Another great week of NFL action: the Colts won (but looked human), the Saints continue to roll, and the Giants continue to spiral out of control.

It seems like every week brings more drama to the stage during what has been a very exciting season thus far that we are now halfway through.

One thing is for sure….THE REDSKINS DIDN’T LOSE THIS WEEK! (But the Browns did!)

[Editor's Note: There you go dick Myles. Keep rubbing salt in the wound jackass buddy. Keep kicking Browns fans when they're down you no talent ass clown my friend.

I can't wait until Peyton Manning retires and your one-man franchise returns to sucking and all of its fair-weather fans go away.  Go ahead, shake your head. But you know it's true.]

Now, onto this week’s Power Rankings.

1. New Orleans Saints (Last 2 [+1])

The Saints once again flip-flop into first place again with a big win against division rival Atlanta.

Rushing TD’s, Defensive TDs, Passing TDs…this team scores however they want to, and it seems that if they score less than 30, its a debacle.

We may be heading toward an Indy-New Orleans Superbowl, and that makes me giddy.

[Editor's Note: Readers, please raise your hand if you give a crap what makes Big MB "giddy"? In fact, raise your hand if you are explicitly disturbed by the mention of Big MB being "giddy"? Ah, unanimous agreement. Just as I suspected.

You know Myles, there are Browns, Rams, Lions, and Chiefs fans reading this post who don't need to have it shoved in their faces that the two teams you root for are undefeated. What the hell have you done to deserve such a charmed NFL existence?

So shove it and go giddy yourself off on some other blog.

I hate the NFL.

Moving on, in honor of that kickass picture I found of Drew Brees and Alfonso Ribiero (aka Carlton Banks) I've chosen "It's Not Unusual" by Tom Jones as this week's Power Ranking theme song. Enjoy.]

2. Indianapolis Colts (Last 1 [-1])

Indy and Peyton Manning looked somewhat average on the offensive side of the ball this week, but the defense and special teams stepped up and prevented Indy from its first loss against the 49ers with an 18-14 victory.

Minus the 60-yard touchdown run by Frank Gore, the defense was spectacular, with two very crucial sacks of 49ers QB Alex Smith in the closing minutes of the game. On top of that, they are now the NFL’s #1 rated defense in points allowed, which in the end, is the only stat on defense that truly matters.

Not unlike the Saints, the Colts are proving that they can win in several different ways, even if it is a halfback option pass to win the game.

[Editor's Note: Blah, blah, blah. The Colts' run ends once they face New England. Mark it down.]

3. Minnesota Vikings (Last 5 [+2])

Brett Favre must be feeling good. Yes, he beat his old team on MNF in Minnesota, but this one meant more. This one was in Lambeau.

Favre came out on fire, throwing for four touchdowns and no interceptions. Jared Allen is definitely a beast at DE; on one play, Green Bay didn’t even bother to block him en route to one of Minny’s six sacks on Aaron Rodgers.

[Editor's Note: Wait a minute...who the hell just said they don't know who Carlton Banks is and that they don't understand the Tom Jones reference? Are you serious? Damn this new generation is deprived. Just watch below and it will all make sense, and then find out what channel in your area shows reruns of The Fresh Price of Bel-Air. You'll thank me.]

4. New England Patriots (Last 4 [0])

The Pats were on bye this week, but with the Jets’ losing effort against Miami, they have improved their standing in the AFC East. As much as I hate to admit it, this team is dangerous. If they can stay healthy, they will be a major contender come time for the playoffs.

[Editor's Note: Way to be objective and give everyone equal time Myles. You write a book about the Colts and Saints, then we get to the Patriots and get three totally uninspired, generic sentences. I can't wait until they beat Indy and you have to rank them above the Colts. It's coming...soon.]

5. Denver Broncos (Last 3 [-2])

Finally, a chink in the armor of what was seeming to become an AFC Beast.

Denver lost to the Ravens 30-7, and now, all of those nay-sayers can say “I told you so.”

However, I am not jumping off the bandwagon. This team is still 6-1, plays in a soft division, and will be a pest in the playoffs, perhaps still even achieving a first round bye if they can bounce back from this loss.

Don’t sell Denver yet, it’s just one game.

6. Cincinnati Bengals (Last 6 [0)

Cincy was on bye this week, and apparently, that is the only way anyone can keep Chad Ochocinco out of the endzone.

Cincy remains tied atop the AFC North with the Steelers, and have a very important divisional matchup this week against Baltimore, who is coming off of a big win against denver.

7. Pittsburgh Steelers (Last 7 [0])

Pittsburgh was on bye this week, and remains tied for the lead in the AFC North with the aforementioned Bengals; however, consider them a half game behind Cincy because of a loss to the Bengals earlier in the season.

Pittsburgh is traveling to Denver for a monumental matchup on MNF this week. Denver is coming off of an embarrassing loss to the Ravens and will be looking for revenge on Big Ben and the Steelers.

[Editor's Note: Thinking about Denver, Cincinnati, and Pittsburgh -- three solid teams, yes, but none of whom will be making the Super Bowl this year -- has me bored. So how 'bout a little more Carlton Banks?

Ask and you shall receive...]

8. Philadelphia Eagles (Last 13 [+5])

Don’t look now, but here come Donovan McNabb and the Eagles.

McNabb has potentially the biggest surprise of the NFL season in big play specialist DeSean Jackson, a guy that he can throw and hand off to, and he has done just that. Jackson still maintains the impressive stat that all of his touchdowns are of 50 yards or more.

The Eagles are tied for the NFC East lead with Dallas, and will host the ‘Boys in Philly this week with the division lead on the line.

9. Dallas Cowboys (Last 14 [+5])

I’m still not buying the Cowboys, despite their jump in my Power Rankings this week, which was probably due more to the poor play of the teams they moved past than their dominant victory over an injury-ravaged Seattle team.

Next week will be a big match in Philly against the Eagles for the division lead.

Keep this in mind as you jump on the Cowboys bandwagon, and eventually crown them prematurely: Wade Phillips is still their coach, and Tony Romo is still their quarterback; and unfortunately, December is coming.

10. Houston Texans (Last 15 [+5])

Well, apparently the Texans coaching staff has no love lost for fumbles. Running back Steve Slayton was benched in favor of back-up Ryan Moats who ended up with over 120 yards and three touchdowns.

Houston continues to play very well, and I hate to say it, but I told you so. Houston is 5-3 and will head to division leading, undefeated Indianapolis, for what may be the Texans’ biggest game of the season so far.

[Editor's note: For what "may be" their biggest game of the season? It's clearly their biggest game of the season, and very well might be the biggest game thus far in their franchise's history. Too bad them they won't have Owen Daniels for the rest of the season. Big loss, akin to Indy losing Dallas Clark.]

11. Atlanta Falcons (Last 11 [0])

The Falcons put up a fight against the Saints, but in the end it just wasn’t enough as they drop to three games back of the NFC South lead. Mike Smith and the Falcons still have a great team, and they could still make a push into the playoffs. Stay tuned, and don’t sell this team just yet.

[Editor's note: A "great" team? If that's true, then how do you have them below the Cowboys, who you claim to not be "buying". Come on Colts boy. Where's the consistency???]

12. New York Giants (Last 8 [-4])

Only just a few short weeks after they were tied with the Colts for #1 in my Power Rankings, I am screaming to sell the Giants.

Something is wrong in New York, very wrong.

Eli has regressed in production and decision making, and looks as confused as St. Louis did when they realized they had won last weekend against Detroit.

Better step up Giants, or you may find yourself out of the Power Rankings next week, and worse, out of the playoff race.

[Editor's Note: I'll agree with you there. As great and prestigious as your Power Rankings are, I do believe it would be far worse for the Giants to fall out of the playoff race than the rankings. But they will, of course, go hand in hand.]

13. Green Bay Packers (Last 9 [-4])

Green Bay gave a valiant effort in the closing minutes against Brett Favre and the Vikings in Favre’s triumphant return to Lambeau. The biggest concern in Cheeseland is protecting Aaron Rodgers. You just can’t allow six sacks a game and expect to win.

[Editor's Note: You also can't allow the best player in your franchise history, and one of the top 10-15 QBs in the NFL, to get away and play against you, in your division. But that's a topic for another day...]

14. Baltimore Ravens (Last Not Ranked)

Baltimore makes their way back into this week’s top 15 with a convincing win against the previously undefeated Broncos.

The Ravens’ defense held the Broncos to just seve points, and forced QB Kyle Orton out of his comfort zone, making him to throw the ball downfield.

The Ravens are fighting an uphill battle though, with the Steelers and Bengals playing great football.

15. Chicago Bears (Last Not Ranked)

The Bears make it back in to the top 15 this week with a convincing win over Cleveland.

Yes, It’s Cleveland, but still, with Arizona’s loss to the Panthers, I couldn’t fathom leaving them in the Rankings when they were barely there before.

The question on a weekly basis in Chicago is, which Jay Cutler will show up this week?

[Editor's note: You must not have watched the Bears-Browns game. It was the least impressive 30-6 win I've ever seen. Chicago did not look good at all; Cleveland is just that bad. You are right that the Bears need Cutler to step it up, but he looks really out of sync right now.]

This Week’s Biggest Winner

Philadelphia Eagles +5, Dallas Cowboys +5, Houston Texans +5

This Week’s Biggest Loser

Arizona Cardinals (Out of the Top 15), New York Giants -4

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* – Drew Brees / Alfonso Ribiero photo credit: CakeRocksTheParty.Wordpress.com

With a another very interesting week of NFL Football in the books, the Power Rankings have decided to be like Elvis for Halloween this week….they’re “All Shook Up”.

O.K., that was terrible, but on a more serious note, it was a very interesting week with a lot of changes in the rankings. Take a look and comment; tell me what YOU think!

[Editor's note: I'll tell you what I think right now. How in the hell can you drop the Saints below the Colts after NO showed the heart of a champion on the road this past Sunday? Oh wait, that's right...I forgot that you live in Indianapolis. Never mind. Makes perfect sense. "All shook up" indeed...]

1. Indianapolis Colts (Last 2 [+1])

O.K., so we all expected the Colts to wax the Rams. No big surprise at all.

But, this Colts defense has seemed to continue to pick up speed, and the young guys that this team has, especially in the secondary, are beginning to make veteran plays, like Lacey’s interception return for a touchdown, which is something that Colts fans haven’t seen very often recently

The only negative to this game was that Peyton Manning’s streak of 300+ yard games was stopped at five. He only had 248 yards of passing and 3 TDs. Only.

2. New Orleans Saints (Last 1 [-1])

At the half of their bout with Miami, I’m pretty sure everyone in the Bayou must have been drowning their sorrows in a nice dark beer.

After being down 24-3, the Saints took control of the game and ended up with a commanding 46-34 victory over the Dolphins.

Drew Brees said after the game that he never once lost confidence that the Saints would be victorious. Now those are some very strong words.

The Saints still drop a spot in my Power Rankings due to the fact that they did struggle in the first half against Miami, but don’t be surprised if they find their way back to the top. Next week is a big game against division rival Atlanta.

3. Denver Broncos (Last 3 [No Change])

With Denver on bye, and one of the four remaining undefeated teams falling from perfection (see Minnesota Vikings), I feel it’s only fair that Denver maintains their position in the Power Rankings this week.

Next up: the spiraling Baltimore Ravens

4. New England Patriots (Last 5 [+1])

So the Pats have beaten up on bad teams. That doesn’t necessarily mean they are a top 5 team right?

Wrong.

This team is picking up steam and now at 5-2 they are solely atop the AFC East.

Anyone else anticipating a knock down drag out fight in Indianapolis on November 15^th? Mark it on your calendar.

5. Minnesota Vikings (Last 4 [-1])

So the Vikes are the first of the final four undefeated teams to fall from grace, but there is nothing for them to hang their head about. My only question for Brad Childress is why on 1^st and goal on the half yard line would you only give the league’s best runner one shot?

Don’t blame Brett Favre for this loss. The fumble was blind, and his interception was more Chester Taylor’s fault than Favre’s. This is still a very dangerous team, but next week’s game in Green Bay – Favre’s first game in GB since his exit - just got a lot more interesting.

6. Cincinnati Bengals (Last 14 [+8])

This team keeps surprising me and impressing me the further we get along in the season. They’ve already beaten the Steelers and now have on their resume a complete dismantling of Jay Cutler and the Bears, 45-10.

Cedric Benson is playing like the Bears thought he would when they picked him 4^th over all. The only problem? He’s a Bengal now.

We talk about the weapons in Indy and New Orleans, but what about the Bengals? Carson Palmer. Chad Ochocinco. Laverneus Coles. Chris Henry. Cedrick Benson.

Take your pick on who to stop. They’ll just burn you elsewhere.

A bye this week for the Bengals, then a big divisional game against the Ravens in week 9.

7. Pittsburgh Steelers (Last 9 [+2])

I haven’t figured out how much I buy into the Steelers this year, but every time I start to close the book on them, they come out and just do something really special.

Two defensive touchdowns in the closing minutes of the 4^th quarter against Brett Favre and the undefeated Vikings sealed this game for the Steel City. Big Ben continues to be a very solid QB, and now the Steelers find themselves with their star back on D, and in a virtual tie with Cincy for the AFC North.

Get some rest boys, you’re heading to Denver after your bye.

8. New York Giants (Last 7 [-1])

This team is really starting to become a big disappointment.

A couple weeks ago, Jerod and I had a conversation about who the Giants had played, and aside from the Cowboys (and who the hell knows if they are for real or not), the G-Men had played no one. Now they have suffered consecutive losses against the Saints and Cardinals.

Eli looks a little lost out there and coach Tom Coughlin had better fix this team. Fast.

9. Green Bay Packers (Last 8 [-1])

What a big weekend for Aaron Rodgers and the Pack.

A huge 31-3 win over the mundane Browns (sorry Jerod) [Editor's note: go to hell Myles, the tailgating was awesome!], coupled with a Minnesota loss to the Steelers and the Pack are just one game back of the division leading Vikings.

Oh yeah. The evil Brett Favre and his aforementioned Vikes come to town this week, and the Pack have the chance to get revenge for their loss earlier in the season. It would also moveGreen Bay into a tie for the NFC North with Minnesota.

This is a much watch game. There will be blood.

10. Arizona Cardinals (Last 15 [+5])

After their loss to the Colts, I, as well as just about every NFL expert out there, had written the Cards off.

Then they spanked Seattle and beat the Giants.

Now Arizona sits at the top of the NFC West, and as long as they continue to play well they will most likely win their division with San Fran starting to fall apart.

11. Atlanta Falcons (Last 6 [-5])

I’m not sure what’s going on in the ATL right now, but I would love to know who the real Falcons are.

Two weeks ago they blew out the 49ers in San Fran, then they struggled to close the book on the Bears.

Now, after a 37-21 loss to America’s Team (The Cowboys) the Falcons find themselves at 4-2, two games behind the undefeated Saints.

12. New York Jets (Last 11 [-1])

Want to hear irony?

After a couple of really bad weeks for Mark Sanchez and the Jets, seemingly the biggest story of the Jet 38-0 trouncing of the Joke-land Raiders (you like that?) is Mark Sanchez sneaking a hot dog between his legs.

At least he likes mustard on his hot dog.

Other than that, the Jets disposed of a team they were supposed to beat. I’m still concerned about Sanchez’s “rookie-dom.” [Editor's note: Or, to continue to lame jokes, shouldn't it be "rookie-dumb?"]

13. Philadelphia Eagles (Last Not Ranked)

The Eagles continue to bounce in and out of my weekly top 15.

There is a superstar in the making in Philly.

DeSean Jackson does it all. Reverses for 60 yard touchdowns, catches for 60 yard touchdowns, kick returns.

Here’s an interesting stat: of Jackson’s four touchdowns this season, none have been for any less than 57 yards.

14. Dallas Cowboys (Last Not Ranked)

Contender or Pretender? I’m still trying to figure this one out.

Tony Romo is about as consistent as a one legged man in an ass kicking contest. However, Miles Austin has given this offense new life. His big play ability give a new dimension to the otherwise dull Cowboy offense.

Maybe all Romo needed was a big play receiver NOT named Terrell Owens.

15. Houston Texans (Last Not Ranked)

I’m sure I’m going to catch hell again for putting the Texans back in my top 15, but it’s my top 15 and I’ll do what I want. Mess with me and I’ll put the Raiders up here.

[Editor's note: do that and you can find another website to post your Power Rankings on. If a shitty, undeserving team is going to inexplicably crack the top 15 it's going to be the Browns...or I'm taking your log-in password and going home.]

In all seriousness, the Texans are 4-3 and although they are somewhat inconsistent in their play, they keep winning ball games.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Matt Shaub may perhaps be the most underrated QB in the NFL right now. Remember the last QB that I considered to be underrated? His name was Drew Brees.

Any Questions?

This Week’s Biggest Winner

Cincinnati Bengals +8

This Week’s Biggest Loser

Jim Zorn and the entire Redskin Management Team. Need I say more?

Baltimore Ravens – This team has been falling apart at the seams, hopefully the bye week will treat them well.

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* – Peyton Manning photo credit: The Squeaky Pickle

In this week’s “I’ll Tell You This” I jump into the realm of the Sports Rumor Mill. Take a look and brew up some comments or rumors of your own!

1. Tony Dungy to Return to Coaching?

Recent rumors have placed Tony Dungy back at the helm of the struggling Tampa Bay Buccaneers as early as next season. Tampa Bay is 0-5, and has shown no signs of life this season, and its coach, Raheem Morris, is no doubt on the hot seat.

There seemingly will be a change in Tampa in the next couple of years, if not before.

I’ll Tell You This:

I love Tony Dungy, and while I hated to see him leave Indianapolis, I felt that it was the best thing for him and his family.

I have been very impressed with Dungy’s studio reporting, and he and Rodney Harrison make a great duo on NBC’s Football in America.

However, I have mixed emotions on his return, especially this soon.

That being said, I believe that if he is to come back to football, Tampa Bay is the place for him to go. It will be tough for him to build a team, but what a great way for him to prove that Tampa should have never let him go.

2. Other Coaching Rumors in the NFL

Several teams will be looking to replace their head coaches this year after very dismal seasons.

It is most likely safe to say that Jeff Fisher’s job in Tennessee is safe for at least one more season.

However John Fox (Carolina), Wade Phillips (Dallas), Norv Turner (San Diego), Tom Cable (Raiders), as well as a few others may not be so fortunate.

I’ll Tell You This:

I am going to make some bold predictions for this offseason.

Bill Cowher, the chin himself, will return to football at the helm of Carolina. His grit-and-spit coaching style is perfect for the struggling Panthers.

Mike Shannahan will end up replacing Wade Phillips in Dallas. What better coach to handle someone like Jerry Jones on a regular basis. There is talent in Dallas (although Romo is terrible in my opinion), and Shannahan will expose that talent.

My boldest prediction is that Norv Turner will be fired from the Chargers and replaced next season by former Seahawks and Packers coach Mike Holmgren. Holmgren has said on TV that he loves the style of football that the Chargers play, and there is no doubt that he would be a great fit in San Diego.

As for Oakland, I understand that there will be a reality show on MTV called “Who Wants to Punch an Assistant”. They are accepting applications right now. Previous work experience only requires a pulse, and knowing the difference between a football and a hamburger.

As long as Al Davis is in the picture this team is doomed to failure.

3. Gruden. Chuckie. NCAA.

Three words that a lot of NFL fans would have never put in a sentence together may now become a reality.

The main rumor circulating is that Charlie Weis’ job does not rest on the success of his Fighting Irish, but on the decision of John Gruden to come to Notre Dame.

However, even more rumors have recently surfaced placing Gruden in Louisville.

I’ll Tell You This:

As a fan of Golden Domers myself, the very thought of Gruden coming to Notre Dame excites me beyond belief.

Although Louisville would be a good fit for Gruden, he has said that it has always been his dream to coach the Fighting Irish.

Gruden would also be great at handling the pressure that comes with the job in South Bend, Indiana, much better than Charlie Weis has thus far.

4. NFL Trade Rumors

With the NFL Trade Deadline fast approaching this coming Tuesday, there are Trade rumors on the wire that may or may not be valid, I will revue what I find as the most interesting two.

Only five weeks after being named the starting QB of the Browns by Eric Mangini, Brady Quinn is now on the trading block.

While Quinn laughs off the rumors, possible destinations have included Oakland, Tampa Bay, and St. Louis.

The other major trade rumor floating around is Terrel Owens and the Bills. The biggest rumor floating is that he may be headed to Chicago to play with Jay Cutler and the Bears.

I’ll Tell You This:

Quinn is not the answer for any of these terrible teams. He has been a let down, and as it hurts me to say since he is a Irish Alum, he is quickly falling into the Ryan Leaf bust category.

Obviously, Buffalo and their terrible 1-4 record is looking into their crystal ball, and seeing that a T.O. blow up is inevitable at this time. Chicago would be a great fit as it would give Cutler the chance to throw the deep ball.

That being said, T.O. is a gamble anywhere he goes, and will likely destroy any locker room that is not completely controlled. Owens needs Parcells….perhaps a trade to Miami?

5. You Tell Me This:

In this week’s edition of “You Tell Me This” I want to hear from you guys about any rumors in any sports that you may know of, and perhaps if there are any spins on the rumors I have posted!

That’s all for this week kids!

Via ProFootballTalk on Twitter, Kevin Smith will suit up and start for the Lions today and Clinton Portis will do the same for the Redskins.

As for Tashard Choice, get this guy in your lineup.  Marion Barber is probable to play, but is not 100% and the Cowboys want to ease him back into action. Every report I’ve heard is that Choice will get the majority of the carries, and no team is running the ball better than Dallas right now.

As anyone who has followed my fantasy football predictions knows, I have been high on Cowboys’ RB Felix Jones ever since the offseason. 

And proving that I don’t just talk the talk, but also walk the walk, Jones is the only player that I have in each of the six leagues I am in this year.

While Felix’s production has been hampered by the fact that he is part of an amazing three-man backfield in Dallas — where there simply aren’t enough touches to go around — he has still be explosive enough in limited touches to provide solid flex value through three games.

However, one of the main knocks on Felix Jones coming into the season, that he’s injury prone, appears to have reared its ugly head and could hinder Jones’ value moving forward.

According to Ed Werder of ESPN Dallas, Jones was injured last night during the Cowboys’ victory over the Carolina Panthers on Monday Night Football. The latest injury update on Felix Jones is that he has a knee strain, but that it could turn into something serious.

Werder cites Jerry Jones as saying he is “concerned about the severity” of the injury. Felix was reportedly unable to loosen his left knee after the injury occurred last night. He will have an MRI today to assess the severity of the injury.

I, of course, will keep a close on this one considering Jones’ value to me in each of my leagues. I’ll update this post when more information is available.

For the season, Felix Jones is averaging a ridiculous 10.1 yards per carry on 21 carries to go along with one rushing TD. He also has one reception for 20 yards. During his short career, Jones has a 9.4 yard per carry average on 51 carries. Ridiculous.

Hopefully he can get back on the field soon.

Update 9/29: Felix Jones has a sprained PCL according to Matt Mosley of ESPN Dallas and will almost assuredly miss next week’s game against Denver. He is also likely to miss the Cowboys’ next game and then return after their bye week when Dallas plays Atlanta on October 25th. 

Obviously the injury to Jones, plus Marion Barber’s tender quad, makes Tashard Choice a must-own player in fantasy for the next month.

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* – Felix Jones photo credit: Dallas Observer Sportatorium

Editor’s Note: AJ Kaufman’s weekly MNF coverage on MSF is sponsored by Sadler’s Smokehouse, a producer of premium pit smoked meats that are best described by Sadler’s slogan: Legendary since 1948.

Sadler’s premium meats are perfect for tailgating on Saturday, for grilling out at home on Sunday, or for when you are hosting a group of friends, or even just the family, on Monday night.

With a variety of delicious choices (beef, pork, ribs, turkey, brisket, and more) and availability at grocery stores throughout the U.S., Sadler’s meats are the tasty, convenient choice when you want to watch the big game and eat well while you’re doing it.

• Check out Sadler’s Monday Night Football Recipe of the Week: Smokehouse Panini
• Each week, you can also listen to the MSF Monday Night Football Podcast, brought to you by Sadler’s. In this week’s edition, Jerod and Big MB preview the Cowboys-Panthers Monday tilt and provide three “locks of the week” against the spread. (Note: Special thanks to Davey Heritier and Austin Bridges for the intro/outro song “Awake the Day”…one of Jerod’s all-time favorites.)
• Follow the link to listen to the MSF Podcast on iTunes, or use the in-page player below to listen while you read.

Panthers-Cowboys MNF Preview Podcast presented by Sadler’s

(FYI…audio player may take a second or two to load)

MNF Preview Podcast: Cowboys-Panthers

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Monday Night Football Preview

Carolina Panthers (0-2) at Dallas Cowboys (1-1)

• Panthers-Cowboys Date: Monday, September 28th
• Panthers-Cowboys Time: 8:30 ET
• Panthers-Cowboys TV Network: ESPN
• Panthers-Cowboys Announcers: Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, and Jon Gruden
• Panthers-Cowboys Point Spread: Cowboys -9.5
• Panthers-Cowboys Over-Under: 46
• Panthers-Cowboys Pick by Jerod: I don’t like this game at all and would not touch it with a ten-foot pole if I actually bet money on these things. Luckily I don’t, so I can still offer up at least a guess as to how it will turn out. I think it all comes down to who you trust more: Tony Romo or Jake Delhomme. If Romo protects the ball and lets his great RBs do the heavy lifting, the Cowboys should rebound from their home opener for a win. However, Dallas is terrible against the pass (as proven last week by Eli Manning) and perhaps this is the game that Jake Delhomme gets well again. In the end, I do think Dallas will win this game, but Romo will make enough mistakes and Dallas’ DBs will play poorly enough for Carolina to keep it close. Plus, when in doubt, go with the 0-2 team that had playoff expectations coming into the year. Desperation can be huge in the NFL. Panthers-Cowboys free spread pick: Panthers +9.5
• StubHub: Cowboys-Panthers MNF tickets as low as $25!
• StubHub: all Dallas Cowboys home game tickets
• StubHub: all Carolina Panthers home game tickets
• StubHub: all 2009 NFL tickets

Cowboys-Panthers Preview & Analysis

Though it may seem silly and emotional, in Dallas, hope turned to despair from week one to two.

However, after a closer look, it is a very good sign for your offense when you are playing one of the top rated defenses in the conference, your quarterback plays one of the worst games of his career, and you still manage 31 points.

These results convey two important points: (1) that your offense is balanced, and (2) that your offensive line is getting the job done.

It should come as no surprise that given the production of said offensive line, the Cowboys running game is firing on all cylinders as Marion Barber and Felix Jones represent arguably the best 1-2 running back punch in the NFC, if not the NFL. Barber is averaging more than six yards per carry in 2009. Unfortunately for Cowboys fans, Barber is still questionable for Monday with a quad injury.

Fortunately for ‘Boys fans though, his backup, Tashard Choice, is no slouch, and should pick up the slack nicely if pressed into a more prominent role in the offense. Last year, Choice put together a string of three excellent games against Pittsburgh, New York, and Baltimore. Therefore, he should serve solidly in a time-share with Jones.

Expect Mr. Jones to maintain his role as the change of pace and 3rd down back with Choice claiming the “workhorse” duties. The duo should come up big against a Panthers defense that has an injury riddled front-line and has given up over 150 rushing yards in each of their first two games. 



As for Romo, odds are he’ll be fine. The bigger issue is the uncertainty over a reliable third option for the Cowboys’ receiving game (after Jason Witten and Roy Williams). Patrick Crayton seems destined to be nothing more that a slot receiver, leaving Miles Austin in the driver’s seat to run away with second wideout duties. His talent and big play ability has left Jerry Jones watering at the mouth, but Austin has yet to consistently manifest that talent into reality.



It is a very bad sign for your secondary when Eli Manning, Mario Manningham, and Steve Smith look like the second coming of the Three Amigos. That said, I think the Cowboys will be fine defensively, so long as they abandon the experiment to rotate Orlando Scandrick (who was repeatedly burned by Manningham) and Mike Jenkins at the corner, and it seems like Wade Phillips has already started to move in that direction. 



Panthers fans can take some solace in the fact that Jake Delhomme, coming off two straight awful performances that led to major criticism, wasn’t nearly as bad last week against Atlanta; but that being said, his 308 passing yards shed far too positive a light on his actual performance. This simply isn’t the Delhomme of five years ago, and the Panthers have to be second guessing the heck out of themselves for his exorbitant contract extension this past off-season.
 
Though he indicated he “felt good out there,” Jake was nearly an early disaster. Though he began the game 4-4 for 54 yards, he could have thrown an early interception when he inexplicably tossed a weak underhand pass, which was dropped by a Falcons defender. If Delhomme would have thrown a pick there, things probably would have snowballed on him again, as they would have been in another big early hole.

Cowboys-Panthers Prediction and Spread Pick

So, though it’s not outrageous to muse that the 34 year-old is on the downward arc of his career, the Panthers do indeed have a dangerous rushing attack with DeAngelo Williams and 22 year-old Jonathan Stewart  that will make things significantly easier for Mr. Delhomme at times. 



All that being said, I just don’t see how the Panthers stop the Cowboys’ rushing attack, especially with the season ending ankle injury to defensive tackle Louis Leonard, one of the team’s primary run stuffers. This is yet another hindrance to a defensive line already crippled by injuries.

Ultimately, I just don’t see the Panthers as being able to stop the Cowboys’ ground game without bringing a safety in the box, and in doing so, they will open up the passing attack for Tony Romo, who should have a good bounce back game. Dallas needs this win, and it’s highly likely they’ll get it, perhaps easily.



Cowboys-Panthers Prediction and Spread Pick: Cowboys do cover the large spread.

**********

* – Felix Jones photo credit: Dallas Observer Sportatorium

* – Jake Delhomme photo credit: Snort Report

This week, I think it’s safe to say that there is only one.

While there were certainly plenty of highlights yesterday, as there always are on Sundays, no play was more impressive or important than Ray Lewis’ amazing 4th and 2 stop of Darren Sproles.

The stop sealed the road win for Baltimore over San Diego, which moved Baltimore to 2-0 on the season, and proved that Ray Lewis still has at least a little bit of gas left in the tank.

Something tells me that this was not the look on Philip Rivers’ face as Ray Lewis stuffed the Chargers’ chances of winning.

Follow the link to StubHub for great deals on all 2009 NFL tickets.

The video is below.

Video: Ray Lewis Stuffs Darren Sproles on 4th and 2

Coming in a close second for Play of the Day has to be Jerry Jones, who dug hard but probably did not go deep enough to get what he was looking for (booger or victory, you decide).

Honestly, this video is not really all that big of a deal, and wouldn’t even merit a mention if it weren’t for Jerry Jones. For a guy who is so obsessively consumed with his own image, and that of the Cowboys, I can’t imagine he’ll be happy to see this video floating around.

Add in the fact that it came on perhaps his most important night as an owner — the opening of his immaculate shrine to himself (where the Cowboys will also play their home games) — and the irony makes it funny.

Hat tip to MoonDog for his video:

Video: Jerry Jones Picks His Nose as Cowboys Lose to Giants

After getting behind the Giants’ D and appearing poised to scamper all the way to the end zone, Barber pulled up and eventually tumbled over about 10 yards shy of the end zone. It was apparent from the replay that Barber pulled a muscle in his leg.

Felix Jones ultimately scored a TD on the drive, but Barber left the game and was immediately pronounced out for the remainder of the contest, which New York won 33-31.

Barber ran for 124 yards on 18 carries and scored a touchdown. He also caught two passes for 31 yards. After the Cowboys’ coaches watch tonight’s film, they’ll have to ask themselves why they called anything but running plays.

On 29 carries, the Cowboys averaged a whopping 8.7 yards per carry. Tony Romo, on 29 pass attempts, threw for 127 yards and 3 INTs.

Follow the links to StubHub for great deals on Dallas Cowboys tickets and all 2009 NFL tickets.

I have seen no specific injury updates on Barber as of yet, other than he left the game and did not return, but I’ll update this post as soon as I hear anything.

Update: The injury that knocked Marion Barber out of last night’s game is being called a left quad strain, according to Yahoo Sports (via Rotowire). Barber did walk off the field under his own power, and the injury does not appear severe. Obviously if you are a Barber owner, you want to own Felix Jones and Tashard Choice as well (if possible), and be sure to monitor Barber’s status throughout the week.

Update 9/22: Newy Scruggs of NBC 5 in Dallas is reporting (hat tip: PFT) that Marion Barber will miss 1-2 weeks with the quad strain that he suffered Monday night. Because the Cowboys don’t play until Monday, I would not consider Barber to be definitely out this week. Check the injury reports, but make sure you have a contingency plan (or Felix Jones/Tashard Choice) because you will most likely have to make the decision Sunday as to whether or not you’re going to wait until Monday for the final word on Barber’s availability.

Update 9/23: Definitely keep your eye on Marion Barber’s status. The latest update, at least according to ESPN, is that Barber received treatment yesterday and hopes to play Monday night.  Looks like this will be a Sunday morning decision and you’ll just have to base your thoughts on Barber’s status for Monday night — which will obviously influence the fantasy value of Felix Jones and Tashard Choice value — on as much info as you have.

New York GMEN(+3)

Looking at the match ups in this game, they favor the Giants greatly. Dallas’s offensive line is suspect and the GMEN have the best defensive line in the NFL. Tony Romo, when shaken, gets stirred like a James Bond drink, and I expect him to be hit all night. Tony Romo has a history of making some very poor decisions against the Giants and I don’t expect that to change this week. I like the Giants to win, but getting 3 points is always great.

Miami Dolphins vs. Indianapolis Colts(-3)

Miami took the league by storm last year with their Wildcat offense. That was then this is now. NFL defensive coordinators have had one year to see the Wildcat offense on tapes, and Miami wont be catching anyone by surprise this year. With that said Miami still does not have a quarterback that can throw the ball more than 25 yards down field which makes it easy for defenses to scheme against them. The Colts do struggle on the road and on grass, but it’s only 3 points, and I think they win by two scores.

San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks(+1)

I think Seattle is a completely different team with Matt Hasselbeck at quarterback at the helm. Not to mention he finally has a great receiver to throw the ball to in T.J Houshmandzadeh. For the 49ers I just don’t believe in Shaun Hill and besides Frank Gore, not enough playmakers, take the point and fly with the Hawks.

Atlanta Falcons vs. Carolina Panthers(+6.5)

Atlanta looked really good last week, Carolina looked really bad. The spread in the game started at -2 and has jumped almost 4.5 points. This is a big rivalry in the NFC South and if Carolina loses this game they might as well pack it in for the season, because their schedule is just brutal for the rest of the season. I don’t expect Jake Delhome to light it up, I expect the Panthers to run, run, and run some more, which you can do versus Atlanta. I think Atlanta wins, but they don’t cover.

Record this year:
College 3-5
NFL 2-2

Houston Texans at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Friday, September 4, 7:00 p.m. ET

Favorite: Buccaneers -3

A good question to ask in preseason football is “What do these guys have to play for?” In Houston’s case, the answer is “not much.” All their offensive skill players are locked into their starting roles with little to no competition and the Texans will almost certainly sit their top guys to keep them fresh for NFL week 1 betting.

The Bucs, however, have a bit of motivation. After Byron Leftwich “won” the starting quarterback job, both Luke McCown and Josh Freeman will want to show that they’re the better choice to start at pivot. Running back Cadillac Williams is third on Tampa’s depth chart but there’s been talk of a committee and he could use Friday’s game to audition for a role in it. Pick the hungrier Bucs.

Betting services recommend: Buccaneers

Dallas Cowboys at Minnesota Vikings

Friday, September 4, 8:00 p.m. ET

Favorite: Vikings -3

The Cowboys’ situation is similar to Houston’s. Do you really think anyone will unseat Tony Romo, Marion Barber, Jason Witten and DeMarcus Ware at their positions? Of course not. The star players have no threats to their jobs and won’t play, so the Cowboys will field a team of subs with little motivation to win. In addition to home field, the Vikings have a least a couple players with extra motivation. Sage Rosenfels wouldn’t mind lighting up the Cowboys to show up Brett Favre, the man who stole his job. Meanwhile, super backup running back Chester Taylor could earn himself a bigger role in the offense if he impresses. Bet on Minnesota.

Betting services recommend: Vikings

San Francisco 49ers @ San Diego Chargers (-3.5)

Friday, September 4, 10:00 p.m. ET

Forget drinkin’ the Kool-Aid; everyone’s drinkin’ the coffee – Glen Coffee – this preseason. The explosive back leads the NFL in rushing over the first three weeks and should see extensive time Friday filling in for starter Frank Gore. The Chargers have little to prove and their second-string skill players are nothing special, so the 49ers could surprise and outscore the home team. Take a flier on San Fran in your NFL picks.

Betting services recommend: 49ers

First off, I agree with the move from the Cowboys’ perspective. Yes, it creates a big question mark at WR, where they now only have the overrated Roy Williams and the underwhelming trio of Patrick Crayton, Miles Austin, and Sam Hurd. However, this is a very good draft for WRs, and with their first round the pick the Cowboys should be able to target guys like Jeremy Maclin or Percy Harvin.

What’s that you say? The Cowboys traded their first round pick in 2009 for Roy Williams? Oh. Hmm…

Well, surely they can still make a play for a WR in free agency, right? Let’s take a look at the Scout.com list of still-available free agent WRs, now that TJ Houshmandzadeh has signed with the Seahwaks and Laveraneus Coles has signed with Bengals. Here is a quick list of the top guys left:

• Marvin Harrison
• Jerry Porter
• Lance Moore
• Joey Galloway
• D.J. Hackett
• Drew Bennett
• And a bunch of other guys not really worth mentioning who fit into the Miles Austin-Sam Hurd class of nondescript 4th or 5th WRs.

So…not a whole lot there to choose from. I could see Marvin Harrison as a potential option, a stop-gap for this season. But he is living more on reputation than anything else these days, and his rep isn’t even that good anymore. Jerry Jones does like to bring in “names” though, so I wouldn’t necessarily count Harrison out.

The point of this silly exercise is that the Cowboys made themselves a less talented offense by cutting Terrell Owens, and there are not a whole lot of options out there to replace him. But you know what? I still think it will make them a better team. Here’s why:

• The Cowboys should be built around the run, not the pass. They have Marion Barber, Felix Jones, and Tashard Choice in the backfield. Three excellent runners. Plus, they have a big and meaty offensive line that is adequate enough as a run blocking unit. Now that T.O. doesn’t need to be coddled and thrown to, the Cowboys can focus more on the ground.
• If it comes down to a pissing contest between your franchise QB and your aging, no-as-effective-anymore WR, you have to side with the QB. I think Tony Romo displayed some immaturity last year, and the jury is out as to whether he can win in the playoffs, but I’d rather him be happy than placate Owens if I’m a Cowboys fan.
• Roy Williams does have talent, and the Cowboys dealt a #1 pick for him last year. This allows Williams to step into the #1 role and prove what he can do. It will allow to Cowboys to find out if they have a true #1 receiver to build the offense around, or if they need to move onto plan C next offseason.
• And finally, and more importantly, releasing T.O. will undoubtedly help with locker room harmony and chemistry. Perhaps the Cowboys are getting smarter and Jerry Jones is figuring out what wins football games these days. Putting a bunch of big names on a roster doesn’t do it — creating a team does. T.O. may sometimes get blamed for things that are not his fault, but he has earned that absence of any benefit of the doubt. He’s had problems with every QB he’s ever played with and history has proven that he just can’t stay in one place too long. His welcome had been worn out in Dallas, and it was time for him to go. The Cowboys will be better off because of it.

Another hot topic of conversation on both 1310 The Ticket and Mike & Mike in the Morning as I drove in today was where Terrell Owens might end up now that he is not the teacher’s pet for Jerry Jones any longer. Let’s take a quick trip through the divisions and see what teams could potentially be a fit, keeping these components in mind:

• The team has to have some cap space
• There needs to be an established QB who would command T.O.’s respect and keep him in line
• There needs to be a need at the WR position

.And just for fun, I’ll rate my own thoughts of the likelihood of T.O. ending up somewhere on a 1-10 scale.

(FYI: All cap numbers were taken from WalterFootball.com’s team-by-team offseason reports and may not reflect the most up-to-date numbers. Great site though.)

You can also feel free to skip my a.m. ramblings from this morning and hop on over to PFT’s Anti-TO List. Expectedly, some of my projections below have already proven erroneous.

NFC East:

• New York Giants: They obviously need a WR, and have $11 million in cap space. Considering Tom Coughlin’s history with Bill Parcells though, and the headaches caused by Plaxico Burress last year, there are hurdles. But the Giants have a strong locker room and a laid-back QB in Eli Manning would could get along with T.O. for a year or two. This is a very hard one to handicap. 6 out of 10.
• Washington Redskins: They are up against the cap after the Albert Haynesworth signing and just recently drafted young WRs to go along with Santana Moss and Antwaan Randle El. There is absolutely no reason for the Redskins to look at T.O. In fact, it would be a dumb, stupid, ludicrous move for them to make — which is exactly why it is slightly possible, given Daniel Snyder’s history. 1 out of 10
• Philadelphia Eagles: The position need is there, but no way, no how. Been there, done that. 0 out of 10

NFC North:

• Chicago Bears: This is an interesting one. The Bears don’t have much at receiver beyond Devin Hester and do have some cap space. With the team committing to Kyle Orton, adding another weapon could certainly help him out. I think the fit seems possible, but I just don’t see it. 3 out of 10
• Detroit Lions: No way. They were 0-16 last year and need to rebuild, and Jim Schwartz won’t want anything to do with T.O., especially they go QB with the #1 pick. 0 out of 10.
• Green Bay Packers: WR is already a strength for this team. No chance. 0 out of 10.
• Minnesota Vikings: They have cap space, and a few decent-to-good WRs in Bernard Berrian and Bobby Wade. They just signed a new QB in Sage Rosenfels, but are obviously built to win games on the ground. And Brad Childress was in Philly with T.O. 0 out of 10.

NFC South:

• Atlanta Falcons: Young QB in Matt Ryan and an established #1 WR in Roddy White. No chance. 0 out of 10.
• Carolina Panthers: They need a WR to step in for Muhsin Muhammad, but they want to go young. They wouldn’t replace Muhammad with T.O., since the two are essentially the same game nowadays, but Muhammad doesn’t have the baggage. 0 out of 10.
• New Orleans Saints: They are not in a great cap situation, so probably could not sign T.O. and still sign their rookie FAs. They do love to pass the ball and Terrell Owens would give Drew Brees another solid target, plus T.O. might respect Brees enough to treat him decently for a year or so. I guess it is possible, but highly unliekly. 1 out of 10.
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers: They certainly have the cap space, but just resigned Antonio Bryant and Michael Clayton. Plus, they will have a great chance to get a WR in the first round of the draft. But with Kellen Winslow and Jerramy Stevens already on the team, could they afford another head case? 1 out of 10.

NFC West:

• Arizona Cardinals: If they don’t get Anquan Boldin extended and happy, there would be a void at the WR position. However, they would have Steve Breaston to step right in. Plus, the Cardinals are cheap, and I doubt Kurt Warner wants to deal with T.O.’s whining. 1 out of 10.
• San Francisco 49ers: I cannot imagine Mike Singletary wanting to bring T.O. back to where it all started. There are still question marks for this team at QB, and Singletary showed last year how much patience he has for me-first guys: zero. There is a need at WR, but enough to go for Terrell Owens. 0 out of 10.
• Seattle Seahawks: Maybe, had they not just signed T.J. Houshmandzadeh. No reason to reach for T.O. anymore, especially with the chance to take Michael Crabtree in the draft. They do have a strong QB in Hasselbeck and could still use more WR help, but I don’t really see it. 1 out of 10.
• St. Louis Rams: The need is definitely there, especially with Torry Holt asking to be released. They Rams have an established QB in Marc Bulger who could potentially get along with Terrell Owens. And new head coach Steve Spagnuolo has faced T.O. times a year and will have a good idea if Owens is washed up, or if he has anything left to give. The Rams do have some cap space. This is a possibility. 6 out of 10.

AFC East:

• Buffalo Bills: The Bills have a lot of cap space, but have Lee Evans, Josh Reed, and James Hardy at WR, with plenty of other holes to fill. 0 out of 10.
• Miami Dolphins: Riiight. Bill Parcells and “The Player” back together again? I think not. -6983 out of 10.
• New England: They already have Randy Moss and Wes Welker and will want to bring young guys in to fill their other WR voids. The locker room and QB situation would work, and the Pats have cap space, but I don’t think T.O.’s production justifies the headache anymore. 1 out of 10.
• New York Jets: The need is there, with Laveraneus Coles headed to the Bengals. They are up against the cap though, and still have rookies to sign. Plus, with no established QB, what would keep T.O. in line? 2 out of 10.

AFC North:

• Baltimore Ravens: They need a WR, especially with Derrick Mason getting older, but they will want that WR to be younger. They do have cap space as well. Perhaps the Ravens feel like T.O. could put them over the age and give them a chance to go one step further than last year. Joe Flacco is a young QB, but Ray Lewis and the strong personalities on D could help keep Owens in line. This one is intriguing, but still unlikely I think. 5 out of 10.
• Cincinnati Bengals: They just signed Coles, so the need is not there. They have cap space, but why waste it on Owens? 0 out of 10.
• Cleveland Browns: Especially if they end up trading Braylon Edwards, WR will be a need. And the Browns do have cap space. However, I don’t see T.O. meshing well at with Eric Mangini. 0 out 10.
• Pittsburgh Steelers: No way. They have Holmes and Ward, and I can’t see Mike Tomlin putting up with Owens. 0 out of 10.

AFC South:

• Houston Texans: The cap space is there, and Matt Schaub is an established veteran. However, Andre Johnson is the clear #1, and Kevin Walter had a solid year that year. They could use another WR, and I guess this is possible, but I still can’t really see it happening. 2 out of 10.
• Indianapolis Colts: This one is very intriguing to me. The Colts need 3 WRs for their offense to functional as usual. With Marvin Harrison gone, they need someone to line up opposite Reggie Wayne so Anthony Gonzalez can work the slot. Peyton Manning would obviously demand T.O. respect; but, there is a first time head coach that may not be ready to deal with T.O. And cap space is an issue. I think there are reasons why this could work on the field in the short term, but it is probably not possible. 1 out of 10.
• Jacksonville Jaguars: They basically have nothing at WR. They do, however, have an established QB in David Garrard and enough cap space to make a deal happen. However, with the disharmony that was present in the locker room last year, why would you bring in Terrell Owens? This is only possible because of the immense strength of the need Jacksonville has at WR, but I’d be shocked if they were dumb enough to bring a toxic element into an already toxic locker room. 4 out of 10.
• Tennessee Titans: The Titans always need WRs. They signed Nate Washington and re-signed Justin McCareins, but T.O. would be top threat on the this team. They have $31 million in cap space as of February 8th, and a veteran QB in Kerry Collins who can get the ball down the field. Plus, Jeff Fisher seems like one of the coaches who has enough experience and skins on the wall to keep T.O. in line temporarily. There are a lot of reasons why this is possible, though still not probably. 5 out of 10.

AFC West:

• Denver Broncos: They already have Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal, and I don’t think a young first-time head coach is equipped to deal with Jay Cutler’s bitchiness, Marshall’s immaturity, and T.O.’s ego. 0 out of 10.
• Kansas City Chiefs: On the field, Terrell Owens would be a nice #2 option after Dwayne Bowe. But the Chiefs have a new QB situation and new coaches and management. The cap space is definitely there, but Scott Pioli will want to create a winning climate immediately, and T.O.’s selfishness won’t fit into that. 1 out of 10.
• Oakland Raiders: Need is huge, and this is the Raiders. The cap situation is not good, but still — this is the Raiders. Never underestimate Al Davis’ willingness to do things that make no sense. 6 out of 10.
• San Diego Chargers: Decent cap situation, established QB, so it could work from that perspective in the short term. However, the Chargers have needs needs beyond WR, where they have Vincent Jackson, Chris Chambers, and a core of young guys. Cant see this one. 1 out of 10.

So there you have it. According to my completely unscientific and hastily slapped together analysis, the most likely possible destinations for Terrell Owens are the Raiders, the Giants, and the Rams, with the Ravens, Titans, and Jaguars as secondary possibilities.

I think any of these teams would be making a big mistake, but this is the NFL. Someone will roll the dice on T.O. if the price is right, but I think they’ll be sorry in the end — just like the Cowboys were.

There is the infamous video and pictures of Jason Witten losing his helmet and continuing to rumble down the field against the Philadelphia Eagles, proving Witten’s toughness. But there have also been rumblings recently that many teammates, most notably Terence Newman, are not happy that Jason Witten went public with the whole Romo-Witten-TO drama earlier this season.

As Robert puts it over at DSF, Jason Witten seems to have all of the requisite qualities to be an effective leader for the leadership-starved Cowboys; now he needs to actually step up and be one:

Every truly great team needs a senior player to step up and lead from time to time. Look at Peyton Manning for the Colts, or Brett Favre for the Packers. Even Ray Lewis stands out among the Ravens as a leader. Every one of these teams is a solid team, and each one has a player step up as a leader.

This begs the question, where was the senior player in the Dallas Cowboys this season. When considering the roster, Jason Witten stands out as a senior player with a tremendous amount of respect.

However Jason Witten, the man who is fearless enough to keep running after he loses his helmet, was too quiet when the team really needed him. Witten is as widely respected for his abilities as Owens, or any other player in the league, however when push came to shove, Jason Witten did not assert himself as a positive influence on the team.

Is Jason Witten getting a bad rap in Dallas? – (Dallas Sports Fans)

__________

And now some other great links from around the sports blogosphere today:

Who do you want to be Browns GM and head coach? (hint: we agree, except for the Pioli thing) – (Waiting for Next Year)

Better Know a Blogger: An interview with Dashiell Bennett of Deadspin – (MLive.com)

Marbury to Celtics Could Happen Soon – (Reds Army)

Mike Patrick says “Georgia is just pulling a Plaxico. They just keep shooting themselves.” – (The Big Lead)

We know SEC fans crazy, and this Auburn fan proves it – (Fire Perno)

Michael Crabtree already preparing for NFL – (Dallas Basketball)

NCAA and the Sports Books: Working Together for us – (Cleveland Frowns)

Robbie Madison achieves the impossible, jumping his motorcycle over 120 feet to the top of the Arc de Triomphe at the Paris Las Vegas and then jumped back down – (Josh Q. Public)

After a royal butt whipping at the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles in a Win-and-In game Sunday afternoon, the Dallas Cowboys are saying everything but the right thing.

The Cowboys had an opportunity to reach the playoffs with a win at Philly, but all they accomplished was wasting 3 hours of my day (actually about 2, because I couldn’t stand to watch any more) and costing me another point in my football pool.

The frustrating part of this is the fact that I have yet to hear anyone stand up and say, you know what, Philly played a great game and that we didn’t deserve to win. Instead, all I am hearing is that it’s so and so’s fault, or listening to T.O. cry again because his quarterback played terrible when it matters.

I do think that Jerry Jones needs to look in the mirror a little and understand that money doesn’t buy championships. The Cowboys lack unity and toughness. When the chips are down, the finger pointing begins; yet when things are rolling well, the cocky Cowboys think “we are the best team in football.”

It’s apparent that Jerry Jones is going to bring Head Coach Wade Phillips back next year. I guess I have to respect that decision, but it doesn’t mean I have to like it. I truly believe that the attitude and mental toughness of a team comes from a coach that has a strong personality and demands the best out of his players. It’s an attitude, and it starts at the top. There’s no doubt the Cowboys have the talent to be an elite force in the NFL, what they lack are the guts and passion to go out and make it happen.

I don’t mean to slam on Dallas, and I have been a Cowboy fan for many, many years now. But more than anything, I am a football fan. I follow the Chiefs, Rams and Cowboys. I guess that’s maybe where my frustration is coming from, because the first two are terrible and the Cowboys were the only hope this year. Oh well, I will still enjoy watching the playoffs and Super Bowl.

The Cowboys will move into their new $1.1 billion dollar stadium next year, and the question is whether or not they will field a team worthy of this commitment. I for one will be interested to see what, if any, changes are made during the offseason.

coop92 is a contributing author to Midwest Sports Fans, as well as the editor at Midwest Sports Junkies. Check out his site for additional analysis of the St. Louis Cardinals, the BCS, and Missouri Tigers football.

(Hopefully I throw it into the wind a little better than Tony Romo, or another blog may intercept this post and run it back for a link on Deadspin.)

Gotta love the mixed metaphors.

Anyway, back to our discussion of Jerry Jones. We all know about the Dallas Cowboys loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, and many of you have probably heard by now that Jerry Jones basically called out Marion Barber for being a wuss and not playing with his injured pinkie toe. Yes ladies and gentleman, a grown man who has gotten a face lift and danced in public with Steve Urkel insinuated that one of the toughest running backs in the NFL is a wuss.

He of course backtracked off of those comments once they caused a stir in the media, but you tell me how this is taken out of context (from the Rick Herrin story in the Fort-Worth Star Telegram):

“He can play with that injured toe,” Jones said. “He can play with the soreness and a combination of those things. I see nothing that led us to believe he couldn’t.”

Seems pretty cut and dry to me: Jerry Jones thinks Marion Barber should have been able to play, yet Barber did not even make the trip to Pittsburgh. I’m confused though by how there was not better communication about this injury within the Cowboys organization leading up the game. Hell, I posted in the middle of the week last week that Marion Barber most likely was not going to play, and I’m just a schmuck blogger for a Midwest site who’s lived in Dallas for less than a year. Yet somehow I was more up to date on the status of Marion Barber than the Cowboys owner.

Maybe the fact that Jerry Jones seems out of touch is because he has something a little more pressing on his mind that regular season football. Something like…a $1 billion stadium for which he is currently short about $350 million.

I actually did some Photoshop work for an article that was written on this topic last week. Entitled “Dallas Cowboys Stadium Shortfall: Bailing Out Jerry Jones“, I learned that a little over five weeks ago Jerry Jones hosted a variety of banks to try and secure the final $350 million that he needs to complete his ridiculous stadium in Arlington. The article itself is a somewhat tongue-in-cheek look at what some of Jerry’s options might be to get the financing he needs, including whether a federal bailout would be a worthwhile use of tax dollars. Because honestly, if the Dallas Cowboys suffer, don’t we all?

Just to give you a little taste, here is one of the images from the article. This one was produced as an illustration of the possibility of Barack Obama funneling some money Jerry’s way, in an effort by Barack to have a better chance at winning the state of Texas in 2012. My favorite part is the expression on Jerry Jones’ face as he is forced to shake hands with a Democrat, and the sobbing Tony Romo in the background:

You can click on the image for a full-size view. To view the other images, including “Jerry Jones Field at He Loves Him Some Him Stadium” which features Jerry Jones grinding up next to a shocked Tom Landry, you’ll have to go check out the article.

It will be interesting to see what actually happens with the new stadium, and with the Cowboys team, leading into the 2009 season. There is absolutely no question that Jerry Jones fully expected to be heading into the new stadium in 2009 riding a wave of momentum from a Super Bowl win in 2008. It was all I heard on the radio this offseason and during training camp.

Now, after 13 weeks of up and down football and an 8-5 record, Jerry Jones is:

• Calling out his star running back
• Short of funding for his new stadium
• Has to be wondering if he has a QB with the stones to win once the games really matter
• Frustrated with his head coach, Wade Phillips

(By the way, after you go read the article about the new Cowboys stadium, check out the link above. It is from 1310 The Ticket here in Dallas, and is a regular bit they do every Monday called Fake Jerry and Fake Wade. It is hilarious.)

Anyway, with the Cowboys taking on the Ravens, Giants, and Eagles in their final three games, and needing to win at least two just have a prayer at a playoff berth, the rest of 2008 is not shaping up to give Jerry Jones much relief. And to be quite honest, his unnecessary comments about Marion Barber’s injury make me think that Jerry may be coming unraveled and starting to feel the pressure of the enormous stadium budget and the reality that his team is merely good, but not elite.

Allow me the indulgence of a little bit of foreshadowing: prepare to get goosebumps. Trust me.

Now, a quick injury update on Dallas Cowboys running back Marion Barber as we head into this weekend’s titanic matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 14, a huge week for many fantasy football owners as well. According to the Dallas Morning News, as well as 1310 The Ticket in Dallas, Marion Barber is currently a dreaded “game-time decision.”

(Update 12/6, 5:00 PM: The game-time decision has been made. Marion Barber did not accompany the Cowboys to Pittsburgh. Tashard Choice will start.)

Other than “Dr. James Andrews” is there a worse phrase to hear in relation to one of your fantasy football players than “game-time decision?” Well, perhaps “playing Pittsburgh’s defense,” but we’ll get to that in a second.

Here is the quote from Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips referring to the Marion Barber injury:

“We were assuming that Marion would play, but it’s a little more doubtful right now, so we’ll see [today],” coach Wade Phillips said.

Marion Barber is suffering from an injury to his toe, and according to the Morning News the Cowboys training staff is trying to find the right kind of shoe to give him support that may allow him to take the field Sunday. For now, they are not committing one way or the other, and the really frustrating part for fantasy owners is that it is a 4:00 game. If the decision drags past 12:00, setting rosters could be tricky.

Here’s something that is not tricky, however: don’t play running backs, or any offensive players for that matter, against the Steelers Defense. Why? They are first in the league in rushing yards allowed, passing yards allowed, total yards allowed, and scoring defense. That’s domination. As a Browns fan it pains me to give the Steelers props like that, but they deserve it. Their defense has been outstanding.

Who would fill in for Marion Barber if he is unable to go? The first choice would obviously be Wade Phillips, in a Jerome Bettis-type battering ram role; but Phillips is what you may call “portly” and has lost some of the speed and explosiveness that once defined him as a…okay, never mind. With Felix Jones out for the season, rookie Tashard Choice would be the choice to fill in for Marion Barber.

For the season, Tashard Choice has carried the ball 30 times at a 4.9 yard per carry clip. Not too shabby in limited action. He was a very productive runner in college and I know, living in Dallas, that the people down here are really excited about his potential. He is smaller, and has much more an Emmitt Smith-style than the punishing style of Marion Barber, but Choice has always produced when given the chance. If Barber is out for any extended period of time, Tashard Choice could be a solid #2 RB or flex player.

Plus, and here comes the goosbumps part I alluded to earlier, Tashard Choice gave one of the most passionate and inspiring pre-game speeches by a player that I have ever heard while at Georgia Tech. Many of you may have seen this video before, some of you may not. We bring you the goods either way:

I was thinking about just ending this post right there with that video, but now I’ve decided that I’M GONNA WRITE, ‘TILL I CAN’T WRITE NO MO’! I’M GONNA GET UP — AND WRITE AGAIN!

Tashard Choice became my new personal hero the first time I saw that speech. He rocks, and if Marion Barber is out this weekend I hope Choice has a good game against Pittsburgh. I realize that Pittsburgh’s D is outstanding, but would you really question Tashard Choice’s ability to get the job done? Watch that video again and tell me you wouldn’t start him.

That’s what I thought. Everything or nothing.

Work be damned, I’m wrapping this up now so I can go watch Remember the Titans and Hoosiers.

(Update: After I posted this item, I emailed Florio over at PFT to give him the Barber update — which he probably knew anyway — and to remind him about the Tashard Choice speech. At 1:00 later that afternoon, this story was posted on PFT. They didn’t link to us, or mention us, and maybe they had been planning the story and the inclusion of the Choice video anyway, but we’ll take it as a little homage to MSF. Hey, we’re just a newbie on the block trying to gain some credibility in the blogging world, and don’t do any primary source reporting like they do. And Lord knows I’ve gotten enough story ideas from them, and linked out to them a lot, so if we helped alert them to this and that led to more people seeing Tashard Choice’s awesome speech, we’ll take some pride in that. If our tip meant nothing, we’ll just chalk it up to coincidence and keep plugging away trying to grow our little site here. For what it’s worth, they posted about the same story today, updating Barber’s status, and actually embedded the video this time. If you’re an NFL fan, this is one of the best sites out there. After you opt-in to our RSS feed below (if you so choose), make sure to subscribe to theirs as well. You will be a much more informed NFL fan.)