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Tampa’s Extreme Defensive Splits Give Dallas Hope

I’ve argued that the Bucs have been the most consistent NFC team so far this year, going 4-0 against winners and avoiding a blowout loss, something every other NFC contender has endured.

Blog-regular David looks deeper into Tampa Bay’s extreme home/road splits and finds that opposing QB play much better against Monte Kiffin’s guys when they can play them at home:

So far in 2008, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are two different teams on the road, at least when it comes to their defense. Here’s how four opposing quarterbacks have done in the surroundings of hostile (“Nobody Loves”) Raymond James Stadium:

Matt Ryan: 33-13-158, 0 TDs, 2 Int.,  Tampa Bay won
Aaron Rodgers: 27-13-165, 2 TDs, 3 Int.,  Tampa Bay won
Jake Delhomme: 39-20-247, 0 TDs, 2 Int.,  Tampa Bay won
Seneca Wallace: 23-12-73, 1 TD, 1 Int.,  Tampa Bay won

Total: 121-58-643, 3 TDs, 8 Int.

When opposing QB’s visit Tampa, they are a combined 0-4, are completing 47% of their passes, have thrown 5 more interceptions than touchdowns, and are averaging a wretched 5.31 yards per attempt. They’ve also been sacked seven times in those four games.

Three of these visiting QB’s have hardly any starting experience (Ryan was in his second career start, Aaron Rodgers his 4th career start and Seneca Wallace in his 5th career start). Rodgers was injured midway through the Green Bay game and Wallace’s top receivers were out with injuries.

On the other hand, Delhomme is a grizzled veteran, but Tampa’s defense should be starting to figure him out by now, having played him eight times since 2003. And Steve Smith did drop at least one long TD pass against Tampa.

Tampa’s defense also has shut down decent runners in the comfy confines of home as well, including Atlanta’s Michael Turner, Green Bay’s Ryan Grant, Carolina’s tandem of DeAngelo Willams and Jonathan Stewart, and our old friend in Seattle, Julius Jones. In fact, in four home games their defense is allowing 69 rushing yards per game at 3.3 yards per clip.

Now let’s looks at the three “away” games on the Buccaneers schedule so far; specifically, how the “home” quarterbacks have performed against Monte Kiffin’s defense:

Drew Brees: 32-23-343, 3 TDs, 1 Int.,  New Orleans won
Kyle Orton:  34-22-268, 2 TDs, 2 Int.,  Tampa Bay won
Jay Cutler:  34-23-227, 1 TD, 0 Int.,  Denver won

Total: 100-68-828, 6 TDs, 4 Int.

It’s a small sample so far, but the evidence bears out that Tampa’s defense – when playing “away” games - allows opposing QB’s to complete 68% of their passes, for 8.28 yards per attempt, and a couple more touchdowns than interceptions.

These opposing QB’s have been sacked four times in those three games.

Meanwhile, Tampa’s defense has allowed 123 yards per game (and 100+ in all three) and 4.0 yards per carry when playing in another team’s stadium. Per contest, Tampa’s defense is allowing 10 more carries for 54 more yards when playing away games.

No doubt a successful passing game feeds off a successful running attack, or vice versa. The fact is that the statistics show so far in 2008 that Tampa Bay’s defense is playing much better at home than away, against less experienced QB’s for the most part. Over the four home games, Tampa’s defense has allowed just under 220 total yards and just nine points (I’m not counting Green Bay’s interception return for a TD) per contest. During their three visiting match-ups, Tampa’s defense has allowed over 380 yards and 23 points per game. The stats don’t lie, nor are they even really just misleading – the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have thus far been playing much better in home games than away games.

Whether the Dallas Cowboys, playing at home and led by a grizzled veteran QB of their own (and who Tampa’s defense should have some background info on), can take advantage of this recent trend remains to be seen.

Good News — Romo’s Out

Tony Romo announced today he won’t play against Tampa Bay this Sunday and probably won’t play again until the Cowboys return from their bye against Washington.

Why is this good news?

Because Romo is almost halfway through his rehab, which will take four weeks.  I was told by Dr. Luis Rios that re-fracturing the finger resets the rehab clock at four weeks.

“If you were going to try to play with it, last week would have been the time.  If Romo re-injures the finger then, well, then just you add a week to the rehab, that’s not too bad.  But what if he’s three weeks in, and you play him against the Giants and he re-breaks the finger because it’s not fully healed.  Then, you’re back to square one and he misses four more weeks…”

The Cowboys have already had an awful history this year of injured players trying to rush back and re-injuring themselves.  Kyle Kosier was going to miss three September games, came back after two games and re-broke his foot.  Now, halfway through the season, Kosier has just one appearance.

Terence Newman was going to miss the Browns opener rehabbing his injured groin, played three weeks in apparent pain, didn’t look like himself and last week had surgery for a hernia.  We’re halfway through ‘08 and have yet to see a healthy, pain-free Newman.

Roy Williams tried coming back as soon as possible and re-broke his forearm.  Now, he’s out for the year.  Anthony Spencer is now rehabbing a hamstring after rehabbing a knee.

Dallas needs to bite the bullet and let Romo’s finger heal completely.  It does not matter what the Cowboys record is the next two games.  Whether they are 4-5 after the bye, 5-4 or 6-3, they don’t have the slightest chance without number 9 under center.  Jerry should take some of Tex’s deposit money for his seats in the new stadium and send Tony and Jessica back to Cancun until the bye is over.

Same As It Ever Was

• 2006, at this point — 4-3;
• 2008, at this point — 4-3;

• 2006, penalty yards rank:  5th;
• 2008, penalty yards rank:  2nd;

• 2006, net punting - 38.0;
• 2008, net punting - 38.7;

• 2006 KO ret. avg./rank — 23.3/8th
• 2008 KO ret. avg./rank — 23.9/11th;

• 2006 punt ret. avg./rank - 8.4/19th;
• 2008 punt ret. avg./rank - 6.7/27th;

• 2006 opponent avg. start after kickoff — 28 yard line;
• 2008 opponent avg. start after kickoff - 31.5 yard line;

Bill Parcells was known as a disciplinarian.  A hardass.  He told Jerry when he was hired that he would need to win right away because his act would not wear well over time.  Kind of like Jimmy Johnson’s.  The Tuna’s teams didn’t take stupid penalties.

Bruce DeHaven had a reputation as one of the league’s better special teams coaches.  His Buffalo squads, with Hall-of-Famer Steve Tasker leading, were superb.

Then, both of them came to Dallas.  Their last team couldn’t stop committing stupid penalties.  It was mediocre on special teams.  It’s numbers are about the same as this year’s team.

We can cry for Wade Phillips’ head and Brian Stewart’s head and Bruce Read’s head but lets put the fair share of blame on the players.  Hard coach/soft coach.  Well known special teams coach/no-name special teams coach.  The results are almost identical.

And what has changed on the roster?  On defense, there are only two starters who were not here in ‘06 — Ken Hamlin and Zach Thomas.  On offense, Leonard Davis is the only member of the starting eleven who wasn’t a starter or key role player two years ago.

You can bring in a Bill Cowher or a Jimmy Johnson but if you don’t give him the saws and scalpels to perform radical roster surgery you have what you have.

Unless the players hearts — and brains — grow three sizes, Grinch style, it’s the same as it ever was.

It’s Time to Name These ‘Boys Sue

“And he said: ‘Son, this world is rough,
And if a man’s gonna make it, he’s got to be tough,
And I knew I wouldn’t be there to help you along.
So I give you that name and I said goodbye,
I knew you’d have to get tough or die…”

– Johnny Cash, A Boy Named Sue

Rams 34, Cowboys 14.

We’re angry.  We’re indignant.  We’re embarrassed. But we’re Cowboys’ fans.  Let’s not pretend we’ve never seen this before:

• 1970, week 9 — Cardinals 38, Cowboys 0.  A second consecutive loss that drops the ‘Pokes to 5-4;
• 1971, week 7 — Bears 23, Cowboys 19.  A loss to a weak Bears team in the infamous QB rotation game leaves Dallas 4-3.
• 1978, week 10 — Dolphins 23, Cowboys 16.  A second consecutive loss, this one in dreaded Miami, where Tom Landry always lost, drops the Cowboys to 6-4.
• 1981, week 6 — 49ers 45, Cowboys 14.  A second consecutive loss drops Dallas to 4-2 after a 4-0 start.
• 1992, week 5 — Eagles 31, Cowboys 7.  Dallas comes out of its bye week and gets thrashed on a Monday Night in Philly.
• 1995, week 15 — Eagles 20, Cowboys 17.  Dallas loses its second in a row and third in five weeks in the infamous 4th-and-1-x-2 game.  Their record is 10-4 but they’re being written off as yesterday’s champs, done in by Jerry’s meddling and Barry’s ineptitude.

Every one of these teams made it to the conference championship game.  Five of them made it to the Super Bowl.  Three of them won it.

I’m sure most of the Max Mercys in the press corps are writing about a coaching change today.  I’m sure if they were around in ‘70 they would have been calling for Tom’s head too.  Some of them were around in ‘95 and I know they wanted Barry axed immediately.   Don’t be led along.  You might want Wade Phillips and a couple of assistants fired too.  He might deserve to be fired.  But it’s not going to happen now.  When did a mid-season firing ever send a team on a tear?

This year’s team will have to look within itself, as these other Cowboys teams did.  It will have to draw on the devotion and camaraderie voiced by Nate Newton in the Philly locker room after that embarrassing ‘95 loss, when he said, “there’s too much love in this locker room for us to turn on each other.”

We’re going to learn how much these guys love each other, and how much they really trust each other.  Because today, each other is all they got.

So in the spirit of helping, and because I need to laugh to keep from grinding my teeth to the gums, I’m going to do my small part.  I will henceforth refer to the ‘08 team as “the ‘Boys Named Sue.”

They’ll either get tough or die.

There are No Heroes

13 Pro Bowlers, huh?  Let’s see:

1. Terence Newman — rehabbing an ailing groin;
2. Tony Romo — standing on the sideline with a broken finger;
3. Nick Folk — short kickoffs and a missed field goal;
4. Flozell Adams — an undistinguished day and a key offsides penalty on a 3rd-and-one.  Had another awful day blocking a speed rusher;
5. Andre Gurode — started the offensive meltdown by throwing a shotgun snap on an early drive.
6. Leonard Davis — did you recall anything he did, pro or con?
7. Marion Barber — fumbled for the third time in four weeks;
8. Jason Witten — committed another awful motion penalty in a key moment, snuffing out a scoring drive late in the first half;
9. Terrell Owens — was doubled again while his offensive mates fell apart;
10. Greg Ellis — invisible.  Was run at on the Rams second TD drive;
11. Roy Williams — where was Roy?  Probably with Waldo.  The Thong is cashing Demarcus Ware’s checks right now;
12. Ken Hamlin — missed tackles, not doing anything distinctive;

Demarcus Ware was the one guy who made plays today.  He’s the only Pro Bowler Dallas had on the field.

Mentally tough teams are not suspectible to extreme momentum swings.  The Rams scored on a big run immediately after Nick Folk missed his field goal early in the 3rd quarter.  These guys let down when they’re entrusted with a lead and they completely deflate when the offense isn’t leading the way.

Last year, in the world of soccer, Liverpool owner Tom Hicks made headlines when he allegedly interviewed former German national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann.  Hicks’ manager Rafael Benitez had won a suprise Champions’ League cup in his first year and lost another final, but was posting mediocre records in the regular league standings, even though he was given the big money signings he requested.

The team denied a new manager was being interviewed behind the scenes, but Benitez got the message.  His team is playing much better this year, and is today tied for top of the league.

Jerry Jones should take a page from Tom Hicks’ book.  (That’s right, I’m actually recommending emulating Tom Hicks.)  He’s got a lot of complacent players.  They shook off Bill Parcells and got the players’ guy they wanted.  The results have been the same.  Don’t listen to any finger pointing in the press.  Nobody not named Demarcus Ware should even speak to the press this week.

If Jerry wants to get his coaches’ and his players’ attention, he should schedule a “clandestine” meeting with Bill Cowher, and invite every paparazzo he can find.

Cowboys @ Rams, 2nd Half Thread

I don’t advocate Tony Romo playing but this team won’t come back with Brad Johnson.

Winning this week depended on managing the game. Getting the lead, leaning on the defense and pulling slowly away.  Johnson delivered on the first series.

Then, his teammates picked up lemmonades and sat down in their rocking chairs.

The offensive line got whipped on the next two series.

Worse, the defense had no spark.  They played hard for two plays, surrendered a first down on third-and-long and commenced rocking.

You don’t let the Rams jam the ball down your throat.  They’re playing their RG at LT.  They’re playing a backup at RG.  They’re inexperienced and unsettled, and they ran tosses and stretch plays right through the heart of the Cowboys’ front.

This isn’t scheme.  The plays are too basic to be matters of scheme.  This is a lack of respect for your opponent and pride in your job.  Right now, I see two Cowboys defenders who can say they’ve played hard every snap — Demarcus Ware and Jay Ratliff.  Both corners have been burned badly.  Ken Hamlin missed a tackle on Stephen Jackson’s first TD run. Roy Williams?  Well, you would have to find him to say what he’s doing wrong.  He’s not even in the image.

The rest of the D show up from time to time, but this is an embarrassment, to the players and to the staff who are supposed to prepare them.  But I’ll repeat for everybody who wants Wade Phillips’ head on a plate.  You could can him tomorrow and it wouldn’t matter.  These guys were freelancing on Bill Parcells too.

Reality Check — Week 7

We grouse about the Cowboys, their injuries, their disappointing performances, the works.  But let’s stop using tunnel vision and see where the three previous Cowboys teams were entering week seven.

2008

• Record: 4-2
• Position - 2nd, half a game behind New York;
• Division Record: 1-1;
• Last game: 30-24 loss to Arizona;
• Upcoming:  The 1-4 St. Louis Rams
• Record vs. .500 or better:  2-2;
• vs. sub-.500:  2-0

Narrative:  Decimated by injuries and lousy special teams.  Romo out, McBriar out, Hurd out, Spencer out, Burnett out, Kosier out, Jones suspended.  Roy Williams acquired in trade.  This team has stronger peaks than previous Cowboys teams but awful coverage teams.

2007

• Record - 5-1
• Position:  1st, one game ahead of New York;
• Division record: 1-0
• Last game: 48-27 loss to New England
• Upcoming:  the 2-3 Vikings
• vs. .500 or better:  1-1
• vs. sub-.500 - 4-0

Narrative:  The Pats game was supposed to be a measuring stick and the Cowboys found out their secondary didn’t match up.  The team also committed 12 penalties in that game.  The previous week, Romo had thrown six picks in the comeback win over Buffalo.  There was lots of talk about the Cowboys soft schedule, as .500 or better teams from the year before, the Dolphins and Bears, had fallen apart.

2006

• Record:  3-3
• Position:  2nd, one game behind New York and Philly;
• Division record:  1-2
• Last game: 36-22 loss to New York;
• Upcoming:  vs. 4-2 Panthers
• vs. .500 or better: 0-3
• vs. sub-.500:  3-0

Narrative:  The team was horribly inconsistent, losing, winning two, losing, winning and then losing.  Good teams were beating Dallas in the 2nd half of games.  The Drew Bledsoe era had just ended at halftime of the Giants loss, when a kid named Romo took over.  The Giants linemen was performing their annoying jump shots over sacked Dallas QBs and the doomsayers were ready to kick the Cowboys out of the NFC race early.

2005

• Record:  4-2
• Position: in a four way tie for first;
• Division record:  2-1
• Last game: 16-13 win over 4-2 New York;
• Next game: vs. 4-2 Seattle
• vs. .500 or better:  3-1;
• vs. sub-.500: 1-1

Narrative:  A maddening team that could play up to the good teams and down to the bad teams.  With the exception of a 33-10 blowout of the Eagles, every game was a nail-biter, some good — the last minute stop in San Diego and the overtime win over the Giants, and some bad — the 14 point meltdown against the Redskins and the failure in Oakland, when Dallas was stopped late at the Raiders’ four.

The defense was collapsing late and the kicking game was suspect.  Larry Allen had already tried strangling Jose Cortez in San Francisco and would have cause the following weekend in Seattle.

Overall:  This year’s team, for all its warts, looks no worse than any of those other teams.  Week seven is the point where seasonal narratives for the ‘05, ‘06 and ‘07 Cowboys began to take shape:

– in ‘05 the Cowboys would shake off the Seattle loss and win three in a row, until Flozell Adams’ blown knee and a heartbreaking overtime loss to the Broncos on Thanksgiving led to a December collapse.

– In ‘06 Romo would take the Cowboys on a 5-1 opening tear before the Saints exposed their weak secondary.

– In ‘07, the Patriots loss would be followed by a seven game win streak that ended in the infamous Jessica=Memo Paris loss to the Eagles.

This year’s team has played a harder schedule than any of the other teams.  Washington is a playoff contender and the Cards, after thrashing Buffalo and Dallas, has to be viewed as an NFC favorite, especially given how soft the rest of the West appears.  The Packers and Eagles also look to be in the playoff race.

Can this team match the previous three Cowboys squads and go on a mid-season tear?  It does not look as likely given the injury report, but this team is deeper.  We’ll see.

Cowboys Sign LB Carlos Polk

Former Chargers LB Carlos Polk was signed by Dallas, probably as a hedge against Kevin Burnett’s injured foot.  He’ll fill the roster spot vacated by Sam Hurd, who was played on injured reserve.

Polk was a situational defensive player for Wade Phillips when he coordinated San Diego’s defense.  Polk was also a member on the Chargers’ special teams.

Burnett is one of the “core” players, along with Keith Davis, Bobby Carpenter, Justin Rogers and Pat Watkins, who are on all the coverage and return teams.

Cowboy Up — Dallas @ St. Louis Preview

The schedule makers could not have offered a better opponent for Dallas this week than the St. Louis Rams.  Sure, they just beat the Redskins on the road.  Sure, the Cowboys are coming off a flat, uninspired game against the Cardinals.

But seriously, which team on the schedule would you rather face now, with so much uncertainty due to injuries?  The Rams, despite their win last week, are not a very good team.  They rank last in the league in both points scored and points allowed.

Their victory again proved an old maxim — you cannot turn over the football and win.  Washington had not committed a single turnover in five games and was 4-1, with back-to-back wins over the Cowboys and Eagles.  Last week, they committed three.  Two stopped drives in Rams territory.  The third, which was made in the last 20 seconds of the first half, was returned 75 yards for a score.  What could have been a 10-3 Washington halftime lead was instead a 10-7 Rams lead.

The Cowboys will have the same challenges.  They have not protected the ball well this year.  If fact, they’ve lost the turnover battle in four of their five games.  They’ve also been very shaky on special teams.  Their tasts this week are modest:  protect the ball and don’t melt down on kick coverage.  If they do those things they will win, because banged up or not, they’re facing a talent depleted team that is further thinned by its own set of injuries.

When Dallas Has the Ball

The Rams have had the worst cornerback play the past few years, with Tye Hill, Ron Bartell and Fakhir Brown posting some of the worst YPAs I’ve seen from cornerbacks.  The Rams have tried to improve this position by drafting Jonathan Wade and Justin King the past two years.  King’s season was scuttled by an injury and Wade has struggled.  Brown was cut two weeks ago and then brought back after Scott Linehan was fired.  He’s going to start this Sunday at the right cornerback spot.

The Rams have a speed 4-3, much like the one Jimmy Johnson ran in Dallas during the ’90s.  It lacks the talent those Cowboys teams had.  With their secondary issues, the Rams are playing a more passive bend but dont’ break philosophy, trying to eliminate big plays and force teams to take long methodical drives, hoping they will have a breakdown or turnover along the way.  The strategy worked against Washington and could frustrate Dallas.

Remember, the Rams tried a similar tactic last year and had the game tied 7-7 at the two minute warning.  Dallas scored just before the half and put the game away in the 3rd, but they sputtered for the first 25 minutes of the game.

The Rams will likely try the same thing this week.  It will not matter which QB starts for Dallas.  Patience will be the key.  The Rams have had trouble defending the run and the Cowboys will likely attack the edges of the Rams front seven.  Rookie Chris Long is the real thing, but he doesn’t have much help up front.  ‘07 1st round pick Adam Carriker is the only Rams linemen above 285, and he lists at 308.  Long and starter Leonard Little list at 265 and 263.  Washington ran hard at backup DE James Hall.  Any time he was on the field against LT Chris Samuels the Redskins went right at him.

I think Dallas will try the same strategy.  The team has been very good running tosses, especially to its right, behind RT Marc Colombo.  Dallas has also used a lot of counters effectively, with Marion Barber and Felix Jones getting big plays from this call.  Tashard Choice will get Jones’ reps this week, but he showed surprising explosiveness in preseason and in the Cleveland opener.  He doesn’t have Jones’ top gear but he has more speed than expected.

When Dallas throws, look for lots of short and intermediate throws, even if Tony Romo starts.  The Rams will be protecting their corners a lot and playing soft on the edges.  Short, timing routes, slants and crossing routes will be the calls for the receivers, with the tight ends getting a lot of throws against the Rams linebackers.

Think back to last year’s Lions game, where Jason Witten set team records and you’ll have an idea of what this week’s game plan could look like.

When the Rams Have the Ball

St. Louis has one of the most patchwork offensive lines in football.  They’ve given up 15 sacks in five games this year and they’ll likely give up more.  LT Orlando Pace has not practiced and is listed as questionable.  Backup G Adam Goldberg will replace him if Pace cannot play.

The Rams receiving corps is also beaten up, with Dane Looker and Drew Bennett missing time.  This means the Rams play a very conservative game plan.  They run a lot with Stephen Jackson and throw a lot of quicker patterns off short drops to keep Marc Bulger from getting abused behind his suspect line.

Lost in the ashes of last week’s game was the fact that Dallas flashed its best rush of the season.  Demarcus Ware hung on Kurt Warner all afternoon.  Jay Ratliff regularly blew up the interior of Arizona’s line, but watched Warner get hot and complete several passes in the nick of time.

The Rams don’t have Arizona’s receiving talent or even their line talent.  They appear to have a find in rookie Donnie Avery, but he’s been battling a hamstring injury and has not been 100%.  Torry Holt is game on the other side but he’s not getting the work downfield because the Rams cannot protect consistently.

Look for some modest rushes but nothing too crazy.  Dallas should be able to get pressure with four and five men rushes.  The Rams are averaging 13 points a game, so if you don’t leave your secondary vulnerable with max blitzes, the Rams will have a hard time mounting long drives.

Special Teams

Your guess is as good as mine.  Extra time has been put in.  Player have been rotated and the breakdowns on kickoff returns keep happening.  Part of the problem is lousy tackling.  The Rams lone score in last year’s game came on a Dante Hall punt return, so the Cowboys will need to put in extra time this week in hopes of correcting the problems.

Overall

St. Louis has scored more than 14 points just once this year.  That was last week, when the Rams notched 19.  Only once this year have they held an opponent under 31 points. Of course, that was last week.

Dallas should win this game regardless of who plays quarterback.  They simply have more talent and if last week’s game loss didn’t focus their attention, nothing will.  Will they avoid the crippling turnovers?  That’s why we watch.

Dallas 27, St. Louis 13

Williams Trade Draws Mixed Reviews

– They’re ecstatic in Detroit, where one scribe says GM Martin Mayhew “fleeced” the Cowboys.  They’re also concerned that the Lions could bungle the extra picks.

– The move is pooh-poohed by the Washington Post, where Mike Wilbon claims Williams “wouldn’t bring a ham sandwich” from most teams.

– Meanwhile, the fans are grumpy in Philly, which has pursued Williams in the offseason.

Turning Into the ‘07 Patriots in the Blink of an Eye

Update:  Multiple sources now say the deal is a 1st, 3rd and 6th for Roy Williams.

The NFL is a copycat league.  Last year the New England Patriots looked at their good but not great defense, their good but not great offense, their all world QB and decided that with limited cap space and draft picks, they would go all in on the offensive side of the ball.

They put their receiving corps on steroids, adding Dante Stallworth, Randy Moss and Wes Welker and figured their offense could outpoint any opponent.  The plan worked until the Super Bowl.

This offseason, other teams tried emulating the Pats.  The Redskins drafted a bushel of young wideouts and tight ends to supplement Santana Moss and Antwaan Randle-El.  Dallas approached the Lions and Cards for Roy Williams and Anquan Boldin.  When those moves failed, the Cowboys went all in for defense, trading for Pacman Jones and drafting Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick.

In one afternoon, the Cowboys went back to plan A.  Circumstances partly forced their hand.  Jones’ recessive knucklehead gene went dominant in a Dallas hotel bathroom last week when he got drunk and duked it out with a bodyguard.  The drinking violated Jones probation and earned him a four game suspension today.

Detroit’s slow start and the firing of Matt Millen made Williams available and the Cowboys snagged him for three picks.  Consider that Dallas added Felix Jones in the draft and its clear the Cowboys will be able to field their own version of the ‘07 Patriots in about a month.

Heal quickly, Messrs. Romo, Jones and Kosier.

In the meantime, how lucky must Brad Johnson feel?  He’s working with a depleted cast, with LG Kosier missing and Jones likely out a month with a slight hamstring tear.  Still, he’ll have Owens, Witten, Williams, Crayton and Austin as passing targets.  And Marion Barber had his finest receiving game this past week, with Jones injured and the Cards bracketing T.O. and Witten.

The short term still looks daunting, but the longer view just got a lot better.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *

The Detroit News says, “it involves at least a number one pick.”

This makes the receiving corps very interesting and deep.  We now see T.O., Williams, Patrick Crayton in his #3 slot, where he should tear it up again, and Miles Austin gets to keep developing without pressure.

The kneejerk reactions amaze me.  Pat Kirwan said on NFL Radio a few minutes ago that the deal, “gives Dallas some leverage with Terrell Owens.”

Is Pat one of those scriptwriting manatees from South Park who lives in a giant tank and nudges idea balls into our collective conscious with his nose?

Earth to Pat.  The Cowboys gave T.O. a big contract extension a few months ago.  Do you really think they’re going to eat his deal now?  And isn’t the idea to improve your talent level?

And let’s stomp out the “T.O. and Roy can’t co-exist” meme before it gets started.  T.O. was eager to get Terry Glenn back last year and have a “three headed monster,” in his own words, along with Jason Witten.  He knows from his San Francisco days playing with Jerry Rice and J.J. Stokes that the more weapons, the fewer double teams. I’m guessing he’s happy.  His owner just made a big move to take the double teams away from him.

Roy Williams was pouting in Detroit and didn’t like playing Calvin Johnson’s sidekick, and here, he’s again a supporting guy.  He’s probably the third option behind Owens and Witten, who are 1 and 1A in Jason Garrett’s scheme.

The linked story says the Cowboys re-worked Williams deal, so let’s hope he gave his team the much discussed, but rarely seen hometown discount.

Do the Cowboys Need a Receiver? I Think They Do — Updated with Roy Williams News

Any veteran receiver.

We’ve been down the Roy Williams/Anquan Boldin/Chad Johnson road before. My opinion has not changed. If they can be had for a decent trade price and accept Terry Glenn money, fine. Otherwise, no. You don’t lose your mind.

My question is more modest. Might the Cowboys pursue *any* decent veteran? Might they call a team like the Rams and see what Torry Holt costs? Could an Isaac Bruce be pried from the 49ers?

I’m asking because Sam Hurd’s injury gives leaves Dallas with four receivers, and Isaiah Stanback has a trick shoulder. Mike Jefferson is on suspension, and may be done as a Cowboy.

The Cowboys need another dependable body, with emphasis on dependable, and I’m not horribly picky right now.

Update: Lions HC Rod Marinelli said today the team told WR Roy Williams they were not interested in trading him.

Matt Maiocco of the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, one of the best beat guys around, wrote in his blog today that the Lions contacted the 49ers about Williams:

The 49ers do not appear interested in making any trades, especially for a receiver. The Lions contacted them to gauge interest in Roy Williams. The 49ers were not interested. Williams was not known for putting in a lot of time to learn Martz’s system.

They’re shopping him folks.  The Lions may still be asking too much for him, but they’ll swap Roy Williams if they get their price.

Update II: The Eagles and the Giants are both pursuing Chiefs’ TE Tony Gonzalez, according to this story.

Location of Romo’s Fracture Is Important

The team’s website claims that Tony Romo suffered a fractured right fifth metacarpal.

According to Dr. Luis Rios, my radio partner on The Sports Doctors and a hand surgeon in his day job, the location of Romo’s injury will affect his recovery time and odds for a full recovery this year.  The original statement found in many press stories of a “broken pinkie finger” gives the impression that Romo injured the area of the finger that extends into the air.  However, the 5th metacarpal refers to the bone that extends from the base of the wrist to the knuckle of the little finger.  It is the longest single bone in the hand.  It’s also the thickest one.

Because the metacarpals are surrounded by soft tissue and other bones, fractures to them are often relatively stable and heal well.

According to Dr. Rios:

“If the fracture is near the middle of the bone it can be stabilized with a plate and screws.  This will allow the bone to heal quicker and get Romo back on the field sooner.  However, if the fracture is just below the knuckle, often times a plate cannot be inserted and the fracture will have to heal on its own.  Therefore the fracture may require a little more time to heal before it is stable enough to allow Romo to play.

If it’s in the middle of the bone, the metacarpals are ameable to small injections that would reduce discomfort during a game but not numb the fingers.

If it’s a mid fracture, Romo could return on the short end of the rehab timetable, but if it’s a near-knuckle fracture he’s probably out the full 4-6 weeks.

Given the choice between a fractured metacarpal and a broken pinkie finger, you would prefer the former because it’s less likely to affect your accuracy when you return.”

No injury is good but the injury as described gives Romo a chance to come back as close to new as possible.

Gut Check — Romo Fractures Finger

I like this, actually.  Maybe it’s the lover of lost causes in me, but I see opportunity in Tony Romo’s finger injury.

The Cowboys have a home game against the Bucs sandwiched between road trips to the Rams and Giants.  Then, they get their bye.

They can drop into a fetal position or the Cowboys can get tough.  They can win the next two games.  They can tread water until Romo and Terence Newman return.  But they can no longer look this way and that, and hope that Tony Romo or Jason Witten or Demarcus Ware or some other big name will save them.  Every individual has to focus, because his role just got a lot more important.

We’re going to learn who has it in him.  An injury like this jump started the last great Cowboys’ run.  Troy Aikman suffered an ugly knee injury in the first quarter in RFK in November ‘91, and the 6-5 Cowboys looked sunk against the 11-0 Redskins.  Dallas not only raised its act that day, upsetting Washington 24-21, but that man-your-battle stations attitude put the team in an early playoff state of mind.  They had no margin for error and adapted nicely, winning six in a row until Detroit knocked them out in the divisional playoffs.

Who will lead by example?  We got some hints yesterday.  Jay Ratliff played his heart out on the nose.  Marion Barber didn’t quit.  Sam Hurd snuck back into the lineup when nobody was looking and delivered a devastating block on Barber’s 75 yard TD run.  Marcus Spears dialed up his game yesterday when so many of his teammates were literally wandering in the desert.

Let’s see if they can replicate that high energy and who joins them this week.

Shake it off, folks.  Fandom is a lot like playing in one respect.  You have to keep from getting too carried away by wins and too down after losses.  We’re not going to stop following this team.

We are going to find out who deserves our support.

It Takes a Lot to Laugh, the Cowboys Make Me Cry…

“…Don’t say I never warned you,
when your train gets lost.”

– Bob Dylan, “It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry”

“I’m going to lean in Arizona’s direction…
Arizona, with some help from Romo - 31
Dallas, with some help from Romo - 27″

– BSR, Damn the Torpedoes and Pass the Gatorade, October 10

The actual final:

Arizona, with some help from the special teams — 30
Dallas, with no help from the offensive line — 24

Maybe these guys just can’t be reached.  Two years ago, when the Cowboys again faded in December, after Tony Romo threw them a midseason lifeline, I heard that much of the team had tuned Bill Parcells out.  The players were certainly happy to have a new coach in the building the following year, and they rode that enthusiasm and freedom to a 13-3 record.

I’m wondering if that season was the limit for this group.  I’m not saying that as a sop to Wade Phillips  (though does anybody think Norv Turner, given his problems in both seasons with San Diego, could have squeezed more out of this bunch?)  I’m writing this because I’m wondering if any coach can turn the key on this group?  The old school, hard-as-nails approach didn’t work.  The lighter, I’m gonna-treat-you-like-a-man approach also seems to be nearing its sell by date as well.

Wade Phillips told the press before the Bengals game that he had an angry bunch at practice, upset with their performance against the Redskins.  Their anger seemed to evaporate 20 minutes into the game, once the lead became 17-0.

Today, the fire showed sporadically, but this group seemed to have no feel for the moment.  The special teams broke on the opening play and the final play.  The offense saw its Pro Bowlers, guys named Adams, Gurode and Witten, look lackadaisical.

When Dallas had the chance to seize the game, in the last minute of the first half, the miscues piled up to a sickening level.  A great play call that got Miles Austin open in the end zone was botched because Romo was nailed — again — as he stepped into his throw, and was unable to make the completion.

Nick Folk then threw the turnover away completely, clanking a short kick off the left upright.

In the second half, the defense took its turn.  I’m fully aware that the Cardinals are good and that they can make plays.  I don’t expect the Cowboys to hold them down for 60 minutes.  I do think that a winning defense would have known that one key stop, a hold on 3rd-and-17, when the offense had just settled and driven Dallas to its first lead of the day, could have put the game away.

Even when the Cards tied the game, a stop on the next series could have swayed the momentum back in Dallas’ direction.

I’m left shaking my head because most jump balls, most dives to a first down pylon, nearly every situation that turned on sheer will was won by the Cardinals.

And so I’m wondering how systemic, how extensively the malaise has spread.  It will make the knee jerkers among us feel better to scream for Bruce Read’s head, but the problem goes much deeper than him.  Wade put half a dozen coaches on special teams this summer.  Their failures end with Read, but they start with Wade and touch every assistant in between them.

Let’s not forget that the special teams cost Bruce DeHaven his job — and likely Parcells his — two years ago.  Remember the blocked field goal and facemask in Washington that handed the Redskins a gift win?  The 100 yard kickoff return by Washington in the Texas Stadium game?  Eddie Drummond’s three long punt returns in that embarrassing loss to the Lions?  The consistent wide lefts from Mike Vanderjagt’s sore leg?

Different position coach.  Different head coach.  Same core group of players.  Same abysmal results.

We’re going to learn if this group has the quan, and can rebound, or if they’re taking Jerry’s money, playing off their talent and pedigrees just well enough to break everybody’s hearts.  The Cowboys, as an organization have been here before.  Landry’s first title team was awful for half a season and needed some embarrassing losses to find their way.

Several recent winners have had to endure some football purgatory on their way to pigskin heaven.  The ‘94 Niners lost 40-8 in game five to the Eagles.  They were called the “Forty Eighters” by their fans and a Bay Area poll that week suggested George Seifert be fired immediately and replaced by the recently unemployed Jimmy Johnson.  They lost just once more the rest of the way.

The ‘05 Steelers dropped three straight midseason games to hit 7-5 before they ran off eight straight to win it all.  The ‘06 Colts lost four of six in November and December and saw their run defense gashed for an average of 197 yards in that span.  They caught fire in January and finally got their title.

Last year’s Giants meandered to a win-lose-win-lose 4-4 record the second half of the season.  They scored only 22 points more than they gave up all year, yet found their focus and their spot on the Super Bowl podium.

Recent history tells us to ignore the front runners.  We have to go back to the ‘04 Patriots to find a top two conference seed that won out.  The Cowboys, we can hope, can find their success on the low road, because they’ve proven beyond all doubt they can’t function as favorites.

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