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Moore: With a disastrous 0-3 start averted, are Cowboys who we thought they were?
11:58 PM CDT on Tuesday, September 28, 2010
COLUMN By DAVID MOORE / The Dallas Morning News
dmoore@dallasnews.com
David Moore
Archive | E-mail
Peace has been restored in the kingdom.
Calls to stone the kicker have subsided. Plans to place the head of the offensive coordinator on a stick and parade it down the streets of Valley Ranch have been put on hold until further notice.
A win over a quality Houston team on the road has muted the insanity that would have ensued if the Cowboys had opened the season with three consecutive loses. At 1-2 with time to reflect on what it all means, the prospects don't look as bleak.
Here is what we thought we knew about the Cowboys heading into the season.
Here is what has actually unfolded as the team hits its bye week.
Perception: The Cowboys are one of the top teams in the NFC.
Reality: Probably so.
Flaws have been exposed during the Cowboys' start. But Chicago is the only undefeated team in the conference three weeks deep into the season. The Cowboys haven't lost as much ground as they could have with a slow start.
Heck, one win is good enough to thrust the Cowboys into a three-way tie for second in the NFC East. A division that has been so strong for so long now looks like the AFC West.
That's the good news for the Cowboys. Still, there are ramifications from opening the season with losses to Washington and Chicago. Two conference losses (one in the division) hurt the Cowboys in tiebreaker scenarios late in the season. The Cowboys, Detroit, Carolina and San Francisco are the only NFC teams that have yet to win a conference game.
The earliest the Cowboys can push their record above .500 in the NFC would be Nov. 7, and it would require them to beat the Giants at home and Minnesota and Green Bay on the road. That seems unlikely.
•
Perception: The Cowboys will get Felix Jones more involved in the offense.
Reality: It hasn't happened.
Jones has yet to carry the ball more than eight times in a game. He has 22 carries for the season, a total that leaves him 14 behind starter Marion Barber. His longest play has come in the passing game, not on the ground.
The team has treated the running back like a piece of fine china since he was taken in the first round of the 2008 draft. Jones had fewer than 10 carries in 14 of his first 15 games with the club. The Cowboys did a better job of getting him the ball in the final four games of last season. He came up big in the playoffs, carrying the ball 30 times for 217 yards and a touchdown in two games. Owner Jerry Jones talked about making him a bigger part of the offense going forward.
Why hasn't it happened? Jones hasn't had enough carries to get into a rhythm. Though he hasn't had a lot of room to run, the burst that was evident the last two seasons hasn't been on display.
The Cowboys probably want to take it slow with Jones early in the season so he'll be fresh late. But it also appears this game-breaker has lost some opportunities early in the season to a certain rookie receiver.
•
Perception: Rookie Dez Bryant will quickly move past Roy Williams into the starting lineup.
Reality: What's the hurry?
Williams has been good, very good, to open the season. He leads the team in yards per reception (15.9) and in touchdowns with two. Williams was the offensive focal point of the win over the Texans and would have won the Washington game with a touchdown catch if right tackle Alex Barron hadn't been called for holding on the final play.
Williams has responded to Bryant's challenge. He's finally become an integral part of the offense. It makes no sense to jeopardize that with a demotion.
That being said, it's clear Bryant is special. Three of his 14 receptions have gone for 20 or more yards, and he's quickly earned the confidence of quarterback Tony Romo. He was on the verge of a huge day against Houston, but his two trips into the end zone were negated because he was out of bounds.
"The one he caught out of bounds was just a tremendous catch," coach Wade Phillips said. "The other one that he went out of bounds, came back in and caught it, the safety had no chance of even tackling him.
"Those kind of plays show his ability. I think everyone sees it. We got hammered a lot for saying the guy is really talented, but I think he really is."
The bottom line: Bryant isn't going to rock the boat as a rookie. He will gladly accept the opportunities the Cowboys give him, and they will give him plenty. There is no need to insert him into the starting lineup if this dynamic continues.
•
Perception: The Cowboys' defense is on the cusp of becoming a dominant group.
Reality: It's still on the cusp.
Chicago's Jay Cutler was on target and the Bears stung the Cowboys defense for some big plays. But the defense didn't allow a touchdown in the opener, and Houston's only taste of the end zone came in the final two minutes when Phillips had his backups on the field to gain experience.
Holding the No. 1 offense in the league without a touchdown until the final two minutes was dominant. The difference: turnovers. The Cowboys forced three against the Texans after failing to produce any in the first two games.
If the turnovers continue, this will be a dominant defense.
•
Perception: The Cowboys will bring in another kicker if David Buehler gets off to a slow start.
Reality: They didn't.
The howls for his job were intense after he missed crucial field goals in each of the first two games. But Buehler responded with field goals of 49 and 40 yards in the win over Houston to reward the Cowboys' faith in him.
Phillips didn't make a change because he thought the Cowboys should have beaten the Redskins and Bears even with Buehler's missed field goals. If Phillips didn't change kickers with the team at 0-2, it will take a total meltdown on Buehler's part for it to happen later.
•
Perception: The Cowboys are taking a risk installing Doug Free as the left tackle.
Reality: It's no risk at all.
Free has been outstanding the first three games against some of the league's most feared pass rushers. He's allowed no sacks and just one combined tackle.
•
Perception: Receiver Miles Austin is good but must prove he's not a one-season wonder.
Reality: Point proved.
Austin has caught 22 passes and ranks fourth in the league with 308 receiving yards. He is Romo's primary target, and that's not about to change.
• • •
11:58 PM CDT on Tuesday, September 28, 2010
COLUMN By DAVID MOORE / The Dallas Morning News
dmoore@dallasnews.com
David Moore
Archive | E-mail
Peace has been restored in the kingdom.
Calls to stone the kicker have subsided. Plans to place the head of the offensive coordinator on a stick and parade it down the streets of Valley Ranch have been put on hold until further notice.
A win over a quality Houston team on the road has muted the insanity that would have ensued if the Cowboys had opened the season with three consecutive loses. At 1-2 with time to reflect on what it all means, the prospects don't look as bleak.
Here is what we thought we knew about the Cowboys heading into the season.
Here is what has actually unfolded as the team hits its bye week.
Perception: The Cowboys are one of the top teams in the NFC.
Reality: Probably so.
Flaws have been exposed during the Cowboys' start. But Chicago is the only undefeated team in the conference three weeks deep into the season. The Cowboys haven't lost as much ground as they could have with a slow start.
Heck, one win is good enough to thrust the Cowboys into a three-way tie for second in the NFC East. A division that has been so strong for so long now looks like the AFC West.
That's the good news for the Cowboys. Still, there are ramifications from opening the season with losses to Washington and Chicago. Two conference losses (one in the division) hurt the Cowboys in tiebreaker scenarios late in the season. The Cowboys, Detroit, Carolina and San Francisco are the only NFC teams that have yet to win a conference game.
The earliest the Cowboys can push their record above .500 in the NFC would be Nov. 7, and it would require them to beat the Giants at home and Minnesota and Green Bay on the road. That seems unlikely.
•
Perception: The Cowboys will get Felix Jones more involved in the offense.
Reality: It hasn't happened.
Jones has yet to carry the ball more than eight times in a game. He has 22 carries for the season, a total that leaves him 14 behind starter Marion Barber. His longest play has come in the passing game, not on the ground.
The team has treated the running back like a piece of fine china since he was taken in the first round of the 2008 draft. Jones had fewer than 10 carries in 14 of his first 15 games with the club. The Cowboys did a better job of getting him the ball in the final four games of last season. He came up big in the playoffs, carrying the ball 30 times for 217 yards and a touchdown in two games. Owner Jerry Jones talked about making him a bigger part of the offense going forward.
Why hasn't it happened? Jones hasn't had enough carries to get into a rhythm. Though he hasn't had a lot of room to run, the burst that was evident the last two seasons hasn't been on display.
The Cowboys probably want to take it slow with Jones early in the season so he'll be fresh late. But it also appears this game-breaker has lost some opportunities early in the season to a certain rookie receiver.
•
Perception: Rookie Dez Bryant will quickly move past Roy Williams into the starting lineup.
Reality: What's the hurry?
Williams has been good, very good, to open the season. He leads the team in yards per reception (15.9) and in touchdowns with two. Williams was the offensive focal point of the win over the Texans and would have won the Washington game with a touchdown catch if right tackle Alex Barron hadn't been called for holding on the final play.
Williams has responded to Bryant's challenge. He's finally become an integral part of the offense. It makes no sense to jeopardize that with a demotion.
That being said, it's clear Bryant is special. Three of his 14 receptions have gone for 20 or more yards, and he's quickly earned the confidence of quarterback Tony Romo. He was on the verge of a huge day against Houston, but his two trips into the end zone were negated because he was out of bounds.
"The one he caught out of bounds was just a tremendous catch," coach Wade Phillips said. "The other one that he went out of bounds, came back in and caught it, the safety had no chance of even tackling him.
"Those kind of plays show his ability. I think everyone sees it. We got hammered a lot for saying the guy is really talented, but I think he really is."
The bottom line: Bryant isn't going to rock the boat as a rookie. He will gladly accept the opportunities the Cowboys give him, and they will give him plenty. There is no need to insert him into the starting lineup if this dynamic continues.
•
Perception: The Cowboys' defense is on the cusp of becoming a dominant group.
Reality: It's still on the cusp.
Chicago's Jay Cutler was on target and the Bears stung the Cowboys defense for some big plays. But the defense didn't allow a touchdown in the opener, and Houston's only taste of the end zone came in the final two minutes when Phillips had his backups on the field to gain experience.
Holding the No. 1 offense in the league without a touchdown until the final two minutes was dominant. The difference: turnovers. The Cowboys forced three against the Texans after failing to produce any in the first two games.
If the turnovers continue, this will be a dominant defense.
•
Perception: The Cowboys will bring in another kicker if David Buehler gets off to a slow start.
Reality: They didn't.
The howls for his job were intense after he missed crucial field goals in each of the first two games. But Buehler responded with field goals of 49 and 40 yards in the win over Houston to reward the Cowboys' faith in him.
Phillips didn't make a change because he thought the Cowboys should have beaten the Redskins and Bears even with Buehler's missed field goals. If Phillips didn't change kickers with the team at 0-2, it will take a total meltdown on Buehler's part for it to happen later.
•
Perception: The Cowboys are taking a risk installing Doug Free as the left tackle.
Reality: It's no risk at all.
Free has been outstanding the first three games against some of the league's most feared pass rushers. He's allowed no sacks and just one combined tackle.
•
Perception: Receiver Miles Austin is good but must prove he's not a one-season wonder.
Reality: Point proved.
Austin has caught 22 passes and ranks fourth in the league with 308 receiving yards. He is Romo's primary target, and that's not about to change.
• • •