Cowboys show no signs of cooling off
Win 4th in a row on field goal by newly acquired Gramatica
Don Pierson
On Pro Football
December 4, 2006
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Rejuvenated by a resourceful new quarterback and a recycled new kicker, the Dallas Cowboys suddenly feel like their season is just starting rather than entering the final quarter.
Though the Bears maintain a two-game lead in the NFC and clinched the North Division, they are no longer the hottest story in the conference. After the Cowboys beat the New York Giants 23-20 Sunday for their fourth straight victory and a two-game lead in the NFC East, there is a sense that momentum is shifting south.
The 8-4 Cowboys host the 8-4 New Orleans Saints of the NFC South next Sunday night as jockeying for playoff position continues. The Cowboys play three of their last four games at home, where they can feel something special beginning to happen. Neither the Cowboys nor Saints is on the Bears' schedule, so speculation over how they match up will last until January.
"I don't think this thing is over by any means," Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said after Martin Gramatica's 46-yard field goal beat the Giants with one second left.
Parcells didn't specify whether he was referring to the NFC East race or the season in general, but it didn't matter.
Quarterback Tony Romo overcame his worst day in six starts to set up Gramatica's game-winner with a 42-yard pass to tight end Jason Witten. Then Gramatica came through less than a week after Parcells kicked Mike Vanderjagt off the team and hired a kicker who hadn't had a steady NFL job for two years.
"I just thank God I got a second chance," Gramatica said. "It's been a rough couple years for me."
Said Parcells: "He made me look good. First game back in the league in a while, you can't get more pressure than that for the division lead. That kick gets him on the team for sure."
The desperate defending NFC East champion Giants, who lost their fourth in a row and fell to 6-6, had tied the score 20-20 with 1 minute 6 seconds left on Eli Manning's 5-yard pass to Plaxico Burress.
"It could have gone either way," Parcells said.
That it went the Cowboys' way added to the aura surrounding Romo, who finished 20 of 34 for 257 yards with two interceptions, losing the statistical matchup with Manning but winning the game.
"We made mistakes," Romo said. "I did, I know that. You're just happy to have a chance in the end to do something to help win the game."
Ditto for Gramatica. In his first attempt as a Cowboy, he had missed a first-quarter 44-yarder going the same direction as the infamous miss by Jay Feely that the Bears' Devin Hester returned 108 yards to begin the Giants' skid a month ago.
But Romo, Gramatica's holder, relaxed the kicker when the Giants called a timeout to ice him.
"I just told him the wind seemed the same as in warmups," Romo said. "I don't think he missed in warmups."
Did that knowledge relax Parcells as well?
"Not exactly," the coach said.
Romo threw two interceptions to none by Manning and said he was forced to move in the pocket more than he normally does. But avoiding the rush and finding receivers has been what distinguishes Romo from predecessor Drew Bledsoe. He has given his team new life by adding life to plays that break down.
It happened on his throw to Witten, when he slid to the left outside pass rusher Osi Umenyiora and hit Witten in stride, which happened to be the Cowboys' longest play of the day.
"He's not the No. 1 option," Romo said. "There's a couple other guys, but the way the protection fell, I was able to roll a little to the left. I saw Witten turn over his left shoulder, an instinctive move, and I just tried to get it to him on the run."
Said Giants coach Tom Coughlin: "He was outside of the containment for the majority of his big plays of the night."
Romo is now 5-1 as a starter after replacing Bledsoe during the Cowboys' first game against the Giants, a 36-22 loss that made it look like the tables would not turn this soon.
"He didn't have his best day," Parcells said. "But he got us downfield when it counted."
The Giants bounced back from an emotional week of intramural bickering to play their best game in a while, but nine penalties, including four personal fouls, reflected the ongoing turmoil.
"We don't have the time to get down on ourselves," Manning said. "We have to get ready for Carolina because both teams are looking for a playoff spot, and we know it's going to be a big game."
That's what Romo is noticing.
"All these games seem to be getting bigger and bigger every week," he said.
Parcells' decision to replace Vanderjagt with Gramatica was criticized by receiver Terrell Owens, who pointed out he had dropped passes and was still employed. Owens dropped passes again Sunday but also caught eight for 84 yards to lead both teams. He and Romo seem to have developed a rapport.
"He called me after practice the other day, and I was almost home," Owens said. "He said he was watching film and saw something we could do in the game.
"Week after week, everybody is seeing what this guy can do. He's not a rookie."
Owens also gave his blessing to Gramatica, who said he felt embraced.
"I never thought I'd be here," Gramatica said. "It was close to the end of the season, and I didn't think I'd get a chance this year. The guys on the team welcomed me with open arms from Day One. I felt right at home. I think that really helps when you come in late in the year."
For these Cowboys, it's still early.
Don Pierson
On Pro Football
December 4, 2006
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Rejuvenated by a resourceful new quarterback and a recycled new kicker, the Dallas Cowboys suddenly feel like their season is just starting rather than entering the final quarter.
Though the Bears maintain a two-game lead in the NFC and clinched the North Division, they are no longer the hottest story in the conference. After the Cowboys beat the New York Giants 23-20 Sunday for their fourth straight victory and a two-game lead in the NFC East, there is a sense that momentum is shifting south.
The 8-4 Cowboys host the 8-4 New Orleans Saints of the NFC South next Sunday night as jockeying for playoff position continues. The Cowboys play three of their last four games at home, where they can feel something special beginning to happen. Neither the Cowboys nor Saints is on the Bears' schedule, so speculation over how they match up will last until January.
"I don't think this thing is over by any means," Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said after Martin Gramatica's 46-yard field goal beat the Giants with one second left.
Parcells didn't specify whether he was referring to the NFC East race or the season in general, but it didn't matter.
Quarterback Tony Romo overcame his worst day in six starts to set up Gramatica's game-winner with a 42-yard pass to tight end Jason Witten. Then Gramatica came through less than a week after Parcells kicked Mike Vanderjagt off the team and hired a kicker who hadn't had a steady NFL job for two years.
"I just thank God I got a second chance," Gramatica said. "It's been a rough couple years for me."
Said Parcells: "He made me look good. First game back in the league in a while, you can't get more pressure than that for the division lead. That kick gets him on the team for sure."
The desperate defending NFC East champion Giants, who lost their fourth in a row and fell to 6-6, had tied the score 20-20 with 1 minute 6 seconds left on Eli Manning's 5-yard pass to Plaxico Burress.
"It could have gone either way," Parcells said.
That it went the Cowboys' way added to the aura surrounding Romo, who finished 20 of 34 for 257 yards with two interceptions, losing the statistical matchup with Manning but winning the game.
"We made mistakes," Romo said. "I did, I know that. You're just happy to have a chance in the end to do something to help win the game."
Ditto for Gramatica. In his first attempt as a Cowboy, he had missed a first-quarter 44-yarder going the same direction as the infamous miss by Jay Feely that the Bears' Devin Hester returned 108 yards to begin the Giants' skid a month ago.
But Romo, Gramatica's holder, relaxed the kicker when the Giants called a timeout to ice him.
"I just told him the wind seemed the same as in warmups," Romo said. "I don't think he missed in warmups."
Did that knowledge relax Parcells as well?
"Not exactly," the coach said.
Romo threw two interceptions to none by Manning and said he was forced to move in the pocket more than he normally does. But avoiding the rush and finding receivers has been what distinguishes Romo from predecessor Drew Bledsoe. He has given his team new life by adding life to plays that break down.
It happened on his throw to Witten, when he slid to the left outside pass rusher Osi Umenyiora and hit Witten in stride, which happened to be the Cowboys' longest play of the day.
"He's not the No. 1 option," Romo said. "There's a couple other guys, but the way the protection fell, I was able to roll a little to the left. I saw Witten turn over his left shoulder, an instinctive move, and I just tried to get it to him on the run."
Said Giants coach Tom Coughlin: "He was outside of the containment for the majority of his big plays of the night."
Romo is now 5-1 as a starter after replacing Bledsoe during the Cowboys' first game against the Giants, a 36-22 loss that made it look like the tables would not turn this soon.
"He didn't have his best day," Parcells said. "But he got us downfield when it counted."
The Giants bounced back from an emotional week of intramural bickering to play their best game in a while, but nine penalties, including four personal fouls, reflected the ongoing turmoil.
"We don't have the time to get down on ourselves," Manning said. "We have to get ready for Carolina because both teams are looking for a playoff spot, and we know it's going to be a big game."
That's what Romo is noticing.
"All these games seem to be getting bigger and bigger every week," he said.
Parcells' decision to replace Vanderjagt with Gramatica was criticized by receiver Terrell Owens, who pointed out he had dropped passes and was still employed. Owens dropped passes again Sunday but also caught eight for 84 yards to lead both teams. He and Romo seem to have developed a rapport.
"He called me after practice the other day, and I was almost home," Owens said. "He said he was watching film and saw something we could do in the game.
"Week after week, everybody is seeing what this guy can do. He's not a rookie."
Owens also gave his blessing to Gramatica, who said he felt embraced.
"I never thought I'd be here," Gramatica said. "It was close to the end of the season, and I didn't think I'd get a chance this year. The guys on the team welcomed me with open arms from Day One. I felt right at home. I think that really helps when you come in late in the year."
For these Cowboys, it's still early.
posted by The Gryphon at 6:54 PM
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