A Dallas Cowboys Blog

One drive can change the complexion of a game, and that may well be the case with Dallas’ touchdown drive at the end of the first half. It wasn’t a pretty first half, as Tom Brady shredded the defense for 213 yards and three touchdowns, but at the end of the half, Dallas is still very, very much in it.

New England dominated in the first quarter, putting together two touchdown drives. The first came after the Cowboys went three and out on their first possession, when the Pats went 74 yards in 14 plays, with the drive ending in a 6-yard touchdown from Brady to Randy Moss.

The second was a six-play, 69-yard drive that ended with Wes Welker catching a 35-yard touchdown pass.

That touchdown must have been what woke Dallas up, as they went 64 yards in 10 plays, and got a 38-yard field goal from Nick Folk to draw within 14-3. Within two minutes, the Cowboys were within four, as Greg Ellis hit Tom Brady at the 32 and knocked the ball loose, and Jason Hatcher recovered and took it 29 yards for a touchdown to make it 14-10.

The Patriots responded as the Patriots do and drove 72 yards in 12 plays, and got a 12-yard TD pass from Brady to Welker to make it 21-10. But, the Cowboys came right back down the field, and overcame penalties to get their first offensive touchdown. After a T.O. catch was ruled incomplete on 2nd and 5 from the 12 (when it should have been ruled complete, due to Ellis Hobbs pushing T.O. out when he had only one foot in), Romo tossed a throw over the pressure to a wide open T.O., who beat Hobbs and walked into the end zone.

So, a game that could have been over in the first 20 minutes is now up for grabs.

POSITIVES

It’s not over, by any means. The Patriots, for all their offensive glory, didn’t play at their best. Welker did make six catches for 94 yards, and had the two touchdowns, but he also fumbled twice, and there was the Brady fumble that led to the Hatcher touchdown.

And, while the Patriots defense did a great job of slowing Dallas down in the first quarter, Dallas woke up in the second and got themselves back into the game in a hurry.

NEGATIVES

The Patriots are 7 of 9 on third downs. Converting third downs helped them on all three of their scoring drives.

Keys to Second-Half Success

1. Keep the Pats from converting those third downs. If you get a team in a third and long, and they keep converting it, that makes it very, very difficult for you to have a chance.

2. Run the ball. The Cowboys had only seven rushing attempts in the first half, but did produce decently when they did, as Marion Barber had 27 yards on his five carries. Not only does the run make you less one-dimensional, but it also uses up the clock and breaks down the opposing defense, but also gives your defense a rest.

3. Pressure Brady. When you get some pressure on him, that means he is, believe it or not, as human as any other quarterback.

4. Win the battle of 81s, and utilize the targets the best. Moss had only the one catch, while T.O. came on late in the half and got three catches for 34 yards and the score. But, not only does T.O. need the ball, but Jason Witten and Patrick Crayton need to see the ball regularly. As for the Patriots, if you keep shutting Moss down, that can limit what Brady can do, especially considering TE Ben Watson might not be back for the rest of the game, and RB Sammy Morris is nicked up as well.

Okay, on to my second-half analysis, because the half’s already started, and I’m missing it trying to catch up.

LOOKING AT THE PATRIOTS

OFFENSE

The Patriots have the #2 offense in the league, led by the top quarterback-receiver tandem in the league.

Tom Brady has thrown for at least three touchdowns in every game thus far, and has 16 touchdowns through five games - with only two interceptions. Brady is having his best season thus far (maybe it’s the joys of being a new father), and has completed 74.1% of his passes for 1,383 yards. He has the league’s best passer rating at an astronomical 128.7.

He’s been helped by a number of reliable targets, with the most reliable being Randy Moss, who has experienced a little resurgence in his new home. Moss leads the league in receiving yards (551) and is tied for the league lead in touchdowns (7), and is tied for fourth in catches (34).

Patriots RB Laurence Maroney had 252 yards in the first three games, but has missed the last two games with a groin injury, and looks likely to miss today’s game as well. But, the Patriots always have someone to step up whenever there’s an injury problem, and this time, it’s been Sammy Morris, who has rushed for over 100 yards in the last two games, in which he has started in place of Maroney. On the season, Morris, who is in his first season in New England after playing previously for division rivals Miami and Buffalo, has rushed for 370 yards and three touchdowns.

Overall, the Patriots are averaging 427.8 yards per game, which has them second behind Dallas. The Patriots are fourth in pass offense (272.8 yards per game) and third in rushing (155.8 yards per game), and are first in points per game (36.4).

DEFENSE

New England has been firing on all cylinders on offense, but the same can be said for the defense, which is always formidable, even though naming their starting eleven might take a few hours and some serious Internet searches to do.

The Patriot defense is #2 in the league in yards allowed (251.4 per game) and tied for third in points allowed per game (13.0), and has 11 takeaways on the season (8 interceptions, 3 fumbles).

Up front, the Patriots, who play a 3-4 defense, start Ty Warren and Jarvis Green on the ends, with DT Vince Wilfork filling the gap in the middle.

The Patriots’ linebackers are perennially among the best in the league, and that’s largely in part to longtime defensive stalwarts Mike Vrabel and Tedy Bruschi. While Moss was the Pats‘ top free agent acquisition on offense, LB Adalius Thomas was their top free agent acquisition on defnese, and is the team’s leader in tackles, with 28. The other starting linebacker is Roosevelt Colvin. Junior Seau still has plenty left in him, and is one of the team’s leading tacklers with 24.

The secondary does see a couple of a couple guys banged up. Both left cornerbacks, Asante Samuel and Randall Gay, are banged up heading into today’s matchup. Samuel, who led the league with ten interceptions last season, leads the team with three thus far.

Eugene Wilson is the starting free safety, while Rodney Harrison, who returned from his four-week steroid suspension last week, is back starting at strong safety. The other starting corner is Ellis Hobbs. Rookie Brandon Meriweather should see plenty of action, either as a corner or a safety.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Second-year kicker Stephen Gostkowski is off to a solid start, as he has made 7 of 8 field goals and all 23 of his extra points. In 21 career games, he is 27 of 34 on field goals, with a long of 52, and 66 of 67 on extra points. Because the Patriots have been in the red zone so many times, Gostkowski has had to kick only one field goal longer than 40 yards this season, and, as it turns out, that’s his only miss so far.

Chris Hanson hasn’t had to work his leg much so far, as he’s had to punt only 11 times in five games. Hanson, who kicked for the Jaguars for the last six seasons, is averaging 36.3 yards per kick.

Ellis Hobbs is the primary kick returner, and is averaging 32 yards per return. That average is helped by an NFL-record 108-yard kick return for a score that he had in the season opener against the Jets.

Wes Welker, who, along with Moss, was one of 18,000 receivers to come to New England in the offseason, is the primary punt returner. Welker, who played his first three seasons in Miami, is averaging 11.5 yards per return, with a long of 29 yards. He is also the team’s second-leading receiver, with 27 catches for 262 yards and a touchdown.

The coverage team has had to handle many a kickoff so far, and has done a pretty good job of coverage, allowing 22.7 yards per return (10th in the league), with a long of 34 yards.

Well, the matchup we’ve been waiting for all season is finally here.

Call it a matchup of the two best teams in their respective conferences, a potential Super Bowl matchup, the game of the year, or just another game on the Week 6 schedule. But, whatever it is, the New England Patriots are coming to town, and that means that someone is going to walk off of the field a loser for the first time this season (unless there’s a tie, which, well, is very unlikely).

The Patriots have been the talk of the league this season. For a little while, it was about the videotaping controversy that cropped up in the first few weeks of the season. But, that seems to be all but forgotten as Tom Brady and the Pats have mercilessly obliterated every opponent this season.

The Cowboys, meanwhile, have rolled along to a 5-0 record themselves. But, for more than 59 minutes on Monday, it didn’t look like Dallas would be unbeaten heading into today’s matchup, as six Tony Romo turnovers had them headed towards a loss at Buffalo. Then, a touchdown, an onside kick, and a 53-yard field goal - all in the final 24 seconds - turned a 24-16 deficit into a unbelievable 25-24 win.

Needless to say, Tony Romo is going to have to play a lot, lot better this week, because the Cowboys don’t want to become another spectator on the Patriots’ dominant run.

Last Time They Played…

The three teams have played only three times in the last decade, with the last being in 2003.

That last meeting took place in Week 11, with 7-2 Dallas making a trip to 7-2 New England. It would be all Patriots, as they got just enough offense and shut down Quincy Carter and the Cowboys to win 12-0.

Neither team had their best day on offense, as Tom Brady was only 15 of 34 for 212 yards, and the Patriots managed only 268 yards total. But, the Cowboys, despite outgaining New England 291-268, were hurt by Carter’s three interceptions, which all came in the second half.

New England had a 9-0 lead at halftime, through an Adam Vinatieri field goal and a touchdown run by Antowain Smith (PAT was blocked). Both scores were set up by long completions.

The lead expanded to 12-0 late in the fourth when Vinatieri kicked his second chip shot.

Dallas did have a few good chances, but couldn’t convert. They had a long drive in the first half, but were forced to punt after 14 plays and taking 7:23 off of the clock. They also got into the red zone in the third, but one of Carter’s interceptions thwarted that chance, and in the fourth, the Cowboys failed to convert on a 4th and 1 from midfield.

That matchup was also the first between Bill Parcells and his former assistant, Bill Belichick, who spurned succeeding Parcells with the Jets for taking the Patriots job (wise move, as it turned out - though it does make you wonder how the Jets would have turned out if Belichick had stayed).

Series History

Dallas leads the all-time series 7-2, but the Patriots have won the last two meetings (1999 and 2003). The last time the Cowboys won was in 1996, when Dallas won 12-6 at home in a Week 16 matchup. That season, the Patriots went to the Super Bowl behind Drew Bledsoe, where they lost to the Packers, who got their only championship of the Brett Favre era up to this point.

The action is already underway, so these are a little late, but here they are anyway.

Washington at Green Bay: Can the Redskins knock off the top two in the NFC North in consecutive weeks? Whether Green Bay wins for the fifth time in six games or loses their second game in a row will hinge on Brett Favre’s decision-making. If he succumbs to the Redskins’ pressure like he did in the third quarter against Chicago last Sunday, Green Bay’s in trouble.

The Redskins offense needs to put back to back good weeks together to convince me. It won’t be easy against a defense that has, for the most part, been tough. But, Jason Campbell’s improving, and for him to become an elite QB in the NFL, then he’s going to need to be consistent on a week-to-week basis.

In the end, I’ll take Green Bay to rebound and pick up the victory.

Score: Green Bay 28, Washington 20

Miami at Cleveland: The Cleo Lemon era begins! Well, that is, until John Beck takes over, which instead of next year, could very well be sometime this year, if Cam Cameron so decides to speed up the rookie’s development.

The game might be more interesting to see how many altercations Joey Porter gets into today. Then again, it doesn’t matter, because Miami will still be winless at the end of the day.

Score: Cleveland 24, Miami 10

Minnesota at Chicago: Is Chicago back on track, or was last week just a case of Green Bay handing the game to them? That defense isn’t out of the woods yet, and that offense is one-dimensional until Cedric Benson

If Minnesota really wants to win, they’ll line Adrian Peterson up at quarterback, running back, receiver, and on defense and special teams. But, I’ll take the Bears, only because the Vikings aren’t particularly good overall right now.

Score: Chicago 17, Minnesota 13

St. Louis at Baltimore: I wouldn’t be shocked by a Rams victory. The Ravens aren’t really blowing anyone away right now, and with Kyle Boller likely in (at least he should be, because Steve McNair needs to think about later, and not right now), anything can happen.

But, the Ravens defense means that they should shut down St. Louis’ beat-up, patchwork offense.

Score: Baltimore 20, St. Louis 14

Tennessee at Tampa Bay: Tennessee can’t afford to make the same mistakes they did against Atlanta. Tampa can’t afford to lose anymore running backs.

I’ll take the Titans here, as long as Vince Young doesn’t have to throw 33 passes against this week.

Score: Tennessee 21, Tampa Bay 17

Philadelphia at New York Jets: In an alternate world, both of these teams would have winning records. But, in the real world, they have two wins combined. Earth to McNabb: wake up, and while you’re at it, wake your team up too! #5 has a knack for coming up with a big day when he needs to, and today is that day.

Score: Philadelphia 31, New York 24

Cincinnati at Kansas City: At the start of the year, this game may have been picked as one of the most exciting of the season.

A few more losses might mean Marvin Lewis’ job is in jeopardy. Thankfully, loss #4 will wait another week, as the Bengals finally come up against an opponent with as many problems as them.

Score: Cincinnati 34, Kansas City 20

Houston at Jacksonville: Now that Houston is actually playing well, the AFC South could be considered as the best division in the league.

The games between these two are usually pretty competitive, and today won’t be any exception, as it’ll come down to the fourth quarter. I’ll take the Texans to pull out a close one.

Score: Houston 24, Jacksonville 21

Six teams have their bye weeks this week, so there are only 13 games on the schedule in Week 6.

But, there are some good ones on the slate, so 13 may well be a lucky number.

Of course, the clash of unbeaten between Dallas and New England on Sunday afternoon garners the most headlines going into the weekend, but there are several others worth watching as well.

Fresh off of their first loss of the season, Green Bay has to get back on track against a Washington team that is looking like a pretty good team. If Jason Campbell and that Redskins offense really get it going, then they could really be a dangerous team, if the defense continues to play as well as it has for the better part of the first four games. As for Green Bay, the running game produced last week, but Brett Favre is going to have to avoid the needless interceptions to keep the Packers from a second-straight loss.

Tennessee goes to Tampa Bay in a clash that’s pretty pivotal for the Bucs. Their injury list is getting longer, and the opponents are getting tougher. The Titans, meanwhile, won just as ugly as the Cowboys did in Week 5, and really can’t let that happen again, like, at all this season, if they want to be a playoff team.

There’s also a nice all-NFC South clash between 3-2 Houston and 3-1 Jacksonville. The Texans are searching for their fourth win two games before the halfway point, which would be another first in their short history. Speaking of history, it is on their side, as they do play very, very well against Jacksonville.

The only other matchup between teams with winning records is in the desert, as Carolina travels to Arizona. Vinny Testaverde (no, that’s not a typo) might be thrust in as the Panthers’ starter at QB only days after signing, due to the uncertain status of new starter David Carr, who took over for Jake Delhomme, who has been shut down for the year. Guess they’re not quite ready for Matt Moore just yet, eh? As for Arizona, it’s all on Kurt Warner’s shoulders now, with Matt Leinart out for the season. Will the perennial masters of bad luck continue a push towards an unlikely playoff spot, or is it a matter of time before they act like the Cardinals again?

There are also a few other key matchups.

In the AFC West, Oakland travels to San Diego, with the NFC West lead potentially on the line. San Diego looks like they got it back on track with Sunday’s walloping of the seemingly-overrated Broncos, but Norv Turner’s old team will have a point to prove against his new team.

Philadelphia goes to the Meadowlands to face the Jets in what should be an entertaining matchup, but with the way those two are playing, might be a bore-fest, or an ugly, ugly rout by the Eagles.

On Sunday night, New Orleans takes on Seattle in the Emerald City, still in search of its first win of the season. Where is the real Drew Brees? He better come out soon, or New Orleans will go from worst to first to worst in the span of three seasons.

On Monday night, the Giants, winners of three straight, take on Atlanta in the Georgia Dome. Joey Harrington is still the starter, despite his performance against the Titans, and he may well be primed for a big performance now that he knows he has the confidence of his teammates, even though he had that poor performance.

Miami looks for their first win when they travel to Cleveland. Will Kellen Winslow give Joey Porter a hug after the game on Sunday when the Browns beat the hapless Dolphins, or will he give him a tissue? I have to actually applaud Winslow for the way that he handled Porter’s expected jabs this week, which are just another part of the not-so-friendly rivalry the two have had in the last couple of seasons.

Instead of flying off the handle with an ’I’m a soldier’-like speech, he responded honestly and truthfully (Porter does need a hug, or a pacifier) without resorting to low blows, but instead pointed out the one important fact: Miami is 0-5, and Cleveland is 2-3. Is someone growing up? It’s certainly not Porter, who keeps his motor mouth running even when he doesn’t have any real fuel to. He must have forgotten that he doesn’t play for the Steelers anymore.

In the other matchups, Minnesota goes to Chicago, winless St. Louis visits Baltimore, and Cincinnati visits Kansas City in a game that should be exciting, but probably won’t be.

Week 6 Schedule

Washington (3-1) at Green Bay (4-1)
Miami (0-5) at Cleveland (2-3)
Minnesota (1-3) at Chicago (2-3)
St. Louis (0-5) at Baltimore (3-2)
Tennessee (3-1) at Tampa Bay (3-2)
Philadelphia (1-3) at New York Jets (1-4)
Cincinnati (1-3) at Kansas City (2-3)
Houston (3-2) at Jacksonville (3-1)

Carolina (3-2) at Arizona (3-2)
Oakland (2-2) at San Diego (2-3)
New England (5-0) at Dallas (5-0)

New Orleans (0-4) at Seattle (3-2) - Sunday Night Football
New York Giants (3-2) at Atlanta (1-4) - Monday Night Football

It was funny for a little while, and at one time, he even had a half-decent point, but it’s about time Skip Bayless give up his seemingly-personal vendetta against Terrell Owens.

Today, as I half-watched ESPN 2’s First Take, Bayless blasted T.O. for the 1785th time, this time for the note that he left on his locker yesterday, in reference to this weekend’s matchup between the Cowboys and Patriots, and the matchup of the two 81’s, the ‘Original,’ meaning him, and the ‘other,’ meaning Randy Moss.

When Owens was with the Eagles and being unruly, disruptive, disorderly T.O., I didn’t feel too bad about what Bayless said. And, even when Owens created a few issues last season, I didn’t mind it that much. Owens’ impact on the field was one thing, but he wasn’t exactly being the best teammate or most productive part of the locker room.

But, come on Skip, give it a rest. You’ve been recycling the same comments for a few years now, and it’s becoming less and less amusing, and more and more redundant and annoying. Then again, it is Bayless being Bayless, ranting for ranting’s sake, whether or not he’s actually making a point (see: Tiger Woods, Lebron James, Allen Iverson, Peyton Manning) or if he’s playing favorites.

It is worth saying though, that T.O. has put himself in a position to be criticized, with his past behavior, but Bayless makes it seem like he’s unable to change. Can’t a guy have a little fun without it supposedly causing trouble? The game would be boring without guys like T.O. But, even T.O. knows that there’s a time to turn it down a notch or two.

Sure, Owens is still going to make some waves. Sure, there was the celebration thing earlier this season, and he did vent his frustrations openly on Monday night, and he did write that note, but he‘s improved by leaps and bounds in terms of his demeanor and overall character, and that‘s almost as important as him making a big touchdown catch.

You can get riled up on this note if you want, but like Stephen A. Smith (who, combined with Bayless, makes for the loudest duo in sports), but it was a) T.O. having a little fun and being T.O., b) actually putting more pressure on himself, than giving Moss or the Patriots grounds to get riled up, and c) showing how focused he is about Sunday’s matchup, because, as the note says, he‘s going to let his play do the talking, and keep quiet until after the game‘s over.

T.O.’s not causing any problems on the team this year, and seems far more focused on the prize than he has before, which means he’s become about the team, and not Team Owens, like he used to be. Not only does the new, more even-keeled coach help, but so does knowing that he’s not getting any younger and that this year and the next couple might be his best chance to get the championship that has thus far eluded him.

A fine example is Monday night’s game. Instead of berating Tony Romo when things were going very poorly Monday night, he had his back, even when he wasn’t having his best night himself. He had a couple of pivotal drops, but instead of scowling about an off-night, he was celebrating like a wild man, with the team, when Nick Folk’s field goal went through.

And, both Wade Phillips and Romo know that T.O. needs the ball, not to satisfy his ego, but to make the offense as productive as possible. His presence is going to be as key as ever on Sunday, because if T.O. plays like T.O., the 81 vs. 81 matchup will live up to its hype, and so will the matchup between the teams.

But, even if the Cowboys come out on top, and T.O. comes up big, Bayless will likely continue to talk, until someone shuts him up, or T.O. shoves a championship down his throat, like Manning did.

If there’s anyone who can’t change, it’s Bayless.

It wasn’t pretty, it may not have been thoroughly deserved, and there will likely be some losses that look prettier, but in the end, the Cowboys found a way to win last night at Buffalo, and are one of only three 5-0 teams in the league.

It had to be an absolute gut-wrenching loss for Buffalo when they saw Nick Folk’s 53-yard field goal go through the uprights for the second time.

For the Cowboys, it was a sigh of relief, a moment of a jubilation, and a big gut check heading into a big game.

There’s a lot to be asked, said, and done between now and Sunday, but for a little while, we can ignore the first 59:58, and think of the sweet moment when Folk’s kick sailed through the uprights.

Offensive MVP: It was a sight, and not the good kind, to see Romo’s performance for 90% percent of the night. In the end, he did make the throws he needed to get the Cowboys in position to win. The ground game didn’t get anything going for the most part, but given the fact that Dallas had to play from behind from early on, that meant Romo had to keep throwing, even when that didn’t seem like a good idea.

Crayton, who made a couple of key catches down the stretch, is certainly deserving for the second straight week. But, there is one person, and one person only that should and will get it - Folk. Not only did he nail the game-winning field goal, but he also executed the pivotal onside kick and made a key 47-yard field goal at the end of the first half that pulled Dallas within 17-10 and gave them a little momentum going into the break.

Defensive MVP: DeMarcus Ware. Ware had an excellent night, collecting six tackles (five solo, one assist), 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and, in the fourth quarter, he made a leaping tip of a Trent Edwards pass that went right to Terence Newman, who returned it 70 yards.

Offensive Analysis: Anytime you throw five interceptions, even when you win, is not something to be proud of. Romo had an off, off night, missing receivers and making mistakes that made him look nothing like the guy who had shredded defenses in the first four games of the season.

Coming into the game, Romo was averaging just over 30 pass attempts per game, but put it up 50 last night. For the better part of the night, he stayed close to 50%, but ended up 29 of 50, and posting his fourth 300-yard game of the season, with the two completions on the final drive giving him 309 yards.

But, those five picks are a glaring number, and it’ll get the Romo skeptics and haters talking again.

But, you do have to give him credit for hanging in there, even when he wasn’t at his best, and making the plays that he needed to, when he needed to. Ultimately, the measure of a great, winning quarterback is the ability to overcome mistakes or subpar performances to help his team win.

As for the run game, Dallas had its lowest output of the season, picking up only 76 yards. But, due to Romo throwing it so much, the backs had their lowest number of attempts as well, with 22.

The one true positive, without any but’s coming after it, is the Cowboys converting 9 of 15 third-down situations, including 8 of 10 on the third downs.

Defensive Analysis: The rush defense had another solid performance, limiting Marshawn Lynch to 66 yards on 20 carries, and Buffalo to 81 yards total.

The defense allowed only three points all night, so they’ve now allowed only 13 points in the last three games, and 33 in the last four after allowing 35 in the opener.

But, Trent Edwards was able to burn them time and again with short pass after short pass. Edwards threw only a handful of passes longer than 10 yards, but kept getting positive gains from screens, dump offs, short slants and crossing patterns, and little tosses into the flat. But, it was a case of ‘bend, don’t break’ for the defense, as they held up when they needed to, and kept Dallas in the game even when the offense wasn’t returning the favor.

Overall Analysis: Like I said, we’ll likely see some losses prettier than last night’s win. But, it’s a win nonetheless, and you’ve got to be proud of the team for finding a way to win. After running all over the last three opponents, it was time for that nailbiter, the reality check before the reality check.

LOOKING AHEAD

Now, on to the hard part!

The Cowboys have a short week to prepare for the game against New England on Sunday. Point blank, Dallas is going to have play much, much better on Sunday if they don’t want to be beatdown victim #6 by New England.

The Patriots have had their foot on the pedal from the get-go, and have outscored their first five opponents 182-65. That’s an average margin of victory of 23.4 points per game. Tom Brady is on pace for one of the best seasons in NFL history, and has thrown 16 touchdown passes in the first five games. With three TD tosses Sunday against the Bears, he tied an NFL record with having at least three TD passes in each of his first five games of the season.

It’s going to be a matchup of the league’s top two offenses, as the Cowboys now rank first (429.6 yards per game) and the Pats second (427.6). But, New England also has the league’s #2 ranked defense, allowing 251.4 yards per game, is tied for first in turnover margin (+7), and third in points allowed per game (13.0).

As sharp as the Patriots have been, the Cowboys are going to have to find a way to force some mistakes (it is possible, rare, it seems, but possible), and more importantly, can’t make any mistakes of their own, because if they made the amount of mistakes agianst the Patriots as they did the Bills, it would’ve been over by the third quarter, if not sooner.

So, Wade Phillips, get your boys ready, cause it’s time for the big ‘un. Most people think the AFC is miles ahead of the NFC, and that thought is likely furthered by Dallas’ performance last night, but a win on Sunday would be big for the NFC, and for a team that has a lot to prove.

14:47: Romo can’t find Witten on the third down, and the Cowboys are forced to settle for a field goal yet again, and Folk puts his third three-pointer of the night through, from 37 yards out. Dallas is within a score at 24-16, and there’s at least a couple of possessions left. It is a MUST at this point to keep the Bills from scoring or even having a drive that takes up an extended period of time.

Even if the Cowboys come back to win this one, there are surely going to be several questions and concerns about the performance tonight. Romo has been nowhere near as sharp as he’s been in the first four games. He’s made a number of nice throws in the second half and been mistake-free, but he’s also misfired on a couple of key plays.

11:30: The defense is stepping up when they need to the most, making sure Edwards doesn’t have a chance to throw those short passes, sacking him on consecutive plays to put Buffalo in a third and loooooooooooong. Edwards’ shovel pass to Anthony Thomas doesn’t come close to getting the first down, and it’s punt time.

Brian Moorman’s leg gives Buffalo’s defense some breathing room, as he boots a 52-yarder. Crayton’s return has Dallas 73 yards from the end zone with 11:18 to play.

9:51: Romo’s fifth turnover is the night might be the one that does Dallas in. On a 2nd and 6 from the 46, Romo scrambled for a few yards, but Bills DE Aaron Schobel knocked the ball loose, and Kyle Williams recovered to give the Bills the ball at the Dallas 48. Unless the Cowboys can get a turnover, or push the Bills back again, even if Buffalo goes three and out or gets stopped quickly, the field position likely won’t be too favorable, and neither will the time on the clock.

6:05: And finally, the big play that needed to come does, as Terence Newman picks off Edwards on a 3rd down from the 11, and takes off the other way. Newman makes it to the 25 before Lee Evans knocks the ball away, but Jay Ratliff recovers it at the 17, and Dallas is back in it.

5:38: This is quickly staritng to be reminiscent of yesterday’s Falcons-Titans game. But, this time around, the Cowboys’ mistakes ARE going to cost them the game. Romo went for it all to Owens, but linebacker John DiGiorgio picked off the fifth pass of the night for the Bills, and just that quickly, Dallas’ potentially best chance went out the window.

3:58: The defense quickly forces a three and out, and the offense will have at least one more crack. But, they’re going to have to go 80 yards to have a shot at tying it up, as Moorman’s punt goes into the end zone.

Two-minute warning: Dallas is moving it again, and has it inside Bills territory, facing a 2nd and 2 from the 47 when the game resumes.

0:24: It’s crunch time, folks. Dallas has a first-and-goal at the 4 after a short pass to Barber turned into a 10-yard gain and a first down. Romo’s at 293 yards now, but how many yards he has won’t matter if the Cowboys can’t get these next four and then convert the two-point conversion.

0:20: Touchdown! Romo gets it to Crayton for the score, and it’s 24-22. Now, for the game’s most important play, a two-point attempt to try to tie it at 24. Two yards separate the Cowboys between a tie game and their first loss of the season.

And, it appears as if the latter will happen, as Romo’s pass for Owens is incomplete. I would have considered running it there, but the ground game hasn’t produced much tonight, so I don’t know if they wanted to go that route for the big play.

It’s not over yet! Nick Folk executes the perfect onside kick, and Nate Jones recovers. After an agonizing wait on the play to be reviewed, the play is upheld, and the Cowboys have one final chance to win it, with the ball at the Buffalo 47.

0:02: It all comes down to this, people. After a catch by T.O. was ruled incomplete, Romo completed passes to Marion Barber to Crayton to get Dallas to the 36.

COWBOYS WIN!: Nick Folk calmly drills a 53-yard field goal to apparently win it, and then, as we’ve seen in multiple games this season, the Bills get the timeout called, just before the snap. But, Folk has ice in his veins, and drills it again, with room to spare, and the Cowboys come from behind to score an amazing, miraculous, and strange, strange, strange win to improve to 5-0.

I’ll have full analysis on the game later on, and it won’t be all positive reviews, but I will be analyzing a win for the fifth straight time this season, and in the end, that’s all that matters.

10:28: The Cowboys have come out of the half moving the ball well, and have converted two third downs on the way to moving into Bills territory. They’re going to have to convert a third third-down play to keep the drive alive, as they face a 3rd and 8 at the Bills’ 43.

10:00: Patrick Crayton just made a big play on the third down to get the Cowboys into the red zone. Crayton caught a short pass and turned it into a 31-yard gain to move Dallas to the 12-yard line. Crayton had another first-down grab on a third-down play earlier in the drive.

9:15: Time for third-down conversion #4? Dallas faces a 3rd and 9 from the 11. But, they can’t make it four for four, as Romo underthrows Witten at the 5, and the Cowboys are forced to settle for a short field goal to make it 17-13.

You would have liked to get the game-tying touchdown right there, but coming out of the locker room and getting points on the first drive is a plus. Now it’s time for the defense to take care of business, and limit the effectiveness of those short passes that Edwards has thrown about 99.5 percent of the time tonight.

8:48: The defense didn’t have to exert themselves when Buffalo got the ball back. But, that’s because Terrence McGee took the kickoff three yards deep and took it all the way back for a 103-yard touchdown. The coverage team has given up a few long returns this season, but this one is, by far, the longest. When you’re trying to make your way back into the game, you can’t afford to let these kinds of things happen.

However, the momentum the offense has built from scoring on the last two possessions might quickly negate the impact of that return touchdown.

I will say this though: If you’re Trent Edwards, you should be beaming right now. The kid hasn’t had to overwork his arm, and even though he’s put only three points on the board, his defense and special teams have put him in a good position to win his second straight start. You know what they say - the best offense is a good defense.

7:31: The Cowboys just missed a big play, as Owens caught Romo’s long pass out of bounds inside the 25. That miss proves costly, as Romo underthrows Owens on another deep ball on 3rd and 8, and the Cowboys have to punt.

McBriar hasn’t had to work his leg much, as he’s punted only twice, with both kicks going well over 50 yards. The first one went 58, and this boot goes 55 yards, right through the end zone, giving the Bills the ball at the 20.

4:28: Edwards is using those short passes with amazing success, as he converted a third and long with yet another one, and has the Bills with a 3rd and short at the Dallas 42 with another short pass that turned into a decent gain. These guys shouldn’t be allowed to have the space to get yards after the catch.

3:33: Big play on the 3rd and 2, as the Cowboys aren’t fooled by the reverse and stop Roscoe Parrish in the backfield to force Buffalo to punt. Unfortunately, the drive took several minutes off of the clock, and following the punt, the Cowboys are going to have to start inside the 10 with time quickly running out of their comeback hopes.

End of the third: Romo has given the Bills a taste of their own medicine on this drive, as he’s completed a couple of short passes that were turned into first downs to help get Dallas into the red zone. The Cowboys will be facing a 3rd and 9 at the Buffalo 18 when the fourth quarter starts.

It was a pretty forgettable start for Dallas tonight, as the Cowboys started from the 2 on their first possession (following a Buffalo punt), and promptly handed the Bills the lead early in the first. On third and 10 from the 2, Tony Romo overthrew Jason Witten, and George Wilson was there to pick the pass off and return it 25 yards for a score.

Four plays into the very next possession, Romo was intercepted again on a pass intended for Witten. But, this time Angelo Crowell did an excellent job of jumping the route and getting a diving pick in front of Witten.

The Bills got the ball at the 44, but the Cowboys defense rose to the challenge and stopped Marshawn Lynch on a 4th and one at the 35.

Romo shook off the two early picks to lead the Cowboys to the game-tying score early in the second, as he completed 5 of 6 passes for 71 yards, including a 22-yard touchdown to a wide-open Witten to get Dallas on the board.

3:26: Unfortunately, rookie QB Trent Edwards has been sharp tonight, and led the Bills right back down the field. The Bills have smartly used a lot of short passes to pick up yards, and Edwards used several to complete 7 of 8 passes for 70 yards on a clock-draining, 15-play, 73-yard drive, getting the Bills in position for a chip shot field goal by Rian Lindell to make it 10-7, and that’s where we are right now.

3:00 - Actually no, that’s not where we are right now, as Romo just threw another pick six. A penalty on the ensuing kickoff put Dallas back at the 11, and on the first play, Romo’s pass was battled in the air, and picked off in the end zone by Chris Kelsay.

At this point, halftime is looking like a welcome sight, unless the Cowboys can get something going on this drive.

2:05: And, it couldn’t have come soon enough, as Romo threw interception #4 moments ago, with Jabari Greer being the lucky recipient.

This one seems to be getting uglier and uglier by the second. When you’ve completed seven passes to your guys and four to the other guys, and you’re still in the first half, you’re in need of some adjustments. As good as Romo has been so far, this is astounding - and not the kind of astounding he’s been in the first four games.

Two-minute warning: The Bills don’t look like they’re going to be putting on an explosive display on offense, but if these kinds of mistakes continue to happen, then Buffalo may well get a chance to wear down the D. As is, Buffalo has held the ball for over 18 minutes already, with Dallas having it less than 10. Something needs to turn around quick, otherwise it could be a pretty humbling (to say the least) nght for the Cowboys. Green Bay had a win in the palm of their hands against the Bears last night, but ruined their chances with turnovers and mistakes. It’d certainly take the wind out of the sails of this team to do that, and out of the much-anticipated matchup with New England on Sunday.

0:36: We’ve still a long way to go, so Dallas isn’t out of it by any means. The door just opened for the Cowboys to get a little momentum before the half, as the Bills just missed a 54-yard field goal, giving Dallas the ball at the 44 with half a minute to go before the break.

Halftime: And, there we go. On 3rd and five from the 49, Romo found Sam Hurd for 22 yards to put the Cowboys into field goal range. Since the last timeout was used after the first play on the drive (a rather curious run call), Romo had to spike it, and Nick Folk came on and booted through a 47-yarder to pull Dallas within a touchdown at the break.

It might have been the worst half Tony Romo will ever have, but that one completion to Hurd might have been what he needed to get things going in the right direction. The Cowboys will have the ball to start the second half, so they’re one drive away from having the game right where they want it.

While we get ready for tonight’s Cowboys-Bills game, here are a few notes form yesterday’s NFL action.

- Bears revitalized, or Green Bay tripping up? I’ll lean more to the latter, even after Chicago ended Green Bay’s unbeaten season with a 27-20 comeback win at Lambeau Field last night.

The Packers were up 17-7 at the half, and 20-7 early in the third. But, one play turned the entire game. And, it was a Favre play circa-2004 or 2005, as opposed to September 2007. He rolled to his right, looked directly into the pressure that was coming directly at him, and instead of throwing it out of bounds, tossed it right into a crowd, where Brian Urlacher picked it off. One play later, Brian Griese threw a touchdown pass to Gregg Olson, and it was 20-17 just like that.

Chicago went three and out on their next possession, but, following a long punt return by Charles Woodson, the ball was knocked loose, and punter Brad Maynard recovered at the Packers’ 41. The Bears would tie it up on a field goal.

From there, Green Bay made mistakes on every possession, and then the Bears won it late with an eight-play, 79-yard drive that culminated in a 34-yard touchdown pass to Desmond Clark with 2:05 left.

- Speaking of revitalization, the Chargers took a huge step forward with a 41-3 annihilation of the Broncos in Denver. It was 17-0 just over a quarter in, and from there, the Chargers ran over the Broncos, who have faded after a 2-0 start. San Diego picked up 484 yards, with 214 coming on the ground. Now that’s more like it, Norv.

- The Giants have rebounded from an 0-2 start to win three straight, including a 35-24 win over the Jets yesterday. Brandon Jacobs returned and ran for 100 yards and a score, and Derrick Ward, who filled in nicely for Jacobs while he missed the last three-plus games, ran for 56 yards and a score.

- However, it’s the Redskins who are in second in the NFC East, after they routed the Lions 34-3. Jason Campbell had the best game of his short career, going 23 of 29 for 248 yards and two touchdowns. The defense harassed Jon Kitna all day, sacking him five times, picking him off twice, and knocking the ball loose three times.

When the Redskins are playing as well as they have so far, you wonder when the slide is going to come. Who knows, maybe the winning tradition is back in the capital city?

- Along with the Redskins, the Cardinals and Texans are much improved over last year. Houston got three 50+ yard field goals from Kris Brown, including a game-winning 57-yarder with no time left, to keep Miami winless in a 22-19 victory.

The Cardinals improved to 3-2, just like the Texans, with a win over a winless team yesterday. Kurt Warner came off the bench again, and then, after Matt Leinart got hurt, stayed in the game to lead the Cardinals to a 34-31 win over 0-5 St. Louis. The Rams finally scored some points, and doubled their offensive touchdown output of the previous four games. But, it wasn’t enough, as two defensive touchdowns helped lead the Cardinals to a victory.

Leinart’s going to be out for an extended period of time, so it’s Warner’s team once again. He seems to be playing like his old (good) self, but will it keep up now that he is the starter, and not just coming off of the bench?

- Speaking of quarterback injuries and winless teams, New Orleans is 0-4 after falling to Carolina 16-13.

The Saints led 13-6, and had ten-minute drive spanning the third and fourth quarters, but a 20-yard field goal by Olindo Mare was blocked. David Carr led the Panthers down for a game-tying score, and then, after Mare missed a 54-yard field goal with two minutes later, Carr led the Panthers down for a 52-yard, game-winning field goal by John Kasay as time expired.

Carr will now be the starter after Jake Delhomme will miss the rest of the season due to elbow surgery. But, the Panthers are one play away from having to turn to our old buddy Matt Moore, and that was very apparent yesterday. Carr hurt his back on a sack late in the first quarter, and Moore came in for the next drive, and completed a 43-yard pass on a drive that resulted in a field goal and a 6-3 Panthers lead.

The Saints, meanwhile, continue to be a turnover machine, after Drew Brees was picked off three times yesterday. Honeymoon’s over, Sean and Reggie.

- The Patriots produced another dominant performance in knocking off the Browns 34-17 yesterday, to go to 5-0. Tom Brady now has 16 touchdown passes in five games.

Will we see Pat Watkins helping to cover Randy Moss on Sunday?

- With the Cowboys yet to play, the Colts are the only other 5-0 team at this point, after Green Bay’s loss. The Colts didn’t have the services of the injured Joseph Addai, but it didn’t matter, as Kenton Keith (who?) rushed for 121 yards and two touchdowns. Now, before you fantasy footballers go and pick up the Keith thinking he’s the next Dominic Rhodes, Addai will likely be back by the Colts’ next game, and Keith likely won’t get too, too many carries from that point.

- While the Colts are intent on running away with the AFC South again, the Jaguars and Titans are trying to keep up. The Jaguars beat Kansas City 17-7 in a laughable performance by the Chiefs. A week after an impressive win at San Diego, the Chiefs bombed at home, and were one second away from a shutout, before Brodie Croyle threw a touchdown pass on the final play.

As for the Titans, they were pretty laughable themselves, but the Falcons were worse, so Tennessee was able to escape with a 20-13 win.

Vince Young (who shouldn’t have to throw it 33 times) was picked off three times, and the Titans fumbled twice more (including one that was returned for a score), missed a field goal, and botched a punt.

But, for all of the chances the Falcons were given, they threw them away by being inept on offense, missing three field goals, and throwing two picks.

Still, Atlanta had a golden opportunity to tie it late. After great penetration on a late punt got the Falcons possession at the 19, Warrick Dunn rushed 18 yards to the 1. Sure score, right? Nope. Byron Leftwich, who came in for an ineffective Joey Harrington, was even less effective, and fumbled on the next play to put the ball at the nine, then was sacked on fourth down to end Atlanta’s hopes.

If you needed any indication to see how bad the Falcons are, you have it. And, if you watched that game yesterday, I feel great sympathy for you.

Meanwhile, the postman has been at Michael Vick’s house for an hour.

- The other two contests were AFC North-NFC West clashes. In a Super Bowl XL rematch, the Steelers dominated the Seahawks offensively and defensively in a 21-0 win. Pittsburgh held the ball for over 40 minutes, and recorded the league‘s first shutout this season.

In the other AFC North-NFC West clash, Baltimore held off San Francisco 9-7. Steve McNair has thrown the ball 96 times in the last two games, but the Ravens had scored only 22 points. As for the 49ers, well, it’s a good thing that Alex Smith’s injury is not as serious as originally thought, though when Frank Gore is barely averaging 60 yards per game and only 3.6 yards per carry, Mike Nolan might as well bring Jim Druckenmiller back.

- One last interesting note, based on something I wrote about in my September NFL report.

After 27 games with 300-yard passers in the first four weeks, there was only one yesterday (Favre threw for 322). On the other hand, there were eight 100-yard rushing performances.

The 4-0 Cowboys are eyeing a perfect record heading into next week’s marquee showdown with New England.

First, though, there’s the matter of beating the Buffalo Bills on the road.

Dallas’ offense has been rolling all season, and put up 35 more points against St. Louis last week in a 35-7 victory at Texas Stadium. Tony Romo threw for 339 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another, and the Cowboys piled up 502 total yards. The defense didn‘t allow an offensive touchdown, and was bolstered by the return of Greg Ellis, who had 1.5 sacks in his first game since last November.

While the Cowboys have been rolling, the Bills have been struggling. But, they got their first win of the season last Sunday, as rookie QB Trent Edwards (who’s got to be pretty happy today after his alma mater knocked off USC) threw for 234 yards and a touchdown in his first career start to lead the Bills to a 17-14 win over the Jets.

Last Time They Played…

Dallas didn’t have their best game, by far, but walked away with a 10-6 win four seasons ago.

Neither team moved the ball very well, as Dallas outgained Buffalo 236-185. The Cowboys were wasteful with their opportunities, as they started from at least their 39 seven times, and could score only twice.

But, a Quincy Carter touchdown pass to Dan Campbell in the first, then a 51-yard field goal by Billy Cundiff early in the third quarter were enough, as the defense shut down Drew Bledsoe and the Bills offense.

Bledsoe was 17 of 34 for 104 yards, and fumbled twice, both of which were recovered by Dallas. The first was recovered at the Bills’ 24, and set up the touchdown.

Carter was 15 of 32 for 116 yards and the score, while Adrian Murrell rushed for 76 yards. Eric Ogbogu (never knew I’d say that name twice in this blog) had 1.5 sacks.

The win improved the Cowboys to 7-2, which had them tied for the best record in the NFC, with eventual NFC champ Carolina. Buffalo dropped to 4-5 with the loss.

LOOKING AT THE BILLS

Offense

Edwards will make his second straight start on Monday night. The third-round pick spent a great amount of his career at Stanford either injured or playing for bad teams, but was considered one of the top QB prospects in the ‘07 draft class.

The Bills have another rookie in the backfield, with starting RB Marshawn Lynch, who’s off to a good start. Lynch, the 16th overall pick in the draft, has rushed for 307 yards and three touchdowns, and caught five passes for 36 yards.

The Bills’ leading receivers are Roscoe Parrish (14 rec., 141 yards) and Josh Reed (10 rec., 128 yards). Lee Evans has 11 catches for 101 yards.

Peerless Price, who played in seven games for the Cowboys in 2005, recently had to have neck surgery and was placed on injured reserve.

The Bills currently rank last in the league in passing offense (146.5 yards), 18th in rushing offense (102.5 yards), and 31st in total offense (249.0 yards).

Defense

The Bills defense has been racked by injuries, which has no doubt contributed to their struggles on the defensive side of the ball thus far.

The defensive line is the only unit that hasn’t been hurt by injuries, as all four starters are currently healthy. Chris Kelsey and Aaron Schobel start on the ends, while veteran Larry Tripplett and Kyle Williams are the starting tackles.

The starting linebackers are Mario Haggan, John DiGiorgio, and Angelo Crowell. Paul Posluszny, the team’s other 2007 first-round pick, broke his left forearm two weeks ago against New England and is out for the season. The former Penn State star had 10 and 12 tackles in his first two games, and appeared well on his way to another double-digit tackle game when he was hurt.

The secondary has been most ravaged. Starting free safety Ko Simpson broke his ankle in the season opener and is out for the season, while his replacement, Jim Leonhard, is out with a calf injury. That means that regular starting strong safety Donte Whitner will move to free safety, and Bryan Scott will start at strong safety. Starting right corner Ashton Youboty is going to miss Monday night’s game with an ankle injury as well, which means Jabari Greer, who had an interception against the Jets, will likely start in his place.

Special Teams

Rian Lindell has been the Bills’ starting placekicker since 2003, and is in his eighth season in the league (he spent the first three in Seattle). Lindell hasn’t gotten many opportunities this season (2 for 3 on field goals, five for five on extra points), but has progressed from an inconsistent kicker to one of the most accurate in the league. In his career, he is 153 of 193 on field goals, and a perfect 229 for 229 on extra points.

Brian Moorman has been the Bills’ punter since the start of the 2001 season, and is consistently among the league’s best. Moorman is averaging 44.8 yards per kick thus far this season, and has a career average of 43.5 yards per kick.

McGee (26.3 yards per return) and Josh Scobey (22.4 yards per return) are the primary kick returners, while the speedy Parrish (punt return for a touchdown) is the team’s punt returner. Parrish has two punt returns for touchdowns in his three-year career.

There are several big games on tap in the first weekend of October.

Dallas-Buffalo will round out the Week 5 slate on Monday night, but before then, we’ve got 13 other games on the schedule.

A couple of strugglers face matchups that could be the make-or-break point for their seasons. The Jets take on the Giants on Sunday afternoon, in a game that’s big not only for the rivalry implications, but also because a loss for the Jets would drop them to 1-4, and well behind in the AFC playoff race.

Also in the AFC, 1-3 San Diego visits 2-2 Denver. A win for the Chargers would put them right back in the thick of the AFC West hunt, but a fourth straight loss would make next week’s game against Oakland a must-win.

In the NFC, winless New Orleans hosts Carolina. That one is as big for the Saints as it is for the Panthers. It could serve as a rejuvenation point for the Saints season, given their poor start and the loss of Deuce McAllister. For the Panthers, it’d show that they can survive without Jake Delhomme, who’ll miss a second straight game due to injury.

Chicago is 1-3, and already three games back in the NFC North, but they have a chance to get on the right track when they visit 4-0 Green Bay at Lambeau on Sunday night. If Favre and the Pack keep rolling, Chicago’s depleted defense is going to have a hard, hard time, especially given their struggles on offense. But, if the Bears find a way to force Favre into mistakes and make Green Bay actually have to run the ball, then this could be the springboard game for Lovie Smith’s guys.

There are also a few big games for teams trying to prove themselves. 2-2 Cleveland go to New England looking to somehow slow down Tom Brady and the Pats. Even if the Browns can just hang tough and stay close, that would be a confidence booster. But, if they get blitzed like the Pats’ other four opponents, it will serve as both a reminder of where the Browns are and just how dominant the Patriots are when they’re on.

3-1 Detroit goes to 2-1 Washington looking to continue their surprising start. The winner of this one has a nice headstart on a playoff spot, if they can keep it going. And, a win for either would also help them in their respective division races.

3-1 Tampa Bay goes to unbeaten Indy for a huge game for the Bucs. They’re coming off a big win at Carolina, but must deal with the losses of Cadillac Williams and Luke Pettigout. The defense has been tough thus far, so if they can dent Peyton Manning’s armor, there’s a chance for the upset.

One of the best games of the weekend should be the Super Bowl XL rematch between the Seahawks and Steelers in Pittsburgh, in a Mike vs. Mike showdown. Both teams have started 3-1, and look like contenders again, though the Steelers took a big step back in their loss at Arizona last Sunday.

Full Week 5 Schedule

Cleveland (2-2) at New England (4-0)
Jacksonville (2-1) at Kansas City (2-2)
Miami (0-4) at Houston (4-0)
Arizona (2-2) at St. Louis (0-4)
Detroit (3-1) at Washington (2-1)
Atlanta (1-3) at Tennessee (2-1)
Seattle (3-1) at Pittsburgh (3-1)
New York Jets (1-3) vs. New York Giants (2-2)
Carolina (2-2) at New Orleans (0-3)
Tampa Bay (3-1) at Indianapolis (4-0)
Baltimore (2-2) at San Francisco (2-2)
San Diego (1-3) at Denver (2-2)

Chicago (1-3) at Green Bay (4-0) - Sunday night
Dallas (4-0) at Buffalo (1-3) - Monday night

Cincinnati (1-3), Minnesota (1-3), Philadelphia (1-3), and Oakland (2-2) all have their bye weeks in Week 5.

It was an interesting, to say the least, four weeks to start the NFL season.

Here’s the good, the bad, the ugly, and the eye-catching, from the first month of the season.

Who’s been the best of the best thus far? The Cowboys are in the mix for the best team thus far, but just miss out, slotting in behind the Patriots, who have absolutely beaten up and beaten down their first four opponents, three of whom are supposed to be playoff-caliber.

Elite Eight

1. Patriots
2. Cowboys
3. Colts
4. Packers
5. Steelers
6. Seahawks
7. Lions
8. Buccaneers

Top Headlines

1. The way the NFC North has played out: After four weeks, the Packers (4-0) and Lions (3-1) are atop the division standings, while the Bears are last in the division at 1-3.

2. The number of supposed contenders that have struggled: The Bears, Chargers, and Eagles are all 1-3, while the Saints are 0-3. The main reasons for each team’s slow start is the subpar play from each team’s supposed strength (Bears’ defense has struggled, and Chargers and Saints have been off on offense).

The Broncos (2-2) have underperformed, and it‘s shown through in two straight losses, while the Ravens (2-2), 49ers (2-2), Panthers (2-2), Bengals (1-3), and Jets (1-3) haven’t performed as they were expected to at the start of the season.

3. The resurgence of Brett Favre: Most, including many Packers fans, have been ready for Favre to retire for a year or two and hand over the reins to Aaron Rodgers.

There was merit to those comments, after Favre’s numbers had declined in the last couple of seasons. But, coming into this season, there was the momentum of winning the last four games last season, and making a late run at a playoff berth.

Favre wasn’t too happy when the Packers couldn’t get Randy Moss in the offseason, and you couldn’t blame him if he had packed it in then, but instead, he’s come out and had a season reminiscent of his prime. By the end of the season, he will have ownership of most of the significant passing records - completions, touchdowns, wins as a starter, and yards. And, there’s also his consecutive games streak, which likely won’t end until he hangs it up, which may well not be for another year or two if he keeps this up.

4. The increased emphasis on offense: Defenses have been getting quite the workout so far. There have already been 27 games where there was at least one 300-yard passer, as opposed to 20 at this point last season (didn‘t reach 27 until Week 7). And, there have been seven games where a team had a 300-yard passer and 100-yard rusher, while there were only three at this point in 2006 (didn‘t get to seven until Week 10).

5. The improvement of last year’s bottom teams: The Lions are 3-1, and Jon Kitna’s suddenly not looking stupid for predicting 10 wins. The Browns are 2-2, and would be 3-1, if not for a blocked field goal against the Raiders, who are 2-2, and could be 3-1 or 4-0, if late-game situations had gone their way. There’s also the Bucs, who are 3-1 and leading the NFC South.

Monthly Awards

September MVP: There are four candidates that stand out. Tom Brady, Randy Moss, Brett Favre, and Tony Romo.

In the end, it comes down to Favre and Moss, who have made the biggest individual difference in their team’s success. You could say Brady more so than Moss, and be justified in it, but Moss is the leader of that new receiving corps that’s helped Brady to a 134.7 rating, 79.2 completion %, and 13 touchdowns in four games.

I’ll go with Favre, considering his and the Packers resurgence was very, very unexpected by pretty much 99% of the NFL world.

Offensive Player of the Month: Brady. Them’s some Playstation numbers there.

Defensive Player of the Month: I’m biased towards picking Anthony Henry, because of his league-leading four interceptions and twelve passes defended.

But, something has to be said for what Nick Barnett of Green Bay (35 tackles, two interceptions, five passes defended) and Barrett Ruud of Tampa Bay (40 tackles, three forced fumbles, and a pick) are doing to lead their teams. Ruud, a third-year ‘backer from Nebraska, is having a breakout year, while Barnett is getting his due as one of the premier linebackers in the league (on track to start his career with a fifth straight season with 100+ tackles).

Offensive Rookie of the Month: Adrian Peterson, Vikings - Peterson has three 100-yard games thus far and has 383 rushing yards through four games, and has proved to be a pretty capable receiver as well, with nine catches for 166 yards and a score.

Defensive Rookie of the Month: Patrick Willis, 49ers - It didn’t take the 11th overall pick long to show why he was so highly touted coming out of Ole Miss. In his debut, Willis recorded 11 tackles and forced a fumble. For the month, he finished tied for third in the league with 38 stops.

October Predictions

Of the good surprises, which will still be going at the end of October? The Packers (underperforming run game), Lions (defense), and Bucs (key injuries on offense) all have flaws that could slow them down in the next month.

The Packers face Chicago and Washington at home and go to Denver at the end of the month. The Packers’ defense should have success against the Redskins and Bears, teams whose offenses aren’t exactly burning up the stat sheets, while the offense should continue to do well, if a) Favre’s arm doesn’t fall off, and b) if the run game can finally, finally get going.

As for the Bucs, they go to Indy on Sunday, then face Tennessee, and finish out the month with games against Detroit and Jacksonville.

From the looks of it, Green Bay should probably be 6-1, the Lions 4-3 or 5-2, and the Bucs 5-3, at best.

Of the contenders who have started poorly, which one is going to have the ship righted by the end of the month? San Diego has the talent on offense and defense to turn it around in a hurry. And, if they can knock off Denver on the road on Sunday, they should win home games against Oakland and Minnesota. A 4-3 record won’t be pretty, but it would more than likely be enough to lead the AFC West.

Which is most likely to hit rock bottom? If the Bengals don’t start playing some defense soon, they’ll be staring at memories of the 90s. With the issues the Bears have on offense, and now on defense (injuries, and not just playing up to par), they need to turn it around quickly to avoid the NFC North cellar.

How will the division races be playing out at the end of the month? AFC East - Patriots will be on the way to clinching by Thanksgiving. AFC North - Steelers will still be on top. AFC South - The Titans, Jaguars, and Texans will all be chasing the Colts, who will be chasing another title. AFC West - This one is a tough call. There are four flawed teams in this division, but it looks like the Broncos are the least flawed.

NFC East - Dallas should be at least two games ahead, if not more. NFC North - If the Packers can take advantage of two winnable home games, they’ll have a solid edge in the division when November starts. NFC South - It all depends on how long Jake Delhomme is out. If he comes back quickly, the Panthers will be just fine. But, if not, the Bucs will pick up enough wins to keep the division lead. NFC West - This one is the Seahawks’ to lose, now that Alex Smith looks to be out for an extended period of time. But, watch out for the Cardinals, if they don’t trip themselves up like they always seem to do, one way or another.

And if they do, well, they are who we thought they were.

September was a great month for the Cowboys. The Wade Phillips era has started off with nothing but success, as Dallas is off to its best and most prolific start.

Here’s a little look back at September, complete with analysis and a little report card.

So Far…: The Cowboys are 4-0. They opened with a 45-35 win over the Giants (the highest-scoring Cowboys-Giants game ever), and have since convincingly beaten the Dolphins (37-20), Bears (34-10), and Rams (35-7).

What’s Gone Right: The question is: What hasn’t gone right? The offense is clicking, the defense is improving, and the team has won every game so far.

What’s Gone Wrong: Well, there is one thing that hasn’t been too pleasant: injuries. Jason Ferguson was lost for the season in the opener with a torn biceps injury, and Terence Newman had his foot issue. Julius Jones was also nicked up in the Bears game.

And, just when Dallas gets Greg Ellis back, and Newman is getting better and better, Anthony Henry, who leads the league in picks and more than picked up the slack with Newman limited/on the sidelines, sprains his ankle in the Rams game.

Performance

When you’re 4-0, averaging nearly 38 points per game, and racking up 440 yards per game on offense, you have few complaints. Not only that, but you also have a defense that has forced the second-most turnovers in the league (11) and is tied for the league lead in turnover margin (+7). And, that same defense is giving up an average of only 253 yards per game in the last three weeks, while allowing only two offensive touchdowns in the last nine quarters.

The Cowboys have played it tight in the first half, but have had leads in three of four games, and were tied at the half against the Bears. But, the second half has been where Dallas has found its rhythm, outscoring their opponents 107-33 in the third and fourth quarters.

Makings of an A? Indeed.

Grade: A

Offense

There’s nothing better than a nice, balanced offense, or a quarterback who’s averaging 300 yards and three touchdowns a game.

Coming into the season, a lot of people were questioning Tony Romo’s abilities as a quarterback and as a leader, and many have had him penciled in for failure. However, he’s stuck it to the critics thus far, completing 60.3% of his passes for 1,200 yards, 11 touchdowns, and only one interception. Romo has had three 300+ yard games already, equaling his mark from last year, and is quickly climbing up the team record charts in that category.

He’s well on pace to break Danny White’s 1983 marks for yards (3,980) and touchdowns (29). Moreover, he’s continuing to develop into an excellent leader, which is more important than big yards and touchdowns.

T.O. is off to a great start, but what’s been more encouraging is the contributions from the other pass-catchers, with Terry Glenn out at least until the second half of the season. Sam Hurd had 100+ yards receiving against the Giants, while Crayton had a huge game against the Rams on Sunday, catching seven passes for 184 yards and two touchdowns.

With Romo doing so well, it might be easy to forget about the fact that the run game is doing very well.

The only potential negative is the fact that they’ve had a couple of slow starts, but they’ve gotten it going at the right time in each game to take care of business comfortably.

Grade: A

Defense

The defense didn’t have a great opener, allowing 35 points against the Giants and allowing Eli Manning to throw for 312 yards and four scores, but has buckled down since.

It took a couple of games, but DeMarcus Ware has gotten on track, and has three sacks in the last two games. We should start seeing a few more sacks now that Greg Ellis (1.5 sacks in his return) is back to health.

The secondary got torched in the first game, and gave up 287 yards against Trent Green, but has excelled in the past few games, picking off nine passes. And, with Terence Newman getting back to full strength following his foot issues, that makes the defensive backfield even stronger.

Grade: B

Special Teams

It’s a little scary when you’ve got a rookie kicker in there, but Nick Folk has passed with flying colors so far. Folk is six of seven on field goals, with the lone miss coming on a block.

Mat McBriar is punting well again, when he’s had to. On 15 kicks, McBriar is averaging 46.4 yards per kick, with five of his kicks going inside the 20.

The Cowboys have gotten a couple of long returns on kickoffs and punts. Patrick Crayton had a 49-yard return against the Dolphins that helped change that game in the second half.

On the negative side, the coverage team has given up some big ones as well, including an 85-yard punt return for a score by Dante Hall on Sunday.

Grade: B

How October Shapes Up

The Cowboys have a Monday night game at Buffalo in Week 5, then face their stiffest test of the season when the seemingly unstoppable New England Patriots come to town on the 14th.

Following that game, the Cowboys take on the Vikings at home the following week, which will be their last game of the month, since Dallas has their bye week in Week 8.

Dallas is looking at being at least 6-1, and if they can knock off New England, a 7-0 record going into a three-week stretch in November that sees them face their NFC East rivals (at Philly on Nov. 4, at New York on Nov. 11, and vs. Washington on Nov. 18).

The New England game will be the test to see just how much of a contender the Cowboys are. If they stop the Patriots, who most think has been the best team in the league thus far, then that will cement their status as the NFC‘s top team and a definite Super Bowl contender. And, being 7-0 after October would mean that stretch in November could very well be where they nail down their first NFC East title since 1998.