A Dallas Cowboys Blog

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.

Manning Out for the G-Men?

Well, just when you think luck isn’t on your side, turns out someone else has it a little worse than you.

The Giants may be without Eli Manning from anywhere as long as a week or a month, after it was reported by ESPN’s Chris Mortensen that Manning’s right shoulder suffered a slight separation when he was driven into the ground on a hit by Anthony Spencer in the fourth quarter of Sunday night’s game.

But, there are conflicting reports and comments about just how serious the injury is, with Manning saying that it was just a little sore, and Giants coach Tom Coughlin questioning the validity of the report given to Mortensen.

If Manning does miss a month, he’ll miss games against the Packers, Redskins, Eagles, and Jets. Three of the four games are at home, with the Redskins game in two weeks being the only road game. It’s not as if they have to play New England or Indy or the Saints, but none of those teams will be a cakewalk, so even if Manning is less than 100 percent, that could kill the Giants’ NFC East and playoff hopes pretty quickly.

Running back Brandon Jacobs is week-to-week after his knee injury in Sunday night’s game, and, while he’s out, Derrick Ward, who ran for 89 yards, including a 44-yard run, will start in his place.

Cheater, Cheater

If you stick your hand in the cookie jar one time too many, you’re going to get caught.

The Patriots are one of the best teams in the league, so you would think that they wouldn’t have to resort to underhanded techniques to get an advantage over their opponents. But, for some reason, the boys in Foxboro think it’s okay to play ‘I Spy’ with their opponents. On Sunday, NFL security officials took a camera and videotape from a New England video assistant on their sideline, and the video evidence showed that he (Matt Estrella, the zoom is on you now!) was taping the Jets’ defensive signals.

Sneaky, sure. But, Roger Goodell certainly doesn’t approve, and New England may be getting punished very shortly, with the sanctions potentially including getting draft picks taken away from them.

A lot of people don’t like the Patriots because they’ve won so much, but now there’s an actual reason to dislike them. They may well not be the only team in the league who does this kind of thing, but this isn’t the first time the Patriots have gotten in the news for it, after a Patriots’ staff member was suspiciously carrying a camera around on the Packers’ sideline.

It may well not make that huge of a difference in the Patriots running over their opponents, but ethically and competitively, it’s a low move, and a slap in the face to the league, who’s been trying to crack down on anything negative, both competitively and conduct-wise.

Of course, the Pats will have their chance to explain themselves, but from the looks of it, the water’s juuuuuust a little bit on the hot side.

Hopes Now High for Injured Bills’ TE

A day after doctors said that Kevin Everett’s chances of walking again were very slim, the prognosis has drastically shifted in the positive.

On Monday, his doctor said that the injury that he had suffered was life-threatening and that it was very unlikely that he’d walk again. It appears that the Bills’ tight end must have heard what the doctor was saying, as today, he voluntarily moved his arms and legs, which has the doctor now very optimistic about Everett’s chances of walking again.

His hopes of returning to the football field might be pretty slim, but if he’s able to walk again, that will be a bigger victory than any that he’s experienced on the football field. I, along with everyone else, wish him all the best and a speedy recovery.

Several teams, including the Cowboys, made early statements, and a few teams fell flat on their faces in the first week of the regular season.

On Thursday, the Indianapolis Colts started off their run to a repeat wth a 41-10 thrashing of the New Orleans Saints. It was a 10-10 game at halftime, but the Colts were just plain dominant in the second half, scoring 31 points. Peyton Manning threw for 288 yards and three scores, two to Reggie Wayne, and one to his favorite target, Marvin Harrison. Joseph Addai ran for 118 yards and a score, and Wayne caught seven passes for 118 yards. The game was expected to be an offensive shootout, and it was, but it was one of the one-sided variety. The impressive thing about the win was not the Colts’ offensive output, because we’re accustomed to it, but the fact that the defense, which was expected to, well, stink, held down Drew Brees (28 of 41, 192 yards, 2 INT) and the duo of Reggie Busch (12 carries, 38 yards) and Deuce McAllister (10 carries, 38 yards).

Randy Moss showed Packers’ GM Ted Thompson why he should’ve signed him, catching nine passes for 183 yards and a score in his Patriots’ debut, as New England made a statement of their own in a 38-14 win at the Meadowlands against the Jets. Tom Brady was 22 of 28 for 297 yards and three scores, and Chad Pennington got hurt again. The highlight of the game was Ellis Hobbs’ NFL record 108-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to start the second half.

San Diego wasn’t an offensive machine against the Bears, but in the end, L.T. and the Chargers picked up a 14-3 win over Chicago in Norv Turner’s debut. Tomlinson was held to 25 yards on 17 carries, but threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Gates in the third to put the Chargers up 7-3, and scored on a 7-yard run to seal the game in the 4th. Rex Grossman was only 12 of 23 for 145 yards and an interception, and if he struggles regularly this season, the Bears will be shopping for a QB in the offseason (because as nice as Brian Griese and Kyle Orton may be, the draft will offer about 39 better possibilities).

Ben Roethlisberger threw for four touchdowns, and Willie Parker ran for 109 yards, as the Steelers handed the Browns their first of what Cowboys fans hope will be many, many losses this season, in a 34-7 rout. It looks like Sunday’s game was the last in the Charlie Frye experiment, as he’s headed to the Seahawks to become Matt Hasselbeck’s backup.

Three games were won on last-second field goals. The Packers capitalized on two punt return mistakes by the Eagles, the last giving them a chance for a game-winning, 43-yard field goal by rookie kicker Mason Crosby with two seconds left to give Green Bay a 16-13 win. Greg Lewis and J.R. Reed both muffed punts in the game, with Lewis’ being recovered in the end zone for the Packers’ only touchdown, and Reed’s giving the Packers the field position they needed in the final minute. Here’s a suggestion for the Eagles: Lito Sheppard.

Shaun Suisham kicked three field goals for the Redskins, including a 39-yarder in OT to give the Redskins a 16-13 win over Miami. Washington was the better team offensively, racking up 400 yards to Miami’s 273, but

Denver dominated Buffalo all game long, but needed a 42-yard field goal from Jason Elam as time expired to leave Buffalo with a 15-14 win. Elam had missed two field goals prior to his game-winning kick, which came after Jay Cutler conjured up memories of John Elway, leading the Broncos down the field and converting two 4th downs. Denver outgained Buffalo 470-184, with Cutler throwing for 304 yards and Travis Henry running for 159. The game’s most notable moment, however, was an injury to Bills’ tight end Kevin Everett, who suffered a serious spinal injury making a tackle in the third quarter, and may be permanently paralyzed.

Detroit and Houston gave definite signs of improvement in impressive wins on Sunday. The Texans recorded a 20-3 win over the Chiefs at Reliant Stadium. Matt Schaub threw for 225 yards and a score, and Ahman Green ran for 73 yards in their debuts. Andre Johnson caught seven passes for 142 yards a 77-yard score. The Chiefs, meanwhile, stank, as Damon Huard was picked off twice, and Larry Johnson ran for only 43 yards.

The Lions scored 16 points in the last 4:15 to pick up a 36-21 win over Oakland. Jon Kitna threw for 289 yards and three touchdowns, including a 32-yarder to Shaun McDonald to give the Lions a 26-21 lead. Tatum Bell ran for 87 yards and the game-sealing score with 1:16 to go. Calvin Johnson caught four passes for 70 yards and a score in his Lions debut.

The Ravens are supposed to be the favorite in the AFC North, but got off to a bad start with a 27-20 loss at Cincinnati. Carson Palmer threw for two touchdowns, and the Bengals were the ones who came up with the big defense when it mattered, picking off Kyle Boller in the end zone with less than a minute and a half left to seal the win. Boller was in the game because Steve McNair suffered a groin injury in the first, and even though he stayed in until the fourth, couldn’t go on the last drive. Hopefully for the Ravens’ sake, it’s not going to bite them, because I don’t think Brian Billick wants to go back up the Boller tree again, unless he really, really has to, or unless Boller is better than he was previously as a starter.

The Other Games

Adrian Peterson ran for 103 yards and had a 60-yard touchdown reception in his Vikings debut as Minnesota scored a 24-3 win over Atlanta. The Falcons played very poorly, and better improve very, very quickly, otherwise it’s going to be a long, long year. But, hey, there’s a Brian Brohm at the end of the rainbow! If Bobby Petrino calls nothing but runs up the middle, screen passes, and long bombs for the rest of the season, we might have to wonder if there’s a little something going on.

Chris Brown ran for 175 yards and then jetted to Las Vegas for a standout performance at the VMAs, and the Titans beat the Jaguars 13-10 in a game that shouldn’t have been anywhere near that close.

Alex Smith conjured up some Montana-like memories, leading the 49ers on a game-winning touchdown drive in the final minutes to lead San Francisco to a 20-17 win over Arizona. Smith played horribly all game long, until the final drive, when he completed six passes, and had a 25-yard run on a 4th and 1 that got the 49ers to the Cardinals’ 20. The final drive was affected by the rulebrook. Arnaz Battle caught a ball over the middle and got to the 1 before the ball was jarred loose and knocked into the end zone. The Cardinals’ Eric Green missed on the recovery, and it was recovered by a 49ers player. Under two minutes, if there’s a fumble, the player who fumbled it must recover it, otherwise it goes back to the fumbled spot. On the next play, Battle atoned for his fumble by going into the end zone on an end around to give the 49ers the winning score.

And, Seattle picked up a 20-6 win over the Bucs. If Matt Hasselbeck and Shaun Alexander stay healthy, the Seahawks are certainly a contender in the NFC. If not, it could be a repeat of last year, when they fell on their faces after their run to the Super Bowl in 2005.

We’ve got week one behind us. What will the next sixteen weeks bring?

- Jason Ferguson is going to miss the rest of the season due to a right biceps tear in the first quarter of last night’s win. Ferguson had played in 81 straight games.

Jay Ratliff took over for Ferguson and played well, with three tackles and Dallas’ only sack, and he’ll likely be the starter from here, unless the Cowboys decide to make a move to pick someone up. If Gerard Warren was still available, he’d be a great option, but that’s not the case. Ratliff showed last night that he could be counted on, so that’s a little assurance.

But, behind Ratliff, there really aren’t any other options, in case something happens to him. Jason Hatcher can play tackle if needed, but it would be a good idea to check out the market and see if there’s at least someone who can provide quality depth.

- Things don’t sound very promising on the Terry Glenn front. Glenn reinjured his right knee in practice last week, and isn’t close to returning anytime soon. And, in fact, he may not play at all this season. If Glenn has arthriscopic surgery on the knee, it could keep him out for only three to five weeks, but the knee could still be a problem. What might be the better option for his body might be the option that no one would like to have to go to. If he has microfracture surgery, that could knock him out for the rest of the season, but at least we’d be able to count on him being healthy for next season.

Since we won’t be seeing him for a while either way, that means Patrick Crayton and Sam Hurd are going to be of great importance. The two combined for four catches, 102 yards, and Hurd’s 51-yard touchdown, so if the old adage plays out true, and that two is indeed better than one, Tony Romo will be able to breathe easy when he’s in the pocket. And hey, with Glenn’s extended absence, that might mean we’ll start seeing more of Isaiah Stanback. Yay! (especially if you’re Mickey Spagnola)

- Terence Newman and Greg Ellis may be back in acton very soon. Newman’s foot has kept him out since before the second preseason game against the Broncos, while Ellis has been out since the second day of training camp, with nagging heel issues.

If Newman can be back for Sunday, that will definitely be a relief, if he’s at full strength. Ellis’ return could create a debate about who to start at strong side linebacker. Anthony Spencer has been steadily improving, and will likely continue to see the majority of the snaps there, at least while Ellis gets worked back into action. Can’t say it’s a bad problem to have, because no matter who starts, the Cowboys won’t have to worry about missing a beat when they rotate at the position. Of course, a lot depends on how effective Ellis is, and if the heel doesn’t start bothering him again. If he’s effective, then that will not only be a benefit to the team, but also for Spencer and his development, because it would allow him to continue his development gradually, instead of having to worry about having too, too much responsibility on him right off the bat.

Wade Phillips walks off a winner in his regular-season debut on the Cowboys’ sidelines, and the Cowboys outslug the Giants in a shootout. The game was the highest-scoring ever in the history of the Giants-Cowboys rivalry, and made the Cowboys 5-0 in season openers vs. New York.

Both teams racked up well over 400 yards, with the Giants totaling 438, and the Cowboys 478. Both quarterbacks went for over 300, with Manning going for 312 and four scores, and Romo going for 345 and four scores.

Plaxico Burress led all receivers with eight catches for 144 yards, and three scores, and Jason Witten was the Cowboys’ leading receiver with six catches for 116 yards and a score. Amani Toomer caught nine passes for 91 yards to back up Burress’ big night, and T.O. got held down for a while, but ended up making a huge difference in the second half with his two touchdown catches.

Julius Jones and Marion Barber are both on pace for 1,000 yard seasons, after recording 66 and 65 yards respectively. Barber picked up a score on the ground, and Romo scored his first career rushing touchdown as well. And, Derrick Ward showed why Tom Coughlin made him the backup over the more experienced and proven Reuben Droughns, by rushing for 89 yards on 13 carries, and catching four passes for 27 yards and a score.

It was far from perfect, if you’re considering the defense, and a couple of crucial mistakes that were made - a Tyson Thompson fumble that led to three points at the end of the first half, Romo’s interception that led to a touchdown, and Jacques Reeves getting burned on all three of Burress’ touchdowns. But, if this is what we’re going to see from the offense all season long, then you’ve got to feel pretty good about the Cowboys’ chances, because the defense is definitely going to play much, much better on most nights than they did tonight.

Offensive MVP: Romo, of course. He shredded the Giants’ defense all night long, and matched Manning blow for blow, and then some. He completed only 15 passes tonight, but he definitely made the most of them. All fifteen completions went for at least 10 yards or more, with seven going for 20+ yards, and touchdowns of 12, 22, 47, and 51 yards. He did have the one interception, but he made up for it with a perfectly thrown pass to Sam Hurd that went for the game-sealing, 51-yard touchdown with three minutes to go. And, as an added bonus, he moved well, getting sacked only once, and making a couple of nice plays with his legs, including the nine-yard touchdown run late in the third to make it 31-19 at the time.

Defensive MVP: In a game where there wasn’t very much defense, it’s hard to give anyone an award. The injury bug did as much damage to the Giants as the Dallas defense could have. Starting running back Brandon Jacobs was knocked out in the first half, and then, Eli Manning was knocked out of the game in the fourth. But, in all seriousness, you’d probably have to give it to the two starting safeties, who combined for 15 tackles. Or, you could give it to the front seven, who, despite recording only one sack on the night, pressured Manning several times, some successfully and some unsuccessfully. Besides the hit by Spencer that helped knock Manning out, there was the sack on the two-point conversion play in the fourth that kept it at 38-28 and made things just a little harder on the Giants, even after they quickly pulled within three, and also helped knock Manning out a few minutes early.

LOOKING AHEAD

The Cowboys go to South Florida for their first road game of the season, a tilt with the Miami Dolphins next Sunday afternoon. The Dolphins dropped a tight one at Washington today, getting beaten 16-13 in overtime, as former Cowboys kicker Shaun Suisham nailed a 39-yarder five and a half minutes into OT to give the ‘Skins the win.

The Dolphins were outgained 191-66 on the ground, as Clinton Portis (98 yards) and Ladell Betts (59 yards) led the Redskins’ offense, which also got 162 yards receiving from Antwaan Randle El.

So, that bodes well for Julius Jones and Marion Barber, and also for Tony Romo and the Cowboys’ pass-catchers.

Will we see Terence Newman on Sunday? I certainly hope so, but only if he’s actually going to benefit the team by being on the field, and not be a liability. I imagine Reeves is going to get plenty of first-team reps this week in practice, just so he can be prepared. Also, how serious is Ferguson’s injury. Jay Ratliff is a reliable backup and recorded three tackles and the only sack of the night for Dallas, but you don’t want to see your starter out for too long, if at all.

Chris Chambers doesn’t present as much of a matchup problem as Burress did for the secondary, but he’ll still be more than a handful, so they best be prepared.

But, for now, it’s time to celebrate at least for a few hours, as the Cowboys started the season off on the right foot, with an impressive (at least offensively) win over their fierce rivals. And, even better, we got a fist pump from Wade Phillips. We’ll track that story as more becomes available.

8:27: The Giants convert yet another third down, as Reuben Droughs goes for five on a third-and-one.

7:26: Manning finds an open Amani Toomer for a 14-yard gain to the four, and the Giants are within striking distance of a big score. Burress has seven catches for 134 yards and the two touchdowns, but Toomer has quietly had a pretty good game, with eight catches for 90 yards. Manning is closing in on 300 yards.

7:20: The Cowboys get pressure on Eli, but he dumps it off to Ward, who has some space and gets into the end zone. Manning has done that a number of times in the game, and it got a great return right there.

The Giants go for the two to try to pull within eight, since it’s that time of the game where you may as well take your chances. But, the pressure comes again, and this time Manning can’t get rid of the ball before it’s jarred loose, and the score remains 38-28.

On the first play of the drive, Romo throws over the middle, and Gibril Wilson plays the play perfectly and picks the pass off, then returns it to the 23. With seven minutes left, it’s far, far, far from over.

5:00: On third and three, Manning hooks up with rookie Steve Smith for a first down to the 11, and the drive continues. The Cowboys need to stop the Giants short of the end zone, because having a three-point lead in the final minutes, with a pass defense that’s gotten burned more than a few times tonight, is cutting it just a little too close to the vest.

4:09: On second down, Manning gets all the time in the world to throw, slings it over the middle, and finds Burress in the back of the end zone for his third score of the night. Reeves gave Burress too much space, and that let Burress get behind him and Roy Williams to snag the ball and get the two feet down.

Now it’s time for the Cowboys to answer, or at least run as much time off the clock as possible. The Giants have all of their timeouts, so at least a couple of first downs would be nice. Thompson atones for his earlier gaffe by returning the kick to the 46 to give Dallas great field position.

3:03: Sam Hurd beats R.W. McQuarters and catches a bullet from Romo, and wins the foot race to the end zone for a 51-yard, back-breaking touchdown. Romo has thrown for four scores now, and has absolutely carved the Giants apart tonight, and has reached a career high in yards with 345. And, he’s done it on only 24 attempts and 15 completions. Minus the interception, which he quickly made up for, it’s been a near-perfect night for him.

Jared Lorenzen is going to come in the game for the Giants, as it appears Manning has had some shoulder issues that are just a little too much for him to continue. According to Al Michaels, it’s a bruised right shoulder. They’re showing the replay now, and it looks like the injury occurred when Anthony Spencer yanked him down to the ground on the failed two-point play, and Manning landed directly on his shoulder. Unfortunate for Eli, who did all he could to try to lead his team to the win tonight, going 28 of 41 for 312 yards and four scores.

2:08: On fourth down, Lorenzen runs for it, and slides to a halt just short of the first down marker. Maybe he didn’t want to get his head knocked off, but it’s not the play that the Giants needed to happen right there. Nail in the coffin? I think so.

Late third: The Cowboys are driving towards a score, after Romo hooked up with Jason Witten on a 38-yard catch, and Marion Barber just ran it for about 15 yards, but their lead could certainly be a little bigger. Terence Newman is out tonight, and his replacement, Jacques Reeves, has gotten burned twice by Plaxico Burress for touchdowns.

Thankfully, the Cowboys offense has been clicking all night, and just as I type that, Romo rolls out to his left, sees some open field, and runs nine yards for a score, and it’s 31-19 Dallas, just that quickly.

The Giants scored three plays into the game, when Eli Manning hit Burress for a 60-yard touchdown. The extra point was botched, and it was only 6-0.

From there, the Cowboys scored 17 straight points, on a 31-yard Nick Folk field goal (so far, so good), an 18-yard Barber touchdown, and a 12-yard touchdown from Romo to Witten.

But, the Giants pulled within one at halftime, with 10 points in twenty seconds. Manning hit Burress for his second touchdown, and then, Tyson Thompson fumbled the ensuing kickoff, which led to a Lawrence Tynes field goal seconds before the half.

But, order was restored quickly, as Romo and T.O. hooked up for a 22-yard score three minutes into the quarter. Tynes kicked his second field goal to make it 24-19, and then, on the Cowboys’ last drive, it took only four plays to go 67 yards for the score.

But, the Giants have gone right back down the field. Brandon Jacobs suffered a knee injury in the first half, and Derrick Ward has taken over for him. Ward didn’t do much for a good while, but he just busted loose for a 44-yard run on the last play of the third that got the Giants inside the 10.

For the most part, though, the Cowboys have done a great job with run defense, holding the Giants to 52 yards minus that big run by Ward. The pass defense could definitely be better, but Giants fans are likely saying the same thing, because Romo has had a great night so far. And, it hasn’t been all bad for Reeves, who had an interception and an 18-yard return to the Giants’ 23 that helped set up the Cowboys’ second touchdown.

The injury bug has bitten both teams so far. Besides Jacobs’ injury, DE Osi Umenyora got knocked out for the game due to a lower leg injury. And, just now, on the kickoff following his third field goal to make it 31-22, Tynes had to be attended to following the ensuing kickoff, and cornerback Kevin Dockery (former Mississippi State alum) had to be helped off of the field. And, for the Cowboys, Jason Ferguson left the game in the first quarter with a right elbow injury, and didn’t return.

Oh, look at that! T.O. at his finest! After Romo hooked up with Crayton on the first play of the drive to get the Cowboys across midfield, and a Jones run that went nowhere, Romo went for Owens, who got it, broke the tackle in stride, and sped to the end zone for his second score of the night, and it’s 38-22 with twelve minutes to go.

After getting shut down in the first half, T.O. has three catches for 87 yards, and the two scores (22 and 47 yards). Romo now has 294 yards on 14 of 22 passing, and three touchdowns.

It’s not over yet, but it’s close. A stop here may well seal it. That is, if the secondary doesn’t continue to allow Manning to keep going downfield.

This is how I think the division will shake out this season. If I end up being wrong, don’t hold me to it. If I’m right, a steak dinner would be nice.

1. Cowboys - Sure, the Cowboys have a new coach. But, they also have the best all-around talent on offense, and the best defense in the division. Many people are questioning Tony Romo’s abilities, but if he makes full use of the talent at his disposal and continues his development into a leader, that’ll shelve any doubts about his worth as a franchise quarterback.

More importantly though, is the performance of the defense. The expectations are high, with Wade Phillips’ new 3-4 seemingly a perfect fit for the Cowboys’ defensive personnel, and if the front seven disrupts, disrupts, disrupts for 60 minutes, that’ll relieve the pressure there is on the secondary to have to be all over the place.

The key for the Cowboys is overcoming the injury bug. The quicker Terence Newman’s foot becomes less of an issue, the less there is to worry about. And, the returns of Greg Ellis and Terry Glenn will make the team much stronger in those positions. There are places that depth could be an issue (corner, defensive line, receiver), but in the end, it’s all about finding a way to win, through injuries or any other problems that arise. And, it will make a great difference to have an even-keeled coach like Phillips, who won’t let his team get too far ahead of themselves, and on the flip side, get too overwhelmed if there are any bumps in the road.

2. Eagles - If McNabb stays healthy, the Eagles are going to be at least a playoff team. The question is: How will the defense play? Defensive struggles were a problem last season, and that’s the one thing that could really deter them from being a serious contender.

3. Giants - They’re the wild card in the division. If they put it together, Eli Manning and Co. could challenge the Cowboys and Eagles for the division. But, there are many areas where they could struggle, and that’s why they could very well end up under .500 just as easily. Tom Coughlin’s job is on the line (at least it should be!), so we’ll see how his team rallies behind him, and behind Manning, who has to show just how much of a leader he is, not only to shut Tiki Barber up, but to get the best out of his guys.

4. Redskins - There’s hope. But, in a division where the other three teams are all capable of doing well in the playoffs, it might be tough sledding for the ‘Skins. But, an improved Jason Campbell, a healthy Clinton Portis, and an improved defense could mean Washington at least has some sort of role in deciding the division, maybe not as an actual contender, but as a spoiler.

Key Game

Eagles at Cowboys, Week 15: Last season, the division was decided in Week 16. Just a few weeks prior, the division title seemed to be firmly within Dallas’ clutches, and the Eagles were trying to overcome Donovan McNabb’s second straight season-ending injury and a 5-6 record.

But, three straight wins for Philadelphia and two losses in three games made the Christmas night game in Dallas the division decider.

Philly was the coal in the Cowboys‘ stockings, as backup Jeff Garcia threw for 238 yards and a touchdown, Brian Westbrook ran for 122 yards, and the defense shut down the Cowboys’ offense in a 23-7 victory. The win completed the season sweep for the Eagles, which gave the Eagles the pivotal tiebreaker, which they didn’t need when a Philly win and Dallas loss the next week sealed the Eagles’ division title.

It may well come down to a matchup in Dallas again. It’ll be the Cowboys’ final home game before finishing up at Carolina and Washington, and they can’t afford to let a repeat of last year happen, because you don’t want to go into the final two games with ground to make up, or with someone right on your tail.

Names You Need to Remember

Chris Canty, Cowboys: If there’s anyone that might have benefited the most from the new defensive scheme, it’s Canty. He’ll have plenty of opportunities to get into the backfield this season, and given how much of a matchup problem he presents to opposing linemen because his size and his mobility, that could mean a big year for the third-year end, especially when defenses might be paying more attention to the linebackers regularly trying to wreak havoc, and with Marcus Spears on the other side.

Reggie Brown, Eagles: Brown had a solid second year in Philadelphia, catching 46 passes for 818 yards and eight touchdowns. He’s the #1 guy now, and with the Eagles sure to put the ball in the air with regularity, the former Georgia Bulldog could end up over 1,000 yards and in double digits in touchdowns.

Brandon Jacobs, Giants: Now that Tiki’s in the studio, it’s Jacobs’ turn to carry the load. In his first two seasons, he scored 16 touchdowns in only 137 carries. As a rookie, he had seven touchdowns in 38 carries, and last season scored nine in 99 carries, while averaging nearly 4.5 yards per carry. He doesn’t need to rush for 1,500 yards and 20 touchdowns, but if he can consistently run well, that’ll keep the pressure off of Eli Manning to have to win every game with his arm.

Rocky McIntosh, Redskins: Warrick Holdman was a liability at linebacker last season. McIntosh is going to take over at that spot, and the former Miami star, Washington’s first-round pick in 2006, is going to have a key role in shoring up the Redskins’ defense.