After writing this scathing article about the Dallas Cowboys and receiving all the requisite hate mail, there was no bigger fan of the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday than myself.
But, I just knew something like this was going to happen to make me look like a horse's behind. In fact, I responded to Victor A. from Waxahachie, TX on Friday with the following line:
"Now that I've officially jinxed the Colts, it's a MORTAL lock the Cowboys will be winning on Sunday. Bet your savings."
Well, well, well...
And now, the moment you've all been waiting for...
I was wrong.
While there are a lot of people out there who I think are overestimating the Cowboys, it's clear that I underestimated them. Like, a lot. Tony Romo is the real deal. Terrell Owens is always a weapon. Julius Jones and Marion Barber III are a solid 1-2 punch. The Dallas defense proved it can contain a top-notch offense. The Dallas offense proved it can come through in the clutch. And most importantly, Dallas proved that it should not be counted out.
There's really nothing more I can say. To all the Cowboys fans that wrote in, you guys were right. I was wrong. Sigh.
I'd write more, but I have to finish eating my shoe.
Ty... I'm an avid Cowboys fan and going into the game I must have underestimated the Boys myself. I didn't think it would be a runaway game on Indy's part but I did think they would win (I hoped they wouldn't of course). Romo is really coming into his own with this Cowboys team. Will they make the Super Bowl? Only time will tell who will be there. The way this season is going its still anybodys (except for the Texans, Redskins, Cardinals and a few others) game.
DMitch87... HOW BOUT THEM COWBOYS!!!!!!
I read your article before, and wondered how much #### you would catch from Cowboy fans.
The NFL is truly unique. Every team, and every player is overestimated by some...while at the same time, underestimated by others. Some think Tony Romo would be better off bagging groceries, while others think he's the next Roger Staubach. The truth probably lies somewhere in between I suppose, but the disagreement is what makes it such a great game.
However, it can also be the reason that some idiotic jerk gets his lights knocked out.
Shooter -- I caught a lot of flack from Cowboy fans, but I expected that before it was even published. Assuming that FedEx ground still takes about 3 to 5 days, I'm expecting the package bombs to arrive at my door sometime later this week.
Brother, you should never have set yourself up the way you did... especially when Vegas tells you its a pick'em. Not only did you jinx the Colts but also the Eagles, NO, ATL, and SEA. So a Jax MNF win coupled with a DAL T-day win would put DAL in 1st place, and the Bears would be the only team in the NFC with a better record. And really, is anyone scared of a team with Rex Grossman at QB? It could still fall apart for DAL, but you were WAY too quick on the trigger. I think there is a name for that. But regardless, it was a poorly timed rant.
It's one of those years where teams are going to pop up and down on the radar week to week. Dallas is good, the Carolina Panthers if you catch them on the wrong week are tough, the Seahawks aren't yesterday's news just yet, the Bears look tough, and the Giants have weapons. I think any one of the five could go to the Super Bowl.
While the ink will go to Tony Romo after this game, the thing that impressed me about it was the hitting. The Colts and Cowboys went hard after each other and the two quarterbacks. It sounded, at least on TV, like an old fashioned NFC Central game and not the offensive explosion most expected.
Takes a big person(like how I was P.C.)lol to admit when ya wrong. The Cowboys have been under the radar cause they have gave away games this season with all the penalties and freakish blocked FG's that turn into a win for the other team but they have played with everybody they have went against this season. If they get it together finally....watch out. Thats my Humble Opinion
you werent wrong Ty. i'mma cowboy fan to my soul - but on Paper, the Colts had the advantage. Peyton Manning versus a secondary with Roy Williams? man, i was worried. but it was a good game nonetheless.
The Cowboys are on par talentwise with the rest of the league but when the defense plays top notch, the 'Boys are really tough to beat. On defense is where many of the top AFC teams are inconsistent, which makes the beatable.
Ty your article was dead on, the Cowflops aren't all that and a bag of chips...I'm still steamed T.O. didn't have the integrity to get bounced off the team by game eight...that's the nature of prognosticating, the Incredible Criswell was right, there's just as much notoriety in being wrong as there is in being right...
Despite the fact that I was a Cowboy fan since the days of LeBaron (who I think was their first QB for one season) and Dandy Don Meredith (who replaced Lebaron) I have lost interest for the most part since The Tuna made his appearance and I lost what little interest I had with T.O. becoming the latest DRAMA to underachiever for the Cowboys.
All in all I was not suprised to see The Colts lose to the Cowboys. The longer it goes, the more liklihood that an inferior team will beat an undefeated team. History shows that time after time somewhere on or around that 10th win, the win will become the loss that stops the streak.
The Cowboys are nowhere near the team the Colts are and only blind, homer Cowboys fans would even think they are.
Ty Hildenbrandt was the winner of the inaugural Next Great Sportswriter contest on FOXSports.com and the host of nationally syndicated Yankee Fan Club Radio. Ty is currently a writer for SI.com.
