Down in the Valley? Not for long
By Randy Galloway
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/RUSTY KENNEDY
Philadelphia was a debacle as Bill Parcells got a little whine with his cheese steak from receiver Terrell Owens.Been a tough week, huh? A week of mucking out Valley Ranch misery after the mishap in Philadelphia.
We've heard that one sad whine act in the locker room, we've heard the Big Bill growl, we've listened to the ifs and buts.
Don't believe, however, I've ever heard a head coach of the Cowboys publicly declare one of his players taboo to talk about with the media.
It must be getting real touchy these days in the Irving bunker.
But now, in this time of despair, let us all rejoice. Good news has arrived.
Today, it's gonna be all right again.
Today, everybody gets fat and happy again on success.
By Monday, Philadelphia will be so far back there in the rearview mirror, it might as well be San Angelo.
Personal opinion: I'd rather be in San Angelo, but enough about my vacation destinations.
Today, Drew Bledsoe gets his game flipped back around to the sunny side of quarterbacking life.
By midafternoon, Jerry Jones will be in the postgame locker room describing Drew once again as "being like a surgeon back there."
Bledsoe may have butchered the patient in Philly, but today he will be cuttin' and grinnin'.
Even Eldorado Owens finally figures out a way today to get open, stay open and get the ball thrown his way. No guarantees, however, on Eldo actually catching it.
But seriously, dude. He's a playmaker. Philadelphia was a personal disgrace, but Owens has got easy money today.
Then there's the Cowboys' defense.
Cheese-steaked in Philly, but the head coach blamed it all on a rookie safety. Made everybody feel better about the collapse back East.
Now that Pat Watkins has been fed to the media wolves, that defense will be hell-bent to prove it's not the most overrated bunch in the NFL.
David Carr, screw down the facemask real tight.
Hey, it's only Houston. Noon kickoff at Texas Stadium, with a butt-kick to follow.
Vegas has the Texans as a 13-point underdog. Ohio State would only be about 12 if that team was today's visitor. Then again, Ohio State players are paid better than the Texans. (Old joke, and I'm sorry for bringing it up.)
Looking ahead, what about the Giants in that Monday night game? Then the following trips to Carolina and Washington?
Thank goodness it's Houston. This is a perfect jumping-off point into a tough stretch of schedule.
Everybody can be fat and happy for a week.
Except...
Remember that September night in Mosquitoville four years ago?
First game ever for the Texans. Biggest burp ever for the Cowboys.
I know. I know. It's totally different these days. For one thing, the quarterback isn't a junkie.
And since that humiliating defeat, the Cowboys have gone on to much greater things.
Like an overall record of 32-36, including the one quick exit from the playoffs three years ago.
Fear that, Houston.
Then again, the Texans built up so much momentum from a first-ever win against the Cowboys, they managed to become the laughingstock franchise of the entire league.
With a 1-3 record at the moment, nothing figures to change.
Except...
Carr, the human sack bag of a quarterback, is suddenly progressing nicely in the system of new coach Gary Kubiak.
If that foolish NFL quarterback rating system was actually valid, I'd tell you Carr was the best in the league at the moment for producing the most with the least mistakes. But it's not valid.
More important is the kid throwing accurately, instead of throwing picks, and he's avoiding sacks.
Carr also has three receivers who can make Roy Williams stumble and fall in coverage, as if that's difficult -- Andre Johnson, Eric Moulds and Kevin Walter.
What Carr doesn't have is a running game any opposition will respect, making his air progress that much more impressive.
Be careful here. If Byron Leftwich did it in Jacksonville with his group of nomad receivers, don't necessarily dismiss Carr and Co.
And about that Houston defense that Bledsoe will go surgeon on.
The overall numbers for four games look bad.
But after the Texans were defensively hopeless in September, changes were made.
The Texans will now blitz the snot out of you.
Bledsoe against the blitz? It's been like a cricket hitting a windshield at 60 mph.
If Flozell Adams decides this is his week to block somebody, Bledsoe may survive this incoming barrage. But is anybody betting on Flo actually caring?
And while most people in football are hooting at the Texans for taking Mario Williams in the draft instead of Reggie Bush, the Mario Fan Club is growing quickly in scattered NFL precincts other than Houston.
Texans fans may never forgive owner Bob McNair for passing up both Bush and Vince Young.
Big Bill, however, said this week the defensive end was rated at the top of the Cowboys' draft board in April. And, yes, being in Houston shoes with the No. 1 pick, Parcells also would have gone Williams first, even with Bush as the league's new poster child in New Orleans.
But before anyone down South considers that good news, better check the overall Cowboys draft record under Big Bill.
Sorry, Bobby Carpenter, but you may not letter this season..
OK, while it figures to be a case of Fat Sunday at Texas Stadium, play it safe and bring along a designated driver.
You know. Just in case the Cowboys are overserved on overconfidence. Or there's an allergic overreaction and accidental overdose to the Philly debacle.
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/RUSTY KENNEDY
Philadelphia was a debacle as Bill Parcells got a little whine with his cheese steak from receiver Terrell Owens.Been a tough week, huh? A week of mucking out Valley Ranch misery after the mishap in Philadelphia.
We've heard that one sad whine act in the locker room, we've heard the Big Bill growl, we've listened to the ifs and buts.
Don't believe, however, I've ever heard a head coach of the Cowboys publicly declare one of his players taboo to talk about with the media.
It must be getting real touchy these days in the Irving bunker.
But now, in this time of despair, let us all rejoice. Good news has arrived.
Today, it's gonna be all right again.
Today, everybody gets fat and happy again on success.
By Monday, Philadelphia will be so far back there in the rearview mirror, it might as well be San Angelo.
Personal opinion: I'd rather be in San Angelo, but enough about my vacation destinations.
Today, Drew Bledsoe gets his game flipped back around to the sunny side of quarterbacking life.
By midafternoon, Jerry Jones will be in the postgame locker room describing Drew once again as "being like a surgeon back there."
Bledsoe may have butchered the patient in Philly, but today he will be cuttin' and grinnin'.
Even Eldorado Owens finally figures out a way today to get open, stay open and get the ball thrown his way. No guarantees, however, on Eldo actually catching it.
But seriously, dude. He's a playmaker. Philadelphia was a personal disgrace, but Owens has got easy money today.
Then there's the Cowboys' defense.
Cheese-steaked in Philly, but the head coach blamed it all on a rookie safety. Made everybody feel better about the collapse back East.
Now that Pat Watkins has been fed to the media wolves, that defense will be hell-bent to prove it's not the most overrated bunch in the NFL.
David Carr, screw down the facemask real tight.
Hey, it's only Houston. Noon kickoff at Texas Stadium, with a butt-kick to follow.
Vegas has the Texans as a 13-point underdog. Ohio State would only be about 12 if that team was today's visitor. Then again, Ohio State players are paid better than the Texans. (Old joke, and I'm sorry for bringing it up.)
Looking ahead, what about the Giants in that Monday night game? Then the following trips to Carolina and Washington?
Thank goodness it's Houston. This is a perfect jumping-off point into a tough stretch of schedule.
Everybody can be fat and happy for a week.
Except...
Remember that September night in Mosquitoville four years ago?
First game ever for the Texans. Biggest burp ever for the Cowboys.
I know. I know. It's totally different these days. For one thing, the quarterback isn't a junkie.
And since that humiliating defeat, the Cowboys have gone on to much greater things.
Like an overall record of 32-36, including the one quick exit from the playoffs three years ago.
Fear that, Houston.
Then again, the Texans built up so much momentum from a first-ever win against the Cowboys, they managed to become the laughingstock franchise of the entire league.
With a 1-3 record at the moment, nothing figures to change.
Except...
Carr, the human sack bag of a quarterback, is suddenly progressing nicely in the system of new coach Gary Kubiak.
If that foolish NFL quarterback rating system was actually valid, I'd tell you Carr was the best in the league at the moment for producing the most with the least mistakes. But it's not valid.
More important is the kid throwing accurately, instead of throwing picks, and he's avoiding sacks.
Carr also has three receivers who can make Roy Williams stumble and fall in coverage, as if that's difficult -- Andre Johnson, Eric Moulds and Kevin Walter.
What Carr doesn't have is a running game any opposition will respect, making his air progress that much more impressive.
Be careful here. If Byron Leftwich did it in Jacksonville with his group of nomad receivers, don't necessarily dismiss Carr and Co.
And about that Houston defense that Bledsoe will go surgeon on.
The overall numbers for four games look bad.
But after the Texans were defensively hopeless in September, changes were made.
The Texans will now blitz the snot out of you.
Bledsoe against the blitz? It's been like a cricket hitting a windshield at 60 mph.
If Flozell Adams decides this is his week to block somebody, Bledsoe may survive this incoming barrage. But is anybody betting on Flo actually caring?
And while most people in football are hooting at the Texans for taking Mario Williams in the draft instead of Reggie Bush, the Mario Fan Club is growing quickly in scattered NFL precincts other than Houston.
Texans fans may never forgive owner Bob McNair for passing up both Bush and Vince Young.
Big Bill, however, said this week the defensive end was rated at the top of the Cowboys' draft board in April. And, yes, being in Houston shoes with the No. 1 pick, Parcells also would have gone Williams first, even with Bush as the league's new poster child in New Orleans.
But before anyone down South considers that good news, better check the overall Cowboys draft record under Big Bill.
Sorry, Bobby Carpenter, but you may not letter this season..
OK, while it figures to be a case of Fat Sunday at Texas Stadium, play it safe and bring along a designated driver.
You know. Just in case the Cowboys are overserved on overconfidence. Or there's an allergic overreaction and accidental overdose to the Philly debacle.
posted by The Gryphon at 4:56 PM
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