Entries Tagged 'Cowboys Corner' ↓

After several seasons when the offense made us long for the days of the triplets, it looks like the Cowboys are back to their free-scoring days. It’s not Aikman, Smith, and Irvin, but Romo, Barber, and Owens does have a nice ring to it.

The Cowboys have gotten off to a great start on offense, balancing big performances by Tony Romo with a rushing attack that is regularly knocking off yards in chunks, and getting help from a defense that has forced the most turnovers in the league.

How does Dallas hot three-game start match up in Cowboys history? It’s not quite the best, but it’s still pretty darn good, coming in at #3.

1. 1968

Week 1: beat Detroit 59-13
Week 2: beat Cleveland 28-7
Week 3: won at Philadelphia 45-13

Total Points: 132
Per Game Average: 44

2. 1966

Week 1: beat Giants 52-7
Week 2: beat Minnesota 28-17
Week 3: won at Atlanta 47-14

Total Points: 127
Per Game Average: 42.3

3. 2007

Week 1: beat Giants 45-35
Week 2: won at Miami 37-20
Week 3: won at Chicago 34-10

Total Points: 116
Per Game Average: 38.7

But, where does it slot in among the best three-game stretches? This year’s start ranks sixth in Cowboys history, behind the two in 1968 and 1966, and three others, two in 1971, and another one in 1966. That 1966 team was Dallas’ most prolific offense in history, and it claims three of the top seven three-game stretches in Cowboys history, including the top one.

2. 1966

Week 2: beat Minnesota 28-17
Week 3: won at Atlanta 47-14
Week 4: beat Philadelphia 56-7

Total Points: 131
Per Game Average: 43.7

4. 1971

Week 12: beat Jets 52-10
Week 13: won at Giants 42-14
Week 14: beat St. Louis Cardinals 31-12

Total Points: 125
Per Game Average: 41.7

In Weeks 11-13 in 1971, the Cowboys scored 122 points (#5), including the first two victories above, and a 28-21 win over the Rams in Week 11. That ‘71 team, Dallas’ first Super Bowl championship team, remains the only team in Cowboys history to lead the league in points and win a title in the same year. The ‘77, ‘92, and ‘93 teams all were #2 in points, while the ‘95 team was third. So, while finishing at the top of the charts on offense might not guarantee anything, it’s a good sign to at least be among the best offenses in the league. And, if the Cowboys keep up the pace they’re on, they will do that.

This year’s start is tied with a stretch from Weeks 7-9 in 1966, when the Cowboys also scored 116 points (beat Pittsburgh 52-21, lost at Philadelphia 24-23, then won 31-30 at Washington).

Which four-game stretch will Dallas be looking to best when they hit the field against St. Louis on Sunday? The run from Weeks 1-4 by Dandy Don, Bullet Bob, and Co. in 1966 is not only the best start in team history, but also the best overall stretch in team history. In that four-game stretch, the Cowboys scored 183 points, averaging 45.8 points per game.

As I said, that team is the highest-scoring team in Cowboys history, averaging 31.8 points per game (445 points in a 14-game schedule). The 1968 team was the only other Cowboys team that averaged over 30 points through an entire season, as that squad averaged 30.8 points per game (431 in 14 games).

The best scoring team since the 16-game schedule began in 1978 is the 1983 team. Danny White had a team-record season, throwing for 3,980 yards and 29 touchdowns (and rushing for four more), Tony Dorsett rushed for over 1,300 yards and eight touchdowns, and the Cowboys scored 31 or more points nine times in 16 games on the way to scoring 479 points total that season.

Funnily enough, though Tom Landry’s background was as a defensive coach, none of his 29 teams finished as the league’s best in points allowed, though they finished second once (1968) and third twice (1978 and 1982), while the offense led the league in points five times. Just a little something to chew on there.

So, there are some pretty lofty standards for this year’s team to reach, but, from the looks of it, it’s going to be quite a task to slow this team down. And, hopefully the big numbers will translate into wins, wins, and more wins…and maybe throw their name in there with that 1971 team.

Henry Gets Honored

CB Anthony Henry was named the NFC’s Defensive Player of the Week today for his performance against the Bears on Sunday.

Henry picked off Rex Grossman twice, returning the second one 28 yards for a touchdown that was the killed off the Bears’ hopes, as it put the Cowboys up 27-10 early in the fourth.

Gramatica Gets Cut

After being on injured reserve for the last few weeks, following the last round of preseason cuts, Dallas released kicker Martin Gramatica yesterday.

Gramatica had been in competition with rookie Nick Folk for the starting placekicker role, but Folk took the lead in the competition with his consistent accuracy, and then Gramatica suffered a hamstring injury in the preseason loss to the Texans, which put him out of commission for the last week of action and handed the job to Folk.

Gramatica came on board last season, after the Mike Vanderjagt experiment ended 11 games into the season, and made six of eight field goals in the last five games of the season, and was a perfect 14 of 14 on extra points.

Gramatica was a third-round pick of the Bucs in 1999, and for a while, had a reputation as one of the most accurate and strong-legged kickers in the game. In his career, which also includes a brief spell with Indianapolis, is 144 of 188 (76.6%) on field goals in his career, with a career-long of 55 yards, and 204 of 206 (99%) on PATs.

Someone Needs a Slap in the Head

A day after Michael Vick gets more charges added on to his dogfighting case, it’s revealed that he tested positive for marijuana in a recent test, and is now even more screwed than he was already.

Vick won’t be able to leave his house between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. (but Mom, why do I have to have a curfew? I’m 27!), and will have to be electronically monitored and subjected to random drug tests.

The failed test happened only two weeks ago, on Sept. 13, so it appears that Vick, as contrite as he appeared to be in his apology, is either incompetent or intent on skirting the rules and restrictions any way he can. How hard is it to lay off the green stuff when you know you have to, not only according to the law, but for the sake of your future? He got out of the water bottle situation, but now that he’s in deep doo-doo already, there’s no getting around this one.

That could cost him when he’s sentenced in December, because if he hasn’t followed the rules in between his indictment and his sentencing, then there’s no real reason to be the least bit soft on him. So, if I were Mike Vick, I’d straighten up very, very quickly, or at least get the Whizzinator.

The additional charges on his indictment may well have seemed a little excessive, considering the potential penalties each individual dog killing carry, but this really isn’t going to help his case either.

Someone, anyone, needs to get in this guy’s ear, and tell him that he’s one misstep away from having zero chance of getting back into football, because you know every little slip he makes, Roger Goodell is taking note of it, and not only that, I don’t think he would be allowed to resume his NFL career as a part of a work-release program.

Week 4 is highlighted by several ‘distance’ games - contests that will make a great difference in certain division favorites or contenders to put some distance between the trailing pack.

The matchup of the week is no doubt the Broncos at Colts on Sunday afternoon. It’s a bigger game for the Broncos than it is the Colts, who have had Denver’s number as of late. For the Broncos, this game is about getting back on track and keeping their lead atop the AFC West, but a loss would be their second straight, and would allow the Kansas City-San Diego winner to tie them at 2-2.

Speaking of that K.C.-S.D. game, that might be one of the biggest games of the early season, as both teams will be looking to get their star running backs on track and their teams off of a slide. L.J. and L.T. have combined for only 270 yards in the first three games. Considering what’s at stake, don’t be surprised if they hit that number on Sunday.

Elsewhere, there’s a big one in the NFC East, as Philly goes to the Meadowlands to face the Giants, for NBC’s Sunday night matchup. Both teams are 1-2 after picking up their first wins of the season last week, but are still very much in need of a win with the Cowboys in position to run away with the division very, very quickly, with a favorable schedule (minus New England, which is a home game) in the next few weeks.

In the NFC North, Green Bay goes to Minnesota looking to go to 4-0. Brett Favre has struggled in road games against the Vikings, but won the last time he was there. After the Packers have opened with three impressive wins, you can bet the Vikings want to knock them back down to earth, and close the gap in the division.

Chicago goes to Detroit with a new starting quarterback. Lovie Smith apparently has had enough of Rex Grossman’s inconsistencies, and is turning to Brian Griese for Sunday’s game. Maybe this is what Grossman needs to fire him up. But, it’s the perfect week for Griese to take over, as he’ll be slinging it against one of the worst pass defenses in the league. As for the Lions, a win over the Bears would be yet another step in the right direction, and erase the bad taste from that beatdown at the hands of Donovan McNabb and the Eagles.

In the NFC West, Seattle visits San Francisco in a pivotal early-season showdown. Both teams are 2-1, but could both easily be 0-3, if a couple of close games had gone the opposite way. The winner of this one will have an early leg up on the division title, and an automatic playoff spot. The question for San Francisco is this - Can they get the offense going? If they don’t soon, they’ll be in trouble, as Sunday’s game against the Steelers showed. They got away with it against the Cardinals and Rams, because they produced just enough to win, but just enough isn’t going to be enough most of the time.

In the AFC East, the race for second place goes into Week 4, as winless Buffalo goes on the road to face the 1-2 Jets. If the Jets win, things could get close in a heartbeat if the Bengals can knock off the Pats on Monday night.

That game is another ’distance’ game. A Patriots win would, at best, keep their two-game lead over the Jets, but if the Bills beat the Jets, they’ll already have a three-game lead, which is more than enough. Meanwhile, the Bengals need to shore up their weaknesses very quickly, because if they don’t bring their ‘A’ game on Monday night, they’re going to be yet another victim of the seemingly unstoppable Patriots’ train.

Baltimore goes to Cleveland in a pretty important matchup. The Ravens had a close call against the Cardinals at home on Sunday, and could very well get tripped up if Derek Anderson can stay on his feet long enough to get the ball to Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow, and if Jamal Lewis can make the most of his first meeting against his old team.

That game, and the Bengals-Pats game, are big, because the Steelers are facing Arizona. The smart money says the Cardinals should give the Steelers’ D their biggest test to date, but the way the Steely McBeam’s are playing, the Cardinals might end up getting run over just like the Browns, Bills, and 49ers did.

The other games on the schedule are of great importance as well.

Tampa Bay and Carolina, both 2-1, face off at the Panthers’ den for the NFC South lead. A win for the Bucs would really signal their resurgence as a good team.

Houston goes to Atlanta, looking for win #3 and looking to keep the Falcons out of the win column. Matt Schaub faces off of against the team that (stupidly) traded him just before the Michael Vick mess came up, and has a chance to inflict more misery upon the Falcons, who aren’t catching many breaks right now. But, if Joey Harrington can build off his strong performance against the Panthers (361 yards, two TD, no picks), then maybe, just maybe Falcons’ fans will go home smiling on Sunday afternoon.

Jacksonville (2-1), Tennessee (2-1), Washington (2-1), and New Orleans (0-3) are off this week. The Redskins will be a close watcher of that Giants-Eagles game, as it will have bearing on if they have any room to breathe going into Week 5.

Week 4 Schedule

Chicago at Detroit
St. Louis at Dallas
Baltimore at Cleveland
Buffalo at New York Jets
Houston at Atlanta
Green Bay at Minnesota
Oakland at Miami

Seattle at San Francisco
Tampa Bay at Carolina
Kansas City at San Diego
Denver at Indianapolis
Pittsburgh at Arizona

Philadelphia at New York Giants (Sunday night)
New England at Cincinnati (Monday night)

Here’s how the Cowboys are faring in several of the individual and team statistical categories, thus far. It’s mostly good, though there is a little bad.

- Through three games, Tony Romo is sixth in passing yards (860), tied for third in touchdowns (eight), and tied for second in QB rating (111.9). Tom Brady is first in the league in touchdowns (10) and QB rating (141.8). It can’t hurt when you’ve completed 70 of 88 passes, as Brady has so far.

- Marion Barber III is 12th in the NFL (and 6th in the NFC) in rushing yards with 256, but he leads the league in yards per carry (6.4) and is tied for the league lead in rushing touchdowns with four.

- T.O. is fourth in the league in receiving yards with 329, and leads the league in yards per catch at 20.6. Jason Witten also ranks among the league’s top receivers with 14 catches for 233 yards, which puts him third among tight ends, behind Antonio Gates (27 catches, 297 yards) and Kellen Winslow, Jr. (16 catches, 271 yards).

- Nick Folk is third in the league in scoring, with 32 points. Jeff Reed of Pittsburgh has 37 points, and Adam Vinatieri is 2nd with 33 points.

- Unsurprisingly, Anthony Henry is at the top of the charts in interceptions, with his back to back games with two picks. Tennessee’s Keith Bulluck picked off Drew Brees three times last night, and along with Raiders LB Kirk Morrison, is tied for second at three picks.

TEAM STATS

- Dallas is second in the league in total offense, racking up 420.3 yards per game, and have the league’s fifth-best passing (274 yards per game) and rushing (146.3 yards per game) offenses. New England is first in total offense at 441 yards per game. The Steelers are averaging an impressive 198.3 yards per game rushing, after torching the Bills and 49ers for 200+ yard days in the last two weeks.

- The Cowboys also lead the league in fourth-down conversions made at four, and unfortunately, in penalties (30) and penalty yards (256).

- On the defensive side of the ball, Dallas is still in the lower half of the league in total defense. However, the Cowboys have been greatly helped, especially in the last two games, by forcing turnover after turnover, which has them in the league lead in takeaways (10 - 8 picks, 2 fumbles) and turnover margin (+7).

- Speaking of the total defense rankings, Dallas is 21st in yards allowed per game, at 337. While Eli Manning and Trent Green racked up good yardage totals, the rush defense has been a strength, holding Miami’s Ronnie Brown and Chicago’s Cedric Benson to subpar totals. Because of that, the Cowboys come in at 8th in the league in rush yards allowed per game, at 86.7 per game.

- Brett Favre is playing like he’s 28, not like he’s about to turn 38. Favre had another vintage performance, throwing for 369 yards, and threw three touchdown passes to tie Dan Marino’s career mark of 420. His third, a 57-yarder to Greg Jennings, not only tied the record but gave the Packers a 24-21 lead over the Chargers with 2:03 to go, and after Nick Barnett picked off Philip Rivers, Brandon Jackson ran it in from the one to wrap up a 31-24 victory for the Packers, who are now 3-0 and looking like a serious contender after beating three very good teams.

As for the Chargers, they’re 1-2, and L.T.’s not putting up any kind of numbers so far. He did have a touchdown catch in yesterday’s game, but rushed for only 62 yards on 22 carries. Through three games, he’s rushed for only 130 yards and one touchdown, and is averaging a measly 2.3 yards per carry. You’d have to think that he’ll turn it on soon, but this isn’t the kind of start we were hoping to see from him. Then again, he has faced the Bears’ D, the Patriots’ D, and a much-improved Packers’ D. But, you wouldn’t expect him to get absolutely shut down for the most part like he has so far. He’s too good of a player to keep down, though, so just wait a week or two.

- The Eagles did a lot to make people quickly forget about that 0-2 start by laying a 56-21 beating on the Detroit Lions that showed just what the Eagles can be when they’re on, and just how far the Lions still have to go to be up there at the top. Donovan McNabb made sure he won’t have any critics this week by going 21 of 26 for 381 yards and four scores, and Brian Westbrook had a monster game as well, rushing for 110 yards and two touchdowns, and catching five passes for 111 yards and another touchdown. It was 42-21 at halftime, and the Eagles may well have scored 70 points if they hadn’t taken their foot off the gas in the second half. So much for counting them out, eh? THen again, they could turn around and lose next week, and be back at square one.

- The Giants got their first win of the season, scoring 21 second-half points to knock off Washington 24-17. After their defense was invisible for the first two games, it woke up in the second half, shutting down Jason Campbell and the ‘Skins, especially on the most important drive of the game. After Antwaan Randle El put the Redskins in New York territory with two minutes to go on a punt return, Campbell converted a 4th and 8 and a 3rd and 13 to get Washington to the 1. Following a spike, Campbell threw incomplete, and then Ladell Betts was stopped cold on 3rd and goal. Then, on 4th and goal, Betts was stopped again to preserve the win and take a little heat off of Tom Coughlin.

Which Giants will we see next week against Philly?

- With the Lions, Redskins, and 49ers falling, the Cowboys and Packers are the only two unbeatens in the NFC. Three other teams are at 2-1, in the Panthers, Seahawks, and….the Bucs. The Jeff Garcia effect is paying off in Tampa, and the defense is playing very well again. We’ll have to wait a few weeks to see if they’re for real though.

But, behind the Cowboys and Packers, who have been among the best of the best so far, who’s also got the stuff to contend in the NFC? The smart money, at this point, would have to be the Panthers or Seahawks, as they’ve been there before, and know what it takes. They both do have some holes, though.

You can’t forget about the Bears, but Rex Grossman needs to turn it around in a hurry. The 49ers have to show that they can pick up the wins against the better teams, and not just against the Cardinals and Rams, before they’re a serious contender. And, the Saints are too good of a team to look as bad as they have so far. A win tonight over the Titans would really boost their hopes, since the NFC South isn’t going to be a runaway for anyone, and there is going to be some serious battling for the two wild card spots as well, between good teams playing mediocre football, and mediocre teams playing good football.

- In the AFC, it’s all about the Colts and Pats again. The Patriots put another whipping on someone yesterday, throttling the Bills 38-7. Guess those AFC East Champion t-shirts need to start getting printed right now, because they might have it wrapped up by Week 10, if this keeps up. In the past two weeks, they’re playing as if they have a reason to be mad about people questioning their accomplishments in the wake of the videotape cheat ’scandal.’ Whatever gets you motivated, right? But, a team like New England doesn’t really need much motivating, and they’re too good of a team to have to resort to silly cheating tactics in the first place, as they’ve proved rather handily. Trying to get back to the Super Bowl and wrestle the title away from the Colts is just as much of a motivation as anything else.

As for the Colts, we know about the offense, but the defense has played much better than anyone expected them to this season. That defense was supposed to be the reason why their hopes of repeating would get tripped up, but it’s done a good job, especially in stopping the run against New Orleans and Houston. It’s not as if we’re talking about the Doomsday Defense here, but given the expectations, there’s certainly reason to give them praise so far.

But hey, what about the Steelers, who have outscored their first three opponents 97-26, and have gotten the job done with a balanced offense and a defense that’s allowing less than 250 yards per game so far? For all those who may have wondered about the hires of Wade Phillips and Mike Tomlin by their respective teams, those two hires are turning out very, very well so far.

- What about Kyle Boller leading a last-minute drive to get the Ravens a win? Steve McNair re-injured his groin in the game, so Boller had to come in and be the hero. It’s quite a turnaround for him, after just a couple of weeks ago, he threw a pick on a last-minute drive that killed off Baltimore’s hopes in a 27-20 loss to Cincy. On the same note, what about Matt Leinart getting benched after playing poorly, and Kurt Warner playing like the old Kurt Warner and not just an old Kurt Warner, going 15 of 20 for 258 yards and two touchdowns in leading the Cardinals back into the game? Will we see a quarterback rotation next week when the Cardinals take on the Steelers? Leinart hasn’t exactly been a world beater thus far, and Warner showed that he’s still got it, against one of the league’s best defense (that hasn’t played like it so far), so there’s a thought to ponder for Ken Whisenhunt.

The most interesting play of the game was in the third. Arizona had just gotten a field goal to pull within 20-6, and instead of waiting until the fourth, went for the onside kick - and recovered. But, they turned it over on the first play, after Larry Fitzgerald caught a long pass but was stripped of the ball. The Ravens went down the field and got a Matt Stover field goal to make it 23-6, setting up the wild finish. Had the Cardinals converted on that drive, the result might have ended up very differently.

- The battle for second in the AFC East is on, and it looks like it’s for the Jets’ taking, after they became the only other team in the division to have a win after holding off the Dolphins 31-28. Chad Pennington doesn’t want to give up his job quite yet, as he must have heard all of the ravings about Kellen Clemens and his imminent assumption of the starting QB job and promptly came out and threw two touchdown passes and played an efficient game.

As for the Dolphins, well, at least they have South Beach.

- The Broncos really missed out on a chance to really stamp their control over the AFC West by losing 23-14 to Jacksonville at home. After Travis Henry had rushed for 267 yards in the first two games, he was held to only 35 yards on 11 carries yesterday. With the Chargers struggling, and the Raiders and Chiefs in rebuild mode, it looks like the division is Denver’s to lose, and frankly, you have to capitalize on all of the opportunities you get to seal the deal.

- Speaking of the Raiders, what about Lane Kiffin’s timeout call on Cleveland’s late FG attempt working out? We see the timeout calls all the time in those situations, in an attempt to ice the kicker, but it doesn’t always work. Kiffin has seen it work in the last two weeks, one in his favor and one not. Against the Broncos, Sebastian Janikowski nailed a field goal to win it in OT, but it was nullified by a smart timeout call by Mike Shanahan. Janikowski’s next kick was just wide left, and the Broncos went on to win. Yesterday, the Raiders were up 26-24, and Phil Dawson had a game-winning attempt with seconds to go. Just as he went for the kick (which was good), Kiffin got the timeout. After the timeout, Dawson’s kick was blocked, and the Raiders got their first win.

That’s what you call on-the-job training, eh?

- You’ve got to feel for Joey Harrington. Harrington had one of the best games of his career yesterday, going 31 of 44 for 361 yards, two touchdowns, and no picks, and the Falcons still lost 27-20 to Carolina.

- Carson Palmer followed up his 401-yard, six-touchdown performance in a losing effort at Cleveland by throwing for 342 yards against Seattle. But, two interceptions and four total turnovers by the Bengals doomed them in a 24-21 loss to the Seahawks. Cincinnati is one of those teams that would be good if they weren’t so bad sometimes. Four turnovers don’t help your cause, but neither does Rudi Johnson rushing for only nine yards on 17 carries.

Turning Point: The Cowboys had taken a 17-10 lead with 1:18 left in the third on a Romo to Barber 10-yard touchdown pass, when the game completely turned in Dallas’ favor. Devin Hester had returned the kickoff to the 35, giving the Bears solid field position, and then Rex Grossman completed a pass to Cedric Benson for eight yards, setting up Chicago with a short second down. On that 2nd and two from the 43, Benson got the carry and had first-down yardage, but Remi (nope, not Akin, but Remi) Ayodele koncked the ball loose, and Roy Williams recovered at the Bears’ 45. Dallas got a field goal on the drive to make it 20-10, and then on the first play of the next drive, Anthony Henry picked off Grossman and returned it 28 yards for the back-breaking score early in the fourth.

Offensive MVP: Three games, three MVPs for Tony Romo. Romo threw for 329 yards and two scores tonight, and absolutely went off in the second half, going 13 of 18 for 185 yards and the touchdown passes. Through three games, Romo has thrown for 860 yards and eight scores. With games coming up against St. Louis and Buffalo, Romo’s got the chance to really pad the stats.

Props must go to T.O., who doubled his catch numbers and finally pushed over the 100-yard mark after coming close against the Giants (87 yards) and Dolphins (97 yards). Also, Marion Barber III went over 100 yards tonight, and got the majority of the carries, if that says anything about the running back situation. Jones has 124 yards and zero touchdowns through three games, and Barber has 256 yards and five total touchdowns, and is averaging over six yards per carry. Ideally, you’d like to see them both doing well, and you’d have to think that Jones is going to really get it going soon enough.

Defensive MVP: Anthony Henry. Well, well, is this the Anthony Henry of 2001 showing up? Henry has four interceptions in the last two games, after racking up another double pick night against the Bears. Henry already has more picks than he has had in any season since 2004, his last in Cleveland. With Terence Newman limited, it’s more than uplifting to see Henry playing so well. On the same token, it’s good to see Jacques Reeves still filling in nicely (six tackles tonight).

And, you also have to mention Roy Williams, who has interceptions in the last two games. And, DeMarcus Ware picked up his first two sacks of the season, and helped make Rex Grossman’s night pretty miserable in general.

Heck, just give kudos to the entire Dallas defense, which more than held their own on the field tonight. Games like these are proving grounds for how far this defense can go. Anyone who reads this blog knows how highly I think of the defense’s potential, and even with the injury issues, it looks like they’re starting to play up to it.

POSITIVES

Well, when your team has passed three tough tests, and looked pretty darn good doing so, there’s plenty to be happy about.

The offensive line has done a great job of protecting Romo and giving him time to throw and carve up defenses, and to give Barber holes to run through, around, and past defenders. And, not only is T.O. is being T.O., Jason Witten is being Jason Witten, and followed up a great opener two weeks ago by catching six passes for 90 yards and a score.

After a rough opener, the pass defense has seen a lot of improvement, even without Newman being 100 percent. Henry’s resurgence into a pickoff machine is huge, and Williams’ contributions are certainly a good thing.

The pass rush had a good night as well, as it forced Rex Grossman (then again, does he need much forcing?) into some bad throws and made him be the bad Rex Grossman. Ware finally got on the board in the sack department, so only 20.5 more to go for him. Anthony Spencer also had his best game so far, racking up five tackles and his first NFL sack (unfortunately, the one he got on Eli Manning on the two-point conversion doesn’t count in the official numbers).

NEGATIVES

The only really bad thing about tonight was the number of penalties. The Cowboys racked up a dozen penalties, which accounted for 100 total yards.

There were several key ones:

- In the first quarter, Dallas had a 2nd and three at their 47, when consecutive false starts on T.O. and Flozell Adams pushed them back to a 2nd and 13. On the second down play, Julius Jones lost two yards, and on the next play, Romo was picked off by Adam Archuleta.

- On the next drive, Romo and Jones hooked up for a 14-yard pass play that gave the Cowboys a first down at the 49. But, an illegal block penalty was called on Jason Witten, and the Cowboys would punt after going three-and-out.

- Early in the fourth, the Cowboys were up 17-10 and faced a 2nd and five at the Chicago 26. Jones got loose for a 22-yard run that put the ball at the 4, but Adams was called for a holding penalty that negated the first down. They ended up getting the first down, but had to settle for a field goal after a sack, a short run, and an incompletion.

In the end, those penalties only prevented the score from being worse than it was, so it’s not really a huge deal in terms of significance, but you don’t like to get that many penalties, even if you overcome them.

LOOKING AHEAD

The Cowboys return home to face the winless Rams next Sunday. St. Louis lost 24-3 to Tampa Bay on Sunday afternoon, in a game that was close until the Rams’ mistakes came back to haunt them. Marc Bulger threw three interceptions, including two in Bucs territory (one in the end zone on a first and goal play), and Jeff Wilkins missed two field goals.

The Cowboys are looking great right now, and the Rams are looking bad, but that doesn’t mean Dallas needs to look ahead past this next game and the Bills game to the game against the Patriots in a few weeks. The Cowboys should be 5-0 when they face New England at home on the 14th, but they have to play these next two games first.

But, if the Cowboys continue to play as they have in the first three games, then they should take care of business.

Tonight’s win was a big win, and goes a long way to establish the Cowboys as the team to beat in the NFC. After the 49ers, Redskins, and Lions all lost on Sunday, only Dallas and Green Bay remain unbeaten in the NFC, and along with Indianapolis, New England, and Pittsburgh, are the only remaining unbeatens in the league.

Now it’s time to win the games that you’re supposed to. One week at a time, one week at a time, you know what they say…

It’s been all Cowboys in the second half, as Dallas has put 31 points on the board, including the last 24 unanswered, to take a 34-10 lead in the 4th.

Tony Romo has had a monster second half, going 13 for 18 with touchdown passes to Jason Witten and Marion Barber. Overall, he’s 22 of 35 for 329 yards. T.O. has eight catches for 145 yards tonight.

For all the talk about the Bears defense potentially giving Dallas a hard time, it’s been the other way around.

But, as for the Dallas defense, it’s taken advantage of Rex Grossman, and limited Cedric Benson to next to nothing, outside of a touchdown run that tied it at 10 in the third. Anthony Henry has back-to-back games with two interceptions, after recording picks in each half, with the last one being returned for a touchdown minutes into this quarter.

It’s pretty safe to say that the Cowboys are going to go to 3-0, and with it, are going to prove their worth to a lot of people, who were skeptical that they could go into Chicago and pull it out.

I’d said that 20 points or so might have been the magic number for a win, and they’ve passed that one, and could have had more, if not for a blocked field goal and two Flozell Adams holding penalties that turned potential touchdown drives into field goals.

Speaking of the run defense part, Marion Barber just busted a 54-yard run down to the Bears’ 1, so that takes care of that. Annnnnnnnnd, he’s in, and that puts the stamp on it.

So, instead of Dallas coming in and getting embarrassed as some (like the lovely people on CBS Sportsline) were thinking they would, the Cowboys are doing the embarrassing. Ah, feels good, doesn’t it?

And, it keeps getting worse for the Bears, as Grossman gets picked off for the third time, as he diagrams the play perfectly for Roy Williams, who picks off on the right sideline. Are we getting near the end of the Rex Grossman era? Six picks and only one touchdown for him through three games. But, as I said in the preview, as streaky of a passer he was last season, then he might throw for six touchdowns and one pick in the next three games.

And, as for the Bears defense, well, when your offense isn’t doing you many favors, then hey, it’s much easier to get worn down. They did a great job of slowing the Cowboys down in the first half, but in the second half, with the turnovers and Romo and the offense just getting on a roll, it’s all gone downhill. And besides that, Chicago is now missing multiple defensive starters, so that doesn’t help too much.

But, regardless of how you shake it, Dallas has racked up well over 400 yards of total offense, and held the Bears to 230 yards and forced four turnovers. There are still yet some improvements to be made, but considering all of the problems that the first three games could have posed, it’ll be nice to be seeing that 3-0 at the end of tonight.

I’ll have a more complete analysis after a little while.

The league’s #1 offense gets quite the test this week, as the 2-0 Cowboys go to Soldier Field to take on Brian Urlacher and the Chicago Bears.

Last time out, Dallas scored 27 points and forced four turnovers in the second half en route to a 37-20 win at Miami. The Cowboys picked off four passes, with Anthony Henry getting two of them. Tony Romo threw for 186 yards and two touchdowns, and Marion Barber III ran for 89 yards and two scores. Nick Folk remained perfect through two games, as he nailed three field goals and four extra points.

As for the Bears, they followed a season-opening loss to San Diego with a 20-10 win over Kansas City last week. The Bears, always known for their great defense, have lived up to their reputation through the first two games. But, the offense needs a bit of a spark, as Rex Grossman’s time under center may be on life support.

Last Time They Played…

The last time these two teams played was Thanksgiving Day in 2004, when the Cowboys were the ones showing the defensive prowess in a 21-7 victory.

This game was memorable for two reasons, besides the fact that Dallas held Chicago to less than 150 yards and no offensive touchdowns. The game was Drew Henson’s first and only start as a Cowboy, and it was Julius Jones’ personal coming-out party.

Henson was 4 of 12 for only 31 yards, and tossed an interception that R.W. McQuarters returned 45 yards for Chicago’s only touchdown. Henson was taken out at halftime and replaced by Vinny Testaverde, who was supposed to be sitting out the game with an injury.

Chicago squandered a couple of second-half opportunities. Paul Edinger missed a 48-yarder that would have given the Bears a 10-7 lead, and then, after McQuarters picked off Testaverde, he was stripped during a long return, and the Cowboys recovered the ball.

Testaverde rebounded from the pick, and he and Jones led the Cowboys to the victory, as the ageless wonder going 9 of 14 for 92 yards, and the tiebreaking touchdown to Darian Barns early in the fourth. Jones, who opened the scoring in the first with a 33-yard score, capped off the victory and his big day with a 4-yard run midway through the final quarter. Jones rushed for 150 yards and two touchdowns on 33 carries, and would be a bright spot down the stretch for what would be a 6-10 team, rushing for 819 yards and seven touchdowns in only seven games.

Chicago totaled only 140 yards on the day, and a great defensive effort by the Cowboys, along with the Bears just being terrible on offense, was the reason. Eric Ogbogu had a huge day, racking up 3.5 sacks. The Bears would finish 5-11 on the season, and Dick Jauron was out after compiling a 35-45 record in five seasons.

LOOKING AT THE BEARS

Offense

It hasn’t exactly been a dream start for Grossman and the Bears offense.

Grossman was only 12 of 23 with an interception in Week 1 vs. the Chargers, and last week against the Chiefs, was picked off twice. Grossman had his first injury-free season last year and helped lead the Bears to the NFC Championship Game, but was as streaky as they come. He had eight interception-free games, and threw for three or more touchdowns three times on the way to tossing 23 TD passes, but had more games where he threw at least three picks (five). That kind of inconsistency is why you have to be on the watch for him having a huge game this week, and why time might be running out for him as the Bears’ starter.

After playing second fiddle to Thomas Jones in his first two seasons, Cedric Benson is the man in the Bears’ backfield. The former Texas star and #4 overall pick in 2005 rushed for 647 yards and six touchdowns in 2006, and has rushed for 143 yards in two games so far. He notched his second career 100-yard game last week, picking up 101 yards on 24 carries against the Chiefs. He does have yet to reach the end zone, however.

Bernard Berrian is the team’s leading receiver, with 10 catches for 148 yards. Muhsin Muhammad, the marquee name in the receiving corps, has only two catches for 15 yards through the first two games.

Return man extraordinaire Devin Hester, who came into the league as a corner, has made the move to offense (well, duh!) so that the Bears can utilize his talents (read: blazing speed) the most. However, he hasn’t seen the ball on offense in the first two games. But, that should change this week, as Lovie Smith has said that he wants to get the ball in his hands (good thinking, Lovie).

Defense

If the Bears didn’t have a defense (and Hester), they would probably be as bad as they were during most of Dick Jauron’s days. But, they do, and it’s one of the best in the league, so it’ll likely be anything but a piece of cake to move the ball and put points on the board on Sunday.

Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs might be the best 1-2 linebacker duo in the league. Urlacher might be the most intimidating player in the league (it’s all about the bald head), and has recorded 100+ tackles in six of seven NFL seasons (and would be seven-for-seven if he hadn’t missed seven games in 2004). Briggs is a tackling machine, having racked up more than 100 tackles in the last three seasons, including 134 last season.

The defensive line is solid all across, with ends Adawale Ogunleye and Mark Anderson, and tackles Tommie Harris and Darwin Walker.

The secondary might be the best overall unit, however, with Charles Tillman on the left and the duo of Nathan Vasher and Ricky Manning on the right at corner, and safeties Danieal Manning and Adam Archuleta, who has gotten his Bears career off to a good start, with 12 tackles in two games.

Special Teams

Former Penn State kicker Robbie Gould is the Bears’ placekicker. He’s nailed all three of his field goals and both of his extra points this season, and is 56 of 66 in two-plus seasons in the league. Last season, Gould was 32 of 36 on field goals, including 12 of 14 from 40+ yards.

Veteran punter Brad Maynard is questionable, and Dirk Johnson did most of the punting last week against Kansas City. But, Johnson was cut earlier this week, so if Maynard can’t go, Gould will handle the punting duties.

Hester is the game’s top return man, without a doubt. There’s a reason why he’s no longer a cornerback (besides his average cover skills). As a rookie in 2006, he returned six kicks for touchdowns (three kickoffs, including one in the Super Bowl, and three punt returns, including two in one game). And, he took that total to seven last Sunday, as he returned a punt 73 yards for a score against K.C. Soon enough, teams might petition to be able to have 15 guys on the field for his kick returns. Then again, they still might not be able to stop him. In fact, the only person who can really stop Hester is himself, as he has had a history of fumble issues. He had eight fumbles last season, though his six touchdowns made that easy to ignore. He’s held on to the ball so far this season, so maybe that problem has been taken care of.

Four of the NFL’s nine unbeaten teams face off on Sunday, and along with those two contests, several early must-win games highlight the Week 3 slate.

There is, of course, Dallas’ matchup with Chicago at Soldier Field on Sunday night, which is a pretty big one, but outside of that, there are several goodies on the schedule.

Surprise 2-0 Houston is going to get a real test of how far they’ve come when they take on the Colts (2-0) on Sunday afternoon at Reliant Stadium. The Texans have dispatched of their first two opponents comfortably, but a game against the defending champs will be an early test to see if Gary Kubiak’s team still has a ways to go, or if they’re for real.

In the other matchup of unbeaten, San Francisco also faces a test of their worth when they go to Pittsburgh on Sunday. The 49ers have pulled out two close wins against NFC West foes Arizona and St. Louis, but they’re going to have to play much better if they want to beat the Steelers, who have been extremely impressive in bashing the Browns and Bills. Sure, it’s the Browns and Bills, but it looks like the Steelers are well on their way to being back. And, a win on Sunday would help confirm that.

Green Bay, Detroit, and Washington have all started 2-0, but those unbeaten records will be on the line Sunday. The Packers welcome the Chargers to town, and it’s as big of a game for the Chargers as it is for the Pack. L.T. and the Chargers’ offense has gotten off to a slow start under Norv Turner, and coming off of a beating at New England, it’s proving time for San Diego. For the Packers, a win would be their third straight against a playoff-caliber team, and show that Brett Favre, who is inching ever closer to Dan Marino’s touchdown mark, may well have at least one more run left in him.

Detroit goes to Philadelphia, in another game that’s big for both teams. Who’d have thought that the Lions would be 2-0, and the Eagles would be 0-2? Well, if you did, you must be a millionaire now. Jon Kitna and the Lions have gotten off to a great start, while the Eagles have flopped in losses to Green Bay and Washington. A win for the Lions would restore excitement not seen since the Barry Sanders days, and probably get Matt Millen a lifetime extension. If the Eagles lose, the calls for Kevin Kolb are going to start getting louder and louder. For Donovan McNabb’s sake, Brian Westbrook best stay healthy, because if he’s out, that takes away the Eagles’ best offensive threat (besides #5).

I wasn’t too high on the Redskins going into the season, but they’ve proved me and a lot of other people wrong so far in starting 2-0. Their Monday night win at Philly was a big one for Joe Gibbs and Co., but knocking off the Giants would be yet another step in the right direction. And, as for the Giants, well, they’re staring at 0-3, and Tom Coughlin is staring at a pink slip.

It could be that, at the end of Week 3, that the Cowboys and Redskins have a three-game lead over the Giants and Eagles. Wow?

The other two unbeaten teams, New England and Denver, face off against Buffalo and Jacksonville respectively. The Patriots silenced a lot of people with a convincing 38-14 whipping of the Chargers on Sunday night, and look to be well on their way to another AFC East crown (and losing their #1 pick). And, as for the Broncos, their offense hasn’t looked this good since John Elway and a healthy Terrell Davis were leading the Mile High men to two straight Super Bowl titles.

In Sunday’s other early games, the Dolphins take on the Jets in a battle of 0-2 teams. Someone, anyone, needs to give the Pats a little bit of a challenge in the division, otherwise it’s going to be another runaway for New England. That team was supposed to be the Jets, but they haven’t looked like anything like a contender so far. The winner of this game will have a leg up on the race for second, but given how many teams are in contention for playoff spots, second might mean you stay home in January.

St. Louis visits Tampa Bay looking for their first win of the season. The Bucs throttled the Saints on Sunday, and all of a sudden look like a team that could step up and win an NFC South that appears to be a little down right now.

Minnesota goes to K.C. looking to go to 2-1. The Vikings are a serviceable QB away from being 2-0, after Tarvaris Jackson’s four interceptions cost them in a 20-17 loss at Detroit. But they do have Adrian Peterson, who’s looking like an early favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year. The Chiefs have looked pretty horrible in two losses, and don’t really have much going for them right now, especially with their offense desperately searching for a heartbeat. It’s about time to go to Brodie Croyle, who played well in mop-up duty on Sunday. And, L.J., you know how to run, so do it!

Matt Leinart and the Cardinals go to Baltimore to face off against the Ravens in the last early afternoon game. The Cardinals racked up well over 400 yards in a win over Seattle on Sunday, and are a drive away from being the one that’s leading the NFC West instead of the 49ers. Will it turn into a passing showdown between two former Pac-10 star Qbs in Leinart (USC) and Kyle Boller (Cal), who looked good in Baltimore’s win over the Jets on Sunday? Or will Baltimore’s defense make Leinart’s day miserable?

On Sunday afternoon, the offensive juggernaut that is the Cleveland Browns looks to go over .500 when they go to Oakland. The Raiders are 0-2, and trying to regain their prowess on defense. So, either Derek Anderson and Jamal Lewis have another big day, or the Browns are quickly brought back down to earth. Hey, Lane Kiffin, Mike Vanderjagt is available, in case you were wondering.

Carolina took it on the chin at home to Houston last Sunday, but thankfully, they get to play the Falcons this week. Atlanta, in desperate need of a pick-me-up, signed ex-Jaguars’ QB Byron Leftwich, who will likely to take over for the ineffective Joey Harrington (time’s up, piano man?) this week or next. Maybe Leftwich will be the lift the Falcons need to stem the flood of sales of Brian Brohm replica jerseys. The way things are looking in the NFC South means that things are up for grabs right now, so the Falcons aren’t out of it…yet.

Cincinnati goes to Seattle, off the heels of their 51-45 loss to the Browns. When you score 45 points in a game, you expect to win 99 percent of the time. But, we’re talking about the Bengals, whose defense tends to be invisible more than any NFL unit should. They should be able to move the ball well against the Seahawks, who were pretty sieve-like against the Cardinals, allowing Matt Leinart to throw for nearly 300 yards and Edgerrin James to rush for over 100. But, the question is, can they stop the Seahawks enough to help Carson Palmer out? Palmer could throw for 4,500 yards or more and 40+ touchdowns, but Cincy could end up under .500 if they don’t play a little D consistently.

On Monday night, New Orleans will be looking to stop their horrid early-season form when they take on Vince Young and Tennessee. The Saints have looked pretty bad in losses to Indy and Tampa Bay, and look like the team that won the AFC South and made it to the NFC title game last year. Is the mojo gone? Reggie Bush needs to lay off of the Kim Kardashian and focus on making highlights of another kind. The Titans, meanwhile, need to win so that they don’t fall behind Indy and Houston. Lest we forget, this one’s a matchup between two guys that possibly should have been #1 in last year’s draft. If both play up to their talents, then Monday Night Football will be anything but a snoozer.

Week 3 Schedule

Buffalo (0-2) at New England (2-0)
Minnesota (1-1) at Kansas City (0-2)
Indianapolis (2-0) at Houston (2-0)
San Diego (1-1) at Green Bay (2-0)
Arizona (1-1) at Baltimore (1-1)
St. Louis (0-2) at Tampa Bay (1-1)
San Francisco (2-0) at Pittsburgh (2-0)
Detroit (2-0) at Philadelphia (0-2)
Miami (0-2) at New York Jets (0-2)
Cincinnati (1-1) at Seattle (1-1)
Jacksonville (1-1) at Denver (2-0)
Cleveland (1-1) at Oakland (0-2)
Carolina (1-1) at Atlanta (0-2)
New York Giants (0-2) at Washington (2-0)
Dallas (2-0) at Chicago (1-1)
Tennessee (1-1) at New Orleans (0-2) - Monday night

Just as I was about to make a post about the Cowboys showing interest in former Bears defensive tackle and avid gun collector Tank (real name Terry) Johnson, I check out the recent news headlines, and look at that, they signed him!

Johnson is currently serving an eight-game suspension due to multiple legal issues (having a warehouse’s worth of guns, being too closely involved with some shady characters, including one who was murdered, and running afoul of the law in general), and won’t be eligible to play until the Cowboys take on the Eagles in Philly on Nov. 4 (or possibly when Dallas faces the Giants at the Meadowlands the following Sunday), but when he does come back, his hefty 6′3, 300 pound frame will immediately slot in at a position where depth is currently lacking. There will, no doubt, be some rust, given that he won’t have played since the Super Bowl, and will not have very much practice under his belt, considering he can’t practice with the team until his suspension is up.

The injury to Jason Ferguson means that there’s definitely a need for quality depth at DT, and Johnson, who was a starter for the Bears before all of the criminal issues cropped up, certainly will provide it, once he’s able to play.

There are, of course, questions about his character. But, I’m a strong believe in second chances and fresh starts, because sometimes all it takes is a change of scenery or a new opportunity to get and keep your head on straight. And so far, Johnson has done the right things, and is saying the right things (or at least his agent is).

“For a lot of reasons, he really just felt the Cowboys were the right fit,” said Johnson’s agent, Jerrold Colton. “He’s so thankful to them for giving him this opportunity. He is very determined to prove they made a wise decision in believing in him.”

(courtesy of CBS Sportsline’s report on the signing)

There was that potential DUI during the summer, but thankfully, he’s kept his nose clean since. And, that’s the key here. If he keeps his nose clean and stays off Roger Goodell’s bad list, and makes the most of his new start both on the field and off, then this will turn out to be a great signing. But, you’d have to think that if he messes up even a little, he’ll be gone. But, we know Jerry Jones’ history with players with controversy or checkered pasts surrounding them.

So, we’ll see how it goes. Here’s hoping that Dallas proves to be the right fit for Johnson, not only for his athletic ambitions, but also for his life. And, here’s hoping that he’s a good fit for the Cowboys, and can be a significant contributor and help bolster the defense this season, and be a difference maker on into the future.

Tank Johnson’s Career Stats

2004: 12 tackles, .5 sacks (16 games)
2005: 25 tackles, 5 sacks (16 games)
2006: 26 tackles, 3.5 sacks (14 games)

Secondary

If any fans were worried about the secondary after the opener, and after Terence Newman’s injury lingered on for another week, despite his return to practice, they were justified.

But, four interceptions later, at least all of Cowboys Nation is able to breathe easier. CB Anthony Henry matched his interception total from all of last season in yesterday’s game, picking off Trent Green twice, setting up a Dallas touchdown with the second one, which was the last in a series of three game-changing turnovers that the Cowboys converted into points.

The other two picks came from the safety tandem of Roy Williams and Ken Hamlin, who also combined for nine tackles. Hamlin’s pick was the first of the game-changing turnovers, and his 35-yard return helped set the Cowboys up for Nick Folk’s second three-pointer, which made it 20-13.

Newman may well return against Chicago, and while his return, whenever it is, will be huge, seeing how much of an improvement the guys made in a week, while the best cover guy was still out, is something to be proud of.

Neutralizing #99

For any offensive coordinator, containing the constant threat that is Miami DE Jason Taylor has to be at the top of the list of any game plan. And, after Taylor made his presence felt (as usual) last week, recording five tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble agains tthe Redskins, you can bet that there was some extra planning to make sure Taylor didn’t get too many opportunities to be close to Tony Romo or the ballcarriers.

Looks like Jason Garrett and the offensive staff must have planned right, and the O-line ate their boxes of Wheaties, as Taylor was limited to only three tackles (two solo, one assist).

There must have been some game tape from the teams’ last meeting still somewhere within the offices. Taylor only had two tackles in the Dolphins’ Thanksgiving Day win over the Cowboys four seasons ago, but he picked up a sack and a fumble recovery and return for a touchdown in the 40-21 win.

The Cowboys face another of the NFL’s most feared defenders this coming Sunday, in Bears LB Brian Urlacher, and must go up against one of, if not the best, defenses in the league. They’re a whole different animal than the Giants and Dolphins’ defenses, so it might be asking too much to put up 30+ again. But, given the Bears’ offensive troubles, getting into the 20s might be enough to see of da Bears.

Marion Barber III 1, Joey Porter 0

It looks like Joey Porter would be well-advised to leave his talking until after the game. Porter singled out Barber prior to yesterday’s game, talking about his toughness, and saying that he was going to be ‘looking for him.’

Barber came out the victor on the scoreboard, and statistically, as he racked up 89 yards on 14 carries, and scored twice, including the 40-yard run late in the fourth that put the finishing touches on the win, and Porter was held to only two tackles. Also on Sunday, the two got in a couple confrontations, as Porter was flagged for a personal foul for ripping off Barber’s helmet following his first carry, and before that, the two had some words before the game.

So far, Porter has only five tackles in two games, so he might need to wait a few more weeks until he pulls out the pre-game trash talk. That is what he’s known for, but hey, don’t just talk tough, my friend, be tough. It might all be in good fun, and to rile the other guy up, but don’t let it backfire on you, and moreover, if you’re going to try to intiimdate someone, do it with your play and not with your words or with silly personal fouls.

Besides, no matter how tough you might be during the game, the only thing that matters in the end is the score. Barber got the victory, and as an added bonus, shut Porter up with his performance. Speaking of his performance, Barber’s justifying getting more carries. In two games, he has run for 154 yards on only 25 carries, averaging 6.2 yards per carry, and has scored three touchdowns. On the other hand, Julius Jones has run for only 98 yards on 31 carries, for a 3.2 yard average per carry (and hasn’t scored yet). If things continue to go this way for the next few games, Wade Phillips will have a decision on his hands about who the primary back will be. Either way, both will get a fair amount of opportunities each game, but if Barber keeps running har and running well, then it might be time to get him more carries than Jones.

After the defense was pretty absent for most of the opener, some adjustments undoubtedly had to be made going into Dolphins Stadium.

And, it appears that was the case. The Cowboys forced four turnovers in the second half, and capitalized on the first three to take command of the game, on the way to a 37-20 win.

It took a while for the defense to catch up, but when they did, they helped the Cowboys take control of the game and make Wade Phillips 2-0 as the Cowboys’ head coach.

After we got a taste of the quick strike offense last week, it was all about ball control for the Dalls offense in the first half. The Cowboys had the ball for only four possessions in the first half, but went into Miami territory on three of those drives, and scored on two of them, taking a 10-6 lead into the halftime break. The field goal drive lasted seven minutes, and the touchdown drive lasted 6:28, while the other foray into the Miami end went nearly four and a half minutes.

But, Green led the Dolphins to a touchdown right out of the locker room, and after the teams swapped punts, it was the Cowboys’ special teams taht swung the game their way.

Brandon Fields booted a 53-yard punt to the Dallas 16, but had to do it over again after an illegal formation penalty. Fields booted another 53-yarder, but this time, Patrick Crayton got loose and went all the way to the Miami 30, racking up a 49-yard return.

Three plays and a penalty later, the Cowboys were up to stay, after Tony Romo hooked up with Tony Curtis for a 2-yard score. That’s when the defense finally stepped up to help the Cowboys get a cushion. On the next drive, Green was picked off by Ken Hamlin, who returned the ball 35 yards to the Dolphins’ 15. Nick Folk put through his second field goal of the day to make it 20-13, and the lead would get stretched to 10 on another Folk field goal after Jay Ratliff’s fumble recovery set up the Cowboys in Miami territory for the third straight possession.

Then, in the fourth, the game was effectively wrapped up, after Anthony Henry picked off Green and returned it to the Miami 39. Romo hooked up with T.O. on a 34-yard score, and it was 30-13. After Green quickly led the Dolphins to a touchdown to pull them within 30-20, Henry recovered the onside kick, and one play later, Marion Barber put a stamp on the game with a 40-yard score.

Romo was 14 of 29 for 186 yards and two touchdowns, while Barber led the team in rushing with 89 yards and two scores. T.O. was T.O., making five catches for 97 yards. But, it was the five turnovers that made the biggest difference, and gave the Cowboys an early edge in the NFC East.

Offensive MVP: Tony Romo - It wasn’t as eye-popping of a performance as last week’s, but it was efficient. More importantly, he continued to show his abilities as a team leader. After two games, he’s on pace for 48 touchdowns. Don’t know if he’ll reach that mark, but I’ll take 30 or 35.

Defensive MVP: The rush defense and the secondary - The rush defense took a page out of the Redskins book, and stopped Ronnie Brown for the second straight week. After Brown was held to 32 yards last week, he was held to 33 yards this week, and the Dolphins amassed only 61 yards total, getting held to 2.9 yards per carry.

And, as for the secondary, four interceptions is impressive on any day. After they were a liability last week, they had to improve, and they did. True enough, Green did throw for 287 yards, but the four picks negated all of that.

POSITIVES

Well, they’ve pretty much all been listed. The defensive effort was something to be proud of, especially after the 35 points it allowed last week. Just think of what they’ll be capable of when Ellis and Newman return to full strength.

And, the offense showed that it didn’t have to rack up big time yards in order to put together a big game. When they got opportunities, they cashed in on them, especially in that stretch in the second half.

NEGATIVES

The margin might have been a lot bigger if not for penalties on multiple drives. In the first half, the Cowboys were in field goal range, when a holding call on a third down from the 32 took them back to the 40, and instead of having a field goal try, they were forced to punt after settling for a run on 3rd and 18.

Then, with the Cowboys up 20-13 and driving early in the 4th, Sam Hurd got called for an offensive pass interference penalty on what would have been a completion to put the Cowboys at the Miami 4. The penalty pushed the Cowboys from the 14 to the 24, and then a false start penalty on Marc Colombo pushed them back to the 29. Dallas was forced to settle for Nick Folk’s third field goal after Romo’s incomplete pass.

All in all, the Cowboys committed 11 penalties, which cost them 101 yards. But, the Dolphins helped the Cowboys out on a couple of possessions with penalties of their own, so you could say it evened out.

Looking Ahead

Dallas takes to the road for the second straight week, as they face a big one at Chicago next Sunday night. They’ll be on NBC for a primetime showdown for the second time in the opening three weeks, so all eyes will be Romo and the ‘Boys to go to 3-0 and keep the early success going.

The Bears are 1-1 on the season. They opened with a loss at San Diego last week, and evened their record with a 20-10 win against Kansas City at Soldier Field this week.

The first two games have seen the Cowboys face relatively soft defenses, but they’ll be going up against one of the league’s best next Sunday.

The biggest worry on offense might not actually be on an offensive player. Devin Hester, who is a cornerback by trade, is arguably the league’s best return man, in only his second year in the league. Hester had a 73-yard punt return for a score in the win over the Chiefs, and already has seven touchdown returns in his short career.

Rex Grossman has struggled in the first two games, throwing three interceptions and only one touchdown, so the pass defense will look to take advantage once again and give the Bears’ fans more reason to call for the former first-round pick’s head.

It’s going to be yet another huge early-season test, but judging by the first two games, the Cowboys will be ready and prepared for whatever comes their way.

The Cowboys got their 2007 season off to the perfect start with a 45-35 win over NFC East rival New York.

It wasn’t all perfect, as starting defensive tackle Jason Ferguson suffered a torn right biceps injury in the first quarter, and is out for the rest of the season.

But, the Cowboys have gotten some positive injury news this week, as starting CB Terence Newman (out since before the Denver game) and outside linebacker Greg Ellis (out since the second day of camp) both returned to practice, and may be able to play as soon as Sunday.

Speaking of Sunday, Dallas will make their first road trip of the season, as they face the Miami Dolphins, who play their second straight NFC East opponent. The Dolphins started their season with a 16-13 overtime loss at Washington.

Last Time They Played…

The Dolphins spoiled Thanksgiving for the Cowboys in 2003, winning the Turkey Day contest in a 40-21 rout.

Jay Fiedler was 16 of 20 for 239 yards, and hooked up with Chris Chambers for three scores. Ricky Williams (who?) led the Dolphins on the ground with 104 yards.

For the Cowboys, it wasn’t that great of a day, even though it was only 17-14 until the Dolphins scored on the second Fiedler to Chambers hookup with sixteen seconds left in the first half. Quincy Carter threw for 288 yards and two scores, but was picked off three times, and a third quarter fumble was returned by Jason Taylor for a 34-yard touchdown that made it 30-14 in favor of Miami at halftime.

The Cowboys rushed the ball only 16 times that day, as opposed to the Dolphins going to the ground game over 40 times, which helped chew up the clock in the second half when the game was well in hand.

The Cowboys would follow up that loss with a 36-10 loss at Philadelphia the following week, but won two of their last three games to finish 10-6 and make the playoffs in Bill Parcells’ first season.

The Dolphins, who were also 8-4 after the game, would lose their next two games, but won their last two to finish 10-6. However, they would miss the playoffs, as the Broncos, who also finished at 10-6, edged them out for the final AFC postseason slot, in what would be the next-to-last season in the Dave Wannstedt era.

Looking at the Dolphins

OFFENSE

The Dolphins are led at quarterback by veteran Trent Green, who is in his first season in South Florida, after spending the last several as the starter in Kansas City. Green was 24 of 38 for 219 yards in the loss at Washington, and threw a touchdown.

Ronnie Brown is the workhorse in the backfield. Brown, the former Auburn star and #2 pick in 2005, ran for 1,008 yards in his sophomore professional season. Against the Redskins, he wasn’t much of a presence, rushing for 32 yards on 11 carries.

Green’s go-to guys are veterans Chambers and Marty Booker. Chambers caught six passes for 92 yards in the opener, and has 380 career catches for 5,365 yards and 43 scores in six-plus seasons. Booker caught three passes for 20 yards against the Redskins, and has 462 catches for 5,775 yards and 33 scores in eight-plus seasons, five of which were spent in Chicago, where he was a Pro Bowler in 2003.

David Martin is the starting tight end. He caught one pass for seven yards on Sunday, but was covered tightly most of the game, and also made a big drop on a third-down play in the fourth quarter. That might open the way for Justin Peelle to see more time, after he caught two passes for 12 yards, and the lone touchdown against Washington.

DEFENSE

The man on defense for the Dolphins is likely Future Hall of Famer Taylor, who has been one of the NFL’s best defensive players since early in his career. Taylor, now in his 11th season, has 107.5 sacks, after recording one on Sunday.

The other longtime presence in the Miami defense is linebacker Zach Thomas, now in his 12th season. Thomas still has plenty left in him, as shown by his 13-tackle performance against the Redskins, in which he also recorded a sack. Thomas has been a tackling machine his entire career, recording at least 99 tackles in all 11 prior seasons.

The Dolphins have a solid mix of young talent, with second-year starting LB Channing Crowder and DE Matt Roth complementing Taylor, Thomas, new LB Joey Porter, and veteran DT Keith Traylor in the front seven.

The secondary has starters all with extensive NFL experience, in starting safety Renaldo Hill and CB Will Allen. The secondary took a huge blow on Sunday, when starting strong safety Yeremiah Bell tore his Achilles’ in the third quarter on Sunday, and will miss the rest of the season.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Jay Feely is the starting placekicker for the Dolphins, having replaced longtime Miami kicker Olindo Mare prior to this season. Feely made both of his field goals against the Redskins.

Rookie Brandon Fields is the Dolphins’ punter. Fields averaged 42.7 yards on his seven punts on Sunday.

The lead return man is rookie speedster Ted Ginn, Jr., who the Dolphins drafted ninth overall in April. Ginn returned three kickoffs for 70 yards on Sunday, including a 34-yard return. The former Ohio State star also returned four punts for 20 yards.

I’ll be back soon with part two of my preview, which includes the keys to success, the key matchups, my predictions, and a couple more notes on Sunday‘s matchup.