cowboyjoe
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Four keys to Sunday's game
12:00 PM Sat, Oct 10, 2009 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Todd Archer/Reporter Bio | E-mail | News tips
GETTING WIDE: The Cowboys have had a difficult time involving their wide receivers in the passing game through four games. So far only 31 of Tony Romo's 76 completions have gone to Roy Williams, Patrick Crayton, Miles Austin or Sam Hurd. The Chiefs might be the perfect opponent to get the wide receivers going. Of the 77 completions the Kansas City defense has allowed in the first four games, 42 have gone to receivers. In their last two games the Chiefs have allowed two 100-yard receivers - Philadelphia's DeSean Jackson (6 for 149) and New York's Steve Smith (11 for 134). Crayton had 135 yards in the season opener at Tampa Bay but has not come close to 100 yards since. To take possibly mounting pressure from the running game, the Cowboys must get the ball on the flanks.
THIRD DOWN DIFFERENCE MAKER: In the last two games the Cowboys have allowed Carolina and Denver to convert just three of 18 third-down chances, a sparkling improvement over the first two games. And today the Cowboys face the worst third-down team in the NFL. Kansas City has converted only 9-of-51 tries this season, a woeful 17.6 percent. Coach Todd Haley said the problems have been on first and second down, but what the Cowboys have to improve on today is how many yards they allow on third down. On three third-and-17 or longer situation against the Broncos, the defense allowed 13, 17 and 8 yards. While they got off the field, they allowed too many yards to make an appreciable difference in field position. Against the Chiefs, they not only have to continue their third-down success defensively, but shut them down completely.
DON'T I KNOW YOU? Last year Todd Haley was Arizona's offensive coordinator and Clancy Pendergast was the Cardinals defensive coordinator. They were able to design game plans that helped Arizona pull out an overtime victory. The Cowboys had a season-low at the time 15 first downs on offense and the defense could come up with only one sack. While Haley and Pendergast have implemented new schemes with new players in Kansas City, their knowledge of what the Cowboys like to do on both sides of the ball is a plus. Now, the same can be said for their counterparts with the Cowboys in Wade Phillips and Jason Garrett. But Haley has the added benefit of having worked up close and personal with 23 players when he was a Cowboys' assistant.
DON'T GIVE THEM LIFE: The Cowboys built a 10-0 lead at Denver in the first half, doing everything necessary to turn a loud crowd lifeless. Then they had a turnover that Denver turned into a touchdown in one play. Momentum gone. Crowd alive. The Chiefs are winless and still trying to figure out what's up from down in many cases. The Cowboys cannot give them the belief they can win. Confidence is a fragile thing and the Chiefs don't have much or any of it right now. Arrowhead Stadium remains a difficult place to play but not as much as it was in the past. If the Cowboys can build a lead it should demoralize the Chiefs. If they keep them in the game, then doubt could creep into the Dallas sideline.
12:00 PM Sat, Oct 10, 2009 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Todd Archer/Reporter Bio | E-mail | News tips
GETTING WIDE: The Cowboys have had a difficult time involving their wide receivers in the passing game through four games. So far only 31 of Tony Romo's 76 completions have gone to Roy Williams, Patrick Crayton, Miles Austin or Sam Hurd. The Chiefs might be the perfect opponent to get the wide receivers going. Of the 77 completions the Kansas City defense has allowed in the first four games, 42 have gone to receivers. In their last two games the Chiefs have allowed two 100-yard receivers - Philadelphia's DeSean Jackson (6 for 149) and New York's Steve Smith (11 for 134). Crayton had 135 yards in the season opener at Tampa Bay but has not come close to 100 yards since. To take possibly mounting pressure from the running game, the Cowboys must get the ball on the flanks.
THIRD DOWN DIFFERENCE MAKER: In the last two games the Cowboys have allowed Carolina and Denver to convert just three of 18 third-down chances, a sparkling improvement over the first two games. And today the Cowboys face the worst third-down team in the NFL. Kansas City has converted only 9-of-51 tries this season, a woeful 17.6 percent. Coach Todd Haley said the problems have been on first and second down, but what the Cowboys have to improve on today is how many yards they allow on third down. On three third-and-17 or longer situation against the Broncos, the defense allowed 13, 17 and 8 yards. While they got off the field, they allowed too many yards to make an appreciable difference in field position. Against the Chiefs, they not only have to continue their third-down success defensively, but shut them down completely.
DON'T I KNOW YOU? Last year Todd Haley was Arizona's offensive coordinator and Clancy Pendergast was the Cardinals defensive coordinator. They were able to design game plans that helped Arizona pull out an overtime victory. The Cowboys had a season-low at the time 15 first downs on offense and the defense could come up with only one sack. While Haley and Pendergast have implemented new schemes with new players in Kansas City, their knowledge of what the Cowboys like to do on both sides of the ball is a plus. Now, the same can be said for their counterparts with the Cowboys in Wade Phillips and Jason Garrett. But Haley has the added benefit of having worked up close and personal with 23 players when he was a Cowboys' assistant.
DON'T GIVE THEM LIFE: The Cowboys built a 10-0 lead at Denver in the first half, doing everything necessary to turn a loud crowd lifeless. Then they had a turnover that Denver turned into a touchdown in one play. Momentum gone. Crowd alive. The Chiefs are winless and still trying to figure out what's up from down in many cases. The Cowboys cannot give them the belief they can win. Confidence is a fragile thing and the Chiefs don't have much or any of it right now. Arrowhead Stadium remains a difficult place to play but not as much as it was in the past. If the Cowboys can build a lead it should demoralize the Chiefs. If they keep them in the game, then doubt could creep into the Dallas sideline.