Romo’s return sparks Cowboys
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
IRVING, Texas — When Tony Romo broke his pinkie, the Dallas Cowboys soon discovered a weakness that went far beyond bumbling backup quarterbacks.
Believe it or not, Romo’s absence exposed the Dallas defense.
Throughout last season and the early part of this year, Cowboys defenders fell into the habit of being the supporting cast for Romo, Terrell Owens and crew. Knowing those guys would score in the 30 s, the defense got comfortable trying to hold teams in the 20 s. They really liked how long their teammates held the ball, because that meant fewer chances for them to give up points and fresher legs when they were on the field.
Then Romo went down and the defense was asked to do more to win games.
Instead, the Cowboys let St. Louis run for 180 yards, the most against their defense under Coach Wade Phillips... until two weeks later, when the New York Giants ran for 200 yards. Cumulative score of those games: Opponents 69, Cowboys 28.
“We saw if we played like that every week, we don’t have a chance,” said linebacker Bradie James, a defensive co-captain. “Everybody rallied around each other and just said, ‘Forget the call, stop the guy with the ball.’” Clinton Portis and Frank Gore can attest to a new attitude. So can their quarterbacks.
Over the past two games, Dallas has allowed a total of 118 yards rushing and collected seven sacks, with five players getting in on the action. With Romo getting back in the groove despite wearing a splint on his passing hand, the Cowboys (7-4 ) carry a modest two-game winning streak into today’s game against Seattle (2-9 ).
Dallas’ playoff chances might be riding on it, too.
The Cowboys would still be in the wild-card hunt, but imagine the ramifications of losing to a going-nowhere team like the Seahawks: 10 days of hearing how they’re headed toward another disastrous December — Dallas hasn’t had a winning record in the month since 2001 — followed by games against Pittsburgh, the Giants and Baltimore. That’ll be a tough stretch even if the Cowboys beat Seattle and have the momentum of a three-game winning streak.
Linebacker Greg Ellis believes Dallas is ready to get on a roll after being humbled by its midseason struggles.
“I like what I’m smelling from this team,” he said. “That ‘this-is-the-greatest-thing-ever assembled’ kind of [attitude ] is gone. People realize we can be beat. We’ve got to show up and play good football. That is what’s changed.” Back when Dallas was a chic Super Bowl pick, Seattle also was considered among the NFC’s best. That’s probably why this game was chosen for the Thanksgiving showcase.
Injuries have turned Seahawks Coach Mike Holmgren’s farewell season into a lame-duck finish. They have their worst record since 1992 and have lost four consecutive games. The only solace is that the past three games were close.
Flying across the country on short rest to face a team with a lot to prove has trouble written all over it. However, at least one Seattle player is riled up for this game: Julius Jones, the running back who started for Dallas ahead of Marion Barber all last season, until the playoffs.
Jones hoped to make the Cowboys regret losing him in free agency, but it’s hardly worked out that way. He even lost his starting job to Maurice Morris last week, although Holmgren is restoring it this week because of how badly Jones wants to show off against the Cowboys.
“My first year there in Dallas [2004 ] things were a lot different for me. I had more opportunities and I made the best out of it,” said Jones, who had 1, 084 yards in his last full season before sharing carries with Barber. “After that, opportunities started to decrease and here we are today. Come to your own conclusion.” The last time these teams met was the 2006 playoffs, when Romo botched the hold on a short field-goal attempt and was tackled just shy of a first down and not far from a touchdown. Seattle won and Dallas Coach Bill Parcells ended up leaving without winning a playoff game for the Cowboys.
Romo has overcome that flub to prove he’s among the best in the NFL. Holmgren has seen the progress and has noticed similarities between Romo and Brett Favre, whom Holmgren coached in Green Bay when Romo was growing up in nearby Burlington, Wis.
“At his age and with what he’s accomplished and the success he’s had, it just breeds more success. I think he feels that,” Holmgren said. “The only thing I’ve alerted our guys to is he will take chances — not unlike another guy I coached a few years ago. You have to be prepared for the ball coming out at different angles, later than you might think, and you really have to play the entire play, because he’s going to keep it alive.” Seahawks at Cowboys 3: 15 p. m., Fox 1 Line — Cowboys by 12 / 2 LAST MEETING Seahawks 21, Cowboys 20, Jan, 6, 2007 in NFC wild-card playoff. LAST WEEK Seahawks lost to Redskins 20-17; Cowboys beat 49 ers 35-22. STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES RB Julius Jones, who went to Seattle in free agency after Dallas made no attempt to re-sign him, played four Thanksgiving Day games for Cowboys. His best holiday was as rookie in 2004, when he ran 33 times for 150 yards and two TDs.... Seattle has lost four consecutive games.... In two games since missing five because of a bulging disk in back, Seattle QB Matt Hasselbeck is 29 of 53 for 273 yards with three TDs and five interceptions.... Cowboys LT Flozell Adams has seven career blocked kicks, three coming on Thanksgiving Day.... Tony Romo has thrown 31 touchdown passes to Terrell Owens, most for any quarterback-receiver duo since 2006. Second on that list are Eli Manning and Plaxico Burress of Giants with 26.... LB Zach Thomas has 1, 997 career tackles.... TE Jason Witten still leads Cowboys with 49 catches, even though he has only four for 53 yards in past four games.... FS Ken Hamlin (Arkansas Razorbacks ), in second year with Cowboys, was Seattle’s second-round pick in 2003 and had 297 tackles with eight interceptions in four seasons with Seahawks.
IRVING, Texas — When Tony Romo broke his pinkie, the Dallas Cowboys soon discovered a weakness that went far beyond bumbling backup quarterbacks.
Believe it or not, Romo’s absence exposed the Dallas defense.
Throughout last season and the early part of this year, Cowboys defenders fell into the habit of being the supporting cast for Romo, Terrell Owens and crew. Knowing those guys would score in the 30 s, the defense got comfortable trying to hold teams in the 20 s. They really liked how long their teammates held the ball, because that meant fewer chances for them to give up points and fresher legs when they were on the field.
Then Romo went down and the defense was asked to do more to win games.
Instead, the Cowboys let St. Louis run for 180 yards, the most against their defense under Coach Wade Phillips... until two weeks later, when the New York Giants ran for 200 yards. Cumulative score of those games: Opponents 69, Cowboys 28.
“We saw if we played like that every week, we don’t have a chance,” said linebacker Bradie James, a defensive co-captain. “Everybody rallied around each other and just said, ‘Forget the call, stop the guy with the ball.’” Clinton Portis and Frank Gore can attest to a new attitude. So can their quarterbacks.
Over the past two games, Dallas has allowed a total of 118 yards rushing and collected seven sacks, with five players getting in on the action. With Romo getting back in the groove despite wearing a splint on his passing hand, the Cowboys (7-4 ) carry a modest two-game winning streak into today’s game against Seattle (2-9 ).
Dallas’ playoff chances might be riding on it, too.
The Cowboys would still be in the wild-card hunt, but imagine the ramifications of losing to a going-nowhere team like the Seahawks: 10 days of hearing how they’re headed toward another disastrous December — Dallas hasn’t had a winning record in the month since 2001 — followed by games against Pittsburgh, the Giants and Baltimore. That’ll be a tough stretch even if the Cowboys beat Seattle and have the momentum of a three-game winning streak.
Linebacker Greg Ellis believes Dallas is ready to get on a roll after being humbled by its midseason struggles.
“I like what I’m smelling from this team,” he said. “That ‘this-is-the-greatest-thing-ever assembled’ kind of [attitude ] is gone. People realize we can be beat. We’ve got to show up and play good football. That is what’s changed.” Back when Dallas was a chic Super Bowl pick, Seattle also was considered among the NFC’s best. That’s probably why this game was chosen for the Thanksgiving showcase.
Injuries have turned Seahawks Coach Mike Holmgren’s farewell season into a lame-duck finish. They have their worst record since 1992 and have lost four consecutive games. The only solace is that the past three games were close.
Flying across the country on short rest to face a team with a lot to prove has trouble written all over it. However, at least one Seattle player is riled up for this game: Julius Jones, the running back who started for Dallas ahead of Marion Barber all last season, until the playoffs.
Jones hoped to make the Cowboys regret losing him in free agency, but it’s hardly worked out that way. He even lost his starting job to Maurice Morris last week, although Holmgren is restoring it this week because of how badly Jones wants to show off against the Cowboys.
“My first year there in Dallas [2004 ] things were a lot different for me. I had more opportunities and I made the best out of it,” said Jones, who had 1, 084 yards in his last full season before sharing carries with Barber. “After that, opportunities started to decrease and here we are today. Come to your own conclusion.” The last time these teams met was the 2006 playoffs, when Romo botched the hold on a short field-goal attempt and was tackled just shy of a first down and not far from a touchdown. Seattle won and Dallas Coach Bill Parcells ended up leaving without winning a playoff game for the Cowboys.
Romo has overcome that flub to prove he’s among the best in the NFL. Holmgren has seen the progress and has noticed similarities between Romo and Brett Favre, whom Holmgren coached in Green Bay when Romo was growing up in nearby Burlington, Wis.
“At his age and with what he’s accomplished and the success he’s had, it just breeds more success. I think he feels that,” Holmgren said. “The only thing I’ve alerted our guys to is he will take chances — not unlike another guy I coached a few years ago. You have to be prepared for the ball coming out at different angles, later than you might think, and you really have to play the entire play, because he’s going to keep it alive.” Seahawks at Cowboys 3: 15 p. m., Fox 1 Line — Cowboys by 12 / 2 LAST MEETING Seahawks 21, Cowboys 20, Jan, 6, 2007 in NFC wild-card playoff. LAST WEEK Seahawks lost to Redskins 20-17; Cowboys beat 49 ers 35-22. STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES RB Julius Jones, who went to Seattle in free agency after Dallas made no attempt to re-sign him, played four Thanksgiving Day games for Cowboys. His best holiday was as rookie in 2004, when he ran 33 times for 150 yards and two TDs.... Seattle has lost four consecutive games.... In two games since missing five because of a bulging disk in back, Seattle QB Matt Hasselbeck is 29 of 53 for 273 yards with three TDs and five interceptions.... Cowboys LT Flozell Adams has seven career blocked kicks, three coming on Thanksgiving Day.... Tony Romo has thrown 31 touchdown passes to Terrell Owens, most for any quarterback-receiver duo since 2006. Second on that list are Eli Manning and Plaxico Burress of Giants with 26.... LB Zach Thomas has 1, 997 career tackles.... TE Jason Witten still leads Cowboys with 49 catches, even though he has only four for 53 yards in past four games.... FS Ken Hamlin (Arkansas Razorbacks ), in second year with Cowboys, was Seattle’s second-round pick in 2003 and had 297 tackles with eight interceptions in four seasons with Seahawks.
posted by The Gryphon at 8:44 AM
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