SB Nation Dallas: All Posts by KD Drummondhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48887/dallas-fave.png2012-10-04T07:01:09-05:00https://dallas.sbnation.com/authors/kevin-drummond/rss2012-10-04T07:01:09-05:002012-10-04T07:01:09-05:00Does the NFC East have the best QB's in football?
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<p>With the addition of the most recent Heisman Trophy winner, the NFC East appears to have four ships captained by extremely capable men. Quite possibly the best collection in the entire league.</p> <p>Take a look around the NFL at the moment. Is there any doubt it's not only transitioned to a passing league, but is currently a quarterbacks league through and through? At the quarter mark of the 2012 season, 20 of the 32 starting quarterbacks are on pace for a 4,000 passing yard season.</p>
<p>Pro football has now become a bastion of bionic pigskin barrages and athletic escapism from behind the trenches. While there are many plateaus along the curve, the number of more-than-adequate signal callers grows with each passing amateur draft.</p>
<p>As offensive philosophies formally relegated to high school and collegiate systems start to matriculate into the pro game, various quarterback styles are now a welcome addition to the league. Previously, they were shunned and not given a chance; now they are welcomed with open arms.</p>
<p>Think of how difficult it is to make a Top 10 quarterback list today as compared to say, 10 years ago. In 2002, you struggled to find names to fill up the last three spots; in 2012 you struggle because there are too many names being snubbed. <span>Tom Brady</span>, <span>Ben Roethlisberger</span>, and <span>Eli Manning</span> all have multiple rings and many years remaining in their arms. <span>Drew Brees</span> and <span>Peyton Manning</span> have rings and appear to be Hall of Fame locks; <span>Aaron Rodgers</span> has one and appears to be on a similar trajectory.</p>
<p><span>Tony Romo</span>, Matt Stafford, Phillip Rivers, Matt Ryan, <span>Joe Flacco</span>, <span>Matt Schaub</span>, <span>Michael Vick</span>; can anyone say the quarterbacks in this group don't have the physical tools to lead their team to a championship? Alex Smith has redefined the term bus driver in San Francisco. Cam Newton broke all-time rookie quarterback records. <span>Andrew Luck</span> and <span>Robert Griffin III</span> are already proving pundits correct that they were can't miss prospects.</p>
<p>Folks, that's over half of the league's starting quarterbacks and we haven't even thrown in unproven young guns <span>Russell Wilson</span>, <span>Andy Dalton</span> or <span>Sam Bradford</span>. I'm hard pressed to come up with a better stretch of quarterback play in the league.</p>
<p>And the division that boasts the best collection of them at the moment? None other than the NFC East. You might not place a NFCE quarterback at the top of the QB totem, but they definitely represent well as a group. They in fact, warrant a closer look.</p>
<p>Depending on your perspective, the best statistical quarterback in the division is also the most maligned. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/">Dallas Cowboys</a> are led by a quarterback who just might happen to be the toughest son-of-a-gun in the league. Tony Romo plays behind one of the worst collection of offensive linemen in the NFL, leading to him being beaten and bruised pretty much every game. Unlike Chicago's <span>Jay Cutler</span> though, Romo takes a licking and refuses to kick shove his protectors. The abuse he took against Tampa Bay bordered on criminal, yet he dusted himself off and continued to press forward without a complaint.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, every season seems to include a game for Romo like the follow-up: a disappointing five-interception suckfest against Cutler and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/">Bears</a>.</p>
<p>His career stats makes the national doubt surrounding his abilities look silly and "agenda'd". Over 4,000 passing yards three times, career 7.3 net yards per passing attempt (the little known stat includes sack yardage and is a leading correlation to team success), career 96.6 quarterback rating, more than twice as many touchdowns as interceptions, a lifetime .613 winning percentage ... you name and Tony has done it.</p>
<p>The major drawback to Tony's game is his lack of team playoff success. While there's no doubt a QB plays a large role, he accounts for less than 25% of a team's snap; it's safe to say the idea it's all on him is a bit skewed. With playoff success, the stinker games wouldn't be so largely magnified. However, he doesn't have it, so they are.</p>
<p>Over on the East Coast's largest cities, the quarterbacks rule the day much the way they do in Big D. Eli Manning is the toast of New York, no matter how much the lazy media abuses the <span>Tim Tebow</span> meme. Two Super Bowls in five years has overcome the interception fest of 2010 and the disappointing finishes in between. Under Eli, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bigblueview.com/">Giants</a> either catch fire or fade miserably down the stretch. But when a quarterback does what he has, on the road no less ... you have to give him credit.</p>
<p>Three consecutive seasons over 4,000 passing yards, two different seasons of leading the league in fourth quarter comebacks and game winning drives. Eli has firmly removed himself from under his brother's shadow and although Peyton has already secured his place in Canton, Eli is clearly above him in the pecking order of quarterbacks in 2012.</p>
<p>A little down the I-95 corridor resides a quarterback on the second stanza of his career. Michael Vick is probably the quarterback under the most duress at the moment. After restarting his career in Philadelphia after a three-year absence, Vick has been assaulted over and over again. And that's before he steps behind the porous <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/">Eagles</a> offensive line. Vick is getting hammered at an alarming rate; but unlike his division counterparts his ability to dissect what is going on around him receives an equal share of blame for this.</p>
<p>The league's original dual-threat quarterback still scares the pants off of defenders. He has led the league in rushing average five times in his career. Although he has always been a turnover machine and rarely finishes a full season, there is no questioning that he remains must-see TV for the league. One of the strongest arms in NFL history to go along with elite escapability, you can't get more must see than that.</p>
<p>The scary thing about the NFC East quarterbacks is the young gun might end up being the most dangerous of them all. Baylor's Robert Griffin III has taken his Heisman Trophy winning campaign and completely re-energized the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/washington-redskins">Washington Redskins</a> fan base. Through the first quarter of the season he has already run for four touchdowns to go along with four passing ones against a lone interception. He led a fourth-quarter game-winning drive against Tampa Bay to move his team to 2-2.</p>
<p>Although the Redskins might have faced the easiest schedule of the NFC East teams thus far and boast a porous defense; it can't be denied that Griffin is proving the future is now for the offense. His head coach will need to eliminate the designed runs from the arsenal because they endanger him long term. Scrambling when a play breaks down or a huge lane opens up; Griffin reminds you of Vick. Decision-wise however, he might already be leaps and bounds ahead.</p>
<p>Of course, this is a rookie campaign and things can and will change as opposing defensive coordinators have a chance to study the game film and develop a professional plan to stop him. It remains to be seen if he'll be able to adjust to those adjustments and continue dazzling.</p>
<p>So how do these players stack up against the remaining divisions' signal callers?</p>
<p>In the NFC, Aaron Rodgers, Matt Stafford, Jay Cutler and <span>Christian Ponder</span> are interesting. Rodgers is one of the league's top three without question, but do any of the others have much to hang their hats on? Stafford has one dynamic season and has been injured more often than not. Cutler, at this point, is a journeyman who's stats betray his accolades and Ponder is earning a rep in a safe-play offense.</p>
<p>The NFC South has a nice foursome led by Drew Brees and Matt Ryan, the current clubhouse leader for 2012 MVP. With Cam Newton's early season struggles and Josh Freeman's two-year regression they can't stand tall in the competition.</p>
<p>The NFC West? Bus Driver 101. Alex Smith, <span>Kevin Kolb</span>, Sam Bradford and Russell Wilson? No, sorry.</p>
<p>Over in the AFC, the East is owned by Tom Brady. You also have <span>Ryan Fitzpatrick</span>, and <span>Mark Sanchez</span> disappointing entire fanbases before you get to the rookie Ryan Tannehill. The AFC South is all about the youngsters; Andrew Luck, <span>Blaine Gabbert</span> and <span>Jake Locker</span> have a long way to go to compete despite having Houston's Matt Schaub on their side.</p>
<p>Peyton Manning and Phillip Rivers leap out in the AFC West; until you realize it includes Matt Cassell and <span>Carson Palmer</span>, who hasn't been a good quarterback since the playoff knee injury years ago.</p>
<p>The closest competition arises from the AFC North. The top three of Ben Roethlisberger, Joe Flacco and Andy Dalton is formidable, but is there any comparison between <span>Brandon Weeden</span> and RG III? No, there isn't.</p>
<p><span style="line-height: 9px;">That's the overview, but the NFC East sits in an e</span>xtremely favorable position when looking at the volume stats.</p>
<p>All four NFCE QBs rank in the Top 12 in passing yardage. They rank 3<sup>rd</sup>, 4<sup>th</sup>, 10<sup>th</sup> and 13<sup>th</sup> in average yards per completion. In Net YPA, a metric that is closely correlated to overall team success, they are at the head of the league again: 2<sup>nd</sup>, 7<sup>th</sup>, 11<sup>th</sup> and 13<sup>th.</sup></p>
<p>Over and over again, all four quarterbacks rank in the top ten and top half of the league. To be fair, the picture isn't as rosy when looking at some of the advanced statistics. Tony Romo and Michael Vick are ranking in the last half of the league in stats such as Expected Points Added and Adjusted Yards Per Attempt. Their high interception totals are obviously a big roadblock to overall team success. Both players however seem to be having anomaly seasons to this point and will most likely regress to the mean as the year moves along.</p>
<p>Save for the rookie Griffin, all three players already have a proven track record of ranking in the top half of the league in most categories. With his addition, there's no question that the NFC East should reign for the foreseeable future when it comes to the most important position in sports.</p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/dallas-cowboys/2012/10/4/3451256/nfl-qb-rankings-2012-nfc-eastKD Drummond2012-09-28T07:01:11-05:002012-09-28T07:01:11-05:00Can a solution be found on the offensive line?
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<p>The front office has played a dangerous game over the past few years with their offensive line strategy. It may be costing Tony Romo the prime years of his career. </p> <p><i>Confidence... thrives on honesty, on honor, on the sacredness of obligations, on faithful protection and on unselfish performance. Without them it cannot live.</i> - Franklin D. Roosevelt</p>
<p>How <span>Tony Romo</span> has any belief he will survive through the final whistle is beyond comprehension.</p>
<p>For the last three years, he has been put at risk behind dishonest, dishonorable and unfaithful attempts at protecting the cornerstone of the franchise. Yet, his confidence in this team's ability to attain their goals remain intact, even as he has to be more and more vigilant.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Cowboys</a> offensive line has not gotten better. Period.</p>
<p>It was supposed to; that was the plan of action that everyone sold themselves on since the off-season. Heck, since two off-seasons ago.</p>
<p>First, it was the belief that relieving the dead weight of overpaid veterans would be addition by subtraction. Then, it was the belief in new offensive line coach Bill Callahan. Then, it was half-hearted belief in the guards brought in to replace <span>Montrae Holland</span> and Kyle Kosier. Finally, it was the belief that things would start to gel once everyone returned from injuries and finally got a chance to work together.</p>
<p>While the last one hasn't had a full opportunity to sort itself out, the clock is ticking on whether Romo will be sipping through a straw if and when it finally occurs.</p>
<p>When in a vacuum, the strategy can partially be defended. The Cowboys secondary was atrocious; it had to be reworked completely. The salary cap was under assault by older players reaching the end of their usefulness; they had to be let go. The previous offensive line coach wasn't adept at integrating young players; he, his scheme and his philosophies had to be replaced.</p>
<p>While there are some that have doubted the moves made by the franchise, most of us, somewhere along the way, have invested some faith into one or more of the franchise's company lines.</p>
<p>They all feel like hollow excuses once you get down to the fact that the Cowboys are, game after game, trotting out a plan of protection akin to poking holes in condoms while the women is taking fertility pills. Unfortunately, the results in the middle are growing exponentially.</p>
<p>This was never more exemplified than last week against Tampa. Facing a limited Bucs rush, the Cowboys had double-teams on the left side and should have had another. OT <span>Doug Free</span> stood alone on the line searching for someone to block while TE Jason Witten, off to his right, was getting bull-dozed over so that Romo could be skewered.</p>
<p>For what it's worth, the team knows that they are under-performing. Free, who has returned to his familiar right tackle perch after struggling on the left side for 2011, came out this week and admitted as such:</p>
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<p>"It needs improvement, definitely," Free said of his play. "I haven't pass protected well enough. [We] haven't run the ball well enough, and [I] definitely contributed to [that with] what I've done. I don't think I've done a good enough job, and we've got to get it fixed. I have to fix it. I have to take coaching and keep working the techniques I've been taught and really focus on it."</p>
<p style="text-align: right;">- <a href="http://sportsblogs.star-telegram.com/cowboys/2012/09/doug-free-has-allowed-a-sack-and-he-has-six-penalties-it-is-not-what-he-expects-of-himself-or-what-the-cowboys-expected-whe.html" target="_blank">Star Telegram</a></p>
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<p>The heralded offensive line coach, supposed savior Bill Callahan, isn't pulling any punches that his troops have to improve their play:</p>
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<p>"There is no question [we have to get better]," Callahan said. "I'm not going to sugarcoat this. We did not play well [against Tampa Bay on Sunday] and we are not playing well right now. We've got to improve. We've got to become a more consistent unit across the board. We are not pleased where we are at. Certainly not our standard."</p>
<p>"We have to do a better job keeping Tony clean," Callahan said. "There is nobody that takes more pride in protecting the passer than this group of guys. Talk is cheap. We have to go out there Monday and show people we got it right."</p>
<p style="text-align: right;">- <a href="http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/09/26/4291776/cowboys-offensive-line-given-ultimatum.html" target="_blank">Star Telegram</a></p>
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<p>That they do. The clock is ticking, but for now both hands are pointing up as if to signify not having a clue how to fix it.</p>
<p>Callahan has implemented a zone blocking scheme, much different than what Hudson Houck used. It takes a lot of coordination by the linemen and the fact that they never spent a single week together during the preseason must make it more difficult than they would like to pick up the nuances.</p>
<p>Here's how the zone blocking scheme is introduced in Sports Illustrated's Tim Layden's wonderful read "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Sweat-Chalk-Ultimate-Football/dp/1603200614/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1348869857&sr=8-1&keywords=blood+sweat+and+chalk&tag=sbnation-20" target="_blank" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener">Blood, Sweat and Chalk</a>":</p>
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<p><i>In zone blocking schemes, offensive linemen attempt to use the speed and pursuit of the defense against itself. Each offensive lineman, instead of firing forward and blocking the defender directly in front of him, slides in one direction, together with he others- "like a railroad track" as Anthony Munoz describes it. </i></p>
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<p>The theory is that this opens running lanes as the defenders are spread thin. I wonder how <span>DeMarco Murray</span> thinks things are working. To be fair, this does take a lot of work. Not just learning the blocking schemes, but forgetting the techniques you've used your entire careers.</p>
<p>Callahan inherited his two tackles: second-year <span>Tyron Smith</span> and sixth-year Free. The Cowboys handpicked the players currently on the interior and as such they should be capable of being quickly indoctrinated. Otherwise, why did you chose them?</p>
<p>Let's take a look at the men charged with protecting Tony Romo, as well as the jobs they've done this season:</p>
<p><b>The Line As a Group</b></p>
<p><i>Basic Stats:</i> The Cowboys have allowed eight sacks (eighth most in the league) and 11 additional quarterback hits (17th). They've also allowed 12 tackles for a loss (9th<font size="1"> </font>highest) and committed 14 penalties (13 accepted) -- 18 if you want to include TE Jason Witten.</p>
<p>While the team has faced three of the NFL's stiffest run defenses in 2012 (Tampa 1rst, Seattle 2nd, <a href="https://www.bigblueview.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Giants</a> 6th, and that's after eliminating their games against Dallas) there is still plenty of blame to go around.</p>
<p><i>Advanced Stats:</i> Adjusted Line Yards (FootballOutsiders.com) is a metric that takes all running back carries and assigns responsibility to the offensive line based on yards gained, formation, down, distance, situation and opponent. The Cowboys come in at 3.61 yards per carry -- 21rst in the league. Their power success rating (3rd or 4th and short to go) is 50%; the league average is 64% success.</p>
<p>The team has the most problems running up the middle and to the inside of the right tackle. Their adjusted line yards up the middle (2.60 yards) ranks 29th of 32 teams and to the right tackle (3.13 yards) is 26th.</p>
<p><b>Doug Free</b></p>
<p>Per ProFootballFocus.com, Free has allowed one sack, two quarterback hits and eight quarterback hurries in three games, to go along with his six penalties (four false starts and two holdings). His PFF pass blocking efficiency rating is 92.7 (a formula that weights the three pressure sacks), which ranks him 44th.</p>
<p>His penalty grade is, by far, the largest portion of his -6.6 cumulative grade for the season. PFF subjectively grades each player on every play of the season to achieve their ratings. That ranks him as the 63rd out of 73 NFL tackles. For the record, Free was fourth among all tackles in 2010, the season before he received his lucrative contract.</p>
<p><b><span>Mackenzy Bernadeau</span></b></p>
<p>Bernadeau was brought in to play right guard and possibly compete for the center position. Off-season surgeries limited him to just the guard position. Performance might limit him to the bench soon, as rumors have it that he's been put on notice to improve or watch <span>Derrick Dockery</span> join the Not-So-Fab Five.</p>
<p>Bernadeau has a -7.5 cumulative grade, but it has very little to do with penalties. He's simply getting beat on rushes and not making headway on run plays. He has given up a sack in each of the three games so far this season.</p>
<p><b><span>Ryan Cook</span></b></p>
<p>Cook was brought in at the conclusion of the preseason, via trade with the <a href="https://www.thephinsider.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Miami Dolphins</a>. He is filling in for incumbent <span>Phil Costa</span> who has struggled with back problems since preseason. Costa started opening day after missing the exhibitions and lasted all of three snaps.</p>
<p>Cook's biggest issue appears to be that his snapping routine isn't what the players are used to. I guess he should launch some over Tony's head to make everyone feel more at home.</p>
<p>He allowed his first sack of the season against Tampa Bay, but for the most part has been a surprise positive for Dallas.</p>
<p>His PFF cumulative grade is in the positive: +2.6 on the season.</p>
<p><b><span>Nate Livings</span></b></p>
<p>The free agent addition that is actually working out. Word on the grapevine regarding Livings was that the Cowboys did good in the acquisition as long as they didn't ask him to pull block. By the eye test, Livings has been the Cowboys best blocker in 2012, until he faltered against Tampa.</p>
<p>He has given up two sacks on the season already and played a part in some blindside pressure on Romo and earning a -2.8 game grade, ruining the positive grade he had received and starting him exactly at ground zero, +0.0 after three games.</p>
<p>His pass blocking efficiency rating is 96.3, good for 34th in the league after allowing 5 pressures total.</p>
<p><b>Tyron Smith</b></p>
<p>The Golden Child hasn't been shining very brightly under the lights of the left tackle position. Moved over from the right after his stellar rookie season, Smith has struggled mightily. He is currently the Cowboys lowest graded player, offensive or defensive at -8.6 for the young season.</p>
<p>His pass blocking is struggling, his run blocking is struggling and he's struggling with pre-snap penalties. The only thing missing is a flag or two for unnecessary roughness after the whistle.</p>
<p>There was never any question that the transition to left tackle would be difficult for the 21-year-old, but nobody could expect this drop-off. Smith was considered one of the best right tackles in the game during his rookie year, but folks should remember that he didn't play on the left at USC.</p>
<p>His pass blocking efficiency rating is 93.6, good for 39th among NFL tackles.</p>
<p>Now, to his credit, Smith has yet to give up a sack on the season and he seemed to play his best game of the season against Tampa Bay. However, as I warned before the game, <span>Adrian Clayborn</span> is one of the worst DE's in the league right now and was nowhere near the threat that Chris Clemons and <span>Jason Pierre-Paul</span> are. The jury remains out.</p>
<p><b>Phil Costa</b></p>
<p>Surprisingly, the maligned Costa might be the linchpin that starts to correct the issues for Dallas. While he remains out with a back injury, Callahan is hopeful he'll be able to return to practice sometime over the bye week.</p>
<p>The Cowboys brass has made no apologies for having Costa at the center of their offensive line plans moving forward. He received plenty of grief for some bad games in 2011, but quietly seemed to improve as the season wore on. Dallas was counting on that continued improvement this year, but they haven't had any chance to prove their support was founded in reality.</p>
<p>If Costa were to return successfully, Dallas would then have a real alternative to Bernadeau's struggles at guard. Cook could easily push out to right guard, as he has played both positions in his career. He'd be a much better option than Derrick Dockery, who looked clueless in the preseason.</p>
<p>You hope the club wasn't being cheap when it chose Dockery over Montrae Holland in a preseason workout competition. Holland graded out as the team's second-best lineman in 2011 and reportedly looked great in his workout with the team. However, for now, he remains on the market, as no one else has picked him up.</p>
<p>The club is not going to make any moves with Smith and probably doesn't have an alternative for Free. The team only has <span>Jermey Parnell</span> on the roster as a back-up tackle and, although they signed him to a three-year deal this summer, no one expects him to play without an injury.</p>
<p>The line simply has to get better. If they don't, the Cowboys season, despite appearing to be blessed with one of the league's best defenses, will be down the drain quicker than the blink of an eye.</p>
<p>Of course, if you're talking about Romo trying to blink himself back to this universe after taking another big hit, you might have more time than normal.</p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/2012/9/28/3418742/dallas-cowboys-offensive-line-2012KD Drummond2012-09-20T07:00:15-05:002012-09-20T07:00:15-05:00Cowboys Vs. Buccaneers: The View From Tampa
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<p>After last week, Dallas has some work to do. It all starts with this Sunday's home game against the Bucs, so we enlisted SB Nation's Tampa Bay blogger for the skinny on our foe.</p> <p>After a loss in Seattle that caused more bandwagon jumps than a collapsed bridge, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/">Dallas Cowboys</a> return for their home opener to face the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bucsnation.com/">Tampa Bay Buccaneers</a>. However, these aren't your 4-12 Bucs of 2011.</p>
<p>Gone is head coach Raheem Morris, whom the team seemingly quit on down the stretch last season. In is new head hauncho Greg Schiano, fresh from Rutgers University. The Cowboys had such a good time playing in Tampa at the end of last season that I actually trended on Twitter while manning the <a href="http://www.twitter.com/BloggingTheBoys" target="_blank">@BloggingTheBoys</a> account. We were partying, in a socially responsible media kind of way.</p>
<p>This game <i>should</i> be different as witnessed by Tampa completely shutting down Carolina and Cam Newton in Week One, and then commanding <span>Eli Manning</span> and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bigblueview.com/">Giants</a> for three quarters this past Sunday.</p>
<p>What happened in the fourth? Well, we had to bring in an expert to figure that out. <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/JCDeLaTorre/blog" target="_blank">JCDeLaTorre of Bucs Nation</a> was kind enough to lend us his insights into the 2012 Buccaneers. Gather round, kiddies ... we've got some nuggets for everyone.</p>
<p><b>What the hell happened in the fourth quarter on Sunday against the Giants? The Cowboys have been "Eli'd" before, on more than one occasion. Was that the extent of it or did the defensive philosophy shift and allow some things that they were containing earlier?</b></p>
<p><b>JC De La Torre: </b>The Bucs are still asking themselves that question. I think it was a depth issue for Tampa Bay. The Giants ran 72 plays on offense and controlled the time of possession. The Bucs offense didn't help with some short possessions and a turnover in the third quarter. When both <span>Eric Wright</span> and Aqib Talib got banged up the fourth, the Giants dynamic duo of Cruz and Nicks took advantage. That's not to say Nicks didn't abuse Aqib Talib the entire ball game, which he did. Tampa Bay has razor thin depth in all facets of the defense and when they sustained a few injuries they just seemed to wilt in the fourth quarter.</p>
<p>The Giants also caught the Bucs in a couple of blitzes that were picked up as perfectly as you can - leaving the secondary exposed and then Eli delivered the ball in stride to wide open receivers. Bingo, bango suddenly he's humming and the Bucs are scrambling for answers.</p>
<p>I like that the Bucs offense came back down the field and tied the game after blowing the lead. Then after the Giants took it back, the offense was moving back down again before a questionable call on a catch by Mike Williams at the Giants 15 yard line (official review reversed the catch to an incompletion) derailed the drive and Josh tried to force a pass with only 10 seconds left.</p>
<p><b>From the outside, this looks to be a completely different Bucs team than what we saw on that late season Saturday night in 2011. Can you talk to the culture change of the organization with Schiano in charge?</b></p>
<p><b>JC: </b>Its been a huge change. The Bucs have talent on their football team, it's just raw and it needs to be molded. Schiano has given the guys structure that was missing under the previous regime. He drills in discipline, details and technique. Most games, the Bucs will not beat themselves - you'll have to outplay them.</p>
<p>One other thing that's vastly different about this team that it was when the Cowboys faced them in 2011 - there's no quit in this ballclub. When the Cowboys destroyed the Bucs in front of a National television audience last season, the Bucs players had already begun mailing it in. Even Deion called them out at halftime.</p>
<p>This Bucs team won't give up until the final ticks are off the clock - just ask Tom Coughlin and Eli.</p>
<p><b>Was the initial success under Raheem Morris fool's gold, or was there a noticeable change that led to the rapid decline?</b></p>
<p><b>JC: </b>Its a tough question to answer. Where the Bucs as good as 10-6 in 2010? No, probably not. They had a couple lucky bounces go their way and some fantastic finishes by Freeman that allowed them to steal a few victories from the jaws of defeat. Were they as bad as 4-12 last year? I don't believe so.</p>
<p>This team started out 4-2 with victories over both NFC South powers Atlanta and New Orleans. They went to London, sustained some injuries in that game and never recovered. The second half of the season got ugly - with many of the players simply quitting on Morris. Morris is a good guy and a bright young coach, but he wasn't ready for the big chair. He was still in the age range of the players and wanted to be "boys" with them. You can't do that and command their respect on Sundays.</p>
<p><b>KD: What are we going to see, schematically, out of the Bucs defense on Sunday? Tried and true Tampa 2 or are there some new wrinkles that are being unleashed with the new regime?</b></p>
<p><b>JC:</b> Tampa Two, as we know it, is dead in Tampa Bay. This defense features a lot more blitzing and aggressiveness. It worked perfectly against Cam Newton and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.catscratchreader.com/">Panthers</a> ... not so great against the Giants. It will be interesting to see how they play Dallas. There was some zone coverages employed against the Giants because I think they feared the deep passing game with Cruz and Nicks and that may have contributed to Eli racking up the yardage (that and <span>Hakeem Nicks</span> was unstoppable - I'd hate to see him when he's healthy - sheesh). I'd expect you'll see a lot more man and variety of blitzes from the Bucs this week.<br><br><b>Give me a surprise superstar for the Cowboys to be concerned with. We are aware of the big name free agents signed (<span>Carl Nicks</span>, <span>Vincent Jackson</span>) and the rookie runner (<span>Doug Martin</span>), who is under the radar that will make his presence known to Dallas fans near and far?</b></p>
<p><b>JC: </b>He got banged up a bit against the Giants but linebacker <span>Lavonte David</span> has been all over the field for Tampa Bay. A second round pick this year out of Nebraska, he's made a huge impact in the Bucs run defense and despite playing outside linebacker, he makes all the defensive calls instead of MLB <span>Mason Foster</span>. He's lightning quick and has been used in some blitzing situations as well. Don't be surprised if you hear his name called a few times.</p>
<p><i>For more coverage of this Sunday's game, make sure to check us out at <a href="http://www.bloggingtheboys.com" target="_blank">Blogging The Boys</a>, SB Nation's Cowboys blog, or JC and his friends over at <a href="http://www.bucsnation.com" target="_blank">Bucs Nation</a>.</i></p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/dallas-cowboys/2012/9/20/3353194/cowboys-vs-buccaneers-2012-schedule-previewKD Drummond2012-09-14T07:21:09-05:002012-09-14T07:21:09-05:00Cowboys Vs. Seahawks: Breaking Down The Matchups
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<p>Dallas will come off a late summer break of 11 days to take on the Seattle in an afternoon tilt on Sunday that may not prove to be much of a challenge. </p> <p>Have we ever experienced a season opening with this type of staccato pace? A Wednesday? On the road? That throws off your football equilibrium right there.</p>
<p>At least for the fans; the Cowboys themselves seemed to have no problem whatsoever adjusting to being involved in the first Wednesday game in NFL history.</p>
<p>They rode into New York and soundly defeated the defending Super Bowl champion <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bigblueview.com/">New York Giants</a>. Head Coach Jason Garrett preaches the 24 hour rule and as such; the players should have been focused on the Seattle Seahawks before they took the field for their season opener; a road loss to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/">Arizona Cardinals</a>.</p>
<p><b>Seahawks, Offensive?</b></p>
<p>Entering the season, as fans became less enamored with the return of pro football and needing a forced storyline to cover ad naseum; the national media decided to make a feature story out of the Seahawks quarterback competition. Seattle had signed the creamyish of a weak free agent quarterback crop in former <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/">Packers</a>' backup <span>Matt Flynn</span> (behind <span>Peyton Manning</span> of course). Pete Carroll had drafted a third-round vertically-challenged <span>Russell Wilson</span> out of the University of Wisconsin as a future player; but Wilson wasn't having it. He made it a battle in training camp and when he seemed to take the lead, the media trumpeted him as everything you want in a quarterback.</p>
<p>They spoke of his decision-making, poise in the pocket and most of all they spoke of his intangibles; those magic attributes that define winners and discount losers. One national pregame show even went as far as saying that on Day One, he was a better player than Heisman Trophy winning <span>Robert Griffin III</span>.</p>
<p>Of course, this was all before the games were played. Wilson struggled against an underrated Cardinals defense in Week One; going 18 for 34 and passing for only 153 yards. He had one touchdown and one interception for the game. Being the next opponent of the Cowboys and having absolutely no historical background on the Seattle offense with Russell Wilson, a film study was in order. Here's what was gleaned from the video tape, and what you might expect to see on Sunday afternoon.</p>
<p>Russell Wilson doesn't seem ready to take the world by storm. It's questionable whether he will be able to threaten the Cowboys secondary with deep throws; a must now that Rob Ryan has corners that can successfully press receivers at the line of scrimmage. Having Mike Jenkins making his season debut after missing all offseason due to shoulder surgery will only boost the secondary's ability. Seattle only attempted three go routes for the game; and Wilson badly overthrew all three of them.</p>
<p>Wilson did show the ability to escape pressure, but he did not turn any of those opportunities into big gains; which is what one would expect after hearing people rave about his athletic ability. He threw two screens behind receivers, incomplete. Both should have been ruled backwards laterals, one was challenged then finally ruled correctly.</p>
<p>In general, Seattle employed an extremely vanilla offense that focused on running the ball as their main go-to-move. The problem was that <span>Marshawn Lynch</span> is dealing with an iffy back and the offensive line was getting overrun by the Arizona front seven. If Dallas is fortunate enough to get dealt a similar hand, they should be pretty successful in keeping the Seattle offense under wraps.</p>
<p>The Arizona linebackers were able to flow to the ball freely; which seems like the perfect recipe for Dallas' inside linebacking duo of <span>Sean Lee</span> and <span>Bruce Carter</span>, whom owner Jerry Jones proclaimed might be the fastest linebacker in the NFL earlier in the week. While Dallas doesn't boast the defensive end talent that Arizona does with <span>Calais Campbell</span> and <span>Darnell Dockett</span>, <span>Jason Hatcher</span> is a disruptive player in his own right. He had six QB pressures (1 sack, 1 QB hit, 4 QB hurries) against Eli Manning. It will be key to see if newly extended <span>Sean Lissemore</span> can generate some pass rush as well as continue to be stout on run downs.</p>
<p><b>Being Defensive?</b></p>
<p>When the Cowboys are on offense, they will be facing one of the league's up and coming defenses. Seattle boasts playmakers up and down it's defensive roster, led by defensive end Chris Clemons who had a sack and a forced fumble in the opener. He'll be lined up over second-year tackle <span>Tyron Smith</span> who'll be starting just his second game on Tony Romo's blindside. Clemons skill combined with Seattle's crowd noise could cause a repeat of Smith's skiddish performance from week one against the Giants. Additional false starts aren't out of the question.</p>
<p>Former Texas A&M Aggie Red Bryant plays opposite Clemons and sets the edge while still being a capable rusher. He batted down two passes against Zona. Defensive tackle Brandon Mabane is a mountain in the middle of the defense; gathering four "stops", plays that prevent the offense from gaining 40% of yards to go on first down, 60% on second or a first down on third/fourth.</p>
<p>The linebackers corps is led by second-year pro KJ Wright, who lines up on the strong side and flows to the ball extremely well. He's joined by <span>Leroy Hill</span> and <span>Bobby Wagner</span>, who is often pulled off the field when Seattle goes to the nickel.</p>
<p>That leads us to the Seattle secondary; their defenses pride and joy. The Seahawks boast one of the league's most physically imposing backfield; riddled with DBs that stand 6'3" and can still run with opposing receivers. <span>Brandon Browner</span> <span>Richard Sherman</span>, and <span>Kam Chancellor</span> take turns bullying receivers while the shorty of the group, University of Texas' Earl Thomas roves centerfield. They held <span>Larry Fitzgerald</span> to four catches 63 yards and no scores; and yes- Fitzgerald normally puts up stats despite subpar QB performances. It is an extremely intimidating group that sometimes gets too physical; Seattle allowed 40 first downs on defensive penalties in 2011.</p>
<p>Fortunately for Dallas, all of these guys lined up in Cowboys Stadium last season, where Romo and the Boys defeated the Seahawks, 23-13. Romo turned in a solid 19-31 performance with two scores and no turnovers while <span>DeMarco Murray</span> churned out 139 yards on 22 carries.</p>
<p>Despite the lazy media's insistence on focusing on Dallas' failure in Seattle during the 2006 playoffs, Romo has in fact done extremely well against Seattle in the recent past. In four starts, TR has a 106.4 passer rating with nine touchdowns and only one interception. His 11.2 regular seaston rating is the highest by any Seattle opponent with at least 100 pass attempts.</p>
<p>If Ryan Cook can handle the snapping duties and <span>Mackenzy Bernadeau</span> can avoid a repeat of his early game nervousness, Dallas might be taking some steps forward in their line development.</p>
<p><b>Advancing, Statistically Speaking</b></p>
<p>In their 2011 Almanac, Football Outsiders identified the Seahawks as the worst offensive in football. That was with Marshawn Lynch running for 105 yards over the last nine games. The run of the majority of their snaps (47%) out of the '11' personnel group, a trend that was evident in Week One when they broke the huddle with this config 27 times. The fullback doesn't see the field much, as Seattle goes single-back 68% of the time. Their offense struggles against three-man fronts which Dallas employs plenty of, obviously. Do not expect them to abandon the run, because... it's really all that they have.</p>
<p>On defense, Seattle will remain in their base 4-3-4; in 2011 they played this on over 50% of all defensive snaps. The offensive grouping that gave them the most problem is the '21'; so expect to see problems when <span>Lawrence Vickers</span> is on the field. Seattle lines up their CBs by sides on 98% of plays, the highest percentage in the league. This means that if Dallas can find a side to focus on, they should be able to exploit the matchup as the game wears on. Expect Dallas to run out of the shotgun formation, as Seattle allowed 6.8 yards per carry there.</p>
<p>All in all, expect Dallas to be more challenged on offense than they were in New York, but to have an easier time on defense and be able to pin their ears back. They'll need to get an early lead, as Seattle seems to improve greatly after some inspiring halftime speeches by head coach Pete Carroll.</p>
<p>My prediction, the Cowboys do just that. Touchdown lead by halftime and stretched a bit in the second half.</p>
<p>Dallas 24-14.</p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/dallas-cowboys/2012/9/14/3330276/cowboys-vs-seahawks-game-2012-scheduleKD Drummond2012-09-09T09:00:09-05:002012-09-09T09:00:09-05:00Redskins Vs. Saints 2012: Can RG3 Become An Elite QB?
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<p><i>The final post in a series breaking down the most important and interesting questions about the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/">Dallas Cowboys</a> and the rest of the NFL headed into the 2012 season.</i></p>
<p>He definitely has the tools to do so. The kid seems so well-prepared to handle anything that is put in his path that it's difficult to bet against him. The physical toolset is there, the built in rivalry with Luck to push him to great levels is there. The competition every day in practice should be there with the selection of <span>Kirk Cousins</span> (whom I wanted Dallas to draft as the successor to Romo). </p>
<p>The question I have is in regards to his tutor. I think Mike Shanahan is an overrated coach and Kyle Shanahan a questionable coordinator. Do they survive the next two seasons as Washington will most likely remain in the cellar of the division? What happens if Washington changes direction in a year or two; how much will that set him back? My guess is that Bob Griffin will carry the torch for many years to come.</p>
<p><i>For more season preview coverage, stay tuned to the <a href="http://dallas.sbnation.com/dallas-cowboys/2012/9/1/3284637/nfl-2012-predictions-analysis-stream">SB Nation Dallas StoryStream</a> while <a href="http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/">Blogging The Boys</a> has 24/7 updates on America's Team.</i></p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/dallas-cowboys/2012/9/9/3298523/redskins-vs-saints-2012-rg3-elite-qbKD Drummond2012-09-07T08:00:32-05:002012-09-07T08:00:32-05:00Who Is The Team To Beat In The NFC?
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<p><i>The fourth in a series of posts breaking down the most important and interesting questions about the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/">Dallas Cowboys</a> and the rest of the NFL headed into the 2012 season.</i></p>
<p>In my estimation, the NFC is clearly the superior conference again (as it should be). You could make a case for nine legitimate Super Bowl caliber teams in 2012. Of course, all have some flaws or question marks.</p>
<p>I think you still have to look at Green Bay as the class of the conference. Super Bowl win a year ago and 15-1 last year. They could lose three more games and still sit at the top of the NFC. Was that defense an anomaly? Probably; and if it was, watchout.</p>
<p>San Francisco is a close second, as much as I hate the team they have made some great moves in bolstering their offense in the offseason. If Alex Smith continues what he showed against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.canalstreetchronicles.com/">Saints</a> when he only had one viable receiving threat?</p>
<p>I really like Chicago now that they've gotten away from the mad scientist Mike Martz and his silly, screw the tight end and protecting the QB offensive scheme. Brandon Marshall was a great addition.</p>
<p>Those are my top three, but would anyone really be surprised if Atlanta, New Orleans, Detroit, Dallas, Philly or the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bigblueview.com/">Giants</a> escaped the conference? Fun times.</p>
<p><i>For more season preview coverage, stay tuned to the <a href="http://dallas.sbnation.com/dallas-cowboys/2012/9/1/3284637/nfl-2012-predictions-analysis-stream">SB Nation Dallas StoryStream</a> while <a href="http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/">Blogging The Boys</a> has 24/7 updates on America's Team.</i></p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/dallas-cowboys/2012/9/7/3298515/team-to-beat-nfl-2012KD Drummond2012-09-06T15:25:23-05:002012-09-06T15:25:23-05:00What Happens To Vince Young?
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<p><i>The third in a series of posts breaking down the most important and interesting questions about the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/">Dallas Cowboys</a> and the rest of the NFL headed into the 2012 season.</i></p>
<p>Canadian Football League superstardom? Not sure, really. You'd imagine that some NFL team at least investigates bringing him in for a workout after Week One when his contract wouldn't be guaranteed for an entire season. It's such a strange ordeal to see how far he's gone after being such a winner in his entire career.</p>
<p>Can he survive in an offense not built to his strengths? That's what it seems he would need as opposed to being square-pegged into a quarterback competition where everyone is running a similar offense.</p>
<p>From Jeff Fisher (who I feel is one of the most overrated coaches in NFL history) having no faith in him to the suicide concern; he seems to carry with him an air of distrust. Of course this is all from an armchair psychologist observing from a distance, but I don't know if he'll ever shake that.</p>
<p><i>For more season preview coverage, stay tuned to the <a href="http://dallas.sbnation.com/dallas-cowboys/2012/9/1/3284637/nfl-2012-predictions-analysis-stream">SB Nation Dallas StoryStream</a> while <a href="http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/">Blogging The Boys</a> has 24/7 updates on America's Team.</i></p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/dallas-cowboys/2012/9/6/3298499/vince-young-nfl-future-2012KD Drummond2012-09-06T06:00:35-05:002012-09-06T06:00:35-05:00Cowboys Spoil Giant Coronation, Win 24-17
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<img alt="Sep 5, 2012; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) gets sacked by Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware (94) during the second quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-US PRESSWIRE" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/7RhqUziu6k6qnfbP5eg386lNQzk=/0x0:4000x2667/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/8812298/20120903_kdl_ag9_880.jpg" />
<figcaption>Sep 5, 2012; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) gets sacked by Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware (94) during the second quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>On Wednesday night, the Cowboys took on the defending Super Bowl champions, as well all of the naysayers, yet emerged victorious. Here's how. </p> <p>Well, I guess the experts are going to have to find something new to write about. For the last few days, we've heard everything that was wrong with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/">Dallas Cowboys</a>. They spent the entire offseason injured. Their top three receiving options are bleeding from their spleen, or hobbling on a hamstring, or gimping on a knee. They didn't fix their offensive line. They are going to be starting a rookie at cornerback.</p>
<p><span>Tony Romo</span> and the 'Boys weren't having any of that talk. In the inaugural game of the 2012 NFL Season, Jason Garrett's squad rode into Met Life Stadium and walked away triumphant, 24-17.</p>
<p>The victory marked the first time that the defending Super Bowl champions were unable to start the next season at the top of the standings. Instead, a team that no ESPN football expert picked to win (amongst a panel of 12!) and was predicted to finish last by at least in the NFC East by at least one NFL Network talking head now sits alone at the top of the league.</p>
<p>As usual, Romo had to break out some magical moves to avoid the Giants pass rush. By the looks of things, he'll need to do so many times over while the offensive line (hopefully) gels. His new favorite target was none other than the previously maligned Kevin Ogletree. The Tree hauled in eight passes for 114 yards and two scores.</p>
<p>The first was a short 10 yarder when Romo escaped pressure and drew the linebackers up as he moved towards the line of scrimmage. His second score came on a double move down the right sideline when overmatched cornerback <span>Corey Webster</span> was caught peaking at the QB when Ogletree flew by him. The eight receptions, 114 yards and two scores eclipsed anything he had done previously in his career</p>
<p>The true do everything guy seemed to be DeMarco Murray. With a slight 7-3 halftime lead, the Cowboys opened the second half by running six consecutive plays for Murray. Later in the game, he would have seven called plays on one drive (although three were negated by those pesky penalties). Murray repaid the Cowboys faith in him by gaining 140 total yards on 22 touches, 20 of them rush attempts.</p>
<p>He even threw in a signature play for the season; sending hefty LB Mathias Kiwanuka to the turf before regrouping then spinning out of a <span>Justin Tuck</span> grasp (he too, turfbound) and then scampering up the right sideline.</p>
<p><span>Dez Bryant</span> flourished in the first half; seeming to be unstoppable on slant patterns (as was Ogletree) while catching a big 38 yarder down the right sideline on a third-and-two. He finished with 85 yards. <span>Miles Austin</span> picked up the slack in the second half; gaining 73 yards and scoring the game-clinching touchdown on a 1st and 30 after two frustrating offensive line penalties.</p>
<p>To say it was obvious the offensive line was starting together for the first time all year would be an understatement. The Cowboys committed 13 penalities, including six on one drive alone (a touchdown drive!) and most of them were the fault of the line. To make matters worse, <span>Phil Costa</span> exited the game after the first series after his back spasms flared up. He was replaced by <span>Ryan Cook</span>. Yes, the Ryan Cook that the team traded for right before the cut deadline this past Friday. He contributed to the two delay of game penalties when Romo and he didn't execute snaps in time.</p>
<p>The way the defense was playing, however, maybe this team doesn't need stellar offensive line play. They acquired CB <span>Brandon Carr</span> and drafted first-rounder <span>Morris Claiborne</span> in an attempt to solidify the other weak unit on the team. They added some depth to a decent defensive line and they replaced the weak links at the linebacker position. For this game, everything worked.</p>
<p>The team that hadn't relinquished a touchdown drive in the first half of any preseason game reset the streak for the games that matter at one. <span>Sean Lee</span> forced a fumble by rookie <span>David Wilson</span> to thwart the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bigblueview.com/">Giants</a> first extended drive. He finished with 12 tackles on the game. <span>DeMarcus Ware</span> got into the action by sacking <span>Eli Manning</span> early in the second quarter to pass the 100 total career mark. He'd add a second later in the game.</p>
<p>The shining stand from the game had to be when the team was put in a position to fail by a 'bad Romo' moment. In the second quarter, before the Giants D-Line tired, they were getting relentless pressure on Romo. He had escaped the initial pressure but stepped up into more. Instead of stepping left where he could have re-established sight lines, he forced a throw across the middle, directly to Giants linebacker Michael Boley. Boley raced up the sidelines and would have scored had left tackle <span>Tyron Smith</span> not horse-collared him at the two-yard line.</p>
<p>Didn't matter to this Cowboys D. They locked down on two running plays, pushing New York back to the five-yard line with great goal line play. When a third-down pass fell incomplete, the entire Cowboys team was fired up; especially defensive coordinator Rob Ryan who was caught on camera exuding expletive-laced jubilation and daring the Giants to go for the fourth-down. They didn't and settled for a field goal that completely reversed the momentum of the interception.</p>
<p>There were several Cowboys defenders that had stellar performances. Brandon Carr, despite giving up a huge gain when he mistimed a jump, played locked down corner. Not shutdown, but lockdown; that's certainly good enough for Game One. Morris Claiborne also played well in his professional debut. The Cowboys secondary shut down the "Elite" Giants offense. No receiver passed the 60 yard mark.</p>
<p>The Cowboys receivers out-statted the Giants receivers as follows: 16 receptions to 13, 272 yards to 151 and three touchdowns to nothing. The secondary's prowess also improved the pressure up front. Eli Manning is a hard man to sack, but Dallas got him three times, two from Ware and another from <span>Jason Hatcher</span>.</p>
<p>From the goal line stand, the Cowboys offense took over.<font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><span style="line-height: 18px;"> </span></font>Jason Garrett engineered four consecutive scoring drives spanning the second through fourth quarters. 73 yards for a touchdown to end the half, 80 yards for a touchdown to start the second half, 65 yards for a field goal to re-establish a decent lead, 82 yards for a touchdown to seal the game.</p>
<p>On the Giants side, the magic behind their vaunted defensive line might have had the curtain pulled up, if only for a game. New York relies on a rotation of D-Linemen to stay fresh and consistently pressure the opposing quarterback. Due to injuries to <span>Chris Canty</span>, <span>Marvin Austin</span> and <span>Shaun Rogers</span> in the interior; everyone had to play more snaps than usual. Combined with this being the first game of the season and they were notably gassed in the second half when the Cowboys offense solidified.</p>
<p>They were also suspect in the secondary. After losing <span>Aaron Ross</span> to free agency, the Giants lost both starting corners to injury. <span>Terrell Thomas</span> and <span>Prince Amukamara</span> out, Corey Webster and <span>Michael Coe</span> in. Yet, for some reason, not too many focused on the mismatches this created when predicting the game results. When Michael Coe, their fifth-string corner to start the season, went out with a hamstring injury, the Cowboys had no fear. <span>Justin Tryon</span> was the replacement and who Miles Austin snagged the clinching, high-rising catch-and-run on.</p>
<p>Even the Cowboys special teams came out roses on the game. Punter Chris Jones, a concern for many fans, boomed a couple directional kicks that pinned New York deep in their own territory. Place kicking madman <span>Dan Bailey</span> went two for two. The coverage units were solid and the return units didn't make any mistakes.</p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/dallas-cowboys/2012/9/6/3296091/cowboys-vs-giants-recap-reactionKD Drummond2012-09-03T14:18:42-05:002012-09-03T14:18:42-05:00NFL Preview 2012: What Separates The Giants And The Cowboys?
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<p><i>The second in a series of posts breaking down the most important and interesting questions about the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/">Dallas Cowboys</a> and the rest of the NFL headed into the 2012 season.</i></p>
<p>That's a tough question to answer since there has been very little difference between the two teams in the regular season. Over the last five years, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bigblueview.com/">Giants</a> have 49 wins, Dallas 47. But while you can make an argument for playoff success not being the sole determining factor for rating quarterbacks; it's all that matters when it comes to team success. So in that regard, you have to look at roster management as the key.</p>
<p>The Giants have focused on one aspect of their team and remained committed to improving it. They continually throw draft picks and free agent money at their defensive line; year after year. It's a passing league and the Giants have constantly done everything they can to get to the quarterback. Has Dallas? They've had DeMarcus Ware and drafted Spencer in the first round, but what else have they invested in their "pressure five" (OLBs, DEs, NT)? Fourth rounders and later?</p>
<p>Also, New York has systematically been able to produce in-house talent at a higher rate than the Cowboys. Pedigree isn't everything, but it does matter. Due to the fact that the Cowboys are led by an undrafted quarterback, fans want to believe that it's not as important as it is.</p>
<p>Review the draft classes for each team. '07-09 yielded <span>Anthony Spencer</span>, <span>Doug Free</span>, <span>Felix Jones</span>, <span>Mike Jenkins</span>, Orlando Scandrick and <span>Victor Butler</span> for Dallas; <span>Aaron Ross</span>, Steve Smith, Kevin Boss, <span>Ahmad Bradshaw</span>, <span>Kenny Phillips</span>, <span>Mario Manningham</span> and <span>Hakeem Nicks</span> for the Giants. Phillips, Nicks and Smith have all spent time being considered as Top 10 at their respective positions. Does anyone for Dallas fit that bill? I think you'd have to say that the Giants have the advantage there. Things have turned the corner for Dallas in recent years, so there is hope in the drafting realm.</p>
<p><i>For more season preview coverage, stay tuned to the <a href="http://dallas.sbnation.com/dallas-cowboys/2012/9/1/3284637/nfl-2012-predictions-analysis-stream">SB Nation Dallas StoryStream</a> while <a href="http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/">Blogging The Boys</a> has 24/7 updates on America's Team.</i></p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/dallas-cowboys/2012/9/3/3289549/nfl-preview-2012-giants-cowboysKD Drummond2012-09-01T09:01:02-05:002012-09-01T09:01:02-05:00NFL 2012 Preview: Is Tony Romo A Top 5 QB?
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<p><i>The first in a series of posts breaking down the most important and interesting questions about the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/">Dallas Cowboys</a> and the rest of the NFL headed into the 2012 season.</i></p>
<p>It's always difficult to rank NFL quarterbacks because you have to weigh statistics, accomplishments and potential in order to find the right balance. There are approximately 2,000 plays in an season for each NFL team. Quarterbacks average around 500 passing attempts. Statistically, they are only responsible for one fourth of the plays, yet they are married to the overall performance of the team regardless of their surroundings.</p>
<p><span>Tony Romo</span> has great statistics. 4,000+ yards, 30+ touchdowns and only 10 interceptions. He has countless clutch performances and miraculous plays that most other quarterbacks can't make. He doesn't have a good win/loss record in December and January, but the Cowboys consistently have a daunting schedule in December/January. He's also made several highly publicized mistakes late in games and has only generaled one playoff victory.</p>
<p>All that is to say Romo is better than most, but probably not in the elite category. <span>Aaron Rodgers</span>, <span>Tom Brady</span>, Drew Bress sit atop the list. That's who I consider elite. <span>Peyton Manning</span> was, but is such a question mark with his injury. <span>Ben Roethlisberger</span> and Eli have the rings, so they are in the second tier with Peyton. Then I'd put Romo slightly ahead of Phillip Rivers and Cam Newton with a larger lead on Matt Stafford and Matt Ryan. Long story long, Romo's seventh.</p>
<p><i>For more season preview coverage, stay tuned to the <a href="http://dallas.sbnation.com/dallas-cowboys/2012/9/1/3284637/nfl-2012-predictions-analysis-stream">SB Nation Dallas StoryStream</a> while <a href="http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/">Blogging The Boys</a> has 24/7 updates on America's Team.</i></p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/dallas-cowboys/2012/9/1/3284638/nfl-2012-predictions-dallas-cowboysKD Drummond