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Five Wonders: Henry Melton's status
December, 9, 2014
By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com
IRVING, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys return to work today for the first time since beating the Chicago Bears last week. Many are wondering if the Cowboys can make the playoffs for the first time since 2009.
We have Five Wonders, like we do every Tuesday.
On to the Wonders:
With DeMarcus Lawrence healthier and Josh Brent active for the first time in the Bears’ game, I wonder if Henry Melton will be active this week against the Philadelphia Eagles. Crazy? Maybe not. Melton leads the Cowboys in sacks with five and he had a nifty pass breakup against Chicago. He’s shown he can play tackle and end, but the feeling around Valley Ranch the past few weeks is that the coaches need and want more. Maybe it would serve as a wake-up call if it happened. He has gone four straight games without a sack and has not been affecting the play as much in recent games. It would be a gutsy move, but these coaches have not been afraid to do things like this the past couple of years. Stay tuned.
When Joseph Randle hopscotched his way into the end zone with a 17-yard touchdown run on his only carry against the Bears, I leaned over to colleague Jean-Jacques Taylor and said, ‘That might be why the Cowboys don’t pay DeMarco Murray $6 million a year next year.” True story. You can ask him. And I legitimately wonder if the Cowboys will look at Randle and a possible draft pick as a more economical way to handle the running back spot in 2015 and produce something close to what Murray has done. I believe Murray should be an MVP candidate. I think he has been tremendous, but I would also be leery about paying a running back big, big money. In his last 10 carries Randle has 89 yards and two touchdowns. The running back class in this year’s draft could be stacked. The Cowboys might not be able to keep everybody they want to keep.
I wonder if the longer it goes that Jason Garrett does not receive a contract extension this season, the more it means he might not be back in 2015, winning record or no winning record. I was on record earlier in the season that the time was right for Jerry Jones to give Garrett a new deal to take away the uncertainty. That hasn’t happened, but that hasn’t happened for free agents to be like Murray, Dez Bryant, Rolando McClain and Doug Free, either. Jones has let everybody roll out there with their futures on the line and they have all produced, by and large. But at some point doesn’t he have to take care of the coach? I mentioned this earlier in the year: If the Cowboys make the playoffs, then Garrett could become a hot commodity for another team looking for a coach. He has done a nice job rebuilding and trying to win at the same time. I think he deserves to see this thing through.
I wonder what is more likely to happen: the Seattle Seahawks lose one of their final three or the Detroit Lions lose two of their final three. Remember, the Cowboys are out of the playoffs at the moment because they are in a three-way tie with the Seahawks and Lions. They have better conference records and thus own the tiebreaker. The Cowboys’ head-to-head win against Seattle is meaningless in a three-way tie. If the Cowboys don’t win their last three games, they would need Seattle and/or Detroit to lose. The Seahawks have a harder schedule with San Francisco, Arizona and St. Louis left. The Lions have Minnesota, Chicago and Green Bay. I don’t see any of them running the table, but I do think 11 wins will be needed to make the playoffs.
I wonder if this is the week Dwayne Harris breaks a punt return for a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles. He’s been more dangerous in the past two games and had one called back against the Bears. Philly is giving up just 8.5 yards per return but it did allow a 75-yarder for a touchdown this season. Special-teams touchdowns play big parts in wins, especially late in the season when field position is at a premium. It’s just a hunch, but look out for Harris this week.
December, 9, 2014
By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com
IRVING, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys return to work today for the first time since beating the Chicago Bears last week. Many are wondering if the Cowboys can make the playoffs for the first time since 2009.
We have Five Wonders, like we do every Tuesday.
On to the Wonders:
With DeMarcus Lawrence healthier and Josh Brent active for the first time in the Bears’ game, I wonder if Henry Melton will be active this week against the Philadelphia Eagles. Crazy? Maybe not. Melton leads the Cowboys in sacks with five and he had a nifty pass breakup against Chicago. He’s shown he can play tackle and end, but the feeling around Valley Ranch the past few weeks is that the coaches need and want more. Maybe it would serve as a wake-up call if it happened. He has gone four straight games without a sack and has not been affecting the play as much in recent games. It would be a gutsy move, but these coaches have not been afraid to do things like this the past couple of years. Stay tuned.
When Joseph Randle hopscotched his way into the end zone with a 17-yard touchdown run on his only carry against the Bears, I leaned over to colleague Jean-Jacques Taylor and said, ‘That might be why the Cowboys don’t pay DeMarco Murray $6 million a year next year.” True story. You can ask him. And I legitimately wonder if the Cowboys will look at Randle and a possible draft pick as a more economical way to handle the running back spot in 2015 and produce something close to what Murray has done. I believe Murray should be an MVP candidate. I think he has been tremendous, but I would also be leery about paying a running back big, big money. In his last 10 carries Randle has 89 yards and two touchdowns. The running back class in this year’s draft could be stacked. The Cowboys might not be able to keep everybody they want to keep.
I wonder if the longer it goes that Jason Garrett does not receive a contract extension this season, the more it means he might not be back in 2015, winning record or no winning record. I was on record earlier in the season that the time was right for Jerry Jones to give Garrett a new deal to take away the uncertainty. That hasn’t happened, but that hasn’t happened for free agents to be like Murray, Dez Bryant, Rolando McClain and Doug Free, either. Jones has let everybody roll out there with their futures on the line and they have all produced, by and large. But at some point doesn’t he have to take care of the coach? I mentioned this earlier in the year: If the Cowboys make the playoffs, then Garrett could become a hot commodity for another team looking for a coach. He has done a nice job rebuilding and trying to win at the same time. I think he deserves to see this thing through.
I wonder what is more likely to happen: the Seattle Seahawks lose one of their final three or the Detroit Lions lose two of their final three. Remember, the Cowboys are out of the playoffs at the moment because they are in a three-way tie with the Seahawks and Lions. They have better conference records and thus own the tiebreaker. The Cowboys’ head-to-head win against Seattle is meaningless in a three-way tie. If the Cowboys don’t win their last three games, they would need Seattle and/or Detroit to lose. The Seahawks have a harder schedule with San Francisco, Arizona and St. Louis left. The Lions have Minnesota, Chicago and Green Bay. I don’t see any of them running the table, but I do think 11 wins will be needed to make the playoffs.
I wonder if this is the week Dwayne Harris breaks a punt return for a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles. He’s been more dangerous in the past two games and had one called back against the Bears. Philly is giving up just 8.5 yards per return but it did allow a 75-yarder for a touchdown this season. Special-teams touchdowns play big parts in wins, especially late in the season when field position is at a premium. It’s just a hunch, but look out for Harris this week.
