PFW: Big win gets talk away from controversy, but Cowboys have work to do
By Eric Edholm
Dec. 15, 2008
They say that the measure of a great team is to play its best when the spotlight is hottest and when the chips are down, but what if the team itself is responsible for bringing the heat? Certainly the New York Yankees of the late 1970s and the Los Angeles Lakers of the early 2000s were able to thrive, winning multiple titles each, amid scorching hot — and often self-inflicted — fires. But are these Cowboys, fresh off an important and dramatic 20-8 win over the first-place Giants, in that same category?
The PFW spin
In a week when Terrell Owens raised concerns about his role in the offense, which is a delicate way of saying he did what he always has done, and a reported disagreement with TE Jason Witten went public, the Cowboys were able to stay focused enough to win what perhaps was their best game of the season. Not their prettiest, not their most impressive, execution-wise, but their most important victory against a great opponent when they needed it most.
That counts for a lot, especially when the Cowboys’ playoffs hopes are on the line right now. And with the Ravens coming to town in a short week for the final game in Texas Stadium history, there is no rest for the weary. That will have capped a three-game stretch in 13 days in which the Cowboys faced perhaps three of the four best defenses in the NFL. And you could make a case that the Eagles — the Cowboys’ Week 17 opponent in Philadelphia — belong somewhere in the discussion of the top six or seven defenses.
Some teams thrive on the negative. Some clubs need to be pushed to the wall before they play their best ball. When you have a locker room as gifted and with as many strong personalities as Dallas', there is going to be static, often of the self-created variety. And if the Cowboys play like they did Sunday night amid such heat, it’s hard to argue with the results, even if they should not be in a position where they are fighting for their playoffs lives at this point.
No one doubts this team’s talent. It’s shocking to think that there were 13 Pro Bowl invitees from last season and that that two who didn’t go — LB Bradie James and NT Jay Ratliff — could be going this season. Not to mention that the team also added RBs Tashard Choice and Felix Jones (now hurt), CBs Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick (who is playing very well), LB Zach Thomas, WR Roy E. Williams and TE Martellus Bennett to the mix, giving the Cowboys the most impressive group of skilled players in the league.
And if the Cowboys do get into the playoffs, they’ll be one tough out. A potential first-round matchup with the Cardinals (right now, Arizona is the No. 4 seed and Dallas is No. 5), would have the look and feel of a Cowboys home game in a lot of ways and would be the ultimate shot at redemption following Dallas’ overtime loss in the desert in Week Six in which QB Tony Romo was injured and P Mat McBriar was lost for the season.
There is no way to tell, though, whether the Cowboys can generate this kind of performance on a weekly basis or if they can continue to ride high and live dangerously. Few teams in sports can. Some great ones have before, but we should find out in the next few weeks if this is one of them. The health of Romo, who played through a back injury he suffered against the Giants, and RB Marion Barber, who heard a pop from his injured toe, also are factors. But the Cowboys remain a dangerous team — both to themselves and to anyone they play.
Dec. 15, 2008
They say that the measure of a great team is to play its best when the spotlight is hottest and when the chips are down, but what if the team itself is responsible for bringing the heat? Certainly the New York Yankees of the late 1970s and the Los Angeles Lakers of the early 2000s were able to thrive, winning multiple titles each, amid scorching hot — and often self-inflicted — fires. But are these Cowboys, fresh off an important and dramatic 20-8 win over the first-place Giants, in that same category?
The PFW spin
In a week when Terrell Owens raised concerns about his role in the offense, which is a delicate way of saying he did what he always has done, and a reported disagreement with TE Jason Witten went public, the Cowboys were able to stay focused enough to win what perhaps was their best game of the season. Not their prettiest, not their most impressive, execution-wise, but their most important victory against a great opponent when they needed it most.
That counts for a lot, especially when the Cowboys’ playoffs hopes are on the line right now. And with the Ravens coming to town in a short week for the final game in Texas Stadium history, there is no rest for the weary. That will have capped a three-game stretch in 13 days in which the Cowboys faced perhaps three of the four best defenses in the NFL. And you could make a case that the Eagles — the Cowboys’ Week 17 opponent in Philadelphia — belong somewhere in the discussion of the top six or seven defenses.
Some teams thrive on the negative. Some clubs need to be pushed to the wall before they play their best ball. When you have a locker room as gifted and with as many strong personalities as Dallas', there is going to be static, often of the self-created variety. And if the Cowboys play like they did Sunday night amid such heat, it’s hard to argue with the results, even if they should not be in a position where they are fighting for their playoffs lives at this point.
No one doubts this team’s talent. It’s shocking to think that there were 13 Pro Bowl invitees from last season and that that two who didn’t go — LB Bradie James and NT Jay Ratliff — could be going this season. Not to mention that the team also added RBs Tashard Choice and Felix Jones (now hurt), CBs Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick (who is playing very well), LB Zach Thomas, WR Roy E. Williams and TE Martellus Bennett to the mix, giving the Cowboys the most impressive group of skilled players in the league.
And if the Cowboys do get into the playoffs, they’ll be one tough out. A potential first-round matchup with the Cardinals (right now, Arizona is the No. 4 seed and Dallas is No. 5), would have the look and feel of a Cowboys home game in a lot of ways and would be the ultimate shot at redemption following Dallas’ overtime loss in the desert in Week Six in which QB Tony Romo was injured and P Mat McBriar was lost for the season.
There is no way to tell, though, whether the Cowboys can generate this kind of performance on a weekly basis or if they can continue to ride high and live dangerously. Few teams in sports can. Some great ones have before, but we should find out in the next few weeks if this is one of them. The health of Romo, who played through a back injury he suffered against the Giants, and RB Marion Barber, who heard a pop from his injured toe, also are factors. But the Cowboys remain a dangerous team — both to themselves and to anyone they play.
posted by The Gryphon at 6:03 PM
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