Know Your Dallas Cowboys: The Blog

The last Questions Waiting for Answers post was on Sunday, January 7, one day after the Cowboys’ 21-20 loss to Seattle in the first round of the 2006 playoffs. Some 241 days later, here we are, and we have some of the same questions despite different coaches and a few different players. I thought it might be a good idea to review the last set of questions before we address this weekend’s game against the Giants:

Last Season vs. Seattle:
(1) Can the Cowboys find a way to generate any pressure? The 4-3 look seemed to work a little bit better last week, but it still wasn’t enough. The ineffectiveness of the blitz has gone far beyond head-scratching, and these ends (Spears, Canty) are anything but awe-inspiring. Something needs to change, either now or next season.
This Season:
(1) Can the Cowboys find a way to generate any pressure? The blitz packages should be more aggressive this season, but the faces– with the exception of Anthony Spencer– are largely the same. If Eli Manning has more than five seconds to throw the ball, we may conclude that our problems are much more personnel-related than system-related.

Last Season vs. Seattle:
(2) Running game? Oh, running game? Are you there, running game? The two-headed monster of Jones and Barber has turned into a two-headed mouse, with the two gaining a combined 40 yards or so in the past two games. Nothing more needs to be said.
This Season:
(2) Does Julius Jones prove that he belongs in a Cowboys uniform after this year? Does Marion Barber push Julius right out the door?

In reading the question from last season, I had forgotten that the running game had struggled so much.

Last Season vs. Seattle:
(3) Can the Cowboys take advantage of a banged-up Seattle secondary? Quite a bit has been made of this, but I wouldn’t simply assume that Dallas will be able to throw all over the place on the Seahawks. That solution would be just too easy.
This Season:
(3) Can the Cowboys take advantage of a Giants’ secondary that might be without Sam Madison? I personally have faith that Tony Romo will have a very good season but that it might not be enough to overcome some nagging injuries (see below).

Last Season vs. Seattle:
Does Tony Romo need that second hand for something other than to cover the football? I haven’t played quarterback (at least in organized tackle football) for 17 years, but I don’t recall it being a great advantage to be able to run around with only one hand on the ball. I do, however, remember that it was quite dangerous.
This Season:
(4) Will Romo continue to have his turnover problems? I did not notice any big mechanical problems during preseason, but it has now been 18 years since I played, so who am I to judge?

Last Season vs. Seattle:
(5) Are we seeing the last of Bill Parcells and/or Terrell Owens?
This Season:
(5).500 isn’t a bad percentage, is it? I’ll kick myself for typing this, but I’m starting to get used to Owens.

New Questions:
(6) Does anyone mind if I borrow from Vic Carucci? His general questions about the Cowboys:

Will the Dallas Cowboys’ season of high expectations get off to a bad start because of a long injury list that includes cornerback Terence Newman (heel), wide receiver Terry Glenn (knee), and linebackers Greg Ellis (Achilles) and Kevin Burnett (ankle)? Also, given the angry public reaction of safety Roy Williams, will there be any lingering acrimony from the Cowboys’ decision to release veteran cornerback Aaron Glenn? And how much will the surprising suspension of quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson, who will miss the first five games for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances, affect the early season progress of Tony Romo?

(7) Can the Cowboys Win?

Answer: Yes. Dallas has more talent than anyone in the NFC East, and the Giants are currently retooling. And in all honesty, a loss in the opener is really inexcusable unless all of the injured players (Terry Glenn, Terence Newman, Greg Ellis) end up missing the game.