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By Calvin Watkins
ESPNDallas.com
IRVING, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys reached the halfway point of their season in sole possession of first place in the NFC East at 6-2.
The last time the Cowboys were below .500 after eight regular-season games was 2004, when they were 3-5.
It's almost impossible to predict where this team will finish, but Dallas' 20-16 victory Sunday night at Philadelphia has given this team a boost.
"It was a chance for us to go in there on the road against a division rival and put it away," inside linebacker Bradie James said. "With it being the midpoint of the season, you really want to know. You want to know as players what you can count on and who you can rely on when the funk hits the fan, and we know we can definitely rely on each other."
With that, it's midseason report card time, and we tell you who among the active game-day roster players is doing well in the first half and who needs improvement.
Here's the offense. To see the grades for the defense and the special teams, go here.
Calvin Watkins' midseason Report Card: Offense
QUARTERBACKS: Tony Romo's overall development has gotten better, with 13 touchdowns and five interceptions, and if something happens to him, Jon Kitna is an upgrade over Brad Johnson.
Tony Romo: He's in the top 10 in quarterback rating (eighth at 95.8), yards (seventh with 2,215) and average yards per gain (fourth at 8.39) in the NFL. Romo (left) has cut down on total turnovers, with eight through eight games, and he's winning games while throwing for big yards and for little yards. GRADE: B
Jon Kitna: He hasn't played this season, and that's a good thing because it means Romo is healthy. Kitna has stepped in as a leader. He's in charge of Bible study and has become a shoulder to lean on for Romo and wide receiver Roy Williams. GRADE: B
RUNNING BACKS: The Cowboys have the eighth-best rushing attack in the league at 5.1 yards per carry, but two of their backs have battled injuries this year.
Marion Barber: After a fast start (32 carries for 203 yards) in the first two weeks of the season, Barber (left) injured his left thigh and hasn't had an impact game for almost a month. He didn't average more than 4 yards a carry for four consecutive weeks, but against Philadelphia, he averaged 4.2 yards and seems to be getting healthy. GRADE: C
Felix Jones: He's shown flashes of that explosive style the Cowboys loved when they made him a first-round pick out of Arkansas in 2008. Like Barber, Jones has battled injuries. He rushed for 96 yards on seven carries against the New York Giants but injured his knee the next week while rushing for 94 yards on eight carries against the Carolina Panthers. Jones still runs tentatively at times, but the team is relying on him in the stretch run. GRADE: C
Tashard Choice: The second-year back is the only healthy one in the group. When given the opportunity, he makes plays. Against the Eagles, he was the primary running back out of the Wildcat formation -- which the Cowboys call Razorback -- and he averaged 4.3 yards per carry. As the third-down back, he will be a factor. GRADE: B
Deon Anderson: The starting fullback has had some moments, but he's mainly the blocking back and has been consistent this season. GRADE: B
WIDE RECEIVERS: The grade could be lower if not for Miles Austin's burst and Kevin Ogletree's solid play.
Roy Williams: The contract, the lack of connection with Romo and the three bruised ribs slowed his progress. He didn't catch more than four passes in a game until Sunday's Week 8 win at Philadelphia. He still has only two touchdowns, but his performance against the Eagles (five catches for 75 yards) gives the Cowboys hope. GRADE: C
Miles Austin: He's emerged with a three-game explosion of 21 catches for 482 yards and five touchdowns. Austin (left) has taken over the starting job from Patrick Crayton and is 10th in yards in the league with 612. He set a Cowboys record with 250 receiving yards against the Kansas City Chiefs. How he fares in the second half will be critical to his development. GRADE: A
Patrick Crayton: Crayton lost his starting job and didn't like how the coaches went about telling him. Yet he returned two punts for scores after Allen Rossum injured his hamstring. Crayton averages 16.6 yards per catch. He'll be fine. GRADE: C
Sam Hurd: At one point, Hurd was ahead of Austin on the depth chart, but not anymore. He has six catches on the year, and with the emergence of Ogletree, his playing time is in danger. But Hurd is active on special teams. GRADE: C
Kevin Ogletree: Jerry Jones loves Ogletree's speed. He caught two wide receiver screens and turned them into 38 total yards, including a 21-yard scamper, against Philadelphia. He can become a nice piece to the offense if he continues to improve. GRADE: C
TIGHT ENDS: Jason Witten (left) hasn't had much impact this season, and Martellus Bennett plays as if he's on Jupiter and not Earth.
Jason Witten: The Cowboys have Witten blocking more this season, limiting his opportunities in the passing game. But Witten is still vital to the offense. He leads the team in catches (44) but his average of 8.9 yards isn't good for a man who has a career average for 11.5. GRADE: C
Martellus Bennett: A very colorful player who runs decent routes and blocks well, but drops, such as the two he had in the Eagles game, hurts Romo's trust in him. He's had some chances to score, but some of Romo's throws were off. GRADE: C
John Phillips: He's mainly a blocker and has done a pretty good job at it. Phillips is not as athletic as Bennett, so his chances to make catches are limited. Phillips' development allows the Cowboys to use a three-tight-end set. GRADE: C
OFFENSIVE LINE: The key to this unit is the return of left guard Kyle Kosier (left), who missed eight games last season with a fractured foot. Plus, another year with line coach Hudson Houck has given this unit a comfort zone. Tony Romo has been sacked 13 times, ninth fewest in the league.
Flozell Adams: He's one of the most penalized players in the league but still one of its best left tackles. Adams has been penalized a team-high seven times for 51 yards this season, with four false starts. But he's taken on some of the best pass-rushers in the division and is still a force. GRADE: C
Kyle Kosier: He allowed his first sack of the season Sunday at Philadelphia, but he's been a force on holding his blocks at left guard, especially when the Cowboys' running backs cut back. He stabilized this unit with his return from injury. He doesn't get the publicity that other linemen receive, but he's been solid. GRADE: B
Andre Gurode: He could be headed to another Pro Bowl at center. Gurode was flagged for his first holding call of the season Sunday, but he's been solid in protection, especially against oncoming blitzes. Gurode is a trusted leader in the locker room who produces on the field. GRADE: A
Leonard Davis: There was a thought that Davis would one day move to left tackle. But for now, he's the right guard looking to earn his third consecutive Pro Bowl berth. This is where he needs to be, and despite allowing three sacks, he's been great at mauling defenders. GRADE: A
Marc Colombo: He had a rough night in Philadelphia at right tackle. He's tied with Adams with four false starts, including two against the Eagles, but he's played solid most of the year. He's given up just one sack this year, and the Cowboys are not afraid to throw or run to his side. GRADE: B
Doug Free: He's the future at left tackle if and when Adams either retires or is cut. The Cowboys have searched for Adams' replacement and might have found one in Free. Coach Wade Phillips wants to get Free more snaps in nonpressure situations to further his development. GRADE: C
Cory Procter: He tried to replace an injured Kosier last season and didn't fare that well. Yet the backup center/guard is a quality replacement for the short-term if necessary. This could be his last year with the club unless he is given another opportunity to show his skills with significant snaps. GRADE: C
http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/news/story?id=4639689
ESPNDallas.com
IRVING, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys reached the halfway point of their season in sole possession of first place in the NFC East at 6-2.
The last time the Cowboys were below .500 after eight regular-season games was 2004, when they were 3-5.
It's almost impossible to predict where this team will finish, but Dallas' 20-16 victory Sunday night at Philadelphia has given this team a boost.
"It was a chance for us to go in there on the road against a division rival and put it away," inside linebacker Bradie James said. "With it being the midpoint of the season, you really want to know. You want to know as players what you can count on and who you can rely on when the funk hits the fan, and we know we can definitely rely on each other."
With that, it's midseason report card time, and we tell you who among the active game-day roster players is doing well in the first half and who needs improvement.
Here's the offense. To see the grades for the defense and the special teams, go here.
Calvin Watkins' midseason Report Card: Offense
QUARTERBACKS: Tony Romo's overall development has gotten better, with 13 touchdowns and five interceptions, and if something happens to him, Jon Kitna is an upgrade over Brad Johnson.
Tony Romo: He's in the top 10 in quarterback rating (eighth at 95.8), yards (seventh with 2,215) and average yards per gain (fourth at 8.39) in the NFL. Romo (left) has cut down on total turnovers, with eight through eight games, and he's winning games while throwing for big yards and for little yards. GRADE: B
Jon Kitna: He hasn't played this season, and that's a good thing because it means Romo is healthy. Kitna has stepped in as a leader. He's in charge of Bible study and has become a shoulder to lean on for Romo and wide receiver Roy Williams. GRADE: B
RUNNING BACKS: The Cowboys have the eighth-best rushing attack in the league at 5.1 yards per carry, but two of their backs have battled injuries this year.
Marion Barber: After a fast start (32 carries for 203 yards) in the first two weeks of the season, Barber (left) injured his left thigh and hasn't had an impact game for almost a month. He didn't average more than 4 yards a carry for four consecutive weeks, but against Philadelphia, he averaged 4.2 yards and seems to be getting healthy. GRADE: C
Felix Jones: He's shown flashes of that explosive style the Cowboys loved when they made him a first-round pick out of Arkansas in 2008. Like Barber, Jones has battled injuries. He rushed for 96 yards on seven carries against the New York Giants but injured his knee the next week while rushing for 94 yards on eight carries against the Carolina Panthers. Jones still runs tentatively at times, but the team is relying on him in the stretch run. GRADE: C
Tashard Choice: The second-year back is the only healthy one in the group. When given the opportunity, he makes plays. Against the Eagles, he was the primary running back out of the Wildcat formation -- which the Cowboys call Razorback -- and he averaged 4.3 yards per carry. As the third-down back, he will be a factor. GRADE: B
Deon Anderson: The starting fullback has had some moments, but he's mainly the blocking back and has been consistent this season. GRADE: B
WIDE RECEIVERS: The grade could be lower if not for Miles Austin's burst and Kevin Ogletree's solid play.
Roy Williams: The contract, the lack of connection with Romo and the three bruised ribs slowed his progress. He didn't catch more than four passes in a game until Sunday's Week 8 win at Philadelphia. He still has only two touchdowns, but his performance against the Eagles (five catches for 75 yards) gives the Cowboys hope. GRADE: C
Miles Austin: He's emerged with a three-game explosion of 21 catches for 482 yards and five touchdowns. Austin (left) has taken over the starting job from Patrick Crayton and is 10th in yards in the league with 612. He set a Cowboys record with 250 receiving yards against the Kansas City Chiefs. How he fares in the second half will be critical to his development. GRADE: A
Patrick Crayton: Crayton lost his starting job and didn't like how the coaches went about telling him. Yet he returned two punts for scores after Allen Rossum injured his hamstring. Crayton averages 16.6 yards per catch. He'll be fine. GRADE: C
Sam Hurd: At one point, Hurd was ahead of Austin on the depth chart, but not anymore. He has six catches on the year, and with the emergence of Ogletree, his playing time is in danger. But Hurd is active on special teams. GRADE: C
Kevin Ogletree: Jerry Jones loves Ogletree's speed. He caught two wide receiver screens and turned them into 38 total yards, including a 21-yard scamper, against Philadelphia. He can become a nice piece to the offense if he continues to improve. GRADE: C
TIGHT ENDS: Jason Witten (left) hasn't had much impact this season, and Martellus Bennett plays as if he's on Jupiter and not Earth.
Jason Witten: The Cowboys have Witten blocking more this season, limiting his opportunities in the passing game. But Witten is still vital to the offense. He leads the team in catches (44) but his average of 8.9 yards isn't good for a man who has a career average for 11.5. GRADE: C
Martellus Bennett: A very colorful player who runs decent routes and blocks well, but drops, such as the two he had in the Eagles game, hurts Romo's trust in him. He's had some chances to score, but some of Romo's throws were off. GRADE: C
John Phillips: He's mainly a blocker and has done a pretty good job at it. Phillips is not as athletic as Bennett, so his chances to make catches are limited. Phillips' development allows the Cowboys to use a three-tight-end set. GRADE: C
OFFENSIVE LINE: The key to this unit is the return of left guard Kyle Kosier (left), who missed eight games last season with a fractured foot. Plus, another year with line coach Hudson Houck has given this unit a comfort zone. Tony Romo has been sacked 13 times, ninth fewest in the league.
Flozell Adams: He's one of the most penalized players in the league but still one of its best left tackles. Adams has been penalized a team-high seven times for 51 yards this season, with four false starts. But he's taken on some of the best pass-rushers in the division and is still a force. GRADE: C
Kyle Kosier: He allowed his first sack of the season Sunday at Philadelphia, but he's been a force on holding his blocks at left guard, especially when the Cowboys' running backs cut back. He stabilized this unit with his return from injury. He doesn't get the publicity that other linemen receive, but he's been solid. GRADE: B
Andre Gurode: He could be headed to another Pro Bowl at center. Gurode was flagged for his first holding call of the season Sunday, but he's been solid in protection, especially against oncoming blitzes. Gurode is a trusted leader in the locker room who produces on the field. GRADE: A
Leonard Davis: There was a thought that Davis would one day move to left tackle. But for now, he's the right guard looking to earn his third consecutive Pro Bowl berth. This is where he needs to be, and despite allowing three sacks, he's been great at mauling defenders. GRADE: A
Marc Colombo: He had a rough night in Philadelphia at right tackle. He's tied with Adams with four false starts, including two against the Eagles, but he's played solid most of the year. He's given up just one sack this year, and the Cowboys are not afraid to throw or run to his side. GRADE: B
Doug Free: He's the future at left tackle if and when Adams either retires or is cut. The Cowboys have searched for Adams' replacement and might have found one in Free. Coach Wade Phillips wants to get Free more snaps in nonpressure situations to further his development. GRADE: C
Cory Procter: He tried to replace an injured Kosier last season and didn't fare that well. Yet the backup center/guard is a quality replacement for the short-term if necessary. This could be his last year with the club unless he is given another opportunity to show his skills with significant snaps. GRADE: C
http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/news/story?id=4639689
