Dallas Cowboys have tough road ahead to reach playoffs
By CLARENCE E. HILL JR.chill@star-telegram.com
Quarterback Tony Romo and the cavalry are back for the second half. Still, the Dallas Cowboys will be challenged to make a playoff run because of a rough second-half schedule.
The Cowboys need a record of at least 5-2 over the final seven games to get to 10-6. And that will be tough considering the team has road games at Washington, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia to go along with dicey home games against the New York Giants and Baltimore.
The bigger problem is that the Cowboys weren’t playing all that well before Romo broke his right pinkie, so there is no guarantee they will suddenly start playing at a high level upon his return.
at Redskins Nov. 16
If the Cowboys have any hope of a second-half turnaround, it must start against the Redskins. The problem is the Cowboys will be hard-pressed to be playing at a high level in Romo’s first game back after missing the previous three with a broken right pinkie. Defensively, the Cowboys have yet to find an answer for Redskins running back Clinton Portis and receiver Santana Moss.
vs. 49ers Nov. 23
Chalk this one up in the win column as the 49ers are in complete disarray. Romo and the offense should be much better in his second game back from injury. Outside of running back Frank Gore, the 49ers have few threats offensively to challenge the defense. Just watch out for coach Mike Singletary and his pants.
vs. Seahawks Nov. 27
Before the season, this game was billed as the Julius Jones revenge game. But the former Cowboys running back is proving to be in Seattle just what he was in Dallas — an average back. He has totaled just 135 yards the past four games, with carry totals of 12, 7, 6 and 10. The Seahawks would be a bigger disappointment than the Cowboys this season if anybody actually cared outside of the sleepy Northwest.
at Steelers Dec. 7
It’s the first game in December and it’s time for the Cowboys’ usual late-season swoon. This season, however, they started a little earlier. Any chance of them reversing the trend requires going through what might be the team’s toughest late-season schedule in years. Going to Pittsburgh and winning on the road against a Super Bowl favorite from the AFC is just too tall of a task.
vs. Giants Dec. 14
Let’s just be honest about this one. The Giants simply own the Cowboys at the moment. They own them mentally after the 35-14 beatdown last week when many Cowboys quit. They own them physically considering the way the Cowboys’ defenders ran away from tackling bruising Giants running back Brandon Jacobs and the way the Giants’ defensive line whipped the Cowboys up front. Why will anything be different?
vs. Ravens Dec. 20
Pride, respect, intestinal fortitude. All these come for the Cowboys in what is the last game in Texas Stadium history. All the stars from yesteryear will be on hand for this one. The NFL did the Cowboys no favors by putting a feisty and stubborn Ravens team on the schedule for this momentous affair. But the Cowboys will ultimately rise to the occasion and provide one lasting memory at Texas Stadium.
at Eagles Dec. 28
The season is on the line for the Cowboys.
If they have any hope of making the playoffs, they must win this game and, even still it might not be enough. The Eagles would love nothing more than to put the final nail in Terrell Owens’ and the Cowboys’ coffin. The bigger question is whether this is the last game for coach Wade Phillips. Maybe that’s not so much a question anymore.
Quarterback Tony Romo and the cavalry are back for the second half. Still, the Dallas Cowboys will be challenged to make a playoff run because of a rough second-half schedule.
The Cowboys need a record of at least 5-2 over the final seven games to get to 10-6. And that will be tough considering the team has road games at Washington, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia to go along with dicey home games against the New York Giants and Baltimore.
The bigger problem is that the Cowboys weren’t playing all that well before Romo broke his right pinkie, so there is no guarantee they will suddenly start playing at a high level upon his return.
at Redskins Nov. 16
If the Cowboys have any hope of a second-half turnaround, it must start against the Redskins. The problem is the Cowboys will be hard-pressed to be playing at a high level in Romo’s first game back after missing the previous three with a broken right pinkie. Defensively, the Cowboys have yet to find an answer for Redskins running back Clinton Portis and receiver Santana Moss.
vs. 49ers Nov. 23
Chalk this one up in the win column as the 49ers are in complete disarray. Romo and the offense should be much better in his second game back from injury. Outside of running back Frank Gore, the 49ers have few threats offensively to challenge the defense. Just watch out for coach Mike Singletary and his pants.
vs. Seahawks Nov. 27
Before the season, this game was billed as the Julius Jones revenge game. But the former Cowboys running back is proving to be in Seattle just what he was in Dallas — an average back. He has totaled just 135 yards the past four games, with carry totals of 12, 7, 6 and 10. The Seahawks would be a bigger disappointment than the Cowboys this season if anybody actually cared outside of the sleepy Northwest.
at Steelers Dec. 7
It’s the first game in December and it’s time for the Cowboys’ usual late-season swoon. This season, however, they started a little earlier. Any chance of them reversing the trend requires going through what might be the team’s toughest late-season schedule in years. Going to Pittsburgh and winning on the road against a Super Bowl favorite from the AFC is just too tall of a task.
vs. Giants Dec. 14
Let’s just be honest about this one. The Giants simply own the Cowboys at the moment. They own them mentally after the 35-14 beatdown last week when many Cowboys quit. They own them physically considering the way the Cowboys’ defenders ran away from tackling bruising Giants running back Brandon Jacobs and the way the Giants’ defensive line whipped the Cowboys up front. Why will anything be different?
vs. Ravens Dec. 20
Pride, respect, intestinal fortitude. All these come for the Cowboys in what is the last game in Texas Stadium history. All the stars from yesteryear will be on hand for this one. The NFL did the Cowboys no favors by putting a feisty and stubborn Ravens team on the schedule for this momentous affair. But the Cowboys will ultimately rise to the occasion and provide one lasting memory at Texas Stadium.
at Eagles Dec. 28
The season is on the line for the Cowboys.
If they have any hope of making the playoffs, they must win this game and, even still it might not be enough. The Eagles would love nothing more than to put the final nail in Terrell Owens’ and the Cowboys’ coffin. The bigger question is whether this is the last game for coach Wade Phillips. Maybe that’s not so much a question anymore.
posted by The Gryphon at 9:05 AM
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