Countdown to Canton: Emmitt Smith’s Days Before the Dallas Cowboys
June 30, 2010
Ever since Emmitt Smith touched a football, the sky was the limit for the long-time Gator and Cowboy. (Photo courtesy of the The Palm Beach Post.)
After a highly successful professional career, it was no surprise that Emmitt Smith was a first-ballot selection for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in February. Smith, whose football success began long before his days with the Dallas Cowboys, will be inducted on August 7, 2010, taking with him the NFL’s all-time rushing yardage crown.
This initial segment of the “Countdown to Canton” series (inspired by BTB member DalaiLuke) will trace the beginnings of the Emmitt Smith legacy, from his days as a football-totin’ tyke through his high school and college careers.
If you have not yet been to Canton, evidently, there is already a display of Smith there, featuring the NFL’s all-time leading rusher with Jim Brown and Walter Payton. While walking through The Hall, you can only imagine how moved his family was to see Emmitt James Smith III pictured next to two of the game’s all-time greats.
“My baby,” said Mary Smith, pointing to the final mural. “That’s my baby up there.” Her baby, Emmitt James “Scooey” Smith III, placed with Brown and Payton in honor of his standing as the NFL’s all-time leading rusher.
If anybody is to be considered a football prodigy, it would be little “Scooey”, sometimes spelled “Scoey”. Even as a youngster, Smith has always been about football.
Emmitt was 7 when he first began playing organized football. Even then, he was broad across the shoulders, heavy in the thighs and impossible to bring down. He was a prodigy to all who saw him. So imposing was he, Mary Smith was forced to tote her son’s birth certificate to all of his games. It was the only way to lower raised eyebrows when her son ran over and around the others, which was just about every time he touched the ball.
When Emmitt Smith was 8, he was assigned to a league with 10-year-olds. When he was 11 and playing against 14-year-olds, he was already a muscular 145 pounds. He was forced to spend many pre-game hours in a sauna, sweating off the excess weight that would have made him too big for his youth-league football games. It was also that year he broke a would-be tackler’s arm in a collision.
At age 12, Emmitt led his team to victory over a team from just over the state line in Mobile, Ala. The 16-year-olds were no match for Emmitt Smith.
Smith’s dominance continued into high school for the Escambia Gators in his hometown of Pensacola, Florida. Recently, Escambia High honored Smith for an ESPN program that is set to air August 5. Obviously moved by his hometown’s celebration of his career, Smith reciprocated the honors with his gratitude.
“I look at (being inducted into the Hall of Fame) as an opportunity to thank so many people who have been inspirational in my life,” Smith said. “A lot of it began right here in this city. This city has blessed me tremendously with the foundation I have.”
Many of those Smith wanted to thank were in the room Thursday. From his parents, to former Escambia High coach Dwight Thomas, to 26 of his former high school teammates, everyone got a chance to share in Smith’s moment.
“He’s the toughest kid I’ve ever coached,” Thomas told the audience. “I’ve coached a lot of bigger, faster and stronger (players) but none as tough.”
It can be argued that Smith is one of the better high school athletes in history.
Emmitt Smith (Escambia High, Pensacola, Fla.): Smith, the NFL’s all-time leading rusher, started being great early, and he still holds the national high school record of 45 100-yard rushing games.
The Escambia running back ran for 8,804 yards (third highest total in prep football history) and 106 TDs in his high school career, averaging more than eight yards a carry in his soph, junior and senior years.
Averaging well over 2,000 yards per season for the Gators set Smith atop USAToday’s All-USA Offensive Player list for high schoolers.
In 2001, USA Today released its 20th Anniversary All-USA Team. It’s a list of who’s who in football, one that includes Randy Moss (’94), Orlando Pace (’93), Derrick Brooks (’90), Charles Woodson (’94) and Rod Woodson (’82).
Emmitt Smith’s high school success led him to the University of Florida in 1987. A Gator again, Smith would set the school’s freshman record for rushing with 1,341 yards. Below, at the 3:00 mark, is Emmitt Smith’s first carry for Florida–ironically, in a game against Michael Irvin’s Miami Hurricanes.
Still the second all-time leading rusher for the Gators, Smith was elected into the 2006 College Football Hall of Fame.
An elite running back with all-worldly talent on both collegiate and professional levels, Smith ran to national prominence in 1987, and by 1989, was a Florida legend.
A unanimous First Team All-America selection, Smith finished seventh in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1989 and ninth in 1987. A three-time First Team All-Southeastern Conference pick, he was named SEC Player of the Year in 1989 and Freshman of the Year in 1987.
A member of the UF Ring of Honor and the Team of the Century, Smith broke 58 school records en route to rushing for 3,928 yards and 36 touchdowns in only three seasons. In his award-laden junior year, he rushed for 1,599 yards and 16 scores.
Emmitt wasn’t known for his speed, yet he was still a home-run hitter.
Winners expect to win; so when they lose, they take it extremely hard. As Cowboys fans, we all know how much heart Emmitt has.
Only Emmitt can make a 19-yard touchdown run look easy.
Many players have had successful high school careers. Many have followed those up with successful college careers, as well. But few have continued their success throughout all three levels of the game, like Emmitt Smith did.
Next in this series, we’ll relive how Emmitt Smith became a Dallas Cowboy.
Beasts Of The East: Catching Up With The Eagles
June 30, 2010
Matt Slocum - AP
Kevin Kolb takes over in Philly with Michael Vick waiting in the wings.
I recently exchanged questions with Bleed Green, a Philadelphia Eagles blog. Here’s what they had to say about the 2010 season for the Eagles.
BTB: Big changes for the Eagles this offseason. Let’s start with the obvious - Was it a good idea to move Donovan McNabb? How do you feel about him going to a division rival?
BG: Initially, I was very shocked and saddened by the move, being a longtime McNabb supporter, and especially because he was sent to a rival in the Redskins. However, my perspective has altered a bit since that Easter Sunday trade; researching Kolb and realizing that he really does have a lot of potential and talent has made me okay with the move, and as long as he executes, the offense should be explosive as usual.
BTB: Another big move is the release of Brian Westbrook, a Cowboys killer. Again, a good move?
BG: Like the trade of McNabb, the release of Westbrook hit me with a wave of shock (even though he was bound to depart soon anyway, with injuries and age taking a toll). Nonetheless, the team has filled the running back spot sufficiently, replacing B-West in the lineup with the young, shifty LeSean McCoy. Former Saints runner Mike Bell was also added, in addition to LSU product Charles Scott, via the 6th-round of the Draft.
BTB: Is Kevin Kolb ready to take over? Tell us about his game and how he differs from McNabb.
BG: The one thing that stands out between Kolb and McNabb is consistent accuracy. Many have pointed out that the latter was unable to complete simple passes and was too often misfiring targets, while Kolb seems to have shown he can connect with receivers on a more constant basis. Obviously, McNabb has one of the league’s strongest arms and was able to provide the team with many big pass plays, something Kolb might not be able to do as often, but there’s still enough talent around the new starter for him to have success.
BTB: How did the Eagles draft go in your opinion? Any player you’re particularly excited about? Any steals?
BG: Honestly, this may have been one of the Eagles’ best and deepest Drafts in recent memory. Not only did they lock up surefire starters in DE Brandon Graham and FS Nate Allen, but they also managed to solidify their defensive corps with a number of high-potential players, such as hybrid linebacker Ricky Sapp (who was snagged in the 5th-round but received many 2nd-round grades). The team got a total of 13 players in the Draft this year, and almost all have enough upside to have immediate impacts with the Eagles. As for steals, Sapp undoubtedly fits the bill, but Philly also got another in LB Jamar Chaney, taken in the 6th-round but with serious potential for the pro level.
BTB: Will Michael Vick have a bigger role this year in the offense? Is even a threat to become the starter?
BG: All indications are that Vick will indeed receive a larger role this season, especially to help with the development of Kolb as the starter, but there’s an extremely small chance that the former Falcon will actually get a shot to start. Unless Kolb is seriously injured, don’t count on seeing Vick in the No. 1 role.
BTB: With all the changes, where do you think the Eagles will end up in the NFC East at the end of the year? Are they still a playoff team?
BG: As long as the new pieces can execute and mold by opening day, I can definitely picture the Eagles making a run for a Wild Card spot as the second place squad in the East, simply because they have a tough schedule and the Cowboys are very well stocked with experience. If the new starters and additions are unable to develop as planned, a third or fourth place finish isn’t out of the question.
Thanks to Bleed Green for the 411 on the Eagles.
Who Wins Games for the Cowboys: Offense or Defense?
June 29, 2010
Eric Gay - AP
Dallas Cowboys coach Wade Phillips and offensive coordinator Jason Garrett ponder ways to win games in the NFL.
One of the facts that may have slipped quietly off the collective consciousness of Cowboys fans across the nation is that the Cowboys are one of only three teams in the NFL that have had a winning record over the last four years. Somewhat predictably, the Colts and the Patriots are the other two franchises.
From 2006 through 2009, the Cowboys have compiled a 42-22 regular season record, a marked improvement vs the 30-34 record of the previous four years. Coinciding with the Cowboys’ improvement is the emergence of Tony Romo, the brief stint of the mercurial T.O. in a silver and blue uniform and Miles Austin literally bursting onto the scene last year. Consequently, a lot of the credit for the success of the last four years has gone to the offense.
But is the Cowboys’ record really only a result of their offensive prowess, or was the defense an equally strong but perhaps more underappreciated driver of these results? One way to understand the contributions of each unit is to look at ‘wins over average’ for each unit, and that’s what we’ll do after the jump.
‘Wins over average’ is a metric developed by Doug Drinen at Pro-football-reference.com (PFR) in a post on adjusting QB records. I’ve taken his approach and modified it slightly to look at total offense and total defense.
Think back to the 7-6 win against the Redskins last November. Did the offense or the defense win that game for the Cowboys? Arguably, the defense did, because scoring 7 points (offense) is a pretty awful performance, while allowing only 6 points on two field goals (defense) is a pretty awesome performance. Instead of going with a totally subjective ‘awful/awesome’ rating, we approach this with a more objective, stat-based approach. This is how it works:
Assessing Awesomeness: As our measure of difficulty for the offense, we’ll use points allowed, because it’s a lot harder for an offense to win a game if their defense gives up 30 plus points than if they give up 10. For the defense, we’ll look at points scored by their offense, as it’s a lot harder to hold opposing defenses in check when your own offense is only scoring 10 points rather than 30 points.
In the table below I’ve crunched the number for all NFL teams for the last four years, so that’s 64 games for each of the 32 teams for a total of 2,048 scores, and I’ve formed five clusters by points allowed/points scored and looked at the winning percentages for each.
Now, one team’s points scored is the other team’s points allowed, so the table below contains the same numbers for offense and defense, just reversed:
| Offense vs Points Allowed | Defense vs Points Scored | |||||||||
| 0-10 | 11-17 | 18-24 | 25-31 | 32+ | 0-10 | 11-17 | 18-24 | 25-31 | 32+ | |
| W/L record | 352-21 | 312-129 | 241-274 | 98-293 | 21-307 | 21-352 | 129-312 | 274-241 | 293-98 | 307-21 |
| Win % | .944 | .707 | .468 | .251 | .064 | .056 | .293 | .532 | .749 | .936 |
How to read the table: An NFL offense almost always (352 vs 21) scores more points than the other team if the defense holds that team to less than ten points. The NFL average winning percentage is .944 in that situation. At the other end of the spectrum, when your offense scores 32 points or more, your defense is almost always (307-21) able to hold the opposing tem to fewer points for a winning percentage of .936.
Cowboys offense and wins over average: The Cowboys have a record of 17-1 over the last 4 years when the defense allowed 0-10 points. The average NFL team would be expected to also win 17 games (18 games x .944), so the Cowboys have 0 wins over average in this bracket. In the 11-17 bracket, the Cowboys have a 10-2 record, an average NFL team would be expected to win 8.5 games (12 games x .707), the Cowboys offense therefore gets 1.5 wins over average. Across all brackets, the wins over average total 7.0 for the offense as per the table below:
| Dallas Cowboys Offense | ||||||
| Points allowed |
0-10 | 11-17 | 18-24 | 25-31 | 32+ | Total |
| W/L record | 17-1 | 10-2 | 10-5 | 3-4 | 2-10 | 42-22 |
| Wins over average | 0 | 1.5 | 3.0 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 7.0 |
Cowboys defense: The Cowboys have a record of 1-6 over the last 4 years when the offense scored 0-10 points. The average NFL team would be expected to win 0.4 games (7 games x .056), so the Cowboys scored 0.6 wins over average in this bracket. Across all brackets, the wins over average total 3.3 for the defense as per the table below:
| Dallas Cowboys Defense | ||||||
| Points Scored |
0-10 | 11-17 | 18-24 | 25-31 | 32+ | Total |
| W/L record | 1-6 | 3-6 | 10-7 | 10-3 | 18-0 | 42-22 |
| Wins over average | 0.6 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 1.2 | 3.3 |
So statistically, the Cowboys offense generated more wins over average than the defense. The combined 10.3 wins over average ranks the Cowboys fifth in the NFL behind the Colts, Patriots, Chargers and Titans. Dallas’ 10.3 wins over average are very close to their actual or ‘real’ wins over average: The average W/L for all NFL teams over four years is obviously 32-32, and with 42 wins over that period, the Cowboys 10 ‘real’ wins over average are very close to the 10.3 the model delivers.
Wins over average (WOA) by NFL team, 2006-2009 (click column header to sort)
| Team | Wins |
Losses | Offense WOA | Defense WOA | Total | ‘Real’ WOA | Difference |
| Colts | 51 | 13 | 15.3 | 10.2 | 25.5 | 19 | 6.5 |
| Patriots | 49 | 15 | 9.3 | 7.2 | 16.5 | 17 | -0.5 |
| Chargers | 46 | 18 | 11.1 | 3.7 | 14.8 | 14 | 0.8 |
| Titans | 39 | 25 | 4.2 | 7.7 | 11.9 | 7 | 4.9 |
| Cowboys | 42 | 22 | 7.0 | 3.3 | 10.3 | 10 | 0.3 |
| Giants | 38 | 26 | 6.4 | 0.7 | 7.1 | 6 | 1.1 |
| Panthers | 35 | 29 | 1.0 | 5.3 | 6.3 | 3 | 3.3 |
| Broncos | 32 | 32 | 3.5 | 1.3 | 4.8 | 0 | 4.8 |
| Saints | 38 | 26 | 8.6 | -3.9 | 4.7 | 6 | -1.3 |
| Bears | 36 | 28 | 3.0 | 1.6 | 4.6 | 4 | 0.6 |
| Packers | 38 | 26 | 5.6 | -1.4 | 4.2 | 6 | -1.8 |
| Steelers | 39 | 25 | 0.5 | 3.3 | 3.8 | 7 | -3.2 |
| Ravens | 38 | 26 | -1.1 | 4.3 | 3.2 | 6 | -2.8 |
| Eagles | 38 | 25 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 2.5 | 6 | -3.5 |
| Vikings | 36 | 28 | 1.1 | -0.2 | 0.9 | 4 | -3.1 |
| Cardinals | 32 | 32 | 4.5 | -3.9 | 0.6 | 0 | 0.6 |
| Falcons | 31 | 33 | -0.2 | 0.6 | 0.4 | -1 | 1.4 |
| Texans | 31 | 33 | 2.5 | -2.2 | 0.3 | -1 | 1.3 |
| Bengals | 29 | 34 | -1.5 | 1.4 | -0.1 | -3 | 2.9 |
| Jaguars | 31 | 33 | -2.1 | 0.2 | -1.9 | -1 | -0.9 |
| Seahawks | 28 | 36 | -1.0 | -1.6 | -2.6 | -4 | 1.4 |
| 49ers | 27 | 37 | -2.8 | -0.1 | -2.9 | -5 | 2.1 |
| Jets | 32 | 32 | -4.4 | 0.5 | -3.9 | 0 | -3.9 |
| Bills | 27 | 37 | -6.4 | 2.0 | -4.4 | -5 | 0.6 |
| Browns | 23 | 41 | -5.1 | -2.3 | -7.4 | -9 | 1.6 |
| Redskins | 26 | 38 | -7.0 | -0.4 | -7.4 | -6 | -1.4 |
| Buccaneers | 25 | 39 | -7.1 | -1.3 | -8.4 | -7 | -1.4 |
| Dolphins | 25 | 39 | -6.0 | -3.0 | -9.0 | -7 | -2.0 |
| Chiefs | 19 | 45 | -9.6 | -5.6 | -15.2 | -13 | -2.2 |
| Raiders | 16 | 48 | -13.8 | -4.4 | -18.2 | -16 | -2.2 |
| Rams | 14 | 50 | -9.0 | -9.3 | -18.3 | -18 | -0.3 |
| Lions | 12 | 52 | -7.9 | -14.8 | -22.7 | -20 | -2.7 |
As you click and read your way through the table above, some things pop out: The Colts & Patriots have dominated the last four years, and for that matter, the decade. The Saints have a much better offense than defense. The Ravens have a better defense than offense. The usual suspects in the Lions, Rams, Chiefs and Raiders have some of the weakest defenses. Was the Raiders offense really that bad? Yup, looks that way.
One thing that struck me was that the difference between Total WOA and the ‘real’ or actual WOA was quite big in some cases, especially for the Colts, Titans, Broncos and Panthers, all with a difference of more than 3.0.
After quite some digging around, I found a stat that had all four of these teams within the top 5: Record in close games. Over the last four years, these four teams all ranked within the top five in games decided by 7 points or less:
| Record in games decided by 7 points or less, 06-09 | ||||
| Rank | Team | W | L | % |
| 1 | Colts | 28 | 7 | .800 |
| 2 | Titans | 22 | 11 | .667 |
| 3 | Broncos | 16 | 9 | .640 |
| 4 | Giants | 16 | 9 | .640 |
| 5 | Panthers | 14 | 8 | .636 |
Teams that rank at the bottom of the table in Difference between Total WOA and the ‘real’ or actual WOA all have a record below .500 in games decided by 7 points or less.
How your team performs in tight games, on offense or defense, ultimately decides who will win the game. And that is best illustrated by comparing the Colts and the Eagles:
| Records by score differential, 06-09 | ||||
| Tm | W/L record | Diff < 7points | Diff >8 points | |
| Colts | 51-13 (.796) | 28-7 (.800) | 23-6 (.793) |
|
| Eagles | 38-25-1(.593) | 11-16 (.407) | 27-9 (.750) | |
The Eagles have a W/L record in games decided by eight or more points that is surprisingly similar to that of the Colts. It’s in the tight games where you can best see the difference between the teams, and where the Colts are statistically twice as good as the eagles. It could be argued therefore that the difference between the Eagles and Colts is really only their ability to win close games. Of course, having Peyton Manning instead of Donovan McNabb can’t hurt one bit. Regardless, the Colts record in close games is simply ridiculous.
The Cowboys are 13-10 in games decided by 7 points or less over the last four years and rank seventh in the league with a .565 winning percentage. It will take both the offense and the defense to make sure that the Cowboys win enough of the close games in the upcoming season to make the playoffs again.
Who Wins Games for the Cowboys: Offense or Defense?
June 29, 2010
Eric Gay - AP
Dallas Cowboys coach Wade Phillips and offensive coordinator Jason Garrett ponder ways to win games in the NFL.
One of the facts that may have slipped quietly off the collective consciousness of Cowboys fans across the nation is that the Cowboys are one of only three teams in the NFL that have had a winning record over the last four years. Somewhat predictably, the Colts and the Patriots are the other two franchises.
From 2006 through 2009, the Cowboys have compiled a 42-22 regular season record, a marked improvement vs the 30-34 record of the previous four years. Coinciding with the Cowboys’ improvement is the emergence of Tony Romo, the brief stint of the mercurial T.O. in a silver and blue uniform and Miles Austin literally bursting onto the scene last year. Consequently, a lot of the credit for the success of the last four years has gone to the offense.
But is the Cowboys’ record really only a result of their offensive prowess, or was the defense an equally strong but perhaps more underappreciated driver of these results? One way to understand the contributions of each unit is to look at ‘wins over average’ for each unit, and that’s what we’ll do after the jump.
‘Wins over average’ is a metric developed by Doug Drinen at Pro-football-reference.com (PFR) in a post on adjusting QB records. I’ve taken his approach and modified it slightly to look at total offense and total defense.
Think back to the 7-6 win against the Redskins last November. Did the offense or the defense win that game for the Cowboys? Arguably, the defense did, because scoring 7 points (offense) is a pretty awful performance, while allowing only 6 points on two field goals (defense) is a pretty awesome performance. Instead of going with a totally subjective ‘awful/awesome’ rating, we approach this with a more objective, stat-based approach. This is how it works:
Assessing Awesomeness: As our measure of difficulty for the offense, we’ll use points allowed, because it’s a lot harder for an offense to win a game if their defense gives up 30 plus points than if they give up 10. For the defense, we’ll look at points scored by their offense, as it’s a lot harder to hold opposing defenses in check when your own offense is only scoring 10 points rather than 30 points.
In the table below I’ve crunched the number for all NFL teams for the last four years, so that’s 64 games for each of the 32 teams for a total of 2,048 scores, and I’ve formed five clusters by points allowed/points scored and looked at the winning percentages for each.
Now, one team’s points scored is the other team’s points allowed, so the table below contains the same numbers for offense and defense, just reversed:
| Offense vs Points Allowed | Defense vs Points Scored | |||||||||
| 0-10 | 11-17 | 18-24 | 25-31 | 32+ | 0-10 | 11-17 | 18-24 | 25-31 | 32+ | |
| W/L record | 352-21 | 312-129 | 241-274 | 98-293 | 21-307 | 21-352 | 129-312 | 274-241 | 293-98 | 307-21 |
| Win % | .944 | .707 | .468 | .251 | .064 | .056 | .293 | .532 | .749 | .936 |
How to read the table: An NFL offense almost always (352 vs 21) scores more points than the other team if the defense holds that team to less than ten points. The NFL average winning percentage is .944 in that situation. At the other end of the spectrum, when your offense scores 32 points or more, your defense is almost always (307-21) able to hold the opposing tem to fewer points for a winning percentage of .936.
Cowboys offense and wins over average: The Cowboys have a record of 17-1 over the last 4 years when the defense allowed 0-10 points. The average NFL team would be expected to also win 17 games (18 games x .944), so the Cowboys have 0 wins over average in this bracket. In the 11-17 bracket, the Cowboys have a 10-2 record, an average NFL team would be expected to win 8.5 games (12 games x .707), the Cowboys offense therefore gets 1.5 wins over average. Across all brackets, the wins over average total 7.0 for the offense as per the table below:
| Dallas Cowboys Offense | ||||||
| Points allowed |
0-10 | 11-17 | 18-24 | 25-31 | 32+ | Total |
| W/L record | 17-1 | 10-2 | 10-5 | 3-4 | 2-10 | 42-22 |
| Wins over average | 0 | 1.5 | 3.0 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 7.0 |
Cowboys defense: The Cowboys have a record of 1-6 over the last 4 years when the offense scored 0-10 points. The average NFL team would be expected to win 0.4 games (7 games x .056), so the Cowboys scored 0.6 wins over average in this bracket. Across all brackets, the wins over average total 3.3 for the defense as per the table below:
| Dallas Cowboys Defense | ||||||
| Points Scored |
0-10 | 11-17 | 18-24 | 25-31 | 32+ | Total |
| W/L record | 1-6 | 3-6 | 10-7 | 10-3 | 18-0 | 42-22 |
| Wins over average | 0.6 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 1.2 | 3.3 |
So statistically, the Cowboys offense generated more wins over average than the defense. The combined 10.3 wins over average ranks the Cowboys fifth in the NFL behind the Colts, Patriots, Chargers and Titans. Dallas’ 10.3 wins over average are very close to their actual or ‘real’ wins over average: The average W/L for all NFL teams over four years is obviously 32-32, and with 42 wins over that period, the Cowboys 10 ‘real’ wins over average are very close to the 10.3 the model delivers.
Wins over average (WOA) by NFL team, 2006-2009 (click column header to sort)
| Team | Wins |
Losses | Offense WOA | Defense WOA | Total | ‘Real’ WOA | Difference |
| Colts | 51 | 13 | 15.3 | 10.2 | 25.5 | 19 | 6.5 |
| Patriots | 49 | 15 | 9.3 | 7.2 | 16.5 | 17 | -0.5 |
| Chargers | 46 | 18 | 11.1 | 3.7 | 14.8 | 14 | 0.8 |
| Titans | 39 | 25 | 4.2 | 7.7 | 11.9 | 7 | 4.9 |
| Cowboys | 42 | 22 | 7.0 | 3.3 | 10.3 | 10 | 0.3 |
| Giants | 38 | 26 | 6.4 | 0.7 | 7.1 | 6 | 1.1 |
| Panthers | 35 | 29 | 1.0 | 5.3 | 6.3 | 3 | 3.3 |
| Broncos | 32 | 32 | 3.5 | 1.3 | 4.8 | 0 | 4.8 |
| Saints | 38 | 26 | 8.6 | -3.9 | 4.7 | 6 | -1.3 |
| Bears | 36 | 28 | 3.0 | 1.6 | 4.6 | 4 | 0.6 |
| Packers | 38 | 26 | 5.6 | -1.4 | 4.2 | 6 | -1.8 |
| Steelers | 39 | 25 | 0.5 | 3.3 | 3.8 | 7 | -3.2 |
| Ravens | 38 | 26 | -1.1 | 4.3 | 3.2 | 6 | -2.8 |
| Eagles | 38 | 25 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 2.5 | 6 | -3.5 |
| Vikings | 36 | 28 | 1.1 | -0.2 | 0.9 | 4 | -3.1 |
| Cardinals | 32 | 32 | 4.5 | -3.9 | 0.6 | 0 | 0.6 |
| Falcons | 31 | 33 | -0.2 | 0.6 | 0.4 | -1 | 1.4 |
| Texans | 31 | 33 | 2.5 | -2.2 | 0.3 | -1 | 1.3 |
| Bengals | 29 | 34 | -1.5 | 1.4 | -0.1 | -3 | 2.9 |
| Jaguars | 31 | 33 | -2.1 | 0.2 | -1.9 | -1 | -0.9 |
| Seahawks | 28 | 36 | -1.0 | -1.6 | -2.6 | -4 | 1.4 |
| 49ers | 27 | 37 | -2.8 | -0.1 | -2.9 | -5 | 2.1 |
| Jets | 32 | 32 | -4.4 | 0.5 | -3.9 | 0 | -3.9 |
| Bills | 27 | 37 | -6.4 | 2.0 | -4.4 | -5 | 0.6 |
| Browns | 23 | 41 | -5.1 | -2.3 | -7.4 | -9 | 1.6 |
| Redskins | 26 | 38 | -7.0 | -0.4 | -7.4 | -6 | -1.4 |
| Buccaneers | 25 | 39 | -7.1 | -1.3 | -8.4 | -7 | -1.4 |
| Dolphins | 25 | 39 | -6.0 | -3.0 | -9.0 | -7 | -2.0 |
| Chiefs | 19 | 45 | -9.6 | -5.6 | -15.2 | -13 | -2.2 |
| Raiders | 16 | 48 | -13.8 | -4.4 | -18.2 | -16 | -2.2 |
| Rams | 14 | 50 | -9.0 | -9.3 | -18.3 | -18 | -0.3 |
| Lions | 12 | 52 | -7.9 | -14.8 | -22.7 | -20 | -2.7 |
As you click and read your way through the table above, some things pop out: The Colts & Patriots have dominated the last four years, and for that matter, the decade. The Saints have a much better offense than defense. The Ravens have a better defense than offense. The usual suspects in the Lions, Rams, Chiefs and Raiders have some of the weakest defenses. Was the Raiders offense really that bad? Yup, looks that way.
One thing that struck me was that the difference between Total WOA and the ‘real’ or actual WOA was quite big in some cases, especially for the Colts, Titans, Broncos and Panthers, all with a difference of more than 3.0.
After quite some digging around, I found a stat that had all four of these teams within the top 5: Record in close games. Over the last four years, these four teams all ranked within the top five in games decided by 7 points or less:
| Record in games decided by 7 points or less, 06-09 | ||||
| Rank | Team | W | L | % |
| 1 | Colts | 28 | 7 | .800 |
| 2 | Titans | 22 | 11 | .667 |
| 3 | Broncos | 16 | 9 | .640 |
| 4 | Giants | 16 | 9 | .640 |
| 5 | Panthers | 14 | 8 | .636 |
Teams that rank at the bottom of the table in Difference between Total WOA and the ‘real’ or actual WOA all have a record below .500 in games decided by 7 points or less.
How your team performs in tight games, on offense or defense, ultimately decides who will win the game. And that is best illustrated by comparing the Colts and the Eagles:
| Records by score differential, 06-09 | ||||
| Tm | W/L record | Diff < 7points | Diff >8 points | |
| Colts | 51-13 (.796) | 28-7 (.800) | 23-6 (.793) |
|
| Eagles | 38-25-1(.593) | 11-16 (.407) | 27-9 (.750) | |
The Eagles have a W/L record in games decided by eight or more points that is surprisingly similar to that of the Colts. It’s in the tight games where you can best see the difference between the teams, and where the Colts are statistically twice as good as the eagles. It could be argued therefore that the difference between the Eagles and Colts is really only their ability to win close games. Of course, having Peyton Manning instead of Donovan McNabb can’t hurt one bit. Regardless, the Colts record in close games is simply ridiculous.
The Cowboys are 13-10 in games decided by 7 points or less over the last four years and rank seventh in the league with a .565 winning percentage. It will take both the offense and the defense to make sure that the Cowboys win enough of the close games in the upcoming season to make the playoffs again.
Beasts Of The East: Checking In With The Redskins
June 29, 2010
I recently exchanged some questions with Rich Tandler of CSNwashington.com to get a 2010 preview of our old friends, the Washington Redskins. Here’s what Rich had to say about the ‘Skins.
BTB: 1. What changes will we see in the Redskins with Mike Shanahan at the helm?
RT: You’ll see a much more prepared, disciplined team. Under Jim Zorn, we frequently heard the TV broadcast teams comment that the Redskins’ practices were sloppy and lacked urgency. If the minicamps and OTA’s are any indication, that will not be the case. The sessions were crisp, organized and the players were focused. And certain star players have found that the door to owner Dan Snyder’s office is no longer open to let them air their grievances. There is now a sign on the door that says, “Go talk to Coach Shanahan”.
How that will translate on the field is anybody’s guess. The hope is that the Redskins will be able to hold on to a few more late leads and occasionally rally to a pull out a win in the late going. But some have said that discipline is overrated. I mean, if discipline was such an important factor in winning, Army and Navy would meet in the BCS title game every year.
BTB: What’s the word on Donovan McNabb so far? Was this a good move or bad move for the Redskins long-term?
RT: If you define the long term as three or four years-and that’s an eternity in the NFL-it was a good move. It seems like the wheels started to turn when it became apparent that the Rams weren’t going to let Sam Bradford slip to the fourth pick in the draft. Shanahan didn’t want to go with Jason Campbell at quarter back and, at age 57 he didn’t want to wait and develop a lesser quarterback. So, when McNabb became available, and the Eagles were willing to trade him in the division, the Redskins jumped in.
He instantly became the team’s leader on both sides of the ball. McNabb has been on the phone with Albert Haynesworth, for example, and he has the respect of everyone on the team. Although some will point out that he and Campbell had similar statistical seasons in 2009, the stats lie in this case. The Redskins took a major step up at the most important position on the field.
BTB: Will Washington have an improved offensive line this year to protect McNabb, including adding Jamaal Brown? Are there concerns about his health through a 16-game season?
RT: Considering what an abject disaster the O-line was last year, even mediocrity from the unit would be a welcome improvement. Trent Williams is a major upgrade over Stephon Heyer and Levi Jones, who manned the left tackle spot after Chris Samuels‘ career-ending injury in the fifth game of last season. Brown, who isn’t a great on pass protection but is a solid, athletic run blocker, is tailor made to play on the right side in Shanahan’s zone blocking scheme. Mike Williams and Artis Hicks will battle it out at right guard, a position that saw six starter changes last year. Case Rabach and Derrick Dockery both started 16 games and were respectable at left guard and center, respectively.
Brown did not have an injury history before last year and a sports hernia is much less worrisome going forward than, say, a knee or shoulder problem. So the injury concern is not much higher than it would be for any given 29-year-old lineman.
BTB: To some extent, it looks like the Redskins are reviving the “over-the-hill-gang” philosophy. Is this perception correct and if so, do you think it will work?
RT: Certainly, Bruce Allen seems to be channeling his father George’s way of doing things. And choices such as the one of McNabb over a younger quarterback bear that out. But I’ll wait until the final roster is determined before I call it “Back to the Future is Now”. Some older players like Willie Parker and Phillip Buchanon may well be beaten out by younger players. Joey Galloway is no lock to make it, either.
One important thing to note is that with very few exceptions, most of the older players brought in are on one-year deals with very little guaranteed money. If a younger and cheaper replacement is found, the older player can be cut with no long-term consequences.
Still, the Redskins were the oldest team in the NFL last year and they won’t be a whole lot more youthful in 2010.
BTB: Who is a new or unknown player that you think will make a big impact this year for the ‘Skins that we may not have heard about?
RT: I’ll give you two who have been on the roster for a few years but could have breakout seasons in 2010. Safety Kareem Moore has the edge to take LaRon Landry’s free safety spot (Landry is moving to strong). He’s a big hitter who may make opposing receivers think twice about going over the middle. Lorenzo Alexander has done everything from playing as a third tackle on offense to all along the defensive line. He’s being converted to outside linebacker in the new 3-4 scheme and the coaches are raving about him and dreaming about how to use him. Alexander won’t start but he’ll get plenty of chances to wreak havoc.
Thanks to Rich for giving us the 411 on the Redskins.
"Moooose(!)" Johnston recently shared his thoughts on the Cowboys running back situation: As you…
June 29, 2010
“Moooose(!)” Johnston recently shared his thoughts on the Cowboys running back situation:
As you guys know I’m a big locker-room-chemistry kind of guy. The team seemed very tight. You heard about the work ethic and maturity of players like Martellus Bennett. Felix Jones, really improving this year, which I thought was really kind of scary. It’s like, he’s like, vastly improved from what he was last year. I think he is going to add a dimension thats going to really scare some defensive coaches around the NFL.
[snip]
I think Felix, because of his big-play potential, has earned the right to have more snaps, especially early in the game. I think Marion’s strength is taking time off the clock late in the game. But that doesn’t mean he’s a third- or fourth-quarter back. I think he needs his touches in the first half, too. Tashard has shown that he deserves more touches. It’s a great position for Jason Garrett to be in and it’s a difficult situation to try to make everyone happy.
"Moooose(!)" Johnston recently shared his thoughts on the Cowboys running back situation: As you…
June 29, 2010
“Moooose(!)” Johnston recently shared his thoughts on the Cowboys running back situation:
As you guys know I’m a big locker-room-chemistry kind of guy. The team seemed very tight. You heard about the work ethic and maturity of players like Martellus Bennett. Felix Jones, really improving this year, which I thought was really kind of scary. It’s like, he’s like, vastly improved from what he was last year. I think he is going to add a dimension thats going to really scare some defensive coaches around the NFL.
[snip]
I think Felix, because of his big-play potential, has earned the right to have more snaps, especially early in the game. I think Marion’s strength is taking time off the clock late in the game. But that doesn’t mean he’s a third- or fourth-quarter back. I think he needs his touches in the first half, too. Tashard has shown that he deserves more touches. It’s a great position for Jason Garrett to be in and it’s a difficult situation to try to make everyone happy.
"Moooose(!)" Johnston recently shared his thoughts on the Cowboys running back situation: I think…
June 28, 2010
“Moooose(!)” Johnston recently shared his thoughts on the Cowboys running back situation:
I think the important thing is, how do those guys handle it? It really comes down to how Tashard, Felix and Marion are all feeling about the whole situation. I mean, there’s not many teams in the NFL that can put running backs on the field like those three.
I think Felix, because of his big-play potential, has earned the right to have more snaps, especially early in the game. I think Marion’s strength is taking time off the clock late in the game. But that doesn’t mean he’s a third- or fourth-quarter back. I think he needs his touches in the first half, too. Tashard has shown that he deserves more touches. It’s a great position for Jason Garrett to be in and it’s a difficult situation to try to make everyone happy.
Poll: Already Looking Forward to the Cowboys’ Bye Week
June 27, 2010
Nam Y. Huh - AP
Jay Cutler and Mike Martz look to bring a new Bears’ offense to Cowboys Stadium in Week 2.
For the Dallas Cowboys to make a postseason run, it would help to get off to a great start. Seeing that their bye is in Week 4, a 3-0 record to start out the season would be ideal.
At first glance, Dallas’ pre-bye week opponents–the Redskins, Bears, and Texans–don’t look too menacing. But two of these three games are on the road. All three of these opponents are led by veteran quarterbacks who can and will sling the ball against the Cowboys.
Let’s take a look at which of these three teams will provide the biggest obstacle to the Cowboys heading into their bye week with a perfect record. And then, of course, vote on it!
Week 1 @ Washington
2009 Record: 4-12
Sunday, September 12 at 7:20PM (NBC)
These are hardly the same Redskins that went 4-12 during 2009. McNabb will be facing the Cowboys for the third straight time in games that count. This could be a statement game for him and Head Coach Mike Shanahan. Defeating a division rival in the season opener could go a long way towards digging out of the NFC East’s basement.
The offense must prove that its veteran free agent signings (RBs Larry Johnson and Willie Parker; WRs Mike Furrey and Joey Galloway) can get on the same page with the offense that Shanahan is installing. They also have to find chemistry with incumbent starters Clinton Portis and Chris Cooley.
Along with adding names to the offensive backfield, Shanahan has also been shuffling around the offensive line. The recent trade for the Saints‘ RT Jamaal Brown has provided him even more options.
Brown could be the solution at right tackle for the Redskins, who are rebuilding the line under new coach Mike Shanahan after last year’s 4-12 season.
Washington took Trent Williams of Oklahoma with the No. 4 overall pick in April’s draft to replace retired six-time Pro Bowl left tackle Chris Samuels. Artis Hicks has worked with the first-string unit at right tackle during the offseason, but he could move to right guard to make room for Brown.
The defense, on the other hand, was stout last season, ranking in the top-10 in both overall yards allowed and passing yards. And despite all the talk, DT Albert Haynesworth says he will be in training camp with the team.
When last they met…
Week 2 Home vs. Chicago
2009 Record: 7-9
Sunday, September 19 at 12PM (FOX)
The Bears made two of the early big splashes in free agency when they signed DE Julius Peppers and RB Chester Taylor early in March. Peppers, one of the better players in the league at his position, was brought in to help a Bears defense that ranked in the middle of the league in terms of yards allowed (337.8 ypg). The veteran back, Taylor, should provide a nice complement to third-year pro Matt Forte, who had a bit of a sophomore slump in 2009.
Chicago had a very thin draft because of the trade for QB Jay Cutler. Cutler, as many of us saw, struggled in connecting with his receivers last season and led the league in INTs.
Before the Cowboys’ defensive backs start licking their chops, they may have to pick Jon Kitna’s brain in regards to the Bears’ new Mike Martz-led offensive gameplan. Martz, a coordinator known for his passing attack, is now in charge of revamping not only the offense, but Cutler’s decision-making process as well.
Martz’s offense emphasizes deeper quarterback drops and passes to spots on the field rather than throwing directly at receivers.
“It is a little bit different,” Cutler said. “It’s a high-paced, high-octane offense. Guys are flying around. Quarterbacks have to make quick, precise decisions, and you have to be really accurate with the ball. It puts a lot on the quarterback, puts a lot on the receivers.”
Cutler led the NFL with 26 interceptions in 2009, his first season with the Bears while playing in a different offense. However, he expects the entire offense to understand the new attack by the July 29 reporting date for training camp.
Week 3 @ Houston
2009 Record: 9-7
Sunday, September 26 at 12PM (FOX)
Will there be enough blue & silver at Reliant Stadium to make this seem like a home game to the Cowboys? It won’t matter if the defense doesn’t keep Texans QB Matt Schaub and WR Andre Johnson in check. Along with TE Owen Daniels, WR Kevin Walter, and RBs Steve Slaton and second-round pick Ben Tate, the Dallas defenders should prepare for a busy day. Behind Schaub, the Texans led the league with nearly 291 passing yards per game, but ranked 30th in rushing (92.2).
The defense was okay (13th in the league in total yards allowed), but they will be missing Defensive Rookie-Of-the-Year, Brian Cushing, because of a suspension. Mario Williams will be looking to terrorize the Cowboys offensive tackles, and those special teams coverage units need to contain dangerous return man Jacoby Jones.
Dallas may want to try to control the clock with the running game; although, this one has all the makings of an old-fashioned Texas shootout!
After the bye, the rest of the Cowboys schedule looks rather daunting. They will face Tennessee, then head back up to Minnesota, and then come home to face the Giants over the three games after their bye. That’s brutal.
It’s imperative Dallas gets off to a fast start in 2010. Washington, Chicago, and Houston are all winnable games. Can’t assume they’ll run through all three though. That’s, of course, why they play the game.
Poll: Already Looking Forward to the Cowboys’ Bye Week
June 27, 2010
Nam Y. Huh - AP
Jay Cutler and Mike Martz look to bring a new Bears’ offense to Cowboys Stadium in Week 2.
For the Dallas Cowboys to make a postseason run, it would help to get off to a great start. Seeing that their bye is in Week 4, a 3-0 record to start out the season would be ideal.
At first glance, Dallas’ pre-bye week opponents–the Redskins, Bears, and Texans–don’t look too menacing. But two of these three games are on the road. All three of these opponents are led by veteran quarterbacks who can and will sling the ball against the Cowboys.
Let’s take a look at which of these three teams will provide the biggest obstacle to the Cowboys heading into their bye week with a perfect record. And then, of course, vote on it!
Week 1 @ Washington
2009 Record: 4-12
Sunday, September 12 at 7:20PM (NBC)
These are hardly the same Redskins that went 4-12 during 2009. McNabb will be facing the Cowboys for the third straight time in games that count. This could be a statement game for him and Head Coach Mike Shanahan. Defeating a division rival in the season opener could go a long way towards digging out of the NFC East’s basement.
The offense must prove that its veteran free agent signings (RBs Larry Johnson and Willie Parker; WRs Mike Furrey and Joey Galloway) can get on the same page with the offense that Shanahan is installing. They also have to find chemistry with incumbent starters Clinton Portis and Chris Cooley.
Along with adding names to the offensive backfield, Shanahan has also been shuffling around the offensive line. The recent trade for the Saints‘ RT Jamaal Brown has provided him even more options.
Brown could be the solution at right tackle for the Redskins, who are rebuilding the line under new coach Mike Shanahan after last year’s 4-12 season.
Washington took Trent Williams of Oklahoma with the No. 4 overall pick in April’s draft to replace retired six-time Pro Bowl left tackle Chris Samuels. Artis Hicks has worked with the first-string unit at right tackle during the offseason, but he could move to right guard to make room for Brown.
The defense, on the other hand, was stout last season, ranking in the top-10 in both overall yards allowed and passing yards. And despite all the talk, DT Albert Haynesworth says he will be in training camp with the team.
When last they met…
Week 2 Home vs. Chicago
2009 Record: 7-9
Sunday, September 19 at 12PM (FOX)
The Bears made two of the early big splashes in free agency when they signed DE Julius Peppers and RB Chester Taylor early in March. Peppers, one of the better players in the league at his position, was brought in to help a Bears defense that ranked in the middle of the league in terms of yards allowed (337.8 ypg). The veteran back, Taylor, should provide a nice complement to third-year pro Matt Forte, who had a bit of a sophomore slump in 2009.
Chicago had a very thin draft because of the trade for QB Jay Cutler. Cutler, as many of us saw, struggled in connecting with his receivers last season and led the league in INTs.
Before the Cowboys’ defensive backs start licking their chops, they may have to pick Jon Kitna’s brain in regards to the Bears’ new Mike Martz-led offensive gameplan. Martz, a coordinator known for his passing attack, is now in charge of revamping not only the offense, but Cutler’s decision-making process as well.
Martz’s offense emphasizes deeper quarterback drops and passes to spots on the field rather than throwing directly at receivers.
“It is a little bit different,” Cutler said. “It’s a high-paced, high-octane offense. Guys are flying around. Quarterbacks have to make quick, precise decisions, and you have to be really accurate with the ball. It puts a lot on the quarterback, puts a lot on the receivers.”
Cutler led the NFL with 26 interceptions in 2009, his first season with the Bears while playing in a different offense. However, he expects the entire offense to understand the new attack by the July 29 reporting date for training camp.
Week 3 @ Houston
2009 Record: 9-7
Sunday, September 26 at 12PM (FOX)
Will there be enough blue & silver at Reliant Stadium to make this seem like a home game to the Cowboys? It won’t matter if the defense doesn’t keep Texans QB Matt Schaub and WR Andre Johnson in check. Along with TE Owen Daniels, WR Kevin Walter, and RBs Steve Slaton and second-round pick Ben Tate, the Dallas defenders should prepare for a busy day. Behind Schaub, the Texans led the league with nearly 291 passing yards per game, but ranked 30th in rushing (92.2).
The defense was okay (13th in the league in total yards allowed), but they will be missing Defensive Rookie-Of-the-Year, Brian Cushing, because of a suspension. Mario Williams will be looking to terrorize the Cowboys offensive tackles, and those special teams coverage units need to contain dangerous return man Jacoby Jones.
Dallas may want to try to control the clock with the running game; although, this one has all the makings of an old-fashioned Texas shootout!
After the bye, the rest of the Cowboys schedule looks rather daunting. They will face Tennessee, then head back up to Minnesota, and then come home to face the Giants over the three games after their bye. That’s brutal.
It’s imperative Dallas gets off to a fast start in 2010. Washington, Chicago, and Houston are all winnable games. Can’t assume they’ll run through all three though. That’s, of course, why they play the game.
Poll: Already Looking Forward to the Cowboys’ Bye Week
June 27, 2010
Nam Y. Huh - AP
Jay Cutler and Mike Martz look to bring a new Bears’ offense to Cowboys Stadium in Week 2.
For the Dallas Cowboys to make a postseason run, it would help to get off to a great start. Seeing that their bye is in Week 4, a 3-0 record to start out the season would be ideal.
At first glance, Dallas’ pre-bye week opponents–the Redskins, Bears, and Texans–don’t look too menacing. But two of these three games are on the road. All three of these opponents are led by veteran quarterbacks who can and will sling the ball against the Cowboys.
Let’s take a look at which of these three teams will provide the biggest obstacle to the Cowboys heading into their bye week with a perfect record. And then, of course, vote on it!
Week 1 @ Washington
2009 Record: 4-12
Sunday, September 12 at 7:20PM (NBC)
These are hardly the same Redskins that went 4-12 during 2009. McNabb will be facing the Cowboys for the third straight time in games that count. This could be a statement game for him and Head Coach Mike Shanahan. Defeating a division rival in the season opener could go a long way towards digging out of the NFC East’s basement.
The offense must prove that its veteran free agent signings (RBs Larry Johnson and Willie Parker; WRs Mike Furrey and Joey Galloway) can get on the same page with the offense that Shanahan is installing. They also have to find chemistry with incumbent starters Clinton Portis and Chris Cooley.
Along with adding names to the offensive backfield, Shanahan has also been shuffling around the offensive line. The recent trade for the Saints‘ RT Jamaal Brown has provided him even more options.
Brown could be the solution at right tackle for the Redskins, who are rebuilding the line under new coach Mike Shanahan after last year’s 4-12 season.
Washington took Trent Williams of Oklahoma with the No. 4 overall pick in April’s draft to replace retired six-time Pro Bowl left tackle Chris Samuels. Artis Hicks has worked with the first-string unit at right tackle during the offseason, but he could move to right guard to make room for Brown.
The defense, on the other hand, was stout last season, ranking in the top-10 in both overall yards allowed and passing yards. And despite all the talk, DT Albert Haynesworth says he will be in training camp with the team.
When last they met…
Week 2 Home vs. Chicago
2009 Record: 7-9
Sunday, September 19 at 12PM (FOX)
The Bears made two of the early big splashes in free agency when they signed DE Julius Peppers and RB Chester Taylor early in March. Peppers, one of the better players in the league at his position, was brought in to help a Bears defense that ranked in the middle of the league in terms of yards allowed (337.8 ypg). The veteran back, Taylor, should provide a nice complement to third-year pro Matt Forte, who had a bit of a sophomore slump in 2009.
Chicago had a very thin draft because of the trade for QB Jay Cutler. Cutler, as many of us saw, struggled in connecting with his receivers last season and led the league in INTs.
Before the Cowboys’ defensive backs start licking their chops, they may have to pick Jon Kitna’s brain in regards to the Bears’ new Mike Martz-led offensive gameplan. Martz, a coordinator known for his passing attack, is now in charge of revamping not only the offense, but Cutler’s decision-making process as well.
Martz’s offense emphasizes deeper quarterback drops and passes to spots on the field rather than throwing directly at receivers.
“It is a little bit different,” Cutler said. “It’s a high-paced, high-octane offense. Guys are flying around. Quarterbacks have to make quick, precise decisions, and you have to be really accurate with the ball. It puts a lot on the quarterback, puts a lot on the receivers.”
Cutler led the NFL with 26 interceptions in 2009, his first season with the Bears while playing in a different offense. However, he expects the entire offense to understand the new attack by the July 29 reporting date for training camp.
Week 3 @ Houston
2009 Record: 9-7
Sunday, September 26 at 12PM (FOX)
Will there be enough blue & silver at Reliant Stadium to make this seem like a home game to the Cowboys? It won’t matter if the defense doesn’t keep Texans QB Matt Schaub and WR Andre Johnson in check. Along with TE Owen Daniels, WR Kevin Walter, and RBs Steve Slaton and second-round pick Ben Tate, the Dallas defenders should prepare for a busy day. Behind Schaub, the Texans led the league with nearly 291 passing yards per game, but ranked 30th in rushing (92.2).
The defense was okay (13th in the league in total yards allowed), but they will be missing Defensive Rookie-Of-the-Year, Brian Cushing, because of a suspension. Mario Williams will be looking to terrorize the Cowboys offensive tackles, and those special teams coverage units need to contain dangerous return man Jacoby Jones.
Dallas may want to try to control the clock with the running game; although, this one has all the makings of an old-fashioned Texas shootout!
After the bye, the rest of the Cowboys schedule looks rather daunting. They will face Tennessee, then head back up to Minnesota, and then come home to face the Giants over the three games after their bye. That’s brutal.
It’s imperative Dallas gets off to a fast start in 2010. Washington, Chicago, and Houston are all winnable games. Can’t assume they’ll run through all three though. That’s, of course, why they play the game.
Yankees and Foreigners Challenge Cowboys for the Title of "America’s Team"
June 27, 2010
Laurence Griffiths - Getty Images
Frank Lampard’s team is followed online here in the States just as much as A-Rod’s or Tony Romo’s. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
&
The World Cup has spurred the predictable and tired point counterpoints about soccer and its popularity in this country. While its supporters point to record TV ratings to bolster their claims that soccer is a sport on the come here, the nay sayers marshall their claims that its boring, that “real Americans” don’t care, etc., etc.
I’ve found a tool which adds a new dimension to the argument. Google has been compiling data on total web searches on its engine since 2004 and provides the data at Google Insights. The search engine allows you to enter up to five different items and conduct searches on the numbers of web searches done on those subjects.
Following in the footsteps of the Financial Times’ Simon Kuper, who pointed out the popularity of sport world wide by using Insights, I’ve done my own Insights searches to determine the popularity of teams in the United States, and found some incredible stats. Most amazing for this audience: the Cowboys are the most searched NFL team in the country since 2004, which lets them lay claim to “America’s Team,” if the term is limited to the NFL.
If all professional sports teams are included, the Cowboys come in third. In fact, they trail a team which isn’t even American. Follow me over the jump to learn who’s really “America’s Team.”
lt;/p>
Insight only allows you to search five names at a time, so I started by entering the biggest names in each U.S. team sport. I then took the top two and began adding names from other sports, and through a process of elimination narrowed the list down to the most popular teams, by search, in pro football, basketball and baseball.
Then, as an experiment, I cycled in some of the bigger European soccer clubs — Arsenal, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, AC Milan, Chelsea, Manchester United and Real Madrid, and ran their numbers. Here’s the top five, in all major sports, domestic and foreign, in terms of internet searches in the United States, since 2004:
- Cowboys 24
- Barcelona 16
- Lakers 14
- Chelsea 26
- Yankees 27
(The numbers don’t represent percentages but relative numbers of searches; thus, they won’t equal 100%)
The Yankees, the most successful American sports franchise, with the longest sustained winning history, can lay claim to being the most-searched “America’s Team,” but just barely. The runner up is Chelsea FC, an English club owned by the Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich. Your Cowboys rate a game, but real third overall.
What does this mean? For the Cowboys, not that much. The NFL, and American football in general, remain at the top of the U.S. online sporting-fix list. Here’s what a search in the U.S. of “football, soccer, baseball, basketball and hockey teams” from ‘04 to the present returned:
- Football – 36
- Soccer — 17
- Baseball — 19
- Basketball - 21
The Insight data shows that the soccer-slammers completely miss the boat. The European leagues begin their games in the early morning hours on weekend and in the early afternoon during the week if you’re an American fan. That, and the relative weakness of MLS don’t curb this countries increasing appetite for the other football. Fans have to follow it online much of the time, but they do it anyway.
These numbers help explain the major investments by American football owners into the English clubs in recent year. Manchester United is owned by the Glazer family, who also owns the Tampa Bay Bucs. Browns owner Randy Lerner makes frequent trips across the Atlantic to watch his Aston Villa squad play. The same is true for Rams owner Stan Kroenke, currently the majority owner of Arsenal. Rangers and Stars fans are aware that Tom Hicks is co-owner of Liverpool.
The owners what many fans here have known for some time, and which the American sports press is only beginning to realize: Americans love football — both kinds.
The VRR: Cowboys Training Camp Schedule Released
June 25, 2010
Mark Hertzberg - AP
In just over a month, Tony Romo will be trading in his teaching cap for his helmet.
A split training camp and an extra preseason game will find the Cowboys well traveled by the time the regular season kicks off. There are pros and cons to practicing in San Antonio and Oxnard, but practicing in two different states may seem a bit much.
Who knows? Maybe all the extra travel will better prepare them as a road team. They’ve got to be out in San Diego anyways to play the Chargers on August 21.
More VRR after the jump.
Either way, it looks as if the team will get in some extra practices. Todd Archer breaks down how the Cowboys‘ 12 two-a-day practice sessions compare with previous Wade Phillips training camps with Dallas.
In 2007, they were in San Antonio from July 25-Aug. 8 and had six double sessions before returning to Valley Ranch. I don’t know how many two-a-days they ran back home that year.
In 2008, they held camp in Oxnard and had practices in Denver against the Broncos, too, starting July 25 and going through Aug. 16. They had nine double sessions.
In 2009, they were in San Antonio from July 29-Aug. 19 and had 10 two-a-days.
It’s “tentative”, but here’s the Cowboys training camp schedule.
SAN ANTONIO (July 24-August 6)
Saturday, July 24 - 2:15 p.m.
Sunday, July 25 - 9:00 a.m. and 3:15 p.m.
Monday, July 26 - 2:15 p.m.
Tuesday, July 27 - 9:00 a.m. and 3:15 p.m.
Wednesday, July 28 - 9:00 a.m. and 3:15 p.m.
Thursday, July 29 - 2:15 p.m.
Friday, July 30 - 2:15 p.m.
Saturday, July 31 - 9:00 a.m. and 3:15 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 1 - 9:00 a.m. and 3:15 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 2 - 2:15 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 3 - 9:00 a.m. and 3:15 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 4 - 2:15 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 5 - 9:00 a.m. and 3:15 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 6 - 9:00 a.m.
OXNARD (Aug. 13-27)
Saturday, Aug. 14 - 9:00 a.m. and 3:15 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 15 - 9:00 a.m. and 3:15 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 16 - 2:15 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 17 - 2:15 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 18 - 9:00 a.m. and 3:15 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 19 - 2:15 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 20 -10:15 a.m. (walkthrough)
Monday, Aug. 23 - 2:15 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 24 - 9:00 a.m. and 3:15 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 25 - 2:15 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 26 - 9:00 a.m. and 3:15 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 27 - 10:15 a.m. (walkthrough)
The Cowboys will also hold some practices at Cowboys Stadium. Times for these will be released later.
The practices would be between the Hall of Fame Game against the Bengals in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 8 and the preseason home game against the Raiders on Aug. 12.
Gerry Fraley’s breakdown of the Dallas OLBs offers some tidbits on how DeMarcus Ware is adding more speed to his game, as well as some encouraging words about Steve Octavien.
Ware changed his off-season workout plan, increasing the focus on flexibility and speed. Ware wants to be more active when asked to drop into pass coverage and end a personal drought. He has gone 49 consecutive regular-season games without an interception.
Octavien stood out during the workout for his high energy. He showed some Ware-like moves during pass-rush drills.
DeMarcus Ware had to adjust to playing in a 3-4. A lot of defenders do because of the rising popularity of the scheme. Why Albert Haynesworth would rather not right now is perplexing. Ware chimes in:
“I think if you’re going to be a big-time guy, which we call the “Confident Guy,” at the end of the day, you should be able to play different positions, and I know he can do it,” Ware said.
“It’s if he wants to do it or not. And I think he needs to do whatever he needs to do to help the team out but everybody has different opinions.”
Ware also had some praise for new starting LT Doug Free’s progress.
You know what, I went against Doug Free all throughout OTAs and the little minicamp we had and he’s a really great player. He played about four or five games last year when [Marc] Columbo went down. He played a little bit when Flozell [Adams] went down so he had a little bit of the game time experience.
It’s just going to take him getting used to playing 16 games cause right now he’s penciled in as a starter and going him in the OTAs, I was really confident in what he was doing against me and just in general, he’s been playing really well.
In this Q&A, Tony Romo spoke briefly on the transition from working with Flozell Adams to Free.
How much of a change will it be with Free rather than Adams in terms of throwing windows and snap communication?
It’s not a big deal. I mean, really those are just quick game stuff: you need to get the defensive lineman’s hands down so I’ll help them out with some stuff. But some of the stuff is just reiterating what they know already, just so they know on that specific play: “Hey, hold your water on this one, it’s on two,” or things of that nature that are just reminders but those guys have a lot on their plate but they’re good and they’re there for a reason.
With the release of Marquis Floyd, the Cowboys fourth CB position is even more wide open.
The candidates have been reduced to three: Cletis Gordon, Jamar Wall and Bryan McCann.
Secondary coach Dave Campo said he likes the speed of all three, Gordon has the most experience, five years, but Wall and McCann have the most upside, seeing they are rookies.
Campo like Wall’s toughness during one-on-one drills during offseason practices and Gordon is going to get a look on returning kicks. If Gordon excels in the return game, he has an edge to make the team over McCann and Wall. McCann is fast and still learning, but he also has a good shot at making the team.
A change in David Buehler’s kicking motion shouldn’t affect his leg power. Phew!
Buehler, whose strong leg got him the job as the Cowboys’ kickoff specialist last year, said he was worried that tweaking his mechanics might cost him some power in his kicks, but said that fear was unfounded.
“When he broke down my old motion, I lost some power,” Buehler said, “but it came back. Kickoffs, long field goals … I’ll be fine.”
DC.com has a nice feature on Travis Bright’s learning the center position.
“He’s a really strong player, exceptionally strong, and I think that really helps him at center,” Phillips said.
Bright said he was glad to use that strength as a child. He said the physicality of football was always something he enjoyed.
“My mom, she said I could play football and hit people and not get in trouble,” Bright said. “So it just kind of worked out.”
Bright said one of the challenges in adjusting to center is going head-to-head against All-Pro nose tackle Jay Ratliff in practice.
“I guess the biggest difference for me is whenever you’re snapping you start with one hand,” Bright said. “Just getting used to guys like Jay, he’s extremely good going against that snap hand and getting that advantage. I’m learning a little bit better technique with that.”
Hat tip to lonewolfz28 for the FanShot.
Felix Jones is known more for his legs than his arm, but the former Razorback welcomed the idea of throwing out the first pitch for the Arkansas Travelers last night.
Even though he didn’t throw a perfect strike, Jones enjoyed his trip back to Arkansas. He played for the Razorbacks from 2005-07, piling up 2,956 yards and 20 touchdowns in a backfield that included future NFL backs Darren McFadden (Oakland Raiders) and Peyton Hillis (Cleveland Browns).
And just for fun…
Dallas Cowboys Rookies: All’s Quiet on the Rookie Signing Front
June 25, 2010
Of the six players the Cowboys drafted in April, not a single one has been signed yet. Should that be a cause for concern? Well, that depends on who you’re benchmarking yourself against.
The Bears have signed all 5 of their draft picks, but they didn’t have a 1st or 2nd round pick. Closer to home in the NFC East, the Giants have signed five of their seven picks (their 1st and 2nd rounders remain unsigned), the Eagles have signed 10 of 13 (their 1st and 2nd rounders are also unsigned, along with a 5th round wide receiver) and the Redskins have signed all their draft picks with the exception of their first rounder.
Walter Football maintains a list of signings that shows that no team has yet signed a 1st or 2nd round draft pick. At this time of year, that is not unusual. According to Mac’s Football Report, 11 teams remain that have yet to sign a single draft pick, and the Cowboys are one of them. Calvin Watkins reports that the Cowboys have yet to start any serious contract talks with any of their picks.
The Cowboys haven’t been in much of a hurry to sign their picks in the past, and have been content to sit back and watch the market value develop for the draft picks. This year, it looks like a lot of teams are once again leaning back and waiting for someone else to make the first move. And this time around, the NFL schedule might force the Cowboys’ hand somewhat, particularly with their higher draft picks, because the Cowboys play in the Hall of Fame game against the Bengals and both teams therefore start training camp a week earlier than every other NFL team.
For what it’s worth, Dez Bryant himself vowed to be under contract when the team kicks off its first practice in the Alamodome:
“That’s already understood,” Bryant said. “I’m going to be there when camp starts. It won’t be a wasted day. As soon as it’s time, that first day of practice I’m going to be there - you heard it first right here.”
What may make things a little iffy is that Bryant’s agent is Eugene Parker, he of the Michael Crabtree holdout fame. The mothership’s Josh Ellis quotes Stephen Jones on the Cowboys’ relationship with Parker and on signing Bryant early:
“We’ve always worked fine with Eugene,” Jones said of Bryant’s agent, Eugene Parker. “It’s always important to get guys in. We want him in. He doesn’t need to miss anything, but I’d say that about any pick. No pick doesn’t need to miss anything.”
What doesn’t help either is that Bryant is arguably a top ten pick who happened to be drafted 24th, and the lack of a CBA in 2011 also adds an extra layer that needs to be worked through. Stephen Jones acknowledges the challenges and weighs in on the Dez Bryant contract situation:
“We won’t have as much to go on,” executive vice president Stephen Jones said. “We usually have a lot more contracts to go off of. That will make it more challenging.”
“The most difficult one will be Dez, more than likely,” Jones said. “The rest of them should fall into place.
“The ones (first round) are always the hardest. It never changes. It’s more moving parts with a No. 1 pick’s contract.”
Todd Archer from the DMN doesn’t see any problems getting the deals done by the middle of July, and doesn’t expect Dez Bryant to miss more than a practice or two.
All’s quiet on the Cowboys’ rookie signing front. If no news is good news, then there’s no cause for concern, but if this is just the lull before the storm, the Cowboys may be headed for some heavy turbulence.
When do you expect the Cowboys to have their draft picks signed, and do you expect that signing Dez Bryant will become an issue?
Five NFL rookies who are in ideal situations, including Dez Bryant. From sbnation.com
June 24, 2010
Five NFL rookies who are in ideal situations, including Dez Bryant.
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