Romo-itus - Is It a Disease or a Religion - A clinical analysis

Originally posted at www.dallascowboystalk.com

Everywhere you look these days, you see the symptoms. Rapid pulse, dilated pupils, rapidity of speech, muscle twitching, an unconstrained impulse to speak opinions as being fact, the tendency to ignore well established practices of interpreting factual statistics and a belief that one is part of a larger group that has discovered the fountain of youth.

Yesterday, I was in the office of a local insurance agent and the discussion turned to the Cowboys. I told him I was one of the staff writers on a Cowboys forum and told him that I was the boogie man. One of the few really vocal ones that chose to wait a bit before crowning Tony Romo as a gift from the one true God, who everyone knows is a Dallas Cowboys fan Himself. As the old joke goes. . . "why does Texas Stadium have a hole in the roof? Answer: "so God can watch his team play football."

My friend was duly impressed by my exalted status as staff writer. Not being one to let that diminish in any manner, I neglected to tell him that my salary for my writing efforts amounts to the same number the Pittsburg Steelers had in their column for points scored in their last game. Zilch, Zero, Nada, Nothing. For the mathematically challenged, here's the figure: $0.00.

That would have made him think less of me and since I was holding court, as the obvious expert as an exalted staff writer, I just left off that bit of information.

Anyway, I told my friend that I thought Romo had done amazing things in his first five games. And that if he continues, he will definitely be what the Cowboys have been looking for since Aikman left the stage.

Of course, we discussed the upcoming Giants game and came to the conclusion there's no real reason for the Giants to even show up this weekend. The Cowboys are going to win. They can use it as a voluntary bye week and heal up some of the injured guys.

I was not surprised to hear my friend say he thought it was a bit early to be talking Pro Bowl and Hall of Fame and all that for Romo at this point. Most fans around my neck of the woods love the way Romo is playing, but are realistic enough to know it's just too early to tell.

There are a few, though, of the hardcore Romo fans. The ones that believe the NFC East title is in the bag, that the Playoffs are a mere formality before Romo leads his team into the NFC Championship game, only to totally humiliate the Bears defense, while the Dallas offense dissects Chicago's offense like a frog in biology class, and the SuperBowl game pitting the Dallas Cowboys against the AFC winning Colts will be a replay of their earlier meeting this season, except Romo will toss 6 touchdown passes this time, just to add a personal touch to the season. The Pro Bowl might not even be played, since no other quarterback can be found to step on the field, only to look pathetic beside Romo, whose head has strangely started to have a glow around it, like many of the older paintings of Jesus. Even Drew Bledsoe wouldn't step on the field against Romo when politely asked to. Defenses, of course, know they cannot play in the glare of that light, so they won't step on the field either and the game is forfeited without one play being run.

All of this is, of course, made up, but if you listen to these guys, this is the picture that comes to your mind of what they think is likely. Not just possible, but likely.

Numerous times this year, I have been chastised for what was perceived to be my unbelief. Because I wasn't ready to place the crown, jump on the bandwagon, and become a "Romo Homo", "Romosexual" or whatever. I just didn't drink the Kool-Aid.

So I've studied this phenomena. Trying to figure out whether it's a disease/malady/condition, etc. or if this is a religion. I lived through, and survived, the Quincy Carter religion. Before you start saying I'm comparing Romo to Carter, you're out to lunch. I'm comparing the two fevers that overtook some Cowboys fans during these QB tenures. Quincy Carter shouldn't be allowed on the same field with Tony Romo.

In the Quincy Carter years, there were those fans who simply believed he would be the one to take the Cowboys to the Superbowl, i.e. the "promised land". No infusion of facts to the contrary would sway them. Here's a quote from about a week ago from a Cowboys forum:

Re: Romo being "the man"

"Romo is the chosen one.... Follow him and he will lead us back to the promise land!" - after Romo's 4th game

See any similarities?

After Chad Hutchinson entered the picture, there was a three way rift. Those who were Carter fanatics, those who were Hutch fanatics, and a few of us that didn't think either of them were going to make it. Fans of each of those QBs elaborated on why each of them would make the Pro Bowl. Particularly Carter, who, with the help of a fairly good defense managed to put together some wins, most of the time, in spite of Carter whose stats were dropping like a lead balloon. But the hardcore Carter fans were saying Carter would be in the Pro Bowl. Here's another quote from the other day:

Re: Romo in the Pro Bowl

"speaking of that, i need to vote him into the pro bowl" - after Romo's 4th game

Note that this speaker didn't say he was going to vote "for" him, but that he, apparently, thought he had the power to actually vote him "into" the pro bowl. Also note, this wasn't expressed as a desire to do this, but a "need".

Some of Carter's die hard fans thought he would eventually be selected to the Hall of Fame. Granted, there was only a couple, but they were there, nonetheless. Here's what a couple fans have said recently on a Cowboys forum:

Re: Romo being a Hall of Fame Inductee

"You wont need to worry about that because I already commissioned a reputable sculptor to start on Romo's bust after the Colts game." - after Romo's 5th game

"I used Aikman as an example simply because this is a Cowboy site. I could just as easily have said that he is playing better than any number of other HOF QBs." - after Romo's 5th game

Now, by the end of the season, Tony Romo might have shown the world why he should be in the Pro Bowl, and actually be elected to go. But these statements were made after he had played 5 games. I recall some statements similar to these about Julius Jones in his first few games. I guess the potential of him not completing a full season just didn't enter into the thought process. Nor has that potential entered into the thought process in regards to Tony Romo.

Of course, Carter was compared to Aikman, whom he replaced. When the fever struck some of the fans, they were not reticent to inform us quickly how great Carter was/would be. Comparisons to Aikman abounded. So here's a few things that have been said in the last few weeks.

Re: Romo being better than Aikman

"He is playing better than Aikman ever did." - after Romo's 5th game

"The facts are that Romo is more accurate than Aikman ever was though a 5 game peiod. (Editor's note: the original poster's misspelling, not mine)" - after Romo's 5th game

"I'll take what I've seen from Romo over Troy any day." - after Romo's 5th game

"We all realize that 5 games is not a career and nobody knows what Romo's future play will bring but the reality is that he is playing better football over his 5 starts than Troy Aikman ever played." - after Romo's 5th game

"No, I would argue he is playing better than Troy ever did over any five game stretch of his career." - after Romo's 5th game

Did you notice that these things are stated as fact. "the reality is. . . ." and "the facts are". When Carter was playing, and his QB rating was dropping weekly until he was in the lower 1/3 of NFL QBs by rating, Carter fanatics still would argue how well Carter was playing. I remember posting statistic after statistic, but it went into deaf ears. The fever, or religion, or whatever it is, simply prevented them from absorbing cold hard facts. One of those quotes says "we all realize that 5 games is not a career". I would have to classify that as an untrue statement. I firmly believe there are some out there that are clueless to that point, therefore "all" could not be true.

Now, I've said all that, to say this. I think Tony Romo has done a fantastic job as quarterback since he became the starter. He's making the throws, not turning over the ball and generally doing what great quarterbacks do. But great quarterbacks have a track record behind them that shows that quarterback can sustain that type play for an extended time. 1/3 of a season is simply not an extended time. It's not Romo's fault he doesn't have that track record. And he won't ever have that track record if he doesn't play any more games. At this point, for Dallas Cowboys fans, he's the greatest quarterback anomaly to come down the pike since the invention of football. If he continues like he has been playing, he will prove to be the best quarterback the Dallas Cowboys ever did have, or probably ever will have. I would venture to say that if the Cowboys, with Romo at the helm, play consistently like they have played since Romo took over for 5 more years, they'll be the owner of a minimum of 4 new SuperBowl rings.

But folks, it hasn't happened yet. Romo's number of SuperBowl rings equals the salary I get for my exalted position as staff writer. The number of times Romo has received a solid hit equals that number also. The number of playoff games Romo has won equals that number. The number of Pro Bowl appearances Romo has made equals that number. The number of NFC Championship games he's won equals that number. The number of NFC East titles he's won equals that number, too. Zero, Zilch, Nada, Nothing. I repeat: $0.00.

So, is this a religion, or is this a medical condition. Frankly, I'm beginning to think it's a medical condition that manifests itself after what is perceived to be a spiritual experience. Lord knows, there are many things on this planet that can make a man lose touch with reality. A nice pair of legs in a short skirt. A snake crawling in your fishing boat when you're miles from shore. Telling your buddies about the shot you made to kill the prize deer at the hunting lodge. And apparently, quarterbacks who haven't played enough games yet to be crowned Emperor of the NFL, but are playing well at the moment.

Having a team like the Cowboys have been for this millenium as your favorite football team is just tough. You want them to excel. You want them to regain the glory of what they have been in the past, on several occasions. You want to be able to point with pride and say "that's MY team!" The playoff famine that has been our plague for years can make one see visions of grandeur, even when that grandeur is not a proven thing yet.

The Cowboys have had quarterbacks that started cold. Aikman is a prime example. His first year would give no one reason for hope. Staubach got the starting job, lost the starting job, got the starting job, lost the starting job his first couple years. No one would have predicted his success in the beginning. On the other hand, Quincy Carter had a couple good games in the beginning of his first full season as the starter. But it went south quickly. And we all know how that deal turned out.

Tony Romo has had an excellent beginning of his real career with the Dallas Cowboys. If he continues, he'll be King of the Mountain. But he's got to earn his crown first. Bill Parcells keeps saying that and folks accuse him of just never saying anything positive to a quarterback. I tend to lean on the wisdom and experience of a man who has been around the block a couple of times with quarterbacks. I can't imagine why a coach would want to spend his time convincing his quarterback that he's going to screw the pooch any day now. If anything, I would think he would be working to help him keep a positive mental attitude. No, I don't buy that Parcells is just trying to get into Romo's head. I think Parcells is simply calling a spade a spade. Romo is going to screw the pooch. The question isn't whether, it's when. Then we get to see what the boy is truly made of.

Until then, take two aspirins and call me in the morning.

Rod

Giants & Cowboys - Round 2

Giants vs Cowboys - Round 2

Round 1 was humiliating for the Cowboys. Played in Texas Stadium, the Giants had their way with the Cowboys. The only good that came from that game was the change in quarterbacks at halftime. No one could have predicted the success Tony Romo would have in future games, nor could anyone have predicted the difference this made for the entire team.

While I have been very reticent to proclaim Tony Romo as the next Joe Montana, simply because we haven't seen enough of him yet, only an idiot could ignore the success the team has had since Tony Romo became the starting quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys.

Sunday, the Dallas Cowboys step onto the field at Giants Stadium for their second meeting. Much has changed since their first. The Cowboys have gone 4-1, with the only loss being to a freak play by Washington at the end of the game. The Cowboys handed the Indianapolis Colts their first loss this season. And four days later took care of business by delivering a Thanksgiving beating to Tampa Bay, while the world watched.

The Giants, on the other hand, won their first two games following the Dallas game, over Tampa Bay and Houston, both low ranking teams. Then they dropped three in a row, including last weekend's game where the Giants led 21-0 going into the fourth quarter, only to lose 24-21 by giving up 24 unanswered points in less than 10 minutes. Injuries have played a part of this meltdown, but many suggest that Eli Manning has lost confidence and may not get it back this season. Tiki Barber blamed the loss to the Jaguars on being outcoached. Coach Tom Coughlin is fighting to keep the ship from sinking.

Round Two will be a tale of two teams. At this point in time, one is a wounded tiger. How wounded that tiger is remains to be seen, but no one would deny that the Giants are currently in a downward spiral. The Cowboys are playing the best football they've played all season currently. Romo fever has attacked the Cowboys nation with a vehemence, with no known cure in sight for many. Tony Romo has gone from virtual obscurity to a place on the ballot of the Pro Bowl in 5 games as a starter. He currently holds the highest quarterback ranking in the league at 110.8. Eli Manning has dropped to #23 on the list at a rating of 76. The Cowboys now hold the lead in the NFC East. The Dallas Cowboys are playing confidently and are getting better each week. The Giants are now giving up 21 point leads to lose to a lesser ranked team in the last 10 minutes of a game.

And the vocal Jeremy Sharper (TE - Giants) steps up to rally his team by declaring there's "no way" the Cowboys can come into Giants Stadium and win. I think Jeremy Sharper is forgetting the fact that the coach of the Dallas Cowboys has more wins in New York than anyone playing or coaching for the Giants at this time. The Cowboys will win this game and this game will be spoken of next year by announcers and game analysts pointing to the point in the season where the Cowboys settled the question of who owned the NFC East. The Giants will lose.

As a somewhat sidenote, I should mention the release of Vanderjagt as Cowboys kicker. I was somewhat shocked to see a couple messages from folks who were surprised it happened. Frankly, I'm surprised it didn't occur before the Tampa Bay game. If Vanderjagt couldn't get up to play the Colts, his former team, why expect him to get up to play any of the other games ahead. Personally, I think Vanderjagt is still affected by that game-losing shanked kick in the AFC Championship game last year. I don't think he has ever recovered from that. Regardless, he's no longer a Dallas Cowboy. His replacement is Martin Grammatica who has had good years and so-so years. The Cowboys are hoping for the former.

Question of the week - Which Cowboys wide receiver has seemed to completely drop from the radar of the press since he pretended he was taking a nap on the field as his touchdown celebration a few games back? His celebration drew a 15 yard penalty which didn't please Bill Parcells at all. I have said on several occasions that I believe Parcells had a heart to heart talk with that unnamed receiver and led him to the light. I acknowledge that there has been no further discussion of that receiver's sleeping habits during team meetings nor has there been any controversial touchdown celebrations. I think Parcells might have gotten the boy's attention. Time will tell.

Cowboys win this one. Giants implode the rest of the season. Tiki Barber will remember his last season in the NFL with less than fondness. The Dallas defense will make sure of it. Someone send Jeremy Shockey a sympathy card. Address it to:

No-Way Shockey, c/o
New York Football Giants
Giants Stadium
East Rutherford, NJ 07073
(201) 935-8111

Rod

There's no way the Cowboys can come into Giants Stadium and get a win

In an article that appeared at the Fort Worth Star Telegram site (http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/sports/16088631.htm) on Thursday, Randy Galloway reports Jeremy Shockey has made a declaration to Ed Werder of ESPN.

(quoting Randy Galloway) "There's no way the Cowboys can come into Giants Stadium and get a win."

It's simply not possible.

Parcells, upon hearing about Shockey's pompous statement said, "I need that Shockey tape from this week. I need it in my hands." Delivery was promised to be forthcoming.

While most of the buzz on the Giants fan websites has mostly been about Tiki Barber's statements about the team being outcoached in their last outings, little has been said about Shockey's statement. Expect to hear much more about this proclamation in Dallas in the coming week. The Cowboys players got an early Christmas present when Coach Parcells sent them home for a much-welcomed three day rest. Practice resumes Tuesday. Parcells himself said "I just need a break." Shockey's remark should become a major topic of conversation beginning Tuesday morning.

So let's dissect Shockey's statement for a moment. First of all, let's look at "no way". This indicates it's completely and utterly outside of the realm of possibility for this to happen. No way. Period. Even the most ludicrous fan shouldn't expect the impossible to occur.

Then the limiting factor of the statement, "come into Giants Stadium and get a win". This implies that the Cowboys cannot, regardless of how good the Cowboys play or how badly the Giants play, expect to win. If the Cowboys merely show up for the game, they lose. It's beyond possibility for the Cowboys to win a game in Giants Stadium.

What does history say about this? The last time the Cowboys won in Giants Stadium was in 2003, when the Cowboys finished 10-6 before losing to the Panthers in postseason. That win in Giants Stadium in 2003 was led by the mighty Quincy Carter, who struck fear into the hearts of opponents with his rocket release and mind blowing accuracy. (translate: the Cowboys barely beat the Giants that day (35-32) and won in spite of Carter). But it was a win. That 2003 Cowboys team couldn't stay on the same field with the 2006 Cowboys and Carter couldn't stay in the same state with Tony Romo.

The Giants do have the edge so far this millenium. But this includes the Campo years (three 5-11 seasons in a row), Parcells first year where he made very few personnel changes and the "QOTD" years (quarterback of the day) when the Cowboys tried several guys at the quarterback position. With only 5 games into the Romo experiment, we still don't know if those QOTD years have ended, but the outlook is very bright at this point. The Cowboys team that Jeremy Shockey last faced on the field is not the same one that will show up for the NFC East matchup at Giants Stadium. Perhaps that's where he's confused. He's comparing this team to the one from a month ago.

Now, we have an added factor that simply must be considered in the face of Shockey's declaration. The Cowboys played Tampa Bay on Thanksgiving Day. It was ugly. For Tampa Bay. The Cowboys now have a 10 day break before stepping on the field for another game. Aches and pains get some well deserved rest. Coaches get to clear their minds and prepare a plan for the ensuing battle. And other than the season ending injury to Greg Ellis, no major contributor on the Cowboys team is injured. The Giants, on the other hand, have several major players that are out or questionable. And the Cowboys historically have been hard to beat after their 10 day post-Thanksgiving break. And the Cowboys aren't in the middle of a controversy (Barber's "outcoached" remarks) at the moment. (Of course, that could change, but let's all just knock on wood and move forward.)

No way. . .

Perhaps Roy Williams and Demarcus Ware should deliver a few clues why No-Way Shockey's (remember that name and use it often this next week) declaration might be somewhat flawed in fact. Expect the Dallas defense to step up the pressure on the struggling Eli Manning. Expect Shockey to get "special" attention. I fully expected TO to have a breakout game on Thanksgiving and while he had an excellent game, it wasn't quite what I expected. In this game, expect TO and Terry Glenn to have big days. Romo will be a bit more rushed than he has been in his previous games, but he won't be the same QB in this game that he was coming into the 2nd half of the last Giants game. Expect him to get the ball out early and open up the running game with short quick, but successful passes. Then Barber and Jones can do their thing. The Giants aren't going to roll over and give this game to the Cowboys, and this game might very well come down to the foot of Wide-Right Vanderjagt. Let's hope this doesn't happen. If the offensive line does its job, Romo will do his. I believe the defense can handle the Giants offense.

Cowboys win this one and take sole control over the NFC East.

Billese - An Interpretive Primer

I know there are many on here that think I live to throw water on the Cowboys fire, but I assure you that isn't true. What I am, I repeat, is a realist. I think Bill Parcells is a realist. He's also a very closed-mouth realist. He's coached teams that looked good for awhile then started falling apart. Last year's Cowboys team for example.

One of the first thing Parcells did was establish the "If They Ask, Don't Tell" rule for coaches and players. Assistant coaches aren't allowed to address the press. So the "inside info" you get from Valley Ranch comes from Parcells or Jerry Jones. Even Jones is more guarded with what he says since Parcells moved in. And Parcells has his own language, with different meaning for words than what you find at dictionary.com. I call it Billese.

In Billese so called superstars are referred to as "the player". Quarterbacks who move from a backup to the highest rated QB in the league in 5 weeks are referred to as "the kid". The playoffs are referred to as "the tournament". Getting into the playoffs, with a viable chance to go to the SuperBowl is referred to as "something". All this while the #1 draft pick for the current season hands him his water to keep his throat from drying out too much to offer this Billese to us. Parcells will never be accused of being one to overstate one's situation.

So, here are two quotes coming from Parcells on Thanksgiving Day that I deem the most notable:

#1 (referring to Tony Romo):

"He's a football guy and he's interested in playing well"

As many of us know, a "football guy" is an exalted status endowed by Bill on certain players who exhibit a combination of skill, class, competitiveness, knowledge, willingness to learn, ability to learn, willingness to perform, ability to perform, durability, and wisdom. Simply being a so called superstar will not get you to "football guy" status. Terrell Owens is not a "football guy". Terry Glenn is. Marion Barber is. And as of yesterday, Tony Romo is now officially one.

#2. (referring to the future of the Dallas Cowboys this season):

"I think we're going to be in it here for a little while"

"in it", if my Billese translations skills are what I think they are, means "having the status of being a viable contender to get into the playoffs (otherwise known as "the tournament"). "little while" is a bit more vague, but I'm going to go out on a limb and make a linguistic guess and translate that to mean "a few games, at least". That could very well be a poor translation and could actually mean anything from "at least one game" all the way to "winner of the SuperBowl". In this instance, one must simply hazard a guess as to the exact intent of the speaker. Billese linguistics is not an exact science.

So, let's review what we've learned here today. Tony Romo is now a "football guy", meaning he's shown enough to Bill Parcells to be added to a very elite group of guys that have exhibited certain desirable characteristics to set themselves apart from ordinary players or your average superstar. And the Cowboys players have convinced their coach that they have a legitimate chance of getting to the playoffs, at least for one game, if not much, much more.

Now, wouldn't that be "something"?

Not Yet, But. . .

While I'm not ready to declare Romo as a Hall of Fame inductee quite yet, I am hereby claiming copyright on the term "Romo Mojo" as of this date. Public use of this term is hereby allowed, so long as the accompanying "©2006 Optyk, all rights reserved" tag is added, unless prior written permission is granted.

Rod

Ready or Not, Here I come. . . .

Game Preparation

Thanksgiving Day and the Dallas Cowboys. That move got made in the sixties and arguably is one of the things that makes the Cowboys "America's Team". Having that game every year on their schedule gives them national recognition, no doubt. Those of us who have watched them for years have seen great games and horrible games. But the Cowboys are 23-14-1 on Thanksgiving Day.

Detroit also plays every year on Thanksgiving Day, but they don't have five SuperBowl trophies in the lobby of their home office. No, the Cowboys, by marketing and winning have propelled themselves into the position of "America's Team". The Cowboys are very much like me. Folks either love them or they hate them. There's very little apathy to be found. Many football fans of other teams hate when they hear that "America's Team" monicker. But it's hard to argue with success and although the Cowboys have had very little of that lately, the general expectation is that they are a team on their way back.

But this article isn't about expectations or whether the Cowboys deserve that "America's Team" designation. It's about game preparation. The Cowboys have a very distinct advantage in the Thanksgiving Day game. They have a history of having to get prepared in four days for a huge, nationally televised game. Since this game is in November, late in the season, at this point every game becomes a big game, even without the national spotlight. The Cowboys need this win to confirm their turnaround, to maintain the momentum they are beginning to build. So this game is a big one.

They just played a big one. And won it. And now, with 4 days available, three actually since they play on the 4th, they have to get ready. They practiced lightly on Monday. Tuesday, they practiced. The coaches had begun prepping for this game against Tampa Bay last week, so that part of things was already done. They'll practice today also. And I'm sure tomorrow morning, there will be all the immediate pregame preparation.

On the Tampa Bay side of the coin, a team that hasn't played on Thanksgiving Day at least as long as Ronde Barber has been on the team, I watched the game Monday Night, Giants vs Jaguars. Ronde Barber was in the announcer's booth for most of the 2nd quarter. He had come to the game to watch his twin brother play. I was thinking at the time how strange it was for him not to be in Tampa Bay preparing for this game.

This morning, i read this comment by Ronde, regarding the Thanksgiving Day game:

''It's a challenge, but teams have been doing it for years,'' cornerback Ronde Barber said. ''This is our first experience with it. I think Jon (Gruden) will be smart with the schedule.''

You're right, Ronde. Teams have been doing it for years. And 60.5% of those teams went home sucking eggs. And some of those teams actually prepared. According to another article about the upcoming game, the Bucs plan to have only one full practice and a "walkthrough" on Thursday.

Coach Gruden, for the Buccaneers said "You can't practice everything, we've got a lot of young guys playing. I'm a little uneasy about it, but I'm eager to see what we can get done.''

Well, I agree with Gruden that they can't practice everything with only one day's practice. I don't think age comes into factor there. I think it's a matter of time to get it done. The rumormill is just abuzz about Gruden as a potential replacement for Bill Parcells as head coach for the Cowboys. Some have said that this Thanksgiving Day game is an "audition" for that position.

Well, let me be the first to say it. Teams that don't get ready for this game against the Cowboys generally don't win it. If your audition for any position shows that you won't prepare for the audition, what would lead one to think you'd prepare for the actual job? Bill Parcells is taking this game very seriously. I believe the Cowboys players are taking it deadly serious, based on comments all week. They seem to be maintaining their focus and not just riding a high from the win against the Colts.

Bill Parcells has been working on this game since the middle of last week, knowing that it's a big game and that the Cowboys need the win to "get into the tournament". Gruden seems to be acting like this is a preseason game. I don't understand that "lot of younger guys" remark. To me, that would be more reason to have them on the field practicing. No, I think Gruden is dropping the ball on this one. I think preparation will be the key to this game and one side is preparing and the other is not.

I don't usually get into the prediction business, but I'm going out on a limb on this one. The Cowboys will win this game. They'll be prepared and fired up. Tampa Bay will not be prepared and the Dallas defense will stomp on them. It'll be Thanksgiving Day and Terrell Owens is a showboat and loves the big stage, so expect him to come out smoking and stroking. Romo should have a field day. Expect it to be a real ass whupping.

And Gruden, well, let's just say his audition won't go very well.

Cold Hard Facts - Pro Bowl Selections

Here's a list of Pro Bowl QB's selected from 1970 until present:

1970 Bob Griese 14 games
1970 Daryle Lamonica 14 games
1970 John Brodie 14 games
1970 Fran Tarkenton 14 games
1971 Len Dawson 14 games
1971 Bob Griese 14 games
1971 Greg Landry 14 games
1971 Roger Staubach 13 games *
1972 John Hadl 14 games
1972 Daryle Lamonica 14 games
1972 Joe Namath 13 games *
1972 Billy Kilmer 12 games*
1972 Norm Snead 14 games
1973 Bob Griese 13 games*
1973 Ken Stabler 14 games
1973 Roman Gabriel 14 games
1973 John Hadl 14 games
1974 Bob Griese 13 games*
1974 Ken Stabler 14 games
1974 James Harris 11 games*
1974 Jim Hart 14 games
1974 Fran Tarkenton 13 games *
1975 Ken Anderson 13 games *
1975 Terry Bradshaw 14 games
1975 Dan Pastorini 14 games
1975 Mike Boryla 7 games *
1975 Jim Hart 14 games
1975 Roger Staubach 13 games *
1975 Fran Tarkenton 13 games *
1976 Ken Anderson 14 games
1976 Bert Jones 14 games
1976 Ken Stabler 12 games *
1976 Jim Hart 14 games
1976 Roger Staubach 14 games
1976 Fran Tarkenton 13 games *
1977 Bob Griese 14 games
1977 Ken Stabler 13 games *
1977 Pat Haden 12 games *
1977 Jim Hart 14 games
1977 Roger Staubach 14 games
1978 Terry Bradshaw 16 games
1978 Bob Griese 11 games*
1978 Archie Manning 16 games
1978 Roger Staubach 15 games*
1979 Terry Bradshaw 16 games
1979 Dan Fouts 16 games
1979 Archie Manning 16 games
1979 Roger Staubach 16 games
1980 Dan Fouts 16 games
1980 Brian Sipe 16 games
1980 Steve Bartkowski 16 games
1980 Ron Jaworski 16 games
1981 Ken Anderson 16 games
1981 Dan Fouts 16 games
1981 Steve Bartkowski 16 games
1981 Joe Montana 16 games
1982 Ken Anderson 9 games *
1982 Dan Fouts 9 games *
1982 Joe Theismann 9 games *
1982 Danny White 9 games *
1983 Dan Fouts 10 games *
1983 Bill Kenney 16 games
1983 Dan Marino 11 games *
1983 Joe Montana 16 games
1983 Joe Theismann 16 games
1984 Dave Kreig 16 games
1984 Dan Marino 16 games
1984 Neil Lomax 16 games
1984 Joe Montana 16 games
1985 Dan Fouts 14 games *
1985 Dan Marino 16 games
1985 Ken O'Brien 16 games
1985 Jim McMahon 13 games *
1985 Joe Montana 15 games *
1985 Phil Simms 16 games
1986 John Elway 16 games
1986 Boomer Esiason 16 games
1986 Dan Marino 16 games
1986 Tommy Kramer 13 games *
1986 Jay Schroeder 16 games
1987 John Elway 12 games *
1987 Jim Kelly 12 games *
1987 Bernie Kosar 12 games *
1987 Dan Marino 12 games *
1987 Neil Lomax 12 games*
1987 Joe Montana 13 games *
1988 Boomer Esiason 16 games
1988 Dave Krieg 9 games *
1988 Warren Moon 11 games *
1988 Randall Cunningham 16 games
1988 Wade Wilson 14 games *
1989 John Elway 15 games *
1989 Boomer Esiason 16 games
1989 Dave Krieg 15 games *
1989 Warren Moon 16 games
1989 Randall Cunningham 16 games
1989 Don Majkowski 16 games
1989 Joe Montana 13 games *
1989 Mark Rypien 14 games *
1990 Jim Kelly 14 games *
1990 Warren Moon 15 games *
1990 Randall Cunningham 16 games
1990 Jim Everett 16 games
1990 Joe Montana 15 games *
1991 Jim Elway 16 games
1991 Jim Kelly 15 games *
1991 Dan Marino 16 games
1991 Warren Moon 16 games
1991 Ken O'Brien 16 games
1991 Troy Aikman 12 games *
1991 Chris Miller 15 games *
1991 Mark Rypien 16 games
1992 Jim Kelly 16 games
1992 Dan Marino 16 games
1992 Warren Moon 11 games *
1992 Troy Aikman 16 games
1992 Brett Favre 15 games *
1992 Steve Young 16 games
1993 John Elway 16 games
1993 Boomer Esiason 16 games
1993 Joe Montana 11 games *
1993 Warren Moon 15 games *
1993 Troy Aikman 14 games *
1993 Brett Favre 16 games
1993 Bobby Hebert 14 games *
1993 Phil Simms 16 games
1993 Steve Young 16 games
1994 Drew Bledsoe 16 games
1994 John Elway 14 games *
1994 Jeff Hostetler 16 games
1994 Dan Marino 16 games
1994 Troy Aikman 14 games *
1994 Warren Moon 15 games *
1994 Steve Young 16 games
1995 Jeff Blake 16 games
1995 Steve Bono 16 games
1995 Jim Harbaugh 15 games *
1995 Dan Marino 14 games *
1995 Troy Aikman 16 games
1995 Brett Favre 16 games
1995 Warren Moon 16 games
1995 Steve Young 12 games *
1996 Drew Bledsoe 16 games
1996 Mark Brunell 16 games
1996 John Elway 15 games
1996 Vinny Testaverde 16 games
1996 Troy Aikman 15 games
1996 Kerry Collins 13 games *
1996 Brett Favre 16 games
1996 Gus Frerotte 16 games
1996 Steve Young 12 games *
1997 Drew Bledsoe 16 games
1997 Mark Brunell 14 games *
1997 John Elway 16 games
1997 Warren Moon 15 games *
1997 Chris Chandler 14 games *
1997 Trent Dilfer 16 games
1997 Brett Favre 16 games
1997 Steve Young 15 games *
1998 John Elway 13 games *
1998 Doug Flutie 13 games *
1998 Vinny Testaverde 15 games *
1998 Chris Chandler 14 games *
1998 Randall Cunningham 16 games
1998 Steve Young 15 games *
1999 Mark Brunell 15 games *
1999 Rich Gannon 16 games
1999 Peyton Manning 16 games
1999 Steve Beuerlein 16 games
1999 Brad Johnson 16 games
1999 Kurt Warner 16 games
2000 Rich Gannon 16 games
2000 Elvis Grbac 15 games *
2000 Brian Griese 10 games *
2000 Peyton Manning 16 games
2000 Daunte Culpepper 16 games
2000 Jeff Garcia 16 games
2000 Donavan McNabb 16 games
2000 Kurt Warner 11 games *
2001 Tom Brady 15 games *
2001 Rich Gannon 16 games
2001 Kordell Stewart 16 games
2001 Brett Favre 16 games
2001 Jeff Garcia 16 games
2001 Donovan McNabb 16 games
2001 Kurt Warner 16 games
2002 Drew Bledsoe 16 games
2002 Rich Gannon 16 games
2002 Peyton Manning 16 games
2002 Brett Favre 16 games
2002 Jeff Garcia 16 games
2002 Brad Johnson 13 games *
2002 Donovan McNabb 10 games *
2002 Michael Vick 15 games *
2003 Peyton Manning 16 games
2003 Steve McNair 14 games *
2003 Trent Green 16 games
2003 Daunte Culpepper 14 games *
2003 Brett Favre 16 games
2003 Donovan McNabb 16 games
2003 Matt Hasselbeck 16 games
2003 Mark Bulger 15 games *
2004 Tom Brady 16 games
2004 Peyton Manning 16 games
2004 Drew Brees 15 games *
2004 Daunte Culpepper 16 games
2004 Donovan McNabb 15 games
2004 Michael Vick 15 games *
2005 Tom Brady 16 games
2005 Peyton Manning 16 games
2005 Steve McNair 14 games *
2005 Trent Green 16 games
2005 Carson Palmer 16 games
2005 Michael Vick 15 games *
2005 Matt Hasselbeck 16 games
2005 Jake Delhomme 16 games

* played less than a full season


Fewer than 10 games = 2.8%

Fewer than 12 games = 7.4%

Fewer than 14 games = 20.3%

14 or more games = 79.6%

12 or more games = 92.6%

10 or more games = 97.2%

No quarterback has ever been selected that had played in less than 7 games that season. Only one has been selected that had played less than 9 games that season.

Apparently at no time has a majority of voters for Pro Bowl candidates felt that anyone that played less than 7 games had accomplished enough to be elected.

This isn't wishes or desires. These are the results of actual votes for Pro Bowl candidates. Does this mean Romo isn't qualified? Absolutely not. What it does mean is that it's highly unlikely that he could get selected for the Pro Bowl if the election happened today. If he wins out the last 6 games, and the election was held then, of course he'd have a chance. And would have the credentials to back it up. But at 4 games, you're not going to convince enough people that he's a viable candidate to garner their votes.

Rod

Two Scenarios - Cowboys vs Colts

Scenario #1:

The Cowboys lose the coin toss and the Colts elect to get the ball first. With the crowd noise at an all time high, the Cowboys kick off high and deep, forcing the returner to back up and ultimately signal for a fair catch at the 11 yard line. The Cowboys defense come on the field and line up. The ball is snapped, Manning drops back only to find the line is already collapsing, so he hands it off to his RB, who gets snuffed for a 2 yard loss. On second down and 12 to go, Manning takes the snap, drops back only to see a virtually untouched Roy Williams coming at full speed towards him. He ducks to his knees and is sacked for a loss of 5 more yards.

The crowd is wild as Manning tries to signal a change of play at the line of scrimmage .The ball is snapped, he takes a three step drop and fires one to his tight end on a crossing pattern. A violent hit just as the ball arrives causes it to leave the TE's hands, falling to the carpet and is promptly pounced on by the Cowboys. The ruling on the field is that it's an incomplete pass so it's now 4th down and 17 yards to go at the 4 yard line.

From inside the endzone, the Colts barely get the kick away. The ball is returned by the Cowboys to the Colt's 44 yard line.

Beginning there, the Cowboys offense moves onto the field and systematically marches down the field using an equal mix of runs by Julius Jones and passes to four different receivers, plus one short scramble for 5 yards by Romo himself. The scoring play is a five yard bullet from Romo to Witten. The extra point is good and the Cowboys have the lead.

For the rest of the first half, Dallas' defense stays in Manning's face, allowing him some short passes, but taking away the big plays. One fumble by Manning causes a turnover and Anthony Henry puts an end to Manning's tendency to pick on him by taking an interception to the bank for Dallas' second touchdown and the second turnover of the game by the Colts.

The Colts get a break with a reception and 38 yard run after catch to get to the 14 yard line. Dallas' defense holds and forces the Colts to settle for a field goal. The half ends on the score of Cowboys 14, Colts 3. Only two penalties have been charged to the Cowboys for the entire first half and the Cowboys had no turnovers.

Coming back onto the field after halftime, the Cowboys find themselves staring at a stadium full of fans giving them a standing ovation. The noise level is deafening in Texas Stadium. Tony Romo is caught on camera as he's being talked to by a Coach Parcells with a very stern face. Tony is nodding his head and smiling. The announcers have a field day with this for a few minutes, then ball is kicked off to the Cowboys.

The Cowboys kick returner catches the ball, scrambles for a few moments then is down at the 17 yard line. Romo and company walk on the field. Players have to signal the crowd to quieten down so they can hear what they're doing on the field. The crowd cooperates and on 1st down and 10 at the 17, Romo fakes a handoff to Julius Jones who causes the defense to pursue, only to see Romo loft one up towards Terrell Owens. TO becomes airborne between two defenders and snatches the ball from the air, hangs onto it, hits the ground running and never looks back until he's at the 5 yard line and heading into the endzone. Vanderjagt's extra point is good, making it a 21-3 game in favor of the Cowboys.

The Colts are again smothered deep in their own territory by Dallas' special teams. Roy Williams has already spent half the game pressuring Manning and gets another sack on third down as the Colts are not able to move the ball. The Colts finally get a touchdown towards the end of the third quarter, going into the fourth quarter with a score of 24-10, Cowboys leading. Tony Romo spreads the ball around between receivers and running backs during the fourth period and manages to get the ball to Terry Glenn at the 22 on a short pass. Glenn evades tacklers and takes it to the endzone, making the score 31-10. Dallas' defense tightens up even further, allowing short yardage, but no big plays and the Colts are only able to get one more field goal before the final buzzer goes off with the Cowboys winning 31-13. Manning is held to 178 yards passing with two interceptions, three sacks, one fumble and one touchdown. Romo finished the day with 323 yards, one interception no fumbles, one sack and three touchdowns.

A shot from one of the cameras catches Manning shaking hands with a smiling Vanderjagt as the teams exit the field. Another shot shows a smiling Bill Parcells walking into the tunnel.Yet another camera shot catches a jubilant Jerry Jones with a huge smile as he hugs Terrell Owens that proves that today would be a great day for anyone to go ask Jerry for a raise.

==========================================

Scenario 2:

The crowd is wild and loud as the Cowboys win the toss and elect to receive the ball. The Colts kick off to the Cowboys and the kick returner is brought down after a 6 yard runback to the 21 yardline. A penalty for holding against the Cowboys moves the ball back to the 11 where Romo and company take over. On first down, Julius Jones gains 6 yards out to the 17. On second down, Romo hits Witten on a crossing pattern for a 6 yard gain and a first down. On first and 10, Romo fires a bullet to Terry Glenn who is hammered by a defender, but hangs onto the ball for a 12 yard gain. The next play is a pass to Terrell Owens on the left sideline which rolls off his fingers for an incomplete pass. On second down and 10, Romo hands the ball to Julius Jones who jukes and jives for a 5 yard gain, bringing up 3rd and 5. A flag for movement on the line brings a five yard penalty, making the play a 3rd and 10. On 3rd and 10, the ball is snapped, but all receivers are covered. Romo spots an opening and scrambles for six yards, but not enough for a 1st down. The Cowboys kick to the Colts.

The Colts begin by trying a running play to the right which is stopped at the line of scrimmage. On 2nd down, Manning rolls to the left and hits Harrison for a 15 yard gain. On the next play, Manning hits the TE on a fade route for another first down. A couple more pass plays and the Colts on a short touchdown pass take the lead.

The Cowboys offense takes the field again after the kickoff and under Romo's guidance, move the ball down to the 7 yard line of the Colts where they are stymied. A field goal by Vanderjagt makes the score 7-3, Colts leading.

The rest of the first half is similar to the previous, with the Colts scoring two more touchdowns, and Dallas scoring one touchdown and missing a 46 yard field goal attempt after a 15 yard facemask penalty had pushed the Cowboys back on the previous play. After Vanderjagt's miss, the camera pans the Colts' sideline showing all the laughing and high fiving going on over there. Parcells is shown clutching his clipboard to his chest with a look of disgust. Halftime ends with a score of 21-10, Colts leading.

The Cowboys come back to the field and kick off to the Colts. A holding penalty adds 10 more yards to the Colts runback, putting them on the 36 yardline. On first down, Manning again hits Harrison, who runs out of bounds at the 48 for a 1st down. Two more plays and the Colts are on the 27 yard line of Dallas' with a 1st and 10. Manning decides to go for it all but is intercepted by Roy Williams on that same type play the sportscasters have belittled Williams' about this season.

Dallas takes over at the 12 yard line and moves the ball down the field for a score on a 32 yard pass to Hurd. The score is now 21-17, Colts leading. On the ensuing kickoff, the Colts get a long return out to the 49 yardline of Dallas. Manning marches the team down to the 11 yardline, but is again stymied by Dallas' defense and the Colts settle for a field goal, bringing the score to 24-17 Colts leading.

Two minutes into the fourth quarter, Dallas gets the kickoff from the Colts and after another poor runback, takes over at their 16 yardline. Romo comes out firing, with a 12 yard pass to Glenn, a 6 yard pass to Witten, and a 27 yard pass to TO. With the ball on the 39 yardline of the Colts, Romo hands the ball off to Julius Jones who breaks through the line and is finally brought down at the 2 yardline of the Colts, a 37 yard run. Two plays later, Marion Barber bulls his way into the endzone for the touchdown. Vanderjagt nails the extra point and the stadium crowd goes crazy.

With 8:32 left on the clock, the Colts take the ensuing kickoff and the returner is hammered immediately, putting the ball on the 13 yard line. Manning and company comes on the field and attempt a couple passes. One falls incomplete, the second is batted away by the defender. Roy Williams looks like he has set up permanent camp in the Colts' backfield. The Dallas defense is fired up and prevents the first down. With 4:48 left in the game, the Colts kick off to a fired up Dallas specials team unit. After the first good runback to the 39 yardline by the Cowboys, a holding penalty moves the ball back to the 29 where it's 1st and 10. The Cowboys quietly start moving the ball down the field with running plays.
A reverse sweep gets the ball to Terry Glenn who gains 17 yards on the ground. The clock continues to run, with neither team wanting to give extra time to the opponent. At the two minute warning, the clock stops with the Cowboys on the 46 yardline of the Colts and 2nd down and 6 yards to go. Marion takes the handoff and gains 4 more yards, leaving it at 3rd and 2. The clock continues to run. A short pass to Witten barely gets the 1st down, but he's stopped before getting out of bounds, so a time out is called with 47 seconds left in the game. The ball is snapped, but Romo can find no receivers open so he scrambles for a 5 yard gain, leaving the ball on the 31 yard line. Two more failed running attempts leave the Cowboys with a 4th and 5 at the 31. And 9 seconds left on the clock.

Vanderjagt lines up for the field goal attempt. A time out is called by the Colts. So the waiting continues. The noise level has reduced dramatically. The announcers in the booth analyze what this kick means to both teams while we all wait.

Finally, we hear the signal from the referee to start the play. The linesmen get into their stances. Vanderjagt gets into position. The ball is snapped. The holder catches it, plants it perfectly just in time for Vanderjagt's foot to strike the ball. The kick is up and it's . . . . . .



time to find another writer. This one's tired. :-)

Rod

Dead Man Walking

Have you noticed how different it is this week? Normally, there's all the smack talk from guys giving guarantees about how great the Cowboys are going to play. And of course, some speaking for the opponent's side saying how badly the Cowboys will get beaten. But not this week. Oh, there's one or two that have voiced their wishes, but if you look at the way they word it, they don't sound too convinced themselves.

This is the first real test for this team, in my opinion. A real playoff contender that's not where they are because they played a bunch of losing teams. These guys earned their 9-0 record by being dominant in their games. While their defense isn't the best, they are a far cry from the worst. And their offense is simply superb. The Dallas Cowboys had better bring their A+ game to this one, folks, or there's going to be no joy in Mudville this weekend.

Notice how quiet it is. The volume of messages has dropped drastically this week. It's almost like a wake. Everyone know's there's going to be a funeral and a burial. And they know it's inevitable. The only solace is we're not sure at this point who's going to get buried. But if most of us were betting serious money on it, most of us would be betting on Dallas to lose.

And the waiting is awful on this one. I want this game to be over and done so we can see what we're truly dealing with for this season. I've said earlier that I think this game is going to be the pivotal game for this season for the Dallas Cowboys. If they win, confidence rises, their standings improve, etc. If they lose, I think it'll knock the wind out of their sails and they'll finish at absolute best, 9-7 and not make the playoffs.

This is THE game. Their earlier games have vaulted this game to that status. This is the Cowboys' SuperBowl. If they win, then make the playoffs and go to the real SuperBowl, then they can accurately say they played two SuperBowls this season. Winning this one is everything. Losing this one will result in an unsuccessful season, in my opinion. The other six games after this one will matter little, should the Cowboys lose this one.

I know I'll hear the arguments that the season isn't over just because of this game, yada yada yada. All I can say is wait and see what happens if they lose this one. There'll be the meltdown. It's a psychological thing. Why fight to get into the playoffs if you're going to eventually wind up playing the Colts, or a team good enough to beat the Colts when you couldn't, in the SuperBowl? I think there will be guys that start slacking up, figuring they're going to get paid regardless and thinking that even if they get to the playoffs, they aren't going far.

No, this game is THE game. There are no others after this one if they lose. Consider the final 6 as practice games for next season.

Now, if the Dallas Cowboys win, their remaining schedule will suddenly look winnable. All of it. Beating the 9-0 Colts will be a shot in the arm that can last through January and beyond. If they beat the Colts, I wouldn't be surprised if they win 5 more of the six remaining. And depending on which teams they beat, they might wind up with the NFC East crown. And a bye week in the playoffs.

This one's it, folks. THE game. If they win it, it's skyrocket time. If they lose, it's over.

Someone put on some coffee. We have a long time before the hearse arrives. . . .

It's Put Up or Shut Up Time, folks. . .

Reality:

Games Already Played W/L

Jacksonville Jaguars Loss
Washington Redskins Win
Tennessee Titans Win
Philadelphia Eagles Loss
Houston Texans Win
New York Giants Loss
Carolina Panthers Win
Washington Redskins Loss
Arizona Cardinals Win

Remaining Games Current Record

Indianapolis Colts 9-0
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2-7
New York Giants 6-3
New Orleans Saints 6-3
Atlanta Falcons 5-4
Philadelphia Eagles 5-4
Detroit Lions 2-7

This is where the Dallas Cowboys are as of right now. Top 10 rankings in various statistics are nice, but they didn't help the Cowboys in the last Redskins game or in the New York Giants game or in the Philadelphia Eagles game.

Granted, there's a new quarterback at the helm in Dallas, but he's one on a team of 53 men and can only carry so much of the load. The Cowboys are now missing Greg Ellis, a defensive leader and playmaker, on defense. And the #2 receiver on the team is questionable at this time.

Five out of the seven remaining games to be played are against teams with winning records as of this moment. There's also that fact that the Dallas Cowboys have not consistently played well in December since Troy Aikman was quarterback.

Their first real test against a proven good team is this weekend. The Colts aren't reknowned for their killer defense, so it's very possible that the Dallas Cowboys can put points on the board. Having the home field advantage will surely help matters. The Dallas defense will be surely tested. You can count on Peyton Manning finding out what Carpenter is made of in this game. Having a rookie stepping in on some downs at Greg Ellis' position is an autographed invitation for the Colts to give him a thorough testing. If Carpenter and Ware can't get pressure on Peyton Manning, he'll pick the defense apart.

Is this a winnable game? Of course it is. All games are winnable, given the right circumstances. Good teams create most of their circumstances. Bad teams spend most of their games reacting to circumstances dictated to them by the other team.

A win in this game for the Dallas Cowboys would be huge. It would not make them instantly into a SuperBowl team. It wouldn't even make them instantly into NFC champs, although it would tighten the race considerably.

A loss in this game would put the Cowboys at 5-5, average. . . mediocre. It would also mean they would have to win 5 of their last 6 games, a most formidable task for a team that has so far this season been inconsistent.

What do the Cowboys need to win? More points on the scoreboard than the Colts at the end of the game, of course. Who needs to make sure this happens? On offense, Tony Romo needs another game like the last three he's played. The offensive line needs to be the brick wall we've been expecting them to be all season. Terrell Owens needs to catch the catchable passes thrown to him. The other receivers need to copy Terrell Owens. Julius Jones and Marion Barber need to be effective and consistent. Two more words: No Turnovers!

On defense, there needs to be consistant pressure on Peyton Manning. The Colts receivers need to be well covered and no big plays allowed. The running game of the Colts needs to be stymied so Manning is forced to throw to those well covered receivers. Two more words: Create Turnovers!

Special teams need to do their job superbly. Field goals and extra points need to be made. Tackles need to be made, kicks and punts need to be deep and high so they can be downed deep in Colts territory. No long runbacks for the Colts need to be allowed.

Add to the above two more things:

1. Crowd noise. Just do it.

2. No stupid penalties. In all phases of the game. Eliminate the penalties.

If the Dallas Cowboys can pull this one out of their hat, I'll eat crow and gladly say I have misjudged them and might even start getting some realistic hope for this season. If they lose it because of turnovers, stupid penalties and dropped passes, well, i won't be surprised. I won't be happy, at all. But I won't be surprised.

Reasonable Expectations vs Delusional Fantasy

Reasonable: not exceeding the limit prescribed by reason; not excessive

Expectation: the act or state of looking forward or anticipating

Reasonable Expectation: the act or state of looking forward or anticipating that which does not exceed the limit prescribed by reason

1. The Cowboys can win six of their final eight games.

The Cowboys have only had one three-game winning streak since Chan Gailey was the coach. Mathmatically, it would require at least one three game winning streak to get there. The reasonable expectation is that they won't win three in a row.

2. The Cowboys can win six of their final eight games.

This will require a minimum of three wins in December. This team has not had a good December in years. The reasonable expectation is they won't have a good December this season.

3. The Cowboys can win six of their final eight games.

This will require that the Cowboys maintain a good balanced offense. The passing game has been hindered by dropped passes. TO said this week that he's a changed man. Where have we heard that before . . . . The reasonable expectation is he isn't. And unfortunately right now, he's dropping game changing passes. And Terry Glenn is now missing practice because of an injury and it's not sure whether he'll play against the Cardinals.

4. The Cowboys can win six of their final eight games.

This will require that the Cowboys maintain a good balanced offense. The running game has been one of the pleasant surprises this season. Unfortunately, Tyson Thompson is down for the count for the season. Which leaves us with Marion Barber, the short yardage guy who is playing superbly. And Julius Jones. Injury prone Julius Jones. Jones is also playing very well. So far. One injury and this team is in critical condition on offense. The reasonable expectation is that Jones will miss at least one game with an injury.

5. The Cowboys can win six of their final eight games.

This will require the Cowboys to beat a minimum of three of the following teams: the Colts, the Saints, the Eagles, the Falcons and the Giants. Because of the way the Cowboys have managed to shoot themselves in the foot this year, the reasonable expectation is that with luck, they'll win two of these games, not three.

6. The Cowboys can make the playoffs with a 9-7 record.

This will require that the Cowboys win a minimum of five of the last eight games and that certain other teams lose particular games down the stretch. While in the realm of speakable possibility, the reasonable expectation is that good teams will win games and bad teams will lose games. Average teams can go either way. Counting on a 9-7 record to get into the playoffs is an unreasonable expectation when one is behind other teams on the tie-breakers.

7. The Cowboys can make the playoffs.

The Cowboys have only been in the playoffs once since Chan Gailey became the coach. They barely made it in that year and lost that playoff game. The defense was a huge reason why the Cowboys managed to even make it to the playoffs that year. The defense this year isn't playing as well. The reasonable expectation is that they will not make the playoffs this year.

8. The Cowboys can make it to the SuperBowl.

I won't even go there on this one. If you're at this point and still delusional, you need to go tell your mommy what a bad, bad, bad, man I am for saying the Cowboys are average and have a cookie. Preferably a chocolate cookie. I understand chocolate triggers a metabolic response that makes one feel more loved. It might help come January.

Rod

It's over for this year

Good teams don't make the mistakes or commit the penalties the Cowboys are doing. I've read all the messages and everyone has a different opinion on who's to blame for yesterday's loss.

The undisputable fact is that the Cowboys were in the game until 6 seconds before the final buzzer. When the kick was blocked, they were still in it. but the special team on the field let the Skins pick up the ball and run down the field without tackling him until he was almost to their field goal range. Even then, that would have thrown them into overtime because it was unlikely the kicker could make it from that point. But the penalty gave them 15 more yards on the end of the runback. And that put them within range, barely. Their kicker had already missed a 49 yarder. So the Cowboys give him another chance at the 47. And he made that one.

Up to the point of that penalty, the Cowboys were still in the game. They had a chance. That 15 yard penalty, regardless of the 60 minutes of football already played, regardless of good or poor coaching, regardless of caught or dropped passes, regardless of missed tackles and all the other crap that we watched during the game, was the cincher. That penalty put the ball on a place on the field where their kicker could make the winning field goal.

Now, back to where I started.

Good teams don't make those mistakes or commit those penalties. The Cowboys simply aren't a good team. Their record, and their play from game to game is the proof I offer for this claim. Sure, they have a flash of brilliance. But they follow it with a flash of lunacy to make up for it. You can type all day and "if" until the cows come home, but the bottom line is they are 4-4. And the rest of the schedule looks to be a repeat of the 1st half of the season. 8-8 is the most probable outcome of this season, based on already played games by all concerned. 9-7 would be considered by me as an achievable, although unlikely goal. Anything beyond that is devoid of reality.

I hate this. I hate having all the expectations every year and have the whole thing wind up being this canker sore just oozing with vile memories. I hope Romo lights it up, whether they lose or not. We need to go into next season with a QB we can count on. TO was a nice folly, but he's simply not getting the job done. Zimmer isn't getting the defense where it needs to be. Time for him to go.

Parcells. . . . . . I have mixed emotions here. I think he was a great coach. I'm beginning to believe he isn't anymore. And I don't know if he's got the fire in him anymore. It looks like every game we have like yesterdays just rips him to shreds. Recouping from that looks to be very difficult for him.

I agree with his philosopy, bend, don't break on defense, manage the clock on offense and become a disciplined team. But we don't really have that. The defense does well 3/4 of the time. It's that other 1/4th of the time that costs us games. The offense under Romo is doing fair on the time management thing. It will get better, I suspect. Probably too little, too late, though. The discipline thing is just simply out of hand. It's fine for the 1st round pick to be disciplined to have that water in Parcells hands right on time. Unfortunately, they don't give points for that. It would be much better for receivers to keep their eyes on the ball and actually catch the damned thing instead of dropping it. It would be better for players to stop making penalties or missing blocks. I bet Jerry Jones would hire someone to get Parcell's water if the team would start playing professional football instead of this crap they're dishing out every other week this season.

Seeing half a season go by with the pattern of up one week, down the next, and seeing our record at this point being exactly where it should be based on performance, 4-4, one can only come to the conclusion that the Cowboys are mediocre, average. . . .bordering on bad. Yes they can improve. Yes, they can get worse, too. It's a wash.

Maybe next year. . . .

Rod