The unbeaten: Dallas Cowboys
by david.wharton@latimes.com
Three victories do not a season make, but a handful of NFL teams have started the 2007 season undefeated and taken a big step toward the playoffs. The select group includes preseason favorites Indianapolis and New England, mild surprises Dallas and Pittsburgh, and a bigger surprise in Green Bay. Times staff writer David Wharton takes a look at one of this fall's fast starters:
Rising star: Tony Romo is making people forget about the botched hold that cost Dallas a playoff victory against Seattle last season. The second-year starter is the hottest quarterback in the NFC, completing 58% of his passes and averaging 286 yards passing per game. He's getting help from a big offensive line opening holes for the fifth-best ground game in the league, averaging 146 yards. Marion Barber gets most of the carries and is tied for the league lead with four rushing touchdowns.
Happy camper: Why is Terrell Owens smiling? Maybe because he is out from under the thumb of former Dallas coach Bill Parcells. Or maybe because Romo is getting him the ball so often. Owens is averaging 109.7 yards a game, a healthy 20 yards a catch, and has reached the end zone three times. Whatever the reason, the temperamental receiver has been a model citizen and that's good news for the Cowboys
Warning sign: Dallas hired Wade Phillips as its coach, in part because of the job he did as defensive coordinator with San Diego. But something has been lost in the translation. The Cowboys are doing a good job against the run but not so well against the pass. As a result, they are surrendering 337 yards a game -- 21st in the NFL -- as compared to 322 last season.
Outlook: It's a kinder, gentler Dallas locker room now that the easygoing Phillips has replaced Parcells. So far, so good. Though the first two wins against the New York Giants and Miami weren't terribly impressive, Dallas opened some eyes by thumping Chicago, 34-10, on national television last Sunday. Circle Oct. 14 on the calendar -- the Cowboys could be 5-0 heading into a test against New England.
Three victories do not a season make, but a handful of NFL teams have started the 2007 season undefeated and taken a big step toward the playoffs. The select group includes preseason favorites Indianapolis and New England, mild surprises Dallas and Pittsburgh, and a bigger surprise in Green Bay. Times staff writer David Wharton takes a look at one of this fall's fast starters:
Rising star: Tony Romo is making people forget about the botched hold that cost Dallas a playoff victory against Seattle last season. The second-year starter is the hottest quarterback in the NFC, completing 58% of his passes and averaging 286 yards passing per game. He's getting help from a big offensive line opening holes for the fifth-best ground game in the league, averaging 146 yards. Marion Barber gets most of the carries and is tied for the league lead with four rushing touchdowns.
Happy camper: Why is Terrell Owens smiling? Maybe because he is out from under the thumb of former Dallas coach Bill Parcells. Or maybe because Romo is getting him the ball so often. Owens is averaging 109.7 yards a game, a healthy 20 yards a catch, and has reached the end zone three times. Whatever the reason, the temperamental receiver has been a model citizen and that's good news for the Cowboys
Warning sign: Dallas hired Wade Phillips as its coach, in part because of the job he did as defensive coordinator with San Diego. But something has been lost in the translation. The Cowboys are doing a good job against the run but not so well against the pass. As a result, they are surrendering 337 yards a game -- 21st in the NFL -- as compared to 322 last season.
Outlook: It's a kinder, gentler Dallas locker room now that the easygoing Phillips has replaced Parcells. So far, so good. Though the first two wins against the New York Giants and Miami weren't terribly impressive, Dallas opened some eyes by thumping Chicago, 34-10, on national television last Sunday. Circle Oct. 14 on the calendar -- the Cowboys could be 5-0 heading into a test against New England.
posted by The Gryphon at 10:20 AM
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