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Super or bust?
By MAC ENGEL
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
Why can the Dallas Cowboys win the Super Bowl?
"That's a stumper," Cowboys cornerback Terence Newman answered.
Give him an A for honesty.
One month ago the fashionable pick to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, the Cowboys collapsed their way into the postseason by losing three of their last four games, all at home.
"There is no [silver] lining here, there is no sun shining bright," defensive end Marcus Spears said after the Cowboys' 39-31 loss against Detroit on Sunday. "It's bad. It's gloomy, and you have to move on."
Moving on for the Cowboys began Monday. They might have the momentum of a snail entering their wild-card playoff game in Seattle, but they are in. And they have a shot.
Here are three reasons why the Cowboys can reach the Super Bowl, and three reasons why they can't.
Three reasons the Cowboys can reach the Super Bowl
1Have you seen the NFC?
Every NFC team is heavily flawed.
The only team rolling right now is the third-seeded Eagles, who are on a five-game winning streak with a backup quarterback directing them.
The Bears have a problem at quarterback. The Saints have a problem on defense. The Seahawks haven't looked anything like the Super Bowl team of a year ago. And the Giants are an 8-8 mess.
So the Cowboys and their problems fit in with an NFC seemingly without a favorite.
2The road is the new home
The Cowboys finished 4-4 at Texas Stadium, and found themselves relieved at the prospects of going on the road for the playoffs. They were 5-3 on the road, and blew what appeared to be a road victory at Washington.
Barring the sixth-seeded Giants reaching the NFC title game, the Cowboys will play all of their playoff games away from Texas.
"You have to find some sort of momentum and that's probably it," tight end Jason Witten said. "We play better on the road."
3Scoring isn't a problem
The Cowboys finished with the fifth-best offense in the NFL, and their 425 points ranked fourth.
Terrell Owens and Terry Glenn each had more than 1,000 receiving yards. The running back tandem of Julius Jones and Marion Barber, above, combined to rush for 1,738 yards and 18 touchdowns.
Three reasons the Cowboys can't reach the Super Bowl
1Stopping teams is a major problem
Entering their game against the Giants on Dec. 3, the Cowboys' defense ranked fourth in the NFL. It finished the season 13th.
The past month the Cowboys' defense gave up an average of 30 points a game, and 16 touchdown passes against four interceptions. Other than a handful of stops against the Falcons on Dec. 16, the Cowboys couldn't slow any offense when it mattered.
"I can't tell you how frustrated we are," linebacker DeMarcus Ware said.
2Tony Romo has been playing like a first-year quarterback
Bill Parcells might have different expectations for Romo, above, because he's in his fourth NFL season, but Romo officially has returned from his trip to Fantasy Land.
What looked so easy in November was that difficult in December. He finished the final five games with a 77.1 passer rating, with six touchdown passes and eight interceptions, and he was sacked 13 times.
"Maybe it's because I'm too young to let go of a game or let losses go a little bit," Romo said. "It's very frustrating and disappointing for me. It's one of those weeks where I'm going to have to let it go when I get out of here."
And did we mention the defense?
3Maybe they were a
victim of hype and
weren't that good
In the end, the Cowboys finished with the same record as last season, 9-7. And that was with the addition of Terrell Owens, left, a young defense loaded with high draft picks and high-dollar free agents, and the return of left tackle Flozell Adams.
But these Cowboys who once looked so good ended up defeating only one team with a winning record, the Colts. That was on Nov. 19.
And did we mention the defense?
COWBOYS AT SEAHAWKS, 7 P.M. SATURDAY, KXAS/CH. 5
By MAC ENGEL
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
Why can the Dallas Cowboys win the Super Bowl?
"That's a stumper," Cowboys cornerback Terence Newman answered.
Give him an A for honesty.
One month ago the fashionable pick to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, the Cowboys collapsed their way into the postseason by losing three of their last four games, all at home.
"There is no [silver] lining here, there is no sun shining bright," defensive end Marcus Spears said after the Cowboys' 39-31 loss against Detroit on Sunday. "It's bad. It's gloomy, and you have to move on."
Moving on for the Cowboys began Monday. They might have the momentum of a snail entering their wild-card playoff game in Seattle, but they are in. And they have a shot.
Here are three reasons why the Cowboys can reach the Super Bowl, and three reasons why they can't.
Three reasons the Cowboys can reach the Super Bowl
1Have you seen the NFC?
Every NFC team is heavily flawed.
The only team rolling right now is the third-seeded Eagles, who are on a five-game winning streak with a backup quarterback directing them.
The Bears have a problem at quarterback. The Saints have a problem on defense. The Seahawks haven't looked anything like the Super Bowl team of a year ago. And the Giants are an 8-8 mess.
So the Cowboys and their problems fit in with an NFC seemingly without a favorite.
2The road is the new home
The Cowboys finished 4-4 at Texas Stadium, and found themselves relieved at the prospects of going on the road for the playoffs. They were 5-3 on the road, and blew what appeared to be a road victory at Washington.
Barring the sixth-seeded Giants reaching the NFC title game, the Cowboys will play all of their playoff games away from Texas.
"You have to find some sort of momentum and that's probably it," tight end Jason Witten said. "We play better on the road."
3Scoring isn't a problem
The Cowboys finished with the fifth-best offense in the NFL, and their 425 points ranked fourth.
Terrell Owens and Terry Glenn each had more than 1,000 receiving yards. The running back tandem of Julius Jones and Marion Barber, above, combined to rush for 1,738 yards and 18 touchdowns.
Three reasons the Cowboys can't reach the Super Bowl
1Stopping teams is a major problem
Entering their game against the Giants on Dec. 3, the Cowboys' defense ranked fourth in the NFL. It finished the season 13th.
The past month the Cowboys' defense gave up an average of 30 points a game, and 16 touchdown passes against four interceptions. Other than a handful of stops against the Falcons on Dec. 16, the Cowboys couldn't slow any offense when it mattered.
"I can't tell you how frustrated we are," linebacker DeMarcus Ware said.
2Tony Romo has been playing like a first-year quarterback
Bill Parcells might have different expectations for Romo, above, because he's in his fourth NFL season, but Romo officially has returned from his trip to Fantasy Land.
What looked so easy in November was that difficult in December. He finished the final five games with a 77.1 passer rating, with six touchdown passes and eight interceptions, and he was sacked 13 times.
"Maybe it's because I'm too young to let go of a game or let losses go a little bit," Romo said. "It's very frustrating and disappointing for me. It's one of those weeks where I'm going to have to let it go when I get out of here."
And did we mention the defense?
3Maybe they were a
victim of hype and
weren't that good
In the end, the Cowboys finished with the same record as last season, 9-7. And that was with the addition of Terrell Owens, left, a young defense loaded with high draft picks and high-dollar free agents, and the return of left tackle Flozell Adams.
But these Cowboys who once looked so good ended up defeating only one team with a winning record, the Colts. That was on Nov. 19.
And did we mention the defense?
COWBOYS AT SEAHAWKS, 7 P.M. SATURDAY, KXAS/CH. 5
