Can I Blame Rowdy?

The next week, and subsequent six months or so will be gut wrenching ones for fans of the Dallas Cowboys. On a day where two great games were played and both road teams pulled off the upsets, there were quite a few things that caught the corner of my eye as to the demise of what should have been a 'Super' season in the land of Big D

1.Penalties- a bugaboo all season long. This day 11 of them burned Dallas at the most inopportune times!

2.46 seconds-Dallas did a great job of playing ball control with over 36 minutes to their possession. Once the Cowpokes jumped to a 14-7 lead with under a minute left at the half, the defense didn't make the stops, allowing the Giants momentum to tie things up at the half at 14.

3.Patrick Crayton-CATCH THE DAMN BALL!!!!

4.The Front Four-Numerous hurries and sacks played havoc on Tony Romo by Michael Strahan and company.

5.The turnover-In a mistake free game for 59 minutes and fifty one seconds, a 4th and 11 pass intended for Terry Glenn fell short and was intercepted by the Giants, the only turnover of the whole game.

6.Second half collapse-Marion Barber iran for 100 yards in the first half. What happened after that?

7.Poor clock management...I said this all week long to anyone who would listen. If the Cowboys lost I predicted that Wade Phillips would be compared to Marty Schottenheimer for playing too conservatively! Twice today by none other than NBC's Newy Scruggs and ESPN's Brian Estridge did I hear exactly that!

8.Special teams-The Giants did a better job at execution and field position when trying to move the ball.

9.Dropped passes-Not only Patrick Crayton, but Terrell Owens and Terry Glenn had chances for big plays but for one wrong step or not securing the ball.

10.Not having anything to play for the last six weeks hurt the Cowboys. Despite all the crying I witnessed at work this day, I remind the Cowboy fans that in the future, you'll want to come into December and get hot and catch fire, not just sleepwalk through five weeks of clinch and flinch.

10a...Rowdy Curse-1996 was when the mascot was unveiled to the Texas community. Also the last time Dallas won a playoff game. What if we gave Rowdy a year off?

Julius Jones will not be back. Terry Glenn will not be back. Tony Sparano will not be back. Jason Garrett will not be back. Will Wade Phillips be back? Is Bill Parcells smiling deep down at all of this? If Phillips goes will Bill Cowher be the guy? Just thoughts is all.

I believed T.O when he broke down and cried, defending Tony Romo. I can't believe how the media had made a mockery of one mans tears. Owens went all over and caused no problems whatsoever. He has gained my respect...for now.

2007 was a fun run in North Texas. Albeit two games short, there's always next year! Congrats to the New York Giants. Good luck next week in Green Bay!

I'll address the Chargers on the next blog...

Over and out in Big D

Mr Will

PS with another great example of 'one and done' , we can now focus on the second best Texas team-The Dallas Mavericks!