SB Nation Dallas - Cowboys Vs. Bears: Dallas falls, 34-18, behind 5 interceptions by Romohttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48887/dallas-fave.png2012-10-03T19:30:26-05:00http://dallas.sbnation.com/rss/stream/31713532012-10-03T19:30:26-05:002012-10-03T19:30:26-05:00Dallas Cowboys injury report: Ratliff returns
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<p><a href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Dallas Cowboys</a> nose tackle <span>Jay Ratliff</span> practiced on Wednesday, <a target="_blank" href="http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/cowboys/post/_/id/4698846/jay-ratliff-kenyon-coleman-return-to-practice">according to ESPN Dallas</a>. Ratliff had not practiced since suffering a right ankle sprain on Aug. 25, and missed most of the offseason camps with plantar fasciitis.</p>
<p>Ratliff has missed all four games for the Cowboys this season, replaced in the lineup by a combination of <span>Josh Brent</span> and <span>Sean Lissemore</span>.</p>
<p>The Cowboys also say defensive end <span>Kenyon Coleman</span> returned to the practice field; the veteran had missed the past two games with hamstring and back issues.</p>
<p>It wasn't all good news on the health front, however, as linebacker <span>DeMarcus Ware</span>, tight end <span>John Phillips</span>, linebacker <span>Bruce Carter</span>, linebacker <span>Anthony Spencer</span> and punter <span>Chris Jones</span> all missed practice. Ware, who has been fighting a hamstring injury all season, has not missed a game due to the issue.</p>
<p>Jones missed the loss to the <a href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Bears</a> due to a knee injury and was replaced by the newly signed <span>Brian Moorman</span>.</p>
<p>The Cowboys (2-2) have a bye week before facing the <a href="https://www.baltimorebeatdown.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Ravens</a> in Baltimore on Oct. 14.</p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/dallas-cowboys/2012/10/3/3451772/dallas-cowboys-injury-reportBrandon Worley2012-10-02T16:37:36-05:002012-10-02T16:37:36-05:00Cowboys Injury Report
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<figcaption>Tim Heitman-US PRESSWIRE - Presswire</figcaption>
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<p>The absence of defensive end <span>Anthony Spencer</span> was noticeable in the <a href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Cowboys</a>' 34-18 loss to Chicago Monday night. Even with a bye in Week 5, they may still be without him in their Week 6 contest with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.baltimorebeatdown.com/">Baltimore Ravens</a>.</p>
<p>But the fact they only seemed to have one in-game injury on the defensive side of the ball, a hip pointer suffered by linebacker <span>Bruce Carter</span>, has to be seen as a small victory.</p>
<p>Carter did return, and isn't expected to lose any more time.</p>
<p>Nose tackle <span>Jay Ratliff</span> missed Monday's game with a high ankle sprain, but should be back for Week 6. In their absence, as well as the absences of linebacker <span>Alex Albright</span> and defensive end <span>Kenyon Coleman</span>, it wasn't a healthy defense that surrendered 34 points and 11.1 yards per pass.</p>
<p>Dallas gets the opportunity to rest a bit, sitting at 2-2 but not out of the division race by any stretch. Trailing the 3-1 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/">Eagles</a> by one game, Dallas could be a half-game out by the end of Week 5.</p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/2012/10/2/3445694/nfl-injury-report-cowboys-week-4Neal Coolong2012-10-02T12:27:17-05:002012-10-02T12:27:17-05:00Romo vows to correct the mistakes from Bears loss
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<p>Coming off a disastrous Monday night loss to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/">Bears</a>, all eyes are on <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/">Cowboys</a> quarterback <span>Tony Romo</span>. The veteran Dallas QB threw five interceptions against Chicago, putting himself atop the headlines for all the wrong reasons. After the game, a solemn Romo talked about how the sting of the five-pick performance will linger as the Cowboys enter the bye week (<a href="http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/cowboys/post/_/id/4698715/tony-romo-makes-another-pledge" target="_blank">via Todd Archer of ESPNDallas</a>):</p>
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<p>"You have to get over it," Romo said. "It's going to suck for a few days now. Obviously it's going to sit there in your stomach and just eat at you. ... In different situations out there, I just tried to do too much and help out different areas. That's going to catch up to you in the National Football League."</p>
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<p>Romo will now have two weeks off to study the ugly film of the game, and work to correct the mistakes. But Cowboys fans have become accustomed to the up-and-down ride that Romo can take the team on during a season. He vowed to address what he needs to do going forward to avoid a repeat performance. He's confident he'll be able to get over it and be able<a href="http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/cowboys/post/_/id/4698715/tony-romo-makes-another-pledge" target="_blank"> to perform his job more effectively</a> by not trying to do it all:</p>
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<p>"I'm going to have to re-assess a couple of things that are happening and make sure they don't happen again. It's been like this at a time where we had a game where we had turnovers last year. I just have to make a conscious effort to make sure to control that aspect. In saying that, I can't try to do too much. I think I tried to do that too much. Going forward, I'm just going to have to do my job. And I will."</p>
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<p>It won't get much easier for the Cowboys coming off the bye, as they face another historically stout defense -- this time on the road. They head to Baltimore to face the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.baltimorebeatdown.com/">Ravens</a> in Week 6, but there's plenty of work to do between now and then.</p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/dallas-cowboys/2012/10/2/3444252/cowboys-bears-tony-romo-five-interceptionsBrendan Porath2012-10-02T12:16:03-05:002012-10-02T12:16:03-05:00Who's to blame for Romo's picks?
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<p><span>Tony Romo</span> had a disastrous Monday night versus Chicago, throwing five touchdowns, two of which were returned for touchdowns by the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/">Bears</a>' defense as the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/">Cowboys</a> fell to the Bears at home, 34-18.</p>
<p>Although Romo will be credited with all five interceptions, Tim Macmahon of ESPN Dallas feels that the first two should be blamed on the intended wide receivers Kevin Ogeltree and <span>Dez Bryant</span>.</p>
<p>While Ogeltree accepted responsibility for his mishap, <a href="http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/cowboys/post/_/id/4698723/were-wide-receivers-to-blame-for-tony-romos-first-two-picks" target="_blank">Bryant offered MacMahon the following explanation:</a></p>
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<p>"It was just the guy made a good play on the ball," Bryant said. "He kind of disguised what he was doing. What was called, if I was pressed, I was supposed to run deep. If he was off, I was supposed to run the stop route. He pressed and then he kind of bailed and stopped. I just felt like he made a good play on the ball."</p>
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<p>Bryant finished the game with eight receptions for 125 yards but failed to find the end zone for the fourth consecutive game this season. Bryant has 21 receptions for 269 yards this season.</p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/dallas-cowboys/2012/10/2/3444200/cowboys-vs-bears-2012-tony-romo-interceptionsPardeep Toor2012-10-02T11:32:59-05:002012-10-02T11:32:59-05:00Cowboys No. 17 in SBN power rankings
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<figcaption>Tom Pennington - Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Cowboys are 17th in the SB Nation NFL Power Rankings</p> <p>Following an embarrassing home loss Monday night to the <a href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Chicago Bears</a>, the <a href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Dallas Cowboys</a> (2-2) dropped three spots to No. 17 in the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2012/10/2/3442748/nfl-power-rankings-week-5-texans-falcons-ravens">SB Nation NFL Power Rankings for Week 5</a>.</p>
<p>NFL editor Joel Thorman didn't have much to say about America's Team this week, only that the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/2012/10/1/3441730/rob-ryan-cowboys-vs-bears-monday-night-football-mad/in/3201823">ever-GIF-able Rob Ryan probably wouldn't be pleased</a>.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/20431881/power-rankings-vikings-a-pleasant-surprise-cowboys-lions-saints-surprisingly-beatable">CBS Sports also has the Cowboys at No. 17</a> this week. Pete Prisco writes about <span>Tony Romo</span> following his five-interception performance Monday night:</p>
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<p>"It's time to start the Tomy Romo bashing again. Thing is, he didn't get much help against the Bears."</p>
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<p><a target="_blank" href="http://espn.go.com/nfl/powerrankings">Dallas got slightly more love in ESPN's Power Rankings</a>, coming in at No. 15, a three-spot drop from last week. Dan Graziano writes:</p>
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<p>"No fun sitting on that Monday night loss through a bye week. The Cowboys' offense is loaded with issues right now."</p>
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<p>The Cowboys have a bye week in Week 5, time enough to either stew on a bad loss or turn the ship around, depending on your point of view.</p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/dallas-cowboys/2012/10/2/3443968/nfl-power-rankings-week-5Kevin Jeffers2012-10-02T08:41:59-05:002012-10-02T08:41:59-05:00Bad home loss leaves Cowboys fans to stew
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<p>While the <a href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Cowboys</a> defense did allow two <span>Jay Cutler</span> touchdowns on Monday night, the story of the game was the offensive struggles of the Tony Romo-led offense, which resulted in a 34-18 blow out loss at home for Dallas. Romo finished the night with five interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns and put the Cowboys in a hole they couldn't dig themselves out of.</p>
<p>With a Week 5 bye upcoming, the Cowboys fans will have two weeks to stew over the loss, and K.D. Drummond at Blogging the Boys <a target="_blank" href="http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2012/10/1/3441770/dallas-cowboys-chicago-bears-postgame-recap-">isn't feeling very optimistic</a>:</p>
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<p>Dallas sits at 2-2 but there is so much work to be done on this team that it's hard to remain positive. Looking at the post-bye schedule of at <a href="https://www.baltimorebeatdown.com/">Ravens</a>, at <a href="https://www.catscratchreader.com/">Panthers</a>, vs <a href="https://www.bigblueview.com/">Giants</a>, at Atlanta and at Philadelphia... the soul-searching over the next two weeks will have to be Paranormal Activity-worthy in order to right this ship.</p>
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<p>The five interceptions of Romo are likely to draw plenty of talk from the media during the coming week, as <span>Kyle Orton</span> came in during the final minutes of the game and had much more success, albeit against a defense that was no longer fighting to keep the game in its clutches. He paled in comparison to <a href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Bears</a>' quarterback Jay Cutler, who, according to <a href="http://www.windycitygridiron.com/2012/10/2/3441910/bears-at-cowboys-notes-scribbles-and-things-jotted-down">Steven Schweickert of Windy City Gridiron</a>, played completely unlike the Cutler that struggled against the <a href="https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Packers</a> and <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/st-louis-rams" class="sbn-auto-link">Rams</a>:</p>
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<p>There were a couple questionable throws, but largely, he hit his windows, gave his receivers plays, and didn't take too many unnecessary risks. And fortunately, he didn't have to take too many unnecessary risks, and the Bears still mixed in a few really nice deep calls.</p>
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<p>Cutler finished the game 18-of-24 passing for 275 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions, while only get sacked twice by the Cowboys.</p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/dallas-cowboys/2012/10/2/3442982/cowboys-bears-2012Adam Stites2012-10-02T08:13:39-05:002012-10-02T08:13:39-05:00Time to panic in Dallas?
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<figcaption>Ronald Martinez - Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Will this be the epitaph of the Tony Romo era in Dallas? Would Kyle Orton be a better option behind center? It's all on the table after a disastrous showing on Monday Night Football.</p> <p><i>** A discussion between two members of the SB Nation Dallas staff driving away from the scene of the crime.</i></p>
<p><b>Willie Funk:</b> Well that certainly didn't go as planned. The Football Palace hosted a Romo debacle that quickly escalated from bad at the wrong times to total garbage. There was a tipped pass, but also two misses on sure touchdowns. I lauded Romo's performance against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bigblueview.com/">Giants</a>, but Monday's display was simply unreal for all the wrong reasons. The line play was better, and there were a couple plays that should have been made by his receivers, but Dallas' second most apathetic sports star [<strike>redacted</strike> Hamilton] was downright awful. In short, it looked like SMU's Garrett Gilbert threw on a <span>Tony Romo</span> mask in a quest to acheive a 10 interception weekend. Choke for Geno Smith?<br><br><b>John Stathas:</b> For a while there I was pretty sure Gilbert was under center for Dallas' other team. I've been fighting to suppress my Romophobia this season, but tonight caused my hatred to resurface. The offensive line play was solid tonight so Romo had nobody to blame but himself. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/">Bears</a> defense almost outscored their offense ... and all thanks to Romo. On a positive note, Romo distributed the ball well, but unfortunately it was to the wrong team. <br><b><br>Funk:</b> I think the best way I can describe his behavior is that he was slanging rugby passes to Los Osos. Unacceptable. Other than Demarco Murray's incessant attempts to get his neck snapped when he ducks his head, a Romo dropback is one of the most frightening sights seen by cowboys fans on Monday. On the other side, Jay Cutty was dealing. He finally has the big receivers he needs and <span>J'Marcus Webb</span> figured out how to slow down <span>DeMarcus Ware</span> a little bit. If that dude has time, Smokin' <span>Jay Cutler</span> is a star. And he didn't even really have the running game today! On the plus side, the Cows' defense only gave up half the points allowed. End of the day, Son of Ramiro lost his first game of the season for the 'Boys.<br><br><b>Stathas:</b> Usually when you have an abundance of garbage, you throw it away like a parking ticket. So do the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/">Cowboys</a> employ the same strategy? He's Tony Romo? I think the biggest hurdle with that move is that no NFL team would take him. Rex Ryan is probably sitting up in NYC thinking to himself, "And I thought I had problems. I'll see how far Sanchez and Tebow can take me." At this point, I'm ready to see what <span>Kyle Orton</span> can do. We have a running game and a solid defense. Maybe if we had <span>Trent Dilfer</span> 2.0 we could win a Super Bowl. There probably isn't even anything to lose. Jerry Jones will still stack dollars peddling mindless entertainment to the drunken plebians in his 21st century colliseum. I mean, what else will drive a man to spend $9 on a beer other than watching Tony Romo throw touchdowns to the wrong team?<br><br><b>Funk: </b>I must say, I really respect that overreaction. I would love to put on for a Tebow trade at this point, but I think there's still a glimmer of hope for family man Tony. He's too good to be Dilfer, not nearly good enough to carry the team. He needs to find a balance between being the hero and being a handoff machine. I don't know if he's willing or able to do it. Despite the success of the running game, the coach, the franchise and the city seem hell bent on making him Dirk of the Cowboys. He's just not that good. He has flashes, but he's not capable of that. Period. People will point to the Giants game, but be serious -- that was the fourth and fifth corners they were throwing on pro bowl Miles and Dez. Speaking of Dez, that kid is a monster. He had a bad drop on the one corner route Romo threw properly, but otherwise he's unreal. And I don't want to hear that he caused that interception on the option route in the first half. Romo stared him down and didn't make the read that's essential to a successful option route. I hate to keep harping on Romo's failures, but Dez was another positive in an otherwise tragic display by Dallas' finest. <br><br><b>Stathas:</b> See I'm not sold on Dez yet. It seems like he enjoys playing football about as much as Josh Hamilton loves playing baseball. The talent is there, the talk is there, but until he shows me a consistant four-quarter elite performance, I'm not buying. He'll give you a half filled with several unreal catches, but like Hamilton, he'll go up there and swing and miss, hoping you'll love him for the occasional home run he hits. Of course, that home run comes when you need it least. I hate to keep on with the baseball references, but it seems to me like we have a team full of fastball hitters. Keep throwing them straight balls and they'll knock it out of the park. Break off a curveball and it's strikeout after strikeout.<br><b><br>Funk:</b> I'll disagree with that. Dez is passionate about the game almost to a fault in my estimation. He needs to work on the mental aspect of the game and keeping composed, and that's about it. But, again, the story of the game is Tony Romo. The Romo apologists need to get real. He's a good quarterback, but a great, franchise centerpiece quarterback does not toss throw five interceptions on national television. For context, <span>Peyton Manning</span> threw 3 and it was a national crisis. Time to rethink the gameplan and see if DeMarco and Demarcus can carry the 'Boys to the playoffs, or a least respectability.</p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/dallas-cowboys/2012/10/2/3442874/dallas-cowboys-vs-bears-2012-tony-romoWillie Funk2012-10-02T07:57:19-05:002012-10-02T07:57:19-05:00Cowboys vs. Bears: A loss to remember
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<p>Even with a bye week, it's going to be hard to recover from this one.</p> <p>How bad was the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/">Dallas Cowboys</a> loss to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/">Chicago Bears</a>? Bad enough to sit <span>Tony Romo</span> at the end of the game and give <span>Kyle Orton</span> some snaps in garbage time. Bad enough that 100 yard receiving games by both Jason Witten and <span>Dez Bryant</span> were utterly wasted. Bad enough that 430 yards of total offense was totally meaningless. Bad enough that . . .<br>Well, just say it was terribly, horribly bad. A five-interception mess that gave the Chicago defense 14 points on interception returns, which was almost enough to beat the Cowboys offense by itself.</p>
<p>Dallas has its bye week coming up, and needs to get a lot figured out. The defense, that had been the strength of the team, finally gave up two touchdowns to a wide receiver, in this case Brandon Marshall, who showed that <span>Brandon Carr</span> is not unbeatable, and <span>Devin Hester</span>, who showed that <span>Morris Claiborne</span> is still a rookie.</p>
<p>While there were many moments that seriously wounded the Cowboys, the most damaging probably happened in the third quarter. Down 17-7, Romo was intercepted, but the defense, led by <span>DeMarcus Ware</span>, stripped the ball from <span>Jay Cutler</span> and Dallas had the ball at the Chicago 27 yard line with an excellent chance to score and regain the momentum.</p>
<p>But on the ensuing play, Romo was hit and the ball came out. It was called an interception, but the important part is that <span>Lance Briggs</span> took it 74 yards. Chicago had a 24-7 lead, and it was all but over for the Cowboys.</p>
<p>It is going to be a challenge for the team to recover from this mess. They have a week off, but then they have to travel to Baltimore to play the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.baltimorebeatdown.com/">Ravens</a>, and that is hardly going to be an easy game to come back in. The defense certainly can use the week to get healthier. <span>Jay Ratliff</span>, <span>Anthony Spencer</span> and <span>Kenyon Coleman</span> should all be back, and the team certainly needs them.</p>
<p>Another issue is that <span>Mackenzy Bernadeau</span> looked very bad. This led to pressure on Romo, and contributed to a pitiful 41 yards rushing. With the offense reduced to one dimension, the Bears were able to focus on their pass defense, and the harvest of turnovers that killed the Cowboys.</p>
<p>That inability to run the ball is a serious and ongoing problem, with the team now having been unable to gain anything on the ground in the last three games. This is the exact opposite of what Dallas is trying to do this season. Once again, the weakness of the offensive line is proving to be fatal. And there is no obvious solution for Bernadeau. <span>David Arkin</span> certainly does not inspire any confidence.</p>
<p>While there is still three quarters of a season ahead, making a success of this season is now a daunting challenge. Jason Garrett is going to have to try to find a way to get this team off its backside and fighting to win. At this point, 8-8 looks like it will take a major turnaround. The mistakes that are killing the Cowboys are coming from all over the team.</p>
<p>Dez Bryant was one of the surest handed receivers in the NFL last season, but he had multiple drops against Chicago and was possibly at fault on the <span>Charles Tillman</span> interception for a touchdown in the second quarter. The offensive line, while having some improvement (they only gave up one sack), still seems to have a new issue every week.</p>
<p>It may be that the Cowboys had far more rebuilding to do when Garrett took over than most of us realized. While the defense now seems to be on the upswing, the offensive line problems may need another off-season to correct - and with the salary cap limitations the team faces, it may not be all that easy to manage.</p>
<p>Last week, offensive line coach Bill Callahan said he wasn't going to sugarcoat things. This week, that is likely to be the theme for much more than just his area of responsibility. It is going to be a long two weeks. And the rest of the season may be much longer.</p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/dallas-cowboys/2012/10/2/3442840/cowboys-vs-bears-2012-score-recapTom Ryle