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Cotton

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Cowboys' focus moves to Eagles

October, 14, 2013

By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com


ARLINGTON, Texas – Like every team in the NFL, the Cowboys live with the 24-hour rule, but sometimes you have to move on sooner than 24 hours whether you win or lose.

As Sunday night turned into Monday morning after 31-16 win against the Washington Redskins, some of the talk in the locker room turned to the next game at the Philadelphia Eagles.

First place in the NFC East will be on the line with both teams sporting a 3-3 record and 2-0 marks in the NFC East. The Eagles have won their last two games after losing three in a row.

“They’re playing tough football,” quarterback Tony Romo said. “I was watching a little bit of their tape last week because it’s a different opponent as far as seeing them on television, just seeing what they’re doing. It’s going to be interesting to see all of the stuff they’re doing with the new system. It’ll be a good test for us and we’ll be ready.”

Michael Vick’s status is in question because of a hamstring injury, but Nick Foles threw for 296 yards and three touchdowns in Philadelphia’s win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.DeSean Jackson had two touchdown catches and Riley Cooper had 120 yards receiving and a touchdown. LeSean McCoy ran for 116 yards.

“It’s going to be a tough game,” linebacker Sean Lee said. “They have a lot of athletes and an ability to score.”
 

boozeman

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Jason Hatcher: Both Philadelphia Eagles QBs are ‘awesome’ but I’d rather face Nick Foles




By Jon Machota
jmachota@dallasnews.com
8:30 pm on October 14, 2013 |

IRVING – The Dallas Cowboys aren’t sure which Philadelphia Eagles starting quarterback they’re going to see on Sunday.

Michael Vick missed last Sunday’s game in Tampa Bay because of a hamstring injury. Nick Foles got the start and led the Eagles to a 31-20 victory behind 296 passing yards and three touchdowns.

So who would the Cowboys rather face?

“I would like to see Foles,” Cowboys defensive tackle Jason Hatcher said Monday. “Vick is like a rabbit. He’s all over the place. Foles is more like a stationary guy in the pocket. Both of them are awesome quarterbacks. Foles is playing his butt off these last couple of games. Either one, but I would take Foles over Vick.

“Foles can throw it. It’s going to be a challenge either way, but let's get real here. He's white.”

Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett was a little more conservative with his response.

“I think they’re both good quarterbacks, and I think they’ve proven that over their careers, and I think they’ve proven that in this offense,” Garrett said. “They’ve both been productive. Again, they do it a little bit differently. You don’t see Foles make the dynamic plays with his feet that Michael Vick has become known for, but Michael Vick can throw the ball from the pocket, he can make those plays, and Nick Foles shows he can move the ball around the field.

“He’s a mature quarterback. He showed that last year in the time that he played and he’s certainly shown that this year in the couple chances he’s had to play.”
 

Cotton

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Five Wonders: Run D to be tested more
October, 15, 2013

By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com

IRVING, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys head to Philadelphia this week with first place in the NFC East on the line, but I really wonder how good the Cowboys really are.

What’s funny is how people say the division is awful and the Cowboys should run away with it. I wonder why. It’s not as though the Cowboys’ roster is filled with so much more talent than the rest of the division.

If the Cowboys don’t win the NFC East, the storyline is set for those who want to believe they underachieved again; not that they might be just as poor as the division's other three teams.

Anyway, let’s get to wondering in this week’s Five Wonders:

• I wonder if I got a little carried away with the defensive redemption angle from Sunday’s win against the Washington Redskins. When measured against the performances against the San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos, it was better. A lot better. But the defense still allowed 433 yards, gave up 216 rushing yards, including 77 on nine carries from Robert Griffin III. Their work on Alfred Morris was OK until the 45-yard touchdown run. But with Eagles running back LeSean McCoy coming up Sunday and games against Reggie Bush, Adrian Peterson and Matt Forte, as well as rematches with McCoy and the Morris-Griffin tandem, the run defense will have to improve. McCoy leads the NFL with 630 yards rushing and runs like he is part of a video game.

• I wonder if those all wondering if the Cowboys should have picked Sharrif Floyd in the first round understand that it likely would have meant they would not have Terrance Williams on the roster. This isn’t to excuse the Cowboys for not looking to the defensive line in the draft, but two players like Travis Frederick and Williams is a lot better than one player like Floyd. That’s my gripe with the team on the first-round moves they made for Tyron Smith and Morris Claiborne in 2011 and ’12. Smith is playing much better this year and appears to have taken to the left tackle spot, but the Cowboys passed on a chance to pick up two picks from Jacksonville in a trade. They traded up to get Claiborne with the sixth pick in 2012, giving up their second rounder to do so. Frederick has played better than most thought he would and Williams has developed quickly. Since his fumble vs. San Diego he has turned it on and earned Tony Romo’s trust.

• It’s way too early to even think about the Pro Bowl, but while some of the normal names on the roster will get kicked around for the all-star game, like Jason Witten, DeMarcus Ware and Dez Bryant, I wonder if Dwayne Harris works his way into the mix. The Cowboys have not sent a non-kicking/punting special teamer to the Pro Bowl since Jim Schwantz in 1996. Harris is proving to be a dynamic punt returner. It’s more than just his 86-yarder for a touchdown against the Redskins. He gets positive yards almost every time and his decision-making has improved. Although fielding a punt at his 5 might be a little dubious, but it speaks to his confidence level. In his last 16 games, he has 10 punt returns of at least 20 yards. He is averaging a ridiculous 23.6 yards per punt return and 34.7 yards per kick return. The sample size is small, but Harris is making a name for himself.

• I wonder if people forget there is a salary cap in the NFL. When the Cowboys cut Will Allen last week I was inundated with those asking if the team is setting up a trade for Buffalo Bills safety Jairus Byrd, who is playing this year on the franchise tag. With roughly $2 million of cap space, the Cowboys are not in position to make a splash trade without a long-term commitment that they just can’t afford to make with other players inching toward free agency. They would have a hard time adding a substantial veteran free agent as well because of the cap. There are ways to move some money around, like re-working Doug Free’s deal, for instance, but they would be setting themselves up for a tighter cap in 2014 and possibly beyond. The best the Cowboys can hope for is internal improvement along the defensive line as they better understand what Rod Marinelli wants.

• I wonder how it is possible Dez Bryant has as many games averaging less than 10 yards per catch as he does averaging at least 13.5 yards per catch. Against the Redskins, Bryant caught five passes for 36 yards. In the opener against the Giants, he averaged 5.5 yards per catch. Against the St. Louis Rams he averaged 9.5 yards per catch. It’s proof that if teams want to take a receiver away, they can do it. It might also be proof the Cowboys are not always willing to take shots down the field, even to Bryant, who can outmuscle just about any defensive back in the game. The Cowboys have done a better job moving Bryant around this year, but they have to get the ball to him in space more.
 

Cotton

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Jason Hatcher to get his wish: Michael Vick is out, Nick Foles will start for the Eagles

Asked on Monday which Eagles quarterback he'd rather face on Sunday _ Michael Vick or Nick Foles _ Cowboys defensive tackle Jason Hatcher said it was a no brainer.

He'd rather face Foles because he was more of a drop back passer rather than having to chase Vick all over the field.

“I would like to see Foles, because Vick is like a rabbit,” Hatcher said. “He’s all over the place. Foles is more like a stationary guy in the pocket.

“But both of them are awesome quarterbacks. Foles is playing his butt off these last couple of games. Either one, but I would take Foles over Vick.”

Well, Hatcher will get his wish as the Eagles have ruled Vick out for the game because of an injury, leaving Foles as the starter for Sunday's game against the Cowboys.

Foles has been pretty good in wins over the Giants and Buccaneers in place of the injured Vick the past two weeks, completing 38 of 56 passes for 493 yards and five touchdowns.

“Foles can throw it, now,” Hatcher said. “He can throw it. It’s going to be a challenge either way.”

Clarence Hill
 

Smitty

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• I wonder how it is possible Dez Bryant has as many games averaging less than 10 yards per catch as he does averaging at least 13.5 yards per catch. Against the Redskins, Bryant caught five passes for 36 yards. In the opener against the Giants, he averaged 5.5 yards per catch. Against the St. Louis Rams he averaged 9.5 yards per catch. It’s proof that if teams want to take a receiver away, they can do it. It might also be proof the Cowboys are not always willing to take shots down the field, even to Bryant, who can outmuscle just about any defensive back in the game. The Cowboys have done a better job moving Bryant around this year, but they have to get the ball to him in space more.
It's because unless he gets the ball in space, he's overrated at RAC.
 

Texas Ace

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I will say this in Schmitty's defense.....he doesn't break as many tackles in one on one and you'd like to see.

I'm not down on him like Schmitty is in that regard, but he also isn't Terrell Owens who almost always got past the first man trying to tackle him.
 

Smitty

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I will say this in Schmitty's defense.....he doesn't break as many tackles in one on one and you'd like to see.

I'm not down on him like Schmitty is in that regard, but he also isn't Terrell Owens who almost always got past the first man trying to tackle him.
That's all I'm saying. Owens, and other WRs, have been elite at this.

Bryant is not at all.
 

Texas Ace

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That's all I'm saying. Owens, and other WRs, have been elite at this.

Bryant is not at all.
I think he's better than you give him credit for, especially in space, but I'll agree that he could be and probably should be better given his size and physical ability.
 

Smitty

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If he is, he hasn't shown it.

As evidenced by his way too often days of averaging less than 12 yards per catch.
 
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I'm interested to see how we attack Philly this weekend. Their run D is horrendous and we're short our top 2 RBs. This I'd Randle's shot. If he looks as unimpressive as he did in relief the other night, RB goes back near the top of the draft wish list.
 

Carp

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I'm interested to see how we attack Philly this weekend. Their run D is horrendous and we're short our top 2 RBs. This I'd Randle's shot. If he looks as unimpressive as he did in relief the other night, RB goes back near the top of the draft wish list.
We should have taken Lacy.
 

boozeman

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Hatcher talks waaaay too much.
Goes with the territory. He's as close to a defensive team leader as we've got. Ware and Lee included. I don't have an issue with it until it bites us in the ass.
 

ravidubey

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Goes with the territory. He's as close to a defensive team leader as we've got. Ware and Lee included. I don't have an issue with it until it bites us in the ass.
Agreed. He can be vocal because he's performing at a very high level. You have to listen because that guy is getting it done.
 

Cotton

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Officials breakdown: John Parry

October, 16, 2013

By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com


IRVING, Texas -- John Parry will be the referee for Sunday’s game between the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles.

This will be the first time the Cowboys have seen Parry’s crew since a 19-13 loss to theAtlanta Falcons last year in Week 12. The Cowboys were penalized seven times for 50 yards and the Falcons had just two penalties for 15 yards. The crew was particularly rough on defenders with three illegal-contact penalties, a pass-interference penalty and two holding calls.

Parry worked the New York Giants-Chicago Bears game and the crew called 11 penalties with nine accepted. The Giants had four penalties for 31 yards and the Bears had five penalties for 51 yards.

The breakdown:

Illegal use of hands – 1
Offside – 2
Unnecessary roughness – 1
Offensive holding – 1
False start – 1
Illegal block above the waist – 1
Defensive pass interference – 1
Defensive holding – 2
Intentional grounding – 1

Quarter-by-quarter:

First – 0
Second – 3
Third – 5
Fourth – 3
 

Genghis Khan

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I'm interested to see how we attack Philly this weekend. Their run D is horrendous and we're short our top 2 RBs. This I'd Randle's shot. If he looks as unimpressive as he did in relief the other night, RB goes back near the top of the draft wish list.
Agreed. We also should mix in Tanner a lot more than we did last game.

Then again the Eagles pass defense blows too so I'm not sure the run game will matter much for most of the game.
 

Genghis Khan

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I really wish we were facing Vick instead of Foles. Foles is a better passer at this point.
 

bbgun

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Goes with the territory. He's as close to a defensive team leader as we've got. Ware and Lee included. I don't have an issue with it until it bites us in the ass.
Wasn't he whining about all the Peyton Manning praise before Manning cornholed us?
 
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