Ode to Nick Folk

Nick Folk kicked the ball very well
Until he started missing a lot
The Cowboys got tired of it
And then they fired him
and hired sean suisham instead

Sorry, not my best "Ode" I've ever written, I must've missed a few rhymes and missed on a few syllables...oddly appropriate though.

Anyway, the ode tells all, the Cowboys have officially fired Nick Folk. I already miss him. Like I said in my last entry, I still love the guy for that Buffalo game a year or two ago. Anyway Nick, in all seriousness, you kicked well, but in the strange world of kicking, when you start missing like that, I think it's better for the team and your self esteem that we just break it off now. Nick Folk was 18-28 and had missed more field goals than any kicker in the league at the start of last game, and though he said he'd be open for a return, I think it's safe to say the Cowboys are looking to go in a different direction. We've picked up the former Redskins kicker Sean Suisham, who I am struggling to find stats for because he's been out of football and is no longer included in the NFL databases (bad sign?) Anyway, hopefully he'll be able to step up and make some field goals against his old team. More about the rivalry game this weekend after Christmas, check back later. Merry Christmas everyone!

I'm BACK!

Hiatus? Please, I just had to battle through exams, which was quite a struggle, but now, beautiful, wonderful, dear readership, I, Blake, have returned. To right the ship, to save Zion, to stop Al Capone, to bring balance to the force, or, without poetic license, to continue writing for this fantabulous blog.
So Cowboys fans...news, I suppose that's what I should write about, that's generally what you guys would like to hear yes? So news, I need news, lets see, what's been going on with the Cowboys, perhaps that Tony Romo is the new holder for the hapless Nick "can't kick the ball between two sticks" Folk (I know I know but Folk is a tough word to rhyme with if you pronounce the L, now Fok...you've got choke, croak, stuff like that, but I just don't feel good with a slant rhyme, he needs to go down with some dignity). Or that, O wait, that's right...sorry I've been outta practice on the blog for awhile...
WE JUST BEAT THE UNDEFEATED NEW ORLEANS SAINTS!!!
Ok ok I'm done being ridiculous, I'll get down to the meat and potatoes of the game, you guys can only read my obnoxious fluff for so long:
Overall impressions of the game:
The Cowboys looked like, believe it or not, a fairly well coached team tonight. The offense FINALLY played to the game plan everyone has been waiting for, the run setting up the pass gameplan with Tony being allowed to make plays while the running game ate up yardage and time, winning the time of possession battle. It was a beautiful sight. Also the defense was flying around, making tackles, creating turnovers (which is huge against a team like the Saints) and maintaining pressure on Brees all night. Not to mention the lead we had turned New Orleans into a one-dimensional passing team with early scores, which is much easier to defend then when they can dictate the game to you and maintain a balanced offense. It all fell into place for the Cowboys tonight, and we beat one of the two undefeated teams in the NFL, lets hope they keep this train a'rollin.
Offensive Perspective:
The offense looked really balanced tonight, without any turnovers. We had 145 yards rushing and 294 net yards passing. We had 36:26 minutes of possession, and we were 8/15 on 3rd down, 53% (the Saints third down percentage coming soon, stay tuned, it's Bla-key's to the win). Tony Romo played incredibly well, with the passing yards shown above and completing 22 of 34 pass attempts. Felix Jones was finally used in full drives, making it less obvious when we were going to try and turn him loose, and Marion Barber being rested with true time splitting and being able to truly push some people around, looking like the predator of old. O and thank goodness for Miles Austin. But yes, all in all a great effort.
POG: Tony Romo
FOG: Roy Williams...could use a lil' more outta ya buddy, but then again, you are a UT grad, what can we really expect.
Defensive Perspective:
The defense played great, holding one of the leagues most prolific offenses to only 17 points. The Saints had only 65 yards rushing, though they did have 271 yards passing, but they are the Saints, that's a less than average passing performance for them. They also were able to pick Drew Brees off once, were able to sack him 4 times for 27 yards, and caused 2 fumbles (thank goodness D Ware was ready for this game), and most of all, on 3rd downs the Saints were only 1 of 7. An old coach of mine once told me that to win, you have to win the 3rd down battle, if that's the case, that was utter domination tonight by our Boys. They had a slight let up when the Saints went on their run, but all in all they came up when they needed to, which hasn't happened in awhile and was nice to see.
POG: Demarcus Ware caused both fumbles, he is so very key to the Cowboys success
FOG: Poor Nick Folk, you're still a hero in my book from that Buffalo game, but I think it's time we move on, he just cannot kick any more, the confidence is gone, and that's tough for a kicker to get back.

Hiatus

Looks like we were the last to know we are on hiatus - BUT WE ARE!
Me and Blake will be back to our vernacular spectacular here at Dallas Football Guys in the Spring Semester, to cover the playoffs
But for all things December Swoon Related, check out other great 'Boys Blogs. Like Blogging the Boys. Or other things. See you in January

Orlando Scandrick the man, the myth...if only he was a myth

So I went to the Cowboys website and read an article pointing to 5 big plays that lead to the Cowboys loss. How you can point to five plays and assume we would've won is ridiculous, but that's not where I'm going with this. Where I am going is the comments made after the article. People calling for Jason Garret's head to Choice should get Felix's carries to "why does Flozell still start?" The comments were riddled with fans who complained about anything and everything they could, so in an attempt to help you, our wonderful reader, to sound like an educated person and not the idiots online, I offer you this, the top 5 things to complain about after a game like what you saw in Green Bay, along with a few high points to take away.

1.) It was stunning how FEW complaints I saw directed at Orlando Scandrick. There's no stat that I could find concerning which man in coverage was thrown at the most, but my intuition and my memory states that O.S. was the weak link in the defense by a long shot. It was stunning how often Green Bay was able to find open receivers when Orlando was in coverage. My money is that he had a big hand in the loss and he blew the game for us. Plenty more had to go wrong of course, but he was the catalyst that allowed Green Bay to go on all those huge time consuming drives.

2.) Injuries are tough on a team. They practice for them, but when an offensive line loses two players in the course of a game, they will play worse. The offensive line and the teamwork and chemistry they need to have together to be successful is an extremely under-rated point in football. Also our offensive lineman are huge and strong., unfortunately that costs them in the quickness category. The pass rushers that do well against us are speed pash rushers who use quick moves to get around our linemen. Green Bay put on a clinic for that, they were our kryptonite on Sunday.

3.) This was a must win game for Green Bay. That's how they approached it and that's how they played it. We didn't play to a high enough level to compete with them. This was shown in our focus during the game. Penalties will kill a team, and though some were questionable, that was how the game was called. Tough luck. Our level of intensity and focus did not match theirs, and it cost us.

4.) Romo was unable to get into a groove. Our offense was barely on the field, and our receivers made quite a few bone head plays costing us big yardage (Roy Williams letting the ball hit him in the helmet). If the quarterback ain't happy, ain't nobody happy, and you saw that happen yesterday.

5.) Our running game is struggling big time. I'm not sure why, but it's happening. I am considering pointing the finger at Jason Garrett in that he doesn't call enough run plays, but I think on Sunday it was more that we needed to score and therefore couldn't call run plays. Still, Green Bay utilized the run to coast to a victory, I would love to see the Cowboys do that just once.

6.) Did I mention Orlando Scandrick, because I cannot stress enough how poorly he played and how much he cost this team.

Preview for the Cowboys vs those hated Eagles

Ok before I start, I feel like I have to point out that a rare something has occurred. Sam, my P.I.C., and I agree on the Roy Williams bit he just wrote. That being said, I feel like I have to make a point, and that's that both the Eagles and the Cowboys quarterbacks play infinitely better when they have players that can stretch the field. The speedy Miles Austin can do this, and the incredibly speedy DeSean Jackson does this as well. Romo really didn't play this well before Austin became the #2(#1?) receiver. The Eagles have made a career out of drafting fast receivers for this reason, that speed stretches the field, and if that happens D McNeezy (Donovan McNabb) plays infinitely better, so its spare receivers who have speed that both quarterbacks can work with. Anyway, well written Sam, now on to my preview with Blake's patented Bla-Key's to the Game.

Ahhh...Sunday night. I LOVE Sunday Night games, though maybe it's just because of the Faith Hill intros. I'm not sure. Actually I am sure. I love the Sunday night games because they just have a more exciting atmosphere, and even though it's just another regular season game, it feels like there's more on the line. This week though, that might be the case.

This is a division game, which means as far as playoff hopes for both teams are concerned, it's huge.

This is a battle for first place in the division, which makes it an even bigger deal.

This is a repeat of the game that shall not be named last year, that last one, I think we lost, not sure by how much, I try and block it from my memory.

Now that you understand the stakes, lets discuss...
Bla-Key's to the Game:
1.) Run, Run, Run. The Eagles have a good defense, and you want to know how you nullify that? You run the ball up and down the field. It'll wear em down and slow down the pass rush, opening things up downfield for the man who can run Miles (I must be like the millionth guy to make that joke, note to self, thing of a good Austin pun)

2.) Please, for the love of all things good and holy, sack Donovan McNabb. If he escapes the grasp of one more freaking Cowboys defensive lineman I might just lose my mind. D Ware, go get yourself some McNeezy.

3.) The capital of Texas needs to be the capital of our offense. There, I did it, it's done. What I mean to say is we need to attack the Eagles with Miles Austin. The kid can play, it's no fluke, now get after that Eagles secondary Miles.

4.) Tony needs to play better than his counterpart McNabb. Sam hit it on the head. They either have good games or bad games and it affects the entire team. Tony, it's your time on a big stage.

5.) Jimmy Johnson's old motto was win 2/3 of the phases of the game, defense, offense, and special teams and you'll win the game. Our special teams are rolling, and I believe our defense can stop their running and our running can stop their defense, if that happens, we'll be looking at a Cowboys victory.

There it is, the Bla-Key's to the Game. Thanks for listening, and GO COWBOYS!