The Cowboys are too good to be 2-2. That’s what I believe, anyway.
But you have to tip your hat to the Philadelphia Eagles coaching staff and to quarterback Donovan McNabb. The Eagles out-schemed the Cowboys and McNabb performed marvelously under pressure and made touchdown throws to virtual unknowns that many thought were not possible.
McNabb correctly predicted the cornerback blitz on Sunday, a Dallas defensive play that isolated rookie receiver Hank Baskett on a safety. McNabb bought himself enough time in the pocket to complete a 50-yard throw. It was the play of the game, second only to McNabb’s earlier touchdown throw to Reggie Brown, who was covered by both Dallas safeties. Pro Bowl safety Roy Williams lost the flight of the ball because he basically did a 180-degree turn, the unnecessary movement just enough to get him out of position and prevent him from either intercepting or tipping the ball away.
Jim Johnson’s defense shot both center-guard gaps to get into Drew Bledsoe’s face all game long. Bledsoe was under siege most of the time. Still, Bledsoe made the big throw that had the Cowboys in position to tie the game at the end. Eagles safety Michael Lewis admitted he had no choice but to drag the intended receiver down for a 57-yard pass interference penalty.
This is partly why Bill Parcells is sticking with Bledsoe. Yes, maybe Tony Romo could have escaped some of Philadelphia’s pressure. But would he have made all the throws and won the game?
The bottom line in Dallas is that Parcells knows that if he rushes now to bench Bledsoe, the old quarterback may retire on the spot. I mean pack his bags and retire and with his wife and kids. He doesn’t need the money.
Bledsoe is a good man and he deserves every opportunity. If he can’t get the job done, he’ll realize it when Parcells does. The fans in Dallas, starting with Terrell Owens, believe Bledsoe has had bad games in the two Dallas defeats.
We are assuming Bledsoe will beat the Texans on Sunday. His deciding game will be Monday night at home against the Giants. He and the Cowboys must beat the Giants.
Protecting Rex
Yes, the Bears sure do look unbeatable. And there are some interesting statistics to support their 5-0 start.
First, quarterback Rex Grossman has been sacked the fewest times, or 2.6 percent of the time he drops back to throw. With the protection, Grossman has delivered. The Bears are converting 48 percent of their third-and-long plays or second-best in the NFL thus far. They trail only Peyton Manning and the Colts. Last season, despite winning 11 games, they were next-to-last in the league on third-and-long. Only the 49ers were worse.
Speaking of third-down conversions, the Carolina Panthers are 11 of 48 on the season after going 0-for-11 against mighty Cleveland on Sunday. Only – guess who? – the Raiders are worse.
Moss on the move?
Ok, the Raiders have had internal discussions about trading unhappy receiver Randy Moss, who is simply frustrated with offensive coordinator Tom Walsh’s offense. But it doesn’t look like Moss will be traded because the Raiders need to get more than simply a first-round draft pick as compensation.
But you have to wonder if the Seahawks and Falcons wouldn’t rather have Moss than Deion Branch and Ashley Lelie, respectively. The one team that Moss would help immediately is the Pittsburgh Steelers. He would open up that offense and definitely help Ben Roethlisberger. Big Ben is currently on his worse streak as a pro, losing three straight while producing zero touchdown passes with seven interceptions.
Former Vikings coach Mike Tice has pointed out those same possibilities to the people in Jacksonville. Moss does force teams to account for him everywhere, whether he’s giving effort or not. But teams like the Steelers don’t make trades like that. Neither do the Chicago Bears.
Bargain shoppers
Without a salary-cap hit, the Broncos simply went with the cheaper punter in Paul Ernster, whose salary is $302,590. Todd Sauerbrun’s salary for this season is $1.39 million or $82,059 every week over the course of a 17-week season. Even if Sauerbrun needed steroids or some other illegal supplement to help heal some injuries, how many teams want to risk a punter with two strikes against him?
Jets groaning
When you lose 41-0, like the Jets did on Sunday, there’s going to be a lot of moaning and groaning. Well, Laveranues Coles popped off Sunday about his lack of playing time and the face he only had three receptions for 19 yards. He entered the game against Jacksonville tied for the NFL receptions lead with 30. But how can you have any sympathy for Coles, who has had 50 passes thrown his way in five games? That’s the third-highest amount in the NFL behind only Torry Holt and Marvin Harrison.
Birthday boy
Happy Birthday to Brett Favre, who turns 37 today. But probably feels like 47, what with the pinched neck nerve and those four losses. Plus, Coach Mike McCarthy isn’t giving his players the week off like Mike Holmgren did last week in Seattle.
Simply put: Drew Bledsoe will always be Drew Bledsoe. He will always be the quarterback who will lead you down the field just to get a few bad sacks or throw an untimely interception. Since the start of his pro career, that has been his rep., and it has basically always held true. I firmly belive that with Drew Bledsoe at QB, a team will never win a Super Bowl. You might get there, but only in spite of him. The only thing he'll do is impede a team's chance of winning in every single game. It's a shame because the Cowboys are so talented everywhere else on their team. In my opinion, anything is better than Drew Bledose, and it's time to go to Tony Romo, if the Cowboy's season is to be saved.
Last edited by NFL_Guru on October 10th at 5:12 PM.
Lets face it, Brett Favre is 37, but at least if he retired now, he would still probaly have a few offers to throw a few more passes for a few teams. Randall Cunnigham did the same thing a few years back, and we know how that turned out. I could see Brett Favre to try one more team as a back-up, lets say somewhere warm, like Arizona.....
I completely agree with you about the Cowboys. That big play to Hank Baskett, in my opinion, should be pinned on the defensive playcall. I don't care if it's a rookie receiver, his route assignment is easier for him than it is for a rookie safety to be in single coverage against Donovan Mcnabb. I understand you want to get pressure on the quarterback, but when they're inside their own 20 you still have the whole field to try and stop them, at least for a field goal. I mean they had stopped them all day aside from the other two big plays. If they all already beat you twice deep, the last thing you want to do is give them more opportunities. Philly's first 10 pts. came on 6 plays for a total of 17 yds. Parcells should have had more confidence in his defense as a whole, and not in his rookie safety. Just a tought.
I don't agree with the Guru. The Pats would have won the Super Bowl with Bledsoe when he was the QB during the time when Brady was hurt and then Brady was healthy for the super bowl and that was the end for Bledsoe and his high salary as Brady proved he was more than capable for the job.
Second thought being from the Northwest...the Pats got Bledsoe and we got Rick Meyer in that one of many brilliant Seahawk drafts during what I consider the dark days. Also back to the Cowboys did not their defence get shredded by the Eagles. Seems like a lot of blame to go around for the Boys.
Why is everyone surprised the Eagles are doing this? Aside of last year when they had a ton of injuries (Including McNabb- he played hurt the first part of the season), they've been good since the dark days of the nineties. The Cowboys are simply overrated. The big difference in the game was McNabb- he's a much better QB than Bledsoe, and he makes it happen, often getting a TD out of what looks like nothing. I have no idea why everyone thought the Eagles would be terrible this season. They went to the NFC Championship 4 times in a row before and with Owens. Owens didn't even play in the playoffs until the Super Bowl- they got there with Pinkston and Freddie Mitchell, both of whom can't get a job on another team. Bledsoe has T.O. and Terry Glenn, two of the top receivers in the game, and Jason Witten, among others. Overrated, overrated, overrated. Talent doesn't = success. Determination and hard work does. (See: Oakland Raiders/Arizona Cardinals/Miami Dolphins for teams loaded with talent who stink.) Give the Eagles and McNabb their due. Out of today's QBs, he does the most with the least proven onfield talent at receiver (and in years past, with receivers who have proven themselves useless).
Last edited by Celica2003 on October 11th at 5:00 AM.
Cecilia2003 you are still a dike no matter what blog you go on. Go away. you try and sound like you know what you are talking about but you are just a dirty little ########. So please, you #### guzzling gutter snipe, crawl back into your hole on Kensington and Alleghany, smoke more crack, feed the kids more hamburger helper, and take a few more punches from your old unemployed drunken husband, and do us all a favor and stop!!
Oh and by the way TO is still a wool haired, bubble lipped, spear chucking, ####!!! Dallas sucks and the Birds are in first.... Life is good again in Philadelphia..
Guru,
My point was Bledsoe got you close and Rick Meyer made us cry, and we hadn't recovered from Brian Bosworth yet. Face it we had some bad management and you had some good management, but at least we finally got it turned around. Maybe Paul Allen's money helps to get get management....Ya think?
Bennhater, if you're addressing me, lick it, put a stamp on it, and send it to someone who gives a ####. You're a phony, and nobody likes you- I feel sorry for you, actually, because you're so ignorant. Get a refund from that "education." Oh, by the way, I looked up your seats and will pass the info on to Philly fans at the Eagles website. Since a lot of us are too far to make it to Philly games, I figured you might make some nice "####" friends. I am also not a woman. In addition, you're not Native American, so for all your comments about people of color who need to go home, why don't you add yourself to the list? White people weren't here first, either. I'll throw in some of your racier comments for the Eagles faithful as well. Please cheer for a team that deserves a bigot like you. You shame Eagles fans everywhere. Oh, and by the way I'm 6'3", 195, and I played QB until I tore my rotator cuff, so screw off, I know my football from that position. Hey Czar, can't we get rid of this loser? It's your blog, toss him. Everyone else, if we ignore him, maybe he's stupid enough to think he's dead and he'll go away.
Last edited by Celica2003 on October 12th at 4:55 AM.
CECILIA...you are a big dummy. What do you think the Eagles ticket office can do throw me out for expressing my feelings?? Are you kidding me with that? Am I supposed to be afraid of that? There is nothing they can do... NOTHING!!!! I've broken no law. So you poor #### I'm laughing at you again. I'm like Elliot Ness... I'm untouchable.. I go to every game and I will continue to go. Also I happen to be very well liked contrary to what you believe. In fact, I am some what adored by lots of people. See, stupid people like yourself, don't appreciate my humor.. My friends, however, do. We laugh at you. I doubt you ever played football, unless you count nintendo techno bowl as a game. I figure you to be some blue collar shlub who makes around 35,000 a year doing some hump type job. Your kids are brats with bad teeth and your wife probably has a big gut and saggy boobs. You drink Bud and occasionally take a swing at her. You my friend, are the loser here, not me. I am one of the haves, and sadly for you, you are one of the have nots. I'm the guy who your kids look at and say why can't our daddy be successful like him, why do his kids have everything and we shop at the goodwill store. I understand your anger towards me. I guess if I were stupid, and poor, with little hope, I would be angry as well. Well good luck to you, dopey, maybe you'll catch a break and get that job driving a trash truck.
Last edited by bennhaterfromphilly on October 12th at 8:11 AM.
If you're one of the "haves" then why don't you have any class and only #### for brains? Last I checked, the "haves" conduct themselves with elegance and grace, not idiocies as you do. Go back to the fifties, where that kind of treatment of women and minorities was acceptable. You're probably a fat ugly slob, anyway. I'm probably a lot younger than you, but I'll say it anyway- grow up.
And speaking of growing up, I'll be ignoring you from now on.
YEAH okay you will ignore me!!! Do you think I believe that low life??? Being a have entitles me to say what ever it is that I want. The problem with that is that because of my position on the food chain people pay more attention to what i have to say than they would for someone like yourself. See nobody cares what poor people have to say, you are insignificant, you don't matter. Oh I wanted to tell you the Eagle's ticket office police called me yesterday they are investigating my usage of this blog and may ban me for life from having tickets. HAHAHAHA you are such a big dummy. Have a good weekend, try not to beat your wife, okay. And tell your kids to stop going through my trash. I know they eat better that way but it is still a bit annoying.
derrrr!!! i'm a stupid ####, derrr!!! come on down to the trailer park and fight me, derr!!! i'll prove i'm a real man and better than you!!! i'm not insecure, lowlife woman! i'm a real man! really! cuz i can make racial slurs! and call people a woman! like it is an insult! i'm serious! i sell cars man, and i'll kick your ####!
i'm rough like roses and slick like chicken grease, all 350 lbs of me, it's you i'm gonna eat! derrr!!! shoot!! trailer's rolling down the hill! gotta go.
Go Eagles!!!
Last edited by bennnhaterfromphilly on October 14th at 10:23 AM.
you are great. You are such a loser you had to imitate my screen name. WOW. How pathetic is your life. I never insulted women, I never threatened anyone, and yes I do not care for ####. I don't just sell cars I am a partial owner of a dealership, and I am not heavy, in fact I'm pretty damn good looking. I live in house that is probably bigger than your entire apartment complex, and I'm quite secure. I also cannot stop laughing that you would go to all this trouble to try and upset me. I own you. Think of all the space I have rented upo inside that pea brain of yours, so much that you have to do this. This my loser friend is funny. It's actually a little scary that you think about me that much, but funny none the less. Do you have a life at all. This is somewhat sick. Sadly you are probably sitting at home all proud of yourself not realizing that everyone who reads this thinks there is something seriously wrong with you. This has to be a first. The other thing is what you wrote really isnt that funny. Nothing you said was original and nothing even unique. You are a dolt, a ####, a dope, and you are a little sick. Do yourself a favor don't spend so much time thinking about me, I 'm really not that important. Just curious...should I be concerned that you are some kind of stalker. You obviously have too much time on your hands and you obviously have a thing for me. Get some help ace. Looks like you really need it.
I read it again and I don't see the humor. You are a woman, I'll guess an ugly one. God I feel sorry for you. You are, my guess, an ugly, fat, unhappily married woman. On ewho hasn't had sex for a long time because your husband is repulsed by the fact that your gut is bigger than your boobs. He drinks a lot, or is having an affair with the barkeep at the corner bar in Kensington. You wear pants with elastic waist bands because your #### is so big it won't fit in anything else. Worst of all you don't even have a sense of humor. I thought fatties were supposed to be jolly. I can't wait to show the guys that work for me this. I have gotten under so skin so deeply you had to do this. Ha Ha Ha
John Czarnecki, a former sportswriter with over 20 years experience covering the NFL, has been the editorial consultant for the Emmy Award-winning FOX NFL Sunday since its 1994 inception. Prior, he provided exclusive information to CBS Sports' The NFL Today program from 1991 to 1993, holding a similar position.
Prior to joining CBS Sports, Czarnecki was a pro football writer for The National Sports Daily (1989-91), The Dallas Morning News (1989), and The Los Angeles Herald-Examin er. An archive of work can be found here.
