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Fraley: Cowboys' discipline will be tested vs. tough, taunting Titans
09:27 PM CDT on Friday, October 8, 2010
Column by GERRY FRALEY / The Dallas Morning News
gfraley@dallasnews.com
Gerry Fraley
Archive | Bio | E-mail
IRVING – Turning the other cheek goes against the eye-for-an-eye code of an NFL player. The Cowboys must do that in Sunday's game against Tennessee.
The Titans are the NFL's bad boys. They play like the Broad Street Bullies of NHL lore, taking every physical liberty with opponents. To the Titans, the whistle means not an end to the play but the signal for one more hit.
They will push, shove, stomp and smack. Any Cowboy standing near a pile is fair game.
"You can tell they play hard, and you can tell they've been coached that way," tight end Jason Witten said. "Effort and motor, that's what they pride themselves in doing. When you watch them on film, it jumps out at you. I don't know if you can look at it as cheap. They just play hard, so you have to match that intensity.
This approach has been the hallmark of Tennessee's defense. That figures. Tennessee coach Jeff Fisher learned at the feet of Buddy Ryan, who liked nothing more than a bully-boy defense.
This is a group after Ryan's cold heart. The Titans are tied for the league lead in sacks and overall defensive penalties and lead in defensive personal fouls. If there were categories for annoying, instigating and woofing, the Titans would be runaway leaders.
How the Cowboys respond to the Titans' style will be crucial.
After beating Tennessee last week, Denver coach Josh McDaniels praised his team for not responding to what he considered borderline plays by the Titans. Fisher rejected the point, suggesting the Broncos would not last long with the Titans in the AFC South. There is merit to McDaniels' point, at least this season.
In Tennessee's losses, the opponents – Denver and Pittsburgh – kept their cool and had only five and six penalties. In the Titans' wins, the opponents – Oakland and the New York Giants – each retaliated and had double-figure penalties. The Giants let the game deteriorate into a brawl by taking four personal fouls among their 11 penalties. The Titans reveled in it.
Tennessee will be more than happy to play a rough-edged game. The Cowboys must avoid that. As hard as it will be, they must walk away.
"You have to play with poise, no matter what," said Cowboys coach Wade Phillips, who holds Fisher in high regard. "I don't know all the problems. I have heard of them. We are going to try not to get involved in that."
The Titans like to go after quarterbacks and receivers.
Tennessee has led the league in roughing-the-quarterback calls in each of the last three seasons and has two this year, lifting the total to 22 in the last 52 games. The Titans believe they can batter a quarterback into submission.
Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo must be prepared to keep his wits about him even as he hits the turf.
"It's about playing our game and having poise in those situations," Romo said.
In a meeting this week, offensive coordinator Jason Garrett and receivers coach Ray Sherman emphasized the players must keep their composure. Cornerback Cortland Finnegan will test that resolve. Finnegan is a non-stop yapper who has nine personal fouls since the start of the 2008 season and has been fined $20,000 this season for his actions. The latest fine was $10,000 for a run-in with Denver offensive guard Chris Kuper last week.
"We want to make sure after the play to get back in the huddle and get back for the next [play] and don't do anything crazy," rookie wide receiver Dez Bryant said.
Turn the other check. The Titans hate it when opponents do that.
Various infractions
The breakdown of Tennessee's defensive penalties:
Penalty Number
Offside 10
Unnecessary roughness 4
Roughing QB 2
Horse-collar tackle 1
Pass interference 1
Losing ground
The NFL leaders in defensive penalties:
Team Penalties Yards
1. Tennessee 18 219
1. Arizona 18 196
3. Detroit 17 120
4. Oakland 13 156
4. NY Jets 13 140
(T-15) Cowboys 8 54
• • •
09:27 PM CDT on Friday, October 8, 2010
Column by GERRY FRALEY / The Dallas Morning News
gfraley@dallasnews.com
Gerry Fraley
Archive | Bio | E-mail
IRVING – Turning the other cheek goes against the eye-for-an-eye code of an NFL player. The Cowboys must do that in Sunday's game against Tennessee.
The Titans are the NFL's bad boys. They play like the Broad Street Bullies of NHL lore, taking every physical liberty with opponents. To the Titans, the whistle means not an end to the play but the signal for one more hit.
They will push, shove, stomp and smack. Any Cowboy standing near a pile is fair game.
"You can tell they play hard, and you can tell they've been coached that way," tight end Jason Witten said. "Effort and motor, that's what they pride themselves in doing. When you watch them on film, it jumps out at you. I don't know if you can look at it as cheap. They just play hard, so you have to match that intensity.
This approach has been the hallmark of Tennessee's defense. That figures. Tennessee coach Jeff Fisher learned at the feet of Buddy Ryan, who liked nothing more than a bully-boy defense.
This is a group after Ryan's cold heart. The Titans are tied for the league lead in sacks and overall defensive penalties and lead in defensive personal fouls. If there were categories for annoying, instigating and woofing, the Titans would be runaway leaders.
How the Cowboys respond to the Titans' style will be crucial.
After beating Tennessee last week, Denver coach Josh McDaniels praised his team for not responding to what he considered borderline plays by the Titans. Fisher rejected the point, suggesting the Broncos would not last long with the Titans in the AFC South. There is merit to McDaniels' point, at least this season.
In Tennessee's losses, the opponents – Denver and Pittsburgh – kept their cool and had only five and six penalties. In the Titans' wins, the opponents – Oakland and the New York Giants – each retaliated and had double-figure penalties. The Giants let the game deteriorate into a brawl by taking four personal fouls among their 11 penalties. The Titans reveled in it.
Tennessee will be more than happy to play a rough-edged game. The Cowboys must avoid that. As hard as it will be, they must walk away.
"You have to play with poise, no matter what," said Cowboys coach Wade Phillips, who holds Fisher in high regard. "I don't know all the problems. I have heard of them. We are going to try not to get involved in that."
The Titans like to go after quarterbacks and receivers.
Tennessee has led the league in roughing-the-quarterback calls in each of the last three seasons and has two this year, lifting the total to 22 in the last 52 games. The Titans believe they can batter a quarterback into submission.
Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo must be prepared to keep his wits about him even as he hits the turf.
"It's about playing our game and having poise in those situations," Romo said.
In a meeting this week, offensive coordinator Jason Garrett and receivers coach Ray Sherman emphasized the players must keep their composure. Cornerback Cortland Finnegan will test that resolve. Finnegan is a non-stop yapper who has nine personal fouls since the start of the 2008 season and has been fined $20,000 this season for his actions. The latest fine was $10,000 for a run-in with Denver offensive guard Chris Kuper last week.
"We want to make sure after the play to get back in the huddle and get back for the next [play] and don't do anything crazy," rookie wide receiver Dez Bryant said.
Turn the other check. The Titans hate it when opponents do that.
Various infractions
The breakdown of Tennessee's defensive penalties:
Penalty Number
Offside 10
Unnecessary roughness 4
Roughing QB 2
Horse-collar tackle 1
Pass interference 1
Losing ground
The NFL leaders in defensive penalties:
Team Penalties Yards
1. Tennessee 18 219
1. Arizona 18 196
3. Detroit 17 120
4. Oakland 13 156
4. NY Jets 13 140
(T-15) Cowboys 8 54
• • •