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IRVING, Texas — The Cowboys are 7-3 and feeling good at the bye.
They have already surpassed everybody’s preseason expectations for them, including their own.
It was Jerry Jones who opened the season telling Cowboys fans the team faced an uphill battle because of defensive shortcomings. But, of course, Jones is now strutting around Dallas proud as a peacock.
He is no longer openly and brazenly lamenting the decision to pass on former Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel in the 2014 NFL draft. Jones has a potential run to the Super Bowl to crow about.
It’s all on the table for the Cowboys as they take this week off to rest and heal up for the final six-game run to the playoffs.
Their seven wins are tied for the second most in the NFL, trailing only the Arizona Cardinals (8-1). And they are just a half game behind the Philadelphia Eagles (7-2) in the NFC East with two games left against their division rival.
“I’d take it. You always want to be perfect, but I think everybody has said around here that 7-3 is a good spot," vice president Stephen Jones said. "We like our situation, but we don’t take anything for granted. We got a lot of work ahead of us. To think that we’re even going to get in the playoffs is going to take a lot of work. Our goal is to ultimately win the East, get in the playoffs and have success.”
This is a time to rest, but not relax because the Cowboys haven’t accomplished anything yet. No playoff berth. No division title. No nothing.
And it won’t be an easy run to the finish line. Four of final six games are on the road, including three of the last four.
That doesn’t bode well for a Cowboys team that has a history of floundering in December. The Cowboys have a 14-22 record after Dec. 1 since Tony Romo took over as quarterback in 2006.
In each of the last three years, the Cowboys faced a winner-take-all battle for the division title and the playoffs in the final game of the season. The Cowboys lost all three games.
What’s also true is that the Cowboys are set up to finish strong in 2014 for the first time in years.
The final road schedule doesn’t seem as daunting to a team that is 4-0 away from AT&T Stadium this season. The Cowboys have actually won five straight road games dating back to last season.
That’s the benefit of having the NFL’s leading rusher in DeMarco Murray and a physical offensive line. The run game travels better than the pass-happy Cowboys teams of past years.
“Well, certainly if you can run the football well and you’re a physical team, you travel maybe better than other kinds of teams,” Coach Jason Garrett said. “That’s one of the things we always talk about, playing in the division we’re playing in; you’re going to deal with weather. You’re going to deal with conditions at the end of the year in these critical games to help you try to win the division. So you want to be that kind of a team. Whatever circumstance, whatever conditions you’re playing in, you want to be able to be successful. And I think the bigger and stronger you’re up front and the more able to run the football, it certainly helps you."
The Cowboys should also be healthier and stronger over the final six weeks.
When the Cowboys return for the Nov. 23 matchup against New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning, Tony Romo will be further removed from the two fractured transverse processes he suffered in the Oct. 27 loss to the Washington Commanders.
He sat out the Nov. 2 loss against the Arizona Cardinals before playing through pain in the victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday in London.
Romo will not do much during the bye but rest and recover.
It is well-documented that one of the reasons the Cowboys came up short the last two years was due to an abominable defense that was further ravaged by injuries and playing guys off the street by season's end.
Not only has the Cowboys defense been surprisingly better in 2014, but it is healthier and getting reinforcements.
Middle linebacker Rolando McClain and defensive tackle Tyrone Crawford, who both missed the Jaguars game with knee injuries, should be ready to go after the bye. Defensive tackle Josh Brent, who missed the first 10 games on NFL suspension, has been placed on the active roster and will also be ready to go for the Giants game.
"That could change tomorrow, but right now we feel good,” Jones said. "If you look at the big picture, especially as it’s compared to the last two or three years, we’ll feel very good, and also these guys are getting healthier. We think they’re fresh. We think they’ll continue to get better. We think that if you look at our defensive line, they seem to be getting more pressure. They seem to be getting a few more sacks. I think they’re only getting better. Offensively, we’re fortunate we have been healthy and we’re playing at full strength now that Tony is back. That’s a big deal, and I think that shows.”
Time will tell, but the resting and healing Cowboys are finally set up for a big finish.
Clarence Hill covers the Cowboys for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. All quotations obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
Read more Dallas Cowboys news on BleacherReport.com
Continue reading...
They have already surpassed everybody’s preseason expectations for them, including their own.
It was Jerry Jones who opened the season telling Cowboys fans the team faced an uphill battle because of defensive shortcomings. But, of course, Jones is now strutting around Dallas proud as a peacock.
He is no longer openly and brazenly lamenting the decision to pass on former Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel in the 2014 NFL draft. Jones has a potential run to the Super Bowl to crow about.
It’s all on the table for the Cowboys as they take this week off to rest and heal up for the final six-game run to the playoffs.
Their seven wins are tied for the second most in the NFL, trailing only the Arizona Cardinals (8-1). And they are just a half game behind the Philadelphia Eagles (7-2) in the NFC East with two games left against their division rival.
“I’d take it. You always want to be perfect, but I think everybody has said around here that 7-3 is a good spot," vice president Stephen Jones said. "We like our situation, but we don’t take anything for granted. We got a lot of work ahead of us. To think that we’re even going to get in the playoffs is going to take a lot of work. Our goal is to ultimately win the East, get in the playoffs and have success.”
This is a time to rest, but not relax because the Cowboys haven’t accomplished anything yet. No playoff berth. No division title. No nothing.
And it won’t be an easy run to the finish line. Four of final six games are on the road, including three of the last four.
That doesn’t bode well for a Cowboys team that has a history of floundering in December. The Cowboys have a 14-22 record after Dec. 1 since Tony Romo took over as quarterback in 2006.
In each of the last three years, the Cowboys faced a winner-take-all battle for the division title and the playoffs in the final game of the season. The Cowboys lost all three games.
What’s also true is that the Cowboys are set up to finish strong in 2014 for the first time in years.
The final road schedule doesn’t seem as daunting to a team that is 4-0 away from AT&T Stadium this season. The Cowboys have actually won five straight road games dating back to last season.
That’s the benefit of having the NFL’s leading rusher in DeMarco Murray and a physical offensive line. The run game travels better than the pass-happy Cowboys teams of past years.
“Well, certainly if you can run the football well and you’re a physical team, you travel maybe better than other kinds of teams,” Coach Jason Garrett said. “That’s one of the things we always talk about, playing in the division we’re playing in; you’re going to deal with weather. You’re going to deal with conditions at the end of the year in these critical games to help you try to win the division. So you want to be that kind of a team. Whatever circumstance, whatever conditions you’re playing in, you want to be able to be successful. And I think the bigger and stronger you’re up front and the more able to run the football, it certainly helps you."
The Cowboys should also be healthier and stronger over the final six weeks.
When the Cowboys return for the Nov. 23 matchup against New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning, Tony Romo will be further removed from the two fractured transverse processes he suffered in the Oct. 27 loss to the Washington Commanders.
He sat out the Nov. 2 loss against the Arizona Cardinals before playing through pain in the victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday in London.
Romo will not do much during the bye but rest and recover.
It is well-documented that one of the reasons the Cowboys came up short the last two years was due to an abominable defense that was further ravaged by injuries and playing guys off the street by season's end.
Not only has the Cowboys defense been surprisingly better in 2014, but it is healthier and getting reinforcements.
Middle linebacker Rolando McClain and defensive tackle Tyrone Crawford, who both missed the Jaguars game with knee injuries, should be ready to go after the bye. Defensive tackle Josh Brent, who missed the first 10 games on NFL suspension, has been placed on the active roster and will also be ready to go for the Giants game.
"That could change tomorrow, but right now we feel good,” Jones said. "If you look at the big picture, especially as it’s compared to the last two or three years, we’ll feel very good, and also these guys are getting healthier. We think they’re fresh. We think they’ll continue to get better. We think that if you look at our defensive line, they seem to be getting more pressure. They seem to be getting a few more sacks. I think they’re only getting better. Offensively, we’re fortunate we have been healthy and we’re playing at full strength now that Tony is back. That’s a big deal, and I think that shows.”
Time will tell, but the resting and healing Cowboys are finally set up for a big finish.
Clarence Hill covers the Cowboys for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. All quotations obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
Read more Dallas Cowboys news on BleacherReport.com
Continue reading...