Glenn Stants

This weekend we have the rare opportunity of seeing the Cincinnati Bengals travelling to Dallas to play the Dallas Cowboys in Texas Stadium.  Last time these two teams met was in November 2004 when the Bengals beat the Cowboys.  All-time the Cowboys are 4-1 playing the Bengals at Texas Stadium.

The Cowboys will be looking to rebound after last week’s loss to the Washington Redskins.  I don’t want to say that this week might be like playing a high school team for the Cowboys so really what I want to say is for the Cowboys to focus, get back on track and pound the Bengals back to Cincy.  Get the ball to everyone is my focus so we can once again be happy in Cowboy Nation.  No more complaining and lets gets back to the game-plan and get a win.

It has been an interesting week in Cowboy Nation where Dallas wide receiver Terrell Owens went on a rant that he is not getting the ball enough and clearly the Cowboys move the chains when TO gets the ball.  There is some truth to that but at the sometime, TO is one of the most talented receivers in the NFL that if he can take out 1-2-3 players from an opposing team than he can say he is doing his job as that makes more room for the other Dallas offensive players to get the ball and move the chains.   Clearly as any competitor will say, they want the ball but football is a TEAM sport and TO has got to make sure he doesn’t lose his focus on the TEAM and as long as the Cowboys are getting W’s then don’t change what is working,  right? Last week against the Redskins they never got that win.

The spread on this game is HUGE, 17.5 the last time I looked in favour of the Cowboys.  I am not a betting man but I will say that I think the Cowboys will run up the score in good Cowboy fashion.  Dallas quarterback Tony Romo will use all his weapons in his attempt to get the Cowboys back on track and everyone to release some much needed energy at the expense of the Bengals.  Dallas running back Marion Barber III will certainly want his share of carries as he was held to under 50 yards last week.  First round draft pick Felix Jones did not have one offensive touch last week so look for him to also get some action and if the Cowboys are to use all their offensive weapons, the score will be pretty lop-sided.

The Bengals could be without starting QB Carson Palmer and who knows about that wide receiver Chad “O-something” Johnson who talks more than he catches a cold as clearly he should focus more on football than what name he wants to go by this week/year.

Last week is done, lets focus on this week, I will not get into any predictions like I did last week as the Redskins fed off the Cowboys and although I don’t see the Bengals competing this week, we never know but I like the Cowboys so sit tight and enjoy the ride……Cowboys will be 4-1 come Sunday night.

As always, comments and questions are encouraged. 
‘Stantsy’

Glenn Stants

The Washington Redskins did something this past Sunday that a lot of other teams in the NFL have failed to do the past 2 seasons and that is to beat a good Dallas Cowboy team and to boot, in Texas stadium.  Final-Washington Redskins-26, Dallas Cowboys-24.

As I said in my pre-game blog, it will take all the Redskin powers to be to show up to beat the Cowboys, well they did show up with all-pro numbers by RB C. Portis, WR, S. Moss and QB coming into his own J. Campbell.

So why did the Cowboys lose you ask? Well I don’t have all the answers but the Cinderella story ending failed to find the glass slipper in this one.  It was laid out perfect, onside kick, Dallas receiver Sam Hurd gets his hands on the kick just to have the ball bounce off his hands and well that was the end of the Cinderella story.  If the Cowboys recover that onside kick and we may have had ourselves another Buffalo Monday night story here with a field goal to win the game but that is not the way things happened.

Dallas took some unnecessary penalties at key times, like with too many men on the field.  It took back a first down and things didn’t go the way of Cowboy Nation.  The Redskin defence kept the whole Cowboy running game in check, 44 total rushing yards and 26 of those from work horse M. Barber III.   The Cowboys threw the ball well; it still came up short of a win.  Dallas QB T. Romo threw for 300 yards, 3 TD’s,  WR T. Owens had 7 receptions for 71 yards and one TD, TE J. Witten had 7 receptions for 90 yards and one TD.  All in all Dallas threw the ball well but could not handle the run which resulted in the Dallas offence not being on the field very long and Washington using the clock to their advantage running the ball well and keeping the Dallas offence off the field to seal the victory.  Huge difference on the clock with the Redskin offence having the ball for 38:09 of the time.

Both the Redskins and Cowboys sit at 3-1 as things start to tighten up in the NFC East.

As I close this chapter from Week 4, I will add that all good things have to come to an end and even though the Cowboys lost, don’t look for this to become a trend in Cowboy Nation.   The Bengals are coming to town and don’t expect the Cowboys to let up on a hapless Bengal team on both sides of the ball.

‘Stantsy’

NB, comments, questions, concerns.  I am sure that all Cowboy haters should have something to say and those part of my Cowboy Nation cult, we will keep the faith and get back on track this week…..

Glenn Stants

First of all I want to say sorry for not getting a post-game blog up on the Cowboys / Packers game from last Sunday night.  I am not going to make excuses outside of saying this one key word—internet and will leave it at that.  By now we all know the Cowboys won and are now 3-0.  The Cowboys first ever victory at Lambeau field.

This weekend we have the 3-0 Dallas Cowboys playing host to the 2-1 Washington Redskins.  This is one of the oldest rivalries in professional football and always makes for an intense football game.  The Cowboys have won 11 of the last 12 meetings between these two clubs.

I don’t see the Redskins competing with the Cowboys this weekend but hey, it is the NFL and on any given game day, the reality is anyone can beat anyone in the NFL if flawless football is played.  

What do the Dallas Cowboys have to do to get to 4-0?

As the Cowboys have done so well this season they will focus on running the ball effectively with RB Marion Barber III as he has been doing and keeping the Redskin offence off the field.  The Cowboys will also use Felix Jones on some running plays behind Barber and Jones will also do his usual special teams work on kick-offs and punt returns.  If the Redskins think they can hold off the receiving corps of the Cowboys, think again.  You want to double/triple cover wide receiver Terrell Owens, no problem, Dallas QB Tony Romo can use weapons with the names of Witten, Crayton, Austin and when Owens can get open, throw him da-bomb.  This was picture perfect in the Green Bay game where Owens had coverage all over him which made Romo look at his checks which allowed Austin to grab two big catches and Witten having his usual stellar performance making him the first down king.  The Cowboy offence gets a boost with Romo not having to worry about all-pro defensive star Jason Taylor who is taking the game off after being stepped on in last weeks game.  I also want to note that Adam Jones showed some praise in his play in the Green Bay game by forcing a fumble and maybe A. Jones is starting to get rid of some of that rust from not playing for so long and coming into his own wearing the Cowboy star on his helmet.

As always the Cowboy defence will have to hold their own as Redskin QB Campbell starts to get more comfortable on the field.  Redskin’s also have a solid running game led by RB Clinton Portis and can throw the ball to WR Santana Moss who has earned his reputation of being a solid receiver in the NFL every year.  Between Portis, Campbell and S. Moss, the Cowboy defence will be kept on their toes but I believe they will be up for the task and the Cowboys will walk away with the victory.

No one likes to look too far into the future but Cowboy’s Tank Johnson is noticing the Cowboys are starting to really jell on the field. 

“We’re slowly starting to jell and that’s huge as we get
  further along in the season”.

Dallas QB Tony Romo was also quoted this week:

“We’ve got a good football team, I know that,” Romo said.
“But it doesn’t matter whether you’re the favourite now or
the least favourite. The reality of it is you’ve got to keep
playing games and you’re not trying to be the favourite
 in Week 3, you’re trying to be it at the end of the year.” 
  
Sunday at 4:15pm is game time.  Texas stadium is the place.  Hope Cowboy nation is close to their tv’s watching this historic rivalry between these two football clubs as they play one final time at Cowboy Stadium and see ya all next week and hoping my internet is problem-free.

take care
‘Stantsy’