COMMENTARY : Cowboys’ season hinges on beating ’Skins
BY JEAN-JACQUES TAYLOR
THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS
Posted on Sunday, November 16, 2008
LANDOVER, Md. — We’re about to discover whether these Dallas Cowboys have any intestinal fortitude. We’re about to find out whether they have the courage to make this season something other than a colossal disappointment.
Their owner has declared they’ll make the playoffs.
So what ? He also thought Adam Jones would stay out of trouble and Brad Johnson would keep the offense running in Tony Romo’s absence.
The time for talk — by owners or players — is over. It’s time for these Cowboys to shut up and play because the season hinges on today’s game against Washington.
Beat the Redskins and, as Romo said earlier this week, the Cowboys can still achieve all the goals they set in training camp.
Lose and the season is over.
They’ll finish 7-9, miss the playoffs and be remembered in franchise annals as the most disappointing Cowboys team ever. Then we can focus all of our attention on when Wade Phillips gets fired and whether Jason Garrett has earned the right to replace him.
Win, and the Cowboys will enter December with a three-game winning streak, 10 days of rest and the knowledge they control their playoff destiny.
Let’s be honest: The Cowboys have shown virtually no backbone the past few weeks. Otherwise, they never would’ve lost to the raggedy St. Louis Rams by 20 points.
Lately, when faced with adversity, this team curls up in the fetal position.
This is an opportunity for the Cowboys to prove they have some championship mettle. At least we know the players understand what’s at stake.
Now, this doesn’t mean they’ll win. Or even play well.
It does suggest, however, that we will get their best effort. You and I both know that’s not been a given this season.
“This is for all of the marbles,” safety Keith Davis said. “This is our season because they have a chance to bury us.” Does everyone on the roster know this ?
“Yes,” he said. “It was addressed during the bye week, and it was addressed this week.” Good, because it’s not my job to have hope or faith or optimism. That’s for players, coaches and fans.
I deal in reality.
The reality is we all overrated this team’s talent, and the players forgot just how much work and dedication it took to start 12-1 last season.
Still, the Cowboys are good enough to win five of the next seven games, which should get them into the playoffs.
Romo’s return alone won’t do it, but let’s not kid ourselves: He must play well for the Cowboys to beat Washington.
The same goes for guard Kyle Kosier and cornerback Terence Newman, each of whom is returning after a lengthy absence from the lineup because of injury.
But it starts with Romo.
Yes, he had 14 touchdown passes, 5 interceptions and a passer rating of 99. 0 when he broke the world’s most famous right pinkie. That said, we all know he wasn’t playing his best football.
Romo has set an incredibly high standard for himself, one that I will continue to hold him to until he proves he can no longer consistently play at that level.
He returns with all of his weapons except Felix Jones (Arkansas Razorbacks ), who’s still nursing a partially torn hamstring. He also gets to throw passes to Roy Williams in a game for the first time since Dallas acquired him from Detroit at the trade deadline.
“It’s exciting because something like this can bring people together,” Romo said of the adversity the Cowboys face.
“It’s very important for us to reach our goals. For us to do that, we need to go up there and win.”
THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS
Posted on Sunday, November 16, 2008
LANDOVER, Md. — We’re about to discover whether these Dallas Cowboys have any intestinal fortitude. We’re about to find out whether they have the courage to make this season something other than a colossal disappointment.
Their owner has declared they’ll make the playoffs.
So what ? He also thought Adam Jones would stay out of trouble and Brad Johnson would keep the offense running in Tony Romo’s absence.
The time for talk — by owners or players — is over. It’s time for these Cowboys to shut up and play because the season hinges on today’s game against Washington.
Beat the Redskins and, as Romo said earlier this week, the Cowboys can still achieve all the goals they set in training camp.
Lose and the season is over.
They’ll finish 7-9, miss the playoffs and be remembered in franchise annals as the most disappointing Cowboys team ever. Then we can focus all of our attention on when Wade Phillips gets fired and whether Jason Garrett has earned the right to replace him.
Win, and the Cowboys will enter December with a three-game winning streak, 10 days of rest and the knowledge they control their playoff destiny.
Let’s be honest: The Cowboys have shown virtually no backbone the past few weeks. Otherwise, they never would’ve lost to the raggedy St. Louis Rams by 20 points.
Lately, when faced with adversity, this team curls up in the fetal position.
This is an opportunity for the Cowboys to prove they have some championship mettle. At least we know the players understand what’s at stake.
Now, this doesn’t mean they’ll win. Or even play well.
It does suggest, however, that we will get their best effort. You and I both know that’s not been a given this season.
“This is for all of the marbles,” safety Keith Davis said. “This is our season because they have a chance to bury us.” Does everyone on the roster know this ?
“Yes,” he said. “It was addressed during the bye week, and it was addressed this week.” Good, because it’s not my job to have hope or faith or optimism. That’s for players, coaches and fans.
I deal in reality.
The reality is we all overrated this team’s talent, and the players forgot just how much work and dedication it took to start 12-1 last season.
Still, the Cowboys are good enough to win five of the next seven games, which should get them into the playoffs.
Romo’s return alone won’t do it, but let’s not kid ourselves: He must play well for the Cowboys to beat Washington.
The same goes for guard Kyle Kosier and cornerback Terence Newman, each of whom is returning after a lengthy absence from the lineup because of injury.
But it starts with Romo.
Yes, he had 14 touchdown passes, 5 interceptions and a passer rating of 99. 0 when he broke the world’s most famous right pinkie. That said, we all know he wasn’t playing his best football.
Romo has set an incredibly high standard for himself, one that I will continue to hold him to until he proves he can no longer consistently play at that level.
He returns with all of his weapons except Felix Jones (Arkansas Razorbacks ), who’s still nursing a partially torn hamstring. He also gets to throw passes to Roy Williams in a game for the first time since Dallas acquired him from Detroit at the trade deadline.
“It’s exciting because something like this can bring people together,” Romo said of the adversity the Cowboys face.
“It’s very important for us to reach our goals. For us to do that, we need to go up there and win.”
posted by The Gryphon at 9:18 AM
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