Titans were easy, but the next task won't be
Frank Luksa: Titans were easy, but the next task won't be
05:43 PM CDT on Monday, October 2, 2006
Good grief. The Cowboys hadn't scored more points in a game since Dave Campo coached them to a 48-7 romp over Arizona. That was six years ago when beloved owner Jerry Jones was half right in predicting a 10-win season for the 5-11 team of 2000.
(Also recall that the Cowboys haven't won a playoff game since the 1996 heyday of Coach Gun Smoke, Barry Switzer).
Other than irrelevant factoids – neither had the Cowboys beaten anyone by 31 points since 38-7 over Detroit in 2003 – what do we make of Sunday's 45-14 stroll past the Tennessee Titans in Nashville?
Begin with the outcome. It was predictable, if not to such an inflated degree. The Titans were 0-3 at kickoff, en route to 0-4, and are destined for 0-5 next Sunday in Indianapolis. So beating them was not much of a rousing feat except for the thorough way it was done.
The Cowboys played to form, and that was enough since the Titans did, too, if you discounted the vile personal foul committed by defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth. I've never seen anything as flagrantly malicious in 40-odd years as an NFL witness. His act was worthy of a five-game suspension levied Monday by the league plus a maximum fine for being ejected from the game.
Haynesworth stomped on the bare head of center Andre Gurode during a goal-line pileup. His cleats ripped wounds that required 30 stitches to close. If a blessing existed, it was that the villain missed damaging Gurode's eyes.
"Coach [Jeff] Fisher was classy enough to apologize to me,'' Bill Parcells said Monday.
So went the sorriest episode to punctuate a second half rout that saw the Cowboys score 31 points to expand their 14-6 lead at intermission. The aftermath raised the question of whether the team Parcells assembled is gaining altitude or just squashed an NFL flea. I subscribe to both theories and await confirmation of the former next Sunday when the Cowboys travel to Philadelphia where they are 1-6 against the Eagles in recent seasons.
Hence prepare for another week of overload about Terrell Owens. Last week was a corker in that Owens became the first in my memory to have his playing status upgraded from suicidal to questionable. I thought it a gullible leap to believe Owens would purposely eliminate what he loves the most ,which is, of course, himself.
Anyway, he's spotlighted again for a first-time return to Philadelphia where a year ago he played for the Eagles until they … oh, you know that saga. I assume that Owens will be greeted with open arms, some perhaps holding batteries left over from a long ago pelting of Jimmy Johnson when they were encased in snowballs.
More than you care to read or hear about Owens will follow. But meantime, there is more to recount about the Tennessee game.
The Cowboys' offensive line had a marvelous game. It kept sack-less Drew Bledsoe from sporting so much as a grass stain and helped produce a 217-yard rushing day mainly for the benefit of Julius Jones (122 yards) and Marion Barber (55). Of course, they should have swept the board since the Titans leaked an average of 163 yards to runners coming in.
But then the linemen did a silly thing. They took a vow of post-game silence and declined interviews. Whatever the reason, and I can't think of one that's valid, I suggest trainers issue each a pacifier.
"I do think they're improving,'' Parcells said. "Of course, I'm sure there'll be a day where we'll have some trouble.''
The defense did a number on Titans rookie quarterback Vince Young, the former Texas phenom making his NFL starting debut. The number was three – interceptions by Aaron Glenn and Bradie James, the latter returned 15 yards for a touchdown, and a 69-yard fumble recovery runback by rookie Pat Watkins. Those turnovers led to 21 points.
Nor did the Cowboys allow Young to freelance with his feet as he did so well in college. He had Tennessee's long gain of 9 yards, but wound up with a net of 3 yards on five carries.
Once again, Terry Glenn enhanced his status as my offensive MVP. He caught a pair of 13-yard touchdowns from Bledsoe. Some railbirds float an airy theory that Glenn' success is hinged to Owens drawing coverage away from him. I don't think that flies.
Check what Glenn did last year without Owens: 62 catches for 1,136 yards and seven touchdowns. And for a disturbing exercise, visualize the Cowboys' passing game without Glenn.
"He's a mature football player,'' Parcells says. "He knows how to play, what to do and how to do it.''
Now if he can say the same things about his team this Sunday …
05:43 PM CDT on Monday, October 2, 2006
Good grief. The Cowboys hadn't scored more points in a game since Dave Campo coached them to a 48-7 romp over Arizona. That was six years ago when beloved owner Jerry Jones was half right in predicting a 10-win season for the 5-11 team of 2000.
(Also recall that the Cowboys haven't won a playoff game since the 1996 heyday of Coach Gun Smoke, Barry Switzer).
Other than irrelevant factoids – neither had the Cowboys beaten anyone by 31 points since 38-7 over Detroit in 2003 – what do we make of Sunday's 45-14 stroll past the Tennessee Titans in Nashville?
Begin with the outcome. It was predictable, if not to such an inflated degree. The Titans were 0-3 at kickoff, en route to 0-4, and are destined for 0-5 next Sunday in Indianapolis. So beating them was not much of a rousing feat except for the thorough way it was done.
The Cowboys played to form, and that was enough since the Titans did, too, if you discounted the vile personal foul committed by defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth. I've never seen anything as flagrantly malicious in 40-odd years as an NFL witness. His act was worthy of a five-game suspension levied Monday by the league plus a maximum fine for being ejected from the game.
Haynesworth stomped on the bare head of center Andre Gurode during a goal-line pileup. His cleats ripped wounds that required 30 stitches to close. If a blessing existed, it was that the villain missed damaging Gurode's eyes.
"Coach [Jeff] Fisher was classy enough to apologize to me,'' Bill Parcells said Monday.
So went the sorriest episode to punctuate a second half rout that saw the Cowboys score 31 points to expand their 14-6 lead at intermission. The aftermath raised the question of whether the team Parcells assembled is gaining altitude or just squashed an NFL flea. I subscribe to both theories and await confirmation of the former next Sunday when the Cowboys travel to Philadelphia where they are 1-6 against the Eagles in recent seasons.
Hence prepare for another week of overload about Terrell Owens. Last week was a corker in that Owens became the first in my memory to have his playing status upgraded from suicidal to questionable. I thought it a gullible leap to believe Owens would purposely eliminate what he loves the most ,which is, of course, himself.
Anyway, he's spotlighted again for a first-time return to Philadelphia where a year ago he played for the Eagles until they … oh, you know that saga. I assume that Owens will be greeted with open arms, some perhaps holding batteries left over from a long ago pelting of Jimmy Johnson when they were encased in snowballs.
More than you care to read or hear about Owens will follow. But meantime, there is more to recount about the Tennessee game.
The Cowboys' offensive line had a marvelous game. It kept sack-less Drew Bledsoe from sporting so much as a grass stain and helped produce a 217-yard rushing day mainly for the benefit of Julius Jones (122 yards) and Marion Barber (55). Of course, they should have swept the board since the Titans leaked an average of 163 yards to runners coming in.
But then the linemen did a silly thing. They took a vow of post-game silence and declined interviews. Whatever the reason, and I can't think of one that's valid, I suggest trainers issue each a pacifier.
"I do think they're improving,'' Parcells said. "Of course, I'm sure there'll be a day where we'll have some trouble.''
The defense did a number on Titans rookie quarterback Vince Young, the former Texas phenom making his NFL starting debut. The number was three – interceptions by Aaron Glenn and Bradie James, the latter returned 15 yards for a touchdown, and a 69-yard fumble recovery runback by rookie Pat Watkins. Those turnovers led to 21 points.
Nor did the Cowboys allow Young to freelance with his feet as he did so well in college. He had Tennessee's long gain of 9 yards, but wound up with a net of 3 yards on five carries.
Once again, Terry Glenn enhanced his status as my offensive MVP. He caught a pair of 13-yard touchdowns from Bledsoe. Some railbirds float an airy theory that Glenn' success is hinged to Owens drawing coverage away from him. I don't think that flies.
Check what Glenn did last year without Owens: 62 catches for 1,136 yards and seven touchdowns. And for a disturbing exercise, visualize the Cowboys' passing game without Glenn.
"He's a mature football player,'' Parcells says. "He knows how to play, what to do and how to do it.''
Now if he can say the same things about his team this Sunday …
posted by The Gryphon at 10:21 PM
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