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November 2009
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JJT: The Cowboys' lockerroom is an interesting place Cowboys, Eagles covering punts well Crayton, Jackson have differing styles From tight end to tight end to tight end Key matchup: Cowboys CBs vs. Eagles WRs Breaking down the Cowboys-Eagles matchups Categories
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Dallas CowboysNovember 7, 2009
If you're interested in my thoughts on the Cowboys' lockerroom chemistry, then go here.  Comments (8) Leave comment
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The flip side to the meeting of punt returners Patrick Crayton of the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia's DeSean Jackson on Sunday is that each will go against coverage units that have been good recently. In the last six games, the Eagles have allowed only 3.9 yards per punt return with nothing longer than 11 yards. In the Cowboys' last three games, they have allowed only 3.6 yards per return. In that span, Mat McBriar has had six punts inside the opponents 20. Comments (0) Leave comment
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Two premiere punt returners will meet on Sunday: Patrick Crayton of the Dallas Cowboys and DeSean Jackson of Philadelphia. They have markedly different styles. Jackson has averaged 15.6 yards with one touchdown for 14 returns. He gets his yardage with speed and elusiveness. Crayton has averaged 16.6 yards with two touchdowns, one in each of the last two games, for 17 returns. Eagles special teams coach Ted Daisher described Crayton as a ``north-south'' returner with no fancy touches. If Crayton finds a seam in the coverage, Daisher said, he can get upfield in a hurry. ``He's an excellent slahser returner,'' Daisher said. Comments (2) Leave comment
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For the first time since 2003, Donovan McNabb was not asked a question about Terrell Owens during his conference call with the local media. I told McNabb we might have set a record by not asking about his former teammate. "Well, I can ask y'all about it then," McNabb said. So did you miss those questions? "No, I don't," McNabb said. "Y'all have a good one." But Philadelphia does not believe the Cowboys will be easy to figure out now that Owens is playing in Buffalo. Eagles rookies are getting a taste of what Dallas week is like. Comments (8) Leave comment
| E-mail entryThe entry "Next question on T.O." is tagged: Donovan McNabb , Terrell Owens
On Oct. 25 the Cowboys had to contend with Atlanta's Tony Gonzalez. Last week it was Seattle's John Carlson. This week it's Philadelphia's Brent Celek. "I think it's just how the schedule has worked out but it seems like we're going against the best tight ends out there the last few weeks," linebacker Bobby Carpenter said. Gonzalez caught just four passes for 37 yards. Carlson had three catches for 36 yards. Neither was able to play a significant role for a variety of reasons. Stopping Gonzalez was the Cowboys' top pass defense priority and they made sure they were physical with him at the line of scrimmage. Carlson was done in by the pressure the front four was able to put on quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. Celek has caught 37 passes, which leads the Eagles, for 447 yards and three touchdowns. While opponents pay extra attention to the Philly wide receivers, he is able to work the middle of the field without as much attention. "I don't think they would've let L.J. Smith go until realizing what he can do," Carpenter said. "They're confidence in him has gone up with the performances he had at the end of last season. He's really developed into one of the best NFL tight ends." Comments (1) Leave comment
| E-mail entryThe entry "From tight end to tight end to tight end" is tagged: Bobby Carpenter , Brent Celek , John Carlson , L.J. Smith , Tony Gonzalez
In the Cowboys Stadium regular season opener, New York Giants wide receivers Mario Manningham had 10 catches for 150 yards and a touchdown and Steve Smith had 10 catches for 134 yards and a touchdown. Since then no wide receiver has had more than six catches or more than 91 receiving yards against the Cowboys. But Jackson and Maclin represent the Cowboys' biggest challenge of the season. "Our main goal this week is to not give up [big plays]," Jenkins said. "As long as we do that and make them get a lot of short yardage and not a big chunk, we'll be good." That's easier said than done. All of Jackson's six touchdowns this year have covered at least 54 yards. Only Miles Austin has a better yard-per-catch than Jackson's 20.9-average. He had eight catches for 156 yards in two games against the Cowboys last year. Maclin's 22 catches are fourth most among rookies and they have gone for 293 yards. He's scored three times. Donovan McNabb has nine touchdown passes and just one interception. If he has time to throw, he has hit the deep ball on opponents this year. Oakland sacked him six times and the Eagles scored just 9 points. Pressure on McNabb would do Jenkins and Newman more help than anything. "All those guys can stretch the field and play fast," Jenkins said. "I love challenges like that. Before I came in the league, I wanted to defend against guys like T.O. and now it's Jackson. It's the kind of challenge I look forward to." EDGE: Eagles Comments (5) Leave comment
| E-mail entryThe entry "Key matchup: Cowboys CBs vs. Eagles WRs" is tagged: DeSean Jackson , Jeremy Maclin , Mike Jenkins , Terence Newman
HOW TO ATTACK PHILLY'S O: With DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin at wide receiver, Donovan McNabb has two speed threats on the outside. With tight end Brent Celek, he has the middle of the field threat. With Brian Westbrook, he has as the ultimate check-down weapon. The Cowboys are in a pick-your-poison pickle when it comes to defending the Eagles. If they take away the wide outs, the middle of the field is open. If they don't give safety help, Jackson has shown the ability to get deep at any moment. It is a must this week that the Cowboys get pressure on McNabb with their front four and not have to rely on the blitz that can expose the secondary. It's good to know that DeMarcus Ware has sacked McNabb 5.5 times in his career. BEAT THE BLITZ: Sean McDermott has continued what Jim Johnson mastered for years as Philadelphia's defensive coordinator by dialing up blitzes to pressure quarterbacks. The Cowboys have had success in the past against those looks, including a three-TD effort by Tony Romo at Lincoln Financial Field in 2007. But they not only have to handle the blitz, they have to beat it. They have to attack Philly with big plays themselves to get them to back off. Romo will have to be on top of his game mentally in deciphering the Eagles' fronts. Last week Seattle threw different looks at the Cowboys, which they handled OK, and should be good preparation for the Eagles' game. But Seattle doesn't have a Trent Cole, who has 6.5 sacks and is a threat on either side of the line. Comments (2) Leave comment
| E-mail entryThe entry "Keys to the game" is tagged: DeSean Jackson , Donovan McNabb , Jeremy Maclin , Tony Romo , Trent Cole
When the Cowboys run When the Cowboys pass When the Eagles run When the Eagles pass Special teams Intangibles Comments (8) Leave comment
| E-mail entryThe entry "Breaking down the Cowboys-Eagles matchups" is tagged: DeSean Jackson , Donovan McNabb , Felix Jones , Marion Barber , Tony Romo November 6, 2009
The Cowboys special teams have improved dramatically since the arrival of Joe DeCamillis. Don't tell that to DeCamillis. "I don't think we've turned anything around yet,'' he said. "I think we've had some good games. But I know when you look at good football teams, the one we're playing for example, Philadelphia, I think that they've done a great job through the years of having all three phases as a strength. "I think when you look to build a team, you should look to build it for all three phases, not just for one phase or the other phrase or two out of the three phases. If you can do that, you're going to be good in my opinion.'' Comments (22) Leave comment
| E-mail entryThe entry "Don't tell DeCamillis special teams have been turned around" is tagged: Dallas Cowboys , Joe DeCamillis , special teams
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