Mid season awards

This season has been full of ups and downs, here is a look at who has been consistent enough to get the awards.

MVP/Defensive MVP - Sean Lee
Sean Lee is a leader to this defense, he leads the team in tackles and is an unstoppable force on this Cowboys defense. He is a line backer the Cowboys have been looking for, a powerful force to make tackles when he has the chance. I won't be surprised if he is the MVP by the end of the season, if he can stay healthy this is a no brainer.

Other considerations
Demarcus Ware (Has been his usual self by pressuring and getting to the Quarterback)

Offensive MVP - Miles Austin
This Cowboys offense is always inconsistent. Murray is hurt and only had 3 good games all season, and Romo throws way to many interceptions. The most consistent player is Miles Austin, every week but one he has either gotten over 100 yards and/or a touchdown, or less than 100 and a touchdown. He is on track for another 1000 plus yard season and has earned this award.

Other considerations
Jason Witten (Had a slow start but has been great the past few games)

Rookie of the year - Morris Claiborne
There is no doubt about this award, Claiborne has shown that moving up to get him with the 6th over all pick paid off. He has an immediate impact on this defense. Even though there are some flaws, he is young and improving and will be a great some day.

Other considerations
Lance Dunbar (He has shown speed in the return game and looks good for an un drafted rookie)

Playoffs?

When you look at the remaining schedule after the Falcons, one thought pops up, they are all struggling teams. This is just what the Cowboys need to try and get back in the race for the playoffs.

Now this team could definitely be the team to beat the Falcons, if they don't turn the ball over. But if they do, they will be just another win in the Falcons undefeated season.

The first and fourth game after Atlanta is the Eagles. Another season in which they were expected to be great, but have not come close to those expectations. They are too, turnover prone, with this Cowboys defense they will put the offense in good positions to score.

The second is just about the worst team in the league, the Browns. I really don't have to say anything more than that.

The third and last game is the Redskins, yes they have a powerful offense, but the Cowboys have one of the best defenses. And the Redskins defense is really struggling this year, which will allow the Cowboys to score easily.

The fifth game is the Bengals. Another team that was expected to shine, but as come far too short. If the Dallas defense can shut down AJ Green, this will be a good game for the Cowboys.

The sixth looks to be their toughest opponent remaining (after Atlanta). The Steelers have shown they can be good, but they have struggled to find wins and often win it late in the game. This one will be a close one, luckily they have home field advantage, and the Steelers have many injuries on defense giving the Cowboys a good opportunity.

And then the seventh is the Saints. A team that started 0-4, a defense that can stop almost no one. Yes the offense can be dangerous but I think the defense will be able to handle them.

If you look at this schedule, if the Cowboys don't turn the ball over more than twice a game, I don't see why the Cowboys can't win the rest of their games. Plus, looking at the Giants schedule, they have their hands full with 4 good teams, the Steelers, Packers, Falcons, and Ravens. With the Cowboys schedule full of struggling opponents, and the Giants full of tough ones, the Cowboys winning the division is not unrealistic.

Recap Cowboys vs Giants

What if, what if Dez Bryant just didn't put his hand down. This game ended like the Ravens game, a missed chance to win the game. After the Giants got on top 23 nothing, the game looked over, but the game was not over. The Cowboys made a 24 point run, with touchdown runs by Romo and Jones, a pass to Phillips, and then a Bailey field goal it was then 24-23. But then the Giants got 2 more field goals and then the Cowboys got one last chance to win the game. Tony Romo, throws a 37 yard pass to Bryant in the end zone with 10 seconds left, Dez jumps, catches the ball, and then the edge of his hand landed out of bounds. It was an inch, an inch from winning the game, or Dez simply could have landed without putting his hand down, and the Cowboys would have won. But what has happened, happened, and the Cowboys must learn and move on.

In the game though there were many good things to look at.

The defense was yet spectacular again, giving up only 293 yards of total offense, recording 1 interception, 1 fumble recovery, 1 sack, and only 11 first downs. Having no Sean Lee was definitely not a problem. The defense could probably look to improve the pass rush a bit but other then that the defense is doing great.

Converting in the red zone was not a problem this week, the Cowboys were 3-4 in trips to the red zone.

And the offense its self was not bad at all. They got 28 first downs, Romo had a career high 437 yards passing, Witten had 18 catches which is the record for most in a game by a tight end in the past 5 years, and the Cowboys had 3 receivers over 100 yards.

But then there are the reasons why the Cowboys lost the game. Here is what needs to improve.

Turnovers, this is the main reason why the Cowboys lost. Romo had 4 interceptions, and the Cowboys fumbled the ball twice. Thats why the Giants were able to win, they had such a short field to score on thanks to the turnovers. When Romo stops throwing interceptions, the Cowboys will start winning once again.

The offensive line and run game. Now with Murray gone it is a problem. After Baltimore, Jones has not been able to find a groove. He was helpful with a 4 yard touchdown run, but that is really all he did. Murray will hopefully be better soon because he is needed. Now the offensive line wasn't terrible, but the pressure on Romo has to be reduced, or else the interceptions will keep coming.

With the undefeated Falcons up next week, the Cowboys will have to fix those issues in order to get the win.

Update

Hi everyone sorry I haven't been posting, I was on vacation the past few days.
Go Cowboys!

Key injuries in week 8

Demarco Murray and Sean Lee

Right before Demarco Murray got hurt, he was looking like himself again. He was breaking tackles gaining plus 5 yards per carry, and being productive. That Murray was missing for a few games, but then seemed to find his groove agains the Ravens, until he got hurt. Unfortunately he will be out for the second strait week, and miss a key game with the Giants. In the first match up he was amazing, getting over 100 yards to help the Cowboys beat them in New York. He will be missed this game. Many thought Jones would be a good answer, when he was also able to get over 90 yards against the Ravens, and he also got a touchdown. But against the Panthers he was just, ok. He wasn’t able to do much on the ground and only got some passes. He is really going to have to step it up to fill Murray’s shoes this week. It will be key to have a balanced offense against this New York defense.

Sean Lee is one of the best players on this new and improved defense. He is racking up tackles each week, and is very useful to this Cowboys defense. He is a leader for the team, his rookie year he showed who he his and why he deserves his starting spot. And he hasn’t showed any signs of weakness. Last year he even played with a hurt hand, showing his determination and passion for the game. And now he is out for this week, and he will be missed greatly. The defense has gotten into a rhythm now, they are all in sync and are one of the best defenses in the league. With him out this week against the Giants, the backups will need to step up big in order to fill his spot to keep the defense going. 

NFC East week 8

Going into week 8 the NFC East leader is the Giants at 5-2, while the 3 other teams are still struggling to keep a winning record. No team in the division looks consistently good all around, here is what to look for in week 8.

Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants

I already did a preview of this match up but here are the main ideas. The Cowboys need to get the offense in sync or else sweeping the Giants may not happen. The defense needs to continue its dominance in order to stop Manning and the Giants. The Giants need to make sure the defense is all set, over the past few games Manning has had to make a lot of comebacks in order to get the win for the team. As for the offense it needs to continue being productive. Manning can not turn the ball over and Bradshaw needs to do what he has been doing the past few weeks. In the end I think this will be much closer than the first game, but the Cowboys will hand the Giants there first loss in the new Cowboys stadium.

My Prediction - Cowboys 21-17

Philadelphia Eagles

If you look at the roster for this team, and then look at their record, it does not seem to match up. The Eagles have dominant players on both sides of the ball. But the problem is they are just not in sync. The offense, it has one of the best running backs in the league, and a great receiving corps, but Vick is bringing them down. He is constantly turning the ball over in key situations. Then the defense, they are allowing too many points to be scored. They were winning the whole game against the Lions and then gave up points in the fourth and then lost in over time. Luckily the Eagles have a bye week, which was good for them, they needed time to focus and know what to do on the field. And this week will be no easy test, they face the undefeated Falcons, with Matt Ryan looking better then ever, and the defense doing spectacular, it will be a hard week 8 for the Eagles. But Andy Reid is undefeated after bye weeks, can they be the team to hand the Falcons their first loss? Well if the Vick is turnover free, then I think it can happen.

My Prediction - Eagles win 27-21

Washington Redskins

Last week was very disappointing for the Redskins, they were beaten in the fourth quarter in a close one with the Giants. The problem, is again, since week 1, the defense. The offense is doing great, rookies RGIII and Morris are some of the most explosive players on the field in all of the NFL. But the defense is just giving up too many points and they end up losing the game. Yes, fingers can be pointed at injuries, but the Redskins need to the fix the defense, and fast. My advice is to try free agency. The Redskins have no other option, free agency could be their chance to try and find some solid players to help out with the defense. They don’t have to go for super stars, they already have those but they’re injured. What they need is players that can apply some pressure on the quarter back and make good tackles. Find people that can start and be effective, and then be a solid back up for when the hurt players return. With the struggling Steelers this week, I think this Redskins offense will be able to put up enough points to win.

My Prediction - Redskins 24-10

Preview Cowboys vs Giants

The rematch, the final battle in the regular season, Giants seeking revenge, Cowboys looking to get back a winning record. The first game was a great one for the Cowboys and a terrible one for the Giants. The Cowboys looked dangerous at offense and defense while the Giants struggled in both offense and defense. This game the Cowboys will look to prove who they really are since they have been inconsistent the whole season. While the Giants who have looked like its former champion selves that past few weeks, look to stay undefeated in the new Cowboys stadium. 

The Giants looked to have a Super bowl hangover the first few weeks. The first game was very disappointing especially since it was at home. But since then the Giants have been improving and look dangerous. Eli Manning has been playing much better lately, while Bradshaw who just came off an injury, has been a very effective runner. Not to mention the defense who have also been improving. The defensive line is starting to get more pressure on the quarter backs, and the secondary, which lost many players due to injuries in the beginning of the season, is coming back and improving. But they are still giving up a lot of points, Manning has had to make a lot of comebacks to get those 5 wins. The Giants really need to focus on the defense in order to win this game.

The Cowboys after week 1 have been up and down. Getting blown out by the Seahawks, barely beating the Bucs, losing to the Bears and Ravens, and then barely beating the Panthers. It seems that the Cowboys players played their best in week 1 but then haven’t played their best since. I will leave the defense out of this though. They are doing a great job and are much improved from last year. But the turnovers keep happening, the run game is not happening, and the fouls keep getting called. The Cowboys need to show who they can be and who they are this Sunday. Romo needs to stop the turnovers. The offensive line really needs to stop the false starts. And yes Murray is out, but we all saw what Felix Jones did in the Ravens game a few weeks back, he needs to be able to step up in this key game for the Cowboys.

For this game I think the Cowboys will be able to to get the win and sweep the Giants. The main thing that hurt them in the first game was the offensive line, and the Cowboys have improved it a ton. They did not give up a single sack last game, which was giving Romo plenty of time to find an open receiver. Now the turnovers have been getting better since the Bears game, and Jones should be able to produce. And the Giants, well they have not been perfect, the defense is still giving up a lot of points as I mentioned. If the Romo and his offense is in sync, and the defense plays like it has been, I think the Cowboys will give the Giants their first loss in the new Cowboys stadium.

Cowboys win 21-17

Recap Cowboys vs Panthers

This was a much needed win for the Cowboys, after the last second missed field goal last week, they needed to end this losing streak. And they did, with much improvement all around really. Romo and Austin hooked up for the Cowboys only touchdown and then Dan Bailey hit all 4 of his field goals to lift the Cowboys over the Panthers 19-14. Things that went well, the offensive line, turnovers, and defense. Ever since the bye week the offensive line has been improving greatly, with great blocking to help pave the way for 2, 90 yard rushers against the Ravens last week, and this week Romo was not sacked once during the entire game. Now yes the run game was not very productive, most of the yards came from Romo in the air, but the Cowboys were also with out starting running back Demarco Murray. So the offensive line is not to blame. Plus with Romo not being sacked he had more time in the pocket and did not throw an interception in the game and had his highest rating of the season of 85.1. The only turnover came from a fumble from Miles Austin after a reception. So the turning the ball over was also much better. Then the defense was spectacular yet again. Holding the offense to just 2 touchdowns the whole game, and getting a interception and recovered a fumble. So plus 1 in the turnovers for this game. Also the Panthers were only 2-10 on third downs and 0-2 on fourth downs. Now there are still things to improve for the Cowboys. One as I mentioned last week, the red zone problems. The Cowboys get so far on drives but have trouble in the red zone. The Cowboys had 3 trips to the red zone and they all ended up being field goals. Yes field goals can win games as the Cowboys proved last season against the Redskins once by winning by just kicking field goals the whole game. But they do not cut it. The Cowboys need to start finding the end zone more or they will not be able to compete for the Super bowl let alone the NFC East championship. Penalties are still a work in progress, the Cowboys had 6 for 43 yards but it was definitely better than all of the illegal shifts last week. Now yes the run game was not amazing but Murray was hurt so I can understand why they did not do so good. But I will talk about Dunbar once again, the Cowboys signed him to the roster and he still has yet to a return a kick off, or a punt. And he hasn't gotten much carries in the run game either. I really think the Cowboys should use him more, I think he can become a player that can contribute week in  week and out. As for injuries Dez Bryant did play which was good but did not really contribute much in the game. And then Phil Costa had to get carted off the field. Luckily the offensive line has been stable and him being out was not much of an impact. So overall the offensive line, turnovers, and defense did great, and the Cowboys need to improve on red zone offense, penalties, and special teams. Also this win marks Tony Romos 50th career win.

Victory!

Cowboys win a close one against the Panthers 19-14!

Injury Update

This week the injuries are not to serious. No one has been ruled out for the game this weekend. But Chris Jones one of the punters has not practiced since last game, luckily Brian Moorman is probable for the game. Anthony Spencer was limited in practice Thursday and is questionable for the game, it would be great if he was there since having good quality line backers to get Newton when he scrambles is key. Dez Bryant is also questionable after not practicing Friday, luckily the Cowboys seem solid at receivers with Austin, Ogletree, and Witten too. Morris Claiborne who left the game last Sunday due to knee problems but came back in the end to play is probable. And Phil Costa who is probable had a full practice Thursday which is a very good sign.

Preview Cowboys vs Panthers

The Cowboys look to rebound from a very disappointing loss to the Ravens last week. When Bryant dropped the potential 2 point conversion to tie the game and then Dan Bailey missed a last second field goal to win the game. But the bye week proved to be very helpful to the Cowboys. During the Ravens game the Cowboys had a very effective offensive line using the tight ends to help the blocking. They also paved the way to a very effective run game. Murray and Jones rushed for over 90 yards, and with Murray getting an ankle sprain, Jones as the starter looks like he will be able to get some yards against the Panthers. Romo was also much better with the interceptions, throwing just one the whole game. Now there are 2 things to really work on for this Cowboys team. One is to work on the audible calls and killing the play. It is great that you kill the play Romo if it is breaking down or the defense is ready for it. But you can't kill it with little time left on the play clock, it leaves your receivers with little time to shift. So when its wrong, there's a foul and it pushes you back farther making it harder to convert. Next special teams also needs to be fixed. Why sign Dunbar if he never returns a kick off and only got one carry for the run game? The kickoffs have not been great this year so the starting position has not helped the offense. And then the Ravens were able to get a 108 yard kick off return, those are points that should not be given up and cost the game. Now the Panthers have struggled greatly this year. Cam Newton has been Super man week in and week out and the defense is giving up to many big plays. For example against the Falcons. They pinned the Falcons on the one when the Falcons needed to score, and then the Falcons got a huge pass and were able to score and win the game. Their main problem is the defense. So I think with Jones at running back, and Romo stopping the interceptions. The Cowboys should be able to score easily. Plus with the defense being dominant as usual, and the run defense looking a lot better last week. I think the Cowboys will be able to win this game 28-10 and go to 3-3.

Preview NFC East Week 7

Heading into week 7, the Redskins and Giants look to do what they did last week, and the Cowboys and Eagles need to improve more.

New York Giants
The Giants had their best game of the season last week. They stopped the 49ers young and explosive offense and were able to score a lot of points against the usual dominant 49ers defense. And they handed them just their second loss of the season. The next game will be a test for the defense. To see if they can stop the dominant duo of RGIII and Alfred Morris. The offense should be able to handle this Redskins defense who have not been very good at all in stopping offenses. But I think this young and powerful Redskins offense will be too much.
My prediction - Giants lose 35-17

Washington Redskins
Last week was a great week for RGIII and the Redskins. RGIII ran for the second longest touch down run by a quarter back and the offense was scoring at will. The defense there are still some questions as I said before. Mainly because starters got hurt in the beginning of the season but the defense still needs to get fixed if they want to be play off contenders. This week will be a big test for the defense with Bradshaw really showing he is the starter and will still that way with very explosive games. But I think RGIII and Alfred Morris will prove to be too much.
My prediction - Redskins win 35-17

Philadelphia Eagles
This week they have a bye. Which is good for this team. The defense really needs to improve, they gave up 17 points in the fourth quarter to blow the lead and then lost in overtime. Then Vick had yet another multiple interception week. Which is really killing the teams chancing. 1 interception is acceptable but 2 is one too many. The defense and turnovers really need to get fixed if they want to win the East.

Dallas Cowboys
Even though last week went down as a loss, the team look much improved coming off the bye week. Before the offensive line was sloppy, the run game was not effective and the turnovers kept happening. Last week the blocking was there, the Cowboys had 2 rushers with 90 plus yards, and Romo only threw one interception. Now yes some things need to be improved but this week against the struggling Panthers they should be able to get the win.
M prediction - Cowboys win 28-10

What's happening!?

It is time for a new segment I will do weekly called what's happening. I will go through the Cowboys and NFC East games and see who and what parts of the teams need to improve.

Dallas Cowboys
Special teams, you sign Dunbar and he only gets one carry in the whole game and doesn't even get a return? You signed him for a reason! To help with the return game! Then you give up a 108     yard kick return!
What's happening!?

Illegal shifts, if you kill the play Romo, make sure you have enough time on the play clock for your receivers to shift! Those penalties keep pushing you back and just make it harder to convert on 3rd down!
What's happening!?

Philadelphia Eagles
Defense, you gave up 17 points in the fourth quarter and then lost in over time. A game in which you were going to win and then blew it!
What's happening!?

Turnovers, Vick you have to throw to your team mates. You throw interceptions all the time and it is really hurting your chances of winning!
What's happening!?

New York Giants
Well after a great game defensively and offensively there isn't much to say. Only one thing,
Red zone, you went to the red zone 6 times! Only 2 times ended up being touchdowns!
What's happening!?

Washington Redskins
Defense, you gave up more yards then you're offense got! RGIII can't do it all, which is why you're only 3-3.
What's happening!?

Recap Cowboys vs Ravens

2 words can sum this game, huge improvement. Yes they did lose but during the game the Cowboys were running the ball at will, with Murray getting 93 yards, and Jones getting 92 yards and 1 touchdown. This is much better then last few games. Plus this shows that Jones is a solid running back who can also get some carries in and be effective. Now I'm not sure what happened with Lance Dunbar, who didn't return a kick and only got one carry for 11 yards. But the Cowboys should really try and use him on that return game now. Another big thing is that the offensive line blocking was much better. The Cowboys were smart and really used the tight ends to help with the blocking, and it looked great against the powerful Ravens defensive line. Also Tony Romo was able to decrease his turnovers and only had 1 interception. But there are things to work on. For example, killing plays. When Romo goes up to get the snap he is looking at the defense, he is seeing what they are lined up to do, if he doesn't like it, he shouts kill to change the play. Which is great if the defense will be able to stop them, try another way to get yards. But the receivers have to know where they are shifting to, they got called on illegal shifts many times during the game. To go with that, the Cowboys also need to work on penalties, they were getting them in the red zone which just pushed them back farther. Now the defense also did well in this game. They have now given up the fewest amount of yards in the league and were able to stop Ray Rice for most of the game. The only real let downs in this game came at the very end. When the Cowboys got all the way down the field and took off all the time on the clock and then failed the 2 point conversion. But then the Cowboys got the on side kick, got into range with a defensive pass interference and then missed the kick that would have won them the game. Now yes it was a 51 yard kick but it is still a big let down. But the thing that really matters is, is that the Cowboys improved on everything I talked about heading into their bye week. Turnovers, offensive line, and run game. The real issues that need to get fixed before next week is the special teams and penalties. The special teams weren't doing much on returns and then they gave up a kick return for a touchdown. Those are points that can really hurt your chances of winning so the Cowboys need to stop those. And the Cowboys keep getting penalties in key situations which just makes it harder to convert to get a first down or a touchdown, those really need to stop if the Cowboys want to keep their drives alive and win games. But with the struggling Panthers up next, they should be able to win the game easily.

Injury update 10/11/12

This week the Cowboys injuries have gone down and then right back up. Jay Ratlif and Anthony Spencer two huge keys on the defense have returned to practice and are expected to play this weekend against the Ravens which will be a huge help. But there has been injuries at center which does not help this already struggling offensive line. Ryan Cook got hurt so no Phil Costa is starting in that position. Then both of the punters got hurt this week. The only good news is Dan Bailey the kicker has not practiced punting this week yet, which is a sign that one of the punters will be there for the game. Then Morris Claiborne, rookie cornerback, who has already made a huge impact in the pass defense missed practice Thursday due to illness. The Cowboys need to be more careful or else beating the Ravens will be very hard to do.

Week 6 NFC East preview

The race for the NFC  East crown is still close, with the Eagles and Giants at 3-2, the Cowboys at 2-2, and the Redskins at 2-3, there are still no favorites. This week some teams have a chance to take first place, but others have a tough competition this week. Here is what to watch for and my predictions.

Philadelphia Eagles

This team may be the favorite this year to win the East. They have a dangerous offense lead by Vick, McCoy, and Jackson. And a very powerful defense with a great pass rush and a great secondary thanks to a lot of moves in the free agency last year. In week 5 though they did have a disappointing loss against the Steelers. But I believe this team can bounce back and beat the Lions who have been in a slump for the first 5 weeks of the season. They just need to make sure they stop the turnovers, if they do that they are definitely in the race for the East championship.

Prediction - Eagles win 31-17

New York Giants

This week will be the biggest test of the year for the Giants, a rematch of last years NFC championship against the mighty 49ers. Now yes they did win that last game but this game will not be a walk in the park. The 49ers have a much better offense and there usual very dominate defense. Luckily for the Giants Bradshaw is back and was great last week, so the offense looks to be all in check this game. But the defense, not so much, the very powerful defensive line has not been getting to the quarter back at all this season. And with a lot of players in the secondary hurt, it will take a lot for the Giants to win this game.

Prediction - 49ers win 24-17

Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys had 3 main questions heading into their bye week, the run game, offensive line, and turnovers. These three things are really bringing the team down. The defense is doing great but the offense is not producing. Hope fully this week they can show that they fixed those problems because they play the Ravens. A team with a powerful defense and a young and improving offense. If the Cowboys want this win, the offensive line needs to be fixed.

Prediction - Cowboys win 20-17

Washington Redskins

I believe the Redskins can still dominate and win the East championships. The offense is doing great. RGIII has lived up to his expectations and Alfred Morris is gaining yards on the ground easily. So the offense I think is good, they could maybe work on the pass game a bit, but they at least have a very effective run game. The defense was great last year but this year, injuries to key players have hurt them. If the Redskins want to stay in the race they need to fix up that defense and make sure RGIII does not get hurt. This week against the Vikings will be tricky to predict. The Vikings are 4-1 but I think the Redskins will be able to handle second year Christian Ponder.

Prediction - Redskins win 32-17

Good news for the defense

This week 2 very good pieces of news has come out. Jay Ratlif the Pro bowl nose tackle is expected to play in week 6, and Anthony Spencer who the Cowboys placed their franchise tag on is back in practice. This is a huge sigh of relief for the Cowboys. This year they have one of the best secondary's in the entire league, but the run defense has been giving up a lot of yards. Jay Ratlif who is a great run stopper should definitely make an impact in week 6. And Spencer who is also a great run stopper will be a huge impact. And it is a good thing they're back for week 6. They play Ray Rice, one of the best runners in the league. So with Sean Lee who is a tackling monster this season, Demarcus Ware who is getting to the quarter back consistently, Spencer, and Ratlif, this team now looks solid up front against the run. Then Flacco is not a consistent thrower, so with the powerful cowboys secondary, they will be able to stop the Ravens from doing much on offense. And with this powerful defense the Cowboys offense now has to step up if the Cowboys want to make the playoffs. This is all a huge improvement from last year and the year before. The last 2 years the Cowboys corners were giving up everything. They added Rob Ryan one of the best defensive coordinators in the league a year ago. But with the lockout he did not have much time to teach his schemes to the defense.  So the Cowboys went big in the off season this year. Getting the top free agent corner back Brandon Carr, and then getting the top corner back in the draft Morris Claiborne by trading up. And boy are the Cowboys glad they got them. They are doing great in this defense. And don't forget Jenkins the former pro bowler. He is also doing great this season. The Sean Lee is getting some of the most tackles in the league, Demarcus Ware is getting a lot of sacks, and people are saying Bruce Carter will become a great. So after being one of the worse defense in the league in 2 years ago, the Cowboys have really stepped it up to become an elite defense. Next bug problem, fixing the Cowboys offense.

Why Dunbar was called up

The Cowboys run game has not lived up to their expectations through out the first 4 weeks. Last year, Demarco Murray got a chance and he showed the Cowboys he is the starter. He had the breakout performance against the Rams when he beat Emmit Smith single game rushing record for a Cowboy. He then went on to be productive a few more games but then had a season ending injury. Coming into this season he was expected to dominate again. The Cowboys thought that they had there long term running back set. And in week one he delivered, he had a plus 100 yard performance and an amazing run against the Giants. But after that he hasn't reached 100 yards again and only 1 touchdown. Now some fingers may be pointed to the offense line and how they have very bad blocks for Murray. Or how the Cowboys throw the ball more instead of running it. But either way, the Cowboys need to get some production back into the run game. With no consistency it forces Romo to throw the ball most of the time, and sometimes he doesn't make the right decision and turns the ball over. This is why the Cowbys signed Dunbar to the roster. The Cowboys are looking for a spark. Someone who can get yards and be consistent to get this offense going who ranks 29th in the run. Dunbar had a very impressive 100 plus yard performance in the final week of the preseason. The Cowboys though were happy with what they had so the signed him to the practice squad. But after 3 weeks in which the run game wasn't there the Cowboys knew they needed someone knew. I totally agree with this decision. One it motivates Murray, bringing Dunbar up is giving him a chance to take the starting job if he plays well enough. So Murray will try extra hard to prove he is the starter and will always be. Two Dunbar could be the answer to the run game. He could become a consistent runner who the Cowboys have been looking for since Emmit Smith left. But he could also be sleeper. Barely getting any yards and just sitting on the bench. My prediction of his performance is that he won't be a super star, but he will still do enough to spark the offense and show he is the number 2 running back.

Preview Cowboys vs Ravens

This game is one where the Cowboys have many things to prove. Coming off of there bye week here are things the Cowboys should have fixed.
Offensive line
Run game
Turnovers
This week the Cowboys should mainly be focusing on that o-line, there is just no blocking for the run game and no time for the quarterback to throw. In the run game the Cowboys signed Lance Dunbar from the practice squad to maybe try and improve in that area. In the pre season Dunbar had a very impressive performance against the Dolphins in the last game. But did not make the final roster, with the run game just ranking 29th in the league, the Cowboys want to see if Dunbar can be a spark on the offense. As for turnovers, Romo can't force the throw. If nobody is open buy time, run out of the pocket, and if that doesn't work, throw it away. Throwing it away is always better then a turnover. Romo just has to recognize when the play is breaking down and when to get rid of the ball. Now playing the Ravens will be a tough game for this Cowboys offense. In week 5 the Ravens held the Chiefs to just 6 points. This game could go in two directions basically. One, the bye week could have been a tremendous help and the Cowboys fixed the issues and the offense does great against the Ravens mighty defense which makes the Cowboys look good. Or the issues did not get fixed and they are barely able to move the ball making them selves look worse. As for the defense, the Ravens only scored 9 points in week 5. But that does not mean they have a terrible offense. Torrey Smith is an explosive wide receiver and Ray Rice is one of the top running backs in the league. But they are inconsistent, for example the 9 points last week. So really the Cowboys defense looks to have an advantage over the Ravens offense. But the Cowboys offense needs to deliver. What they need to focus on is turnovers, the Ravens have a strong defense and if Romo isn't careful he could have a repeat of week 4. My predictions in this game is that the turnovers will stop and the run game will be there. Tony Romo wants to have more then just one playoff when under his belt, Romo knows he is better and will look to prove himself in this game. The run game I predict will get going again, with Dunbar maybe getting some carries he could prove he deserves that spot on the roster. But I do not think the offensive line problems will be solved. Fixing a sloppy offensive line takes more then 2 weeks, this line may be improve but not solid.
Final Prediction
Cowboys 20-17
I think this will be a close game but in the end the Cowboys will get the win.

Look ahead to the draft

The Cowboys obviously have holes in their roster, but how should they draft to fix them? Here is a run down of what they should do for the 2013 NFL draft

1st round
Draft an offensive lineman
In 2011 the Cowboys drafted offensive lineman Tyron Smith in the first round and he was a very good pick. He is probably the best offensive lineman on the team. So why not get another in the first round? Another solid o-lineman would really help anchor the the line.

2nd round
Defensive end
This one is tough, because depending on which o-lineman is still available or which d-lineman are still available. Because yes the offensive line needs a lot of work, but the Cowboys still have a little concern at the defending the run game. Another solid defender would make it a lot better

3rd round
Wide receiver
The Cowboys do not have a whole lot of options past their 3rd wide receiver Kevin Ogletree. So if Austin or Dez got hurt, there may be a concern. So picking up a wide receiver here would be smart because its not a real high pick, but the Cowboys could get lucky and find a breakout player.

4th round
Offensive lineman
Again the Cowboys need lots of help up front, drafting more o-lineman is necessary in order to get it solid.

5th/6th/7th
In these rounds the Cowboys should try to find more offensive lineman and more defensive lineman to really fill the holes. But maybe another running back wouldn't be a bad option to try to give it to someone other then Murray. Another possibility is a Quarterback, Romo is aging and is still inconsistent. Is it time to find a replacement?

Free agency
Wide receivers, offensive lineman, defensive lineman. To try and find someone with a hidden talent like Miles Austin, and to find solid backups.

Cowboys and NFC predictions

The Cowboys are very hard to predict right now. They can have good games, or bad games, they're never consistent. In week one, the Cowboys looked great, beating the defending champs, Romo out dueling Manning, the run game was there, and the defense was also great. But then in week 2 the Cowboys had a terrible loss to the Seahawks. The defense was out of it, and the offense could barely get one touchdown. The next week later, the Cowboys barely beat the Buccaneers. But the defense was amazing during the game which was a good sign. Then the loss to the Bears, where the turnovers kept happening and the offensive line was sloppy as usual. This Cowboys team does have a lot of talent, with new defensive corners, the defense looks great this year. The offense, has very good wide receiver corps, and a great tight end. Plus with Murray at running back the Cowboys may have found someone they can rely on. The main flaws of this team is at quarterback and the offensive line. Tony Romo is just not consistent, he can have great games with a lot of touchdowns or bad games with a lot of interceptions. There is no in between for him, like other greats that can come in every week and maybe throw some interceptions, but still go on and win the game. Then there is the offensive line. Every week Murray has to work very hard to get yards, because the blocks from the o-line are not there. And Romo seems to have to scramble out of the pocket almost every snap. If the Cowboys want to get the playoffs, Romo needs to become consistent and the offensive line needs to be better at blocking for the run game and Romo.

My predictions for NFC East champion, NFC playoff spots

NFC East
Philadelphia Eagles 11-5
If this team can stop the turnovers like last week the will be great.

NFC North
Green Bay Packers 11-5 (Bye in playoffs)
Yes they got off to a slow start, but the Bears and Lion also did, this team does not have to do a lot to catch back up.

NFC South
Atlanta Falcons 10-6
This team looks great at 4-0 and with the Saints and Panthers struggling, they look like clear favorites at this point.

NFC West
San Francisco 49ers 12-4 (Bye in playoffs)
With one of the best defense in the league and a young explosive offense, this team looks unstoppable.

Wild Cards
Dallas Cowboys 8-8
The Cowboys should be able to fix some of the major issues, but not enough to beat the Eagles for the NFC East championship

Chicago Bears 8-8
With the Lions, Giants, Saints, and Panthers struggling, this team that is improving greatly should be able to get a wild card

NFC Champions
San Francisco 49ers
No other team is as well rounded as this team, I won't be surprised if they win the Superbowl this year.

What to watch for in the NFC East

Heading into week 5 of the NFL, no team in the NFC East have really pulled away from the pack. Some can say the Eagles have, since they're in first with a 3-1 record. But there is still the question if the turnovers will keep happening, which will cost them games. Then there are the Cowboys, Giants, and Redskins. All at 2-2 and all of them have questions in certain areas of the team. So here is what to look for in their week 5 games and my predictions.

Dallas Cowboys

Luckily the Cowboys have a bye week. After a very bad performance from the Cowboys against the Bears last week, they need some time to regroup. Major issues to fix, the offensive line, run game, and turnovers. The offensive line has been very sloppy every week so far. Romo seems to always be under pressure, and the run game has not been able to produce. The turnovers (mainly from Romo) also need to get fixed. The receivers need to know what rout to run, and Romo has to make sure his receivers know before throwing the ball. Pros, the defense has been there. The pass defense has improved greatly thanks to Claiborne and Carr, ranking 2nd in the league in fewest yards total. The run defense is not great but it isn't bad either, ranking 17th in the league. Over all the defense is 6th in yards allowed with 1110. But the Cowboys still need to fix the offense if the want to beat Ravens in week 6.

Washington Redskins

The Redskins have a very difficult test in week 5, the undefeated Falcons. The Redskins, may have a chance at winning this game. Even though Atlanta does have a solid defense, the Redskins have a young and explosive offense. With rookies RGIII and Alfred Morris, the offense is second in rushing in the league and 15th in passing. But the defense vs Matt Ryan will not be good. The Redskins defense are ranked 31st in defending the pass, and with Matt Ryan having one of the highest quarterback ratings in the league, it will be hard for the Redskins to stop him. But with Falcons being 29th in rush defense, the Redskins could use that to their advantage, which could make this game very close.

My prediction

Redskins win 38-35

New York Giants

The Giants had a very disappointing loss to the Eagles last week, missing a field goal that would have one them the game. But the Giants look to bounce back against the Browns who have yet to win a game this season. The Giants offense is looking good and should be able to beat the Browns defense. But the Giants don't have a great defense either, and will have to look out for rookies Trent Richardson and Brandon Weeden. 

My prediction

Giants win 28-10

Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles team looks great, ranking 5th in total offense and 7th in defense, but there are still turnovers.  Which is why they lost to the Cardinals and only beat there other opponents by 1,1, and 2 points. But last week was an improvement, with no turnovers at all against the defending champion Giants. This week they play the Steelers who only have 3 take aways all season, but they still have a good defense. If the Eagles want to win this game, it has to be like last week with no turnovers.

My predictions

Steelers win 28-24

Recap Cowboys vs Bears

This Monday night football game is one the Cowboys want to forget. The worst part of the game, came from Tony Romo. Who threw 5 interceptions, and 2 of them went for touchdowns. This marks the second time in his career that he has thrown 5 interceptions. Another big problem was the offensive line, and the run game. The offensive line was sloppy as usual. Murray and Jones only combined for 37 yards on 12 carries. If the Cowboys want to stay contenders for the Superbowl they need to fix those two main problems. One reason is because the Cowboys can not rely on Romo to be consistent in each game. For example the Monday night fame. 5 interceptions is too much, they kill drives that could have been points, and they give up points to the other team. What Romo really needs to do is make sure his receivers know the right rout when he calls an audible. Or else the turnovers will keep happening, and the losses will keep coming. The only good part for Romo was the last drive before the half that ended with a 10 yard touch down to Miles Austin. So basically the Cowboys need to get that run game up and going or else they're in trouble. Then if the offensive line isn't fixed the run game obviously won't be able to produce, and Romo will be under more pressure which will lead to interceptions. But there are a few good things that came from this game. One was when they put Kyle Orton in for Romo on the last drive to see how he would do, he delivered. He was 9 out of 10 with 89 yards, a touchdown, and a throw for the two point conversion. So if Romo can't stay healthy, the Cowboys know they have a good backup who can deliver. Another good thing was that the Cowboys gained more yards and first downs then the Bears. Which means that the offense is still doing good it's just the Cowboys kept turning the ball over, and that defense also did their job. Also the penalty problems where much better for the Cowboys in this game. With only two the whole game that gave up 10 yards, when last week they had 13 penalties giving up 105 yards. So definitely a huge improvement. The other good thing is that Jason Witten seemed to be his usual self. With barely any catches and yards the last 3 weeks, there were questions if his spleen was still affecting him or if he can still produce. And Witten answered those questions, he caught 13 passes for 112 yards and 1 touchdown during the game, looking like his pro bowler self. Plus Dez Bryant who also was having a quite last 3 weeks, caught 8 passes for 105 yards and a 2 point conversion. As a conclusion, the Cowboys improved greatly on penalties, Witten looked like himself, and the defense was able to do an OK job. But the offensive line and run game was sloppy, and Romo kept turning the ball over. So those are definitely areas that need to be improved. Luckily the Cowboys have a bye week where they can hopefully regroup and fix those problems before facing the 3 and 1 Ravens next week.

Welcome

Hi I am AJ and this blog is all about the Cowboys. I will talk about games, stats, players, trades, coaching, NFC East, etc. I will be posting constantly. Enjoy!

Go Cowboys!