Sturm: The Morning After: Cowboys 27, Steelers 24 (8-6) - Dallas Cowboys Forum

**WoodysGirl** · 12-17-2012

If it makes your stomach turn to know that many Steelers fans infiltrated your stadium for a pivotal game in mid-December that you simply could not afford to lose, it should. Maybe there will come a time when the Cowboys enjoy such ticket-holder loyalty that those who cannot attend the game make sure their tickets only find other home-team faithful, but clearly that time is not December, 2012. However, after thousands do storm your castle, your holiday revenge can be best enjoyed by watching them exit your stadium with sad looks on their faces because they just suffered a potentially season-ruining defeat at the hands of your battered band of brothers.

If you cannot keep them from visiting, make their experience end in such an unpleasant way that they might not be as inclined to join you again. What wasn't accomplished when all of the Bears fans visited in September, was accomplished on Sunday evening.

Happy Holidays, Pittsburgh.

Brandon Carr, who cost $50 million to acquire in the offseason, had a rather quiet start to his Cowboys career, but his 3 interceptions have all come in the 2nd half of the season and have all included returns of 36 yards or more. But, yesterday, when he stepped in front of a Ben Roethlisberger pass intended for Mike Wallace, he won a game that was vital to the way 2012 is remembered. If they are to qualify for the post-season, that result was demanded to be put in the win column, and their big off-season purchase did the deed.

It was another game that required late game heroics, and some pass rush moments that make you think the Cowboys defensive front is developing a flare for the dramatic. It was not easy, nor pretty, but since when has success been so plentiful around here that style points were important?

This is a team in 2012 who has shown its greatest attribute is their battle. They, honestly, have seemed to make up for some shortcomings by being the team that has brought an amazing amount of intestinal fortitude and drive to these games, and unlike some of their predecessors, have not seemed willing to be the first team to blink.

Read the rest: http://sturminator.blogspot.com/2012...-steelers.html

Dallas · 12-17-2012

Great article. I love reading Sturm after our games. The guy just breaks things down so well. He clearly gets what is going on w/ this team right now.

I am happy for these Dallas Cowboys.

Fighters to the end and that is all one person can ask for.

That Danny McCray is infuriating me though.

Crown Royal · 12-17-2012

I love reading Sturm but he has a blurb about always being on board with Spencer. That just plain isn't true. He came around to that and made a case for the Franchise tag in the offseason, but he was pretty vocal toward the end of 2011 on letting Spencer walk.

LeonDixson · 12-17-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dallas

Great article. I love reading Sturm after our games. The guy just breaks things down so well. He clearly gets what is going on w/ this team right now.

I am happy for these Dallas Cowboys.

Fighters to the end and that is all one person can ask for.

That Danny McCray is infuriating me though.

I agree about Sturm.

McCray is definitely a liability out there and I wish we had a healthy somebody else that is better. I feel sorry for him because this is not the role he was expected to play. Hopefully he learns from the school of hard knocks and gets better real quick like.

CowboysYanksLakers · 12-17-2012

The key to this team's turnaround has been it's youthful depth... They are playing fearless, they don't care about the past which is GREAT!

DCBoysfan · 12-17-2012

Very good read.

burmafrd · 12-17-2012

The sad thing is that 30 years ago you would have several local sportswriters almost as good as Sturm.

Now he is so far and away the best around its pitiful to contemplate the rest of the dregs that are so called professionals

CoCo · 12-17-2012

Reading that column from Sturm falls in the "pinch me" category as too good to be true. The tales you're reading about were at the other end of the spectrum when we sat at 3-5 and even as much as a week or two ago few believed this team wouldn't turn right around and lay an egg the next week.

I'll still say, I don't know how long this can last. We are so freaking banged up. But for now, I am thrilled to death for this organization to reap some rewards for all the abuse, much of it unfair, it has endured. It truly is a shame the Cowboys are such a lightning rod for criticism. But I am reveling in the sunshine for as long as it lasts this season.

J-DOG · 12-17-2012

Everyone should realize that Sturm is a Packers fan and in being so he will always put something in there to take a shot at Jerry Jones or Cowboys fan.
If he thinks that we should have a problem with all of those Pittsburgh fans infiltrating Cowboys stadium he obviously has no clue to how many fans the Steelers have at all of their away games.
His reply to this would be "well they don't show up in droves when they play in Green Bay." And I would just say Lambeau field only holds about 60 to 65 thousand fans and it impossible for any visiting team to get a lot of fans in that small of a stadium.
All of those Pittsburgh fans is not a thing that shows how bad Cowboy fans are. It just shows how big our stadium really is and that Pittsburgh fans pay very well to get those tickets.
I have a very good friend who is a huge Steeler fan and he has gone to several Cowboy games and I have gone to 2 different Steeler away games with him. One time in the old Astrodome and the other in Arizona...both games were filled with Steeler fans. Steeler fans are every where...just like Cowboy fans.

JBond · 12-18-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dallas

Great article. I love reading Sturm after our games. The guy just breaks things down so well. He clearly gets what is going on w/ this team right now.

I am happy for these Dallas Cowboys.

Fighters to the end and that is all one person can ask for.

That Danny McCray is infuriating me though.

McCray is the fourth string guy. Not the number one or two. Yep. In over his head/ability.

Crown Royal · 12-18-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by J-DOG

Everyone should realize that Sturm is a Packers fan and in being so he will always put something in there to take a shot at Jerry Jones or Cowboys fan.
If he thinks that we should have a problem with all of those Pittsburgh fans infiltrating Cowboys stadium he obviously has no clue to how many fans the Steelers have at all of their away games.
His reply to this would be "well they don't show up in droves when they play in Green Bay." And I would just say Lambeau field only holds about 60 to 65 thousand fans and it impossible for any visiting team to get a lot of fans in that small of a stadium.
All of those Pittsburgh fans is not a thing that shows how bad Cowboy fans are. It just shows how big our stadium really is and that Pittsburgh fans pay very well to get those tickets.
[View Full Quote]

It was that same at Texas Stadium where the seats were less numerous.

honyock · 12-18-2012

Really good read.

Here are a couple of interesting factoids Sturm dug up:

"And sure enough, that can be proven in that the Cowboys are 2nd in the NFL with 4th Quarter sacks with 16. And from November on, the Cowboys are #1 in the NFL with 10 4th Quarter sacks."

And on Spencer: "He trails just JJ Watt and Aldon Smith in 4th Quarter sacks this season with 6, and many of them have been absolutely huge."

Good stuff.

ologan · 12-18-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by honyock

Really good read.

Here are a couple of interesting factoids Sturm dug up:

"And sure enough, that can be proven in that the Cowboys are 2nd in the NFL with 4th Quarter sacks with 16. And from November on, the Cowboys are #1 in the NFL with 10 4th Quarter sacks."

And on Spencer: "He trails just JJ Watt and Aldon Smith in 4th Quarter sacks this season with 6, and many of them have been absolutely huge."

Good stuff.

Maybe the fourth quarter success can be attributed to fresher, albeit not as experienced, legs playing for injured players. Maybe it can in part be attributed to Rob Ryan's so far successful attempt to keep rotating different pieces of the puzzle into the mix (think defensive line rotation from the 90's teams). Maybe the success comes from training camp being a "cupcake free" zone.
Don't really care what the reason is. Keep it up....it's damn fun to watch!!!

67CowboysFan · 12-18-2012

Quote:

They have put themselves back into a spot where they have a fighting chance. And, fighting seems to be what this team does best.

Best part of the entire article. And it was a good article.

followthestar · 12-21-2012

Very good read, and refreshing to see someone out there knows his facts and takes the time to do his research. Opinions are like a lot of things and everyone has at least one. A good writer presents facts and peppers them with his opinions, rather than the other way around, and thats what this article seems. If its average writing, its still a step above what we usually seem to get. And its actually slanted in our direction, which is rare in these parts...