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September, 20, 2011 10:30 AM CT
By Todd Archer
IRVING, Texas -- The weekly installment of Five Wonders is here, so maybe that shortness of breath you feel isn’t because of a punctured lung.
** With the way the Cowboys operated in training camp and at the end of last season, you knew Jason Garrett would make sure there is not a lot of comfort on the roster. So far the Cowboys have made five roster moves involving seven players: Montrae Holland, Derrick Dockery, Sam Young, Laurent Robinson, Tony Fiammetta, Frank Walker and Martin Rucker. Last year the Cowboys made seven moves on the 53-man roster that did not involve placing a player on injured reserve. Don’t be surprised if Robinson, the wide receiver, returns today. The question is for whom?
** Yes, Jason Witten is Tony Romo’s favorite target. Why wouldn’t he be? But one of Romo’s strengths is his ability to go to any pass catcher at any time. Romo completed 12-of-15 passes for 201 yards in the fourth quarter and overtime vs. San Francisco on Sunday. Seven different guys caught a pass: Tashard Choice, Kevin Ogletree, Miles Austin, John Phillips, Witten, Jesse Holley and DeMarco Murray. Having diversity in a passing attack makes it difficult on a defense.
** I’m not wondering this anymore, but I did wonder if Stephen McGee would be active at all this season given the changes to the gameday roster rules this year. Now that Romo has a fractured rib and punctured lung, McGee has to be active but once those issues resolve I get the feeling Garrett will keep only Romo and Jon Kitna on the 46-man roster. Carrying a third quarterback is a luxury, especially with so many issues at other positions.
** With four sacks in two games DeMarcus Ware is on pace to have an NFL-record 32 this season. Wow, what a difference Rob Ryan is making on an All-Pro linebacker that has already led the league in sacks twice in the last three seasons. I kid, I kid. But I’m wondering if Ware does not have his third straight two-sack game when he sees Washington’s Rex Grossman on Monday. Ware has sacked only Eli Manning (9) and Donovan McNabb (6.5) more than he has sacked Grossman (4). And that total has come in only two games vs. Grossman. He had two sacks of Grossman on Sept. 23, 2007 vs. Chicago and two sacks of Grossman last December vs. the Redskins.
** Terence Newman says he is playing against the Redskins. The Cowboys believe he is playing against the Redskins. We’ll see if he is practicing Thursday, but I believe Newman is playing against the Redskins, too. Now, can he repeat the performance he had Nov. 16, 2008 vs. the Redskins? Let’s roll back the clock for a moment. On Sept. 28, 2008, Redskins wide receiver Santana Moss had eight catches for 145 yards vs. Dallas and shortly after Newman had sports hernia surgery. He returned after a five-game absence for the rematch and limited Moss to five catches for 29 yards, following him all over the field. Moss, a Cowboy killer, has 11 catches for 137 yards and a touchdown on the season to lead Washington wide receivers. I’m wondering if the Cowboys put Newman on him again.
By Todd Archer
IRVING, Texas -- The weekly installment of Five Wonders is here, so maybe that shortness of breath you feel isn’t because of a punctured lung.
** With the way the Cowboys operated in training camp and at the end of last season, you knew Jason Garrett would make sure there is not a lot of comfort on the roster. So far the Cowboys have made five roster moves involving seven players: Montrae Holland, Derrick Dockery, Sam Young, Laurent Robinson, Tony Fiammetta, Frank Walker and Martin Rucker. Last year the Cowboys made seven moves on the 53-man roster that did not involve placing a player on injured reserve. Don’t be surprised if Robinson, the wide receiver, returns today. The question is for whom?
** Yes, Jason Witten is Tony Romo’s favorite target. Why wouldn’t he be? But one of Romo’s strengths is his ability to go to any pass catcher at any time. Romo completed 12-of-15 passes for 201 yards in the fourth quarter and overtime vs. San Francisco on Sunday. Seven different guys caught a pass: Tashard Choice, Kevin Ogletree, Miles Austin, John Phillips, Witten, Jesse Holley and DeMarco Murray. Having diversity in a passing attack makes it difficult on a defense.
** I’m not wondering this anymore, but I did wonder if Stephen McGee would be active at all this season given the changes to the gameday roster rules this year. Now that Romo has a fractured rib and punctured lung, McGee has to be active but once those issues resolve I get the feeling Garrett will keep only Romo and Jon Kitna on the 46-man roster. Carrying a third quarterback is a luxury, especially with so many issues at other positions.
** With four sacks in two games DeMarcus Ware is on pace to have an NFL-record 32 this season. Wow, what a difference Rob Ryan is making on an All-Pro linebacker that has already led the league in sacks twice in the last three seasons. I kid, I kid. But I’m wondering if Ware does not have his third straight two-sack game when he sees Washington’s Rex Grossman on Monday. Ware has sacked only Eli Manning (9) and Donovan McNabb (6.5) more than he has sacked Grossman (4). And that total has come in only two games vs. Grossman. He had two sacks of Grossman on Sept. 23, 2007 vs. Chicago and two sacks of Grossman last December vs. the Redskins.
** Terence Newman says he is playing against the Redskins. The Cowboys believe he is playing against the Redskins. We’ll see if he is practicing Thursday, but I believe Newman is playing against the Redskins, too. Now, can he repeat the performance he had Nov. 16, 2008 vs. the Redskins? Let’s roll back the clock for a moment. On Sept. 28, 2008, Redskins wide receiver Santana Moss had eight catches for 145 yards vs. Dallas and shortly after Newman had sports hernia surgery. He returned after a five-game absence for the rematch and limited Moss to five catches for 29 yards, following him all over the field. Moss, a Cowboy killer, has 11 catches for 137 yards and a touchdown on the season to lead Washington wide receivers. I’m wondering if the Cowboys put Newman on him again.