Giants Stuff...

[boozeman]

Barry Church says Cowboys missed Wilcox's instincts, will benefit from Claiborne's man skills



The Cowboys missed J.J. Wilcox’s instincts in the secondary while he was out, but Jeff Heath did a good job while he was in there, also, safety Barry Church said.

“They’re both similar players. I just feel like maybe J.J. might be a little more instinctful,” Church said. “And then again, Heath, he knows the system a little bit better than Wilcox. It has its pros and cons, but they’re both great players.”

Wilcox is due back Sunday against the Giants after missing three games with a sprained knee. Heath started in his place and took his lumps, particularly two weeks ago against the Saints.

Church said it will be good to have Wilcox, who had what looked like a breakout game at Philadelphia before he was hurt in practice the following week.

“After the Philadelphia game, the sky’s the limit for the guy,” Church said. “He just got a bad injury out there in practice. But he’s healthy now. He’s back out there. He’s going full speed. Look for him to continue that path, keep rising.”

Church said it will also help to get Morris Claiborne back, so the Cowboys can take advantage of his experience.

“He looks good. There’s no gimp in his stride, he isn’t hitching or nothing like that,” Church said. “He’s been out there playing great in 1-on-1s and competing really well. So with him back in the lineup, we’ll be able to do a little bit more things as far as the defense is concerned with man and stuff like that.”

-- Carlos Mendez

 

[boozeman]

Giants know to beware of this year’s Tony Romo

By Steve Serby

November 21, 2013 | 6:35pm


Only one quarterback who shows up for Armageddon Sunday at MetLife Stadium has two Super Bowl rings, and it isn’t Tony Romo.

It isn’t Tony Romo because he has won one playoff game. And has listened over the years to all the naysayers who insist that he can’t win The Big One, because he hasn’t; that Jerry Jones was a fool to give him that six-year, $108 million contract; that point out when he stands toe-to-toe and slugs it out with Peyton Manning and throws five TD passes, he inevitably will throw the killer interception with the game on the line. Such is life as America’s Quarterback when you are not Troy Aikman or Roger Staubach.

But he isn’t Josh Freeman either.

He isn’t Matt Barkley.

He isn’t Terrelle Pryor.

He isn’t Scott Tolzien.

And he’s getting Miles Austin back, to join Dez Bryant and Terrance Williams and Jason Witten. And with Prince Amukamara on one side, he’ll be targeting Trumaine McBride.

Beware Tony Romo.

Target Tony Romo.

Because here’s what you worry about with Romo: One of these days he won’t throw the killer interception with the game on the line. One of these days he will break through and overcome the chaos that forever swirls around him.

Sunday could be one of those days.

The last thing these Giants should fall back on is the belief that Eli Manning will find a way, even in the forecasted wind, to outduel Romo in The Big Game.

The truth of the matter is Romo was better than Manning in the regular-season opener — when he improved to 7-9 against the Giants — and he has been better than Manning this season.

Except for his Murphy’s Law moment against the Broncos, Romo (21 TDs, six INTs) hasn’t been the same quarterback who threw the last-minute end zone interception to R.W. McQuarters in the 2007 playoffs. A gunslinger at heart, he has reined in what Bill Parcells used to label his “mentally aggressive” tendencies and become a smarter, more surgical quarterback.

Amukamara, asked what he’s learned about Romo, said: “I learned that he’s capable of anything. I don’t know if he is known or he can be known as a comeback kid. He always has a strong second half or strong fourth quarter, and he definitely likes to take chances and he definitely has a lot of trust in his receivers.”

The key to defending him?

“Trying to confuse him with disguises and try to discourage him with trying to squeeze the ball in there just by making plays on the balls,” Amukamara said, “and I think our D-line is hungry for him, they always are, so hopefully they get fed.”

Indeed, Jason Pierre-Paul, Justin Tuck and the D-line is hungry for him.

“He’s always gotten rid of the ball quick,” Tuck said. “Even when we can’t hit him, make sure he’s not comfortable. Even when he’s throwing the ball quick, make sure he knows that if he’d have held it for half a second later, he’d have got hit.

“They’re coming off the bye week, DeMarco Murray is healthy. I’m sure they’re gonna to get him the ball and get him established in the football game. We gotta make sure we take that edge away from them and get after him. The formula is the same against most elite quarterbacks. It really doesn’t change.”

You consider him an elite quarterback?

“Sure I do,” Tuck said.

Why?

“Have you seen his stats? I think that’s what everybody judges elite quarterbacks.”

He’s only won one playoff game.

“Well, I’ve seen people get put in elite status with less,” Tuck said. “You can’t tell me he’s not a top-10 quarterback in this league.”

I can tell you he hasn’t won The Big One.

“Ok. Dan Marino didn’t win The Big One. So he’s not an elite quarterback?”

What makes Romo an elite quarterback?

“I think the elite quarterback status comes from the fact that he can make all the throws. He’s definitely put up the stats. He’s given me fits.”

It doesn’t mean he can’t be rattled.

“You’re able to rattle every quarterback at some point, I don’t care who it is. I think I’ve had a lot to do with rattling one of the best that ever played in Tom Brady.”

Playing the way you’re playing now, are you ready to rattle Romo?

“I think yes. But we’ll see.”

Defensive Perry Fewell has his own read on Romo.

“He’s a good pocket passer, and when he moves out of the pocket, he’s even more dangerous,” Fewell said. “The thing I see is he seems like he commands the offense more because he may call more plays on his own or what have you. He seems like he has more control of the offense than he has in the past.”

Fewell will need the improved communication he has seen this week to prevent the kind of downfield throws Tolzien made against them.

“He’s very accurate this year, probably more so than he has been in the past. You just have to hope he has a bad day and that you’re having a good day and that you can steal a couple of downs.”

Fewell will try to disguise coverages.

“He’s seen it all,” Fewell said. “In my mind, he’s like Peyton and Tom Brady and those guys. He’s been in the league a long time, he’s seen every coverage known to man. You’ll try to disguise and do some things like that, but … they employ a quick game against us. It depends on the approach that he comes out with and what the philosophy they’re gonna come out with, because you can disguise, and you can disguise yourself out of position.”

Not Josh Freeman this time.

Not Matt Barkley.

Not Terrelle Pryor.

Not Scott Tolzien.

Is Big Blue ready for this class of quarterback?

“I think our football team is ready to rise up and win football games,” Fewell said. “We’re behind in this race, and we’ve gotta win this race in order to earn the right to play more football. I don’t care who’s under center and who’s at receiver, whatever. We gotta rise to the challenge each and every week.”

Beware Tony Romo.

Target Tony Romo.

 

[Cotton]

Jerry Jones won't buy into pregame hype
November, 22, 2013

By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com

IRVING, Texas -- Remember when the Dallas Cowboys opened training camp in 2012 in Oxnard, Calif., and Jerry Jones invited the fans to watch his team kick the New York Giants ... butts?

While the Giants seem to be turning up the volume leading into Sunday’s game against the Cowboys at MetLife Stadium, the Cowboys and Jones have largely been quiet.

“I have never seen any pregame quotes or during-the-week quotes that had any impact,” Jones said. “If I thought so, or we thought so, we would really be encouraging it. And I would have done more of it.”

Jones knows how to sell anything, and he does not feel the need to sell Sunday’s game any more than it needs to be sold. The Giants have called this meeting everything from their Super Bowl to a season-decider.

Jones won’t even call this a must-win for the Cowboys, even if he is technically correct.

“I don’t know that I want to go that far because of how tight this thing is, just how we see at anytime how another team can win,” Jones said. “When you look at our division opponents and who they are playing, and you look at who we got to play, it’s hard to measure from here. I can’t measure it for us from here. You’ve just got to see how we can come up here and win this game.”

 

[Cotton]

 

[1bigfan13]

Miles is back, too?

Oh we got this.

Everyone knows he's the straw that stirs the drink on offense.

We'll hang half a hundred on them.

 

[boozeman]

Hakeem Nicks questionable, Corey Webster out for Giants

Posted by Josh Alper on November 22, 2013, 2:03 PM EST


Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks isn’t frustrated, but he is questionable.

Nicks was listed as questionable for Sunday’s game with the Cowboys because of the abdominal injury that has caused him to be limited in two practices this week and miss another one altogether. Nicks said on Thursday that he plans on playing in the game because he doesn’t want to miss a matchup with the Cowboys and the fact that he was able to practice on Friday is a good sign for his ability to be in the lineup.

The same can’t be said of cornerback Corey Webster. Webster was out on the field with his teammates at practice, but he has been ruled out for the game. That makes three straight games on the sideline and seven absences overall because of a variety of injuries on the season for a veteran cornerback who might be coming to the end of his run with the Giants.

Defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul is probable with a shoulder injury and running back Brandon Jacobs is questionable with a knee injury for a game that the Giants need to win to give them a solid chance at winning the NFC East this season.

 

[Cotton]

Murray with success against Giants

November, 22, 2013

By Calvin Watkins | ESPNDallas.com


IRVING, Texas -- Sunday could be a good day for Cowboys running back DeMarco Murraywhen he faces the New York Giants.

Murray has averaged 5.4 yards per carry in three career games against the Giants. He rushed for 86 yards on 20 carries in the Week 1 victory. Murray's five games with over 100 rushing yards include a 131-yard effort against the Giants in the 2012 season opener.

Aside from Murray's success against the Giants, some NFL teams tend to run the ball more when the temperatures drop and conditions worsen. On Oct. 20 against the Philadelphia Eagles, quarterback Tony Romo noted how difficult it was to throw in the windy conditions.

Sunday's forecast in East Rutherford, N.J. has temperatures in the 30s with winds coming in at 24 miles per hour.

"I don't think it's really that big of a factor," Murray said. "While you're out there, you're never thinking, 'Oh, it's hot.' You're never thinking, 'Oh, it's cold,' until you're on the sideline, really. It's not a big deal."

With the Cowboys' passing attack struggling, the run game could be a focal point against the Giants.

When given the opportunity, Murray has responded with solid games. This season, Murray has four games in which he's rushed for 70 yards or more. He missed two road games, at Philadelphia and Detroit, because of a sprained knee. In his absence, rookie Joseph Randlerushed for 91 yards on 33 carries with no touchdowns.

But in the Cowboys' last game before the bye at New Orleans, Murray was the only man to carry the ball and did so 16 times, gaining 89 yards with one touchdown.

Murray is never one to ask for the ball, even when the situation calls for it. He didn't have a single carry in the fourth quarter of a close loss at Kansas City in Week 2, and the Cowboys carried the ball a franchise-low nine times in a victory over Minnesota on Nov. 3.

The Cowboys are 11-0 when Murray carries the ball 18 times or more.

There have been other games in which a deficit of more than one score dictated more pass plays. Overall, the Cowboys have preached for a balanced offensive attack, but sometimes that hasn't occurred.

NFL teams are 34-20 this season when a running back or quarterback rushes for more than 100 yards. The Cowboys are one of those teams that have picked up a victory, when Murray rushed for a season-high 175 yards Sept. 22 against St. Louis.

"If we run it well, that's obviously going to open up the passing game and vice versa," Murray said.

 

[Cotton]

DeMarcus Ware feels 'great'

November, 22, 2013

By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com


IRVING, Texas -- DeMarcus Ware is probable for Sunday’s game against the New York Giants, and this listing for the Dallas Cowboys defensive end is a lot different than the probable tag he had for the Nov. 17 game against the New Orleans Saints.

“I feel way better than I did against New Orleans,” Ware said. “I felt good, but functionality wise it wasn’t all the way like I needed it to be. Now I really feel great. I feel really good and I’m just going out there and playing.”

Ware was limited throughout the week with a quadriceps strain. He aggravated the injury that kept him out for three games against the Saints and said he might have come back too soon in that game.

“Working through all the drills, going through it all, you can still have a controlled practice but once you’re going against somebody it’s different,” Ware said. “You know what type of keys you’re looking for and you know what to expect.”

Ware is one of eight Cowboys listed as probable for Sunday’s game, joining Miles Austin(hamstring), Dez Bryant (back), Morris Claiborne (hamstring), Jason Hatcher (neck), Nick Hayden (ribs), George Selvie (shoulder) and J.J. Wilcox (knee).

Linebackers Sean Lee (hamstring), Justin Durant (hamstring) and DeVonte Holloman (neck) are out.

 

[Cotton]

Terrell Thomas guarantees win


Updated: November 22, 2013, 5:29 PM ET
By Tim MacMahon | ESPNDallas.com

A week's worth of bold words from the New York Giants wrapped up with cornerback Terrell Thomas guaranteeing a victory over the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.

"No doubt we're going to win this game," Thomas said Friday on Sirius XM NFL radio. "You can tell them, put it on a bulletin-board – it doesn't matter, because we have to win this game. Our season is on the line right now."

The Giants' trash talk started minutes after they extended their winning streak to four games with a 27-13 victory Sunday over the Green Bay Packers. New York defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul threw the first verbal punch at the Cowboys.

"We're going to put it on them, man," Pierre-Paul said. "I'm pretty sure the offense is going to get going. The defense is going to get going even more. And the special teams will contribute to it.

"It's going to be a fight. It's going to be a dogfight. There's going to be a lot of blood spilled out there."

There have been a few other comments made by the Giants this week that could be considered bulletin-board material, but the Cowboys responded with a collective shrug, at least publicly.

"They're getting on a roll and they understand how important this football game is," Dallas quarterback Tony Romo said Thursday. "And we're going to put our head down and go to work and let everybody else out there talk."

Added Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Ware: "You know they have something to say every time we play them. They try to put the gas on the fire every time."

New York defensive end Justin Tuck called this a "must-win" game for the 4-6 Giants earlier this week, a comment echoed by safety Antrell Rolle and Pierre-Paul. The 5-5 Cowboys opened the season with a 36-31 home win over New York, so the Cowboys can clinch the tiebreaker over the Giants with a victory Sunday.

"We had six turnovers the first game," Thomas said during the Sirius XM NFL radio appearance. "We felt we gave that one away. As bad as we played on offense, as better as we could have played on defense, we felt like we really could have won that game.

"It really just kind of led to the 0-6 start that we didn't win that game. It kind of left a bad taste in that mouth, so it's definitely a redemption game for us."

 

[Rev]

Me too.

 

[boozeman]

Jeez. It never stops with these guys.

I wish we could knock their dicks clean in the dirt but our punch less band of losers aren't capable.

 

[Cotton]

Jeez. It never stops with these guys.

I wish we could knock their dicks clean in the dirt but our punch less band of losers aren't capable.

I'm being sucked into cheering for us this weekend. Not by our team but because of all this shit talk.

 

[superpunk]

Yup. I was all set to just see us lose out but these nitwits have their swagger back after four straight wins and I hate them more than anyone in the division when Jacobs and Tuck start running their ape-mouths.

And now I'm terrified that they're going to smack us in the face, we're going to have to watch Jacobs do the sprinkler and hump an imaginary dude in the end zone.

Only saving grace is that the Tampa 2 fucking owns Eli. His whole career.

Bruce Carter is playing MLB though.

I hate everything.

 

[1bigfan13]

Fun stat of the day.

Victor Cruz has 4 TDs on the year.

3 of them came against the Cowboys in week 1.

 

[Cotton]

Matchup to Watch: Dallas Cowboys WR Dez Bryant vs. Giants CB Prince Amukamara
By Rainer Sabin
rsabin@dallasnews.com
12:00 pm on November 23, 2013 | Permalink

The last time the viewing public watched Dez Bryant in action the Dallas Cowboys wide receiver made little impact. Bryant was targeted twice and made one catch for 44 yards in Dallas’ 49-17 loss to New Orleans. Considering Bryant is the Cowboys’ chief playmaker, the limited chances were befuddling. Despite being ignored and producing a meager stat line against the Saints, Bryant still leads the Cowboys with 52 catches, 749 receiving yards and eight touchdowns.

Given the opportunity, he can do damage. The Giants know that. Prince Amukamara, the cornerback expected to cover Bryant for most of the game Sunday, has discussed defending the receiver and how to disrupt him with physical play.

But the 6-0, 207-pound Amukamara is far from an imposing player, nor is he a particularly accomplished one. This season, 12 NFL defenders have been burned more than Amukamara, who has surrendered 35 completions for 404 yards and a touchdown this season. If Bryant gets the opportunity to make his mark, there is a good chance he won’t squander it against Amukamara.

Edge: Bryant

 

[Cotton]

Cowboys spent bye thinking of ways to get Bryant, other receivers the ball, but don't want to 'reinvent the wheel'

The Cowboys spent a lot of time during the bye thinking of ways to get Dez Bryant the ball, and to spring him and the other receivers.

But offensive coordinator Bill Callahan did not want to overboard.

“They always say, ‘Don’t give coaches too much time, because they’ll re-invent the wheel,” he said this week at Valley Ranch. “We’ve been kind of cautious in that regard. We’ve moderated that and tried to temper how much we put ini new, and how much we’re going to maintain.”

But certainly, the Cowboys want to put a new emphasis on Bryant, their leading touchdown receiver and biggest home run threat, after he got only two targets in New Orleans.

“We’ve taken the bye week and spent a lot of time trying to position guys in different locations and spots,” Callahan said. “We’re anxious to get going and see what it looks like.”

The return of Miles Austin to the lineup is also going to help, Callahan said.

“He gives us a lot of flexibility within the personnel groupings,” he said. “I know coach Dooley was a little bit short with personnel the last few weeks, and this allows him to have a little bit more depth and a little bit more flexibility and shifting guys around and putting them in different spots.”

Bryant is the Cowboys’ leading receiver, with 52 catches for 749 yards and eight touchdowns.

But the next receiver, Terrance Williams, is only No. 4 on the Cowboys’ receiving list. Tight end Jason Witten is second, and running back DeMarco Murray is third.

-- Carlos Mendez

 

[Cotton]

Garrett alters sideline operation
Updated: November 23, 2013, 2:02 PM ET
By Ed Werder | ESPN

Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett has changed the sideline operation for Sunday's game against the New York Giants so that he will have direct contact with quarterback Tony Romo on the field as in previous seasons, according to a league source.

Garrett, however, will will continue to have offensive coordinator Bill Callahan call the plays. The change will also provide Garrett greater control of the play-calling as he can more easily make changes before delivering to Romo to call in the huddle

The Cowboys made the changes during their bye week.

Quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson will be relocated from the sideline to the upstairs coaching booth to assist Callahan in reading coverages. Until now, Callahan called the plays upstairs and relayed them to Wilson on the sideline and he communicated them to Romo. League rules forbid coaches from communicating with players directly from anywhere except the sideline.

With Wilson upstairs, Garrett will now take the call from Callahan and -- presuming he doesn't change it -- tell the quarterback through the the equipment in Romo's helmet.

 

[jsmith6919]

Garrett alters sideline operation
Updated: November 23, 2013, 2:02 PM ET
By Ed Werder | ESPN

Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett has changed the sideline operation for Sunday's game against the New York Giants so that he will have direct contact with quarterback Tony Romo on the field as in previous seasons, according to a league source.

Garrett, however, will will continue to have offensive coordinator Bill Callahan call the plays. The change will also provide Garrett greater control of the play-calling as he can more easily make changes before delivering to Romo to call in the huddle

The Cowboys made the changes during their bye week.

Quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson will be relocated from the sideline to the upstairs coaching booth to assist Callahan in reading coverages. Until now, Callahan called the plays upstairs and relayed them to Wilson on the sideline and he communicated them to Romo. League rules forbid coaches from communicating with players directly from anywhere except the sideline.

With Wilson upstairs, Garrett will now take the call from Callahan and -- presuming he doesn't change it -- tell the quarterback through the the equipment in Romo's helmet.

 

[Cotton]

Cowboys run D to be tested too

November, 23, 2013

By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com


IRVING, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys have offered up little resistance with their pass defense. They are allowing 313 yards per game through the air, worst in the league.

Eli Manning started it all off with 450 yards passing in the season opener with four touchdown passes. He was intercepted three times, but he has had his way with the Cowboys at times in his career.

But part of the Giants’ resurgence lately has not been with Manning leading the way. It’s been with a ball control offense. On a conference call Wednesday Giants coach Tom Coughlin made note of how much the Giants have run the ball in their four-game winning streak: 31, 32, 38 and 24 times.

“That’s what they used to do, run the ball and then play-action to pass it,” defensive tackleNick Hayden said. “They’re just trying to get back to it and being balanced instead of just throwing the ball the whole time.”

It’s not that the Giants have run it great. They are averaging fewer than 3 yards per carry, but Andre Brown, Brandon Jacobs and Peyton Hillis can be bruising backs. The Cowboys have faced mostly shiftier backs in LeSean McCoy, Reggie Bush and Jamaal Charles.

“Just harder to bring down guys and they can break a lot of tackles,” Hayden said. “We’ve got to be more physical.”

And as bad as the pass defense has been, the Cowboys allowed the New Orleans Saints to rush for 242 yards in their last game.

“We just got the details, be where we’re supposed to be at when we’re supposed to be there,” defensive tackle Jason Hatcher said. “We’ve been playing with a lot of guys, just here and there filling guys in. We’ve been banged up, but I’m not the guy to make excuses. We’ve got to do better. We just have to go out here and concentrate on it and take it one step at a time and we’ll be OK.”

 

[Cotton]

A look at how the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants match up

By Rainer Sabin
rsabin@dallasnews.com


The last time the Dallas Cowboys were in action they were getting blasted by the New Orleans Saints, 49-17. Now, the Cowboys head to northern New Jersey this weekend for a pivotal game against the New York Giants. The Giants have come roaring back after an 0-6 start. If they prevail Sunday, they will be tied with Dallas in the NFC East standings. Consequently, the Cowboys know they must leave MetLife stadium with a victory. Otherwise, their season will be in serious jeopardy with only five games left to bring about a course correction. Here is a look at how the Cowboys and Giants match up:

When the Cowboys run

Last season, the Cowboys ground game produced 1,265 yards – the lowest total recorded during a 16-game season in franchise history. Amazingly enough, Dallas is on pace to finish below that mark in 2013. Dallas’ inability to run the ball consistently and effectively has hurt an offense that has sputtered in recent weeks. A revival in the ground game isn’t expected against the Giants, who are conceding 3.63 yards per carry – the fourth-lowest average in the NFL.
Edge: Giants

When the Cowboys pass

Since throwing for 506 yards against Denver, Tony Romo hasn’t looked like the same prolific quarterback. His passer rating in the five games since then is 81.7. His completion percentage is 57.1. Not surprisingly the Cowboys’ offense, which is dependent on Romo’s right arm, has nosedived during that period, averaging the fewest yards in the NFL. Now Romo faces an improved Giants team, which is has the 15th-ranked pass defense in the league.
Edge: Cowboys

When the Giants run

The Giants’ backfield looks completely different than the one that gained 50 yards in the Week 1 loss to the Cowboys. Starter David Wilson is on injured reserve. And the Giants’ are now leaning on Brandon Jacobs, Andre Brown and Peyton Hillis. All three players have helped the team’s ground attack improve to the point that it has averaged 90.8 yards per contest during their four-game winning streak. The Cowboys, who have the fourth-worst run defense in the NFL, will be challenged to stop the Giants this time.
Edge: Giants

When the Giants pass

Eli Manning is one of four quarterbacks who have thrown for at least 400 yards against the Cowboys this season. He seems capable of surpassing that total again this Sunday. Dallas has struggled to limit competent passers and Manning, despite his early spree of interceptions, fits that bill. The absence of linebacker Sean Lee, who has a hamstring injury, could give Manning an even greater advantage.
Edge: Giants

Special teams

The New York Giants have forced as many turnovers – three – as they have created this season on special teams. Punter Steve Weatherford is ranked 30th in net yardage. And Josh Brown has made 88.2 percent of his field goal attempts. The Giants’ performance on special teams has been shaky. The Cowboys, meanwhile, have fared well. Dan Bailey has made 89.5 percent of his field goal tries and Dwayne Harris remains one of the best kickoff and punt returners in the league.
Edge: Cowboys

Intangibles

After an 0-6 start, the Giants have cobbled together a four-game winning streak while beating up on four teams – Minnesota, Philadelphia, Oakland and Green Bay – who challenged them with marginal quarterbacks. The competition may have not been the best but the Giants are now brimming with confidence as they’ve crawled back into the NFC East race. The Cowboys, meanwhile, are still smarting from their Nov. 10 loss to the New Orleans Saints that raised doubts about the team’s direction.
Edge: Giants