ANALYSIS

What a bunch of pansy ass MFers we have.

We have to TRY and get Choice the ball more.
We have to TRY and get Miles the ball more.

I thought THEY were THE coaching staff.

But I guess they are just HR folks trying to keep the fights and sore feelings to a minimum.
-by sp1der at AbsoluteCowboys.Com

Here is why…and I base this solely on last Sunday…which i realize came against one of the worst teams in the league…and I base this off of me trying to be optimistic. Now I know some moron will run with this and jump up and down in their cages, and so forth…but I just want to present another point of view for the sake of diversity here.

1. Romo’s bi-polar mania seems to be on a good swing right now heading into the bye, which should allow him to come out strong against ATL. If we would have lost Sunday, he probably would have gone into the tank and potentially have been lost for the season emotionally. Instead, he came out and played a great game. No turnovers and he was pretty accurate all day. Not only that, he seemed to lead and show excitement for what he was doing. This is the Romo we have been missing and this is the Romo we need going forward.

2. The emegence of a legitimate threat at WR. Sunday, was the first time weve seen a difference maker dominate at WR since early last year before TO was figured out or faded out. Teams are going to have to roll Safety coverage Austins way which will leave RW in single coverage which should free him up a bit hopefully and create more room for our running game, and for Witten and Bennett. Not to mention, Austin showed Sunday, that not only is he fast, but he is strong and can break tackles. yes, he will drop some balls, but his other strengths clearly outweigh his weaknesses.

3. Health, we should be getting back Felix Jones, RW, and Sensabaugh I believe which will give us all 22 starters back on the field. Not to mention, hopefully Barber can rest and come back closer to 100% as well which should ignite him and bring some power back to our running game.

4. Leadership. Sunday we saw this teams two REAL LEADERS emerge. Keith Brooking and Jason Witten. It seems like the last few years, weve been depending on guys like Bradie James, TNEW, Romo, Spears, Crayton, TO, etc, to lead this team, and for one reason or the other, it always seemed faux. Brooking and Witten are the real deal. They both took charge Sunday, and hopefully it will carry over into future weeks.

5. Teamwork. Sunday when Miles Austin ran that last TD into the endzone, and half the team ran to the endzone and mobbed him, was the first time this team celebrated like that in years. Say what you want about how we beat a bad team, etc, but to the point, that was a major moment in this team bonding and coming together. Maybe it will be short lived, but each season has turning point moments, and that MIGHT have been one for this team. I guarantee you this, this team will be smiling and working hard this bye week to get better, because they still believe in one another and feel that their season is in front of them. It might be a mirage, but again, optimistically speaking, it could have been a turning point.

Let’s be real, we could easily be sitting at 4-1 right now, and the two games we lost we could have won. We outplayed NY, but gave the game away. We pretty much did the same with Denver. On the flip side, we could have lost to KC too, so I think 3-2 is where we probably belong. We beat the teams we should have beat, and lost to the teams that are undefeated still.

Looking at the rest of the schedule:

Sun, Oct 25 ATLANTA (FOX)
We have to win this game, or this is all for not. But if we do, and we will be at home coming off two weeks to prepare and get healthy, it could be a turning point in the season.

Sun, Nov 1 SEATTLE (FOX)
Another game at home where we will be favored. We should and must win.

Sun, Nov 8 @ Philadelphia (NBC) 7:15 PM
Tough game, and we’ll be the underdog…but Im not willing to concede this yet. Even though I’ll mark it down as a loss.

Sun, Nov 15 @ Green Bay (FOX) 3:15 PM
Tough game, but one we can win.

Sun, Nov 22 WASHINGTON (FOX)
We should and must win this.

Thurs, Nov 26 OAKLAND (CBS) 3:15 PM
We should win.

Sun, Dec 6 @ New York Giants (FOX) 3:15 PM
Tough game…and we should lose, but we were better than them and we beat ourselves that day. We have a chance, even though im not counting on this as a victory.

Sun, Dec 13 SAN DIEGO (CBS)
This team is overrated, and I think we can beat them at home.

Sat, Dec 19 @ New Orleans (NFLN, TXA 21) 7:15 PM
Loss as things sit right now. No way our Defense can handle them.

Sun, Dec 27 @ Washington (NBC) 7:15 PM
Their season will be over and we will win.

Sun, Jan 3 PHILADELPHIA (FOX)
Get em at home, and we’ll have a chance.

So, by my count, there are really only 3 games where I think we for sure lose. The rest we should win, or can win. Will we? Who knows and probably won’t…but my point is, we arent done yet.

Here’s what we need to do:

1. Sit Crayton and start Austin. But start him in the same position he played yesterday….whether that was the X or the Y or whatever. Don’t get strangled by RW’s contract and ego. Put your best players in a position to make a difference. Move Crayton back into the #3 and slot position.

2. Give Felix Jones 15 touches per game if he can stay healthy. The dude averaged 8 yds per carry last year and is averaging 10 yds per carry this year. Utilize him until he gets hurt…assuming he does again. Move Barber back to his role he had when Julius was here; closer, goal line, and 3rd and 4th and short. Choice should be used in either of FJ’s or Barbers position if they are banged up. But imo, if the two front guys are 100% then Choice should be used in situational and substitute roles only. But Im open on Choice…he’s starting to earn my respect. He seems like the only one of the 3 who can stay healthy. And Id be open to him getting more carries or even starting if this continues.

3. Less two TE, and more 3 WR. With RW, Austin, Crayton, Witten, and any of our RB’s coming out of the backfield, we have more than enough weapons and diversity in the passing game. Im guessing the two TE offense is getting predictable, and with Bennett contributing nothing, whats the point? Romo thrives on the big play passing attack. Running the ball primarily is only going to guarantee one thing, and that is that teams will stay close to us and our D will fold in the end. Our best days under Garrett were when we were attacking downfield, and scoring lots or points. With Austin emerging, we have the same talent level we had when Garrett first got here, plus we have Felix Jones to add to the attack now.

Please don’t be the idiot who takes this post out of context. I’m simply giving another perspective to where this team is at and what potentially could still happen if the stars and moon and so forth were to once line up in our favor. Its still a longshot, and it’s dubious, but unlike many others, as a fan of this team, I’m willing to hold out another two weeks before I give up on this season. Whether that proves me right or wrong, I dont give a ****.

Oh, watch this and enjoy. it might be our last feel good moment of the season.

-posted by jhalp at AbsoluteCowboys.Com

This trip was supposed to be as inexpensive as possible, and we managed not only to save a few bucks, but have a great view of the game.

Yep, we did the Party Pass thing. For anyone considering it, here’s what it’s like.

First, we got there an hour before the doors opened, and found an entrance that didn’t already have big lines, and put ourselves right by the door. There are a couple of options if you have a Party Pass as it turns out. (We had to learn by experience since the people at the door really don’t know their own stadium yet)

The main doors at each end zone open directly to the largest decks where Party Pass people can go. This is also where the craziest rush to get a place at the front of the rail will occur. We took one of the side entrances which will take you toward the stair well decks. They are smaller, but in my opinion, better. Why? Because they are smaller AND they can see the BIG video board, not just the smaller ones on the end.

Here’s the view:

This one was right below the one where we were standing, and it was identical to ours:

Here’s the view of the field and the video boards from ours. As others have mentioned, the field looks bigger in real life than it does in the pictures:

I expected the big video boards, but what I didn’t realize is how many video boards there actually are. Both bright rings that you see in the picture are giant video boards that wrap around the entire stadium, and several entrances into the stands have video boards over them. There were also other video boards in the corners of the stadium, -plus the ones outside. Where we had waited in line, there were two. The place is video crazy.

Outside the endzone entrances where we were, (West side, gates G, H, J) they had a stage, some entertainment, and a few of the Cowboys cheerleaders even did a routine. All of this went on before the doors opened. They were supposed to open at 5pm and all of them did but ours. The lady running our doors was slow to open them, and for several seconds as we waited, people were streaming in from all the other entrances -but ours!

Still… When our doors, DID open, (finally!) I walked in and went straight to the ATM. (It costs $40 to park in the cash lots so I was low. I remembered the Party Pass had “complimentary” parking -and the Cowboys website directs Party Pass holders to the cash lots- but no one in the parking lots even knew what a Party Pass was, so we paid. Then we paid $20 to have a guy on a bike, pulling a bench seat to take us to the stadium. We were in a hurry… Lots of these guys are biking around the stadium area. Our guy told us he makes 200-300 a night.)

Anyway, I had time to work the ATM, and walk up the concourse thingie, find a deck, and still got a spot on the rail.

The downside? We did NOT buy any concessions, or use the bathroom the entire time we were there. And we were there from 5pm – 10:30pm. However, if you’re on the rail, you can lean on it and it’s not as bad as it sounds. Still, it was sooo nice to SIT down in the car for the first time since we parked it at 3:45pm.

A guy stood next to me for the game (we saved his spot once when he had to use the restroom) who was from Toronto. A Buffalo Bills fan. He thought the view was incredible for only 29 bucks and we had to agree. He also said it would be hard to go back to the Bills stadium after being in Dallas.

To our right (sorry I didn’t take any pics -and this happens on the West side) were the platforms the new Dallas Rhythm and Blues Dancers dance on during the game. Going to a Cowboys game with the Cheerleaders, the Dancers, etc… has loads of uh…. sights.

The atmosphere was fun too and the people we stood around were all pretty cool about everything. Of course, the drinks flowed all night for everyone but my friend and myself. (Although my buddy did have about half of a margarita spilled down his side, but hey, that was just funny. He was good natured about it.)

When the Cowboys finally started playing decently, there were plenty of high fives and celebrating. It seemed that anyone behind us was still able to watch the game with no problem, although standing for a long time without a rail to lean on couldn’t have been as good. Oh, and we booed anyone with a Carolina uniform walking up the stairwell below us…. most of them had a good time with that.

It was surprising to see the Cowboys continually ask the crowd to text security if they spotted any bad behavior. Methinks the Party Pass crowd worried them, but it shouldn’t. The Party was really pretty tame. Just regular folks.

And yeah, the place is amazing. The sound system and game presentation still need tweaked. Everything seemed to run smoother in the old stadium. They couldn’t even do a truck pushing contest without screwing up. One of the truck drivers hit his brakes when the guy gave the go signal. And I wish there was a way to keep the ref from blowing the whistle before he turns his microphone off. THAT is annoying as anything you’ll ever have blasting into your ear drums. And yeah, the crowd noise was good and loud.

By the way, this ain’t me.

We had a good time, and to top it all off, the friends we stayed with… I knew they had a nice house, but wow…

I didn’t realize their next door neighbors (and I am NOT making this up) are Adrian Peterson of the Vikings and whoever the guy is who was drafted 2nd overall this year. REALLY nice houses. You walk in and just go… wow. Best, cleanest, most perfect place I’ve ever stayed in my life.

All on the cheap baby.

I’ll have some game thoughts on another post.

southmofan at AbsoluteCowboys.Com

Article in the Cowboys Blog in the Dallas Morning News Online

(But) I don’t think Emmitt was out of line at all. He may harbor some bitterness, but not much, imo. I’ve seen his interviews on his Ring of Honor  induction, and talking about the glory days here in Dallas and he seems totally fine. And him and Jerry seem cool also.

I think Emmitt believes what he said and there is some merit to it, imo.

Emmitt questioned our leadership back when he was a broadcaster a year or two ago…and well, up to this point, he was probably right.

And I’m no Emmitt apologist. My least favorite triplet by far.

-Jhalp at AbsoluteCowboys.Com

Don’t Mess With Texas at AbsoluteCowboys.Com

-Loowie at AbsoluteCowboys.Com

Now answer the following questions:

1) Which of these two coaches, based on their physical appearance, seems to have the most discipline in their personal life?

2) Which Head Coach would appear to have the more disciplined team…once the NFL regular season starts?

3) To which Head Coach would you trust your season with more, when there’s only one drive to go in the playoffs?

4) Based on the photo (pregame), which coach seems to take his job more seriously?

Both of these defensive-minded coaches applied for Head Coach with the Dallas Cowboys when Fat Tuna (Bill Parcells) left Dodge (Dallas). Jed (Jerry Jones) let one walk out of his office 3 days before hiring the other one (Wade). Since that time the Dallas Cowboys have annually:
–underachieved
–been at or near the top in penalties
–and have suffered annual season-ending collapses.

5) Wanna bet the inferior cast of the 49ers makes the playoffs this season, and Wade’s team doesn’t? I’ll leave it to you to be the judge.
-Danderoo17 at AbsoluteCowboys.Com

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Talk about rhetorical questions.
-Bluestar76 at AbsoluteCowboys.Com

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Let’s be fair here, Singletary is 10 years younger then Wade, so sure, he should look better. Now, to be fair, let’s go back 10 years when Wade was the same age as Mike. Here you go……

….OK, you have a point with the picture.

BUT

who has the hotter daughter???? I’ll have to say Wade does here.

-Fmart322 at AbsoluteCowboys.Com

Check it out. From there they started with the Captain Kangeroo comparisons….

They DO remind me of a team that is trying “too hard.” That’s what you call it in sports when you’re thinking too much and stressing too much and predictably end up screwing up.

That what I see with the Cowboys because the penalities have a propensity to occur on a critical down. May be the Cowboys simply need to relax and play some ball. That could also explain why Parcells couldn’t fix this, because Parcells has no idea how to instill the ability to relax and play. No one can relax around Parcells.

Jimmy Johnson on the other hand DID have teams that came through in critical situations. Perhaps because Jimmy instilled arrogance. Seriously, stay with me. Arrogance relaxes you at critical moments. You EXPECT to get it done. It’s Michael Irvin’s attitude. It used to be the Miami Hurricanes attitude. You could see it when they said things like “It’s going to be fun to go up to their stadium and take their dream away.” -Hurricane player talking about a big game against Florida State.

Unfortunately, the Cowboys have very little in common with Hurricanes, Jimmy or other champions. Yet.
-southmofan at AbsoluteCowboys.Com (join in and talk football and the Dallas Cowboys)

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