Cowboys Mailbag: Division gauntlet to test team's mettle
Tom Orsborn
San Antonio Express-News
IRVING – Wade Phillips had a brief moment of self-pity Monday when asked about the Cowboys being unable to separate themselves from the rest of the NFC East.
"I don’t know how I always fall into it, but it seems like whenever I get into a division, they get good," Phillips said. "It’s a tough, tough division."
Dallas will find out just how tough next month. The Cowboys play three-straight division games after their off week, beginning with back-to-back games at Philadelphia on Nov. 4 and the New York Giants on Nov. 11. The stretch ends at home against Washington on Nov. 18.
Dallas sits atop the division at 6-1, the top mark in the NFC. But the Giants (5-2) have won five straight. The Redskins are 4-2. Only the Eagles (2-4) are struggling, but it would be foolish for the Cowboys to venture into Lincoln Financial Field thinking they’re guaranteed a victory.
Philadelphia lost a heartbreaker at home to Chicago on Sunday, but could easily get back on track Sunday at Minnesota. Then there’s this: Dallas has won only once in Philadelphia in its last eight trips. A loss could also loom in the Meadowlands the following week. After playing 0-6 Miami in London on Sunday, the Giants get a week off before they face the Cowboys.
"I feel like we’re going to be sharp anyways," linebacker DeMarcus Ware said, "but those guys, they are right behind our tails, and they’re going to keep going. We’re never going to have any lagging from this point on."
And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. A tough race will make Dallas a better team come playoff time. Don’t be surprised if the division title will come down to the final weekend, when the Cowboys play at Washington and the Giants host New England, which means the Cowboys better hope the Patriots need a victory to edge out Indianapolis for home field in the AFC.
It’s time for you all to stop with T.O. and the dropped passes. If the golden-boy quarterback would put the ball where he should, there would be fewer incompletions. You try catching a ball that you have to twist your body to get to while someone is about to hit you. Yes, there were some that were on the money he should have caught. But what really bothers me is that you all don’t talk about the catches he makes that border on the spectacular.
Mike, Cleveland
T.O. is an elite receiver, and elite receivers are held to a higher standard. Romo needs to be more accurate, but T.O. drops way too many passes that are on the money.
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When should Dallas let Marion Barber start at running back?
Jason, Austin
Barber had 19 carries against the Vikings, which is probably what he would have logged as a starter. Phillips likes him coming off the bench, just as Bill Parcells did. The reason is simple: It allows him to have fresh legs in the fourth quarter. Here’s how Phillips put it: "He’s a powerful inside runner and you want to hammer it inside as much as you can late in the ball game. You don’t want to be running sideways very much, or get outside, although he can run inside or outside. But I just think he’s a real powerful inside runner. He can get 3½ yards each play and make a first down, that’s what we are trying to do (in the fourth). "He’s the type of guy, if the defense is worn down a little bit, he can punish them. Late in the game, he is coming in fresh, too. He’s not worn out from the whole game. That helps, too." For the season, Barber has 32 fourth-quarter carries – 12 more than Jones – for 236 yards.
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Did Chicago release Tank Johnson due to the league violations or had his play diminished to the point the violations gave them a simple out?
Rob McPeak, Richmond, Va.
The Bears would love to still have Johnson, but his behavior made keeping him impossible. He seems to have learned his lesson, though, and should give the Cowboys a boost.
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During the Patriots game, I counted at least three times one of the Cowboys’ defenders had a clean hit on Tom Brady and opted not to take it. I know we don’t want to see anyone in the league get hurt, but doesn’t Brady deserve to get hit just like anybody else.
Gary, Jackson, Tenn.
It’s better to play it safe than to get a costly 15-yard penalty.
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When are we going to see Isaiah Stanback thrown into the mix?
Austin, Austin, Texas
I know everybody wants to see what Stanback can do, but the only way he’s going to get any playing time is if one of the top four receivers gets injured. Stanback is a rookie learning a new position. That’s not an easy thing in the NFL.
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Do you think the Cowboys’ pass rush will improve when Anthony Henry and Tank Johnson are in the lineup? And when Terry Glenn returns, can the Cowboys’ offense reach New England caliber?
Dave Cortez, Katy, Texas
Henry, if he’s 100 percent, and Johnson, if he can shake off the rust accumulated from not playing since the Super Bowl in February, will help the defense tremendously. A healthy Glenn would make the offense even more explosive, but let’s forget the New England talk. I like Tony Romo, but he’s no Tom Brady.
San Antonio Express-News
IRVING – Wade Phillips had a brief moment of self-pity Monday when asked about the Cowboys being unable to separate themselves from the rest of the NFC East.
"I don’t know how I always fall into it, but it seems like whenever I get into a division, they get good," Phillips said. "It’s a tough, tough division."
Dallas will find out just how tough next month. The Cowboys play three-straight division games after their off week, beginning with back-to-back games at Philadelphia on Nov. 4 and the New York Giants on Nov. 11. The stretch ends at home against Washington on Nov. 18.
Dallas sits atop the division at 6-1, the top mark in the NFC. But the Giants (5-2) have won five straight. The Redskins are 4-2. Only the Eagles (2-4) are struggling, but it would be foolish for the Cowboys to venture into Lincoln Financial Field thinking they’re guaranteed a victory.
Philadelphia lost a heartbreaker at home to Chicago on Sunday, but could easily get back on track Sunday at Minnesota. Then there’s this: Dallas has won only once in Philadelphia in its last eight trips. A loss could also loom in the Meadowlands the following week. After playing 0-6 Miami in London on Sunday, the Giants get a week off before they face the Cowboys.
"I feel like we’re going to be sharp anyways," linebacker DeMarcus Ware said, "but those guys, they are right behind our tails, and they’re going to keep going. We’re never going to have any lagging from this point on."
And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. A tough race will make Dallas a better team come playoff time. Don’t be surprised if the division title will come down to the final weekend, when the Cowboys play at Washington and the Giants host New England, which means the Cowboys better hope the Patriots need a victory to edge out Indianapolis for home field in the AFC.
It’s time for you all to stop with T.O. and the dropped passes. If the golden-boy quarterback would put the ball where he should, there would be fewer incompletions. You try catching a ball that you have to twist your body to get to while someone is about to hit you. Yes, there were some that were on the money he should have caught. But what really bothers me is that you all don’t talk about the catches he makes that border on the spectacular.
Mike, Cleveland
T.O. is an elite receiver, and elite receivers are held to a higher standard. Romo needs to be more accurate, but T.O. drops way too many passes that are on the money.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When should Dallas let Marion Barber start at running back?
Jason, Austin
Barber had 19 carries against the Vikings, which is probably what he would have logged as a starter. Phillips likes him coming off the bench, just as Bill Parcells did. The reason is simple: It allows him to have fresh legs in the fourth quarter. Here’s how Phillips put it: "He’s a powerful inside runner and you want to hammer it inside as much as you can late in the ball game. You don’t want to be running sideways very much, or get outside, although he can run inside or outside. But I just think he’s a real powerful inside runner. He can get 3½ yards each play and make a first down, that’s what we are trying to do (in the fourth). "He’s the type of guy, if the defense is worn down a little bit, he can punish them. Late in the game, he is coming in fresh, too. He’s not worn out from the whole game. That helps, too." For the season, Barber has 32 fourth-quarter carries – 12 more than Jones – for 236 yards.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Did Chicago release Tank Johnson due to the league violations or had his play diminished to the point the violations gave them a simple out?
Rob McPeak, Richmond, Va.
The Bears would love to still have Johnson, but his behavior made keeping him impossible. He seems to have learned his lesson, though, and should give the Cowboys a boost.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
During the Patriots game, I counted at least three times one of the Cowboys’ defenders had a clean hit on Tom Brady and opted not to take it. I know we don’t want to see anyone in the league get hurt, but doesn’t Brady deserve to get hit just like anybody else.
Gary, Jackson, Tenn.
It’s better to play it safe than to get a costly 15-yard penalty.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When are we going to see Isaiah Stanback thrown into the mix?
Austin, Austin, Texas
I know everybody wants to see what Stanback can do, but the only way he’s going to get any playing time is if one of the top four receivers gets injured. Stanback is a rookie learning a new position. That’s not an easy thing in the NFL.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Do you think the Cowboys’ pass rush will improve when Anthony Henry and Tank Johnson are in the lineup? And when Terry Glenn returns, can the Cowboys’ offense reach New England caliber?
Dave Cortez, Katy, Texas
Henry, if he’s 100 percent, and Johnson, if he can shake off the rust accumulated from not playing since the Super Bowl in February, will help the defense tremendously. A healthy Glenn would make the offense even more explosive, but let’s forget the New England talk. I like Tony Romo, but he’s no Tom Brady.
posted by The Gryphon at 8:04 PM
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