Inside Slant: Dallas Cowboys
Posted 10/19/2006 2:41 AM ET
Another week, another T.O. problem.
For those that thought Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens would be happy now that he caught three touchdowns in last week's game against the Texans, they might want to think again.
All three of the touchdowns came in the second half.
Owens' complaint this week is that he needs to start seeing the ball earlier in the game. He hopes that comes in Monday's NFC East showdown against the New York Giants.
"I felt like going into this game, I felt like I had to make some plays to let them know that's what I do," Owens said. "I make plays, regardless. I feel like I need to be in the offense, involved a little bit earlier in the ball game. As you saw the last couple of games, I'm catching like no balls the first half, one ball one half, then all of a sudden I start getting balls in the second half.
"I think it's been an adjustment. The coaches, obviously, they're working hard, trying to find ways to implement me into the game plan. I've just got to go accordingly."
Owens said he's gotten frustrated with his lack of early involvement as the game has gotten boring to him. What's more is that he can't pinpoint a reason why it's like that.
"In the first half of the last two ballgames, I'm not in the ballgame," he said. "That's not to say I'm not working hard. I'm not sure what the case may be. Every week I come in here and the following week I say I'm going to do some necessary things to better myself. We're making strides. I can't really pinpoint, who is at fault. That's not for me to make that call as far as whose fault it is. Just thinking about it, it's not really anybody's fault. I just feel like it's something that needs to be done in a collective effort."
Owens, wary of how his words might be taken out of context, stopped himself.
He said the focus should be on what the Cowboys need to do to beat than Giants than on his complaints about the ball.
Considering the importance of the game and it being on Monday Night Football, Owens said he's ready to go.
He's also mindful that it is the two-year anniversary of the controversial Monday Night Football commercial with Desperate Housewives star Nicolette Sheridan.
He's ready to put on a show.
"I love Monday," Owens said. "Is it Monday yet? Any time the world is watching, that's the only game on, a lot of people have their friends and family. It's a game you don't have to get extra to get up for."
SERIES HISTORY: 88th meeting. The Cowboys lead the regular season series 51-34-2. They split the season series last season, with each team winning at home.
NOTES, QUOTES
—The Dallas Cowboys' two most recent inductees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Rayfield Wright and Troy Aikman, will be honored at halftime of Monday night's game with the New York Giants. Wright and Aikman, inducted into the Hall in August of 2006, will be presented with their Hall of Fame rings by Pro Football Hall of Fame Executive Director/President Steve Perry.
—After spending eight years coaching the N.Y. Giants, Bill Parcells has faced his former team eight times with his three subsequent teams. In those eight games, Parcells coached teams have posted a 4-4 record, with his 1999 Jets team being his only squad that did not defeat the Giants. Parcells and the Cowboys swept their season series with the Giants in 2003, lost both games in 2004 and split the series with the Giants in 2005 with each team winning at home.
—Through five games of the 2006 season, Cowboys punter Mat McBriar leads the league in gross punting average (51.8 yards-per-punt) and is second with a net average of 41.8 yards. He has also had a long punt of over 60 yards in four of the five games this year. His only game without a long of 60+ yards was at Tennessee, in which he punted just once, a 40-yarder, that pinned the Titans inside their 10-yard line. Toby Gowin (1999) was the last Dallas punter to record a long of 60-plus yards in a season more than once (two times).
McBriar logged a career day against Houston (10/15), finishing the game with a 56.8-yard average on four punts, the highest single-game punt average in club history. His 75-yard punt that landed at the Texans two-yard line was the second longest punt in team history.
—Through six weeks, the Dallas kickoff return team has helped the offense by providing good starting field position. Dallas is fourth in the league with an average start at the 28.6-yard line. Greatly helping the Cowboys cause on kickoff return is second-year return man Tyson Thompson. As a rookie, Thompson set club records (and rookie records) for kickoff returns (57) and kickoff return yards (1,399). After five games, Thompson is fourth in the league with a 26.4 yard per-return average.
—The Dallas defense is once again proving they are a tough unit to score on. Through 20 quarters of play in 2006, Dallas has shut out their opponents eight times and have not allowed more than a field goal 12 times.
—The Dallas Cowboys make just one appearance on Monday Night Football this season. Monday's game will mark Dallas's 68th Monday night game, with the Cowboys posting a 39-28 record in its previous 67 Monday Night Football appearances.
Dallas's 67 MNF appearances are more than all but one NFL team — the Miami Dolphins (71) — and their 39 victories tie the most in MNF history.
—The Cowboys have been able to get the job done and find the end zone with a shortened field. Through six weeks, Dallas boasts the league's second most effective red zone offense, scoring touchdowns on 12-of-19 drives and field goals.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "With this stretch of games we have here all these teams, certainly the next couple, I view Washington as a threat I know everybody has them in the coffin, but I've been around Joe Gibbs too long to do that. I would think they would come back. So you know we got the Colts coming too they certainly look formidable we have a lot of tough games, we got this Monday night game then we got to go to Carolina on a short week play them on a Sunday night come back go to Washington so it's a real, we got to be ready to go." — Cowboys coach Bill Parcells on the Cowboys' tough upcoming schedule and why he will learn a lot about his team before Thanksgiving.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
PLAYER NOTES
—SS Marcus Coleman was signed to the active roster. Coleman was released last week so the Cowboys wouldn't have to guarantee his salary for the entire season. He was suspended for the first four games of the season for violating the substance abuse policy.
—WR Jamaica Rector and guard Matt Tarullo were signed to the practice squad.
—K Shaun Suisham was released from the practice squad.
—QB Drew Bledsoe has a 4-1 (.800) record vs. the Giants. He threw two TDs last week (251), joining Brett Favre (403) & Peyton Manning (252) as the only active QBs with 250.
—RB Julius Jones has 357 yards from scrimmage in 2 meetings (178.5 per game) versus the Giants.
—WR Terrell Owens has 15 TD catches on MNF, tied for 2nd-most all-time. Owens has a TD in seven of his past eight MNF games (11 TDs) and has four 100-yard games in last five games on MNF (646 yards). He tied a career-high with three TDs last week.
—TE Jason Witten has three career TDs vs. the Giants, his most vs. any opponent.
GAME PLAN: The Cowboys must control the Giants ground game. Tiki Barber is having a strong season and everything the Giants do is based on his ability to make yards on the ground. Once they take Barber away, they must prevent the big play. Offensively, the Cowboys must establish the run and protect quarterback Drew Bledsoe. They will take shots down the field to Terrell Owens and Terry Glenn.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH: Cowboys tackles Flozell Adams and Marc Colombo vs. Giants defensive ends Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora. Adams has been up and down but Colombo has played well so far. Or least better than expected for a former first round bust. Both will get a big test against the Giants. Adams was awful against Darren Howard of the Eagles. He can't have a repeat performance against Umenyiora, who is the Giants' best rusher. And while Colombo has been solid, he hasn't been tested. His first test will come against Strahan, one of the NFL's all-time best pass rushers.
—Giants receiver Plaxico Burress vs. Cowboys cornerback Anthony Henry. It's no secret the Cowboys signed Henry to defend some of the big receivers in the division. He was signed specifically for Terrell Owens when he was with the Eagles and Burress. Owens is now Henry's teammate. But he still has to deal with Burress. Henry has the size and physical strength to handle the big receivers. He also has the speed to run with them. Still, he will have his hands full with Burress, who has a knack for coming up with the big play.
INJURY IMPACT: DE Jason Hatcher is out indefinitely with a sprained ankle.
Another week, another T.O. problem.
For those that thought Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens would be happy now that he caught three touchdowns in last week's game against the Texans, they might want to think again.
All three of the touchdowns came in the second half.
Owens' complaint this week is that he needs to start seeing the ball earlier in the game. He hopes that comes in Monday's NFC East showdown against the New York Giants.
"I felt like going into this game, I felt like I had to make some plays to let them know that's what I do," Owens said. "I make plays, regardless. I feel like I need to be in the offense, involved a little bit earlier in the ball game. As you saw the last couple of games, I'm catching like no balls the first half, one ball one half, then all of a sudden I start getting balls in the second half.
"I think it's been an adjustment. The coaches, obviously, they're working hard, trying to find ways to implement me into the game plan. I've just got to go accordingly."
Owens said he's gotten frustrated with his lack of early involvement as the game has gotten boring to him. What's more is that he can't pinpoint a reason why it's like that.
"In the first half of the last two ballgames, I'm not in the ballgame," he said. "That's not to say I'm not working hard. I'm not sure what the case may be. Every week I come in here and the following week I say I'm going to do some necessary things to better myself. We're making strides. I can't really pinpoint, who is at fault. That's not for me to make that call as far as whose fault it is. Just thinking about it, it's not really anybody's fault. I just feel like it's something that needs to be done in a collective effort."
Owens, wary of how his words might be taken out of context, stopped himself.
He said the focus should be on what the Cowboys need to do to beat than Giants than on his complaints about the ball.
Considering the importance of the game and it being on Monday Night Football, Owens said he's ready to go.
He's also mindful that it is the two-year anniversary of the controversial Monday Night Football commercial with Desperate Housewives star Nicolette Sheridan.
He's ready to put on a show.
"I love Monday," Owens said. "Is it Monday yet? Any time the world is watching, that's the only game on, a lot of people have their friends and family. It's a game you don't have to get extra to get up for."
SERIES HISTORY: 88th meeting. The Cowboys lead the regular season series 51-34-2. They split the season series last season, with each team winning at home.
NOTES, QUOTES
—The Dallas Cowboys' two most recent inductees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Rayfield Wright and Troy Aikman, will be honored at halftime of Monday night's game with the New York Giants. Wright and Aikman, inducted into the Hall in August of 2006, will be presented with their Hall of Fame rings by Pro Football Hall of Fame Executive Director/President Steve Perry.
—After spending eight years coaching the N.Y. Giants, Bill Parcells has faced his former team eight times with his three subsequent teams. In those eight games, Parcells coached teams have posted a 4-4 record, with his 1999 Jets team being his only squad that did not defeat the Giants. Parcells and the Cowboys swept their season series with the Giants in 2003, lost both games in 2004 and split the series with the Giants in 2005 with each team winning at home.
—Through five games of the 2006 season, Cowboys punter Mat McBriar leads the league in gross punting average (51.8 yards-per-punt) and is second with a net average of 41.8 yards. He has also had a long punt of over 60 yards in four of the five games this year. His only game without a long of 60+ yards was at Tennessee, in which he punted just once, a 40-yarder, that pinned the Titans inside their 10-yard line. Toby Gowin (1999) was the last Dallas punter to record a long of 60-plus yards in a season more than once (two times).
McBriar logged a career day against Houston (10/15), finishing the game with a 56.8-yard average on four punts, the highest single-game punt average in club history. His 75-yard punt that landed at the Texans two-yard line was the second longest punt in team history.
—Through six weeks, the Dallas kickoff return team has helped the offense by providing good starting field position. Dallas is fourth in the league with an average start at the 28.6-yard line. Greatly helping the Cowboys cause on kickoff return is second-year return man Tyson Thompson. As a rookie, Thompson set club records (and rookie records) for kickoff returns (57) and kickoff return yards (1,399). After five games, Thompson is fourth in the league with a 26.4 yard per-return average.
—The Dallas defense is once again proving they are a tough unit to score on. Through 20 quarters of play in 2006, Dallas has shut out their opponents eight times and have not allowed more than a field goal 12 times.
—The Dallas Cowboys make just one appearance on Monday Night Football this season. Monday's game will mark Dallas's 68th Monday night game, with the Cowboys posting a 39-28 record in its previous 67 Monday Night Football appearances.
Dallas's 67 MNF appearances are more than all but one NFL team — the Miami Dolphins (71) — and their 39 victories tie the most in MNF history.
—The Cowboys have been able to get the job done and find the end zone with a shortened field. Through six weeks, Dallas boasts the league's second most effective red zone offense, scoring touchdowns on 12-of-19 drives and field goals.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "With this stretch of games we have here all these teams, certainly the next couple, I view Washington as a threat I know everybody has them in the coffin, but I've been around Joe Gibbs too long to do that. I would think they would come back. So you know we got the Colts coming too they certainly look formidable we have a lot of tough games, we got this Monday night game then we got to go to Carolina on a short week play them on a Sunday night come back go to Washington so it's a real, we got to be ready to go." — Cowboys coach Bill Parcells on the Cowboys' tough upcoming schedule and why he will learn a lot about his team before Thanksgiving.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
PLAYER NOTES
—SS Marcus Coleman was signed to the active roster. Coleman was released last week so the Cowboys wouldn't have to guarantee his salary for the entire season. He was suspended for the first four games of the season for violating the substance abuse policy.
—WR Jamaica Rector and guard Matt Tarullo were signed to the practice squad.
—K Shaun Suisham was released from the practice squad.
—QB Drew Bledsoe has a 4-1 (.800) record vs. the Giants. He threw two TDs last week (251), joining Brett Favre (403) & Peyton Manning (252) as the only active QBs with 250.
—RB Julius Jones has 357 yards from scrimmage in 2 meetings (178.5 per game) versus the Giants.
—WR Terrell Owens has 15 TD catches on MNF, tied for 2nd-most all-time. Owens has a TD in seven of his past eight MNF games (11 TDs) and has four 100-yard games in last five games on MNF (646 yards). He tied a career-high with three TDs last week.
—TE Jason Witten has three career TDs vs. the Giants, his most vs. any opponent.
GAME PLAN: The Cowboys must control the Giants ground game. Tiki Barber is having a strong season and everything the Giants do is based on his ability to make yards on the ground. Once they take Barber away, they must prevent the big play. Offensively, the Cowboys must establish the run and protect quarterback Drew Bledsoe. They will take shots down the field to Terrell Owens and Terry Glenn.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH: Cowboys tackles Flozell Adams and Marc Colombo vs. Giants defensive ends Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora. Adams has been up and down but Colombo has played well so far. Or least better than expected for a former first round bust. Both will get a big test against the Giants. Adams was awful against Darren Howard of the Eagles. He can't have a repeat performance against Umenyiora, who is the Giants' best rusher. And while Colombo has been solid, he hasn't been tested. His first test will come against Strahan, one of the NFL's all-time best pass rushers.
—Giants receiver Plaxico Burress vs. Cowboys cornerback Anthony Henry. It's no secret the Cowboys signed Henry to defend some of the big receivers in the division. He was signed specifically for Terrell Owens when he was with the Eagles and Burress. Owens is now Henry's teammate. But he still has to deal with Burress. Henry has the size and physical strength to handle the big receivers. He also has the speed to run with them. Still, he will have his hands full with Burress, who has a knack for coming up with the big play.
INJURY IMPACT: DE Jason Hatcher is out indefinitely with a sprained ankle.
posted by The Gryphon at 6:49 PM
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