Are you ready for some Football?!? (NFL)

[Dannyalcatraz]

As much as I dislike the Cowboys, I'd still have to consider them a legitimate threat to win.

The way they lose is by getting penalties- dumb ones in bunches. If they don't self-destruct, they have all the weapons they need to play anyone in the league.

They have a new QB who seems to understand how the game is played, and Bledsoe as backup is still dangerous. If he goes in, the Coaches need to remember he's not young & mobile, and start running a West-Coast style offense...short passes & good running.

They have TO, an older reciever who, if he's on, is probably still one of the top 3 most dangerous in the league. Their younger recievers are also flashing some quality.

Their TE is probably one of the top 5, and while young, the RB Jones is starting to look like a good all-around back.

Oh yeah...GO SAINTS!

 

[John Crichton]

As much as I dislike the Cowboys, I'd still have to consider them a legitimate threat to win.

To win the Super Bowl? Make the playoffs? Win the East? I'll assume Super Bowl for now because they are a now team...

The way they lose is by getting penalties- dumb ones in bunches. If they don't self-destruct, they have all the weapons they need to play anyone in the league.

Penalties didn't really play any role in the Saints game. I think the Giants have a bigger problem with penalties than the Cowboys do even though they aren't great either. The Giants had 4 false starts - at home. *ugh*

They do have weapons, but their defense is overrated and can be scored on.

They have a new QB who seems to understand how the game is played, and Bledsoe as backup is still dangerous. If he goes in, the Coaches need to remember he's not young & mobile, and start running a West-Coast style offense...short passes & good running.

Romo is neither as good as he's played (against mostly bad defenses) or as bad as he looked (against the Saints and Giants). In all, he's a rookie QB who can be prone to mistakes. As for Bledsoe? The Cowboys are dead if he ever has to come in a game in the playoffs.

They have TO, an older reciever who, if he's on, is probably still one of the top 3 most dangerous in the league. Their younger recievers are also flashing some quality.

I'd say was, now. He drops too many easy balls. He can be a gamebreaker both ways, but is no sure thing anymore.

Their TE is probably one of the top 5, and while young, the RB Jones is starting to look like a good all-around back.

He is? Take away his long run from last week's game and he still looks like a #2 behind Marion Barber.

The Cowboys are still in the mix as one of the better teams in the NFC as they do have talent plus an experienced coach. But they are too inconsistent right now to be a legit threat for a Super Bowl title. At this point, they would be playing too many games on the road. That said, the only team that looks good are the Saints followed by the Bears who have no offense.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

The Saints game was a blessed aberration- most of the 'Boys' losses can be attributed to penalties.

-- Entering Sunday's game against New Orleans, Dallas ranks fourth in the NFL with 103 penalties and is 39 shy of breaking the team record of 141 penalties set in 1988.

-- The Cowboys have 28 penalties for 281 yards in the past two (pre-NO) games.

-- Their 15 penalties against Seattle was the third-highest total in team history and two shy of the franchise record set in 1988 against Cleveland.

-- The 152 penalty yards against Minnesota on Thanksgiving Day was the third-highest total in team history, nine yards shy of the team record set in 1970 against Washington.

-- The penalty yardage is on pace (1,199) to be the highest total in franchise history. The record of 1,148 was set in 1988.

-- From 1989-1996, the Cowboys had 100 yards of penalties twice. They've done it three times this season.

--Julius Jones has the 13th highest rushing yards total in the league- not bad for a rookie, and nearly 2x Barber's total. He's on a pace to get over 1200 yards this year.

--Witten is 5th in the league in receptions, 7th in total yards, 9th in Yards/catch, and tied for 8th in 1st downs for TEs...and the ones ahead of him in those various categories vary a bit.

--Romo isn't a rookie, he's a 4th year vet who knows the system but hasn't started until this year.

--TO, like I said, is as dangerous as any other reciever if he's playing his best- when he's off, he's horrible. Like the former QB for my Saints, Aaron Brooks, he can break a game...either way.

 

[John Crichton]

The Saints game was a blessed aberration- most of the 'Boys' losses can be attributed to penalties.

-- Entering Sunday's game against New Orleans, Dallas ranks fourth in the NFL with 103 penalties and is 39 shy of breaking the team record of 141 penalties set in 1988.

See below.

-- The Cowboys have 28 penalties for 281 yards in the past two (pre-NO) games.

Both games they won when they were the darlings of the NFC.

-- Their 15 penalties against Seattle was the third-highest total in team history and two shy of the franchise record set in 1988 against Cleveland.

-- The 152 penalty yards against Minnesota on Thanksgiving Day was the third-highest total in team history, nine yards shy of the team record set in 1970 against Washington.

-- The penalty yardage is on pace (1,199) to be the highest total in franchise history. The record of 1,148 was set in 1988.

-- From 1989-1996, the Cowboys had 100 yards of penalties twice. They've done it three times this season.

I'm well aware that penalties are a factor and they need to cut down but as I illustrated above, the penalties aren't losing them games at this point. And that's not to say that they won't lose them some games. We can talk stats about penalties and include New England the Chicago in the mix as big offenders as well.

Bigger factor - Start Romo in earlier in the year and the 'Boys may have 2 more wins.

--Julius Jones has the 13th highest rushing yards total in the league- not bad for a rookie, and nearly 2x Barber's total. He's on a pace to get over 1200 yards this year.

Jones isn't a rookie (3rd year player, second year starter) and he has some skills as well as big-play ability. However, 13th in the league at anything isn't bad but I wouldn't put that firmly in the plus column. I'd put it right in the middle.

--Witten is 5th in the league in receptions, 7th in total yards, 9th in Yards/catch, and tied for 8th in 1st downs for TEs...and the ones ahead of him in those various categories vary a bit.

I agree that Witten is good and should be used more. Stats not needed here. Witten is getting many more touches now that Romo doesn't need him to stay back and pass protect all the time like they had to do with Bledsoe.

--Romo isn't a rookie, he's a 4th year vet who knows the system but hasn't started until this year.

He is a first-year starter, which isn't the same thing but it certainly does put him clearly in the area of "still makes rookie mistakes."

--TO, like I said, is as dangerous as any other reciever if he's playing his best- when he's off, he's horrible. Like the former QB for my Saints, Aaron Brooks, he can break a game...either way.

Wait, did you just compare Owens to Brooks? Um, they aren't on the same level. That aside, TO hasn't proven this season that he's any better than his play indicates. I look more at consistency and current performance. TO hasn't been really good or an elite player since the Eagles went to the Super Bowl. If we want to talk about everyone playing out of their minds then that is a different discussion.

The bottom line is that nothing about the penalty statistics have shown that they lose games for the Cowboys. And that said, if they are that sloppy how can they be a legit threat?

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

J. Jones is not a rookie...my bad

Yes- I did compare Owens & Brooks. While Owens is clearly more historically dominant at his position than Brooks, they share the same streakiness and dangerousness.

When you look at Brooks' career stats as compared to a much more consistent and elite QB- say Peyton Manning- you'll see numbers that are actually pretty impressive considering how few winning seasons he's had. He actually holds or held a few (good) Saints records, like career TD leader...but he's completely feast or famine. All of his good stuff comes in big, dominating, record-setting performances. When he loses, he loses in spectacular fashion- he once threw a backwards lateral to one of his own offensive linemen...

Like I said, when he's on, he's dangerous. When he was off- he was stupendously so.

 

[Crothian]

I'm just hoping I can watch the Cincy Indy game Monday night.

 

[Dungannon]

Okay, I am no longer rooting for the 'Hawks to make a deep run in the playoffs. I am now rooting for them to lose out and miss the playoffs accordingly. That way Holmgren will retire and we can finally replace that horrid defensive coaching staff with one that's somewhat competent.

 

[Crothian]

Well, if SD has something to play for in week 16, the Seahawks should lose that one. And then week 17 flying all the way to Tamba Bay could be a problem for them. And of course the 49ers would need to win their last two games.

 

[DaveMage]

Crothian: Why couldn't you watch the Cin-Ind game?

I think it's going to be a 50-49 style game. Should be a blast!

 

[Crothian]

Crothian: Why couldn't you watch the Cin-Ind game?

I think it's going to be a 50-49 style game. Should be a blast!

I'm having issues with my cable this week.