DMN Gosselin: Win or lose tomorrow, Cowboys will be popular pick in 2015
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High Plains Drifter
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The entire team was sloppy, they phoned it in. Missed tackles, blown assignments, and idiot penalties galore at the worst possible times, while moron Wade just clapped, patted them on the butt and said it was okay.
Glad to see someone besides me remembers reality.
dbair1967
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T.O., nursing ankle sprain, expected to be game-time decision
Updated: January 7, 2008, 7:56 PM ET
Associated Press
IRVING, Texas -- Terrell Owens was still limping Monday on his sprained left ankle and his status for the Dallas Cowboys' playoff game next weekend was uncertain, though some teammates expect him to play.
"Absolutely, we're all counting on him playing," Jason Witten said. "He's a tough guy. Nobody wants it more than he wants it himself to get out there and play. He's a quick healer, and he looked good out there, I thought."
Coach Wade Philllips said Owens was limited in a light workout Monday, the first for the top-seeded Cowboys (13-3) since learning they will play the New York Giants in the NFC divisional playoffs Sunday -- and the first for T.O. since he sustained a high ankle sprain Dec. 22 at Carolina.
"It looks to me that it's going to be a game-time decision on him. ... It's Monday game week. He probably couldn't have played today," Phillips said. "It was a limp-through for him, a walkthrough for us."
Owens wasn't yet on the field during the short period of time at the beginning of the workout that was open to reporters, but Witten and Patrick Crayton were encouraged by what they saw once T.O. joined them.
"I don't know if 81 [Owens] is at full strength, but he's good enough to where he said he was going to practice this week so he can get some timing back and everything," Crayton said.
"It's going to be great to have him back out there on the field," Witten said. "Obviously, he's our playmaker and he makes all of our jobs easier, and helps our team win."
Owens, who has 81 catches for 1,355 yards and an NFC-high 15 touchdowns, wasn't seen during the open locker room period Monday. Team spokesman Rich Dalrymple said Owens didn't plan to talk until after the game.
Despite the optimism expressed by Crayton and Witten, the coach remained cautious when asked repeatedly about Owens' status.
Phillips, who last week hoped Owens could return to practice Wednesday or Thursday, said the dilemma is determining "what percentage" the receiver is going to be healthy before deciding if he will practice or play.
"If he were able to practice Wednesday or Thursday, Friday maybe, it'd clarify things a little easier," Phillips said. "If he can't [practice], that's why I said it'd have to be a game-time decision.
"From his history, from his toughness, his ability to withstand those kind of things, I think those are all positives," he said. "But you still don't want to put him in harm's way."
Updated: January 7, 2008, 7:56 PM ET
Associated Press
IRVING, Texas -- Terrell Owens was still limping Monday on his sprained left ankle and his status for the Dallas Cowboys' playoff game next weekend was uncertain, though some teammates expect him to play.
"Absolutely, we're all counting on him playing," Jason Witten said. "He's a tough guy. Nobody wants it more than he wants it himself to get out there and play. He's a quick healer, and he looked good out there, I thought."
Coach Wade Philllips said Owens was limited in a light workout Monday, the first for the top-seeded Cowboys (13-3) since learning they will play the New York Giants in the NFC divisional playoffs Sunday -- and the first for T.O. since he sustained a high ankle sprain Dec. 22 at Carolina.
"It looks to me that it's going to be a game-time decision on him. ... It's Monday game week. He probably couldn't have played today," Phillips said. "It was a limp-through for him, a walkthrough for us."
Owens wasn't yet on the field during the short period of time at the beginning of the workout that was open to reporters, but Witten and Patrick Crayton were encouraged by what they saw once T.O. joined them.
"I don't know if 81 [Owens] is at full strength, but he's good enough to where he said he was going to practice this week so he can get some timing back and everything," Crayton said.
"It's going to be great to have him back out there on the field," Witten said. "Obviously, he's our playmaker and he makes all of our jobs easier, and helps our team win."
Owens, who has 81 catches for 1,355 yards and an NFC-high 15 touchdowns, wasn't seen during the open locker room period Monday. Team spokesman Rich Dalrymple said Owens didn't plan to talk until after the game.
Despite the optimism expressed by Crayton and Witten, the coach remained cautious when asked repeatedly about Owens' status.
Phillips, who last week hoped Owens could return to practice Wednesday or Thursday, said the dilemma is determining "what percentage" the receiver is going to be healthy before deciding if he will practice or play.
"If he were able to practice Wednesday or Thursday, Friday maybe, it'd clarify things a little easier," Phillips said. "If he can't [practice], that's why I said it'd have to be a game-time decision.
"From his history, from his toughness, his ability to withstand those kind of things, I think those are all positives," he said. "But you still don't want to put him in harm's way."
dbair1967
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never said it was the sole reason...but anybody that watched those last couple games knows Romo never threw the ball the same after that hand/thumb injury and the TO story was major news for weeks...
Dodger12
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That was the infamous Cabo playoff game. I also remember some horrible clock management to end the half and the Giants scored a TD with seconds left. That's was a back breaker because I believe they got the ball first the to start the second half and scored again. It was a game changer.
dbair1967
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They didn't score in the 3rd quarter, we actually had the lead going into the 4th.
In the 2nd qtr is where we had that 20 play length of the field drive that last like 10 or 11 minutes. We scored with less than a minute remaining but the defense turned around and gave up a TD drive in the final minute of their own. I don't recall bad clock management there but do remember us giving up a TD drive in final seconds of half.
Dodger12
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I remember Romo's hand injury. The thing looked like a basketball after he injured it and fortunately nothing was broken. By the time the playoffs rolled around, it was a non-factor and you'd be hard pressed to find any game day reporting where the hand was even brought up as a factor in the loss. The Giants adjusted and their D played well not only in that game but throughout the playoffs.
dbair1967
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No doubt their D played great in the playoffs, its the main reason they won those games and the SB.
That said, we had torn their defense part both previous games and Romo in fact did throw the ball poorly the remainder of that season from the time he was injured. TO played but clearly didn't scare anybody and was nowhere near the same player he was prior to the ankle thing.
We did enough wrong to lose and deserve to lose, but those two injuries had some impact as well. There was also some pretty questionable officiating in that game.
Dodger12
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You're correct.....my bad. Their possession to end the half was what I remembered. They scored a TD with under a minute. I just remember that play being a back breaker in the sense that the Giants went into the locker room with some momentum.
ThoughtExperiment
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As did Barber. They made that weird move to start him for the first time and while you could argue that it worked, they wore him down with way too much work that he wasn't used to.
Overall, I hated we lost but I never beat the team up as much as most people. Not like the Giants flopped after that; they went on to beat Favre in Lambeau and then the only 19-0 team in history.
dbair1967
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we had a bad penalty on that drive...I cant remember if it was a late hit or a face mask, but it gave them 15 yds and helped get that drive going..it did give them a lot of momentum because we had just had the ball for almost the entire 2nd qtr and scored a go ahead TD to seemingly take control of the game
dbair1967
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Yeah Barber had over 100 yds rushing in the first half alone, wasn't nearly as effective in the 2nd half.
Like you said though, it wasn't like the Giants got smoked the next week. they played great in GB and then beat what many qrgued was the best team in history in the SB, and pummeled Brady that game in the process.
Dodger12
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David, can you find any reporting that Romo's hand injury played a factor in the loss. Simpler yet, can you find any reporting that Romo's hand injury was mentioned as a factor the week leading up to the game? I don't really know why the hand is being brought up now. You literally threw that one in there completely out of nowhere.
dbair1967
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I've been throwing it out there since the game happened...you could tell he wasn't the same from the time he injured it...
And after a year of being an overwhelming passing team, in their first playoff game they bench the ineffective "starting" RB and replace him with Marion Barber, then run the ball more in the first half than they had in any other game all year.
Dodger12
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Once again dbair, you're on an island all by yourself........
dbair1967
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Romo vs Philly (game he was injured): 13/36, 214yds, 0 tds, 3 picks
Romo vs Carolina: 28/42, 257 yds, 1 TD 1 pick. Almost no pass attempts in the game traveled over 10 yds in the air
Romo vs Washington: 7/16, 86 yds, 0 TDs, 1 pick. Again almost no attempts in the game downfield
Romo vs NYG: 18/36, 201 yds, 1 TD, 1 pick. Accuracy way off, very few long attempts
Rest of the yr: about 67% comp, well over 8 yds per attempt, 36 tds and 14 picks
I'm sure there was absolutely nothing wrong with his hand at all dodger. 8 times in first 13 games they scored at least 31 pts (including 45 & 31 v NYG). Starting the game Romo got hurt they scored 6, 20, 6 & 17
ThoughtExperiment
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I don't remember the hand being so bad, but I do think TO's ankle was a big factor. He hurt it at the end of the Carolina game, right?
Probably even played a part in the disastrous RW11 trade the next year. Jerry and Garrett knew there was no way we could survive if he got hurt again with Crayton as a #1, or really even as a #2 if they just decided to take TO out of the game.
Probably even played a part in the disastrous RW11 trade the next year. Jerry and Garrett knew there was no way we could survive if he got hurt again with Crayton as a #1, or really even as a #2 if they just decided to take TO out of the game.
Dodger12
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I don't know why it took you 7 years to bring up his hand and I really don't know what the purpose is. It was something that was not even mentioned anywhere as being a contributing factor at that time. I remember the season and I remember Romo trying to play with his badly swollen hand and the effect it had on the passing game. By the playoffs, it was a non-factor.
Every time Romo is limited due to injury it's reported and you can see his limitations. No where was it reported either before or after the game from the media folks who follow the team. What was reported was that NY changed up their D and refused to give up the big (deep) play and were content with letting the Cowboys make long dink and dunk drives to score. That's probably why we had 100 yards rushing by half time. One coach adjusted and another one didn't. Sometimes it's just that simple.