DC.com Mailbag: What's Most Exciting About The 09 Season?
DallasCowboys.com Report
May 14, 2009 4:46 PM
(Editor's Note: Each day we will take the 2 best questions for our staff writers to answer from the Mailbag. "Click here" to email questions now.)
BILLY KNOY CANTON, OH: I would like to know what each of you thinks is the most exciting thing going into this season?
Nick: Most exciting? That's a good question but a tough one. I think the Cowboys have to be excited about the defense. Any time you have the NFL's best defensive player, you've got a chance to be really good. But if there is one thing to get excited about, it would have to be the potential, let me stress again - potential - of Felix Jones and the dynamics he could add to the offense. If he can return to form and be that home-run hitter he showed early last year, then that's a true weapon that could be a difference-maker in 2009.
Rob: The buzz and anticipation surrounding the new stadium. It's like a new era for the franchise, and in some way, I think the players can view it as a fresh start after last year's disappointing finish. Not saying a new stadium means a successful season, but I think it's something the team can take pride in and want to defend.
Mickey: Well the obvious answer is entering a new stadium that costs $1.2 billion, but if you are looking at this from a team standpoint, I'd say knowing that the dark cloud that hung over this organization because of No. 81 always being the center of media attention, and liking it, has blown northeast, which should give this team a breath of fresh air.
CHRIS OLLETT BLACKBURN, ENGLAND: There are varied opinions on how the Cowboys will fare this season - still a good Super Bowl bet, or a complete meltdown. I think the fact of the matter is they are a really talented team with extremely high expectations in the toughest division in the NFL, competing against three teams who feel the exact same way. The final records, No. 1 through No. 4 in any order, wouldn't be surprising in this division.
Nick: You're right about the NFC East. All four teams could probably win the division if things fall just right. So it will come down to injuries and which team can win those close games. With all the injuries the Cowboys sustained last year, you'd like to think they will be healthier this season but you never know. But there's no doubt a good football team from the NFC East will be left out of the playoffs again this year.
Rob: Totally agree, except I think Washington still might be a notch below the other three. It's actually very similar to last year, except many just assumed the Cowboys would walk through everyone, including the Super Bowl champion Giants. It just doesn't work that way. The league is too competitive. You need talent, execution and some luck to make a run (see Arizona). The Cowboys are still good and young enough to be a player.
Mickey: I think that is a very healthy opinion on the state of the Cowboys and the NFC East. The Cowboys still are a good team and as capable this year as they were last year of winning 11 games. I don't think that has changed. Maybe this year they win games differently, like possibly playing better on special teams and on defense, meaning they don't have to score 26 to 30 points a game to win. Just remember of the seven games the Cowboys lost last year, in six of those they gave up at least 26 points - 26, 30, 34, 35, 33 and 44. That means they gave up an average of 33.7 points a game in six of their seven losses - or 55 percent of their total points. Sounds like a column brewing, doesn't it?
May 14, 2009 4:46 PM
(Editor's Note: Each day we will take the 2 best questions for our staff writers to answer from the Mailbag. "Click here" to email questions now.)
BILLY KNOY CANTON, OH: I would like to know what each of you thinks is the most exciting thing going into this season?
Nick: Most exciting? That's a good question but a tough one. I think the Cowboys have to be excited about the defense. Any time you have the NFL's best defensive player, you've got a chance to be really good. But if there is one thing to get excited about, it would have to be the potential, let me stress again - potential - of Felix Jones and the dynamics he could add to the offense. If he can return to form and be that home-run hitter he showed early last year, then that's a true weapon that could be a difference-maker in 2009.
Rob: The buzz and anticipation surrounding the new stadium. It's like a new era for the franchise, and in some way, I think the players can view it as a fresh start after last year's disappointing finish. Not saying a new stadium means a successful season, but I think it's something the team can take pride in and want to defend.
Mickey: Well the obvious answer is entering a new stadium that costs $1.2 billion, but if you are looking at this from a team standpoint, I'd say knowing that the dark cloud that hung over this organization because of No. 81 always being the center of media attention, and liking it, has blown northeast, which should give this team a breath of fresh air.
CHRIS OLLETT BLACKBURN, ENGLAND: There are varied opinions on how the Cowboys will fare this season - still a good Super Bowl bet, or a complete meltdown. I think the fact of the matter is they are a really talented team with extremely high expectations in the toughest division in the NFL, competing against three teams who feel the exact same way. The final records, No. 1 through No. 4 in any order, wouldn't be surprising in this division.
Nick: You're right about the NFC East. All four teams could probably win the division if things fall just right. So it will come down to injuries and which team can win those close games. With all the injuries the Cowboys sustained last year, you'd like to think they will be healthier this season but you never know. But there's no doubt a good football team from the NFC East will be left out of the playoffs again this year.
Rob: Totally agree, except I think Washington still might be a notch below the other three. It's actually very similar to last year, except many just assumed the Cowboys would walk through everyone, including the Super Bowl champion Giants. It just doesn't work that way. The league is too competitive. You need talent, execution and some luck to make a run (see Arizona). The Cowboys are still good and young enough to be a player.
Mickey: I think that is a very healthy opinion on the state of the Cowboys and the NFC East. The Cowboys still are a good team and as capable this year as they were last year of winning 11 games. I don't think that has changed. Maybe this year they win games differently, like possibly playing better on special teams and on defense, meaning they don't have to score 26 to 30 points a game to win. Just remember of the seven games the Cowboys lost last year, in six of those they gave up at least 26 points - 26, 30, 34, 35, 33 and 44. That means they gave up an average of 33.7 points a game in six of their seven losses - or 55 percent of their total points. Sounds like a column brewing, doesn't it?
posted by The Gryphon at 7:03 PM
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