It's time for the Dallas Cowboys to end playoff droughtTim Co
by Tim Cowlishaw
FWST
No franchise in the NFL has a playoff history as decorated as the Cowboys. The time has come to add to it.
With a 13-3 record, the Cowboys can match any team in the conference talent for talent.
They have a favorable matchup today against a team that has suffered some injuries.
The Cowboys have everything they need to win except a fully healed ankle for Terrell Owens, and that is not insignificant. If his presence in the game isn't as huge as it was the first 14 weeks of the season, then the Cowboys have a real chance of adding to their playoff drought.
They haven't won a postseason game the last 10 seasons. That's the longest drought in club history.
They have lost five straight playoff games. That, too, is the longest for the franchise.
In the '70s and '90s, the Cowboys went to eight Super Bowls, winning five. Playing deep into January was an expectation.
Over the last decade, they have done the impossible by losing playoff games to the Arizona Cardinals and to Jeff George. They have done the improbable, trying to win with Quincy Carter and losing on a botched field goal hold by Tony Romo.
(Note: Let's not forget the Cowboys' defense stood a good chance of spitting up that lead over Seattle had the field goal been executed).
The Cowboys are playing a team they know they can beat because they have done it twice. In a sense, that helps New York because the Giants come to Texas Stadium knowing that what they have done against Dallas thus far has not been enough.
But despite a 2-2 December in which their best game was a seven-point win over a Carolina team starting its fourth quarterback, the Cowboys should be brimming with confidence against New York.
They scored 76 points against this team in the regular season, so it would be surprising if they come out this afternoon and look anything like the offense that scored only 32 points in the final three games of the season.
"Divisional games are usually the toughest because the players know each other," coach Wade Phillips said. "We had three losses this year, and two of those were divisional games."
But they weren't against the Giants, and while Owens' health is clearly the key to the game, it's not a valid excuse for a failure to advance to the NFC Championship Game.
The Giants are without tight end Jeremy Shockey, who is almost as valuable a weapon to New York as Owens is to Dallas. And wide receiver Plaxico Burress also has an ankle injury and did not practice this week.
Playing at home means the Cowboys' pass rush is the one that benefits from crowd noise, not the Giants' highly praised rush.
Besides, Romo was sacked a combined three times in the two New York games. His ability to avoid the first rusher and make plays mitigates the need to be concerned about Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora, the Giants' speed-rushing defensive ends.
The Giants are the ones who have to show they have done something to solve the Cowboys' offense, which scored 10 touchdowns in two games.
Coach Tom Coughlin said making the Cowboys' offense be more patient "is a nice thought, and that is what you are trying to do, but everyone they have played has done that and they have made a lot of big plays. And they made big plays against us."
Cowboys fans are being overly optimistic if they expect wide receiver Terry Glenn to make a lot of those big plays, since his next reception will be his first of the season. But he could play, and Owens should play, and Patrick Crayton has been a big contributor. Also, tight end Jason Witten is going to the Pro Bowl and so is running back Marion Barber.
And, of course, so is the much-talked-about Romo, whose first playoff experience was not a good one.
That has been pretty much erased by a record-setting season, even if it wound down poorly (one touchdown, five interceptions).
When the games mattered most, Romo delivered.
This game matters more than any he has ever played, because last year no one around here was really thinking a win over Seattle was going to launch the Cowboys into the Super Bowl.
Thinking has changed. Results should, too.
FWST
No franchise in the NFL has a playoff history as decorated as the Cowboys. The time has come to add to it.
With a 13-3 record, the Cowboys can match any team in the conference talent for talent.
They have a favorable matchup today against a team that has suffered some injuries.
The Cowboys have everything they need to win except a fully healed ankle for Terrell Owens, and that is not insignificant. If his presence in the game isn't as huge as it was the first 14 weeks of the season, then the Cowboys have a real chance of adding to their playoff drought.
They haven't won a postseason game the last 10 seasons. That's the longest drought in club history.
They have lost five straight playoff games. That, too, is the longest for the franchise.
In the '70s and '90s, the Cowboys went to eight Super Bowls, winning five. Playing deep into January was an expectation.
Over the last decade, they have done the impossible by losing playoff games to the Arizona Cardinals and to Jeff George. They have done the improbable, trying to win with Quincy Carter and losing on a botched field goal hold by Tony Romo.
(Note: Let's not forget the Cowboys' defense stood a good chance of spitting up that lead over Seattle had the field goal been executed).
The Cowboys are playing a team they know they can beat because they have done it twice. In a sense, that helps New York because the Giants come to Texas Stadium knowing that what they have done against Dallas thus far has not been enough.
But despite a 2-2 December in which their best game was a seven-point win over a Carolina team starting its fourth quarterback, the Cowboys should be brimming with confidence against New York.
They scored 76 points against this team in the regular season, so it would be surprising if they come out this afternoon and look anything like the offense that scored only 32 points in the final three games of the season.
"Divisional games are usually the toughest because the players know each other," coach Wade Phillips said. "We had three losses this year, and two of those were divisional games."
But they weren't against the Giants, and while Owens' health is clearly the key to the game, it's not a valid excuse for a failure to advance to the NFC Championship Game.
The Giants are without tight end Jeremy Shockey, who is almost as valuable a weapon to New York as Owens is to Dallas. And wide receiver Plaxico Burress also has an ankle injury and did not practice this week.
Playing at home means the Cowboys' pass rush is the one that benefits from crowd noise, not the Giants' highly praised rush.
Besides, Romo was sacked a combined three times in the two New York games. His ability to avoid the first rusher and make plays mitigates the need to be concerned about Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora, the Giants' speed-rushing defensive ends.
The Giants are the ones who have to show they have done something to solve the Cowboys' offense, which scored 10 touchdowns in two games.
Coach Tom Coughlin said making the Cowboys' offense be more patient "is a nice thought, and that is what you are trying to do, but everyone they have played has done that and they have made a lot of big plays. And they made big plays against us."
Cowboys fans are being overly optimistic if they expect wide receiver Terry Glenn to make a lot of those big plays, since his next reception will be his first of the season. But he could play, and Owens should play, and Patrick Crayton has been a big contributor. Also, tight end Jason Witten is going to the Pro Bowl and so is running back Marion Barber.
And, of course, so is the much-talked-about Romo, whose first playoff experience was not a good one.
That has been pretty much erased by a record-setting season, even if it wound down poorly (one touchdown, five interceptions).
When the games mattered most, Romo delivered.
This game matters more than any he has ever played, because last year no one around here was really thinking a win over Seattle was going to launch the Cowboys into the Super Bowl.
Thinking has changed. Results should, too.
posted by The Gryphon at 8:25 AM
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