A very touching moment at the Redskins game today. His loss is an utter tragedy. We all love football or we wouldn’t be at sites like this one. But sometimes real life gets in the way.
I’ll say it now. This kid was the best safety in football. And by all accounts, he had his life in order. To have it taken from him at such a young age is beyond a crime and is something that can never be understood. It doesn’t mean anything, but I’m rooting for the Redskins today.
Dallas News: Calvin Watkins has a feature on Flozell Adams. He’s quiet off the field and goes about his business on it. Adams has started more games at left tackle than anyone in Cowboys history except Mark Tuinei.
JJT says when it comes to dynasties, the Patriots can’t hang with the Cowboys of the 90s or the Steelers of the 70s.
Frank Luksa says Aaron Rodgers couldn’t pull off a Clint Longley. Or even a Jason Garrett.
Chuck Carlton says to Chase Martin, her father Harvey wasn’t a sack master, he was a loving parent. And Carlton has more about Saturday’s 11 inductees into the Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame.
The blog takes a look at T.O. and has some Quincy Carter news.
The more this one sinks in, the sweeter it it gets. The Cowboys are 11-1. Are you kidding me? Clint mentioned this morning, that none of us really know what that feels like. And we have seen some pretty impressive things from this team over the years.
If anyone doesn’t believe in Jason Garrett, Tony Romo and the offense at this point, well then they never will. And if anyone doesn’t believe in the defense, as much improvement as they have shown over the course of the year, with still a month to get better - and healthy - well then they probably won’t believe in anything until the championship is in the trophy case. As for me, I’m in. All in. Have been for awhile now.
Here are my thoughts, 24 hours later, about some of the individuals and moments in last night’s game. I think the single biggest story in the game was the absence of Charles Woodson and the Packers complete inability to have an answer for the Dallas passing game.
Everyone knows that the Redskins are “mortal” enemies of the Cowboys. Shoot, last spring when Trip and I did our “who is your most hated opponent” segment, I chose the ‘Skins. But it is a friendly rivalry.
So it was with heavy heart that I read that Sean Taylor had passed away from gunshot wounds suffered during an apparent break-in at his home in Florida.
I pray that his family receives comfort, during this difficult time. I wish his teammates well as they must deal with the grief that will be a part of their lives.
This is a story that no one wants to hear - about any player from any team. It is a tragedy and a shame.
I know, I know. It is only the 12th game of the regular season. It is way to early to start planning for a trip to Arizona in early February.
That is what everyone across the country has said about 31 of the NFL teams. Of course, for the Patriots, it has been a foregone conclusion that they would win it all. The other teams were vying for either being the team they beat in the AFC championship game, or being the team they beat in the Super Bowl.
Until last night.
I must admit that I can’t ever remember rooting for the Eagles even one time in my entire life. But last night I was. And even though they fell short with their bid to knock off the Patriots, they did the league a favor. They showed the rest of the teams out there what needs to be done to finish the job.
In the middle of the third quarter, as the Eagles slugged it out with New England (and almost whipping them with a backup QB and backup Safety), I had a memory pass through my mind:
Do you remember in Rocky IV (where Rocky fights Ivan Drago)? The big fight finally begins and Drago is just pummeling Rocky into submission. Of course, this is after he has creamed every fighter in the universe and even killed Apollo “The Master of Disaster” Creed. So it is the second round and the Russian is mauling the Rock. It is even more impressive because Drago towered over Rocky. It wasn’t even fair. They shouldn’t have even been in the ring together. It was truly Goliath destroying David. But then Rocky got a punch in under the right eye of Drago, staggering the giant. Now this is from memory, but the fight announcer said something like this: “He’s cut! He’s cut! The Russian is cut - and its a bad cut!” Then it was an all-out war until the end, when of course, Rocky knocked out Drago and ushered in world peace.
Now, I bring that up because as I watched the down and out Eagles slugging it out with the Patriots, it was almost like they did what no one thought was possible. They showed the world that the Patriots were human - just like everyone else. Are they good? Heck no, they are great. No doubt about it. But never think they are unbeatable. No one is unbeatable. Is it possible they might make the run to 19-0? Sure it is possible. But never assume it is a foregone conclusion. They have to win the next 8 games for that to happen. They are only slightly over half way there. Still a long way to go.
To make it harder, the Eagles showed that they are not indestructible.
They are cut! They are cut! The Patriots are cut - and it is a bad cut!
Todd Archer starts getting us ready for Cowboys-Packers.
Albert Breer says according to Wade Phillips, there is no significance to Roy Williams missing the first play of the game. He still played the whole game. Wade Phillips first head coaching interview, after being fired in Buffalo, was with Ted Thompson in Green Bay. Thompson was signed in the NFL as an undrafted free agent by Bum Phillips. Phillips praised Leonard Davis and Andre Gurode for their work against the Jets. Anthony Henry is getting better. Patrick Crayton and Terry Glenn are both rehabbing.
Todd Archer says the Cowboys’ gamble to select Chris Canty in the fourth round of the ‘05 draft paid off. Now it’s time to sign him to a long term deal.
Tim MacMahon updates the Packer injury situation, on the blog.
Most folks who know me well, know that I love living in the South and have some level of contempt for most things Yankee (referring to northern and not just the baseball team). Not everything, but most things. One thing that I have always enjoyed from the north is the Green Bay Packers.
I grew up hearing about the Ice Bowl and Bart Starr, Vince Lombardi vs. Tom Landry. Of course, when I was a kid, the Packers had lost their luster, so it wasn’t big deal to play them. But in the early ’90s, after Favre and Holmgren met up in Wisconsin, they got good again. The Cowboys had two real rivals in those days, the 49ers and the Packers. For some reason, I have always despised the 49ers (though it is a friendly dislike) - probably attributed to “The Catch” or something…
But I have always enjoyed watching the Packers. Pretty much, unless they are playing the Cowboys or if their loss can help the Cowboys, I root for the men in green and yellow. I don’t know why. I just do.
So following upon the whining of Strahan and the Giants, it is nice to hear a classy opponent. I especially liked this quote:
“I don’t think this is the big game. Our goals are much further than one regular-season game.”
Comments like that certainly aren’t going to be posted on trashtalk.com, nor are the ones made by just about everyone in the Packers’ locker room. Coach Mike McCarthy took care of that after the game by reminding his team how they got to this position in the first place.
His mission isn’t to let the world know that his team is the best in the NFC, but rather to do what contending teams do - play big games and learn from them.
Rather than whine (like Strahan), Favre had this to say:
“One game I don’t think is going to define us one way or the other,” Favre said. “It may have some implications in the playoffs, but we can’t worry about that right now. Now we can concentrate on Dallas.
“Enjoy this one today, tomorrow, but I have no idea what’s going to happen in Dallas. We win, they win? They blow us out, we blow them out? Who knows?”
No calling names. No saying someone who had lit you up twice this season was “lucky.” Just focusing upon the game and acknowledging that your opponent was worthy. Thats class.
I had thought the Giants were the second best team in the NFC. I thought losing the whiner Tiki Barber would actually be good for them. Perhaps it has, but unfortunately, Strahan picked up the whiner tag. If that is the caliber of men being put on the field in New York, I think I will change my mind. Perhaps Green Bay is the second best team. We will find out on Thursday in this decider of where the NFC Championship game will be played. I am confident it will be these same two teams playing that day.
Watch this interview on the Yes Network.
Michael Strahan is asked to play word association by the interviewer. Every player she mentions, Strahan has positive things to say. Except, of course, the two Cowboys players.
Tony Romo: Lucky
Terrell Owens: Overdone
I’m not sure exactly when Strahan means he was lucky. I wish he would have clarified the time frame.
Was it in his first start against the Giants, when he hit a 50 plus yard pass to Jason Witten in the final minutes, to beat them in New York?
Or was it in his second start against the G-Men, when he lit up the defense for 4 Tds and 45 points?
Or maybe Strahan is talking about Romo’s third time, when he threw another 4 TDs against the new and improved Giants defense and again beat them in their own house.
I’m just not sure which time Strahan believes was luck.
And I’m not sure what overdone means. Strahan must be jealous of his publicity or something, because Owens is obviously not “done” as a player.
Next Thursday is going to be the biggest regular season game for the Dallas Cowboys in recent memory. The winner of the game will essentially have a two-game lead in the race for home field advantage in the NFC.
The Packers remaining four opponents are: Oakland, St. Louis, Chicago and Detroit. The Cowboys remaining four opponents are: Detroit, Philadelphia, Carolina and Washington.
Now, the loser of the Cowboys-Packers game could conceivably run the table. In fact, the loser of the game should run the table against those opponents. But the winner is not going to lose two games. This game is for home field advantage in the NFC. Period.
I don’t need to spend too much time writing about what January football in Lambeau can be like. Even if the Cowboys have the better team, which I feel they do, the weather will certainly slow everything down and become the neutralizer. And Favre and company are used to playing in those elements, while Romo and Owens and the Cowboys are not.
But more than just home field advantage for the NFC championship game, the loser will have a tougher road to get there. The Giants are likely looming in the divisional round for the loser, while the winner will feast on the Seahawks or the Cardinals or birds of another feather.
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