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Five Wonders: Good to be on road
December, 2, 2014
By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com
IRVING, Texas -- In the Dallas Cowboys' world today is Friday in terms of their game preparation, but in the real world it is Tuesday.
When the schedule came out, I though the NFL did the Cowboys no favors with five of their last seven games away from home and a Sunday night game in New Jersey before playing on Thanksgiving. I still think the NFL did the Cowboys wrong with the Sunday night game, but I wonder if they did the Cowboys a favor by giving them their road games. Three of their final four games will be away from AT&T Stadium where they have been awful. All four losses have come at home. The Cowboys are the only undefeated road team in the NFL (5-0). After Thursday's game against the Chicago bears, their next road game is Dec. 14 at Philadelphia, and the Eagles have yet to lose at Lincoln Financial Field this season. The Cowboys close the year at FedEx Field against the Washington Redskins. The Bears and Washington are a combined 4-6 at home.
I wonder if the Cowboys play more Thursday-to-Thursday games in the future so they can make an appearance on NFL Network. Remember, Jerry Jones is the chairman of the league’s NFL Network committee. The Cowboys are a ratings bonanza. Just ask ESPN, Fox and NBC. Wouldn’t you think the league would want its network to cash in on those ratings? It sets up for a challenging schedule for the Cowboys, but they did this in 2007 and followed up their Thanksgiving win against the New York Jets by effectively clinching homefield advantage in the NFC with a win against the Green Bay Packers. The thing I remember most about that game? Cornerback Nate Jones knocking Brett Favre out of the game with a blitz. Jones, now a college official, works as an official during Cowboys’ practices.
I wonder if people are too quick to write of Brandon Carr as a cornerback for the Cowboys in the future. There is no way the Cowboys will pay him $8 million next season, but it’s not like this roster is stacked with cornerbacks. It’s easy to say, 'Get rid of him,' but you would like to have a replacement before you do. Morris Claiborne is coming back from a torn patellar tendon and that is a tricky rehabilitation for a cornerback. Sterling Moore is a third cornerback, not a starter. The Cowboys waited and waited on re-working Doug Free's deal two years ago, so they can be patient with Carr as well. I can see the Cowboys wanting Carr back at half the price, maybe even more than half, before knowing they have a replacement via free agency or the draft. What I don’t expect: the Cowboys to spend big money on a cornerback in free agency.
I wonder if this is the week we see Josh Brent. The Philadelphia Eagles ran for 256 yards on 45 carries on Thanksgiving. They were able to control the line of scrimmage. With Matt Forte, the Bears have a formidable running back and he can control the game. Maybe the Cowboys can use Brent’s size to help clog up the middle and keep blockers off Rolando McClain. But before you get carried away, don’t look for Brent to be an immovable force. He has not played in two years. He has practiced for about a month. He was a good -- repeat good -- player but not special. And he was playing a different scheme. So temper whatever expectations you might have for him.
Jason Garrett wasn’t really hearing me when I asked him the other day whether the Cowboys have become too predictable on first down by running it so much. He makes a good point when he mentions the Cowboys are doing just fine on first down. He’s right. The Cowboys average 5.16 yards per rush on first down. Against the Eagles the Cowboys ran it on 14 of their first 18 first-down plays. When the game got out of whack, they threw it. By running it so much the Cowboys are putting even more pressure on converting on third down. Their numbers on third down the past five games are awful. They are converting just 34 percent of the time. I’m not asking the Cowboys to chuck it all over the yard, but I think it’s OK to make a first down on first down. They are averaging 8.76 yards per pass play on first down, by the way.
December, 2, 2014
By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com
IRVING, Texas -- In the Dallas Cowboys' world today is Friday in terms of their game preparation, but in the real world it is Tuesday.
When the schedule came out, I though the NFL did the Cowboys no favors with five of their last seven games away from home and a Sunday night game in New Jersey before playing on Thanksgiving. I still think the NFL did the Cowboys wrong with the Sunday night game, but I wonder if they did the Cowboys a favor by giving them their road games. Three of their final four games will be away from AT&T Stadium where they have been awful. All four losses have come at home. The Cowboys are the only undefeated road team in the NFL (5-0). After Thursday's game against the Chicago bears, their next road game is Dec. 14 at Philadelphia, and the Eagles have yet to lose at Lincoln Financial Field this season. The Cowboys close the year at FedEx Field against the Washington Redskins. The Bears and Washington are a combined 4-6 at home.
I wonder if the Cowboys play more Thursday-to-Thursday games in the future so they can make an appearance on NFL Network. Remember, Jerry Jones is the chairman of the league’s NFL Network committee. The Cowboys are a ratings bonanza. Just ask ESPN, Fox and NBC. Wouldn’t you think the league would want its network to cash in on those ratings? It sets up for a challenging schedule for the Cowboys, but they did this in 2007 and followed up their Thanksgiving win against the New York Jets by effectively clinching homefield advantage in the NFC with a win against the Green Bay Packers. The thing I remember most about that game? Cornerback Nate Jones knocking Brett Favre out of the game with a blitz. Jones, now a college official, works as an official during Cowboys’ practices.
I wonder if people are too quick to write of Brandon Carr as a cornerback for the Cowboys in the future. There is no way the Cowboys will pay him $8 million next season, but it’s not like this roster is stacked with cornerbacks. It’s easy to say, 'Get rid of him,' but you would like to have a replacement before you do. Morris Claiborne is coming back from a torn patellar tendon and that is a tricky rehabilitation for a cornerback. Sterling Moore is a third cornerback, not a starter. The Cowboys waited and waited on re-working Doug Free's deal two years ago, so they can be patient with Carr as well. I can see the Cowboys wanting Carr back at half the price, maybe even more than half, before knowing they have a replacement via free agency or the draft. What I don’t expect: the Cowboys to spend big money on a cornerback in free agency.
I wonder if this is the week we see Josh Brent. The Philadelphia Eagles ran for 256 yards on 45 carries on Thanksgiving. They were able to control the line of scrimmage. With Matt Forte, the Bears have a formidable running back and he can control the game. Maybe the Cowboys can use Brent’s size to help clog up the middle and keep blockers off Rolando McClain. But before you get carried away, don’t look for Brent to be an immovable force. He has not played in two years. He has practiced for about a month. He was a good -- repeat good -- player but not special. And he was playing a different scheme. So temper whatever expectations you might have for him.
Jason Garrett wasn’t really hearing me when I asked him the other day whether the Cowboys have become too predictable on first down by running it so much. He makes a good point when he mentions the Cowboys are doing just fine on first down. He’s right. The Cowboys average 5.16 yards per rush on first down. Against the Eagles the Cowboys ran it on 14 of their first 18 first-down plays. When the game got out of whack, they threw it. By running it so much the Cowboys are putting even more pressure on converting on third down. Their numbers on third down the past five games are awful. They are converting just 34 percent of the time. I’m not asking the Cowboys to chuck it all over the yard, but I think it’s OK to make a first down on first down. They are averaging 8.76 yards per pass play on first down, by the way.
