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12:48 PM Sun, Oct 12, 2008 | Permalink
Aaron Chimbel
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The Dallas Cowboys visit the Arizona Cardinals this afternoon and it may not be essentially a home game anymore for the Cowboys. It use to be that way when the played in Arizona, but the Cardinals have a new stadium, a first place team and a prolific offense.
Here is what else you should watch for today:
1. Pacman Jones. He's been the story of the week since his Tuesday night scuffle with a team security guard at a Dallas hotel. The team has downplayed the incident and the NFL has yet to take any action against Jones, who is just five game removed from a year-long suspension. The key on the field is how he responds. Terence Newman won't play, so the Cowboys needs a good game from Jones against a potent passing attack from Arizona. Safeties Roy Williams and Pat Watkins are both out, too.
2. Running game. The Cowboys can't be afraid to run the ball, and often. Yes Arizona has a secondary that is beatable, but the Cowboys have gotten themselves into trouble when they abandon a strength of their team. They have a Pro Bowl running back in Marion Barber and a rookie runner in Felix Jones who is averaging 9-yards a carry. Give them the ball and keep Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald off the field.
3. Focus. There has been distraction after distraction for the Cowboys. Are they in the game mentally? I mentioned Pacman above, but it goes beyond him. Everyone, regardless of if they say it or not, are affected by all the drama. Wade Phillips must get his team to focus, especially against a solid Arizona team that will score points.
4. And for the second straight week the Cowboys face a coordinator who previously worked for the Cowboys this week it's Todd Haley, the offensive coordinator, who was Bill Parcells' passing game coordinator. Haley was hit by Parcells during one game and had several run-ins with receiver Terrell Owens. But that's not it. Cardinals defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast was a defensive assistant for the Cowboys from 1996-2002. Former offensive coordinator Mo Carthon is the running backs coach and Freddie Kitchens coaches tight ends, he did that for the Cowboys in 2006. Offensive assistant Dedric Ward is a former Cowboys receiver.
The point of all that is that many of the Cardinals coaches are very familiar with the Dallas Cowboys. That never hurts.
Aaron Chimbel
The Dallas Cowboys visit the Arizona Cardinals this afternoon and it may not be essentially a home game anymore for the Cowboys. It use to be that way when the played in Arizona, but the Cardinals have a new stadium, a first place team and a prolific offense.
Here is what else you should watch for today:
1. Pacman Jones. He's been the story of the week since his Tuesday night scuffle with a team security guard at a Dallas hotel. The team has downplayed the incident and the NFL has yet to take any action against Jones, who is just five game removed from a year-long suspension. The key on the field is how he responds. Terence Newman won't play, so the Cowboys needs a good game from Jones against a potent passing attack from Arizona. Safeties Roy Williams and Pat Watkins are both out, too.
2. Running game. The Cowboys can't be afraid to run the ball, and often. Yes Arizona has a secondary that is beatable, but the Cowboys have gotten themselves into trouble when they abandon a strength of their team. They have a Pro Bowl running back in Marion Barber and a rookie runner in Felix Jones who is averaging 9-yards a carry. Give them the ball and keep Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald off the field.
3. Focus. There has been distraction after distraction for the Cowboys. Are they in the game mentally? I mentioned Pacman above, but it goes beyond him. Everyone, regardless of if they say it or not, are affected by all the drama. Wade Phillips must get his team to focus, especially against a solid Arizona team that will score points.
4. And for the second straight week the Cowboys face a coordinator who previously worked for the Cowboys this week it's Todd Haley, the offensive coordinator, who was Bill Parcells' passing game coordinator. Haley was hit by Parcells during one game and had several run-ins with receiver Terrell Owens. But that's not it. Cardinals defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast was a defensive assistant for the Cowboys from 1996-2002. Former offensive coordinator Mo Carthon is the running backs coach and Freddie Kitchens coaches tight ends, he did that for the Cowboys in 2006. Offensive assistant Dedric Ward is a former Cowboys receiver.
The point of all that is that many of the Cardinals coaches are very familiar with the Dallas Cowboys. That never hurts.