Romo Trying to Bring a Sense of Urgency to the Cowboys
[picappgallerysingle id="9858616"]On Thursday, I wrote about Dallas linebacker DeMarcus Ware’s extraordinary talent and unnoticed credentials. While studying NFL stats through three weeks of play this season, I noticed Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo once again ranks near the top of the charts. Romo ranks 4th in the league in passing yards through three games with 940. Perhaps even more impressive is Romo’s 68.8 completion percentage, which ranks 5th in the NFL. In these categories, Romo only trails the elite likes of Peyton Manning and Drew Brees. However, that “e” word means a lot more than what we give it credit for. I only used it to describe two excellent quarterbacks, each of whom has won a Super Bowl. That’s exactly how the Eastern Illinois product describes being and “elite” quarterback. Regardless of the stats, he doesn’t believe he’s made it to that level yet. (more…)
Cowboys Looking for New Nickel Linebacker
[picappgallerysingle id="9707491"]Dallas linebackers Bradie James and Keith Brooking aren’t as young as they used to be. James is in his 8th NFL season at age 29 while Brooking is playing his 13th year as a pro at age 34. Although both players are former Pro Bowlers and excellent veteran talents, they can’t play every down of each game like they used to. That bodes a problem for the Cowboys since the team traded away nickel linebacker Bobby Carpenter in the offseason. I won’t go into detail in this post about how that one turned out. Both James and Brooking are very capable of playing the nickel and have done so for the first three games this year. Head coach Wade Phillips is most comfortable with his two veterans playing the nickel, but would like to reduce each player’s minutes to keep them from wearing down throughout the season. (more…)
Dallas Cowboys on Track After First Win
[picappgallerysingle id="9858646"]Anyone except the Redskins’ faithful and Bears fans will tell you the Cowboys should be 3-0. ESPN NFL analyst John Clayton said after Sunday’s win at Houston that the Cowboys are the most talented team in the league. Writers like myself yak on and on about all the talent Dallas has across the board, but it’s true. Even the high-powered passing teams like Indy and New England don’t have a receiving corps that is more talented than the Cowboys’. Of course, guys like Reggie Wayne and Randy Moss are excellent players, but Miles Austin has better numbers than both of them. You may be shocked to know Roy Williams and Dez Bryant both have better numbers than Wes Welker. Say what?! Yes, the Cowboys are stacked talent-wise. I’m beating a dead horse, but penalties and bad play-calling were fatal in Weeks 1 and 2. At least the latter of those two problems was fixed this past Sunday and the result speaks for itself. Like it or not, the Cowboys are loaded and in good shape to contend for a title this year. (more…)
DeMarcus Ware is the New “Manster”
[picappgallerysingle id="7504623"]Ask any football fan, and they’ll tell you the best player on the Dallas Cowboys is outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware. It’s common knowledge and almost something that doesn’t get talked about nearly enough. Even less discussed is Ware’s status among the all-time greats of the Cowboys and the NFL as a whole. For example, Ware recently claimed a franchise record by earning his fourth career Defensive Player of the Week Award. Ware was extremely instrumental in the Cowboys’ Week 3 win at Houston, and it has gone quite unnoticed. Writers like myself did not even mention the sixth-year veteran in our recaps of Dallas’ win over the Texans. That Player of the Week record is not the only career-defining stat about the Cowboys’ best player. (more…)
Dez Bryant Takes the Cowboys Out for a $54,000 Dinner
[picappgallerysingle id="9680800"]Dallas wide receiver Roy Williams finally got back at rookie teammate Dez Bryant for refusing to carry his shoulder pads in training camp. The opportunity came on Monday night when the Cowboys’ first-round draft pick invited the team’s offensive players to eat at Pappas Brothers Steakhouse. Just after the offensive players arrived, the entire defense showed up as well in response to Williams’ invitation. After the four dozen players finally finished stuffing themselves and all the ordering was done, Bryant’s bill totaled just over $54,000. “They got the young fella,” said Bryant’s adviser David Wells. “What could he say? He had to pay it unless he wanted to wash dishes for a month.” Many players ordered much more food than they could possibly eat, with Williams’ encouragement of course. Pappas Brothers’ wine menu is roughly 90 pages thick, and many players took full bottles home with them. It isn’t confirmed whether any player took home the Chateau Latour, which is listed on the menu at $9,000. It would help explain the ridiculously high bill if one or more of them did. Apparently Bryant’s buying of Air Jordan shoes for all the Cowboys receivers was not enough to satisfy Williams, but the veteran should be smiling plenty now.
