PRE-GAME DAY THREAD!!! GIANTS @ COWBOYS! PLAYOFFS BABY!!

[alby]

please sticky.

all Dallas Cowboys playoff news and discussions for our showdown in Dallas against the New York football Giants.

[ty]

ESPN article on why the Cowboys will lose.

Eff Seth Wickersham.

Go Cowboys.

[alby]

Coming into the playoffs, the Giants was the one team I did not want to meet first.

We can't stop Plaxico
We can't tackle Jacobs
We can't block their D-Line
Shockey makes Roy looks like a 2nd grader

HOWEVER, I am much much more confident in Dallas. In fact, I'm so confident that I feel we can beat them without T.O. The game will ultimately fall on Garrett's shoulders, if he's going to air it out and try to be the Patriots, then the Giants will have a pretty good chance of stealing one. If we stay balanced throughout the entire game, we will beat New York to the finish line by at least two touchdown lengths. Their cornerbacks are ailing and if Glenn/Crayton can get off the line with quickness, they don't even need to catch any passes, it will open up the middle of the field for Witten and checkdowns with Julius and Marion. If Romo goes for the checkdowns and if Garrett calls for a couple double moves from Crayton or Glenn or Hurd, we will eat the Giants' defense apart. Shockey is gone, and this should not be overlooked by any means, even when he doesn't catch passes, he demands Roy's or Ken's attention which creates one on one coverages with Plaxico on the outside. With Shockey out, we can call a lot of linebacker blitzes right down the middle, and right in Eli's face. If we force NY to a three and out in their first 2-3 possessions, Eli will crumble like a little baby he is and hide behind his brother.

Does anyone know the percentage of running plays when Jacobs is in the game? He's the only RB that scares me because this Bradshaw kid is an outside the tackles runner, and our defense is built for that. We are not built for playing against a player like Jacobs however, if he is in--I am tempted to say, always put 8 in the box.

It's time for Romo to put those Seattle ghosts behind him and win his first playoff game.

Go Cowboys

[alby]

Note that it's "Eli Manning" and not "The Eli Manning Factor." Now, that's not to say Manning is forever over his inconsistent ways. In fact, Cowboys fans are praying he regresses into one of his 13-of-38 afternoons. But it won't happen, not this Sunday. Not when Manning has hit 42 of his past 59 passes with six touchdowns and one interception against teams with a combined 25-7 record. Not against a defense that, since November, has struggled to stop Aaron Rodgers, Jon Kitna, Jason Campbell, Todd Collins and, in stretches, even Matt Moore.

Watching Manning the past few weeks: He's shaking secondaries around with his eyes, freezing them with pump fakes, hanging in the pocket and finding the open guy -- and the Giants' pass-catchers, after leading the NFL in drops with 42, are holding on to the ball. Manning won't be fazed by two losses to Dallas this year.

The media is so enamored over this kid, I don't get it. Why do they want him to excel so much and why do people rate his talent so high? Eli is nothing special IMHO. His mechanics are bad, he looks more awkward with his lateral movement than Peyton, which is saying a lot, and he has no confidence in the huddle. No, I am not saying Tony is the perfect quarterback (he doesn't have the strongest of arms, and he makes some terrible decisions), but one thing Tony has that Eli will never touch is exuding confidence for his team. The intangibles of an athlete is very important and it's arguably the most important when playing the quarterback position; and I'm sorry, but Eli does not have it.

[antoinewalker]

what's the point spread?

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by ty

ESPN article on why the Cowboys will lose.

Eff Seth Wickersham.

Go Cowboys.

This term never gets old: East Coast Bias

The national (read: east coast) media will NEVER pick Texas over New York... NEVER...

[alby]

Dallas is favorited by 7 1/2 points as of 1230am Thursday pacific time

[alby]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=090...o&confirm=true

IRVING, Texas -- As the Dallas Cowboys collected milestones such as the best start in club history this season, coach Wade Phillips sure liked connecting his team to some of the greatest squads in franchise lore.
Yet last week, when it was noted the Cowboys haven't won a playoff game since 1996, Phillips sure was quick to distance his guys from the predecessors who've run up the longest postseason drought in team history.
Sorry, coach, you can't have it both ways. After this weekend, the 2007 edition will be linked one way or another -- either as the team that broke the spell or part of the group that's extended it.
Since winning the Super Bowl following the 1995 season, the Cowboys have won a single playoff game, in the wild-card round the following year. Dallas lost at Carolina a week later and things haven't been the same since.
Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin and Emmitt Smith were together two more full seasons without taking a single step toward another Super Bowl. Worse yet, they lost a playoff game to Arizona. At home.
Cycling through coaches and quarterbacks, the Cowboys have only made the postseason twice more. Both were on the road as wild cards. Both, of course, were losses.
"They say, `They haven't won a playoff game in 10 years (11 actually),' but you've only been in four," Phillips said. "It's not like you've been 10 years in a row and haven't won one. Part of it is getting in there. If you get in there enough, you're going to win your share."
Phillips has a good reason for being a bit defensive about this subject. After all, he's 0-3 as a head coach in the playoffs dating to his days in Denver and Buffalo.
Everyone gets a fresh start Sunday, when the Cowboys play host to the New York Giants, a team they've beaten twice this season.
Conventional wisdom says it's hard to go 3-0 against anyone. And the Giants are 8-0 on the road since losing at Texas Stadium way back in the opener on Sept. 9.
The rest of this week will be spent analyzing the matchup and how things might break Sunday afternoon with a spot in the NFC championship game on the line. For now, here's a look back at the five flops and flameouts that have taken some of the luster off the shiny star on the Cowboys' helmets.

Jan. 5, 1997: Carolina 26, Dallas 17
The Cowboys had been to at least the NFC championship game four straight years. The Panthers were in their second year, period.
Yet Carolina's Anthony Johnson outrushed Smith, and Panthers quarterback Kerry Collins outplayed Aikman. Irvin separated a shoulder in the first quarter and Deion Sanders, who did double duty at cornerback and receiver that season, broke an orbit bone around his eye in the second half.
The Cowboys settled for three field goals on four trips inside the Carolina 5-yard line. And the game ended with the Panthers running out the clock a yard from another touchdown.
"I'm extremely disappointed," Aikman said, "as I think everybody is."

Jan. 2, 1999: Arizona 20, Dallas 7
After a one-year playoff absence, the Cowboys stormed through the NFC East, going 8-0. However, they were 2-6 outside the division.
As luck would have it, they got to open against a division foe, the historically pathetic Cardinals.
In their first postseason appearance since 1982, the franchise won its first playoff game in 51 years -- something Cowboys fans should keep in mind during this 11-year dry spell.
Arizona led 10-0 at halftime, then opened the second half with a 74-yard touchdown run, the longest ever against Dallas in the playoffs. The Cowboys lost a home playoff game for the first time since 1983, getting a late touchdown to avoid being shut out.
"There's a lot of pain in there right now," first-year coach Chan Gailey said.

Jan. 9, 2000: Minnesota 27, Dallas 10
This loss was easy to see coming. The Cowboys hadn't won consecutive games since a 3-0 start and were coming off a win. Plus, it was on the road, and Dallas had lost seven straight road games, despite having led in them all.
The Cowboys led this one, too, but couldn't hold on in the last playoff game for Aikman and Smith; Irvin was out since Week 4 because of a career-ending neck injury. It also was Gailey's last game.
"If you don't have that mental edge you're going to get defeated almost every time," Smith said.

Jan. 3, 2004: Carolina 29, Dallas 10
With Quincy Carter at quarterback and Troy Hambrick taking handoffs, the Cowboys somehow went 10-6 in their first season under Bill Parcells.
They couldn't mask their deficiencies this time. Dallas trailed 16-3 at halftime, then failed to gain a yard in the third quarter.
The consolation was that Parcells' teams usually spring ahead in his second season.
"I've got to improve the team by every vehicle at our disposal," he said.

Jan. 6, 2007: Seattle 21, Dallas 20
Parcells didn't get the Cowboys back into the playoffs for three years. Then came "The Flub."
Legend-in-the-making Tony Romo botched the hold of a 19-yard, go-ahead field goal with 1:19 left. He alertly picked up the shiny "K" ball used only on kicks and headed for the end zone, but was stopped 2 yards away, 1 yard from a first down.
Afterward, he sat on a chair facing his locker, shoulders hunched.
"For it to end like that, and for me to be the cause, is very tough to swallow right now," Romo said.

Before this drought, the longest the Cowboys had gone without a playoff win was nine seasons - from Tom Landry's last postseason win in 1982 to Jimmy Johnson's first in 1991.
During this drought, Gailey became the first Cowboys coach to leave without winning a Super Bowl, then Dave Campo had the double humiliation of not winning a playoff game or even getting to one.
At least Campo can take consolation in having won as many playoff games for Dallas as Parcells.
The most dubious aspect of the Cowboys' skid is the caliber of teams that beat them; only the 2003 Carolina Panthers won the following week.
Oh, well. It's all ancient history, right?
Actually, it's not to one member of the Cowboys, the only guy suiting up Sunday who played in Dallas' last playoff win, a 40-15 victory at Minnesota on Dec. 28, 1996. Backup quarterback Brad Johnson was Minnesota's starter that day.
But that can't be a jinx ... can it?
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press

[Flacolaco]

I can't believe that -7 1/2 is the closest line of the weekend

GB -8
Pats -13
Indy -9

I was kind of hoping for some close games to watch, but Vegas thinks otherwise.

[LonghornDub]

Originally Posted by Flacolaco

I can't believe that -7 1/2 is the closest line of the weekend

GB -8
Pats -13
Indy -9

I was kind of hoping for some close games to watch, but Vegas thinks otherwise.

I have a feeling they will all be close except Indy, who will probably wreck shop on the Bolts.

[alby]

Vegas loves the Giants. I was there last weekend, and bets for Giants outnumbered Bucs by at least 20:1

[fluid.forty.one]

It obviously comes down to if Jessica is there or not.

[MavsX]

RUMOR IS: JESSICA SIMPSON WONT BE AT THE GIANTS/COWBOYS GAME!!!!!!!!!!




source. Around the Horn on PTI

[DirkFTW]

LOL that's a lot of excitement there, MavsX! =)

[fluid.forty.one]

Originally Posted by MavsX

RUMOR IS: JESSICA SIMPSON WONT BE AT THE GIANTS/COWBOYS GAME!!!!!!!!!!




source. Around the Horn on PTI

but considering how big of a deal it has become.. does it even matter if she actually attends the game or not? Romo is going to have to prove if these distractions are bad or not.

[horse900703]

please win Cowboys~~~

[me770706]

wow, i forgot about the '04 year with Qcarr. it's hard to believe that guy lead a team to the playoffs.

[Underdog]

T.O. Practices, on Track to Play vs. Giants


IRVING, Texas (AP) - Terrell Owens was running routes and catching passes in his return to practice Thursday, showing only a slight limp at times. The star receiver seems on track to play in the Dallas Cowboys' playoff game against the New York Giants.

Owens, recovering from a sprained left ankle, didn't go against any defenders during the short period of practice open to the media.

While he was taking full strides running routes and making some cuts without any apparent problems, Owens had a slight limp at times when he jogged or walked.

T.O. stopped and spoke with receivers coach Ray Sherman after completing one route. Owens then took off his helmet and could be seen smiling while talking to backup quarterback Brad Johnson.

Seen in the perimeter around the locker room during lunch before practice, Owens appeared to be walking fine, though he said little.

"You're not getting anything out of me," Owens said.

Owens hurt his ankle Dec. 22 in the game at Carolina, and sat out the regular season finale at Washington. The All-Pro receiver took part in the team's light walkthrough Monday, but didn't practice Wednesday while doing rehabilitation.

Fellow receiver Sam Hurd said Owens has spent "like 19 hours out of his day" trying to get back on the field and expects T.O. will play.

"If I have to play, I'm ready to play, but most likely, hopefully, he'll be out there on Sunday," Hurd said. "He tells me all the time, opportunities like this don't come around every season, so he wants to take advantage of them. ... He believes in this team so much that he wants to get out there and help this team get to the Super Bowl."

[DirkFTW]

Is it me or is the sun shining a bit brighter all of a sudden? =)

[Flacolaco]

Anyone who didn't think that TO was going to play is an idiot.

He was always going to play. They'll shoot him up with whatever, or chop it off and put a fake one...whatever. He was always going to play.

That's not news.

[Flacolaco]

Originally Posted by me770706

wow, i forgot about the '04 year with Qcarr. it's hard to believe that guy lead a team to the playoffs.

A true testament to how mediocre the NFC has been for a long long time, and still is.

[DirkFTW]

Originally Posted by Flacolaco

Anyone who didn't think that TO was going to play is an idiot.

He was always going to play. They'll shoot him up with whatever, or chop it off and put a fake one...whatever. He was always going to play.

That's not news.

Hahaha true, but I think the part about him taking full strides and cutting without problem was very encouraging. Also the part about him prepping 19 hours a day to rehab.

[dirno2000]

We can't stop Plaxico

He's had more than his share of big catches against us but he was a non-factor in November. Hopefully with two healthy corners we can contain him because he's the one guy on that team that scares me.

We can't tackle Jacobs

Jacobs is big but so is our from seven. The strength of out defense is stopping the run so that's not a huge concern.

We can't block their D-Line

This is where I disagree the most. Our tackles have owned their ends this year. That doesn't necessarily mean it's going to happen Sunday but we've shown the ability to neutralize the strength of their defense (they're not very stong up the middle).

Here's an interesting snippet from Dr. Z's analysis of Flozell for his All-Pro team:

I'd never picked Adams on my All-Pro team and I didn't plan to this year. I mean, his technique was just so sloppy. He kind of engulfs people. I wasn't even going to do a grading on him, along with the other lads. But then I was going through my DEs and the Giants' Osi Umenyiora flunked out, basically because of a pair of zeros against the Cowboys.

Now a zero in my system is very rare. It doesn't just mean no sack, it means no outstanding defensive play of any kind ... force against the pass or against the run, tackle near the line, even enough penetration to blow up a play. All those get a check mark of some kind. But Flozell held Osi to nothing. So I looked at him more closely, or rather, at his opponents.

My concern is not being able to get enough pressure and Eli and him getting hot. Other than that I feel as confident as can be expected.

[Windmill360]

Shockey is in? didnt he break his leg?

[Flacolaco]

How many dumb picks that high school players could intercept for Eli this week?

2? or 3?

[alby]

Originally Posted by dirno2000

He's had more than his share of big catches against us but he was a non-factor in November. Hopefully with two healthy corners we can contain him because he's the one guy on that team that scares me.

Jacobs is big but so is our from seven. The strength of out defense is stopping the run so that's not a huge concern.

This is where I disagree the most. Our tackles have owned their ends this year. That doesn't necessarily mean it's going to happen Sunday but we've shown the ability to neutralize the strength of their defense (they're not very stong up the middle).

Here's an interesting snippet from Dr. Z's analysis of Flozell for his All-Pro team:

I'd never picked Adams on my All-Pro team and I didn't plan to this year. I mean, his technique was just so sloppy. He kind of engulfs people. I wasn't even going to do a grading on him, along with the other lads. But then I was going through my DEs and the Giants' Osi Umenyiora flunked out, basically because of a pair of zeros against the Cowboys.

Now a zero in my system is very rare. It doesn't just mean no sack, it means no outstanding defensive play of any kind ... force against the pass or against the run, tackle near the line, even enough penetration to blow up a play. All those get a check mark of some kind. But Flozell held Osi to nothing. So I looked at him more closely, or rather, at his opponents.

My concern is not being able to get enough pressure and Eli and him getting hot. Other than that I feel as confident as can be expected.

IMO, our d-line manhandles their o-line because of our depth which is a great advantage in the fourth quarter. We've given Eli fits the two games that we have played.

[FINtastic]

Originally Posted by Flacolaco

How many dumb picks that high school players could intercept for Eli this week?

2? or 3?

Sounds about right. He's been playing pretty well lately so that means he's due for bad game.

[ty]

Their D-line is good. But so is our O-Line.

[alby]

getcha popcorn ready.

[alby]

http://www.nfl.com/videos?videoId=09000d5d805e4ec6

how can you not love TO

[DirkFTW]

Hahaha, "sleeps in the hyperbaric chamber like Michael Jackson"

[alby]

"oh I'm gonna play"

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by alby

how can you not love TO

It's easy to hate him - if you hate the Cowboys!

I'd love to see Owens & Glenn streak for a long pass on the first offensive play of the game...

[alexamenos]

I was at the '99 playoff game v. the Cardinals. Shelled out some serious cash to attend. That game put the *suck* in *oh my gosh this game sucked please give me my money back*.

I haven't the foggiest clue what to expect on Sunday. Not a damned clue.

[FINtastic]

Originally Posted by alby

getcha popcorn ready.

Those words were like music to my ears. Probably the best Cowboys news I've heard in a month.

[dirno2000]

Originally Posted by alexamenos

I was at the '99 playoff game v. the Cardinals. Shelled out some serious cash to attend. That game put the *suck* in *oh my gosh this game sucked please give me my money back*.

I haven't the foggiest clue what to expect on Sunday. Not a damned clue.

Expect hell to be unleashed

[DirkFTW]

The Jay-Z has spoken.

[fluid.forty.one]

That interview with Sanders was so funny.

[ty]

Originally Posted by Underdog

It's easy to hate him - if you hate the Cowboys!

I'd love to see Owens & Glenn streak for a long pass on the first offensive play of the game...

Glenn catching a long bomb. TO catching up to Glenn to block a defender at the 1 yard line.

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by ty

Glenn catching a long bomb. TO catching up to Glenn to block a defender at the 1 yard line.

I hope that statement was born of the same karmatic mojo as Alby's "Fasano touchdown" prediction...