Great expectations hover over Cowboys
Bob Birge, PA SportsTicker
Published: Sunday, August 31, 2008
The pained look on Jerry Jones' face showed just how devastating the defeat was for the Dallas Cowboys, who believed they had all the ingredients in place to reach the Super Bowl.
But those hopes ended when Tony Romo's fourth-down pass was intercepted in the end zone by cornerback R.W. McQuarters, securing the New York Giants' 21-17 playoff victory. The Giants were headed to Lambeau Field for the NFC championship game, America's Team was headed home and Jones looked on in disbelief from the sidelines at Texas Stadium.
This year's NFL season opener will be Thursday, featuring the Super Bowl champion New York Giants at home against the NFC East Division-rival Washington Redskins.
Last year's over," Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said at the start of training camp in July. "Last year's team is over. The Giants aren't the Super Bowl champions anymore. We lost by four points in the playoff game, and that's what happened. The Giants certainly deserved to win it and they proved it. But, that was last year. We're going to go forward from there."
But with the team virtually intact -- the Cowboys placed a franchise record-tying 11 players on the NFC Pro Bowl roster last year -- Dallas will be dogged with the same expectations this season. Anything less than a trip to the Super Bowl will be considered a disappointment.
"There are high expectations here every year and for a long time," Phillips added. "That is not unusual for the Dallas Cowboys."
However, they can't seem to get over a hurdle that is growing more burdensome every year, as the storied franchise now has gone 11 years without a playoff win. On top of that, the Cowboys have a quarterback and a coach who have never won a playoff game. Romo is 0-2 in the postseason and Phillips is 0-4, although only one of those losses have come in Dallas.
While the Cowboys deal with their high expectations, the NFC will be missing a couple of familiar faces. For the first time since 1991, the Green Bay Packers begin a season without Brett Favre, who unretired in the offseason and was traded to the New York Jets.
Hall of Famer Joe Gibbs retired -- for the second time -- as coach of the Washington Redskins to devote more energy to his NASCAR interests. Former Seattle Seahawks quarterback Jim Zorn makes his head coaching debut as Gibbs' replacement, and former Jacksonville defensive co-ordinator Mike Smith takes over for Bobby Petrino in Atlanta.
Seattle coach Mike Holmgren, who has guided the Seahawks to four straight NFC West titles and won a Super Bowl in Green Bay, has announcement his retirement after the upcoming season.
Despite their expectations, the Cowboys are no lock to even win the division, which figures to be the toughest in the NFC. They could be pushed by the Giants, who will try to avoid a Super Bowl hangover, and the rejuvenated Eagles, who have a healthy Donovan McNabb eager to show he can still play at a high level in his 10th season.
Eli Manning, who is entering his fifth season, wants to show that he has reached the elite status of quarterbacks after his storybook run last year. He endured an up-and-down regular season, but then led the Giants to four postseason victories and was named the MVP in the Giants' 17-14 Super Bowl victory over the previously unbeaten New England Patriots.
Published: Sunday, August 31, 2008
The pained look on Jerry Jones' face showed just how devastating the defeat was for the Dallas Cowboys, who believed they had all the ingredients in place to reach the Super Bowl.
But those hopes ended when Tony Romo's fourth-down pass was intercepted in the end zone by cornerback R.W. McQuarters, securing the New York Giants' 21-17 playoff victory. The Giants were headed to Lambeau Field for the NFC championship game, America's Team was headed home and Jones looked on in disbelief from the sidelines at Texas Stadium.
This year's NFL season opener will be Thursday, featuring the Super Bowl champion New York Giants at home against the NFC East Division-rival Washington Redskins.
Last year's over," Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said at the start of training camp in July. "Last year's team is over. The Giants aren't the Super Bowl champions anymore. We lost by four points in the playoff game, and that's what happened. The Giants certainly deserved to win it and they proved it. But, that was last year. We're going to go forward from there."
But with the team virtually intact -- the Cowboys placed a franchise record-tying 11 players on the NFC Pro Bowl roster last year -- Dallas will be dogged with the same expectations this season. Anything less than a trip to the Super Bowl will be considered a disappointment.
"There are high expectations here every year and for a long time," Phillips added. "That is not unusual for the Dallas Cowboys."
However, they can't seem to get over a hurdle that is growing more burdensome every year, as the storied franchise now has gone 11 years without a playoff win. On top of that, the Cowboys have a quarterback and a coach who have never won a playoff game. Romo is 0-2 in the postseason and Phillips is 0-4, although only one of those losses have come in Dallas.
While the Cowboys deal with their high expectations, the NFC will be missing a couple of familiar faces. For the first time since 1991, the Green Bay Packers begin a season without Brett Favre, who unretired in the offseason and was traded to the New York Jets.
Hall of Famer Joe Gibbs retired -- for the second time -- as coach of the Washington Redskins to devote more energy to his NASCAR interests. Former Seattle Seahawks quarterback Jim Zorn makes his head coaching debut as Gibbs' replacement, and former Jacksonville defensive co-ordinator Mike Smith takes over for Bobby Petrino in Atlanta.
Seattle coach Mike Holmgren, who has guided the Seahawks to four straight NFC West titles and won a Super Bowl in Green Bay, has announcement his retirement after the upcoming season.
Despite their expectations, the Cowboys are no lock to even win the division, which figures to be the toughest in the NFC. They could be pushed by the Giants, who will try to avoid a Super Bowl hangover, and the rejuvenated Eagles, who have a healthy Donovan McNabb eager to show he can still play at a high level in his 10th season.
Eli Manning, who is entering his fifth season, wants to show that he has reached the elite status of quarterbacks after his storybook run last year. He endured an up-and-down regular season, but then led the Giants to four postseason victories and was named the MVP in the Giants' 17-14 Super Bowl victory over the previously unbeaten New England Patriots.
posted by The Gryphon at 8:57 AM
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