it. It's also not going to change the fact that management, coaches and players just seem to be on different pages. This is not the first time something like this has happened either when it comes to contradictions from the team and I'm sure it won't be the last. That's what makes it all so concerning for the Cowboys organization. Hopefully the coaches and players will prove to be right on this one about Romo, but even if that happens it sure won't stop Jerry Jones from speaking.
Soon after the draft Jerry Jones made the following comments in regards to Tony Romo.
“I can speak for Jason in this respect, everything he’s about wants more buy-in and more participation from the player, so if Tony, for instance, would be here Monday through Saturday, that is far better, and be here from seven in the morning to six o’clock at night, all over this place, then that’s better than the way it’s been,” Jones said. “We’ll have more success, and Jason believes that. It’s certainly at quarterback but he believes it at the other positions, too.”
“Anybody will tell you that Peyton Manning’s involvement in what they do is a bonus as opposed to what the general commitment is of top quarterbacks in the NFL,” Jones said.
“The more Tony can be involved in what we’re doing offensively, the more the product we have out there complements his skills, the more we’re going to do it.”
A few days later Jason Witten commented on what Jones said about Romo.
“I’ve always felt like Tony was very involved in the process of the plays in our scheme and how we attack,” Witten said before a ribbon-cutting ceremony at a renovated Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas. “I think in any organization when you have an elite quarterback like that, you want him to feel comfortable. And that’s something we’ve always tried to do and it sounds like we’re going to continue to do that.”
“I don’t think, from a player’s perspective or even coaches, that there’s not enough time being put in,” Witten said. “I don’t think that’s ever been a concern on anybody’s behalf. I don’t think it was anything more than he’s going to be involved in game-planning and what takes place with that.”
Then it was Jason Garrett's turn to comment about Romo.
“I think Tony Romo is a great leader for our football team,” said Garrett, who joined nine Cowboys players in the Reliant Home Run Derby at Rangers Ballpark. “He’s been a guy who’s always been very committed to what we’re doing. And it’s something that we’ve always wanted as coaches, you want your quarterback to be involved. We’ve always felt like he’s done that and he’ll continue to do that going forward.”
So the owner wants more commitment from Romo and the head coach and a longtime teammate believe that Romo has always had that commitment to the team.
It just baffles the mind that there are different opinions when it comes to the teams franchise quarterback. How can people so close to a situation have such different opinions? I know all about the stories when it comes to Romo as the quarterback of the Cowboys. How he makes mistakes at the worst possible times and doesn't come through when the games matter the most and how he is just 1-6 in do or die games. For those who read my articles know that I'm front and center when it comes to writing about Romo and how he doesn't come through in big spots and the mistakes he has made as a starter. Yes, I have developed a lot of doubt when it comes to Romo being able to win that BIG game when he is under the bright lights.
BUT.......
...the one thing I have never questioned about Romo is his commitment to football and to the Cowboys organization as well as his teammates. I don't care about all the golf he plays or any of the other stuff he does during the off season. He has every right in the world to have fun and enjoy himself. It's not like he is missing OTAs or training camp because he is doing other things that don't involve football or taking his focus away from the team. From what I can tell as a fan, Romo has always been committed to the Cowboys and working with the offense to try and get better every week. Romo is out there working his butt off with the rest of the team trying to get them to that next level. I don't remember at any time something happening to make anyone doubt his commitment to football and the Cowboys. Well, there was little trip to Cabo in 2007, but we won't go there in this article.
Sure, Jerry Jones can backtrack on his comments about Romo, but it's not going to change the fact that he said it and that he probably meant it. It's also not going to change the fact that management, coaches and players just seem to be on different pages. This is not the first time something like this has happened either when it comes to contradictions from the team and I'm sure it won't be the last. That's what makes it all so concerning for the Cowboys organization. Hopefully the coaches and players will prove to be right on this one about Romo, but even if that happens it sure won't stop Jerry Jones from speaking.
Thursday, May 9, 2013
THROUGH THE EYES OF A FAN, Part 16 of 16
"THROUGH THE EYES OF A FAN"
THE LONG ROAD BACK TO THE TOP
FOR THE DALLAS
Even with the Cowboys success some changes were expected. Soon after Super Bowl XXVIII it was announced that offensive coordinator Norv Turner had accepted the head coaching job with the Washington Redskins. Turner had created one of the best offenses in the NFL while with the Cowboys. Jimmy Johnson quickly hired Norv Turner's replacement, Ernie Zampese from the Rams. Zampese and Turner had coached together with the Rams before Turner came to the Cowboys in 1991.
More changes came in the form of free agency for the Cowboys. Even winning back-to-back Super Bowls did not stop players like Ken Norton Jr., Jimmie Jones, John Gesek, Eddie Murray and Tony Casillas from leaving. The Cowboys didn't lose everyone through free agency. They resigned Daryl Johnston, Mark Stepnoski, Nate Newton, Alvin Harper and Bill Bates to new contracts.
Things started taking a turn for the worse for the Cowboys organization as March rolled around. Ever since Jerry Jones bought the Cowboys in 1989 and hired Jimmy Johnson, there were reports of arguments between the two of them over the team. Stories about who was responsible for the Cowboys success and who should get the credit. More of those same stories started to surface from the NFL meetings, that there were issues between Jones and Johnson. It was being reported that Jerry Jones was overheard saying that almost anyone could coach the Cowboys and that maybe he was thinking about hiring former Oklahoma Sooners head coach Barry Switzer. When Jimmy Johnson heard about what Jones had said he left the NFL meetings. Johnson wasn’t heard from for a few days and the media would not let the issue rest.
Jerry Jones quickly told the media that he didn't mean what he had said and that Jimmy Johnson was still the head coach of the Cowboys. He also added that the conversation he had about Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer was "No Big Deal." After a few days Johnson headed back to Dallas to meet with Jones. He made it clear to everyone that he was not happy about what Jerry Jones had said and wanted to know why he said it if he really didn’t mean it
On Monday, March 28, 1994, both Jimmy Johnson and Jerry Jones met to discuss everything that was happening between the two of them. That night they told the media that nothing had been resolved and they would be meeting again the next day. Hoping that their issues could be resolved, the next day Cowboys fans worst fears came true. A press conference was called and as Jimmy Johnson sat next to Jerry Jones, he announced that he was stepping down as the head coach of the Cowboys. Johnson said…
"After our discussions, we have mutually decided that I would no longer be the head football coach of the Dallas Cowboys."
After five seasons and two Super Bowl victories, Jimmy Johnson was gone. After going 1-15 in his first season with the Cowboys in 1989, Johnson then went 43-21 the next four years. He had a 7-1 post-season record. He was voted AP Coach of the Year in 1990. He was loved by Cowboys fans everywhere. Fans just couldn't understand how Johnson and Jones couldn't resolve their issues considering all the success they were having and how they could continue having success with the way the team was playing. But it all ended due to comments that never should have been said.
The day after Jimmy Johnson stepped down as head coach, Jerry Jones hired former Oklahoma Sooners head coach Barry Switzer just like he had spoke about. Doing this did not exactly help Jones gain the respect of Cowboys fans, who believed that he truly wanted all the credit for the Cowboys success and wanted Johnson to leave.
As the Cowboys walked off the field of the Georgia Dome after winning Super Bowl XXVIII, they had earned themselves a place in NFL history. They had just won back-to-back Super Bowls after going through a 1-15 season just five years earlier. The players from those Championship teams will always be remembered just like those from the Championship teams of the 70’s. The Dallas Cowboys have a deep history of great players and a winning tradition unmatched by most teams. They truly are "America's Team" and that will never change. The Dallas Cowboys story will never end, it will only continue. It was Jimmy Johnson who said it best on January 17, 1993…
"HOW BOUT THEM COWBOYS"
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