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.
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
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
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